Happy New Year!

Not feeling particularly ambitious so I don't want to write a whole list of new year's resolutions but here's just something concerning my bible reading for 2010:

To do margin notes for the book of ______.
- can be OIA style (with the help of "How to Read the Bible Book by Book")
- memorize important scripture verses
- with an accountability partner?
I haven't figured out which book to start out with yet...any suggestions?

Maybe a Christian book as well... (I have so many to catch up on ><; )
- "A Case for Faith", Lee Strobel
- "Pursuit of God", A.W. Tozer
- "Disciplines of a Godly Woman", Barbara Hughes
- "Crazy Love", Francis Chan
- re-read "Passion and Purity", Elisabeth Elliot
- re-read "Pursuit of Holiness", Jerry Bridges


And because hopefully I won't be online later when the clock actually strikes midnight to signal the beginning of 2010, I wish you all a happy new year!


We all look back and wish we could do/say things over. Let's make this year one of less regrets.

Merry Christmas!

I hope this greeting finds everyone well. If so, praise God for all the blessings He has given you. If not, praise God for all the blessings He has given you.

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is Good and His love endures forever.

Just leaving you with a heart-warming story in light of the current healthcare debate (Yes, I do enjoy ABC World News):
Health Insurance: Unemployed Man Joins Army for Coverage for Wife's Ovarian Cancer - ABC News

My mom: "You can't just keep popping pills for headaches. You need to figure out the problem."
Me: "I know the problem. I need to sleep. There - I figured out the problem, but my headache is still here." (Takes an Excedrine extra strength)
My mom: "The pain's just going to come back in four hours...."
Me: "I'll worry about that in four hours...when I'll take another pill."

Me? A pill-popper? Maybe. Anyways, I need to go decrease my sleep debt. Winter break<3

Sunday School Answers

Sometimes when someone asks a question, another person will jokingly shout out "Jesus!" Or during bible study, when people don't know the answer, they'll say the typical sunday school answer: Jesus.

But in all seriousness, He truly is the answer to everything. Of course it's not as simple as "Jesus is the reason why the coexistence of a benevolent, omniscient, and omnipotent God as well as evil and suffering is possible." But in short, that statement would be correct.

For the last two philosophy papers where I've written about God, I've tried to take out the 'Christian-ese' and even tried to avoid the mention of Christ, sin, etc. But I've found it to be impossible. If I were to avoid mentioning Christ, sin, and God's redemption plan, I would fail to completely answer the question.

I'm glad these philosophy papers are doing more for me than just getting a grade. God's sovereignty is resounding so deeply in my life right now. Anyways, got to get back to writing my philosophy paper. Last thing then I will be officially done for my first semester of college!

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The following are just some random thoughts as well as ideas I've gotten from A Case for Faith (by Lee Strobel) while writing my philosophy paper on "The Coexistence of a Benevolent, Omniscient, and Omnipotent God and Evil and Suffering," so I just thought I'd share them:

- Heaven...the end of suffering? Or peace from making sense of our suffering?

- Those with the greatest faith are those who have suffered the most.

- Justice delayed is not justice denied.

- "Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine, and injustice when He could do something about it."
"I'm afraid God might ask me the same thing."

Unspoken Desires

To a few of my friends...

(Sorry, this is just a very rough draft. Hopefully I'll have time to edit it once finals are over/during winter break.)

---//---

I wish to tell you how much you mean to me,
to let you know that everything will be alright.
Because God is faithful;
And He said He will complete a good work in you,
I trust that His promise is true.

I wish to hold you now,
tight in arms embrace,
and wipe the tears off your face.

I wish to tell you how beautiful you are;
the inner beauty and strength you possess is incomparable.
The immense love you have for others, few know of,
the disappointment you suffer for your selflessness,
it's why I look up to you.

I love you.

