Alright, I'll be the first to admit that our government has made quite a few mistakes in its long history. But, last night I watched Blood Diamond and it got me thinking, quite idealistically, of course: Does our government have an impossible task?
As it stands right now the government has 2 groups of people to please: those within its borders, and those on the outside. Those within cry for peace or justice or a mixture of both for those on the outside while at the same time crying for all the things that make us comfortable(lower gas prices, diamonds, clothes, hair straighteners, shoes, plasma screen tvs). Those on the outside either hate us for what we have and what we do, or they love us for what we have and what we do; they either want to wipe us out and redo the structure of this country and its government, or they want to meticulously copy and conform to everything we do. These two groups separate, probably, in that one group sees us crying out for justice and the other chooses to focus on our consumeristic nature superseding any efforts towards justice. This may all seem rather obvious, but there's other things that are very obvious to the world and our government that haven't really penetrated our heads that are focused on getting to the next level of Halo 3, getting the newest MAC lipshade, or on updating our facebook status.
For instance, Saudi Arabia. I would hate the United States if i was a resident of that country. Saudi Arabia is the richest country in the ENTIRE WORLD. So, suprisingly, it has an insane number of refugees and homeless. How is this possible in a country with as many resources as S.A. could have such depth of poverty in their country? How? I'll tell you. The corrupt regime that runs the country uses all of the money on (besides lavish living for the royal family) funding for Wahabist groups. What is wahabism you ask? and why haven't your heard of it? Well, probably because: a. you weren't researching this (because neither was i. this information was given to me...luckily) b. you heard it and it was too uncomfortable. But, what is it? The most extreme sect of Islam.
"Some Wahhabist books and pamphlets teach that Muslims should reject absolutely any non-Muslim ideas and practices, including political ones. A study by the NGO Freedom House found wahhabi publications in a number of mosques in the United States preaching that Muslims should not only "always oppose" infidels "in every way," but "hate them for their religion ... for Allah's sake," that democracy "is responsible for all the horrible wars of the 20th century," that Shia and other non-Wahhabi Muslims were infidels, etc."
[thanks wikipedia.]
While there are these mosques in the U.S., they are even more prevalent in and throughout Europe and Asia. The expansion and spreading of their teaching is primarily funded by the revenue received from the oil exports of Saudi Arabia. Who requires the most oil? We do. Interesting. So? What do these refugees think of us when we preach our message of freedom and democracy? They think we are selfish, hypocritical. And its true. "A man cannot serve two masters." A country cannot serve two masters. Either we work towards an end that would see the saving of many lives, or we focus on our lives, and how we can become more comfortable..if that is possible.
It's a choice. The government cannot please our consumeristic, selfish citizens, while at the same time living up to its duty as a world power. I'm not naive enough to think that anyone will be willing to give up their comfort for the lives of others who reside permanent discomfort. I'm not naive enough to think that anyone will be willing to to turn off "The Real Housewives of Orange County" to think about the real problems that face our world. I'm not naive enough to think that people will turn off all the noise that they consciously surround themselves with to listen to the cries of help that are being suppressed by evil regimes throughout a large part of our world. I'm not naive enough to think that people will give up the luxuries that go along with freedom to help release the escalating number of slaves that are are in bondage throughout this world. I'm not naive enough to think that people will stop worrying about whether or not their water is filtered, or whether they should get the FIJI water bottles or the Aquafina, without worrying about the people of Fiji, many of whom have water that is unfit to drink. Maybe I am naive enough to wish it.
One of the biggest trials facing our government will be convincing the residents of the United States that many of the world's problems are due in part to our rejection of simple living. Even if they decide to be bold enough to tell the American public, they will surely not be heard. And even if we did listen, we wouldn't believe it, because nothing is ever OUR fault. No, only our government can be blamed. The citizen is always right, ironically, like the customer. Perhaps we've developed that little trait due to our time in the shopping malls. But, that's only our response if the accusations are heard. But, they won't be. No, we'll be too busy drowning out the noise with our ipods, our HD 1080 TVs, our guitar hero and Rock Band games.
And life will go on.
For us.
For a while.
12.29.2007
12.22.2007
Exposition Vs. Entertainment.
Last night i went to a college group called "Crave" at Saddleback Church. This church is MASSIVE. This is also the church who is led by Rick Warren, author of "the Purpose Driven Life", which i have not read. Aside from the quick judgements i have a tendency to make about mega churches and self helpish books, it is important to remember that the Word is proclaimed here at Saddleback. They are also very globally aware with a large HIV/AIDS initiative program (with which a graduate of taylor is big part) and many missions teams going out throughout the year. With that being said, here is my problem:
When my friend and I arrived, worship had already begun. And by worship i mean, rock concert. Light show, bass way to loud, everything way to loud. It was entertaining, thus it was distracting. However, what i was being distracted from was a bunch of worship songs in which the focus was on feeling. How God's love makes me feel. What about the deeper, more meaningful, less emotive implications of His love? These heavily emotive and contemporary songs definitely have their place, but when they take the place of those songs (primarily, but not limited to, hymns) which are so deep and rich in theology, then we know there is a problem. The choice of feely songs, coupled with the rock concert feel that was being promoted, perturbed me more than a bit. I'm not one to promote the traditional-like services, but i could have used a little organ or something. I felt like i was being bombarded with an ultra sensory experience, like they were trying to create a feeling within me. It bothers me when Christians decide that entertaining a person is the only way to move them. If we really believe what we believe, shouldn't the implications of what we believe be quite moving in and of itself. Enough to move mountains some might say.
As I sat thinking, and talking about this with some people afterwards, the words of my dear teacher from my high school expository writing class came to mind. Over a few classes we discussed what came to be called "the age of exposition" and "the age of show business". As may be clear to you, we currently live in the latter. Whereas in days past, the days of Abe Lincoln and the like, people would speak in a highly complex and expository manner that required much attention to retrieve the depth of the words, nowadays, those who speak in front of people tell jokes, recite anecdotes, tell moving stories, speak in short, often trite, sentences so as to not lose the focus of those who may be listening, to entertain, and to push people towards a feeling of joy, pain, empathy, or panic, whichever emotion best suits his or her purpose as a speaker. This is the age of show business. Entertain them, draw them in and create an emotion because if we can make them feel like they are in need of something or make them feel excited, then we have done our job. WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. Granted, often it is necessary to speak things in simple terms, so as not to lose people along the way, but we can't water things down and present a gospel that is based on the feeling that you get when you step into church. Its wrong and its a lie. And its sad.
The saddest part is that when this feeling disappears, what is this new believer left with? If you are drawn in based on a feeling, life without that feeling will seem wrong--after all, you were reeled in under the impression that Christianity creates that feeling. Christianity will turn out to be yet another spiritual disappointment. That is the tragedy of it all. Its not that it is bad to be entertained, but when entertainment giving way to emotion is substituted for exposition giving way to understanding (and then, most likely, emotion), a person is left with a poor substitute and is cheated out of something much more real.
I do, also, understand what a difficult job youth and college pastors have. How to be "relevant" and also retain some sort of "church-like" aspects. This is why i think that meetings like "Crave" are just a testament to the difficulty of finding a balance, and an example of a church that chose to be more "relevant" than traditional. Ok. thats fine. I just hope that this isn't where these students go for church. I hope that this sort of thing is considered more of a social gathering than a church service. That is my hope, but unfortunately i think i hope in vain.
I end with my favorite verse of one of my favorite hymns:
"Be thou my wisdom and Thou my true Word. I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord. Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, sill be my vision, oh Ruler of all."
When my friend and I arrived, worship had already begun. And by worship i mean, rock concert. Light show, bass way to loud, everything way to loud. It was entertaining, thus it was distracting. However, what i was being distracted from was a bunch of worship songs in which the focus was on feeling. How God's love makes me feel. What about the deeper, more meaningful, less emotive implications of His love? These heavily emotive and contemporary songs definitely have their place, but when they take the place of those songs (primarily, but not limited to, hymns) which are so deep and rich in theology, then we know there is a problem. The choice of feely songs, coupled with the rock concert feel that was being promoted, perturbed me more than a bit. I'm not one to promote the traditional-like services, but i could have used a little organ or something. I felt like i was being bombarded with an ultra sensory experience, like they were trying to create a feeling within me. It bothers me when Christians decide that entertaining a person is the only way to move them. If we really believe what we believe, shouldn't the implications of what we believe be quite moving in and of itself. Enough to move mountains some might say.
As I sat thinking, and talking about this with some people afterwards, the words of my dear teacher from my high school expository writing class came to mind. Over a few classes we discussed what came to be called "the age of exposition" and "the age of show business". As may be clear to you, we currently live in the latter. Whereas in days past, the days of Abe Lincoln and the like, people would speak in a highly complex and expository manner that required much attention to retrieve the depth of the words, nowadays, those who speak in front of people tell jokes, recite anecdotes, tell moving stories, speak in short, often trite, sentences so as to not lose the focus of those who may be listening, to entertain, and to push people towards a feeling of joy, pain, empathy, or panic, whichever emotion best suits his or her purpose as a speaker. This is the age of show business. Entertain them, draw them in and create an emotion because if we can make them feel like they are in need of something or make them feel excited, then we have done our job. WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. Granted, often it is necessary to speak things in simple terms, so as not to lose people along the way, but we can't water things down and present a gospel that is based on the feeling that you get when you step into church. Its wrong and its a lie. And its sad.
The saddest part is that when this feeling disappears, what is this new believer left with? If you are drawn in based on a feeling, life without that feeling will seem wrong--after all, you were reeled in under the impression that Christianity creates that feeling. Christianity will turn out to be yet another spiritual disappointment. That is the tragedy of it all. Its not that it is bad to be entertained, but when entertainment giving way to emotion is substituted for exposition giving way to understanding (and then, most likely, emotion), a person is left with a poor substitute and is cheated out of something much more real.
I do, also, understand what a difficult job youth and college pastors have. How to be "relevant" and also retain some sort of "church-like" aspects. This is why i think that meetings like "Crave" are just a testament to the difficulty of finding a balance, and an example of a church that chose to be more "relevant" than traditional. Ok. thats fine. I just hope that this isn't where these students go for church. I hope that this sort of thing is considered more of a social gathering than a church service. That is my hope, but unfortunately i think i hope in vain.
I end with my favorite verse of one of my favorite hymns:
"Be thou my wisdom and Thou my true Word. I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord. Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, sill be my vision, oh Ruler of all."
12.19.2007
Reminder...
Don't start books unless you can finish them, you do yourself, and the author, a great disservice.
>The Four Loves by: C.S. Lewis(25% done)
>The Wasteland by: T.S. Eliot (30% done)
>Freakonomics by: Stephen D. Levitt (50% done)
>The Tipping Point by: Malcolm Gladwell (20% done)
>Til We Have Faces by: C.S. Lewis (25% done)
>David Copperfield by: Charles Dickens (pg. 89 of circa 800)
>Through Painted Deserts by: Donald Miller(just bought it. read 10 pgs tonight)
>God's Passion for His Glory by: John Piper(still trying to find a place to buy it.)
seriously. I'm task oriented. I hate things being unfinished...so why on earth am i not over halfway done with any of these books? Its a mystery for the ages.
the fact that i cannot stay focused in no way says anything negative about any of these books, or these authors. In fact, I've thoroughly enjoyed all of them--well actually, the jury is still out on Til we have faces...but I''m also only a quarter of the way through it, perhaps i should give it another 100 pages.
I hope all of you follow through on things you begin. Its a trait i am going to try to acquire pretty soon here.
