Happy first day of winter!!! ...I know there are reasons for having the first day of winter so late in Dec. but maybe someday they'll be nice and change the calendars for those of us Northerners and put the seasons back a month or two. It would help a really lot to prevent confusion.
So I've been very busy preparing for Christmas. Presents, wrapping, cookies... always more cookies. =)
Supposedly we're supposed to get 8 in. of snow Christmas Eve, and 16 in. on Christmas!!! ...I wonder if we'll even have Christmas on Friday??? Maybe... we'll have it on Saturday! Who would mind? =)
And so... right this moment I am working on downloading photos for a present for my Grammy.
Oh and I'm listening to some great Christmas music!!! I bought a Christmas CD by "Better Homes and Gardens" at WalMart, and it's excellent. It kind of adds a jazzy, smooth sound to Christmas. Definitely worthwhile. =)
So I hope all of you a having a very merry Holiday Season!!! ♥
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Infatuation vs. Love
1. Infatuation almost always leaps quickly into bloom. Love usually takes root more slowly and it grows with time.
2. Infatuation is accompanied by a sense of uncertainty. You are stimulated, thrilled, and filled with a kind of feverish excitement. You are miserable when he or she is absent. You can’t wait until you see them again. Love brings a feeling of security. You are warm with a sense of nearness even when he or she is away. Miles do not really separate you. You want the person near, but you know you can wait.
3. When you are infatuated, you may lose your appetite. You may daydream a lot. You can’t concentrate. You can’t study. You can’t keep your mind on your work. You may be short-tempered and unpleasant with your family. When you’re in love, you’re just the opposite. You can be sensible about your loved one. You feel more secure and trusting. Love gives you new energy and inspires you to do more than you ever dreamed possible.
4. Infatuation brings that feeling that you can’t wait. You can’t take the chance of losing him or her. When you’re in love, you know you can wait. You are sure of one another. You can plan for your future with complete confidence.
5. Infatuation may stem from a desire for self gratification. You wish to be identified with the person. You want your friends to see that he or she has chosen you. When in love, there is always a deep concern for the welfare of the loved one; you are far more focused on him or her then you are on yourself.
6. Infatuation may be merely physical attraction. If you are honest, you may discover that it is often difficult to enjoy each other unless you are leading up to sexual activity. Sex is also a natural and spontaneous part of love, but only a part. If your love is real, you will enjoy a deep friendship with a loved one. You will truly enjoy each other without being physical.
7. Infatuated couples may find it easy to disagree. When you’re in love, although your personalities may be quite different, there is an eagerness to hear the other side; to give as well as to take; to compromise.
8. Infatuation hardly ever thinks of the far future. What will the person be like thirty years from now? What kind of parent will he or she make? What kind of home life will we have? Love is more concerned with the future, wanting to grow and build a life together.
9. You may fall into infatuation, but you never “fall” in love.
10. Infatuation my lead you to do things you feel are wrong, things that worry you. But love will never pressure you to compromise your values or violate your boundaries.
11. Infatuation may lead you to try to become someone you are not to try to win the person’s approval or acceptance. Love embraces your differences, celebrating who you are as a unique and valuable human being. Love brings out the best in both people. “Why do I love you? I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you.”
From the book, "Guys Like Girls Who..." by Chad Eastham
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Lisa Gerrard
This woman has such a beautiful voice...
And this song is absolutely breathtaking.
Enjoy!
A Clean Room
Due to business in my life for the past month or so, my room has been in a constant state of messiness. I guess I would try to clean it but there was always some scrap of this or that I left out from some project I had been working on.
Sooooo... this past week my whole family has been powering out and cleaning the house, from the top to the bottom (the ceilings really were the worst part). Anyway, I guess I finally decided I was going to have a clean room if everything else was going to be tidy... so I went to work.
And wahla! Now it is all sparkly... JK. lol
But, no really, every time I walk in there I keep expecting a disaster, and am shocked by orderliness.
I really don't understand how some people don't mind messy rooms.
Sooooo... this past week my whole family has been powering out and cleaning the house, from the top to the bottom (the ceilings really were the worst part). Anyway, I guess I finally decided I was going to have a clean room if everything else was going to be tidy... so I went to work.
And wahla! Now it is all sparkly... JK. lol
But, no really, every time I walk in there I keep expecting a disaster, and am shocked by orderliness.
I really don't understand how some people don't mind messy rooms.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Let It Snow!
It snowed yesterday and today! I hope it just keeps on snowing.
It is cold though... very cold indeed.
It actually was 18 degrees this morning... maybe colder!
I forgot how cold it can get in the winter... =( lol
And working out in the cold... brrrrrr... it's like none other!
BUT.... tomorrow we may go get a Christmas tree!!!
I'm looking forward to that. =) I love the Christmas colors.
It is cold though... very cold indeed.
It actually was 18 degrees this morning... maybe colder!
I forgot how cold it can get in the winter... =( lol
And working out in the cold... brrrrrr... it's like none other!
BUT.... tomorrow we may go get a Christmas tree!!!
I'm looking forward to that. =) I love the Christmas colors.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The Battle
I've been reading this book for a week or so and I finally finished it today. It's called "Every Young Man's Battle" It's actually a book written for guys... but let me tell you, it's been an eye-opener for me.
Being a girl, I always heard the stereo-typical comments like, "guys are all about sex" and other "harsh" statements. All my life I've known that guys are "extra horny"... and yeah, they probably think quite often about stuff that rarely crosses my mind. I also knew that guys are visually stimulated, pretty much a million times more so than girls are. So "knowing" that.. and finding it all "far out" and kind of hard to relate to, I put all that information on a back burner in my mind, and continued living my life. (ignorance is bliss right?)
Little did I know how much I didn't realize and the problems it would cause me.
I always knew the basics... guys are "logical", girls are "emotional", and guys would rather be respected and girls loved. And that, was that.
But I didn't have the life experience to understand exactly what all that meant in reality...
So when this handsome, charming guy turned up... I pretty much forgot that "you can't preheat the oven without cooking the roast. " (from a Doug Wilson book "Her Hand in Marriage" which is Very Excellent btw) ...and after years of dreaming about meeting my ideal man and having a perfect fairytale relationship I closed my eyes and took a leap.
Well... actually I didn't close my eyes. They were wide open the whole time... which is the worst part. For a good part of my relationship with this guy (or what seems like forever to me now), I thought I was doing things well, and handling myself properly and in a Christian manner.
Now I look back and just try to comprehend what on earth I was even thinking... or more likely what I wasn't thinking.
"Every Young Man's Battle" has to do with the sexual sins that EVERY guy struggles with. There is no guy that is perfect enough or sheltered enough or godly enough, to not deal with sexual temptations and struggles.
And you see... that is where I went wrong.
I didn't purposefully try to ignore the truth... I was simply naive and didn't understand or even know what the truth was. I misunderstood the whole entire creation of males. Because of my own insecurities and emotional needs I didn't realize that there was more to the picture. In my mind there were those "bad" and "naughty" boys, but there were still the good guys who didn't struggle like others. The nice Christian boys who had it under control. Who maybe still looked but didn't lust.
Now as I look back and think about that thought process, I can't help but laugh. It doesn't even make sense! I guess I just never asked myself WHY would a guy look?... and what would he be doing with what he saw?
Now don't get me wrong... I'm not trying to put the guys down because us ladies have our own struggles. We struggle just as much with sexual temptations but just in different ways, and for different reasons.
