Christmas Carol - Paul Lawrence Dunbar (1872-1906)
Ring out, ye bells!
All Nature swells
With gladness at the wondrous story,
The world was lorn,
But Christ is born
To change our sadness into glory.
Sing, earthlings, sing!
To-night a King
Hath come from heaven's high throne to bless us.
The outstretched hand
O'er all the land
Is raised in pity to caress us.
Come at his call;
Be joyful all;
Away with mourning and With sadness!
The heavenly choir
With holy fire
Their voices raise in songs of gladness.
The darkness breaks,
And Dawn awakes,
Her cheeks suffused with youthful blushes.
The rocks and stones
In holy tones
Are singing sweeter than the thrushes.
Then why should we
In silence be,
When Nature lends her voice to praises;
When heaven and earth
Proclaim the truth
Of Him for whom that lone star blazes?
No, be not still,
But with a will
Strike all your harps and set them ringing;
On hill and heath
Let every breath
Throw all its power into singing!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Post the Twenty-Third
My Secular Winter Break To-Do List
1. Get over my ex-boyfriend.
2. Finish my physics and cell bio papers (sigh)
3. Make my own peppermint bark
4. Have a bitchin', jolly ol' time.
5. Finish my LSU assignments
6. Start MCAT prep.
7. Start volunteering at Whittier Medical.
8. Celebrate Amy's 21st birthday in La Jolla, CA.
9. Watch Avatar: 3-D
10. Get over my santaclaustrophobia: fear of too many santa clauses.
I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day
Henry W. Longfellow, 1864.
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
1. Get over my ex-boyfriend.
2. Finish my physics and cell bio papers (sigh)
3. Make my own peppermint bark
4. Have a bitchin', jolly ol' time.
5. Finish my LSU assignments
6. Start MCAT prep.
7. Start volunteering at Whittier Medical.
8. Celebrate Amy's 21st birthday in La Jolla, CA.
9. Watch Avatar: 3-D
10. Get over my santaclaustrophobia: fear of too many santa clauses.
I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day
Henry W. Longfellow, 1864.
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
Post the Twenty-Second
1 Grande Christmas Blend
1 Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte
1 Paper-grading Father
1 Macbook
I'm at the Silverlake Library, enjoying a piping hot cup of coffee. Why am I here?
I came to write my cell biology paper that was due a week ago...but I haven't started writing it yet because I realized that there is something SO nice about being at a library without needing to do work. I know that's totally contradictory because I actually came here to do work. However, as long as I sit here NOT doing my work, I am enjoying the library without having to do work. Peace on earth.
So anyway, here's a Christmas poem I found by Emily Dickinson in the library just now.
The Savior Must Have Been A Docile Gentleman
Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
The Savior must have been
A docile Gentleman—
To come so far so cold a Day
For little Fellowmen—
The Road to Bethlehem
Since He and I were Boys
Was leveled, but for that 'twould be
A rugged Billion Miles—
1 Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte
1 Paper-grading Father
1 Macbook
I'm at the Silverlake Library, enjoying a piping hot cup of coffee. Why am I here?
I came to write my cell biology paper that was due a week ago...but I haven't started writing it yet because I realized that there is something SO nice about being at a library without needing to do work. I know that's totally contradictory because I actually came here to do work. However, as long as I sit here NOT doing my work, I am enjoying the library without having to do work. Peace on earth.
So anyway, here's a Christmas poem I found by Emily Dickinson in the library just now.
The Savior Must Have Been A Docile Gentleman
Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
The Savior must have been
A docile Gentleman—
To come so far so cold a Day
For little Fellowmen—
The Road to Bethlehem
Since He and I were Boys
Was leveled, but for that 'twould be
A rugged Billion Miles—
Monday, December 21, 2009
Post the Twenty-First
I was REALLY blessed by today's Living Life devotion.
Ironically, I haven't really supported Living Life because I've often dismissed it as a Bible-reading "crutch", with its oversimplified Biblical analyses and its over-drawn applications. You can't forget the cheesier than my dad's 7-cheese macaroni ending prayer called "A Letter to God", either.
STILL YET, something compelled me to click the link that's conveniently provided by the All Nations Church College Group website, ANC College Group Website
The link to the Devotion I'd like to talk about is here, as well.
2 Chronicles 33:10~25
One thing God has really been opening my eyes to is "inner-healing". Now, I'll define what inner healing is according to my father's 200-page dissertation I have here on my desk next to me at this moment:
"A ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit aimed at bringing healing to the whole person" (Kang 5)
Here's the background:
I began harboring deep unforgiveness ever since something of my former boyfriend's past was brought to the light. It's irrelevant to discuss specifics, but the underlying issue is that I existed as a pathetic, hurting, bitter creature for quite some time. I needed release from this judgment I pressed not only on him, but on my family, my friends, my colleagues. I needed healing.
