"And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God." -- Philippians 1:9-11
I spent Easter on the beach! Here are some pictures from this weekend.
It took me a couple days to get this up on account of two things:
1) an accounting final, and
2) a calculus final.
Now however both of those are over* and I only have one more final on Thursday** and then I get to go HOME! Speaking of home, you should read this post here, because I like it and I think it’s valid.
Also, I just got really excited because I looked at my countdown and saw that in 3 days, 16 hours, 49 minutes, and 27 seconds… I WILL BE HOME!
*MATH WAS SO EASY!!! (that like never happens, it was awesome)
**Chem… probably wouldn’t be too worried about it except HALF THE TEST IS ORGO! :s
Easter, and Holy Week in general, has always been my favorite time of year. I love the spirit of it, I love the hope it brings, I love the reminders it shoves in your face. This year I’ve been feeling a little left out. It’s my first time away from home for any significant holiday and I miss my church and family. On Palm Sunday I went to Trinity Church in Copley Square with the LECM* group and afterward went to Fire and Ice** for lunch. I enjoyed the experience, but it just wasn’t the same as what I’m used to. Then Monday was the Boston Marathon, which was fun, and then Tuesday and Wednesday were jam packed with school related things to do. I just wasn’t feeling spiritually connected.
Today was reading day, there were no classes because finals start tomorrow, so instead of studying for my genetics exam tomorrow morning, I filled my day with other things. This morning I went on a run along the Charles in the sun before it got cloudy. Then I came back to study for a little but was distracted by the party going on outside my window, so I went to down to Spring Fling where I got some free food, two free tee shirts, a free cup, and painted an aromatic tile that is making my room smell like pomegranates at the moment. Then I went to the Morville House*** and decorated Easter eggs with the residents there. That’s a story in itself that I’m not going to get into right now. My favorite part however was trying to charade why the clear crayon did not color the eggs at all to a group of Chinese women who spoke very little English. Anywho, I enjoyed what you would call a “study break” if you can call what I did all day “studying.”
After that I came back to my dorm for about an hour and took a practice genetics final**** before heading into Cambridge to University Lutheran Church for the Maundy Thursday service. Ironically in about the 40 people or so who were there was my genetics professor. I guess she knows I wasn’t studying much for her final tomorrow.
I really enjoyed the service. The combination of cantor, scripture, and more recent writings allowed me to experience the Last Supper in a way I’ve never been able to before. Jesus ate with sinners; he washed the servant’s feet; he died. He told his disciples to wait, and they fell asleep. We fell asleep. Every time we fall asleep and miss the passing world, we miss God.
I am so very thankful, that tonight God is with me. God is with my family back in Alaska, God is with my friends spread all over the world, God is with the child on the playground, God is with the homeless man on the corner. God is holding our world, and though it may seem at times like everything is falling apart, love holds us together.
Goodnight.
*Lutheran Episcopal Campus Ministries, a group I’ve been going to all year.
**A REALLY COOL make your own stir fry kind of thing. I did make your own crepes full of fresh fruit and all kinds of yummies!
***It’s like an assisted living home where I go here every month with LECM and we make them food and just usually socialize.
****And I got a 100%... I think I’m good for tomorrow.
So the Boston Marathon was last Monday, and I went because it was Patriot’s Day and we had no school, and also I wanted to watch it. Here are some pictures of the elite finishers!
The top three women a couple minutes from the finish
Geoffrey Mutai won for the men and broke the world record
but they aren't awarding it to him because of a tail wind...
this was his time as he passed us
The two top men sprinting to the finish
The blue banner in the distance is the finish line
Not running...
Unfortunately my camera died before all the “normal” people ran by. That was fun to watch because all kinds of people ran it for all kinds of different reasons. The spirit of the event really made it worthwhile.
Also, I figured in light of the Boston marathon, now would be an appropriate time to announce this… I’m running a marathon! On June 18th. My goal is to run a 3:40 and qualify for the Boston Marathon next year; we’ll see how it goes!
Because it is the last real week of classes, and I don’t have any real work other than getting ready for finals, and I’m not too tired right now, I’m going to write about something that has been on my list of things to write about* for quite some time.
Balance.
I thought to give this post some structure I would start by defining balance. So according to the online free Merriam-Webster dictionary, balance is defined as the following:
1) An instrument for weighing – reminds me of Mr. Knopp’s 7th grade science class!
