Meadows in traveling out to Colorado (where I have always wanted to go).
What fun, a road trip.

You can read her adventures on her blog.

I'll be out from work until Wednesday.

I don't know if I will be around a computer until then.

I may post photos, if I take any.

Happy Independence Day!!

I have declared tomorrow a do not invite me anywhere to do anything with anyone day!!!!

I need to clean my room and start packing away my clothes for college park.
If I finish I feel like doing something, but until then I am locking myself in my house because I need to get stuff finished and I don't seem to be able to find any time. In case of emergencies, call my house, my mom will be happy to pass along any messages or you can try my phone, I might answer.

PS. Rachel, I would like to go to the beach on Monday. Do you want to spend the night of something?!?

I can't wait to see this song in concert.

Newsboys - I Am Free

Through you the blind will see

Through you the mute will sing

Through you the dead will rise

Through you our hearts will praise

Through you the darkness flees

Through you my heart screams

I am free

I am free

I am free to run (I am free to run)

I am free to dance (I am free to dance)

I am free to live for you (I am free to live for you)

I am free (I am free)

Yes, I am free (I am free)

Isaiah 53:3-5

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

I'm reading the Legacy of Sovereign Joy.

Quote from Martin Luther:

"The writings of all the holy fathers should be read only for a time, in order that through them we may be led to the Holy Scriptures. As it is, however, we read them only to be absorbed in them and never come to the Scriptures. We are like men who study the sign-posts and never travel the road. The dear fathers wished by their writing, to lead us to the Scriptures, but we so use them as to be led away from the Scriptures, through the Scriptures alone are our vineyard in which we ought all to work and toil."

Find out more.
Awesome birthday present!

James 1:2-12 (The Message)

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

When down-and-outers get a break, cheer! And when the arrogant rich are brought down to size, cheer! Prosperity is as short-lived as a wildflower, so don't ever count on it. You know that as soon as the sun rises, pouring down its scorching heat, the flower withers. Its petals wilt and, before you know it, that beautiful face is a barren stem. Well, that's a picture of the "prosperous life." At the very moment everyone is looking on in admiration, it fades away to nothing.

Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.

Not much to say...
VBS is this week in the evenings. I'm crowd control in Jared and Mrs. Walkers class. We have five boys and 12 girls in our class. But, it is fun. I like our schedule. We do the Bible lesson, crafts, games, snack. I don't think I would have picked any other order. I am thinking of taking Saturday off and refusing to do anything with anyone. I need to clean my room and start doing more homework for next semester. I'm thinking about that, I'll keep you posted.
It has been raining every day this week. It is still incredibly hot and muggy. Jared and I went to Ritas last night after VBS and met up with the Franklins and Sarah Meadows. We sat (or stood) around and laughed for quite a while. It reminded me that it is summer.

What an exciting soccer game.

Go Ukraine!

I thought I was going to miss the end of the game. I had been following it all day on my work computer and then I had to go home to bring my family dinner and I knew it would be over before I got to a television, but when I got home I decided to turn the television on and see who won. WOAH, the game was still on in its first overtime! How exciting, two overtimes and finally a nerve wrecking shotout. Well, not that nerve wrecking, since they won three to zero, but still shootouts are edge of your seat material. WOW!

Let me say again, I LOVE soccer!

Rachel Taylor made a good comment about how soccer makes you feel on my last post!
love soccer.

I LOVE soccer!

PHANTOM I gave you my music . . . made your song take wing . . . and now, how you've repaid me: denied me and betrayed me . . . He was bound to love you when he heard you sing . . . Christine ... Christine ...

RAOUL/CHRISTINE (offstage) Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime . . . say the word and I will follow you . . . Share each day with me, each night, each morning . . .

PHANTOM You will curse the day you did not do all that the Phantom asked of you . . .!

wow!

I have been listening to this all day at work and it is so exciting to think that I saw this on stage.

