Here's the high point of the Storm Runner. There's not much to give a sense of scale, but it's cool:
Also went on a tour of the Hershey museum, where I learned a new word: conching. Mmm, chocolate!!
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Rollin', rollin', rollercoasters!
Had some exciting fun at Hershey Park in PA! The funnest thing was Storm Runner,which is a "one-of-a-kind coaster will launch you from 0-72 mph in 2 seconds flat. 18 stories straight up, straight down. And that's just the beginning. You'll fly through a 135 foot cobra loop, barrel rolls, and a dramatic flying snake dive." I ABSOLUTELY loved it, and if there wasn't a 1 hour wait, I would have ridden it again. Went on most of the other rollercoasters, but I don't remember all the names. My new friends say some of the rollercoasters at the park are scarier and feel worse than skydiving. If that's true, I might have to reconsider my view on skydiving, because I really enjoyed the rollercoaster action this time around... It's funny b/c I went to Six Flags over Texas about a year and a half ago and chickened out after the 2nd ride. You may not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but you can certainly teach an old girl to enjoy more rides!
Here's the high point of the Storm Runner. There's not much to give a sense of scale, but it's cool:
Also went on a tour of the Hershey museum, where I learned a new word: conching. Mmm, chocolate!!
Here's the high point of the Storm Runner. There's not much to give a sense of scale, but it's cool:
Also went on a tour of the Hershey museum, where I learned a new word: conching. Mmm, chocolate!!
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Geek v. Nerd
Here's a light-hearted change in topics: Over the years, I've had too many conversations about the difference bt. a geek and a nerd and which term people prefer to call themselves. I recently read a wikihow how to which gave a definition of each term:
"A geek is someone smart and intellectual. They're usually good with computers and do well in school. Nerds on the other hand, specialize. A nerd can tell you every fact known to man about the topic they specialize in. Nerds are generally somewhat obsessive in one particular area. You might even say they know "way too much" about the topic for any kind of practical application (e.g. memorizing about 300 digits of pi, or obsessive trivia knowledge of Star Trek). Geeks are usually less obsessive but still very knowledgeable in particular domains. Geeks are more associated with intelligence, while nerds are more associated with obsessive knowledge and trivia."
Before reading that definition, I preferred the term "nerd", but with this new information, maybe geek is more up my alley. Dunno, but perhaps this post has enlightened your day, or at least made you shake your head and laugh! Good day, my friends.
"A geek is someone smart and intellectual. They're usually good with computers and do well in school. Nerds on the other hand, specialize. A nerd can tell you every fact known to man about the topic they specialize in. Nerds are generally somewhat obsessive in one particular area. You might even say they know "way too much" about the topic for any kind of practical application (e.g. memorizing about 300 digits of pi, or obsessive trivia knowledge of Star Trek). Geeks are usually less obsessive but still very knowledgeable in particular domains. Geeks are more associated with intelligence, while nerds are more associated with obsessive knowledge and trivia."
