mercredi 31 mars 2004
These are a few of my favourite things...
Inspired by Dave's wonderful list entitled "Who Reads What", I decided to make a list of some of the books that have changed either my heart, soul, or mind these last few years:
- A Skeleton in God's Closet by Paul L. Maier
- Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology by Gregory A. Boyd and Paul R. Eddy
- Bamboo and Lace by Lori Wick
- Edge of Eternity by Randy Alcorn
- He Chose the Nails by Max Lucado
- Jesus Freaks: Stories of Those Who Stood for Jesus by dc Talk and the Voice of the Martyrs
- Making Choices: Practical Wisdom for Everyday Moral Decisions by Peter Kreeft
- Miracles by C.S. Lewis
- Money, Possessions and Eternity by Randy Alcorn
- Operation World: When We Pray God Works by Patrick Johnstone and Jason Mandryk
- Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A Reader edited by Ralph D. Winter and Steven C. Hawthorne
- Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
- Seven Myths about Christianity by Dale and Sandy Larsen
- Sharing the Truth in Love: The Uniqueness of Christ in an Anything-Goes World by Ajith Fernando
- Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer by J. Oswald Sanders
- The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus by Lee Strobel
- The Celtic Way of Evangelism: How Christianity Can Reach the West...Again by George G. Hunter III
- The Community of the Beloved Disciple: The Life, Loves, and Hates of an Individual Church in New Testament Times by Raymond E. Brown
- The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
- The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
These are just a few of the ones I have in my mind right now. And of course, the one book that has shaped my character, molded my mind, touched my heart, and changed my soul: The Holy Bible. You didn't think I'd leave that one out, did you? :)
Update: How could I forget fiction?!
Libellés : books
mardi 30 mars 2004
The traffic is stuck...
This has been my life lately: Procrastination at its worst, thanks to the power of the couch, resulting in me looking like this.
Anyways, I got a chance to see Jersey Girl tonight and it's absolutely the most blasphemous movie I've seen to date. I thought it was going to be a light-hearted comedy, but instead I got crude, sacrilegious junk. I do not recommend that anybody go see it. The only redeeming thing to come of it was the little girl who played Gertie, but even then the film was filled with much profanities (including the breaking of the 3rd majorly) where even some spewed from the little girl! Oh well Lissa, best four out of five, right?
I have a school production coming up. I've been asked to help with the tech but it's not with the usual crew I've worked with over the last few years. But here are some pros for doing the tech: more experience under my belt, free ticket, work with a different crew, learn in a new environment. And here are some pros for attending the show instead: no technical distractions, get to enjoy the show, really hear the music, be with my friends.
I have one day to decide. I wish I was more decisive.
Libellés : procrastination
lundi 29 mars 2004
Real live arts
This is exactly what I need.
I just love downtown. I used to live near there when I was younger and I was able to navigate its familiar streets for much of my life. Because my school was located downtown, my friends and I were there 24/7, making it our haven. There was always something neat to do: going to the central library, checking out the quirky record shops uptown, finding little independent t-shirt shops, eating from the food vendors along Stephen Ave, riding the train around for fun, hanging out at the Gardens, or just randomly walking around in no particular direction, knowing that around every corner was something that would be a new adventure. I miss those carefree days. (The only downfall is driving around in it, which I avoid doing so at all costs, but I'll attempt it again one day.)
"...Lift your gaze from the pavement
From the streets
That we've crossed a thousand times before
Dry your eyes
There are birds singing on lamp posts...
We were walking downtown yeah
My favourite part of town..."
- Copeland "Walking Downtown"
Running behind
Well, we had our first church services in the new building this weekend. And it was already packed, isn't that wonderful? I also went to a Leahy concert last night with my friend, which was fantastic. I've always loved listening to Celtic music so it was a real treat for me.
I'm currently catching up on all the schoolwork I've neglected over the last few weeks. I hope I can get it all done today but as usual, I'm such a procrastinator. I was supposed to help out with a concert tonight but I don't think that's plausible anymore. Just three more weeks of classes, I can survive it!
Libellés : church
samedi 27 mars 2004
'A personal journal record'
I found my prayer journal from grade twelve and it's both humbling and pretty neat going through it. I've never been one for much introspection, but I'm beginning to see that I need to examine myself and see what my priorities and loves in life are on a constant basis. I only kept this journal as part of a one-year Bible-reading program I did but I'm thankful I took enough time to do such a thing during one of the most pivotal years of my life. This is one of my favourite entries, mostly because I can definitely see God's hand in it:
Maundy Thursday
"May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed." - Psalm 20:4
I have learned that this will happen only if I seek God first and do not do anything [sic] according to what I want but rather what God wants. Regarding post-secondary education, God will make my plans succeed if I seek to do His will, so I'm going to learn more about Him and strengthen my knowledge and walk by going to Bible college.
Friendship
It is such a joy to have wonderful Christian friends who spur you onto deeper personal holiness. People who genuinely care about you and are willing to invest in your life. People who are concerned about things that affect you and see you through God's eyes. People who are just as excited as you are about where you'll be heading in the future. What a blessing :) I just love my friends and hope that I can be this type of person to them in return.
I love these proverbs about friendship:
"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." - Proverbs 17:17
"Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel." - Proverbs 27:9
"A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray." - Proverbs 12:26
By the way, thanks to Michelle for the referrals link!
jeudi 25 mars 2004
In a few weeks
Sorry, Safari users about the fact that my sidebar messes up my page. I do eventually want to get it compatible with all browsers, but because it's nearing the end of the semester and I'm behind in every single one of my classes, I won't be able to get around to it for a while. Just when I thought my work was done :) Nah, I don't mind doing whatever it takes to get this page loading fast and looking normal. It'll be worth it.
