Random Thoughts from the Queen of Random

So Much for the Prestige of the Nobel Peace Prize

2009-10-09T14:39:00.003-04:00

I was horrified this morning when I went to check my email and saw the headline that Obama had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. I'll be the first to admit that I have a very low opinion of the man. But seriously, putting that aside, I still cannot believe that anyone really thinks that he is deserving of this prize.

The President was nominated for this award 10 days after he took the office of President. Clearly, he had not even had the opportunity to have done anything to merit such an honor. He makes eloquent speeches about how he wants the world to change, how he wants the world to hope. Give me a break! These speeches are written FOR him not BY him. Apart from giving speeches he has not actually DONE anything to promote peace. In his will Alfred Nobel stipulated that the Peace Prize should go, "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses." The key here is action...past action...not future action. Obama may have lofty goals, but he has yet to do anything concrete to promote world peace.

I suppose that part of what makes this so disgusting to me is that there have been previous recipients of the award who I truly admire. One such person is Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar. She has dedicated her life to bringing democracy to her nation at great cost to herself. She has spent much of her life in deplorable prison conditions and under house arrest. She has faced government sponsored mob attacks-and for what-to see her people free from the military junta that oppresses them. So forgive me, if I just cannot even fathom how anyone can put President Obama and someone like Aung San Suu Kyi in the same category. It is an insult to people like her, who truly deserved such an honor. If the President has any respect for what the Nobel Peace prize stands for he will respectfully turn down the honor.

Oh the Stupidity!

2009-09-09T21:36:00.002-04:00

Here goes, I'm going to make a confession: I like to read Perez Hilton's website. I share this because I just saw the t-shirts he has "designed" in support of nationalized health care. Seeing this, I thought I would take a look at the comments people had posted in response. I was overwhelmed by the number of people who call health care a right to which all people are entitled. Excuse me, but this concept of health care as a right is just moronic. I have a hard time fathoming why people don't understand the concept of earning things through hard work.

I have read and heard many comments where people say that not wanting our tax dollars to go to a government run health care program is selfish. Well forgive me, but I don't see how illegal immigrants who don't pay taxes have any right to health care funded by hard working people. Nor do I see how a whole class of society who sits on their butts deserve to be taken care of. Many of the people I know who are opposed to government run health care are some of the most generous people I know when it comes to donating money to charity. But the key to this is that they donate to charities of their own choosing. The government is trying to take this choice away buy forcing hardworking people into donating to the charity of the welfare class. If only we could return to being a democratic nation with a free market economy as opposed to continuing down the road of socialism that we are on.

What's Coming Up

2009-08-15T11:05:00.005-04:00

Let's be honest-I suck at this whole blogging thing. I haven't posted an entry in months. I guess this is largely due to the fact that I haven't had much to write about. I graduated in May with my Master's degree. Since then I've moved home and been on the job hunt. For the most part, I spend my time running errands and doing work around the house. Between the flower beds, the garage and cleaning out closets, I've stayed pretty busy. However, I'm certainly enjoying being done with school. As much as I loved my classes, can anyone really say that they miss writing 15 page papers? But, I'm ready for more than menial house work. I am longing to be overseas and making a difference in the world. So, come the middle of September I'm going to be taking an ESL certification course in St. Louis. After that I will be searching for a position teaching English overseas. My hope is that within a few months I will have found a teaching position and will be headed for some far away land.

At What Point...

2009-03-09T21:32:00.002-04:00

After President Obama's decision today to repeal the Bush administration's restrictions on federal funding for research that involves the destruction of human embryos, I think we as Christians need to ask ourselves, "At what point..."

At what point to we say that enough is enough. Our political leaders can say all they want that our government has separation of Church and State. However, many of our basic laws are based on morals which stem from religious view points. Anyone heard of a little commandment that says "thou shalt not murder"? How about "thou shalt not steal"? Both of these are examples of religious morality being used to dictate laws which are used in our country, the United States of America. So, why should we stop there. Should we not protect life. If I'm not mistaken doesn't our nations Declaration of Independence speak of the right to life? I understand that the issue of when life actually begins is hotly debated. For me there is no debate, once the egg and sperm have fully joined together there is life, end of story. President Bush's administration recognized the sanctity of life and put measures in place to protect it. I think we all knew that President Obama did not and clearly does not have any regard for human life. Today he placed his cards on the table. In truth I'm disgusted by the fact that he has the nerve to say that the views of those who oppose this action must be respected. He has done the exact opposite. In essence he has said, "I know that you disagree with me, but I'm the President and this is what I want to do." Where exactly is the respect in that.

