My I-survived-finals reward to myself was to get a Pintrest. I managed to justify this by explaining to my better conscience that I don’t have any way to be inspired in the area of home decorating, being artsy, fashion, etc. Such dearths must certainly be remedied.
So I proceeded to remedy... For one hour in the first setting.
Poorly done, Katie. Poorly done.
In the midst of repinning, it is impossible to overlook the fact that almost every girl on Pintrest has an entire Board and hours of thought devoted to none other than one twenty-four hour span... Her wedding day.
I wonder how many dollars are spent on American weddings each year...
What an incredible and blessed day, but what an inadequate representation of a marriage- an event that continues on until death do us part. Our minds jump to the wedding day but forget the marriage it begins.
May my focus be not on a dress I’ll wear once nor on a cake my guests will consume in thirty minutes nor on the venue nor on colors... May my focus be on the demeanor I’ll wear every day of marriage, the food I’ll prepare to serve my man, and the home I will make for his comfort and pleasure.
Marriage bells are ringing. :)
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Aslan's Country
C.S. Lewis was brilliant. People could write theses on this idea, but I'm working on brevity from now on.
My little brother and I watched "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" last night. At the end of the movie, Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, and Reepicheep paddle onto the shore of Aslan's Country. It's a beautiful representation of heaven and the way that "noble hearts" should desire the Promise Land. Every tear will be wiped away, we'll be forever freed from the presence of sin. Clothed in immortality, we will walk with God Himself.
"'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7) "Paradise of God" literally meaning the abode of God, to be in His presence, and to be where the Lord is.
What if I lived life longing to set my eyes on Aslan's Country? What if my sole desire was to see the Country from which the Baby in the manger came and to which He returned as victorious Savior?
What if my only goal was to ennoble my heart, following the Lord into adventures in this world, that I might soon see His Country?
"...forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.... Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself." (Philippians 3:13-14, 20-21)
Press on, my soul. Press on that more might desire to see Aslan's Country. Press on.
My little brother and I watched "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" last night. At the end of the movie, Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, and Reepicheep paddle onto the shore of Aslan's Country. It's a beautiful representation of heaven and the way that "noble hearts" should desire the Promise Land. Every tear will be wiped away, we'll be forever freed from the presence of sin. Clothed in immortality, we will walk with God Himself.
"'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7) "Paradise of God" literally meaning the abode of God, to be in His presence, and to be where the Lord is.
What if I lived life longing to set my eyes on Aslan's Country? What if my sole desire was to see the Country from which the Baby in the manger came and to which He returned as victorious Savior?
What if my only goal was to ennoble my heart, following the Lord into adventures in this world, that I might soon see His Country?
"...forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.... Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself." (Philippians 3:13-14, 20-21)
Press on, my soul. Press on that more might desire to see Aslan's Country. Press on.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Love Immeasurable
In the flurry of throwing half of my closet and stacks of books into my suitcase, I failed to pack my Bible. Heathen.
Being one of the extravagant Americans who owns multiple Bibles, I am enjoying using my bran-new unmarked Bible that was given to me as a graduation gift. Though my usual Bible is like a friend with its familiar notations, I'm loving reading from the clean pages. The Word is more fresh than ever- what a simple joy and a tremendous blessing.
My thoughts from my kitchen table with my daddy's black coffee... Mmm, serenity:
First, the Word:
"...I bow my knees before the Father... that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with the fullness of God."
Ephesians 3:14-19
Second, the Creed:
I mentioned that my more-or-less governing principle this semester was growing in the knowledge and grace of Christ. It would appear that the precursor to this mission is to be rooted and grounded in His love... So that we may have strength to comprehend this immeasurable love... That we are filled with the fullness of God.
We're made in the image of God, so this would be our end purpose, and the glory goes to Him and Him alone. His strength even gets us to this point.
My Christmas break goal?
Marvel at Christ's love.
Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.
SDG
Being one of the extravagant Americans who owns multiple Bibles, I am enjoying using my bran-new unmarked Bible that was given to me as a graduation gift. Though my usual Bible is like a friend with its familiar notations, I'm loving reading from the clean pages. The Word is more fresh than ever- what a simple joy and a tremendous blessing.
