There’s nothing more beautiful than watching the sun rise above the horizon early in the morning. As
it slowly peeks above the horizon and seeps between the branches of the trees,
the warmth it sheds is enough to warm every passer by’s shivering hands.
This semester I’ve had the joy of watching the sun rise as I walk to work in
the library early in the morning . It’s been something that has brought joy and
warmth to my heart and my hands on cold wintry rainy mornings.
As I ponder the little joys in life, like the rising sun, I thought about our porcelain lives, so fragile and frail… only one crashing wave away from being shattered to peices. Yet with every day I wake and watch the sunrise, I somehow manage to take it for granted. With every breath, I fail to realize His grace in giving me yet another moment.
Another moment to breathe,
to see,
to dream,
to hope,
to grow in godliness,
to smile,
to be His,
to live a Holy life,
and to Love in obedience to His command.
It’s so easy to get distracted by the grandeur of this world and all it has to offer, and I am not immune. But I wonder…what would it look like, if every porcelain life lived wholly dedicated to His purposes? What would my life look like if in light of my hopes and dreams, I let His light shine the way and change the path where He sees fit?
Maybe a porcelain life isn’t that bad after all. If it’s shattered by a crashing wave of reality, all it’s pieces will rest in the hand of the one who molded it to be in the first place.
C.T Studd put it this way:
Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life,’ twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
…
Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, “Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say ’twas worth it all”;
Only one life,’ twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
1 Thessalonians 4: 13: – 18
Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that , we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.
~Grace Suliman
Last
Friday, I was informed of the loss of Dr. Hsu and my friend Harry Mikula's
mother.
This
news was hard to swallow. I did not know what to do. I sat and let the words
sit on me, sway across the air.
It
still feels weird.
Because
I remembered the times he would greet me with an
"Ahn-nyung-ha-sae-yo" (Korean for 'hello'). I remembered how he had
played piano so beautifully for our school.
The
absences of these two people came so abruptly that I almost did not believe it.
I
once heard from a friend that she found out more about herself through the
death of a parent. She said it was like peeling a layer away. I wondered what
she meant by that.
The
loss of these two people would peel a layer away too. What could be learned
through this? What good did these things serve? In my limited human
perspective, I am quick to ask all these questions. Life is fleeting and so
fragile. Why does God make us in that way? Through Dr. Hsu's life and his
legacy, I found myself looking to him as an example, I want to live using the
gifts God has given me in bringing glory to Him. I want to live for Him... Dr.
Hsu did the same - he wasn't in it for the money or fame. He genuinely loved
God, PBU, and the students. Perhaps this was why he could be used in such a
high degree. He simply showed love, touched his audiences with the love of
Christ. He did not argue about the correctness of his theology. He
just...
~Hanah Bae
Wow! Where has the semester gone?! It feels like just
yesterday that I moved in and got ready for my first semester. Time seems to fly by pretty fast the older we get and as such we lose time to do the things we enjoy doing. I know
that for me I have found less time to do the one thing I like the most-
reading. I have always loved to sit down on a rainy day and delve into the
world of my current favorite author. I
could lose myself for hours in C.S. Lewis’ mythical lands and Jane Austen’s
romances. But now all my time is taken up with homework, studying, and hanging
out with friends. Don’t get me wrong I like being able to do productive things
but reading gives you chance to step out of your world and into someone else’s.
Reading provides an opportunity for you to expand your worldview and at the
same time, enjoy the expansion.
When I
first started working here at the library, I was amazed at all the books I saw.
I was in heaven! (Or something relatively close.) And when I found out that the
Juvenile section had books I had loved reading when I was homeschooled, I had a
hard time containing my excitement. One particular afternoon I remember
shelving some books in the Juvenile section and I came across a book that my
mom had read to my siblings and me when we were kids. I remember this book all
too well because it was a mind game book that I didn’t understand as a child.
So I decided to re-read the book and see if I could figure it out. The book, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, is a
story about a rich business owner who is found dead in his estate. In his will
he invites a seemingly random collection of people to a game of whodunit. The
prize is his mass fortune. Each person is paired up with another “heir” and the
couple is given a set of clues that is supposed to help them figure out who
murdered the rich man. This book is filled with laughable drama and dialogue,
mind bending twists and turns, and even a few explosions! I invite all of you
to join in the madness to figure out who murdered Mr. Westing and why over
Christmas break. It is a short and enjoyable read that allows you to
expand your mind without hurting it too much! It can be found in the Juvenile section under PZ7.R375 Wes 1997.
Have a great break and Merry
Christmas!
~Jenny Dunning~
I have been at PBU for 10 years this semester. I started my undergraduate work in Fall 2001, I lived in Davis Dorm with a wonderful group of women who loved adventure and had huge goals for the future. It is has been a privilege seeing how their lives have changed and the paths they have taken in the last 10 years. I have remained at PBU to work in the library as my life has always revolved around books, my parents and grandparents fostered this love in me and my work as a librarian here at PBU is rewarding as I get to help students at PBU learn and exceed in their academic studies.
