Monday, November 16, 2009
long time no see...
I can't believe it has been so long since I posted. I have had a busy semester, but it has been really rewarding. I am in love :-), looking forward to graduating in May, and having so much fun co-leading a girls bible study. I plan on posting here more regularly now that I have noticed my negligence.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
my beautiful
Listen to me talk for just another minute now
I know you think you’ve heard these words before but please hear me out
Sometimes lessons learned can be forgotten over time
Sometimes things can fade even in the strongest ones’ minds
So remember, you are not alone, my beautiful
Don’t forget we’ve passed this way before, and come out stronger
This wind may blow you away, but can’t you see your hand in mine
And trust that I won’t leave you behind.
You walk out the door with the burden on your back
A steeled expression on your face and never a glance back
What’s the use of looking back when you know that all you’ll see
Is hurting hearts and tear-filled eyes and your own soul’s defeat
So remember, you are not alone, my beautiful
Don’t forget we’ve passed this way before, and come out stronger
This wind may blow you away, but can’t you see your hand in mine
And trust that I won’t leave you behind.
Nothing is going to always stay the same old way
So remember, even on the cold November days
That the fire we will catch together and between our hands
Will warm our hearts to each another and bring us home again.
So remember, you are not alone, my beautiful
Don’t forget we’ve passed this way before, and come out stronger
This wind may blow you away, but can’t you see your hand in mine
And trust that I won’t leave you behind.
I know you think you’ve heard these words before but please hear me out
Sometimes lessons learned can be forgotten over time
Sometimes things can fade even in the strongest ones’ minds
So remember, you are not alone, my beautiful
Don’t forget we’ve passed this way before, and come out stronger
This wind may blow you away, but can’t you see your hand in mine
And trust that I won’t leave you behind.
You walk out the door with the burden on your back
A steeled expression on your face and never a glance back
What’s the use of looking back when you know that all you’ll see
Is hurting hearts and tear-filled eyes and your own soul’s defeat
So remember, you are not alone, my beautiful
Don’t forget we’ve passed this way before, and come out stronger
This wind may blow you away, but can’t you see your hand in mine
And trust that I won’t leave you behind.
Nothing is going to always stay the same old way
So remember, even on the cold November days
That the fire we will catch together and between our hands
Will warm our hearts to each another and bring us home again.
So remember, you are not alone, my beautiful
Don’t forget we’ve passed this way before, and come out stronger
This wind may blow you away, but can’t you see your hand in mine
And trust that I won’t leave you behind.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Arboretum and Something Beautiful
If you have not been to the Arboretum on Walker Rd. go now. Seriously, it is the most beautiful place in this city that i have seen so far, especially right now. There are flowers everywhere, and not the gaudy kind, but the wistful, fairly like ones, trees sheltering a path through little gardens and arbors, and benches in little spaces everywhere. You could go curl up on a bench in a corner and enjoy the beauty for hours without anyone bothering you. There is also the biggest set of wind chimes I have ever seen. I wish I had a camera to post a picture of them, but they are probably between 15 and 25 feet tall.
If you have not heard the song "Something Beautiful" by Need to Breathe, check it out. . It is fantastic.
If you have not heard the song "Something Beautiful" by Need to Breathe, check it out. . It is fantastic.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Global Citizenship
Today in my class we were talking about whether or not it is our responsibility to care for the people in other countries: their working and living conditions and how our choices affect them. My opinion on this matter was made up, which is always quite exciting.
I define “our” as (a) individuals and (b) the church. I do not define it necessarily as (c) America (though if America wants to help the world I am not going to whine about it).
As individuals, God lays on all human’s conscience the belief that we are not supposed to live completely selfish lives-this is not a uniquely Christian feeling. I think this is because of common grace. Human kind is not completely lost, not totally evil. Charity is something that is universally valued, which, in my opinion, points to God. (By the way, not an original thought. See C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity.)
As the church, it is our responsibility to care for the world. Period. Every single part of it, from the physical to the spiritual
.
