we know drama.

no i’m not talking about TNT.

i’m talking about law students. (like myself)

when you only have 2 days to study for a class you never took notes in cuz you were stalking friends from elementary school on facebook – you know you’re doomed.

and it sure doesn’t help when all your classmates are frantically asking questions over your head while holding their cigarette in one hand and their octo-shot latte in the other.

it’s for times like that these that law students were created i think – to take daily drama to the next level.

prime example (some of you may have already heard) – but here at temple, a poor soul lost his mind in the library in mid-march (a little early in the semester but hey, finals and jobs are a big deal to most of us). allegedly he was throwing books and had to be taken out.

gchat and facebook statuses: clear and threatening examples.

my favorite for today: “2 down, 2 to go. Like having your limbs ripped off one by one.” (really? have you ever lost a limb? try saying in that in front of a veteran and we’ll see who’s really losing limbs.)

“some day soon, we will all drink. And It Will Be Good.” (this one of the more hopeful ones. at least this kid has a “goal” in mind to work towards. yes, it’ll probably lead to alcoholism in the long run, but let’s deal with that once the kid comes out of finals holding on for dear life.)

“hellish.”

“death by 1000 cuts.” (i think i need to have a talk with this kid asap, or stage an intervention.)

“your mom goes to law school.” <– 2nd favorite

(NOTE: i’ve chosen to not post the suicidal ones.)

right before my con law final last friday, a girl behind me was very very concerned about not doing well on the final. (i’d seen the terror in her eyes before. mainly in the mirror.) and from a desire to help the situation i told her that she’d do fine and that all her efforts would pay off. in response to which i received a snarky retort “ha! you say that like you BELIEVE IT.” (i actually laughed ion the inside in the face of such drama). but i realized that sometimes you just need to indulge law students, just a little.  the night before a final might not be the best time to bust out the 4 pillars method you learned in campus crusade, you’ll only get through half the first.

unfortunately, legally blonde did not show how elle woods survived finals. and that’s left us law students running around like chickens with our heads cut off.

i’m halfway done with finals, and at this point, i’m motivation-less. but i think i may prefer that to my normal finals scarcasm.

for now, i’m gonna open my textbook (which is pretty much just like studying) and fold laundry.

(i’m so diligent with my blogging during finals…)

(goodness from my morning)

Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?

Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars,

The ONE who leads forth their host by number,

He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power.

Not one of them is missing.

mail is the best

(henri nouwen said that a life not reflected upon is a life not worth living. i like henri. so here’s some reflecting.)

i got home from school today, honestly not in the best of moods.  my last class as a 1L was gloriously capped off by a professor that went on a “caring” rant about how much our 2nd year would suck.

as i was driving home and feeling the wave of pessimism and fear that i commonly face during finals and hunger, i found myself asking “why did i come here?! what was i thinking?” i had friends and family back home in texas. why did i leave that all behind?

then i got home, and lo: a card from katie and a care package from kara. both had arrived the same day. and i was so blessed and reassured by their kindness. (also the sugar from kara’s care package solved a lot of my issues. i become highly irrational when hungry)

in the care and love of my friends, whom God was using to bless me, i was reminded by my good Father that He has not once left my side these past 258 days. not once. every sorrow, struggle, joy and laugh – He has been here with me. My Lord has never wronged me, nor abandoned me to face my demons alone.

258 days.

that’s a long time.

i never thought i’d make it past 1.

but i have. because my Lord has been by my side every step of the way.  and He will continue to be with me in each step.  and that is blessing enough. 

“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?”

Amen Lord Jesus.

how to be “legitimately” distracted during finals

i’ve gone to grad school straight out of college.

although this sucks in terms of fighting for a job, there are a few perks. (other than automatically looking good relative to your colleagues that are balding 30 something year olds)

one of them is that we know how to procrastinate during finals, and how to procrastinate well. while our classmates sit around studying cuz they couldn’t find anything good to waste time on, i laugh away as i spend time outside the library.

when finals roll around, ANYTHING sounds more fun than studying. and i mean anything. sometimes i even think about picking up exercising.

here are some “legitimate” (aka holy) excuses for not studying – you know you’re not gonna study on your 1st of 5 dead days. you might as well spend it doing something that you aren’t allowed to feel guilty about.

