This life therefore, is not Righteousness, but growth in righteousness, not health but healing, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it; the process is not yet finished but all is going on. This is not the end of the road; all does not yet gleam in glory but all is being purified. - Martin Luther

I'm not a huge fan of most of the cheezy CCM out there. If I do happen to be listening and Casting Crows comes on I usually turn it off. However, they have this live version out there of Voice of Truth that just happened to be playing when I walked out of my interview. It hit me hard.

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
But the giant's calling out my name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed

The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy you'll never win!""You'll never win!"
But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
From on top of them lookin' downI will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Chorus: But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
The voice of truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

My Crazy Day

8am: Continue e-mailing almost everyone I know to get their current contact information so my prospective employer (the PD) can do the most extensive background check EVER on me.

9 something: Leave for school

around noon:
TEACHER: (speaking about science evolving from philosophy) Who built the pyramids?
KID IN BRIGHT PURPLE JIMMY HENDRIX T-SHIRT: Aliens!
TEACHER: Exactly right!

1pm: Kid next to me in lab constantly staring at me and taking forever to copy questions out of my lab book.

3 something: Sitting with insurance agent trying to determine what my life, air matress and dishes are worth for car and renters insurance.

4 somthing: Getting vehicle state inspection by two dudes with gums erroded and teeth stained by chew. (hey, they are licenced to do this soo....)

O glorious life out west!

The Apartment Day 3: Still Raining

I thought this state was known for wide open, clear skies! For the last three days it's been overcast and raining like crazy. I'm stitting at Andreas in a sweatshirt, jeans, and boots!
Well, drumroll please....here are some apt pics

The bathroom is just behind the kitchen (see the walkway leading behind?) And my FABULOUS shower curtain...

The Apartment Day 2: Still Haven't Found Silverwear

Another rainy, cold day as I make my trips up multiple flights of stairs with my boxes. Yesderday I found my self tired and in serious need of a good enchillada. Once Andrea woke up (on 12-hour nights) I took her with me for an early dinner. She says any time I want to work hard all day and let her reap the benefits of the meal at the end, let her know. I managed to asemble an Ikea lamp and table and put together my bookshelf. As the title notes, I still haven't found my silverwear or any cooking utensils (odd, they weren't with the dishes...) Good thing I had training in Asia and can eat just about anything with my fingers. =0))

Stay Tuned...

Its a humid, rainy day as I move into my new place. Like any good germaphobe my first task upon entering was to spray the place down with a germicidal and scrub every surface. I have hung my awesome shower curtain and unpacked some dishes. Stay tuned for more and some pics. I'm thinking Asian theme...

Good Memories: True Missionary Confessions

This is a video of three of us on a bus in Asia late '05. We were coming back from the beach and waiting for the bus to fill up and take us back to the capital. The food vendors kept bugging us to buy food (I think we sat there waiting for well over an hour or two). G had the great idea to convince them we were really into the karaoke that was playing on the screen in the front of the bus. So, what did they do? They decided to sit down and join us in some singing. Then, when other vendors boarded the bus they told them they were blocking our view and we were all singing together. Gotta love it.

The Big Day: Tomorrow

Tomorrow is MOVING DAY!!! I move into my little efficiency! Grab the soap and let me scrub my new Ikea dishes. (and the fabulous shower curtain I found at Big Lots)

An Amazing Night...

Since moving to my new town I've been looking at church websites online and praying about where I should visit my first Sunday here. While looking for a church I happened to find a nation-wide reformed university fellowship which has a local meeting near where I'll be living. Listening to the online messages and music I really felt like I should check it out (though hesitant to join a college group where everyone would be younger than me). All day I wrestled with whether or not I should go to the Wednesday night study. As I maneuvered through the crazy university campus (or "mini-city) I figured if I got lost maybe I'd just be so late I wouldn't have to go. I tend to like my hermit status, but know God is often nudging me to reach out.

I arrived right on time and walked right into the campus intern who had e-mailed back and forth with me. They sing old hymns with updated tunes and they included some of my most favorites. As the sounds of the violin and guitars intertwined I suddenly felt so at home even though I knew no one in the room. And this was just the worship! Another reason I almost didn't go was the semester topic. They normally go through a book of the Bible, but wouldn't you know that they were going to pause it and do a topical study on Dating, Sex & Marriage! I mean growing up in chuch WHAT SERMON HAVEN'T I heard on this? I had visions of little 18 year-olds jumping for joy.

