"I'm back." The final words of the Lord of the Rings and my first words to return to blogging (for now, at least)!
The word that's been ping-ponging around in my head recently is "simplicity." Simple, huh? Haha. Simplicity is anything but easy for me, though. I have the gift of making things way harder than they need to be. School, cooking, people, leadership, etc. My relationship with Jesus doesn't escape this complexity either. I continuously find myself falling into the trap of thinking, "I need to do this/I need to do that," before I stop myself and say, "Whoa, Sarah, hold UP. What does God actually want from me?" And that's when I realize I get so busy doing for God that I quit being with Him which is what I believe He really wants from me.
In Psalm 46:10 the Lord says, "Be still, and know that I am God." That is deceptively simple. Be still, oh that's easy enough...WRONG. It's so hard to be still when 5 billion other things flood my head. But God is asking me to spend time with Him in solitude and simplicity in order to know Him more intimately.
And at camp this summer, I was struck with the simplicity of the Gospel. I'm not saying that in a patronizing way but more in the way of amazement. I make following Jesus so complicated most of the time by getting wrapped up in theological issues and concerning myself with the state of others' salvation when Jesus is there the whole time saying, "Look, that's my business, girl, and here's what I'm really saying to you: stop for a minute and remember that I hold the whole world in my hand."
There's a joy that simplicity offers, too, and I've lost sight of that for a long time now. But today I was sitting outside the Student Union Building on campus, and this group of close to fifteen little boys walked past my table. They probably ranged in age from 7 to 10 and some of them were throwing around the F-word like a hot potato and another one was singing "turn down for what." But there was one boy who was walking behind the rest of them, and he kept starting and stopping and crouching and jumping around. I had no idea what was going on with this kid until I realized he was chasing a grasshopper! Literally, he was totally consumed with his mission of getting this bug. The grasshopper kept flying off, but the little guy was always right behind it. Finally, I witnessed the precious moment of realization that his entire group was so far out in front of him - his chubby cheeks perfectly framed his humongous eyes and he sprinted off, his waterbottle banging against his knees.
In those minutes, this little boy reminded me of what it's like to enjoy something without worrying about what everyone else thought - that to have fun, I don't need all the bells and whistles, just a grasshopper and a warm summer day. I can go on an adventure in my own city - I don't have to be halfway across the world. I can sit with God - I don't have to journal constantly or read 10 books about Christianity at once. That in the end, predestination and old earth/new earth debates pale in comparison to the fact that Jesus Christ came to this planet, died for my sins and your sins, and then conquered death and rose again because He loves us extravagantly and was grace-full enough to provide a way for us to spend eternity with Him.
I want to live simply. I want to simply live.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Paris
You could label this as a bit of nonfiction. I felt compelled to write it this morning after seeing a picture of Notre Dame. I guess it's just a small reflection on my experience a year and a half ago.
When I first saw Notre Dame, it was like a dream. This place I've heard of all my life actually growing from the plot of land immediately in front of me. Beautiful and striking. Massive yet refined. Abby and I walked around for a while inside - I can only describe it as "overwhelming." Overwhelming in a way only Paris could overwhelm me as I soon came to find out. That city - even more specifically that square surrounding Notre Dame - changed my life. How cliche, I know. Honestly, though, I find it fitting that I turned 20 in that city, leaving my teens in a whirlwind and for the first time really feeling like an adult. I left Paris with a burden of fear for the life of my best friend in the world, but also armed with the knowledge of my ability for resourcefulness and awash with the love and kindness of family, friends, and strangers.
I see the front facade of Notre Dame in that picture above and remember so clearly staring at it through a taxi window with a hopelessness I'd never before encountered, a loneliness I'd never before known. Dad and I went back to the church together after Phil and Kathryn left Paris. I wanted him to see it so badly, I wanted to share my love for this church with him, and I was so mad when he was too distracted to see it for the first time as I had seen it. Who was I mad at though? I'm not totally sure, even now. I don't think I was mad at anyone. It just hurt inside to know that my dad, who in any other circumstance would have been in absolute awe of this wonder of the world, had to duck outside of the church to answer a phone call about my sister needing another surgery. We grabbed McDonald's ('Murica) and went back to the hospital that night, barely mentioning Notre Dame.
I believe it was in the church that second time that I became aware of my dad's intense distress. The whole time I'd been talking on the phone with him before he got to Paris, he was this infallible rock, finding me places to stay, encouraging me, praying with me. I was so absorbed by own fear, my own survival instinct that I hadn't stopped to consider that my dad - the man who has only ever cared, loved, and provided most excellently for his family - was being forced to stand back and simply watch as doctors worked to help Abby. Abby, normally the embodiment of vivacity and health, was weak and pale and as scared as the rest of us. In Paris, I saw my dad weep for the first time. But in Paris, I also saw so clearly a Father's love for His children.
If I ever see Notre Dame again in real life - and I pray I do - I wonder what I'll do and what I'll feel. Is it dramatic to think about this? Most likely, but let's be real, I am a drama queen. I think I want to go inside, sit in the pews, and pour out thankfulness to God for His faithfulness and His provision, thanking Him that Abby is skiing and running and teaching and laughing and living. Thank Him that thinking of Paris now, although my heart still pounds anxiously sometimes, mostly just makes me think of my family, of love, of relief, and of a peace that surpasses all understanding.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Mawwiageee
That title is a word. And if you don't understand the reference, I am crying. I beg you, go watch Princess Bride.
Anyway, I feel like in the words of Hugh Grant from Love Actually, "Love is all around." Even more specifically, marriage - or talk of marriage - is all around. So I'm jotting down some of my ideas of late. If you don't agree with me - cool. If you do agree - cool. This is just what I think, formulated from reading the Bible and listening to those who are older and wiser than I am.
One thing that has always confused me about "finding Mr. (or Mrs.) Right" is the "checklist." I have read many of these articles where people write about "things-to-look-for-must-have-walk-away-if-this-isn't-present" characteristics, as if they are on a list simply waiting to be checked off. Now, don't get me wrong, I totally understand and agree with having standards or "non-negotiables" when looking for a future spouse. I am not going to marry some Joe-Shmoe off the street because, yeesh, nobody's perfect and might as well, right? No way. Not what I'm saying at all. Obviously, there are traits we're each going to be attracted to and looking for in a future spouse. But what I'm trying to say is, if I'm waiting for the man who perfectly represents every characteristic I've ever dreamed up, a man who has a perfect relationship with Christ, the perfect man for me, I'm going to be waiting for a REALLY long time. Tim Keller and his wife wrote a book about marriage (The Meaning of Marriage) where they discuss how people nowadays often look for a spouse that is a finished statue rather than a block of marble to grow and be shaped with. Marriage - heck, LIFE - is a growing process: God chisels us through experiences and relationships.
I love this article (also by Tim Keller) http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/relationship/features/27749-you-never-marry-the-right-person. It talks about how basically we marry strangers. Marriage is not a magical spell that makes things peachy-keen. It takes loads of hard work and self-denial to grow together instead of apart. So I guess for me, the important thing here isn't the checklist, it's finding someone who says, "Yep, I love Jesus more than I love you, Sarah, and I know I'm not perfect so let's do the best we can together to grow to be more like Christ. Sorry I haven't read all of Tolkien's works and sorry I am [insert character flaw here]." And then I'll say, "Hey man, that's okay, I'm not perfect either. In fact, I yell a lot when people suck at merging and I'm too competitive, but thanks for liking me even though I'm not a very good representation of a Proverbs 31 woman - will you help me pursue that? Thanks, you're great." Or something like that...haha.
Second, there's this article that went viral called something like "23 better things to do than get married before you're 23." I thought I was going to be really excited about this girl's point of view because she talks a lot about traveling - one of my favorite things to do - but my first clue that I disagreed with her was when she advised me to date two people at once and see how long it takes for that to blow up in my face. Ummm, I think I'll pass. My second major disagreement with her is that I have some really great friends who are getting married or have gotten married before 23, and as far as I can tell, they are not shackled in a life of misery and stagnation as she seems to imply will happen if you stand at the altar before your twenty-third year and denounce any shred of independence you may have in favor of settling down with the person holding your hands across from you. Okay, okay, I'm exaggerating. But this girl seems to me to be quite anti-marriage. I'll let you read it for yourself (http://wanderonwards.com/2013/12/30/23-things-to-do-instead-of-getting-engaged-before-youre-23/) if you'd like - it's really not all bad! My major point here is that marriage isn't - or shouldn't - be a straight-jacket. I don't think God intends for marriage to be boring or complacent. In fact, if we're to grow together and in trust of God, new experiences and adventures (i.e. traveling, having children, etc.) are probably some of the best ways to do that. Hard work (think: marriage) can be fun if done with a best friend (think: spouse). It makes me sad that this girl thinks marriage is the end of the adventure rather than the start of a new one.
Finally, and this one is really important to me, marriage is not the start of "true life." I see this so often, especially in Christians, and I have been so guilty of this thought process, too! Sometimes it's easy to think, "When I get married, then my life will begin." Or substitute graduation, getting a job, getting a house, having money, etc., for marriage. It all revolves around this idea that life is on hold until I get to this certain mile-marker. The way I see it, my real life began when I started walking with Christ. And maybe you come from a different standpoint, but I really feel this principle holds true across belief systems: stop waiting around and pining after a certain point in life because the point in life you're at now is slipping past you! Enjoy where you're at, be content with the present, the future will come soon enough.
To all my married/engaged friends reading this: You rock! You can do it! Enjoy life!
To all my single friends reading this: You rock! You can do it! Enjoy life!
Peace and blessings, y'all :)
Anyway, I feel like in the words of Hugh Grant from Love Actually, "Love is all around." Even more specifically, marriage - or talk of marriage - is all around. So I'm jotting down some of my ideas of late. If you don't agree with me - cool. If you do agree - cool. This is just what I think, formulated from reading the Bible and listening to those who are older and wiser than I am.
One thing that has always confused me about "finding Mr. (or Mrs.) Right" is the "checklist." I have read many of these articles where people write about "things-to-look-for-must-have-walk-away-if-this-isn't-present" characteristics, as if they are on a list simply waiting to be checked off. Now, don't get me wrong, I totally understand and agree with having standards or "non-negotiables" when looking for a future spouse. I am not going to marry some Joe-Shmoe off the street because, yeesh, nobody's perfect and might as well, right? No way. Not what I'm saying at all. Obviously, there are traits we're each going to be attracted to and looking for in a future spouse. But what I'm trying to say is, if I'm waiting for the man who perfectly represents every characteristic I've ever dreamed up, a man who has a perfect relationship with Christ, the perfect man for me, I'm going to be waiting for a REALLY long time. Tim Keller and his wife wrote a book about marriage (The Meaning of Marriage) where they discuss how people nowadays often look for a spouse that is a finished statue rather than a block of marble to grow and be shaped with. Marriage - heck, LIFE - is a growing process: God chisels us through experiences and relationships.
I love this article (also by Tim Keller) http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/relationship/features/27749-you-never-marry-the-right-person. It talks about how basically we marry strangers. Marriage is not a magical spell that makes things peachy-keen. It takes loads of hard work and self-denial to grow together instead of apart. So I guess for me, the important thing here isn't the checklist, it's finding someone who says, "Yep, I love Jesus more than I love you, Sarah, and I know I'm not perfect so let's do the best we can together to grow to be more like Christ. Sorry I haven't read all of Tolkien's works and sorry I am [insert character flaw here]." And then I'll say, "Hey man, that's okay, I'm not perfect either. In fact, I yell a lot when people suck at merging and I'm too competitive, but thanks for liking me even though I'm not a very good representation of a Proverbs 31 woman - will you help me pursue that? Thanks, you're great." Or something like that...haha.