Needless to say, I have a lot of things I'll be changing about the way I act around guys. I am ashamed of some of the things I've done, or said, or maybe even implied without realized it. I always though I do it all right when it came to my turn to be in a relationship. I thought that because I had seen how my older siblings struggled and failed and that I had studied up and knew how it all worked when you did things God's way that I could avoid those problems. I guess God just gave me a wake up call... before it was too late. I know know how mistaken I was... how my flesh will always fail... how close and open I have to be with God for him to work in my life.
...But instead I was proud.
If I could apologize to Trenton for all the ways I made his life hell just because I was a hypocrite I would. I know that not all of his problems are my fault but maybe it's just that he's not better off for having known me.
I guess that's what it comes down to though, right? Being a hypocrite? I think Romans 7:18-23 describes it perfectly:
"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
It's the flesh warring against the spirit, and our new man trying to live in this sinful world and yet still be not of this world.
Sooooo... even though I thought I could learn from other peoples mistakes I had to learn the hard way.
It scares me too... there is no guarantee that I will not fail again, and as a matter of fact my chances of doing things wrong are quite high.
So I must rely on God, and my family and friends who can see things from a much clearer perspective, to give me good advice (and they already have).
And thanks to "Every Young Man's Battle," I will never look at guys the same way again. A guy is going to have to "work to get me", and prove that he can be a man... and not only a man but a man that has God as the center of his life. Not Lust.
Being a girl, I always heard the stereo-typical comments like, "guys are all about sex" and other "harsh" statements. All my life I've known that guys are "extra horny"... and yeah, they probably think quite often about stuff that rarely crosses my mind. I also knew that guys are visually stimulated, pretty much a million times more so than girls are. So "knowing" that.. and finding it all "far out" and kind of hard to relate to, I put all that information on a back burner in my mind, and continued living my life. (ignorance is bliss right?)
Little did I know how much I didn't realize and the problems it would cause me.
I always knew the basics... guys are "logical", girls are "emotional", and guys would rather be respected and girls loved. And that, was that.
But I didn't have the life experience to understand exactly what all that meant in reality...
So when this handsome, charming guy turned up... I pretty much forgot that "you can't preheat the oven without cooking the roast. " (from a Doug Wilson book "Her Hand in Marriage" which is Very Excellent btw) ...and after years of dreaming about meeting my ideal man and having a perfect fairytale relationship I closed my eyes and took a leap.
Well... actually I didn't close my eyes. They were wide open the whole time... which is the worst part. For a good part of my relationship with this guy (or what seems like forever to me now), I thought I was doing things well, and handling myself properly and in a Christian manner.
Now I look back and just try to comprehend what on earth I was even thinking... or more likely what I wasn't thinking.
"Every Young Man's Battle" has to do with the sexual sins that EVERY guy struggles with. There is no guy that is perfect enough or sheltered enough or godly enough, to not deal with sexual temptations and struggles.
And you see... that is where I went wrong.
I didn't purposefully try to ignore the truth... I was simply naive and didn't understand or even know what the truth was. I misunderstood the whole entire creation of males. Because of my own insecurities and emotional needs I didn't realize that there was more to the picture. In my mind there were those "bad" and "naughty" boys, but there were still the good guys who didn't struggle like others. The nice Christian boys who had it under control. Who maybe still looked but didn't lust.
Now as I look back and think about that thought process, I can't help but laugh. It doesn't even make sense! I guess I just never asked myself WHY would a guy look?... and what would he be doing with what he saw?
Now don't get me wrong... I'm not trying to put the guys down because us ladies have our own struggles. We struggle just as much with sexual temptations but just in different ways, and for different reasons.
Needless to say, I have a lot of things I'll be changing about the way I act around guys. I am ashamed of some of the things I've done, or said, or maybe even implied without realized it. I always though I do it all right when it came to my turn to be in a relationship. I thought that because I had seen how my older siblings struggled and failed and that I had studied up and knew how it all worked when you did things God's way that I could avoid those problems. I guess God just gave me a wake up call... before it was too late. I know know how mistaken I was... how my flesh will always fail... how close and open I have to be with God for him to work in my life.
...But instead I was proud.
If I could apologize to Trenton for all the ways I made his life hell just because I was a hypocrite I would. I know that not all of his problems are my fault but maybe it's just that he's not better off for having known me.
I guess that's what it comes down to though, right? Being a hypocrite? I think Romans 7:18-23 describes it perfectly:
"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
It's the flesh warring against the spirit, and our new man trying to live in this sinful world and yet still be not of this world.
Sooooo... even though I thought I could learn from other peoples mistakes I had to learn the hard way.
It scares me too... there is no guarantee that I will not fail again, and as a matter of fact my chances of doing things wrong are quite high.
So I must rely on God, and my family and friends who can see things from a much clearer perspective, to give me good advice (and they already have).
And thanks to "Every Young Man's Battle," I will never look at guys the same way again. A guy is going to have to "work to get me", and prove that he can be a man... and not only a man but a man that has God as the center of his life. Not Lust.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Hunting ...and all.
I forgot to mention all of the hunting stuff in my last post so I figure I'd better not leave that part out. ;)
Soooo... as you know all the guys went out opening day at 6:30 in the morning. After that first day some of them went out and sat in a field or some wood but nobody saw any deer. Later we heard that our neighbor saw numerous deer at different times but I guess either the guys just weren't patient enough or they just weren't out there at the right times. Apparently not very many people shot or even saw deer. We think that because of all the rain we had this fall and all the corn that is still standing it the problem. :/
Anyway... finally this last weekend (Saturday) four of my brothers and a two neighbors with their sons came out and did a drive. My brother Jed shot a turdy point... errr.. I mean a doe. =) Whooohoo! There are some pictures but I think I'll spare you... ;) They're a bit gruesome. lol
Then Sunday I got in from milking the cows that morning and the guys were about to go for a drive so I grabbed a blaze orange hat and sweatshirt and went with them. I figured it was a beautiful day and the exercise would be good at least. We scared out 3 deer ...unfortunately the one guy's safety wasn't working right so his gun wouldn't shoot and Jed took a shot at them but he was too far away.
Then Channing scared up a deer which was to fast for him to get a shot at but luckily he warned Daniel who luckily killed it with the first shot. =) It turned out to be a buck without horns. lol
I think in a week or two the guys will be hunting during the T-zone. Who knows what will happen then. ;)
Anyway.... I'm looking forward to the jerky.
Soooo... as you know all the guys went out opening day at 6:30 in the morning. After that first day some of them went out and sat in a field or some wood but nobody saw any deer. Later we heard that our neighbor saw numerous deer at different times but I guess either the guys just weren't patient enough or they just weren't out there at the right times. Apparently not very many people shot or even saw deer. We think that because of all the rain we had this fall and all the corn that is still standing it the problem. :/
Anyway... finally this last weekend (Saturday) four of my brothers and a two neighbors with their sons came out and did a drive. My brother Jed shot a turdy point... errr.. I mean a doe. =) Whooohoo! There are some pictures but I think I'll spare you... ;) They're a bit gruesome. lol
Then Sunday I got in from milking the cows that morning and the guys were about to go for a drive so I grabbed a blaze orange hat and sweatshirt and went with them. I figured it was a beautiful day and the exercise would be good at least. We scared out 3 deer ...unfortunately the one guy's safety wasn't working right so his gun wouldn't shoot and Jed took a shot at them but he was too far away.