During my undergraduate years a large percentage of my friends consisted of music majors and through them and my cousin in the honors program I was introduced to Dr. Hsu. My first thoughts on Dr. Hsu was that he was brilliant on the keys, he played superbly and yet was one of the most approachable men I have ever met. I worked in the library and it was months before I realized Dr. Hsu and the Dr. Hui's were all related, I think it finally sunk in when I was invited to Ms. Stewart's house for one of the holidays I couldn't get home for that year.
In the last 10 years I have been blessed to know and to learn from Dr. Hsu, not piano (I am a hopeless cause there), but rather in his wisdom and love of the Lord. My roommate for many years was a music major and when several of my classmates and Dr. Hsu's personal assistants had left the area my roommate and I would on occasions take Dr. Hsu home. Those trips were always interesting and filled with grand conversations. I especially remember one trip out to a friend's wedding in Shoamokin, PA when my roommate and I took Dr. Hsu out there so they could play a duet together for the wedding. Dr. Hsu was internationally known and yet he was always so involved in his students and former students lives that he would frequently play at their weddings and events. He is a man who left a deep impact on the people in his church and here at PBU. Even when he wasn't feeling well he would always have a smile and a kind word.
We will miss Dr. Hsu, but we also know that he is with the Savior he loved so well. He spent almost 40 years with the students at PBU, investing and sending them out to the field. I am sure if you asked him how the time went he would say quickly, and yet what a wonderful investment.
~Laura Saloiye
From the PBU Facebook site:
Dr. Samuel Hsu Memorial Visitation Wednesday, December 7, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Dunn-Givnish Funeral Home in Langhorne, PA, the family will receive visitors. Memorial Service Thursday, December 8, 10:00 am at Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, PA. There will be a prelude beginning at 9:30 am with former students of Dr. Hsu playing. The service will also be simulcast at Philadelphia Biblical University in the Chatlos Chapel.
Submission
Requirements:
Original submissions only. No previously published work. Artwork should be submitted in frames ready for display. All entries should be submitted to the Library.
Include with submission:
Artist/Writer profile with picture
Contact information (phone number and e-mail address)
Hometown
Anticipated year of graduation
I am also reminded of this fact every time I walk through
certain isle of our library. One of my favorite isles on the second floor
contains shelves of Puritan literature, Spurgeon sermons, books written by Dietrich
Bonheoffer and others, . Sometimes I wish I would walk by and see more spaces in
those shelves, but I fear many people get intimidated bored by reading the old
dead guys on theology. While their writing style may be vastly different than
our own, I would strongly encourage you to search out the library, and dig into
some of the great resources therefrom.
We often talk of the fact that we are the church, and that is most certainly true, but I think we often forget to think of ourselves in terms of the invisible Church. The invisible Church, as most theologians describe it, is the body of God’s people throughout all of human history (or Pentecost, if you don’t include Israel). Regardless, I think it’s important to remember that when we are adopted into the family of God we are not by any means the only ones; there are a lot of those old boring dead guys who were bought by the blood of Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit too. And, many of them had really helpful things to say.
~Zak Fixler
Often times when I inform people of the time that I walk up
to the Library in the morning they cringe. The funny thing is that looking back
at this time last year I had to get up at least a half hour earlier than I have
on my earliest morning since coming to college; this is just one of the many
things that have completely changed since arriving at PBU. I really enjoy
my walk up to the library early in the morning because it is the only time that
I walk on campus and don't see anyone; only the squirrels, birds, geese, and of
course our ducks, are out and about. This walk always makes me take a step back
and reminds me that I need to take time and appreciate the beautiful creation
that God has made for us. It is so easy to get caught up in all of the work we
need to do and the places that we need to go, but during this walk I am
challenged to notice something new, like the last of the vibrant
leaves clinging onto their trees or the ducks and geese gliding on the ponds
surface.
I know that as Thanksgiving is approaching
quickly the work for many students seems to be piling up with assignments due
right before we head home for this much needed break and it forces one to
wonder if it will all get done on time. My suggestion to you would be that the
next time you make a mad dash to the computer lab ten minutes before class and
end up waiting in line to print out your paper because your fellow students are
printing out that same one, take a deep breath. Yes, sometimes the printer may
be a tad bit slow, but give it a moment and it will catch up, also, don’t be
concerned about the fact that you can no longer logout, that was changed so
there would be less printing problems, all you need to do is click Restart. But
most importantly, remember, take a moment as you rush to get to class and
realize how beautiful God’s creation really is and how incredibly blessed we
are to be loved by Him.
