Just want to let you all know that it rained today in LA.
That'll be all
Monday, November 27, 2006
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Family
So, just back from my little journey to San Diego and back. I had a really good, relaxing time with the family down there. Was especially good to just be back in a house instead of a dorm. What I really appreciated was being able to go to sleep in absolute silence--no people playing guitar outside my door, no yelling from people playing Halo, and no roommate bursting through our very squeaky door at obscene hours of the night....just silence.
Judy and Gary took real good care of me while I was there. We ate at Kono's twice (yum yum), went to see the latest James Bond movie (awesome), and they always offered their hospitality. Was really good to see so many people that I haven't seen in such a long time (e.g. Heather and Bree). It's kind of funny how different the family is down here compared to up in Oregon. I'm used to always having a disproportionate amount of children running around, but down here the family is all grown up (besides Nicole and Jeremy). I always appreciate, though, how much interest they show in my life even though I don't see them that much.
Hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. I know I am thankful for everyone reading this, because it means that they care about me and have probably made a significant contribution in my life. Don't ever worry that your contribution is for nothing...I'm am trying really hard to do well in college--and I know that my life is more than my own, so you shouldn't worry about me making poor choices. When these 4 years are done and over with, it's going to be the people reading this right now who are going to be the ones I thank for wherever I am...thank you in advance.
I hope you all recognize what a great country we live in. Sure, it's sinful, self-obsessed, and plenty of other negative things...but do remember that you got to pray with your family around the dinner table on Thursday without fear of reprisal. Remember that you make more money in a day than most people in the world make in a month. Remember that you were able to drive to your destination in a running vehicle this past Thanksgiving...and that you were able to eat until you were way passed full. Not too bad.
Also remember, that to whom much is given, much is expected. I hope we can remember that when we see those in need. It's not enough to give when it is convenient...giving (and loving for that matter) is about sacrifice, which is never convenient.
My little children let us not love in words alone, but in deeds and truth
1 John 3:18
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Good News
Just talked to my Art Appreciation teacher today, and she said I currently have a 95% in the class!! Whoo Hoo. Praise the the Lord. As long as I can keep breathing I should be fine :)
Keep praying for me, though. Got two sizable projects that I have due after Thanksgiving...want to make sure I do well on both of them. One of the projects is in Convergent Journalism where I have a 89%...so a good project would give me an A.
Have a good Thanksgiving everyone. I am heading down to San Diego on Thursday to see the the family down there, and will stay till Saturday.
Keep praying for me, though. Got two sizable projects that I have due after Thanksgiving...want to make sure I do well on both of them. One of the projects is in Convergent Journalism where I have a 89%...so a good project would give me an A.
Have a good Thanksgiving everyone. I am heading down to San Diego on Thursday to see the the family down there, and will stay till Saturday.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Please Pray for me
The end of the semester is upon me. The end of my first semester at Biola...wow.
Anyways, for the first time in my life I am actually worried about my grades.
It is not that I am doing bad or anything....it's just that I got $4,700/yr on the line if I don't make a 3.3 GPA...that basically means I need 3 As out of my 6 classes.
Now, I for certain I will get an A in two of my classes, but the other 4 are causing me my worry. The teachers never seem to tell what your grades are, so even though I know I have been doing pretty well in those classes, I have no clue as to where I am at--which would be beneficial to know beacause if I am borderline then I need to work extra hard studing for the final.
Anyways, I am just anxious....I guess I was feeling fine until I found out that I did worse on the last math test than I expected....I'm going to have to nail the last test in that class in order to get an A.
But just pray for me. Pray that I'd have endurance to push through all this. I mean, in reality I probably should be feeling just fine--there has definitely got to be at least one A in those remaining 4 classes--however the amount of money at stake is causing me a bit of stress. So just also pray that I'd feel the peace of God upon me as I finish out the year.
Thank You
Anyways, for the first time in my life I am actually worried about my grades.
It is not that I am doing bad or anything....it's just that I got $4,700/yr on the line if I don't make a 3.3 GPA...that basically means I need 3 As out of my 6 classes.
Now, I for certain I will get an A in two of my classes, but the other 4 are causing me my worry. The teachers never seem to tell what your grades are, so even though I know I have been doing pretty well in those classes, I have no clue as to where I am at--which would be beneficial to know beacause if I am borderline then I need to work extra hard studing for the final.
Anyways, I am just anxious....I guess I was feeling fine until I found out that I did worse on the last math test than I expected....I'm going to have to nail the last test in that class in order to get an A.
But just pray for me. Pray that I'd have endurance to push through all this. I mean, in reality I probably should be feeling just fine--there has definitely got to be at least one A in those remaining 4 classes--however the amount of money at stake is causing me a bit of stress. So just also pray that I'd feel the peace of God upon me as I finish out the year.
Thank You
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
How the....?
How did Jesus do it?
How did Jesus remain absolutely morally perfect but yet reach all facets of society? Maybe the answer is just that He is God...but think about it...
