Friends, I have a prayer request.
In less than a month now, Lord-willing, I'll be leaving for Uganda, East Africa, on a cross-cultural mission trip.
Doing this, however, requires a good deal of money.
Some of you know that I wasn't able to commit to this trip with certainty until relatively recently, compared to the rest of the team; as a result, I'm behind in gathering financial support.
Right now, I'm trusting that if it is still the Lord's will for me to go on this trip, He will confirm my convictions by providing all of the necessary support -- in time for the trip.
But there's only a month left, and the Lord is testing my faith and asking me to let Him out of the box I've unwittingly confined Him to.
I believe that He will provide.
I know that He sees my needs and has a plan.
I trust that He can do this.
But this is stretching me right now... and I would appreciate your prayers.
Thanks.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus
Philippians 4:6-7
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Monday, April 25, 2005
I suppose it's been "about time" to post for a little while now.
Distractions, distractions.
But they've been delightful distractions.
Les Mis was fantastic! For those of you who don't know, Christopher and I were given the opportunity to go with some students from the honours program to see a production of Les Miserables onstage in Chicago about a week ago. Such a redeeming story of repentance, grace, and salvation -- not to mention the positively *beautiful* music. And to top it off, we stayed with a group of people to walk around the city in the early hours of the morning, just taking pictures and enjoying the change of scenery. By the time we arrived back in Hillsdale, the birds were chirping... but the sleep deprivation was more than worth it, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
My Little, Michelle, is now an official, initiated member of SAI! Yay for her!
On Sunday, the choir had its spring concert. My parents came to see the concert... and such ;)
It was lovely.
I am officially in the Suites next year with Cate Larsen and the Holsclaw twins. Whoo hoo!
Today I got to meet with my MetroBank scholarship donor at a luncheon. That was cool.
Until today, there was snow on the ground because Michigan is schizophrenic. That was not cool.
My computer is currently out of commission, and I am realizing more and more how dependent I am on technology and its awesome convenience. Boo hiss.
The heat is finally back on in Koon. SCORE.
Maybe next time, I'll blog about something substantial. Maybe not.
For now, I'm going to go do some homework.
Until next time... have a lovely week, friends.
Distractions, distractions.
But they've been delightful distractions.
Les Mis was fantastic! For those of you who don't know, Christopher and I were given the opportunity to go with some students from the honours program to see a production of Les Miserables onstage in Chicago about a week ago. Such a redeeming story of repentance, grace, and salvation -- not to mention the positively *beautiful* music. And to top it off, we stayed with a group of people to walk around the city in the early hours of the morning, just taking pictures and enjoying the change of scenery. By the time we arrived back in Hillsdale, the birds were chirping... but the sleep deprivation was more than worth it, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
My Little, Michelle, is now an official, initiated member of SAI! Yay for her!
On Sunday, the choir had its spring concert. My parents came to see the concert... and such ;)
It was lovely.
I am officially in the Suites next year with Cate Larsen and the Holsclaw twins. Whoo hoo!
Today I got to meet with my MetroBank scholarship donor at a luncheon. That was cool.
Until today, there was snow on the ground because Michigan is schizophrenic. That was not cool.
My computer is currently out of commission, and I am realizing more and more how dependent I am on technology and its awesome convenience. Boo hiss.
The heat is finally back on in Koon. SCORE.
Maybe next time, I'll blog about something substantial. Maybe not.
For now, I'm going to go do some homework.
Until next time... have a lovely week, friends.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
I would like to post, just to say:
Big thank you to Kristin, my beautiful roommate, for re-designing pretty much everything about this blog. Except the fact that it's mine. I now have a link to my profile, links to other blogs, and multi-colored polka dots. This pleases me. And do feel free to leave comments... I find them thrilling, day-enhancing, and otherwise enjoyable.
I need to do laundry. It's kind of getting out of control at this point.
My second Dante class midterm was completely cancelled. As in, we aren't doing it. At all.
That would rock the socks right off my feet if it weren't 47 degrees outside. As it is, I think I'll keep them on.
It is super-mondo awesome, though.
I am rather ashamed to admit that I requested Kristin purchase Usher's song "Yeah" with her latest iTune victory. The number of times she and I have listened to the song "Yeah" on repeat is almost as ridiculous as the song itself. However, as a ghetto booty dancing song, it is blessed with an amazing beat that neither Kristin nor I can very well ignore. So we don't. We just disregard the words and ignore our inadequacies, and it works; for the two white girls in Koon #7, this is as ghetto as it gets. HEY KRISTIN, YOU GONNA TOUCH YA TOES???!!!! YEAH!!!
Ok, sorry... I really have nothing to post about. I just had a really happy day today. Good classes. No midterm. Good time with some friends in the EAR. Choir. The Right to Life Dinner. A walk and roomie time with Kristin. No homework. Now I get to go to bed early... well, relatively early.
Sweet.
G'night, everyone!
Big thank you to Kristin, my beautiful roommate, for re-designing pretty much everything about this blog. Except the fact that it's mine. I now have a link to my profile, links to other blogs, and multi-colored polka dots. This pleases me. And do feel free to leave comments... I find them thrilling, day-enhancing, and otherwise enjoyable.