So I ask: at what point to we have to stop using just our voices or our blogs or our vote and really do something that the government will take notice of. If they are going to use our tax dollars to fund the destruction of human life, I think it may be time to stop paying taxes. Imagine what could happen if every United States citizen who pays taxes and believes in the sanctity of life said, "Enough!" What a statement that would make.

Forgive me for the rant. I am so ashamed to call this man President Obama. To have a man who would willing destroy life as the foremost representative of our nation is atrocious. He is however our President and so I will continue to pray for him, and that he will come to a saving knowledge of Christ Jesus. I will also pray that God will give him wisdom and reveal to him the error of his ways. I ask you to pray with me...and consider...at what point do we say enough?

Africa Here I Come

2009-03-03T13:22:00.003-05:00

Looking at the calendar, its hard to believe that I will be graduating from seminary in 2 1/2 months. In so many ways it feels like I just got here. While I am looking forward to graduating and being done with homework (hurray!!!), I can't help think about what brought me here. God has given me an undeniable passion for international missions. I still feel this calling profoundly, but it has been several years since I have been to a place where people have not heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. All of this is to say that I am so excited about a trip I'm going on over Spring Break. I will be going with a team from school to West Africa. While there we will be going into a village and doing Chronological Bible Storying. There are so many reasons I'm excited about this trip. For starters it is such a privilege to be able to share the story of Jesus with people, especially for the first time! I'm also excited about to be on the mission field again and remembering what it was that inspired me to come to seminary.

If you read this, keep me and my team members in your prayers as we prepare and go on this trip. We are leaving on March 27th and return on April 4th.

Thoughts on the Election.

2008-11-04T22:49:00.003-05:00

This evening I've been sitting here watching as the election results come in. As I watch and the hope for my presidential candidate of choice wain, I wonder why. There is a part of me that doesn't understand how people can be so blind to the truth. But the more I think on it, the more I arrive at an answer. The Bible is clear that the Enemy keeps people in darkness. He blinds them to the truth. I'm not under any delusions that John McCain is somehow the best candidate America could possibly have. Rather, I think he is the better option of two evils. However, this got me to thinking about a sermon I heard in 2006. John MacArthur spoke in chapel at the school I attend. The point of his message was that God may be turning America over to her depraved mind. As I look at the continual slip farther and farther into immorality, accepting it as the norm, I'm beginning to think that MacArthur may be correct.

Regardless of tonight's outcome, I know that God is sovereign and in complete control. I by no means understand what God is doing, but ultimately, my trust is in Him, not in the United States and certainly not in its government.

Slumber No More

2008-08-26T18:35:00.002-04:00

Well,
It has been a while since I've been on here. Its been over two months since my dad past away. I kind of feel like I've been just floating through life doing the things I had to, but other than that, nothing much else. Its amazing how when someone close to you passes away it feels like your world has been put on hold...the only problem is that everything else continues on around you. So you put up this wall of numbness and go on as if nothing has changed. And then you have that moment, where you just break. For me the facade came down at the most inconvenient of times. I was sitting in class! Anyway, the class in which I had my meltdown was my Spiritual Warfare class (which I'm super excited about by the way). For that class we were required to do a two hour prayer retreat. Between the prayer retreat and some exciting prospects in my ministry at church I feel like my wall is coming down. It feel almost as though I've been asleep for an extended period of time and now God is reviving me and filling me with this joy and hope that I've been missing. For those of you who don't know what this joy and hope is I'm talking about it is purely the joy of my salvation in Jesus Christ. I rejoice in the precious blood that Jesus willing shed on my behalf and yours. It is this that spurs me on.

Today in chapel the message was about John 3:16. This verse is so well known, but what a wonderful reminder that we all need sometimes--For God so loved the world, that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life!!!

Praise God

Light in the Darkness

2008-06-30T12:11:00.002-04:00

The last time I posted I was talking about the passing of a saint. Little did I know that I would spend that entire day trying to reach my dad on the phone. My mom was on her way home from a business trip and was stuck overnight in Washington DC. Around 11:30 my brother called me and said he thought we needed to call the police (since we both live several hours away from our parents). By the time everything played out we found out that dad had passed away in his sleep. His heart had just stopped. Needless to say, it was quite a shock. I mean, my dad was only 59. I still have a hard time even grasping the fact that he has been gone for more than two weeks.

