Praise God for answers to prayers!!!
I had to go in today to get my Meningococcal Vaccination today during lunch.
Well, anyone who knows me knows that I HATE needles and shots or anything of the sort.
I am a real wimp.
There were tears streaming down my face the entire time they were getting my ready for surgery, even when they gave me calming stuff.
Well, today I walked in and I got my shot and the nurse was the sweetest person I have ever had as a nurse. I was great. I didn't feel like I was going to fall over and faint. My arm felt a little numb, but that was it. And then nurse looked at my chart and told me I had to have my TB test too. Darn it. More needles.
But she was the kindest nurse I have had.
Wow.
Thanks be to God for His mercy on a wimp like me.
I am in awe.
Sarah, Luke, and I kept repeating lines at dinner so we requested a family movie night. We laugh so hard during these movies. They are fun to watch with Sarah and Luke. Haha.
I found this picture online. I guess that would call it something like Road to Alderan or Road to Rebellion or something like that. This is funny if you have watched one or more of the "Road to ..." movies. There are quite a few of them and they all have pretty much the same plot.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
“Do you want to know what the will of God is? You have to study the Word of God. You have to think like God. You have to have a new mind. And if you want a new mind you have to study the Word of God more rigorously than you have ever studied anything in your life. There is no magical way to know the will of God, apart from knowing the Word of God.”
– Sproul on Rom. 12:2
This was on the end of an email from one of my favorite missionary families that our church supports.
Boy, I have posted a lot today. I'll stop now.
– Sproul on Rom. 12:2
This was on the end of an email from one of my favorite missionary families that our church supports.
Boy, I have posted a lot today. I'll stop now.
Psalm 63
O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
They who seek my life will be destroyed;
they will go down to the depths of the earth.
They will be given over to the sword
and become food for jackals.
But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God's name will praise him,
while the mouths of liars will be silenced. (NIV)
John Piper
Even though worship does involve expressions of thankfulness to God for his gifts, this is not the essence of true worship. In fact there is a gratitude to God for his gifts that has no true worship in it at all. In other words there are people who love their health and family and job and hobbies, and thank God for them often, but don't love God. They don't savor God. And when God is not savored for the sweetness and excellence of who he is, he is not worshipped.
David makes this plain by the way he expresses his longings in verses 1 and 3. In verse 1 he says, "O God, thou art my God, I seek thee, my soul thirsts for thee; my flesh faints for thee. . ." This is not primarily a thirst for any of God's gifts. It is a thirst for God. David has a heart for God. He has a taste for fellowship with God.
He makes this even more explicit in verse 3: "Because thy steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise thee." This means that David wanted God more than he wanted life. And if you want God more than you want life, then you want God more than you want all the joys of this life—family, health, food, friendship, job-satisfaction, productivity, books, skateboards, computers, music, homes, sunsets, fall colors. When David says that the love of God is better than life and therefore better than all the beauty that life means, he is not denying that all these good things come from the love of God. He is warning us rather that if our hearts settle (even gratefully!) on the beauty of the gift and do not yearn for the infinitely greater beauty of the Giver, then we are idolaters and not worshippers of God.
I wonder whether this is why we cannot do without the wilderness experiences life. If all of life were a paradise, as so many people think it should be and as so many try to make it, then would we not much more often become addicted to savoring the gifts of God rather than God. Surely that is why Jesus said it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And surely that is why he takes his loved ones again again through the desert fires. He would disenchant us with the world and give us a taste for eternity.
And don't think it came easy for David to give up the the gifts of God. Not many days hence the rebellion in Jerusalem will be quelled, and Absolom dead with the darts of Joab, and David in his chamber crying, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son." (2 Samuel 18:33)
The wilderness is the way of God to wean us from the most precious things in the world. And those who savor the vision of God know that his love is better than all that this life can give.
This morning has been one of the best mornings of work I have experienced in a while. It is probably because either there is no school or I started my morning off on the right foot. I am thankful that:
* I was early to work.
* I finished up a project early (it only took me an hour to complete).
* I attended a meeting that went smoothly.
* I have more work sitting on my desk. See work is REALLY long and REALLY boring if I don't have work to do. But when there is work to be done, the days go by so much smoother and faster.
