So,
1) My life is crazy
2) My going away party was awesome fun. A bunch of wicked cool people showed up to send me off right. I'm definitely going to miss the people here.
3)Plans: Leaving for TX on June 4
PMI, PD workshop
Leaving From TX on June 18
...
Leaving for TX mid-July
July 20 - GIAL starts
Leaving from TX late-Oct
And that finishes out the year!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
We tip well, VERY well.
Today, I got to hang out with Alexis for the first time in a long time. We used to hang out every Saturday but lately work has been running me ragged, which is good, for financial reasons, but bad for social ones. Anyway, we got to go to the mall like we always do and we got to go to Applebee's again. It used to be that the second Saturday of the month we would get dressed up and go to Applebees. The original plan was to go to a random restraunt but Applebees was our first month and we had suc a fantastic waiter that we went there ever since and request that waiter.
Tonight, we arrived at 5:30 and he wasn't coming in until 6, so we decided to wait for him (we weren't overly hunger anyway). But that caused quite the commotion. They seated us so we wouldn't have to wait at the door, but a waitress tried to start serving us and we tried to explain that we were waiting but she kept coming back and checking on us. When our waiter took us from her, she was angry that he stole her business. We decided to tip her even though she didn't wait on us, because it was a little unfair to her. Well, when that time came, I was chatting with our waiter as Alexis paid the bill. Walking out, I asked Alexis how much she tipped. "I gave them both $9." A quick calculation told me that she tipped the waitress who didn't wait on us 36%! So she gave a total tip of 72%! Needless to say, I joked her for the rest of the night. ...The waitress didn't seem irritated after that though.
Tomorrow is my going-away party. I hope that there will be a nice turn out. Camino Real at Indian River and Kempsville at 12:30 if you'd like to make an appearance.
Tonight, we arrived at 5:30 and he wasn't coming in until 6, so we decided to wait for him (we weren't overly hunger anyway). But that caused quite the commotion. They seated us so we wouldn't have to wait at the door, but a waitress tried to start serving us and we tried to explain that we were waiting but she kept coming back and checking on us. When our waiter took us from her, she was angry that he stole her business. We decided to tip her even though she didn't wait on us, because it was a little unfair to her. Well, when that time came, I was chatting with our waiter as Alexis paid the bill. Walking out, I asked Alexis how much she tipped. "I gave them both $9." A quick calculation told me that she tipped the waitress who didn't wait on us 36%! So she gave a total tip of 72%! Needless to say, I joked her for the rest of the night. ...The waitress didn't seem irritated after that though.
Tomorrow is my going-away party. I hope that there will be a nice turn out. Camino Real at Indian River and Kempsville at 12:30 if you'd like to make an appearance.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Praying for Forgiveness
First, my life is crazy.
Second, my dog is terrified of lightning and has panic attacks during storms. Like now. Awesome.
Third, I've been thinking about praying for forgiveness. (Not thinking as in "I should do this" but thinking about the topic "praying for forgiveness") Here's what I think.
