Friday, December 21, 2007

The Journey is ended...and Begun.

Day 18: Jerusalem. Crowded, filled with Roman soldiers. Arrival at the home of Mary's first cousin, Elizabeth, and her husband the priest Zacharias, whose six-month-old baby will be known as John the Baptist. The two couples meet in awe. They are the only people in the world who know the world's most tremendous news, and yet they can say nothing.

Day 19: Joseph busies himself about Jerusalem securing exit visas. He gawks at the paved streets, the covered shops, the Roman barracks, at the five great palaces and the huge Roman fortress named for Mark Antony--and especially at the great Temple, its eaves and pinnacles sheathed in pure gold. Mary is puzzled--and not for the first time--by the ways of God. Her time is near. Would it not be fitting that her holy Baby be born in that holy temple? But at dawn they must leave...

Day 20: Late this day the weary couple pass through the walls of Bethlehem, a center for sheep and cattle farming, know for the sweet water of its wells, its synagogue, for King David's house and land.
Joseph is alarmed. Mary's birthing pains have begun. But first he rushes to register with the Romans before it is too late. Then he seeks lodging. But the town is swarming with other members of David's tribe and nothing is available. Frantically, they leave the town and find shelter in one of the caves that shepherds use for stables. There are hayracks and mangers there, and a warming fire.
On this night, Mary's Child, the Son of God, is born. The journey is ended...and begun.

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I brin
g you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."'

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'"


Thursday, December 20, 2007

Continuing on the Road

Day 10: Halfway. The Samarian city of Shomrom-Sebaste, ancient walled capital of Israel, yet to Joseph a desecrated city, its buildings more Greek than Jewish, and filled with foreigners who do not believe in God. Three days here outside the walls. Joseph is anxious to push on but this is a trading center and the caravan merchants are too busy to leave.
Ten miles southwest is Shechem, noted for the wealth and arrogance of its citizens who are not Jews, but Samaritans. Mary yearns, as do all Jews for a cup of curative water from Jacob's Well, but it is forbidden territory and leaving the caravan might mean being killed by the Samaritans. At Jacob's Well Jesus will meet a Samaritan woman and promise her eternal life.

Day 14: The Sabbath observed. No traveling. Mary needs the rest. Joseph is worried for her.

Day 15: Joseph and Mary travel around the new city of Shiloh, and mourn for the old Shiloh, a sad and lonely vista of broken-down buildings and shattered alters. Once it possessed the now-lost Ark of the Covenant, the revered sign of God's presence.

Day 16: Bethel. As devout Jews, Joseph and Mary pause for special prayers where Abraham offered his sacrifices to God, and Jacob dreamed of angels climbing up and down a ladder to heaven.

Day 17: The small wayside station of Ramallah. Here, at last, the first glimpse of the holy city of Jerusalem, its golden pinnacles glittering in the sun, 10 miles distant.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

New Perspective for the Season

The Way to the First Christmas
by: Malachi Martin

"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Casear Augustus that all the world should be taxed..."

It is a matter of great urgency. As members of the tribe of Judah, Joseph and his wife Mary must register for the census in Bethlehem, their own ancestral city of David. The Romans, who occupy Palestine, are strict. Anyone not appearing at the appointed time will risk being branded an outlaw, fined, executed.

And there is the other reason. Mary is heavy with Child. The quickest way south must be chosen, not the easier plains of the Mediterranean or the more leisurely Jordan Valley, but the 3000-year-old trading route that winds for 70 miles through the rocky highlands.

Joseph purchases a place in a caravan passing through from Mesopotamia. It will provide protection from bandits, bears, mountain lions...

Day 1
: The long, cumbersome caravan leaves Nazareth in a welter of dust and yapping dogs, the rich in their chariots and wagons, the poor on donkeys and foot. As they descend from the high Galilean hills, Mary observes Mount Tabor in the east. She cannot know it now, but one day it will be the site of the Transfiguration of the Child she carries.

Day 2: The lovely plain of Jezreel, Palestine's granary. Green forests, fresh water, carpets of wildflowers. Mary misses home. And sleeping on the ground beside the trail is not easy for her.

Day 5: Mile after plodding mile, the days go by. In the caravan they talk about Megiddo, 10 miles west, where Solomon kept his stables for 900 chariots and horses.

Day 6: The caravan clmbs into the mountains. In the village of Nain, famed for its flowers and clmate, Jesus will restore a widow's son to life.
Day 7: The Sabbath observed. No traveling this day.

Day 8: Climbing still. Slow going, yet Joseph and Mary are excited by being for the first time in the places they've learned about in the synagogue. There's Mount Gilboa! Where Saul and Jonathan were slain by the Philistines and David lamented the loss of his beloved friend.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Mind Games

This morning as I sat in my favorite chair, gazing at the shimmering Christmas lights on our tree, and sipping my quickly-cooling-to-lukewarm coffee...I realized how much negativity I allow inside my head.

I assume the worst about situations, people and myself. I don't anticipate I will have good day...it's "enduring" through life. Sometimes I even feel guilty for enjoying life or having a happy day. How ridiculous! Why live under such a burden?

"The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

"The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and he delights in His
way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand."

"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."

"Finally brethern, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy or praise, dwell on these things."


With these truths in mind... I decided it was time for a change. Holding His hand, I will...

-choose to think the best of people.
-choose to only allow pleasing, honoring thoughts to enter my mind and heart.
-have a good day today!

Along the same lines, I recently read an article concerning the power of words. Here are some excerpts (Click on the title to be directed to the full article online) :

Vocabulary of Grace
by Rachel Starr Thomson

“As a writer, I deal with the power of words every day. Words damage or heal; impart grace or condemn. On a deep level, they alter the way we see life and respond to challenges. They create safe places or dangerous ones…. Of everything in life we tend to be most careless with our words, yet they are powerful and worthy of care.

Language of Faith
"When I was 13 or so, my dad put the kibosh on a word we'd been using for years: "lucky." Why remove something so common from our language? "Because," he said, "we don't believe in luck." Awkward though it sounded to us at the time, we were instructed to use the word "blessed" instead. … This simple switch in vocabulary triggered a profound difference in attitude. … Luck, after all, is arbitrary. Blessing comes from the deliberate hand of a good God.

" … So often though, our speech ignores reality and refuses to give God His due. When our speech reflects truth, truth will sink deeper into our hearts — and perhaps give others something to think about as well.

Speaking Honor
"We live in a culture of irreverence. In the name of making people laugh, we make a mockery of everything. … Few things are dishonored more in our culture than marriage and family. This is true among Christians as much as anywhere else. Engagement is met with crude jokes and comments about life being over. ... We claim to believe what God says about marriage and family, yet our speech patterns are just as likely to reflect feminism, humanism, and hedonistic values.

"… We have the opportunity to use words that reflect what we really believe, that strengthen our highest ideals and give glory to God. Why not take it? … We can probably all think of a time when someone's unexpected words lifted us up and gave us the strength to keep going. Ultimately, the words we speak are gifts — to those around us and to God, who always hears."

