Graduation

Only 7 days, 20 hours, and 25 minutes to graduation. Not really sure how I feel about that, but I guess it doesn't really matter much how I feel. It is coming whether I'm ready or not. So for the last week of college... BRING IT ON!!!! I shall defeat you

A New Day

Life is extremely busy and it never seems to slow down, not even after graduation (so I've heard!) The major crisis is that we often want to put off God's calling until we "have more time." Christ wants to meet with us everyday to impart His power upon us so that we may go out and conquer this world with the love of a Father whose love never ceases. 

     "The same power that Christ exercised when He walked visibly among men is in His word." 

                                                                                                           -Ministry of Healing p. 122

When we come to meet with Him for our daily bread, He can supply us with the gusto needed to tackle a full day.

A Quiet Place

There is a quiet place, 

Far from the rapid pace

where God can soothe my troubled mind.

Sheltered by tree and flow'r,

There in my quiet hour

with Him my cares are left behind.

Whether a garden small,

Or on a mountain tall, 

New strength and courage there I find;

Then from this quiet place

I go prepared to face a new day

With love for all mankind.

                                      -SDAH 503

Can this really be?

Think of the most amazing person you have ever met. The one you could sit and talk for what seemed like mere minutes, but in reality was hours. That someone who can make the worst day take a 180 degree turn. The only one who can tell you the most hurtful truths, yet not be regarded as malice. That special person who means the whole world to you. Have you figured out who that is?

Now, move that person far away. Not like a few states away, but across the oceans to the other side of the planet. Imagine not getting to talk to that person for weeks upon weeks. Never being able to hug that person when all is total chaos. Never a chance to sit and cry while holding each other close. How do you keep the connection? How can you continue to grow your relationship? How can you truly say "I love you?"

One more. Take a trip to the airport, get on the first plane leaving, and don't look back. Let your imagination run wild with emotions. Count down through every exhausting moment until touchdown. Hold back the urge to burst out in a sprint through this new and foreign place. Forget your hunger, your tiredness, your lack of all comfort. Pass through the gates into a totally new world. Now search. Look everywhere. But nothing! How could this be? Was it all in vain? Never give up. Pursue with all your heart and body. Finally, there on the bench, that one who gave up so much for you. The one who holds you so near to heart. Can this really be?

No matter how many miles, oceans, or galaxies may seem to come between, there is always One who is close by.


~ "Am I a God near at hand," says the Lord, "And not a God afar off?"     -Jeremiah 23:23 (NKJV)

I'll NOT be Home for Christmas

60 days,  8 hours, 57 minutes, 35 seconds

Until...

Unfortunately the Roddy trifecta...

Won't be together for the holidays.

Fortunately (for part of the yuletide break) I won't be walking down a...

To leave my...

Then go inside to a warm fire and make...

Or unwrap gifts with...

And, I certainly won't be left out to shiver in...

I can hardly wait!!

Higher Running Ground

Signing up for a race motivates one to train for the competition ahead. The time beforehand is not only spent in physical preparation, but in mental transformation as well. Olympic runners train for years or even a lifetime in order to obtain the gold medal. These games are not last minute decisions, even for those who seem physically fit.

The Corinthians were no strangers to the concept of racing. They would not so much as touch anything that would inhibit their physical power. During the race, no man was left out of harms way; anyone could fall prey to the snare of injury or death. Runners pushed themselves beyond limits to have a chance at the champion title. The one that succeeded received a laurel crown and a palm branch to signify victory over the opponents. The winner was placed in high esteem by all peoples in the town and surrounding lands. No amount of pain and suffering could weigh down the athletes vying for the honors awarded.

If Christ were to come today, could you say you have been training intensely for the marathon to Heaven? Have you kept out all distractions or possible stumbling blocks from your path? Will He be able to place the victors crown upon your head?

"I'm pressing on the upward way,

 New heights I'm gaining every day;

 Still praying as I onward bound,

'Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.'"

"I want to scale the utmost height

 And catch a gleam of glory bright; 

 But still I'll pray till rest I've found,

'Lord, lead me onto higher ground.'" 

