For those of you that thought this would be spiritual, I'm sorry to mislead you. Just an update of a few things I've noticed about myself, which will only confirm my being a freak when I return to the States.
In Fall 2008, I know I'm in a different culture because...
1) I choose the squatty potty over the Western potty. It's more practical, and much easier.
2) To speak English, sometimes I translate from my adopted language because I forget the English equivalents. (note: this does not mean I am fluent, it only means I'm stupid.)
3) I like jackfruit. Yes, the fruit that stinks, the close cousin to durian. Did I mention that it stinks?
4) The idea that families of mosquitoes are flying around me don't alarm me. (Have I mentioned that I hate rainy season?)
5) I just sleep on top of the bed since it is too hot to use a sheet. (Only those who know me well will know that when I sleep, I generally like to re-enact my time in the womb, which involves heavy blankets, or at least a sheet.)
6) I want to ride my bike with a jacket on, since I might have air enter my body and get violently ill the next day. (A local myth that I now believe in--and now, if I ride my bike, I can feel the air in my head. It hurts.)
7) Driving without rules is totally normal. I can pass a car whenever I want, even if there's one coming from the opposite direction. No harm, no foul. There is no white line. There is no speed limit.
8) When I prepare American meals, they don't have any taste. Where are my chili peppers? I guess the bottled chili sauce will do...
9) I was teaching in a government building and looked down to see a stray kitten (with no tail because they're all so inbred) that had wandered into the room...you know, like usual.
10) I can't imagine life without my rice cooker or wok, and actually make mental notes to buy said tools when I move back to the States.
Showing posts with label rambling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rambling. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
insights in translation
Something interesting about the Christian culture here is that they will have the traditional songs with a completely different translation. As much as I like Fanny Crosby's version of the hymn, "Near the Cross," I think my new culture's translation is a whole lot more powerful.
Thankfully, my church sang it twice on Sunday. This is my rough translation from my new language.
Bring Me Near the Cross (or, the English title, "Near the Cross")
bring me Jesus, near Your Cross
the water of life and Your blood make my heart holy
the Cross, the Cross, forever glory
my sin has been erased by the blood of Jesus
my faith is the smallest, the Lord will not leave me
illuminate my heart with Your Holy Spirit
the Cross, the Cross, forever glory
my sin has been erased by the blood of Jesus
Your cross, my rest, I long for your love
As long as I live I want to be obedient to you
the Cross, the Cross, forever glory
my sin has been erased by the blood of Jesus
Thankfully, my church sang it twice on Sunday. This is my rough translation from my new language.
Bring Me Near the Cross (or, the English title, "Near the Cross")
bring me Jesus, near Your Cross
the water of life and Your blood make my heart holy
the Cross, the Cross, forever glory
my sin has been erased by the blood of Jesus
my faith is the smallest, the Lord will not leave me
illuminate my heart with Your Holy Spirit
the Cross, the Cross, forever glory
my sin has been erased by the blood of Jesus
Your cross, my rest, I long for your love
As long as I live I want to be obedient to you
the Cross, the Cross, forever glory
my sin has been erased by the blood of Jesus
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
a simpler explanation of Sarah Palin and the will of God
from Scriptorium Daily:
Why I like this editorial:
1) It explains a whole lot about evangelicals to those who don't believe.
2) It explains a whole lot about evangelicals to me--and I am one.
On the second point, I want to explain a little. For the most part, I don't like to use the words, "I believe this is God's will for my life" in referring to specific circumstances (i.e. giving something to someone, teaching a class, or moving overseas). I've never liked it, mostly because I've considered it Christianese which detracts from the Scriptures. For example, my saying, "I believe it is God's will for me to attend this seminar" does nothing to further knowledge about the Holy One, but to affirm that I'm in the right, that I'm doing well (which is the complete antithesis of the Scriptural view of human depravity).
HOWEVER, if I say, "I believe it is God's will for me to learn more about Him" then I am speaking the truth; the seminar might just be one of those avenues to learn more about Him.
Wow, that makes a whole lot more sense.
In my experience, churches like those Governor Palin attends use “God’s will” in a looser way. This can lead to confusion especially when secularists with a political agenda use misunderstandings to fuel fear and hatred of different religious ideas.
Why I like this editorial:
1) It explains a whole lot about evangelicals to those who don't believe.
2) It explains a whole lot about evangelicals to me--and I am one.
