I am ever so sorry to not be posting. I'm sure if I were posting my posts would be fabulously philosophical and driving you all nuts. Unfortunately I have been very philosophically busy, ready and studying philosophical mumbo jumbo and going philosophically crazy...to put it very unphilosophically.
I'm tempted to take on Skepticism and therefore not have to do anything because nothing is really real.
Or I would love to be a relativist at the moment for then we couldn't be marked on anything because there couldn't be a right or wrong (which would be useful when you have no idea which is right and which is wrong...)
Ooooo, how about pragmatism!?!? Let's just say that this knowledge we are attempting to grasp is not practical and therefore...it's not knowledge sooooo we shouldn't have to learn it...or take a test on it...or write a paper
In reality...but wait WHAT IS REALITY...I am actually enjoying the class. It is just that I am exhausted and pessimistic about grades and never have any time to do anything except study, learn, read, study, eat, study and maybe sleep. (I'm giving up sleep in order to write this so be thankful.) Hopefully over break I will look back on the week and give you all something to think about...
I am pragmatically certain that I should now go to sleep for it is probable that I will be tired in the morning as I am psychologically certain I almost fell asleep today in class even though I am conventionally certain that class was full of practically useful lessons. Yet ultimately I have apodictic certainty that I will have no certainty of my understanding of all this stuff at the end of the week.
Tetons
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The Little Horn, the Prince to Come, the Beast, the Man of Lawlessness...aka the antichrist
So, no body told me what they wanted to hear about so I'm just gonna pick a topic. Seriously, you all have no idea how hard it is to just randomly blog about something that I am learning. We are getting so much information stuffed into our brains - IT'S EXHAUSTING!
So I have decided to enlighten you all about the career of the Antichrist (as interpreted by my professor). I never realized how many names this man has in scripture and how many places he is described and prophesied about!
He begins as the "little horn" as described in Daniel, and takes over revived Rome, probably before the tribulation (Daniel's 70th week) starts. Then now in power, he makes a covenant with Israel for 7 years. This signifies the beginning of the 70th Week. Isaiah calls this covenant a "covenant with death". You'd think, with all this warning, the Jews of that time would be a little suspicious at such a covenant! but they are going to do it or nothing else is gonna happen! So, now as Israel enjoys her "protection", the "Prince to Come" wages war with the nations of the world and manages to take them all over except Moab, Edom and Ammon (present day Jordan, east of Israel). This military career takes place during the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation. Then the antichrist is assassinated (which isn't surprising as he would have lots of enemies after taking over the world) and he goes into the abyss (which is bizarre). He is then resurrected and commits the Abomination of Desolation (setting his image in the temple) and goes back on his covenant with Israel, stopping the sacrifices and the false prophet forces all to get the mark of the beast and worship his image or die. This begins the beast's religious career as he wars against all who practice a religion other than his (includes Muslims, Jews, believers, Hindus etc). At this time the remnant of Jews in Judea flee to the wilderness, miraculously being saved from the antichrist and are nourished for 3 1/2 years. Finally the Beast launches his campaign of Armageddon (which is not a battle but a series of steps AND there is no actually fighting in Armageddon - it is a base camp for the antichrist's armies). As the armies of the beast threaten the remnant, Christ returns, "the stone cut without hands" prophesied in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, destroys the antichrist's kingdom and he and the false prophet are thrown into the Lake of Fire (the first beings to be put there).
And there you have it folks! A brief overview of this scary person who is going to rule the earth. The man who has pretty much been fictionalized by media, the apocalyptic 666, Satan incarnate. He could be alive today - Satan is ready at any time to reveal him as soon as the "restrainer" is "taken out of the way" (2 Thessalonians 2: 7). Somehow, this Prince to Come, a Roman will rise from inconspicuousness to full authority over the revived Roman Empire and eventually dictator of the world. How does this happen? How does the world with all her nuclear warheads and weapons of mass destruction allow herself to be overtaken!?! It is only explained by his intelligence, diplomacy, deception and cunning. Perhaps, he will come as a hero during a time of great distress and unrest - we know the Rapture must occur before the 70th Week so perhaps this aids the beast in his take over of the world. Who knows - only God, and how thankful I am that He does! It is so hard to study this powerful man and yet realize that all his authority is given to him because God allows it. God is in complete control and in fact ordaining all of this to happen as part of His judgement of the earth. So much destruction but in the end - HE WINS!
