Guardian Angel

"'You are my witness,' declares the Lord, 'and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.'" Isaiah 41:10 What is God saying? We need to remember that we are His chosen people. We have to be God's witnesses. We have to proclaim our faithfulness, follow God, and be a good witness. We have to give our blessings back to God. Israel was God's chosen people. They were to be God's witness. We have been adopted into the faith. We have to have a relationship. We have to pray. We have to worship. We have to give to God, and we have to give God to others. How well do we do as a society? How often do you invite people to church? Do you love Christ? You have to do more. I've learned that recently. If you think you're doing all you can, you have to push to do more. You have to do as you should. You have to be a witness for Him. People follo...

Matthew 11 gives us great insight into the relationship between Jesus and John the Baptist. In case you didn't know, because I sure didn't, they were cousins. Mary and her sister were pregnant at the same time and both could tell that their babies were special. John was very powerful. He even baptized Jesus. When John was about to be beheaded, he sent his disciples out to find Jesus to make sure that Jesus was in fact the son of God and that the scripture would be told. Instead of Jesus saying, "It's me," he told them of all the miracles he had don, letting John know that he was in fact the son of God. What should we learn from this? It's okay to doubt thinks and to want to make sure everything is in order. It's human nature. John wanted to make sure the word of God was going to be taught. He didn't want to die before making sure. You could even say that John second guessed himself. He just had to be sure that the coming of God was going to be told. Jo...

These are some random notes that I found at the front of my bible: God is in control. He knows the result before it happens. Humble ourselves, be children of God. He is in charge. Bow our hearts and heads, bend our knees, pray that our leaders will be the leader God has called them to be.

She waltzed into her master bathroom to draw herself a bath. She removed the blood stained clothes and sank into the hot, bubbly water. The suds around her began to fizzle and pop, taking her back to the Vilmart dinner she had with her husband just a week earlier. Two champagne glasses sat half-filled on a white tablecloth that reached to the floor. Candles burned in the center of the table. She had been busy staring at the menu while her husband stared at her. Every once in a while she looked up and studied his disgusted scowl. She finally closed her menu and said, “Are you really going to be mad at me forever?” “Do you not realize what you’ve done?” She looked around to see if anyone had noticed his angered tone, and leaned in towards the middle of the table. She whispered, “Nothing happened.” “Yeah? And pigs fly.” “Would you stop?” He leaned in towards her. “No, I won’t. Do you know what it’s like getting a phone call from your best friend at two a.m. saying that he went out a...

"Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place." 1 Chronicles 16: 23-27 Church isn't about religion. It's about relationship, praise, honor, and thanksgiving. You have to talk to God at home and at church. Worship and praise Him. He is more than worthy. THANK God at church and at home. He has given us an opportunity for salvation. He has educated us. He has allowed us to flourish. You have to put Him at the front, not the back burner. Also, give thanks to whoever brought you to church. We need to be raising our children in church and teaching them God's word. Give your kids morality. Teach them. We need to worship more. Our culture is...

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, 'Did God really say 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden?' The woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat fruit from the tress in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' 'You will not surely die,' the serpent said to the woman. 'For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'" Genesis 3:1-5 This is known as the fall of man. It was never said in the bible that the serpent was Satan, but all arrows point to it. God tells us what we should and should not do. We don't always do what He says. We do what we believe, not what He believes. We do it because we are told not to do it. We are like children. "Don't touch the stove it's hot." And...

This chapter of Matthew is about Jesus sending out His twelve disciples. Many of these men were sinners that were given precise instructions. They were destroyed. Jesus sent them out. He prepared them for this, but the rejection increased. We are what we are. It is easier to be bad than it is to be good most of the time. The definition of bad has changed. Our culture accepts bad even though we know it's bad. Things will continue to get worse the further we get from God. They thought Jesus was a joke. People will throw you under the bus. Warnings are terribly strong and we live in a "me" society. You have to be faithful and listen to Him. God gives you the answers and words. God will speak for you. We have everything because of God. We would be nothing without Him. Rejection has/continues to progress and intensify. In this culture it is hard to stand up for God. Today, religion is persecution. There will be a second coming. Defiance won't end until Jesus comes back. We...

