This Week

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!!

The Challenge: Days 1 & 2

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!!!

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!!!

Valentine's Day

For a few years now, every time Valentine's Day rolled around, I and my friends would proudly claim it Singles Awareness Day. Particularly these last few years, when I had consciously made the decision that I wanted to court instead of date and that there was no point in having a romantic relationship until I'm at a place in my life where I'm ready to be married.
But this year, I found out. Somehow it never occurred to me that the initials of Singles Awareness Day spell out SAD. Grrr. That ruins all the fun in calling it that.
So I've determined a new tactic, one that I like much better than the one before.
This year I have a valentine.
No, guys, don't panic. No one has asked my Dad to court me yet. Even if they had, he would have turned him down- especially since he's convinced I'm too young to be married until I've hit at least twenty-two. And for now, I agree that I'm too young. :P Not quite ready yet.
This year my valentine is Yeshua. Yep, Jesus is my valentine.
I know that sounds terribly cliche, but you'll get over it. I already have. All throughout God's word, for generation upon generation, Christ has been wooing us- declaring His love and seeking out ours. He calls us His Bride all throughout it. Marriage between a man and a woman dim in comparison to the romance between Christ and His Bride.
So it's quite logical why I have chosen to make Jesus my valentine. In fact, I may just write Him a Valentine's Day card. :D
Tomorrow, I'm gonna spend some extra time with Him- my own little date with Him. You should consider doing the same. Whether you have a human valentine or not, put Him first- where He belongs.
Hosea 2:14-16, 19-20
14"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her. 15I will give her cineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. 16"And it shall be, in that day," says the LORD, "That you will call Me, 'My Husband', and no longer call Me, 'My Master',
19"I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; 20I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the LORD.
Have a blessed day!

2010!!!

Wow! It's 2010 already? It's funny how each year seems to go by faster than the last.
I feel like I've been waiting for this year since I was in second grade! Why? Because this is the year I graduate from high school. :D I can't wait to see what all God has in store for me in the years to come!
For my first blog post of the New Year, I thought I'd show you a few of my New Year's Resolutions. It seems no one in my family wanted to make any this year, but I love making them and seeing if I carry them out.
I'd tell you about last year, but seeing as I'm still in Paris, France, I don't exactly have access to the journal I was using at the time. So I can only tell you about this year.
Here are a few of my resolutions for the year 2010!:
1.Get closer to God.
-I know, I make this resolution every year- but every year it's true! And every year I can safely say that I followed through with it. I'm not at the same place in my growth as a Christian that I was last year at this time. Thank goodness! I don't want to be a stagnant Christian who's all too comfortable sticking with the things that are familiar to me. Through all the ups and downs, all the times I feel like I've got a static-free connection with God and the times I have trouble hearing him, I know that those have been used to make me into the woman I am today and pray that He will continue to mold me into the righteous woman He created me to be.
2. Learn to sew relatively well. Should be able to make a dress.
-I asked for a sewing machine for Christmas LAST year and still can barely use it. It sits on the desk in my room and taunts me half the time. Kerri got a sewing machine during the summer and has already made a cute little dress for my assistant youth pastor's wife's baby! (Yes, I know that's a mouthful!) She tends to understand the instructions better than I do and can usually orally tell me how to do it and I'll get it. Weird how things work with us that way. I think the main reason I have so much trouble with it though is because I don't really try with it that hard, so that's what I plan on doing this year- trying hard and getting somewhere with my sewing skills.
3. Sell at least 15 items on Etsy.
-I joined Etsy like forever ago. Actually it was in May, but it feels like forever ago. I still haven't had anyone buy my stuff. *tear* This is the part where you feel sorry for me and buy it all! Lol! Just kidding! Well, the Living Water Shoppe has been on hiatus for the past three months while I've been in France, but it'll be back in business on January 5th most likely. I have a couple more items to add on and a brain full of new projects that I can start once I get back to getting some money from nursery work and such. Anyway, this 15 item goal will hopefully spur me on to better and greater products in the future.
4. Read at least 30 books.
-I keep a notebook where I record each book that I read, the day I finished it, the number of pages it had, and if I own it or not. When I looked back at it yesterday, I found out that I had read 29 books in 2009! How awesome is that? So my goal for this year is to at least read 30 books, but hopefully I'll get to more than that!
5. Gain more self-control/ patience.
-I tend to get mad easily, particularly with my family, and I want to change that. Patience, in particular, is a hard lesson to learn, I know. But I'd rather learn such an important lesson now than at a later date when it'll likely be even harder for me. Both of these character traits- self control and patience- tend to go hand in hand and are particularly important when people look at us as Christians to be examples of what the gospel teaches. I don't want to wait until I've managed to hurt everyone I love in some way or another before I learn this. I want to learn now.

