An Award

Hello! So much has happened since my last post! But once again, I don't have much time... But I wanted to thank Hannah for the award!



Here are the rules:
1. Thank the person who gave you the award.
2. Copy the Award.
3. Post it in your blog.
4. Tell Us 7 things that your readers don't know.
5. Link 7 new bloggers as recipients.
6. Notify winners of award with comment on their blog.
7. Keep being an encouragement!

Ok, here are seven things about me that you probably don't know :) !

1. I like all the 'sevens' in this! Did you know that in the Bible, seven symbolizes perfection?
2. I love horses, but don't have one (even though I've wanted one since I was 7! And I live in the country too! :( )
3. I have just one sister, but wish I had lots of brothers and sisters!
4. I love the chex mix Muddie Buddies!
5. My favorite color is red, & my second-favorite is blue
6. I was home-schooled all my schooling years (until I started college)
7. I sometimes start laughing at something totally random, and then can't stop!

Now to award someone else! :
I haven't been blogging very long, and don't know many people, so instead of awarding seven, I'm just going to do four...
Now, for the people I award (drum role please):

1. Livvy

2. Beth (my newest friend in Blog World :) )

3. Hannah Paige

4. Cora

Until next time (whenever that shall be... ;) ) may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand!

Thursday night college class last week

I don't think I've told about this yet, but on Thursday nights the college age young people have a Bible study/fellowship time. Anyone 17 years old and up can come. Well, almost everyone is 17 or up... :) . Tanner, Justice's younger brother, is just sixteen, but he was so disapointed that he was not old enough to come! And he is such a fine young man, serious about studying the Bible, and just a great kid to be around, that we voted him in ;D ! We originally set the age limit at 17 because, after all, it is a college class, and 17-year-olds would at least be seniors in high school, but mainly (not to be mean or anything) because we wanted to be sure that those who came were coming because they were serious about their walk with the Lord, and not just there for "fun". But Tanner fits that, so we allowed him in, and he really has added a whole new neat dimension to things!
Anyway, a few weeks ago, a young couple who were expecting their first child visited the church. The baby was due in December, but was born the week after they visited, quite early. So we as a church took them up, to love and help them during this difficult time, sending cards and baskets of goodies, visiting, calling, and praying for them. The husband is in the military, and the wife's family all live far away, so they were kind of "on their own". They have been so touched by all the caring and love, and it's been such a blessing to know we are being a blessing!
So anyway, the Thurs. night college class wanted to make up their own basket to send, so this past Thurs. instead of regular Bible study, we all went out to Wal*Mart to go shopping for stuff for the basket. We ended up splitting up, the boys and Bro. Mike (he comes to the class too, and also Bro. Dennis when he has a chance. I guess they are the oldest of those who come) went to look for things for the husband, and the girls went to get stuff for the wife and the baby. We spent about an hour, then paid for our things (everyone chipped in) and went back to the church to 'assemble' the basket. Actually, we ended up doing 3 'baskets' of a sort. We got a tool bucket to put the man's things in, a decorative basket for the woman's things, and a small diperbag for the baby's. None of them were big, and we didn't buy a ton of stuff, we just wanted to do something from the class show our love. After we finished with that, we just sat around enjoying each other's company :) . Most of them played a game, but Lindy (a really nice, kind, shy girl who Trissy and I are good friends with; well, sometimes she's shy. She's pretty tough when she has to be, and she's not really shy around people she knows. She's really pretty too, slim and athletic, with wavy/curly brownsugar-colored hair, powder-blue eyes, and a delicate, thoughtful face) was having trouble with Algebra, and brought her books thinking maybe some of us could help her with it. So Trissy, me, Oliver, Tanner, Landon Barker (he's another neat kid! He's slim and cowboyish, with short chocolate-colored hair and eyes, and he's 17, but he's got a lisp, so if you ask him his name, it isn't "Landon Barker", it's "Wandon Bawkuh"! :D But he says it quickly, so it sounds right anyway. He is such a good sport and just a really neat person to be around), and Archer (more about him in a minute) were all sitting with her, trying to help out. We ended up talking about several other things besides just math! I mainly wanted to tell about this because of what Archer confided (don't worry, he wouldn't mind me telling it). I'd like y'all to be praying for him. He's a really laid-back type person. He's got a quirky sense of dry humor, so that you've got to be around him for a while before you can tell whether he's joking/teasing, or if he's serious; but his mouth always looks like he's just trying to keep from smiling, and if you say something funny just right, the smile will break out. He's tall and lanky, (alot like Tanner is, 'cept Tanner's blond) with dark dark brown hair, just shy of black, a good straight nose with lots of freckles, and serious brown eyes. Ok, anyway, his family recently moved here from Kansas. When they had to move, it really sort of shook his comfort, you might say, cause they (he, his brother, and two sisters) were going to a small, close-knit Christian school, and he was real close to his classmates there (and they were good Christian friends besides). They moved here and had to find a new school. Well, the three youngest go to Victory Road Christian Academy here, but Archer's a senior, and the school only has through 10th grade right now. So he's having to go to another very difficult, liberal, non-Christian, public school, and it's about to get the best of him. He's going to try to "stick it out though". So just pray for him when you think of it, and for all the young people as they try to live Christian lives in difficult environments.