"Feels like summertime
Sun is shining on my face
Feels like summertime
Never want to leave this place
But if I can't go now
I know someday, somehow
You will take me there
Cast away my burdens
Take away my cares"
- Audio Adrenaline "Summertime"
It's beginning to feel like summer! Just a few more weeks of school, that's what I keep telling myself.
Gasp
Oh yuck yuck blehhg. Onomatopoeia can't do it justice. My blog looks horrible in the following browsers:
- Safari 1.2
- Opera 7.23
- Mozilla Fire Fox .8
- Internet Explorer 5.01
- Internet Explorer 5.5
The only one it looks fine in is the one I'm using: Internet Explorer 6.0. Apologies to everyone using anything but that. I had no idea my sidebar didn't even appear in a bunch of those. And I know my page is not CSS Validated at all. Earrrgh, good thing I didn't actually submit this in my resume.
Update: My resume is going to be 14 pages long. I'm wondering if that's impressive (read previous post before you think I'm out of my mind) because I included absolutely everything or if the people reading it would chuck it. I'd get bored if it were me, but then again, I didn't ask for a list-full of things that had to be included. I suppose then that these people are stuck with having to go through it all since they asked for it! :)
"It's all video, video, video. It's all video, video, video."
(Those are actual lines in this song below... it certainly fits my mood, that's all I've written about these hours!)
Libellés : blogging
mercredi 24 mars 2004
I am resuming from resumes
I'm currently working on all that self-promotion stuff (ie. my resume) and it's taking forever! I've spent at least fifteen hours on it already and I'm only halfway through. It's not one of those short one-pagers as they should be, no I'm supposed to write the most thorough resume that I possibly can, meaning I'm on page seven right now. I think that's a tad ridiculous but the school asked that I include a list of all the post-secondary courses I've taken, with a description for each class, in my resume. So two and a half pages are devoted to just that requirement. Ugh, not to whine, but it feels like I'll never get this done! And this is just so I can get an interview. Well, at least for the future I know that I have a plethora of information I can pull from (eleven pages worth). This is all frightfully boring, but after tomorrow there will be no more talks about resumes!
mardi 23 mars 2004
A break from your regular posts
Today is a very special day for me. That is all.
:)
Where?
"You've been in the same place your entire life? That is so... odd," a classmate mentions.
"You mean you were actually born here? Do you realize how rare a breed you are?" a cool man named Nick.
"You need to get out more. You haven't even been to more places than your one hand," a friend pointed out.
"You thought Langley was in the middle of nowhere in inner BC?!" exclaims Kat.
"You've been here too long, oh I guess your whole life," my wonderful dad.
I need to go... somewhere. As much as I love home, being here my whole life so far is quite a bit mundane. There's only so many times I can say, "Yes, I'm from here. Born and raised. Uh huh, I know not a lot of people are like that. I'm being serious, I wouldn't joke about this."
In other stuff, my new church is like a city! That's a change of scenery for me :)
dimanche 21 mars 2004
It is finished
I technical directed the very last morning services at my church today. And next week, I will be working again on the very first services at the new church campus. It's such a strange feeling to know that I had the honour in helping bid farewell to this chapter of my church's history. It'll be something cool to tell my kids one day :)
I toured the new building, and it is absolutely incredible. This is going to be the busiest week ever, since we will be helping move everything from the current location to the new one. I'm thrilled that next week, we will be able to worship in a larger sanctuary, without having to turn people away for lack of room or have people sitting on the floor just to listen to the sermon. God is going to use this building for His glory and I can't wait to serve Him even more!
I am going to sleep now, after having gone for almost 30 hours without any. I can be very foolish sometimes. Alright, all of the time. Good night!
Libellés : church
vendredi 19 mars 2004
It's not too big as long as people still exist
"...But when you decide to become part of the family, when you decide to give to the church, when you decide to allow your lives to be touched by other people and when you allow your life to be a difference maker for Jesus, it's not too big. Glorify in the fact that people are coming. But if our church is too big because we're reaching out to the community, because we're touching lives in ways that they need to be touched, because we're preaching the gospel and we're not watering it down, because we're bringing people to Jesus, how can it be too big? ...It's not about a church, it's about reaching people for Jesus, and if a church starts getting too big, then maybe they're just reaching people for Jesus. And if you're uncomfortable with that, I'd have to ask you why."
- Derek Mann, March 14, 2004
Beautiful, beautiful response to the common charge that, "Your church is too big." If I had a nickel for every time someone said that about my church, obviously trying to stigmatize the body of Christ that I hold so dear to my heart and whose members I consider my family, I could pay for my spring class. I've been in conversations with Christians who have talked about how horrible large churches are, not realizing that I attend one myself, and offending me in the process. They will go on and on, bashing the fact that these churches are too big - yet they fail to see that it is these churches that are also drawing people to Jesus. I have not criticized a small church, yet I see that others have no problems criticizing a big one. Why?
Ridiculous as it may sound (and wrong!), can you imagine Christians saying things like, "Oh, heaven's too big. Why did God let so many people in? I like it better when it's small. A large heaven is too impersonal. Why can't it just be us and shut the door? I don't like having lots of people around." I hope I never hear that coming from a Christian! But can you see why it is just as bad to discredit the large church simply because there are lots of people worshipping God there? I'm not arguing against preference at all here, I respect that people tend towards different environments - what I'm trying to get across is that Christians should not make disparaging comments about Christ-honouring, Spirit-filled, God-oriented, biblically-faithful churches just because of its size. Not only does it cause much division and hurt the feelings of many people who work and serve to reach out to the world, it is a major hindrance to the cause of Jesus Christ. Please pick your battles elsewhere, where it is relevant.
"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb."
