3.31.2008
photo above
I also took the photo above from a place on campus called the pointe. You can see the bridge over the river on the right hand side and the city in the distance on the left. Obviously, I edited the color.
spring (taken by me)
"1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,nor stands in the way of sinners,nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season,and its leaf does not wither.In all that he does, he prospers." Psalms 1
3.29.2008
weighing the options
Sam and I went apartment hunting for five hours today all around the city. Pray as we decide what we each want to do.
3.28.2008
Laurie Boone
I would also like to thank my dear friend's mommy for all her comments. I read them, I laugh, I learn.
Groucho's & Literary Sweets
Donna, Angela, and I went out to lunch today. When asked where I wanted to go, I said anywhere that I haven't been before. So they took me to Groucho's. So good! Just a Columbia franchise. Mostly sub sandwiches that each have their own special twist. I had this sub with salami and this special kinda slaw. And it was warm and yummy with cheese! Ah - so good! And, Rebecca, they have crushed ice! Yeah, so that was fun.
Now, my sweet friend Anita from Hong Kong and I are out studying at this coffee shop on Main St. called Literary Sweets. Extremely Mom and Pop, has free internet, cheap coffee, and comfortable atmosphere. I'll have to bring other friends here instead of going to Starbucks. The owner (I'm pretty sure she's the owner) is precious and was laughing at me and says I need to go into theatre. Haha! ...And now we're talking about why God created taste buds! Haha!
Ah, what a glorious day! Praise Jesus!
Now, my sweet friend Anita from Hong Kong and I are out studying at this coffee shop on Main St. called Literary Sweets. Extremely Mom and Pop, has free internet, cheap coffee, and comfortable atmosphere. I'll have to bring other friends here instead of going to Starbucks. The owner (I'm pretty sure she's the owner) is precious and was laughing at me and says I need to go into theatre. Haha! ...And now we're talking about why God created taste buds! Haha!
Ah, what a glorious day! Praise Jesus!
3.27.2008
Ah hah!
I finally found the page for non-ITunes people to listen to chapel messages! They don't have today's on there yet but it was EXCELLENT. So listen to March 27th's, and Feb. 26th - 29th's.
pride & envy, postmodernism & experience
envy is one of my biggest pitfalls. my life is going along fine and i'm pretty darn content and then i find out that someone has something that i don't have but that i want. and i get all ornery and mad. i ask God millions of why questions and complain His ear off. i get angry and bitter and depressed. then i get depressed for getting depressed and it becomes this cycle that never ends. yeah, it's a pitfall. ...but i think pride is worse. wednesday was prayer day here and during chapel time we had a speaker from a church called seacoast. he gave the testimony of how God started the church, its beginnings, and where the church is at now. if you go here you can see their view on worship. ultimately, they want to allow for people to experience God. they use worship as a response to the truths found in Scripture. (now of course it is the individual worshipper that does or does not experience God and you can experience God anyplace, but i do think there are circumstances and surroundings that better aid in this process, places of truth, goodness, love, grace, peace, etc.) so i want to experience God. i want it to be emotional. i want it to be holistic. and i don't think that's bad or unbiblical. i think it's cool. i think it's heavenly. because the more i experience God, the more i'll want to experience Him, the more i'll know Him, the more i'll want to know more of Him, and the more others will notice Him in me. see, it is cool, huh? ...oh, back to pride. i think responding to God, especially holistically, is extremely humiliating. i seriously many times suppress an "hallelujah" or "amen" that boils up in me from the depths of my soul. sometimes i prevent my hands from going in the air to worship even when it is an extremely natural response to my emotions to my God. i stop myself from dancing or shouting or kneeling or anything because, oh my gosh, someone might see. or someone might see that i am relishing in God's grace and they'll know how desperately i need it. and i just think if i could just get rid of this pride, how much more joyful my life would be. because honesty breeds joy, i think. and i think i would love people differently, more effectively. ...and i don't think all of postmodernism is bad. all of modernism isn't good and right and true. just like different cultures from different countries, there is good and bad with all. the standard is God - He is good and right and true and beautiful. and so i think there is some good to redeem from the postmodern way of thinking. ...hmmm... this is all very interesting to think about, huh?
