Messiah

Tonight was the first night of Handel's Messiah...it went a lot better than I was expecting and I was able to see my old orchestra teacher from 4th grade!!!!!

Created

"The same person who created the minuscule amoebas and the majestic mountains, the delicate purple orchid and the deep blue ocean, the sun that shines by day and the stars that glow by night. The very same all-wise, all-knowing, all-powerful God, used His special touch to create you." ~Andrea Stephens



This is an amazing, beautiful, eye-opening quote. But, I couldn't just read it....my college experience has taught me to 'unpack' it....so I did.

Biology: The minuscule amoebas....right now we are studying cells. Something so small, yet so complex. A lipid membrane to regulate the entrance and exciting of ions. Enzymes that rely on each other to carry out life processes. They all work together as a team...a cell....an amoeba...the cells in a delicate purple orchid, holding it together, sustaining it, carrying out the process of photosynthesis to created oxygen for us! For you and for me!!!

Chemistry: they hydrogen bonding of the water molecules in the deep blue ocean. (or even in a small lake, allowing the ice to form on top of the lake for the fish underneath to have water, not ice)

Philosophy: Currently, we are discussing the problem of evil, basing it on the characteristics of God, he is.....all-wise, all-knowing, and all-powerful.



The next time you read something, stop and unpack it. You have a brain for a reason. What you learn in your education should be taken out into the world. Use it! Think, use that amazing brain (full of neurons that are firing as I type, sending messages around my body without me consciously thinking)


Fun fact: Soap is made of lipids. The hydrophobic (afraid of water) side is what bonds to all the dirt and grim on your body. The other part of the lipid is hydrophilic (water loving) causing the lipid along with the connected dirt to follow the path of the water, off your body, and down the drain!!!

Star Tipping

Last night I went to a hunted corn maize….talk about exciting. It was our floor date with 2nd VD. We had to go into the maize 5 at a time, although we all ended up together. Some of the people would follow us around and jump out from behind stuff (the typical haunted corn maize). Although at the end of the night, everyone agreed it wasn’t that exciting. It still was a ton of fun, and I was able to get to know a lot more people! After we went to stake n’ shake for a midnight snack! Again, just hanging out and meeting people was a lot of fun! Then, when we got back to the dorm, we went star tipping…..funnest thing ever! You spin around 20 times looking at the stars (really the sky because when you spin around you can’t tell the difference), then you have a friend standing on the opposite side of the commons lawn, holding a flashlight. Your goal is to run to the flashlight…sounds simple right? WRONG! Your whole body leans one way and you eventually fall over! Funnest thing to do, funnest thing to watch! So, try it out sometime!

College

It has been about a month since I have been here at Calvin....and I have learned so much!!!!

The main thing I have learned is that just Christianity is not enough. You need to know what you believe and be able to explain. So often I have lived my life with lukewarm Christianity...I have never been challenged in my beliefs. Tonight, in a seminar we talked about "Holy Worldliness"...two words we do not usually associate together. As Christians we have the reputation of hating the world...why not break the reputation? Why are we content to be luke-warm? Kristin Vander Giessen-Reitsma wrote, "Our call is to 'test the spirits' (1 John 4:1) not to hide from them. In order to do that, we need to grow up-that is, recognize our personal limitations, but also learn how to be able to witness sinfulness without changing our minds about what's good and pleasing to God."

I am no longer content with my walk with God...I long for a deeper, more real relationship....one where I find my place in the world.....the WORLD....not just a 'Christian bubble'. The World is Awesome........





So, the world is awesome...God created it...I can't wait for a new day!!!!

Battle of the Bye

Tomorrow is Chaos Day!!! All the dorms compete in games against each other. So, this afternoon was Battle of the Bye! To compete each dorm had to carry a person on a mattress....six people carrying the mattress and one person on top. The guys carry it down, and switch with the girls who carry it back.

I was able to be one of the girls carrying the mattress. It was so crazy. We were running and we were in 3rd place....1st place dropped their mattress, so we ran hard...and WON!!!!! So, now we have a Bye to the next round! Go RVD!!!!


The boys getting ready to run!


Us girls in a huddle, discussing our plan to win!


The mattress


Our mascot....BIG RED!


RUN!!!!!!!!

Update

Here is a copy of an email that I sent out, updating everyone on my life:

Hello Everyone,


First of all, thanks for keeping me in your prayers. I really appreciate it.



Second, I wanted to give you an update. It is somewhat long so you can just skip parts or skim!!!



My orientation went great. Here at Calvin the whole orientation program is called Quest. Wednesday

night, my parents were kicked out at 6:30, and that is where all the fun began! We stated out with an

opening session….basically a bunch of loud music, crazy leaders, and some funny videos. That night I

had a meeting with my floor of the dorm (a floor meeting).



Thursday, my group participated in Streetfest, Calvin’s way of introducing students to Service-learning

(or volunteering). Grand Rapids is divided into several areas called neighborhoods which work together

for the community. So, we went and pulled weeds in a playground and picked up trash. That night, our

group took an outing to Reeds Lake where we had ice cream, made tie dye shirts, and played games.



Friday, my group listened to lectures to learn more about Reformed Liberal Arts. We also participated

in The Great Ball Challenge, a scavenger hunt around campus in which we needed to find an object

and take a picture with it, everyone in our group, and a giant beach ball. It was a lot of fun; although,

I regret to inform you that we did not win. I also had to take a test to see if I could test out of the

computer class….it is a pass fail grade in which “will be returned to you within a few business days”

….so I’m still waiting.



Saturday, the theme was Agents of Renewal. My group watched some drama presentations to make

us think about tough questions. After, we had an amazing group discussion. In the afternoon, in order

to familiarize us with the FEN doctrine (Calvin’s Anti-racism doctrine) we looked at a variety of art.

That night we had our final group meetings and a closing session. Then we all gathered around the

Seminary Pond for reflections. We lit candles and placed them along with a sticky note of our fears

in a plastic cup and put them on the Pond. It was so beautiful!! Finally, we were able to “Dance the

Night Away”…and I actually danced (which you might get a bit worried about)…I learned how to

ballroom dance and swing dance (but don’t worry, it was with a girl)!



So, that brings me to today, Sunday. It has been such a crazy past few days. I’m looking forward to

some rest (and hopefully finishing cleaning my room) today as well as getting into a normal routine.



I want to end with my quote of the day, which I found very fitting. “God is at work in the world, and

He wants you to join Him. This assignment is called your mission. God wants you to have both a

ministry in the Body of Christ and a mission in the world.” (Rick Warren)



Thanks again for your prayers and support,

Kendra

College

Wow....this summer has gone by so quickly...I have so much to say and so little time. In 6 days, I am going to be starting school again. This time with no mother to do my laundry and no siblings to pick on and no father to buy me coffee. I have so many mixed feelings about college. Right now my biggest problem is packing...i know it needs to be done, but it is so difficult. So.....this is my very short update for now, I'm off to do more packing!