Wow, there is so much more, but I really need to take a break from the computer - my eyes are aching really bad.
Ttyl...Take care, and Ps. 107:8!

Oliver's lesson - "Discipleship: Getting Alone With God"

Two weeks ago on Wednesday nights Bro. Mike (the youth pastor) started a series of lessons on True Discipleship and what it means to really follow the Lord with your whole heart and life. I was really glad, 'cause that sort of thing is not put much emphasis on any more.
There are a couple of young men who have surrendered to preach in the youth group, and Bro. Mike is having them take turns with him teaching the lessons. Oliver is 17, medium height, gentle and fun, with short jet-black hair and dark eyes that burn with the passion in his heart whenever he is teaching or preaching. Justice is 21, not real tall, and kind of stocky, mature and responsible, a born leader, with unruly chocolate curls, sky-blue eyes, and a wonderful, boyish sense of humor.
So this past Wed. was Oliver's turn, and he taught on True Discipleship: Getting Alone With God. It was so good! He used Matthew 6:6, and 1 Kings (I don't remember the exact reference. I'll go look it up later and fill it in) as his scriptures. He talked about how so many times we run and rush and run and rush, and pack way too much into our schedules, and then we don't take the time to just stop, be still, and listen to the Lord speak to us. Cause He's not going to try to yell over all the hubub in our lives. When He speaks, He speaks in a still, small voice. It's our responsibility to make sure we take that time that we need, and that He tells us to, to just "recharge our batteries", so to speak. It was so thought-provoking, and just really good and "deep". You'd just need to have been there.

Pickin' Pecans

Well, it's been a few days since I posted last. Y'all will need to forgive me if that happens sometimes...I've got alot going on with school, and if I get free time on the computer, I've got to make it. (Tip: Don't go to college unless you've got to! Example: if your parents want you to, then you must honor them, especially if you are still living under their roof, you are still under their authority, otherwise, don't do it! just a piece of friendly advice... :) )

Today though, I did get to ride my bicycle up to my grandparent's house and pick up pecans under the trees in their yard. That was very enjoyable since I've not gotten to get out in this lovely weather much! And I can just taste the pecan pies! My mom's sister (well, one of my mom's sisters ;) ) makes the best pecan pie you ever ate! Pecans are so much fun to have on hand too, when you just want a nice wholesome snack to munch during a family visit!
We figured out last year that in some cases, like if there are really alot on the ground and we're trying to grab them up in a hurry ( ;) ), it's alot easier to just gather them in our skirts than to try to crawl around, pick up nuts, and drag around a bucket all at the same time!



It's better to just hold your skirt with one hand, and pick with the other! (Just another free tip by the way, you haven't got to pay for that one either ;) !)
Well, I hate to run, but that's really all I have time for - I've got to get ready for church. I did want to at least "touch base", as my mom likes to say :), though.

Take care!

Sunday Morning!

Good morning everyone! Oh my, such a beautiful, glorious Sunday morning-with just a little bit of a 'nip' in the air! Oh how I love the autumn time!
I'd like to start out the morning and this post with one of my favorite Scripture passages: Rom. 8:24-28 -

"For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but tht Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

I think that is one of the most encouraging and beautiful passages in the Bible, and I just wanted to share it with you this morning!

And now, I discovered that I have been tagged by my friend Hannah! (visit her fun and encouraging blog, Stepping Heavenward) So I will now take a little time and fill it out!

1. Do you like to write?
I like to write stories, letters, on my blog, and several other ways!

2. Favorite books?
All the books in the Bible, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Scottish Chiefs, Little Men, lots more - I love, love, love to read! (any good suggestions?)

3. Do you compose music/write songs?
A little, I love good music, and have composed and written a little bit, nothing has ever been put on paper though.

