A Psalm of Conviction

Psalm 26

A psalm of David.

¹ Declare me innocent, O Lord,
for I have acted with integrity;
I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
² Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me.
Test my motives and my heart.
³ For I am always aware of your unfailing love,
and I have lived according to your truth.
⁴ I do not spend time with liars
or go along with hypocrites.
⁵ I hate the gatherings of those who do evil,
and I refuse to join in with the wicked.
⁶ I wash my hands to declare my innocence.
I come to your altar, O Lord,
⁷ singing a song of thanksgiving
and telling of all your wonders.
⁸ I love your sanctuary, Lord,
the place where your glorious presence dwells.

⁹ Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners.
Don’t condemn me along with murderers.
¹⁰ Their hands are dirty with evil schemes,
and they constantly take bribes.
¹¹ But I am not like that; I live with integrity.
So redeem me and show me mercy.
¹² Now I stand on solid ground,
and I will publicly praise the Lord.

Not a Fan

"Good things come those who wait."

"Patience is a virtue."

"Patience is the companion of wisdom."

My Favorite Athlete

I first watched Apolo Anton Ohno compete in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.

It was crush at first sight. The man is gorgeous.

And my interest in Apolo hasn't waned in the four years since then. I've been keeping tabs on him through the aid of the internet.

Anyway, tonight my boyfriend favorite athlete earned his 6th Olympic medal when he finished second in the short track speed skating 1500 meter event.

Next up is the 5000 meter relay on Wednesday. GO APOLO!!!

The Painful Truth

My friend Adam just came back from a year in Africa. He kept a blog of his adventures while he was away, but I have especially enjoyed his insight into American society, specifically the culture of American Christians.

Today he posted a very thought provoking post partially about the phrase "God Bless America!" Check it out and let me know what you think.

Help Haiti

You can provide immediate relief to those in Haiti by partnering with Compassion.

Calling all adventure seekers

My mom and I spontaneously spent the afternoon shopping together. My mom came to town to shop, so we met at the mall. It was a really nice afternoon of shopping and talking.

We discussed the situation Haiti over lunch for quite a while. Ten years ago in June I spent a week in Haiti outside of Port au Prince in a mountain village called Gramothe. I lost contact with the missionaries we worked with several years ago, and I haven't heard anything about them since the earthquake 11 days ago. We both wondered how they were effected, and even if they were alive. My mom was able to remember the name of the mission organization and the last name of the missionaries, so I googled them when I got home. Willem and Beth Charles founded Mountain Top Ministries in 1999. You can visit their website or read their blog to learn more about their awesome work in Haiti. Since the earthquake they've been able to help a number of people, and have been hosting some medical teams.

Another topic my mom and I discussed at lunch was spring break--specifically my travel plans. Unfortunately, I have none. Well, I had no plans for traveling at the time. In the few short hours since lunch, I've started to develop a plan. I'd like to go to Haiti and help Willem and Beth with their relief efforts. I'm confident my skill set can be of service to Mountain Top Ministries and the Haitian people. And I'm certain you have gifts and talents the Lord can use there as well.

Would you consider joining me in Haiti the week of April 2-10?

Counting My Blessings: Genuine Interest

Today several of my students asked me some pretty personal questions. They weren't just being nosy either. Their questions were relevant to the conversation and appropriate in the context of the situation. I love those little people. And it warms my heart to know they care about me too.