Lasalle Street Church

I loved church this morning.

"We are already in the midst of what we are searching for. We just aren't aware of it."

Think about it.

What should be my life verse :

"Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."

So where exactly are you getting this $700 billion??

I have no idea what the government is trying to do right now. They must not have ever taken an accounting class.

Most of us know that you cannot spend money that you do not have. If you do, it's on credit, but it's not really your money.

Most of us should also know that the US is in debt. The government currently owes $9.4 trillion (http://useconomy.about.com/od/fiscalpolicy/p/US_Debt.htm) to other countries.

The current financial problem was caused, in part, by bad mortgages. Banks saw that the real estate market was doing well in the late 80's and so they jumped on board and began giving loans to people without even checking their credit. The real estate hype died down, and we were left with people who couldn't afford their mortgages, and banks who couldn't afford for their customers to not make payments.

So, the real estate market in some areas crashed, banks who had given out bad loans began filing bankruptcy themselves, and now we have a downward slide. Sources say, however, that we are not currently in a recession because our GDP has not been at a decrease for two quarters.

Nevertheless, businesses, large businesses are in trouble. What is the government proposing?? A $700 billion bailout. My question is WHERE ARE THEY GETTING THE MONEY???

They are proposing to spend money that they do not have. They are spending the tax payers' money to make up for the businesses' stupidity.

None of this is credible. The money that they are proposing to spend isn't actual money. It can't be The United States budget is already overdrawn...it has to be with the amount that we are spending on the war.

The funny thing is, both presidential candidates are suggesting that we spend more money to solve the economic problems in the country. The problem is that no one has any money! It's all owed to someone else. The government owes other countries money. We owe businesses money. It's all on credit.

I think that we need an accountant as our next president. Maybe then the budget would actually be a budget and not a bunch of random numbers.

A little piece of Cornerstone
in the Beer Garden at Navy Pier.

Ironic? Yes.

I will not miss living next to a bar.

Apparently no one feels the desire to comment...but maybe this will inspire you

I'm highly considering joining the Peace Corp or something like it after graduation.

I feel like God is calling me to do something radical. To join the history of believers who have left everything to follow Him and to serve the poor and the oppressed.

I can no longer sit here in this country and just take it all in. I can no longer watch my country kill and torture people and not make a fuss. I can no longer let my mind and heart be tainted by this mixture of culture/God or politics/religion or love/hate.

I have to do something. Sitting here is not an option. Shopping at Wal-Mart and driving an SUV is not an option. SO much of what I do adds to the injustice of people everywhere. I have to purge those things from my life.

Did you know that 785 million adults world wide cannot read or write? Of those, 2/3 are women.

Did you know that women earn 10% of the world's income, yet work 2 out of 3 of all labor hours world wide?

Did you know that an estimated 2 million children are sex slaves and most are girls?

Did you know that by buying products made in China we cause children's hands to be callused and bloody?

Did you know that 1/3 of the US budget is spent on the military? We have the most nuclear weapons and the "best" army (meaning we could wipe the most people out). Cool.

I have to do something.

Unrest

We have so easily given into the idea that we don't have to sacrifice anything to be Christians. We say 'God will forgive me' while we live in sin.

We don't think twice about what sorts of things our jobs contribute to in society, but we continue to work at them because "at least I'm an ethical person".

We blindly follow our government. They say war, we go. Those who protest are considered liberal, crazy, and unpatriotic.

We haven't actually sacrificed to follow. We try to fit God into our culture instead of living according to God and God alone.

We pledge allegience to a flag, to a country, to a government; all of which are broken and have bloodshed on their hands.

Early Christians were enemies of the state because they went against society and the government. They quit their jobs as soldiers and were willing to die for Christ.

Christ can give you life after death, the government just taxes what assets remain when you're gone.

I started my internship on Monday and it's been a ride. I'm hopeful that my experiences there will just continue to get better.

Today we had a good-bye party/ceremony for the Senior Regional Manager or something like that. It was cool to see people who are high up in the World Vision chain and hear what they had to say.

The man who left, Mike Mantel, spoke about a few things, but one of the things that stuck out to me was why and how World Vision exists. He explained that World Vision doesn't take the money of the rich and just give it to the poor, rather they build relationships between the rich and the poor. Jesus said that the poor will always be among us...that also means that the rich will always be among us. If people feel like they are part of a team, they will give, they will participate.

Other than work, life is pretty stretching. It'll be good eventually...

My addy

Here is my address in case you want to send me mail!

1220 N. State Pkwy
Apt 209
Chicago, IL 60610

:)

Week one is over with. Whew! I've overcome so many obstacles and gained so much confidence already!

I'm learning what it means to trust; to trust in God, in myself and my abilities, and in other people.

I'm learning that I do have what it takes many times, and when I don't have the confidence to back it up, God provides.

I'm learning how to love wholely and with everything in me.

I'm learning how to navigate Chicago! I'm getting pretty sweet, I won't lie :).

We start our classes this week and I start my internship on Thursday! I can't wait, but I'm pretttyyy nervous too...