In three days I have read the first eleven chapters of Genesis.
In those eleven chapters is contained the history of the beginning of the world.
I will take a few blog posts to write a short bit about each chapter.
Here is the first one!
Chapter 1
God created the world.
With His voice.
If that's not awe-inspiring, I don't know what is.
When I think about how perfect the world was at the very beginning, I can't help but feel wistful.
At the same time, I feel hopeful. God created us in His image, perfect in every way, perfect in ways we cannot even imagine. And that's what heaven will be like.
Truly, I cannot wait.
Chapter 2
God rested after creating the universe, giving His children a reason to also rest at least one day a week.
I feel like this isn't taken seriously anymore, now that even more of the world has turned away from the Lord. A day of rest is a gift. Now, I realize that it isn't possible in every profession to always take Sunday off as a day of rest. My husband can't even do that. But the point is that humanity needs to slow down and reflect -- on God's Word. That is one of my prayers, albeit a not very hopeful one.
And then there is the detailed description of the creation of Man and Woman. The creation on the sixth day is mentioned briefly at the end of chapter 1, but because humans are the most important of God's creation (the world was made for us), the account gets another section. We are God's children, created in His image to live in the world He gave us. How beautiful!
Chapter 3
And so begins the saddest event in all Creation. Yes, Jesus Christ dying on the cross for us was also one of the saddest events in the history of the world, but think about it this way: He wouldn't have needed to die if not for the Fall into sin.
A sobering thought.
Yet, fall into sin we did. The first temptation, brought forth by Satan, was the temptation to doubt the Word of God. It wasn't the eating of the fruit; that was merely a result. Well, maybe not merely, but my point is that when you realize that the first sin was questioning God, that you realize it's no wonder the world is where it's at today. Original sin makes complete sense, though it is horrid.
And yet, God does not immediately give up and start over. (Yet -- there is the Flood!)
Yes, God tells Adam and Eve (and the serpent, for that matter) that they are cursed because of their sin, but He gives them a Promise right away.
And God never breaks His promises, no matter what people might believe.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
reading the Bible in one year
Yes, January 2012 is behind us and February is well under way. This is a year that I have promised to myself will be a year of good things and a healthy body, mind, and soul. I'm working on the healthy body by working out, doing some yoga, and eating right. My mind is always nourished by reading books, especially those that fall under the classification of Great Books. My soul is nourished every Sunday morning when I attend church, but during the week I have been guilty of not paying attention to it. My soul, that is.
Thus, I have decided that it will be this year that I read the entire Bible. I have read most of it in the past, yes, but never the entire thing. At least I don't think so. The point is that I need to read it more often, and in a studious kind of way, not just opening the book and reading the first pages I come to. That method is not terrible, because everything in the Holy Scriptures is important and can be applied to my life; however, I need a way to focus better. So, beginning in Genesis, at the beginning, I am going to read the whole book!
Perhaps I will be through the Old Testament by July or August.
Many individuals meditate when they do yoga. Meditation is not all bad; you have to know what to meditate on. I choose to meditate on the Holy Word of God, to further enrich my soul on this earth.
If I can keep up with this blog in a more regular fashion *coughcough*maybe impossible*coughcough*, I shall update as I read, giving you my thoughts.
Also, any encouragement is greatly welcomed!
Thus, I have decided that it will be this year that I read the entire Bible. I have read most of it in the past, yes, but never the entire thing. At least I don't think so. The point is that I need to read it more often, and in a studious kind of way, not just opening the book and reading the first pages I come to. That method is not terrible, because everything in the Holy Scriptures is important and can be applied to my life; however, I need a way to focus better. So, beginning in Genesis, at the beginning, I am going to read the whole book!
Perhaps I will be through the Old Testament by July or August.
Many individuals meditate when they do yoga. Meditation is not all bad; you have to know what to meditate on. I choose to meditate on the Holy Word of God, to further enrich my soul on this earth.
If I can keep up with this blog in a more regular fashion *coughcough*maybe impossible*coughcough*, I shall update as I read, giving you my thoughts.
Also, any encouragement is greatly welcomed!
Monday, August 15, 2011
disenchantment
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines disenchant as "to free from illusion".
