[quotes]

Jake: "I'd like to keep my jugular in one piece....the same goes for my carotid artery!

 John: "What's this stuff? It looks like cabbage...only it's purple."

Me: "Umm...It's purple cabbage."

John: ".....oh." 

Sylvia, pointing to my pimples: "Why are these...elbows all over your face?"

 Me: "Don't be a pooty parper!"

Me: "Sam, you wanna start a load of laundry?"

Sam: "um...."

Me: "Cause you're the best sister in the world?"

Sam: "WeeEeeelll...."

 Sam: "Yeah, you're not the....best in the mornings."

Me: "Yay, understatement of the year."

John, groaning: "Take my advice and never play poker for push-ups."

"He's kind of creepy looking...but in a sweet way."

Sam: "I ran over here so I could brush my hair."

Me: "You ran a mile to brush your hair?"

Sam: "......yeah...."

Me: "Is there any coffee left?"

Papa John: "No. Do you want me to make some more?"

Me: *grin* "Yes"

Papa John, with a sigh: "You'd better flutter your eyelashes at me."

Hahaha. *flutters eyelashes*

Sam: "It's the Narth Store, guys!"

Josh, John, me: "Bahahahahahahaha"

Sam: "That wasp is...brushing his eyebrows!!!"

Me: o.O "First of all, wasps don't have eyebrows..."

Sam: "Well, whatever they are."

Me: "Antennae? And secondly, I'm pretty sure they don't brush them..."

Sam: "Yeah, those!"

"I don't try to kill myself, it just...happens!" 

Mom: "That wasn't a nupe! What was it?"

Levi: "It was a skice!"

Mom: "What's your name?"

Levi: "Um...Levi and Weides."

Me: "Bye, Levi and Weides!"

Levi: "Bye, Shaina Shaina Shaina!!"

“There’s a picture on the internet somewhere; I’ve lost the link, it went all 404 on me.” 

“Monica’s in the house making pancakes, she's a the stove, kinda whistling, listening to the Christian radio station, and Augustine and his friend come in and go, “Mom....Mom.... Oh, Moooom.” And she keeps on flipping pancakes, and she’s like, "boys, come get your pancakes." *no answer* "Come on, boys, they're gettin cold." *no answer*  And she turns around and looks at their beaming faces, and Augustine goes, "Mom. Guess. What." and she goes. “No. NO? REALLY?” And then she's bouncing off the ceiling and they have to scrape her off with a spatula. She's disappearing bouncing around in the street going "whoohooowhoohoo!" and everyone says, 'buz off, it's siesta time."

Augustine's status: "Just got converted, lol! This is teh bomb!" -George

“I’ll admit, I have a romantic streak that’s a mile deep and wide in me.” 

“Study question no 1: Hahahahaha, I love saying that *after* break. Stuuudy question no. 1.”

"Here we are, 15 minutes from the end of  class. OK, study question #2!" (note: we actually managed somehow to make it through all the questions! Unbelievable, I know.)

“You guys are a real problem class, you ask all the right questions, the ones that I really have to think about. It’s impossible to stay on track!” 

“It’s a mystery! Quit arguing about it, take and eat some!” 

"Some modern scholars say it started in 412 and ended in 427, but you know modern scholars. Always trying to justify their paycheck." 

“Modern Protestant fundamentalist eschatology is deviant from 2000 years of church history. That doesn’t prove it’s wrong. But I’m a little nervous about a theology that departs from 2000 years of church history.”

“Augustine laughs and laughs, he LOLs, he ROTLs, and then picks himself up off the floor and says, “I’d better write a book to refute that.” ”

"I got my copy of City of God signed at one of Augustine's rock concerts, it had laser lights."  

"I'll have a special class just for this year's GB2B class's students....kids."

"yeah, I know I'm creepy...cool."

"So, as I was saying before I sidetracked myself, it's a regular problem of mine, (the first step to getting rid of it is acknowledging...) see, there I go again!" 

