Dry Bones

I know I've said that I was going to write more, but I assure you, I am not abandoning this site, nor am I planning to visit it occasionally. I just didn't factor in the colossal workload the spring semester usually brings. I suppose it's a way to remind that if we want to enjoy the warm weather outside, you need to finish your work first. If my mother wouldn't tell me that I need to buckle down, it would be my quest to keep my GPA high.

Ezekiel 37:1-10 has been ministering to my soul recently and the Scripture fails to leave my conscious. Rather than saying I stumbled across it as if it was a fortunate case of coincidence, it was more I wasn't expecting to come across it. The wonderful of reading the Bible is that no matter how many times you've read the same Scripture or verse, there is a new revelation that falls. A fresh understanding reveals a new way of looking at the Scripture that makes me exclaim, "Huh! I didn't think of it like that before." 

The NIV translation reads as such: 

The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

As always, I like to have a different translation accompany every Scripture I read since it offers more insight and the choice in words a different translation may have can a different effect (such as, in regards to choosing a words for affection, liking someone or ardently admiring). The Complete Jewish Bible, translated from the original Hebrew and Greek, reads as such:

With the hand of Adonai upon me, Adonai carried me out by his Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones. He had me pass by all around them — there were so many bones lying in the valley, and they were so dry! He asked me, “Human being, can these bones live?” I answered, “Adonai Elohim! Only you know that!” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones! Say to them, ‘Dry bones! Hear what Adonai has to say! To these bones Adonai Elohim says, “I will make breath enter you, and you will live. I will attach ligaments to you, make flesh grow on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you. You will live, and you will know that I am Adonai.” So I prophesied as ordered; and while I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound; it was the bones coming together, each bone in its proper place. As I watched, ligaments grew on them, flesh appeared and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. Next he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath! Prophesy, human being! Say to the breath that Adonai Elohim says, ‘Come from the four winds, breath; and breathe on these slain, so that they can live.’”

So I prophesied as ordered, and the breath came into them, and they were alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army!

Both talk of the same thing, but the different translations paints a different picture. I read it and I was blown away at what I realized. God was telling Ezekiel that should you speak to those dry bones to come to life, to breathe life into them, according to my word, they shall. He was telling Ezekiel exactly what to say and all Ezekiel had to was to repeat them and speak them in faith. The following verse says that the bones were coming together. Bones were coming together. Ezekiel spoke the words of the Lord and it came to pass exactly what He prophesied. I sitting on my sofa, with my mouth open and utterly speechless because it wasn't exactly the profundity of the event or how magnanimous the position of Ezekiel was. Rather, I was blown away at the simplicity of it. God was telling Ezekiel that should you speak what I speak, you will see great things follow. It wasn't a mythical process; it was simply speaking forth the words of the Sovereign God. However, what I also gather is that Ezekiel didn't repeat them anxiously, unsure, or muttering it, questioning what would happen. He spoke them in faith, knowing that with every utterance, the Holy Spirit went before him, and wonders followed. I was immediately taken aback that as Christians, we possess the same power. Prophesy with unshakable faith that moves the mountains and shakes the depth of hell and dry bones will come to life. 

And they did. The following clause is what's very important to note. He didn't just say them, full of faith to realize that nothing happened, it was done for nothing, and absolutely nothing followed. He spoke, and it came to pass. Bones were coming together, flesh was covering them, and the dead came to life. 

That is a foreshadow of the power we possess through the blood of Christ and the Holy Spirit. When we speak to dry bones, they come to life. Yet, in the midst of this wild revelation, I also acknowledged another thing: it wasn't in my power that was doing all of this. While I am speaking what the Lord puts on my lips, it is His Spirit that goes forth and accomplishes what is being spoken. With that, I never have to doubt whether what I speak will come to pass. Since the words that I speak are words directly from the Lord, His Spirit goes before me and fulfills what is being spoken. It is His power, not mine. But His power is in me because His Spirit dwells in me. Wow. I don't possess any power, but through His Spirit, through Jesus Christ, I am able to accomplish all things, including commanding dry bones to come life. Because they will. 

 

I hope this will minister to you as it did to me.

Le Nouveau Année

Happy New Year!

