Strummin' For Him

Dear Jesus

2011-11-21T10:43:00.001-08:00

Thanks for today.
Thanks for my mom who pulls my blankets of my bed to wake me up.
Thanks for the opportunity to have people stay at our house.
Thanks for rain that adds a little moisture to our dry little town.
Thanks that we have a car at all to have a dead battery in. Thanks that that's the only problem it has [knock on wood].
Thanks for emotions and feelings like anger, that we have something to be passionate and care about and people to love.
Thanks for the house we live in, and my big bedroom, even though it has drafty windows, and that I get to share it with my sister. Just my one sister.
Thanks for my cell phone that has scratches and issues. Thanks that I have unlimited texting and that I can call and take pictures with it, even though it doesn't have internet, and 'i' or a 'droid' in it.
Thanks for my computer that has internet issues sometimes... that it connects to the internet at all, that we have internet to connect it to.
Thanks for school, that I have the opportunity to do homework, that I get to write math papers and pass math class.
Thank You that I miss people, because it means I loved them when they were here.
Thanks for the pile of dirty laundry sitting in my closet, cause it means I have plenty of clothes to wear. Thanks that I can wear clothes and jewelry that I think looks cute, not just for warmth and cover. Thanks for the laugh I get when I see some people who exercise their right to choose something 'cute'. Thanks for USPS shipping crates that work just as well, if not better, than real laundry baskets.Thanks that my pants size is just a little bigger than I'd like, because it means I've never gone without a meal. Thanks that my pants are getting looser, which means I've been exercising the capable body that God gave me.
Thanks for the mess all over my sister's side of our bedroom floor, I know that we have much more than we need. Thanks for the vacuum cleaner that cleaned my side of the floor, even if it is a piece of junk, it gets the job done.
Thanks for our awkward, oatmeal colored carpet that smells like dog, it's much better than bare concrete or dirt.
Thanks for our oven, which produces many cookies, pizzas, cupcakes and other tasty things, even though the handle has been broken off.
Thanks for annoying family traditions that bring us together year after year.
Thanks for friends who know when to push and keep asking what's wrong, even when I really don't want to talk about it, and who are there when I'm ready to.
Thanks for friends who buy random things we don't need, just cause they love us.
Thanks for showers, even if the hot water doesn't last as long as I'd like sometimes.
Thanks for deodorant, lotions, perfumes, body sprays, and all of the other things that people use to make themselves smell good, even if it does get a little crazy sometimes.
Thanks for pain from things I love: calluses, pealing fingers and blisters from playing guitar, burns and stains on clothes from cooking and baking, headaches from studying, stained fingers from painting, cramping necks from trying to get that perfect picture.
Thanks for simple things like crackle nail polish and Snuggees that are really inconsequential, but make people really happy.
Thanks for advertisements on websites and radio stations that make it so I can look or listen for free.
Thanks for really heavy family heirlooms.
Thanks for the constant of family, and the variable of friends.
Thanks for scented candles that always smell weird after you blow them out.
Thanks for 60 bobby pins for 98 cents.
Thanks for menus and restaurants that have way too many things to choose from, even though it stresses me out trying to choose what to eat. Thanks for the option of eating in.
Thanks for sparkles that get all over my house and torment my brothers.
Thanks for mirrors, which, unlike asking someone how we look, show us that we really do have a big zit on the end of our nose. Thanks for cover-up for those days.
Thanks that I have the option to take an hour to get ready, doing my hair, putting on make up, or I have the option to wear sweats, and chances are, no one will say anything about either. Thanks for all the other people who wear sweats and pajamas to math class, who make me feel like less of a hobo.
Thanks that we don't have arranged marriage in America.
Thanks that there really are guys out there who are 6' 8". Thanks for hope.
Thanks for the trees who had to die to make my collection of books.
Thanks for ball point pens, even though they frequently run out of ink just when you need them most.
Thanks for Vicks, even though I can feel the residue on my chest for days, it's a life saver during a cold.
Thanks for all the cows that get hooked up to awkward machines every day so that I can have the convenience of milk in a jug.
Thanks for crappy digital cameras that take awkward fuzzy pictures, but still help me remember all the good times.
Thanks for my love-hate relationship with money. I hate that it's so necessary and that people get so crazy about it, but it really makes life handy sometimes. Thanks for always providing, above and beyond what I need.
Thanks for things like fitted twin-sized sheets, which I never realized were so influential until I got an abnormal mattress and tried to put a normal sheet on it.
Thanks that I have shoes, even if they're not very cute in my size. Thanks that I don't wear high heals, cause I'd probably spend a lot more money on shoes if I did.
Thanks for not making it snow here very often.
Thanks that we use forks and knives, and not chop sticks [no offense, Asia].
Thanks for my relatively easy hair, I'll take one side being more cooperative than the other if it means I don't have textured hair [no offense, Africa].
Thanks for Mozart and Beethoven and all those other dead guys who made really good music.
Thanks that I can have three Bibles, a concordance, two commentaries, a Bible app on my Google Chrome homepage, and a prayer journal on my bed right now. Thanks that I can carry my little Bible everywhere in my purse and not have to worry about going to jail. Thanks for giving me the strength if I ever have to. Thanks for dying for me and all the people in the world, even though we're all jerks and don't deserve it. Thanks for the Fruit of the Spirit that continually elude me.
Thanks for being Love. Thanks for love and heartbreak.
Thanks for thankfulness.
Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving. What are you thankful for?

If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking

2011-09-19T08:52:00.000-07:00

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us so

He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

We are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking
So Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way

And oh, how He loves us
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us so

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

I am a visual person. When I write, think or talk, I use metaphors. I compare the intangible thoughts of my chaotic mind to visible, tangible things of the world. Jesus was the same way, but for a different reason. His knowledge is so beyond us and so amazing that He had to kind of dumb it down for us humans, so we could even know what the heck He was talking about. He used parables. He compared heavenly stuff to earthly stuff so we could try and wrap our minds around it.
This song is kind of one of my favorites ever. I love the visual aspects of it. The opening line, "Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree bending beneath the weight of Your wind and mercy" I am fortunate enough to have never been through an actual hurricane, or any kind of natural disaster for that matter, I don't know the true power of the storm, but I have seen news videos and pictures of the damage caused by one. God's love is so much bigger than that. He has passionate, violent, crazy intense love for us, so much that we can barely handle it. We are the little palm trees in Florida that are whipped back and forth in the wind and the rain.
"When all of the sudden I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory, and I realize just how beautiful you are" When we're in the midst of the storm of His love, we forgot about all of the other things going on in the world. When we lose our job, our parents are getting divorced, our grandma has cancer, we break up with our boyfriend, we're so helpless and feel so useless in our life that we can hardly stand to go on another day, It's right in those moments that bam! God's love hits us like, well, a hurricane, and all we can do is surrender and bend and whip around in the passion.
Lose yourself in God's love today. Read Song of Solomon, 1 Corinthians 13, heck, read any part of the Bible.
Oh, how He loves us.

2011-09-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

So, I'm a note person. I love writing notes to people, usually just short little things and a verse or something. Often times when I give them people will say it was exactly what they needed that day or something. I thought it was a sweet thing to say, but I hadn't ever really known what that meant until Saturday. I got a short facebook message from a girl in youth group that said she was praying for me and my family and some really encouraging verses. It was exactly what I needed then. God knows what we need. God knows when we just need to hear that someone else knows about what's going on and that they care enough to pray for it. He knows when we need something tangible that says that someone loves us. He knows when we need to hear from His word, but we're too stubborn to open it up ourselves. Most of the New Testament is comprised of letters and notes to people. God has been using notes for centuries, isn't that so cool? Who needs a note from you today? Who needs to hear that you're praying for them or that you love them?
"I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy." 2 Timothy 1:3-4 - A letter from Paul to Timothy

2011-08-27T17:16:00.000-07:00

Results take effort. To get any kind of return, you have to put something into it. If you want to have fun or do something awesome, you have to get up and do it, plan it, participate. Do hard things. Do moderately difficult things. Do easy things. Do something! I'm trying to re-learn this. I've been in a funk lately where I kind of want things to happen and I hate being home all the time, but I don't want to put forth effort, I don't want to call people, I don't want to leave the house. I'm a conflicted person. Sometimes it just takes a kick in the pants from a good friend to get you out of your funk. Do something today. Take a picture. Paint a picture. Play a game. Go to a park. Go swimming. Tell someone you love them. Do something simple. Invite someone to do it with you. Then write it on the calendar, and next week you can call that person up and say, "Hey, remember that last week when we made the world's biggest house of cards? That was awesome!" or "Remember when we made cookies and finger-painted? That was so fun!" The world needs more fun. The world needs best friends.

2011-08-21T17:42:00.000-07:00

I've decided that music is like food. I don't know if it's just being a music person or what, but I get cravings for certain music, just like with food. Some kinds of music are like meat and potatoes, the real good stuff that gives you nutrition. That stuff, for me, is like Tenth Avenue North, Third Day, music with meaningful lyrics, and a nice sound. There is the kind that is like comfort food, slow, emotional music. Stuff like Ke$ha that reminds me of corn dogs and french fries, kinda greasy and really bad for you. There's Katy Perry, kind of like cotton candy, fluffy and full of nothing, Lady Gaga, like that nasty gummy candy that gets stuck in your teeth for hours. The bass and the drums are like the main course, they hold everything together, while the guitar solos, piano riffs, and vocals are all the yummy dressings, appetizers and sides. Music is like food, and there's an all-you-can-eat buffet. Choose wisely.

"Hard rock is like a hamburger." - Gray

2011-08-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

They say it's better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all. I'm still not so sure about that.
Girls, boys are stupid, and you shouldn't talk to them until you're twenty five and ready to get married. Boys, no offense. Girls are fickle. Be patient and wait for the girl you love.
Just saying.

The summer of 17

2011-08-17T12:09:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but summers seem to be an emotional time for me. I was reading through past blog posts last night and I got to my summary of last summer and I realized how many correlations between this year and last year there are. Not necessarily good ones.
Summer is always a crazy time. There's so much going on with little structure, it seems like all of the chaff rises to the top. I could spend hours typing all that has happened, including my parents separating, breaking up with my boyfriend, dealing with my relationship with my dad, and countless other things, or I could spend time talking about how it has changed me and what I want to take from it, how God has provided and taught me through all of it.
The biggest thing God has been teaching me is that sometimes, it just isn't worth getting worked up about things sometimes. My dad has been an alcoholic for many years, and because of that, I've had problems with any kind of drinking for a long time. My mom and a few others have been trying to help me realize that having 'a drink' isn't bad. Getting drunk is bad. I'm still working on this one, but it's getting better.
For a long time, I was like the 'little mommy' to my three other siblings, and I always got on them for doing bad stuff and nagged them to get their school done or whatever. I'm beginning to see that, you know, they aren't five anymore. Wyatt, the youngest is eleven. They're all old enough to be responsible for their own actions, and I'm not going to get in trouble for them doing something dumb or not doing what they're supposed to do.
God has shown me that legalism is something that I've been holding on to for a long time. At the good old age of eight years old, I was saved from the punishment of my sins by accepting the gift of Jesus dying on the cross for me. I knew from then on that there was nothing I could do to save myself or to make myself unsaved. I was going to heaven no matter what. I always tried to read my Bible everyday and pray a lot, but I failed a lot. It wasn't until a few months ago that I heard something that changed my outlook on my relationship with God: even if I don't read my Bible for a week and a half and I don't talk to God for a month, I'm still a sinner, saved by grace. God doesn't expect us to have perfect attendance when it comes to Bible study or prayer, and He loves us anyway.
There are a lot of things I thought were biblically black and white, this is wrong and this is right, and I stood on these things; they were my foundation. I've begun to realize that they aren't spelled out so clearly. What is wrong for someone is not wrong for another person. Listening to certain kinds of music or watching certain movies is wrong for one person because they've been convicted by God. Another person, however, may be perfectly fine listening to or watching those things. That's how it is.
I've always known that I need to rely on God for strength in every situation, but I'm kind of a control freak. A competitive control freak. I like to be able to handle things by myself. For the first time, I literally could not get through the day without depending on God. Through camp, God stretched me to my limit, emotionally, physically and spiritually, then He pushed me over the edge so I had to hold on to Him to survive. He drilled Psalm 18: 1-2 into my mind like never before: "I love you, LORD, my strength.The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."
Though there have been days when I literally just slept and watched tv all day because I didn't want to face life, this summer has, and will probably continue to change my very being. In finding freedom in Christ, strength in my Lord, and peace in my circumstances, God has taken me from a punk 16 year old kid with nothing to worry about to a 17 year old learning to be an adult one day at a time. God is there, even when it's hard.

2011-05-08T21:10:00.001-07:00

I love normal, average people who fall in love, or are dating, but it's basically synonymous. Just even people I don't even know, it's just so cute. I'm ridiculous.

2011-05-08T21:08:00.001-07:00

Speak. Know. Love. Do.

2011-05-08T21:07:00.000-07:00

"Natural disasters all over the world remind me how everything can change in a matter of minutes. I think earth quakes are one of the few natural disasters we're suseptible to here, but it's crazy hearing about them elsewhere. Tsunami's seem like something out of a science fiction movie or something, so scary to think of. I'm thinking of the team from Calvary going to Thailand today, I hope they're ok. Also thinking of Paden in Indonesia. Hoping he's ok.
Wow. So scary."

I wrote this the morning that the tsunami's hit Japan. I was sitting in the student center at the college watching the news. It's moments like these that you never forget. Moments like the morning of September 11, 2001.

2011-05-08T21:01:00.000-07:00

What is the meaning of life?
What are we here? What do we live for?
"Oh, I'm just discovering the meaning of life"
Live it up, then you die, right?
The meaning of life according to ___.
What is the meaning of like according to you?

2011-05-08T20:59:00.001-07:00

How do you recognize a book from God?

2011-05-08T20:55:00.000-07:00

Is it normal to be self conscious when the girls behind you in class are giggling? Like, you know they're talking about the teacher because you can hear ever few words... but it just feels weird.
Why can't everyone just be the same size so no one would feel self conscious about their weight? Seriously.
I know we would find something else to compare each other to and feel self conscious about.... but sometimes it would be rather nice....

2011-05-08T20:52:00.001-07:00

God shows us how strong He is through showing us how weak we are.

Zumba anyone?

2011-05-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

Oh music. I love music, right? It just, I can't even put into words what it does for me.

