Ignorant Historian

These questions come from Amanda, who got them from a class.  I guess there is some benefit in going to class.

1. What three things would be said about you and your life if you died today?

I think that it would be said that I loved the Lord, made a difference in the lives of children, and loved to learn.

2. Given the likelihood that you will not die today, and have time left to change some things in your life, what three things would you most like to have said about you and your life?

I would like it to be said that I shared my faith, encouraged others, and spoke truth through my writing.

3. If someone were to witness a week of your life, what assumptions would that person make about your values–what matters to you?

I think that they could safely assume I love to learn, as I spend a ton of time reading and writing.  I hope that it would be obvious that I value the Lord, but that’s probably not as clear as I would like.  I think that it’d be clear that I love children, too.

4. What values do you hold that are not evident from the way you life your life?

I value others, I really do, but this is a hard thing for me to do as an introspective introvert.  I’m way more comfortable in my reading chair than I am on the streets, but I need to be on the streets (or in other houses or wherever) interacting with others more.

5. What three goals are important to you as you plan your life?

Seeking to honor God in everything I do is an important goal that influences every decision that I make.  Another goal (if you can call it that) is to get married, but that has yet to change my on-the-ground plans.  Another goal is to be an encourager, which is why I choose to go on trips (though hey, I do like to travel, too).

6. What keeps you from achieving what you want for your life?

The biggest hindrance is my own sin.  Another hindrance to many of these plans is my own self-absorbed tendencies, something that my friends try to push me out of (which I appreciate, though I might not like!).

Photo by Randy Son of Robert

Last week I talked about how I’m going to get more involved in politics. My first step was to write congratulatory letters to the 4 top officials that were elected from here: president, governor, senator, and representative. Several of you asked to see these letters, so here they are! I’d love it if you would join me in writing letters or emails to these men and women (or those that are represent you). In the interest of full disclosure, I didn’t vote for any of these 4 individuals. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever voted a more losing ballot.

I addressed each letter to the office that they are currently in. The address for mailing a letter to a US senator is:

Office of Senator (Name)
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

So that’s where I sent Barack Obama’s letter. Here is what I wrote:

Click the picture to see it bigger. Sorry these are a bit blurry, but I don’t have a scanner. As you can see, I hand wrote the letter. I didn’t use their appropriate titles in the letter (though I did on the envelope) since I felt weird since none of these people have officially taken their new offices yet. If I were to do this again, I would use their titles out of respect.

I also included my last name and address, though I took the picture before I wrote them in. I wouldn’t want my mailbox would be stuffed with fan mail from you all!

The next letter I wrote was to our newly elected US senator. Her current address is:

Senator Kay Hagan
NC Senate
300 N. Salisbury St, Room 411
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925

Here’s what I wrote:

Next up was our newly elected governor, Bev Perdue. She’s North Carolina’s first female governor, but strangely, she’s my 3rd (I lived in Kansas under governors Joan Finney and Kathleen Sebelius). Anyway, this is her address:

Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue
20401 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-0401

I just realized I spelled her last name wrong. Whoops. Don’t do that if you decide to write her. Anyway, this is what I wrote:

Finally, I wrote a letter to my representative, Brad Miller. He’s the only candidate here that was actually reelected, so I was able to send the letter directly to his congressional office. His address was the hardest to find; I guess they think that you just need to email your representative. It took me several tries, but finally Google helped me out:

The Honorable Brad Miller
United States House of Representatives
1722 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3313

Here’s what I wrote him:

I hope you find these letters helpful as you seek to be an encouragement for your elected officials. Feel free to use any/all of my letters you find useful. Let me know if you decide to this!

This post is a part of Works-for-Me Wednesday. For more great ideas, stop by Rocks in My Dryer.

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I’m thankful for all those that work for the public good. It’s such a blessing to have reliable emergency services!