wow, haven't been on this in awhile?
but I have something I really wanted to say and I'm too... I don't know? to put it on xanga

anyways, my youth group has started high school fellowships on thursday nights as well as our regular friday night youth groups. there really isn't any specific schedule or format that we stick to, but our pastor always plans topics to talk about

tonight.. or rather, a few hours ago, we were talking about culture and the Bible

basically, in every culture there's always this "hero story":

some ordinary person some how acquires a burden and has this whole journey... he makes new friends that help him out and eventually he accomplishes an impossible task and learns some things about himself.

the example that we used was LOTR (Lord of the Rings). Frodo is a hobbit and hobbits are kind of unnoticed and whatever, but he accomplishes the task that was really actually impossible. he was "meant" to bear the ring... kind of like how Gollum was "meant to be" there until the end of the story. and if all these things were just meant to be, then how can there not be a God? how can there not be someone that controls history or fate. Tolkein never even mentioned God in his stories, but doesn't all the "meant to be" stuff point to it?

this is kind of what God left in every culture to sort of unify everyone. people like to look up to stories like that... how an ordinary person can accomplish the impossible. and also it exposes the idea that if this is such a universalizing idea, and that different people facing different challenges can end up accomplishing their goals.. whether it be in real life or a story, it points to a divinely plotted path of life.

the story of Moses is kind of like the "hero story." Moses was the prince of Egypt and was very capable of accomplishing some hard task, but God waited until he had nothing.. until he was just an ordinary person. and yet, God chose him. God doesn't always choose the best or the most able (haha, going back to Hofstra theme), but he chooses people like us.. normal, regular, ordinary people to be his disciples.

we also talked about alienation, or rather, when people feel lonely or left out. someone may seem like they fit in really well, but if you really get to talk to them, they feel the same way as other people.

this idea of alienation was also in the Bible with the story of Adam and Eve. Adam was alone, so God gave him Eve. when they had eaten the fruit and realized they were naked, they made clothes for themselves. why did they do that? they had gone around naked before and hadn't cared. but when they realized that they were naked, they were ashamed. just like how people today are self-concious of themselves. and then when God said that they were to work the ground.. by the sweat of their brow.. that points to the fact that it wasn't supposed to be like that. the earth and the ground were to work with us, that we were part of nature.

haha, wow... I think that's the longest blog I've every posted. the discussion really got to me, though, so I just really wanted to post it. hopefully you got something out of it? :D

retreat this saturday (:
now I'm excited.

this past year has been a pretty tough one... blow after blow after blow and I'm just waiting now until I completely crack. I won't get into details, but a lot of bad stuff has happened to me. this probably sounds like some sob story, but all of it has really taken a toll on me and sometimes when I think about it I get into a depressed mood...

which explains my latest xanga post. but I'm better now.

and I also think that this past year has been one where I've really grown in my faith. sometimes I feel like God is testing me; hitting me with problems over and over, but I haven't given in. I became a small group leader in January and I guess it makes me feel like I'm more involved in the church and that I'm really contributing? sometimes I feel like I'm an inadequate leader, but that just makes me try harder.

I was considering checking the small group leader box for hofstra this year, but I don't think I'm quite ready yet. I took the workshop on small group leading last year and I think that really helped a lot, except it's not there this year...?

mm, so, field trip tomorrow, no school Friday, and then retreat for the long weekend! to be honest, I'm kind of hesitant since there are going to be more churches this year and I really like it when it's just WCCEC + WCEC. it seems more... intimate? I'm not sure if that's the right word, but I enjoy it a lot when it's just our churches.

but yeah, I am very excited. and I can't thank you guys enough-Jake, Justin, Willie, and Victor-for paying. I'll return the favor somehow.