3.26.2008
Beyond Obama's Beauty - 02.14.08
Ken Blackwell - Columnist for the New York Sun
It's an amazing time to be alive in America . We're in a year of firsts in this presidential election: the first viable woman candidate; the first viable African-American candidate; and, a candidate who is the first frontrunning freedom fighter over 70. The next president of America will be a first.
We won't truly be in an election of firsts, however, until we judge every candidate by where they stand. We won't arrive where we should be until we no longer talk about skin color or gender. Now that Barack Obama steps to the front of the Democratic field, we need to stop talking about his race, and start talking about his policies and his politics.
The reality is this: Though the Democrats will not have a nominee until August, unless Hillary Clinton drops out, Mr. Obama is now the frontrunner, and its time America takes a closer and deeper look at him.
Some pundits are calling him the next John F. Kennedy. He's not. He's the next George McGovern. And it's time people learned the facts.
Because the truth is that Mr. Obama is the single most liberal senator in the entire U.S. Senate. He is more liberal than Ted Kennedy, Bernie Sanders, or Mrs. Clinton. Never in my life have I seen a presidential frontrunner whose rhetoric is so far removed from his record. Walter Mondale promised to raise our taxes, and he lost. George McGovern promised military weakness, and he lost. Michael Dukakis promised a liberal domestic agenda, and he lost.
Yet Mr. Obama is promising all those things, and he's not behind in the polls. Why? Because the press has dealt with him as if he were in a beauty pageant. Mr. Obama talks about getting past party, getting past red and blue, to lead the United States of America . But let's look at the more defined strokes of who he is underneath this superficial "beauty."
Start with national security, since the president's most important duties are as commander-in-chief. Over the summer, Mr. Obama talked about invading Pakistan, a nation armed with nuclear weapons; meeting without preconditions with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who vows to destroy Israel and create another Holocaust; and Kim Jong II, who is murdering and starving his people, but emphasized that the nuclear option was off the table against terrorists - something no president has ever taken off the table since we created nuclear weapons in the 1940s. Even Democrats who have worked in national security condemned all of those remarks. Mr. Obama is a foreign-policy novice who would put our national security at risk.
Next, consider economic policy. For all its faults, our health care system is the strongest in the world. And free trade agreements, created by Bill Clinton as well as President Bush, have made more goods more affordable so that even people of modest means can live a life that no one imagined a generation ago. Yet Mr. Obama promises to raise taxes on "the rich." How to fix Social Security? Raise taxes. How to fix Medicare? Raise taxes. Prescription drugs? Raise taxes. Free college? Raise taxes. Socialize medicine? Raise taxes. His solution to everything is to have government take it over. Big Brother on steroids, funded by your paycheck.
Finally, look at the social issues. Mr. Obama had the audacity to open a stadium rally by saying, "All praise and glory to God!" but says that Christian leaders speaking for life and marriage have "hijacked" - hijacked - Christianity. He is pro-partial birth abortion, and promises to appoint Supreme Court justices who will rule any restriction on it unconstitutional. He espouses the abortion views of Margaret Sanger, one of the early advocates of racial cleansing. His spiritual leaders endorse homosexual marriage, and he is moving in that direction. In Illinois , he refused to vote against a statewide ban - ban - on all handguns in the state. These are radical left, Hollywood , and San Francis co values, not Middle America values.
The real Mr. Obama is an easy target for the general election. Mrs. Clinton is a far tougher opponent. But Mr. Obama could win if people don't start looking behind his veneer and flowery speeches. His vision of "bringing America together" means saying that those who disagree with his agenda for America are hijackers or warmongers. Uniting the country means adopting his liberal agenda and abandoning any conflicting beliefs.
But right now everyone is talking about how eloquent of a speaker he is and - yes - they're talking about his race. Those should never be the factors on which we base our choice for president. Mr. Obama's radical agenda sets him far outside the American mainstream, to the left of Mrs. Clinton.
It's time to talk about the real Barack Obama. In an election of firsts, let's first make sure we elect the person who is qualified to be our president in a nuclear age during a global civilizational war.
It's an amazing time to be alive in America . We're in a year of firsts in this presidential election: the first viable woman candidate; the first viable African-American candidate; and, a candidate who is the first frontrunning freedom fighter over 70. The next president of America will be a first.
We won't truly be in an election of firsts, however, until we judge every candidate by where they stand. We won't arrive where we should be until we no longer talk about skin color or gender. Now that Barack Obama steps to the front of the Democratic field, we need to stop talking about his race, and start talking about his policies and his politics.
