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Tuesday, June 27, 2006
The infamous asterisk
Well, I dont know if any of you remember or even care, but this past new years I decided to make a New Year resolution. You might be wondering what would drive me to such stupidity. Well, let me tell you. I have never made one of those pesky things and I decided I wanted to see if I could actually do something for a year. I chose to refrain from soda and sweet tea for a year. Did I mention the fact that it is supposed to be a whole year? Well, I recently ran into a little snag, and I think that it needs to be discussed. I have gone strong and stayed away from all soda. It has not been on my lips. I went to great lenghts and refused a desire for an IBC rootbeer or a Dr Pepper. This past week we had a reception for Nathan and Casey, and I got myself a little bit of punch. After a sip I decided that it was too strong and I threw it away. A few minutes later I watch them refill the punch bowl with several ingredients, one of which was ginger ale (that would be a soda). So here is the question, have a I blown it. It is game over as far as the resolution goes? Do I keep going, but simply put an asterisk in the record books? The dilema continues. Now I realize that I havent blogged anything in so long that no one will probably even look at this, but that is OK. Let me know what you think.
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9 comments:
I still think that its such a small asterick that although it is a blemish on your fine standing record, it isn't that bad because YOU DIDN'T KNOW!! I'm glad you decided not to throw up...But as for this blog, I think its yet another ploy to continue your discussion of a sad mess... :o)
although i do not think "i didn't know" is a good excuse and i do believe that sin is sin, i do not at all think you have blown it. come on, fay, i mean if guy in the green shirt didn't drive you to root beer...what can? you are strong, man, and we are behind you. no more soda until Jan 1, 2007. and then, on that auspicious day, you and i can raise a toast together to honor your, ahem, accomplishment*
keep going!!!
i think you should've thrown up...that would've been sweet!
remember when those guys were bringing back the ark to the palace for David and the ark slipped, and a man without thinking grabbed the ark just to steady it... and God killed him. i think it is in Chronicles. Anyway, i always thought that guy got a bad deal... and i felt sorry for him. i mean c'mon he meant well.
But - it was disobedience -regardless. There are no gray areas with sin. If the men helping David, had bothered to study the law... they wouldn't have gotten into that mess to begin with -- levites were supposed to bring back the ark with great care.
A careless moment is still sin. is it not?
so - yep you messed up. you blew it. soda touched your lips. Strike that man dead. i guess it is over. -or is it.
There seems to be this thing called Grace. So much bigger than a momentary lapse of mind. (this soda story..... in the bigger sense) reminds us that we have to be on guard at all times. But praise the Lord, there is GRACE. sin pardoned and life renewed. So Grace comes and washes away... the soda stain. undeserved grace. to make all things new, to pick you back up, to persevere... in the race and even the resolution. GRACE .. GRACE...GRACE
so i guess it is not over after all.... if you receive it. right?
julie
yeah, that's my "new year's resolution" too...you're still good! :-P
Maybe we could just redefine our understanding of "soda"...?
"Ginger Ale" sounds a lot more like ale than soda to me. Did you clearly define in your resolution what you would understand "soda" to mean? If not, then you're probably good going this route.
And through this, you begin to see my rationalizations with my own previous commitments...
Fayez
I typed your name up on the internet tonight (I have a little extra time on my hands) and this article came up about the ginger ale. I think that since you blew it (even though you didnt know) the only right thing to do is to add another drink to your list until January 1st. My vote is water. I think you can do it:)
love your sis, sabrina
Bro, it's not an ASTERISK! Geesh. Wish I could remember this conversation fully, from THREE months ago, but let's see.
I've been sober now from carbonation for 5 and a half years. March 2001. In the meantime, I've had less than 5 occurences where unsuspectingly, I've been exposed to carbonation in my drink. There are two things here. Like Matt wisely noted earlier too, what was your definition of "soda?" Does it need to be labeled "soda" or known as a soda, a distant member of the soda family? Any bubble is too many bubbles? I mean that bubbly you had the other night...Does that count? It's a different kind of carbonation, but it's still fizzy.
The second thought stretches that a little further, what was your definition of "no" as in "no soda?" What was your intent behind that phrasing. By "no" do you mean not even a hint? Even by accident or someone planting it in your drink? Or by "no" do you mean there are obvious extenuating circumstances, exceptions that when thrust upon you, do not mean you failed your resolution or even deserve an asterisk. What if someone spiked your drink (which I contend DID happen)? You have no control over that. What is your intention behind the word "no?" Is it addressing the heart of the decision you make (to drink or not to drink), or the actual decision itself(I drank. No questions asked). That's what you have to decide.
Finally, an asterisk is reserved for comparisons, if you made it through 2004 with "no soda," and then in 2005 you did as well. 2005 should get an asterisk because it was a shortened year.
-Brent Newberry
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