I've recently gotten into zumba dancing. In my living room. By myself. Watching youtube videos. It's awesome.

Before, any little thing could cause a random song to pop into my head out of no where. Now, I think of a song, especially one that I do zumba to, and I just feel the need to dance. Weird.

2011-05-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

I love the phrase, "a shirt and tie"
Like you wouldn't wear a shirt without a tie.
Just saying.

2011-02-18T13:23:00.000-08:00

I guess you really did it this time
Left yourself in your warpath
Lost your balance on a tightrope
Lost your mind tryin' to get it back

Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days?
Always a bigger bed to crawl into
Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything?
And everybody believed in you?

It's all right, just wait and see
Your string of lights is still bright to me
Oh, who you are is not where you've been
You're still an innocent
You're still an innocent

There's some things you can't speak of
But tonight you'll live it all again
You wouldn't be shattered on the floor now
If only you would sing what you know now then

Wasn't it easier in your firefly-catchin' days?
And everything out of reach, someone bigger brought down to you
Wasn't it beautiful runnin' wild 'til you fell asleep?
Before the monsters caught up to you?

It's all right, just wait and see
Your string of lights is still bright to me
Oh, who you are is not where you've been
You're still an innocent

It's okay, life is a tough crowd
32, and still growin' up now
Who you are is not what you did
You're still an innocent

Time turns flames to embers
You'll have new Septembers
Every one of us has messed up too

Lives change like the weather
I hope you remember
Today is never to late to
Be brand new

It's all right, just wait and see
Your string of lights are still bright to me
Oh, who you are is not where you've been
You're still an innocent

It's okay, life is a tough crowd
32, and still growin' up now
Who you are is not what you did
You're still an innocent

Taylor Swift, when she gets away from boys long enough to write a song about something else, usually comes up with really good lyrics. I liked these quite a bit. I appreciated the fact that she wrote it reflecting Kanye West's performance during her speech last year. She could've said a number of things that people would've thought appropriate and that Kanye would've deserved them, but she was gracious and forgiving, and I think it was very mature of her.

These lyricscan also reflect on how God sees us. We all mess up in life, we do things we wish we hadn't, just like Kanye West, but no matter how many times we fall, God views us as holy, righteous and innocent through the blood of His Son, Jesus. All we have to do is ask for forgiveness for our sins, and He'll gladly accept us.

What do you think?

Sunday, February 13, 2011

2011-02-18T12:41:00.000-08:00

Authentic Christianity - Conducting Church Check ups
2 Corinthians 13:1-10

1. Check for signs of sin vs 1-4
A. Sin in the life of an individual should never be confronted by the church unless it can be confirmed by two or three witnesses (although it is proper for one believer to confront another believer who sins against him/her in private.) Matthew 18:15
B. If gentle and mericful confrontations fail to produce repentance, stricter consequences should be enforced
If we have been or now are holding onto a consistent sin in our lives, we should correct it now, before we have to be confronted.
C. Christ confronts us through other believers
D. God has placed the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and will raise us to life with Him forever within us to help us overcome sin

2. Check for signs of life vs 5-6
A. Does your mind think corrupt thoughts often? Do you feel convicted when you sin?
B. Do you claim to know God? If so, do you live out His teachings?
Titus 1:15-16
C. Do you seek to control other people?
D. Are you led by your impulsive desires?
E. Do Bible truths (including the message that Jesus died for your sins) seem confusing, even though you usually excel at learning?
F. Can you list ways that you're currently growing spiritually?
G. Do other people consider your way of life to be foolish?
2 Timothy 3:6-9

3. Check for signs of growth vs 7-10
A. We should be making conscious effort to avoid wrong things and do what is right of a daily basis
B. We should be promoting the truth, not hindering it
C. We should be rejoicing in time of weakness
D. We should be gaining strength and becoming more complete

Prevention is the Key!
For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.
-What "consistent" sins am I still holding onto in my life that need correction in order to avoid being confronted by another believer or the church body?
- Do I recognize that Christ confronts me through other believers?
-Am I "in the faith?" Do I experience conviction of sin? Has my life changed? Do Bible truths seem confusing to me?
- Are there signs of spiritual growth in my life?

Sunday, February 6, 2011

2011-02-18T12:28:00.000-08:00

Leading the Little like Papa Paul
"I will gladly spend and be spent for you... everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening." 2 Corinthians 12:14, 19

Pray for them
Romans 1:9-10
1 Corinthians 1:4
Ephesians 1:16
Philippians 1:4
Colossians 1:9

Serve them [In the power of God]
2 Corinthians 6:4-10
2 Corinthians 12:13-14, 17
2 Corinthians 1:24
Mark 10:45

Teach Them
2 Corinthians 4:2
2 Corinthian 8:21
2 Corinthians 2:17
2 Corinthians 7:8-9
2 Corinthians 6:4
2 Corinthians 2:1-5
2 Corinthians 4:14-17
Acts 20:18-20

Love them
1 Thessalonians 2:5-10
2 Corinthians 6:11
2 Corinthians 2:2-5
2 Corinthians 11:2
2 Corinthians 11:23-18

$2 for 2 Kids

2011-02-18T12:13:00.000-08:00

On Fridays I ride the bus down to the college instead of riding with my dad. This is all fine and dandy, except that I don't actually have class for an hour and a half after I get there. So, I go to the student center, mostly because it's warm and open at seven thirty. A few weeks ago two kids, about 8 years old, came up to me and asked me for $2, one for each. I asked what they were going to do with it, and they told me they intended to get a candy bar from the machine across the hall. Only having one $1 bill on me, I gave it to them, not giving it a second thought. When I got home and told my mom, she responded with, "I can't believe you gave them money" and I wondered why I did. I had been taught not to talk to strangers and definitely don't give them money, but I guess I didn't think about that when it came to two cute little kids. I saw them there last week again. Upon further thought and after watching them turned down by three other people in the center I decided to decline their request. Because I had previously given them money, the boys responded with a surprised, "Wait, what?" When I said that I wouldn't give them money.
Sometimes people seek you out for friendship, some people seek you out to use you. With some people, when you do them a favor once or twice, it becomes an expectation.

What do you think?

Pancakes and Pigweed

2011-02-18T11:58:00.000-08:00

My dad has been doing some research for a film which included some local history. This brought him to a hand written book which included stories of individuals who settled the area. There was a story of one family who settled here and agreed to work a parcel of land, giving the owner their first two years of profit from the land. It took them two years to ready the ground to plant on, as the land here is dry and rocky. The first year he produced crops, the locusts came in clouds and annihilated his harvest, leaving them with nothing. The same thing happened the next year. This left the family with nothing to eat but boiled pigweed, a naturally growing plant here. One year the son of the family was hired to work on a farm about twenty miles away for room and board. He was given every Sunday off of work. The family he stayed with began the day with a meal of pancakes, which the boy saved. Then the son started his way on the 20 mile journey to his family, so that he could give his pancakes with his family and he could eat the pigweed.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

2011-01-31T12:40:00.000-08:00

Authentic Christianity - Pride Prevention

1. Refuse to boast on your own behalf
2 Corinthians 12:1-5
a. When you are blessed with great opportunities, insights, or privileges, share about them in an anonymous way that prevents you from taking the credit and others from feeling insignificant or jealous.
b. Talk freely about the way God's strength has overcome your weaknesses to bring about the blessings in your life
2. Refrain from taking the credit
2 Corinthians 12:6
a. Even thought the accomplishments we could boast about may be true, it is wise to refrain from bragging for the sake of others
b. People tend to exaggerate. When we boast, others distort our claims and usually end up giving us far more credit than we deserve. As a result, many people may develop a false impression of us
c. The solution is to redirect the credit to the one who enables us to accomplish everything: God
3. Rely on the power of Christ
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
a. Sometimes God allows weaknesses of various kinds to enter into our lives to humble us and prevent us from thinking too highly of ourselves.
b. Weaknesses force us to depend on Christ's power by stripping us of our own
c. Christ's power working through us always accomplishes more than our own strength
d. We should be thankful for our weaknesses because they make us stronger

Counterfeit Christianity
Acts 8:9-25
1. Counterfeit Repentence vs 9-13
Simon was a sorcerer, people thought he was of God. Phillip comes in doing miracles of God, and the people, Simon's followers, trusted in Christ and were baptized. Simon lost his entire following to Phillip in just a few days. Simon's philosophy: If you can't beat them, join them. He professed repentence and followed Phillip and watched his miracles. People can know a lot of facts about Jesus and still not be saved.
2. Counterfeit Power vs 14 -19
Peter and John came to Samaria to see the new believers, and they bestowed the Holy spirit on them, all except Simon. He wanted to pay them to give him the power to do the miracles they did.
3. Counterfeit renounced vs 20-25
Peter rebuked him and told him to repent, but we don't see that he did.
We need to remember that even though we can fool people, we can't fool God.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

2011-01-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

Authentic Christanity
"Hardships of Christian Service"
Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus 2 Timothy 2:3
2 Corinthians 11:23-29

1. Mistreatement
2 Corinthians 11:23-25a
-Far more labors, oppression
- Beatings

2. Dangers
2 Corinthians 11:25b-26
-Travel
-Weather
-People
-Location

3.Discomfort
2 Corinthians 11:27
-Work
-Pain
-Exhaustion
-Lack

5. Concerns
2 Corinthians 11:28-29
What am I willing to go through for Jesus? Why?

Sunday, January 16, 2011

2011-01-27T09:56:00.000-08:00

Authentic Christianity
Identifying false teachings and false teachers.

1. False teachers compete for our affections
2 Corinthians 11:1-3
Genesis 3:1-6

2. False Teachings change God's definitions
2 Corinthians 11:4
Who is the real Jesus?
John 1:1, 3, 11, 14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Colossians 1:15-20
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

What is the real Gospel?
Romans 1:16-17
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
1 Corinthians 15: 1-4
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
Ephesians 1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
Colossians 1:6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.

3. True teachers contrast in approach
2 Corinthians 11:5-12
A. They put a strong emphasis on Knowledge - often times over feelings, traditions or strict rules.
B. They have a humble attitude
C. They keep themselves from being a burden
D. They refuse to accept false teachers who want to be viewed as true teachers

4. False teachers conceal themselves as Christ's workers
2 Corinthians 11:3-15

Sunday, January 9, 2011

2011-01-27T09:47:00.000-08:00

Hindering Effective Servants
Acts 6:8
1. Debating vs 8-10
Matthew 25:21
When we're effective in some things, we're trusted with more and more
1 Timothy 3:13
Steven was possibly a freedman, a former Jew, so the group may have felt betrayed, which could have been why they targeted him. It we're walking with God, we'll get into conv3ersations about Jesus, in which we'll have to give an answer. Steven was ready. He was full of faith (Romans 10:13), filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8, 2 Tim 1:7) and he was wise (James 1:5, John 14:26)
2. Discrediting vs 11-14
"If you can't win the argument, start a fight"
The priests and pharisees lost the argument, sot hey put people in place to lie about Steven.
3. Delivering vs 15
Because Steven knew he was right with God, he was shameless and bold.
What Steven went through was parallel to what Jesus went through.
We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.When we are persecuted for the Lord, we don't know who God will affect through us. Because Steven was saved, by killing him, they were merely delivering him into God's arms in heaven.
There is always victory in serving the Lord.

Envelopes and Abilities

2011-01-06T11:15:00.000-08:00

I recently read a book called 13 Little Blue Envelopes about a girl whose aunt left her a blue envelope with $1000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket to Europe. She followed the series of 13 envelopes on an adventure of a lifetime across Europe. The thirteenth envelope, however, was lost when her backpack got stolen in Greece. She did find out what her aunt wanted her to do, but to finish her quest, she wrote another thirteenth letter to her aunt. She didn't know what to do with the money she inherited from her aunt, but she knew her aunt would want her to do something worthwhile and meaningful with it.
Sometimes we're like that. We have these abilities that God has given us, but we don't really know what He wants us to do with them. Luckily, unlike the girl in my book, God is still alive and is ready to show us what He wants to do with what He's given us. All we have to do is ask.

What do you think?

Little Things

2011-01-06T11:13:00.000-08:00

Sometimes little things make a big difference.
Sometimes it's the little things that keep people together. Other times, it's the little things that drive people apart or lead to major catastrophe.
A newspaper misprints the time for a funeral from 11am to 1pm, causing people to miss a loved one's departing. A publishing company misses an 'l' in the word 'public' to change it to the 'pubic library'.
Go figure.

What do you think?

Sunday, January 2, 2011

2011-01-03T12:21:00.000-08:00

Authentic Christianity - The "Gains" of Giving
Greater generosity generates greater gains.
2 Corinthians 9:6
What might cause a person to give sparingly?
2 Corinthians 9:5

1. We gain joy
2 Corinthians 9:7
A. Intentional, planned giving brings joy to the giver and to God (Reluctant giving does not.)

2. We gain sufficiency
2 Corinthians 9:8-9, Ephesians 2:10
A. God's limitless supple of grace is always available to provide us with everything we need to live and accomplish His will
Philippians 4:10
B. Sacrificial giving is a step of faith because it places us in the same situation as those we are giving to and forces us to rely on God just as others have relied on us.

3. We gain increase
2 Corinthians 9:10-11
A. God will multiply our resources so that we can continue to give more and more generously
B. God will multiply the eternal rewards that we will receive as a result of our generous giving.
Matthew 6:1

4.We gain overflow
2 Corinthians 9:12-15
A. Provision will overflow to believers in need
B. Thanksgiving will overflow to God from those who have been provided for
   1. For the obedience of givers who are living out their faith
   2. For the generosity of the contribution.
   3. For His gift, which words fail to describe
C. Prayers will overflow to God on behalf of those who have given
D. Longings will overflow to be with those who gave

Proper Expectations of People and Pastors
Acts 6:1-7
1. People vs 1-2, 4
The money given to the church was used to provide for the poor. Someone was appointed to overlook that so the decisions could be made and the money could be distributed. The people over the money were giving most of the money to those who lived in Judea and were neglecting the Palestinian Jews.
The Palestinians requested that the apostles take over the ministry because they trusted the apostles to be fair and right. The apostles said no. They knew that their main responsibility was to preach the Word.
1 Peter 5:2
As Christians, we can say that we're too busy for ministry or we have too much ministry, but we have to be aware of what ministries God wants us to do, not just what we want or what sounds like a 'good' ministry.