The reality is this: Though the Democrats will not have a nominee until August, unless Hillary Clinton drops out, Mr. Obama is now the frontrunner, and its time America takes a closer and deeper look at him.
Some pundits are calling him the next John F. Kennedy. He's not. He's the next George McGovern. And it's time people learned the facts.
Because the truth is that Mr. Obama is the single most liberal senator in the entire U.S. Senate. He is more liberal than Ted Kennedy, Bernie Sanders, or Mrs. Clinton. Never in my life have I seen a presidential frontrunner whose rhetoric is so far removed from his record. Walter Mondale promised to raise our taxes, and he lost. George McGovern promised military weakness, and he lost. Michael Dukakis promised a liberal domestic agenda, and he lost.
Yet Mr. Obama is promising all those things, and he's not behind in the polls. Why? Because the press has dealt with him as if he were in a beauty pageant. Mr. Obama talks about getting past party, getting past red and blue, to lead the United States of America . But let's look at the more defined strokes of who he is underneath this superficial "beauty."
Start with national security, since the president's most important duties are as commander-in-chief. Over the summer, Mr. Obama talked about invading Pakistan, a nation armed with nuclear weapons; meeting without preconditions with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who vows to destroy Israel and create another Holocaust; and Kim Jong II, who is murdering and starving his people, but emphasized that the nuclear option was off the table against terrorists - something no president has ever taken off the table since we created nuclear weapons in the 1940s. Even Democrats who have worked in national security condemned all of those remarks. Mr. Obama is a foreign-policy novice who would put our national security at risk.
Next, consider economic policy. For all its faults, our health care system is the strongest in the world. And free trade agreements, created by Bill Clinton as well as President Bush, have made more goods more affordable so that even people of modest means can live a life that no one imagined a generation ago. Yet Mr. Obama promises to raise taxes on "the rich." How to fix Social Security? Raise taxes. How to fix Medicare? Raise taxes. Prescription drugs? Raise taxes. Free college? Raise taxes. Socialize medicine? Raise taxes. His solution to everything is to have government take it over. Big Brother on steroids, funded by your paycheck.
Finally, look at the social issues. Mr. Obama had the audacity to open a stadium rally by saying, "All praise and glory to God!" but says that Christian leaders speaking for life and marriage have "hijacked" - hijacked - Christianity. He is pro-partial birth abortion, and promises to appoint Supreme Court justices who will rule any restriction on it unconstitutional. He espouses the abortion views of Margaret Sanger, one of the early advocates of racial cleansing. His spiritual leaders endorse homosexual marriage, and he is moving in that direction. In Illinois , he refused to vote against a statewide ban - ban - on all handguns in the state. These are radical left, Hollywood , and San Francis co values, not Middle America values.
The real Mr. Obama is an easy target for the general election. Mrs. Clinton is a far tougher opponent. But Mr. Obama could win if people don't start looking behind his veneer and flowery speeches. His vision of "bringing America together" means saying that those who disagree with his agenda for America are hijackers or warmongers. Uniting the country means adopting his liberal agenda and abandoning any conflicting beliefs.
But right now everyone is talking about how eloquent of a speaker he is and - yes - they're talking about his race. Those should never be the factors on which we base our choice for president. Mr. Obama's radical agenda sets him far outside the American mainstream, to the left of Mrs. Clinton.
It's time to talk about the real Barack Obama. In an election of firsts, let's first make sure we elect the person who is qualified to be our president in a nuclear age during a global civilizational war.
3.24.2008
a different Easter
I sat with Angela and Chris at First Pres. Beautiful music. Excellent sermon. On the reality of Christ's resurrection. S.F. kept saying, "If you aren't excited about Him now, what makes you think death will change anything?"
Sam and I went to a get-together Mika had invited me to. Didn't really know what to expect. A house out in the woods with three different international ministeries coming together, mostly Chinese. But there were people from Japan, Korea, Thailand, Nigeria, Angola, Germany, Hungary, and Russia there. As well as missionaries from Togo, Bolivia, and Ecuador. We ate lots of food. My favorite was the beef curry stew, reminded me of the Filipino church get-togethers on Chuuk. We had a huge egg hunt with 400 eggs. The Americans hid them and the internationals had to look. It was hilarious. We sang and had an explanation of the Easter story. I was tired. But it was a beautiful day.
