Author Bethel Grove
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Rethinking Carpe Deim

12/21/2014

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Those of you that may be checking out this blog and saw my last post might be thinking “What’s wrong with ‘seize the day’? Aren’t we supposed to enjoy life? Shouldn’t we take hold of every opportunity?" Well, I would answer both yes and no. I want to challenge the traditional view of this phrase from a Christian perspective, because I think it means more than we realize.

I heard the phrase “carpe deim” and “seize the day” a lot as a kid, and thinking that it sounded like a reasonable idea. After all, we shouldn't waste our lives wishing and hoping, but never doing. A lot of attention was brought to this phrase by the recent death of Robin Williams, because of his famous speech in the movie Dead Poets Society. Unfortunately, I believe both Williams and his character had the concept of "seize the day" from the wrong angle. 
According to this scene, the reason we should make our lives extraordinary is so that people will remember us after we die, because our memory will be all that’s left of us. We will be fertilizer and nothing more. That is the sad reality for those that do not have the hope of salvation. “Living it up” merely because life is all we have is too small a thing to live for. “Let up eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die” is a reality of too many people today.  Paul warns the Corinthians not to associate with people that live this way, because bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33). This would imply that this is not the life philosophy that a Christian should adapt either, because we have hope in life after death. Although our bodies do decompose, our souls are bound to spend eternity with Him. We know that the things we do in this life will have consequences, either good or bad, that will follow us into eternity, so we can’t just do whatever we want.

However, I do think there is a connection between “carpe deim” and “carpe aeternatatum.” Just because we should live our lives in light of what matters eternally does not mean that we should lose sight of the opportunities that this life will bring us. I think that there is a difference between living life the way you want and choosing to seize the opportunities life brings your way. The latter is the wiser way to live, especially for the Christian. We should be seeking every opportunity to bring glory to the Lord, and to serve everyone else. “Carpe deim” reminds us that our lives are short, and that's what makes the opportunities we have all the more important. It also reminds us that we have the ability to choose the way our lives go, and that we should be faithful stewards of the free will and talents He gave us.

I want to conclude by sharing a song that my sister sang in church when we were kids called “Seize the Day.” This song has much more biblical approach to the idea of seizing the day. For myself, I personally pray that I am faithful with the gifts He has given me, and that I will be able to make the best of my short time on this earth, so that my eternity will be all the better. That’s what it really means to seize the day.
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What's in A Name?

12/20/2014

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So, most of you are probably confused about the title to my blog. First of all, it's in Latin, which is a dead language, if that relieves those that thought you that were stressing about knowing what the word means. Second, you are probably more familar with the phrase "Carpe Deium." This phrase is translated as "seize the day." In other words, you are supposed to live in the moment to enjoy the moment, because you never know which one will be your last. While I do think that we should appreciate our time on this earth, that is not my life philosophy. 

Instead, I try to live by the phrase "Carpe Aeternatatum." What does it mean? It means "seize eternity." This phrase carries with it the concept of living life in ways that will have eternal significance.

I am a Christian, and I believe that most important things that we should do on this earth is love God with everything we are and love one another above ourselves. Only the things that fit under those categories will matter in the end. This is illustrated by one of my favorite quotes:

"Only one life, twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last."

I once heard someone give a continuation of this quote:

"You only get one pass at life. That's all. And the lasting measure of that life is Jesus Christ. What are you doing with the life he died to give you?"

In light of this, my posts here are meant to point people to that purpose. If people truly believed this idea, I think that it would completely change the way we would approach life and how we interact with everyone around us. How, you may ask? That is the kind of thing I hope to talk about here. Stay turned to find out more.
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    Lion's Eyes Reviews is a blog dedicated to reviews of Christian books, most of which are non-fiction, but may also occasionally review movies and musicals. It will also feature the work Bethel does to help launch and promote the works of Christian authors.

    The name is derived from one of Bethel's favorite books, Through the Eyes of a Lion by Levi Lusko. Through these reviews, Bethel hope to give Christians the tools they need to look at the world "through the eyes of a lion" so they can find the courage to "run toward the roar". 

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​Bethel Grove is a Christian author, book launcher, and a teen girl ministry advocate.  A graduate of Ozark Christian College, she is trained in biblical hermeneutics (how to interpret Scripture) and practical ministry. She has written seven self-published titles, published dozens of Christian book reviews, and been involved in over a dozen Christian book launches, both as a team member and a leader. She enjoys reading, writing, singing, and mentoring younger women. She hopes to someday be a vocational youth minister.
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  • Home
  • Bethel's Books
    • Redeeming the Beast
    • Beyond Your Wardrobe
    • Are You Ready to Be Baptized
    • Other Books
  • Lion's Eyes Reviews
    • Blog
    • Books in Review
    • Movies in Review
    • Broadway in Review
    • Quick Reviews
    • Rating Systems
    • Book Launching
  • Teen Girl Youth Ministry
    • TGYM Blog
    • Recommended Resources
  • Other Projects
    • Spoken Word
    • LOTR Fanfiction
    • Personal Blog Posts
  • Merchandise
  • Book Launch Services
  • Review Requests
  • About
    • Meet Bethel
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