God wants you to win so He can place the victors crown upon your head, but you have to train every day for the race ahead.


" For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come."     ~1 Timothy 4:8

Granola

6:18 A.M.     The alarm goes off... can it be that time already? Emily, time to get going. The longer we wait, the less time we have to run and the more humid Tennessee gets! We start running around our little neighborhood while the sun starts the journey across the sky. This is OUR time to talk.

While reading chapter 15 of Christ's Object Lessons, I studied the story of The Lost Sheep. Everyone knows that God is the Great Shepherd and He is searching for us, the lost sheep. But how many of us have taken on the role of being a shepherd for those lost sheep that we know? Christ calls us to this job, once we have accepted His sacrifice, and expects us to learn the rules of life's hide-and-seek for lost souls. Every time you walk away from a lost sheep without extending the guiding staff of love, that sheep will potentially be lost... forever. Christ died for all one-hundred sheep, even the one that ran away.

Emily and I know this is our duty, to become shepherds for lost sheep, but what do we do if all our friends are already Adventist. This certainly would not apply to us. How do you witness to those other shepherds? Then reality struck. Just because we say "Happy Sabbath", make our famous potluck specialty, and take an afternoon hike does not mean we can't be lost. Most often, the time   I spend with these friends on Sabbath is not spent discussing our joys of being a shepherd or even the blessings we received from God. More likely, our talk will pertain to topics of the world. Is our duty to usher the other herdsmen back onto the trail we traverse? Should we start singing "More, more about Jesus" as loud as we can? How do you stand up to those who have already taken after the Shepherd?

7:08 A.M.     Finally back home. The cool air of the dining room brings a delightful feeling upon our steamy skin. The canister of granola is placed in the middle of the table with blueberries and bananas as extra toppings. This is my morning routine, my time to converse with God and learn more about Him.

Have you had your granola today?

He knows

I have a ton of fears. Fear of snakes, losing my Nalgene, getting in a car crash, having something stuck in my teeth... Something that I fear most is uncertainty of the future. If I could plan out every detail and know that all was going to be executed exactly as the plan was laid out, I would be more satisfied. I hate not knowing what is going to happen to me or if I'll be able to make it through the tough times. I constantly doubt whether I have the stamina to push through all the trials of life.

One big problem with all this is that most of these statements contain "I" in one way or another. God is the only one who will be able to guide me through everything. He sees the full potential within everyone and longs to help us reach high above our wildest dreams.

I don't have to worry about what the future has in store for me. God has a plan and He intends to help me through if I will allow. So even though I have no idea where I will be or what I'll be doing in the years to come, I can sleep easy realizing that all will be alright. He knows.

"When I am afraid, I will trust in you." ~Psalm 56:3

Ode to Twax

"I've never met anyone quite like you"
The reason why a biology degree I'd pursue.

Practically everything you say is funny,
Although I no longer find corn meal yummy.

The salamanders were cuter than a bug's ear,
But we sure wish you'd stay another year.

You said "We didn't come here to eat"
But boy are we glad we got to meet.

You laid out on the sand to soak up the sun,
While the rest of us just slept on the beach like a bum.

We searched high and low for a five lined skink,
Too bad our semester has ended in a blink.

We expect to see you in the halls on your lawn chair,
This would show us that you really care.

Muchas gracias, thanks Dr. Twax,
You taught us to explore nature to the max.

LOVE

I love these ones lots!!!!!!!


And I miss you both terribly

20/20 vision

This weekend I feel like I have learned a couple of new concepts.