He has risen indeed!
Sam and I went to a get-together Mika had invited me to. Didn't really know what to expect. A house out in the woods with three different international ministeries coming together, mostly Chinese. But there were people from Japan, Korea, Thailand, Nigeria, Angola, Germany, Hungary, and Russia there. As well as missionaries from Togo, Bolivia, and Ecuador. We ate lots of food. My favorite was the beef curry stew, reminded me of the Filipino church get-togethers on Chuuk. We had a huge egg hunt with 400 eggs. The Americans hid them and the internationals had to look. It was hilarious. We sang and had an explanation of the Easter story. I was tired. But it was a beautiful day.
He has risen indeed!
3.22.2008
GOOD Friday
My mom asked me when I was in California if I could tell spring was coming to South Carolina. I hadn't noticed anything yet and thought it was still due to the frost that we have overnight many times. But now that I'm back in SC, I can definitely tell that spring is coming! First of all, there are these trees that have TONS of white flowers all over them - they are beautiful - especially when there's a whole bunch of them all together. But also, when I drive to and from school up Monticello Road where it's woods on either side, there are the most beautiful trees that have bright purple flowers on them. They are gorgeous. And so in certain places there are trees with these purple flowers budding, and then other trees with orange flowers, or yellow flowers, and then the white flowers. It's extremely beautiful. It's been fun to delight in God's creation.
I went to the Good Friday service at First Presbyterian yesterday, where Sinclaire Ferguson preaches. His sermon was good, as usual, although I have to admit I kept getting distracted for a number of reasons. But one particular thing did stick with me, probably because I've been thinking about it a lot recently. He kept saying how joyful this day was. He preached through all of Luke 23 and went through the different reactions of the people Jesus encounters in this passage and Jesus' response to each of them. One of the people (v. 27 - 31) were the group of men and women that followed after him weeping and mourning. And Jesus says quite a lot to them. In fact, I had put a question mark in my Bible by this passage, I think when I read through the Gospels a couple of summers ago. S.F. said that Jesus was saying that this is a good day for people - a day of freedom, grace, and love. It is not a day of judgment on people. That day comes later and then those that don't trust in what Jesus does this good day will weep and mourn and rightfully so. But today, even though Christ dies an excruciating death, is a good, good day.
And the Lord continues to bring to mind how joyful and delightful life should be, that He wants it to be that way for all. And that He is the most delightful. And that weeping and mourning over the absence of goodness and joy and love in this world is trusting in God. It's saying that without God's goodness and beauty and truth, this world and this life is crap. And so we mourn over the absence of joy. Interesting to think about, huh? (Rob Bell goes into this a little in his book [see review below] but the Lord has also been bringing it to mind in other areas of my life.) So rejoicing is not a command because if you don't do it you're disobeying and sinning. It's simply God's greatest desire for us. And the most joyful we can be is surrounded by all that is good and all that is Him.
Which reminds me of one other thing that I was going to say... the first time I saw the Passion of Christ, I went to the theatre alone because everybody else had seen it already. I went in the middle of the day and there weren't too many other people in the theatre. Of course, I was somber most of the time, and crying my brains out when Peter denied Christ as I related fully to him. But, I tell you, when I left that theatre I had the hugest smile on my face. I was practically dancing all the way to my car. Jesus is the best thing that could have ever happened to me!
I went to the Good Friday service at First Presbyterian yesterday, where Sinclaire Ferguson preaches. His sermon was good, as usual, although I have to admit I kept getting distracted for a number of reasons. But one particular thing did stick with me, probably because I've been thinking about it a lot recently. He kept saying how joyful this day was. He preached through all of Luke 23 and went through the different reactions of the people Jesus encounters in this passage and Jesus' response to each of them. One of the people (v. 27 - 31) were the group of men and women that followed after him weeping and mourning. And Jesus says quite a lot to them. In fact, I had put a question mark in my Bible by this passage, I think when I read through the Gospels a couple of summers ago. S.F. said that Jesus was saying that this is a good day for people - a day of freedom, grace, and love. It is not a day of judgment on people. That day comes later and then those that don't trust in what Jesus does this good day will weep and mourn and rightfully so. But today, even though Christ dies an excruciating death, is a good, good day.
