Wednesday, June 25, 2008

"The back of our heads is probably going to be on the podcast!!"

"What does my shirt smell like?"
"Smells like Taun Taun"


This has been such an amazing weekend/ beginning of a week.  From Tamara's strange choice in videos to show Shannon to hydroplaning, heroine Chinese torture with Beans and Tori.  I moved back home today and it is the weirdest feeling ever.  Three years has gone by fast and yet so much has happened in that time span.  Part of me feels like a senior in high school all over again, which might be partially due to the fact that my room looks exactly the same as it did then.  I just removed all of the flowers Andy bought me from my wall, cleared out my cheer skirts and dance jackets, took down my senior panoramic and the list goes on.  Hello next chapter of my life :)

I know God's timing is perfect and He has REALLY been teaching me that the past few weeks.  Strange things have been happening at such opportune times that they could only be accredited to divine intervention.  I know God has me going to Africa for a reason because if I wasn't, I wouldn't have moved home and I would probably still be in school for a lot longer.  What God is going to do by having me at home and my future left completely up to Him, I have yet to find out but I welcome it with open arms.

I'm running on 3 hours of sleep and moved for over 12 hours today.  Yup, I'm running solely on God's energy.  Time to recharge. (Bible and Bed)

Blogs to come: Cali briefing...get prepared!

Prayer: Amanda Pacion going to witness/teach English in the Czech.  Peace of mind for my mom.  Ron Merrell and family moving.  Andrea and Jon Hoefer and all of the amazing things God is doing in their lives right now, congrats to them! 

Friday, June 20, 2008

Poems

Hello blog world!  I apologize for not putting up pictures from Hume yet but they are coming soon and so is a post to tell a little bit about how amazing it was.  Until then I want to get this posted...

"As I look into the mirror man, looking back at me all I see is a mere man.
The
world's perspective
A view that's often skewed to leave out Christ the resurrected
But by my good looks, my personality, my confidence I'm accepted?
Which by my rationality means that those that lack these things are rejected
Two perspectives
On the
left hand, the weak hand, the world’s hand says this
The sun doesn't shine off of me and heighten my prestige
I shine off of the stars and illuminate the galaxies
Conceit and vain find their residence in my veins
As I forklift spiritual gifts from a blood stained crucifix
Only to use it for
my own satisfaction
Selfish action tightens my hand down into a fist
Culture calls for this
But on the
right hand, the strong hand, God's hand
Holds
tears and sweat because I've never agreed with this hopelessness

So now as I look into the
mirror man, looking back at me I see nothing
more than a
mere man"




Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine

So much power wrapped in three little words and yet, we sing them like a nursery rhyme

As if all this time Lucifer’s power was just a myth

Power that’s Identical to the effort put forth to blow out birthday candles with

So little, so weak, so irrelevant

In our circles today, the great lengths of his destructive ways are as unclear as a mumble

We deny his impact and sit back while families crumble

Sons and Daughters sink deeper into depression Harboring bitterness from unanswered questions

While all the while we with truth engage in debate over spiritual don’ts and do’s

Paralleling the sweet love of Jesus to an insignificant fruit

Don’t get me wrong, I love bananas, I know that mangos are sweet

But the image of nails through hands and feet just doesn’t seem to compete

A mother, overwhelmed with defeat, uncontrollably weeps

At the foot of the cross as blood seeps from her son’s feet   

What do you tell her when she asks “what’s to come”

In that moment it seems absurd to offer a cliché prayer or a melodious love song

Then why today is our faith a reflection

Of a catchy tune you would hear in June when VBS is in session

There’s a fountain flowing deep and wide but it’s so much deeper and wider than we can fathom

On Sundays we close eyes, hands raise give him praise, but on Monday…

We refuse that we have him

A time has come to replace faction with a greater understanding that the call of Christ…

Is a call to Action

To be the movers and shakers of this Generation Who are generally based in myspace Education

Who have taken Jesus’s words of “Follow me” and “Go”

And replaced them with a tolerable agree….. and NO

To understand that it’s not logical

In fact, it’s impossible

To give an account for the hope that is in us with an “eat” “drink” and “be marry” Gospel