The cliche, "times flies by" doesn't seem quite as cheesy when I reminisce on the memories I've made in 2012, the people I've encountered, and the things I've experienced. 2012 was truly a jam-packed year, as it provided fertile soil for many amazing, life-changing experiences occur. Several poignant occasions include Catch the Fire, spending the summer in Europe, going to Florida for Spring Break and subsequently going to Disney World for the first time, going to DC for Kony 2012: MOVE, and getting a car.

I will freely admit that this blog has taken a back seat and on some occasions, performed as the spitting place where masses of pictures agglomerate together and somehow serve a purpose. However, with a new year brings newness, change, and opportunities to bring change, I propose several things, all of which will not just be eloquent propositions, but rather goals to pursue and accomplish. 

I am not a frivolous writer. I rarely will compose a paragraph based on superfluous subjects or that are filled with arbitrary objections. I like my writing to full of purpose, intellectual vocabulary, and a sense of freshness--a new perspective that hovers over the topic of conversation. At the same time, I don't want my New Years resolutions to reflect superficial goals, such as trimming my middle (which, I admit, is one of my goals), but I desire to have something more of substance. So, at the risk of announcing my years goals:

1. I am going to read and to write more. While this is more of a discipline issue than of time management, it is simply taking 15 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour out of my day to simply read, relax my mind, fill my brain with fresh words, give vitality to my syntax. I want to look at my bookshelf and now that I am making progress in completing the list of novels on the bookshelf above my desk as which I glance a great majority of my time. 

2. I am going to cultivate a deeper relationship with God. Not only a deeper relationship and fall deeper in love with Abba, but also develop a stronger relationship with the Holy Spirit. 

3. I am going to make dietary changes. Not as many sweets and cookies (which in my defense, I do not breathe chocolate chip cookies as I do oxygen), and more fruits and vegetables. Make more meals with variety. Change things up a bit so that I will not have to resort to eating out. 

4. Be myself. Cliche, I know, but people can go into being what people expect from you, so you stop doing what's right for you. I'm going to do my own thing that is not going to be determined by what people want, what people conjure ideas about in regards to a particular thing, and privately aspire for me to act/speak/behave. I am simply going to be me. And in being myself, there is a freedom that comes from that. 

We Are Totally Getting Back Together

So, as most of you know, I avidly gauge Taylor Swift because she not only has an amazing wardrobe, but she always manages to keep it fresh. She's been the hot thing for half a decade and she shows no signs of slowing down. Coming from someone who is very particular about my color palette, silhouettes, and patterns, I very much know what works and what doesn't. Clearly, so does Taylor, as she stays within a specific color wheel and manages to stay put to what she truly likes. A couple of years ago, she gained a moniker of a country princess who epitomized glitter, wavy hair, and cowboy boots. Now, she is easily equated with red lipstick, structured bags, and girly frocks.

Can I please have her closet? She manages to fuse together elements of classic vintage, with girly professionalism, polished girly, and European chic. That is very much describing my style to a tee. All of her dresses fit her so modestly that it's almost sexy, and she outfits are so cute. Usually, when I get excited about something, vocabulary fails and I resort to repeating the same mundane words, In this case, words like amazing, so cute, and I want it immediately flood to my mind because that is all that I am filtering right now. What I would do if I had her budget. Finding replicates of her style is quite difficult, as that requires a formidable budget that is not quite kind to a college student, but I always go shopping with a picture mind and it's somehow always Taylor. You go, Taylor. 

'30s Glamour

During my break, I did spend a great amount of my time watching period dramas. I am now forever in love with Mr. Thorton, wished Edmund would have just planted a kiss on Fanny, and truly admired the 2007 adaptation of Northanger Abbey, despite its criticisms. This has subsequently brought a frightening thoughts: films are much more concerned with lust and producing a very flimsy, vapid storyline with predictable outcomes and typical situations in which many can infer that everyone does it. Thus, I have come to grow a tad critical towards modern filmography, simply because I find that more and more, the plot surrounded with immediate sexual tension and immediate satisfaction of those desires. I happen to believe in romance (but not the cute knight-in-shining armour, my Prince Charming aspiration of romance). I believe that there is such an allure in mystery, in what a woman does not entirely convey in her words, the anticipation of a simply sweet yet irrevocably passionate first kiss, in listening attentively to that other's persons dreams, wishes, and aspirations, and making a big deal out of simple, mundane things. I believe that is what romance is: taking pleasure in the small details. That can also account my recent fascination with reading classic literature (while succumbing to more contemporary novels, such as World War II consumed Europe romance and drama).