...It seems that in our times, in order to reach a certain group of people, you have to be or at least act like that group of people. You want to bring the Gospel to a bunch of punk, street kids? Then you have to become a punk, street kid. I mean think about it, how effective would your typical white-colar, middle-class Christian guy be at a ministry like that?
It seems that the people who are the most effective and evangelizing are the people who struggle the most. I mean, the people who bring others to Christ are the ones who have fought through the most raunchy of lives, experienced the most painful of things, and who have made the worst choices. By their stories of finding new life in Christ, others are inspired to seek after God.
In our post-modern, nihilistic world, you're often labeled "fake" if you are not going through some extrutiating trial or if you're generally joyful in life. No one likes a "faker"...no, this culture wants "honesty"...don't give them none of that suburban happy-life stuff--they like it raw.
Thus...many of us who have not undergone that dramatic 180 conversion in life often have a hard time relating to secularized culture.
Again I ask, how did Jesus do it? Nowadays it seems like you have to be going through some serious sin struggle to reach people. Jesus was morally perfect....He reached thousands in His time on Earth--hundreds of millions in His time in heaven.
What was it about Jesus that drew people? Was it simply because He was God...or was there something in His actions and words that drew people?
Jesus dwelt among the sinners....yet He Himself did not sin. He rebuked sin, but not once did anyone call Him "judgmental" or label Him as "up-tight" and "conservative."
How did He do it?.....I really don't know.
How did Jesus remain absolutely morally perfect but yet reach all facets of society? Maybe the answer is just that He is God...but think about it...
...It seems that in our times, in order to reach a certain group of people, you have to be or at least act like that group of people. You want to bring the Gospel to a bunch of punk, street kids? Then you have to become a punk, street kid. I mean think about it, how effective would your typical white-colar, middle-class Christian guy be at a ministry like that?
It seems that the people who are the most effective and evangelizing are the people who struggle the most. I mean, the people who bring others to Christ are the ones who have fought through the most raunchy of lives, experienced the most painful of things, and who have made the worst choices. By their stories of finding new life in Christ, others are inspired to seek after God.
In our post-modern, nihilistic world, you're often labeled "fake" if you are not going through some extrutiating trial or if you're generally joyful in life. No one likes a "faker"...no, this culture wants "honesty"...don't give them none of that suburban happy-life stuff--they like it raw.
Thus...many of us who have not undergone that dramatic 180 conversion in life often have a hard time relating to secularized culture.
Again I ask, how did Jesus do it? Nowadays it seems like you have to be going through some serious sin struggle to reach people. Jesus was morally perfect....He reached thousands in His time on Earth--hundreds of millions in His time in heaven.
What was it about Jesus that drew people? Was it simply because He was God...or was there something in His actions and words that drew people?
Jesus dwelt among the sinners....yet He Himself did not sin. He rebuked sin, but not once did anyone call Him "judgmental" or label Him as "up-tight" and "conservative."
How did He do it?.....I really don't know.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Pics from Movie Night
A bunch of people from Sigma went to the ArcLight theater in Hollywood. It is a nice theater!! ($14 a ticket)--there are leather seats! We all wanted to dress up for it, so here we are. This was last Friday. We saw The Prestige, which was extremely good!
Friday, November 03, 2006
Today's Chapel
This morning in chapel we had a guy from our School of Intercultural Studies speak. He has been a missioary in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
He brought with him quite the stories. He spent time with people in these countries that regularly went on "jihad," and yet they accepted him with them because he showed love and care. The speaker's message kind of revolved around that. He was able to witness to these people not because he pushed his message, but because he just showed them basic human care.
I suppose that is a good message for us all to hear. Sometimes wae become so concerned with audibly spreading the Gospel that we forget to show people the care that Jesus showed others. People are going to be much more open and susceptible to the Gospel if we at first acknowledge their human needs--if we just take them as they are and care for them without passing harsh judgments. This guy could have condemned these people he was staying with, but then he would not have gotten the opportunities he did to share Christ's love--in fact he probably would have been dead.
These things aren't easy. It is too easy to pass judgments. And you know what, it's not that some things aren't wrong--some things are. This guy that spoke to us didn't like that these people were going on jihad, and he even said today that he really isn't that interested in Islam. But you know what, despite his disagreements, he still just took these people for what they were, and was a friend to them. Having personal judgments is inevitable--sin is sin, is sin, right---but we have to decide whether we're going to let these things get in the way of God's ministry.
Refering to the post below this one, I am definitely having to learn this message with some of my Christian brothers.
He brought with him quite the stories. He spent time with people in these countries that regularly went on "jihad," and yet they accepted him with them because he showed love and care. The speaker's message kind of revolved around that. He was able to witness to these people not because he pushed his message, but because he just showed them basic human care.
