Spring Fever

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

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.

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:

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

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

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?

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

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

Weather

Today was my favorite kind of day, a little bit of everything. This morning it rained, but all afternoon it was sunny, warm and slightly windy. After worldview I came home and went outside and sat on our deck with a notebook. It definitely made me have spring fever! I wrote a little and then just did some thinking. I have so much to be thankful for, including beautiful days like today. What are you thankful for?

Then, during dinner, the sky became really dark and a thunderstorm warning was issued. It sprinkled and then poured. I love watching storms out the window when you can see the lightening! Someday, when I find someone crazy enough to do it with, I am going to go outside and dance during a storm. I've done it while it was raining, but I think a storm is a little more dangerous! :)

Quote of the post:
"Dance is the hidden language of the soul." - Unknown

Song of the post:
"Dancing in the moonlight" by Toploader

Judging

Today I got to be a judge. Last year I took Biology with Alania Falk at my church, one of our assignments was to invent something and present it to the class. Last year our judges were from the previous years class, so this year Luke Long, Luke Hovee, Ruth and I got to be the judges. Everyone did a good job.

-Ethan invented a language scanner where you could scan any text and translate it, to English or from English. We voted him best overall invention.

-Cathy invented mood contacts. These contacts would change color depending on your mood. If there was such a thing I would definitely buy them. We voted her most creative.

-Noah invented a briefcase that wouldn't let you forget your work. You program it to call your home phone or cell phone before you leave for work so you wouldn't forget it. We voted him best presentation.

-Beth invented a tracking system for children. The parent would hold the remote and then the other end, a ring, necklace, pin etc. and would be with the child and when the parent wanted the child it would vibrate or beep.

-Ellen invented this painting tool that would paint your walls without your help. All you had to do was fill it with paint and put it on the wall and it would go up and down without dripping.

-Mary invented a temperature meter. You put it in your shower and it measured the amount of hot water then told you how long you were allowed to have - so everyone in the family could have a hot shower. I really liked this one! :)

-Caleb invented a never boiling over pot. It could sense the water level, so not to let the water get to close to the top of the pot and when it did, little legs would come out and lift it off the stove.

Its hard being a judge for people you've known and are friends with because you want to award everyone, but we were only allowed to pick three winners. I think everyone did a great job! Overall going back and being a judge for Biology makes me miss it, it was definitely one my favorite class ever.

Quote of the post:
"Necessity is the mother of invention, it is true -- but it's father is creativity, and knowledge is the midwife." - Unknown

Song of the post:
"Only Hope" by Mandy Moore

quote

Quote of the post:
Me: "Jessica you look funny with no teeth!"
Jessica: "I have teeth!"

Comment on the next post!!! :)

Growing Older...

Yesterday I went grocery shopping for my mother. When I was finished I stood by the door and waited for her to pick me up. An older man pulled into the handicapped parking space and walked into the store. He sat down in one of those motorized shopping carts and took it out the door to the side of his car. He opened the door to his car, helped his wife be seated and watched her as she drove across the street and into the store. As she was going from the street to the sidewalk the motor stopped and she started going backwards, she cried "Neil" and he said "I'm right behind you" as he pushed her up the slope and she went into the store. Isn't that cute???

Sometimes I think about how I don't want to get old. Like +60 because you just aren't able to do certain things. But, if you really had a loving family - someone who didn't mind going into the store and getting you the motorized shopping cart - I don't think it would be so very bad. I know its not like I'm going to need to start worrying about not being able to walk anytime soon, but I can be happy for plenty of older people I know. Not to say "oh they can't do that anymore" but say, "I can help them do that."

But to more exciting things... today my little sister Jessica lost her two front teeth! Here is a picture in honor of a Jessica growing older! :)



Quote of the post:
"Age does not protect you from love. But love, to some extent, protects you from age." - Unknown

Romans 7:14-25

"For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but now the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I do do it, but sin that dwells in me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin."

This is a somewhat confusing passage. I had to read it for worldview, David Quine asked the questions: How many times does the passage have the word " I " in it? What does following " I " cause or bring about? I thought that was really good, seeing that every time " I " try to do something it turns out the wrong way, I do it for the wrong reasons or very bluntly, I sin. Thankfully the last verse in the passage shows that through Jesus Christ we can do the right thing in our minds. This is definitely something I need to be reminded of.

Quote of the post:
"Man's mind is like a store of idolatry and superstition; so much so that if a man believes his own mind it is certain that he will forsake God and forge some idol in his own brain." - John Calvin

*big smile*

I just make about 72 chocolate chip cookies. Sadly, I ate so much of the dough while I was making it that by the time the cookies came out of the oven I was full. But thankfully, I know they were good because Jacob Long and by brother Daniel both ate about seven each! :)

Last night, almost right after I posted we had an interesting occurrence in our neighborhood. Our next store neighbor Ruth Walls called my dad because a man was knocking on her door saying he needed a doctor, and her husband Will was out of town. She had called 911 and so a fire truck and an ambulance parked almost right in front of our house. Apparently the man was a diabetic and he had missed his bus, so he didn't get his insulin shot, which caused him to start to have a diabetic reaction. The ambulance workers told my dad that he would be okay.