Here's where the Living Life devotion comes in...
"People show mercy only when it is warranted or earned, and even then not every time.
Manasseh was without question one of the most wicked kings of Judah. He corrupted an entire generation so thoroughly that even when he tried to make reforms, people were stuck in their wicked ways (v. 17)."
I learned only briefly about King Manasseh's transformation in my Old Testament Survey class my Freshman year at Biola. He was an evil king that made laws for people to worship God, but he turned from his evil ways, sought forgiveness from God, and GOD HEARD HIM. From that point on, King Manasseh sought to undo evil to make the glory of God known.
What a loving smack in the face by God himself!!!!!! He forgave Manasseh, God can forgive ME. Who am I to play with my cards so that only certain people in my life receive the forgiveness I exhibit only with earned, merited favor? I'm pathetic. God's love is never-ending, boundless, limitless, powerful, redemptive, life-saving, perfect, graceful, captivating, everything we could ever hope for or even imagine...and there I was...
There I was, xhibiting the symptoms of serious ailment, sulking in depression, delighting in other's failures, beaming with bitterness, all because of my own inability to perceive how wide and encapsulating the grace of GOD is to cover ALL.
Well, my point in this post is not to justify Living Life as the "end-all-be-all survivor guide/ the minimum you can do for God to release favor upon you". It's rather to discuss the power of God's word in this book to supplement HIS divine hands working in my life. It started with my dad counseling me last night when I was hanging out in his room. He literally asked God to release all bound emotions, all bound memories, and to return it back. He asked for healing, that I would find complete fulfillment and satisfaction in Christ alone, and that I would be heart-healthy. My dad was asking so easily that I almost thought he didn't HEAR or UNDERSTAND what I was telling him. But I was wrong. My dad was praying because he knew the truth that God listened, and that God heals.
"The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention.
11
So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.
12
In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.
13
And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God. "
THE LORD HEARD MANASSEH! He hears me.
I'm tired so I've really got to stop writing soon..but I just want to end this post claiming that I'm encouraged, and that I'm walking with hope that God is healing me every single day, and depending and trusting on God to heal me and release me is the best thing I've done for myself in the past couple days. I can't even explain it.
Goodnight. Sorry if this is all jumbled and doesn't make sense.
Ironically, I haven't really supported Living Life because I've often dismissed it as a Bible-reading "crutch", with its oversimplified Biblical analyses and its over-drawn applications. You can't forget the cheesier than my dad's 7-cheese macaroni ending prayer called "A Letter to God", either.
STILL YET, something compelled me to click the link that's conveniently provided by the All Nations Church College Group website, ANC College Group Website
The link to the Devotion I'd like to talk about is here, as well.
2 Chronicles 33:10~25
One thing God has really been opening my eyes to is "inner-healing". Now, I'll define what inner healing is according to my father's 200-page dissertation I have here on my desk next to me at this moment:
"A ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit aimed at bringing healing to the whole person" (Kang 5)
Here's the background:
I began harboring deep unforgiveness ever since something of my former boyfriend's past was brought to the light. It's irrelevant to discuss specifics, but the underlying issue is that I existed as a pathetic, hurting, bitter creature for quite some time. I needed release from this judgment I pressed not only on him, but on my family, my friends, my colleagues. I needed healing.
Here's where the Living Life devotion comes in...
"People show mercy only when it is warranted or earned, and even then not every time.
Manasseh was without question one of the most wicked kings of Judah. He corrupted an entire generation so thoroughly that even when he tried to make reforms, people were stuck in their wicked ways (v. 17)."
I learned only briefly about King Manasseh's transformation in my Old Testament Survey class my Freshman year at Biola. He was an evil king that made laws for people to worship God, but he turned from his evil ways, sought forgiveness from God, and GOD HEARD HIM. From that point on, King Manasseh sought to undo evil to make the glory of God known.
What a loving smack in the face by God himself!!!!!! He forgave Manasseh, God can forgive ME. Who am I to play with my cards so that only certain people in my life receive the forgiveness I exhibit only with earned, merited favor? I'm pathetic. God's love is never-ending, boundless, limitless, powerful, redemptive, life-saving, perfect, graceful, captivating, everything we could ever hope for or even imagine...and there I was...
There I was, xhibiting the symptoms of serious ailment, sulking in depression, delighting in other's failures, beaming with bitterness, all because of my own inability to perceive how wide and encapsulating the grace of GOD is to cover ALL.
Well, my point in this post is not to justify Living Life as the "end-all-be-all survivor guide/ the minimum you can do for God to release favor upon you". It's rather to discuss the power of God's word in this book to supplement HIS divine hands working in my life. It started with my dad counseling me last night when I was hanging out in his room. He literally asked God to release all bound emotions, all bound memories, and to return it back. He asked for healing, that I would find complete fulfillment and satisfaction in Christ alone, and that I would be heart-healthy. My dad was asking so easily that I almost thought he didn't HEAR or UNDERSTAND what I was telling him. But I was wrong. My dad was praying because he knew the truth that God listened, and that God heals.
