Inner Math Nerd

hehe SO MUCH FUN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTwrVAbV56o&feature=youtu.be
and it can be used to hid peanut butter and jelly from each other, too!

some more about hexaflexagons... isn't the word just AWESOME to say?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIVIegSt81k&feature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=paQ10POrZh8&NR=1

happy hexaflexagon month!

Listening is an act of love

Found a book in Fondren that I've been meaning to read for a while on Friday. Checked it out, finished it in two one-hour sittings. It's a collection of interview-stories collected by StoryCorps, everyday stories about everyday Americans because "if we take the time to listen, we'll find wisdom, wonder, and poetry in the lives and stories of the people around us."

One of my favorite stories: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNfvuJr9164
Makes me tear up every time I hear it, watch it, read it.

And one more quote:
"I hope that simply reading or listening to the StoryCorps stories can prove transformative as well. These interviews remind us that, contrary to what we might infer from the media, we are not just a nation of celebrity worship and consumption but, rather, a people defined by our character, courage, and heart. These stories are a record of our shared humanity. Hearing them, it becomes clear that no matter who we are or where we come from, there is much more in common that we share than that divides us. These stories are a reminder that if we spent a little less time listening to the racket of divisive radio and TV talk shows and a little more time listening to eat other, we would be a better, more thoughtful, and more compassionate nation."

I was thinking about this after Friday, after Pastor Jason talked about navigating those ethical gray areas, after lots of questions and comments and discussion. Thinking that at the end of the day, we live our lives out fully to the glory of God -- and that is not not to be bound by rules and things-to-do but rather to be free and   to relish life and to love! To love as God first loved us. Which means listening to, seeing, being with the people who are placed right beside us. Right beside me. My mission field is right here.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Lord, let your work be done.

Wanted to keep this sermon on file. http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/b/1/0/b10249bb8ad28159/JS_Park_-_Faith_Journey_CCF_9-14-12.mp3?c_id=4958537&expiration=1349913402&hwt=0615d3b6deaf1429810451b079f328c5

As for me, I was dead in my transgressions and sins, in which I used to live when I followed the ways of this world and of the rule of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at working those who are disobedient. I also loved among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of my sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, I was by nature an object of wrath. But because of his great love for me, God, who is rick in mercy, made me alive with Christ even when I was dead in transgressions -- it is by grace I have been saved. And God raised me up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace I have been saved, through faith -- and this not from myself, it is the gift of God -- not by works so that I cannot boast. For I am God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for me to do.

adapted from Ephesians 2:1-10

Sloth

Well, this was a slap upside the head.

So true. I run around like a chicken with my head cut off and want to do all sorts of things (for what purpose? to show that I can do it? because I ought? because people asked me to and I stink at saying no? baaaaaad motivations) and then talk about busyness and how I'm ensnared in it... and yet I do not change. I should change my name to Martha. >.< Hardworking sloth indeed. Pah!

Not that industriousness is a bad thing. (Ha! If only the things I were doing were always industrious...)

But I've been given this gift of grace to be free! Not to try to work myself into earning this precious, priceless gift -- which has already been given to me. for free. because of His great love. not anything I have done or can do or will ever do.

Lord, instead of letting me hold onto the things I want to do, help me to pay attention to you. Help me to do what I say I will do, and so honor you. Put my mind on what you deem important, and keep it there. Let your work be the root of the transforming of my mind, and let my outward words and actions mirror what's inside. Help me be alert, not lazy and secure and comfortable and complacent. Goodness gracious, I need lots of help. But I praise you for your mercies are new every morning, and even when I mess up you've got everything in control and I love you and trust you because you are good and you are my God and my savior. Thanks for taking care of a silly little girl. Thanks for loving me even when I'm not looking toward you, looking for you. Thanks for being with me today and everyday.

Worth

http://jeffdlawrence.com/2011/12/23/some-thoughts-on-how-to-talk-to-little-girls/
^this applies to how to talk to big girls, too. and boys. and everyone!

