Unfortunately, the internship with ECHO did not work out. That's ok. I must admit, I'm a little disappointed, but I made a really important decision about 3 years ago to pry my death-gripping hands off of my plans and place said plans in the hands of God... and so he continues to teach me how to do this. One of those life lessons that happens to take your whole life to learn. :P grins
So, a confession of sorts. Graduate school is really intimidating for me. I think for the most part I'm a pretty confident person, with definite exceptions. I think the biggest reason applying to a graduate program is so intimidating is because I hate competition and I hate being compared with other people. I really do. Because of the way each one of our minds work, we're wired to compare one one another and find worth and value in some things and not in others. And graduate program applications are a combination of competition and comparison... and I'm afraid of falling short, not being enough, not having the value or worth that they are looking for. And that drives me nuts. It bothers me that I'm forced into being a part of 2 things I hate, and it drives me nuts that I care so much what others think of me - applicant reviewers or otherwise, that I hang so much of my identity and confidence on "you are accepted".
But even though the thought of graduate school is truly intimidating for me, this got me excited: UC Davis International Agricultural Development Graduate Program. And the fact that they have a ton of internship opportunities in Latin America... well, that just puts them on all kinds of the good sides of me. grins
So, here's another beginning. The search is indeed on .
3.31.2006
3.30.2006
March... a month of hellos and goodbyes
So, March has undoubtedly been a very crazy month, characterized in most part by all the people I've met and begun friendships with (not to mention those friendships that have continued to develop) and those I've said goodbye to as they move on from Akita.
You've already been introduced to Hisa. grins Here is a pic of one of his last nights in Akita (my last night seeing him before I headed up to Takanosu to spend some time with Amy's parents). Behind him is his friend, Yasu. Great fun. We're at an Irish St. Patrick's Day Dance - a fundraiser organizer by an Irish English teacher, all the funds from which were donated to building a school in Nepal. (yay!!)
Next are Neil (the spiky-hair one) and Jeff (the shaved-head one). Neil is an English teacher who just moved to Tokyo to teacher somewhere there. We got into some pretty serious and interesting "spiritual" conversations. He plays a pretty "mean guitar." grins And Jeff is a cool Australian who has been doing research for MRIs (on rats) at a hospital in Akita. His boss got offered a job in Chiba, near Tokyo, and his boss asked him to come with, so he's off. I'm sorry to see him go. He seems like one of those cool/collected/I-have-it-altogether-and-don't-need-anyone types on the surface... but after getting to know him a little, there seemed to be a need in him going down a whole lot deeper. I wonder what will come of him. And I really like his wit.
So. Those are the goodbyes. Here is a hello/not-goodbye one. Meet my friend Juri. He's my Starbucks-talk over coffee or chai or matcha (green tea) latte-friend. We compare languages and talk about the Bible and about life in general.
I also met a couple (the husband teaches English here) who are super nice. Jesse, the husband, helped me rescue some of the important files off of my defeated computer, and Dina is going to start coming with me to my pottery class. She's a sweetheart. I'm really looking forward to getting to know her. And this is not a very good picture of them, but it's the only one I have right now.
So, that's a lot about people that most of you who are reading this will most likely never meet (unless God orchestrates it). But these are a few of the people in my life... or some of those who have come in and gone out... or come in and gone out, but with whom I'm still keeping in touch. With all that said though, and all those introductions, it amazes me how lonely I can still feel.
In other news, tomorrow I might find out about the ECHO internship. And if not tomorrow, then April 11. (yay!) We'll see what happens.
You've already been introduced to Hisa. grins Here is a pic of one of his last nights in Akita (my last night seeing him before I headed up to Takanosu to spend some time with Amy's parents). Behind him is his friend, Yasu. Great fun. We're at an Irish St. Patrick's Day Dance - a fundraiser organizer by an Irish English teacher, all the funds from which were donated to building a school in Nepal. (yay!!)
Next are Neil (the spiky-hair one) and Jeff (the shaved-head one). Neil is an English teacher who just moved to Tokyo to teacher somewhere there. We got into some pretty serious and interesting "spiritual" conversations. He plays a pretty "mean guitar." grins And Jeff is a cool Australian who has been doing research for MRIs (on rats) at a hospital in Akita. His boss got offered a job in Chiba, near Tokyo, and his boss asked him to come with, so he's off. I'm sorry to see him go. He seems like one of those cool/collected/I-have-it-altogether-and-don't-need-anyone types on the surface... but after getting to know him a little, there seemed to be a need in him going down a whole lot deeper. I wonder what will come of him. And I really like his wit.
