I just had the opportunity to speak on the phone with one of the life science professors at Cornell University. I can't believe the resources that my dad has.. it's pretty amazing. I've talked with a vet in Kentucky, now one of the higher-ups at an Ivy League University.
Looks like God is going to open the door... I just have to walk through!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Yay, pilates!!!
Yeah, so you can probably guess that I am insanely bored at this point. Some good news: youth group was canceled! Time for pilates... after I eat myself sick. Lol, just kidding.
"I'm livin' in the land down under...!"
Okay, so I am not really living in the land down under... but that's the song I am listening to. Pretty awesome song, if I must say so myself. Um, yeah, so it's snowing pretty hard outside right now. I really hope that youth group is canceled. I know I am a bad person, but I want to do pilates tonight. I can't really do them if I am at youth group, right? That's what I thought. I am so bored... someone text me!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Veterinarian
All right, for those who aren't aware, I am part of a leadership program through my school. We meet once a month with juniors from other public high schools in the area, and we do... well... leadership things, I guess. For this month, our assignment was to interview someone in the career field of our choice. For instance, if we aspire to be a plumber, we would have had to interview a plumber. That's a bad example, but whatever.
I want to be a small animal veterinarian, so my parents and I thought about who would be the best to call. Now I have animals, but we don't take them to the vet very often, except for shots and such. So instead of just picking up the phone book and calling a random vet, my father asked around at work to see who most people took their pets too.
It turns out that my dad's secretary has an uncle who lives in Kentucky. He is a very famous vet down there and was recently added to the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Kentucky (which is a very prestigious award, I am told). She gave me his phone number, and I called him about half an hour ago. He was very nice and answered all of my questions with good detail. I feel very honored to have spoken with a vet of his caliber. He is 70 years old and has been working in the field since he was very young.
Most of you probably don't care about this, but I thought it was really neat. I am also expecting an email from a vet in Nova Scotia. Who would've thought that I would be talking to people all over the country?
I want to be a small animal veterinarian, so my parents and I thought about who would be the best to call. Now I have animals, but we don't take them to the vet very often, except for shots and such. So instead of just picking up the phone book and calling a random vet, my father asked around at work to see who most people took their pets too.
It turns out that my dad's secretary has an uncle who lives in Kentucky. He is a very famous vet down there and was recently added to the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Kentucky (which is a very prestigious award, I am told). She gave me his phone number, and I called him about half an hour ago. He was very nice and answered all of my questions with good detail. I feel very honored to have spoken with a vet of his caliber. He is 70 years old and has been working in the field since he was very young.
Most of you probably don't care about this, but I thought it was really neat. I am also expecting an email from a vet in Nova Scotia. Who would've thought that I would be talking to people all over the country?
Friday, November 21, 2008
My God is AWESOME!
Right now, I am so blown away... it's crazy! Okay, so most of you know how my uncle has cancer - a really aggressive cancer that was in one of the later stages. That pretty much translates into: not good. However, the doctors were optimistic because they caught it early (early detection is the best cure... lol, health class!) and because he is in such good shape.
Well, they went down to Maryland to the prestigious John's Hopkins University hospital. It has a really good cancer program, and they were going down for tests. Eventually he is going to need to start some clinical trials, but they needed to know where the cancer was at and everything.
This is what really gets me. He had tons and tons of tests done today. It turns out that the tests show no cancer cells! I am astounded and so happy.. I could burst! Now before you get too giddy (like me), the doctors have said that this type of cancer has been known to hide before.. so they are going to continue with the treatments and everything. However, I am so happy that God is working a miracle in my uncle! We have been praying for him since he was diagnosed in June. He has gone through chemo, he has suffered the side effects, but we have never given up hope of his healing.
I believe that God can work miracles. I believe He is working a miracle. And I am just so, so happy. Thanks to everyone who has prayed.. but keep praying! He's not completely through it. I will keep praying with increased intensity until God heals him completely and definitely!
Thank you God for answered prayers!
Well, they went down to Maryland to the prestigious John's Hopkins University hospital. It has a really good cancer program, and they were going down for tests. Eventually he is going to need to start some clinical trials, but they needed to know where the cancer was at and everything.
