Technology

A couple days ago was furniture moving day at the University.

I just wrote that and realized that I haven’t explained what my job is.

I work at Fresno Pacific University as the Summer Housing and Conference Coordinator. My job is basically to check in groups who stay on campus overnight and make sure they have what they need. I then check them out when they are done and clean up after them. I also make sure everything is in line for students who live on campus over the summer either for work or for summer school.

ANYwho, my job falls into the Residence Life Department, and this morning we received a shipment of new furniture for the living areas of the modules (residence halls). I was supposed to be up at 6 to receive a call from the guy driving the furniture truck. I set my alarm for 5:30, it went off, and I decided to go back to sleep and wait for the call to wake me up.

Welllll the call never came and I ended up sleeping past the initial off-loading of all the furniture. Needless to say when one of my coworkers called me asking where I was at 8:45, I was a bit put off with myself.

This made me realize how much I rely on alarm clocks to get me going in the morning. If it weren’t for the simple function on my phone, I would be so lost, and probably without a job. I just think it’s interesting how so many of us rely on a little gadget to tell us when to start our day.

Back before there was such a thing as a digital clock, even a wristwatch, people were able to get up exactly at the time that they needed. They relied on the rooster or the sun to wake them. Children were woken by their parents instead of a screeching beep. If you hit mom, you were in trouble. If you hit the alarm clock, it’ll just try to wake you up again in 5 minutes and not think anything of it.

It’s interesting how we have fallen back on our technology to the point that without it, we are out of luck. This flows into the world of computers, cars, elevators, phones, and many many other things. Since this post is already a bit long, I’ll let you answer this question for yourselves: have we relied on technology too much?

God v. Science??

The biggest question/issue I get from those who don't believe there is "God" is that it cannot be proven.

Welllllll DUH. The mere fact that we as humans aren't even able to look upon God without dying is one little reason. So not being able to see God and live through it might hinder the ability to tell others that He in-fact does exist (with concrete "I actually saw Him" evidence).

HOWEVER, to the person who doesn't even believe there is a God to look upon in the first place, I finally received some insight into a great explanation as to the differences in beliefs. "Finally" isn't really being truthful, it's more from my Earth Science Class that I took Spring Semester last school year. Sooo, what, 5 months ago?

I have had a couple people mention to me they don't believe in any form of "God" because science can't prove it. This is another "duh." Science is the study of concrete things that we can see, touch, smell, etc. An atom is VERY small, and the naked eye, it is invisible (meaning NOT able to be seen by the naked eye - this doesn't mean it isn't there). With a high-powered microscope, however, we do know that atoms are present in the chemical makeup of everything on this planet. So, now onto the reason for this note.

My professor (yes it was Ron) told the class this profound statement: Once you introduce God into science, you can no longer call it science (don't quote me on that, because I didn't write the exact quote down, but that is the jist of what he said). This doesn't even have to be about God. Once you introduce the notion of "ghosts" you can't even call it science. Since science is about the concrete, once you introduce something that cannot be physically seen, then you can no longer use the scientific process.

For example:

Animals are present on earth - science
Animals are complex organisms - science
Animals had an origin - science
God created the animals - no longer science

You see, the "science" of God has it's own category - theology. So we can change the last example to:

God created the animals - theology

So no, there is nothing concrete to prove God is out there. There also isn't anything that can prove that God does NOT exist. Science cannot prove (either way) anything about God.

As the age-old comparison goes, "we cannot see the wind, but we can see the effects of the wind." We cannot see God, but in each of our lives, in our own ways, we can see the effects of God's presence.

We as Christians believe in God by something we call faith. Faith, just like God, is also invisible. Other invisible things include emotions like love and fear. With faith, I know that there is a God. With faith, I know that He sent His Son to pay the price for my way into Heaven. By my invisible faith (deep down in my gut), I believe that I will die and, when said dying does happen, I will be taken to see God (finally) in heaven.

So as for the epic argument: "is there a God, or isn't there a God?" I must tell everyone: I can't change that opinion in your mind unless you want it to be changed. I believe that there is a God. You believe that there isn't. One of us is wrong. I believe it's you, and you believe it's me. We aren't going to get anywhere, because I have faith that God exists, and you have faith that He doesn't.

The real answer will lay within your soul, in your heart, at the core of who you are. What do you honestly believe? The question isn't "what do you WANT to believe." I want to believe that the World will one day be at rest, I want to believe that I will wake up in the morning and the World will be fed and given drink.

Nope, the question really is "what DO YOU believe?"

So, what do you believe?

Can't wait until winter

Today has been one of the hottest all summer long. I hate the fact that going outside instantly makes me feel like I'm about to melt.

I can't wait for winter to get here. I don't know if it's the heat, the fact that "Christmas in July" is on Disney Channel, or that I want a cup of hot chocolate, but I just can't wait for it to get here.

The A/C in my apartment is set to 60 degrees, I'm looking sadly at my warm jacket hanging all lonely in my closet, along with all the awesome long sleeves shirts I own.

I guess it isn't just the weather that I miss the most, it's the memories that come with "being cold."

Naming a few: Hot chocolate after a day of sledding with my brother or friends, walking on a crisp morning, hearing the crunch of snow as I head down the road to get the paper, the haze and smell of wood fires burning in fireplaces, the sound of melting snow dripping off the trees onto the ground, and most of all, knowing that when it gets cold, I'm closer and closer to being able to see my parents and brother, as the semester ends and Christmas break begins.

Winter isn't all about Christmas to me. For some people it is. I actually enjoy January and February more than November and December. The holidays are over, and I can finally enjoy the winter months in peace, without having to worry about planning anything.

I also love to bundle up. For some reason, being all toasty warm inside my jacket while it's freezing outside is fun. I'm a little odd, so that may be why.

So this year when you hear me say "it's cold," I'm not complaining, I'm actually very happy that my nose is a bit frozen. Again, a little odd, but everyone has their own kind of character.