Patience In the New Year

As you know, tomorrow is the first day of the new year, 2013. And if you're like me, you're making a mental list in your mind of things you resolve to change and improve in your life in the coming year. I have many things I need to improve, and my spiritual life is always number one on my list. I need to pray more, speak less, be encouraging, be a helpful servant like Christ, and so on. One of my biggest weaknesses is being too impatient. I'm a hurry-it-along type of person, always wanting things to happen on time and in just the right way. I sometimes struggle with worrying about whether or not things will work out, but I have gotten better at having faith that God's plans are the best. I've always known He does what is best for each one of us, but I find that difficult to believe sometimes, especially when an answer is delayed. So this next year I am going to strive extra hard to have faith in His plans for me, trust that they are for my good, and patience for when some things seem to take longer than I had hoped. If you're having difficulties with these same things, here are some verses that I looked up last night to help out the impatient person in life (like me):

"Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass... Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him..." (Psalm 37:5,7)

"Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!" (Psalm 27:14)

"In You, O LORD, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed... For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name's sake, lead me and guide me." (Psalm 31:1,3)

"My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him." (Psalm 62:5)

"Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain." (Psalm 127:1)

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

God bless! Happy New Year!

~Courtney

Homemade Crescent Rolls

A very dear friend and neighbor of ours' mother recently passed away, so my mom wanted us to fix some food to take to them. Today she gave me the job of making crescent rolls from scratch, a recipe we just discovered a few days ago, and they are so fun and easy to make, and taste delicious!

I mixed the ingredients and let them rise, and just before I was going to start rolling out the dough, a friend of ours came over with her two grandchildren. The girl is almost four years old, and when she saw me getting out the flour and dough, she wanted to help. So I helped her wash her hands, put an apron around her, and stood her up on a little stool.

She thought the big blobs of dough were funny. She helped me roll out the dough into a circle, and then I cut the four flattened circles into triangles like a pizza. After I showed her how to roll the pieces into a crescent, she had it down pat immediately! Her rolls turned out just as good as mine.

I so enjoyed slowing down and teaching her how to do it. She learned something today, and we both helped to give our neighbors a little something to lighten their load. I'm so thankful for such a sweet little girl in my life to share giggles, floury hands, and good times with.

Here is the recipe, if you'd like to try it sometime:

1 1/2 C. milk
3/4 C. + 1 T. sugar
1 egg
1 T. salt
2 T. yeast 2 C. warm water
9-10 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. butter

Scald 1 1/2 cups milk, 3/4 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup butter. Add 1-2 cups flour, 1 egg, and 1 tablespoon salt. Let it cool enough to add yeast. Dissolve yeast first in 2 cups warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let yeast water sit for a couple of minutes until it is bubbly. Using fork or wooden spoon, gradually stir in remainder of the 9-10 cups flour. Add 1-2 cups at a time, stirring it in carefully. When it gets stiff, stir with hands. Let rise until doubled in size. Divide into four equal-sized balls and cut into eights like a pizza, then roll like a crescent, from big end to point. Bake until done all the way through.

God bless!

Sewing

Last week I went to Walmart and bought some fabric to make a skirt from a pattern I had gotten. I worked on it Thursday night, Friday, and finally finished it Saturday morning. It turned out well and even has pockets! Here is what it looks like:

Houndstooth!

Lined pockets!

Long, modest, and feminine!

"She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple." (Proverbs 31:22)

~Courtney

Words of Promise by Ruth

"But Ruth replied, 'Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!'" (Ruth 1:16-17 NLT)

I was reading this wonderful passage today and thought they would make absolutely beautiful marriage vows at a wedding! To say that to your groom and have him say it back to you would be beyond romantic. To say, "I'll stay with you always, love your family as my own, die with you, and love the one true God as you do, and nothing but death can tear us apart," would be beautiful. That's basically what all marriage vows say, but I love the way that Ruth said it, and for her it was truly an unselfish promise she vowed to keep.

Just a little something. Have a blessed Thursday!