- Revelation 7:9
May every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Amen. May it be so.
(Hey, heaven's going to be immensely, mind-bogglingly crowded. Might as well prepare for it now!)
Libellés : church
jeudi 18 mars 2004
"Desperation on the rise"
I haven't really paid attention to the news lately, but I did get a chance to read a little into the series that the Sun is doing on homelessness. I'm currently finishing it up as I type. Be sure to read the entire series if you're from Calgary - it's quite eye-opening and calls for us, as Christians, to be proactive about it. I remember my week at the Seed - I got violently sick after only a few days and it showed me how weak and frail I was. Even with mild weather, my body could not sustain these conditions and it's not as if I was even going through much. I felt like a wimp and it gave me a (very) minor glimpse into what life must really be like without a permanent shelter. I can't even imagine doing that for weeks (or years) on end, in -40 weather or worse with windchill without adequate clothing or enough beds in the city to provide me with shelter in the nights. And on top of that, homesickness and longing for loved ones. Not that I truly know what it would be like, but nonetheless, I want to do something. The gospel calls me to get out of my comfort zone and help the poor. At this point, I honestly do not have enough time to devote all that I should be to volunteering at a shelter (which is not fair to anyone), but I will keep it in mind. What are tangible things I can do right now as a student for these people? Of course, prayer for nothing works without God, but there has to be something more.
In much lighter news, I just found out that Krispy Kreme will be opening a store here at the end of the month. Are we the first Canadian location for them? At least it'll be an alternative to Timmy's.
Libellés : Calgary
How ironic
I took down my assignments list because it made me so depressed that I wasn't finishing them. Such is life, I'll get around to them this week, sooner or later.
I tend to gravitate more towards systematic theology than I do spiritual theology. I'm a very logical thinker and experience doesn't come easily to me (makes me wonder why I'm an ENFP and not an ENTP, hmm...). But I took a spiritual theology course last year, and although I had qualms with the marking in that class, it did show me that people can know God in other ways than just through the mind. It taught me a lot about the soul, and I do appreciate that I got to learn something completely new to me. One of my favourite poems came from that class and I thought I'd share it.
Royalty by Luci Shaw, Listen to the Green, 1971
He was a plain man
and learned no latin
Having left all gold behind
he dealt out peace
to all us wild men
and the weather
He ate fish, bread,
country wine and God's will
Dust sandalled his feet
He wore purple only once
and that was an irony
That poem still strikes me today, because of the irony. I've written a very long speel before about my love of how Christianity is so full of paradoxes, yet still makes the most absolute sense. "He wore purple only once / and that was an irony"... those lines continue to linger in my mind.
mardi 16 mars 2004
This is a repost, because I need your help :)
Since I made the selection process for the program I applied for, I need to do a ton of stuff for the first phase. Basically, I'm trying to "sell" myself to get into this program, and I'm having a little trouble with a few of the criteria. I was wondering if you would be able to assist me on any of the following for this screening I'm going through. If you could either leave me a comment or email me, I would be so grateful for your help! So...
- How do I get started on a killer cover letter? (And what is its format? I've never had to write one before.)
- I need to figure out my WPM typing skills - anyone know how I can do this?
- Do you think having a blog counts for articles written?
- How would I provide proof of basic computer literacy?
Thanks again in advance for any input you can give. Some of this stuff is a little weird, but it's what's being requested.
Was... one of the most respected documents in the world?
I have two exams tomorrow (a midterm and a test) and I've been attempting to study for both these last few hours (no luck there). And of all the times for the psychology site to go down, it is when I most need it. Aw crud.
This article makes me slightly more depressed about the state of Canadian passports. First, the elimination of emotion and now getting the cold shoulder. My passport will be expiring soon and I haven't even gone anywhere! It's too bad that being called a Canadian doesn't carry the same clout it used to.
Off to study for my midterm till the sun comes up now.
Libellés : Canada
lundi 15 mars 2004
Driving irritations
1) I don't know why the moniker is Leadfoot. In reality, it's more like Deadfoot. Where some people don't realize that you need to actually apply pressure with your foot to the gas pedal to ensure that your car continues moving along at the correct speed limit (no, it's not 60 km/hr, or for the Americanos, 38mph).
2) High beams in the city on a bright, clear night. Really, these people are not driving on country roads in horrible weather conditions here (despite the fact that some highways feel that way). Are they out to blind everybody in their path? Because it's certainly working for me and ow, it hurts.
3) I need to get one of those bumper stickers that say, "If you can read this, you're too close." It's not as if I'm going at a snail's pace or anything; I'm obviously going over the speed limit (but enough to get by legally)! And yet I attract tailgaters like bees to pollen.
Oh, and this list is not meant to make me sound like a driving pro. Me, of all people, a pro, yes it's a laugh. No, they're things that have bugged me for the longest time, and I just remembered to blog them.
Other irritation: I've never really left class upset before but sometimes... argh. People can be so ignorant. Even if they're Christians and just making jokes, those jokes are still rude and hurtful. I don't even know what to say in response except that their bubble needs to be popped because other people do exist. This is something I've been working to get rid of, but tonight reminds me all the more why I should eliminate it from my own life.
Enjoying the scenery
I have completed reading the book which made me fall asleep in the middle of it twice, only to find out that its reading level is aimed at kids ages nine to twelve. I think I would have felt better if the reading level were even something like grade nine. In other news, the yearbook is almost finished. The only pages that are left to do are: sports, res, weeklong trips, grad, and the index. I am slowly anticipating the return of my sanity and my health and I will be sure to pray for whoever decides to take on the yearbook next year.
