If my life is surrendered to God, all is well. Let me not grab it back. ~Elisabeth Elliot

Out of my comfort zone?

2009-03-05T23:09:00.002-05:00

This week at I observed in the morning on Monday, and I learned and observed so much, I almost wish I could've taken notes. :) I arrived in time to be a part of their fourth rotation in the classroom. They have it organized so that each child is pulled from the group for "teacher time" twice a a week, four of the kids are Monday/Wednesday, and four at Tuesday/Thursday. Since there are four rotations, one of the Monday/Wednesday kids was in teacher time, and the rest of the group had calendar time. We sang a song about the days of the week, and my co-op used visuals for the students to point to the different day as it was sung, then they used the Tech Talk Communication Device, so the kids could choose the correct day, and have the device speak the word they chose back to them. It was fun to see the excitement when they consciously chose the right answer. We went through the same thing with the months of the year, singing a song and they asking them to choose the correct month.

After the fourth rotation, they have "song time" with everyone in the classroom, and all the aids. This is the only activity that they can all do together, because several of the children have trouble sitting for long amounts of time, and one of the little boys is not always able to do the other group times. We sang Old McDonald had a farm, and the Steelers song. The kids LOVE song time and were clapping their hands and smiling, even the kids who seemed usually out of it, were involved. Then it was time for lunch. Not all the children in my room go to lunch, one little girl is on a special diet and has to eat food from home, and one boy never eats at school, so they just stayed in the classroom. I went to the lunch room and observed what was going on.

It is still amazing to me that every little activity has an objective to help them achieve it at a higher degree. Objectives including using silverware, cleaning up after themselves, trying something they don't like, drinking from the cup, drinking from a straw, the list is endless. At the end of lunch, I helped two boys clean up, both are usually independent, but that wasn't quite what happened to me. The first boy did very well and dumped his leftover food into the garbage and then put his plate in the dirty dishes pile, but the other was having a bad day, and when he went to dump his leftover food into the garbage, he through the entire plate in and I had to get the tongs and pull it out. That made for a little excitement and not having any idea how to handle what happened on my part, but it worked out and I think I will be able to help clean up from lunch better next time.

Last, I want to point out that my co-op doesn't consider herself superior to the aids, but she treats them as equals, asks for their advice and rotates on the schedule just like they do. The schedule is a list of the different responsibilities that need to be completed each day, like bath-rooming, teacher time, calendar time, work and bus duty, etc. Each week they switch, so that they are doing something different. My co-op explained that it helps her see the classroom from all the different perspectives and to work on objectives in every situation. Obviously, she does all the lesson planning, the data collection and writes the evaluations for the students, but her attitude towards the aids has a great result in the classroom. When she was on her lunch period, I had an opportunity to talk with one of the aids about how that made her feel, and I think that is something I definitely want to incorporate into my classroom.

James 1:2

2009-03-02T19:11:00.002-05:00

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

Lessons From a Classroom

2009-02-20T09:57:00.001-05:00

This past Tuesday I observed at Watson's for the second time. My teacher talked to me a lot about the motivators they use in her classroom to help the students accomplish schools tasks and jobs. This is used the most in the morning, when I am not there. She explained to me how the students do school and have one task they do not enjoy followed by an activity they do enjoy. The biggest motivator in her classroom, is food, but my co-op tries to use other things to motivate the kids. Sometimes its surprising how a little thing like shredding paper -- can be a motivator. The example of this that I was able to observe was in connection with a little boy. They set up a system for him, so that when he gets five smiley faces, he may go and visit someone in the school (the gym teacher, or one of the faculty.) He loves visiting with adults and is so excited to do something that will earn him a smiley face. Because it is a school just for special needs children, this system works well because someone is always available to hang out with him and do something special.

The second thing I observed and learned about on Tuesday was the different objectives being worked on in a simple task. Let me explain, I attended a special which included going to the library with four of the kids from my class. The librarian read a book, and then they worked on folders. The purpose of the book reading was not just so they could hear the story, it also was teaching them to sit still and follow directions. The folders were a matching game that required them to communicate, imitate, follow directions, use their fine motor skills and organizational skills. Its not just a simple story and matching game anymore, it is a activity preparing them for life.

Finally, I find it amazing how many options and solutions my co-op has in her head. If the child does not react or follow the directions well the first time, she can switch plans, and try a different strategy that is in agreement with what she is teaching. This has been such a great experience for me so far, and I am excited to see what I will learn next! :)

Thoughts

2009-02-20T09:30:00.002-05:00

Do you ever have moments where you remember circumstances that went one direction and because of that direction changed your life? Do you ever wonder if the circumstances had gone the other direction what your life would be like right now? Its a weird thought for me, because I feel God has put lots of decisions in my path that have overwhelming impacted the outcome. He has changed my heart and my life, and even though it hasn't been easy, its amazing to be where I am today. This is a reflective post, just because today I was thinking about one particular circumstance that if it had gone another direction would've affected everything... anyway, that's the end. My life is a testimony to God's grace and love.

An Observation:

2009-02-03T22:24:00.002-05:00

Today I observed at the Watson Institute a school for special needs students. It is a requirement as an education student at Geneva to get an idea of what being a teacher entails before completing all the necessary courses. I was very excited about it because I get to do my special education observation before my elementary education observation. My co-op teacher at Watson's has a room with eight autistic children between the ages of eight and eleven, they are at different levels within a preschool / kindergarden grade. All the students are non-verbal, which means they communicate mostly through sign-language and picture exchange which I will explain in a moment. My co-op is the primary teacher and there are two full-time helpers and one part-time assistant.

When I arrived, they were in the middle of "socialization time". This time stressed objectives such as communication, recreational skills, peer interaction and turn taking, I was included right into the structure of the afternoon and was interacting with the kids from the beginning. Next, we had a snack. In the classroom, each student has a picture book that contain icons. These icons help them communicate what they cannot communicate with words. For example, they have a rectangular board with velcro on it. The kids can pick the icon for "I want" and the icon for "pretzels", stick both on the rectangular board and when it is their turn they can ask for it. Not all the children were able to do this, but I was very impressed by the several children who could. :)

After snack, the children attended specials. Next week, I will be able to go with them, but today I spoke with the supervisor and my co-op explained some about her lesson plans and about the regular schedule. I was so excited when I came back to campus, I think this is going to be a great experience, I am so excited to see how the rest of the classroom works and to learn more about autistic children. :)

The Girl with only ONE pearl earring.

2009-02-03T22:12:00.002-05:00

I feel very un-responsible, and have an overwhelmingly uncharacteristic sense of loss. Today, would have been like any other day I wore those earrings. I wanted to look a little nicer for my student observation, and they reminded me of my family. Plus, they give me a certain air that I like. Its classy, just like my mom, like Shannon and like Avery to wear pearls.

Sadly, at the end of today, I only possess one pearl earring. Somewhere between my rushing out the door, my trip to the library and my classes this morning I have lost one pearl earring. Maybe what is most distressing is that it was an entrusted gift that I did not guard with my life. I was probably supposed to wear those earrings for my wedding and now, I cannot. How distressing. How very saddening. I almost cried. What is maybe even more sorrowful, is that I don't think anyone would turn in a lone pearl earring. They would not know the love, the care and the memories that are attached to that one pearl. I apologize mom, for losing that gift. I am praying that somehow it will appear in an unexpected place.

The end.

Following your heart?

2009-01-29T15:15:00.004-05:00

"The heart never takes the place of the head: but it can, and should, obey it."

--The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis

There have only been a few times in my life that I truly remember not listening to what my heart was telling me. The first time I really remember it, was the night before I left for China. My friends had thrown a huge surprise party for me, which was awesome, and then they asked me if I wanted to spend the night, which of course I did. I remember thinking that I should go home and spend time with my mom and sister - who were the only ones home that night - instead of staying with my friends, but I didn't. Even today, my heart almost hurts thinking that I didn't spend that time with my mom that I could have. It makes me sad.

