Tomorrow I'll pack up, move out of my Drew apartment and drive to Jumonville...
It's been an amazing spring.
Much appreciative.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Keeping things in perspective
Before my last final earlier this week, my professor put everything into perspective for the anxious seminarians by saying, "Let us be thankful that we're not pulling loved ones out of the rumble today [in China]. We have the opportunity to take a test." May God have mercy on those grieving.
Remembering that makes me more thankful to have this cold even though I have beach plans for the day. As I tote my box of Kleenexes onto the sand, I can be thankful for many things.
This is my 100th post. ;-)
Remembering that makes me more thankful to have this cold even though I have beach plans for the day. As I tote my box of Kleenexes onto the sand, I can be thankful for many things.
This is my 100th post. ;-)
Friday, May 9, 2008
Happy Sigh
God willing, I'll be in Kampala, Uganda for two weeks in August. Last night, Arnold attempted to satiate my desire to bring an orphan home by suggesting that I could spend more time with the children in the orphanage when the rest of the crew continues to build the house because I'd still be serving the community. Eric got nervous and said, "See, you'd think that would help quell her but it probably won't..." ;-)
In other news, everything is going very well. I enjoy comparing my present situation with my experiences in May 2006 when I was graduating from Drew U. It's pretty much the complete opposite; let's just say, I'm not looking naively into the abyss of the future with an unreciprocated relationship [are you reading into that yet, Amie?]. Thankfully, I have been able to maintain and build new friendships since then and from the perspective of this plateau, I'm thankful for my experiences.
So in the past month since I've posted, I've spent a weekend in Fort Worth, Texas to sing at the United Methodist General Conference that meets every four years. That's probably the most exciting thing I've done. I'm passing my classes. Finishing up finals (ask me anything about church history since the reformation). Heading to camp at the end of next week. Then Uganda. Happy sigh.
In other news, everything is going very well. I enjoy comparing my present situation with my experiences in May 2006 when I was graduating from Drew U. It's pretty much the complete opposite; let's just say, I'm not looking naively into the abyss of the future with an unreciprocated relationship [are you reading into that yet, Amie?]. Thankfully, I have been able to maintain and build new friendships since then and from the perspective of this plateau, I'm thankful for my experiences.
So in the past month since I've posted, I've spent a weekend in Fort Worth, Texas to sing at the United Methodist General Conference that meets every four years. That's probably the most exciting thing I've done. I'm passing my classes. Finishing up finals (ask me anything about church history since the reformation). Heading to camp at the end of next week. Then Uganda. Happy sigh.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Being Kneaded
Life continues to be enjoyable. I've finally gotten into the groove of approx. 6 hours of class 3 days a week, enjoying lunch and the daytimes with graduate students then evenings with undergraduates, typing a paper every night or morning before class which no longer stresses me out. People keep asking if I'm looking forward to this summer as a break. Truth is, as soon as graduation is over, I'm off to Jumonville for about eleven weeks, then one week off before I go to Uganda, God willing. As soon as we return, I might need to go straight back to school. Yet, I am content and eager for each of these anticipated adventures.
God's definitely working on this heart and mind, preparing me for the possibility (and practically the inevitability) of preaching. I want to be a willing vessel for God which is translating into opening my mind to the possibilities and trusting. My problem is that I don't really like talking to large groups as myself (compared to acting). I've tried to use Moses' excuses and have been told that God will provide an Aaron when I am in need. And then God reiterated His point in Psalms 103:6-8, "The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." May God lead...
God's definitely working on this heart and mind, preparing me for the possibility (and practically the inevitability) of preaching. I want to be a willing vessel for God which is translating into opening my mind to the possibilities and trusting. My problem is that I don't really like talking to large groups as myself (compared to acting). I've tried to use Moses' excuses and have been told that God will provide an Aaron when I am in need. And then God reiterated His point in Psalms 103:6-8, "The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." May God lead...
Monday, April 7, 2008
Concerts Galore
Well, it's been a whirl-ride of a weekend that started off with the Christian a cappella group performing at the university in Montclair on Thursday night, driving to Boston on Friday, performing on the streets and subway in Boston (illegally in front of City Hall :-) and a concert on Saturday, then driving four and a half hours back Sunday morning to perform with Mark Miller and Ubuntu, the Pan-African choir, before one last a cappella concert on our home campus last night. The list of praises goes on and on, thanking God for safe travels, healthy voices, etc.
And of course, the moment comes when I say something stupid and realize again that God is good and I'm not.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Laying it all down again
Do you ever get the burning desire to be better than you are? Not necessarily to get better grades or to impress people, but rather to be able to help them more? To be able to provide wise responses or react in love? To feel confident and effective reaching out to others?