I hung out with a friend of mine from high school yesterday. I talk about this group of friends a lot because we were all pretty close to each other and still are to some extent. We sort of dubbed ourselves the Bench Crew, because my high school only had one bench in the entire school and we occupied it all throughout grade twelve. Anyways, I found out last night that one of the last of the crew will be celebrating her six-month anniversary soon. I kind of have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I'm glad I don't have to worry about the whole dating scene but on the other, it's as if my friends have suddenly left me in the dust. Not that I care entirely that much to catch up to them, but I do feel left out in their conversations and events now. And they all said bridal college would be the first to get me... I think it's the university (and arts college)!
Libellés : college
Sleep, no I never get enough
I lack more energy than most fifty year-olds probably do. Is it too early for me to check into a retirement home?
dimanche 14 mars 2004
Oot and aboot
Huh, I just woke up after falling asleep in the middle of reading something that "has terrified and chilled readers since its first publication in 1818." Hmm, not really, not yet anyways.
I am extremely behind this semester and I've really dropped the ball on everything. I'm unsuccessfully juggling six classes, yearbook, youth work, video stuff and taking care of my mom. Since she's come home from the hospital, I've been no help at all. I've been attempting to catch up with all of my assignments instead of being with her, and I feel horrible. I'm just hoping that this weekend, I can work on my assignments and be done with them finally.
I have great news though. Due to my constant busyness in the last few months, I haven't spent any time reading the Bible at all. Well, that's probably one reason why I've felt so stagnant lately, but I'm back into reading and studying it now. It's strange that when you're not reading it, you can actually experience a withdrawal.
And the thing that I'm not happy about is that even though I'm taking twelve classes this year, none of them are Bible or theology courses. My favourite class to this day was the course I took on the intensive study of the Gospel of John, which makes me want to go see this even more since the script is based word-for-word from the Good News Bible. At least I won't have to worry about any mystical interpretations added in ;)
I do have to say that even if Jesus did not have a British accent, it'll be fun to hear it here. British accents are wonderful. Haven't heard it coming from the Saviour, but there's a first for everything. It'll certainly sound a lot more glamorous than the Canadian accent right?
vendredi 12 mars 2004
I will go for the glory of God
Don't these books make me look incredibly smart?
I spent twelve hours straight today trying to figure out a church planting strategy for a certain unreached people group. And I loved every single second of it. Mostly because I'm pretty much a visionary and in my mind, I could picture a church of these people worshipping God, singing their hearts out to Him and praising Him with every fibre of their being. What a beautiful image! For these people to experience freedom from curses, spirits and superstitions and to fully live in Christ, my heart soars just thinking about it.
"If you have apostolic passion, you are one of the most dangerous people on the planet. The world no longer rules your heart. You are no longer seduced by getting and gaining but devoted to spreading and proclaiming the glory of God in the nations.... The Father's passions have become your passions. You find your satisfaction and significance in Him. You believe He is with you always, to the end of life itself. You are sold out to God, and you live for the Lamb. Satan fears you, and the angels applaud you. Your greatest dream is that His name will be praised in languages never before heard in heaven. Your reward is the look of pure delight you anticipate seeing in His eyes when you lay at His feet and the just reward of His suffering: the worship of the redeemed."
- Floyd McClung, "Apostolic Passion"
Libellés : books
Since I'm up...
The Friday Five, in addition to some onion-peeling. Really, too much information for one night. But tomorrow, I'll be spending the entire day working on an integrated project so if this isn't frequent posting, I don't know what is!
1. What was the last song you heard? "Someday" by Starfield
2. What were the last two movies you saw? "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "The Passion of the Christ"
3. What were the last three things you purchased? Unfortunately, this list makes me look like a total pig but it's because I didn't pack any lunches this week: Mandarin Chicken Salad from Wendy's, Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger and Biggie Fries from Wendy's, and a Value Combo from Harvey's. These were spread over a few days, although that's no excuse for all this fast food.
4. What four things do you need to do this weekend? Read, read, read, read. I guess that doesn't count. Okay, read, homework, life group, church.
5. Who are the last five people you talked to? My prof, his son, Mel, Trev, and my mom.
Apologies for writing this much about yours truly. I had no idea I could do so. That's not a good thing. Expect the next few posts to be about everything else but myself :)
Libellés : Friday Five
Peeling the onion
In the spirit of reciprocal sharing, I got this from Michelle, from which I've edited it a bit as well.
LAYER ONE
• Name: Neely
• Birthday: October 14
• Birthplace: Cowtown
• Current Location: Same
• Occupation: Student
• Education: College so far ;)
• Righty or Lefty: Right-handed
LAYER TWO
• Language: English, Teochew, Vietnamese
• The shoes you wore today: My old sneakers
• Your hair: Average length
• Your eyes: Brown
• Your weakness: "Pride and Prejudice" in any form
• Your fears: A car driving the wrong direction into me, it's happened before
• Your perfect pizza: Pepperoni, black olives, pineapple, mushrooms, extra cheese
• One thing you'd like to achieve: Helping bring God's kingdom to earth
LAYER THREE
• Your most overused phrase on MSN: Wow
• Your first waking thoughts: Already?
• First feature you notice in the opposite sex: Besides godliness? Definitely intelligence
• Your best physical feature: Don't really have any
• Your bedtime: Late, like around 2-3 am
• Your greatest fear: Not seeing loved ones come to know Jesus
• Your greatest accomplishment: Following God so far...