2) A counterbalancing weight, force, or influence – ok…
3) An oscillating wheel operating with a hairspring to regulate the movement of a timepiece – who knew!
4) Equality between the totals of the two sides of an account – getting closer to the main idea here
5) An aesthetically pleasing integration of elements – I like this definition!
6) The juxtaposition in writing of syntactically parallel constructions containing similar or contrasting ideas – thank you Mr. Richards
7) Physical equilibrium – yuck, equilibrium**
8) Mental or emotional steadiness – resulting from balance in life!
My definition of balance is proportions of opposing influences in appropriate magnitudes. The weight of each influence is different in all scenarios and different for all people. The result of a balanced life is mental, physical, and emotional steadiness, or health; grace.
It seems like I’m always reading or hearing something about achieving “balance.” Everyone says you want, need, gotta have it, but there is no manual on how this is accomplished. Well honestly I don’t have any answers either, so if that’s what you’re looking for then stop reading now and go look for something else.
There are so many different ways to be balanced; it is darn near impossible to obtain them all. Work and play, eating right and splurging a little, socializing and solitude, exercise and relaxation, service and taking time for myself… the list goes on and on. For the most part I go through life ignoring the sighs of imbalance and placing the side effects associated with them on other aspects of life. I didn’t get enough sleep last night, I’m sick, it’ll slow down in a little while I just need to finish these couple weeks… I constantly make excuses instead of recognizing and attempting to mend the real problem.
“Balance is about keeping the right pace in life – not moving so fast that you miss God’s call, but not moving so slow that you miss the opportunities God sends you. Balance helps you realize that not every opportunity is the call of God. It leaves you open to divine moments and motivates you to act on them.” ~Divine Moments
Here I’d like to insert a little anecdote. I don’t remember the majority of the story, so I’ll give you the condensed version.
A family was walking down a beach, the little boy splashing through the water collecting shells of every shape and size, when the family came across a starfish floating in the surf. “Go get it!” the parents told the boy. So he ran out into the water and stood there for a few seconds before running back to his parents. “What’s wrong!?” they asked, “Go get the starfish!” So out he ran again, and again paused before running back up the beach. “Don’t be afraid just go pick it up!” his parents said. And he ran out a third time, paused, and yelled back “I would but my hands are full of shells!”
The shells of life got in the way of collecting the true prize. A balance must be attained, so that when God places a starfish in front of me, I can pick it up.
What are the shells that keep you from grabbing your starfish? And more importantly, what would it take to drop them?
In other news, I got a plant today. Well I planted some seeds today more like it, so I actually got a pot full of wet dirt. But hopefully in a week or so it’ll be the buds of a spearmint plant!
*Yes this list does exist. I also have a list of movies to watch, books to read, homework to do, things to do this summer, and people to email.
**After chemistry this year, I hate equilibrium. Especially in concentration cells, in solubility, in chemical reactions, in acid-base titrations, and in pretty much anything else I did this semester. Also, we’ve done a week of orgo, and I already hate it… Next year is not going to be fun… But another side note, on the biology side: life is constantly working to obtain equilibrium. Our bodies are fighting non-stop to reach the balance point (no pun intended) where all life processes come to a stand still at equilibrium, and work is no longer being done. Unfortunately, this means you are dead. So in short, are bodies are trying to die from the moment life is created.
It’s like practically summer! This whole weekend was in the 60s and suunnnnyyyy! Made for some fun times, and not a whole lot of studying… hehe. Saturday Sam and I took a walk downtown.
Heading into Boston Commons, founded in 1634 (that's a long time ago)
This place was packed!
A GREAT place to people watch :)
These people won the Strangest Sight Award.
A bunch of young men dressed in suits with white gloves
and dust feathers walking around with silver platters
handing out mints with tongs...
That's the Prudential Center in the distance to the right,
which is near where Northeastern is!
Sam and I sitting in the grass enjoying the sun in Boston Commons
After Boston Commons we walked to Government Center (where a circus tent was set up!!) and then a round about way to Faneuil Hall. From there we somehow managed to get to the aquarium and the water front, which we walked along for awhile and then came back into the city via Haymarket St. in the North End. I was finally able to connect various parts of the city together on a map in my head, and so now if you come and visit me we stand a considerably less (though I promise not zero) chance of getting lost!
