Guess What!

I am in the process of creating my own social network website! It has a forum, and a blog, and chat (private and group), and events, and groups, and everything! It's not ready yet, but I'll let you know when it is. :)

Hark The Herald Angels Sing

The lyrics to this song are powerful, reminding us during this special season that Jesus was not just a baby in a manger, but also our mighty Savior and King, born to be our sacrifice. Merry Christmas to all!

Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With the angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem.
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King.



Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of the Virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail the incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with man to dwell;
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the King of Kings.


Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace.
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings,
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the King of Kings.



Come, Desire of nations come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the Woman's conquering Seed,
Bruise in us the Serpent's head.
Adam's likeness now efface:
Stamp Thine image in its place;
Second Adam, from above,
Reinstate us in thy love.
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the King of Kings.

Our Christmas Tree!

Decorated it all by me self!

Adventures In Crazyland

Yet another crazy event in my life… Today at church, the heater wasn’t working. At all. It was so cold in the sanctuary; we could all see our breath. Boy did I pick a good day to wear short sleeves and no sweater! Our class had Sunday school in the nursery. Then, would you believe it; the fellowship hall was pretty warm, so normally we would have just had service in there, but on this particular day, we had a guest family in, and they were the ones who first established the missionary program a long time ago, and they hadn’t been here since and such, so of course we had to have service in the sanctuary for old-time’s sake and what-not. During the beginning of the service, I tried to cover myself up with my baby brother’s blanket, while keeping him covered too, but that didn’t work. (Then he was fussing, so I had to give him back to my mom, anyway.) S-s-so c-c-cold! The ironic thing is that our guest family were missionaries to Alaska!

Comfort In Sadness

When your heart is broken, and you’re all alone, isn’t it great to know that there is Someone who always loves us? When you’re going through the biggest trial you’ve ever been through, isn’t it wonderful to know that we have a Father who already knows what’s going to happen, and is able, willing, and waiting to take your hand and guide you safely through it? I sure am glad; especially since I am going through one of the most serious things I’ve ever been through, right now. (That is why I have been gone for so long.) I hope you will all pray very hard for Zeruda and her family, and also for me and my family.

Where Has Everyone Gone?

I need to know that all you folks have seen these posts before I post more stuff, so please comment! ;)

Abraham Lincoln Speech

Farewell Address at Springfield, Illinois, February 11, 1861

My Friends: No one, not in my situation, can appreciate my feelings of sadness at my parting. To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything. Here I have lived a quarter of a century, and have passed from a young to an old man. Here my children have been born, and one buried. I now leave, not knowing when or whether ever I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon George Washington. Without the assistance of that Divine Being who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance, I cannot fail. Trusting in Him who can go with me, and remain with you, and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell.

Count The Cost

Is my life more dear to me,
Than what He would have me be?
Would I gladly lay aside each dream I hold?
Would I count my gain as loss,
And take up my given cross,
Am I willing to be spent for Christ my Lord?

Count the cost of one soul lost,
Without hope, and without God;
Death forever in a lake of flaming fire.
What’s the worth of this old world,
When compared to one lost soul?
There’s a reason to count the cost.

It may cost me suffering
In the service of my King,
It may be a lonely path I have to trod.
But to deeply know my Lord
Will be my great reward,
I am willing to be spent;
I’ve counted the cost.

This song is a question I constantly have to ask myself… What’s more important to me? Living my life in comfort, or making sacrifices for the sake of the gospel? For people who have never surrendered, it would seem like the worst thing in the world; giving up everything. And I felt exactly the same way. But I am here to tell you, never in my life have I felt such overwhelming joy and peace, as the times I surrendered to God, and told Him that I was truly willing to give up everything for Him, if it was His will, and accepted the trials I was going through. Strange as it may sound, (especially to me,) I actually found myself thinking afterward, “What more can I give up? I want to surrender even more!” It’s amazing. God is amazing.

Great Story

AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING HYMNS, THE CHURCH'S PASTOR SLOWLY STOOD UP,
WALKED OVER TO THE PULPIT AND, BEFORE HE GAVE HIS SERMON FOR THE EVENING, HE BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A GUEST MINISTER WHO WAS IN THE SERVICE THAT EVENING.
IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR TOLD THE CONGREGATION THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS ONE OF HIS DEAREST CHILDHOOD FRIENDS, AND THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS TO GREET THE CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER HE FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE.
WITH THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE PULPIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK.

'A FATHER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND OF HIS SON WERE SAILING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST,' HE BEGAN, 'WHEN A FAST APPROACHING STORM BLOCKED ANY ATTEMPT TO GET BACK TO THE SHORE. THE WAVES WERE SO HIGH, THAT EVEN THOUGH THE FATHER WAS AN EXPERIENCED SAILOR, HE COULD NOT KEEP THE BOAT UPRIGHT AND THE THREE WERE SWEPT INTO THE OCEAN AS THE BOAT CAPSIZED…'

THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT, MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH TWO TEENAGERS WHO WERE, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SERVICE BEGAN, LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY. THE AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY,

'GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY HE WOULD THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE.
HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE DECISION. THE FATHER KNEW THAT HIS SON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND HE, ALSO, KNEW THAT HIS SON'S FRIEND WAS NOT. THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY THE TORRENT OF WAVES.
AS THE FATHER YELLED OUT, 'I LOVE YOU, SON!' HE THREW OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON'S FRIEND. BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK TO THE CAPSIZED BOAT, HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED BENEATH THE RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT. HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED.

BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP STRAIGHT IN THE PEW, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE OLD MINISTER'S MOUTH.

'THE FATHER,' HE CONTINUED, 'KNEW HIS SON WOULD STEP INTO ETERNITY WITH JESUS AND HE COULD NOT BEAR THE THOUGHT OF HIS SON'S FRIEND STEPPING INTO AN ETERNITY WITHOUT JESUS, THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED HIS SON TO SAVE THE SON'S FRIEND. '
HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE OF GOD THAT HE SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR US. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WE COULD BE SAVED. I URGE YOU TO ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU AND TAKE A HOLD OF THE LIFE LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS SERVICE.'

WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN HIS CHAIR AS SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM. THE PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PULPIT AND DELIVERED A BRIEF SERMON WITH AN INVITATION AT THE END. HOWEVER, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL.

WITHIN MINUTES AFTER THE SERVICE ENDED, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE AT THE OLD MAN'S SIDE.
'THAT WAS A NICE STORY,' POLITELY STATED ONE OF
THEM,' BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A FATHER TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY SON'S LIFE IN HOPES THAT THE OTHER BOY WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN.'

'WELL, YOU'VE GOT A POINT THERE,' THE OLD MAN REPLIED, GLANCING DOWN AT HIS WORN BIBLE.
A BIG SMILE BROADENED HIS NARROW FACE. HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED UP AT THE BOYS AND SAID,
'IT SURE ISN'T VERY REALISTIC, IS IT? BUT, I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY GIVES ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD TO GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME. YOU SEE...

I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON'S FRIEND.

Curious Thoughts

The other day I watched a movie that was cool and really weird, and it perked the wild part of my imagination, and made me think more strange thoughts like… how do you know that what you see is really what is there? How do you know that the world you live in isn’t really a mirage? What if there are other worlds? My favorite one is, what if you did things, or something happened to you, but you don’t remember because someone erased your memory of it? I mean really, what if someone told you that last week you went on a secret mission to save the world? Can you prove that the statement is false? What if we have superpowers, but we just don’t know how to use them? How do you know you exist? And how do I know half my friends aren’t robot-spies? LOL Ridiculous and pointless questions, I know; but they are fun to think about. For me, anyway. ;)

A Child's Heart, page 13

That afternoon, the trio set out on a long two-day journey to the next town, where Justace knew a preacher who had been a doctor. After asking a few townsfolk for directions, they soon found the little brick parsonage where he and his wife lived. Justace rapped sharply on the door, and soon, a kind middle-aged woman appeared in the doorway and invited them in. “Peter, there are some children here to see you.” She called to her husband, who was reading in the small study. The tall, well-dressed man came in and introduced himself. “And who might you three charming youngsters be?” He asked cheerfully. “I’m Rylen, and this here is Wendol.” Rylen said as she repositioned the tired little boy on her shoulder. “And I’m Justace. We met a few years ago.” “Ah yes, Justace! I do remember you, son.” He exclaimed. He sat down in the large easy chair and motioned for them to have a seat. “Now tell me, are you kids here on business, or did you just come to visit your old pal?” Peter asked them. “Actually Sir, we’ve come to you hoping that you’ll be able to help our sick friend here.” Justace told him. “Oh! Oh I see. Well, let’s have a look at the little chap.” He said as Rylen handed Wendol to him. The preacher did a basic check up on Wendol as Rylen and Justace told him what had happened. “Hmm… it looks like this is a case of mental trauma.” He told them. “I can give him some medicine to treat the symptoms, but we’re going to have to leave the rest of the healing up to the Great Physician.” He gave them a few words of advice and a bottle of medicine, and they went on their way. Over the next few days, they prayed their hardest for Wendol, and soon he began to show signs of improvement. Justace began to go hunting early in the morning before Wendol woke up. “Today we should draw some pictures to brighten up the room a bit.” Rylen told Wendol one afternoon. She put a pile of advertisement fliers in front of him and dug a pencil stub out of her dress pocket. “All I have is a pencil, but maybe later Justace can find something colorful for you to draw with.” Wendol nonchalantly took the little pencil and began to draw on the back of the papers. “That’s very nice, Wendol. Who is it?” Rylen asked him. “It’s Justace.” He said. She smiled and asked, “Do you want me to write his name below?” Wendol nodded, and Rylen took the pencil and wrote his name. “J-u-s-t-i-c-e… there!” She said cheerfully. Later, when Justace came in he noticed the pictures hanging on the wall right away. He examined each one carefully and complimented Wendol for doing a good job. When he came to the drawing of himself, he grinned. “It looks just like me! But Ry, my name is actually spelled Just-ace. He told Rylen. “Oh…” Rylen said as she took down the paper and fixed the name. “But say, how do you know how your name is spelled if you were so young when you were abandoned?” She asked curiously as she hung the picture back on the wall. “Well; you see, in the front of my Bible it says, ‘To Justace from Dad & Mom with love’…” He got the little Bible out and showed them. “I’ve carried this around in my pocket for years. My parents must have given it to me when I was very young.”