4. Do you like poetry?
Certain kinds. Some poetry can be silly or depressing. I love Rudyard Kipling's poem, "If", to his son. Good, thought-provoking stuff like that is what I enjoy.

5. Love someone so much who made you cry?
Oh yes!

6. Broken a bone?
Nope, thank the Lord, well, I may have broken my toe once when I jumped into a pool with it being too shallow (it sure felt broken!), but I don't think that really counts.

7.Been in a police car?
Nope!

8.Been on a boat?
Yes, a couple of times. Once when I was real little, my family went out on a lake, and once a few years ago, we went fishing in a friend's boat, then I've been out lots of times on the ponds around where we live.

9.Fallen asleep in school?
Yes...

10. Did you sing today?
Oh yes! This morning as I put away dishes, I was singing a song that's going to be in our Chrismas choir special at church.

11.KFC, Popeyes, or Church's?
I've had Kentucky Fried Chicken a couple of times...We don't really 'eat out'

12.Chick-fil-a or What-a-burger?
Never been to What-a-burger, I support Chick-fil-A because it was started by a saved man, and he refuse to stay open on Sunday, even though the businesses around him said it would hurt them (but it didn't, so he won!), but as I said, we don't really do resturant food much...

13.Starbucks of McCafe?
NO! Coffee? Yuk! And it's bad for you!

14.What's your favorite time of year?
FALL!! Yay! (Love the Fall - ;D )

15.Do you ever talk to yourself?
Oh yes!! I am always talking to myself (usually the stories I like to write in my head), or out loud to no one in particular, or praying softly out loud as I go about my day.

16.Do you have a favorite treat you like to buy on occasion?
Um, not really...We like to make stuff though!

17. Do you believe the Bible is the literal Word of God and is infallible?
ABSOLUTELY

18. What's your favorite sport?
I've never really been a sports person - though I have begun to enjoy football (ever seen Facing the Giants? :D)

19. What color is your ipod?
Uh...Don't have one!

20. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
SCOTLAND!

21.If you could go to any fictional place, where would you go?
Wow... Hmm, how soon have you got to have the answer...?

22.Do you love to write or do you just like writing? Or do you write at all?
Yes, but not really for school, 'cause then there is a deadline, and I do better if I'm able to just let it flow when it comes.

23.What do you want to be when you’re a grown up?
A missionary.

24.Favorite animal?
Horses! But I like lots of other animals too. I really like dragonflies...!

25. Favorite song?
Oh wow! That's hard! I just recently heard a song for the first time when our quartet sang it at church -"Prayer is just as big as God is, prayer is just as strong as God is strong, prayer can reach as far as God can reach-don't ever give up, just pray!"
That's the chorus, and I really loved that song! A couple of my favorite hymns are "Sitting at the Feet of Jesus", "Be Thou My Vision", "I Must Tell Jesus", and "Have Faith in God". I have lots of songs I love!

26.Do you like school?
I love to learn, but I'd rather learn by doing - I really hate textbook work. Like if I'm studying History, say, I'd love to visit Gettysburg, or if it's Science, I'd rather go to a lake or creek, and collect samples. That sort of thing

27.Are you a people person?
Yes, oh yes, I love people!

28. Do you like to talk?
Depends who I'm talking to, how well and long I have known them, and how much we have in common.

29.Favorite food?
Good old down-home Southern cooking!

30.Hobbies?
Oh wow! Lots of hobbies! See my profile under interests for a scratch on the surface :)

31.Favorite author?
My God my Father who wrote the most wonderful book of all, George MacDonald, ... (see my list of favorite books)

32. Favorite weapon?
The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, a Scottish broadsword, Historic American muskets and rifles.

33.Is this a fun tag or are you getting bored?
It's pretty fun actually.


34.Do you like Hannah Montana and all those girly people and movies like Highschool Musical?
Yuk! Never seen them, don't want to, don't care. Just pray for them.

35.What are you scared of?
Satan, failure, letting my Lord and/or my friends down.

36. Favorite flower?
Oh I just love them all! I love plants and the outdoors!

37.What is the expression on your face?
Thoughtful as I'm typing, I smiled when I read the question!

38. Color of your eyes?
The color of the sky as a thunderstorm is coming on, with the top half of my left eye sort of a caramel color. I love my eyes!
BTW, that's another hobby of mine - studying people's eyes. They say that a person's eyes are the windows into their soul, and many times, I have thought it's true.

Well, I must go for now, anyone who wants to do this tag can.
Time for breakfast and then to Sunday School! Catch y'all later! Take care!