Once again I was surprised and God used the message to hit me deep inside. As I've moved out on my own I've had to search the Scriptures more for myself in the last few years. In the religious movement in which we were involved I had a full stack of verses for each subject and 13-step answers. However, I realize that it was often taken out of context or out of the spirit of the passage. For almost 7 years I was constantly being taught in this movement that you should delay dating/relationships/marriage as long as possible (if ever).

But as we were searching the Scriptures and I was referring back to other sermons I've studied recently, I'm not sure that's God's design. It appears from Genesis that God's design was for the man and woman to be together. Before the Fall, the time God said it was "not good" was when the man was alone. What we have now is a generation jaded with the idea after seeing little hope even in a Christian marriage.

Ok, so this is not new to most people, but it seems new to me. There was something so deep in the message that it's hard to describe. What also hit me was how I need to reach out in a variety of relationships. Fellowship in many aspects is a theme of the Scripture.

Maybe you just had to be there....

Fun With Chemistry

I haven't enjoyed a class this much in a LONG time. After having a crazy science teacher this summer, I learned to check them out on RateMyProfessor. So, even though I was starting school over a thousand miles away, I could get recommendations. My chem professor is a hilarious, enthusiastic, little Chinese man. Chemistry is one of my worst subjects, so I was really scared about taking a more advanced class. However, after one period I was actually excited and thinking that this time maybe it WILL sink in.

Some of you from large universities will probably laugh, but at 100 students, this is the biggest class I've ever attended. Seats are assigned and I'm stuck in the 2nd to the last row. Behind me is a quiet sulky guy that never says a word or moves from his slouched position. On my left is a friendly girl who spend time texting on her phone. On my right is an odd fellow who throws out the random comments. (Ok, so what guy really asks a girls blood type when getting ready to ask her out?!? I mean it's one thing if you are a bored midwife wondering if you're going to have to take Rhogam one day, but what does some random skin head in Texas care?)

First Day of School...AGAIN

Tomorrow I start yet another semester at another school to finish up my pre-reqs. It feels like a whole different world down here...people talk to you...no one has honked at me. I still laugh at the some-what cheezy homemade signs for the school dance (tomorrow) that are posted. I assume its not classical ballroom, so no I'm not going.

Here's to the pursuit of higher education! (and all its widing twists down unexpected country roads)

Adventures With Georgia Part 3

Post your idea of what happened!

You Know You're in Oklahoma When...

...you get stung by a scorpion. Yes, I am now a proud owner of the "I Survived A Scorpion Sting" badge of honor. The event took place last night about 1am. I thought there was a bug on me so I tried to flick it off. Suddenly I felt this sharp pain just below my scapula.

Georgia Leads Me Astray...Again

This weekend I made the treck up to Oklahoma to visit Georgia before she goes back to her beloved tribal home country.

Getting our kicks on route 66...yep, that's us under the sign. Georgia you got like 3 inches of air that take. We just finished a big night of shopping at the local Walmart.

The first round of drinks at Sonic...

And then the inspiration for the title of this post. =))

On A Serious Note

It's 1 am and I'm wide awake. I grabbed some water and a snack and decided it was time to post something serious.

This year I've been going through a new version of the Bible and enjoying the freshness of discovering things when they are put in a new way (ESV). Just before I left MI I was in Hebrews 11 and was struck by the description of Abraham and Sarah. While their move was probably a little bit more significan than mine (no cell phones or email), I am still inspired by their faith. Abraham went to a land he didn't know and it was all a part of the inheritance God had for him. (10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.) Sarah recieved power to concieve even when she was past age and trusted God was faithful.(hmmm maybe God's not finished with me yet)

13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

So, the little things are just a little piece of the plan...right? I can get flustered with red tape when applying for jobs and start to worry I won't find something OR I can remind myself that this is all a part of God's plan and he sees what's ahead. The question that hits me is "how did I live my life this week...did it reflect the fact that I'm looking beyond just this temporary home?"

I Am Normally Against Bobble-Heads...

But this one caught my eye...







Coming September 12...only what, 18 days from now...