SB08

finally.

FINALLY.
I've been waiting for the day that I could honestly say, regarding my studies, "I'm done" (for now). Well, that day has arrived.

It is a magnificent day here in Upland, Indiana. I had zero classes . I found out that I got a 94% on a test I thought I failed. I looked (H)/(G)OOD for "be a baller" night (our sb08 team's kickoff event). I went for a walk with my dear friend Kristin. The weather is prime.

Altogether, a splediferous day.

In other news, we leave tomorrow morning for miami.


(i apologize, but this is exactly what comes to mind whenever i tell people where I'm going)
thanks, will.

Also, its midnightish, and i have't started to pack. If there is one thing in life that I would wish away, (after many a social injustice), it would be packing. I abhor it.

But, I will. And I will start now.
Check out what my team is up to via the blog that we have set up for our team (i'll be blogging for us, go figure, my obsession continues).

[SBO8 MIAMI BLOG]

i like to think AND i'm a girl.

Sometimes, i wish i had magic powers. I want to be able to get into peoples' (especially girls') heads to understand what exactly they are thinking. I happen to be a girl who doesn't emote frequently, and if i do it is about some idea i am passionate about. This cuts me off from the 95%of girls who gush, sob, giggle, and freak out about things that i may or may not think are silly. Here is my theory: girls give to social pressure to be that way. I will not deny the fact that girls are more emotional and what not, but I don't think that I can be the only one who just does not really care about how every situations makes me "feel." Yes, I have emotions. No, i don't portray them at the drop of a hat, let them get the best of me, or wear them on my sleeve. Perhaps I'm a bit stoic. But here is the thing, I've been told by numerous sources lately that i "act," "think," and "just are" different that most girls. Now, I understand that, and partially, i suppose, i have pursued that. However, one person told me that I think logically, and thus, am set apart from other women.

HOW SAD IS THAT, WOMEN?

I know that i may just be soapboxing it here, but come on. Analytic minds are not reserved for men. Why must emotions always win out over logical conclusions? Shouldn't emotions be the result of our logical conclusions(that way we know that they are properly placed)?

Now, understand, i get that i have a bias. I am a philosophy major, thinking is my great love. Maybe that is why i am writing this. I want to share something that i love with women that i love. I love taking myself out of situations, forgetting how they affect me, and concluding things based on an analytic study of the situation. Nerdy? perhaps...But, its ok because i hang out with kids who do rubix cubes all day long :P

All I'm saying is, try it. I know that girls like to be "girly" and whatever, but i also know that there are a lot more women out there who really don't have strong emotions about things but are compelled to have them and let everyone know, just because its the "girlish" thing to do. JUST STOP. Someone once told me that there are not that many things in this world that require very strong emotions. And i agree. You may have heard of the "proper ordering of loves", well I'm advocating the "proper expression of emotion". Emotion means something, we shouldn't dilute it by infusing every moment, decision, and conversation with some emotion that we feel should necessarily be there.

P.S. I'm not going to say that I don't think that this is a better way of handling life, because i think it is. I won't apologize for that, however, i will say that i haven't perfected the art (nor will i), and i do think that emotion needs to take a bigger role in my life...I'm just not sure where it fits in right now. I will start with "rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourning with those who mourn"...and I'll go from there.

What's your name?

I'm a name purist. That's right. I just adopted this phrase from a friend, because it quite accurately describes how i view names. At my school, nicknames are a huge deal. There are more nicknames on this campus than there are people (weird right?). I just don't like nicknames. I like referring to people by as full of a name as possible, names are an intimate thing. For example, lets say i have a friend named Johnathan Samuel, and everyone calls him John, or JS, or whatnot. I am going to want to call him Johnathan Samuel, not a syllable more, or less. For some reason i have this idea that by referring to someone by their real name, I am trying to deal with them closely, as a name is an intimate part of a person. The more of the name i say, the more of the person i wish to interact with? This, is entirely unfounded and when other people refer to their friends by nicknames, I'm ok with it, but i often fall into peer pressure (haha peer pressure to use nicknames...that's not something they teach you in D.A.R.E) and use the nickname. Well, I'm going to try to stop. now. I don't like it.