~Courtney

Reading Through Psalms

This month I am reading through the book of Psalms. 150 chapters in 31 days is a lot of reading, but I am really enjoying it and it doesn't even seem like very many chapters a day. I try not to fly right through them, but when I get to reading I just don't want to stop.
God's Word is amazing, and I am so very blessed and thankful to have a Bible of my own, a Sword to help me get through this life and on to the next, eternal one.

Psalm 19:1-14 (NLT)
"The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race. The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat. The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them. How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."

Have a blessed Monday!

~Courtney

NaNoWriMo COMPLETE!

I have officially FINISHED and WON NaNoWriMo!! I didn't quite make it to 50,000 words like I had originally intended, but I did reach my other goal of 35,000 words plus 2!

My novel is called Where I Belong, and is about a sixteen year-old girl named Chloe. Chloe Greene is just an ordinary sixteen year-old country girl living on ho-hum Hickory Lane. She wants to travel and change the world for the better, but someone holds her back. Beau, her long-time crush and brother's best friend, tells her some things that make her reconsider her dreams. Will she decide to try and leave the country someday to start a revolution on her own, or will Beau convince her to stay home and encourage the people in their own community first? Will Chloe do what she wants to do, or will she seek God's will for her life?

I may or may not post the story on here, but I'm not sure yet. Hopefully I'll get some more inspiration for the next story I'm wanting to write. If all goes well, this one will be totally different from the stuff I'm used to writing, with more of a Peretti style to it.

Am I excited? YES.

1 Peter 4:10 says,  "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

And always remember this: "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12)

Give God the glory for all you do! "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men." (Colosians 3:23)

Have a blessed Wednesday!

~Courtney

Aspiring Writer

The month of November, in case you didn't know, is National Novel-Writing Month, better known as NaNoWriMo. This year I have attempted to produce a 50,000 word novel in thirty days or less. As of right now, I am just getting to the 31,000 word mark. My goal was to at least hit 30K, and now I am just trying to get to 35K, and then as high as I possibly can before midnight, December 1st. This has been a challenge, but also a ton of great fun and a wonderful learning experience. It makes me feel like an unsociable nerd with no life and who lives off of coffee and life experiences to inspire me, but that is totally okay with me. I could live just as happily in a hole, as long as I had some coffee, books, and paper and a pencil. Seriously, that's no joke. So back I go, into my little world of fantasy and fiction, that peaceful place I go to think and sort out my thoughts. I intend to do my very best at writing until I have absolutely no time left. I must finish my story. And even if it isn't my best work, at least I will have completed my first novel. Someday, maybe, with a lot of patience, perseverance, and prayer, I hope to be able to publish something worth reading.

Until next time, everyone!

One of the many aspiring writers,
Courtney Faith

I'm Thankful

Today is the day set aside specifically for giving thanks to God for all He has so bountifully blessed us with. Today we acknowledge all He has done for us, and thank Him for doing so. We have so much to be thankful for here in the United States of America! I am so very grateful to have been born a citizen of this country and the state of Alabama. Though times get hard, we are well off in this country. I have clean water, electricity, heat, a home, and family and friends who care.

I'm thankful that I was taught to always be thankful.

Most of all, I am thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ, who died for me that I can be free of the bondage of sin, and someday live with Him forever and ever in Heaven! I am so thankful that He loved me enough to save us from the wicked world. I am thankful that He has overcome it all and is now the King of everything. Without Him I would be hopeless, and He is the main reason I am thankful today.

I hope you all have a wonderful day of thanksgiving. God bless!

~Courtney

Dear Future Husband: A Letter

I just came across a sweet letter written by a young lady to her future husband. It's so nice coming across one of these encouraging letters that someone has written to their future spouse. Here is what Jasmine write...

Dear Husband of My Future,

Although I have yet to lay eyes on you, I have faith that you are worth the wait. Contrary to what I used to believe, you will not complete me, but you will compliment the whole person that I already I am. With that said, I have been and will continue to take advantage of my time of singleness because I realize that singleness is not the plague, but a time for me to work on myself and evolve into the woman that I was destined to be. This is why I will not waste this great season of my life sulking and complaining about not having a man. I was taught that patience is a virtue and great things come to those who wait. So instead of doing all that, I am using this time to attain multiple degrees, pursue the career of my dreams, travel the world, learn more about myself as a person and even learn what it means to be a wife as opposed to a girlfriend.

