FREEDOM...Christmas Break!

Christmas vacation...Delicious!...So, I survived finals week and am alive and well. Exam information from my Medical Ethnobotany class is still fresh in my mind and I have been spewing (I'm not sure I know how to spell this) information at my family for the last two days. So, they are learning all about poisonous plants, plants as health food & other fun topics...Here is one fact: Peanuts are not true nuts. "True" nuts would include hazelnuts, chestnuts and acorns. So there you go!

My break began with a small Christmas exchange with friends of my family and then a Christmas party with my old youth group later on Friday evening.

Today comprised of staying my pajamas and eating Christmas cookies all day until just before dinner when I decided to get dressed. In the afternoon, friend Sam came up from Chittenango, NY to visit me, so I am having fun catching up with her. Tonight we played games, watched a movie & visited my friend Danny who is home for Christmas from Oregon. YAY!

Tomorrow (technically, today) after church & lunch we plan to make a snowman!...I haven't made a snowman in years.

Anyways, I have FULLY enjoyed my first day of Christmas break, although I was a bit bored. I'm not sure I know how to function without homework. Typically, I ALWAYS have some work that needs to be done for SOME class, so this is weird. I don't quite know what to do with myself.

So, Merry Christmas to all!

Survival

I survived! My presentation on Gabon went pretty well (or so I am told). God was gracious. One of the professors on the panel got a little out of control in her analysis of me and what I talked about, but God stepped in and sent other professors to my defense. So thank you to all who prayed for me!

Its kind of funny, because before I prayed and claimed one of my favorite verses in the Bible: "It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; It was your right hand, your arm and the light of your face, for you loved them" (Ps. 44:3)...So, in my case, just as in the verse, it was God who fought my battle for me and brought me to victory.

My mom & the Conquests came to my presentation, so that was pretty special. Also some of my favorite science professors and classmates came.

So, I am anxiously awaiting me presentation and course grade. We'll see.

Now comes the final onslaught also known as final week:

Monday:
- Cell Biology Final @ 8:30am
- Presentation on defining the role of rab-7 in C. elegans @ noon
Wednesday:
- Physics Final @ noon
Friday:
- Medical Ethnobotany Final @ noon


As always, God is faithful.

Drum-roll, please....

This week, I have the nerve-wrecking task of giving a 30 minute presentation on my time in Gabon. Normally, I could EASILY talk about Gabon for 30 minutes, BUT this week I must talk about Gabon for 30 min. in front of a panel of Religious Studies professors, peers and professors of other disciplines.

If you know me at all, you know that I absolutely HATE presentations. I dislike them so much, that I will drop a class if I find out there is one on the syllabus. But, this is a case, where I had no choice. No escape route. No exit. No alternative.

So, on Thursday, December 10th @ 12:30-1:30pm in Basil Hall (room 207), I will be making a presentation on my time in Gabon. I have to speak for about 30 minutes. I'll be presenting on the published, 52-page reflection that I wrote about my time n Gabon. I have to pick three topics. These aren't just any three topics, though, I have to support them with Biblical and scholarly opinions.

After the presentation, the REST faculty get to pick my apart, comment or ask questions. Then, it is the audience's turn. Yipee!

Anyways, I am RIDICULOUSLY nervous (as only Christina can get), so pray that God grants me peace, strength, courage and boldness. Most of all, pray that he would be glorified.

Sleep Deprivation

According to Wikipedia: Sleep deprivation, a sleep disorder characterized by having too little sleep, can be either chronic or acute. Long-term sleep deprivation causes death in lab animals. A chronic sleep-restricted state can cause fatigue, daytime sleepiness, clumsiness and weight gain.Complete absence of sleep over long periods is impossible to achieve; brief microsleeps cannot be avoided.

Ha ha. From personal experience, I can agree with that definition.

Running free

Whatever else Jesus came to do, one thing is clear - He came to set you free.
God has been so misrepresented.
He's been cast as the divine legalist, the eternal killjoy.
It's as if God spends His time in eternity designing straight jackets and molding shackles just for you.
No wonder so many people start running for their lives whenever the name of God is mentioned.
God is not a warden; He is a deliverer.
And so earnest is He about your freedom that he was willing to be taken captive and crucified on your behald just so you could run free.

-Erwin R. McManus from the book, Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul


God's love for us is so overwhelming.
If you step back and think about it, it is AMAZING. There aren't any words in the English language that can truly describe his love.
Jesus loves much.
Jesus loved us SO much that he died for us.
Every single one.
From murderers to lawyers, houswives to doctors, homeless to rich, old people to college kids...whatever. He died for us ALL.
There was someone out there (namely, Jesus) who was willing to have nails driven through his feet and hands, a crown of thorns crushed into his skull and so much more just because he loved us.
Think about it? Would you endure all that for someone you "love?" Maybe, but maybe not.
God's love is so big, so perfect, so strong and so pure.
Jesus took our sin upon him, so that through his death and resurrection we might "run free" from sin as McManus wrote.
AHHHH. It BLOWS my mind.