Musings, podcasts, and spring!

There is someone playing guitar outside of my window.  I love it!  He or she is pretty good, too.  It's pleasant background music to go along with writing my last mini ethics paper assignment.  This week we're supposed to analyze our "personal ethical dilemma" from the first assignment and say if our views have changed at all from before.  Mine really haven't.  :)

The flowers are coming out all over campus, and they're beautiful.  I'm going to miss Lexington, but I hear Williamsburg is just as lovely!  I can't believe I'm moving there in pretty much exactly two months.  Absolute craziness.  Ashley and I are working on the flat situation so hopefully that gets finalized soon.  It should be fine.  I also found out today that the masters' project is being cancelled for C&I majors, so that's rather exciting.  I get to save about $800 off tuition!

Okay, so the real reason I'm writing a blog is because I discovered the wonderful art that is podcasting today.  I had listened to a few podcasts before but I hadn't ever really been absorbed by them.  My dad introduced them to me about a year ago.  He's fascinated with them, loves listening to sermons and other theological stuff, which is cool.  I had signed up for a couple of them, ones from our home church and also a Harry Potter one, but hadn't ever really listened to any of them.

Today I decided to listen to a couple while I was stuffing envelopes at Hill House and I really enjoyed them.  I listened to a couple from The Falls Church and a couple from the PotterCast and they were really interesting.  I learned about:

1. James 1 and hypocrisy: we need to be doers of the Word and not just listeners; the Word shows us who we are and if we hear it and understand but then turn away from it, we're like someone who sees themselves in the mirror and then forgets what they look like
2. James 2 and judging: placing judgment on others based on how they appear renders our faith ineffective and hurts our witness for the Gospel
3. PotterCast 131: Interview with J.K. Rowling: mostly stuff about horcruxes and wands
4. PotterCast 132: Interview with J.K. Rowling part 2: Neville!
5. PotterCast 138: SnoggCast: well, I'm still in the middle of it, but they're talking about Chapter 7 of Deathly Hallows and it's really interesting!

So podcasts are awesome.  :)

I need Thee every hour

This quote made my heart ache, so I figure it's a good one.  :)

"My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.  I do not see the road ahead of me.  I cannot know for certain where it will end.  Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.  But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.  And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.  I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.  And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.  Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.  I will not fear, for you are ever wtih me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone." ~ Thomas Merton

A fitting prayer, for every day.

Brian Littrell

Rachel and I were listening to my iTunes library today while doing homework and the song "By His Wounds" just so happened to play.  If you don't know, the song is by a group called Glory Revealed, made up of Steven Curtis Chapman, Mac Powell of Third Day, and Brian Littrell (yes, of the Backstreet Boys).  They were all on tour together last year, and I assume that the group was made up when they were on tour.

Rachel and I got to talking about Littrell and his emergence into Christian music, and how we really loved Backstreet Boys when we were in middle school because of Littrell -- he always thanked God first on his CD thank-yous.  Well, Rachel mentioned that some of the songs he had written for the Backstreet Boys were glaringly Christian songs, and I was curious.  She claimed that "The One" from the CD "Millenium" was totally a Christian song, and naturally, she was right.  Observe:

"The One" by Brian Littrell

I guess you were lost when I met you

Still there were tears in your eyes

So out of trust and I knew

No more than mysteries and lies

There you were, wild and free

Reaching out like you needed me

A helping hand to make it right

I am holding you all through the night

I'll be the one (I'll be the one)

Who will make all your sorrows undone

I'll be the light (I'll be the light)

When you feel like there's nowhere to run

I'll be the one

To hold you and make sure that you'll be alright

Cause my fear is gone

And I want to take you from darkness to light

*bridge, chorus*

You need me like I need you

We could share our dreams coming true

I can show you what true love means

Just take my hand, baby please

I'll be the one, I'll be the light

Where you can run to make it alright

I'll be the one, I'll be the light

Where you can run

*repeat*

This makes us really happy.  :)  More evidence of Littrell's awesomeness:

"Welcome Home (You)" by Brian Littrell

When I left home to be who I am

Some people said no way

But I laid it all down, gave everything

In my head rang the words that my Father said

You're never far, I will be where you are

And when you come to me

I will open my arms

And welcome home you

I know you by name

How do you do?

I shine because of you today

So come and sit down

Tell me how you are

You know, son, it's good just to see your face

When I look at you holding my heart

I will give to you all that I am

Son, I know there'll be times

You will feel all alone

I will share with you the words my Father said

You're never far, I will be where you are

And when you come to me

You can bet I will open my arms

*chorus*