It is in this time of singleness, I have chosen to refrain from certain activities in which most single young adults in my age group engage in, such as sex. On August 8, 2010, which was my 20th birthday, I made a public vow in front of my entire congregation that I would refrain from sexual activity until the day that you and I exchange our vows in front of our loving family and friends, sealing our promises with an “I do.” Most would see this decision as absurd and unrealistic, but I believe that with God all things are possible. I wish to fully commit myself to you as well as our marriage well before we even cross paths. Although I am in no way perfect, experiencing things the way that God truly intended for them to be done is extremely important to me. I realize that sex is not merely for pleasure but it is a responsibility and a bond that should be shared between a husband and wife. I have also been a witness of the detriment that sex before marriage can bring and I wish to give our marriage a fair chance. Sexual intercourse can spiritually and emotionally tie you to a person and I wish to walk with as little baggage as humanly possible in your direction. No disrespect to anyone else and their choices.

With baggage in mind I have also made the conscious decision to refrain from recreational dating because along with physical purity, I wish to enter our covenant of marriage emotionally and mentally pure as well. I will not date guy after guy just because, acquiring broken heart after broken heart just to appease my boredom or to satisfy my temporary loneliness. I don’t wish to come to you with a shattered heart covered in scars and bruises seeking for you to put the pieces back together. I refuse to enter our relationship not trusting you because of something some other guy did or did not do in the past that I could’ve completely avoided had I just waited for you. I will not jump at the first guy who smiles at me. I have been a witness to church hook-ups gone wrong that have even evolved into church marriages gone wrong and have made the decision not to partake in all that. I’ve been the church girl devastated to find out that the church boy she had been dating had been dating every church girl in and within a 25-block radius of said church. That is why I will stay single instead of calling Tyrone as one Madame Noire writer stated. Engaging in frivolous relationships to merely cure singleness as if it some devastating disease is pointless and not worth the trouble that it brings. I will guard my heart as Proverbs 4:23 instructs me to and I will follow the instructions of Song of Solomon by “not awakening love until its time” and setting my affections on no one other than you. Whoever you are.

I’ve been called a dreamer for believing that a man like you exists. I’ve been called unrealistic and impossible. I’ve even been told that I believe that I am living out a Tyler Perry movie, but despite the naysayers, something deep down in the pit of my stomach tells me otherwise. I don’t believe that I am unrealistic for not settling for any old Johnny or Tyrone for that matter. I don’t believe you to be perfect, no one walking this earth is; however, I do believe that we will perfectly balance out one another. Call it picky, but I only wish to be with the one that God designed specifically for me instead of the man who alters himself to fit the mold of what he believes that I want. We may not cross paths for another five years, five months or five weeks, but once again, I have been convinced that patience is a virtue and I am willing to wait.

See you soon, Jazmine"

Have a blessed day! Remember, patience is a virtue, and good things come to those who wait. God will not forget His children, nor their heart's desires.

~Courtney

Check This Post Out

Today a friend of mine posted a link to our Bible study page, telling us we should read this guy's blog post about girls dressing modestly. I went and read it, and wow, he really does encourage Christian girls to keep being Godly ladies! His post is so great I wanted to share it with you all.
     He simply says thank you from the bottom of his heart to all the girls and women who choose to dress modestly, making life easier for him to follow Christ and keep his mind on Godly things. It's so worth the read. Click here to go to Andrew Romanowitz's blog and here to read the post: To My Sisters In Christ -- From a Grateful Young Man.

     Have a blessed day, and stay beautiful!

So, What About College?

I'm going to rant a little on this lovely afternoon. I am not pointing fingers at anyone; I am simply voicing my opinions and questions.
   
     It's been a month since I've last written, and that's just because I haven't sat down to write what has been on my mind. But this morning as I was getting ready to venture out in to the world (also known as a trip to town), I was thinking about my future, which I'm sure is very common for almost everybody. I think a lot. So this time I was thinking about college, which has been on my mind lately, thanks to the many questions that people I know continue to ask.

