I have always had a sincere love and appreciation for Valentine's Day. I am pretty sure that it has something to do with my mom since she is the queen of all things celebratory. She always tells me that it's the holidays that are there to get us through the dark days of winter. I guess I always grew up thinking that it was a holiday about wearing red, eating candy, getting flowers and telling everybody in your life how much you appreciate them. That sounds like a great holiday for me.

However, I had also grown up in a culture of "S.A.D" (Single's Awareness Day) and no matter how positive someone is normally, it is generally accepted that you shouldn't talk about how excited you are about Valentine's Day. I strongly dislike things that I can't get excited about.

In past year, however, this has occured more as an annoyance. Why do you have to be such a party pooper? Why do I have to work so hard? But this year, I had my own little red heart shaped cloud drift over me. It was about three days ago.

I guess, before, I just never really thought about it. I didn't REALLY want a boyfriend, so why should I care if other people had them and did... well who knows what. But the older I get, the more of my friends are actually dating and I am starting not to want to be an exception. I just wanted someone to dote on. I wanted someone to embarass with a big boquet or a large stuffed animal. I wanted to kiss them and tell them that I loved them differently than I loved anyone else, and I wanted them to smile back at me and tell me the same thing.

So I prayed. I prayed about the ridiculous things that we don't tell anyone about because they're selfish and a little lame. I prayed I'd find love. So, God, he nudges me like he does and he says, "That's taken care of. Be happy." And that was it. I bought some valentine's, I taped little chocolates to them. I wore red, I smiled, and I started looking forward to Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone

Some Valentine's Day Pictures

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Be it extremely emotional, controversial, messed up, or whatever, this entry has been password protected.

If you know it, enter it; or, ask me for it.

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So I was googling books I liked to see if I could find lists from people who had also liked them, but I ended up finding my own blog... I guess I have pretty unique tastes.

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This is a poem I worked up for my 'conceptual countdown' for Graphic Design. They suggested that we do something for an organization that we want to support, so I figured 'church' would count handily. Tell me what you think, I want to write something that actually has some impact.

10 are the people who are there
9 are the people who actually care
8 are the people who start feeling enlightened
7 are the people whose lives are brightened
6 are the people who came here last Sunday
5 are the people who will remember the sermon by Monday
4 are the people who came alone
3 are the people who wished they were home
2 are the people who think that they are worth it
1 is the person who thinks that they are perfect
0 are the people who are.

Come to Church
You�re in good company.

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I came downstairs out of the promise of pizza. There were supposed to be three boxes and they were supposed to be in the ballroom, so I wafted lazily into the club fair, showing casual interest in the boothes found there.

"[Jinyu]" someone called. I looked up and smiled, waving back. Yeah, it was him. I had already decided that 'just friends' was the best label for this awkward relationship, that he was not interested in that average looking bird from late night RP and that he was really a bad choice for me anyway, but there I was, walking towards. It was like I was looking at myself from far away, meaning to reach out my long white hand to grab the back of my collar and haul myself back upstairs where I belonged, but step after predictable step, I ended up in front of the booth.

"Entomology club?" I asked.

"Student farm," he responded. I noticed there was another young lady there, she was looking at me, so I thought that I should introduce myself, but it came out, "and you are?"

She said that her name was [Jane] and I nodded uncomfortably, suddenly forgetting what I was supposed to do, because his eyes were smirking a little. I recalled myself:

"Oh! I needed to tell you, I don't think I can come tonight." He made a thesbian's frown which I mimicked with a mimed-tear elaboration. I wanted him to seem upset. I'm not sure he was.

"Well, that's too bad," he said, "Homework?"

"Oh," I melted by illustration, "You have no idea."

...

"So what does the student farm do?"

"We farm... we do a lot of compost, collect it from all over."

Interesting, I thought with a nod. Not interesting, I tried to interject, the only reason you're interested is because you like him. I ignored myself, "Well, I guess I could sign up."

Someone was trying to shoulder in behind me, I realized how long I had taken. I affixed my name to the roster. I'm on a lot of lists of clubs I don't go to, I reasoned.

"Well it was good seeing you!" I said. He turned back to look at me, smiling at me with a fervent wave, I waved back.

I guessed I glowed a little on my way back to my office. Man was I stupid.

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So, I was talking to a Christian friend of mine about what we might like to do when we got out of school. I happened to mention my desire to go into seminary. (Which was silly of me, seeing as I probably won�t go anyway.) Now, she pretty quickly started grilling me on my opinions on the New Testament and what Paul said in Corinthians, and, while I tried to come up with the arguments, I decided it was more prudent to end and change the subject as quickly as possible.

I did not come out entirely clean, however, managing to say that I didn't really think much of what Paul said to the Corinthians anyway to which she responded with 2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is God breathed" or rather, "All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness," This sounded a little wrong to me, so I took another look. I came upon a blog which claimed that the verse could not have referred to the New Testament as the New Testament did not exist at the point in time.

I wasn't convinced by them either, but they brought up an interesting point: when did the New Testament come to be? Answer: all of the New Testament books currently in the canon were written (with the exception of Revelations) before 2 Timothy was written. However, there is a little hitch. People did not actually to refer to New Testament having the same legitimacy as Old Testament (they did not think of it as being like scripture) until 30 years after 2 Timothy was written. Furthermore, the letters, Acts and Revelations were not included in that New Testament shortlist until 200AD (or about 130 years after 2 Timothy was written). Canon was ultimately listed by Athanasius in 367 AD, which is a full three hundred years after Paul said, "All scripture is God-breathed." (Historical Theology: an introduction to the history of Christian thought, A.E. McGrath) Logically speaking, it is unlikely that Paul was referring to his own writing when he said that.

Now does this mean that the New Testament is inaccurate? No. It does say that you should really check your verses before you start spitting them out willy-nilly. For instance, the verse about women speaking in church is this one 1 Corinthians 14:33b-36 "As in all the congregation of the saints, women should remain silent in church. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a women to speak in the church. Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?"

The historical context of this verse is that of a personal letter written to the Corinthians. The Corinthians were apparently having a lot of problems with women disrupting service, not only with talking and objections, but with speaking in tongues. It is suggested by some scholars that this verse was meant as a temporary stop-gap measure to keep the church from spiraling into chaos. Now read the following complete passage and see what you think about Paul's intentions:

"The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets, for God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a women to speak in the church. Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored. Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way."

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