2. Pastors vs 3-6
The apostles chose seven men to head up the ministry. There were certain qualifications that had to be fulfilled for the positions. They had to be:
-From the church
-Christians
-Men
-Of good reputation
-Full of the spirit
-Wise [Wisdom is proper application of God's truth in every day life]

3. Progress vs 7
After the problem was dealt with, the people 's attention was brought back outward, where it needed to be. The whole church was made for effective because of the changes made that some of the High priests got saved.

It is important to remain open to every ministry opportunity, but also aware of God's leading in ministry.

2011-01-03T12:03:00.000-08:00

Recently my youth group had a girls sleepover. Among the numerous things we did, we watched Ramona and Beezus. Throughout the story, Ramona tries her hardest to do good things and help her family, but it seems like every thing she does ends up in disaster. Near the end of the movie, Ramona gives up and decides to run away. Her mom, though sad she's leaving, helps Ramona pack her suitcase. This strikes Ramona as strange, but she embarks on her journey nonetheless. She makes her way through her neighborhood and climbs the metaphoric hill to the bus stop. By the time she reaches the bus stop, she notices that her suitcase is a bit heavier than she thought it should be. She releases the zipper to find that her mom had put a bowling ball, among other heavy things inside her bag. Within a few seconds her family pulls across the street, hoping that Ramona had come to her senses.
God does this with us sometimes. When things get hard, and we feel like everything we try to do fails, we decide to run away from God and those who care for us most. God puts challenges in our way, not because He doesn't care, but because He does care. He wants us to realize that the only way we can get through life is with His help, and that things of this world are too much for us to handle alone. Once we've reached the point of desperation, God is waiting for us to turn around and run to His open arms, just like Ramona's family was waiting for her.
Are you running from God? He's waiting for you to come back to Him, no matter what.

What do you think?

Sunday, December 26.10

2010-12-27T18:42:00.000-08:00

God's creative care
Acts 5:33
1 Samuel 14

1. Discussion vs 33-39
The high priests plotted to kill the apostles
2. Decision vs 40
They decided not to kill them, just beat them
3. Dedication vs 41
They rejoiced in their suffering and continued to preach in spite of the threat.
Romans 8:28

December 19.10

2010-12-27T18:36:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 7
1. Man's rebellion vs1-2
The kings of Israel continually lead them down sinful paths. They didn't want God's help.

2. God's Response vs 3-5
God is always willing to take us back, even after long periods of rebellion.

Sunday, December 12.10

2010-12-27T18:31:00.000-08:00

I seem to have misplaced my notes for the fifth, as they're not in my notebook. Terribly sorry.

Acts 5:17

Peter and John had been preaching and healing, and the Pharisees and Sadducees were worried about their authority with the people being undermined.
1. The Arrest vs 17-26
Though the high priests arrested them again, God intervened. He told them through His angel to keep preaching the entire gospel.

2. Their Authority vs27
Satan does not have the ability to stop the message of God. The one one who can do it is God's people, and even then God will still make a witness available.
Tim told a story of a water heater he made for camp one year, it was a large plastic box that would gather and warm the water with the sunlight. He set it up, then a few hours later, some campers told him that it was leaking. He patched the leak, just to find it leaking again. Like the gospel, the water in the tank just couldn't be contained.

Sunday, November 29.10

2010-12-27T18:24:00.000-08:00

So, please forgive me for being a busy fool this holiday season, my blogging has been lacking. I'll try to remedy that.

The Threat from Within - Ananias and Sapphira
Acts 5:1-11
1. The Expectation vs 1-2
In Acts 4:36, Barnabus gives a substantial amount of money from a recently sold property to the church, and he was thought of highly because of it. Ananias and Sapphira wanted this kind of attention, and thought that if they gave money, they would be well thought of too. One of Ananias and Sapphira's biggest downfalls was their pride. They wanted to be well esteemed, and they didn't understand that man's praise wasn't what they should be seeking.
Their next biggest shortcoming was their deception. They sold the property to give to the church, but no one prompted them to, it was still their money, they didn't have to give all of it. They decided to keep some of the profit from the sale, which was fine. However, they thought that if the people knew they didn't give the entire amount they wouldn't receive as much praise.
2. Exposing their sin vs 3-4
When Ananias brought the money to Peter, he didn't receive the response he was expecting. He was rebuked instead of praised. Worse than that, Ananias was struck dead where he stood. When Sapphira followed later, she received the same punishment.
3. The Seriousness vs5-10
What Ananias and Sapphira didn't realize was that their sins did not just effect them. If it would've gotten out, how many other people would have began sinning in the same ways? What would happen because of the deception and pride that would soon follow?
4. The Example vs11
Not every person who drinks and drives gets in an accident. Not every person who steals from a store gets caught. God does not always strike us dead for sinning. Some people don't ever seem to get punished for their wrong doings. However, there are those who do. The people who do get caught and punished for their sins are the ones who help the rest of us realize that it does matter. Because they receive what they deserve, we realize that there is a chance we could too, instilling a fear in us.
After Ananias and Sapphira were dead, the church heard about what happened, and they were afraid. They were afraid to sin like Ananias and Sapphira because of the consequences. God used their sin to strengthen the body and draw them closer to Himself.

God Exists

2010-11-30T17:16:00.000-08:00

Forever 21 is like the coolest store in the entire Henderson mall, ok? Well, I saw a shirt there when I went last that said "Love Exists." And it made me think, God is love, and God exists, so that shirt is correct. No matter how much people try to disprove Him, God exists, and love exists.

Unanswered Prayers

2010-11-30T17:13:00.000-08:00

Just the other night a hometown football game
My wife and I ran into my old high school flame
And as I introduced them the past came back to me
And I couldn't help but think of the way things used to be

She was the one that I'd wanted for all times
And each night I'd spend prayin' that God would make her mine
And if he'd only grant me this wish I wished back then
I'd never ask for anything again

CHORUS:
Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers

She wasn't quite the angel that I remembered in my dreams
And I could tell that time had changed me
Inn her eyes too it seemed
We tried to talk about the old days
There wasn't much we could recall
I guess the Lord knows what he's doin' after all

And as she walked away and I looked at my wife
And then and there I thanked the good Lord
For the gifts in my life

Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayer

God does know what He's doing, even when it seems like He doesn't care. When He says yes, no, or wait, it's always for our best. We don't always see, but sometimes He gives us the chance to see how much better our lives are because of our seemingly unanswered prayers.

How things Change

2010-11-29T19:33:00.000-08:00

Actual Webster's Dictionary Entries

1828:
Remission
REMIS'SION, n. [L. remissio, from remitto, to send back.]

1. Abatement; relaxation; moderation; as the remission of extreme rigor.

2. Abatement; diminution of intensity; as the remission of the sun's heat; the remission of cold; the remission of close study or of labor.

3. Release; discharge or relinquishment of a claim or right; as the remission of a tax or duty.

4. In medicine, abatement; a temporary subsidence of the force or violence of a disease or of pain, as distinguished from intermission, in which the disease leaves the patient entirely for a time.

5. Forgiveness; pardon; that is, the giving up of the punishment due to a crime; as the remission of sins. Matt. 26. Heb. 9.

6. The act of sending back.

2010:

–noun

the act of remitting.

pardon; forgiveness, as of sins or offenses.

abatement or diminution, as of diligence, labor, intensity, etc.

the relinquishment of a payment, obligation, etc.

Medicine/Medical .

a temporary or permanent decrease or subsidence of manifestations of a disease.

a period during which such a decrease or subsidence occurs: The patient's leukemia was in remission.

Sunday, November 21.2010

2010-11-29T18:56:00.000-08:00

Sadly, I seem to have lost the sunday school notes for this week, but here are the sermon notes.

Dealing With The Fear Factor
Acts 4:23-31
Reflection vs23-28
They all gathered to pray

Request vs 29-31
They didn't ask for protection or for God to handle their enemies, they asked for boldness, courage and clarity.
They also asked for miracles and tangible signs. We have the New Testament and the fruit of the spirit, which shows God's supernatural power in us.

Response vs 31
They were filled with the spirit, and given boldness.

Sunday, November 14.2010

2010-11-29T18:35:00.000-08:00

Sunday School

Authentic Christianity: Authentic Renewal
Though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day
Changing our perspective will change our life

1.We Can Renew Our Hope
Why is hope such an important attitude to keep alive?
How might having no hope affect someone?
What crushes your hope?
2 Corinthians 4:13-18
A. By keeping a spirit of faith in God's ability to rescue us from death, sorrow, temptation and affliction.
Psalm 116:8-10
B. By realizing that the same God who raised the Lord Jesus will resurrect us and present us to Christ beside those we have "served" among.
C. Bu giving thanks as we hear stories of God's grace spreading to more and more people.
D. By appreciating that our "light affliction" is producing an eternal weight of glory that is beyond comparison to anything we know
E. By looking at the things that are not seen.
2.We Can Renew our Boldness
What Causes You to Feel timid?
Can you remember any times in the past when you were unusually bold? What circumstances caused it?
2 Corinthians 5:1-8
A. By Knowing that we will recieve a "building" (superior body) in heaven the moment our "tent" (earthly body) is "torn down" in death.
Our Heavenly Body will last forever, can never be deprived, will never feel burdened, and will live forever.
B. Be remembering that even death will complete God's plan for us by enabling us to live forever in heavenly bodies
C. By understanding that the worst possible scenario places us home in the presence of our Lord.
The Presence of the Lord provides direct knowledge if the will and timing of God.
3. We can renew our ambition
On a scale of 1-10, with ten being the highest, how would you 'rate' your determination at the moment?
What causes us to become spiritually lazy or unconcerned about others?
2 Corinthians 5:9-10
A. By aiming to please God whether we are in heaven or on earth
b. By reflecting on the truth that believers will appear before the judgement seat of Christ
C. By considering that we will be compensated for the works we have done while in our earthly bodies.

Service

Satan's Counter Attack
Acts 4:1-13

1. The Arrest vs 1-4
What got them in trouble was preaching the gospel. The Bible says the gospel is offensive to the world
It's offensive because some people don't believe in God at all, some people believe in false religions, and because truth exposes falsehood
2 Timothy 2:24

2. The Argument vs 5-12
"By what power do you do this?" "Who do you stand by?" Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit.

3. The Alternative vs13
Should we listen to you, or God?
We cannot help but tell people
The most effective witness for God is those who share because they can't help themselves

Sunday, November 7.2010

2010-11-28T16:55:00.000-08:00

Sunday School

Treasures in a Jar of Clay
2 Corinthians 4:7

The Treasure of Truth vs 2-4

Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

How do we expose the truth within us to the world that is searching?

We must strip away the secrets and shame
Colossians 3:9-10: Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
Hebrews 12:1: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
To be able to effectively share the good news of the Gospel with those around us, we have to get rid of all of our fakeness, plastered on, and acting. This reminded me of a line from Tenth Avenue North's new song, Healing Begins, "This is where the healing begins, this is where the healing starts, when you've come where you're broken within, the light meets the dark."
We must set forth the truth genuinely and plainly
Ephesians 4:29: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Ephesians 5:2: and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
1 John 4:9: This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
God saved us so that we would live for Him. Our job as Christians is to take what God has done for us and spread it to others.
What secret and shameful things do I need to strip away from my life? In what ways can i more clearly set forth the truth from my life, in my words and in my actions?

The Treasure of Light vs 5-7

For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

How do we unveil this light to those who are in darkness?

We have to say it's all about Him!

Romans 15:6: and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written:

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;
I will sing the praises of your name.”
Colossians 3:17: And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
We've been given abundant light, a light that can't be extinguished. We're to be set apart for God, and we're to give God the glory
We have to show it's all about Him!
2 Peter 1:3: His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
He's given us everything we need to live the life worth living. We hold the treasure of light.
Do I tell others who my life is really about? Do my actions show that my life is about something much greater than me? What are some ways that I can let my life scream, "It's all about HIM!"

The treasure of Life vs 4-8

perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

How do we reveal this life within us to a world that needs a Savior?

Emptying ourselves

2 Corinthians 12:9: But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Denying ourselves, showing God's glory in even the worst day.
"My power is made perfect in weakness."
Pouring out the Life
John 3:30: He must become greater; I must become less.
I must decrease.
When we get knocked down, whatever is inside of us spills out. What's inside of me?

When hard times come my way, when I am placed outside my comfort zone, or when I experience suffering, does the Life of Jesus spill out of me? As I am emptied is He revealed in me? Is He increasing in my life and am I decreasing?

You are the map to the Savior!

Service
Jesus Compares Himself to Bread
John 6:33-37
1.The Bread is sent to us vs 33
For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
2. The Bread satisfies vs 35
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
3. The Bread Secures vs 37
All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
The Bread is available to all, and all are secured through Him.

Single mom can't pay $1.5M song sharing fine

2010-11-05T17:24:00.000-07:00

MINNEAPOLIS — A Minnesota woman ordered to pay a recording industry trade group $1.5 million for illegally sharing music online doesn't plan to pay those damages as her attorneys continue to argue the amount is unconstitutional, she said Thursday.