So, I packed, took care of what I needed to and at 4:30 in the morning I loaded up my car and headed home. Ever since I got home we have been on the move. My parents are originally from Oklahoma and dad wanted to be buried there. So, we made arrangements with the funeral home to have dad cremated. Then on Wednesday, we loaded up in the cars and headed to Oklahoma. The funeral was really nice. There were a lot of relatives I had never even met. It is comforting to see how many people loved my dad. We have been back in Alabama for a week and have been taking care of all of the things that must be done when someone passes away. I knew there was a lot to do, but I had no idea, how much.

Even just a couple of weeks after his death it is amazing to be able to look back and see God's had through it all. There is so much to be grateful for. Because my mom's flight in DC was cancelled she didn't arrive at the airport with no one to pick her up and she didn't have to be the one to find my dad. Dad had been having problems with his legs and his kidneys. Amputation and dialysis were both going to be inevitable. He has been spared both of those. I know that God knew what was doing. I have no doubt. That is where my strength and comfort come from.

However, I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop. I'm not expecting to wake up one day and have a completely different perspective. But, I do expect to eventually realize that dad is really gone. There is an intellectual knowledge. I know he died. But, it still seems like a dream. There is still a part of me that expects him to come walking out of the computer room.

Anyway, I know this was long post, if you made it through I appreciate your patience. All I can think of to close with is that I'm so grateful to serve the true God who gives us the strength to get through what we otherwise could not face. There is light in the darkness. Dad's life on earth is done, but like he used to say: Eternal life doesn't start when we die, it starts the day we put our faith in Jesus Christ.

The Passing of A Saint

2008-06-14T09:24:00.002-04:00

Last night at 9:08 Central Time my Aunt Nita passed away. She had been in a vegatative state for a week and a half with no hope of recovery. I praise God for the fact that she did not drag on in that state for weeks, or months or even years. But this got me to thinking about mourning. Last night as I was laying in bed trying to go to sleep was when the tears came. I was certainly crying in part because I'm sad. However, I was also thinking about all of the struggles Aunt Nita had had with her health for the past several years and how she is now whole and perfect. She is in the presence of Almighty God, who has made it so she will never need healing again! This morning I have been meditating on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14. Praise God for Aunt Nita's salvation. There is mourning, but not like those who have no hope. We mourn because we miss her, but we know where she is, and that because of our faith in Christ, who died and rose from the dead, we will join her one day! That is something to shout for joy about!

Please pray for my family in the next few days as we prepare for the funeral. Particularly pray for my uncle less, who after 41 years of marriage (there anniversary was this past Monday) is now a widower.

What I've Been Up To and a Prayer Request.

2008-06-06T16:58:00.004-04:00

I thought I would share what the last month of my life has been like!

Packing in preparation for moving.
Going on a vacation to Florida with my family (unfortunately leaving my poor roommate to deal with movers and cleaning the old apartment).
Getting back from vacation and unpacking in our new apartment.
Starting Greek-today marks one week down-only 5 more to go!

Kind of hectic but good.

I also wanted to share a prayer request. If you know me or are a Christian who happens across my blog, I want to ask you to pray for my Aunt Nita. She was airlifted from her hometown, Shawnee, Oklahoma, to Oklahoma city on Wednesday evening. The doctors believe that her brain is bleeding and they are determining what to do. She is in a comatos state and her eyes are not responding to light. I know that God is in control, but I also know He answers prayers. He is the Healer. I have seen evidence of this recently with a friend's mother whose "unshrinkable" tumors have shrunk! Whatever happens with Aunt Nita I pray that God would be glorified and that others will see Christ in the way my family handles this situation.

Just An Observation

2008-05-21T12:26:00.003-04:00

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that Democrats are horrible losers. I mean, when a Republican is defeated they typically bow out gracefully, but just look at the last couple of presidential elections. Both Gore and Kerry were incredibly sore losers, doing everything they could think of to try and win the presidency. Now, watching the news--its two Democrats duking it out to see who is going to be the parties nominee. Most pundits have said that Obama is going to be the nominee. But, Clinton refuses to bow out gracefully. I'm as staunch a Republican as they come--so the strong divide in the Democratic party doesn't bother me. But, does Hilary Clinton not see the potential fall out that could result from pressing forward, even when almost all chance of winning is lost. It seems like if she really believed in her political party and not just herself she would begin backing Obama. Just an observation...