My thoughts from my kitchen table with my daddy's black coffee... Mmm, serenity:
First, the Word:
"...I bow my knees before the Father... that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with the fullness of God."
Ephesians 3:14-19
Second, the Creed:
I mentioned that my more-or-less governing principle this semester was growing in the knowledge and grace of Christ. It would appear that the precursor to this mission is to be rooted and grounded in His love... So that we may have strength to comprehend this immeasurable love... That we are filled with the fullness of God.
We're made in the image of God, so this would be our end purpose, and the glory goes to Him and Him alone. His strength even gets us to this point.
My Christmas break goal?
Marvel at Christ's love.
Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.
SDG
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Hindsight
Once upon a February, I had great intentions. I had great aspirations. I was greatly motivated. I was greatly nearsighted to think that life at Patrick Henry College allows for fulfillment of these great intentions, aspirations, and sustains motivation.
They say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions...
Too far, too far.
My brilliant idea of blogging regularly throughout college both as a chronicle for me and a way of updating my dear family members on my life was born in February of last year before I understood what it is to be a student at PHC.
Urban Dictionary has it mostly right:
Patrick Henry College (n.)
“...many students react to their newfound freedom by studying 60 hours a week...
Patrick Henry College is also one of the only schools in the nation with a full parking lot on Friday nights and an empty one Sunday mornings. Rather than dividing themselves into groups of jocks, nerds, and the like, students recognize that they are all nerds and create pecking orders based upon competing epistemologies, opinions on different church fathers, and swing dancing ability.”
Accurate statements, the moral being that 60 hours of study, 15 hours of classes, 10 of basketball and running, 4 of chapel, and uncharted in Moot Court leave little time for breathing and sleeping. The priority level on blogging is less than well uh, medium-low. Contrary to my brother’s firm opinion, I am not a crazy partying college kid. Study parties are as wild as it gets. Nerd.
Now, as I cruise at 30,000 feet with a magnificent sunrise behind me, I am free from any academic obligation and am ready to reflect.
Going to college 2,000 miles away from home is strange. In a strange dichotomy of self you lead two lives that will never intertwine. I am stoked to return home to my family but am already eager to get back to my pseudo-family at PHC who will probably never meet my blood family. Hmmm. My life in Virginia is not defined by being a member of the Tipton family but is marked by my actions as an individual.
With individuality and independence comes a certain measure of loneliness. I have never prayed as fervently, earnestly, or diligently as I did this first semester. God has proved Himself all-knowing and all-powerful from leading me to churches to guiding me through logical proofs to getting me out of bed. He has graciously proven to be Friend, Counsellor, Comforter, and Guide.
PHC is an able tool in the hands of the Lord to demonstrate how very inadequate you are. One of the faculty members described the school as 350 big fish in a very small pond. Living surrounded by people who have twice your IQ, are more experienced than you, and more go dominate debates in England keeps you sufficiently humble.
Taking Constitutional Law from a man who has argued before the Supreme Court and attempting appellate advocacy at a school that is all but beatable in Moot Court is terrifying. I marvel that I made it through Constitutional Law not only alive but with some measure of success. I can offer no explanation but that God provided competency. How awesome that His strength is made perfect even in academic weakness. Just as He provides us with the faith He requires for salvation, He provides all that is needed for the work He has currently set before us.
I had never considered before my Logic class that God is the Master Teacher in all subjects. Jesus was undoubtedly a super-carpenter, and I have no doubt that He would have excelled at any career He undertook on earth. He would have been the best logician, engineer, doctor, or attorney the earth had ever seen. The Lord is the source of all knowledge, and He is able and willing to enlighten us for His glory.
Even so, what a joy that our only purpose is to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ that He might be glorified. This is life’s sole focus; this protects against measuring life by tests or paper deadlines.
In the words of my roommate, my dear darling Alissa, sometimes people are just put into each others lives as friends. They don’t have to become friends, God just makes them friends. How thankful I am that this was the case for me and Alissa. Liss has challenged me, laughed with me, made me eat Oreos, and introduced me to Mumford and Sons. She has inspired me, motivated me, and provided some sense of stability in this chaotic semester. We now have an incredible group of friends- friends who pray together and demonstrate what it looks like to be brothers and sisters in Christ.