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Turkey Bowling


Last night I went to my first "turkey bowl" and actually did pretty well for myself. I made it a goal to break a hundred every game we bowled and I succeeded!

Faith, a woman with bowling in her blood (her relatives are very good!), won both games we played, but I was a close second. She was the one who really kept me competitive and made the game more interesting. The other women in my group wanted to chat and bond. Seriously...so overrated! ;) Faith and I kept poking and prodding them whenever it was their turn...

People in a bowling alley seem to come up with the most interesting ways to knock down those pins. Here are a few I observed:
  • Sometimes the bowler will fling their arm straight back before swinging it forward again releasing the ball. Let's just say whenever they bowl, be sure and stand off to the side, just in case the ball happened to slip!
  • Other times the bowler will lightly throw the ball down and stand there watching it with their arms down at their sides and hands pointing outwards, bent at the wrist, almost as though anticipating the moment when they can spring outward and celebrate a strike!
  • In the lane next to us was a family who decided to use every technique known to man to get that ball down the lane. The little girl would sit on the floor with her lavender-colored dress and push the ball down. She would watch it from this position until it struck the pins. SO ADORABLE!
  • On the otherhand, her brother would throw the ball and then spin around and kick his legs in excitement! But he wouldn't throw it down a lane, but down the middle of two lanes where the workers normally walk to retreve stray balls or fix pins. Needless to say, his technique left his ball stuck a few times!
  • Their older sister wound up and tossed the ball to where it would make a resounding crack as it hit the wooden floor quickly rolling either into the gutter or into one corner pin. She would toss her head and shug, not really minding the low score.
Overall it was a fun night. Lessons learned?

-Paying by the hour is crap...it's so much better to pay by the game. You can't anticipate how long a game will last!

-Getting a strike after you've gotten a gutter ball sucks cause it only counts as a spare...sadly this happened to me twice. :(

-Playing with your small group is amazing!

-Be sure and choose your ball first! It's hard to find those ten pounders once the families have settled in!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Belly Dancers and Raindrops

After France we walked passed Morocco. What a funny experience. There was a belly dancer swishing her hips to the music, and I noticed that as people passed, guys would glance over, quickly do a double-take and then completely stop and stare transfixed at the dancer! It was hilarious!

Next was the Oklahoma booth. We shared seared buffalo. Man was it tasty! I found out later (from my co-worker who is an Oklahoma native) that buffalo is actually more healthy for you than beef! Oklahoma is celebrating it's 100th birthday as a state in the union, so Epcot decided to celebrate with them! This was the only time that a U.S. state was featured at the Food & Wine festival. They mounted pictures of famous landmarks, people, and historical figures that made up Oklahoma's history on three large walls. A band even began to play, complete with two fiddlers. Towards the end of their show they played a waltz and offered a spot where anyone could dance. No one moved. Dan looked at me and asked if I wanted to dance...I thought he meant where we were (in the back), so I said sure! But no, he escorted me down to the spot in front of everyone and we waltzed for the whole song! Afterwards everyone clapped and the band said we looked "beautiful." It was seriously awesome! Yay for the Dancing Chapman's class we took! And yay for a boyfriend who gently pulls me out of my shyness!

Australia was next and boy was that the best food we ate! We shared the grilled lamb chop with carmalized onions...a definite 5+++ on our taste scale. I seriously wish we could've had a whole plate full of those little morsels. Lamb has to be the yummiest thing you can cook on the barbie! After savoring every flavor of that delicious appetizer we decided to mess around in Italy, taking funny pictures by the Poseidon fountain and the wine barrels.



While Dan and I stood in line for our German cuisine the clouds decided to release their burden...all over us. Being the gentleman that he is, Dan waited in the rain for our food while I took cover under one of the awnings near the booth.

Once we got the food I realized why my friend Melissa recommended Germany. So tasty! Especially the one I picked: debriziner sausage with sauerkraut in a pretzel roll (definitely a 4). Dan's spaetzle with creamy mushroom earned a 2 because it was something we could make.

Next up: South Africa

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Traveling from the Emerald Isle to the Republic of France

Ireland was next and boy was the food delicious scoring solid 4's on our scale.

I tried the chilled potato leek soup with an Irish cheddar cheese stick (yes a ridiculously long name). And he tried the boxty with bacon chps and kerrygold garlic and fresh herb butter.

We wanted to share a frozen Bailey's irish coffee...both for refreshment and to ward off the humid air, but alas, their ice-maker was broken.

After that we visited Nemo and friends. I've never been to this part of the park before so it was extra fun for me. :) We saw dolphins, sharks, clownfish, blue tangs, and even a scuba diver in a tube.


Then we were off to England taking pics in the telephone booths, swinging from the light posts, pretending to enter closed cottages.

We visited on shop that had a bunch of Alice in Wonderland items in it...and who should be there but the only woman who is "practically perfect in every way". Mary Poppins! :) She was beautifully dressed in what I call her "painting outfit" the one she wears when she, the kids and Bert jump into his chalk painting.


Crossing the bridge we made our way to France stopping to watch a mime show. Which I actually had a small part in! The mime chose me as his "chair sitter" until later on in the show when he used that chair to continue his trick. It was fun!

Dan bought us coupe de sorbets champagne which we didn't really like that much but it was a nice frozen treat while I watched the show.


Next: A Moroccan distraction

Monday, November 12, 2007

September 29th: My Fun-Filled Date With Dan

Where did we go you might ask?

To the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival of course!

I've always enjoyed Epcot, but now I love it even more! They successfully combined two of my favorite things: international flair + food. And what's more, I experienced this lovely festival with my favorite person...my boyfriend Dan. :)

After donning our newly purchased outfits, Dan with his faux-hawk and me in my green conductor hat excitedly entered the park. Yes, we totally worked the "prep" look!

Disney music greeted us as we strolled to the International Marketplace. Once the song turned into a waltz, we couldn't help ourselves. Dan stopped and asked me to dance. So we waltzed right there in the middle of the sidewalk. It was so fun! We even received compliments and smiles from people passing by. That's when I knew it was going to be a fantastic day. :)

First stop: Argentina

We bought both main dishes and shared. I chose the spicy beef empanada and he got the grilled beef with chimichurri sauce. We saw on the menu that underneath each entree it listed a wine and gave a price...we both thought, "oh you get a discount when you buy the item with the wine." FALSE. You pay for both, as in the wine itself is another $3.50! Disney is ridiculous.

After finishing our food, we graded them. It was then that we decided the only true way to experience this festival is to come up with a scale: 1 (troll), through 5 (outstanding). Yes, I just used Harry Potter OWL references... I know, I know, I'm a book worm, but J.K. Rowling uses such perfect descriptions I couldn't resist! My dish received a 2, and his a 3. To me both wines were gross, so he graded them and both scored lower than a 3.

Mexico was next on the list but instead of eating there, we took a boat and floated through Rio del Tiempo. I have to say that they changed the ride to include more Disney characters and flat screens...didn't like it much, sensory overload! Before it explained Mexican history and now you travel through Mexico in search of Donald Duck...not as interesting. What did I learn about Mexico? They enjoy having fiestas...all the time.

