We Pray With Her 1: Rededication

A response to We Pray With Her pages 3-4

Master,

As impulses have drawn me to Reverend Paige's book, and as I've heard Your voice calling me back to daily devotions, bless my reading of We Pray With Her. Open my heart to Your will and message. Open my eyes to Your people around me, and show me how to open my schedule to listen.

Master, time and again, You've called me to leadership: CIT camp, two of Case's retreats, Camp Allegheny, my wind tunnel test, facility management, Women in STEM Leadership Development. It's been a long road, but as much as I've attested no interest, I've seen You equip me for this call. I know You have a plan, but I don't know what it is.

Master, what do You want me to do? Where should I set my sights next? If I'm to be a leader, who will I lead? Engineers at work? Coworkers? Readers (of my books or my blog or at conventions)?

Faithful Master, as You call me again to lead through my art, I find that I'm remiss in dedicating my new project. You made more of the first book than I dared to dream, and I know it is making an impression on people. God, use those planted seeds for Your will. Touch the people who need a light in dark times and those who need a wake up call to love their neighbors and themselves.

Holy Spirit, guide my ideas and word choices and themes in this second book. Make it an instrument of Your love and grace, so that others may find peace and joy.

Library

It's the silliest thing, my fascination with libraries and stockpiles of books: I adore them. The smell of well-aged pages cuts through any gloom to my heart like hot chocolate after a walk in the chilly Cleveland rain. I love hunting the shelves for the gems I've already discovered, for the obscure favorites no one else treasures. On lucky days, I'll find a couple. Libraries thrum with the promise of knowledge, of adventure, of new ideas to explore barefoot on thick grass or old ruminations to ponder reclined in a pine forest. The air of libraries with the sympathetic beat of fond memories and the introduction of possibilities. For all their quiet power, my library cards lie lost, forgotten, unused. My explorations of bookshelves new and old remain bounded by the strict limits of my overexercised wallet. My bookshelves remain stunted and dusty. The irreparable damage books have done to my reading habits is the inspiration that I might produce the same and the birth of characters whose lives are not yet bonded to the page.

Response to the "Words Matter" poll:

The words we use convey the amount of respect we have for each other. It is entirely possible to convey a lack of respect for someone specifically and eloquently without the use of generic derogatory terms. The use of these generic derogatory terms--including stereotype labels, demeaning and overused metaphors, and English words that have had their definitions bastardized--not only limits (and reveals the limits of) the speaker's command of language but often fails to specifically communicate the speaker's meaning.

Such speech patterns can often limn a lack of understanding of the topic at hand, especially in the case of stereotypes; the very terms the speaker uses to comment may not even apply to the subject at hand. The thinking required to avoid the use of derogatory and unspecific language--the search for more accurate diction--is the first step in assuring that the language we use is accurate and that it really does apply in the way we intended. Truthful words can hurt, and sometimes we need that as humans to grow into better individuals, but false words can not only hurt but also sow lies and hard feelings, even hate, throughout a community. The use of poor language to propagate hatred is inexcusable.