A Parent's Plea

A Parent’s Plea
Written By: Lillian Watson

August 25, 2014

                Books, backpacks, pencils, and notebooks in hand the kids of the Clarksville Montgomery County School System are back in class.  Though the temperatures may still be high it is clear to parents and kids across the county that school is back in session.  With this brings a new awareness.  Throughout the summer kids have been at play in the middle of the day, and less likely to be out on your morning commute.  Now, with school back in session please be aware that there are children who are walking to bus stops and/or school.  Many students in Clarksville do not have the luxury of having the bus stop in their own driveway.  This means that multiple students and their families are now walking to the joint location that has been set up by CMCSS.  By having a joint bus stop this places multiple families on the roads and/or sidewalks across Montgomery County.  Please take the time to drive safely.

                With your increased vigilance across the county of these future doctors/lawyers/military members/police officers/fire fighters/etc. please also be mindful of two other factors.  Be mindful of the speed limit where you are.  This means that if it is 20mph in your neighborhood do not go 25mph.  If you are late, it is better to be late for work because you drove safely than to be late for work or never show because you killed a child or someone else.  Slow down and save a life.  This also means that it is time to set your cell phone down.  Stop texting and driving.  Not only is it against the law, but when you are looking down you miss the bright yellow school bus in front of you.  You miss the children that are climbing aboard.  You miss the warnings from the mothers who are signaling for you to stop.  You miss your job or class or date because you are in the hospital or jail.  PAY ATTENTION and SLOW DOWN.

                As a mother of two children I implore you to slow down and pay attention.  Too many times I have seen children who should have had plenty of time to safely cross the street almost hit because someone speeds around a curve.  Too many times I have seen people slamming on their brakes at the last minute trying to stop because the bus is loading children.  Too many times I’ve seen teenagers on their way to high school texting and driving.  The same issue arises with adults on their way to work.  When you are the one at the bus stop with the kids you will not care if the person speeding is late for work.  You care only about the children at that bus stop.  It does not matter if they are your child or step child.  You care about each and every child’s safety.  As mothers and fathers of these kids we are asking that Montgomery County takes the times to put the cell phone down, leave a few minutes earlier if you are afraid of hitting school traffic, take the lead out of your shoe, slow down, and pay attention.  We are asking you to remember that you too were once a child.  We ask you to remember that these are sons/daughters/cousins/nieces/nephews/grandchildren.  These children are our future.  Please show you care.  SLOW DOWN, STOP TEXTING AND DRIVING, SAVE A LIFE!

Annoying Colleges

Annoying Colleges
Written By Lillian Watson
August 13, 2014


     In a past blog I wrote about trying to find what Masters program and what college/university to attend.  I did some research and I am really regretting that.  Since starting my research I have found that there are three particular universities who do not let you be. 

     The first one is Liberty University.  I really love their ideals of being a Christian organization.  That is admirable and was one of the reasons I checked it out.  They are now calling me more than Ashford University did before I joined.  Daily there are at least 3 phone calls.  The information sheet I filled out online mentioned that I was going for my masters program.  The admissions counselor told me that Liberty could not help me in pursuit of my Masters.  I thought that funny considering I was looking at their masters programs when I asked for information.  He suggested I go back and get a second Bachelors degree.  When I told him I really wanted a masters he hung up on me.  HORRIBLE service.

     The next university that does not stop is University of Cincinnati.  They are ranked in the top 3 Criminal Justice schools in the nation...or so they advertise.  Then when they get you looking deeper into them you find out that the top ranking is for their PhD. program.  All the fancy wording is for something that you do not even have the option to go for until you complete their masters program.  Then it gets really annoying.  I have gotten no less than 4 emails a day and a phone call from them.  Every day it is the same information.  SPAM.  I would have loved to look into an actual non profit college, but they are really over doing the recruiting.

     The final one on my leave me alone list is University of Phoenix.  Now, I know there are probably a lot of people out there who are going to hate me for this, but after the 7 emails in the first day and 3 each day after I have zero desire to continue to look into a masters program with them.  Add that to the fact that I found out Univ. of Ph and Ashford have the same quizzes word for word and I realized I am tired of for profit schools. 

     I understand that schools are calling/emailing because I requested the information.  I just find it annoying that they continue to shoot emails out one after another every day.  The phone calls and the hang ups are really not making me any happier with the schools.  The more research I have done the more I am leaning toward Nashville School of Law and getting my JD.  I have had zero annoyance from them, and I like the idea of holding a Doctorate. 

     Well, that is all.  I just needed to vent about annoying recruiting practices of colleges.  Have a great day!!!