Second, there's this article that went viral called something like "23 better things to do than get married before you're 23." I thought I was going to be really excited about this girl's point of view because she talks a lot about traveling - one of my favorite things to do - but my first clue that I disagreed with her was when she advised me to date two people at once and see how long it takes for that to blow up in my face. Ummm, I think I'll pass. My second major disagreement with her is that I have some really great friends who are getting married or have gotten married before 23, and as far as I can tell, they are not shackled in a life of misery and stagnation as she seems to imply will happen if you stand at the altar before your twenty-third year and denounce any shred of independence you may have in favor of settling down with the person holding your hands across from you. Okay, okay, I'm exaggerating. But this girl seems to me to be quite anti-marriage. I'll let you read it for yourself (http://wanderonwards.com/2013/12/30/23-things-to-do-instead-of-getting-engaged-before-youre-23/) if you'd like - it's really not all bad! My major point here is that marriage isn't - or shouldn't - be a straight-jacket. I don't think God intends for marriage to be boring or complacent. In fact, if we're to grow together and in trust of God, new experiences and adventures (i.e. traveling, having children, etc.) are probably some of the best ways to do that. Hard work (think: marriage) can be fun if done with a best friend (think: spouse). It makes me sad that this girl thinks marriage is the end of the adventure rather than the start of a new one.
Finally, and this one is really important to me, marriage is not the start of "true life." I see this so often, especially in Christians, and I have been so guilty of this thought process, too! Sometimes it's easy to think, "When I get married, then my life will begin." Or substitute graduation, getting a job, getting a house, having money, etc., for marriage. It all revolves around this idea that life is on hold until I get to this certain mile-marker. The way I see it, my real life began when I started walking with Christ. And maybe you come from a different standpoint, but I really feel this principle holds true across belief systems: stop waiting around and pining after a certain point in life because the point in life you're at now is slipping past you! Enjoy where you're at, be content with the present, the future will come soon enough.
To all my married/engaged friends reading this: You rock! You can do it! Enjoy life!
To all my single friends reading this: You rock! You can do it! Enjoy life!
Peace and blessings, y'all :)
Friday, December 27, 2013
Wind
I'm not going all elemental on you with these titles. Promise. It's just the way it worked out.
Dad suggested I read through John over the break, and since he is utterly wise, I'm doing as he said. So far it's been great, and I'm only to chapter 4. I got to one of my very favorite verses this morning, John 3:8. Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus and He says, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
First off, isn't that beautiful? Just take a minute and reread that verse and think of the wind. So it is with the Spirit. Second, I found out some cool information while researching deeper into this passage. In the Greek language, the same word is used for "wind" and "spirit": pneuma. The term evolved from a description of an elemental, vital, dynamic wind or breath into a more specific breath blowing from the invisible realms...more of a reference to the Holy Spirit of the Lord as it is used 345 times in the New Testament of the Bible. This breath of life is the Spirit that gives us new life in Christ. I love that these words are interchangeable. They are dynamic, moving as the air around us.
This idea of movement is extremely applicable to the Christian life. God never calls us to be stagnant. We are to continuously grow and learn in Him, going wherever He may call, wherever His Spirit (this wind John is talking about) takes us. Hillsong United has a song dealing with exactly this issue. If you haven't heard "Oceans" here's the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9nwe9_xzw It's totally worth listening to the whole thing, trust me.
But the chorus of this song is what I really want to focus on:
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
Wow. Yes. This is my prayer because I'm so afraid of the unknown. I'm afraid of the future, of not having hard and fast plans, of not being assured of anything other than that my Savior is the same yesterday, today and forever. Which is enough. Lord, let it be enough. It takes me to John 3:30 when John the Baptist says of Jesus, "He must increase, but I must decrease." The more that I allow Jesus to fill me up, the less room for me and my selfish desires and sinful nature there is. The more clearly am I able to shine forth the light of Jesus because it's not fogged up by all the junk of moi.
So Spirit lead me where I have never been before, wherever I may be called. Take me deeper. I hear the wind, the breath of life God sends to me as the Holy Ghost, and I will follow though I might not know where I'm going. Honestly, this prayer scares me. But it also reminds me of the Chronicles of Narnia when Mr. Beaver responds like this to Lucy asking if Aslan is safe: "Safe? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you." Amen. God is good. He is always good.
The wind is blowing. The Spirit is leading. Aslan is on the move.
Dad suggested I read through John over the break, and since he is utterly wise, I'm doing as he said. So far it's been great, and I'm only to chapter 4. I got to one of my very favorite verses this morning, John 3:8. Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus and He says, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
First off, isn't that beautiful? Just take a minute and reread that verse and think of the wind. So it is with the Spirit. Second, I found out some cool information while researching deeper into this passage. In the Greek language, the same word is used for "wind" and "spirit": pneuma. The term evolved from a description of an elemental, vital, dynamic wind or breath into a more specific breath blowing from the invisible realms...more of a reference to the Holy Spirit of the Lord as it is used 345 times in the New Testament of the Bible. This breath of life is the Spirit that gives us new life in Christ. I love that these words are interchangeable. They are dynamic, moving as the air around us.
This idea of movement is extremely applicable to the Christian life. God never calls us to be stagnant. We are to continuously grow and learn in Him, going wherever He may call, wherever His Spirit (this wind John is talking about) takes us. Hillsong United has a song dealing with exactly this issue. If you haven't heard "Oceans" here's the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9nwe9_xzw It's totally worth listening to the whole thing, trust me.
But the chorus of this song is what I really want to focus on:
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
Wow. Yes. This is my prayer because I'm so afraid of the unknown. I'm afraid of the future, of not having hard and fast plans, of not being assured of anything other than that my Savior is the same yesterday, today and forever. Which is enough. Lord, let it be enough. It takes me to John 3:30 when John the Baptist says of Jesus, "He must increase, but I must decrease." The more that I allow Jesus to fill me up, the less room for me and my selfish desires and sinful nature there is. The more clearly am I able to shine forth the light of Jesus because it's not fogged up by all the junk of moi.
So Spirit lead me where I have never been before, wherever I may be called. Take me deeper. I hear the wind, the breath of life God sends to me as the Holy Ghost, and I will follow though I might not know where I'm going. Honestly, this prayer scares me. But it also reminds me of the Chronicles of Narnia when Mr. Beaver responds like this to Lucy asking if Aslan is safe: "Safe? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you." Amen. God is good. He is always good.
The wind is blowing. The Spirit is leading. Aslan is on the move.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Fire
"Now I see fire inside the mountain, I see fire burning the trees. And I see fire hollowing souls, and I see fire, blood in the breeze. And I hope that you remember me."
That's the chorus to the song Ed Sheeran wrote for the credits of the new Hobbit movie that was just released. The song is beautiful - lyrically genius for all of my fellow Tolkien nerds out there - and it's acoustic Ed at his best. But beyond those aspects, I've been weirdly affected by this song. I can't stop listening to it, and I couldn't figure out why until today, which is why I'm finally blogging after approximately 7 months. Haha, oops. This seems to be a pattern...
For those of you who haven't seen the newest installment of Peter Jackson's (loosely-based on the actual book -_-) Hobbit trilogy, the second movie ends with Smaug leaving the mountain and heading to Laketown (that's not a spoiler, I promise). And Bilbo climbs up onto this rock, looking after the dragon and says, "What have we done?" I loved that ending despite my complaining about other portions of the film. I love it because there's this promise of fire, death, destruction, and Bilbo realizes he and the dwarves are responsible for a large portion of what's to come, good and bad. "What have we done?" I find myself asking that question in my own life - "what have I done?" Hindsight is always 20/20, and I wish so often for a time machine to go back and change things I say and do in the past.
And this is where Ed's lyrics come in, at the end of the chorus: "And I hope that you remember me." Through all of the things I do and all of the experiences and happenings in this world, that is my prayer. "God, please remember me." Honesty hour: I felt distant from God for a large portion of this semester. Just like the dwarves headed back to Erebor, I saw fire inside the mountain, I saw burning trees, I saw blood in the breeze. And I kept asking myself where God was in it. "Do you remember me, Jesus??" It became less of a prayer and more of a question. I started doubting God's love and goodness, despite His obvious provision in my life.
In the past weeks, though (I think finishing the semester had a lot to do with the timing...), God started to soften my heart again. He revealed great kindness to me through my friends here in Albuquerque. He quieted my soul. He reminded me that even when I am faithless, He is faithful because He cannot deny Himself (2 Tim. 2:13). He showed me that when I look back, aghast - questioning like Bilbo, "What have I done?" - that He is bigger than that, He is in the fire and the bloody breeze. He showed me that not only does He remember me always, He consistently works on my behalf.
I still don't get this world. I never will. I don't understand the death, the sadness, the suffering. Why do good people get taken from this world too soon? Why are beautiful young children torn from life in these horrific school shootings? Why must war continue and my friends and my friends' family members be called upon to put themselves in harms' way? A lot of my time is taken up by this sort of worry. But today I read George Whitefield's sermon entitled "Contemplating Christmas." He says, "Let your time be spent in thinking and talking of the love of Jesus, who was incarnate for us, who was born of a woman, and made under the law, to redeem us from the wrath to come." I'm trying to refocus now, fixing my eyes on the love of Jesus, asking the Holy Spirit to convict me, to teach me, to guide me. Allowing the love of Christ and the miracle of His birth to mold my heart this Christmas especially.
It's going to take time, that's for sure, but my pastor directed us to Revelation this past Sunday, and spoke on Revelation 1:17-18 where Jesus says, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." Now here's the spoiler alert: Jesus wins. In fact, He already won. There's fire in the mountain because the devil hates defeat, but Jesus holds the keys. And Jesus Christ leaves us with this truth: "Fear not. I remember you. Always."
That's the chorus to the song Ed Sheeran wrote for the credits of the new Hobbit movie that was just released. The song is beautiful - lyrically genius for all of my fellow Tolkien nerds out there - and it's acoustic Ed at his best. But beyond those aspects, I've been weirdly affected by this song. I can't stop listening to it, and I couldn't figure out why until today, which is why I'm finally blogging after approximately 7 months. Haha, oops. This seems to be a pattern...
For those of you who haven't seen the newest installment of Peter Jackson's (loosely-based on the actual book -_-) Hobbit trilogy, the second movie ends with Smaug leaving the mountain and heading to Laketown (that's not a spoiler, I promise). And Bilbo climbs up onto this rock, looking after the dragon and says, "What have we done?" I loved that ending despite my complaining about other portions of the film. I love it because there's this promise of fire, death, destruction, and Bilbo realizes he and the dwarves are responsible for a large portion of what's to come, good and bad. "What have we done?" I find myself asking that question in my own life - "what have I done?" Hindsight is always 20/20, and I wish so often for a time machine to go back and change things I say and do in the past.
And this is where Ed's lyrics come in, at the end of the chorus: "And I hope that you remember me." Through all of the things I do and all of the experiences and happenings in this world, that is my prayer. "God, please remember me." Honesty hour: I felt distant from God for a large portion of this semester. Just like the dwarves headed back to Erebor, I saw fire inside the mountain, I saw burning trees, I saw blood in the breeze. And I kept asking myself where God was in it. "Do you remember me, Jesus??" It became less of a prayer and more of a question. I started doubting God's love and goodness, despite His obvious provision in my life.
