According to Latta....

North Pole, Alaska

2012-01-29T19:32:00.001-06:00

Whoever you are in my feedjit, I think you're awesome.

Also, keep the cold weather up there, ok?

Thanks.

It Feels Like a Semester Again

2012-01-28T01:45:00.001-06:00

Here we are, nearly 1:45 am, and I'm finally calling it quits on my studying, after cramming for hours at the cafe, then the library, then finally back "home." I made the mistake of ordering a coffee at 7 pm though, and now I'm completely wired and most likely will be for the next few hours. Thank goodness it's the weekend and there isn't anything too important occurring in the morning.

But here we'll deviate away from my current mental state (though I fear it will show through in my grammar and syntax) and instead talk about the whole Sophomore and God thing.

Like I said in my last post a few days ago, I've never felt so much peace before in life. Perhaps there's something almost "simple" about living off in a different state, working where I know few people, and hanging out with my textbooks in the evening. It's so completely different and so unlike anything I've done before that I can't help but see God in every single minute of it, and thus it is restful, even though I often feel as though I'll never get everything done I need to.

Time management.

That's one of the things that I asked prayer for before leaving, and so far God has answered.

*sigh* This post isn't going at all where I had intended it to go. Granted, there was no particular plan when I began so that may explain some of it. Caffeine is responsible for the rest.

Did I think I would be chatting it up with senators and lobbyists on a daily basis as a sophomore in college? Most definitely not. When I look at this life that God has given me and everything that He has me doing right now, I never would have guessed any of it. But then I take that as even another inclination that I am right where He wants me to be. It's not as if I worked hard because I was aspiring to be where I am at this moment in my life. It's a God thing, and I'm purely along for the ride.

In Sunday School last week we were talking about living the Christian life, and what kind of a perspective we are supposed to have. I personally was pondering the difference it makes when one wakes up in the morning and asks, "What is God's agenda today?" rather than, "What is my agenda today?" Suddenly our greatest successes come measured by a totally different standard. Most importantly though, our focus shifts and we need not worry about what others think, because we live for the opinion of One.

Another random thought: today while I was studying in the cafe there were two ladies sitting next to me talking. It felt as though God was telling me to go talk to them, but I kept saying to myself "I've got this Latin due in six hours, I have to finish it! If I had more time I definitely would."

And suddenly I shuddered at my own thoughts.

My Latin assignment, more important than sharing the gospel?

My Latin assignment more important than someone else's life?

How arrogant was I? How much hate did I have in my heart for these people that I wasn't willing to lay my pencil down for a few moments?

As if a lower grade was somehow so vital, so important, so absolutely necessary that I could see it as legitimately competing with whether or not I should get up and go talk to these two ladies.

So I got up and went over.

It didn't really go anywhere, but God got His point across to me I think. He showed me how terrifyingly selfish and ignorant I am. I really don't understand the gospel. I don't think I've ever wrapped my mind around the concept that every single human being, by their own decisions, is damned to true and real torment for eternity if they don't turn to God and beg forgiveness. I've grown up so Christianized that I don't realize that there are people who truly don't believe in God, truly don't believe He sent His son to die for the sins of the world and that the only way to be saved from our own fallenness is to throw ourselves on His mercy and grace. I don't get it. But hopefully the cafe encounter will stick with me longer than most things do and have a real impact on my life.

Caffeine is still strong, but I'm getting droopy.

Cleaning, shopping, studying, and hopefully fun things are on the agenda for tomorrow.

I've found my favorite place here: something that this town actually has on home. A freakishly amazing library. I'll be hanging out there a ton I hope.

Goodnight.

Er, Good morning I guess.

Remember the Gospel. That's what it's all about.

Hello New Year

2012-01-25T00:11:00.001-06:00

Someone reminded me I had a blog and they told me I ought to post again. So here I am, sitting in my new state of Kansas, doing my best to juggle work and school while sustaining some level of sanity, getting enough sleep to ward of the inner grouch which threatens to boil out at 7:15 am when I leave for work, and still fitting in time to talk with friends and family, eat, and text. It's an adventure, to be sure: One that so far is looking rather optimistic. Perhaps at the end of the semester I will look back and say it was the best four months of my life? But with life I'm finding that it only gets better as it goes along.

I've had a lot of things on my mind; most of which will not be completely written about (especially right now, as it is late, my lunch is calling to be made, and my body is begging for the wonders of bed). But just so you don't keel over from curiosity, they involve dancing, Latin, dresses, and the awesome things that God is doing for me.

I'm not sure I have ever felt this much peace in my life before.

It's truly wonderful.

Now I have fulfilled my duty to acknowledge the existence of my blog. Perhaps after Friday is passed and I have submitted the pages of Latin translation which will be completed between now and then, I shall get around to delving into just why I love where God has me right now.

The semester is over

2011-12-14T23:32:00.002-06:00

There was stress.
There were tears.
There was exhaustion, discouragement, and depression.
But there was also joy, growth, and heart-soaring moments of wonder.

God was good.
God has always been good.
And he always will be good.

This girl is done. For about three weeks...

Now begins the checking-the-courses-every-two-hours-waiting-for-final-grades-to-be-released phenomena.

Lovely how that works.

2:35 AM

2011-12-09T02:37:00.001-06:00

and still going strong. Oh how I love coffee...and hate finals week.

Big news everyone; this girl is moving to Kansas.

Apparently the moving-on-campus saga is going to take a semester break while I run south to do some secretarying (I am aware that isn't a real word. Thank you). God is good though; He's working everything out spendidly. I'm getting credit for it and everything.

THREE WEEKS! *deep breath*

Now, back to Latin translation.

I will survive.

Yes.

For the girls

2011-11-21T19:26:00.001-06:00

At least, the ones who like to drool over shoes....

Click here and be amazed.

2011-11-15T12:41:00.001-06:00

Theodore J. Bear

2011-11-10T12:06:00.001-06:00

My mommy found him :)

While Owl City is Playing and I Should be Sleeping...

2011-11-10T00:37:00.001-06:00

Life. I've been thinking a lot about it lately...the ups and downs, the joys and sorrows, the moments that make you shriek with excitement and those that make you want to rip your hair out from frustration/anger/terror/Latin.