Let's analyze classic nicknames for a moment:
-The Last Name: Any variation. We see the full last name, the shortened last name, the chopped up last name, and the rhyming game with the last name. In any case, its not very personal. A first name is what sets a person apart from the rest of the "smiths" and the "joneses" of this world.

-The Hairstyle Name: Carrot Top. Curly. Pippi Longstocking. Think about it, have you ever known a hairstyle name that didn't end up completely defining a person? Be careful, these people may be proud of their hair, but you can't confine them too it. After all, They are NOT their hair. ("I am not my Hair" by: India.Arie. great song...its my theme song. Don't listen to the remix with Akon..not as good.)

-The "hey it was funny once" Name: You all know this name. The nickname that originated from some event, sometime in history, that some people were witnesses to, and somehow has permeated everyone's addresses towards this person. Fun for some, not for all. Not to mention, who wants to be called back to some embarrassing moment every time they are addressed? No one, that's who.

-The Initial Name: No matter who you are, you've been called by your initials. Unless you have really really sweet and rare initials...like "YZX", you shouldn't feel special. Think of how many other people have that very same set of initials.. a lot. (don't, however, think of how many people your name, because that number is probably pretty large too).

-The Generic Name- Heyyyyy "buckaroo", nice to see ya "partner." Yea. not personal. Kinda lame. Plus, who says buckaroo?

-The Body Part Name- "Big Foot" I mean, who even needs another example? Look how detrimental it was to him. I mean really, maybe if people were nicer when determining what they would call him, then he wouldn't have retreated to the woods to live a solitary existence.

I will, however, allow for names that define people's function, for purposeful use. For example: Mom, friend, lover, boss. These, in most cases, are acceptable.

I suppose it doesn't really matter what you call people because, on a much more serious note, its not their real name anyway. I can't wait to have my real name:

"...and I will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written, which man may know only if he receives it." Revelation 2:17

Anne Marie isn't my real name, He has a name that is precisely my name, i just can't have it yet, because I'm not really me yet. I love that when someone calls my name, it makes me aware that they are aware of me. To know that God is aware of the me that i have not become is a rather comforting thought. When He calls my real name I'm going to be aware of a me that I had been progressing towards, but hadn't yet reached, until then. I love it.

I wonder what my new name is going to be...I hope it is Sophie.

Manimal Crackers.

The titles says it all, really.

I wish they made them. It would also be a good way to curb/ween someone off of their cannibalistic tendencies. After a while of eating manimal crackers, you could switch to animal crackers..BOOM. you are healed of those tendencies, and animals start to look more appealing.

weird..i know, welcome to my mind.

Beauty Week.

First off, thank you women's ministry. This is a week that NEEDS to happen. For those of you that are unaware, as most who read this probably are, this week is Beauty Week at Taylor University. Most of the girls' wings are covering mirrors in the bathrooms and using these kinds of symbolic actions to start conversations about what real beauty is. Friday night, we had our wing "retreat" (the quotes mean that we didn't really go anywhere, we just stayed in our hallway--which was awesome). To start the evening, we were given a list of questions, there were 7 or 8, but i got stuck, and stayed awhile, on the first one--"What is beauty?" As a philosophy major, my first thought was that of my own opinion concerning Aesthetics. For a while i've spouted off, when asked this question, that beauty is the sum of an objects inherent truth and goodness. I was inclined to leave it at that, until I realiezed that i REALLY had no idea concept of what that meant, especially with regards to people. Here is what i journaled:

If beauty is a combination of one's inherent goodness and truth, then how do we become beautiful?

"I was beautiful, i suppose, originally, but now i'm rendered ugly by the fall. We've been told since we were little "you're special" and "you're beautiful"...but thats just not true. We can't be any of that, not if we believe the words of the Bible.

God is good. God is truth. I am not good. I am not truth.

Perhaps in drawing closer to that truth, found in the person of Jesus Christ, we move towards the good that God created us to be.

Christ in us is beautiful. Without his truth and a return to our lost goodness, we are not beautiful."

When i reflected on this tonight, i realized that we must, as women, as people, have a way to relate to others, knowing that they, themselves, are not beautiful, but instead that the love of Christ has given each person the opportunity to be beautiful. I started in Song of Solomon, and I found a verse that didn't sit right with me at first...