Then Channing scared up a deer which was to fast for him to get a shot at but luckily he warned Daniel who luckily killed it with the first shot. =) It turned out to be a buck without horns. lol
I think in a week or two the guys will be hunting during the T-zone. Who knows what will happen then. ;)
Anyway.... I'm looking forward to the jerky.
What Will Tomorrow Hold?
Thanksgiving is over... unfortunately. What a great time I had with all of my family. There was so much food and my Uncle brought some of his home brewed Stout beer (the best he's ever made everyone agreed) and cider. We had probably 15 pies (no joke). We made two "real" cherry pies which were amazing. We used the cherries that my parents had brought home from their vacation to Door County a couple months ago. My brother-in-law brought his brother along (their family had gone away to visit other relatives and he wasn't able to go along because of work) which was a nice surprise. My grandpa (my Dad's dad) was here for a holiday for the first time ever in my life. Of course him being a cook and all the ham he brought and green bean casserole was to die for. +D
Anyway... I'm quite sure I gained a couple extra pounds. lol And by the time the new year comes I'll be quite "stocked up" enough for the winter!! ;)
So.... now everyone is getting stoked for the next exciting holiday. Just a few weeks and it will be Christmas Day. Ridiculous, huh? Who decided to have all these holidays in a row? And the time really knows how to fly too! So little time, and yet so much to do and see.
Needless to say, I have this terrible urge to wake up in the morning to a foot of snow on the ground! ...To go sledding down a hill with some friends or get all dressed up at 10 p.m. with my brothers and sisters and go cross-country skiing by the light of the moon.
Then of course there are those beautiful relaxing nights, that I quite often look forward to all day long, when I can cuddle up in a blanket, drink hot cocoa or eggnog, and sit with the Christmas tree's lights twinkling happily at you.
It's that whole yuletide thing, you know? =)
Being jolly and all the presents to prepare.
I am convinced that these folks who are always waiting for the excitement to begin really miss out. See... I believe that every moment is our own, to make it into whatever we decide it shall be. So why wait for someone else to do all the work or to make ups happy? That attitude could make anyone happy. We should always be full of joy and living for the moment... because we do not know what tomorrow may hold.
Anyway... I'm quite sure I gained a couple extra pounds. lol And by the time the new year comes I'll be quite "stocked up" enough for the winter!! ;)
So.... now everyone is getting stoked for the next exciting holiday. Just a few weeks and it will be Christmas Day. Ridiculous, huh? Who decided to have all these holidays in a row? And the time really knows how to fly too! So little time, and yet so much to do and see.
Needless to say, I have this terrible urge to wake up in the morning to a foot of snow on the ground! ...To go sledding down a hill with some friends or get all dressed up at 10 p.m. with my brothers and sisters and go cross-country skiing by the light of the moon.
Then of course there are those beautiful relaxing nights, that I quite often look forward to all day long, when I can cuddle up in a blanket, drink hot cocoa or eggnog, and sit with the Christmas tree's lights twinkling happily at you.
It's that whole yuletide thing, you know? =)
Being jolly and all the presents to prepare.
I am convinced that these folks who are always waiting for the excitement to begin really miss out. See... I believe that every moment is our own, to make it into whatever we decide it shall be. So why wait for someone else to do all the work or to make ups happy? That attitude could make anyone happy. We should always be full of joy and living for the moment... because we do not know what tomorrow may hold.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thanksgiving, Hunting & Tuesday
In six days we'll all be celebrating Thanksgiving. The most neglected, most taken for granted and most important holiday of the year. For as much as we all love putting Christ back in the cradle every season... there's nothing better than a special time like this coming Thursday to gather around with all your beloved family and sincerely thank the Lord for all of the innumerable blessings he's bestowed on us.
Tomorrow the "firearm" hunting season starts. All my brothers (except Paddy because he's still to little) and a friend, will be waking up really early, before light, and trudging out into the woods in hopes of shooting a thirty point buck. =) Hopefully between all five of them someone will come home with something because there's nothing like deeply marinated venison jerky. Mmmmmm...
That irresistible, spicy flavor.... that seriously will keep you going back for more and more if you're not careful.
Sooooo.... in the spirit of the hunting season everyone has to listen to these hilarious hunting songs. ;)
This coming Tuesday is another day I'm looking forward too, as well. I guess you could call it a "girls day out" but really it will be a mission for the perfect brides maid's dress. Sandy (the bride-to-be) and Stacy, Sarah, Kay Lee and I are all going to E.C. together. I guess we're just going to spend quality time together... shop, go out to eat, and decide on a brides maid's dress. I have a suspicion that Sandy already has the dresses picked out.... I guess we'll see.
NONETHELESS... in short... I'M VERY EXCITED!!
November has been a good month. =)
Tomorrow the "firearm" hunting season starts. All my brothers (except Paddy because he's still to little) and a friend, will be waking up really early, before light, and trudging out into the woods in hopes of shooting a thirty point buck. =) Hopefully between all five of them someone will come home with something because there's nothing like deeply marinated venison jerky. Mmmmmm...
That irresistible, spicy flavor.... that seriously will keep you going back for more and more if you're not careful.
Sooooo.... in the spirit of the hunting season everyone has to listen to these hilarious hunting songs. ;)
This coming Tuesday is another day I'm looking forward too, as well. I guess you could call it a "girls day out" but really it will be a mission for the perfect brides maid's dress. Sandy (the bride-to-be) and Stacy, Sarah, Kay Lee and I are all going to E.C. together. I guess we're just going to spend quality time together... shop, go out to eat, and decide on a brides maid's dress. I have a suspicion that Sandy already has the dresses picked out.... I guess we'll see.
NONETHELESS... in short... I'M VERY EXCITED!!
November has been a good month. =)
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Distance from God
I have come to some serious conclusions and realizations in the past few weeks. They're a bit of a break through or simply running into the same wall over and over and finally I've gotten sick of hitting my head.
This last Saturday my parents held our monthly church "get-together" at our house and I was blessed to have my dear friend Courtney stay over the weekend. It was very refreshing to be edified by her company (we stayed up way too late one night just reading the Bible and discussing the like). In the past 12 months my life has been so busy and has taken so many turns and twists that my spiritual growth has slowly dwindled down 'til in all reality it was next to nothing. Needless to say I've had to deal with some pretty serious mountains that I wasn't expecting and it wasn't that I turned away from God but I didn't trust in his guidance to help me through my struggles as much as I should and could have.
Therefore recently as I noticed my lack of spiritual growth I decided I'd had enough and I wasn't going to continue in this pattern (which was only making my struggles worse).
Sooooo... when Courtney spent the weekend with me it was like God just happened to bring her to me to encourage me challenge me to "fight the good fight" (1 Timothy 6:12).
Also some really good friends that I hadn't seen in a long time came to the party. It was four guys who've been attending a Bible College in South Dakota and they happened to be in the area and came. Anyways there was a large group of us young adults playing Apples to Apples when they arrived and of course they joined in the game. But throughout the course of the game there were some jokes now and then about one of the cards that could be view with a double perspective. Sure they were "harmless" enough, and none of us meant anything by it. But when these guys didn't join in and actually maintained and defended a pure attitude it really got my attention.
That's when I realized how immature and unholy my thoughts have been as well as the attitude of some of my good friends that I hang out with on a regular basis. It's because we have allowed each other as a group to slowly progress into towards a more vulgar way of thinking which comes out, naturally, in our speech.
So I have made a decision to stop allowing myself to compromise my relationship with God for a few cheap laughs and momentarily gratifying and cheap, worldly amusements. I know it will be a fight back to a closer walk with God but it will be well worth the struggle.