Up next: Visiting the Emerald Isle.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Better than a Life Jacket

Has it really been 18 months since I graced the stage at Florida State?
Where has the time gone?
I mean 18 ... really?

The order of my life and how to live in this world radically changed once I drove out of Tallahassee. No more holiday breaks, no more "semester" thinking, no more tests, no more essays, no more classes and no more lectures. My friends became teachers ... and anyone who is single and under 35 somehow became my peers. Never mind the fact that when they were learning to drive I was learning to write my name ... and now we're supposed to relate. R-I-G-H-T.

But I have to say I've met a lot of single, 20-somethings and do enjoy spending time with them and consider them friends, its' just odd to be the "young" one again. Especially since I've been the "oldest" most of my life in my immediate family and in my friend groups through school.

It's funny to watch people react to my age. It's "Oh, so are you living at home?" or "Yeah, I remember those days." or "Do you miss college?" Sometimes I just get the condescending smile that reads, "Oh, you're still young and don't know anything yet" and I feel as though the person just wants to pat me on the head and push me on the back as they say, "Bye-bye now! What a cute little person."

I've also noticed that most of the time when someone asks for my age they never tell me theirs. Kinda like when you talk to a four year old, and you ask them in a cutesy way, "Tell me how old you are!" and they proudly show off four fingers...you never hold out your hands and tell the kid your age. You just smile and think, "How cute!"

And yes, it's true that there's A LOT I don't understand and have yet to discover about this whole "real world" deal. Most of the time I feel like I'm swimming upstream hitting learning curve after learning curve and somehow still managing to breathe above the water. Or that I've been pushed off some huge merry-go-round called "SCHOOL" that I've been on for 18 years and now expected to walk straight and know exactly where I'm going!

Sometimes I wish that these people who "remember those days" would actually sit down and remember those days/years ... and throw me a life jacket or at least pull me onto their boat for a time before I have to get back into the river.

Having an 8 to 5 job life is like learning to walk all over again only this time there's no hand to grab in case I fall. And there's no one there to shout, "hooray!" when I do manage to stand on my own and take a few steps!

Just yesterday I had the depressing idea to check out my bank account only to see how much it has lowered since moving into my apartment. As usual I began to mentally berate myself for not being more financially responsible, that I should have budgeted, or spent less on groceries... I looked at my paycheck and saw how much I wasn't saving and how many bills that money went to...

But.

When I came home, I put on some instrumental Christmas music and God began to whisper...

Emmanuel

He gently picked up my sad heart and brushed aside the fears.

Emmanuel

God with us. I let that truth soak into my soul.

I am the same today as I was then. I will take care of you.

It was at that moment when I realized I'm not supposed to get it yet. I don't have to understand how to do life. I am still learning and that's ok. He will provide enough strength, enough patience, and enough joy for today. Then in the morning, He will provide again until He calls me home. He is faithful.

So it turns out I do have someone who remembers those days. He is in the river, swimming right next to me, cheering me on, and lifting me--so my head stays above the water.


"Behold the virgin will be with child and bear a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which translated means, 'God with us.'" -Matthew 1:23

Thursday, September 13, 2007

The Reason You've Prospered

The Inaccuracy of Kathy Griffin's Remarks on Jesus
Thursday , September 13, 2007
By Lauren Green

I just don't understand comedian Kathy Griffin. Please understand that I like her. She's been on the FOX News Channel quite a bit and for the brief times we've talked, I've found her to be funny and self-effacing.

So, it puzzled me at first, then angered me second, that she would accept an award and then insult a man who preached love and acceptance. Why would someone do that? William Donohue of the Catholic League was so angry that he used the “b” word to describe her (rhymes with rich).

In case you haven't yet heard, on Saturday night at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, Kathy Griffin won a trophy for her show, "My Life on the D-List." Griffin is sort of the female Rodney Dangerfield. Her gimmick is that she's an entertainer who doesn't get a lot of respect. When she accepted her long-awaited award, she said: "A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus."

Now I could have been mildly insulted at that and turned the other cheek, as the founder of Christianity taught. But then she went on to say "Suck it, Jesus. This award is my God now."

Needless to say, she offended me and millions of other Christians.

I don't know what went through her mind and why she would think that was cutting edge or even funny. But first, I want to actually show you that, in fact, Kathy Griffin is wrong. Jesus had everything to do with her winning that award. And here's the reasoning.

Jesus died on a cross 2,000 years ago. His dying words were, "Forgive them Father for they know not what they do." He died and they buried him in a rock cut tomb. Three days later, as the Bible says, he rose from the dead. That day is what Christians celebrate as Easter.

After the resurrection, Christianity began to take off like wildfire, spreading from the Middle East northward to Europe and westward into Ethiopia. In 300 A.D. Emperor Constantine accepted Christianity and it beccame the religion of Europe. Rome soon became the seat of the faith. After several years of human failings, the church went through conflicts and quite a few unbiblical years — the crusades and the inquisition to name just two. Out of that came the Reformation — the reforming of the Church, sort of a back-to-basics Bible and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Out of the Reformation emerged a vision of law by Samuel Rutherford, called Lex is Rex, Law is King. From that, others devised a secular version that is used to help lay the foundation of government for a new land called America. Ninety-four percent of America's founding era documents mention the Bible; 34 percent quote the Bible directly. The idea of bringing unity to the universal is a particularly Biblical concept.

The freedoms we enjoy in this country to speak freely and to live freely are directly related to that man who died on a cross 2,000 years ago.

So, you see, Kathy Griffin, Jesus has everything to do with you winning that award. You live in a free country where your abilities can be recognized if you're willing to work hard enough. That's at least the dream of America. If you'd been born in many other parts of the world, your daily activity might involve seeking out a way to survive, or even trying to avoid persecution and death. Luxuries like pursuing a career in the entertainment industry would never have been realized; luxuries like being able to insult the founder of a religion of forgiveness and acceptance would not have been possible.

Kathy Griffin, just because you "can" say something, doesn't mean you "should." When you say "suck it, Jesus," you didn't just insult Christianity … you insulted the very reason you've prospered.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

The Voice of This Hidden Immigrant

Definition of a TCK: third culture kid; children from one culture, living in other cultures, who among themselves form a third culture which is unique to their experience, has certain ties to their parent's work overseas and is unplaced geographically.

I started reading Hidden Immigrants: Legacies of Growing Up Abroad by Linda Bell. It's a collection of interviews Bell had with 13 TCKs stemming from all kinds of backgrounds (missionary, military, government job, international business) and who all lived in multiple countries growing up. Bell herself lived overseas with her husband and had two children. She noticed her girls struggling to be "Americans" in the States and decided to research the effects being a TCK has on your life by interviewing older TCKs.

So far most of what they've described while experiencing culture shock, is very similar to what i felt and thought. I'll be posting quotes that exactly represent my experience as I read.

Hopefully this will give you a better glimpse and understanding of what this hidden immigrant experienced 10 years ago and to some extent still struggles with even now...

Of Crusade Creatures

My coworker beautifully described the office drama we've experienced lately...don't worry, it has nothing to do with our actual work, but everything else that goes on beyond the cube walls...

