Tyndall Effect

Tyndall effect (ˈtɪnd ə l) — n
the phenomenon in which light is scattered by particles of matter in its path. It enables a beam of light to become visible by illuminating dust particles, etc .
[named after John Tyndall (1820-93), Irish physicist]

A Christian's responsibilities are simple. Show God's light to the world. Prove His work by example.
God loved us so much that "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." We owe it to Him. We are bought with a price ... a veryVERYvery steep price ... it cost His life. Once you accept this bargain, you will never be the same. Your life will no longer be yours. This may sound dreadful, but it will be the best decision you ever made.
To live a life that illuminates God's existence is very challenging. You have to put your beliefs in overdrive in a world of mopeds. I find myself giggling at the fact that I'm living all-out as an extreme conservative, oh the irony. Nothing in my life seems to be ordinary. Maybe that's how God wants me to live my life for Him, by giving up this futile attempt at trying to fit in.
Instead, I should realize that He requires me "to stick out like a sore thumb." In today's society, we need to radiate, spread, disperse, reflect God's light.
We need to get off the fence, get out of the grey.
Take a side, take a vow.
It's okay to be deep, just not shallow.
There's more to being than just being.
More danke ( "donkah" , German for "thank you"), less donkey.
Let's believe for the best like Don Quixote.

Dear God,
Give me the courage to glow You, not me. Break this mold I try to fit in, this shell I hide in, this curse I'm living. Let me be Your heart here on earth. Lord, Let me be Your will in motion. Let me be Yours.

(a paper I wrote for a college class)

{the following is a book report I wrote for a class in college called "Conservation"}


Book Report

Most Christians don’t feel that protecting the environment is their responsibility or might even think that the problems we see today are not their fault. For the record, I once was one of them. We as Christians believe that God created us as His masterpiece, His companions for eternity, but somewhere along the line we became too prideful of that fact and disregarded the rest of God’s big picture. John 3:16, the most quoted scripture, states that “God so loved the WORLD.” The word world here means cosmos in the original Greek which “refers to anything and everything that is in the universe, including the animals, flowers, insects, and fish (p. 13).” In his book, Tony Campolo shows us that all of creation is meant to proclaim God’s glory, and we are to help nature in that effort; it is our responsibility.

First we shall look at the treatment of the animals in God’s kingdom. The exploitation of the world’s tropical rain forests is mirrored in the food industry. Our insatiable need for every fast and cheap has led to an unappetizing consequence to the animals we consume. Chickens are pumped with steroids to the point their legs break under their own weight. They never even see the light of day. Cows are bred like a crop and harvested the same way. I’m not a vegan, but I don’t think our senseless perversion of the food chain is what God planned for the creation He “saw as good (Genesis 1).” We as the human race have come a long way from being simply stewards of this planet.

Our selfish actions have also caused much needless torture to animal in the pursuit of a higher standard of living. Oil spills, both old and new, obliterate the ocean life from sea birds to seaweed. Maybe if we curbed our thirst for black gold we could cease risking our planet’s delicate water systems and the balanced lives that dwell in them. Animal testing has tapered somewhat in the past few years, but there are still too many animals enduring wrenching pain just for our frivolous wants, such as make-up and hair products. I believe, as well as Mr. Campolo, that some medical studies should continue using animals for their research, but “every effort should be made to minimize the pain the animals endure (p. 73).” The word responsibility always surfaces in every aspect of conservation. That doesn’t exclude animals.

Another topic brought to light in this book is that of merging missionary work with environmental aid to developing countries. The first thought that comes to my mind is not just feeding a village for a day but to teach them to fish and to teach them to be “fishers of men” too. There are many organizations that travel across the globe to feed the hungry and heal the sick, which is extremely great, but more Christians should do the same. Jesus said, “what ever you do to the least of these you have done unto Me (Matthew 25),” but most churches are only willing to send a few quarters in the tithe plate. Christians should be at the front of the line when it comes to helping our neighbors, whether in the soup kitchen down the street or a country across an ocean. Over the past few years there has been a growth in Christian programs and organizations that aid developing countries, but it still seems to be a revolutionary concept. This movement is well over due.

