What's more! I have planted seed packet seeds as well: bachelor button, flower garden mix, and blue morning glories. They are all growing so well! They are such sturdy and strong plants, I'm so proud! I'm like a proud plant parent! (try saying that ten times fast!)
I am amazed by the littlest things: tiny, visible growth in my plants to be specific. I planted tomato seeds about 8 months ago and they are just taking off! I'm so excited that those little seeds will be producing fruit (yes, fruit ;) ) before long. What's more! I have planted seed packet seeds as well: bachelor button, flower garden mix, and blue morning glories. They are all growing so well! They are such sturdy and strong plants, I'm so proud! I'm like a proud plant parent! (try saying that ten times fast!) In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
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They were not kidding when they said this at Sight and Sound this evening during the performance of Samson. It was so physically overwhelming that I even had a panic attack. But I'm okay!!
The performance this evening had me thinking about some things. For example, at Samson's father's death, Samson and his mother would have stood VERY far off because of being Nazarites for life. This meant not touching anything dead, not eating grapes or drinking wine, and for Samson, this meant not cutting his hair. There was also something else I thought of: Samson was not testing Delilah. No. Samson was testing how far he could go before God finally took his strength. You figure, he drank and his strength remained, he touched multiple dead things and his strength remained, so why wouldn't he be able to cut his hair and his strength remain?? He just wanted to go "just a little more" to test God's power and to see if God would truly hold up His end of the deal. It was said tonight that Grace is always there. It's just like hair... you can cut it off, but it will always come back. The book of Esther is only 10 chapters long and the name of God is not mentioned once. This is not needed! The reason being is that Esther and Mordecai are so deep in God and His Will. This does not stop from problems with persecution and prejudice, however. In the story of Esther, there was a lot of manipulation, mistrust, and a mix of bravery. Ahasuerus, the king, was very impressionable and you don't realize that until you sit down and begin to sort through the book. The exploitation of people and the manipulation of the King can be seen throughout the entire book. The first time this can be seen is verses 8 through 12 of the first chapter. The King had made a law saying that people are supposed to drink and party (even his guards and servants) and if they weren't, then they were not happy people. Now, during this partying, the king got a little drunk. When people are drunk, the alcohol inhibits rational thinking, leading to getting in trouble and doing things one regrets. This is no different for the King! He was drunk and commanded his wife--the Queen Vashti--to see him and dance for his party. Well, the king seemed to forget that the queen was hosting her own party for the women and couldn't just leave! The King took this as a refusal, however. Many people would argue that the King was right to call this a refusal. I am inclined to argue this, however. You see, the Bible never says that the Queen is the one who said she did not want to see the King. I am only speculating when I say this but I believe that the Queen never even got the message that the King wanted to see her. She wasn't stupid, if she would have known that the King wanted to see her, she would have gone, I just think she didn't even get the message. Why do I think this? Verse 12: But the queen Vash'-ti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him. "By his chamberlains" indicates that it was his servants that told him that the queen said she didn't want to see him. Coincidence? I think not. I don't think the King's court really liked the queen. And here is what I mean by that... The King then called his "wise men" to him to ask what he should do and the wise men spoke to him with silver tongues, convincing him that because the Queen refused and rebelled, other women will create an uprising and begin to rebel as well. The King--given his laws on drinking--was probably still a bit drunk (or at least hungover) and basically said "Tell me more!" At this point, the wise men knew they had the situation in their control and knew this was their chance to be rid of the Queen. The spoke to him with honeyed words--"if it please the King"--making him think it was his idea, and managing to get him to create and sign a law, banishing (or beheading; the punishment is unclear) the Queen Vashti. With the queen gone, the King had the chance to get a new woman! The King's servants then whispered in his ear about how he should take a new wife of the virgins in Shushan, Persia. Of course the King thinks that this is a great idea and pulls all of the virgins (or so he