Unfortunately, just because I have only a few memories of not listening to my heart, does not mean that my heart doesn't try tell me more. My problem is listening to my head and doing what I want to do, instead of listening to my conscience. In retrospect, I can see this especially in high-school. A lot of things that should have bothered me about myself, and about what I put up with in others did not bother me, and even if it did, I remember ignoring it. Thankfully though, I can say that looking back at last semester and seeing this semester, God has been working in my heart, and is bringing back that sensitive conscience.

I am learning, like C.S. Lewis says I should, to obey my heart. It is my prayer that my heart may be bursting with Christ's love and grace.

2 Corinthians 6:3-10

2009-01-25T16:16:00.002-05:00

"We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the life; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors, known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."

This is a beautiful reflection of how we should feel about our Christian walk. We must commend ourselves in every way, to share the same gospel with those around us. The challenge is to let our light, and to show our confidence in Christ, through hardships like the ones listed: beatings, imprisonments, dishonor, bad reports, being regarded as an impostor, sorrow, yet through it all, rejoicing. I loved the end especially, "having nothing, and yet possessing everything." For me, these verses are almost life verses. I have not felt all of those, but pain has been a part of my life, for me, but also for my friends and family. I truly realize that I possess everything when I am in fellowship with Christ. And that is where my heart strives to be.

2009-01-24T17:24:00.001-05:00

In battle the victory goes to Love;

Prizes and properties fall to Love.

Love dallies the night

On a girl's soft cheeks,

Ranges across the sea,

Lodges in wild meadows.

O Love, no one can hide from you:

You take gods who live forever,

You take humans who die in a day

And they take you and go mad.

~Antigone

Books:

2008-05-03T20:04:00.003-04:00

The Top 106 Books Most Often Marked As “Unread” By LibraryThing’s Users.

Strike-through books you’ve read before.
Italicize books you’ve read before but haven’t finished.
Copy and paste on your blog to see how “pretentious” you are.
(Stolen from The Ax for the Frozen Sea)

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
Anna Karenina
Crime and Punishment
Catch-22
One-hundred Years of Solitude
~~Wuthering Heights~~
The Silmarillion
~~The Aeneid~~
Life of Pi: a novel
The Name of the Rose
Don Quixote
Moby Dick
Ulysses
Madame Bovary
~~The Odyssey~~
~~Pride and Prejudice~~
~~Jane Eyre~~
~~The Tale of Two Cities~~
The Brothers Karamazov
Guns, Germs, and Steel: the fates of human societies
War and Peace
Vanity Fair
The Time Traveler’s Wife
~~The Iliad~~
~~Emma~~
The Blind Assassin
The Kite Runner
Mrs. Dalloway
~~Great Expectations~~
American Gods
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
Atlas Shrugged
Reading Lolita in Tehran : a memoir in books
Memoirs of a Geisha
Middlesex
Quicksilver
Wicked: the life and times of the wicked witch of the West
The Canterbury Tales
The Historian : a novel
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Love in the Time of Cholera
Brave New World
The Fountainhead
Foucault’s Pendulum
Middlemarch
~~Frankenstein~~
~~The Count of Monte Cristo~~
Dracula
A Clockwork Orange
Anansi Boys
The Once and Future King
The Grapes of Wrath
The Poisonwood Bible: a novel
1984
Angels & Demons
The Inferno
The Satanic Verses
~~Sense and Sensibility~~
The Picture of Dorian Gray
~~Mansfield Park~~
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Test of the D’Urbervilles
To the Lighthouse
~~Oliver Twist~~
Gulliver’s Travels
~~Les Misérables~~
The Corrections
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
Dune
The Prince
The Sound and the Fury
Angela’s Ashes: a memoir
The God of Small Things
A People’s History of the United States : 1492-present
Cryptonomicon
Neverwhere
A Confederacy of Dunces
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Dubliners
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Beloved
Slaughterhouse-five
~~The Scarlet Letter~~
Eats, Shoots & Leaves
The Mists of Avalon
Oryx and crake: a novel
Collapse : how societies choose to fail or succeed
Cloud Atlas
The Confusion
Lolita
Persuasion
Northanger Abbey
The Catcher in the Rye
On the Road
~~The Hunchback of Notre Dame~~
Freakonomics : a rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance : an inquiry into values
Watership Down
Gravity’s Rainbow
~~The Hobbit~~
In Cold Blood : a true account of a multiple murder and its consequences
White Teeth
~~Treasure Island~~
~~David Copperfield~~
~~The Three Musketeers~~

Total: 21% Pretentious. And I wish I had read more of the these books than I have. Maybe that's what I'll do this summer. :)

Agree or Disagree?

2008-03-27T16:19:00.002-04:00

"It would be an unconscionable act of betrayal, a stain on our character as a great nation, if we were to walk away from the Iraqi people." - John McCain

I'm not exactly sure how I feel...

Yeah

2008-03-11T19:00:00.002-04:00

Supposedly, people write in their journals, diary's or blogs in either incredibly high and happy moods or incredibly depressing moods and if they don't, its because they are very disciplined and write everyday. So that's probably my problem, if you only knew me from reading my blog, I wonder what someone would think of me? Probably not very much. On that thought, I guess I'd rather just end this post with a verse that has been a great encouragement for me.

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

Random, Stimulating Thoughts

2008-02-12T17:58:00.001-05:00

"There comes a time in your life where you grow, you change, you find yourself somewhere deep inside, sometimes this phase of life is wonderful, as it should be. The discovery of new things, the excitement of life and the love and warmth it brings. But sometimes its not beautiful. Sometimes the changes are unwelcome because they bring anger, bitterness and resentment from loved ones. Sometimes these changes are so strong and so different from before that saying goodbye is the only way to move forward. But through this part of life whether beautiful or gray, there will be a blossoming flower, even if it is a time of hurt, of tears and of loneliness, the result will be a smile, a memory of the good times and a looking forward to the future."

^I found that. I think it says a lot of what I feel.

Today I was listening to a CD and in between the songs, there was this challenge from the artist that I had never heard and that you wouldn't hear unless you listen through the CD without skipping tracks, anyway, I think this is a good thing to remember. "Kings don't wear crowns in crowds for what? They're more smart than that." :)

Also, I need to pick a song to play with my slide show for graduation at church. I'm having some trouble, because I love so many songs and so many different kinds of music. If anyone has any suggestions, I would definitely entertain them.

Potential

2008-02-06T22:39:00.001-05:00

I know that as a person we will always, for the rest of our lives, be changing and becoming more Christ-like as God works in us and reveals to us parts of our lives that don't reflect him and need to change, but I also know there's a time when you feel comfortable with yourself and the person who you are. Like for example, as a freshman in high school, I felt very uncomfortable with myself. Being cool, trying to be friends with the popular people and agreeing with them about everything seemed really important, but now I realize that wasn't really me. Now, I feel like I'm making a huge decision about where I'm going to college and I almost feel like I'm choosing between lives. I'm also afraid that I'm going to lose my friends that go to different colleges, and though I know its selfish of me, I don't want my friendships to grow apart. Am I supposed to be the more quiet, reserved one who doesn't always talk? Or am I supposed to be out there, challenging the other opinions and being a leader? I want to be used by God no matter where I go and what I do, but I want to reach my full potential, and I'm afraid that I won't. I suppose I will reach the potential that God wants me to reach, which is amazing, because without him I wouldn't be able to reach any potential, just unfortunately, I don't know what that potential is yet.

Being Mature

2008-01-25T18:01:00.001-05:00

I am positive that there is no magic age to be considered mature. Dictionary.com defines it as: fully developed in body or mind, as a person. I've heard that some people never mature, and as adults they seem lacking in many ways, socially, but mostly in responsibility. My mom recently read an article that said that I cannot make really good decisions until I am 25, I guess the writers were trying to say something about consistency, but nobody makes good consistent decisions even after 25. So, does making good decisions have to do with being mature? I think it does, but what does that mean for me? I feel like me as a person doesn't really exist. Like yes, I can have ideas and opinions but if they aren't consistent with my parents, then they are bad, so my ideas and opinions don't really exist, so then I disappear, because I am basically defined by my ideas and opinions. Well, not completely because that wouldn't be honest, but the things that seem to matter to me and I want respect for, even if it is just a small "what do you think?" would make a huge difference to me. Thats all. If anybody is reading, please comment.