Crossroads

For those who I've been venting to, they know of the stress and uncertainty I have in my current decision to be pre-med. In these coming months, with my winter break externship in Children's Hospial of Philadelphia (if my forms go through) and the summer medical program (if I get accepted), I hope to come to a decision of whether to stay pre-med or not. The thought of going into business/management is becoming more and more enticing, especially as I think more about planning events for ASA, networking, and how I'm struggling to get through biology 101. Also, looking back, I think I thrive best in leadership positions. Academic-wise, I could probably stay a psychology major, drop the neurobehavorial science concentration, take some econ classes, and work more on my chinese minor. Also, I could probably study-abroad during the year then. Hmm...maybe....

Tonight's Asian Students Association Board meeting made my night.

While we were coming up with ideas for the spring semester, the former co-president mentioned that a band named Tim Be Told contacted her about coming to BMC, but she didn't know who they were. Of course at that point my eyes widened and I started jumping in my seat. Now I'm trying to see if ASA can book Tim Be Told to come to Bryn Mawr in the fall! Keep your fingers crossed that everything works out....

ASA is also really giving me a chance to become more involved at BMC, as well as getting involved with affinity groups from other campuses. Just the mere thought of this is getting me excited.

reblogged from lisa<3

Goals for Next Semester

- Keep up with the work so it's not piled up by finals week
- Attempt to actually do the reading, even if it means skimming

...to be continued...

Youtube - my source of enjoyment during finals week

During a late-night study session in the library...

"Are you uncomfortable in your jeans?"
Me: "Uh...why...?"
"Because I know how uncomfortable it is to study in your jeans and I'm wearing an extra pair of pants under my sweats if you need it."
Me: "No, that's alright. I won't make you take off your pants for me."

Haha, she's hilarious. <3

Random Thoughts of the Day

I think I'm not a big fan of people younger than me because they remind me of myself in the past. And I mentally smack myself for all the stupid things I've done.

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Don't get me wrong, I like Bryn Mawr, but sometimes I still wonder to myself, God, why'd you put me here? When I'm praising at GCC or having fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ, I don't have a problem with where I am. But other times...the thought bewilders me.

But today, one of my friends asks me for help on her essay. She may not be a Christian but she does like religion, and did grow up in church for a small part of her life when she was little. Her essay topic was about being religious and being homosexual, concentrating on theology from the Bible. I guess being put in a place like BMC makes one wonder about how to be a Christian and not condemn homosexuals. At first I had no problem with her topic, but she wanted my help to find Bible verses that said that homosexuality was not a sin. While it was a bit difficult to say that I do consider homosexuality a sin, and that she wouldn't be able to find Bible verses that said otherwise, I'm nonetheless glad that I haven't slipped up so much in my Christian walk as to not remain true to the Word of God. I guess what i'm really trying to say is this...I pray that I'm being a good testimony here.

Dear Peony,

When will you realize that what you're chasing after is not what you truly desire? It will not satisfy you.

Love,
God

"You shall have no other gods before me." (Deut. 5:7)

I remember when I first wondered about why that was the first commandment. At first it seemed quite egotistic, and I reasoned, Well it is God...He's sovereign. He is first. He can do whatever He wants. Later I understood that it was because if Christ really was one's God then it set the basis for why he/she would follow all the other commandments. Logically everything made sense. But it's only recently that I understand God's feelings behind this commandment.

For One to love us so much...to always be thinking of us...to have done so much for us...to have given up everything for us...to always want the best for us, the fact of the matter is that it simply hurts too much to feel betrayed or to be considered second-rate.

Love... really makes you wonder how much you can endure.

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Sometimes I wonder how much others really care. Or maybe it's just that I care too much.

Currently Listening To:
- Psalm 19, Vineyard
- Perfect Love, Hillsong
- True Colors, Phil Collins
- Moving On, Tim Be Told

Sitting in philosophy class before discussing the topic of free will...I don't think I ever would've reflected so deeply on such a difficult topic if I wasn't stuck in a classroom and my laptop wasn't dying.

While I heard about God's sovereignty before in sermons and Bible studies, I don't think the revelation of it resounded so deeply as it did today in that philosophy class. I remember I had tried to reflect upon the topic of free will and God's sovereignty and how the two co-exist in the past. However, it was only today, after listening to Augustine's argument, reflecting upon my life, and considering others' opinions that the grandness of His sovereignty really dawned upon me.

Still thinking about it....