thinks) into his palace. At this point, I need to make a short caveat. Verse 12 of chapter 2 says that the women were held in the House of the Women for 12 months. This was to make sure that no one was pregnant. Everyone who had heard the story or read the story of Esther knows that when the book says all of the maidens, it really means all of them! Any unmarried woman who was known as a virgin was taken to the palace. What not a lot of people realize is that not all of the women were virgins by the end. Gruesome, I know, but here is what I mean. These women? They were beautiful (Persian women and Middle Eastern women in general truly are!). Each of these women went through the ringer visiting the King. They visited him multiple times before his final decision on the new queen. Each time he cut some women out of the running. How did he do that? They were either pregnant by one of the king's servants, etc., or the king just didn't like them. (In that time, it was common for kings to "use" women as they pleased) It was entirely possible that the King did this as well before he sent the women home. By the end of the "visitation" only Esther and a handful of other girls made it! (Spoiler alert: He chooses Esther.) But how did Esther make it that far? I can only speculate about this too, however. Now, what I think happened has to do with the theme "For such a time as this." God wanted Esther to be queen. She was beautiful! So beautiful, in fact, that not only the men saw her beauty but so did the women! All of those people in the palace certainly had their chances to ruin Esther, to take her for themselves, but they didn't. Why? Esther was well liked--by everyone. God knew this and had big plans for her. Now that Esther has become queen, the manipulation and chaos only grows. Haman is the King's right hand man and can practically do what he wants whenever he wants. But remember Mordecai? He's Esther's cousin (even though he raised her as his own daughter). Mordecai saved the King's life--there is a stroke of bravery--and Mordecai is now getting special attention from the King. Well, Haman doesn't like this. But guess what? The King is drunk again (what a surprise, huh?). Haman takes advantage of this and says "Hey there, King Ahasuerus! Ol' buddy, ol' pal. You know what? The Jews are causing a really big problem. I think, of course it's your decision though, that we should just get rid of them! What do you say, Kingy?" Now remember the King has been drinking again, so the King thinks "You know what? That's a great idea!" And he gives his royal seal (a silver ring) to Haman and tells him to do what he wants! So the law is made, condemning the Jews to death. Poor Mordecai is a Jew! But wait, if Mordecai is a Jew, and Esther is his cousin, that makes Esther a Jew too! You mean the King is going to have to kill Esther!? Just wait! This is the exact reason God put Esther in this position! She was called "for such a time as this" to save her people! Mordecai goes in to Esther and tells her that she needs to go to the King and ask him to reverse the law. Of course this takes a lot of bravery, because she could be put to death if she goes to see the King and he didn't call her. If he stretches out his scepter to her, however, then she's good! Well, as God expected, the King welcomed the presence of Queen Esther. Even Esther isn't below a bit of manipulation. But poor Esther became overwhelmed and invited the King and Haman to dinner instead. This happens a second time, and this time Esther falls to the feet of the King and begs him to save her life. Of course, he is mildly confused by this, because he's been drinking (surprise, surprise). Esther explains that if Haman puts the Jews to death then she must go with them and the King becomes upset to the point of hanging Haman on his own Gallows. Such bravery from a girl who is no more than 16. There is one final hurdle, however. The King's law still stands. He can't change it once his royal seal is stamped on it. But he did create a second law, basically saying that the Jews had a right to defend themselves. In the end, the Jews won! Esther was called into a hard position for such a time as this. How many times have we experienced manipulation, mistrust, and discrimination? Have you ever stopped to think that maybe God is having you experience that for something that He is going to do not only in your life, but in the lives of countless others? I think that we should all be a bit more like Esther before the King--fully faithful in God that he will deliver us from the hands of danger and hardship. "And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14c
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." I am heading back to school this week! I'm really excited about it. Why? You might ask? Well let me tell you! IT'S MY LAST YEAR! Let's see what else? I'm going to the Creation Museum! It explains everything from Day One to the extinction of the dinosaurs! This place is incredible. The last time I was there, I even met Kevin Ham!
