Hallelujah!!!!
God has truly lifted me out of my emotions and allowed me to see some of the purpose for this season in my life!
I say "some" because I am sure that there is more going on than I can see, but He has shown me some of it and IT IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!
The last three weeks (to the day, actually) have been EXTREMELY emotional, and VERY HARD!
HOWEVER, God has allowed me to process my emotions and, while I still feel the same way and I don't really see that changing, I am now THANKFUL for how I feel!!!! (what sicko is thankful for pain, huh? )
My emotions are indicators that are showing me how I need to pray and I have such clarity right now! HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!
God is so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
God is SOOOOOO loving!!!!!!
I am SO thankful for what He is doing!!!!
HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Life University jokes... actually any med school nerd would tell one of these
****DISCLAIMER: I DID NOT THINK ANY OF THESE UP*****
1) Are you constitutive? Because you've been turning me on all day!..
2) I'll be telomerase, so we can make it last forever.
3) A biologist, chemist, and Natural Physics scientist went to see what's under the sea. After only one hour, the chemist came back and the other two were lost. The chemist wrote in the lab experiment book, "The biologist and physicist were soluble in sea water."
4) If I were an enzyme i'd be DNA helicase so i could unzip your genes.
Yep! Here at Life U we're pretty much nerds. And we're OK with our nerdyness. But most of us will be able to retire at 50 :)
1) Are you constitutive? Because you've been turning me on all day!..
2) I'll be telomerase, so we can make it last forever.
3) A biologist, chemist, and Natural Physics scientist went to see what's under the sea. After only one hour, the chemist came back and the other two were lost. The chemist wrote in the lab experiment book, "The biologist and physicist were soluble in sea water."
4) If I were an enzyme i'd be DNA helicase so i could unzip your genes.
Yep! Here at Life U we're pretty much nerds. And we're OK with our nerdyness. But most of us will be able to retire at 50 :)
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Freedom
In "faithfulness in prayer" and in "true love" - if you truly love God above all - there is a point at which you must be willing to let go of everything else completely. I believe I am there. I am letting it be. I am letting it go. I am laying it down. I am free!
I will continue to be faithful in prayer
I will continue to hope
I will continue to dream
I will continue to feel the way I do (I can't imagine that changing)
HOWEVER...
I am laying down my hope
I am laying down my dreams
I am laying down my feelings
I will continue to be faithful in prayer
I will continue to hope
I will continue to dream
I will continue to feel the way I do (I can't imagine that changing)
HOWEVER...
I am laying down my hope
I am laying down my dreams
I am laying down my feelings
Monday, December 18, 2006
4 Christmas Topics, By Lee Strobel
Four Christmas Topics
By Lee Strobel
12.14.2006
Christmas celebrates the birth of God, not a man (5:57)
video
Watch Now
When was Jesus born?
History doesn't pinpoint Jesus' birthday. Spring is most likely, because shepherds were watching their flocks at night and this is when ewes bore their young. In fact, around a.d. 200, theologians concluded Jesus was born on May 20. "Others," said journalist Terry Mattingly, "argued for dates in April and March. This wasn't a major issue, since early Christians emphasized the Epiphany on January 6, marking Christ's baptism."
Said Christian researcher Gretchen Passantino: "The first Christians pointed to the birthday celebrations of the gods as proof that the pagan gods were inferior to the eternal, infinite God. They understood that Christ's birth was the incarnation of the eternal Son of God. It was around a.d. 200 that celebration of Christ's birth was added to the crowded church calendar. Those churches who chose to celebrate it did so on various days and month."
In a.d. 385, Pope Julius I declared December 25 as the day for celebrating Christ's birth. "He chose that date," Passantino told me, "partly to challenge the pagan celebration of the Roman god Saturnalia, which was characterized by social disorder and immorality."
Was Jesus really born of a virgin? (6:45)
video
Watch Now
Is the virgin birth credible?
Though 79 percent of Americans believe the virgin birth, it was a stumbling block for philosopher William Lane Craig when he was young. "I thought it was absurd," he said. "For the virgin birth to be true, a Y chromosome had to be created out of nothing in Mary's ovum, because Mary didn't possess the genetic material to produce a male child."
Still, he became a Christian. "You don't need to have all your questions answered to come to faith," he told me. "You just have to say, 'The weight of the evidence seems to show this is true, so even though I don't have answers to all my questions, I'm going to believe and hope for answers in the long run.'"
Craig came to believe there's plenty of independent evidence for God, including the origin and fine-tuning of the universe, as well as the existence of universal objective moral values. He summarizes the arguments in my book The Case for Faith.
Based on that, Craig later resolved the issue of the virgin birth. "If I really do believe in a God who created the universe," Craig said, smiling, "then for him to create a Y chromosome would be child's play!"
Did Christianity copy earlier myths?
Skeptics claim Christianity, including the virgin birth, is merely a repackaging of pagan "mystery religions." Not true, says apologist Alex McFarland. Contrary to mythology, "the New Testament deals with actual persons and historical events open to investigation," he said.
"None of the so-called 'savior gods' of the myths died for someone else," McFarland added. "The mystery religions portray gods who died repeatedly, depicting cycles of nature. Unlike the mythical heroes, Jesus died voluntarily, and his death was a triumph, not a defeat. Christ's death provided atonement for sin, a concept utterly foreign to the mystery religions."
Researcher Gretchen Passantino agrees that Christ's birth is radically different from these mythological tales. "The supposed parallels are greatly overblown ," she said. "For example, instead of a virgin willingly conceiving by the invisible power of God, the myths gave us lurid tales of lusty gods having forced sex with women," she said. "Instead of the Incarnation, the myths gave us half-human, half-divine superheroes subject to the same weaknesses, sins, and frustrations as we are."
Albert Schweitzer said those who claim Christianity was derived from these myths "manufacture out of the various fragments of information a kind of universal mystery religion which never existed." And C. S. Lewis confirmed Christianity originated "in a circle where no trace of the nature religion was present."
What was the Christmas Star?
Was it a comet? Asteroid? Conjunction of planets? All have been suggested to explain the Christmas star that led the wise men from the east to visit the Christ child. For astronomer Hugh Ross, one possibility is a "recurring nova."
"An easily visible nova (a star that suddenly increases in brightness and then within a few months or years grows dim) occurs about once every decade," he said. "Novae are sufficiently uncommon to catch the attention of observers as alert and well-trained as the magi must have been. However, many novae are also sufficiently unspectacular as to escape the attention of others."
Most novae explode once, but a few undergo multiple explosions separated by months or years. This, he said, could account for how Matthew says the star appeared, disappeared, and then reappeared and disappeared later.
By Lee Strobel
12.14.2006
Christmas celebrates the birth of God, not a man (5:57)
video
Watch Now
When was Jesus born?
History doesn't pinpoint Jesus' birthday. Spring is most likely, because shepherds were watching their flocks at night and this is when ewes bore their young. In fact, around a.d. 200, theologians concluded Jesus was born on May 20. "Others," said journalist Terry Mattingly, "argued for dates in April and March. This wasn't a major issue, since early Christians emphasized the Epiphany on January 6, marking Christ's baptism."
Said Christian researcher Gretchen Passantino: "The first Christians pointed to the birthday celebrations of the gods as proof that the pagan gods were inferior to the eternal, infinite God. They understood that Christ's birth was the incarnation of the eternal Son of God. It was around a.d. 200 that celebration of Christ's birth was added to the crowded church calendar. Those churches who chose to celebrate it did so on various days and month."
In a.d. 385, Pope Julius I declared December 25 as the day for celebrating Christ's birth. "He chose that date," Passantino told me, "partly to challenge the pagan celebration of the Roman god Saturnalia, which was characterized by social disorder and immorality."
Was Jesus really born of a virgin? (6:45)
video
Watch Now
Is the virgin birth credible?
Though 79 percent of Americans believe the virgin birth, it was a stumbling block for philosopher William Lane Craig when he was young. "I thought it was absurd," he said. "For the virgin birth to be true, a Y chromosome had to be created out of nothing in Mary's ovum, because Mary didn't possess the genetic material to produce a male child."
Still, he became a Christian. "You don't need to have all your questions answered to come to faith," he told me. "You just have to say, 'The weight of the evidence seems to show this is true, so even though I don't have answers to all my questions, I'm going to believe and hope for answers in the long run.'"
Craig came to believe there's plenty of independent evidence for God, including the origin and fine-tuning of the universe, as well as the existence of universal objective moral values. He summarizes the arguments in my book The Case for Faith.
Based on that, Craig later resolved the issue of the virgin birth. "If I really do believe in a God who created the universe," Craig said, smiling, "then for him to create a Y chromosome would be child's play!"
Did Christianity copy earlier myths?
Skeptics claim Christianity, including the virgin birth, is merely a repackaging of pagan "mystery religions." Not true, says apologist Alex McFarland. Contrary to mythology, "the New Testament deals with actual persons and historical events open to investigation," he said.
"None of the so-called 'savior gods' of the myths died for someone else," McFarland added. "The mystery religions portray gods who died repeatedly, depicting cycles of nature. Unlike the mythical heroes, Jesus died voluntarily, and his death was a triumph, not a defeat. Christ's death provided atonement for sin, a concept utterly foreign to the mystery religions."
Researcher Gretchen Passantino agrees that Christ's birth is radically different from these mythological tales. "The supposed parallels are greatly overblown ," she said. "For example, instead of a virgin willingly conceiving by the invisible power of God, the myths gave us lurid tales of lusty gods having forced sex with women," she said. "Instead of the Incarnation, the myths gave us half-human, half-divine superheroes subject to the same weaknesses, sins, and frustrations as we are."
Albert Schweitzer said those who claim Christianity was derived from these myths "manufacture out of the various fragments of information a kind of universal mystery religion which never existed." And C. S. Lewis confirmed Christianity originated "in a circle where no trace of the nature religion was present."
What was the Christmas Star?
Was it a comet? Asteroid? Conjunction of planets? All have been suggested to explain the Christmas star that led the wise men from the east to visit the Christ child. For astronomer Hugh Ross, one possibility is a "recurring nova."
"An easily visible nova (a star that suddenly increases in brightness and then within a few months or years grows dim) occurs about once every decade," he said. "Novae are sufficiently uncommon to catch the attention of observers as alert and well-trained as the magi must have been. However, many novae are also sufficiently unspectacular as to escape the attention of others."
Most novae explode once, but a few undergo multiple explosions separated by months or years. This, he said, could account for how Matthew says the star appeared, disappeared, and then reappeared and disappeared later.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
The IBM or Me?
I can't believe I'm quoting Vanilla Ice!
"Drop that zero and get with the hero!" - Vanilla Ice in some horribly bad movie he was in, I remember it from watching the trailer back then
I was again watching my favorite movie and I realized something. In a lot of love stories (Romantic Comedies), there are two men that the woman must choose between. One is usually great. He has everything that she's been looking for, as far as qualities go, but there is no chemistry, no excitement, no spark. The other is not what she thought she wanted at all, but there is a spark that she cannot deny. As an audience, I think we always tend to get behind the guy where there is a spark, and we root for her to choose him!
