Currently Listening The Joshua Tree By U2 see related

These verses really encouraged and challenged me today:

Salt and Light -- Matthew 5:13-16

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5:13-16 - The Message

Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

- michelle -

Feelin' a lil' redneck *grin*

This was what I spent the weekend driving (except mine was white): 

Yeah. A Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab.  Yikes!  When I decided to rent a pick-up to go get my new bedframe I didn't expect to be driving a HUGE truck.  I'm not going to lie, it was fun sitting high on the road.  It made me feel powerful.  *grin*  My little 2-door Cavalier felt like driving a bumper car after being in that monster.  It was SUPER helpful in getting my bed back as well as picking up my couches.  My apartment is no longer lonely for furniture.  I few minor touches and it will look like home again.  I am looking forward to that! 

This weekend was an adventure. I LOVE doing new things. 

-michelle

Currently Reading 4,000 Questions for Getting to Know Anyone and Everyone By Barbara Ann Kipfer see related

This weekend I realized how incredibly blessed I am with friends.  Over the course of the weekend I spent 10-12 hours on the phone talking with many of my wonderful friends.  No, I'm not obsessed with the phone, I was talking while I drove and I used a headset so as not to be a hazard.  I know that sounds like a ridiculous amount of time to spend on the phone, but here's the crazy thing -- I didn't even complete the list of people I wanted to catch up with.  I still had several people to connect with even after talking for what seems like an immense amount of time.  Then it hit me.  I have an incredible number of quality relationships of which I am completely undeserving!  What is there to do but respond in praise to God for orchestrating these relationships that carry me through the hard times and party with me through the good.  

Philippians 1:3 says, "I thank God every time I remember you."  It's true friends! 

- michelle

p.s. this book is REALLY fun!

Currently Reading Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity (with General ChemistryNOW CD-ROM) By John C. Kotz, Paul M. Treichel, Gabriela C. Weaver see related

Confessions of a Thinker

Yes, I am a thinker. I love to spend time in deep thought.  Generally thoughts do not necessarily lead to any conclusion.  Often it's purely thinking for the sake of thinking.  

"I believe that pure thinking will do more to educate a man than any other activity he can engage in. To afford sympathetic entertainment to abstract ideas, to let one idea beget another, and that another, till the mind teems with them; to compare one idea with others, to weigh, to consider, evaluate, approve, respect, correct, refine; to join thought with thought like an architect till a whole edifice has been created within the mind; to travel back in imagination to the beginning of the creation and then to leap swiftly forward to the end of time; to bound upward through illimitable space and downward into the nucleus of an atom; and all this without so much as moving from our chair or opening the eyes--this is to soar above all the lower creation and come near to the angels of God."

- Unknown

I'm going to use that to justify my habit.   Lately a lot of my thoughts have centered around chemistry since I'm spending the remainder of my summer vacation taking Gen. Chem II.  I was reading the other day and actually was floored about the brilliance of God.  I was reading about the unique properties of water (H2O).  Now, most people know that ice is less dense than water - that's why ice floats.  But this I didn't know.  Check this out:

"As the temperature [of water] is raised from zero to four degrees celsius, the final vestiges of the ice structure disappear and the volume contracts further, giving rise to the increase in density.  Water's density reaches a maximum at about 4 degrees celsius.  From this point, the denisty declines with increasing temperature in the normal fashion.   

Because of the way that water's density changes as the temperature approaches the freezing point, lakes do not freeze solidly from the bottom up in the winter.  When lake water cools with the approach of winter, its density increase, the cooler water sinks, and the warmer water rises.  This "turnover" process continues until all of the water reaches 4 degrees celsius, the maximum density.  (This is the way oxygen-rich water moves to the lake bottom to restore the oxygen used during the summer and the nutrients are brought to the top layers of the lake.)" (Kotz.  Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity)

Isn't that incredible!?!  I had never heard that detailed of an explanation.  Water is amazing.  God is BRILLIANT!  It makes me feel honored to know that somehow this brilliant God works through my simple, imperfect, and often rebellious life.  Wow! 

- michelle

Currently Reading Soul Cravings By Erwin Raphael McManus see related

It's been a while...

Hey!

I'm back.  Back from vacation.  Back from my long absence of blogging.  Back from an emotionally crazy time.  But now I'm here.  Safe in my Room with a View -- just me.

Rachel my most wonderful friend has inspired me to use this more as a space for thought.  I'd never done this before because I always wondered if it was really valuable to post my random ramblings for public view.  This could be a silly endeavor, but I have thoroughly enjoyed reading her ramblings (although her mind is far superior to mine) so I shall begin.

The first thing I've been thinking about was kids.  I love them!  I think what strikes me about children is they are winsome.  There is nothing jaded about them.  Authenticity exudes from their every pore.  Yes, they have a sinful nature and are capable of being sneaky or defiant, but when you look in their eyes their souls are generally not hidden by pain.  Their souls are open books.  They will make you their best friend if you take interest in their heart. 

Second, I began reading Soul Cravings.  This book engages you in about 3 sentences so beware.  Read with caution.  I would also recommend reading this one aloud with a friend.  Great conversations began from McManus' challenges and I only read about 20 pages.  Find yourself a copy and enjoy!

- michelle