     I don't know about you, but when I get asked the same question, or a variation of the same question, more than a dozen times in a short period of time, it gets a little... old. I couldn't even begin to count the times I have been asked "when," "where," and "what for" about going to college. The conversations I have with them usually sound a little like this:
     "So, where do you go to school?"
     "I was home schooled, but I graduated last year."
     "Oh, so are you going to college?"
     "No, probably not. I've never really wanted to go."
     "Well, you should look into it. There are plenty of great classes you could take. Find a career that you love, and go with it. You can do whatever you want."
     This is where the conversation either ends with me saying I'll think about it, or that person goes on about how great education is, what a good thing it is to make a living, etc. I honestly don't mind that everyone seems to have this conversation with me, because it tells me that people care. I love it when people ask me questions, but to tell you the truth, most times they don't understand my answers when it comes to their asking about college.

     Okay, here's the shocker for ya: I don't WANT to go to college. NEVER have! And if I did want to go, I would want to choose a major before I begin, so I won't be wasting money on classes that I may not need in the long run.

     First, let me get a few things straight:
          1. I am not against college. I think in many cases, it is a good thing.
          2. I have friends in college, boys and girls, and I am happy for them. They are all pursuing great careers.
          3. I don't want to go to college, but that does not mean I never will.

     So. In response to all the questions like, "Why on earth would you not go to college?" I have some questions for you!
   
     You tell me that I can do whatever I want, that women can do anything they feel like doing, but then when I tell you my one dream is to hopefully someday get married and raise a Godly family, you think I'm crazy and should go to college before I do anything. WHAT? Why is it that a girl can become anything she wants, even if it means traveling away from her family, but as long as she's making money it's totally okay? Why is it that you think it's crazy that I want to depend on my husband to earn a living for our family? And furthermore, why do you believe I won't ever become anything worthy of recognition unless I go to college for four years?

     Again, I have nothing against girls going to college, or even helping to earn a living. But it does bother me that there are wives and mothers who have full time jobs, make great amounts of money, but don't have time for their husbands, kids, and other duties in the home!

     My one dream my whole life has been to be the best Christ-follower I can be, and to marry a Christian man and raise a family together. I've often said I'd like to be an astronaut, but my parents don't like the idea of me leaving the planet, so that's out of the question. I went through a phase when I wanted to be a teacher, then I wanted to be a cosmetologist, and at some point I thought it might be cool to be an interpreter for the deaf, using ASL. But I don't have to go to college for all of those. Sure, I can learn tons more if I study each thing specifically, but really, if I have kids someday, I'll be able to do all those things and more! A mom has many jobs in her one career alone. Listed are just a few jobs that most moms do on a regular basis:
          1. Chef
          2. Teacher
          3. Cosmetologist
          4. Fashion designer
          5. Secretary
          6. Doctor/nurse
          7. Chauffeur
          8. Seamstress
          9. Psychiatrist
          10. Judge 

     Now tell me, how is being a stay-at-home wife and mother demeaning, throwing my abilities away, or snuffing out my chance for a higher education? Raising a Godly family and seeing them grow up to be helpmeets and soldiers for God sounds like the best "degree" one could receive in an entire lifetime! If they taught how to be the very best Christian wife, mother, sister, daughter, and friend in a college class, I'd sign up in a heartbeat. But I've got the textbook I need in order to achieve that goal, and that is the Bible.
    
     So thanks, but no thanks; I'll risk losing my chance for a "higher education" and work on being a humble servant for Christ, following every step of the way He leads me to go.

     "That they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed." (Titus 2:4-5)

     "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates." (Proverbs 31:30-31)

Love Is All You Need

 

One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is 1 Corinthians 13. It tells us that love is not just a word -- it's a verb! Love is more than just a feeling -- it's a way of life. 

     I really, really like the way For King and Country quotes it in their song "Proof of Your Love": 

     

     If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. 

     If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. 

     If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. 

     So no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, 

I am bankrupt without love.

