Time to catch up...Chrisism #31 for you today!
"Little Suzy was complaining of a stomachache, and her mother said, ‘It’s because it’s empty. If you put something in it, you'll feel a lot better.” The next day Suzy was feeling a lot better and her mother took her shopping. Suzy overheard the clerk complaining of a headache. Little Suzy said, “It’s because it’s empty. If you had something in it, you would feel a lot better.”
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Bible Thoughts du Jour: Acts
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." ~Acts 1: 8
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved...Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." ~Acts 4: 12, 30
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." ~Acts 20: 24
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved...Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." ~Acts 4: 12, 30
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." ~Acts 20: 24
Thursday, January 06, 2005
SNOW DAY!!!!
They cancelled school today! It was awesome! The hilarious thing was, there wasn't even snow on the ground until about 8:00! But it was a mess by noon, so we would have had to end school early. And dismissal would have been horrendous...
So yeah...I got up around 7:30...watched TV and read for awhile...went to Curves with Mom and got my workout done...went to the library and the bookstore...and then came home and watched the old Doctor Dolittle, with Rex Harrison. Very much fun. The sad thing was, then I had to work on a paper for a while. But I finished, and then I got to read. I'm working on some biographies of Theodore Roosevelt, to help with yet another paper I have to write. Then I came on the computer to write this and talk to friends online. But now I'm going to bed and read some more...Hope your day was pleasant and that your dreams will be!
So yeah...I got up around 7:30...watched TV and read for awhile...went to Curves with Mom and got my workout done...went to the library and the bookstore...and then came home and watched the old Doctor Dolittle, with Rex Harrison. Very much fun. The sad thing was, then I had to work on a paper for a while. But I finished, and then I got to read. I'm working on some biographies of Theodore Roosevelt, to help with yet another paper I have to write. Then I came on the computer to write this and talk to friends online. But now I'm going to bed and read some more...Hope your day was pleasant and that your dreams will be!
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Just a note
I'm not sure how much I'll be able to post in the next little while. I'll write on here when I can, but I seem to have mentally hyperextended myself in many, many directions all of a sudden. Everything is hitting me. I have to do violin, keep on top of homework and other classwork, deal with midterms, write an essay for the Colonial Dames of America by the 25th, write a play for Drama class, go to a Quiz Bowl meet, go to snow camp...The list goes on. Some of that is fun, but it just piles up in many ways...
I'm going to go drown my sorrows in Sprite and try to calm down and relax with Vince Guaraldi and my Bible.
Sorry if it sounds like I'm whining. Maybe I am. But hey, we all need a place to complain, right?
I'm going to go drown my sorrows in Sprite and try to calm down and relax with Vince Guaraldi and my Bible.
Sorry if it sounds like I'm whining. Maybe I am. But hey, we all need a place to complain, right?
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
Bible Verses du Jour: Psalms
"But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me."
Psalm 13: 5-6
"Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?" Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."
Psalm 4: 6-8
"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you."
Psalm 5: 11
Psalm 13: 5-6
"Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?" Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."
Psalm 4: 6-8
"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you."
Psalm 5: 11
Thought du Jour: Freewriting
Today we read the poem "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas. It seemed an appropriate one, as we are also reading "Night" by Elie Wiesel. We read it after a discussion about Eliezer's questions of faith, and then we had to freewrite afterward. We could write about the poem or the book, whichever we chose. I decided to write about different parts of the poem that struck me, and see where I could go from there. Below is what I wrote. It may seem kind of random, but it makes sense to me!
1. "Do not go gentle into that good night": don't go into death completely willingly- fight death with every breath that remains in you.
Is this really a good thing? Isn't there a time when one is completely ready to die? Isn't there always a time when it is just for the best to give up? Maybe someone is too old to be able to live. Maybe the alternative to death is life as a cripple. Should you really be fighting death all the time? Certainly there are times to do that, but maybe there are times to give up and times to fight. It's like they say- pick your battles.
2. "Wise men know the dark": those who are wise can see death coming.
But should they fight, if they can see death coming? Do they? Is it wise to fight what you know is going to happen anyway?
3."frail deeds": Is this referring to good deeds? Are good deeds as frail as the poem seems to claim? Or are they stronger than that?
Good deeds are something we are commanded to do- but should we accept commands meekly? Or should we rebel as Elie did? He thought, Job thought, they both found that rebellion is an essential part of faith.
