sitting in the mac store

Hello hello blogging world. So I'm sitting in the mac store at the summit, waiting forever and a day to have my laptop fixed, and I thought I would write about my recent thoughts, ponders and what nots.

First off, I have several friends who have been going through a whole lot of hurt recently. That of course brings my attention back to the classic question: How can a loving God allow bad things to happen to good people? Why did he let Adam and Eve take fruit from the tree?

The best explanation I've ever heard is that without pain and suffering, we wouldn't know the goodness that is our heavenly father. If Adam and Eve hadn't sinned and cursed humanity forever, we wouldn't know the power of his grace. That gift is a significant part of what makes christianity so wonderful. God's unfailing love and grace provides a sanctuary in this hateful, sinful world.

There's a quote by Mother Theresa that sits on my dear friend, Frances' desk. It reads the following: "I know that God won't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much." I freakin' love that quote! It is so accurate and.....I don't know just perfect.

Another thought.... we've been studying the enlightenment period in cultural perspectives and I just finished reading Candide by Voltaire. Histerical. Although I think voltaire was definitely an extremist, I agree with him on a lot of points. The "enlightened" people (I guess you'd say that? enlightenmentists is so not a word) developed this new concept of optimism, that all things happened for the overall good. I believe that everything happens for a reason, but there's a fine line between God's plan and being lazy. It's one thing to say, "Okay. That didn't go my way, but I know that God has a plan." It's completely different to believe that you have to put forward no effort in anything because God's will will be done.

Just think...if we all had that attitude, then there would be no overseas missions, or any missions at all. We still need to live like Christ did.... live to love.

Always,

Rachel

It's not a silly little moment,
It's not the storm before the calm.
This is the deep and dying breath of
This love that we've been working on.

Can't seem to hold you like I want to
So I can feel you in my arms.
Nobody's gonna come and save you,
We pulled too many false alarms.

We're going down,
And you can see it too.
We're going down,
And you know that we're doomed.
My dear,
We're slow dancing in a burning room.

I was the one you always dreamed of,
You were the one I tried to draw.
How dare you say it's nothing to me?
Baby, you're the only light I ever saw.

I'll make the most of all the sadness,
You'll be a bitch because you can.
You try to hit me just to hurt me
So you leave me feeling dirty
Because you can't understand.

We're going down,
And you can see it too.
We're going down,
And you know that we're doomed.
My dear,
We're slow dancing in a burning room.

Go cry about it - why don't you?
Go cry about it - why don't you?
Go cry about it - why don't you?

My dear, we're slow dancing in a burning room,
Burning room,
Burning room,
Burning room,
Burning room.

Don't you think we oughta know by now?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we oughta know by now?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we oughta know by now?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?