Living Water

Living a Legacy

2010-06-20T18:08:00.000-05:00

I went to a funeral today. Mrs. Hazel Struck was eighty-eight when she passed on, this Thursday. The farewell of her family and friends was beautiful and touching in so many ways. I sat in the crowded sanctuary, gazing on all the lives she had touched in her time on this earth and I couldn't help thinking of what a legacy she'd left herself. She'd touched so many lives.
We've all heard the saying, "Live your life so the preacher won't have to lie at your funeral." This woman did that and so much more. The two pastors that got up to speak couldn't stop singing her praises. She was a woman who lived her life in excellence, constantly radiating the love and grace that Christ offers. One would be hard-pressed to find something bad to say about her. Her heart was for her God and for her family. She prayed for her children and grandchildren constantly.
One life has such a great impact. The way she lived hers had touched so many in that room, who knows how many more it has reached, albeit inadvertantly. Daddy says I've met her before. I don't remember her, but even in death, her story has touched my heart.
I want to leave a legacy like that one day. I pray that my love for God and for people would outshine my many flaws in the end. I hope I have so many children and grandchildren, one day, whose lives have been irrepairably affected by my witness.
Pastor Heath quoted Malachi 3:16-17a when referring to Mrs. Hazel:
16Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name. 17"They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels.
He reminded us that a woman like her can only be described as a gem. That we can all be made gems when we let Christ changed our hearts and make us beautiful, as a jeweler makes a diamond beautiful by cutting out the impurities.
I pray that the Lord would be so gracious to me, that one day I can be described as God's gem. I want to be so devoted and close to Him that His light shines through me unto the nations. I can't do it without His help and niether could she. It's only by God's grace that we find the hope to be His jewels and leave a legacy of love for generations to come.
Have a blessed day!

Childlike vs. Childish

2010-06-18T09:10:00.000-05:00

Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.
Luke 18:16
There is a difference between being childlike and being childish; and it's pretty substantial. Both of these terms relate to children, but in different ways. In general, we call someone childish when they emulate the negative qualities in a child- throwing temper tantrums or acting immature. When we call someone childlike, it's usually uttered in a much more positive respect. We refer to someone as having a childlike joy, wonder, or faith and we are happy for them in that.
The above verse is referring to that childlike faith, but we must be sure that in our childlikeness, we have not become childish. I hope my faith is never aptly described as childish, but I would consider it a compliment to be told it's childlike.
The hearts of children are a wonder to behold and enjoy, beautiful things that we should cherish far more than we tend to on a day to day basis. They see the products of a living God around them and know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there had to be an artist. They take delight in the things we've become accustomed to and take for granted. I can't tell you how many times I've heard my two year-old neice (the beautiful little girl in the picture above), utter the words "Kirssy! Pretty dress!" with a wistful sigh and a smile that melts my heart all over again.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1 Corinthians 13:11

How, then, do we keep our faith childlike, rather than childish?

I'll admit it's hard. It's hard to keep the world's persistent cynicism from infiltrating my thought process on a daily basis. It's difficult to hold to Christ's sufficiency when the world barrages you with everything it says you ought to be. And it's scary to stand, like a good friend of mine's six year old, and say "There is too a God in heaven and he's living in my heart!"

But that's exactly what we have to do: Stand!

Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.

1 Corinthians 14:20

Here Paul tells us what else to do. Yes, we should be childlike, but now he clearly commands us to refrain from being childish. We have to stand up and grow in our understanding of people and of Christ. What good are we as His ambassadors if we know so little about Him?

Lord, teach me how to make my faith childlike without it being childish. Help me to grow in your wisdom while not dismissing the simpler things about you.

Have a blessed day!

Cooling Down

2010-06-15T14:56:00.000-05:00

Things are cooling down over here. Thank the Lord! Summer is in full session and I'm planning on making the best of it. Gradution and senior trip were fan-freaking-tastic and I got so much closer to some people that I didn't know very well before, but I REALL wish I had. :)
Anyway, I'm just letting y'all know that I'm going to work on writing more this summer. I know, I know, empty promises. I'll do my best to follow through and at leas update y'all on what's going on in my life.
Also, I've recently given in and made a Formspring account, so I wanted to give y'all the link. Feel free to ask me questions on there that you have about me. :) Hopefully, some of those will jumpstart my brain and give me things to write about!
The URL is http://www.formspring.me/kirstenerin2010
I look forward to hearing from y'all!
Have a blessed day!

