(no subject)
I was so happy at school the other day.
I mean, I'm usually happy at school. I love it. But I was unusually MORE happy on Thursday.
I'll tell you why, but first some background:
I'm in a baking class. (No surprise- I'm majoring in Culinary Arts.)
In the class, we are broken up into groups of 4. My group consists of:
Bentley- 43, female, works at Wal Mart. Loud. Calls me CAR-is.
M.G.(Name withheld)-19, "chunky"(To be real nice), not very well socially adjusted, very insecure, not much fun to hang around. Also calls me Caris. (I also answer to Clarice and Charis in the same class.)
Josh no.1. (there is more than one in class.)- 19, a little.. Slow. Nice. Slow.
M.G. makes things difficult sometimes.. apparently I missed the memo that said, "watching cooking shows makes you know a lot more than the average person who has actually done some cooking, and you should show them that at every opportunity."
("Patience, patience, count to 20. And again. Now backwards- NO! YOU MUST NOT USE THE PARING KNIVES TO INJURE CLASSMATES! NO! Now count again..")
Josh makes things difficult by being A, a hypochondriac, B, slow, C, not enthusiastic about the class.
Bentley is the most normal, but Marie does not click well with her.
I decided a long time ago that the best way to witness was not through making God and me look stupid by expounding constantly on why everybody else is going to hell. I resolved to just live the way I know, to be known by my actions.
I did say that yes, I was a Christian in a religious discussion we had once. (Baking, well, there is a lot of down time whilst things cook. The Atheist-the other Josh- and I didn't go at it- I think we agreed to disagree. Since then, by the way, we have become a sort of friends.) Other than that, I haven't really said anything- only lived and responded to.. things the best way I know how. I try to keep the peace, to be a positive influence on people, and also try to keep Atheist from murdering M.G. (Which he would, I think. He HATES her.)
A few weeks ago, Bentley hurt her arm at work in an odd area. The meds the doctor gave her make her loopy. She can't work in pain and can't work loopy, so... What? She quits it all?
So I went up to her Thursday and here is what went on:
"Hey- you know I'm a Christian, right?"
"Yeah"
(Okay.. I didn't know she knew. I didn't think I'd told her.)
"Well, I believe in a God that heals. Would you mind if I prayed for your arm?"
"No, I don't mind at all. I think it's sweet. Thank you." (That sounds cliched but it really is the truncated version. She did say that.)
And so I prayed for her arm, and we parted.
As I walked away, she said,
"I've known you were a Christian for a long time.
When people talk about our group, I say, 'that's Caris. She's the one I can always rely on. She keeps the peace, she keeps us all getting along when I get irritated with M.G. She's the sweet one."
I didn't tell her I was a Christian.
I didn't have to.
It really does work. If you walk the walk, you may not have to talk the talk quite as loud as you think.
Maybe I sound stupid and churchy, but this is real.
I mean, I'm usually happy at school. I love it. But I was unusually MORE happy on Thursday.
I'll tell you why, but first some background:
I'm in a baking class. (No surprise- I'm majoring in Culinary Arts.)
In the class, we are broken up into groups of 4. My group consists of:
Bentley- 43, female, works at Wal Mart. Loud. Calls me CAR-is.
M.G.(Name withheld)-19, "chunky"(To be real nice), not very well socially adjusted, very insecure, not much fun to hang around. Also calls me Caris. (I also answer to Clarice and Charis in the same class.)
Josh no.1. (there is more than one in class.)- 19, a little.. Slow. Nice. Slow.
M.G. makes things difficult sometimes.. apparently I missed the memo that said, "watching cooking shows makes you know a lot more than the average person who has actually done some cooking, and you should show them that at every opportunity."
("Patience, patience, count to 20. And again. Now backwards- NO! YOU MUST NOT USE THE PARING KNIVES TO INJURE CLASSMATES! NO! Now count again..")
Josh makes things difficult by being A, a hypochondriac, B, slow, C, not enthusiastic about the class.
Bentley is the most normal, but Marie does not click well with her.
I decided a long time ago that the best way to witness was not through making God and me look stupid by expounding constantly on why everybody else is going to hell. I resolved to just live the way I know, to be known by my actions.
I did say that yes, I was a Christian in a religious discussion we had once. (Baking, well, there is a lot of down time whilst things cook. The Atheist-the other Josh- and I didn't go at it- I think we agreed to disagree. Since then, by the way, we have become a sort of friends.) Other than that, I haven't really said anything- only lived and responded to.. things the best way I know how. I try to keep the peace, to be a positive influence on people, and also try to keep Atheist from murdering M.G. (Which he would, I think. He HATES her.)
A few weeks ago, Bentley hurt her arm at work in an odd area. The meds the doctor gave her make her loopy. She can't work in pain and can't work loopy, so... What? She quits it all?
So I went up to her Thursday and here is what went on:
"Hey- you know I'm a Christian, right?"
"Yeah"
(Okay.. I didn't know she knew. I didn't think I'd told her.)
"Well, I believe in a God that heals. Would you mind if I prayed for your arm?"
"No, I don't mind at all. I think it's sweet. Thank you." (That sounds cliched but it really is the truncated version. She did say that.)
And so I prayed for her arm, and we parted.
As I walked away, she said,
"I've known you were a Christian for a long time.
When people talk about our group, I say, 'that's Caris. She's the one I can always rely on. She keeps the peace, she keeps us all getting along when I get irritated with M.G. She's the sweet one."
I didn't tell her I was a Christian.
I didn't have to.
It really does work. If you walk the walk, you may not have to talk the talk quite as loud as you think.
Maybe I sound stupid and churchy, but this is real.