This last Saturday my parents held our monthly church "get-together" at our house and I was blessed to have my dear friend Courtney stay over the weekend. It was very refreshing to be edified by her company (we stayed up way too late one night just reading the Bible and discussing the like). In the past 12 months my life has been so busy and has taken so many turns and twists that my spiritual growth has slowly dwindled down 'til in all reality it was next to nothing. Needless to say I've had to deal with some pretty serious mountains that I wasn't expecting and it wasn't that I turned away from God but I didn't trust in his guidance to help me through my struggles as much as I should and could have.
Therefore recently as I noticed my lack of spiritual growth I decided I'd had enough and I wasn't going to continue in this pattern (which was only making my struggles worse).
Sooooo... when Courtney spent the weekend with me it was like God just happened to bring her to me to encourage me challenge me to "fight the good fight" (1 Timothy 6:12).
Also some really good friends that I hadn't seen in a long time came to the party. It was four guys who've been attending a Bible College in South Dakota and they happened to be in the area and came. Anyways there was a large group of us young adults playing Apples to Apples when they arrived and of course they joined in the game. But throughout the course of the game there were some jokes now and then about one of the cards that could be view with a double perspective. Sure they were "harmless" enough, and none of us meant anything by it. But when these guys didn't join in and actually maintained and defended a pure attitude it really got my attention.
That's when I realized how immature and unholy my thoughts have been as well as the attitude of some of my good friends that I hang out with on a regular basis. It's because we have allowed each other as a group to slowly progress into towards a more vulgar way of thinking which comes out, naturally, in our speech.
So I have made a decision to stop allowing myself to compromise my relationship with God for a few cheap laughs and momentarily gratifying and cheap, worldly amusements. I know it will be a fight back to a closer walk with God but it will be well worth the struggle.
Galatians 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Work....
I've been busy lately. It seems like there is never a moment of rest. My Mom and Dad were gone in St. Louis, Missouri and I was in charge of running the household from Sept. 30th to Nov. 4th (and in case you didn't know they were planning getting home on the 2nd). Then this last weekend I house sat for some neighbors... which conflicted with my normal milking job.
Soooo... I had to trade with my brother Daniel and I ended up milking Saturday night, both milkings on Monday and then this morning as well since my sister Emily had to work at another job last minute. So needless to say my whole week has been a bit out of order.
Needless to say there is something planned for each day for the rest of the week. I won't know what to do with myself once things settle down (if they ever do).
Soooo... I had to trade with my brother Daniel and I ended up milking Saturday night, both milkings on Monday and then this morning as well since my sister Emily had to work at another job last minute. So needless to say my whole week has been a bit out of order.
Needless to say there is something planned for each day for the rest of the week. I won't know what to do with myself once things settle down (if they ever do).
Monday, November 2, 2009
Midnight-Thrity
Yes, it is in fact, the middle of the night, and oddly enough, the beginning of tomorrow. It's rather interesting how much a day can be just like a year with all it's seasons. Then of course a year is, simply, a smaller picture of life itself... with all it's ups and downs.
The clock ticks... and ticks... and minutes pass.
But here I am sitting at my computer in the dead of night contemplating the great mysteries in life.
Enigma is another word for it.
There is such puzzlement over this race of life. Puzzlement in that we keep trying to reinvent the wheel, and yet somehow though the plans are all drawn up in front of us we have no choice but to start again.
Why is it that we can't learn from the mistakes of others and therefore move ahead with a better understanding and footing to do things right? Even with the understanding of 'Cause and Effect' and that there are always consequences for the things that we do, we do it anyway. What is so insecure in us that we must determine to be 'brave' and willful? Somehow I am rather confused by it all. Take one man who is strong and confident and it turns out that he has such major faults as to be baffled over. Then there are those who's faults and insecurities are blatantly obvious that it would make a body cringe.
So what is the lesser of two evils? Which is the better and which is the worst?
It's like a dizzying circle, all the reason we might give to explain ourselves. The truth is, neither is the better. That is because they both serve a purpose under God. We find our answer in the Lord. "...for my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9) therefore, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)
But then we come back to learning from our mistakes.... and God has the perfect path laid out for us. And still yet, we must try it on our own... and blaze a new path... because somehow it will give us confidence? This world has a stunning way of completely leading us to believe that we really want what it has to offer... when all it has to offer is death.
I have a sneaking suspicion that when I am old and wise I will still not understand completely. It is all vanity anyway, right?
The clock ticks... and ticks... and minutes pass.
But here I am sitting at my computer in the dead of night contemplating the great mysteries in life.
Enigma is another word for it.
There is such puzzlement over this race of life. Puzzlement in that we keep trying to reinvent the wheel, and yet somehow though the plans are all drawn up in front of us we have no choice but to start again.
Why is it that we can't learn from the mistakes of others and therefore move ahead with a better understanding and footing to do things right? Even with the understanding of 'Cause and Effect' and that there are always consequences for the things that we do, we do it anyway. What is so insecure in us that we must determine to be 'brave' and willful? Somehow I am rather confused by it all. Take one man who is strong and confident and it turns out that he has such major faults as to be baffled over. Then there are those who's faults and insecurities are blatantly obvious that it would make a body cringe.
So what is the lesser of two evils? Which is the better and which is the worst?
It's like a dizzying circle, all the reason we might give to explain ourselves. The truth is, neither is the better. That is because they both serve a purpose under God. We find our answer in the Lord. "...for my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9) therefore, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)
But then we come back to learning from our mistakes.... and God has the perfect path laid out for us. And still yet, we must try it on our own... and blaze a new path... because somehow it will give us confidence? This world has a stunning way of completely leading us to believe that we really want what it has to offer... when all it has to offer is death.
I have a sneaking suspicion that when I am old and wise I will still not understand completely. It is all vanity anyway, right?
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
A Quote by Plutarch
I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better.
Isn't it so true that a good friend is someone who you can be sure will be honest about their feelings? And better yet, they can agree to disagree?
Isn't it so true that a good friend is someone who you can be sure will be honest about their feelings? And better yet, they can agree to disagree?
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Right Now I...
I am not: alone
I hurt: when I think of all the evil in this world
I love: my friends and family
I hate: that everything I do is a choice
I hope: to be a Proverbs 31 woman
I hear: the hum of my computer
I crave: adventure
I cry: when I feel like I have to give up a dream
I always: trust too much
I long to: fix my mistakes
I feel alone: when I think that I wasn't not that long ago
I listen: to lots of different music
I hide: from myself
I drive: sometimes
I sing: because I can
I dance: once in a while
I search: for excitement
I feel: like calling you
I fail: miserably
I sleep: alone
I need: to be respected and loved
I am: a child of God
I think: too much
I exist:to glorify God
I hurt: when I think of all the evil in this world
I love: my friends and family
I hate: that everything I do is a choice
I hope: to be a Proverbs 31 woman
I hear: the hum of my computer
I crave: adventure
I cry: when I feel like I have to give up a dream
I always: trust too much
I long to: fix my mistakes
I feel alone: when I think that I wasn't not that long ago
I listen: to lots of different music
I hide: from myself
I drive: sometimes
I sing: because I can
I dance: once in a while
I search: for excitement
I feel: like calling you
I fail: miserably
I sleep: alone
I need: to be respected and loved
I am: a child of God
I think: too much
I exist:to glorify God
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Baby Got Book
lol!! This is so funny!!!
