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thed0ug
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Name: Doug
Birthday: 12/4/1988
Gender: Male
Interests: the walk with Christ, the playing of the guitar, karaoke, sandwich consumption. Sometimes I watch fake fighting.
Expertise: background vocals
Occupation: Student
Industry: Construction
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
11/19/2005
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| I stayed up all night playing Mario Tennis.
I have got to get out of the house.
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| With graduation and all happening, I feel obligated to update...
So I'm now a high school graduate. I'm done. Done with high school, SAS, and soon, Singapore. 8 years. Why does it pass by so fast when I look back?
Graduation was super great. Aside from the really small hat. The whole time leading up to it, it didn't really hit me until I had to line up at the mark after Tryfon's name got called... and I was pretty much shaking. I think I was shaking when we turned our tassels. About that: I had planned to try to chuck my hat as high as I could, but when I turned my tassel, it came off. So I'm standing there with the tassel in my hand having a "WTF?" moment - and then I realize everyone's throwing their hats. So I'm like "flip it" and throw my hat, only for it to fly off to the right. Not that cool. Oh well. I get to try that again in four years.
So then it was rushing out into the foyer for MONSTER HUGS all around. Quite the bittersweet.
Then there was grad party. That was an experience. First off, it was at Turf Club road, which is probably the only place in Singapore not lit up by street lamps. It was freaking pitch black. The taxi driver and I got confused. Eventually he figured out to drive right through Turf City to get to the gigantic house. I think Alex, David, and me were the only ones not drinking. Yay. So there really wasn't much to do... this band from some nightclub played some covers... they reminded me of the band No Vacancy from School of Rock, what with it being a four-piece band with the lead singer playing an acoustic guitar. He looked a lot like Jason Tsai, if I remember correctly. They closed with "With Or Without You" (big ups) and the shortest version of "Time Of Your Life" I've ever heard (meh.)
At 1:00 or so the juniors got kicked out and the party promptly died. Seriously. The music quieted down and I pretty much hung around for the next three hours. Around 3:30 everyone left. I shared a cab with Sarah home, which was interesting because she was waiting at the bottom of the hill, but I couldn't find her, which resulted in me freaking out while my phone died out on me. For whatever reason, it wouldn't call out. It still won't. Anyway, since I paid for the cab ride with David & Sarah to graduation, Sarah paid on the way back. She go the short end of the stick with midnight fee and all, but whatever.
I'll write about Francisco's party later, but that's how my graduation went.
Peace,
- Doug
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| So on Saturday night, I decided to say "flip it" to Davidson's waitlist, and now...
I'm going to Calvin College! w00t. Set in my desposit on Saturday night, housing forms, medical forms, everything. Grand Rapids, Michigan. I can honestly say I couldn't be more satisfied. I'm going to a God-centered school, everyone is telling me Grand Rapids is a great place... and...
They're giving me a scholarship.
I came home after the Physics B mock (Short version: I somehow survived.) and there's a letter for me from Calvin with the notification inside. Holy crap. $4000. That is some serious cash money. I didn't even apply for anything. And I only have to pull a 3.4 or above to keep it. It also looks like I'm in their honors program as well. I'm going to have to get used to living somewhere with winter (and Michigan winters will be colder than NY winters, uh-oh), but I'm looking forward to every minute.
I've been only able to say this about a few things this year... but this is amazing. For the first time in a long time, I can say that I don't feel the need to worry about what's going to happen anymore.
All my AP's are done, I have only 2 finals to study for, and I'm going to a great Christian college on a scholarship.
God is good.
- Doug
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| I feel like I'm stuck in a rut. Pretty much spinning my wheels in the mud.
Bible study at my house today... at 4:30 instead of in the evening because Mark had a church leader meeting. The time actually seemed to work better. Kris, Jon, and now Grant "Gwant Wichey" Richey all showed up. We haven't met in a while... feels like a month or so. Anyway, we did Part Five of Rick "Heh-heh-heh" Warren's video-type study of James, on favoritism and treating people right. Passage was James 2:1-13, I think. This series was the first video series that this guy and his church made, so the setup is really basic. There are references to "this video tape you're watching," and things like that. You've got Rick Warren sitting in a chair, wearing the same tan sweater and jeans EVERY WEEK, Bible and speaking notes in his lap, just talking some good sense for about an hour. There's a plastic plant in the background. The Bible verses and main points that you're supposed to write down appear on the screen.
What I like about this study is that it's not flashy or attempting to be edgy or fashionable at all. Rick Warren here is just this bland-looking, kind of dumpy middle-aged guy with thinning hair and glasses. He's not really photogenic or telegenic. He's not slick at all, the antithesis of the televangelist preachers you see "Live From The PrayerDome!" in expensive suits, nice hair, and a winning smile. Warren is just this regular-looking, average-looking pastor who knows the Bible inside out and is really, really good at explaining what the Bible is saying and how to apply it in our lives. He's an Everyman who talks an hour's worth of spiritual substance. No B.S. No superficial Christian jargon. Just truth.
Since I can't find my copy of the workbook-thing that comes with the study, and I gave the remaining spares to Kris and Gwant, I'll write it up here...
According to Rick Warren, we judge people on four traits:
- Age
- Ancestry (what language they speak, where they come from, whether they speak "good English", race, etc)
- Appearance
- Achievement
That sounds about right.
Judging people and showing favoritism is wrong for three reasons.
- It's unchristian
- It's unreasonable - God doesn't play favorites, so why should you? The Greek word for "favoritism" are used only four times in the Bible. Outside of this passage, each instance is used to say God does not show favoritism.
- And most importantly of all, it's unloving.
It's easier to see people as "us" and "them", but it's not the way God intended things to be. I pray to see people as God sees them.
- Doug
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