Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Hi everyone!

Sorry its taken me such a long time to post again. I've been working a lot. Many of my friends here in JC either can't find jobs, have terrible jobs, can't get enough hours at their current jobs... so, I'm becoming more thankful for mine everyday! Rita's is really popular here, and I've become reconnected with several old friends and teachers because of it. Also, I'm enjoying my work at Second Harvest Food Bank. My brother, Will, and I mainly do custodial stuff, like sweeping and polishing. It gets boring sometimes, but they need the help. The time also gives Will and me a chance to talk.

Kylie, I will keep Dollie in my prayers. Also, my great aunt Grace died over the weekend, and she has been in my thoughts. She had heart problems for several years. Although it was a very peaceful and "good" death, she will be greatly missed by my family.

As for Blue Like Jazz.. I loved it! I'm currently rereading sections of it. Quotes that stuck with me from Chapters 1-3 include:

And so from the beginning, the chasm that separated me from God was as deep as wealth and as wide as fashion. This, to me, expresses the extreme material desires that one may feel when lacking a personal relationship with God. Although we're all guilty of wanting things we don't have/need, I think that people who don't develop their spirituality subconsciously try to compensate that "hole" in their life by focusing on wealth.

The genius of the American system is not freedom; the genius of the American system is checks and balances. Nobody gets all the power. Everyone is watching everybody else. It is as if the founding fathers knew, intrinsically, that the soul of man, unwatched, is perverse. This whole conversation between Tony and Don is very thought-provoking to me. It makes me think about just and unjust laws. When I break a law (i.e. texting while driving or something ridiculous), it is because I think I am doing the right thing. In my view, the law is unjust; however, perhaps I'm just blind to an aspect of my depravity... and my thoughts spin off from there. Have I mentioned that I want to be a judge one day? Haha.

Nothing is going to change in the Congo until you and I figure out what is wrong with the person in the mirror. Yes.

Hope you all are having a great week!

Alice

2 comments:

  1. Betsy here. I'm so sorry to hear about your Great Aunt Grace! It always seems to me like when I lose someone I just feel like I see their face more when I'm walking in a crowd or think about them more than ever. It's probably a good thing and I'm sure she'd love to know she's impacted you enough that you're thinking about her now. I'm glad you were with your family to deal with it together.


    Those are great quotes! I'm so glad you liked the book. I need to get a move on and finish it so we can move on to another because I think Kylie is about finished too.

    Thanks for updating. I'm really glad you're having a good summer. I can't believe it's almost July.

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  2. Kylie here. I'm actually bouncing back and forth between Blue Like Jazz and a book titled Joshua. I mainly have been reading on my break at work so I'm reading it, but slowly. Both books are stretching my thinking and I love it. As I grow older.. (i'm so old and all ... haha..) it's crazy to see how much my faith has changed. I am starting to really develop a faith that I feel God has given me, not others.

    Anyhow, at the moment it's late and I don't quite feel like writing details about the book now, but I will tomorrow or Saturday.

    Something that has really been on my mind lately is the broken relationships that are all around us. The lack of forgiveness we have towards others. It hurts to know that Jesus would have never had the thoughts we have towards others or do the things that we do towards others, He would take them by the hand and show love and kindness with complete sincerity. We (people in general) are so selfish. We feel entitled to so much, yet we really need to step back a realize how much God has provided (everything)... realizing that He has given us this life, why does it always have to be our way? Why not just be thankful for today, the people we are around, the opportunities that we are given. Even if we are missing out on something that may seem more fun that working, but God has a plan and who knows why you weren't supposed to be there, or you were supposed to be at work or wherever. I've been trying to work on thankfulness.

    As for Dollie, she is such a sweetheart and so is her family. They walk in and say, Kylie! They are all constantly in my thoughts.

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