Huge Congratulations to all our Olympic medal winners -- my mom is proud of you. (and I'm not even kidding!) I'm pretty sure that the TV hasn't switched off CBC for 13 straight days. What am I going to watch when I'm back to 3 channels that play NOTHING?!?
Today I went to a Jewish synogogue (it's part of one of the courses I'm taking), and observed a service. It was very interesting. It was so right, and yet, so wrong. It made me feel so incredibly sad for them -- here they are waiting for God's Messiah, but he's already come. And at the same time, the Jews' refusal of Jesus has allowed ME to hear the gospel. It was so very, very interesting to see a full service: complete with the marching of the Torah, readings and recitations. I wonder how many of them wonder if they're missing something. The Rabbi today, gave a brief little "sermon" in English about the Jewish propensity to argue things out. He said that's traditional; it is the Jewish relationship with the text. They argue with it to figure out what it means. He opposed their method to the "Christian Fundamentalist" (that's what he called it) method of reading God's word, and accepting exactly what it said. He argued for interpretation. For instance: the change between the acceptance of slavery in Biblical times verses the current laws that absolutely forbid slavery within the Jewish community. Another thing that stuck out to me was the absolute "stuck-ness" on tradition -> this is the way it's been done, this is the way we'll do it now. I've been reading through the Old Testament lately -- just after God brings the Israelites into the wilderness, and I've decided that I don't really understand their "focus-ed-ness" on the laws, and their ignoring the books of prophecy where God declares, "I am sick of your sacrifices... I want you to know God; that's more important..." (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea -- see the link for the verses). I want to be like that. I don't want to be caught up in practices and formalities so much that I forget to actually know God.
"Give me singleness of heart, that I might fear your name!!" Psalm86:11
I pray the same for you.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Friday, February 17, 2006
Hey guys! It's Friday
Yes, that's right. It's Friday. And it's the beginning of Reading Week. What a glorious idea. I'd love to buy a beer for whoever thought of giving students a week of holidays in the middle of February. One of my Profs told me that Reading Week was started to stop student suicide after mid-terms. How morbid. I hope she's wrong. (if she's right, it might be better to leave me in my delusions....)
Yes, reading week. My plans? ... going to eat Thai food, get fat on DariyQueen, popcorn, and lots and lots of candy, and stay up late to watch movies. Sounds good eh? Don't you wish you were here where's it's -18 with a windchill of -26??? Sometimes I wonder why I live in this country. I just checked the weather for Thailand -- it's 12:02am there, at a balmy +27. Hm. That's not fair. You just have to be hermits to avoid freezing your toes off.
UM, anyway.... I really hope you have a good week, even if you aren't in the middle of a week of holidays.
ps:
(Kari and Colleen -- too bad about those termites and mosiquitoes. drink a beer at the Hard Rock for me...)
Yes, reading week. My plans? ... going to eat Thai food, get fat on DariyQueen, popcorn, and lots and lots of candy, and stay up late to watch movies. Sounds good eh? Don't you wish you were here where's it's -18 with a windchill of -26??? Sometimes I wonder why I live in this country. I just checked the weather for Thailand -- it's 12:02am there, at a balmy +27. Hm. That's not fair. You just have to be hermits to avoid freezing your toes off.
UM, anyway.... I really hope you have a good week, even if you aren't in the middle of a week of holidays.
ps:
(Kari and Colleen -- too bad about those termites and mosiquitoes. drink a beer at the Hard Rock for me...)
Monday, February 13, 2006
ANNOUNCEMENT
Hi.
I've been having trouble with the new background format. If you have trouble loading it on your computer, or it takes a long time, please let me know so that I can change it to something easier to view.
Thanks.
I've been having trouble with the new background format. If you have trouble loading it on your computer, or it takes a long time, please let me know so that I can change it to something easier to view.
Thanks.
What I'm up to...
I've realized (through a series of emails) that not all of you know what's up my life. SO.... Here's an update.
I'm going to university, taking the 1st year of (hopefully) an education degree. I'm living with my brother, which is working out REALLY well, and I'm doing other random things like working and tutoring and hanging out with friends.
I miss Thailand a lot, and I miss my friends there a lot, but I'm really glad to be here. It really feels like this is where God wants me at the moment, so it's great to have peace in that.