Pics & Links

2010-05-14T10:08:00.001-05:00

I'm trying to make up for my lack of writing on here for the past few weeks. It feels like it's been forever and I feel like a jerk. *hangs head shamefully* I know, I know- I need to write more! It's just been pretty crazy this past month and graduation is tomorrow!! After I'm done with Co-op classes and Senior Trip, things should be cooled down and I'll most definitely be posting more often. I've got a few ideas swirling around in my mind, but they're not exactly substantial enough to be put down on paper and take up more than a few lines, yet. However, I'm really hoping to write out a post on why I'm planning to be a Stay-at-Home Daughter and what I believe on the matter. I'm excited.

So to tide y'all over until I get my time back, and my inspiration, I'm going to give you some pictures from yesterday along with some links of the reading I've been doing.
By the way, I bought a new camera (in case you hadn't noticed), since my camera died while we were in France in December. Now that I have this new one, y'all can expect pleny more pictures! I'll try not to overwhelm you with them though.
Maybe I can get a 'What I'm Creating' post in next week....

My older sister, Miranda, is in town from Michigan. She came down this week for my graduation. :)

Thoughts about masculine leadership and femininity by Mrs. Anna T at Domestic Felicity reminds us what the true meaning of male headship and a woman's call to be submissive really looks like.

Lyla's getting so big! :) She makes my day with her 2 year-old crazy antics. Doesn't her hair look ridiculously cute when she wears braided pigtails? I'm always braiding her hair when she shows up over here and she's come to like it alot. Val says when she gets dressed in the morning, she points to the back of her head and says "Kirssy." to indicate the desired hairstyle.

That's my girl!

The Charlotte Mason List of Attainments was a really interesting list to read. I was amazed at some of the standards they had for kids way-back-when. I still can't do some of these! I'll definitely keep this for when I homeschool one day, as a reference for my own kids.

Val and Miranda being crazy. My sisters are weird... :)

On Saving Dollars and Sense, Kristie writes about Frugal Homeschooling. She reminds us that we don't have to break the bank to get an education!

Robert, Miranda, and Mitchell likely arguing. :P

I read Sarah Mae's Like a Warm Cup of Coffee frequently, but I especially loved her article on her Top 10 Writing Tips. She gives practical wisdom for any writer!

Therse are the result of Miranda and Mitchell chanting "Cookie! Cookie! Cookie!" every time I came out of my room. *sigh*

Have a blessed day!

This Week

2010-05-09T21:30:00.003-05:00

This week has been pretty eventful. Been planning for graduation (this Saturday!!!), had my birthday (I turned 18 on Monday!!!), and we celebrated Mother's Day! :) I got a new phone and bought myself a new camera with the money I've been saving since my camera died in December. And the new one's pink.... so's the cover of my new phone. Yay for girliness!
Anyway, due to all the craziness and stress of this month, I haven't posted nearly at all and I feel bad. So to make it up, I decided to post most of the random pictures I've taken with my camera- just to keep y'all occupied. :D
Enjoy!

Have a blessed day!!

Challenging Femininity: May 2010

2010-05-02T15:33:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to let y'all know I'm the Featured Femina for this month's issue of Challenging Feminity over at Feelin' Feminine. The interview was really fun and I'm really thankful to Miss Jocelyn for asking me to do it. :) Go check it out the entire magazine by clicking the button below. If you'd like to go straight to the article, though, click here.

God Gave Me Ketchup Packets

2010-04-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

Last year at YFN (Youth for the Nations- a camp my youth group annually attends), many of the messages were focused on the love of God. It seemed to be a theme that He wanted to get through to us that year.
One night in particular, at the end of his message, one of the speakers told us to pray about it- to ask God to remind us of His love for Him.
The end of the service was a fantastic time of worship and Yahweh really revealed Himself to many. However, I couldn't help but be a little disappointed as I hurried alongside the multitudess of teenagers pushing their way out after service. I hadn't had any new revelation of God's love for me. Of course, I knew He loved me. I've experienced His amazing love before, but sometimes we need a reminder, you know? That's what I wanted- a reminder that I'm important to Him and that He loves me.

The next day, I was exhausted by the time lunch came around. After spending a few hours outside playing Nation Games that I didn't enjoy, I had to stand in line for around thirty minutes before I could make it into the cafeteria. Did I mention that everyone was covered in sweat and grass? My nose was ready to hightail it out of there.
When I reached the kitchen, all the good food was gone, as it always is when you're one of the last in line. There were only corndogs left (ones I'm sure were not beef and it's pretty rare that I willingly swallow pork). I grabbed a plate and moved over to the condiment section, fully intent on drowning my corndogs in ketchup to block out the taste. Only problem?: No more ketchup. There wasn't even any mustard, which I don't like, but would've settled for anyway.
The only thing left was mayonnaise. With an annoyed sigh I grabbed a few packets and dropped them onto my tray hoping I would be able to down the combination. Maybe if I held my nose? I followed my friends over to an empty table and we left our trays there with one of the girls while we went back for some drinks.
When I came back, glass filled with Mountain Dew, I was sitting down when I spotted something beside my tray that I was sure I hadn't seen there before.
I reached over and nearly had a heart attack derived from glee when I realized there were four ketchup packets right there, ready for me to indulge in. The moment I picked them up I realized I'd gotten what I'd asked for the night before- a realization of God's love. He had cared enough about my distaste for corndogs with mayonnaise that He had seen fit to give me ketchup packets. I was thrilled.
Now, to some of you, that sounds ridiculous. Ketchup packets? Why would the Creator of the Universe give me ketchup packets? Honestly, I don't know. I guess He knows me well enough to know that was what would get through to me. He knew I would recognize it as a gift from Him. I don't know how they got next to my tray. Maybe they were there when I set my tray there the first time, but I know He was the one who had the person who sat there before me have a few extra and leave them there for someone else.

