Saturday, June 27, 2009

It Feels Like Summer Now

This week the warm weather and sunshine showed up! I've been sitting out in the sunshine reading and played beach volleyball with some friends yesteryday. Now, today, for the first time of the summer, I'm going out on our boat! I am so excited. Something about sitting in the bow of a boat, sunlight sparkling on the water, wind racing through my hair, and cool mist spraying me is so satisfying you can't help but smile, close your eyes, and try to soak it all in. This is just one example of the little, trivial moments in life that are so wonderful and should never be taken for granted.

Do you ever take time to just sit quietly and really look at everything around you. Our lives have become so instant with everything at the tip of our fingers in our cell phones or laptops. Sure technology is great and makes our lives easier, but...getting away from it all is so refreshing. I took a 4-wheeler ride the other day up in the mountains behind my house. When we reached the top we got off and walked a couple yards to the edge. The view took my breath away. I was looking for miles of tall, magestic, tree-covered mountains. I could see a large pond and a waterfall. Boulders the size of houses, birds soaring through the air, tall pine trees reaching towards the blue sky filled with puffy, white clouds. In that moment all is silent and you feel as though you could sit there forever and never get over how awesome it all is. Then my mind wanders and I think that this snapshot view I have is a teeny, tiny area of the entire world. I am one person among 6+ billion. God created that scenery, God created me, and in this moment all 3 (God, me and creation) were interacting in such a wonderful way. I was in awe of my God's power. I would encourage you to take time and regluarly find a place where you can sit in silence admiring God's creation. The beach, a mountain, a river, even your backyard! From biology classes we learn about the complex designs of weather, soil, plants, animals, and humans. Everything has a purpose and the means necessary to survive and function for that purpose. God designed and created it all...and now...He holds it all in the palm of his hand. Our God is Great! Amen.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Does the weatherman know it's summer?

52 degrees, cloudy, and raining. :( Not very good weather for the 2nd day of summer. I wore pants and a sweater to my first day of work! Which by the way went pretty good. I now have a part time job at Hycomb Marketing (they do newsletters etc for dentists all across the country). Lots of little details, steps, and terms to get down but I think it will all come quickly.

Yesterday was a nice Father's day here (I hope you all gave your dad a hug, or at least called!) It was nice to be back at my home church and see everyone but I also missed Bethany and the traditional Chipotle run! After church mom made delicious wraps and then we sat around and talked for a long time, followed by dad doing a fun activity with each of us--playing ping-pong with my brother and then watching P&P with me! Yes, my dad likes chick flicks, we always have a fun time together.

Second week being home and I still can't get out of bed when my alarm goes off...roomie, can you throw a rubber duck all the way from your house? ;) It's been so nice to have time to read for fun (no textbooks!) and listen to my music. Got to play some volleyball on Saturday which was lots of fun, but man I sure get sore!

Think I'll curl up in a blanket and read until dinner and Bible study.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

A Poem

High school graduation,
Cardboard hat and flowing robe.
One summer away from change,
Time to live now on my own.
To be my own person,
and make my own decisions.

Dawn of first day’s freedom
A stack of papers,
Slid beneath the door.
Dozens of questions,
I can’t count how many.
It’s a test and it looks hard.

Who put this here?
When is it due?

Printed in grey,
Some multiple choice
Others true/false.

Questions about
Life
Death
War
Poverty
Relationships
Stewardship

15 minutes til class.
Enough time for a handful.
Hastened guesses,
To clear my conscience.
I really don’t know.
I really don’t care!

Twenty-four hours pass.
The test is back.
First 10 questions gone,
Pure, white emptiness in their place.

Except for my answers,
Bold and black.
Shouting at me.
Each begin with “I believe...”



Number 1, okay
Number 2, mmm hmm
Number 3, NO!
I don’t believe that!
What were my options?
They’re gone!
Lost in the white void

Desperately erasing,
The mocking statement of creed.
Smudging the ink,
It smears and fades to grey,
Blemishing the white paper.
My answer now illegible
Can I start over?