This is what really gets me. He had tons and tons of tests done today. It turns out that the tests show no cancer cells! I am astounded and so happy.. I could burst! Now before you get too giddy (like me), the doctors have said that this type of cancer has been known to hide before.. so they are going to continue with the treatments and everything. However, I am so happy that God is working a miracle in my uncle! We have been praying for him since he was diagnosed in June. He has gone through chemo, he has suffered the side effects, but we have never given up hope of his healing.
I believe that God can work miracles. I believe He is working a miracle. And I am just so, so happy. Thanks to everyone who has prayed.. but keep praying! He's not completely through it. I will keep praying with increased intensity until God heals him completely and definitely!
Thank you God for answered prayers!
Wikipedia article
Okay, so I had the chance to do something super exciting. Okay, okay, so you will all probably think I am a geek, but I just edited a Wikipedia article!! Now people all over the world can read my words... I feel so famous.
Hey now, don't laugh at me. I'm just that cool.
Hey now, don't laugh at me. I'm just that cool.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
On this day... four years ago...
I can't believe it has been four years. On this day, November 16 back in the year 2004, my grandpa passed away. It was probably the worst day of my life, and I can still remember the details vividly in my head, though I will spare the story. It's still hard to tell.
For some people, the death of a grandparent doesn't bring much sorrow. But for my family, it is way different. We are so close. We hadn't had a close death in the family before. It was a very trying time for us. However, God is faithful. I never would have thought that something good could come of tragedy, but there was a light in the midst of overwhelming darkness. This experience drew my family so close, it's hard to imagine. The night of his passing, I remember sitting in my grandma's living room looking at old pictures. We laughed and cried at the memories. Family that I hadn't seen in years was there, wiping tears with us. Friends and church members provided food and support. It was so touching how God carried us through this moment.
Even though this was an awful day, I take comfort from one thought. I will see my grandpa again. We know without a doubt that he was a Christian, and were it not for that, I am certain that I wouldn't have been able to go on. But I will see him again! Right now, I miss him so terribly that my heart aches just typing this... but I wouldn't wish him back to this world. Not with everything that is happening now. He is in such an awesome place right now. I mean, he is in God's presence! How I wish I was there with him! Someday I will be. Someday our whole family will be reunited.
It was kind of ironic because today in church we sang the hymn "Until Then". For those who don't know the words, the chorus goes:
"But until then my heart will go on singing. Until then, with joy I'll carry on. Until the day, my eyes
behold the city. Until the day, God calls me home."
Those are such touching words for me. I will carry on with joy because I know that my grandpa is up there cheering for me. And even as I type this, I can feel God's comfort in my life. I am not alone. I have never been and never will be alone. God walked that road of grief with me. He knew my pain. He kept every tear that I cried. He held me in my darkest moments. And because of that, I enjoy a closer walk with Him today.
So right now, I just want to say "Hello" to my angel in the sky. I will see you again, Grandpa!
For some people, the death of a grandparent doesn't bring much sorrow. But for my family, it is way different. We are so close. We hadn't had a close death in the family before. It was a very trying time for us. However, God is faithful. I never would have thought that something good could come of tragedy, but there was a light in the midst of overwhelming darkness. This experience drew my family so close, it's hard to imagine. The night of his passing, I remember sitting in my grandma's living room looking at old pictures. We laughed and cried at the memories. Family that I hadn't seen in years was there, wiping tears with us. Friends and church members provided food and support. It was so touching how God carried us through this moment.
Even though this was an awful day, I take comfort from one thought. I will see my grandpa again. We know without a doubt that he was a Christian, and were it not for that, I am certain that I wouldn't have been able to go on. But I will see him again! Right now, I miss him so terribly that my heart aches just typing this... but I wouldn't wish him back to this world. Not with everything that is happening now. He is in such an awesome place right now. I mean, he is in God's presence! How I wish I was there with him! Someday I will be. Someday our whole family will be reunited.
It was kind of ironic because today in church we sang the hymn "Until Then". For those who don't know the words, the chorus goes:
"But until then my heart will go on singing. Until then, with joy I'll carry on. Until the day, my eyes
behold the city. Until the day, God calls me home."
Those are such touching words for me. I will carry on with joy because I know that my grandpa is up there cheering for me. And even as I type this, I can feel God's comfort in my life. I am not alone. I have never been and never will be alone. God walked that road of grief with me. He knew my pain. He kept every tear that I cried. He held me in my darkest moments. And because of that, I enjoy a closer walk with Him today.