* And I started to put together a table for the conference room and there were no legs in the box. Haha. That just made my morning. I started laughing. So we have a legless table sitting downstairs. It could be for really short people. :) We don't know what happened to the legs. The lady downstairs is calling the company.
* Oh yes, and I have air conditioning in my office. We haven't turned ours on at home yet, so this is really great.
Thanks to the Taylor kids and Linnea for a great game of Peak Around The Corner last night. And Thanks to Dr. Taylor for signing my health forms and for Mrs. Taylor for smiling at me. Wow, you all laugh a lot. You all make me not dread getting older as much. I am glad you can still have fun and laugh. What a joy.
* I was early to work.
* I finished up a project early (it only took me an hour to complete).
* I attended a meeting that went smoothly.
* I have more work sitting on my desk. See work is REALLY long and REALLY boring if I don't have work to do. But when there is work to be done, the days go by so much smoother and faster.
* And I started to put together a table for the conference room and there were no legs in the box. Haha. That just made my morning. I started laughing. So we have a legless table sitting downstairs. It could be for really short people. :) We don't know what happened to the legs. The lady downstairs is calling the company.
* Oh yes, and I have air conditioning in my office. We haven't turned ours on at home yet, so this is really great.
Thanks to the Taylor kids and Linnea for a great game of Peak Around The Corner last night. And Thanks to Dr. Taylor for signing my health forms and for Mrs. Taylor for smiling at me. Wow, you all laugh a lot. You all make me not dread getting older as much. I am glad you can still have fun and laugh. What a joy.
Psalm 29: 1 - 2
(NIV)
Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness
(The Message)
In awe before the glory,
in awe before God's visible power.
(NKJ)
Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the LORD glory and strength.
Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name;
Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
(NIV)
Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness
(The Message)
In awe before the glory,
in awe before God's visible power.
(NKJ)
Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the LORD glory and strength.
Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name;
Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Friday, May 26, 2006
C.S. Lewis - An Experiment in Criticism
Some words from Chapter One
"In this essay I propose to try an experiment. Literary criticim is traditionally employed in judging books. Any judgement it implies about men's reading of books is a corollary from its judgement on the books themselves. Bad taste is, as it were by definition, a taste for bad books. I want to find out what sort of picture we shall get by recersing the process. Let us make our distinction between readers or tpyes of reading the basis, and our distinction between books the corollary. Let us try to discover how fas ir might be plausible to define a good book as a book which is read in one way, and a bad book as a book which is read another."
"In the first place, the majority never read anything twice. The sure mark of an unliterary man is that he considers 'I've already read it' to be a conclusive arguement against reading a work. We have all known women who remember a novel so dimly that they had to stand for half an hour in the library skimming through it before they were certain they had once read it. But the moment they became certain they rejected it immediately. It was for them dead, like a burnt-out match, an old railway ticket, or yesterday's paper; they had already used it. Those who read great workds, on the other had, will read the same work ten, twenty or thirty times during the course of their life.
Secondly, the majority, though they are sometimes frequent readders, do not set much store by reading. They turn to it as a last resource. They abandon it with alacrity as soon as any alternative pastime turns up. It is kept for railway journeys, illnesses, odd moments of enforced solitude, or for the process called 'reading oneself to sleep'. They sometimes combine it with desultory conversation; often, while listening to the radio. But literary people are always looking for leisure and silence in which to read and do so with their whole attention. When they are denied such attentive and undisturbed reading even for a few days they feel impoverished.
Thirdly, the first reading of some literary work is often, to the literary, an experience so momentous that only experiences of love, religion, or bereavement can furnish a standard of comparision. Their whole consciousness is changed. They have become what they were not before. But there is no sign of anything like this among the other sort of readers. When they have finished the story or novel, nothing much, or nothing at all, seems to have happened to them.
Finally, and as a natural result of their different behavior in reading, what they have read is constantly and prominently present to the mind of hte few, but not to that of the many. The former mouth over their favourite lines and stanzas in solitude. scenes and characters from the book provide them with a sort of iconography by which they interpret or sum up their own experience. they talk to one another about books, often and at length. The latter seldom thing or talk of their reading. "
That's all I have time for now. Maybe I'll post more later. I am reading this book for the second time this year. It is really interesting. I'm going to clean my room and read. I told myself I had to clean my room before I read any more. But I never said that I couldn't post what I read before I cleaned my room. Haha. Enjoy.
