September 16, 2008

Birthdays!

Hi everyone.

No, I'm not still talking about my birthday. That is over and done with. However, today is my aunt's birthday!

Happy Birthday Aunt Janice!

It's weird. Because I literally know at least 6 people with a birthday today, but I'm sure my aunt is the only one of them who reads this.

Whenever I get the time, I have an interesting post coming up for you all soon! Get ready.

Grace and Peace

September 14, 2008

Completed!

My first paper as a seminary/grad student is completed, turned in, and done! I'm sure there will only be about 200 more of them to do until I graduate. Speaking of other papers to write, I should move on over to the bed and begin reading my next book so that I can write a paper on it and turn it in by Wednesday.

In other news, I will be starting my job tomorrow. So hopefully that goes well. The other employee that I will be working with, Kaitlin, will be out some this week for "minor" surgery. So please keep her in your prayers as well as me, since I will be carrying most of the load in my very first week. Also, I will begin work on my first, all out, research paper as a grad student this week. It is due next Thursday, the 25th. My plan is to get all of these papers completed, catch up on some other reading, get adjusted to my job, and then sit down next Thursday night to watch the season premier of the final season of the only television show I have ever made an effort to keep up with, ER. (Jonathan, I know you will be watching, thanks to me :) And we can only hope that the TV will be free that night. If you read one of my earlier posts, you know that may not be very likely.)

Just as a preface, I want to share with you some topics of things that I hope to post blogs about in the near future:
- prefacing conversations and simple statements, why?
- details (including pics if i can upload them) on my new home
- a different view of worship as the body
- wearing God?

May you all have peace in the knowledge of whose you are!

Grace and Peace

September 11, 2008

He does it again

So as part of one of my courses, the students in the class are broken into small groups and for the last hour of each class period we meet together to discuss certain things we've read or have done pertaining to lecture. Mostly, however, we are just supposed to share with each other and pray for one another.

Well, most things are going really well for me right now. I'm still trying to adjust to a lot of things as they pertain to friendships and simply living in Kentucky (can you believe there are no Bank of America's in Kentucky?). So as I was sharing this with my group last night, I said to them that one of the main things that I'm waiting on and needing from the Lord right now is a job.

I honestly have not been stressed or overly concerned with finding a job only two weeks into being up here. But the moment I said that, one of the girls in my group said, "I know of a job for you."

Well, just over 24 hours later I now have a job! Making exactly what I had hoped I could make per hour when I was making my budget for living up here. With the most flexible schedule imaginable and all holidays off (which means I'll get to come home for Christmas! So I'll be there when Lucas is born :) ).

And once again, when given the opportunity to prove Himself faithful to me, and with my willingness to not jump at the first thing offered but to just wait on Him, He has come through. The Father's heart was affirmed again to me this afternoon. He is so good!

May you continue to experience the same measure of grace and peace that He has afforded to me of late!

Grace and Peace

September 10, 2008

the power of television

Living in a dorm again has been quite interesting. In most ways, I have enjoyed the simplicity of it and the community aspect it tries to create. However, I want to share with you one aspect of how TV plays a role in a dorm.

Now, on the one hand, I really enjoy not having my own television and the fact that I have not seen anything on TV for the past two weeks. It helps to not be distracted by it and to realize that in contrast to our culture, TV isn't necessary for life.

Downstairs, however, there is a nice lounge with couches and a huge television for all of the guys to share and use as they so desire. The primary tool used for the shared use of the TV is a simple sign-up sheet hanging outside the lounge door where anyone can reserve the television, in a 3 hour block, for a certain time they want to watch a program.

I have always been amazed, or should I say amused, at people whose actual schedule in life revolves around the need to be in front of a television for a certain show on a weekly basis. I've never been able to fully understand how the TV has that much control over someone's life. Well, I got an even greater realization of the power of television this afternoon.

As I was coming in the door, I just happened to look at the sign-up sheet to see if the TV was reserved on Saturday afternoon. If it was free, I thought I might try and watch my Georgia Bulldogs(GO DAWGS!) take down the South Carolina Gamecocks at 3:30. And people, the sign-up sheet was not one sheet, but about 5 sheets worth of reserved television times spanning from today until December. That's right, December! Obviously not every hour between now and then, but still.