Cherry Blossoms

A Child's Heart, page 12

“All right, Wend. Let’s go on back so we can get this feller cooked.” Justace said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving!” And with that he began to tromp off. But soon he realized that Wendol wasn’t following him. “C’mon Wendol, it’s time to go home.” He called. Wendol didn’t reply. Justace walked back over to him. “Hey buddy, is everything okay?” He asked concernedly. But the youngster remained unresponsive, and continued staring off into the distance. “Wendol, talk to me.” He ordered. When Wendol still seemed to be very distant, Justace began to get worried. “Are you sick or something, little guy?” He asked as he picked Wendol up. “We’d better get you back to the barn.” So Justace carried him all the way back, silently praying the whole way that Wendol would be all right. As soon as Rylen saw Justace returning with the little boy in his arms instead of the rifle and some fresh game, she knew something was wrong. “Oh no, what happened?” She asked, running to them. “I don’t know, but we should get him inside.” He said. Justace carefully lay Wendol on his cot “Justace, he’s shaking…” Rylen said with surprise. “That can’t be good.” Justace said. “Do you think he’s cold? Get the blankets.” Rylen handed Justace the only two thin blankets they had, and he gently wrapped Wendol with them and tucked him in. “You should get some rest, okay pal? Let us know if you need anything.” He told Wendol. Wendol gave no response, but drifted off to sleep after awhile. While he slept, Rylen went out and fetched the rabbit and then cooked it up, and Justace did his best to tidy up the place. But it wasn’t long before Wendol began to moan and toss and turn in his sleep. Rylen gently shook him. “He must be having a bad dream.” She said. “Wendol, wake up.” Wendol sat up with a start and jumped out of bed. “No!” He screamed as tears ran down his face. “No, no, noooo!” Rylen was taken aback. “Wendol, I’m sorry, I just-” Wendol continued screaming and ran the other way. At that moment, Justace ran in from outside. “I heard screaming, what-” But Wendol darted out the door before he could finish. Rylen and Justace ran after him, and found him not far from the barn. When they reached him, they saw that his eyes were dilated, and he was still shaking violently. Beads of sweat dripped down his face, and he swayed unsteadily as he stood. Justace’s face was grim as he turned to Rylen. “This is more serious than I thought. We’re going to have to get help.”

Side Note On A Child's Heart

I didn't really want the date to be an important element in this story, and although there are a few things (such as the indication of a bus in page 4) I've pretty much written it so that the year doesn't matter a whole lot. Letting the reader use their imagination, you could say. But I may need to make a specific time line know somewhere down the line in this story, and some of you may have been wondering when it takes place. Soo, in that case, let me just say I think this story fits nicely in the late 1940’s. For now.

Bible Verses Of The Week

"For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his sheep in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day." Ezekiel 34:11-12

You Gotta Love Them Employees!

Here’s another hilarious TRUE story told by my sister. One day when she and my mom were at Staples, there was this guy named Dwain who worked there who was acting all depressed and bored. Another employee named John walks up to him and says, “I see you’re all down in the dumps, Dwainy boy. Go dump the garbage for me.” He said as he handed him a trashcan. “Here ya go, dumpy boy.” So Dwain walks out to the dumpster and throws out the garbage, trashcan and all! He walks back in and John says, “Since you’re so familiar with garbage, go throw out this can for me.” And he gave Dwain a coke can. So he throws it away, and when he comes back, John looks out at the dumpster and exclaims, “You threw out the whole trashcan?! You can go get it later, but just make sure you do it before the trash truck comes.” Then he walks away. My mom and sister left the store, but a little while after, my mom realized she forgot to get something there, so they went back to Staples, and Dwain was on his cell phone. This is the summary of how the phone conversation went; the story my sis heard Dwain telling his friend: He was really depressed, and then the Assistant Manager walks up to him. Dwain knew he was behind him, but he didn’t want him to know. So he acted all happy, and said to his customer in an overly-enthusiastic voice, “How may I help you? I’ll do anything for you, Ma’am.” The old lady says to him, “I just need you to check this out.” So he checked her item out really quick and she left. Then he turns around and says to the Assistant Manager, “I did not know you were behind me! It is such a surprise. Do you need anything, sir?” The Assistant Manager replies, “Two water bottles.” “Chip-chip!” Says Dwain happily. “Sure, I’ll take a bag of chips.” Says the Assistant Manager. “Chip-chip!” Says Dwain again. “I don’t need any more chips, thank you.” Assistant Manager says. “Chip-chip!” Says Dwain. “I DON’T.NEED.ANY.MORE.CHIPS!” Exclaims The Assistant Manager. “Tally-ho!” Says Dwain. “Oh yes, do all things on this list for me.” He says to Dwain as he hands him a list. So Dwain does all the things, then he finally remembers that he was supposed to get the trashcan out of the dumpster. But as he looked out the back window, he saw the garbage truck driving away! But just then he happened to spot a pickup truck driving away that had a trashcan in the back that said, “Staples” on it. “Oh no…” Dwain said. So he ran out to the parking lot, got in his truck, and started the engine, then turned his music up really loud and honked his horn. After he drives around like crazy, he stops his truck and walks up to the truck driver’s window. The driver rolls down his window… and it was the Manager!!! He says annoyedly to Dwain, “I’m taking the trashcan to be shined, Dwain! Now get back to work!” Dwain says to himself, “I see this is going to be another depressing 3hours of work.” I don’t know if what Dwain said was true, but it sure is funny!

The Bill Of Rights

Amendment 2

RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

A Child's Heart, page 11

A few days later, the children discovered a well nearby, hidden by large bushes. That made things much easier for them, since before they had to lug their water all the way from the creek that was deep in the woods, and then boil it to make it safe for drinking. And Justace began giving Rylen and Wendol violin lessons. Even though Wendol was rather young, and Rylen wasn’t really the musical type, he knew they could both learn. During the rest of the week, time crept by at a calm pace; and things seemed to be going quite well. Then one day…“Good mornin’ Rylen, Wendol.” Said Justace. “Did you all sleep well?” “Good morning, Justace.” Wendol said. “I already did my chores, and now I’m hungry!” “So am I. What’s for breakfast?” Justace asked Rylen. “Yer gonna have to go catch some. There’s no food left here.” She told him. “Okay. Say, Wendol… you ever been hunting?” He asked. Wendol shook his head. “Well, how about you come with me.” “All right Justace.” Wendol said. So Justace grabbed his rifle and headed off to the woods with the little boy close behind him. “Now remember, you have to be very, very quiet.” Justace whispered to him. Wendol nodded. They tiptoed through the trees for a bit, and before long, they spotted a rabbit. Justace carefully aimed the gun and pulled the trigger. “Yes!” Justace exclaimed happily as he ran to fetch the lifeless animal. “Got ‘im on my first try.” Wendol however, was shaken by the loud bang of the rifle. He suddenly had a flashback of what had just happened, and then his subconscious memory replayed the terrible scene of his mother getting shot as she tried to protect him. Over and over, he saw in his mind the evil old man pointing his revolver at him, and his mother screaming as she dove in between him and the man. Like a horrific nightmare, he relived the moment when he first realized his mother had been killed. These memories had been long forgotten by Wendol, because he was so young at the time; but the shock of hearing a gunshot again brought it all back to him.