~Leia Brunette
~Leia Brunette
On October 26, 2011, I had the wonderful privilege of hearing Makoto Fujimura give a
lecture about his newest project, the Four Holy Gospels Bible, which was
published by Crossway and released in January 2011. It was fascinating to hear
about his technique, Nihonga, which involves painting with pigments made of
prismatic minerals in multiple layers. One of the paintings he spoke of is
titled "Prodigal God", based on the story of the two sons in Luke 15.
The title is based off a book by the same title written by Fujimura's pastor,
Timothy Keller. I read this book over the summer, and it was very challenging. In
speaking of the book and his painting, Fujimura explained that in the days of
Shakespeare, the word prodigal had a good connotation and meant spend-thrift,
or spending everything for a cause. We often label the younger son as prodigal,
but the real prodigal, by the Shakespearean definition, is the Father. Keller
stresses this in his book as well. Both of the sons are wayward in their own
ways. The younger son runs after worldly pleasure. The older son gets caught up
in legalism, and despite both of the sons' mistakes, the father spends all on
them. He runs to meet his youngest, something which was not seen as respectable
for elders to do. For his older son, he leaves the banquet, a great disgrace,
to speak to his son and bring reconciliation. Our Father does this too. He sent
His only son, Jesus, to be disgraced for our sake, which is an incredible
picture of extravagant grace.
Makoto Fujimura leaves the viewer to imagine their own meaning out of his "Prodigal God" painting, but there are several little clues he gives to demonstrate this extraordinary grace. First of all, Fujimura used oyster shell pigments, the only opaque, transparent white pigment, to provide a vision of grace, which provides a stark contrast to the other side of the painting. And speaking of two sides, Fujimura informs his audience that splitting the picture is not recommended in the art world, but he intentionally employed this split to create a problem that humans cannot solve, which illustrates that grace does not equal doing stuff for God, but rather accepting His free gift.
I highly recommend reading Prodigal God (found at this call number in the library: BT378.P8 K25 2008) and meditating on its challenge to be a real prodigal who spends all they have to seek those who are lost in their sin. This is the challenge Fujimura is also trying to convey, and I believe it is crucial to embrace this grace and live it out.
~Allison Beyer
library for a few years now. It was one of the most beautiful messages I have heard and it seemed a lot of people found it to be really encouraging for where they are at and have been feeling. Although his artwork is most definitely fabulous, what touched me the most was the fact that he was able to make the message he shared this morning an art in and of itself.
He spoke on John 11. He focused on verse 11, pointing out that Jesus’ tears in this passage can aid our understanding of the arts and culture. He described three of the people present at the scene including Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. Each of these individuals had very different personalities, mannerisms, desires, thoughts etc. throughout the chapter. Because each of them was so different, the approach that Jesus Christ had to take to reach them individually had to be unique. Fuijimura reminded us that in our suffering and crises Jesus is the ultimate master of helping us uniquely in difficult situations. When life is filled with chaos, we need to be reminded that Jesus wept. He stated that a day will come when our sufferings will not be worth it anymore because we will be reclining with Jesus. Our reaction to this is to be that of love, prioritizing our lives, and truly living in Christ's freedom. Fujimura challenged us to face the world by creating and showing beauty, truth, and goodness. All of this should be done in confidence for God's glory.
Makoto Fujimura’s message displayed such reverence for the Lord, while also pointing out so many aspects of John 11 that I have never noticed. Take some time and check out the passage in light of Fujimura’s thoughts. Also, take some time and stop by the library to check out some of his artwork!
~Christa Joy Ciotta
Library Items by Makoto Fujimura
Makoto Fujimura's website
Image: Fujimura, Makoto. Aijo (Compassionate Love). Digital image. Makoto Fujimua. 1987. Web. 27 Oct. 2011.
Is art something that has stood the test of time and which displays an immense effort on the part of the artist to display creativity and ingenuity? Or can art be a picture of a paperclip with the word “AND” written below it? Faced with these questions in Lit and Arts class today, I started to ponder how art demonstrates societal beliefs.
The Greeks and Romans were fascinated by humanity, and their statues demonstrate it. The Byzantines were focused on Christ and their churches with mosaics and paintings of Christ at the apse demonstrate this focus. What does our post-modern art say about the era in which we live?
The magazines in the library were my starting point in helping me consider what the world believes is important. I noticed a focus on politics and pop culture. Two areas where the question, “what is reality?” is raised. Pick up a book about modern art and read about Marcel Duchamp’s Fountain or Bottle Rack. What is the standard for art? Who is to say whether these anti-art objects truly are works of creativity, masterpieces in their time?
I challenge you to question the world around you and test it within this framework. What are we saying by endorsing fabricated objects with artist’s names signed to them? Where is our trust and hope? What is art?
Marcel Duchamp's Fountain Jonathan Hardesty's Walter
~Allison Beyer
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