Waiting in-between classes on my last day of winter quarter. The other day I realized I don't have any warm and fuzzy sentimental feelings about the end of this quarter - now that is progress. That means I have learned something. That's what's important today. It's not the end of anything, just a segue to the next adventure.
There are only two and a half weeks left of Lent as well, which makes me a bit sad. Not that I am not looking forward to finishing the self-denial part of Lenten discipline (I gave up Owl City, Sky Sailing, and Summertime's End, which hasn't felt easy!), but it is has been my first time really observing Lent, and very good for me mentally and spiritually. I resumed reading the Bible (right now, the Old Testament) regularly and felt ashamed of my rusty - in some cases, absent - memories of some parts of it. I've tended to find the Old Testament (apart from Psalms) often difficult to instantly connect to, but the book of Daniel was an awesome, moving read. What Christian today has not felt his sense of isolation and the constant tests to his conscience? There is nothing new under the sun; Sunday school teachers do not teach you about Daniel for nothing.
On the other hand, though I will be wistful when Lent ends, the end of Lent means Easter, Resurrection. It is a sobering thing to remember life is always worth living because the perfect, sinless Man died so we can live. I believe I have blogged that before, but it's something I repeat to myself whenever I struggle with depression (something I try not to blog about). Resurrection is life, and life is victory; as much as possible, I try remember I'm on the side of victory and should live under the realization of every glory, beauty, and responsibility that means. It's a great responsibility; that Victory is not only something worth dying for, but something worth living for.
There are only two and a half weeks left of Lent as well, which makes me a bit sad. Not that I am not looking forward to finishing the self-denial part of Lenten discipline (I gave up Owl City, Sky Sailing, and Summertime's End, which hasn't felt easy!), but it is has been my first time really observing Lent, and very good for me mentally and spiritually. I resumed reading the Bible (right now, the Old Testament) regularly and felt ashamed of my rusty - in some cases, absent - memories of some parts of it. I've tended to find the Old Testament (apart from Psalms) often difficult to instantly connect to, but the book of Daniel was an awesome, moving read. What Christian today has not felt his sense of isolation and the constant tests to his conscience? There is nothing new under the sun; Sunday school teachers do not teach you about Daniel for nothing.
On the other hand, though I will be wistful when Lent ends, the end of Lent means Easter, Resurrection. It is a sobering thing to remember life is always worth living because the perfect, sinless Man died so we can live. I believe I have blogged that before, but it's something I repeat to myself whenever I struggle with depression (something I try not to blog about). Resurrection is life, and life is victory; as much as possible, I try remember I'm on the side of victory and should live under the realization of every glory, beauty, and responsibility that means. It's a great responsibility; that Victory is not only something worth dying for, but something worth living for.