Some words from Chapter One
"In this essay I propose to try an experiment. Literary criticim is traditionally employed in judging books. Any judgement it implies about men's reading of books is a corollary from its judgement on the books themselves. Bad taste is, as it were by definition, a taste for bad books. I want to find out what sort of picture we shall get by recersing the process. Let us make our distinction between readers or tpyes of reading the basis, and our distinction between books the corollary. Let us try to discover how fas ir might be plausible to define a good book as a book which is read in one way, and a bad book as a book which is read another."
"In the first place, the majority never read anything twice. The sure mark of an unliterary man is that he considers 'I've already read it' to be a conclusive arguement against reading a work. We have all known women who remember a novel so dimly that they had to stand for half an hour in the library skimming through it before they were certain they had once read it. But the moment they became certain they rejected it immediately. It was for them dead, like a burnt-out match, an old railway ticket, or yesterday's paper; they had already used it. Those who read great workds, on the other had, will read the same work ten, twenty or thirty times during the course of their life.
Secondly, the majority, though they are sometimes frequent readders, do not set much store by reading. They turn to it as a last resource. They abandon it with alacrity as soon as any alternative pastime turns up. It is kept for railway journeys, illnesses, odd moments of enforced solitude, or for the process called 'reading oneself to sleep'. They sometimes combine it with desultory conversation; often, while listening to the radio. But literary people are always looking for leisure and silence in which to read and do so with their whole attention. When they are denied such attentive and undisturbed reading even for a few days they feel impoverished.
Thirdly, the first reading of some literary work is often, to the literary, an experience so momentous that only experiences of love, religion, or bereavement can furnish a standard of comparision. Their whole consciousness is changed. They have become what they were not before. But there is no sign of anything like this among the other sort of readers. When they have finished the story or novel, nothing much, or nothing at all, seems to have happened to them.
Finally, and as a natural result of their different behavior in reading, what they have read is constantly and prominently present to the mind of hte few, but not to that of the many. The former mouth over their favourite lines and stanzas in solitude. scenes and characters from the book provide them with a sort of iconography by which they interpret or sum up their own experience. they talk to one another about books, often and at length. The latter seldom thing or talk of their reading. "
That's all I have time for now. Maybe I'll post more later. I am reading this book for the second time this year. It is really interesting. I'm going to clean my room and read. I told myself I had to clean my room before I read any more. But I never said that I couldn't post what I read before I cleaned my room. Haha. Enjoy.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
It is a good thing we were allowed to start early. I started my dynamics exam at twelve (two hours before I was supposed to) and I just finished it now. Three and a half hours of trying to figure out how to solve for angular acceleration on a toy merry-go-round. Now that it is over, I have to say it was really an interesting exam. But, during the exam I hated it. Now on to my history exam.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Two finals tomorrow and it is all over with at SU.
I've learned a lot, but I've moving on.
UMD next year.
Woohoo!
Engineering courses
Labs
New Professors
Destroying
Designing
Building
Tearing Down
Creating
Making Better
Learning new material
Imagine
Fire
Water
Metal
Concrete
Strengths
Material
Fluid Mechanics
MatLab
Fire Safety
Air Flow
Construction
Live
Angles
Trig
Calc
Finding Solutions
Tar Heel Basketball games.
I can't wait.
Goodbye SU.
It has been a good run.I've learned a lot, but I've moving on.
UMD next year.
Woohoo!
Engineering courses
Labs
New Professors
Destroying
Designing
Building
Tearing Down
Creating
Making Better
Learning new material
Imagine
Fire
Water
Metal
Concrete
Strengths
Material
Fluid Mechanics
MatLab
Fire Safety
Air Flow
Construction
Live
Angles
Trig
Calc
Finding Solutions
Tar Heel Basketball games.
I can't wait.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
United 93
Wow.
"United 93 may be too much for some theatergoers to handle. During the screening, there were many exhalations during the course of the film, a few people turning away from the screen and the majority sobbing on various levels. This is an important film and people should go and see it. People all too often forget that film is an art form meant to entertain, inform and stir your emotions. Today's film world is more about entertainment than the value of art, but now and again it's refreshing to see a film that is about something real, that challenges the audience and leads to discussion afterwards. This is the best film yet this year and a true achievement for all involved." - Review of United 93
Wow.