So. Those are the goodbyes. Here is a hello/not-goodbye one. Meet my friend Juri. He's my Starbucks-talk over coffee or chai or matcha (green tea) latte-friend. We compare languages and talk about the Bible and about life in general.
I also met a couple (the husband teaches English here) who are super nice. Jesse, the husband, helped me rescue some of the important files off of my defeated computer, and Dina is going to start coming with me to my pottery class. She's a sweetheart. I'm really looking forward to getting to know her. And this is not a very good picture of them, but it's the only one I have right now.
So, that's a lot about people that most of you who are reading this will most likely never meet (unless God orchestrates it). But these are a few of the people in my life... or some of those who have come in and gone out... or come in and gone out, but with whom I'm still keeping in touch. With all that said though, and all those introductions, it amazes me how lonely I can still feel.
In other news, tomorrow I might find out about the ECHO internship. And if not tomorrow, then April 11. (yay!) We'll see what happens.
computer update
So, I just found this so incredibly hilarious that I had to share it with y'all. I ran "ErrorSafe" on my laptop (because a screen popped up recommending I do this) and here's what it came up with:
Warning! ErrorSafe has detected 2489 SEVERE SYSTEM THREATS on your computer. The errors on your computer are very likely to create further problems if not fixed immediately, such as:
** lost documents and profile settings
** physical data loss
** system not starting up
** system slowdowns, crashes and freezes
You need to register ErrorSafe to fix these errors.
Click "Repair" to register the application and fix all the errors found....
Needless to say, I clicked "Repair". And then it went ahead and told me that I would have to pay about $40 for this software... And that's when I clicked the "X" box. My laptop is doomed anyway. I certainly got a good laugh out of it though. I didn't know it was possible to have that many "severe system threats."
Warning! ErrorSafe has detected 2489 SEVERE SYSTEM THREATS on your computer. The errors on your computer are very likely to create further problems if not fixed immediately, such as:
** lost documents and profile settings
** physical data loss
** system not starting up
** system slowdowns, crashes and freezes
You need to register ErrorSafe to fix these errors.
Click "Repair" to register the application and fix all the errors found....
Needless to say, I clicked "Repair". And then it went ahead and told me that I would have to pay about $40 for this software... And that's when I clicked the "X" box. My laptop is doomed anyway. I certainly got a good laugh out of it though. I didn't know it was possible to have that many "severe system threats."
3.29.2006
my laptop's days are numbered
So... I've seen better days... and so has my ill-fated computer...
and because I need to vent...
I would like to drop my computer into the garbage... or use it for target practice... or leave it in the middle of a very busy road... or do what the the guys in Office Space did with their fax machine and a bat...
I can think of all sorts of creative things to do with my computer right now...
(none of which include using it as it was intended)
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
*sigh
ok. I'm better. But my laptop is not. *sniff *tear
Basically, someone wormed their way into my computer system, stole an important something-or-other "systems file" and I had to re-install windows xp (erasing my entire computer and starting from scratch). Thankfully, I was able to save all of my important files and whatnot. However, I discovered last night as I was trying to "register" my computer with windows xp, that I, in fact, cannot register it because I did not buy it. I guess it's illegal for someone to re-install windows without me buying it again (and I don't feel like selling my soul to windows). So, according to the registration thingy I will be able to use windows "for free" for another 27 days and then it will stop working. ie, my laptop will officially die. Though I must admit... at this point I'm not so sorry to see it go. Thankfully, however, the story does not end here. One of my English teacher friends here, Brooke, offered me her laptop if mine wasn't able to be fixed. She doesn't have internet access where she lives, so it's been sitting in her apt collecting dust. Funny enough, it's a good ole Compaq Armada, and happens to be slightly older than mine. But hey, at least it's functioning well.
So... anyone interested in Compaq Armada E500 parts?