"Yeah, yeah, I am pretty awesome, aren't I? Go ahead, worship me. Bring it." -Daemones.

"As Daniel is praying...wherever. Probably the Potlatch river."

"Aquinas was a throughgoing Augustinian. But so were Luther and Calvin! wut."

"Probably shouldn't, hahahaha, probably shouldn't laugh, hehe."

"Science is lame." -Zachary

"In Schola, all the girls are beautiful, all the guys are handsome, and everyone's above average. .....and smart, too!"

[quote!]

"For no sooner do we begin to live in this dying body, than we begin to move ceaselessly towards death." 
-Augustine, City of God
I think that I've had my fill of morbidity for today. Or maybe not ;) His paradoxical look at death and life is extremely interesting.  Augustine must have had a passion for heaven.

"Science is changing its fatheaded mind all the time!"

 -Mr. C

Great Books Paper III

Great Books Paper 3-Eusebius

The story of the Christian Martyrs, as related by Eusebius in 'The Church History'.

The Christian Martyrs played an enormous role in the history of the early church. As Christianity spread in the early years, the persecutions became more or less prevalent, largely depending on the emperor at the time. Eusebius focused on recording persecutions that took place during the second and third centuries A.D.


The Christians that were martyred were brave and triumphant during torture and their own deaths. They had a tremendous peace that was given to them by God. Blandina is a tremendous example of steadfastness and bravery, withstanding the gravest tortures. "Through Blandina, Christ proved that what men think lowly God deems worthy of great glory. When we were all afraid...Blandina was filled with such power that those who tortured her from morning to night grew exhausted and admitted that they were beaten, for they had nothing left to do to her. They were astounded that she was still alive, since her whole body was smashed and lacerated, and they claimed that any one of the tortures was enough to end life...But [Blandina] gained in strength while confessing the faith and found comfort for her sufferings by saying, 'I am a Christian, and nothing wicked happens among us.'" When Blandina was later killed in the stadium, after being whipped, exposed to wild beasts, burnt with a gridiron, and placed in a net to be thrown to a bull, "the heathens admitted that never before had a woman suffered so much so long."


Polycarp also provides a wonderful example of strength during martyrdom. At the old age of at least 86, he was arrested and put into the stadium to be forced to denounce Christ. As he entered, he and some other Christians heard a voice from heaven saying, "Be strong and play the man, Polycarp!" When Polycarp had come into the stadium, the proconsul "tried to dissuade him, saying, 'Respect your age! Swear by Caesars fortune! Recant and say, 'Away with the atheists!'' But Polycarp swept his hand across the crowd, sighed, and cried, 'Away with the atheists!' But the governor pressed him, saying, 'Take the oath and I will set you free. Curse Christ!' but Polycarp replied, 'For eighty-six years I have been his servant, and He has never done me wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?' "


We can also see in these two examples that the martyrs were focusing on Christ in their last moments, drawing on Him for strength and making sure that He never left their minds, allowing them to fall into denying Him. But just as importantly, they were fixing their minds on the resurrection to come. As Polycarp was placed on the pyre to be burnt, he prayed this prayer: "Oh Father of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, through whom we know you, I bless you for this day and hour, that I may, with the martyrs, share in the cup of Christ for the resurrection to eternal life of both soul and body in the immortality of the Holy Spirit... I praise you for everything, I bless and glorify You through the eternal high priest, Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, through whom be glory to You and the Holy Spirit, both now and in the ages to come. Amen." The Christian martyrs were so focused on the bodily resurrection that during the persecution in Gaul around 177, the persecutors exposed and insulted the dead martyrs' bodies, then burning them until they became nothing but ash and finally swept into the Rhone, so as to defeat the Christian's hope in the resurrection.


