Things to Ponder

* PAUSE THE STUDYING* 

     Whether you are a college student, an adult, a parent or high schooler who is surfing the web I hope you continue reading especially if you like food for thought. I think one of the biggest mistakes believers make is being uneducated (notice is didn't say believe) in the world of modern literature and philosophy. I am not above this, and I admit to living under a rock for a long time, but I'm catching up.
     This semester I had psychology so naturally I learned about all the "greats". . . Freud, Adler, Jung, Skinner and more, but as I am studying for my LAST FINAL EXAM ** INSERT fist pump here**  I am reading up on Frankl, who by far is my favorite. Partly because he is a believer and partly because so far he is the most interesting. Anyway, at the moment I figured a little study break and plus  I just wanted to share with you some of his wise words:

"To those who say they will not believe in God because they cannot verify His existence empirically through normal scientific means, Frankl responds by saying that they should get over their immature epistemology. Many realities exist that we cannot examine in a direct, sensory way. No one can directly see, physically handle, or directly measure sorrow, loneliness, hope, faith, love, peace, joy, or meaning – the most basic and most important of human realities."

"Man loses respect for himself and others when he loses his contact with his Creator." 

"Stripped of their belief in God, men quickly fall into a close-ended, close-minded, “philosophical” Naturalism."

"He (referring to Frankl)  finally asked himself what kind of meaning could entirely depend on having a child, or publishing a manuscript. In that moment, he saw that if there ever is to be a true meaning to a man’s life, it must be a meaning from beyond himself and his surroundings, an unconditional one, a meaning that cannot be destroyed by suffering or death." 

All of these come from a book I have to finish reading called "From Sigmund Freud to Viktor Frankl:  How Psychiatry Became Human" written by Stephen H. Farrah. (who just so happens to be my prof) and I am really loving it. 
     To elaborate a bit on what I said earlier - it is important to know what is going on in the mind of the world around you - TO BE AWARE - since we are called to be IN, but NOT OF. (Think of it like this, a foreigner goes  to a country but refuses to know any of the traditions or ways of the people yet wants to connect and build relationships. . .Its pretty impossible) So, next time you want something challenging to read or think about pick op a philosophy/psych/or famous novel BUT just remember to compare it to The TRUTH God has given us.  It is good to think (spiritual exercise to strengthen your spiritual belief), to be aware of what false truth is out there and be reminded how much better Gods Truth is in comparison to mans understanding of life. Food For thought . . .
Anyway, I better get back to my book 6:30 is getting closer by the minute.
Have a great night!
- Jac

Walking Zombies

     It’s a bitter cold day here in the South today. Believe it or not, it is possible for the temperature to suddenly drop below 30 degrees. Although I must say, the reaction of southerners to snow. . . I mean Sleet - is unbelievably enthusiastic and very entertaining to watch.

     Today is a day when all the college kids go running to their local coffee shops or if they desire coffee but want to avoid the chatter - pick up their favorite drink & head to the cozy nook in Barnes and Noble. At least that’s what I did.
     A girl can only take so much psych, and after reading a grand total of 5 pages (at least I finished a section) I decided to take a study break.  The grand thing about book stores is that there are ALL kinds of interesting books to look at. . .
Books on Philosophy. . .

. . . are right next to books on Dieting & other random psychology books. . .

. . .and then a few shelves down are books on new age, Wicca, myths and fantasy, history and Christianity. 

     So I’m walking around, after a crazy last couple of days, which have basically been consumed with my own schedule; and I have one thought. ONE Random thought. That blows my mind.There are probably 500 books in that section alone… each by a different person. 

I know -  you are probably thinking, "Duh! Where do you think books come from"----I know. I'm not THAT blonde.  
     It is the concept that each book represents the thoughts that fill up the heads of individuals who write them. Questions and concepts that plague the closet poet, the world evangelist, the mother turned fiction writer, the university professor, the world renowned doctor, the Graduate student of historical studies. . . and here I was concerned about not failing an exam. Where are my priorities? talk about pushing matters of LIFE AND DEATH to the back of my to do list. I became a little overwhelmed. 
     I like looking at things differently and recently I've been asking God to show me people differently. God never disappoints and over the last few weeks, I've realized that I love stories - especially PEOPLES stories, what makes them the way they are. In a society of individualism - I LOVE to listen (So, yeah - I might be that person eavesdropping on your conversation in the corner - but only because I'm curious of how you VIEW life) and the more I LOOK and LISTEN to see people as who they are, the more I see souls searching. WALKING ZOMBIES. Individuals looking for life who 'don't endure sound teaching, but with itching ears, accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and who have turned away from listening to truth and wandered off into myths' (2 Tim 4:3-4) and the more broken I become. I may have been standing in a bookstore but as I stood there surrounded by classic novels of past and present; I found myself reorganizing my priority list and aching for individuals in need of THE truth (John 4:16). 
     Next time you pick up a book - weather a textbook or a old classic think of the person who wrote it, I guarantee It will change your perspective a little bit. 
Until next time.
- J

  

Not Such a hard book.

Can I tell you my favorite past time? You might think I'm a little crazy, but it makes my day.

I love reading... and out of real books. WHHHHHHHHAT? You may be asking.... but Yep, they still exist believe it or not...and as the summer has allowed I've read 3. 

SOUL CRAVINGS by Erwin McManus

RISK IS RIGHT by John Piper

TRAUMA PLAN by Candace Calvert

I'm working on two others at the moment, but the one I'm most excited about finishing is a subsection of another book - 

          ECCLESIASTES. 

I currently have one chapter to go, and I am actually pretty sad about it! Bittersweet is a better word. This summer has been a work summer and contentment, enjoyment and value have been words I have pondered numerous times --- all of which this book contemplates -- which is why I think this book has been my favorite!

Words of wisdom like "There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat, drink, and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God" (Ecc. 2:24-25) 

Questions like "For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?" (Ecc. 4:8b) remind me where my focus is.  Actually chapter 4 alone gave me a lesson on contentment and how much better it is then to have being the best and having the BEST be my drive and reason for doing things. 

Even the lesson on satisfaction... man that was another good one - Chapter 6 describes this evil that lurks and as you read and pick up clues you find that the evil it is talking about is unsatisfaction. The fact that people can have EVERYTHING yet be unhappy.  Truth is... If YOU are not satisfied with what God gives you ... then you'll NEVER be satisfied.  

In the past people I have talked to have said its a hard book; and honestly .... it is. It challenges a soul and brings life and death into focus. questions the things society values and will confront you. As I have read I've kinda found a theme, and if i had to summarize this book this is what I would say. 

    "Without a purpose life is meaningless 

and 

the only way to completely enjoy life 

 (the ups and the downs and everything in between)

 is by having a focus on and purpose driven by Christ."

I challenge you to read it for yourself change your perspective. 

Don't worry... its not such a hard book.