The Bill Of Rights

Amendment 1

FREEDOM OF RELIGION, SPEECH, AND THE PRESS; RIGHTS OF ASSEMBLY AND PETITION.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

A Child's Heart, page 10

First of all, I am sooo sorry it took forever and ever to write another page of this... since it was summer, and I was totally stuck (for some reason it's easier for me to write about actionish stuff than normal stuff) I kinda took a break and never got around to completely finishing this page. (I'm absolutely pathetic, I know.) I would like to note that all the story pages I have posted, and all the ones I will continue to post, are the first drafts. There are definitely some changes that will be made in the end. But until then, I hope you will enjoy my feeble efforts at writing this little tale. :)



With all the stress and excitement of the past few days, the children enjoyed a refreshingly calm day. They spent most of the day outside exploring. Wendol busied himself with making a collection of pretty rocks and Rylen sat and drew in the dirt with a stick. She was just putting the finishing touches on her stick people, when suddenly, something small and green came flying out of nowhere and landed on her lap. She shrieked and jumped up in surprise. Justace, who had been sitting beside her, burst out laughing. “It’s only a frog!” He informed her. Rylen joined in his laughter. “That varmint just about plum scared the livin’ daylights outta me!” Wendol came running. “A frog? Where? I want to catch it!” He exclaimed. The frog, however, didn’t fancy this idea, and quickly hopped away. It was quite amusing to watch Wendol running and tripping along after it. “Wait up, Wendol!” Rylen called as she ran after him to help catch the speedy little frog. “I have a family at last.” Justace thought to himself. “…And what a wonderful family it is.” A smile spread across his face as he ran to join in on the chase. After running for a while though, he became puzzled. Rylen and Wendol were nowhere to be found. “Hello? Guys?” He called. “Where are you?” No reply. He searched just about every place he could think of, but still couldn’t find them. He was just about ready to give up, when he heard muffled giggling from above. He quickly looked up towards the direction of the sound, and there, sitting atop a large tree branch were Rylen and Wendol. “How’s it goin’ down there, Just?” Rylen called. “We were hiding from you!” Wendol said happily. Justace chuckled. “I can see that.” He said. “How did you get up there?” “Wylen helped me.” Wendol replied. “Come sit up here with us!” “Okay, here I come!” Justace said. But try as he might, he just couldn’t make it up the tree. Rylen burst out laughing. “I finally found something I can do that you can’t!” She said amusedly. Justace just smiled and shook his head.

Explanation

You may be wondering why I'm always raving about something or another in this blog... expressing my anger about various things. Well, last night at a teen rally I went to, the preacher said some things that explain it very well. When David heard Goliath mocking God, he was like, "Am I the only one hearing this? Did you hear what he just said?! Is there not a cause?" When we hear something wrong, we need to take a stand, even if no one else is. You know the saying... if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.

The Best Feeling Ever!

As most of you know, there is a boy who I call my older brother, that my parents were going to adopt years ago. Well, the other day I found out that he is saved! I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY TO HEAR THAT!!! I consider him my family, ya know? It would have been a terrible thing for me if he would have died unsaved. I had been hoping and praying with all my heart that he was saved. And now ahh, the joy that is in my heart knowing I'll get to spend eternity with him! I can't imagine a happier moment.

Ultimate Happiness

I was just thinking of a song I wrote a few years back. It's just a short imperfect little song, but God; who gave me the song, inspires me with this thought. Here's the first verse and chorus: "There's a man in a country far, far away; and he wonders if he'll even get a meal today. You may think he is the saddest man there could ever be, but he'll tell you, "Jesus Christ is all I'll ever need." Jesus satisfies my longing, how could I ask for more? I am just so thankful I'm the one whom He died for! Praise His name, praise His name." Like my dad was saying last night, it seems that a lot of times poor people (especially in other countries) that literally have nothing are among the nicest, most giving people in the world. While very rich people can be very stingy. I ask myself why. That is totally the opposite of what it should be, and it's just plain illogical. I heard a missionary story of a family that saved up for... a month or so, I think, just so they could give the missionary one meal. It's humbling, really. But to be honest, even after puzzling over this for a long time, I cannot figure out why this is how it is.

Contradiction

Do you ever feel a certain way and don't know why? I had been wondering why I enjoyed being around this one guy I very strongly dislike. I think I have just figured out the reason. It is because I love a good debate and challenging conversation, and sometimes it's nice to hear the other side of things and be with the other type people who believe oppositely for contrast and amusement. Maybe I'll be a lawyer when I grow up or something, I don't know. Yah I'm strange. But it teaches me a lot. (BTW, the main reason I don't like him is because he's always harshly putting innocent people down.) And a friend of mine has decided not to believe something ONLY because they love arguing about it with me. LOL (That really is what the person said to me!)

Bible Verses Of The Week

This whole chapter is good, so we will probably do more from it.

"For truly my words shall not be false: He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee. Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: He is mighty in strength and wisdom. He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor." Job 36:4-6

True Beauty

It is high time for the world to stop judging people based on how they look. What matters is what's inside. I think a person is only truly beautiful if their face bears a genuine smile and on their face is plainly a glow of happiness. A lady is only beautiful if she has an air of politeness and humbleness about her. Attitude is everything. I mean really... if someone is a jerk, who cares if they have great hair or they are skinny or whatever? No one should want to be like them. I have a friend who is kind of cute, but not gorgeous, but people have said she is the prettiest person they know, because she has got to be just about the nicest girl on the planet. They are absolutely right. I heard about a reality show where there were all these models and they thought they were being judged on appearance, but what they didn't know is that they were really being judged on personality. I hear they didn't do well at all. And I saw a commercial that was about a true story where a high school or something had a beauty contest and there was this girl who had Down's Syndrome, and as you know people that have that look kind of different, but she was the winner of the contest! Do you know how happy that made me? The joy I had after seeing that? That is how we ALL need to be!

Bird-Brain

I just wanted to say that last night when I went out to close the door of the chicken coop, I discovered that one of the chickens had gotten a whole strip of fly paper stuck to her. LOL Poor crazy cheekun!

Superpowers?

Does cool and strange stuff ever happen that you can't explain? Like, thinking something is going to happen totally randomly, and then it does happen? Or just knowing someone is going to say something in particular, but you don't know why. Some people can tell what a person is really like just by looking at them. And me? Well, for whatever reason, when I'm not at church (or if I am at church but in a different room) the service doesn't go very well and everyone is all crazy and wrong. It's really weird. These are just a few of the things. Now, everyone knows superheros aren't real, but the only explanation for these strange things is superpowers. But I'm okay with that. ;D

Bible Verses Of The Week

This is something I've always wanted to do, and should have done a long time ago. All verses will be KJV. I'm going to try to find verses that are a little uncommon, if I can. This week's verses are Psalm 103:15-17

"As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children."

The Unknown

Do you ever think of strange philosophical things like: How do you know everyone sees colors the same way you do? What if, to someone else, yellow looks like what you would call light blue? Like, people know the names of each color they see because they were taught that way, but they could look up at the sky and call it blue, and you could look up at that same sky and call it blue, and the two of you could actually be seeing a totally different color, and no one would ever know it. And what is beyond outer space? Let's say you had a space ship that could keep traveling forever and you could live forever. If you just kept going in the same direction, where would you end up years later? Is there an end somewhere, or does it just keep going? Both are hard for me to comprehend. So then, what shape is outer space? I suppose it would have a shape if it ended, but have no shape if it never ended. If it ends, I wonder what is on the other side? If not, what is the purpose of all that space? I am assuming there is an equal distance of space above every part of the earth. And where exactly is heaven? Is it in our outer space just beyond human reach? Or is it some other unknown universe that you have to poof away to? (Like Star Trek and Fairly Odd Parents.) Somewhere that doesn't structurally exist. Like, what if it is like an invisible spirit? It's not really there, and neither is the place it is in, and yet we are there living in it? Such wonder-filled ponderings. See, I told you I was insane. ;)

Little Adventures

I am thankful for the bits of excitement that happens here and there. It keeps life entertaining. Today on the way home from church, this family was by the side of the road waving. Their car broke down. It was a couple and their two grandsons about ages 6-10 or so. We somehow managed to stuff 9 people into a 7 (might as well be 6 unless you're talking tiny people.) passenger van. Luckily, they lived pretty close by. Now, two nice but bored little boys sitting in front of you while a child's Chick tract rests anxiously in your purse is a situation just begging for witnessing. So I gave the tract to the kids. God couldn't have made it any easier. He is wonderful. And also, the lady has horses and was enthusiastically inviting me to come ride sometime. :)

Seeing Things With A Dramatic Eye

Ahh, money. And finding something worthy of spending it on. Perhaps a cool camera/video cam combo? Maybe that lovely suit and hats I saw while shopping, all perfect for a spy uniform? I didn’t know. “I’ve got a good idea.” Says my mom. “Tell me!” I beg. “I have to ask your dad first.” She replies. “Hmph.” I mumble. A few minutes later… “Your mom has told me.” Announces my dad. “I know you’ll like it; it’s perfect.” “Suuure.” I said skeptically. “I KNOW it is.” He insisted. “It is a… boy Chihuahua!” Excitedly I agreed that this indeed was the most perfect thing there could ever be. And it is, of course; MOST worthy of being bought with all of my dear little bit of cash. So frankly, I am enthusiastically excited.

Happy Birthday To Me!

Well, it's happened... I've turned 16, never to be 15 again. Ever. Whether I was ready or not, it has happened. I feel like I'm going through mid-life crisis or something. Haha, I'm being dramatic. My birthday party was fun. Thanks to all of you who came! I got to watch fireworks at night while we swam in the pool and the first day there was that awesome storm we watched, and putting purple and green stripes in our hair was the coolest. (I have green in right now because tonight is a party with my family.) Oh, and flubber! Home-made flubber was sooooo cool. (If anyone wants to know how to make it, ask.) Oooh, and sleeping outside in a tent ON the trampoline; great except it was cold and I kept rolling off my pillow, LOL. Last but not least, it was really funny when all of the sudden (right after we'd been talking about scary things, of course!) there was a huge crash in the dark, in the corner of my room. We all screamed, and most of us ran away, till we realized it was only my plastic horses that had fallen off the dresser. ROFL. Good times.