• Your most missed memory: High school, I loved every second of it
LAYER FOUR
• Pepsi or Coke: If I had to choose, it'd be Coke but I don't drink dark sodas
• McDonald's or Burger King: McDonald's
• Single or group dates: Group dates initially, but it's not as though I know anything about this
• Adidas or Nike: Nike, but it's not of the utmost importance to me
• Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Either, I love iced tea
• Chocolate or vanilla: Vanilla
• Cappuccino or coffee: I don't drink coffee, 7-11's Iced Vanilla Cappuccinos are great though
LAYER FIVE
• Smoke: Never
• Cuss: Once in grade six, once in grade seven, once in grade eleven
• Sing: Used to be in choir for six or seven years
• Take a shower everyday: Yes
• Have a crush(es): Nope
• Who are they: n/a
• Do you think you've been in love: No
• Want to go to college: I always thought I'd be at university, so it shocks me that I'm at college
• Like high school: Loved it! Best time of my life, I look back with the fondest memories
• Want to get married: Yes, but if I'm not supposed to be, I can live with it
• Believe in yourself: Only with Christ could I do so
• Type with your fingers on the right keys: Obviously
• Think you're attractive: Nope, but that's not my goal in life
• Think you're a health freak: Nah, but I could pretend
• Get along with your parents: Not all the time but I try
• Play an instrument: I taught myself extremely basic piano and basic recorder
LAYER SIX: In the past month, did you...
• Drink alcohol: Never
• Smoke: Never
• Do a drug: Never
• Make out: Never
• Go on a date: Never
• Eat an entire box of Oreos: Never (the cream stuff is gross)
• Been on stage: Nope
• Gone skating: Nope
• Made homemade cookies: Nope but I had some from class
• Gone skinny dipping: Never
• Dyed your hair: Never
• Stolen anything: Nope
LAYER SEVEN: Have you ever...
• Played a game that required removal of clothing: Mock Bum War at a retreat but I was eliminated first (thankfully) and the game was more for stuff like socks and rings so it wasn't horrible or anything
• If so, was it mixed company: All girls from my life group, since they're the main ones with jewellery
• Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: Never
• Been caught "doing something": Never
• Been called a tease: Never
• Gotten beaten up: No but I used to beat people up... seriously
• Shoplifted: Never
• Changed who you were to fit in: Probably, but I knew I was an outsider so I didn't do so much
LAYER EIGHT
• Age you hope to be married: I'll rely on God, but I know it'll be later in life or not at all
• Numbers and Names of Children: None (does my life group count? haha)
• Describe your Dream Wedding: Whatever, I'm not picky, I'll just be happy that I'm even getting married
• How do you want to die: Peacefully into God's arms (ideally)
• Where you want to go to college: I want to take my Master's in either Québec, England, Italy, California, Massachusetts, Australia or New Zealand - I'll narrow it down as time goes by
• What do you want to be when you grow up: A servant of God and of others, whatever role that'll be
• What country would you most like to visit: See above
LAYER NINE
• Number of guys I have kissed: None
• Number of drugs taken illegally: None
• Number of people I could trust with my life: Two for sure and three others
• Number of CDs that I own: At least 30 (not counting embarrassing ones though)
• Number of piercings: Two
• Number of tattoos: None
• Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper: City newspapers, none; school newspapers, tons (I was high school newspaper photographer and got awards a lot in elementary/junior high)
• Number of scars on my body: Quite a few
• Number of things in my past that I regret: Some stuff but I can't change anything so I don't dwell on it
That was long... maybe I need to cut back on talking about myself ;)
Libellés : questionnaires
Rethinking the labyrinth
I posted about the Prayer Labyrinth two days ago but that must have been the sleepy side of me talking. What did I say? I said it was powerful. Yes, because I let my subjective side get the best of me. What else? Interactive? Definitely, I do have to say each station was meant to be that way. I don't know if I would honestly recommend it, now that I think more clearly about it. I've always wanted to go through a labyrinth, just quietly walking around and praying to God. But the other night... well I had a funny feeling all night but I couldn't quite put a finger on it. I did notice that it was pretty new agey. That was my initial reaction when the British lady started speaking about "walking into the light" and tons more other stuff that did not sound Christian at all. Red flags were immediately raised and I was thinking back to my new religious movements class and what we learned.
Well, I talked to my professor today a little more about it and it turns out that he felt the same way. My problem was that the terminologies used throughout the whole thing were too vague, as if they could equally be infused with new age meaning. I thought it was pretty syncretistic, which is definitely not biblical. I didn't say anything about it at first because I didn't want to look as though I was complaining about yet another thing, so I acted overenthusiastically and asked everyone if they did it so I could get their opinion on it (and make sure I wasn't the only one who felt that way). The whole thing was just too postmodern for my taste. Sure experience is great, but I'd rather have an experience of the Holy Spirit than of what a CD tells me I should be having. I couldn't figure out why I didn't feel the way I was told to and thought it was my fault. Now that I know better, I see that I was being overly cautious, which is great because I've been praying for years that God would grant me more discernment. I'm just disappointed that I didn't recognize and heed it earlier.
Not to bash it, but... this is what I think. I'll stick with "traditional" worship and Bible reading. That and the fact that I can't light a lousy candle.
Libellés : college
mercredi 10 mars 2004
Noisy links
One of the best official band websites I've seen in a long time.
Scroll to the bottom and you'll see one of the ten Canadian artists to watch this year.
Lissa, when does my CD finally come in? It's either March or May right? I'm hoping the former.
Twenty-one
That's the number of consecutive hours that I spent at the college yesterday and this morning. I hadn't planned on staying that long but it was night of prayer and since I've never been to one, I ended up staying. Well, the sudden change in weather added to that as well. And because it didn't start until midnight, I ended up doing yearbook for eight hours. My friend and I were starving at that point and decided to go to Wendy's, but they were closed... except for the drive-thru. I wanted to head back and get my car but my friend insisted we try walking through the drive-thru. I'm sure you can imagine two girls standing in the snow in between two cars with hunger pangs and cold ears. The nicest thing was that there were some guys in a car behind us who were telling us it wouldn't work and offered to share so we could get food. As you probably already figured out, we couldn't be served and we were forced to go back and actually "drive through." So much for my rebellious adventure.