It's a beautiful thing, really. Beautiful in a complex, never-to-be-fully-understood-this-side-of-heaven way. There will always be many things that never quite make sense. There will be what-ifs and if-onlys. It's a roller coaster of insanity, oftentimes leaving you with the sense of drowning in circumstances you cannot change or overcome or endure.

But in the midst of the insanity, uncertainty, mad excitement, and general complexity there is one thing that always remains the same. God. I can't wrap my mind around that concept. It gives me goosebumps as I lay in bed thinking about it at night. No matter what life throws my way, I've got the strongest, bestest person in the whole world just waiting for me to go running into His arms for safety, comfort and strength.

Though I can't ever fully understand God or why on earth He would ever want to listen to me, there is one thing I do understand: I can look at my life--the good and the bad, the pretty and the ugly, the confusing, the heartbreaking, the exciting, the uncertain, the happiness, the giddiness of college-age existence--and see it as one brilliant adventure. Why? Because I'm learning--albeit with baby steps--what a child-like faith is.

The older I get (yes, I am aware how silly that sounds coming from someone with their teen years barely behind them) the more I become a little girl in my relationship with God. I used to think I had to hold it together. I had to show God how strong I was. I could do it, He just had to help me out. I was impressive.

No more.

I figured out--after way too long trying--that that approach just doesn't work, both because I can't hold it all together, and because that's not what God wants. So now there's no more pretending. God sees all my little girl tears, all my little girl fears, all my little girl giddiness, and all my little girl thoughts. It would be embarrassing with anyone else, but not God. He is my Father, after all. There is a freedom in coming to Him as his daughter...His little girl looking up at Him with big eyes, wanting to hold His hand as we skip through the wonders of life together.

When life gives me ice cream topped with fresh cherries on warm summer days, I can run to God and sheepishly admit how excited I am. And when the winds rage and destroy, and the sky throws down angry tears, I can run to God, jump in His arms, and know that I am in the safest place possible. He loves me. Me. Little college-kid me. Wow. No matter how many times He reminds me of that fact I still feel like I'm in a fairy tale. Honestly, could there be anything better in life? Absolutely not.

Sophomore

2011-10-20T23:41:00.002-05:00

The world should know that as of thirty-five minutes ago I am preregistered for my spring semester classes. God really blessed me...I was one of the last people to get into physics. So, here's to more acting in faith. I don't see how I will make it on campus in the spring, but when we pray for rain we ought to carry an umbrella, right?

I'm carrying my umbrella.

Counting my blessings

2011-10-15T23:30:00.001-05:00

I love skype: it lets me chat with my professors late at night.

I love coffee: It lets me stay up late (read: early) to finish up homework.

I love gchat: it lets me talk to my friends who live way far away.

I love friends: they make my life so wonderful.

I love Latin: it reminds me that I'm not as smart as I'd like to think I am.

I love computers: they let me get my research done fast.

I love pencils: they keep me company when I listen to lectures.

I love God: He gives me strength when I don't think I can go on. <3

Strength

2011-10-14T14:22:00.000-05:00

Have a good day ;)

Peace

2011-10-07T23:57:00.003-05:00

The title of this post is the antithesis of what I feel. With multiple chapters of Latin homework piling up on me on top of a Latin midterm, a Freedoms midterm and term paper, an Econ midterm, a Rhetoric speech to research, write, record and submit, and a lot of personal "extra" activities in the next few weeks, I'm running on empty. Burnout is glaring me in the face. Apathy is threatening to set in. Indeed, it is knocking at the door of my scheduler, and more than once I've found myself almost giving in to the idea of simply not turning in assignments.

But that's the wrong attitude.

God has a plan, a purpose. If I am willing to trust Him and throw myself on His strength, I will survive. No, I will thrive.

But I hit a low point this evening. Thankfully though, before I shrivelled up into a ball of hysterics, God broke through my screaming thoughts.

So after doing a little rummaging in Corinthians, I came away with this. Maybe you don't like people changing the words of verses, but indulge me for a moment: God's word is applicable to all situations.

‎"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my assignments, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I will take pleasure in midterms, in homework, in term papers, in discussion boards, in speeches, in late nights, in study guides, in textbooks, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9,10; paraphrased for the college student.

I can't do anything on my own. And neither can you. Admit it! But if you freely throw yourself into God's arms He will hold you up. He will give you the strength to keep going.

Keep running. And you will find peace.

Age crisis

2011-10-07T09:31:00.001-05:00

When I was little I always wanted to be "grown up." Driving, being independent, wearing "grown up" clothes and high heels. Going to work appealed to me, dating and getting married...having a family. I was ready for it all when I was six. I never painted my nails, never watched Disney movies, never obsessed over boy bands.

And now, when I wear those heels, and drive, and have that job, and am in college--I find myself reverting back to six year old things. I paint my nails weird colors while listening to lectures on political philosophy. I study economics to Disney soundtracks. I dance myself silly in the kitchen when no one is home. When I get bored of school I go play dress-up with my formals. In a way, I'm more of a little kid now than I've ever been. Maybe it's a stress reliever mechanism. Or maybe I took myself seriously when I vowed on my twelfth birthday that I would never grow a day older inside.

Laugh at me; go ahead. But just know it won't phase me. I'll be too busy dancing to notice.

Well hello...

2011-09-29T10:20:00.000-05:00

...and what is this new taste for classical music that I have acquired? I suppose it's all adding to the pathos of studying classical rhetoric, Aristotle and Latin. All I need now is a good cup of tea and the professor from The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Oh, and I suppose some scrolls may add to the atmosphere.

I am aware that the previous paragraph spanned way too many historical periods. At least I didn't say something about the Ming Dynasty....

Yeah, Rhetoric midterm tonight. I'm a tad scatterbrained. Prayer would be great. It's all well and good to wax eloquent about studying hard and then committing the results to God when its others who have exams...now is the real test.

Question of the semester: How does one bring glory to God through the act of studying itself?

Why Liberal Arts?

2011-09-23T16:57:00.001-05:00

"The man who has learned to think and to reason and to compare and to discriminate and to analyze, who has refined his taste, and formed his judgment, and sharpened his mental vision, will not indeed at once be a lawyer, or a pleader, or an orator, or a statesman, or a physician, . . . but he will be placed in that state of intellect in which he can take up any one of the sciences or callings I have referred to, or any other for which he has a taste or special talent, with an ease, a grace, a versatility, and a success, to which another is a stranger. I say that a cultivated intellect, because it is a good in itself, brings with it a power and a grace to every work and occupation which it undertakes, and enables us to be more useful, and to a greater number." -John Henry Cardinal Newman in The Idea of the University.

