Trip to the Falls

Last weekend, our family took a car ride to the Falls about two hours away. They are the West's equivalent to Niagara Falls and indeed, they are slightly "larger" in some way.....but I can't remember what =) The run off has been fabulous this year as there was quite a bit of precipitation. Unlike Niagara, our falls cease to run in the summertime.....so we decided we should go and see them while we could.

I hope you are blown away by the Creator's majesty from these pictures. Only He could create something of this magnitude. Who could believe a big bang made all this?!

Another Giveaway!!!

Listen up!! I have another copy of Sense and Sensibility on my hands. You know the one--Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant....Well, I found the DVD on a great price and thought, "I will do another giveaway."

This time, though, there are a few stipulations:

**Open for US residents only (I hate to do this--but rising postage costs force me to)

**You have to have commented on my blog at least three times (It doesn't matter if you are a newer reader or have been here since the beginning, but you have to have commented. No silent lurkers)**

**And Miriam, you won last time. So you can't enter =)**

So, if you don't have this DVD and want it....or you want it for a friend....or shock me and have never seen it and want to....enter! The drawing will be on May 1, 2009!

Life Keeps Rolling On

You all know how it goes. Life keeps rolling on and evidently, something gets put on the back burner. For me, blogging has taken a back seat, more or less, this month. I thought I would give you a brief update....through pictures.....of what has been going on.

The past two weeks have been "spring break" for me. So what if I am not in school anymore. Mom and Garrett have been taking it off so I am as well. I needed it; it has given me the opportunity to get caught up on some things.









ON what nice days we have had, I have been trying to get outside. Flowers and trees are slowly budding and flowering, which is such a blessing. It is still on the cold side occasionally, but I fear summer will come as quick as a flash. I think it is supposed to be 80 degrees on Tuesday....This always happens.

A big chunk of my break has been spent keeping an eye on Ginger. Our little puppy is six months old now, which means......she can be spayed! We don't want to deal with the puppy thing, so she went to the vet. She was SO lethargic the first day (as is evidenced by the picture.) She is still wearing the "cone" around her head, but her energy levels are back to where they are supposed to be.....only she is supposed to remain still and quiet as well. It has been a challenge.

Having time off has enabled me to do some crafty projects. A dear friend is getting married in August, so wedding presents are being prepared. Alas, I cannot post pictures, as she occasionally reads this blog and it is supposed to be a secret! So I keep my hands busy as I watch movies. I am currently on part 2 of Wives and Daughters. I love that movie, but at this point, Roger Hamley is definitely being idiotic =)

And last but not least, I have been getting used to my glasses. I still don't have it all figured out yet. I hate having something on my nose....but I can see better with them on. I decided, perhaps against my better judgment, to post a picture of me wearing my glasses. This is should be interesting.......

So there you have it....an update from me. I hope you all are having a wonderful April and that the Lord is revealing things to you, awesome things you couldn't have even imagine!

On My Cross

Every Good Friday, my "song" comes to mind. I once heard it at a concert and I have loved it ever since. It sums up all of my thoughts, my feelings, my thanksgiving in ways that wouldn't sound nearly as good.


On My Cross--sung by FFH

How wide is Your love
That You would stretch Your arms
And go around the world
And why for me would a Savior's cry be heard
I don't know
Why you went where I was meant to go
I don't know
Why You love me so
Those were my nails
That was my crown
That pierced Your hands and Your brow
Those were my thorns
Those were my scorns
Those were my tears that fell down
And just as You said it would be
You did it all for me
After You counted the cost
You took my shame, my blame
On my cross
How deep is Your grace
That You could see my need
And choose to take my place
And then for me, these words I'd hear You say
Father no
Forgive them for they know not what they do
I will go
Because I love them so
(Repeat chorus)

May you be encouraged by the words of this song. It is so true! Because of His grace, His unfailing love, His compassion, His mercy---Christ took everything off of my shoulders, your shoulders, and put it on His---for the rest of eternity.

My God! My God! How thankful am I that you have never, and never will, forsaken me!

The Home Stretch

Many of you will remember the post I did several weeks ago about my "Lenten" fast. Since the end of February, I have not tasted a dessert. I can't get rid of sugar entirely as it is in everything. But eating sugar in things like ketchup, yogurt, and salad dressing isn't the same as having pies, cookies, cakes....all those yummy things that make your mouth water.

