loving our environment

In class today we discussed the powerful affect that nature has on a person, as well as the way that Robert Hass studied nature in the poem “State of the Planet”. As we watched the different videos that were shown while we were in class, I was once again, left in awe of God’s wonderful creation that he put on earth for His enjoyment. Even though He put it here for Himself, I still cannot help but enjoy the beautiful trees, the gorgeous flowers, and the ocean as it slams against the shore. I do believe that it is important to recognize that God created nature and we need to be good stewards of what he has created.

What Professor Corrigan said in class is correct. He said, “It doesn’t make any sense that atheists care more about this earth than Christians do.” We as Christians believe that God created the heavens and the earth and all of the inhabitants within it. This is why it does not make sense that we would not care to take care of it. For if we truly cared about our God, wouldn’t we care about the things that he made?

However, I also see a different side to this subject that I want to make very clear. I believe in taking care of our ecosystem and our environment, but I also believe that there is a fine line that can be crossed in which people get overly protective of nature. The reason I bring up this point is because I believe that Jesus first came to earth to love people, not the soil beneath them. I am very passionate about helping people and I think that should be our priority. Although I believe taking care of the earth is important, I do not think that people should be neglected. For example, there are hundreds of thousands of children in China that are orphaned. This is in China alone. These people, these children need help, they need love.

Although our environment and ecosystem is very important, we must ask ourselves a very important question. Am I focusing on the ecosystem more than I am focusing on people? What is it that God has called us to do first? I for one believe that I have first been called to love others.

The Garden reflection

While we were reading the poem The Garden in class yesterday, I enjoyed analyzing the poem. The first time that we read the poem, I didn’t quite understand what the poem was saying. However, as we read it several times and practiced Lectio Divina I was able to analyze different parts of the poem and pick apart what we believe the author was trying to portray. Different phrases that stood out to me were “She is dying piecemeal of a sort of emotional anemia”. Another phrase that stood out to me was “She would like some one to speak to her”. This stood out to me and made me ask myself what I am noticing about the needs of others? I asked myself whether I am noticing people that need attention or that need love. This challenges me in my everyday life to look out for people who seem lonely or need someone to talk to. I hate the feeling of loneliness. I think that everyone does. But the question I must ask myself is, do I only care when I am lonely, or do I care when someone else is feeling lonely also?

Another question that was pressed on my heart while reading this poem is how I feel about social classes in our society. Do I base my opinion of someone simply on what social class they belong to? A line in the poem that sticks out to me is “…And is almost afraid that I will commit that indiscretion.” This may seem somewhat silly to us that talking to someone would be considered an “indiscretion”, but do I speak to people, even if it could potentially turn into an awkward conversation? Do I love people the way that my Jesus would love them? This is a question that I think is important for everyone to answer.

While we read Professor Corrigan’s reflection on the poem I was amazed by the way in which he interpreted the poem. It was an amazing paper that was written, very insightful, and very thought provoking. I thought it was interesting how he related the poem to the situation that was going on in his own life at the time, with his wife. I don’t think I would have related it to something like that, but that is the beauty of interpreting literature and the difference in everyone’s opinions. It was a very good essay and I would like to be able to write like that some day.

The enemy of the people

The Enemy of the People was an interesting play. I always enjoy going to watch the plays, as I was in theater myself, when I was in high school. This play was very different than I expected, but I enjoyed watching it. I loved the issue that was portrayed throughout the entire play. Doctor Thomas Stockmann was presented with an issue within the city that he knew needed to be fixed, so that people were able to stop getting sick. The fact that Doctor Stockmann stood up for himself and challenged the people of the town shows that he was a strong man, willing to stand up for his convictions.

I love the fact that he was willing to fight in order for justice to be made. I think that there are several people in our world that have strong religious and political beliefs, but they are not willing to really stand true to there beliefs and fight for justice. We need people that are willing to sacrifice, whatever is necessary in order for justice to reign. If you are not willing to give up something, for the cause that you are supporting, then I will ask you, how much do you actually believe in this cause that you support. I believe that you can say that you believe in something, but until you make a sacrifice for that cause, the importance of it is not evident in your life.

This play showed me that I should never be afraid to stand up for what is right, no matter how many people are against me. Just like Doctor Thomas said towards the end of the play, everyone was against Jesus, yet he was still right. Just because the majority is against you, does not mean that you are wrong. This gives me the perseverance and the strength needed to stand up for the things that are right in our culture, and not let things slip by. For if we, the Christians, do not stand up, then who will?