Before reading that definition, I preferred the term "nerd", but with this new information, maybe geek is more up my alley. Dunno, but perhaps this post has enlightened your day, or at least made you shake your head and laugh! Good day, my friends.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
You Never Let Go
The last Sunday I worshipped at Fellowship Church in College Station, we sang the song "You Never Let Go". I absolutely loved the lyrics. It's perfect for every life situation, but especially for me at this time. This song is on the "Passion: Everything Glorious" CD that I bought a while back, but for some odd reason, I never listened to the song much or realized it was on the CD until Tiff and I were on our grand adventure across the States. I was so tempted to play that track over and over again in the car, but I didn't want to drive Tiff nuts, so I spared her :-) But I want to share the lyrics here, and encourage you to get the track and play it over and over again and drive yourself nuts! ;-)
Matt Redman - You Never Let Go
From the album Passion 06: Everything Glorious
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won’t turn back
I know You are near
Chorus:
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me
And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We’ll live to know You here on the earth
Chorus
Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You
Chorus (2x’s)
Matt Redman - You Never Let Go
From the album Passion 06: Everything Glorious
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won’t turn back
I know You are near
Chorus:
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me
And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We’ll live to know You here on the earth
Chorus
Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You
Chorus (2x’s)
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Elliot
Almost a year ago, I read "Through Gates of Splendor" by Elisabeth Elliot. It was the first book I'd read about missionaries, and it changed my perspective on a lot of things. I've been on 5 mission trips before, and they were amazing experiences that molded me into who I am now and what I think is important in life. But reading about these missionaries and the experiences they went through was an eye-opening experience. A few months later, I watched "The End of the Spear" (a hollywood version of the incident) with some LSF friends, and a few months after that, Zach Baker showed me "Beyond the Gates of Splendor" (a documentary type movie), all the while, my perspective continued to change. If you haven't heard of any of these books or movies, let me say you are missing out. Go do a google search, read about Jim Elliot, and come back and finish reading my blog. Or send me an email and I'll buy you a copy of the book! The whole story, from the events that happened to the things that occurred as a result is amazing proof of how God works in all things, how much we can't understand how He works, and how He is sovereign and provides for all we need, even if we don't see it at the time.
I recently showed "Beyond the Gates of Splendor" at the LSF Fall Retreat. In preparation for the movie, I reread some of Elisabeth Elliot's comments about the incident, and the following paragraphs blew me away, and they almost always bring me to tears when I think about how many times I question God and what He is up to in my own life. I'll quote her below:
"The name Auca is a Quichua word meaning "naked" or "savage." It is no longer used. Waorani is what the people call themselves. Their story, at the time of the death of the men, later when I lived with the Indians themselves, and during all the years since as I have recounted it and reflected on it in the light of my own subsequent experience, has pointed to one thing: God is God. If He is God, He is worthy of my worship and my service. I will find rest nowhere but in His will, and that will is infinitely, immeasurably, unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to...
It is not the level of our spirituality that we can depend on. It is God and nothing less than God, for the work is God's and the call is God's and everything is summoned by Him and to His purposes, the whole scene, the whole mess, the whole package -- our bravery and our cowardice, our love and our selfishness, our strengths and our weaknesses. The God who could take a murderer like Moses and an adulterer like David and a traitor like Peter and make of them strong servants of His is a God who can also redeem savage Indians, using as the instruments of His peace a conglomeration of sinners who sometimes look like heroes and sometimes like villains, for "we are no better than pots of earthenware to contain this treasure [the revelation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ] and this proves that such transcendent power does not come from us, but is God's alone" (2 Cor 4:7 NEB)
We are not always sure where the horizon is. We would not know which end is up if it were not for the shimmering pathway of light falling on the white sea. The One who laid earth's foundations and settled its dimensions knows where the lines are drawn. He gives all the light we need for trust and for obedience." -- Elisabeth Elliot, "Through Gates of Splendor"
I recently showed "Beyond the Gates of Splendor" at the LSF Fall Retreat. In preparation for the movie, I reread some of Elisabeth Elliot's comments about the incident, and the following paragraphs blew me away, and they almost always bring me to tears when I think about how many times I question God and what He is up to in my own life. I'll quote her below:
"The name Auca is a Quichua word meaning "naked" or "savage." It is no longer used. Waorani is what the people call themselves. Their story, at the time of the death of the men, later when I lived with the Indians themselves, and during all the years since as I have recounted it and reflected on it in the light of my own subsequent experience, has pointed to one thing: God is God. If He is God, He is worthy of my worship and my service. I will find rest nowhere but in His will, and that will is infinitely, immeasurably, unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to...