I love my life in Virginia. Every morning I can’t help but smiling when I re-realize that I am at Patrick Henry College. What a luxury, what an opportunity to take four years out of life to study and to grow.
Despite the disconnect between my two worlds, I rejoice that my God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I hope that my education and experience is shaping my true self- Katie Tipton as I really am- so that my pseudo-family at school knows the same woman who is a member of the Tipton family.
Semester One in the books.
Sola Dei gloria.
They say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions...
Too far, too far.
My brilliant idea of blogging regularly throughout college both as a chronicle for me and a way of updating my dear family members on my life was born in February of last year before I understood what it is to be a student at PHC.
Urban Dictionary has it mostly right:
Patrick Henry College (n.)
“...many students react to their newfound freedom by studying 60 hours a week...
Patrick Henry College is also one of the only schools in the nation with a full parking lot on Friday nights and an empty one Sunday mornings. Rather than dividing themselves into groups of jocks, nerds, and the like, students recognize that they are all nerds and create pecking orders based upon competing epistemologies, opinions on different church fathers, and swing dancing ability.”
Accurate statements, the moral being that 60 hours of study, 15 hours of classes, 10 of basketball and running, 4 of chapel, and uncharted in Moot Court leave little time for breathing and sleeping. The priority level on blogging is less than well uh, medium-low. Contrary to my brother’s firm opinion, I am not a crazy partying college kid. Study parties are as wild as it gets. Nerd.
Now, as I cruise at 30,000 feet with a magnificent sunrise behind me, I am free from any academic obligation and am ready to reflect.
Going to college 2,000 miles away from home is strange. In a strange dichotomy of self you lead two lives that will never intertwine. I am stoked to return home to my family but am already eager to get back to my pseudo-family at PHC who will probably never meet my blood family. Hmmm. My life in Virginia is not defined by being a member of the Tipton family but is marked by my actions as an individual.
With individuality and independence comes a certain measure of loneliness. I have never prayed as fervently, earnestly, or diligently as I did this first semester. God has proved Himself all-knowing and all-powerful from leading me to churches to guiding me through logical proofs to getting me out of bed. He has graciously proven to be Friend, Counsellor, Comforter, and Guide.
PHC is an able tool in the hands of the Lord to demonstrate how very inadequate you are. One of the faculty members described the school as 350 big fish in a very small pond. Living surrounded by people who have twice your IQ, are more experienced than you, and more go dominate debates in England keeps you sufficiently humble.
Taking Constitutional Law from a man who has argued before the Supreme Court and attempting appellate advocacy at a school that is all but beatable in Moot Court is terrifying. I marvel that I made it through Constitutional Law not only alive but with some measure of success. I can offer no explanation but that God provided competency. How awesome that His strength is made perfect even in academic weakness. Just as He provides us with the faith He requires for salvation, He provides all that is needed for the work He has currently set before us.
I had never considered before my Logic class that God is the Master Teacher in all subjects. Jesus was undoubtedly a super-carpenter, and I have no doubt that He would have excelled at any career He undertook on earth. He would have been the best logician, engineer, doctor, or attorney the earth had ever seen. The Lord is the source of all knowledge, and He is able and willing to enlighten us for His glory.
Even so, what a joy that our only purpose is to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ that He might be glorified. This is life’s sole focus; this protects against measuring life by tests or paper deadlines.
In the words of my roommate, my dear darling Alissa, sometimes people are just put into each others lives as friends. They don’t have to become friends, God just makes them friends. How thankful I am that this was the case for me and Alissa. Liss has challenged me, laughed with me, made me eat Oreos, and introduced me to Mumford and Sons. She has inspired me, motivated me, and provided some sense of stability in this chaotic semester. We now have an incredible group of friends- friends who pray together and demonstrate what it looks like to be brothers and sisters in Christ.
I love my life in Virginia. Every morning I can’t help but smiling when I re-realize that I am at Patrick Henry College. What a luxury, what an opportunity to take four years out of life to study and to grow.
Despite the disconnect between my two worlds, I rejoice that my God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I hope that my education and experience is shaping my true self- Katie Tipton as I really am- so that my pseudo-family at school knows the same woman who is a member of the Tipton family.
Semester One in the books.
Sola Dei gloria.
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