Each spring my family makes Maple Syrup from our trees in the back woods. This year, as usual, I'm giving some away as gifts and I decided it's time to make a proper label. Here are a few of the ones I've whipped up...

The Gospel and the Plow

For my Missions in the 21st Century course I am doing a presentation of Agricultural Missions. I just read the following excerpt from a book on the topic and found it to be not only interesting, but also relevant to how I currently feel and my interest in missions.

I went to India having specialized in philosophy an hoping to be an evangelist. I ded up by being a missionary farmer. I have had friends tell me they could not see why I am interested in the things in which I am interested. They ask what plows, harrows, tractors, silos, threshing machines, and better cattle have to do with the evangelization of India. Bulletins upon the use of manure and silage are good, but what is their value as missionary tracts?

I am accused of having lost my first love and of having grown cold, of having become a materialist, and of having lost my aspirations, of being indifferent to spiritual and eternal things, of caring only for the things of time and sense, te things that shall pass away, that are not eternal.

I realize that I am living this life only once, that if I make a mistake with it, there is no chance to come back again and do the thing right. I understand that the Will of God is the supreme things for my life, the only thing that really matters. It is not whether I am a missionary that matters, or not a missionary, but wherever I live and whatever I do, God’s Will is first, the controlling factor the determines the whole of my life. Further, I am not afraid of His Will. Trying to obey it has led me to do some things I would not have done on my own initiative. But I have always found that His will has been infinitely larger and better than my own will for my life. When choosing my own course for myself I have made so many mistakes, missed the way so often, that I gladly turn over the guidance of my life to His Will and trust fully. Should I for any reason whatsoever fail to do His Will with my life, I should consider that the greatest possible tragedy. I am anxious to do His Will as soon as I see it. There is often great difficulty to know what His Will is.

Sam Higginbottom – “The Gospel and the Plow” - 1921

Fish Tank Fiasco

For some reason today I've been in a really silly mood. Perhaps it started with the big fish tank fiasco.

So after every Bethel Wind Symphony concert the band goes to someones place and has a "throwdown" party with games, snacks, and such. Livia is the "Social Chairperson" for the band so we're having it here tonight. We were cleaning the living room and re-arranging some furniture. One of which was the "chair/endtable" that holds the fish tank. Though a series of mishaps while I was trying to clean the tank/lower the water level so I could move it I spill on the floor. In order to dry that up I decide to move said chair/table so the carpet can dry. As I'm sliding the table over Livia jokes that I'm probably going to spil more water by trying to move it and what do you know...in the process I disconnect the pump on the filter which was still plugged in. Water gushes onto the floor. I think in the end I spilled about a gallon of water all over the carpet. It was hilarious, but I think it was also one of those times when you had to be there.

After dinner my roomies and I return. I was in a silly mood and these quotes are a result.

Me: "I can't wait to wash clothes tomorrow. After two weeks all your favorite things start to run out. I love washing clothes, its like Christmas!" (Refering to how great it is to be folding laundry and find a shirt I forgot I even owned because it's been in the laundry so long).

Less than 2 minutes after this declaration I stumbled upon another hilarious moment.

Livia was putting out snacks for the Band Throwdown. Megan, who was in the middle of getting ready, walks by commenting...

Megan: "Oh, I'll have one of those, and I'd like a piece of that..."
Livia (to Megan): "If there are any cookies or kit-kat's let over they're yours."
Me (overhearing from the closet): "What are the rest of us...sliced ham?"
At this moment I realized something I just said didn't sound right.
Me: "Wait what's that phrase again? Oh yeah! Chopped Liver!"

Alpha the Beta Fish

One of my roommates in going to be a math teacher and is currently observing in a local school. Today she had this wonderful little story to share:

Sometime in the course of the lecture a student speaks up in class and the following progression occurs.
Student - "I just got a beta fish over the weekend and I decided to name it Alpha"
Teacher - "Hmmm interesting. A beta fish named Alpha"
Roommate (when retelling the story) - "The student obviously didn't know or get that Beta is also a Greek letter, but it's obviously he named his fish Alpha because of the class and the fact that the letter/symbol looks like a fish."

Looking Ahead

I know this year is going to be a crazy one. We finish up RA training tomorrow, and if there's only one thing I've learned this week...it's how different this year is going to be than what I expected. There are things an RA does I never even thought about, and in all honesty have no idea how to deal with. All I can do is surrender this year to God's hand and constantly pray He will work through me. I can't do it. There is not a single chance I can do anything to help a resident in any of these situations we've been training for. I pray that God may be glorified through this year and that I may be a humble servant. I pray that God will bind us together as a staff, as a community, and as individuals for his purposes. I'm so excited for my roommates and the amazing times we are going to have this year along with the support they will bring. One of them texted me this verse today. It perfectly exemplifies how I feel about this year and the attitude I'm striving to posses.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

9But 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. 10That 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.

Flashback to 2005

"Never like guys in your whole life until you are like 25, because if you like a guy at your junior homecoming you will forever remember that day as the dance that was ruined because of him. Plus things get awkward and you just don't need any of the headache and heartache and bellyache and other aches that liking a guy brings. Even if he is a great guy like (names exerted for privacy) or a guy you know or a guy you don't know or a hot 24 music guy who plays guitar and sings and wants to be a pastor and is cool looking or cute or whatever. Just don't like STINKY BOYS!!!!!!!!"

- A quote from a story I wrote about my Homecoming 2005

My Hero Of Today

I stumbled across this designer today. I not only LOVE her dresses I am also her newest fan. She grew up in New Zealand, currently lives in England, is an organic gardener, a nature girl, and shares my taste in fashion.

http://www.lynashworth.co.uk/