stevetu21's Xanga

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:35:52 GMT

"Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life."

Rescuing Proverbs 4:23 from misuse by our selfish hearts (or any kind of misuse at all. Context is everything!)

Abortion, President, and 11/4

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:03:17 GMT

I don't like to talk about politics much because I don't think it really matters much in the grand scheme of things (yes, I do vote, I'm not irresponsible. In fact I've already voted by mail). Nonetheless, this article is worth linking to.

http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=2630

The most striking paragraphs are the last few. Dr Mohler doesn't beat around the bush. It was a hard article to swallow (and I imagine even harder for others I know to swallow), and by no means is the Republican candidate very appealing either, but at the end of the day, when you're supposed to "vote your conscience," the choice becomes rather obvious.

Two things

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 17:43:06 GMT

First: I read Galatians 4 as part of my devotions this morning. What a crazy chapter on the crazy reality that we're ADOPTED CHILDREN OF GOD. Oh dang. And also, I thought of my brother Michael when I read the beginning of v24: "Now this may be interpreted allegorically..." Hehe

Second: goodbye Xanga. Wordpress time. I might do cross-posting if I'm bored and set up the appropriate scripts to do it. Or maybe not, because the clean change is nice.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 05:48:09 GMT

I'm contemplating ditching Xanga for Wordpress. Why? Because it feels more like a blog that demands serious, well-thought-out posts as opposed to a place where I just barf things out. That'll be good for me, because it's a bad idea to be hasty with words.

And because Google Reader is a more than adequate replacement for the Xanga subscriptions page.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:03:55 GMT

I think it's immensely humbling to realize that so much of the impact that I've had on others for Christ's sake was on people who kind of didn't really need to be impacted in the first place. They are already awesome, already teachable, already eternal-minded, already loving Christ with great vigor. And on an even more sobering note, those that perhaps needed that impact more often remain set in their erroneous (or perhaps just less-than-best) ways.

Yeah, I'm not needed. It's good to remember that. My God is never ever served by human hands as though He needed anything.

Dollar down = good or bad?

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 23:27:20 GMT

I do fancy myself fairly conservative on most issues. I've been thinking economics today.

From what I understand, the dominant school of thought in conservative economic theory is that when the US$ is down, that's a good thing for our economy because it brings in more foreign investment. But there's also a definite downside.

I've been more generous this year on giving to STMs and missions than ever before, and it pains me to see yet still so many GOC STMers way short on support. Even worse, it pains me to see so many long term missionaries making even more hard sacrifices because what used to cost US$60 in their mission field now costs US$100. Doing the math to bigger purchases like car repairs or heaters for their apartment, and it can get pretty desperate pretty quick.

Praise God He's still in control of the world economy. In fact, I'm massively comforted and driven to worship to know He's in control of all things that are supposedly random processes; from the 6-sided dice to Poisson distributed Internet traffic patterns to multipath fading wireless channels to the economies of the nations. "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD (Pro 16:33)." He will provide for our missionaries. He'll still be glorified for His mercy amongst many nations. But without question, I need to be prayerfully looking for a few more ways to stretch to help my brothers out. It's always been hard for them out there overseas, and it's even harder now. Lord, how might You use me to help them out?

On a different note, I'm EVEN MORE massively excited for Resolved now. New Heaven-centric music written by John Martin & Co? From what I've heard at Crossroads already, my anticipation can be summarized in a few words: Oh dude. Oh. Dude.

On another different note, I was tremendously blessed by Andrew Fung's "New Jerusalem Museum of Redemptive History" monologue at Spring Banquet. Rarely does one get to enjoy that kind of creativity, humor, and wit that's also so very things-above-focused. I sincerely hope someone recorded it. Rock on, Andrew. Praise the Lord. Mmm yeah.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Fri, 23 May 2008 15:34:56 GMT

Pay attention.

Why "totallyawesome?"

Tue, 20 May 2008 04:37:23 GMT

I've gotten this question sometimes.

Why is the wireless network in my apartment called "totallyawesome?" What is totally awesome? Am I saying our apartment is? Or that I am? Or that Ed Lan is? Or that God is?

Let's put the speculation to rest
I called it that because that's one of my more favored superlatives. Totally awesome!
It's my hope that I would be using that superlative most often to describe Jesus Christ and not lesser things.

Yes.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Sun, 18 May 2008 21:40:34 GMT

em·pa·thy [em-puh-thee] noun
1. the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.

I need more of this. So Lord, please help me gain more of what I cannot gain through my own effort.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Thu, 15 May 2008 18:33:27 GMT

"Do you ever feel reluctant to pray 'whatever it takes' prayers for fear that God might actually answer them? The fear is misplaced. The real danger lies in settling for less." - Jon Bloom, exec director of Desiring God

Quotes like this are always stirring and intense. Quite possibly many of the trials in my life in which God has refined me greatly were due to many of the "whatever it takes" prayers that I've offered to Him.