During Christmas break, I was a chaperon for my old youth group for a ski trip to Winter Park, Colorado. Instead of taking the slightly more expensive yet much more leisure form of travel, flying, we chose to "bond" and charter a bus. Thus 40 hours in a bus (round trip), yields much time to read. A good friend of mine encouraged me several months ago to read David McCulloch's biography of John Adams, so this trip gave me the perfect opportunity to delve into the life of an all-around wonderful man. While I would love to post tons of quotes from the letters of John Adams to Abagail and his children (I cannot recall another person's words and life that have so captivated me), this one piece of advice from Mr. Smith, Abagail's father, has resonated with me.
"Abagail remembered her father saying repeatedly that they should only speak of 'handsome things' and make topics, rather than people, their subjects."
This philosophy caused me to reflect upon my daily interactions and conversations. Whereas I would like to say that topics are discussed more than people, I am convinced that is only partially true. There are some people that I could talk to all day about books, movies, politics, ambitions, etc... without ever mentioning people and the latest goings-on. Other people though, I find only discussing mutual friends and their lives. I wonder if the latter conversations are not due to more shallow friendships, because I like to believe that we all have pretty solid foundations, but rather society's focus. With Facebook, Twitter, and the internet in general, I feel like people have this increasing desire to be the first to know something and to be connected to as many people as possible. In the days when Abagail's father was giving this advice, the only way to keep up with people was by written correspondence or by living in close proximity, but definitely not access to information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I wonder how they would behave in today's world, and more importantly, I hope we can try to not get caught up in people, but rather heed Mr. Smith's advice and be educated on topics.
January 4, 2010
December 4, 2009
Home Sweet Home
There is nothing quite like being at home, and I'd have to say that one of my favorite things about being home is going to church on Sundays with the people that have been in my life since I was about two years old. Hugging the older people that have taught me so much about life and have been encouraging me in my success in both faith and academics is so comfortable, and a good sermon is just the icing on the cake. I am about a week over-due in posing this, but last Sunday Brother David said,
"We cannot look to human beings, like ourselves, to learn more about ourselves."
One thing I have always focused on is knowing who I am. I don't think that search is ever complete, and there are periods in my life in which I feel that I may know myself more or less, but that concept is in the back of my mind. I find the way that we go about knowing ourselves interesting. Obviously the person that knows the most about each of us is God, the person who created us. So why do we continue to look at people that are just like us, people who are lost, confused, and broken, to teach us who we are? Why not learn more about ourselves by clinging to the creator who is, in fact, perfect?
This may seem a bit ironic since the purpose of this blog is to document quotes that stand out to me, invariably teaching me things or helping me gain perspective. But I think there is a difference in seeking wisdom from people like ourselves and in placing full responsibility on people like ourselves to teach us things. So, from now on when I find myself eager to learn more about myself, I hope that I can remind myself that divine intimacy is the only way.
"We cannot look to human beings, like ourselves, to learn more about ourselves."
One thing I have always focused on is knowing who I am. I don't think that search is ever complete, and there are periods in my life in which I feel that I may know myself more or less, but that concept is in the back of my mind. I find the way that we go about knowing ourselves interesting. Obviously the person that knows the most about each of us is God, the person who created us. So why do we continue to look at people that are just like us, people who are lost, confused, and broken, to teach us who we are? Why not learn more about ourselves by clinging to the creator who is, in fact, perfect?
This may seem a bit ironic since the purpose of this blog is to document quotes that stand out to me, invariably teaching me things or helping me gain perspective. But I think there is a difference in seeking wisdom from people like ourselves and in placing full responsibility on people like ourselves to teach us things. So, from now on when I find myself eager to learn more about myself, I hope that I can remind myself that divine intimacy is the only way.
November 7, 2009
The Unknown
This Thursday at RUF, Reid Dunn spoke since Ted was out of town. In his discussion of Abraham's failed tests, he made a remark that I've been dwelling on since.
"Do not keep facing the devil you know to avoid facing the devil you don't."
After large group this spurred much discussion, and it even awoke me in the middle of the night with this realization: we as people have an underlying fear and sense of anxiousness of the unknown. We are constantly wondering what is next and how we can plan for it, or if you're like me, just secretly hoping that things will all just stay as they are--comfortable and familiar. Lately my friends and I have all been trying to decipher God's plan for our lives upon graduation in the coming months, and regardless of how many pro/con lists we make, this answer will only come through much prayer and at the time in which the Lord chooses to reveal the answer.
However, this statement by Reid adds a new dimension to my analysis on my personal plan. I am very much a person who appreciates consistency and routine and is resistant to most change. This makes me wonder whether my lack of deciding on either continuing with law school or moving to a new city really is just a matter of the former being not only what I know, but a familiar plan and idea versus the latter which is uncharted territory in not being in an academic setting and forcing independence. So here I shall sit, on this eve of an ending, and patiently await the answer of where to go next and pray that me clinging to familiarity will not be a factor.
"Do not keep facing the devil you know to avoid facing the devil you don't."
After large group this spurred much discussion, and it even awoke me in the middle of the night with this realization: we as people have an underlying fear and sense of anxiousness of the unknown. We are constantly wondering what is next and how we can plan for it, or if you're like me, just secretly hoping that things will all just stay as they are--comfortable and familiar. Lately my friends and I have all been trying to decipher God's plan for our lives upon graduation in the coming months, and regardless of how many pro/con lists we make, this answer will only come through much prayer and at the time in which the Lord chooses to reveal the answer.
However, this statement by Reid adds a new dimension to my analysis on my personal plan. I am very much a person who appreciates consistency and routine and is resistant to most change. This makes me wonder whether my lack of deciding on either continuing with law school or moving to a new city really is just a matter of the former being not only what I know, but a familiar plan and idea versus the latter which is uncharted territory in not being in an academic setting and forcing independence. So here I shall sit, on this eve of an ending, and patiently await the answer of where to go next and pray that me clinging to familiarity will not be a factor.
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