i want to learn how to take really awesome pictures. i think i need a new camera to do that. it's crazy how fast technology changes these days. my camera is really only 2-3 years old, but it's outdated in comparison to stuff out there now. it's also kind of bulky. oh well. i have my whole life to learn.

i'm in a funny mood tonight. i'm also really tired, which can attribute to part of it. me and my biochem class went out for drinks last night. needless to say, i was hungover this morning. we had so much fun! it was much needed after a long week.

my computer is acting up. it needs to calm down.

i saw relient k in concert on wednesday. it was amazing, and i was really close to the stage. they didn't have barricades, and the stage was 2 people away. it was pretty incredible. they are amazing. the end.

ugh. i would love to go to bed. maybe after the end of juno. alas...i have to be up at freakin' 4:45 in the morning. do you know how ridiculous that is? i do.

til later. . .

I've decided to start posting things we talk about in church and whatnot on here, because i feel its important to write down, and document. i mean, i write it in my journal, but this is easy access.

There was a song called after the last tear falls that went "after the last tear falls-there is love". it was beautiful, and so true in every sense of the phrase. i loved it. i nearly cried. anyway. the scripture was from John 20:19-23. we talked about missions. he said that we are fed up with what we see at home, which is often times why we pursue overseas mission work.

"practical tips on how to realize God's potential for our lives"
1. Quit Hating. As a culture, we tend to hate those on the otherside. our mind is powerful --when people bring up thins, it irks us--it's about how we react. we need to quit speaking poorly about others.
2. Put yourself in their shoes-Christians love their enemies. we need to be continuously thinking about how they see the world. when this happens, we will hear something different, and see that real people care about something.
3. Seek God's mystery and knowledge-God is above us. we can seek him, but there's always something mysterious. for every answer, we find another question. and for all of these questions and answers, seek God, because he's a God that will give answers and questions.

he also compared Christianity to a cruise ship model, how everything is included. we have curriculum for everything, all over the place. we need to realize that churches aren't for people on the inside, but they are for the people on the inside. turns into a mission.

jesus gives peace, and blows the holy spirit upon us.

when we leave church, we need to share our "cupcakes". we are not leaving God when we leave church--we are going to meet him.

lastly, we need to be open minded about what God wants to do in your life.

peace.

"Everyone has faith. Faith in something. Someone. Every act demonstrates some form of faith. Driving. Working. Having sex. Lack of faith is simply faith in something else. Even suicide is an act of faith. My faith is hard to sum up in a trite sound-bite. I struggle with my faith every day. Faith in a creator. Faith in a soul. Faith in a world that still has the promise of change. Faith in a redeemer who cares for the broken, the poor, and the marginalized. This faith influences my best actions. My struggle for faith is often on my mind so I write about it in my songs."-jon foreman

i love life.

don't you love that feeling? that everything in life is going really well? i've been that way since about august. i'm in a really good place right now. this summer was interesting, and definitely not what i expected, but hey. that's the way life works, right? cinnamon life gets really soggy if you start a blog entry and don't eat it immediately. oh well.

let's see. i have a new boyfriend, who is absolutely amazing. my life is just so much brighter with him in it, it's a different perspective on life. it's incredible. did i mention he's my best friend from high school? yeahhh...it works.

i'm applying for teach for america, and i want to change the world...i had many chats this summer about that, and i really think i need to do something before i throw myself into a biology job. i need to do something. i'm reading lots of articles and books about social justice, and really getting involved in service learning with my coordinator position. if you haven't read "irresistable revolution" by shane claiborne, you should. this book is changing my life. i feel like it's where god is calling me to be. i find that many of my blog entries are about how i don't know what to do with my life. i guess that's what i struggle with the most.

i was reading about my taize trip yesterday, and i realized how that was when i first realized everything about jesus. i guess you could say it was when i came to christ. it was amazing. i found a church here in birmingham, finally. i cried the first week i went when the pastor was praying. i don't even remember what it was about. maybe it was the lord's prayer, but i'm not sure. with that said, my spiritual life is growing and in an amazing place.

i may be going to chile for spring break mission trip. i sure do hope so.

ok. i have to go write my research proposal. yay yeast and pdr network.

keep the peace.