Pray for Revival

If you aren't already praying for this please do. Pray for revival in your own life, church, community, as well as the nation. I believe that we are on the verge of a wonderful revival. A great revival. I "feel" it coming. I pray for those around me in the scientific community, that they especially see God in all they do. I believe that God is constantly revealing Himself through His creation. But you don't have to be an analytical chemist to figure that out.

Sara Kate and me having lunch. A great trip overall. After some much needed rest, I am ready to finish up this difficult semester.

Emma at the beach October 2007

I'm so far behind I think I'm drowning in a "to do" list!

After being sick for two weeks and Sara Kate being sick all weekend, I am so THANKFUL to be able to walk around right now without feeling SICK. You take your health for granted sometimes when you are distracted by all of the busy things you have to do. While I was sick I couldn't pray for anything else but to get well. Now that I am, I am so thankful and trying my best to concentrate on being grateful and not sink into the vast amounts of work and studying I've gotten behind on. Please pray that I keep my focus on what really matters and not despair in the rest.

Absolute Truth Exists Whether You Believe in it or Not

God never gives up on me.

I am continually amazed that God doesn't just give up on me. I have been so frustrated lately with people (very smart people) around me not being able to see what is right in front of them. For example, when studying spectroscopy we first delve into the failures of classical physics which leads of course to a study of quantum mechanics. In QM, and everywhere else in God's creation, there are numbers that show up over and over again in seemingly unrelated experiments and measurements. Very specific numbers like Planck's constant, pi, and many more...when professors and students do the math and get these numbers their jaws drop in amazement. "Wow, how can this be?" and "doesn't that bother you?" are just a few things I've heard professors say about these "coincidences". OF COURSE IT BLOWS YOUR MIND...YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ALL AN ACCIDENT, I want to yell. No it doesn't bother me, I know that God is a brilliant mind and He made the mathematics of the universe beautiful on PURPOSE!!! Imagine that. He enjoys it when we study His creation and marvel at it. These are clues that there is a CREATOR...GET A CLUE.

Both of my current classes are frustrating me. Take biochem. for another,shorter, example. The chemistry of cells is mind blowing. Don't believe me? Look at a simple bacteria and how it functions. Imagine now what is going on in the human body. The chapters in the text explain all of the details of peptide synthesis etc. and then reach the conclusion of wow...it took a really long time for evolution to make this happen. That's when it's my turn to think WOW doesn't THAT bother YOU?!? Didn't they just study the same thing that I did? Yet they are making the ABSURD claim that this just happened. Nothing caused it and it has no real purpose.

My BIG point: I have really been letting this get me MAD. I prayed about it yesterday and then God spoke to me in I Corinthians 1. Go ahead read it and consider what I've been mad about. 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
1:20 Where [is] the wise? where [is] the scribe? where [is] the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

Now I feel foolish because I let this make me mad and I know better.

Thanks God for continuing to show me the REAL TRUTH.

"BUSYness"

I've heard it said many times that if the devil can't make you "bad" he'll make you busy. I am coming to believe that this is true. And I think that some of the busy-ness can make you "bad". Distractions-whether they be in the form of work, school, kids, marriage, or football, can be a wonderful outlet or a way to ensure that we aren't spending time alone with God. I have noticed lately that my most spoken phrases are "I am so tired" and "I have no time". God show me new ways to prioritize my time.
Gotta go-I should be studying or cleaning the ion gauge in the mass spectrometer or tutoring and I need to eat at some point today.

Upside of "failure"

They say we learn from our mistakes. Well by now I should be a genius! I corrected the problem with the peptide and added a metal to see how it complexes with or bonds with the peptide. I have beautiful spectra of them. Now to interpret the results...

On the personal side, I am learning how frequently I do learn from my mistakes and that in the light of eternity they do not matter! All that matters is that the people I love are safe and in God's care. Cast your burdens on Him.

Thank you God for loving me and never giving up on me.

Lab Frustrations

So the peptide synthesis went wrong (3rd time). Upside-found the problem. The synthesizer is not putting the right volumes in the reaction vessel. So after recalibrating the instrument, I'm now trying the fourth round. Why so frustrating? Each synthesis takes 2-3 days to complete. Research is fun, but trial and error plays a huge part in success.

Day One of the Christian Chemist

Yesterday the preacher reminded us to not dwell on the disgraces of yesterday or worry about the problems of tomorrow. In Psalms 118:24, we are encouraged "to be glad in today". It doesn't say " rejoice if everything goes your way". God knows that we need to be reminded to be still and know that He is God and that each day brings problems of it's own. I struggle daily not to worry. I worry about my work in the lab, about being a good mom, about being a good wife. If I can rechannel that energy into the work that God has for me "this day" I will do more for His kingdom. That is my prayer today. That, and I really hope that my peptide synthesis goes well.