God told us to take care of the world: "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." (Genesis 2:15)
He told us in pleasant language what would happen if we screwed it up: "You must keep my decrees and my laws.... And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you." (Leviticus 18:26, 28)
He told us not to pollute the land: "You shall not pollute the land in which you live.... You shall not defile the land in which you live, in which I also dwell." (Numbers 35:33-34)
He told us not to kill trees pointlessly: "..You must not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them. Although you may take food from them, you must not cut them down. Are trees in the field human beings that they should come under siege from you?" (Deuteronomy 20:19)
And he told us what would happen if we don’t take care of the earth: "Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land. The LORD almighty has declared in my hearing: 'Surely the great houses will become desolate, the fine mansions left without occupants. A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath of wine, a homer of seed only an ephah of grain.'" (Isaiah 5:8-10)
And God told us to take care of the poor, the widows, and the orphans: "Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." Isaiah 1:17. And "If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered." Proverbs 21:13
There are a million more verses on this issue so check this out if you want: http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/poor.htm
Christians like to ignore these verses or make excuses for why the rules don’t apply to them, but until we take responsibility for Creation the world is going to see us as hypocrites and liars. We are called to be global citizens.
I define “our” as (a) individuals and (b) the church. I do not define it necessarily as (c) America (though if America wants to help the world I am not going to whine about it).
As individuals, God lays on all human’s conscience the belief that we are not supposed to live completely selfish lives-this is not a uniquely Christian feeling. I think this is because of common grace. Human kind is not completely lost, not totally evil. Charity is something that is universally valued, which, in my opinion, points to God. (By the way, not an original thought. See C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity.)
As the church, it is our responsibility to care for the world. Period. Every single part of it, from the physical to the spiritual
.
God told us to take care of the world: "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." (Genesis 2:15)
He told us in pleasant language what would happen if we screwed it up: "You must keep my decrees and my laws.... And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you." (Leviticus 18:26, 28)
He told us not to pollute the land: "You shall not pollute the land in which you live.... You shall not defile the land in which you live, in which I also dwell." (Numbers 35:33-34)
He told us not to kill trees pointlessly: "..You must not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them. Although you may take food from them, you must not cut them down. Are trees in the field human beings that they should come under siege from you?" (Deuteronomy 20:19)
And he told us what would happen if we don’t take care of the earth: "Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land. The LORD almighty has declared in my hearing: 'Surely the great houses will become desolate, the fine mansions left without occupants. A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath of wine, a homer of seed only an ephah of grain.'" (Isaiah 5:8-10)
And God told us to take care of the poor, the widows, and the orphans: "Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." Isaiah 1:17. And "If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered." Proverbs 21:13
There are a million more verses on this issue so check this out if you want: http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/poor.htm
Christians like to ignore these verses or make excuses for why the rules don’t apply to them, but until we take responsibility for Creation the world is going to see us as hypocrites and liars. We are called to be global citizens.
Friday, September 11, 2009
A cool wind tosses the straw around, picks up leaves and sets them down
Blows in my face then rushes on to a place not far from here.
I sit and I look down at the ground, to the grass that’s withered and is turning brown
Closing my eyes I breathe in deep and try to forget my fear.
The trees overhead stretch their branches out, welcoming arms that keep intruders out
Here in this grove I can finally put my armor down
I don’t know why I’m scared today, or why I had to come here just to get away
Now I’m thinking the quiet I ran to might just be a risky sound.
Blows in my face then rushes on to a place not far from here.
I sit and I look down at the ground, to the grass that’s withered and is turning brown
Closing my eyes I breathe in deep and try to forget my fear.
The trees overhead stretch their branches out, welcoming arms that keep intruders out
Here in this grove I can finally put my armor down
I don’t know why I’m scared today, or why I had to come here just to get away
Now I’m thinking the quiet I ran to might just be a risky sound.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Song from some Psalms
I am but dust, I am but a vapor
I am cast off, I am rejected
I am afraid, my soul is full of trouble
I am counted among those who go down to the pit.
Your wrath lies heavy upon me
You overwhelm me with waves
You've caused my companions to shun me
You've shut me in so deep I can't escape.
I am so scared of what comes tomorrow
And how I am supposed to prepare today
Will I go into the wild and come out a lover
Or will I start in love and watch it slip away.
