Friday, April 29, 2011

Curly

When one's hair is very curly (as mine most certainly is), humidity, and even rain are not distressing. In fact, the curls thrive with all that moisture in the air. My head is full of Insta-Curls: Just add Water! : D

However, when the weather goes from humid and rainy to windy to hot to weird (read: this week in VA Beach), my hair tries frantically to adapt. Unfortunately, this means that it tries to be straight (HA!) and curly at the same time. Translation: My curls stand straight out from my head. As in, perpendicularly.

We are unimpressed.

Psalm 154

A lament. A song of Sarah.

Why, O Laptop, will you not work?
I sit before thee and weep for my work is no more.
Why would you choose just now to cease thy blessings?
My life is bereft without you!
If you will turn your bright face towards me,
I will dance with joy and no longer call out imprecations at you.

O Lord, see my plight!
Take my computer in hand!
Do not allow it to gloat over me;
Rejoicing in its power over me it sneers and will not obey.

Rejuvenate it O Lord
and bring peace again to my heart.
If you do not arise on my behalf O God,
I will be forced to journey to the computer lab
and spend long lonely hours in desolation.

Save me O God,
in your mercy save me.

ohhh college...

It has been a long day when laying your head on the table during class looks genuinely cozy and you feel happier just thinking about it.

:)

Though there are days when it is a struggle to be cheerful, struggle on!

White Is A Colour

“White is a colour. It is not a mere absence of colour; it is a shining and affirmative thing, as fierce as red, as definite as black. When, so to speak, your pencil grows red-hot, it draws roses; when it grows white-hot, it draws stars. And one of the two or three defiant verities of the best religious morality, of real Christianity, for example, is exactly this same thing; the chief assertion of religious morality is that white is a colour. Virtue is not the absence of vices or the avoidance of moral dangers; virtue is a vivid and separate thing, like pain or a particular smell. Marcy does not mean not being cruel or sparing people revenge or punishment; it means a plain and positive thing like the sun, which one has either seen or not seen.” –G.K. Chesterton

Weak

Falsehood is always weak, no matter how strong it looks.
–Phillips Brooks

Why Working in An Office Is Hilarious

Short explanation: I’m entering data from an enormous stack of forms into excel today (among other things).

1. The last name Berg looks like Bug due to the excessive speed this person utilized when writing their name. And the fact that their last name was about to be Bug in Regent records from now on since they didn’t slow down to write clearly.

2. Adults who have illegible handwriting. (Dear human being, didn’t you want me to be able to read this? Isn’t that why you wrote it down?)

3. When the perpetrator checks the “other” box and proceeds to handwrite in exactly one of the options already provided in their multiple choice.

4. Also, when they check a box and then write beside it exactly the opposite information. (Example: Question: Are you receiving financial aid? Box checked: Yes. Info beside it: I have never received a loan or scholarship for this university.”)

5. Incredible last names. Names that you can’t believe actually exist. Oh how they lighten up my day. Like Bug. Or Starcruiser.

6. Going through stock photos. For example, when this cheery employee searched “gold seal” somehow the website saw fit to return images of terriers, grass, skulls, hot air balloons and silver and sapphire rings. I’m sorry Dean’s List students. Your congratulatory letter might have to settle for a gold star.

Teach Me

Oh God, teach us the right way to live. We can’t get any of this right.

The Myriad Joys of Residence Halls

Odds are, if you live in a Residence hall, you live under other people. This was the case last year. Catherine and I lived under two gentlemen who I am sure are perfectly nice people. The noises that they made while living above us, however, were simply unbelievable. One night, there was a cacophony of sound that had us convinced that the ceiling would shortly be united with the floor, squishing us between. When the plaster remained intact, we began speculating what on EARTH could have caused that noise.

Here are some guesses:

• Sam and James were holding hands and simultaneously jumping off the counter to the ground
• They were dropping sequoias.
• They were bowling, using a concrete culvert as the ball.
• One of them had a stroke while doing yoga.
• and our favorite: They owned a pet mastodon (which, if you didn’t know, was a prehistoric and especially large variety of woolly mammoth.)

What do your neighbors sound like? And if Sam or James are somehow reading this…what were you doing up there?

Jonathan is Amazing

Please see 1 Samuel.