A federal jury found Wednesday that Jammie Thomas-Rasset, of Brainerd, must pay $62,500 per song — for a total of $1.5 million — for illegally violating copyrights on 24 songs. This was the third jury to consider damages in her case, and each has found that she must pay — though different amounts.
And after each time, the single mother of four has said she can't pay.
"I can't afford to pay any amount. It's not a matter of won't, it's a matter of 'I can't,'" Thomas-Rasset said Thursday. "Any amount that I pay to them is money that I could use to feed my children. Any amount that I pay to them is money I could use to clothe my kids, and pay my mortgage so my kids have a place to sleep."
The Recording Industry Association of America has said it found Thomas-Rasset shared more than 1,700 songs on the file-sharing site Kazaa, but it sued over 24 of them. RIAA spokeswoman Cara Duckworth said the association made several attempts to settle with Thomas-Rasset, at first for $5,000, but Thomas-Rasset refused.
Duckworth said the RIAA was thankful the jury recognized the severity of Thomas-Rasset's misconduct.
"Three juries have now spoken and each has sent a strong message that she needs to accept responsibility for her actions," Duckworth said. "I'd say, enough is enough."
Under federal law, the recording companies are entitled to $750 to $30,000 per infringement but the law allows the jury to raise that to as much as $150,000 per track if it finds the infringements were willful.
The vast majority of people targeted by music industry lawsuits have settled for about $3,500 each. The recording industry has said it stopped filing such lawsuits and is instead working with Internet service providers to go after the worst offenders.
Thomas-Rasset, 33, was the first person to go to trial. In 2007, jurors decided she willfully violated the copyrights on all 24 songs, and she was ordered to pay $9,250 per song, or $222,000.
But Chief U.S. District Judge Michael Davis ordered a new trial, deciding he had erred in giving jury instructions. The case went back to court. Last year, another jury also found that Thomas-Rasset willfully violated the copyrights and ordered her to pay $1.92 million in damages, or $80,000 per song.
Davis called that figure "monstrous and shocking" and reduced the penalty to about $54,000. The RIAA rejected the reduced penalty for legal reasons. But the industry group said it would settle for $25,000, with the money going to a charity for struggling musicians.
Thomas-Rasset refused, setting up another trial to deal just with the issue of damages.
Her attorney, Kiwi Camara, said he has 30 days to submit arguments that the statutes allowing for such hefty damages in these cases are unconstitutional. He said even the minimum amount for damages is not reasonably related to the actual harm caused to the recording industry.
He said in Thomas-Rasset's case, the minimum damage amount would be $18,000, but the actual damages are $24 — the amount Thomas-Rasset would have paid if she bought each song for $1 off iTunes.
Camara said he'll take the argument to the appeals court if necessary.
Thomas-Rasset has maintained her innocence from the start, saying she never used Kazaa. She said Thursday that the law allowing for such disproportionate damages needs to be changed, and she's willing to keep fighting.
"It's not a fair law," she said. "In my eyes, it's legalized extortion."
When a reporter pointed out that three juries of her peers had decided that she should pay well above the minimum, she said there's "no rhyme or reason to the numbers" but she respects jurors for doing their jobs.
She said she's not going to worry about damages until the case is finalized and appeals are finished. Even then, she said, she'd probably file for bankruptcy and write off the damages, rather than pay herself.
Duckworth said if the case is appealed, the RIAA is ready to defend the constitutionality of the verdict. She said the issue is still important, even after all this time.
"People forget about all of the individuals who work really hard to make music for a living," she said. "These people are negatively impacted whenever music is stolen and distributed to millions of people."
In another high-profile case in Boston, a federal judge this summer reduced from $675,000 to $67,500 the amount of damages a Boston University graduate student was ordered to pay. In that case, Joel Tenenbaum of Providence admitted downloading songs between 1999 and 2007. The case is currently under appeal.

This is a story that I found on my msn homepage. What do you think, should she have to pay that high of a fee, or is it unfair? Does the fact that millions of people do it make it so she shouldn't have to pay such a high fine?

Sunday, Octobter 31.10

2010-11-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

So, I'm going to try something different. I'm going to start posting my notes from church every week... what the heck :)

Sunday School

Authentic Christianity - Authentic Ministry

1. Proof of Authentic Ministry
2 Corinthians 3:1-4: "Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence we have through Christ before God"
Ephesians 4:11-13, 16: "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."
Having special training, honors, credentials, recomendations does not prove authentic ministry. Our results are the only "proof" we have of the work God's done.
2.Proficiency for Authentic Ministry
2 Corinthians 3:5-6: "Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life"
Out adequacy when it comes to ministry is not based on an 'arival' of self. Out competancy comes only from God; He makes us adequate. This use of the word made is past tense, we're made adequate at our Salvation
3. Provision and pull of authentic ministry.
Christianity is attractive to the world. We offer hope. Jesus Christ offers hope. Jesus offers righteousness. He takes away guilt. Salvation is permanent. It doesn't end. Out hope helps us be bold - not cocky, but confident. The spirit of the Lord offers freedom. The commands of God actually give us freedom. Worldly freedom is freedom to sin, which promotes destructive and addicting habits, which enslave people. The spirit makes us more closely resemble Jesus. Ever changing, we end up looking more and more like Jesus, being more and more attractive to the world.

Service

Effective witnessing 101
Acts 3:11-19

1. Preperation vs. 11-12
"While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. ¹² When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?"
1 Peter 3:15 - Always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in you
Can I share the gospel without my Bible?
We need to be accademically prepared - knowing the verses to back our gospel.
We need to be spiritually prepared - we need to be avidly searching and listening for God's will for us. We need to be spiritually away when God brings out paths to people who are seeking.
Our walk with God needs to be such that anyone who would try to find fault in our faith would be ashamed and that they would see that Christ does make a difference.

2. Presentation vs 13-19
"The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
“Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,"
Present all as sinners
Present understanding of punishment for sin
Present Jesus as the Only Way to avoid punishment
Present repentence.
We need to prepare. We need to share God's truth.

You've been remade

2010-11-01T15:45:00.000-07:00

You are More

There's a girl in the corner
With tear stains on her eyes
From the places she's wandered
And the shame she can't hide

She says, "How did I get here?
I'm not who I once was.
And I'm crippled by the fear
That I've fallen too far to love"

But don't you know who you are,
What's been done for you?
Yeah don't you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

Well she tries to believe it
That she's been given new life
But she can't shake the feeling
That it's not true tonight

She knows all the answers
And she's rehearsed all the lines
And so she'll try to do better
But then she's too weak to try

But don't you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

'Cause this is not about what you've done,
But what's been done for you.
This is not about where you've been,
But where your brokenness brings you to

This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved.

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

This is such a powerful song. I was reading down the comments on the video and one person said, "I feel like so many of the phrases on that board." I know that I've got a few myself. With Christ, though, we know that all our sins, mistakes, insecurities and problems are washed away, like the chalk on the board, we really are remade.
Sometimes I sit and think about people and what they're going through, and wonder what they would write if they had a chalk board like that.
What would you write?

What do you think?

Yes, David

2010-10-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it seems like life is full of 'no'. Kind of like in this book, No David, all we seem to hear is God telling us, "No!" I don't know what God has for you, or what He'll say yes or no to you about, but one thing I know He'll always say yes to is whether or not He loves us.

Unlikely Romance

2010-10-18T19:43:00.000-07:00

My teacher often describes an 'unlikely romance' between action and description in writing. These two seemingly opposing things come together to form a good paper.
Christians are also in an unlikely romance, with God. We, sinful and vile people, and in a love relationship with God, the Perfect Almighty. It seems as though it shouldn't be, but God makes it possible through His Son. Through Jesus we can be sanctified so God views us as perfect, so we can have a relationship with Him.

First Hand Encounter

2010-10-18T19:20:00.001-07:00

"We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty." 2 Peter 1:16

My dad has recently decided that he's going to be a camera man for the local news. He, for now, mostly does free lance work, doing interviews and breaking news stories. For a lot of what he does, he's an eyewitness to the story. A first person witness to newsworthy events. He can accurately report these events because he saw them himself, with his own eyes. He was an eyewitness.
In this passage, Paul explains that they hadn't invented the stories of the gospel and what they'd experienced. They could accurately describe what they'd seen because they had first hand experience, they were eyewitnesses. We, today, have first hand encounters with God's power and majesty. We experience what He does for us all the time. We don't just have to trust everything that we hear about God, but we can see for ourselves what He is doing for us every day. What has God been showing you of His majesty lately?

Where's the Beef?

2010-10-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Pastor Curt was teaching that we, as Christians, need to have 'content'. By content, he meant that we needed to have sincerity, kindness, and most importantly, Jesus Christ. It reminded me of this Wendy's commercial my dad told me about, the hamburger has enough bun to make five hamburgers, but there's not much to the actual burger part. As people, we have have enough smiles and casual conversation for five people, but if our content is the size of that burger, we aren't going to get very far. Where's your beef?

2010-10-14T21:18:00.000-07:00

1 Peter 5:8-9, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings"

What can you make?

2010-10-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

"Everyone is born an artist."
My art teacher told us this the first day of class. He told us that when we're young, we are all completely artistic. Our parents give us a blank piece of paper and say, "What can you make?" Then, as we get older, we go to school and are form fitted into the public school way, and instead of a blank piece of paper, we're given a blank picture to color, "inside the lines." We're forced to forfeit most of our artistic abilities to learn how to do things 'right'. My teacher said that by the end of high school, a mere 2% of us are still artistic.
Why is it that people seem to think that every single child learns at the exact same rate? Why is it that all children should know certain things at a certain age? What about those who are slower to learn math or phonics? Are they all learning impared? Do they all have disabilities?
My mom has a friend who has ten kids. She's homeschooled all of her kids. However, she hasn't 'taught' any of her last five kids to read. However, all of them over age eight can read very well. They learn it when they're ready, whether you teach them or not. That's just how it is.

What do you think?

No Pressure

2010-10-14T20:58:00.001-07:00

The green war on children
By Michelle Malkin

Halloween isn’t for another couple of weeks, but environmental ghouls are on the haunt. A sadistic video released by global warming fear-mongers reveals an inconvenient truth about eco-radicals: They despise the very children for whom they claim to be saving the planet.

In the opening scene of “No Pressure,” a four-minute short clip produced by carbon reduction activist group “10:10,” a teacher urges her elementary school charges to fight climate change by cutting their carbon emissions by 10 percent by Oct. 10. When a few uncooperative students object, the teacher (played by actress Gillian Anderson) presses a red button at her desk — which immediately detonates the nay-saying children.

Their heads explode in graphic, bloody detail. Skin and body parts splatter all over their horrified classmates.

Message received loud and clear: No dissent allowed, little rascals. Or else.

The film’s corporate sponsors, including Sony and Kyocera, backed away from the project, and the 10:10 group offered a sulky, non-apology apology to “everybody who was offended.”

But the group will not censor any copies of the video circulated on the Internet and stands by its “humor.”

The 10:10 crew isn’t the only green group that gets a kick out of kiddie eco-snuff images.

The Discovery Channel website Treehugger.com gave its “coolest environmental ad” award last year to a lobbying group that depicted the “human impact” of “climate change” with an illustration of a dead schoolgirl hanging from a noose with a melting glacier at her feet.

Unfortunately for America’s children, demographic authoritarianism isn’t relegated to the global green fringes. President Obama’s own science czar, John Holdren, has escaped accountability for his embrace of international eugenics champion and mentor Harrison Brown.

Brown looked at the world’s children in contempt, referring to them as a “pulsating mass of maggots.”

Though Holdren denies that he believes “that determining optimal population is a proper role of government,” he still pays proud public homage to Brown’s population control work advocating better living through engineered abortions to protect the earth.

Perhaps all the fatuous parents who allow their sons and daughters to be junior lobbyists for the green agenda will now think twice about handing them over so blindly to the state. And perhaps some of their propaganda-swallowing teachers might actually talk to a family or two who find zero humor in environmental terrorism.

In an incident two summers ago, a Santa Cruz-area researcher’s home was firebombed by animal rights terrorists. The scientist and his two young children escaped on a fire ladder from a second-story window.

Earlier this year, yet another researcher’s car brakes were sabotaged, and emergency brake cables were cut.

John Guillebaud of the Optimum Population Trust accused large families of committing “eco-crimes.” Al Gore’s four children were unavailable for comment.

The elite commanders of the green war on children get to live by their own special creed: Do as we say, not as we breed.

Contact Michelle Malkin at malkinblog@gmail.com.

This is an editorial about a video that was made by 10:10 Global, an organization with the goal of reducing 10% of the worlds carbon footprint a year.This organization and its mission in general are not a bad thing, but their marketing leaves a bit to be desired. The video shows three different situations, a school classroom, a corporate lobby and a professional soccer team, talking about the 10:10 campaign. At the end of each clip, the people who were not on board with the global friendly cause were, literally, blown up, right on screen. Blood, guts and body parts flying everywhere, grotesque sounds clearly ring through the disgusted sounds of the bystanders.
This is not the first disturbing pro-eco endorsements, as mentioned in the editorial. Here's the link to the other ad mentioned in the editorial.
What are these organizations trying to accomplish with their scare tactics? How does this improve the planet? Threatening to explode people just because they don't use your fuel efficient, hybrids cracker-box cars, or your energy efficient light bulbs that cost four times more than regular incandescent bulbs?
The concept of reducing our carbon footprint and doing things that are better for the planet is a worthwhile endeavor, but there's no reason to use this kind of offensive material to promote it. How many people are really going to join a cause that offends them with their ads? I'm certainly not.

To see the clip, go here

No Pressure.

What do you think?

Zero Miles to Empty...

2010-10-02T19:43:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, there was a crazy family. This crazy family goes to the next state over for a football game. They spend most of the day in this dinky little town for the football game. Well at the end of the afternoon the clouds build and the wind blows, causing the family to use more gas than they expected to get home. Well going through the last twenty or so miles, the miles-to-empty dial slowly creeps lower and lower, twenty, fifteen, ten, five. As the little green number changes to zero, the family passes the sign that states that there are seven miles till they get to the next town. For the next seven miles, the family is sweating bullets hoping they won't run out of gas and half to walk to the gas station in the rain. The family finally makes it to the gas station without any sign of running out of gas, and the mom says, "Thank God!"
Thank God. He does some really cool stuff every day. People often think of miracles as these huge signs and wonders that the whole world hears of, but sometimes God's workings are just the little things in life like making it seven miles to the gas station on 0 miles-to-empty.

If they're breathing, they need Jesus

2010-09-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we talked about things that people feel and need all over the world, no matter where they are. Everyone needs food, water, they feel pain and emotions. One thing everyone in the world needs is a relationship with Jesus. Everyone has a need that can only be met by Jesus. Kristine doing some workshops for the youth group this school year, and one of them is called "If their breathing, they need Jesus". 'Nough said.

Old people know how it's done.

2010-09-16T14:59:00.000-07:00

I have decided that I really love old people. They're so neat. My favorite is when they try to act like young people. It's great. I like listening to them sing special music, also. They're to the point in life where they don't seem to care what other people think. They just want to to sing to their Savior. It's wonderful. For the last few days we've had a substitute teacher for my art class. The guy is awesome, seriously, he's like eighty years old, and he worked at cape Kennedy for like forty seven years. He's really funny too. He says stuff two or three times. Every morning he's like, "This is the 9 o clock class, right? Design 1010?" No. It's art appreciation 1010... funny, funny guy. Our choir is full of... ahem... more elderly persons... aha, They're old, but awesome. They totally know how to have a good laugh, seriously, like every week we always end up doubling over laughing about something. It's great. Old people know how it's done.

We will never forget...