Thank you.
Thank you.

n i n e

I love a good thunderstorm.
I wish I had brought a change of clothes, I'd go dance in the rain.
Today would be a sweet day for toothpick races.

I like when the Taylors air conditioning is broken because it means my family gets a little larger!

Yay, Hayley and Rachel are staying at my house.

What fun!

Mrs. Taylor you are more then welcome to come stay with us while my parents are gone. It is nice and cool in our house. :)

I still am in shock that I went to Phantom of the Opera yesterday.

Thank you Sarah and Hayley for one of the best, if not the best birthday gift EVER!!! Thank you Mom and Dad and Mother Taylor and Dr. Father Taylor for letting us go. I get more and more excited about this as it is really dawning on me what we did yesterday. Wow! That was so cool.

We saw Phantom of the Opera and not just by some little silly theatre group; we saw it on broadway and not from some cheap seats; we had one of the best seats in the house.

Totally awesome!!!
Love you all.
It was a wonderful surprise.

Well, here is how it went.

Jared asked me a week ago if I could get off work on my birthday and I told him no problem and I asked off and didn't say anything more about it. So Tuesday night I got home from work and watched Anne of Green Gables with Sarah and Hayley. We watched the entire first tape and as we started to watch the second one, Sarah fast forwarded almost the entire thing telling me that she was tired. It is now 10:30 and I go to bed wondering how I should dress the next day because I still don't know what is going on because no one told me. I was just figuring it was Jared becasue he doesn't normally make plans until the day before or the day of. So I went to bed.

At 5:00 am my dear little sister and my friend come giggling into my room and hand me a box. I try to turn back over and tell them to get some sleep, but they insist that I open the box. I opened the box and there was a rose and a mask inside. ??? I was totally confused until they screamed at me, "We are going to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway!!!!" So I rolled out of bed, still in shock. Took my shower and got dressed, forgot my camera (so Hayley has all the picture, bug her and maybe she will post them :) ). We drove through Delaware, parked in New Jersey, and rode the metro into New York City for another 45 minutes. We were about three hours early so we ate our lunch against the wall of the theatre. Then toured around a bit. We went to GAP and the American Doll Store. Woohoo!!! What a cool store. I have always wanted to go there with all the nine and ten year old girls wandering around the store carrying their dolls. :) Great place. One of the highlights of my day. Then we walked back to the theatre and waited in line for our seats for half and hour.

Once they let you in, you don't get to go to your seats, you get to wander about this really cool old theatre and sit in the waiting room. Sarah and Hayley picked really sweet seats too. We were the first row of the section right behind the front. It was great, but I still wasn't quite as excited as I should have been. Then the show started and it hit me,
I WAS WATCHING PHANTOM OF THE OPERA LIVE on stage!!!!!

It was incredible.
The sets was amazing.
The music was beautiful.
I sat there barely breathing, taking it all in.
WOW.

After we left I still have trouble believing that I had seen Phantom of the Opera. I have wanted to for so long. What a great present.
On the way back we stopped at this cute little inn called Cranbury Inn and ate dinner. Then we got stuck in traffic for 2 hours (we went 18 miles). It was pretty horrible, but we entertained ourselves as much as possible. Once we got to the end of the Jersey Turnpike it was around 11pm and I took over driving while Sarah slept and Hayley closed her eyes for a while (she would open her eyes and ask me if I was okay and talk to me for a while and then rest again). I didn't mind, I was still pretty awake. What a long drive. We got back around 1pm and I found roses and ballons and presents waiting for me on my bed. :) Woohoo. I haven't opened any of them because I felt bad opening them when the gift giver wasn't around. So, they are just sitting on my floor right now, waiting for me to come home. But, I promised Stef I would play soccer with her tonight so, that might be a while. How cool is that?!? It is sort of like getting presents after your birthday so the fun continues on.

Anyhow,
I saw Phantom of the Opera and it was amazing.
I can't wait to go again!!!

Hey! I'm back at work.