UnChristian?

2008-01-22T14:17:00.000-05:00

I was reading World Magazine today, and I wanted to share about an article they published. A Christian survey organization recently "asked young people to identify which perceptions they most strongly associate with Christianity. The three most commonly agreed-upon were: anti-homosexual, judgmental, and hypocritical." The article goes on to question if, as Christians we "are [more] famous for what we oppose, rather than what we are for."
I suppose this is a touchy subject, because Christians are supposed to hate the sin and not the sinner, but are never able to do that perfectly. I guess I sympathize with people who feel judged by the church and are not given the love and mercy that God requires us to give, because they they have problems. It seems easier to try to separate from everything bad and then think that is the right thing, but I disagree. God says we are to be in the world and not of it, which means we are to understand and be there for the people that feel like they have no chance of God ever wanting them. If we think we are so high and mighty, to be haters of homosexuals, judgmental of how others speak, dress and how they use their time, to go around pretending that we are the chosen ones with the best ideas we are the ones with the problem. Yes, God has saved us and we need to share that with others, but we were just as awful as them and even worse, because we claim the name Christian and then are hypocrites. Read the article and please think about whether you are loving unconditionally as Christ commands.

Eighteen

2008-01-21T19:44:00.000-05:00

I suppose nothing is really supposed to feel different as a Christian who turns eighteen. I still live under my parents roof, and so I kinda still have to obey them or else they may kick me out. Its never been like my parents have been super strict or super lenient, but its not going to be like suddenly they stop caring and just let me go where ever I want or do what I want as long as its legal. I've always thought it was going to be a big deal, suddenly I could tell my parents that I was an adult and make my own decisions, but not really. I don't feel any different, and I'm still treated as a child. I'm ready to go and make a difference with my life, and I'm tired of being told that I'm not old enough, but when will I be old enough? When am I expected to make good decisions? I guess I'm just at a major in between stage and again I am just called to wait.

For Christian Guys

2008-01-17T16:14:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I was wasting my time on the internet, but I found this article/post that I really liked and that I agree with. Please read it. :)

http://homespunfervor.blogspot.com/2007/07/10-qualities-of-21st-century-christian.html

Taking A Stand

2008-01-16T19:00:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

I've had some thing weighing on my mind in the past couple weeks and I just wanted to share with you. This past month in Indianapolis there was a little girl named TaJanay who was killed. She was put back into her home by the state for a 30 day trial trying to reunite her with her family, however, because of her abusive mother and mom's boyfriend, the day of her next meeting with the judge, she died. Even though this story is sad even without the details, this letter to the editor in today's newspaper really made me think.

One child named TaJanay dies and we are shocked, outraged and saddened. Every death of an American soldier makes us cringe. We ask ourselves how we can make these killings stop. On Jan. 22 we will observe the 35th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision on abortion. Since 1973, 50 million unborn children have been killed. Where is the shock? Where is the outrage? Where is the sadness?

The late Rep. Julia Carson had a reputation for speaking for the voiceless, but she supported abortion. Columnist Dan Carpenter defends every downtrodden cause that comes along, but he won't defend the unborn. I don't get it. We all know these babies are being killed and we don't care as long at they're hidden away at a Planned Parenthood clinic and we don't have to experience it.

The deaths of 50 million children should be the number one issue for every voter who goes to the polls this year. How can it not be? Our American way of life is not going to disappear because our property taxes are too high, or we don't kill enough terrorists or the Dome is not big enough for the Colts. It will be destroyed because we are killing a million of our children every year and we know it and we don't care.

Stephen J. Martin

All of this keeps reinforcing it self on my mind. On Sunday, we had a guy from the Central Indiana Crisis Pregnancy Center come and preach at our church, focusing on the sixth commandment "thou shalt not kill." I really appreciated his sermon, and even though it seemed like review, I was challenged and it really makes me want to do something about it.

The last thing that has to do with this whole post, is that we just finished reading a book called "The Second American Revolution" by John Whitehead in worldview. While I didn't agree with everything in this book, I enjoyed reading it, especially the part where he calls Christian to action. Here's a quote from his book:

"In Matthew 5 Christ states that the church is to be the salt or preservation in society. If not, Christ said, then the church is "good for nothing, but to be cast down, and to be trodden under the food of men." (v. 13) When the church is silent, then there is a need for Christian rebels. With the humanistic consensus gaining a stronger foothold each day, it is not a far-fetched notion to envision a time when we will see the church trodden under the feet of humanists. The unthinkables of yesterday - abortion, infanticide, euthanasia and rational suicide - are here. The church cannot be a spectator in the war that is raging. It must take a stand or there is no hope for a return to a society that cherishes life and seeks meaning."

So where does that leave me? Sometime i feel so inadequate. I know if I was a boy that I would want to be a pastor and to be completely on fire for God and to conquer the world, but I'm not and I can't become a RP pastor, and I can't be in any sort of leadership position because I'm a girl or because I'm not old enough or have enough experience. Its rather frustrating and as much as I want to do something, I suppose my place for right now is to wait. So I'm waiting.

Screwtape Letters

2007-02-20T07:44:00.000-05:00

"Here are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight." - Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

I am reading the Screwtape letters with Shannon for our Bible study time. This past week we talked about how real the devil and demons are. So far, this book has made it clearer all sorts of the things the devil uses to get into our minds and turn them from God. The annoyances of others, praying for someone's "soul" and distractions during church. There is no way for us to overcome the devil without Christ, so we need to be constantly asking Him to protect us from evil.

so.

2007-02-17T08:23:00.000-05:00

I've come to realize that my last kiss: wasn't really sincere coming from Daniel.

I am listening to: the silence of my house before anyone else wakes up.

I talk: and I usually hope people will listen.

I love: people who don't always love me back.

My best friend: won't answer her phone when I try to call her.

Number six is: the evil number. (don't quote me on that)

I hate it when people: use something that I'm struggling with against me.

Love is: real.

Marriage: is something for the future.

Somewhere, someone: is being productive.

I'll always: be me.

I have a secret crush: but you aren't allowed to know.

The last time I cried was because: writing papers is incredibly depressing.

My cell phone: has a name, it is Horatio.

When I wake up in the morning: I make myself a hot cup of coffee.

Before I go to bed: I usually talk on the phone.

Right now I am thinking about: all the thinks I have to accomplish today.

Babies are: beautiful, but loud.

I go on MySpace: but tend to become annoyed.

Today I: slept until eight.

Tonight I will: watch a German movie. I don't speak German.

Tomorrow I will: attend church.

I really want to be: truly alive.

Someone who will most likely repost this is: someone who finds it amusing.

Quote

2007-01-23T15:53:00.000-05:00

"I am a princess. All girls are. Even if they live in tiny, old attics; even if they dress in rags; even if they aren't pretty, or smart, or young. They're still princesses. All of us. Didn't you father ever tell you that? Didn't he?"
- Sara, A little Princess

Flat Tire

2007-01-11T16:49:00.000-05:00

Today on my way to Marian I got my first flat tire. I was about halfway there and my car started shaking and making loud noises that were not normal. For those of you who know about my car, it already has some issues with the engine and it is relatively loud. By the time I pulled into Marian I was worried because I hoped driving with a flat tire wouldn't hurt my car. I called my Mom right before I went into class, asking if she could call my Dad and ask him to change it for me. Thankfully, when I came out of class, my Dad had put the spare on and left me a message saying that it was okay to drive it. I made it on time to my other class on the other side of campus and my ride home was uneventful. After I got home, my dad instructed me in how to change a tire so next time I can do it myself. ;-)

... among other things.

2007-01-09T20:43:00.000-05:00

So, I'm really in need of an update. I'm also in need of a better dedication to blogger, something that I want, but I tend not to have because I don't think I have anything exciting enough to write about. But, my mom always says that I shouldn't post about how I have nothing to post about, that doesn't help anything.