Sweet 16

Why is it called that? I never really understood why everyone thinks turning 16 is more special than all the other years. Surely it doesn't have anything to do with driving... Well, anyway, I'm about to turn 16. Maybe it will end up being a very special and wonderful year. I hope so. But at the same time, I'm not sure if I'm ready. It seems like I haven't been 15 for long enough. There is more I should have done and learned. I'm growing up way too fast! You know, I always used to look at teens older than me and think, "Wow, they're so grown up... and boring. They're just like adults." and now that I'm getting older... well, that is what I'm turning into. It's kind of hard for me to understand. Obviously my interests have changed, but younger me would have definitely called it "getting brainwashed". Sometimes I wonder if younger me was right? Like, how would I know? But I know I'm much smarter and cooler now, so I guess I don't mind either way. :) Haha. Just randomness.

Ideas Please

Hello my fellow bloggers. I am in need of ideas and things for my story. Please help me. Tell me what you WANT to happen next, and also what you EXPECT will happen next. Unlike Zeruda, I don't really know what I'm doing... this is really the first story I've written. Thanks. :)

A Child's Heart, page 9

When it came time for breakfast the next morning, Rylen announced that there was barely enough food left for all of them. “What are we going to eat, Justace?” She asked a bit worriedly. “Hmmmmm…” Justace thought for a moment, and then told her, “I think I’ll go up to the house and look around a bit.” “But Justace… there ain’t gonna be any food there!” She said. “It would be spoiled.” Added Wendol. Justace just winked at them and headed towards the house. A bit later, he returned with a rifle. “Look what I found.” He said grinning. “Ever had rabbit?” That day they ate heartily and were extra thankful for their meal when they asked the blessing. When all the chores were done, Rylen had a surprise for them. “I was fixin’ the straw in my room last night, when I came across this…” She pulled over a wooden box and gently lifted the lid, revealing a beautiful old violin. “Tom’s fiddle! You found it!” Justace said excitedly. “I can’t believe it. I remember he used to sit up there and play it.” He carefully took the instrument from Rylen and began tuning it. Rylen glared jokingly at him, pretending to be mad. “Lemme guess…” She said. “You play.” Justace laughed. “Actually…” He replied sheepishly “He taught me how.” Wendol clapped happily. Justace placed the fiddle under his chin and played a lovely little song. Rylen shook her head in disbelief. “Amazing.” She said. That evening, they all said their prayers together. “… And please help me find out what happened to my parents, if it’s Your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” As Rylen started to pray for her father, tears began to run down her face. Wendol took her hand and Justace put his arm around her. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. “I’m sorry.” She said sniffing. “It’s okay.” Justace told her. “You just want your dad to get saved. We all do.” “I know he can be saved, but… it just seems so impossible right now.” “Then you can be glad we have a Savior who can do the impossible.” He said softly. “I won’t stop praying for him.” He reassured her. “I won’t either, Wylen.” Wendol said smiling. Rylen wiped her eyes and a little smile came across her face. “Thank you.” She whispered.

Deep Spiritual Thoughts

Last Sunday a missionary preached at our church. He said some very good things that made me think. Like, when Isaiah said “Here am I, send me,” he didn’t say, “Well, tell me more about it and I’ll see if I want to do it.” No; when he heard there was a task that needed to be done, he automatically volunteered without even knowing what for. He was in the presence of God. But aren’t we all? That is how all of us should be. And he said, “What if you walked into your room one day, and God was standing there?” Wow. Have you ever thought about what you would do, and what it would be like? And if He was planning on staying, are there things in your house you would hurry and put away that you wouldn’t want Him to see? Would you act different than you usually do? Why? He sees what we do anyhow. He sees what we have in our house all the time.

A Child's Heart, page 8

While they ate the fish they had brought from home, Rylen asked Justace, “How come your friend just disappeared like that?” Justace snorted and rolled his eyes. “There are lots of people I’d like to know what happened to. You just learn to live with it.” “Do you ever pray that you’ll find your parents?” Rylen asked him. Justace’s smile faded. “I used to…” He replied soberly. “But I guess I just gave up after awhile. Let’s face it; I’m never going to find them.” He went on sadly. “They’re probably dead, anyway.” The three ate the rest of their meal in silence. That night soon after Justace had climbed into bed, he heard the sound of little feet walking up to him. “What are you doing up, buddy?” He asked Wendol. “Justace, will you help me say my prayers tonight?” He asked sweetly. Justace smiled. “Sure.” The two quietly walked to Wendol’s cot and knelt down in front of it. “How do I start?” Wendol asked. “Dear Jesus…” Justace told him. Wendol closed his eyes and began, “Dear Jesus, thank you for giving us a new home, and food to eat, and beds to sleep in. Thank you for keeping us safe and healthy. Please bless Justace and Rylen and me, and Rylen’s daddy and the big boys who took my water pail. Make them get saved; oh please save their souls, Jesus. Help me be good and do what You want me to. Amen.” Justace was humbled by this little boy’s perfect faith in God. Wendol looked up and said, “Justace, aren’t you going to say your prayers?” “Um… y-yes.” Justace stammered as he quickly wiped a stray tear from his eye. “Dear Jesus…” He began nervously. “I… I’m sorry. I’m sorry I gave up hope. I guess I wasn’t trusting in You. It may not be Your will for me to find out anything about my parents… I don’t know. But I should never stop praying. Oh God, please forgive me. And Lord, thank you for all You’ve done. I really have so much to be thankful for. Please help me to always trust You and do Your will. In Your precious name, Amen.” That night Justace slept very peacefully. Now that he had left his burden in God’s hands, he had the assurance that it would be taken care of.

Spies and Deer

My sister was telling me about what she heard happened with 2 men in our church. We will call one Bro. J, the other Bro. T. (Most of you should know who they are.) These men were at work (they work at the same place; a power plant. They are both spies.) and it was lunch break time. They were outside. Bro. J had a really big cooler with water for all the people who worked there. Bro. T asked Bro. J to get him a bottle of water. When he opened the cooler, to his surprise, he found... a baby deer inside, licking the ice. At that moment, he happened to glance back, and saw another baby deer snooping in his open lunch box, eating his sandwich! (Sandwich bag and all.) Turning his attention back to the deer in the cooler, he didn't notice the other deer sneaking through the doors into the building. When he went inside the building, he found the deer chewing on a cord. He scared them away, and finally got Bro. T his water. LOL True story.

A Child's Heart, page 7

The next day, the three took a trip out to see Justace’s friend about the barn. After the long walk out of town, through the woods, and across fields, they finally arrived. “Well, here we are.” Justace said as an old barn sitting in a beautiful green meadow came into sight. “You two rest awhile; I’m going up to the house to ask about the barn.” Rylen and Wendol sat down on a nearby log and they all put what they were carrying down in the tall grass beside them. “Where is the house?” Asked Wendol, looking around. “I think it’s on the other side of this big field. I’ll be back in a bit.” And with that, Justace stared off. Rylen told Wendol stories and played hand games with him while they waited. When Justace arrived at the house, he knocked on the door and waited. There was no answer. He tried the handle and found that it wasn’t locked. He opened the door a crack and called, “Hello? Is anyone home?” Hearing no reply, he decided to walk in. He found himself standing in the kitchen. Dust and cobwebs were everywhere. Chairs were overturned, and the windows were broken. The sink faucet had rusted through. The rest of the house wasn’t much better. Except for a few cockroaches, the house appeared to be vacant. When Justace returned to the others, he told them what he had found. “No one has been living there for a long time.” He said. “I think we should still stay here though. This property is abandoned, so I don’t think anyone would mind.” “Are we still going to live in the barn?” Rylen asked. “Yes.” Replied Justace. “The barn is in much better shape, because it is newer. The roof on the house is about to collapse, so I wouldn’t feel safe living there at all. So, to the barn it is!” He said as he raced ahead. The others ran after him and helped him slide the big door open. They went inside and looked around the spacious barn, then started setting up house with they things they had brought from the shack. Rylen climbed up a ladder and discovered a hayloft. “Oh, I’m sleeping up here!” She called. Justace smiled. “It’s all yours.” He said. Later, when it was time for supper, Rylen and Wendol fetched three chairs from the house, while Justace made a table out of hay bales and a wooden board.