University is going pretty good. I have a totally different perspective on education now that I've been the teacher. I'm in the middle of midterms right now, and things are a little hectic, but it will all even out.
I've also been tutoring and working (as if my life isn't busy enough), but I've got a GREAT job that God gave me. Here's a little annecdote about my job: I met this girl on the bus, and we started talking. I usually don't talk to people on the bus, but fo some reason, we started talking. Anyway, we started talking about where we'd been and what we'd been doing, and she asked me if I wanted a job working at a KUMON* center. (*see below) So, she phoned her boss, and then I phoned her boss, and the next day I had a job. It's WONDERFUL! I work with ESL kids who are having trouble with their English, and I work about 8 hours a week, so it's enough to keep me busy without killing me in the process.
I'm also involved at church, which has been a fabulous experience. I have see God work in the most amazing ways as I serve him there. God always finds a way to make everything work for his glory. It's been incredible. I've met TONS of really awesome new people and some AMAZING musicians. Every now and then I get to play with my mom or my brother, which is also really sweet.
That's what I've been up to. Thanks to everyone who's emailed me to update me on their lives... the rest of you: feel free!!
ratch
*If you've never travelled around the world and seen the signs, Kumon is a world-wide education franchise. It started in Japan, and has moved around the world. It's basically a center for kids who need help with math or reading. I teach the reading part. Visit the link if you're interested.
I'm going to university, taking the 1st year of (hopefully) an education degree. I'm living with my brother, which is working out REALLY well, and I'm doing other random things like working and tutoring and hanging out with friends.
I miss Thailand a lot, and I miss my friends there a lot, but I'm really glad to be here. It really feels like this is where God wants me at the moment, so it's great to have peace in that.
University is going pretty good. I have a totally different perspective on education now that I've been the teacher. I'm in the middle of midterms right now, and things are a little hectic, but it will all even out.
I've also been tutoring and working (as if my life isn't busy enough), but I've got a GREAT job that God gave me. Here's a little annecdote about my job: I met this girl on the bus, and we started talking. I usually don't talk to people on the bus, but fo some reason, we started talking. Anyway, we started talking about where we'd been and what we'd been doing, and she asked me if I wanted a job working at a KUMON* center. (*see below) So, she phoned her boss, and then I phoned her boss, and the next day I had a job. It's WONDERFUL! I work with ESL kids who are having trouble with their English, and I work about 8 hours a week, so it's enough to keep me busy without killing me in the process.
I'm also involved at church, which has been a fabulous experience. I have see God work in the most amazing ways as I serve him there. God always finds a way to make everything work for his glory. It's been incredible. I've met TONS of really awesome new people and some AMAZING musicians. Every now and then I get to play with my mom or my brother, which is also really sweet.
That's what I've been up to. Thanks to everyone who's emailed me to update me on their lives... the rest of you: feel free!!
ratch
*If you've never travelled around the world and seen the signs, Kumon is a world-wide education franchise. It started in Japan, and has moved around the world. It's basically a center for kids who need help with math or reading. I teach the reading part. Visit the link if you're interested.
Friday, February 10, 2006
Inspiration
I've recently been inspired to continue blogging life... (thanks Sarah) Hopefully this will be semi-regular....
I'm having an interesting week -- wrestling with God and worship and the fact that I tend to ignore him a lot. There's a verse in psalms that says "as a pressure and stress bear down on my, I find joy in your commands.." It's somewhere in ps.118, and as I think about it, I'm not entirely sure that it's true in my life. BUT, I want it to be...
As this next week quickly advances, with all of the pressure and stress of midterms and papers, work and tutoring, I want to make sure that I'm taking time to find joy in God, and to bring everything before him.
After all, he is the one that has brought me to this place at this specific time with a plan for me.
I'm having an interesting week -- wrestling with God and worship and the fact that I tend to ignore him a lot. There's a verse in psalms that says "as a pressure and stress bear down on my, I find joy in your commands.." It's somewhere in ps.118, and as I think about it, I'm not entirely sure that it's true in my life. BUT, I want it to be...
As this next week quickly advances, with all of the pressure and stress of midterms and papers, work and tutoring, I want to make sure that I'm taking time to find joy in God, and to bring everything before him.
After all, he is the one that has brought me to this place at this specific time with a plan for me.
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