Oh, Tim Tebow

OK, so I know as a student at the University of Alabama, Tim Tebow is supposed to be a curse word in my mind. So sorry to disappoint, but I happen to be a very big fan of him. He stands for a lot of good things that are rare to come by in collegiate and professional athletes. So after I read an article completely bashing Tebow and his mission work in the Philippines, I had to write down my thoughts. Here is the link to the article if you care to read it then my response:

http://jeffpearlman.com/?p=2573#comments

I would just like to point out you should really do a little more research concerning missions work. Oftentimes, missions work is done in areas of a country where there is already established Christianity, or whatever religion. Mission work isn't about educating and converting the foreign masses, it's about helping people less fortunate than you. In helping these people, you hope to be an example of Christ. Mission work isn't preaching or indoctrinating, it's doing and helping. The only way for Christians to truly love God is through loving people (aka mission work).

And those "Christians" you see yelling on street corners and handing out pamphlets are extremists. Every religion has them. It is possible to have faith in salvation without a sliver of doubt without being crazy. I was not raised in church my whole life and researched many other religions, and Christianity filled a hole that nothing else could. I find it very insulting that you assumed that CHristians only do good things to earn salvation. We already have salvation. Doing good things comes with being a Christian. Your heart feels the pain of others and longs to help the hurting. Faith without deeds does nothing for others and deeds without faith does nothing for the individual. There is so much more to the Christian faith than you are touching on. And while Christians may view people as sinners, they do not hate them, and they know they can overcome it through Christ. Being a Christian means living in love and self control. You can't judge a religion or institution by the few that act out in extreme ways. There are always going to be people who give Christianity a bad reputation, but Christianity isn't about Christians. It's about everything they are supposed to stand for--you can find these things in the Bible. Basing your opinions on the mistakes of others is truly misguided. I'm sure you don't agree with everyone assuming that all Muslims want to kill Americans. We know that isn't true. THe majority of Muslims are peaceful and wonderful people. Give Christians the same credit. Don't assume that we all want to throw our Bibles into your face and warn you of your inevitable damnation to Hell.

Being a Christian means having a higher being to turn to. It's living by an example to be an example. It isn't letting people walk all over you. It isn't beating yourself up over knowing you are unworthy of God's mercy and love-you are not saved by worth, you are saved by birth. It isn't just a ticket to heaven. It's a way of living that changes the lives of others and yourself.

I think reporters like to write about CHristian athletes because they don't come around very often--genuine ones anyway. They are trying to find that perfect example for people to live by. Is this right? No, of course not. We're all only human. But it's nice to hear about people doing good things in the world instead of pumping themselves full of steroids or getting caught cheating on their wives. Not all athletes are guilty of this, but it seems to be a recurring theme on sports news shows. They're just looking for the next big story. And if they find Tim Tebow's mission work to be newsworthy, then it's their artistic license to believe so.

busy

FIRSTS....

IV

CT Scan

MRI-MRA

Night spent in the hospital

Acquaintance with Demerol

Hospital Food

Being 'that' patient that gets on nurses nerves

Being sick without my parents

Going to the hospital without my parents

Signing all of the paperwork for myself at the hospital

Seeing a neurologist

Having a party in a hospital room

Having friends come stay with me and bring me my stuff in the hospital

Realization that I know nothing about my family's medical history

Actually scared of what was wrong with me

Walking down a hospital hall at night like in a horror movie

FIRSTS....

Tailgating on the quad

Tailgating period

Alabama football game

Hearing the Million Dollar Band

Watching the UA Cheerleaders

Seeing Big Al

Helping Big Al crowd surf

Buying a $4 bottle of water because they don't let you bring anything in

Watching sorority girls get angry they couldn't bring their cute bags in

Watching sorority girls embarrass themselves in their drunken stupor

Watching fraternity boys embarrass themselves in their drunken stupor

Singing Yea, Alabama

Singing Rammer Jammer

Singing Basketcase

Doing the kick off rooooollllll tide roll

Shaking a shaker

Trying to get out of the stadium

Trying to get in the stadium

Smelling like beer when I've never touched a drop

Watching my school's football team WIN

What a busy weekend it was.

Even Though I Somewhat Despise Gandhi...

So. Amazing church service last night. It was about not accepting God's grace in vain. It's not just for us, it's meant to be shared. We have an entire campus before us just waiting to be reached. It's up to us. We can't keep living Christianity as if it is a religion based upon self improvement. It's a religion of love--and that takes more than one person. It was just really good. I can't even do it justice with my words.

Now I'm doing all my Gandhi work which is neverending because I am studying him in two classes. Oh joy! But I came across an excerpt that was just eye opening. Personally, after further studying Gandhi, I became less impressed with him. He was not super intelligent and had many people push him to a level of celebrity that was almost misused in the name of 'religious endeavors' (or, according my perception, personal agendas). Anyways, I realize there are parts of Gandhi I am not impressed with, but his spiritual growth and self control are two very admirable qualities. He was most certainly very determined and ardent in his spiritual practices. In one portion he told of how he and a friend spent 15 minutes trying to decide how to get around using the British envelopes, etc. He became so upset afterwards because he had "wasted fifteen precious minutes on a futile discussion" and "displayed a lack of discrimination" which resulted in "stealing 15 minutes of the world's time which could have been beautifully spent on prayers."