Anyone know of someone who has a well-functioning laptop they're looking to get rid of for cheap? Or any good deals? Because I'll probably be in the market for one around October/November (sooner, if Brooke's laptop doesn't work for whatever reason).
oi. Technology. A love/hate relationship.
wow. Almost a month since I last updated... I'll make a real update soon. Complete with pictures if my computer is compliant.
and because I need to vent...
I would like to drop my computer into the garbage... or use it for target practice... or leave it in the middle of a very busy road... or do what the the guys in Office Space did with their fax machine and a bat...
I can think of all sorts of creative things to do with my computer right now...
(none of which include using it as it was intended)
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
*sigh
ok. I'm better. But my laptop is not. *sniff *tear
Basically, someone wormed their way into my computer system, stole an important something-or-other "systems file" and I had to re-install windows xp (erasing my entire computer and starting from scratch). Thankfully, I was able to save all of my important files and whatnot. However, I discovered last night as I was trying to "register" my computer with windows xp, that I, in fact, cannot register it because I did not buy it. I guess it's illegal for someone to re-install windows without me buying it again (and I don't feel like selling my soul to windows). So, according to the registration thingy I will be able to use windows "for free" for another 27 days and then it will stop working. ie, my laptop will officially die. Though I must admit... at this point I'm not so sorry to see it go. Thankfully, however, the story does not end here. One of my English teacher friends here, Brooke, offered me her laptop if mine wasn't able to be fixed. She doesn't have internet access where she lives, so it's been sitting in her apt collecting dust. Funny enough, it's a good ole Compaq Armada, and happens to be slightly older than mine. But hey, at least it's functioning well.
So... anyone interested in Compaq Armada E500 parts?
Anyone know of someone who has a well-functioning laptop they're looking to get rid of for cheap? Or any good deals? Because I'll probably be in the market for one around October/November (sooner, if Brooke's laptop doesn't work for whatever reason).
oi. Technology. A love/hate relationship.
wow. Almost a month since I last updated... I'll make a real update soon. Complete with pictures if my computer is compliant.
3.16.2006
This is my kind-of-new-friend, Hisa.
He and Brooke and I went ice skating on Sunday.
Hisa is awesome. And I kind of have a crush on him... grins :)
He's kind of a hippie.
I always get crushes on kind-of-hippies. I can't help it - even if it's just a teeny tiny little crush.
He has a very gentle personality and a good heart. He likes to talk about things besides the weather... like important things... like world things... like things that I'm passionate about. It's hard to come by people like that here. Not very many people are interested or care.
He taught himself English... and is phenominal at it. Those smart language-type people... ;)
He's moving to Australia on Tuesday, this coming Tuesday, for 2 years. I'm sad to see him leave, but excited for what these next 2 years could bring him.
One night he asked me about God and said he wished he could know God so he could have someone to guide him. I was surprised. Very surprised. I made him a "going away card"... and I copied Jeremiah 29:11-13 in Japanese and English on it. It took me an hour to copy 3 verses in kanji and hiragana (the hiragana is no problem. the kanji gave me a headache.). But it was well worth it. He seemed very moved by it when I gave it to him and he read it.
Part of me wants him to stay because I want the chance to be better friends. Part of me wants him to stay because I have a crush on him. *sheepish grin
And part of me wants him to stay because there's so much I'd like to share with him about God... But perhaps God has something in mind for him in Australia, and I'm praying it's so.
And I think if you met Hisa, you'd like him too.
It's hard saying goodbye to friends... even to new ones.
3.14.2006
GUESS WHAT!!!
I just bought a ticket to fly home May 10 and return to Japan May 22!!!
edit::
Arrive Date
2006/05/10 16:20 2006/05/10 16:05
NARITA, TOKYO NEWARK APT-NEW
2006/05/10 17:05 2006/05/10 18:30
NEWARK APT-NEW BUFFALO,NY USA
Departure Date
2006/05/22 06:30 2006/05/22 07:42
ROCHESTER NEWARK APT-NEW
2006/05/22 11:10 2006/05/23 13:50
NEWARK APT-NEW NARITA, TOKYO
woohoo!!
