“It is now time for us to ask the personal question put to Jesus Christ by Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus road, ‘What shall I do Lord?’ or the similar question asked by the Philippian jailer, ’What must I do to be saved?’ Clearly we must do something. Christianity is no mere passive acquiescence in a series of propositions, however true. We may believe in the deity and the salvation of Christ, and acknowledge ourselves to be sinners in need of his salvation, but this does not make us Christians. We have to make a personal response to Jesus Christ, committing ourselves unreservedly to him as our Savior and Lord … At its simplest Christ’s call was “Follow me.” He asked men and women for their personal allegiance. He invited them to learn from him, to obey his words and to identify themselves with his cause … Now there can be no following without a previous forsaking. To follow Christ is to renounce all lesser loyalties … let me be more explicit about the forsaking which cannot be separated from the following of Jesus Christ. First, there must be a renunciation of sin. This, in a word, is repentance. It is the first part of Christian conversion. It can in no circumstances be bypassed. Repentance and faith belong together. We cannot follow Christ without forsaking sin … Repentance is a definite turn from every thought, word, deed, and habit which is known to be wrong … There can be no compromise here. There may be sins in our lives which we do not think we could ever renounce, but we must be willing to let them go as we cry to God for deliverance from them. If you are in doubt regarding what is right and what is wrong, do not be too greatly influenced by the customs and conventions of Christians you may know. Go by the clear teaching of the Bible and by the prompting of your conscience, and Christ will gradually lead you further along the path of righteousness. When he puts his finger on anything, give it up. It may be some association or recreation, some literature we read, or some attitude of pride, jealousy or resentment, or an unforgiving spirit. Jesus told his followers to pluck out their eye and cut off their hand or foot if it caused them to sin. We are not to obey this with dead literalism, of course, and mutilate our bodies. It is a figure of speech for dealing ruthlessly with the avenues along which temptation comes to us.” 
― John R.W. Stott, Basic Christianity

"eternal happiness does not exist on this earth. we are constantly battered by the scathing storms of this world, and we often lose. but there are countless, brief moments of happiness in our lives, like the vanishing starlights of dawn, flickering and dreamlike. and those starlights will always remain in our hearts, warming us in our times of sorrow, until the darkness fades, the sky clears, and our sorrows wash away, that endless, pure, and beautiful world will finally appear before our eyes." 

 This is very first quote in my quote list. It is interesting that this quote is not a Christian quote, and though I don't remember the source since Xing was the one who shared it to me (I am pretty sure this was translated from Japanese and came from an anime/manga), the quote almost hits the reality of life from a Christian perspective.

The first line is the core of reality of the Gospel. Jesus has time and time again made it a point that we are not citizen of this world but the next. C.S. Lewis tells us that we were made for another world, and this world is just temporary and will be passing.

We get glimpses of the other world in our lives though (again taking themes from C.S. Lewis' Narnia and Surprised by Joy). Through friendships, marriages, baptisms, and worship we see glimpses of heaven, like starlight.

The last sentence echoes the truths and promises found in Revelations 21, "...and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away...Behold, I make all things new." I think this is what C.S. Lewis meant in Screwtape Letters to focus on eternity.

Marine Admirals seem very opposite when you look at their entire character. Aokiji has ice powers but has like the warmest heart for most people. Akainu has magma powers but is like the coldest hearted bastard when upholding justice. Kizaru has the power of light with light speed but talks like real slow and lazily. Fujitora is blind but can see all the flaws in what the Marines uphold (i.e. Celestial dragon's cruelty) 

Words of wisdom from a youtube video comment...

If there is any TV show that addresses all the issues on (in)justice more than One Piece, I will pay them $1000 and give them rights to the name of my firstborn child. There is a reason this is considered the highest class of anime/manga (even if the animation budget has gone downhill).

http://kevinblogstheworld.tumblr.com/post/170481744599/reflections-on-worship-acf-retreat-2018-workshop

“Perhaps the greatest faculty our minds possess is the ability to cope with pain. Classic thinking teaches us of the four doors of the mind, which everyone moves through according to their need.

First is the door of sleep. Sleep offers us a retreat from the world and all its pain. Sleep marks passing time, giving us distance from the things that have hurt us. When a person is wounded they will often fall unconscious. Similarly, someone who hears traumatic news will often swoon or faint. This is the mind's way of protecting itself from pain by stepping through the first door.

Second is the door of forgetting. Some wounds are too deep to heal, or too deep to heal quickly. In addition, many memories are simply painful, and there is no healing to be done. The saying 'time heals all wounds' is false. Time heals most wounds. The rest are hidden behind this door.

Third is the door of madness. There are times when the mind is dealt such a blow it hides itself in insanity. While this may not seem beneficial, it is. There are times when reality is nothing but pain, and to escape that pain the mind must leave reality behind.

Last is the door of death. The final resort. Nothing can hurt us after we are dead, or so we have been told.”
― Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind

Oh how I miss these Wednesday emails...

It is with deepest joy,

and greatest fervor,

that we welcome you Friday.