A lot has happened since I posted last. It is now 2007, hopefully the best year of my life so far. I was able to attend the 2006 CYPU Winter Conference in Lafayette and I enjoyed it throughly, Rutledge Ethridge is an amazing speaker and what he said was challenging and applicable. World view started last Friday, Chemistry and Geometry started this past Monday and I started my first classes at Marian College today. Everything is going well so far.

I have a couple prayer requests before I end the post. First, that I wouldn't get too swamped this semester since most of my classes are relatively hard, that I would make swimming a higher priority instead of just going when I feel like it and that my focus would be on God throughout everything, that I would turn to him first for help instead of myself!

Quote of the post:
"The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet." - Aristotle
- That's definitely something I have to remember this semester. ;-)

Beauty & the Beast

2006-12-17T21:59:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday, Ruth, Cathy and I went to see Beauty and the Beast at the Civic Theatre at Marian. Cathy and I had purchased Ruth the tickets for her birthday, so we had been planning on it since December 1st. Our evening was fun. We went to dinner, to the play and then to Starbucks afterwards. The play was based of the Disney version, but also had songs from the Broadway score. There are plenty of comments I could make about it, but the one thing I want to highlight - that none of us realized until the next day - was the guy who played Maurice - Belle's dad.

For all the home schoolers out there, who have taken Wile General Science, Wile Physical Science, Wile Biology, Wile Chemistry and possibly even Wile Physics, this will be a surprise. Dr. Jay Wile played Maurice. In his bio it says, " Dr. Jay Wile is happy to make his debut with the Indianapolis Civic Theatre. He initially pursued acting as a career, but eventually decided against it. As a result, he took the next logical step and became a nuclear chemist. Currently, Dr. Wile is the author or coauthor of nine books." Personally, I was extremely surprised and rather scared that the guy who wrote all my science books was acting in a play, but overall I think he made a good Maurice. ;-)

Ciabatta

2006-11-27T19:14:00.000-05:00

How do you pronounce this word?

My mom and I are having a debate.

I think its more like ca-BA-ta, but somehow that doesn't seem right.

It's actually a type of roll. Stone Baked Artisan Bread. Square, a little on the hard side, something you would eat with a meal rather than by itself.

Assiduous Week

2006-10-22T07:48:00.000-04:00

- Was sick and got better
- Almost got my car towed
- Attended the preview day at Marian College
- Enjoyed lunch out with my best friend two times
- Had a wonderful time sitting in Starbucks and chatting with Becca
- Discussed deep theological issues in Worldview
- Served guests at a rehearsal dinner for a wedding
- Got "startled" at the Children's Museum's haunted house with my dad
- Took the PSAT at North Central
- Timed my siblings as they ran around monument circle
- Sang Caro Mio Ben with Ursula in my voice lesson
- Agreed to work 5:30-8:30am three mornings next week

Top 10 Reasons to Write

2006-10-10T14:20:00.000-04:00

10. To become a wealthy author
9. To impress a certain guy or girl
8. To compose creative excuses
7. To fill up your notebook
6. To be different
5. To become a better thinker and learner
4. To share your experiences and ideas
3. To improve your performance in school
2. To get you ready for the next step
1. To help you shape a meaningful life

:) I found this in a writing book that belongs to my brother. I thought it was cute!

FMP

2006-10-02T12:54:00.000-04:00

This past weekend was our CYUP Fall Ministry Project. It started Friday night at seven with a quiz mostly to break the ice, give us something to do and get to know each other. I found myself signing for being on a swim team, getting up before six o'clock and having a cat. We then went outside and split into two teams, each of us with a number. Joel Hart called our numbers and we played human tick-tac-toe, by choosing which square we wanted to stand in. Next, we played a game were three groups of us stood in a circle holding hands with a hoola-hoop. We had to get the hoola-hoop all the way around the circle without letting go. Both games were fun!!

Back inside, we sat in the santuary, sang Psalms and then Pastor Rich Holdeman spoke about making good decisions. Having the proper goal, using the tools God has given us, having the proper attitude and embracing responsibility were just a few of his points. Then James Fairs announced where each of us would be going to serve. My team to the Lafayette camp, included: Ruth, Luke, Ollie, Julia, Trevor and Lyndsi.

I slept at Pastor Johnston's house, staying up till around one o'clock talking and then waking up at 5:45 am to get ready to go. We ate breakfast, packed our lunches and were in the car to Lafayette at eight. Ken Nelson drove my team and the Lafayette Church team, which included: Becca, Lindsey, Julie, Elizabeth, Matt and Caleb. It didn't seem like we had a lot of space in our van, but we managed! ;-)

At the Pentacostal camp, Eleni, Ross and Robert helped my team stain a deck around the back. It wasn't especially hard, though I did get stain all over myself. We worked there until around three or so, and then got picked up and did some lawn work with the other Lafayette team at the Nelson and Long homes. Both teams went to the Kessler's for dinner. We had angus burgers, homemade macaroni and cheese, veggies and pop. It was delicious.

Ruth, Becca, Lyndsi and I stayed the night at Pastor Long's house. We were having some theological discussions before going to bed, and right in the middle someone rang the doorbell and we discovered that the yard had been TPed and Forked, right before it started raining. We didn't stay up too late. In the morning, we ate, packed up all our junk and piled into their van to go to church. Service was encouraging. Pastor Long preached on self-control and then in Sunday school Mr. Kessler talked about John Calvin.

There was fellowship lunch after service, so our two groups ate and then piled back into the van to drive back to Indy for the life chain. It was good to stand downtown and protest a cause like abortion. Afterwards we went back to Northside and most everyone didn't stay for service. By the time I finally got home around 8:30pm, I was totally exhausted and ready to go to bed, but before I did, I told my parents all about my time. A big thanks to everyone who made FM such a success! The End.

Quote of the post:
"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Little Women

2006-09-22T06:50:00.000-04:00

Last night my mom and I went to see the Civic Theatre muscial production of Little Women. I really loved it! The costumes were beautiful, the actors and actresses all had beautiful voices and even though none of the songs were especially memorable, or songs that you'd want to sing outside the play, it was still a wonderful production. As I was sitting there watching, I was thinking how nice it was to be on the receiving end, but at the same time, how much I miss our play Little Women and how I would love to be in another play like it someday!

Somehow I could see each of us in the sisters. If you can remember, there was a scene where Amy burned Jo's story and Jo becomes extremely angry at Amy. I think our fight was much better than theirs. We had so much more emotion and probably, actually scared our audience. Not that they didn't, I just think we did better. If you're wondering, yes I did cry when Beth died. My mom and I sat in the very first row, and I could see the tears in Beth and Jo's eyes. It was very sad.

Quote of the post:
"Jo:Please don't go so far away!
Professor:I have nothing to give, my hands are empty.
Jo (taking his hand): Not empty now"
- Little Women, the movie

pesto

2006-09-18T16:37:00.000-04:00

this post is dedicated to one of my best friends Ruth. she loves to cook and wants to be a chef someday, so i thought i'd post one of my favorite recipes in honor of her. ;-)

three cups of fresh basil leaves
two large cloves of fresh garlic
half a cup of pinecuts, walnuts, almonds or a combination
threefourths cup of fresh-chopped parsley
half a cup of olive oil
one fourth cup melted butter
salt to taste

combine everything in a blender on low, then medium speed. throughly work everything into a smooth paste. toss or spoon onto hot drained pasta.

this recipe is something my family makes a lot of at the end of the summer. my mom grows basil in our garden every year, and my whole family loves it! :-)

quote of the post:
"strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands -- and then eat just one of the pieces." - unknown

Random

2006-09-06T20:06:00.000-04:00

Monday was my last day of work. I'm rather sad about it, because momentarily I have no job. I'm still doing estimates for my dad and his business, but I would like to get something else too.

Today at practice we ran all around Butler. We ran for almost an hour. Now my abs hurt. But that makes me happier. I got kinda lazy over the summer about exercising, so now I'm going to try to be really focused.