2010-09-11T20:46:00.000-07:00

On September eleventh of two thousand and one, I was seven years old. I remember that morning had started like any other, breakfast, chores, school etc. Then something happened. Something got my dad really excited about something. The most vivid thing I remember was watching the news and seeing the plane flying towards the building, then seeing the impact on the screen. I remember feeling like that wasn't right, and it wasn't what was supposed to happen, but I didn't understand what was really going on. Looking back I understand what happened, and how many innocent people lost their lives that day. I remember afterward we were watching still and there was a lady on there talking and saying that her husband was in the building and he didn't know what was happening, but she could see the plane going towards the building, and that she was trying to call him and tell him to get out, but she didn't get a hold of him in time, and she watched the plane fly into the building that her husband was in. Thinking back on that now, that's just a horrible, horrible thing. I can't even imagine going through something like that. We will never forget what happened to those people that day. We will never forget the lives that were lost and the people who sacrificed themselves. We will never forget the flight 93 passengers who took charge of the situation.
Where were you on September 11, 01? How did you hear about the attacks? What will you never forget?

God is in love

2010-09-09T16:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday in youth group we were talking about the different names of God used in the Bible which show His different characteristics. We talked about El Shaddai, God Almighty; Jehovah-Jireh, God provides;Jehovah-Shammah, the Lord is there and Elohim, God the creator. We were supposed to go around the room and tell one thing about the characteristic, for example for Jehovah-Shammah, we were supposed to tell one thing we wouldn't wan to do or face without God. For the last one we talked about one thing that we specifically see God's creativity in. Something I've been thinking about for the last few months, since I've officially been 'in a relationship' with my boyfriend, is that God created all these feelings, butterflies and all, that I get when I'm around him and talk to him [my boyfriend]. He made them for a purpose. I always knew that God made 'love' and God is love, but I never thought of it that way, just in the brotherly, church-like love. I was thinking about this last night, and occurred to me, God made 'in-love'. God is love. Not just love among the church, or among family, but God is 'in love'. God is in love with the church, His people, His Bride. He created all of these feelings and emotions we have when we're around someone we love, just like He wants us to feel that in our relationship with Him. What an awesome God! He gave us these things just because He is in love with us and He wants us to find joy in Him and in other people.
I think that's pretty cool :)

Freedom isn't free

2010-09-09T16:12:00.000-07:00

Can I just say that I really appreciate the young guys I know who are so dedicated to the military? They're so full of patriotism and pride, that they can't think of anything else they want to do besides join the armed forces to serve our country. I really love it when I see my fourteen, fifteen, sixteen year old guy friends on facebook and stuff talking about the military. We need more guys like them who are willing to stand up for what's right, to defend the rights of those who can't defend themselves. I'm not for war, but I'm for freedom, and I don't care what anyone says, freedom isn't free. I stand behind our troops. Who's with me?
Thank you to our Veterans, troops who are in active duty now, and to our future armed forces.

You lived your life so I could live mine

2010-08-30T15:24:00.000-07:00

What if the end is just the beginning
What if the stars were meant to be reached
What if your heart was made to be broken
You've nothing to give that's all that you need

You are the one who's breaking my heart all over again
Nothing I do or say can change my mind
You are the one who's given me more than I could repay
You lived your life so I could live mine

My heart has done all my hands never dare to
Fooling my mind to believe we were free
Love came in like a whisper screaming
Your guilt and your shame were meant for me

We are free to fail
We are free to fail
We are free to fail now
You are the one who's taken my heart all over again
You are the one who's given me life

You are the one who's given me more than I could repay
You lived your life so I could live mine

We are free to fail now
We're starting over

I love this song by VOTA. Today in sociology class, my teacher was talking about the freedoms we have in America and he told us that one of the freedoms we're rapidly losing is the freedom to fail. We're being so accustom to being cushioned and coddled our whole lives that we never experience failure. One example he brought up was No Child Left Behind. He said that this, instead of teaching kids to work hard and get good grades, they just push them through anyway. Also, GM and these major banks, instead of making them take responsibility for their own actions, the government just gave a big stimulus package to bail them out. When we're always taken care of, no matter what we do, we take for granted the blessing of living in this country.

Is anyone out there?

2010-08-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

So, I recently put a Google Analytics on my blog, just for curiosity's sake. If any of the information off that is true, then I'm quite impressed. I guess there are far more readers than I expected. If there is anyone out there reading, I'd love to hear from you, what you like/dislike, what you would like more of, etc. Any feedback is way encouraging! Thanks for reading :)

I pledge alligence...

2010-08-26T16:27:00.000-07:00

I think many people don't know what they believe. They don't know why they do what they do. Why they salute the flag, why the national anthem has the words is has, why there are stars and stripes on our flag. Our generation is an uninformed generation.
Today in sociology we had a discussion about the importance of the American flag and the national anthem. People don't know why it's important or why we salute, but as soon as someone says something about taking it away, we bristle. We don't appreciate the meaning of 'freedom', because many of us haven't ever experienced the opposite. We live in a blessed land that we take for granted every day.
What does the American flag mean to you? What is your freedom worth to you?

A force to be reckoned with

2010-08-26T16:23:00.000-07:00

Copper is a hard metal, made out of different kinds of soft metals. Alone, these soft metals are easily bended, flexed and molded, but once they're put together, they form a stronger metal.
That's how people are. We're easily overcome alone, but when we have help, we are a force to be reckoned with. Physically, two people can carry a much heavier load than one, defeat a stronger enemy in numbers. People may have addiction, motivation, or sin problems alone, but with someone to help keep them accountable they are strong enough, with God's help, to overcome their troubles.

The H word.

2010-08-26T16:17:00.000-07:00

Just because a person has done wrong, doesn't mean that they're not saying right. Hypocracy doesn't mean someone is wrong, just that they've made mistakes.
Hypocracy is only wrong if someone is continually, knowingly telling someone not to do something that they, themselves are doing.
Not one single person in this world has not been a hypocrite at some point. No one. Making mistakes enables us to help people in a way we couldn't before, as long as we get right with our past and do not allow it to entangle us any longer. Then we can better instruct those around us from the voice of experience, because we don't want them to go through what we did.

Oh brother...

2010-08-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

Oh the Bubby, the Bubby...
He's recently decided that he cares. Cares about how he looks, how he smells... it's kinda wierd...
Other than him stealing my body wash, it seems to be an overall good thing...
He even has gone so far as to tell my mom that he wants nicer clothes for church. He wore a blue plaid button up shirt and denim jean shorts. I think everyone was a little dumbfounded....
Hehe.... oh brother...

A peculiar people

2010-08-26T15:57:00.000-07:00

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines peculiar as "different from the usual or normal"

What is normal? According to Merriam-Webster, it's " according with, constituting of or not deviating from a norm, rule or principle, or conforming to a type, standard or regular pattern."
Who sets this particular patter or standard? Who says what's normal?
Society. The media. Celebrities. Politicians.

Who gave them right to say what's normal? Who says that walking on our hands or driving our car backwards isn't normal? Who says wearing bathing suits that cover up our bodies or home schooling isn't normal? Why do we let these warped people set our standards.

We're called to be a peculiar people. Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." This basically goes against what we would call 'normal'.
God doesn't want us to look like every one else. He wants us to be like Jesus.
And He's pretty peculiar.

Jehovah-Rapha

2010-08-26T15:40:00.000-07:00

Picking scabs makes scars.
Thom said this to Rylie one day.
He was talking about physical scars, but I was thinking it might have another application. Sometimes things happen to people that create metaphoric wounds. These things take time to heal, for us to get over them. However, when people pick and nag and bring up these things, they don't heal properly. They create bitterness and brooding which makes scars. The only way to get rid of these scars is the give our bitterness to God, and ask Him to heal our hurt.

Mace or Stun gun?

2010-08-19T09:29:00.000-07:00

I started my Sociology class recently. This is going to be an awesome class, I'm way excited. Mr. Parker is pretty awesome. Today he was talking about different states and inner city schools, and he said he was looking at substitute teaching in Los Angeles and the pay was almost twice as much as the pay in other states like Utah or Arizona, and he said under that it said "With choice of Mace or Stun gun." Holy cow. Praise the LORD for living in dinky little towns with high schools of 400 students.

He was also talking about celebrities and how they affect what is and isn't socially acceptable and stuff. He said that Jennifer Aniston had said at one point that you don't need men to raise kids. I, and my teacher, completely disagree with that statement. God created men and women both for a purpose in the home. Men have strengths and weaknesses [yes, weaknesses] that women don't, and vice versa. God created women to perfect men. There's a reason the homosexuality is wrong. Both parents are needed to raise healthy, stable children. Especially boys need men in their lives to teach them how to be men. Without the father figure kids just don't turn out well. My dad told us a story a while ago about some elephants in, like, Africa or something. Something happened to all of the mature male elephants, over hunting or something, so there were a lot of grown female elephants and the teenage equivalent of male and female ones. There were having some big problems with the young male elephants. They would randomly rampage through villages destroying things for no reason at all, hurting people and annihilating crops. This went on for a while before some scientists realized that there were no adult males, so they brought some males from another herd. Within a few weeks, the young males were just fine. Just having the older males to keep the younger ones in line was enough.
I don't know if that's true or not, but look at these teenage boys who are being raised by a single mother.
What happened to masculinity? When did skinny jeans and long hair become cool on boys?
We need men!

He talked about Tiger Woods, another thing. People are very susceptible, and what does seeing the most famous athlete cheating on his wife and family suggest to these young married men? 'Well, Tiger Woods did it, maybe I can too.' No! You can't! The media has made cheating and divorce almost seem glamorous. Why? Because all the celebrities and athletes are doing it! It's just ridiculous! We need men to lead our country against these wimpy, cowards who can go around cheating on their wives and get idolized in spite of it. We need REAL men.

I've got peace like a river in my soul...

2010-08-18T18:09:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite VBS songs when I was little was Peace like a river:

I've got peace like a river, I've got peace like a river, I've got peace like a river in my soul
repeat
I've got love like an ocean, I've got love like an ocean, I've got love like an ocean in my soul
repeat
I've got joy like a fountain, I've got joy like a fountain, I've got joy like a fountain in my soul
repeat

Of course there were the cute little motions to go along with them, and my favorite was when all of the adults would get into it :)

I think there are a lot of those kid songs that we sang when we were little [or still sing] that we really don't think about the words to. They really are meaningful and serious sometimes if we just take a second and ponder them. Why do I have peace like a river, love like an ocean or joy like a fountain? Ask me.

Backhoes and Bishops

2010-08-18T11:01:00.000-07:00

God, so long ago, plunked us down in a dinky little town in the middle of no where. I've grown to love my dinky little town though. One of my favorite things to do is take my dog walking just after sunrise out by the alfalfa fields, the smell is wonderful and the air is about ten degrees colder right by them. I love the small town feeling, every time I pass a horse pasture right on main street or see tractor driving down road. When I was driving the the instructor, we stopped to get gas, and on the pumps next to us was a brand new suburban with a bunch of [presumed] missionaries. Next to them was a large backhoe. I just had to laugh at the diversity. Yes. I love it. It seems like no matter how much people try to bring us up to date and get all this new technology and stuff, there's always that hint of redneck in all of us natives that you just can't quite get rid of.

God really know's What He's doing...

2010-08-16T20:01:00.000-07:00

So, this morning started like any other Sunday morning... scrambling to get everyone showered, whining about the cereal selection, fighting over the bathroom and debating on what to do for church. My mom happened to be working today at noon, so we would have to take two cars... however, the gas supply is a tad lacking lately, so we were trying to decide what to do. So I suggest, "We could go to the baptist church..." Which is what we ended up doing. No one really thought about it, but when we got there, Casey was like, "Heeey, are you staying for both services??" I was like, "Yeah... I think so..." As it turns out, Casey had a cold and couldn't really say anything, much less sing, without hacking up a lung. Taylor had been feeling nauseous all morning, and they didn't have a piano player...
Well, as it just so happens, I play piano.
It was really cool, especially during the last song, which we all knew pretty well and had played together before, when we all just stopped worrying about what came next or how we sounded and we really just let God take control. If I do say so, it was a beautiful thing.
I love it when things happen and I can sit back and see how God worked through something that seemed so insignificant and small, like deciding to go to the baptist church because we were low on gas.
Use me, LORD, in every situation. Teach me to see what You have for me.

That was nothing. Watch this...

2010-08-16T19:58:00.000-07:00

I've been reading this book, Do Hard Things by Brett and Alex Harris. Really good book. Quite convicting. It talks a lot about the low expectations that people have placed on teenagers these days. We went from young adults getting married, starting farms and businesses, and raising to the top of their career fields, to people who are praised if we know how to make our beds in the morning and know how to take a message on the phone.
This book has many stories and quotes from teens who've taken a second look at the meaning of their lives.
They write:
They realized that God's standard is not for us to be the godliest person in a youth group filled with half-hearted Christians, but to "be holy" because He is holy (1 Peter 1:16) God's standard is not for all to be our teacher's best helper, but to be a "servant to all" (Mark 9:35)

In another spot:
One of Life's greatest lessons, which we must all learn, could be expressed in the phrase "That was nothing. Watch this."

One quote they have from a girl says:
" 'Do hard things' means fighting for greater levels of excellence because there is always something harder to do," she writes us. "It is never a matter of arriving; it is a constant battle for growth."

Are we doing things that are hard for us? Things that take us out of our comfort zones?
How is it that society came to have such low expectations for teens? We are capable of wonders, but we're never pushed to our best, what we can really accomplish.
2 Timothy 2:22 says, "Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart."
This commands us to 'flee the evil desires of youth' I'm sure this means the desires to be lazy, to get nothing done and to make nothing of ourselves. Idleness is completely against what God has for us.
Pursuing righteousness is surely easier said than done. Notice it says pursue. It is not something we will ever accomplish in this life, but we are to spend every day striving towards it.

What if every teen took initiative and even got close to their true potential? What if we were all able to see what we can do? How different would the world be if we all cared, just a little? What do you think?

Driving with the instructor...

2010-08-11T16:27:00.000-07:00

Sports radio. I've decided that sports radio is one of the silliest, most pointless things. ever. Just saying.

I also noticed that teachers... or at least Coach Homer... do their best to be completely politically correct.... I think it's funny... cause you can tell that isn't really what he wants to say... heh.

Getting old...

2010-07-20T17:37:00.000-07:00

I know half of the people who read this are just going to shake their heads, seeing that I'm sixteen and not old at all by most people's standards.
However, that being so, I still feel old sometimes.
Times like now. When I'm old enough to be getting a drivers license.
Oh well.