So I have decided to enlighten you all about the career of the Antichrist (as interpreted by my professor). I never realized how many names this man has in scripture and how many places he is described and prophesied about!
He begins as the "little horn" as described in Daniel, and takes over revived Rome, probably before the tribulation (Daniel's 70th week) starts. Then now in power, he makes a covenant with Israel for 7 years. This signifies the beginning of the 70th Week. Isaiah calls this covenant a "covenant with death". You'd think, with all this warning, the Jews of that time would be a little suspicious at such a covenant! but they are going to do it or nothing else is gonna happen! So, now as Israel enjoys her "protection", the "Prince to Come" wages war with the nations of the world and manages to take them all over except Moab, Edom and Ammon (present day Jordan, east of Israel). This military career takes place during the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation. Then the antichrist is assassinated (which isn't surprising as he would have lots of enemies after taking over the world) and he goes into the abyss (which is bizarre). He is then resurrected and commits the Abomination of Desolation (setting his image in the temple) and goes back on his covenant with Israel, stopping the sacrifices and the false prophet forces all to get the mark of the beast and worship his image or die. This begins the beast's religious career as he wars against all who practice a religion other than his (includes Muslims, Jews, believers, Hindus etc). At this time the remnant of Jews in Judea flee to the wilderness, miraculously being saved from the antichrist and are nourished for 3 1/2 years. Finally the Beast launches his campaign of Armageddon (which is not a battle but a series of steps AND there is no actually fighting in Armageddon - it is a base camp for the antichrist's armies). As the armies of the beast threaten the remnant, Christ returns, "the stone cut without hands" prophesied in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, destroys the antichrist's kingdom and he and the false prophet are thrown into the Lake of Fire (the first beings to be put there).
And there you have it folks! A brief overview of this scary person who is going to rule the earth. The man who has pretty much been fictionalized by media, the apocalyptic 666, Satan incarnate. He could be alive today - Satan is ready at any time to reveal him as soon as the "restrainer" is "taken out of the way" (2 Thessalonians 2: 7). Somehow, this Prince to Come, a Roman will rise from inconspicuousness to full authority over the revived Roman Empire and eventually dictator of the world. How does this happen? How does the world with all her nuclear warheads and weapons of mass destruction allow herself to be overtaken!?! It is only explained by his intelligence, diplomacy, deception and cunning. Perhaps, he will come as a hero during a time of great distress and unrest - we know the Rapture must occur before the 70th Week so perhaps this aids the beast in his take over of the world. Who knows - only God, and how thankful I am that He does! It is so hard to study this powerful man and yet realize that all his authority is given to him because God allows it. God is in complete control and in fact ordaining all of this to happen as part of His judgement of the earth. So much destruction but in the end - HE WINS!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy February 14th!!
So basically I have the best family EVER! I love my box of Valentine's treats and had to show you all what my talented sisters and Mom created for me!
Reflecting upon Valentine's Day I have discerned that there are really three main responses to this day celebrating love and relationships. One: joy, anticipation and excitement to share love, flowers, and chocolate. Two: Despair or pessimism or anxiety over the lack of love in your life or about love in general. And three: ignoring or mocking the holiday. I'm sure there are other responses but I have noticed these three most often in people through the years.
Though I have never really loved Valentine's Day, I appreciate the occasion which so many people use to actually tell people that they love them. But Jesus commands us to love one another - not just on Valentine's Day, birthdays, Christmas and anniversaries but always. Most people would recognize the passage in 1 Corinthians 13 as one of the most beautiful definitions of what love truly is. As many people have said before, love is not a feeling but an action! As Paul writes in Colossians, love binds all the rest of the characteristics of godly living together,
"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." - Colossians 3:12-14
We are called to more than just the feeling of affection towards other but to actions - service, selflessness, forgiveness, humility. This is what it means to love; this is how to show love, this is how to understand love. Jesus commands us to love each other as He loved us - which was to the death. His love was an action of sacrifice for all mankind. He gave His life away! How can we not show love for those around us as well!