That's why.

Here's to cultivating the intellect.

I can't help it....

2011-09-20T18:14:00.001-05:00

I love these.

So the question now is...would you ever wear them just for the fun of it?

Every Good Think Has its Quirks

2011-09-15T11:14:00.000-05:00

And homeschooling is no different.

I was homeschooled. I am now home-colleged. At least, being in an online program feels that way sometimes. But I'm not here to talk about distance learning....

I loved my experience as a homeschooler. Granted, it was a major boon that I had (and have) a large group of homeschooled friends. Maybe I wouldn't have liked it if I was the only one; I don't know. The point is, the following is not intended to slam homeschooling or homeschoolers. As a whole, homeschooling is a good thing (specifically for religious reasons...I'm not talking about people like Taylor Swift who just have such fabulously famous lives that they didn't have time to go to a regular school; granted it doesn't look like homeschooling did her any harm). But--and I say this very cautiously and respectfully--it can have its weaknesses, its downfalls and even its detriments.

So if you are a homeschooler, or were a homeschooler, or will be a homeschooler--or even if you aren't--I recommend this tremendous article that Josh Harris posted. Every homeschooling family is different, each have their strengths and weaknesses, but on a whole the author makes an extremely valid point that can only benefit those who take it to heart.

Dinner Conversations

2011-09-13T20:14:00.001-05:00

The most exciting thing that's happened in this house for a while is that we got a table and chairs for the deck. Interpretation: we've been eating dinner outside every night.

Tonight was no different. And, as also happens at dinner, various members of the family drop random words of wisdom.

Tonight, dad held the spotlight.

"You know, mosquitoes must not have any reason. Because if they did, they would think to themselves, 'Gosh, if I land here and bite this man it might annoy him and lead to the end of my life. Maybe I should do something else for a living."

There you have it, folks; practically Socrates himself.

Sophomore

2011-08-27T10:50:00.000-05:00

The semester has once again commenced and it's a strange feeling. Honestly, I'm having to relearn how to study....which I never thought would happen. It's hard to refocus, hard to find that warm fuzzy comfortable feeling that I had with my textbooks last year.
It's strange knowing these may very well be my last few months at home. Trying to make the most of absolutely everything and feeling pulled in so many different directions. I feel like I've taken everything for granted, and suddenly it's almost over. Lost I guess? Maybe. But I'll stop being melodramatic.

Basically this is just a warning post: I've returned to the world of academia...and that means annoying blog posts yet again.

I've been asking myself how I'm supposed to glorify God during the semester. We'll be asking that question a lot in the next few months. I still haven't learned.

So.....hello! And farewell for the moment.

.....A scholarship essay calls.

Cooking

2011-05-24T15:13:00.000-05:00

This is kinda how I do it too...

May 21

2011-05-21T12:36:00.000-05:00

I started a post, but then it came out too scalding and more than a little disrespectful, so I trashed it all. Here is for take two...wish me luck :)

Harold Camping (I'm sure you've heard the name) of Family Radio (Don't bother looking them up right now, their website is down...) has been furiously predicting that today, May 21, 2011, is Judgement Day. Or the Rapture...something like that. Through all of my research I'm still a little confused as to what is supposed to happen today. But at any rate, the man who produced a faulty prediction for 1994 has issued another one, and thousands of people are following him.

Besides the obvious theological difficulties of proclaiming the exact day of the rapture (or whether or not there even is a rapture...but lets not get into that), I have some other issues with Mr. Camping.

Let us suppose that tomorrow comes and we are all still here and the world is roughly just as it always has been (which is what I personally think will end up happening). What will happen to the thousands of people who bought into the Judgement Day prophesies of Harold Camping? They will be left disillusioned, confused, feeling used, and many of them will be utterly ruined (financial, for example, as well as religiously). After all, Harold Camping calls himself a Christian, and those who buy into the Judgement Day idea think they are following what is Christian fact. When that falls through, what will happen to their faith? I know mine would be utterly destroyed.

So people are turned away from Christianity. They leave in disgust and disillusionment.

Second, think of all the laughs that atheists will get tomorrow. Honestly, if I weren't so horrified by the repercussions of Harold Camping's teachings I would probably get a really good laugh out of it too. I've already made some borderline jokes about it on facebook. Maybe I shouldn't have, but I did.

In all seriousness though, what does this do for the credibility of Christians? The fact is, proponents of Judgement Day May 21 are voicing their opinions extremely loudly. They are portraying themselves as being "true Christians" understanding exactly what the Bible really teaches. And if the Bible teaches that today is Judgement Day, and yet nothing happens, there are serious problems with the Bible. It would indeed be a book full of lies.

So this hype about Judgement Day? It also undermines the Christian witness and makes the Bible into a laughable book of silliness.

As Christians, we are going to have some serious problems in the next months and years because of this. Our reputation is on the line and it's about to take a serious blow, even of we ourselves do not hold the same views as Family Radio.

Before we launch into attack mode on Mr. Camping (I admit, I find it extremely tempting), we should realize that he, perhaps more than a lot of other people, needs a lot of prayer right now. If there is a tomorrow (which again, I am pretty sure there will be), he is going to be proven to be a pretty bad false prophet. There are some serious consequences for that. And think of all his followers as well; those who will be left stranded and confused tomorrow. They are in need of prayer too. So instead of having a party tomorrow (or tonight after 6 pm), maybe we should all get down on our knees and pray for those who are going to be really confused, and those whose faith may just end up destroyed.

One last thought before I close this rant, however. I am in no way saying that the end of the world is far away. Nor am I saying that we do not have to expect it. Personally I think Judgement Day is coming, and very well could come in my lifetime. We should all live with the expectancy of the early church that Christ's return will be soon. We should live each day as if it could be our last chance to reach someone for Christ. We should watch and wait expectantly for His return.

Could He return tonight? Yes, of course He could. He could come at any time. The problem with Camping's teaching is not that he says the end of the world is near, but rather that he says we can know exactly when it will happen.

Let us live expectantly, but not sure of the date. And let us pray for those poor souls who will be feeling extremely lost in the next few days.

Sorry for the ramble. I kinda just had to get that all out.