"The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention.
11
So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.
12
In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.
13
And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God. "
THE LORD HEARD MANASSEH! He hears me.
I'm tired so I've really got to stop writing soon..but I just want to end this post claiming that I'm encouraged, and that I'm walking with hope that God is healing me every single day, and depending and trusting on God to heal me and release me is the best thing I've done for myself in the past couple days. I can't even explain it.
Goodnight. Sorry if this is all jumbled and doesn't make sense.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Post the Twentieth
Due to the unpopular demand by a certain individual, I shall start posting again. Namely, Yohan Yoon.
I'm currently in a state of restful solitude. I have been put here by God. I shall document my journey, or at the least, the beginning of it...in hopes that you will hold me accountable in transcribing the evolution of my heart as God works faithfully in me.
Here we go...
Psalm 51
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts [a] ;
you teach [b] me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.
14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are [c] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Jon Foreman's Winter EP has been playing on repeat. Pathetic enough, this has been made possible only by the sharing of music libraries via Stewart's LAN. Thank goodness for iTunes. Lately, I've been obsessed with "White As Snow". Jon Foreman perfects the embodiment of Christian-inspired "indie" in this song. He nails it. Neverthless, the lyrics are drawn stark from Psalm 51. I did not know this until last night while rummaging through old ANCCG jubo's.
What should easily have been overlooked and tossed in the trash became a neatly cut rectangle glued to my journal page. For those of who you don't know, I invested $20 at the Biola Bookstore in a Moleskine notebook...for the sake of my own sanity. Blogging made me impatient and want to delete everything I'd ever written. Thus, I figured writing in something more concrete made it harder for me to delete...since ripping pages out of a $20 journal is just plain violent and a complete display of disrespect toward the brains of the past who used Moleskines. I digress.
Upon reading this rectangle of words, I shouted, "EUREKA!!!" I thought He'd done it again. The good Lord had spoken to me. I grabbed the nearest book which quite nicely happened to be my Bible, split it open in equal portions, and quickly found myself at Psalm 51. I felt an urgent need to start reading from the beginning, since this rectangle humbly quoted only verses 15-17.
I read the first line and started breaking out into song. Duh.
Is it as plain to you as it was to me last night? God put that song in my heart weeks prior to remind me that it was all in His will for Him to speak to me through this very Psalm today! This whimsical discovery was, at the heart, God clearly speaking to me. How do I know? I've grown a leap in faith.
There's something about faith in God that I've been reminded of...
Faith in God seems to grow when you realize more of God's faithfulness. Think about it. when you start forgetting about God's faithfulness in your life, you start losing faith. There must be SOMETHING about God's faithfulness then that I still believe in Him, that I'm still grasping onto Him, that I haven't been led astray.
Perhaps I can't elaborate on the actual practicality of this Psalm in my current situation...but all I want to say is that. It hit me like a train. God is good. I apologize for leaving a blinking cursor at the end of this post. | <-should appear to blink if you look very closely.
I'm currently in a state of restful solitude. I have been put here by God. I shall document my journey, or at the least, the beginning of it...in hopes that you will hold me accountable in transcribing the evolution of my heart as God works faithfully in me.
Here we go...
Psalm 51
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts [a] ;
you teach [b] me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.
14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are [c] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Jon Foreman's Winter EP has been playing on repeat. Pathetic enough, this has been made possible only by the sharing of music libraries via Stewart's LAN. Thank goodness for iTunes. Lately, I've been obsessed with "White As Snow". Jon Foreman perfects the embodiment of Christian-inspired "indie" in this song. He nails it. Neverthless, the lyrics are drawn stark from Psalm 51. I did not know this until last night while rummaging through old ANCCG jubo's.
What should easily have been overlooked and tossed in the trash became a neatly cut rectangle glued to my journal page. For those of who you don't know, I invested $20 at the Biola Bookstore in a Moleskine notebook...for the sake of my own sanity. Blogging made me impatient and want to delete everything I'd ever written. Thus, I figured writing in something more concrete made it harder for me to delete...since ripping pages out of a $20 journal is just plain violent and a complete display of disrespect toward the brains of the past who used Moleskines. I digress.
Upon reading this rectangle of words, I shouted, "EUREKA!!!" I thought He'd done it again. The good Lord had spoken to me. I grabbed the nearest book which quite nicely happened to be my Bible, split it open in equal portions, and quickly found myself at Psalm 51. I felt an urgent need to start reading from the beginning, since this rectangle humbly quoted only verses 15-17.
I read the first line and started breaking out into song. Duh.
