There is Beauty in Life's Mountains

(Well, I am back from my weekend camping trip. It was a lot of fun. While I was there, I was able to write out my "second lesson" from Soldier's Cap. This is more or less a rough draft, but I hope to get the final copy published in HopeChest Magazine some time soon. For now, my blog is good enough...and I want your honest opinion! So, here we go!)





I am not an athletic person. Growing up, I never participated in sports or strenuous activity. I was much more inclined to read a book or do something less active. (I am still that way!:-) However, when several families were planning to hike in the Owyhee Mountains, I was all excited. The hike was only a mile long and hardly was there an ascent involved, so I was told. Thus, I naturally assumed the hike up Soldier's Cap to be a cake walk, even for an inexperienced climber like myself.


The day of the hike arrived; I was all set. The vans drove up yo the drop-off point and all twenty-four climbers prepared to make the ascent. After a quick prayer and rules regarding ticks and snakes, we started. I was quickly one of the leaders. After all, it was going to be easy! However, my determination and fortitude quickly waned. The way was rocky and uneven; you had to make a path for yourself. The climb began to give me leg cramps, and I, formerly a leader, rapidly became a follower. After awhile, with little energy, muscle aches, and panting breath, I stopped. I couldn't go on; the way was too hard. Wasn't it supposed to be easy?


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Too often is this the cry of our daily lives. We start out believing that life is a perfect bed of roses. We have our plans all mapped out, and nothing will interfere with them, right? Wrong! "Pride comes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Eventually, we come to see that there are thorns with those roses. All of our "well-laid" plans begin to cave in around us, and all we can say is why?!




Why. It's just a little word but one we'd love big answers too. I don't know about you, but I have read Jeremiah 29:11 and questioned its validity. How could "my future and hope" include trials and tribulations? I have been to this breaking point, and I still don't have the answer. I do know that when you are at your lowest, God is at His highest. If you ask Him for strength, He will give it to you. "My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in your weakness." He will carry us when we can't carry on.


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As I was resting my weary limbs, the Lord reminded me of this simple truth. I couldn't make it the rest of the way on my own, but "with God, all things are possible." So, with a rejuvenated mind and spirit, I began the hike once more.



I know that I serve a mighty, loving God. While He doesn't need to show us signs of this, He does because He wants to remind me that He is there. So, as I was continuing my way, I got to see something I never expected. Lo and behold, a herd of wild horses passed very close by me. I was awed. They were such beautiful creatures. I didn't need to see them, but God allowed me to.

When life seems to be going super screwy, it's nice to have a sign of beauty, joy, and happiness to brighten it up. As with the wold horses, God brings a breath of fresh air in the midst of difficulty. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man. But God is faithful. He will never tempt you beyond what you are able. But with the temptation He will make a way of escape so that you may be able to bear it." It is hard to fathom the fact that we can traverse these "mountains," but who says we gave to understand? God says we can do it, so we can! And He has given us something to cheer us when we need it the most! Isn't He good?

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By His grace, I kept climbing. Sure I felt like giving up, but I knew I had more than that in me. After all, wasn't God holding me aright, enabling my legs to make the next necessary step? I knew that He was. I kept my eyes straight ahead; Soldier's Cap was looming before me. I didn't know how I would make my destination, or when:-) All I did know was that " I could do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Eventually, I made it to the top. What a view did I have! You could see for miles. I beheld the sagebrush laden hills I had just crossed. No longer were they painful; they were beautiful

All of us have mountains to cross and hills to climb. Yet there will be a day when they are momentarily over. As we look back over where we have come from in our lives, and where we are now, let us look back at our trials positively. You are right, the path was anything but easy, but wasn't it a time of growth? Wasn't there joy and happiness in the midst of pain? Most of all, wasn't it a time when the Lord drew you to Himself and made you solely dependent on Him for the next step?

Soldier's Cap was my latest mountain; I know you have yours. Resolve to focus in Him and let Him carry you. You will be ever glad you did. Remember that "He is a rewarder to those who diligently seek Him."

So, what did you think? I know that I have some tweaking to do, but this is my start. Anyway, I hope it ministered to you. Oh, enjoy the group picture that I got! Have fun trying to figure out where I am (those who were there, don't say!) :-) God bless ya'll!

I Am Off

I only have a few minutes to post something quick. Our family is headed for Bruneau Dunes for the weekend. Thus, it is the first camping trip of the season! I know that I haven't posted about my other lesson from Soldier Cap, but I will be writing it out while I am away. Hopefully, it will be the first (or second) post I make when I come back.

I hope you have a great weekend. God bless ya'll!

A Simplified Version of Saturday's Hiking Adventure

It had been talked about for several months, and something that I had been looking forward to. I don't claim to be an athlete, but I do like testing my limits and achieving new heights. So, when this Saturday rolled around, I was ready for the hike!



Let's see....when Pastor Jeff, Pastor Chris, Wyatt, Isaac, Owen, Mr. L., Mrs. L., Brianne, Mr. Lav, Randy, Jason, Shifty, Grace, Billy, Ben, Tom, Mr. D., Ethan, Mr. Sa., Esther, Emily, Mrs. T., Amber, Garrity, Mom, Dad, and myself were ready to go, it was about noon. Yes, it was a lot of people to round up into vans, but we actually managed it! So, we left our house (which was the rendezvous point) and headed for Soldier's Cap. The drive took about, oh, I would say, a hour or so. The drive was a nice one; we saw a lot of cattle on the open range.




Well, we made it to the mountain, got some rules of instruction, and then we hit the "trail." Actually, there wasn't a trail; you had to find it for yourself. Now, I had been told that it was a relatively easy hike about a mile long. Uh..that wasn't so. Maybe it is because I am not an athlete, but it wasn't easy to me. However, I did not give up. I did have to pray for the strength to make the next step, but God is so good! The ascent to the cap took quite a bit of time, but it wasn't without its beauties.

As I was climbing, I was told to get down. I watched as nine wild horses galloped across the ridge with the stallion behind them protecting them. It was sooo cool. It was a sight that I never expected to see. Even though I had a way to go, this sight made it worth the while.

Well, I made it to the top. (After some directions from the guys on how to get to the top safely.) It was a great view. I will admit, I didn't stay up long. No, I don't have a fear of heights. However, it was a cloudy day, and the sky looked like rain. We wanted to get down before the skies opened up! I don't think I got a picture from the top, but I do know plenty of them did. (Perhaps they could send me some?!) However, I did leave Soldier's Cap with a scriptural lesson that I intend to post on another day. I want ya'll to be able to enjoy something separate from this.

Going down is MUCH easier than going up; it took far less time and energy! Once everyone had been checked for ticks (yuck), we got together to take a group picture. However, someone was missing. No one knew where Tom was. Some thought he was relieving himself behind sagebrush, but when the guys tried to find him, on one could. We checked the vans, and he wasn't found there, either. So, we all assumed he was missing. First, all of the dads went looking, only to come back abd get all the boys to join in the search.

It was really scary. You hear about this on the news, but when it is someone you know..... We prayed and prayed, but we were still nervous. Pastor Chris had a call into Search and Rescue, but we really didn't want things to go there. Praise the Lord that after a two hour long search, Tom was found safe and sound!!! Apparently, he didn't make it down from Soldier's Cap, and none of us noticed. That was a bad oversight on our part! However, we all were reunited and a group picture was finally taken. (Again, I need to get it from one of the others!)

Saturday was a time of lessons. The one I told you about taught me that buddy systems are good, and that God holds us in the palm of his hand! The second lesson I have yet to tell you about....but I will. God is good!!

I Thought Boise Was A Growing Metropolis?!

Ever since we were little, Mom used to take Garrity and I out into nature. She believes that taking time to enjoy God's creation is a vital part to one's education. So, about every other Tuesday, we would head out into the sunshine (or sometimes not so much sun) and go to the zoo or the park. Here in Idaho, there are plenty of places to go. However, the weather doesn't always cooperate. Isn't there a thing called winter? :-) Well, it is spring now, and that means we are more able to go outside and not freeze to death.