Aragogette: Friend or Foe?

Tragic Ends

"It's a dangerous business, going out of your door. You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to." -Bilbo Baggins

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Encouraging quote found on Plugged In

"After being baptized as Lutheran and brought up as a Jehovah's Witness, then getting into witchcraft, black magic and Satanism, where else do you go? One day I found myself looking at a cross and decided I had nothing to lose. And so far my life has been profoundly different. In what way? Well, before when I was p---ed off I'd assault people. Now I go, 'Grrrrr' and keep it inside."

—Megadeth founder and frontman Dave Mustaine, commenting on the influence of his Christian faith on his behavior [Metal Hammer, 7/07]

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

This is why MySpace scares me...

MySpace bars 29,000 sex offenders

The social networking website MySpace has reported a four-fold increase in the number of convicted sex offenders using its service.

The company found more than 29,000 convicted sex offenders in the United States had profiles on MySpace - up from a figure of 7,000 given in May.

MySpace said it was pleased it had identified and removed the profiles of the offenders.

Critics of MySpace call for new laws to make such sites safer for children.

MySpace is a personal website tool allowing people to post blogs, music, and videos. More than 80 million people have registered a MySpace page. News Corp bought the site for $580m last year.

'Screams for action'

The new figures were first released by officials in two states - North Carolina and Connecticut - which have been pressing MySpace to reveal data about sex offenders found to be using the site.

"The exploding epidemic of sex offender profiles on MySpace - 29,000 and counting - screams for action," said Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.

In North Carolina, Attorney General Roy Cooper wants a state law that would require children to obtain parental permission before creating profiles on sites such as MySpace, and require the site to check parents' identity.

He said such a law would mean "fewer children at risk, because there will be fewer children on those web sites".

Under current rules, users must be over the age of 14 to register with MySpace.

In a statement, MySpace said: "We're pleased that we've successfully identified and removed registered sex offenders from our site and hope that other social networking sites follow our lead." There are about 600,000 registered sex offenders in the United States.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/6914870.stm

Published: 2007/07/25 02:04:53 GMT
© BBC MMVII

Thursday, July 19, 2007

What is going on?!

Everyday I make time to read the daily news headlines...usually BBC...because my job focuses on countries in Asia, so they have more up-to-date international news. Well today I decided to change it up a bit and catch up on what's going on in my own country. I went to Fox news and now I'm in complete shock. What the heck is going on in this country?!

Look at these headlines of incidents happening in Florida, Colorado, Texas, California, Washington, and Ohio:
  1. Mom Beat Kids on Flight, Threatening Attendant
  2. Florida Man Guilty of Leaving Child to Gator
  3. California Mother Drove Son to Gang Hit
  4. Texas Man Suspected of Setting 3 Women on Fire
  5. Woman Attacked for Cutting Line at Magic Kingdom
  6. Teen Girls Charged as Burned Cat Clings to Life
  7. Teen Charged as Adult in Toilet-Training Murder of Tot
  8. Woman Pleads Guilty to Sex Assault of Infant, Videotaping Husband's Child Sex Acts
  9. Hummer Gets Eco-Vandalized in Washington Suburb <-- compared to the others, this one is kinda funny! :)

Monday, July 16, 2007

Disappointment

I am disappointed in the Pope's recent comments. The Christian church needs to unite, not divide. We are the body of Christ, we need each other. Hands and legs trying to do the work of the eyes or ears doesn't work very well...

Commentary: Pope's comments irrelevant to non-Catholics

By Roland S. Martin

CNN Contributor


Non-Catholics who are up in arms of the proclamation by Pope Benedict XVI that the only true church in the world is that of Catholicism shouldn't even bother getting upset. Just chalk it up to an old man trying to get a little attention.


For him to even suggest that only the Catholic Church can provide true salvation to believers in Christ shows that he is wholly ignorant of the Scriptures that I have known all my life.


Sorry, let me take that back. I've really only known the Bible for the last 13 of my 38 years. That's because

those first 25 years were spent as a die-hard Catholic.


That's right, I was born and raised in the Catholic Church. One of the first meetings to build the church I was raised in -- Our Lady Star of the Sea in Houston -- took place in my grandparents' living room. Many of my Saturdays and Sundays were spent serving as an altar boy, Catholic Youth Organization leader, dedicated student of Catechism, and constantly reciting the Holy Rosary.


And the reality is that we were never really encouraged to study the Scriptures. The standard practice was for all of us to read the same pamphlets passed out by the church, recite the readings from the New and Old Testaments, listen to the Scripture chosen for us in the Gospel and hear a normally bland homily.


That isn't always the case at some Catholic churches. If you visit St. Sabina in Chicago, Father Michael Pfleger will surely have your soul jumping with his strong sermons and willingness to engage the community to get involved in direct action.


Yet as I reflect on my years as a Catholic, it pretty much was a wasted experience, as there was more identification with the church, and not with Christ.


And that's why Pope Benedict XVI is meaningless, along with his decision to re-state the primacy of the Catholic Church. This week, the pope released a document correcting interpretations of the Second Vatican Council, which some say modernized the church. But for hardliners like Pope Benedict XVI, the liberals went too far in some of their declarations.


But what ticked folks off was his assertion in the 16-page document by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that the only denominations that can call themselves true churches are ones that can trace their roots back to Jesus Christ's original apostles. He even suggested they suffer from defects.

This is nothing but a naked attempt by Pope Benedict XVI to "own" Jesus by virtue of the Catholic Church considering the apostle Peter as its leader. He refuses to acknowledge the reality that Jesus didn't consider a church to be most important. What was? The Great Commission.


The Bible records in Matthew 28:16 that Jesus called his 11 disciples (the other, Judas, hanged himself after betraying Jesus) to Mount Galilee and decreed, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (New International Version).


It doesn't matter what Pope Benedict XVI has to say, or for that matter, any other religious leader. A Christian believes in Jesus Christ and what He had to say, not what a man of God has to say. This is not an attempt to completely dismiss religious leaders, but is further evidence of what happens when ego is more important than the work of Christ.


John 14:6 says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Nowhere does it say that Peter, Pope Benedict XVI or anyone else can supplant Jesus as the leader of the church.


It is these kinds of missives by Pope Benedict XVI that do nothing to support or build the community of faith. All it does is divide.

Protestant leaders: Don't buy into the foolishness. Let Pope Benedict XVI keep running off at the mouth and making pointless declarations. If you keep bringing good news to the poor, setting the captives free and assisting those who seek to know Jesus, then you'll make more headway in doing the work of Jesus than any 16-page document will.

Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/13/martin/index.html#cooliris

© 2007 Cable News Network.

Friday, July 06, 2007

How Deep The Father's Love For Us

"See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him." 1 John 3:1

"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1 John 4:10-11

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me." Revelation 3:20

His pursuit

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Another coworker's genius word creation

Alicia wrote this during our writer's meeting when we each received a scenario to write about for 5 minutes to get our writer-brains started...her topic was , write about the failed marriage between Goldilocks and Jack Sprat.