And the Lord continues to bring to mind how joyful and delightful life should be, that He wants it to be that way for all. And that He is the most delightful. And that weeping and mourning over the absence of goodness and joy and love in this world is trusting in God. It's saying that without God's goodness and beauty and truth, this world and this life is crap. And so we mourn over the absence of joy. Interesting to think about, huh? (Rob Bell goes into this a little in his book [see review below] but the Lord has also been bringing it to mind in other areas of my life.) So rejoicing is not a command because if you don't do it you're disobeying and sinning. It's simply God's greatest desire for us. And the most joyful we can be is surrounded by all that is good and all that is Him.
Which reminds me of one other thing that I was going to say... the first time I saw the Passion of Christ, I went to the theatre alone because everybody else had seen it already. I went in the middle of the day and there weren't too many other people in the theatre. Of course, I was somber most of the time, and crying my brains out when Peter denied Christ as I related fully to him. But, I tell you, when I left that theatre I had the hugest smile on my face. I was practically dancing all the way to my car. Jesus is the best thing that could have ever happened to me!
last night
I was watching an NCAA basketball game, San Diego vs. UConn, and Hannah knocks on my door and says, "Kalee! It's me!" (She can't pronounce [d] in my name.) So I let her in and she sits next to me on my little couch to watch the rest of the basketball game. And she's just sitting there grinning at me like she is the coolest kid in the world. Lucas comes down a few minutes later looking for her and finds her sitting next to me. He says to her, "Hannah, what are you doing in here?" And he keeps repeating it over and over again because she normally shouldn't be downstairs unless one of her parents is down there too. Eventually Marcus shows up, the basketball game ends (SD wins!), and we start a game of war with the cards. Marcus wins and then they want me to teach them another game. Instead I show them the only card trick I know, then I teach Lucas how to do it and he goes upstairs to show his dad. I go with him. Now I'm upstairs and it's about 6:30. ...Three and a half hours later I go back downstairs. And there are Marcus and Lucas playing cards with Sam - haha!
Susana is a really good cook and she cooks international food (obviously Spanish but also other things too that she learns from her international friends.) So I ate a Polish dish of hers that I've had several times before with sausage and cabbage and onions - really yummy. I also had Russian potatoe salad, which is actually a Spanish dish; it was okay, normal. And she had made spinach and artichoke dip which was yummy. She had also made flan for dessert which was super good. ...Fun times.
Susana is a really good cook and she cooks international food (obviously Spanish but also other things too that she learns from her international friends.) So I ate a Polish dish of hers that I've had several times before with sausage and cabbage and onions - really yummy. I also had Russian potatoe salad, which is actually a Spanish dish; it was okay, normal. And she had made spinach and artichoke dip which was yummy. She had also made flan for dessert which was super good. ...Fun times.
3.21.2008
Thinking Out Loud
A year and a half ago I heard a song called It’s Only Grace. I hated it. What was he talking about? What about obedience?
I remember when Steven Curtis Chapman’s It’s All About Love came on a little over three years ago and I rolled my eyes and flipped to the next song. My friend in the car with me was indignant not because it was her choice of song …but because it was her choice of theology.
It’s not that I thought that it wasn’t about grace and love. It’s that I thought they weren’t above all else. I mean, I quoted Eph. 2:8-9 with enthusiasm but the ‘be’ and ‘do’ passages were close at hand.
Not that those that are saved by the blood of Christ shouldn’t be something different and do things differently than those that do not know Christ. But that those two songs were right.
Growing up in the faith, talking about deep theology in high school, and going to a rooted-in-God’s-word college, I know truth. Right? I am not here to blame my past. In fact, God has used all of my life to shape me and mold me into who I am today. If I look at the good things that God has made happen through those venues, I am grateful.
But I am sinner – my whole self – from imperfections physically, to heart and mind. So as I heard and listened and sought to apply, is it not reasonable that I would interpret incorrectly sometimes? Is it not reasonable that I would seek to apply for my own glory sometimes?
Is it not reasonable that even as I see God’s work in my life right now that my fear and unease at new theological discoveries and how they should be applied is not all because of their newness but also because of my necessity for humility?
It’s only grace. Katie, don’t talk about obedience and works. Let’s talk about Jesus. Why did He come? Why did He die? Why does He love me? Are not those the essential questions to Christianity?