It's usually a toss-up of where to go. Is it Zoo Boise, Julia Davis Park, Ann Morrison Park, Kathryn Albertson Park, or the Boise Depot? Well, we decided on Kathryn Albertson park, which is in the heart of Boise's downtown district. Of all the parks, this one is the most wooded and shady of them all. While we usually see mallard ducks, Canadian geese, and beautiful foliage, I wasn't prepared for what I saw yesterday. Boise is a growing city with over 200,000 people, yet you wouldn't have thought so. Can you guess what I saw?

Yes, you are seeing these pictures correctly. With his new camera, Garrity shot these pictures of nine white-tailed deer. Mom says it....almost....made her imagine herself back in Yellowstone. For me, it was refreshing to see a sign of rural seclusion in the midst of growth. God really is good! I am so thankful that I was able to see these animals that are usually in the woods up close and personal.

My Easter Day

Most of you didn't get to read my more "spiritual" post, and I would definitely encourage you to do so. However, I also thought people would want to see a picture or two of my Resurrection Day.

Okay, this is not the greatest picture, but this was my outfit. I made the skirt!! I have a long way to go before I create a "Pride and Prejudice" dress, but this is a great start. I don't know if you can tell it has pink and yellow daisies on it. Tell you what...if you want me to take a better picture, I will. (I do look bad in this one:-) Anyway, I liked having a new outfit to wear to church. Who says little girls are the only ones who can wear a new dress or skirt?

Alright, before I go into the details of the picture, you need to understand that we had great plans for Sunday after church. We were going to go on a picnic and spend some time in the great outdoors, enjoying God's promise of spring. Well, if you want to be outside, the weather has to cooperate. It didn't. So, after service, we went and got KFC (which we were intending to do anyway) and we had a picnic on the living room floor...as we watched the Masters golf tournament. While popular opinion would rather watch paint dry, I love golf, and the Masters is my favorite. I was reconciled to not watching it (though it would have been the first time in three years) but you can imagine how excited I was to get it after all. The guy who I wanted to win didn't, but a Christian down to earth guy did, so it wasn't too much of a loss.

And, instead of going to evening service at church, we remained home and finished watching Jesus of Nazareth. We have watched that movie for several years, and it has become a tradition. Of course, I cried, like a knew I would. I can never watch my Lord get mocked and beaten, and that part gets me every year. It did once again.

Well, that is the gist of my day. I hope ya'll had great days as well! God bless!

Good Friday

On any normal morning, I do my typical Bible studies. Currently, that would mean Secret Keeper, by Dannah Gresh, and I Kissed Dating Good-bye, by Joshua Harris. However, I remembered that today was Good Friday. So, in keeping with the day, I decided to read the accounts of Jesus's crucifixion.

As I suspected I would be, I was moved to near tears by the story. I have known it most of my life, but within the past few years, it has impacted me immensely. Perhaps it is because I have grown in my faith, or maybe I just recognize the magnitude of my sin more. Anyway, it just ministers to me more than I ever did.

This year, I was impacted with one particular thing (in addition to the crucifixion part.) When Jesus was falsely accused, and Pilate asked Him to deny the accusations, Jesus did not defend himself. I think that having had my own experience like this, this part of the story just spoke to me. It is hard, for humans, to keep their reputation up to the Lord. It isn't in my fleshly nature. After all, who wants to hear people speak lies about them? Mom has reminded me that Jesus will always be my defender; He will help me when "Jews" falsely accuse me.

However, the thing that speaks to me time and time again is that Jesus left all the glory of Heaven to save me from my sin. I know that if I was the only person on the earth, He would have still done the same thing. Christ was willing to bear the mockery, the pain, the scorns, all of the things that I deserved, so I could spend eternity with Him in Heaven some day. As one of my current favorite songs on the radio goes, He was pierced for our transgression. He was crushed for our sins. The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him...and by His wounds, we are healed/saved. How thankful I am that Christ bore the cup of suffering, of separation from the Father, that I might have daily communion with Him. No longer do we have to sacrifice lambs on the alter; the Lamb of God paid the debt that I owed.

So, I would encourage you all to stop for a moment today and read the account of Christ's death. I chose to read from the book of Matthew (I don't know why that particular one) but you can read from any of the gospels. Be reminded of what Christ did for us, for me on Calvary...and praise Him for His love, mercy, and goodness.

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)

This is the song of my heart today. How thankful I am that Christ did ALL of this for me, a sinner who deserves eternal punishment! Thank you, Father, for the price you paid for me on Calvary!

I Don't Confess to Understanding

If you all read my family's blog, you would see posts very similar to this one....not to mention this exact picture with my wonderful puppy on it. Well, I woke up this morning to find out that Nikki had a seizure last night, only twelve days after her last one, which was only three weeks from the one before that. However, if you could follow that, you would be able to determine that Nikki's issues are coming more and more regularly lately, and we aren't too happy about it. Unlike some "medical" things, we want these convulsions/paralysis very far apart.

Nikki and her seizures have been extremely difficult for me to accept. I love my little dog; she is like a member of the family. (I know some of you might not be dog crazy, but you can't deny that pets CAN become very meaningful and special to you. ) And why she has to have these problems is very hard for me to grasp. I know that the Lord is good, that everything goes through His hands, and that He has a purpose in it all. But then...why a dog? What can possibly be the significance and plan in Nikki having them? I just don't understand.

Perhaps I am of little faith in this area, which is odd, because trusting in other areas is easier. I just don't like seeing Nikki suffer. Now, she is fine now. (She always acts normal both before and after them.) I really would like ya'll to pray. I know she is a dog, but I would like for you to pray that, Lord willing, these seizures would be few and far between. (Better yet, we'd love for them to be eradicated!) Also, pray that if the Lord wants us to give her holistic medication, He would make it clear, and finally, please pray for me. Pray that I would trust and believe in the God I serve, the God who keeps His promises, Jeremiah 29:11 being one of them. Thanks!

Another Sense of Accomplishment

I don't like weeding; it's as simple as that. Sitting outside, getting dirt on yourself, and pulling very hard roots out of the ground doesn't appeal to me. Now, I love pruning and picking flowers, things that are beautiful to do. So, what is beautiful about weeding? I try to rarely do it, and let Dad or Garrity have that unpleasant job.

However, that is a wrong attitude for me to have. When something needs done, I need to have the mentality of "get 'er done....now" So, when Dad had made a comment about how it was dandelion season again, I decided to spend the afternoon weeding the front yard yesterday. It wasn't easy. In fact, some of those roots were hard to get out. (And my clothes and feet got messy) but I am so glad I did it. The yard looks a whole lot better now with those yellow heads removed, and I made my dad happy by doing something I didn't necessarily have to do.

I also can struggle with things on the computer. While I am not as "computer illiterate" as some people I know, I am also not the most knowledgeable when it comes to computers either. (I know plenty who are) However, Mom saw me editing my "digital me" and she wondered if I could do the same thing on the family blog, but now have all four of us. Well, I thought that was a great idea, but without going into all the details, it didn't work as easily as I thought it would. I could have given up and let my more computer savvy brother take over. Yet, when I try something, I want to show that I can do it. So, I stayed on the computer, and by the time our Internet server stopped for the day, I had the problem fixed, and a digital family on the family blog. It looks good, if I may say so.

I want to encourage you all to do above and beyond what you sometimes are supposed to, or better yet, what you want to. Getting a pain in my neck from the computer wasn't my ideal of a great evening, but now, I have a great thing to show for the hard work. Now, sometimes we are supposed to do something new that is required of us (like playing a Gershwin piece or learning Microsoft Excel for the family woodworking business, in my case) and that is all well and good. Those things can make us happy as well. Yet, the Bible tells us not to be lazy, so let's now. Let's go and do something that is difficult for us, and serve others with our servant's heart that the Lord wants us to cultivate. Let's go out and "Do Hard Things."