>The Four Loves by: C.S. Lewis(25% done)
>The Wasteland by: T.S. Eliot (30% done)
>Freakonomics by: Stephen D. Levitt (50% done)
>The Tipping Point by: Malcolm Gladwell (20% done)
>Til We Have Faces by: C.S. Lewis (25% done)
>David Copperfield by: Charles Dickens (pg. 89 of circa 800)
>Through Painted Deserts by: Donald Miller(just bought it. read 10 pgs tonight)
>God's Passion for His Glory by: John Piper(still trying to find a place to buy it.)
seriously. I'm task oriented. I hate things being unfinished...so why on earth am i not over halfway done with any of these books? Its a mystery for the ages.
the fact that i cannot stay focused in no way says anything negative about any of these books, or these authors. In fact, I've thoroughly enjoyed all of them--well actually, the jury is still out on Til we have faces...but I''m also only a quarter of the way through it, perhaps i should give it another 100 pages.
I hope all of you follow through on things you begin. Its a trait i am going to try to acquire pretty soon here.
12.14.2007
Alex, Severe Mercy, Personality Tests, and things of that Nature.
I love it when i don't talk to a friend for a while and then get back together with them and its just like old times+a few more months of wisdom. Its encouraging to have time apart so that the ways they have grown are more easily seen or more visible because you aren't interacting with them daily. What a joy.
Today Alex and I discussed our favorite book, a Severe Mercy, and the level of awareness of one's life that a person must have to write such a book. Primarily the gift of looking back and seeing the ways God was involved in certain situations and the ways that particular instances were directed without you even knowing it. We also talked about the discomfort that sanctification involves. INTERESTING parallels were drawn between personalities and the process of becoming more like Christ. She mentioned the difference between a personality test she took when she was a freshman in high school and the one she took recently. She said that it had evened out a lot and she had become more of an introvert. All of you who know Alex know that she has not, in the past, been introverted, by any stretch of the imagination. But, she sees the ways the God is teaching her to listen and in the way she is becoming more Christ-like. Its interesting because I've been watching this process and the personality test was just a small indication that she's changing. I once was told that Jesus was ALL the personality types perfectly, and that's why his ministry was so effective(besides the fact that it was life changing), because he was able to communicate fully to everyone in the ways they needed to be spoken to. So, as we become more like him we begin to even out a bit, less extreme perhaps? Its also interesting to note that some of the most Christ-like and amazing people in my life happen to also show no extremes on those kinds of personality tests, they are pretty even. This doesn't mean, at all, that they don't have personality or flair or idiosyncrasies that make them very different from other people,but maybe they've just progressed to a place where, through added wisdom, they've learned to interact in a way that makes them more likely to understand, relate, and appreciate acting in different ways that are appropriate for each circumstance. anyway. just something I've been thinking about and discussing with my sweet friend.
sidenote: I've always hated personality tests because i thought they put people in boxes--however--looking at them from this perspective, they seem to set people free from the boxes that they've been put in their whole lives.
love it. lovin' St. Louis.
Today Alex and I discussed our favorite book, a Severe Mercy, and the level of awareness of one's life that a person must have to write such a book. Primarily the gift of looking back and seeing the ways God was involved in certain situations and the ways that particular instances were directed without you even knowing it. We also talked about the discomfort that sanctification involves. INTERESTING parallels were drawn between personalities and the process of becoming more like Christ. She mentioned the difference between a personality test she took when she was a freshman in high school and the one she took recently. She said that it had evened out a lot and she had become more of an introvert. All of you who know Alex know that she has not, in the past, been introverted, by any stretch of the imagination. But, she sees the ways the God is teaching her to listen and in the way she is becoming more Christ-like. Its interesting because I've been watching this process and the personality test was just a small indication that she's changing. I once was told that Jesus was ALL the personality types perfectly, and that's why his ministry was so effective(besides the fact that it was life changing), because he was able to communicate fully to everyone in the ways they needed to be spoken to. So, as we become more like him we begin to even out a bit, less extreme perhaps? Its also interesting to note that some of the most Christ-like and amazing people in my life happen to also show no extremes on those kinds of personality tests, they are pretty even. This doesn't mean, at all, that they don't have personality or flair or idiosyncrasies that make them very different from other people,but maybe they've just progressed to a place where, through added wisdom, they've learned to interact in a way that makes them more likely to understand, relate, and appreciate acting in different ways that are appropriate for each circumstance. anyway. just something I've been thinking about and discussing with my sweet friend.
sidenote: I've always hated personality tests because i thought they put people in boxes--however--looking at them from this perspective, they seem to set people free from the boxes that they've been put in their whole lives.
love it. lovin' St. Louis.
12.10.2007
Finals approach quickly.
Well. Its 2:20am..and i have a final at 9am tomorrow. I love this. I love college life. I was made for this. I like the pressure. I like the late nights. I love the idea of it all.
Biology at 9am. 60 multiple choice questions. I probably need a B or high C to get an A in the class. Do-able.
History of Philosopy at 3. I'll be studying all day after a power nap and lunch. I really want to do well on this test.
On tuesday i have a 9am 1.5 mile run for Fit for Life. That will be interesting. I'll probably walk some it...its been so long since i've actually done anything active. hah. oh college.
Later in the day i have a Logic final...for which i am NOT at all prepared and then i have a Biblical Literature final..hopefully that will go well. I have to Ace that final to get an A..otherwise i get a B.
Anyway. Time to memorize needless facts for Biology...but on the brightside...at 10am tomorrow will NEVER have to take another lab science again. Its a beautiful thing.
Get some sleep for me tonight!
Biology at 9am. 60 multiple choice questions. I probably need a B or high C to get an A in the class. Do-able.
History of Philosopy at 3. I'll be studying all day after a power nap and lunch. I really want to do well on this test.
On tuesday i have a 9am 1.5 mile run for Fit for Life. That will be interesting. I'll probably walk some it...its been so long since i've actually done anything active. hah. oh college.
Later in the day i have a Logic final...for which i am NOT at all prepared and then i have a Biblical Literature final..hopefully that will go well. I have to Ace that final to get an A..otherwise i get a B.
Anyway. Time to memorize needless facts for Biology...but on the brightside...at 10am tomorrow will NEVER have to take another lab science again. Its a beautiful thing.
Get some sleep for me tonight!
12.08.2007
A quality addendum.
And one more thing about this word.
Even if I didn't think it hurt the way we view a specific person, after talking with Samantha about it, we realized that it says something about everyone else. If you say that one person is "quality" and thus attribute worth to them in that way, then you also, implied in the statement, differentiate their worth from another person's worth. I'd say everyone has worth, and thus everyone is "quality", but then the word becomes useless if everyone can be labeled as such. Interesting. Its just an interesting word choice.
Even if I didn't think it hurt the way we view a specific person, after talking with Samantha about it, we realized that it says something about everyone else. If you say that one person is "quality" and thus attribute worth to them in that way, then you also, implied in the statement, differentiate their worth from another person's worth. I'd say everyone has worth, and thus everyone is "quality", but then the word becomes useless if everyone can be labeled as such. Interesting. Its just an interesting word choice.
12.06.2007
"QUALITY"--a misnomer.
Maybe its just Taylor. Maybe its the people i talk with.
But, if i hear the word "quality" one more time, OR if i let it slip out of my mouth, i may decide never to speak again.
Since i believe this to be a pretty localized problem, you may not understand... allow me to give you the typical instance in which this word is used...
Girl A: "I met this guy tonight at the Extra Credit Seminar. He was telling me all about his goal to be a medical missionary in Rwanda and his desire to let God direct his path, even if that is not where he's supposed to be. We got into a long conversation about God's call and what that has looked like in each of our lives..."
Girl B: "Oh girl, that boy sounds quality."
Quality? Really?
Yes, he seems like a nice boy. I'm sure he has many qualities that are admirable. But, he, not unlike every other person on the planet, is a human. Thus, he also has many qualities that are a result of his fallen and depraved nature.
Perhaps we say "quality" to try to make an assertion about a person's good qualities outweighing his bad qualities--big problem--we can't see all these qualities. So, when we use this adjective, we are saying that those qualities that can be seen are more important than those that are concealed.
Perhaps when we say "quality" we are trying to speak about a specific quality--most often a genuine heart for the Lord. Well, be more specific. Please. It seems that when we objectify people and create this "quality" persona, we fail to use Jesus's standard. We no longer see the ways that people truly reflect Christ's character, but instead we see the way that they fit this visible standard.
So is that boy quality? Is that girl quality?
NO. Jesus is quality and when people seek after Him, their lives begin to be changed. Sometimes slowly, sometimes more obvious to the human eye--but who are we to say that just because someone is more visibly advanced in this journey, that he or she can be titled quality?
I feel like this word means a lot more than we realize.
Here, though, is my fundamental problem with the word: "character with respect to fineness, or grade of excellence"--that is the definition as provided by dictionary.com. GRADE OF EXCELLENCE? How dare was make the worth of people's lives based on what they do, on what we see? How can we see what is in the hearts of people?
By using this silly word, we raise ourselves up to the level of a judge. We give OUR stamp of approval. Well, its a good thing they don't need it.
I may seem to be making a huge deal out of something rather small, out of a 7 letter word, but its not the word--its the idea. I can't remain silent about something that i feel to be SO wrong within the Christian community, even in places where the world "quality" hasn't permeated the lingo of the people.
From here on out, if you here me use this word--you may slap me.
I hope you found some QUALITY words in the post :P
But, if i hear the word "quality" one more time, OR if i let it slip out of my mouth, i may decide never to speak again.
Since i believe this to be a pretty localized problem, you may not understand... allow me to give you the typical instance in which this word is used...
Girl A: "I met this guy tonight at the Extra Credit Seminar. He was telling me all about his goal to be a medical missionary in Rwanda and his desire to let God direct his path, even if that is not where he's supposed to be. We got into a long conversation about God's call and what that has looked like in each of our lives..."
Girl B: "Oh girl, that boy sounds quality."
Quality? Really?
Yes, he seems like a nice boy. I'm sure he has many qualities that are admirable. But, he, not unlike every other person on the planet, is a human. Thus, he also has many qualities that are a result of his fallen and depraved nature.
Perhaps we say "quality" to try to make an assertion about a person's good qualities outweighing his bad qualities--big problem--we can't see all these qualities. So, when we use this adjective, we are saying that those qualities that can be seen are more important than those that are concealed.
Perhaps when we say "quality" we are trying to speak about a specific quality--most often a genuine heart for the Lord. Well, be more specific. Please. It seems that when we objectify people and create this "quality" persona, we fail to use Jesus's standard. We no longer see the ways that people truly reflect Christ's character, but instead we see the way that they fit this visible standard.
So is that boy quality? Is that girl quality?
NO. Jesus is quality and when people seek after Him, their lives begin to be changed. Sometimes slowly, sometimes more obvious to the human eye--but who are we to say that just because someone is more visibly advanced in this journey, that he or she can be titled quality?
I feel like this word means a lot more than we realize.
Here, though, is my fundamental problem with the word: "character with respect to fineness, or grade of excellence"--that is the definition as provided by dictionary.com. GRADE OF EXCELLENCE? How dare was make the worth of people's lives based on what they do, on what we see? How can we see what is in the hearts of people?
By using this silly word, we raise ourselves up to the level of a judge. We give OUR stamp of approval. Well, its a good thing they don't need it.
I may seem to be making a huge deal out of something rather small, out of a 7 letter word, but its not the word--its the idea. I can't remain silent about something that i feel to be SO wrong within the Christian community, even in places where the world "quality" hasn't permeated the lingo of the people.
From here on out, if you here me use this word--you may slap me.