Chapter 9 of the book of Matthew is all about Jesus healing people. He wants us to bring the lost to Him. We are the hands and feet of Christ. We have to bring them to the understanding of Jesus. You have to be righteous and take on the power of God. His own people had Him killed, but he still loved them and healed them. You can't be the possibility of being righteous. You have to BE righteous. When He heals, He asks for an action from you. All paths lead to Him. You have to do what Jesus desires. Jesus wants the sinners to seek Him so that He can heal and revitalize them. It is our duty to bring people to God. Having faith in Jesus will heal you physically and spiritually. You have to believe what Jesus tells you. Faith takes you a long way, but don't go behind Jesus' back. Jesus heals all who believe. Do as He says and you will prevail. He will heal your body and soul. Remember: THERE IS EVERYTHING IN IT FOR YOU. DON'T GIVE UP.

We must remember that Jesus is powerful and mighty. He heals. Chapter 8 of the book of Matthew is about the Man with Leprosy. This man knew that Jesus could heal him, so Jesus sent him to the temple. Romans and Jews did not mix but this man had so much faith in Jesus. Jesus was touched by his faith and healed him. Faith gets you a long way in life, but you have to do something beforehand before Jesus does something for you. You have to have faith and believe. Once these people were healed then they could be a part of society again. People were jealous of Jesus. We may not see Jesus or God but we feel them. I know I sure do. Jesus touches us in so many ways and works miracles daily. We just may not see it. There are Devils' Angels. But you have to trust Jesus spiritually. Christ HAS to be first. Jesus will return and He will tell nonbelievers to fend for themselves. Jesus is desiring faith from us. He needs us to believe and see that it is true. We live in a skeptical world, but Jes...

Matthew chapter 7 is all about judging others. We have to focus on not being hypocrites and not judge. We have to be kind to others. You need to know your God, brothers, and sisters. Jesus is the only way for us to get to heaven. You have to open that door for Him. Don't knock lightly on that door. Pound it to the ground. He is our faithful provider. He is the door to salvation. You also have to be sure you want to go into that door. Think about what we do for our children. God will do so much for you if you actually seek Him. Miraculous things would happen. What is good for us is good for anyone. You have to be right with God, and not many people are. We don't need more war, more deaths, or more storms. People are going in all directions and we need to help guide them to the Almighty. This is happening right now in our society, especially since it's election day. False prophets are everywhere and we have to be aware of them. There is also a difference between being in chur...

Hello everyone! I know I haven't been keeping up with my blog and I wanted to explain why. These past few months I have been dealing with health issues. I've had the worst stomach pains you could imagine. I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep. I didn't feel like a real person. It seemed as if I was withering away into nothing. From the first doctors appointment to my first GI appointment, two months apart, I lost about 15 pounds. I had a ultra sound of my abdominal cavity done, a scan of my gallbladder, lots of blood work, a CT scan, and a scope. Everything came back normal. I've been on two different medications for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The first one worked for a few weeks and then I started having pains again. The second one is supposed to help with anxiety and to keep my flares to a minimum. It's been helping, but here lately I have barely been able to eat anything. Moving on to what else I have been up to...Troyce and I just closed on our first h...

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right. Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." Matthew 25: 31-35 This is the parable of the sheep and the goats. Why is it that God speaks to us at night? Maybe because it is the only time we have for ourselves. We need to run to the front of the church like the kids do. We need to love God. He will stand at your hearts door, praying you will let Him in. What are we as christians doing for this hurt...