Summer

2011-05-14T21:45:00.000-05:00

With finals utterly defeated and the warm sunshine of summer spreading out before me in one vast expanse of lazy days and fun nights, I find myself espousing a much more optimistic outlook on life. But a lot of that optimism comes not from being done with classes, but from having taken those classes.

Once again, every success was thoroughly and completely from the hand of God. I look back in utter amazement at the last year, wondering how on earth I ended up at PHC at all, let alone completing my Freshman year. I've realized that the most profound lesson I learned this year was not one that will count toward my GPA. It was not a course objective for any of my classes, nor was it was never graded. This year I learned just a little more the power of prayer and trust. Countess times I found myself flat on my face before God, crying out for strength, wisdom and encouragement. And every time I prayed He answered. My discouragement was warded off by caring classmates and parents. The papers I cried over received unbelievable grades. The exam I got sick in the middle of turned out to be the best grade to date in that particular class. The homework assignments that had me baffled always worked themselves out.

In short, my poor performance was completely obliterated by God's caring intervention. I felt and I saw God more clearly than ever before.

My GPA? It may suffer. But let it suffer; I will still praise God. If this semester has taught me anything, it is that God deserves my wholehearted service and adoration, in both the good times and the bad. If I would steal any of His glory by getting good grades, then let me fail every class.

Momisms

2011-05-11T10:44:00.000-05:00

I made my mother take a walk with me this morning so I could escape the insanity of the last day of the semester!!! Apparently the thunderstorm last night was a bit too much for her....

"The birds are barking!"

"Lets walk through the watery dirt."

"I wonder if Mrs. has had her baby yet. I saw 's van at the pregnancy center this morning, so I guess that means she's either had it or she hasn't."

Dear mom,
I know the feeling.
Love, Me

Now it's off to knock out that last final with gusto!!!!

I'm single again!

2011-05-09T19:12:00.000-05:00

If you're not my friend on facebook, don't even try to understand that. If you know what I'm talking about though, go ahead and snicker...right....now. Good job!

My "b" key is sticking. You never realize how much you use a certain letter until the keyboard won't type it!!

My mom is amazing. She prays before every exam with me. I attribute my lack of stress during the three hour philosophy final to her prayers. She also holds my hand when I submit the exam at the end. Yes. I'm an old college student and I still hold my mommy's hand when I'm scared. Deal with it! You just wish you were that awesome...

There are two finals between me and summer break. "Two more opportunities to glorify God." That's the perspective I've been trying to keep this semester....

"I think........not"

2011-05-07T11:32:00.000-05:00

.....Teleological Suspension of the Ethical.....

.....Utilitarianism....

......The Categorical Imperative....

...."God is dead." -Nietzsche

"Nietzsche is dead." -God

Deontology

.....Consequentialism.....

Pascal!!!!

.....The Knight of Infinite Resignation....

Studying for the Philosophy final. My brain is fried.

Good news though, only three more finals! Two are vanquished already.

FINALS THEME SONG!!!!

Sometimes I question my own sanity...

2011-04-21T12:07:00.000-05:00

Call me neurotic, call me dumb, call me a terrible procrastinator (that one's definitely true), call my unhealthy, silly, ridiculous, pathetic, and strange...but I pulled an all-nighter writing a paper.

It's an interesting experience starting a paper when your mom hugs you goodnight and finishing it when she hugs you good morning.

But I learned that the birds start singing at about 4:45 am and that one cup of coffee, if drunk around 10:30 pm (and made strong enough) can keep me alert all through the night. I also learned the value of study buddies in California that stay up all night with me.

Climbing in bed at 6 am messes with the mind.

Falling asleep in the shower is ill advised.

Procrastination is unwise.

End of story.

One of the perks of DL....

2011-04-16T22:22:00.000-05:00

...is painting my nails red during class.

On a more serious note though, today in Western Lit we've been discussing The Metamorphosis by Kafka. One of the main themes in it seems to be taking advantage of others. Instead of viewing one another as people deserving respect, the characters seem to view all others as means to an end. There is no understanding, no selfless service; only greed, exploitation and selfishness. Where is Immanuel Kant's moral philosophy when you need it?!

So with that preface in mind, here's something that's seriously been making me think lately.

Ramblings, rantings and randomness

2011-04-14T22:48:00.000-05:00

Only at PHC would the math class require a research paper....

Also, Christmas music makes me sentimental. Very sentimental. Currently I'm listening to Mannheim Steamroller. Yes....in the middle of April, while the torrential rains drown the external world, the shredding winds thrash trees and send garbage cans rolling (hm...not very picturesque, is it?) and while finals are only FOUR WEEKS AWAY.....yours truly is listening to Christmas music.

Yours truly also cleaned her closet two days ago...and got rid of over half her clothes. If only you could see her closet right now, you would be so proud! It's just screaming to fill it back up again.

Shopping joys on Monday! More black heals...this time for $2 at Payless. Gift cards are truly little pieces of heaven.

I also saw an interesting car the other day on my way home.

Well, I'm out to write that math paper now.....

Au Revoir.......

Purcellville, Virginia

2011-04-11T00:14:00.000-05:00

OK, who is it that keeps showing up in my feedjit? I'm curious.

Though I do have my suspicions....

The Great War

2011-04-08T13:06:00.000-05:00

Today's early afternoon finds me curled up in the big leather chair in my living room wearing bright pink fuzzy pants, dramatically switching between the laptop keyboard and a heavily tabbed book. Paper mania has once again struck.

Up for creation at the moment is an analysis paper on Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front (which I highly recommend to anyone without an aversion to graphic tearjerker war novels). It is a very modern work, complete with stark realism and that overt hint of despair. Despite the brief bleak review I have presented, it is nevertheless a phenomenal work: definitely on my multiple-read list.

I thought I would go ahead and share with you a couple quotations from the last page or so:

"Had we returned home in 1916, out of the suffering and the strength of our experience we might have unleashed a storm. Now if we go back we will be weary, broken, burnt out, rootless, and without hope. We will not be able to find our way any more. And men will not understand us--....We will be superfluous even to ourselves, we will grow older, a few will adapt themselves, others will merely submit, and most will be bewildered;--the years will pass by and in the end we shall fall into ruin....Let the months and years come, they can take nothing from me, they can take nothing more. I am so alone, and so without hope that I can confront them without fear."

....I am so alone, and so without hope that I can confront them without fear.