I Have One Piece of Advice

Normally, I see myself as a pretty neat person. I know where things are, and I have places for it all...even my junk. I am a pack rat, plain and simple, but I am a neat pack rat. I keep the things I can't bear to get rid of in one drawer or another. You don't find things lying around where they shouldn't be in my room; I only leave out e-mails that I have to respond to. I know who has what books of mine, and I know where the things they have loaned me are as well.

However, I find that my "system" has a leak in it. I have lost my story notebook! I love to write (and I would love for the Lord to cultivate that if He so chooses) I am often writing a poem, an article, or a story. I had one that I was working on that, admittingly, might seem sappy and hokey, but I loved it. It was about a homeschooled girl who was going through many difficulties in life (her mom was in a difficult pregnancy, her dad had lost his job, her brother was going off to war, etc.) and it's the story of how her relationship with her Heavennly Father and her family see her through. Okay, you might be thinking, "Terrible story line, Ella. You like drama, don't you?" Well, yes I do :-) but I also loved the message I was creating...or attempting to.

I don't write my story as often as I would like to, but I had about 90 some pages and wanted to add more yesterday. I searched high and low for the notebook and couldn't find it anywhere. I looked again today, but to no advail. I am so mad at myself for misplacing this. I know that if it meant so much to me, I needed to find a better spot to leave it when I was done. Now, it seems as if my hard work and thoughts have been wasted, and all on my carelessness.

So, my advice is this: make sure that your "system" works all the time, in every aspect of your life. For those of us who want to get married and have children someday, this message is especailly true. It won't serve us well to misplace certain important articles (like a bill) or have clutter lying around that your don't know what to do with. God is a God of order, and we should be too. Sure, maybe my notebook will turn up (I hope so) but this is a good lesson to learn. Alwaus take the extra pains to keep things neat, for it will save you a lot of searching and frustration in the end result.

Spring Serves as a Reminder

Spring is finally here in Idaho! I am not sure if this daffodil picture was this year or last, but needless, the daffodils are blooming now. The trees are budding with the promise of soon to be fruit harvests. You can look and see willow trees getting greener and greener. Oh, I love spring! Since I am a flower lover, naturally I love the awakening of these plants.

It isn't only vegetation that springs anew. Garrity and Mom went fishing today, and Garrity shot this picture with his new camera. It seems that once spring arrives, all manners of animals start coming out from their winter listlessness and show their faces. Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of baby ducklings, lambs, and all cute little ones, for that is another part of spring.

However, spring can serve as a reminder of God's love for us. We all know that you cannot have a spring without a winter. You have to go through the gloom, the cold temperatures, the barren landscape so that we may experience the joy of spring. Personally, I don't think the season would mean as much to us unless we went through the "difficulty" first. Now, I love some aspects of winter, but I do like spring more. The same is true of the circumstances in our life. We all have areas of our life that seems so hard to bear. It appears as if life is going to remain in either this humdrum or upheaval forever, and we wonder what the purpose of it all is. I have had many such times in my life, and I think I can give a little bit of an answer. God brings these times into our life to help us see the beauty in them....like with winter. After we have had it for a while, we see that the pure white of the snow is absolutely beautiful, or we recognize that cold evenings means tea or hot chocolate. And then, after we have been learned the art of being content, God brings the sunshine, the warmth, the spring, back once again....and all because He is a loving, gracious, God.

Maybe for some of you, the season of winter might be over in time, but not in your life. Or maybe it's the reverse. I can tell you this: both times of winter will end one day, and until then, God gives us the strength to get through the "rough" times. We can rest in that. Each season of the year, and of life, is an adventure, and each is special, though we can't always see it at the time. However, sunshine will prevail once again...and enjoy it, for I know that the "roughness" will seem like it's returning. Yet, remember, it isn't forever. So, while this season of spring, go out and enjoy it. Go ride a bike, or pick some lovely flowers, and remember the great God who gave us both the winter and the spring!

I Wish I Had Taken Pictures!

Ever since Garrity bought his own camera, I have been given the "old" digital camera. Everyone else doesn't like it; it's either too slow, or the zoom is bad, or something of that sort! For me, it's pretty much okay. I sometimes wish it could capture the picture I see with my eyes, but it isn't something I need to go buy a new one over.

So, why am I talking about my camera. It's not too much of an uplifting thing to talk about, is it? Well, I wish I had pictures to capture my weekend. I don't think there is any better way to share my life and my God-given friends than with pictures. However, I need to stop ranting and raving about the lack of pictures and I will use words instead. Hopefully, I can paint a great picture with them! :-)

I have been doing my Bible study with Grace and Brianne the past two weeks. It has gone very well, and I look forward to learning more and more about modesty, both on the inside and on the outside. Well, after Mom and I dropped both of them off at their homes, we headed to the Lav's house for the afternoon and dinner. Once we arrived, Garrity, Jason, Randy, Melinda, and myself headed over to the park and played cricket. Does anyone even know what that is anymore? It's like baseball, only in a British way. I wasn't the greatest at it, but the point is is that I did my utmost best. I didn't get exasperated when I never hit the ball, or when I threw several pitches and I never could get Jason out! I think that is the Lord's improvement in me. Normally, I would get so down on myself and cry. Slowly, I am getting out of my perfectionism (slowly, mind you!) and thus, I had a better time than I would have.

After I painted my toe nails, (Nice topic to talk about, but I have been meaning to do it, and Melinda let me use her nail polish) and ate dinner, the five aforesaid people, adding Paul, played a computer game called Counter Strike. It is one of Garrity's favorites. It isn't mine, but I was a good sport, and I played. I kept getting shot, and going down the wrong alleyways, but oh well. I was able to laugh at myself!

We also played spoons. I just love that game. Garrity dragged me across the floor in the effort to get the spoon from my grasp. (Thankfully, I was wearing pants...for modesty's sake.) I don't recall who one, because I think we ended before there was a pronounced winner, but it was great!

Sunday came on Saturday's heels. It was a food fellowship day, and our family loves those. After the meal, a lot of us went outside and either played ultimate frisbee or just sat, enjoying the great change of weather. Then, we went back outside and played spoons again! (Is that the game or what?) Again, it was a lot of fun.

Yet after was all said and done, I had a big decision to make. One of my "little sisters," Abby Lynn, asked me over for the afternoon. She is almost ten and looks up to me. Well, I didn't want to hurt her feelings, but I also wanted to go home and watch Sense and Sensibility. When Mom was starting to talk to Abby, I saw the dejection in her eyes; she was so sad. I thought of what I would want if I was in her place. Also, I remembered that the Lord has beought her into my life for a reason. So, with that knowledge, I went over and spent the little remainder of the day reading and watching the Incredibles with her and her three siblings and two neighbor kids (who also go to our church) Overall, I am very glad I went. It was what was right, and besides, Sense and Sensibility can wait until next Sunday.

Well, Dad just got home, so I had better go. I hope you are having a great day, and seeing God's blessings in amazing ways. What better ways are there than the daffodils, blooming trees, and the slightly warmer temperatures! I am praying for you all, and again, sorry there are no pictures!