The Twenty Dollar BillTonight in chapel, I was pretty much slapped in the face by God. I've been having a tough time with some things (thinking I'm not worth anyone's time, thinking I'm just not worth anything). Well, people have been trying to tell me what my worth is for a while, but tonight, I heard it in a different way that clicked for me. I have a twenty dollar bill. New, crisp, never been used. Do you want it? Yes? Okay, I will crumple it up. Ball it up into a wad. Still want it? Yes!? Alright, one more time. I'll put it on the floor and crush it with my foot. Smear dirt all over it. It's now torn and dirty. But you still want it, right? Why? Just because that twenty dollar bill looks different on the outside from the things that it's gone through, doesn't mean that it lost its value. Just like me. Just like you. You still wanted that twenty no matter what it looked like--it's still a twenty, after all! That's just like how God still wants me even though I'm broken and torn, even though I've ignored Him and cried to Him at my wit's end. I had never really thought of it that way. Sure, people tell me all the time that I'm worth something to them. But what I realized tonight is that I'm a blank check that's signed by God. I'm priceless, and nothing in this world will ever change that. The Ten Finger PrayerThat all being said, I learned a prayer tonight. It's for when times are tough and you feel like you just can't go on. Hold up your hands like the picture to the right and repeat each word--one word for each finger, starting with your pinky. Ready? "I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me." Okay, now say it again but stop at the word (or name, rather), CHRIST. Put all your other fingers down except for that word's finger. It's your index finger. . . pointing to Christ, because we should always be focused on him! Now, put your fingers back up. Your pinkies are the words "I" and "me," with are the smallest fingers. Why? Because they play the smallest part. "I" and "me" don't matter, it's all the stuff in the middle about what Christ can do that matters! So, one more time? "I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me." Nothing can stop me as long as I trust that Christ will get me through it. Have a blessed evening and keep your head up, you're worth more than anything to God! I'm so happy! Tonight, my school's coffee shop and cafe had Homemade Chicken Salad on a Croissant Roll! I was standing there, debating between getting one of the set meals that are usually on Thursdays or getting this mystery Chicken Salad. Well let me tell you, I am REALLY glad I chose the Chicken Salad. That stuff was so good! I don't even regret eating that roll (even though I have a gluten allergy). So other than my TASTY food for dinner, I'm going to tell you a little about stuff. I only have one class EVER on Thursdays. It's my ASL class. THAT'S RIGHT! I'm taking ASL. For those of you who don't know what ASL is, I'll tell you what it is! ASL is an acronym for American Sign Language. Now that's something most people should have at least heard of before. You see, I'm taking this class not only as my foreign language credit for school, but also because I know quite a few deaf folks back in my hometown! I'd like to talk to them using their own language, you know? And it's not like this stuff is EASY either. Sure, the alphabet and numbers 1-10 are pretty simple and easy to remember, but there is so much more than that! There are even some entire English PHRASES that only have one sign! And not only that, but ASL has its own grammar too--just like any other language! I mentioned it earlier, but I'm taking this class as my foreign language for my school. People often ask me "Is ASL even considered a foreign language?" OF COURSE IT IS! Think about it this way... Are YOU fluent in ASL? NO? Well then it's FOREIGN to you! So what is the point of someone who is hearing learning ASL? Well there are a few reasons. As I said earlier, I have friends who are deaf or hard of hearing and I'd really like to be able to talk to them with no problem or breakdown in communication. Another major reason is for Interpreting. Now what is an interpreter and what is the point? Well, I'll tell you one thing, that man to the left isn't an interpreter. DO NOT ASSUME THAT EVERYONE WHO SIGNS IS AN INTERPRETER! The definition of an interpreter is a person who provides an oral or visual translation between speakers who speak different languages. But the point of an interpreter of ASL is to bridge the awkward gap between hearing and deaf speakers. I asked three of my friends, who are interpreting majors, why they wanted to become interpreters in the first place. One of my friends didn't exactly have an answer for me. But another one of my friends said that she really wants to be able to minister to the deaf community. She wants a way to bring Jesus to people who are still lost in Sin. This will be a great opportunity for her to do something she enjoys for people who need Christ just as much as the hearing community do. Finally, my roommate wants to become an interpreter because of her twin brother. He is deaf and she has seen the struggle that her family, especially her father, has when trying to communicate with him. I find that that is a very noble reason to want to become an interpreter. She has a very personal connection with the community. Interpreting is very important for everyone. For the deaf to be able to communicate their thoughts and ideas clearly to the hearing community and for the hearing to be able to communicate back. Between every language there is a bridge that needs to be built so that confusion can be avoided in life. The best way that this bridge can be constructed is through interpreters and even other people learning basic conversational norms for those languages. Mark 16:15 says "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Guess what?! That includes the Deaf community, as well. EVERY CREATURE! Think about it... there is even a song about this! "We've a story to tell to the nations!" So what do we have to do? GET OUT AND SPREAD THE WORD! God Bless! Aria |
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