It is not the level of our spirituality that we can depend on. It is God and nothing less than God, for the work is God's and the call is God's and everything is summoned by Him and to His purposes, the whole scene, the whole mess, the whole package -- our bravery and our cowardice, our love and our selfishness, our strengths and our weaknesses. The God who could take a murderer like Moses and an adulterer like David and a traitor like Peter and make of them strong servants of His is a God who can also redeem savage Indians, using as the instruments of His peace a conglomeration of sinners who sometimes look like heroes and sometimes like villains, for "we are no better than pots of earthenware to contain this treasure [the revelation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ] and this proves that such transcendent power does not come from us, but is God's alone" (2 Cor 4:7 NEB)
We are not always sure where the horizon is. We would not know which end is up if it were not for the shimmering pathway of light falling on the white sea. The One who laid earth's foundations and settled its dimensions knows where the lines are drawn. He gives all the light we need for trust and for obedience." -- Elisabeth Elliot, "Through Gates of Splendor"
Thursday, September 07, 2006
On being single
This post was prompted by a late night conversation with Bets... After which we both decided to blog on singleness soon. I figure I'll start, and put the pressure on her! I have the advantage since I'm not working at the moment and have a bit more free time on my hands.
I'm not one to define my life by being in a relationship, and to be honest relationships intimidate me at times. But I'd be lying if I said I expected to be single at this point in my life. I want so badly to have a Godly marriage and raise a Christian family, and declare with my loved ones that "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." But that hasn't happened yet. And I could sit here and mull over the agonizing question of "Why?", as I often do with my few remaining single friends. But the answers to that question will get me nowhere. The fact of the matter is that it simply hasn't fit with God's timing yet. He is preparing me and He is preparing my future husband (if that is in His plan for my life), and so I must wait patiently and yet expectantly for that time to come. At Breakaway last semester, Ben encouraged singles to recognize and take advantage of the time they have right now, time to serve Christ, to go on mission trips, to take Perspectives, to get really plugged in at a church. Because once you're married and have kids, your life changes and you don't have the luxury of time. Since hearing him say that, my focus has shifted from trying to make the rest of my life fit on a tidy timetable, to simply finding opportunities to follow, serve, and grow in Christ. To appreciate where God has placed me right now and love Him. I'm not saying I've been successful at it, just that I'm trying to keep a better perspective on things.
Another thing that has been floating in my head lately is based on a story one of my friends told me long ago: "A man was very anxious to find his wife and get married. One day, as he was wrestling with why he was still single, he asked to be given some kind of hope that he would one day be married. The next day, he received a photo in the mail of two people on their wedding day. As he took a closer look, he realized that he himself was the man in the photo, but he looked very different. He had a gotee, instead of the long beard he was sporting at the time. He was more athletic and more tan. This made him realize that he wasn't prepared for marriage yet. So, he started becoming the person he was in the picture. He trimmed his beard, started exercising, and started working outdoors more often. Over time, he began to look exactly like he did in the picture and he was ready to find the woman of his dreams. So he kept the photo in his wallet, and again began to search for his wife. One day, he finally saw someone off in the distance who caught his eye. He pulled out the picture and compared. Sure enough, she was the woman in the photo. He was so excited to finally have found the one he waited so long for! Except as he took a closer look at the photo, he noticed that she didn't quite look like the photo yet. In the photo, her hair was very long and she wore contacts. This woman he found had short hair with glasses. He had finally found the woman, but she herself was not ready yet."
This is where my friend ended the story. I desparately wanted to ask "Well, what happened? Did he wait for her, or did he get tired of waiting and find someone else?" I never got an answer to my question. Mainly because it's just a story, you can create your own ending, but as for me, I hope that he waited, no matter how long it took her to be ready. That he enjoyed the time he had to watch her become the woman for him.