In the past weeks, though (I think finishing the semester had a lot to do with the timing...), God started to soften my heart again. He revealed great kindness to me through my friends here in Albuquerque. He quieted my soul. He reminded me that even when I am faithless, He is faithful because He cannot deny Himself (2 Tim. 2:13). He showed me that when I look back, aghast - questioning like Bilbo, "What have I done?" - that He is bigger than that, He is in the fire and the bloody breeze. He showed me that not only does He remember me always, He consistently works on my behalf.
I still don't get this world. I never will. I don't understand the death, the sadness, the suffering. Why do good people get taken from this world too soon? Why are beautiful young children torn from life in these horrific school shootings? Why must war continue and my friends and my friends' family members be called upon to put themselves in harms' way? A lot of my time is taken up by this sort of worry. But today I read George Whitefield's sermon entitled "Contemplating Christmas." He says, "Let your time be spent in thinking and talking of the love of Jesus, who was incarnate for us, who was born of a woman, and made under the law, to redeem us from the wrath to come." I'm trying to refocus now, fixing my eyes on the love of Jesus, asking the Holy Spirit to convict me, to teach me, to guide me. Allowing the love of Christ and the miracle of His birth to mold my heart this Christmas especially.
It's going to take time, that's for sure, but my pastor directed us to Revelation this past Sunday, and spoke on Revelation 1:17-18 where Jesus says, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." Now here's the spoiler alert: Jesus wins. In fact, He already won. There's fire in the mountain because the devil hates defeat, but Jesus holds the keys. And Jesus Christ leaves us with this truth: "Fear not. I remember you. Always."
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Integrity
Last night, we wrapped up our semester-long discussion on the fruits of the Spirit here at the Mission. Each of us shared the particular fruit(s) we feel that God is really calling us to cultivate and work on in our lives. Throughout the entire conversation, the word integrity kept coming to my mind. And last night, I was thinking of integrity with its more typical definition: characterized by soundness of an honest character. We should honestly pursue and manifest the fruits in our lives in a dedicated manner.
And then God (as He often does) hit me with integrity again this morning but in a different way. I'm reading the book of Titus right now, and Titus 2:7-8 says, "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us." Let me give a little context: this verse is set in a passage talking about how to instruct young men. I think, however, these are great verses to apply to everyone at all times.
Anyway, being who I am, I looked up integrity in the dictionary, and I found another great definition. Integrity is also the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished. So cool! In Titus, then, God - through Paul - is commanding us to be wholly devoted in order to teach in an honorable way. Wholly devoted to what? To Jesus Christ. If our entire beings, our whole selves undiminished by outside distractions and dirt, are directed toward God and dedicated to Him, there will be nothing bad to say about us - our opposition will have no foothold to slander us. We will be characterized by integrity.
Also in that definition, I'm drawn to the word undiminished. Why? Because it reminds me of something from Tolkien's work. We can laugh together because I'm a nerd. HAHA. But for real. Let me give you a quick summary of part of The Silmarillion. This book, which is a history of the beginning times of Middle-earth, revolves around the making, losing, and quest to recover the Silmarils, these crystal jewels that captured the light of the two trees of Valinor (the trees were the lights of the world before the Sun and the Moon were created). Tolkien describes them as shining with the "radiance of white flame." These things are bright, man, so bright one eventually becomes a star! Anyway, Melkor, the really bad devilish character of The Silmarillion, steals the Silmarils from the Elves and takes them to his dungeon fortress where he sets them in his crown. Now everything about Melkor is dark and smoky - not a lot of light penetrates his kingdom. But when several of the characters venture into Melkor's halls to steal back the Silmarils, there the jewels are, shining through the darkness, undiminished. Even in the devil's dungeons, the Silmarils are unsullied - their light cannot be quenched.
I want to strive to have that kind of integrity of character: wholly dedicating my entire self to the pursuit of Christ, undiminished by satan's attempts, shining for all to see because Jesus, my Savior, is the light of the world. Forget diamonds, Rihanna, I wanna shine bright like a Silmaril!
Peace and blessings, y'all :)
And then God (as He often does) hit me with integrity again this morning but in a different way. I'm reading the book of Titus right now, and Titus 2:7-8 says, "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us." Let me give a little context: this verse is set in a passage talking about how to instruct young men. I think, however, these are great verses to apply to everyone at all times.
Anyway, being who I am, I looked up integrity in the dictionary, and I found another great definition. Integrity is also the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished. So cool! In Titus, then, God - through Paul - is commanding us to be wholly devoted in order to teach in an honorable way. Wholly devoted to what? To Jesus Christ. If our entire beings, our whole selves undiminished by outside distractions and dirt, are directed toward God and dedicated to Him, there will be nothing bad to say about us - our opposition will have no foothold to slander us. We will be characterized by integrity.
Also in that definition, I'm drawn to the word undiminished. Why? Because it reminds me of something from Tolkien's work. We can laugh together because I'm a nerd. HAHA. But for real. Let me give you a quick summary of part of The Silmarillion. This book, which is a history of the beginning times of Middle-earth, revolves around the making, losing, and quest to recover the Silmarils, these crystal jewels that captured the light of the two trees of Valinor (the trees were the lights of the world before the Sun and the Moon were created). Tolkien describes them as shining with the "radiance of white flame." These things are bright, man, so bright one eventually becomes a star! Anyway, Melkor, the really bad devilish character of The Silmarillion, steals the Silmarils from the Elves and takes them to his dungeon fortress where he sets them in his crown. Now everything about Melkor is dark and smoky - not a lot of light penetrates his kingdom. But when several of the characters venture into Melkor's halls to steal back the Silmarils, there the jewels are, shining through the darkness, undiminished. Even in the devil's dungeons, the Silmarils are unsullied - their light cannot be quenched.
I want to strive to have that kind of integrity of character: wholly dedicating my entire self to the pursuit of Christ, undiminished by satan's attempts, shining for all to see because Jesus, my Savior, is the light of the world. Forget diamonds, Rihanna, I wanna shine bright like a Silmaril!
Peace and blessings, y'all :)
Friday, April 12, 2013
#LoveDoes: Three
This chapter is awesome. Bob talks about meeting Ryan, a young guy who is ready to propose to his girlfriend and keeps asking Bob (a stranger to Ryan but owner of the house Ryan would like to use to propose to his girl) for help in his engagement plans. Anyway, since Bob is a boss, he ends up helping Ryan, and Ryan proposes in a scene complete with Coast Guard water cannons. WHAT? I'm going to be happy if I just don't get proposed to over the phone!
Bob makes an important point through Ryan's story, though. He talks about living our lives in an "engaged" manner, going after love like Ryan did - a love that is audacious, whimsical, strategic, and contagious. Bob says this engaged way of living is about "going to extremes and expressing the bright hope that life offers us, a hope that makes us brave and expels darkness with light" (p. 24). And when we live our lives in this state of excited, extraordinary love that we find through Jesus, love will multiply; it's contagious, so we'll infect others with this desire to live and love radically.
I really like that word "audacious." I was pretty sure I knew what it meant, but I looked it up in the dictionary anyway, and I found an alternative definition that is so awesome. Audacious can mean "extremely original; without restriction to prior ideas; highly inventive." Now I'm challenged by this definition - how can I love audaciously? How can I modify my love with that adverb? How can I think outside the box and love people in ways that they've never been loved before? Let me know if you have ideas. I'll keep you updated with anything I come up with. But seriously. Let's pursue this!
Bob closes in talking about how Ryan's love emulated the love Jesus talks about, "a love that never grows tired or is completely finished finding ways to fully express itself" (p. 24). I think it also emulates the love that Jesus demonstrated here on Earth. Jesus was audacious. He loved without restriction to prior ideas, choosing to eat dinner with prostitutes and tax collectors instead of the "respectable" members of society. He was the first person to love others so incredibly radically. But guess what? He doesn't have to be the last! As Christians, we are to strive to be Christ-like so let's seek out ways to love audaciously, ways to love with whimsy, ways to love strategically, and ways to love contagiously. Let's love like Ryan did, and, more importantly, let's love like Jesus.
Peace and blessings, y'all!
Bob makes an important point through Ryan's story, though. He talks about living our lives in an "engaged" manner, going after love like Ryan did - a love that is audacious, whimsical, strategic, and contagious. Bob says this engaged way of living is about "going to extremes and expressing the bright hope that life offers us, a hope that makes us brave and expels darkness with light" (p. 24). And when we live our lives in this state of excited, extraordinary love that we find through Jesus, love will multiply; it's contagious, so we'll infect others with this desire to live and love radically.
I really like that word "audacious." I was pretty sure I knew what it meant, but I looked it up in the dictionary anyway, and I found an alternative definition that is so awesome. Audacious can mean "extremely original; without restriction to prior ideas; highly inventive." Now I'm challenged by this definition - how can I love audaciously? How can I modify my love with that adverb? How can I think outside the box and love people in ways that they've never been loved before? Let me know if you have ideas. I'll keep you updated with anything I come up with. But seriously. Let's pursue this!
Bob closes in talking about how Ryan's love emulated the love Jesus talks about, "a love that never grows tired or is completely finished finding ways to fully express itself" (p. 24). I think it also emulates the love that Jesus demonstrated here on Earth. Jesus was audacious. He loved without restriction to prior ideas, choosing to eat dinner with prostitutes and tax collectors instead of the "respectable" members of society. He was the first person to love others so incredibly radically. But guess what? He doesn't have to be the last! As Christians, we are to strive to be Christ-like so let's seek out ways to love audaciously, ways to love with whimsy, ways to love strategically, and ways to love contagiously. Let's love like Ryan did, and, more importantly, let's love like Jesus.
Peace and blessings, y'all!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Relentless
Today, I finished reading through the book of Hosea. Last night at the Mission, we talked about faithfulness, and then I had a great conversation with Jamie and Russ about this very thing. The word that keeps running through my mind is relentless. Let me tell you about it.
Basically, summary of the story of Hosea, God commands this man, Hosea, to marry a prostitute, Gomer. He does, she bears him children, she goes back into prostitution, and God commands Hosea to reconcile with Gomer. God uses this as an example of His love for the Israelites, an "adulteress people" that He continually loves despite their lack of faithfulness. So many times throughout Hosea, I was struck by God's language of wrath that is then subdued by His great words of love. Hosea 11:9 is incredible: "I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man - the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath." WOW. God's love does not operate on a whim - He is not a man, and His love is greater than anything we can imagine! He is faithful even though we are so often faithless.
That thought connects to a verse Russ read last night. 2 Timothy 2:13 says, "If we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself." That He is Jesus. God is love. And here we find out God is also faithfulness. It is a characteristic of God, one of the key components to who He is. He is faithful. Now, since I'm an English major, I love words and definitions. The dictionary definition of faithful is "steady in allegiance or affection; loyal; constant."
