We Have to Deliver Ourselves

So tonight I was talking to my suitemate (who recently broke up with her boyfriend) about what she should do. I admit the past week or so I have been pretty bossy telling her "no don't text him", "don't call him", just a lot of don'ts. I have apologized and told her that I only tell her all of this because I am trying to look out for her. She says she agrees with me, but she still can't stop thinking about different things which makes her decide to go against what I tell her to do. Anyway, I'm only mentioning all of this because this has been what is on my mind and tonight the devotion I read got me to thinking a lot about us taking control over our own lives.

So the devotional I read contained these two lines: "God will not discipline us, we discipline ourselves," and "God delivers us from sin, we have to deliver ourselves from our individuality." We've all heard the phrase "we must die to ourselves" Paul is constantly talking about how we are to stop living by the flesh and live by the Spirit. I have always pictured God as this guy who when I am going through a difficult time comes and just makes life a bit easier. I know that as Chrsitians we still suffer and that we will go through difficult times, but I have always invisioned God's role in those difficult times as a Savior. Granted Jesus is our Savior, but a Savior from death and sin. Jesus doesn't keep us from sinning, He is there to provide a way to God and forgiveness. There is still something we must do.

We have to put forth effort to chang our own thoughts and actions. God can't make us do what we don't want to do. When we tell God we can't do something it is because we won't. Surrendering takes action. We can't ask God to surrender for us. Yes, it is hard. God isn't just going to say, "Sorry it's hard, here let me change things and make it so it is easier." No, He wants us to do those things that are hard. I am not saying that He won't be there holding you up, walking beside you along the way. Sometimes we expect God to change our circumstances. He never promised to change them, He only promised He'd help you and be there to pick you up when you fall. He's there to forgive you when you sin, but He won't make you stop sinning. That is your job. When Jesus came, He didn't change the laws. He didn't make the circumstances easier. He provided a way to God, for forgiveness. Because of Jesus, we can turn to God for help to do the things we need to do. We need to get rid of this idea that we can ask God to do these things for us, to take away the thoughts we don't want, or to make the bad things in our life to go away. What we should be asking God for is the strength and the help that we need to be able to get rid of the thoughts ourselves and make it through these bad times in our lives.

2 Corinthians 10:5 "We demolish argumetns and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." --according to Paul, God doesn't take our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ, we do. We need to stop being lazy and expecting God to make the changes in our lives when we are to make the changes ourselves, with His help.

I'm tired

Here are some pictures from roommate a date, im sure you have probably already seen them off facebook. Front seat: craig (my date) and of course me. Backseat from left to right: Stephen (Hanna's date), Brandon (Jessie's date), Hanna, and Jessie

Hanna wanted a picture of me and craig and we didnt' know what to do for the picture, so then brandon walked up and just picked both of us up....yeah, so that is the last picture.

Oh and the Psych confrence today went really well!

I Need More Sleep

its after midnight and I am blogging....and i have to be up in about 7 hours to go to a psych conference where I have to present my research project. bleh!

anyway, tonight was my floor's "get your roommate a date" (also known as GYRAD for short). The theme was the Amazing Race and we had a picture scavenger hunt. I had never met my date before tonight. he seemed like a pretty cool guy. very outgoing. he also was very awkward, which was fun cuz he said and acted what i felt haha. i drove and two other couples rode with me. so we stuffed my car full. I don't know my way around this town, and im bad at directions so lets say everyone enjoyed making fun of my cautious, erratic driving. Missed tons of turns and got confused very easily. We all had a blast though. one of the girls in my group took all the pictures so as soon as i get them, I'll post them up. anyway me and my date craig seemed to hit it off pretty well. we got along great and had the same sense of humor. one of my friends pointed otu how we lagged behind a lot. i guess we just walked slower than the others and talked more. we also would go off on our own at some of the places. i guess i just didn't realize it lol. anyway, at least i made a new friend. sad thing is he lives on the other side of campus and all his classes are on that side of campus because he is a music ed major. so he only has one class on the north side of campus so i probably won't see him very often cuz im never on the south side except when i go to chapel. lol, he told me before he left tonight that he only comes past the clocktower (it sits at the middle of our campus) after 5:15 on a couple of days lol.

basically i had a lot of fun tonight. and this guy would be one that i wouldn't mind hanging out with more.

and im really nervous about tomorrow (well technically today cuz its after midnight). i hope everything works out well

its almost thanksgiving!

I am so excited that it is almost Thanksgiving and I get to go home and see everyone again! The thing is I have been listening to Christmas music lately so it will feel as if I am coming home for Christmas which is disappointing that it isn't Christmas yet.

I am excited that the hard part of the semester is almost over. This week I have 3 tests (just took one today so 2 more) and on Saturday I have to present my research at a conference which is kind of scary to think about and I have to finish preparing all of that. After this week, I just have random tests here and there. I am not going to be really busy again till finals.

Another thing that excites me is my schedule for next semester. I am only taking 4 classes and one is a grad class. I won't have any classes on Tuesdays and on Thursdays I'll only have an evening class (which is sad cuz this means I'll miss the office, but I can always watch full episodes online). And two of my classes should be pretty easy. Also next semester I will be going to Kenya over spring break. Also very exciting!