S0- God is an authority figure, the ultimate authority figure. And teenagers stereotypically rebel against authority figures. So if rebellion is an essential part of faith, are we going to be "teenagers" for our entire spiritual life? Will we ever really mature? Pastors and other religious leaders talk frequently about being a "mature Christian", which you seem to have to be a rebel in order to become a mature Christian. Therefore, there must be a stage when we have rebelled enough to have some questions answered, enough to assure us that this is what we want to be. Then we stop rebelling and we are mature spiritual adults.
In regard to good deeds, then, there must be a point when doing good deeds becomes a reasonable command again. Of course, it stands to reason that good deeds come full circle- they come right back to you- often tenfold. When this happens, the whole world will be in much better shape, because everyone will be doing good to each other, and good will be done to them too. If this is so, then good deeds are not at all frail- rather, they hold extraordinary power. It's only a matter of the power being unlocked.
I reasoned myself in a circle on that last one. The beauty of it is that it was completely unintentional. That's what is so great about freewriting. You never know what is going to come out.
1. "Do not go gentle into that good night": don't go into death completely willingly- fight death with every breath that remains in you.
Is this really a good thing? Isn't there a time when one is completely ready to die? Isn't there always a time when it is just for the best to give up? Maybe someone is too old to be able to live. Maybe the alternative to death is life as a cripple. Should you really be fighting death all the time? Certainly there are times to do that, but maybe there are times to give up and times to fight. It's like they say- pick your battles.
2. "Wise men know the dark": those who are wise can see death coming.
But should they fight, if they can see death coming? Do they? Is it wise to fight what you know is going to happen anyway?
3."frail deeds": Is this referring to good deeds? Are good deeds as frail as the poem seems to claim? Or are they stronger than that?
Good deeds are something we are commanded to do- but should we accept commands meekly? Or should we rebel as Elie did? He thought, Job thought, they both found that rebellion is an essential part of faith.
S0- God is an authority figure, the ultimate authority figure. And teenagers stereotypically rebel against authority figures. So if rebellion is an essential part of faith, are we going to be "teenagers" for our entire spiritual life? Will we ever really mature? Pastors and other religious leaders talk frequently about being a "mature Christian", which you seem to have to be a rebel in order to become a mature Christian. Therefore, there must be a stage when we have rebelled enough to have some questions answered, enough to assure us that this is what we want to be. Then we stop rebelling and we are mature spiritual adults.
In regard to good deeds, then, there must be a point when doing good deeds becomes a reasonable command again. Of course, it stands to reason that good deeds come full circle- they come right back to you- often tenfold. When this happens, the whole world will be in much better shape, because everyone will be doing good to each other, and good will be done to them too. If this is so, then good deeds are not at all frail- rather, they hold extraordinary power. It's only a matter of the power being unlocked.
I reasoned myself in a circle on that last one. The beauty of it is that it was completely unintentional. That's what is so great about freewriting. You never know what is going to come out.
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at the close of day'
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flights,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Cure, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
~"Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas
Old age should burn and rave at the close of day'
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flights,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Cure, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
~"Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas
Monday, January 03, 2005
Thought du Jour
Hmm, let's see...what is there to ramble about tonight?
Well, today was my first week back at school after a two-week vacation. And apart from having to get up early and getting homework, it was good to be back. Too much sitting around staring at a computer screen is a bad thing, and I was just getting to that stage. Bad, very bad. It was awesome to see everybody. I have awesome friends at my school, they are the absolute best- but I can really say that about all my friends from everywhere. (I'm sure everyone else would say that about their friends as well.) I hadn't had a chance to go Christmas shopping before vacation, so I bought all the gifts for my friends when I was up in Nova Scotia. I distributed them all today, and I found out that it is a really good pick-me-up for the first day back at school. I got so many smiles after doing that, it made everything worth it. Let's see, I got a lot of Smarties in Canada. Most of my friends like them, so I knew they would appreciate the chocolate- which, of course, they did. In fact, Mandie, Cathy, and Alissa said that it made their day. I got Betsy some Smarties too, but I also found a soccer ball with a little baby angel on top of it. It was perfect for her because she (a) likes angel figurines and (b) loves to play soccer. I got my friend Erik, who is an insanely smart trivia brain, a book called "Now You Know". Just weird facts and stuff like that. It's kind of a funny book, too. Then I got my friend Bob, who is a hockey goalie, a Beanie Baby hockey player, and Aaron, who pretends to be anti-Canadian, a banner that says "Canada" on it. I loved seeing the looks on their faces when they opened their gifts. My friends really know how to be appreciative.
