What I Wish People Would Understand

Actually, there are a lot of things, but this one is about me right now...

Yes, I am going to school in California next week. And you all respond the same way: like I should be more excited about California than about school; that school is secondary to the joy of the location, and it's really just an excuse for a little vacation.

Listen to me, people:

1. I will be in classes from 8:30 - 12:30 and then from 1:30 - 5:30. After that there's homework. This is not some vacation on the beach type of trip. Yes, there will be time to relax but not to do all the touristy stuff you all think I'm going to do and recommend that I do. It's school, people. It means work.
2. I don't mind the work. I have waited for 16 years to go to Bible college and now I get to go and I plan to take advantage of every bit of learning I can get.
3. I don't like heat. I am happiest when it's in the mid-20's. Right now in Santa Clarita it's in the 30's. This is very hot to this northerner. I do not function well when it's very hot. I find it very tiring.
4. I did not choose the school for its location. I chose it for its teachings and for the program.

Okay, I feel better now. I know there will still be people who have already made up their minds about how this is really a vacation and I'll spend more time on the beaches than in class. That, they think, is what they would do, and they certainly don't believe me when I try to explain any of the above (if they even listen). I think that they are judging me based on what they would do. Me, I am counting down the days until I can finally be at school.

(4 days until I leave)

Stuff

Where did all the stuff come from???? I've been sorting through stuff; my landlady's daughter is having a garage sale next weekend and anything I don't want (or don't want to pack) that ends up in the garage will get sold. It's good to get rid of stuff, but ten boxes of books and stuff and two garbage bags of clothes (and I'm not quite done the sorting or the big bookcase) is a lot of stuff that I don't need or want but own anyway.

It's got me thinking. What is with this need to accumulate stuff? Why do I shop? It's not because I need stuff (well, not always) or I wouldn't be able to get rid of so much of it. There's some part of me that wants to own stuff. It's the joy of ownership but it doesn't last, and I end up buying more stuff. It's not good. I need to learn to be content with what I already have.

Just to keep life interesting...

I've decided that I don't have enough on my plate now. School and works and church stuff just aren't taking up enough of my time. Or they've just caused me to lose my mind. Anyway, next month, after I get back from school, I'm moving.

(To my family: this counts as telling you, okay? And I'm not leaving Edmonton.)

I have friends who have a little condo that they want to rent and they offered me first dibs. I like it, I like the location, and I'm ready to move.

If you're looking me, I'll be sleeping, studying, or packing. Or possibly trying to decide how to add even more stress to my life!

To continue...

On the church letting people down:

It isn't always the church. I know parents who won't take a firm stand, who like the words "some people believe..." rather than simply "the Bible says... ." They make God soft and Scripture flexible. Then they wonder why their children question or wander away from the church or doubt everything. They blame the church for not meeting the needs of the young people.

Might it be because the parents haven't given their children anything solid? They are brought up on soft belief and it won't hold up under pressure.

The Church

I'm overhearing a conversation right now about how the church has let/is letting young people down. The church needs to change with the times and offer things that young people want: less theology, less doctrine, more "meeting their needs" and gatherings; it needs to be more interesting for the young people. It needs to be more "where they're at" (I'm not sure what that means).

I go to a reformed Baptist church. Our "worship band" is a keyboard and sometimes a flute with a couple people leading music. They just stand there and sing; no dancing there. There's scripture reading and expository sermons. We sit in rows and listen to the preacher who preaches with authority. All of our 'programs' consist of Sunday School, Children's Church, Youth Group, and a couple mid-week Bible Studies. All of them focus on the Bible and truth. I think it would be labeled "boring" by those who are having the converstation. I don't think they would approve. There should be more "freedom in worship" and more "relevant" activities and things to attract people.

So perhaps you can explain why people keep coming, including young couples with small children or teenagers; they are exactly the people who should be looking for something else, something with better programs and exciting worship and less doctrine.

Interesting fact: some of the people in that conversation don't quite believe everything I say about my church. They have trouble believing that the pastor talks about sin and that the sermons don't leave people "feeling good" and that the pastor is older because if all this was true, young people simply wouldn't come and I could not like it as much as I do. It doesn't compute in their minds.

What I'm Reading

I've finished The Truth War by John MacArthur. It took a while to finish because it was very deep stuff and it took a lot of thought.

One thing that stood out was the need to learn from history; this has come up in other books as well. There are all sorts of ideas and beliefs floating around and they're often spoken of as being some sort of new revelation, but many of them have been around on and off (and proven false) since the early days of Christianity.

The other thing is to know the truth and to be willing to stand up for it. It's easier to let things slide or simply to keep silent about topics that I know will upset people or lead to confrontation (and accusations of narrow-mindedness or insistance that one view is just as valid as another or whatever refusal to listen technique they throw at me).

Yeah, so go read the book.

This One's Really for Patty

I present to you: Monkey Bread

Start with:

1 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 pkg (1 tbsp) yeast

In a large bowl, disolve the sugar in water and sprinkle the yeast on top; let it stand for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile scald:

1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter

until the butter is melted; cool to luke warm. Mix the yeast briskly with a fork and add the milk/butter. To this add:

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs, beaten
3 cups all-purpose flour

Beat well. Gradually add more flour (up to another 2 1/2 cups, but not necessarily that much) to make a soft dough. Knead it well and place it in a greased bowl, turning the bread to grease the top as well. Let the bread rise until doubled (about 1-1 1/2 hours).

Punch down the dough and roll it out to about 1/2" thickness. Cut it into 2" squares (more or less; it doesn't matter if it isn't perfect). Melt 1/2 cup butter and dip squares into the butter; arrange them in a 10" (4 L) tube pan. Cover and let it rise again until doubled (about 1 hour).

Cook at 375 for 45 minutes.

Rip pieces off and enjoy!