Science

I'm a Stereotype (And I Wouldn't Have it Any Other Way)

They would call me a stereotype. I like pink. And makeup. And baking. I'm better at English than math, and I don't play on any male-dominated sports teams. I babysit and I read and I love to shop and I can't beat my brother in a foot race. I appear to be a stereotypical teenage girl, about as textbook case as they come.

The modern heroines in the movies would probably slam me for it. Gender stereotypes are pretty old-fashioned these days, outmoded and regressive. We've gone through a massive cultural confusion regarding the roles of boys and girls and we're left with a mess. And I think that's pretty sad.

Why don't we let boys be boys and girls be girls and celebrate that? I'm not saying that girls who hate pink need to learn to love it, or all boys need to play sports. There are a few things that are rather unstereotypical about me - I love to talk about and read theology and watch football movies, for example. Those aren't things intrinsic to being a female; they're what make me an individual. But I'm still a girl and my strengths and weaknesses and desires are shaped around my femininity.

My gender was not a choice. I am a female because God made me one. I'm not as strong as my brother. My mind works differently than his. I am more emotional than he is. We are different. He loves destruction and eating and weight lifting and swords. What fuels his strengths and weaknesses and desires are shaped around his masculinity. He is a boy, and I am a girl.

Gender stereotypes are not as dangerous as the media would have you believe. There are certain things that are beautifully different about boys and girls. Maybe instead of trying to erase gender we should embrace it. Maybe we should celebrate the way that God made us, as male and female in His glorious image. Maybe the stereotypes aren't so destructive after all. Maybe they're just norms, because that's how God made us.

Your Saturday Smile: Universe Edition

Today's Saturday Smile is much different than usual. This video will not incite the usual "ha-ha-funny-or-amusing" smile. It's more a "wow-God-is-so-incredible-I've-just-got-to" smile. I'm not sure about the mention of the sun "lighting our solar system for 4.6 billion years," but the rest is fantastic! So enjoy, smile, and be in awe of our Creator.

(HT: Challies)

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." ~ Psalm 19:1

What Do You See?

Yesterday, my parents took my brother and me to the Halifax Discovery Center. It's a big science building with hands-on exhibits and fun science movies and activities. There's things like a maze and bubble room and electricity room. My personal favourite was the box surrounded by mirrors that made it look like I had no body and my head was floating on air. Near the end of our visit, I noticed a sign that looked out of place. It read:

PARIS IN THE
THE SPRING

I didn't quite understand it, until I saw the little letters at the bottom that said, "Usually we see just what we want to see. You probably didn't even notice the second 'the' in the sentence." Did you notice it? I didn't. That got me thinking about how some people "see just what they want to see" in the Bible. What?! you say. It's true.

Take the organization, the Ku Klux Klan, for instance. They are a racist organization that bears the name of Christ. They take and use what they want, and instead of honouring it all as the complete Word of God, ignore the passages that condemn them. In Revelation 22:18-19 it says, "I testify to everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words of this prophetic book, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city, written in this book."

God takes this stuff pretty seriously. Let's focus on God and His Word as the only Guide in our lives. Let's not pick and choose through the Bible. Let's not add, nor take away any of the Lord's wonderful Words.