"Here's harmony!" Said she, "here's repose! Here's what may leave all painting and music behind, and what poetry can only attempt to describe! Here's what many tranquilize every care, and lift the heart to rapture! When I look out to such a night as this, I feel as if there could be neither wickedness nor sorrow in the world; and there certainly would be less of both if the sublimity of nature were more attended to, and people were carried more out of themselves by contemplating such a scene." - Mansfield Park (Jane Austen)
This picture always reminds me of this quote, perhaps because I believe Austen is right; almost. In her simple wonder at the glory of creation and man's inability to express or recreate it there can be no disagreement. And who hasn't felt that if the world would just slow down and enjoy the beauty of the world that wickedness and sorrow would be eased? But this quote rings hollow to me because in the beauty and splendor of the creation, we lose sight of the creator. In Him is harmony! In Him there is no wickedness or sorrow! There is no hope or peace in being carried out of yourself to some mystical place in contemplation. But getting away from yourself is vital; you must realize that the "sublimity of nature" before you was created so God would get glory. Be amazed by the fact that the new earth will be even more amazing than this earth! Be still,contemplate nature, and know that He is God.

Nearly a month later...

Today I have noticed a curious phenomenon: While my stubbornness makes it very hard for others to force me to do anything, I can very easily be guilted into doing the very same thing. The only difference is:
(1) Who's asking
(2) How they ask

It's fascinating to me that people will compliment others about something because they feel it's necessary, and not because the thing complimented is actually valuable or desirable.

ABC interview

A
- Annoyance: dizty girls. (and hypocrites...)
- Animal: Cat. Especially mine.
B
- Beer: Not a fan...wine is better.
- Birthday: December 5
- Best feeling in the world: Undeserved saving grace.
- Blind or Deaf? Preferably deaf.
- Best weather: about 90 F...otherwise my hands are still cold. =)
- Been in Love: Not the sappy, adolescent, "break your heart" kind. But have loved, yes.
- Believe in Santa: Saint Nicolas= great guy who lived and died centuries ago. Santa Claus= urban legend.
C
- Candy: Belgian truffles.
- Chocolate/Vanilla: Chocolate.
- Chinese/Mexican: Yes. = )
- Cake or pie: Usually cake, but it depends.
- Continent to visit: Europe.
- Cheese: (Hmm. Tough.) Going to go with feta.
D
-Day or Night: Night.
- Dance in the rain:Yes! And sing...
E
- Eye color: Hazel
- Everyone's got a(n): desire to worship something greater than themselves?
- Ever failed a class?: Nope. Dropped European history, but didn't fail.
F
- Full name: Kelsey Lynn Sturm
- First thoughts waking up: MMMM...I'm warm...it's cold out there...I'll just stay here for a minute....
G
- Greatest Fear: Failure.
- Goals: Glorify God.
- Gum: Yes. But no open-mouthed chewing. (repulsive habit!)
- Get along with your parents?: Yes.
H
- Hair Color: Indifferent blonde.
- Height: 5'4" (on a good day)
- Holiday:Christmas
- Ice Cream: Mint Chocolate chip.
- Instrument: Triangle. (oh yeah, and piano)
J
- Job: Local foreign bum.
-Jam or jelly?: Um...yes?
K
- Kids: The population dwindles without them?
- Kickboxing or karate: Karate.
- Keep a journal?: Of sorts. But you'll never find it! =)
L
- Longest Car Ride: Minnesota to Washington D.C...3 days.
- Letter: Q. It's so fun to write in cursive...
- Laughed so hard you cried: Often.
M
- Milk flavor:Whole. Best with cookies...
- Motion sickness?: Sometimes on planes.
- McD’s or BK: McD's.
N
- Number of Siblings: 4
- Number of Piercings: One on each ear. (though a nose piercing is still being debated)
- Number: 111.
O
- One wish: Aww, that's easy. World peace! (and harsher punishments for parole violators)
P
- Perfect Pizza: Lots of cheese, mushrooms, spinach,tomatoes,and black olives.
- Pepsi/Coke: Neither. They burn my throat...(yes, I'm a pop wuss)
Q
- Quail: What about it? (who wrote this, anyway?)
R
- Reason to cry: For me, just about anything. = )
- Reality T.V.: Love/Hate relationship.
- Radio Station: 99.5 KSJN Minneapolis/St. Paul. Now streaming online at minnesotapublicradio.com...
- Roll your tongue in a circle?: I'm not even sure how that works. We're going to say yes.
S
- Shoe size: 7 1/2.
- Salad Dressing: Ranch
- Sushi: Amazing.
- Skipped school: Undoubtedly.
- Slept outside: Not as often as I'd like to.
- Smoked?: Never.
- Shower daily?: No. Every other day.
- Sing well?: Tolerably.
- In the shower?: With gusto.
- Swear?: Only when provoked beyond my usual choices of words.
- Strawberries/Blueberries: Yes.
T
- Time for bed: Changes regularly. 7 PM is my earliest.
- Thunderstorms: Best in summer. Love them!
U
- Unpredictable: Sometimes.
V
- Vacation spot: Almost anywhere with a body of water.
W
- Weakness: Fear/Laziness
- Wanted to be a model?: When I was younger.
- Worst Weather?: Winter days with no snow.
X
- X-Rays: Lots.
- Ex's: Ask me sometime.
Y
- Year it is now: 2008.
- Yellow: Is despicable on or around me and fine for or on other people.
Z
-Zoo animal: Tigers