Ok, so this is like crazy extreme, but how many times a day do we futilely waste precious moments? How many times do we ignore perfect opportunities to spend time with out creator? What if we had only an ounce of the self-discipline and dedication that Gandhi had? It just amazes me. Gandhi was so so so dedicated. He spent his entire life devoted to his spirituality. Every moment, every second, was utilized to the utmost. He had a plan and remained true to his beliefs. Are we capable of this dedication? Gandhi was as human as us. We take for granted the privilege we have to be able to talk freely with out Creator. We treat devotion time as a task, not a joy. Why? Think about it.

P.S. I'm on the University of Alabama's Women's Rowing Team. Practice has been kicking my butt, but I know it's going to be so worth it. I'm already meeting more people and realizing how far I can push myself. I'm growing even more! It's an awesome experience and I can't wait to see where it takes me.

FAIL

............................

Enough

So I've been dealing with the lonely factor a lot lately. I've realized how shy I really am and how much it hinders me form meeting new people. I felt lost in the shuffle of 30,000 people. I miss my friends that I was so comfortable with. I could talk about anything, just be me in my pj's and messy hair. I miss that. I love my roommates and all of them, but I just don't feel like I'm to that point with them. And then there's the whole dating thing. Ugh. I have no time, and I do not want a serious relationship at all, but I just miss the guaranteed companionship and closeness. I don't know. It's just been really hard.

Then I went to the Well tonight. We were singing How He Loves Us:

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,And how great Your affect

ions are for me.

Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.

And it was like, I was standing there in front of God begging him. Why can't you just provide for me those people I miss? Why do I feel so alone? And for the first time ever, it was like I heard Him in my head, "Am I not enough?" BAM! I have been so focused on finding my connections I have just missed everything around me, the biggest thing being God. He is totally enough. Why haven't I seen this and leaned on him and not my own understanding? I know this. I've been taught this. I've heard it over and over and over. I guess I just grew numb to it.

Talk about looking for love in all the wrong places. Geez. The answer was right there on my nightstand in this awesome book I too often neglect.

Big Fish/little fish Syndrome

Today wasn't a bad day, but it wasn't a wonderful day like I've been having. I slept past my alarm--don't worry, my first class doesn't take attendance and it is music appreciation, I'm good to go--simply because I felt so crummy. I think some of it is from being tired, but some of it is just being sick. It is not the swine, I refuse to catch that. :D It's just the yuck. The extra hour of sleep helped me a lot, but I still didn't talk as much in class because my head was so foggy I just couldn't form intelligent statements. I am realizing more and more how difficult it is to stand up for your faith and beliefs in college. There are so many intelligent people that can counter arguments unlike anyone I've ever encountered. I expect this to only strengthen my ability to defend myself. It's like boot camp for believers. Every statement gets me thinking on something else and throughout the day I develop my counter statement for future reference. All of this walking around gives me a lot of thinking and God time. Everyone gets so worried about people losing their faith in the 'scary world where people drink and fornicate'. I'm so sorry, but this is just ridiculous. If you are a TRUE Christian going into college, there is no way this can or should happen. There are so many outlets to strengthen your faith and it forces you to grow.

One thing I've been struggling with lately is inadequacy. I feel like I've gone from Big Fish in a little pond to a Little Fish in a Big Pond with Bigger Fish. I don't feel like I graduated in the top ten of my class. Or at least, it doesn't matter here. My 31 pales in comparison to the numerous 33's and 34's on my hall alone. I am not in the Fellows program, I'm taking a low level math. My fifteen hours of AP credit are almost a joke to the honors kids who will be juniors next semester. I'm a public relations major. Here, it's almost something to be laughed at by all of the engineering and pre-med track people. I'm growing, but it's a slow process. I guess this is a humbling experience. I wasn't snobby or anything in the first place. I didn't like telling people my ACT score because I felt like I was bragging. I don't know. I just feel like I've been put up on this pedestal at home and I just can't live up to it here. There are so many people higher up than I am. I'm not one of the smart kids anymore. There are so many others like me and even more better than me. I've realized how shy I am, too. This makes for some lonely times.

In the midst of all of the crushing revelations, I feel the urge to push myself so much harder. I am going to be at the top, I am going to make it to where all of those other people are. I'm going to be a Big Fish again. I realize that being at Big Fish at home took away my motivation. I didn't try as hard because I didn't have to. That ends here. I'm stepping out of my comfort zone. Tutoring and studying will now be part of my schedule. I'm going to get invo

lved in academic clubs and other stuff. Time and effort. That's what needs to happen. And I am going to make it happen. I won't just sit back and think about the good old days when I was at the top. I'm going to make stuff happen.