Why is that? Are we being conditioned through the movies we watch to believe that there can only be a spark with men who do not have the qualities we seek? Are we being conditioned to believe that the "good men" are boring? What exactly does this say about us as a culture and is it possible that the USA Divorce Rate is connected to this?
Another question I have is, how should a guy react when he doesn't really know which side he is on in a woman's eyes?
I have been watching a lot of these love stories in the last two weeks and I have naturally been seeing myself on the side of the man that the woman decides to come back to, but what if the woman views you on the other side? Watching these movies for her, would have a dramatically different effect. I don't know, really. I know movies are just movies, but I also know that emotional stories that are written well can have a profound impact on our soul.
I know I have the qualities that will make for a good husband and father. What I don't know is if I am also on the side where sparks fly. When I am with her and I look into her gorgeous brown eyes, my heart tells me "yes, there is a spark here." It seems like when we are together, all the world is right, but when we aren't there is something wrong that we just can't shake. I don't understand why that is. I guess we will see.
Who am I more like?
Lon or Noah?
Mark (the IBM) or Brian?
The great thing is that I don't need to know the answer yet. Love is patient and I will wait until I feel like God is telling me to move on. I am "built" for love. Love does not shrink back from difficulty, tough situations or pain. I know that there was a time before me, I know that that time produced pain. That pain has to be dealt with. Emotions need to be healed. Shoot! I have things that God is working on me about. This past week has been really hard! Not just because I miss communicating with this tremendous woman of God (and, honestly, the sound of her voice) but because God has been showing me some things in my prayer time that were pretty serious!
More on that in a different blog
"Drop that zero and get with the hero!" - Vanilla Ice in some horribly bad movie he was in, I remember it from watching the trailer back then
I was again watching my favorite movie and I realized something. In a lot of love stories (Romantic Comedies), there are two men that the woman must choose between. One is usually great. He has everything that she's been looking for, as far as qualities go, but there is no chemistry, no excitement, no spark. The other is not what she thought she wanted at all, but there is a spark that she cannot deny. As an audience, I think we always tend to get behind the guy where there is a spark, and we root for her to choose him!
Why is that? Are we being conditioned through the movies we watch to believe that there can only be a spark with men who do not have the qualities we seek? Are we being conditioned to believe that the "good men" are boring? What exactly does this say about us as a culture and is it possible that the USA Divorce Rate is connected to this?
Another question I have is, how should a guy react when he doesn't really know which side he is on in a woman's eyes?
I have been watching a lot of these love stories in the last two weeks and I have naturally been seeing myself on the side of the man that the woman decides to come back to, but what if the woman views you on the other side? Watching these movies for her, would have a dramatically different effect. I don't know, really. I know movies are just movies, but I also know that emotional stories that are written well can have a profound impact on our soul.
I know I have the qualities that will make for a good husband and father. What I don't know is if I am also on the side where sparks fly. When I am with her and I look into her gorgeous brown eyes, my heart tells me "yes, there is a spark here." It seems like when we are together, all the world is right, but when we aren't there is something wrong that we just can't shake. I don't understand why that is. I guess we will see.
Who am I more like?
Lon or Noah?
Mark (the IBM) or Brian?
The great thing is that I don't need to know the answer yet. Love is patient and I will wait until I feel like God is telling me to move on. I am "built" for love. Love does not shrink back from difficulty, tough situations or pain. I know that there was a time before me, I know that that time produced pain. That pain has to be dealt with. Emotions need to be healed. Shoot! I have things that God is working on me about. This past week has been really hard! Not just because I miss communicating with this tremendous woman of God (and, honestly, the sound of her voice) but because God has been showing me some things in my prayer time that were pretty serious!
More on that in a different blog
Friday, December 15, 2006
Final grades - Fall 2006
Well,
As most of you know, this quarter was largely taking pre-requisites that I didn't feel like I should've been subjected to (that's right... SUBJECTED TO). It had been a long time since I'd taken these classes, but I had taken them. Unfortunately the credits wouldn't transfer. SOOOOOO, I was stuck taking classes that I had slid my way through earlier in my undergraduate days.
SO Biology 111, and Biology 112 weren't that daunting to me. The only issue I had with those classes was that I just don't care about a lot of the stuff that these classes cover. I just knew I was going to have to study harder for these.
Algebra on the other hand was a BEAST! First of all, my time before entering the Doctorate program was pushed back an entire quarter because of this class! Then, there is the fact that I have NO confidence in my mathematical acumen. That's right, nothing makes me feel quite as dumb as sitting in a desk, staring at a page full of numbers. Yikes!
WELL, Bio went much as expected. In those two courses, I earned a B and a C respectively.
Algebra, again, is a different story. God completely blew me away with His grace!!!! I walked into the final clinging to a C average. I walked out of the final distraught because I KNEW I had just bombed it! I mean I knew it.
The test was multiple choice, so I knew that there was a chance... I also knew that, by rights, I should fail this course (anything below a C is failing). Well, I looked last night on Blackboard and God worked on my behalf in the heart of the professor and in that scantron machine, apparently!!!!
I GOT A B!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOW!!! 2 B's and a C are not the best grades, but they look beautiful to me!!! It's on to Chemistry and Physics next quarter :)
By the way, if anyone is a Chemistry wiz, I may need you next quarter. I think that my chemistry tutor is going to be unavailable to me, after all.
As most of you know, this quarter was largely taking pre-requisites that I didn't feel like I should've been subjected to (that's right... SUBJECTED TO). It had been a long time since I'd taken these classes, but I had taken them. Unfortunately the credits wouldn't transfer. SOOOOOO, I was stuck taking classes that I had slid my way through earlier in my undergraduate days.
SO Biology 111, and Biology 112 weren't that daunting to me. The only issue I had with those classes was that I just don't care about a lot of the stuff that these classes cover. I just knew I was going to have to study harder for these.
Algebra on the other hand was a BEAST! First of all, my time before entering the Doctorate program was pushed back an entire quarter because of this class! Then, there is the fact that I have NO confidence in my mathematical acumen. That's right, nothing makes me feel quite as dumb as sitting in a desk, staring at a page full of numbers. Yikes!
WELL, Bio went much as expected. In those two courses, I earned a B and a C respectively.
Algebra, again, is a different story. God completely blew me away with His grace!!!! I walked into the final clinging to a C average. I walked out of the final distraught because I KNEW I had just bombed it! I mean I knew it.
The test was multiple choice, so I knew that there was a chance... I also knew that, by rights, I should fail this course (anything below a C is failing). Well, I looked last night on Blackboard and God worked on my behalf in the heart of the professor and in that scantron machine, apparently!!!!
I GOT A B!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOW!!! 2 B's and a C are not the best grades, but they look beautiful to me!!! It's on to Chemistry and Physics next quarter :)
By the way, if anyone is a Chemistry wiz, I may need you next quarter. I think that my chemistry tutor is going to be unavailable to me, after all.
Dimensions
How high and how wide?
How deep and how long?
How sweet and how strong is your Love?
How lavish your grace?
How faithful your ways?
How great is your Love, Oh LORD?!
You know. I love my prayer life. It is vibrant and I can hear God clearly and no one but He and I know how much time I spend alone with Him! However, there has been an intensity to the last two weeks of prayer that we have not had to have in quite a while. God is purging my heart to another level. He is drawing me in even deeper and I love it!!!
In the midst of one of the most emotionally draining and painful times in my life, I have a peace and a joy that makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE! Oh, I still have times of prayer where I am crying so hard that my ribs and abs are fatigued from convulsing with tears and writhing in pain, but it is all OK. I know it may sound weird, but it is fun to be in pain on behalf of someone you love. It is an honor. God has been using this situation to take me to new levels of trust, faith and love. I am receiving His love more than ever before. He's always been trying to give me more, but now God has been able to open my heart more and I can accept it more now than I could have ever before. I am so thankful!
Just in the last 3 days, God has done so much SIGNIFICANT stuff in my soul, that it took me about 45 minutes to tell Chris about it tonight. His love is so gentle. He has never forced Himself upon me, but He is always there, ready to give me more. His love is so strong, that I cannot receive it all. It is so strong that it shows me how unworthy I am and I want to be more like Him. It is so strong that I know that my unworthiness doesn't cross His mind. The more I receive it, the more it can flow out of me. I am so humbled by how Good God is to me and all I can do is stand here and cry and say, "Thank you Jesus!"
How deep and how long?
How sweet and how strong is your Love?
How lavish your grace?
How faithful your ways?
How great is your Love, Oh LORD?!
You know. I love my prayer life. It is vibrant and I can hear God clearly and no one but He and I know how much time I spend alone with Him! However, there has been an intensity to the last two weeks of prayer that we have not had to have in quite a while. God is purging my heart to another level. He is drawing me in even deeper and I love it!!!
In the midst of one of the most emotionally draining and painful times in my life, I have a peace and a joy that makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE! Oh, I still have times of prayer where I am crying so hard that my ribs and abs are fatigued from convulsing with tears and writhing in pain, but it is all OK. I know it may sound weird, but it is fun to be in pain on behalf of someone you love. It is an honor. God has been using this situation to take me to new levels of trust, faith and love. I am receiving His love more than ever before. He's always been trying to give me more, but now God has been able to open my heart more and I can accept it more now than I could have ever before. I am so thankful!
Just in the last 3 days, God has done so much SIGNIFICANT stuff in my soul, that it took me about 45 minutes to tell Chris about it tonight. His love is so gentle. He has never forced Himself upon me, but He is always there, ready to give me more. His love is so strong, that I cannot receive it all. It is so strong that it shows me how unworthy I am and I want to be more like Him. It is so strong that I know that my unworthiness doesn't cross His mind. The more I receive it, the more it can flow out of me. I am so humbled by how Good God is to me and all I can do is stand here and cry and say, "Thank you Jesus!"
Monday, December 11, 2006
Can Pain Be Fun?
OK, I know this may sound a little masochistic, but it really isn't! At least not in the normal connotation of the word. There is nothing sexual about this!
God has allowed me to come to a place and a season where doing what He wants me to do, hurts. I don't just mean emotional pain, I mean emotional pain to the point where I am having physical pain. I am REALLY digging "in there" in prayer. I am praying for strength to do what He wants me to do. I am praying for the desire to do what He wants me to do. I am praying for some deliverance from my emotions. I am praying for the woman I am in love with. I am praying for my future wife. I am praying for my brother. I am praying for his wife. I am praying for everyone that I love. Man, am I praying!!!