1. Church

don’t ever study on the 1st sunday of dead week. sure in the past you’ve studied on the sabbath cuz you didn’t do anything all weekend. (heaven forbid we miss a football game) and even though you may have never felt convicted about doing work on the sabbath, since class is the next day, dead week is the time to start changing bad habits. why study on the sunday of dead week when you’ll have 5 days afterward to teach yourself an entire semester of tax? so put aside the ways of the world. throw down that book, and go to both services at church. observe the sabbath.

2. Reading Spiritual Books

our walk with the Lord is not to be neglected under any circumstance. even though i’ve finished zero books throughout semester, i feel compelled that in the midst times of spiritual struggles (i.e. finals) – we should do things to make sure that we don’t backslide during finals. so pull out all the books you bought at barnes and noble that you never read and start reading them. i’m sure that if we read spiritual books, God can transfer the penal code into your brain while you sleep.

3. Eating

i don’t cook during the semester b/c “i don’t have time.” (which i probably don’t). but somehow, i feel like it’s okay to waste time cooking food i won’t eat when i should be studying for finals.

“i should cook this before it goes bad…” always works.

“God wouldn’t want me to waste good food when there are people starving in Africa…”

these all justify cooking instead of studying. if you’re not convinced, always remember that you can share food, and that the time you spend cooking instead of studying is really your way of serving someone who might need food.

4. Going to a Coffee shop with a friend to study and “catch up”

coffee shops are where cool people study, and where spiritual people meet for “one on ones.”

why not kill 2 birds with one stone? pick your most chatty friend and go to a coffee shop. you still feel like you’re being productive b/c it’s a coffee shop and you brought a textbook. but if you never reach the point of actually opening the book, tell yourself that you needed to invest in eternal relationships and re-connect with friends. you tried to study (you brought your 5 lb textbook all the way to starbucks), but it was obviously the Lord’s will for you to spend time with your friend.

that’s all i have for now.

as i get closer to finals, i’ll probably have lots more to add.

He is Risen Indeed.

“The resurrection narratives are not a picture of survival after death; they record how a totally new mode of being has arisen in the Universe. Something new has appeared in the Universe: as new as the first coming of organic life. This Man, after death, does not get divided into ghost and corpse. A new mode of being has arisen… That hypothesis is that God has come down into the created universe, down to manhood – and come up again, pulling it up with Him….

Come to me everyone who is carrying a heavy load. I will set that right. Your sins, all of them, are wiped out, I can do that.

I am Rebirth.

I am Life.

Eat me, drink me, I am your food.

And finally, do not be afraid, I have overcome the whole Universe.

That is the issue.”

-c.s. lewis

the scandal of the God-Man

today is Good Friday, the day that our Lord Jesus was crucified, by a sinner like me.

last night my pastor pointed out that the strangeness of calling this day “Good” Friday.

a perfect and innocent God-Man, murdered in the most horrendous and offensive way.

as i mourn this day, the death of my Jesus, the Spirit encourages me to look forward, towards Sunday, Resurrection day – the day that makes this friday of scandal mysteriously “good.”

amidst all the chaos of my life, i cannot deny that these next 2 days represent the most important days of all history. EVERYTHING else pales in comparison, none of it really matters.