The Emotional Slurry

2010-07-09T17:51:00.000-07:00

Goodness. The last few weeks have been... literally... an emotional roller coaster. There have been highs, lows, the parts that make your heart beat faster with anticipation of what's coming next, and the parts where you don't even really know what's happening.
Leadership camp was definitely a high. A spiritual one, but a high none the less. It was a time of reflection for me. Reflecting on where I was last year as compared to this year, where I thought I should be, what kind of a spiritual trail I was leaving, and the like. God really showed me some things that needed work in my life.
The weekend between... well, it was like the rest of this summer has been. That was probably a low. My mom, my sister and I went to visit my great grandma. She's not doing well, as I've talked about before. It was really hard to see her like that. As I was sitting there on the rest home floor watching my mom with her, I thought of how she used to be, how I wanted to remember her. I remember the two of us sitting in her over-sized chair, eating Vienna sausages and spaghetti-o's, playing with her white fluffy hair.
My aunts flew out from San Diego to see her. It was good to see my one normal-ish aunt. She's got some quarks, for sure, but she's the most functioning out of the three. My mom asked if she was bringing her kids, and she replies, "Nope, just my sister who acts like a child and my mom who treats us like one." That about sums it up perfectly. But I'll leave that at that. Anyway, that was also a little... I don't even know. It reminded me of how little time we're given to spend with our family.
Teen camp was a middle-ish point of the roller coaster, mostly highs but with some lows. It was a lot less physical work than leadership camp, and definitely less emotion work than counciling. There were definitely points when I was ready to lash out at people who really just acted like five year olds, but also points when I just wanted to pause the moment and stay there a while. The weekend... Ooh the weekend. This weekend of the fourth... I think in a way I'd consider this a low.
I have issues. Anyone who knows me well at all knows that. There are things of my past that I wish I could forget. One of those issues is alcohol. Because of things God allowed me to go through, I have an intense disdain for it. In short, I hate it. I have such a hard time not being judgmental and legalistic when people I know drink anything containing alcohol. When I got home from teen camp there was the remnant of a six pack sitting right there on the kitchen counter. I did my best to brush it off and not let it affect me. That afternoon my 'uncle' Scott got there. I love Scott like family, but he's a horrible alcoholic. That in itself kind of set me off, I don't know. Later that night we went to a birthday party for some really close friends. Thom usually offers my dad a beer and usually that's all it is. For some reason it really ticked me of. My friend asked what I was thinking, and the first thing that came out was that I wished they weren't drinking already. I survived the night, had a pretty good day full of independence day festivities. Later that night, at walmart, my mom decided to get a six pack and a lime. I was fuming. I don't know, but for some reason that just made me sooo mad. As soon as we got home I stormed to my room, furious, not wanting to see anyone. Unfortunately, Paden is a sweet, caring person and would not just allow me to just be mad and get over it. He didn't and probably still doesn't understand why it affects me so, and at that point I couldn't tell him. I didn't know. I'm still not really sure. I ended the day with tears, telling my brother/friend to just go away because I was emotionally spent and mad.
I feel really horrible about that night. I was acting childish and unreasonable. No one did anything wrong, but I freaked out and made people feel really bad. The next day I was still really mad at my mom to begin with. Before church I ended up crying in her arms for about half an hour. I felt a lot better that afternoon, between the crying, church and chai creme frap from starbucks, I was basically back to normal. After an afternoon of procrastination of all things I should've been, we went to my grandma's house, who is also alcoholic. They were, as usual, drinking, which doesn't normally bother me, but for some reason it did that day. By the time we got home, my dad and scott were already drinking, on their way to wasteland. Later, after frantically packing more, I asked my mom if I was being unreasonable being offended by it. This lead to another crying party for the next hour and a half, talking to my mom about why it hurts me so much, why I was mad at her for getting the beer, why Paden didn't understand.
The next morning, Monday, was basically just a big ball of frustation. Mostly with myself, for not packing before hand. I was running around like a chicken with it's head cut of trying to get everything together for camp, not being able to find what I needed. Ugh. Then pretending to be OK when people showed up at my house. By the time we got everything loaded and on the road, I had mostly forgotten the frustrations of the weekend. Which was good.
Counciling, as last year, was really great. I love my campers, they're seriously the cutest, most wonderful kids ever. There were times when I was just ready to give up and go take a nap, but there were so many more things that just made getting up at six o clock after going to bed at twelve thirty worth it. Every negative thing had seventeen positive things to outweigh it.
Now here I am, completely sleep deprived, but clean after my hour long shower, getting ready for one last week of camp. There are, yet again, people in my house. Some who tend to ride on my nerves. And my mom is working. The only way I'm going to survive the summer is through God. I definitely can't do this alone.

I think the reason everything has been so dramatic and blown out of proportion is just the lack of sleep. I'm thinking bed time is coming early tonight. Praise the LORD.

Teen camp thoughtfulness

2010-07-02T21:43:00.000-07:00

Oh sleepiness, why do you feel the need to curse me.
I suppose my body just doesn't like functioning on less than six hours of sleep for numerous weeks in a row.

So this week was teen camp. Much different from leadership camp. Much less manual work, but still exhausting... Many more friends, lots of people in general.
I love my people. So, so much. Like, it seemed like I was always hugging someone, and not just regular hugs, like, thirty second long hugs. Real hugs. It's so wonderful.
Our cabin was basically insane. Silly girls, so much laughter, so much fun.

So, I'm going to post all of my quotes on my quote blog, but I wanted to blog about a few of the more serious ones.

"You basically ask God to kill you four times..." In this one John, the speaker, was talking about how in this one song, the words are " I want to know you, I want to see your face, I want to know you more..." etc. His point was that, even though it's impossible for us to see the face of God and live, we choose to seek Him anyway, His plans for us, and to know Him more today than yesterday.

"I never leave your hands." I don't remember what we were talking about, but I'm pretty sure this also came from chapel at some point. Though it's so simple, I just loved the profoundness of it. Such a simple thing that we so often forget. God will always be in control, no matter how crazy life seems in the moment.

"It hurt so well..." I also don't remember this, but it wasn't written in my hand writing, so it was probably something that casey wrote down... but anyway, I would venture to assume that it was someone whining about sore muscles... To the point, metaphorically speaking, God throws things into our lives that hurt, some times a whole lot, but afterword what God shows us is more than worth the pain we endure in the mean time.

"That's what faith can do." My dearest bestest friend and my other quite amazing friend did Kutless's song, That's what faith can do, for special music one of the nights for chapel, and before hand Ashalee, the quite amazing friend, said that if anyone knew the song to please sing along because it would help her feel less nervous. The thing that basically gave me chills was that once they started singing, most of the people started singing along with them... It was really neat. Not only that we all knew the words and sang along, but also just the words to the song. Quite good. If you don't know them, you should look them up.

"Smile and follow." This actually isn't a quote from last week, it was a youtube channel name of an acquaintance that I recently thought of. I'd always like the sound of it, but I began thinking about it... Sometimes God puts us in positions of leadership where we're leading and being examples to others, but we're also under other people's authority. There are times when we don't necesarily agree with the decisions of those in authority over us, but we just have to trust God to work His will through them, smile and follow. Even when we don't want to.

So, I believe this is a first, but we had a guy who was basically completely wheel chair stricken. I'm not sure what was wrong with him, but I know what was right with him. All of his limbs were shriveled, he could barely move on his own, and he was completely dependent on other people for all of his needs, but he had such a good outlook and such a joy that no one could deny the work of Christ in his life. He did a special music number for chapel and to see him completely and wholly worship God with all that he had sent chills up my spine. It was truly inspiring and challenging. Made me wonder, if I were in his situation, with his disabilities, would I have the same positive outlook he has. Something to think about.

But not everything is beneficial.

2010-06-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1
"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive.
I Corinthians 10:23
"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything.
I Corinthians 6:10

Everything is permissible. Through Jesus Christ's redemption from sin, we have a choice: we can live for ourselves, creating reason for regret, reproach, destroying our reputation and that of Christ and other Christians, or we can live for Christ, loving those who hate us, confusing those who oppose us and reaping the eternal benefits of living in God's will.
But not everything is beneficial. Most things fit into two categories: beneficial, and destructive. There are obvious beneficial and destructive things like reading the Bible, going to church, fellowship with the believers, or drinking, premarital sex or bitterness. All of those things could fairly easily be classified by most people in those two categories. There are other things, however, that aren't so easily classified. Some are things that people we classify as 'bad' do, like piercings, tattoos, wearing shorts to church, etc. There is nothing biblical against any of these things. There are verses like I Corinthians 6:19-20, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." which encourage us to honor God with our bodies... but it doesn't say anything about getting tattoos or piercings? If you got a verse tattooed on your back, or wore cross earrings, wouldn't that be glorifying God? What do you think? If it causes people to ask about what you believe or why you wear it, giving you opportunity to share the gospel, does it matter what it is? Since God gave us Salvation through Jesus Christ, we have freedom in Christ. I believe this means that as long as our heart is in the right place, we are given full discretion of what is and isn't good. What is permissible and what is beneficial. For example, my mom and I had a discussion about piercings the other day. I recently asked her if I could get my nose pierced for my birthday, which she replied with, "I'll have to ask your dad." I think that people view piercings as bad see them as routes for rebellion. For me to do it, that wouldn't be it at all, only doing it if my parents were ok with it. Same with my hair dying, my mom is the one who dyes my hair, for crying out loud. I think, like I said before, everything you do depends on your motive for doing it. Even the most innocent and good things can have negative results if we do them for the wrong reasons. In the same way, the things that some people see as shady or even wrong, can be just fine because we didn't have a wrong attitude about it.

Well, I think I shall conclude this rant for now. Please comment if you have, well, comments :) I'd love to hear your opinion. Thank you.

A [Control] Freak Like Me.

2010-06-27T16:35:00.000-07:00

"God loves you, and I have a great plan for your life."

Jason gave us this quote in sunday school today. I never really thought about how much that applies to me until he said that today. I'm a planner, as many people know. I start packing at least a week in advance for anything more than overnight. I love scheduling and I'm rather OCD about things. I guess one thing I never noticed about myself is that not only do I like planning for myself, I like to plan for other people too. I'm a matchmaker. I don't know how many times I've told Casey, "[Insert name] and [Insert name] would make such a cute couple!!". I'm not so sure it's a good thing. Then I look back and see my predictions and how things actually turn out and think that I'm glad things didn't work out my way.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

God's plans are so much better than mine. I know this in my head, but so many times I don't really believe it in my heart. I want things to be done my way, how I want them, when I want them done. But in the end, God's will is so much better. I have to learn to trust that He really does have plans for me that are better than any I could ever come up with.

"...plans to prosper you and not harm you..."

God wants to prosper us. Many people think of 'prospering' as a monetary or a materialistic thing, but that's not what God means.The dictionary definition of prosper is "to be successful or fortunate." But to prosper is to be right in the middle of God's plans for us, that's the only way we will truly be able to prosper. The New American Standard Bible says 'plans for welfare'.

"...plans to give you a hope and a future..."

Hope. What is hope? Hebrews 11:1-2 says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for." Being sure of what we hope for. How can we be sure of what we hope for, unless God's promised it to us? All other things in this world are unsure, there is no stability, no sureness, no hope without God. God wants to give us a hope. Hope and a future. A future of what? Of prosperity in His will. Of hope of His promises for us. Sounds like the only kind of future I'd want.

Now, the hard part is surrendering my future to God, allowing Him to have His way, which I know is best, but is so hard to give up, especially for a control freak like me.

2010-06-26T16:27:00.000-07:00

Death.
A subject that no one ever wants to talk about, but we're all presented with every day. No one wants to think about death. I think this is why people aren't so excited about visiting rest homes and senior citizen centers. My great grandma has recently gone downhill in her health. We went to visit her yesterday and it really depressing. It's sad to see her so miserable, uncomfortable and unable to help herself. I remember when she used to live at her house and we would visit her. She'd always give us some kind of food, usually vienna sausages. It always reminds me of her when I eat them. When we were visiting her, I could still see her old self, but at the same time it was hard to see her. It took her a few minutes to recognize my mom. She also said a few times that how uncomfortable and miserable she was. It was really sad. My family is coming in this weekend to see her. They say it isn't going to be long.
Just praying for her.

Mild rampage.

2010-06-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

You know, I really don't think some people think their actions through before they do them. They don't give any thought to what will happen if they do it, or who they will affect.

Sorry, mild rampage.

So teen camp is this week. I'm quite excited about it. This week I'll be a camper, but at the same time, we who went to leadership camp are supposed to be examples to those who weren't.

Uhm... well, this week at camp the theme was Pioneering the Frontier, and leaving a spiritual trail. It was really interesting. The three founding Pastors were all there and they told of the history of camp and how it was made.

So, For some reason, I have major writers block today. I was going to write about a few different things, and now I can think of none of them.

Where to begin

2010-06-24T16:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I've created a new blog. Not that I really had time to take care of one, but I thought it would be betterer to seperate and have one just for all my quotes from people. So, if you find yourself so bored that you're reading this blog, you might find some interest in my new one, Quote and Quotability.

Camp. Oh heavens, camp. Where to begin. I'll have to get back to you on that, I need some sleep before I can even remember all of what happened.

What're we waiting for?

2010-06-13T16:34:00.000-07:00

I have such a big mouth. It's ridiculous. Seriously, I say so much stuff that people think is incredibly rude that I totally don't mean to be at all, it just comes out wrong. It's happened so much lately.. So, if I say something that's just ridiculously rude sounding, I'm sorry, and I really don't mean it to be so.

I'm quite displeased right now. With walmart. Stupid, stupid walmart. Not only does it kidnap our drummer for two months, then, when he finally gets back, he has to work on the only flippin thursday between the play and leadership camp, so he can't play with us. Grr. But speaking of music, Jeff said something last sunday that struck me funny, only because it's entirely true, "I love leading music because we get to sing all my favorite songs."

My siblings were on a Lord of the Rings kick last week. I was not. I ended up watching the first ten minutes and the last half an hour of the last movie. Needless to say, I was quite lost. Though, I did find some things that I thought were quite interesting.
The dwarf guy says, "Certain death, unlikely success.... What're we waiting for?"
Sam says, "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you." I really liked this, actually. It has a strong spiritual parralel, we can't carry the loads that God has given other people for them, but we can lift them up, support them and encourage them through prayer and the Bible.
Sam also says, "Just let it go." Cast your burdens on Him, for He cares for you. Just let it go.
The title of Bilboy's book is 'There and Back again.' Sometimes we have to go there and back again to understand what God meant, what He willed when He called us.

