A list.

This post was inspired by a recent blog I read. Thanks Amy. :)

10 things I have learned this summer, in no particular order:

1. The healthcare system. I didn't learn everything about it, but a lot more than I knew before, and enough to discuss intelligently.

2. I HATE working out. (Ok, I already knew that, but I re-learned it every time I put my running shoes on.)

3. My nephew is the cutest baby. Ever.

4. I have to apologize for talking about my Greek paper all the time. I probably should just distribute it to everyone I know so that I won't bring it up so often.

5. Praying out loud in an empty room (or car) is the best way to think through things. It also can be very emotional.

6. Philosophy is fun, but meaningless without the gospel.

7. I actually can hold a telephone conversation for longer than 15 minutes.

8. My friends are even better than I thought they were.

9. A long commute in traffic is kinda nice in the morning, but terrible on the way home.

10. I'm excited for graduation and struggle with committing to a plan for what I'll do after May of next year.

Communion. I finally get it.

This sunday I went to church with my Grandpa, and I woke up early to go to the "breaking of bread" service. The majority of this time from 9 - 10 is spent in silence, with an occasional hymn request or word of encouragement from someone in the congregation. It is a great time to hear what God is teaching others and the silence is refreshing. So often churches are focused on the order of worship that we don't leave any time for individual prayer or contemplation.

Anyways, this service always ends with taking communion. As I took the bread and the cup, I thought about what I wrote in the previous blog entry, and I think I finally understand why communion is so important. Before this, I had felt that communion was just a tradition that we keep, more like a ritual than anything else. However, now that I have begun to realize the significance of knowing nothing but Christ and him crucified, I am beginning to comprehend why Christ would establish a tradition of remembering his death. Communion is way to ensure that we don't lose sight of the sacrifice Christ made for us. Its not just about remembering what happened, its also about visibly displaying the central belief of the church. Now that I understand this, communion is something I will definitely look for when I am looking for a church home in the future. A church that brings out bread and juice as a reminder of the death of Christ is less likely to water-down the gospel, as I'm afraid many churches have begun to do.

Philosophy and Faith.

Recently I have been thinking a lot about two things I love: my faith and my philosophy. The internship that I have been involved with for the past five weeks has challenged me in many ways, the most significant being how much I value these and which I value more.

Now, if you're a Christian and you're reading this, then you're probably aware that if the two were presented in a Sunday School class the obvious answer is that faith is more important. While this may seem obvious in Sunday School, it is far from obvious in my life. These past five weeks I have realized how important it is to me that I sound philosophical and that I present my beliefs and understanding of the world in persuasive ways so that anyone who hears me does not judge me as unintelligent. 

Well, this past week my pride in philosophy became even clearer to me, and I am horrified. As someone in my old youth group used to put it, I was "God-smacked".

If you don't know me, I'm a philosophy major and have been considering going to graduate school in philosophy. After this week, I've lost most of that interest. Here's why.

I re-read one of my favorite passages in the Bible: 1 Cor. 1-2. 

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Cor. 2:1-5

After reading this I was immediately convicted of my desire to speak "plausible words of wisdom" instead of Christ and him crucified. I get so wrapped up in making sure that my intelligence isn't questioned, that I lose sight of the only truth that I need to know, which is Christ's sacrifice.

So, like Paul, I have resolved to know nothing except Christ and him crucified. I no longer want to debate issues that are irrelevant to this truth. Wisdom doesn't come from man's intellect, but from God. I choose to reject the wisdom of men, because I already have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:16)