liddo piggy

How could you possibly cause an epidemic?

’tis the season for spending

mm consumerist culture. I’ve never been a fan of getting pricey gifts or getting gifts for more than…4 people. I do appreciate receiving gifts but I also find it annoying when I get a big barrel of popcorn that was $30. Really I would rather someone save their money and donate it than spend it on a present for me…even if they are well meaning and want to express their love and care through present-giving, I would still prefer the former =P. But there’s the problem that we are so wrapped up with individualism and ..the lack of obligation to give to the poor. Admittedly, I feel very little obligation to give to the poor when I go about living my life in abundance and when I don’t go out of my way to see the grayer side of the town. Sales sales sales. If you’re not spending that coupon or going to that sale you’re losing money. Very tantalizing…that $25 off $50 coupon and an extra 15% when you sign up for a card.

I feel really left out of the mess when my friends spend an entire conversation raving about how many toys and trinkets they bought for a total of ~$200.

You don’t know what you’re living for until you know what you would stand 6 hours in line in the cold for a doorbusters sale.

I never like using the word “you” in my blogs -__- but that’s really how I am. I like to be critical of people in an indirect manner by umbrella-ing them under the word “you.” So what’s a passive aggressive critical gal to do? Something I would love to change about myself is to be less flimsy-spined and more challenging. And also less frustrated when I try and fail.

Derek Webb–Rich Young Ruler

Poverty is so hard to see
When it’s only on your tv and twenty miles across town
Where we’re all living so good
That we moved out of Jesus’ neighborhood
Where he’s hungry and not feeling so good
From going through our trash
He says, more than just your cash and coin
I want your time, I want your voice
I want the things you just can’t give me

So what must we do
Here in the west we want to follow you
We speak the language and we keep all the rules
Even a few we made up
Come on and follow me
But sell your house, sell your suv
Sell your stocks, sell your security
And give it to the poor
What is this, hey what’s the deal
I don’t sleep around and i don’t steal
I want the things you just can’t give me

Because what you do to the least of these
My brother’s, you have done it to me
Because I want the things you just can’t give me

I want to make a commitment this year. I want to sponsor a child from World Vision…and I want to contribute to Living Water International. Video below:

Embrace the Awkwardness

…of multi-ethnicity. I love White, Black, and Asian culture. One thing I ask is to get in touch with all the others.

Joint Small Group AU08

Praise the Lord praise the LORD…”I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13-16.

God is still proving himself to me again and again…he is Jehovah Jireh, my provider.

update-age

Writing a blog post instead of writing my papers. So what’s been happenin’ since September…abridged version, =). Got the research position, have been volunteering all quarter approx. 6 hours a week and got lab credit so that means I don’t have to take time consuming labs in subsequent quarters. Yay. Schoolwork had been more stressful than anticipated, I guess that’s why advisors always say 15 hours is enough…and now I believe them. I have been pretty bad at staying up late the past couple of weeks, and as a result, did really poorly on some midterms. Which means I have to do really well on the finals. Not sure if i’m looking forward to Thanksgiving or not, because it’s already looking so busy not considering the amount of studying I have to get done before the Monday following Thanksgiving break. Today’s service at ANCF was about Thanksgiving, and how we should be able to give thanks for at least 10 things in any given situation…and this situation is definitely a lot easier to give thanks in than many others…so I feel ashamed for even hinting about my bitterness toward Thanksgiving break and the schoolwork that lies ahead of me. I guess there’s a line between complaining and honesty. Sober honesty would be ideal…

InterVarsity Undergrad ministry has been rewarding and I’ve been living and breathing it intentionally and unintentionally. Something cool relating to social justice–we have a cohort now =D. Ever since about 15 of us saw Call + Response we had 1 or 2 meetings to discuss our ideas and plans for action here at Ohio State. We also watched Not For Sale, which is also a book which I hear is really good. And we also attended a concert to benefit victims of human sex trafficking in India, and the band that played, Aradhna (Hindi for “worship”) is AMAZING. We got in contact with the Central Ohio Rescue and Restore Coalition, who identifies and responds to sex trafficking in Columbus and we’re meeting with them tomorrow at 10:30. Things have really taken off and looks like there’s more we can do about slavery than we thought.
I have a steady small group in Steeb hall and I’m really thankful for them =) my only request for my small group is that I could hang out with them more–I do hang out with a few of them a lot, but a lot of them I only see Mondays from 7-9.

Okay…back to papering. Have a Happy Thanksgiving =)