I hope you found some QUALITY words in the post :P
12.03.2007
Christmas Pick-A-Date+Biology Presentation=Entire Weekend
Basically, I had an incredibly stressful, Excretory system research filled weekend, with the exception of Saturday night which was spent on a fun Pick-A-Date in Indy. Samantha and I went went our dates, Brandon and Joel (and the rest of our wing) to a formal dinner in the DC, then Joel and i performed a sneaky, covert mission to hide a potent cinnamon broom in Brandon's room while Sam distracted him(Sam and i have been planting this broom in people's room because its a funny prank that causes no damage--just clears the sinuses), then we left for Indy without Brandon suspecting anything. After the Christmas music filled ride, we got to the Sports Comedy club an proceeded to watch a marginal improv show, but it was still fun. Then we drove down to the Indy circle, maybe 2 miles away, and walked around in the beautiful, freezing cold night. The Christmas tree and city scape provided a picturesque atmosphere. After walking around for a bit (which hurt my feet desperately), we walked back to the car and drove home, singing "baby its cold outside" (the ella fitzgerald edition) numerous times. Quite the night. We got home at 2ish in the pouring rain, which, luckily, was not yet ice.
Samantha and i got up at 11, and from noon yesterday until 2am, i did nothing but compile a 44 slide presentation, 40 minute speech, lesson plan, assessment questions, demonstration and 10 page paper for Biology class. That all culminated at 8am his morning. now its over. Thank the Lord God in Heaven who sustained me through that.
12.01.2007
{CHRISTMAS CHEER}
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Samantha and I dressed up and delivered our Christmas cards to some people today. We walked around in tacky scarves, vests, santa hats, and big pj pants spreading Christmas cheer to all! And in about 1 hour we leave for our Winter Formal. We are still looking like we do in this picture, sooooo i guess you could say we have a lot of work to do to look at all presentable. Pictures and descriptions about tonight to follow. :)
11.29.2007
As we enter this Holiday Season...
Taylor students whose hearts have tasted a bit of home during Thanksgiving, are now quite ready to finish up finals and be free of the many things that the next 2 weeks entail. The hustle and the bustle has overshadowed a great project that has been going on since the beginning of the Semester. This Project is called ONEverse. ONEverse is a Bible translation ministry that fits so well with Taylor's goal for global engagement. We have committed to helping get the Bible translated into the language of the Paraguayan ACHE people. Here's the problem--we are currently trying to finish up translating Hebrews--a book, not unlike the rest of the Bible, filled with God's divine words to us. As, for some reason, ("probably because of the poor college student notion") we have stalled in the donations and thus, the translations, of Hebrews, I would like to exhort you to consider ONEverse as a possible tithe for you this month or in the upcoming months.
Each verse is $10...
This means that for only $160 dollars, the whole of Hebrews 4 could bless the ears of the ACHE people, letting them know that...
"...Since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Heb. 4:14-16)
A small price for these words.
This also means that for only $390, the whole of Hebrews 10 could make the hearts of the ACHE people aware of the imminence of their decision to follow Christ...
“...For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” (Heb. 10:37-38)
To me, it is not just about fulfilling this task, but also about fulfilling it quickly so that not a moment is lost in our command to "go and make disciples of all nations." What better way than give them the Holy and Perfect Word of our Lord?
Donations are taken in $10 increments. Think and pray about this. Obviously there are hundreds of other worthy and noble causes. This cause, however, is currently impressing its necessity on my heart--possibly because it is not a ministry in which we can see a visible return for our work--not yet that is. It is a ministry that we pour into, but that pours not much back into us, thus it is often forgotten.
You can send donations to me and our dorm is pooling its money to send into the Taylor World Outreach Offices. -OR- you can send it in directly to Taylor University's RE: TWO ONEverse. This address can be found at www.taylor.edu at the bottom of the screen.
Something to think about during the holidays--the gift of eternal life, the point of this season, lest we forget.
Each verse is $10...
This means that for only $160 dollars, the whole of Hebrews 4 could bless the ears of the ACHE people, letting them know that...
"...Since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Heb. 4:14-16)
A small price for these words.
This also means that for only $390, the whole of Hebrews 10 could make the hearts of the ACHE people aware of the imminence of their decision to follow Christ...
“...For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” (Heb. 10:37-38)
To me, it is not just about fulfilling this task, but also about fulfilling it quickly so that not a moment is lost in our command to "go and make disciples of all nations." What better way than give them the Holy and Perfect Word of our Lord?
Donations are taken in $10 increments. Think and pray about this. Obviously there are hundreds of other worthy and noble causes. This cause, however, is currently impressing its necessity on my heart--possibly because it is not a ministry in which we can see a visible return for our work--not yet that is. It is a ministry that we pour into, but that pours not much back into us, thus it is often forgotten.
You can send donations to me and our dorm is pooling its money to send into the Taylor World Outreach Offices. -OR- you can send it in directly to Taylor University's RE: TWO ONEverse. This address can be found at www.taylor.edu at the bottom of the screen.
Something to think about during the holidays--the gift of eternal life, the point of this season, lest we forget.
11.27.2007
Prayer for Sammy
As many of you know, my dear roommate has been anxiously awaiting the results of many a blood test and MRI to discover what is causing these completely abnormal hormonal levels. Tonight she received a call telling her that she has a small tumor that is throwing off her whole system--this would have been good news if the tumor was operable, however, at this point it is too small to operate on. This is a harsh blow to her spirit as she, as any person would, just wants to be done with doctors visits and medications. Please keep my dear Samantha in your prayers, and if you think of it, email me at Annie_Dimond@taylor.edu for her address to send her something sweet to let her know you are thinking and praying for her.
Goodnight.
Goodnight.
11.22.2007
People and their Community
I am increasingly convinced that what people are searching for, what people so desire, is to be known. I don't mean known in the sense that people see you around, that people know you hangout with the 'right' kind of people, that people say "hi" to you wherever you go. No. I'm talking about intentional friendship. I'm talking about people taking time out of their day to find out how you REALLY are--to find out WHO you really are. And by who you really are i don't mean what foods you like, what your favorite color is, what your favorite hangout is, and what haircut looks best on you. No. I mean what your passions are, what the deepest desires of your heart are, where you are coming from, where you are, where you want to be, what you think about things, what you struggle with.
And this, is a potential problem. Because if people so desire to be truly known, and "known" really is as defined in the previous paragraph--how many people really know you? How many people do i really know?
Time does not equal frienship, as i have come to discover in the last two days. Its unfortunate really, it feels like a waste of precious moments. I walked into a room full of people i was supposed to be overjoyed to see, and i realized i had nothing to talk about with them, because i don't really know them. I don't know what they aspire to and besides the visible struggles, i don't know the temptations and struggles of their hearts. I've never kept them accountable, and they've never held that role in my life. What the heck? Why is this so overlooked in the church and Christian communities in general? What happened to vulnerability? How on earth can i rejoice with those who rejoice or mourn with those who mourn if i don't know the extent of the trial or the extent of the elation? I can't. I didn't. I wouldn't.
It is interesting/heartbreaking to realize that these people for whom i grieve so terribly, grew up in such a similar and blessed environment. Granted, our lives were not identical, but so many truthes were poured into our lives in the Westminster environment, and so few chose to hang on to them.
Individuality, the Devil's lie that tells us that we are our own person, a person who would be utterly shunned if one were to share the evils that lie in our hearts and mind, if one were to engage in true community.
sad. sad. sad. sad.
I don't cry a lot. I just don't. But i cried tonight. I cried because i want them to experience the joy that comes with bearing your pain.
At least I was able to experience and share in that joy with a few people since I've been home.
And on this eve of Thanksgiving, i am thankful for community. real community. I'm thankful for uncomfortable situations that grow me in immeasurable ways. I'm thankful for conversations in which i bear more of my soul that Satan ever intended. I'm thankful for people who are real and stop faking it. I am thankful for Samantha, Carly, and Emily with whom I daily experience fellowship as God intended. I am thankful that God has brought me from where i was to where i am, with a hope that it doesn't stop here.
And this, is a potential problem. Because if people so desire to be truly known, and "known" really is as defined in the previous paragraph--how many people really know you? How many people do i really know?
Time does not equal frienship, as i have come to discover in the last two days. Its unfortunate really, it feels like a waste of precious moments. I walked into a room full of people i was supposed to be overjoyed to see, and i realized i had nothing to talk about with them, because i don't really know them. I don't know what they aspire to and besides the visible struggles, i don't know the temptations and struggles of their hearts. I've never kept them accountable, and they've never held that role in my life. What the heck? Why is this so overlooked in the church and Christian communities in general? What happened to vulnerability? How on earth can i rejoice with those who rejoice or mourn with those who mourn if i don't know the extent of the trial or the extent of the elation? I can't. I didn't. I wouldn't.
It is interesting/heartbreaking to realize that these people for whom i grieve so terribly, grew up in such a similar and blessed environment. Granted, our lives were not identical, but so many truthes were poured into our lives in the Westminster environment, and so few chose to hang on to them.
Individuality, the Devil's lie that tells us that we are our own person, a person who would be utterly shunned if one were to share the evils that lie in our hearts and mind, if one were to engage in true community.
sad. sad. sad. sad.
I don't cry a lot. I just don't. But i cried tonight. I cried because i want them to experience the joy that comes with bearing your pain.
At least I was able to experience and share in that joy with a few people since I've been home.
And on this eve of Thanksgiving, i am thankful for community. real community. I'm thankful for uncomfortable situations that grow me in immeasurable ways. I'm thankful for conversations in which i bear more of my soul that Satan ever intended. I'm thankful for people who are real and stop faking it. I am thankful for Samantha, Carly, and Emily with whom I daily experience fellowship as God intended. I am thankful that God has brought me from where i was to where i am, with a hope that it doesn't stop here.
11.20.2007
Photo Chronicles of the Last Few Weeks
This picture was taken inside the auditorium before My Generation night started. Some of the best song performances were: Obadiah Parker's "Hey Ya," Sufjan Stephans, Agustana's "Boston," Alanis Morissette's "Ironic," among 8 or 9 others. It was really pretty amazing.
This was waiting ouside in line to get in the auditorium...it was probably the coldest night I've ever experienced thus far. SO COLD. We waited for about 30 minutes. It was crazy.
This was the night of Samantha's birthday. The four of us took a "christmas photo" in front of the tree at the Fort Wayne. From left to right: Me, Samantha, Carly, and Emily. Carly and Emily are two of the girls coming out to California during Interterm break.
We went to Flat Top in Fort Wayne for Sam's bday. WOW. Delicious...akin to Mongolian BBQ, where you create your own plateand they stir fry it for you.Anyway, thought you all might enjoy some pics.
♥
11.19.2007
THANKSGIVING BREAK.
Yes, I am truly thankful for it. Its time for a break. Samantha and I are both anxious to get home to St. Louis. It will be so nice to be in a house for few days. Wednesday night is a Pre-thanksgiving party at the Preskers' House. I CANNOT wait to see everyone. I'm really excited to see what the group dynamics are like and to see how people have changed in these few short months.
Looking back on my weekend, it was a great one. I spent a lot of time with Carly, Emily and Samantha--all together, one on one, with lots of others. It was great. Every day I am so encouraged by these girls. God has truly blessed these friendships in a period of a few short weeks.