 

That’s when we invite you to join us.

Let us write you a name tag

as the fellowship proudly presents --

our Large Group.

 

Be... Our... Guest!

(to) ACF!

 

Put our service to the test!

Bring your Bible and your pen, chérie

and we’ll provide the rest.

 

Voices raised,

upward gaze,

when we sing songs of praise.

 

Come to Large Group.

There’ll be learning.

Don’t believe me? Be discerning.

Ephesians, chapter six -

adding armor to the mix:

Be equipped to boldly stand up to the test.

 

Do come, we start at seven,

come along and then you’ll

 

Be our guest,

Oui, our guest

(to) ACF!

 

You’re on time,

prompt, I’m sure.

Just like last week, as we were.

Tow’r cathedral, room G8

Come to Large Group, don’t be late!

 

You’re alone

and you’re scared

but the welcome team’s prepared.

They will greet you with affection,

complement your good complexion.

 

Some tell jokes! Mostly puns...

They might say, “second to none.”

And it all will make you cringe,

that, you can bet.

 

We hope to see you there

To show you how we care

Please be our guest.

 

If you’re stressed,

it’s fine friendship we suggest.

 

Be our guest!

Be our guest!

(to) ACF!

 

 

Life is so depleting,

for a student who’s not sleeping.

They’re not well, and cannot tell, when they should eat.

Ah, those good old days when we were rested...

Suddenly, those good old days are beat.

 

Three months, we’ve been toiling

as our bodies now are spoiling,

needing exercise, and sunshine on our skin.

Most days, we just congregate at poolside.

 

Loopy, sad and lazy

but on Fridays, things get crazy!

 

It’s a guest! It’s a guest!

All in all, we hope you’re blessed!

Be restored, and thank the Lord,

we have great peace, despite unrest.

Through it all, He is there,

gentle shoulders help to bear,

lonely hearts and heavy burdens,

God is with us, I am certain.

 

Come along, this weekend

Be on time! We’ll start a trend.

Friday Night! It’s coming soon I do profess.

There’s little left to say,

But have a jolly day!

For you our guest!

 

ACF!

ACF!

Be our guest!

Be our guest!

ACF!

 

We’re excited, can’t you guess?

It’s been days since we have gone our separate ways

at life’s behest.

 

But we’re back, all as one.

Gladly worship, God’s one son.

 

While the semester’s still going,

Let us help, we’ll all keep growing!

 

Bit by bit,

day by day,

‘til we reach

the end of May!

Then we’ll pray for you until the next school year.

 

Well I shall see you very soon

Until then, good night moon.

 

Be our guest!

Be our guest!

Be our guest

to A C F !!

 

- R. K.

Now that the squad is finally back together, and hearing their stories, I am realizing that though I learned a lot the last 3-5 years, I have also forgotten a lot too. I need to stop invalidating what I did best from college in high school, which was to love on others wholeheartedly and bring people together. I need to remember what it is like to be vulnerable again, to share again, to laugh again. I need to remember to see people as people, with hearts and souls. I need to remember that people are fragile creatures just like myself, and the fastest way to another person's heart is to reveal the cracks in my own heart. I need to bring back the 3am conversations and be content in each other's company. I don't need everyone to be on the same page as me theologically or relationally. But I do need people to be real, and to do that I need to be real first. I need to be kind again. Something I had lost after I got the innocence and naivety beaten out of me through failure and betrayals. I feel like I've come full circle, but now that I am older and have seen just a little bit more of the world than my 18 or 21 year old self, I understand that I am to overflow into others both in love and in truth. I need to stop making the same mistakes and falling into the same mental and emotional traps. I guess...this can be my New Year Resolutions (or lifelong resolutions). God please let the squad learn to love one another and love on those we meet in the future. Thank you God for letting them remind me of what the Gospel is to me, how the Gospel has shaped my life for the past decade or so, and how through the Gospel I can be the light to my friends and to the world. Let these words be honest and ring home. Amen!


“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” - C.S. Lewis

"Every woman in the Brown,” Verin said, “seeks to produce something lasting. Research or study that will be meaningful. Others often accuse us of ignoring the world around us. They think we only look backward. Well, that is inaccurate. If we are distracted, it is because we look forward, toward those who will come. And the information, the knowledge we gather . . . we leave it for them. The other Ajahs worry about making today better; we yearn to make tomorrow better.”

"This is worth one woman’s life. Few people have had a chance to create something as useful, and as wonderful, as that book you hold. We all seek to change the future, Egwene. I think I might just have a chance at doing so.”

"That, among all things, is the most sacred duty of the Brown—to arm the world with knowledge. I’m still one of them. Please see that they know, although the word Black may brand my name forever, my soul is Brown. Tell them. . . .”

“I will, Verin,” Egwene promised. “But your soul is not Brown. I can see it.”

Her eyes fluttered open, meeting Egwene’s, a frown creasing her forehead.

“Your soul is of a pure white, Verin,” Egwene said softly. “Like the Light itself.”

I feel you Verin. I also wish, deeply, to be able to contribute to the future.