"God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them." Hebrews 6:10 You have to do the work and remember that God loves you. We labor for a lot of people because we love them, but do we work for God? Jesus has called us to be His hands and feet. God presents us with opportunities to help outcasts. Someone needs to care enough to love them. You have to be on a mission to love them. There is a huge need for the love of God. Jesus is encouraging us to labor for God.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, all of these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33 Back in this time, it was different for them to judge unlike it is today. We have to focus on not being hypocrites. Whatever you do, don't judge others. Be kind. You have to know your God, brothers, and sisters. You have to have a strong relationship with Jesus Christ. Work on your problems. Get to know your Lord and Savior more. For most people, God is not mentioned on our bucket lists or on our to-do lists. We have to forget about worrying, and seek first the kingdom. What does it truly mean to seek God? Put your relationship with God on your bucket list. Seek God like you seek other things. Have determination. No one is going to stop you from going to Him. We have to stop being concerned about our surroundings. If you seek His kingdom first, He will provide. You just have to desire Him. There is a difference between God providing you and "give me w...

"But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!" Matthew 18: 6-7 In this passage, Jesus is telling the disciples that we as children of God need to have the approach of a child. We are all children of God. We can all be affected by someone not doing something in faith. Walk in His footsteps. Do what He does. Jesus Christ lives in you. You have to do everything in your power to follow Him. Don't leave anyone astray. Go to church regularly and worship. You have to be a Godly example to everyone around you. We have to show our children and offspring God. We need to move on with God, not without Him. You have to embrace Jesus Christ, the leader of the church. Don't deny children the privilege of going ...

"Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord." Psalm 139:4 What were you wired to do? I was wired to be a writer. We are all loved by God. We are all His creations. This is the Psalm of David. David was powerful, but a sinner: adulterer, murderer, liar. But God used him. God know what David has done. So why doesn't God stop you? Do you want to walk around like a puppet all the time? No. God knows what you are supposed to do. He uses you so you need to embrace Him. What can we do about our problems? There is something. We will always be victorious because we are God's chosen people. We can and will be triumphant. We whine, we groan, we complain. God overwhelms and reminds you what He has wired you with and what you are supposed to do. Bow, pray, become overwhelmed with God - then nothing will be bad. What's really important. God knows we will complain. God always does what He is supposed to do. We may not always do what we are supposed to do, but ...

"Then he told them many things in parables, saying: 'A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seeds fell along thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.'" Matthew 13:3-9 You have to prepare. Some seeds are good. Some seeds died. Some seeds are bad. Just like society today. You have to prepare for all of the outcomes for all decisions you make. Jesus taught in parables because His followers knew what He was talking about. They had be careful of false prophecy. Our seed is God's world. We have to be careful of uncultivated soil....

"For he says, 'In the time of my favor I heard you and in the day of salvation I helped you.' I tell you now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2 How great is our God? He's fantastic. There's a problem though. People huddle up and walk away from God. That can hurt you physically, but mostly it hurts you spiritually. You have to walk through the house of God to get to salvation. How could the people in Corinth walk away from God? You have to be in Godly environments for Godly reasons. Why are all of these bad things happening? Why can't we love everyone? The problem is simple: God is not the sinner of our nation. We put everything in front of Him. We need Him as the sinner. God saves your soul. Church is the hospital for sinners and more and more people are leaving churches. Churches aren't hospices because He doesn't want you to continue making the same mistakes. God forgives. We become evangelists and am...

You all must think I am obsessed with Heather Sharfeddin's work. Well, when your professor is a published author you take an interest in what they write and how they write so their teaching is justified. Sharfeddin is a really great author. I think my favorite so far is the last book I just read by her, "Damaged Goods." There is so much internal and external conflict. Hershel gets into a car accident and when he wakes up, he can't remember a thing. He then wonders if he murdered a man and he has this internal conflict with himself because he doesn't remember killing anyone and he doesn't feel like a killer. The external conflict is very dominant in this novel. Silvie is running from her long term sexual abuser/boyfriend and her car breaks down. This is where she meets Hershel. She stays with him for a while. Hershel owns an auction. One night, Silvie's car gets sold on accident, along with some of her very personal belongings that she has to get back. T...