Eusebius quite naturally thought highly of the martyrs. He often wrote about the martyrs finding their 'glorious fulfillment,' in their martyrdom, or 'his glorious death,' indicating that this is something that every Christian can be proud to endure for Christ. He also looked favorably upon them because they were the representatives of the church, the Billy Grahams of their own era. Because of the Christians' everlasting hope in the resurrection and their devotion to a man who had been crucified two hundred years ago, they were instrumental in spreading the gospel through their examples of courage and steadfastness. Even today, their influence remains to those who read Eusebius's work, inspiring us to be like them if the need would ever arise.

[quote]

"Be taught, ye abandoned creatures, and ascertain the causes of things; what we are, and for what end we are born; what is the law of our success in life, and by what art we may turn the goal without making shipwreck; what limit we should put to our wealth, what we may lawfully desire, and what uses filthy lucre serves; how much we should bestow upon our country and our family; learn, in short, what God meant thee to be, and what place He has ordered you to fill." -Persius

May I just say that I'm so happy with the education I'm receiving from Mr. C right now? Like, beyond happy.  When and if you have kids, make sure they get a classical education. I don't even know Latin or Greek, but what I've done has been so amazing.

I have to say, I've absolutely loved this year, with all my heart. But Confessions took first place as my favorite book we've read. Augustine's words spoke to my heart in a way that not many other books have. It was amazing to me how something written 1700 years ago could be so relevant to what I'm thinking and feeling. It was such an encouraging, challenging, and stimulating read. Probably any of you reading this pretty much know that because I was always posting quotes from the book as I read it. I would encourage any of you to read it: it's a pretty short book, and easy to read. (It was an easy two weeks in GB) In many places it reads similarly to a devotional; in others it's more autobiographical; in every part interesting and thought provoking. Augustine had such a questioning, open heart, he feels like an old friend.

[very random happy post]

I think I'm falling in love with country music again. Which makes me happy. The thought of Easter coming up also makes me very (though unrelatedly) happy. And the fact that though we're done with Confessions,we're still reading Augustine makes me super happy as well. The rain does not make me happy, but you can't win em all, haha. I'm definitely going to have to tag this one under 'random', because I really don't have any logical reason behind posting this, loool.

quotes

 Papa John, working cattle: "I got poop on me! *high pitched* I'm gonna diiiie!"

 Mr. B, sitting on our sofa: "You'd have to have a seven foot femur for your feet to be on the ground and your back to be resting on the back of the sofa!" Hhahhahaha...

 Me, at the dinner table: "SLOW CHEWLY!!! 

....What have you guys done to my mind?!?!" 

Samantha, trying to put the hood back on Alyssa's coat: "It's been decapitated!" LOLS.... hahhhahaha. Best pun in a looong time, hahah.  

Me: "Do you know what the first of April is? April Fools Day!" 

Micah: "So that means we get to go to McDonalds and eat all the ice cream we want?!"

Me: "Umm....?"
Micah: "That's what a fool would do!" hahaha

"The Virgin Mary shows up to Constantine in a dream and says, "Um, Nicolas was right. He's my boy. You let him go, or else." 

"If this was a live class, I'd tell you that every time I say Athanasius, you have to say, "Whoohoo!""

"Arias probably made up little ditties to help people remember: "There was a time when Christ was not, my name is Arias and I'm pretty hot."" 

"And then there are the others who committed suicide for other reasons than mere...you know.. bummed out-ness with life." 

"God wins, you lose, good luck, bubba. Now the Christians were probably more charitable and gracious than that, they probably didn't say bubba... unless they said it in the original greek." 

"I'm beating my chest like a Christian." 

"There's a story that Nicolas so fed up with Arias's shenanigans, got tired of debating with words, and just stood up and decked him. Punched his lights out. Gives a whole new meaning to 'Santa Claus is coming to town, so you'd better watch out!' He's gonna find out who's orthodox and heretic."

