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.
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