I'm so thankful for days like yesterday and today. God, thank you for having such big plans  for your people. and for being so wise in how you place people at particular times in particular places to say particular words and do particular things. I'm so glad for fellowship, for friends, for brothers and sisters, for discipleship. Even better, I'm so glad for God's crazy-awesome plan of redemption, for his saving grace, for his righteousness becoming my sin, for giving me my identity and my worth. May we fall ever more in love with Jesus this year!

"I always say I am a little pencil in God's hands. He does the thinking. He does the writing. He does everything and sometimes it is really hard because it is a broken pencil and He has to sharpen it a little more. Be a little instrument in His hands so that He can use you any time, anywhere. We have only to say 'yes' to God." -Mother Teresa

This week: reading, dwelling on Hebrews&James                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Discipline

My unassisted heart is barren clay,
That of its native self can nothing feed:
Of good and pious works Thou art the seed,
That quickens only where Thou sayest it may:
Unless Thou show to us Thine own true way
No man can find it: Father! Thou must lead.
- Michael Angelo

So thankful for encouragement and prayers by those who care -- for trust and hope in a faithful God who delights in demonstrating his loving-kindness to his people, who holds the whole world in his hands and works out everything for the good of those who love him.

Also -- thankful to be here, learning about what it means to live in a rural setting with poor infrastruction and limited resources. Thankful for smiles, friendship, companionship, food, laughter, generosity, joy. The poor indeed can be the richest of all.

Days here have been full: working, reading, walking, eating, sleeping. One message I've been seeing in the books I've been reading recently (Book of Daniel, Little Women, Little Men, The Pursuit of God, Elsie Dinsmore) is the importance of discipline -- not discipline as an end but rather as a means. Giving God the reins to lead me by keeping mentally sharp, managing time wisely to make the most of every opportunity, being a good steward of my physical body through purposeful eating and sleeping, building good habits.

Lessons currently learning:
- patience: being flexible with time, letting go of personal plans to accommodate others, being willing to wait, not assuming/judging, having a good attitude both inside and out
- pride: fighting entitlement, accepting gifts with grace
- discipline: sleeping and rising early, spending quiet morning time in sweet fellowship, eating well, exercising enough, distinguishing between essential, important, and preferred (things-to-do, priorities, decision-making)

--
Have been waiting for an hour for my mom to Skype me, but she hasn't shown up online. It's 11pm, and I woke up at 6 this morning and will probably wake up at 6 tomorrow too... should sleep, am tired, but also want to be up to talk with her while she and sister G are in Houston to help me set up house at the condo. Very thankful for family who take super duper good care of me, even when I'm not around! Will stay up just a little longer in hope that she shows up... but maybe she forgot or is busy or can't figure out how to get online, so will go to bed in half an hour max. Gnite!

Updates

One month in, halfway through this summer in Malawi. These past four weeks have gone by quickly. Work has been good; will be traveling a bit in the next few weeks; should be exciting! =D

Lots of thoughts floating in my head, but few of them written down. So I'll just dump some notes here and perhaps write them out further at some later point in time.

Re: Learning about Malawi
- People are super friendly here! And generally happy. Formal greetings, especially to people older than you. Lots of head-nodding and smiling and thank-yous.
- Staring is commonplace and socially acceptable. There is no sense of privacy or personal space -- not in the hospital wards, not in the villages.
- Azungos ("white people") are good entertainment, especially in villages. And a surprisingly large group of people is included in the "white people" category... People of German, Italian, Chinese, and Indian heritage are all lumped together as "white people". Haha a Pakistani friend here was asked if his older Luxembourgish friend was his father. They were both very amused (and bemused).
- Animals are not pets here. They serve a purpose -- dogs to guard, cows and goats and chickens for milk/meat/food. Cows can also be wrestled! Fun fun.
- Dogs can be vicious. Even the nice dogs that sit outside the house where I live with the other international hospital volunteers/guests. Bobby and Timmy were very bad and killed a baby goat yesterday =(
- Clean air. Despite the fact that (1) waste management here = throwing on the ground or incineration and (2) cooking can be super-smoky, the air here is super duper clean and fresh. Beautiful open skies, no smog.
- So blessed to have electricity (and generators for the very frequent times that power is out) and running water (even though it's cold) and clean ant-and-other-insect-free beds.
- HUGE AVOCADOS. amazingly good. Pits are about the same size as at home, but the avocado is 2 or 3 times larger. derrrrrricious. And lots of onions and tomatoes and baby bananas.