I need to do laundry. It's kind of getting out of control at this point.
My second Dante class midterm was completely cancelled. As in, we aren't doing it. At all.
That would rock the socks right off my feet if it weren't 47 degrees outside. As it is, I think I'll keep them on.
It is super-mondo awesome, though.
I am rather ashamed to admit that I requested Kristin purchase Usher's song "Yeah" with her latest iTune victory. The number of times she and I have listened to the song "Yeah" on repeat is almost as ridiculous as the song itself. However, as a ghetto booty dancing song, it is blessed with an amazing beat that neither Kristin nor I can very well ignore. So we don't. We just disregard the words and ignore our inadequacies, and it works; for the two white girls in Koon #7, this is as ghetto as it gets. HEY KRISTIN, YOU GONNA TOUCH YA TOES???!!!! YEAH!!!
Ok, sorry... I really have nothing to post about. I just had a really happy day today. Good classes. No midterm. Good time with some friends in the EAR. Choir. The Right to Life Dinner. A walk and roomie time with Kristin. No homework. Now I get to go to bed early... well, relatively early.
Sweet.
G'night, everyone!
Thursday, April 07, 2005
So I've been reading the Divine Comedy this semester, canto by canto, for what may well be my favorite English class ever. It's right up there with Shakespeare's Tragedies, for sure. And as I continue to read, I am repeatedly blown away by the intensity, emotion, and utter *beauty* of Dante's words. He truly had a gift for language.
Although I've got plenty of "favorite selections" from Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, I came across this passage out of Paradiso just the other day as I prepared for class. It gives me chills, and I'd like to share it with you; perhaps you'll get chills, too.
Just to give you a little bit of background... Dante and Beatrice (his paradisal guide) have just entered the first (lowest) circle of Heaven, the sphere of the moon. Here, Dante experiences his first up-close encounter with a heavenly soul, a woman named Piccarda. Their interaction in this selection portrays The Pilgrim's finite, human mind and his inability to comprehend the divine contentment of paradisal souls in every sphere of Heaven. Dante stands amazed at the glory of souls transformed and, turning to Piccarda, implores:
But tell me, you who are so happy here,
do you desire a place of greater height
to see more, know more, and be held more dear?"
With the rest of those shades she smiled a bit,
then with such gladness she replied to me,
as a girl in the gleaming of first love:
"Brother, the virtue of our charity
brings quiet to our wills, so we desire
but what we have, and thirst for nothing else.
If we should feel a yearning to be higher,
such a desire would strike disharmony
against His will who knows, and wills us here.
That cannot catch these wheels, as you shall see:
recall love's nature, recall that Heaven is
to live in loving, necessarily.
For it is of the essence of this bliss
to hold one's dwelling in the divine Will,
who makes our single wills the same, and His,
So that, although we dwell from sill to sill
throughout this kingdom, that is as we please,
as it delights the King in whose desire
We find our own. In His will is our peace:
that is the sea whereto all creatures fare,
fashioned by Nature or the hand of God."
Dante Alighieri's Paradiso, Canto III, lines 64-87
:: sigh ::
So beautiful.
May my heart seek contentment in Christ alone until the glorious day when His perfect will and mine shall forever be made one.
Although I've got plenty of "favorite selections" from Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, I came across this passage out of Paradiso just the other day as I prepared for class. It gives me chills, and I'd like to share it with you; perhaps you'll get chills, too.
Just to give you a little bit of background... Dante and Beatrice (his paradisal guide) have just entered the first (lowest) circle of Heaven, the sphere of the moon. Here, Dante experiences his first up-close encounter with a heavenly soul, a woman named Piccarda. Their interaction in this selection portrays The Pilgrim's finite, human mind and his inability to comprehend the divine contentment of paradisal souls in every sphere of Heaven. Dante stands amazed at the glory of souls transformed and, turning to Piccarda, implores:
But tell me, you who are so happy here,
do you desire a place of greater height
to see more, know more, and be held more dear?"
With the rest of those shades she smiled a bit,
then with such gladness she replied to me,
as a girl in the gleaming of first love:
"Brother, the virtue of our charity
brings quiet to our wills, so we desire
but what we have, and thirst for nothing else.
If we should feel a yearning to be higher,
such a desire would strike disharmony
against His will who knows, and wills us here.
That cannot catch these wheels, as you shall see:
recall love's nature, recall that Heaven is
to live in loving, necessarily.
For it is of the essence of this bliss
to hold one's dwelling in the divine Will,
who makes our single wills the same, and His,
So that, although we dwell from sill to sill
throughout this kingdom, that is as we please,
as it delights the King in whose desire
We find our own. In His will is our peace:
that is the sea whereto all creatures fare,
fashioned by Nature or the hand of God."
Dante Alighieri's Paradiso, Canto III, lines 64-87
:: sigh ::
So beautiful.
May my heart seek contentment in Christ alone until the glorious day when His perfect will and mine shall forever be made one.