It’s time to stop splashing in the shallow end of the fountain

And plant a real seed that will grow real faith to move mountains

Understanding that with Christ you can whisper truth in a noisy room and he’ll still changes lives

A whisper that is much less than the breath you use to sing

Let it shine, Let it Shine, Let it shine



Thanks to Kevin for these :)

Saturday, June 7, 2008

HUME LAKE HOMIES


That's right. We leave for Hume in 10 hours and I could not be more thrilled!  I can't wait to be away for a week and take quality quiet time in the presence of God, watch high school students be shaken up by how God moves, watch my best friend help shepherd some sheep, grow closer to old friends and build bonds with new friends, watch God pull the sun up over the ridiculously beautiful mountains and lake to start each day with peace and tranquility but then sustain that sun in the heavens while we get dirty for rec and finally exchanging it with the glowing moon to preside over us as we sleep at night.  Uhm yup, I'm definitely ready for camp!

Thursday, June 5, 2008

"I just want to brag about the fact that I got raptured"

Wow.  
Ron's message tonight was amazing.  It was the kind of message that makes you want to leave the church doors and go out to really live for Christ, even if that means dying for him because it was the kind of message that makes you not afraid to die.  As a Christian, I know where I am going when I die...how amazing is that?  I get to meet the creator of the universe when I leave this life.  It makes me want to devote every second of my time here to absolutely great, God glorifying things so that when I do meet this majestic God of mine He will be able to look at me and be proud.  He will call me his good and faithful servant and this love that I am striving to comprehend will become transparent and tangible for me.  I can't wait for that day, my prayers tonight will be consumed with requests for the rapture to happen asap.  Until it does however, I am anxious for Hume and really feeling my heart prepare for Africa.  If I haven't said it enough, I can't wait to go and be the hands and feet.  I'm so blessed to have the opportunity to go serve others in need and I praise God for it.

I am going to miss Ron SOOOO much.  I love his messages.  Not only do they add gasoline to my flames, they make me want to spread those flames like wild fire.  There are a few people I have in mind when I think about "spreading the flame" and they are in my prayers constantly but above and beyond that I start thinking about missions.  1040 window missions.  People who have never heard the name of Christ missions.  For now they are still just thoughts but God is recurrently putting them in my head and my heart.

Well, time for bed because tomorrow is t-shirt making, gym, hw, melting pot and Jacquee and Amanda time!  Yay :)

Insightful.

Some things I learned today that I feel are necessary to share with the blogging world:

1. Apparently blogging is for regular everyday updates on peoples lives (I am still not 100% convinced people care about my day to day whereabouts).

2. According to Jon Hubs, if I rub Orajel or anything similar on my eye twitch it will go away.  He says he tried it on his arm and the next day the twitch was gone, however I don't believe him...any second opinions?  What in the world do you do for a chronic eye twitch?!  And Jon, are you not going to Hume?  Don't let its pilgrim history scare you off, I'm told it's quite worth it.

3. Yay for Katie getting a blog! And yay for Wednesdays at the Cafe :)

4. Steve left his Guitar Hero with me to babysit while he is at camp and I am infatuated...The only problem is my stupid pinky finger can't reach the orange!  Dang the orange button and dang Through the Fire and Flames!

5. Note to self, stop using potato chip soap. -thanks Trav

6. Note to Travis, stop not showering- your smell can't get much worse.  Sometimes I still think that you are in Arizona because I can smell your stench from TJ....and partly because of Chris' creepy, yet slightly amazing, life size cardboard poster of you.

7. Lunch with Lauren on Friday. Could not be more excited! :)

Lastly,
everyone pray for Shannon.  She is in a state of mental breakdown because of nursing school and she could sure use the prayer even though she is going to do amazing.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

It was brought to my attention today that the only thing I know how to do on this blog is postings and picture additions...lame!  If anyone has any tips as to how I make this thing interesting (Aka, put music on it, add links to other sites in the margins, etc.) please inform me!  Apparently I am one step above blog illiteracy and that just won't fly!




P.S. I am ECSTATIC about the amazing family that God has blessed Merge with and I can't wait for HUME!!!!!