"Sweetwater Burning" is another novel by Heather Sharfeddin. Sharfeddin was my Fiction Writing I professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. I had so many thoughts and feelings about this book. At first, I thought it was moving a little slow and I wasn't sure that I was going to like it. I found it so ironic that an alcoholic fell in love with a drug addict, and vice versa. It's like two wrongs make a right. At first, Chas could care less about the nurse he hired to take care of his father with Parkinson's. He didn't like this random woman coming in and invading his space. She cooked for him. Cleaned for him. Pretty much did everything for him and he wasn't used to it. The town in which these people are living is very poor. No one has a great deal of money. It's a small town where everyone knows everyone. When a fire burns down a Muslim's house, everyone points fingers at Chas because they didn't like his father. To me, this sou...

"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgement on themselves." Romans 13: 1-2 Some people consider this a controversial scripture because of the political election coming up. But is it controversial? This scripture has nothing to do with the Republicans and the Democrats. The authority that is being talked about is God Almighty. We pray for the Christian leaders whether we are for them or against them. With July 4th a couple of days away, we need to remember that Independence Day is more than just fireworks. You pledge to one Nation under God. We are all one together no matter who you are. Trust in God as the Almighty authority and things will change. Just because you are in a place where you feel comforta...

Lately, I have been trying to use my English analyzing skills to take on chapters of the bible. The most recent chapter I have analyzed is Matthew 6. To start with, God wants us to give to the needy, but He doesn't want you to gloat about it. He wants you to do it in secret so that He knows your actions are pure. He wants you to do it for the kindness, not for the vanity. He won't reward vanity. In other words: don't do kind acts for the recognition. You will be rewarded for your secret acts of kindness. Also, don't announce your good deeds, keep them a secret. Don't pray to be seen, pray because you need to. Don't pray out of vanity. Something I found interesting is that the bible tells us to recite the Lord's Prayer when we pray in order to insure that we are praying for the right reasons. You also need to pray for forgiveness of your brothers and of yourself. Doing so means that forgiveness will be granted. Hide your fasting so that only God knows. Don...

"Windless Summer" is a novel published by Heather Sharfeddin. Sharfeddin was my Fiction Writing I professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. After I got over being frustrated with her pushing me to do my best, I became interested in her writing. I finally got around to reading a novel of hers. I must say that this novel really tugged on my emotions. I wanted to feel empathetic for Tom through the whole book because of the tragedy he has experienced, but as the novel went on I realized his tragedy is his own fault. As far as his girlfriend, or ex girlfriend, Lauren, I really wanted to just grab her by the hair and tell her to get out. She caused so many unnecessary problems for the entire town. I think what really made me emotional was the life that Charlene had lived. She is made the book, in my opinion. I never quite understood why Professor Sharfeddin red penned all of my stories, until now. Her attention to detail and her descriptions are phenomenal. I felt...

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15: 57 VICTORY IN JESUS! Don't ever forget that. You become victorious through Christ. Winning isn't everything. In this passage, Paul was telling the church how to be victorious. Don't just believe, serve. You experience victory through Christ. It began when we gave our hearts. Having a relationship with Christ makes you victorious. We have a tendency to do what we are told not to do. For example, Adam and Eve. Satan thought he was victorious. Jesus was victorious. Don't be angry, frustrated, aggravated, and don't lose hope. He will always be there for you. You will receive victory in Jesus when you cross over. The victory in Jesus lasts forever. Satan will lose. Don't feel defeated - you are a child of God and because of that you have victory in Jesus. The only way you can win is with a personal relationship with Jesus.

"Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: 'Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, O God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men, O Lord God." 1 Chronicles 17: 16-17 Don't fall into the ways of the world. God wasn't calling David to build the temple, He was calling Soloman. Amazing Grace is not earned, it is unmerited. God is in control. God is amazing. Humble yourself and believe that God is in control. You have not done anything too bad or too wrong to experience Amazing Grace. It is given to us. At what point do we realize that our existence is because of Amazing Grace? God will always do what is right. We have the opportunity to experience Grace. God's Grace is with the children. There is nothing Satan can do. They experience Jesus Christ for themselves. Share in t...