Anyway, I am actually very thankful that I am in this place. I am having to give up something that I don't want to give up. I am doing it out of my love for the LORD. I believe that God will eventually bring it back to me, but even if He doesn't, I am so grateful that He allowed me to be in the place I am now. I was in a place last summer (2005) where I had all but given up on a HUGE desire of my heart. God allowed me to meet some people and my hope has been rekindled. It is not specific hope, but my hope in the desire has been rekindled. (I don't know how much sense that makes with me being so vague...) My hope isn't in a person or a situation, but the people that I met showed me that I was premature to give up on the hope for my desire to be fulfilled. (OK, I don't know if that cleared it up AT ALL)
ANYWAY.... The pain that I am feeling now, I can only view as a good thing! I know God is working it for my good! I know that hardship is to be viewed as discipline and that discipline is a PROOF of God's love for me! I know that I am going to grow closer to God and more like God through this! Does it hurt? Oh yeah!!!! It is excruciating beyond anything I have ever experienced! I don't recall EVER crying this much or this often. I feel like a "sissy man!" BUT, even in that, I can see God's love. I can feel God's peace. I'm OK :)
God has allowed me to come to a place and a season where doing what He wants me to do, hurts. I don't just mean emotional pain, I mean emotional pain to the point where I am having physical pain. I am REALLY digging "in there" in prayer. I am praying for strength to do what He wants me to do. I am praying for the desire to do what He wants me to do. I am praying for some deliverance from my emotions. I am praying for the woman I am in love with. I am praying for my future wife. I am praying for my brother. I am praying for his wife. I am praying for everyone that I love. Man, am I praying!!!
Anyway, I am actually very thankful that I am in this place. I am having to give up something that I don't want to give up. I am doing it out of my love for the LORD. I believe that God will eventually bring it back to me, but even if He doesn't, I am so grateful that He allowed me to be in the place I am now. I was in a place last summer (2005) where I had all but given up on a HUGE desire of my heart. God allowed me to meet some people and my hope has been rekindled. It is not specific hope, but my hope in the desire has been rekindled. (I don't know how much sense that makes with me being so vague...) My hope isn't in a person or a situation, but the people that I met showed me that I was premature to give up on the hope for my desire to be fulfilled. (OK, I don't know if that cleared it up AT ALL)
ANYWAY.... The pain that I am feeling now, I can only view as a good thing! I know God is working it for my good! I know that hardship is to be viewed as discipline and that discipline is a PROOF of God's love for me! I know that I am going to grow closer to God and more like God through this! Does it hurt? Oh yeah!!!! It is excruciating beyond anything I have ever experienced! I don't recall EVER crying this much or this often. I feel like a "sissy man!" BUT, even in that, I can see God's love. I can feel God's peace. I'm OK :)
Saturday, December 9, 2006
Pizza Angel
What is your favorite Silly Song with Larry? This isn't mine, but I did laugh pretty hard when I first saw this one
Veggie Tales: Pizza Angel
~*...Reta Marie...*~ | MySpace Video
Veggie Tales: Pizza Angel
~*...Reta Marie...*~ | MySpace Video
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Winter 2007 Schedule
Hello all,
I just got my class schedule for next quarter finalized. Now I can start planning how (and how much) I'm going to be able to work. I would appreciate any help, if anyone is a Pysics wiz! I have already had a woman of God offer to help me with Chemistry. Love y'all.
Monday:
Chemistry 11:00AM - 12:50PM
Physics 1:00 - 2:50PM
Chemistry Lab - 3:00PM - 4:50PM
Tuesday:
Physics 1:00 - 2:50PM
Physics Lab - 3:00 - 4:50PM
Wednesday:
Chemistry 11:00AM - 12:50PM
Physics 1:00 - 2:50PM
Chemistry Lab - 3:00PM - 4:50PM
Thursday:
Chemistry 11:00AM - 12:50PM
Physics 1:00 - 2:50PM
Physics Lab - 3:00 - 4:50PM
Friday:
Chemistry 11:00AM - 12:50PM
Isn't it sad that I have to come to campus on Fridays, just for Chemistry?
I just got my class schedule for next quarter finalized. Now I can start planning how (and how much) I'm going to be able to work. I would appreciate any help, if anyone is a Pysics wiz! I have already had a woman of God offer to help me with Chemistry. Love y'all.
Monday:
Chemistry 11:00AM - 12:50PM
Physics 1:00 - 2:50PM
Chemistry Lab - 3:00PM - 4:50PM
Tuesday:
Physics 1:00 - 2:50PM
Physics Lab - 3:00 - 4:50PM
Wednesday:
Chemistry 11:00AM - 12:50PM
Physics 1:00 - 2:50PM
Chemistry Lab - 3:00PM - 4:50PM
Thursday:
Chemistry 11:00AM - 12:50PM
Physics 1:00 - 2:50PM
Physics Lab - 3:00 - 4:50PM
Friday:
Chemistry 11:00AM - 12:50PM
Isn't it sad that I have to come to campus on Fridays, just for Chemistry?
Saturday, December 2, 2006
The BLESSING of trials
I am now thoroughly convinced that trials are a blessing from the LORD
WHY?!
Well, you find some interesting things about yourself when you go through trials. You can say all sorts of things about yourself, but you never completely know the state of your soul until you go through something VERY difficult. The Bible mentions, in several places, (and I know I'm butchering these quotes) things like "a man's heart is judged by the praise he receives" (Proverbs 27), "the inclinations of a man's heart are evil from childhood" (Genesis 8) and "The LORD looks at the heart when judging the actions of men" (Jeremiah 11:20 & 17:10) and "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45) --> I have found out some things about my heart that are disturbing (like how emotional I still am) and also some very good things (like the fact that I am not going to be moved by those strong emotions - I am going to move in love). I need God to help me, because I can't change the "bad stuff" by myself. He needs to allow these situations so that I can recognize, confess and pray against the foolishness that is still in my heart. I want to love those whom He has called me to love in the same way He has loved me: which is so gentle, yet strong that I can't even receive it all and I KNOW I don't deserve it!
Hebrews 12:7-14 says:
"7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. 14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."
God is trying to get it through our heads that trials are a GOOD thing. In fact, they are a GIFT!!!! They are a sign to us that He loves us!
*** He is helping us to attain the goal of our faith which is the salvation of our souls. (I Peter 1)
*** He is wanting us to share in his holiness (v.10) - why does He want us to share in His holiness? Because He wants us to be able to see Him!!! (v.14).
*** "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful..." - that seems like such a "DUH!!!!" statement, but God is communicating that HE KNOWS THAT!!! He's not ignoring the fact that it hurts, He is saying that we should look beyond the pain to the goal and the "harvest" that we will reap: Righteousness and Peace - Keep in mind that the Kingdom of God is Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit! (Romans 14). God wants us to experience the Kingdom!
This is awesome to me! :) There aren't a whole lot of specifics in the New Testament, but every one that I can think of is about how to THINK.
My Father, help us to think the way you want us to, and be focused in the way you would have us be. As we obey, You promised that you would change us "...to will and to act according to [Your] good purpose." (Philippians 2) Thank you that you have begun this work in me (and us) and You are going to be faithful to complete it! I want to be like you LORD!!!!!
WHY?!
Well, you find some interesting things about yourself when you go through trials. You can say all sorts of things about yourself, but you never completely know the state of your soul until you go through something VERY difficult. The Bible mentions, in several places, (and I know I'm butchering these quotes) things like "a man's heart is judged by the praise he receives" (Proverbs 27), "the inclinations of a man's heart are evil from childhood" (Genesis 8) and "The LORD looks at the heart when judging the actions of men" (Jeremiah 11:20 & 17:10) and "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45) --> I have found out some things about my heart that are disturbing (like how emotional I still am) and also some very good things (like the fact that I am not going to be moved by those strong emotions - I am going to move in love). I need God to help me, because I can't change the "bad stuff" by myself. He needs to allow these situations so that I can recognize, confess and pray against the foolishness that is still in my heart. I want to love those whom He has called me to love in the same way He has loved me: which is so gentle, yet strong that I can't even receive it all and I KNOW I don't deserve it!
Hebrews 12:7-14 says:
"7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. 14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."
God is trying to get it through our heads that trials are a GOOD thing. In fact, they are a GIFT!!!! They are a sign to us that He loves us!
*** He is helping us to attain the goal of our faith which is the salvation of our souls. (I Peter 1)
*** He is wanting us to share in his holiness (v.10) - why does He want us to share in His holiness? Because He wants us to be able to see Him!!! (v.14).
*** "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful..." - that seems like such a "DUH!!!!" statement, but God is communicating that HE KNOWS THAT!!! He's not ignoring the fact that it hurts, He is saying that we should look beyond the pain to the goal and the "harvest" that we will reap: Righteousness and Peace - Keep in mind that the Kingdom of God is Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit! (Romans 14). God wants us to experience the Kingdom!
This is awesome to me! :) There aren't a whole lot of specifics in the New Testament, but every one that I can think of is about how to THINK.
My Father, help us to think the way you want us to, and be focused in the way you would have us be. As we obey, You promised that you would change us "...to will and to act according to [Your] good purpose." (Philippians 2) Thank you that you have begun this work in me (and us) and You are going to be faithful to complete it! I want to be like you LORD!!!!!
Friday, December 1, 2006
Nicholas Sparks is a smart man
I was walking through Target about an hour ago looking for a King James Version of the Bible when a name caught my eye. The name was Nicholas Sparks. I had heard really good things about him (apparently he wrote the novels that inspired "A Walk To Remember" and "The Notebook") so I stopped. The book's title was "At First Sight" and it is apparently a continuation of the story that was begun in "True Believer." I didn't read the first book, but the title grabbed me and I flipped it over to see what the back cover said. I saw that "At First Sight explores the love between a man and a woman and between parent and child - and reveals an extraordinary truth: that the emotion that can break your heart is sometimes the very one that heals." (emphasis mine)
Now, obviously, there is another level to that truth that followers of Jesus Christ can understand, but the principle is the same. I'm seriously considering buying and reading that book over the Christmas break.
Now, obviously, there is another level to that truth that followers of Jesus Christ can understand, but the principle is the same. I'm seriously considering buying and reading that book over the Christmas break.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Do you love me?
I have been completely honest with you, and opened wide my heart to you. I am not withholding my affection from you, are you withholding yours from me? As a fair exchange... open wide your heart also. I love you! (paraphrase of the principle from II Corinthians 6:11-13)
I will gladly give you all I have and spend myself as well. Still, I wonder, if I love you more, will you love me less? (paraphrase of the principle from II Corinthians 12:15)
This is the heart of God, to continue to love, regardless of whether the "loved" will return the love. It is the heart of God to serve and give without end.
In fact this is what love is. God defined love in I John 4:10. Love is the willingness to sacrifice and allow yourself to go through pain, humiliation, torture, and hell itself for the person you love.
Then I Corinthians 13:4-8a gives a great description of love - and I'm sure we've all heard it:
Love is patient
Love is kind
Love is not envious
Love is not boastful
Love is not proud
Love is not rude
Love is not self-seeking
Love is not easily angered
Love does not keep a record of wrongs
Love does not delight in evil
Love rejoices in the truth
Love always protects
Love always trusts
Love always hopes
Love always perseveres
Love never fails
The only reason for love, is love itself. It is ALL ABOUT the person who IS LOVED
As a Christian, I am called to love others as the Father loves Jesus and AS JESUS CHRIST LOVED ME (John 13, 15 & 17)
As a husband, I will be called to love my wife like Christ loved the Church (Ephesians 5)
As a father, I will be called to love my children as the Father has loved Jesus and as He has loved me.