Y'all have to check it out. ;)
I thought it was pretty sweet! =)
Y'all have to check it out. ;)
I thought it was pretty sweet! =)
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Wait and See
I was born in Tennessee, late July humidity doctors said I was lucky to be alive
I’ve Been troubled since the day that I got here, troubled to the day I disappear
That’ll be the day that I finally get it right
There is hope, for me yet, because God won’t forget, all the plans he’s made for me
I have to wait and see, he’s not finished with me yet, he’s not finished with me yet
I never really was that good in school. Talked to much, broke the rules
My teachers thought I was a hopeless fool all right.
I don’t know how but I made it through, it’s one of those things you gotta do
I always had a knack for telling the truth.
There is hope, for me yet, because God won’t forget, all the plans he’s made for me
I have to wait and see, he’s not finished with me yet, he’s not finished with me yet
[ Brandon Heath Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]
Still wonerin’ why I’m here. Still wrestling with my fear
But oh….He’s up to something,
And the farther out I go, I’ve seen enough to know that I’m not here for nothin’
He’s up to somethin’
So here’s my time to be a man, follow my heart as far as I can
No tellin’ where I’m ending up tonight
I never slow down or so it seems, but singing my heart is one of my dreams
All I gotta do is hold on tight.
There is hope, for me yet, because God won’t forget, all the plans he’s made for me
I have to wait and see, he’s not finished with me yet, he’s not finished with me yet
He’s not finished with me yet, He’s not finished with me yet.
I’ve Been troubled since the day that I got here, troubled to the day I disappear
That’ll be the day that I finally get it right
There is hope, for me yet, because God won’t forget, all the plans he’s made for me
I have to wait and see, he’s not finished with me yet, he’s not finished with me yet
I never really was that good in school. Talked to much, broke the rules
My teachers thought I was a hopeless fool all right.
I don’t know how but I made it through, it’s one of those things you gotta do
I always had a knack for telling the truth.
There is hope, for me yet, because God won’t forget, all the plans he’s made for me
I have to wait and see, he’s not finished with me yet, he’s not finished with me yet
[ Brandon Heath Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]
Still wonerin’ why I’m here. Still wrestling with my fear
But oh….He’s up to something,
And the farther out I go, I’ve seen enough to know that I’m not here for nothin’
He’s up to somethin’
So here’s my time to be a man, follow my heart as far as I can
No tellin’ where I’m ending up tonight
I never slow down or so it seems, but singing my heart is one of my dreams
All I gotta do is hold on tight.
There is hope, for me yet, because God won’t forget, all the plans he’s made for me
I have to wait and see, he’s not finished with me yet, he’s not finished with me yet
He’s not finished with me yet, He’s not finished with me yet.
Snow in October
This is to the South of our house. I believe it was on the 12th of October. I thought the contrast of the orange tree next to the green tree on the white snow was pretty amazing.
I'm Yours -Jason Mraz
Well you done done me and you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks
And now I'm trying to get back
Before the cool done run out
I'll be giving it my bestest
Nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention
I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some
I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours
Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
Look into your heart and you'll find love love love
Listen to the music of the moment maybe sing with me
I like peaceful melodys
It's your God-forsaken right to be loved love loved love love
So I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours
I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror
And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer
But my breath fogged up the glass
And so I drew a new face and laughed
I guess what I'm saying is there ain't no better reason
To rid yourself of vanity and just go with the seasons
It's what we aim to do
Our name is our virtue
I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours
Well no no, well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
Look into your heart and you'll find love love love love
Listen to the music of the moment come and dance with me
I like one big family (2nd time: I like happy family)
It's your God-forsaken right to be loved love love love
I won't hesitate no more
Oh no more no more no more
It's your God-forsaken right to be loved, I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours
No I won't hesitate no more, no more
This cannot wait I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours, I'm yours
I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks
And now I'm trying to get back
Before the cool done run out
I'll be giving it my bestest
Nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention
I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some
I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours
Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
Look into your heart and you'll find love love love
Listen to the music of the moment maybe sing with me
I like peaceful melodys
It's your God-forsaken right to be loved love loved love love
So I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours
I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror
And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer
But my breath fogged up the glass
And so I drew a new face and laughed
I guess what I'm saying is there ain't no better reason
To rid yourself of vanity and just go with the seasons
It's what we aim to do
Our name is our virtue
I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours
Well no no, well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
Look into your heart and you'll find love love love love
Listen to the music of the moment come and dance with me
I like one big family (2nd time: I like happy family)
It's your God-forsaken right to be loved love love love
I won't hesitate no more
Oh no more no more no more
It's your God-forsaken right to be loved, I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours
No I won't hesitate no more, no more
This cannot wait I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours, I'm yours
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Hilltop Hoods
Right now I am all alone. In 30 minutes Sandy will be here to pick me up to go to E.C. We're going to go to Choir and then chill with Jae all afternoon. I think it's going to be a lot of fun... seeing we haven't really done anything with Jae in a really long time. Things are so different now and we're all growing up so I suppose it's understandable since we're all so busy with our own lives.
I think I've actually done something with Jae twice this year and that was because I was with Trent and we all went and did things. *sigh* ...good times.
Soooooo.... it feels like this time last year! (no duh?) But it makes me get that feel and so every now and then I just have to listen to Hilltop Hoods, Nosebleed Section and just imagine that I'm with Trent in his car cruising down the back roads to town... =)
But Anyway... enough reminiscing. ;)
I'll be back....
I think I've actually done something with Jae twice this year and that was because I was with Trent and we all went and did things. *sigh* ...good times.
Soooooo.... it feels like this time last year! (no duh?) But it makes me get that feel and so every now and then I just have to listen to Hilltop Hoods, Nosebleed Section and just imagine that I'm with Trent in his car cruising down the back roads to town... =)
But Anyway... enough reminiscing. ;)
I'll be back....
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
A Contradiction?
So I was looking up some words for a book Isaac is writing and I looked up hermitage.
This was the definition:
noun
What do they mean, a "group" of hermits!?!! lol It sounds like an oxymoron to me. =)
This was the definition:
noun
1.
a. The habitation of a hermit or group of hermits.
a. The habitation of a hermit or group of hermits.
b. A monastery or abbey.
2. A place where one can live in seclusion; a retreat.
3. The condition or way of life of a hermit.
What do they mean, a "group" of hermits!?!! lol It sounds like an oxymoron to me. =)
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Apple Pie
Today I am going to bake an Apple pie!! Yay!
I love the Fall season!
...oh and btw the snow all melted. =)
I love the Fall season!
...oh and btw the snow all melted. =)
Monday, October 12, 2009
Trenton
When I think of Trenton, I am reminded of...
-those two weeks in Aug. '08
-the hay shed ;)
-Third Day
-playing music together
-graham crackers and Ghirardelli 60% chocolate chips
-Vault
-"Old Hag"
-the guacamole dance
-bare footin' down G with all the friends in the middle of the night.
-"The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" (he never did like it, lol)
-braces.... hmmmm... lol
-A midnight walk to the top of Table Rock in the middle of Dec. with the full moon shining on the most sparkly snow (it was like millions of diamonds)!
-food fights w/ frosting, mashed potatoes, flour... and many other things. =)
-snow fights
-western belts with cool buckles
-hay wagon dances (the original one was the best)
-Lincoln Park
-tractor rides
-Red Robin
-Red Lobster
-his Corona hat
-most of the music he listened to... it was pretty sweet.
