bicycles + romance

I'm biking through Princeton, tomorrow!  What is it about bicycles/biking that conjures up fuzzy images of romance & happenstance?  Me thinks I've been watching too many Korean dramas.

The praise of a soul

As with most books, I've tried to finish this book on numerous occasions throughout the years-- only to read part-way through and then give up again. In the past, I couldn't really understand why 'Confessions' was such a popular and lauded book, but I think I'm beginning to realize why so many people have been drawn to it.

According to the Preface, 'Confessions' is "technically not an autobiography or memoir but a confiteri--the praise of a soul."

It sounds cheesy, but I'm really astounded at the depth of Augustine's understanding, knowledge and love for God. He wrote an entire book devoted to praising God, for pete's sake! I feel so ashamed, to think of the countless times I fumble to utter even one word of thanks to God; days when I choose sleep or comfort over prayer; and many more times when I take for granted the privilege of knowing and calling Him intimately, by name...

Abba,
Father.

If I had a 'spiritual' mirror, would it reflect the "praise of a soul"?-- or would it reflect something ugly and full of gall? I'm afraid that more times than not, it's the latter.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"See how feebly the soul limps along unless it is planted in solid truth."

"What am I to You that You demand my love and care enough to be angry and threaten me with grievous woes if I don't give it? It is no small woe if I do not love You.
Oh, have mercy on me and tell me, O Lord my God, what You are to me. Say to my soul, 'I am your salvation.'

Behold, Lord my heart lies exposed before You. Open the ears of that heart and say to my soul, 'I am your salvation.'

After You have spoken, allow me to quickly graps You."

- St. Augustine

Real Faith

18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."[d] 19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead.

20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

22This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

(Romans 4)

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My faith is really being stretched these days...in the sense that I'm realizing just how little I have of it. If faith "as small as a mustard seed" can move mountains, then my faith must be the size of a miniscule dot...it might as well be non-existent.

23" 'If you can'?" said Jesus.

"Everything is possible for him who believes."
24Immediately the boy's father exclaimed,

"I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

(Mark 9)

Slavery today

FACT: The U.S. government abolished slavery in 1865, as a result of the Civil War.

FICTION: Slavery has ceased to exist.


FACT: Human Trafficking is modern slavery. According to the US Department of State, "An estimated 800,000 men, women, and children are trafficked across international borders each year. Millions more are trafficked within their own national borders for a variety of purposes, including forced labor, bonded labor, sexual servitude, and involuntary servitude."

FICTION: Slavery/trafficking does not occur in the U.S.

FACT: "Each year, an estimated 14,500 to 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States. The number of U.S. citizens trafficked within the country each year is even higher, with an estimated 200,000 American children at risk for trafficking into the sex industry." (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/ncvrw/2005/pg5l.html)

FICTION: Only poor, ignorant, and non-educated people engage in trafficking/ labor & sexual exploitation.


FACT: A handful of U.S. trafficking victims have suffered abuses at the hands of diplomats.

"Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused..."

(Exodus 20:22-24)

"learn to do right!

Seek justice,

encourage the oppressed.

Defend the cause of the fatherless,

plead the case of the widow."

(Isaiah 1:17)

aint no mountain high enough

this picture was taken towards the end of a month-long mission trip to Tanzania (June 2007).

at this point, my team members and i had finally reached our destination (not the apex of the mountain, but still a good 2-3 hours woth of trail)...at a random waterfall somewhere on a mountain, in the middle of Tanzania. i've never experienced anything like it!...it was like one of those movie scenes...with our very own native tour guide, leading the way with a machete, chopping down unruly branches and paving a path along our way.

i remember how miserable i was throughout the whole hike up...and how i kept imagining myself back at the missionary's home, away from the heat, the discomfort, and the seeming unknown.

i also remember how shocked all my teammates were, seeing me, the most unathletic and "spoiled" of the bunch, trek so fast up AND down the mountain, w/o so much as a word. (they had no idea that the only reason why i was so focused & rushed, was because i just wanted to get the heck out of there. haha).

but as miserable as i felt at the time, i look back on this experienc with a sense of pride and fondness. it's funny, actually, because we all look so happy in this picture-- you'd have no idea that we'd all just been cursing under our breathes, just moments before.

....

i guess that's life for ya-- nothing worth waiting or striving for comes easy. (child-birth, for example. as painful as childbirth is, i heard that the moment the child is born, the mother releases a hormone that causes her to instantly forget all the pain and only focus on the joy-- hence, a woman's willingness to bear more than one child).

without the sweat, the pain, and the heartache...the end product would be worthless, rather than priceless.

i know it's easier said in restrospect, but i can't help but agree that...

every hurdle, every obstacle and every "mountain" in life is well-worth climbing. :)

preach it, Marvin Gaye!
haha!

justice = love

A call to LOVE:

"You can't LEAD the people, if you don't LOVE the people.

You can't SAVE the people, if you don't SERVE the people."

- Dr. Cornel West

Consider This (courtesy of Jefferson Lee):

girl interrupted in her music

Vermeer's Girl Interrupted In Her Music is the inspiration for this blog. I don't know why or how, but I somehow stumbled upon this painting ...and it struck a chord with me.

AN ENGIMA: you can't really tell if the girl is looking at a letter or a piece of music; or whether the man is her lover or her teacher. A GLIMPSE: i like that she's looking at you--makes you wonder what she's thinking about or doing for that matter; and with that, you get a "glimpse" into her eyes (thoughts), before she goes back to whatever she was doing. ON LOVE & PASSION: look behind her and you'll notice a painting of Cupid, which is of ocourse, symbolic of love/passion--and all that jazz.

As for this blog, I don't intend to share my "deepest, darkest" secrets, but thought that this might be a good way to get back into an old-past-time of mine (journaling/writing)...and perhaps share some whimsical +/or meaningful insights and anecdotes along the way :)

AN ENIGMA(?): I like to think that I have a mysterious and even mischevious side to me.  A GLIMPSE: so i suppose this blog, like the Vermeer painting, can act as a sort of "glimpse" into my life & thoughts--regardless of how nonsensical or inconsequentional they seem. (*aftert thought: ha! I'm reading this over, and I can't get over how cheesy I sound). ON LOVE & PASSION: lately, I've been thinking a lot more about my life's passion/purpose, and the faith/conviction that drive it. it's difficult to describe, but I think St. Augustine summaraizes it perfectly:

"For You, who love souls far more purely than we and feel a perfect pity for others, are wounded, yet without sorrow.

How can we be like You in this?"

happy reading! :)

p.s. comments are encouraged. don't be a stalker!