But there are some films that manage to capture my attention. Madonna's W.E. is no exception. I had heard about it last year during the Oscar season, when all the hubbub regarding costumes, cinematography, and the little details matter in the film world. So naturally, I was intrigued. It was not so much at the fact that a biopic of Wallis Simpson's much publicized affair with the Duke of Windsor, but it was rather how the other female protagonist was important in the film. The film itself proposed some interesting aspects to Wallis Simpson's life (such as the tragic opening scene, where she is physically beaten by her first husband while lying in a pool of her own blood, muttering and whimpering over something about a baby) to how appearances can be so deviously deceptive (shown in Wallis Winthrop's marriage--the other female protagonist). Two story lines seemingly paralleling each other, this film should not simply be rebuffed on account of two-dimensional characters or lacking emotion in emotional scenes. Personally, I find that film critiques find the smaller fragment of rubbish in a film, extrapolate it, and maximize it, akin to looking under a microscope. I find this movie to be rather good. But, as always, I paid attention to the aesthetics. 

Wallis Simpson was a woman who clearly knew exactly what was her style and what worked for her, and stuck with it. She maintained the '20s-esque finger waves hairstyle, classic makeup (winged eyeliner and fiery red lipstick), and clean, polished silhouettes. She wore simple yet ravishing jewellery,  and she was always so chic. Back are the days when women dress up (and cover up!) and it is refreshingly sexy. Even Abbie Cornish's character managed to present herself seductively albeit it was without the use of removing her clothes first. The costume team truly have done a magnificent job. It inspires me to wear red lipstick more; it makes me want to look for that beautiful gown that drapes on my body yet still managing to hug my curves in an unadulterated fashion; and it prompts me to see that dressing in a manner similar to the Duchess of Windsor presented as an allure many men could not hide. While finding screen shots is difficult (unless one consults Pinterest or tumblr), Wallis Simpson's entire wardrobe is riveting. I strongly suggest watching this film if old Hollywood glamour is your vice.

Midterms Madness

During one of the most stressful weeks in college, sometimes, purposely putting homework aside to take a quick trip to the local bookstore, order a coffee, and sip while browsing literature on a rainy Sunday afternoon. The leisure is so comforting that it physically and cognitively relaxing, boosting the ability to actually focus for papers, midterm exams, and other academic requirements. In addition to going out, it helps put you at ease since there is an entire school cramming to study, stressing about finishing on time, and not getting enough sleep for the aforementioned reasons.

In the meantime, when the mini-chill session has, regrettably, ended and it's time to go back to studying, there is nothing that ameliorates its effects as music. There is something about having music playing in the background that doesn't make my paper quite as disgruntling. But in times of dire study sessions, there is no one I turn to other than Dario Marianelli.

These artists have been on repeat on my Spotify:

• Kimbra
• Ellie Goulding
• Coldplay (the older albums)
• Benoit and Sergio
• Hauschka 
• The Civil Wars

Parlez-vous français?

I recently purchased two French grammar books from Amazon. To anyone, one might ask, "So, what's he big deal?" Well, after studying French for 10 years and not having any access to it and essentially corroding all knowledge, it sticks with you. I yearn to grow more proficient in French, and being a full-time student can be difficult. So, finally deciding that I might as well do it, I've decided that dedicating 10 minutes (or less, as it's usually less) to do an exercise on passe-compose or irregular verbs is something I can afford. After all, college students go on Facebook so intermittently that it will be an excellent way to spend my free time, n'est pas? It also never hurts to extend one's knowledge on a foreign language. It's akin to roller blading after stopping for a while. You're shaky at first but after a while, you get the hang of it and you glide. It's encouraging knowing that every day, little by little, regardless of how much I do, is a progress. And hopefully when I visit Paris, I'll be able to utilize my French and it will be correct. 

