You and I Collide

So I realized that while blogging was a great idea in theory, I have absolutely no time to do it consistently. Well anyway, here's an overview of what life is like right now...

Sunday: I have choir rehearsal before church&Sunday school. I love our choir. It's sooo much fun. And we're pretty good if I do say so myself. :) I've been going to the Boelcke's house after church for the past few weeks. I love spending time there. I feel very at home there. After spending the afternoon with them, we head to evening church {either at Grace or Providence.} Then I watch a movie or finish homework before heading to bed!
Monday-Tuesday: School! I love all of my classes this year. AP Lit&Theatre are my favorites though. I feel so much more comfortable at school now, thanks to chapel. Chapel is soooo amazing this year. The planning team is so awesome and committed this year. We've started what we're calling "The Prayer Revival." Everyone is praying all the time! It's completely lifted the whole spirit of the school. It's such a blessing to see groups of 2 or 3 students praying together in the halls or just to know that you can ask anybody to pray with you and that they're willing to drop what they're doing and pray right there and then. Our God is so faithful. Anyway, after school RGar and I usually go out and get something to eat before we both have to work at 4. We typically just end up sitting in the cafe, drinking coffee and looking at random books. It's pretty fun. :) Then I usually work till 10:30. I really love working there. The people are pretty cool and making drinks is really fun. Even though I hate the new automatic espresso machine. :( I feel like a fake barista. All I have to do now is push a button. I come home and finish what homework I have left then go to bed.
Wednesday: School as normal, then I come home and teach 2 piano lessons. I've had some trouble with my 1st student, Lena. They're not consistent at all. I can tell she doesn't practice, they always forget to pay me and half the time they're late or don't even show up. It's been really frustrating. My mom talked to her mom about it though and hopefully things will get better soon. On the other hand, I loooove teaching Courtney Jakiel. I can tell that she practices and she's catching on really quickly. Teaching her is a lot of fun. It feels very right. :) After my lessons, I relax for awhile then head to youth group. Things are going quite splendidly with Danny and Laura. They're really funny together. Oh, and they're expecting a baby! Yay! They've been going through the game of life during their lessons and talking about biblical perspectives on all the different stages of the game {getting a job, dating, marriage, finances, ...}. It's a really neat idea. Again, the Lord has provided for his children...even though I still miss Jon. :(
Thursday: See Mon-Tue.
Friday-Saturday: The weekend usually consists of sleeping, working, choir practice, homework/studying, more sleeping, movies, hanging out with the Sweden fam, and random trips to Grove City or Geneva.

Well, that's life right now. Not too exciting, which is good. I'm sure things will get crazier with the Holidays coming up. Concert time! I'm excited for Messiah and I think our school concert will be good as well. I'm going to see the Genevans concert this Saturday night...it'll be fun to see Adam in it this time! I'm especially excited for the Holidays because Mrs. S and Jon will be home!! Woooo hooooo!

I'm gonna go finish watching Zepherelli's Romeo& Juliet {which is amazing} and then go to bed and sleep in tomorrow! Night!

We're So Far Away

I started making some lists today and I thought I would share them:
{these lists are still subject to change}

Books to Read:
1. The Grapes of Wrath
2. The Canterbury Tales
3. Mere Christianity
4. The Scarlet Letter
5. Anne of Green Gables
6. Wuthering Heights
7. The Curious Savage
8. Catch-22
9. The Great Gatsby
10. Tess of the D'Urbervilles
11. all things Shakespeare
12. Sense & Sensibility
13. The Great Divorce
14. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
15. Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass
16. The Catcher in the Rye
17. Gone With the Wind
18. Jane Eyre
19. Mansfield Park
20. The Pilgrim's Progress
21. all things Poe
22. The Princess Bride
23. Something Wicked This Way Comes
24. Waiting for Godot
25. Watership Down

This list excludes books that I know I'll definitely be reading in AP Lit.

People I Want to Learn More About:
1. George Gershwin
2. Joseph Stalin
3. Geoffrey Chaucer
4. Queen Elizabeth
5. Charles Manson
6. Andy Warhol
7. Emma Goldman
8. G.F. Handel
9. Anna Netrebko
10. Lawrence Olivier
11. Helen Mirren
12. Baz Luhrman
13. Ewan McGregor
14. Steve Jobs
15. Jane Austen

Things I Want to Learn More About:
1. Salem Witch Trials
2. The 70's in general (Vietnam, hippies, etc.)
3. Blacklists
4. Polygraph machines
5. The Watergate Scandal
6. Auburn Avenue/NPP theology
7. Genetics
8. MPAA film rating system
9. Theories on truth {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth}
10. Scientology
11. Schizophrenia
12. Socialism

Well it's a start. I'm up for comments and suggestions. :)

This Is The Countdown

So I would like to take a moment to lament the fact that I feel like my youth is over. Here's why:
1. I have to work today.
2. I just set up a checking account & a savings account. Scary.
3. My motivation for doing well in school is no longer just because I want to do well. Now I have to do well so I can get scholarships and go to college.
4. I'm about to take a nap because I'm tired.
5. Driving.