If my apt weren't such a mess I'd dance a jig! ;) (just kidding. it's not THAT messy.) grins
edit::
Arrive Date
2006/05/10 16:20 2006/05/10 16:05
NARITA, TOKYO NEWARK APT-NEW
2006/05/10 17:05 2006/05/10 18:30
NEWARK APT-NEW BUFFALO,NY USA
Departure Date
2006/05/22 06:30 2006/05/22 07:42
ROCHESTER NEWARK APT-NEW
2006/05/22 11:10 2006/05/23 13:50
NEWARK APT-NEW NARITA, TOKYO
woohoo!!
If my apt weren't such a mess I'd dance a jig! ;) (just kidding. it's not THAT messy.) grins
3.08.2006
International Women's Day
Japanese Geisha
Hawaiian woman (wahini... for Deanna. grins)
Beautiful Indian Women...
big sister, Nepal
Hawaiian woman (wahini... for Deanna. grins)
Beautiful Indian Women...
big sister, Nepal
Masaii women, Tanzania
Guatemalan women, Antigua
How did you celebrate? :)
3.02.2006
How do you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...?
When you are furious with them and all you really want to do is rant and rave and pound them into itty bitty little ... *sigh*
Not the source, but a definite and frightening and angering symptom...
It's been a long time since I've been so angry... a long time since I felt like someone was attacking the very core of me. It doesn't have to be someone I know. But this goes way beyond me... 'Me' is too small. 'Me' is too petty. This is much much bigger than me. He, and sadly many others, is not attacking me. He's attacking a representation of real people with real problems... people who really are starving because we, in our wealth, are unwilling to pay a few more cents to a dirt-poor farmer - literally, because the land he is farming is wasting away due to ignorant farming practices or being stolen from him by multi-national free trade cooperations. People who really are oppressed by our government... be it militarily... Colombia (present), the whole of Latin America (past)... economically... an influence that expands beyond just Latin America, but whose brunt is felt there because of it's geographical proximity to the United States... politically... who really is the oppressor and who is really being oppressed?, how can you say democracy is light and purity and socialism is darkness and wickedness or inferiority? Tell me, what has democracy, in it's "pure" form, brought these people? Our "pure democracy" isn't pure at all, but a mask for capitalistic advancement to our glory and to our ends. It does nothing to aid them. Why should they love it? Why wouldn't they rather choose democratic socialism, a democracy that, at least in word, is for people, not for sums of money and economic gain... Sorry. I'll step down off my political soapbox... (I'm a communist at heart... though my love for communism isn't based on a system designed by the Bolsheviks or by the foursome of Fidel Castro, his brother Raul Castro, Che Guevara, and Camilo Cienfuegos - for all of you who were dieing to know that Castro didn't lead the revolution by himself. grins Couldn't help myself. My love of communism is based first and foremost, despite how alluring the ideology of communism as we know it can be, on that found in the Bible - Acts 2:42-47. The intimacy of community, of sharing a common life with one another, of bringing the rich lower and raising the poor out of the dust is too... too beautiful a thing for me to dismiss altogether. I can't through the baby out with the bathwater, if that makes better sense. Acts...
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
This I can't help but love. So you'll have to forgive my communist heart, and love me anyway, and maybe (if you have strong feelings again everything communistic) we can help each other see the world with different eyes...
And that brings me to another point of disgust and anger.
Where, in that whole article is love? All I saw was hatred and bigotry, an ignorant fuming of racial and economic prejudice. This is why the world hates Christ. If this is all the world is seeing?? no wonder! Christ showed the least patience with those who misrepresented him and to the Pharisees, whose love extended no farther than their own greedy hearts. This puts "fearing the Lord" in a new perspective... one which causes me to examine myself and my representation of him. What are people seeing when they see me?
Has the author of this article, and any people who might be following his ill-based lead, forgotten that God, the God of heaven and earth, our Creator, is the God of the POOR and the MARGINALIZED and the OUTCASTS, not a God who caters to the rich and powerful, to those who have their world nicely ordered to their liking and benefit????? Do you believe anything in the Bible??? Are you aware of anything that Jesus Christ taught and did in his 3 years of ministry before he was crucified??? Take for example, these words Jesus spoke to his disciples (Luke 6:20-26):
...Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.
But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.
Wore to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.