"All beautiful you are my darling, there is no flaw in you.." (S of S 4:7)
[As the lover speaks to the one he loves, he sees no flaw, not an accurate representation of how the woman really is...flawed. We have full knowledge of these flaws in that....

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." (Romans 3:23)
[This woman, who is seen as perfect, is really not. Perhaps she is seen this way because...

"Above all, love eachother deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins..."(1 Peter 4:8)
[It is the the love that this man has for this woman that makes him see her as flawless, without sin. Not unlike how...

"God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us..." (Romans 5:8)
[Ergo, God's love for us, makes us beautiful.]


We are called to be like Jesus, so who are we to exclude people from the title "beautiful"? Our love for people affirms their beauty. Affirming their beauty, however, is not loving them. Affirming the beauty of the one who has, by his love, made them beautiful, and reflecting that love, does, in turn, affirm a person's beauty.

Who are we to emphasize the beauty of creation, and not the creator?

Another thought that i had, rather platonic in nature, i suppose, was that the beauty we cling to is such a shadow. As in Plato's allegory of the cave, we know only the representation of something much more real. Women, and men too, will strive and strive for all that they think is "beautiful," when in actuality, they are grasping at shadows that point to the greater beauty that is to be found in Jesus. Shadows, by nature, only point to something more. If you see a shadow of beauty and work feverishly to attain it, you might. The problem lies in the fact that we don't understand that as much as we try to attain the beauty found in the shadow, its not the real deal. It points to something that we don't have. We will always fall short of what we strive for. It is important to use the shadow to understand the real object of beauty, but contentment will never be found in the shadow. Basically, good luck trying to become beautiful on your own, because if you do "succeed,"you won't be happy. Or, i suppose you may be "happy," but thats just a shadow of joy. :) And on and on it goes, living a shadowy life, never attaining the fullness that life was intended for.

[and again, i've landed on the topic of shadows and copies]


Well, thats it for now. I apologize in advance for the way i will look this week, no mirrors will do things to your appearance. No, actually, i take back that apology, maybe i'm going to, in fact, make it easier to see my beauty this week. :) Maybe, it will be easier to see all of Olson Hall's beauty this week.

My Kantstant companion.

Yes. If you didn't glean from the title all that i wished you would, let me explain: Lots of Kant, all the time. While other philosophers only get one week in my history of philosophy class, Kant gets two, and its in this second week that i have finally found something profound. Ha. Just kidding, but really, though i don't agree with a lot of his philosophy, i do know that all truth is God's and thus when i find morsels and pockets of truth, i get excited... So here is tonight's' truth:

"Imitation has no place in morality. Examples serve us only for encouragement--that is, they set beyond doubt the practicability of what the law commands; they make perceptible what the practical law expresses more generally; but they can never entitle us to set aside their true original, which resides in reason, and to model ourselves upon examples."

Honestly, i don't like it, and probably don't agree with it in the context he used it. He is discussing moral philosophy, and the fact that empiricism will not lead us to the laws of morality, only reason will do that.

However, i couldn't help but think of it in a different context as i read it, replacing words, to form a different, but similar idea... Here is the Annie version:

"Imitation [of Christians] has no place in Christianity. Examples [of christlikeness] serve us only for encouragement--that is, they set beyond doubt the practicability of what Christ commands; these people make perceptible what it is that Christ expresses; but these people can never entitle us to set aside the original, which resides in Christ, and to model ourselves after them, the examples."


I don't know how many of you read this blog religiously (hopefully not many), but a few weeks ago i mentioned that i don't like cheap copies (2.16.08)...I knew didn't, but now i further understand why. Its easy to fall prey to believing, trusting, and following examples. But why do that? Examples are just that, examples--copies of something more true, copies of something better, copies of something more beautiful. So, when the good, the true, and the beautiful are at our fingertips, why reach for something else that is trying to imitate them. That's just silly. Hopefully I'm getting less and less silly as i get older.