I do care!
The answers are important!
No satisfaction in grey.
“All of the above” is no longer an option.
I must choose carefully.

Everyday, I take the test.
Struggling over answers.
Life-changing questions.
My being hinges,
on an encircled letter.

Everyday, the test returned.
Whiteness a majority,
Bold, black creeds erect,
Grey questions still unanswered.

Uncertainty,
Doubt and confusion.
Which to choose?
Which is right?
Who has answers?

Counsellors,
Parents,
Friends,
All have opinions.

Loud voices shout advice.
Religion adds two cents.
Politics offers agenda.
Confusion has reached its climax.

My reality is twisting,
Spiralling out of control.
There must be a way to know
How to live and maintain sanity.

Can someone help me take the test?
Does anyone have a study guide?
I search my room for aid.
Leather-bound and dusty,
Sitting on my shelf,
A book of Holy wisdom.
Maybe it can help?

Tales of countless mistakes,
And victories numbering the same.
Never-aging lessons,
Recorded for our benefit.
How did they know?
How did they decide?

God-breathed words,
Equipping us “for every good work”,
Omniscient author,
Exceeding human standards,
Beyond ethical confusion,
Righteousness and Goodness all in one.

Jesus, the Word Himself.
Model of unconditional love.
Reaching out to poor and broken,
Perfect answers for complex queries.

Authority from days of old,
Foundational to humankind,
Constitutions, codes and laws,
Based on Truths of blessed Book.

If the Bible can’t be trusted,
We’re limited to human guides.
None more valid than another,
Subjective opinions based on what?
Who’s to say which answer is correct?
Everyone believes their own ideas.
A higher source must be considered,
Perfect melody amidst the din.

One sole Truth must exist,
For judgement of all mankind,
God as Judge knows the laws.
To live blameless, shouldn’t we?

God’s Word is not an answer key,
Spelling out all do’s and don’ts.
Discussion and prayer bring truth,
through discernment and community.

The Bible declares wisdom,
Offering the aid I seek.
Facts that never hold nor hinder,
Instead, freedom offered through the Truth.

1 Sovereign Inspiration,
40 human pens,
1500 years of stories,
All point to 1 Truth.

The Truth of Father, Son, and Spirit,
Love for God and all mankind,
Grace and mercy proclaim salvation,
A blood-stained cross and empty tomb.

Another day,
Another test,
I feel ready,
Now I know.

Confident pen circling here and there
I am not forced to choose A or B
Each answer is my own,
Based on Biblical Truth.

I do not fear blackened answers of tomorrow
Or the white void I leave behind.
So long as all grey disappears,
I know how to live my life.

Each day is a test,
Am I in the world or of it?
Correct answers reflect His love,
Yet, pass or fail He loves me evermore

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Let's give this a try

Okay, so a lot of my friends have started blogs and I decided 'hey, it might be fun to do one too', so here I go.

I have been home from college for 3 days and I'm already loving my summer. There are just so many wonderful things about summer how could you not love it? Some of my favorite things about summer include:
~sleeping in
~flip flops
~all the delicious summer fruit
~driving with all the windows down
~thunder & lightning storms
~hanging out with friends pretty much anytime
~going to the beach
~all the free time

Of course, there are not so good things about summer too such as
~sunburns
~temperatures over 95
~not seeing all your friends from school

At the beginng of each summer I always set goals for myself and most times I find when I'm heading back to school that I hardly did any of them. Why is it that when we have no time for certain things we crave to do them, and then, when we have all the time in the world we don't feel like doing them anymore? I don't know, but I'm really going to try to fulfill my goals this year. Maybe I need to set more realistic goals.

Between jobs, books, vacations, hanging out with friends, boating, and now blogging I know I will have a great summer.

As summer officialy starts on Sunday, may we all make the most of our warm, sunny days--taking time to enjoy each blessing that comes our way yet not letting it pass us by only to realize it's fall.