We've been reading John in Wednesday night Bible study. Chapter 2 is the story about the wedding in Cana, where Jesus turns water into wine. When his mother requests him to do something, Jesus replies with "My time has not yet come." What amazes me is that he doesn't just say that and sit back down. "Nope sorry, I'm here for bigger and better things than wine, so I'm just going to wait until those opportunities arise" No, he still goes ahead and takes action, performs the simple miracle and brings honor to His name and His God in doing so. This is a huge lesson for me. So to my single friends out there, your time for marriage might not have come just yet, but that doesn't mean we should just sit back and wait. No, take the advice from the Breakaway talk and from Christ's example, and find something you can do right here, right now, to glorify Christ, to serve Him, and in the process allow God to mold your future in accordance with His timing and plans. And more importantly, realize that your relationship with Christ and the hope of your salvation is of paramount priority over any relationship or hope of a husband!
I'm not one to define my life by being in a relationship, and to be honest relationships intimidate me at times. But I'd be lying if I said I expected to be single at this point in my life. I want so badly to have a Godly marriage and raise a Christian family, and declare with my loved ones that "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." But that hasn't happened yet. And I could sit here and mull over the agonizing question of "Why?", as I often do with my few remaining single friends. But the answers to that question will get me nowhere. The fact of the matter is that it simply hasn't fit with God's timing yet. He is preparing me and He is preparing my future husband (if that is in His plan for my life), and so I must wait patiently and yet expectantly for that time to come. At Breakaway last semester, Ben encouraged singles to recognize and take advantage of the time they have right now, time to serve Christ, to go on mission trips, to take Perspectives, to get really plugged in at a church. Because once you're married and have kids, your life changes and you don't have the luxury of time. Since hearing him say that, my focus has shifted from trying to make the rest of my life fit on a tidy timetable, to simply finding opportunities to follow, serve, and grow in Christ. To appreciate where God has placed me right now and love Him. I'm not saying I've been successful at it, just that I'm trying to keep a better perspective on things.
Another thing that has been floating in my head lately is based on a story one of my friends told me long ago: "A man was very anxious to find his wife and get married. One day, as he was wrestling with why he was still single, he asked to be given some kind of hope that he would one day be married. The next day, he received a photo in the mail of two people on their wedding day. As he took a closer look, he realized that he himself was the man in the photo, but he looked very different. He had a gotee, instead of the long beard he was sporting at the time. He was more athletic and more tan. This made him realize that he wasn't prepared for marriage yet. So, he started becoming the person he was in the picture. He trimmed his beard, started exercising, and started working outdoors more often. Over time, he began to look exactly like he did in the picture and he was ready to find the woman of his dreams. So he kept the photo in his wallet, and again began to search for his wife. One day, he finally saw someone off in the distance who caught his eye. He pulled out the picture and compared. Sure enough, she was the woman in the photo. He was so excited to finally have found the one he waited so long for! Except as he took a closer look at the photo, he noticed that she didn't quite look like the photo yet. In the photo, her hair was very long and she wore contacts. This woman he found had short hair with glasses. He had finally found the woman, but she herself was not ready yet."
This is where my friend ended the story. I desparately wanted to ask "Well, what happened? Did he wait for her, or did he get tired of waiting and find someone else?" I never got an answer to my question. Mainly because it's just a story, you can create your own ending, but as for me, I hope that he waited, no matter how long it took her to be ready. That he enjoyed the time he had to watch her become the woman for him.
We've been reading John in Wednesday night Bible study. Chapter 2 is the story about the wedding in Cana, where Jesus turns water into wine. When his mother requests him to do something, Jesus replies with "My time has not yet come." What amazes me is that he doesn't just say that and sit back down. "Nope sorry, I'm here for bigger and better things than wine, so I'm just going to wait until those opportunities arise" No, he still goes ahead and takes action, performs the simple miracle and brings honor to His name and His God in doing so. This is a huge lesson for me. So to my single friends out there, your time for marriage might not have come just yet, but that doesn't mean we should just sit back and wait. No, take the advice from the Breakaway talk and from Christ's example, and find something you can do right here, right now, to glorify Christ, to serve Him, and in the process allow God to mold your future in accordance with His timing and plans. And more importantly, realize that your relationship with Christ and the hope of your salvation is of paramount priority over any relationship or hope of a husband!
