That Gossip Girl

Gossip: noun. Casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true. Some would take this definition and run with it... saying that "as long as the information is true, then I'm not gossiping." Still others would say, as long as they're not actively participating in said conversation then its not wrong. I've also heard it said that as long as you're just venting to one person its not gossip. Or what about the reasoning "I'm just trying to talk through my problems." I've also had experiences where prayer groups/meetings and people in spiritual leadership positions have been the initiators of gossip. I can just imagine those prayer request slips being opened and discussed among those in "leadership." So and so has a problem with this? Oh my, no wonder ____ said ______ about her. And the conversation goes on... down a rabbit trail... with no end in sight.

Gossip ruins friendships, relationships, job opportunities, campaigns, Bible studies, leadership teams, churches... it can destroy anything.

I'm not saying I haven't taken part in gossip before, I believe that everyone has at one point, girl and guy alike. Its wrong. Period. Will we ever get away from it? Probably not. Its not a debbie downer look at life, its just a fact of life. People are sinners, and people love to talk. Its going to happien. Recently I've had some experience with "gossipers." During a particular conversation, I was listening to someone vent about a mutual friend of ours. I knew that anything I said confirming or denying her statements during this vent session could and would be used in the future against me. (sheesh I sound like a lawyer) Anyways, because of this, I said nothing, I just listened. Was this taking part in gossip? By some standards, maybe.
Although I wasn't actually participating in the gossip by actively giving feedback and telling more information about the mutual friend. If I had taken anything she said and made it change my opinion of the other friend, then yes, I was participating in the gossip. Did I allow her thoughts and opinions change my thoughts, feelings, opinions, and friendship with the other person? No. If anything it made the friendship stronger.  

On the flip side of this topic, I have also been the subject of said gossip. Was I supposed to find out the things that were being said? No, of course not. 99% of the time the subject of gossip is not supposed to hear what is being discussed. Does that make it less hurtful? No. What was being said actually hurt me, a lot. Even the adults that were part of this situation played the busybody gossip wives. The stories that came back to me from those women's mouths... sheesh. What do they take me for?

Back to the subject at hand... the way I look at things....
If I wouldn't say it to the person's face... then I don't say it at all.
If I wouldn't want it being said about me... then I don't say it at all.
If I wouldn't want those facts to be known about me... then I don't say it at all.
If the person told me the information in confidence... then I don't say it at all.
And so on... Get the picture?

As a friend said in his blog... Christianity is losing its beauty. Not because the truth of Christianity is failing. God's Gospel NEVER Fails. Its because the Christians of today are falling into the temptations of this world. They are losing the Hope that Christ alone can give them.

I'm the Youngest I'll Ever Be and the Oldest I've Ever Been

Today is my birthday...

It is now 2:10am and I can't sleep, which isn't the greatest thing in the world because I have to be up for class in less than four hours. This insomnia might have something to do with the 5 cups of extra strength coffee I had... after 9:30pm.... just maybe. I think I'm addicted to coffee.

Today I added a new folder to my documents tab... SENIOR YEAR. 

I'm taking a summer class... and I'm officially a senior now, even though I've had senior status since 1st semester sophomore year. How? I have no clue. For four hours last night I worked on my genetics project for one of my nursing classes. I'm taking an entire semester's worth of one class... in 5 days. Crazy right? Anyways, its the second time I've done a Pedigree project, but the first time I hand drew it. This time we were required to make it online. Talk about a headache. Four hours later, I finally finished the dumb thing... and this is only page 1/4 of the assignment. There's a 2 page chart that I didn't bother to take a picture of.

This picture isn't centered... and its going to bug the bejeebies out of me. 

So far I've gotten some pretty cool birthday presents and messages. My mom sent me one at midnight saying "Dappy Hirth Bay." I love my Mom. 

In the present department, I got an awesome Ted Dekker book called THR3E. Although I wouldn't recommend reading it when you're alone at your creepy apartment for 3 days straight. I got a knife, a new coffee mug that was specially made for me, writing paper, pens, coffee, envelopes and stamps. 

My little brother called me today and asked what I got him for Mother's Day. And in a tribute to my Mom... I've seriously got the best Mom in the world. She is my hero, one of the strongest women I've ever known, and a Godly woman I strive to be like. 

I decided to look at my blog stats today... in the past 14 days... 80 people from Russia viewed my blog... 80 people from the US viewed my blog... and 1 person from Alaska as well. How cool is it that people around the world are (hopefully) being impacted by my random musings. My God is AWESOME. 

It is now 2:35am. If i'm lucky, I can get about 3.5 hours of sleep before my 8.5 hour class starts. Can I please just go curl up in a hole and sleep the next week away? Anyone want to join me in this short-term hibernation?




In closing for this random post... I will leave you with my daily Bible verse that came on my phone just now. Yea, they decide to send it at 2am every morning.