Long Day...

Today was my first day of work. I worked from 7 to 11 am, immediately after swim team. Danny and I were the only two lifeguards on duty, we watched the indoor pool until the water aerobics class started, and then went outside and put up all the umbrellas and got the pool ready for people. Danny had money and he sent Paul - another friend from swim team - to the Illinois Street Emporium to get us cinnamon rolls, if you have never eaten there I highly recommend it, their food is AWESOME!!! :) Anyway then we swept the pool and screened it, and surprising enough our shift was up and the other guards came and took over. I didn't even have to get in a chair, which is really fine with me.
Then I came home and helped get the rest of my family ready to go back to the Rivi, we had Jessica's birthday party today. She's seven - I can't believe it! :) She invited alot of little friends and Ed took control of the party and had fun games for them to play, with the boat and noodles, etc. We had cake and ice-cream, and they opened presents. I hope all the little girls had fun, because I know that not all of them liked swimming very much.
Then I went to Practice again - we are in the outside pool now and the water is still quite cold. But Therese was awesome and let us get out 15 minutes early. I took a shower, and came home and ate. I was starved... and now that I'm sitting here I've realized that during some part of today I got sunburned. I have goggle burns on my face, and I'm so glad I don't have to go anywhere important tomorrow! :) lol
Thursday I leave for ECHO and I won't get back till June 14. I don't know if I'll be able to post while I'm there, but if I can... I will try to. Please be praying for us, I am really excited, but kinda nervous at the same time. There are going to be alot of changes this year, and we have a huge trip! And finally I am very proud of you if you read my boring account of my day.

Quote of the post:
Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing."
- Abraham Lincoln

Question of the post:
Is it possible to be allergic to water?

Odd Things About Me

1. I write in my journal every day - I haven't missed one day all year

2. I love rain

3. I love taking cold showers

4. I love singing so much that sometimes I sing until my voice is gone

5. I can shop for hours and hours for nothing at all

6. I once had a crush on my cousin

7. I once kissed a toad

8. I love my bed and my pillow

9. I could be a very content mermaid


5 Days till I leave for ECHO!!!!! :)

Candy Shop

Looks like I need to start some very interesting discussion or something, because I'm not getting any comments on either my blog or my xanga. But I didn't even think my last post was very interesting.
I'm going to be doing alot of shopping today and tomorrow to get ready for ECHO because I haven't done anything but make a list. I'm going to hopefully buy alot of candy... and I was thinking of buying some licorice. Which made me think I should post these pictures: These are from fall ministry... And since I can't get this to post above the pictures...you get to read this after you see the pictures. :)

Bees

This spring, my dad and my brother took a class about bee keeping. Last week we got our bees, and now they are in a hive. I don't care much for the bees myself, but my family finds them very interesting. I'm also not really a fan of honey - I mean its fine in cooking when you don't taste it, but other then that..yuck. Though, maybe real honey will taste better, unlike the kind that comes in the little bear bottle. :) Anyway here's a quote that goes along with my subject:

"The Wicked have a hive of wasps around them, many sorrows; but we have a swarm of bees storing honey for us."
-Charles Spurgeon

Graduations...

Everyone needs to read my little brothers blog. He got one because today was his official birthday! He's twelve... Which is kinda scary.

Anyway this weekend has been very busy. Saturday was the 2nd RP Graduation... It went really well, everyone did great, and their displays were all beautiful. ( I hope I got to sign everybody's book, but if I didn't... I'm sorry. ) After Graduation I went to Bekah Nelson's open house... There were alot of people there, but it was fun. After that I went to Jenny Baumgardner's... Which was fun too! :)
Yesterday - Sunday - I went to church, James preached a really good sermon. We ate at the luncheon, then went to Sara Young's graduation in Brownsburg. That was cool to see, and Sara your speech was definitely the best!!! :) Then I came home, went to an ECHO meeting... it informed everyone about what the changes are gonna be this year. Then I went to evening service, and left straight afterwards to go to Sara's Open House... It was fun, and Mrs. Young makes really good food !! :)

Quote of the Post:
"It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech."
-Mark Twain

Rain

I have had a good day. This morning I went to swim team, then I came home and decorated a cake for my little brother.Daniel turns 12 on Monday, but he's having his party today! This afternoon I went out to lunch with Becca Long... I won the contest on her blog like a month ago of who could comment the most. Anyway, that was a fun time, we had some enjoyable conversation. Tonight I have a meeting at Rivi about my job.