“Since this moment the universe is no longer what it was; nature has received another meaning; history is transformed and you and I are no more, I should not be anymore, what we were before.” – Paul Tillich

oh dcb

song of the day: “come awake” by dcb

Are we left here on our own?
Can you feel when your last breath is gone?
Night is weighing heavy now
Be quiet and wait for a voice that will say

Come awake
From sleep, arise
You were dead
You’ve come alive
Wake up wake up
Open your eyes
Climb from your grave
Into the light
Bring us back to life

You are not the only one
Who feels like the only one
Night soon will be lifted friend
Just be quiet and wait for the voice that will say

Come awake
From sleep, arise
You were dead
You’ve come alive
Wake up wake up
Open your eyes
Climb from your grave
Into the light
Bring us back to life

Rise, rise, rise, rise, rise

Rise, rise, rise, rise….
Shine, shine, Oh shine
We will shine
We will rise
We will shine, shine, shine

the chronicles of narnia

i reread The Voyage of the Dawn Treader recently, cuz it’s one of my favs (even though it’s a children’s book)

at the end my favorite character Reepicheep, the brave and loyal mouse, says something that i wish i had the strength and courage to profess with my life. they’re near the end of their long journey to reach Aslan’s country.  but it’s been long, and the people are skeptical and tired. most of the people are beginning to think they’d be better off just going back home instead of going to the end. when Reepicheep is asked whether or not he’ll continue the journey to the end he says,

“My own plans are made.  

While I can, I sail east in the Dawn Treader.  

When she fails me, I paddle east in my coracle.  

When she sinks, I shall swim east with my four paws.  

And when I can swim no longer, if I have not reached Aslan’s country, or shot over the edge of the world in some vast cataract,

I shall sink with my nose to the sunrise…”

may God stir in me such a zeal and heart for Him and His kingdom.

Easter totally got jipped

i’ve been thinking lately, protestants don’t make a big deal out of lent.

i didn’t even know what lent was until I went to college and befriended a catholic.

between Christmas and Easter, Christmas totally gets all the hype. which is strange because you’d think Easter is the climax of the life of Jesus.

3 major major ways Easter lost out to Christmas:

1. Representatives

Christmas got Santa Clause. Easter got a bunny. Does the bunny bring you presents?

 No.instead they hide eggs. where’d the eggs come from? the disciples did not bring eggs whilst Jesus hung on a cross. eggs are totally irrelevant, no where mentioned in scripture (i’m 90% sure of that), and eggs taste bad. (they only belong in cookies and cake).

Santa Claus obviously beats out some lame bunny. Mr. C is happy, and jolly and rich. that’s why kids all love him – if you’re good with Mr. C, you get presents. even though Santa Claus doesn’t get mentioned in the scriptures, i’m pretty sure that his cameo in the Chronicles of Narnia almost makes up for that. (c.s. lewis obviously believed in santa claus, that’s gotta count for a lot)

2. V********’s Day

Christmas has the perk of being preceded by a holiday that engages with the message of Christmas. Thanksgiving is when we spend time with family and reflect on the blessings that God has given us. which is great because it points us to Christmas, to get us excited for the birth of the messiah.

Easter, omg. poor old Easter. Easter’s prelude is… valentines day. v-day (as i call it) totally

 takes away from the importance of the world being redeemed by a perfect and self sacrificing God. v-day is completely commercially, unnecessarily pink and just annoying. (seriously

 couples? you’re gonna buy chocolate to show “love”? that’s pretty much insulting to the love Jesus showed the world on Easter)  i’m convinced Christendom misses lent because it’s too busy recovering from the tragedy valentine’s day.

3. Season

i was raised by a peculiar mother. and she was convinced that Easter was more important than Christmas. i’m not saying that that’s true, but if it is, Easter should definitely have voted for the winter. those pagans sure were onto something when they had seances and such during the winter. after coming close to not surviving my first winter on the east coast, irealized that it gets really really cold in some places. and when it get colds, it sucks. the only thing that can make up for such terrible weather is a divine Holiday. that way, the contrast between the festivities and ghastly weather make the festivities that much more fun and special. Christmas during the winter is great. when i’m freezing and hidden under 5 layers, and oppressed by finals, i need a holiday to discourage my scar-casm. 