Myanmar and Lebanon

2008-05-09T10:03:00.002-04:00

I like to keep up with the international news. It helps me feel connected to the world, but for the last few days it has really been heartbreaking. Most of my friends know that a few years ago I spent a summer teaching English in Yangon. So to see all of the photos of the devastation in that beautiful city--it just rips my heart out. When I left Myanmar I cried for days because I loved the friends I had made so dearly. Because of the difficulty of communication I lost touch with most of my friends. As I watch the news and see that things seem to becoming more and more desperate, I worry about my friends and pray for their safety. Also, in 2005 the United Nations recognized the "responsibility to protect" civilians. This is a case where they need to step up. I urge you to go to http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1189/t/5102/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=24494 and make be an advocate for the people of Myanmar.

If the situation in Myanmar weren't enough, Lebanon has been in the news as well--another country I spent a summer in. The government and Hezbollah have been clashing in the streets, people have died and according to the news Hezbollah has taken control of most of the western side of the city. This fighting among fellow Lebanese is so saddening. After two and a half decades of civil war recent past, it is time for Lebanon to have some peace. I pray that Hezbollah and the government will come to a resolution quickly and that no more innocent people will die.

These two countries weigh heavy on my heart almost every day of my life, and I ask you to join me in praying for them as they both struggle through difficult time.

Morons on the Internet

2008-05-07T13:28:00.003-04:00

So, most of us have had viruses on our computers. Thanks to virus protection, we typically are safe. Unfortunately, there are occassions when nasty viruses, or trojans or whatever get throught the system and cause a whole lot of damage. I had a really nasty virus just a couple of days ago, which went to an anti-spyware sight and gave all my information to purchase the program for $116 dollars. What a pain. So now I've begun the dispute process with the bank. I seriously think that people who create viruses should be severely punished. I have heard stories of people who made viruses and got caught, ended going to jail and eventually working for the computer companies! Am I the only one who sees a problem with this? What I want to know is why a virus would purchase anti-virus software. I have a theory--someone who works for the anti-spyware company probably created the virus as a way for the company to make money. If, a computer hacker, or virus writer happens to see this post, just know--I hope you get caught and rot in jail for a long time, with NO access to computers!

The Hot Topic of the Week...There is a Bigger Issue at Hand

2008-04-29T15:38:00.003-04:00

Unless you have been under a rock for the past several days, you have probably heard all about Miley Cyrus' photo shoot and racy pictures. This type of controversy is nothing new. Doesn't anyone remember Britney Spears posing for Rolling Stone in a bra and panties when she was still a teenager...and unfortunately, things haven't turned out so well for her. This is so much bigger than a 15 year old girl who was allured by the prospect of her star burning even brighter. Of course it was an inappropriate photo--but raking a 15 year old through the coals is not the answer. The fact that both the photographer and her parents didn't see anything wrong with the photos until the backlash of the public is concerning. Rather than ripping this girl to shreds, we need to have a deep evaluation of our society. Children, girls in particular, are being raised with both subliminal and overt messages that tell them that their self worth is completely based on what they look like. Children are not oblivious to tabloids and entertainment magazines which indicate that to be important you have to be physically beautiful, and the sexier the better. What do we expect when this generation of girls have grown up idolizing people like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, who have been flaunting their sexuality since they were teenagers. So, instead of belittling this girl and treating her like a pariah--America should see this as a wake up call.

Just a thought: The Church needs to lead the charge in returning to a proper mindset about human sexuality. And no, I'm not talking about a boycott (which I'm ashamed to say the evangelical Christian community is fond of). We must teach from a young age that self worth is not found in physical beauty, fame or fortune. Rather, it is found in Christ. Alright, I'm hopping down off of my soapbox. I just wanted to give you something to think about.

The Cry of My Heart

2008-04-23T08:30:00.003-04:00

I have been going through somewhat of a spiritual termoil of late. On top of all of the papers that still need to be written, the apartment that must be found and the move to come, I now can add that I need to fit time in to go to the doctor. It seems like it is one thing after another. I can sit here and tell myself that my trials are trivial compared to those of other people. However, the feelings I have are real. I have been finding my solace in the Psalms lately, so I thought I would share one.