90 Things You Might Have Known About Me, Or Maybe Not

1. I wanted to post these lovely pictures of spring
2. I am a follower of Jesus Christ
3. I am listening to Adventures of Odyssey right now
4. We are celebrating St. Patrick's Day today
5. I was born in Orlando, Florida
6. I had seizures when I was eighteen months old
7. I broke my right arm when I was ten, after I fell from an above ground pool
8. I started playing the piano when I was eight...or was it nine?
9. My favorite composer is Beethoven
10. I love pastel shades of colors
11. I do not like coffee, the smell or the taste :-(
12. I do enjoy seafood, though some of it is bad for you
13. My favorite vegetable is roasted broccoli
14. French bread is one of my weaknesses
15. My favorite food is my dad's chicken and nuggies
16. Mom and I enjoy going to tea rooms together
17. I used to desire to be a flower designer
18. I hope to get married and have children one day
19. I hope to stay in the state of Idaho all my life
20. My favorite books of the Bible are Phillipians and Ruth
21. My favorite hymn is Great is Thy Faithfulness
22. I like a lot of various music: Christian, Classical, Instrumental, Movie Soundtracks. (all decent mind you!)
23. I enjoy Louisa May Alcott and Jane Austen Novels
24. I detested The Red Badge of Courage
25. The Scarlet Pimpernel is a really great book..up to chapter 9 that is. I don't know the rest.
26. I do enjoy watching movies
27. Admittingly, I like the Pirates of The Caribbean movies
28. I love watching British movies
29. Little House on the Prairie is a great tv show
30. I love to watch golf
31. I don't overly enjoy horse racing
32. My favorite sports are gymnastics and golf
33. I don't mind watching baseball and college football with the family.
34. Our favorite vacation spot is Yellowstone
35. We plan to go camping this year
36. I can't go someplace that doesn't have running water or electricity
37. My dream is to go to Washington D.C.
38. I am a history fan (thus the desire to see D.C.)
39. Algebra was a BIG challenge
40. I am doing Consumer Math this year
41. Garrett, Dad, and I are in the pen making business
42. I will manage the financial side of it
43. I love my dog Nikki
44. I have had three birds in a year long period
45. I love cheesecake
46. I enjoy trying new recipes
47. The worst recipe ever invented is curried califlower sandwiches
48. Sometimes I wish my name was different than what it is
49. Yet, it means "God is my Strength."
50. 1 Peter 4:11 has special meaning to me
51. I was baptized in December of 2005
52. I have my own digital camera, now that Garrett bought a new one and everyone likes it better
53. I wish there were better tv shows on nowadays than there are
54. I am an "advocate" for modesty and purity
55. I desire to "do hard things"
56. I am not a morning person, but I definitely am a night owl
57. I loved playing the game of Life when I was younger; I still do
58. Apples to Apples is a family favorite
59. I am so glad the L's taught me to play pinochle
60. I am gulity of being a pack rat, a neat pack rat
61. I used to take ballet when I was three or four
62. I have made some of my friendships online
63. I love to spend time with my parents
64. I think I have the funniest brother around
65. Confidentially, I would love to speak at my graduation next year
66. I used to want to do the homeschool yearbook
67. I am an editor for HopeChest magazine
68. Starbuck's green tea frozen thingy is super good (I can't remember the actual name)
69. Bring on the lemon flavors!
70. My favorite ice cream is chocolate chip cookie dough
71. I love the scent of citrus in the bathroom and baked goods in the kitchen
72. I used to have a 101 Dalmatians bathroom
73. I went to public school in kindergarten
74. Trinity Christian Academy provided my 1st through half of 3rd grade education
75. I think homeschooling is the only way to go
76. Sometimes, I wish I could ride a horse at a full gallop with the wind in my hair
77. I went out of the country for a brief thirty minutes
78. If God would will it, I would like to improve on #77
79. I wish I had more siblings
80. I think families with lots of kids are greatly blessed
81. The Lord is my best friend
82. I am thankful to the Lord for all of my friends and family
83. I am looking forward to starting sewing lessons tomorrow
84. My goal is to sew a fancy Regency dress
85. I would love to have an excuse to wear a fancy dress
86. I am such a girly girl
87. I wear skirts 75% of the time
88. I enjoy wearing capris in the summer time
89. I look forward to planting lots of flowers this summer
90. I have to stop....dinner is ready!

What You've Been Wanting to Know, and I Haven't Been Able to Tell You

Ya'll have been asking me how my competition went. Well, up until this afternoon, I didn't have an answer for you. My weekend was more or less like torture to me; I wanted to know just as much as you did, probably even more! I had done my very best, and I knew that I had nothing to be ashamed of. Yet, I also knew that I had made a few mistakes; would there be too many for the judge's ear, and thus, would have a lower rating than I had ever had?

I think the Lord wanted me to have this mindset over this weekend. I had to look beyond myself and realize that as long as I had done my best, I had NOTHING to be ashamed of. I had to be able to content myself with an "excellent" rating (the one below my past rating) if that was what my very best resulted in. Superior ratings are worthless if I have a prideful, egotisitcal attitude.

Mom reminded me of something before my piano lesson. She said that while the world bases success on awards and accomplishments, the Lord cares more about the heart and our doing the very best we can. (Moms really do have words of wisdom, don't they?!)

However, sometimes the Lord makes us content with something less, and yet by His amazing love and grace, he gives us something great. That was what the Lord did for me today. Because.... I got my superior ratings in both my piano performance and my theory test!!!!! I was stunned, surprised, thankful, and immensely thankful. The judge loved my one piece, and she could tell I had worked very dilligently on Mozart. Wow!

So, yes, I will be receiving trophies in both categories, but you know, that doesn't matter much to me. Yes, I do find it an amazing accomplishment to succeed on Mozart, but I am more pleased with what it took to get my heart in the correct place. Those lessons and achievements are of far greater eternal siginificance than all the certificates and trophies in the world. Still, I AM very happy! :-)

Why do I Play?

God is very good! I will be able to attend my competition!! My throat is only a little bit sore, and I do not have the congestion in my nose anymore. I look forward to this every single year that I do it; this makes number six. Yet, as the days, or rather hours, approach, I always need to remember why I play the piano.

It is so easy for me to get sucked up into the world's philosophy of playing for people's applause. (Personally, I don't know how many people really enjoy playing for their own enjoyment.) Yes, it is nice for people to praise your ability, or the complexity of your piece, or how much like the composers of old you are. However, I have learned that that can't be the sole reason why I play.

God has given me the gift of playing an instrument. I know that doesn't happen for everybody. (But we all are blessed in some way! :-) Yet, I need to have Him be the sole purpose of playing. After all, He is the one who gave me the talent, so why shouldn't he be my main audience? If I lose sight of that, and make myself the focus, then why should I be playing at all?

I need to remember this in reference with my competition. I can easily get distracted with the fact that if I were to get superiors in both my piano playing and my theory test, I would get trophies in both categories. However, I REALLY don't want to think like that. Tomorrow, I want to go into that room with the judges and play as if it were just Jesus and me, having a simple, cozy family concert. Not only is that right, it also helps soothe the nerves.

I try to make it my habit to always pray before I play wherever I am, whether at church, a recital, or a competition. God alone gives me the strength and confidence to play the best I can, and for Him alone. I always hope I will be like this!! I never want to lose sight that He is the greatest person I could play for. No matter what rating the judges give me, as long as I play for His glory, I have a superior in Christ's eyes.

Prayer Request

This is not to be the greatest or longest post I have had in mind. However, since I consider you all my dear friends, I have a prayer request for you. Apparently, the Lord decided that I should be sick today. After a wonderful evening at church, complete with a finger food fellowship and playing spoons, I started complaining of a sore throat. (Actually, singing "Wonderful Grace of Jesus" without accompaniment didn't help it much:-) So, it bothered me as I tried to fall asleep, and today, it has been not just in my throat, it has been my nose and eyes. In fact, it is driving me crazy right now!

However, as many of you know, I have my piano competition this Friday evening. If I were to stay sick until the end of the week, I don't know if I could get my date changed. That would absolutely devastate me! I have worked so hard on all of my pieces, particularly Mozart. To miss it would put such a damper on all that I have worked for. I have been anticipating the challenge on playing a hard piece such as this.

Yet, I finds this post to be selfish on my part. The Lord's ways are SO much higher than mine. Everything goes through his hand; he knows what he is doing. I know that I must have joyful flexibility on my part. Yet to possibly miss a crucial piano lesson tomorrow and the competition... I just covet your prayers. Please pray that God would do His healing in His time. Yes, I have my desires, but I want His more! (However, you could pray that I would be able to play; I wouldn't mind in the least:-) Anyway, I am going to go lay back down. God bless ya'll.

Amazing Grace

My week has been very busy of late; I think you all could gather that by my not posting. Life has been well, though. The past weekend has been really great. My dear friend, Hannah, finally was able to spend the night. We had gone to the S.'s house, and then she came back with me. Since we didn't even get home until 1 am, Hannah and I didn't go to bed until 5 am. I know that is bad to do, but I rarely do it! Anyway, we slept in Saturday; I think we needed that. Then, we had a quiet few hours, and then, my family went to the movies.