Last Saturday's Sing

Ok, I'm finally getting to tell about last Saturday. Those of you who know much about me, know I love good, old-fashioned, Southern Gospel quartet music! Well, Sat. we had a quartet come to our church and sing - on Halloween no less! I thought that was pretty smart of the people who planned it! - encourage people to go to church and hear God's truths proclaimed in song, instead of participating (even innocently) in a satanic-like holiday. But anyway, a local quartet (of which three of our men are members) 'opened up' for them. Bro. Dennis sings tenor, Bro. Blake (who is 6'7" tall, and nicknamed "Tiny" :D ) plays the drums (but he's good - not like the kind of music you're probably thinking of that involves drums), and Bro. Jack sings bass. And if you think Bro. Dennis is a blast, whoowee boys and girls! you get Bro. Dennis and Bro. Jack together ... hold onto your socks, 'cause you're in for some side-splitting hillarity!
If you're one of those people (like me) who likes to visualize characters or people your reading about, picture 'Mr. Clean', except with blond eyebrows and goatee, a kinder smile, and no gold earring, and you'd pretty much have Bro. Jack. He and Bro. Dennis are about the same height, roughly 5'9', and are pretty close to the same age (early-mid thirties), and they both are wonderful singers.
The group had been practicing for weeks, getting ready to do this, but when we heard Bro. Dennis was sick, we didn't know if they'd get to sing or not. We should have known he would not have let his end down! And sure enough, he was there and sang his heart out. I was just sure he was going to collapse any minute. He did great though - Dad and Mom said they couldn't tell any difference at all! Trissy and I could tell, 'cause we are around him more, I guess. They sang beautifully, and my grandmother (Mom's parents came with us) said she liked them better than the other group, who has had more experience!
The whole evening was so enjoyable! That's been a week ago tonight, and I was sure I'd get it told about before now (I've left out so much I had wanted to record) - but I stay so busy with college (I really don't like school :{ ) I don't get much of a chance to get on the computer "just for fun".
Well, tomorrow is Sunday, so I'm really looking forward to a day of rest ;) !
Take care! Until next time...
SOLI DEO GLORIA!

Feminine Farmgirl: Of Right and Wrong

This post is just to provide a link to a very good post I read on another young lady's blog. Please take the time to read it, and leave Jenna a comment letting her know what you think. I thought it was excellent. Link: Feminine Farmgirl: Of Right and Wrong

Ho Hum... But oh well!

Well, my sister Trissy is sick, so she couldn't go to church and I told Dad and Mom I'd stay with her and they could go together. Their class lets out earlier than the young people's class, so it just made sense for them to go, and us to stay, that way no one would be waiting on anyone. But I got some of the 'news' from them :) . Bro. Dennis was there and evidently back to his normal self. Dad is not one to talk alot, but when I asked him if there was anything interesting he wanted to tell that happened in the men's class, he said, "It just does me good to see all those boys there. ... it comforts me to know the world is a better place because of people like that.", and I believe I quote. It did my heart good to hear him say that! He's not one to express his deeper feelings just because they are there! He only tells them if he's asked or if it's something he feels compeled to voice because of some relevant issue. And he had never really told his over-all feeling about what he thinks about this church. But that let me know, even if he's not as 'verbose' in his praise, he still loves it. *BTW, when he says "boys", he means any man younger than him or near his age :).*
Oh man, sorry, I've got to go for now. Seems I am always getting interrupted before I get a topic or thought finished. But anyway, Lord willing I can post some more later, maybe tommorrow.

Bro. Dennis, Mrs. Carrie, and "Swu"