My main concern is found within the Christian community. You all know those people--the ones you, and I, are trying to imitate. I would mention names, but being that all of you are from different circles, they would mean nothing to you. On a larger, and less applicable scale, its the Billy Grahams, the David Crowders, the Mother Thereas. I think that, however, the fact that we've made them celebrities makes a desire to emmulate them less pervasive, however, the people who we admire on a day to day basis in our lives, may it be siblings, friends, aqaintences, it is these people that we often desire to become like. Great examples. Great examples. Why do we, why do i, have such a compelling desire to become like these people. Its funny that in a world in which everyone is trying to "find themselves," we fall prey to copying copies. How unoriginal. I have to constantly remind myself that only in pursuit of Christ will i become who I truly am (a person that i do not yet know). A copy doesn't lead me to me, He leads me to me.



"For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is n ipart will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then we shall see face to face. Now i know in part, but then I shall be fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:9-12

My Life Should be a TV show.

Let me give you a little background on the story I'm about to tell you:

Sometime around September I was playing intramural soccer. My friend was an intramural supervisor. I lost my shoes and so he took me to the Intramural shed to find them. The shoes were not found, however, there was a sweet pair of OSU beaver soccer pants. I mentioned my extreme liking for the pants, and my friend told me to go ahead and take them, as they had been in the shed for a year, at least. I did. I took the pants. They became my favorite pants. I wore them all over campus, all the time. I have worn them to and from soccer, volleyball, dodgeball, and basketball intramurals. I wear them to sleep. I wear them to study. I wear them to dinner.... Which brings me to tonight:

I, being rather dehydrated, walked to go get a cup of water and ran into my friend brad. We talked for a while, standing next to lots of tables full of lots of boys. I got my water and went to sit back down. No sooner had i picked up my water to take a drink, did a boy stride up to our table, stick out his hand and say, "hi, i'm nate, are you annie?". I, of course, answered honestly, "yes, I'm annie, nice to meet you nate." He replied, rather quickly, "well annie, you're wearing my pants." I unabashedly replied, "well, let me tell you how i got them," to which he retorted, "let me tell you how i lost them." He proceeded to tell me a sad tale of how one day, a year an a half ago, he went to work out, took off the pants, and returned to find them missing. I assured him that this theft was not my doing, in that i only arrived at Taylor in the fall. He said he believed me, and i then told him how i really came across the pants (see above). He said, "alright, well, i want them back." I told him that i could arrange it, but that it would have to wait, as i wasn't about to take off my pants in the middle of the Dining Commons--a rather witty remark, i must say. He said he could wait. As soon as he left, i became enraged. I love the pants. I want to keep the pants. The girls at my table made funny "in his pants" jokes and we laughed and decided i should try to make him PROVE that they were his pants. So, i went over and discussed the probability that out of the many pants that were probably manufactured in this exact nature, that these were, in fact, his pants. He told me that they were one of a kind, a gift from his friend who is a Beaver from Oregon State. I offered to buy them, too much sentimental value attached i suppose. All in all, i have to give the pants back. However, on my last night with the pants, the girls from my wing decided to chronicle the life of these pants since the fall. About 40 girls have taken pictures in the pants, doing various daily tasks (i.e. running, showering, baking, cleaning, doing the splits, taking a nap, etc).

I'm glad this happened. Life is so funny, and i love it.

Besides all that, I went snowboarding this weekend and it was ridiculously fun, but as a result i am immensely sore. Its hard to sit. Its hard to walk. Its hard to carry a bag. It's hard to shut car doors. Its hard to get up. Basically, my body aches. But, i would be willing to go through all this pain again, as long as i get to be a good snowboarder. This is a pic of our group and the next picture is one of me and my friend Andrew taking a picture i have always wanted to take--on a ski lift!

Fun weekend, funny night. (pictures of the pants to come later.)

Dear Hinduism, Your gods are not my God.

Well, the campaign was a success, I am now class president.

But, in more exciting news, I adored my homework tonight. In my world religions:eastern tradition class we were asked to read sections of the Rig Veda, Upanishads, and Gita (Hindu holy books) and to reflect on them. To preface this story, let me just say that when my class went on a field trip to a Hindu temple, the constant theme of their service was discovering points of similarity between Hinduism and other religions in order to prove that we all serve the same God. Not true...but especially not true after i read their texts. I compared the Hindu gods and ideas to the God and ideas of the Bible. So, if you ever doubt that we serve a radically different God than that of the Hindu population, think about this:

[Hindu gods]

Agni- Priest and Minister of Sacrifice
Our God- Hebrews 7:27, "Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered Himself."