On the second point, I want to explain a little. For the most part, I don't like to use the words, "I believe this is God's will for my life" in referring to specific circumstances (i.e. giving something to someone, teaching a class, or moving overseas). I've never liked it, mostly because I've considered it Christianese which detracts from the Scriptures. For example, my saying, "I believe it is God's will for me to attend this seminar" does nothing to further knowledge about the Holy One, but to affirm that I'm in the right, that I'm doing well (which is the complete antithesis of the Scriptural view of human depravity).
HOWEVER, if I say, "I believe it is God's will for me to learn more about Him" then I am speaking the truth; the seminar might just be one of those avenues to learn more about Him.
Wow, that makes a whole lot more sense.
Monday, September 15, 2008
politcking.
As most of you know, I skim--er, read and meditate on, way too many blogs.
Since both conventions are over and November is quickly approaching, I've been trying to keep up with some politics, even though from my home hundreds of thousands of miles away from the States, I can feel the repercussions of these campaigns in the media at large. I'm already tired of hearing about Palin, McCain, and Obama. I don't care about their social lives or the things you can find that will help produce scandal. I live in a country where they have to report the wealth of their candidates, just so the citizens will know those candidates will not be persuaded into corruption later in office. Really, with all the politicians--whether they are a mom or a POW who can't type e-mails or an inexperienced soothsayer or Joe Biden, America will be alright.
America. Will. Be. Alright.
But, despite my overarching belief that America is going to pull through regardless, I have been trying to keep up with several political blogs/sites that help to inform, of course mostly with a conservative bent, and I figured I'd share those.
1. PolitiFact - checks their lies
2. RealClearPolitics - pretty unbiased
3. Instapundit - conservative, but one of the more unbiased, defends SP too much for my liking
4. Townhall - very biased, but intelligent
5. The Campaign Spot - conservative and biased
Since both conventions are over and November is quickly approaching, I've been trying to keep up with some politics, even though from my home hundreds of thousands of miles away from the States, I can feel the repercussions of these campaigns in the media at large. I'm already tired of hearing about Palin, McCain, and Obama. I don't care about their social lives or the things you can find that will help produce scandal. I live in a country where they have to report the wealth of their candidates, just so the citizens will know those candidates will not be persuaded into corruption later in office. Really, with all the politicians--whether they are a mom or a POW who can't type e-mails or an inexperienced soothsayer or Joe Biden, America will be alright.
America. Will. Be. Alright.
But, despite my overarching belief that America is going to pull through regardless, I have been trying to keep up with several political blogs/sites that help to inform, of course mostly with a conservative bent, and I figured I'd share those.
1. PolitiFact - checks their lies
2. RealClearPolitics - pretty unbiased
3. Instapundit - conservative, but one of the more unbiased, defends SP too much for my liking
4. Townhall - very biased, but intelligent
5. The Campaign Spot - conservative and biased
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
carrying your cross to the darker places
This morning I was writing out notes to some of you back in the States and had my iTunes set to play through my Andrew Peterson CDs. I had gone through Behold the Lamb of God and was halfway through Carried Along when I heard the lyric, "Cause I've carried my cross to the dens of the wicked/And I blended in just fine." The song was from "Come, Lord Jesus," one of my favorite songs from that record, but for some reason I had always missed the point of that line or something. (It takes my mind longer than others' to enter facts--especially along the lines of spiritual truths. For example, the other day I read 1 Cor. 8 for probably the millionth time, and I feel like I understood it for the first.)
One of the most paradoxical things about the Christian life, is that if we're to follow our Savior's steps, we're to live among the sinners, since they're the ones who need a physician. Yet, even though we live among them, we are not to resemble them. After years of thinking about counter-culture vs. building bridges and common ground (the latter of which I discovered just a year and a half ago was a lie), I've realized that once more, following Jesus boils down to knowing Him, loving Him, and then resembling Him. And it's daily, or one could easily carry his cross somewhere only to turn into the exact thing he is trying to reach.
One of the things God warns the Jews throughout the Old Testament is conforming to other cultures. The Israelites were supposed to be set apart as the nation of God, but they failed repeatedly in all phases of Jewish history. Quickly, what was foreign to your character becomes familiar, even a part of you.
