Another Sweet, Family-Friendly, Decent Movie Review

"....Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."--Philippians 4:8

This is a very well-known, often recited, verse. Most people use it as a reminder about guarding yourself from something bad. While that is good (and what I do) I think it is find to compare this verse with something good as well.

Perhaps you struggle the same way our family does: you can't find any good movies that are decent and not hokey. Well, my family watched North and South last night. (It's based on an Elizabeth Gaskell novel...NOT the Civil War mini-series with Patrick Swayze.) What a wonderful movie that I am sure we'll add to our collection. If I say that my brother watched it, you can rest assured that low dresses are hardly existent. In a society where (pardon the expression) sex sells, it is wonderful to view a film where there are no issues. Sure it's predictable; it's like a Pride and Prejudice, sort of, during England's Industrial Revolution. However, I appreciate that the romance parts of the story involves characters courting....and all their clothes are on. I like that much better than the nudity scenes that are out there today, don't you?

So, I have spent time this morning comparing North and South with Philippians 4:8. Purity is evident and not compromised. The main guy is honorable and true to the main girl, even when she doesn't appreciate or even like him. There are good functional family relationships, especially between father and daughter, mother and son. Basically, it is a film I can watch and remember....and not feel dirty as I do so. Refreshing!! If you look hard enough, there ARE great movies out there!

If you want a "better" review, check out this article from Ladies Against Feminism.

Cleaning My Closet

I feel that I have had a very productive day. Not only did I do schoolwork, but I did something Mom has asked me to do for quite awhile. I cleaned my closet. Now, I am a pack rat....I don't like getting rid of anything. However, as a future wife and mother (Lord willing!), my house cannot be run that way!! So, I finally decided that I had to go through the closet...and my drawers.



How do I choose what I need to get rid of. Well, I used these guidelines. If I haven't worn it in several months or years, GET RID OF IT! If it was too short, GET RID OF IT! If it's too tight, GET RID OF IT! Or, if I just plain old don't like it, GET RID OF IT!!!

So, after going through my closet and all of my drawers, this was the finished result. Typically, the items I removed from my wardrobe showed my midriff to much. (I definitely don't want to go around wearing something like that!!)

Here is plenty of proof that I "spring cleaned...or summer cleaned:" all of the hangers!!!


I know that the closet might still look full, but trust me....I finally have everything hanging up that needs to be. Yeah!

Unfortunately, I had to get rid of some outfits that were favorites. After all, you can't keep everything! I think this was Christmas 2004's Christmas dress. I loved it...mainly because it had a full skirt that was perfect for twirling in:-)






I really don't like getting rid of this one. It looks homemade, but I didn't do it. Anyway, Mom and I have matching dresses. She can still wear hers obviously, but for me, it is too tight. Boo hoo! I am going to have Mom put this one away for another time.








Can you tell this dress is gold? I don't think so, but this one has a memory behind it. In 2003, our family went to my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary. Well, since 50 is supposedly the "golden anniversary," I fit the occasion.

I love yellow and I love lilacs...need I say more? However, again, TOO TIGHT!

So, I have this advice...take some time and clear out the closet. We shouldn't be slobs or pack rats. Also, you will find outfits that bring back memories, and that is always good!

Changes...Changes!

Normally, I am not into change!! Having my whole world spin out of control is not a highlight for me :-) However, I have really felt like making some changes to my blog. So, with my parent's approval and backing, I did.

Besides a new template, that took me a day or two to get set up, I have been allowed to make my blog semi-available to people. I have been given permission to put my blog on a few select sidebars, as long as comment moderator is up and running....and the comments are sent to my family e-mail! Why did I decide to make go this way? Well, I have really been wanting to minister to other like-minded young ladies. In today's society, we need to know that there are others like us. So, I have viewed my blog as a ministry. Lord willing, I hope girls will look at it and be ministered to through it.

Changes are also going on in life. Some of you know that church situations are far from what they used to be. I don't know if we will be leaving the church sometime soon or what the deal is. It is HARD to watch things I loved dearly change, or maybe it is me who has changed. Regardless, this has been difficult on the whole family. Yet, Praise God; He has proven sooo faithful!!! He is teaching me that it doesn't matter what others think of me. It is only His approval that matters!

That is a slight brief update into my life at the moment. I am sure that you all were wondering at what I have done! :-) I am praying for ya'll!