Re: Learning about myself
- I don't have much experience with drunk people. Twice now I have been walking in town and been approached by a drunk (one man, one woman... both not young) and didn't realize that they were drunk. According to my friend Crystal, children laughing at the old lady who is following Crystal and me around is perhaps a good sign that maybe the old lady is a little tipsy.
- I like exploring. It sometimes leads to me getting a little lost, but that's okay! As long as I'm not lost too much... or find my way back to a familiar place within an hour. =D Like on Sunday when Crystal and I were exploring the villages behind the trading center at Namitete (a larger trading center than the one by the hospital, which is called Namitondo). Glad there are at least a few people who know English.
- Malaria prophylaxis (Malarone) gives me very vivid dreams.
- I REALLY like sitting in the back of the hospital pick-up truck. And riding bike taxis. So much fun!!
- Reading a lot. Lots of early-morning alone-time, good for thinking and reading and meditating on Scripture. Finished Tozer's The Pursuit of God today. An oldie but a goodie. Really really really good. And not long. Fit very well with the chapters I was studying in Romans today (6-7). Prayer for full surrender to Christ -- that he becomes more, and I become less. So easy to make an idol of myself, or of busyness, or any good thing that distracts me from full satisfaction in Christ alone.

Food-from-scratch log in Zitha House (where all the hospital guests/volunteers from out-of-country stay -- we rotate cooking, so each group of one or two or three cooks about once a week):
- buttermilk pancakes with bananas
- oatmeal cookies
- thai curry
- roast cabbage and root vegetables and chicken
- chili and coleslaw
- cong you bing and stir-fry and basmati rice
- nsima, relish, beef, fried egg
- garlic bread and pasta
- guacamole on toasted scone bread
- brussel spouts and crostini and barley soup and mushroom risotto
- lots of peanut butter, jam, oatmeal, bread, granola bars
It's been exciting to cook with limited food supplies and small stove/oven/counter space. Gotta use lots of imagination! Fun fun fun.

Today's sunset was pretty, too!

And time for bed! Going on a day trip tomorrow -- visiting another hospital, renewing visa to stay in-country for another month, printing out a sample patient register to go along with our database project, visiting Lake Malawi. Goodnight!

Malawi: First Impressions

Malawi, the warm heart of Africa. It's been my home for the last week and a half and will continue to be home until I leave at the end of July. Right now, I'm sitting in my room in Zitha House, the temporary home of guests and volunteers at St. Gabriel's Hospital in Namitete. Kamal Shah, Tara Slough, and I have been placed here at St. Gabriel's Hospital by Rice University's Beyond Traditional Borders international internship program for the summer.

Landing in Kazuma International Airport in Lilongwe: "Welcome to Malawi!" Quickest passport, health record (yellow fever vaccination), and customs check I've ever done. Interesting system of having people deboard the plane and then get bussed over to the terminal. Free carrying carts!

Money: USD-Malawi Kwacha has a great exchange rate. A dollar is worth about MK260, so even buying groceries uses a lot of big-denomination bills. The Kwacha was devalued a few months ago by the new president (the old autocratic president died, luckily for him, because there may have been a coup if he'd lived), and according to the newspapers here there will be 18% inflation this year. Crazy.

Craft market in Lilongwe: very pretty things at the craft market! paintings, wood and stone carvings, bags, jewelry -- things meant for foreigners to pick up as mementos of Africa. Lots of safari themes (lion, giraffe, hippo, rhino, elephant) even though Malawi isn't really the place to do safaris (that would be Zambia). The first man who claimed me as a customer thought I didn't know how to buy things, so he told me about how Malawians bargain ("I set a price, then you give your price, and then we come to a price where we are both happy"). I will go back again though, because I didn't get to see very much of the market before going home.