I know alot of people think rain is depressing, and I have to admit sometimes it can be, but recently I've fallen in love with the rain... which is why I looked up this poem and decided to post it:

I love the rain
For the difference
That it brings
Adding a new personality
To the day

Each puddle
Its own little world
Each drop
Adds another character
To the picture

The eerie sky
Creating a melodramatic background
As life goes on
Playing out the passions
As depression rears its head
Searching for a helpless victim
Among the million of candidates
Pouting about the rain

-Harry Rainey

Pictures

In Chicago we took pictures of everybody's eyes. I said I was gonna post them on my blog so here they are:
P.S. Please comment! :)

Ruth's Eye 

Liz Judd's Eye 

Luke Long's Eye 

Luke Hovee's Eye 

Alaina's Eye 

Grace's Eye 

My Eye 

Charity's Eye 

Whatever

I just came back from Sara Young's surprise b-day party!!! It was alot of fun and there were alot of people there. We met at Applebee's... and then Amber Wheeler drove Sara there and we surprised her, then we ate and watched the Pacer game... they won!!!! :) We all drove to the Youngs house, and Mrs. Young made really yummy cake and we opened presents ( or Sara did, I didn't, lol ) I love Friday nights because I get to go to parties! :)
Thursday was our last Biology class!!! But actually it wasn't a class, we went to Chicago for the day. Charity and Grace spent the night before at my house, we had fun but we didn't get very much sleep. I was so tired when we got home last night! But Chicago was really fun, even though the guy at the coal mine didn't believe that Liz was 21... *sigh* lol
Today was our last Worldview "class". We watched "The Village"... I love that movie but discussing it brought out that really its a bad worldview. If you want me to explain more I will. And to everyone who hasn't seen it, I highly suggest it, because its an awesome movie, even if the worldview isn't that good. I'm just agreeing and disagreeing with myself here...
I have really good news guys... even though I finished the lifeguarding class and my teacher said I had a job, I am now officially hired. They called me today and they're having a meeting next Thursday!! So now I can really say that I'm sure I'll be tanner then all of you this summer!!! lol :)

Quote of the post:
"A smile is a light in the window of the soul indicating that the heart is at home" -Source Unknown

Regeneration vs. Faith

Last post I asked the question "Which comes first, Regeneneration or Faith?" There were some differing answers so I thought I'd explain:

All men, women and children born into this world are dead in sin and incapable of doing anything to merit their salvation. If we are going to be saved, it is God who must save us. We have no power to have faith in him. Regeneration is first and after God works in us - Faith is the reward. It isn't something we choose it is something that is given to us.

Quote of the Post:
"This Gospel Transforms Lives" - My Mom

Kinda going along with this... another question:
What is your view on altar calls?

Life goes on...

This morning was Field Day. There weren't very many people there. :-( In the older girls group it was just Sara, Jessica, Abby, Lyndsi, Beth and I. We went around from all the little stations, and then at some of them, when we still had time and we were done with the event, we played " I never ". Twas very interesting..
Tonight I'm going to the Rivi to help with the "Parents Night Out" we have 50 kids signed up and there are only 4 helpers besides the 2 adults who are in charge. It should be interesting. I want to go see a movie this afternoon...
I'm in a Bible Study with Alaina Falk on Monday nights, and we've been doing a study on some of the differences between Calvinism and Arminianism. This week we were discussing the Calling of Men to Christ. I don't have time to go into alot of detail, but I have a question for all of you.

Which comes first, regeneration or faith? Explain.

Quote of the Post:
"Never forget that a half truth is a whole lie."
- Source Unknown

Poem

Lonesome
Lost and lonely,
Separtated from my only
Happy existence.
Cold inside, the warmth fading.
My heart left hating
This distance.
No longer knowing how
To continue now
With this wretched feeling.
Torn in two,
Depressed and blue.
The layers of my soul peeling.
I wish I was in a dark hole,
Hiding away like a mole.
Wanting to disappear forever.
Needing some relief,
Needing to believe
Things could be the same.

-Unknown

Busy Busy

I've had a really busy last couple days - Wednesday night was our dress rehearsal - and seriously it went really bad. Thursday I had Biology, then I spent all afternoon at Crown Hill Cemetery with Luke Long, Luke Hovee and Charity Blackwood, we were looking for leaves for our leaf collection due next week. We have to have between 15 and 20 leaves and we only got 12 leaves from our whole 3 1/2 hours there. But it was still fun. :) Afterwards we went straight to the first performance... it was AWESOME!!!!! Everyone did really well and it was so much better then Wednesday night. I even heard that Mr. Blackwood and Mr. Elder cried when I died... :)
Friday I woke up and thought - "great, I haven't done any of my WorldView" so I spent all morning on that, then we to class - twas good. Came home and had a nice long phone conversation and went straight back over to church. I would definitely say that Thursday night was better then Friday, though both were much better then Wednesday. After we cleaned up from the play, I went to over to David's... he had almost everybody over - Thanx David - it was alot of fun!!! Mary Hovee and I then went to Jessica and Sara Young's house for the night. It was a blast - Mr. Young made us Swedish Pancakes at like 2 am... then we watched Princess Diaries, and went to bed at like 4. Woke up at 7:30 and Mary and I went to church for the workday!!!
Twas all very fun and very busy - I went without stopping.
Thanx to everyone who came to my play - I hope you all enjoyed it. :) And Thanx to everyone who commented on the last post - I luv you all!!!!
Quote of the post:
No one can make you feel
inferior without your consent
~Eleanor Roosevelt