I didn't want to see this film, but I am glad I did.
It makes you think.
I strongly recommend going to see this.
I was hoping for a hollywood ending the whole time.
It is intense!"United 93 may be too much for some theatergoers to handle. During the screening, there were many exhalations during the course of the film, a few people turning away from the screen and the majority sobbing on various levels. This is an important film and people should go and see it. People all too often forget that film is an art form meant to entertain, inform and stir your emotions. Today's film world is more about entertainment than the value of art, but now and again it's refreshing to see a film that is about something real, that challenges the audience and leads to discussion afterwards. This is the best film yet this year and a true achievement for all involved." - Review of United 93
Thursday, May 18, 2006
What could be better then after finishing a stressful quantum exam, going bike riding all the way down Nanicoke Road with three of your best friends (Hayley, Sarah, and Anna) and then coming back and playing soccer with another best friend (Steffy) ?!? And what could be better that having a whole house full of fresh strawberries and no one else there to fight you for them? And having a great friend who makes you food to celebrate school being over with (Meadows) ? And other wonderful friends who remind you to keep God first in your life? And as I said that I thought, wait, why isn't the first thing that I list that "What could be better having all of your sinners cast to the bottom of the sea and remembered no more?!? What a wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord. " But so often I only see what is going on around me and not how great His love for me is.
Thank you Hannah Rose for leading Bible Study last night.
Keep pressing on. :)
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you
will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more
important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the
birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "
Thank you Hannah Rose for leading Bible Study last night.
Keep pressing on. :)
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Monday, May 15, 2006
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Taylors for once again letting me join your family when my family is off doing their own things (they are all camping since they are finished school and Dad is at Machipongo with Pastor Shelton)!!!! A HUGE thank you for inviting me out to the Lacrosse game tonight. I had a blast laughing it up with all of you (mainly mother taylor and Rachel). *hugs to both of you* Thanks for the three dollars, Mrs. Taylor. :) I couldn't have come without you. Yay for noisemakers! *shake shake shake* wooooooooo! *shake shake shake*
Mrs. Taylor...
<3 MG <3
Haha.
WOOHOO!!!
GO PARKSIDE!
Look I can say woohoo as much as I want because Sarah won't be reading my blog for four days. Haha.Mrs. Taylor...
<3 MG <3
Haha.
Isaiah 40
12 Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed out the mountains and the hills?
13 Who is able to advise the Spirit of the LORD? Who knows enough to be his teacher or counselor?
14 Has the LORD ever needed anyone's advice? Does he need instruction about what is good or what is best?
15 No, for all the nations of the world are nothing in comparison with him. They are but a drop in the bucket, dust on the scales. He picks up the islands as though they had no weight at all.
16 All Lebanon's forests do not contain sufficient fuel to consume a sacrifice large enough to honor him. All Lebanon's sacrificial animals would not make an offering worthy of our God.
17 The nations of the world are as nothing to him. In his eyes they are less than nothing--mere emptiness and froth.
27 O Israel, how can you say the LORD does not see your troubles? How can you say God refuses to hear your case?
28 Have you never heard or understood? Don't you know that the LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
29 He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak.
30 Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up.
31 But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
I have really enjoyed going through Isaiah on Sunday nights. I have been waiting a long time for this chapter. We might get to it next week or maybe the following week. I love verse 31. It always will remind me of chariots of fire. Dun dun dun dun dunnn dun. heh. The Bible is beautiful.
12 Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed out the mountains and the hills?
13 Who is able to advise the Spirit of the LORD? Who knows enough to be his teacher or counselor?
14 Has the LORD ever needed anyone's advice? Does he need instruction about what is good or what is best?
15 No, for all the nations of the world are nothing in comparison with him. They are but a drop in the bucket, dust on the scales. He picks up the islands as though they had no weight at all.
16 All Lebanon's forests do not contain sufficient fuel to consume a sacrifice large enough to honor him. All Lebanon's sacrificial animals would not make an offering worthy of our God.