Looking down Haymarket St.
Yeah for spontaneous adventures in Boston!
Also, I’m GOING TO BE HOME IN (look to you right)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sometimes it seems like the world is falling apart. As I learn more and more about the intricate dynamics that govern our world, I see just how torn and delicate we really are. This division is killing us. Our government is on the verge of shutdown over a $7 billion difference in a budget cut proposal that lets face it probably won’t be followed anyway, the entire Middle East is in revolt, and Japan is dealing with one of the worst crises ever to hit earth.
I grew up in a Christian home, I went to church every Sunday, and said my prayers before bed. I am a Christian. But now the world is challenging me. Christianity is challenging me. What does it mean to be Christian? There are so many divisions, so many cuts that keep us separate when it seems like we should all be together. And they’ll know we are Christians by our love…. Will they?
Perhaps I’ve just been naïve, and now the real world is coming out, now I’m experiencing the hypocriticism on a whole new level, but it seems like these divides are stronger than ever. It seems like there is a cut so deep that while we may be able to find a band-aid to hide the surface, the real damage is perpetual and will never be healed.
Religion is of the heart, and each heart is different. My way is different than your way, and that’s ok. I can share my beliefs, and you yours, and both will be more knowledgeable. One does not have to win. Everyone is searching for the truth. But what is truth? Jesus said, “I am the truth, the way, the light.” And I believe that. But can my truth be different than your truth? I would say yes, because truth is a matter of perspective. My perspective is my reality, and therefore my truth.
The hardest thing for me is not knowing for certain, not being able to say “this is the truth.” There are so many questions with so many unknown answers. And we can only speculate, because the definite truth is so fleeting, so thin, so prevalent to change that it is impossible to grasp. If the one concrete truth were in front of us then wouldn’t we all get along? But we don’t, because my truth is different than your truth.
This is where God works in my life. The peace that passes understanding. As a child I sang those words in Sunday school, and always wondered what they meant. It’s such a strange line. But now I think I’m beginning to understand more. I’m beginning to understand that I really don’t know anything, and that’s ok. The love of God is so great, that it passes the need to understand, and I can live in peace knowing that I know what I need to, will be enlightened as the need arises, and die still wondering. I cannot understand. That is God’s job.
I am a mediocre follower of a first century Jewish carpenter. I’m not out to change the world. I will do what the Lord requires of me: to do justice, love kindness, and walk humble with my God.
Tuesdays are one of my top 7 favorite days of the week, despite having chemistry from 8am* till 2:40. Tuesdays are my Adele days. After 8am chem lab I go to the Curry Student Center with Adele and we do** the chemistry homework due that week. Then we go to the actual chemistry class and then lunch at Rebecca’s***! After a quick lunch we go to chem recitation, which is kind of a waste of my time. It’s supposed to be so we can get individualized chemistry help since our lecture is so big, but the TA teaching the class doesn’t really know any chemistry, which makes teaching it difficult. After that we either go study genetics or something until Enhancing Honors, which is like a career in medical/research fields exploration class. I actually find some of it really interesting; we get to hear from all kinds of people who work at Northeastern and about what they are doing/have done. After that class we go to the gym and run and do crazy abs workouts to reminisce my high school days track and pre-track conditioning. And then it’s smoothies at Boloco and some more studying and the day is done! And I got to spend the entire day with Adele! Which is awesome! And today we painted our nails, which may sound kind of childish, but I haven’t painted my nails in over a year probably, and it was fun to do that instead of studying for my genetics test tomorrow. And on that note, I should probably go to bed or get back to studying, I can’t wait for this week to be over! ONLY 10 MORE DAYS OF SCHOOL!!! AND IN 26 DAYS I’ll BE HOME!!! Life is good.
*NOT TODAY!!! I finished up with chem lab last week! No more 8am chem labs this semester, and I got almost 11 hours of sleep last night! Which isn’t going to happen tonight… judging by the fact that it’s already almost 2am and I am just starting this blog.
**More or less…
***This is probably the best food on campus in my opinion.
So when I was in Ecuador Valerie and I made this video. And because I’m so lame it took me almost a month to upload it. So here it is! Mystery Fruits Episode 3! (or something like that)
