All Right, I'll Do It.

Amanda tagged me. I'm not exactly sure if there is something I'm supposed to write in particular, so I'll just write whatever the heck I want.

1. I'm supposed to be writing an astronomy research paper right now. I have all the research done, waiting on my computer for me to transfer it into something manageable and non-plagiarized. I have the first two paragraphs done, and I was on the NASA website and then got distracted... Oh blogs.

2. I love being a nerd. I think it runs in the family. If you have ever met anyone else in the Wright Family, you will know why I am the way I am. We are all knowledge junkies, we love trivia, and often have useless tidbits of information to spout off at any time. The name of Paul Revere's horse? Brown Beauty. The place where Jeb Steward was shot? The Yellow Tavern. The first First Lady to appear on television? Betty Ford. And much, much more.

3. I really like recycling. And I hate bottled water. Why bottle something and sell it for 1000000 times the price it really costs you to produce it when consumers can actually get perfectly fine water that is drinkable and won't cause them bowel issues right out of their taps at home? Not to mention the amount of energy and waste that goes into making those dumb bottles. Just get a Sigg or a Kleen Kanteen. Spend 20 bucks on one and it lasts you literally years, and can save you a lot of moolah in the long run.

4. I sometimes laugh like a machine gun. Short, loud, and obnoxious, I get this from my dad. I look like him and laugh like him. We both wear glasses. My BFF Shannon sometimes makes guns with her fingers and pretends like she is shooting things when I laugh. This only makes me laugh harder.

5. I love Jesus. I think most people know this, but its just fun to say sometimes. I LOVE JESUS!

6. I have nothing more to say at the moment.

People I'd like to tag who probably won't do it:

ASBO Jesus

Aimee Brammer

The Sartorialist

My Sister Kate

Juliann Perkins

I've Been Published!

Okay, okay. So I admit the title may be a little misleading, but true nonetheless. I had an editorial published in the Sonoma State Star newspaper. I read a scathing editorial by one of the professors at SSU and couldn't help but reply. Here is what he wrote:

Dear Editor,
If I was a California Chicken I'd be celebrating right now. As a human, it was a Black week--Uncle Tom in the White House, gay marriage down in flames here in Jesus-land.
It is appalling that a slim majority of America-hating Christo-fascists, these bigoted Bible-thumping, born gain (*yes, he did forget the "a" in again) blue-noses, can so easily trample the First Amendment guarantee of Separation of Church and State and the Fourteenth Amendment guarantee that All Citizens Are Equal Before the Law.
They have put their theology into our State's Constitution and they have put a Special Right for special classes of citizens into our State's Constitution as well. (The Supreme Court should be outraged--but it won't be.)
"Ba-RAACK Ba-RAACK BaRAACK!" -- I'm trying to sound like a celebratory chicken.

RL, Professor of Mathematics

So, here is what I wrote in reply:

Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to "Shocking results: Animal rights trump gay rights [Issue 12].
As one who identifies as what the author calls an "America-hating Christo-fascist," and a "bigoted Bible-thumping born [a]gain blue nose," I believe that his accusations were both unfair and inconsiderate.
As followers of Jesus, many Christians today, including myself, felt torn between the two sides of Proposition 8. On one hand, it is immensely hard to divorce oneself from the words of the Bible that looks down on any sort of sexually promiscuous lifestyle (1 Corinthians 6:8-10). And looking to the other side, they see God's desire for His children to promote equality in His Kingdom and for all in it (Job 31:13-15; Proverbs 22:2).
It seems that with this proposition, the Christians of California have come to an impasse. If they cast their votes yes, they are participating in the marginalization of a people group; and if they cast their votes no, they contradict their own moral and doctrinal standards of the Church. Undoubtedly a catch-22.
I am shocked at the author's immediate blame placed upon the Church for the success of this proposition. I am convinced that this proposition was not passed solely on by the influence of Christians, rather, I know many who voted No on Prop 8 because they felt it to be unjust; and they mourned with the gay community as they watched it pass.
It is the job of Christians to love people in the same manner that Christ loves the Church, regardless of their personal choices or lifestyles. The Lord desires nothing more to love His children and to see them loving one another.

Tamsen Wright, a follower of Jesus

So whaddaya think?

A Lesson in Disobedience

As the child of a teacher, I've always prided myself in being somewhat of a nerd. Homework is done on time, tests were never failed, and anything less than your best was never accepted.
Even when I moved away from home and went to college, I was that nerdy kid who did all the assigned reading and rarely skipped class. The picture of disappointed parents would always pop in my head if I thought about playing hooky. In my head they would say, "We are paying for you to become educated, Tamsen, not socialized." The line would never fail to get me in class.
Things didn't really change until recently. It was the weekend of Fall Conference, InterVarsity's first (and big) conference of the year. I was excited to go but also slightly overwhelmed at the amount of reading that was due the following Monday. Being the ever diligent student, I brought the 180 page linguistics book with me and had full intentions on reading the entire thing.
Friday night had come and gone, as well as the majority of Saturday. We had an hour before dinner, to be followed with our night session, free time, then bed. I looked at my reading. Only 137 pages to go.
My mind kicked into panic mode. I became moody and worried. For some reason I felt slightly nauseous at the thought of how much I still had to do.
The dinner bell rang and we all filed inside. The meal continued and we put our trays away. Twenty minutes until we had to go to the session, and I was trying to be a good student and do my reading in the cafe area. My friend Robbie came up to me and asked if I was doing the reading for the class we had together on Mondays. "Yes," I said, exasperated. "There is so much to do and I just don't want to!"
He looks at me and says, "You are actually going to d it?"
I think to myself, "Of COURSE I'm going to do it!!! Isn't that what I'm at college for?" Thankfully my tongue was not as quick as my thoughts and I merely sighed.
"You're such a good student, Tam," he says to me. Too bad I'm still stressed.
I continue to think about his words, his disbelief in my desire to do my homework. Why should it surprise him that I would be diligent to my studies? Why was it bothering me this much?
I finally understood. I was being a Martha when the LORD desired for my heart to be like that of a Mary. Luke recounts the story in the 10th chapter of his Gospel, with Jesus proclaiming, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and trouble about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken from her" (Luke 10:41).
Mary had chosen the better. She had opted out of busying herself with what was expected of her by her sister Martha and sat at the feet of Christ, ready to hear His every word. In doing my reading and being faithful to my studies, I was not sinning. I do not think that Martha was sinning when she was serving and hosting Christ and the disciples. And yet in her seemingly disobedient act, Mary was the one who was praised. She chose to sit and listen, she was allowing her heart to be changed and molded by the teachings of Jesus. How much better!
At the next opportunity, I promptly closed my book and put it in my backpack for the remainder of the weekend. I was ready to hear from the LORD.

*Author's note: Mom and Dad, don't worry, I'm still doing my reading. I promise I won't fail out of my classes! :D