Those are just five of my lovely New Year's Resolutions. So here's my question: What are yours? How are you seeking to better serve the Lord this year? What are you seeking to accomplish with your time? How are you seeking to better yourself as this new year represents another new start?
Have a blessed day!

Christmas Day

Merry Christmas, y'all! It's Jesus' birthday today!
This year we didn't really get to continue most of our Christmas traditions for one reason or another. We didn't have new pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve (my greatest woe), no family came over to celebrate (probably a greater woe than the pajamas, but still), we had no stockings, and we didn't get to throw cat food on the roof for the reindeer. Now, I'm pretty sure they'll forgive us for that last one since we've been devout with it in previous years. I hardly think they'll begrudge us one year.
However, I had the wonderful idea to lay socks by the window, so I ran around the apartment and stole a sock from each member of the family. Mitchell and I were then faced with a dilemma- we had no Christmas movies to watch! It's another tradition for the two of us to sleep in the same room and watch two Christmas movies. Luckily, just as we were about to give up (because niether of us wanted to watch The Polar Express again), Mitchell remembered that we could buy movies on iTunes.
:D
So I bought "It's a Wonderful Life" and rented "Elf". I prefer the first, but still enjoyed the second. We're planning on watching "It's a Wonderful Life" again today!
This morning I was woken up by Mitchell, who felt the need to remind me it was Christmas. I shrugged on my pink robe over my pajamas and grabbed my stocking. We were saddened by the fact that Miranda wasn't here to be the first to get her stocking. She ALWAYS gets her stocking first. Well, except for the time Mom made it look like she was sleeping in the living room by puting a wig on a volleball and laying pillows under the blanket. Even the cat fell for it and was sleeping on the dummy. Mitchell and I got our stockings first for the first time ever. Needless to say, Miranda was fuming when she found out it hadn't been Mom.
Getting back on track, I ate two balls of chocolate before Mitchell suddenly realized that I wasn't holding my sock. I'd accidentally grabbed  Mom's. I hurriedly shoved itall back in before going to get my own and then I went back to bed.
I woke up a bit later to Mom telling me that they were going to open presents without me. I hurried in, carryig my Bible, and reminded them that we needed to read it first. I had picked out the passages and opened it to Isaiah 52-53 and later turned to Luke's account of Christ's birth.
Afterward, Daddy prayed and Mitchell played Santa this year.
Most of us have already gotten our 'big present' this year- mine being my car, mom and mitchell got new laptops. So we each bought each other one present.
I received a supercool Batman mug from Mitchell, a gorgeous hardcover copy of Emma that I wanted, and three rolls of beautiful lavender yarn.
Mitchell got Doomwyte by Brian Jacques, and Watership Down by Richard Adams from our parents. I joked that he must have a fetish for small animals, since both are about them. I gave him a board game called Quoridor that looks cool. He and Dad have already played it once and seemed to enjoy it.
Mom received a handmade scarf from me, a book that our French tutor's mother wrote, and a jacke that she really wanted- both from Dad. Mitchell says that he's buying Mom and Dad's presents when we get back to the States, because he already knows what he wants to get him.
Dad got a scarf that we bought yesterday from me and a game called Perudo that they apprently play on Pirates of the Carribean. He'll probably get a bigger present later, but we couldn't find anything while out that he would've liked.
Now we just have to find out what to do with our Charlie Brown-like Christmas tree that sheds when you look at it too long. I honestly believe it's the ugliest tree I've ever seen, especially after Dad managed to knock it over the other tree.
Dad suggeste throwing it out the window, but don't think that would be the greatest option. So we're stuck with brainstorming. Any ideas?
Have a blessed day!