LAST PERSON WHO…
1. Slept in a bed beside you? I actually can't remember.
2. You went to the mall with? My family.
3. You went to dinner with? My family...
4. You talked to on the phone? Megan Probert.
5. Made you laugh? Joel Miller
6. Hugged you? Ha! Shawn Derow.
7. Said they loved you? Ellie Lockman
8. Held your hand? Oh, wow. I can't remember...I think it was my orphan buddy Peter in China!
9. Spoke with in real life? My brother Phillip.
10. You cried over? A friend who's having issues.

Snowflakes in the Desert

As we've been making coffee filter snowflakes to decorate for Christmas, I look outside at the frozen grass. Every year, it's my goal to have snow for my birthday, and it's probably not coming this year. You see to me, winter without snow is like fall without the glorious leaves changing color. It's like a spring without the beauty of new life. And because I'm impatient for the joy that I know snow will bring, I've been vainly attempting to "make" my own. Sort of like not waiting for God's timing or finding satisfaction in Him, but instead hewing out broken cisterns in the desert.
"Here's my heart, Lord;
take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above."

Does it matter what others think?

"Life is too short to spend time and energy worrying about what others think of us. Or should we care about what others think precisely because that really matters in this short life? Should we be radically free from what others think, so that we don't fall into the indictment of being a 'second-hander' or 'man-pleaser', a slave to expediency? Or should we keep an eye out for what others think of what we do, so that we don't fall into the indictment of being boorish and insensitive and offensive? The answer is not simple."
-Life is a Vapor, John Piper
How then shall we live? Or, how is the tension between these two ideas resolved? I believe in Philippians 1:20, " Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death." We do care, very much, what others think of Christ; their salvation depends on it. We are called to display Christ and His truth and beauty in our lives, so we must care what others think of us as a representative of Christ. But for our own sake, why ought we to care much what others think? Our concern ought to be for Christ's reputation and glory and not ours. We are not called to display our value, or excellence or virtue or power or wisdom. Does Christ get a good reputation because of how we live? Is the excellence of Christ displayed in our lives? That should matter to us. We must insist on being less than Christ. Only in Him can we find the love and satisfaction we crave.

Post-Election day reflections

Most of the people around me are upset with the results of last night's election, it's been interesting to observe their responses. Some are just angry: angry with the voters, angry at Obama for winning, angry that there was no recount, etc. Others are disappointed but excited about the overall historical significance of the first black president of the U.S. People sigh and question what harm can be done these next 4 years. America, we have just elected the senator with the most liberal voting record in the country to lead us for a term. Oh God, protect our nation, and keep us from falling into even greater sins!
As for me, I am glad that God is sovereign over all. I don't believe Obama is the Antichrist, but he is an antichrist just like all unbelievers are, like I once was. Obama was not the lesser of two evils in this election, but his heart still is as a stream of water in God's hand, and He will do as He pleases. Our hope is not in who wins; God wins. We hope in God because He is in control. This world is not our home, and I feel that even more in my first election out of the U.S.
People talk of running away to Canada. And it's true that right now, there is a conservative majority up here. But we shouldn't leave because things may have become more difficult for our position. That's cowardly and shows we really aren't concerned about standing up for the truth over our own comfort. Abortion is still wrong, even if Obama won't agree. Homosexual "marriage" is still wrong, even if Obama legalizes it. Just because Bush is leaving doesn't mean we should throw up our hands and merely survive these next 4 years hoping nothing bad will happen while we're choosing who we will try to put in office next. Not to mention the economy...But discussing politics is distasteful to me. (Already this is too long. All it needs is the 2nd paragraph.)