Can I Let Him Guide Me?

Can I Let Him Guide Me?
Written By Lillian Watson
August 4, 2014

     I sit here today writing a paper in my general education capstone class.  I am supposed to be writing on a blog, a podcast, and a video that talks about a specific topic.  I get to evaluate them on their validity, if they are biased and applicability of information.  It is really hard to find a valid unbiased blog.  Those of us that write these do so because we want to convey information that we feel.  I know that I try to think well rounded, but it does not always happen.  I decided to step away from the assignment for a little bit to relax and not stress as much over a blog.  I started looking at graduate schools AGAIN.

     If you have talked to me in the past 3 weeks you know that graduate school is on my brain.  It has been for almost a year, but more so these past few weeks as I march on toward graduation.  I do know that I do want to get a graduate degree, but what it is in really hasn't been a "OMG YES" moment.  I have looked into Nashville School of Law.  It is a really affordable and local law school here in Tennessee.  My father knows lawyers that have attended there and enjoyed it.  It was my go to choice from day one.  I knew I wanted to be a lawyer.  That is until I took a psychology class.  Oh the joys of criminal psychology.  I loved the class more than I have ever loved any class prior.  It inspired me.  I read books on criminal psychology in my free time now.  The downfall to this though is that a Masters in Psychology is not really marketable.  Same as a masters in Criminal Justice.  I would need to go on to get a PhD in Psychology to even market myself.  I do not want to be a professional student at all (at the moment) because I do not have the money to go to another 6 or so years of schooling.  So, I go back to law.  It is then that I realize NSL is not ABA certified.  The graduates are able to take the bar in Tennessee alone.  While that might not seem like a big deal because I live in Tennessee it is something I look at.  I do not want to end up moving one day because my husband got an amazing job offer and not be able to use my JD.  So, I look into law schools in Nashville.  This is when my heart drops.  The cost of Belmont is a lot higher than I was really wanting to put out for graduate school considering I get $0 in grants for grad school.  Vanderbilt is expensive too, but they do give a lot of scholarships.  The cost still would be too high.  So, I start thinking outside of what I normally would go for and I research other schools.

      Graduating high school I had my dream college picked out.  I was going to go to Lipscomb University.  I did end up getting to go to my first choice on a full scholarship for a year.  I decided that it might not be too bad to look into LU again for a masters degree.  It was then that an idea that had been spinning around in my head and I pushed back came to the front again.  A masters in theology or divinity.  I really researched that.  OH I was excited at that thought.  It was not just LU I was looking into.  I knew that I could take that Divinity degree and become a Chaplain in the prison system.  I knew it would be a way to help others.  I knew it would impact me personally too.  Then reality sat in.  My family did not support it.  I take that back...my sister was my lone supporter.  I had not completely tossed this to the side until today.  Today I was thrown another curve ball.  The church that I left because I did not feel the support or even acknowledgment that I existed came back into play.  It made its way back into my life without me seeking it out.  It snuck in the back way....through a youth organization.  Now, I am questioning if this is a sign from God as a way of saying, "NOPE". 

     I have been asking the Lord for guidance on not only choosing a program, but a school too.  I have learned a lot from Ashford, but I feel like their desire to actually teach is lacking.  There are a lot of teachers who teach at multiple schools as their way of living.  I do not feel like the teachers really even care about their students.  I have had some great teachers, but I've had complete jerks too.  This is why I am really being cautious about my graduate school selection.  I do not want to end up feeling like a number.  Again, I learned a lot because I studied, but I want more.  Today it hit me though, am I really asking God for guidance, or am I saying the words without trusting him to follow through?  I know that Proverbs 3:5 is really reaching out to me today.  I feel like I might be reaching out to him, but not wanting to give complete control over.

     I am not a new Christian, but I have wandered since I accepted the Lord into my life.  Part of that wandering was anger.  Part of that was I felt abandoned.  Part was laziness on my part.  I feel that this is part of the reason that I am hesitant to give up control completely.  I do know that every time I have hit bottom and finally given up control over a situation he has been there for me.  I do know that as long as I lean on him I can overcome obstacles.  I also know that I am hard headed.  It is why I try not to judge other struggling Christians.  I am not without sin, so I will not be casting any stones right now.  I do want to give this completely over to Christ, but with it being such a big deal it is so hard to.  I want the guidance, but I am like a parent on the first day of school....I do not want to let someone else take care of something so important.  I just need to remember that when I finally let go is when my "baby" can grow.  Then and only then will I seen an answer.

     Has there ever been a time in your life that you knew that you needed to give control over to the Lord, but have been hesitant to do so?  What did you do in that case?