Psalm 61:1-4

1 Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.

2 From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

3 For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.

4 I long to dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.

Roomie blogging

2008-04-21T21:50:00.002-04:00

So, my roomies are both trying to take over my bed. Melissa says she thinks she can take me, and Rachel is pretty strong. I think she's full of crap! We have been looking at apartments--hopefully (please dear God!!!!) we've maybe found something. I think my roommate Rachel is about to keel over dead from a headache. She's going to take Advil. The other roommate is leaving me to feed her LOST addiction. I told you all that I was the Queen of Random so here we go!

Earthquakes Moving and the End of the Semester!

2008-04-18T15:28:00.003-04:00

Our internet has been down in our apartment and so I haven't gotten to blog for a week. Today began really early. Me, along with most of my friends-in Louisville and St. Louis got an early wake up call. At 5:37 this morning we all awoke to our apartment rattling. We had a momentary freak out and then turned on the news. It was a 5.2 earthquake. This was a first for me and it is almost surreal. It amazes me how an earthquake can effect such a large area. So, later in the morning my roommate Rachel and I headed out looking for a new apartment. I suppose some people enjoy this, but I don't. I know that God will guide us and provide for us, but I am incredibly frustrated with the whole process. We don't qualify for the decent apartments in our price range because we are both full time students. I think maybe God is going to prepare us for living overseas by putting us in an apartment that we wouldn't choose for ourselves. So anyway, if you think of it, say a prayer for us as we continue our apartment hunt. I'm praying God will work things out with our apartment hunt quickly. The semester is coming to a close and a break neck pace and I have so much homework left. I did the math and I have approximately 55 pages left to write and two books to read in the next 2 1/2 weeks. Yikes! This is problematic because all I can think about is that we don't have anywhere to live, come June 1st. We're told in Scripture not to worry--and I'm failing miserably. I'm so grateful that God is patient with us. I cling to the truth that when I am weak He is strong.

TORNADOES

2008-04-11T15:08:00.003-04:00

Why don't they have basements in Alabama!? I'm sitting on my parents sofa in Huntsville, Alabama watching the weather. There are tornado warnings all over the area (I'm talking 4 different tornado warning at this moment) and we don't have anywhere to take shelter in our house. Does this make sense to anyone else? I mean Huntsville is right smack in the middle of Tornado Alley! So, instead of taking shelter, here I am sitting on the sofa and writing a blog entry. I love the spring. I'm just praying for the saftey of all of the people here in the Huntsville area who, like us, don't have basements or other decent places to take shelter.

Who Knew?

2008-04-09T11:58:00.002-04:00

This entry is a slight rant, so forgive me. This blogging thing is still new to me. I set my blog up less than a month ago and have already run into some issues that I find problematic. I filled out the profile information and inadvertently allowed the astrological symbol for my birthday to be put on my profile. Now, for people who know me, they know that I in no way follow astrology. However, a comment was written by someone I don't know questioning my belief and faith, implying that I am following two incompatible belief systems. They urged me to think about what I was doing. I find it frustrating that a person who doesn't even know me, thinks they can discern who I am and what I believe based on one little word on my profile. That having been said I now find it expedient to state what I believe about astrology. I believe that astrology is a form of divination, which the Bible clearly says is repulsive to God. It is practiced by people who practice folk religions. Unfortunately, folk Christianity can be seen throughout the world, including in the United States. Therefore, I suppose I understand why someone might think I could claim to be a Christian, yet still read the horoscopes. I know that I am a sinner saved by grace, who is for from being completely sactified. However, astrology is not a weak point for me. Maybe I'm being to defensive, but I feel the need to make sure that I provide a clear understanding of what I believe. Essentially, this encounter has me questioning whether or not I should make my blog private, I do not want to inadvertently lead someone astray because of a mistake on my blog. And, I don't particularly care to have my feathers ruffled by strangers (I know this is an issue I need to deal with).

