Double L 7

desire

2011-04-23T23:29:00.000-04:00

In her eyes, there were two kinds of people in the world: those she knew and loved, and those she didn’t know and loved. She looked for the best in everyone; it was a way of life for her. If you pointed out that a particular person was perhaps not totally deserving of her love, and might in fact be somewhat of a lout, she would say, “Well, honey, we just have to lift him up.”

dental floss: happy thing #27

2010-06-01T23:54:00.009-04:00

I've decided: I like to floss.

Yes, it's true. I actually enjoy doing it now (my dental hygienist shouts "hooray! at long last!"), and perform my act with a smile:

Yaya, I don't know if, like running and chocolate, flossing is addicting because it releases good endorphins or what, but it is now on the list of happy things. Do you know what makes you happy? I think it's important to know. My list is kinda long. Lots of people don't have happy things. Or maybe they just haven't taken time to consider what they are. It makes it difficult to cheer them up when they don't know what will make them cheerier. What are some of your happy things? Do you know them?

While working on some life-lesson ideas for my graduation table:

2010-05-14T14:59:00.005-04:00

Here is a list of 26 life lessons I have learned thus far at the age of 26. I pass this list on to you with the simple hope that it makes you think. Sometimes thinking about your life and sorting out what you have learned is just as important as tackling a new venture.

Being an adult can be fun when you are acting like a child.
Love has nothing to do with looks, but everything to do with time, trust, and interest.
Laughing, crying, joy and anger… All are a vital. All make us human.
The greatest truths in life are uncovered with simple, steady awareness.
Greed will bury even the lucky eventually.
Bad things do happen to good people.
Paving your own road is intelligent only if nobody has gone exactly where you are going.
Uncertainty is caused by a lack of knowledge. Hesitation is the product of fear.
Time heals all wounds… regardless of how you feel right now.
Most of the time what you are looking for is right in front of you.
Your health is your life.
Chance is a gift, so act on chance when given the opportunity.
Kindness and hard work will take you further than intelligence.
People deserve a second chance, but not a third.
Marry your best friend.
Take lots of pictures. Someday you’ll be really glad you did.
Money makes life easier only when the money is yours free and clear.
Carelessness is the root of failure
Your actions now create memories you will reminisce and talk about in your elder years.
Stepping outside of your comfort zone will put things into perspective from an angle you can’t grasp now.
Motivation comes in short bursts. Act while it’s hot.
Purposely ignoring the obvious is like walking backwards toward the enemy.
Taking ownership of failure builds the foundation for success.
First impressions are completely worthless 50% of the time.
Personal glory lasts forever.
If you never act, you will never know for sure.

[obviously this isn't my list as i am not 26 but here are the people whose list it is and who are: http://www.marcandangel.com/]

Can we be friends,

2010-04-18T16:15:00.002-04:00

Sunshine Boy? Please? You make me smile.

Some people just hold tight to that likeable quality. How do they do it? I know people who all are all equally life-givers, life-lovers, but not all share life the same way. Some definetly have the skill. What makes Star Girl and Sunshine Boy the people grabbers? What can I do to be Star Girl?

highlights

2010-04-02T18:23:00.004-04:00

I have now:

seen someone utterly and completely jam out in their car, air drumming out the window like their was no tomorrow.
while walking out of biology, nearly been run over by skateboarding, iPod listening boy. it looked so enjoyable i almost asked for lessons...but i was wearing a dress. i could see that not working out. so i let him skate off in the other direction with me just standing there wondering why i didn't put on jeans that morning...
experienced as much joy as humanly possible from some orange daisies.
slept for 23.9 hours of the day, stayed up for .001 hrs, and then felt exhausted and returned to sleep.
witnessed Justin stomp without warning on that pseudo-ladybug...and cheered quietly afterwards.
been asked in perfect seriousness if i was naturally clumsy and if it was the reason i stopped taking ballet lessons. Alex, your honest bluntness is very endearing. can i keep you as a little brother forever even though you're older than me?
yelled across a full cafeteria, "YES YOU DID!"
given two crappy side-hugs in a row to the same person and one for real one.
gone to Steak&Shake and did NOT get a milkshake.
confirmed that someone who "lol"ed, did in fact, have an audible chuckle.
decided that whatever has been enjoying living in my lungs for weeks, doesn't taste good at all.
watched a movie where Poppy, (yes, Poppy!!!), wore her boots everywhere too. despite what her driving instructor said. so, ha Kevin. take that.
made someone's day with a spork. yes my friends, that is all that's needed. just one spork.

dang.

2010-03-26T20:03:00.001-04:00

Pat Kindt:
You are too sweet and too perfect.
Thank you for being my friend.
Thank you.
[the end]

I am loved.

2010-02-15T00:15:00.007-05:00

I saw it when I opened my eyes to the most adorable rose I think I shall ever see, from a darling friend.

I tasted it in the goodness of that valentinely wrapped Reese Cup among the conversation hearts (oh yeah baby!).

I was overcome by it when the King of all Kings, the God of heaven, the Creator of the Universe took all of my filth and mud and stink and ugliness and rebelliousness upon Himself and conquered death so that I wouldn't have to experience it myself. This is Love.

If I have the spectacular skill to speak the languages of men and angels, but I am without love, I am only that loud annoying gong on that Chinese game show or a crashing cymbal that's played at the wrong time and ruins the song. If I am given the gift of prophecy, and nothing is unknown to me, I'm like Sherlock Holmes and solving all mysteries and I hold all knowledge in my hands; and if I contain all the faith I ever could, so much that I could move mountains with a word, but completely empty in love, I am nothing. If I sacrifice my possessions and give up all I own to those who have nothing, and sacrifice my body by throwing myself into a pit of fire, but do not do it out of love, I gain nothing!

Love is long-suffering.

Love is kind and not jealous.

Love is not a braggart nor prideful.

Love would NEVER act unbecomingly.

Love does not look out for It's own interests.

Love is not baited by ignorant, childish ways.

Love does not remember wrongs done to It.

Love does not take joy in sin.

Love is exhilarated when the truth is proclaimed!

Love bears all things with a good attitude.

Love believes the best about all things.

Love hopes all things, even if the outlook is bleak.

Love endures all things, even when it is impossible:

LOVE WILL PREVAIL.

[First Corinthians 13:1-8a LeahNardosKindaParaphrasedAndReallyAkwardTranslation]

Oh man, I just may have to marry Julian Smith...

2010-02-09T21:01:00.001-05:00

Yep, think I might.

my plans in comic strip:

2010-02-02T14:29:00.004-05:00

umm, yeah, i can't memorize 100 biology cards?

2010-01-26T15:18:00.001-05:00

Samuel Slater imported the design for the spinning frame from England in 1790...BY MEMORIZING IT!

whoa.

soooooo...

2010-01-24T23:56:00.002-05:00

i auditioned for Twelfth Night...we'll see tomorrow! :)

Made in God's Image

2010-01-08T14:44:00.003-05:00

This guy and his family are cool beans!

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. John 9:1-3

this just might make me like candy corn:

2009-12-27T22:43:00.001-05:00

go Pat, your brilliant dude!

2009-12-09T13:31:00.002-05:00

please don't stop, please

2009-12-08T18:52:00.002-05:00

How long will these conversations last?
How long before we can no longer be best friends?
Our days are numbered, don't let me miss out on any of it.
Don't leave me behind.

Someday, you'll meet the girl who'll glaze over your eyes.
Someday, you'll be her best friend.
Someday, I'll have lost you forever.
Never to talk as we used to.

Please stop growing up,
Stop becoming the man you are destined to be.
Just stay my best friend, my brother.
Let's just stay kids.

ooooh, it makes me laugh-out-loud in the library!

2009-11-20T16:02:00.000-05:00

“Mr. Collins tells me that you are schooled in the deadly arts, Miss Bennet.”

“I am, though not to half the level of proficiency your Ladyship has attained.”

“Oh! Then — some time or other I shall be happy to see you spar with one of my ninjas. Are you sisters likewise trained?”

“They are.”

“I assume you were schooled in Japan?”

“No, your ladyship. In China.”

“China? Are those monks still selling their clumsy kung fu to the English? I take it you mean Shaolin?”

“Yes, your ladyship; under Master Liu.”

“Well, I suppose you had no opportunity. Had your father more means, he should have taken you to Kyoto.”

“My mother would have had no objection, but my father hates Japan.”

“Have your ninjas left you?”

“We never had any ninjas.”

“No ninjas! How was that possible? Five daughters brought up at home without any ninjas! I never heard of such a thing. Your mother must have been quite a slave to your safety.”

Elizabeth could hardly stop smiling as she assured her that had not been the case.

i like love this.

2009-11-15T23:16:00.007-05:00

Like is watered down love.
Like is mediocre.
Like is the wishy-washy emotion of content.
Athletes don't do it for the like of a sport.
Artists don't suffer for the like of art.
There is no I like NY t-shirt.
And Romeo didn't just like Juliet.

ha.

i don't know if this is funny out of context or not...but it was hysterical in! :P

2009-11-03T23:35:00.002-05:00

zack: you don't understand! i need this paper job! the only other option is the marching band!!

cody: whats wrong with the marching band?

zack: the only instrument left is the glockenspiel!

cody: what’s wrong with the glockenspiel?

zack: nobody would ever go out with a guy who plays the glockenspiel!

cody: look, i'm trying to run a newspaper here, not your love life!

zack: if you don't give me a job, i'll keep making scary monster sounds while your sleeping!

cody: you're Mr.Spooky-head?!
……………..later in the episode……………….
cody: oh, this is great! you exploit me and my paper, manipulate a girl, then abandon me, destroy my paper and STILL get the girl?!