"'Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.'" Matthew 7:1-5 We have to focus on not being hypocrites. It was different back then for them to judge. We don't need to judge others. Be kind. Know your God, brothers, and sisters. Jesus didn't go and say things, He went and lived things. The whole "Andy Griffith Show" is biblical and moral. In this particular episode that corresponds with the scripture, the choir was singing. Barney was wonderful in his mind. He wanted to ...

Okay guys I have a favor to ask. I have a dear friend who needs some help and has set up a gofundme account. With this money, she is going to go to her first year of college. She is also going to donate to the homeless veterans in Arkansas. Please help Destinee make a difference.  http://gofundme.com/makeadifference93

Decisions are a major pain. Turkey or ham? Mayonnaise or mustard? Shower or bath? Sometimes it doesn't matter which one you choose. Other times, you could choose the wrong choice and your life will be turned upside down. You can burn bridges. You can build new ones. The bad thing is that you never know what will happen until you jump into it. I guess that's the beauty of life. The unknown. The suspense. The calm before the storm. As I'm sitting here writing this, I have a decision to make. But all I can focus on is the nice breeze under the awning. The birds chirping. The calm moat that surrounds the building. The quiet and peaceful environment. The water ripples ever so gently as the wind blows. My cup of coffee adds the finishing touches into the ever so calming lunch break. Because for this hour, I have forgotten all of the worries I had. The burdens I carried. The stress that embalmed me. And and now I realize that my decision has been made for me. It's not about wh...

"So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10: 12-13 Satan knocked feet out from them. The Great Captain of Sin was strong and they just couldn't say no. This is just the beginning of the Mayberry Series at my church. Morality in communities and families have the values that we should have. Aunt Bee was having a bad day and was struggling. Paul wrote a letter to the church. The people couldn't resist satan because he looked so good. There should be more shows and movies about Christianity. Our society is failing. They believe that all roads lead to heaven, all is good, and there is no hades. They are WRONG. Our world is hurting. Our nation has been deceived. They are walking away from God. Our ...

"During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them." Exodus 2: 23-25 We live in a difficult society. We live in a society that is bound by sin. We wonder if we will be able to make it. We wonder if we are going to give up. Don't wander in the wilderness. You're going to struggle. You have to hope and trust. Set your sights on the promise land. Our God will lead us to the promise land. We will have problems but you must not fall to temptation. Children of God are on their journey to the promise land. We all have bad times, but it will change. Trust in HIM. Allow God to split open red rivers in your lives. Give Him the ability to fall on your knees and thank HIM. Follow God and experience the prom...

Matthew 5 is titled "The Beatitudes." Beatitudes means complete happiness and complete harmony. We need to be reminded that God's blessings started all other blessings. In this chapter, Jesus gives disciples an ethics lesson. When you die, all you have is your relationship with God. Don't put barriers up. You have to be obedient. The great commission is referenced: No one is happy, they are poor. God gives comfort. These people still have a relationship with Him even if they are poor. We also need to remember that righteousness brings humbleness, and that everything happens for a reason. The only way to have a pure heart and see God is through Jesus. Our responsibility is to help forgive and be forgiven through Jesus. We need to keep the peace. Also to keep in mind, standing up for your faith gets you to God. All of these people are not rejecting you, but the one who sent you. The church needs to feed people spiritually. Do we ever realize that we are hungry? We are...