Wow.

Irony

2011-03-28T21:26:00.002-05:00

Striking

2011-03-24T23:21:00.000-05:00

I can't remember why, but we were discussing paintings during my Literature chat tonight. Maybe it had something to do the artistic trends of realism. Honestly, I can't remember the link between Crime and Punishment and painting at all...so just trust me one this one.

Anyway, Gustav Courbet came up and I immediately fell in love with this picture. There's something startling about it, something that draws you into the emotion of the moment. A sense of mystery perhaps? Yes, that and good old fashioned curiosity.

So much hilarity and so much tallent

2011-03-22T19:27:00.000-05:00

I didn't know it was possible to laugh and be so impressed at the same time. Well, there's a first time for everything, isnt there.

Though I must say it is hard to study Descartes when this is playing in the background.

No, this does not mean I am an opera girl. It just means I've been poking around on youtube.
Have a nice day :)

This week

2011-03-01T21:09:00.000-06:00

So this is the insane week of the semester. At least, I'm hoping it is...because any more stress might be too much. Anyway, if you think of me, say a prayer :)

Also, for the person who keeps showing up from Mexico: You are awesome, and I'm glad you're my friend :)

For the Justin, Texas person: Yeah, you are a fabulous study buddy.

Restless

2011-02-26T14:46:00.000-06:00

Snow in the winter is nice. In October it is a welcome sight. November, it makes people excited for Christmas. Snow in December is absolutely glorious, with the lights and snowmen and general cheer. Roaring fires and a new semester in January make the white outdoors a beautiful excuse to curl up with hot tea and textbooks. And then comes February....a month of defrauding thaws and short expanses of glorious spring weather. The snow leaves, and sandals come out, and coats are hung up in the closet. Just when it seems like all the world can throw open its doors and invite the outside to come and cheer the inside, frost once again descends. The sky laughs through its steal grey face as it spits tiny daggers of cold upon the unsuspecting world below. And instead of bringing cheer and joy, the ice cold whiteness descends like a damper on the spirits, attempting to crush joy and smother smiles.

Yeah, it's just another one of those days....

Sitting here waiting for my lit chat to start

2011-02-11T09:36:00.001-06:00

and musing on a lot of nothings.

Up for discussion tonight is Voltaire's Candide. I have a feeling that work ethic and the simple--almost pastoral--life is going to be the focus of tonight's chat. Why? Because Voltaire incorporates that into the final chapter of his work, almost as a way of establishing the moral. As Pangloss the incurably optimistic philosopher states, "..when man was first placed in the Garden of Eden, he was put there ut operaretur eum, that he might cultivate it; which shows that man was not born to be idle."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I wrote that last night but didn't get to finish it before my chat started. Obviously.

Right now there's a Western Civ lecture playing in the background. The Metric System? I finally figured out a good reason not to like it. It came out of the French Revolution.

Also, there is no right to life in the Declaration of the Rights of Man. Oops. Well, I guess that accounts for the guillotine.

"What is the source of law?"

Terrorism is a form of extreme self-righteousness where the terrorist assumes that his actions will drive another to conform to his conception of virtue.

Sometimes there are moments where I just get overwhelmed by the fact that God has worked it out for me to not only go to college, but to go to PHC. Right now is one of those moments.

2011-01-20T18:22:00.000-06:00

"If you really saw things as God created them, nothing would ever be boring." -Western Civilizations II

Contemplations

2011-01-13T12:12:00.000-06:00

Let us take a brief moment out of out busy schedules and consider the harms inherent in hanging laundry in the dead of winter. First there is that deathly battle against the elements which threaten to freeze the wet items to the laundry basket. Second are the wondering and pitying glances so liberally offered by passers by who pray anxiously for your sanity. There is also the physical struggle against hypothermia as your boots slowly fill with snow and your fingers slowly fuse to the clothesline. Time grinds to a halt as you lose all feeling in your extremities. You mind becomes foggy; suddenly you cannot remember how to hang clothes. And then, it happens. Though your efforts are indeed valiant, your waning strength finally surrenders to the powerful draw of gravity and the sock slips from between your numbed fingers and falls helter skelter to the ground. Overwhelmed, you sink to your knees in despair. Once again, nature has won.

And So Christmas Break Ends

2011-01-10T17:52:00.000-06:00

and spring semester begins.

As I sit surrounded by crisp white syllabi and mounds of textbooks-last semesters' scattered on the floor, and this semesters' making themselves at home in my shelf-I can't help but muse on the last five months of my life and marvel..

Whether it was the initial shock of being bombarded with more studying than I had ever done in my life, feeling like I failed my entire Western Civ class (which didn't happen, by the way), or crying tears of joy over my final grades, I have been more conscious of the presence and sustenance of God than ever before. It is often (truthfully) said that God provides for us and gives us what we need for life. In the past few months though, and specifically last month, I learned that He goes so absolutely far beyond that and blesses us with things we do not deserve nor expect, simply because He loves us. Truth be told, I was entirely shocked a couple of weeks ago (after finding out that I received a 95 on an exam that I could have sworn was going to be in the 70s) by God's involvement in my life. Sure, I've always had head knowledge of the fact that He plans things for my good and hears me when I pray, but I was stopped dead in my tracks by the fact that God-Omniscient, Omnipresent, Good, Just Perfect, Righteous, Merciful, Savior, Creator-turned his face on me-just one person, a grain of sand on a beach, a drop of water in the ocean, a speck of dust in the universe, a mere breath in eternity-and saw fit to take note not of something vital for life like food or shelter, but something entirely secondary-my academic pursuits-and chose to bless me in a way entirely above and beyond anything I could have ever comprehended or dared ask for. Words have become meaningless, really. There is no possible way to express how entirely and completely fantastic God is, or how excited I am to see Him work in my life.

I have repeatedly come back to the lyrics of a certain song which seems to be the only way to really express how absolutely amazed and stunned I have been by the goodness and greatness of God this last semester.

"My Tribute"

How can I say thanks
for the things You have done for me?
Things so undeserved,
yet You gave to prove Your love for me;
the voices of a million angels
could not express my gratitude.
All that I am and ever hope to be,
I owe it all to Thee.

To God be the glory,
to God be the glory,
to God be the glory
for the things He has done.

With His blood He has saved me,
with His power He has raised me;
to God be the glory
for the things He has done.

