Sunday, January 23, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Lyrics Medley
All the promises we made
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you (All I Want Is You U2)
Yeah I went with nothing
Nothing but the thought of you
I went wandering
I went out there
In search of experience
To taste and to touch
And to feel as much
As a man can
Before he repents (The Wanderer Johnny Cash)
Those creatures jumped the barricades
And have headed for the sea (Belong R.E.M.)
A generation without name
Ripped and torn
Nothing to lose, nothing to gain (Like A Song U2)
Be more like the one you were made to be
There is a design, an alignment, a cry
Of my heart to see,
The beauty of love as it was made to be (Sigh No More Mumford & Sons)
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you (All I Want Is You U2)
Yeah I went with nothing
Nothing but the thought of you
I went wandering
I went out there
In search of experience
To taste and to touch
And to feel as much
As a man can
Before he repents (The Wanderer Johnny Cash)
Those creatures jumped the barricades
And have headed for the sea (Belong R.E.M.)
A generation without name
Ripped and torn
Nothing to lose, nothing to gain (Like A Song U2)
Be more like the one you were made to be
There is a design, an alignment, a cry
Of my heart to see,
The beauty of love as it was made to be (Sigh No More Mumford & Sons)
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Random Thoughts
First, again about vulnerability/ relationships, a quote from a really really good book, I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak (author of The Book Thief):
"I want to talk to him.
I want to ask him about that girl and if he loved her and still misses her.
Nothing, however, exits my mouth. How well do we really let ourselves know each other?"
Just an interesting thought.
And in this music video of "The Cave" by Mumford and Sons, read the highest rated comment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KkUeRPjc-Y. hahaha
"I want to talk to him.
I want to ask him about that girl and if he loved her and still misses her.
Nothing, however, exits my mouth. How well do we really let ourselves know each other?"
Just an interesting thought.
And in this music video of "The Cave" by Mumford and Sons, read the highest rated comment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KkUeRPjc-Y. hahaha
Monday, January 3, 2011
Vulnerability
This Sunday, the sermon in church was about vulnerability. Actually, the whole series this month involves people coming forward and discussing their personal issues: becoming vulnerable, stripping your problems away and laying them out in the open allows the entire church community to grow closer and more like the church God intended.
In relationships, sometimes we think that all that we need to do to be a good friend is to be there for the other person. While this selflessness is probably the most essential part of friendship, it's one sided. I know a lot of people who are good at reaching out but come across as "fake nice" because they don't allow others to reach out to them: they form this perfect persona on the outside and refuse to let anyone get close, especially the ones they reach out to. As awful as it may seem, it's easy to be kind and outgoing to people that seem "below you" because it doesn't require forming a meaningful relationship; there's no risk involved.
I often start the new year by planning to be practically perfect: I resolve to do everything right, be completely organized, get all As in school, etc. But obviously perfection is impossible. It's not our job to plan everything we'll do better because we'll always end up disappointed. Instead, be open to embarrasing yourself. Putting yourself out on a limb to reach out to someone even if it doesn't come naturally. It's not about self image or self improvement, it's about making a difference and doing things that are hard. Because if you only do what you are comfortable with or skilled at, there will be no growth. But this kind of lifestyle requires vulnerability: being able to set aside the identity you tried to create for yourself, whatever pride or need for control you may have, in order to become the person God wants you to be.
In relationships, sometimes we think that all that we need to do to be a good friend is to be there for the other person. While this selflessness is probably the most essential part of friendship, it's one sided. I know a lot of people who are good at reaching out but come across as "fake nice" because they don't allow others to reach out to them: they form this perfect persona on the outside and refuse to let anyone get close, especially the ones they reach out to. As awful as it may seem, it's easy to be kind and outgoing to people that seem "below you" because it doesn't require forming a meaningful relationship; there's no risk involved.
I often start the new year by planning to be practically perfect: I resolve to do everything right, be completely organized, get all As in school, etc. But obviously perfection is impossible. It's not our job to plan everything we'll do better because we'll always end up disappointed. Instead, be open to embarrasing yourself. Putting yourself out on a limb to reach out to someone even if it doesn't come naturally. It's not about self image or self improvement, it's about making a difference and doing things that are hard. Because if you only do what you are comfortable with or skilled at, there will be no growth. But this kind of lifestyle requires vulnerability: being able to set aside the identity you tried to create for yourself, whatever pride or need for control you may have, in order to become the person God wants you to be.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
No More Facebook
So I gave up Facebook as a New Years Resolution, and it's going to be really tough... It had gotten to the point where the first thing I did whenever I got home was get on Facebook, which is a bad sign. I don't even know why I was so addicted to it, because all I really did was look through my home page and Facebook stalk random people. But part of the reason I made this blog is as a sort of substitute for Facebook. The main difference, though, is that nobody reads this. Which is good and bad, depending on how you look at it.
But I was looking up Bono on the Internet and found out that his real name is Paul Hewson- it popped my U2 bubble a little bit. I proceeded with my mom to do more stalking of Paul (!) and his family... he has 2 daughters and 2 sons. So here is what my Facebook status would have been:
Bono has a son named Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q... WHAT??!