My admission of my sinful-self, John says, is the beginning. Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, came to earth as man to show us and lead us …but ultimately to die. Jesus died as the punishment for my sins. Jesus died to please God’s perfect justice. Jesus died so that I would not have to. “If I confess my sins, He is faithful and just to forgive my sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
But we know this is not the end. Christ arose! Jesus has power even over death and so He conquered the grave and lives gloriously as the risen Lamb.
He has provided life when there was no life. He has provided peace where there was no peace. He has provided joy where there was no joy. He has provided righteousness where there was no righteousness. He has provided cleansing where there was no cleansing. He has provided hope where there was no hope. He has provided life where there was no life.
Grace.
It’s only grace.
But I still sin! What’s my problem? I’m a sinner in constant need of a Savior. Once saved always saved and then the Christian life should be marked with repentance as Sinclair Ferguson says.
But am I not to seek perfect obedience? I am extremely hesitant to say of course. I think there is a very fine line here, especially with my twisted thinking as a sinner. Is my worth any different if I obey? No. Is my status any higher if I obey? I don’t think so. Sometimes the Bema seat is spoken of and getting jewels in our crown for the good things that we do as a Christian. I think we need to be very careful in discussing this. I tend to think that the Christians that will get such honorable rewards will be those that have never discussed the Bema seat.
Perhaps if I reworded the question – am I not to pursue obedience? Read it again. I think there are passages in Scripture that people could use to say, “Yes, of course!” But my question is, what about Jesus? Aren’t we supposed to pursue Jesus? Jesus and obedience are two different pursuits. Again, I think we could discuss it and I could be convinced that obedience is a good thing to be sought after and we should always strive for perfection. But I think it’s confusing. It’s confusing in my head. And I think there is always a risk of striving for obedience for self and not for the glory of God.
But we agree that we should pursue Christ, right? And what does that mean? Read His word to know Him. Pray to Him to converse with Him. Delight in Him. Relish in His goodness. And more than anything know His grace and love.
Seek Jesus. Pursue Him only. Pursue Him whole-heartedly.
Perhaps obedience will follow, yes?
And if it doesn’t follow perfectly, we will have a relationship with Christ that is rooted and will not be shaken. We will know that we are standing on grace. We will ask forgiveness and know that we are forgiven because we know the One who forgives.
Grace.
And is not our pursuit of Christ the fulfillment of the greatest commandment? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love God. Pursue Him. Know Him. Relate to Him. Find all peace, joy, hope, and confidence in Him – not through your obedience.
And so God knew what He was doing. Isn’t the second commandment simply just an outflow if we are following the first? Knowing God, relating to Him, He loves us forever, He loves people forever. Should we not love people forever? If we know the grace that we’ve been given how can we not gladly extend that same grace to others?
See how this works? I am not saying tell people about Jesus because He says to. In Acts, Luke writes over and over again, “And they told all that God had done with them.” If I pursue Christ, if I know Him and His matchless grace, loving people in the same way that I have been loved will be the outcome.
And so it is only grace. And it is all about love.
This is the Christian life.
I remember when Steven Curtis Chapman’s It’s All About Love came on a little over three years ago and I rolled my eyes and flipped to the next song. My friend in the car with me was indignant not because it was her choice of song …but because it was her choice of theology.
It’s not that I thought that it wasn’t about grace and love. It’s that I thought they weren’t above all else. I mean, I quoted Eph. 2:8-9 with enthusiasm but the ‘be’ and ‘do’ passages were close at hand.
Not that those that are saved by the blood of Christ shouldn’t be something different and do things differently than those that do not know Christ. But that those two songs were right.
Growing up in the faith, talking about deep theology in high school, and going to a rooted-in-God’s-word college, I know truth. Right? I am not here to blame my past. In fact, God has used all of my life to shape me and mold me into who I am today. If I look at the good things that God has made happen through those venues, I am grateful.
But I am sinner – my whole self – from imperfections physically, to heart and mind. So as I heard and listened and sought to apply, is it not reasonable that I would interpret incorrectly sometimes? Is it not reasonable that I would seek to apply for my own glory sometimes?
Is it not reasonable that even as I see God’s work in my life right now that my fear and unease at new theological discoveries and how they should be applied is not all because of their newness but also because of my necessity for humility?
