Godsidences

Well, I woke up this morning to about 3-4 inches of snow! Isn't God amazing, I love it when I wake up to snow. Most people think I'm crazy, but I just love it! I keep thinking about how blessed I am, you know, I was talking to some friends last night about the requirements for the bridesmaid dresses all (but one) of us will be wearing (the other one will be in a wedding dress) and was a little bit worried about the ability that I would have to find one that would work. So, this morning I got online to see what I could find and don't you know I found the perfect one! And it was on sale! So I called the Bride, and told her, and informed her that we would have to go to Boise to pick it up, and once again God stepped in, she happened to be planning a trip to Boise this weekend, and I happen to be free this weekend (That's a first!) sooooo....it looks like I will be going to Boise this weekend. Now, I know that this does not seem profound to most of you, but in a way it is, because God is just that kind of a God, He is just so good that he cares about things fitting together!

A New Call For A New Year

Good morning everyone! What a beautiful day. God is so good and I am looking forward to all that he has for me in this coming year. I was praying the other day and asking Him what He had for 2010, and I really feel that as the decade changes God is getting ready to launch something new.

There is a call coming, a call to action. For far too long the Church has stood there in silence, maintaining its image and its dignity....it is time for a change. The Lord is calling His people to a new standard, He is dropping a new plumb line. Look around you, just look for it for one minute, and you will see. I believe that it will hit the youth first. The leaders of this new generation will begin to arise, I can see it coming.

I know that this sounds a little bit...different than what many of you are used to, but it is there. I am so excited! I can see God moving in my generation and I know that there is something big up His sleeve. Just as we see the evil of the world beginning to mature, the good of the world is also. The sons of God are beginning to know their place. You may ask the question "What is the answer to the womb of Islam?" Well I know the answer...It is the womb of Zion, the answer to the sons of Islam are the sons of God. I am not saying that we Christians have to have tons of children necessarily though I am not apposed to it, what I am saying is that one man, one son of God with his God behind him, one man in maturity will always be enough to answer what the enemy is doing.

What then does a Son of God look like, to put it simply, the perfect example is Jesus. We are not all Jesus, but we are called to be like Him. Paul with God behind (and in front of him) was enough to answer the Roman government, Peter with Jesus inside of him was enough to answer the call of the Jewish government....Elijah with God at his side was enough to answer the 800 prophets of Baal. We as Christians are called to mature as Sons of God, to mirror Christ. So I ask you, what does Christ look like fully manifested in you? If you were every bit of who God made you to be, what would you look like? What would you do? What would you say and think?

How do I get there? You may ask, well, for the complete answer to that question you must go to Jesus and ask Him who you are, but I will tell you what know. You come to maturity by simply reading the Word of God, and doing what it says. Listen to His voice, which you will know by reading the Bible. Read and Obey. That in itself will propel you to where you need to go.

That is what God has laid on my heart today....be encouraged, look up, and know the good things that God has in store for those who love Him...

Holiday Drama

Well, that was probably the longest and most dramatic 5 days I have had in a very long time. I guess I should just start from the beginning...I finished Christmas shopping Tuesday night, and got everything ready for the next week...nothing special. Wednesday morning I got to have coffee with my best friend Alisha where she and her husband announced that they are going to have a baby! (I actually knew the day before, but that is OK) I am so excited for them! They have been trying for a long time, and it seems that God has finally answered their prayers. Then I went home. It was a good day, filled with anticipation, for my other best friend was being induced and she was about to have her first baby. We waited all day to hear about it, I talked to them that morning but nothing had happened. About 10:30 we received news that the baby had died in the birth canal. She was only 3 lbs at full term, so there must have been something wrong...much of the rest of the night was spent in tears. Remarcably Stephanie, the mother spoke with me around 11:30, and said that she was at peace, and knew that precious Mikayle was with Jesus. She amazes me so often with her simple trust in God, and her ability to let Him do what He wants. Not many people could handle something like this the way she is. I was really struggeling for a while, it was so unexpected, so I prayed and asked God to show me how this was about Him. He reminded me of all of the children that died the year that he was born, because of His birth; He said that all of the children that die that way have a purpose and destany, no matter how long it took them to fulfill it, and that little Mikayle fulfilled hers.

Then it was Christmas Eve, and I was actually able to enjoy it, because of Gods faithfulness, we baked, and everything came out perfect. We watched movies, and played games, and enjoyed eachother. Some friends of ours came over that night and we had hourdurves for dinner. Through the middle of all of this we heard that my brothers fiances mother caught her husband with his girlfriend and they are getting a divorce, but not telling the younger son so that he will not have a bad Christmas. We then ended up in a deep conversation with their son, and all that he is going through (dramatic point number 3) which ended well...then of course, it was off to bed uncharistractly early.

Christmas morning was wonderful, up early and had an absolutely wonderful time. Everyone was blessed, and liked what they got, we were all smiling, and thankful. Mom made breakfast cassarole, which was delicious, and we spent the day being lazy and enjoying ourselves. That afternoon abut half of the family went over to some friends house, and the other half watched a movie. The day ended about 12:15.

Saturday was good, my brother came home late on Christmas, so we did not get so see him, so Sat was spent with him, and eating leftovers, and reading, and playing with all of the new toys. It was mostly uneventful.

Sunday was interesting...started pretty good, except that my sister could not go to church because of feeling ill. She is better now. The most dramatic event is that my family is all heading down to MO to visit my grandmother today. They started planning and packing yesterday, and discussing what they were doing, which turned into discussing the way my brother relates to his fiance and the family, which in turn became "what now? " which resulted in a wedding date! Thats right, my little brother is getting married Feb 20th! Thankfully it will be small. When that was finally over, we recieved news that one of my fathers friends from 10 years ago died. It was a bit of a shock, apparantly he collapsed in church, they say it was his heart. After that we prayed together, and then I left. What ever will I do with all my free time?

So, in the end it was a very eventful weekend, I hope you all had a great Holiday, and that you know how much the Lord loves you. Considering the events of the weekend, He must be the reason for the hope that lies within me, for it certanly does.

McCall

This weekend was so much fun! Every year all of my moms family goes up to McCall to celebrate Christmas the weekend before, so that you can do whatever you want on the actual Christmas. So, we all gathered at the camp, and started the festivities.
Friday: Started with picking up my cousin Grace on the way and singing Christmas Carols at the top of our lungs and trying to see through the fog. When we got there it was mostly just talking and enjoying each other and drinking hot chocolate, seeing that we did not get there until like 10:30 or so, but that is part of the fun anyway. We also had to figure out where we were staying, which meant trudging through around three feet of snow.
Saturday: Let the fun begin! We sleeped late, and went upstairs for a lazy breakfast and more talking, but we soon went back down stairs to get dressed and ready to go. First was sledding. There is a large hill right outside of the main kitchen and living area, which is perfect for sledding, it was a blast! Especially with the dog running around and trying to stay out of the way. After the sledding we went into town to go shopping at some antique stores, which was interesting, and then we all met up at the ice skating rink. Unfortunately I always get hurt....but I escaped uninjured this time! We had fun, did you know that you can see someones personality when they skate?
After that we went home, and they were just beginning to set up the gingerbread houses! I, with the help of Grace and Tony made a very beautiful house. The chimney looked real, and had smoke, there was a flower garden in the back and a couple of beautiful trees in the front. It was a bit of a colonial style with a green roof and pink and white sides...Christmas lights completed the look!
When we completed the Gingerbread Village, some of the cousins went sledding again, but my cousin Grace and I stayed inside and sang Christmas Carols while grandpa played the accordion. He was a little rusty, but that just made it more fun! I love it when he plays. About 11 all of the kids were sent out of the main room so that the adults could work on stockings, so we all went and watched a movie. After that it was off to bed...
Sunday: A rude awakening by my cousin Tyler who was very ready to open his stocking. Came upstairs and got coffee, opened my stocking, and breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn't as weird as it could have been.....and believe me, it has been! Then we watched other people open theres, and when everyone was Finally there, we all began the gift exchange. It was a lot of fun, I got Breakfast at Tiffanies, and a journol with Audrey Hepburn on it. Which was just about perfect for me. It is a big family, so that took a while, and when it was done there was a big breakfast, and then everyone got ready to leave. On the way back down the mountain we sang again, and had a really good time.
What a way to enjoy the last Christmas in McCall...

Blessings

I have to say that I am shocked at all of the wonderful things that God has done for me. I was really not sure what to expect this Christmas, we don't have a tone of money to spend on presents; it is my first Christmas away from home; there is a possibility of moving; there were just a lot of things that factored in. The one thing that I was not counting on, that perhaps I should have is that God is a God of love, and He likes to bless His people.
He has so abundantly blessed me this year. I told you about the train ride, which was fabulous, but I have not yet told you that I was also able to see a professional ballet of The Nutcracker, which is one of my favorite Christmas stories! Not only that, but He has blessed me with the ability to bless other people this year. I have been able to give donations, and buy presents and all sorts of things. I love doing that! He also blessed my by providing for my sister to come and visit me all week. All in all, this has been one of the best Christmases I have ever had, and it is only the 18th! We still have a trip up to McCall this weekend where we will go ice skating, build gingerbread houses, play in the snow and spend time with family. I just have to marvel at how amazing God is, and how faithful he is to provide the little things.
I am overwhelmed by His goodness and graciousness, and all that He has done for me. I really cannot express in words all that I feel right now. Everything I have is from Him, all that I am is because of Him, and all that I will ever do is for Him. Oh praise the everlasting God! For His mercy and loving kindness. His love endures forever!

