Oldies but Goodies

Ever have one of those moments where you come across something from your past that brought you much enjoyment and good memories? Maybe family pictures or jokes, a beloved toy or book. 

I ran into one such item this past week: Steve Green's Hide 'em in Your Heart music videos. And by videos, I mean video cassettes with matching cassette tapes. I think there's still an argument as far as the durability of cassettes vs. CDs, but that's a bunny trail. I never realized the songs were pure scripture! Huzzah and hoorah to my parents for having us watch those tapes; they're good stuff. As I scrolled itunes listening to the songs, they came right back. There I sat singing scripture songs along with the high-pitched voices of seven year olds. I want to find those videos, and the tapes. The younger two need to watch them and I want to re-watch them. 

We also have the entire New & Old Testament sets of animated Bible stories from Nest Entertainment. Those were wonderful as well. I can still remember lying on my stomach next to my brother in front of the TV coloring in the books that corresponded with the videos.

It's nice to realize that you haven't outgrown the enjoyment of certain things. 

Save the Baby Humans

The last line stuck out to me oddly enough:

"D.C. police said there were no major incidents at the march."

ah. digital post it reminders. genius & even inspirational

Stood out tonight as I browsed my stickie notes:

"We are not made happy by what we acquire but what we appreciate."

Don't Worry Be Happy

Reflect joy. 

[He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock. For the LORD has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD. - Ps. 34 

Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. -Is. 60]

HTML gone slightly haywire

The addition of an 'I like Mike' banner among others and my inability to simply add one thing without throwing the whole mess of code out of wack (unintentionally!) ...the blog's a little topsyturvy.

the regeneration magazine banner's not working due to the site not working.

When I get the chance go fool around and fix it, it shall be fixed. My apologies in the meantime ;-)

Thinking Ahead

Will be listening to the messages from this:

Hmm. make it to Maryland for this?

Growing in Discipline: Tidbits

There's a cry in my heart for Your glory to fall, for Your presence to fill up my senses.
There's a yearning again; a thirst for discipline, a hunger for things that are deeper.

Could You take me beyond?
Could You carry me through?
If I open my heart could I go there with You?
For I've been here before, but I know there's still more- Oh, Lord, I need to know You.

For what do I have if I don't have You, Jesus?
What in this life could mean any more?
You are my rock; You are my glory
You are the lifter of my head, the lifter of this head

Just finished this book. Took this one off of the shelf this one last night.

That Starfield lyric line about having a thirst for discipline, that's me right now. I've been wasting my days. I've been given the ability and responsibility to manage my schoolwork, my education! Maybe I've attempted on my own and here I am with satisfactory progress this year, moving confusing granted. ;-) I have tried, and have sought the Lord for help on different levels. Maybe I didnt do either of those completely or enough. What I know is: I have been irresponsibly and continually squandering the time in which to accomplish tasks.

first |fərst|
coming before all others in time or order; earliest; fundamental
met with or encountered before any others; foremost in position, rank, or importance
our first priority; foremost, principal, highest, greatest, paramount, top, uppermost, prime, chief, leading, main, major; overriding, predominant, prevailing, central, core, dominant;

Yesterday I was discouraged. Last and this week I've been trying to wake up earlier- a hard thing. I want to even say tortorous some days. How the morning plays out can have such an effect on the rest of the day. Bad morning, not so much work gets done before lunch, school has to go until dinner or after oh, and ya, I probably never changed out of my pajamas or touched my hair.

On a positive note, today has been a day of small victories. I woke up and started school by 8:30. It's 2pm and I've finished all but half of an argumentation lecture and history reading, oooh, maybe I need to do some essay prep too. The source of praise, whether I have a bad or a good day, is that God is giving me to grace to have transcendent joy.. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God..." has continually been on the brain since the reference to it in a friendship message at YPCG awhile back and due to reading the above linked Mark Pearce book, which was a fabulous read by the way. First. It's highly probably that devotions was not the first thing I did upon waking up. Yes, devotions are wonderful; meeting God and experiencing his Word is irreplacable and we should thirst for it. However, I am growing in consciously keeping Christ first in my heart and mind throughout the day (whether I was able to begin it in such a fashion or not).

“Nothing can be more hurtful to the service, than the neglect of discipline; for that discipline, more than numbers, gives one army the superiority over another”
-George Washington

Questioning the Worth of these Past Words

Why do I write this blog?
What do I have to say that is truly of worth?