Let your creative spinkles flow baby! :)

2009-10-17T22:39:00.003-04:00

"Be Sweet. Pass it on."

no.title

2009-09-20T01:13:00.002-04:00

provided unknowingly by Mary :)

I'm feeling overwhelmed by God's goodness and love. Undeserving, Undesiring, Unaccepting, ME whom God, despite my hate and rejection, accepted, caused a desire to stir in me, and a song to come upon my lips to praise Him. Who will sing me lullabies? As I go to lie in my bed and stare into the darkness, He will. He will as He holds me in His hands.

What love is this?

Who can take tomorrow. dip it in a dream?

2009-09-13T16:54:00.001-04:00

The Candyman can! :P

i think i'm goig to start doing this:

2009-08-31T01:04:00.002-04:00

ever wanted an XKCD tie? well, now you can...

yay.

fantastic

2009-08-27T01:22:00.000-04:00

mmmm.

there's something about driving deserted highways in the middle of the night, looking up at a dome of star-pricks that pepper the sky, with dave mathews singing, "come and dance with me", while a saxaphone solo hums around and the person in the passenger seat grabs your hand and starts singing along and whispering, "come and dance with me."

i like Grizzly Bears...

2009-08-21T11:01:00.000-04:00

Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear from Gabe Askew on Vimeo.

she's having a pity party by herself, glad no one was invited

2009-07-26T23:05:00.001-04:00

mmmm, that just may be the starting lyrics of my one-hit-wonder.

UUUHHHHHYEAHHHHHHHHHHUGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!

i'm so freakin' annoyed. at everything and everyone it feels like. and a whole lot at me. why do i get like this when i know the reason why?

What it all comes down to
Is that everything's gonna be fine fine fine
I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is giving a high five

my hand that's in the pocket is clinched tight around that last little patience, good sense, willingness to cooperate, and love that i feel like i possess...meanwhile, i'm slapping high-fives and smiling till my head hurts at everyone i'm with, "oh, yeah! living the dream! couldn't be better...."

Like Jon Foreman said,"The easiest thing to do is to throw a rock. It’s a lot harder to create a stained glass window. I used to get upset at the people who threw rocks but now I’d rather spend my time building the stained glass windows." i feel both like i'm throwing rocks and getting mad at those who are. "...I don't want to fly ayone's flag other than Christ's." (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!xinfinity and 2 squared!) I know what I want. Why do I find it so easy to go after the things I don't really want?

I've had 2 of the greatest sentences in the world given TO ME. Straight to me. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls." hmmmm, knew it was coming, knew why it was coming, know what i should be doing about it aaaaand yet, don't. and i totally spelled both those 'comings' with two 'm's each. hmmmm.

i've told myself through a variety of means:

striving for Perfection,

i'll swim against the current and all the normalities of this life and be entirely content

my decision won't be perfect--

i will fall and flop against the sand

but i will rise again and keep running till the end:

happy in my choice

"Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself...With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful..." [Max E.]

i really don't want comments of, "oh, my! are you okay? vent to me anytime!" or an email or really to draw attention by this self-pity, (though i guess that's what i'm doing by this)--i just wanted an open line where i could say it, send it out into the little void and not have a sympathy response or advice or the answers which i know to be true, (honest!) i just really don't want them said to me right now.

::sigh:: i freakin' hate these pity-parties...they're lame and non-forward moving.

i think i shall retreat to my room with my little pepsi, my chips, Confessions of a Shopaholic, and some Psalms.

SHAKE IT WITH SHAKESPEARE AT THE THEATRE TOMORROW WITH TONS OF ADORABL LITTLE KIDDIES!!!!

awww

2009-06-22T01:21:00.000-04:00

even My Coke Rewards wished me a happy birthday.
awwww.

::siiiiiilence::

2009-06-05T17:14:00.001-04:00

man, i feel for you Linus. i'm there far too often. "make a contribution?" [contribution] ::siiiiiiiilence::

p.s. mum is almost home! :0)

a day

2009-05-29T21:49:00.001-04:00

1 new hair cut
2 cats in a cat fight
3 new highlight colors (and 3 awesome chicken/spinach/yellow pepper salads! yum!)
4 days since i've seen Dad
5 days till Em and i go on a road trip
6 wispy clouds that are calling me out to watch...
7 bacon bits in my pasta salad
8 what time me and Cody got off work...promptly for once ;)
9 what time is was 49 minutes ago
(10) is twice the amount of blog "posts" (:P) i've had during the month of May
11 awesome pictures that someone else took
12 days (almost!) till i leave for Washington D.C. (!!!!!!!!!!!!)

the amount of laughter in Subway tonight???? most definitely cannot be counted.....we were pretty much falling over with Cody's "serenading" :P i love that kid. he's a sunshiney day and a half. yay for sunshine and bear hugs and serenading and last days of school!!! which pretty much has to do all with that Bundle of Smiles so i guess yay for Cody! :0)

silver gladiator sandals and 5 am runs

2009-05-25T01:41:00.005-04:00

and peach ice tea and chewy sour jolly ranchers and poetry and stars and flowers and knowing God and musicals and new dresses and the best most picture perfect sandwiches and siblings are some of the best Living you can do.

i haven't a clue really how to begin to explain this...but the best i can do is to try to write this out and remember this for myself. ::sigh:: people. sometimes, i wish i could just make everything better for some of those people who really are living in the world and not just puttering on through trying to get out of the "hell-hole" they think they are in or make it big or get through the week of school and subs to drink and mess around during the week-end. (note: difference between puttering, living, and Living [and in that order].) i've had at least two people say to me, "i have no life because...." (school's over, no job, no fun and games 24/7, whatever other reason of their choice). it makes me really sad that they think this.

i was talking to this absolutely dear liver this week (unfortunately not a Liver, but someday, she might just work this out), and she said she had no life. now, she has no Life, but she does have a life. just because she has some standards and isn't always doing something fun she thinks she doesn't have a life. i didn't even realize it, but i pretty much started yelling at her (in the most friendly not too loud way of course :) ). okay, maybe not a yell-yell, but it worked me up.

Ginnie is a wonderful, caring, sweet, smart, girl who writes gorgeous poetry, has the most gentle voice and lovely smile, sings constantly (even while taking out the trash!), loves her little sister to pieces and truly thinks about things. she doesn't have the source of Life, but she's living life pretty well. she is not lifeless. yet, she seems to think so. i asked her what a person with life was then if she wasn't. she told me someone who had fun.

someone working hard with no "fun" in the middle of craziness can have more life and be living more life than someone who's up on top of it all having a blast and everyone else thinks that they have it all and are living life. i wish Ginnie could see this. anyway, it 3:03 am and i'm eating a yellow pepper and watching Mama Mia! and wearing some silver gladiator sandals on my bed and thinking about some dear people 43 miles+ away and how i was planning to get up in 2 hours to run....mmmmmaybe not anymore....and for the love of all that is green and the makers of gold fish crackers, i'm living Life, and it's good!

so, i close ~~this crazy rant of mixed-up, disorganized spiel of thoughts~~ and say good morning! :0)

why didn't i find this at the beginning of the year? =^)

2009-05-18T13:08:00.002-04:00

wow...this is like, 4 videos in a row. what a blogger! :)

Jelly? Jam? Jello and Peanut Butter???

2009-05-08T00:32:00.001-04:00

okay, i pretty much love this lady and her day-brightening thoughts...i wish i could think like her more often...isn't she just adorable? :)

some awesome apologetics in act-i-oni! [part odeen]

2009-05-03T23:00:00.001-04:00

some awesome apologetics in act-i-oni! [part dva]

2009-05-03T22:53:00.001-04:00

i wish my eyes were rolls of film!

2009-04-23T01:29:00.005-04:00

man. today was the bomb! ::one huge smile::
driving home from work, the sunshine was absolutely PERFECT! the, uhhHH! i don't even know how to say it. but it was. :) i've decided that blowing bubbles on perfect sunshiny days with wind whirling through car windows....mmmmmman.

yeah, i give up. i have no idea how to say it. if only i could drive, blow bubbles out the window and be a pro photographer all at the same time...

but it was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(X INFINITY!!!!!!)

mmmm! french fries and bbq sauce!

2009-04-21T22:36:00.000-04:00

so i was randomly searching YouTube, and I found this video about a girl going to college (btw, creative video with a good point...she has skills) and she had her blog address there so i decide to trouse on over to see it and found a post a wee bit down that really hit home (friendship is not just for my benefit...). thought i'd share it. thanks girl! :)

“I hate you! You’re not my friend anymore!”

I can vividly recall yelling such words to numerous childhood friends over the years. It’s what kids do. You’re best friends one week, then the next you’re sworn enemies. One minute you’re sharing lollipops; then the next you’re pulling each other’s hair out.

I met one friend at a “Pioneer Girl” meeting once when I was around four years old. The both of us secretly agreed to become best friends right on the spot – “Hi, my name is Bridget. Do you want to be my best friend?” – “Okay! My name is Katie! Let’s be best friends!” A few weeks later, we couldn’t stand each other.

It’s not that little kids have terribly calloused, mean hearts. It’s just that when you’re little, going through a dozen or so friendships every month is easy – you simply use each other for however long the fun lasts. And then, when the other guy starts getting on your nerves – well, there’s plenty of other kids to pick from, so why bother sticking it out with this piece of mold?

We laugh at such childish attitudes, and yet, how many of us still harbor this same kind of mindset even when we’ve grown? Of course, we probably (and hopefully!) don’t act the same way as children, but in all honesty, many of us still do foster that same kind of mentality. How many of us see friendship as something to use for our own benefit and enjoyment, rather than as a means to benefit others and make others happy? How many of us have dropped good friendships over the years simply because we no longer enjoyed the other person’s company?