God loves us far more than we can imagine- and sometimes he shows it to us in the little things, like ketchup packets. So keep your eyes peeled for how He's revealing his love for you today.

Being Joyful in the Mundane

2010-04-15T14:11:00.001-05:00

Here's an excerpt from Passionate Housewives Desperate for God by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald that I found particularly encouraging. This is for the married and unmarried alike, such an inspiration to be joyful in the tasks that seem boring in life:

"We can all be Mary, even if we don't have an hour to sit down for 'quiet time.' It's all in our attitude toward the things that need to be done and the people we are serving. If we view our husbands, families, and guests as so many leeches crying, 'Give, give!' then we are not going to develop a godly joy as we serve them. If we resent the fact that our husbands sit down to read with the children while we are preparing supper, we are being harpies, just like Martha. Choose the better part. Be Mary in the kitchen. Sing praises while you sweep up those never-ending crumbs. Whistle hyms while you wipe down the bathroom. Meditate on Scripture while you are folding the third pile of laundry.
"I feel so greatly blessed to have been brought up in a home where our father urged excellence in our work as a way of glorifying God and where my mother joyfully tackled the tasks that lay before her. Whether organizing cabinets, planning school projects, upholstering furniture, planting a garden, or welcoming strangers, Mom always made every job seem like an adventure. When we complained, she just sang louder or turned up the music so we could march around in time as we did our chores. As a result, my parents' home was fragrant with the aroma of servant-hearted, life-giving hospitality.
"And let me just say it again: it wasn't because we had beautiful furniture, just-right curtains, or spotless rooms. It was because Christ was Lord of that house, and our job was to serve Him without being bitter or acting put-upon. Be a Mary! When the laundry piles rise up in rebellion, the children don't do their chores right, or the kitchen sink never seems to quite empty itself, rejoice! Choose the better part, crank up the music, and lay down your life."

--pgs 152&153
--The Mary and Martha mentioned in the passage are from Luke 10:38-41.

((For more from Jennie Chancey, Stacy McDonald, and other women like them, check out Ladies Against Feminism for some fantastic reads!))

Spirit of Fear

2010-04-13T00:27:00.008-05:00

One of Lyla's (my niece, that beautiful little girl in the picture :) newest things is saying "Kirssy, I scared!". Of course, depending on whom she's adressing, the name changes- but you catch my drift.
On Resurrection Sunday, she'd said it at least a handful of times. Whether it was something on Nemo that was a little scary or she just couldn't find Pa, those words would come tumbling out of her lips.
Well, one of those times, she came running toward me, "Kirssy, I scared!" she called, eyes wide.
"Come here, Lyla." Valerie (her mom) said from where she was standing near me. She took Lyla's face in her hands and made sure Lyla was looking at her. "Lyla, what does Mommy tell you when you're scared? God doesn't give us a spirit of fear. So when you're scared, you say, 'Jesus,'"
"Jesus," Lyla repeated.
"Help."
"Help."
"Me."
"Me."
"Alright. I love you." Val finished. Lyla went bounding off to whatever her two and a half year old brain had decided was next on her list of things to do.

That scene was just so touching to me- seeing how Val and Robert are already teaching this sweet girl God's truths in ways she can understand. It's so simple. We are so blessed to have a God who responds to that simple call of "Jesus, help me!" when we need Him most.
It never ceases to amaze me!

2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Have a blessed day!

The April Challenge: Day 6

2010-04-09T17:19:00.001-05:00

One day left of The Challenge! Today was Co-op, the homeschool group where my brother and I take a couple of classes and the place that's putting on my graduation. Guess what- I'm not going to Co-op on our last day! Our last day is May 21st, but graduation is on May 15th. So I talked to my teachers and asked if we were doing anything important that day, because I really wasn't going to come to class AFTER graduation. Thankfully, the only class we'd actually have an exam in said she'd put it online for me, because she totally understood my growing case of senioritis.
Only one more month until my birthday and graduation! Praise the Lord!
Here's today's Challenge outfit:

Shirt- says "The best is yet to come". Got it at YFN a few years ago for about $10ish.
Skirt-$3 at Helping Hands

Behind me is my prom dress for this year! I borrowed it from my assistant youth pastor's wife. :D I have to fix it up some by sewing most of the slit in the back closed andd figuring out how to cover up skin exposed in the back, but I love it!