Merry Christmas

My Weekend

Oh my! I'm sorry that I haven't written in a week, I guess time flies when you are having fun! Which is just what I did. I went to Boise last weekend to a womens' conference that my mother was speaking at, it was really good! She was talking about what women do when they do not find their identity in Christ. In general, they will go to three places, first...the man in their life, be it father, boyfriend, or husband. When they find that he is not God and messes up, they turn to their children. If only their child has strait A's, or is nicely dressed, then maybe they have done something right, and they find validation there. Inevitably, they will not measure up to the standard of perfection, and the womans validation often turns to her job. Sometimes that means a successful business woman, or sometimes they find their identity in being a home school mom. The problem is that with each one of these, there is something missing, you see, God created us to find our validity and identity in Him, and until we do that, we will not have peace.

Our next stop in Boise was with family, which is always fun. This year was really cool because my Aunt had a job as a Caroler on a train. It is one of the only passenger trains left in this part of the country, for there are very few left, and it takes groups of people on "adventure rides" if you will. This December it was taking people to the North Pole where they could see Santa, on the way there were carolers. Now, because our aunt worked on the train, we got in for a fraction of the price. It was a blast!!!! I had so much fun! We went up into the mountains, where it was snowing, by the way, and they sang any Christmas song that you wanted. We saw Santa, and had milk and cookies, and the train itself was just amazing. I will deffinatly do that again!

Whats Happening....

So, God is doing so much right now that it is hard to keep up with it all. First of all, a good friend of mine is engaged, which is awesome. The school that I go to is brand new, last year I effectively represented exactly 1/2 of the student body, and this year we are getting all kinds of interest online, and support from all over the world. We have 6 students this semester, and may have more next semester.
God is also showing me new things that He wants to do in my life, and with the people around me. I love having direct communication with the man in charge :). There are some other things that are going on as well, but I don't really want to plaster them online, so I will not put them here. Another fun thing that is going on is that my mom is doing a womens conference in Boise this weekend, and I just may get to go! Im really excited, because I really wanted to. I dont get to hear her teach (other people) very often, of corse I get to have her as a mother, so she teaches me all the time which is awesome, but I want to see what she says to other people.
Well, I have to go...have a great day!!!

New Beginnings

This week was my 20th birthday. I am excited, and a little bit scared. I know that this brings on a new phase in my life, and I cannot wait to see what God does. I know how much I changed in the last 10 years, and I cant help but think that I will change just as much in the next 10. It feels so weird to no longer be in the teens, but life most definitely goes on. I have a feeling that what God is going to do with me as an adult is a much bigger plan than what I originally thought.
My birthday was good, for all who are wondering, some friends surprised me with a cake, and dinner, and dancing which was a lot of fun! I got to go home, and my sister took me out to a movie, (not the best movie, but that is ok). I had cake and ice cream with my family, and we were able to just hang out. But I think the best part is was the morning of my birthday, I had sleeped in a little longer than I wanted, and had to get moving, but when I opened my eyes I heard God whisper "Happy Birthday." to me, and I just knew that it came with snow. When I actually got up there was no snow, but I didn't think too hard about it, but a few minutes later, little tiny flakes of snow came fluttering down, and by the time I was dressed, a soft blanket covered the ground. I was soooo excited! Not only for the snow, which I love, but for the simple assurance that I really do hear the voice of God, that He really is my friend, and that He really does love me.

This Time

What is it about this time of the year that I love so much? Could it be the chill in they air? The warm smells inside? Perhaps it is the cozy sweaters and looking out at the falling snow? It may be the memories of other birthdays, or the excitement of the Christmas season. Or is it the idea of spending time with family?....What if its just the thought of wassail and eggnog? I think the thing that I love the most about this time of year is that everyone, young and old, rich and poor, stops and remembers what Christ did for them. Even those who do not believe sing songs about it, and read stories about it. Though it is sad that they have no idea of the significance of what they are singing, the words are still being sung.
You could say that this is a time of hope, love, and giving, but I have more often observed that it is a time of worship and praise. The Christmas carols sing of the glory of God, the plays tell of changed lives, the gifts (should) tell of selfless love. It is a time when man puts aside their differences and comes to a realization (however brief) of who God really is. There is a story I remember about WWII...It was Christmas Eve in a red zone in Germany, and the Nazis and the Americans had been fighting all day, it was now night and they were both sitting in the trenches trying to keep warm when the Americans began to hear the soft tune of Silent Night carry over from the Germain side, they began to sing along. It being Christmas Eve and no one wanting to fight, the two sides got out of their trenches and met in the middle where they sang and ahem...drank together. The next day they were fighting again, but for a brief moment the terrible loss of life in that war ceased to celebrate King Jesus.
Some people hate the fact that we begin to celebrate Christmas a month before it actually comes, but what I say to them is that sometimes people need a month to sit down and remember what this whole thing is all about...

Thanksgiving

Well everyone, I had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I was particularly excited this year because it was my first year to be living on my own, so it was the first time that I had to travel home for Thanksgiving, which was actually kind of neat. Of course when I got home I was met with warm smells and hugs from family, which was a pretty good start to the long weekend.
Thanksgiving day was really nice, I got up to a big cup of coffee and some baked oatmeal which was delicious, and (tried) to watch the parade, I did end up seeing a little bit of it, which at this point is a blessing ;). We then helped in the kitchen a little bit, and decided to watch a movie. At about 2:30 we ate a wonderful meal, and I probably ate a little bit too much, but it wasn't bad.
Friday was the crazy day. As you can imagine, the house was not...clean, but thankfully it was not bad ether, because that morning we got a call from our Realtor saying that she had not gotten the memo that we canceled, and had already advertised an open house for 11:00 the next morning! So, as my parents took my grandmother to the airport, us kids cleaned, as quickly and as well as we could. The thing that really made it crazy was that we were all leaving on Saturday for a few days, so not only were we getting ready for an open house, but packing for a trip as well! We cleaned, and washed clothes, and took down Thanksgiving, and put up Christmas, and by midnight, we decided to buy cookies instead of make them, but all in all the house looked wonderful, and we all had a good time with lots to be thankful for.
By the way, the open house went quite well :)

Thanks

I just want to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving, and encourage you to remember what this whole thing is all about...

3rd Commandment?

I was listening to a tape that my dad gave me last night, and the man preaching said some things that really made me think. The first was, "the greater the manifestation of glory in your life, the greater the consequence of sin." How true this is! When you know God, when you have seen Him in your life, all of a sudden every decision you make has a greater role in your life. Perhaps that is why Christians can get away with a lot less than other people.
People know that God is good, they argue it and live by it. They even get mad at Him when something bad happens saying "Aren't You supposed to be good?" So, as a witness to Him, we must reflect his character. You can see a new Christian still struggling with sin, and be OK with it because "they are new" but the story changes when they have been Christian for years and cannot keep their mouth clean. Jesus was an overcomer, He overcame sin, and as His followers, He expects us to overcome.
It is this principle that He is talking about in the 3rd commandment, "Do not take the name of the Lord in vain." What are we doing when we become Christ-ians but taking the name of the Lord? When we do so, we must begin to change. Here is the fact, God may love you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you there. God loves you, but He hates your sin. He wants you to be Holy as He is Holy, He wants you to be like Him. The Bible is the story of God exhorting His people to be like Him, that is the problem here, the whole fight of good against evil is about weather or not we are willing to become like Him, to share in His nature, to love what He loves, hate what he hates, and do whatever possible to bring peace and righteousness and justice to the Earth.
Here is the kicker, through Him, holiness is possible. It is not something out there to strive for and never have, He is not a God of unatainable promises, but it is tangable, a real goal. Now, we cannot get there on our own, but the beauty of it is that Through a relationship with Him, that is what we become.
Well, I could keep going, but I think that I will move on now....