I’ve come to realize that, for the most part, I have viewed friendship in this way – as something to primarily benefit me and make me happy. I am annoyed when I feel as if I’m being ignored. Irritated when a friend refuses to listen to my advice. Hurt when he or she would rather do something else instead of hanging out with me. It’s a philosophy that says, “I am in this relationship for my benefit, and I want you to make me feel special.” Perhaps I never think this outright, but in application, I far too often do.

How many people out there have viewed friendship as a means to benefit themselves? I can’t imagine I am the only one. It is a simple testimony to human nature, the selfish tendency to place ourselves before others and before God. It is this tendency that has completely twisted the meaning of friendship and turned it into a self-serving, self-loving concept.

You see, friendship should not primarily be something we benefit from; instead, it should be an opportunity for us to benefit others by drawing them closer to God.

Jesus is called a “friend” of sinners. If Jesus were a friend of sinners according to the self-serving definition, do you think he would have stripped himself of power and glory and born the punishment for our sins so that we might have a relationship with God? What did we ever do for him? He befriended us and loved us long before we ever even knew his name. That’s not exactly what I would call a beneficial relationship on his part. And yet he did it anyway, at great cost to himself, so that we might know God. It’s perfectly selfless, and perfectly loving, and perfectly amazing.

Christ died so that I might know God. So that I, a perfectly undeserving, utterly sinful human being who took no interest in Christ whatsoever, could share in Christ's glory and actually know God Almighty on a personal level. Christ's friendship with me has given me the ultimate relationship with God. It's amazing. The only thing I can conclude from such an astounding fact is that my own earthly friendships should try to emulate in some small way this kind of love. In other words, like Christ, the ultimate goal of my friendships should be to strengthen the other person's relationship with God, the only friendship that will ever bring lasting joy. It's a simple thing to recognize, yet more often than not I find myself failing to apply this to real life.

But when you think about it, this is the only way we can become true friends, not by having a good time and enjoying each other’s company, but by building each other up and drawing one another closer to Him. Christ’s friendship with us has given us the ultimate relationship with God. Therefore it only makes sense that the primary purpose of all other relationships should be to strengthen this ultimate relationship with Him.

It all boils down to our worldview. If we recognize that God is ultimately the only being in existence who can make things matter, then we will naturally seek to place Him at the center of all our relationships. And if we place Him at the center of all our relationships, then it will only be natural for us to draw one another closer to Him. And furthermore (stay with me now!), if we are primarily focused on drawing one another closer to Him, then we won’t be busy sulking over bruised egos and damaged self-esteem when we are ignored, or forgotten, or taken advantage of. Instead, we will use these moments as opportunities to imitate Christ's own love toward us.

But just how many of us are this kind of friend?

---[Bridget Eileen]

If I ever die of a heart attack, I hope it will be from playing my stereo too loud*

2009-04-18T01:54:00.003-04:00

So, here I am again.
A late hour is approaching.
(And the thought of getting up in a few to go to soccer games and to feed Peru is intimidating.
Actually, not really.)

It began productively (parcing greek verses after working in & working out and got to pj pants even if the sweaty Y shirt is still on [however, the sweaty,smelly socks are gone!] ;P).
It is not ending so (ebay (check out this! watched item...it's pretty awesome [don't even think about bidding on it ;), retipping the ends of my black fingernails (they were fine until the neverending bread pans!) and wondering around on other people's places...wondering around on not other people's places...)

On the ending note of the last thought, I'd always hated my posts, thought they sounded stooooopid and other such unpromoting words.
However, tonight (last night? this morning?) I stumbled upon a few words from my past; they caught up with me.

AND

I'm not gonna lie. There were some good words in there. Encouragement, honesty, gooberness...

Most of it wasn't my original words.

I have so many blogs in draft-mode. Imperfect words. Too many words. Too few words. Unsure words. Wrong-time words.

This one may yet end with those never to be seen files. I haven't decided yet.

If I publish it for the world to see, I'm not going to look back on it (which was this promise I sorta made to myself a long time ago, to never look back on journal/blog/poetry post, which worked fine until tonight) and find good things as in others. I'll prolly be annoyed with myself and confused and wonder why I ever thought anything would be better for my having put it there. ::sigh:: I can feel the annoyance building up even now. I feel the urge to press the <--backspace key until I see my little blinking marker twinkling over a black white screen and then to type something a bit more purposeful despite the wasted time. Yet, something resists, a very little something. Something that says, "you spent time on this. it's history of this night and your thoughts and not wasted! if you don't do it now, it won't apply ever again. it's only for this time, this moment."

So, I guess the sentimental side in me is going to win out. I'll post it. I guess I won't regret it. I'd hate to over something like this.

Hmm, it's now 3:04 a.m. My greek homework is still only 1/2 begun. My Netflix movie long ago decided I had paused it for too long and to log me out. My ebay lurking is getting tiresome. And blogger is getting old. If I had contacts, I think now is the time where people say their eyeballs are sticking to them and they burn and itch or something like.

And so, adieu**! Sweet World until tomorrow! I leave you in the safe hands of the Maker and Creator of you.

*evidence of the good things found from the past of friends [*ahem* Mary :)]
**doyaknow, dictionary.com and so onto thesaurus.com now has a visual thesaurus? It looks pretty cool! Looked like a brain-storming outline. Must check that one out more later...

tales of w[h]o[a]e

2009-04-10T23:12:00.007-04:00

yeah, i didn't really get it either...

someday, i will decide.

i may not be certain,

but i will at least have made a choice.

i will have thrust my own brush out onto the world's canvas and began to make my mark

it will be cool green

bursting orange

skimming yellow

fiery red

and glowing gold

it will sing all favorite songs at once

hum all the beauteous melodies and harmonies simultaneously

it will have it’s own theme-song, ever changing and completely and utterly original—unlike anything ever heard

it will be confident with certainty and direction

instead of tracing random patterns and shapes absentmindedly,

it will create a new piece of art: unique, with ideas never seen before

striving for Perfection,

i'll swim against the current and all the normalities of this life and be entirely content

my decision won't be perfect--

i will fall and flop against the sand, heart pounding; feeling like one more step will kill me

but i will rise again and keep running till the end:

happy in my choice

------[an absentminded school-mate]

some life-altering words were uttered @ the Doctor's office on Monday

2009-04-06T00:14:00.003-04:00

i found out that i suffer from a condition called carcolespsy. it's a problem i've faced for years and just assumed it was a little human "problem" and nothing serious to worry about. however, the last few years it's gotten steadily worse and happens to me without warning and i rarely show any warning signs before it hits. the doctor told me that it's a condition i'll have the rest of my life and there are no cures known.

Pronounced: Kar-ko-lep-see

The inability to stay awake and alert when in a car, or any other thing that moves, such as trains, planes, and busses.

The act of passing out while in a car regardless of passenger or driver status.

example: Roadtrip? Count me in, but I can't drive. I have carcolepsy and we'd all die.

i'm doomed.

Day 54

2009-03-30T14:46:00.003-04:00

DAY 50: Gao Zhisheng Held Hostage

Christian human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng, has now been missing 50 days, and there is increasing concern for his life. He was last seen being hauled away from his home by more than a dozen police officers on February 4. Reports from inside China indicate he is undergoing brutal torture.

The situation is critical, and with each day that passes, Gao Zhisheng's life hangs in the balance.

Because of Gao's work defending house church Christians and others persecuted in China, the Chinese government wants to silence his voice. ChinaAid president, Bob Fu calls Gao's torture "the most severe persecution in China's modern history." Gao's wife and two children, who have also been abused and tormented by the police, escaped to the U.S. less than two weeks ago. His family is afraid that authorities, furious at their escape, are taking revenge on Gao.

ChinaAid and The Voice of the Martyrs, together with Gao Zhisheng's wife and children, call on all Christians and those who value human dignity and justice to speak out on Gao Zhisheng's behalf by signing a petition to free Gao.

» Sign the petition at www.FreeGao.com

>>>>> you can also email Chinese government officials, read more about Gao Zhisheng, send donations etc. by clicking on the hyperlink ^^

O! she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

2009-03-27T23:29:00.001-04:00

And everything around her is a silver pool of light

The people who surround her feel the benefit of it

lol

2009-03-19T00:12:00.001-04:00

in other news, i'm working @ Subway.

you are a rebelutionary

2009-03-16T00:36:00.000-04:00

So next time you are irritated, remember that this is a test from the Lord. Remember that God could take away the irritation in an instant if He knew it would be best for you. And remember that you are a rebelutionary—being trained by God for the important, world-changing assignments He has prepared for you. The training may be tough; it requires endurance, humility, and lots of patience—but the fruit is eternal.

[grace mally]

enjoy the tastiest green

2009-03-11T23:47:00.002-04:00

which has absolutely nothing to do with this post. but i hate titles and so they rarely have anything to do with...well, anything anyway so...as Max once said, "LET THE WLD RUPUS BEGIN!" :D

today marks the 13th year that i have been an older sister. Ethan Joseph, my adorable "little" brother (hey, i'm still a bit taller! ;) ), came into my life and happily, it's ever been the same since. we have the most fun times together...late night cookie baking with Mika, Weezer, Sarah Brightman, and out-loud story reading; racing to the car after a twosome grocery trip (yep, lugging the laundry soap, milk, cheezits and all!); "flying" the car with the widows rolled down even if it's raining and cold, listening to music at full blast and screaming out the lyrics (when we can, usually he makes me laugh too hard to ;) ); amusing me with his long and detailed stories whenever there is silence and time to talk about it; playing clue, sorry with all four slots filled (;)), battling for the top score in Pacman and Pinball, and Star Wars Battle Front (even though I suck, he deals with it); watching ridiculous movies at ridiculous hours (Mamma Mia! Kung Fu Panda! Newsies in two different rooms at the same time!!!); always listening to my complaints and happy comments in the car or in my room for hours; the best little bro/uncle/Brian Regan impersonator i know; so stinking creative with stories and such, it's not even funny; so sweet and kind. Ethan, i'm so glad God blessed me with the responsibility of being an older sister to such a little man as you. Love you Pinocchio! Can't wait to see where you go in life.

love always and forever, really and truly,

Le-Man ;)

i hate titles.