Hair- I tried a rope braid in the back. It was all frizzy when I got home, so I tried redoing it and it doesn't look as good as it did at first. :( But I'll figure it out eventually. The flower clip in the back of my hair is from Mexico, my friend bought it for me.

After this picture was taken, I pulled it into a french braid, though, so that's why my hair is braided in the mirror. :P

Have a blessed day!

The April Challenge: Day 5

2010-04-08T21:29:00.000-05:00

Today is pretty hectic again. Not because I'm going anywhere- anymore, that is, since I just got back from spending an hour at Mrs. Jenna's house and picking up Chiloso on my way back. Now I just have to get a ton of schoolwork done before Co-op tomorrow. I'm an expert at procrastination... too bad that never actually comes in handy!
So let's hurry to today's outfit:

Shirt- Walmart $7
Skirt- Stein Mart. Either $11 or $14 (Clearance). It's the same skirt from Day 3, I know, but I waited to do my laundry until today and it was the only clean one that I liked. It's also one of my favorite skirts! (Honestly, I think that all my long skirts are my favorites. :)
Tank top- Another from Costco. Best price guess is around $5.
Anyone else notice that my face is a whole different color than my arms. I'm really hoping that's the effect from brightening the picture on Edit so y'all could see the color of my clothes...

Hair- I tried the Jane Eyre hairstyle from this month's issue of Challenging Femininity. I thought it would be fun since I'm currently reading Jane Eyre anyway.

It didn't quite turn out as well as I had hoped, but I still really like it. Practice makes perfect, right? Mrs. Rene says there's some type of hair pin that's way better than bobby pins I should try. I'll have to ask her about them tomorrow. I'm thinking it would be really fun to wear this for Sunday as well- so we'll see how that goes...

That's all for today! :)

((Notice the edge of the Superman poster-y thing. I love superheroes... well, DC Comics heroes...))

Have a blessed day!

The April.Challenge: Day 4

2010-04-07T16:38:00.000-05:00

Today's pretty busy, as Mitchell had to take some test to see if he qualifies to CLEP out of a history college course. Of course, I'm the one who took him, plus Mom's sick from a super high fever + cold. Because of that, I went grocery shopping for some necessities that we desperately needed (ie. milk, bread, cat food, & toilet paper). Apparently, you have to be 18 to buy Nyquil (I figured as much), so she gets none of that- even if I'm less than a month away from being said age. This means I have to stop at CVS after church to grab something else that will calm her attacking sinus.
Well, I'd better hurry because it's time to leave for Paradigm! Agh!

Shirt- Mardel for probably around $10; It has a picture of a lion on it and says part of Revelation 5:5 on it (Though you can barely see it, which is really annoying to me. If it's gonna have a verse it should be prominent in my opinion, not hidden.)
Tank top- From Costco. I'm guessing around $5.
Skirt- The Sailor skirt from Christa-Taylor (you can visit her site through the icon on my sidebar). It was about $55, but it's totally worth it. Definitely one of my favorite skirts!

Hair- I pretty much just straightened it and left it down. It looks a little curly on the right side, but that's just my growing-out-bangs. They're continually being tucked and untucked behind my ear and thus look curly sometimes. :P

Have a blessed day!

The April Challenge: Day 3

2010-04-06T16:36:00.001-05:00

So I lied yesterday about not going anywhere. Mom and I ended up going to the mall that evening for a few hours to look for prom dresses. That was pretty much a fail, but we've still got some different stores to hit up and Mrs. Jenna (the assistant youth pastor's wife and my Prototype leader) has two dresses she wants me to check out.
Afterward, we stopped at Barnes&Noble, though, so I got Mansfield Park by Jane Austen and Thunder of Heaven by Ted Dekker! Yay! I almost went for a C.S. Lewis book, most likely The Problem of Pain or A Grief Observed, but decided I could get those alot cheaper at Half Price Books. *sigh* I love to read!
Today there isn't much going on. I woke up late...again! I tried to set my alarm for 8am, but I have no self-discipline when I'm only half-awake and slept until lunchtime again. :( I'll get my hours back on track eventually. Today the blame goes on my cat, who decided she wanted to play fetch at 1am and meowed until I had lost any semblance of sleep I might have formerly attained. Grr. (And yes, I'm serious- my cat plays fetch.... but only when she wants to.)