I am using my pass for Thursday, October 15

The muffins she carried

She didn’t look excited to get somewhere, however, she also didn’t look frustrated that she wasn’t getting somewhere. The look at her face was determined, yet at the same time peaceful, taking in every breath as she walked briskly, putting one foot in front of another. In her hands set a stack of books, and on top of the books, a plate full of muffins. She was dressed nicely, wearing high heels, and a skirt. She efficiently passed a couple that was walking slowly, holding hands, both of them looking serious and not talked with one another. She was on her way to her first day at a new job. Oh, but this wasn’t just any old job. This job, this was her dream job. She had worked several places before, you know, little jobs here in there, just to make sure the ends met, but with this job, she was finally doing what she had dreamed of doing for so many years.

Teaching. It was finally her first day teaching on a college campus. Her thoughts were going wild with things that could go well, things that could go bad, but mostly she couldn’t stop thinking of what her favorite college professor always used to tell her. He would say, “Do what you can to develop relationships with your students, because after the class, they will not be your students, but they may be your friends.”

You see, her professor so easily said that, but how did this actually look? She continued to ponder this as she made her way towards the building where her first class would begin, a mere twenty minutes later. She carried muffins, which she planned on giving to her first morning class. Every college student likes home made food right? Especially when they are away from home for such a long time. But was she bribing them to like her, she asked herself.

She was tired of always being late. Her two-year-old had kept her awake merely half the night—and then, this morning when it was time for her to go to Grandmas, did she want to get up? No. It is as though she knows when to, and when not to sleep, and how much it will get on my nerves.

Keep your focus on what you are getting ready to do, she told herself as she entered the classroom in which her 9 o’clock class met. She had organized everything the night before, where her classes were meeting, the amount of time she would need. Oddly enough, she felt more nervous than she ever felt in her entire elementary, middle school, high school, and college career. Why was it like this? When finally given the opportunity to do what she dreamed of doing, she is the most nervous she has felt in years. As the door shuts behind her in the classroom, a door shuts inside her heart, blocking out all past experiences and insecurities that could hold her back.

She lays the muffins on the table, organizing the napkins in a separate pile. She gazed at the clock in the back of the room and realized that there was only five minutes left before class was supposed to begin. How many students were in the classroom? None. Her heart began to beat quickly as she opened her notebook, checking to make sure that she was in the correct building, on the correct floor, and in the correct room. Sure enough, everything checked out, she was where she was supposed to be. But where was her class?

At the college she attended, being tardy to class was a big deal. Her motto was, if you can’t learn to be responsible in the little things in life, you will never learn how to be responsible for the big things in life.

Two minutes pass, two more minutes pass, two more minutes pass. She glances up at the clock yet again. Only two after nine, she thinks to herself, as she peels the plastic wrap off of the muffins. An aroma of fresh blueberry’s overtake her senses as she pulls a blueberry muffin off the plate and takes a seat. As she looks out across the empty classroom, a single tear trickles down her face.

She begins to realize that her baby girl is with her grandma, growing up so quickly, and she is not even able to see the process. Why did I choose to work anyway, she thinks to herself. Yes, I love to teach, but what I love even more is spending time with my family. Engulfed in thought and emotion, she doesn’t even realize that a figure has entered the room, and sat in the desk before her. She suddenly looks up. “Oh, I didn’t even see you,” she says.

He didn’t say anything, just looked at her closely. It was almost as though he could see right inside her. Finally, after a few minutes he says, “You aren’t supposed to be here, go home to your baby.” As she sits, looking into the eyes of this peculiar person who sat before her, she almost begins to chuckle to herself. She thinks to herself, what does he know about me? She simply sits there, not saying anything. She wanders why anyone would ever come into her class and tell her, the professor, that she isn’t supposed to be there. Isn’t the professor supposed to do that? At least that’s how it happened when I was in school, she thinks to herself.

“Wah Wah Wah”…she sits up quickly in bed, looking over only to see her husband still sound asleep. She stubbles out of her room and into her two-year old daughters room. As she picks up the baby that she holds so dear to her heart, she realizes that she could never let her go. Thoughts of teaching come to her mind and she realizes that this is the only thing in which she was made to be…teach and be a homemaker. After she rocks her little girl to sleep and slowly lays her back into her bed. She makes her way down to her computer. Turning on Microsoft word, she begins typing:

“I’m sorry to inform you that after 25 years my teaching days have come to an end…”

Strength is made perfect in weakness

This week as we had our "read on your own days" I was reading in the Giver about Jonas. Jonas is assigned a task different than anyone else in their town of perfection. His job is harder than anyone else's job, because he is the one who has to remember all of the good and bad memories of the town. This got me thinking about life and how it is through the struggles in life that we are formed into something greater. If our lived truly were perfect, I don't believer we would ever grow, because there would be nothing to grow into. As I thought about this I began to think about struggles in life, and how if you look at them the right way, you will begin to see them as blessings in disguise.

