Life Reminders #1-13

1. Step by step. Start small.
2. Work on it for 30 minutes.
3. Blossom where you're planted.
4. Don't marry someone you can live with - marry someone you can't live without.
5. Life is short.
6. Everyone has their own little world. Maybe their mom just died. Life doesn't revolve around you.
7. Here lived a street sweeper who did his job well.
8. In whatso'ever estate, there are relationships to cultivate.
9. Character is who you are when no one but God is watching.
10. Love your enemy.
11. Not teacher-centered or student-centered, but subject-centered.
12. Ecclesiastes is excellent.
13. Care about those who are caring for others. (Practical translation --> in a ministry, care about the leaders' spiritual being/fellowship as well as those being reached out to.)

Teaching Perk

Today I met with a student outside class, and I feel like she is in an 'aha' period of her writing skill development. I think she used a couple of handouts (not created by me) to influence her latest writing. ******Anyway*yay*******

Repentance & Temptation

Piper refers to repentance as being an internal change of mind and heart. Can this internal change be the acknowledgement of one's sin, and realization that Jesus needs to be the one to do the changing? How does one change internally and undergo true repentance if s/he is still attached to the sin? Prayer? Change eternally first? Simply look to God? A mixture of some of that? Maybe a change of desire could be one method to encouraging/leading to heart change. James 1:14 says, "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire." So if those desires are transformed, perhaps the temptations will decrease as well. On another note, I wonder what exactly 'temptation' is...can it be possible to be tempted without any evil desire? Hebrews 4:15 talks about Jesus being "one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." So he was tempted...and even suffered. Hebrews 2:18 says, "he himself has suffered when tempted"... but does that word have a different meaning than it does in James 1:13, when it says, "...God cannot be tempted with evil..."? Maybe in the latter case it means there is no way God would give into the temptation...or maybe it means that He is finished with personally experiencing temptation?

Love never fails

Basically, I guess love should override things such as perceived narrow mindedness. Like, today, I think an enthusiastic reaction popped out of me when I found out that someone was involved with something. While that 'something' might be interesting for me to watch, and it's interesting that she's involved with it, I don't think I'd like to get too involved for religious reasons. She invited me to come on Thurs. or Fri. Even if I was free (doesn't look like I will be, but I didn't tell her it doesn't look like I'll be free), I guess it's possible I might not have to directly get involved. But if I was invited to participate, I don't think I'd feel comfortable. Basically I think it's a Japanese dance - maybe a practice - at a Buddhist church or something. While I find going to temples and watching cultural performances interesting, I don't think I'd feel comfortable participating in a dance that may have religious roots. That being said, I think there are customs here in America that may be rooted in pagan or other non-Christian beliefs that I may not feel uncomfortable with.

In general (not only in reference to this situation), perhaps I should not feel the need to have to have certain reactions or mask certain beliefs. That doesn't mean I necessarily need to proclaim all my beliefs and feelings, though. But I guess if there's ever a time when I share an opinion that differs from the mainstream, I should feel that even if I'm perceived to be narrow minded, if my comments or reactions are respectful, loving, or not cold or disrespectful, then things should be okay...

To have the faith of Abraham

Something I wrote last month (on 6/21) ~

"So, this time my thought is about something I read last night in Romans 4, when Abraham "did not weaken in faith" when he thought about his old body or "the barrennness of Sarah's womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promiseof God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was 'counted to him as righteousness.'"

His circumstances could have easily made him waver in his trust. But, despite them, he GREW, gave GLORY to God, and TRUSTED. Ideally, we too, in spite of unstable-appearing circumstances, will hopefully GROW, give GLORY, and TRUST."

Prayer Quotes & Prayer

Quotes I found online:

When you pray, rather let your heart be without words than your words without heart. ~John Bunyan

Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?-- Corrie Ten Boom

Accustom yourself gradually to carry Prayer into all your daily occupation -- speak, act, work in peace, as if you were in prayer, as indeed you ought to be. --François Fénelon

My Sacrifice, A Prayer:

Laid on thine altar, O my Lord divine,
Accept this gift today, for Jesus’ sake.
I have no jewels to adorn thy shrine,
Nor any world-famed sacrifice to make;
But here I bring, within my trembling hand,
This will of mine – a thing that seemeth small;
And thou alone, O Lord, canst understand
How, when I yield this thee, I yield mine all.

Hidden therein thy searching gaze canst see
Struggles of passions, visions of delight,
All that I have, or am, or fain would be –
Deep loves, fond hopes and longings infinite.
It hath been wet with tears, dimmed with sighs,
Clenched in my grasp till beauty hath it none.
Now, from thy footstool, where it vanquished lies,
The prayer ascendeth – “May thy will be done!”

Take it, O Father, ere my courage fail;
And merge it so in Thine own will that I
May never have a wish to take it back;
When heart and courage fail, to thee I’ll fly.
So change, so purify, so like thine own,
Make thou my will so graced by love divine
I may not know or feel it as mine own,
But recognize my will as one with Thine.

C.T. Russell

For where your treasure is . . .

Luke 12:34 -- "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

I was reorganizing a photo album today -- yeah, not the most productive thing I could've been doing :)

Anyway.

So I've had a ton of experiences!!! In Japan, and in other countries (I was dealing w/ Japan pictures, though...)

But...what is it that I remember? Yeah, I love rice fields, and I love the appearances of street scenes with cute buildings/shops all around, spectacular nature views, and random close-ups...In part, the scenery of particular places will remain in my heart -- the beauty of Shirokawa-go (in Japan), and Cameron Highlands (in Malaysia), etc.

However, is the beauty enough to make life ultimately meaningful...? Not 100%.

I guess what I remember when I look back on life (not only my Japan experience) would tend to be the people, experiences, struggles, & spiritual concepts.

A glimpse at my apartment decorations and belongings might on the surface place me in the "Miss International" category.

Yes, the international world is definitely a part of my core.

What's the heart of my core, though?

I guess what excites me is people coming to Christ, thinking/talking about deep matters, and when they're really knowledgeable about the Bible.

However, is that my core, or just what excites me when I see these things in others?

Maybe I should be more proactive in personally taking on characteristics that seem to be wedged into my heart core.

I did send out an e-mail asking if people would be interested in getting a group together to engage in deep conversation. Maybe I should just schedule something and hope people come and 'engage'...

:)

How do you decide if you should do something 'big'?

First be content with doing the 'small and mundane', because even if you do the 'big', once you do that, life may still seem 'small & mundane'? And then once people get semi-established, I wonder if it's hard to pursue the 'big'...like now that I'm now I'm moved out (well, I still need to go through a bunch of junk back home), how would I ever even consider doing the 'big', unless I strive for the 'big' in the middle of the seemingly mundane life...and yeah, so maybe I'm on my way to being 'established', but, whatever that means, ... 'established' as a single individual who has possibly lived 1/3 + of her life, and possibly who will have a new kitten next month? Will that be my 'establishment'? What happened to my big 'dreams' of the past? Now here I am - all grown up, and in a time of transition. Now what...

"Homeless Seattle" videoclip

Homelessness Clip