I haven't blogged in a long time.  I've written... three big papers, four mid-terms, and six quizzes in the last two weeks... but I haven't blogged.  I miss it when I'm gone.  Reading week has arrived.  I will read.  I will rest.  I will take naps in the afternoon.  I will write.  I will blog.  Looking forward to moments with you in the next ten days.

May we bravely remove the lens through which we see this mid-February season - whether that be the rose-tinted lens of romance, or the bitter lens of loneliness.  May we begin to choose the practice of genuine love daily, for the grocery store cashier, the girl who lives across the hall, the one we've condescended as a misfit instead of initiating real friendship, the friend who betrayed us, the crush that rejected us, the clique that mocked us, the parent we have pushed away to gain our independence, the boss we don't respect, the friend we've always taken for-granted, the stranger we would otherwise walk by... with the people and in the places where we feel least comfortable.  May we learn to see people - ourselves included - the way the Creator of all sees us and rest in the experience of His complete approval.  May we muster the courage to admit how deeply we long for love.  May we relegate romanticized love to its right place as salt and pepper seasonings instead of the means by which we fill our love-hungry appetites.  May we grow to savour relationship instead of romance.  And in time, may your romance grow to reflect the way in which your Saviour romances your soul, knowing deeply and being deeply known, not so that you may bask in the pleasure of rich romance, but that the richness of your relationship spills over to invite others into inclusive community rather than flaunting your exclusivity.  May we learn what it means to say, "I love you", and live it.

PS... if you have a minute, follow the link to Brene Brown's blog - Ordinary Courage - and read her Valentines' Day post from which I obtained this quote... it's pretty great.

Jalike one small kid...

Da peopo wen bring dea small kids by Jesus, cuz dey like fo him put his hands on top dea heads an pray fo dem.  Wen Jesus guys see dat, dey wen scold da peopo cuz dey wen do dat.  But Jesus tell da kids fo come, and he say, "Let da small kids come by me, an no stop dem, cuz da peopo dat get God fo dea King, inside demself dey jalike dese kids.  Dass right!  An I like tell you guys dis too: Whoeva no take God fo be his King jalike one small kid, he no can get God fo his King."

Luke 18:15-17

(Da Jesus Book - Hawaii Pidgin New Testament)

Don't get me wrong... I love school.  I like learning.  I get a thrill out of batting around ideas in class or with my profs.  I delight in the process of drafting and word-smithing until I know my essays communicate my thoughts clearly.  I dread tests, but who doesn't?  Sometimes, however, I feel like I'd learn more if I spent my years contemplating just one or two ideas... internalizing them... learning what it means to live them in practice... soaking up the wisdom of people who have walked this way... resting in the knowledge that there is absolutely nothing of worth that I can offer to my God except a trusting, childlike heart.  And maybe learning to speak Hawaii Pidgin.  Sometimes I'd like to ditch school altogether and head off to Bangladesh to hang out with the kids in this picture.  But in the meantime, I'm enjoying the purpose in this season, and asking God for a renovation/addition to be put into the development plan for my short- and long-term memory that I may better retain (and hopefully apply) excessive quantities of information.  By the way... if you stumbled your way through that paragraph, congrats!  Go back and read it again out loud.  The effect is incredible - if you're good at it - and quality entertainment for bystanders either way.

Vaguebooking

If you, like me, have a memory for useless information, you may recall from my post on January 19th that the average secondary student learns 5000 new words every year, while only 200 new words are taught in the school system.  One has to wonder... where do all these new words come from, and won't we ever run out of words to learn?  Nope.  Never.


As for their origins... I have no idea, but here's one of my newest favourite ridiculous linguistic compositions - 

Vaguebooking An intentionally vague Facebook status update, that prompts friends to ask what's going on, or is possibly a cry for help.

Mary is: "wondering if it is all worth it"
Mark is: "thinking that was a bad idea"
 Example:
"Have you talked to Mark? He's vaguebooking again. I wonder if he's back with Mary..." 

Closely related, and also a favourite....


HistrionicsExaggerated dramatic behavior designed to attract attention.
Example:Discussions around the issue have been based as much in histrionics as in history.