Oscar Description of Adaptation: I have chosen to do a modern day Othello adaptation. In my adaptation, a married couple returns from a high school reunion but their marriage is never the same again thanks to Oscar’s high school sweetheart. Isabelle plants to seed into Diana’s mind that Oscar is cheating on her, and Diana begins to lose her mind. She has anxiety attacks, and one ultimately throws her over the edge. Diana ends up killing Oscar, Mary, and herself. Eric kills himself right before Diana dies. Rationale for Adaptation: I really liked the story of Othello, and I wanted to make my own version. I chose to have Diana go crazy instead of Oscar, because I think that in today’s time there are more women who are accusing the men in their lives of cheating. In both adaptations that were watching for class, the men are the ones doing the accusing. I wanted to see how the play would work with the roles switched. I still kept Oscar as a black man because I wanted to keep the feel of ...

Othello vs. O Othello O Connection/Disconnection Othello Odin Black protagonist Desdemona Desi Love interests Iago Hugo Villain Cassio Michael Scape goat Cheating portrayal Cheating portrayal Othello and Odin are convinced their woman is cheating Sex scene Sex scene Othello’s is romantic, Odin’s turns into a rape Othello death Odin death Othello stabs himself, Odin shoots himself Brabantino Coach Duke Father figures to Othello/Odin Roderigo Roger Wants the girl Handkerchief Scarf Gifts to the love interests Emilia Emily Wife/Girlfriend to villain Throughout the semester, I have found that “Othello” and “O” are the most similar adaptations we have watched, and they are also my favorites. They follow each other very closely, with a few exceptions. With my chart, I hope to layout the connections and disconnections and then go further into detail. For starters, we have our black protagonists in both movies: Othello and Odin. Accompanying them are their love interests, Desdemona a...

Narrative Rhetorical Criticism in Fiction Using the narrative in rhetoric is a great way to convince your readers of an event that is happening. Being a fiction writer, I do this quite often. The story that I have written that does the most of swaying the reader is my story called “Jake.” I’m going to insert pieces of my story to help you better understand how the narrative can be used to sway readers one way of the other. The first part of my story that I think is important is the very first paragraph: All you know is what a hot summer day it is. The sun scorches down on you and Jake as you two walk to the creek. There is an empty house in your subdivision with a pool in the backyard. The liner on the pool is black, and algae floats through the water. The carcasses of chipmunks and squirrels fill the murky bottom, but you and Jake don’t mind. It is the summer you turn five and he twelve. Jake tries to teach you how to swim that summer. He grips his hands around your waist and makes...

Rhetoric is often times used as a form of persuasion. People use rhetoric in order to sway an audience towards their argument. With persuasion, comes goals. These goals are often obtained by using the three persuasive appeals: ethos, logos, and pathos. In order to analyze my persuasive writing paper titled, “In Defense of the Confederate Flag,” I will be using these three persuasive appeals. This analysis will show my use of ethos, logos, and pathos throughout my paper and the effectiveness of these three appeals. My Paper In my paper on the confederate flag, I argue that the confederate flag representing racism is invalid and that people make too big of a deal about it. I give background on how the confederate flag came to be and also on the history that it contains. I also provide the audience with information on issues that have occurred “because” of the flag and America’s reaction. Theoretical Lens As mentioned earlier, ethos, logos, and pathos to persuade an audience. Etho...

Dickinson and Religion Emily Dickinson was a very different woman in her time, mostly because she wrote about things that should scare us to death. Dickinson also struggled with her own religion, which is often seen through her poetry. I want to take a look at a few of her poems and analyze what Dickinson is actually saying about religion between the lines on the page, and I also want to take a deeper look into the depression that she battled. First, I would like to look at poem J-258. Dickinson wrote this poem around the year of 1861. She references a “certain slant of light,” which I have taken to mean the lie of light because there is a certain slant to it. She then goes on to say, “Winter Afternoons -- That oppresses, like the Heft of Cathedral Tunes.” It seems like she is saying that she gets more depressed as the winter afternoons go on, and Cathedral Tunes also references church music, which is significant because Dickinson refused to go to church. The next stanza begins wi...

Not going to lie, this movie was kind of really bad. I am not a fan of black and white movies and I'm really not a fan of movies where I have to read the subtitles in order to know what is happening. It's distracting. I do see how this relates to Macbeth, but I still like Scotland, PA way better.