17 The nations of the world are as nothing to him. In his eyes they are less than nothing--mere emptiness and froth.
27 O Israel, how can you say the LORD does not see your troubles? How can you say God refuses to hear your case?
28 Have you never heard or understood? Don't you know that the LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
29 He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak.
30 Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up.
31 But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
I have really enjoyed going through Isaiah on Sunday nights. I have been waiting a long time for this chapter. We might get to it next week or maybe the following week. I love verse 31. It always will remind me of chariots of fire. Dun dun dun dun dunnn dun. heh. The Bible is beautiful.
I didn't take a camera. I figured enough people would have one.
Friday night was the wedding rehearsal. Mrs. Shelton made the desserts. Wow. I ate so much food and especially that blueberry peach cobbler. Mrs. Robins, Mrs. Shelton, Krissy, Mrs. Huntington, and I set up the tables, set the tables, ate skittles, and arranged flowers and such. I wish I had pictures of that night, but it seems that everyone's cameras were either left home or didn't have batteries that night. Jared and I got there and carried in boxes around 5 and we left around ten. So it didn't take as long as I was expecting. I thought the night was beautiful (a bit buggy, but you can't really stop that). The moon was absolutely gorgeous both nights.
Saturday I did school all day until around two when I started getting ready for the wedding. My parents and I left shortly before three and arrived around 3:30. Another beautiful day. All the groomsmen looked handsome. It was so weird to know every one of the groomsmen. It was great to see everyone again. I am thankful that we aren't so old now that the only time we see each other is at funerals. :) I was escorted to my seat by my little brother Greg. I don't know how the guys lasted through the entire wedding in those coats. I was dripping sweat just sitting in my seat. It was beautiful in the shade, but in the sun, it was a bit warm and still buggy. I loved Mrs. Shelton's dress. Everyone looked so pretty. I can't wait for Hannah's wedding now. This made me really exciting about that wedding. Woohoo, Hanner Nanner. She's getting married on June 3rd!!! I was seated at the groomsmens table (is groomsmens a word... that table where the groomsmen sat). Anyhow, the food was excellent. We had crabcakes, chicken salad, asparagus, salad, mashed potatoes, and rolls. I got to dance foxtrot with Jared. I walked around on the dock barefooted with my little sister Rachel and then we walked around and watched people take pictures of themselves. Somehow we missed getting a picture of the two of us. But yeah, Rachel kept me company for most of the day. Mrs. Townsend had the same dress on as me. Victory and Jack danced for us. That was amusing. My shoes kept sinking into the ground. I should have pushed Greg into the pool. Jared took me home and now I am back at school for finals week.
I just wanted to say how much I realized this weekend how large my family really is. It isn't just my parents and my siblings. There are so many people in the church that are so close to me that I would call them family. And I appreciate and love them all... somedays. haha. What a blessing to have a large family that cares for and loves you.
Friday night was the wedding rehearsal. Mrs. Shelton made the desserts. Wow. I ate so much food and especially that blueberry peach cobbler. Mrs. Robins, Mrs. Shelton, Krissy, Mrs. Huntington, and I set up the tables, set the tables, ate skittles, and arranged flowers and such. I wish I had pictures of that night, but it seems that everyone's cameras were either left home or didn't have batteries that night. Jared and I got there and carried in boxes around 5 and we left around ten. So it didn't take as long as I was expecting. I thought the night was beautiful (a bit buggy, but you can't really stop that). The moon was absolutely gorgeous both nights.
Saturday I did school all day until around two when I started getting ready for the wedding. My parents and I left shortly before three and arrived around 3:30. Another beautiful day. All the groomsmen looked handsome. It was so weird to know every one of the groomsmen. It was great to see everyone again. I am thankful that we aren't so old now that the only time we see each other is at funerals. :) I was escorted to my seat by my little brother Greg. I don't know how the guys lasted through the entire wedding in those coats. I was dripping sweat just sitting in my seat. It was beautiful in the shade, but in the sun, it was a bit warm and still buggy. I loved Mrs. Shelton's dress. Everyone looked so pretty. I can't wait for Hannah's wedding now. This made me really exciting about that wedding. Woohoo, Hanner Nanner. She's getting married on June 3rd!!! I was seated at the groomsmens table (is groomsmens a word... that table where the groomsmen sat). Anyhow, the food was excellent. We had crabcakes, chicken salad, asparagus, salad, mashed potatoes, and rolls. I got to dance foxtrot with Jared. I walked around on the dock barefooted with my little sister Rachel and then we walked around and watched people take pictures of themselves. Somehow we missed getting a picture of the two of us. But yeah, Rachel kept me company for most of the day. Mrs. Townsend had the same dress on as me. Victory and Jack danced for us. That was amusing. My shoes kept sinking into the ground. I should have pushed Greg into the pool. Jared took me home and now I am back at school for finals week.
