Psalms

So I started this new class at school a few weeks ago called "Introduction to the Psalms". Our first assignment was to write a personal psalm to God and then turn it in. I was lucky enough that the professor had me read mine out loud in class... so since I've already shared it with the class I thought I would share it with whoever reads this thing. Oh yeah, and if you actually read my blog... let me know. I'd love to know what you think about my thoughts. Anyway, here's the psalm I wrote:

O God, I am overwhelmed with life
Existing is exhausting, Lord
Day after day, I continue on with no respite
I can never seem to catch my breath
Yet everyday you send love letters to me
Your affectionate displays are around me always
I only need to open my eyes to see them
If I would just awake to my surroundings, there you would be
God, you are waiting for and pursuing me
My heart is being wooed and won by my Lord
Your affection I can’t begin to fathom
Your love is beyond my comprehension
You chose me before I was born
Yes, before time began I belonged to you

Rainbows

I love rainbows. I love that they represent God's promises. I think what I love most though is that for every rainbow I am the only one seeing exactly that rainbow. It doesn't matter if someone is standing inches away from me, they see a slightly altered version of the rainbow I see. I am the only one to see the rainbow from my point of view.

So why all the sudden interest in rainbows?? Lately, when I've been driving in my car, I'll look up and there will be a tiny piece of a rainbow, totally unexpected. Each time I've seen one, it hasn't been raining, it's just been really overcast. And at that moment, I realize that no one else is seeing the exact same rainbow as me. It's like God specifically painted that rainbow in the sky for me. It always makes me smile and remember God's love to think that He would paint a rainbow just for me.

Now thinking back on those instances, the rainbows always appear when it's gray and overcast and just generally dreary outside. And sometimes when it's like that on the outside, I'll start to feel like that on the inside. Then a rainbow ppears and it's as if God is saying..."Even in the dreary, tiring, blah times... I am still here. My promises are still good. You can still trust me. I painted this rainbow just to show my love for you."

And frankly, I just think that's really cool.

Making Me Mad

So I am severely annoyed at my religious studies book... want to know why? Well even if you didn't I'm going to tell you. So here's quote number one:

"The Bible teaches neither creationism not evolution..."

Right, so let's open our Bibles at the very beginning to see if this is true... starting with Genesis 1:1: In the beginning, God CREATED the heavens and the earth. (emphasis mine). I fail to see how the Bible doesn't teach creationism. It seems fairly explicitly stated in my opinion. God CREATED... doesn't leave much room for argument, does it?

Really, what I've gathered so far is that the author's argument is that much of Genesis is a good story that shows us how to live but not much else. My argument? Then what's to stop someone from saying that Jesus is nothing more than a story to teach us how to live. Honestly, if you get rid of one part of the Bible, what's to stop you from throwing out the whole thing?!?!

Another quote: The stories of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob and their progeny also should not be accepted as accurate history.

Yet another one: No doubt with the retelling of the story of the journey from Egypt hyperbole flourishes.

For those of you who are now looking for a dictionary to look up the word hyperbole: it means a gross exaggeration. I assume the author might be referring to the crossing of the Red Sea, manna, water coming out of the rock, the plagues....but I'm not 100% positive. I also believe that the author is totally wrong in stating that, because in case you haven't guessed it by now I believe that the Bible is the infallible word of God.... everything in it is truth.

But you know what makes me really angry??? It's not so much that I have to read bald faced lies because I know what I believe, it's more that the people in my class, for whom this will be their only exposure to Christianity and the Bible, who are only taking this class to fulfill a Gen Ed, will think that this author is reporting proven facts. My biggest concern is for the people in my class who don't know what they believe and will be swayed because an author speaks "authoritatively" on the subject.

I know God can work even in this... but it makes me mad

Still God

Wow.. I can't believe that it's 2009! Time is really flying; it seems like just yesterday I was nervous about starting high school and now I only have 1 1/2 years left of college! Amazing!

There has been a song that I have just thought is completely awesome lately. My favorite part is the bridge (at least I think it's the bridge, it's not the chorus and it's not another verse... so I'm going to call it the bridge). The words are:

All of my life

in every season

You are still God

I have a reason to sing

I have a reason to worship

I just think it's an amazing reminder of who God is and that it doesn't matter what's happening in our lives: God is still God, I am still not, and I still have a reason to worship. With everything that is happening in the world lately, I just think this is a good reminder for everyone. The economy may be uncertain, jobs are hard to come by, wars are occurring, sickness is spreading, but through it all God is still God... He still loves us enough to die for us, forgive us, and have a relationship with us... Do we still love him enough to sing to and worship Him? I sure hope the answer is yes. My uncle was just diagnosed with cancer, another uncle with Hashimoto's (sp?) disease, hours are being cut drastically for some family, and yet through it all God is still God.

