I don't know if I've written this before....but...

1 Corinthians 10:13 - There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

I reread that verse this past Monday as I was thinking "Why do I have my particular weaknesses?" I know everyone is unique in their circumstances and if we were to throw all our trials into a pile and pick which ones we want we'd probably pick our own. But the first part of this verse says that everyone goes through similar things and the temptations we have are common to everyone. Summed up perfectly by Lights "the way you feel is something everybody goes through", but though we feel similar feelings the thing that makes us feel that way is different for everybody.

i think the verse after is essential. As is with everything in the Gospel ACTION must follow FAITH, and so Paul write in verse 14 "Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry" (italics added). Some people wonder "Well, how come I keep falling yielding to temptation and feeling so weak when God won't let us be tempted more than we can resist?"

One reason is that we constantly walk at the edge of the cliff. Sooner or later you will fall. And even then God probably can't catch you. We need to do our part and stay away as much as we can because "I, the Lord am bound when ye do what i say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise" (D&C 82:10).

Influential People Part 2

continuing from the last post...

And then of course, every date I've ever been on I've learned something from that person. i don't know if I've ever had a bad date. Hopefully I didn't jinx it.

And finally, of course, we have LIGHTS. She surprises me every now and then in the wisdom she displays proving that she is not just another carbon-copy musician. There are times when I even find her inspirational. Her message seems to be a constant one of "find who you are and be happy with yourself", and her life is a constant example of that. There are times in an interview where she starts talking about WoW or really (like really) nerdy stuff (for example, one time she said "RL" instead of "real life" during an interview XD) that makes me kinda cringe thinking, "oh Lights, you just revealed how much of a geek and weirdo you really are". But she doesn't seem to care and you would think she's either too airheaded or innocently oblivious to all this until you come to hear her talk about her past or when she gives advice to people. Things like "it's not cool to be popular" or "honestly, if you don't fit in, you're doing something right". And when you really get to know her you realize that all this was born out of a somewhat tragic high school experience.

So yeah, she smiles way too much, she laughs way too much, her inner kid reveals itself a little way too much, but maybe that's why we love her, because she reminds us that it IS possible to be yourself with a sincere unconcern in feeling you need to be what the world wants you to be.

Influential People part 1

I was thinking the other day how much other people have changed my life, or changed how I viewed myself or life. For example, of course my parents figure prominently into this. My dad has always taught me to not do things half-heartedly. If I was going to do something I should complete it. As crazy as it sounds, it is now only beginning to dawn on me what this means. But I've also learned from him in other indirect ways. He always seems so confident of himself and assertive. When he wants to know something he doesn't hesitate to ask even, at times, to my own embarrassment. He will not stop pursuing something until he knows what he wants to do know and, if he's making a decision, until he exhausts all his options.

Just this past break we went to Wal-Mart to check out my tires. He didn't think anything of it to just stroll into the garage and start asking everyone about things as if he was king of the place. Some guys were on their lunch breaks, and this one older gentleman was working on another car and my dad went in and started asking him questions. I was like "um...they're on their lunch breaks..." but I should have known my dad doesn't really listen to what I have to say if he has something he wants to do in mind. Thankfully, the older guys were more than courteous enough to answer his questions.

I'm not sure if it's because my dad is a little clueless to what's going on or if he thinks everyone is created to serve him, but I do wonder sometimes what he thinks others think of him. He doesn't seem to care at all (sometimes to a negative effect such as when he started cussing out this store owner in Florida, LOL). He's not afraid to go after what he wants.

Feminism

My thoughts and opinions of a certain kind of feminism:

I've had a thought forming since last spring and feel now that it is developed enough to write. I'm a bit appalled at the feminist movement whose mission seems to be the degradation of household chores and traditionally feminine roles in the home. Why not, dare I suggest, flip it around and contend that instead of females needing to be more like males that males need to be more like females? Or, more specifically, why not insist that males do more household chores and assume more tasks traditionally assigned to women? Why am I so appalled?

"It is well established among us that you may hold up your head in polite society with a public lie in your mouth or other people's money in your pocket or innocent blood on your hands, but not with dishwater on your hands or mud on your shoes" (The Hidden Wound, Wendell Berry, 13).

You see, the basic root of the problem, viewed in this particular way, is not sexism at all. It is the basic assumption that somehow, traditionally feminist roles are inferior, and when attached to a woman, somehow then makes that woman inferior. It is the role when attached to the woman through generations of tradition that has made the woman inferior. It's not even the actual task that is considered inferior, but the social stigma and meaning attached to it that makes it inferior in people's minds. Those tasks are NOT inherently inferior, but they have come to have that connotation because of society. The danger then becomes:

"When a nation determines that the work of providing and caretaking is 'nigger work' or work for 'hillbillies' or 'rednecks' - that is, fundamental, necessary, inescapable, and inferior - then it has implanted in its own soul the infection of ruin" (113).