The Holidays

Well it is that time of year again where everyone is getting ready to spend time with family. I love this time of year. My grandmother is coming up to visit for Thanksgiving, and I am "thankful" that she can come.
I am always sad that the people of this country have forgotten about "Thanks"giving. It is like as soon as Halloween is over it is time for Christmas, time for spending all of our money and wishing for what we want. Dont get me wrong, I love Christmas, but I think that Thanksgiving is one of the most important Holidays that we celebrate. When we realize that we are blessed with what we already have, then we have the ability to enjoy Christmas without being all up tight about what we do or dont get.
When I was growing up, my mother taught us all to be thankful, whenever we were in a bad mood, or wanted more than we could handle, she would say "Lets play the thankful game!" Which meant that we all had to go around in a circle and say what we were thankful for, and we would play that until our hearts had changed. I will always thank her for this, because it has taught me how to be blessed with what I have. So many people have lost that.
One more thing is that Thanksgiving has always re-reminded me that "it is not about me" in the least! It never has been, and never will be, it is about Christ, and Christ alone. His relationship with us is just a blessing, because He is good.
So, as you celebrate Thanksgiving with loved ones (yes, they are those whom you love) remember to be thankful for what you have, and know that you have been given the privilege to know Christ, which is the biggest blessing of all.

God is Good

I was talking to a friend today, and discovered that she works with someone that I used to go to school with. I enquired about him and found out that not only is he alive and well (which I honestly didnt know) but he is now more than ever open to Christ.
What you have to understand is that when I went to school with him, he scared me more than anyone I then knew. He was into a lot of "things" that I didnt like, and although he was nice, I really did not want to talk to him at all. All this time I knew that he needed Jesus, and that I had Jesus, but I was just too scared to talk to him, and by the time that I had the courage to do so, he was gone.
But God, is good. After he finished school, he began working with a friend of mine, and she was willing to talk to him about Jesus, and did so every day. He no longer works with her, but they still keep in contact, and through her I was able to contact him as well. I have since discovered that he is very open to Christ and the gospel, and that he knows he is in sin and wants forgiveness, he wants to change. I am so glad that God sees on the inside, and not on the outside, because so often it is the people who you least expect who are the first to change. But here is the kicker...not only is this man closer than ever to having a life altering experience with the Most High King, that same King was willing to let me in on it, and see him change.
God does not look at our mistakes, He is not afraid of them, and not only does He forgive them, but He redeems them, and changes their outcome. The Bible says that "God causes all things to be for good, for those who love Him." I am just so blessed that God has allowed me to see the change in someone who I knew. It makes me realize that even if you dont see the results of whitnessing to someone, you should do it anyway, and that you never know where people are. I am reminded of a story which I will now share...
There was a man in the 1800s who felt that God was telling him to rent the town squair, and hold revival meetings every night. Although he did not believe that anything would come of it, he went to the Mayor, and got permission to use the building. No one believed that anything would happen, but he knew that it was more important to obey God. So, he got up that Monday morning and went to the Town Squair, (where no one was gathered) and preached his heart out. The next day he went again and the same thing happened. The entire week went by and he preached every day, though no one came, and when it was over, he went his way. But there was one thing that he did not know, there was a homeless man who lived under the building, who would listen every day, and on the last day gave his heart to Jesus, and that man became one of the greates revival preachers in American history, his name was John Wesely.
So I say again, God is good.

Thoughts

Well, I have absolutely no idea what is next. :) I have all of these different options looming in front of me, and no idea which one I (or God) will choose. For now I am just sitting here, and doing what is at my hand to do until change is closer, but it is still fun to think about all of the options.
One, I could move to Boise, and go to BSU, and get a job, and see where that takes me.
Two, I could move to Dallas, and get a job and go to school, and be somewhere I have never been before.
Three, I could go with a missionary friend to New Zeland, and have a blast!
Four, I could get on the Mercy Ship and head off to Figi.
Five, I could move to Italy with my cousin and live there for a while,
Six, I could just pick a college, and a Major, and head off to wherever that is.
I know that most of this sounds crazy, or out there, but hey, as we discussed earlier, "you only live once." Maybe I should just take a trip to Europe..I really don't know. Like I said before, for now I am here, and I have quite a bit to deal with....as in I have every weekend booked until January, and it is beginning to fill up. Plus, my brother, and a good friend of mine are going to be getting married soon, so there is more to plan for.

Boise Again

Well, here I am in Boise again, but I really dont mind. I came over last night to help my aunt with her "easy fluff" homework, and as a reward we are going to the Macys outlet to get in some much needed shopping. And, judging by the sound from the other room, the homework is just about done. It is funny how bribary works sometimes. But in actuality, I really dont mind, I like Boise, and I like my family. I also got to have some home made Scotch Scones (as in Scotland) so anyway. I should probably get going, Macys awaits!

P. S. Sorry about the spelling here, but I am typing fast, and dont have time to go back and fit is ;)

Brother

My brother is engaged!!!!!! I am in a bit of a daze, it is just crazy to think that my little brother has found himself a partner in life, and that he did the whole "one knee" thing. I really wish that I had been there, I so wanted to be. But, I know that it will be just as exciting for me when I go home next.
It is an amazing thing when this kind of thing happens, you really begin to think about and question your view of life and love, and the world in general. I am so excited and happy for Sam, I almost cried, but now more than ever I am determined to pray that this kind of love will grow into something so deep and profound that the only thing greater than their love for each other will be their love for Jesus. I don't know what is going to happen in the next few weeks/months of their engagement, but I know that God really does have something special up His sleeve for them.
I am hoping that they wait until October until they get married, but we will have to see. There is also a possibility that Sam may move to Boise to try and find work and an apartment before they get married. He bought himself a car this week as well as the ring...without going into debt by the way. I am so proud of him! How much fun would it be if they lived in Boise! Anyway, I guess I will leave this subject alone for now. Have a wonderful weekend to all who may read my blog.

Veterans Day

Because of the recent shootings in Ft. Hood I have Veterans day off this year. I have to say, as much of a blessing it is to be able to get some stuff done at home, I would rather have to work that day and have 13 more people alive and well.

Passionate God

I do not understand how anyone could ever read the Bible and say that God is not a God of passion. If you just read what it actually says, you will see that God has only ever wanted one thing, and that is to have fellowship with His children. The entire point of the Bible is to show how good and just and loving and passionate God is. Every story is about how He came through for His people. Why must we always try and find something negative about Him? The truth is, He is the only one who is in fact innocent.

Random

I kind of want a parrot...or a parakeet...that would be so much fun, plus, I get up early to work anyway, so it is not like they would wake me up all the time .

I have been working on my story a little bit, but I am stuck, and cant seem to get into the flow of things. I'm sure that I will eventually, but still....

I started research on my research paper last night, and it was really interesting! I think that I am really going to enjoy this paper.

I miss my dog.......

I started selling Mary Kay last week, even though I have not sold anything yet, I am getting ready to do a party, not quite sure where yet, but I think it will be fun, I am excited

Why do people celebrate Christmas so early? It is like Thanksgiving is an oversight and an excuse to do something before the "big one"! And then, because they have been listening to Christmas Carols since Nov 1, by Dec 20, they are sick of them and ready to move on, but of course, they cant for another week.

I want to take a Ballroom Dance class again! I miss it so much! Talk about a way to make exercising fun, it was a blast, and you really had to work at it too. Actually, dance is one of the hardest sports to do, and one of the best for you, because it is all about natural and graceful movement, you have to be strong, and graceful at the same time, unlike say basketball, or running when you can make whatever face that you want and no one cares. When we move to Dallas, I am so looking for a Ballroom dance class...

I am really hoping that my brother and his (soon to be) fiance wait to get married until next October (which is what she would prefer) so that we have time to plan the wedding, and make it a really nice and fun time.

I think I have decided to talk to someone about physical therapy for my shoulder, I am sick of it always giving me trouble, and would like to just be able to use it. Just one session, and then I will know at least a little bit of what I should do to help it.

Today is one month until my 20th birthday

Ok, I think that is enough for now.....

Fun Times

Well for some unknown reason, I am in a really good mood today....it may have something to do with the time change, or the start of a new month, or that I had a wonderful weekend with my family.... Im thinking it is the middle one.. (jk) :)
My cousin Peter has decided to go with a friend of his and move to Hawaii and then to the Maldive Islands... This is a big step, since all that he has is a backpack and what is in it, and we are all proud of him. We had a going away party for him last night, and had a blast! I love chaos every once in a while :) Lots of good food and interesting people........even if they are family.


Should I move to Italy with my (other) cousin?

Persevere

You know that place where everything is moving around you, but you have to stay still, that place where you are working hard, but nothing seems to be happening, where you know what you need to do is very different than what you want to do, well, that's been my week. There comes a time when all that you want to do is scream, or run, or do something different, but the test of character is weather or not you will.
I know in my head that in order to get what I want, I have to stay here, and wait it out, and do what God has asked me to do, even though it is really hard. It is like going to the gym, you know that if you are really going to be healthy, and happy that you consistently have to go and work out, but after the first few months, the results don't seem to be there. The only way to get what you want is to keep going, and get through, this realizing that eventually you will feel better, and perhaps wear the clothing size you want and be able to do the things you want. I know taht if I am going to be able to do all of the things that God has for me to do, then I have to stay here and do what He has asdked, even though it feels like I am out of place, and have no idea what I am doing.
We often get inspired, and think to ourselves "I can do this, it really wont be that hard" but very soon after, we realize that it IS that hard, and we have to keep going, but the amazing thing about it is that when you are finally done, you feel as though you have accomplished something. One of my favorite things about humans in general is that when they have to they Will persevere and accomplish something, but more often than not, those who dont know how, who have no self disipline, cannot, will not, and do not get through. Basically what I am saying is that if you will persevere now, when the time comes, you will be able to prove yourself strong in the face of advacary.
My thoughts have kind of run away with me, and the last paragraph is off of the main subject, bur really, I just hope that this will make you think, and realize that the when it is hard, the only way to go is up.