Now, our family hardly goes to the movies. Why would we? There is never anything decent to watch anyway. Plus, there is little thing called money! Well, I had seen the movie trailer for Amazing Grace as did the rest of the family. We decided that was worth going to, and since Hannah had spent the night, she came with us.

You all know what it takes for me to recommend a movie. Well, Amazing Grace meets all of my criteria. It is a really good use of time, as far as movies go. The life of William Wilberforce is an amazing story of how a man has to "do hard things" in order to see things fulfilled. William had an uphill battle in order to see slavery removed, and several times, he was about to give up. However, his faith, and his wife, helped him keep going. In fact, it was Mom who reminded me of the saying that, "behind every great man there is a great woman!" (And she didn't even "work.")

One of the other aspects of the movie I enjoyed was Wilberforce's friendship with William Pitt, the youngest Prime Minister of Great Britain. Yes, they had difficulties, and even had a brief falling out, yet they did make up. William was heavily responsible for Wilberforce's abolition views. The movie can serve as a reminder that sometimes, we need friends to rally around us, to keep us going when we are about ready to give up. This is a prefect case of that. (Spoiler Warning: I do cry in their last scene together. I won't give away any more than that;-)

However, the movie is called Amazing Grace, so what does the hymn have to do with it? Well, yes, Wilberforce was friends with John Newton; he was a 'spiritual mentor.' Yet, I think there is a different significance. God gives us the grace to go on even when we have messed up or feel like giving up. Well, this was true of Wilberforce, but it also so true of us. Why God doesn't give up on me, I will never now, but I am so thankful that he doesn't! He gives us second chances and helps us up when we are down. Like John Newton, a former slave trader, no one or nothing is too impossible for God to change.

So, I am recommending Amazing Grace to you. Our family loved it, and it's one of those, "we'll own that movie" type of movies. It's not just the great talent and storyline, it's the story within the story. It will give us food for thought....if we let it.

Creamy Garden Spagetti

I just want to share a recipe that my family really enjoys. In fact, I made it for dinner this evening. And Dad has some for lunch tomorrow. I will give you the recipe, and then the G Family's alterations:-)

1/2 pound broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini
1 1/2 cups mushrooms
1 large carrot
1 TBSP olive oil
8 oz. uncooked spagetti
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups milk
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet, saute the broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, and carrots in oil until crisp-tender. Remove and set aside. Cook spagetti like usual. In another saucepan, saute onion and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, bouillon, and thyme until blended. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat and stir in cheeses until melted. Add the vegetables and heat through. Drain spagetti and toss with vegetable mixture.

Ok, we have cahanged the recipe in these ways. I use penne noodles instead of spagetti. (It is easier for your fork to get a hold of:-) Also, I use parmesan and swiss cheeses as a general rule. (today, though, it was parmesan and mozzarella.) It is best to have everything cut, measured, and rady to go, or else you are bound top burn the milk or something. Other than that, I haven't come up with any improvisions yet. Have fun! And Happy Cooking!

Ramblings

I had a desire to post today, but I also had writer's block. I didn't know what to say or how to word it. (I guess that happens sometimes.) However, I think you all would just like a brief glimpse into my life right now.

My life is the same as usual....that means, school, school, and more school. Okay, I might be exaggerating a tiny bit, but I am speaking the truth. However, I am really enjoying my books right now. My history book, which isn't listed on my sidebar, is rather dry. Thankfully, it is short. I think I will be done with it sometime this week. My literature/English book is The Scarlet Pimpernel. A dear friend has been after me to read it for some time, and it was my next book to read, so.... It is really good. I am trying my hardest not to look ahead and see who is the Scarlet Pimpernel. (This friend knows that I have a bad habit of peeking.) However, I must confess that I have seen the end, but I don't know who it is, honestly. I do have a suspicion, and that because I think I know who the author intended. It's not the person I would choose, but nobody asked me! Anyway, I am really enjoying this one.

Piano is going to be crazy these next few weeks. Some people detest playing an instrument; I love it! In fact, I love it more than when I first began. Mrs. W. has been the best teacher I have had by far. (In piano that is; Mom takes the top teaching prize:-) However, it is that time of year when I can let myself get very nervous. Besides my normal lessons, I am playing in church on Sunday, and I decided to play I Surrender All. Then, I have both my piano recital and my competition in the next two weeks. I do feel prepared, yet I can get so wound up and all, that I could easily lose God receiving the glory. That is why I play after all! I will be doing a post about this subject, but I am learning the lesson of playing for God's applause and not for man's. (I have a long way to go before I get this down!)

I baked a new recipe over the weekend. It was a plum/cranberry tart with a linzer crust. A linzer crust has nuts in it to the point of them being a flour. Anyway, I had gotten the cookbook a few weeks ago, and I received the tart pan for a birthday present from my loving parents. So, with the essentials in hand, I set to work. It was pretty messy; I need to get a pastry bag not only to pipe out stuff but also for decorating cakes. (I want to get into that.) However, taste is more important, and it tasted really, really good. I can also make savory tarts, and I plan on cooking one of those sometime this week or next.

Well, I think that is all that is new in my life, or at least what can go in a "ramblings" post. I hope you didn't mind a respite from practical living/ godly stuff. I just wanted to give you an update on what is going on my family. I hope you are all doing well! God's blessings on you!

My Parent's Anniversary

In today's society, it is a milestone for couples to make it past five years. That is something terrible and pathetic to say, but it's true. Now, you can't use Hollywood for a typical example, but if you do, tabloids can state it plainly: People can't stay together for even a year or two. Well, I have the pleasure of telling you that my parents are an exception to the "new rule."

My parent's got married 21 years ago today. Wow!! Now, I know they would be the first to tell you that married life hasn't been easy. They have had trials, tears, triumphs, and everything in between. But the point is is that through it all, they have remained together, and their marriage is even stronger than when they began life together in 1986. The have both become believers since their wedding day, and you can see evidence of how the Lord has changed them both, and is continuing to, into His likeness.

I desire to get married someday. What girl doesn't? Yet, I want to use my parents as an example to follow. Now, since my family is not doing the dating game, I won't have all the guys in the world to choose from. However, I want to marry a man who will stay with me for the long haul in "sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, until death do us part." My parents have remained committed to their vows, and that is something I can boast of with pride. I pray that the Lord will bring someone as wonderful as my dad into my life, and that I will be as great of Proverbs 31 and Titus 2 wife as she is. Now, they both would tell you that they are far from this description, but they aren't in my eyes. Yes, they have problems and make mistakes, but they both grow through them, and that means so much.

So, Mom and Dad, I wish you both a very Happy Anniversary. May the Lord bless your day and many more years of married life together. I pray that I will have a marriage like yours to show one day, one that my children would be proud to acknowledge! I love you both so very much!

What Will Happen

Tomorrow is my seventeenth birthday. It is such an amazing thing to think about. I know my day will be wonderful: the plan is to have lunch with Dad at one of the parks downtown, provided the weather is nice. I will have piano lessons as usual. We'll come home and have my traditional fattening dinner, not to mention my cheesecake. We'll play Taboo, my favorite game, and just have a wonderful day as a family. They will make me feel blessed, as I have already begun to feel so with my friends and their cards, gifts, and prayers.

However, what will happen after February 13th? I mean, if you go by my calendar, I have the little kid's Valentine party that I have been asked to direct at church. (That's not forgetting doing something at home beforehand.) I will have Mom and Dad's anniversary on Thursday with my making dinner. The Boise Philharmonic will enthrall me with the melody of the Wedding March and other such pieces. Yet, what do I have looking at me after that, or even in between.

A new year of life is an exciting adventure. I wold be lying if I said that I didn't hope for easy, not roller coaster like, adventures. Yet, I also can't say I am in control of that either. You all read my post on this "nostalgic" attitude already. I just wanted a place to say thank you to all of you for being there for me when I was sixteen and I know that, if God wills it, you'll all be even more there in my seventeenth year.

