Low Ranking Nerd. Definitely a nerd but low on the totem pole of nerds.
Chove en Santiago meu doce amor, camelia branca do ar brila entebrecida ao sol. Chove en Santiago, na noite escura. Herbas de prata e sono cobren a valeira lùa.
lunes, febrero 28, 2005
jueves, febrero 24, 2005
Wrestling with the Truth
"'Cause I am just like Lazarus and I can hear your voice I stand and rub my eyes and walk to You Because I have no choice" ~ Thankful by Caedmon's Call
Was I made to love and follow God or did I make the conscious choice?
It's a question I never asked myself until now. The subject always came up in Bible studies throughout college, but I just brushed it off...actually, I didn't care. I'd just assume sing songs or talk about lighter subjects.
But recently it's a question that's been nagging me. We started talking about it at church the other night (home church) and ever since I think I've been in a daze. Putting it in terms of Free Will vs. Predestination, I've always leaned towards the concept of free will. That's what most of us were taught growing up in church... plus it's just plain logical. You know. The 5 step plan. 1. we're sinners, 2. sin=death, 3. Jesus came to die for our sins, 4. we accept salvation, 5. our sins are forgiven. The typical evagelism tracks...5 color beaded bracelets or the glove (one step for each finger).
Yet, I'm finding some pretty interesting things in the Bible that lead me to believe that maybe what I thought was true....well...isn't. The whole problem seems to come in the 4th step, "we ACCEPT salvation". Is grace something we can accept or is it simply bestowed upon us? If it's something that we can accept, then that means we can say we don't want it anymore and it'll be gone. But can a person lose grace? I don't think you can.
It's all quite disturbing, if I'm honest, because if we don't have the choice then that makes us into robots and my image of God changes from that of a loving God to that of a calculated God just playing the pieces. Yet at the same time it's relieving knowing that everything is in God's control.
My journey in search of truth has begun.
Romans 9:10-18
Ephesian 1:4-12
1 Peter 2:9-12
Was I made to love and follow God or did I make the conscious choice?
It's a question I never asked myself until now. The subject always came up in Bible studies throughout college, but I just brushed it off...actually, I didn't care. I'd just assume sing songs or talk about lighter subjects.
But recently it's a question that's been nagging me. We started talking about it at church the other night (home church) and ever since I think I've been in a daze. Putting it in terms of Free Will vs. Predestination, I've always leaned towards the concept of free will. That's what most of us were taught growing up in church... plus it's just plain logical. You know. The 5 step plan. 1. we're sinners, 2. sin=death, 3. Jesus came to die for our sins, 4. we accept salvation, 5. our sins are forgiven. The typical evagelism tracks...5 color beaded bracelets or the glove (one step for each finger).
Yet, I'm finding some pretty interesting things in the Bible that lead me to believe that maybe what I thought was true....well...isn't. The whole problem seems to come in the 4th step, "we ACCEPT salvation". Is grace something we can accept or is it simply bestowed upon us? If it's something that we can accept, then that means we can say we don't want it anymore and it'll be gone. But can a person lose grace? I don't think you can.
It's all quite disturbing, if I'm honest, because if we don't have the choice then that makes us into robots and my image of God changes from that of a loving God to that of a calculated God just playing the pieces. Yet at the same time it's relieving knowing that everything is in God's control.
My journey in search of truth has begun.
sábado, febrero 19, 2005
Jungle Gym
Just like Christmas morning...
I had to put catnip on it so they would even get near it. Jose and I thought we should put some Pink Floyd on for them. They were on cloud nine for about half an hour.
I had to put catnip on it so they would even get near it. Jose and I thought we should put some Pink Floyd on for them. They were on cloud nine for about half an hour.
Daily Moments
Favorite time of day...
10 PM when I get home from work...put on my PJs...fix some tea...read or vegg on the sofa.
Paco likes it too.
10 PM when I get home from work...put on my PJs...fix some tea...read or vegg on the sofa.
Paco likes it too.
lunes, febrero 14, 2005
Stressful Sleep
I spent the entire 2 1/2 hours of sleep that I got last night dreaming about adjectives, nouns, prepositions and verbs in Spanish, then in English. I had to finish a 48 page translation about Gerontology for today, so for the past 72 hours I've been eating, sleeping and dreaming about old people.
This happened to me a lot throughout high school and college. The night before an organic chemistry or physics exam I would dream about what I was studying for.
"And Courtney was snuggled all tight in her bed, while visions of chemical reactions, vectors and photosynthesis danced in her head."
It wouldn't be so bad if I weren't doing everything WRONG. That was the worst part about it. In my dreams I would calculate everything wrong.
So last night I experienced once again, Stressful Sleep. Just a bunch of Gerontology in Spanish on a white background, and the simultaneous English translation.
Today I think I'll just stare at some flowers all day. Maybe my dreams will be a little more peaceful tonight.
This happened to me a lot throughout high school and college. The night before an organic chemistry or physics exam I would dream about what I was studying for.
"And Courtney was snuggled all tight in her bed, while visions of chemical reactions, vectors and photosynthesis danced in her head."
It wouldn't be so bad if I weren't doing everything WRONG. That was the worst part about it. In my dreams I would calculate everything wrong.
So last night I experienced once again, Stressful Sleep. Just a bunch of Gerontology in Spanish on a white background, and the simultaneous English translation.
Today I think I'll just stare at some flowers all day. Maybe my dreams will be a little more peaceful tonight.
martes, febrero 08, 2005
sábado, febrero 05, 2005
Pig Parts
I've never been a big fan of meat, but I've always eaten it. Sometimes I love to eat a big steak with a potato, and other times meat just repulses me. It's a strange phenomenon, I know, but that's me. For me to eat it, everything has to be perfect...no fat, no blood, no ligaments. Call me finicky.
The Galicians do not waste any part of the pig. They eat or use everything. Around this time of year, Carnaval, the big meal is "Cocido". Which is pretty much like pork, potatoes, chick peas and collards all thrown into a pot. The only strange thing about it is that the "pork" not only consists of what I refer to as "meat", but it also contains...well...ears, snout and feet.
This year I ventured out. My friend Montse was sitting next to me at a huge dinner last night where Cocido was served, and I noticed her munching on an ear. I of course had a nice small piece of "meat" on my plate. I was feeling brave, so I asked Montse to give me a small bite of...ear.
It had good flavor. Really good, actually. The only problem was the texture...gelatinous fat and crunchy cartilage.
It's not something I'd buy in the store and prepare on Sunday, but if I were ever served pig ear in someone's house, well...I'd eat it, why not...it wasn't too bad.
Maybe next year I'll suck on a pig snout or even nibble a toe...who knows!!
The Galicians do not waste any part of the pig. They eat or use everything. Around this time of year, Carnaval, the big meal is "Cocido". Which is pretty much like pork, potatoes, chick peas and collards all thrown into a pot. The only strange thing about it is that the "pork" not only consists of what I refer to as "meat", but it also contains...well...ears, snout and feet.
This year I ventured out. My friend Montse was sitting next to me at a huge dinner last night where Cocido was served, and I noticed her munching on an ear. I of course had a nice small piece of "meat" on my plate. I was feeling brave, so I asked Montse to give me a small bite of...ear.
It had good flavor. Really good, actually. The only problem was the texture...gelatinous fat and crunchy cartilage.
It's not something I'd buy in the store and prepare on Sunday, but if I were ever served pig ear in someone's house, well...I'd eat it, why not...it wasn't too bad.
Maybe next year I'll suck on a pig snout or even nibble a toe...who knows!!
martes, febrero 01, 2005
Suscribirse a:
Comentarios (Atom)