Traveling

Ah, Treacherous Heart !

     Too many times, I’ve caught myself thinking about where I want to be. What I want to get. Who would be my brother. Even among all the blessings of friends, family, job, home, car, clothing, & food… I find myself dissatisfied. Immensely UNthankful. Where is the thankfulness for God’s provision in my life? What became of my praise of God’s faithness even in the face of my unfaithfulness?

     Maybe it’s not so surprising that men, with advantages in physical strength and logical thought have a chink in their armor… it’s called the heart. Beating a rival to a pulp or outsmarting your opponent comes so much easier than trying to handle someone crying…

     So remember, the next time you see a brother who seems to have it all together. Don’t believe it. Just because someone seems content with what this world has to offer, doesn’t mean they won’t take you up on God’s offer. Have faith in God, even in the most unreal moments. Who knows… God might have a surprise or two up his sleeve.

Micah 4

    ¹ In the last days
       the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established
       as chief among the mountains;
       it will be raised above the hills,
       and peoples will stream to it.

    ² Many nations will come and say,
       “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
       to the house of the God of Jacob.
       He will teach us his ways,
       so that we may walk in his paths.”
       The law will go out from Zion,
       the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

    ³ He will judge between many peoples
       and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
       They will beat their swords into plowshares
       and their spears into pruning hooks.
       Nation will not take up sword against nation,
       nor will they train for war anymore.

    ⁴ Every man will sit under his own vine
       and under his own fig tree,
       and no one will make them afraid,
       for the LORD Almighty has spoken.

    ⁵ All the nations may walk
       in the name of their gods;
       we will walk in the name of the LORD
       our God for ever and ever.

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Will we be ready when His Kingdom comes?

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Thanks for all the well-wishes. I’m going to be working as a Web Apps person aka making webpages. Don’t know about hookups to getting into UPenn. Guess you’ll just need to smack up that SAT and give your teachers a reason to give you that A. 😀 I’m actually going to be in Health Systems which seems to be a bit more hospital/research rather than coursework oriented. It’s going to be development / client support. Promises to be quite an interesting position.

In 2 weeks,

I will officially become an intern at the University of Pennsylvania.

FYI for anyone looking for something to do this Saturday…

Philadelphia’s 10th Annual Mid-Autumn Festival Flyer (315 kb pdf)
Acrobat Reader needed to view this file.

Ponce De Leon & The Fountain of Youth

…Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.

    We’ve always been looking for ways to change our circumstances. We want the world to meet us on our terms. to meet our expectations. As if the world owes us something. The  hot new sports car that will grab the attention of the ladies. The creatine from GNC to help us to bulk up and perform better. The college degree that will give us the job of our dreams. Our little fountain of youth, if you will, that allows us to keep dreaming that we only need to tweak little things about our lives. If we found that special someone in our lives, our days would automatically be brighter, we would complain less, and we could finally live happily ever after. Or like death, such an inconvience, no? If only we could live forever, wouldn’t that make it all better?

    We are forever looking at new things that promise to change our circumstances, but rarely do we look for things that will transform us. Instead of just attracting ladies, maybe you could woo one. How about the novel idea of changing your lifestyle and learning some discipline in order to become a better athlete? Or working hard to progress in your career instead of just depending upon the reputation of whatever school you attended. No more waiting for the love of your life… rather learn how to sweep that lady off her feet. To be a lover instead of just being loved.

    Even if someone stumbled upon the fountain of youth, wouldn’t it be a curse rather than a blessing? Imagine living forever… with our sin. In the marred beauty of creation. Living with this gap between what I want to do… and what I do. A place where life has no urgency and growth means little. Wouldn’t we still be broken? I think God had the right idea kicking us out of Eden before we ate the fruit of that other tree… Better to sustain ourselves from the Lord of Life, to have life abundant in the knowledge that death may only be around the corner. To know there is a place much better than here, prepared for us, beyond our wildest dreams… To be a bearer of light in the darkness. A dusty paladin on a victory march homeward… just make sure you pick up your fellow warriors along the way.

in him a spring of water welling up…

How far would you go…

to keep someone from reading over your shoulder?

…

Ever had a really good idea while you were lying down in bed and about to drift off into sleep. Thoughts about the future, new perspectives into ancient wisdom, possibilities & paths, life & death, comforting, good intentions resulting in evil, beauty, marred perfection, fighting evil, pursuing good, paying the price, honoring non-christian parents, following the big Man, taking a risk, rising to the challenge, take a step into the unknown…

and you wake up and forgot all the stuff you dreamt about.

Waking up is too sad. Must subdue the world. Transform!

     ” ‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.  I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.  You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.  I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you.  I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.  Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices.  I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign LORD. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, O house of Israel !

     ” ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt.  The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it.  They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.”  Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the LORD have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.’

Ezekiel 36:24-36 (NIV)

Dad, age to age, you are the same. Slow to anger, powerful in action, just & holy, full of mercy and grace, fearful in wrath & judgement. May we not forget who you are, who we are and how you came for us. In Jesus name, Amen.

For all those people on the east coast…

Wanna see your credit report?