adventure

Life is a grand adventure. I just wanted to remind myself of that. Somedays it is quite exciting wondering and waiting for what is going to happen next.
Life would be extremely boring if I knew what was coming next. Sure it would save a lot of heartache, pain, and suffering, but there would be no need for faith and trust. God, keep me trusting in you and help me to know what your will is and to do it.

Colossians1:9-12 "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light."

Prayer request

If you think of me in the next two weeks, pray for me to have peace over my shoulder surgery. To tell you the truth, I am scared to death. I loath needles. I had to have blood drawn earlier today and I was on the verge of tears all morning. I just kept repeating, "God is my refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore I will not fear." I have somewhat of a peace about surgery, but I am still scared out of my mind. Anyhow, if you think about it, please pray for me. I would greatly appreciate it. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

And Praise God for my parents who love me. My dear father let me drive his car this morning so I could have a/c. :) He's so awesome.

Well, sometimes my life just don't make sense at all
When the mountains look so big
And my faith just seems so small

So hold me Jesus,
'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace

Surrender don't come natural to me
I'd rather fight You for something I don't really want
Than to take what You give that I need
And I've beat my head against so many walls
Now I'm falling down, I'm falling on my knees

Well, I'm back

Six Flags yesterday was awesome. I have a great bunch of friends (I don't think I could ever say that too much). Tower of Doom was great (even though I had a look of crazed fear on my face at the end). Haha. I was afraid it would be too hot to have any fun, but I was wrong. I just hopped around from the two water fountains and guzzled down water. And then rode water rides between riding the other rides. Get wet, ride rides, get wet again... It was great. I would suggest to never go on the octupus and then the swings (NEVER go on either of them and never one right after the other...bad idea). Also, I think our Six Flags is getting sort of boring. It was fun the first few times, but now I know where everything is. I still had fun, but I think we need a new place to explore. :) I will also mention the batman show as interesting and entertaining (with crazy fireballs...haha) and the white one (wooden rollar coaster) as fun too, but not my absolute favorite part of the day. So, my favorite parts of the day...
*Tower of Doom
*The pirate ride the first time (rocking the boat and having a water fight... great fun).
*The fudge man (he was funny).
*That phone message from Steffy (I love you, Steffy!!! I laughed until I cried... Hey FAITH!!)
*Batwing (is always my favorite -- and I got to ride up front!! Double fun!)
*Red, Hot, and Blue (need I say more -- yay for fried catfish, sweet potato fries, and huge tips...haha).
*Boggle (for the whole way home) and actually winning a couple rounds and not getting carsick.

Yep, it was a blast. Thanks to Ben, Linnea, Jared, Kyrie, and Sienna for going and keeping me laughing. Volleyball was highly entertaining too. Hardy har.

a single rose

And this is why I would be happy with a single rose (besides the fact that if another ever thought enough of me to give me a rose (or roses), I would be so happy I would feel like I was going to fall over and die. Well, unless it was so creep. In that case I would slap him. Since I have been known to do that when people offend me. Anyhow, this is what happens when you spend ten hours at work, you start thinking about the oddest things. Perhaps I should stop listening to the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack and go back to Road to Perdition. Haha) ...

"Once apon a time in a far away land, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. But then, one winters night, an old begger women came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggered apperence, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away, but she warned him not to be deceived by appearences, for beauty is found within. And when he dismissed her again the old woman's uglyness melted away to reveal a beautiful entrantress. The prince tried to apoligize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart. As punishment, she transformed him into a hidious beast and placed a powerful spell over the castle and all who lived there. Ashamed of his monsterous form, the beast concealed himself inside his castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world.
The rose that she had given him was truely an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his twenty-first year. If he could learn to love another and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken, IN NOT, he would be doomed to remain a beast FOR ALL TIME.
As the years past, he fell into dispair and lost all hope, for who could ever learn to love a beast...?"

Don't you love Beauty and the Beast?

dreaming...

I hope we get to stop at Red, Hot, and Blue tomorrow.
I feel like eating sweet potato fries and fried catfish. Wow, that has to be good for you.

RAIN

I love the scent of rain.

Yesterday we went over to the Robins to have Mrs. Robins world famous chicken salad (she doesn't put nuts, celery, rasiens, grapes, or any of that stuff that ruins chicken salad, in it). Then we played Boggle and pictionary. Fun times. Boggle is one of the best games ever! Haha. I love thinking games.