It has been extremely hard for me to remain true to the "vow" I made before God. Dad and Garrett have continued to eat little pies from WalMart and Dryer's ice cream. I have wanted to bake in the kitchen, but the temptation would be just too much for me. If I made things like peanut butter cookies, snickerdoodles, chocolate chip cookies.....I would totally set myself up for failure. So, I didn't make them.

I didn't realize how tempting even the little things are. I mean, I go to get baking powder out for a recipe and just behind that, chocolate chips are calling my name. The one time I made cookies (oatmeal raisin--which Dad loves and I don't like) I really really wanted to eat some of the dough (before the raisins of course). I had to "wage war" with Satan; he kept telling me no one would ever know.....but I resisted. After all, God would know.

Four people have been immensely helpful in keeping me on the right path. Mom has not been eating desserts also, so it is great having someone else in the house, besides yourself, on the same fast. And then, there have been my "Sisters of the Heart." Each of them, Anna, Miriam, and Jen made the same decision--they haven't been eating dessert either. We are accountable to each other. I must say, that was a big thing that kept me going. I didn't want to have to admit to them that I had caved in before the ending date. Prayer....that is the only thing that has gotten us through.

I have learned a lot about myself these past few weeks. Christ has given me just the right amount of grace to say no to the temptations. Apart from Him, we can do nothing--even avoid sugar. After Easter and after enjoying my long awaited for dirt pudding, I have decided that I will do a far less strict version of this fast. I will eat sugar sometimes, but not nearly as often as I used to. I know I CAN do it--with His help.

So, I have seven days left to go. Like the little engine that could said, "I think I can. I think I can. I know I can." Lord, keep giving me the strength.

March's Reading List

I read quite a few books this past month--I thought I would share them with you. Knowing my readers as I do, I know which ones will please/intrigue you the most.


The Beside, Bathtub, and Armchair Companion to Jane Austen--This is a compilation effort by three authors. It is more on the "humerous" side of studying all things Jane; there are interviews with other Janeite fans and such. However, I think I prefered Jane Austen for Dummies. Indeed, if I had to chose between owning one or the other, I would pick the latter. But don't let my opinion deter to. It isn't bad, just not my favorite.


Painting the Map Red, by Hugh Hewitt--March found me reading a new genre of books: current events and political ones! If you didn't know already, that (government "stuff") is a major passion of mine. So, this book is dated; it was written for the 2006 election cycle. It was interesting to know what races Mr. Hewitt thought we would win and the arguments that would help us (Republicans) do so......we lost everything and talking about certain topics was anything but helpful. But there were numerous insightful things. I enjoyed reading who he though were going to be President and Veeps going into 2008.


Upstream, by Alfred Regnery--I discovered what publishing house prints Conservative books =) The subtitle to this one is: The Acendence of American Conservatism. I had to get it when I saw Ronald Reagan on the cover =) I really enjoyed this one. I discovered what the Conservtive movement has had to go through (since all of it was before my time) It also made me hope that we are in 1976 again. Jimmy Carter flopped, the nation was ready for a Conservative....I want that to happen in 2012.


The Princess Adelina, by Julie Sutter--I was given this book for Christmas by Mom and Dad and I finally read it. It is the story of a young Christian maiden who is made the wife of a pagan ruler. It is a lot like the book of Esther. I will confess, I enjoyed it....and yet I didn't always agree with the ideolgy. The maiden knew full well that the man she was marrying wasn't a Christian, but she did it because she felt she would be saving her people. That seems to fly in the face of Scripture. The book also has a lot of false gods in it, as it takes place in the 4th-5th Centuries. S0, read it at your discretion. I do think you will enjoy it.


Oolong Dead, by Laura Childs--Another episode in the tea shop mystery books I like so well. The characters are the same and the plot is the same. You have to solve a murder. The only thing is that there is speculation if someone is having an affair....and you know, they never really tie it up. (That happened a lot in this one) The recipes in the back make my mouth water, but I had to restrain from trying any this time, since I am not eating desserts right now.


The Ladies of Longbourn, by Rebecca Ann Collins--Yes, I just read book 4 in the Pemberley Chronicles Series, the one that none of you can seem to find. Once again, I loved being exposed to my favorite characters both old and new. This time, the story primarily focuses on Jane Bingley's granddaughter, Anne-Marie. You could say there are some "feminist undertones" but for me, they by no means distract from reading the story. In fact, you learn about England in the......let's see....1860's. A lot of people were struggling with things like the slave trade, average people not getting to vote, things like that. As always, I can count on a wonderful story....and now I have to bug the guy at the library to locate book 5 =)

Hope you all have been transported into the world of reading as much as I have! What have you been reading?