This is a tall order, and there is nothing more frightening than completely baring your heart to someone who may or may not return your love and affection, but I am determined to love like Jesus loved and allow whatever happens to happen. How will people see and know the power of the love of God if it is never displayed in a man? The same love and power that rose Jesus from the dead is living in me! It is truly no longer I who lives here, Christ is living through me in a greater measure each day.
What's my point?
I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
love...
Man!!!
I have been thinking a lot about love lately. God's love, the purity and the strength of it, and then the power of watching God's love through me change people's hearts.
I have been in a tough situation (as far as circumstances go) for a while. I was released from my contract, basically because I was a Christian. I had to decide to stay in Richmond an extra 3 months in order to love some people above myself. I left a job and people that I loved to move to a city where I really didn't know anyone to go to a school that I had never seen. When I got here, my car started messing up - lots of things happening with this car (Power Steering leak, tires, starter, neutral switch). Plus, I was surrounded by people who were putting expectations on me without letting me know what they were. WHEW!!!! All of that can be pretty rough.
HOWEVER!!!!! God's love towards me has been GREAT! God has also allowed me to humble myself and I am seeing the fruit of it. I am watching my prayers for people become manifest. I am watching love transform people's hearts. I am watching my natural circumstances come back on the upswing. Also, God showed me another portion of my family that I had never met. Ed & Deana Montgomery have a tremendous heart and again, are like a piece of me that I had been missing. I am so thankful that God showed me them. It amazes me how when God shows me a member of my family, our hearts become knit almost instantaneously.
More to come, I have to go take a test now.....
I have been thinking a lot about love lately. God's love, the purity and the strength of it, and then the power of watching God's love through me change people's hearts.
I have been in a tough situation (as far as circumstances go) for a while. I was released from my contract, basically because I was a Christian. I had to decide to stay in Richmond an extra 3 months in order to love some people above myself. I left a job and people that I loved to move to a city where I really didn't know anyone to go to a school that I had never seen. When I got here, my car started messing up - lots of things happening with this car (Power Steering leak, tires, starter, neutral switch). Plus, I was surrounded by people who were putting expectations on me without letting me know what they were. WHEW!!!! All of that can be pretty rough.
HOWEVER!!!!! God's love towards me has been GREAT! God has also allowed me to humble myself and I am seeing the fruit of it. I am watching my prayers for people become manifest. I am watching love transform people's hearts. I am watching my natural circumstances come back on the upswing. Also, God showed me another portion of my family that I had never met. Ed & Deana Montgomery have a tremendous heart and again, are like a piece of me that I had been missing. I am so thankful that God showed me them. It amazes me how when God shows me a member of my family, our hearts become knit almost instantaneously.
More to come, I have to go take a test now.....
Monday, November 13, 2006
venting
OK,
It seems like my Bio professor hates his job! Why? Because most of his students don't really CARE about Biology (or at least not the portion of it that he loves). This is a man who spent most of the last 20 years trying to mate insects.
NEWS FLASH!!!!!! If your passion is getting bugs laid, then there are not going to be a whole lot of people who share your particular passion! Great Day!!!
What is REALLY interesting to me is that his sister is a dog breeder, so basically the vocation of both he and his sister involves the sexual relations of animals. Am I the only one who thinks there is some particular dysfunction here?
ONLY a guy like that can make ME not enjoy learning about some physiology. We're going over a bunch of molecular-level stuff right now. Granted, I normally enjoy physiology on a "larger" scale, but STILL I shouldn't be dreading a DNA lecture (that I know is coming tomorrow).
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK, I'm done. I cannot wait until my pre-requisites are done and I can be focused on MY area of study!
It seems like my Bio professor hates his job! Why? Because most of his students don't really CARE about Biology (or at least not the portion of it that he loves). This is a man who spent most of the last 20 years trying to mate insects.
NEWS FLASH!!!!!! If your passion is getting bugs laid, then there are not going to be a whole lot of people who share your particular passion! Great Day!!!
What is REALLY interesting to me is that his sister is a dog breeder, so basically the vocation of both he and his sister involves the sexual relations of animals. Am I the only one who thinks there is some particular dysfunction here?
ONLY a guy like that can make ME not enjoy learning about some physiology. We're going over a bunch of molecular-level stuff right now. Granted, I normally enjoy physiology on a "larger" scale, but STILL I shouldn't be dreading a DNA lecture (that I know is coming tomorrow).
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK, I'm done. I cannot wait until my pre-requisites are done and I can be focused on MY area of study!
Friday, November 10, 2006
Receive the Love of God!!!
I'm posting this, because in order to really love God you have to receive His love first! I wrote this in October of 2005:
Receive the Love of God
On August 23rd, 2005, about 3 AM I was driving on highway 295 in New Jersey, coming back from visiting my brother Chris Lee and his gorgeous wife Hyo Chin (Kim) and their ridiculously beautiful daughter Alyssa when God spoke to me and began to show me who I am to another level.
Let me back up, Chris and I met at VCU in the spring of 1999, just walking through the commons. We never really got together until the next spring, as we both had busied ourselves with campus activities. Chris was in a fraternity and the Black Awakening Choir (a gospel group). I was in the leadership of Chi Alpha (a campus ministry), the Wednesday Bible Study that ReJOYce in Jesus sponsored, and I was the Vice President of COUP (Christians Ordained to Unite for Progress), which was made up of leaders from the different campus ministries. Well, in the spring of 2000, Chris and I met again (after ridding ourselves of our busyness) and at once, we knew that we were going to be good friends. We spent a lot of time with each other, praying, talking about the Word and what God was showing us about ourselves, confessing our faults, eating together, and witnessing, you know – fellowship. We became so close that in March, I got Chris signed up to be my roommate in the dorms the next year. We had gone past a threshold of relationship where we ceased to be friends and we became brothers. That summer, Chris went to work at a summer camp in North Carolina and I went to be a missionary and to be discipled by Stuart Royall in Creighton Court.
By the end of the summer, I had found out that God didn't want me to go back to school in the fall. I wasn't confident in my ability to hear his voice yet, so He had to show me through financial circumstance. I got the message. I was going all out for Jesus. I had given up everything else during the summer – all of my possessions, my friends, and my family. This was the only thing that I had not given up to follow the LORD. Now God wanted it all. I had a very hard time with this because, back at VCU, in the Gladding Residence Center, in Apartment 439, I had security. I had been staying there for just over 3 semesters and in my roommates, Adolph, Josh and Ricardo (and in the fall, Chris) I had finally felt like I was living in a place where I KNEW that I was loved. God wanted me to give that up. He wanted me to get my sense of security from Him. My possessions, my friends, and my family were not that hard to give up. Most of my friends were gone for the summer anyway and neither my possessions, nor my family meant much of anything to me. God was now asking me to give up something that I held very dear to my heart. I was broken-hearted. I cried hard for two days, because growing up in the unstable, hostile environment that I did, I had never felt like I had a home – until GRC 439. I love God more than my own security, so I obeyed and stayed in Creighton Court.
God has repeatedly shown me that this was the right decision; I needed to be spiritually fathered – to be discipled. God helped me out that fall (as my emotions were still hurting) and showed Chris how much I had grown spiritually and he wanted to grow closer to God too, so he started coming down to Creighton Court too. He was at 6:30 AM prayer almost every day and by the next February, he was living and ministering and being discipled in Creighton Court too!
Chris and I were together whenever possible until October of 2002 when he left Richmond to go to Air Force Basic Military Training in San Antonio, Texas. Over the last three years, we have only grown closer. I drove down with his father to San Antonio to see Chris graduate, and the three of us ate Thanksgiving dinner at Golden Corral. When he met Kim, he asked me to come up to New Jersey (where he is stationed) to meet her. Though it was unspoken, he was seeking my approval of his choice of wife. And when I am in that situation, Chris and Kim will meet her first and they will have "veto power."
I went up in August of 2003 and spent a week (three days in a hotel and four with Chris due to a lack of hotel vacancies). Chris and I had many times, during the course of our relationship, in which we talked and prayed about our desires and preferences for future wives and what they would be like. When I met Kim, we didn't have much time to talk, because she was half asleep (I arrived at about 3:30 AM and she drove Chris out of the base to meet me). The next night, I went to shoot pool with Kim and one of her friends, but that didn't allow us much dialogue time, so I really couldn't give Chris any feedback other than "She's gorgeous, Chris." Luckily, after the hotel kicked me out in favor of someone who had reservations, I stayed with Chris and she came by one day while he was at work and brought us some groceries. While she was there, we sat in the kitchen and talked for a good five hours. As the conversation went along, I became more and more convinced that God made this woman to be Chris' wife. It was amazing how God had gone above and beyond everything Chris and I had prayed about, and added some awesome qualities to her that we hadn't thought to pray for. The goodness of God was clearly manifest to me in Kim. The first thing I did when Chris came home from work was give him a hug and say, "God is the bomb, bro! I have no doubts."
I did not see them again until March of 2005, Chris was going to be deployed to the Middle East and he wanted to come down to see me before he left. He actually made the family circuit. He saw his dad in Norfolk, then he came to see me in Richmond, and then he went to see his mom and sister in Washington, DC. I met his daughter and got to spend time with them as a married couple, which was awesome. Then we talked about how we all have a desire to raise our children together, and Chris was glad Kim got to see Richmond, so that God could work it in her heart to want to come too. By the end of their weekend in Richmond, Kim wanted to move to Richmond too. When Chris gets out of the military, they are going to move here.
In the first week of May, Chris was deployed and he was supposed to be gone for 120 days, but God brought him home after 60. That is another story. During his deployment, Kim and I spoke frequently and usually for long periods of time. God has, throughout the course of our relationship, used Kim as an encouragement to me. I believe the three greatest callings a man can have are (in this order) to know God, to be a husband, and to be a father. I have a great desire for all three of these. I am straining to be in a place where, in my soul, I am focusing solely on the first. My faith tells me that the reason I do not have to focus on the other two, right now, is because God is allowing me to focus on the first and I want to do that. That, truly, is my greatest joy. I am excited about my relationship with the LORD and I would not compromise that for anything. I believe God has made me to desire a wife and children, because I believe I am called to all of the three callings I mentioned before. Where I can go off is, my heart can VERY easily slip into wanting the lesser two too much. When this happens, my attention shifts from God to my present circumstances. This is understandable considering the fact that I desired to have a wife and children for 9 years before I really desired to know God. Since I have met Kim, she has been the woman that I can point to and tell my soul, "Look what God does for you when you trust Him!" Every time I talk to her, God ministers to me. When I hear of the way she feels about Chris, the way she trusts him, and the commitment she has to him and to God, I am so blessed. It makes my week, every time, because I see how perfect God's gifts are. All Chris had to do was wait for the right time and trust that God's timing was best.
In late August of 2005, I am driving back from seeing them again and God shows me, through memories, how I was made for intimacy. I am one of those people who doesn't get tired of people I am close to. I want to be around people I love, because then I get to show my love and share my life. I was crying as I was driving because I had just experienced 4 days of that with Chris, Kim and Alyssa. It was great, but it was over. I had to drive back to Richmond, and resume my single life.