Failed marriage between Goldilocks and Jack Sprat

Childhood fairytales evoke a sense of wonder and longing for yesteryear in the hearts of people of all ages. Yet little is known about the tragic and often dysfunctional backgrounds of numerous stories we have all come to love. Among the most tragic is the story of Jack Sprat and his failed marriages. As the nursery rhyme alludes, Jack was a small fellow with a rather large wife. Since Jack was a shallow fellow consumed with outward appearances, eventually his wondering eye led him to a young lady named Goldilocks, the famous heroine of another beloved fable. Now a grown woman—blond, slender and strikingly beautiful, Goldilocks turned the heads of everyone from Jack Sprat to Shrek. After a secret lovers tryst, Jack eventually deserted his fat wife and married Goldilocks. However, after bearing 14 children to Jack, Goldilocks herself gained lovehandles and a rather large middle. Eventually, Jack left Goldi with the kids and hotly pursued Little Red Riding Hood. The moral of the story is, eat lots of fat and don’t be consumed with outward appearances.

HA HA HA!

"It appears that many individuals could benefit from reduced cat ownership and exposure."

Friday, June 29, 2007

What Motivates My Life? God or Fear?

Self-realizations are good and very often hard to swallow, because most of the time what I see inside isn't pretty! The past few years the Lord has taken me on a journey challenging me to place my desire for control into His hands. Time and time again as He provides opportunties for me to submit to Him, He proves He is trustworthy, faithful and loving. Even when I choose to take back control sometimes, He patiently reminds me that with submitting comes freedom ... rest ... and peace. I read this article today and it again reminded me that choosing to live a life of fear and worry (two forms of control) is futile and crippling. So I posted part of it here, for the full article, just follow the link at the end.

Fight Fear With Fear by Suzanne Hadley

… I see variations of fear all too often. Fear over whether I'll get married. Fear about starting a conversation with a neighbor. Fear of whether I'll accomplish the thing I set out to do.

I recently discovered fear playing an unwelcome role in my relationship with a godly guy. At the beginning of our relationship, I was very reserved. Instead of reciprocating naturally as he pursued me, I worried about saying or doing things exactly right. As I looked more deeply at why I felt anxious each time we met, I realized that I was "playing it cool" as a defense mechanism. Of course, I could justify it as "guarding my heart." But the real reason I did it was because I thought if I didn't get too excited about the relationship or invest too deeply, I wouldn't risk being disappointed. Unfortunately, my fears were stifling the relationship.

I began to pray that God would remove ungodly fear from me. If I believed that God had provided this relationship (and I did), my action in it should not be motivated by fear. The verse that came to mind was 2 Timothy 1:7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (NKJV). Although Paul is saying this in the context of evangelism, an absence of fear should be a hallmark of any godly pursuit. As I committed to trust the Lord and not put my own "safety nets" in place, the relationship began to blossom.

Let Love Lead
Last year when I felt God urging me to take a teenager into my home, I had reason to fear. With a history of poor choices, my potential housemate came with some risk. While most of my confidants encouraged me to pursue what God had laid on my heart, a few offered unsettling warnings of what "could happen."

As I prayed for the Lord's direction, the truth found in 1 John 4:18 became real to me: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." God has perfect love for both Lena and me. The more I focused on God's love for Lena, the more fear faded away. My confidence in God's plan and His love for me convinced me I had nothing to fear. … When God's love is compelling us, there is no reason to fear.

Holy Fear
There is one thing we are told to fear, however, and that is a Holy God. ... A fear of the Lord protects us from foolish actions and motivates us to do things that rail against human wisdom. In "holy fear," Noah built the ark (Hebrews 11:7). Because they "feared God," the Hebrew midwives let the boys live when Pharaoh ordered they be killed. And Paul tells the Corinthians that their knowledge of what it means to fear the Lord is what motivates them "to persuade men" (2 Corinthians 5:11). In each of these cases, a fear of God obliterated lesser fears.

Whom or what we fear comes down to an issue of authority. Do I truly believe God has absolute control in my life? If so, have a submitted myself fully to Him? Ungodly fear arises when I attempt to depend on my own judgment and perspective. For over a year, there has been a project I have been dragging my feet to complete. Part of the issue is laziness. I am also aware that its potential spiritual impact isn't something the enemy is excited about. But another part of my hesitancy is fear that I'll fail—that the finished product will not live up to the idea. ... God is motivating me to move past doubts over personal failure and complete the task. When we have a proper perspective of God's greatness and His control in our lives, that awe causes smaller fears to dissipate.

Safe With Jesus
"Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We're going to drown!' He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, 'What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!'" Matthew 8:24-27

My life felt like that storm. The tasks before me were like the waves sweeping over the boat. But the truth was, the storm and the waves did not have the power to destroy me. They were obedient to Christ. Each new circumstance, relationship and challenge provides the opportunity for me to play with fear or choose to trust. When I allow the Christ who ruled the storm to rule my heart, fear loses its power over me.

Copyright © 2007 Suzanne Hadley. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.
The complete text of this article is available at http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001529.cfm

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Only in Florida!

Bullet causes US man's headache

A bullet has been removed from behind the right ear of a US man who went to hospital complaining of a headache. Michael Moylan, 45, from the state of Florida, is quoted as saying he had woken up with a headache so severe he thought it was caused by an aneurysm.

His wife, April, took him to hospital but left when the bullet was found. She was arrested later over the shooting, but said it was an accident. Mr Moylan remains in hospital in a stable condition. A gun was discovered during a search of his house, along with blood-stained rags.

According to the Palm Beach Post newspaper's website, Mr Moylan and his wife gave conflicting accounts to police throughout the day. Mrs Moylan told police she had returned to the house from the hospital to check if there were any signs that her husband had been shot from outside the building. Mr Moylan had told police no weapons were held at the house, the paper says.

He reportedly told police he had woken up with a headache and asked his wife if she had elbowed him in the head while he slept.

Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/6246800.stm
Published: 2007/06/27 18:18:44 GMT
© BBC MMVII

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

You Will Be Missed Prime Minister Blair!

Tornadoes in Sheffield, the monsoon in Manchester, biblical floods washing over Merry England.

Who would have thought that the end of Tony Blair would feel like the end of days? As it happens, the deep depression swirling over middle England has absolutely nothing to do with the ebb and flow of power. The English remain an unsentimental lot when it comes to prime ministers. Those not too busy siphoning water out of their basements may dwell briefly on the dour Scot who used to run our money but will now run our whole country.

The nation whose lower lip once quivered for the passing of Diana, the People's Princess, will be as sentimental about the end of Tony and the beginning of Gordon as the movers lugging furniture in and out of Number 10.

It is here in America that Tony Blair will be missed.

Brother Tony

The ThankYouTony.com website has been virtually drowning in tears. Our neighbours, staunch Democrats who hate George W Bush, silently shake their heads when they contemplate the early retirement of Tony Blair. "Why, Matt, he's so articulate?"

The enthusiastic car insurance broker who gave me a 5% discount thanks to Tony Blair's steadfast support of George Bush -"if it weren't for you Brits, we'd be completely alone!" - is still deeply perplexed by it all.

