Seriously?

And the Nobel Peace Prize goes to......Barack Obama!

What?

That is what I'm asking myself right now. As far as I can tell, Obama won this basically just for being Obama. And because he can talk a good show. He has a lot of skill with words, but as far as I can tell America still has yet to see his many promises fulfilled. I think for this award actions should speak louder than words. According to a Yahoo news article, Greg Mortenson, a missionary kid and ex-army medic, and Obama's main competition for the award, has "made it his mission to build schools for girls in places where opium dealers and tribal warlords kill people for trying. His Central Asia Institute has built more than 130 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan - a mission which has, along the way, inspired millions of people to view the protection and education of girls as a key to peace and prosperity and progress." I don't know about you, but it seems like this is more what should be rewarded at this time.

If Today Was Your Last Day (Nickelback)

My best friend gave me the best advice
He said each day's a gift, and not a given right
Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind
And try to take the path less traveled by
That first step you take is the longest stride

If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last
Leave old pictures in the past?
Donate every dime you had, if today was your last day?
What if, what if, if today was your last day?

Against the grain should be a way of life
What's worth the price is always worth the fight
Every second counts, cuz there's no second try
So live like you're never living twice
Don't take the free ride in your own life

Just for the record

http://mylifeisaverage.com/

is an awesome website. You should check it out. :)

Dabar

"In the beginning God created order out of chaos with the spoken word dabar."

This is how the Heilsgeschichte, which is German for Salvation History, begins. The Heilsgeschichte (which means that you basically tell the whole Bible story) is the signature assignment for Biblical Literature, a class unique to Hesston College. At the end of the semester you have to be able to say or write the Heilsgeschichte, which is unique to each person. If you say it it usually takes about an hour.

Honestly I am really starting to enjoy this class. It is a lot of work, but I really like the professor (Marion Bontrager). He actually developed the curriculum himself and came up with the Heilsgeschichte and everything. He's having it officially published sometime soon.

Today we talked about dabar, which is basically the concept of saying something and having it happen....it implies a great deal of power. Dabar is the "word" of Isaiah 55:11- "....so is my word that goes out from my mouth. It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

catsup

So.....I have been at Hesston for about 5 weeks now and I thought I might want to actually catch you all up on what's been going on, instead of just dropping random funny quotes here and there. So.....let's see. The classes I am taking this semester are: Physics I, Organic Chemistry I, and Biblical Literature. Three classes seems like a light load but really I stay pretty busy. I also get an hour of credit for being an RA and an hour of credit for Chorale, so with those I have 14 hours this semester I believe. Speaking of being an RA, I am really enjoying it. I love my girls, they are all really awesome. One of the un-perks to being an RA is that I have to clean the bathrooms, but at least I get paid extra for that. I also work as a lab assistant/TA for the Intro to Chem class. I continue to try to transfer to the Applebee's in Newton but the one in Salina is not being super helpful. But I intend to keep trying. Between classes, studying, and working I manage to find some free time. I spend some of this free time playing basketball, hanging out with people, watching movies, Newells or Drubers runs, etc. However, my first choice for spending free time is to hang out with Darin, who's still living in Newton finishing his flying and working at Braums. And I'd have to say that about sums up my life right now. Hope I didn't bore you all too much :)

Chapel

Ken Rodgers: "Now this piano is 100 years and we just had it restored. The insides were all worn and cracked and chipped. It needed an organ transplant."



Think about it.....

Marion again :)

*said in a sort of squawk* "My pen is hot and dry!"

Chorale

Bradley Kaufman: I'll be back in a second. While I'm gone, all of you can think about your life and what you want to do with it.
chorale members: Ouch.

Decontextualizing

Today in Bib Lit, my professor, Marion Bontrager, was teaching about literary pitfalls to watch out for while reading the Bible.

MB: "Now let's talk about decontextualizing. This means taking things out of context and not looking at what it is really talking about. For example there was the student who was failing all his classes. He was homesick, depressed, and behind on his inductive. In desperation he turned to the Bible for advice. He opened it randomly and read the first verse his eyes hit on, in Acts chapter 1. "Now Judas went and hanged himself". 'Hmmm...'the student thought. 'I'll try that again.' He then opened his Bible to Luke 10:37 - "And Jesus said to him, 'Go, and do thou likewise.'" One more try....and his finger stopped on John 13:27. "What you are about to do, do it quickly!"
*Marion waits for laughter to die down*
"Now that's decontextualizing."

Bib Lit

Marion Bontrager (prof) : "Jonadab....I like that name a lot. Sounds kind of like a swear word. Jonadab!"

Do It Anyway

THE PARADOXICAL COMMANDMENTS OF LEADERSHIP - by Kent M. Keith

People are illogical, unreasonable and self-centered - Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives - Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies - Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow - Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable - Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest people, with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds - Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but only follow top dogs - Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight - Build anyway.

People really need help, but may attack you if you do help them - Help them anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you may get kicked in the teeth. Give the world your best anyway.

If better is possible, then good is not enough.

RA retreat

"If you can't learn how to do something right, learn to enjoy doing it badly." - Neal Friesen, RD

Meh

So I just realized I haven't blogged in over a month. And I really don't have much to say anyway. Let's see......

Camp Good News was a lot of fun :)

Still working at Applebees about 35 hours a week.

I go back to Hesston in 15 days. Super excited!

and that's about it.

Maybe I'll feel more talkative later.

Crazy Love

"A man by his sin may waste himself, which is to waste that which on earth is most like God. This is man's greatest tragedy and God's heaviest grief." - A.W. Tozer

"Isn't it a comfort to worship a God we cannot exaggerate?"
- Francis Chan, Crazy Love