Is it as plain to you as it was to me last night? God put that song in my heart weeks prior to remind me that it was all in His will for Him to speak to me through this very Psalm today! This whimsical discovery was, at the heart, God clearly speaking to me. How do I know? I've grown a leap in faith.
There's something about faith in God that I've been reminded of...
Faith in God seems to grow when you realize more of God's faithfulness. Think about it. when you start forgetting about God's faithfulness in your life, you start losing faith. There must be SOMETHING about God's faithfulness then that I still believe in Him, that I'm still grasping onto Him, that I haven't been led astray.
Perhaps I can't elaborate on the actual practicality of this Psalm in my current situation...but all I want to say is that. It hit me like a train. God is good. I apologize for leaving a blinking cursor at the end of this post. | <-should appear to blink if you look very closely.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Post the Nineteenth
I really want an iPod so I can listen to music on-the-go.
My friend Christine Jung recommended that I enter the FML: Pull your nuttiest face! Contest where the only requirement is to hold a picture of the FML book cover or the real book and make a crazy face for people to vote on.
Initially, entering the contest didn't cross my mind even for a second, even if the grand prize was a yellow iPod with FML inscription. But after curiously browsing what others may have come up with, I completely changed my mind.
I must say, this inspires me.
My friend Christine Jung recommended that I enter the FML: Pull your nuttiest face! Contest where the only requirement is to hold a picture of the FML book cover or the real book and make a crazy face for people to vote on.
Initially, entering the contest didn't cross my mind even for a second, even if the grand prize was a yellow iPod with FML inscription. But after curiously browsing what others may have come up with, I completely changed my mind.
I must say, this inspires me.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Post the Seventeenth
A depressing thought about this blog has just dawned on me.
I have no focus. There is nothing quirky about this blog that could possibly appeal to the masses that lurk the internet each moment of the day. I need a focus. What can I direct my writing to? What is it that I am passionate about? Well, I thought about that.
I would like to write about science. However, seeing that I don't even have a scrawny B.S. degree in Biochemistry, I have no credibility whatsoever! I am not a researcher with a doctorate degree in anything to be able to write important anythings. I am merely a college kid who loves science-y stuff. I think I want to start writing about Darwinism, Christianity, Evolution, Naturalism, Christian theology, and scientific findings that support the Christian worldview.
The idea is still brewing. I hope I can come across something interesting for this blog. I really want to be challenged to write stuff like this, too, even if it's difficult.
No more rambling on this blog about unimportant anythings! (Well, maybe once in a great while.)
I have no focus. There is nothing quirky about this blog that could possibly appeal to the masses that lurk the internet each moment of the day. I need a focus. What can I direct my writing to? What is it that I am passionate about? Well, I thought about that.
I would like to write about science. However, seeing that I don't even have a scrawny B.S. degree in Biochemistry, I have no credibility whatsoever! I am not a researcher with a doctorate degree in anything to be able to write important anythings. I am merely a college kid who loves science-y stuff. I think I want to start writing about Darwinism, Christianity, Evolution, Naturalism, Christian theology, and scientific findings that support the Christian worldview.
The idea is still brewing. I hope I can come across something interesting for this blog. I really want to be challenged to write stuff like this, too, even if it's difficult.
No more rambling on this blog about unimportant anythings! (Well, maybe once in a great while.)
Post the Sixteenth
Generally consuming thought of the day: Boredom is killing me.
I wish I had a ceiling fan so I can race it with my head. You may think that is quite possibly the least entertaining thing I can do. However, at this point in time, I can't think of anything else I'd want to do more than to race a ceiling fan with my head.
Conclusion: I wish I had a ceiling fan so I can race it with my head.
I wish I had a ceiling fan so I can race it with my head. You may think that is quite possibly the least entertaining thing I can do. However, at this point in time, I can't think of anything else I'd want to do more than to race a ceiling fan with my head.
Conclusion: I wish I had a ceiling fan so I can race it with my head.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Post the Fifteenth
I want to write more in my blog but I'm completely embarrassed of my previous posts. They are so petty and stupid, but instead of indulging my urge to go and delete them, I will push forward and try to write better from now on. I suppose it'll be nice to look back and see how I've developed and grown in my thought process.
At this very moment, I'm videochatting with Shawn and he hasn't a clue what I am doing right now. He is quite busy singing "Fly Me To The Moon" by Frank Sinatra. We don't always engage in steamy debates or dense conversation every time we videochat, but sometimes we just do whatever we normally would do, but we see each other. It's nice because it's each other's presence that we enjoy. It seems like he's right here in front of me. I like it. Of course this doesn't replace actually having him here but it's pretty nice to be able to do even this.
I don't really have a thesis or argument for this post. I just want to get back into writing, and I hope this gives me a little motivation to write about something cool next time, maybe something science-y, since I tend to really dig that kind of stuff.