Easter however. Easter’s in the spring. spring is when the ugliness melts away, and the earth regains life. it’s already pretty outside. people are already in a better mood. they’re not really looking for something to cheer them up cuz they’re outside running around in flip flops while making peppy remarks about the lovely 56 degree weather. (yes, people say things like that here)

so you see, let’s recognize that Easter really does lose out on a lot of hype, and that’s not okay. cuz Easter too is about the messiah too.

i <3 hillsong. and so should you.

WARNING: if you’re easily or sometimes offended, stop reading right now.

in reference to hillsong, kara once said, “we’re a little obsessed.” and obsessed, i am.

as i attempted to review civil procedure today (which i discovered IS the 11th plague) i found myself in need of some encouragement for my soul (plagues take a serious toll on your spiritual well-being). and those of you that are super holy won’t be surprised to learn that i got my piece of joy from hillsong. 

 for those of you who don’t know who or what hillsong is (don’t raise your hand in public) – HS is a christian worship band based out of a church in australia called hillsong church. they’re worship songs are pretty darn famous and sung at the coolest of churches. hillsong is to the global church, what dcb is to mega churches in texas. they’re the big deal.

rather than moving along to reviewing the common law system of writs, i’ve decided to point out some of the most obvious reasons why i love hillsong.

1. HS’s songs are the holiest modern worships song you will ever find.

let’s be honest, lyrics like “i see the King of Glory coming on clouds of fire,”you heal all my disease,” or “no one can deny through the storm and through the fire there is truth that sets me free” are all super spiritual lyrics that i’m sure only people like missionaries, first year seminary students and pastor’s wives can sing freely. HS lyrics take it to a whole other level – they’re full of deep lines that are really challenging. sometimes i stop myself and comment “that sounds too good to be true? well PTL for that.” HS songs will definitely take you there.

2. (this should probably be #1) HS’ MVA (most valued artist) Brooke Fraser.

singer musician Brooke Fraser is probably one of HS’s greatest assets.

she’s pretty, she writes amazing songs, girl can sing, she has a cool new zealand accent, AND she sings mainstream music in addition to performing with HS. she’s basically done what dcb and switchfoot have individually accomplished – but in the same lifetime. other ccm artists and christian-incognito mainstream bands have nothing on Brooke.

3. Hillsong’s inspirational and profound lyrics make me want to raise my hands and worship “charismatically”.

some of you may not like to lift your hands, no less dance, during worship at church. which is totally cool, different strokes fo different folks. i personally am a bit of a hand-raiser. i’ve also noticed (and other charismos may testify to this as well) that when a significantly profound lyric is sung, you want to lift your hands more – and that makes worship more fun. i think jon acuff once mentioned on his scl blog that raising your hands in worship is like having a runway to God.

thanks to hillsong, the church has more runways. (they even have a song about this called “The Stand.” it’s a fav.)

4. MARKETING Skills.

HS’s enterprise is so vast and amazing that they even have worship music just for kids. as a former student of marketing, i quickly realized that HS had tapped into an elite niche market: super spiritual kids, or kids who have super holy parents.

most christian kids watch veggie tales and sing the same “worship” songs that i had to sing at church when i was 6. ya know, the one about the big house, abraham and his son’s, and some little light. but let’s be honest, those old songs lack theology and spiritual depth. and that’s where hillsong’s worship albums for kids come in.

now the kids who want to move on from the story about noah’s ark onto deep discussions of eschatology, predestination and creation can also worship to music that they find more mature. they can sing to songs like Take it All. here’s a snippet of the lyrics:

The lost will be found.
in freedom we live,
As one we cry out.
You carried the cross, You died and rose again. 

writers like max lucado and john piper have already tapped into this niche, so i’m glad HS has jumped on board as well. check em out parents, they even have dvds.

i stop here at #4 cuz let’s be honest, i really shouldn’t have to go on. #1 (masked as #2) should be enough. but if you’re still not convinced that hillsong is the greatest worship band of all time, all i extend to you is grace and only a few hard feelings. after all, no one’s perfect, and no one can’t be prayed for.