I just wanted to say how much I realized this weekend how large my family really is. It isn't just my parents and my siblings. There are so many people in the church that are so close to me that I would call them family. And I appreciate and love them all... somedays. haha. What a blessing to have a large family that cares for and loves you.
Friday, May 12, 2006
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Ersatz
- Being an imitation or a substitute, usually an inferior one; artificial.
Yegg
- A thief, especially a burglar or safecracker.
QED
- quod erat demonstrandum (which was to be demonstrated).
I went to look up the first word because my quantum booked used it and I sort of understood what it meant, but I wanted the right definition. Then I looked up QED because we also use that a lot in Quantum. Then I spent the next half hour flipping around the dictrionary looking at random words. It is very interesting. I wish I could remember all the neat ones I read. Oh well. I at least remember Ersatz. I wonder how I can use that in a sentence...
- Being an imitation or a substitute, usually an inferior one; artificial.
Yegg
- A thief, especially a burglar or safecracker.
QED
- quod erat demonstrandum (which was to be demonstrated).
I went to look up the first word because my quantum booked used it and I sort of understood what it meant, but I wanted the right definition. Then I looked up QED because we also use that a lot in Quantum. Then I spent the next half hour flipping around the dictrionary looking at random words. It is very interesting. I wish I could remember all the neat ones I read. Oh well. I at least remember Ersatz. I wonder how I can use that in a sentence...
Monday, May 08, 2006
There is an old saying that, “Half a loaf is better than no bread,” but that saying is not true spiritually. A man who has half a loaf of his own never seeks the Bread which came down from Heaven. The man who has no bread at all is in a better case, for he is more likely to come to the banquet of Divine Grace. Come, you starving ones, and eat of the Bread of Heaven! Believe and live! Faith brings God to you and you to God! Therefore believe and seek—seek and believe!
- C. H. Spurgeon
- C. H. Spurgeon
Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine;
let me find Thy light in my darkness,
Thy life in my death,
Thy joy in my sorrow,
Thy grace in my sin,
Thy riches in my poverty,
Thy glory in my valley.
-Puritan Prayer
wow.
I am speechless.
This is so simple, but yet so profound. It says so much.
Oh to be able to pray like this in all my times of troubles.
I've found a new notebook cover for next semester.
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine;
let me find Thy light in my darkness,
Thy life in my death,
Thy joy in my sorrow,
Thy grace in my sin,
Thy riches in my poverty,
Thy glory in my valley.
-Puritan Prayer
wow.
I am speechless.
This is so simple, but yet so profound. It says so much.
Oh to be able to pray like this in all my times of troubles.
I've found a new notebook cover for next semester.
Thursday - Quantum was cancelled so I walked to Rita's and I saw Hannah and Patrick. It was an absolutely beautiful day. Then I went to choir, came home, and did homework.
Friday - I woke of at 5:15 and started more homework. Had to go to a snoozefest at school and then I went to La Tolteca with my family and Jared. Jared posted pictures. If you want to see them. Then Sarah, Anna, and I went down to Hannah's cute little place to party the night away. Well, I lasted until about 11:20 and then had to turn in. Haha. I am getting so old.
Saturday - I took Anna and Mackenzee and McKenzie all around town for a scavenger hunt for MacKenzie's half birthday. There are some amusing pictures of that too on Anna'a blog. Then I did more homework and worked on my solar cooker project.
Sunday - Even more schoolwork. What excitement. We are learning some neat things. Just when they all come all at once, it is a little too much to handle some times.