And finally we get to the title of my post. Relentless. Why did I choose relentless over faithfulness? Because when I was talking to Russ and Jamie, Jamie made a comment about how faithfulness has this perpetual aspect to it. It's not a one and done deal - "Oh, I was faithful today. Good job, self!" No. Faithfulness is ongoing, there is no break, there is no timeout. And people remember lapses in faithfulness, lapses in loyalty more than anything else. Another definition. Relent means "to soften in feeling, temper, or determination." Relentless means the opposite of relent. God is relentless: He does not soften in feeling towards us, His jealous nature for us cannot be quenched, His determination does not sway. God is relentlessly faithful. He is determinedly constant.
I keep thinking about this in light of Easter and Jesus on the cross. I am so glad Jesus chose to remain relentlessly faithful on that cross. He remained steady in affection for us, He did not soften in His love for a people that would continuously lapse in faithfulness to Him. Incredible.
How can we be relentlessly faithful? We are man, not God (refer back to Hosea 11:9), so inevitably we're going to lapse sometimes. But how can we work to make faithfulness one of the deepest characteristics and desires of our hearts? How can we remain steady in our allegiance to God?
Peace and blessings, y'all! It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood :)
Basically, summary of the story of Hosea, God commands this man, Hosea, to marry a prostitute, Gomer. He does, she bears him children, she goes back into prostitution, and God commands Hosea to reconcile with Gomer. God uses this as an example of His love for the Israelites, an "adulteress people" that He continually loves despite their lack of faithfulness. So many times throughout Hosea, I was struck by God's language of wrath that is then subdued by His great words of love. Hosea 11:9 is incredible: "I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man - the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath." WOW. God's love does not operate on a whim - He is not a man, and His love is greater than anything we can imagine! He is faithful even though we are so often faithless.
That thought connects to a verse Russ read last night. 2 Timothy 2:13 says, "If we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself." That He is Jesus. God is love. And here we find out God is also faithfulness. It is a characteristic of God, one of the key components to who He is. He is faithful. Now, since I'm an English major, I love words and definitions. The dictionary definition of faithful is "steady in allegiance or affection; loyal; constant."
And finally we get to the title of my post. Relentless. Why did I choose relentless over faithfulness? Because when I was talking to Russ and Jamie, Jamie made a comment about how faithfulness has this perpetual aspect to it. It's not a one and done deal - "Oh, I was faithful today. Good job, self!" No. Faithfulness is ongoing, there is no break, there is no timeout. And people remember lapses in faithfulness, lapses in loyalty more than anything else. Another definition. Relent means "to soften in feeling, temper, or determination." Relentless means the opposite of relent. God is relentless: He does not soften in feeling towards us, His jealous nature for us cannot be quenched, His determination does not sway. God is relentlessly faithful. He is determinedly constant.
I keep thinking about this in light of Easter and Jesus on the cross. I am so glad Jesus chose to remain relentlessly faithful on that cross. He remained steady in affection for us, He did not soften in His love for a people that would continuously lapse in faithfulness to Him. Incredible.
How can we be relentlessly faithful? We are man, not God (refer back to Hosea 11:9), so inevitably we're going to lapse sometimes. But how can we work to make faithfulness one of the deepest characteristics and desires of our hearts? How can we remain steady in our allegiance to God?
Peace and blessings, y'all! It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood :)
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Calvary
Taking a break from Love Does to talk about Good Friday and Easter. I went to the Good Friday service at Desert Springs last night, and Pastor Kelly really got me thinking. So I'm going to share several of my main take-aways from yesterday.
1) First point has a story behind it - I actually think I've included it in my blog before, but I was reminded of it last night. In Venice this summer, we saw a painting of the crucifixion by Tintoretto. It's this MASSIVE painting - took up a whole huge wall - and the colors are intense. The painting itself seems chaotic at first because it's the entire scene at Golgotha. There are Roman soldiers casting lots, a Centurion on a white horse, the thieves are being nailed to and raised up on their own crosses, Mary mourns at the foot of the cross, etc. Tons of commotion going on. But somehow, looking at the painting, I could not take my eyes away from Jesus hanging at the center of the painting. Although Tintoretto included so many small scenes, if you take the work as a whole the main focal point of the painting is never diminished - Christ dying on the tree. The other characters/scenes point to Jesus, they frame him, they raise my eyes to the King.
Sitting in church last night, thinking about this painting, I asked myself, "Am I casting my eyes to the Lord?" The thing about Tintoretto's piece is that it would be easy to get stuck looking at one of the smaller scenes rather than stepping back and taking it in as a whole. So am I zeroing in on specific circumstances in my life, getting caught up in the chaos of life, or am I stepping back and fixing my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith, who endured the cross? Am I looking for ways that the goings-on in my life direct me back to God?
2) Desert Springs has a great stage set up for Easter Weekend. And I don't know if it was just where I was sitting last night or if they set up this way on purpose, but every time I blinked my eyes after looking at the stage last night, the wooden cross awash in red light would stay burned on my retinas like a sun spot. What an incredible image, what an incredible allegory. The cross and the sacrifice it represents should never be out of my sight or out of my mind. May it be burned into my eyes, stamped onto my brain, seared across my heart: Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.
3) One of Pastor Kelly's main points last night was throughout the crucifixion, God was working behind the scenes. Things look like they're going wrong, like sin is going to win, like death is going to triumph, but in reality, everything is going according to God's original plan. Are there situations in your life that look like failure right now? I know there are in mine. Guess what? God can reconcile those - have faith that He's behind the scenes right now, working things together for good.
4) This revelation literally blew my mind last night. Jesus experienced silence from God, too. How many times have I felt like I have no clue what God is saying to me or like God's not saying anything to me AT ALL? Answer: so many times. Jesus knows what that feels like. He asked repeatedly for His cup to be taken from Him. I interpret that as Jesus got no definitive answer from God so He simply proceeded in faith. Jesus cries out on the cross that He is forsaken by God, but He remains obedient. Jesus, as always, is the example to follow: ask God, listen hard, follow the plan as we see it laid out, don't be discouraged, be obedient, have faith. God has plans not to harm us but to give us a hope and a future because He is good and He is love.
Bob Goff tweeted this yesterday, and I loved it for this weekend. "Day turned to night, His friends scattered, and death thought it had won. But heaven just started counting to three." Praise God! Jesus is risen, indeed!
Happy Easter :)
1) First point has a story behind it - I actually think I've included it in my blog before, but I was reminded of it last night. In Venice this summer, we saw a painting of the crucifixion by Tintoretto. It's this MASSIVE painting - took up a whole huge wall - and the colors are intense. The painting itself seems chaotic at first because it's the entire scene at Golgotha. There are Roman soldiers casting lots, a Centurion on a white horse, the thieves are being nailed to and raised up on their own crosses, Mary mourns at the foot of the cross, etc. Tons of commotion going on. But somehow, looking at the painting, I could not take my eyes away from Jesus hanging at the center of the painting. Although Tintoretto included so many small scenes, if you take the work as a whole the main focal point of the painting is never diminished - Christ dying on the tree. The other characters/scenes point to Jesus, they frame him, they raise my eyes to the King.
Sitting in church last night, thinking about this painting, I asked myself, "Am I casting my eyes to the Lord?" The thing about Tintoretto's piece is that it would be easy to get stuck looking at one of the smaller scenes rather than stepping back and taking it in as a whole. So am I zeroing in on specific circumstances in my life, getting caught up in the chaos of life, or am I stepping back and fixing my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith, who endured the cross? Am I looking for ways that the goings-on in my life direct me back to God?
2) Desert Springs has a great stage set up for Easter Weekend. And I don't know if it was just where I was sitting last night or if they set up this way on purpose, but every time I blinked my eyes after looking at the stage last night, the wooden cross awash in red light would stay burned on my retinas like a sun spot. What an incredible image, what an incredible allegory. The cross and the sacrifice it represents should never be out of my sight or out of my mind. May it be burned into my eyes, stamped onto my brain, seared across my heart: Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.
3) One of Pastor Kelly's main points last night was throughout the crucifixion, God was working behind the scenes. Things look like they're going wrong, like sin is going to win, like death is going to triumph, but in reality, everything is going according to God's original plan. Are there situations in your life that look like failure right now? I know there are in mine. Guess what? God can reconcile those - have faith that He's behind the scenes right now, working things together for good.
4) This revelation literally blew my mind last night. Jesus experienced silence from God, too. How many times have I felt like I have no clue what God is saying to me or like God's not saying anything to me AT ALL? Answer: so many times. Jesus knows what that feels like. He asked repeatedly for His cup to be taken from Him. I interpret that as Jesus got no definitive answer from God so He simply proceeded in faith. Jesus cries out on the cross that He is forsaken by God, but He remains obedient. Jesus, as always, is the example to follow: ask God, listen hard, follow the plan as we see it laid out, don't be discouraged, be obedient, have faith. God has plans not to harm us but to give us a hope and a future because He is good and He is love.
Bob Goff tweeted this yesterday, and I loved it for this weekend. "Day turned to night, His friends scattered, and death thought it had won. But heaven just started counting to three." Praise God! Jesus is risen, indeed!
Happy Easter :)
Monday, March 25, 2013
#LoveDoes: Two
Bob Goff spoke at Lost Canyon's Men's Weekend Retreat. I've never wanted to be a boy that bad before. Haha. Here we gooooo!
Chapter 2: "Sniper Fire"
Ok, Bob Goff is nuts. The story he tells here is about how his friend Doug shot him with a BB gun in high school. I think it's a little bit of a stretch in how he relates it to his point for the chapter, but hey, if I'd gotten shot by a BB gun in high school, I would totally include it in any book I wrote.
I think mostly Bob uses the story to introduce his friend Doug. Doug was the first person to really tell Bob about Jesus, and he radically reorganized Bob's ideas about religion and Christianity. Bob says, "All I knew of faith [before talking to Doug] were fragments and shards of various traditions, but I hadn't ever heard the whole story about who Jesus was and what He wanted the world to know about Him" (p. 13). So Doug told him the story. Doug introduced Bob to Jesus, the One who is (or should be if He isn't) the foundation of all those "various traditions." But Bob also says, that more than anything else, what attracted him to what Doug had to say was who Doug was as a person. Isn't that the way it goes? In Young Life, a huge emphasis is earning the right to be heard with the kids we meet. I love this because it's such a valid point. Who's going to listen to me if I just go up to them and start telling them about this great way to live life and this awesome dude, Jesus? Maybe some people, but the majority of people will just think I'm crazy and avoid me like I avoid the GreenPeace reps on campus. When people see Christ in my life and then hear what I have to say (the message God provides me with), that is so much more powerful! It's like in education, teachers try to incorporate multiple senses in lessons because students learn more effectively that way. So if I'm reaching out, and people see and hear about God's love, it's a double-whammy. And it's pretty radical.
Bob follows this point up, saying, "God is constantly inviting [us] into a life that moves away from typical" (p. 15). You know what, I love that. After all, who really wants to live a mediocre, typical life? I want to do extraordinary things. And God opens those doorways for me - in fact, I'm seeing Him open them right now in my life. God gives each of us amazing and unique gifts, but it's up to us to figure out what they are and then go and use them. Like what if you got this great car but chose not to drive it? Makes no sense to me. I'd drive it all over! God doesn't force us to use our gifts or to venture out into an atypical life, but He does invite us to step out in faith.
Maybe this is weird, but hang with me, and just do it. Pretend you're sitting in a coffee shop, and God's sitting across from you. I don't know what He looks like. Whatever. But imagine Him sitting on the edge of His seat and being really excited, and saying, "[insert your name here], I have the BEST idea. You know those gifts I gave you? I know JUST how you can use them. It's gonna be great. And it might get kind of crazy, but stick it out. It'll be so worth it. Just keep your eyes peeled - opportunities are going to start rolling your way. I'm stoked to see what you do!"