Christ Manifest

I was thinking the other day about what Christ would look like if He were manifested in me. We talk a lot about being "one in Christ" and we also talk about being "myself" or "individual" these ideas seem to be opposite, but, I believe that they are very similar. The fact is that we are all one in Christ, and He made each of us individual. The reason that we have such a hard time with this concept is that we are ether so focused on becoming one in Christ that we never have an individual relationship with Him, or we are so focused on becoming "our best self" outside of the body that we become secluded. The reality is that as we mature in our individual relationships with Him that we aught to be building Christ centered relationships with the people around us.
Here in lies the next problem, Christ manifest in us as individuals and in our relationships does not look like our idea of the "best us" or of perfection in everything that we do. But rather it is getting to know Christ, and obeying His commandments, and letting Him change us. I will tell you that Christ manifested in me looks like a strong wise entrepreneur, who is not afraid to challenge things, nor to serve those around her. She speaks only kindness, and even when she rebukes things, she does it so sweetly that they do not even know that they were rebuked but rather feel blessed. This however is not what Christ looks like manifested in my brother. That looks much more like someone who speaks blunt truth, and stands up for justice every time he sees any wrong doing, it looks like someone who is content to stay where he is and get done what needs to be done, whereas my younger sister looks like someone who will encourage and bless those around her, and then make sure that everything is done rite.
People are different, callings are different, but we all have the same goal, we have something to work for, and that is the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, that is that the glory of God be shown in the earth, and that every ear that will hear will know the name of Jesus as Lord. Being one in Christ is letting Him teach you how to best reach that goal. Now I will just add here as a side note that the best way to get to know Jesus is by reading the Bible, it is His story, after all. The last thing that I am going to say is that His arms are always open, and ready to teach you, and to love you and to forgive you. For there is no one better, or kinder, or more loving than Jesus Christ.

Rock of Offince

Ok, I am much better today. I was upset yesterday, (as you know) and decided that the only thing to do was to pray, and that is just what I did. There is something about just re-directing your attention on Jesus that makes the whole world seem more at peace. I realized that something as irregular as being cut off in mid sentience three times in two days, was more than just a coincidence, and that perhaps God was trying to do something im me. I think that he is teaching me yet again to let go of things, of expectations, and not take offince with people. This lesson is sssooo important!
When we are easily offinded it can very quickly take us out of the game. Jesus warned us time and again not to take things personally. "For it is not you that they reject but me." John 15:18. We cannot allow the little things that happen in life take our eyes off of Him. He is the point, he is the reason that this whole world exists, I tell you people that the spiritual relm is more real and more relivent than anything that we have here. Visions are not just a figmant of the imagination, and we are in a war.
Sometimes the simplest things are the most important, things like living honestly in everything that you do, including restraining form white lies, and not taking offince at little things. And sometimes the things that we are asked to do by our King do not make since, but think of it this way, when you are in battle, when you are fighting, or dealing with something important, then all of a sudden all of the little things that you practiced until they were second nature, are the things that are keeping you alive. I did fencing for a while (as in organized sword fighting) and I can tell you that having good form was a pain to practice every day, and the teacher did not let it slip, but when you step on to the strip with an opponant in front of you, the only thing that can get you a point without being touched yourself is form, if you let it down for one minute, you could loose.
So, in the end I exhort you to not take lightly the little things that God is asking you to do, but really take Him at His word, this I believe is one of the definitions of the Fear of the Lord, and as we know from the Psalms, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." And that my friends, is a good way to win your battles.

Rude

I happen to think that it is very rude to cut off someone in the middle of a conversation, and just simply not listen or respond anymore. That has happened to me at least three times this week, and it is Tuesday! And, they were all entirely different situations, so it is not something that I am saying that is "causing" these actions. The first time, in fact someone asked me a question about what I thought on something, and as I was explaining it to them, they just stopped listening and reading something, and would not respond to anything that I said.
I dont understand how people can think that it is ok, I understand that people can be rude without realizing it, like calling after 10:30, or something like that, or interrupting, but just cutting a conversation off in the middle, how can you not realize that! What has the world come to?
OK, I will be done ranting now, and I will try not to rant on here again, I know that is not what you want to hear. Ill come back later when I am in a better mood.

Reading

I love books! I love reading, I love that you can sit down and get to know someone that does not even exist. I have a long list of books that I want to read, and I was just thinking about the fact that so many people miss out on the wonderful experience that I love so much.
People love stories, we watch movies, we play adventure video games, we listen to people talk, and we try to tell stories with music, but it seems that these days reading (and writing by the way) has become a lost art. You read authors like Jane Austin, and Homer, and Dickens, and you realize that they put months of learning and years of experiences into their writings. I am not saying that modern novels are necessarily "bad" but that they somehow lack much of the plot and "epicness" of the classics. Because of things like movies, and tv, we have lost all patience, and do not have nearly the ability to write or read that we used to. Les Miserable is an astounding story, and it is over 1000 pages....how many people do you know that would actually sit down and read that?
I will admit however, that I have a hard time reading anything by Charles Dickens. I enjoy the movies, and try to read the books, because they have so much more meaning, but the man is rather long winded, so I do understand why (some) older novels are put on the shelf.
The point that I am making is that because we dont have the patience to sit and read, and learn, we end up with stupid books that really dont have much of a plot, or good characters, and we accept that every story is the same, and just as predictable as the last. Why do you think that the movie industry all of a sudden started making old books into movies? (Lord of the Rings). Come on people! We can do better than this, if we will just take the time to do it.

Changes

Things are deffinatly begining to change around here. It is kind of funny, I have known that something was going to happen, though I had no idea what, so yesterday I was journoling, and I felt that God was telling me that "lessons begin today" but I decided to leave it at that. Well, little did I know at the time! When I got home from work, there was a letter from a friend of mine who is of similar, but a different religious background than I am, who wanted my opinion of some Biblical concepts and was open to listen to what I had to say. Then I had a good friend call me in tears, just needing some ministry, so I headed over to her house to incourage her. When I got there she got a call from someone in her youth group (she was the youth leader) who was in a bad situation and needed help, so we jumped in the car and went.
We ended up taking here home, and then going back to my friends house and enjoying our night, but I know that something has shifted, and that things are begining to happen...

Quick Trip

I am in Boise right now visiting with my extended family, and so far it has been a lot of fun! I got to hang out in downtown with my cousin Grace, and see sights like...a woman (secretly) spiking her coffee, a man smoking a pipe, and two very inconspicuous police men sitting on a bench one second, and then gone the next!

I really enjoy Boise, and am actually excited at the idea that we may be able to spend more time here in the future when my parents move here. It is very different then Kuna which is where most of my family lives, actually, I happen to enjoy Kuna just as much, but it is for entirely different reasons...Im sure you can understand ;). Well, my aunt is trying to sleep in this room, so I will kindly leave her alone. Thanks all!!

Where is Hope?

I was thinking this week about how many people are all worked up about the government, and the President, and what is going on in the world today, and it makes me sad. Though I agree that much of what is going on is not good, and needs to be addressed, I think many Christians are giving it way too much credence.
Here is the thing, God is SO much bigger than this!!! If we as Christians would take our eyes off of the World and what it is doing, and focus on Jesus and what He is doing, then we would be able to "give a reason for the hope that lies within us" I have heard it said that God has something up His sleeve; His arm! How true this is, God is at work, there is a major shift getting to ready to take place in Idaho, and in America, and in the world. We need to step out of this place of despair and into a place of peace, and joy, and hope. Faith rides on hope, Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is the evidence of things hoped for". We hope because we know that God is, and that because of that, there is a higher wisdom, and a greater good that we live for.
We are part of this story, part of this plan, God loves us enough to allow us to do his work. We have a cause, though many people, many Christians do not understand, there is a reason, we have purpose and destiny.
So the question is, whose government are you focused on? Whose cause are you fighting for? Whose power do you submit to? Where do you place your hope? "I lift my eyes up to the hills, from whence my help comes, my help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth."