October, My Friend

As I grapple with the idea that it is October, I find it strange that September has gone by and it has not dropped below 20 Celsius. Perhaps it is because I always associate September with the leaves changing colors, the temperature fluctuating, and warm tea to warm my bones. While I ponder all that has happened during the ninth month of 2012, there are several things I wish to share with you.

1. The first of them, and arguably the most formidable of them, is the art of allure. And this may be linked with style. Many of the gentlemen I had encounters with describe that while they like a girl to be confident, attractive, and secure in who she is, there is undoubtedly a mystique in a laconic stranger you see every day when you walk to your class. You can recall her distinct style, the way she parts her hair, and the particular way she does makeup. With that registering in my mind and hearing my fellow lads explaining that while they like a chase, there is such an element to mystery. Almost an enchantment. They say that there is something about her, the way she stands, the way she looks, and the way her gaze is so direct that it prompts men to approach her, to find something about her since she holds herself in such a way that it gives the incentive that she knows something they don't and they want to find out what it is. Immediately, I remember how Emma Watson prides herself on mystery and that she doesn't reveal everything about herself, since that's makes the boys wonder, and since they wonder, there is a conquest to discover her. So it seems that men do notice that taciturn vixen in the corner of their eye. Fascinating, I thought, since I figured that most guys project themselves to girls who are extremely sociable, loquacious, and, well, aptly put, popular. And while they agree there is something attractive about those girls, the general consensus is that it's easy to figure those types of girls since they reveal things easily and share quickly due to the burgeoning friendship. A quiet girl who flirts with her eyes and is inviting is much more sensuous and captivating. I admit, I perceive girls that are constantly surrounded by guys to naturally be seen as the girl that every guy wants to date, but I've been assured that that's not necessarily the case. In fact, I've been told, seriously with his voice low, that it's the girl that has this unspoken radiance and expels a spirit that captivates you the moment you lay eyes on her. After all, he asked me, what's more sexy than an attractive girl that sits quietly to herself and dresses as if she's strolling the streets of London or Basel? Quiet certainly, I thought to myself, that I would rather be a girl that guys wonder and spend time thinking about me in the sense that it takes more than a couple of sentences to get to know me. I mean this as selflessly as possible, of course, since every girl desires to be chased. And I aspire to be the girl that guys immediately sense that there is something different about me without ever opening my mouth.

2. Juxtaposing the previous point, I began to think about fashion styles that such girls would wear. And quite interestingly enough, the style seemed to display the rustic English countryside, with wool sweaters, boots, and knitted jumpers, yet the French cool, the "perfectly imperfect" with cat-eye eyeliner, messy updos and ponytails, and an air of availability.

3. I recently joined the Spotify universe, about a month ago. I would have joined earlier if Canada had it. (Come on, Canada, join the bandwagon.) And may I just say that my ears have been rejoicing with wonderful music. Especially with recent releases of singles and forthcoming albums (Taylor Swift, Muse, and Bethel to name a few that I'm monitoring), allow me to share the playlist that I've had on repeat for the past two weeks now.

I. Mumford and Sons--Babel (entire album)
II. Kimbra--Vows (entire album)
III. Paloma Faith--Do You Want The Truth or Something Beautiful? (entire album)
IV. Metronomy--The English Riviera (entire album)
V. Pablo Alboran--Volver A Empezar
VI. Mr. Little Jeans
VII. Ray LaMontagne
VIII. One Direction--Live While We're Young
French Cafe station on Pandora
Whether I'm baking a cake, trying a new recipe out of my cookbook, or simply writing a paper, the artists and albums and songs have accompanied me faithfully.

My Humble Abode

A while back (and I do mean a while back), I wrote on ideas that I wish to implement in my dorm room this year. While it still in the progress, I think it's good to take a step back and appreciate the progress that's being made.

I am all about personalizing my space and making myself feel like home, even if it's temporary. Thankfully, my roommate and I are on the same page in terms of decoration and theme, which works greatly in my favor. I like to infuse originality while incorporating apartment-style decor. Then, I stumbled across this on tumblr:

And the very words that left my lips was genius! How easy to use old glass containers and turn it into a very classy and inexpensive way of organizing makeup brushes. There are still ideas that are floating around and things that I need to buy to make the room feel even home-y; but, there's time to do it.

