Man's Best Fiend

Speaking of near-death-experiences, as long as we're on the subject, I experienced a doozy of a situation almost two weeks ago. Let's just say that it left me with injuries that require my right wrist be bound in an immobilizer, and a scar on my right knee that looks like the shape of the state of Connecticut. Or like Trinidad, Tobago, or like the Pilsbury doughboy with rigor mortis. The following is an excerpt from an email that I sent to a friend in Israel, in which I described to her my accident: -------------------------------------------- From: Colin Sent: Thu 9/22/2005 3:42 PM To: Kathryn Subject: email update from Colin Dear Katy, Shalom. My semester has been anything but dull, especially this past week. First, I should tell you that I brought my Oxygen King Cruiser scooter with me this year (something that has proven to be both very cool and useful since the repaving of the dorm driveway). Last Sunday on my way to working my lunch shift in the caf, I was substituting speed for punctuality. I was riding my scooter down the hill between Slight and Dixon dorms, approaching the walkway between the pool and Hotchkiss Hall. As I tucked into the turn, that's when it happened -- I began to skid sideways! I wiped out on the asphalt, receiving a "blackburn" on my right knee and bending my right hand backwards. Thank the Lord that He made me left-handed! I still went to work and evening service @ Grace Com. Church. On Monday, I went to see the nurse at the health center. She took one look at my knee and promptly sent me to the local Kaiser hospital. The doctor gave me an imobilizer for my wrist, examined my knee and told me that my "blackburn" qualified as a second-degree burn (I distinctly remember in her exact words that my "wound was weeping." Apparently, there is a line between bleeding and weeping that I had crossed over.) The cherry on the sundae for my Monday was when the nurse at the hospital browsed through my medical charts and exclaimed that it had been

Just Call Me "Gimpy"

Speaking of near-death-experiences, as long as we're on the subject, I experienced a doozy of a situation almost two weeks ago. Let's just say that it left me with injuries that require my right wrist be bound in an immobilizer, and a scar on my right knee that looks like the shape of the state of Connecticut. Or like Trinidad, Tobago, or like the Pilsbury doughboy with rigor mortis. The following is an excerpt from an email that I sent to a friend in Israel, in which I described to her my accident: -------------------------------------------- From: Colin Sent: Thu 9/22/2005 3:42 PM To: Kathryn Subject: email update from Colin Dear Katy, Shalom. My semester has been anything but dull, especially this past week. First, I should tell you that I brought my Oxygen King Cruiser scooter with me this year (something that has proven to be both very cool and useful since the repaving of the dorm driveway). Last Sunday on my way to working my lunch shift in the caf, I was substituting speed for punctuality. I was riding my scooter down the hill between Slight and Dixon dorms, approaching the walkway between the pool and Hotchkiss Hall. As I tucked into the turn, that's when it happened -- I began to skid sideways! I wiped out on the asphalt, receiving a "blackburn" on my right knee and bending my right hand backwards. Thank the Lord that He made me left-handed! I still went to work and evening service @ Grace Com. Church. On Monday, I went to see the nurse at the health center. She took one look at my knee and promptly sent me to the local Kaiser hospital. The doctor gave me an imobilizer for my wrist, examined my knee and told me that my "blackburn" qualified as a second-degree burn (I distinctly remember in her exact words that my "wound was weeping." Apparently, there is a line between bleeding and weeping that I had crossed over.) The cherry on the sundae for my Monday was when the nurse at the hospital browsed through my medical charts and exclaimed that it had been

A Student's Meditation

The semester is just about 1/3 finished, and I'm already feeling weary. At times like these, I like to reflect on songs from church and verses in the Bible for encouragement. Take My Hand Precious Lord - By T.A. Dorsey Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, help me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn, Through the storm, through the night, Lead me on to the light, Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home. When my ways grow drear, Precious Lord linger near, When my life is almost gone, Hear my cry, hear my call, Lead me on lest I fall, Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home. Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 103:1-5 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle. Also, at this time in the school year, I think teachers could use some prayers of blessing and intercession. This need was brought to my mind by the following text: 2 Thessalonians 1:6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you . . . Hmmm . . . I've got some teachers (and schoolmates) that need to be prayed for a.s.a.p., in that case.

DaFont.com

(To be read with a cool gravelly boxer's voice -- like StrongBad!) I want some fonts. Who has some fonts? Lotsa free fonts. Where are these fonts? (To be read with a normal voice . . . hopefully, your own voice shall qualify for the challenge) It was late last night (or early this morning) when I was browsing the internet. It was that time of the twilight zone when the only parts of the brain that are still conscious are the bare essentials for keeping one eye open and one finger twitching around on the scroller/touchpad. That's when it happened -- I found this incredible website: http://www.dafont.com/ Check it out -- the Mexican style fonts section has almost every font that Taco Bell has used in the last 10 years! May the Fonts be with you!