Well, I'm here to state that though I have never been fully enchanted by the popular culture today, I am disenchanted by it in almost all aspects.
What we need today is a true disenchantment with Hollywood, the "music" industry, and even the world of politics. The latter is not something I will rant about today.
My true disenchantment with Hollywood became complete when a few of my favorite wholesome books were realized in the utterly wrong way onscreen. After viewing The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, I felt nothing but disappointment, ire, and sadness. The filmmakers took a wonderful Christian story and turned it into New Age spiritual nonsense about defeating the darkness inside yourself. Instead of being a beautiful journey to the End of the World and Aslan's Table, it became a completely me-centered adventure. The themes of sacrifice and redemption were almost nonexistent. To be brutally honest, I was appalled. Why did Hollywood have to change the story at all?
As far as the last installment of Harry Potter goes, I don't actually want to get into that. But I will say one thing: for the entire series, I was upset because Hollywood changed things and left huge gaps in the story. Yet when it came to Deathly Hallows Part Two, I was shocked at how empty it felt. Again, the underlying themes which are so obvious in J.K. Rowling's books were just not there. Why?
Well, Hollywood, it's because you don't even know what sacrifice, redemption, and true love look like.
I pray for celebrities as a whole, but it's hard to allow a smidgen of hope for most of the actors and singers and talent-less socialites that make up Beverly Hills and more.
You know why I sometimes wish for old Hollywood?
For the actors and actresses that played parts in black and white films?
Because at least they didn't flaunt their perverted and screwed up lives.
It wasn't "okay to be gay" and even though some of those men were, they didn't make it obvious.
It wasn't okay to be promiscuous and have children out of wedlock, so things were kept under wraps.
I'm certainly not trying to say that old Hollywood had better morals than today; in reality they were no different.
They just kept things clean on the outside, for the most part.
Films didn't need an R rating, or heaven forbid, an NC-17.
Television wasn't so graphic that all you see is body parts and buckets of blood.
Nudity wasn't acceptable onscreen.
Profanity was kept to a minimum.
Yeah, okay, everyone smoked and drank, but I think that's minor compared to other things.
What has happened to America? To the world? I do not find it acceptable when I go to a movie theater and the teenagers in the row in front of me are talking in such a way that their entire conversation should be bleeped out. On Sunday my pastor talked about going to sporting events and feeling like he should be wearing headphones, or even sitting in a coffee shop and feeling the same way. I know exactly how he feels.
I know I mentioned the "music" industry at the beginning of this post, but I'll save that for another day.
What I will say is that when we have people like Lady Gaga and her horrible song called "Judas", rock groups and rappers that scream strings of profanities and glorify drugs and pre-marital sex and same-sex relationships, I actually am half-okay with someone like Justin Bieber. At least he is still clean, for the most part. I just pray he doesn't go the way of Miley Cyrus and the rest of them.
My prayer and hope is that one day soon America will grow disenchanted with its own popular culture. The comments I read on YouTube videos and internet news stories show that this isn't going to happen to the general public anytime soon. I will place blame partially on education, because so many of the people that spend their time commenting online clearly don't know what they're talking about.
But now I charge my fellow Christians with something. Please, please, please stop trying to make yourself, your church, your music, and God "culturally relevant". That's not the point. Peter writes the following:
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belong to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9).
Two verses later, he charges Christians with this:
"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." (1 Peter 2:11-12).
Always remember that we are set apart from the world because of Christ's sacrifice for us. This sacrifice and our subsequent salvation gives us cause to live good lives and do good deeds. Christ gave His all that we might stand before God in heaven and be washed clean. Why do we not remember this more and show it during our lives here on earth?
I may be disenchanted with popular culture in general, but I think the time has come to allow an even greater disenchantment: Christians need to step away from being culturally relevant and hold the Gospel high. We need to show Hollywood and the rest of the world that we are different. If all we do is try to fit in, then that's all we ever will be: conformists.
And we shouldn't be.
Let the world be disenchanted by bubblegum Christianity.
Let the harshness of the Law be brought to light that the power of the Gospel may shine all the more.
