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Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Bible Readings =)

Here are the verses that stuck out to me the most from my readings tonite =)

1John 3:16-18

"16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

i've been reminded over and over again about how important it is to defend the rights of the poor, the mistreated, the abandoned, the lonely, the outsiders, etc.

I've often heard it said that people don't want pity... yet, i'm looking at this verse, and it implies that we ought to have pity on our brothers and sisters who are poor... hmmm... how many times have i heard the phrase, "I don't want your pity. Stop pitying me." i think that we've distorted what the true meaning of pity means...

As per dictionary.com, pity = to show mercy or compassion.

but the way we see it in our society now, to be the subject of one's pity means being looked down upon... that's not even true the way pity is meant to be.. showing mercy and compassion does not include looking down on others because they are poorer (not just monetary terms, but emotionally, spiritually, mentally, etc) than we are... sometimes it's so crazy how the meaning of words have been twisted and changed to meanings with negative connotations... it's kinda sad..

neways... random thoughts... let's love not with words, but with actions and in truth... amen to that =)

posted by ~*~VaNeSsA~*~  -- 10:56 p.m. (0) comments

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Day before the presentations =)

i can see the end to the watcase!!!! =) it makes me happy to think about it... but yes... then onto th rest of the term... finish undergrad..start masters... finish masters... study for ufe..write ufe... then life will get much easier...

lots of thoughts have been in my mind these past few days... and only after a period of solitude today did i even realize these things my mind was telling me...

and the voice that repeats itself over and over again to me says, "Be strong and courageous"

i think it's one of those situations that arises and then you think...oh, i am so goin to conquer you because the Lord is on my side.... =) i really need to keep that in mind... thank you God for reminding me over and over again of all your great promises and that you never fail to keep any of them.. You've blessed me with great people in my life to remind me to continue to seek you first through it all.. You've brought me people to encourage me exactly when I need it... for this, I'm truly grateful..i know none of it comes from my own doing... and I shoudlnt' take any of it for granted either..

it's like i also hear You saying, "it's okay vanessa... i'm right here... i'm right here..."

neways.. on antoher note... i had finished reading through joshua... and i've started going through 1John yesterday... this is what stuck out to me the most...

1 JOhn 1: 5-6: "But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."

wow.... i sat there thinking yesterday nite..like holy crap... those are some high standards... esp the part where it says that we'll know we're in him when we can claim to walk as Jesus did...i dont' think i can ever claim that i can walk the same path as Jesus did... i can certainly try... but actually attaining it... i'm so far from being perfect... but yeah.. perhaps it's another one of those things that we shoudl constantly be aiming for... it almost seems like a mini-paradox to me... i 100% believe that i'm in him, but i can't claim to walk like Jesus did... i bet my theology's off somewhere... and feel free to correct me..

what does it actually mean to "walk as Jesus did?"

His words, actions, thoughts, motivations... end goal... wow... there's certainly a huge reminder eh? =)

posted by ~*~VaNeSsA~*~  -- 5:33 p.m. (0) comments

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Welcome back to Waterloo...

an unfriendly welcome back...

i think it's been quite a long time since i last felt like at any moment i could really burst into tears... don't worry, i'm not sad... i think what I really need is some time with just me and God... alone... no distractions... no watcase... no school... no cleaning... no dealing with anything.. complete silence..

i think the sudden huge change from being an employee back to becoming a student has been a rather rough transition this time around...it's never really affected me much at all prior to this... i really don't even know why i am in such a blah mood these past 2 days...

and i just found out my masters might start on jan 3 since we get off school earlier in july to study for our UFE... boo.............

i think i have it again... not really thinkign of anything in general... but i just... like if i stopped trying to control it... i think the tears would come... it's at these times where my emotions sometimes really just pop out... i think it's like an amalgamation of all these different things...

and the words in my heard right now are... "i want to go home..."

homesickness already on the 2nd day here..hahahha i feel like a frosh =) i can barely control it... if amy weren't talkign to me right now about accounting stuff..i think i'ld lose it...

no more words.. qutie braindead after working 9am to 6pm today..and researching more a bit when i got home.... it's gruelling...

i'm goin to make it... in You i put my hope, in You i put my strength, in You i put my trust...in You... i think this almost even needs my Casting Crowns music... but they're in my car...hahahah accross the street... laziness... hahah

i think i'll research till 9, then call it quits for the day...

posted by ~*~VaNeSsA~*~  -- 8:06 p.m. (0) comments