Also this weekend, I was surprised to get an email from a boy in my Logic class who is a PA on 3rd floor Sammy Morris Hall--affectionately (but not by most) called the "Brotherhood" or BroHo. Though there are not fraternitys at Taylor, this would be the closest thing to a Frat. They have a LOT of secret traditions and some not so secret traditions. They are also a bit notorious for being very exclusive--especially of girls. Most girls steer clear of them unless they have a friend or sibling on the floor. These are all generalizations, however, because there are some really great guys on BroHo. The email that i recieved from him asked me to consider being on a panel of about 6 girls on campus to "to help educate guys. Basically our intent is to help guys understand how to be more sensitive to the hearts of women on campus and help them better edify you as women. We want to be sensitive and loving and feel that there are a lot of guys who really have no clue. We are not looking for profound thoughts. We are not hoping that you single handedly will change a guys heart, we are just wandering if you would be willing to honestly share your heart and let the Holy Spirit do the rest." I really respect that he is trying to assist a change in the hearts and attitudes of the boys on his floor, and so I said yes to being on the panel. I'm really excited, because, at Taylor, there is such an emphasis on dating as a means to marriage, that boys are often scared to get to know girls unless they want to date them seriously--because they think all girls only have marriage on their mind. NOW, this is a much better situation than bunch of guys just dating around, however, when it disallows guy/girl frienships, it becomes a problem. ALSO,it often makes for a far too intense atmosphere. Anyway, i'm the token freshman on the panel. There is one soph, 2 juniors, a senior, a married woman, and a engaged woman. A wide range for a wide perspective on all the questions that will be asked. Anyway, I felt really honored that they included me in this panel and I thought i would share that with you and ask that you would pray that the Lord leads all my words and thoughts as well as the other women on the panel.
IT IS SO COLD HERE. really, so cold....and its only November...Everyone says it gets MUCH worse than this. OH NO. I don't think I'll be able to handle much worse. :) Better than the heat though i guess.
I am getting increasingly excited for J-Term and next semester since i am thoroughly done with going to biology and to fit for life at 8am everyday. BLECH. I still can't believe I got into Basketball, Volleyball, and Leadership. What a beautiful month it will be.
Oh and family, if you wouldn't mind sending me the buttons out of my craft box at home, I am working on Christmas presents for a few of my girls on the wing. Also, I would love to have my orange and lime green big bead necklaces. Thank you thank you.
I love you all!
Looking back on my weekend, it was a great one. I spent a lot of time with Carly, Emily and Samantha--all together, one on one, with lots of others. It was great. Every day I am so encouraged by these girls. God has truly blessed these friendships in a period of a few short weeks.
Also this weekend, I was surprised to get an email from a boy in my Logic class who is a PA on 3rd floor Sammy Morris Hall--affectionately (but not by most) called the "Brotherhood" or BroHo. Though there are not fraternitys at Taylor, this would be the closest thing to a Frat. They have a LOT of secret traditions and some not so secret traditions. They are also a bit notorious for being very exclusive--especially of girls. Most girls steer clear of them unless they have a friend or sibling on the floor. These are all generalizations, however, because there are some really great guys on BroHo. The email that i recieved from him asked me to consider being on a panel of about 6 girls on campus to "to help educate guys. Basically our intent is to help guys understand how to be more sensitive to the hearts of women on campus and help them better edify you as women. We want to be sensitive and loving and feel that there are a lot of guys who really have no clue. We are not looking for profound thoughts. We are not hoping that you single handedly will change a guys heart, we are just wandering if you would be willing to honestly share your heart and let the Holy Spirit do the rest." I really respect that he is trying to assist a change in the hearts and attitudes of the boys on his floor, and so I said yes to being on the panel. I'm really excited, because, at Taylor, there is such an emphasis on dating as a means to marriage, that boys are often scared to get to know girls unless they want to date them seriously--because they think all girls only have marriage on their mind. NOW, this is a much better situation than bunch of guys just dating around, however, when it disallows guy/girl frienships, it becomes a problem. ALSO,it often makes for a far too intense atmosphere. Anyway, i'm the token freshman on the panel. There is one soph, 2 juniors, a senior, a married woman, and a engaged woman. A wide range for a wide perspective on all the questions that will be asked. Anyway, I felt really honored that they included me in this panel and I thought i would share that with you and ask that you would pray that the Lord leads all my words and thoughts as well as the other women on the panel.
IT IS SO COLD HERE. really, so cold....and its only November...Everyone says it gets MUCH worse than this. OH NO. I don't think I'll be able to handle much worse. :) Better than the heat though i guess.
I am getting increasingly excited for J-Term and next semester since i am thoroughly done with going to biology and to fit for life at 8am everyday. BLECH. I still can't believe I got into Basketball, Volleyball, and Leadership. What a beautiful month it will be.
Oh and family, if you wouldn't mind sending me the buttons out of my craft box at home, I am working on Christmas presents for a few of my girls on the wing. Also, I would love to have my orange and lime green big bead necklaces. Thank you thank you.
I love you all!
11.13.2007
Its been a while...
Its been a while since i last wrote but i have SO many exciting and fun things to write about.
1. Samantha and I have been hanging out with these two sweet girls from our wing named Emily and Carly. All four of us feel mutually blessed by these relationships and everytime we are together we have inordinate amounts of fun, coupled with intelligent, thought provoking conversations. It is truly a joy to spend time with these girls. Sunday night we went to Fort Wayne to eat at Flat Top, a mongolian bbqesque place for Samantha's birthday. She is 20. We went to Barne's and Noble and hung out there for an hour and a half--suprisingly something i miss SO much now that i'm in Upland, Indiana. Sam and i bought David Copperfield by Charles Dickens to read within the next month and discuss it. We are excited about it. Very excited. We then went to Coldstone and had some delicious mixtures. Mine was Sweet Cream, graham cracker, and strawberry. DELICIOUS.
2. I have officially signed up for classes. All of the classes i wanted to take over J-term are full, so i am taking 3 one-credit hour classes--Basketball, Volleyball, and Leadership. I am so excited to have only a little work but also get done 3 credits that i need to take. Wow its going to be fun and relaxing. My next semester looks like this:
1. Samantha and I have been hanging out with these two sweet girls from our wing named Emily and Carly. All four of us feel mutually blessed by these relationships and everytime we are together we have inordinate amounts of fun, coupled with intelligent, thought provoking conversations. It is truly a joy to spend time with these girls. Sunday night we went to Fort Wayne to eat at Flat Top, a mongolian bbqesque place for Samantha's birthday. She is 20. We went to Barne's and Noble and hung out there for an hour and a half--suprisingly something i miss SO much now that i'm in Upland, Indiana. Sam and i bought David Copperfield by Charles Dickens to read within the next month and discuss it. We are excited about it. Very excited. We then went to Coldstone and had some delicious mixtures. Mine was Sweet Cream, graham cracker, and strawberry. DELICIOUS.
2. I have officially signed up for classes. All of the classes i wanted to take over J-term are full, so i am taking 3 one-credit hour classes--Basketball, Volleyball, and Leadership. I am so excited to have only a little work but also get done 3 credits that i need to take. Wow its going to be fun and relaxing. My next semester looks like this:
-POS 385 American Constitutional Development: Civil Rights and Liberties (3 hours)
-PHI 202 History of Philosophy II (3 hours)
-PHI 323 World Religions Eastern Tradition (3 hours)
-BIB 210 Biblical Literature II (3 hours)
-COS 104 Computer Information Concepts (2 hours)
That is only 14 hours, but i will probably add a piano class/lesson. These classes are pretty difficult and i will be the youngest in every one of them. I like taking 300 level classes though, because i feel like i can do nothing but surprise the professor, or do what they expect me to do as a freshman--which is not a lot.
3. In other news, I'm going on a pick-a-date this friday night. The boy i am going with is actually the boy that Samantha has been dating this past month. Sam couldn't go because she has to work. I think he wanted me to go with him because he knows i'm safe and he's being super considerate of Sam's feelings, which is great. It is a famous couples pick-a-date, so tomorrow we are going to pick out our couple and our outfit at the drama department's costume room. I think it will be really fun, and so low key, which is great.
Also, while on the topic of Pick-A-Dates, our wing's is coming up. I asked my friend Joel to go with me and he said yes. It is a formal, and we are going to a comedy club after a special dinner night in the Dining Commons. I think it will be really fun. Joel is just a laid back guy and I asked him to go because he will definitely not read too much into it, which is greatly appreciated.
4. Other than all of that, there has been some talk of a few girls flying out to California for our J-term break (which is only 5 days). I think it would be QUITE fun, and funny since they are all rather enthralled with Laguna Beach and The Hills, silly MTV shows. Hopefully it all works out as we have started to plan.
Alright, Its time.
Time for LogiCola excercies. Time for Aristotle's Doctrine of the Soul Paper writing. Time for Biology Take home test completing. Time to read David Copperfield to catch up with Samantha who has already read 2 chapters.
Love you all ♥
11.04.2007
J-Term and Spring Semester Class Planning.
I love to plan my classes...too bad i will never get the classes i want.
Originally, these were my plans for classes in for the remainder of the year:
J-term: (4) Art as Experience MTWRF + a trip to Chicago to see Wicked!
Spring Semester:
(1) Leadership Class
(3) World Literature [Mook]
(3)World Religion:Eastern Traditions [Corduan]
(3)History of Philosophy II [Seeman]
(3)American Constitutional Development:Civil Rights and Liberties [Loy]
(2)Computing and Information Concepts [Cramer]
(3)Intermediate Spanis II [Chang]
NOW, the plans are going to have to be changed since all my classes are rapidly filling up, and i don't get to sign up for them until the 13th...luckily, a few days before most of the freshman.
J-Term:
(3)Interpersonal Communication [Deneau]
(1)Leadership Class
Spring Semester:
(2) Computing & Information Concepts
(3)World Religions: Eastern Tradition (ONLY BECAUSE I BEGGED HIM. the class is otherwise full already)
(3)History of Philosophy (hopefully)
(3) American Constitutional Development:Civil Rights and Liberties
Beyond those..i haveNO idea what classes to take in the Sping. The classes i want/need are not being offered or they are full. UGH.
i might have an upperclasseman sign up for the classes and reserve me a spot, and then drop them right as i need to get into them. Yes. that is what i'll do.
Originally, these were my plans for classes in for the remainder of the year:
J-term: (4) Art as Experience MTWRF + a trip to Chicago to see Wicked!
Spring Semester:
(1) Leadership Class
(3) World Literature [Mook]
(3)World Religion:Eastern Traditions [Corduan]
(3)History of Philosophy II [Seeman]
(3)American Constitutional Development:Civil Rights and Liberties [Loy]
(2)Computing and Information Concepts [Cramer]
(3)Intermediate Spanis II [Chang]
NOW, the plans are going to have to be changed since all my classes are rapidly filling up, and i don't get to sign up for them until the 13th...luckily, a few days before most of the freshman.
J-Term:
(3)Interpersonal Communication [Deneau]
(1)Leadership Class
Spring Semester:
(2) Computing & Information Concepts
(3)World Religions: Eastern Tradition (ONLY BECAUSE I BEGGED HIM. the class is otherwise full already)
(3)History of Philosophy (hopefully)
(3) American Constitutional Development:Civil Rights and Liberties
Beyond those..i haveNO idea what classes to take in the Sping. The classes i want/need are not being offered or they are full. UGH.
i might have an upperclasseman sign up for the classes and reserve me a spot, and then drop them right as i need to get into them. Yes. that is what i'll do.
10.29.2007
My Worlds Collide.
It was a beautiful thing.
I love that my best friend in California (Katie Mack is friends with my 3 good friends from St. Louis, (Sarah m., Libby b., and Jill R.). It made for a REALLY REALLY NORMAL feeling trip. They asked me if it was weird that i was in Chicago at Wheaton College with my friends from different times of my life and my answer was "NOT AT ALL". Really, it just felt right. It turns out that Katie and Libby seem to have really hit it off and are actually friends with or without the common bond of my friendship. I love it. Here's what went down this weekend...
Wednesday after class i left for Chicago with a friend, John Chacko, who lives 2 hours past Chicago and was on his way home...