A Few Good Reads

Here are some links to a few posts that I've read in the past week or so that stood out to me. I just thought I ought to share them with y'all!

Why Fantasy? by Bryan Davis. "Fantasy is not a lie, because it doesn’t pretend to be true. It is a vision, the mind’s dramatic sketch of what we were meant to be. Good fantasy is a blend of survival and worship. It demonstrates faith, hope, and love--the three abiding gifts--wielded in integrity and nobility, and illustrated in ways that readers will never forget."

A Charge for Young Women  by Bryan Davis. "She is born with a passion to uplift, empower, and support. She is the mainstay and sail for the captain’s ship. She is the heat in the warrior’s resolve and the salve that heals his wounds. She is the heart that pumps vitality to every joint and sinew. Yes, she is a woman."

Birth Control Makes Me Mad by Kim C. "Our friends and family may not agree with us on whether to use birth control, but they need to know that certain methods do far more than simply prevent pregnancy. If our friends and family believe that life begins at conception, then they need to know that nearly all of the most popular, most effective methods have a Plan B: murder any unborn child that gets past Plan A. It's right there in the fine print that they'll find in the package."

No Detours to the Aisle! by Christa Taylor. "'Don’t you ever want to get married and be a mom?' Her face fell, and she seemed to shrink in size, 'yes…yes, that’s what I really want. But I don’t want my boyfriend to feel like I’m pushing him', she confessed, lip trembling."

The 12 Days of a Large Family Christmas by L. Hutchinson. "She asked me how many children I had already. I told her 3. So, she tried her best to talk some sense into me again saying, 'Okay, well let that be it!' So, in honor of her and all of the other concerned people at the grocery store, the mall, etc, I thought this song would be appropriate."

How Twilight is Re-Vamping Romance by Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin. "Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight may be fiction, but this story is real. Edward Cullen is no more than an idea, but ideas have consequences, and Edward-obsession is creeping into real history."

Advent Poem: Joseph's Choice by Bryan Davis.
"Then Joseph looks upon his bride

Lamenting, sobbing at his side;
A stone in hand, the judge prepares;
Decide for wrath or grace to spare?"

Have a blessed day!

I Celebrate the Day

Here's a fantastic recording of I Celebrate the Day by Relient K set to scenes from the Nativity Story, my favorite Christmas movie. Enjoy and remember just why we celebrate Christmas this year!

'Tis The Season To Be Stressed Out

Yesterday, I talked to Kelli on Twitter just about life in general. She began to tell me how stressed out she's been lately. There's so much that she needs to do and so many things she's being asked to help out with and it's all just weighing down on her.
Now Kelli is one of those people who tends to over-commit themselves. She's done it for as long as I've known her. She's not very good at saying 'No" when people ask her to help out with something- so she says "Yes" and gets so much put on her plate that it looks like Thanksgiving dinner all over again!
It seems, though, that it's a similar case for everyone around this time of year. You may not be over-committing yourself to various projects, but perhaps you're stressed out about something else. I know my brother and I have been struggling to keep up with our schoolwork to the point where it almost seems like our Co-op teachers have decided to throw it just a little extra work just to watch us squirm. And I can't tell you how many Facebook and Twitter updates I've seen talking about what a horrible day or week it's been.
It seems that the Christmas season just hands you loads of things to get stressed about and you're expected to just swallow it all and keep from puking before you make it to the bathroom. People are stressed about money, about Christmas shopping, about too many committments (like Kelli), about exams and schoolwork (like Mitchell and I), or about any other number of things.
So what are we supposed to do? Down a bottle of Pepto-bismol and hope we don't look green on the Christmas cards?
Here's my 'Season of Stressfulness' advice: Just take a deep breath and handle things one at a time, all the while remembering that this isn't what this season is about.
You don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. If you try, you're just going to run yourself into the ground. Figure out what's important to you and pursue it. Figure out what needs to be accomplished and tackle it. Then you can use the extra time to commit to a FEW things and do those efficiently and with good spirits.
This season isn't about beating everyone else by getting the best present for Martha. It's not the time to push and shove so you can get little Johnny the best toy ever, even if that's what the commercials try to tell you. It's not about over-working yourself, even if you genuinely want to help, and it's not about getting stressed because yet another thing has been unavoidably added to your workload.
Christmas is about remembering the birth of Christ- that's why we as Christians celebrate it. As far as I'm concerned, the world can keep their plasma screens and their blow up Santas, they can keep their platinum credit cards and their shiny new cars. If that's what they want to celebrate, far be it from me to rain on their parade.
I choose to celebrate something infinitely more worthwhile.
God came to earth in human flesh in order to bring hope to a fallen world. He came to rescue his bride, plunging into the world that had been so overwhelmed by the muck of sin just so he could draw us out. He brought Life anew to the world, reminded us that there is more than just us, and eventually died in our stead. He took the cross, which was our rightful punishment, and bore it so we wouldn't have to. He then defeated death and rose again, leaving to prepare a place for us. Even then, He did not abandon us- but gave us the Comforter who helps us and leads us in a world that wishes us to return to our sin.
We anxiously and joyously wait for His return, in which He will draw us back into Him. There will be a wedding feast that will surpass all. I can't wait!
So what are a few shiny cars and blow up Santas when the Savior of the world is desperately in love with me? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
In this all too stressful time of year, don't get distracted by the bright lights and loud noises, because they're only trying to quiet the voice of the One who is gently wooing you. So take a deep breath, seperate yourself from the noise, and spend time with Him.
Don't let Jesus be neglected because you've got too much homework to bother with Him. Don't let Him get pushed aside by the over-filled shopping cart. He's worth so much more than anything this world can offer.
[Picture compliment of Google Images]
Have a blessed day!