2009-03-07T00:18:00.002-05:00

The only ones for me are the mad ones,
the ones who are made to live,
mad to talk,
made to be saved,
desirious of everything at the same time,
the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace things,
but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes, "Awww!"

those conversations that are in a category all of their own

2009-03-02T00:49:00.000-05:00

and even that category is unknown. my, how my head spins with confusion after these. lately, whether my parents are just thinking a lot about their next-to-last-kid turning 18 or i've done a lot that causes them worry or what else i know not what, i've been getting several random strange talks about, well, i'm not really sure. sometimes, it starts out as nothing but turns into a marriage conversation (how, i haven't the foggiest...it's really weird...). other times, it feels like i'm getting told something in a secret code, but i don't have the code book to decipher the meaning to these words (of wisdom, i can feel the vibes!). like today, i was innocently eating my dinner when all the sudden the friendly banter flying around the kitchen turned into the wackiest, inspirational, motivational, your-growing-up-but-you-aren't-yet-and-you-don't-have-to-do-something-different-and-18ish-just-because-you're-almost-18 talk ever (i'm not even kidding!) all with a side of be your own person and another marriage talk. which was really confusing because..well, i thought i was my own person and i know of nothing changing though i know God has something in store and what with all these "what kind of person you should marry" talks...? strangeness. anyways, someone (today mum, which again was odd) usually ends up with tears (i think joy/pride/foot cramps?) and earnest staring into my face at which i try to look smart and brave and totally up to whatever i'm supposed to do...whatever that is. i'm still trying to figure out the code. so anyways, here i am, at this earlier-lateish-hour, eating pistachios, filling out this new month's calendar with my awesome many coloured sharpies, and even though i'm hacking away something awful and sniffing atrociously, i have experience God's beautiful and perfect grace today and despite confusion and all else, i am satisfied.

one code i have figured out though, thanks to http://www.htmlcodetutorial.com/_STRIKE.html is the stike ~~threw~~ ~~throogh~~ through. hurrah! i'm so proud of me. that one's been a long time coming. :^)

my valentine's day wish(s)

2009-02-13T11:13:00.003-05:00

Let love be without hypocrisy Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,
contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. (Romans 12:9-13)
But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. (Colossians 3:8)
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. (Colossians 3:12-15)

Oh, how often I fall so short of these commands. I read this and I'm convicted so strongly. Sure, I "love" whom I want to, "encourage" those I wish to encourage, "bear with" them who I will to. If I am not doing this to all my brothers and sisters, I am not doing it truly for any. "Let love be without hypocrisy..." How is my love hypocritic? ("Where is your heart? 'Cause I don't really feel you Where is your heart? What I really want is to believe you...")

it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

2009-01-28T23:14:00.003-05:00

We went night sledding. It was dark . It was cold. There were loud, hilarious teenage boys freezing their toes off and daring each other to do ridiculous and daring slides off of cliffs. We had hot chocolate. It was wonderful. We are going tomorrow after school, Ethan, Bradon, and I. Afterwards, I'm going to Addie's for a game night with the college kids and older high scholars from Sycamore RPC. Beforehand, I am taking one monstrous Trig test. boohyeah. I actually am feeling stoked/good vibes about this one. It's all about triangles, their lines, and their angles. It's pretty intense. Post-Afterwards, (Friday) Mum, Ethan and I are going AGAIN to Maconaqua Park and moving with great velocity and force (p=mv) in the downward vertical motion (negative) on a frictionless surface ( μk=o?? i think..) and atop plastic/metal frictionless pieces to time our fastest record (no averaging, we are leaving that for Physics class--not to be taken out of the classroom you understand). There will again be hot chocolate. Post-post-after-afterwards, we are continuing with tradition (of after-sleddingness) by going to Harvey's where we will eat, drink and be merry while dropping off applications (and eating their fabulous after-diner-mints!)

some people end up with all the brains in their head and funny quotes spewing from their lips

2008-12-24T07:44:00.004-05:00

Does everyone have trouble with their sinuses? Because I was at, now let's see, I think it was Meijer, yeah it was Meijer, and I saw this guy with huge, I mean huge nostrils. Seriously! Probably close to an inch and a quarter! And I was left there thinking, "man, this guy is alright ::gives thumbs up sign::. He has nice big, clear sinuses. Why'd I end up with such small ones?" I wished I'd had my cellphone so I could have taken a picture 'cause no one believes me! I mean they had to be an inch and a quarter!!

--someone whom i'm glad to call my brother in Christ

Beatboxing Flute and Cello @ Union Square

2008-12-08T11:57:00.001-05:00

boohyeah. this is why people play instuments.

The Peach and the Pear

2008-12-01T11:08:00.001-05:00

ethan and i used to write this newsletter and send it out a couple of times a year called The Peach and the Pear. wonder why we stopped...

as titles are optional

2008-11-27T10:49:00.001-05:00

At This Particular Moment In Time...

2008-11-25T19:10:00.000-05:00

..I'm off to run. Family starts arriving tomorrow! :D

When it feels like my dreams are so far:

2008-11-23T19:05:00.003-05:00

I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. Behold, I would wonder far away,
I would lodge in the wilderness.
I would hasten to my place of refuge
From the stormy wind and tempest." [Psalm 55:6-8]

You have taken account my wanderings;
Put my tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in Your book? [Psalm 56:8]

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will* sustain you; He will* never allow the righteous to be shaken...I will* trust in You. [Psalm 55:22...23]

He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle which is against me. [Psalm 55:18]

For You have tried us, O God;
You have refined us as silver is refined.
You brought us into the net;
You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins.
You made men ride over our heads;
We went through fire and through water,
Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance.* [Psalm 66:10-12]

Is not God amazing to know what a range of emotions we humans would have, to plan what to write for those to come? To know what would bring comfort and what wouldn't? (I'm so(oooooooooohohohohohoho) glad He didn't just say, "That's life, dear." and send us on our merry[not-so-merry] way.) Sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again. They've gotta be perfect!
(*=own italics)

The race you are running is excruciating

2008-11-17T00:06:00.005-05:00

Grow bolder in bringing your complaints to God
^there is a difference between a sinful grumbling, and a humble complaint.

See guidance to return to your center of Joy
^"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." [Jack Lewis]

^God gives you these trials to strip away the distractions so that you will focus on Him.

Learn to preach to yourself rather than listen to yourself
^Your heart is a constant stream of thought.
^Ps. 103
^[Psalm 43] as the psalmist wrote these words, he had yet to be delivered.

God is not just a dispenser of joy or a stream that carries joy, He is Joy. One look at your heart will let others know that God is your joy.

God invites us to moan in His presence. I guess this is why so many of the Psalms can say exactly what I feel when I have not the words to tell my heavenly Father. He wants to know our pains and problems. He wants us to come to Him. Go to the Lord with your complaints (He knows them already anyway ;)).

don't deny that you've never wanted to do this:

2008-11-13T22:55:00.003-05:00

disclaimer: after 7 sleepless nights, what else are you supposed to do?

of peanutbutter cookies and eggnog chocolate

2008-11-12T17:35:00.002-05:00

i'd recommend the first one, but not the latter.

"haha, hey look! it's "Life Road"...i never realized that
before...we're drving on the road of life ::smile::"

"yeah, and it ends right....here"

I've got nothing to say,

2008-11-10T05:00:00.000-05:00

but that's okay.

Good morning.

;)

wow.

2008-11-09T22:54:00.002-05:00

Trisha: Why don't more kids make wills? They die too! I'm going to write one and you're going to be in it Leah!

me: ...::shock::

Robin: Make sure you have someone witness it...

Trisha: ::points to leah:: she's gonna be there--

Robin: ...like a teacher or someone who isn't included in the will.

Trisha:I'm gonna hide it under my bed!!!!

She will do great things...

someday, we'll know why Sampson loved Delilah...

2008-11-06T21:14:00.002-05:00

but that day, is not today. no, today is the day that:

I found out Mary is in the blog world. And that's a happy thought. hey Mary my dearheart... :^)
I had a trig test. It was rotten tomatoe-ish (the really gross kind). No comments.
God had something perfect planned. And it happened. Like always. :D
I actually played this awesome piano piece with less horrid notes that usual..and I can't even play the piano!
I heard Emory play said song in a much more marvelously musical (there's some alliteration for you) way and with waaaaay more in rhythm and all that jazz than I.
Had some bagel bites. They were good.
Lost it. I really lost it. I have no words, or how to deal with it. It was stupid. I honestly don't know what to say.
That my day will end with sleep; it hasn't done that for awhile. A long while. I'm looking forward to it...

He gives His loved ones sleep...

i'm thinking maybe just haul the tissue box with me everywhere...it'll save time

2008-11-03T00:53:00.000-05:00

!!!

everything is in such extremes. [extreme health, nothing at all, over-emotional, blank face and feelings...] everything is too much. [who really needs over 14 hrs. of behind the scenes? do we have lives anymore???...this really has nothing to do with anything i'm talking about, or not talking about, whichever...]