For those of you who love Valentine's Day and all the lovey stuff and chocolate, thank you for sharing love with others, at least on this day - please don't put a time limit on it. For those of you who get anxious or pessimistic, see this as an opportunity to serve - everyday. For those of you who mock or ignore it, shame on you - love is a command, try it - a whole day devoted to it is an great opportunity.
And moreover, I encourage you all to do something special for someone tomorrow, and the next...and the next - out of love - when it's NOT Valentine's Day.
Reflecting upon Valentine's Day I have discerned that there are really three main responses to this day celebrating love and relationships. One: joy, anticipation and excitement to share love, flowers, and chocolate. Two: Despair or pessimism or anxiety over the lack of love in your life or about love in general. And three: ignoring or mocking the holiday. I'm sure there are other responses but I have noticed these three most often in people through the years.
Though I have never really loved Valentine's Day, I appreciate the occasion which so many people use to actually tell people that they love them. But Jesus commands us to love one another - not just on Valentine's Day, birthdays, Christmas and anniversaries but always. Most people would recognize the passage in 1 Corinthians 13 as one of the most beautiful definitions of what love truly is. As many people have said before, love is not a feeling but an action! As Paul writes in Colossians, love binds all the rest of the characteristics of godly living together,
"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." - Colossians 3:12-14
We are called to more than just the feeling of affection towards other but to actions - service, selflessness, forgiveness, humility. This is what it means to love; this is how to show love, this is how to understand love. Jesus commands us to love each other as He loved us - which was to the death. His love was an action of sacrifice for all mankind. He gave His life away! How can we not show love for those around us as well!
For those of you who love Valentine's Day and all the lovey stuff and chocolate, thank you for sharing love with others, at least on this day - please don't put a time limit on it. For those of you who get anxious or pessimistic, see this as an opportunity to serve - everyday. For those of you who mock or ignore it, shame on you - love is a command, try it - a whole day devoted to it is an great opportunity.
And moreover, I encourage you all to do something special for someone tomorrow, and the next...and the next - out of love - when it's NOT Valentine's Day.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Find your inner woman 10: the Markswoman
Marksman: a person skilled in shooting.
Okay so technically, I wouldn't exactly fit the dictionary.com definition of the word, buuuuut, hey I am now capable of shooting so it works for me.
That's right my friends! I finally got to shoot a gun! For the first time in my life! I mean, I never figured that I'd really ever shoot a gun, never mind 7 different kinds!!!! It was so fantastic (and I got to skip work day which was cool). For those who actually know what they are (aka not my sisters...haha) I shot a 22 Revolver, a 22 semi automatic, 338 Revolver, 9mm Glock, 45 Glock, 22 Rifle, and AR15. Pretty much loved the 338, the 45 and the AR15. You just feel so powerful...but at the same time, it's kinda frightening to be holding a weapon of not-quite-mass-but-still-destruction in your hands.
Interestingly, I found out I am left eye dominant which makes shooting the Rifles and such interesting as I ended up having to shoot them left handed...that was cool...
It was fun to go with a bunch of girls, many of who also hadn't shot often or ever so most of us were learning and it was hilarious and such fun. It was a super beautiful day as well so that was really nice. All together it was exhilarating and a really fun experience that I wouldn't object to trying again.
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| 22 semi-automatic |
That's right my friends! I finally got to shoot a gun! For the first time in my life! I mean, I never figured that I'd really ever shoot a gun, never mind 7 different kinds!!!! It was so fantastic (and I got to skip work day which was cool). For those who actually know what they are (aka not my sisters...haha) I shot a 22 Revolver, a 22 semi automatic, 338 Revolver, 9mm Glock, 45 Glock, 22 Rifle, and AR15. Pretty much loved the 338, the 45 and the AR15. You just feel so powerful...but at the same time, it's kinda frightening to be holding a weapon of not-quite-mass-but-still-destruction in your hands.