The Source

When we were studying John 9 in Youth Group (the story of the man born blind), our youth pastor John Casper said something that’s altering my reality.
He said, “the sign is essentially immaterial. It’s the source that matters.”
So it’s not a matter of the miracle happening in my life. Instead, it’s a matter of God showing up.

Its very similar to a thought one of my friends expressed a few months ago.
“I never realized that after Job’s life fell apart and he cried out for answers and wrestled with the question “Why?” for about 35 chapters God finally showed up and answered not one of his questions. Instead God began to declare his sovereignty and wisdom. He asked Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth (Job 38:4). After God finished His divine speech Job responded, “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you” (Job 42:5). Job didn’t get answers, he got God.” –http://lwiltonh.wordpress.com/2010/04/10/in-the-silence/ (emphasis mine).

It doesn’t matter if my questions get answered–unless they usher in the presence of God. The sign points to the source.

It's snowing, snowing, snowing :D

Which brings up all kinds of ethical issues:
1. Do I go out in the snow and still run all the errands I need to run for class tonight (risking my life with the terrible VA drivers) or do I bank on class being canceled (risking my life where my grade is concerned)?
2. Should I beg God for class to be canceled when my final presentation is tonight (which we are ready for, by the way and our group is most excellent) and it is worth 20% of my grade and this is our last class?
3. Can I be supremely happy about this snow even though it may mean that some of my friend’s flights are delayed/canceled?
Gosh, being a grown up can take all the fun out of this.
Oh wait,
no it can’t!
It’s snowing! It’s snowing! It’s snowing! tra la la la la : ) *twirls in office chair with delight*

Take Captive

2 Corinthians 10:5
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Have you ever pictured yourself, when struck by a non-glorifying thought, taking it captive and dragging it flailing and shrieking to the throne of the Lord Jesus, and throwing it to the floor before Him? “I brought you another one Lord!” I sometimes think, brushing my hands off and looking to Him for approval. We’re on the same team in this scenario, He and I. He’s pleased with me, and the bad thought is toast.
I like this plan.

Ohhh, the RA ..well you know (Part III)

As I said earlier, we weren’t two speedbumps into our trip before Bingo was asking Bossman “Are we there yet?”
Lolli piped up, “LumLove is breathing my air! Make him stop breathing my air!” Then she turned around and caught the Intimidator’s eye. Her eyes flashing merriment, she turned to the front seat, “Intimidator is looking at me! He’s looking at me!”
Intimidator can hold his own against such childishness. “If you would keep your eyes forward, you wouldn’t know! Besides, I wasn’t looking at you.”
This car trip had many special moments...or quarter hours. For example, LumLove started telling us about his sketchy family history. I think this discussion branched from a chat about nature versus nurture. Let me just say that if genes have much to do with moral makeup, LumLove might be the next super pirate. Did you know he is related not only to the mafia, but to terrorists and even King Edward Longshanks (have you seen Braveheart? No, he wasn’t the good guy in that movie). The behavioral intervention team has been notified of his antecedents. : )
We listened to a great deal of music in our four hours to the metropolis. LumLove, Captain and Lolli all took turns being DJ. By the end of the trip the only requirement really was that we needed to be able to listen to the whole thing. LumLove’s favorite thing is to play about a minute and a half of any given song before he moves on.
The only CD that we listened to on multiple occasions was the soundtrack to the skit we would need to perform early the next morning. The clip of the skit is attached to the bottom of this post. Believe you me, it is worth your time. I have hilarious friends. Just imagine for a moment the brainstorming that went on in order to produce this masterpiece! : )
http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=466629265848

Ohhh the RA Conference Was So Much Fun (Part II)