Saturday was horrible, really horrible. I feel good. I feel crappy. This sucks. Life is Grand. Tears start coming before your ready for them (no! please not infront of 10 tables! suck it up for a bit...); they don't come when you are (okay, now that i'm alone it'd be a good time); then they don't stop (waiting in the jeep for 30 min. isn't too bad..until you get a phone call and someone wants to talk and your just blubbering loudly into their ear..); then you feel fabulous afterwards despite your extremely stuffed up nose (i slept soooo well. today was amazing.). Jon Foreman's Limbs and Branches album is...indescribably good. Your Love is Strong in particular...God is so awesomely good to me. It totally out-weighs the bad. Your heart can break in so many different ways and He can always make it whole again. It can feel good again. "Why do I worry? Why do I freak out? God knows what I need. You know what I need." He gives the EXACT amount of grace needed everyday. It is sufficient. I will not need a single bit more than He has given. Saturday, I realized that. Again. But even more than before. "The kingdom of the heavens is now advancing. Invade my heart." Follow the Serious, Ture Joy. Invade me. Cry and feel good. Pray and rely on who you know you've been supposed to, rather than yourself. It's not about me.

What should we do when our spiritual life isn't what it should be?

2008-10-29T22:38:00.004-04:00

I think it's a good place to be in this life, to be aware that we're not what we ought to be. The Apostle Paul set a clear example for us in Philippians 3:12 when he said, "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own."
So the thing to keep in mind when I sense my inadequacy as a Christian is that my acceptance with the Father does not depend ultimately on my adequacy, because Christ has made me his own. He has reached down and—by his cross, by election, by his calling, and by his regeneration—made me his own.
I want to keep my focus on him and pray, "O God, incline my heart to you. Keep me, use me," and then grow in grace by looking to the one who has made me his own.

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/AskPastorJohn/ByTopic/13/2981_What_should_we_do_when_our_spiritual_life_isnt_what_it_should_be/

It sings happy songs through the tears.

2008-10-26T22:22:00.000-04:00

For Jesus, the demand for joy is a way to live with suffering and to outlast suffering. Therefore, this joy is serious. It's the kind you fight for by cutting off your hand (Matthew 5:30) and selling your possessions (Matthew 13:44) and carrying a cross with Jesus to Calvary (Matthew 10:38-39). It has scars. It sings happy songs with tears. It remembers the dark hours and knows that more are coming. The road to heaven is a hard road, but it is not joyless.

---John Piper, In Our Joy, pg 35

cold thoughts at 11:27 p.m.

2008-10-19T23:26:00.004-04:00

! mmmm, my toes are cold and they feel even colder against my *warmer* ankles.

@ i've translated 2 1/2 greek verses with a broken purple pencil. ---->

# i'm attempting to warm up the frozen knot in my stomach with STASH'S earl grey tea...it's scalding but man, even it tastes coldish.

^ *almost all* of my clothes are clean.

& i like jeans. and sweatshirts. and bagels. and car rides. and McAlister's Deli. and swings, a lot.

$ my penguin pjs are not performing up to their promised warming guarantee...looking at them playing in the snow on my kneecap isn't helping either. why do they put snow on things that are supposed to make you feel warm and cuddly?

% future of forestry is perfect.

* tears need to stop flowing so easily from my eyes, hunger needs to return to my body, sleep needs to saturate my mind, grades need to drop from 'panic' mode and just chill, and God has satisfied all.

Question 3 is based on the following passage.

2008-10-15T06:32:00.000-04:00

It may look as though I do not know how to begin my tale. Funny sight, the elderly gentleman who comes lumbering by in a valiant dash for the bus, which he eventually overtakes but is afraid to board in motion and so, with a sheepish smiles, drops back, still going at a trot. Is it that I dare not make the leap It roars, gathers speed, will presently vanish irrevocably around the corner, the bus, the motorbus, the mighty motorbus that is my tale. Rather bulky imagery, this. I am still running.

In context, the actions of the "elderly gentleman" (line 2) are best understand as

(A) a sign that the narrator fears he will miss an appointment

(B) a reference to the narrator's physical skills

(D) a metaphor for the narrator's literary struggles

(E) an allusion to the narrator's artistic reputation

Yes, I is taking the Psat.

When I Look at the Stars, I see Someone Else

2008-10-10T22:31:00.002-04:00

Tonight, was awesome. The stars are so beautiful; so creative! Can you imagine creating a star? And being the first one to do it? Man alive. Lying on the rooftop of the Jeep, listening to music both sad and sweet, star gazing, being able to watch the moon's progress as it inched along the sky through the trees, imagining what would be goin on in the moon-light-lite woods if I wasn't in this world. thinking of creating a star...I think I could have stayed for hours if it hadn't been for the necessity of a human moment to eat...and do physics. Actually, lying out there I began to think about physics (oh, it's sad) and what if what everyone thinks is tue about physics, actually isn't and all this stuff we spend time memorizing and learning actually doesn't mean a thing except that we humans know what another human is talking about and that maybe other humans would rather not have a conversation about their velocity and gravity and why things move the way they do and what the scaler mesurment of that thing is but instead they would like to lie under the stars and listen to Evanesence and gorgeous piano music and just enjoy the feeling of soccer being played in raquetball rooms and your sweaty shirt sticking to your back and thinking of joy and reading into lyrics too hard and being a stupid, pathetic, cold, over emotional person and to just cry with the stars and watch the moon rise?

When it's You and I, then my heart can sing!

2008-10-09T22:56:00.002-04:00

"You And I
Water for the thirsty
Wholeness for the meek
Shelter and foundation for the weak
Friendship for the lonely
Riches for the poor
Fulfillment for the ones who yearn for more

You are what I long for
You are what I need..."

Every time I listen to this song, I remember how God is all satisfying, and how nothing else is.

He Is Friendship For The Lonely. He is what I long for. He is what I need.

sunrise [even when you can't see it for the clouds that lie in the way]

2008-10-08T21:50:00.004-04:00

There are those days where I just love the feeling of rain.

There's no other time it would be so perfect, so right.

It matches my mood, my feelings, the songs I hum in my head.

If it were sunny, it would be different. But it's raining; it's so perfect, so right.

Rain and gray clouds are not synonymous with sadness and bad days. They can be glorious and beautiful!

The feeling is quite cold and tingly on my skin; I get goosebumps.

But there is not a reason or reward that would make me want to change that.

The freezing droplets soak my shoes and I, from then on, carry the sound of my enjoyment with me through the rest of my day. :)

There is a Purpose

2008-09-22T10:40:00.003-04:00

Man, I had never thought about having a specific friend and there being this huge point behind God having brought you two together. I mean, all the time, I'm so thankful for the friends He's given me, and I know He gave them to me, but I guess I never stopped to muse over there might be a bigger reason other than my personal enjoyment ;). Then again, since there is a purpose in everything He allows, I wonder why I didn't realize it sooner!

Anyway, last THursday evening, I realized, perhaps, one huge reason why one certain lovely girl and I were brought into each other's lives. I'm not her closest friend, but at SCA I'm the one who knows her best. It also turns out that I had gone through almost the exact same things she's working through about 1 1/2 years earlier. She came up and spilled; I identified. I didn't really read too deep into this situation until I got to my sister's later that evening. As I shared my heart with her she helped me see that there was a purpose in all the hardship in my life before where before, I had not. Before, I would have said, "Why? I don't get it! There is absolutely no reason for this happening!" Now, I see why God allowed (or at least one reason ;) ) to happen what He did and I can even say I'm thankful for it.

For Your Joy:

2008-09-21T23:29:00.000-04:00

Glorify God.

disguising mistakes with goodbyes...

2008-09-10T22:37:00.002-04:00

...this seems to be happening more than often to me.

why?

Hard Heart Lessons and Asking for Directions

2008-08-18T00:47:00.003-04:00

::sigh:: This summer has been very interesting for me. I feel that my heart has gone through so much. As I think back over lessons fought through and conquered (or something better that what it was anyway ;) ) I think, "Man, I've been stretched as far as I care to be for awhile now," and the next thought is, "what am I saying?! God's will is perfect and it's totally been working out so far, yeah? I'm still alive--my heart is still pumping nice and soundly...what's your problem, girl?" Before Ukraine, on the way to Ukraine, in Ukraine, on the way home, YSSP, work, the past few days reading a really good book my sister got me...so many lessons. It's so interesting how I plan my life out (well, at least summer wise ;) ) and things totally don't go the way *I* plan yet, I wouldn't wish it different because The Perfect Plan has been fully unveiled.

EMMI

2008-07-26T21:49:00.005-04:00

::sigh:: I love my sister. She is pretty much the definition of superness. We have grand long talks on the phone about everything...and absolutely nothing a lot of the time.

Today, we laughed about the worked "funk" for probably 20 min...

...It was awesome.

good times in plaid shorts and striped shirts

2008-07-22T10:34:00.004-04:00

which i happen to be in.

oh yeah.

Mum is in Memphis.

Ethan and I* stayed up watching Lone Ranger episodes

and eating Macaroni and Cheese

and cookie dough

and cheeze-its!

and dancing to Led Zeppelin and making Lemon-aid and listening for tornado warnings long into the night...

*I watched the first 5/10 episodes before more jet lag overcame me...Ethan was the trooper and finished all before bedtime.

::Jammin' to Lynard Skynard whilst we deep clean our rooms is next on the schedual::

oh yeah.

171 Starbucks

2008-06-28T23:16:00.001-04:00

whoa.

i want to do this.

whao.

it was fun. it was great. and it was really great.

