Better Late Than Never

I suppose the title of this post could refer to me not posting anything on Wednesday, although that was not my original intention.

As it turns out, I have to take some fine arts credits in order to graduate. I registered for drawing, but then had trouble finding another good class to take. I soon realized that my only options were to join the school choir, take music theory, or take guitar lessons. To me, the answer was obvious.

So, yesterday...

I bought a guitar! I got it for a pretty good deal from some kid on Kijiji. I have always always ALWAYS wanted to learn to play guitar. When I was a kid, I put "acoustic guitar" on my Christmas list every year for quite a few years in a row (I don't think anyone took me seriously).

I am so excited that I am more or less being forced to learn guitar. It's one of those things that I would probably never buy for myself unless I had some good reason, such as graduating. Wahoo!

Hm. Today is Wednesday.

I am not going to write much today. I am in the middle of a week-long class discussing wealth and poverty in the Bible. We meet from 9-4 everyday, which takes up most of my mental energy. Because it's pretty much all I'm doing this week, let me tell you a little bit about the class.

This is the first Biblical theology class I have taken and it is fascinating. I love reading my Bible on my own, but sometimes I feel a little lost. It is really nice to have an expert in the room to guide me and my classmates as we read Scripture and discuss its meanings, interjecting with contextual and cultural information as needed. He has given us so much information to look at that I think I could study this subject for a very long time without getting bored.

Well, it's about my bedtime, so that's all you get today.

Psalm 2

"I have installed my king
     on Zion, my holy hill.
I will proclaim the decrees of the Lord:
     He said to me, "You are my Son;
     today I have become your father
Ask of me,
     and I will make the nations your inheritance,
     the ends of the earth your possession."
-Psalm 2:6-8

Lately, I have been thinking about metaphors. Likenesses between seemingly unrelated elements is one of those things that, to me, seems to be done by design.

As an interesting example, the Amazon Rainforest and the Congo River Basin are often called the lungs of the Earth. Since I have two lungs, too, it gives me a feeling of connectedness with the planet and makes me think that the force that brought my lungs about also had something to do with the botanical arrangement of the Earth as it exists today.

In the Genesis account of creation, God made people and entrusted them with the Earth. But, at the same time, it is from the dust that people were formed. We get this feeling of power, but we are a part of the planet that we are looking after, so we ought to take our responsibility seriously.

I don't have much else to say about this, I just think it is interesting to think about.

Waves (the coffee shop reviews are back!)

There is a coffee shop called Waves next to the school I attend (Waves is located at 30 Springborough Blvd. SW, Calgary). I was down there today, so I figured I'd stop in for a drink.

A few years ago, I was at a Second Cup in Vancouver and ordered an Americano, joking with the barista that it ought to be called a Canadiano in Canada. I was surprised when I entered Waves to see that they had Canadianos on their menu instead of Americanos! After doing a bit of research when I got home, I learned that Waves is a coffee franchise based out of the lower mainland, which further convinced me that I came up with the name Canadiano. Anyways, I digress.

I ordered the Canadiano and it was very palatable. It had a smooth earthy-chocolaty flavor that tasted good with no cream or sugar.  With cream and sugar added, it tasted like a yummy dessert. Although this may not be the place for a coffee connoisseur seeking the perfect cup of coffee, it is a great place to have a nice cup of coffee with a friend or perhaps a good book.

One of the things that I really like about this place is the partnership they have with coffee farmers through the One Harvest Project, through which they sell single-origin coffee that is sustainable (above Fair Trade standards) for the people who produce it. I didn't see any indication that the espresso I ordered was a part of this project, so I can't speak to the quality of the One Harvest Project coffee, but I'm giving it a plug here anyways because I like sustainability and Fair Trade. I didn't see the Fair Trade certification on the packaging, so I guess I'll have to take their word that they meet the standards. Actually, I think I'll email them and ask them why the coffee is not Fair Trade certified.

Which reminds me. Tomorrow is World Fair Trade Day! If you live near a 10,000 Villages, they will most likely have fun, entertainment, and prizes happening tomorrow. Have a great weekend, friends!

Psalm 1

"Blessed is the man
     who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
     or sit at the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
     and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
     which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
     Whatever he does prospers."
-Psalm 1:1-3


Some seasons are more difficult to get through than others. Sometimes I feel like I am doing life completely wrong and, perhaps worse, sometimes I lose the motivation to do anything at all. In particular, there are times when loving God and loving others is especially difficult, but I keep at it anyways because Jesus wants me to. I am not saying I am good at it, just that I keep trying. Sometimes this feels counterintuitive. Why keep at it when it does not make the season easier?

Because it is good. When the time is right, good will come of this sort of faith in God's law, just as the tree planted by streams of water yields its fruit in season.