When you get ready to shoot a bow and arrow you adjust it just right and then stretch the bow back as far as you possibly can, in order for it to fly as far as you want it to fly. I have found that this is exactly what happens in our life, if we allow God to be a part of who we are. The more that we are stretched, the farther we will soar. But being stretched is not the most comfortable position to be put in. We like to feel comfortable, to sit down relax, and know exactly what we have coming our way. However, if we were able to see everything that was going to happen in our lives, we probably would either try to get out of it, or run in the opposite direction. This is why God only gives us exactly what he knows we are able to handle, which is a lot more than we think.

I hate being stretched, during the time that it is happening to me. However, after the situation is over, I realize that it is only because I went through a hard time, that I am able to say that I have gotten to this new place in my walk with the Lord. My story, my life would not be the same without the times that I felt like giving up. It is through the trials in my life, that I have been able to help other people through their struggles that are similar to mine. God somehow always has a way of putting those people in your life. The only thing that we need to stick to when we are in the midst of a struggle is God’s precious word. For in God’s word, truth is held.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Museum

Today on our field trip to the art museum I found myself bombarded with different thoughts. As we proceeded to go to the upstairs section of the art museum, I found myself standing before pictures that would change the way I view our world, for the rest of my life. On the wall were separate photographs, each taken of a different family in a different country in front of their “house”. Also in the picture, there were the possessions of the families that were standing there. Next to the picture it explained how many people lived in the house, the amount of hours they worked a week, the amount of income the family made, there most values possession, their most desired possession and other odd facts such as how much food in their culture cost.

As I looked at these different situations of each family I was very sobered. After looking at many of the pictures, I came to America. There was a huge difference in the picture of America, in comparison to some of the other nations.

Seeing this section in the museum brought back my memories of traveling to Nicaragua and El Salvador on mission’s trips. I am still convinced that I left a little bit of my heart in both countries. Some day, I hope to go back and pick up some of it, but I doubt I will be able to come back to the states without leaving even more of my heart. That is just the thing, when we look at others through the eyes that Jesus sees others, we begin to give some of our heart to them, whether we mean to or not.

I thoroughly enjoyed the field trip to the art museum. I particularly, as mentioned before, enjoyed going upstairs and viewing those pictures. Often times we tuck the memories that mean the most to us, deep down into our hearts. It is times like this, that I realize my memories of my missions in Central America will never leave me, because I have them tucked deep down. What I must do is bring those memories to the surface more often, because they make my heart come alive.

The muffins she carried

She didn’t look excited to get somewhere, however, she also didn’t look frustrated that she wasn’t getting somewhere. The look at her face was determined, yet at the same time peaceful, taking in every breath as she walked briskly, putting one foot in front of another. In her hands set a stack of books, and on top of the books, a plate full of muffins. She was dressed nicely, wearing high heels, and a skirt. She efficiently passed a couple that was walking slowly, holding hands, both of them looking serious and not talked with one another. She was on her way to her first day at a new job. Oh, but this wasn’t just any old job. This job, this was her dream job. She had worked several places before, you know, little jobs here in there, just to make sure the ends met, but with this job, she was finally doing what she had dreamed of doing for so many years.

Teaching. It was finally her first day teaching on a college campus. Her thoughts were going wild with things that could go well, things that could go bad, but mostly she couldn’t stop thinking of what her favorite college professor always used to tell her. He would say, “Do what you can to develop relationships with your students, because after the class, they will not be your students, but they may be your friends.”

You see, her professor so easily said that, but how did this actually look? She continued to ponder this as she made her way towards the building where her first class would begin, a mere twenty minutes later. She carried muffins, which she planned on giving to her first morning class. Every college student likes home made food right? Especially when they are away from home for such a long time. But was she bribing them to like her, she asked herself.

(To be continued)

"The Traveling Onion"

Today as we read the poem The Traveling Onion I began to look at poetry in a new way. The first time that I read the poem I really did not like the poem. What I wrote on my paper was “I don’t understand its significance.” I also thought that it was humorous, but that was before I looked deeper into what the poem was trying to say. The second time that I read it I picked out a few different lines. One line that I picked out was “for the sake of others disappear.” Another line that I picked was “and I would never scold the onion for causing tears.” I like that line because I believe that it allows room for emotion. I think that was it is trying to say is that it is okay to cry. It is normal that an onion makes a person cry, and it is okay for those tears to fall. A lot of times we make ourselves feel like we cannot fully let our emotion out, but it is okay for certain things to make us cry.

This brings me to my next point. I love the line that says “it is right that tears fall for something small and forgotten.” This line makes me evaluate my life in a deeper way. One of my favorite worship songs is Hosanna. My favorite line in that song is “break my heart for what breaks yours.” This line is the cry of my heart. If my heart can truly be broken for the things that break my Jesus’ heart, then I will begin, in a very small way, to see from His point of view. The line that says “it is right that tears call for something small and forgotten” remind me of this song. I believe that Jesus’ tears fall for the small and the forgotten. If my heart can begin to see things in the way that Jesus sees things I believe that I will cry for the things that are small and forgotten.