Spring Cleaning
OK, so I know it's almost July and it's already summer, but today it came to my attention that I haven't done my spring cleaning. I have a lot of trash to take out and "stuff" to organize. I guess we'll start with the general apology.
General Apology:
I know in the past few months I've probably burned a few people badly: crushed their ideas, reacted insensitively, or saying something mean about them. I'm guess I'm sorry about that. I'm especially sorry about the Fwop joke I came up with. Regardless of its validity, it was cruel and inappropriate. I'm apologize people to all the people who listen to me tell the joke and writhe with mirth on the floor of Founders. My sister and I were talking today and she told me that I have two different personalities. Apparently, with strangers I'm much more reserved in social environment. I barely speak, and when I do you cannot hear me. I rarely smile and my words are few. I figured this was a once in a while thing. Everyone's a little more apprehensive when they are at in unfamiliar situations. Then I realized that I demonstrate these characteristics more often than I think. Actually, I found I was only truly outgoing in the academic environment or a place where I had a friend from school present. If neither of those two requirements were met, I was more likely to act shyly in that situation. It leaves me with a question, am I a more shy and apprehensive person, or am I the happy excited image I present to school friends. I have to admit, the former was more characteristic of me during pre-7th grade years. During and after 7th grade, I because much more outgoing and willing to share my ideas. I'm afraid I may have hit a critical point, since the summer I’ve felt a lot more introverted. I need much more time to myself to recharge and I have shifted many priorities. I have to admit, the whole process has been rather strange. Enough about that...
I'm not going to say why I decided to title today's entry spring cleaning. If you want to guess, you can. :-). I will post the reasoning behind the title in the next few days. Let’s get on to the point then.
Let's start from the beginning of the story. My parents recently switched our phone service to digital phone, so an ADT security system guy had to come over and make sure our device was compatible with the phone service (it was). My grandmother visited today; she was here when the ADT guy got here. It was about noon and she was watching the news while I was on my laptop. Something happened about Duke Lacrosse team and the War in Iraq, and something, and the man said that the media can be so deceptive at times. He shared a few anecdotes with us about his military experience and his friends', who are in the military, experience in Iraq. As a "fellow" South Carolinian, it's needless to say he was a conservative :-). It was really enlightening to hear him speak. I inserted a few thoughts and ideas into, but for the most part it was a one way conversation. It was great just to sit and listen for a while instead of rambling about something stupid. He brought in a few religious incidents into the conversation and I began to realize a few things. Through this realization I came up with the title spring cleaning.
I flashed back to the Old Testament again today. I want to study about a man called Elijah, but I want to read about his predecessors first. I started from the beginning of the book of Leviticus. I pried through 4 chapters today and wrote down the different offering procedures. I have no comment on the procedures. All I'm going to say is I'm glad we don't have to do that stuff anymore. Thank You Jesus! There was so much that you had to do in order to gain forgiveness and animals had to atone for you sins. It brings up the question that I asked about last night. I had a conversation with a friend that kinda answered it. Here's the conversation:
Friend1 (12:35:34 AM): I think its cause [the error] the action doesn’t tear u away from God
Friend1 (12:35:37 AM): its the lie
Friend1 (12:35:45 AM): and its the lie that hurts him
Me (12:35:50 AM): I think that actions still tear you awak
Me (12:35:51 AM): away*
Me (12:35:58 AM): but I guess you cannot fix a tear
Friend1 (12:35:59 AM): doesnt have to
Me (12:36:03 AM): if you dont' recognize it
Me (12:36:24 AM): if you pretend like you are not tearing a sheet of paper [that's falling apart], it will continue to rip
Friend1 (12:36:32 AM): uh huh
Me (12:36:42 AM): but if you admit and confront the fact that it's happening then you have to do something abou tit
Friend1 (12:37:02 AM): very good point
Me (12:37:04 AM): it's harder to continue to do something you truely believe is wrong if you admit [it] to yourself and others that it's wrong whole heartedly
Friend1 (12:37:18 AM): yeah
This brings me to one of the great scriptures I like in Jeremiah.
"The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, “declares the LORD. "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Let's put this into context. God has just given the land of Judah and Israel many opportunities to return to him and warned them of their wrath. He displays his wrath upon them. As a result of them breaking the first covenant established under Moses, he asserts he will create a new covenant that will allow each man to have a relationship with him. He says that the law will be written in our "hearts". Essentially, we broke the contract so God gave a new one that was better for us and gave us much more of his grace and mercy. Come one...you must admit that's love. Instead of killing us all, he gives us a new better contract. NO one else will ever do that for us. The joy that received from this made me chose Psalms 40 as the scripture for today.
