Long Gone...

Well, so, once again I must explain why I have been gone for so long. Last week I was home for Spring Break, which was absolutely wonderful. So wonderful, I didn't find the time to post anything. However, on my 6-hour drive back to school I had great and glorious plans for all the updates I was going to make once I got back, only to find that my school had totally changed over wireless networks...as a result, my computer (being temperamental) has decided not to accept the change and has refused to log onto the internet since. So, I make this post from remote places (my roommate's computer) and I hope to be back "home" soon.


As I was reading through one of my books today, I found a quote that, quite frankly struck me. You know one of those phrases, quotations, etc. that you read and it's so stunning you pause, then you read it again, and maybe one more time for good measure, and then only then do you begin to comprehend all that it actually says. I read one such quote today on the Lord that caught my eye by Theophilus of Antioch. It reads:


"For in glory He is incomprehensible, in greatness unfathomable, in height inconceivable, in power incomparable, in wisdom unrivaled, in goodness inimitable, in kindness unutterable."

May you be stunned by the Lord today in all that He is and all that He has done.

Reading Around...

Well, I must say, my reading habits are not what you might say...consistent. In that sense, I do not, by any means, mean I am inconsistent in reading, I actually greatly enjoy reading, which might be part of the problem at hand. Rather, I am more inconsistent with the general area I am reading in, the subject, or the book all together. In other words, I tend to...you could use the term "book hop". Yes, I am a fully diagnosed, considered untreatable book-hopper. Now, if you are not one yourself, tend to be one of those mathematical thinkers that has to hold onto something to the great and glorious end, without falter, without retreat, or have no idea what I am talking about...you may as well deduce that you are not succumbed to this "state of mind." Now whether, in my case, this is attributed to me being from a long line of educators (with more emphasis being on my mum) who cannot exactly decide which book they would like to read first, because "They all look pretty incredible!" Or whether it is just because they are so interested in almost every book, on practically any subject known to the human mind that everything has to be read at once, with equal importance and emphasis (however there are always those that might be considered "more equal than others"), I have almost no idea. Yet, it still might be the fact that I was exposed to an education that put equal importance on every aspect of life, for a person to be a well-rounded individual (something that the modern educational system seems to deem something like a "liberal arts education"). Alas, I am yet at a loss to the sole source and reason for my condition (however I must say that the maternal influence is climbing the charts as an explanation... :) ...So, I have finally decided that there is nothing I can do, no explanation, no cure, and so I am subject to my own faultiness and for the rest of my known existness I must be in a perpetual cycle of at least reading 3-4 (at a minimum) books at a time... So, while this may have absolutely no baring on those of you (if there are any) that read this blog, it may offer some explanation for the future, as well as clarification for the past, when it comes to my, what I consider, blog-worthy material being from seeming a million different directions. All I have to say is, bare with me, consider my condition, and take the information for what it's worth...

So to continue in the tradition, here are a few intriguing quotes found in a book in current study...The book, How To Talk to a Liberal (If You Must), by the beloved (by some) Ann Coulter. She had some very interesting, and humorous, observations.

"...Never flatter a Democrat...Extend an olive branch to Democrats and they'll smack the living daylights out of you with it - while hugging the tree itself, naturally."

"Want to make liberals angry? Defend the United States...My position hasn't changed since the column I wrote the night of 9/11. For reasons I cannot understand, I often asked if I still think we should invade their countries, kill their leaders, and convert them to Christianity. The answer is: Now more than ever!"

So...intriguing thoughts, I must say...Food for thought in a way...highly opinionated food, which will more than likely be very hard to swallow for some, yet, something to provoke our thoughts...which should always be provoked and prodded...contrary to popular belief. :)

Our Own Lives...

C.S. Lewis' Problem of Pain is an incredible work. One that, first of all because of the author, but in any circumstance, whether you are experiencing pain or trial or not, this work is inspired. Here is a small glimpse of some of what he has to say. This passage has really gripped me these past few days.

If the first and lowest operation of pain shatters the illusion that all is well, the second shatters the illusion that what we have, whether good or bad in itself, is our own and enough for us. Everyone has notices how hard it is to turn our thoughts to God when everything is going well with us. We 'have all we want' is a terrible saying when 'all' does not include God. We find God an interruption. As St. Augustine says somewhere, 'God wants to give us something, but cannot, because our hands are full - there's nowhere for Him to put it.' Or as a friend of mine said, 'We regard God as an airman regards his parachute; it's there for emergencies but he hopes he'll never have to use it.' Now God, who has made us, knows what we are and that our happiness lies in Him. Yet we will not seek it in Him as long as he leaves us any other resort where it can even plausibly be looked for. While what we call 'our own life' remains agreeable we will not surrender it to Him. What then can God do in our interests but make 'our own life' less agreeable to us, and take away the plausible source of false happiness?

Joy

"Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful , but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the worl. So also you have sorrow not, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."

-John 16:20-24

May we long for the true, ultimate joy in life. Though we sorrow in the present, pure joy is yet to come. May we look to the Lord for the true wellspring of life, joy, and happiness. He is our Comfort, our Source, all that we need. Seek His joy, His love, His peace.