You're really not supposed to pray for forgiveness. I mean you won't be smitted or anything but really, Jesus forgave all of our sins when He died on the cross. Past, present, and future (although, I guess, all of our sins where in the future when He died.) So by asking Him to forgive us, we're asking for something He's already given. That would be like you asking your spouse every morning if he'll please love you today. There's nothing wrong with that it's just pointless. We don't need to ask to be forgiven. Now the object of the game is to confess. "God, I screwed up by …., thank you for forgiving me, help me not do … again. I will try …. But I need Your help." Kinda thing. Now, why bring this up if there's nothing wrong with it. I think that it gives us a false impression of both God and salvation. I have found that even though I mentally knew this, by not praying for forgiveness, I came to know it in my heart more as well. You pray for forgiveness. You wouldn't do such a thing unless you thought it was necessary. Why would praying for forgiveness be necessary unless it didn't cover all of your sins? I believe (and I may be wrong) but I believe that by asking for forgiveness we're telling ourselves that we don't have a forgiveness which covers everything. This leads us into the mindset that we need to do things for the love of Christ. Which is wrong. (now if you're going to pull that "faith without deeds is dead" passage note that the difference is doing things for the love and doing things because of the love) Consequently, doing things for the love of God results in a distorted view of salvation. The baptized people who you ask "are you going to heaven?" to and they reply "idk" do this, I believe, because they don't know if they've asked for forgiveness for every sin they've committed. In conclusion, I have stopped praying for forgiveness, 1) because it's pointless, 2) because asking for something that's already be given would annoy the crap out of me if I were God (I don't think He gets annoyed but do unto others, you know) 3) I think it gives the wrong impression as to how this whole forgiveness thing works. … so I only meant to type a few lines. … I actually did learn something in Biblical Doctrines, check that out
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Fire
When I was little my dad would take us camping and he and I would sit, long after my little sister retired, talking at the campfire. Those were beautiful nights when problems and misunderstandings dissolved and a child sat with her father to talk about life.
At PMI last year, I sat around a fire with others who had their eyes set on Papua New Guinea. People I didn't even know, yet around the fire we sat joined together by this common goal. Stresses vanished until we stood to depart. A moment of peace and rest in the middle of the chaos new places tend to bring.
Tonight, I sat around the fire with my gel group and some old friends. Money problems, babbling lists, and other worries disappeared as I joined the company there. This being the first time my mind has had rest in too long.
I hope fires to gather around and share stories and talk about life are common in Papua New Guinea.
At PMI last year, I sat around a fire with others who had their eyes set on Papua New Guinea. People I didn't even know, yet around the fire we sat joined together by this common goal. Stresses vanished until we stood to depart. A moment of peace and rest in the middle of the chaos new places tend to bring.
Tonight, I sat around the fire with my gel group and some old friends. Money problems, babbling lists, and other worries disappeared as I joined the company there. This being the first time my mind has had rest in too long.
I hope fires to gather around and share stories and talk about life are common in Papua New Guinea.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
A Secret Society of Sorts
The other day I was at Panera working on an end-of-the-semester project for my greek class. Sitting on one of the couches beside the fireplace, struggling to understand how a commentator had such a ridiculously wrong translation for a particular word, I looked up to rest my eyes from my computer screen. Sitting across from me was a man in a similar predicament. His laptop open in front of him, he looked up from his work to stretch. Beside him was a red leather bound book with gold font that looked surprising just like ... I looked down, exactly like my greek new testament. I looked at him in surprise, he returned the look noticing the same thing at the same time.
At my Bible College, there are only a small handful of students with a Greek New Testament and even fewer with ones that look like mine, and yet here I find, in a Panera in Norfolk, a Greek scholar sitting across from me.
We shared our stories: where we're from, where we're going, and went our seperate ways.
Sometimes I feel like Christianity is a secret society of sorts. It's so rare that, out and about, you run into people who you can tell are a part of it. Normally, you wouldn't be able to pick one out of a crowd. Some feel like you can't talk to just anyone about it (for fear of being persecuted by atheists). And then there are the Christians by default. Those who's parents are so they are but they really have never met Jesus, they've just been raised saying yes to that question. So really, no one knows who the Christians are and who aren't.
Running in to this guy was exciting and probably will never happen again so randomly. But it made me feel like I was part of a secret society. The bad thing about secret societies, though, is that they're invitation only and you'd have to talk about it to give an invitation, but you can't talk about because it's a secret society! So if Christianity is a secret society ...
At my Bible College, there are only a small handful of students with a Greek New Testament and even fewer with ones that look like mine, and yet here I find, in a Panera in Norfolk, a Greek scholar sitting across from me.
We shared our stories: where we're from, where we're going, and went our seperate ways.