Back to staring at Shawn while he serenades the screen, and perhaps quite possibly even me,
Michelle
At this very moment, I'm videochatting with Shawn and he hasn't a clue what I am doing right now. He is quite busy singing "Fly Me To The Moon" by Frank Sinatra. We don't always engage in steamy debates or dense conversation every time we videochat, but sometimes we just do whatever we normally would do, but we see each other. It's nice because it's each other's presence that we enjoy. It seems like he's right here in front of me. I like it. Of course this doesn't replace actually having him here but it's pretty nice to be able to do even this.
I don't really have a thesis or argument for this post. I just want to get back into writing, and I hope this gives me a little motivation to write about something cool next time, maybe something science-y, since I tend to really dig that kind of stuff.
Back to staring at Shawn while he serenades the screen, and perhaps quite possibly even me,
Michelle
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Post the Fourteenth
i'm listening to
enya - only time
whos that haha
DUDE
listen to it
lol why
i like it hahah
it's soothing..
i dont know much about the lyrics
but the music is soothing
one you'd listen to in a bath..
it's the one
they played
in friends
when chandler takes a bath
lol ok
lol
ok
do you know what episode i'm talking about
lol i dont want friends 
you dont want friends???
lol
watch
AHAPDFSlkjas;lkdjf;laksdjflkajsdf
enya - only time
whos that haha
DUDE
listen to it
lol why
i like it hahah
it's soothing..
i dont know much about the lyrics
but the music is soothing
one you'd listen to in a bath..
it's the one
they played
in friends
when chandler takes a bath
lol ok
lol
ok
do you know what episode i'm talking about
lol i dont want friends 
you dont want friends???
lol
watch
AHAPDFSlkjas;lkdjf;laksdjflkajsdf
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Post the Twelfth - Abortion
From Brian McClaren’s blog: Why I am voting for Barack Obama Reason #5
Some of my friends and relatives have been reading my reasons for voting for Barack Obama, but the issue of abortion is a major roadblock for them. They believe that a vote for Obama is a vote for abortion, and a vote for McCain is a vote against abortion. They are surprised to learn that I believe an Obama presidency could actually take us farther in reducing abortion than a McCain presidency, and it could do so through a wiser, less-divisive, more effective strategy. Here’s why.
Again and again over the last 30 years, Republican presidents and other politicians have used the issue of abortion to get elected and raise funds, but then, once in office, they have said little about abortion and done even less. Some say that their silence doesn’t matter, because the only way abortion can be reduced is by electing presidents who will appoint Supreme Court justices who will overturn Roe vs. Wade. This strategy is being quietly pursued, they say, so the plan is working. But there are good reasons to question this logic.
First, even if McCain were to win the election and appoint Supreme Court justices who would in fact overturn Roe vs. Wade, this move will not outlaw abortion, contrary to what many believe. It will only return the decision to the states, which raises this question: how many states lean toward criminalization? The answer: only sixteen states have at least 45% support for criminalizing abortion.
What would the impact of criminalization be in these sixteen states? Only ten percent of abortions occur in these states, and women desiring abortions would still be able to travel easily to a nearby state for an abortion. So even with a best-case scenario, there would be less than a ten percent reduction in abortions nationwide, not counting the likelihood of abortions still being performed illegally in the sixteen states in question.
Would sincere and intelligent Evangelical and Catholic Christians have given such extraordinary and largely uncritical political loyalty to Religious Right/Republican leaders for all these years if they had been told from the start that their efforts would eventually achieve only a ten percent reduction in abortion? How would they respond to the knowledge that we could likely achieve more than a ten percent reduction in abortions by providing increased economic assistance and social support for pregnant women who are poor, since women in poverty have abortions at four times the rate of higher-income women?
The chosen strategy of the anti-abortion movement, in this light, depends on an untested assumption: that criminalizing abortion is the best way to reduce abortion rates. If we look at other nations, this assumption is highly questionable.
For example, Western European nations, where abortion is legal and available, have the lowest abortion rates in the free world, with less than 10 abortions per 1000 women of reproductive age. In contrast, in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, there are between 29 and 31 abortions per 1000 women of reproductive age – in spite of the fact that abortion laws are highly restrictive there. So it’s clear that in free societies, poverty and a lack of services are more likely to lead to high abortion rates than whether or not abortion is legal.
The issue isn’t simply whether people are for or against abortion, because even among people labeled “pro-choice,” most would agree that abortion is a sad, even tragic, moral choice. The real issue is whether criminalization is the best way to reduce the number of abortions.
When I share these facts and reflections with my friends, many are surprised. For over thirty years, they’ve been told that voting Republican means voting out abortion. Many begin to wonder if we Christians have been manipulated by clever but cynical political operatives who have used the issue of abortion to win elections, without ever really intending to make a significant difference.