New Tunes
I finally bought Aaron Shust's new album, because I am absolutely in love with his song "My Savior My God" mainly for the opening line:
I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at His right hand
Stands one who is my Savior.
I try to figure this world and God's will out, but the more I try, the more confused and frustrated I get. I simply don't have the ability to understand it all. I cannot sit here and tell you what my life will be like in 5 years, or where He will lead me. But I rest assured that He will lead me and teach me each day, one step at a time. Based on what I've been learning lately and where my heart is, I'm excited to see what God has in store for me. And I can confidently say that wherever I end up, it will be God at work in me and in my life. Not by my own efforts, but purely as a result of the grace and mercy of my Creator.
Aaron has a very catchy section in song #10 of his CD:
Be at rest once more my soul for the Lord has been good to you
Be at rest once more, oh my soul
Be at rest once more my soul for the Lord has been good to you
Be at rest once more, be at rest once more.
The combo of the lyrics and the music get stuck in my head and I find myself singing that part over and over again. But the lyrics "once more" got me thinking. Have our souls ever been at rest? Should they be? Can they be? If that means confident of salvation, yes. But what exactly does it mean for a soul to be at rest? Ultimately, I don't think that will happen until Judgment Day when our souls will be forever in God's presence. I dunno.
I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at His right hand
Stands one who is my Savior.
I try to figure this world and God's will out, but the more I try, the more confused and frustrated I get. I simply don't have the ability to understand it all. I cannot sit here and tell you what my life will be like in 5 years, or where He will lead me. But I rest assured that He will lead me and teach me each day, one step at a time. Based on what I've been learning lately and where my heart is, I'm excited to see what God has in store for me. And I can confidently say that wherever I end up, it will be God at work in me and in my life. Not by my own efforts, but purely as a result of the grace and mercy of my Creator.
Aaron has a very catchy section in song #10 of his CD:
Be at rest once more my soul for the Lord has been good to you
Be at rest once more, oh my soul
Be at rest once more my soul for the Lord has been good to you
Be at rest once more, be at rest once more.
The combo of the lyrics and the music get stuck in my head and I find myself singing that part over and over again. But the lyrics "once more" got me thinking. Have our souls ever been at rest? Should they be? Can they be? If that means confident of salvation, yes. But what exactly does it mean for a soul to be at rest? Ultimately, I don't think that will happen until Judgment Day when our souls will be forever in God's presence. I dunno.
Monday, September 04, 2006
Phones
I'm horrible with cell phones... I just took mine out of the washer tonight... Doh! Back to the Sprint Store we go... I should *seriously* consider getting that equipment replacement plan. Here's my history with phones since 2000:
- Kept in back pocket & sat on it too much until antennea gave up.
- Dropped in cranberry juice. Phones don't like cranberry juice as much as I do.
- Dropped on tile floor. Phones and tiles don't mix.
- Dropped in toilet (don't worry, it hadn't been used)
- Washed in washer
You'd think I'd learn!
- Kept in back pocket & sat on it too much until antennea gave up.
- Dropped in cranberry juice. Phones don't like cranberry juice as much as I do.
- Dropped on tile floor. Phones and tiles don't mix.
- Dropped in toilet (don't worry, it hadn't been used)
- Washed in washer
You'd think I'd learn!
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Feet
Playing dodgeball on a tennis court late at night: fun. Doing it barefoot: not so intelligent. I have a new found respect for my foot, now that it is utterly useless, with a 2"x4" blister across the ball of my foot. I'm not a wuss when it comes to pain, but I'll be honest, this thing hurts. If you've never tried walking without using the ball of your foot, you should give it a shot. The best I can do is some type of ganster limp.
There's nothing like being sick or injured to make you appreciate being healthy. And then when you get healthy again, you tend to take it for granted. But hey, spending goofy time with friends, pretending that I'll never have to grow up, was worth it, so I'm not complaining.