You're great and wondrous are your deeds
Teach me your ways O God
Show me a sign of your favor
That those who hate me will come to feel shame.
I know if I rest here under your wings
Your faithfulness will always protect me
I need not run from the future that's coming
Because my God fulfills his puprose for me
Call to God and he will save you
Cast your burdens on him and he'll hold you up
When I am afraid I will trust him
I will walk before him in the light of life.
From Psalms 55, 56, 57, 86, and 88
I am cast off, I am rejected
I am afraid, my soul is full of trouble
I am counted among those who go down to the pit.
Your wrath lies heavy upon me
You overwhelm me with waves
You've caused my companions to shun me
You've shut me in so deep I can't escape.
I am so scared of what comes tomorrow
And how I am supposed to prepare today
Will I go into the wild and come out a lover
Or will I start in love and watch it slip away.
You're great and wondrous are your deeds
Teach me your ways O God
Show me a sign of your favor
That those who hate me will come to feel shame.
I know if I rest here under your wings
Your faithfulness will always protect me
I need not run from the future that's coming
Because my God fulfills his puprose for me
Call to God and he will save you
Cast your burdens on him and he'll hold you up
When I am afraid I will trust him
I will walk before him in the light of life.
From Psalms 55, 56, 57, 86, and 88
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Soaring and Thuds
So I realized my last post is confusing and sort of all over the place. I wrote it in ten minutes and it was just what was in my head. Lately I've been trying to balance different emotions I'm having. I have always said that I am a realist, but in truth I am a pessimist. Not by nature, but because I refuse to get my hopes up about things. I fear the crashing feeling of hitting the ground when things go wrong.
When I was around 9 or 10, I distinctly remember finding out that it was supposed to snow the next day. I wanted it to snow so bad, but for some reason I decided that I was going to act like I didn't. "Whatever, it probably isn't going to snow..it's no big deal, I don't even care" I argued with my little sister. The next morning I woke up early and ran to the window, hoping so hard that I had been wrong, but it was a glaringly sunny day outside without a hint of snow on the way. "I knew it," I muttered, turning away from the window, angry at the fact that I was disappointed. "Whatever."
Since then I've been the same. "I'm not going to win that, I'm not going to get that part, I'm not going to swim well, I'm not going to play well, It's not going to work out, It's not going to last, They'll never change, It will never happen."
I'm realizing slowly that I'm being robbed. Half of the excitement of something new is the fact that you hoped and waited and prepared yourself for it. If you never believe that anything will change, it's not going to. If you never allow yourself to thing that you will get your dreams, you won't know how to handle them when you do. If you never believe people or situations can change, you miss out on the chance to encourage them and to build your faith.
Don't be like me. Hope and be a naive optimist. Yeah, it's going to hurt really bad when you hit the ground, but in the words of my heroine, Anne of Green Gables: "I can't help soaring up on the wings of anticipation...it almost makes up for the thud."
When I was around 9 or 10, I distinctly remember finding out that it was supposed to snow the next day. I wanted it to snow so bad, but for some reason I decided that I was going to act like I didn't. "Whatever, it probably isn't going to snow..it's no big deal, I don't even care" I argued with my little sister. The next morning I woke up early and ran to the window, hoping so hard that I had been wrong, but it was a glaringly sunny day outside without a hint of snow on the way. "I knew it," I muttered, turning away from the window, angry at the fact that I was disappointed. "Whatever."
Since then I've been the same. "I'm not going to win that, I'm not going to get that part, I'm not going to swim well, I'm not going to play well, It's not going to work out, It's not going to last, They'll never change, It will never happen."
I'm realizing slowly that I'm being robbed. Half of the excitement of something new is the fact that you hoped and waited and prepared yourself for it. If you never believe that anything will change, it's not going to. If you never allow yourself to thing that you will get your dreams, you won't know how to handle them when you do. If you never believe people or situations can change, you miss out on the chance to encourage them and to build your faith.
Don't be like me. Hope and be a naive optimist. Yeah, it's going to hurt really bad when you hit the ground, but in the words of my heroine, Anne of Green Gables: "I can't help soaring up on the wings of anticipation...it almost makes up for the thud."
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