Suddenly, I was lonely. I hadn't even gotten on the highway yet! Because of my being made like I was, I didn't like being alone if closeness wasn't clearly visible after a relatively short amount of time. I was okay being alone at VCU because I was going to pray with Josh and/or Adolph that night. I was fine with being alone in Creighton Court because at least once a week Stuart and I would get to hang out, or Chris was around and we could hang out at the end of the day. God began stripping me of these things, as God was requiring more time of me in prayer. I would neglect prayer to be with people I love and God wasn't going to continue letting me get away with that. My prayer life had grown to four hours alone with God every day. During my stay with Chris and Kim and Alyssa, I had not been able to spend that amount of time with Him. God was allowing me that time to catch up and spend with my family (if we saw each other more, we would never allow each other to get away with not praying). I was driving back home, and back to my everyday life, and I was crying. Why? Somewhere deep inside of my soul, I was saying that I preferred to be loved in the natural, where I can see it – where I can feel the hugs. I was saying that this was better than the love of God. I was saying that the love of God is not enough for me.
The truth is that God's love is enough for me and it is much better than any love that we can experience apart from Him. I have in my lifetime broken all 10 of the Commandments: I have not put God first in my life and had other gods before Him (football, money, TV, etc.), making me an idolater I have used His name as a cuss word, making me a blasphemer. I have neglected the things of God (not keeping the Sabbath holy). I have dishonored my parents. I have not physically killed anyone, but I have hated people (like Saddam Hussein, or the guy that tackled Bo Jackson for the last time) and the Bible says that hatred IS murder, thus making me a murderer. I have committed adultery, but even if I hadn't, I have looked upon a woman with lust and Jesus said that, by doing that, I had already committed adultery in my heart, which makes me an adulterer. I have stolen things, making me a thief. I have told a lie and that makes me a liar, no matter whether or not it hurt anyone. I have desired something that belonged to someone else, making me envious. I've broken the law over and over again. I knew it every time I did, too. I can't say I didn't because I had a conscience to tell me. I deserved to go to hell. I had earned my place there by being such a bad person. Knowing how bad of a person I was, God extended his love for me. I John 4:10 defines love, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." On top of this, I know that God's love was so extensive that He has been trying to give it to me since the foundation of the earth (Psalm 78:2, Matthew 13:35, Matthew 25:34, John 17:24, Romans 1:20, Ephesians 1:4, Hebrews 4:4, Hebrew 9:26, and I Peter 1:20). If God is this passionate about loving me, how in the world could I even think to say it is not enough? The problem is not with God or the sufficiency of His love. The problem was with me.
I tried to figure out what my problem was for about a week. I was wrestling with this thing because I don't want anything in my to hinder my relationship with God. Don Coleman, my spiritual Grandfather – I call him that because he discipled Stuart, who discipled me - was speaking at Mechanicsville Christian Center on August 30th and the subject of what he shared was that God was showing him that he needed to receive God's love to another level. As soon as I heard it, I said, "That's what God has been trying to say!" I heard it I just couldn't verbalize it.
Since God gave me utterance to what I was going through, (through Grandpa's testimony) I have gone through an interesting process. I asked God to help me receive His love to another level. I knew that this would involve cleaning out the things in my heart that cause me to not receive His love. God began to show me some junk that was in my heart. I felt like God was teasing me because when He provided for me financially, because it was "just enough" and not "abundance" and because I feel like I am incomplete. When I met Stuart and Grandpa and Chris I knew that God had shown me pieces of myself that I had been missing. I believe I am called to be a husband and a father, and to some extent, I feel like God is keeping me from being complete without them. I can't be either of those things without a wife or children and God has not brought them to me yet. The truth is that God has given me more and more in terms of finances as I have become more faithful with what I have. Also, God has constantly shown me that the call to know Him is much higher than marriage or fatherhood. Plus, He has proven to be faithful, time and again, by giving me what I need - exactly when I need it.
So, knowing the truth, I became very upset with myself for feeling that way. I actually went into a funk for about two weeks because I knew that I had that mess in my heart. During this time, God was trying to get my attention and speak peace to my heart, but I was prideful and decided that I had a right to be upset that I did not fully love God. I was accusing Him of toying with me and that line of thinking is satanic. The devil is the father of lies (John 8:44) and Satan means "accuser" (Zechariah 3:1) and he is called the accuser of our brothers" (Revelation 12:10). God led me reread the definition of love in I John 4:10 and I began to read the context and I saw it clearly said - three times - that love comes from God (one time in those words). He was showing me that it was perfectly natural for me to not be able to completely love Him right away. I have to receive his love before I can give it back. Then He brought to my remembrance II Corinthians 4:18, which is actually the first scripture I ever memorized, in which the LORD says, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." God does not want me to focus on the ways that I am not receiving His love. He wants me to be aware of them and play my part in ridding my soul of them, but the changing part is His (Philippians 2:12-13). Rather, God wants me to renew my mind and not be conformed to the pattern of this world (Romans 12:2). He wants my mind focused on what is unseen (II Corinthians 4:18). I am to fix my eyes upon Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith (Hebrews 12:2). He wants me to press on to take hold of what He died for me to have; to forget what is behind me (good and bad) and strain toward what is ahead, the prize for which He has called me Heavenward. He wants me to do this according to the level I have received. If I am focused on earthly things, I am living as an enemy of the cross of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:12-19) The LORD wants me to rejoice in Him always and not be anxious about anything, but in every situation present my requests to God through prayer and petition with thanksgiving. In doing this, God will set His peace like a sentry, guarding my heart and mind. God wants me to think about things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. He wants me to put into practice whatever I have seen in Men of God (including the Apostle Paul), and what I have learned and received from them or been taught by them. (Philippians 4:4-9) When I am in humble circumstances, God wants me to focus on my high position in Christ. When I am rich, he wants me to focus on my low position because all that is "good" about me is fading quickly (James 1:9-10). I am to be obedient to do what I know God wants me to do, and His promise is that He will change me to will and to act according to His good purpose (Philippians 2:12-13). Christ who has begun a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).
His love is the constant.
I must receive it!
Receiving the love of God is my greatest job, want and need.
Do you REALLY love God?
I tell you what, this brother, Oswald Chambers heard from the LORD in this jahnke:
February 21
Do You Really Love Him?
She has done a good work for Me
—Mark 14:6
If what we call love doesn't take us beyond ourselves, it is not really love. If we have the idea that love is characterized as cautious, wise, sensible, shrewd, and never taken to extremes, we have missed the true meaning. This may describe affection and it may bring us a warm feeling, but it is not a true and accurate description of love.
Have you ever been driven to do something for God not because you felt that it was useful or your duty to do so, or that there was anything in it for you, but simply because you love Him? Have you ever realized that you can give things to God that are of value to Him? Or are you just sitting around daydreaming about the greatness of His redemption, while neglecting all the things you could be doing for Him? I'm not referring to works which could be regarded as divine and miraculous, but ordinary, simple human things— things which would be evidence to God that you are totally surrendered to Him. Have you ever created what Mary of Bethany created in the heart of the Lord Jesus? "She has done a good work for Me."
There are times when it seems as if God watches to see if we will give Him even small gifts of surrender, just to show how genuine our love is for Him. To be surrendered to God is of more value than our personal holiness. Concern over our personal holiness causes us to focus our eyes on ourselves, and we become overly concerned about the way we walk and talk and look, out of fear of offending God. ". . . but perfect love casts out fear . . ." once we are surrendered to God ( 1 John 4:18 ). We should quit asking ourselves, "Am I of any use?" and accept the truth that we really are not of much use to Him. The issue is never of being of use, but of being of value to God Himself. Once we are totally surrendered to God, He will work through us all the time.
P.S. - Janke is a pronoun that is useable for any impersonal noun
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Scientific Facts in the Bible
1. Only in recent years has science discovered that everything we see is composed of invisible atoms. Here, Scripture tells us that the "things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."
2. Medical science has only recently discovered that blood-clotting in a newborn reaches its peak on the eighth day, then drops. The Bible consistently says that a baby must be circumcised on the eighth day.
3. At a time when it was believed that the earth sat on a large animal or a giant (1500 B.C.), the Bible spoke of the earth's free float in space: "He...hangs the earth upon nothing" (Job 26:7).
4. The prophet Isaiah also tells us that the earth is round: "It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth" (Isaiah 40:22). This is not a reference to a flat disk, as some skeptic maintain, but to a sphere. Secular man discovered this 2,400 years later. At a time when science believed that the earth was flat, is was the Scriptures that inspired Christopher Columbus to sail around the world (see Proverbs 3:6 footnote).
5. God told Job in 1500 B.C.: "Can you send lightnings, that they may go, and say to you, Here we are?" (Job 38:35). The Bible here is making what appears to be a scientifically ludicrous statement—that light can be sent, and then manifest itself in speech. But did you know that radio waves travel at the speed of light? This is why you can have instantaneous wireless communication with someone on the other side of the earth. Science didn't discover this until 1864 when "British scientist James Clerk Maxwell suggested that electricity and light waves were two forms of the same thing" (Modern Century Illustrated Encyclopedia).
6. Job 38:19 asks, "Where is the way where light dwells?" Modern man has only recently discovered that light (electromagnetic radiation) has a "way," traveling at 186,000 miles per second.
7. Science has discovered that stars emit radio waves, which are received on earth as a high pitch. God mentioned this in Job 38:7: "When the morning stars sang together..."
8. "Most cosmologists (scientists who study the structures and evolution of the universe) agree that the Genesis account of creation, in imagining an initial void, may be uncannily close to the truth" (Time, Dec. 1976).
9. Solomon described a "cycle" of air currents two thousand years before scientists "discovered" them. "The wind goes toward the south, and turns about unto the north; it whirls about continually, and the wind returns again according to his circuits" (Ecclesiastes 1:6).
10. Science expresses the universe in five terms: time, space, matter, power, and motion. Genesis 1:1,2 revealed such truths to the Hebrews in 1450 B.C.: "In the beginning [time] God created [power] the heaven [space] and the earth [matter] . . . And the Spirit of God moved [motion] upon the face of the waters." The first thing God tells man is that He controls of all aspects of the universe.
11. The great biological truth concerning the importance of blood in our body's mechanism has been fully comprehended only in recent years. Up until 120 years ago, sick people were "bled," and many died because of the practice. If you lose your blood, you lose your life. Yet Leviticus 17:11, written 3,000 years ago, declared that blood is the source of life: "For the life of the flesh is in the blood."
12. All things were made by Him (see John 1:3), including dinosaurs. Why then did the dinosaur disappear? The answer may be in Job 40:15–24. In this passage, God speaks about a great creature called "behemoth." Some commentators think this was a hippopotamus. However, the hippo's tail isn't like a large tree, but a small twig. Following are the characteristics of this huge animal: It was the largest of all the creatures God made; was plant-eating (herbivorous); had its strength in its hips and a tail like a large tree. It had very strong bones, lived among the trees, drank massive amounts of water, and was not disturbed by a raging river. He appears impervious to attack because his nose could pierce through snares, but Scripture says, "He that made him can make his sword to approach unto him." In other words, God caused this, the largest of all the creatures He had made, to become extinct.