...It was a fun ride full of laughter and intellectually stimulating conversations. Best trip to chicago from Indiana yet... (yes, the only one, but still best :)
Wednesday night i saw all my Wheaton girls and had a great time just reconnecting with them. Then, my friend from Taylor who lives on my wing, Katelin, picked me up from Wheaton and took me to her house in Downtown Chicago. It was great. Her house was in VERY downtown Chicago, she basically lives in the Hood. But, her house is a super cool and artsy 3 story brick building. I love it.
Her room is in the basement with brick walls and black and white photography all over the walls...and a hammock. So great. So great. So when we got to her house we enjoyed some wonderful cookies and home baked pumpkin bread. I also introduced them to the idea of "pumpkin muffies" of which they knew nothing. This knowledge most undoubtedly comes from the fact that i have enjoyed St.Louis Bread Co. for the majority of my life, not Panera. Some people just don't understand. Around 11 our friends Brad and Mark came over to hangout for a bit. These two boys are our really good friends on our Brother floor. We started to watch Pride and Predjudice, but i fell asleep within the first 5 minutes... maybe one minute. I take after my mom in some ways. haha. Well, as i undoubtedly needed to catch up on sleep from a crazy past two weeks of schoolwork, i slept in until 1pm the next day. It was beautiful.
Thursday, Katelin and I went to Panera (or St. Louis Bread Co. if you prefer...which i do) and got You-Pick-2s...something we both desperately have missed during our time at Tay Tay. Then she dropped me off at Wheaton. I had dinner with Sarah and Libby and said hi to a bunch of random people that i knew from WCA. I also ran into a few people from CRAM. It was great. Altogether, throughout the weekend, i probably saw 15 familiar faces. Good Stuff. Thursday night i went to the first seminar for the Philosophy Conference "Cosmopolis or Ghettos: What Comes After Modernity?" The first speaker was a Post-Secular Christian Socialist. WOW. I didn't really understand most of what he said, save his derogatory term for Capitalism--CRAPITALISM. yes..real tact. Very few found themselves agreeing with him. I couldn't tell if i agreed with him, because that would have required comprehension..which i was just shy of. Anyway, that night after the conference i went for a walk with marc-andre, and it was ao good to get caught up. He is in ROTC and is busy as ever. He seems to love it though. When i got back, I stayed with Jill, a dear friend...
...Like always, deep conversations naturally arose and we found ourselves SO very excited by the words of the different, various philosophers that we have been reading. We finally went to bed, only to wake up early to go to breakfast on friday....
Friday, we got up around 7:45 and headed to SAGA (wheaton's version of our DC). I paid 10 dollars to eat at every meal (that was an expensive friday). I went to four of the five seminars with a little nap in Jill's bed in between. Friday night was fun. Sarah had curfew for soccer because she had a game on friday, so we just hung out in the dorm...
...We made a funny video for Katie stipo..i don't know if it is up on facebook yet. I slept in their room and we slept in until 10ish because Wheaton only has brunch and dinner on Saturdays, and only Brunch on Sundays (WEIRD I KNOW). I ate with sarah and libby and then said a sad goodbye to Sarah as she left for DePauw to play soccer. Sarah's team WON nationals last year and were undefeated. They are STILL undefeated this year. AMAZING. Libby needed to do some studying before we went out that night, so she studied while i napped hardcore in Sarah's bed. We headed off to the train station with katie mack around 5:00pm and caught the train to the city. We walked around taking picture and thoroughly enjoying each other's company. We went to NORDSTROM rack... 
...where i got some CUTE jeans for only $30 and a Columbia jacket for these harsh northern Indiana winters. It was great. Then the poor college students went to Cheesecake Factory... 
...because we couldn't resist while we were downtown. It was delicious and we left SO full. We then walked a few blocks to the movie theatre and decided to see a movie called "BELLA". Let me officially endorse this movie as a WELL DONE MOVIE. Please go see it. The guy who produced it is also the lead role. He used to be a Spanish Soap Opera star. When he became a Christian he decided to infiltrate Hollywood with movies that aren't explicitly Christian but have a moral/redeeming plot. It was so good. Look it up. Anyway, we walked all the way back to the train station and got back to Wheaton around 1:30am and I spent the night with Katie mack.
Sunday morning we went to College Church at 11:00 and then had lunch at SAGA. I said goodbye to Libby, and katie and i headed back to her dorm. I saw Morgan Younkin on our way back, which was really fun! I helped katie and her roommate get ready for their "roulette", (the equivalent of our pick-a-date). After i said goodbye to katie,i waited for Katelin, Brad, and Mark to pick me up in brad's car that he was bringing back to school. They picked me up and we made the 3.5 hour trek back to campus. We had such a fun time and we stopped to get Arby's Market Fresh sandwiches...#12s...
...ARGUABLY the best sandwiches ever made. We finally got back to campus in time for me to go to the Union to do a ton of homework. It was splendid.
SUCH A GREAT WEEKEND!
I love that my best friend in California (Katie Mack is friends with my 3 good friends from St. Louis, (Sarah m., Libby b., and Jill R.). It made for a REALLY REALLY NORMAL feeling trip. They asked me if it was weird that i was in Chicago at Wheaton College with my friends from different times of my life and my answer was "NOT AT ALL". Really, it just felt right. It turns out that Katie and Libby seem to have really hit it off and are actually friends with or without the common bond of my friendship. I love it. Here's what went down this weekend...
Wednesday after class i left for Chicago with a friend, John Chacko, who lives 2 hours past Chicago and was on his way home...
...It was a fun ride full of laughter and intellectually stimulating conversations. Best trip to chicago from Indiana yet... (yes, the only one, but still best :)Wednesday night i saw all my Wheaton girls and had a great time just reconnecting with them. Then, my friend from Taylor who lives on my wing, Katelin, picked me up from Wheaton and took me to her house in Downtown Chicago. It was great. Her house was in VERY downtown Chicago, she basically lives in the Hood. But, her house is a super cool and artsy 3 story brick building. I love it.
Her room is in the basement with brick walls and black and white photography all over the walls...and a hammock. So great. So great. So when we got to her house we enjoyed some wonderful cookies and home baked pumpkin bread. I also introduced them to the idea of "pumpkin muffies" of which they knew nothing. This knowledge most undoubtedly comes from the fact that i have enjoyed St.Louis Bread Co. for the majority of my life, not Panera. Some people just don't understand. Around 11 our friends Brad and Mark came over to hangout for a bit. These two boys are our really good friends on our Brother floor. We started to watch Pride and Predjudice, but i fell asleep within the first 5 minutes... maybe one minute. I take after my mom in some ways. haha. Well, as i undoubtedly needed to catch up on sleep from a crazy past two weeks of schoolwork, i slept in until 1pm the next day. It was beautiful.Thursday, Katelin and I went to Panera (or St. Louis Bread Co. if you prefer...which i do) and got You-Pick-2s...something we both desperately have missed during our time at Tay Tay. Then she dropped me off at Wheaton. I had dinner with Sarah and Libby and said hi to a bunch of random people that i knew from WCA. I also ran into a few people from CRAM. It was great. Altogether, throughout the weekend, i probably saw 15 familiar faces. Good Stuff. Thursday night i went to the first seminar for the Philosophy Conference "Cosmopolis or Ghettos: What Comes After Modernity?" The first speaker was a Post-Secular Christian Socialist. WOW. I didn't really understand most of what he said, save his derogatory term for Capitalism--CRAPITALISM. yes..real tact. Very few found themselves agreeing with him. I couldn't tell if i agreed with him, because that would have required comprehension..which i was just shy of. Anyway, that night after the conference i went for a walk with marc-andre, and it was ao good to get caught up. He is in ROTC and is busy as ever. He seems to love it though. When i got back, I stayed with Jill, a dear friend...
...Like always, deep conversations naturally arose and we found ourselves SO very excited by the words of the different, various philosophers that we have been reading. We finally went to bed, only to wake up early to go to breakfast on friday....Friday, we got up around 7:45 and headed to SAGA (wheaton's version of our DC). I paid 10 dollars to eat at every meal (that was an expensive friday). I went to four of the five seminars with a little nap in Jill's bed in between. Friday night was fun. Sarah had curfew for soccer because she had a game on friday, so we just hung out in the dorm...
...We made a funny video for Katie stipo..i don't know if it is up on facebook yet. I slept in their room and we slept in until 10ish because Wheaton only has brunch and dinner on Saturdays, and only Brunch on Sundays (WEIRD I KNOW). I ate with sarah and libby and then said a sad goodbye to Sarah as she left for DePauw to play soccer. Sarah's team WON nationals last year and were undefeated. They are STILL undefeated this year. AMAZING. Libby needed to do some studying before we went out that night, so she studied while i napped hardcore in Sarah's bed. We headed off to the train station with katie mack around 5:00pm and caught the train to the city. We walked around taking picture and thoroughly enjoying each other's company. We went to NORDSTROM rack... ...where i got some CUTE jeans for only $30 and a Columbia jacket for these harsh northern Indiana winters. It was great. Then the poor college students went to Cheesecake Factory... ...because we couldn't resist while we were downtown. It was delicious and we left SO full. We then walked a few blocks to the movie theatre and decided to see a movie called "BELLA". Let me officially endorse this movie as a WELL DONE MOVIE. Please go see it. The guy who produced it is also the lead role. He used to be a Spanish Soap Opera star. When he became a Christian he decided to infiltrate Hollywood with movies that aren't explicitly Christian but have a moral/redeeming plot. It was so good. Look it up. Anyway, we walked all the way back to the train station and got back to Wheaton around 1:30am and I spent the night with Katie mack.Sunday morning we went to College Church at 11:00 and then had lunch at SAGA. I said goodbye to Libby, and katie and i headed back to her dorm. I saw Morgan Younkin on our way back, which was really fun! I helped katie and her roommate get ready for their "roulette", (the equivalent of our pick-a-date). After i said goodbye to katie,i waited for Katelin, Brad, and Mark to pick me up in brad's car that he was bringing back to school. They picked me up and we made the 3.5 hour trek back to campus. We had such a fun time and we stopped to get Arby's Market Fresh sandwiches...#12s...
...ARGUABLY the best sandwiches ever made. We finally got back to campus in time for me to go to the Union to do a ton of homework. It was splendid.SUCH A GREAT WEEKEND!
10.23.2007
This is why EVERYONE and their MOM should have an APPLE.
http://www.apple.com/macosx/
time machine.
spaces.
file stacks.
quick look.
cover flow.
stationary templates.
video backdrops in ichat.
bed time and time limits.
boot camp.
i mean really...Who, in their right mind, would not hop on the Mac train? It is ridiculously innovative, creative, time/space efficient, impenetrable, classy, clean, simple, user-friendly, complete, well thought out, frustration-free, and beautiful.
if you don't believe me... listen to john -- http://www.apple.com/macosx/guidedtour/
he'll let you know whats up.
agh. i love this company.
time machine.
spaces.
file stacks.
quick look.
cover flow.
stationary templates.
video backdrops in ichat.
bed time and time limits.
boot camp.
i mean really...Who, in their right mind, would not hop on the Mac train? It is ridiculously innovative, creative, time/space efficient, impenetrable, classy, clean, simple, user-friendly, complete, well thought out, frustration-free, and beautiful.
if you don't believe me... listen to john -- http://www.apple.com/macosx/guidedtour/
he'll let you know whats up.
agh. i love this company.
10.21.2007
Lots to recount..
Ok, i will write later about my weekend and AIRBAND. Both were amazing. But as for right now....
I just finished an interview with Kanakuk Kamps. It went great. He told me that i will probably get a job. AND he was just in st. louis and saw the Stipanoviches. He also knows the Moores. Oh wow. My worlds collide.
