on: food for thought.

I love when classes are actually interesting. Here's some food for thought from my sociology book:

Belief: Most of the differences in the behaviors of women and men are based on "human nature"; men and women are just plain different from each other. Research shows that biological factors certainly play a part in the behaviors of men and women, but the culture (beliefs, values, rules and way of life) that people learn as they grow up determines how biological tendencies are played out. A unique example illustrates this: In the Wodaabe tribe in Africa, women do most of the heavy work while men adorn themselves with makeup, sip tea and gossip. Variations in behavior of men and women around the world are so great that it is impossible to attribute behavior to biology or human nature alone.

Belief: As developing countries modernize, the lives of their female citizens improve. This is generally false. In fact, the status of women in many developed and developing countries is getting worse. Women make up roughtly 51% of the world's more than 6.7 billion people and account for two-thirds of the worlds hours at work. However, in no country for which data are available do they earn what men earn, and sometimes, the figures show women earning less than 50% of men's earnings for similar work. Women hold many unpaid jobs in agriculture, and they own only 1% of the worlds property. Furthermore, of the worlds 1 billion illeterate adults, two thirds are women. Only 77% of the worlds women over age 15 can read and write compared to 87% of men. Illiteracy rates for women in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East are highest in the world, implying lack of access to weducation. These are only a few examples of the continuting poor status of women in many countries. (Institute for Statistics, World Factbook)

on: devotional of the day, Oswald is a smart guy.

"'Consider the lilies of the field...' (Matt 6:28). They grow where they are planted. Many of us refuse to grow where God plants us. Therefore, we don't take root anywhere. Jesus said if we would obey the life of God within us, He would look after all other things. Did Jesus Christ lie to us? Are we experiencing the "much more" He promised? If we are not, it is because we are not obeying the life God has given us and have cluttered our minds with confusing thoughts and worries. How much time have we wasted asking God senseless questions while we should be absolutely free to concentrate on our service to Him? Consecration is the act of continually separating myself from everything except that which God has appointed me to do. It is not a one-time experience but an ongoing process. Am I continually separating myself and looking to God every day of my life?"
- My Utmost for His Highest


Ouch. Big words. Big demands. Big truths. This hit me hard. Am I growing where God planted me? Am I obeying the life God has given me? Am I continually separating myself and looking to God? Every day?

on: 2011.

I really wasn't planning on writing a reflection blog about 2011. Unlike last year, I really didn't think anything was worth noting. I didn't have any huge defining moments. No big life change. For the most part, I woke up, went to school, went to church, kissed rob goodnight and then went to sleep.

Until the weekend of new years I was listening to pastor speak and he was reiterating how there is power in each day, and how we need to embrace and use that power wisely. How each day can make a difference in eternity no matter what we think. So I began thinking about the past year. Realizing that every day I lived last year was indeed important, regardless of what I think or how I feel.

I started thinking about writing this blog, and I realized that there were some milestones that I reached this year. Some parts of me that were changed forever. I still don't have a lot to say, but there were some things that stood out among the rest.

In April I had one of the most tumultuous weeks of my life. Emotional insanity, highs and lows, tough conversations, all while we were moving into our new church building (so not sleeping).

I learned what it's like to stand by someone through all obstacles. I learned what it's like to be trusted with the deepest parts of someone. To air out your skeletons and to see what the person you love thinks of you afterwards. The welcome weight that comes along with that knowledge. The incredibly different world you step into in the relationship following that. I learned what it's like to stand by someone when people you trust intensely have different opinions of them. What it's like to disagree with a leader. The kind of internal struggle that comes up after deciding to stand up like that. And the best part about it is that I left all of these separate situations much stronger. A stronger woman, a stronger girlfriend, a stronger follower of Christ. A stronger leader. These things tested my resiliency and my relationships, and only through Christ did I prevail, because there was so much rough in this year.

I completed my first semester of college during which I only got A's and B's, finally. I narrowed down my major. I started working on rebuilding a lot of burnt bridges. I watched two of my best friends get engaged, one get married.

If I had to put it into one word, it would be a year of commitment. A year of something that I'm not terribly familiar with. And I've decided that I know way too little about last year. I didn't take enough pictures, blog enough times, journal enough prayers. I have to be more intentional about what I do to document my year. And I have to realize exactly what weight each day this year holds. I have the power of eternity in every single day. What a beautiful realization.

This song came out just a few days ago and is so perfect for what I've experienced this year. Listen and read along. I promise it's worth your 4 minutes.

"we had to learn, how to bend,
without the world, caving in.
i had to learn, what i've got, and what i'm not
and who i am.
i won't give up on us.
even if the skies get rough.
i'm giving you all my love,
i'm still looking up, i'm still looking up.
i won't give up on us.
god knows i'm tough enough.
i'm giving you all my love,
god knows we're worth it."