That's how I picture God inviting us to diverge from typical. To have faith that He will 1) provide opportunities and 2) help us make it through.
So let's ask ourselves: What are my gifts? How can I use them? How am I radiating God's love to those around me? How am I earning the right to be heard? Lots of things to think about, but it's exciting! Let's be atypical this week :)
Peace and blessings, y'all!
Chapter 2: "Sniper Fire"
Ok, Bob Goff is nuts. The story he tells here is about how his friend Doug shot him with a BB gun in high school. I think it's a little bit of a stretch in how he relates it to his point for the chapter, but hey, if I'd gotten shot by a BB gun in high school, I would totally include it in any book I wrote.
I think mostly Bob uses the story to introduce his friend Doug. Doug was the first person to really tell Bob about Jesus, and he radically reorganized Bob's ideas about religion and Christianity. Bob says, "All I knew of faith [before talking to Doug] were fragments and shards of various traditions, but I hadn't ever heard the whole story about who Jesus was and what He wanted the world to know about Him" (p. 13). So Doug told him the story. Doug introduced Bob to Jesus, the One who is (or should be if He isn't) the foundation of all those "various traditions." But Bob also says, that more than anything else, what attracted him to what Doug had to say was who Doug was as a person. Isn't that the way it goes? In Young Life, a huge emphasis is earning the right to be heard with the kids we meet. I love this because it's such a valid point. Who's going to listen to me if I just go up to them and start telling them about this great way to live life and this awesome dude, Jesus? Maybe some people, but the majority of people will just think I'm crazy and avoid me like I avoid the GreenPeace reps on campus. When people see Christ in my life and then hear what I have to say (the message God provides me with), that is so much more powerful! It's like in education, teachers try to incorporate multiple senses in lessons because students learn more effectively that way. So if I'm reaching out, and people see and hear about God's love, it's a double-whammy. And it's pretty radical.
Bob follows this point up, saying, "God is constantly inviting [us] into a life that moves away from typical" (p. 15). You know what, I love that. After all, who really wants to live a mediocre, typical life? I want to do extraordinary things. And God opens those doorways for me - in fact, I'm seeing Him open them right now in my life. God gives each of us amazing and unique gifts, but it's up to us to figure out what they are and then go and use them. Like what if you got this great car but chose not to drive it? Makes no sense to me. I'd drive it all over! God doesn't force us to use our gifts or to venture out into an atypical life, but He does invite us to step out in faith.
Maybe this is weird, but hang with me, and just do it. Pretend you're sitting in a coffee shop, and God's sitting across from you. I don't know what He looks like. Whatever. But imagine Him sitting on the edge of His seat and being really excited, and saying, "[insert your name here], I have the BEST idea. You know those gifts I gave you? I know JUST how you can use them. It's gonna be great. And it might get kind of crazy, but stick it out. It'll be so worth it. Just keep your eyes peeled - opportunities are going to start rolling your way. I'm stoked to see what you do!"
That's how I picture God inviting us to diverge from typical. To have faith that He will 1) provide opportunities and 2) help us make it through.
So let's ask ourselves: What are my gifts? How can I use them? How am I radiating God's love to those around me? How am I earning the right to be heard? Lots of things to think about, but it's exciting! Let's be atypical this week :)
Peace and blessings, y'all!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
#LoveDoes: One
Ok, background. This semester at The Mission, the college ministry I'm involved in here at UNM, we're reading through this book called Love Does by Bob Goff. It's awesome, and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. Basically, Bob's main theme throughout the book is - surprise - love does. It's time to quit talking about loving people, and it's time to do it. Typically, though the chapters are short, I feel sort of like I've run into a wall after I'm done reading. Or I feel like I've been hit over the head with a brick. Every anecdote Bob shares brings to the surface a key point or a potent grain of truth. So I'm going to blog about what I'm learning because it's more fun this way, and I want all of you to read the book, too. Read with me! Tell me what you think! Let's be interactive! What does that mean?! I don't know! Let's find out! (End exclamation points, now...)
Chapter 1: "I'm With You"
Yikes. Bob starts right out with a story that hits close to home. He talks about how his Young Life leader, Randy, totally just takes off with him for like a week of roughing it in Yosemite right after Randy gets married. No plans, not a lot of money, Randy goes with Bob because young Bob basically is jumping ship on life as he knows it. After endless encouragement from Randy, Bob decides to head home and forego his wilderness life.
I love how Bob sums up Randy's actions. Bob says, "He (Randy) didn't just say he was for me or with me. He was actually present with me" (p. 8).
Hold the phone. First, what the heck, Randy? You've set the bar incredibly high for Young Life leaders all around the country, and I'm failing miserably. Just kidding. That's not what I took from this chapter, but it does inspire me to be a more involved leader. What I really draw from this story is the importance of being present in our daily interactions with people. What better way to love on people than to use the time we already have with said people? Instead of just saying we'll be somewhere or do something, I want to actually do it. If I have time with someone, I want to be there with them, not checking my phone, reading emails, playing Temple Run, Bejeweled Blitz, blah, blah, blah. I value the person I'm with, so I want to honor them with my attentiveness.
I drove back from California today with my friends, Marlee and Tyler. Marlee is so creative, and she started this fun game where she would ask quick questions (i.e. "According to the food you eat, what animal would you be"; "What foods make you gag"; "Favorite Christmas present ever"; etc. Just fun stuff!), and we'd all answer them. It morphed into more involved questions, and it was so fun. We used a chunk of our time to learn more about each other, laugh, and just be with each other. How cool! What are practical ways we can be present in our interactions with each other? And then how do we stop talking and start doing? That's what I struggle with!
Something else that hit me in this chapter was this question: what holds me back from extravagant love? Sidenote, I'm not talking about money at all here. I love that the dictionary defines "extravagance" as "unrestrained, unnecessary, fantastic excess." What stops me from loving the way Randy did in this story? And I'm not saying I need to drop everything in my life to do stuff for everyone else all the time. That's not right either. Honestly, though, I would never have done what Randy did. In fact, I wouldn't have even thought about going with Bob. Extravagant love like that is outside my comfort zone. But since when did God ask me to live a life of ease and comfort? That's the great thing about God. He stretches me until I think I might break, but instead, I grow. So how can I grow to this kind of love, a love that does? I'm working on it :)
Peace and blessings, y'all!
Chapter 1: "I'm With You"
Yikes. Bob starts right out with a story that hits close to home. He talks about how his Young Life leader, Randy, totally just takes off with him for like a week of roughing it in Yosemite right after Randy gets married. No plans, not a lot of money, Randy goes with Bob because young Bob basically is jumping ship on life as he knows it. After endless encouragement from Randy, Bob decides to head home and forego his wilderness life.
I love how Bob sums up Randy's actions. Bob says, "He (Randy) didn't just say he was for me or with me. He was actually present with me" (p. 8).
Hold the phone. First, what the heck, Randy? You've set the bar incredibly high for Young Life leaders all around the country, and I'm failing miserably. Just kidding. That's not what I took from this chapter, but it does inspire me to be a more involved leader. What I really draw from this story is the importance of being present in our daily interactions with people. What better way to love on people than to use the time we already have with said people? Instead of just saying we'll be somewhere or do something, I want to actually do it. If I have time with someone, I want to be there with them, not checking my phone, reading emails, playing Temple Run, Bejeweled Blitz, blah, blah, blah. I value the person I'm with, so I want to honor them with my attentiveness.
I drove back from California today with my friends, Marlee and Tyler. Marlee is so creative, and she started this fun game where she would ask quick questions (i.e. "According to the food you eat, what animal would you be"; "What foods make you gag"; "Favorite Christmas present ever"; etc. Just fun stuff!), and we'd all answer them. It morphed into more involved questions, and it was so fun. We used a chunk of our time to learn more about each other, laugh, and just be with each other. How cool! What are practical ways we can be present in our interactions with each other? And then how do we stop talking and start doing? That's what I struggle with!
Something else that hit me in this chapter was this question: what holds me back from extravagant love? Sidenote, I'm not talking about money at all here. I love that the dictionary defines "extravagance" as "unrestrained, unnecessary, fantastic excess." What stops me from loving the way Randy did in this story? And I'm not saying I need to drop everything in my life to do stuff for everyone else all the time. That's not right either. Honestly, though, I would never have done what Randy did. In fact, I wouldn't have even thought about going with Bob. Extravagant love like that is outside my comfort zone. But since when did God ask me to live a life of ease and comfort? That's the great thing about God. He stretches me until I think I might break, but instead, I grow. So how can I grow to this kind of love, a love that does? I'm working on it :)
Peace and blessings, y'all!
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Meredith
So my roommate Meredith is totally awesome, and she blogs,
too. Check her out at "Sincerely,
Me." I have no tech savvy
whatsoever, and I don't know how to hyperlink, but she commented on my last
post so go click on her name. Yeah, old school, I know. Get over it.
Anyway, one of her friends gave her this cool blog activity to do, and
Meredith tagged me to do it. She
actually tagged me to do it a month and a half ago. I fail at blogging.
Haha. First, I have to put down eleven
facts about myself. Then, I answer the questions she left for me. Here goes!
1) I'm currently obsessed
with Hugh Jackman. I plan to at some
point own an Australian Shepherd, and I will name it Hugh. After Hugh Jackman
and not Hugh Greenwood. I understand this is a common misconception and thought
I'd clear that up.
2) I've been ripped
off by a gladiator outside the Colosseum.
3) I know a lot about
Paris hospitals...
4) I hate the sound
of people eating. Even myself. This is all Abby's fault because she smacks her
bagels and has done so ever since I can remember.
5) I don't like
cats. I chase the feral cats around my
house down the driveway and yell at them.
6) I laugh to the
point of crying on pretty close to a weekly basis.
7) I've read 26 books
since the beginning of August.
8) I flare my
nostrils when I'm annoyed.
9) I always sing in
my car.
10) I love to dance,
but I have zero rhythm, and thus, I am a terrible dancer.
11) Lord of the
Rings, Harry Potter, Emperor's New Groove, Mulan, and The Princess Bride are
integral parts of my daily conversations.
1. If you have a smart phone, what is your favorite thing
about it and why?
GAMES. Sudoku,
Bejeweled Blitz, and 4 Pics 1 Word are some of my favorites. Also, Siri is fun to mess with sometimes.
2. What was/is your favorite thing about school?
LEARNING. I love school. I love that feeling when all of a
sudden something makes sense. Or the epiphany when I'm writing a paper, and I
make an awesome connection. Or sitting in the library between shelves pouring
through books for a research project. I love learning random facts and thinking
to myself, "If I'm ever on Jeopardy, I'm gonna smoke my competition!"
3. If your life had a sound track, what would be your theme
song?
"In Christ Alone." I cry almost every time I sing
this song. "And as He stands in victory, Sin's curse has lost its grip on
me. For I am His and He is mine, Bought with the precious blood of
Christ." Amen. Thank You, Jesus.
4. Favorite TV show and why.
Blue Bloods. See every other post I've ever written. Haha.
5. Pet peeves?
People who can't merge on the highway. For real? Get off the
road. Oh, and the ignorance of the Lobo student section during basketball
games. Stop cursing, sober up, and learn the rules of the game. Also, when my
contacts get small rips in them after like two days of being used. Seriously,
Acuvue? COME ON. And the sound of dripping water.