Oh So Thankful Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving went off pretty well today!
We've been trying to get supplies for the last week, really. Dad went to the States last week and got a couple of things like Nestle's chocolate chips, marshmallow cream, and cranberry sauce. A good amount of this will carry over until Christmas! Yay!
Of course, we're especially excited about fudge. If you've ever been to my house around this time of year, you know that my mom makes the best fudge EVER! It's a secret family recipe that we all love and enjoy sharing with others as much as possible.
The French are lucky to have us! :D
Due to it being Thanksgiving, I decided that I would do what probably every other blogger is doing today- making a list of things I'm most thankful for. I'll make it short so I don't bore you to death by means of redundancy. :D

1) First and foremost, I am thankful for the Heavenly Father who made me, redeemed me, and keeps me on my feet. He has been my King, my Best Friend, my Savior, the Keeper of my heart, and my God. He is the most important person in my life and there's nothing I'm more thankful for than the sacrifice He made because of my transgressions. He took my place on that cross and saved me when I was worthless. For that, I can never be thankful enough.

2) I am thankful for my family. They are always beside me, steadying me and filling my life with smiles. Even when we fight, and we fight alot, we learn to forgive one another and keep walking side by side. I'm thankful that God has put me in the family he has- I love them so much!

3) My friends! I have such an awesome support system of friends that I love to death. Though we get funny looks because of our constant playful bickering and sarcasm, we love each other dearly and aren't afraid to say it. :D They keep me accountable and are always challenging me to be my best.

I would say that those three are the very most important things. Sure, there are many other things that I am thankful for and if I sat down and wrote it all out, we would be here for hours.
Take the time today to think on the many things the Lord has blessed you with today. Really stop and think about it all- He did all of that for you.
Even the most obscure thing that makes you smile- it's him wooing you. The nice man opening the door for you, your mom making your favorite dessert, or getting the last candy bar that you wanted so badly. Is it really that far-fetched of an idea that Christ cares about me enough to just make me want to smile? No. No it's not.
The thought just floors you doesn't it? It floors me.
Keep that in mind as you celebrate this day of thankfulness.
Have a blessed day!

Veteran's Day!

Okay, so I have to admit that I had no idea it was Veteran's Day today! I know, I'm a horrible American... but my excuse is that I'm in France and I can't pronounce the word that today is called, though I know it's a holiday here too! Maybe it's the same thing?
Anyway, I thought I just wanted to put up a post in honor of the men and women who have fought and died for our country. They truly are heroes.

"Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices." -President Harry S. Truman

Here's a picture of my awesome Uncle Henry, who fought in World War II in the Battle of the Bulge- along with many other battles. He's such an inspiration and we thank him for all he did for our country. He and those he fought with show us what it means to sacrifice for the good of those who are abused and what it looks like to stand against evil.
Thank you, Uncle Henry!!!