Check this out.

Silver and Black combination.
Wow wow.

Yours for over $100,000 and at least a year and a half wait listing.

I won't be in the office tomorrow and probably not near a computer ( I sure hope not) because I someone is planning a surprise for me and they haven't told me what I am doing tomorrow yet. So, enjoy a day without my blogging.

When I come back I won't be a teenager anymore.

Scary right?!?

20!

Wow!

All cards and presents can be sent to my address which can be found in the church directory. :) Haha.

What is merely permissible is not the goal for Christian behavior. The goal is what is beneficial or constructive (literally, promotes growth in Christian wisdom, grace, affection, virtue, holiness, blessedness).

1 Corinthians 10:23
"All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. "

1 Thessalonians 5:11
"Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. "

The greek word is:
Oikodomeo
1. to build a house, erect a building
to build (up from the foundation)
to restore by building, to rebuild, repair metaph.
2. to found, establish
to promote growth in Christian wisdom, affection, grace, virtue, holiness, blessedness
to grow in wisdom and piety

You can find it translated this many times:
KJV (39) - be in building, 1; build, 24; build up, 1; builder, 5; edify, 7; embolden, 1;
NAS (39) - build, 13; builders, 4; building, 2; built, 10; edified, 1; edifies, 3; edify, 1; rebuild, 4; strengthened, 1;

Cool Site

Do you ever have one of those nights where you can't sleep because so many thoughts are racing around your head?!? And you don't even have time to settle anything because before you can think about it for too long another thought comes flying in. Yeah, that was me last night. I woke up once early in the night for maybe half and hour and then fell back asleep. But then I was up again later on for another hour and a half. Normally I can grab one thought and think of that until get so bored I drift off into sleep. But not last night. BAM BAM BAM. Thoughts were flying everywhere, in no order. Yeah, I'm a bit tired today.

Last night was a blast though. Steffy and I cooked a wonderful dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and peas. Then we watched Jeeves and Wooster and took a walk. After we got back from our walk we tried to dig up a tree stump. That was a blast!!! I am being serious. We were both covered from head to toe in dirt and we had sweat dripping down our faces and our shirts were drenched. But man, was it fun. We pulled and sawed and pushed and dug with out hands, shovels, saws, and crowbars. Stef and I make such great memories. Haha. Here's to many more adventures to come.

Steffy and I are kicking off the countdown until I am 20 tonight!! Woohoo.

TWO DAYS until I am not a teen anymore.

Party on the REAL first day of Summer - June 21st.

Sermon Notes 6/18/06 - Morning:
(these were taken this morning at work because I was in Children's Church yesterday, forgive my scattered thoughts, I was writting and working at the same time. )

Find what God has created you to do and then do it!

I am so happy to perform my role. I am paving the way for the God man Jesus. I am just performing my role. “So this is joy of mine has been made full.” If you are lacking joy, maybe you are not doing what God has designed you for. Maybe you are where you should be, but you are not paving the way for Jesus. John said, "I am just performing my role. And I am so happy." Wow, a contented Christian! What a treat from heaven. Godliness with contentment is great gain.

He must increase, and I must decrease. That would change many a marriage, the relationship between children and parents, and your attitude at work. God is sovereign and he has placed me where I am for his glory and my attitude is going to be by a conscience act of my will that, Jesus will increase, I must decrease.

You are dead, your life is hidden with Christ in God. You are dead. Most sins turn us away from God, but pride is a direct attack on God. “It lifts our hearts above God and against God. Pride seeks to dethrone God and throne itself.” Prov. 16 – Pride is an abomination.

How may a Christian know he is humble?
Thomas Watson

Answer 1: A humble soul is emptied of all swelling thoughts of himself.
Bernard calls humility a self-annihilation. `Thou wilt save the humble' (Job 22:29). In the Hebrew it is `him that is of low eyes'. A humble man has lower thoughts of himself than others can have of him. David, though a king, still looked upon himself as a worm: `I am a worm, and no man' (Psa. 22:6). Bradford, a martyr, still subscribes himself a sinner. `If I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head' (Job 10:15) – like the violet which is a sweet flower, but hangs down the head.

