13. Judging Books By Their Covers

I cannot deny that I am a book-cover judge.
I love books, first of all. But, I also love books with pretty covers.
I am one of those people who could spend the entire day in a bookstore, a library, a coffee shop.
Just reading.
Especially books with cool covers.
And if it is going to be lame and decide on a boring cover, then it at least needs to have an engaging title.
Is this wrong considering I am an English major?
And that I am going to be a teacher?
I am so excited to have bookshelves in my classroom one day filled with amazing novels, incredible poetry, life-changing pieces of literature.
Once I have read a book, and I know how meaningful it is, then the cover doesn't matter. But how can you pick up a book that doesn't appeal to your visual senses at all and call it a classic? Or wonderful?
Those are just some of my thoughts on how I am not supposed to judge a book by its cover.
Expect for I just got a new thought: Don't we say that expression when referring to people sometimes? I suppose I should follow that one.

Anyways, in a somewhat related, yet new topic, I want to tell you how much I love to make lists. I love sticky notes, index cards, pieces of paper, planners, anything that I can write lists on. I can be a very planny type of person. A good and a bad thing.
Anyways, again, this relates because I love making lists of books. I have a list of books I need to read, want to read, have already read; a list of books that have changed my life, my favorites, ones I want to write about, etc. A lot of the books overlap lists.

So, I want to share some of my all time favorite books/writings with you (nostalgic ones and very recent ones):

1. Magic Tree House series
2. Narnia series
3. Holes
4. Ramona Quimby
5. Freak the Mighty
6. Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry
7. Animal Farm
8. A Separate Peace
9. To Kill a Mockingbird
10. Julius Caesar
11. The Great Gatsby
12. Macbeth
13. The Death of a Salesman
14. Hamlet
15. The Picture of Dorian Gray
16. Candide
17. King Lear
18. Twilight Saga
19. A Streetcar Named Desire
20. Pride and Prejudice
21. Crazy Love
22. Heart of Darkness
23. Hunger Games
24. The Awakening
25. The Pigman
26. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
27. Bible

I had to throw #27 in there. It should be #1, and in reality it is. This is just part of a list I intend to grow throughout the remainder of my life. I also intend to read and re-read more. I can't get enough. My New Year's Resolution/ goal for this next semester is to make more time to read books that are not assigned. And maybe even choose some that have ugly covers.

12. Lesson Learned

Well, how many of you can say you learned a life lesson this week?

God taught me something through this verse-->

Proverbs 16:16
"How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!"

I'm not sure if I should spill out what happened, but basically I was torn because I got offered to do something for $15 an hour based on the honor system, but I was not sure how ethical it was.
So, I prayed about it- power of prayer, people!- asked for some advice, and ultimately didn't go through with it, even if it would have been great money.
Then, I feel as though God led me straight to this verse, because I haven't read a Proverb in, oh quite some time, and BOOM! I learned right there that my honesty/virtue/whatever you want to call it is more valuable than say $150.
Lesson learned.
Thanks God.

11. Passing Visit

"Perhaps, I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits."

-1 Corinthians 16:6-7

When I read this, I thought of my sister Jen. I really have been wanting her to visit me in St. Paul because I haven't seen her since August. I really miss her and I really love her. After all, how great is it to have a family member be your best friend?

This is not a typical blog- seeing as it has been quite some time since I have sat down to blog. Just a quick thought on what I read today.

10. All the Glory

So, last night I went to something that was pretty epic.

Sufjan Stevens in concert.

It was unlike any concert I have been to.

And I have been to my fair share of concerts. Because I love them. [Maybe in a future blog, I will name them all.]

But this was honestly just super cool. There wasn't any crowd-surfing; there weren't any mosh pits. We all had assigned seats. It was like going to an orchestra concert on a whole new scale.
I think most of the audience was just captivated by the entire thing, myself included.
I found myself unable to remember any of the other songs while he was in the middle of a song. I was absorbed by it all. The music, the visual arts, the experience.

I only knew like 3 songs, which he played at the very end. But it didn't really matter. It was like going to a musical you have never seen before, but really enjoying it. I didn't have to know the songs. Plus, the songs make much more sense when you see him perform them live. I can get a glimpse of their meanings when I look at the lyrics, but this was like seeing him in his natural habitat. Each song is so rich, so full, so full of emotion.
And I became somewhat attatched to each one. It was odd.