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| 22 Rifle |
It was fun to go with a bunch of girls, many of who also hadn't shot often or ever so most of us were learning and it was hilarious and such fun. It was a super beautiful day as well so that was really nice. All together it was exhilarating and a really fun experience that I wouldn't object to trying again.
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| AR15 |
Thursday, February 10, 2011
So let it be written...so let it be done
Sooo, we have started studying the prophetic books and I have to say, I'm having a blast. I wish I could just transport you all here so you could sit in on this class. It is so fascinating and inspiring and a little frightening. But, I can't transport you here and as such I must try my best to give you the highlights (but really, everything is a highlight so...that doesn't really work). So, I'm just gonna start in and go wherever my fingers take me.
There are different approaches for interpreting prophecy, mainly: preterist, historical, idealist and futurist. Most people take a historical approach viewing prophetic events in Scripture as a panorama of church history and being in the process of being fulfilled but in reality, the view that takes Scripture at face value and doesn't allegorize anything is the futurist view. We are studying with a futurist approach because we all believe that the Bible IS truth and has complete authority. We want to avoid allegory and man's interpretive ideas influencing the meaning so a futurist view sees prophetic events described in the Bible as coming to pass some time in the future and being fulfilled precisely as described.
Studying Daniel was completely crazy! The visions God gives King Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel are so accurate and it is fascinating to figure them out because many of them have been fulfilled. This just displays God's power and purpose and His promise to fulfill what he says he will do. Even though most of the prophecies are kind of scary, they really give us reassurance because we know the end and because we have seen so many fulfilled, we can trust that God will do what He says He will do...just make sure you are ready, that's all I have to say!
So in Daniel, there are prophecies of the four world kingdoms to come, starting in 605 BC and yet to be completed. Babylon is depicted as the head of gold in Nebby's vision and a beast like a lion in Daniel's. (Interesting point: in Nebuchadnezzar's vision, the kingdoms are depicted as a man would see them, glittering with glory and power but in Daniel's vision, we see the kingdom's through God's eyes, as beasts of destruction.) The next kingdom prophesied was Medo-Persia which was depicted as the silver arms and a beast like a bear. Moreover, the bear is limping which depicted that the Persians were more powerful than the Medes. Greece was the next kingdom prophesized as the belly and thighs of bronze and the beast like a leopard with four heads. The four heads depict the four dynasties which emerged as part of the Greek kingdom. Even more exciting is that Alexander the Great is even described in this prophecy! He is described as a goat with one horn who goes about conquering and at the height of his power he is broken and replaced by four others - his generals. I am just so amazed at the detail of these prophecies and how we can see them all working themselves out just like God said. The final kingdom is Rome, prophesized as the legs of iron and the feet of iron and clay as well as the beast which is impossible to describe - just dreadful and terrifying. According to the Bible, this kingdom is still in place but it is not united yet - BUT IT WILL BE so watch Europe because this has been attempted so many times and some time in the future, the Empire will come together - pieced together by treaties into ten divisions and from this kingdom, the antichrist will rise!
Okay that was a lot of crazy info and I dunno if any of you can even get anything from it, my mind just kind of threw up onto the screen...but hey, that's where my fingers took me...so we're just gonna leave it.
As a side note, I am having such a great time with all my notes. I think I have too many highlighter colours because I am just kind of obsessed with using them all and colour-coordinating all my notes and such and they all look so beautiful! They make me giddy and really hyper! (but I have to admit, it's a little exhausting keeping up with our professor and doing all this colour coordinating!)
Leave a comment as to what you would like to hear about, or more about and I'll post about it next.
There are different approaches for interpreting prophecy, mainly: preterist, historical, idealist and futurist. Most people take a historical approach viewing prophetic events in Scripture as a panorama of church history and being in the process of being fulfilled but in reality, the view that takes Scripture at face value and doesn't allegorize anything is the futurist view. We are studying with a futurist approach because we all believe that the Bible IS truth and has complete authority. We want to avoid allegory and man's interpretive ideas influencing the meaning so a futurist view sees prophetic events described in the Bible as coming to pass some time in the future and being fulfilled precisely as described.