Finding Christ in Christians

2008-04-07T17:33:00.001-04:00

A person from my church sent me this article, "Finding Christ in Christians." I thought so highly of the article that I thought I would share it. So here it is:

A friend recentlty told me about a Web site founded by Westboro Baptist Church (WBC). It's called godhatesfags.com.I'm sorry to say that's not a misprint.As the name implies, the Web site is a compilation of fanatic and altogether false claims about the God whom Christians serve. The site paints a picture of an angry, cruel god who hates all men, but especially homosexuals.I had a whole column written about the WBC and their blasphemous, homophobic ways. I checked every word to make sure I sounded as professional, righteous and indignant as possible, then I sent it off to a good friend and spiritual mentor.I received an e-mail back that amounted to a virtual punch in the jaw.In loving terms, Justin made me realize my witch-hunt approach was just as flawed as the funeral-picketing approach of the WBC members.Unfortunately, Christians, or at least people who wear that nametag, often grossly misrepresent the founder of the faith and their object of worship: Christ. Whether by being overly religious and hateful like the WBC or overly rebellious and arrogant like myself, we Christians often get caught up in complex arguments and lose the simple promise of Christ's love.You see, the whole of Scripture can be summed up into one verse: "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). That truth changed my life.I know "sinners" is a churchy word with many interpretations, but biblical sin is, in essence, anything that displeases God, anything He hates (ah, now we see where the WBC got off track).Often people look down on a certain sin, one of those really "nasty" ones. Pre-marital sex. Murder. Homosexuality. But God abhors all sin, even the "little ones." He hates it when people cheat on their taxes, watch an old lady stumble across the street or look too long at the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.God hates it when we try to work our own way to a righteous lifestyle without relying on him. Sure, God loves to see people do good; blood drives, donations to the poor and relief projects are pleasing in His sight, but even the richest of deeds, if done for personal gain - for "religious points," if you will - can be sinful and ultimately lead to distance from God and frustration.Moreover, God requires a reckoning for all sins, a payment, because he cannot tolerate having sin anywhere near Him.I know I'm guilty of most of those sins and countless others. I know I've done things that disappoint and hurt God, and I know I could never get to God on my own. I'm just too sinful, too dirty. I know that without someone to help me, without someone to save me, I'd slowly drown in a pool of confusion, disappointment and doubt.That's where Jesus comes in.Jesus is my Helper and Savior. By dying for me on the cross, He paid for my sins and granted me access to God. He gave me a peace that will stay with me until I die and an assurance of a greater reward when I do.But, while I consider my faith to be a very personal one, this good news doesn't just apply to me. It doesn't just apply to people who go to church. It doesn't just apply to people who've "got it all together."This good news applies to anyone who realizes that one more vengeful thought, one more promiscuous encounter or one more insult will never fill the emptiness inside. It also applies to anyone who realizes that one more charity project, one more Sunday school class, or one more elaborate prayer will not earn them the acceptance of God. It applies to everyone who will embrace the abundant love of Jesus and allow Him to be the commander of their life.And the real good news, the real gospel, is that the love of Jesus applies to you. He is strong to save you and he will make you whole. He already accepted the punishment for every memory that makes you ashamed, every decision you lose sleep over at night and every word you can't take back. He died so that you might be free from the bondage of those sins.He died so that you might live.Such a sacrifice demands a response. If you're intrigued by how the person of Jesus can provide fulfillment to your life, I encourage you to attend a church this Sunday and talk to one of the pastors on staff. It's my prayer that the minister will represent Christ by speaking frankly to you about his unconditional, unmerited love.Churches I've been involved with and can personally recommend include Matthias Lot in downtown St. Charles, Refuge Church in Blanchette Park, Greater Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church off Kingshighway in St. Louis, First Baptist Church of Harvester at Highway 94 and Jungermann Road, and Harvester Christian Church at Highway 94 and Jungs Station Road.But churches everywhere and of every denomination are just waiting for you to come and ask them about the name they love to hear: the sweet, sweet name of Jesus.Zach Vicars, who resides near St. Peters, is a student at Francis Howell North High School. He is one of 18 Opinion Shaper columnists for the Suburban Journals of St. Charles County. Opinion Shapers are chosen annually to write five columns on topics of interest to them.