LumLove has long, long arms. As he tried to fold himself comfortably for the sweet ride home on the front row, he ended up lying flat on his back. He would extend said limbs and his fingers would brush the ceiling of the van, apparently providing him with vast enjoyment. The other boys, (not Bossman, who was driving or Captain, who was keeping Bossman company) were zonked out further back in the van. The girls were peacefully enjoying the dark car, after the constant stimulation and activity of the conference. As LumLove’s fingers walked around the ceiling, they stumbled across the light and flicked it on. He yoaned (yell-groaned) horribly and switched it off. A great cry of protest rose from all corners of the van.
Having a bright light suddenly switch on in front of your face is an unpleasant sensation bound to produce disgruntled reactions. These were found in abundance. “LumLove! Stop it!” “What are you doing?” “Ahhggh! Stop! LumLove! Please, don’t do that again!” and such like were heard simultaneously. His hand dropped and all the awake members of the vehicle laughed.
Seconds later, he did it again! Switching on the light, he made that awful noise, and the poor boys started stirring. Barkie decided to take the matter in hand.
“Seriously, LumLove, you do that one more time and I will dump my water bottle on you!” She shook the container in question,affirming to him that there was, indeed, plenty enough liquid to make the next 3 hours of the car ride rather miserable for him.
He sat straight up, “Barkie, if you do that to me…” he searched his vocabulary for a proper way to express his indignation,”it’s going to take a long time for me to forgive you!”
I started laughing. “Well then, don’t turn the light on silly!”
Barkie and LumLove exchanged glares. Mutually assured destruction had been established. Lolli was laughing, though she too had been vocal in instructing LumLove to quit his shenanigans with the blinding light.
He lay back down and the moment passed. Everyone settled down and got quiet again. His fingers started ambling along the ceiling. The texture must be therapeutic to the fingertips or something. I don’t know.
“LumLove,” Barkie said warningly, “those fingers of yours are getting awfully close…”
yep. Two seconds later, the light switched on, the dying cow noise was heard, and Barkie was over it. “Seriously LumLove? Seriously? I’m going to dump my water bottle on you!” She shook it violently near his face.
Thinking of the hardworking boys trying to sleep, I said meaningfully, “My waterbottle’s fuller than hers is.”
Lolli joined in, “Yeah, and I’ll spit on you!”
LumLove was really grossed out at this point (and I was in tears with laughter), “Agh, Lolli. Trashy. That’s just trashy. It must be the Georgia coming out in you.”
Bingo came out of a dead sleep to defend his native land. “LumLove,” was he said, but the tone of his voice indicated rather clearly that Lum would do well to change the topic of discussion.
Once I could breathe again, I found my notebook and wrote all this down. You see, the reason all of this is so funny is that we are such responsible, professional individuals who love each other dearly. Also, we are all at least 19. You would think we would have it together by now. But, nope. Not at all.
Dear Bossman, you deserve a medal. That’s all.

Ohhhhh the RA Conference Was So Much Fun! (Part I)