America simply cannot get its head around the fratricide of Brother Tony in his own country. It reminds me a little of the way that Germany could never fathom the revulsion felt by ordinary Russians for Mikhail Gorbachev, the hero who helped to unite Germany by dismantling his own empire.

But rest assured, Mr Blair, America will make up for it.

George Bush has already offered you a job as the Quartet's Middle East envoy. You will be mobbed like a rock star on the lecture circuit and the book tour. In adulation you will be rivalled only by that other British superhero who was ejected from the nest and is soon to reside with his foster family, LA Galaxy, on the Pacific coast. David Beckham will bend balls and Tony Blair spin words for the delectation of a country that appreciates their talents.

Seeds of downfall

What I point out to my neighbours is that the British have always been nasty to their chief executives.

Winston Churchill, hailed at home and abroad as one of the greatest statesmen ever, was felled at the polls within months of British tanks rolling victoriously into continental Europe.

Margaret Thatcher, the unflinching Iron Lady, was melted down and reduced to tears by rebellion in her own ranks.

By comparison, Tony Blair's departure has been graceful and bloodless.

In each case, his or her success also harboured the seeds of downfall. By winning the war against Hitler, Winston Churchill mobilised a nation but also raised expectations of social mobility. Once the war was won, the nation outgrew a leader who hailed from a different class and a different era.

After years of dithering and brittle parliamentary pacts, Lady Thatcher ruled with an iron fist and a solid majority in the House of Commons. Without anyone snapping at her heels she was allowed to overreach with policies like the unpopular poll tax. She ended up aggravating her own Tory MPs, who feared oblivion at the next poll and thus pulled the plug on her. A British prime minister is after all elected by the winning party, not the electorate.

American infatuation

Tony Blair's success was that he managed to liberate the Labour Party from its traditional trenches and appeal directly to the nation at large. He stole policies and voters wherever he could find them. He managed to win three elections, a historic hat-trick for Labour. He charmed the globe into believing that Britain mattered and then put the troops where his mouth is. He was inspired by Bill Clinton's charisma and partially groomed by his advisers.

Tony Blair was perhaps the most presidential prime minister we have ever had, ruling with a small coterie of advisers, growling at his troublesome party while smiling at the nation. At first it worked a treat. We were Cool Britannia. Tony fixed Northern Ireland. What would be next? The Middle East perhaps. African poverty. Global warming.

And all the while Tony Blair spoke not about the minutiae of policies and quotas but reached for the stars with speeches about values and faith. He began to sound less and less like the man in Number 10 and more like the guy in the White House.

The combination of presidential charisma with a parliamentary majority was at its most successful when he persuaded his party against their better judgement to go along with the war of choice in Iraq. The infatuation with America, emboldened by the belief that Britain must stand solidly behind its strongest ally, became Tony's fatal attraction. The hour of success began the countdown to failure.

Tony's hubris?

America's founding fathers made sure that the president had many of the trappings of monarchy but none of its power. As George Bush is discovering now, the business of government is grinding trench warfare between the White House and Capitol Hill. It is meant to be unpleasant and tedious. The checks and balances built into the system are like speed bumps, road blocks, pot holes and traffic cameras on British roads. They are meant to slow things down.

The president is only allowed to serve two terms in office. He spends most of his first term trying to get re-elected and most of his second being described as a lame duck. No wonder they give him the shiny plane and the armoured limos. There have to be some perks to this job.

By comparison, a British prime minister with a solid majority in parliament wields far more power. The day that George Bush was fighting for re-election in the first presidential debate against Senator John Kerry, Tony Blair graciously conceded that he wouldn't be seeking a fourth term of office. "But he hasn't even won his third yet!" an American colleague pointed out indignantly.

It is the combination of a majority in the Commons and the temptation to appeal to the voters above the heads of your own party that has encouraged hubris and ultimately led to Tony Blair's early retirement. Which prime minister hasn't ended up disappointing the voters? But these days the moveable feast of policies, the squishy middle ground, the Third Way, also means that you end up losing the support of your party.

Modern British prime ministers are brilliant but lonely, and they benefit from none of the inherent respect which Americans harbour for the presidency. They may loathe the incumbent, but they revere the office. Even when George W Bush retires he will still be addressed as Mr President. On Thursday, the prime minister becomes Mr Blair.


Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/6243328.stm
Published: 2007/06/27 10:47:52 GMT
© BBC MMVII

Monday, June 25, 2007

Thoughts spilling into spoken word

Last week as a writing team we participated in a whole day of learning our Myers-Briggs personality types. To help clarify between letters, we engaged in fun writing activities. After writing a few of us shared what we wrote--reminded me of free writing in my AP English class in high school! :)

After observing an abstract painting for about 20 seconds, we were asked to describe what we saw for 3 minutes.

Two cherries sitting on the side of a green road winding down out of view. Branches blown by the wind litter the green grass. Was there a storm? A ribbon left over from a dress, or is it a head scarf from a little girl? Green and red remind me of Christmas and make me want to add gold flecks into the painting. The shade of green calms me, it's my favorite color...

We were again asked to define another abstract idea--time. We only had 3 minutes or so.

Continues on and on and on. Doesn't stop for funerals, tragedies...doesn't slow down while joy or happiness are felt. Doesn't speed up during horrible lectures! Ten minutes can feel like an eternity at the doctor's office, but can feel like a second when you're with someone you love. Time is a paradox, a mystery that...

Then during another writer's meeting, we each received a scenario to write about for 5 minutes to get our writer-brains started. My boss gave coworker Melissa this scenario: The world is now backwards, describe it. She wrote this amazing poem, seriously genius! :)

The World of D'Lrow ~ by assilem

I woke up this morning and started to yawn
And realized that night had dawned!

People waved "Goodbye, hello"

The sun was blue, the sky—yellow!
And no one ever claps their hands
They clap their feet—an applauding dance

Ice cream never stays on cones

And dogs unbury chewing bones

The ceilings have become the floor

And rain falls up here, evermore…


My boss gave me this scenario: Describe the misadventures of Eddie the Yellow Snowflake...unfortunately I ran out of time and didn't finish my story. But you can probably guess where I was going with it...

Eddie loved himself. Loved himself to the point of ridiculousness. "What a beautiful snowflake am I!" he would croon. "Look at me glitter, look at me shine!" Everyday Eddie would walk down Crystal Avenue looking at himself in all the mirrors gloating to his neighbors. "I'm the best that's ever been made! I'm the best that will ever be!" Eddie loved himself.

One day the Maker Of All That Is Snow, MOATIS for short, needed snowflakes for a project. Everyone crowded around excitedly waiting to be picked. Eddie, of course, was right in front glistening in the sun. Well, he was chosen. "I knew it!" he cried, "now is my chance to show the world my beauty!"

As he lazily dropped to the earth, he grew more and more proud of his beauty.

Yeah, eventually I would explain how he became yellow... (aka a dog peeing on him!) :) which would then humble him and cause him to realize his true worth did not come from his exterior, but inner character!

Friday, June 22, 2007

Purity rings banned?