Here's a rundown of today's outfit.
Shirt: From Target, I think? No idea how much it cost.
Skirt: Stein Mart, either $11 or $14

Necklace: Gift from my aunt for my fifteenth birthday (which means I've had it for about 3 years)

Glasses: The glasses store?

Hair: I just did loose, braided pigtails on each side and secured them with hair ties.

Done & Done. :)

Have a blessed day!

The Challenge: Days 1 & 2

2010-04-05T17:47:00.001-05:00

Jenna at Feminine Farmgirl is hosting The Challenge this month and, once again, I'm super excited about it. It started yesterday (a fantastic idea- I loved seeing everyone's Resurrection Sunday dresses!), but due to having my family over most of the day, I waited until today to post the pics.
Well, let's get on with it!:
Day 1:

Dress: From H&M in France. Not sure how much it cost. It's a little uncomfortable because it's kinda small on me, but I love it still. :P Maybe it'll inspire me to lose some weight. (You'll notice it's also the same dress I wore to the Daddy-Daughter Dance a few weeks ago! :)
Necklace: Mom's pearls. I LOVE pearls!
Hair: I scrunched it and left it down for most of the day. It wasn't until afternooon that Lyla and I decided we needed 'tails' as she calls them. :)

Shoes: Heels from Kohl's I've had for probably two years now. Aren't they cute?

Day 2:

Skirt: I really have no idea where I got it. :P

Shirt: From Belk. I wanna say around $8, but I really don't remember. I've had it for a few years now too.

Glasses: Pink and Black. :) I didn't want to put in my contacts since I'm not going anywhere today.

My contacts were bugging me all day yesterday.

Hair: I just braided from the upper right to bottom left and tied it off at the nape of my neck, letting the rest lay on my shoulder. I'll admit I didn't work too hard on it, thus the messiness of it. But like I said, I'm not going anywhere today. :P

Well, that's all for today!

Have a blessed day!

Happy Resurrection Sunday/Songbird Sunday: True Love!!!

2010-04-04T14:22:00.002-05:00

HAPPY RESURRECTION SUNDAY!!!

Title: True Love
Artist: Phil Wickham
Come close listen to the story
About a love more faithful than the morning
The Father gave His only Son just to save us

The earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt the Fathers Broken Heart
Tears were filling Heaven's Eyes
The day that True Love died, the day that True Love died
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn't move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that True Love died, The day that True Love died

Search your heart you know you can't deny it
Come on, lose your life just so you can find it
The Father gave His only Son just to save us

The Earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt The Fathers broken heart
Tears were filling Heaven's Eyes
The day that True Love died, the day that True Love died
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn't move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that True Love died, The day that True Love died

Now, Jesus is alive

Jesus is alive
Jesus is alive
Jesus is alive
Jesus is alive
Oh, He is alive
He rose again

When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn't move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that True Love died, The day that True Love died

Come close listen to the story

How can you not rejoice as you read these lyrics and hear this song? I've been teetering on tears as I listen to it and the glory it proclaims. Thank you Jesus for all You did!!!

C.S. Lewis on Servanthood

2010-03-24T06:02:00.000-05:00

This quote was taken from The Quotable Lewis:

I believe that men of this age (and among them you Father, and myself) think too much about the state of nations and the situation of the world. Does not the author of The Imitation warn us against involving ourselves too much with such things?
We are not kings, we are not senators Let us beware lest, while we torture ourselves in vain about the fate of Europe, we neglect either Verona or Oxford.
In the poor man who knocks at my door, in my ailing mother, in the young man who seeks my advice, the Lord Himself is present: therefore let us wash His feet. [Ed. note: Verona is the home city of Lewis's correspondent.]

In light of the ~~blasted and ridiculous~~ recent Healthcare bill being passed and soon to be signed by President Obama, I thought this was a fantastic quote. No, I'm not telling you that you shouldn't pay attention to what's going on in the world and try to stop our government from promoting unconstitutional bills and such. By all means, that would make me not only wrong, but a hypocrite as well. I'm just as upset about this horrid bill as the rest of you are.
What I am reminding you through this wonderful quote is that, in the midst of all the uproar, do not leave your hometown- your primary mission field- by the wayside. Do not get so wrapped up in what's going on that you can't properly function any longer.
God has it all in his hands and we must commit ourselves to doing His will no matter how often our country tries to throw itself under the train. Yes, we get some of these jokers out of office come November (Thank the Lord, I'll be eighteen!). Yes, we do our best to follow God in politics as well as normal life. Just remember to keep things in proper prospective.
Don't forget to wash the feet of Jesus when He enters your home because you're too busy rallying against Caesar.
Have a blessed day!

A Young Maiden's Daybook Entry #24

2010-03-22T10:26:00.000-05:00

Today… March 22, 2010 (My brother-in-law's birthday!! Happy birthday, Bobby!)