However, don't expect me to change much. I detest when people think that now they are a year older, they need to act like it. I know that I need to be myself. However, my prayer is that the only change I will make is in growing more into his likeness, maturing in my faith and my walk with Him as one matures with age.

I also want to thank my parents and brother who have been with me for sixteen years and going on seventeen. (Never fear, unlike Liesel in the Sound of Music, I am not infatuated with boys right now:-) My family knows me better than anybody, on the planet Earth that is. They were the ones who have been there from the beginning. I am indebted to them! I expect them to continue to aid me in the years and decisions to come.

Well, this is the last post as a sixteen year old. Thanks again, my dearest family and friends. May God bless you all and I will be "seeing" you in the days, years, and adventures to come. To God be the Glory! Great things He will do!!

Some Good Movies

Ok, I have a set rule that unless a movie is really good, I am not going to recommend it. However, what is my opinion of "good?" That can mean anything nowadays. On this blog, if a movie is decent, with no sexual content or bad language, and if you can watch it with your whole family (and that includes your 15 year old brother) then it is okay to tell your friends about. Well, I have that such movie, or a series of movies actually.

Thanks to two very dear friend's recommendations, not to mention their incessant talking or mentioning them, I have gotten swept into the realm of the Janette Oke movies. Who couldn't? Ok, maybe my brother, but deep down, I don't think he minds them as much as he says. :-) Now, I have only seen the first two, Love Comes Softly and Love's Enduring Promise, so those are the ones I am telling you to watch as of now. (We have the third one on order at the library! I like them so much, I intend to own them all someday.)

These movies serve as a good reminder that decent movies are still out there and they can be good ones too! I mean, secular raters might slam them, but what kind of movies do they encourage you to go see? They approve of movies that have so much cussing you need a bleeper (and then half of the movie is silent!) There's often blatant sex and cheating with someone they aren't married to. More often than not, they are immodestly dressed and with attitudes/demeanor to match! How can that be a good movie?!

On the flip side, secular people have rated movies like Facing the Giants poorly. I haven't seen that yet, but I have heard enough to know that it is a really good movie. It will be interesting to see what they rate Amazing Grace when it comes out.;-) Anyone want to take a guess?

However, these Janette Oke movies are different. There is no cussing, which is such a good thing. (Am I the only one who cringes when that happens?) It takes place in pioneer times, so undoubtedly, the clothes are modest. There are a lot of positive messages in these movies, though not necessarily the "Roman Road to Salvation." Now yes, there is romance. Those of you who really know me know that I am a sucker for that. However, the romances in these movies are pure, innocent, decent ones. In fact, in the two movies that I have watched, there was only one kiss before they were married, and it was a pure, sweet kiss, nothing too long or inappropriate. (Unlike the passionate grossness that has infiltrated Hollywood's movie industry.)

I don't know about the rest of you, but I would much rather fill my mind with the issues in these wonderful movies. Yes, I do occasionally watch one or two "best-seller" movies that are mostly decent. However, we are told in Philippians 4:8-9 to think on things that are pure, things that are noble, things that are lovely, things that are right, whatever is admirable. My opinion is that the Janette Oke movies follow this list, and they are best-sellers to me!

A Sense of Accomplishment

So, what did I do? Those of you that know me might be thinking I finished memorizing my piano competition pieces. Not by a long shot!! (Well, that's not true...I do have them in the beginning stages of memorization.) Regardless, that's not it.

If you had paid attention to the books that I keep in my currently reading section, you would notice that the Ronald Reagan one is off the list! It has been for a while. Yet it was yesterday that I finished the report forever. That's an exaggeration. I have to do the editing stuff, but that's the easy part. It was the getting it into a concise, easy to understand, format that can be difficult. See, I have a tendency to want to put my little comments/tidbits into my writing; giving it my own flare, that sort of thing.

I wanted to encourage you all that when something seems impossible or hard to finish, you can do it. Now, be prepared that it might take you a while. (Yesterday, I was finishing the research paper from 3:15 to 6:30. My neck was so sore from sitting at the computer for that long:-) Yet, you can do it! The Lord will give you the strength to finish what you need to do. I am not saying it will easy all the time. Believe me, you will want to give up plenty of times. You also will want to put it off until the last minute. I am living proof to those things! However, rest assured, if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish what you put your mind to. With God's help, we can finish the race and finish all of our essays, piano pieces, sewing, whatever! We can do it! We just have to stay positive! And, later, we can look back and see all that we were able to accomplish; it'll be a great feeling!

Can You Believe it?

It's hard to imagine, but we are already into February. I don't confess to being busy, but didn't the year just start?! Where does the time go?

Well, since it is the start of a new month, things on my blog have been updated. The quote and scripture verses have changed. I will explain why I chose the ones that I did.

For those of you who know me, my birthday is this month, the 13th to be precise. So, I wanted to do somethings that either had some significance for me or things that I should be reminded of. Psalm 139 serves as a good reminder to me, but it can to all of us. In the past, I have felt that the Lord isn't near or that he doesn't know what I am going through. Now, I know that the opposite is true, but we all do listen to the voice of the Evil One sometimes:-) These verses just remind me that as I am about to embark on another year of my life, I don't need to be afraid of the things that I can't see. God will be with me every step of the way. He knows my thoughts, feelings, dreams, and I don't need to remind Him of them. My life is mapped out and it always has been, though I am not the one looking at it:-)

That brings me to the next thing I changed...my quote. I stumbled across this one (I don't even remember where!) Since it had to do with the piano, I was drawn to it. Life is like a piano; it needs the Master's touch. That's also something I need to remember. Despite how I, as a pianist, try to play the great works of Beethoven, Mozart, Pachabel, and countless others, I will never master them the way these composers did. Sure, I can do my best, but face it, my trills will never sound as good as Mozart's! (Though my piano teacher is trying to help me get close:-) The same is true about life. Yes, I can take the wheel into my own hands, but I will make a mess of things, probably even more than Mozart's Sonata in C. I need to recall to my mind the fact that having Jesus at the wheel is far better than Ella being at the wheel. I know that as I will get a year older, I will continue to have that urge that says I can do things, which is the falsest truth. Only by CHRIST can I do things! Besides, since the Lord has the guidebook and knows what direction I am headed, He's bound to be the Master. I would only be an amateur.

I probably sound nostalgic. These thoughts were just ones that I was having as I was updating this blog. I can't say I know what is in store this upcoming year, as I turn seventeen. All I do know is that the Lord is directing the show, he'll tell me where to move, and I have the complete assurance that my director is there every step of the way; my lines and actions having long ago been written in the script called, Ella's Life.

It's Mom's Day Now!

In our family, we have two birthdays in January. Dad's was on the 25th, Mom's is today, the 27th of January. As I did with my dad, I want to take a minute and tell my Mom publicly how much I love her and how much she means to me.

Where is a girl without a mom? I don't have the faintest idea. I know that I could not live very well without her. Mom has been there for me all the time. She has been there with Algebra (yick!) all of the crazy hormone changes one goes through, when friendships have gone haywire, she has encouraged me and given me a shoulder to cry on. Whenever I need someone to talk to, she is right there with a listening ear. She is my confidante and my best friend.

Mom has taught me a lot about how a godly woman should live. She has been teaching me things like how to submit to one's authority (though she is the first to say it isn't always easy) She has taught me that being busy isn't the greatest thing world. She has reminded me that the best thing a girl can be is be a wife and mother. She has helped me remember that it is more important than the world cracks it up to be. Mom has also shown me ways to guard, protect, and care for my future children.

However, one of the things I appreciate most is that she is my prayer warrior. I can go to her with a prayer request, regardless of how dumb it might be, and she will pray about it. She knows the struggles that I have in my daily life and she is more than happy to pray about it. She has also been my biggest cheerleader as I have striven to live as the Lord has called me to. Mom knows that my earnest desire is to seek the Lord, and that has been her desire for me all of her Christian life.