1. I don't always have to know God's future plans for me.
    In Numbers 13 &14, the story is told of the 12 spies who went to spy on Canaan. The only reason God told them to go in the first place was because they had thought it to be the right thing. God had already promised to give them this land, ergo the name "Promised Land". However, they took the duty upon themselves to check to make sure the plan would be in their favor. When they looked to see what they would be up against, they trembled in their sandals and ran back to camp. They knew their strength was not enough to overpower the giants in the way of the land that was to be theirs. The one secret weapon they had forgot about, God, was the only way they could be successful, yet only with their consent could the power harnessed. They started whining and complaining of what the future could potentially, not necessarily what it did hold. They had given up the fight before the enemy even knew there was the possibility of one. God ended up not allowing anyone over the age of 20 to enter into the land after the years of wandering. He decided that if those people were not willing to trust Him about the plan, He would find others to fill the position. I know that God has plans for me. Now, whether or not I know these plans seems to be irrelevant. What is of utmost importance is that I trust God to get me through the plan even if it seems monstrous and totally undoable. God has perfect timing; He is never too early or too late.

2. Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will."

    Mirror neurons are quite fascinating. Studies were done that monitored the brain activity of primates while they ripped a piece of paper. There was a certain path that the impulse would travel every time the paper was ripped. Next, the primate was able to watch a paper being ripped. The impulse followed the same path. Finally, the primate was blindfolded, but was able to hear the paper being ripped. This also stimulated the same neuron to fire. Changing this a little to apply to humans; we may not be doing the action, but seeing it stimulates our neurons to fire and give us the sensation. So, whether that is a good or bad action, our brain automatically responds to the stimulus. A big problem is that most people have the wrong pair of glasses on. We see the world through our "worldly sunglasses" when we should have on glasses that help us to focus. If we make God our focal point, our mirror neurons will be reflecting something worth reflecting. Perhaps, it would be best if we would all get our eyes checked so we can see the truth behind the facade. Maybe then, our focus would become a bit clearer on what matters most.

3. Apparently, God has it all under control; no need for me to worry about what He has under control.

It's all about Him

Looking for the Invisible...

So why, exactly, would I choose such a name?

Well, many reasons have led me to this decision:

1. God has blessed me with a plethora of friends this year at Southern
2. God has blessed me with a brother and sister who have committed the next year to being missionaries
3. God has blessed me with a desire to explore His nature, which happens to be beautiful
4. God has blessed me with a semester of classes that are enjoyable, yet challenging
5. God has blessed me with parents that are willing to lay down everything for me

This isn't a very complete list, but you can see that I owe much thanks to God. I breeze through most days without giving a second thought to the blessings bestowed upon me. I often take life too fast to stop and look at what God has put directly in front of me.

Two weeks ago, my Vertebrate Natural History class took a weekend trip to Cherokee National Forest. God decided to show me a thing or two about Himself.

On Sabbath we took a hike up to Bob's Bald, but ended up getting poured on. From the moment we reached the top, we knew that there was no possible way to get to the bottom before the showers would start. In spite of this wet spell, we had a splendid jaunt back down the trail. What I originally thought was going to be awful turned out to be magnificent. Before the rain had started, clouds were covering most of the sky and consequently the sun. After the downpour, warm rays of light begin to stream through the trees and reach toward the forest floor.

Along the path, many mud puddles had come to be. Most would be discouraged in trying to avoid all the holes of filth, and rather frustrated that all were there. However, few would take the time to stare into the face of the watery pit. Those who took a moment to look could see that there was beauty even in this pool. By looking down in, I could see what was up above.

I think that most times I have the outlook of a traveler that is surrounded by many puddles, and just wants to get to the end of the trail without having dirty boots. Obstacles are often put in my path: nasty situations that seem to be only trouble for me. However, I have to take the time to look and see that within each of those hardships, God has placed a glimpse of beauty for me to enjoy. So instead of seeing a mud puddle, look to find the hidden splendor.

God has given each of us a pair of lenses with which we can view the world. Sometimes we put filters on our eyes to change the outlook. Other times, we are unable to see the magnificence because we forgot which one to use. His hands are always reaching out toward us; we just have to be willing to focus on Him.

I know this life is short; tomorrow is not guaranteed. My life is a mere flash in the scope of time. The things I say and do could have no effect. I am simply a flower by the wayside that can be seen, but is usually passed by unnoticed. My purpose in life is to praise Him with the time I have been given. 

"For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands." Psalm 92:4 

Although He may be invisible, I can still see Him all around me.