It’s only grace. Katie, don’t talk about obedience and works. Let’s talk about Jesus. Why did He come? Why did He die? Why does He love me? Are not those the essential questions to Christianity?
My admission of my sinful-self, John says, is the beginning. Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, came to earth as man to show us and lead us …but ultimately to die. Jesus died as the punishment for my sins. Jesus died to please God’s perfect justice. Jesus died so that I would not have to. “If I confess my sins, He is faithful and just to forgive my sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
But we know this is not the end. Christ arose! Jesus has power even over death and so He conquered the grave and lives gloriously as the risen Lamb.
He has provided life when there was no life. He has provided peace where there was no peace. He has provided joy where there was no joy. He has provided righteousness where there was no righteousness. He has provided cleansing where there was no cleansing. He has provided hope where there was no hope. He has provided life where there was no life.
Grace.
It’s only grace.
But I still sin! What’s my problem? I’m a sinner in constant need of a Savior. Once saved always saved and then the Christian life should be marked with repentance as Sinclair Ferguson says.
But am I not to seek perfect obedience? I am extremely hesitant to say of course. I think there is a very fine line here, especially with my twisted thinking as a sinner. Is my worth any different if I obey? No. Is my status any higher if I obey? I don’t think so. Sometimes the Bema seat is spoken of and getting jewels in our crown for the good things that we do as a Christian. I think we need to be very careful in discussing this. I tend to think that the Christians that will get such honorable rewards will be those that have never discussed the Bema seat.
Perhaps if I reworded the question – am I not to pursue obedience? Read it again. I think there are passages in Scripture that people could use to say, “Yes, of course!” But my question is, what about Jesus? Aren’t we supposed to pursue Jesus? Jesus and obedience are two different pursuits. Again, I think we could discuss it and I could be convinced that obedience is a good thing to be sought after and we should always strive for perfection. But I think it’s confusing. It’s confusing in my head. And I think there is always a risk of striving for obedience for self and not for the glory of God.
But we agree that we should pursue Christ, right? And what does that mean? Read His word to know Him. Pray to Him to converse with Him. Delight in Him. Relish in His goodness. And more than anything know His grace and love.
Seek Jesus. Pursue Him only. Pursue Him whole-heartedly.
Perhaps obedience will follow, yes?
And if it doesn’t follow perfectly, we will have a relationship with Christ that is rooted and will not be shaken. We will know that we are standing on grace. We will ask forgiveness and know that we are forgiven because we know the One who forgives.
Grace.
And is not our pursuit of Christ the fulfillment of the greatest commandment? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love God. Pursue Him. Know Him. Relate to Him. Find all peace, joy, hope, and confidence in Him – not through your obedience.
And so God knew what He was doing. Isn’t the second commandment simply just an outflow if we are following the first? Knowing God, relating to Him, He loves us forever, He loves people forever. Should we not love people forever? If we know the grace that we’ve been given how can we not gladly extend that same grace to others?
See how this works? I am not saying tell people about Jesus because He says to. In Acts, Luke writes over and over again, “And they told all that God had done with them.” If I pursue Christ, if I know Him and His matchless grace, loving people in the same way that I have been loved will be the outcome.
And so it is only grace. And it is all about love.
This is the Christian life.
3.20.2008
book review
Velvet Elvis, Repainting the Christian Faith by Rob Bell
Satan hates this book. I don't agree with everything. But Rob Bell wouldn't want me to agree with everything. It's a discussion. And it continues to bring to light some things that I had already been thinking about and continue to think about. It's extremely open-minded and I like that. Perhaps there are some parts that are hard for a Christian of my background to get through (and not throw the book down in disgust) but, I say, read it all the way through anyway. As the Lord has been giving me new insights into faith and love and life, I have come across Christians that are extremely ungracious towards other Christians that, to them, are very close-minded, dogmatic, Bible-thumping, and lots of saying rather than doing people. But I like Rob Bell. He doesn't demean me for how I've thought (or continue to think in areas). He just loves Jesus and has found all joy in Him and wants those that don't know Him to have that same love and joy and also all Christians everywhere to have that same love and joy. You could feel his excitement. And I think that's what he wanted, for his readers to know that God is mysterious and glorious and awesome and joyful and gracious. That we won't know everything about Him. We can't even come close to trying to define Him and put Him into our boxes. That's not God. Being a Christian isn't about organizing life and God. Being a Christian is about relating to God, with God, delighting in Him forever. And so this book is a discussion about how to fully delight in God and how to help others find how they can delight in God too. When we live with God as our ultimate delight, is that not the most glorifying thing for His name?