I suppose that is a good message for us all to hear. Sometimes wae become so concerned with audibly spreading the Gospel that we forget to show people the care that Jesus showed others. People are going to be much more open and susceptible to the Gospel if we at first acknowledge their human needs--if we just take them as they are and care for them without passing harsh judgments. This guy could have condemned these people he was staying with, but then he would not have gotten the opportunities he did to share Christ's love--in fact he probably would have been dead.
These things aren't easy. It is too easy to pass judgments. And you know what, it's not that some things aren't wrong--some things are. This guy that spoke to us didn't like that these people were going on jihad, and he even said today that he really isn't that interested in Islam. But you know what, despite his disagreements, he still just took these people for what they were, and was a friend to them. Having personal judgments is inevitable--sin is sin, is sin, right---but we have to decide whether we're going to let these things get in the way of God's ministry.
Refering to the post below this one, I am definitely having to learn this message with some of my Christian brothers.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Curious Indeed
Just a note....I am going to start using this blog for more than just talking to people back home...I kind of want to use it for a forum of my general thoughts as well...I still will give you all updates, though, just like always.
_______________________________________
It really is quite curious how much my faith has been challenged since I have gotten to Biola. I knew that I would grow in my faith here, but I never thought I'd have so many people in opposition to the finer points of Christian living that I believe and practice.
Biola really draws a diverse range of people...maybe it doesn't appear that way on the outside (all Christian, 70% white), but being in the culture I can really see the differences of people. There are people here who have been Christians all their lives, and their are people here (like my roommate) who have only been Christians for a few years. That in itself causes a lot of mixed beliefs. Furthermore, Biola attracts people from around the world, many of them missionary kids--you can imagine the diversity that brings.
It just has been a very (insert any adjective here) experience for me. I mean, growing up in the same church all my life, I never really heard too many things that I outright disagreed with. I never really engaged in any heated theological debate with fellow Christians.
So being here at Biola, where there really is no official denomination (except for the very broad "evangelical" Christian), I have run into a lot of weird things. One day I'm hearing people behind me talk about speaking in tongues, the next day I got my roommate trying to tell me that he doesn't think cussing is wrong, and still another person is suggesting that calling God "father" is just as wrong as refering to Him in feminine terms. Wow! Just remember these are students, not professors.
Now, all this is good for me, you guys don't have to remind me. I am very confident that I am experiencing exactly what God wants me to experience. If my faith is never challenged, how strong can it be, right? I just feel trapped often times because where I used to be so confident in making a theological statement, now I kind of hesitate...fearing that I'll aggravate an argument.
But yeah, Grace people back home, don't think that Biola is a bad school or anything--it isn't. Biola is an awesome school and I am so glad I am here. I have already learned a lot about defending my faith and am constantly being forced to think about my faith--especially in my cultural anthropology class where my professor likes to just throw purposefully controversial things at the class.
One of the most important things that I have taken out of this whole belief shock is that even if a fellow Christian disagress with me, as long as he believes the Gospel, he is still my Christian brother....seems a simple concept, but I have experientially learned it down here.
_______________________________________
It really is quite curious how much my faith has been challenged since I have gotten to Biola. I knew that I would grow in my faith here, but I never thought I'd have so many people in opposition to the finer points of Christian living that I believe and practice.
Biola really draws a diverse range of people...maybe it doesn't appear that way on the outside (all Christian, 70% white), but being in the culture I can really see the differences of people. There are people here who have been Christians all their lives, and their are people here (like my roommate) who have only been Christians for a few years. That in itself causes a lot of mixed beliefs. Furthermore, Biola attracts people from around the world, many of them missionary kids--you can imagine the diversity that brings.
It just has been a very (insert any adjective here) experience for me. I mean, growing up in the same church all my life, I never really heard too many things that I outright disagreed with. I never really engaged in any heated theological debate with fellow Christians.
So being here at Biola, where there really is no official denomination (except for the very broad "evangelical" Christian), I have run into a lot of weird things. One day I'm hearing people behind me talk about speaking in tongues, the next day I got my roommate trying to tell me that he doesn't think cussing is wrong, and still another person is suggesting that calling God "father" is just as wrong as refering to Him in feminine terms. Wow! Just remember these are students, not professors.
Now, all this is good for me, you guys don't have to remind me. I am very confident that I am experiencing exactly what God wants me to experience. If my faith is never challenged, how strong can it be, right? I just feel trapped often times because where I used to be so confident in making a theological statement, now I kind of hesitate...fearing that I'll aggravate an argument.
But yeah, Grace people back home, don't think that Biola is a bad school or anything--it isn't. Biola is an awesome school and I am so glad I am here. I have already learned a lot about defending my faith and am constantly being forced to think about my faith--especially in my cultural anthropology class where my professor likes to just throw purposefully controversial things at the class.
One of the most important things that I have taken out of this whole belief shock is that even if a fellow Christian disagress with me, as long as he believes the Gospel, he is still my Christian brother....seems a simple concept, but I have experientially learned it down here.
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