Just let me live my life,
let it pleasing, Lord to Thee,
and if I gain any praise,
let it go to Calvary.

With His blood He has saved me,
with His power He has raised me;
to God be the glory
for the things He has done.

So here's to next semester :)

2011

2011-01-01T00:18:00.000-06:00

It's here, folks. I believe it has come decidedly too soon, but I suppose that is just a matter of personal opinion.

I shall spare you my musings on 2010 right now because it is late and I don't feel like staying up much longer. All in all, however, 2010 was my best year yet. Alright, I suppose I say that about every year, but it is more true this year than ever before. There were lots of struggles, to be sure, but it was a very happy year, my happiest one yet, and that's saying quite a lot.

With that, I wish you all a very happy, smashing (unless it is your car in question), brilliant, amazing new year.

I suppose I will leave you with the disconcerting news my mother bestowed on me right after I screamed happy new year: "This is the year Ladygreen turns 20."

Yup. I've got mixed emotions on that one as well.

For my Logic buddies

2010-12-29T09:31:00.000-06:00

Because.....well....I love you.

So this is college.

2010-12-15T23:18:00.000-06:00

As of 9 pm today I have completed my first semester of college.

It was beautiful feeling submitting that last final and checking off the very last day of the 2010 school year on my custom-made color-coded semester-long calender (anyone say nerd?).

As I sit here munching on celebratory chips and type away on the keyboard that my fingers seem to have been fused to for the last four months of my life, there are a lot of thoughts running through my head, many of which I will not tell you. However, there is one whose voice is consistently more lusty than all the rest, and he keeps saying "Praise God from whom all blessings flow."

I will reluctantly admit that this semester has been good for my ego. Good in a painful way, that is. Of course, it is always going to be a shock to go from the absolute extremity of highschool senior intelligence to the highly revered position is freshman-in-college. But that was not the main factor that served as the ego smashing hammer of death--though it is very intimidating being surrounded by intellectual superiors whose everyday conversation require me to access Dictionary.com on a regular basis. No, the epitome of of ego smashedness came from papers. Yes, papers.

You see, God has this funny way of bringing me to the end of myself just to prove to me that I am really not as capable as I think I am. I would stress and stress and stress (and sadly cry even...as if a paper is worth tears), and then finally--the day before the paper was due--beg God to come in and help me. Not that I hadn't been doing that before, but those prayers were always more along the lines of, "Hey God, when you've got a chance, drop me the right synonym, k? I've got the rest." Alright, I admit to slight hyperbole there. But you get the idea: they were not exactly prayers of total surrender, acknowledging my complete dependence and inability. Not until the day before the exam, anyway. So there I would sit, usually at 1 am on the day the paper was due, staring blankly at a screen, wondering why on earth the same thing kept happening to me.

The result however, was that the paper always got in on time, and without any thanks to my grand intellect or capability. When my professor thinks he is grading my paper, he is really just grading God's paper that I just happened to type. Not that my essays are the inspired word of God of course, but His direction and aid are woven throughout them more than my ideas and grand schemes are. So yes, I hope I learned my lesson. No matter how long I have to complete an assignment, I am incapable of all things unless God's hand is on it. And everything I attempt without him will eventually get thrown out (literally!).

I learned something else this week, but I am not going to share it now. I much prefer to go find out what it is like to sleep without mulling over some historical fact or poetic form. Random fact of the day though, iambic pentameter is a type of metric foot. An iamb is one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable and pentameter tells us that there are five iambs in a line. Therefore it goes something like this:

It's off to bed and blankets now for me.

At least, I think that's right. Now I'm second guessing myself.

Must. Have. Break.

2010-12-11T12:54:00.000-06:00

School is harder when Christmas break is only five days away. Of course that's probably due partially to the fact that finals are in full swing and stress levels are going through the roof. But still.

Today I'm buried in twenty pages of US History notes, but sadly I am not focusing on them. The snow falling outside, swirling through the dark pine branches, is more than my poor mind can resist. When I should be reading about the Civil War I instead find my eyes tracing snowflakes from the sky. Then of course there is that luscious smell coming from the coffee pot that entices me to run to the kitchen and fill my cup with gusto.

Oo! I got a text. Someone must love me.

But now I'll finish typing, listen to my finals theme song one last time, fill my coffee mug, and return to academia with renewed vigor.

Yes, today is an unconventional words day.

FINALS WEEK!!!!

2010-12-06T21:46:00.000-06:00

Here's a shout-out to all my great friends who are either taking finals or gearing up for them pretty quick here. This is the craziest part of the semester, but I'd challenge you to see it as the best part too because it's were God (if you let Him) gets to show himself biggest in your life!

To pass on a little advice a friend gave me, seek to glorify God in everything you do. He will grant you perspective and you will remember why you're doing all of this in the first place.

So to everyone who is stressed this week, remember to run with endurance the race that is set before you and...

"Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established." Proverbs 16:3

To my friend...

2010-11-30T15:10:00.001-06:00

...I'm so grateful to be able to call you that!

And I know those of you who are reading this are grateful for you too! So even if you don't know Ladygreen personally or you've never met her in real life drop her a comment. Maybe she's encouraged you, made you laugh, challenged you, egged you on, made you scream, made you smile...you get the picture--I know that for me she has done all of the above and countless more! *smile*

And just for the record...she didn't tell me to do this...it's just what happens when you leave yourself logged in on someone else's computer:)

Love ya, girl!

"How great is Your goodness,

which You have stored up for those who fear you,

which You bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in You."

Psalm 31:19

It's that time of year again

2010-11-30T13:35:00.002-06:00

Guys, take notes

2010-11-27T10:48:00.000-06:00

Your girlfriends will be eternally grateful.

This is a real love song.

A day late

2010-11-26T01:00:00.000-06:00

This is, of course, entirely random. And entirely a day late. Buuut since I'm still awake from Thanksgiving day, I count it as Thursday.

T - Truth
H - Handshakes
A - Apple Pie
N - Noses
K - Kleenex
S - Savior
G - God
I - Ink
V - Violins
I - Insight
N - Nighttime
G - Gloves

Happy Black Friday-ing to all those who are going!!