I heard a lecturer a couple days ago who had an impression on me. Describing her church's outreach to drug abusers and the homeless, she said that the more they try to do, they realize there's even more to do. For example, say you grab three dollars on your way out the door in order to give the first one to the homeless man on the corner, the second to the homeless person who sees your generosity and the third for the next person who has heard of your generosity. Now you're out of dollars and feeling pretty good about having just helped three people... but then we stop. There's more money at home, but we've reached our limit of generosity for the day. And we had prepared ourselves to stop at that point. Why do we do that?
Let's mix this lecture with another I heard by Dr. Arariajah who preached about the foolishness of Christianity. A lot of people may try to argue this with me, but I think the Scriptures call us to be foolish. Foolish by worldly standards.
Thus, I've decided I'm an aspiring fool for Christ. I want to have the courage to follow God wherever God leads me. I want to trust God and to experience the peace that passeth understanding. I want to glorify God with my life, not just in the future but day to day. I think I've been slacking in that recently and it disappoints me most when I see its effects upon my relationships... Not just in my close relationships with friends who may need encouragement or accountability, but also with all the people in my midst, and my own relationship with God...
One more thing. In the rock opera !HERO, the Jesus character played by Michael Tait sings that he's looking for "men who look beyond their noses." He wants followers who are selfless. Another aspiration of mine...
I guess it's time to be transformed, huh? Time to lay it all down again...
I heard a lecturer a couple days ago who had an impression on me. Describing her church's outreach to drug abusers and the homeless, she said that the more they try to do, they realize there's even more to do. For example, say you grab three dollars on your way out the door in order to give the first one to the homeless man on the corner, the second to the homeless person who sees your generosity and the third for the next person who has heard of your generosity. Now you're out of dollars and feeling pretty good about having just helped three people... but then we stop. There's more money at home, but we've reached our limit of generosity for the day. And we had prepared ourselves to stop at that point. Why do we do that?
Let's mix this lecture with another I heard by Dr. Arariajah who preached about the foolishness of Christianity. A lot of people may try to argue this with me, but I think the Scriptures call us to be foolish. Foolish by worldly standards.
Thus, I've decided I'm an aspiring fool for Christ. I want to have the courage to follow God wherever God leads me. I want to trust God and to experience the peace that passeth understanding. I want to glorify God with my life, not just in the future but day to day. I think I've been slacking in that recently and it disappoints me most when I see its effects upon my relationships... Not just in my close relationships with friends who may need encouragement or accountability, but also with all the people in my midst, and my own relationship with God...
One more thing. In the rock opera !HERO, the Jesus character played by Michael Tait sings that he's looking for "men who look beyond their noses." He wants followers who are selfless. Another aspiration of mine...
I guess it's time to be transformed, huh? Time to lay it all down again...
Sunday, March 30, 2008
UGANDA bound
Background info: As a junior in college, I was seriously considering commiting to 10 years as a housemother in Uganda after attending a performance of the Watoto orphan's choir. Life took another direction...
Fast-forward to this semester:
On the second night on campus, I befriended Arnold, a Ugandian student at Drew who had gone to Watoto's orphanage last summer on a missions trip and was planning another trip for this summer with Eric, the current music director of the Christian a cappella group. I sat there shaking my head, "I am so jealous. I am so jealous." Wait, it's in August after camp? Wait, you need eight more people? Wait, you've already gotten a $10,000 donation? :-) One of my greatest life goals is going to become a reality, God-willing, this August when ten of us travel to Kampala for two weeks to build a house for the community.
We still have a lot of fundraising to do and if you're interested in supporting us with prayer and/or financially, we'd greatly appreciate it. Here's Watoto's offical website: www.watoto.com. If you'd like a tax-deductible receipt, you can send a check to
Watoto Child Care Ministries
P.O. Box 1320
Lutz, FL 33548
to the account of Arnold Kawuba Team.
Speaking for our team and for the community in Kampala that is striving to care for and raise up hundreds of abandoned orphans and child soldiers, thank you!
Fast-forward to this semester:
On the second night on campus, I befriended Arnold, a Ugandian student at Drew who had gone to Watoto's orphanage last summer on a missions trip and was planning another trip for this summer with Eric, the current music director of the Christian a cappella group. I sat there shaking my head, "I am so jealous. I am so jealous." Wait, it's in August after camp? Wait, you need eight more people? Wait, you've already gotten a $10,000 donation? :-) One of my greatest life goals is going to become a reality, God-willing, this August when ten of us travel to Kampala for two weeks to build a house for the community.
We still have a lot of fundraising to do and if you're interested in supporting us with prayer and/or financially, we'd greatly appreciate it. Here's Watoto's offical website: www.watoto.com. If you'd like a tax-deductible receipt, you can send a check to
Watoto Child Care Ministries
P.O. Box 1320
Lutz, FL 33548
to the account of Arnold Kawuba Team.
Speaking for our team and for the community in Kampala that is striving to care for and raise up hundreds of abandoned orphans and child soldiers, thank you!
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