Namitete and Namitondo: the nearest villages to the hospital! Some small Westernized stores, many stalls/stands in the market. Most stalls are painted either green or red by one of the two competing phone companies here (Airtel and TNM), because a fresh coat of paint with advertisement is better than no paint at all! Produce in abundance here: tomatoes, onions, rape (leafy green vegetable like kale), bananas. Pretty fabrics. Most girls wear black flats or low heels, if they're not barefoot. Little kids who aren't in school yet run up to azungos, and ask for pictures or balloons or soda.

Transportation: Walking - lovely scenery, can meet lots of people on the way, dusty roads. Bike taxis - fun! a padded seat is set over the back wheel behind the normal bike seat for you to sit on, and off you go -- a nice 5km ride for MK200 (MK150 for Malawians, upped price for azongo foreigners). Mini-bus - also fun! but maybe also dangerous. These are 15-passenger vans, but the drivers try to fit as many people as possible into them (the most anyone at the guest house has seen is 24). Gas is really expensive here (MK500 per liter), and there aren't many cars (also expensive).

Church: Went to my first Malawian Catholic mass yesterday. I think it was a special Sunday service, because there were a lot of decorations up and there were a lot of children performing. Lots of singing (choir joined by the congregation) and dancing and calling out. Women would stand up during the singing to dance for the glory of God, and others would make trilling calls to express encouragement/agreement, like an Amen. Even though I didn't understand too much of what was going on (everything was spoken in Chichewa), it was beautiful.

Prosperity: For all people talk about people in the developing world living on a dollar a day, it's still crazy to live here and see that it's really true. People at the hospital make MK1000, four dollars a day -- wonderful salary. There are men and women here whose living is subsistence farming, or selling things at market; in the off-season there is nothing to do and they must live on what they've stored up in the rest of the year. It's especially hard, I hear, November-February. In Nov/Dec because it's malaria season (malaria strikes all year round, but particularly in the hot rainy months), and in Jan/Feb because they're waiting for harvest time and most of the stored grain has already been eaten even though they ration and save as much as they can. You can see the difference in weight (poor = thin, not like in America where the poor are likely to be overweight/obese), in women's hairstyles (cropped short vs styled (braided, straightened, shined)), in level of education attained (primary school is free, but secondary school (after 8th grade) is not, and neither is university/professional school). The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (William Kamkwamba) gives good insight on Malawian life.

St. Gabriel's: It's a wonderful hospital. Despite many limitations (due to infrastructure and money constraints), they do amazing work serving the people of Malawi (and Mozambique and Zambia, since it's pretty close to the border) to the best of their ability. The doctors, nurses, and staff welcomed us with open arms and have taken good care of us in giving us things to do (big project: EMR system for the Palliative Care unit) and checking up on us. It's an honor to be here, to learn about the way things are done in developing world hospitals with limited resources and to help where we can. We're lucky to have clean water to drink and power generators when the power goes out (outages are frequent) and safe houses to sleep in.

Lots more to mull over and write down, but this is plenty. I'll close with a picture of a sunset I really liked, taken last Sunday on my walk home from Namitete.

Good post

http://onefamilytable.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/be-the-hero/
For perfect love casts out fear.
Amen.

(I'm too much of a pack rat, and now I can't even remember what my bookmark labels mean anymore... so after finals, I will commit to organize / clean out the following: desk, bed, cooking gear, electronic files, googlechrome bookmarks, book collection, memorabilia. But yes. Organize through bookmarked blogs and webpages. This is Goal #2.)

A goal for summer

Not that it's exactly summer yet (one more week!), but...

I want to memorize verses. I had said at the beginning of this year that I was going memorize verses, at least one a week, which I suppose I kinda sorta do in memorizing verses with my 2nd grade Sunday School class, but I have also quite quickly forgotten all those verses after Sunday School is over. Not a particularly good track record. Meh.

So: Seeds Family Worship to the rescue! http://www.seedsfamilyworship.net/listen-online/

Good verses. Put to good songs. On replay. Been listening to these on and off for over a year now, and I'm still on Volume 1.