A merry adventure had we

Today was a grand old day.
-I helped the Conleys paint their new house from 9-12:30. I trimmed in two coats of a room (Hope helped me with the first coat... Hope is a pretty good kid sometimes) and then did the closet in the room Mrs. Shelton was trimming. I really enjoy painting. There is something satisfying about it. But you know what I love more... refinished hard word floors!!! Man, I used to love doing that with my dad. Maybe it was because it was done with my dad, but it was so much fun. Playing the music loud and working until late into the night. Polying the floors and counting floor boards. Sanding was always crazy with that little breathing mask ... haha. I need some pictures of me in that and some of my work clothes. Those were the days... Man, I love my Dad. :D
-Mrs. Shelton then invited me over to lunch and I had a nice little chat with Pastor and Mrs. Shelton and a bowl of peaches!!! May I say again that I love fresh fruit!! So we were going to clean the house, but all I did was feather dust (which is really fun) and wash a few dishes.
-Jared showed us a few random scenes for A Mighty Wind because I didn't want to watch Seifield and he didn't want to watch a whole movie. He then went off somewhere.
-Then Mrs. Shelton and I decided to go to get ice cream, but the place we wanted to go was closed, so we went to the Hebron Dinner (what a funny little place) and ordered chocolate peanut butter pie (yummy). We had a golly good time laughing and driving around merrily about the cornfields around Hebron.
-Then I went back to the Conelys and picked up Hope.
-Anna and I then went to Rosses and I bought an awesome new shirt.
-Then I made dinner (I am getting quite good at this, since my parents are still out of town).
-Sarah, Anna, Luke, and I then played Pitch (the greatest card game ever!!! We all love it and it is so much fun... I love playing games with my siblings...I love my siblings too. They have grown up a lot in the past few years. I appreciate them a lot more then I used to. What a great bunch of kids. May God keep them that way and draw them closer to Himself).

Last night was fun with them too. We watched a bunch of epidsodes of Jeeves and Wooster and partied the night away. :) Woohoo. And the house is clean.

I love this blazer. I love old navy.

Choir and Dinner Plans

Hmmmm... Mae just got back from a conducting seminar and so we had to do some weird warm-ups last night. Next week we will be dancing around the sanctuary holding batons wearing sombreros. Haha.
So I have been at work since seven. My parents are away again so I am cooking dinner this week. Last night we had spaghetti and garlic bread. Tonight we are having something with chicken. Probably broiled with greek seasoning, cheese, and some sort of pasta. I am a huge fan of italian food. This will sort of be a greek/italian dinner of sorts. I'll probably make garlic bread again too because my siblings won't complain about dinner that way. Heh. Actually, my greek chicken is one of their favorite meals (which means I won't have to hear them whine to mom when she gets home that dinner was never good). I love my siblings. I feel like mexican food . Maybe I will get some ground beef to make tacos tomorrow or maybe extra chicken to make Fajitas. Ah, the decsions you have to make when you are taking care of a family.
I need to change the time on this blog so it says the correct time.

there is a reason for it all

I've seen hard times and I've been told
There isn't any wonder that I fall
Why do we suffer, crossing off the years
There must be a reason for it all

I've trusted in You, Jesus, to save me from my sin
Heaven is the place I call my home
But I keep on getting caught up in this world I'm living in
And Your voice it sometimes fades before I know

Hurtin' brings my heart to You, crying with my need
Depending on Your love to carry me
The love that shed His blood for all the world to see
This must be the reason for it all

Hurtin' brings my heart to You, a fortress in the storm
When what I wrap my heart around is gone
I give my heart so easily to the ruler of this world
When the one who loves me most will give me all

In all the things that cause me pain
You give me eyes to see
I do believe but help my unbelief
I've seen hard times and I've been told
There is a reason for it all

Hannah arrived safely in M-I-SS-I-SS-I-PP-I.
Thank the Lord.
Have a blast!

The near future...

• Thursday, July 28 - Sunday, July 31 --> Williamsburg (even though I don't like the town, I have been there TOO MANY TIMES!!), but we are camping with a bunch of families from the Church, so it should be cool. I can't wait for Whithe Chocolate Non-Periels (spelling???).
• Monday, August 1 --> Shoulder Surgery
• Tuesday, August 2-Friday, August 5 --> Come visit little in pain Faith and make her laugh.
• Monday, August 29 --> School starts again with Faith in a sling. :( This happens too much.

In case you wonder where I am during the next few weeks... God bless. I will try to keep up with this. The grace of God is new every morning. May we never take one moment for granted and may He grant us the grace to be faithful in the little things. That has the be the hardest thing in life. Being Christ-like in every area of life. Man! And also valueing Christ above EVERYTHING else. It is a good thing God is merciful and full of grace. Praise the Lord of life. :)

Confederate Motto (you've got to love the south)

Here is their motto: Deo Vindice -- God will be our Vindicator

I'm back

And everyone else has left or is leaving today.

I just got back from Winchester VA -- birthplace of Patsy Cline.

I love the mountians. They are so awe-inspiring. I just stare at them and I am filled with wonder and amazement. They are one of those things in life that takes your breath away. I put that on the list of the moon reflecting off water, the stars, the ocean, and anything else in creation that is wonderful. I'm thinking quickly here since I am at work.