2008-06-08T21:36:00.003-04:00

the tears began with my mum during prayer at breakfast...
the bewilderment continued on into the afternoon.
the tears came after hanging up after a "you're growing up" conversation with my daddy on the phone...
this is the only birthday i can remember with him not being here.
2 people tried to cover for the other 4 during my little birthday song...
but i had 7 other dear, lovely, family and friend people call to sing (with much vim and vigor!) various birthday songs to my happy ear (yes, i mean various. you'd be surprised... :P it was great)

it has been the most emotional birthday ever...it's been great. :)

Mum, Dad,
Thanks for giving 17 years of your lives to devote to my own life. You've spent years watching, listening, advice-giving, encouraging, loving, caring, educating, helping, preparing, hugging and oodles of other things for me. Thanks for raising me in a Christian home where I am taught to fear God who's full of grace, love, and mercy. You have sacrificed so many things for me; many dreams, wishes, careers that would have been easier, time that would have been yours to have, money that could have been spent on something else. So many times you've spent evenings and entire nights listening to me ramble, cry, rejoice, or stayed up with me when I was sick (or finishing those 4-H projects and school papers :) ). For all the times as a baby when I kept you up at night (which I am told was waaaaaaay more than the usual amount!). All the times you've sat and waited while I had a cello lesson or was at play practice or drove around all night looking for the horse who escaped or come and picked me up from a friend's house at midnight because I needed you :). Lately, so many of our talks end in tears with the thought of having such marvelous parents as you two. I love you both so much more than I could ever say...and it would take me a bit as I'm not good with words :). I don't know the way to say it, thank you just isn't enough. But I guess simple is best-- thank you daddy and mum, for the best 17 years ever! I love you!

P.S. Yes mum, I'll drive safely tomorrow ;) Your car is in excellent hands...::mwhahahah:: hey, they could have used a penguin on that country's flag, right? ;) Thanks for everything today!!! It was super!
dad- does Oobleck live in Memphis as well? I miss him. :( I miss you. See you soon!

decisions, of which i'm quite bad at, unless i've already made up my mind

2008-06-06T23:44:00.000-04:00

it's 11:30 p.m. (hehe, makes me think of when Charity calls and says, "oh! i bet we woke everyone up!" nope, everyone's up talking eating...you can join in the festivities! :P)
my family has some grand late night habits.
ethan's chatting on the phone with dad.
mum's making hot chocolate (yes, in 90* weather, with the AC on... :) ).
amia, the only wise one, is sleeping, almost enough to be considered soundly.
i, munching on Flat Earth's crisps (hey, their not half bad...rather on the better half actually...), doughnut holes, and drinking o.j, am trying to decide whether to go against all my normalities and go to bed as i definitely need to rise promptly after 6 with my singing alarm or to do the usual and stay up with everyone and watch a movie...i mean, come on, it's Home Along 2!!! i kinda have to watch it, don't I? :P sitting in my dark room, listening to The Chronicles of Narnia being radio dramatized in the background, and hearing my cat jump into his usual spot on my bed...leaving just enough room for my feet...i honestly and truly want to go to bed...but, it is Home Alone 2.

ahh. the tough decisions in life :P

contempt (or is it disdain?), farewell--
maiden pride, adu--
nice amounts of sleep, forget you.
Central Park's Christmas tree, here I come (it's just 2 hours of sleep anyway)!

"four days and i'll be one year away...

2008-06-04T18:23:00.003-04:00

and that's all i have to say."

While the sounds of Switchfoot and smells of pancakes fill the house...

2008-05-31T10:20:00.002-04:00

I withdrew to my usual place of retirement in great peace and tranquility; spent about two hours in secret duties and felt much as I did yesterday morning, only weaker and more overcome. I seemed to depend wholly upon my dear Lord, wholly weaned from all other dependences. I knew not what to sat to my God, but only to lean on His bosom, as it were, and breathe out my desires after a perfect conformity to Him in all things. Thirsty desires and insatiable longings possessed my soul after perfect holiness. God was so precious to my soul that the world with all its enjoyments was infinitely vile. I had no more value for all the favor of men than pebbles. The Lord was my ALL; and that He overruled all greatly delighted me. I think my faith and dependence upon God scarce ever rose to high. I saw Him such a fountain of goodness that it seemed impossible I should distrust Him again, or be any way anxious about anything that should happen to me. [David Brainerd, April 28th, 1742]

The Silence and Solitude chapter of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life is amazing! Of course, every chapter I start reading I think is pretty much amazing. But this one, for some odd reason (hmmm, is it really that odd? :^P), is more amazing than usual...

My Man Luke

2008-05-30T23:39:00.006-04:00

[Luke and I debating Postal Service's best song over a nice glass of ice tea during one of the best days ever]

Yesterday, I got to talk to my big brother on the phone and wish him many happy returns of the day. It was so good to hear his voice; to hear him say, "Girl, what's going on? Is Life good? Is everything going alright?"; to laugh at each other's corny jokes and watch mum's face when we both die laughing at each other's stupidity. It was so good to make sarcastic remarks to each other and talk about our small and petty problems with each other (hey, i now can tell the difference between higher-end pools and the lower-end ones--my bro has enlightened me :^P). It was such an "our" conversation. One minute, making fun of each other; the next, giving one other serious Life advice...and then, right in the middle of it, Luke proves that he's not lost his niche at being able to take me in on the most obvious things...::smile:: It was good to sing "happy birthday" to him in my own off key way and knowing that he didn't care. It felt so nice to hear him say, "dude, when are you coming down? You have your license...don't you? We need to go eat some BBQ and jam together, girl." ::sigh:: To listen to his ridiculous voicemail message...

[sooooo much laughter...Jullian's (I think) in Memphis...Arcade/Resturant thing...really good ice tea too...]

Luke, you are one awesome dude. I love you. You always make me laugh. You always remind me not to take things too seriously. We ague out the finer points of what qualifies as random. We go through the drive-through (how do you spell one of those things???), annoying the cashiers, and singing Queen at the top of our lungs covering all the parts. We watch corny movies together and listen to each other's recommendations. We dare each other to do stupid things at the mall like, jumping on all the mattresses in the store and getting out before the little old sweet clerk lady catches you. Or to get your picture taken with the Easter Bunny. Or to go ask the guy across from us at Pizza Hut if he's seen Nemo 'cause I'm looking for him. Ah, yes. Luke, God has blessed me with one marvelous brother who has some pretty sweet skillz. Don't waste them. Live Life to the fullest. And know, that I always have a hug and a kiss for you no matter how many times you tackle Micky Mouse. Rock on. Lovin' Life, Lovin' You (are you stealing some of Chuck and Cindy's wedding beer? ;^) ).

[Posing with the buisness card that some recorder dude gave Luke the night before while Luke was playing his guitar. :P]

there's a double meaning in that

2008-05-28T20:50:00.006-04:00

i officially started working again today.
this could be one grand summer--the drama's already begun. :^/
whoo hoo.
fortunately, i am usually able to avoid it. but in the four hours i was there today there's already been attempts.
oh dear.

these are the chronicles of Life and Death and Everything between

2008-05-27T09:50:00.005-04:00

! Dad left for Memphis yesterday afternoon unknowingly leaving behind his creative writing book for class.

@ Dad called this morning before 7 saying he needed said book because an assignment was due.

# Mum woke me, told me she had to leave for work and that I should await Dad's call to see exactly what he needed and then do it.

$ Dad called and he needed his entire lesson 2 and the exercises.

% I proceeded to go upstairs, nervous about trying to use our "3 in 1" scanner/printer/faxer thing it always seemed to forget that it was a "3 in 1" and usually didn't play any of the above parts.

* After spending 40 min. trying to convince the computer that the horrid Lexmark was indeed connected to the computer, I called Dad back and asked some advice.

( I ran through the usual troubleshooting steps. Many times.

) Finally, I thought, "Whatever, I'll hook it up to the other computer. I'm not loosing anything."

!! Success! Success! It worked!

----------

Thankfully, Mum is extremely organized and had all the user guides/installation cds/usb cords/random cool penguin stickers and such all sorted in her filing cabinet and it took a whole of 13 seconds of panicking before I found them.

Dad has his assignment, I actually fingered out this semi-complicated-for-me-issue, and life goes on. Hurrah. I feel grown up.

I dislike computers (and the house smells like someone is cooking a chicken...weird.).

while words evade me, shine on

2008-05-19T23:10:00.004-04:00

Adam D: Did you know your name spelled backwards is mmikhael? Sorta like Michael. We could call you Mikael!

Er, Mikey.

I: ::laughing::

People who come and make random comments to me through-out the day totally make it spectacular. Thanks Adam! :^)

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Appearance doesn't matter during finals. (So said some flair)

Including the glazed-over-eye-from-too-little-sleep-and-too-much-caffeine-look (So said I) which I will be sporting tomorrow.

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But who cares?! Tomorrow, I am leaving behind 4 classes (and Thursday 4 more!!!!) that I am done with! (good-bye Jay Wile! I'm not going to be missing you!) Mum is already discussing next years classes at IUK...oh dear....

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God Will Heal My Faithlessness is pretty much one of the most amazing and self-identifying (or whatever you would call it) posts I've ever read. You should read it. Really and Truly.

--------------------------------------------------

I've left my lab book and greek homework at home. oops.

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Ethan had his last soccer game tonight and they were amazing! Had some serious foot skillz going on and some pretty grand steals/passes.

--------------------------------------------------

I didn't mean to make this another rambling, random thought post. But it came anyway. I guess my mind won't write other than it is no matter how much I wish to change it.

--------------------------------------------------

Emery (As Your Voice Fades) is humming over the speakers to me...

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And the world spins madly on.

2008-05-09T13:03:00.004-04:00

There is so much I could talk about.

So many different things going on that I could forget trying to stick to one topic and ramble on about everything...but that defeats the purpose of midnight phone calls.

I could talk about the amazing thoughts I've been reading in my Spiritual Disciplines book on Stewardship (oh, man! 'tis good. 'tis good.).

I could write on the simply ridiculous and hilarious and spiffy times my sister have at 11:42 p.m. talking about grammer and Shakespeare and bbq grilling and Closer episodes and her old slow laptop and whether or not nonimperativesque is a word and exactly how we'd use it in a sentence and how we both can't talk while we are laughing that hard because we sound like mice and fall off beds at that late hour.