Agni offers sacrifices again and again, for they are never sufficient. Our god is an eternal and lasting sacrifice, once was enough.

Vayu- Drinks of Soma (a life giving liquid)
Our God- John 4:13-14, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Vayu depends on a drink to give him life. Our God offers a drink that will eternally quench our thirst.

Asvins- Deities of light, bringing the sun, or physical light.
Our God- John 12:46, "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should stay in Darkness."

The Asvins bring light daily a physical light. Our God brought an eternal light to the world so that we never have to remain in darkness.

Indra- Gains strength from worship, seems to be dependent on lauds
Our God- Psalm 21:13, "Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength; we will sing and praise your might."

Indra's strength is dependent on the praises of her followers. Our God's power is manifest and causes us to worship; we do not worship to give Him this power.

[Hindu Ideas]

Upanishads: "In the beginning there was that which is, one only, without a second..."
The Bible: John 1:1-2 "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God, and all things were made through Him."

Upanishads: Trinity=Fire/Water/Earth. Impersonal elements of the universe.
The Bible: Matthew 28:19, "Therefore, go and make disciples of the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." Personal essence of the universe, manifested in 3 beings.

Upanishads: In the subtle essence, which man does not perceive, exists the Divine Self.
The Bible: Romans 1:19-20, "What may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."

Gita: "Freedom from the bondage of life comes by the doing of one's duty."
The Bible: Ephesians 2:8-9, "For it is by Grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast."


Don't try to tell me we worship the same God, because we don't:

I worship the High priest that has eternally interceded for me. You worship a high priest that must sacrifice daily, whose sacrifices are not eternally sufficient.

I worship a God who supplies the living water. You worship a god who must drink the living water.

I worship a God who has has cast out spiritual darkness. You worship a god who brings a physical light.

I worship my God because of His strength. You worship your god to supply his strength.

I believe that in the beginning there was an Order, a Logos, A word, who communed with God and out of proper credit, brought a world into existence out of nothing to glorify Him. You believe that there was something in the beginning, that which is, and somehow, that which is has now become that which is (again?).

I believe that there is a triune God who is personal and endears me to Himself. You believe that there is fire, water, and earth which is the entirety of the universe.

I believe that what can be known about God has been made plain to me through what He has made. You believe that in the subtle essence, which cannot be perceived, exists the divine self. (I would query as to how you can know that, if it can't be perceived.)

I believe that I have been saved by grace, as I cannot save myself. You believe that freedom lies in the doing of your duties.


All I mean to say is this, you may believe what you want, but don't pretend that we believe in the same God, for He is the giver of life, His grace abounds, and His divine nature and eternal power have been clearly seen since the beginning of time.

Update.

Dear Fam, We haven't talked lately. Just to letyou in on a small detail concerning my life: I'm running for class president. Reed, Vice President. Mark, Treasurer. Darla, Secretary. We loved our life taking these pictures. AnnieReedMarkDarla. ARMD. "Doing anything but blending in." Hah. Love it.

We have fun.

Saturday in Huntington.

I had a great day with two friends. We decided that we get a bit claustrophobic here at taylor and can't work all that well on our homework in this environment. So, we took a little road trip to this sweet coffee shop in Huntington "Coffee D'vine." For history of Philosophy right now we are reading Leibniz, and about his "windowless monads" and well, i hate it. It turns out I only like to read things i agree with and that are stylistically pleasing, unfortuately, Leibniz provides neither. However, our studies were bookended by conversation filled, 40-minute car rides. Just the kind of thing i like. In one of the conversations, i stumbled upon a realization about myself:



I don't like cheap copies

for healing.
for friendship.
for church.
for art.
for sugar.
for ideas.
for words.
for architechture.
for usage of freedom.


Not only do i not do i not like them, but i'm often painfully aware of them.

This may mean nothing to you, its just something about myself i needed to document for posterity's sake.