I did get to do something other than yearbook last night though. I was able to experience the "Prayer Labyrinth"! It was so powerful and I loved how interactive it was. It was a pretty neat night, even if I only took part in this labyrinth, but my school was set up with worship stations throughout - where people could take part in art, dance, video and other things. I wish I would have been able to participate the whole night, but I ended up doing more yearbook instead. I finally had breakfast at 6 this morning and went home as soon as I could to sleep. The great news is that the yearbook is at least two-thirds finished. The bad news is that everything else that needs to be finished, can't be, because it's dependent on other people and the deadline is by the end of this week. Thankfully, I have concluded that I will never, ever again, in my life be compelled to take on the yearbook. No sane person should ever do that.
Libellés : college
lundi 8 mars 2004
Break the cycle
We watched a disturbing and unsettling video in sociology class today that is still resonating within my mind. It was about women who kill, but more so about domestic violence and the self-defence that occurs as a result of husbands (or male significant others) turning vicious. Very scary stuff, and what's worse is that Christians are not exempt from it. I was thinking about how women take such a large risk when they enter marriage. There's no guarantee that their spouse won't end up becoming violent and the problem is, by the time they realize that, it's too late. I sound awfully cynical but I'd rather be that than naive, thinking that Christian guys won't ever do such a thing.
Coming from a girl's perspective, our worldview is different than a guy's. Girls are forced to worry about being out late at night, being by themselves, running away or escaping somehow if they see a suspicious guy nearby, and fearing men who could be out to hurt them. It's a horrible way to live life, and it's something guys rarely need to think about because they simply don't need to worry about these kinds of things. Then again, I'm not a guy, so I don't know if this is largely true, but I know that as a female, there's much more trepidation than I'm sure males face. It's terrible that one of my biggest fears is ending up with an abusive husband. It shouldn't be, but unfortunately, this is a fallen world. This is such a depressing topic but it's something a lot of women face everyday, and I can't shy away from it. I just wish I knew what to pray for specifically for these women.
Avid shoutouts
I remember back when I had a different website, people used to do shoutouts all the time. It was pretty much standard on every page, and although blogrolls seem to be the equivalent of that now, I'd still like to write something about each person I have listed. It's a long list so for now, I'll do it for the Avid blogs and I'll continue the rest later.
- Daily Random: I've never really interacted with this blog much, but found it through Michelle's blogroll. Ian has a lot of interesting links and song lyrics posted all the time, and is one of the more regularly updated blogs out there. I usually click on everything he's linked to and sometimes, he writes great posts too.
- food for fish: Travis is such a godly guy and it's fun reading about his adventures in Poland. He doesn't hide his shortcomings and it's been an inspiration to read about what he's gone through. I think I found this blog off either Michelle or Carly's blogroll, but I know he's on both. He's part of the Seattle blogging crew, and has great pictures of Seattle on his blog (ok, so I'm biased).
- i like shiny things: What can I say about Tracy? She gives youth pastors an excuse to have fun and be deeply caring at the same time. Her extreme technical-savvyness has helped me out so many times and her 'emporium' of funny links always cracks me up. I actually found her blog through Blogger's list of recently updated blogs. I liked the name of her blog and it was such a bonus that she was a youth pastor too!
- jeffersonair: I think I found Carly's blog through again, Michelle's blogroll. I am so impressed with all her talents that reading her blog is almost like going through her portfolio. Not only is she an accomplished musician, she also links to all of the paintings that she has done and is selling on ebay. Carly's from Seattle, which makes her doubly cool.
- mikao's world: The first blog I ever stumbled onto, Michelle inspired me to create my own. It was great how much I had in common with her, but not only that, she is an incredible woman of faith. I've interacted with her the most out of all the other bloggers and it's fun to talk about stuff like yearbook, Bible college, etc. with someone who's went through it all. Oh, don't forget to help her out by taking her surveys!
- Much Afraid of Falling: One of the first blogs I read when I first started one, Matt is another talented artist in his own right. He's hoping to take film at NYU, which is so awesome. Check out some of the art that he's posted, including his photography and drawings. And not just that, he's also a top blog at blogs4God, which is how I found it originally.
- plume: Josh is another Briercrest blogger that I found just randomly surfing. As I've said before, a lot of his posts are gritty and raw, and truly represent a real Christian life without any glossing or sugar-coating. It's good to read some reality-shocking stuff and his testimony is powerful. He's an unashamed cbc, which is great to see in the Christian blogging world.
- Side Show Chad: Found his blog through his brother, Trevor, and it's cool reading about someone who used to go to my school. Chad writes about funny observations throughout his day and always provides knee-slapping anecdotes from work or his roommates, although he's moved back home now. I'm sure those stories will keep coming though.
- the dimly lit room: I forget how I found his blog but after reading a few posts, I realized he was from Cowtown, which is always a plus since we're obviously not Saskatoon in the blogosphere. An outspoken journalist, Jeremy shares his articles on his blog and a lot of other opinions on topics such as social justice and urban living.
- Theophilus: Found while randomly surfing, it was great to find a youth pastor's blog that was even endorsed by Youth Specialties! Dylan not only posts stories about what's happening in the world of youth ministry, he also takes the time to post challenging theological questions, which always get me thinking. It's amazing how much of our faith can go unexamined, but his blog is a great place for me to go back and reflect on what I believe.
- trevor's thought cloud: Trevor's the one person on my blogroll who also exists in real life, but only because he attends my school. He has a way of taking the ordinary in everyday life and turning it into something postworthy, which is such a skill. He's a fellow youth min major and loves Homestar and the Simpsons, which is what defines cool. Here's the story of how I found his blog; it's rather weird. I read his roommates' blogs too cause they're also great guys.