Answer 2: A humble soul thinks better of others than of himself:
`let each esteem other better than themselves' (Phil. 2:3). A humble man values others at a higher rate than himself, and the reason is because he can see his own heart better than he can another's. He sees his own corruption and thinks surely it is not so with others; their graces are not so weak as his; their corruptions are not so strong. `Surely', he thinks, `they have better hearts than I.' A humble Christian studies his own infirmities and another's excellences and that makes him put a higher value upon others than himself. `Surely I am more brutish than any man' (Prov. 30:2). And Paul, though he was the chief of the apostles, still calls himself `less than the least of all saints' (Eph. 3:8).

Answer 3: A humble soul has a low esteem of his duties.
Pride is apt to breed in our holy things as the worm breeds in the sweetest fruit and froth comes from the most generous wine. A humble person bemoans not only his sins but also his duties. When he has prayed and wept, `Alas,' he says, `how little I have done! God might damn me for all this.' He says, like good Nehemiah, `Remember me, 0 my God, concerning this also, and spare me' (Neh. 13:22). `Remember, Lord, how I have poured out my soul, but spare me and pardon me.' He sees that his best duties weigh many grains too light; therefore he desires that Christ's merits may be put into the scales. The humble saint blushes when he looks at his copy. He sees he cannot write evenly, nor without blotting. This humbles him to think that his best duties run to seed. He drops poison upon his sacrifice. `Oh,' he says, `I dare not say I have prayed or wept; those which I write down as duties, God might write down as sins.'

Answer 4: A humble man is always preferring bills of indictment against himself.
He complains, not of his condition, but of his heart. `Oh, this evil heart of unbelief!'`Lord,' says Hooper, `I am hell, but thou art heaven.' A hypocrite is for ever telling how good he is. A humble soul is for ever saying how bad he is. Paul, that highflown saint, was caught up into the third heaven, but how this bird of paradise bemoans his corruptions! `0 wretched man that I am! . . . ' (Rom. 7:24). Holy Bradford sub-scribes himself, `the hardhearted sinner'. The more know-ledge a humble Christian has, the more he complains of ignorance; the more faith, the more he bewails his unbelief.

Answer 5: A humble man will justify God in an afflicted condition:
`Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us' (Neh. 9:33). If men oppress and calumniate, the humble soul acknowledges God's righteousness in the midst of severity: Lo, I have sinned' (2 Sam. 24:17). `Lord, my pride, my barrenness, my sermon surfeiting have been the procuring cause of all these judgments.' When clouds are round about God, yet `righteousness is the habitation of his throne' (Psa. 97:2).

Answer 6: A humble soul is a Christ-magnifier (Phil. 1:20).
He gives the glory of all his actions to Christ and free grace. King Canute took the crown off his own head and set it upon a crucifix. So a humble saint takes the crown of honour from his own head and sets it upon Christ's. And the reason is the love that he bears to Christ. Love can part with anything to the object loved. Isaac loved Rebekah and he gave away his jewels to her (Gen. 24:53). The humble saint loves Christ entirely, therefore can part with anything to him. He gives away to Christ the honour and praise of all he does. Let Christ wear those jewels.

Answer 7: A humble soul is willing to take a reproof for sin.
A wicked man is too high to stoop to a reproof. The prophet Micaiah used to tell King Ahab of his sin, and the King said, `I hate him' (I Kings 22:8). Reproof to a proud man is like pouring water on lime, which grows the hotter. A gracious soul loves the one who reproves: `rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee' (Prov. 9:8). The humble-spirited Christian can bear the reproach of an enemy and the reproof of a friend.