And if you happen to have any doubt in Jesus' words and how he walked and how he calls each of us to walk, then take a look at the Old Testament and how God reacted to those who oppressed the weak and stole from the poor to add to their wealth. Did you ever think that maybe you were blessed with your good education and the wealth that you do have (because believe me, the simple fact that you are a citizen of the United States puts you at a much higher advantage than any of those "noble savages" or "peasants" of the Third World) so that you could in turn bless them with the blessings you have received by alleviating some of their sufferings??
and Fair Trade inferior?! The first lesson in writing such things is to do research beforehand to make sure what you're writing is able to be supported. This is NOT. Please demonstrate the inferiority of Fair Trade. And then allow me to give you a tour of coffee plantations and farms that are under this umbrella, and show you the positive environmental affects of good stewardship and farming practices, the increased profits of farmers who are then able to feed their wives and children, the dignity and pride restored in their lives so the men don't spend what little profit they do make elsewhere on liquor to drown their feelings of failure and inadequacy at not being able to meet the needs of their families, the families that are able to remain whole families because they don't have to send a father or older brother to the United States as an immigrant to work to get a higher wage to send back to their families so they can provide food and shelter for their families, the families (because entire families work, not just the father and mother) who are able to keep their good health because chemicals that are illegal in the U.S. but "overlooked" in the Third World which are causing cancer of the skin and stomach and asthma and other respiratory diseases and and skin diseases aren't being used in Fair Trade operations. And here is a very small list. Show me the inferiority of Fair Trade. Because I certainly don't see it.
I am trying hard not to judge you, I really am. I'm trying to look at my own misrepresentations of Jesus, of God. But in saying that, please do not call yourself a follower of Jesus Christ if you are not following him, if you have no idea of the life that he lived and calls us to live.
(p.s. thanks for your blog on this, Dan, I really appreciated it.)
Not the source, but a definite and frightening and angering symptom...
It's been a long time since I've been so angry... a long time since I felt like someone was attacking the very core of me. It doesn't have to be someone I know. But this goes way beyond me... 'Me' is too small. 'Me' is too petty. This is much much bigger than me. He, and sadly many others, is not attacking me. He's attacking a representation of real people with real problems... people who really are starving because we, in our wealth, are unwilling to pay a few more cents to a dirt-poor farmer - literally, because the land he is farming is wasting away due to ignorant farming practices or being stolen from him by multi-national free trade cooperations. People who really are oppressed by our government... be it militarily... Colombia (present), the whole of Latin America (past)... economically... an influence that expands beyond just Latin America, but whose brunt is felt there because of it's geographical proximity to the United States... politically... who really is the oppressor and who is really being oppressed?, how can you say democracy is light and purity and socialism is darkness and wickedness or inferiority? Tell me, what has democracy, in it's "pure" form, brought these people? Our "pure democracy" isn't pure at all, but a mask for capitalistic advancement to our glory and to our ends. It does nothing to aid them. Why should they love it? Why wouldn't they rather choose democratic socialism, a democracy that, at least in word, is for people, not for sums of money and economic gain... Sorry. I'll step down off my political soapbox... (I'm a communist at heart... though my love for communism isn't based on a system designed by the Bolsheviks or by the foursome of Fidel Castro, his brother Raul Castro, Che Guevara, and Camilo Cienfuegos - for all of you who were dieing to know that Castro didn't lead the revolution by himself. grins Couldn't help myself. My love of communism is based first and foremost, despite how alluring the ideology of communism as we know it can be, on that found in the Bible - Acts 2:42-47. The intimacy of community, of sharing a common life with one another, of bringing the rich lower and raising the poor out of the dust is too... too beautiful a thing for me to dismiss altogether. I can't through the baby out with the bathwater, if that makes better sense. Acts...
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
This I can't help but love. So you'll have to forgive my communist heart, and love me anyway, and maybe (if you have strong feelings again everything communistic) we can help each other see the world with different eyes...
And that brings me to another point of disgust and anger.
Where, in that whole article is love? All I saw was hatred and bigotry, an ignorant fuming of racial and economic prejudice. This is why the world hates Christ. If this is all the world is seeing?? no wonder! Christ showed the least patience with those who misrepresented him and to the Pharisees, whose love extended no farther than their own greedy hearts. This puts "fearing the Lord" in a new perspective... one which causes me to examine myself and my representation of him. What are people seeing when they see me?