With the wonderful inception called Pinterest, there are loads of ideas that would not have otherwise crossed my path. For example, I am not a visually artistic person (writing is more my forte), but with all the DIY pins I see, it prompts me to get a canvas from the local art store and just paint. Paint what exactly, I'm not sure, but of two things I'll be certain: 1) it will cathartic, and 2) I will learn more about myself. Trail and error baby. After all, I learned how to bake through trail and error. (No, it did not end in burnt food; it's more that it's not exactly how I pictured it, but it still tasted good.) I just may do this soon.

On the Eve of Fall

Hello everyone! I assure you that I have not forgotten about you all. Due to juggling exams, papers, discussion posts, and extracurricular commitments, checking on my blog has unfortunately taken a back burner. However, since I have acquired a grip on my suddenly very busy and hectic schedule, I can resume to my regular writing outlet. While it may be rather sporadic at times, with periods of me writing frequently to gaps of intermittent posts, I still find catharsis on here.

With September quickly coming to a close (it's the latter half of September; I'm still wrapping my mind around the fact that August is gone!), I am eagerly awaiting the return of layers, scarfs, boots, the smell of cinnamon, and warm tea and coffee to warm my hands. Fall in Virginia is a different type of fall than fall in Toronto, so you can only imagine my zealousness towards this season change. Also, as a side note, I am rather done with shorts and humidity. I am ready for chilly weather, cold days, and a slight frigid breeze. I find it so comforting to return to my dorm and wrap myself in a blanket while sipping a scalding tea. Walking through my gorgeous campus categorizing the different shades of red, orange, and yellow leaves. I used to detest fall since it lasted so shortly. If you blink, you could miss it.

Talking about fall provides the perfect leeway for fashion. With September trademarked for reinventing your style for school and whatnot, it is the perfect opportunity to spice up your wardrobe. Recently, and this can accounted for time spent superfluously on tumblr and flipping through English fashion magazines, I am a big advocate for neutrals, darker colors, and simple, clean silhouettes. My personality doesn't reflect a very outrageous appearance or very "loud" on fabrics. So I naturally gravitate towards minimalistic designs. Some ubiquitous garments in my arsenal include stripes (I have at least 6 different tops in various colors), dark denim pants, flats (it will come abundantly clear that I collect flats--loafers, penny loafers, ballet flats, etc.--generously), and coats (I have an affectionate moniker linked to my collection of coats, which may be traced to the fact that Canadian seasons are more harsher than Virginian seasons).

Gauging fashion editorials and profuse tumblr scrolling, I have come to realize that there are several pieces of clothing that I am on the hunt for. My prolific ardor for European clothing clearly came in full swing after a spent a month in the continent this past summer. However, the concept of British boarding school or studying in the English countryside appeals greatly to me, so the style that accompanies that scene is sketched permanently in my mind. A couple of things I always keep in mind when strolling the mall or scanning the hangers in a store are: a chardonnay-hued Peterpan collar shirt (cashmere would be preferred, but cotton is ideal as well), a navy blue long-sleeved peplum top (three-quarter sleeve would work as well, but hopefully that particular design would flatter my shape), Ferragamo-esque flats, a slightly flared skirt, a classic lace top, a smokey gray jumper, a thick sweater with some sort of woodland animal on it (squirrel or fox), and black jeans. Whenever I shop, I am a woman on a quest, so I am sure that I will find at least one of the aforementioned items, I hope (she whispered optimistically).

In the meantime, before the temperature drops well below 60 degrees (or 15 degrees Celsius), transitioning between late summer weather to early fall is...not easy. So who else would I look for inspiration than Taylor Swift? I was always a big fan of her style, but this year, wow! She has truly matured aesthetically, and I am continuously mesmerized by her effortlessly chic yet simple wardrobe. Stripes, high-waisted shorts, flats, oxfords, and beautiful dresses. In a culture saturated with exposing more and more and covering less and less, Taylor always manages to stay classy, and I give tremendous props to her because I am certain that she might have been tempted to show some skin every so often. While a burgeoning relationship could be a factor to her revolving style, she has certainly gained the title of style chameleon, at least in my looks. Furthermore, she reminds me a little of a modern-day Audrey Hepburn: she knows what style works for her and she sticks with it, just like Audrey did.