Answer 8: A humble man is willing to have his name and gifts eclipsed, so that God's glory may be increased.
He is content to be outshone by others in gifts and esteem, so that the crown of Christ may shine the brighter. This is the humble man's motto: `Let me decrease; let Christ increase.' It is his desire that Christ should be exalted, and if this is effected, whoever is the instrument, he rejoices. `Some preach Christ of envy' (Phil. 1:15). They preached to take away some of Paul's hearers. `Well,' says he, `Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice' (v.18). A humble Christian is content to be laid aside if God has any other tools to work with which may bring him more glory.

Answer 9: A humble saint likes that condition which God sees best for him.
A proud man complains that he has no more; a humble man wonders that he has so much: `I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies' (Gen. 32:10). When the heart lies low, it can stoop to a low condition. A Christian looking at his sins wonders that it is no worse with him; he does not say his mercies are small, but his sins are great. He knows that the worst piece God carves him is better than he deserves; therefore he takes it thankfully upon his knees.

Answer 10: A humble Christian will stoop to the meanest person and the lowest office; he will visit the poorest member of Christ.
Lazarus' sores are more precious to him than Dives' purple. He does not say, `Stand by, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou' (Isa. 65:5), but `condescends to men of low estate' (Rom. 12:16).


Question: What means may we use to be humble?

Answer 1: Let us set before us the golden pattern of Christ. He commenced doctor in humility: `But made himself of no reputation, and was made in the likeness of men' (Phil. 2:7). O what abasement it was for the Son of God to take our flesh! No, that Christ should take our nature when it was in disgrace, being stained with sin — this was the wonder of humility. Look at a humble Saviour, and let the plumes of pride fall.

Answer 2: Study God's immensity and purity; a sight of glory humbles. Elijah wrapped his face in a mantle when God's glory passed before him (I Kings 19:13). The stars vanish when the sun appears.

Answer 3: Let us study ourselves. First, our dark side. By looking at our faces in the mirror of the Word, we see our spots. What a world of sin swarms in us! We may say with Bernard, `Lord, I am nothing but sin or sterility, either sinfulness or barrenness.'

FYI: Sunday Evening Sermons are not found online. I've never noticed this before because I just order the ones I really really like. I looked today, to listen to last night sermon again, and they are not there. :( Even though this is disapointing to me, I can still listen to Sunday Morning Sermons. And so can you. HERE.

Good morning! It is beautiful outside early in the morning. I like getting up early for my job because I get to enjoy the cool early morning before that oppressive heat and humidity appear.
This weekend was pretty exciting and fun.

Friday night - Hayley and Sarah and I went to a play by the Community Players called, Laughing Stock. I haven't laughed that hard in quite a while. I sat there for the first half of the play and laughed a few times. Nothing was too too funny. And there was a few crude jokes thrown in and I was considering why in the world I was even there. Then the second half of the play hit and I couldn't breath I was laughing so hard. See the play is about these people who do plays every year in this old run down barn in New Hampshire. And this year they are doing Charlie's Aunt, Dracul - Prince of the Undead, and Hamlet. And they start mixing up scenes and forgetting props and funny stuff like that. When the second half begins and they do almost the whole performance of Dracul and it is funny. Wow. It was very entertaining and thanks to Hayley coming over for dinner and inviting me to go!! Woohoo Hayley! I like how Hayley works less than a mile from my home and comes over to visit more now. :) YAY!

Saturday - Jared took me to Annapolis to tour the Naval Academy. Then we went out to eat at Red, Hot, and Blue. Then we stopped in at Tait BMW dealership and we looked around at the new M5. Wow, that car is gorgeous! WOW. After that we went and walked around the Annapolis Mall and watched Cars. What a cute movie. If you go, stay for the credits. :) Pixar has scored another adorable family movie. I enjoyed it and laughed quite a few times. Oh, and the short in front is hilarious too!

