My picture of the week

pictures!

Pics from my summer mexico missions trip:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15245&l=d2a00&id=554076665

well hello there

Hi, its been awhile, and I thought it would be nice to update my blog.

Well, I've started my first full-time semester at Chabot college, and it's been pretty awesome. I'm taking, if you would like to know, English 4, History 7, Jazz History, Psyc research methodology, Voice, Jazz piano, Jazz piano (private lessons with jazz director), and I'm also in the jazz ensemble. School has been pretty jazzed up :P.

Recently, well actually today, I've been looking hymns I can introduce to the college group. I'm beginning to lead the singing on tuesday nights, and I'm excited to bring in insightful and meaningful songs! I found this site: hymnsite.com, and they have allllooott of hymns and their melodies. And this is a hymn I found today:

Take Time to Be

1. Take time to be holy,
speak oft with thy Lord;
abide in him always,
and feed on his word.

Make friends of God's children,
help those who are weak,
forgetting in nothing
his blessing to seek.

2. Take time to be holy,
the world rushes on;
spend much time in secret
with Jesus alone.

By looking to Jesus,
like him thou shalt be;
thy friends in thy conduct
his likeness shall see.

3. Take time to be holy,
let him be thy guide,
and run not before him,
whatever betide.

In joy or in sorrow,
still follow the Lord,
and, looking to Jesus,
still trust in his word.

4. Take time to be holy,
be calm in thy soul,
each thought and each motive
beneath his control.

Thus led by his spirit
to fountains of love,
thou soon shalt be fitted
for service above.

Update on my Summer to do List

(an update on June 5th's blog)

• I've read a good book! I read Fahrenheit 451 and it was excellent; thank you Andre :). And I'm actually reading a couple of really good books currently.
  

• My book list: Out of the Silent Planet, 1984, Brave New World, The Great
  Divorce, The Narnian (presently reading), Passion and Purity by Elizabeth
  Elliot (presently reading), Mere Christianity (presently reading), The God
  who is there by Schaeffer, Escape from Reason by Schaeffer, and He is there
  and He is not Silent by Schaeffer.

• I have been having my quiet times more often, but they have not been embedded into my routine yet...its probably because I haven't established a routine. hmm



• Scrap book?!?!?? that was a stupid idea! I mean, no offense to scrapbookers, but I can definitely do better things with my time :P.

• I recently vacuumed my room and its pretty neat right now. yay!

• I've been working on my sermon notes, and I'm almost done. In just a few pages I should be done.
  

• Guitar skills are not getting that much better, but they aren't deteriorating either. I've been given more opportunities to use my guitar skills recently!
  

• I started a journal, and I write my book notes, thoughts, and prayers in there.

• And I have taken two road trips to Paul and Erica's in July!

My road trip to Hume Lake

To be known by Him

More from Tiffany's journal! (7/22/07)

"But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him" 1 Corinthians 8:3

It says that the one who loves God will be known by Him, and not "the one who loves God will know Him". It isn't about how well we "know" Him! That's something I don't hear often or at all actually. What a great reminder it is when C.S. Lewis writes in Weight of Glory, "How God thinks of us is not only more important, but infinitely more important". One day everyone will be judged; he will be either exiled and repelled or welcomed and acknowledged by God. How well we perceive God would not at the least be significant. I think we sometimes spend too much time and energy trying to figure out God. The reality is we can never come close to understanding Him even partially. Instead, we should use our energy to serve whom service is due. To find approval from God, even though it seems impossible, should be what we should always strive for.

Rewards

Recently I bought a new journal, and I've been really exited about writing different things in it like my prayers, what I'm learning from my reading, or pondering. Basically, its my personal blog, and I thought it would be cool to write some of my excerpts from my dandy journal. thoughts from Tiffany....

In Weight of Glory C.S. Lewis explains that there are different kinds of rewards. When we say there is a reward (heaven) to living a christian life, it is important to identify what kind of reward it actually is. That is completely relevant, because unbelievers often say that "this promise of reward makes the Christian life a mercenary affair". And "mercenary" means "working only for reward" as I later looked up just to be sure.

There are three kinds of reward:

1) Natural (or Proper) Reward

- Example C.S. Lewis gives: Marriage is a proper reward for a real lover.

2) Mercenary Reward

- Example: Man marrying a woman for her money.

"The proper rewards are not simply tacked on to the activity for which they are given, but are the activity itself in consummation"

3) Preliminary Reward

- Example: A school boy who is studying Greek grammar; hoping of a future good which he cannot presently imagine or desire. He get alittle of the reward gradually; "enjoyment creeps in upon the mere drudgery". No one know when he will finally get the reward. For he "desire(s) it for its own sake".

So this obviously is the christian life. I think current Christians or "modern" Christianity is too focused on getting the reward now (including myself). The "experience" of God has become a high priority; the focus has been shifted to us and our experience instead of obeying and pleasing the One who deserves our worship. No wonder why so many "Christians" fall away because they "don't see God" or "feel" God in their lives anymore. It isn't wrong to be emotionally passionate for Him, but it definitely shouldn't be the focus. Maybe if we start following Him it wouldn't be a problem.