today was a day just like any other..

findingnimah:

11-17-2012

Lately in college, now that we’re all pretty set on what major(s) we will be pursuing, the subject of course load and homework load and units and majors comes up entirely too much.  I find it so annoying when people of certain major complain that their work is harder or more time consuming than others.  And sure, maybe one person’s major has more units than another’s, but guess what? We all got to CHOOSE what we wanted to do! That’s so cool! So instead of thinking that because you are majoring in science and someone else is majoring in English you are in some way better than them! You aren’t!  And just because I am a double major with a minor does not make me more qualified to think I’m better than those people who only have one major and no minor!  Reasons why this should stop.

1. Jesus called each of us to a unique purpose which means that we all can’t be pursuing the ‘hardest’ or biggest major. And that is AWESOME. So just because what Jesus called you to requires more classes than the person who is called to a small major does not make you entitled to brag about your homework load!  

2. Having a lot of homework and studying until 4 AM every day is NOT COOL! It sucks! So stop bragging about it like it’s awesome because having a lot of homework does not make you cool it makes your life pretty miserable.  

3. I think I admire smart people who are pursuing more humble majors than average-intelligence people who are pursuing larger/more work intensive majors.  Because they are being humble to God’s calling for them and setting aside their pride in order to advance His kingdom.  

4. God gave us talents uniquely. So what’s hard for you is easy for others and so difficulty is all relative so lets stop comparing how many hours we spent doing some assignment because in the end we’re all graduating with a degree and that’s pretty cool.  

5. Why can’t we compete in something cool like who can eat the most french fries in the dining hall and not who can stay up the latest studying because eating contests are cool and staying up late is nerdy.  

6. Let’s all just keep our grades and our study habits relatively quiet, and only share them when we can help each other to succeeding in a manner that glorifies God’s kingdom and not the kingdom of (insert your name here).  

Anyways, let’s all just be friends. College is hard and getting here was hard but we are all equally well-qualified to be here so let’s stop hating on each other and making fun of each other because we are all pursuing different majors because if there was only one major we would all be screwed. Amen.  

(Source: sassanasios, via ammster)

“For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future”

I know it’s election season, and although I believe deeply in the liberty we have to exercise our right to vote, I’ve never been one to post my political opinions on social media.  And although the post that follows pertains to something on the ballot, I would say this is more of an ethical issue than a political one.  

On Tuesday at Westmont, a student stood outside of our dining hall with three large posters with graphic images of dead fetuses with bible verses and the phrase ‘abortion is genocide’. This caused a huge controversy at my very small, very Christian, college.  I’d say regardless of whether or not you are pro-life, most people came to the consensus that this young man’s display was neither loving nor edifying to the Kingdom nor the most convincing way to change someone to a pro-life stance.  What his exact motives were, I’m not sure.  But all I know is he did achieve placing on my heart the desire to figure out what exactly I believe is right about this idea.  

I’m not opposed to abortion.  I know that is so “un-Christian” of me, but I think it’s more “un-Christian” to be fake about where my heart lies.  I believe that if I were to stumble into lust somehow and find myself having sex and getting pregnant, especially if it were to happen when I was younger, I would be very tempted to get an abortion.  If I were raped when I was a young girl, I would also be very tempted to get an abortion.  I know this is selfish, but the emotional ostracism I think I would receive, ESPECIALLY in the Church, and the impact this would have on my life in terms of schooling, friends, etc., would be so significant that I wouldn’t want to go through with a pregnancy.  So many times though, I have just said that the “what if’s” don’t apply to me because I have chosen not to have sex until marriage, and therefore I don’t need to develop a concrete opinion on the matter.  

The passage that has been weighing on my heart in regards to this matter is Jeremiah 29:11.  As an affluent Christian, I have always read the passage to mean that God will provide for me in earthly ways.  He will aid me in getting into college, being successful, etc.  My Haitian friends would probably take Jeremiah 29:11 to mean that their hope in the Lord and their future in Him is going to Heaven and spending eternity with the creator of the UNIVERSE! How much better is their interpretation than mine!  