6. What was your favorite memory of 2012?
Yikes! Just one?? 2012 was a wild year. I traveled to China,
Abby almost died in Paris, and I lived in Rome for 6 weeks. But overall best
memory would probably have to be June 16, 2012: the day Abby and I spent in
Valencia, Spain. It was paradise. Also,
rereading this, it looks like I'm saying Abby almost dying was one of my
favorite memories. That is false, people! I just added it to truly round out
the 2012 experience.
7. Anything exciting coming in 2013?
Life is exciting in general, isn't it?? But I'm going to
California for Spring Break to look at grad schools, I'm doing Summer Staff at
Lost Canyon, and I'm going to see ONE DIRECTION IN LA IN AUGUST.
8. If you randomly got the afternoon off, what would you do
with the free time?
Realistically, sleep. Or watch Fight Club because I've had
it from Netflix for like a month now.
Oops.
9. Crunchy or creamy peanut butter?
ALWAYS creamy. I have very strong opinions about which food
items can contain crunchy nuts and which can't.
10. The reader in me has to ask: What's your favorite
book/author/series?
Ummm. I don't know how to answer this. Favorite author:
J.R.R. Tolkien. Favorite series: Harry
Potter. Favorite book(s)? Ella
Enchanted. The Kite Runner. Jane Eyre. Among others...I'm sorry. Asking an
English major for ONE favorite book is like asking a parent to choose their
favorite child, haha.
11. How do you find contentment in your day to day life?
Simple. Jesus and the blessings He gives me. My life is
abundant because of Him.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Break
Hey, remember me? Yeah, I blog. I forgot too, don't worry.
I have four days left of Christmas Break. Boo. I like this life of watching Blue Bloods, reading books (for fun and not because they are required), and eating the delicious food my mama makes. But I guess I have had a lot of fun during vacation. Well, some of it wasn't fun, per say - maybe more like "adventurous" and "really weird". I don't know. You be the judge.
1) Blue Bloods. Because I've probably spent the most time on this pursuit, it comes first. This is the best show on TV, hands down. My whole family agrees. If you don't like this show, you're crazy and don't talk to me. Just kidding. Sort of. Anyway, I know I've raved about this show before, but my obsession reached a whole new level over break because my parents gave me the first two seasons for Christmas. I've finished both seasons, and now I have proceeded to go back through and rewatch my favorite episodes. And I'm probably going to rewatch both seasons with Nicole. Blue Bloods Mania has escalated to the point that Abby and I legitimately feel really attached to the characters - we talk about them like they actually exist. This may classify in the aforementioned "really weird" category. Don't care. Jamie Reagan is my soul mate, and Danny Reagan and I may be distantly related (which makes the whole "marrying Jamie" plan really awkward): suspicions arising due to our shared rage trait.
2) Harry Potter. Two incidences regarding HP have made me smile over break. Back story. My parents have been reading through the HP books together for the past 8 months or so. They take turns reading a chapter or two aloud to each other every night. Precious, I know. First, while away from the house one evening at the beginning of break, I received a phone call from my mother. Our conversation went something like this...
"Hello, Mama."
"Is this the Harry Potter Hotline?"
(I laugh maniacally) "Yes. How can I help you?"
"Once you've stunned someone or 'stupefied' them, how do you wake them up?"
"Oh jeez. It's embarrassing that I know this. Just use the countercurse. It's 'ennervate,' if you're wondering."
"(To my father in the background) I told you she'd know, Pete! Thank you. Now we need to get back to reading!"
Yep. That happened. I need an HP Nerd badge or something. It's riddikulus. See what I did there?
Second, I've been reading the last few chapters of Deathly Hallows aloud to them. It's so fun to see them unraveling the story and putting together obscure plot points. I love HP. I love reading. I love my parents. So. Much. Fun.
3) Moving Abby to Denver. This classifies as adventurous. Adventurous because Abby accidentally purchased a couch that was too big to fit in the back of our Rav-4. Commence the next hour and a half of being parked in the 15 minute loading zone at IKEA, tearing into a newly purchased tool kit using jumper cables because the plastic was atomic bomb proof, taking the couch completely out of its cardboard box to save several inches, my finger bleeding all over the cardboard, us eventually squeezing the couch in with the front seats moved all the way forward, me having to drive the car back to Abby's apartment because I was the only one who could fit in the driver's seat, my dad folding himself into the passenger seat because he didn't want me to drive alone (literally, he folded himself in - it was such a small space, he had to take his shoes off to fit...no joke), and me praying the whole drive because if anything happened, Dad was going to fly through the windshield to his doom. NEVER. AGAIN. Also, this same couch was later dropped on my arm. If I hadn't sacrificed so much to get this couch into Abby's apartment, I would've tossed it off the balcony. RAGE.
4) Going to the Caldera to see the stars. Ok, this was incredible. If you live in Los Alamos, and you haven't done this yet, PLEASE GO. I have never seen so many stars. It was like a blanket over the Caldera, and the light was reflecting off of the snow. So beautiful. I couldn't stop gazing at the universe in awe!
5) The Hobbit and Les Miserables. Both incredible movies. The dwarf song in The Hobbit gives me chills every time I hear it. And let's be real, I am so okay with it being made into three movies because I never want the magic of these movies to come to an end. And I have no words for how amazing Les Mis is. I downloaded the whole movie score off of iTunes yesterday, and today, I actually just sat on the couch for awhile reveling in its glory. So incredible. Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, I Dreamed a Dream, On My Own, Bring Him Home. I can't stop listening. Hugh Jackman is probably the most talented individual on the planet. I've seen so many great summaries of this movie, though. Wolverine sings to the Gladiator while the Princess of Genovea (whose secret identity is Catwoman) sings in the street, and Borat and Bellatrix Lestrange open a hotel together. Something like that.
I have so many more things I could include in this post, but I won't. I want you to keep guessing at what other amazing things I do with my life. HA. Kidding. I'm just lazy. But this vacation has reaffirmed that I have the coolest family and coolest friends ever. Not that there was ever any question regarding those matters :)
Peace and blessings, y'all.
I have four days left of Christmas Break. Boo. I like this life of watching Blue Bloods, reading books (for fun and not because they are required), and eating the delicious food my mama makes. But I guess I have had a lot of fun during vacation. Well, some of it wasn't fun, per say - maybe more like "adventurous" and "really weird". I don't know. You be the judge.
1) Blue Bloods. Because I've probably spent the most time on this pursuit, it comes first. This is the best show on TV, hands down. My whole family agrees. If you don't like this show, you're crazy and don't talk to me. Just kidding. Sort of. Anyway, I know I've raved about this show before, but my obsession reached a whole new level over break because my parents gave me the first two seasons for Christmas. I've finished both seasons, and now I have proceeded to go back through and rewatch my favorite episodes. And I'm probably going to rewatch both seasons with Nicole. Blue Bloods Mania has escalated to the point that Abby and I legitimately feel really attached to the characters - we talk about them like they actually exist. This may classify in the aforementioned "really weird" category. Don't care. Jamie Reagan is my soul mate, and Danny Reagan and I may be distantly related (which makes the whole "marrying Jamie" plan really awkward): suspicions arising due to our shared rage trait.
2) Harry Potter. Two incidences regarding HP have made me smile over break. Back story. My parents have been reading through the HP books together for the past 8 months or so. They take turns reading a chapter or two aloud to each other every night. Precious, I know. First, while away from the house one evening at the beginning of break, I received a phone call from my mother. Our conversation went something like this...
"Hello, Mama."
"Is this the Harry Potter Hotline?"
(I laugh maniacally) "Yes. How can I help you?"
"Once you've stunned someone or 'stupefied' them, how do you wake them up?"
"Oh jeez. It's embarrassing that I know this. Just use the countercurse. It's 'ennervate,' if you're wondering."
"(To my father in the background) I told you she'd know, Pete! Thank you. Now we need to get back to reading!"
Yep. That happened. I need an HP Nerd badge or something. It's riddikulus. See what I did there?
Second, I've been reading the last few chapters of Deathly Hallows aloud to them. It's so fun to see them unraveling the story and putting together obscure plot points. I love HP. I love reading. I love my parents. So. Much. Fun.
3) Moving Abby to Denver. This classifies as adventurous. Adventurous because Abby accidentally purchased a couch that was too big to fit in the back of our Rav-4. Commence the next hour and a half of being parked in the 15 minute loading zone at IKEA, tearing into a newly purchased tool kit using jumper cables because the plastic was atomic bomb proof, taking the couch completely out of its cardboard box to save several inches, my finger bleeding all over the cardboard, us eventually squeezing the couch in with the front seats moved all the way forward, me having to drive the car back to Abby's apartment because I was the only one who could fit in the driver's seat, my dad folding himself into the passenger seat because he didn't want me to drive alone (literally, he folded himself in - it was such a small space, he had to take his shoes off to fit...no joke), and me praying the whole drive because if anything happened, Dad was going to fly through the windshield to his doom. NEVER. AGAIN. Also, this same couch was later dropped on my arm. If I hadn't sacrificed so much to get this couch into Abby's apartment, I would've tossed it off the balcony. RAGE.
4) Going to the Caldera to see the stars. Ok, this was incredible. If you live in Los Alamos, and you haven't done this yet, PLEASE GO. I have never seen so many stars. It was like a blanket over the Caldera, and the light was reflecting off of the snow. So beautiful. I couldn't stop gazing at the universe in awe!
5) The Hobbit and Les Miserables. Both incredible movies. The dwarf song in The Hobbit gives me chills every time I hear it. And let's be real, I am so okay with it being made into three movies because I never want the magic of these movies to come to an end. And I have no words for how amazing Les Mis is. I downloaded the whole movie score off of iTunes yesterday, and today, I actually just sat on the couch for awhile reveling in its glory. So incredible. Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, I Dreamed a Dream, On My Own, Bring Him Home. I can't stop listening. Hugh Jackman is probably the most talented individual on the planet. I've seen so many great summaries of this movie, though. Wolverine sings to the Gladiator while the Princess of Genovea (whose secret identity is Catwoman) sings in the street, and Borat and Bellatrix Lestrange open a hotel together. Something like that.
I have so many more things I could include in this post, but I won't. I want you to keep guessing at what other amazing things I do with my life. HA. Kidding. I'm just lazy. But this vacation has reaffirmed that I have the coolest family and coolest friends ever. Not that there was ever any question regarding those matters :)
Peace and blessings, y'all.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
'Tis the Season to be Thankful: Mama
As I'm sitting here at my table eating a delicious burrito made from the taco meat my mom brought down several weeks ago (no one panic - it's been frozen all this time), I thought, "Hey, I'm really thankful for this premade food," which led to, "Hey, I'm really thankful for the mom who premade this food." These are just several of the many things I love about my mommy :)
1) She knows me best. This stems from the fact that I'm incredibly similar to my mom. Not only do most people think we look a lot alike, we are also extremely like-minded. We react to situations in much the same manner, so my mom knows when I'm going to be upset/stressed/excited, etc. She knows exactly how long to let me rant before cutting me off and saying, "Enough is enough." Which leads to #2...