So my fiance actually watching this one with me and he kept saying, "Can they quit making out already?" It was a little over the top. I like how they invented McDonald's, but I'm still not going to eat it. I think they did a decent job at keeping the MacBeth story line. It seemed to fit for the most part. I just don't think that Pat was as pushy as Lady M.

Macbeth is my absolute favorite Shakespeare play of all time. I don't focus on the humor, I'm all about the guts and glory. It's one of the biggest tragedies, in my opinion. It also goes to show that guilt will drive you crazy. One thing I do love, the Macbeth's do the murder together. What a killer couple. (pun intended)

I just don't understand how one day you can be on Cloud 9 and the next you feel so worthless.

How interesting. He let women touch his thingy but he never actually got any from them. I wonder if he ever figures out if he is the man or the woman. I'm down for either one, but if he's going to be kissing all up on Maria then he needs to decide. That's just so weird to me. One minute he hates her, the next minute they're trying out positions. I can't believe that the Duke used Kynaston like that either. He only messed around with him because he considered dude to be a woman. That's low. Like, are you gay or are you not? This was the first time I've seen this movie, and I really wish I had watched it earlier. It was a good movie.

1. It is not a SIMS card. It is a SIM card.  2. The SIM card does not hold any type of information.  3. Oh, your screen doesn't turn on? No. You really can't get your information.  4. Going to your carrier store will not get you a different answer than what I gave you.  5. It's called skylights. We did not dim the lights.  6. Those are not birds. They are alarms. 7. Oh. You're upset with our credit card company. Let me give you a number to call.  8. No. You can't get a product at the same price it was 3 weeks ago.   9. No. We don't know your wifi password at your house.  10. WE DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING 

"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly form him as one grieves for a firstborn son." Zachariah 12: 10 Jesus is very passionate. He was determined. We have to understand the future. One will come, one will love, one will die. He knew He would pay the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus was always passionate. The crucifixion was very graphic. We have to share this passion. Be thankful, He died for us. Someone is coming who will change everything, and that is Jesus. Life the passion in your heart and share it with those who need it. It is all changed when you follow Christ. Sins are painted over with the blood of Christ. Be passionate and be excited.

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41: 10 Christ is our faithful companion and our faithful strength. He brings peace. Do not be afraid for there is nothing to fear. You have to be who God has called you to be. He guides and protects. There are some things we should be afraid of, but He is not one of them. In this scripture, Isaiah was talking about the Israelites. Do not do things that are not in the name of God. You have to remember your faith. God tells you what to do and how to do it, you just have to listen. Look to God to help you with your fear, put Him first. Do not be afraid, do not be fearful, do not be uncertain. Fear is a Satan. Do not be distracted or off balance - or we tend to fall away from God. When you are fearful, you move away from God. God is in control. He tells us to not be afraid. When you are most afraid, He carries you ...

Matthew 4 is one of my favorite chapters in the bible. It reminds us that we shall overcome all. Satan tempts, but it is up to us to resist those temptations. God knew the world was doomed, so He sent Jesus to be an example for everyone else. Jesus was driven to the desert by God to be tempted. Jesus was tempted during isolation. We all know it is hard to do good, and our culture seems to be in the desert right now. Society is struggling. We have to face temptation and overcome it. We need to feel a sense of peace to make America great again. You have to lean on God. Jesus left home, and he made a new home. He went to the people and he started a ministry of repentance. If you repent, you follow and keep your faith. So many people are in the valley of death. When the Holy Spirit says "move," you move. Christ called on the commoners because he knew they would do the work he needed done. Don't condemn others, encourage them. Christ is with you and you are never alone. It...