-Co. Rd. G... and summer rain
-Olive Garden and Walmart with Sandy and Matt
-"Chitty Oats"
-tag at the Meyer's
-cowboy boots & skater shoes/ flip flops and high heels
-swing dancing... sweet moves... showing off of course.
-his silver Mazda 6
-Perkins after dance practice with everyone
-his cool old Ford truck
-Viva La Vida (or anything by Cold Play)
-his "Light Up and Run" CD
-Akon
-hikes around the farm in the Fall and also the Spring
-his awesome song (it sounded like a movie score)... that he never played enough
-Steve... his best friend
-Dan the man... his partner in everything crazy (like running around in the cow yard on the day after X-mas with.. well, never mind)
-Math
-his sisters... oh yes.
-phone calls... long ones, short ones, ... in the middle of the night/early morning.
-hot chocolate or hot cocoa (what was the difference again?)
-raking leaves w/ snow on the ground and freezing to death.
-baseball
-milking cows... it was always more fun with him.
-chilling in E.C. with Trent, Ana, Nick, Jae.
-the cool tune we made up... which was kind of inspired by Canon in D.
-Jed and Kendra's cute kittens
-grandparents =)
-cornfields lol ;)
-Chinese fire drills... in the middle of nowhere.
-McD's, Jazz and wine way late at night
-Starfield, Revolution... yesss! ♥
-cooking dinner
-our trip to E.C. with my cousins and Isaac
-Hilltop Hoods, Nosebleed Section
-Casting Crowns
-The Gladiator, 007, The Night at the Museum 2, Transformers 2 ... and others.
-baking apple pies
-the apple pie analogy... I almost forgot.
-Dead and Gone, T.I. feat. Justine Timberlake
-sitting on the kitchen floor, talking and eating cereal
-Hogstad & Oak Grove road
-Wheaties and Cornflakes
-rolling down the hill in the rain on a Second Saturday and then messin around in the sand. Yuck! lol
-oats with peaches, milk and honey... the best ever
-the Black River Falls fair
-the camp fire in the cow pasture
-12/5/08 to 12-25-08
-8/9/08
-4/25/09 ..the night Kendra went into labor
-the Twix bar
-dark beer
-the tractor/truck pull
-the bathtub
-the sunflower row and rows of corn
-singing Psalms and Hymns all the time
-little trips into town for butter or powdered sugar
-talking Bible stuff
-always having something to talk about
-Unintended, Muse
-riding bikes with my brothers
-roasting a bull calf
-preparing veal
-milk testing, pizza and the park
-the country drive towards Fairchild, listening to crazy music and trying to learn to dive his car.
-jumping in the Meyer's swimming pool after Paddy's B-day party with Jordan, Isaac and Trent
-swell bonfires and good times at the Sieg's
-2006.... hehe
-when he came up every other weekend between Aug. and Oct. of '08
-sitting on a pew with Ella and Jax
-Jax, the bestest cat ever... who had 14 claws on each paw
well... the list goes on and on. I'd be here for days if I tried to dream everything up. Therefore I won't bore you any longer... that is if you made it all the way through without skipping to the bottom. ;) hehe
I'm sorry if this made no sense to you... some times I do crazy things like this though anyway.
Good times... all the way baby! Yeehaw! =)
-those two weeks in Aug. '08
-the hay shed ;)
-Third Day
-playing music together
-graham crackers and Ghirardelli 60% chocolate chips
-Vault
-"Old Hag"
-the guacamole dance
-bare footin' down G with all the friends in the middle of the night.
-"The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" (he never did like it, lol)
-braces.... hmmmm... lol
-A midnight walk to the top of Table Rock in the middle of Dec. with the full moon shining on the most sparkly snow (it was like millions of diamonds)!
-food fights w/ frosting, mashed potatoes, flour... and many other things. =)
-snow fights
-western belts with cool buckles
-hay wagon dances (the original one was the best)
-Lincoln Park
-tractor rides
-Red Robin
-Red Lobster
-his Corona hat
-most of the music he listened to... it was pretty sweet.
-Co. Rd. G... and summer rain
-Olive Garden and Walmart with Sandy and Matt
-"Chitty Oats"
-tag at the Meyer's
-cowboy boots & skater shoes/ flip flops and high heels
-swing dancing... sweet moves... showing off of course.
-his silver Mazda 6
-Perkins after dance practice with everyone
-his cool old Ford truck
-Viva La Vida (or anything by Cold Play)
-his "Light Up and Run" CD
-Akon
-hikes around the farm in the Fall and also the Spring
-his awesome song (it sounded like a movie score)... that he never played enough
-Steve... his best friend
-Dan the man... his partner in everything crazy (like running around in the cow yard on the day after X-mas with.. well, never mind)
-Math
-his sisters... oh yes.
-phone calls... long ones, short ones, ... in the middle of the night/early morning.
-hot chocolate or hot cocoa (what was the difference again?)
-raking leaves w/ snow on the ground and freezing to death.
-baseball
-milking cows... it was always more fun with him.
-chilling in E.C. with Trent, Ana, Nick, Jae.
-the cool tune we made up... which was kind of inspired by Canon in D.
-Jed and Kendra's cute kittens
-grandparents =)
-cornfields lol ;)
-Chinese fire drills... in the middle of nowhere.
-McD's, Jazz and wine way late at night
-Starfield, Revolution... yesss! ♥
-cooking dinner
-our trip to E.C. with my cousins and Isaac
-Hilltop Hoods, Nosebleed Section
-Casting Crowns
-The Gladiator, 007, The Night at the Museum 2, Transformers 2 ... and others.
-baking apple pies
-the apple pie analogy... I almost forgot.
-Dead and Gone, T.I. feat. Justine Timberlake
-sitting on the kitchen floor, talking and eating cereal
-Hogstad & Oak Grove road
-Wheaties and Cornflakes
-rolling down the hill in the rain on a Second Saturday and then messin around in the sand. Yuck! lol
-oats with peaches, milk and honey... the best ever
-the Black River Falls fair
-the camp fire in the cow pasture
-12/5/08 to 12-25-08
-8/9/08
-4/25/09 ..the night Kendra went into labor
-the Twix bar
-dark beer
-the tractor/truck pull
-the bathtub
-the sunflower row and rows of corn
-singing Psalms and Hymns all the time
-little trips into town for butter or powdered sugar
-talking Bible stuff
-always having something to talk about
-Unintended, Muse
-riding bikes with my brothers
-roasting a bull calf
-preparing veal
-milk testing, pizza and the park
-the country drive towards Fairchild, listening to crazy music and trying to learn to dive his car.
-jumping in the Meyer's swimming pool after Paddy's B-day party with Jordan, Isaac and Trent
-swell bonfires and good times at the Sieg's
-2006.... hehe
-when he came up every other weekend between Aug. and Oct. of '08
-sitting on a pew with Ella and Jax
-Jax, the bestest cat ever... who had 14 claws on each paw
well... the list goes on and on. I'd be here for days if I tried to dream everything up. Therefore I won't bore you any longer... that is if you made it all the way through without skipping to the bottom. ;) hehe
I'm sorry if this made no sense to you... some times I do crazy things like this though anyway.
Good times... all the way baby! Yeehaw! =)
* #+*"#*SNOW* +*#*+
It's snowing!!!
And it's going to keep snowing all day! ...it's a very wet snow, perfect for packing.
It feels a little too much like Christmas... scary. =P
lol... and it's only the 11th of October!!!!!