Secondly, I am finishing up the first day of a two day fast. I am doing this primarily as i pray about where i want to attend church and give my time. Pray for me, that God will direct me in this time.
Now its time to hit the books. Love to all!
I just finished an interview with Kanakuk Kamps. It went great. He told me that i will probably get a job. AND he was just in st. louis and saw the Stipanoviches. He also knows the Moores. Oh wow. My worlds collide.
Secondly, I am finishing up the first day of a two day fast. I am doing this primarily as i pray about where i want to attend church and give my time. Pray for me, that God will direct me in this time.
Now its time to hit the books. Love to all!
10.18.2007
Sitting in Biblical Literature.
I am a good student, really I am, but sometimes this class is jus ridiculous. All my teachers are quite brilliant in their fields, very accoplished. However, classes like this one just BOTHER the heck out of me. We sit here, tuesday and thursday, for 1.25 hours, and all we do is go through slides. I really do not need to go to this class because our only grades in this class are the 3 tests that we take and all we are tested on are the slides. SO, i really only need to read the slides. Therfore, for the last 2 weeks i skipped all the classes except the test. THEN, on the day of the test my prof asked me if i was a athlete--so basically i took that to mean that he noticed i hadn't been in class and he wondered if it was because i was playing my sport. Needless to say, i'm now going to class. I probably would have come anyway, because i don't like skipping classes. That is my story.
Backtracking just a bit, THIS WEEKEND, was fine. I went on that pick-a-date with Nathan, Harrison's friend. Lucky me, another awkward one. haha. No, it wasn't really that bad, we just had nothing to talk about because he isn't in school, he is 21 and lives in Michigan as an Air Conditioning installer. Questions like "what is your major? what is your favorite class? what do you plan to do when you graduate?" were all cut out since they didn't apply. But, i did get to carve a SWEET pumpkin. WOW. It was a masterpiece. But, basically the boys picked us up at 5:30pm and brought us home around 1:00am. It was like a marathon pick-a-date. But, thankfully we went to one of the boy's from ther wing's house for dinner.. YUM i love home cooked food. Then we carved pumpkins...then we drove to the haunted corn maze. Itwas here that i figured out what a MAN i am. I was not scared at all...adn i basically led my entire group through the maze and tried to scare the haunters myself. It just didn't scare me like it scared everyone else. haha, whatever.
This was not my pumpkin.
This is my friend Sarah from my wing. She was on the date with Harrison.
Anyway, on Sunday i didn't go to church, but i went to the Prayer Chapel instead. It has been very hard for me to find a church that i want to go to. If you think of if, just say a little prayer that i will find one that i can become involved in. I like samantha's church, but its just different. And its different for her too, but she is adjusting better i feel. Maybe its that the pastor wears a tupee...i don't know ;)
Last night, Wednesday, was Airband dress rehearsal. It was SO fun. I love it. I really think i would love doing Theatrical Arts. It just makes me so happy when i'm on stage. LOVE IT. Everything went really well except when our set fell down in the middle of our performance the second time through. Oh man. I'm so glad it didn't fall on anyone. As for the rest of the acts, there are some REALLY good ones. For instance, Gerig Hall is going to win, no doubt. They are doing "Tradition" from Fiddler on the Roof. They are SO good. I felt like i was watching a real musical. It was flawless and they were SO animated. Other than that, the boys from 2nd West Wengatz Hall are doing "Grease Lightning". My friend Mark is Danny, and my other friend, Jack, is Kenickie. It is tremendous, AND its funny. Sammy 2 i doing "Shake Your Tailfeather" by the Blues Brothers. They are good, especially one boy who all the girls ended up having huge crushes on after watching the show last night. haha.
WELL, class is about to end, so i have to go. But, pray for the REAL AIRBAND PERFORMANCE..tonight. It is going to be so fun..and then i'm going out with Jordan, Darla, Reed, Elizabeth (his girlfriend), and maybe some others after the show. It should be so very fun and i'm excited!
LOVE YOU ALL. Hopefully my care package with my phone will arrive soon!
10.13.2007
Another Weekend.
Well, was a busy one. I went rollerskating with some people from my O-group. Then, when i got back i decided to do homework..but on my way to walk to the Union, I ran into my friends Darla and Jordan and two of their friends who were playing pairs frisbee golf...SO at 10 at night, in the freezing cold, we called my friend (and dance partner for Airband) Reed Spencer to come play and be on my team. We played, with a short intermission in the Music building where we convinced Reed to play piano for us in the recital hall that we snuck into. WOW. he is a TREMENDOUSLY gifted musician. Darla and i interpretive danced to it. It was fun. Then after mini golf we decided to go to Payne's (a local coffeeshop). We sat there for a bit and decided what animal we all most resembled. Somehow i was likened unto a sloth. how unfortunate.
I have a wonderful time with these people. Darla is a friend from CRAM, and she is such a doll. I am glad we've been hanging out alot more lately. She and i had a dinner date the other night that lasted circa one hour. It was great. Jordan is a boy who is in airband with me. He is a really nice guy. Reed is my dance partner in Airband. He is a music major and he is an all around nice guy. We have been hanging out alot lately and i'm glad that we are becoming good friends.
Anyway, on the way back from Payne's i talked to Reed's girlfriend (she goes to DePauw) and found out that she is in Muncie this week. We are all going to go out on Thursday night, after airband, to meet her. I'm so excited. I am sure she is going to be such a sweet girl, and I've heard so much about her, i feel like i already know her.
Well, after we got back, i decided to finally go to the union. I went and i decided to read for pleasure instead of for school...such a nice break. I have started "Till We Have Faces" by C.S. lewis. It is alright so far, we'll see.
Tomorrow is the Habitat Blitz Build. We will be putting up the walls and roof for Denise Morris's house! I'm so excited. I'll get over there about 1, after people will have already been there since 8, and then i'll leave around 4 because i am going on another Pick-A-Date saturday night. I am going with my friend Harry's friend. He doesn't actually go to the schoool, and apparently he's kind of awkward, but apparently people think i can handle the awkward guys.....so i always get stuck with them. haha. No, it'll be fun. Harry is going with a girl from my wing, Sarah...so i'll have people to talk to. PLUS, Jordan will be there with his date, and I know some other Sammy 2 guys because they are in Airband with us. Anyway, we are going to some boy from their wing's house to eat and play games, then we are going to a haunted corn maze....OH the fun that can be had in rural Indiana. haha. i love it.
OH, in other big news, I made the front page of the Marion Chronicle Newspaper. HAH. I wish i had a copy. But, basically i was sitting at the table for volunteer sign-ups for the blitz build and a guy wanted to take candids of my and my friend Andrew (co-director of our Habitat chapter)..so he did. and our lovely mugs graced all of Blackford County's morning newspapers. haha. loving it.
K. time for bed...SO much to do tomorrow. ESPECIALLY since billy bubenik is in town visiting maggie...so i am gonna try to have breakfast with him.. UGH. i need a phone. desperately.....ESPECIALLY since i will be going to Chicago soon! oh man. I have to have one for that.
Parents...please overnight me one! But, i HAVE to keep the same number...it is imperative.
I have a wonderful time with these people. Darla is a friend from CRAM, and she is such a doll. I am glad we've been hanging out alot more lately. She and i had a dinner date the other night that lasted circa one hour. It was great. Jordan is a boy who is in airband with me. He is a really nice guy. Reed is my dance partner in Airband. He is a music major and he is an all around nice guy. We have been hanging out alot lately and i'm glad that we are becoming good friends.
Anyway, on the way back from Payne's i talked to Reed's girlfriend (she goes to DePauw) and found out that she is in Muncie this week. We are all going to go out on Thursday night, after airband, to meet her. I'm so excited. I am sure she is going to be such a sweet girl, and I've heard so much about her, i feel like i already know her.
Well, after we got back, i decided to finally go to the union. I went and i decided to read for pleasure instead of for school...such a nice break. I have started "Till We Have Faces" by C.S. lewis. It is alright so far, we'll see.
Tomorrow is the Habitat Blitz Build. We will be putting up the walls and roof for Denise Morris's house! I'm so excited. I'll get over there about 1, after people will have already been there since 8, and then i'll leave around 4 because i am going on another Pick-A-Date saturday night. I am going with my friend Harry's friend. He doesn't actually go to the schoool, and apparently he's kind of awkward, but apparently people think i can handle the awkward guys.....so i always get stuck with them. haha. No, it'll be fun. Harry is going with a girl from my wing, Sarah...so i'll have people to talk to. PLUS, Jordan will be there with his date, and I know some other Sammy 2 guys because they are in Airband with us. Anyway, we are going to some boy from their wing's house to eat and play games, then we are going to a haunted corn maze....OH the fun that can be had in rural Indiana. haha. i love it.
OH, in other big news, I made the front page of the Marion Chronicle Newspaper. HAH. I wish i had a copy. But, basically i was sitting at the table for volunteer sign-ups for the blitz build and a guy wanted to take candids of my and my friend Andrew (co-director of our Habitat chapter)..so he did. and our lovely mugs graced all of Blackford County's morning newspapers. haha. loving it.
K. time for bed...SO much to do tomorrow. ESPECIALLY since billy bubenik is in town visiting maggie...so i am gonna try to have breakfast with him.. UGH. i need a phone. desperately.....ESPECIALLY since i will be going to Chicago soon! oh man. I have to have one for that.
Parents...please overnight me one! But, i HAVE to keep the same number...it is imperative.
10.11.2007
Its a first.
First all-nighter was pulled tonight. My friend Brian and i did homework in the Prayer Chapel all night. It was all fine, until some woman walked in in her pajamas at 5:30 to do her morning devos...that was a bit embarassing. but now we are sitting, waiting, wishing for breakfast to open so we can make waffles. YUM. i cant wait. AND i am so wide awake. i'm like..lovin life right now.
hah i was made for college.
hah i was made for college.
10.10.2007
Here We go again...hopefully
First intramural soccer gam today. 5-0. We win. I scored once. Hopefully this is gonna be the trend for our intramural sports teams on 2nd East. Last year we won soccer. I think we'll do it again. Repeat champs. I love it.
Frustration.
I despise my Fit for Life class. The plan is to pass with a C. Which is fine, because it is one credit hour and means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. ALSO...it is impossible. ALSO...it is at 8am. I hate worthless classes that are required by some arbitrary board of college education. Its just a health class...for college students. I suppose i deserve it though, since i somehow dodged out of health class for high school.
On another sad note...
I poured my heart into a paper that i originally had no desire to write. I started out not wanting to write it..then got really passionate..and i wrote an amazing paper. We were given the vague instructions to "Give our biblical foundation for our view on abortion." No rubric. No specific details. However, i got inspired and wrote a four page paper (as compared to the 1 pagers of my peers). Upon receiving my grade, i became extremely frustrated with the 6/10 that i received as compared to my friend's 8/10. I worked hard and wrote the paper creatively..she cited random verses. I have no doubt that her paper wasgood, but it was probably virtuallythe same as everyon elses. LAME. I will post my paper...and then i will post his critique of it. Keep in mind that he NEVER gave us specific instructions.
On another sad note...
I poured my heart into a paper that i originally had no desire to write. I started out not wanting to write it..then got really passionate..and i wrote an amazing paper. We were given the vague instructions to "Give our biblical foundation for our view on abortion." No rubric. No specific details. However, i got inspired and wrote a four page paper (as compared to the 1 pagers of my peers). Upon receiving my grade, i became extremely frustrated with the 6/10 that i received as compared to my friend's 8/10. I worked hard and wrote the paper creatively..she cited random verses. I have no doubt that her paper wasgood, but it was probably virtuallythe same as everyon elses. LAME. I will post my paper...and then i will post his critique of it. Keep in mind that he NEVER gave us specific instructions.