Movement Four and Movement Five were the most impactful for me.
Satan hates this book. I don't agree with everything. But Rob Bell wouldn't want me to agree with everything. It's a discussion. And it continues to bring to light some things that I had already been thinking about and continue to think about. It's extremely open-minded and I like that. Perhaps there are some parts that are hard for a Christian of my background to get through (and not throw the book down in disgust) but, I say, read it all the way through anyway. As the Lord has been giving me new insights into faith and love and life, I have come across Christians that are extremely ungracious towards other Christians that, to them, are very close-minded, dogmatic, Bible-thumping, and lots of saying rather than doing people. But I like Rob Bell. He doesn't demean me for how I've thought (or continue to think in areas). He just loves Jesus and has found all joy in Him and wants those that don't know Him to have that same love and joy and also all Christians everywhere to have that same love and joy. You could feel his excitement. And I think that's what he wanted, for his readers to know that God is mysterious and glorious and awesome and joyful and gracious. That we won't know everything about Him. We can't even come close to trying to define Him and put Him into our boxes. That's not God. Being a Christian isn't about organizing life and God. Being a Christian is about relating to God, with God, delighting in Him forever. And so this book is a discussion about how to fully delight in God and how to help others find how they can delight in God too. When we live with God as our ultimate delight, is that not the most glorifying thing for His name?
Movement Four and Movement Five were the most impactful for me.
3.18.2008
San Diego Wild Animal Park
There really is a sign that says, "Do not stare." Maybe it should face both directions.He just looks so comfortable. His left foot is resting on his right knee - hah!
Who doesn't like elephants? There were two big elephants and two baby elephants that were playing. He looks soooooo happy, doesn't he? Although, you wouldn't think that position would be very comfortable for an elephant.
And there were tons of lions. Precious... well, they look like it when they're sleeping.
Flamingos might look really beautiful but they are probably the stinkiest animals on the planet!
I think the rhinos look pretty peaceful too. But who wouldn't be at peace with this beautiful southern California weather?
Well, I look like a dork but the weather was gorgeous.
Three little birdies sitting in a tree. But they were actually fighting with each other for the necter. I was sorta scared. That's why I have a stupid smile in this pic.
He doesn't look that big in this picture but he is really BIG.
Three little birdies sitting in a tree. But they were actually fighting with each other for the necter. I was sorta scared. That's why I have a stupid smile in this pic.
He doesn't look that big in this picture but he is really BIG.
Isn't this a pretty picture of my mom?
Overall, it was a pretty good day.
(I cannot get this to format well. Hope you can read it anyway.)
3.15.2008
Spring Break
Thursday - layover at the atlanta airport, bored out of my mind, but i got a stuffed bear dressed up as a pilot
Friday - went to the world famous san diego wild animal park with my mom, gorgeous so cal weather
Saturday morning - went w/future-bride cindy and kayti to get dresses, i had fish tacos for lunch
Saturday evening - went w/em to delila and christian's house for Bible study
Sunday early afternoon - went to santa clarita, em had lunch w/dayson, i had lunch w/betty price
Sunday late afternoon - went to sovereign grace church in downtown los angeles
Sunday evening - met kayti and jason at disneyland
Monday - did homework at carlsbad state beach
...and found a cute picture of me and cindy
(i will upload some of my pictures i took that are now on my laptop when i have wi-fi)
Friday - went to the world famous san diego wild animal park with my mom, gorgeous so cal weather
Saturday morning - went w/future-bride cindy and kayti to get dresses, i had fish tacos for lunch
Saturday evening - went w/em to delila and christian's house for Bible study
Sunday early afternoon - went to santa clarita, em had lunch w/dayson, i had lunch w/betty price
Sunday late afternoon - went to sovereign grace church in downtown los angeles
Sunday evening - met kayti and jason at disneyland
Monday - did homework at carlsbad state beach
...and found a cute picture of me and cindy
(i will upload some of my pictures i took that are now on my laptop when i have wi-fi)
3.14.2008
What do you think?
I'm thinking about living on campus in the grad. houses next year. It's more expensive but... ???
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