Evolution

All my grammar teacher wanted to teach this morning, before reviewing for our exam, was evolution. So I decided to rant about it.

It always amazes me how hard people are willing to work, how much they are willing to twist their logic, and how far they are willing to stretch in order to shove God out of the picture. When they do, they end up with a confusing argument that makes no sense when you pick it apart logically.

I'm a lazy person. I don't want to have to do any more thinking than necessary. If I have to sit for hours and give myself a headache and throughly befuddle my brain to try to understand what you're saying - most likely I'm going to give up on it. That's how I feel about evolution. It just doesn't make sense to me. I'm not trying to be close-minded, that's just the way it is. Creation is SO much easier to believe - it all makes sense and fits together neatly with time lines, etc. Not to mention it's more interesting! Evolution is demeaning, weird, gross...whatever.

My teacher was trying to explain why all languages seem to have a common ancestor, and the fact that people all seem to be descended from one small group of humans. To me, that's easy! God created us and gave us the ability to speak - He's also the one Who gave the variety of languages at the Tower of Babel. Of course languages are all going to be similar. God created Adam and Eve, and everyone on earth is descended from those two people. It all falls into place, it's easy to believe, there are no holes, no stretching for excuses and trying to figure things out for hours until your brain is twisted in knots - it's all RIGHT THERE. When trying to explain it WITHOUT God, however, it's unbelievably confusing, there are holes, you have to work really hard to come up with excuses and then it just sounds...dumb?

If someone else wants to believe evolution, whatever. That's their prerogative. If they want to discuss it with me, that's fine. I'm willing to talk about it and discuss it. I'm willing to listen to their beliefs. I don't necessarily hold it against someone if they hold to evolution. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs.

BUT.

When you try to shove that belief down my throat, especially when you have no REAL evidence to support it, THEN I have a problem. I respect that you have a right to believe whatever you want. The LEAST you can do is respect that same right for me. If you want to discuss evolution with me, fine - be willing to accept that I'm going to disagree and want to discuss creation right back.

I believe in creation for the simple reason that God said that's what happened. And since God can't lie it's obviously true!

And, like I said, it's a LOT easier to believe for a simpleminded person like myself.

Boredom

Ever have a class when your teacher talks about stuff that's relevant to the class, but is obviously not going to be on the exam and isn't particularly interesting? That's what's happening to me right now.

I was having a hard time paying attention anyway, but now it's even worse. It doesn't help that I'm tired.

Sorry, I wasn't planning on whining and complaining when I started writing. That's just what's on my mind right now and I'm not sure what else to talk about at the moment.

I have to work later. I just want to go home and sleep. -.-

The Future

When trying to make decisions for my future, I generally look to my past experiences, when applicable. Even if it's not exactly the same kind of situation, there are things that I can learn from and principles I can apply.

As I prepare to graduate from college this spring, however, I feel as if I am starting completely from scratch. It's not that the slate has been wiped clean - more like I've been handed a completely new slate. This seems strange to me since the last few years of my life were to prepare me for the moment when I enter "the real world" (which is always pronounced with emphasis in a deep voice) and proceed to live my life. College is supposed to get you ready for your career and the rest of your life. I don't feel ready. Not in that sense anyway. Obviously the Lord is in control and I'm ready for anything in that way. But when I think past graduation I see nothing but a void. For so long (all my life really) things have been planned out. Even if the plans didn't always work exactly as I thought they would, there was still a structure and a plan. After graduation...what is there? A job? What job? What else is there?

It's times like these when I realize how amazingly thankful I am that the Lord is in control of my life and that He's given me incredible parents who will always be there for me, and my wonderful sisters and the rest of my family and friends. I know things will be okay and will work out. I may not know how, but I know that they will, and for now that's good enough.

23rd birthday and such

Sunday was my 23rd birthday! Some friends came over, along with my adopted grandparents, to celebrate with me.







Overall it was a quiet birthday, but very nice. My Grandma Sue in Florida sent me a little bean-filled Chucky doll as a gag gift. I HATE CHUCKY. At least she put some thought into it, though - she usually just goes to Dollar Tree. My parents got me a karaoke machine, Tonya and Naomi got me karaoke CDs, Kristin got me Speed Racer (the movie), Gramma got me a $25 Regal gift card (w00t w00t!), adopted grandparents got me a bracelet, and my friends that came gave me some money.

This is the second, and last, week of my intersession grammar class. I'm neither excited nor disappointed.

Lately I've found that I'm pretty much just taking things as they come, a day at a time. There are things I get excited about (like my birthday) but overall it's just whatever happens, happens. I don't feel apathetic about it, that's not it. I'm not sure what causes me to feel this way. Maybe because I know that the Lord's in control and this world will pass away. We've been studying eschatology (end times) lately and it's really making me think about things differently. But more on that later, maybe.

Tonya is getting her wisdom teeth out today. Poor thing. I feel bad for her.

2010

Happy new year, ladies and gentlemen.

I would love to have something inspirational and great to write, something that could be quoted throughout the year and even in years to come.

But I'm too tired.

So for now I'll just say that 2009 was a great year. It had it's down sides, but something good came out of them. I've grown a lot spiritually, and I realize more than ever before that I have a lot more growing left to do. I think the more I grow, the more I realize that. I was able to go to New Hampshire for the first time in years with my mom and sisters, and I went to the 9/12 March in DC in September. Both of those are events worth remembering, along with all the other smaller events I was involved with. I finished up the first half of my senior year at VCU, I got over my fear of driving a stick shift, and went camping in the snow. I lost a friend that I thought was one of my closest friends because of a difference of opinion; I was reminded how much that hurts, how difficult it can be to stand up for what I believe. I've had to reassess how important certain things are to me and what I'm willing to compromise on.

The list goes on and on and on. I guess the point is that each year (each day, each minute) is a gift from God and shouldn't be taken lightly. Even when something happens that seems to be bad, God is working it all for my good.

The future, as a rule, terrifies me. But that's when I look at it just through my own eyes and my own perception. When I rest in the Lord and remember that He is sovereign, suddenly it seems a whole lot brighter and I'm excited to see what He will do with my life. I'm not naive, I know it won't be easy. However, I will make it through because the Lord is on my side. If He is for me, who can be against me?

In conclusion, I'm eagerly awaiting whatever 2010 brings my way. Life's not always easy - usually it's not - but it's almost never boring. I have my family and my friends and, above all, my Heavenly Father.

2010 will be a good year.