Some anti-abortion voters have told me that they agree with me in this diagnosis, but they feel their vote for McCain is a symbolic protest against the generally low moral conditions in our society. I respect their desire to cast their vote on the side of morality and family values. But it's clear - from both positive and negative examples in both parties - that neither party can lay claim to being the exclusive champion of strong marriages and dedicated parenting. In this election, voters have in Barack Obama and Joe Biden faithful husbands and dedicated fathers who exemplify in their marriages and families exactly the personal family values we hope more people will follow. If voters are truly looking for a symbolic affirmation of strong families, Obama and Biden can't be eliminated for partisan reasons.
In my book Everything Must Change, I shared my personal belief that a high abortion rate is a symptom of a deeper and complex societal disease. It is one expression of what I call the "covert curriculum" - a "framing story" that also fuels the current economic crisis, environmental crisis, and security crisis that together threaten our future. Until we unite to acknowledge and address that deeper disease and dysfunction, thus dealing with our symptoms in a systemic way, we will stay stuck in polarized paralysis, fighting divisive and ineffective culture wars while our moral health continues to deteriorate.
In this light, if we really care about seeing fewer pregnancies ending in abortion, a greater concern for "the least of these" - demonstrated through better health care, more vigorous job creation, better education, and other needed initiatives for people in poverty - could bring us greater results than a strategy of criminalization. And Senator Obama is the stronger candidate in these areas.
During this election, more and more of us who consider life sacred are losing confidence in the simplistic one-or-two issue voting habits that some vocal religious leaders and broadcasters have urged upon us for decades. We are beginning to see through the unhelpfully-framed arguments that have dominated both our religious and political discourse for too long. We’re looking for wiser and better means to wiser and better ends.
We aren’t so naïve as to believe that electing Barack Obama will solve all of our problems. But in regards to abortion along with many other issues, we are convinced – firmly, thoughtfully, and enthusiastically convinced – that casting our vote for Obama is a step in the right direction, fully consistent with our desire to celebrate the sacredness of life and improve the moral health of our nation and world.
[For more information, see Matthew 25.org. See the Guttmacher Institute, "An Overview of Abortion in The United States" and "An Overview of Abortion in The United States." See also the Catholics United study "Reducing Abortion in America: Beyond Roe v. Wade,” and Joseph Wright and Michael Bailey, "Reducing Abortion in America : The Effect of Economic and Social Supports."]
catholics-united.org
Some of my friends and relatives have been reading my reasons for voting for Barack Obama, but the issue of abortion is a major roadblock for them. They believe that a vote for Obama is a vote for abortion, and a vote for McCain is a vote against abortion. They are surprised to learn that I believe an Obama presidency could actually take us farther in reducing abortion than a McCain presidency, and it could do so through a wiser, less-divisive, more effective strategy. Here’s why.
Again and again over the last 30 years, Republican presidents and other politicians have used the issue of abortion to get elected and raise funds, but then, once in office, they have said little about abortion and done even less. Some say that their silence doesn’t matter, because the only way abortion can be reduced is by electing presidents who will appoint Supreme Court justices who will overturn Roe vs. Wade. This strategy is being quietly pursued, they say, so the plan is working. But there are good reasons to question this logic.
First, even if McCain were to win the election and appoint Supreme Court justices who would in fact overturn Roe vs. Wade, this move will not outlaw abortion, contrary to what many believe. It will only return the decision to the states, which raises this question: how many states lean toward criminalization? The answer: only sixteen states have at least 45% support for criminalizing abortion.
What would the impact of criminalization be in these sixteen states? Only ten percent of abortions occur in these states, and women desiring abortions would still be able to travel easily to a nearby state for an abortion. So even with a best-case scenario, there would be less than a ten percent reduction in abortions nationwide, not counting the likelihood of abortions still being performed illegally in the sixteen states in question.
Would sincere and intelligent Evangelical and Catholic Christians have given such extraordinary and largely uncritical political loyalty to Religious Right/Republican leaders for all these years if they had been told from the start that their efforts would eventually achieve only a ten percent reduction in abortion? How would they respond to the knowledge that we could likely achieve more than a ten percent reduction in abortions by providing increased economic assistance and social support for pregnant women who are poor, since women in poverty have abortions at four times the rate of higher-income women?
The chosen strategy of the anti-abortion movement, in this light, depends on an untested assumption: that criminalizing abortion is the best way to reduce abortion rates. If we look at other nations, this assumption is highly questionable.
For example, Western European nations, where abortion is legal and available, have the lowest abortion rates in the free world, with less than 10 abortions per 1000 women of reproductive age. In contrast, in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, there are between 29 and 31 abortions per 1000 women of reproductive age – in spite of the fact that abortion laws are highly restrictive there. So it’s clear that in free societies, poverty and a lack of services are more likely to lead to high abortion rates than whether or not abortion is legal.
The issue isn’t simply whether people are for or against abortion, because even among people labeled “pro-choice,” most would agree that abortion is a sad, even tragic, moral choice. The real issue is whether criminalization is the best way to reduce the number of abortions.