Biblestudy and Starbucks go well together. Actually, I think having food or drink available makes it easier to talk, no matter what the situaion because then its not quite so formal. Anyway, I've been doing a devotional for young women about finding my place in Christ. And I'm doing studies with Shannon, so far we've done quiet times and prayer. It's been good.

I love my Worldview class. The Divine Comedy's have been going really well. I've actually enjoyed reading and answering all the questions. Hopefully I can keep this attitude going throughout the year!

I'm so ready for fall and cooler weather. I wanted to wear a long-sleeved t-shirt so bad that today I wore one with capri's. I'm sure that's totally aganist fashion rules. But oh well.

And this is a weird post, but I'm having fun writing it.

Quote of the post:
"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet." "Great idea though, thanks, Mom."

Happy Birthday!!

2006-08-29T17:58:00.000-04:00

Today is my little brother Andrew's fifteenth birthday! :-)

I made him a four-layer chocolate cake. *smiles*

End of summer...

2006-08-23T19:52:00.000-04:00

Today I found a sign of the end of summer. The black flip-flops from Old Navy that I have worn almost every day - almost meaning maybe I skipped one or two - have had a heart-attack. The left has a hole in it and the right is so thin that if I wore them again tomorrow it would have a hole too! They have been such a great pair of flip-flops thought. Only costing $2.50, available in tons of different colors and lasting an entire summer of use - I highly recommend them!

Quote of the post:
"Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes." - Unknown

Full Swing?

2006-08-21T13:39:00.000-04:00

A couple days ago - Saturday the 12th through Wednesday the 16th - I had a real vacation. My Aunt Linda and Uncle Ed, former missionaries to Bulgaria, invited my little sister Jessica and I to come stay at their house in Canton Ohio. I enjoyed it immensely. I got a lot of reading done, was able to actually catch up on sleep, and just relax. Even though I got to go out of town for ECHO and Covie, those were fun, but they weren't very relaxing - if you know what I mean?? ;-)

Thursday the 18th was our first worldview class of the year. We watched a bunch of Schaeffer movies and looked at art. It was fun, though most of it was review and I'm more looking forward to the rest of the year. We have to read the Divine Comedy: Hell this week, and the Divine Comedy: Purgatory the week after, so we'll have a rather fast pace.

August 22, which is tomorrow - my Spanish 2 class starts. I guess I just gotta say it. I'm not looking forward to this class. I did well last year, but it was hard because we didn't have much of a schedule or syllabus, so it was constantly spontaneous. This year we have two teachers, one for the spoken part and one for the written part. I would appreciate prayers!

Overall, I'm going to be busy this school year, but I'm excited to get it started because then it will be over sooner and I'll be closer to graduating!

Quote of the post:

"The future is as bright as the promises of God." -Unknown

Verse of the post:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." - Hebrews 12:1

Harry Potter???

2006-08-08T12:07:00.000-04:00

I don't know how many of you have read the Harry Potter books. I know there is definitely some tension surrounding them because of the whole wizard / witch issue and the magic surrounding them. This summer I decided I was going to read them and I just finished the fifth one. All the books are captivating, as they keep you wondering what's coming next. I became thoroughly engrossed in the fifth one and even got tears in my eyes when one of my favorite characters was killed. According to one person I talked to about the books, "Harry Potter does not have a strong distinction between good and evil, good does not always triumph over evil." I agree with this because obviously God is in control and we don't need magic, which would make the wizards and witches evil, coming at it that way. However I also disagree. In this fictional series there are both good and bad wizards, and even though the evil does win sometimes, good is always victorious at the end of the book. Personally, I found them very agreeable. I would like to know your opinions on this, because its a somewhat touchy subject in Christian circles.

Quote of the post:
"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." - Professor Dumbledore

Today is a new day...

2006-07-31T08:45:00.000-04:00

My mom, Andrew, Daniel, Philip and Jessica are coming home today. It has been a nice quiet weekend without them here. I talked on the phone without being interrupted for at least six hours (not straight, that's all the times I talked on the phone) while they've been gone. My dad and I went and saw "lady in the water", which I would give a pretty good review. I also got to cook for my dad and then just the two of us greeted at church yesterday. It's been good.

Philip - my little brother - is terribly excited because he entered honey in the county fair and the honey is now going to the state fair. I'm really proud of him. Jessica - my little sister - also entered some things in the county fair, her kitten poster received a reverse champion ribbon and I'm incredibly proud of her as well. I also also very excited for the state fair. Last year I had a blast and actually if I remember right, I think it was the first time I ever went on more than one ride.

Quote of the post:
"Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it." - Anne of Green Gables

Well...

2006-07-22T22:54:00.000-04:00

I've known I needed to update since Covie, but actually sitting down and writing something worthwhile to read has been really hard. I have a lot that probably needs to be said, however, I can't make it come out the way its in my head.

What does saying you're sorry mean to you?

To me, sorry had always been close enough, but not the same as asking for forgiveness. Its like regretting something and having a sense of loss over whatever happened. In the past I've been told that I say I'm sorry too much, almost that it looses its real meaning because I just throw it around. There have been times when I've asked for and been given forgiveness about something, but the person still hasn't truly forgiven me and I find myself just saying that I'm sorry again and again. I want to just say that when I say I'm sorry, I truly - with all my heart - mean it.

Quote of the post:
"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Others stay awhile, make footprints on our hearts and we are never, ever the same." -Unknown

hi

2006-07-07T11:54:00.000-04:00

Life is going, not much to report. Tomorrow morning I leave for Covie. I'm excited and I hope it ends up being a good time. When I come home, there's only one week on summer swim team left and then around half the employees leave for college and I'll be working their hours until school starts. Some summers I look forward to school starting, but I'm taking a ton of classes this year - and I'll leave that for another post, cause I don't want to think about it more than I have to! ;-)

Quote of the post:
"Maturity is often more absurd than youth and very frequently is most unjust to youth."
-Thomas A. Edison

What do you think of this quote?

Song of the post:

"Awesome God" by Michael W. Smith

- I just bought this CD and I LOVE it !

Psalm 146

2006-06-26T11:17:00.000-04:00

Hallelujah! O my soul, praise God!
All my life long I'll praise God,
singing songs to my God as long as I live.
Don't put your life in the hands of experts
who know nothing of life, of salvation life.
Mere humans don't have what it takes;
when they die, their projects die with them.
Instead, get help from the God of Jacob,
put your hope in God and know real blessing!
God made sky and soil,
sea and all the fish in it.
He always does what he saysÂ
he defends the wronged,
he feeds the hungry.
God frees prisonersÂ
he gives sight to the blind,
he lifts up the fallen.
God loves good people, protects strangers,
takes the side of orphans and widows,
but makes short work of the wicked.
God's in chargeÂalways.
Zion's God is God for good!
Hallelujah!

I'm so excited! I get license on July 19th! And the insurance isn't too much that I can't pay for it myself!!! Only $168.20 a month! :) I'm so happy I can't describe it! :)

Song of the post:
"Soak up the sun" by Sheryl Crow

Mayberry

2006-06-21T11:16:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it feels like this world is spinning faster
Than it did in the old days
So naturally, we have more natural disasters
From the strain of a fast pace
Sunday was a day of rest
Now, it’s one more day for progress
And we can’t slow down ‘cause more is best I
t’s all an endless process

Chorus
(Well) I
miss Mayberry
Sitting on the porch drinking ice-cold cherry Coke
Where everything is black and white
Picking on a six string
Where people pass by and you call them by their first name
Watching the clouds roll by
Bye, bye

Sometimes I can hear this old earth shouting
Through the trees as the wind blows
That’s when I climb up here on this mountain
To look through God’s window
Now I can’t fly
But I got two feet that get me high up here
Above the noise and city streets
My worries disappear

Sometimes I dream I’m driving down an old dirt road
Not even listed on a map
I pass a dad and son carrying a fishing pole
But I always wake up every time I try to turn back
- Rascal Flatts

What do you think of this song???