Goal: memorize all three albums by the end of summer. Doable, yes? Three+ months, can do 30-some verses.
And by memorize, I mean: remember (rote memory) and also be able to explain each verse to someone else.

Exciteeeeddddd =)

because God's word is good.

He said to me, "You are my servant, in whom I will display my splendor."
But I said, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the Lord's hand, and my reward is with my God."


Augh. I'm so constantly baffled by the depth of God's love, that he would want me as his child, want to involve me in his kingdom work. Incomprehensible. I wish, I want to be able to earn his favor -- it makes so much more sense to my small mind. And a small mind indeed I have, a small understanding of God big love that overwhelms the measly walls that I put up because I want to control how much of his love I take at a time. Silly me.

I suppose this is why Paul prays so vehemently that the Ephesians, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that [they] may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. And so I pray in supplication for myself:

- For what end do I labor? Where do I spend my strength? Help me to point it back to you, God. Your glory and honor and praise. In everything -- You first, then others, then me.
- To bear fruit of peace this week. Especially with lots of phone calls and decisions to make for the summer and condo repairs/purchases and packing up and moving in and setting up house. To have a joyful and thankful attitude because I have already been so blessed in this process, even though big decisions = big responsibility, and I am not the most reliable/responsible person I could/should be.
- To be a good steward of time and resources in this process, too.
- To love, and to accept love, so that I can slowly gain a better understanding of your love that surpasses knowledge.

Also, a big praise for good timing. Reading through Isaiah recently has been hard, because there's so much I don't understand about what's going on in back-story and I am unsettled by proclamations of coming destruction though I know in my head that it is all an execution of God's justice in his good timing and it must be right and good because He is a righteous and good God. These verses today were a comforting reassurance of my place in this world (re-focusing, re-settling):
- Who am I in this world? His servant.
- What is my purpose? To be a vehicle displaying His splendor.
- But what if I have failed, messed up, wasted my time? What is due me is in His hand, and my reward is with Him. Thank goodness these things are not up to me.
Amen.

Mm and it's beautiful outside today. I'm going to go out and study and enjoy being in his beautiful creation. =D No need to be cooped up inside todayyyyyy wheeee sooo happpeeeee -- thank you God for the gift of BEAUTIFUL days. beautiful beautiful beautiful. because you are beautiful! i love you.

Christ-like, missional living

Lots of things on my mind recently, but one thing I especially wanted to share: a beautiful story by Leo Tolstoy written long, long ago.
http://www.thegoodquestion.com/2008/09/tolstoys-where-love-is-there-god-is.htm

Thankful for family, boyfriend, accountability, friends who constantly demonstrate God's love to me -- he who has loved us first, who showed us what love is. Good to remember the surpassing greatness of his love and grace and mercy on this Good Friday, good to meditate on his character, and then move to action.
For he has freed us from the bondage of sin so that we can learn and love and disciple and be witnesses for him.
Let me live for his sake, and his only.

Goodness

What a day.

I think this is the latest I've been awake in a good long while (so glad for well-placed breaks from school that let me practice resting at good reasonable hours) but... wow, what a day filled with instance after instance of God's goodness. I'm just so very glad to be alive and aware and a part of his kingdom here on earth while looking forward to his coming kingdom.

Night late, thoughts disjointed. But a few items of note:

- New Heart concert tonight was lovely, and reminded me a lot of home. It's so beautiful to worship with a body of believers in a (relatively) unfamiliar language, to clap with resounding joy, to lift up hands together in praise. I keep re-learning the same lessons again and again. I miss aspects of my home church (inter-generational relationships: with kids, youth, young adults, older folks, parents; traditional hymn-based worship; trans-cultural unity of the body) while here in Houston, and I mope around and don't do anything about it for a good long while, and then God in all his glorious lovingkindness presents a way to reconnect with those same aspects which are present also at HCC. Happened with Children's ministry this past year (so very glad for this beautiful opportunity to teach 2nd graders with G.). Happened with New Heart concert tonight. Silly me for longing for things past when those same things are right here in front of me.

