Putting the Nose to the Grindstone

You've all heard the saying "Necessity is the mother of all invention"? Well it seems like my mantra these days goes more like "Deadlines are the begetter of all productivity." I have come to find out that I dabble in procrastination more than I'd like to admit and log term projects are the bane of my existence. I always have these grand aspirations of starting a project like a term paper way in advance and followed by dreams of finishing it a week before the due date. Unfortunately, I have yet to actually do this, more often than not staying up super late the night before the deadline.

During the past couple of weeks, this semester's long-term obligations have started to catch up with me and I'm having to juggle the daily grind of studying for tests and finishing homework with working on these other major projects. Oh well, I'll just have to suck it up and get down to business. The next couple of weeks leading up to the end of the semester (and the end of my undergraduate experience) will look something like this:

Stopping to Smell Life's Roses

Yesterday in church the lesson was about Jesus' journey to Jerusalem. We have been working through the book of Luke on Sunday mornings and Albert (our preacher) emphasized that Jesus was very focused on entering capital of the Jewish world. Phrases like "he had his eyes on Jerusalem" or "while he was going up to Jerusalem" (my paraphrasing) occur fairly often in the text.

Yet for being as focused as he was on the destination, Jesus chose an interesting route to get there: he chose to go through Samaria. I would not hesitate to make the claim that every person with a familiarity of Jesus' teaching has heard the story of the Good Samaritan. What makes that story so poignant? Samaritans were looked on with disdain by the Jewish community, a feeling that Jesus challenged by placing one as the hero of the story. In this atmosphere, he also chooses to travel in a round-about way to Jerusalem through Samaria, teaching the people there and healing a blind beggar.

As I sat in the pew I couldn't keep my mind from wandering: I had to write a grocery list and compose a To-Do list, think about what I was doing for lunch, when I was going to get all my homework done, if I was... It just kept going on and on! I am a notorious "schemer," planning trips, events, and daily schedules like clockwork. But at the same time I feel as though I'm missing out on the important things of the present. I wouldn't really know how wonderful life's roses smell, since I only notice them as they brush my leg as I march past, eyes on the next mountaintop.

I can learn a lot from the telling of Jesus' walk to Jerusalem. The journey should not be fulfilled in the destination, but in the enjoyment of the path and the stops along the way sharing the joy of the trip with others.

Bodies (and Stomachs) in Motion

I just got back from an all expenses paid trip with the Honors College to the "Bodies in Motion" (check out their website, there is a lot of information available) exhibit in Dallas. I had some clue what I was getting myself into, but was almost overwhelmed by the actual exposition. The exhibit shows human bodies preserved so they don't decay as an educational tool for the public. As you walk through the location, the displays take you through the various systems of the body: skeletal, muscular, respiratory, etc. It's like walking into a human anatomy textbook! For a geek like me, I saw the opportunity as a treasure chest of knowledge just waiting to be dug through. My plan was to read every display and listen to each station on the audio tour, but there was so much to absorb that by the end I was grateful there were the actual body parts there to look at, I couldn't read any more.

I have heard of some controversy regarding the exhibit itself. Some of you reading this blog might have a negative view toward displaying the deceases humans in this way. My view point of the idea is positive for two reasons:

1. First, medical doctors and students look at similar cadavers to gain knowledge and training for their work. I see this as an opportunity for the general public to have access to an exciting learning tool. I can read about the body in a book and see pictures galore, but to see what's actually inside of your own body is indescribable. For instance, I would be looking at a display of the muscles in the shoulder and involuntarily find myself moving my arm around and flexing my own shoulder to try and "feel" what I was seeing. It also seemed as if everyone viewing the exhibit had some connection to the displays: one lady had broken her shoulder and could see what she was rehabbing (Mom, you could have appreciated that one...)
2. Secondly, I found it inspiring to be looking at the human body, the pinnacle of God's creation, in a totally new way. Everything was completely exposed in all its glory. The subtle intricacies of the individual systems were highlighted and I felt like I can appreciate human life better.
   

After the exhibit, we were treated to possibly the best mexican restaurant I have ever eaten at. The restaurant is called La Familia and is native to the DFW area for over a decade. The atmosphere is amazing and lucked out and beat the early dinner rush, being the only group in the restaurant for a good portion of our meal! As you walk in you are professionally greeted with a handshake and a "Welcome!" The walls are all covered in old family photographs of the owner, Al Cavazos. They claim to prepare all their food fresh daily and I'd believe it: their salsa especially was out of this world, just make sure to hold off enough until your actual meal arrives. The main entrees were light and savory, not bogged down with a lot of cheese and grease that you often experience at similar establishments. Besides the food, the service was extremely friendly and personable, not to mention prompt. We even had a conversation with Al himself and he told us stories of some of the pictures on the walls and shared the history of the restaurant. To sum up, if you are ever traveling through Ft. Worth with a hankering for some grub, this is the place to go.