The Whole 'Prince Charming' Nine Yards

2010-06-13T16:15:00.000-07:00

You know, I often wonder how it is that some people have things so figured out, and others just have no clue. Why do some boys get that girls [or at least the kind of girls that they want to attract] like boys who are polite and well mannered, and some just don't. Why is it that some girls get that guys [or at least the ones they want to attract] would rather have a sweet, modest girl while others think it's all about how little they can get away with wearing.
I just don't understand. I see some boys and think they're going to be such awesome husbands and fathers some day, and others I just don't think about because it scares me. Our good friend, single twenty year old guy stationed in the navy, came up for the weekend to hang out. He's one of those guys who I can't wait to see him get married and start a family, because I know it's going to be so cute and wonderful and romantic for the lucky girl he gets. He's basically like a brother to me, but he acts so different from my brothers and how most of the guys I've grown up with act, it's crazy. He's not crude and vulgar, he holds doors open, says 'ladies first', the whole Prince Charming nine yards. I love it. I wish all boys could just understand. I wish all girls could understand that there really are guys out there that are worth waiting for, guys like Paden.

Carpe Diem

2010-06-12T16:27:00.000-07:00

This is rather blatantly stolen. This is something that a friend of a friend wrote, posted on facebook, then tagged the mutual friend in. Then the mutual friend showed me. Long story. Though, I thought it was quite profound and well written, so I should share it with those who are patient [or bored] enough to read this blog. Anyway, please enjoy this letter of inspiration.

A Letter to Inspiration
By Theodore Oing

To my inspirations:

By the time you may read this, most of us will have graduated already. Within the next week or so, about half of us will be gone on trips all around the country, perhaps even the world. We've made it though, through this day of freedom and independence, and also of farewells. Mark the day: May 15th, 2010 is the day when our lives as we know it ends. But nothing truly ends, does it? They just start anew.

"Aeternum vale, nemo nisi mors." It's Latin, and the literal translation means "farewell forever, till death do us part." I was going to save the in depth explanation for when the book I've been writing would've been finished, but due to a recent intervention the night before graduation, I decided that this was the best time.

Graduation day may very well be the day where most of us will say good-bye to the people we've grown up with, because a great deal of us will inevitably spread out across the country, whether it's in the deserts of the West Coast, or maybe the frigid areas between the South and the North. Some of us, of course, won't be moving around and choose to stay, but either way, we'll inevitably say our good-byes.

This day may also mark the day where none of us will see each other again, after all, we're about to start a new life, reborn into the real world where the world's problems are now our problems. For me, I'll be saying good-bye to both people I've known for years, and others that I've regrettably have only begun to know. Yes, there are things like Facebook and cell phones that bridge the gap so that it's never truly 'farewell forever,' but call me old fashioned, but nothing compares to this feeling of being with the person face to face. Now it's the issue of the next phrase that creates a paradox, "till death do us part."

How is it that we can all say "farewell forever," and then follow up with "till death do us part." Let me ask this, how are we able to feel the presence of someone who has died? The simple answer is that it is essentially, undeniably, the supernatural feeling of love. As it is said in Latin, omnia vincit amor: love conquers all.

Love conquers adversity.

Love conquers hate.

Love conquers death.

The meaning is then changed from "farewell forever, till death do us part," to "farewell until love doesn't exist." You see, all of us aren't truly connected by presence, nor are we truly connected by technology; we're connected by the soul, and the essence of the soul is love. Without this feeling, we could never hope for peace, only for war, and without the feeling, the greatest acts committed by the world's heroes could never have been achieved. This is, essentially, the explanation that I've derived so far.

So, now we're about to enter the new life, probably saying our last good-byes to the people we've come to know as we leave for our new life, and perhaps we'll still be connected in a way because of our love for the people, now what? We live again. Maybe you're going to go to study at a place with 60,000 people, or maybe you're like me, who chose to study in a place with less than 3,000 people, either way. Whichever one you may choose, you're going to meet new people and start new relationships.

I urge all of you now, however, to do what you love in hopes of obtaining happiness. Success in life is not determined by the number of acts that you've achieved, nor is it based on the popularity gained; success in life is based on how happy you feel living life. Whether you want to study life, math, engineering, art, religion, history--whatever, do what you love, and wake up each day smiling. Sure, we'll hit trenches that'll take us over the edge at times, but keep the people you love close as well so they can pull you out of those dark times.

Now, I want to take the rest of the time I have to thank all of you who have helped me out physically, mentally, and spiritually. It's been great, especially the last few days. I never truly realized everything that I've been missing and the extraordinary people that I've only begun to know. For everyone that may read this, keep in touch so we could see what we'll turn into in the near future. I know I'm not the best at saying good-bye, or even giving out my last words of possible inspiration, but I want to congratulate all of you for making it this far, whether you are an alumni or about to be, and I wish all of you the best of luck with whatever the world may throw at you. Carpe diem, the world is ours.

Robin in the Hood

2010-06-04T09:18:00.000-07:00

If you live in the near vicinity of me, you should clear your calendars next weekend, the 10-14, because we're having a play! Robin Hood, at the La Verkin Community Theater, 7 pm every night that weekend except Sunday. It's gonna be sweet. Be there or be square. Oh, and Thursday night is free popcorn

What caused the first cause?

2010-06-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

As it turns out, my summer has me busier than the school year. I literally have a list of things I want to do, and it isn't getter smaller very fast. One of those things is to re-do my room. It's coming quite nicely. We haven't quite settled on a color for the walls, but I've started all the accents in black and white. It's going to look really nice, I think. However, I found out yesterday that spray paint, it doesn't come off skin very well. Rather unpleasant.

Some random thoughts from my handy dandy little book.
What caused the first cause?
Faith is taking God at His word
Be an angel, save a life
Time is prime to play a hunch

A few weeks ago I wrote some blogging notes on a piece of paper in choir, then I forgot about it till just now.
This particular day I was noticing in choir how even though people are all singing the same note and pitch, we sound different when we sing in unison. I can pick out individual voices. But when we split into parts, it's harder to pick it apart. Interesting.

From the same book I quoted the strawberry tree quote, I found this: "From the day we're born we should be afraid, but not of dying." What, then, should we be afraid of?

I've decided that you don't need high school to have drama... just a boy and four girls. That should do it.

But I don't need a telescope to see that there's hope

2010-05-31T14:45:00.000-07:00

I wish I could cross my arms and cross your mind
Cause I believe you'd unfold your paper heart and wear it on your sleeve
All my life I wish I broke mirrors instead of promises
Cause all I see is a shattered conscience staring right back at me
I wish I had covered all my tracks completely
Cause I'm so afraid, is that the light at the far end of the tunnel or just the train
Lift your arms, only heaven knows where the danger grows
And it's safe to say there's a bright light up ahead and help is on the way

I forget the last time I felt brave, I just recall insecurity
Cause it came down like a tidal wave and sorrow swept over me

Depression please cut to the chase and cut a long story short
Oh please be done, how much longer can this drama afford to run
Fate looks sharp, severs all my ties and breaks whatever doesn't bend
But sadly then, all my heavy hopes just pull me back down again

I forget the last time I felt brave, I just recall insecurity
Cause it came down like a tidal wave and sorrow swept over me
Then I was given grace and love
I was blind but now I can see
Cause I've found a new hope from above
And courage swept over me

It hurts just to wake up whenever you're wearing thin
Alone on the outside
So tired of looking in
The end is uncertain
And I've never been so afraid
But I don't need a telescope to see that there's hope
And that makes me feel brave

That is not a doughnut.

2010-05-29T12:19:00.000-07:00

Our youth group is awesome. We do things like girls weekends where we go to the lake and eat tacos and take pictures of each other. It's how we roll.
We also say some pretty weird things.
I looked over and all I saw was Doritos world! - Kristine
If you don't go then you're never gonna be brave - Cute little girl at lake
By the way, the water tastes like fish butt. - Kylie
Those aren't girl voices... and they're really close! - Emmerie
Did you just say you crawled into her dreams?? - Emmerie

Yes. Quite interesting. we're awesome. So I don't have the pictures that Bethanie took yet, but I will hopefully soon. And I, or someone, will put them of facebook. So that's where you should look if you want to see them. Yeah.

So our amazing friends decided to come to our house yesterday.. a twelve hour drive later, here they are. Lol. They're incredible.

I've got sun glasses, that means I'm the boss

2010-05-29T12:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when we get bored, we play silly games. The other day Casey, Tiara and I did just that. We also say some silly things.
"I've got sun glasses, that means I'm the boss."
"It doesn't take that much brain power to have fun."
"I know all forms of Kung Fu, Karate and Tai Kwon Do." "I just have a gun."
Yes, very silly things.

A few days ago something happened between a good friend and me, which resulted in minimal speaking, in which time I thought he was quite mad at me. Luckily, it turns out that he wasn't at all. But in the few days of silence, we sang this song at church which I thought was quite relevent at the moment,

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the LORD in prayer
In His arms He'll forgive and shield thee
You will find solace there

Funny how God works things like that out.

Reading a book the other day I found this line
Funny how something as lovely as a strawberry tree can peel off the scab of a bad memory.
What kinds of things do you have that cause painful memories?

When I'm bored, and have no opportunity to do anything productive, like when babysitting two self entertaining nine year olds, I watch movies.
A line in Tarzan, which makes me laugh, also makes me think. The elephant says to the girl ape [I don't remember their names] "I'm sick of your emotional constipation!" I'm usually quite the opposite. If anything, I'm in much of an emotional vomiting state. I'm the kind of person that I don't bottle things well. It just all ends up coming out.

I watched A Bugs Life. Good movie. More interesting thoughts from movie lines.
Pick grain like everyone else
It's a rock...
You're wierd. But I like you
It's like they're all watching me, just waiting for me to screw up.
I also watched Lion King 1 1/2. Lol, I forgot how much I love that movie.
Meerkat. It's what's for dinner!
To find it, you must look beyond what you see.
It's either that slug I ate, or I'm having an epiphany!
You used a metaphor!?

"Believe nothing of what I say and only half of what you see me do."

2010-05-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

Hahaha. The greeter guy in walmart said that to us. the people that work at our walmart are creepers.

This week is the end of school, and last Friday was H-day, so we basically messed around all day. It was pretty sweet. Some more choir and theater quotes:

Success is largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go. - William Feather

Whom can I teach but my friends - Socrates

We're all in the same gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars - Oscar Wilde

Love what is - Kia

He hasn't found himself yet - Laura

Don't be a lepper - Kia

So, as it turns out, I'm terrible about eves dropping. While we were basically wasting eighty minutes in the choir room, I overheard the people in front of me talking. One of these people in particular intrigues me. She's a very interesting person. She seems to be very opinionated. I don't know anyone like that... But anyway, she was talking about how she like always strives to be the best and look her best... but that's not how she judges other people. Her wardrobe, in particular, makes me scratch my head sometimes... Some days she looks completely put together and like, almost a little professional... and other days... wow. Neon yellow skinny jeans, high-tops, and a frighteningly printed t shirt... Quite extreme. It's very interesting.
I love watching people. It's one of my favorite pass times in large crowds. The H-day bbq was a perfect place for such things.I particularly find it interesting to watch people interact with each other. To see one girl go from guy to guy flirting in a million and three different ways, or to see the different 'social classes'. They certainly aren't as pronounced and extreme as on tv, but they're there. There are the people who seem to have it all together, and those who obviously wish they did. There are jocks, cheerleaders, band geeks [no offense, I love band geeks] and those who don't really have a class, thus becoming a class of their own.
Jason also said something in Sunday school that I became reminded of. He said that people will generally assume that whatever you do in public with your significant other, you go further in private. There were definitely some people there that I wanted to give the directions to the nearest hotel. It was... ugh. I then quickly found someone else to stalk. I find that I'm also rather terrible about watching people that I know... sort of. That I'm acquainted with, I suppose. There's one girl in particular, I have no idea why, but I always find my attention directed at her... Weird. Hmm....

During the assembly last friday they had a massive dodge ball tournament. For the record, I hate dodge ball. There are always the people that get waaaay too competitive, and someone always gets hurt. I'm terrible at throwing and I'm terrible at dodging, so I always get out really fast. Dislike. Being hit square in the face with the dodge ball at camp didn't really add much to my affection. Uncool.
But anway, this was basically the most intense game of dodge ball ever. It was all boys, and they divided it up by grades. Craziness. I thought someone was going to die. I had to laugh though, once they all got excited and sweating and stuff, I could smell their deodorant, cologne, aftershave, whatever the heck it is that guys wear to make themselves smell, all the way from the top row of the bleachers. Silly boys.

Through all of the games and everything, they were playing strangely old music. By brother, for some reason, has been into the Eye of the Tiger lately. I have no idea why, he just listens to it like crazy. So I knew exactly what song it was when they started that one. And I automatically thought of him. Lol.

I was also pleasantly surprised, there was a kid doing one of the activities that had a shirt that said, "Property of Jesus," I like.

2010-05-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave... We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and 'slipped the surly bonds of Earth' to 'touch the face of God.

I don't remember where I got this... however, I just found it in my drafts... so I guess. I think it might have something to do with some kind of NASA thing...

2010-05-28T11:29:00.000-07:00

I think people all too often take life for granted. It's amazing to me how in an instant we can go from fine to critical. We can go from driving along in the morning, minding our own business to three hours later, passed away. People take for granted health, family, friends... the things that make life worth living. We become desensitized. We see horrific things on TV and the internet and think, "That'll never happen to me." It does. Car accidents happen. Cancer happens. Please, tell someone you love them. Hug your mom, your dad, your grandparents. You never know when the worst will happen.
Prayers going out to the Stackpole family.
It's the way the world turns, and I keep on turning to you.

2010-05-20T16:38:00.001-07:00

Can I just say that I hate it when people [girls] take pictures of themselves from above so you can basically see down their shirt? Bugs the crap out of me.

This post has been brought to you by the venting department of Tori's brain.

