holy socks

So, lately, almost EVERY pair of socks I put on has a hole on the big toe of my right foot. It's kind of strange...even new ones! Perhaps I am some sort of anatomical anomaly. Whatever it is, it's annoying.

This week is MUCH better than last one. Last week was just nuts - I was a mess. But I am feeling normal again, and for that I am VERY grateful. Thanks to those who were praying - and to James who was ridiculously patient with me falling apart over...well, everything from French toast to medieval English presentations.

Today is a reading day, and tomorrow a writing day, since I have a response paper due on this book tomorrow. Provided our faculty don't strike, since their bargaining deadline is midnight tonight. In that case, I really have no idea what's happening - which is kind of frustrating. The faculty have not addressed the "what if?'s" at all...so I don't know what will happen to the semester. But we can just hope that they can resolve the issue in negotiations today.

It's raining :-D

not snowing!

This is very good. I am very happy about that. I have never been so anti-winter. But this winter has been nuts! I don't even remember what it's like to wear sandals. Or be hot. I vaguely remember reading on the porch, and am looking forward to putting my rocking chair back out there...come, spring!

And I hope our basement doesn't leak (so far so good - but this is our first real thaw, plus the rain...hopefully we don't discover we have a leaky basement).


Speaking of warm weather - what's Prague like in July? Anyone? I have no idea! But I'm REALLY excited about going! The website for the program I'm attending is www.lessinginstitute.com if you want to check out what I'll be doing.

Ok, so, off I go to read. Happy day!

ARGH...wimper

So, apparently I only blog when homework is sending me over the edge...which it is right now. I have now idea how to technologically complete this assignment, which I need to do for my presentation tomorrow, and I'm getting really frustrated. That combined with the fact that I am rather alone, which tends to make me kooky after awhile anyway, is not good right now. I have no idea how to get this done, and I have no one to talk to and I am just really sad and frustrated! Grr!

All of this seems to be happening on the backdrop of some sort of winter blahs or something. I am just generally angry/sad/teary/tired-feeling(despite getting lots of sleep) in the last couple of days. Just winter combined with school stress? Hopefully. Or, as my mother said, "Could it be some kind of mood disorder?" They tend to run in the family. I'm rather opposed to that option. Either way, it's getting in the way of me getting my work done. But I can't seem to get my work done because I just don't know how! ARG!

Um....yeah. That's all for now.

Help, please, smart people?

Ok, so, I'm writing this massive paper in 3 days which is really dumb but I can't change my previous time management decisions. I'm going to post my progresses on here in hopes that some of you fine, learned, thinking people will give me some constructive criticism as I go. My topic is a little abstract and I want to make sure that I am actually communicating effectively what I am trying to say.

so...PLEASE, gimme some feed back. Even if it's as simple as "Yes, that makes sense." if it does. If it doesn't, could you help me pinpoint the areas that could use some tweaking? THANK YOU!

Language is the primary tool for communication among members of the human race. The words available within a linguistic system that serve to represent thoughts and allow them to be transmitted can either limit or expand the ways one is able to conceive of and express ideas, which subsequently shapes the way one speaks, and ultimately how one acts. From that frame of reference, this paper will seek to analyze the linguistic discourse that provides a framework for the discussion and carrying-out of humanitarian activities. We will begin with a discussion of linguistic theory in an attempt to discover what type of relationship exists between words and ideas. Based on those conclusions, we will analyze a number of phrases and terms related to humanitarian activity, beginning with “humanitarian” itself, and then look at the historical conception of the “right to intervene” followed by the modern phrase of preference, the “responsibility to protect”. Close analysis of these phrases will seek to uncover the assumptions that they may carry, and to critique the potential limitations of such language. Finally, this paper will seek to look at the relationship between thought, word and action, by looking how at the current discourse around the responsibility to protect is helping or hindering the cause of humanitarianism in the modern world.

Mardi Gras

mmmm. pancakes. definitely started the day with some of those. I was wondering what the doctrinal foundations of "fat Tuesday" are...I actually have no idea. The pancakes were yummy anyway.
Fat Tuesday of course means tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of Lent. I've decided this year to give up meat, which I think will be really challenging (which is of course the point). I was discussing it with one of my co-workers on the weekend, and one of the guys we support looked at me like I was crazy, pointed to the sausage on my plate, and said "Unh-unh! God MADE that for you!" It was very funny. He didn't want to hear my explanation that I give up something good in an effort to understand what it was like for Christ to give up heaven to come to earth, and then to give up his life to pay the ultimate sacrifice for us.
I feel like I have tons of stuff that i could reflect on today - lots has happened in the past couple of weeks!

I am learning that I have so much, and I need to be thankful for it, as well as a good steward of it. This springs from the awe of a random woman who came in to our home to use the phone at how much we have. It was good for me to see our house through her eyes, especially when it's so easy for me to want more.

I am being reminded of how much I need the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in my life if I am going to be a witness to those around me who aren't walking with Christ. As I've spent some time lately with friends who know what I believe, and grew up hearing the same messages as I did, I've been reminded that unless my life shows the fruit of the Spirit, there's not much else I have that can show them the value of my faith. This in light of the fact that I have been told a number of times in the past few weeks to be kind. My tongue is not all that tame. Sigh.