Studying Daniel was completely crazy! The visions God gives King Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel are so accurate and it is fascinating to figure them out because many of them have been fulfilled. This just displays God's power and purpose and His promise to fulfill what he says he will do. Even though most of the prophecies are kind of scary, they really give us reassurance because we know the end and because we have seen so many fulfilled, we can trust that God will do what He says He will do...just make sure you are ready, that's all I have to say!
So in Daniel, there are prophecies of the four world kingdoms to come, starting in 605 BC and yet to be completed. Babylon is depicted as the head of gold in Nebby's vision and a beast like a lion in Daniel's. (Interesting point: in Nebuchadnezzar's vision, the kingdoms are depicted as a man would see them, glittering with glory and power but in Daniel's vision, we see the kingdom's through God's eyes, as beasts of destruction.) The next kingdom prophesied was Medo-Persia which was depicted as the silver arms and a beast like a bear. Moreover, the bear is limping which depicted that the Persians were more powerful than the Medes. Greece was the next kingdom prophesized as the belly and thighs of bronze and the beast like a leopard with four heads. The four heads depict the four dynasties which emerged as part of the Greek kingdom. Even more exciting is that Alexander the Great is even described in this prophecy! He is described as a goat with one horn who goes about conquering and at the height of his power he is broken and replaced by four others - his generals. I am just so amazed at the detail of these prophecies and how we can see them all working themselves out just like God said. The final kingdom is Rome, prophesized as the legs of iron and the feet of iron and clay as well as the beast which is impossible to describe - just dreadful and terrifying. According to the Bible, this kingdom is still in place but it is not united yet - BUT IT WILL BE so watch Europe because this has been attempted so many times and some time in the future, the Empire will come together - pieced together by treaties into ten divisions and from this kingdom, the antichrist will rise!
Okay that was a lot of crazy info and I dunno if any of you can even get anything from it, my mind just kind of threw up onto the screen...but hey, that's where my fingers took me...so we're just gonna leave it.
As a side note, I am having such a great time with all my notes. I think I have too many highlighter colours because I am just kind of obsessed with using them all and colour-coordinating all my notes and such and they all look so beautiful! They make me giddy and really hyper! (but I have to admit, it's a little exhausting keeping up with our professor and doing all this colour coordinating!)
Leave a comment as to what you would like to hear about, or more about and I'll post about it next.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Find your inner woman 9: the Football Fan
Okay, so this isn't that great a "find your inner woman" but I just had to post something about our grand Super Bowl party. Basically my first time actually purposefully watching a football game and I actually had a lot of fun. Most of us crammed into Jared and Annie's house, ate tons of food, cheered, laughed and just had a great time hanging out. I really didn't care who won, but I was in a room pretty much dominated by Steelers fans with like 3 Packers fans...found myself joining the Packers fans. haha - chose the right team!
So basically I am full of homemade donuts, chips, artichoke dip and pop...ew I don't feel to fab now. We're weird creatures we human beings, the things we do: eat and watch a bunch of guys run around and hit each other, all fighting over a little brown pigskin, eh?
(Have to say, I think the biggest cheer came during a commercial in which some guy asked, "Who's Justin Bieber?" and another guy says, "I dunno but he kinda looks like a girl!" Seriously, the room exploded with cheers and laughter, it was awesome.)
So basically I am full of homemade donuts, chips, artichoke dip and pop...ew I don't feel to fab now. We're weird creatures we human beings, the things we do: eat and watch a bunch of guys run around and hit each other, all fighting over a little brown pigskin, eh?
(Have to say, I think the biggest cheer came during a commercial in which some guy asked, "Who's Justin Bieber?" and another guy says, "I dunno but he kinda looks like a girl!" Seriously, the room exploded with cheers and laughter, it was awesome.)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Find your inner woman 8: the Chef
So I was craving chicken cordon bleu and had this bright idea of how to get it...like actually the way I wanted it (aka my mom's recipe). So instead of asking Jared to make it, I just asked if I could make it one Friday for work day and they totally said yes! So we got all the ingredients and the big day arrived!