13. Encyclopedia Britannica documents that in 1845, a young doctor in Vienna named Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis was horrified at the terrible death rate of women who gave birth in hospitals. As many as 30 percent died after giving birth. Semmelweis noted that doctors would examine the bodies of patients who died, then, without washing their hands, go straight to the next ward and examine expectant mothers. This was their normal practice, because the presence of microscopic diseases was unknown. Semmelweis insisted that doctors wash their hands before examinations, and the death rate immediately dropped to 2 percent. Look at the specific instructions God gave His people for when they encounter disease: "And when he that has an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself even days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean" (Leviticus 15:13). Until recent years, doctors washed their hands in a bowl of water, leaving invisible germs on their hands. However, the Bible says specifically to wash hands under "running water."
14. Luke 17:34–36 says the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will occur while some are asleep at night and others are working at daytime activities in the field. This is a clear indication of a revolving earth, with day and night at the same time.
15. "During the devastating Black Death of the fourteenth century, patients who were sick or dead were kept in the same rooms as the rest of the family. People often wondered why the disease was affecting so many people at one time. They attributed these epidemics to 'bad air' or 'evil spirits.' However, careful attention to the medical commands of God as revealed in Leviticus would have saved untold millions of lives. Arturo Castiglione wrote about the overwhelming importance of this biblical medical law: 'The laws against leprosy in Leviticus 13 may be regarded as the first model of sanitary legislation' (A History of Medicine)." Grant R. Jeffery, The Signature of God With all these truths revealed in Scripture,how could a thinking person deny that the Bible is supernatural in origin? There is no other book in any of the world's religions (Vedas, Bhagavad-Gita, Koran, Book of Mormon, etc.) that contains scientific truth. In fact, they contain statements that are clearly unscientific. Hank Hanegraaff said, "Faith in Christ is not some blind leap into a dark chasm, but a faith based on established evidence."
From "The Evidence Bible" at Hebrews 11:3
Saturday, November 4, 2006
A survey about my "top 8 friends" on MySpace
100 Questions about your top 8
Number 1: My Book
Number 2: Hyo Chin
Number 3: Matthew
Number 4: Butta
Number 5: Aric
Number 6: Karen
Number 7: Adolph
Number 8: Kelly
[PERSON NUMBER 8]: Kelly
1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN 8? Since June (I think it was June…)
2. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING MOST WITH 8?
Playing games (Scattergories, Cranium, Apples to Apples
3. HAVE YOU EVER DATED 8?
No!
4. HAVE YOU EVER KISSED 8?
No!
5. NAME ONE MEMORY YOU HAVE WITH 8.
The look on her face when Butta was messing with her about his "favorite movie"
7. WHERE DOES 8 LIVE?
Southside Richmond
8. WOULD YOU TAKE A ROAD TRIP WITH 8?
sure
9. DOES 8 KNOW ANYONE ELSE ON YOUR TOP 8?
Butta and Matthew do
10. WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT 8?
Her heart for the LORD
[PERSON NUMBER 7]: Adolph
11. HOW DID YOU MEET 7?
We were roommates in college. I think when he first saw me, I was out on the balcony smoking a cigarette and blasting the Wu Tang Clan :)
12. HAVE YOU EVER HAD A CRUSH ON 7?
no
13. NAME ONE INTERESTING THING ABOUT 7?.
It's just amazing to me that he actually enjoyed being my roommate :)
15. NAME SOMETHING 7 IS GOOD AT:
loving the LORD!!!
16. ARE YOU OLDER OR YOUNGER THAN 7?
Younger
17. HAVE YOU EVER KISSED 7?
No
18. EVER DONE ANYTHING ILLEGAL WITH 7?
No
19. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY WITH 7?
Adolph is the one who explained and then prayed with me for the baptism of the Holy Spirit
20. WHAT'S THEIR LAST NAME?
White
[PERSON NUMBER 6]: Karen
21. WHERE DOES 6 LIVE?
Northern, VA (Alexandria?)
22. DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS WITH 6?
I would have said something differently, if I had it to do over again. What came out of my mouth didn't reflect what was really in my heart
23. DO YOU KNOW 6'S MIDDLE NAME?
Yes
24. ARE YOU RELATED TO 6?
no
25. HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN 6?
about a year now.
26. ARE YOU IN 6'S TOP 8?
Nope, I'm not that important to her ;-)
27. EVER LAUGHED WITH 6?
Yes
29. WOULD YOU BE THERE FOR 6?
Yes, until she tells me she doesn't want me around or one of us dies
30. WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT 6?
The heart I see in her
[PERSON NUMBER 5]: Aric
31. HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW 5?
Fairly well
32. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW 5?
June?
33. HAVE YOU EVER KISSED 5?
No
34. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE WITH 5?
Pray, Chill, Watch movies, play games, eat, etc…
35. HOW DID YOU MEET 5?
He was the only black guy at Chi Alpha, a campus ministry that I went to for a while, and at that time, I had a hard time trusting white people so his presence made me feel more comfortable there.
36. EVER TOLD 5 A SECRET?
Yes
36b. WISH YOU COULD SEE 5 RIGHT NOW?
I wouldn't mind
37. HAVE YOU EVER DATED 5?
No
38. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY WITH 5?
"Come on! I'm hardcore!"
39. WOULD 5 DO ANYTHING FOR YOU?
I don't know
39B. DID YOU EVER THINK THERE COULD BE SOMETHING WITH 5?
no
40. WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT 5?
He keeps coming back
[PERSON NUMBER 4]: Butta
41. WHERE DID YOU MEET 4?
He was an intern with the Richmond School of Urban Ministry and I came over the dorm to visit my brother who was the house manager at the time. We talked for like 45 minutes and connected right away
42. IS 4 YOUR BEST FRIEND?
YES, and he is my brother
43. ARE YOU RELATED TO 4?
Yes
44. DO YOU GO TO SCHOOL WITH 4?
No
45. IS 4 A FUN PERSON TO BE WITH?
Yes
46. ARE YOU ON 4'S TOP 8 LIST?
Yes
47. WHEN IS 4'S BIRTHDAY?
September 26th, 1980
48. WOULD YOU GO ON A TRIP WITH 4?
We have
49. HOW OFTEN DO YOU TALK TO 4?
used to be once a week. We've been playing phone tag since I moved to ATL & he moved to Fredericksburg
50. WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT 4?
His heart for the LORD, his heart for me, his sense of humor and his ability to communicate on a higher plane than most people I have met
[PERSON NUMBER 3]: Matthew
51. HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN 3?
Since the fall of 1998
52. WHEN DID YOU LAST SEE 3?
September, I can't remember the date
53. EVER DATED 3?
No
54. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN COMMON WITH 3?
Much
55. WOULD YOU TAKE A BULLET FOR 3?
Yes
56. DO YOU GO TO SCHOOL WITH 3?
No
57. HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO KILL 3?
No, what a psychotic question!
58. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU DID WITH 3?
uh… talked on Yahoo IM
59. WHAT IS THE NEXT THING YOU WILL DO WITH 3?
I'd like to see him over my Winter break
60. WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT 3?
His willingness to die to himself to love those God has called him to
[PERSON NUMBER 2]: Hyo Chin
61. HOW DID YOU MEET 2?
She dropped my brother off outside of McGuire, AFB so that he could get me on the base
62. IS 2 ONE OF YOUR BEST FRIENDS?
Yes AND she is my sister
63. WOULD YOU DO ANYTHING FOR 2?
Anything that wouldn't cause me to sin
64. WHERE DOES 2 LIVE?
NJ
65. DO YOU LOVE 2?
More than I love myself
66. HAVE YOU EVER GOTTEN IN TROUBLE WITH 2?
Not really
67. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO WITH 2?
Pray, chill, watch movies, talk, etc…
68. WHAT IS 2'S MIDDLE NAME?
she doesn't have one
69. NAME ONE MEMORY YOU HAVE WITH 2?
just one? Gosh! That first loooooooong conversation we had was great… it elucidated the answer to the next question
70. WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT 2?
Her heart and how perfect she is for my brother!
[PERSON NUMBER 1]: My book! Ha ha ha, ok, I'll just answer these questions about Jesus
71. HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN 1? We met in 1992, and after about 3 months of being tight, I ignored him until 1998. We've been getting tighter since!
72. HAVE YOU EVER LIVED WITH 1?
We are one
73.HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO KICK 1?
Yes
74. DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL MEMORIES WITH 1?
Too many to name
75. ARE YOU NUMBER 1 ON 1'S TOP 8?
yes, I am. He's so awesome that EVERYONE who loves Him is #1 on His list
76. HAVE YOU EVER FOUGHT WITH 1?
Yes
77. WHY IS 1 THE TOP PERSON ON YOUR TOP 8?
He IS my life. He is my goal. He is my reward. He is the reason I am who I am today. I love Him more than anyone!
78. WOULD YOU DO ANYTHING FOR 1?
Yes, anything that He asks me to do
79. DO YOU LOVE 1?
YES!!!
80. WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT 1?
WAY too much to say. He's so specific and doting over me. He's so much better to me than I would be to myself.
IN YOUR TOP 8:
81. WHICH ONE DID YOU SEE LAST?
Hyo Chin
82. WHICH ONE WILL YOU SEE NEXT?
Butta or Matthew
83. WHICH ONE DID YOU LAST TALK TO ON THE PHONE?
Hyo Chin
84. WHICH ONE DID YOU LAST COMMENT?
Karen (picture comments)
85. WHICH ONE DID YOU LAST TEXT?
Karen
86. WHICH ONE DID YOU LAST (CENSOR)?
What?
87. WHICH ONE IS THE EASIEST TO TALK TO?
Jesus – BY FAR!!!!! :) then Hyo Chin, Matthew and Butta
88. WHICH ONE DO YOU TRUST THE MOST?
Jesus – He's the reason I CAN trust the others
89. WHICH ONE KNOWS YOU BEST?
Jesus, and I have been open to the others. Who knows me best kinda depends on how much they have WANTED to know me.
90. WHICH ONE DO YOU LOVE THE MOST?
Jesus – BY FAR!!!
91. WHICH ONE DO YOU HAVE THE MOST IN COMMON WITH?
That's a tough question. I'd probably have to say Butta
92. WHICH ONE DO YOU MISS THE MOST RIGHT NOW?
Hyo Chin, Matthew, Butta & Karen
93. WHICH ONE HAVE YOU SPENT THE MOST TIME WITH?
Jesus and then probably Butta & Matthew
94. WHICH ONE DO YOU TALK TO MOST RIGHT NOW?
Jesus and then Hyo Chin
95. WHICH ONE LISTENS THE BEST?
Jesus and then Hyo Chin and Butta
96. WHICH ONE HAS BEEN THERE FOR YOU THE MOST?
Jesus and then Matthew, Butta & Hyo Chin (in order of who I've known the longest)
97. WHICH ONE IS THE FUNNIEST?
Jesus and then I'd say Hyo Chin, Butta, Karen and Matthew are all pretty hilarious in their own way
98. WHICH ONE LAUGHS THE MOST?
Butta
99. WHICH ONE WOULD YOU CRY WITH?
I'm pretty sure I have cried in front most of them
100. WHICH ONE WILL REPOST THIS??
Who knows!
