On Jane Crawford

Thank you sister.

Recent Events (for the fam)

Events of the last few days--

Travelled to San Diego for the annual winter conference for the Navigators. Highlights
-Playing in the worship band with my good friend Tim Lin, who also leads worship here in Tucson
-Feeling confirmed in my decision to go on Edgecorp. Of course, I haven't finished the application, and it's due tomorrow.
-Workshop with Joe Maschoff
-Catching up with Ann Pauloski, among others
-Good conversation on the trip up and the trip back
Anti-highlights
-Cracker Barrel on the way home causing me to spend the night throwing up
-Weak coffee
-A less then inspiring speaker, who relied heavily on video clips.
Highlight
-No one complained about him, the entire weekend! Navigators is really an inspiring group.

Had a test in my ultra-hard chemistry test, which I somehow managed to do not so bad on. I also got a 94 on the last homework. This is more or less equivalent to a third-grader passing a high school Calculus test. I am pretty pumped.

Been a watching a Shining Path propaganda film in Spanish class. You know, the one that admits that they committed some atrocities, but leaves the really bad stuff for the army to do. I would have more patience with this if I hadn't just read that book on Mao that Jane gave me (Shining Path was the first truly Maoist communist organization). The Spanish department is really ridiculous, especially since the film had sub-titles!

Uhhh...I think that's it.

On the Word

I started reading the Bible daily during the summer of 2004. The first book I studied was the book of Luke, which I read in conjunction with the Psalms. Next, I read I Samuel, and then Lamentations, and then Ecclesiastes. In the fall, I read Corinthians and Thessalonians. In December of 2004, I started reading Genesis, and finished up the first five books of the Bible in late May of 2005. That summer, I read Acts and I John. In the fall, I read Isaiah and Proverbs. In Spring of 2006, I read John, Ephesians, Colossians, Galatians, and Philippians. That summer, I read Jeremiah, Hebrews, Joshua, and Judges. This past fall, I read Ezekiel, Revelations, the Pastorals, and the Minor Prophets. Over Christmas break, I read II Samuel and Kings. In January, I read the epistles of Peter and James. I just started Matthew.

If you are keeping track, the books I have left are Mark, Chronicles, Ruth, Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, Job, and Song of Solomon. If I can finish those off by June, it will have taken me roughly three years to read the entire Bible. The coolest part of all this is that throughout this time (with a few exceptions), I wrote down the date, and in some cases the time and place where I was reading each passage. On the title page of each book, I have written the dates in which I read each book. I also have my various notebooks in which I took my notes. If you pick a day during the past three years, I can look through my Bible and tell you exactly what I was reading that day.

Part of this is a quirk in my personality. But also, I deliberately wanted to chart my reading as it progressed, to see how my thinking has changed; to see the ways that God has used the Bible to mold me. My conclusions are...

1. There is nothing so valuable as a thorough knowledge of the word. I know this not because I claim to possess such a knowledge, but because I know enough of the Bible to see how much greater my understanding could be.

2. The Word applies in all situations. It gives insight into human behavior, into the functioning of governments. This gives me sympathy for the worst man and cures me of any false hope.

3. The Word speaks first to me. It convicts me first.

4. When I started reading the Word, I was thoroughly convinced of the inaccuracy of my theological views. Now, I hold them all with an open hand, for they have greatly changed. Someday, perhaps I will be ready to speak again, but not yet.

5. For all that God has shown me in the Word, I find that it is an inexhaustible resource. I shiver with the anticipation of another year of reading, another five years in the Word, another 20, another 50.

If life be long, then I'll be glad that I may long obey
If short then why should I be sad to soar to endless day?

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I hope that all of you will spend more time in the Word.

Also, I put forth that all family members must write a comment on every other families members new post, so that we all may know how each other are thinking.

Now I love Mozart. I LOOOOVE Mozart.

(name that movie)

I think I could listen to him all day. And just his piano sonatas. And if you haven't heard his piano concerti, you haven't lived.

It seems like the Free Methodist Church in Mexico is just getting hit lately by some spiritual attack. I have made a commitment to pray for them everyday. I think that if us brothers and sisters agreed to do that, we could make an impact. So David, Mark, Adrienne, Jane, and Caroline. You want to join me in praying about 5-30 minutes a day for the church down there?

By the way...I still haven't figured out to make a title.

I have been listening, throughout the course of the day, to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, played by John Eliot Gardener's Orchestre Revolutionaire et Romantique. This is an orchestra which plays music from the Romantic period (mostly Beethoven, Schumann, and a couple Berlioz) on period instruments.

Beethoven never sounded so alive! After hearing his interpretation, others (especially the famous Karajan recordings) sound like slogging through heavy mud. There is some debate (very nerdy debate) about the accuracy of his interpretation, but I don't care.

He also does Mozart and Bach through another ensemble, called the English Baroque Soloists. It is actually the same personel, more or less, but the name change somehow allows them to play music before 1800.

In other news, my Chemistry teacher is perhaps the smartest man I have ever met. A Latin major, he taught himself Greek and Sanskrit, and then calmly went on to predict the structure and organization of the asteroid belt. He also finds time to make extremely cheesy jokes.

Ok. I wish I had more time as well.

I am listening to John Adams.

Who is supposedly a minimalist. What a ridiculous categorization!

So, here goes some more movies I like...

6. In the Bedroom

A. Tom Wilkinson is so good. It almost hurts to watch the people act in this movie, because they are so stunningly perfect.

B. The moment when the veil is lifted, and the two start blaming each other for the death of their son.

C. The look on the guys face after he shoots the kid, sitting at the table, the gun in front of him.

This is one of the most underrated movies I know of. Nobody has even seen it. When I say I like it, most people give me a strange look (along with Wet Hot American Summer, it has a misleading title). But it is a study of grief, one of the most profound ever made. It is the difference between entertainment and art.

7. The Godfather Part II

Details. Moments. Characters you say more with their motions then they do with their words.

Again, some moments I love...

A. When Michael suddenly bursts out "My home! The place where my children sleep!"
B. "I know it was you Fredo, and you've broken my heart!"
C. The dismay in Michael's eyes when he sees what he's done to his wife

Ok, enough for today.

Already Friday eh? Man, these weeks just keep going by faster and faster. Test on Monday, paper due today. Every semester I think "this is my busiest semester yet!" (except last semester when I crashed and burnt). I think my life works better when it is absolutely crammed with stuff to do. Then I have to schedule in other activities, and due them when there is spare time. Plus, I hate sitting around getting nothing done.

I like being busy, but I like the idea of having nothing to do.