An Argument from Creation: A Biblical Stance on Abortion
I am an artist. I love to create things. Whether I’m doodling in my notebooks, creatively writing, or making beautiful cards out of scrapbooking paper, creating brings me extreme pleasure. Nothing bothers me more, however, than when people tamper with my work because they don’t like it, because they don’t understand it, or because it is not what they want at that time. I acknowledge that sometimes my work ends up flawed, sometimes it doesn’t speak to a person in the way it speaks to others, and sometimes it affects people in ways that may hurt for a time, but that is the nature of artwork. Art is not always a happy thing. A creator creates not only so that everyone will be aesthetically pleased, but also aesthetically challenged. The problem is that many times those who are perceiving the work of art don’t always understand that, they don’t always see that the art is not only beautiful if it affects them in pleasant ways—even it if is difficult to behold, the art can still be beautiful. The art is not dependent on the person experiencing it. I would even go as far as to say that no one will ever understand my creations fully—no one will ever understand the creation to the extent that the creator does. The artwork is its own entity, not bound by the adjectives that people use to describe it. The Bible, for instance, is a piece of art. Just because some perceive it as inconvenient, out-of-date, far too challenging, or somehow flawed does not detract from the inherent beauty and creativity in the Book. It is the truth and goodness in the book that give it its beauty, not the reactions of those who may be challenged in uncomfortable ways by it. By this time, I am sure that you understand the allegory I wish to make—Each person, along with being a creator, is also a creation. This, of course, assumes that man is created by something, a creative someone. This paper assumes that God is the creative being that mysteriously crafts all that is in this world. I will make no attempt in this paper to prove that God is the creator, but I will attempt to show the relationship that a creator has to his creation.
Before an artist even begins to create, there is a certain amount of time, energy, and thought that goes into planning and preparing to perform the creative act. When I write a paper, I decide the nature of the paper, my desire for its effect, and the mode of delivery long before I pen a single word. In the same way, God has had a plan for each part of His creation far in advance to its actual arrival on earth. In the book of Jeremiah, God speaks to his prophet, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah responds to the Lord, telling him that he feels quite inadequate for the job, but the Lord rebukes him. It was always in His will for Jeremiah to fill that role, even before he was in his mother’s womb. God had a plan for Jeremiah. So too, God has a plan for each one before his conception. Could God have spoken to Judah in a different way, through a different person? Yes. But He did not will that; it was not a part of His divine plan. And since we know not God’s plan, how could we justify ending a life for which we are unsure of the great impact it could have on a singular life or many lives? In the same way, I become frustrated when, not knowing the impact it may have, a person squashes my idea for a piece of art. Who are they to stop my creation in the beginning stages, before its energy and power can clearly be seen? Why can’t I, based on my faithfulness in creating beautiful things in the past, be trusted to create something beautiful in the future? And, even more so with God. God, a perfect entity, can only be expected to create something that fits into His will and plan for creation. I make mistakes in my creation. He does not.
Though God does not make mistakes, we as humans are fallen beings. Sin has permeated our very being, proving our need for our perfect creator to draw us back into the nature He intended for us. Not only we as humans, but also the natural order of things has been corrupted. Paul, when speaking about the “thorn in his flesh,” some malady that has plagued him for a large part of his life, proclaims that “for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Though sin, and deformation of the good of this world is often overwhelming, God’s power is made perfect in the deficiency of this world. This applies to every area of life—the intentionality of life as well. Inadvertent pregnancy, deformation, pregnancy as a result of rape, etc. are all sad manifestations of evil incarnate in this world. However, running the risk of sounding severely trite and cliché—“two wrongs don’t make a right.” God still created that child, and that child is still a part of His divine plan, whether the creation was conceived in sinful circumstances or in the way God intended, the child is now a part of His supernatural plan for the redemption of this world, a work of art in His intentional gallery.
In the Plato’s Phaedo, the main character, Socrates, discusses life and death with two of his disciples. They pose a question about suicide and whether or not it should be considered immoral. Plato, through the mouth of Socrates, explains that the taking of one’s life is analogous to one’s possession deciding to destroy itself, without consulting its owner. This is an appeal to divine ownership. No man is his own. If one does not bring something into being, then one should not take it out of being. Not only is this an argument against suicide, but also it is an argument against abortion. Just because a child resides within your womb, does not mean that the child is yours. God is the great designer, the great artist. To take one of His pieces of art out of existence is to defame the name of God, to proclaim that His design is purposeless and flawed which is very untrue and shows a severe lack of trust in His perfect plan.
I am an artist. I love to create things. Whether I’m doodling in my notebooks, creatively writing, or making beautiful cards out of scrapbooking paper, creating brings me extreme pleasure. Nothing bothers me more, however, than when people tamper with my work because they don’t like it, because they don’t understand it, or because it is not what they want at that time. I acknowledge that sometimes my work ends up flawed, sometimes it doesn’t speak to a person in the way it speaks to others, and sometimes it affects people in ways that may hurt for a time, but that is the nature of artwork. Art is not always a happy thing. A creator creates not only so that everyone will be aesthetically pleased, but also aesthetically challenged. The problem is that many times those who are perceiving the work of art don’t always understand that, they don’t always see that the art is not only beautiful if it affects them in pleasant ways—even it if is difficult to behold, the art can still be beautiful. The art is not dependent on the person experiencing it. I would even go as far as to say that no one will ever understand my creations fully—no one will ever understand the creation to the extent that the creator does. The artwork is its own entity, not bound by the adjectives that people use to describe it. The Bible, for instance, is a piece of art. Just because some perceive it as inconvenient, out-of-date, far too challenging, or somehow flawed does not detract from the inherent beauty and creativity in the Book. It is the truth and goodness in the book that give it its beauty, not the reactions of those who may be challenged in uncomfortable ways by it. By this time, I am sure that you understand the allegory I wish to make—Each person, along with being a creator, is also a creation. This, of course, assumes that man is created by something, a creative someone. This paper assumes that God is the creative being that mysteriously crafts all that is in this world. I will make no attempt in this paper to prove that God is the creator, but I will attempt to show the relationship that a creator has to his creation.
Before an artist even begins to create, there is a certain amount of time, energy, and thought that goes into planning and preparing to perform the creative act. When I write a paper, I decide the nature of the paper, my desire for its effect, and the mode of delivery long before I pen a single word. In the same way, God has had a plan for each part of His creation far in advance to its actual arrival on earth. In the book of Jeremiah, God speaks to his prophet, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah responds to the Lord, telling him that he feels quite inadequate for the job, but the Lord rebukes him. It was always in His will for Jeremiah to fill that role, even before he was in his mother’s womb. God had a plan for Jeremiah. So too, God has a plan for each one before his conception. Could God have spoken to Judah in a different way, through a different person? Yes. But He did not will that; it was not a part of His divine plan. And since we know not God’s plan, how could we justify ending a life for which we are unsure of the great impact it could have on a singular life or many lives? In the same way, I become frustrated when, not knowing the impact it may have, a person squashes my idea for a piece of art. Who are they to stop my creation in the beginning stages, before its energy and power can clearly be seen? Why can’t I, based on my faithfulness in creating beautiful things in the past, be trusted to create something beautiful in the future? And, even more so with God. God, a perfect entity, can only be expected to create something that fits into His will and plan for creation. I make mistakes in my creation. He does not.
Though God does not make mistakes, we as humans are fallen beings. Sin has permeated our very being, proving our need for our perfect creator to draw us back into the nature He intended for us. Not only we as humans, but also the natural order of things has been corrupted. Paul, when speaking about the “thorn in his flesh,” some malady that has plagued him for a large part of his life, proclaims that “for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Though sin, and deformation of the good of this world is often overwhelming, God’s power is made perfect in the deficiency of this world. This applies to every area of life—the intentionality of life as well. Inadvertent pregnancy, deformation, pregnancy as a result of rape, etc. are all sad manifestations of evil incarnate in this world. However, running the risk of sounding severely trite and cliché—“two wrongs don’t make a right.” God still created that child, and that child is still a part of His divine plan, whether the creation was conceived in sinful circumstances or in the way God intended, the child is now a part of His supernatural plan for the redemption of this world, a work of art in His intentional gallery.
In the Plato’s Phaedo, the main character, Socrates, discusses life and death with two of his disciples. They pose a question about suicide and whether or not it should be considered immoral. Plato, through the mouth of Socrates, explains that the taking of one’s life is analogous to one’s possession deciding to destroy itself, without consulting its owner. This is an appeal to divine ownership. No man is his own. If one does not bring something into being, then one should not take it out of being. Not only is this an argument against suicide, but also it is an argument against abortion. Just because a child resides within your womb, does not mean that the child is yours. God is the great designer, the great artist. To take one of His pieces of art out of existence is to defame the name of God, to proclaim that His design is purposeless and flawed which is very untrue and shows a severe lack of trust in His perfect plan.
That is the paper. Not amazingly good; not however, "D" worthy. I'm actually not so worried about the grade. I care increasingly less about grades. I am, though, very concerned with making sure my teacher understands that this IS my bibical foundation...though it is not citing numerous passages. It is the essence of my faith, comprised of MANY parts of the Bible, not just specific passages. Give me a break Dr. Moore.
Here was his response:
A biblical foundation requires that one use scripture to develop their understanding. In your paper, no citations were given for the scripture to be used. If scripture is used, then the context of the scripture needs to be taken into consideration as to the meaning of the passage. Thirdly, scripture is interpreted by scripture. Although you paper has an interesting approach to it, how do the passages you name translate into a foundational approach? I am missing the point!
Ugh. Maybe i'm way out of line, but i don't understand this critique. Not to mention, it was freaking 4 pages long. I obviously took time to relay my opinion and plan out my response. If for no other reason than because i obviously poured myself into this assignment, i feel i am deserving of something other than a D. Maybe its a talking to about my confidence with regard to my work.
Either way, there will be a confrontation tomorrow morning at 8:50am. And its not gonna be pretty--especially at that time in the morning.
10.07.2007
10.06.2007
Kid Pick A Date
So tonight i went on our Wing's pick a date. Since it was our first one as a wing, the sophomores picked the freshmen dates and it was a suprise. WELL, mine was named Taylor Barclay..and he was nice, and he was from Mission Viejo, California. He knew where i lived when i told him Antonio and O'neil.
What the HECK? hah. go figure..theres about 5 people on campus from california. that woudl happen to me.
phone=still missing.
mom and dad..i hope you read this. i really do love you...and i'm not ignoring you.. i'm going crazy without a phone.
What the HECK? hah. go figure..theres about 5 people on campus from california. that woudl happen to me.
phone=still missing.
mom and dad..i hope you read this. i really do love you...and i'm not ignoring you.. i'm going crazy without a phone.
10.05.2007
2 things. and maybe more.
I'll start with the bad news:
1. Still haven't found my phone. There are 2 problems with this.... I LOST ALL MY NUMBERS AND THEREFORE CAN"T CALL PEOPLE and also that my room phone does not make long distance calls OUT. I can, however, recieve calls in my room, but only RECIEVE. So that means i have to be in my room when you call me. Which stinks, because i'm not usually in my room for more than a small amount of time. So, if you would like to call me, we must prearrange a time for me to be in the room, and you to call me.
Here is the good news:
2. I GOT A JOB...in the admissions office! I will be working doing data entry for about 10 hours a week. It is temporary, through December at least, that is. Thats good because that will mean about 60 dollars a week...which will really help since i'm scared i will run out of money before even spring break. OH my.
Anyway, this is a list of what i am now involved in here at Tay Tay:
1. my new job
2. intramural football, and next week, soccer.