2) She is wise. Just this past week, I was complaining to my mom about an annoying feminist girl in one of my classes. Per usual, my mom listened to me for several minutes before dropping a truth bomb on me. She simply told me this: "Sarah, not everyone grew up like you, surrounded by men who value the opinions and actions of women. Not everyone grew up with a father who loves and respects his wife." In essence, I have no idea what storms this girl has walked through. My mom reminded me to look through this girl's eyes before I claim knowledge of her heart. Which leads to #3...
3) She is kind. She cares about other people's feelings and needs, she listens, she encourages (I have a stack of cards my mom has given me over the years, usually with a verse or two, encouraging me to keep running my race), she teaches, she tells it how it is. She doesn't put nuts in brownies because I don't like them even though she does. She doesn't make meatballs when my dad is around because he doesn't like them. I have not seen heads or tails of a mushroom in our house my entire life because none of the rest of us like them even though my mom LOVES mushrooms. In high school, my mom would stay up late with me some nights when I had lots of homework, simply to keep me company. She loves me even when I am unlovely.
4) She buys me salt water taffy. And if you know me, that's the surest way into my heart :)
God has truly blessed me with a Proverbs 31 mother:
"She is clothed with strength and dignity...She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue...Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her...a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
Yes, I am bragging about my mom because she deserves it. Mom, I am thankful for you always! I love you :)
1) She knows me best. This stems from the fact that I'm incredibly similar to my mom. Not only do most people think we look a lot alike, we are also extremely like-minded. We react to situations in much the same manner, so my mom knows when I'm going to be upset/stressed/excited, etc. She knows exactly how long to let me rant before cutting me off and saying, "Enough is enough." Which leads to #2...
2) She is wise. Just this past week, I was complaining to my mom about an annoying feminist girl in one of my classes. Per usual, my mom listened to me for several minutes before dropping a truth bomb on me. She simply told me this: "Sarah, not everyone grew up like you, surrounded by men who value the opinions and actions of women. Not everyone grew up with a father who loves and respects his wife." In essence, I have no idea what storms this girl has walked through. My mom reminded me to look through this girl's eyes before I claim knowledge of her heart. Which leads to #3...
3) She is kind. She cares about other people's feelings and needs, she listens, she encourages (I have a stack of cards my mom has given me over the years, usually with a verse or two, encouraging me to keep running my race), she teaches, she tells it how it is. She doesn't put nuts in brownies because I don't like them even though she does. She doesn't make meatballs when my dad is around because he doesn't like them. I have not seen heads or tails of a mushroom in our house my entire life because none of the rest of us like them even though my mom LOVES mushrooms. In high school, my mom would stay up late with me some nights when I had lots of homework, simply to keep me company. She loves me even when I am unlovely.
4) She buys me salt water taffy. And if you know me, that's the surest way into my heart :)
God has truly blessed me with a Proverbs 31 mother:
"She is clothed with strength and dignity...She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue...Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her...a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
Yes, I am bragging about my mom because she deserves it. Mom, I am thankful for you always! I love you :)
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
'Tis the Season to be Thankful: Mundane
I love writing things when I have a topic to write about. I'm not good at pulling things out of thin air, so I thought, "Hey, it's almost Thanksgiving (sort of...I wish) - I should write about things I'm thankful for!" This thought process also coincides with major conviction regarding the angst that is so prevalent in my life. Thus, by reminding myself and writing about all of the 3,098,403,803,834 things I have to be thankful for, I'm hoping to offer myself some help in the anger management department :) Tell me what you're thankful for, too!
Item #1 that I'm thankful for: Mundane Tasks.
You're probably thinking, "She's crazy..." (HA! I caught you! And...you're right). But seriously, I love little tasks that are so perfunctory and mindless and seemingly boring. Like dishes. Each night before I go to bed, I trek upstairs with the dishes I've accumulated during the day, and I wash them. It takes me like 5 minutes maximum so it's quick, easy, and painless. One of the only activities of my day that falls into all three of those categories.
Mundane task #2 - making my bed. Yeah, I never used to do this. Until I came to college and started spending my entire existence in my bedroom, and I realized that an unmade bed was a serious distraction - napping just seems like the only feasible activity when my rumpled covers beckon to me! Now, I make my bed every morning right after I get up to A) prevent me from getting right back in bed and B) provide several peaceful moments in which I struggle to accustom my mind to the chore of being conscious. Haha.
I think one thing I am thankful for about these tasks is the fact that they really cannot be done wrong. And they are built in moments of my day that I don't have to be completely focused or paying attention. This does not mean that I'm dying to come do your dishes or make your bed. But I am learning to appreciate these tasks as unavoidable facts of life that I might as well enjoy because it's better than grumbling for an extra ten minutes every day.
P.S. I'm also grateful it's starting to feel like fall in ABQ!
P.P.S. Someone should do a statistical study on how my blogging rate has a positive correlation with how much homework I have to do...
Bonne soirée!
Item #1 that I'm thankful for: Mundane Tasks.
You're probably thinking, "She's crazy..." (HA! I caught you! And...you're right). But seriously, I love little tasks that are so perfunctory and mindless and seemingly boring. Like dishes. Each night before I go to bed, I trek upstairs with the dishes I've accumulated during the day, and I wash them. It takes me like 5 minutes maximum so it's quick, easy, and painless. One of the only activities of my day that falls into all three of those categories.
Mundane task #2 - making my bed. Yeah, I never used to do this. Until I came to college and started spending my entire existence in my bedroom, and I realized that an unmade bed was a serious distraction - napping just seems like the only feasible activity when my rumpled covers beckon to me! Now, I make my bed every morning right after I get up to A) prevent me from getting right back in bed and B) provide several peaceful moments in which I struggle to accustom my mind to the chore of being conscious. Haha.
I think one thing I am thankful for about these tasks is the fact that they really cannot be done wrong. And they are built in moments of my day that I don't have to be completely focused or paying attention. This does not mean that I'm dying to come do your dishes or make your bed. But I am learning to appreciate these tasks as unavoidable facts of life that I might as well enjoy because it's better than grumbling for an extra ten minutes every day.
P.S. I'm also grateful it's starting to feel like fall in ABQ!
P.P.S. Someone should do a statistical study on how my blogging rate has a positive correlation with how much homework I have to do...
Bonne soirée!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Dreams
What the heck. The semester is already half over, and I've been really bad about updating this bloggy-blog. Oh well, one day I'll have a college diploma to prove that I actually do stuff with my time other than watch online TV. Speaking of online TV...LET ME JUST RAVE FOR A MINUTE. Oh my gosh. Blue Bloods has to be one of the best shows going right now. If you're not watching it, you should be. That's all.
So...my life...
I'm really busy. I have a job (yay, income!), Young Life is so much fun, and school is wild and crazy, but this is probably the most interesting semester of education yet. I love my roommates and my housemates (welcome, Elliott Clay Collins!), and I'm finally feeling the coolness of fall in the air :) Yippee!
Also, I'm thinking of changing my major. Again. Why you might ask (or maybe you wouldn't ask that, but I'm going to tell you anyway). Well, I want to change my English major to a creative writing endorsement instead of liberal arts. So nothing too drastic, nobody worry. I really only have about 12 credits until I could graduate, but I'm going to stick around because honestly, I am totally not ready for the real world. I'm scurred. However, I also am really interested in pursuing creative writing. One of my dreams is to be published at some point in my life. I still want to teach, but maybe one day, when I lead a quiet life living on the Italian coast and sipping wine, I will write a novel. On a typewriter. Or not. But wherever I am, I would love to write.
I've also begun checking into grad schools, and I would absolutely love to go to Columbia's Teacher College. Yes, that's setting my sights high. But in my opinion, it's better to dream big than not dream at all. I've always loved the quote by Eleanor Roosevelt - "the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." I feel kind of like Oprah writing this post..."Yeah, you go, girl! Believe it and do it, sister!" (or brother - yay, boys who read this!). Seriously, though, don't count yourself out. If I'm going to try to get into Columbia, you have to chase some crazy dream, too. Ready, set, GOOOOO!
Peace and blessings, y'all!!
(You should probably watch this if you haven't yet...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtkU2ch0sRI)
So...my life...
I'm really busy. I have a job (yay, income!), Young Life is so much fun, and school is wild and crazy, but this is probably the most interesting semester of education yet. I love my roommates and my housemates (welcome, Elliott Clay Collins!), and I'm finally feeling the coolness of fall in the air :) Yippee!
Also, I'm thinking of changing my major. Again. Why you might ask (or maybe you wouldn't ask that, but I'm going to tell you anyway). Well, I want to change my English major to a creative writing endorsement instead of liberal arts. So nothing too drastic, nobody worry. I really only have about 12 credits until I could graduate, but I'm going to stick around because honestly, I am totally not ready for the real world. I'm scurred. However, I also am really interested in pursuing creative writing. One of my dreams is to be published at some point in my life. I still want to teach, but maybe one day, when I lead a quiet life living on the Italian coast and sipping wine, I will write a novel. On a typewriter. Or not. But wherever I am, I would love to write.
I've also begun checking into grad schools, and I would absolutely love to go to Columbia's Teacher College. Yes, that's setting my sights high. But in my opinion, it's better to dream big than not dream at all. I've always loved the quote by Eleanor Roosevelt - "the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." I feel kind of like Oprah writing this post..."Yeah, you go, girl! Believe it and do it, sister!" (or brother - yay, boys who read this!). Seriously, though, don't count yourself out. If I'm going to try to get into Columbia, you have to chase some crazy dream, too. Ready, set, GOOOOO!
Peace and blessings, y'all!!
(You should probably watch this if you haven't yet...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtkU2ch0sRI)
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Thief
My roommate Meredith is fantastic. And she has a great blog, and she does this cool thing sometimes where she documents current things in her life so I'm stealing the idea from her. But I'm not plagiarizing because I just gave her credit. At ease, MLA police...
Currently...
Reading: The Kite Runner and The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. Both excellent books. Kite Runner is seriously such a heart-wrenching story, and it is SO WELL-WRITTEN. Lovin' me some Khaled Hosseini story-telling, for sure. I'm probably going to bed really, really, REALLY late tonight because I can't stop reading. English major problems...Also, I'm not very far in Autobiography yet, but I like it already. Hefty subject matters but extremely well-written.
Why doesn't the New York Times hire me to review books? Oh yeah, because I'm a 20 year old that doesn't even have a college degree yet...patience...
Watching: MERLIN. Meredith and I (ok, actually Meredith's amazing sister to whom I'm forever indebted) found season four of BBC's Merlin online on Thursday night. This show is great. I love Merlin. And Arthur. And Lancelot. And Gawain. And Gwen. And Gaius. And...yeah, you catch my drift. Also, the US Open tennis tournament is going on right now. My productivity level is low if you can't tell. But let's be real, watching Federer gracefully destroy his opponent > Cortes' adventures in the New World.
Thinking About: Writing a book. Or a short story. Afghanistan. The amount of work I have to do this weekend. How dang awesome my life is. The Lobos winning at football - actually, that should go under what is currently blowing my mind...haha.
Anticipating: Umm...I don't know. Christmas? Is it too early to be anticipating that?
Listening to: I won't bore you with my typical "One Direction, Ed Sheeran" rant (although I am listening to them obviously!). My dad and I spent the evening reliving the golden age of incredible music as we listened to James Taylor, Cat Stevens, John Denver, and Keith Green. I am confused as to why these men's voices are not still blasting out of every radio portal in the universe.
Eating: HAHA. Real question: what am I not currently eating?? Most accurate description of college eating habits I've ever heard: "I don't gain the Freshmen 15 from cafeteria food, I gain it from going home on the weekends and over vacations." I simultaneously love and hate the stocked refrigerator at my home here in Los Alamos.