Outside my window… It's nice and sunny, but probably coldish, which is going to make me regret having wet hair when I go out there.

I am thinking… that we need to leave soon. We're going shopping and then getting my senior pictures done today. :)

I am thankful for… The many blessings the Lord provides.

I am wearing… My red "I love Jesus" shirt and green skirt with a navy tank top.

I am reading… Lincoln Unmasked

I am creating… The wedding blanket I've been working on for a while and that cross-stitching project.

One of my favorite things… Coffee!!!! Particularly Carmel Frapuccinos from Starbucks (with extra carmel).

For education this week… Whatever's in my backpack. Haven't touched it since the beginning of Spring Break.

A keeper at home skill I am using/learning… Closing my mouth when I'd much rather yell, crocheting, and working on my seamstress-ing skills.

A spiritual lesson I’m learning… Patience, Knowing when to hold my tongue^

A godly character trait I plan to work on… Seeking out what God has to say in each area of my life.

Scripture I am memorizing… Not really memorizing right now.

I am praying for… This blasted bill that our government passed, that SOME good will come of it (though I'll be hard pressed to offer how that could happen).

For the rest of the week… Senior pictures and shopping today, schoolwork before friday, Beach Bash this weekend, Daddy coming home from another trip, etc.

A picture I’d like to share…

Me dancing with Lyla at the Daddy-Daughter Dance. She especially loved when I spun her around and when I dipped her. :D

If you want to participate, you can find out how to do so here. Make sure you leave the link to your day book in the comments if you do!

Have a blessed day!

Songbird Sunday: Oh Lord, You're Beautiful

2010-03-21T16:15:00.001-05:00

Title: Oh Lord, You're Beautiful

Artist: Various Artists

Oh Lord, You're beautiful
Your face is all I seek.
For when Your eyes are on this child,
Your grace abounds to me.

Oh Lord, You're beautiful
Your face is all I seek.
For when Your eyes are on this child.
Your grace abounds to me.

I want to take Your Word and shine it all around;
First, help me just to live it, Lord.
And when I'm doing well
Help me to never seek a crown;
For my reward is giving glory to You.

Oh Lord, please light the fire
that once burned bright and clear
Replace the lamp of my first
love that burns with holy fear

Oh Lord, You're beautiful
Your face is all I seek.
For when Your eyes are on this child
Your grace abounds to me.
Your grace abounds to me.

Passionate Housewives Desperate for God Review

2010-03-12T06:00:00.002-06:00

Passionate Housewives Desperate for God is a book I've heard buzzing around in the 'blogosphere' for a while now. After so many good reviews and after seeing Jennie Chancey in Return of the Daughters (which I should probably make a review of soon, as well :), I had to check it out for myself.
After buying this amazing book for a great price on Amazon, I was ready to dive into it. Let me tell you, it didn't disappoint. Though it was written for married women, I think it's great for stay-at-home daughters like myself. Giving great points on what godly marriage looks like, these two authors, Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald, give clear biblical pointers on the place of the woman in the home and the lies feminism has blasted us with since infancy (or since the 70's).
I love how, throughout the book, these women point to the infallibility of Scripture. Instead of taking God's word and twisting it around to their own benefit, they take God's word and twist their own lives to fit into it's principles.
Passionate Housewives covers the woman's place in the home, the lies of self-fulfillment, and Christian feminists. It's not afraid to tackle the rough topics as long as you're not afraid to listen.
Taking from passages like Proverbs 31, Titus 2, and 1 Peter 3, we are reminded of the importance of a stable home with the husband as the head and the woman as the helpmate she was called to be. We are reminded that this is not oppression, but a beautiful picture that represents the relationship between Christ and the Church.
I definitely recommend this to the married and unmarried alike. It was worth reading and reading again.
There were many quotes that I highlighted and many more that I probably missed, but here are two that I'll share with you now (even if you're likely to see more quotes from this book in future posts).

"Being keepers at home is about focusing upon the Lord in all the everydayness so that our houses become centers of hospitality, forgiveness, training, business, welfare, charity, shared mourning and celebration, and-oh, yes- lots of tracked-in mud, crumbs under the chairs, and everything else that goes with human beings."

"Remember that godly femininity complements masculinity- it brings wholeness to humanity. It doesn't compete. It doesn't seek its own glory but delights to see others succeed and earn praise."

Have a blessed day!