Sunday - I got to have lunch with Hannah Singer!!! :) And Matt Robins, Patrick Singer, and Jared. Where did we go? La Tolteca, of course! It was great to see Hannah again even for a short time. What a cute little wifey. I went home afterwards and started to read and then fell asleep in my book. I went back to church and heard an excellent sermon which I will try to write about tomorrow or later today. Probably tomorrow. I have a lot of work due today. And after all of that greatness, I came home and played Hugger Mugger with Luke, Anna, and Mom.

Don't you love Summer ? ! ?

M-ISS-ISS-IPP-I

Team Verse

1 Peter 4:7-11

Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.

If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides,

so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.

To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever.

Amen.

Two more from Jack's wedding.

Look! They put Jared's name on his truck today.

I know, there are a lot of photos below. I'll try to make this a bit easier on you.
Here is what I have posted.

* Sunset pictures - 1 post
10:46

* Old rag - 5 posts
10:40, 10:30, 10:13, 10:05, 10:01

* Random photos - 1 post
9:45

* Hike to the Overlook - 2 posts
9:34, 9:26

*Waterfall hike - 3 posts
9:10, 9:04, 8:47

*Campfire - 1 post
8:26

*Jared and his truck - 1 post
This is for Jamie.
8:16

and here is one last photo for your enjoyment

Team ROY G BIV. Yes, my dad has green hair. How often will you see that?!?

Sunset

Absolute favorite
Sad to leave
Beautiful - 2nd favorite
The sun peaked through the clouds one last time
Two watch the sun
Five gather around
two prepare to leave
Goodbye sun.

OLD RAG

To the top and back down
That's us, the 7.2 miles hike!!!

Half and hour up the trail. Still climbing. Seeing a little progress.

The trail goes right over water.
Stepping lightly on the rocks.
Walking on and on and on.
Mountain Laurel - I will own one of these bushes someday. I LOVE these flowers.

breaktime
rocks ahead
come down now, they say
climbing though rocks
See that person in the middle of the picture, that is Mrs. Price. We were over there a few minutes ago. Cool huh?

awesome stone steps
Luke holding the rock from falling on usDad coming up the stairs.
I love this picture. Anna and Emily were carrying each others backpacks and needed their sunglasses and so instead of going one at a time, why waste time? They both reached for them at the same time. Oh yeah, and the background is totally awesome too!

Yes, we had to climb down that. The arrow is for the crazy people that go backwards on the trail. There is also an arrow at the top pointing down. You always look for those blue arrows.
more climbing
more rock scrambling
Anna lifts a boulder above her head
This is cool because it shows how most of the hike was like. See Dad down in the bottom center of this photo. He is coming out of a crack in the rocks and then climbing up to where Sarah and I are and Anna is above us taking the photo.
A traffic jam. A slow part in the climb. But it was a fun part too!! Fun to figure out how in the world you are going to get up that rock face.

Lunch at the top.

Emily get your hand out of my picture. Yes, that is Luke.
Making mom nervous. Standing on the edge.
Lunchtime.
Food.

Birds in the signpost
We made it in 4.5 hours. Woohoo. Tired feet have left there shoes to go splash in the nearby creek.
Home now. Well, at least back to the tent to sleep.

Random Shots




Firestick drawings

Okay, let me stop from my photo spamming and explain a few of these photos before I post a whole bunch more from the last day of our trip. They are the better photos because I have my sunset pictures in them. Haha.
We went camping with the Prices this last week. We left on Sunday at 7 in the morning and got back on Wednesday at 3, just in time for the family fun night. Which I also have pictures from. Anyhow, the pictures below are of the first two days. Sunday night and Monday. Sunday night it rained and so we had to postpone our hike up Old Rag until tuesday. But we hiked a two hour trail down to a waterfall and back up again and then up to a lookout point and back down again. I think we spend about four hours hiking that day. Then we came back and watched the sunset and saw a bear and her four cubs and I forgot my camera. What was I thinking!!! It was an awesome trip even without the bear pictures!

No, Anna! Don't jump!Freedom.
A long way down. On top of the world.