'Purity' ring case in High Court

A 16-year-old girl has gone to the High Court to accuse her school of discriminating against Christians by banning the wearing of "purity rings".

Lydia Playfoot was told by Millais School in Horsham, West Sussex, to remove her ring, which symbolises chastity, or face expulsion. She says Sikh and Muslim pupils can wear bangles and headscarves in class.

The school denies breaching her human rights, insisting the ring is not an essential part of the Christian faith. BBC News religious affairs correspondent Robert Piggott said a group of girls at the school were wearing the rings as part of a movement called the "Silver Ring Thing" (SRT).

Human rights barrister Paul Diamond told the High Court the school's action was "forbidden" by law. "Secular authorities and institutions cannot be arbiters of religious faith," Mr Diamond said. He said a question the judge would have to answer was: "What are the religious rights of schoolchildren in the school context?"

'Sexually pure'

Originating in America, SRT promotes abstinence among young people. Mr Piggott said it was now spreading to the UK as part of a wider protest by traditionalist Christians against what they see as the secularisation of society.

The rings are inscribed with a reference to the biblical verse I Thessalonians 4:3-4, which translates as: "God wants you to be holy, so you should keep clear of all sexual sin. Then each of you will control your body and live in holiness and honour."

Miss Playfoot's school said her ring broke uniform rules and ordered her to remove it. When she refused, she was taken out of lessons and made to study on her own. She told BBC Breakfast: "In the Bible it says you should remain sexually pure and I think this is a way I want to express my faith."

Miss Playfoot is seeking a judicial review under Article Nine of the Human Rights Act which guarantees freedom of religious expression. She says that should protect her right to wear the ring.

In a written statement to Deputy Judge Michael Supperstone QC, Miss Playfoot said young girls faced a "moral and ethical crisis" and that other teenage girls at her school had become pregnant.

She said other pupils regularly broke the uniform code with nose rings, tongue studs, badges and dyed hair. The only reason for banning the rings was because the school refused to "give respect to aspects of the Christian faith they are not familiar with", Miss Playfoot said.

"The real reason for the extreme hostility to the wearing of the SRT purity ring is the dislike of the message of sexual restraint which is counter cultural and contrary to societal and governmental policy," she added.

Uniform code

Lawyers for the school will insist that it is not operating a discriminatory policy because allowances made for Sikhs and Muslims only occur for items integral to their religious beliefs. It argues that a Christian pupil would be allowed to wear a crucifix. In freely choosing the school, lawyers will also say that Miss Playfoot and her parents voluntarily accepted to adhere to the uniform code.

Miss Playfoot's first application to the High Court was turned down last year, but judges agreed to hear it today after she appealed. Miss Playfoot completed her GCSEs last week and has now left the school.

But her father Phil, who is a pastor, said she still wanted to take the case because of its wider significance for all Christians. "I think there's something bigger at stake here," he said.

Messages of support

Mr Playfoot and his wife Heather are part of the volunteer team which runs the UK branch of the Silver Ring Thing from their church in Horsham. The organisers of the movement say as many as 25,000 young people have joined so far in the UK and that numbers are growing.

Miss Playfoot has received messages of support from politicians, including former Conservative party chairman Lord Tebbit and Tory MP Ann Widdecombe.

She also has the backing of the Lawyers Christian Fellowship (LCF) which represents 2,000 Christian lawyers across the UK. The case is being funded through individual donations gathered through the LCF's sister group Christian Concern for our Nation.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/6229098.stm

Published: 2007/06/22 12:37:12 GMT

© BBC MMVII

Monday, June 18, 2007

Peaceful religion?

Why choose to kill innocent school children and teachers just to make a political point? What happened to valuing human life? Will disrupting and destroying society really produce the kind of country you want to live in? It doesn't make any sense to create fear and animosity, stir up strife and thoughts of revenge...and then expect a thriving country to develop! Society runs on morals, strip those away and you're left with a world that's out for themselves...which inevitably self-destructs...

Schools torched in south Thailand


Thirteen schools have been set on fire in southern Thailand, where teachers have increasingly become the targets of a bloody conflict.

The Thai authorities have blamed Muslim insurgents for a series of recent attacks on schools, as part of their separatist campaign.

The violence in the region has killed more than 2,200 people since 2004.

More than 200 schools have been torched and 77 teachers killed, according to education officials.

Classrooms unsafe

This appears to have been a co-ordinated attack - 13 schools set on fire almost simultaneously on Wednesday evening.

Hours later a bomb exploded in front of another school.

No group has yet claimed responsibility.

On Monday, two female primary school teachers were shot dead in front of their students, and another teacher was killed in an ambush.

In response, hundreds of schools closed their doors this week, with staff demanding better security from the authorities.

Many teachers already carry guns and travel with armed escorts. More than 70 have been killed in the past three years.

Muslim separatists are accused of targeting schools and Buddhist monks because they are seen as symbols of the state.

The violence appears to have escalated in recent months, with almost daily attacks taking place in Thailand's three southernmost provinces.

In a separate incident, a man was reportedly gunned down late on Wednesday in a drive-by shooting in Yala province.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6751295.stm

Friday, May 04, 2007

My notes after learning about discernment from Boundless

Principled Discernment in the Gray Areas of Life:

  1. Imitate God Ephesians 5:1
    1. When faced w/ a decision in a gray area, use God’s standard. Remember the goal of discernment is to make us more like the Father who saved us.
  2. Realize my sinful heart can deceive me Jeremiah 17:9-10
    1. Focusing on issues instead of motives. (i.e. “There’s nothing wrong with___” instead of “What’s my motive in doing this?”)
    2. Justifying myself b/c of good intentions or perceived maturity. (“I’m mature enough, I can handle it.”)
    3. Questioning God’s standard. (“God will just forgive me.” “The Lord won’t mind.”)
    4. More comfortable with confusion than clarity. (“I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing even if I’m not sure if it’s right—it’s easier than stopping to think about it.”)
  3. Think biblically 2 Timothy 3:16-17
    1. In these gray matters God wants to draw us into a relationship w/ Him. He wants to whisper the answer through His Word by revealing His character and plan. (“Will this help me represent the gospel?” “Will this help me be part of Jesus’ distinct community?”)
  4. Involve others Proverbs 12:15
    1. I need God’s Word and other believers to help me see straight.
    2. Inform others of temptations/current struggles; get counsel when making a decision; ask specific questions instead of wanting general counsel (“what am I not seeing right now?”)
  5. Decide to worship Romans 12:1-2
    1. We are to use everything about ourselves to worship God. What’s our motivation? Because Christ bought and saved us. Christianity has a cost. We’re sacrificing everything about us to God’s glory.
    2. Every moment of your day is a moment to worship the Living God.

Friday, April 27, 2007

Musing on the VT tragedy

My coworker recently shared something her friend Billy wrote concerning the VT tragedy. He expresses his thoughts in a way that I related to...I agree with his conclusions and reading his words helps me grapple with the horrific circumstances at VT...and surprisingly echoed inner musings I've had about my choice to major in English Literature.