Sometimes I feel like Christianity is a secret society of sorts. It's so rare that, out and about, you run into people who you can tell are a part of it. Normally, you wouldn't be able to pick one out of a crowd. Some feel like you can't talk to just anyone about it (for fear of being persecuted by atheists). And then there are the Christians by default. Those who's parents are so they are but they really have never met Jesus, they've just been raised saying yes to that question. So really, no one knows who the Christians are and who aren't.
Running in to this guy was exciting and probably will never happen again so randomly. But it made me feel like I was part of a secret society. The bad thing about secret societies, though, is that they're invitation only and you'd have to talk about it to give an invitation, but you can't talk about because it's a secret society! So if Christianity is a secret society ...
Friday, May 22, 2009
Oh, did I mention ...
So, as I was skimming over some of my blogs, I noticed that some things had changed and I had neglected to mention it. The purpose of my blogging is to keep you informed and I seem to be failing at that! Forgive me! lol
The $17,000 I was informed that I had for my upcoming school year is not how much I have but how much I owe. Instead, I have $10,000 which is enough to cover the bill for GIAL, but not for my housing. So, we'll have to let support cover my housing.
The "damages" on my car weren't really the big deal Merchant tire's said it was after we had a friend of the family's check it out. The total repairs brought us to $255, $200 of which my father paid for me.
I needed $1384 to cover the summer's room, board, and courses. I've received $590 from beautiful people who decided to partner with me either through one-time donations or monthly. I might feel the need to take bush mechanics and electronics and primary health care next year, which would bring my remaining need to $480, but we'll see what happens.
The $17,000 I was informed that I had for my upcoming school year is not how much I have but how much I owe. Instead, I have $10,000 which is enough to cover the bill for GIAL, but not for my housing. So, we'll have to let support cover my housing.
The "damages" on my car weren't really the big deal Merchant tire's said it was after we had a friend of the family's check it out. The total repairs brought us to $255, $200 of which my father paid for me.
I needed $1384 to cover the summer's room, board, and courses. I've received $590 from beautiful people who decided to partner with me either through one-time donations or monthly. I might feel the need to take bush mechanics and electronics and primary health care next year, which would bring my remaining need to $480, but we'll see what happens.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Summer Thus Far
So break has been crazy and long. My first week back I was scheduled 56 hours at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. That was good and filled up my daytime, but then I would come home. It's been three years since I have not had some assignment to do. For the past two summers, I've taken courses, and so this is the first time my agenda has been blank like this. On the verge f going crazy, I invited one of my college friends, Danielle, to come stay with me. She's spent the past week with me and is going home tomorrow.
There's no telling what next week will bring!
There's no telling what next week will bring!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Concerning Lying as a Cultural Difference
I had a reading assignment for my Cultural Anthropology class. As part of it, I read Carol McKinney's Globe Trotting in Sandals.
In one chapter, McKinney talks about lying and about how and why it sometimes happens. I don’t know if I liked some of the things she said, or, rather, the way she said it. When she spoke of natives lying, she said that they don’t mean to deceive but they’re constricted by their culture. An example would be a missionary asks a native if they can have an interview tomorrow at 7 and the native says yes, not because they'll actually show up but because it would be rude to say "no." So, it's because of thir culture that they have to say no. This sounds like a cop out to me. “I can’t help sinning, my culture made me!”
McKinney also said that what might be lying in Western culture might not be in other cultures, because in their culture it might be that it’s a lie if you get caught. I don’t like this at all. It sounds as if she’s making lying relative, which would make right and wrong relative. And that is not the case.
I think that some cultural differences are acceptable, like methods of worship. But I don't see this as a something missionaries need to come to understand and tolerate. Of course, we can ask questions more wisely, asking, "can we meet tomorrow at 7 or would is there a better time for you?" so that they don't have to say "no." But we shouldn't tolerate their sin and justify it as a cultural difference.
(Of course, McKinney may not be saying this and I may be taking it the wrong way, but this is the way I see the subject.)