I started at 3:15 and wow...it's a good thing. I have never even MADE it before...I mean, like maybe once but to make it for around 40 people!?!?!? It was crazy. We had 72 pieces of chicken in 3 hotel pans. Then I hate to slice most the cheese, which took awhile and then we had fresh sliced ham, which took another while, and then I had to find enough cream of chicken soup...we didn't really have enough but I just added a bit more milk to make it go farther. I didn't realize when I started this whole that I would be basically in charge of the whole meal, but I had a blast. I was directing people here and there who came up asking for a job, got people working on Greek salad, getting the pasta ready, and fetching rolls (that's right, I actually called them rolls the whole time!). So by this time, it is about 4:30 and the chicken really needs to get in the oven. We sprinkle some bread crumbs on, pour some butter over it and in they go. (I have no idea if they are really going to turn out but I'm hoping for the best.)
Now over to the Greek salad. Lish had mixed up the dressing and her and a few people were working on cutting veggies. I showed them how big I wanted them, and how much etc and then we realized we had no cucumbers...problem. So we call Jared, who is out with a group of guys at the shooting range and he says he'll bring some at 5:25...5 minutes before dinner...
Next we have to figure out a dessert and I totally hadn't thought of anything and so we are all just sitting there thinking and I have the bright idea of a trifle...not really thinking it would work but it just so happens that we have 2 sheet cakes and enough whipped topping to make two for dessert (they turned out SO awesome!).
Finally, we are down to pretty much being done: waiting for the chicken, waiting for the cucumbers, testing the pasta. Everything was ready 15 minutes before dinner time...just waiting for the cucumbers. We set out all the dishes, get the chicken out (and it looks amazing and I am so excited) and then in walks Jared with the cucumbers. Three of us on the job and 3 minutes later, the salad is done as well. I have to say, I was feeling pretty good. I had had a blast and now, was hoping people would like it.
As people went through the line, I explained what it all was (many had never even heard of Greek salad!) and suggested putting the sauce on the pasta as that was how I liked it. Some people were a little skeptical - especially of the salad but everyone LOVED it! I was so happy to serve all these people something that they really enjoyed. I kept getting compliments until I was worried I was going to become a little prideful!
It was a fabulous evening and I can't thank all my helpers enough. Makes me wanna be a chef! ...but...I highly doubt that's gonna happen...
Ended the day off with broom ball and a movie - doesn't get much better than that!
I started at 3:15 and wow...it's a good thing. I have never even MADE it before...I mean, like maybe once but to make it for around 40 people!?!?!? It was crazy. We had 72 pieces of chicken in 3 hotel pans. Then I hate to slice most the cheese, which took awhile and then we had fresh sliced ham, which took another while, and then I had to find enough cream of chicken soup...we didn't really have enough but I just added a bit more milk to make it go farther. I didn't realize when I started this whole that I would be basically in charge of the whole meal, but I had a blast. I was directing people here and there who came up asking for a job, got people working on Greek salad, getting the pasta ready, and fetching rolls (that's right, I actually called them rolls the whole time!). So by this time, it is about 4:30 and the chicken really needs to get in the oven. We sprinkle some bread crumbs on, pour some butter over it and in they go. (I have no idea if they are really going to turn out but I'm hoping for the best.)
Now over to the Greek salad. Lish had mixed up the dressing and her and a few people were working on cutting veggies. I showed them how big I wanted them, and how much etc and then we realized we had no cucumbers...problem. So we call Jared, who is out with a group of guys at the shooting range and he says he'll bring some at 5:25...5 minutes before dinner...
Next we have to figure out a dessert and I totally hadn't thought of anything and so we are all just sitting there thinking and I have the bright idea of a trifle...not really thinking it would work but it just so happens that we have 2 sheet cakes and enough whipped topping to make two for dessert (they turned out SO awesome!).
Finally, we are down to pretty much being done: waiting for the chicken, waiting for the cucumbers, testing the pasta. Everything was ready 15 minutes before dinner time...just waiting for the cucumbers. We set out all the dishes, get the chicken out (and it looks amazing and I am so excited) and then in walks Jared with the cucumbers. Three of us on the job and 3 minutes later, the salad is done as well. I have to say, I was feeling pretty good. I had had a blast and now, was hoping people would like it.