Note

by Billy Glass


When I was much more awake, I found some things I wanted to change. To those who have already suffered through the other, take no heed. Those who haven't yet, whaddya waitin' on already?

On the occasion of his birthday, I have been reflecting and meditating on the lessons that the art of Shakespeare teaches us. Shakespeare criticism is a mind-numbingly immense industry. Endless politicizing seems to be the current trend in engaging him. But what the sheer size of his industry shows us, as far as I can tell, is that quite a strong case can be made for the ways in which Shakespeare has invented the language of human being for the European world. That may seem a bit anglo-centric, but one need only be familiar with the rest of Euro-American literature to see that it is not. It was Borges who said "todos los autores son un solo: Shakespeare." Yet how many people, looking at my post on him today, had never spent any real time getting familiar enough with him to let him affect them in the ways he affected their ancestors? This lack of engagement by those who are not paid to do so with Shakespeare, in my view, is a general symptom of the gradual attenuation of humanities studies in the American University.

The technical sciences overwhelm university studies throughout the nation. In my alma mater, the humanities departments have been made the scapegoats for a fiscally irresponsible liberal arts college. Moreover, I read everyday things that convince me that this is the status quo in the American university. A tougher job market is paying less and less for more and more, and, in the light of that, students are choosing highly specialized technical (better paying) degrees, a financial force to which universities respond. The humanities departments of the nation's colleges are increasingly seen as irrelevant, and their contributions to 'everyday' appear to grow smaller as time passes.

Since the humanities were once the common denominator of a university education, their loss has resulted in the alienation from one another of the disciplines. There is a consequent distrust of each other and an unceasing competition for funds. When other modes of study are seen to be detrimental rather than complimentary, there can be no well-wishing. But one wonders why? If there is no great anti-humanitarian conspiracy, and I am not willing to go so far as to posit one, then there must have been a point at which study of the great human questions began to disinterest us. When? Why?

On a personal note, I guess that the beginnings of the shift must have been rooted in the removal of the dimension of transcendence from the discussion of being. Being itself was once said to be BEYOND the actual existence of anything that is. So long as that was true, humanities departments had a tremendous bargaining chip with which to negotiate their way into the studies of students who specialized in other disciplines. Almost since it was said, however, that simple axiom has been challenged by politicians and pundits and professors alike, few of whom want to admit that anything "beyond" can invade existence. The university, once the repository of a great body of universal knowledge, now chokes on the lack of material with which it is designed to work.

It is not hard to understand why this is done; the presence of an Existence which goes beyond anything that is, in the sense that we can apprehend, would mean that no one person, study, or theory could actually claim to contain everything. There would always be something outside of the scope, admitting further discussion, before which everyone would have to humble themselves. This is not easy to do, for anyone, the present writer included. But the alternative has been a diminishing, in the work currently done in universities, of any sense of contribution to a greater endeavor. Instead, as I see it at least, academic study has grown progressively miserly, and each person is compelled to Scrooge his/her own work while defending the rightness of his/her position to those who no longer even have the language with which to engage that position.

But if the cost for the specialized disciplines has been great, the cost for humanities departments has been nearly immeasurable. Insisting on the supremacy of the study over the thing studied, humanities programs have found themselves growing insignificant to the rest of the world. And no one feels the burden like the students of those departments, as they prepare for a vocation whose study brings little pleasure to those who cannot affirm any experience with Being, and which doesn't even offer the promise of lucre to ease the burden of meaninglessness.

It is clear that Shakespeare felt a sense of great mystery before the language he used. Sometimes he romanced it like a mystic, and other times he fought it like Jacob insisting on a blessing he knew would cost him his vitality; but it is clear that it haunted him. He loved and distrusted its power, but the end of his oeuvre shows us an author who has glimpsed within the chaos of the language a quietly pulsing, deep reality. In contrast, those who study languages today are quickly disabused of the notion that there is anything essential to language, or to anything at all. All being can be comprehended in the sensible, the student is told. The implications of this are staggering and tragic, and it is a wonder that no one, on the way to the madness, stopped to realize that the very logic with which university students are inseminated is what underlies the horrific and childish evils perpetrated by Shakespeare's worst villains.

If indeed there were no Being in the absolute, transcendent sense of that word, then integrity would demand--and I would insist--that we be true to what we know, whatever the cost. But I don't think that reality even suggests this to be true, and, having read Macbeth, if I were in the position to teach anyone, I would tremble many nights in agony before I would ever assert the nihilism that is deconstructing, or just destroying, humanities study in the university. The prevailing logic of our day was responsible, in Shakespeare's theater, for a man's murder of his wife on pure hearsay, another man's banishment and the resulting death of his daughter for refusing to play a kiddish game, and the murder of a King and his whole family by an ambitious upstart whose wife realized that if the real doesn't exist, she could wear his pants as well as he could. Sex is replaced on Shakespeare's tragic stage by blood. It pains me greatly that nobody in the last 50 years has taken the poet very seriously, when what he endeavored so painstakingly to show us was that humans would ACTUALLY do these kinds of things, would ACTUALLY perpetrate tragedies, if there were nothing before which they were compelled to humble themselves.

In the light of last week's unforgettable tragedy, it is helpful therefore to mention that Seung-Hui Cho was an english major, a student of modern humanities in its deteriorating state. A sentence from his manifesto has haunted me since I heard it: "you have raped my heart," he says, "vandalized my soul, and torched my conscience." However mentally twisted this young man was, it would be foolish not to note the rhetorical power of that sentence. Cho's was the kind of language being cultivated by an academic world in which questions of ultimate Being are ignored: a language full of expressive power but utterly without substance. The literature departments of the US teem with this kind of paradoxical exuberation in a vast emptiness.

Humanities as it once existed, rooted in theology, language, literature, and history, occasioned a world in which the big questions were asked, and fostered. My guess is that long ago Cho asked those questions and was not so much unanswered as ignored. It is the harrowing characteristic of our world that so many people sleep at night without asking them. Restoring those dimensions, those questions of Being in its absolute sense, will not diminish the number of guns in the world or the number of bullets; but it might give those who have them a moment of pause before they decide how to use them. And that moment, in Cho's case, would probably have bought back more than a score of innocent lives.

Now, lest I be misunderstood, let me clarify and say that I deplore the actions perpetrated on the innocent students and faculty of Virginia Tech last week. I cried on the way to work several times as I heard the news accounts of those who only just survived, and who will never rid themselves of the memory of their classmates, teachers, and friends, dying nearby. I mourn on behalf of every lost life, including Cho's, and regret that our society had to be reminded in this way of the dangerous spiritual road we are taking. But if in fact there is no real Being beyond all the beings on this earth, I cite Shakespeare and admit that I am puzzled that it doesn't happen more often. That in itself must speak to the grace of God who will not allow us, even in denying him, to press on to the destruction that logically follows from that denial. It is a tragedy of our entire society and of humanities studies in particular, that one of its own apprentices was nevertheless blinded to the precious humanity in nearly three dozen other beautiful and sacred beings.

I pray that the spiritual tide in this country will run ahead of the academic one and turn us before another Shakespearean agony befalls us.