But I was looking up Bono on the Internet and found out that his real name is Paul Hewson- it popped my U2 bubble a little bit. I proceeded with my mom to do more stalking of Paul (!) and his family... he has 2 daughters and 2 sons. So here is what my Facebook status would have been:
Bono has a son named Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q... WHAT??!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Identity
Everyone struggles with how to define themselves. I don't think there's a single person in the whole world who could say, "I know who I am 100%." So what we do is try to create a persona for ourselves, seizing anything that we like and have control over and bring it all together to make some vague idea of a personality. It's so easy to look at the sports or activities we do, the grades we get, the people we spend time with, and present that to the world, saying "This is me." I think the reason we're so addicted to things like Facebook and even blogs like this is that it's one little part of our world that we have complete control over. We can control every aspect of the way we present ourselves to the world, and it's easier than actually being with people and running the risk of making a mistake.
I remember a talk I once heard at Snow Camp or the Week. The speaker said that it really is impossible to know who you are and actually have that sort of control over your identity. We, as humans, don't have the power to create ourselves. Instead, we go to our creator to learn about ourselves and who we were created to be. It's logical that the one who made us would know us completely, know everything about us, and we shouldn't go to other people or activities to try to find out who we are, much less try to take control ourselves.
I remember a talk I once heard at Snow Camp or the Week. The speaker said that it really is impossible to know who you are and actually have that sort of control over your identity. We, as humans, don't have the power to create ourselves. Instead, we go to our creator to learn about ourselves and who we were created to be. It's logical that the one who made us would know us completely, know everything about us, and we shouldn't go to other people or activities to try to find out who we are, much less try to take control ourselves.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Learning On My Own
When I took my Calculus test on the last day of finals, I was so exhausted and overflowing with useless last minute information that I completely blanked out and forgot how to do pretty much everything I had learned that semester. I had calculated the day before that I just needed to get over 60% on the final to keep my B, but suddenly that didn't seem like such an easy task. Going from a function to its derivitave to the derivative of the derivative and comparing the graphs of the different derivatives may be second nature to some people, like my dad, but for me, no matter how many times it had been explained by my dad and crazy math teacher (who plays math songs on her accordian and brings in stuffed unicorns to demonstrate problems) I had forgotten how to do it. So I could either sit there and choose random answers (not an option because I could NOT get a C in Math) or try to relearn it all on my own.
I definitely tend to do everything the hard way. When I cook, I follow recipes to every last detail, measuring everything out carefully and cutting things slowly and precisely. It takes me an hour to make a 15 minute meal. Then my mom will come in and tell me that I need to use a liquid measuring cup for liquids (of course) or that I can't put something with a non metal handle in the oven, and I feel like an idiot, but then I remember that the only reason those things are second nature for her is because she's been cooking for years and has figured it out on her own. The truth is, often when people tell you things, it just won't stick- there is just so much information going into your head every day that you can't remember all of it. It's the same with math. You can hear shortcuts explained over and over again, but unless you understand why it works, it's meaningless.
I've learned that sometimes you have to learn things the hard way. I'm the sort of person who doesn't like to go out of my comfort zone. I don't like to stand out, I don't like to take risks. But if I just stand around waiting for other people to tell me what to do, I'll learn nothing in life. I'll never survive if I just depend on everyone else. Today I stupidly touched the handle of a pan that had just been in an oven. I immediately put it under cold water but it still hurts, an hour later. Not that it's something I wouldn't have known if I hadn't tried it, but I'm less likely to make that mistake again, and one step closer to knowing what and what not to do. There's nothing to be gained by waiting around and learning from other people's mistakes- not that there's nothing wrong with learning from teachers and reading books, but that's not life. Life is going out and figuring it out on your own.
I definitely tend to do everything the hard way. When I cook, I follow recipes to every last detail, measuring everything out carefully and cutting things slowly and precisely. It takes me an hour to make a 15 minute meal. Then my mom will come in and tell me that I need to use a liquid measuring cup for liquids (of course) or that I can't put something with a non metal handle in the oven, and I feel like an idiot, but then I remember that the only reason those things are second nature for her is because she's been cooking for years and has figured it out on her own. The truth is, often when people tell you things, it just won't stick- there is just so much information going into your head every day that you can't remember all of it. It's the same with math. You can hear shortcuts explained over and over again, but unless you understand why it works, it's meaningless.
I've learned that sometimes you have to learn things the hard way. I'm the sort of person who doesn't like to go out of my comfort zone. I don't like to stand out, I don't like to take risks. But if I just stand around waiting for other people to tell me what to do, I'll learn nothing in life. I'll never survive if I just depend on everyone else. Today I stupidly touched the handle of a pan that had just been in an oven. I immediately put it under cold water but it still hurts, an hour later. Not that it's something I wouldn't have known if I hadn't tried it, but I'm less likely to make that mistake again, and one step closer to knowing what and what not to do. There's nothing to be gained by waiting around and learning from other people's mistakes- not that there's nothing wrong with learning from teachers and reading books, but that's not life. Life is going out and figuring it out on your own.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)