A Child's Heart, page 6

Rylen gasped and Wendol looked shocked. They both began to talk at once. Justace held up his hands for quiet and explained. “I have an old friend who owns a barn that he doesn’t use. It’s no mansion, but it would be a good, safe place for us.” When Monday morning came, Rylen awoke and found that the others were already up and out of the house. She got up wearily and made her bed. As she stepped outside, she could hear Justace singing. “…The bleeding sacrifice,” He sang out. “In my behalf appears…” “How can you sing at a time like this?!” Rylen blurted out as she approached him. Justace raised an eyebrow. “Why not sing at a time like this? God knows our needs. He will take care of us.” He replied. “He’s always been there for me, and I know this time will be no different.” Rylen said nothing. “…Before the throne my surety stands, before the throne my surety stands; my name is written on His hands.” Justace continued singing happily as she walked away. Late the next afternoon, the three sat quietly in the shack relaxing. “Wendol, would you go and fetch some water please?” Justace asked the little boy. “Yes, Justace.” Wendol said as he set down the scrap of paper he was drawing on. After a while Justace started to get a little worried. “I wonder what’s taking him so long…” he said to Rylen. A few seconds later, a tearful little face appeared in the doorway. Rylen jumped up from her seat with Justace close behind her. “Wendol, what’s the matter?” Justace asked with a concerned look. Rylen sat him on her lap as he told of his trouble. “When I was out getting water, some big boys came and stole my pail.” He sniffed. “They knocked me down and I scraped my elbow.” “Aww, let’s get you a bandage, poor thang.” Rylen said. Justace handed her a clean scrap of cloth. “Why are people so mean?” Wendol sniffed as Rylen gently wrapped his wound. Justace patted his back. “It’s probably because they don’t know Jesus.” He said softly. After putting Wendol to bed, Justace sat down to talk to Rylen. “Do you remember Romans 8: 28; the verse that says all things work together for our good?” He asked her. Rylen nodded. “Well, it goes right along with what is happening. Wendol got hurt by bullies… this town really isn’t very safe. Maybe this is why God is having us move.”

Right Now

I have absolutely no idea what to post (again) so I'm just going to tell you everything that is going on as I am writing. In the window, a fly and a spider are like, fighting. I am cheering for the spider. My hair is un-brushed and quite a mess, I'm sure. It's lunch time. But I'm not hungry because we had breakfast late. (Half of which was a candy necklace.) If there's nothing exciting to have for lunch, I shall eat cereal. Okay, that's all for now.

A Child's Heart, page 5

Rylen and Justace walked in with huge grins on their faces. “Wendol! Guess what!” Rylen knelt down as Wendol ran to her. “I got saved! And now I’d like to ask fer your fergiveness. I’m sorry for the way I acted. It wun’t right.” Wendol’s little face broke out in a happy smile. “Of course I forgive you, Wylen. I’m so glad you know Jesus now.” The next Sunday started out with Rylen waking the boys up. “Up and at ‘em, folks, time’s a wastin’!” Wendol sat up and rubbed his eyes sleepily. “What’s going on Wylen?” He mumbled. “Today is Sunday!” Rylen replied happily. Justace chuckled as he got up and grabbed his Bible. They all sang some songs, and then Justace read Romans 8. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” He said. “That’s one of my favorite verses, by the way.” When he was finished, he asked Rylen and Wendol if they had any questions. Wendol raised his little hand and waved it in the air. “Yes?” Asked Justace. “I want to be a preacher when I grow up.” Wendol said proudly. Rylen giggled, and Justace’s mouth twitched as he tried to hide a smile. Later that afternoon, the three went out for a walk. The weather was beautiful, and they had a great time talking and laughing. “Look at this flower!” Exclaimed Wendol. “What is it called?” Rylen was just about to answer, when suddenly, she froze, then quickly grabbed Wendol and took Justace’s hand as she ran to the nearest shop and ducked down behind a tall stack of boxes. As she pulled Justace down beside her, she motioned for them to keep quiet. Wendol and Justace exchanged puzzled glances. The three could hear some men talking nearby. Carefully peeking out from their hiding place, Justace could just see the gruff men’s faces. One of them was Rylen’s father! As he quickly ducked back, he realized why Rylen was acting so strange. “I heard there was some young’uns livin’ in the old fishin’ shack.” One of them said. “Well I’ll be sure an’ check it out.” Rylen’s father said. “Once I find that girl…” He grumbled. Justace glanced over at Rylen. Her eyes were wide with fear. As soon as the men left, they solemnly trudged back home. “Just when everything was going so well!” Rylen wailed. “What are we going to do now?” She asked Justace. He looked down for a moment before replying. “Well…” He began slowly. “It looks like we’re going to have to find somewhere else to live.”

Weird Things About Me

1. I like tucking the tips of my Chihuahua's ears inside so it looks like she's a terrier or something.

2. I talk to my little brother with a southern accent most of the time.

3. I find hot glue guns very entertaining.

4. I have a certain way in which I always eat ice cream sandwiches: lick the ice cream down around all the edges, then nibble off the chocolate part which is now sticking out, repeat the process twice more, then eat it normally.

5. I like drawing on my face with washable crayon.

6. I cut out pictures of little kids from magazines and pretend they are exactly what my future kids will look like.

7. I have something against tiny ceiling fans for no reason.

8. When people suddenly startle me, I slap them out of reflex.

Dream Land

Last night I found out that the night before, my sister had been sleep-walking. Dad told her that in the middle of the night, she came down stairs and kept telling him, "The beads go on the light. The beads are on the light. The beads go on the pony." LOL And she told me that she remembers dreaming that she said that to him, but that she sure didn't know she did in real life! How embarrassing. And one time, about a year ago, for some reason I was looking for her in the middle of the night, and I searched all through out the house, but couldn't find her. Guess where I finally found her? Underneath my brother's bed, asleep! I woke her and asked her what in the world she was doing there, and she said she didn't know. Then one time I woke to the sound of my brother loudly saying, "Mommy, where's my cupcake?!" in his sleep. LOL Then one Sunday morning, I was having a dream that we were all hillbilly pioneers, and my mom was talking to me out side of our wagon, and then all of the sudden, she told me to wake up. I (in my dream) said, "But I already am awake!" puzzledly, until I woke up and realized my mom was calling for me to wake up. Her saying that in real life got transferred to my dream world! Weird. I thought that only happened in movies! And recently, I was having a really, really creepy dream where I was in a haunted house, and the me in my dream said, "You know, this is just going to keep on getting scarier, so I might as well wake up now." And then I woke up! That is so strange! A character in my dream actually woke me up! Stuff like this doesn't happen often, but when it does, it always amazes me. On Star Trek they say space is the final frontier, but I'd say the human mind is!

If My Life Were A Song

If you could pick a song to describe your life, what would it be? Mine is definitely "He Is There". And I think that's Zeruda's song, too. So, here's how it goes:
"I hope that you will never have to go through all I have been through.
I hope that you will never have to know the pain of your heart breaking in two.
I, too, have been surrounded by the darkness, as I walked through the valley of despair; and as I crossed each stream of rushing sorrow, I realized I was in my Savior's care. And He is there in the midst of the darkness, He is there when you're down in a valley, and you feel like you're all alone, He is there. And He is there, oh just like He promised, He is there; I have found He is faithful, if you ever have to come this far, He is there." Best song ever! I've been through so much stuff that I didn't have to go through. And so much stuff that was very hard, because I didn't trust in God to see me through it. Why on earth do we try to handle problems on our own? We weren't meant to, so no wonder life is so hard! Why don't we simply hand things over to the One who CAN and WILL solve them? I feel that when I am singing this song, I am telling people that I hope they never go through what I've been through. But that if they do ever have to come that far to realize they can't do it on their own... God will be there. (End of sentence, He will be there.) Never forget that He's always right there beside you in that dark valley. :)

Dogs & Peoples?

I was just thinking about something very random and strange... Just like the old saying, I think people truly are usually a lot like their dogs. For example, Zeruda's sister and their German Shepherd are surprisingly alike. They are both hyper, protective, strong willed, can be a little obnoxious (that's why we love 'em, haha!), and always want to play. And I can see similarities in me and my Chihuahua. We're both pretty shy, but still like people, love warm weather and hate cold, have a fascination with chickens LOL, are submissive, and just want those we look up to, to show us love and affection. (*coughs* That was a little mushy for my liking...) And certain people are just, in general, like certain breeds of dogs. (Except for my friend Kitty, who is clearly a cat! Hehehe.) Told ya it was a strange thought. But hopefully you'll enjoy it anyway.

First Impressions

Okay, this is going to sound terrible, in the sense that it lacks all proper etiquette, but try to over look that if you can, and I’ll send myself to stand in the corner.

You know, first impressions mean a lot to me. They determine how I feel about that person until I really get to know them. Like, this missionary lady that stayed at our house started by saying, “Are you on some kind of diet?” to me because I didn’t have any food on my plate yet. (Yah, it’s sounds funny now!) Not the best way to start out. (No offense.) Then when I was reading a verse, (we read a Bible verse card at each meal) I got mixed up with a certain word twice, and she said this deep thing to me about what the word meant… As if I wasn’t embarrassed/ nervous enough, that actually made it worse! They stayed all week, but I never really did warm up to her. Sad. I’m sure she was a nice lady. As shy and insecure as I am, you really have to warm me up to you by coming on well and blending into my personality. (I doubt that made any sense.) I’m trying not to sound conceited, but I’m fragile when it comes to anything social. (And oh, I sure do wish I wasn’t. I’m working on it.) I wasn’t sure what to think of the older nurse at my chiropractor clinic, so when she said, “I like your shoes.” I thought, “That’s a good move. Good move indeed.” Because I really wasn’t a fan of her so far, so that got her some points with me. (Wow, I never realized how vain my social system was until I wrote it.) When a compliment was one of the very first things the other, black-haired nurse said to me, it made me feel less cautious; both in general and towards her. Since the first thing I had to grasp about her was very positive, it set my perception of her towards the positive side. So, always smile, and know someone is always watching you; and wow, this sure will get me thinking about how I’m scoring with people I’ve just met!