I could write about how Revelation has some amazing stuff in the first 3 chapters and how some new understanding has come from Mr. VanDoodawaard's excellent teaching.

Or I could write about the crazy time last Saturday night/morning my little bro and I had baking these AMAZING chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips and with more chocolate flavoring whist singing Sarah Brightman's part in Phantom of the Opera and not being able to hit that high...E maybe? And getting into one of the stupidest burping contests ever. By the way, Andrea Bochelli and Sarah Brightman sing a lovely duet 'Time to say Goodbye'.

Perhaps I could post the words to this positively beautiful hymn that we are singing in my music skillz class. They make you cry.

I could brave all embarrassment of my badness at putting words together and type some of my own pathetic work up here for all to be nice and say, "I like it! Good job!" while all the while them and I both know it's not even close to being liked. No, the world shall be none the wiser.

Half my life ago, my aunt brought me the first of A Series of Unfortunate Events. I didn't like it. Now, half my life later, my sister bought the eleventh of the series for my brother and I'm totally enjoying it--at least the first chapter and a half ;^). I could create a post of some of the most witty things I've ever read from this book, but that would take too long. (I'm sure making this pointless list is much less time consuming ;^) )

hmmm.

Well, now that I have posts covered for the next several months and absolutely nothing done for today, I shall leave.

hmmm.

I guess I should leave something beneficial for you who braved your way all the way down here.

hmmm.

So, in the words of Reepacheep, "This is where I go one alone!"

forever and ever...

2008-04-30T21:42:00.000-04:00

(Christopher Robin):...is a very long time Pooh.

(Pooh): Forever isn't long at all when I'm with you!

The few talks I heard at Hope for Eternity were amazing. And I heard they just got better and better. There was one in particular that a few people shared a bit on yesterday with me. They were from Mr. Donnelly's (i believe) final sermon. As I talked to said people, they were talking about heaven and what we would think of each other there and what Mr. Donnelly was saying about it. Talking about this caused me to think this thought (which even though I've totally thought along this exact thought before, I was completely overjoyed to think about it again and in a deeper way):

My friendships with my fellow Christians now will never end. Even when one of us dies, it's not over. We won't see each other for a bit, but soon enough we shall all be in heaven and then we'll never leave again and just be friends, forever. We shall be worshipping God, forever. We will be in this perfect and utter happiness that I'm pretty sure we won't have known before. And it will last, forever.

This seriously makes my heart ache with happy thoughts.

Oh yes, it shall be grand.

I can just see me saying this to the driving instructor...

2008-04-23T13:53:00.000-04:00

"The other car collided with mine without giving warning of its intention."

deep waters: you can either sink or swim.

2008-04-20T14:16:00.003-04:00

“I am come into deep waters” took on new meaning this morning. It started with perplexing matters concerning the future. Then it dawned that shallow waters were a place where you can neither sink nor swim, but in deep waters it is one or the other: “Waters to swim in”—not to float in. Swimming is the intense, most strenuous form of motion—all of you is involved in it—and every inch of you is in abandonment of rest upon the water that bears you up. [an excerpt from the Desiring God blog which had this excerpt from A Blossom in the Desert by Lilias Trotter]

After reading this post, the concept of when in deep water you must either sink or swim, the whole bit on shallow waters, how swimming is so strenuous, and how this analogy applies to so many things has been in my thoughts a lot. I won't give you the whole spheal about what I've been thinking, I'd just be paraphrasing what you've already read. ;^) And I think Lilias Trotter says it too well for me to say it any different.

Matthew 10:42

2008-04-13T19:13:00.000-04:00

check it out: http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1132_give_the_little_ones_clean_water/

1.1 billion people don’t have access to safe, clean drinking water. That’s 1 in 6 people alive today.
Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation causes 80% of all sickness and disease, and kills more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Many people in the developing world, usually women and children, walk more than three hours every day to fetch water that is likely to make them sick. (source)
Jesus said, “Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward” (Matt. 10:42). These folks don’t have clean water, much less cold water.
What can we do? Going overseas and personally handing out cups of clean water is not practical for most of us. It’s also not very efficient compared with digging wells and teaching sanitation and ecological techniques. But one thing we can all do is give a $20 bottle of charity:
Charity:water is a non-profit initiative bringing clean water and basic sanitation into impoverished communities. Since [Charity:water] was founded and began activity in August 2006, we have funded the construction of more than 250 wells that, when completed, will provide clean drinking water to 150,000 people.
A $20 bottle of charity water can give a person in Africa clean, safe drinking water for 20 years. 100% goes to direct project costs.
That’s certainly worth $20 to me.

-Desiring God Blog Post by Josh Sowin on March 24, 2008

"just a day, just an ordinary day..."

2008-04-08T01:23:00.003-04:00

after...

singing loudly all day (don't ask the neighbor's opinion!)...
standing in the sun hanging clothes on the line...
dancing madly around the house...
vacuuming the house (maybe the neighbors didn't hear me over the contraption :^D)...
talking to several dear friends...
eating day-old pizza...
washing a very muddy dog...
apologizing and being forgiven...
catching up on FB...
listening to "Gone" about 18 times...
trying to "keep the green button on continuously"...
making my bed at 1:19 AM with sun-dried and wind-blown sheets...
a complete change of heart...

I think my Monday was a success.

Quote of the Day
The strength of patience hangs on our capacity to believe that God is up to something good for us in all our delays and detours.
—John Piper

Sons of Korah Psalm 117

2008-04-05T19:14:00.000-04:00

"Praise the LORD, all nations;

Laud Him, all peoples!

For His lovingkindness is great toward us,

And the truth of the LORD is everlasting.

Praise the LORD! "

amen.

Joy happened...

2008-04-04T00:27:00.001-04:00

...and it was glorious.
i seriously cannot even explain.
but, there was a witness to this spectacular event,
one who sang with me all of Psalm 136 at the top of our lungs tho i was out of breath and shaking so.
who let me run crazily and laugh and cry and joined in with me.
who gave some pretty fierce hugs and who knew exactly what i meant.

who prayed earnestly in front of a heater and behind a projector.

Joy inexpressible so happened.

oh man, i don't even know what to say...

but RYa, i guess you at least shall understand what went on rather wonderfully in the sanctuary so all is well. :^)

1 Peter 1:8&9, "and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and thought you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls."

finding joy

2008-04-01T23:38:00.002-04:00

Abby and I have been talking about finding more joy in the Lord more throughout our day recently while we've been working through 1st Peter. Here is something she brought to ponder:

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit." Psalm 51:12

True, pure joy. Isn't it grand?

I am not Cool

2008-03-30T13:15:00.004-04:00

My fellow Coffee Consumers, let me encourage you to watch the Don't Waste Your Life podcasts. They are so convicting and encouraging. Seriously. Even though all deal with the overall same topic of not wasting the life you've been given, each one looks at it differently. It's not just the unbelievers who waste their lives. For the past couple of weeks I have gotten away from watching them regularly and last night I hopped on my iTunes podcasts and decided to watch a few. Oh man, they are good. I want to waste less of my life and be willing to risk it and use more of it to the glory and honor of God.

Oh yeah...

2008-03-24T17:56:00.001-04:00

...you know you secretely want to be a rockstar cellist who has sweet head-banging skillz and can play even when your glasses fall off...okay, maybe this is only a dream for some of us :)

Where Things Stand: Perfection

2008-03-17T00:09:00.001-04:00

I was "planning" (yes, make fun of me if you wish...as crazy as it seems, I ::do:: sometimes have some sort of semi-plan going on in this blog thing of mine), to do this rather nice little blog post this evening when we returned from..."There", however, my fingers and brain cannot remember said plan so I shall move on to Plan the Next (as there was no Plan B or any other progressive letter plans following).

...

::decides there pretty much wasn't any other plan::

...

::decides to at least say something now that 1/2 of something has already been semi-typed::

My friends and fellow Sharpie Users:

Today I have lived on a half eaten bag of Skittles (air does them well), a half eaten bag of Combos (air does not do them so well), several ice teas, a triple Rockstar (hey, in my defense, was not my idea!), some lovely music with air added, and God's perfect and timely grace. It's so insanely perfect and all we need at that moment! Who wants my idea of perfection when you can have the Creator of the Universe, the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, God's sheer perfection? I could cry with joy at the utter Love and Beauty of it all. In this we can take comfort, at this precise moment, all the grace we need has been given. We shall never be in want of any more.

All we need. Is not that Perfection?

Walking in Memphis..Which I now have

2008-03-14T10:30:00.004-04:00

My dudes,
It's warm.
It's creepy.
It's musicified.
It's inhabited by the majority of my family at the moment.
It's interesting.
It has this perfectly grand park to play soccer in.
It has a four story library.
It has this super cool music/other really cool stuff store called Spin Street...i think.
It's amazing how something so unfimiliar and different can feel like home when family's there.

I'd put some pictures and laughable videos of my brothers on here but my mum's laptop is very grumpy and deciding not to read my nice little memory card...anyway, enjoy the day. I'm going to go enjoy mine with a little greek, chemistry, and some new Jack Johnson. Oh yeah.
;>)

thought-flow-charts

2008-03-10T01:21:00.000-04:00

Serendipity

Wonder

Ponder

Think

Dangerous

Left

not Right

Airplane

Wright

Write

Letter

Dear Friend

Meaningful Conversation

NECCO'S CONVERSATION HEARTS!!!

Flavored Chalk

Summer afternoons waiting for Dad to get home from work drawing chalk pictures on the sidewalk, teaching Ethan how to spell "Welcome Home Daddy".

teaching Ethan how to ride his bike

Grandpa watching my efforts--

Me wanting to make him proud.

