Some Vague Thoughts on My Thoughts

A lot of the things I’ve been mulling over recently aren’t very easily blogged about. Thus, my absence in the world of blogging has been protracted, perhaps to the chagrin of very few. However, yesterday Blogger finally allowed me to update my blog to the “new” Blogger, and I found this kind of exciting. I can now include news feeds, photos, and text in the left margin of my blog; this allows for a great deal of fun to be had. Admittedly, I’m slightly disappointed that the few things I’ve learned about HTML will no longer be of use, but I suppose I can still italicize words in comments. I suspect that this entry will be relatively condensed, as I’m currently in the middle of watching the Golden Globes and have some homework to slog through later tonight. In short, 2007 has been kind to me in the two weeks that we’ve known each other, and I have a good feeling about where it’s taking me. My family returned from our skiing bonanza (which was stupendously relaxing and enjoyable) shortly before school started, and since then, I’ve loved my courses and profs this term. I’m taking two bio classes and two psych courses, with one of each being evolutionary in their survey of life. I find the idea of evolution fascinating and complex, and relish the opportunity to reconcile science with my faith. Besides my science courses, I’m taking my beloved poli sci again, and I’m happy to be reunited with the world of politics once again. In truth, part of my gratification from taking poli sci is due to the pure entertainment value offered by my right-wing classmates. About 85% of any given poli sci class is bound to be quite “liberal,” but those who aren’t so leftwardly-inclined never shy away from saying absurd things that consistently amuse and amaze. I realize that I’m biased in my comparison of right-wing and left-wing students, but the arguments of the former group are objectively ludicrous and patently self-motivated. Research has proven that people who favour limited social programs and conservative governments are significantly less intelligent than others, and typically have authoritarian personalities; this is all too clear in Poli Sci 220. It’s kind of terrible for me to find people’s political views so funny, but it’s basically like watching Michael Scott, Lucille Bluth, and Stephen Colbert all at once.



As alluded to earlier, I’ve been going through a “thinking phase” as of late; I typically think a great deal, and often prefer thinking to talking, but sometimes I have cause to think especially intensely. It is nearly impossible to describe how I think, but I’ll endeavour to explain myself. Jess and I were at a Breakforth workshop last year that outlined the circular process of actively seeking the Kingdom of Heaven and having a time of rest. The speakers (who were charmingly British) described the necessity of occasionally gaining some distance, reassessing where you’re at, and indulging in a true time of Sabbath. This is basically the place I feel I’ve been at for the past while, and I like it, despite how uncertain thinking so much makes me feel. There are probably about 50 different things I’ve been pondering recently, and it’s hard to incorporate them all into my brain at once. From a developmental psych perspective, one learns new information by either assimilating it into what they already believe, or by accommodating what they believe so that the new information can fit. It takes me some time to decide which of my beliefs need to be changed in order to accommodate newly-learned tidbits, and what fits with what I’m coming to understand. This is a terrible explanation of my “thinking phases,” but I suppose that it’s pretty much impossible to be au fait with someone else’s consciousness. At any rate, God’s had lots to share with me lately, and I’ve had lots to share with Him, and it’s tiring, and encouraging, and tricky.

After some going through Matthew and Luke recently, and reading Rob Bell’s Velvet Elvis, I've felt encouraged to pursue those things that I feel most passionate about, but to pursue them differently in some regards. I often see things differently than a lot of Christians, so to stumble upon someone else who understands where I’m coming from, and explains my deeply felt desires for the church so eloquently gives me a sense of peace and affinity. I know it’s funny to mock the fact that I believe in what many would term a “liberal” view of equality and compassion, but these are things that my heart aches to see. I long for God’s people to love each other wholeheartedly, and for His creation to be appreciated and enjoyed. I wish that the church could share the Good News rather than so often preaching the “Bad News.” I yearn for a time when we’ll see each other as God sees us, and will renege our competitive natures. I wish for everyone to know God’s truth, and want Him to be exalted. Rob Bell gets this, and puts it in a way that rings so-very true. The book covers so much territory that I’m not sure that I can properly encapsulate it in a few words, but it makes me newly excited to do “Kingdom things” as Joyce Heron would put it. I won’t say much more about the book, because I’ve been confusing enough in the past few sentences, but will thoroughly recommend that you read it. I cried profusely over the last 5 pages because I felt such a strong sense of hope for the church. When a book makes me cry, it's clearly compelling. Don't worry, you probably won't cry as well; I like crying a bit more than most people. As I sense that this entry is becoming increasingly nonspecific and unclear, I think it’s time to return to admiring dresses and cheering for Grey’s Anatomy and Helen Mirren. It takes much less lucidity to admire the grace and modesty of Renée Zellweger whilst eating cottage cheese and scones.

The Highlights of Ringing in the New Year
- Crystal kicking Rob's Vans directly into Matt's face (this was THE MOST INCREDIBLE MOMENT EVER)
- hearing a very muffled radio countdown to 2007 in Jordan's van
- Matt C. acting out "jaywalking" in Cranium
- attempts by the guys to semi-snowboard down Connor's on crazy carpets
- cheating successfully to win Cranium
- Ashlee's party hats and noise-makers
- Jill's pink snowpants
- ringing in the new year with 007 (Jeremy's splendid idea)
- Matt singing "Auld Sang Lyne" for several measures of the song
- realizing that Gold Finger wasn't quite as frightening as I remembered it
- Zoe Deschanel in Winter's Passing
- having my -40°C MEC coat to endure the the temperature of the guys' house (Mike aptly describes the basement as a dungeon)
- the fact that there actually were fireworks despite us not seeing them (see! I’m not entirely insane!)























Words from a Right-Wing President
- “Families is where our nation finds hope, where our wings take dream.”
- “I think we all agree, the past is over.”
- “This is still a dangerous world. It’s a world of madmen and uncertainty and potential mental losses.”
- “Put food on your family!”
- “Rarely is the question asked, ‘Is our children learning?’”
- “Will the highways of the Internet become more few?”
- “How many hands have I shaked?”
- “Vulcanize society!”
- “They misunderestimate me.”
- “I am a pitbull on the pantleg of opportunity.”
- “Knock down the tollbooth!”
- “Make the pie higher! Make the pie higher!”
- “I know that the human being and the fish can coexist.”