And I want to say... I love my parents. First I miss riding to school with my Dad so much. I rarely see him now because he is always out helping some one with something or I am out with friends when he is home. I just wanted to say, I miss seeing him. And I also wanted to say that he is really awesome because he went out in the rain and picked me strawberries this morning and he came and talked to me when I was about to cry over spilt milk last night. Yeah, I love my Dad. And then there is my mother. God bless her. I don't know how she manages with all of us children around the house. What a mess we make. Anyhow, she is a wonderful english teacher and a great paper reader. Haha. Thanks for all the help with the paper this weekend mom. I appreciate it. And thank you for making dinner yesterday, even though you weren't planning on it, but you found out that I was comign home, so you changed your plans for me.
Aren't they great?!?
I love them both.
They are so cute. I'd post a picture, but I don't have any.
Friday - I woke of at 5:15 and started more homework. Had to go to a snoozefest at school and then I went to La Tolteca with my family and Jared. Jared posted pictures. If you want to see them. Then Sarah, Anna, and I went down to Hannah's cute little place to party the night away. Well, I lasted until about 11:20 and then had to turn in. Haha. I am getting so old.
Saturday - I took Anna and Mackenzee and McKenzie all around town for a scavenger hunt for MacKenzie's half birthday. There are some amusing pictures of that too on Anna'a blog. Then I did more homework and worked on my solar cooker project.
Sunday - Even more schoolwork. What excitement. We are learning some neat things. Just when they all come all at once, it is a little too much to handle some times.
And I want to say... I love my parents. First I miss riding to school with my Dad so much. I rarely see him now because he is always out helping some one with something or I am out with friends when he is home. I just wanted to say, I miss seeing him. And I also wanted to say that he is really awesome because he went out in the rain and picked me strawberries this morning and he came and talked to me when I was about to cry over spilt milk last night. Yeah, I love my Dad. And then there is my mother. God bless her. I don't know how she manages with all of us children around the house. What a mess we make. Anyhow, she is a wonderful english teacher and a great paper reader. Haha. Thanks for all the help with the paper this weekend mom. I appreciate it. And thank you for making dinner yesterday, even though you weren't planning on it, but you found out that I was comign home, so you changed your plans for me.
Aren't they great?!?
I love them both.
They are so cute. I'd post a picture, but I don't have any.
Friday, May 05, 2006
The next homeschool dance will be a BLACKLIGHT dance.
Wear your reflectiveclothing and accessories!
Did I hear someone say blacklight nail polish?
lipstick?
neon?
Friday, May 5
7 p.m. to 11 p.m.Salisbury School (Hobbs Road) Lower Gymnasium
$5.00 per student (parents free)
Bring a friend!
All homeschoolers are welcome but no one under the age of 13 may be left without a parent. Parents please come in to register and pick up your children.
Light refreshments provided
My parents get these homeschool newsletters and I was scrolling through the last one and I found this. I am very amused. What more fun can we have than, a bunch of homeschoolers, at a black light dance, with neon lipstick?!? Party. Too bad I have an awards ceremony to go to this afternoon and then I am going to Hannah's for the evening... haha.
Wear your reflectiveclothing and accessories!
Did I hear someone say blacklight nail polish?
lipstick?
neon?
Friday, May 5
7 p.m. to 11 p.m.Salisbury School (Hobbs Road) Lower Gymnasium
$5.00 per student (parents free)
Bring a friend!
All homeschoolers are welcome but no one under the age of 13 may be left without a parent. Parents please come in to register and pick up your children.
Light refreshments provided
My parents get these homeschool newsletters and I was scrolling through the last one and I found this. I am very amused. What more fun can we have than, a bunch of homeschoolers, at a black light dance, with neon lipstick?!? Party. Too bad I have an awards ceremony to go to this afternoon and then I am going to Hannah's for the evening... haha.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
THE
NEWSBOYS
ARE
COMING
TO
SALISBURY!!!!!
NEWSBOYS
ARE
COMING
TO
SALISBURY!!!!!
Can you tell I am excited!?!?!
I LOVE the Newsboys!
I just hope we get back from Mississippi in time.
JULY 23, 2006 -- 6:00 at the Civic Center!!!!