The Magic Prayer Myth

2010-03-10T09:06:00.002-06:00

"Just say this prayer and it'll change your life forever!"
How many times have we heard that line from a well-meaning pastor who just wants to see his flock saved? Far too many times, I think.
Usually when this statement is uttered, the pastor (or whoever is giving the statement) has the best of intentions here. What they don't realize that they're communicating is that the prayer is what changes your life and anyone who says it is officially a Christian. This is not only un-biblical, it's dangerous. Never in the Bible will you find Jesus saying, "Just repeat these words after me and you're going to Heaven!" No, He commands us to pick up our crosses and follow Him, even unto death itself.
It's not about a cleverly worded prayer. It irks me to no end that we give off that impression so often!
The instruction Yahweh gives us in His Word is to repent. Over and over He implores us to do so.
Matthew 4:17
From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
Luke 5:32
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
But what is repentance?
Repent: to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life
Repentance is giving your life over to God. It's saying, "Lord, I can't do this on my own. I don't want to live in sin anymore. I don't want to spend my life wallowing in my own sin. Take my life and make it yours. I want to follow you, no matter what the cost."
It's not a cookie-cutter prayer that changes you, only Yahweh can do that.
And it's not going to be easy, but He'll be right there beside you and He promises to pull you through no matter how hard it gets.
Have a blessed day!

A Young Maiden's Daybook Entry #24/ The Challenge: Day 7

2010-03-08T14:59:00.001-06:00

Today… March 8, 2010

Outside my window… It's rainy and gray. I actually like it... I didn't need sunglasses for driving today either!

I am thinking… that Alice and Wonderland was pretty good, especially in Imax 3D. Did you know that it's actually called Underland??

I am thankful for… A fantastic family that loves me. :)

I am wearing… A long brown skirt and red polo shirt. See picture below.

I am reading… About to start both Lincoln Unmasked and Captivating.

I am creating… Cross-stitching project I've been working on.

One of my favorite things… Singing. :D

For education this week… Not as much homework as usual. Though I do have a math test. I'm really not that great at Algebra 2, either...

A keeper at home skill I am using/learning… Time management and cleaning, of course.

A spiritual lesson I’m learning… Trusting God, even when the future seems pretty scary.

A godly character trait I plan to work on… Holding my tongue.

Scripture I am memorizing… Still just reading Proverbs 31 each day.

I am praying for… God to direct my family's path and change us into who He has called us to be.

For the rest of the week… Bunches of random stuff.

A picture I’d like to share… Today is the last day of The Challenge. So I just meshed AYMD and it together. So here's my outfit and hair:

Shirt- Red polo from Old Navy.
Tank top- Pink and from Old Navy, with a few paint splatters I got on it when I painted at the church.
Skirt- the other one I bought at Stein Mart on the sale rack. Either $11 or $14.

I am not cross-eyed in this picture. I was trying to look at the camera. Since it's below me, it makes my eyes look crossed. :P

For my hair, I straightened most of it and made two braids just above each ear. I then bobby-pinned them behind each opposite ear to create a headband.

Incidentally, the one on the right was smaller than the left, so I made sure to put that one in the front.

I rather liked the effect. I thought of braiding the rest of my hair in a french braid, similar to Eve's hair in BBC's Robin Hood (I loved her hair!), but that would've taken too much time and it was easier to keep it down.

Well, The Challenge was super fun and I really enjoyed it. Now it's back to real posts about real stuff. :P I'll still wear skirts as usual though, and hopefully still come up with neat ideas for my hair. Hope y'all enjoyed getting a peek into my wardrobe, though! :)

Have a blessed day!

The Challenge: Day 6

2010-03-07T22:01:00.000-06:00

Today has been relatively eventful, if a little tiring.
It was Missions Sunday at my church and super cool. A great sermon was taught on following Christ and many missionaries came to present their ministries.
After church, I spent the day at the Ayres' house, pretty much my adoptive sister, brother-in-law, and two beautiful nieces! We had alot of fun and even watched The Count of Monte Cristo. I really enjoy spending time with them. I love my big brother and sister and my wonderful little nieces!

Shirt- Same as the blue and white ones I've already worn, just in a different color. Though now that I think about it, I actually think they're from Target.
Tank top- You can't see it in this pic, but it's pink and from Old Navy.
Skirt- I bought this just a few weeks ago on sale at Old Navy. I think it was either $11 or $14.

My hair was really just blow dried and scrunched with my fingers. I didn't really have the energy or time to do much else this morning. After church, I ended up putting it in a ponytail, though. Or as Lyla calls it, "A tail!"

And last, but not least, I wanted to show this picture of the girls sitting with "Pa", aka. My daddy.

It was really cute, but the pic came out blurry. You get the idea though.

The little beauty on the left is Lyla, and the pink bundle in his arms is a sleeping Leah.

Have a blessed day!