This is my prayer in the desert

when all that's within me feels dry

This is my prayer in my hunger and need

My God is the God who provides

And this is my prayer in the fire

In weakness or trial or pain

There is a faith proved of more worth than gold

So refine me Lord through the flame

I will bring praise

I will bring praise

No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice

I will declare

For God is my victory and He is here

This is my prayer in the battle

When triumph is still on its way

I am a conqueror and co heir with Christ

So firm on his promise I'll stand

I will bring praise

I will bring praise

No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice

I will declare

God is my victory and He is here

All of my life

in every season

You are still God

I have a reason to sing

I have a reason to worship

All of my life

in every season

You are still God

I have a reason to sing

I have a reason to worship

All of my life

in every season

You are still God

I have a reason to sing

I have a reason to worship

All of my life

in every season

You are still God

I have a reason to sing

I have a reason to worship

I will bring praise

I will bring praise

No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice

I will declare

God is my victory and He is here

And this is my prayer in the harvest

When favour and providence flow

I know I'm filled to be emptied again

The seed I receive I will sow

Hillsong: Desert Song

What's happening....

So the semester is finally over and I now am officially on break! I am so excited to be able to do nothing for a few days and then fill my time with the other things that I never have enough time to do during the semester! I did pretty well grade wise this semester; not as well as I had wanted, but not as bad as most people. I ended up with 2 A- s and 2 A s. Oh well, I always do better in the winter semester anyway!

My sister and I were watching a movie the other day on the Hallmark channel called, "A Boyfriend for Christmas". Well, I decided that was something that I'd like for Christmas too and I'm hoping it's not too late to put it on my list! I thought it was a good movie.. especially since the main character's name was Holly. Wow, Holly and she wants a boyfriend for Christmas... it was starting to hit a little too close to home!

I'm still at the same place Christmas shopping as I was earlier this month... except I almost have one Grandma done... I still have no idea what to get the rest of them... I'll have to try and come up with something in the next few days.

In my 100 Day reading through the Bible plan (that I am like 17 days behind in), I read Ezekiel this morning. As I was reading, I was struck by how merciful God was to the Israelites and how they just continuously turned away from Him. Deliberately, not caring about the consequences until they hit, they disobeyed again and again. It also said that even if three righteous men (Daniel and two others that I can't remember off the top of my head), were living in Jerusalem, it wouldn't be enough to save the city or even those men's families. Their righteous living would save themselves but no one else. Reading that just made me think about our country and how people are deliberately choosing to disobey God and turning to other things and people to fill that void. It pains me to even think about it; I can't even begin to imagine the pain God is feeling and at the same time the anger over the blessing and prosperity HE has given to a nation who continually turns her back against Him. This nation needs to be humbled before God, but I'm terrified to even contemplate what it could take to humble this nation before God. God is merciful and slow to anger, but that anger still comes and when it does I fear for the people who have not humbled themselves before God Almighty.

Happenings

Wow... haven't updated in a while again...

Nothing much is new, I'm still bust with school and work and life in general. However, the semester is almost over and I am so excited to do all the things that I don't have time to do during the semester... reading, spending lots of time with friends, seeing family, and millions of other things. I can hardly wait!

Christmas is less than a month away and I'm almost finished with my shopping; all I have left are the grandparents. I have no idea what to get them though... any suggestions??? I started stocking up on Christmas gifts early this year to get a head start... it's one of the perks of working at Hallmark and knowing when the sales are!

Anyway...I can't believe that I only have a year and a half left of school... time sure has flown. It seemed like four years was forever when I started and now I'm more than half way done and thinking about what other degrees I want! (Yes, I am a self-proclaimed geek!).

I guess that's all for now...

Life

We are now back from Florida unfortunately... the beach was wonderful and so was Disney.... I just wish we could have stayed longer.

We got back on Tuesday in enough time for me to go to school and take my midterm for my interpreting class. So no time to rest, just jumped right back into the real world. Then on Wednesday I worked at school and on Thursday I worked and had class. Now this weekend I'm working at Hallmark, writing a paper for my Gerontology class, preparing a 15 minute presentation in ASL for another class, and I'm sure a million other things I haven't even thought about yet!

Well about a month ago I finally broke down and got a Facebook... now I seem to be rather addicted to it, but it's been good catching up with old friends that I had lost touch with.

Anyways... nothing new is really happening... it's all school, work, and more school and work.