Hmmmm... we must be having a global cooling. Maybe we'll have another ice age. ???
*ponders the thought for a moment*
Yep... anyway... ;)
Let it snow, let it snow.
...I do hope we have some sort of Fall. *sigh*
And it's going to keep snowing all day! ...it's a very wet snow, perfect for packing.
It feels a little too much like Christmas... scary. =P
lol... and it's only the 11th of October!!!!!
Hmmmm... we must be having a global cooling. Maybe we'll have another ice age. ???
*ponders the thought for a moment*
Yep... anyway... ;)
Let it snow, let it snow.
...I do hope we have some sort of Fall. *sigh*
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Canning and Henry Drummond
Gee.... it's been a while.
But life is so busy that I haven't had much time for the computer. I guess that's a good thing, huh? :P
It snowed on Saturday morning. Of course it was gone as soon as the sun came up but that means, no more tomatoes. Which also means no more canning. YAY!
I think my mom and I have been canning things for the last two months straight! Luckily we had my Grammy, Jacqui (who made some of the best salsa ever that we also canned) and Emily help us now and then, which made things go much easier.
Our basement shelves look very pretty now with all the different jars of home grown canned goods, and it makes me feel very resourceful and prudent. Kind of like the Proverbs 31 woman. She is truly what every woman should aspire to be.
But... enough of that canning stuff. ;)
Now that the busy harvest season is over with, I have so many things I want to do. Some of them are just for fun and others are more of a necessity... so I am learning to prioritize and organize my time. *sigh* ...no I can't always do everything I want to. Shucks.
And life goes on. lol
If you don't want to be left behind in misery and self pity you have to keep busy I guess. That reminds me of a good quote by Henry Drummond;
"Unless a man undertakes more than he possibly can do, he will never do all he can do."
He has a number of interesting quotes... and these days you can have all the information at your fingers tips and the click of a mouse. So there are no excuses: you should check Henry Drummond's quotes out. And who knows? you may be inspired. =)
Well... I uploaded a 30 day trial of Finale Note Pad 2010 (which is SOOO awesome btw) and I have a number of things I want to do with it before the trial ends so I'd better get busy.
Until next time... (and as Richard Jordan always says) maranatha.
But life is so busy that I haven't had much time for the computer. I guess that's a good thing, huh? :P
It snowed on Saturday morning. Of course it was gone as soon as the sun came up but that means, no more tomatoes. Which also means no more canning. YAY!
I think my mom and I have been canning things for the last two months straight! Luckily we had my Grammy, Jacqui (who made some of the best salsa ever that we also canned) and Emily help us now and then, which made things go much easier.
Our basement shelves look very pretty now with all the different jars of home grown canned goods, and it makes me feel very resourceful and prudent. Kind of like the Proverbs 31 woman. She is truly what every woman should aspire to be.
But... enough of that canning stuff. ;)
Now that the busy harvest season is over with, I have so many things I want to do. Some of them are just for fun and others are more of a necessity... so I am learning to prioritize and organize my time. *sigh* ...no I can't always do everything I want to. Shucks.
And life goes on. lol
If you don't want to be left behind in misery and self pity you have to keep busy I guess. That reminds me of a good quote by Henry Drummond;
"Unless a man undertakes more than he possibly can do, he will never do all he can do."
He has a number of interesting quotes... and these days you can have all the information at your fingers tips and the click of a mouse. So there are no excuses: you should check Henry Drummond's quotes out. And who knows? you may be inspired. =)
Well... I uploaded a 30 day trial of Finale Note Pad 2010 (which is SOOO awesome btw) and I have a number of things I want to do with it before the trial ends so I'd better get busy.
Until next time... (and as Richard Jordan always says) maranatha.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Random Thoughts
Hullo again.
Where have you been? I'm sure somewhere delightfully cool. Boy it's been hot here today. I think it's because of the thunderstorm we had last night (in which we got 4 1/2" of rain). Last week we had 5 1/2" of rain!!! I don't think we're lacking anymore.
Our garden is quite bountiful. There is nothing better then sitting down to a nice, hardy home cooked meal of chicken, green beans, potatoes, and an apple pie of course! That is my typical image of a home cooked dinner. =)
You know it is crazy growing up. Suddenly you can look at other peoples pasts and understand a little more of what they mean when they say, "that's how it was when I was a kid". For me it really hits when your parents suddenly become Grandpa & Grandma, and you suddenly become and Auntie. It makes me think back to when I was just a little squirt causing trouble and not having a care in the world. I remember my Aunts and Uncles... and hearing stories about my dad and mom when they were kids. It was so far out... lol. They made great stories but it was so hard to connect them to reality.
I attended the last day of a five day writing seminar with my Mom and Dad today. It was associated with the Institute for Excellence in Writing. It was so fascinating and I really learned a lot, but I had to wonder how a parent is ever to teach multiple subjects to their child. I mean there are so many aspects of life... which ones to you make the higher priorities? I guess it makes me pretty impressed when I think about my parents and some other adults that I know. Raising children is one of the most selfless things you could do. Maybe one day I will get a chance to give all that I can to a family of my own. =)
Where have you been? I'm sure somewhere delightfully cool. Boy it's been hot here today. I think it's because of the thunderstorm we had last night (in which we got 4 1/2" of rain). Last week we had 5 1/2" of rain!!! I don't think we're lacking anymore.
Our garden is quite bountiful. There is nothing better then sitting down to a nice, hardy home cooked meal of chicken, green beans, potatoes, and an apple pie of course! That is my typical image of a home cooked dinner. =)
You know it is crazy growing up. Suddenly you can look at other peoples pasts and understand a little more of what they mean when they say, "that's how it was when I was a kid". For me it really hits when your parents suddenly become Grandpa & Grandma, and you suddenly become and Auntie. It makes me think back to when I was just a little squirt causing trouble and not having a care in the world. I remember my Aunts and Uncles... and hearing stories about my dad and mom when they were kids. It was so far out... lol. They made great stories but it was so hard to connect them to reality.
I attended the last day of a five day writing seminar with my Mom and Dad today. It was associated with the Institute for Excellence in Writing. It was so fascinating and I really learned a lot, but I had to wonder how a parent is ever to teach multiple subjects to their child. I mean there are so many aspects of life... which ones to you make the higher priorities? I guess it makes me pretty impressed when I think about my parents and some other adults that I know. Raising children is one of the most selfless things you could do. Maybe one day I will get a chance to give all that I can to a family of my own. =)
Friday, July 10, 2009
A Perfect Day
Yesterday was amazing. I guess I would call it perfect. The sun was shining all day with a nice breeze to balance out the 80 degree heat. Our lawn is nicely mowed... not over grown like it sometimes gets. Our garden looked beautiful, with it's very neat rows of vegetables and plants and such growing very nicely... and there were the cows out in the pasture calmly roaming about.
I spent most of the afternoon cleaning out our vans... which were very dirty (but you didn't need to know that), and I felt very productive. For dinner we invited Dan, Jacqui & Brad and Jed, Kendra & Meadow over for a little birthday party for Kendra a day late.
So we were all visiting, the boys were flying a kite and everyone was sitting on the deck enjoying the evening. The view from our deck is awesome... you can see the whole little valley to the East of us... and the beautiful hills, fields and trees to the North. Everything is so green and fresh.
For dinner Jacqui made the delicious marinated chicken... the best we'd all ever had. And we had Spanish rice, and cucumber salad as well.