The end.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him

2010-05-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness. I can't believe I only have two more days of school at the high school. That's crazy.
On that note, more interesting teacher thoughts:
Mr. Moe: Each time we begin, it should be the first time.
When we start something new, there's usually enthusiasm and freshness, but once we've done it for a while, the enthusiasm goes away and we get into a mechanical groove.
Break the habit, don't breath all the time.
It causes green house gas. Just kidding, I just thought that one was funny.
Guest speaker in theater whose name escapes me: The most important thing in acting is honesty, and if you can fake that you've got it made.
How many people just go through life faking emotion, going through the motion of their responsibilities? Hmm.
This guest speaker whose name escapes me also talked about the Alpha story. I found this quite interesting. He said through out history all religions and cultures have the Alpha story, of man falling from grace, sinning, doing wrong, then being redeemed or accepted back in spite of his wrong.
Reminded me of the Prodigal Son: Luke 15:11-32
"Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father.
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.^"'

"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' " "

That's all you need to know... except some other things...

2010-05-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

I'm so ready for school to be over. At home, all I have to do is like five writing assignments. However, I have absolutely no motivation to do so. I've been procrastinating for so long that I can't seem to make myself do it. Ugh. Boo, procrastination.

I'm going to go take pictures at the most amazing yard in the city. It's so beautiful and amazing, words truly cannot describe. I'll post my flickr link when I get them up.

I cannot wait for camp. It's so close I can nearly taste it, but it seems so far away. So much has to happen before camp happens, like people going to uganda, people come back from price, play performances, graduation, but I just want to skip it all... well, most of it... to get to camp. I'm so excited.

I also decided that we're going to re-do my room. My mom said we could paint, so we're going to do the walls some kind of blue, the trim in white and the rest of the accents in black and white. We also got some old LP records we're going to use :) We do need a few more, so if you happen to have some old records you're wanting to get rid of, let me know.

2010-05-16T20:23:00.000-07:00

Forgiveness is a promise, not a feeling.

2 Corinthians 9:15 "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"
I was reading this the other day and listening to Chris Tomlin's song Indescribable, and right as I read it, the song said 'indescribable'. It was cool.

Forgetfulness is the number one enemy of prayerfulness. 1 Thessalonians 5:17, "pray continually;"

I'm crazy. And so is Tim.

2010-05-16T15:16:00.000-07:00

This weekend was one of our church's youth yard sale. It was quite interesting. You meet a lot of....interesting people at mass yard sales.. Some people look normal enough, but then they come to pay, and you think to yourself, 'you're seriously buying that? What is that??" Then there are those who just...look weird. Those strange, eccentrically artsy people who wear spandex as pants [no offense to anyone who wears leggings. They're just not my thing] and jackets with pentagrams [everyone from the yard sale will know who I'm talking about] and pick up a bunch of clothes and say they're going to make purses and curtains from them.... okaaaay? Then there's the...mildly odd sort of people who find out that all the clothing is fill a bag for a dollar and say, "Oh really? Well then I'll go grab some more underwear!" ......ew??!?! This brings me to my second point: you find weird stuff at yard sales... item number one, used underwear. This completely grosses me out on so many levels, it's just not right. I mean, you don't know where it came from, you don't know who's been wearing it, and I don't care if you can wash it. There are just certain things that aren't meant to be used secondhand. On the other hand, there are the trinkets that we entertain ourselves with by playing "Name that thing". We attempt at figuring out what the heck the things are. Our theory is if someone knows what it is, they'll want it. Otherwise, we'll just throw it away.
Semi-related note, in youth on Thursday, we were all very tired, therefore, everything, and I mean everything, was absolutely hysterical. A few of my favorite things being the Nascar washing. James is planning numerous home missions projects such as going door to door washing people's cars for free, while washing, telling them about the gospel. He then mentioned that a group of about twenty people was coming from virginia, and would probably end up helping with the car washing. Someone... I think it might have been me, I don't remember, said it would be like Nascar washing, thinking that he meant all twenty some-odd people would be washing the same car. Lol
Later he was taking us through a tract we're going to be using, and in the middle he burped, followed by, "Do you want to be a perfect ten? Oh, that tasted like peperoni!."
Yeah, that's how we roll.
On another semi-related note, I babysat for James and Charity Friday night. It was awesome, their kids are the bomb. I think Charity likes coffee. Literally, I walked into their house and smelled coffee. We're outside and Joy, who is five, tells me, "Ladybugs bite. One bit my dad." Too funny.
They had these massive horny toads, like, seriously, I haven't seen any that big before, and they were trying to find bugs to feed them, and the bugs kept crawling out of the box, frustrating the kids. Joy says, "Bugs aren't very good listeners."
Joy is basically one of the cutest kids I know of, she kept calling the lizzards and bugs and kittens and dogs 'little fella'. So funny.
She later said, "I'm crazy. And so is Tim."
We were putting on a movie, and she says, "You have to push the house button to make it come out. It took me a minute to figure out what she was talking about, but then I realized that the eject button looks like a house. Lol.
We watched short circuit 2, and my favorite line was, "People are very complicated. I have spent my whole life as one, but I still don't understand them."
Later, Joy and I played with her doll house and stuff, and she pulls out this toy hippo, and says, "Hippopotamus' mouths looks yucky. They eat us." completely, dead serious.
After that her and Tim were chasing each other around the living room, and she says, "Sketchers make you fast." while putting on her shoes.
Kid laughter is basically the coolest thing in the world, I love it.

An epic predicament.

2010-05-16T15:12:00.001-07:00

So, as it turns out, being size 10 and six feet tall doesn't work well when it comes to clothing. It sucks. It is nearly impossible for me to find jeans that are long enough that aren't way too big. It is impossible for me to find any kind of dress pants that are long enough. Period. So for our choir we were supposed to wear black pants. Yeah, right. So I wore my choir dress with a white shirt over it. Hah.
We went shopping for jeans that week and didn't find any pants in the four stores we went to that were long enough. At all. Just when the day seemed a waste, I found the skirt rack. I love skirts. Lol.
I still have only one pair of jean that fit, and camp is rapidly approaching... this is not good.

Avatar

2010-05-16T15:06:00.000-07:00

We borrowed Avatar from my grandma last week. I wasn't impressed. I couldn't even finish it.

"If there is a hell, you might want to go there for some R&R."
"You contaminated the sample with your saliva."
"Don't do anything unusually stupid."
"How will I know if he chooses me?" "He'll try to kill you."
"This is gonna ruin my whole day."
"I see you."
"I'm probably just talking to a tree..."

It was incredibly over-rated, overacted, over-dramatized, over-militaristic, overemphasized, over-racial, over-treehugger, over-political, over everything except for over-reality.

School, why do you have to be such a pain?

2010-05-16T15:04:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year. That time when I don't have any desire to do anything academic. Nothing at all. I have lots of motivation to do other things, especially that involve being outside or with friends. I've noticed, however, that people aren't really impressed with those of us lazy teenagers who just hang out with friends all summer. Sadly. They're much more impressed with those who finish the school year with a 4.0 and already have plans of what college classes they want to do next fall. Fail. Our plan for next school year is to take a few high school classes, a few college classes, and do the rest at home. But this requires actually caring and putting forth effort towards school related items. Thus far all I have decided is that I want to take spanish 2. That's it. I still have to take the ... placement test thingy whose acronym escapes me right now... CPT? I dunno... but anyway, I have to take that, figure out which classes I can take, figure out what time frame, what transportation.... ugh, and the list goes on. And I've got like... not very much time to do it and I just don't care! I don't want to. I just want it to be summer so my brain can just be mush. Ugh.
Oh well, such is life. On top of that I still have about five papers I have to write by the end of this week. Cake.

Inspirations.

2010-05-16T14:50:00.000-07:00

I want to be like a lot of things. Like a lot of people. I have many character flaws, and when I see other people who don't, I'm completely inspired, and I wish I could be like them. One person who I always looked up to in this area was Lee Fasbender. He was a truly amazing Christian. The whole time I knew him he had many battles with physical illnesses and health problems, but he always said something along the lines of 'My fleshly corps is withering, but my soul is thriving." That's not his exact wording, but pretty close. He was always looking forward to heaven, and no matter what, he always had something uplifting and encouraging to say. I loved to listen to him sing in church. He not only had an amazingly powerful voice, but he also just had an amazing hope and joy behind his singing that gave me goosebumps every time. I believe he also, at one point, did things like smuggling Bibles into china and stuff. Really amazing guy. He's now gone to be with Jesus. Amazing man.

South Pacific

2010-05-16T14:42:00.000-07:00

My mother and I watched South Pacific the other day. Lol. It was interesting. Here are some of my favorite highlights.
"I'm stuck like a dope with this thing called hope, and I can't get it out of my heart."
"Everyone lives on a lonely island in the middle of a foggy sea, longing for another island."
"My mother thinks everything I do is right... but I don't tell my mother everything I do."
"I'm as corny as Kansas in August."

2010-05-16T14:35:00.000-07:00

From some website... I don't remember what it was, but it was worth writing down.

Freedom of speech is a right that people take to a new level every day.

"It was a joke at first, then I though 'Man, it would be cool to run for president one day.'" - Nick Jonas
"I think when you get to your 40's, you really have more of a sense of yourself that you don't care what others think. I don't care what anyone thinks, I care more about what I think. I'm pleasing myself - I'm pleasing the people who are important to me, as opposed to trying to please the whole world." - Jennifer Lopez
"There are no tights in this film. They weren't invented until quite a few hundred years after when the story takes place. We start our story in 1199. Tights don't come into play until the 1600's. I do apologize to those who will be disappointed that there are no tights." - Russel Crow
"What we need is a president, not an athlete. Shooting three point shots may be clever, but it doesn't put anybody to work." - Newt Gingrich
"Don't repeat. Reload." - Sarah Palin
I think that one is my favorite... :)

Mass of Random.

2010-05-12T20:57:00.000-07:00

A few random thoughts that don't really belong anywhere. Looking back through my small handy dandy notebook, I think I've found something that I never wrote about... but if I did, I apologize for my redundancy...

Last week I was reading through this book called Extreme Devotion, a devo book by Voice of the Martyrs. Very challenging. But one of the things it said was a quote by someone whom I don't remember, but it said, "Why do you buy a shirt? To use it. Why did Jesus redeem you and buy you with His blood? To use you for His kingdom."

"When life gives you lemons, make grape juice and let the world wonder how you did it."

Not original, even possibly overused, but I like it. When life sucks, have a good attitude.

This is the stuff I'm thinking I might have already written about.... but I'm not sure, so I'll do it again, just in case. As I've mentioned before, my choir teacher, Mr. Moe, has some interesting ideas about things, and the other day he said, "Yawning is good for you like chocolate is good for you." Alright... works for me.

"Once you've left, you can't go home." Another of Mr. Moe's interesting thoughts, although I think he was quoting someone else....

"Step not on the Irish Thistle. It's symbolic. And also pokey." This was written on the theater room white board a while back. Lol.

"All Sobe beverages are specifically formulated to energize the body, uplift the spirit, and enlighten the mind."

"Smartwater

vapor distilled + electrolytes

side effects may include being called nerd, dork, geek, brainiac, know-it-all, smarty-pants, smart alek, bookworm, egghead, four-eyes, einstein or being mistaken for the I.T. guy.

may induce sudden and inexplicable aversion to all less forms of water. apply liberally and frequently to dry people.

ingredients: vapor distilled water + electrolytes (calcium chloride, magnesium chloride and potassium bicarbonite).

smartwater is inspired by the way mother nature makes water, known as the hydrologic cycle (you remember the ocean, cloud, raindrop diorama from fifth grade, right?) actually it's how we got our name too (hydro = water/ logic = smart)."

You know, with as much stuff like this as there is out there, you'd think people would be a whole lot smarter than they are...

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men," Colossians 3:23

"Salvation is not an event, it's a project."

"Love is what you've been through with someone." James Thurber

I listen to Air1 on the radio quite frequently, and one of their little promo blurbs says something about being Different by Design. I like it. I'm different because I was intended to be.

"When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;
but when the wicked rise to power, men go into hiding." Proverbs 28:12
I'm acting in Robin Hood right now, and that's what I thought of when I came across this verse a few days ago.

"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1.

" I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well... I am glad I can have complete confidence in you" 2 Corinthians 7:14, 16

On a coffee container: "Life's short, stay awake for it."

So we went to Costco after church on Sunday, and we're walking down the aisle and there's this waaaay cute blond kid sitting in a cart, and he randomly is like, "Hi!" to me. Cutest thing ever. It pretty much made my day.
I noticed, there are two kinds of people that shop at Costco on Sundays, church people - non lds, and non church people.

We also went to walmart to get last minute mothers day stuff, and I decided that life should be like walmart outdoor furniture displays: always perfect and put together, everything you need just right there and all perfectly color coordinated.
My mom and I also decided that stores should cater to weirdos. There's a market for it.

Apparently, I appeared to be in need, twice Sunday I got asked if I needed help [by a store associate]. Other than that, I can't remember the last time I got asked that somewhere...

On the way to my grandpa's house, there was a small dog literally in the middle of the road. I had to come almost to a complete stop so I didn't hit it, and it still just kinda wandered around the road. My brother concludes, "Maybe it's high." ok?

While we were visiting my grandparents my grandpa states, "It's a wonder I didn't end up being a murderer or something." [Referring to his less than ideal childhood] and my dad retorts, "Well, you've still got time.."

In the sermon, Tim briefly mentioned polygamy, and on this topic he says, "God made Adam and Eve. Not Adam and Eve and Alice."

This Monday was the last Axis meeting, and Kristine was able to join us, being back from college and all. About Youth pastor, Jason, she says, "Well you're just special, you've got like superpowers where you can not eat or sleep."

Keesha, who recently got hit by a semi, long story, got to sit home alone for long amounts of time while healing, and she tells us that she knows what time the mail man comes and other things which normal people don't usually keep track of, then she says, "What other creepy things do I know?"

Josh was telling a Roloma moment, and said his sister compared Pastor Tim's house to Satan's house. Because it was easier to get there than their other neighbor's house who lived up the hill from them.

Kristine, one of my many inspirations, said, "You don't have to be awesome to serve God." Thank goodness.

I think Keesha, at one point, said, "I love dealing with weird people, you can't seem too off the wall to them."

During the meeting, there were loud obnoxious dog barks that were quite distracting, so I said, "Wow, someone's got annoying dogs." Keesha says, "Yeah, that's our neighbors. Sometimes I want to shoot them.... The dogs, I mean, not our neighbors."

I think on the way home from axis we were listening to B.Reith and some of the lyrics caught my interest:

It's amazing how far we'll go to pump a little gas in our ego.

I have to fall down to learn how to get back up.

You wrote my story.

Just kinda neat.

Going through masses of random junk today in the great purge, I was looking through an old book, and there was a comment: What is beautiful?

What is beautiful to you?