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
SLOW DOWN!!!
SHEESH!!!!!
I went to my Bio professor's office hours today to look over my test and out of the 11 incorrect answers on my test, 6 were missed because I was going too fast and misread the problem! That is the difference between an 81 (after the 3 point curve) and a 93 (after the curve). So now, instead of going into the final needing a B to get an A in the course, I am mathematically eliminated from the POSSIBLITY of getting an A in Bio 111. I am stuck between a C and a B. I need a 45 on the final to get a C and I need an 85 to get a B... I would need a 125 to get an A. That's probably not going to happen since he won't let anyone get higher than a 104. :-..
There's always Bio 112 and now I know how this guy teaches and tests. :)
I went to my Bio professor's office hours today to look over my test and out of the 11 incorrect answers on my test, 6 were missed because I was going too fast and misread the problem! That is the difference between an 81 (after the 3 point curve) and a 93 (after the curve). So now, instead of going into the final needing a B to get an A in the course, I am mathematically eliminated from the POSSIBLITY of getting an A in Bio 111. I am stuck between a C and a B. I need a 45 on the final to get a C and I need an 85 to get a B... I would need a 125 to get an A. That's probably not going to happen since he won't let anyone get higher than a 104. :-..
There's always Bio 112 and now I know how this guy teaches and tests. :)
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
The last birthday of my 20's
Wow! Just writing that makes me wonder at how old I'm getting! WOW! I'm 29. I mentioned Bo Jackson in one of my classes last week and a classmate said, "Who?" Ouch!
How did I spend the final birthday of my 20's?
I woke up at 5:30 to beat the horrendous Atlanta traffic, and literally as soon as I turned off my alarm, I heard the water from the shower turn on. That meant that the 20 year old daughter of the family I live with was going to be in the shower for the next 20-30 minutes. So I decided to go back to sleep for another half hour. That half hour somehow took me to 10AM. So having missed my Biology class, I got up, showered and I got to school at about 11:30.
Once at school, I went to the library and spent about an hour on the phone with people from Sallie Mae and EFG (two educational loan lenders). There has been some trouble with my financial aid (I still haven't gotten it!), and I figured out why. EFG had been lazy and didn't check the national database to see that I was still in school and they began to expect payments. They didn't come (b/c I wasn't expecting to pay since I haven't graduated yet) and they reported me to the credit peeps saying that I had defaulted on their loan. Sallie Mae saw that and pulled my loan for this quarter. SO, I had to call EFG and inform them that they were on crack and I've been enrolled the whole time and I was not in default. They agreed, and they have faxed confirmation of that to Sallie Mae. I should get my check in about two weeks (halfway through the quarter). Basically, they made a mistake and I'm running on a paper trail for three weeks!
ANYWAY,
After that wonderful experience to begin my birthday, I went to my Bio lab at 1. I was encouraged in the lab because my microscopy skills are dramatically improving with experience. I had really seen that as a weak spot of mine and knowing that I'll be taking Histology next summer, I was a bit concerned. Anyway, after two thrilling hours of looking at slides on which we had to identify the different stages of mitosis in both plants & animals. I was ready to go.
Great News! No Algebra class!!!! WooHoo!!!!
I can go home and study for my Bio test tomorrow (Tuesday). I stopped by Napa to pick up some motor oil and when I got back out to my car it wouldn't start. An hour later, I have exhausted my knowledge of the internal combustion engine and the only thing I have accomplished is making my hands filthy. Gotta call AAA. OK, somebody tell me why AAA took until 7:45PM to get my car on a tow truck?! Are you serious? I'm spending 4 hours of my birthday stuck in a parking lot?
I got home and I was pretty frustrated. I laid down and continued praying, but now I was alone with God and I could really get intimate with Him. I was really desiring some encouragement and my brother called me. What he called to tell me was some of the most encouraging conversation that I have had in a LONG time. My brother really loves me and his wife and I are growing in relationship, and he was calling to really express to me how much his wife loves me. I tell you, when God introduced me to Chris, I felt like I had just met a part of me that I had been missing my whole life. I have a few people in my life that I really treasure, but God has done something special in my heart and Chris'. I'm serious, this was the brother I had wanted my whole life and it seems like a no-brainer, but it is still extremely humbling to me that the woman of God that was made for my brother has a heart for me too. She really loves me, the way a sister should and it is really encouraging. :)
While I was talking to Chris, a woman of God who I hadn't spoken to since July sent me an IM. After trying for a little while to have two conversations at once (BAD idea), I got off the phone with Chris. I spoke (IM'd, whatever) with her for about 4 hours (or until like 3:30AM). It was fun. I paid for it today when I woke up at 5:30AM and got ready for my test at 9AM.
WHEW!!!!
Long day, a lot happened. A lot of people sent me Happy Birthday wishes through different mediums: MySpace, IM, email, Ecard, phone call, voice mails, and I was sung to 3 times :) I am still waiting for the 4th song, hopefully I'll get it!
Anyway, thank you to all of you who sent your regards, well-wishes and love. I really appreciate it. :)
How did I spend the final birthday of my 20's?
I woke up at 5:30 to beat the horrendous Atlanta traffic, and literally as soon as I turned off my alarm, I heard the water from the shower turn on. That meant that the 20 year old daughter of the family I live with was going to be in the shower for the next 20-30 minutes. So I decided to go back to sleep for another half hour. That half hour somehow took me to 10AM. So having missed my Biology class, I got up, showered and I got to school at about 11:30.
Once at school, I went to the library and spent about an hour on the phone with people from Sallie Mae and EFG (two educational loan lenders). There has been some trouble with my financial aid (I still haven't gotten it!), and I figured out why. EFG had been lazy and didn't check the national database to see that I was still in school and they began to expect payments. They didn't come (b/c I wasn't expecting to pay since I haven't graduated yet) and they reported me to the credit peeps saying that I had defaulted on their loan. Sallie Mae saw that and pulled my loan for this quarter. SO, I had to call EFG and inform them that they were on crack and I've been enrolled the whole time and I was not in default. They agreed, and they have faxed confirmation of that to Sallie Mae. I should get my check in about two weeks (halfway through the quarter). Basically, they made a mistake and I'm running on a paper trail for three weeks!
ANYWAY,
After that wonderful experience to begin my birthday, I went to my Bio lab at 1. I was encouraged in the lab because my microscopy skills are dramatically improving with experience. I had really seen that as a weak spot of mine and knowing that I'll be taking Histology next summer, I was a bit concerned. Anyway, after two thrilling hours of looking at slides on which we had to identify the different stages of mitosis in both plants & animals. I was ready to go.
Great News! No Algebra class!!!! WooHoo!!!!
I can go home and study for my Bio test tomorrow (Tuesday). I stopped by Napa to pick up some motor oil and when I got back out to my car it wouldn't start. An hour later, I have exhausted my knowledge of the internal combustion engine and the only thing I have accomplished is making my hands filthy. Gotta call AAA. OK, somebody tell me why AAA took until 7:45PM to get my car on a tow truck?! Are you serious? I'm spending 4 hours of my birthday stuck in a parking lot?
I got home and I was pretty frustrated. I laid down and continued praying, but now I was alone with God and I could really get intimate with Him. I was really desiring some encouragement and my brother called me. What he called to tell me was some of the most encouraging conversation that I have had in a LONG time. My brother really loves me and his wife and I are growing in relationship, and he was calling to really express to me how much his wife loves me. I tell you, when God introduced me to Chris, I felt like I had just met a part of me that I had been missing my whole life. I have a few people in my life that I really treasure, but God has done something special in my heart and Chris'. I'm serious, this was the brother I had wanted my whole life and it seems like a no-brainer, but it is still extremely humbling to me that the woman of God that was made for my brother has a heart for me too. She really loves me, the way a sister should and it is really encouraging. :)
While I was talking to Chris, a woman of God who I hadn't spoken to since July sent me an IM. After trying for a little while to have two conversations at once (BAD idea), I got off the phone with Chris. I spoke (IM'd, whatever) with her for about 4 hours (or until like 3:30AM). It was fun. I paid for it today when I woke up at 5:30AM and got ready for my test at 9AM.
WHEW!!!!
Long day, a lot happened. A lot of people sent me Happy Birthday wishes through different mediums: MySpace, IM, email, Ecard, phone call, voice mails, and I was sung to 3 times :) I am still waiting for the 4th song, hopefully I'll get it!
Anyway, thank you to all of you who sent your regards, well-wishes and love. I really appreciate it. :)
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Atlanta (homesick)
Atlanta,
It's a very diverse city, which I like. It's nice to see so much diversity and from the looks of it, the diversity isn't huddled. It seems like a pretty good mix :)
It's a CRAZY city for traffic. I live 9 miles from school and if I don't leave before rush hour it'll take me over an hour to get there. Are you serious?! It's like the congestion of Northern Virginia with twice as many lanes!!!
It's very pretty scenery. Lots of rolling hills and Mountains in view as you drive around. Nice!
Having said all of that, I miss Richmond like CRAZY!!!!! I can't picture myself staying down here once I graduate.
All of my VA peeps, I love you and I miss you! Don't be a stranger!
It's a very diverse city, which I like. It's nice to see so much diversity and from the looks of it, the diversity isn't huddled. It seems like a pretty good mix :)
It's a CRAZY city for traffic. I live 9 miles from school and if I don't leave before rush hour it'll take me over an hour to get there. Are you serious?! It's like the congestion of Northern Virginia with twice as many lanes!!!
It's very pretty scenery. Lots of rolling hills and Mountains in view as you drive around. Nice!
Having said all of that, I miss Richmond like CRAZY!!!!! I can't picture myself staying down here once I graduate.
All of my VA peeps, I love you and I miss you! Don't be a stranger!
Thursday, September 21, 2006
For you Non-Football fans...
There have been a few people who've asked me to explain football to them recently, so I've decided to go ahead and post the different types of players in a football game, to help a little bit. Obviously, there is more to it than what I am writing here, but this should give you a good basic understanding of all the postions (I have left the kickers and punters off of this list)
Offense:
There are 5 guys whose job it is to protect the other players. They line up in front on the line where the ball is placed. Collectively they are called
Offensive Lineman - They are: (from left to right):
the Left Tackle, Left Guard, Center, Right Guard, Right Tackle. To begin an offensive play, the center snaps (gives) the ball to the quarterback - When the center moves the ball, that is when the defenders can cross the line.
Quarterback (Takes the ball from the center and is in charge of making everything work. He gets the ball to the "skill position players" - on running plays, he gives the ball to the running back and on passing plays, he passes it to the receivers)
Running back (runs the ball on running plays and either protects the quarterback or becomes a receiver on passing plays)
Fullback ( a second running back that is mostly used to block for the running back on running plays and protect the quarterback on passing plays, he can also be a receiver)
Wide Receivers AKA Flankers or Ends (They block on running plays and run specific patterns on passing plays that allows the quarterback to get them the ball. Their job is to run the route in a manner that allows them to be "open" meaning no defender can keep them from getting the ball and to catch it if it is thrown to them.)