We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, but whatever we do, we must to it heartily, as to the Lord. We MUST have love, no matter what. If we don't have love, it doesn't do us any good! No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I am bankrupt without love. Love completes us. Love is all we need. Love heals, love encourages, love binds up, love rejoices in the truth. But most importantly, Love DIED for us. LOVE is what saves us from who we once were. LOVE is all that matters. LOVE is everything.

I Believe In Mount Calvary

If a thought comes to mind all of a sudden, it's best if I write it down right away, because I really will lose the idea if I'm not careful. So, here I am, sitting at the piano, singing songs to myself, and the words just got to me.
Do you ever catch yourself singing a song at worship and because you know every single word, every single note by heart, you just sing it nonchalantly? Are you JUST singing the words, or are you REALLY thinking about the words you're saying and the thoughts you're proclaiming? I find myself JUST singing sometimes, and since I can read music, that makes it worse, because I get too caught up in trying to get every note and measure perfect. But then I realize the words I'm singing aloud. Do I TRULY believe in what I'm vocalizing? Am I taking the words to heart or am I simply making sound with my vocal chords? Basically that's what I'm doing if I don't wholeheartedly understand and mean when I sing to the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. If I don't mean what I'm saying, then to Him I am just a noisy gong and a clanging cymbal!
So as I sat here in the living room humming a song, I got to thinking about the lyrics:

I BELIEVE IN A HILL CALLED MOUNT CALV'RY,
I'LL BELIEVE WHATEVER THE COST;
AND WHEN TIME HAS SURRENDERED AND EARTH IS NO MORE,
I'LL STILL CLING TO THAT OLD RUGGED CROSS.

Although the tune to this song is really pretty, if you you really stop to listen, the whole thought is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! These are words of PROMISES, DEVOTION, COMMITMENT, and LOYALTY! How many of us TRULY mean it when we sing, "I'll believe WHATEVER THE COST"? I hope we all would, but sadly that's not necessarily the case. How many of us, if the day came when being a Christian meant you were to be put to death, would keep proclaiming His word, continue singing His praise, and if it came down to it, GIVE YOUR LIFE FOR CHRIST?
This is important. If I truly BELIEVED in something, I shouldn't be weak enough to back down because I am afraid. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" REALLY! And besides, by someone killing us for being a follower of Christ, God is GAINING a saint in heaven! There really is no loss at all.
So my point is this: When we sing a song to the God and Creator of it all, we should MEAN what we are saying. And secondly, we should most definitely, as soldiers of Christ, be SO devoted, fully committed to Him, that we are able to still believe -- "whatever the cost; and when time has surrendered and earth is no more, [we'll] still cling to that old rugged cross."
Have a blessed day, y'all!

2 Peter 1:5-11

"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 

(2 Peter 1:5-11)

Be always diligent to do what you were called to do, to obey God and study the Word, and you will never, ever stumble! How assuring is that? If we do those things, we won't fail, but we will be rewarded abundantly the everlasting kingdom of our Lord -- Heaven! That makes life SO worth the living!!

Have a blessed night!

Season of Thankfulness

Today is the first day of Fall. That means cooler nights and fuzzy blankets, bonfires and singings, sweaters and hoodies, and s'mores and hot chocolate! Fall is such a beautiful season for so many reasons. It's the beginning of the holidays. Fall is also the season for being thankful. Thanksgiving Day is a special day in Autumn set aside particularly for thanking God for what He's blessed us with. But we shouldn't wait until the end of November to be grateful for what we have. We should thank God every single day!

"Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content." 1 Timothy 6:6-8
Have a great first week of fall, y'all!

You Raise Me Up!

"You raise me up so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up to walk on stormy seas. I am strong when I am on your shoulders. You raise me up to more than I can be."

Here the past few days, I have been listening to Josh Groban a LOT. His voice is absolutely gorgeous, and his songs are beautiful. I will definitely be having his Christmas album playing all season.

My favorite song that he does is You Raise Me Up. Not sure if it's technically "his" song, but he most certainly OWNED it. *wink*

I love the lyrics to that song. It's so inspiring! And it's breathtaking to know that there is a God out there who raises me up so I can be more than I can be on my own!