Today, Pastor Johnston preached on Genesis 24, the passage about how Rebekah was chosen for Isaac. Ruth, Ana, Jenny and I talked about how Abraham's servant put a ring in her nose. Comments are very much appreciated!!! Thank you. :)

Quote of the post:
"Duncan:There is a war on! How is it you are going West?
Nathaniel: Well, you kinda face to the North, and real sudden-like, turn left." - the Last of the Mohicans

Song of the post:
"Your still the one" by Shania Twain

HI

Today I went to the homeschool convention downtown. My mom and I bought all the books for Worldview next year. I'm really excited because I love getting new books! Ruth and I went to the workshops and walked around in the exhibit hall. For lunch we went to Einstein's Bagels, I got a sandwich and soup, it tasted really good. I listened to two sessions by John Stonestreet, the second one was about the cultural identity crisis in our country. One of his points was about when a missionary goes to another country he usually studies the language and the culture, but we live in a country where we don't even know our own culture. Finding out who we truly are. It was an excellent talk. Anyway, after walking around all day long, I'm glad to be home sitting down. It was a long, but fun day. I love the convention! :)

Quote of the post:
"...Of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do." - 1 Chronicles 12:32

Kohls

Tonight my madre, my brother Daniel and I went shopping to Kohls. I was feeling quite depressed while trying on clothes, ( I haven't been swimming or running ) that I only bought two shirts. But, (this is the good part) my mom and I did pick out two adorable outfits for gifts at Laura Turner's shower, too bad babies don't stay really tiny for a little longer, newborn clothes are all sooooo cute!!!! :) We also got two pairs of flip-flops for my Aunt Jeanne, whose birthday is next week. Overall, today wasn't exactly the best day for me, because the plans I had were all changed and nothing happened the way I wanted it to, but the shopping trip made me feel better. Somehow I think shopping always cheers me up, even if I don't buy anything.

Quote of the post:
"I want to cling to the dream that might have been instead of ruining everything with reality." - Sam from A Cinderella Story

Verse of the post:
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28

Song of the post:
"Bad Day" - Daniel Powter

Warrant Needed?

Do you think the police need a warrant to search a house with only one resident's permission? I supposed I'm somewhat divided, because I wouldn't just say yes, or no. If it was an obvious case of drug use or abuse of some kind, then yes I would say that the police should be able to search. But in most other cases, where someone could be lying or faking evidence, I would say they shouldn't be allowed. Chief Justice John Roberts voted no, and in light of that decision, I think there should be an easier way to get a warrant. What do you think?

Quote of the post:
"A man's home is his castle." - English Proverb

Song of the post:
"Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts

Today at speech, Andrew had the word "road" he looked up with this look on his face and said "God blessed the broken road." His speech teacher smiled and said she liked that song too. So this song is on here for Andrew! :)

24:27

This morning I read Genesis 24. My favorite verse:

27 He said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His loving kindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, the LORD has guided me in the way to the house of my master's brothers." - NAS

27 saying, "Praise be to the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives." - NIV

27And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren. - KJV

27 And he said, "Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren." - GSB

My favorite part is the last part. It sure is good to know that the LORD will lead us where he wants us to go. Calvin says, "we should always have the providence of God before our eyes in order that we may give to him praise when something happens prosperously to us!"

Quote of the post:
"Never let the fear of striking out get in your way." -George Herman "Babe" Ruth

*sigh*

At the moment, I am exhausted.

I believe my new found talent is scrubbing. Today I worked with my Dad and his company Covenant Construction, at Mister Ice of Indianapolis. The company has been remodeling the inside in sections almost all winter. I got to scrub the bathroom walls to remove all the glue that didn't come off with the wallpaper. This combined with my experiences scrubbing the floor at church, you know, I might consider going to college and majoring in scrubbing! Can you imagine all the things I would learn? :-P

Quote of the post:
"On my own, pretending he's beside me. All alone I walk with him 'til morning. Without him I feel his arms around me, and when I lose my way, I close my eyes and he has found me." -Les Miserables

Song of the post:
"Heaven" by Bryan Adams

no title

Spanish has been canceled. Tomorrow will be a snowday if the heavens decided to bless us. I'm looking forward to curling up by the fire with a book and a blanket. I haven't driven in the snow yet, that I might be my adventure of tomorrow. Who knows?

Quote of the post:
"I can put on a happy face for the world, but the world can't put on a happy face for me." - Unknown

Song of the post:
"No bravery" by James Blunt