This is almost like a continuing series. Except, I'm officially done with all of my work for this semester now. I had my final Greek final today and I did pretty well. So, I am officially done with my Greek career as a student. It's weird knowing that I'll probably never be any more knowledgeable in Greek for the rest of my life than I am on this exact day. It's weird when you know the exact time when you're peaking at something. Then tonight, hyping up on Dr. Enuff this time, I had to knock out an 11 page Christian Education project. This one was a pretty big doozy, but I just got it done. So, now it is finished, finito, teleos (Greek for complete). I'm done with this semester. I don't have any finals tomorrow, so it's possible that I could sleep till dinner tomorrow. I'm spent.
Anyways, I'll be home late Saturday night. Woo hoo! Christmas break!
Friday, December 14, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
3:45 in the morning
The title of this post is the current time I am writing this. I just knocked out another 9 page paper that I started writing at 12:30. I'm totally hyped up on coffee and speed writing right now, so it may be a little while before I get to sleep. I'll have to give you a post on Shaine Claiborne coming this weekend, but that will have to wait until I'm a little more coherent.
I wrote this paper on the Nature of Reality for my Honors class. I think it ended up being pretty good. I had to talk about objective/subjective perception, the construction of reality through mechanics of the brain, the macro cosmological universe, quantum mechanics, and string theory, aka Theory of Everything. I know that all sounds pretty boring, but I got to finish the paper off by talking about how the true nature of reality will be revealed in heaven. I talked about how reality on this earth is just a shadow of the "real" reality in heaven. I used this quote from C.S. Lewis's The Last Battle in which he describes heaven metaphorically by comparing the New Narnia and the Old Narnia:
I wrote this paper on the Nature of Reality for my Honors class. I think it ended up being pretty good. I had to talk about objective/subjective perception, the construction of reality through mechanics of the brain, the macro cosmological universe, quantum mechanics, and string theory, aka Theory of Everything. I know that all sounds pretty boring, but I got to finish the paper off by talking about how the true nature of reality will be revealed in heaven. I talked about how reality on this earth is just a shadow of the "real" reality in heaven. I used this quote from C.S. Lewis's The Last Battle in which he describes heaven metaphorically by comparing the New Narnia and the Old Narnia:
"Perhaps you will get some idea of it if you think like this. You may have been in a room in which there was a window that looked out on a lovely bay of the sea or a green valley that wound away among the mountains. And in the wall of that room opposite to the glass there may have been a looking glass. And the sea in the mirror, or the valley in the mirror, were in one sense just the same as the real ones: yet at the same time they were somehow different — deeper, more wonderful, more like places in a story: in a story you have never heard but very much want to know. The difference between the old Narnia and the new Narnia was like that. The new one was a deeper country: every rock and flower and blade of grass looked like it meant more. I can't describe it any better than that: if you ever get there you will know what I mean. It was the unicorn who summed up what everyone was feeling. He stamped his right fore-hoof on the ground and neighed, and then cried: "I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here.
I love that quote and it excites me for when we will see reality for what it truly is. With that, I'm going to get some sleep so I can get up for my Adolescent Education final tomorrow. I leave you with the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:12
"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."
Monday, December 3, 2007
A New Commitment
I was sitting around last night contemplating whether or not I should go to the singing service at Downtown COC, while I was switching between Family Guy and A Beautiful Mind on TNT. I was pretty sure I was just going to skip it, when all of the sudden at 8:25 (the service was at 8:30), I had a sudden, urgent feeling that it was really important that I go. So I grabbed my keys and before I even realized it, I was running down the stairs and sprinting to my car. Suddenly I realized that there this wasn't just coming from me, and that maybe God had an important reason for me going to Downtown that night.
Now, I have to explain something. I am a total and complete hopeless romantic. I am one of the few guys that can stand sitting through some romantic chick flicks and I can tend to even really love them. So, in my silly little romantic mind I was thinking that maybe I was supposed to meet some girl at Downtown that night and something magical would happen and we would fall in love or something ridiculous like that. I could even imagine telling the story at our wedding, "And then I had a sudden urge to go to church that night and it was there that I met (insert imaginary name)." I know. I'm ridiculous.
But, thankfully, God had different plans for me last night.