As people went through the line, I explained what it all was (many had never even heard of Greek salad!) and suggested putting the sauce on the pasta as that was how I liked it. Some people were a little skeptical - especially of the salad but everyone LOVED it! I was so happy to serve all these people something that they really enjoyed. I kept getting compliments until I was worried I was going to become a little prideful!
It was a fabulous evening and I can't thank all my helpers enough. Makes me wanna be a chef! ...but...I highly doubt that's gonna happen...
Ended the day off with broom ball and a movie - doesn't get much better than that!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Find your inner woman 7: the Eskimo!!
Woke up this morning to - 36 degree weather. It hurt to breath. I don't think I have ever seen that temperature on a thermometer before (mind you this wasn't a real thermometer either, just my computer, but hey you know what I mean). The weather has been so amazingly beautiful but all this lack of cloud has given us temperatures of like, negative a million, as I commonly say and I don't really know how I feel about it.
With this freezing cold weather, I have noticed that the bunkhouse doesn't really seem to warm up. The last week, unless we keep the heater on full blast at all times, we don't actually get warm. A few minutes after it turns off...I'm cold again. Plus, it doesn't help that we have to have a fan on up here so that the rest of the place can actually get some heat. (It's kinda a weird feeling always being a little chilled indoors...reminds me of home. hehe)
Another fun thing with this frigid weather is the ice ("ice!?!? you mean like snow...and igloos...and penguins and ICE!?!?!"). Yes ice. I mean, walking around isn't bad because we just have hard-packed snow but all the fabulous icicles of death hanging from every eave, our nice, shiny icewall outside the door (which keeps the dorm quite nicely refrigerated) and the skating rink on the driveway are all just great benefits of the cold. Moreover, today, we have a nice sheet of ice on the INSIDE window of our door...and frostiness on the INSIDE handle and around the INSIDE edge...I'm thinking "Day After Tomorrow"...
But, really we are all enjoying it. Everything is so beautiful and it sure beats Abby rain 24/7. We just bundle up like Eskimos (I even brought a blanket to class it was so cold), gather around the wood stoves, and drink lots of hot chocolate and coffee. The guys have been amusing themselves by throwing pitchers of water into the air and watching it freeze into a crystalline cloud of vapour.
Today, for my PCMA, we got to spend two hours out in this weather shoveling Mt. Everest off a driveway for someone people in our church. It was FREEZING at first, but really, I think we all enjoyed it. It felt good to get out, work hard and help some people rather than spend the hours indoors baking like we have for the past two weeks - not that that wasn't a blast as well. So I feel quite like an Eskimo these days, living in this land of ice and snow and frigid temperatures. I think I'm becoming quite accustomed to it as well, not that I want to move to the Yukon or anything, but it's a nice change from the winters of my childhood. :)
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| Lish being cheerful in negative a million degrees |
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| Sunrise on the mountains - right outside my door! |
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| Icicles off the bunkhouse |
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| Me being all Eskimo-y |
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
The Worth of the Word
Opening my Bible is a whole new experience after last week. Every time I casually flip through the pages, I am suddenly struck with the fact that I have God's WORD in my hands - in my own language - in multiple versions and translations, whatever colour I want, with notes, without notes - goodness, you can even choose who WRITES the notes! And yet, my fellow Christians did not have this, some still do not. I know it is a common topic and realization for Christians to come to - this love and appreciation of Scripture, but I wonder if it really truly sticks. I mean, perhaps it is so commonly talked about because it happens so often in each of our lives. I mean, I know I have had this realization before, why am I having it again? It must be that I have again fallen into a complacency; taking my Bible for granted. I pray that now that I have names, faces, and a time line of the events which have blessed me with the unfathomable blessing of reading God's word, I will never play down it's value.
I think of Jerome and his work on the Vulgate. How appalled he would be at what became of his efforts to give man the word! That the church would raise this Latin translation to such a high elevation that all others were banned is frightening. Yet it shows how prized the Scriptures were - how holy they were considered. Unfortunately we must remember not to worship the words themselves but the God behind the words - the voice, the power.
