I said a-beef hot links!

Being done with a bio organic chemistry test, and feeling like it wasn't a complete failure, is so freeing. I'm pretty certain I passed, and maybe even made a B. I'm happy about feeling good about it, but think that the amount of studying I did for that sucker deserves an A. Oh well.

When I was finished, I walked out of the room so happy. The funny thing is all I could think about singing was this...



I was glad to have the "GO MEAT!" song stuck in my head. But a bit perplexed to why that was the first joyful celebration song my strange little brain thought of.

Now that I think about it, esters do play a vital role in preservatives...

Shine On

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life...
Philippians 2:14-16

Yellow leaves and discipline

Short weeks are awesome. I am indebted to fall break for making life much more enjoyable.

Haven't been in much of a blogging mood.
Seems like a lot is going on in my head, but my fingers aren't sure what to type. I read some over break and have a lot going on in the 'ole noggin. It will surface eventually.

It's getting chilly outside, the long sleeves, scarfs and hoodies are coming out, and yellow leaves are starting to cover the sidewalks. Probably one of my favorite times of year.

My middle of october resolution is to get more rest, and grow in my eagerness to learn.

My 2nd chemistry test is next thursday, if it crosses your mind, could you please pray for me? Not that I would only do good that day, but be able to grasp and understand...and be disciplined.

Peace.

For I am constant.
I am near.
I am peace that shatters all your secret fears.
I am holy.
I am wise.
I am the only One, who knows your heart's desires.
Oh gently lay your head upon my chest
And I will comfort you like a Mother
While you rest.
-Jill Phillips, "I AM"

You may have noticed...

That my past couple of entries have been a little different. Back in the days of xanga, those types of posts were what I did the majority of the time. One of my pictures with a verse, lyrics, quote. I've moved away from that a little bit because I've started feeling more open with writing and expressing my feelings that way, but also because my camera died sometime last year. (the pictures in the posts before this were either taken with my dear friend Monica's camera, or are old). All that to say, this way of blogging encourages me. I enjoy looking at a picture and seeing a verse or song that sheds light on that picture. I like how pictures and words can work together to serve as a really special kind of worship.

Something you may not know about me: I really love photography. Not only taking pictures, but I could (and do) spend hours on the internet sometimes looking at random professional, and non professional photographer's blogs and websites. I'm not exactly sure what it is about photography that sucks me in, but I love it.

I feel a little silly confessing missing a material possession (my camera) so much, but I do. Not to the point of needed bereavement counseling or anything, but I definitely do miss it.

So, in my search to fulfill my want to play around with a camera and snap some photos, I had some fun with some of my favorite shots of the past. There's a website called http://www.picnik.com/ and it is so fun! You can mess with shapes, colors, crop, do some cool collages, and other really neat stuff.

I feel like I'm a blogging advertisement for picnik, and I promise they are not paying me to type this but only because I told them how foolish that would be considering a total of maybe 8 people read my blog. It is really fun though, and definitely filled my little photo void.

Wandering ones

Oh to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be. Let thy goodness like a fetter bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart Lord, take it seal it, seal it for thy courts above.

"God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain" -C.S. Lewis

Life versus even more life

Another good weekend. I'm more and more thankful for weekends with every passing one. Good time to relax, be with friends, catch up on studying...lots of catching up on studying. I have become a more determined person since my last post on bio-organic chemistry thanks to much praying, and encouragement from the wonderful, uplifting people in my life. I've been convinced and have come to the conclusion of: I can do it!

Church yesterday what such a blessing, as usual. We're going through Philippians at the Vista, and I've already learned so much. I'm grateful to be a part of such a loving body here and have a pastor who teaches the word (a necessity that I have noticed often does not happen at some churches). God's provision is so good!

"...The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death." -Philippians 1:18-20

Paul. He is definitely a fellow that I would love to have coffee with.
He doesn't know where God is taking him, he is in prison AGAIN, he has endured so much yet he doesn't expect God's deliverance from the tortures of his life...he is confident. Confident in the prayers of the Philippians and most importantly, confident in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. As I have grown in my faith in Christ, I have also (as to be expected) have grown in my confidence in him, but gosh, my confidence is teeny compared to that of Paul's! I can think of many times in the past when I expected God's deliverance, however, my idea of deliverance was extremely different that Paul's. He had "sufficient courage so that Christ would be exalted in his body, whether by life or death." My idea of deliverance was "God will rescue me because I am his child." I'm not sure, but I don't think God ever promises us that he will rescue us, or free us from the pain and turmoil that we suffer on earth, besides through salvation, leaving earth and going to heaven. I know that God doesn't tell us that life as a Christian will be painless, consisting of no suffering, but often times that is what I expected. My idea of deliverance was not one of confidence in Christ or courage, rather one of my troubles and pain simply being taken away. I don't expect to ever have to go through what my past consists of again, but I pray that when other struggles and hardships come along I will be confident in Jesus and I will desire to exalt him through living or dying.

Because either way, as believers, we're living.