Storms

2006-06-19T13:41:00.000-04:00

There are two especially nice things about being a life guard. 1) Even when its +90 degrees out, I can always remind myself that I am getting a tan, and 2) when it storms I usually get to go home! Which is what just happened, almost as soon as I got to work the sky started to get dark and the wind started blowing harder, the only thing I really got to do was to put down the umbrellas and take the lost & found and the towels inside. Chris - my boss - said he'd call me later if he needed me to come back, but that won't be until at least five. I suppose I could be mad because I'm not getting any hours, but truthfully I don't really mind.

Verse of the post:
"The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands." - Psalm 138:8

Pictures

2006-06-16T11:05:00.000-04:00

You know how hard it is to pick out only a couple pictures from over 150??? Well, I did it and here are several that sortof show how much fun we had. I would have put more of us while we were working, but sadly, I didn't always have my camera! ;-) I hope you enjoy these! :)

2006-06-16T11:00:00.000-04:00

Our whole team w/ the interns & Danny

2006-06-16T10:59:00.000-04:00

Cathy and I laying in the grass

2006-06-16T10:58:00.001-04:00

Ruth and I on the phone

2006-06-16T10:58:00.000-04:00

All the girls w/ our matching shirts

2006-06-16T10:57:00.000-04:00

Ruth and Jacob :)

2006-06-16T10:56:00.000-04:00

me and my snake Hecktor

Home Again

2006-06-15T18:32:00.000-04:00

We're back. Suddenly I feel like I have no life.

This ECHO trip was so different than both the ones that I went on before. Although there were definitely times that it was hard to have a good attitude, God taught me so much! The interns were incredibly fun this year and they were so encouraging to me because they were so on fire for God! I am also closer to my friends, ECHO is definitely one of those places where you build friendships that will last for a lifetime. This year though, I am going to be much more diligent about keeping up with those friendships! I can't wait for Covie to see you all again, I miss you so much and luv you all! :)

Song of the post:
"You are Holy" - Michael W. Smith
- This is the only version that I could find that was even kinda close to the song we sang the entire ECHO trip. I LOVE it so much because I feel so close to God when I sing it.

Leaving...

2006-05-31T15:22:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow morning at 7:00 AM, I am leaving for two weeks to Florida! I am so excited I can't even describe it. If you feel like sending me a letter while I'm gone, *hint*hint* here's the address:

Ellie Cutter
c/o ECHO
17430 Durrance Rd
North Fort Myers, Florida 33917

Quote of the post:
"The world is full of willing people; some willing to work, the rest willing to let them." -Robert Frost

Please pray that:
1) Our trip would have unity
2) That we would be like the people in the quote ^__^, willing to work hard
3) That I would be leader and an example to the younger people on the trip

Song of the post:
"Everytime I hear your name" - Keith Anderson
- This song has nothing to do with the post, I just really like it. :)

Summer

2006-05-25T22:10:00.000-04:00

I am now officially finished with school for my sophomore year. For some reason my Spanish class seemed to go on forever and ever, but we went out to eat and my teacher gave my whole class certificates that said we completed Spanish 1. It hasn't really sunk in yet that I don't have Spanish next week, but when Tuesday rolls around I know I'll be very thankful. :)

My summer is so full of things that I'm doing I'm almost afraid to write it out because I'll become overwhelmed. To begin with, I'm working at Highland Country Club and substituting at the Riviera Club as a lifeguard. I'm also the nanny of twin boys that live behind me on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Wednesdays I'm cleaning Dr. and Mrs. Blackwood's house. Hopefully I'll survive between these four jobs.

Next Thursday - a week from today - I am leaving for ECHO. It has come up so quickly and I'm only now starting to get things together. Last year I was much more prepared beforehand. My leaders are Ben and Laura Turner, Rochelle Moore and Heather Baumgarder. I am really excited because this year I get to be one of the "older, more experienced" people on the trip. I just know that God is going to teach me a lot and I'm looking forward to whatever he has in store.

I am planning on attending Covfamikoi in July, that will probably be a greatly needed break from all my work. I am excited because I've always heard so much about it, but I've never been that I can remember... most of you probably know my "drawer" story. :) I am also planning on swimming on the Riviera swim team as much as I can. I haven't been quite as faithful as I should be recently, but I'm planning on squeezing in as many practices as I can.

I probably should have posted this actually on his birthday, but hopefully he'll be surprised that I posted about it at all. My little brother Daniel turned 13 this past Tuesday. (I suppose since he is now thirteen I shouldn't call him my little brother.) I just want to say that I am really proud of him. He has grown up so much in the past year and I can really see God's work in his life. I love you Daniel! :)

This is quite a long post for me so I should probably end it now. Luv and miss you all!!!

Song of the post:
"This I swear" - Nick Lachey

Quote of the post:
"I hate the way you talk to me and the way you cut your hair. I hate the way you drive your car. I hate it when you stare. I hate your big dumb combat boots and the way you read my mind. I hate you so much it makes me sick - it even makes me rhyme. I hate it when your always right. I hate it when you lie. I hate it when you make me laugh - even worse when you make me cry. I hate it when your not around and the fact you didn't call. But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you all - not even close, not even a little, not any at all." - 10 things I hate about you

Graduation

2006-05-20T17:12:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday I went to the graduation at my church and today I went to the graduation at Branch; a homeschool co-op for those who don't know. Seeing all those people actually get up there, give their speech and then be done with highschool is so inspiring to me. Even though I have two years to go it makes me want to work really hard to finish highschool well. I am so excited already to graduate and then see what God has in store for me in the future. I don't know what I want to do with my life, there are so many things that interest me. I would love to get married if that's in God's plan for me, but I don't want to have too high of expectations because I don't want to be disappointed if God doesn't want something to happen. Anyway, I am wholeheartly looking forward to my graduation because that marks a certain place in life. I think I'll need to grow up some and actually I'm sure I'll change a lot before I graduate, I'm so excited to see what the future has in store!

Song of the post:
"Born to fly" Sara Evans - I LOVE this song!

Quotes of the post:
"The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future life." - Plato

Weight Loss

2006-05-19T20:32:00.000-04:00

Joke of the post:
'I was talking to my doctor about a weight-loss patch I had seen advertised. Supposedly you stick it on and the pounds melt away. "Does it work?" I asked. "Sure" he said. "If you put it over your mouth.'" - Readers Digest

Quote of the post:
"The rest of the world lives to eat, while I eat to live" -Socrates

The Play

2006-05-16T09:50:00.000-04:00

Our homeschool play "a celebration of Hans Christian Anderson" was two weeks ago. I took some pictures and had meant to put them on my blog sooner, but I didn't have a chance. Even though I wasn't actually in this play, I got to help by turning the lights on and off. I had a blast and am definitely looking forward to next year and maybe being in a play. Enjoy the pictures and don't forget to check out the pictures of our kittens further down! :)

Quote of the post:
"Every man's life is a fairy tale written by God's finger." - Hans Christian Anderson

2006-05-16T09:45:00.001-04:00

Ruth and I

2006-05-16T09:45:00.000-04:00

Abby and Lyndsi

2006-05-16T09:44:00.000-04:00

Jessica and Eraena

2006-05-16T09:43:00.000-04:00

Anna and Lacey

Kittens!!!

2006-05-15T17:40:00.000-04:00

Our cat Margaret has had her kittens this past Friday. Three black - which we are guessing look like the daddy and one gray - like mommy. They are still incredibly small and hard to get good pictures of, but I tried to take some because I promised Maria and Charity that they could see the kittens, since Margaret used to be their cat before they moved! Once they get a little bigger, I'll try to post some better pictures. :)

Quote of the post:
"The trouble with a kitten is that When it grows up, it's always a cat." - Unknown

2006-05-15T17:39:00.002-04:00

sleeping... in their box

2006-05-15T17:39:00.001-04:00

here are the four sleeping

2006-05-15T17:39:00.000-04:00

this kitten doesn't want to get its picture taken...

