Asia quake death toll tops 120,000

The worst earthquake to hit anywhere in the world in 40 years -- a full 9 on the Richter scale -- struck Indonesia early morning just after Christmas. Not only that, it created tremendous tsunamis which in combination with the lack of an early warning system in the Indian Ocean, completely devastated heavily populated coastal areas of India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and more. Possibly one of the worst natural disasters in recent history =
Please take a moment to just think about these people, and pray for them -- the ones that have passed on, the ones who are left behind, and the ones still embroiled in struggles for survival.

I've never been one to post song lyrics. I usually think it's somewhat silly in fact. But this is just too beautiful a song.

Beauty for Ashes
by Shane Barnard and Kendall Combes

Beauty for ashes
A garment of praise for my heaviness
Beauty for ashes
Take this heart of stone and make it Yours, Yours

I delight myself in the Richest of Fair
Trading all that I've had for all that is better
A garment of praise for my heaviness
You are the greatest taste
You're the richest of fair

There were once two porcupines who lived in Alaska. Desiring to get warm, they drew close to each other. As they did, they needled one another. It hurt so much that they pulled apart. But when they did, they got cold again, so they drew close once more, and hurt each other as before. Their predicament -- they were either cold or hurting.

- Jo Ann Lemon, excerpted from the sidenotes in my Bible.

how true, how true in so very many ways. more thoughts later, but for now i should probably study or sleep as all good students should.