In one chapter, McKinney talks about lying and about how and why it sometimes happens. I don’t know if I liked some of the things she said, or, rather, the way she said it. When she spoke of natives lying, she said that they don’t mean to deceive but they’re constricted by their culture. An example would be a missionary asks a native if they can have an interview tomorrow at 7 and the native says yes, not because they'll actually show up but because it would be rude to say "no." So, it's because of thir culture that they have to say no. This sounds like a cop out to me. “I can’t help sinning, my culture made me!”
McKinney also said that what might be lying in Western culture might not be in other cultures, because in their culture it might be that it’s a lie if you get caught. I don’t like this at all. It sounds as if she’s making lying relative, which would make right and wrong relative. And that is not the case.
I think that some cultural differences are acceptable, like methods of worship. But I don't see this as a something missionaries need to come to understand and tolerate. Of course, we can ask questions more wisely, asking, "can we meet tomorrow at 7 or would is there a better time for you?" so that they don't have to say "no." But we shouldn't tolerate their sin and justify it as a cultural difference.
(Of course, McKinney may not be saying this and I may be taking it the wrong way, but this is the way I see the subject.)
Monday, May 4, 2009
Packing
So, today, I've spent a great deal of time packing up my room. In some ways, this year has been easier to pack. In other ways, not so much.
My packing techinque:
Categories: I grab everything that belongs together
Last year this was easier because I had more stuff. So categories were bigger.
This year, I have less stuff so instead of full categories, I have a lot that goes in my miscellaneous section.
I've grabbed everything that belongs in a category, but now I just have junk all over the place that has no place.
I've gotten to the point where it's books, clothes, toiletries, important documents, or trash.
My biggest problem is I'm a packrat and a missionary. But I can't be both. So I' forcing myself to break my pack-rat tendencies and so my trash pile is growing.
My packing techinque:
Categories: I grab everything that belongs together
Last year this was easier because I had more stuff. So categories were bigger.
This year, I have less stuff so instead of full categories, I have a lot that goes in my miscellaneous section.
I've grabbed everything that belongs in a category, but now I just have junk all over the place that has no place.
I've gotten to the point where it's books, clothes, toiletries, important documents, or trash.
My biggest problem is I'm a packrat and a missionary. But I can't be both. So I' forcing myself to break my pack-rat tendencies and so my trash pile is growing.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Money
Wow, a theme I see in my blogs. Can you tell where my concerns lie?
I got word today that I am eligable for $17,000 in student loans. My housing and schooling costs will give me need for $12,000 for the school year. (Not including books.) The extra 5G, if support does not, will be able to help give me something to live off of (food, gas, partnership development expenses, etc.) This is good news.
I have 5% of my support raised, but I'll need a lot more than that if I want to leave for PNG next year.
God willing, God will provide.
I got word today that I am eligable for $17,000 in student loans. My housing and schooling costs will give me need for $12,000 for the school year. (Not including books.) The extra 5G, if support does not, will be able to help give me something to live off of (food, gas, partnership development expenses, etc.) This is good news.
I have 5% of my support raised, but I'll need a lot more than that if I want to leave for PNG next year.
God willing, God will provide.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Car Troubles
So, I took my car to get a 22-point inspection. $9.99
They said they were a couple things wrong with it:
rear brake pads - $176
front inner tire rods - $187.50 x 2 = $275.00
which will give the need for an alignment - $97
oil change -$49
transmission fluid change - $147
coolant change - $103
Luckily, I have a friend who is willing to do my brake pads and another who's willing to change my fluids. But that does leave me with about $500 of work that needs to be done. It's a good thing that God's got my back.
They said they were a couple things wrong with it:
rear brake pads - $176
front inner tire rods - $187.50 x 2 = $275.00
which will give the need for an alignment - $97
oil change -$49
transmission fluid change - $147
coolant change - $103
Luckily, I have a friend who is willing to do my brake pads and another who's willing to change my fluids. But that does leave me with about $500 of work that needs to be done. It's a good thing that God's got my back.
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