Here is a rough recipe for Jacqui's Chicken:
1) small bottle of Worcestershire sauce
2) Lemon Juice (small bottle)
3) Orange Juice (small drink size bottle)
4) Red Pepper Flakes
5) 1 fresh garlic cloves
6) 2 onions (any kind)
7) Chicken parts of your choice
8) garlic powder
Doesn't it just make your mouth water? lol
My Grandpa Row is up to visit from Ohio and he's a professional chef so he was helping out in the kitchen. If he ever moves up I'm going to have him teach me to cook. =)
There is nothing more enjoyable then a fun and happy family gathering where everyone is just chilling and having a good time. =)
The Lord has been gracious.
I spent most of the afternoon cleaning out our vans... which were very dirty (but you didn't need to know that), and I felt very productive. For dinner we invited Dan, Jacqui & Brad and Jed, Kendra & Meadow over for a little birthday party for Kendra a day late.
So we were all visiting, the boys were flying a kite and everyone was sitting on the deck enjoying the evening. The view from our deck is awesome... you can see the whole little valley to the East of us... and the beautiful hills, fields and trees to the North. Everything is so green and fresh.
For dinner Jacqui made the delicious marinated chicken... the best we'd all ever had. And we had Spanish rice, and cucumber salad as well.
Here is a rough recipe for Jacqui's Chicken:
1) small bottle of Worcestershire sauce
2) Lemon Juice (small bottle)
3) Orange Juice (small drink size bottle)
4) Red Pepper Flakes
5) 1 fresh garlic cloves
6) 2 onions (any kind)
7) Chicken parts of your choice
8) garlic powder
Doesn't it just make your mouth water? lol
My Grandpa Row is up to visit from Ohio and he's a professional chef so he was helping out in the kitchen. If he ever moves up I'm going to have him teach me to cook. =)
There is nothing more enjoyable then a fun and happy family gathering where everyone is just chilling and having a good time. =)
The Lord has been gracious.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Ecclesiastes 11
These two verses are really cool. Just thought I'd share them. =)
Ecclesiastes...
11:5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
11:7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:
Monday, June 15, 2009
The Reality of Life
I read other blogs by people who are older than me, and I realize that I must be right at the turning point in my life where all of childhood becomes memories and no longer where I am. I no longer enjoy the silly games, and mindless carefree thoughts that I used to think. It feels like it has all fallen off a cliff and now I am faced with adulthood. I am glad I have had good training because it is easy to see why some people stay immature all their lives and always try to seem younger then they really are. It's a hard transition to make... letting go of the mentality that life is like a box of chocolates. Who would want to embrace the wonderful stresses of life? There must be some sunny viewpoint though... It can't all be gloomy can it? No it can't. I shall just keep breathing, and keep trying. When life gets hard I just have to remember that's why it is all for the Glory of God. Otherwise there would be no reason to live at all.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Blustery Days
It's a beautiful Sunday morning... well not really, but it is a Sunday morning. It's actually cold and windy... but that's just fine. Sometimes cold blustery days are nice. It is a good excuse to make some fresh hot chocolate and snuggle in a blanket on the couch and watch a movie. =) Ahhh...
Or even better have some friends or family over and everyone is crowded in a small living room (or the kitchen even) talking and joking around about good times we've all had.
So I guess rainy, blustery days are not so bad after all.
Or even better have some friends or family over and everyone is crowded in a small living room (or the kitchen even) talking and joking around about good times we've all had.
So I guess rainy, blustery days are not so bad after all.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
The Hallway of Choices
The things you have are not what's bothering you. It's the things you don't have. You think about everything you do, every little activity, and how no matter how hard you try you won't be able to get beyond them. You feel trapped like you're walking down a hall with many doors on either side, but somebody has walked ahead of you and locked many of them.
You've been born into this bubble and only a few people are ever able to burst out of it.
So you have two choices... spend your days adjusting and excepting the world you live in, or staying up to into the late hours creating yourself a key to what you don't have in your situation.
Both could be good choices but they hold completely different scenes.
There you have it then. Simple as that but difficult to achieve either goal and you never wil be truly satisfied until you accomplish one of them.
You've been born into this bubble and only a few people are ever able to burst out of it.
So you have two choices... spend your days adjusting and excepting the world you live in, or staying up to into the late hours creating yourself a key to what you don't have in your situation.
Both could be good choices but they hold completely different scenes.
There you have it then. Simple as that but difficult to achieve either goal and you never wil be truly satisfied until you accomplish one of them.
Pity
Pity is a strange feeling. It is so misleading. It whispers in one ear that you are sad and unfortunate. "Oh poor you!" While in the other it squeals, "What fun drama this is! Life would be so boring without some dashing man to cry about or to work at gaining with your charms."
Strange indeed! Pity is a clenching trap that is quite underestimated. The only guard against the like is a head on strait. Don't let the sweeping emotions blow you down, but rather brace yourself against them like a firmly rooted tree in the wind.
Strange indeed! Pity is a clenching trap that is quite underestimated. The only guard against the like is a head on strait. Don't let the sweeping emotions blow you down, but rather brace yourself against them like a firmly rooted tree in the wind.
His Dark Eyes
Oh the sweet face with dark eyes. Like the map to the soul, so beguiling! What hides beneath that polite smile?
Oh misery and all it's friends; the long dark nights of crying yourself to sleep. Tears washing away the dreadful lust. For it is lust to want the happy fortune of an imaginary bond.
He does not love you. His eyes flicker over you, dead, lighting upon the small creature you should not envy. Oh how mislead were you. Yes it was his fault but more-so you yourself are to blame for creating him to be all that he was not.
You shall have your cry. Painful and tight the grip of hope on your heart and lungs, that steals your breath when his presence you feel. Poor unfortunate soul. But after a short while you will wake up and feel alone again like a fresh moist air after a quickening summer rain.
All seasons fade away, but it is your choice to keep on loving. Your choice alone.
Don't follow your heart for it knows nothing! It is only designed to make a decision based upon what you tell it. Following it will take you in a dizzying circle, without pity, waiting for you to snap out of it!
Return not into the keep of his eyes.
They are his stronghold, only to be let down by passionate feeling. Let him play about with the keys and fumble with the gate, but return not you to his stair. Don't fool yourself into thinking that is the kind of security you would want. And you are young. There are many more amiable men with much better respect for your goodness. Raise your expectations for yourself and you might be surprised!
Oh misery and all it's friends; the long dark nights of crying yourself to sleep. Tears washing away the dreadful lust. For it is lust to want the happy fortune of an imaginary bond.
He does not love you. His eyes flicker over you, dead, lighting upon the small creature you should not envy. Oh how mislead were you. Yes it was his fault but more-so you yourself are to blame for creating him to be all that he was not.
You shall have your cry. Painful and tight the grip of hope on your heart and lungs, that steals your breath when his presence you feel. Poor unfortunate soul. But after a short while you will wake up and feel alone again like a fresh moist air after a quickening summer rain.
All seasons fade away, but it is your choice to keep on loving. Your choice alone.
Don't follow your heart for it knows nothing! It is only designed to make a decision based upon what you tell it. Following it will take you in a dizzying circle, without pity, waiting for you to snap out of it!
Return not into the keep of his eyes.
They are his stronghold, only to be let down by passionate feeling. Let him play about with the keys and fumble with the gate, but return not you to his stair. Don't fool yourself into thinking that is the kind of security you would want. And you are young. There are many more amiable men with much better respect for your goodness. Raise your expectations for yourself and you might be surprised!
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