I have also found a couple people who might get an apartment with me for next year when I go to grad school. I am excited to actually live on my own (not in a dorm room). It is kind of scary but exciting at the same time that I'll finally be an adult.

Basically, all in all I have so much to look forward to.

Tag You're It

Maggie tagged me, so here is the game: the rules are that when you are tagged you have to share 7 things about yourself and then tag 7 other people...

1. This may come as no surprise, but I am a very picky eater. The only vegetables I like are corn and lettuce and I only eat lettuce with a lot of salad dressing. My favorite food of all time is chicken strips. I'll go eat anywhere as long as the restaurant has chicken strips and most likely that is what I'll order. I don't like chinese or mexican. I do however like Italian food, usually I'll eat fetuccini alfredo.

2. I was homeschooled until 2nd quarter my 5th grade year. I did enjoy being homeschooled because it meant I could get all my assignments done in the morning and do whatever I wanted in the afternoon. Not that I didn't like public school either, it was just nice to be able to do homework at my own pace and not have homework in the evening after school because I got it all done in the morning.

3. I absolutly love Christmas music. It is my favorite time of year because it gives me an excuse to listen to it. I'll admit I have even occasionally in the summer listen to a Christmas song or two. Christmas music just cheers me up and makes me happy.

4. I have completed a full blown research study and I get to present my findings at a couple of conferences and in front of my school. Even though it is a lot of work and I hate speaking in front of people, I enjoy it because I feel like I've accomplished a great task. Even better, I found some significance in my study!

5. I enjoy cleaning. It may come as a surprise especially if you have been to my house and seen my room. Here at school I clean at least once a week which includes cleaning all of the bathroom including floor and vacuum my room. During the week I try to keep my room as tidy as possible even making my bed. I find cleaning as a way to release stress and I all around feel better. Lysol dissinfectant spray happens to be my alltime favorite because when I use that in the bathroom and on my sink after cleaning, I feel like my cleaning is complete because all the germs are gone (or at least 99.9% of them).

6. I have chronic pancreatitis. No one still knows the cause of it because it is heretic and I have no family history of it. The doctors are still trying to figure it out. I haven't had an attack for a couple years now and I hope I don't have another one ever again.

7. I hate crying in front of people so even when I am in a lot of physical pain I will hold back my tears. Now this does not hold true when I am home and in front of my parents. Something about the presence of my parents makes me want to cry more when I'm hurt. Same holds true when I am upset about a situation. I will not cry in front of anyone. Once when I was 8 I jammed my finger during softball practice when I put my hand in my glove before the ball came and it hit my finger. Everyone asked me if I was alright and I told them I was because I figured if I didn't everyone would call me a baby just like my brother and sister did at home. Because I was 8 and in a lot of pain, I passed out on the field a few minutes later.


ok, I don't have anyone to tag because pretty much everyone has been tagged that reads my blog. so basically if you haven't done this yet and havent' been tagged before, then tag you are it.

Change is a coming...

So disappointment in the election results, but God can use Obama just as much as He could use anyone in the presidential seat. Our country needs prayer no matter who are leaders are. They still need our prayers. Now I may joke around about our country becoming communists or things like that, but I still know, at the end of the day, God is in control.

I can go on and on about politics, but I won't. I am sure everyone has read and heard enough about the topic for a while. In other news, one of my homework assignments this week was to read a book called "The On-Purpose Person" It is a really good book. The book has a few exercises to help us become on-purpose people. First it says to create a want list by category: health/phyiscal/recreational, financial/material, family, vocational/career, social/community, spiritural, mental/intellectual, and other. After you create this list you figure out which want in each category is the most important in your life. Then the most important want in each category become your core wants. Then you can figure which of those core wants is most important to you. The book then tells you to create a schedule for your on-purpose day designating time to each category. It was really cool to realize how much of a conscious effort it takes to actually make time for the things most important to you. The book then asks that you create on-purpose statements. Here are mine:
Purpose Statement: I am here to be a positive influence on others through love and encouragement
Vission Statement: To listen, love, and encourage others
Mission Statement: I perform my purpose as a daughter, sister, aunt, friend, student, peer, and church member
Philosophy Statement: To model my purpose by keeping a positive attitude, doing what is right (honest, hard-working), and loving God
Commitment: To always do my best even if I don't feel like it. To make time for friends when they need someon. To avoid things that may bring harm to my witness. To spend time with God everyday. To not allow bad situations to ruin my attitude.

Creating these statements really got me to think more about what I do and why I do it and what I should do. I just felt this was a neat thing to share, because we all know we have a purpose. Even though we do things to fulfill our purpose, we don't really think too much about it. I mean yes my list of things is of stuff I idealy would do, but how often do I bring these things to the front of my mind? Not very often. Only when I make an effort to think about these things do I actually succeed at it.

Another thing I got from reading this book was this quote, "Pain is not something to avoid, but something to enter into with hope for growth and maturity." How true is that statement? We all have to face situations that are tough and hurt. We tend to dwell on the negatives of pain. When we do, we forget that it is these tough, painful situations that help build our character. Now I am not saying we should go and look for pain and be excited about it, but that when we are faced with these situations we use them to make us into better people.

You know what I just realized? What I just wrote, I can turn into my reflection paper on the book. Lol!