And here's a picture of my Peepaw, Joe Barker. He served in both the Navy and the Army at different points. (I think he said he hated the army though).
Yes, that's me in his lap. :D
He died when I was around six years old, but I still have good memories that I cherish very much. And he was quite a good-looking man, wasn't he? We made quite the pair. :D
He also did our country a great service during the war and was a great example to those around him.
Thank you, Peepaw!!!

He and Uncle Henry were best friends (Uncle Henry is actually my dad's godfather) and I have very fond memories of both of them, though I'm so glad I can continue to make many happy memories with Uncle Henry.

Well, now that I've given some very important men my thanks for serving our country, I suppose I'll close out this post with my appreciation for all those who have served or will serve our country by laying down their lives for our freedom. You are an honor to our nation!

Have a blessed day!

Happy Blogoversary to Me!!

It's been one year since I started Living Water! I'm quite excited! I was planning on putting this post up sooner, but oh well- life got in the way (as it often does). Living Water has been around for one year now, and I'm praying it will keep going for even more years.
Today I wanted to make a list of some of my favorite blog posts I've written. Now I wouldn't call them my absolute favorite, because I didn't have the patience to actually go through all of my blog posts and read them. But out of the ones I looked over, I thought y'all might enjoy rereading these:

• Modesty Series:
  1. The Effect Immodesty Has on Men
  2. Modest Apparel
  3. A Modest Attitude
  4. Swimsuit Modesty

The call to modesty is one that God has really placed on my heart. I love writing and sharing my thoughts about modesty for women and really enjoyed writing this series. And the comments were such blessings as well. :D

• Living Water... What's in a Name?

This is the post where I pretty much explain why I chose Living Water as the name for this blog. Be forgiving, it was one of my first posts.

• Idols Bow to the True God

I express my wonder at a certain event recorded in the Bible concerning God's sovereignty over idols. It made me smile and I couldn't help but share it again.

• Faith Like David

David is such an inspirational man and in this post I talk about how David had such a large portion of faith. We should all aspire to be men and women after God's own heart.

• 10 Good Reasons to Wear a {Modest} Skirt

I loved writing this after I read another post about wearing skirts and some good reasons for it. I figured I ought to make a list like that! It was great fun to write.

• Pushing Through in Prayer

The idea for this post came from a time that I was praying about what God's path was for me. I began to ponder what 'committing' something to God was. This is the result of that question.

• Pray to the Saints?!?

I read something online about a girl who was having trouble with something and was praying to a saint and said nothing was happening. My reaction- what?? So I decided to address this issue in my post about how I think the saints would be appalled that people are praying to them at all!
Well, I could have chosen many more, but I didn't want to overload y'all with posts. I know that I usually just skim through these to see which title seems the most interesting. :P And no one has time to read every single one of my blog posts over again. I didn't even want to read them all when I was going through them to make this post. I already told y'all that! :P
Tomorrow I'll put up a post with a few of my favorite posts from other bloggers. I love things like that. And after this overdose of my posts, you'll want a breath of fresh air.
Well, Happy Blogoversary to Me!!!!!
Have a blessed day!