The point(s) is(are):
1. Sufjan Stevens is one talented guy.
2. There are some insane things that go through his mind.
3. I'm a little jealous of that.
4. Because I know he understands some things about the Lord that I sure don't.

9. Leggings Are Not Pants.

Enough said.

8. To Sift You As Wheat.

For some reason, I can think of 20 titles I want to name my blog posts, but I have no idea how to organize my thoughts to figure out what to write about. So, today, I just write.

This weekend has been something quite unfamiliar. It is rather lonely too.
Everybody is gone, with family, off campus, having fun.
And I am having fun too, just in a lonely sort of way.
I wonder if my voice is going to sound different when it gets to finally talk to a friend after 3 days of talking to myself 0r singing.

Anyways, while all of my amigos were MIA, I went to Substance by myself. And I have really been enjoying the sermon series even though it initially seemed so selfish. It's called "Why Me?" about when we ask "Why Me?" to God when bad things happen, and I would encourage all of you to listen to them online at www.substancechurch.com

Today, I learned something incredible though. And I am almost angry it took me till now to figure it out. Pastor Nick talked about enduring the pain of our trials when we experience events out of our control, or that come out of the blue. And he said this:

Pain and trials are an opportunity for spiritual promotion.

Huh? And then it makes so much sense at the same time.

I know you have heard of Job, but have you actually ever read his story? The first two chapters are all you need to see that the devil is the one causing the pain, not the Lord.

Did you catch that?

Our pain is from living in a fallen world; it is from consequences for our own actions; it is from Satan, but it is not from God.

Which was like a breakthrough for me because I know that moment where I am shaking my fist to the sky, with an angry heart, asking God "Where are you?! Why did you do this to me?"
When all along, he is there, waiting patiently for me to see that He does not cause this harm.

Which gets to this other point.

Satan is the one testing us to see if we truly do believe what we say when we make others believe we trust in God. Do we trust in God during the good and the bad times? He is testing us by throwing trials in our faces to find out. And I have to say that I probably didn't pass.

God is not against us. He never has been. It is the devil who comes to "steal and kill and destroy." -John 10:10. It is God that never leaves us. It is Jesus who pleads that we will pass the test and trust him because Satan has asked that he be able to sift us like wheat, test us to get us to fail. - Luke 22:31-32

Because our faith is increased when we pass our tests. And I liked this part of the sermon- you don't need to study for it; you just have to know your answer to the question "Do you trust God?" If your answer is always yes, then good for you. You pass.

I think this is parallel with the prodigal son situation/dilemma/conversation.
Maybe the people who have not hit rock bottom either haven't been tested yet, or maybe, better yet- they continue to pass the little tests.

Thanks for reading my spiel on this. You should know that it is basically a copy of my sermon notes from this evening. So the credit goes to God and Pastor Nick at Substance.

7. Welcome Autumn

I am now composing my blogs from Minnesota.
And it's already cold.
I have never experienced such a sudden change in weather.
Literally, I moved into a dorm with no air conditioning and 99 degree sunny humid days outside my new window.
And today, I am wearing jeans and a jacket trying to stay warm as the chilliness of autumn began overnight.
That makes me think a lot about change. And how much change happens in life.
I think I am one of those people who doesn't mind change. I am not in love with brand new things and I certainly don't hate it when new things come up, but I definitely don't mind it.
I moved 1000 miles away for college and really didn't think twice about the distance.
I think change is pretty healthy. Life is way too short to live the same days over and over.
But it does get hard sometimes.
But it doesn't matter. Don't forget that God has the best intentions for our lives.
He throws us into new things or takes away old things because ultimately, he is leading us to the next chapter. And he genuinely loves us which is why he helps us out in that way.
So, when I think about how difficult it is to be in a new place, or moving in last year when I was an incoming freshman; or when I remember some of my friends who are experiencing complete life change based on circumstances in their lives this past year, I hold tight to this:

" Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6

It seems like one we always hear, but take it to heart. Pray if life throws you a curveball. God listens. He is in control. No need to worry. He offers us a peace we won't find anywhere else.
Because His will is what's best for his kingdom and ultimately for you too.