The Weekend

My weekend was wonderful, how about yours? First of all, I got to go home, which is always fun. I love seeing my family, and we have a good time together. When I got there I went strait to the church building because we were in the middle of celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. The meetings had been going since last Monday, so I missed the bulk, but what I did see was fantastic! The worship was sweet, and the word was powerful; my sisters did a dance, and that was fun to see.
Saturday was meetings in the morning, and evening with a break for a catered meal at 2. It was delicious! We had barbecue chicken, and dill mashed potatoes, and cornbread, very good. Saturday morning was interesting, we had guests over, we had been up until 2 the night before, breakfast was in the oven, and the house was a dirty as it has been since getting it put on the market. Needless to say, there was a lot going on, and of course, we get a call wondering if some people can come and look at it in half an hour! It was crazy! Our guests graciously left, and we all went to work running around trying to get things clean. We miraculously made it with 5 min. to spare. That was fun!
Sunday, we got up at 5:30, and headed to Boise so that my dad could preach at his friends church that morning. It was a fun service, I always like listening to him preach, and then we went over to the Pastors house (with 20 other people whom his wife was not expecting, but such is the way of pastors) and had lunch. It was a wonderful lunch, and we had good fellowship with people. Then it was back to church for another meeting.
When that was done, we went over to my aunts house to stay the night before I had to get up and go to work 2 hours away, this is where it got interesting. I decided that it was not a good idea for me to go to sleep at 2 and up at 5 and then try to drive for two hours, so I called my boss and let him know that I would be a little bit late; little did I know then that I would be about 5 hours late! I was waiting to see my cousin around 8 who decided not to show up until 9, then I was waiting on people so that I could get all of my things together and get down the road, they decided not to hurry, and about 10 I was finally ready to go...then I realized that my dad had my purse in his car which was at least 30 min away. So, I hopped in my car (with a cousin so that we could visit) and drove over to where he was to get it, and then all they way back to my aunts house to take my cousin home, and at 11:30 I finally left Boise. Luckily, and very thankfully, I have a very laid back boss, and he was fine with the situation. But I think I can safely say that I will from now on, not let that happen! :)

What now?

I have been writing a book, and yesterday it took a turn that I did not expect, and now I have a whole bunch of people in my story that I am not sure what to do with! You other writers will understand, sometimes stories just take on a mind of their own (as do characters)...... I am sure that I will figure it out soon though. Of course there are endless possibilities, but I am having trouble deciding which one...
The other thing that is going on in life (other than the usual work and school) is that my church is celebrating The Feast of Tabernacles, and I am really wanting to go home and celebrate it with them. However, I am encouraged, God is good and I know that things are in His hands.
OK, I'm done... :)

New Things

Well, my brother has a girlfriend for the first time. This is very interesting....I really like her thought I dont know her very well. This is the first time any of us have been in a serious relationship, and no one really knows what to do.
The other big change is that my family is moving to Dallas Texas (maybe a detour to Boise for a few years). That is a huge change, I have lived in Idaho my whole life, what a time for by brother to pick to be serious about a girl! Oh well, these things happen, and I hope and pray that all works out for the best. Well, that is all that I have time for today :).
BTW, there was frost all over my car this morning!!!!!! I guess fall is really finally here....

God

I have been thinking this morning, and the more I think about it the more the reality hits me that Jesus Christ really is the only option to be the center of everything. I
have a blog where I talk about being a Lady, and I have realized that it is almost impossible to really understand the role of a lady apart form the love of Christ, because being a lady is about seeing other people as more important than yourself, but the only real way to do that is if you are secure in the Love of Jesus. We have to be rooted and grounded in love or else all that we do will come to nothing. You have heard the fruits of the Spirit, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control, notice that the first is love? All of the others cannot cannot grow unless they are rooted in love.
This is the whole point! Jesus is the point, His love, His sacrifice, His victory, Him and Him alone. There is a reason that He is worthy to open the scroll, and that is because it is all about Him. The epitome of the universe, He is everything. Without Jesus everything falls apart, the point of history is the Cross, and the climax of history will be His wedding to the Church. There is nothing outside of him (eg of history, B.C. and A. D. ?) There is nothing outside of it, except destruction and death. We were dying in our sins, and He saved us! I am just kind of worked up about it, but the fact is that Christ is my life, and there is no other way to live!
If you want adventure, wisdome, love, hope, extrordinary, peace, fulfillment, joy, blessing, anything good or noble of righteous, this is where those things were created, and I promise you that these are the origionals, not the cheap knockoffs of the world today. "Come to the well and drink" "I will give you living water" "Victory is mine, says the Lord" "The Lord will fight for you." Those statements are not empty, but they are life, life offored to us in Him, in His word, go to a church and grab a Bible and buckle in for the most extrordinary, beautiful historical book ever writen, for its author has no beginning or end, but is the sovreign Lord of the universe.

Times of Change

Yesterday was the first day of fall. I love the fall, it is full of apple cider, warm colors, memories and pumpkins. When I think of fall, inevitably good memories of home come to my mind, Thanksgiving, picking peaches off of the tree outside, racking leaves with my little sister and then jumping in them, reading a good book outside with a big blanket. But this year is different, though all of those things came to my mind, we have officially put our house (of the past 12 years) up for sale. It is the beginning of a new and exciting adventure, but at the same time it is kind of sad. I don't know what this fall is going to look like, where we will live, or what exactly I am doing.
My family is moving to Dallas, though I am planning on going with them, I am not sure that I will move at the same time, seeing that I have responsibilities here. I don't know what fall and winter look like in Texas, so it is hard for me to imagine the next phase of my life there. I know, and must stand on the knowledge that God has good things for me there, and that this next season will be good.
But for now, I am going to enjoy the changing of the season around me, and look back on fond memories knowing that I will simply make new ones this year. I will look forward as well as back, and I will remember the Lords faithfulness to me. In these "days of awe" before The Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles, before the Lords time of harvest and fresh starts, I will rejoice in the wonderful years that He gave me here in my home, and with the people and places that I know and love.

To Live

Wow, I am sorry for my neglect of this blog, but I have actually been quite busy :) How is everyone? Well, we are putting our house on the market today, and let me tell you it has been quite and adventure, and a lot of hard work, but the house looks great! Mix that in with having a full time job and school, and life can be crazy.
My best friend is coming for a visit of two weeks, and she gets in this afternoon, but I don't think that I will be able to see her for a few days because her family also lives here, and they will claim her today and tomorrow, and I have class on Thurs, but it will (should) be over by 7, so we will see what happens. I am very excited to see her, she lives on the exact opposite side of the country.
You know, I have no idea what is going to happen in the next couple of months, and if I have learned anything by living on my own it is that a LOT can happen in a small amount of time, and I find myself very excited about it, (which is interesting because yesterday I was not at all)
God is just so good, and really, whatever happens, it will be an opportunity to give Him glory, which is what we live for. Christ is my life. In the Bible Paul says "To die is gain, but to live is Christ" How true that is, I am not afraid to die, for to die would be gain, but neither am I afraid to live, for to live is Christ, it is to be his light, and do his work. In the words of Peter Pan, "to live would be an awfully big adventure."

Discovery

I discovered that not only does Target have amazing shoes, it also has a good grocery selection, and promotes fair trade companies, helping to end World Slavery :) .

Family Reunion

Well I have not written in a while, but I have been really busy. :) This weekend we all went up to Kamiah (pronounced kam-e-I) for a family reunion. My Great Grandpa Lee had some land up there and when he died he left it to his children, so, that is where we all meet. Now, you have to understand that I have a rather large family (as in numbers and not weight;) ) so there were a lot of people there. Further you must understand, that we have as many characters in our family as anyone, and that usually they are all hicks...thus live in Kamiah.
We had a blast! We went into town all day Saturday and shopped and ate and enjoyed ourselves, before all going to the High School race tracks, and we all had races according to age. The "Fabulous Six" which was my grandmother and all of her siblings, had a really interesting race, and only one person fell down :). Then on Sunday we started with Church, and then we had a barbique. After that a bunch of people went to the grave site of my great grandparents, and then around 4 we had a talent show. That was interesting! Finally around 7 we had a wonderful firework show, that was as good as any city wide one. My uncles love fire works. Monday sadly we all headed home, but not before we stopped in Lewiston and had an interesting Church service with some of my dads crazy friends, but it was all such fun, and I will remember it for a long time.
P.S. I found out that my great great grandmothers name was Zinobia May Waller :)

Voulinteer Work

I volunteered at the fair last night, it was fun...three hours of sitting by myself hearing concerts, that I could not see and smelling fair food that I could not eat...Awesome! (no sarcasm of coarse) But, I really did have fun. I got to talk to a few people about the station, and another church here in Twin had a coffee booth set up next to mine, so I was able to get coffee...which was really nice around 9.
After I closed up the booth, I was able to walk around a little bit which was fun. I am planning on going back tonight, but this time to play. My sister will be visiting tonight so we wanted to go, so last night I was able to see where everything was, and how many tickets the rides cost. I will know what to do now :) . There are still a few things that I have to work out, but I am excited.
You know what, I am just having a really good day, God is so good... ;D

First Day

Yesterday was my first day of school, and today is the anniversary of the day that I moved here. I cannot believe that I have been here for a year already. It seems just a little while ago that I met and moved in with Shirley, and yet so much has happened! I am a very different person than I was when I moved here. God is so good and faithful not to leave us where we are!
Unfortunately I cannot celebrate exactly, I have a lot of things that I need to do and not a whole lot of time to get them done this week. Things like school starting and volunteering at the fair. Fun things, but still a lot of them. I do however plan on buying myself some flowers when I go to the store tonight.
Ok, school. The first day of class was really good. I am taking Chemistry and Ethics, but due to miss communication, the Professor was not ready to start the Chemistry class, so we began with Ethics. It was really fun, and I think that it is going to be a good class. Our lecture/discussion was on Ethics (duh) as it relates to psychology and physics. Go day one! We can either write one large reasearch paper, or several smaller ones, I may opt for the second one, but we will see. There are three of us in the class, which I think if nothing else will make it a very interesting year.