One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven

Some of chapter 13:

“…I saw a guy sitting on a brick wall and sat down next to him. We had a great conversation. He told me that his parents were members of Navigators, a very strong Christian group, but that he had no faith in God at all. This college senior had some great questions, but there were answers for all of his questions. After we talked for an hour, he said, “I belong to the Farmhouse fraternity here at Auburn. I have been a member of this fraternity for four years. There are evangelical Christians in my fraternity who have never taken the time to share Jesus with me. Do you know what? That really stinks, doesn’t it? I had to admit that it did. Think about that. You could have lost people in your life right now who are wondering why you have never taken the time to share the truth with them. Don’t let them wonder any longer.”

Live, Love, Laugh

You know, one of the best words of advice out there is this: Live each day like it’s your last… because one day it will be. I know it’s an old saying, but if we all took the time to take it to heart, how much better would our lives, and our world be?! Why do we not live like we’ve been forgiven for our sins? Why do we not have joy and victory like we’re going to win the battle in the end? Have you seen Revelation lately? We’re on the winning side! And life is too short to hold grudges and be jealous. Make a difference in this world while you still can.

Can You Feel It? The End Is Near

Wow, the title really says it all... Lately everyone has all been talking about how things are starting to change. They see prophecies being fulfilled, and they know that with these things getting worse, the return of the Lord is getting closer. Closer, closer, everyday. A few years ago, our power went out and stayed out for almost the whole week. We had no water, and no electricity, which meant no light, no stove or microwave, no showers, (don’t worry, we went to my Aunt’s house for that.) and no fans or air conditioning. No computer, no radio. Thankfully we have a generator, so we could run a fan and the TV some of the time. But it can only power a few things at a time, so it was still hot and boring and very dark at night. And this year we’ve had to run our house on small propane tanks in the basement. My mom thinks that maybe the Lord had us go through these things for a reason. Maybe to prepare us. My dad said if we wouldn’t have had to run the house with little propane tanks, and figure out how to live without electricity, we would never have known we could. And my mom says isn’t it strange that she and two ladies we know are all having boys this summer? And if the other two ladies babies end up being boys, she’s going to know something’s up. How peculiar. What’s going on? A man in our church told my dad that he should store up a months worth of food, and dad replied, “I’m already there.” He's been getting prepared all year. As for politics, that’s the same. Everyone’s very uneasy about everything. They’re predicting disaster, basically. That’s okay, because God is in control, but it’s still un-nerving. Okay, enough gloom and doom for now.

Little Waterfall

A Child's Heart, page 4

“That’s funny.” Justace said to himself later that morning. “I was sure I had more money than this.” He got down on his hands and knees and looked under his cot. “Not there either…” He mumbled. He got back up and looked at Rylen. “Have you seen…” But Rylen bolted out the door before he could finish. Justace stood there looking stunned for a few seconds before taking off after her. After searching the whole town for nearly an hour, he spotted her running in his direction and quickly ducked behind a building to watch her. She entered a small alley way with a dead end and stood panting, trying to catch her breath. Justace stepped out from behind the building and stood motionlessly in the entrance. Rylen jumped back in fright. “All right, you caught me!” She said holding up her hands. “I admit it, I took yer cash. I was gonna buy me a bus ticket outta here. I’m sorry.” She slowly put her hands down. “I s’pose yer gonna turn me over to the cops now, huh?” Justace looked shocked. “You took my money?” Rylen looked puzzled “You didn’t know? Ain’t that why you came runnin’ after me?” She asked. Justace shook his head. “But you asked me if I knew where yer money was…” Justace cocked his head to the side and frowned “Hmm?” He said. “Oh, that! No, I was asking if you knew where Wendol was. And anyway, of course I’m not going to have you arrested!” Rylen looked up at his surprisingly kind face. “I forgive you.” He said gently. Rylen eyed him suspiciously. “What is it with you people? Why are y’all so nice and fergiving?” “Because Jesus forgave me.” He replied simply. “It’s my duty to forgive others as I’ve been forgiven.” “Huh? I don’t understand.” Rylen told him. Justace sat down on the pavement and asked Rylen to sit beside him. “It’s just like when Wendol’s mother took the bullet for him. Jesus chose to suffer and die on the cross in our place to pay for our sins. And even after all we’ve done to Him, He asked His Father in heaven to forgive us.” Rylen looked sad. “Do you mean He died for me?” “Yes.” Justace answered smiling. “And He’s offering the gift of Salvation to anyone who repents of their sins and believes on Him. Thank God we don’t have to die and burn in hell forever.” Rylen looked at Justace with tears in her eyes. “Tell me more.” She said.

28 Fun Things To Do In An Elevator

I know probably everyone remembers this from when they sent it to me... but I just thought I'd post it because it's one of my favorite emails, and well; April Fool's day is getting closer. Maybe this will give you some good ideas! ;)


1) When there's only one other person in the elevator, tap them on the shoulder and then pretend it wasn't you.

2) Push the buttons and pretend they give you a shock. Smile, and go back for more.

3) Ask if you can push the button for other people, but push the wrong ones.

4) Call the Psychic Hot line from your cell phone and ask if they know what floor your on.

5) Hold the doors open and say your waiting for a friend. After a while, let the doors close, and say, "Hi Greg.
How's your day been?"

6) Drop a pen and wait until someone goes to pick it up, then scream, "That's mine!"

7) Bring a camera and take pictures of everyone in the elevator.

8) Move your desk into the elevator and whenever anyone gets on, ask if they have an appointment.

9) Lay down the twister mat and ask people if they would like to play.

10) Leave a box in the corner, and when someone gets on, ask them if they can hear ticking.

11) Pretend you are a flight attendant and review emergency procedures and exits with the passengers.

12) Ask, "Did you feel that?"

13) Stand really close to someone, sniffing them occasionally.

14) When the doors close, announce to the others, "It's okay, don't panic, they open again!"

15) Swat at flies that don't exist.

16) Tell people that you can see their aura.

17) Call out, "Group Hug!"and then enforce it.

18) Grimace painfully while smacking your forehead and muttering, "Shut up, all of you, just shut up!"

19) Crack open your briefcase or purse, and while peering inside, ask, "Got enough air in there?"

20) Stand silently and motionless in the corner, facing the wall, without getting off.

21) Stare at another passenger for a while, then announce in horror, "Your one of THEM!" and back away slowly.

22) Wear a puppet on your hand and use it to talk to the other passengers.

23) Listen to the elevator walls with your stethoscope.

24) Make explosion noises when anyone presses a button.

25) Stare, grinning at another passenger for a while, then announce, "I have new socks on".

26) Draw a little square on the floor with chalk and announce to the other passengers, "This is MY personal space"

27) Jump up and down until it stops and to those that are getting on it will sound like the elevator is breaking.

28) Pretend to hit your head, and then act like it gave you Amnesia, and you now think you are a dog. (Or cat.)

Can anyone think of more?

One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven

Okay, um... now we're going backwards in this book. Hope you guys don't mind. This is from Chapter 13:



"Do you realize that every individual you have ever witnessed to will thank you one day? Think about it. If people you witness to don't accept Jesus and wind up in hell, will they thank you? You probably won't hear it, but they probably will. Once they are in hell and realize that it is for eternity, I believe they will say, "At least that person who witnessed to me in the mall or at school that day cared enough about my eternal destination to tell me how I could have avoided this place. I really wish I could thank them." And of course, they will wish they had listened. And think about the people who end up in heaven. Imagine someone walking up to you in heaven saying, "Remember me? I used to go to school (or whatever) with you, and you witnessed to me one day. I know it seemed like I wasn't paying attention, but I was listening. Three years later, I got saved; and I really want to thank you for taking the time to share Jesus with me."

Good Sayings

“Friends are those rare people who ask how you are and then wait to hear the answer”

"When it hurts to look back, and you're scared to look ahead, you can look beside you, and there will be your best friend."

“The test of your character is what it takes to stop you.”

“Blessed is the man who knows how to make stepping stones out of stumbling stones.”


“The enemy is in front of us. The enemy is behind us. The enemy is to the right and to the left. They can’t get away this time!”

Do You Trust Him THAT Much?

Do you trust God enough to automatically do exactly what He says, when He says it? Earlier this month on a Sunday, right before we left for church, my dad felt that God was telling him to go out on the porch and check on the chickens, even though my brother had just done so, and all had been well. So, he went out to the porch, and found that a piece of wood was too close to the heat lamp, and was starting to smoke. If he hadn’t gone out there, the house would have more than likely caught on fire while we were gone! To us, it seems unimportant to do something someone else has just done, especially when it’s time to leave, but if my dad had not listened to God, I would not be here in this house. What would we have done in that situation? Do we trust God that much? Enough to do something, no matter how small or silly it may sound? The importance of that could very well be the difference between life and death.