The author of this book, Tony Campolo, gives some helpful suggestions for what he calls “the greening of the church (ch.11).” The first on his list is to support ministries that give aid to developing countries, like previously mentioned, whether it is financially or by giving needed supplies such as shoes for a village in need. Other suggestions are more local, such as starting a “ReLeaf (p. 138)” which would organized tree planting for the city. Many churches across America have become so large that they seem more like a company than a house of worship. These churches, as well as all the others, should consider an “environmental audit (p. 141)” which includes the amount of paper used for bulletins and all the disposable cups used for communion which could be recycled diligently. Small changes such as changing the name of the church garage sale to a “recycle sale (p. 142)” would help the community see that the church is attempting to be environmentally conscience which in turn might help take of some the stigma off of going green. Most communities have had to make cutbacks and trashed their recycling programs. The churches should pick up where the city left off and offer its building as a simple recycling center. The easiest and probably most productive environmental outreach would be to simply to “make creation-care part of discipling (p. 150).” The church’s biggest asset is teaching by example. This should never be forgotten.

Another way a Christian should approach conservation is by individual tasks. Environmental awareness is greatly accomplished by groups, but never underestimate the power of a single voice or action. Small lifestyle changes such as using less harmful and toxic pest and weed killers on your lawn would cut back on the amount of chemicals that could harm our pets and children. These chemicals could also enter our water system, silently reeking havoc. Water conservation is at the top of the list of outlets to consider. There are several ways to curb our wasteful water habits. Some mentioned in this book are taking shorter showers, installing a low-flow showerhead, and placing a rock in your toilet’s water tank. Other suggestions include not running your dishwasher or washing machine until you have a full load, checking all your faucets for leaks, and washing your car less, the author’s personal favorite (p.165). Short steps can lead to a longer stride.

This book is meant for wider audiences than just Christians. The author did not imply that conservation is only for Christians. He simply tried to shows evangelical Christians, who happen to have a bad track record when it comes to environmentalism, that creation was meant for more. Not just some parts of it such as cute puppies and kittens, but the environment, plant life, and all creatures. We Christians have always feared zealots, and tree huggers seem to make us uncomfortable. We need not forget that Christians were the original zealots. This book shows us that “most good movements, even the church, attract their share of crazies (p. 71).” The weight of the matter lies in the fact that we should become knowledgeable as to why they act the way they do and should we need to join them. Christians innately are environmentalists, but somewhere along the line the church became more like a company, and just like any company, all of us CEO’s cringed at the thought of changing our way of life and “go green.”

At first I hesitated at the thought of reviewing this book, but I learned quite a bit from it. The author wrote it so that it’s easy to grasp the concept he is trying to convey. He included philosophies and thoughts from other thinkers, ancient and modern. There were plenty of examples as to what we can do, as mankind and as Christians, for conservation and why we should do it. As a Christian, I enjoyed the scripture references that further explained the author’s viewpoint. There were many topics I had not considered and duties I had been neglecting. Like I previously stated, this book is not just for Christians. It is for anyone who is finding it hard to bypass the stigma that shrouds environmentalism. This book is for anyone who wants the motivation to stand up and be counted with the crazies.

Work Cited :
Campolo, Tony. How To Rescue the Earth Without Worshipping Nature: A Christians Call To Save Creation. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1992.

"Million Voices" by BarlowGirl

Tell me who'd have thought that we would be so controversialAnd stand against the normal
Are we too outspoken, loud, and messing up the comfortable?
Well we've been messed up also

But how can we be silent
When a fire burns inside us'Cause we're a million strong and getting stronger still
They'll remember we were here
With a million voices breaking silence till
They'll remember we were here

We were made to start the riot, take on the impossible
And we will slay the giants
We are done with fake religion fighting now to find the movement
Won't stop till we find it
But how can we be silent
When a fire burns inside us
'Cause we're a million strong and getting stronger still
They'll remember we were here
With a million voices breaking silence till
They'll remember we were here
We're a million strong and getting stronger still
They'll remember we were here
With a million voices breaking silence till
They'll remember we were here


Written and Recorded by BarlowGirl ~ ©Word Entertainment

a girl like NUN other

"I solemnly swear that I am up to KnoW good."
(Harry Potter movie quote, except for the "K" and "W")

Isaiah 1:17
"Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was once said that:
We should live our lives as if we were going to be put on trial for being a Christian. Would there be enough evidence to convict us?