Tight Ends (they are a cross between Wide Receivers and the linemen. They block on running plays like a lineman and they line up next to one of the tackles (either one). This is why they are called Tight Ends. Because they are "Ends" who are "Tight" or close to the linemen. On passing plays, they can stay next to the linemen to block or they can run patterns like the Wide Receivers
Defense:
There are only 4 different types of positions on defense, but they can line up A LOT of different ways. Here are the basics:
Facing the Offensive Line there are Defensive Linemen. These are really huge guys (like 270 lbs or more) that start the play bent over with at least one of their hands on the ground. Their job is to tackle whoever has the ball while keeping the offensive line from blocking the linebackers. Defensive Linemen are called one of two things:
Defensive Ends are lineman that start the play across from either an offensive tackle or a tight end
Defensive Tackles are linemen that start the play across from either an offensive guard or the center (sometimes they are called a Nose Tackle if they are across from the center)
The 2nd type of position on defense is Linebackers. They line up behind the defensive linemen and they try to tackle whoever has the ball on a running play and they cover (try to keep them from catching the ball) the running backs and tight ends on passing plays (normally from 240-270lbs). There are three types of linebackers:
Strongside Linebacker (or "Sam" Linebacker) Lines up on the side that the tight end is on and covers him on passing plays. This is normally the biggest of the linebackers.
Middle Linebacker (or "Mike" Linebacker) Lines up in the middle of the defensive line (but normally about 5 yards back) so that he can cover both sides of the field equally well. He is known as the quarterback of the defense because it is his job to communicate the plays (which are signaled in via special sign language from the coaches on the sideline) and make sure everyone is in the right position and knows their job. On passing plays, he normally covers one of the running backs
Weakside Linebacker (or "Will" Linebacker) Lines up on the side of the formation that does not have a tight end. This allows him to have to worry about one fewer blocker. He is normally the fastest of the three linebackers
The third type of position on defense is Cornerback. A cornerback is a small guy who runs really fast (like 190-220lbs) they mirror the Wide Receivers on passing plays and they try to tackle the runner on running plays
The fourth and final position on defense is Safety. Safeties are a cross between a cornerback and a linebacker. (like 220-240lbs) They line up in the middle of the field behind the linebackers. They try to tackle runners on running plays and cover Tight Ends, Receivers and Running Backs on passing plays. There are two types of safeties:
The Strong Safety lines up on the side that the tight end is on and is closer to the linebackers because he is more focused on the Tight End and helping to tackle runners.
The Free Safety lines up further back and is more concerned with being the "last line of defense" He does not attack runners as aggressively. If all of the other defenders miss the runner, it is his job to keep the runner from scoring. On passing plays, he tries to prevent long throws and assist the other defenders in covering the receivers.
Offense:
There are 5 guys whose job it is to protect the other players. They line up in front on the line where the ball is placed. Collectively they are called
Offensive Lineman - They are: (from left to right):
the Left Tackle, Left Guard, Center, Right Guard, Right Tackle. To begin an offensive play, the center snaps (gives) the ball to the quarterback - When the center moves the ball, that is when the defenders can cross the line.
Quarterback (Takes the ball from the center and is in charge of making everything work. He gets the ball to the "skill position players" - on running plays, he gives the ball to the running back and on passing plays, he passes it to the receivers)
Running back (runs the ball on running plays and either protects the quarterback or becomes a receiver on passing plays)
Fullback ( a second running back that is mostly used to block for the running back on running plays and protect the quarterback on passing plays, he can also be a receiver)
Wide Receivers AKA Flankers or Ends (They block on running plays and run specific patterns on passing plays that allows the quarterback to get them the ball. Their job is to run the route in a manner that allows them to be "open" meaning no defender can keep them from getting the ball and to catch it if it is thrown to them.)
Tight Ends (they are a cross between Wide Receivers and the linemen. They block on running plays like a lineman and they line up next to one of the tackles (either one). This is why they are called Tight Ends. Because they are "Ends" who are "Tight" or close to the linemen. On passing plays, they can stay next to the linemen to block or they can run patterns like the Wide Receivers
Defense:
There are only 4 different types of positions on defense, but they can line up A LOT of different ways. Here are the basics:
Facing the Offensive Line there are Defensive Linemen. These are really huge guys (like 270 lbs or more) that start the play bent over with at least one of their hands on the ground. Their job is to tackle whoever has the ball while keeping the offensive line from blocking the linebackers. Defensive Linemen are called one of two things:
Defensive Ends are lineman that start the play across from either an offensive tackle or a tight end
Defensive Tackles are linemen that start the play across from either an offensive guard or the center (sometimes they are called a Nose Tackle if they are across from the center)
The 2nd type of position on defense is Linebackers. They line up behind the defensive linemen and they try to tackle whoever has the ball on a running play and they cover (try to keep them from catching the ball) the running backs and tight ends on passing plays (normally from 240-270lbs). There are three types of linebackers:
Strongside Linebacker (or "Sam" Linebacker) Lines up on the side that the tight end is on and covers him on passing plays. This is normally the biggest of the linebackers.
Middle Linebacker (or "Mike" Linebacker) Lines up in the middle of the defensive line (but normally about 5 yards back) so that he can cover both sides of the field equally well. He is known as the quarterback of the defense because it is his job to communicate the plays (which are signaled in via special sign language from the coaches on the sideline) and make sure everyone is in the right position and knows their job. On passing plays, he normally covers one of the running backs
Weakside Linebacker (or "Will" Linebacker) Lines up on the side of the formation that does not have a tight end. This allows him to have to worry about one fewer blocker. He is normally the fastest of the three linebackers
The third type of position on defense is Cornerback. A cornerback is a small guy who runs really fast (like 190-220lbs) they mirror the Wide Receivers on passing plays and they try to tackle the runner on running plays
The fourth and final position on defense is Safety. Safeties are a cross between a cornerback and a linebacker. (like 220-240lbs) They line up in the middle of the field behind the linebackers. They try to tackle runners on running plays and cover Tight Ends, Receivers and Running Backs on passing plays. There are two types of safeties:
The Strong Safety lines up on the side that the tight end is on and is closer to the linebackers because he is more focused on the Tight End and helping to tackle runners.
The Free Safety lines up further back and is more concerned with being the "last line of defense" He does not attack runners as aggressively. If all of the other defenders miss the runner, it is his job to keep the runner from scoring. On passing plays, he tries to prevent long throws and assist the other defenders in covering the receivers.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
tired doesn't BEGIN to cover it.....
This past week has been very encouraging, very tiring and very scary. Encouraging because God has already honored my faith in this season of my life. Tiring because I have driven about 1300 miles in the last 5 days. Scary because I am moving out in faith and God isn't telling me what is going to happen... He just said, "Go" so I'm going.
As most of ya'll know, I am now a resident of Marietta, GA (where, apparently, "everything is betta" - according to an advertising slogan I heard). Getting from last Sunday to this Sunday was pretty serious:
My brother Chris and I had been talking for a couple of weeks about how we really wanted to see each other before I moved. Last Sunday I was talking about it with him again and looking at the resources God has given me to steward. I said, "Bro, if I can make $700 by Wednesday, I will come up there. If I can't, then I just won't be able to spend that money (for the trip) in faith." Meaning of course that I was putting my faith out there that God would allow me to make that amount and I could "justify" spending $100 for a two day trip to New Jersey.
Well, in the afternoon on Sunday, a sister blessed me with $150. I was REALLY encouraged! Then, Monday, I got an email from a guy who had been in a couple of classes with me at VCU. He wanted to get massage lessons from me, so that he could bless his mother and friends with good massages. We made plans to get together on Tuesday for the first 3 hours of the 6 that it takes for me to teach the full-body routine. Then I went to a massage appointment I had for that night. It was a 90 minute massage (that actually ran closer to two hours) and the client almost tripled what she would have been charged, as a gift to me (she "owed" me $110 and she gave me $300). Long story short (kinda): God came through with more money than I'd asked for and that allowed me to go up to New Jersey on Wednesday night. I left to come back to Richmond on Friday night and got in on Saturday morning. Saturday, I had to teach the other three hours of lessons and I saw a few more friends and said good-bye. I said good-bye to my sister and I drove down to ATL. I got here about 8:45 AM and service at the Father's House begins at 10, so I just went straight there. Service went until about 2 and then they had a reception/birthday party for Bishop Boone (58 today). SO, I got to Marietta about 3:30PM and I shopped the prices for hotels for a little while until I decided on La Quinta.
SOOOOOO, by faith, I have travelled back and forth to New Jersey and I moved to Atlanta, knowing nothing except that God wants me to go to Chiropractic school at Life University. 5 days and 1300 miles later, I am sitting here exhausted, getting ready to go to bed. La Quinta is my home until next Sunday. I wonder what will happen this week? I'm going to get some stuff done tomorrow and start looking for a job and a place to live on a more permanent basis. :)
Agape,
Joe
"Save Gomer!"
As most of ya'll know, I am now a resident of Marietta, GA (where, apparently, "everything is betta" - according to an advertising slogan I heard). Getting from last Sunday to this Sunday was pretty serious:
My brother Chris and I had been talking for a couple of weeks about how we really wanted to see each other before I moved. Last Sunday I was talking about it with him again and looking at the resources God has given me to steward. I said, "Bro, if I can make $700 by Wednesday, I will come up there. If I can't, then I just won't be able to spend that money (for the trip) in faith." Meaning of course that I was putting my faith out there that God would allow me to make that amount and I could "justify" spending $100 for a two day trip to New Jersey.
Well, in the afternoon on Sunday, a sister blessed me with $150. I was REALLY encouraged! Then, Monday, I got an email from a guy who had been in a couple of classes with me at VCU. He wanted to get massage lessons from me, so that he could bless his mother and friends with good massages. We made plans to get together on Tuesday for the first 3 hours of the 6 that it takes for me to teach the full-body routine. Then I went to a massage appointment I had for that night. It was a 90 minute massage (that actually ran closer to two hours) and the client almost tripled what she would have been charged, as a gift to me (she "owed" me $110 and she gave me $300). Long story short (kinda): God came through with more money than I'd asked for and that allowed me to go up to New Jersey on Wednesday night. I left to come back to Richmond on Friday night and got in on Saturday morning. Saturday, I had to teach the other three hours of lessons and I saw a few more friends and said good-bye. I said good-bye to my sister and I drove down to ATL. I got here about 8:45 AM and service at the Father's House begins at 10, so I just went straight there. Service went until about 2 and then they had a reception/birthday party for Bishop Boone (58 today). SO, I got to Marietta about 3:30PM and I shopped the prices for hotels for a little while until I decided on La Quinta.
SOOOOOO, by faith, I have travelled back and forth to New Jersey and I moved to Atlanta, knowing nothing except that God wants me to go to Chiropractic school at Life University. 5 days and 1300 miles later, I am sitting here exhausted, getting ready to go to bed. La Quinta is my home until next Sunday. I wonder what will happen this week? I'm going to get some stuff done tomorrow and start looking for a job and a place to live on a more permanent basis. :)
Agape,
Joe
"Save Gomer!"
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