The sky o'er head hung grey,
clouds heavy with divine tears,
as the Father's hand from help did stay,
a Son victim to all our fears.
Seperated from the source of life,
the Son in anguish did loudly cry,
embracing the result of all our strife,
and once for all the Life did die.
The earth in shock might'ly shook,
and tears a mighty torrent formed,
while thunderous gasps the air took,
nature in anguish powerfully stormed.
It is said that tombs burst open,
and ancient dead rose to witness,
a new covenant to which we hearken,
in His blood is our forgiveness.
The Son seperated in our stead,
to death, sin, and satan three days lay,
while we morn in sorrowing dread,
til Christ bursts forth on Easter day!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Monday, November 2, 2009
Blogging and Venting
So I continually find that life is so full of business that it is essentially impossible to keep this blog updated. Ugh, the life of a grad student. Plus I do wonder if anyone does actually read this, or if I am solely writing for myself.
This semester has been insane: I am taking two classes, teaching three labs, doing research, preparing for the prelims, and planning a wedding. I've had several mental breakdowns already, and I am stressed beyond belief, and WSU stupidly doesnt have a Fall break so we go for almost 3 months without a break...ugh.
I am taking Electromagnetism II this semester which is interesting and fun, but extremely difficult. Then I am taking Atomic Physics, which should be interesting and fun, but the professor has successfully made the class a bore, made the homework meaningless busy work, and I basically hate the class. It seems that grad school = crappy classes and professors(there are exceptions). I miss Valpo.
Two of my three labs have no desire to be there and so they are a pain to teach, and grading 75 labs a week is terrible. Research has been difficult because my adviser is on sabbatical and so is never around to help, except for very rare occasions, and so I am stuck in a rut.
And planning a wedding is terribly frustrating because it costs so much! Ack! It seems ridiculous that a wedding should cost around the price of a new car.
Oh and I bought a Condo in July, so I am a home owner now and having to deal with all the new costs associated with that and the inherent stresses.....I really need a vacation from life.
This semester has been insane: I am taking two classes, teaching three labs, doing research, preparing for the prelims, and planning a wedding. I've had several mental breakdowns already, and I am stressed beyond belief, and WSU stupidly doesnt have a Fall break so we go for almost 3 months without a break...ugh.
I am taking Electromagnetism II this semester which is interesting and fun, but extremely difficult. Then I am taking Atomic Physics, which should be interesting and fun, but the professor has successfully made the class a bore, made the homework meaningless busy work, and I basically hate the class. It seems that grad school = crappy classes and professors(there are exceptions). I miss Valpo.
Two of my three labs have no desire to be there and so they are a pain to teach, and grading 75 labs a week is terrible. Research has been difficult because my adviser is on sabbatical and so is never around to help, except for very rare occasions, and so I am stuck in a rut.
And planning a wedding is terribly frustrating because it costs so much! Ack! It seems ridiculous that a wedding should cost around the price of a new car.
Oh and I bought a Condo in July, so I am a home owner now and having to deal with all the new costs associated with that and the inherent stresses.....I really need a vacation from life.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
quick
It has been forever since I have written anything here...time to change that. I have foolishly picked up more responsibilities in my life...which is a mixed blessing. Yes being engaged is great and owning my own condo is awesome...but they both add lots of work which I didnt have last year....and I have more to do so I cant write more. Ugh
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Dry Bones
In my time here at WSU I often wonder what the entire point of this endeavor is. It’s certainly not money, as I will probably never be paid well. It is certainly not pleasure as graduate school is one of the most sadistic things you could do to yourself. Is it knowledge? I came into grad school thinking knowledge was the point of this endeavor, but now I realize differently. WSU certainly has the knowledge, there are a lot of great physicist here, but they have all missed the point. My experience here has been one of great amounts of knowledge but no understanding.
WSU is one of those bastions of secular thought, an
“Have you not heard? Have you not seen?” For all the proof, for all the glory, all the wonder that is revealed in this place of research and study, those here miss the Truth shouting at them. It depresses me how modern mans distrust and loathing of faith has made it impossible for them to see reality through the eyes of faith. They do not see the beauty, the life, the Divine Harmony in reality. All they see is atoms and molecules, numbers and figures. The universe is dead in this world view, a bland set of rules and matter that exists and acts for no reason and no purpose.