How Awesome is Our God

2008-04-02T13:23:00.002-04:00

So, my roommate Rachel and I teach English to internationals on Wednesday mornings. It is a Christian ministry, but those in charge have traditionally been "social gospel" people. They have a great fear of offending the students and so essentially fear has overcome boldness and the gospel isn't shared. When new volunteers have been openly evangelistic they have been pulled aside and told not to be so forward. So, all of that background to share what has been happening the last few weeks. Last week, Rachel and I were able to give a PowerPoint presentation that included the full gospel. We were so excited to be able to share about Jesus in a room full of syncretistic Catholics, Muslims, Hindus and so on. I fully expected to be reprimanded by some of the ladies, for being so straight forward in our presentation. But they only had positive things to say! Then today, in our conversation and culture class, we gave our students the chance to ask questions about customs in America that they find odd. The discussion started off with black Friday and Halloween. However, it quickly turned to Christianity, and we were able to share the gospel again. This was the second time in two weeks that we were able to share the gospel in an environment that unfortunately is often more of a hindrance to the gospel than an aid. God is so awesome in how His is opening doors to share. If you read this and are a believer, please pray with us that we will have more opportunities to share the gospel with these wonderful people. God's Word does not return void, but people must hear!

Who's not the sharpest tool in the shed?

2008-04-01T07:30:00.002-04:00

That would be ME. So, this morning I woke up and was getting ready for class, per usual. Look at the clock and think, "I've still got 20 minutes!" Then I notice, the hour is wrong! Instead of being 5:58 its 6:58. I set the alarm for the wrong time. So instead of having 20 minutes until I have to leave...class starts in 2 minutes. Oh well, at least I figured it out and didn't wander into class halfway through :)

The Lord's Supper

2008-03-31T10:44:00.002-04:00

I was reading for one of my classes last night and the subject was the Lord's Supper. Can I just ask, why does the Catholic church think that it is the actual body and blood of Christ? I just don't understand. Did they somehow miss the part about His sacrifice on the cross being an atonement that doesn't need to be repeated. If the bread and wine (juice for you Southern Baptists out there) truly becomes the body of and blood of Christ, then it seems as though Christ is sacrificing himself repeatedly. What does that say about Jesus' initial sacrifice on the cross...was it insufficient? I don't think so. I also wonder why so many churches use little individual wafers. Doesn't that take away from the symbolism of his body being broken for us? Okay, I'm done rambling.

Just something to think about.

That's Amore

2008-03-29T20:58:00.002-04:00

Okay, most of the time I have some song or another running through my head. This phenomena never stops. Those of you who spend a lot of time with me know that the options of songs to come out of my mouth are pretty much limitless. So what was today's song de jour...That's Amore. The good ole Dean Martin classic. I've never actually known all the words, so I looked them up! Enjoy

When the moon hits you eye like a big pizza pie
That's amore
When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine
That's amore
Bells will ring ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling
And you'll sing "Vita bella"
Hearts will play tippy-tippy-tay, tippy-tippy-tay
Like a gay tarantella
When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fagiole
That's amore
When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet
You're in love
When you walk down in a dream but you know you're not
Dreaming signore
Scuzza me, but you see, back in old Napoli
That's amore
When the moon hits you eye like a big pizza pie
That's amore
When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine
That's amore
Bells will ring ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling
And you'll sing "Vita bella"
Hearts will play tippy-tippy-tay, tippy-tippy-tay
Like a gay tarantella
When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fagiole
That's amore
When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet
You're in love
When you walk down in a dream but you know you're not
Dreaming signoreScuzza me, but you see, back in old Napoli
That's amoreLucky fella
When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fagiole
That's amore
When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet
You're in love
When you walk down in a dream but you know you're not
Dreaming signore
Scuzza me, but you see, back in old Napoli
That's amore, (amore)
That's amore

For those who like to cook!

2008-03-28T22:27:00.000-04:00

If you know me, you know I like to cook. So I thought I would share a recipe that I've created recently. I enjoy it, but try it out and let me know what you think!

Mexican Chicken

1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts

1 large white onion, chopped

1 bag frozen bell pepper strips

1 cup salsa verde

1 can great northern beans, drained

½ cup of chicken broth

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

Dash of cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

Place all of the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

You may want to alter the spice amounts. I'm more of a "to taste" kind of girl than a measurer. Serve with tortilla chips or rice. It's really good with cheese, sour cream, cilantro...or whatever you like to garnish Mexican food with.

New to this blogging thing

2008-03-28T22:06:00.000-04:00

So many of my friends have blogs. I occasionally check out what they have to say. Then I think, "hmmm, I should get a blog." Then inevitably...I forget. However, today is a different day! So I'm going to try this blogging thing out. I am the Queen of Random, just ask my roommates. So from this point forward I am going to attempt to document some of that randomness. Maybe others will learn something about me. And maybe, just maybe, I'll learn something about myself!