All Things Work Together for My Good

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Doesn't it just amaze you every time God quietly reminds you that He's always near? I know it just astounds me.
He has everything planned, even before it happens.
Yesterday, I was planning to go up to the Prayer Meeting at City Hall, since it was National Day of Prayer. I was really excited about it.
Anyway, I suddenly realized if I went I would be all by myself. I didn't want to go and be the loner walking around, so I asked Mitchell to go with me. He said he didn't want to because he had too much schoolwork and needed to get it done. I tried to convince him up until 11:30, which is when the meeting started.
I said I wasn't going to go if he didn't and was very upset.
After a few minutes, however, I changed my mind but Mom said it was too late and I could pray just as effectively at home. So as I was stirring the cheese into the Mac & Cheese I'd made for lunch for my mom and I, I felt horrible- like I'd copped out and was being a coward because I couldn't even go to a simple prayer meeting by myself. I'm seventeen, for goodness sake!
I barely registered seeing my brother run by the kitchen and into my mom's room.
Seconds later, Mom called me with a worried voice. I came in only to find that Mitchell was crying and there was a paper towel in his hand that had some blood stains on it.
Apparently, my brother had been in his room playing with his pocket knife as he was getting his stuff together to do his schoolwork and had cut a small gash between his ring and pinky finger. We tried calming him down as he berated himself for having been so stupid as to be playing with a pocket knife and called Dad before running out the door.
Mom had to drive, with one arm, because at this point I was shaking and nearly in tears. But by the time we got to the hospital, Mitchell had calmed down and Dad showed up to sit with us. After about twenty minutes we were shown to a room, where Mitchell got his stitches.
I stood outside the room and tried to keep from crying as he was sewn up, then went in immediately after.
As soon as Dad asked if I was okay, I broke down in tears. I don't like seeing my baby brother in pain.
In the end, he only had three stitches and an embarrassing story of being irresponsible with a knife, along with a little wounded pride. He called his friends and laughed about it as I drove us home.
This did remind me, though, about God's goodness and plan for us.
If I had gone to the prayer meeting, I would've taken the only car and been gone for at least an hour. I might not have had my phone on either and they would've had no way to get to the hospital. I wouldn't have been their for my little brother when he needed me.
And if he'd gone with me, this whole mess would've been avoided. :P
Two Lesson's here:
1) God's always taking care of you, even when you don't see it.
2) Big sisters know best. :D
Have a blessed day!

Good Friday

Today is Good Friday, the day we remember Christ's death and how much He sacrificed for me.

Alot of times, I tend to overlook Good Friday. I mean, most schools and workplaces aren't even letting off today. My dad's at work and most of my friends are at their respective schools.

We tend to celebrate only Easter, or Resurrection Day, when Yeshua rose from the grave. Yes, that's the best thing about the whole holiday- but we wouldn't have a resurrection if we didn't first have a crucifixion.

So I challeng you today. Don't let this just be another Friday. Remember Jesus' sacrifice as you go throughout your day. Some of you may want to watch the Passion of the Christ, that's also a good way to remind yourself of what He went through.

Just make sure you're praising Yahweh for His glorious sacrifice today.

Mark 15:21-41

21A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. 22They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). 23Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.
25It was the third hour when they crucified him. 26The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. 27They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left. 29Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30come down from the cross and save yourself!"
31In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! 32Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
33At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
35When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah."
36One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said.
37With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
38The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"
40Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.

I encourage you to read the entire story in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.

Have a blessed day!

Inauguration Day

America has a new President. President Barack Obama.
Scary, isn't it?

Now before you start thinking this is a race issue. It's not! I have no problem with having a black president. What I do have a problem with is having a president with an evident lack of morals.

A usurper has successfully taken hold of our nation's government. He has no right to be our president, having not proved he is a citizen of the united states of America, and yet we've thrown our Constitution aside and elected him anyway.

I was texting one of my best friends during her lunch break and we were discussing all of this. We both agreed that our nation is being punished. God has allowed a usurper to govern the nation that has turned away from Him. Just as Israel chose a king over God and ended up paying dearly for it- so will we. Our nation has chosen a President whose views oppose the ones that we as Christians hold so dearly because they are the standards God has set up for us.

Now what?

I was also discussing this with my mom at the same time and one of the points she made was that now, we as Christian Americans have to stand up. For too long, we have sat by and watched as our nation took a nose dive into greed, immorality, and murder. Now, we've got to wake up and stop our nation from digressing farther than it already has.

We have to stop waiting for someone else to make a move and do it ourselves. Stand for what we believe in.

Hope this gives you some food for thought. It certainly has given me some.

Have a blessed day!

P.S. Check out Bryan Davis' blog Oracles of Fire, linked in the sidebar. He has alot to say about Obama's election and I love his articles. It's a good read and very informative.

Presidential Elections

I'll count this one as a holiday, because it's a very important day, just not a holiday.

So tomorrow's the big day- the day our country decides who our next President will be. Will it be McCain/Palin or Obama/Biden?

I think you can tell from the picture who I would be voting for if I were old enough.

I'm very happy that my parents and I share the same views, so they are voting for McCain. I thought you might like to know about my views and stands on this issues.