I had to then pick my bottom lip up from the floor. How is it that someone's life, 4 months from now, can already be decided and their time reserved for a television program. I can't understand it. I'm all for supporting your teams and can understand watching your favorite program when you are free to. But how can someone already have the next 4 months of their life planned around a big picture box? Please help me understand. I just don't get it.

May your life be free from the bondage that televisions can impose.

Grace and Peace

September 9, 2008

what we learn from birthdays

So, today I officially turned 26 years old. Yeah, I know. I'm getting on up there. Even though my sister was certain that I was turning 27, I assure you, I'm just now 26. And I've noticed a very interesting thing throughout the day.

First of all, without Facebook, I'm not sure that anyone would really know when other people's birthdays are. But more importantly, it always catches me off guard to see who I get birthday greetings from. There are those people whom you would straight up expect to send you greetings: parents, siblings, the closest of friends. And I did recieve greetings from most everyone of them. Through cards, emails, phone calls, and text messages.

There are others whom call or send you a text and while it doesn't surprise you that they put forth the effort to bless you, you also wouldn't be offended if they had not done it. This isn't because you don't appreciate their thoughts. It's simply because you don't expect them to do it.

But most interestingly of all, there are those people whom you would never expect to hear from. People that you haven't talked to for months, or even years. People whom, honestly, had it been their birthday, you may not have put forth the same effort. Yet, you're still blessed and somewhat overwhelmed from their kindness.

So, even though I'm in a brand new place, where very few people even knew that it was my birthday, I have been overly blessed. Thanks for all of the wishes and greetings.

And, upon your next birthday, may you be just as overwhelmed and surprised by those unexpected greetings as I was.

Grace and Peace

September 5, 2008

Trusting God

As most of you know, I really enjoy getting to know people and having deep, real relationships with them. (as a side note, having deep relationships sure does make transitioning between stages of life much more difficult!) Well, this past week as I've started classes and the thousand pages of assigned reading, I have had the privilege of touching base with some friends and in our conversations, I've been thinking about this concept.

Being that we have all been born into a sinful and fallen world, we are all doubters. Some people struggle with doubt more than others. Few Christians today will claim they have the true "faith of a child." Is that ok? Does God expect us to trust Him blindly even amongst all of our fears and doubts and hurts? Well, I'm not sure if He expects us to, but I do know that He wants us to. I also know that He has so much grace for us.

I think that God takes delight when I ask and allow Him to prove Himself faithful to me. Granted, He has done that more times than I could even begin to count. I have so many specific memories of how God has revealed Himself as Faithful. Still, I think God likes to continue to reveal that aspect of His nature to me. Let me explain:

There have been times in my life when I have been worried or overwhelmed with situations and honestly have doubted that things might work out. In those moments, the enemy comes in and begins condemning me as faithless and weak. The common response to that condemnation would be my feeling inadequate as a follower of Christ. In short, this would work to push me further away from the Lord.

On the flip side, when I have doubts, even though He has proven Himself so very faithful, I've just taken the opportunity to ask for His grace once more. And then I've just been honest with Him and told Him that I want to trust Him and am trying to, but that in my weakness it is difficult. I sit back and watch Him do His thing. His everlasting love pushes forth in grace and His faithfulness is revealed in an even deeper way. And I honestly believe that He enjoys doing it. I'm sure that He would rather I be honest with Him and allow my faith to continue to grow as compared to my feeling worthless and shameful for not trusting Him.

I know that I enjoy showing the extent of my love to my friends. However, I'm only able to do that as they give me opportunities to. I can't force myself upon them to prove to them my love. My heart overflows with joy, however, when I'm given the chance to do it. I don't get frustrated at having to do this. It truly becomes a joy for me to reaffirm my heart to them. And I believe that the Father's Heart also takes delight when I give Him the chance to reaffirm His love and faithfulness to me.

May you find peace as you ask the Lord to continue to prove Himself faithful to you. And may you see His delight in doing so.

Grace and Peace