School

School officially starts tomorrow! I am really excited, which is good, because I almost wasn't. There was a misunderstanding a few weeks ago, and I thought that I had an extra week, however that has been fixed, and I am now happy to be starting back up tomorrow.
I am taking Chemistry and Ethics this semester, which is going to be interesting. I am glad that I am only taking two classes, because working full time sure has an affect on my free time. I am excited to learn, and I am not sure what class I am more excited about. I cant wait to start ethics, I have been waiting since last summer to do that one, but I also did not have good science classes in school; I love science, and I am finally going to get to learn some :) .
I am soooooo busy all of a sudden, and I am not sure how much I like it, but you know, I think that once I get into a routine, I will really enjoy it.

Why Worry?

Why is it that Christians these days are so worried about the government, and the state of the world rite now? I understand being concerned, in fact We are here in order to help those whom we are concerned about, but we are supposed to do that by bringing them Hope in the Good news. I have seen more Christians these days fretting and working tirelessly to stop all that is going on, which to an extend is good, but it has gone too far.

As Christians, we know the truth, we know that God is in fact, in control, and that He is seeing his plan out. The Bible tells us to dwell on good things, to bring hope, to keep our eyes on Jesus, and yet, so many of us are so worried about all that is going on, and trying to stop it (in our own power) that we have lost sight of why we are here. In my opinion, yes the world needs help, and we must help them, but the only way to do that is by giving it all to God. All our worry and doubt, fear, fretting, refusing to take Sabbath (which is in fact medically beneficial) in order to do what God only can do. Psalm 37 says "Do not fret, it only causes harm, for yet a little while the wicked will be on the earth, and then they will be no more." Can we not heed this advice, this command?

It seems that we have forgotten the victory in which we are supposed to walk. We know the truth, and the truth is true and even if someone has an argument, we are correct, and need not be ashamed of that fact, and the truth is, God is so big that what He says will come to pass, and He has given Jesus the victory, the power, and the glory... Really, in thinking about how big God actually is, though I cannot fathom, one thing I can say to give you an idea is that the Bible says "He holds the stars." One star is 3 trillion miles from the other when they are close together, that is in our galaxy, the Bible is talking about a Universe.

The fact of the matter is that there is good news, a kind and loving, merciful and just God is the sole creator, and He will have his way, not only this but He has made a way and allowed us to enter into this glorious victory and abundant life in His son Jesus, who really did do what needed to be done, and really does invite you to join him in his inheritance. Because of this good news, we know that though we must do what we can to better our government, our nation, and our world, we need never be worried nor afraid, for as it says in Exodus 14:14 "He will fight for you, you need only to be still."

Step 1

I have to say that I am truly amazed by what God is doing in my life rite now. Though I am not involved heavily in ministry, or volunteer work, He has found many little ways in which to use me.
It is amazing that just a little word here and a little act of kindness there can turn a situation completely around.

Last night I was doing some heavy praying and writing down what God said to me, and I was challenged to really begin to know Him in a deeper way. I went through my movies and got rid of the ones that I did not think that He would like, and spent the rest of the night in the Word. This morning when I got up, I fully intended to do something profound this week, so I settled down in my chair to see what He would say. To my surprise, He told me just to be conscience of Him throughout the day. That is the first step.

Though I have no idea what He will bring tomorrow, for today I am going to stay focused on Him, and what he is doing, and follow His lead.

Espresso Machine

I have decided that I need to buy myself an espresso machine. Just a small one with one portifilter, and one steam wand, but an espresso machine nun the less. Because, every morning I feel as though I would enjoy a cappuccino, but I don't have a way to get one, so I drink coffee. This is usually fine except for the fact the in order to get the equivalent amount of caffeine, I have to drink an actual cup of coffee which I can never seem to get through in the allotted time. Thus, every morning I leave a half full cup of coffee on the counter, when a cappuccino is half the size and what I wanted any way.

Not only would an espresso machine be beneficial to my morning routine, but I enjoy lattes and espresso and cappuccinos so much that I would in fact save myself a lot of money by just doing it myself, and seeing as I know how to do it (better than most) I think this is a rather clever scheme that I have come up with. Here though, lies the dilemma. I must now decide what quality of machine I should buy. I am not going to get the 30$ one because it is made of plastic, and I dont think that I need the 150$ Kitichen Aid model ether. I could then opt for the 6o$ machine, but I am not really sure if that is the one that I need. Should I get the one that is at Walmart, or find one of better quality? Do I get one now, or wait until I can buy a better one?

I have to say that I will most likely wait a few more weeks and then buy the 60$ modle, but there is still room to change my mind. I guess we will just have to wait and see...I will inform you when I finally do buy it.

Prayer

Lots to pray about...unsure of a few things, but blessed and excited to see what God does.

Pray with me?

Accomplished?

I was thinking the other day about what the standards used to be for a woman to be considered "accomplished". She had to be able to play an instrument, sing, dance, draw, speak another language, sew, know how to be a hostess, and all of the rules of civility, she had to have a certain way of speaking and general knowledge of the news of the world.

What has happened to our standards?! I have decided that I want to become "accomplished". However, in today's world there is much more that must be achieved in order to do this. We must now have a general knowledge of math and science, we must know about the work place and how do e professional, we must know computers and how to cook. (surprisingly, many women did not know how to cook, but that is due to the fact that it was then in fashion to have servants do that) We must also know generally about our cars, and instead of how to sip tea, we need to know how to get all of our stuff from the car to the office with grace.

As you can see, things are now different, most of what I have mentioned in the first paragraph has nothing or little to do with the society in which we now live. But I maintain that it is still important and good that any and all young women should strive to become an accomplished woman.

Tea and Austen

I am really excited, my friend Rachel came over last week and had tea with me. It was not a big deal really, but it was still fun. The reason I am excited is because we have decided to regularly meet for tea, and we are going to begin to read Jane Austen books out loud to each other.

First of all, I love Jane Austen an am excited to read her books, second of all I love having tea with people, and last and most important of all, I love being with my friends and am excited to be with them and enjoy having fellowship with them.

Church Camp

I had such a good weekend! I came home Friday night and got to spend some time with just my sister because everyone else had already headed up to Island Park. We stayed up until 5:30am talking and laughing, and watching movies, we had a blast. Then we got up and headed up the mountain around 10:00 am. When we got there my brother made it a point to hang out with me. That was amazing! He is the kind of person who other people hang out with, not the kind that hangs with other people. We really got to connect, and I am going to remember it for the rest of my life as a good day because of that.
We just had a really good time up there, lots of people, and stuff going on. I watched them all play dodge ball, and I got to swing on a swing set, which I have not done in a long time. There is not really a whole lot for me to say about it, but just take my word for it, we had a good time! :)

Sigh

Hey everyone, sorry that I have not updated in a while, it has been a busy week. I stayed home this weekend with the intent to relax and get some rest, but it has actually thrown off my whole week! After a very quiet and relaxing evening I could not sleep until 3am and am still trying to catch up on my rest.
I also started going to the gym this week which was a huge step for me. I am really enjoying it, even though it is a discipline to do it every day. I was not able to go yesterday, but that was because I went out to my friend Rachel's house and danced with a bunch of people. We had a lot of fun, I love swing dancing, and was even able to teach a few people how to Foxtrot. Tonight I get to go to Church and help with the children, and then I get to stay home on Thursday, which is really good, because I am headed out again for the weekend on Friday after work. Although, instead of going home for the weekend we are all going up to Big Springs (the headwaters of the Snake River) for Church Camp out, and will be back home for a couple of hours on Sunday evening. I guess that summer is going out with a bang this year. :)
I guess I will end this one by wishing you all a very Happy Wednesday!

Islam

Well this is an interesting article that my dad forwarded to me... But do not loose hope dear saints of God, for we know who is in control, and who wins this war...