So right now, I just want to say "Hello" to my angel in the sky. I will see you again, Grandpa!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Operation Christmas Child 2008
As the 2008 Christmas season draws closer, I want to challenge everyone that reads this to something. I just finished packing two shoe boxes to send to Operation Christmas Child. For those who have never heard of this, it is put on by Samaritan's Purse - a Christian organization that helps needy countries and spreads the Good News of Jesus Christ.
To participate in Operation Christmas Child, all you need to do is find an empty shoe box (they are even accepting plastic containers now that are the size of a shoe box) and go out and buy toys, pencils, paper, personal hygiene items, candy, etc. to fill your box with. If you go to http://www.samaritanspurse.org/occ it will give you all of the information you need. Then you print out a label either Boy (ages 2-4; 5-9; 10-14) or Girl (same ages) and tape it to the top of your shoe box. There should be a drop-off location somewhere near you, and you will just take it to the drop-off area and they will make sure it gets to a needy child somewhere in the world. This is a great way to witness and bless children everywhere. Most of these children barely have enough to eat. Each year, these shoe boxes provide hope for these children - hope that they don't think exists.
Hurry up! The National Collection Week is November 17-24!
To participate in Operation Christmas Child, all you need to do is find an empty shoe box (they are even accepting plastic containers now that are the size of a shoe box) and go out and buy toys, pencils, paper, personal hygiene items, candy, etc. to fill your box with. If you go to http://www.samaritanspurse.org/occ it will give you all of the information you need. Then you print out a label either Boy (ages 2-4; 5-9; 10-14) or Girl (same ages) and tape it to the top of your shoe box. There should be a drop-off location somewhere near you, and you will just take it to the drop-off area and they will make sure it gets to a needy child somewhere in the world. This is a great way to witness and bless children everywhere. Most of these children barely have enough to eat. Each year, these shoe boxes provide hope for these children - hope that they don't think exists.
Hurry up! The National Collection Week is November 17-24!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
What Life Would Be Like
Okay, so I am listening to the song "What Life Would Be Like" by Big Daddy Weave on my Ipod, and it got me thinking a little bit. Well, first off, the song talks about the things that Jesus did on this earth and what He is still doing for us. The song also muses about what life would be like if we lived with Christ in our lives.
This song makes me really curious when I listen to it. Seriously, what would life be like? It would be crazy awesome, that's what! There would be no divorces, there would be no abortions, there would be no abuses, no rapes, no fights, no murders, no terrorism... none of that! You could walk the streets of Iraq or Afghanistan without fear of being blown up. You could talk about Christ without getting shunned or persecuted. Everyone would be friends. There would be no differences in religion because Christ would be the religion (even though I really don't like that word). Conversations among teenagers would be wholesome and pure. Men wouldn't fall prey to lusts. Women wouldn't use their bodies for lust. Children wouldn't be starving. Families wouldn't be hurting. Marriages wouldn't be broken. In essence, life would be a utopia.
But then I got to thinking, that was what Eden was like, wasn't it? That is what Heaven is! Why wouldn't we want a life like that? Why is it so hard to accept Christ? Personally, I don't understand it. I know that sin has spread like a wildfire in our generation, but Christ is still bigger than that. And everything He offers only benefits us. Yet we still keep living in our sin.
I guess I will just have to wait until Heaven to see what life would be like.
This song makes me really curious when I listen to it. Seriously, what would life be like? It would be crazy awesome, that's what! There would be no divorces, there would be no abortions, there would be no abuses, no rapes, no fights, no murders, no terrorism... none of that! You could walk the streets of Iraq or Afghanistan without fear of being blown up. You could talk about Christ without getting shunned or persecuted. Everyone would be friends. There would be no differences in religion because Christ would be the religion (even though I really don't like that word). Conversations among teenagers would be wholesome and pure. Men wouldn't fall prey to lusts. Women wouldn't use their bodies for lust. Children wouldn't be starving. Families wouldn't be hurting. Marriages wouldn't be broken. In essence, life would be a utopia.
But then I got to thinking, that was what Eden was like, wasn't it? That is what Heaven is! Why wouldn't we want a life like that? Why is it so hard to accept Christ? Personally, I don't understand it. I know that sin has spread like a wildfire in our generation, but Christ is still bigger than that. And everything He offers only benefits us. Yet we still keep living in our sin.
I guess I will just have to wait until Heaven to see what life would be like.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)