I went to church and enjoyed the songs, and everything was great. Then the guy who was leading the communion devotional was talking about how he grew up in the church, went to college, and started working in pharmacy, making lots of money and having everything going for him. But, he talked about how there was some distance between him and God. He realized that his job was getting in the way of his relationship with God. So, the next day, he put in his two-week notice and a few months later moved to India to do mission work there. He talked about when he was working in the pharmacy, it was as if he was on one end of a table and Jesus was on the other far end. But when he moved to India, it was as if Jesus came and sat right beside him. As I was listening to this, a very real and burning thought started coming into my mind. Something was also getting in the way of my relationship with God. Something that I needed to give over to him in order that I could fully come into his presence.
As I said before, I'm a hopeless romantic. I've enjoyed being single and I've enjoyed playing the field and dating around, meeting new people, having great conversations, and having lots of fun. But there's also that romantic side of me that still desires a long-term relationship. And unfortunately, sometimes I tend to dwell on that side. There have been times that I've been frustrated and stressed out by the whole dating scene, times that I've subjected myself to ridiculously awkward dates to girls that I wasn't even all that interested in in the first place (perhaps hoping for that "magic spark" to happen), many times that I've immediately went to check my facebook as soon as I've entered the room, hoping to seen an "Inbox (1)" or wall post, times when I've let dating affect my mood, and sadly times that I've neglected my thoughts and relationship with God because my thoughts are on dating. It's all ridiculous, but this is what happens when you allow two sisters, romantic comedies, Christian dating books, and the Harding marriage factory to affect you.
I realized that this had to change and that it was getting in the way of my relationship with God. Something had to be done. So as soon as church was over I made the 20 minute drive to the cliffs at Letona so I could have some alone time to pray to God. You have to walk up this small mountain to get to the cliffs, and I had only been up it once. There was no moon, so I was going up with only the light from my cell phone leading the way, doing some semi-hard core rock climbing, and trying not to fall off and die. I tried to get up to the cliffs but I realized I had missed them and somehow ended up going down the mountain and to the other side of the lake. Oh well. So I sat by the water of the lake and had some time to talk and meditate with God. I looked in my pocket bible and turned to Psalm 86 and in it I read verses 11-13,
Now, I have to explain something. I am a total and complete hopeless romantic. I am one of the few guys that can stand sitting through some romantic chick flicks and I can tend to even really love them. So, in my silly little romantic mind I was thinking that maybe I was supposed to meet some girl at Downtown that night and something magical would happen and we would fall in love or something ridiculous like that. I could even imagine telling the story at our wedding, "And then I had a sudden urge to go to church that night and it was there that I met (insert imaginary name)." I know. I'm ridiculous.
But, thankfully, God had different plans for me last night.
I went to church and enjoyed the songs, and everything was great. Then the guy who was leading the communion devotional was talking about how he grew up in the church, went to college, and started working in pharmacy, making lots of money and having everything going for him. But, he talked about how there was some distance between him and God. He realized that his job was getting in the way of his relationship with God. So, the next day, he put in his two-week notice and a few months later moved to India to do mission work there. He talked about when he was working in the pharmacy, it was as if he was on one end of a table and Jesus was on the other far end. But when he moved to India, it was as if Jesus came and sat right beside him. As I was listening to this, a very real and burning thought started coming into my mind. Something was also getting in the way of my relationship with God. Something that I needed to give over to him in order that I could fully come into his presence.
As I said before, I'm a hopeless romantic. I've enjoyed being single and I've enjoyed playing the field and dating around, meeting new people, having great conversations, and having lots of fun. But there's also that romantic side of me that still desires a long-term relationship. And unfortunately, sometimes I tend to dwell on that side. There have been times that I've been frustrated and stressed out by the whole dating scene, times that I've subjected myself to ridiculously awkward dates to girls that I wasn't even all that interested in in the first place (perhaps hoping for that "magic spark" to happen), many times that I've immediately went to check my facebook as soon as I've entered the room, hoping to seen an "Inbox (1)" or wall post, times when I've let dating affect my mood, and sadly times that I've neglected my thoughts and relationship with God because my thoughts are on dating. It's all ridiculous, but this is what happens when you allow two sisters, romantic comedies, Christian dating books, and the Harding marriage factory to affect you.
