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.
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