It doesn’t really matter how old you are apparently–when adults enter a van for a long car ride, they revert to their childhood. Instantly. As in, we weren’t past the second speed bump of our parking lot before 5-year-old syndrome set in.
I believe character sketches are in order. This is the RA Staff of the Regent Commons, the people with whom I just made a weekend getaway.
Bossman is our boss–overseeing two fantabulous buildings full of undergrad and grad students, single and married. He is hilarious, serious, Christ-like, and very skilled all at once. I cannot imagine a person better suited to his position…or managing us.
Jonnie Zucco is a girl with stunningly long blonde hair, quick wit, hilarious knack for imitations, and a fire burning in her bones. She fiercely loves, most especially Jesus. Absolutely awesome girl.
Bingo is from South Georgia, and he would be quick to add self-depricatingly that if you were listening to him speak, instead of reading my introduction, you would have observed that for yourself. : ) Though he is quiet, his depths of impishness are astounding. They only think he’s grown up enough to be a grad RA. Well, all right. He reads Russian Literature and Flannery O’Connor and likes it, so he has to be a little bit grown up. More grown than I, at any rate. Also, his understanding of Scripture continually convicts and comforts his classmates and anyone else who reads his blog. You’re a good man Bingo.
B Diddy is our resident gentle expert, who quietly knows how to do everything. He is a returning RA, and is known for wearing his snazzy Student Housing polo with his collar popped all. the. time.
I’m sort of doing this in age order. Also, I am using our nicknames. I thought I should tell you that lest you think poorly of the parents of these individuals. No, no one was cruel enough to name their son Bingo. We did. : )
The origin of the Intimidator’s name is uncertain. Some say it is because at the annual softball tournament, opponents are quaking in their cleats and high socks. (this is less noisy than when individuals quake in their boots, but still noticeable enough to gain attention). Others say it is because the mere sight of his briefcase stuffed with knowledge packed tomes (which he does read) frightens librarians, fellow students, and chiropractors alike. He is intense, but he forgets that he’s supposed to be serious more and more frequently of late, leading to disarming and hysterical results. We like our Intimidator. I think we’ll keep him around.
Barkie is short, happy, insanely creative, and has a magnetic personality that attracts not only her residents, but every member of the staff and the rest of campus too. She is a movie making machine, and her flyers can be spotted across the hall for their excellence and originality. She hates bad drivers (meaning anyone who didn’t grow up in New Jersey). You can’t make coffee dark enough for her and Trader Joes is her happy place. She lovvveeesss Jesus. She is the RA across the hall from me, and partnering with her is one of the best things that ever happened to me.
You guys know me. I’m an upperclassman girls RA, mischievous, think very hard about everything, and love watching people. I can’t dance and I love skits.
LumLove is stratospherically tall. 6′ 8” to be precise. He is long, and sentimental, and sings (his voice is mellow, happy, pleasant, and comforting), and plays the ukulele and is addicted to facebook. He doesn’t drink coffee and worries about everything. He is so smart and funny and practices doing the funniest things like fake snoring and making creeper faces. I LOVE LUM LOVE. He gets perfect grades, by the way, even though he procrastinates and stresses and is convinced that everything he’s ever written is the worst piece of English composition ever to be submitted via Blackboard. His freshman boys love him. And by love, I mean “thinks he’s the coolest thing in the world.” Possibly, because he is.
LumLove took a while to explain, so I’ll hurry up. :)
Captain earned his name by making the theme of his hall Sparta. He is a Cinema Television Student, and the film he co-wrote and produced has been submitted to the Sundance Film Festival. Crazy creative this man is. He has seen every movie ever, as well as most You Tube clips. He loves being the DJ for our RA get-togethers, and mimics trumpets to perfection. He therefore does so, frequently. He is dating…
Lolli! (finally). This girl is strong, talented, gorgeous red hair, petite, hysterically funny and deeply caring. She is a fabulous RA. The following story occurred during a semi-recent staff meeting. We were considering putting on a live Clue event (you know, the mystery board game), and were at that moment deep into potential weapons. Fun part about living on a college campus–no weapons allowed, making our event difficult to make believable. People were racking their brains for murderous legal items. One of Lolli’s suggestions (inspired, no doubt, by the controller sitting on the coffee table in front of her) was that the poor victim in question could have been slain by a remote control. Quick on the counter attack, LumLove asked sarcastically how on earth anyone could be killed by a remote control. Lolli had thought her suggestion through, however, “You cram it down their throat. C’mere, let me show you!”
Glo is the freshman girls RA right underneath my room. She is TEENY TINY and has a deadpan sense of humor like you wouldn’t believe. She loves glitter. Her hall is the international themed one, including both a lama and Central State Park. She’s a theatre student, and works her tail off as a YMCA employee as well. How this woman holds it all together, I have no idea. Somehow, she still finds time to shop online, and she’s always wearing one of her judicious purchases. She’s so pretty.
Deeeeeeep breath.
Now you know us. Welcome to the Regent Commons, home of the best RA staff currently in existence. Next post I’ll tell you about our juvenile and oh-so-funny adventures at the RA conference.
Love,
Sarah

Forgive Yourself

“The real difficulty usually stems from the fact that the counselee feels guilty because he knows that, although the unfortunate act has been forgiven, he is still the kind of person who did it.”
–Jay E. Adams, The Christian Counselor’s Manual (p. 64)

Teenagers

“The opaque glance and the pimples. The fancy new nakedness they’re all dressed up in with no place to go. The eyes full of secrets they have a strong hunch everyone is onto. The shadowed brow. Being not quite a child and not quite a grown-up either is hard work, and they look it. Living in two worlds at once is no picnic.”
–Frederick Buechner

Questions I Have

Regarding Luke 10:38-42, when Jesus visits Mary and Martha and Lazarus,
Did Jesus right years of wrongs at this point?
I wonder…what was He talking about with Mary?
On a different note…
Do angels have a spiritual journey?
What kind of glass is the glassy sea? (Sea glass? Blown glass? Frosted? Pink?)
Are spiders a result of the fall? Did they crawl the way they do before the world was broken? (I think I know the answer to this one.)
Did Jarius’s daughter know who Jesus was when she woke up from the dead?

Truth Alone

1 Corinthians 4:2
Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly, we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

The truth recommends itself to men’s hearts.