Various Thoughts

Time is of the essence right now...it is important all throughout life, but right now is one of those busy seasons where God tests our patience, endurance, determination, and management skills...conveniently enough, this helps us develop the same values that it is testing in us. So, here comes the ironic statement: spend time doing the things that you don't have time to do. My dad always says "Don't let school get in the way of your education"...which I interpret to mean: don't get so caught up in perfection in all aspects of classwork and studying, because (even though it is critical that we learn what it is we were brought here to learn) our classes are not the main reason that we are in college. At least in my life, I have come to realize that relationships are the guiding forces of life, not knowledge...relationships with God, family, and friends are what really get you through and allow you to succeed in life...they are a blessing from God.

As much as we don't want to admit it, Liberty is it's own little world. Until we get off campus and away from LU's sphere of influence, we don't realize how different is really is from the great big world out there. I think of it like this (just go with it): when we come to Liberty, we are all on different levels...we are lightbulbs with different wattages (some 20, some 40, some 75...)...then we learn and grow over a period of time and realize that our lights are brighter than when we first started (the 20s may now be up to 40...)...throughout our careers at LU, our lights just keep on getting brighter (given that we submit ourselves to what we are hearing and soak up all of the wisdom and knowledge we are being taught)...Liberty becomes this gigantic room full of bright lights (I'm thinking the lamp section at Lowes times 10,000!)...then we go out into the world, where not everyone is shining as brightly as we are. We have two options at this point: continue to shine brightly and have an impact on the world around us, encouraging them to become brighter as well; or be influenced by the world and become progressively more dim (from 75 back down to 20).

"For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true." --Ephesians 5:8