Power Over Matter

Basic life concept:  Weather men don't have a great reputation for predicting the weather.  

Basic science concept:  Mass cannot be created or destroyed.  It can only change form.  

Not-quite-so-basic science concept: Surface tension in water is what causes it to have that curved look when it seems to have overflowed the glass.  Water molecules want to cling to each other, and at the top of the glass they have less other water molecules to cling to, so they cling to the existing ones even more strongly.  At 20°C, the surface tension of water is 0.0728 Newtons/meter.  It doesn't take very much to break that surface tension, though!

Now think about this:  

Jesus didn't just predict the weather.  He controlled it.  (Matthew 8:23-27)

There have only been a few points in history when matter and mass have been created or destroyed.  Jesus was present at and behind all of them.  (Matthew 14:13-21, Genesis 1, John 2:1-11)

The average force a 30-year-old man applies downwards (due to the force of gravity) is 175 Newtons.  Even if Jesus was a midget who only applied 100 Newtons of force, He still, according the "laws" of our world, should have sunk through the water.  Yet He did not!  (Matthew 14:22-33)

Jesus is God, and God is Sovereign.  He created this world and He is in control.  Small things like scientific laws don't get in His way.  

My Favorite Authors

     I wanted to take the opportunity to share some of my favorite Christian authors with you.  I've found them to produce good storylines and uplifting messages, and want to be sure you know where you can turn for good Christian novels.  Bryan Davis is author of Dragons in our Midst, I Know Why the Angels Dance, and the Echoes from the Edge series.  Ted Dekker wrote the Circle books, the Heaven trilogy, and Blessed Child.  Karen Kingsbury has written the Baxter series (all four of them), the 9/11 series, and Between Sundays.  Check them out!

Bryan Davis:
Website - http://www.daviscrossing.com/
Shopping page - http://www.daviscrossing.com/shopping.htm
Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/BryanDavis.Fans

Ted Dekker:
Website - http://www.teddekker.com/
Facebook Page - http://www.facebook.com/teddekker?fref=ts

Karen Kingsbury:
Website - http://www.karenkingsbury.com/
Facebook Page - http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKarenKingsbury?fref=ts

You Are What You Eat

        While this statement isn't entirely true, and you're not going to turn into a banana if you eat three bananas every day, there's a lot of meaning behind it that, sadly, gets ignored.  Americans are stereotyped as being fat, as I've discovered after being asked several times why I'm NOT fat.  There are plenty of people over here who are just as overweight as Americans are.  I see a lot of girls my age who were fit a year ago when I showed up starting to put on weight as they stop growing upwards but don't stop eating as much and don't exercise enough.  Our body is a temple and we need to take care of it.
     We can't gorge ourselves on candy, chips, and McDonalds every day.  Actually, most of us don't, but we'll have a piece of chocolate here, a handful of MnM's there, a coke now or then.  I'm not saying don't ever touch any junk food ever, but we need to think about what we're putting in our body.  

     To consider another point of this, there is a passage in the Bible where Jesus talks about the inside and the outside of the cup:


37 When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.

39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 

     Now, making sure your eating is healthy and you exercise enough is all well and good, but that's just taking care of the "outside" of the cup.  The outside is your physical body; the inside is your spiritual, emotional, and mental being.  What are you feeding your mind?  Are you reading your Bible everyday?  Are you listening to music that swears and elevates sex?  Do you listen to your mentors and leaders, or are you following the way of tv shows, magazines, and giving in to peer pressure?  
     I challenge you to think about what you eat.  What are you putting into your body - both physical and spiritual, and does it honor God?   

New Hairdos for the New Year

A little background information: 1) My school year, in South Africa, begins in January, so as well as this time of year being the beginning of the whole year, it's also the beginning of the new school year for me.
                                                    2) I attend a private school, and as well as being required to wear a uniform, I'm also required to keep my hair pulled back and preferably up.

So, with these facts in mind, I've recently been looking for some new hairdos.  I have medium length, thick, very straight (and frequently slippery!) hair, so finding hairdos that work well can be difficult.  Below are pictures of my hair, as well as links to the tutorials I used online.

Fishtail braid:
http://www.runningonhappiness.com/2011/07/diy-fishtail-braid.html

Top Knot:
http://www.runningonhappiness.com/2011/09/how-to-top-knot.html
*Note: If your hair is still damp, this one may be a bit difficult.  If you have the time, dry your hair completely, or, if your like me and can't be bothered, attempt it anyways!

Partially Pulled Back variation (aka Half French Twist):
http://www.thesmallthingsblog.com/2011/08/half-french-twist.html

Braided Braid:
http://thebeautydepartment.com/2012/02/you-asked-for-it/

10 Ways to Have a Better Break

I am happy to say that I just finished a stressful quarter of college! Finals are over, I'm all registered for next quarter's classes, I can finally relax over a nice long winter break. But what should be done? Here are some things you can do to make your break refreshing, relaxing, and fun. (Plus, it's my personal "to do" list for this break).