I really enjoyed it, but I think it should have been longer than an hour and a half. There is so much that took place, it just felt rushed. With that being said, it really seemed to follow the story line of Othello really well. The characters names started with the same letter, and I could point out the similarities. I swear I just want to stab Hugo, stupid steroid-taking relationship ruining jerk. His voice was so...interesting. It seemed creepier than the guy in Othello. I think it was played better. I kind of wish Odin had died laying next to Desi like in Othello, but I guess they had to change it up some. I was so confused because they live in dorms, but the dorms are houses and I guess they are co-ed? I'm not really sure. That part stumped me.

Because I never got the chance to publish this, here is my last interview: 1. Who/ what influenced your cooking? -Of course my mother had a big hand in how I learned to cook. I at least learned the basics of flavor schemes, and core safety procedures as well. Mother was more into cooking casseroles because we had a house full of people and it is the easiest way to feed a lot of people. After I was out of school, I tried being a server in restaurants, I continued that path for a couple of years. But I would see the cooks in the back of the house (BOH) telling jokes and having a good time, and I decided that cooking seemed like it would be more up my alley. I loved it! I continued to cook and tried my hand as kitchen manager for 11 years. I eventually went back to school, and started my new career, but I still love to cook. 2. What is your favorite thing to cook? And why? - Mostly I enjoy making pasta, specifically linguini in Alfredo made from scratch with fresh spinach and fresh sl...

Rachel Powell, Co-Director of Children’s and Youth Ministries at Salem United Methodist Church, enjoys cooking for her family of three. “I love having lots of time to plan and prepare big meals but I'll be honest, our lives are so busy and fast paced, I cook meals that are ‘semi homemade’.  I'll use a premade crust if we are doing chicken pot pie, or I'll use premixed frozen veggies instead of cutting my own peppers and onions for fajitas,” Mrs. Powell states. Even with an extremely busy schedule, the Powell’s still manage to have family meals. “We are a very busy family. My husband works in Jacksonville and leaves the house at 6:00 then doesn't get home until almost 7:00 most nights. We both work at our church as Co-Director of Children's and Youth Ministries, I have a small at home embroidery and monogramming business, and Raeghan is involved in cheer and kids church activities. I have to pre-plan all our meals for the week. I try to shop once a week to get ever...

Iago created too many issues that could have been avoided. But, why would Othello call his wife a whore instead of confronting her about this so called affair? And did Shakespeare intend to make Othello black? I just wanted to strangle Iago. Ever since the beginning of the movie I knew he was trouble.

Full time college student, Loren Newberry, spends every night cooking for husband, Mason. Diner time is special for the both of them. “Most of the time, it's just us talking about our day, and what happened. Sometimes dinner is pretty quick for me because I get home kind of late sometimes, and then I still have a lot of homework to do, so I have to eat pretty quickly. But we always eat together, no matter what. That's our time together,” Mrs. Newberry states. Mrs. Newberry’s mother instilled her love for cooking. “Mom always cooked. She always threw things together, which made me interested in cooking,” Newberry adds. Newberry is not a big fan of recipes. She mainly just uses ingredients she has in the house. “I like to switch things around. I really don’t like sticking to recipes. Going with the flow is so much better. I do have to say though, I am better at cooking than baking,” Newberry says with a laugh. Mrs. Newberry finds crockpot cooking to be the easiest way to prep...

Big things happened for Roller-Ballard Funeral Home in 2015. The funeral home began development of a new funeral home located on Alcoa Road. It also added Letta’s Flower and Gifts in Bryant to the floral team in order to complement The Flower Cart in Benton. Roller-Ballard also brought on Jim Collins as the new manager of the funeral home. “We were honored to serve some of the best families in the state of Arkansas ‘With All Our Respect,’” Justin Lowery states. For 2016, the funeral home plans to further develop its new location and continue its mission to serve Saline County with the finest personal service and a compassionate staff. Gene Moore is the office manager for Roller-Ballard. He has been a licensed funeral director for almost nineteen years with Roller-Ballard. His behind the scenes operations are unique and appreciated. Karen Carter, secretary and funeral assistant, has been with Roller-Ballard for thirty-two years. She works with the funeral home’s support group THEOS an...