I, for one, will gladly proclaim my Savior's grace and mercy everywhere I go.
Well, I'm here to state that though I have never been fully enchanted by the popular culture today, I am disenchanted by it in almost all aspects.
What we need today is a true disenchantment with Hollywood, the "music" industry, and even the world of politics. The latter is not something I will rant about today.
My true disenchantment with Hollywood became complete when a few of my favorite wholesome books were realized in the utterly wrong way onscreen. After viewing The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, I felt nothing but disappointment, ire, and sadness. The filmmakers took a wonderful Christian story and turned it into New Age spiritual nonsense about defeating the darkness inside yourself. Instead of being a beautiful journey to the End of the World and Aslan's Table, it became a completely me-centered adventure. The themes of sacrifice and redemption were almost nonexistent. To be brutally honest, I was appalled. Why did Hollywood have to change the story at all?
As far as the last installment of Harry Potter goes, I don't actually want to get into that. But I will say one thing: for the entire series, I was upset because Hollywood changed things and left huge gaps in the story. Yet when it came to Deathly Hallows Part Two, I was shocked at how empty it felt. Again, the underlying themes which are so obvious in J.K. Rowling's books were just not there. Why?
Well, Hollywood, it's because you don't even know what sacrifice, redemption, and true love look like.
I pray for celebrities as a whole, but it's hard to allow a smidgen of hope for most of the actors and singers and talent-less socialites that make up Beverly Hills and more.
You know why I sometimes wish for old Hollywood?
For the actors and actresses that played parts in black and white films?
Because at least they didn't flaunt their perverted and screwed up lives.
It wasn't "okay to be gay" and even though some of those men were, they didn't make it obvious.
It wasn't okay to be promiscuous and have children out of wedlock, so things were kept under wraps.
I'm certainly not trying to say that old Hollywood had better morals than today; in reality they were no different.
They just kept things clean on the outside, for the most part.
Films didn't need an R rating, or heaven forbid, an NC-17.
Television wasn't so graphic that all you see is body parts and buckets of blood.
Nudity wasn't acceptable onscreen.
Profanity was kept to a minimum.
Yeah, okay, everyone smoked and drank, but I think that's minor compared to other things.
What has happened to America? To the world? I do not find it acceptable when I go to a movie theater and the teenagers in the row in front of me are talking in such a way that their entire conversation should be bleeped out. On Sunday my pastor talked about going to sporting events and feeling like he should be wearing headphones, or even sitting in a coffee shop and feeling the same way. I know exactly how he feels.
I know I mentioned the "music" industry at the beginning of this post, but I'll save that for another day.
What I will say is that when we have people like Lady Gaga and her horrible song called "Judas", rock groups and rappers that scream strings of profanities and glorify drugs and pre-marital sex and same-sex relationships, I actually am half-okay with someone like Justin Bieber. At least he is still clean, for the most part. I just pray he doesn't go the way of Miley Cyrus and the rest of them.
My prayer and hope is that one day soon America will grow disenchanted with its own popular culture. The comments I read on YouTube videos and internet news stories show that this isn't going to happen to the general public anytime soon. I will place blame partially on education, because so many of the people that spend their time commenting online clearly don't know what they're talking about.
But now I charge my fellow Christians with something. Please, please, please stop trying to make yourself, your church, your music, and God "culturally relevant". That's not the point. Peter writes the following:
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belong to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9).
Two verses later, he charges Christians with this:
"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." (1 Peter 2:11-12).
Always remember that we are set apart from the world because of Christ's sacrifice for us. This sacrifice and our subsequent salvation gives us cause to live good lives and do good deeds. Christ gave His all that we might stand before God in heaven and be washed clean. Why do we not remember this more and show it during our lives here on earth?
I may be disenchanted with popular culture in general, but I think the time has come to allow an even greater disenchantment: Christians need to step away from being culturally relevant and hold the Gospel high. We need to show Hollywood and the rest of the world that we are different. If all we do is try to fit in, then that's all we ever will be: conformists.
And we shouldn't be.
Let the world be disenchanted by bubblegum Christianity.
Let the harshness of the Law be brought to light that the power of the Gospel may shine all the more.