When I share these facts and reflections with my friends, many are surprised. For over thirty years, they’ve been told that voting Republican means voting out abortion. Many begin to wonder if we Christians have been manipulated by clever but cynical political operatives who have used the issue of abortion to win elections, without ever really intending to make a significant difference.
Some anti-abortion voters have told me that they agree with me in this diagnosis, but they feel their vote for McCain is a symbolic protest against the generally low moral conditions in our society. I respect their desire to cast their vote on the side of morality and family values. But it's clear - from both positive and negative examples in both parties - that neither party can lay claim to being the exclusive champion of strong marriages and dedicated parenting. In this election, voters have in Barack Obama and Joe Biden faithful husbands and dedicated fathers who exemplify in their marriages and families exactly the personal family values we hope more people will follow. If voters are truly looking for a symbolic affirmation of strong families, Obama and Biden can't be eliminated for partisan reasons.
In my book Everything Must Change, I shared my personal belief that a high abortion rate is a symptom of a deeper and complex societal disease. It is one expression of what I call the "covert curriculum" - a "framing story" that also fuels the current economic crisis, environmental crisis, and security crisis that together threaten our future. Until we unite to acknowledge and address that deeper disease and dysfunction, thus dealing with our symptoms in a systemic way, we will stay stuck in polarized paralysis, fighting divisive and ineffective culture wars while our moral health continues to deteriorate.
In this light, if we really care about seeing fewer pregnancies ending in abortion, a greater concern for "the least of these" - demonstrated through better health care, more vigorous job creation, better education, and other needed initiatives for people in poverty - could bring us greater results than a strategy of criminalization. And Senator Obama is the stronger candidate in these areas.
During this election, more and more of us who consider life sacred are losing confidence in the simplistic one-or-two issue voting habits that some vocal religious leaders and broadcasters have urged upon us for decades. We are beginning to see through the unhelpfully-framed arguments that have dominated both our religious and political discourse for too long. We’re looking for wiser and better means to wiser and better ends.
We aren’t so naïve as to believe that electing Barack Obama will solve all of our problems. But in regards to abortion along with many other issues, we are convinced – firmly, thoughtfully, and enthusiastically convinced – that casting our vote for Obama is a step in the right direction, fully consistent with our desire to celebrate the sacredness of life and improve the moral health of our nation and world.
[For more information, see Matthew 25.org. See the Guttmacher Institute, "An Overview of Abortion in The United States" and "An Overview of Abortion in The United States." See also the Catholics United study "Reducing Abortion in America: Beyond Roe v. Wade,” and Joseph Wright and Michael Bailey, "Reducing Abortion in America : The Effect of Economic and Social Supports."]
catholics-united.org
Monday, January 19, 2009
Post the Eleventh
http://www.newsweek.com/id/180037
A Fence Can’t Stop the Future
America can either flourish or fade in the new global economy. It all depends on what we do about the fastest-growing segment of the country's population.
Published Jan 17, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Jan 26, 2009
America has long been the envy of the rest of the world, and for good reason. Over the past century, the United States has harnessed its economic, scientific, cultural and educational resources to produce remarkable achievements in every field of human endeavor. But with nations like China and India emerging as major powers, many argue that U.S. dominance will soon be eclipsed, and what is known as the American Century will soon be over. Our fate is far from sealed, though. Whether America surmounts its challenges or slides to the middle of the pack will likely depend on its fastest-growing segment: the Latino community.
If demographics is destiny, consider this: there are roughly eight Latino births for every death, whereas white births and deaths are nearly even. While more-homogenous developed countries like Japan, Italy, France and Germany are aging rapidly, this Latino baby boom could be a major engine of growth for the United States. Young Latinos could bolster our workforce, increase the size of our markets, support Social Security and revitalize our communities. According to the most recent Census Bureau projections, about 60 percent of total U.S. growth will come from the Latino population — that's almost 100 million additional people. One in four Americans will be Latino. This holds true even if the border fence that Congress and the Bush administration authorized proves impenetrable—which is highly unlikely.
The law of large numbers guarantees that Latinos will move the national averages in almost every measurable area of American life. The question is how. If current trends continue, Latino growthcould actually speed our national decline. Need a cautionary tale? In California, the underperformance of Latino students has pushed the state to the bottom of the heap—45th among 50 states in educational attainment. On the other hand, if we investin services that lift Latinos into the middle class, they could become the dynamic heart of a continuing American success story.
Even during the 1950s, when U.S. industry was a powerhouse, progressive policies were what spurred the expansion of the middle class—through the GI Bill, commitment to homeownership and the passage of the minimum wage. Those same initiatives created a more just society, which in turn helped foster the civil-rights movement, the women's movement and the environmental movement. America's future vibrancy depends on renewing those commitments for Latinos.