The Challenge: Day 5

2010-03-06T23:44:00.000-06:00

Two more days left of the challenge.
Today was a long day. We helped our assistant youth pastor and his wife move into their new home for most of it. Kerri and I helped Jenna wash and put away the dishes- I'd say they're well on their way to having themselves all settled in their new home. Lots of people are willing to help them out as much as possible, and they're going to need it. Especially with Jenna six months pregnant!
It just reminds me that this is what the body of Christ should look like- people helping one another and being the hands and feet of Jesus. Christian hospitality. :) It brings a smile to my face each time I see it!
Well, it's late, so I'll hurry up and post today's pictures and hit the hay. I'm tired and we've got plenty going on at church tomorrow!

Shirt- From Kohls, the guys section actually. I think it was around $5. It's red with The Flash insignia in the middle. I am a huge fan of the Justice League and love this shirt!
Tank top- Old Navy. It's black and you can't really see it here. No idea how much it cost.
Skirt- You can't really tell from this pic, but it's actually denim and not black, it's blue. I bought it online from Christa-Taylor (a link to her store is in the sidebar). It was $55, but totally worth the money spent. I really love this skirt and honestly try to wear it as much as possible! Totally worth the the pretty penny spent! :P

I pretty much pulled the hair back above my ears and braided that, leaving the bottom half hanging. Of course, I straightened the lower section (my hair is naturally wavy/curly). I managed to leave my bangs down.

It's not as 'neat' as it was this morning due to all the packing, washing, rocking, carrying, and generally moving about I did all day.

Speaking of which, I'm exhausted... so I'm going to bed now.

Have a blessed day!

The Challenge: Day 4

2010-03-05T23:22:00.000-06:00

I've learned a couple of things today that are completely unrelated to the challenge. The first is that if you don't put enough flour in the cookie dough, it tends to look like boiling cookie paste after ten minutes in the oven. My brother says it still tasted good, but it looked like squashed grapes.
The second is that, in my Co-op, the general consensus on Shaun White is that he looks like a hobo. A friend of mine had a magazine with him on the cover. The boy needs to cut his hair and put a shirt on. I have nothing against him, but I think I'd like him better that way.
The third thing isn't someting I've learned, just an announcement that probably doesn't mean much to any of y'all who don't know me. My daddy's home! Dad goes on lots of business trips with his work that take him away for a few days at a time. I'd like to mention here that I hold the record for being the fastest to get to his car during these moments... and for being the loudest. :)
Now, on to the challenge:

Ignore the smudge on my left hip. The smudge is not on my shirt, it's on the mirror.

Shirt- I think this is from Old Navy. It's the same shirt as the one I wore on Wednesday, only this one's blue.
Tank top- From Costco. Again, the same type of tank top I wore on Wednesday, only in blue.
Skirt- bought this at Helping Hands for $3. I really like it.

My hair's up in a simple ponytail. I'm starting to run out of ideas. :P I just blow-dried my hair and threw it up so I wouldn't be late for Co-op this morning.

On the right side, you can even see where I clipped up my bangs to keep them out of my face.

Well, there's today's clothes and hair. Now I've gotta go finish making cookies! My assistant youth pastor and his wife stayed at our house while we were in France and have had their stuff in our unfinished media room as storage. Well, they finally closed on the house they've been trying to buy and a bunch of people from church are coming over to help them move.

Gotta feed the masses!

Have a blessed day!

The Challenge: Day 3

2010-03-04T11:49:00.000-06:00

As much as I love that skirt that Lillian bought me (the one I wore yesterday), there's the sad realization that it probably won't last as long as my other skirts. It's just too delicate with it's satin-y-ness and using a safety pin near the knee may have put a few small but ugly holes in it. I'll make it last as long as I can, though, because I dearly love it! Some friends and I even had a conversation on how it made me look like a Spanish dancer. Though one friend said it looked Indian to her. :P

Here's day 3's outfit:

Shirt- Dark green with light birds and meant-to-be-there paint splatters across the front. In cursive on the top it says "Uncommon". This was the name of one of the Youth For the Nations bands about two years ago. It seems I get most of my shirts from the YFN merch shop.... :)
Skirt- Again, I'm really not sure where I got this one. I'm thinking Old Navy, though. It's dark brown and ends a few inches below my knees.

For those of you wondering why it's so hard to see the bottom halves of my skirts in these pics, my bed is blocking the sunlight that comes in through the window. I keep trying to brighten the pictures, but that's not really working so well. Guess y'all will just have to use your imaginations then!

For my hair, I just pulled it back into a simple French braid and used bobby pins to pin my bangs to the side of my head. Yes, I did it myself. :P Aren't you proud? It took me forever to learn how to French braid my own hair, but I love doing it now. Have I mentioned that braids are my favorite thing to do with my hair? I just love the way they look!

Go check out Simply Sarah-Anne to find links to the other girls participating in The Feelin' Feminine Challenge! Some of these girls have some very creative genes in them. :)

Have a blessed day!