2006-05-15T17:38:00.000-04:00

Jessica and Margaret ( the mommy )

Rain

2006-05-10T17:50:00.000-04:00

My daddy picked me up from Dr. Blackwood's this afternoon and it was raining. One of the windshield wipers on his truck is broken and so the wiper part itself is missing so the metal pole just sticks straight out from the windshield. All the way home the pole just waved back and forth in mid-air and it made me smile. I wonder how many people thought we were weird? :)

The forecast says that its going to rain for the next 4 days. I do love rain, especially when I get to become soaking wet with my friends, but somehow just the thought of rain for the next several days isn't a very happy thought. :-/

I do have good news to announce though, Elizabeth Enas has joined the blogging world!
Visit her at: www.greenbookoflife.blogspot.com

Song of the post:
"To make you feel my love" by Garth Brooks

Quote of the post:
"Little drops of rain
Whisper of the pain
Tears of love
Lost in the days gone by"
- Unknown

Not much...

2006-05-08T21:05:00.000-04:00

to report.

I’m still writing my paper on Les Miserables and the French History surrounding it for composition; I have my last Worldview paper to write this week; two tests to take for Algebra and then three more weeks – 6 classes – of Spanish. *sigh* Somehow I don’t feel that close to being done, though I am so extremely excited to be finished.

I just finished a wonderful book called Riding the Bus with My Sister. It is a story about two sisters; Beth who is mentally retarded and rides the bus all day all year round and Rachel who takes time off her job as a teacher to ride the bus with Beth. I can easily relate to Rachel because I also have a sibling with special needs. One point that struck me was when she talked about how it hurt her when people casually say “oh I’m so retarded” to make whatever stupid thing they did seem less stupid. Maybe it was said unconsciously, but it doesn’t give much consideration for those who are truly retarded. Anyway, it definitely helped me understand the way my brother and other children like him respond to different situations in life. There were many good points in this book and I recommend it to everyone.

Quote of the post:
Maria: What is it?
Harriet Miller: Its a bundt.
Maria: A bun?
Harriet:A bundt
Maria A Bondt?
Harriet: BUNDT BUUNDT!!
Maria: I know, its a cake!....(to friend) there's a hole in this cake.
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding

I watched this movie yesterday with my brother, this quote is not nearly as funny written down as it is in the movie itself, but when I was watching the movie I couldn't stop laughing it was so hilarious. :-P

Song of the post:
"A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton

Pictures

2006-05-01T19:07:00.000-04:00

I did some debating about which pictures I should post, because I really didn't want anybody to get mad at me, but because I couldn't decide on just a couple pictures... I just posted all of them. SONrise was a blast and I wish I had taken more then this, but it was good for me just to remember to take my camera. ;-)

Quote of the post:
"You know what a camera is? A mirror with memory." -Unknown

2006-05-01T19:06:00.000-04:00

Ellie Faris

2006-05-01T19:05:00.003-04:00

Ben and Amy

2006-05-01T19:05:00.002-04:00

Cathy, Beth & Ben

2006-05-01T19:05:00.001-04:00

Flo and Grace

2006-05-01T19:05:00.000-04:00

Trenton :-P

2006-05-01T19:04:00.001-04:00

Jamey and Jessica during breakfast

2006-05-01T19:04:00.000-04:00

Abby, Lydia & Lyndsi

2006-05-01T19:03:00.001-04:00

Becca

2006-05-01T19:03:00.000-04:00

David, Ben & Luke

2006-05-01T19:02:00.003-04:00

Jessica

2006-05-01T19:02:00.002-04:00

Mary

2006-05-01T19:02:00.001-04:00

Addy

2006-05-01T19:02:00.000-04:00

Ben with his eyes closed:)

2006-05-01T19:01:00.000-04:00

Amy and Beth's bear

Goodbye

2006-04-30T21:12:00.000-04:00

Tonight we sent the Westside church. None of them will come to Northside anymore. Saying goodbye is so hard. Even when I know its not like I'll never see any of them ever again, just knowing that we don't go to the same church anymore makes me sad. I was definitely trying not to cry, but when all the Westside people went up front... I couldn't help myself. I will miss them so much. If any of the people who are part of the Westside church are reading this, I love you guys and I miss you already!

Quote of the post:
“Why can't we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn't work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos.” -Snoopy

Exhaustion

2006-04-29T18:07:00.000-04:00

Twenty five....*looks questionally at fingers*...twenty six, twenty seven.... *sigh* My grand total of non-sleeping hours for this year is 31. Last year my record was longer. Overall, SONrise was a blast! I had some really amazing conversations that took place at around 4 am. I don't think they are worth repeating! ;-)

My team almost won the tug-of-war contest, but because of some complications with the bleachers we lost. Out of all the group games I think the tug-of-war was the best, it wasn't something terribly weird, and it didn't require any 'special' talents, though being strong helped. My hands and arms were killing me afterwards. :) Definitely a highlight was talking to Charity, Maria and Tamara on the phone for like 2 hours in the middle of the night!

I would post my pictures, but I'm a little too tired at the moment. Maybe tomorrow?

Quote of the post:
"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

SONrise

2006-04-28T16:08:00.000-04:00

Tonight I am going to stay up all night and tomorrow I have to work. Hopefully that will work out fine. I'm excited, though I'm sure this year will be a lot different for me than last year. I sure hope they have coffee. Does anyone have any feelings about finishing a paper when you're tired and only awake on coffee, because if it works better I might try it. :)

Quote of the post:
"Most people do not consider dawn to be an attractive experience - unless they are still up." - Unknown

Quote

2006-04-27T20:53:00.000-04:00

Quote of the post:
"Ivy: Why can you not say what is in your head?
Lucius:Why can you not stop saying what is in yours? Why must you lead, when I want to lead? If I want to dance I will ask you to dance. If I want to speak I open my mouth and speak. Everyone is forever plaguing me to speak further. Why? What good is it to tell you you are in my every thought from the time I wake? What good can come from my saying that I sometimes cannot think clearly or do my work properly? What gain can rise of my telling you the only time I feel fear as others do is when I think of you in harm? That is why I am on this porch, Ivy Walker. I fear for your safety before all others. And yes, I will dance with you on our wedding night." - The Village

I was thinking about this movie earlier today, about how we watched it for Worldview at the Judds. Its such a good movie, I just thought maybe I'd refresh all your memories with that quote! :)

Rascal Flatts

2006-04-26T21:32:00.000-04:00

I bought the new Rascall Flatts CD today. I paid for it with a two-year-old gift card for Walmart / Sam's Club. The clerk was really thrilled that the card actually worked.

Song of the post:
"What hurts the most" by Rascal Flatts

Quote of the post:
"The best, most beautiful, and most perfect way that we have of expressing a sweet concord of mind to each other is by music." -Jonathan Edwards

Looks like rain...

2006-04-25T21:15:00.000-04:00

Even though I always say I'm going to grow my hair out and then get long layers, I always end up getting annoyed and chopping it all off again. It never does get much past my shoulders. Anyway yesterday I got my hair cut and highlighted again. It doesn't look especially different, the highlights almost look natural, but I really do like the cut.

I have two papers to write this week, one on the French Revolution for my composition class and then one on Augustine's worldview. I'm actually starting my work earlier in the week which is good for me. :) So, I better end this so I can actually start writing. Talk to you all later!

Quote of the post:
"(Allie and Noah laying in the middle of the street)
Allie- What if a car comes?
Noah- We die."
- The Notebook

Fresh Air and Dinner

2006-04-22T22:10:00.000-04:00

I spent this morning and part of the afternoon at the park with Alyssa Magnuson and the Faris children, Ellie, Cargill, Cameron, Lydia and then my little sister Jessica. We played on the playground, went for a long walk by the white river, ate lunch and went in the nature center. It was a lot of fun, though sometimes avoiding mud can be somewhat stressful. :) Having that time outside playing was good for me because it helps me to relax and not be so stressed about life.