I, for one, will gladly proclaim my Savior's grace and mercy everywhere I go.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
musings no.6 [wedding registries and feelings of selfishness]
One of my favorite things about the wedding planning so far has been creating wedding gift registries.
It's fun to browse the internet and add all sorts of awesome home things to a list that people will pick from.
Honestly, it feels a little selfish.
I mean, really, how much is too much?
How expensive is too expensive?
Is registering for personal items allowed?
Hard to say.
In the end, though, as long as the necessary items are on the lists, I suppose anything else is fair game.
I certainly find it amusing how the ratio of items for each room/section of our new house differs.
The room that has the most items is obviously the kitchen.
Now's the time for me to get all those random kitchen gadgets that will be tons of fun to use!
Yeah...I'm a sucker for kitchen stuff.
But really, the idea of a gift registry for new couples makes so much sense.
It would be rather insane to expect a newly married couple to buy everything they need to start a life together.
And with a registry, then they're more likely to receive items they actually like.
It's fun, and kind of addicting, even.
I only wish it didn't feel like I'm being selfish by "wanting" all these things.
My conscience needs to take a break while I'm planning my wedding.
It's fun to browse the internet and add all sorts of awesome home things to a list that people will pick from.
Honestly, it feels a little selfish.
I mean, really, how much is too much?
How expensive is too expensive?
Is registering for personal items allowed?
Hard to say.
In the end, though, as long as the necessary items are on the lists, I suppose anything else is fair game.
I certainly find it amusing how the ratio of items for each room/section of our new house differs.
The room that has the most items is obviously the kitchen.
Now's the time for me to get all those random kitchen gadgets that will be tons of fun to use!
Yeah...I'm a sucker for kitchen stuff.
But really, the idea of a gift registry for new couples makes so much sense.
It would be rather insane to expect a newly married couple to buy everything they need to start a life together.
And with a registry, then they're more likely to receive items they actually like.
It's fun, and kind of addicting, even.
I only wish it didn't feel like I'm being selfish by "wanting" all these things.
My conscience needs to take a break while I'm planning my wedding.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
"By the shores of Gitche Gumee, By the shining Big-Sea-Water"
Does it make sense to have a deep longing for seeing a place again?
In the same way that one longs for the company of a close friend who they have not seen in many days?
I like to think it does make sense.
I have a deep longing for places I have never even set foot in, except possibly in my dreams.
I think I am meant to travel.
To new places.
But right now, I specifically want to return.
I want to feel the cool of Lake Superior on my skin.
I want to feast my eyes upon the glory that is the sunset God paints above the water.
I want to be there, among the splendor that God has created.
Obviously, the splendor that God has created is all around us, but there is something special about Gitche Gumee, the shining Big-Sea-Water.
I don't know what, exactly.
I also don't think it matters.
My heart just wants to be there.
Friday, July 1, 2011
The Thirty-Nine Steps
Most films and television shows are based on books. Everyone knows this.
When I watch a film or television show, especially a period drama (like Pride & Prejudice), and especially one I haven't heard of before, I want to discover where the story came from.
This past winter, I decided to watch Masterpiece Theatre on PBS. I hadn't watched it in a very long time.
And I mean a very long time. Try years.
Lucky for me, there was a single episode period drama/mystery being shown on that particular Sunday evening.
This drama was entitled The Thirty-Nine Steps.
I enjoyed the story, and soon afterwards learned from a friend that Alfred Hitchcock had filmed an adaptation of this same story in 1935. I then was lucky enough to find a DVD set of 20 early Hitchcock films for five dollars at Target and it had this film on it! So, I watched it. Black and white films are bloody brilliant! No, really. There is just something about old B/W films. They have a certain charm. But at the moment, that's not really the point of this story.
The best part about this story, however, is not the film versions. I had searched Amazon for an edition of the original book shortly after watching the BBC adaptation. I discovered that it was a very old story, almost one hundred years old. Naturally. There were a few editions of the book available online, but at the time I decided not to order one. I was finishing up college, after all. So, I forgot about the story for awhile.
