Know Nothing

I sat down this morning, surprised that I felt so inspired to write. Ironically, I couldn't think of one meaningful thing to talk about. Suddenly this verse from 1 Corinthians popped into my mind:

"For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."

Wow.

How about I write about nothing else but Jesus Christ and him crucified?

Friends, what if we really took this verse to heart? It's not the only one in the Bible like it... there are many others. What if we really did vow to know, talk about, and meditate only upon Christ? My guess is that our lives would be transformed in a greater way than we could ever imagine.

Obviously, in the every day tasks of life there are things that we need to think upon that are simply necessities - such as meals, cleaning, grocery shopping, school, etc. But what if in these daily tasks we were constantly keeping the Lord in mind... ready to go to him with any prayer or request the minute we encounter a need. There is no way that a life of total dedication and abandonment like that is ever left unchanged.

So today... as you go about those daily chores and duties, know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified! Meditate on this truth. He is more than worthy of all our affection, attention, and dedication.

Growing Slowly

"Be not afraid of growing slowly - be afraid only of standing still."

I was sitting in my cultural diversity class a few days ago and we were discussing ancient proverbs from different cultures. My teacher handed us a list and told us to look them over. I just scanned the list quickly, knowing that some of them were a bunch of hogwash. I mean, we already have a whole book of Proverbs in the Bible, right? Why did I need to read any more?

WELL...

As I was moving quickly down the list, I came to the Chinese proverbs. Suddenly, one of them caught my eye and just seemed to jump right off the page:

"Be not afraid of growing slowly - be afraid only of standing still."

Amazed, I set the paper down as I tried to grasp my mind around the deeper meaning contained within the proverb. Some people might only think about the physical aspect of growing or about growing in knowledge. But immediately, my mind jumped to my spiritual walk.

How many times in the past had I become impatient because I didn't feel close to the Lord? How many times had I wondered why I couldn't seem to make the difference for Christ that I desperately wanted to make? How many times had I tried to force myself into spiritual submission?

I wanted to grow... FAST.

I wanted to see that spiritual growth.

I wanted to become a world-changer... overnight.

But then I read this proverb and realized something. I shouldn't be afraid of growing slowly - just as long as I'm growing. When I'm frozen in my spiritual growth is the point where I should become concerned. Growing is so important... but no one can grow a tree overnight. Walking day by day with my Lord, even through the valley, is just as important as when He takes me to those spiritual mountaintops where everything looks clear.

So I just want to encourage you today... don't give up if you feel like you're growing slowly! Look for the little ways that God is working in your life... and don't you dare give up. He is not finished with you yet.

Sterling Wildlife

So... right now I'm writing to you from the campus library... because wireless internet is down campus-wide. We recieved an email today that said it should be restored by tomorrow at 5pm. WOOT WOOT! As Switchfoot says "You never know what you got until it's gone." :)

Today I had my first encounter with Sterling wildlife. It was night... and I had just come outside to take some friends back to the lake where they had left their car,

WHEN SUDDENLY...

A BIG HAIRY THING WITH A LONG PINK TAIL RAN UNDERNEATH MY CAR.

I gasped.

Never had I seen such a hideous looking thing.

My friends screamed.

One of them shouted "It's an opposum!"

Grossness. First the rat named Stewart, and now this.

After scaring it out from underneath my car we chased it from car to car... and finally abandoned the thing because it was getting late.

Poor thing.

Perhaps we should have named him McHairy. Then my dorm, McCreery, can have it's very own mascot.

Perhaps not.