Wednesday, May 25, 2011

One down, one to go.

I do not even know where to begin thinking about how I officially just completed my first year at Biola. It FLEW by! The year has been fantastic, I feel as though I have grown up in many ways (other than taking out the trash without my mom having to ask me). This year has been a blessing, challenge, and definitely made an impact on my life. I have learned what it is like to share a room with someone, not just sharing a bathroom, but a small room, its tougher than the world claims, but thankfully I did not come out with horror stories like some might. I have also discovered the beauty of paying for your own food and groceries, ummm....can I be 15 again where I cannot provide for myself? I cannot believe how expensive food is! Another discovery is the blessing of California gas prices, thank you for guzzling up my pay checks..But most of all throughout this year I have grown in my relationships with friends here as well as for the main reason of going to Biola, my relationship with God.

This semester having my theology class was life changing. Theology seemed too deep for me to grasp before Thoennes' class, however I think the things that I took out of his class are amazing. The beginning of class he spoke about how my generation is living in an "intentionally inattentive" way, always facebooking on our smart phones or texting someone three seats down from you when someone else is trying to talk to you about serious life moments. I felt convicted from the first week of class. However, one of the biggest things that I took away from his class was the image of God, and how EVERYONE bears that image. It sounds so simple and churchy, but when I started to apply that thought to the annoying customer at work that was barking orders at me in an accent that I could not comprehend while giving me death glares of disgust and anger that I couldn't do my simple job and get them a vanilla latte, I realized how much I was not viewing people in this way. It is still a challenge for me to think that even though I might not particularly care for a certain individual, they still bear the image of God. When realizing everyone who I didn't see in that way, I realized how wrong my theological outlook was on life, and gave me a bigger sense of humility in realizing that simply because someone doesn't treat me the right way, or they do not seem to be normal to the rest of the world, i am no better than them in regards to being an image bearer of God. We also discussed how that image of God is objectified in women as well as in men. And how being sinful is seen as a pleasure. I could write an insanely long blog about this class, but I feel like words cannot describe everything that I learned.

I am truly thankful for my first year at Biola. God blessed me in so many ways and with so many new friends in my life. It is weird to be leaving and going home over the summer, but its also very exciting. My university is like a community that I truly enjoy being a part of. A perfect example would be how tonight I walking to my dorm from the parking structure (since there is NEVER parking at Stewart!) carrying boxes to pack up my dorm, and two boys that live below me stopped and asked me if I wanted a ride, they wouldn't take my hesitant "no thanks" as an answer, and were so nice and drove me back. ( this is quote worthy: one of them said "where did you just come from? box land??") Their random act of kindness won them some homemade cookies that they didn't know i had, so i think it was a win for both parties. I am so thankful that my parents were willing to allow me to go to such a pricey school, I know that the experiences that I am having here would not be the same as at another university.


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