Until yesterday. A friend and I were at Babbitt's Books, an awesome used bookshop in Normal, and we were just browsing. She shares my love (read: obsession) with books. While I was scanning the top shelves of the fiction section, I noticed a book that said The Thirty-Nine Steps, John Buchan. I was slightly unsure of the author's name right then, but I stood on my tiptoes and plucked the red volume carefully from the shelf.
I flipped through the pages, noting that the book was old and in good shape. The price was thirty dollars, which made me curious. Most books I buy at Babbitt's are between two and seven dollars, so there had to be something special about this one. Sure enough, it was a first edition. From 1915.
Naturally, I bought it. Now I just need to read it, but the discovery of the book itself was quite amazing.
When I watch a film or television show, especially a period drama (like Pride & Prejudice), and especially one I haven't heard of before, I want to discover where the story came from.
This past winter, I decided to watch Masterpiece Theatre on PBS. I hadn't watched it in a very long time.
And I mean a very long time. Try years.
Lucky for me, there was a single episode period drama/mystery being shown on that particular Sunday evening.
This drama was entitled The Thirty-Nine Steps.
I enjoyed the story, and soon afterwards learned from a friend that Alfred Hitchcock had filmed an adaptation of this same story in 1935. I then was lucky enough to find a DVD set of 20 early Hitchcock films for five dollars at Target and it had this film on it! So, I watched it. Black and white films are bloody brilliant! No, really. There is just something about old B/W films. They have a certain charm. But at the moment, that's not really the point of this story.
The best part about this story, however, is not the film versions. I had searched Amazon for an edition of the original book shortly after watching the BBC adaptation. I discovered that it was a very old story, almost one hundred years old. Naturally. There were a few editions of the book available online, but at the time I decided not to order one. I was finishing up college, after all. So, I forgot about the story for awhile.
Until yesterday. A friend and I were at Babbitt's Books, an awesome used bookshop in Normal, and we were just browsing. She shares my love (read: obsession) with books. While I was scanning the top shelves of the fiction section, I noticed a book that said The Thirty-Nine Steps, John Buchan. I was slightly unsure of the author's name right then, but I stood on my tiptoes and plucked the red volume carefully from the shelf.
I flipped through the pages, noting that the book was old and in good shape. The price was thirty dollars, which made me curious. Most books I buy at Babbitt's are between two and seven dollars, so there had to be something special about this one. Sure enough, it was a first edition. From 1915.
Naturally, I bought it. Now I just need to read it, but the discovery of the book itself was quite amazing.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
restless
It may be the summer weather, but I am restless. Ever since school ended, I have been feeling this way. But why? Come to think of it, the feeling cannot be solely because of the summer weather; summer weather has been greatly lacking. I enjoy the cooler temps, so that certainly isn't it. I have this feeling of urgency, of somehow missing something that is to come. I never sleep well, and even when I think I do, I'm still exhausted. There are so many things that I want to accomplish, and yet they never get accomplished because I spend all my time thinking and never doing.
I suppose I have accomplished a few things this summer. I have managed to read a number of books simply for the joy of reading. I have bought the fabric and other supplies to sew my wedding dress. And there are other, smaller, things. But the feeling of restlessness remains. I don't like it, and it's upsetting me.
The sad thing is that part of me knows why I am restless. I don't want to be here. A lot of what I would like to accomplish requires being there, in Wisconsin. I am tired of Illinois, tired of the distance, and tired of the scenery, since I'm being honest. It's not that I don't want to be with my family, or my church family, or my very few friends here.
The time has come for a permanent change of scenery. I just wish December didn't feel so far away.
I suppose I have accomplished a few things this summer. I have managed to read a number of books simply for the joy of reading. I have bought the fabric and other supplies to sew my wedding dress. And there are other, smaller, things. But the feeling of restlessness remains. I don't like it, and it's upsetting me.
The sad thing is that part of me knows why I am restless. I don't want to be here. A lot of what I would like to accomplish requires being there, in Wisconsin. I am tired of Illinois, tired of the distance, and tired of the scenery, since I'm being honest. It's not that I don't want to be with my family, or my church family, or my very few friends here.
The time has come for a permanent change of scenery. I just wish December didn't feel so far away.
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