Excited!

This morning, I've been reading about Moses' death and it's gotten me really excited about camp this summer. That may seem like an odd correlation but let me explain.

Our theme this summer is "Bound for the Promised Land". Every day throughout the week, we are going to have a small skit about the life of Moses. We'll start with him being saved by the princess and then progress through his life. On Friday night, he will have lived the entirety of his life and the Passion play will begin with him atop Mount Nebo. It is from his eyes that the life of Christ is viewed on stage. I'm so excited! I can see it all happening as I'm reading about it in Patriarchs and Prophets! What we will touch on is powerful and I can't wait to start writing it!

I'm telling you about this because I would love it if YOU came and worked at camp this summer! It is an incredible ministry and you will grow in ways you never thought possible. Believe me, I've experienced it! Not to mention that it is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous! (See the picture behind the title of my blog for an example! That's Camp Cherokee!) Some of you may have heard me talking to certain people about applying for Camp Cherokee but thought that because I hadn't talked to you specifically, that meant that you were not invited to apply. WRONG!! Please, if you have any desire to work at camp, talk to me! I would love to share with you what it's all about and get you set up with an interview with Pastor Dan when he comes down in a few weeks.

Seriously, consider my offer. I want to see you there! And not only do I want to see you there, but, even more importantly, I want to see you in the Promised Land. Never forget: that's where we're headed. Satan deceives more people by complacency and distraction than he does with outright evil.

As you enjoy your Sabbath today, I pray that you will remember that it is not about what you do or don't do, but it is about the presence of God in your life. Let His Holy Spirit enter the temple of your heart and you will be amazed at the transformation you will see.

Bound for the Promised Land,
Christy

pretty sweet

An apple, a muffin, and God's notice of the small things :)

You know, God really does answer prayers! Even the one's we don't pray!

This morning I have been working at Thatcher front desk since 4 a.m. I get pretty hungry by 5 or 6 and so usually, at 8 when I get off work, I am quite ready to go eat breakfast. But on Wednesday's I have a class so I can't go and eat. Usually I forget to bring food but I had a yogurt left over from last night's supper so I brought that. Of course, that's not enough, but at least it's something! But today, God has brought so many people with food for me! First Allie offered to bring me breakfast. I had my yogurt and she would have to go out of her way to get it for me, so I didn't take her up on the offer. But it was still really nice of her! And then Laurel walked in and, totally out of the blue, offered me an apple! Then, as Emily Fisher was walking out the door, she paused, came back, and gave me a muffin in celebration of Olivia's birthday. Now, it's almost time to go to class and I have had a wonderful, diverse, God-given breakfast.

Thanks guys!

Capacious Palaverization

Vocabulary is a funny thing. It intrigues me. By simply learning more words, we are able to concisely say exactly what we mean instead of beating around the bush with a verbiage of words that just don't quite fit! This seems to be my usual habit of things. I don't even pretend to have the eloquent parlance as some of my friends.

Today I have my Honors Seminar class. I must admit, the book we read this month has been the hardest yet. Culture and Imperialism, by Edward W. Said, has some fascinating topics but combined with unfamiliar subjects, long run-on sentences, and operose vocabulary (lol) it was quite a difficult read.

I have always had the habit of reading too fast for my own good (In the past, I futilely tried to keep up with my brother! It was a dream never realized.) and simply insinuating meaning into words that I don't know. It's worked effectively... until now. It's hard to glean meaning from a book using that method when every other word is one you don't know! I started writing down the words that I didn't know. I have listed them here, along with their definitions so that you too can expand your language skills (or just give yourself a pat on the back for knowing a lot of big words!) I apologize if some of them seem blatantly obvious!

1. insularity - dwelling or situated on an island. Detached; standing alone; isolated. Narrow-minded or illiberal. Provincial
2. hermeneutical - referring to the science of interpretation, esp. of the Scriptures.
3. pusillanimous - lacking courage or resolution; cowardly; faint-hearted; timid.
4. adumbration - to produce a faint image or resemblance of; to outline or sketch
5. tautological - needless repetition of an idea, esp. in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness, as in “widow woman.”
6. libertinage - disregard of authority or convention in sexual or religious matters.
7. ontological - the branch of metaphysics that studies the nature of existence or being as such.
8. solipsism - the theory that only the self exists, or can be proved to exist. Extreme preoccupation with and indulgence of one's feelings, desires, etc.; egoistic self-absorption.
9. epigone - A second-rate imitator or follower, especially of an artist or a philosopher.
10. polemic - a controversial argument, as one against some opinion, doctrine, etc.
11. accretion - an increase by natural growth or by gradual external addition; growth in size or extent.
12. hegemony - leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others, as in a confederation.
13. acrimony - sharpness, harshness, or bitterness of nature, speech, disposition
14. antinomian - a person who maintains that Christians are freed from the moral law by virtue of grace as set forth in the gospel.
15. valence - the capacity of one person or thing to react with or affect another in some special way, as by attraction or the facilitation of a function or activity
16. imbroglio - a misunderstanding, disagreement, etc., of a complicated or bitter nature, as between persons or nations.
17. screed - a long discourse or essay, esp. a diatribe.
18. pedantic - ostentatious in one's learning. Overly concerned with minute details or formalisms, esp. in teaching.
19. anachronistic -referring to an error in chronology in which a person, object, event, etc., is assigned a date or period other than the correct one
20. Panglossian - characterized by or given to extreme optimism, esp. in the face of unrelieved hardship or adversity.
21. epistemology - a branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature, methods, and limits of human knowledge.
22. trope - any literary or rhetorical device, as metaphor, metonymy, synecdoche, and irony, that consists in the use of words in other than their literal sense
23. civilistrice -idea of a civilization mission, bring civilization to those supposedly without it
    
24. posit - to lay down or assume as a fact or principle; postulate
25. atavism/atavistically - reversion to an earlier type; throwback
26. recrimination - to bring a countercharge against an accuser
27. interpellation - a procedure in some legislative bodies of asking a government official to explain an act or policy, sometimes leading, in parliamentary government, to a vote of confidence or a change of government.
28. jingoistic - the spirit, policy, or practice of a person who professes his or her patriotism loudly and excessively, favoring vigilant preparedness for war and an aggressive foreign policy
29. comeuppance - A punishment or retribution that one deserves; one's just deserts
30. metallurgical - the technique or science of working or heating metals so as to give them certain desired shapes or properties.