Then there is Wycliffe, one of my personal heroes. He was a scholar, a teacher and a writer. He never backed down from preaching and writing the truth. He wasn't afraid of confrontation because he had discovered God's word. His life is a perfect example of the effects of God's word, truth in man's lives. He lost all fear of man and lived only to serve God. I am amazed at his efforts and success to translate the Bible and get it out to people - all without a printing press! Would that I had such zeal and perseverance!
Then we have Martin Luther, that great and unforgettable name. Living "sola scriptura". Defining his faith in his 95 Theses and passionately defending his case. I can identify with his ache for the truth to be heard, that change come to the Church. I see issues, stagnancy in our churches today and I feel his God-given passion to instigate change.
William Tyndale lived the life of an outlaw, giving up every comfort and safety, all in an effort to get the Bible in English to the people of England. He also was not afraid to speak the truth even to kings! By his efforts the common people of England received God's word. They treasured every verse - giving loads of hay to simply borrow the Bible for a day. I cannot fathom that kind of love for the Word but I wish that I had it! Tyndale's life also encourages me that God has a plan for my life and that He can make it happen no matter the circumstances that I think are in the way. If it is His will, nothing can stop Him!
Finally, I must speak of groups like the Puritans and Anabaptists. They took everything back to the Bible. They lived the Word to the best of their ability. Today I think people put the Bible in the section of how to think, treat others...basically how to be a good person but these people - they saw applications for everything in life. The Bible was the handbook for every decision and every action. I am shamed because they probably new more Biblical applications than I do and they could barely get their hands on a Bible or meet to discuss it!
All these people have taught me (among other things) that God's Word is (1) holy, (2) true and defendable, (3) a cause of change, (4) precious, and (5) applicable. It is timeless and in it is the power to change lives. I pray that I never take it for granted and when I do, that I will continually be brought back to this awe and gratefulness. But most of all, that I would know God more fully through His Word, that He would become greater, more holy and more awesome to me with every verse I read.
I think of Jerome and his work on the Vulgate. How appalled he would be at what became of his efforts to give man the word! That the church would raise this Latin translation to such a high elevation that all others were banned is frightening. Yet it shows how prized the Scriptures were - how holy they were considered. Unfortunately we must remember not to worship the words themselves but the God behind the words - the voice, the power.
Then there is Wycliffe, one of my personal heroes. He was a scholar, a teacher and a writer. He never backed down from preaching and writing the truth. He wasn't afraid of confrontation because he had discovered God's word. His life is a perfect example of the effects of God's word, truth in man's lives. He lost all fear of man and lived only to serve God. I am amazed at his efforts and success to translate the Bible and get it out to people - all without a printing press! Would that I had such zeal and perseverance!
Then we have Martin Luther, that great and unforgettable name. Living "sola scriptura". Defining his faith in his 95 Theses and passionately defending his case. I can identify with his ache for the truth to be heard, that change come to the Church. I see issues, stagnancy in our churches today and I feel his God-given passion to instigate change.
William Tyndale lived the life of an outlaw, giving up every comfort and safety, all in an effort to get the Bible in English to the people of England. He also was not afraid to speak the truth even to kings! By his efforts the common people of England received God's word. They treasured every verse - giving loads of hay to simply borrow the Bible for a day. I cannot fathom that kind of love for the Word but I wish that I had it! Tyndale's life also encourages me that God has a plan for my life and that He can make it happen no matter the circumstances that I think are in the way. If it is His will, nothing can stop Him!
Finally, I must speak of groups like the Puritans and Anabaptists. They took everything back to the Bible. They lived the Word to the best of their ability. Today I think people put the Bible in the section of how to think, treat others...basically how to be a good person but these people - they saw applications for everything in life. The Bible was the handbook for every decision and every action. I am shamed because they probably new more Biblical applications than I do and they could barely get their hands on a Bible or meet to discuss it!
All these people have taught me (among other things) that God's Word is (1) holy, (2) true and defendable, (3) a cause of change, (4) precious, and (5) applicable. It is timeless and in it is the power to change lives. I pray that I never take it for granted and when I do, that I will continually be brought back to this awe and gratefulness. But most of all, that I would know God more fully through His Word, that He would become greater, more holy and more awesome to me with every verse I read.
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