2nd Annual Memorial Day Picnic

As everyone knows, we celebrated Memorial Day this past weekend. We remember those who have died (or fallen in war) and give thanks to those who are in harm's way for our sake. Well, as March and April approached, our family wondered if we were going to have another BBQ and who we'd invite. Mom really wanted to shake it up this year. "Why have the exact group that we always socialize with? Let's invite people that we don't really know or who have younger children! It doesn't mean that we don't like the usual crowd; I just would like a change." So, that's what we did. Despite my hesitation, I thought the idea was a good one....and I definitely think so now. Just because I am seventeen doesn't mean I have to hang with just teenagers. Various age groups are loads more fun!!! We had less people this year (maybe 30 something) we had far too much food, and a great time of fellowship. I will post some pictures of our happenings. (Knowing blogger, it might end up in two posts:-)

All the yummy food....potato salad, chili cornbread salad, vegetable salad, another potato salad, condiments, meat....yum!

Some of the little ones on the trampoline



People, my brother included, relaxing in the shade

Some of the men playing Blongo Ball...it's a really cool game. (I think it's 'the thing' now.)

I was so glad that the Dy's came to our picnic. That made it a whole lot of fun!

Some of the women doing what they do best: talking! :-) (I shouldn't mock! I talk too:-)

Lindsey, my little sister, and Cassandra. Aren't they cute?!
Dad, relaxing. I believe he deserves it, and he definitely loves the hammock! :-)

This was a sad sight. Anneliese and Lindsey's little sisters, Elizabeth and Isabelle, weren't happy at all. Here is Elizabeth frowning behind Garrett's pitchback:-(

And he is Isabelle, crying on the hammock:-(

Well, it took three daysm but I got all of the pictures up. I hope you can see that we had a lovely time. God provided absolutely beautiful weather, unlike last year, when we thought it would pour on us! Truly, God was good to us this past Memorial Day. I pray that He was to ya'll as well.

Cinnamon Banana Wake-Up Cake

I love trying out new recipes. I won't deny that I am hesitant at times. What if they taste terrible? However, I try to make cooking an adventure. It would be pretty boring cooking the same things all the time. So, when Mom bought this cookbook, Keeping Good Company, I discovered this recipe. It's really good, so I thought to post it. I hope you enjoy it. (Our family has made it slightly healthier, by using wheat flour and a natural sugar, but you can definitely use what it calls for.)

1/3 cup softened butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
2 bananas, coarsely mashed (not pureed)
1 2/3 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 TBSP. suagr mixed with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together first four ingredients until well-blended. Stir in bananas and next six ingredients. Mix well. Spread batter into a greased bundt pan and sprinkle top with pecans and the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake for about 40 minutes (or until tester comes out clean.) Allow to cool in pan.

If you can't tell, this recipe is super easy to make!! In fact, I have to go whip one up for a food fellowship tomorrow. I love finding simple, yet satisfying, goodies! Enjoy!

God IS Our Protector

(Hope you all enjoy the post. Sorry....I can't get my paragraphs to work. I have tried to fix it several times!! So, I think, unless I can keep working on it, you will have to handle this post this way for now!)

As many of you know, we went camping over Mother's Day weekend. Mom really likes to do that, and since we are to honor her, we honor her request. Going to Bruneau is the easiest place to go; it's only about an hour and a half from the house. Plus, since it is in the desert, we can only go there in April and May. (The mosquitoes are terrible in the summer!)

The weekend started out great. The guys went fishing a lot. Mom and I read books and I worked on my editorial some more. If you don't think we had family time, we did. It took us all weekend to play one round of Pinochle. I have never had that happen before!

Well, our family wanted to go hiking up the big sand dune. It has always looked fun to climb, but we finally set to tackling it this year. Now, as I said the mosquitoes get bad, so we opted to start hiking in the evening, around sunset. Garrity had done the hike before, and he said it was only going to take an hour. So, we didn't think there would be an issue. We were in for a surprise.

It took us longer to get up the dune than we thought. But it was a great view, with the sunset and everything! Then, instead of walking the way we had come, we decided to walk the spine of the dune until the end of it. However, it was getting dark fast. By the time we got to where the "trail" ended, it was dark....and we couldn't find the way we needed to take. Oh, did I mention that we didn't have a flashlight? We were stranded; we knew where we had to go, but we couldn't get there. We tried to find a way around water, but to no avail. Finally, Dad determined that we had to go back the way we had come. That meant we had to hike the dune again.