Photographs.

Weezer.

Car ride in Kokomo, on a Saturday in January a year ago.

Grocery carts and Dollar Generals (Oceans 11 too).

Bowling, Elizabeth Town, Switchfoot and interesting conversations having nothing to do with any of it in a Grandmother's car (with Gram not even in the car!)

Serious Christians.

Birthdays.

alarms (on phones of course!)

I didn't.

I did.

You didn't?!

Yes.

Sign Lanuage

Mum

Mrs. J

"BTW, is that an eyeball you're hugging dear?"

Mike Wizowski

(Cheese and the people who belong to it.)

Spoons.

Facebooks.

::sigh::

most used expression-

good thing?

idon'tknow

annoying.

atomic clocks

Daylight Savings

Australia

Blackwoods

long, late, scheduled, wonderful conversations.

pacing

whispering sos not to wake people up

people coming in saying they were woke up

hiding in the closet talking

green rivers and cafeterias

Missing People (tear)

College (groans and more tears)

unimportance of education

sarcasm.

growing up, changing (::SIGH::), leaving behind

Rooming Chums in 4 months. (biking for one hour)

heart/brain twins,

unique friendship.

The Usefulness of Blogger.

ice cream pictures

Indianapolis, 12 am

Road Trips

Maps

Turtles

Biology

presentation

turtle candy

mmhmm

Relient K

loong list ("there's a double meaning in that.." Shakespeare! Phil! 2!!)

goodnight.

This is Your Life...Switchfootify it!

2008-03-08T16:31:00.004-05:00

::sigh::

a bit of the upcoming reality hit just about 4 minutes ago. A Lady called me on her cell phone (hence the reason she kept calling me "Lisa"...stupid low number of reception bars....) and inquired about taking my horse. Sadness began to hit home aswell. I think it's time to read some Psalms and 1st Peter 1.

::sigh::

D'you know, you can actually taste differences in the color of M&Ms? (See The Martian Child for refrence. Better yet, don't. Then it can remain as it is. Which is better.) It's rather interesting.

(too many cliches today...i'm starting to forget how to use them in my paper...)

Georgeness to the Fullest

2008-03-07T17:36:00.001-05:00

For those who know/care/ whatever...

...George is now in cyberspace.

http://www.imaginarygreenduckies.blogspot.com

mhmmm

2008-03-01T23:32:00.003-05:00

::sigh::

Pray Like This: Hallowed Be Your Name

2008-02-27T23:52:00.003-05:00

By Pastor John Piper (www.desiringgod.org) 12.30.07
Thanks Andrew for doing this complicated computer language video embed thing! :)

My notes:
Text: Matthew 6:5-18
1. What Prayer is
"Prayer is intentionally conveying a message to God."
Why say intentionally? Romans 8:26. The Holy Spirit is there speaking for us even when we are speechless. We convey messages to God all day long. But not always intentionally. When we pray we intentionally covey messages to God.
Why not just say communicating with God? We pray to God, God doesn't pray to us. Prayer is the intentional message giving to God.
What kind of messages count as prayer?
A. Petition "God delights in our asking…His glory is magnified in this."
B. Praise (Ps. 145:2)
C. Thanking Him for His gifts and acts. "We should overflow…when we get up thank Him when we go to bed thank Him…all day long" (Revelation 11:17)
D. Confessing and asking for forgiveness (Ps 32:5)
E. Complain to the Lord (Ps. 32:1) (Job good example) We shouldn't have a complaining heart (Philippians 2:14). We should have a trusting heart. But we do have a complaining heart. So be real. Complain in front of God. It's not good to, but if we are complaining inside, God already sees it. Convey your heart to God over and over. Pray to God about everything. Begin and end everything in prayer. Ex. Emails, cars ride, phone call, conversation, every night's rest, every meal (whether out loud or not), every time you get on the treadmill. Short, 5 seconds. Ex: "God, please help me to glorify you in this email." Be in communion with God continually. Leave the phone on when you're talking with God. Never push the red button. Pray everywhere continuously.

2. With Whom/where we should pray?
Pray in your private room (Matthew 6:5&6). You don't always have to pray in your room. But find or make a place to pray. You do one thing at this place, you talk to God. Get away from distractions. Pray by yourself.
Pray with your family. (1 Peter 3:7) Unhindered, free, natural family prayer. Just do it. Even if it's just 2 minutes.
Pray in small gatherings of Christians. (If two or three are gathered…) Two or three move the world. Why do we come to the prayer meetings and put in effort if we don't believe that these people shake the world? Pray in small groups of Christians. (Acts 4:29) We need to regularly pray with other believers. It's important! By not doing this, we cut ourselves off from extraordinary blessing. We will not enjoy the fullness of the blessings of Christ if we don't include in our bigger picture of life, regular prayer with other believers.
Pray in worship services. It's mainly prayer structured around the Word. Mean the songs you sing to God. Sing to Him. Reading scriptures should turn into prayer. During the sermon pray for understanding, prayer for the pastor, if you are the pastor pray for your preaching.
Prayer everywhere. Keep the green button on. ("I believe, help my unbelief!") Not just foxhole prayers. God doesn't mind foxhole prayers. But those shouldn't be the only kind.

3. Why should we pray?
Because we are told to so many times. (James 5:16; 1 Thessalonians. 5:17; Luke 22:40; Luke 18:1; Luke 6:28; Matthew 6:9) God loves us, He wouldn't tell us to do something that's bad for us. He tells us to pray.
Because it is a means to the increase of our joy. (John 16:24)
Because it is simply a staggeringly awesome privilege. We never inform Him of anything He doesn't already know. We do not improve upon His knowledge on what He should do next. (Romans 11:34) He doesn't need our prayer. He is God. No needs. We have needs. He is the Need-Meeter. How the Need-Meeter gets glory is by hearing the prayers of the needy. It's staggering how He, the Creator of the Universe ordains that prayers cause things. Things that happen, would not happen if we didn't pray. (James 4:2) It's a staggeringly glorious privilege! If you are offered the privilege of engaging with God in such a way that your requests could bring into being things that would not otherwise come into being, not to avail yourself or that privilege is folly! That's why we pray. God is beckoning us into our share of the running of the universe.
Because when you go to God in dependence upon His wisdom, power, and love to do what you long for Him to do according to His will, you mightily make the Father and the Son look great. When you go to the Father, in the name of the Son, by the power of the Spirit to do what only they can do and you plead and it happens, you make them look great. (John 14:13; 2 Corinthians 1:11) Lots of people praying so lots of people thank God when it happens! ((Ps. 50:15)) Call upon God, He will deliver you, and you will glorify Him. (up, down, up)

Glancing at the Lord's Prayer:
Vs. 9 – The most important request we should make, "Make your name great!" First request of the Lord's prayer. Hallowed means sanctified. We plead with God, "Hallow your name in this world! In my family…" God setting His name, this holy representation of Himself, apart as the most precious, holy, valuable, beautiful, reality. That God's name is treasured above all things. It's a profound and wonderful calling to pray for the glory of God to fill the earth.

"God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him."

Double L 7

desire

dental floss: happy thing #27

While working on some life-lesson ideas for my graduation table:

Can we be friends,

highlights

dang.

I am loved.

Oh man, I just may have to marry Julian Smith...

my plans in comic strip:

umm, yeah, i can't memorize 100 biology cards?

soooooo...

Made in God's Image

this just might make me like candy corn:

go Pat, your brilliant dude!

please don't stop, please

ooooh, it makes me laugh-out-loud in the library!

i like love this.

i don't know if this is funny out of context or not...but it was hysterical in! :P

Let your creative spinkles flow baby! :)

no.title

Who can take tomorrow. dip it in a dream?

i think i'm goig to start doing this:

fantastic

i like Grizzly Bears...

she's having a pity party by herself, glad no one was invited

awww

::siiiiiilence::

a day

silver gladiator sandals and 5 am runs

why didn't i find this at the beginning of the year? =^)

Jelly? Jam? Jello and Peanut Butter???

some awesome apologetics in act-i-oni! [part odeen]

some awesome apologetics in act-i-oni! [part dva]

i wish my eyes were rolls of film!

mmmm! french fries and bbq sauce!

If I ever die of a heart attack, I hope it will be from playing my stereo too loud*

tales of w[h]o[a]e

some life-altering words were uttered @ the Doctor's office on Monday

Day 54

O! she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

lol

you are a rebelutionary

enjoy the tastiest green

i hate titles.

those conversations that are in a category all of their own

my valentine's day wish(s)

it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

some people end up with all the brains in their head and funny quotes spewing from their lips

Beatboxing Flute and Cello @ Union Square

The Peach and the Pear

as titles are optional

At This Particular Moment In Time...

When it feels like my dreams are so far:

The race you are running is excruciating

don't deny that you've never wanted to do this:

of peanutbutter cookies and eggnog chocolate

I've got nothing to say,

wow.

someday, we'll know why Sampson loved Delilah...

i'm thinking maybe just haul the tissue box with me everywhere...it'll save time

What should we do when our spiritual life isn't what it should be?

It sings happy songs through the tears.

cold thoughts at 11:27 p.m.

Question 3 is based on the following passage.

When I Look at the Stars, I see Someone Else

When it's You and I, then my heart can sing!

sunrise [even when you can't see it for the clouds that lie in the way]

There is a Purpose

For Your Joy:

disguising mistakes with goodbyes...

Hard Heart Lessons and Asking for Directions

EMMI

good times in plaid shorts and striped shirts

171 Starbucks

it was fun. it was great. and it was *really* great.

decisions, of which i'm quite bad at, unless i've already made up my mind

"four days and i'll be one year away...

While the sounds of Switchfoot and smells of pancakes fill the house...

My Man Luke

it was fun. it was great. and it was really great.