Please pray for the Peace of Jerusalem! (Psalm 122:6)
>
>
> A MUSLIM EUROPE - How Close?? - THE FACTS
>
> In a generation or two, the US will ask itself: "who lost Europe?"
> Here is the speech of Geert Wilders, a member of Parliament from the
> Netherlands, at the Four Seasons, New York on Sept 28, 2008:
>
> AMERICA as THE LAST MAN STANDING
> -by Geert Wilders.
>
> I come to America with a mission. All is not well in the old world.
> There is a tremendous danger looming, and it is very difficult to be
> optimistic. We might be in the final stages of the Islamization of
> Europe. This not only is a clear and present danger to the future of
> Europe itself, it is a threat to America and the sheer survival of
> the West. The United States as the last bastion of Western
> civilization, facing an Islamic Europe.
>
> First I will describe the situation on the ground in Europe. Then, I
> will say a few things about Islam. To close I will tell you about a
> meeting in Jerusalem.
>
> The Europe you know is changing. You have probably seen
> the landmarks. But in all of these cities, sometimes a few blocks
> away from your tourist destination, there is another world. It is the
> world of the parallel society created by Muslim mass-migration. All
> throughout Europe a new reality is rising: entire Muslim
> neighborhoods where very few indigenous people reside or are even
> seen. And if they are, they might regret it. This goes for the police
> as well. It's the world of head scarves, where women walk around in
> figureless tents, with baby strollers and a group of children. Their
> husbands, or slaveholders if you prefer, walk three steps ahead, with
> mosques on many street corners. The shops have signs you and I cannot
> read. You will be hard-pressed to find any economic activity. These
> are Muslim ghettos controlled by religious fanatics. These are Muslim
> neighborhoods, and they are mushrooming in every city across Europe.
> These are the building-blocks for territorial control of increasingly
> larger portions of Europe, street by street, neighborhood by
> neighborhood, city by city.
>
> There are now thousands of mosques throughout Europe. With larger
> congregations than there are in churches. And in every
> European city there are plans to build super-mosques that will dwarf
> every church in the region. Clearly, the signal is: we rule.
>
> Many European cities are already one-quarter Muslim: just take
> Amsterdam, Marseille and Malmo in Sweden.
>
> In many cities the majority of the under-18 population is Muslim.
> Paris is now surrounded by a ring of Muslim neighborhoods. Mohammed
> is the most popular name among boys in many cities. In some
> elementary schools in Amsterdam the farm can no longer be mentioned,
> because that would also mean mentioning the pig, and that would be an
> insult to Muslims. Many state schools in Belgium and Denmark only
> serve halal food to all pupils...
>
> The history of the Holocaust can no longer be taught because of
> Muslim sensitivity. In England sharia courts are now officially part
> of the British legal system..
>
> Many neighborhoods in France are no-go areas for women without head
> scarves. Last week a man almost died after being beaten up by Muslims
> in Brussels, because he was drinking during the Ramadan. Jews are
> fleeing France in record numbers, on the run for the worst wave of
> anti-Semitism since World War II. French is now commonly spoken on
> the streets of Tel Aviv and Netanya, Israel. I could go on forever
> with stories like this. Stories about Islamization.
>
> A total of fifty-four million Muslims now live in Europe. San Diego
> University recently calculated that a staggering 25 percent of the
> population in Europe will be Muslim just 12 years from now...
>
> Now these are just numbers. And the numbers would not
> be threatening if the Muslim-immigrants had a strong desire to
> assimilate. But there are few signs of that. The Pew Research Center
> reported that half of French Muslims see their loyalty to Islam as
> greater than their loyalty to France. One-third of French Muslims do
> not object to suicide attacks. The British Centre for Social Cohesion
> reported that one-third of British Muslim students are in favor of a
> worldwide caliphate. Muslims demand what they call 'respect'. And
> this is how we give them respect. We have Muslim official state holidays.
>
> The Christian-Democratic attorney general is willing to accept sharia
> in the Netherlands if there is a Muslim majority. We have
> cabinet members with passports from Morocco and Turkey. Muslim
> demands are supported by unlawful behavior, ranging from
> petty crimes and random violence, for example against ambulance
> workers and bus drivers, to small-scale riots. Paris has seen its
> uprising in the low-income suburbs, the banlieus. I call the
> perpetrators 'settlers'. Because that is what they are. They do not
> come to integrate into our societies, they come to integrate our
> society into their Dar-al-Islam. Therefore, they are settlers.
>
> Much of this street violence I mentioned is directed exclusively
> against non-Muslims, forcing many native people to leave their
> neighborhoods, their cities, their countries. Moreover, Muslims are
> now a swing vote not to be ignored.
>
> The second thing you need to know is the importance of Mohammed the
> prophet. His behavior is an example to all Muslims and cannot be
> criticized. Now, if Mohammed had been a man of peace, let us say like
> Ghandi and Mother Theresa wrapped in one, there would be no problem.
> But Mohammed was a warlord, a mass murderer, a pedophile, and had
> several marriages - at the same time. Islamic tradition tells us how
> he fought in battles, how he had his enemies murdered and even had
> prisoners of war executed. Mohammed himself slaughtered the Jewish
> tribe of Banu Qurayza. If it is good for Islam, it is good. If it is
> bad for Islam, it is bad.
>
> Let no one fool you about Islam being a religion. Sure, it has a god,
> and a here-after, and 72 virgins, but in its essence Islam is a
> political ideology. It is a system that lays down detailed rules for
> society and the life of every person. Islam wants to dictate every
> aspect of life. Islam means 'submission'. Islam is not compatible
> with freedom and democracy, because what it strives for is sharia. If
> you want to compare Islam to anything, compare it to communism or
> national-socialism, these are all totalitarian ideologies.
>
> Now you know why Winston Churchill called Islam 'the most retrograde
> force in the world', and why he compared Mein Kampf to the Quran.
> The public has wholeheartedly accepted the Palestinian narrative, and
> sees Israel as the aggressor. I have lived in this country and
> visited it dozens of times. I support Israel. First, because it is
> the Jewish homeland after two thousand years of exile up to and
> including Auschwitz, second because it is a democracy, and third
> because Israel is our first line of defense.
>
> This tiny country is situated on the fault line of jihad, frustrating
> Islam's territorial advance. Israel is facing the front lines of
> jihad, like Kashmir, Kosovo, the Philippines, Southern Thailand,
> Darfur in Sudan, Lebanon, and Aceh in Indonesia. Israel is simply in
> the way. The same way West-Berlin was during the Cold War.
>
> The war against Israel is not a war against Israel. It is a war
> against the West. It is jihad. Israel is simply receiving the blows
> that are meant for all of us. If there would have been no Israel,
> Islamic imperialism would have found other venues to release its
> energy and its desire for conquest. Thanks to Israeli parents who
> send their children to the army and lay awake at night, parents in
> Europe and America can sleep well and dream, unaware of the dangers
> looming.
>
> Many in Europe argue in favor of abandoning Israel in order to
> address the grievances of our Muslim minorities. But if Israel were,
> God forbid, to go down, it would not bring any solace to the West. It
> would not mean our Muslim minorities would all of a sudden change
> their behavior, and accept our values. On the contrary, the end of
> Israel would give enormous encouragement to the forces of Islam. They
> would, and rightly so, see the demise of Israel as proof that the
> West is weak, and doomed. The end of Israel would not mean the end of
> our problems with Islam, but only the beginning. It would mean the
> start of the final battle for world domination. If they can get
> Israel, they can get everything.
>
> So-called journalists volunteer to label any and all critics of
> Islamization as a 'right-wing extremists' or 'racists'. In my
> country, the Netherlands, 60 percent of the population now sees the
> mass immigration of Muslims as the number one policy mistake since
> World War II. And another 60 percent sees Islam as the biggest
> threat. Yet there is a danger greater than terrorist attacks, the
> scenario of America as the last man standing. The lights may go out
> in Europe faster than you can imagine.
>
> An Islamic Europe means a Europe without freedom and democracy, an
> economic wasteland, an intellectual nightmare, and a loss of military
> might for America - as its allies will turn into enemies, enemies
> with atomic bombs....

I think that it is safe to say that we need to be praying...Have a nice day...

Am I Crazy?

Well this weekend was insane...that being said, it was also wonderful. I had been praying hard all week that God would get us to Dallas for Aaron's wedding. The situation was that we (my whole family) had felt that God was sending us, my sister and I, thereto bless them, but we had no money with which to buy a plane ticket. We decided that the cut off was Wednesday when I got off of work, and that if nothing had happened by then that I would just come home for a long weekend. What do you think happened?...nothing. I got in the car Wednesday at 5 and decided to head home, little did I know what God had in store for me.

I cried for about three hours, mostly because I was upset with myself for being upset, and was a little bit better when I got home. When I got there we watched some Dean Marten and Jerry Lewis, which was really funny and helped a lot, but I still did not understand. So on Thursday I hung around and visited with some ladies from my church at the coffee shop, and thought about going to the zoo. It was a pretty normal day. It was Friday when things got crazy.

When I got up on Friday I went downstairs and my mom pulled me into the living room and told me that the money to go to Dallas had come in the night before! I was shocked, a little too shocked to be excited just yet. We spent quite a while deciding what to do. The problem was that plane tickets go up dramatically in price when you are buying them the same day that you are flying. We did not know if we should just fly me up, or the both of us, or just stay home (at this point I was ok with that) so we decided to pray. When we prayed my mom felt that God told her to drive us down there. So that is what we did

Here is the situation, it is 1:00, the wedding is at 2:00 tomorrow, and it is a 22 hour drive and we loose an hour in the time change. We still have to pack. So, in fifteen minutes we ran around the house, threw everything in the car and headed out the door. We left home at 1:15, and began our long drive through the night to Dallas. This was insane.