Tonight my dad and I went to the father / daughter banquet at the training center downtown. The fellowship was good and the food was excellent. Mr. Pokone shared his testimony about how he struggled with being a good father to his children and how God worked in that area of his life. Overall, it was a wonderful evening. Here's a picture of the rose my dad gave me:

Quote of the post:
"Hope is a waking dream." -Aristotle

October Sky

2006-04-20T18:57:00.000-04:00

I went for a bike ride with my mom. We went down Kessler, along the canal, then up by the riverside golf course and past my church. Even though it was a little windy and something was wrong with my mom's bike, it was a nice time.

My family all sat down and watched October Sky this evening. If you haven't seen it I recommend it, very inspirational for people who want to make a difference. Despite the fact that it doesn't seem very possible. It also shows both the good and bad sides of life, something we need to remember. Sometimes Hollywood families seem so perfect and it seems like we can never be like that - this movie doesn't show that. I really liked it.

Quote of the post:
"Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake." -Victor Hugo

Summer

2006-04-19T11:50:00.000-04:00

My summer plans are up in the air right now. Its possible I could be lifeguarding at the Riviera Club, but I could also be lifeguarding at another pool. But then considering that I'm going to ECHO and Covamakioi and spending a week or two with my Aunt Linda in Ohio, I don't know if they will want to hire me. I'm going to be nannying for my neighbors, and my dad wants me to work with him when he has jobs where he paints. I want to work a lot this summer so I can afford to go to Australia next year. I want to swim on the swim team at Rivi, so working there might be more convenient, but Rivi got a new manager and he's changing a lot of stuff around this summer and they only want people who can work at least 35 hours a week. *sigh* Its kinda stressful.

Quote of the post:
"The hardest struggle of all is to be something different from what the average man is." - Unknown

Song of the post:
"When the Stars Go Blue" by Tim McGraw

Running the race...

2006-04-18T08:52:00.000-04:00

"Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;
however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.
Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.
For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction,
whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. "
- Philippians 3:12-21

Sunday night James Faris preached on this passage. It was a wonderful sermon. He talked about how when athletes - specifically runners - start their race, even if they have a terrible start, stumble or their steps came shorter then they should have, their minds are not focused on the steps they already took, but on the steps they are about to take - the ones in front. This is something I need to remember, I tend to be so focused on what happened to me in the past, when really I should be focused on what's going on right now and what will happen in the future. It's hard. I have to remember that people judge according to what I have already done, not what I want to do. Well, that was my vent of the day. :)

Quote

2006-04-17T21:47:00.000-04:00

Quote of the post:
"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe." - Saint Augustine

Spring Fever

2006-04-13T15:55:00.000-04:00

Somehow every spring I become a little less concentrated on serious things and a little more happy and energetic. I feel like doing my school outside and letting the wind blow in my face, or just like throwing all my books away and run off to do something more fun. What really depresses me though, is that since I've gotten older its just not normal to go outside and play. When I was little, I would call up my friends and say "you want to play house?" I spent so much time outside playing, my knees were always scrapped up or at least dirty. Now, I could call up my friends and say "lets play soccer," but that takes a lot of effort. It would seem so stupid if I called one of you guys up and asked if you wanted to go for a walk, maybe after a movie or shopping or something, but never just a walk. I know once its actually summer, there will be things like the State Fair, 4th of July at the Owens, spending all day at the pool. But by the time that comes along everybody will be working. *sigh* Anybody want to go do something outside with me soon?

Thank You

2006-04-07T09:14:00.000-04:00

The blogging contest ended last night at 12:00 midnight.

-I just wanted to give a special thanks to Nathan for organizing the contest and for keeping up with the scoring. It was a monumental job.

-Thanks to all my faithful commenters, I could have never done it without you! I hope I commented on all your blogs as much as you commented on mine.

- Then, just congratulations to everybody that participated. I had a lot of fun and I hope everybody else did too! :)

Quote of the post:
"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, What! You, too? I thought I was the only one." -C. S. Lewis

She Was Good For Nothing.

2006-04-06T15:20:00.000-04:00

It was written by Hans Christian Anderson, just like many other little stories we all know about; The Emperors New Clothes, The Ugly Duckling and the Tin Soldier. All of them have hidden morals, teaching us lessons. This year our homeschool group is doing a play that is a calibration of these and other stories. Daniel and Jessica ( my brother and sister ) are in the play and today I went to help with play practice. They wore their costumes and got through almost the entire thing. It makes me start thinking about last spring and Little Women, looking back I still smile - it was the best play ever! Ruth is helping this year backstage, and so I might end up doing the curtain and helping changing the scenes with her.

If you have never read the story She Was Good For Nothing, I encourage you to. You can read the story here. It may be a child's story, but it really is something we can all apply to our lives.

Quotes of the post:
"Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold — but so does a hard-boiled egg." - Unknown

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them." -Mother Teresa

"I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Do not judge men by mere appearances; for the light laughter that bubbles on the lip often mantles over the depths of sadness, and the serious look may be the sober veil that covers a divine peace and joy." -E. H. Chapin

Random Fact:

2006-04-05T21:08:00.000-04:00

I hate eggs.

No matter how much perfect protein, vitamins, A, B or D they contain and no matter how many ways you can cook them and how inexpensive they are, I have come to the conclusion they are completely disgusting.

Yes, I know they are an important ingredient of cakes, cookies, casseroles and salads. I don't plan on omitting them because when you eat cookies you cannot taste the egg. The the worst part: plain eggs. I can usually tolerate scrambled eggs with cheese, but plain... I cannot force myself to eat them. How about sunny-side-up eggs? You break the thin layer over the yolk and dunk your toast into what could have been a baby chicken. Or in Napoleon Dynamite, they just drank the eggs raw. Does anybody else agree with me here? Do you eat them? How do you eat them?

My final conclusion: I believe the only reasonable use for eggs is to wash one's hair.

Goodnight.

01-02-03-04-05-06

2006-04-04T18:32:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow around one o-clock you need to look at your clock or watch because a once in a millennium event is going to happen! At exactly 1:02:03 it will be 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06. Isn't that cool?!?! :)

Everyone got the answer to the question right from yesterday, I guess I picked a pretty easy one! :-P

Question of the post:
Which is worse?
-Forgetting where you parked your car?
-Losing your car keys?

Quote of the post:
"Time goes by so fast, people go in and out of your life. You must never miss the opportunity to tell these people how much they mean to you." -Cheers

Song of the post:
"High" by James Blunt

SAT question

2006-04-03T16:32:00.000-04:00

Part of the following sentence is bold; beneath the sentence are five ways of phrasing the bold material. Select the option that produces the best sentence. If you think the original phrasing produces a better sentence than any of the alternatives, comment with choice A.

As it is primarily a bird of New Zealand’s native forests, the kiwi also lives in scrub and native grasslands.

a. As it is primarily
b. Although primarily
c. Because it lives primarily as
d. It is primarily
e. It lives primarily as

I will post the answer tomorrow!

Quote of the post:
"I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self." -Aristotle

Older than the US?

2006-04-02T07:14:00.000-04:00

One of the world's oldest living creatures died last week in Calcutta.

Addwaita, a tortoise believed to be 250 years old, died at the local zoo. The tortoise arrived there in 1875. Zoo officials, who have yet to definitively prove Addwaita's age, say he was one of four tortoises that had been brought to India more than a century earlier by British sailors from the Seychelles islands as a gift for Lord Robert Clive of the East India Co. Clive, who kept the turtle in his garden, was instrumental in establishing British colonial rule in India before he returned to England in 1767.

Reports said that the animal died of an infection from a crack in its underside.

April Fools

2006-04-01T21:04:00.000-05:00

Quotes of the post:
"However big the fool, there is always a bigger fool to admire him." -Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux

"He who lives without folly isn't so wise as he thinks." -François, Duc de La Rochefoucauld

"The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly, is to fill the world with fools." -Herbert Spencer

"Sometimes one likes foolish people for their folly, better than wise people for their wisdom." -Elizabeth Gaskell

"Looking foolish does the spirit good." -John Updike

"Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed." -Mark Twain

"A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees." -William Blake

"A fool must now and then be right by chance." -Cowper

"It is better to be a fool than to be dead." -Stevenson

"The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year." -Mark Twain

"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." -1 Cor 1:27