Contentment

2010-11-25T00:02:00.000-06:00

It's never good that the muse strikes at late hours. All throughout the day I am capable of coherent reasoning (at least, I like to think I am), yet I never feel like saying anything. Come post-bedtime though, when the pen methodically travels across the page independent of my own instruction, systematically condensing lectures into bite size one-liners, suddenly my mind begins to whirl. Not the logical portion, but the fanciful one. Thousands of ideas bumble around, knocking at the walls of my brain begging for parole and the chance to see real pure daylight. I consent--sometimes--yet more often than not my fingers or my consciousness gives out before one of those thoughts is entirely expressed. Hence the vast number of drafts that get discarded at approximately 12:13 am.

But I'll struggle through this mental shut-down, if for no other reason than to quell the chiding thoughts. Bear with me as I sputter and my fingers vainly attempt to string together elusive words.

Yes. Contentment. That is what I came here to talk about isn't it? Contentment. Oh how do I even begin, how do I even begin to express what is rumbling around in my head?

*Big breath*

Contentment ought to be abandoned. There. I said it. No, I'm not a heretic. Let me provide you with some synonyms to calm the thoughts welling up inside which urge you to worry about my soul. Complacency. Apathy. "stuck-in-a-rut-ness." Ok, I admit I just made up that last one. But you get the picture, don't you?

That feeling that urges us to be happy and content right where we are, just how we are. No, no no!!! Never ever ever be happy and content with who you are and what you are. Ever. You raise and eyebrow and ask, "Did she just tell me to be dis-content?!" The answer, dear friend, is yes. I am asking you, imploring you, begging you, commanding you: be discontent.

I sense the shovel in my hand has dug a deep enough hole already, I will now commence climbing out of it.

God isn't done with you yet. He's not done with me either (thank goodness!). He will never be done with us simply because we will never, in this life, attain perfection. So who are we to be happy with who we are? Don't be content. You can be a better friend; you can have a better relationship with God; you can think better, study better, work better, love better, live better. You have not arrived.

And neither have I.

[Addendum: this is not to say that it is never right to live pleased with what you have and not desire more. But there is a difference between your stuff and you. Most people are discontent about the former, and pleased with the latter. I urge you to reverse that. If you are content, consider what you would look like if you were suddenly infused with a great deal of discontent in that area. What would it spur you on to do? Who would you become? What would you change? And of course, the reverse is intriguing as well. Are you discontent? Consider what you would look like content. Just try it.]

Evolution isn't working

2010-11-23T19:19:00.000-06:00

How do I know this is true? Because if it were, my once brand new Bible wouldn't look like this right now.

Yes, that's right: I'm holding the latter half of Psalms and nearly all of Proverbs in my hand (and there is also a half eaten cheese stick in my lap, but that's unrelated). My Bible is going on strike :(

Buuuut.....this does mean kinda good news because I get a new Bible. A bigger, better, more "note friendly" Bible (see how tiny my margins are right now?).

Enter the wide-margined, Cambridge NKJV Bible.

I can't wait.

[Addendum: If you walk into a Christian bookstore and ask for a wide margin, black leather, NKJV Bible with study notes, the assistant will look at your strangely and tell you that such a thing does not exist. I thought you would like to know that.]

While history lectures go unread

2010-11-08T23:28:00.000-06:00

Owl City.

I don't really even know what to write here. Seriously, I'm at a loss for words. Something about perhaps an overexposure to sheer amazingness or something.

As I was saying, however; Owl City. Or rather, Adam Young, as the case may be...I got stuck on his blog tonight (that's where the title fits in, if you were wondering). There are times when I am incapable of wrenching myself away from reading something, especially when it is so beautiful and real. Honesty: theres a lot of it over there. Check it out.

Allow me to introduce to you.....

2010-11-03T10:37:00.000-05:00

Sherlock.

I've always been a dreadful Sherlock Holmes fan. Always. So now I am deathly excited every Sunday night to watch my favorite character......all over again! Now in the 21st century.

They have the shows archived.

Watch them.

And get hooked with me.

The story of my life

2010-10-24T23:57:00.000-05:00

Yup, this is it. Only I don't actually get the luxury of falling asleep...I just think about it...

The Bells

2010-10-21T11:09:00.000-05:00

I never liked poetry. I still usually don't like poetry. Sometimes however something will strike me as amazing. Of course, it also helps that I really enjoy Edgar Allan Poe.

I

Hear the sledges with the bells -
Silver bells!
What a world of merriment their melody foretells!
How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,
In the icy air of night!
While the stars that oversprinkle
All the heavens seem to twinkle
With a crystalline delight;
Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells
From the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells -
From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.

II

Hear the mellow wedding bells -
Golden bells!
What a world of happiness their harmony foretells!
Through the balmy air of night
How they ring out their delight!
From the molten-golden notes,
And all in tune,
What a liquid ditty floats
To the turtle-dove that listens, while she gloats
On the moon!
Oh, from out the sounding cells
What a gush of euphony voluminously wells!
How it swells!
How it dwells
On the Future! -how it tells
Of the rapture that impels
To the swinging and the ringing
Of the bells, bells, bells,
Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells -
To the rhyming and the chiming of the bells!

III

Hear the loud alarum bells -
Brazen bells!
What a tale of terror, now, their turbulency tells!
In the startled ear of night
How they scream out their affright!
Too much horrified to speak,
They can only shriek, shriek,
Out of tune,
In a clamorous appealing to the mercy of the fire,
In a mad expostulation with the deaf and frantic fire,
Leaping higher, higher, higher,
With a desperate desire,
And a resolute endeavor
Now -now to sit or never,
By the side of the pale-faced moon.
Oh, the bells, bells, bells!
What a tale their terror tells
Of despair!
How they clang, and clash, and roar!
What a horror they outpour
On the bosom of the palpitating air!
Yet the ear it fully knows,
By the twanging
And the clanging,
How the danger ebbs and flows;
Yet the ear distinctly tells,
In the jangling
And the wrangling,
How the danger sinks and swells,
By the sinking or the swelling in the anger of the bells -
Of the bells,
Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells -
In the clamor and the clangor of the bells!