There's nothing like being sick or injured to make you appreciate being healthy. And then when you get healthy again, you tend to take it for granted. But hey, spending goofy time with friends, pretending that I'll never have to grow up, was worth it, so I'm not complaining.
Time
"At the end of the day, there's never enough time." Especially if you try to get enough sleep each night. I just don't know how people do it. But I did my best to squeeze as much as I could into this Friday. And it just got me thinking about time, and how precious it is. Are you the type that thinks you have all the time in the world to get around to things, or do you think there's never enough time to get everything we want done?
I've been thinking about this concept lately. Now that I'm preparing for the big move, I've been trying to see as many friends as I can. But why did it have to take leaving to get me to schedule a weekend to hang out with my Austin friends and my Houston friends, or plan an adventure to New Braunsfels, or see my family? These people have always been important to me, but when you think you have all the time in the world, it's easy to put things off. I'm gonna miss Texas, and all my friends down here who know me and whom I've shared many a laugh with and plenty enough tears.
So then I think about how the Day of the Lord will come "like a thief in the night." And I wonder if we truly understand that concept, or if we get distracted by our daily lives. In the grand scheme of things, we are running out of time. Every second counts. How do we hold on to that sense of urgency when the world is telling us to build a stable, safe and secure life for ourself?
I've been thinking about this concept lately. Now that I'm preparing for the big move, I've been trying to see as many friends as I can. But why did it have to take leaving to get me to schedule a weekend to hang out with my Austin friends and my Houston friends, or plan an adventure to New Braunsfels, or see my family? These people have always been important to me, but when you think you have all the time in the world, it's easy to put things off. I'm gonna miss Texas, and all my friends down here who know me and whom I've shared many a laugh with and plenty enough tears.
So then I think about how the Day of the Lord will come "like a thief in the night." And I wonder if we truly understand that concept, or if we get distracted by our daily lives. In the grand scheme of things, we are running out of time. Every second counts. How do we hold on to that sense of urgency when the world is telling us to build a stable, safe and secure life for ourself?
Friday, September 01, 2006
Hymns
Sandra McCracken has a new album out that is old hymns, set to new music. More info of this type can be found at http://www.igracemusic.com.
I liked this comment about one of the hymns:
“The line 'Whate’er I need in Jesus dwells, and there it dwells for me.' is a powerful reminder of the fact that what we are often looking to idols to get (peace, hope, security etc.) we already have in Jesus! Getting this truth on your heart is the key to letting go of our idols and turning to Jesus."
Man, how true that is. Why do we search for our own answers, when all we need and all that could ever satisfy is found in Christ? How easy it is to forget that God has our best interests in mind, and more importantly, His best interests in mind. The next time you find yourself complaining about your life and going after idols, take a step back and realize that true peace, true hope, true security, is found in Christ and Christ alone. Not money, not jobs, not fame, not relationships, not cars, looks, or even intelligence. It's hard to truly understand that, but until we do, we'll be like hamsters, stuck in a cage, spinning our wheels, and getting nowhere.
I liked this comment about one of the hymns:
“The line 'Whate’er I need in Jesus dwells, and there it dwells for me.' is a powerful reminder of the fact that what we are often looking to idols to get (peace, hope, security etc.) we already have in Jesus! Getting this truth on your heart is the key to letting go of our idols and turning to Jesus."
Man, how true that is. Why do we search for our own answers, when all we need and all that could ever satisfy is found in Christ? How easy it is to forget that God has our best interests in mind, and more importantly, His best interests in mind. The next time you find yourself complaining about your life and going after idols, take a step back and realize that true peace, true hope, true security, is found in Christ and Christ alone. Not money, not jobs, not fame, not relationships, not cars, looks, or even intelligence. It's hard to truly understand that, but until we do, we'll be like hamsters, stuck in a cage, spinning our wheels, and getting nowhere.
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