Now, we were all tired, it was about 11 at night, and our bodies were just aching (that's not including our parched throats.) We were without a flashlight, there wasn't a moon, and I could hear coyotes in the distance. I paint a dreary picture, don't I? Well, we totally realized that we couldn't make it back to the car apart from the Lord...so we prayed A LOT!!!! We also had to stick together as a family, trusting that Dad knew he would get us back to where we needed to be and not lose the other members of the family.

Amazingly, I wasn't too scared. I didn't like the prospects of sleeping out on the dune; I wanted to get back to the safety of my camper. However, I kept looking up in the sky, and I kept seeing this one bright star. Every time I did, I felt encouraged for some reason. I just felt the Lord was right by my side; He knew the number of the stars, surely He knew where I was. Plus, I was always by my dad. All of the books I am reading talk about girls being in submission to their fathers, trusting them and believing them. I think played a big part too.

Well, after plenty of stops to catch our breath, not to mention plenty of prayers and uplifting songs, we made it back to the truck at 12:15 Mother's Day morning. We all praised the Lord that we got back safely!! It could have been a lot worse. And God, in His amazing mercy, didn't let bad weather (by this, I mean wind) pick up until we were back at our camping spot.

I learned a lot while on this camping trip. I learned 1.) that God is ALWAYS watching over me, 2.) good family cooperation is absolutely vital, and 3.) when you go for a hike at sunset, make sure to carry a flashlight. :-) Truly, this Mother's Day weekend camping trip was one we'll never forget!!

Friday's Fourteen

Alright, I haven't been posting for a while. I am guilty!! I have seriously wanted to, but I have wanted to do an enlightening post....and one hasn't come to me. I thought of doing one in relation to the National Day of Prayer, but that was yesterday. So, I am going to do a post about fourteen things I have either been up to or will be up to. Okay? Here I go!


1. I got my hair cut. I have been meaning to (is that a recurring theme with me or what?) Since I have a style, but since it can get expensive, I only get it down every four or five months. I tried something a little different this time...and it is working to a point. I am going back to get help, but if I can't get it exactly right, I have found a way that I am perfectly content with.

2. I recently bought some new music...piano music that is. I got 100 EZ Praise and Worship Choruses and the music to the new Pride and Prejudice Soundtrack. I can't wait to play them!

3. You know the "article/ editorial" that I had you read on here? Well, I got an e-mail from Anne, saying it will be published in the next issue! I am so excited!! I am praying that God will continue to give me the words and that He will use it to bless people. Truly, He has brought this position into my lap...and I want it all about Him!

4. I have begun working on my third skirt. My second one, the blue one with the flounce, was finished last week. It turned out better than the first one. My new one is going to be...uh...I can't describe it. I will have to post a picture of the finished product.

5. I haven't spent as much time in the kitchen I would like to lately. School has been keeping me busy, really busy. However, I will try to in the next few days.

6. We are going camping for Mother's Day. That is what she wants to do, and since it is a time to honor mother's, we will abide by her request. It will be at Bruneau again; her choice once more.

7. Tomorrow, I have a busy day. Mom and I are going to the tea room for lunch and then, we are going to check out a homeschool graduation in preparation for me next year.

8. I stopped reading Dickens' novel, Our Mutual Friend. He is just a little too wordy for me. Since Mom said it was a book I chose, I could stop. Other books that are required (and terrible) I have to finish.

9. My Bible studies are going well. I am really focusing on Secret Keeper at the moment..not that I do not want to work on I Kissed Dating Good-Bye. Secret Keeper has really been teaching me a lot of things, though I do wish that it focused on the internal side of things. (Maybe it will; I am not finished with it yet.)

10. Nikki has been a month now without a seizure. That is a big answer to pray, for her last two were not this long at all. I hope and pray we have even longer ahead of us without watching her have that pain.

11. I planted two new rose bushes in the front yard. I bought them back in March but left them in the nursery until Tuesday. They are going to be pink and yellow when they bloom. I love roses!

12. We planted our garden. Lord willing, it will give us bountiful vegetables. I love fresh produce. I made a diagram of the garden that we can keep, so that in 2018 (random year) we can see what our garden looked like in 2007.

13. Family life is going great. We have had times of games, wlaks, movies, and all sorts of other things together. I am truly blessed by my family!

14. I have succeeding in updating you about my life. I hope you are all doing well. Hopefully, I will have more "enlightening" posts in the next week; sorry this took so long. God bless ya'll. I hope you are seeing Him high and lifted up, even in life's small pleasures. I am!

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! :-)