- The church is a wonderful thing. It's been a long time since I've spent hours at church beyond typical morning service + Sunday School + lunchtime... since leaving home for Houston? HCC after 1pm has a very different feel than HCC at 10:30am, or even HCC at 12:30pm. People-watching is great: seeing how certain older folks sit/nap/talk on the couches, laughing at the kiddos who run around playing tag, meeting the Chinese School teachers and students (who happen to overlap a great deal with the Children's Sunday School teachers and students). Witnessing people checking up on each other, encouraging each other, being one family and one body -- beautiful.

- Happily surprised by my Sunday School children today. They seem so often to be just the easily distracted, too-energetic second graders that they are. But they are so much more! Thoughtful, creative, caring, responsive. One memorized all the books of the OT using the song that G. and I had played one Sunday School class a few months ago, a song that we both thought the kids would never ever remember because it seemed like they weren't even listening.

- Boyfriend. So good to me this break. So thankful for his place in my life. He speaks clarity into my confusion, pointing out a straight path when I am lost in a maze of meandering possibilities. And takes good care of me in a thousand different little ways. Teaches me, feeds me food, takes me on field trips, makes me rest, lets me cry on him, laughs with me, plays silly games with me, gives me time with his parents... a blessed almost-seven months so far.

- Smiles and meetings and chance conversations. With my mom, with "uncles" and "aunties" at HCC, with adorable children, with my dearly beloved CCFer brothers and sisters. Super duper encouraging.

- Outside. Spring is my favorite season, I think. I might change my mind next season. But, oh my, today was gorgeous. Balmy wind, clear skies, bright sun... Our God does masterful work with his creation.

- and so many other things.

And the best thing is, all these things that I am so glad for today... they are right here around me all the time. It just takes the eyes to see, the ears to listen, the heart ready to receive.

The Lord: He is good, providing in measures beyond my capacity to receive.
But let me not keep all this blessing to myself.
Rather, give me eyes to see, the ears to listen, the heart ready to pour out from the ultimate giver of all life and all love.

Amused

Study break today: http://stayingfortea.org/2011/11/23/the-culturally-sensitive-butt/

Happy for a beautiful day today =) Week's half over!

God's Rag Tag Army

An Old and Beautiful Story

I think God must be very old and very tired…. God’s been on the march a long time, you know. And look at God’s rag-tag little army! All he has for soldiers are you and me. Dumb little army.


Listen!  The drum beat isn’t even regular.  Everyone is out of step.  And there! You see?  God keeps stopping along the way to pick up one of God’s tinier soldiers who decided to wander off and play with a frog, or run in a field, or whose foot got tangled in the underbrush.  God will never get anywhere that way.  And yet, the march goes on.


Do you see how the marchers have broken up into little groups?  Look at that group up near the front. Now, there’s a snappy outfit… –at least they’re in step with each other.  Only they’re not wearing their shoes. They’re carrying them in their hands.  Silly little band.  They won’t get far before God will have to stop again.


Or how about that other group over there?  They’re all holding hands as they march.  The only trouble with this is the people on each end of the line.  Pretty soon they realize that one of their hands isn’t holding onto anything–one hand is reaching, empty, alone.   And so they hold hands with each other, and everybody marches around in circles.  The more people holding hands, the bigger the circle.  And, of course, a bigger circle is deceptive because as we march along it looks like we’re going someplace, but we’re not.  And so God must stop again. You see what I mean?  He’ll never get anywhere that way!


If God were more sensible he’d take his little army and shape them up.  Why, whoever heard of a soldier stopping to romp in a field?  It’s ridiculous.  But even more absurd is a general who will stop the march of eternity to go and bring the soldier back.  But that’s God for you.   His is no endless, empty marching. He is going somewhere. His steps are deliberate and purposive.   He may be old, and he may be tired.  But he knows where he’s going.   And he means to take every last one of his tiny soldiers with him.  Only there aren’t going to be any forced marches.  And, after all, there are frogs and flowers, and thorns and underbrush along the way.  And even though our foreheads have been signed with the sign of the cross, we are only human.   And most of us are afraid and lonely and would like to hold hands or cry or run away.  And we don’t know where we are going, and we can’t seem to trust God–especially when it’s dark out and we can’t see him!  And he won’t go on without us.  And that’s why it’s taking so long. 