Why have I come to WSU? Why have I come to
The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know." Then he said to me, "Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD." Eze 37:1-6
God grant me the patience, the faith, and the perseverance to prophesy to this valley of dry bones, that your abundant life may flow into them and let them live. Amen
Friday, April 10, 2009
Meditation on the Cross
Stretched, contorted, distorted,
The Godhead upon the Cross,
With bloody brambles crowned,
Mourning for souls lost.
No nails could ever hold,
Christ on the Cross above,
Naked broken shivering cold,
Alone in holding was His Love.
Six words in torment spoken,
Pleading for others ne’er himself,
Desperate to heal the broken,
Never thing of Self.
Darkness veiled the skies,
O’er the dreadful sacrfice,
As His death for us pleading cries,
And for the deadly debt did suffice.
Led silent to the slaughter,
Ne’er straying from His course,
That we may be called son or daughter,
And find life in our remorse.
Let us never forget this dreadful day,
Whose death won o’er sins strife,
Holds satan’s power at bay,
And leads us from death to life.
The Godhead upon the Cross,
With bloody brambles crowned,
Mourning for souls lost.
No nails could ever hold,
Christ on the Cross above,
Naked broken shivering cold,
Alone in holding was His Love.
Six words in torment spoken,
Pleading for others ne’er himself,
Desperate to heal the broken,
Never thing of Self.
Darkness veiled the skies,
O’er the dreadful sacrfice,
As His death for us pleading cries,
And for the deadly debt did suffice.
Led silent to the slaughter,
Ne’er straying from His course,
That we may be called son or daughter,
And find life in our remorse.
Let us never forget this dreadful day,
Whose death won o’er sins strife,
Holds satan’s power at bay,
And leads us from death to life.
Good Friday
Some musings on Good Friday from contemplating on the Three Hours:
I can understand why the nonbeliever goes about Good Friday as though it is any other Friday, the thing which astounds and baffles me, is Christians who treat this Holy Day as any other day. They go to work, they eat, converse, and maybe go to Church. Should we not spend this Day in prayer and contemplation? Should we not take this one day out of the year to focus solely on the amazing grace of our God shown by the Eternal Son hanging upon the Cross?
Judas betrayed Christ, the disciples abandoned Him, Peter denied Him, the people mocked and beat Him, and the soldiers crucified Him….and despite all we think, we are all of them. We all shared in Judas betrayal, we abandoned and denied Him, mocked and beat and crucified Him. And yet despite of our spiteful hatred of Him he died for us. Even as we mocked and taunted Him he died to atone for that sin. What amazing grace! What amazing love!
No nails could bind Him, no shackles could hold Him, no army could stop Him, it was His love for us alone, which captured Him, His love which held him before wicked courts to be mocked and beat, his love and mercy which held Him high upon the Cross and did not let Him save himself. What did Christ think about as He hung upon the Cross? He thought of us.
Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. It was with an act of intimacy and love with which Judas betrayed. What a mystery! What a horrible reality, an act of love turned to an act of hatred! And what of Judas name, which means thanks? How do we reconcile thankfulness with betrayal? How do we understand one who loves and thanks Christ, to betray Him? It is a mystery not to be solved, but to be experienced in the reality that we are all like Judas, we all have loved Christ and betrayed.
I can understand why the nonbeliever goes about Good Friday as though it is any other Friday, the thing which astounds and baffles me, is Christians who treat this Holy Day as any other day. They go to work, they eat, converse, and maybe go to Church. Should we not spend this Day in prayer and contemplation? Should we not take this one day out of the year to focus solely on the amazing grace of our God shown by the Eternal Son hanging upon the Cross?
Judas betrayed Christ, the disciples abandoned Him, Peter denied Him, the people mocked and beat Him, and the soldiers crucified Him….and despite all we think, we are all of them. We all shared in Judas betrayal, we abandoned and denied Him, mocked and beat and crucified Him. And yet despite of our spiteful hatred of Him he died for us. Even as we mocked and taunted Him he died to atone for that sin. What amazing grace! What amazing love!
No nails could bind Him, no shackles could hold Him, no army could stop Him, it was His love for us alone, which captured Him, His love which held him before wicked courts to be mocked and beat, his love and mercy which held Him high upon the Cross and did not let Him save himself. What did Christ think about as He hung upon the Cross? He thought of us.
Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. It was with an act of intimacy and love with which Judas betrayed. What a mystery! What a horrible reality, an act of love turned to an act of hatred! And what of Judas name, which means thanks? How do we reconcile thankfulness with betrayal? How do we understand one who loves and thanks Christ, to betray Him? It is a mystery not to be solved, but to be experienced in the reality that we are all like Judas, we all have loved Christ and betrayed.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
While Christians slept: The Washington Euthanasia Initiative
In the elections of last November an initiative to legalize euthanasia was passed in Washington State, making it the second state in the United States to do so, Oregon being the first. Below I post the wording of the initiative:
Initiative Measure No. 1000 concerns allowing certain terminally ill competent adults to obtain lethal prescriptions.
This measure would permit terminally ill, competent, adult Washington residents, who are medically predicted to have six months or less to live, to request and self-administer lethal medication prescribed by a physician.
The passing of such a bill in a liberal state, with a predominately secular population is not terribly surprising. The surprising aspect of the situation is the somnolence of Christians in the face of evil.
Neither before the elections, nor after elections did I hear the initiative discussed in Churches. There were no protests, no petitions, no signs of Christians even knowing or caring what was going on. It was as if the Church in Washington fell asleep while the roots of evil were passed into law.
Now you may think I am overreacting, I mean the bill is for euthanasia lite, but in the face of evil there is no such thing as overreacting. Certain nations in Europe passed similar laws many years ago. The allowance of those first laws has led to a situation in which doctors in much of Europe can kill anyone, even against there will, if the doctor deems their quality of life to be inadequate. Think I am still overreacting? Sociologists commonly say that the United States tends to follow trends in Europe with regards to society, laws, etc. If this is true, then one day in the near future, you may go for a doctor visit because of a runny nose, and the doctor will lay you, say that the runny nose makes your life quality poor, and kill you with a lethal injection, no matter how much you protest. If we do not stand now and root out the evil, then it will spread, and doctors may become dealers of death.
We legalized abortion in certain cases, and now women can kill their babies at any point in pregnancy: million of children have been murdered. We are legalizing killing the elderly, soon there will be no retirement as we kill off anyone over 60. And after that? Who is left but those in the middle? If life is not sacred at the beginning or the end, then it isn’t in the middle either, and murder at any state will be legal.
I leave you a poem by Martin Niemoller:
"In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;
And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then . . . they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one left to speak up."
Initiative Measure No. 1000 concerns allowing certain terminally ill competent adults to obtain lethal prescriptions.
This measure would permit terminally ill, competent, adult Washington residents, who are medically predicted to have six months or less to live, to request and self-administer lethal medication prescribed by a physician.
The passing of such a bill in a liberal state, with a predominately secular population is not terribly surprising. The surprising aspect of the situation is the somnolence of Christians in the face of evil.
Neither before the elections, nor after elections did I hear the initiative discussed in Churches. There were no protests, no petitions, no signs of Christians even knowing or caring what was going on. It was as if the Church in Washington fell asleep while the roots of evil were passed into law.
Now you may think I am overreacting, I mean the bill is for euthanasia lite, but in the face of evil there is no such thing as overreacting. Certain nations in Europe passed similar laws many years ago. The allowance of those first laws has led to a situation in which doctors in much of Europe can kill anyone, even against there will, if the doctor deems their quality of life to be inadequate. Think I am still overreacting? Sociologists commonly say that the United States tends to follow trends in Europe with regards to society, laws, etc. If this is true, then one day in the near future, you may go for a doctor visit because of a runny nose, and the doctor will lay you, say that the runny nose makes your life quality poor, and kill you with a lethal injection, no matter how much you protest. If we do not stand now and root out the evil, then it will spread, and doctors may become dealers of death.
We legalized abortion in certain cases, and now women can kill their babies at any point in pregnancy: million of children have been murdered. We are legalizing killing the elderly, soon there will be no retirement as we kill off anyone over 60. And after that? Who is left but those in the middle? If life is not sacred at the beginning or the end, then it isn’t in the middle either, and murder at any state will be legal.
I leave you a poem by Martin Niemoller:
"In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;
And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then . . . they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one left to speak up."
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