It is not a problem of sex, gender, or race. At this point it becomes the thought implanted in some people that certain kinds of people are exempt from certain kinds of work, and because of this thought that somehow those who are exempt from lower status work are superior. It is why racism did not bring about slavery of the blacks, but rather slavery birthed racism towards the blacks. Unable to bring their Christian consciousness and words in line with their deeds, these slaver owners used racism as a justification for enslaving humans who were, by faith, their equals and their brothers and sisters (this may be why verses in the scripture talking about following their faith with actions rings hollow and are explained away in some Christian churches). Whites felt exempt from work performed by the blacks, and feeling superior, naturally came to see the blacks as inferior. What started out as a form of cheap labor evolved into a school of thought that justified slavery.

Back in the beginnings of humanity, males traditionally hunted for food, while females gathered. It was the maximization of the strengths of the two genders. Somewhere in our history, female roles became delegated as secondary, less important, but necessary work and became looked down upon. This elevated the status of the male.

And this line of thought in comparison with that of the line of thought to feminism is absolutely ridiculous especially in a time and age where there is a sense of entitlement and growing rifts in class and growing feelings of superiority. Ironically, the aim and any subsequent success of the above brand of feminism is not solving the problem of sexism (or racism, or classism), but is succession into converting the movement into the ideals of traditional white male ruled, classic capitalistic society.

200th post

So it's my 200th post. YAy.

This Timed Semester

Oh man, this semester is gonna kill. All 5 classes are complete heavyweights, plus 18 hours of work (including two very early morning shifts), and I still want to exercise as much as I can. Kill me slowly...btw, how come I always make friends in the classes I intend to drop? haha.

Student: Are the exams timed?

Teacher: Yes. You have 2-3 days. Does that sound reasonable?

Student: Yes.

Teacher: Of course, the semester is timed too. You got about 4 months to complete it.

Dang... did anyone else realize that? It's a 4 month timed exam....

Things I've learned over the break:

- how to insert a graphics and some more basic stuff about computers

- tires, snow chains

- how furnaces work

Yeah. Random stuff. Speaking of furnaces. Ours isn't working too great, so this guy named Ted came over to look at it. And while he was here we started talking about the Gospel and it was great to hear his optimism despite his children's unfortunate circumstances. It was good to hear his testimony and to share that even though he was just a guy that came over to look at our furnace.

Awkward moment #1506, first of the semester:

I was walking and saw this girl who I thought looked like Cheryl. And since cheryl never comes onto campus I was so excited that I turned around and waved. Unfortunately, it wasn't Cheryl. Just a girl who looks incredibly like her. So she stood there confused. I just put down by arm, turned back around, and continued walking like nothing happened.

hahaha. yeah.

2011

LISTENING TO: Club Can't Handle Me by Flor Rida

winter's left a cover....

Haven't made my new years' resolutions yet. still having them form in my mind, and church today especially helped. I think my emphasis this year will be enhancing and improving everything from last year. For example, I want to fast every fast Sunday (something I've started not doing as much), and I want to start memorizing scriptures again. I also want to write in my journal at least once a week (on top of this blog and a tumblr which I'm probably gonna create soon). Things like that, where they were implied or possible last year, but never mentioned.

The New Year so far as been awesome. Went to a wedding reception turned dance on New Year's Eve. It was fun because it felt like a private event and we were all wearing formal clothing, but at the same time, dancing very actively. haha. I didn't know anyone there except my friend who invited me. Towards the end, when there weren't that many people there we ended up dancing all over the place instead of just the space cleared as a dance floor. It was cool to just be able to let go with a bunch of strangers. Though I did meet this one girl from Luthebridge. She was pretty cool, and at the end of it all she wanted some of the flowers from the tables. I ended up asking the groom's father if I could have some of the roses and gave them to her. One of the least expected, yet satisfying things I've done in awhile. I'll never see this girl again, and I don't even know if she'd want flowers without a vase, but hey, it's the thought that counts right?

Today was a good sunday. Went up and bore my testimony. I think it's been months since I've done that. Kinda sad really. Then home taught my awesome home teachee. Then I went to the airport to pick up Miranda and hung out with her at her place until about 10:30. Her and her roommate are some of the coolest girls I know. haha. Miranda has the funniest comments at the most interesting times. I'll have to remember them sometime and quote them.

So so far, 2011 has been bomb.