$52.00 VIP Artist Circle
$35.50 Gold Circle
$30.50 Individual
$22.00 Second Tier
$20.50 Groups 10+
Yeah, I guess I'll be sitting Second Tier or maybe group?!? Ten people isn't that hard to find. Anyhow, I'll let you all know more details when I find them out. :)
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
There it is. Now we are back at the beginning. The essence of worship is a being satisfied in God and cherishing of Christ as gain. Romans 12:1-2 are not saying anything different. This is what it means to have a renewed mind. The renewed mind perceives and approves and treasures and cherishes the will of God (and thus transforms all of life), because it first and foremost perceives, and approves and treasures and cherishes God.
And doing the will of God is the outshining of God in his glory. "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good deeds and give glory to your father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). All of life is the outshining of what you truly value and cherish and treasure. Therefore all of life is worship. Either of God, or something else.
Therefore be transformed in the renewal of your mind. Cherish God in all his works and all his ways. Reckon the old mind dead and offer yourself to God as a living sacrifice that he may put you on display by the outshining of his worth and his value in your life.
Worship him with your life.
-John Piper
And doing the will of God is the outshining of God in his glory. "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good deeds and give glory to your father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). All of life is the outshining of what you truly value and cherish and treasure. Therefore all of life is worship. Either of God, or something else.
Therefore be transformed in the renewal of your mind. Cherish God in all his works and all his ways. Reckon the old mind dead and offer yourself to God as a living sacrifice that he may put you on display by the outshining of his worth and his value in your life.
Worship him with your life.
-John Piper
Monday, May 01, 2006
1 Corinthians 1:18
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
I like how this says that we are being saved. I think it is an encouragement that it is a continual process to being more like Christ. We just don't wake up one morning and BANG, we are perfect. We have to wake up every morning and ask God to help us be more like him. It is a struggle. But his mercy is new every morning. And as this verse also reminds me, we have to power of God on our side. And that is not foolishness!! No matter how much the world considers us crazy. Run the race with confidence! Press on towards the prize.
Happy Birthday to my little sister!!!
Rachel Taylor is 15. ROCK ON!
Ephesians 1: 16 - 23
"I do not cease giving thanks for you,
while making mention of you in my prayers;
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Luke is extremely creative. He has built a fish pond in our backyard this week (see his and Anna's blogs for pictures). And then at the yardsale he bought golf clubs and he and Hope made a nine hole golf course in our backyard. The last hole goes over his pond. Everyone else made it over the water, my ball fell in. It was great fun playing around in our backyard on Saturday afternoon with my siblings. I wish Anna wasn't still so sick (poor Anna) and could have joined us.
But, I am quite impressed that she came out both Friday and Saturday to the yardsale, even when she wasn't feeling so well. Thanks to all the people who came to the yardsale. Hey, it is going to be HOT in Mississippi, in case you didn't get the memo. I thought I would remind you again. And I am going to start charging for french braiding people's hair. I think I did 32 braids over the weekend, not including my own. Anna, this wouldn't apply to you. You are my sister.
I need to start doing some schoolwork again. Only two and a half more weeks of school, two exams, a week of for more exams, a term paper, countless homework problems and equations to memorize, and one beautiful summer coming up. :) Ah, summer. Maybe I love summer so much since I was born on the first day of summer. What a great day to be born. On June 21st I will be old. AH!
Oh and that sermon last night was something else!! What a great reminder to not take our lives for granted. You are one day closer to eternity. Live right now as you will have wished you lived when you stand before the throne of God.
But, I am quite impressed that she came out both Friday and Saturday to the yardsale, even when she wasn't feeling so well. Thanks to all the people who came to the yardsale. Hey, it is going to be HOT in Mississippi, in case you didn't get the memo. I thought I would remind you again. And I am going to start charging for french braiding people's hair. I think I did 32 braids over the weekend, not including my own. Anna, this wouldn't apply to you. You are my sister.
I need to start doing some schoolwork again. Only two and a half more weeks of school, two exams, a week of for more exams, a term paper, countless homework problems and equations to memorize, and one beautiful summer coming up. :) Ah, summer. Maybe I love summer so much since I was born on the first day of summer. What a great day to be born. On June 21st I will be old. AH!
Oh and that sermon last night was something else!! What a great reminder to not take our lives for granted. You are one day closer to eternity. Live right now as you will have wished you lived when you stand before the throne of God.