Having adult responsibilities is slightly frightening.

In A Little While

Wow. I can't believe my last post was Sept. 6th. It seems like it was yesterday. Anyway I feel the need to blog about something because I haven't for so long. Soooo....

8 Things I'm excited about:
1. I just finished Firefly and it's absolutely amazing. I'm soo happy Drew talked me into watching it. I can't wait to watch Serenity!
2. The Lovedrug concert at Geneva on Friday. I really like what I've heard of them so far, plus I get to see a certain someone. :)
3. R is coming home for bible study tomorrow night.
4. Heroes on Monday!!!!!!!!!!!
5. My computer is some what back to normal. Finally! Not having full access to all my pictures and music was terrible!
6. My music theory course. Because I'm a nerd.
7. Finally having furniture in my room!
8. Getting Edy's Loaded Peanut Butter ice cream in about 5 minutes.

5 Things I'm Sad About:
1. The future lack of JonDoddness in the Stuart house. :(
2. The fact that my room isn't completely clean yet and there are still piles of junk everywhere.
3. 80 degree weather in the fall. I can't wear scarves yet!
4. LOST doesn't start til January.
5. I have to read Sir Gawan by next week and I don't even have it yet. (I just ordered it from the library so we're good now.)

Anyway. Hopefully I can find time to post a more meaningful blog in the near future.

With One Hand In a Pot of Gold...

My pastor said something very interesting in Sunday School last week that's been on my mind a lot. He was discussing the very touchy subject of God's hatred toward sinners. This concept, I believe, is very biblical, but conveniently ignored by the modern church. The idea that is taught is that God hates sin, but loves all sinners. This is plain heresy. God hates sinners. And we don't want to accept this. God has never sent a sin to Hell, but he does send un-repentant sinners to Hell. But what we also have to accept is that we, as sinners, hate God. This is a really difficult thing to understand and believe.

Here are some verses expressing this concept:
"The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence."
--Psalm 11: 5
"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him."
--John 3:36
"If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb."
--Rev. 14:9-10
"They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them."
--Rom. 1:29-32
"For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God."
--Rom. 8:7-8

But we can find peace in knowing that we are not of the flesh, we are of the Spirit. Paul continues in Rom. 8:9, "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you." And this is just the set-up for my main topic. haha. Anyway, the actual comment made by Pastor Cadman that I want to focus on has to do with worship music. We were discussing this attribute of God and he commented that we have lost this in our worship music particularly. I had never thought about that before. When we think of worshiping God we think of his love, grace, faithfulness, patience, and goodness. We completely ignore his {righteous} anger, justice, and hatred toward sin and sinners. These attributes are just as important as his love and faithfulness. If God has no hatred for sinners and no need for justice, then what is the purpose of salvation? If God is nothing but love, then why do we need a savior? You clearly cannot have one without the other. God's love is pointless without his justice and vice-versa. So if God's wrath is necessary in the story of redemption then why do we leave it out {particularly in our music}? That's the main question I'm asking. After he made this comment, I sat back a minute and tried to think of a song I knew about God's wrath and I couldn't think of one. But what I could think of was the Psalms. The Psalms repeatedly praise God for his wrath towards sinners and even plead with God to bring justice to the wicked. Of course the book of Psalms is not the only book that describes God's wrath, but is a clear example of praising God for his wrath.
Examples:
" Arise, O LORD!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked." -- Ps. 3:7

"Arise, O LORD, in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
awake for me; you have appointed a judgment.
Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you;
over it return on high.

The LORD judges the peoples;
judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
and may you establish the righteous—
you who test the minds and hearts,
O righteous God!
My shield is with God,
who saves the upright in heart.
God is a righteous judge,
and a God who feels indignation every day.

If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword;
he has bent and readied his bow;
he has prepared for him his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts." -- Ps. 7:6-13

"The LORD tests the righteous,
but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
Let him rain coals on the wicked;
fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup." -- Ps. 11:5-6

"But to the wicked God says:
"What right have you to recite my statutes
or take my covenant on your lips?
For you hate discipline,
and you cast my words behind you.
If you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
and you keep company with adulterers.
You give your mouth free rein for evil,
and your tongue frames deceit.