I try to live that way, but I'm not perfect. Everyday is a struggle for different reasons. I may get frustrated over classes, get an attitude towards my parents, or any other number of things that are challenging for a Southern 22 year old Conservative Christian girl. To counter-act this, I have dared my-self to learn what is good. God has given me a strength to pass these "tests" but I must "learn at the foot of the Master" on how to use it.
My parents and I have recently been watching the t.v. show "Monk" a lot. The title character is an ex-cop who helps the detectives with tough cases. His O.C.D makes him notice the tiniest details that can make or break the case. I'm resolved to pay more attention like "Monk," even though it seems as if my attention is bankrupt some days. When it doesn't go the way I think it should, I shall pray. When it goes the way I do want it to, I shall pray. When my nerves are shot and I'm worried that something is about to go wrong, I shall pray. God is not my crutch. When I seek Him, I'm not runnig away from my problems, I'm running (with all haste) to the answers.

Dear God,
Please help me to understand that I'm not to live by the world's axioms. Your standards are what is worth living by. You are the definition of "good" and I hope that I can live my life by Your rules (like You show us in Isaiah 1:17). Please give me the strength to learn You.
Amen.


"Monk": http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312172/

Song "Tears Fall" by BarlowGirl

{the following post is a song about abortion. I'M PRO-LIFE}

I've had this same dream many times it haunts my mind
It starts with a life but it ends every time
Oh so many faces that this world will never see
A reason for your life but your heart will never beat

CHORUS
May the tears fall down
Let them soften this ground
May our hearts be found
God forgive us now

Oh what have we lost because we chose will never know
And loving You is better than feeling alone
And all our claims to freedom have become just heavy chains
And in the name rights we keep filling nameless graves

Written and Recorded by BarlowGirl ~ ©Word Entertainment

...a short thought about dating

I don't really know how to even start this blog... but here it goes...
I feel I must preface this: I have never dated.
I don't believe in dating "just for fun" or "for a free meal." I believe one should really know the other person before they enter the World of Dating with each other. For any relationship to last, it must be founded on friendship and true unconditional love. Not "I love you (because I feel like I'm supposed to after a month of dating you)" but "I love you (and I want the best for you, even if that does not include me)." To reach this one must first know true love, for example please see GOD ie.John3:16... 'nuff said.

God created one Adam and one Eve,
not one Adam and five Eves
and then say, "hey Adam, why don't you just date around until you find the right one"

I am currently not dating due to ... well, to put it bluntly... life. College is hard enough as it is; I don't think my attention needs to be torn between studying chemistry and having chemistry with that cute guy on the other side of the room. To tell you the truth... it's not only college. I'm also not dating because I feel like I need to devote my whole heart to God before it's ready to give to a man. Sounds pathetic right? Well, I don't think so. It is extremely hard to wholeheartedly love a God I can't physically see or even hug; but I'm determinded.

If any gentlemen are reading this and would like to date me, please see the receptionist on your way out of the office (he is the burly man with the Ugly Stick known as my dad... pictured below).

Meaning of Life

I've previously blogged about life with a purpose, but I never said what that purpose was. I say it now for all to hear {or read}; it is to GLORIFY GOD.
Everyone always says that the meaning of life is some huge mystery. No, it's not! We were created by God for God. Sure He created the angels too, but they don't have free will. That's what makes us His masterpiece. That's why we must choose Him. Think about it; If you created something, wouldn't you want it to love you out of free will? That's why He wants us so much. That's why we must glorify God, because we should want to (not have to) and that's why we were created. It's our purpose. It's our meaning.

If I'm wrong about God, what do I risk? Spending my life believing in little things like faith, hope, and true unconditional love? ... What do you risk if you're wrong? How about spending eternity without those things!