God created the fetuses that were aborted.  But what about being born to a mother who didn’t want her child and who had to be in foster homes or be raised by drug addicts who got pregnant by accident and are keeping their kid so they can get better welfare? Is that a hope and a future and a plan not to harm you?  Don’t fetuses who get aborted go straight to Heaven to be with their loving father who was the one who wanted them in the first place?  I think if we interpret Jeremiah 29:11 as a heavenly hope and future and not an earthly one, going straight to heaven sounds like quite a good deal.  I’m not saying then that we should just abort all fetuses to give them an opportunity to go straight to Heaven, but in the circumstances of fetuses who have been aborted, I don’t believe that God simply just destroyed them also.  I firmly believe that He knew what would happen to them but gave them a hope and a future anyways.  

There are so many factors both in considering how I feel morally and how I feel politically.  I am not very educated in the health effects of the mother or the scientific aspect of it.  I am also not sure if my Christian worldview should be implemented to every woman out there.  Is it even constitutional for us to abolish abortion?  Are we allowed to tell women what they are allowed to do with their bodies?  What are the insurance and tax ramifications of both sides?  

I’m not sure I’ll ever know the answer to this.  Of course I would love every fetus to eventually be born to a loving family who dreamed of their conception and birth for months.  But I don’t think that’s a reality I will see in my lifetime, and until then I just can’t fathom that our loving and sovereign Lord would forget about them in this equation.  I think that Jeremiah 29:11 still applies to them and that they get to experience the riches of His love with all the angels in Heaven one day too.  

I feel like as a young woman (I await the day when referring to myself as such doesn’t sound awkward..in my mind I’m most definitely still a girl), the idea of finding my identity in Christ is constantly being reinforced. I can understand that conceptually but it hasn’t been an idea that is really embedded in my heart.  Until now.  

I realize how when I find my identity in boys, grades, friends, or something else that is imperfect and therefore fluctuates indefinitely, my self-esteem fluctuates equally as drastically.  I find myself conforming and comparing myself to standards of this world.  I’ve watched this phenomena cripple some of my closest friends, and yet I never really thought I could fall victim to this.  

However I have.  And I am sure I will time and time again, but for now I will find my joy and self-worth in Christ alone and not in imperfect creations that will always disappoint me.  

Day after day, chapel speakers are drilling into my head the idea of “community”.  Of course they are, this is Westmont, and Westmont loves community.  Also, it’s the beginning of the year, so we therefore must teach/refresh the minds of students as to what a community should look like: not just as a Westmont student but as a small faction of God’s kingdom here on earth.  

Although I could pull out dozens of key points all these various chapel speakers are making, the ones that resonate with me most are how we should extend forgiveness to others, to love unconditionally, and to accept brokenness (that in ourselves and within others).  And, yes, these ideas could be applied to practically every human relationship in my life, but your name alone is the one that pierces through the rest.  But I’m scared to talk to you, to try to clear the air.  I don’t think I’m ready, seeing you makes me nervous, I could think of a thousand excuses.  And whether legitimate or not, these excuses are real in my head and until by God’s grace I can overcome them (if this is His will at all), I doubt I will feel settled amidst the tension in the air between us.  

But the funny thing is that you’re in the very same room as me hearing all these same speakers preaching all these same messages.  I know you’re aware of my presence just a few aisles over.  I’m not sure it makes you as anxious as it does me, but I also know you’re incredibly perceptive and you do feel some awkwardness, to say the least.  But is it my name in your head that lingers when you hear these words calling us towards forgiveness and acceptance? And if yes, what are you going to do about it? 

Disclaimer: yeah okay this bothers me a little but i’m not obsessive over it.  I just prefer to not have to avoid you around this campus and it’d be nice to be able to just wave at you when I see you instead of pick out the most interesting freckle on my feet to stare at. 

especially when your school does everything together.

and there’s 1500 students. 

(Source: collegeproblems)

(Source: coloredmondays, via notthebrightestcrayoninthebox)

Isn’t it weird how there are some conversations that you have had with people that you can recall word for word?

This was almost a year and a half ago. I can remember everything you said and did and even what I was wearing and even though it was so hard and so sad I also think it was one of the best moments ever.

Thanks to you for treating me like a princess when I gave you SO many reasons not to.

Megan Fate Marshman