I have a post on New Years in draft (seems like lately for every post I publish there's been one waiting), but only the links to other blogs that I took something away from reading are worth publishing.

Looking through the post archive, I realized I've posted some boring and badly written stuff over the past year. Yet a few posts stuck out as truly valuable. I would rather publish less and have the posts be worthy of whatever time spent writing and reading then publish much of little admiration. Simple thought, but important.

You'll hear from me when I come up with something of meaning to post... whether my own thoughts of those of others which have affected my own in one way or another.

When I've accomplished something, then I'll talk about it, but not before. Words without action are useless, dead. All the talk in the world about the finished product, position, goal, assignment doesn't get you one inch closer to having accomplished it or up and over the hurdle. Even worse, you dont get any closer to the next hurdle in line; you stay consumed with the one you're facing until you shut your mouth and do something.

I'm not about to connect the original question of why I blog (which I never intended to answer in this post anyway) with the above paragraph, but it was on my mind, as is now the thought of my soft pillow.

After reading about dusting off resolutions, I wanted to do some myself, having honestly never thought to look back at what I'd said the year before (always looking ahead, ya know?). But then I was reminded that my journals are among the items yet to be found since moving. New Years processes slowly for me; I never transition before hand or at midnight.

Here is another great post on resolutions, New Years or not.

New Years Eve we had a party. It dimmed down at 10 or 11 o'clock, but a great handful of folks stuck around until after midnight. Dad made a fire in the basement. Pool games were going while the hi-fi played The Beatles and Nat King Cole.

"This year has been filled and brought alot of change for you," he said. "Ya, it has..." Into my mind rushed little moments, big events, faces of friends present and past. "So much of this year centered around church." Sitting on the couch, we verbally composed a list of some things from the past year- back and forth, each adding one thing followed by another. Nothing fancy-

Cabin Fever weekend I learned unity and teamwork; experienced deep joy in friendship and in the Lord, and had fun. the white rocks.

On new member's Sunday, I stood next to my family and together with the other new members in front of individuals, those who have become a church family over the past year. I can still see everyone on their feet, clapping with smiles on their faces. I cried standing there. Our family was right where God wanted us; I was where I was supposed to be.

Somewhere there was Exploring Christianity. I grew in Bible doctrine, studying it at home separately and then being able to connect and discuss it. Yummy food, lots of homeschool jokes and hot sauce.

June was youth camp. wow. I think that's the reaction I have most anytime I talk about it. The can't believe I actually went, unforgettable youth camp. A. Cal. talking about how he saw a cloud of mist over the main building one of the nights sticks in my head. I love camp.

There were three church picnics- the last complete with mud sliding. oh man how much fun!

Two graduation parties.

Slept in a tent for the first time. On that trip I screamed at a frog, had mountain pies for the first iem, biked twenty miles just because I wanted to be able to say I did, was amazed on the hill.

The I-team was adopted.

We tried to go caroling but that didnt work out so great... "Can you go Christmas caroling after Christmas?"
__

I struggled with assurance of salvation this year. I remember messages that Mr. Rishel preached that spoke directly to me.

My faith and trust were tested and I was reliant on Christ alone. Moving was a hard thing. He was so kind in showing me His faithfulness in the past and providing support from family and through conversations at church. The situation may seem other than it is when you see the bigness and wonderful everything about the new house. It was never about the house for us. The situation had deeper meaning than just requiring a place to live more suited to our family or to giving bigger parties. Leaving the only home I'd known when I didnt think it was necessary we leave. I was content where I was, just as we are all content with to live in sin before Christ does a work in our hearts. Acknowledgment that God has such a greater plan, for my good and that it is Him only I should be content to rest in, had to take place and did. This house was a gift from God, one of sorrow and tears but revealing joy. It even has blue glass in the cabinets. As I say all that, I realize how much of a challenge moving was for not just me, but also my parents.

I turned sixteen. The celebration was far from the plans thought over and written down, (moving took its tole on life) but it was lovely and I felt loved through it. I smile when I think about it.

I've seen all three Bourne movies. I'm a fan.
I'm surviving APUSH, and learning much. I struggle with whether I am truly doing my best or whether I could do better. But that has come down to being a work of grace in having more discipline and concentration.

I only messed up writing the year once or twice and got on track easily. No weeks worth of papers dating incorrectly this time around...

My life has changed and will continue to. The year has changed. But my God, our God has not.