You sit and speak against your brother;
you slander your own mother’s son.
These things you have done, and I have been silent;
you thought that I was one like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you." -- Ps. 50:16-21

That's just four examples and there are plenty more. Our modern music is missing not only this, but also the blatant honesty that infests the psalms. We don't have any songs titled "Why Have You Forsaken Me?" or "The Faithful Have Vanished" or "He Will Tread Down Our Foes". Yet these are the topics of so many songs that are inspired by God! The next question is, what do we do about it? I'm not really sure. I think that for my church {Providence}, singing Psalms {all of them} should become a regular part of our service. Our church's key phrase is "Speaking the Truth in Love". I think that expressing these attributes of God and man is a way of speaking the truth in love. I want to figure out a way to incorporate this into youth group praise and worship and even my personal prayer&worship life. I'd love to hear your thoughts....

"Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone;
for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.
Everyone utters lies to his neighbor;
with flattering lips and a double heart they speak." -- Psalm 12:1-2

Light Starts In A Dark Place

I just made an exceedingly exciting mix (for Drew)!! Yay! I haven't made a good mix in awhile. I'm pretty psyched about it. The theme of it is Darkness & Light. Here's the track list:
Darkness & Light
1. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out- Anberlin
2. Light Gives Heat- Jars of Clay
3. I Will Follow You Into the Dark- Death Cab for Cutie
4. Hold the Light- Caedmon's Call
5. Headlights on Dark Roads- Snow Patrol
6. The Lighthouse's Tale- Nickel Creek
7. Limelight- Rush
8. Crawling Towards the Sun- The Hush Sound
9. Bright Lights- Matchbox 20
10. The Sun and The Moon- Mae
11. What Light- Wilco
12. Through the Dark- KT Tunstall
13. Lightness- Death Cab for Cutie
14. Into the Sun- Lifehouse
15. Black Balloon- The Goo Goo Dolls
16. Daylight- Coldplay
17. You Are the Moon- The Hush Sound

woot. I'm happy with it.

I have an interesting topic to discuss...but no time now...so, coming soon: modern praise & worship music vs. the psalms...

As Surely As The Rising Sun ... You Will Be Set Free

So I am currently in love with Derek Webb and I thought I'd share some exciting facts about his 4 solo albums {from Wikipedia}...

1. On his national tour for She Must and Shall Go Free, he played his concerts in the living rooms of fans. He made a live album from this tour called "The House Show".
2. Wikipedia compares I See Things Upside Down to Wilco. :)
3. Over 80,000 free copies of Mockingbird were downloaded from Sept. 1, 2006 to Dec. 8, 2006.
4. Before its release, The Ringing Bell was available online in a deluxe edition which included a 96 pg. graphic novel inspired by the album {how cool is that?}.

I also discovered 2 other exciting things he is involved with!

1. Square Peg Alliance--is a group of 9 singers/song writers who joined together to cross promote each other's music. Andrew Osenga is also a member. :)
2. Noise Trade--is a site that allows users to download music for free from independent artists in exchange for sending emails to friends telling them about the artist. Derek got involved with this project after the success of Mockingbird.

My favorite song right now is "Lover" from She Must and Shall Go Free.

"Like a man comes to an alter I came into this town
with the world upon my shoulders and promises passed down
and I went into the water and my father, he was pleased
I built it and I’ll tear it down so you will be set free

but I found thieves and salesmen living in my father’s house
I know how they got in here and I know how to get ‘em out
I’m turning this place over from floor to balcony
and then just like these doves and sheep you will be set free

I’ve always been a lover from before I drew a breath
some things I loved easy and some I loved to death
because love’s no politician, it listens carefully
of those who come I can’t lose one, so you will be set free

but go on and take my picture, go on and make me up
I’ll still be your defender, you’ll be my missing son
and I’ll send out an army just to bring you back to me
because regardless of your brother’s lies you will be set free

I am my beloveds and my beloved’s mine
so you bring all your history and I’ll bring the bread and wine
and we’ll have us a party where all the drinks are on me
then as surely as the rising sun you will be set free"

I just love how he ties so many stories about Christ into this one song. One of my favorite lines is "I'll send out an army just to bring you back to me". How amazing is that? It gives me shivers. I also love the reoccurring theme of being set free. It's crazy how people have the idea that Christianity is going to tie them down and take away their freedom and it's the exact opposite. We are completely weighed down by our sin and it is only through Jesus that we can be set free.

"...then as surely as the rising sun you will be set free..."