I realized that this had to change and that it was getting in the way of my relationship with God. Something had to be done. So as soon as church was over I made the 20 minute drive to the cliffs at Letona so I could have some alone time to pray to God. You have to walk up this small mountain to get to the cliffs, and I had only been up it once. There was no moon, so I was going up with only the light from my cell phone leading the way, doing some semi-hard core rock climbing, and trying not to fall off and die. I tried to get up to the cliffs but I realized I had missed them and somehow ended up going down the mountain and to the other side of the lake. Oh well. So I sat by the water of the lake and had some time to talk and meditate with God. I looked in my pocket bible and turned to Psalm 86 and in it I read verses 11-13,
Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.
you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.
I realized it was time for me to have a truly undivided heart. So, I believe the Spirit put something on my heart and I'm ready to commit to it. Now, don't worry, I'm not going Catholic priest and making a life-long vow of celibacy. But I have decided that I'm not going to date/pursue a relationship for the rest of Junior year. I'm going to be intentionally single until at least next May and let that be a sacrifice of praise to God. I want to give this next semester fully to God with an undivided heart and let him be in control of it. All the time that I spend thinking about/pursuing relationships, I want to spend serving God and other people.
Gee Dylan, you might say (and I might have said a few weeks ago), a large number of people find their significant other at college. You only have three semesters left in college, and now you're limiting yourself to two? Yes I am. Because I believe that whatever God wants to happen in that department is going to happen. I may date someone senior year or I may actually make it out of the marriage factory single, and I'm perfectly okay with that. I'm still a romantic, and I still hope that one day I can find that special person. But I know that God has plans for my life and he's going to guide it wherever it needs to go.
Earlier this semester, I might have been really frustrated at making this commitment. But I'm actually really really excited about it. After the rich young ruler in Mark 10 refuses to sell everything he has and give it to the poor, Jesus says:
Gee Dylan, you might say (and I might have said a few weeks ago), a large number of people find their significant other at college. You only have three semesters left in college, and now you're limiting yourself to two? Yes I am. Because I believe that whatever God wants to happen in that department is going to happen. I may date someone senior year or I may actually make it out of the marriage factory single, and I'm perfectly okay with that. I'm still a romantic, and I still hope that one day I can find that special person. But I know that God has plans for my life and he's going to guide it wherever it needs to go.
Earlier this semester, I might have been really frustrated at making this commitment. But I'm actually really really excited about it. After the rich young ruler in Mark 10 refuses to sell everything he has and give it to the poor, Jesus says:
"no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life."
I know that dating/girlfriends is not on that list, but I know that there can be a lot of blessings that come from this decision. I think this next semester is going to be filled with laughter and deep friendships and community and fun and excitement. There is going to be more time to serve and to love and to reach out to the poor and needy. Hopefully, I'll have a better attitude and be filled with more energy, joy, and peace. I am so excited for what God possibly has in store for me in this next semester.
Now, I want to make clear that I am definitely not saying all this so that I can puff myself up in some way or show myself to be righteous. I am just saying this to praise God for what he is doing and also so that you guys can help keep me accountable. Okay, glad we got that out of the way.
One last story about last night. When I got done praying to God beside the lake, I started making my way back, and I went up the mountain a little bit and suddenly I was right at the cliffs that I had previously been aiming for. It was almost as if God was telling me "You've been trying to get somewhere going your own way. But if you trust in me, I'm going to bring you where you need to be." I looked up, and since there was no clouds and no moon, I saw the most beautiful night sky I had ever seen. I could see all the constellations, the milky way, and an innumerable amount of stars. I just laid down on the cliffs and softly sang Blessed Be The Name of the Lord to myself. I knew that a God who could create all that I saw before me, could surely take care of me and guide me where he wants me to be. As that beautiful song says, "You give and take away, you give and take away, my heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be your name!"
Now, I want to make clear that I am definitely not saying all this so that I can puff myself up in some way or show myself to be righteous. I am just saying this to praise God for what he is doing and also so that you guys can help keep me accountable. Okay, glad we got that out of the way.
One last story about last night. When I got done praying to God beside the lake, I started making my way back, and I went up the mountain a little bit and suddenly I was right at the cliffs that I had previously been aiming for. It was almost as if God was telling me "You've been trying to get somewhere going your own way. But if you trust in me, I'm going to bring you where you need to be." I looked up, and since there was no clouds and no moon, I saw the most beautiful night sky I had ever seen. I could see all the constellations, the milky way, and an innumerable amount of stars. I just laid down on the cliffs and softly sang Blessed Be The Name of the Lord to myself. I knew that a God who could create all that I saw before me, could surely take care of me and guide me where he wants me to be. As that beautiful song says, "You give and take away, you give and take away, my heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be your name!"
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