A year ago I didn't eat rice two times a day, I didn't wipe my mouth with toilet paper, the thought of drinking hot juice sickened me, I didn't see at least three cockroaches a day, I didn't share a bedroom with lizards, and I didn't hear the adhan five times a day. It's amazing how quickly I could adapt physically, but even scarier how easily I could adapt spiritually if I would allow my flesh the pleasure.
Come, Lord Jesus by Andrew Peterson
Tonight in the line of the merchandise store
While they were packing up my bags
I saw the pictures of the prophets of the picket signs
Screaming, "God hates fags"
And it feels like the church isn't anything more
Then the second coming of the Pharisees
Scrubbing each other 'til their tombs are white
They chisel epitaphs of piety
Oh, there's a burning down inside of me
'Cause the battle seems so lost
And it's raging on so silently
We forget it's being fought
So, Amen
Come, Lord Jesus
Amen
Oh, Amen
Come Lord Jesus
Amen
It's taken me years in the race just to get this far
Still there is no end in sight,
There's no end in sight
'Cause I've carried my cross into dens of the wicked
And you know I blended in just fine
Well, I'm weak and I'm weary of breaking His heart
With they cycle of my sin, of my sin
Still He turns His face to me and I kiss it
Just to betray Him once again
Well, I've got oceans down inside of me
I can feel the billows roll
With the mercy that comes thundering
O'er the waters of my soul
So, Amen
Come, Lord Jesus
Amen
Oh, Amen
Come, Lord Jesus
Amen
Tonight in the light of the gathering rain
I could hear creation groan
And a sigh rose up from the streets of the city
To the foot of Heaven's throne
Oh, and the people hear the sound of a sweet refrain
An absolution in the fray, in the fry
It tells of the death of the one for the lives of the many
More than any picket sign could say
So, Amen
Come, Lord Jesus
Amen
Oh, Amen
Come, Lord Jesus
Amen
...listen to Andrew's new CD -- my connection is too slow, unfortunately
...preorder Andrew's new CD
One of the most paradoxical things about the Christian life, is that if we're to follow our Savior's steps, we're to live among the sinners, since they're the ones who need a physician. Yet, even though we live among them, we are not to resemble them. After years of thinking about counter-culture vs. building bridges and common ground (the latter of which I discovered just a year and a half ago was a lie), I've realized that once more, following Jesus boils down to knowing Him, loving Him, and then resembling Him. And it's daily, or one could easily carry his cross somewhere only to turn into the exact thing he is trying to reach.
One of the things God warns the Jews throughout the Old Testament is conforming to other cultures. The Israelites were supposed to be set apart as the nation of God, but they failed repeatedly in all phases of Jewish history. Quickly, what was foreign to your character becomes familiar, even a part of you.
A year ago I didn't eat rice two times a day, I didn't wipe my mouth with toilet paper, the thought of drinking hot juice sickened me, I didn't see at least three cockroaches a day, I didn't share a bedroom with lizards, and I didn't hear the adhan five times a day. It's amazing how quickly I could adapt physically, but even scarier how easily I could adapt spiritually if I would allow my flesh the pleasure.
Come, Lord Jesus by Andrew Peterson
Tonight in the line of the merchandise store
While they were packing up my bags
I saw the pictures of the prophets of the picket signs
Screaming, "God hates fags"
And it feels like the church isn't anything more
Then the second coming of the Pharisees
Scrubbing each other 'til their tombs are white
They chisel epitaphs of piety
Oh, there's a burning down inside of me
'Cause the battle seems so lost
And it's raging on so silently
We forget it's being fought
So, Amen
Come, Lord Jesus
Amen
Oh, Amen
Come Lord Jesus
Amen
It's taken me years in the race just to get this far
Still there is no end in sight,
There's no end in sight
'Cause I've carried my cross into dens of the wicked
And you know I blended in just fine
Well, I'm weak and I'm weary of breaking His heart
With they cycle of my sin, of my sin
Still He turns His face to me and I kiss it
Just to betray Him once again
Well, I've got oceans down inside of me
I can feel the billows roll
With the mercy that comes thundering
O'er the waters of my soul
So, Amen
Come, Lord Jesus
Amen
Oh, Amen
Come, Lord Jesus
Amen
Tonight in the light of the gathering rain
I could hear creation groan
And a sigh rose up from the streets of the city
To the foot of Heaven's throne
Oh, and the people hear the sound of a sweet refrain
An absolution in the fray, in the fry
It tells of the death of the one for the lives of the many
More than any picket sign could say
So, Amen
Come, Lord Jesus
Amen
Oh, Amen
Come, Lord Jesus
Amen
...listen to Andrew's new CD -- my connection is too slow, unfortunately
...preorder Andrew's new CD
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
over the hump - 28/08/2008
It's Thursday...