Abortion: Is wrong no matter what. Sorry if you feel differently, but I don't take the lives of innocent children so lightly. Now I'm not saying that if you've had an abortion, I hate you. No, I have some very close friends and family who have had abortions and it still tears them up inside. I believe that the child's rights should come at conception. That's when they are human. We have no right to tell them that they aren't worth living.

McCain has a similar stance on this and wants to bring in a judge that will overturn Roe vs. Wade. We all know that would be a blessing.

Obama, however, said it was "above his paygrade" to answer when life begins and has already passed multiple laws that are pro-abortion. One in particular makes me sick to even think about. It's states that if a baby is born alive after an abortion, they shouldn't have any medical care and you should basically just kill them and throw them in the trash. Do we really want a President that puts that little value on life?

The Second Amendment: We have the right to bear arms. It's the second amendment to our Constitution, written by the founding fathers themselves. Yet many want it to be overturned. I'm thinking "You've got to be kidding me!" This is the amendment that says we have the right to keep a gun and protect ourselves and our families from those who wish to do us harm. Being a Texan- that's very important to me.

Not that I think I'll ever use a real gun for those purposes or any other really. I don't enjoy shooting things and I don't think I'd ever be able to kill. Either way, if someone were threatening me or my family, I'd like to know that I have something that can affect change. Besides, the founding fathers put it in the Constitution to bear arms for a reason. If our government were to get out of control- we have the right to form a militia and put it back in it's place. Now I don't know if we'll ever need to do that, and I sure hope we don't. But it's nice knowing we could. My main concern is- If they successfully take away our second amendment, what's next? The first amendment?

Gay Marriage: I do not support homosexuality in any way. I'm not saying that we should hate homosexuals or anything like that- what we need to do is love on them and show them the truth. I believe that Gay Marriage is wrong and will not support it.

Okay, so those are a couple of my stands, which make me want to vote for McCain (curse the voting age being 18!). My main issue is Abortion, though, and I will not vote for a President who supports abortion. I will not have those lives on my hands.

Happy voting! Have a blessed day!

one nation UNDER GOD

So this day is a great day to remember our country and where it came from. Found on Christianity, we also have to look at how our country has changed since then.
Christianity is beginning to decrease in America. Times have changed and it's not as popular anymore to be a Christian- which makes it even more vital that we stand strong in what we believe.
The Fourth of July is an important day in our country. We've been a nation for 232 years! Think about that. The beginnings were completely centered on God. Slowly, it has turned away from that.
Why do I remind you of this? Because we are rising up from childhood into adulthood. It's our time to shine, so to speak. We need to step it up. It's our job to change America back the the beauty of a country that puts God first and foremost. We have a challenge set before us that God wants us to overcome. Our challenge is to strive to follow God with all of our hearts and slowly change America one person at a time. C.S. Lewis writes:
He who converts his neighbor has performed the most practical Christian political act of all.
Our nation is steadily trying to take down ever reference to God because it could 'offend' people. Well, what if our freedom offends people- are they going to take that down too? I'll leave you with a great quote from Jay Leno:
With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?
Have a blessed day!

Another Father to Celebrate

Father's day is finally here. A day when we appreciate the man who has supported and loved us our entire lives. That's the picture for some of us. For others it is a day to remember the man who abandoned them. The man who abused them. Or just the man who never really paid much attention to them or never really cared. It is a holiday of mixed emotions.
But there is another Father who we need to remember to celebrate on this blessed day. He is so amazing and is always there for you, whether your earthly father is there for you or not.
You see, we can't think of our Heavenly Father in the same way we do our fathers on earth. Though He put our earthly fathers here to portray what He is like, because of our fallen world they haven't been living up to the standards God has set for them- not even the best of fathers. And they can't while they are on this earth.
We have to break off that urge to look at our Heavenly Father in the same way we look at our earthly father, because if we continue to look at Him in that way we will put Him in a box and end up hiding from ourselves who He truly is.
Our earthly fathers are merely a representation of who He is and the love He has for us. Those whose fathers fall in the category of uncaring, not there, or unloving- you have to realize that this is not the example God wanted that man to set. He has fallen from the place God has put Him and lost the blessing that comes with it.
So this Father's Day, draw closer to the Father who will always be there for you. He will never let you down, abandon you, or forsake you. He loves you with an undying love!
Hebrews 12:10
Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
Have a blessed day!