There's much work to be done. Adult Latinos often wait years to be admitted to English classes. Services in America's cities—where the bulk of Latinos live, work and spend their money—have deteriorated over the past eight years. Local governments will be even more hamstrung by the current economic crisis. The new administration will need to focus on chipping away at these roadblocks to the middle class.
Of course, Latinos must also take advantage of the opportunities that do exist, and invest in American society. Immigrants must do whatever they can to master English. They must prepare themselves to succeed in the workplace, and to guide their children through the school system. They must save to buy their own homes, and work to provide their families with a health plan, retirement plan and savings account. They should participate enthusiastically in civic, community and religious activities. And they should strive for full citizenship.
It's important to remember we can do all this without losing our heritage. We can learn English without forgetting Spanish, adopt American social practices in the workplace without having to denigrate our native traditions, and follow American laws without ignoring our obligations to family and community. In fact, being bilingual and bicultural are competitive advantages that will only be more important in the future.
America's Latinos on the whole are a community of strivers. We understand that striving is at the core of American culture. And we know that the American Dream, while far from foolproof, represents the right to strive with the best chance of reward. This is the basis for a hopeful America whose best days are still ahead. If Latinos succeed, so will America.
Cisneros, Former secretary of Housing and Urban Development and mayor of San Antonio, is editor of “Latinos and the Nation’s Future,” published this month by Arte Público Press of the University of Houston.
© 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Post the Tenth
What not to wear...
I can't think of a show I dislike more than TLC's What Not To Wear.
Stacy and Clinton are pretty brutal when it comes to critiquing people's fashion styles. For one thing, is it just me or does Clinton seem to wear a variation of the same outfit on every single episode of the show? Fitted white dress shirt with sweater vest and slim grey or black dress pants. And Stacy...she dresses beautifully but does anyone ever get the idea that they don't dress themselves, but that the wardrobe people who work for the show pick out their outfits to make sure they don't look retarded giving fashion advice on television?
So maybe they do dress themselves and maybe they do have their own show on how to dress people but c'monnnnnnnnnnnnnn they're BRUTAL!!!!!
If I was ever on What Not To Wear, I'd punch both of them out if it weren't for the $5,000 I get from hearing them talk smack about my style. Maybe that's why no one else does what I swear I'd do...because of the $5,000 dollars.
I can't think of a show I dislike more than TLC's What Not To Wear.
Stacy and Clinton are pretty brutal when it comes to critiquing people's fashion styles. For one thing, is it just me or does Clinton seem to wear a variation of the same outfit on every single episode of the show? Fitted white dress shirt with sweater vest and slim grey or black dress pants. And Stacy...she dresses beautifully but does anyone ever get the idea that they don't dress themselves, but that the wardrobe people who work for the show pick out their outfits to make sure they don't look retarded giving fashion advice on television?
So maybe they do dress themselves and maybe they do have their own show on how to dress people but c'monnnnnnnnnnnnnn they're BRUTAL!!!!!
If I was ever on What Not To Wear, I'd punch both of them out if it weren't for the $5,000 I get from hearing them talk smack about my style. Maybe that's why no one else does what I swear I'd do...because of the $5,000 dollars.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Post the Depressing Ninth
I know why people tend to act fake or superficial.
Sure, we can reason that it's a result of our own insecurities and a refusal to acknowledge any inadequacies in gusty persona, but seriously...people act fake because other people like it more.
Sometimes we might bicker, I might bicker, about someone acting fluffy toward me but why should I complain? The truth is, no one wants to be around a grumpy, depressed, angry, mood-kill type person. I mean...DO YOU? It's more fun to be around bubbly people, even if it means they really think that vintage skirt of yours is absolutely hideous. So don't act mad or depressed even if you are because PEOPLE DON'T CARE. They just want you to stop ruining the happy atmosphere. And even if they seem like they care, it's only because they want you to stop ruining the happy atmosphere.
In other words, if it's going to save others the torment of your own imposed, awkward vibe...save it for your corner and slap a big smile on your face. It makes the world a better place.
Sure, we can reason that it's a result of our own insecurities and a refusal to acknowledge any inadequacies in gusty persona, but seriously...people act fake because other people like it more.
Sometimes we might bicker, I might bicker, about someone acting fluffy toward me but why should I complain? The truth is, no one wants to be around a grumpy, depressed, angry, mood-kill type person. I mean...DO YOU? It's more fun to be around bubbly people, even if it means they really think that vintage skirt of yours is absolutely hideous. So don't act mad or depressed even if you are because PEOPLE DON'T CARE. They just want you to stop ruining the happy atmosphere. And even if they seem like they care, it's only because they want you to stop ruining the happy atmosphere.
In other words, if it's going to save others the torment of your own imposed, awkward vibe...save it for your corner and slap a big smile on your face. It makes the world a better place.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