Life:
It's Thursday and I'm sitting in Chiangi International Airport. My plane has a delay, so I'm trying to take advantage of Singapore's hospitality, which includes free, fast, wifi, among other things. As stated in the last post, my life is one of those things where no matter how hard I try, I can't do it gracefully, and usually the outcome is confusion and more problems. One of my more fleshly problems is pride, and I think this is just God trying to show me that I really am pitiful and there is nothing to take pride in, even in the eyes of the world. Six years ago he showed me that with salvation--I cannot boast that I believed in the name of the Lord, as He is the one who called me. Now he's breaking me down in every other way.
Anyway, the good news is I just obtained my new visa; I'm over the hump that has taken almost seven months to ascend.
Links:
Perlious Plunge at Holiday World - needless to say, I'm pretty excited, and am already thinking about Summer 2010.
7 Tough Questions to Ask Your Friends - I need this to be asked of me (hint, hint), and I need to ask others
The Reason for God by Timothy Keller - just bought it five minutes ago at a really high airport/Singapore price, but plan on reading it this week
Nobody's Got It All Together - Jill Phillips
Working hard to tie up the loose ends
So hard to decide who you let in
Put your best foot forward with a grin
I can see the fear behind your eyes
Wondering if someone will recognize
You’ve grown tired of keeping up the lies
Don’t whitewash the truth about yourself ‘cause
Nobody’s got it all together
If you want to be like everyone else well
Nobody’s got it all together
I have seen the darkness of my heart
And found a love that taught me its too hard
To walk through life and not let down my guard
What good is it to say please savior come
If there is nothing you need rescue from
Life is something no one has a corner on
Don’t whitewash the truth about yourself ‘cause
Nobody’s got it all together
If you want to be like everyone else well
Nobody’s got it all together
When the parts that are self righteous
Start to disappear
Every other life is
Just another mirror
And life is way too short to run and hide
Don’t whitewash the truth about yourself ‘cause
Nobody’s got it all together
If you want to be like everyone else well
Nobody’s got it all together
Life:
It's Thursday and I'm sitting in Chiangi International Airport. My plane has a delay, so I'm trying to take advantage of Singapore's hospitality, which includes free, fast, wifi, among other things. As stated in the last post, my life is one of those things where no matter how hard I try, I can't do it gracefully, and usually the outcome is confusion and more problems. One of my more fleshly problems is pride, and I think this is just God trying to show me that I really am pitiful and there is nothing to take pride in, even in the eyes of the world. Six years ago he showed me that with salvation--I cannot boast that I believed in the name of the Lord, as He is the one who called me. Now he's breaking me down in every other way.
Anyway, the good news is I just obtained my new visa; I'm over the hump that has taken almost seven months to ascend.
Links:
Perlious Plunge at Holiday World - needless to say, I'm pretty excited, and am already thinking about Summer 2010.
7 Tough Questions to Ask Your Friends - I need this to be asked of me (hint, hint), and I need to ask others
The Reason for God by Timothy Keller - just bought it five minutes ago at a really high airport/Singapore price, but plan on reading it this week
Nobody's Got It All Together - Jill Phillips
Working hard to tie up the loose ends
So hard to decide who you let in
Put your best foot forward with a grin
I can see the fear behind your eyes
Wondering if someone will recognize
You’ve grown tired of keeping up the lies
Don’t whitewash the truth about yourself ‘cause
Nobody’s got it all together
If you want to be like everyone else well
Nobody’s got it all together
I have seen the darkness of my heart
And found a love that taught me its too hard
To walk through life and not let down my guard
What good is it to say please savior come
If there is nothing you need rescue from
Life is something no one has a corner on
Don’t whitewash the truth about yourself ‘cause
Nobody’s got it all together
If you want to be like everyone else well
Nobody’s got it all together
When the parts that are self righteous
Start to disappear
Every other life is
Just another mirror
And life is way too short to run and hide
Don’t whitewash the truth about yourself ‘cause
Nobody’s got it all together
If you want to be like everyone else well
Nobody’s got it all together
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