I'll make him an offer he can't refuse

In celebration of winter quarter almost being over....

Pam's Summer 2010 To Do List:
- Learn how to longboard
- Take a beginner’s floral design class
- Be able to play a stinkin’ bar chord (particularly an F major)
- Read War and Peace (For real this time)
- Run 3 times a week (no matter how early I have to wake up!)

Lately in my devotions I’ve been going through the book of Acts; I just love how Peter and John have a holy disregard for authority (because let’s face it, those high priests and religious officials were WACK):

“We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” Acts 5:30-32 ESV
I also love passages like this because they refer to every part of the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I would like to see how a Jehovah’s Witness could argue with this verse.

This week in my film class I got to see Coppola’s The Godfather for the first time. Oh my goodness. The Godfather is crazy good. Mind you, I don’t think I’ve ever sat through such a violent movie (I’m pretty sheltered in terms of gory films haha), but it was a phenomenal film. Of course this is old news to pretty much the rest of the world, but for little ‘ole me, it was something new and exciting! Needless to say, I will definitely be watching The Godfather Part II in the near future.
“Leave the gun, take the cannoli.”

-Pam
Currently listening to: Tiger Mountain Peasant Song- Fleet Foxes

I've been feeling very pensive lately. I'm trying to figure out what God might want me to do in the future. Will I become a nurse, a dentist, a teacher, a doctor, a missionary...? I honestly have no idea. It's funny because when I first arrived at UCLA, my life plan was set in stone. I was going to be a bioengineer, get my MBA, be successful and secure...But God has totally rocked my world. He doesn't call for security; He wants me to give Him my all. I really love this quote from C.S. Lewis:

"We are all hoping that when all the demands of morality and society have been met, the poor natural self will still have some chance, some time, to get on with its own life and do what it likes…The Christian way is different—both harder and easier. Christ says, “Give me ALL. I don’t want just this much of your time and this much of your money and this much of your work—so that your natural self can have the rest. I want you. Not your things. I have come not to torture your natural self…I will give you a new self instead. Hand over the whole natural self—ALL the desires, not just the ones you think wicked but the ones you think innocent—the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead.”

Being a Christian doesn't mean giving up your desires...it means replacing your old desires with new ones...really sweet ones that promise eternal compensation! I am so encouraged and excited by this promise! Read Jeremiah 29: 11-13. SO GOOD!

-Suzanne