A Child's Heart, page 3

The next day after breakfast, Wendol went out to get water. He knelt down on the dock and dipped his pail into the cold lake, and slowly pulled it back up. Then he headed back to the fishing shack. As soon as he opened the door, he heard Rylen and Justace arguing. “Justace, how many times do I have to tell you; stop fussin’ over me! What are you, a shrink?” “Well excuse me for caring about you!” Justace said frustratedly. Rylen threw down the broom she was holding and ran out, slamming the door. Justace sat down on his cot and buried his face in his hands. Wendol set the water bucket down and walked over to him. “What’s wrong? Why did Wylen run away? Why was both you yelling?” Justace looked up. “She’ll be back.” He assured Wendol. “She got mad when I asked her how she was feeling, and told her I was sorry how her father treated her.” Justace stood up and went to boil the water. “And Wendol…” He said. “I’m sorry I was yelling.” A bit later, Rylen retuned. “Wylen!” Wendol said as he ran to her. “Welcome back. I kept your supper warm.” Justace said. Rylen glared and took the plate Justace was handing her. They all ate in silence, then went to bed. That night, a noise woke Wendol up. He got up and tiptoed into the other room where Rylen’s cot was. There he found her with the blanket over her head, crying. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder. “Wylen?” He whispered. “What’s wrong?” “Nothin’s wrong. Now go away and let me sleep!” Said Rylen gruffly from under the covers. Wendol quietly returned to his cot. Early the next morning, Justace woke Rylen and Wendol. “Get up, guys. It’s time for church.” Rylen sat up with a start. “Church!?” She looked dumbfounded. “Yes, church.” Justace replied with a grin. “Where is the church?” Asked Wendol curiously “Why, it’s right here, kiddo!” Justace exclaimed “Now let’s start with some songs.” Justace led them in “How Great Thou Art” and “There Is A Fountain”. Then he brought out a little green bible from under his pillow and read a few chapters from Psalms and Romans. Rylen fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat, while Wendol seemed to greatly enjoy the quaint little church service.

Ray Of Sunlight

Learning English

People say our language is one of the hardest languages to learn. Take a look at the sentences below, and maybe you'll see why.

1. We polish the Polish furniture.
2. A farm can produce produce.
3. The dump was so full, it had to refuse refuse.
4. The present is a good time to present the present.
5. At the army base, a bass was painted on the head of a bass drum.
6. I did not object the object.
7. The dove dove into the bushes.
8. The insurance for the invalid was invalid.
9. The bandage was wound around the wound.
10. They were too close to the door to close it.
11. To help with the planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
12. I shed a tear when I saw the tear in my shirt.
13. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
14. I spent the last evening evening out a pile of dirt.
15. After a number of injections my jaw got number.

It's A Boy!

We just found out that my mom's baby is going to be a boy! So in his honor, I changed my blog colors to blue. :)

Japanese Garden

I Nearly Died Laughing

Today in church, during prayer request time, my dad asked Mrs. Nancy (an older-ish lady) for an update on a woman she had asked prayer for. She said that the girl had a really bad rash, because she shaved her armpits with a razor that her husband had used on his face, and she didn't know that, and she cut herself, and it got infected and she had to go to the hospital and they had to put something on it, and she had to take it out, and put something back in... (I don't know.) And then she went on to warn us not to use used razors. My dad tried so hard not not to laugh, but in the end, he just couldn't contain himself. Our pianist (who isn't good at hiding her emotions, BTW) was going ballistic, desperately trying to cover her mouth with both hands. Mrs. Wendy laughed so hard she cried, and had to get up and get a tissue. Lord knows what our poor visitor must have been thinking. "Oh, the things you learn in church." My dad said. Good ol' Mrs. Nancy.

Things About Me I Bet You Never Knew

I know, I'm totally copying. But this is such a good idea, I just had to steal it! (I hope the person I stole it from doesn't mind too much.)

1. Most of the time, my outfits consist of half spy, half cowgirl style. (Like a fedora and pinstriped business jacket, and a denim skirt with a bandanna insert and cowboy boots.)

2. My name is originally Irish, but is most popular in New Mexico. (And it doesn't really sound like it's either of those.)

3. I'm afraid of thunder, yet at the same time, I like it.

4. Some days I hate the color orange, other days I love it.

5. My fave thing to do on a very rainy day is watch the cars drive through the giant puddle in the dip in the road by our house, and cheer for the brave ones that drive fast so that the water splashes and makes a wave taller that their car! (And I REALLY like it when we drive through it!)

6. I like to eat the crust on my pizza first so I save the best part (the pizza) for last.

7. I can pick the lock on my bedroom door, the bathroom door, and my brother's door in under 10 seconds.

8. I name all our family vehicles.

9. I pretend my remote is a microphone when I'm singing along to theme songs on TV shows.

10. Not only do I talk to myself, I also argue with myself.

I'm only doing 10 for right now, but I'll probably do more later. :)

A Step Into The Past

The other day we watched some home videos. One was my parent's wedding, which I had never seen before. Oh my goodness, it was so strange! I mean, it's hard to believe they're the same people. And since that was before I was born, it was like going back in time. And of course, everything was 1990's. The outfits, the church, the music. (Which, BTW, my mom picked out 6 songs for the wedding. 6 whole songs!)Oh, and my mom was blinking like crazy because she was wearing contacts. And then, neither of their wedding rings fit! Hah! Poor folks. Seriously, I'm still a little freaked out. Am I the only one? Do the rest of y'all even watch home videos and wedding videos? And then we watched one where I was a baby and we had just moved into the new house. It's amazing how much I looked so much like I do now even back then. Memories. This is random, but apple juice, puffed wheat, rice krispies, PB&J, dried apricots, and Safe-T pops (lime was my favorite) all remind me of my childhood, because those were the top things we ate. (That I can remember. And I don't know how or why I remember them. That was when I was like, 3.) What I really love is all the little books Mom used to read me. I'm really attached to them. I'm going to save them forever. One of my favorites was Good Dog, Carl, and I nearly had a cow when my mom got rid of it. She said it was because it had pen scribbles in it. I grew up with those pen scribbles! We bought a new Good Dog, Carl book, but it's just not the same! It's too... un-scribbley.

Ladybugses

I remember when I was little, every time I found a ladybug, I would say this little rhyme: “Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home. Your house is on fire, and your kids are all alone.” Hahaha. I have no idea why I used to say that! (Um, does anyone know if there's a real version of that?) And I grew up realizing that generic stuff that they sell at stores isn't as good as the real thing, so... well, I thought that those round Asian beetles were ladybugs, so I decided to call the puny red ones (which are the real ladybugs) "generic" ladybugs. *sigh* I was a strange child...

Why Did Jesus Fold the Napkin?

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection? I
never noticed this....

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed
over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave
clothes.

The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly
folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.

Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to
the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the
entrance.

She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom
Jesus loved. She said, 'They have taken the Lord's body out of the
tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!'

Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other
disciple outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in
and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in.

Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen
wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head
was folded up and lying to the side.

Was that important? Absolutely!

Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you
have to understand
a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had
to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this
tradition.

When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure
that it was exactly the way the master wanted it.

The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait,
just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the
servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.

Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe
his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that
napkin and toss it onto the table.

The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the
wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done'.

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and
laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table,
because..........

The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'

He is Coming Back!

His Blood Still Sets Men Free

I love this song. Has anyone heard it? The words are so powerful!

Three crosses stood on Calvary's hill, it was crucifixion day.
The time had come to pay sin's debt, and death was the only way.
A hammer and a soldier's swing beat out redemption's sound;
And from the hands that healed the sick, His blood came streaming down.


There is no curse on Golgotha, like there was when Jesus died.
And the crowd has passed away that stood and watched Him crucified.
Two thousand years have come and gone, since that day on Calvary;
But the blood that flowed from God's own Son is still setting sinners free!


And from precious veins, the sinner’s chains were broken by the blood.
And the rusty nails shook the gates of Hell, had started a crimson flood.
To one and to all, who would heed the call, are waiting liberty.
And the truth remains, and will never change; His blood still sets men free!

Path In Trees

I think I shall put a pretty nature picture on every page from now on. It'll give you something to look at other than an endless sea of words. LOL

A Child's Heart, page 2

The next morning, Wendol woke up to see Justace standing in front of the door, peeking through a crack. “Justace, what-” “Shhhh!” He hushed the little boy and motioned for him to come stand next to him. Curious, Wendol searched until he found a crack at his level to look out of. He saw a man standing in the doorway of a run-down house nearby, yelling and shaking his fist at the girl in front of him. After the angry man went in side and slammed the door, the girl turned and proceeded to stomp off down the street. “Stay here, I’ll be right back.” Justace said as he slipped out the door. Wendol watched as Justace approached the girl. After talking for a few minutes, Justace returned with the girl right behind him. “This is Rylen. She’ll be staying with us for a while.” Rylen spoke up “Only till I kin find’s me some work.” She said gruffly. Wendol studied the girl. She looked to be about 12. She had honey-brown hair pulled back into a messy ponytail, and wore dirty, torn clothing. “Well what are you starin’ at?” Rylen snapped. “Sorry.” Said Wendol softly. Justace cleared his throat. “Well, let’s all have supper!” He said cheerfully. Over leftover fish and crackers, the three shared their stories. After Wendol told of his sad fate, Rylen asked, “What was you doin’ on the fella’s property, anyhow?” “I was just trying to rescue a kitten that was caught in a trap.” He replied. Rylen just snorted. Then she told the boys about her life. “My old man’s a drunk, see? And so he expected me to provide for the two of us. But when I got fired… he kicked me out of the house, the good fer nothin’ scoundrel. Wendol looked up at her with a somber look on his face. “That’s so sad, Wylen.” “Yeah, whatever.” Rylen said nonchalantly. Later that night when Rylen went out for a walk, Wendol asked, “Justace, why doesn’t Wylen like me?” Justace sat down beside Wendol and sighed. He was quiet for a moment, and then answered, “Rylen probably does like you, even though it may not seem that way. She’s had a hard life, and she’s probably not used to kindness.” “But she acts like she doesn’t care about how bad her life is.” Wendol said. “Oh, she does. But… well, sometimes people try to hide their true feelings.” “Why?” Asked Wendol. Justace tousled Wendol’s dark-blond hair. “I don’t know, buddy. We just need to pray for her, okay?” “Okay, Justace.” Said Wendol smiling.