1. Make a list!

Plan out all of the things you want to do or accomplish over break. This should include fun things like watching a season of your favorite TV show, but also not-so-fun stuff that get pushed to the "back burner" when you're busy. I don't think I cleaned my room once over fall quarter. It was so messy that until yesterday, I could barely even get in. It was bad.

2. Read a classic.

For me, there are very few things less refreshing than cuddling up with a good book! Classics especially seem to relax and sooth me. I know, I know, but you already have to do so much reading for school. Trust me, reading a book will be much more refreshing than spending hours on facebook. My classic of choice for this break is Emma by Jane Austen. Both the book and the author are some of my favorites. Jane Austen's writing just has this way of filling me with joy. I love it.

3. Do one thing you love.

In all seriousness, there is absolutely nothing more rejuvenating to one's mind and spirit than to do something one loves. Sometimes I even forget how much I love something until I pick it up again. On my list is to make my siblings' Christmas presents and to spend time playing the piano and singing. I really enjoy sewing, so I will be making many Christmas presents on my sewing machine this year. I'm so excited about my projects! And playing music makes me happy. (:

4. Spend time laughing hysterically. 

Okay, but really. Watch a bunch of funny youtube videos, hang out with a person who makes you laugh, or just make faces at yourself in the mirror until you crack yourself up. Laughter is the best medicine. Ever. It release chemicals into your body that relaxes you and improves you mood. You will never regret a long, full, tummy-hurting, tear-jerking episode of laughter. I promise.

5. Memorize your favorite Bible passage.

And if you already have, pick a new favorite. This break I am memorizing the second half of Romans 5.  I always feel so refreshed after meditating on God's word. Maybe memorize a verse on God's peace or joy.

6. Bake something.
Whether it's muffins, cake, brownies, or cookies, find a new recipe and try it! I very much enjoy baking. Mostly because when I bake something, I get to eat the batter or dough. Brownies is one of my favorite things to bake.

7. Bless someone.
Buy a stranger's coffee, bake cookies for your grumpy neighbor, or anonymously mail a struggling friend a $20 bill. I don't care how you choose to bless someone; just do it. You will be glad you did.






8. Do one thing outside of your comfort zone.
This could mean talking to someone you'd normally be too shy to, starting a new job, or playing guitar in front of your family. Find something that would make you uncomfortable and do it. What's the worse thing that could happen, right? Even if you aren't right away, you will eventually be glad you did.

9. Write something.
It could be a blog post, journal entry, poem, song, short story, or obituary. Writing helps me to organize and revive my thoughts. This can be refreshing after months of learning, planning, cramming, and lack of sleep.

10. Watch a chick-flick.
One of my favorites is Penelope. But then again, I am a chick-flick fan and watch them all the time. 

He knows best

     I had my wisdom teeth out yesterday.  Before I went in for surgery, people kept telling me that I would be syringing the blood out of my mouth and that it was so painful and that I’d be totally out of it for a week.  While none of those are true, I am in pain.  I can’t smile and at this point (a day after surgery) I can only eat pureed foods - applesauce, smoothies, jello, mashed potatoes.  And I feel like a chipmunk because my jaw is swollen. :p 

     BUT: If I hadn’t had the teeth taken out, I would have had to have extensive orthodontic care in the future, I would have had a much higher chance of tooth decay and gum infection, and my mouth would have been very cramped.  Considering the minimal pain that I’m in today and will be in for the next couple of days, I would much rather have had them out now then going through all those problems in the future.  

     I wrote in my journal yesterday about a tie between that and God.  Sometimes, what God’s putting us through now hurts.  Maybe it even really hurts.  But it would be minimal to the pain we would experience in the future if we didn’t have to face it now.  God know’s what’s best for us and we need to trust Him and continue praising Him even through the bad times.

The Taste of Words

     "Milo nibbled carefully at the letter and discovered that it was quite sweet and delicious--just the way you'd expect and A to taste.  'I knew you'd like it,' laughed the letter man, popping two G's and an R into his mouth and letting the juice drip down his chin. 'A's one of our most popular letters.  All of them aren't that good,' he confided in a low tone. 'Take the Z, for instance--very dry and sawdusty.  And the X?  Tastes like a trunkful of stale air.   That's why people hardly ever use them.  But most of the others are quite tasty.  Try some more.' He gave Milo an I, which was icy and refreshing, and Tock a crisp, crunchy C."

     Words we use have their own taste, too.  Think of negative words: never, hate, can't, won't, worthless, preppy, etc.  Would you want to eat those words?  Wouldn't it be much nicer to use (and eat) positive words such as love, please, thank you, encouragement, and beautiful?  Let's think about what we're saying...

     Proverbs 12:18: "The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."