Has the author of this article, and any people who might be following his ill-based lead, forgotten that God, the God of heaven and earth, our Creator, is the God of the POOR and the MARGINALIZED and the OUTCASTS, not a God who caters to the rich and powerful, to those who have their world nicely ordered to their liking and benefit????? Do you believe anything in the Bible??? Are you aware of anything that Jesus Christ taught and did in his 3 years of ministry before he was crucified??? Take for example, these words Jesus spoke to his disciples (Luke 6:20-26):
...Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.
But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.
Wore to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.
And if you happen to have any doubt in Jesus' words and how he walked and how he calls each of us to walk, then take a look at the Old Testament and how God reacted to those who oppressed the weak and stole from the poor to add to their wealth. Did you ever think that maybe you were blessed with your good education and the wealth that you do have (because believe me, the simple fact that you are a citizen of the United States puts you at a much higher advantage than any of those "noble savages" or "peasants" of the Third World) so that you could in turn bless them with the blessings you have received by alleviating some of their sufferings??
and Fair Trade inferior?! The first lesson in writing such things is to do research beforehand to make sure what you're writing is able to be supported. This is NOT. Please demonstrate the inferiority of Fair Trade. And then allow me to give you a tour of coffee plantations and farms that are under this umbrella, and show you the positive environmental affects of good stewardship and farming practices, the increased profits of farmers who are then able to feed their wives and children, the dignity and pride restored in their lives so the men don't spend what little profit they do make elsewhere on liquor to drown their feelings of failure and inadequacy at not being able to meet the needs of their families, the families that are able to remain whole families because they don't have to send a father or older brother to the United States as an immigrant to work to get a higher wage to send back to their families so they can provide food and shelter for their families, the families (because entire families work, not just the father and mother) who are able to keep their good health because chemicals that are illegal in the U.S. but "overlooked" in the Third World which are causing cancer of the skin and stomach and asthma and other respiratory diseases and and skin diseases aren't being used in Fair Trade operations. And here is a very small list. Show me the inferiority of Fair Trade. Because I certainly don't see it.
I am trying hard not to judge you, I really am. I'm trying to look at my own misrepresentations of Jesus, of God. But in saying that, please do not call yourself a follower of Jesus Christ if you are not following him, if you have no idea of the life that he lived and calls us to live.
(p.s. thanks for your blog on this, Dan, I really appreciated it.)
She walks in Beauty
I just rediscovered one of my favorite poems... I had discovered it in high school, and liked it so much that I memorized it. But time goes by, and you forget a lot... until something draws your memory back to it. I think one of the reasons I liked it so much was because I wanted to be that girl... I wanted to be a girl someone could write poetry about.
SHE walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that 's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
SHE walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that 's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
3.01.2006
procrastination at its finest
Do you ever have those bowls in your fridge, whose contents have been sitting there for far too long to be anything recognizeable... but you just don't want to deal with it... or are perhaps a little afraid to see what sort of furry monsters have the capacity to grow in your fridge...?
Well...
*After I took this picture I left the bowl in the fridge to deal with it later.
:)
And tonight I discovered a previously undiscovered liking for cold cammomile tea. This discovery was made possible by my constant forgetfulness in drinking my hot drinks while they're hot, and getting sick of warming back up in my microwave. And this is not my fault. I was one of those unhappy (not really) people born with what's called "cat tongue" - basically, I burn my tongue or the roof of my mouth on anything really hot. So, I wait for my cup of tea or coffee/hot chocolate to cool down enough for me to drink it... but in so doing, I often forget about it. And so by the time I remember it... well... it's well on it's way to being very very cold.
Oh! And happy first day of March! yaaaayyyy!!
Well...
*After I took this picture I left the bowl in the fridge to deal with it later.
:)
And tonight I discovered a previously undiscovered liking for cold cammomile tea. This discovery was made possible by my constant forgetfulness in drinking my hot drinks while they're hot, and getting sick of warming back up in my microwave. And this is not my fault. I was one of those unhappy (not really) people born with what's called "cat tongue" - basically, I burn my tongue or the roof of my mouth on anything really hot. So, I wait for my cup of tea or coffee/hot chocolate to cool down enough for me to drink it... but in so doing, I often forget about it. And so by the time I remember it... well... it's well on it's way to being very very cold.
Oh! And happy first day of March! yaaaayyyy!!
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