3. airband
4. student activities coordinator for my wing (planner of wing events/open houses)
5. spring break assistant for Habitat for Humanity.
I love it. love love love it.
PS you may email me. i love getting emails.
Annie_Dimond@taylor.edu
Anniedimond@mac.com
1. Still haven't found my phone. There are 2 problems with this.... I LOST ALL MY NUMBERS AND THEREFORE CAN"T CALL PEOPLE and also that my room phone does not make long distance calls OUT. I can, however, recieve calls in my room, but only RECIEVE. So that means i have to be in my room when you call me. Which stinks, because i'm not usually in my room for more than a small amount of time. So, if you would like to call me, we must prearrange a time for me to be in the room, and you to call me.
Here is the good news:
2. I GOT A JOB...in the admissions office! I will be working doing data entry for about 10 hours a week. It is temporary, through December at least, that is. Thats good because that will mean about 60 dollars a week...which will really help since i'm scared i will run out of money before even spring break. OH my.
Anyway, this is a list of what i am now involved in here at Tay Tay:
1. my new job
2. intramural football, and next week, soccer.
3. airband
4. student activities coordinator for my wing (planner of wing events/open houses)
5. spring break assistant for Habitat for Humanity.
I love it. love love love it.
PS you may email me. i love getting emails.
Annie_Dimond@taylor.edu
Anniedimond@mac.com
10.03.2007
remember when...
i said that yesterday was the best day of my life? that was a lie. or really an uninformed assertion. today is actually the best. we beat the off campus team in the championship football game.. AND we get to play in the "backyard brawl" against Indiana Wesleyan's championship team. We were down by 6 with 2 minutes left. i caught the touchdown and extra point passes. it was a beautiful thing.
i would give more details...except that i find it hard to type due to the fact that i sprained my thumb, not in the game mind you, after the game, during the celebration.
i will post pictures of our championship team as soon as i can get them.
Since i've never been high, i am just assuming that this is what it feels like. I am so so so happy right now. haha.
i would give more details...except that i find it hard to type due to the fact that i sprained my thumb, not in the game mind you, after the game, during the celebration.
i will post pictures of our championship team as soon as i can get them.
Since i've never been high, i am just assuming that this is what it feels like. I am so so so happy right now. haha.
2 hours.
In two hours i will participate in the biggest game of my life. I can' t think about anything else. I can't read for my Philosophy class. I couldn't eat lunch. I can do nothing but think about this game. If we win we will play against Indiana Wesleyan's championship team. This is a big deal. BIG DEAL.
OH and finally my package got here today, it came in a second mail trip. SO, before i knew they came, i asked my friend to bring me his cleats. So now i have 2 pairs to choose from. His are actual football cleats though, so i think i will use those. Much more intimidating.
AH. we have to win this game.
OH and finally my package got here today, it came in a second mail trip. SO, before i knew they came, i asked my friend to bring me his cleats. So now i have 2 pairs to choose from. His are actual football cleats though, so i think i will use those. Much more intimidating.
AH. we have to win this game.
Best day of my life.
yesterday..into the wee hours of the night. Best day of my life, officially. thus far. I don't have a lot of time to relay all the details but suffice it to say:
1. We were one of 8 airband groups to make it into the final performance....out of 18. The seniors didn't even make it. that has never happened before.
2. We won our semi final football game. I had 3 touchdowns and an interception. It was beautiful.
3. I am now the official Spring Break coordinator for Habitat for Humanity. I could not be more excited. This is a perfect position for me, a combination of people and planning/working towards a tangible goal. SO great.
Anyway, championship game is today...we are playing the only team we ever lost to...and my cleats still aren't here. UGH. ALSO, its raining, and we lost to them in the rain last time. Its ok though, we won't lose this time.
Thats all for now. time for chapel.
1. We were one of 8 airband groups to make it into the final performance....out of 18. The seniors didn't even make it. that has never happened before.
2. We won our semi final football game. I had 3 touchdowns and an interception. It was beautiful.
3. I am now the official Spring Break coordinator for Habitat for Humanity. I could not be more excited. This is a perfect position for me, a combination of people and planning/working towards a tangible goal. SO great.
Anyway, championship game is today...we are playing the only team we ever lost to...and my cleats still aren't here. UGH. ALSO, its raining, and we lost to them in the rain last time. Its ok though, we won't lose this time.
Thats all for now. time for chapel.
10.01.2007
Football, Airband, Stick'em
Today was our first game of playoffs. We won. We are now 8-1 and if we win the next game we are in the championships. WOOO. My knees are officially getting TORN up. I think that knee replacement is iminent.
Tonight is airband tryouts. OOh i'm not nervous but i'm so excited because i got the set built and it looks pretty good. AND hopefully we get in because i love the people that we are dancing with. Its so fun and i've made some great friends through this West Side Story Medley. Tonight. 9:30. It goes down.
ALL DAY, and ALL WEEK...we are playing a game with our brother floor called "Stick 'em". Its like a game of tag but you don't know who is it. Everyone has someone elses name, and whoever is on your card you try to tag...here are the rules:
Stick Em Starts Monday (midnight of Sunday).Objective:Tag the person on your slip of paper. Girls start w/ a guy, and vice versa. Since there are a few more girls, some girls have a girl (so be careful).Once you tag him/her, get the slip he/she has.Get as many people as you can.Safe zones:People can only be tagged outside of buildings (on campus).Off-campus is fair game, in buildings and outside.Handles of buildings count as safe. Applies to on campus only. Chapel attendance is mandatory.Intermurals are safe (for players and coaches only). This Includes going to and from intermuralsSports practices for atheletes are safe. Also includes to and from practice/gamesGame runs non-stop until Friday at chapel.The person with the most tags by Friday at chapel (and still a current player), wins.Good Luck Y'all. Let the paranoia begin.Also, word to the not so wise, Trust No One.
basically, its survival of the fittest in game form.
ALSO, note that i have been going for runs/walks from 1:30-3:00am. And i'm not tired, and i love life. However, my knees are, again, suffering from the harsh sidewalk.
ALSO, i'm all signed up for the Philsophy conference during fall break. I'm so excited to hear all the speakers AND to see all my wheaton friends. It will be wonderful.
Anyway, i gotta go get my "Stick'em". I have a friend who is going to lure him outside so that i can tag him. MWAHAHAHAH.
oh yes. my phone is gone. i haven't been able to find it for 3 days. So, sorry for not returning calls. My room number is 1-765-998-5084. You can call that.
love to all.
Tonight is airband tryouts. OOh i'm not nervous but i'm so excited because i got the set built and it looks pretty good. AND hopefully we get in because i love the people that we are dancing with. Its so fun and i've made some great friends through this West Side Story Medley. Tonight. 9:30. It goes down.
ALL DAY, and ALL WEEK...we are playing a game with our brother floor called "Stick 'em". Its like a game of tag but you don't know who is it. Everyone has someone elses name, and whoever is on your card you try to tag...here are the rules:
Stick Em Starts Monday (midnight of Sunday).Objective:Tag the person on your slip of paper. Girls start w/ a guy, and vice versa. Since there are a few more girls, some girls have a girl (so be careful).Once you tag him/her, get the slip he/she has.Get as many people as you can.Safe zones:People can only be tagged outside of buildings (on campus).Off-campus is fair game, in buildings and outside.Handles of buildings count as safe. Applies to on campus only. Chapel attendance is mandatory.Intermurals are safe (for players and coaches only). This Includes going to and from intermuralsSports practices for atheletes are safe. Also includes to and from practice/gamesGame runs non-stop until Friday at chapel.The person with the most tags by Friday at chapel (and still a current player), wins.Good Luck Y'all. Let the paranoia begin.Also, word to the not so wise, Trust No One.
basically, its survival of the fittest in game form.
ALSO, note that i have been going for runs/walks from 1:30-3:00am. And i'm not tired, and i love life. However, my knees are, again, suffering from the harsh sidewalk.
ALSO, i'm all signed up for the Philsophy conference during fall break. I'm so excited to hear all the speakers AND to see all my wheaton friends. It will be wonderful.
Anyway, i gotta go get my "Stick'em". I have a friend who is going to lure him outside so that i can tag him. MWAHAHAHAH.
oh yes. my phone is gone. i haven't been able to find it for 3 days. So, sorry for not returning calls. My room number is 1-765-998-5084. You can call that.
love to all.
9.28.2007
What a Week.
I love philosophy. The highlight of my week was taking my test in History of Philosophy. I honestly didn't want to turn my test in because i wanted to write on it for hours. I wish everyone was as excited about there major as i am. I really think that people should be. If you aren't doing what you love, why do it at all? Sure, I am an idealist, but i don't really care to be a realist. Especially when the "reality" is telling me that i have to get a good job, or be a good wife for my hard working husband so that we can have kids and send them to good schools to prepare them for college so that they can get the right degree so that they can get that high-paying job so that they can provide a good education for their kids (my grandkids), so that they can get the right degree and the right job so that they can continue on this never-ending, falsely rewarding cycle. How about enjoying the process for a second? The enjoyment in learning is worth FAR more to me than the paycheck i wind up with in a few years. I'll be happy living paycheck to paycheck, especially when i realize that the people who are unhappily living paycheck to paycheck are the ones who still have a desire to advance themselves in that economic way. I don't. I'd rather advance myself in a love and live way. I'm such hippie. And i love it.
When people ask me my major, and then ask me what i plan to do with it... I've taken to this answer,
"I'm going to live."
The confused faces that follow are enough to prove to me that that is EXACTLY what i should do. If people are so confused by that statement, it is obvious that there aren't enough people who do that. So i am joing the few, the ones who learn so that they can live to enjoy learning.
On a sidenote, tomorrow I am going Garage Saling with Grant (samanthas best friend) and probably Samantha if she gets back from the Christian Ed. retreat in time to hit the sales early with us.
Things to look for:
-A bike for transport.
-Accessories for the room.
-Old scrapbooking materials.
-Sweet vintage clothes.
-A printer? ok maybe not. but i desperately need one.
Also tomorrow i will build the set for airband, hopefully enough boys will show up with good work ethic. I just want it to be done. I think i am going to use my Habitat connections to ascertain power tools. HA. This is so reminiscient of Spirit week hallways at WCA. love it.
I love you all lots and lots and lots. ♥
When people ask me my major, and then ask me what i plan to do with it... I've taken to this answer,
"I'm going to live."
The confused faces that follow are enough to prove to me that that is EXACTLY what i should do. If people are so confused by that statement, it is obvious that there aren't enough people who do that. So i am joing the few, the ones who learn so that they can live to enjoy learning.
On a sidenote, tomorrow I am going Garage Saling with Grant (samanthas best friend) and probably Samantha if she gets back from the Christian Ed. retreat in time to hit the sales early with us.
Things to look for:
-A bike for transport.
-Accessories for the room.
-Old scrapbooking materials.
-Sweet vintage clothes.
-A printer? ok maybe not. but i desperately need one.
Also tomorrow i will build the set for airband, hopefully enough boys will show up with good work ethic. I just want it to be done. I think i am going to use my Habitat connections to ascertain power tools. HA. This is so reminiscient of Spirit week hallways at WCA. love it.
I love you all lots and lots and lots. ♥
9.23.2007
As Promised...
The Loathed Subject.
My Bulletin Board that keeps falling down. :(
Magnetic strip above my desk. Lots of pictures.
My desk. Notice the website that my computer is on.. :)
We ♥ Hobby Lobby fake flowers and real vases.
The Bulletin Board i constructed...for 3 hours...
And again.....
Our door.
Our door again.....
Our nameplates...
The full thing...I love it.
Those are my creative endevours for the last week. Love it. Love you all.
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