Typical teenage girls don't like doing things with their mother; I do! She is fun! We go to tearooms and the Boise Philharmonic together, bake together, walk together, we have even of late been playing rounds of Scrabble together. I am not ashamed to be seen with my mom!

My hope and prayer for Mom this year is that our relationship will grow to even greater heights than it already is, that she will grow ever closer to the Lord, and that her Hopes and dreams will be realized this year. Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you soooo much!!!!! As that book says, "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, As long as I am living, My Mommy you'll be!" I hope you have a great day today!

My Dad and Me

Today, January 25th, is my Dad's birthday. I love him so much! He is wonderful, and yes, goofy too. (I couldn't find a picture of him and me where he wasn't making a face of some sort:-) However, this picture isn't all; read the post below.......

It's Dad's Day

I wanted to take a minute and publicly acknowledge my wonderful dad. Today is his birthday, and no, I won't tell you how old he is. Yet, that doesn't really matter. What does is that he is very special to me.

I don't know where I would be without my dad. He is there for me in many ways. Dad doesn't always express his feelings in words, but he does in actions. He is always there to help me fix a computer problem that happens at the worst possible time. He has bought me three birds and trusted me to take care of them. He gives me a shoulder to cry on when they die too. :-) Dad takes me out to breakfast occasionally--just the two of us. He is willing to let me use the remote when we watch tv (though he might be watching the back of his eyelids instead of Emma or something:-)

However, the things I really appreciate about Dad are the bigger things. Dad never mocks the way I dress or the convictions that I have. In fact, he is there encouraging me. In fact, he is always right there helping me better myself (meaning with my posture or manners) He is right there to help me when friendship things go haywire; he reminds me of the truth, and that Mom, Dad, and Garrett are always there with me.

Dad also prays with me and for me. That means a lot. I might not know what he prays in private, but I do know that he wants what the Lord has in store for me. Dad's faith is constantly growing, and I am looking forward to seeing what ways he will change in the Lord. Dad does want to do what the Lord and His word says.

Well, I have pumped up Dad a lot, but that's my purpose. I want to make it clear how much I admire, appreciate, and rely on him. My prayer for him is that in this forthcoming year, Dad's and my relationship will grow even more, and that his relationship with God will grow as well. I love you, Daddy!!!!!!! I am so thankful that you are my dad. My friends might have great dads, but I have the greatest! :-)

Still Nothing Much to Say

I had hoped to have something really cool to post about today. Yet, I don't. My entire family still has this infernal cough/sore throat thing! We are on the tail end, but that seems to be the part that always takes the longest to heal! I don't mean to sound like a complainer, but I don't love being sick, either!

You know, it's funny, though. Even if both the teacher and the students feel a little blah, you are still able to do school. :-) That sort of bothered me, but then, I am glad that Mom did decide to just stick with it. As I said in the last post, I finished The Red Badge of Courage. I am able to say that it was one of the worst books I have ever read. (There are only two that are on that list: that one and The Yearling.) I don't know how many of you have ever read that book, but if you haven't, you aren't missing anything. It's a bore, and the main character isn't anything to write home about.

I also said that I finished the Ronald Reagan research. Now, I am in the process of putting all my notes together. I am glad I am doing it this way. It would be so hard to write a paper when details about his assassination attempt are scattered throughout five pages. My hope and plan is to be done with the entire project sometime in the next week or two.

I am reading So Much More and it is one of the best books I have ever read. I would encourage all the girls who read my blog to read this book. However, you have to have the heart for its message. You either have to agree with their standpoint, or be seeking to do what God says in certain matters. Anyway, if I could call the book awesome, I would. (Our family reserves the word awesome for God alone.) I have enjoyed reading it, and it has reaffirmed my views/beliefs on things. In my opinion, it is a book that every Christian American girl should read. Maybe then our country wouldn't be as far off the wall as it is now!

I don't have much planned for today. I think I am going to take a quick shower for starters, take a prayer time, and then read my great book, do some cross-stitch, clean dishes, and watch a movie or the Broncos celebration parade on tv. Sounds like a great day to me! I hope you all have a great Saturday as well. Thanks for reading my ramblings; I hope you enjoyed seeing what goes one in this gray matter of mine! God bless ya'll, my friends!

Enough

I wasn't sure what to post about today. I don't have anything of great significance to report and I haven't been infected with a rare disease that would shock the medical community. Life is good, and it's normal. It has the same occurrences that it usually does. I have been consuming my time with schoolwork (though if you noticed my book log, you would see that I have finished both The Red Badge of Courage and my Ronald Reagan research. Now to get it all together!) I have piano lessons with my festival/competition looming ahead of me in March. I have been baking various things like gingerbread. (Yum!) So, unless you want to just hear about my normal, happy, contented life, I will get on with what I was going to say.

I decided to change the music on my blog. I love what I had, but it was time for a change. So, I began looking at what to put. Well, I thought of a song by an artist that I sort of like, Jeremy Camp. (Yet he can be too rocky for me at times.) Well, they didn't have the song, but I knew of another artist who sings it. So, I typed it in, and sure enough, they had it. As I started to play it, I paid really close attention to the words.

With music, I always try to hear the message in the songs. I don't like music that doesn't have something positive to say. (Unless you just want to get a dumb song stuck in your head.) So, I listened to the lyrics. "You are my supply, my breath of life, still more awesome than I know. You are my reward, with living for, still more awesome than I know. 'Cause all of You is More than Enough, all of me, for every thirst and every need you satisfy me with Your love. And all I have in You is More than Enough for me. You are my sacrifice, my greatest price, You are my coming King, You're my Everything. Aren't those words great?

Mom and Dad routinely say that my name means God is my Strength. Well, when I get down on my name not having any apparent significance, they remind me of that. When I really think about it, I see how true it is. God IS my strength, my sustenance, He's More than Enough. Now, I do need things like family, friends, clothing, shelter, and things like that. Yet it all pales in comparison with having a Friend beside you at All times; a friend who always has a ready ear and an encouraging word; a friend who loved Me enough to suffer and die that I may have the promise of life with Him. How can He NOT be more than enough.

I do struggle in my walk with the Lord at times. Yet I always need to be reminded that He is my everything, and he will satisfy my every need. One way He does that is by giving me my wonderful family and my like-minded friends. I am thankful to Him for you!

When I Least Expected it

You know, I am so glad that the Lord's ways and thoughts are so much bigger than my own petty ones. This past weekend, I was able to see that in an amazingly personal way. I want to share the story with you, and maybe, it will minister to you.

Some of you know that back in October, I applied for a job in HopeChest Magazine. No, I wouldn't be getting paid or compensated in any way, but I felt it was something for me to consider. I have had this desire to use my God-given writing abilities in some capacity, but I didn't quite know where. Once I read this plea in HopeChest asking for an editor, I prayed about it, and decided to go for it. Well, I heard from Anne (one of the girls who runs the magazine) She gave me many particulars, liked what she saw in me, and stated she would get back to me in two weeks.

Those two weeks came and went, and I never heard anything. The weeks turned into months, and my expectation dwindled. I wasn't hearing from her, and I assumed that meant I did not get the position. As much as I tried, I was unable to get in touch with her. I think God had a purpose in that being so.

The weeks and months of uncertainty and silence were difficult for me. I had thought it was something the Lord had desired. Maybe I had gotten some miscommunication somehow, somewhere. I surrendered my wanting over to Him, but I still had issues leaving it there. (Don't we all..all of the time?) I tried to accept His decision, but it wasn't easy. Yet, in the weeks that went by, I gradually let it go. Perhaps it wasn't going to be the best thing for me!

Yet, on Saturday, out of the blue, I heard from Anne! I hadn't anticipated hearing from her at all, so checking my e-mail and finding a letter in the inbox was a big surprise. Imagine my further surprise when I discovered I got the position! I was going to start right away and she was looking forward to getting to know me.

You can imagine my thankfulness to the Lord. Anne had said she was sending me out a package of material to be edited, and I prayed that it would come soon. I had a deadline after all! On the day I prayed, the envelope arrived at my house, only a day after she had sent it. Again, I had reason to thank God.