"Mr. C, you are never sorry about your sidetracks, nor should you be, so just stop apologizing." -Zachary

"I'm going to take the opportunity that Zachary just offered me, and though he opened a small door, I'm going to drive a Mack truck through it."

"Yeah, sorry about that, Zachary. I should have told you to plug your ears before I said 'kindle'." 

"Where'd they get blenders back then? Oh, dont ask. Probably Bed, Bath & Beyond."

"Jonah's sulking because the Ninavites repented, darn it, God's not gonna destroy them, darn it."

"Hahahaha, it's just so hilarious...they riot over the word gourd!"

"Augustine and Jerome are texting each other on their blackberries probably called raspberries back then. 'Darn raspberries, keep getting out of range.' "

"Yeah, however you spell it.. its probably all kindsa ways."

"I never pay attention to what comes out of my mouth. I just start it, and then my brain goes somewhere else. My brain goes, "I'm going to starbucks, you're on your own!"

"Imagine you are, you know...you."

"Hortensius had a daughter that he homeschooled, named Hortensia...some called her Horty, others called her Tense. When she was mad. The guys she broke up with called her "Sia." (C-ya) Get it?"

(From Augustine's pear stealing past) "You could call it pear pressure'. Ahahahaha"
"Wasn't expecting to be pun-ished in that way, dad. I pear-ished inside." George

"Skinny jeans on Metrosexual worship leaders.NOO. Just...wear overalls. Or a robe!
Jackets and slacks....you know, comb your hair..no?...ooohkay."

"Monica doesn't have all her theological ducks in a row. She's a few fries short of a happy meal theologically. But shes a wonderful mother and Christian."

"So why do you guys have a different picture on the front of your book? Penguin upgraded? Darn their hides."

"How easy would it be to jump around in the Bible with a scroll? It's like 'wait, lemme unroll the right side while I roll up the left side!' Church would be chaos. Christians flip!"

"You're staring into the eyes of your love....and then they hold out a hanky and, 'HONK.' " 

[duuude]

Augustine was awesome. If I had had a pen handy at all times while reading Confessions, it would probably win 'most underlined Great Book' of all time.. it may yet, haha :) 

"The good things which you love are all from God, but they are good and sweet only as long as they are used to do His will. They will rightly turn bitter if God is spurned and the things that come from Him are wrongly loved."

"[Jesus] did not linger on His way but ran, calling us to return to him, calling us by His words and deeds, by His life and death, by His descent into hell and His ascension into heaven. He departed from our sight, so that we should turn to our hearts and find Him there."

"Man is a great mystery, Lord. You even keep count of the hairs on his head and not one of them escapes Your reckoning. Yet his hairs are more easily counted than his feelings and the emotions of his heart."

"Do my questions provoke You to smile at me and bid me simply to acknowledge You and praise You for what I do know?......For it is better to find You and leave the question unanswered than to find the answer without finding You."

A rather unusual bit of deepish-ness.

[ninety]
My new awesome coat =) Now I just need a hat, scarf and gloves to compliment it.
Something one of my Flickr contacts wrote that was *very* good. Check it out.

I've been reading Herodotus for school, and something we discussed in class struck me. When Herodotus says that "custom is king of all,” he means that culture entirely defines people. It takes over our thinking and makes us who we are. And this is entirely true for almost everyone. However, as Christians, our culture should not define us. The Bible, Christ should define us. We should have Christ like thinking rather than American like thinking. We will always have certain parts of us that will be placed there by the culture, but even these must be checked and double checked against the Bible time and again. How do we do this? I believe a large part of it is permeating ourselves in the thinking of Christ. Read your Bible, inhale His word, check what the culture says against what He says. I am not saying that all culture in the way I have been speaking of it is a bad thing; the only way to escape it would be to live entirely secluded by yourself, and that would be a bad thing. Culture is a good thing in its place, but we must make sure that it agrees with the Bible.

Just one last thing: where have all my commenters gone? I miss them ='(