Psalms 40:1-3
I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
Song of the Day: Newsong by Newsong
General Apology:
I know in the past few months I've probably burned a few people badly: crushed their ideas, reacted insensitively, or saying something mean about them. I'm guess I'm sorry about that. I'm especially sorry about the Fwop joke I came up with. Regardless of its validity, it was cruel and inappropriate. I'm apologize people to all the people who listen to me tell the joke and writhe with mirth on the floor of Founders. My sister and I were talking today and she told me that I have two different personalities. Apparently, with strangers I'm much more reserved in social environment. I barely speak, and when I do you cannot hear me. I rarely smile and my words are few. I figured this was a once in a while thing. Everyone's a little more apprehensive when they are at in unfamiliar situations. Then I realized that I demonstrate these characteristics more often than I think. Actually, I found I was only truly outgoing in the academic environment or a place where I had a friend from school present. If neither of those two requirements were met, I was more likely to act shyly in that situation. It leaves me with a question, am I a more shy and apprehensive person, or am I the happy excited image I present to school friends. I have to admit, the former was more characteristic of me during pre-7th grade years. During and after 7th grade, I because much more outgoing and willing to share my ideas. I'm afraid I may have hit a critical point, since the summer I’ve felt a lot more introverted. I need much more time to myself to recharge and I have shifted many priorities. I have to admit, the whole process has been rather strange. Enough about that...
I'm not going to say why I decided to title today's entry spring cleaning. If you want to guess, you can. :-). I will post the reasoning behind the title in the next few days. Let’s get on to the point then.
Let's start from the beginning of the story. My parents recently switched our phone service to digital phone, so an ADT security system guy had to come over and make sure our device was compatible with the phone service (it was). My grandmother visited today; she was here when the ADT guy got here. It was about noon and she was watching the news while I was on my laptop. Something happened about Duke Lacrosse team and the War in Iraq, and something, and the man said that the media can be so deceptive at times. He shared a few anecdotes with us about his military experience and his friends', who are in the military, experience in Iraq. As a "fellow" South Carolinian, it's needless to say he was a conservative :-). It was really enlightening to hear him speak. I inserted a few thoughts and ideas into, but for the most part it was a one way conversation. It was great just to sit and listen for a while instead of rambling about something stupid. He brought in a few religious incidents into the conversation and I began to realize a few things. Through this realization I came up with the title spring cleaning.
I flashed back to the Old Testament again today. I want to study about a man called Elijah, but I want to read about his predecessors first. I started from the beginning of the book of Leviticus. I pried through 4 chapters today and wrote down the different offering procedures. I have no comment on the procedures. All I'm going to say is I'm glad we don't have to do that stuff anymore. Thank You Jesus! There was so much that you had to do in order to gain forgiveness and animals had to atone for you sins. It brings up the question that I asked about last night. I had a conversation with a friend that kinda answered it. Here's the conversation:
Friend1 (12:35:34 AM): I think its cause [the error] the action doesn’t tear u away from God
Friend1 (12:35:37 AM): its the lie
Friend1 (12:35:45 AM): and its the lie that hurts him
Me (12:35:50 AM): I think that actions still tear you awak
Me (12:35:51 AM): away*
Me (12:35:58 AM): but I guess you cannot fix a tear
Friend1 (12:35:59 AM): doesnt have to
Me (12:36:03 AM): if you dont' recognize it
Me (12:36:24 AM): if you pretend like you are not tearing a sheet of paper [that's falling apart], it will continue to rip
Friend1 (12:36:32 AM): uh huh
Me (12:36:42 AM): but if you admit and confront the fact that it's happening then you have to do something abou tit
Friend1 (12:37:02 AM): very good point
Me (12:37:04 AM): it's harder to continue to do something you truely believe is wrong if you admit [it] to yourself and others that it's wrong whole heartedly
Friend1 (12:37:18 AM): yeah
This brings me to one of the great scriptures I like in Jeremiah.
"The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, “declares the LORD. "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Let's put this into context. God has just given the land of Judah and Israel many opportunities to return to him and warned them of their wrath. He displays his wrath upon them. As a result of them breaking the first covenant established under Moses, he asserts he will create a new covenant that will allow each man to have a relationship with him. He says that the law will be written in our "hearts". Essentially, we broke the contract so God gave a new one that was better for us and gave us much more of his grace and mercy. Come one...you must admit that's love. Instead of killing us all, he gives us a new better contract. NO one else will ever do that for us. The joy that received from this made me chose Psalms 40 as the scripture for today.
Psalms 40:1-3
I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
Song of the Day: Newsong by Newsong
posted by Child of God at 9:39 PM
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