• Monday we saw General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's office in town and had an awesome little tour. The tour guide was amazing. Then we went over to the courthouse so that we could see the prisoners writings all over the walls. But the courthouse was closed. However the manager walked by and saw us on the stairs and offered us a private tour (and we got to see the actual courtroom -- that won't open to the public til October -- the accoustics were incredible!!!!). Then we went back to the campsite and read, swam, and ate! Haha. What fun. We also went to Walmart to get a deck of card (because the only deck we brought had different colored jokers...and for pitch you need jokers and they can't be pink... haha). Then we went to this little ice cream shop and everyone else got ice cream. We then went back to the site and played Pitch until about 11:30. Anna and I won four out of four games!!! Woohoo. The four games took us close to four hours of card playing. We are obsessed with Pitch. It is one of the most fun games ever!!!
• Tuesday - Hope and I went swimming for the whole morning while everyone else went to the Caverns. I was going to read while Hope swam, but she kept talking me into swimming her around the pool. It was quite tiring, but fun. Then we played cards!!! Ha. And went to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory... (I will post pictures of this little old theatre that was falling apart -- the seats were gross) and then dinner at Cracker Barrel (fried catfish, baked potato, and green beans -- with lots of ketchup (hentz - of course) and tobasco sauce mixed in).
• Wednesday - We went swimming and then we went home and found the power off -- so I went on a run. It was great since I was already all sweating and gross from the trip. :) Woohoo for running/jogging. I really should do that more often because I do enjoy it.

Home computer...

I really don't like to post from the home computer because the thing is so blasted slow.

* Thursday we went to see Dark Water (Jennifer Connely is beautiful and wonderful!!!). It was entertaining enough. I didn't regret going and I would see it again for free. Haha. Hannah was freaking me out the whole time which made it even more fun. :) Woohoo. Being scared in a scary movie is the best. Afterwards we got frosties and fix and mixes at Wendys. I think Hannah's version is the best so far. Linnea and I were in the back seat crying we were laughing so hard.
"Why don't they just give you a butterfinger bar and a knife and tell you to fix it your self?"
"or have a cow and a ice cream maker outside and you have to make the whole thing... and pay them so that you can make it..."
* Friday night we were supposed to go to a bonfire, but because of this silly weather, it was cancelled. So we (Ben, Kyrie, Anna, and I) played botchi ball all over the Shelton's yard (mainly accross the road). Haha, that was so much fun. Gutter balls were a blast. Anyhow, then we (Jared, Hannah, Anna, Rachel Townsend, and I) went to go see Charlie and the Chocolate factory!!! WOW WOW!! What an awesome movie! I laughed and I laughed. I was laughing so hard at some points I almost couldn't breath. It was totally amazing. I told my Mom, I felt like I went to the circus or an amusement park and was made to laugh the whole time. It was a fun movie. I want to see it again! :)

Brothers Grimm

Since my boss is feeling ill today, I got to sit a work and read Fairy Tales by the Grimm Brothers. What fun!

I've always loved Rumpelstiltskin. All of the stories I have read have been great. Here is a website with most of their books online. Woo hoo.

to-day I bake, to-morrow brew,
the next I'll have the young queen's child.
Ha, glad am I that no one knew
that Rumpelstiltskin I am styled

YAY!

I'm just really happy today. Appreciate life!

I hope this movie turns out to be good.

I love the old version of this movie. I hope this one is just as good. Johnny Depp doesn't look as weird as he normally does (in the picture that is, he looks weird in the movie-haha). Cinderella Man and Batman are still my favorite movies this summer. There hasn't been much of anything else to watch.
Yay, for Martin Chuzzlewit and In the Bedroom! Some hope in the darkness.

Abba

Romans 8:15 "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

Ever think how great it is to be able to cry Abba, Father whenever we need to? Ever think how amazing it is that we were made children of God when we did nothing? Praise the Lord for being a loving Father and not making us a slave to fear. And also praise him for his discipline when we go astray and mess up. Only a loving father punishes his children, to teach them a lesson, and leads them to the right path. Blessed be thy name. Thank you for life.

Last photos for today...

I wish I had gone on this trip. It looked like so much fun. I always love going to the plays. What fun memories.

Sarah took this really awesome picture in the creepy bathroom at the art place.
Linnea in the parking lot at the art and theatre place. She's so cute.
Something that was on display in the art section. Linnea, Luke, and Rachel, ponder what it is. Anna is just laughing.

Anna should be laughing at this. Rachel, Linnea, and Anna go shopping. I really wish I had been there. :) There is always next time.

more photos

Random photos of fun.

The philly hand photo. I still love this photo. I don't know why. This is from our Lord of the Rings trip last year. Woohoo.
Luke calls this photo "The Clinster Pose" . He says he looks very much like Clint Eastwood. Hmmm... I love my brother.

This is from the snowstorm when we were snowed in at the Sheltons. Linnea was about to go out into the crazy cold snow. I choose to stay inside and play (and get beaten in by Jared) Princess Uno with Hannah, Sarah, Jared, and Patrick.