Anyway, I had a pretty good day. We reviewed for a test (ugh) in Honors New Testament, watched a movie in both Early U.S. History and Analyzing Writing, continued learning a new tense in Spanish II, learned about proportions and ratios in Honors Geometry, and talked about the digestive system in Biology. I enjoyed catching up with my friends about their vacations, and I had some nice long chats with a few of them, like Brendan and John. I don't always get to talk to Brendan that much since he's a senior, so it was really nice to talk to him. John was somewhat distraught over getting a C+ on a short story, so I was able to help him understand a little bit why that had happened, and to cheer him up a little bit, maybe. I got an A+ on my Bill of Rights paper in history class, an A+ on my Reader Response paper about Night (by Elie Wiesel) in Lit, and an A+ on my rough draft for my science fair paper in Bio. Gradewise, a very satisfying day.
I came home after school with some major back pain. (I threw my back out on New Year's Eve while picking up my 20 pound cat) So I strapped an ice pack to my back, took an Advil, and laid on the floor for a while, and studied for that NT test. Then I came down and watched a few episodes of Granite State Challenge, which was a very nice way to end the day.
Now it's time for bed, so I'll sign off. Good night, all!
Well, today was my first week back at school after a two-week vacation. And apart from having to get up early and getting homework, it was good to be back. Too much sitting around staring at a computer screen is a bad thing, and I was just getting to that stage. Bad, very bad. It was awesome to see everybody. I have awesome friends at my school, they are the absolute best- but I can really say that about all my friends from everywhere. (I'm sure everyone else would say that about their friends as well.) I hadn't had a chance to go Christmas shopping before vacation, so I bought all the gifts for my friends when I was up in Nova Scotia. I distributed them all today, and I found out that it is a really good pick-me-up for the first day back at school. I got so many smiles after doing that, it made everything worth it. Let's see, I got a lot of Smarties in Canada. Most of my friends like them, so I knew they would appreciate the chocolate- which, of course, they did. In fact, Mandie, Cathy, and Alissa said that it made their day. I got Betsy some Smarties too, but I also found a soccer ball with a little baby angel on top of it. It was perfect for her because she (a) likes angel figurines and (b) loves to play soccer. I got my friend Erik, who is an insanely smart trivia brain, a book called "Now You Know". Just weird facts and stuff like that. It's kind of a funny book, too. Then I got my friend Bob, who is a hockey goalie, a Beanie Baby hockey player, and Aaron, who pretends to be anti-Canadian, a banner that says "Canada" on it. I loved seeing the looks on their faces when they opened their gifts. My friends really know how to be appreciative.
Anyway, I had a pretty good day. We reviewed for a test (ugh) in Honors New Testament, watched a movie in both Early U.S. History and Analyzing Writing, continued learning a new tense in Spanish II, learned about proportions and ratios in Honors Geometry, and talked about the digestive system in Biology. I enjoyed catching up with my friends about their vacations, and I had some nice long chats with a few of them, like Brendan and John. I don't always get to talk to Brendan that much since he's a senior, so it was really nice to talk to him. John was somewhat distraught over getting a C+ on a short story, so I was able to help him understand a little bit why that had happened, and to cheer him up a little bit, maybe. I got an A+ on my Bill of Rights paper in history class, an A+ on my Reader Response paper about Night (by Elie Wiesel) in Lit, and an A+ on my rough draft for my science fair paper in Bio. Gradewise, a very satisfying day.
I came home after school with some major back pain. (I threw my back out on New Year's Eve while picking up my 20 pound cat) So I strapped an ice pack to my back, took an Advil, and laid on the floor for a while, and studied for that NT test. Then I came down and watched a few episodes of Granite State Challenge, which was a very nice way to end the day.
Now it's time for bed, so I'll sign off. Good night, all!
Sunday, January 02, 2005
A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor
A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor
One of the best shows on the radio! Tune in if you get the chance! (I especially like the Guy Noir scripts) You can also listen to old shows on this website.
One of the best shows on the radio! Tune in if you get the chance! (I especially like the Guy Noir scripts) You can also listen to old shows on this website.
The time is coming (Jeremiah)
"The time is coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the Lord. "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the Lord. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
~Jeremiah 31: 31-34
~Jeremiah 31: 31-34
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