Working on: I'm trying to write some sort of short story/novella about my adventure this summer. It's one of my goals in life to get something published. Maybe this is my opportunity!
Wishing: Weekends never ended. But then again, if weekends were everyday life, they wouldn't be special :)
Favorite quote at the moment - "A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one" (George R.R. Martin)
Currently...
Reading: The Kite Runner and The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. Both excellent books. Kite Runner is seriously such a heart-wrenching story, and it is SO WELL-WRITTEN. Lovin' me some Khaled Hosseini story-telling, for sure. I'm probably going to bed really, really, REALLY late tonight because I can't stop reading. English major problems...Also, I'm not very far in Autobiography yet, but I like it already. Hefty subject matters but extremely well-written.
Why doesn't the New York Times hire me to review books? Oh yeah, because I'm a 20 year old that doesn't even have a college degree yet...patience...
Watching: MERLIN. Meredith and I (ok, actually Meredith's amazing sister to whom I'm forever indebted) found season four of BBC's Merlin online on Thursday night. This show is great. I love Merlin. And Arthur. And Lancelot. And Gawain. And Gwen. And Gaius. And...yeah, you catch my drift. Also, the US Open tennis tournament is going on right now. My productivity level is low if you can't tell. But let's be real, watching Federer gracefully destroy his opponent > Cortes' adventures in the New World.
Thinking About: Writing a book. Or a short story. Afghanistan. The amount of work I have to do this weekend. How dang awesome my life is. The Lobos winning at football - actually, that should go under what is currently blowing my mind...haha.
Anticipating: Umm...I don't know. Christmas? Is it too early to be anticipating that?
Listening to: I won't bore you with my typical "One Direction, Ed Sheeran" rant (although I am listening to them obviously!). My dad and I spent the evening reliving the golden age of incredible music as we listened to James Taylor, Cat Stevens, John Denver, and Keith Green. I am confused as to why these men's voices are not still blasting out of every radio portal in the universe.
Eating: HAHA. Real question: what am I not currently eating?? Most accurate description of college eating habits I've ever heard: "I don't gain the Freshmen 15 from cafeteria food, I gain it from going home on the weekends and over vacations." I simultaneously love and hate the stocked refrigerator at my home here in Los Alamos.
Working on: I'm trying to write some sort of short story/novella about my adventure this summer. It's one of my goals in life to get something published. Maybe this is my opportunity!
Wishing: Weekends never ended. But then again, if weekends were everyday life, they wouldn't be special :)
Favorite quote at the moment - "A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one" (George R.R. Martin)
Friday, August 24, 2012
Back
I took a sabbatical from blogging. Yeah, I know, I've only been blogging for about four months, why would I need a break?? The truth? I got depressed after I left Rome, and I seriously couldn't write anything. My life was so much less epic once I got back to the States that I didn't want to depress myself even more by frantically trying to dig up something funny, awesome, or witty that was happening in my life because all I did was sit on the couch and watch the U.S. dominate the Olympics (Ok, let's be real, that was pretty awesome, but I wasn't going to write about the medal count - USAToday had that covered).
So now I'm back in good 'ole Albuquerque, hitting the books once again. Well, right now I'm not. As soon as I got done with class today, I promptly returned home, started blasting Ed Sheeran, got my daily dose of One Direction stalking (new single out in October - HOLLER!), shopped online (and bought cute boots!!! So stoked for fall!!), and chatted with Abby for half an hour since neither of us has a life. See what I mean about my life being much less epic? I go from dance parties at the Pantheon to laying on my bed creeping on the internet...Annnndddd now my pity party is over.
A side effect of living in Rome for 6 weeks: I'm an aggressive walker. I stride around campus like nobody's business, and I get really peeved when people meander along in front of me. MOVE PEOPLE. We need walking lanes on campus: slower traffic keep right. I'd always be in the left lane. Yeesh, these turtles...
I'm sure my Early American Lit professor is going to provide me with lots of great stories to share. Every time I walked out of his class this week, I felt as if he lied to all of us. He's extremely entertaining and really funny, but some of his information is highly suspect. If one day I go on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and I answer the question "What famous red-haired explorer did Spain support because Spain's red-haired queen had a crush on him?" with Christopher Columbus, and Regis tells me I'm wrong, I'm blaming Dr. White.
Bon week-end, tout le monde!
So now I'm back in good 'ole Albuquerque, hitting the books once again. Well, right now I'm not. As soon as I got done with class today, I promptly returned home, started blasting Ed Sheeran, got my daily dose of One Direction stalking (new single out in October - HOLLER!), shopped online (and bought cute boots!!! So stoked for fall!!), and chatted with Abby for half an hour since neither of us has a life. See what I mean about my life being much less epic? I go from dance parties at the Pantheon to laying on my bed creeping on the internet...Annnndddd now my pity party is over.
A side effect of living in Rome for 6 weeks: I'm an aggressive walker. I stride around campus like nobody's business, and I get really peeved when people meander along in front of me. MOVE PEOPLE. We need walking lanes on campus: slower traffic keep right. I'd always be in the left lane. Yeesh, these turtles...
I'm sure my Early American Lit professor is going to provide me with lots of great stories to share. Every time I walked out of his class this week, I felt as if he lied to all of us. He's extremely entertaining and really funny, but some of his information is highly suspect. If one day I go on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and I answer the question "What famous red-haired explorer did Spain support because Spain's red-haired queen had a crush on him?" with Christopher Columbus, and Regis tells me I'm wrong, I'm blaming Dr. White.
Bon week-end, tout le monde!
Saturday, July 28, 2012
#WhenInRome: Enchanted
Last
weekend we took a program trip to Northern Italy, making stops in Florence and
Venice. The expedition quickly turned
into my favorite of the summer. Both
cities were incredibly enchanting to me:
Florence with its trove of treasures in the Uffizi Gallery and Accademia
and Venice with its maze of small streets and canals guiding you from one
jaw-dropper to the next. If I tried to
list all of my favorite things about each city, this post would drag on longer
than the Twilight saga, so I’ll try to be as selective as possible.
FIRENZE
1) The
Uffizi Gallery. I have never been as
continuously gobsmacked by a museum as I was by this one. It’s MASSIVE – three stories of room after
room of priceless paintings and sculptures.
Caravaggio’s famous Medusa head, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, several
Leonardo da Vinci pieces, some Raphael and Michaelangelo. You know, no big deal. The Gallery was incredible.
2)
Michelangelo’s David sculpture. Ok,
WOW. I almost have no words for this,
but it’s me, so let’s be real, I always have something to say. The amount of emotion portrayed in David’s
face is astounding. He looks so human –
you can just imagine the setting, and David’s thoughts and feelings in the
moment before he takes on Goliath. Our
professor was lecturing on him, and I just stood there staring up at this
massive sculpture in awe. I cannot get
over the David. Probably my favorite
sculpture I’ve seen yet.
3) What is it that makes cities so incredible at
night? A group of us went exploring
after dinner, and we walked into the heart of Florence, soaking in the beauty
and life of the bustling city. We
witnessed a hilariously awkward streetshow, several AMAZING chalk artists, and
the beautifully lit up riverwalk. Take
me back.
4) The
Duomo. Whoa. That is one large dome you might say. The inside is really cool and takes a lot of
inspiration from Dante’s Inferno –
nerd moment! Several of us climbed to
the top, and the views from the top were spectacular. The country surrounding Florence is gorgeous
and totally worth the perilously steep trek to the top.
VENEZIA
(Ok, this is going to be really hard. I
basically loved everything about Venice…ahhhhh!)
1) St.
George’s Campanile. We climbed up the
bell tower at this church and got to look out on the lagoon, the city, and the
ALPS. Yes, you can see the Alps from
Venice. I HAD NO IDEA. It was incredibly beautiful, and I couldn’t
help but imagine what Venice was like in its prime with painted facades along
the canals, a bustling port, and beautifully outfitted courtesans.
2) Tintoretto’s Crucifixion of Christ in the
Scuola Grande di Sant’Rocco. I’ll be
honest – I actually shed tears while looking at this. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s this massive – seriously humongous –
painting of Golgotha. Jesus is at the
very center of the canvas hanging on the cross, surrounded by the action of the
other characters. I love how Tintoretto
includes so much, but none of the focus is taken from Christ. Wherever you look in the painting, some
detail points your attention back to the cross.
It’s not only an incredible work of art, but it’s also an amazing
analogy for life: I need to fix my eyes
on the author and perfecter of my faith, Jesus Christ. This is definitely my favorite painting.
3) Teatro La Fenice. The Venice Opera House. The royal box, the ballroom, the ornate
ceiling, the salon. I have no words for
the beauty of this theater. It’s my
dream in life to go back and attend an actual performance.
4) St.
Mark’s Basilica. Holy cow. The mosaics inside this church are
insane. It’s so beautiful. I wasn’t a huge fan of the Byzantine style
before I came to Europe this summer, but St. Mark’s has officially won me
over. And it’s not only the inside of
the Basilica – the façade is so ornate and just plain massive. Architecture nowadays cannot hold a flame to
these old buildings in my book.
Ok,
I’ll stop. But the next time you see me,
you should ask me about Florence and Venice – your ear might fall off, but I’ll
love you forever!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
#WhenInRome: Feet
Romans 10:15 “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring
good news!”
While in Rome this summer, I decided to read through the
book of Romans. See what I did
there? Yup. Anyway, this verse makes me think of Jesus’
washing the disciples’ feet. I have a
whole new appreciation for this story after living in Rome this summer. I wear sandals or Toms every day here, and
let me tell you, my feet get NASTY. I’m
talking visible layer of dirt and grime.
My feet are hot, sweaty, and smelly by noon. I don’t even want to touch
my own feet much less someone else’s.
I can just imagine that Simon Peter’s feet
were even worse than mine: splinters
from a lifetime of going barefoot in his fishing boat; broken nails from repeated
toe-stubbings on the cobblestones; cracked heals from the wear-and-tear of his
Jerusalem cruisers. But even Peter’s
weathered feet couldn’t deter Jesus. The
Son of God got that basin and towel and knelt in front of His disciples. He scrubbed, washed, and dried those grubby
feet. You know what I also think? I bet Jesus loved on His disciples’ feet – it
wasn’t an “oh-my-gosh-GROSS-let’s-get-this-over-with” washing. I bet it was more like a parent bathing their
precious child: carefully pouring water
over his or her little body while only using the gentlest Johnson&Johnson
shampoo. Showing love with each and
every miniscule action.
It made me think:
Jesus wants my feet – dirt, bumps, and all – just like He wants my heart
– sin, shame, and all. He can use any
feet: big feet, small feet, even NO
feet! We with our finite capacity cannot limit God’s infinite resourcefulness just like we cannot limit God’s infinite love. As I watch the dirt from my feet spiral down
the drain with the water from my shower, I realize Jesus’ blood did and does the same exact thing to my heart –
His blood cleanses to the core.
And just as I have to wash my feet every night because they are continuously getting dirty, I need to ask my Savior to forgive the sins
that smudge my heart each day. And guess
what the amazing thing is? Jesus’ grace
works like the faucet: His refreshing
forgiveness is simply waiting to cascade all over you and me! He’s waiting to give you the pedicure of a
lifetime. Lord, give me beautiful feet!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)