- webeldotnet: I know I had a cool story for how I found Lance's blog but I forget it. Anyways, at first the design was so neat that I bookmarked it and only later did I read through and see that he was a Christian. He updates almost everyday and links to the most, out-there stories in the news, as well as giving people a glimpse into the teaching world. Since he teaches technology, he provides tons of info on it.
Libellés : blogging
dimanche 7 mars 2004
Becoming domestic
This last week has been an experiment in growing up for me. You see, even though I do some chores at home, I've largely gotten away with not having to do as much as other kids usually would. Comes with the whole only-child-spoiled-brat territory right (maybe not). I've always done homework or studied instead but now I can't really do that. And it's so much work! I can't believe how many things there are to do at home and the amount of errands that have to be run. I'm sure I sound like a wimpy kid here, but I think household duties should be classified into a career of its own. I guess this is what I have to look forward to! I can only conclude then that my scholarly pursuits will have to be put aside while I attempt to figure this all out.
samedi 6 mars 2004
... like a lamb to the slaughter...
I suppose almost every Christian blogger is writing about their experience of seeing "The Passion of the Christ" movie. While it was powerful and rendered me speechless, I found that I was distracted by all the little artistic details that were added, such as the eye-pecking and the Satanic-baby. But that's just the nitpicky side of me. I do know that my soul was stirred as I was watching this and that my emotions: anger, repulsiveness, shock, shame, and pain all rolled into one seeing my Lord go through what I should have. I could see myself in the crowd, cheering on for the crucifixion and taking perverse joy in it. I'm not really innocent of His blood, am I? Some Christians may feel opposed to seeing such a movie and they can rightly feel so, but if anything, this movie reminds us that there was a price for which our sins were paid. I've taken it much too lightly. What an incredible visual reminder that Jesus Christ came for us, for me, for you, for everyone, that we may have life in Him made possible only through His death and resurrection.
"He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not....
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed."
- Isaiah 53:3, 5
Blog design links
I spent some time a while ago trying to create a new blog template, but now that I'm satisfied with what I have, I'll share the links with you in case you're trying to come up with a new look yourself:
Blogfrocks Design Journal, Blogger Templates, Blogskins, eris : design, Firdamatic, Francey Designs, Groovy Lizard, hidden templates by maystardesigns, kali's web shoppe, karysima, miz graphics!, not (that) ugly, Point of Focus, pokytemps, Rigdonia, Spiderman Templates, Templates for Free, theblivit.net
Some of these are blogging program-specific (Blogger, Movable Type, Diaryland, etc. that sort of thing). Some of these links have come from other people in the blogging community who helped me look for ideas (thanks!!). And others are quite girly, so take your chances (you've been warned!). Hope this helps you if you're itching for a re-design!
A lot of these links are fickle, so there are no guarantees that they'll even work - sorry in advance.
Libellés : blogging
vendredi 5 mars 2004
Not just Jello
Mmm, hospital cafeteria food is actually quite good. My favourite meal is beginning to be a takeout box full of crinkled fries, covered with thick, but not-too-thick gravy. I'm trying to make it there everyday but parking is pretty expensive. My mom is doing better and she's regained a lot of her strength. What a trooper, I love her. Thanks for your concern and prayers :)
Libellés : cancer
Travel Alberta
The Friday Five is very prompt this week!
What was...
1. ...your first grade teacher's name? Mrs. Hartwig - love her but I haven't written to her lately.
2. ...your favourite Saturday morning cartoon? Everything. I fondly remember Looney Tunes.
3. ...the name of your very first best friend? I don't really remember - maybe Lissa, whom I've known since I was 4. Others have been Laura and Lisa but I don't talk to them much anymore.
4. ...your favourite breakfast cereal? Rice Krispies.
5. ...your favourite thing to do after school? Watch TV, I'm such a media junkie. I don't know if that's good or bad.
***
I've put together a travel itinerary for a trip I'm taking when Gozo comes back from Guatemala. Here are the stops, not necessarily in order of destination but more so in importance (when I get a road atlas, I'll map it all out):
1. Torrington - The Gopher Hole Museum
2. Glendon - World's Largest Pyrogy
3. Vegreville - The Easter Egg
4. Mundare - The Ukrainian Sausage
5. Donalda - World's Largest Lamp
6. Vulcan - Starship Enterprise
7. Chauvin - Susie the World's Largest Softball
8. St. Albert - World's Largest Badminton Racket
9. Lloydminister - World's Largest Sundial
10. Vilna - Mushrooms
Libellés : Friday Five
jeudi 4 mars 2004
Overheard
Things I've caught in passing lately:
- "You have such a gangster car. I want one just like it."
- (upon hearing that a certain missionary in history married this woman who just stepped into his carriage or something like that) "Oooh, that sounds easier than Bible college!"
- "Haven't you heard? Brown is the new black!"
- (referring to the Passion) "The guy who plays Jesus is so hot! Uhh, wait, is it bad if I say that?"
- "Hey, I've been dubbed the perfect girlfriend by more than one internet quiz!"
- "You sit in the back of the sanctuary? Oh, you must be a heathen."
- "Maybe the rapture just occurred and it missed all the Bible college students."
The latter two were said tongue in cheek so nobody was offended. 2 points each if you can guess who said what. Points not redeemable for anything, just personal satisfaction.