A Child's Heart

Today I was bored, so I decide to write a little story. If you guys like it, I might write more. This is how far I got.

4-year old Wendol, an orphan, wandered the empty streets looking for something to sustain the ever-growing hunger that urged him to press on through the heavy downpour of rain that dreary September night. Hands in his tattered jeans pockets, and head tilted downward, he shuffled his bare feet along the smooth cobblestone path. Then, all of the sudden, he bumped in to something. Quickly looking up, he found himself face to face with a young man of about 15. Franticly, Wendol ran the other way, darting around corners and dashing through alleys. Glancing behind him, he discovered that the teenager was following him. Like a panicked rabbit, he dove behind a large crate by the side of an old building. But to his great dismay, the boy had seen him. After approaching the spot where Wendol sat curled up and shaking, he knelt down in front of him. Tears streamed down his chubby cheeks. “Please don’t hurt me.” Wendol whispered in a shaky voice. The boy slowly reached out his hand and said, “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.” The little boy stared up at him with his big blue eyes. “I just came after you because, well, I thought you might be lost. Where are your parents?” Wendol sat up and wiped his eyes with his sleeve “A man was shooting at me for being in his yard, and my mama got shot because she stepped in front of me to protect me. And daddy died in the army when I was a baby.” The boy’s face grew even more solemn. “That’s terrible. So, you’re an orphan, huh? I am, too. The name’s Justace, by the way.” “I’m Wendol.” He said as Justace helped him up. “Why are you an orphan?” Justace’s soft brown eyes looked sad. “I don’t know.” He said. “I’ve been all on my own ever since I can remember. I’m not even sure if my parents are alive or not.” He looked down at Wendol. “Let’s get you somewhere warm and dry.” The next thing Wendol knew, he was in an old abandoned fishing shack eating a very satisfying meal of fish and stale crackers. “Pertty nice place, eh?” Justace said smirking. “Found it just last year. It’s nothing special, but it keeps the rain out. Sort of. Where were you staying before?” “Nowhere, really.” Wendol replied. “I mostly just slept on top of crates or stacks of newspapers… if I could find any.”

A Great Book

This is taken from a really good book I read a while back, called “One Thing You Can’t Do In Heaven” by Mark Cahill. I’m going to try to post a little each time, till we get through the entire book! (Not sure if that will actually happen, but I can dream, can’t I?)

Some of Chapter 1:

“I can guarantee that there is one thing you cannot do in heaven that you can do on earth. Share your faith with a non-believer. Why? Because everyone is heaven is a believer. Do you realize that when you take your last breath, you will never again be able to talk to a lost person? Since that is true, shouldn’t it be a priority of your life to reach out to all the lost people on earth while you can? I firmly believe that witnessing is a learned talent. God burdens our hearts to reach the lost, but we must get out there and start practicing those conversations. The funny thing is, the more you practice, the easier it becomes. Jesus says, in Luke 12:12, “For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye aught to say.” The Holy Spirit is very faithful to take us all the way through a conversation and to give us plenty of thinks to say. All we must do is get in ‘that same hour.” Let the Lord take you into opportunities, and He will show you how faithful He really is. Realize that when we stand in front of God, none of us will say that we shared His Son too much. But many of us will realize that we shared His Son much too little during our time on earth.

I Gots Something To Say

Do you ever feel like you’re the only one who sees the truth and significance of something? And it means a lot to you, but others take it for granted? There are so many circumstances in which this fits, but right now I am referring to one thing in particular that I feel everyone has over looked. It is this song:
Give me a world that's equal on all sides
Let freedom flow as constant as the tides
I pray with each sunset, “Don't forget to rise”
I live without regret
For ordinary lives

I'm lookin' at life through my own eyes
Searchin' for a hero to idolize
Feeling the pain as innocence dies
Looking at life through my own eyes
I'm hoping and praying for a brighter day
I listen to my heart and I obey
How can I see it any other way?
I'm looking at life
Through my own eyes

I see a land with liberty for all
Yet still I know the truth will rise and fall
That's just the way it goes

And I know when you're looking for the truth
If you go and read between the lines
You'll discover how and why

I take my heart into battle
Give that freedom bell a rattle
Get my independence signed
Declare it on the dotted line
In Philadelphia freedom ring
And patriotic voices sing
Red White & Blue never give up
We represent America!






(For anyone who doesn’t know, those are the lyrics to Liberty’s Kids, a children’s animated TV show set in the 1770’s) I’m sorry, but I can’t see how anyone can just ignore those words. And if you can read them and not feel something deep inside you, then you’re just plain shallow. Let me elaborate: In the first two lines, the “narrator” is talking about how he can’t stand slavery. It’s just so wrong how some people assumed that they were better in every way than some people. And he wanted freedom all across the world for everyone. The third line: there was a war going on at that time. Things were very dangerous, and no one was guaranteed that they would live another day. The next two lines I’m not too sure about, so correct me if I’m wrong; but I almost think he is saying how he doesn’t pity people who die in battle, because our people have to defend our country, and of course, no one’s gonna feel sorry for the enemy. But again, I’m not positive. On to the next stanza. (This is actually the chorus.) First, he is telling how he’s thinking for himself, and not going by what anyone else believes. And he’s trying to find someone to look up to who believes the truth like he does. This third line really gets to me. Children were getting exposed to all sorts of horrible things. Death, heartlessness, non-forgivingness, pitilessness, abandonment… (Hey wow, those are actually real words.) You name it. It was painful to see what these children were going through. Their whole childhood basically disappeared. Let’s skip to the next two stanzas, which go together. The question is why are people now standing against the truth they once stood for? If you’re searching for the answer to that, you’ll eventually find it. (Is what he’s saying.) Um, the only answer I can give for this one is men’s hearts are wicked. (Which isn’t too difficult to figure out.) It’s rather sad how the narrator predicted that would happen. And then in the last stanza, of course, he enlists in the army. A very honorable thing to do. So, there. I’ve poured my heart out to you, and you can take it or leave it; but I just wanted the world to know how I feel about all this. Wholey cow, this is a long post. But I’m sure there’ll be many more to come.

Another Dimension?

Have you ever thought about strange things like what it would be like if there were a parallel universe? Like in this one episode of Star Trek (Deep Space 9) this lady stepped through a mirror, and found herself in another world. This world had all the people she knew in it, including herself, but everyone had different personalities, and did different things. The “her” of that world kidnapped her, (whoa, how confusing) and the man who was the captain of her ship, in this world was an unfriendly bum. I like to pretend that the me in another world’s name is Marina (my parents were considering naming me that, and I kinda wish they had.) and she has an older brother named Kyle, who is, in my world, my long-lost non-biological brother (whom I miss dearly) and he and she are spies. And most of the other people in my life are there, too. One man in my church is an evil spy, and another is a double agent, for example. Yah I’m weird, I know; but that’s what this blog is for. All my thoughts, no matter how random they may be. ;)

Ahhh, Memories...

Do you ever think about those special quirky little things of summer that make you wish winter would hurry up and be over? Like running through the grass barefoot in your pajamas in the morning and getting your feet wet from the dew. And closing your eyes and spreading out your arms while swinging and imagining that you are flying. Eating watermelon and getting it all over your face… and arms… and clothes… and the table. Digging in the dirt for no reason at all. Chasing butterflies that you know you’ll never catch. Jumping out of bed and running to the nearest window when you hear fireworks at night. Turning on the hose, spraying it at just the right angle to see little rainbows, getting everything in sight wet (including pets and little brothers), and then walking through the water puddles and stepping on the dry spots in the concrete to make footprints. Running and falling down in the grass just for the fun of it. Picking flowers for mom whether she wants you to or not. Decorating yourself with flowers and other things. Smelling the wonderful scent of dad cooking steaks on the grill. Washing the car, and spending a much longer time than it should take doing it, because you enjoy it so much. (For who knows what reason.) Naming every caterpillar you find. Having sleepovers with your friends and laughing your head off all night long. Putting all sorts of different stuff in the freezer to make into popsicle-type things. Having the wind in your face and in your hair (messing it up) from the open car window. Laying on the trampoline and staring up at the sky… I love summer! Luv it, luv it, luv it.

Introduction

Hello and welcome to my blog! This blog will be about my thoughts, dreams, ideas, and stuff that happens in my life. This blog was partly inspired by a favorite blog of mine: http://sprinkleofthoughts.blogspot.com Pretty much all I do all day and night long is think, so I’ve decided it’s time I share some of those thoughts with the world. I don’t know if anyone will be interested, but “Hey, why not give it a try?” I thought. So, enjoy! :)