Through this interesting turn in the journey of my life, I think the Lord was trying to teach me something. I need never despair of the quietness that is around me. Yes, the answer might have been no, but He was giving me the time to turn the desire over to Him, so I wouldn't be too heartbroken. Yet, it didn't turn out that way. There was silence for several months, but God knew the outcome all along. (Though why He can't reveal it every now and then is beyond me:-) So, when there appears to be silence for years, I still have no cause for alarm. It is a time where the testing will develop perseverance, and that those who wait (patiently and trusting) will receive blessing at the right time.

So, that's where I have been these last few days. Aside from my schoolwork, chores, and everything else, I have entered the world of editing. I have been correcting girls' submissions and have been choosing what should go in the next issue. I would appreciate ya'll's prayers for me. Not just that I would know what to put in and what to not, but more importantly, that the Lord would be high and lifted up as I seek to minister to other young women. I want Him to be glorified in this role and not me! God bless!

How will I respond?

If you have gone on various blogs, you would have seen that I went bowling with several good friends. (Though some were missing:-) Well, bowling is a character test for me. I love to bowl, but I think I love the idea of bowling. My scores are nothing to rave about. I am a perfectionist, so doing bad is difficult for me to accept.

In the past, I have gotten really down about myself. I have even cried on some occasions. I am not sure what I require. Is it getting this huge score and getting lots of strikes? I can't say. I can tell you that it never happens...much to my chagrin.

However, I didn't want to break down about my performance this outing. I don't suffer from peer pressure, but I don't want my friends to see me act ridiculous over a dumb game that doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. So, I made up my mind to have a positive attitude, regardless of how I did.

Well, we first went to the D.'s house and ate pizza and watched a movie. (I am not recommending this one:-) After the van finally got there, we all headed off to the Boise State Student Union. That's where we bowl, due to the fact that they don't allow smoking or drinking. We got lost on campus, though we have been there a few times. (Shifty was being a back seat driver!) Anyway, we got there and began bowling. Now, the beginning is also a test for me. I have to rent size 5 shoes. Thankfully, they had shoe laces!!!!! :-D I have had to deal with velcro before. I also use an eight pound ball. The others are too heavy for me.

So, we start bowling, and sure enough, I go in the gutter more than I want to. I do manage to get pins down, and that's what I go for. Yet I have an odd way of bowling. I go up to the line, stop, and then throw the ball. Everyone thinks it's nutty, including myself, but that's the only way I can seem to do it. Well, I do get a spare, with all ten pins going down. I was excited about that. Then, I started going down again. All of my friends gave me advice in joking manners. (I was told to do it granny style more than once.) Well, how was I doing to respond to this?

I knew what I had to do. I took deep breaths, and joked about what they said. I still would go in the gutter, and if I felt that I was beginning to get angry, I would stop and cool off. I am so thankful to the Lord that I never busted down crying. I never even came close. Also, no one laughed at me; they all laughed with me. (Or if they thought me stupid, they all had the courtesy to keep it inside.) We bowled three frames, and it was a lot of fun. We laughed a ton, and we enjoyed each other's company.

Not meaning to be prideful, but I am pleased with myself. No, not with the bowling scores, which were in the forties twice and the sixties once. I was pleased that I responded the right way this time. I think that's because I prayed on the way to the D.'s house. I really wanted to come away proud of how I acted.... And I am!

Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!

Once again, if you didn't see the pictures I got, go ahead and look at them. I hope you enjoy them. Also, once again, this isn't an uplifting post. I said I would talk about Boise State!!!! Well, we won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have to say it was a great game to watch!

You knew that we were going to watch the game. Well, we had the tv on all day. I hardly paid attention to the other games. Boise State, on the other hand, was a game that we were glued to the screen. I said that we aren't excessive sports fans, and that's true. However, you couldn't have been able to tell that last night. :-D Well, Boise State was winning for most of the evening, and we were feeling pretty good. In fact, Dad called Mr. L. and "rubbed" it in. Yet, I think we learned not to count our chickens before they're hatched. Oklahoma came back and tied the game. Then, another lesson we saw was that quarterbacks are human. Ours threw an interception. I was despairing. Then, Boise came back, and tied the game to send it to overtime. I think about that time we all had sore throats for screaming, stomach aches, shakes, racing hearts, the whole nine yards. (And we aren't major nuts!) Oklahoma got ahead, and then, we tied it again. Coach Pete decided to go for two points. I thought he was crazy! (That's why he's the coach and not me.) And..........we got it!!!!! The Boise State Broncos won 43-42! Wow! And if that wasn't enough, our running back proposed to his girlfriend. Now, you know that I am NOT into that thing, but it was cute.

So, the game is over, but it is the talk of the town, and the subject of this post. (If you want, go to Garrity's blog; he has a different spin on it than I do. He also has pics.) I hope you don't mind my slipping into a sports mindset. I did enjoy it!!!!!! And I loved the time with my family! Ok, now I will be back to my normal, trying to be uplifting self. But..................Go Broncos!!!!!!!!

Pictures of Game Day..Sunday's that is

Well, I got the pictures. I won't write in between them like I usually do. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. (You know the saying plenty by now!) The first picture is of the adults playing Balderdash. The rest are of us kids hanging out. I only wish there was a shot of a spoon fight! :-) Anyway, I hope you enjoy them. Guess where I am?

Game Day Yesterday....and Today.

Welcome to the first post of 2007! Did you all ring in the New Year? My family did. If you noticed the title, we had a game night last night. Normally we have them every Friday night at home; last night, it was at church. Instead of having Sunday evening service, we had a food and game fellowship. (Our church is know very well for that. I wouldn't be surprised if we were known world-wide:-) Anyway, we went to church at six like usual. Pastor Jeff had us sing a hymn, and then, we ate..and ate..and ate. That makes us seem like gluttons, but we aren't. I think we just like to eat.

After some of us were done, finally, eating, we played various games. I know Mom and Dad played Balderdash. I have never played it; they will have to teach me. What was I doing, you might ask? Well, some of the teens, and a few adults, played Apples to Apples. We brought the game, and most people knew how to play it. If I remember correctly, I think Wyatt won with four cards. Normally, we have people get seven or eight, but when you are playing with twelve people, it takes far too long already!

Once we finished that game, the teens played spoons. I, like Balderdash, had never played it, but it really was easy to do. Let's see.....who played: Shifty, Garrity, Wyatt, Isaac, Owen, Peter, Cody, Jason Lav, Angela, Christina, Grace, Brianne, Shelley, and Myself. (Not all of those are "teens," but our church doesn't make a big deal about that.) I am surprised that I did very well. No, I didn't win, but I thought I would have gone out in the opening round. I even won a fight for the spoon. :-) It was a lot of fun. I think the teens will have to do it again.

Now, I wish I had pictures. We were almost to church, when, all of a sudden, I started calling myself a knucklehead. I had planned on bringing the camera, but I forgot it. However, plenty of other people brought their's. Mom has e-mailed a friend of hers, and she will get some to us. So, if I decided to post this now, I will do the pics once I have them on my computer. Sorry you can't see them now!

Now, it's game day again. No, we aren't playing board games or having friends over. It's football! To set your mind at ease, our family is not major sport fans. However, our Boise State Broncos, the college football team, is playing in the Fiesta Bowl. (Our colors are blue and orange; thus the colors of this post.) We aren't the people who paint their chests or other gross things, though we are wearing blue and orange shirt, scarfs, vests, etc. We are all geared up for to tonight. We are going to eat snack foods, including tostitos! I will let you know who wins. Hopefully, I will have favorable news. Go Broncos!!!! (Brianne, if we do lose, don't rub it in my face:-) I know it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but we are looking forward to spending time together watching it and rooting for our underdogs.

Again, this isn't an overly unlifting post, but I want you to see that we love doing things as a family. I don't always need to find my meaning in peers, though I love being with them. My family is soooo cool! So, expect more on this post later!