I am struggling with how to express my dissent with some of the things that fellow believers do and say without tearing down the body. How do I line up "they'll know we are Christians by our love" with my frustration (and anger?) over how Christianity has been represented to my friends who aren't believers. Tough.

I was surprised by myself yesterday. I opened up my computer to do some work in a pretty busy area of campus yesterday, and was suddenly very aware of the piece of tape I have on the top of my screen that says "BY CHRIST & FOR CHRIST". It's there to remind me when school is getting tough and driving me crazy that it is by Christ that I am able to even have access to an education, a brain to think with, and the will power to stick to school, and that the purpose of it all is for Christ - that I can glorify him with the job opportunities that a degree will make possible. Anyway, sitting there, and then again later in class, I was really aware of this sticker on my computer, slightly embarrassed, and almost took it off. I was surprised by my gut reaction.

So. Those are some of my musings over the past little while.
Enjoy your steaks.

this is me, pulling out my hair

metaphorically, of course.
I'm supposed to be writing an online test today for my correspondance course. So, of course, the website this test is on is completely unaccessible right now, taking like, 10 minutes (that's not an exaggeration) for each page to load. Which made my studying and last minute prep this morning take forever, and is now taking forever for me to actually load the test review and test, which is taking up too much time of my day. I have other things to do...but it's kind of hard to do them in between while I wait for pages to load, and so I sit. I'm getting really good at computer pinball.
Really, I haven't much else to say. I was just really bored while waiting for this page to load, and figured I might come up with something interesting...not yet.

Darkness, Quiet and Warmth...

...the three things desired by my husband who came home from work puking. And so, I sit in my completely dark house (no, seriously - there is one tealight flickering in the window - James actually had sunglasses on while sitting in the darkened living room), with nothing to do, as most things I would like to do require light or make noise. I should've convinced him to sleep in the bedroom.
Anyway. So, here I sit with my laptop, as it is a relatively quiet and light-free way of entertaining myself. And, after reading countless other people's blogs, I thought "hmmm...I have one of those". Then I thought "but a lot of these people post really intelligent and interesting and insightful and inspiring things, and I don't have much that is intelligent/interesting/insightful/inspiring to say" but then decided to do it anyway.
So. I'm cold. Unlike James, I am not piled under a duvet. That's not related.
I had a rather productive day of schoolwork. Which is letting me do nothing this evening completely guilt-free. Which is nice. Because Sabbath is important, and really, techinically begins at sundown the night before. Also related to the productive and good day is that my NEW COUCH finally arrived! Yes, that's right, Rachel's Christmas-birthday couch is now in her living room. Which is lovely.
Although, I do kind of have mixed feelings about it. It's really sleek and shiny and new-looking. It changes the whole feel of the living room. It just doesn't have that humble, cottagey feeling to the same extent. And...I still haven't quite figured out how to guiltlessly enjoy luxuries. I'm sure there are ways that my couch money could've been spent that would have done a lot more than make me feel happy and comfortable in my living room. At the same time, I don't think it's wrong to be happy and comfortable in my living room (although, I was able to be happy and comfortable before the new couch - it just didn't look as nice). Anyway. I think as long as there are inequalities in this world it is right to be uncomfortable with luxury. Which also means I need to do something to address the inequalities. Which is also hard.
I'm taking a course on social inequality this semester. It's funny how I can think I am all for equality and the things that are necessary to achieve it, and then I read about a theorist that thinks that as a step toward equality we should end the inheritance of wealth and property and all of a sudden I'm like "WHAT!? That's ludicrous! I'm entitled to my families' stuff...." Which I'm probably not. It was good for me to read that and discover my reaction. Oh stuff. Why do we want more,more,more,more,more....?
Hmm. A song I heard this week comes to mind "With Jesus our only possession/then giving becomes our delight/It's hard to imagine the freedom we find/From the things we leave behind"
Which I can totally attest to from some of my personal experiences.
But it doesn't change the fact that I'm excited about my new couch.
Sigh.

All things new

I am so pumped for this semester. I just looked over all of the syllabi for my courses, plotted out due dates and deadlines on my calendar, and it looks pretty sweet! I only have THREE PAPERS!!! I can hardly believe it! And they're all spaced out quite well. Add that to the fact that I only need to be in Waterloo 3 days a week, and I really like my courses and profs, and it's looking like a pretty sweet semester. Thank God! I couldn't take another one like last fall.

So, school is looking good. Our house is ALSO looking good -finally! We got the living room/dining room done over the holidays. It's so nice to have a finished space to relax and work in! I'm quite excited. It should make getting school work done a LOT easier, not being in chaos. We're having a housewarming party on Saturday. It'll be good to get some people in here!


I like fresh starts. I am resolving to strive for balance this year. No specific resolutions, I'm just going to try to care for myself. So, discipline in my work, protecting my rest, spending time with God, having fun, enough exercise, healthy food, but nothing in extreme. That's the goal.

Here's some pics of the house (and the pets, 'cause they're so cute).