The torture begins
Well, since I made the selection process for the program I applied for, I need to do a ton of stuff for the first phase. I need to do a cover letter, write an extremely thorough resume with a full list of required guidelines (I even have to describe my assignments in college and figure out my WPM typing skills - anyone know how I can do this?), submit three reference letters and write a research paper, all just to qualify for an interview, upon which I will be subjected to testing and a bunch of other things in the second phase. Man, getting into university was easier than this! All I needed to do was pay a lot of money for the application and send in my grades; that was it! And within a week, I was notified that I got early admission. Whereas here, it's almost as if I was trying to get into a university in the States or something. Maybe not, since all they need is a minimum of 60% in English 33. Huh, well that's one thing I certainly don't have to worry about :)
Guess I needed something else to do on top of everything on my plate, right? Speaking of which, I need to go write two quizzes for tonight. Oh, the joys of school. Whoops, another question for you, do you think having a blog counts for articles written? I'm wondering if I should stick this into my resume.
Libellés : college
How does a solo Christian work?
"The Bible says the Church is nothing less than the Body of Christ.... Virtually all biblical figures for the Church emphasize an essential, living, love relationship between Christ and the Church.... If the Church is the body of Christ - the means of the head's action in the world - then the Church is an indispensable part of the gospel, and ecclesiology is inseparable from soteriology. Therefore, to adopt what might be called an 'anti-church stance' would be to dilute the very gospel itself and at the same time to demonstrate a misunderstanding of what the Bible means by 'the Church.'"
- Howard A. Snyder, "The Church in God's Plan," excerpts from "Community of the King," 1977.
Libellés : books
mardi 2 mars 2004
Life part two
Today was a long day. I ended up skipping classes, a dentist appointment and a chiropractor appointment to be with my mom at the hospital. Ha, it was a long day because I ended up memorizing the layout of the wing in no time. I needed to be there, letting her know that I was praying for her and that I love her. Her operation took a few hours, more than was expected, and her recovery time seemed that long as well. I'll be doing my best to visit her everyday she's there, but it'll be tough on Thursday when I have classes all day. For the first time at college, I have not handed something in on its due date, but really at this point, it's the least of my worries. We later found out from the doctor that the radiation did not completely get rid of my mom's cancer, so the surgeons had to remove more from her body during the operation. This means that my mom will have to adjust to a new way of life now, and my dad and I will have to help her. By the way, my parents just celebrated their 28th anniversary last week :) I really saw sacrificial love in action today just watching my dad interacting with my mom. It was so selfless and... I'm thankful that my parents are such a wonderful example of marriage and faithful commitment for me. Praise God for that.
Libellés : cancer
Called to... something
I've been feeling for the last few years of my life that God has placed a call on my life to do something big. I don't know what it is, and it's driving me crazy that I can't figure it out. I am more than willing to obey, yet I have no idea where to start. It's even worse for me when I have friends who know what they need to do but they're reluctant to follow through with it, because I have the opposite dilemma where I will do whatever God wants me to do but I don't have any clue!
Am I the only one who feels this way? I'm sure there's others out there who also bear this burden. Oh, and by big, I don't mean big in terms of how the world measures it (riches, fame, etc.). By big, I mean an impact for the kingdom of God, in whatever manner is Christ-honouring and pleasing. And yet, I've never felt more stuck than I do now. I have no visible skills and I would love nothing more than to remain anonymous and behind-the-scenes, happily working away in the background serving others. So why do I have this inane feeling that I'm supposed to do more?
I keep wondering if it's missions because I'm taking this excellent course about it right now and I always think in the back of my head, "There's no way anyone can take this class and not make use of it somehow." And I know that if I'm called to anywhere in the world, I will do what I can to go there and minister. But where? And how? It's a frustrating adventure, but if I want to obey God, I need to trust Him as well. I'm ready for it, Lord.
"It's adventure that we want
And it's what we’ll fin'lly get
There's nothing safe about You
But sometimes I forget
So lead me into the wide world
Don't let me miss my chance
'Cause I'll blink and it'll be over
And I won't pass here again."
- Erin O'Donnell, Wide Wide World
* I wrote a bit about this a few months ago. And I wrote this whole post last night and forgot to publish it :)
lundi 1 mars 2004
Last of the treatments
I just sent out an update to my church and friends about the latest with my mom, so I thought I'd ask for your prayers as well. She is going for surgery tomorrow so that her cancer can be removed. Please pray for healing on her part and wisdom for the surgeons. If you could also pray that I would be able to handle whatever's to come with the help of God, that would be great. It's been pretty trying so far and I fear the outcome of what will happen after this. Above all, pray for God's will to be done.
Thank you!
Libellés : cancer
Bits and pieces
After a measly two hours of sleep (if that), you should have heard me yawning repeatedly throughout the church services yesterday morning. It's a good thing I wasn't in the sanctuary, although it certainly was contagious over Clearcom. Between three people, we all got less than five hours of sleep, which made for some interesting tech and conversations.
Well, the current status on my trip to LA with Lissa is now... defunct. We have been anticipating it for so long and now we are unable to go this year. We can't go because I got into a car accident and Lissa needs to take classes for her medical certification. So yeah, it'll have to be delayed until next year. I'm thankful that I still get to go on the youth missions trip though. I guess what I want to do most is get away from here, for a short while at least. I need a change of pace and scenery, and seeing as how I've only been to four places in my life (two of which are in my own province), it couldn't hurt to get out more :)
Over the last few weeks, I've been having a sort of a Colin Firth movie marathon. So it's pretty fitting that he is going to be on Saturday Night Live this weekend. Perfect timing, eh? Seriously, I had just finished watching one of his movies when I caught a rerun of SNL afterwards and the show announced that he, of all people, would be hosting it next week. That will be an episode I cannot miss.
Anyways, I need to do some catching up on my homework now. Hard to believe that school will be over in just seven weeks! Actually, it's nine weeks since I'm now forced to take a spring session course. I said I would never take one again in my life, but I need it to graduate. Argh....