Thinking Theme Park Thoughts

Disney Day is fast approaching for our college (Details to follow for the un-initiated -- those who haven't partaken in the great annual pilgrimage from The Master's College). With this in mind, here is something that I hope you'll really like: A Strong Bad email. This is for all you people out there who remember in minute detail every aspect of the "Jungle Cruise." Or for those who would like a humorous refresher. Or just . . . Yeah, whatever. And don't worry, the details will follow!

Stupid Expectations

I've just been reading some of the news about the New Orleans recovery process. It seems that President Bush has vowed to rebuild the city. I sympathize with all of the displaced residents of New Orleans. To be sure, these people need a home. My question is: Is it such a wise idea to move back into harm's way? As far as we know, the city of New Orleans is sinking at least an inch every year. Which means that what Hurricane Katrina flooded over the past few weeks will become naturally submerged within the next century. Even after rebuilding the city and making it safe for its future children, businesses will be extremely reluctant to move back into such a high risk area. I lift up in my prayers the people of the south who have been placed in such deep distress. I also pray for the example of leadership that President Bush will establish during this time of crises and that the bureaucracy of Louisiana to take responsibility. Also, it seems that yet another San Francisco judge has ruled the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional. I especially enjoyed Jay Leno's monologue concerning American civil law and God's staunch position within it. You can watch the video from 09/15/05 here.

Some Things to Ponder

These are a few questions that I've been considering over the past few days: 1. If you don't know where you've come from, how do you know if you're getting anywhere? 2. If you are losing your salvation, did you truly possess it in the first place? 3. If you are contemplating suicide, are you (option a): admitting that your life is not worth living? (option b): confessing that living [including suffering and perseverence] is not worth your time? (option c): willing to realize that your expectations for your life may be unrealistic? 4. If you hope to go to heaven after you die but are still afraid of death, are you sure that you will ever get to heaven? 5. If God is beyond our comprehension, that is, unknowable, then how are we able to presume His existence and speculate over His personality in the first place? These are several questions that have come into the forefront of my thoughts, thanks to my college studies over the past few sessions. I encourage you to wrestle deeply over the answers to these questions. You may post comments with your responses, if you like.

I'm Getting That Old Feeling . . . (or is it just me feeling old?)

It's been crazy-go-nuts this week. I just signed up through my school to give a blood donation. The wierd part was that I made the appointment online. I've never done something like that before! With my past internet experience, I'm half expecting someone to make a bid on ebay for my blood. I just celebrated my birthday this Wednesday. I'm moving swiftly towards becoming elegible for acceptance into the QCC: Quarter Century Club (that is, anyone over the age of 25). Thank God for the Freedom of Information Act. I wouldn't be able to continue on in my Historical Research Techniques class without it! This weekend I begin to write letters to the FBI, the National Archives, and the Library of Congress. Who knows -- I may just find that map on the back of the Declaration of Independence. On second thought, I think I'll save that for my next birthday.

Chillin' and Learnin'

Go to Amazon.com to check out "The Killing of History"

Go to Amazon.com and check out the soundtrack for "Jurassic Park"

I'm chillin' in the lounge of Dixon Hall at The Master's College, currently listening to some Johnny Williams music (see above), and studying for my history class (see top). This ("The Killing of History") is a very fascinating read as far as history books are concerned. I can totally relate to Keith Windschuttle's thesis that social theorists and literary critics are running amuck and making a sham out of the sciences, history included. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, social theorists claimed that recorded history is nothing more than the skewed bragging of the victor and that past events cannot be discerned reliably, if it can be at all. We cannot verify the past was as it was when we read about it today. The repercussions of this body of ideas are especially staggering to the Christian. The social theorists and literary critics that Windschuttle takes to task in his criticism assert, among other things, that the Holy Bible is nothing more than mere literature. It is a very enthralling piece of historical fiction, a collection of myths that are to be enjoyed but not believed. It is a most foundational issue of faith that when the Bible speaks about people and events, it is all true. An equally important issue is that Jesus is sovereign over history, that history is progressing towards the revelation of Jesus in His second coming, and that "when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons." (Galatians 4:4-5). Jesus was born, entering into history to save us from our transgressions by fulfilling the condemning demands of the Law, the Ten Commandments given from God (Yahweh) to Moses, which is another event that the Bible presents as pure, unadulterated, history. If these events in the Bible are mythical and/or fabricated, then our faith and hope are in vain (1 Corinthians 15:16-19). Sooner or later, we realize that there is a root of evil that runs deep inside us. There is a three letter name for this internal evil - it is called sin. After this, we must make a choice: we can deny that sin is in us and wind up even more confused as to why we still hurt and hinder and hate and commit more subtle acts of wrong, or we can embrace the hope of redemption that only Jesus provides. Like the Bible says, the choice is ours right now (John 5:24, Acts 4:12, Romans 5:1-2).

Truth, Justice, and the Amphibian Way

I just found this while on another one of my google image searches! Proof that the www in an internet address stands for wacky, witty, and wonderful.

Thoughts of a Wayfarer

Thoughts of a Wayfarer

A Blogger's First Baby-steps

After much encouragement and/or coersion, I am inaugurating my very own . . . my precious . . . blog. Pictures will be few and far between postings as per my lack of a digital camera.