We have a GPS system in the car, which in most cases is nice and gets you where you need to go, however, it usually wants to take you the scenic rout, so we ended up in some pretty odd places in this very large country of ours. Why we passed submarine missiles in the middle of Wyoming I will never know, that is not really close to an ocean.

The culmination of our insanity was when we were flying (my mother was speeding, which is something that she does not do) through Dallas and my sister and I were changing clothes and getting ready for the wedding in the back of the car. We were a few minutes late, but we made it. I still cant believe that we did.

I was there Saturday night, and Sunday morning, and then on Sunday afternoon I flew back into Salt Lake City so that I could be here at work on Monday. Mom and Abby are still on their way back, but I just have to say that sometimes the things that God has you do are Crazy!

Fear

Isn't it amazing how you can be so scared of nothing? I had talked to someone recently and we had discussed some things that were important, and that were not settled, and very soon afterwords they had invited me over for dinner. When they did, I thought that it was to talk about what was still unsettled, and began to think of all of the things that I had not done and maybe should have. Every time I thought of going over there for dinner my heart would race, and I had no idea what to do abut it. I prayed and asked God to give me peace, but I was still worried.
Yesterday the day finally came, I was nervous, but I decided that it probably wasn't a big deal, and that they really were nice people, and you know what...I was rite. I had a good time, we ate dinner and just connected with each other. We talked about what was going on in life, and how things were changing, and getting ready for the next year. I plan on being more connected in the future, and avoiding a week like that in the future. So you see, fear, is really just a lack of trust in God, and usually only comes by what we have created in our own minds, and rarely reflects the truth.

Good Times

I had a really good weekend that was very different than expected. I went home to see my friend Stephanie, but on she was busy on Friday, and I ended up hanging out and having rather interesting discussions with my family. Then on Saturday I was maybe going to see her, but she was yet again busy, so I had a relaxing morning and sat with my mom and talked and watched cartoons (bugs bunny) and my dad made pancakes. Then it was time to get ready to go to a wedding that my dad was performing.
We spent most of the day there, we got there about 3:30 and we did not get home until 10:30, a lot of the problem was that they wedding party was delayed in getting to the reception, but it was also fairly disorganized. In spite of all of that I still had a really good time there.
By Sunday I had all but given up on seeing Steph because they were going to Boise to visit her brother and they were not coming back through on their way home. So, after much discussion and a few tears I decided to have a good day anyway, and began to enjoy myself. I watched a movie with my parents and a tv show with my sister, and then we got a call that they actually were coming back (thank you to Jesus) and they were going to stop and eat so I was able to go and see them even if it was just for a little while. I so enjoyed seeing them, it was really nice, I miss them. He is so perfect for her, and they are going to have a baby, and it was just a really happy time for me. So what I have to say after my weekend is that God is good...

Friends

Last night was really good. I was a little bit nervous at first because I had no idea how it was going to go...I have been having trouble lately adjusting from an electric stove to a gas stove, and I was cooking dinner. However, dinner came out quite well, and we had a really good time. They had not yet seen my new house, and they really liked it. We sat and talked about what God is doing in our lives, and the ins and outs of it all, we looked at magazines, and Rachel did my dishes, which was very sweet of her.
After a while we ended up at Barns and Noble, and we had fun drinking coffee and looking at books and magazines, Rachel will be engaged pretty soon (it is in the air and getting stronger according to the man in her life rite now) and we enjoyed talking about weddings and looking at dresses an planning books. I had three friends get married last year, I have one getting married next month (which I have mentioned) and it looks like there will soon be another one. I was really blessed because she told me that she wants me to be in the wedding, and to help her plan. That is exciting because although I have already been in two, and was the Maid of Honor in one, they were far away and I was unable to help in any of it.
Anyway, I am glad that they came, and that I was able to connect with them. God is good to me, and I am blessed.

Busy Busy

The rest of this month is going to be BUSY! I am going home again this weekend, (as I did last weekend) because my friend Stephanie is here visiting from California. I am sssssoooooooo excited to see her, the last time I saw her was last September when she got married...I dont go to San Diego very often, so I rarely see her. The week after that I have two options, I can either fly to Dallas to see my friend Aaron get married, or I can stay home and see my friend Amber who is coming through after a two year absence...decisions decisions...
I also have a friend coming over tonight for dinner and to see my new place, and I am going over to my Professors house for dinner with his family on monday night. Isnt it funny that people think that I could get bored?! Sigh, on life goes.

This Week

I think I am going to have a busier week than I thought...My friend Stephanie and her husband Trubee are here for the week (I thought that they could not make it) and my friend Amber who I have not seen in like 2 1/2 years will be here on Monday! Now, fortunately, I am not going to Texas next weekend which I thought that I was, or I would have to miss them. Since I am not going, I can work on Thursday and Friday next week, and maybe take Monday off and be at home. We will just have to see. The only problem with taking a day off is that it takes money out of my paycheck.....

Friends

I had a wonderful weekend! It is Monday morning and I am still happy... I went home on Friday night just in time to share some home made strawberry short cake with my family for my moms birthday. I then played a game of scrabble coming in second to the b-day girl, and then we watched a movie.
Saturday I got up early and took a 2 mile walk, and then we cleaned up the house (and I finished packing my room) and got ready to have company. We talked and visited and had a good time, and then everyone came. It was the people that I was with in Africa, and it was SSSSSSSSOOOOOOOO good to see them. They are always so encouraging. We visited for a long time, and I was really blessed. We watched one of my favorite movies, and went to Walmart where there was air conditioning, and then went to bed...after laughing with my sister for a few minutes. I got up at 5 this morning, and now here I am, at work...

Goin Home

I am really excited, I get to go home today and visit my mother on her birthday! I love going home, people keep telling me that I should stay here and make friends and do things here. I understand their point, and I know why they are making it, but I just love my family and my home. You see we as a family are very close knit, and we enjoy fellowship together. We have always been close, we were all home schooled, and dad worked from home, so there were years where we were all home all day, and we would all eat together at the table three meals a day. I am the first one to leave.
God meant us to be close to people, He designed us for that, and what I have with my family is more than what most people have even in the best of friends. Even so, I am enjoying living alone, for the first time in my life I have the space to do what it is that I would like to do, no one interrupts me, and I can decide how and when things are to be done. I feel like I am living life, and waiting on God, and growing and learning, and everything else that there is. I wore a dress to work today, which was a big step for me, and I don't know, I am just really content to be me, and to live my life.

Just Another Day

Well it is back to just regular days now, no more stars sneaking around. Today will be more about paying bills and picking up groceries than about getting autographs and asking questions. Although, if I did not have days like this, then the ones like that would not be nearly as exciting or memorable.
One thing that has happened though is that I am getting the itch to travel again. I must warn you that once you visit other countries, there is no turning back, and you will get it into your blood. My trip to Uganda was not glamorous or dangerous, or anything like what Hollywood would have you believe, (though I could tell you that it was exotic and exciting). This time I would like to either visit the East Coast of America (where I have never been) or Europe, or Israel...

Awsome Day

I had an amazing day yesterday! I came to work just like any other Monday and got started on all of my stuff. I worked for a few hours, and then around 11:45 some of the people that I work with started talking about Adam West coming here to record at noon! If you don't know who that is, he was the Original Bat Man! I waited until about 12:30 and then decided to go take my lunch anyway and if I missed him, I would have one of my co-workers get me an autograph.
When I got back from lunch he still was not here, so I went back to trying to get my work done, but not 5 minutes later he came! I could hear his distinct voice down the hall, and I started to get really excited. He came by and I was briefly introduced, but then left him to his work....aka we went into the other room and turned on the speakers to the studio and listened to him record. (One of them even recorded his recording onto their phone.)
After a while the people that he was working with had to change studios, so he took a break and we got to sit and talk to him. He signed autographs, and talked to us about how he got started and what he is doing now.
He is really nice, and really tall...his license plates says "number 1 bat".
There is one line in his movie that has always made me laugh, it is one of the riddles..."What is yellow and writes?" and the answer is "A ballpoint banana." So, I asked him, I said "I have a question." he looked at me, "Whats yellow and writes?" At that he started laughing and said, "Was that one of my lines?!" he didn't remember the answer, so I told him, and he started laughing again and said that it was funny.
So, that is my story for the day, and I happen to think that it is a pretty good one!

Busy Weekend

Hi everyone, how was y'all s weekend? Mine was really good! My aunt came down from Boise and we went to a movie, we went shopping (where she bought me a lot of stuff) and then we painted an accent wall in my apartment. We had a lot of fun spending time together. After all the hard work of painting ;) we went and got pedicures and dinner. I then went home and packed up my room so that we can put our house on the market. We had a special speaker at Church, and she was really good. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately I only got like 3 hours of sleep last night, but I now have the rest of my stuff for my apartment. :)