go outside and play!

Well finals are over, so I'm able to enjoy this gorgeous weather at last. Being trapped inside when it's a gorgeous day makes me feel like I'm about 5 years old again, itching to go outside and run around and play. What am I doing writing a blog when I could be outside? To be honest, I have no idea... and I think I'm going to go outside now. peace and love, people :)

Random Thoughts

I woke up yesterday morning wondering how on earth it could possibly be 10th week already. It feels like I just got back to school from winter break, but this quarter is essentially over. One paper due this week, three finals next week, and then I finally get to go home and have a break! Time really does go faster as you grow up, I guess. I still feel like I'm 7 sometimes: innocent and slightly lost. Not a bad thing... I supposed I'd rather feel 7 than 70.

Because this is one of the craziest times of the quarter, I am strictly enforcing my rule that I made up this quarter: You are NOT allowed to complain about homework of any kind, be it reading enormous amounts or writing long papers, when your topic is the Bible. It is so amazing to feel like God is speaking to me through my assignments... definitely something I've never experienced before at a public school. What a blessing to experience God in my classes at UCLA! I love it... even if it is a tremendous amount of work.

So sorry for the inconsistent topic in this blog, but my mind is random I guess :) I just wanted to mention one more thing that I have been realizing lately: that anxiety is a sin, and something I need to deal with. The time that I spend terrified about school, relationships, and sometimes nothing at all is such a slap in the face to my Creator. When I worry about things, I am allowing my heart to believe that God is not enough for me, that either He is not in control of the situation or that He doesn't know what is best for me. I don't ever want to offend God like that because I know that's not the truth. The truth is that Jesus has taken care of everything I ever actually need to worry about, and that God has called me to live my life free of anxiety so that I can best glorify Him. Now that is certainly easier said than done, but I'm working on it by praying and memorizing scripture. So with that, I'll leave you with my favorite verse at the moment:

Strengthen the weak hands

and make firm the feeble knees.

Say to those who have an anxious heart,

"Be strong, fear not!

Behold, your God

will come with vengeance,

with the recompense of God. 

He will come and save you."

[Isaiah 35:3-4]

Lent

I decided to participate in Lent this year... I gave up Facebook (again). It made me consider what kind of things I had given up in the past: soda, desserts, Flaming Hot Cheeto's (...seriously), cursing, gossiping... a list that mostly consists of things that make me gain weight or like myself less. I gave those things up for such selfish reasons, but I don't want to do that anymore. Because Lent isn't about me, it's not a way for me to improve myself in any way. It's about what Jesus already did when he sacrificed his life and his innocence, in order that we all might come to know God personally.

So I'm giving up something that won't really present a benefit to my through it's absence. Without Facebook, I will probably still procrastinate when it comes time to do my homework. It will be more difficult to keep in touch with my family and friends who are far away. I actually feel that often times, Facebook can be a ministry- I know I've been encouraged by conversations from friends and I pray that the things I post will be glorifying to God and point my five hundred something friends towards Him.

But Facebook is such a distraction from my relationship with God sometimes. I have a tendency (like most people, I think) to idolize my relationships with family and friends. I twist these tremendous blessings that God has given me and make them more important than anything else in the world, and forget that ultimately it is all about the Lord. So when I want to go on Facebook, I'm going to remember what Jesus gave up in order to get to me and what I am willing to give up to get him in return.

Love you all :)