IV

Hear the tolling of the bells -
Iron bells!
What a world of solemn thought their monody compels!
In the silence of the night,
How we shiver with affright
At the melancholy menace of their tone!
For every sound that floats
From the rust within their throats
Is a groan.
And the people -ah, the people -
They that dwell up in the steeple,
All alone,
And who tolling, tolling, tolling,
In that muffled monotone,
Feel a glory in so rolling
On the human heart a stone -
They are neither man nor woman -
They are neither brute nor human -
They are Ghouls:
And their king it is who tolls;
And he rolls, rolls, rolls,
Rolls
A paean from the bells!
And his merry bosom swells
With the paean of the bells!
And he dances, and he yells;
Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the paean of the bells,
Of the bells -
Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the throbbing of the bells,
Of the bells, bells, bells -
To the sobbing of the bells;
Keeping time, time, time,
As he knells, knells, knells,
In a happy Runic rhyme,
To the rolling of the bells,
Of the bells, bells, bells -
To the tolling of the bells,
Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells -
To the moaning and the groaning of the bells.

Wishing to pause

2010-10-15T17:06:00.000-05:00

I finished Beowulf today. Sadly, I do not want to go on. Don't get me wrong, I'm not despairing of life! I simply want time to sit and rest and think on the beauty and heroism of the work. Alas, studying must go on.

This is my "school shelf." It has about two-thirds of my books on it: the rest are piled up in various places around the house.

Note the prominently placed Turabian, Latin and Coloring Book? I refer to them often.

A chiding and a command.

2010-10-13T23:29:00.000-05:00

Apparently you all didn't find that last post as humorous as you should have. That, or you've forgotten how to type. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say it was the latter.

Anyway, shall forgive you all if you take my grand advice and read this:

'Tis assigned to me for this week in Western Civ. Would it be hyperbole to say that this is the most beautiful thing I have ever read? I think not.

There are so many moments where I simply have to stop and re-read a passage because it is so moving. Perhaps I shall share some of them with you. Over Christmas break. Which is when I am doing everything else as well.

Yes, I am aware of the fact that the last portion of that paragraph did not belong. Treat it like The Horse and His Boy. Oh I'll bet you totally missed that reference.

For your deep edification

2010-10-11T22:11:00.000-05:00

I can't seem to make it any smaller....but that's ok. It's still funny.

Done. Hopefully.

2010-10-08T21:27:00.000-05:00

Friday, September 24: Thesis statement one. Tabs placed in The Trial (that book is aptly named, btw). Outline one begun.

~intervening week~ Thesis one trashed. Thesis two begun.

Monday, October 4,
11 pm-1 am: Thesis two trashed. Thesis three written. Outline one trashed, and outline two begun.

Wednesday, October 6,
10 pm-2 am: Outline two overhauled. Typed up in word. Thesis three trashed. Thesis four typed into word. 500 words written.

Thursday, October 7,
3-9 pm: thesis four expounded upon. Paper completed. 53 words over the 1,700 word count limit. Thesis five contemplated.

Friday, October 8,
10 am: Paper one trashed. Thesis five written.
1:50-8:50 pm: Internet disconnected, entire paper rewritten.
9 pm: victory dance.

Saturday, October 9, all day: Mad revision process. Title one trashed.
Midnight: Paper due.

The Muse has struck

2010-10-06T01:00:00.000-05:00

(I finally figured out what that statement meant, thanks to Homer).

So the other day we talked about my Socrates crisis: three thesis statements and enough tabs for every page of the book. Well today the saga continues: I now suffer from the opposite problem. Instead of being entirely uninspired, my paper is now waxing dreadfully long and eloquent (thanks to a fourth thesis statement). I am barely half way through my first point (the first of three, I might add), and already I have exhausted nearly a third of my word count. I suppose this is a better problem to have, even though the backspace button and I are not intimate friends. I feel this paper will offer some quality bonding time.

In other news, Raspberry lemonade mix stirred in vanilla ice cream makes for an interesting flavor and texture. I like to think of it as poor man's sherbet.

Also: Note the baby spoon. All true ice cream enjoyers eat their ice cream with baby spoons. It makes it last longer.

I love sticky paper tabs

2010-10-02T23:44:00.000-05:00

...though I think I may be taking this Western Civ essay too seriously.

There seem to be as many tabs as pages in the book. That's kinda defeating the purpose isn't it? Of course, it doesn't help that I'm on my third thesis statement (and the paper is due in a week). They do say "third time's the charm" though, so hopefully that will ring true in this case.

How does one reconcile the following excerpts?!

"The truth is, O men of Athens, that God only is wise..."
"...there is no release or salvation from evil except the attainment of the highest virtue and wisdom."
"...no evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death."

Totally random

2010-09-29T09:09:00.000-05:00

Suddenly over the past few months I have had this really really strange urge to buy myself a miniature greyhound (the smallest one pictured below...isn't he just adorable!?).

I even have names picked out for the poor fellow! Octavian, Augustus, Telemachus or Aristophanes. Yes, I'm studying the Greeks and the Romans.

So far I've been able to deny my urge, telling myself I couldn't take him to VA with me anyway. But still =(

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In other news, there still aren't enough comments on my shoe post!!! And I see all you silent stalkers out there, bopping by and not commenting. I am not happy with you.

To buy or not to buy

2010-09-26T17:07:00.000-05:00

I've been in the market for a pair of white shoes to go with my white suit, and I met these today.

Opinion time: Please comment (leave your name or a nickname I'll know you by), and tell me whether, yes, I take them fondly under my care, or no, I suppress my attraction to them.

Totally Spoiled

2010-09-24T16:45:00.000-05:00

Here's my little study den. Note the cool food...

Do you have friends that stop in and give you Lays sour cream and onion Stax and icees just because they love you and are thinking about you? Well I do.

And to my wonderful, fabulous, totally encouraging, lovable, sweet, fantastic, superb friends who just stopped in (you know who you are): I love you soooooooo much!

Now, back to Western Lit homework.

For those who feel like laughing

2010-09-17T00:33:00.000-05:00

A war and a book

2010-09-14T12:33:00.000-05:00

Reading my history lecture today I realized I know precious little about the British Civil War of the 1600s. How disconcerting.

In other news, I've started a new book; God at Work: You Christian Vocation in All of Life. Before you think I'm actually taking initiative to read books, it is assigned as part of my freshman experience. Or something like that.

Gene Veith, Jr. (the author) explores the way our Christianity plays into our vocations. I'm just starting it, so I don't know much else yet. But I can't wait to be coerced into reading more of it. =)

A clean slate

2010-09-12T15:46:00.000-05:00

No your computer isn't being strange. I really did wipe my entire blog.

Sometimes, we just need to have a fresh start. I'm sure you know what I mean.