"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

Have a blessed day!

Modesty

Hey, gals! I hope you're having a wonderful day. We had lots of rain here yesterday, and this morning it's so nice and sunny outside. I love how everything sparkles after a nice rain shower! Today I want to tell you about what happened to me and three friends last Friday. We have homeschool co-op classes once a week, and I help in the cake decorating class. It was lunch time, so we girls went to Walmart to get some Subway sandwiches for our families. As we walked in, we passed a man who was taking up donations for the veterans. One of the girls said something to me about giving him something on the way out. So, we all walked in and ordered our sandwiches and headed back outside. Me and one of my friends were wearing skirts, and my other two friends were wearing very modest pants. So there was that man again, and he told me hello and asked how I was doing. Then he said, "Can I compliment you girls?" I didn't really know what to say, so I was like, "Sure." The other girls had walked up behind me and listened. He was so nice as he told us, "I love how you dress." He said it was so great to see young women like us not dressing like the world. And then he asked if we were homeschooled. I told him we were, but had graduated. He smiled and said he could tell. Then he went on to say how homschooling is so much better than public school, because evolution "does us no good." We talked with him a few minutes and then told him good bye, and have a nice day. We walked away with smiles on our faces and thankfulness in our hearts. Wow. He totally made my day. It was extremely encouraging to know that dressing modestly is a big statement for God. That man knew by one look at us that we were Christians, and weren't dressing to be noticed in a bad way, like the world does. I just can't say how happy it made me feel. Dress modestly for Christ and He will be seen and others will be made to think about Him whenever you're around! That's big. I think it makes God even happier than we were when someone sees His light shining through us! "Out of my heart, out of my heart, shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus! Shine out today, shine out always; shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus!"

Take It All In!

The weather has been so perfect lately that I just want to jump for joy! The sky is just so gorgeous today. I've got my window open to let in the breeze. A lot of times I know we all just get so busy in this thing called life, and it's so easy to get caught up in the daily blah of things. But instead of being so sucked into our errands, events, and everything else of little importance, we need to slow down and take a look. Take a look at the wonderfulness of this earth. It's so beautiful! Take it all in: the blue skies, white puffy clouds, the birds singing sweetly in the treetops, the crickets in the darkness of night and the flickering flashes of lightning bugs fluttering around. God has given us so many lovely things in nature for a purpose -- that we may enjoy them! I learned years ago that the cicada that we hear buzzing in the heat of summer is actually 17 years old when it finally comes out of the ground. I haven't looked at or heard them in the same way since. It's amazing what care God gives to His creatures, even the smallest ones! Did you know that the hummingbird's wings can flap about 60 times in one second? And it can fly across the Gulf of Mexico without stopping on the way. The woodpecker, the earthworm, Goliath beetle, and many, many others are just a small portion of proof that there is an Intelligent Designer! Let's take all this beautiful nature and changes of seasons in. What a wonderful world we live in! "...Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God." Job 37:14

(It's a) Good Morning!

Good morning, everybody!! It's gonna be a beautiful day; I can feel it already. I'm usually not up this early, but I love to be. Today I woke up to Mandisa on the radio singing "Good Morning." (I don't know if that's the title, but she kept saying it over and over.) And I thought, it IS a good morning! What a perfect song. It is a good morning because I CHOOSE to smile about it, be thankful for it, make the most of every minute of it, and you know what else? Jesus died on the cross for me many years ago, even though I know I absolutely don't deserve it... and He loves me STILL! That makes life SO worth the living. So go on. Feel LOVED. You are pretty stinkin' awesome to the most important One in the whole universe! "I will wake the dawn with praises! I will speak His name abroad! I will worship Him forever, He my Lord, my only God!"

The Return of the Princess

Hello, all! Yep, as you can see, I'm back! After several weeks of not blogging since my original blog just mysteriously vanished, I'm starting anew. I think the first thing I post shall be... my favorite passage of the Bible -- 2 Corinthians 5! I hope you find it as uplifting as I have.

"For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."