Listen!  The drum beat isn’t even regular.  Everyone is out of step.  And there! You see?  God keeps stopping along the way to pick up one of God’s tinier soldiers who decided to wander off and play with a frog, or run in a field, or whose foot got tangled in the underbrush.  God will never get anywhere that way. 


And yet, the march goes on.

- Martin Bell

"The Efficacy of Prayer" by C. S. Lewis:

“God,” said Pascal, “instituted prayer in order to lend to His creatures the dignity of causality.”

Psalms

Read Psalms 90 and 91 this morning. And reflected upon them -- and oh, the promises held herein are enough to blow my mind.

Sometimes I find it really easy to read, read, read and not think, ruminate, dwell upon the Word. (Eerily similar to how I go, go, go and do, do, do sans introspection on motivation and purpose and goal. Probably related.) God, keep me from treating our precious Word flippantly. Help me to hold it in high honor, to meditate upon it day and night, so that I will not forget your character and your promises. So that I can really and truly trust in your grace and provision, leaning on your constancy and faithfulness in an uncertain world.

For you are God from everlasting to everlasting.

I am nothing but dust, all my days naught but a second.

Teach me to number my days aright, that I may gain a heart of wisdom.

Satisfy me with your unfailing love.

May your favor rest upon me and establish the work of my hands for me.

You are shelter, refugee, fortress, savior, protector, rescuer, deliverer.

May I acknowledge you, trust in you, dwell in you, love you.

May these words be hidden in my heart. May they be true.
And may today be a day of thanksgiving and grace and remembrance and love.

Oh kiddos

Kids say the ca-raaaayziest things. But, oh, how this made me laugh =)

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(credit: picture from tumblr)

Sewing

Sigh. I really want to re-learn how to sew.

Things like:

Sewing is so soothing. As is knitting. Unfortunately, I'm not good/fast at either, so... not a particularly good use of time right now.

Hm, maybe... I should invite some girls over sometime, and we can chill and talk and snack and bond and take pictures and do arts/crafts. We'll see. =D One day!

In the meantime, shall keep dreaming of lovely foodies and craftsies. And go back to homeworking.

Barrage

Cool videos I saw today (I don't know how they popped up on my Youtube Watch Later list, but I'm glad they were there -- because they were really good):

(a) Japanese synchronized gymnastics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtwB4jnO7ro&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
(b) Commentary on the English language by a 102-year-old: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_dc65V7DV8&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

These past few weeks have been so full. Can't describe the sheer volume of stuff I need to (should) process. I keep telling myself, "I don't want to be busy! I don't want to be busy!" and yet I find myself busy and i find myself chafing at the bit if I am not doing something. Why I cam such a crazy, confused, contrary, self-focused person?! Thankful for snippets of time I do have for reflection. And for early mornings. And for sisters who keep me grounded. And for Johnny making me spend time not keeping busy (though I sometimes don't appreciate it until in retrospect). And for a good, so very good, so very strong, so very faithful, so very loving God.

Girls' night was amazing. So much praise for how everything came together, for the bonding and sharing and understanding and building up that happened last night and this morning. Prayer that the relationships strengthened last night among the girls and the guys in our fellowship and the slightly older men and women of HCC will continue growing as we spur each other on to be more like Christ.

Heh, I think that last night's sleep is just now starting to hit me. I must say, I was pretty impressed with myself waking up sans alarm at 730, and glad for time alone in the patch of sunlight by the window on Yvonne's staircase. It's really cool to be awake when no one else is awake =D But am tired now, and thoughts are disjointed.

Two items on immediate agenda: food, rest.

ttfn!

A Prayer

Read a prayer today written long, long ago by Saint Thérèse of Lisieux -- and was struck by the beauty of these immortal words which point to the one and only God of this world. Praise him for the freedom received through Christ, freedom to live and love and laugh, freedom from the insidious bondage of sin.

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing,
Dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.


Amen.