I'm so glad it's Wednesday!! We'll get to go to church tonight! Ok, that probably sounds put-on and gushy, but I assure you it's not. I love to be at Victory Rd.! Often I wish I could just go and sit in the auditorium, just to be there. The atmosphere of sincerity, love, and worship seems to linger in the air even when there is nobody there. Anyway, maybe tonight I can find out if Bro. Dennis is well yet.
Bro. Dennis is Bro. Earl's oldest son. He's 34 and teaches the college Sunday School class, is the associate pastor, he's in charge of music, and a hundred other things, it seems. He is amazing - he's like an encyclopedia when it comes to the Bible, music, and (I have a feeling) alot of other things as well. He works as a counselor at a drug and alchohol rehab, and the stress he's under from being in such a spiritually 'dirty' environment is unbelievable. But he doesn't talk about it much, and you would never guess it, if you hadn't heard and didn't know. He is probably the biggest tease I've ever met in my life! He loves to pick on people, but he's the kind of person who's just such an honor to even know, that you find yourself wanting him to pick on you, 'cause you know that if he teases you, that means he likes you! It's so funny to see him and his wife, Mrs. Carrie, together though! She is real calm and sophisticated and stately (but not at all stuck-up or anything! She's wonderful, you've just got to get to know how to 'read' her) and he is so boisterous and hillareous, and always joking or teasing. I guess opposites really do attract, as they say. Their story is really neat too. They are 5 years apart, but he's liked her ever since she was 15, so he just waited for her, and when she was old enough, they got married! I love them both so much. One sad thing though, is that they don't have any children. They've been married about 7 years, I think, and they lost one baby, but they both love kids, and my sister and I (and some others) have been praying for the Lord to give them children. If you want to help us, that would be wonderful! Whenever you think about it. We also set aside a time to pray at 8:30, A.M. and P.M., specifically for this. I have this feeling that He will, but He's just wanting to teach me patience. It's something I want so much for them, and I think He just wants to see if I am willing to just trust Him and wait on His timing.
That's kindof swerving off the original subject, but now you know two more of the special characters in this story. :)
Anyway, in class last Wednesday (the young people meet together on Wednesday nights for their own class) we heard that both of them had the Swine Flu, but Mrs. Carrie didn't have it as bad evidently, cause she was at church Saturday (I'll explain that in another post) and acted like she was fine. Sunday, though, Bro. Dennis wasn't at church cause he was still so bad sick, and his mother Mrs. Shannen (who works at the clinic) had gotten it from him, so she wasn't able to be there either! So maybe tonight we can find out how they are. That makes 6 people at church who have had Swine Flu, or "Swu" as Tanner (the younger brother of one of the young men in our Sun. School class) likes to call it ;) Hope nobody else gets it!

VRCA, finishing a thought

Ok sorry, I kind of got interrupted there. Anyway, Bro. Earl is so neat. He's 56, and has got two kids, (one of which is the Sunday School teacher for our college class - but more on him later) so he's really good as a pastor - he's like this father figure with alot of experience. But he's got this great sense of humor, and loves to tease. He's great! I love it when I run into him at the school, cause he always has something funny and encouraging to say. And he's got these bright blue eyes that snap and sparkle at you from behind his glasses when he's discussing some deep theological idea - which he's found out my sister, Trissy, and I love to do. So, needless to say, he enjoys talking with us cause we love talking about the Bible!

Working at Victory Road Christian Academy

Our church also has a Christian school in town, and I work with another girl in 'after-care' - where the kids can stay after school until their parents or someone can come and pick them up, if the parents can't be there to get them right when school lets out. It's a good job, really. I'm so grateful to have a job, and especially in that type of Christian environment! It is hard though sometimes, 'cause many of the kids were not raised like I have been, and there are a couple who are just blatantly disobedient and disrespectful. Their parents are divorced, and they don't get consistent, loving care and discipline at 'home' (if you could call it that), so I can hardly blame them. It's just hard to know how to deal with it in an appropriate way when they are rude to me. Well, well, enough of the melancholy! Bro. Earl - our pastor - is also the principle, so sometimes I see him when I'm there, and he is so fun that it always perks me up!

How Do I Start?

I'm at a lost as to how to start! I'll just start right in on the actual journalling, and describe the individual people as I go, I guess, though I'd really like to start out giving a detailed description of the appearance and personality of each person to begin with! One of my hobbies is writing fiction (just for my own enjoyment, not to publish or anything-at least not yet) and I guess that's where the urge to begin at the beginning and solidify each character as I go along comes from. But you've already missed the beginning of the story! And I can't go back and tell all that has happened from then 'til now, especially in order - my memory is just not that good! :)

The People Make The Place

You've just got to understand that it's the people who give the church it's spirit - after all, the people are the church! I guess that's what drew me right off - the spirit. The people wanted to be there; they wanted to worship God and learn about Him! It was a growing, breathing, alive place! A place where God was honored, and things were happening. Victory Rd. wasn't one of those 'dead' churches - it was alive and growing! I loved it there - still do! :)

A Little History...

Hello there! Can't believe I've only posted once! I was so anxious to get this started! I've been pretty busy with college, and just haven't gotten a chance.

Wow! It's kind of hard to just jump in... you'd need to know my life's history for the past 10 months or so to understand all I'm saying and feeling. Guess I'll just start and try to explain, as best I can, those 10 months - in a nutshell.

In September, I believe, of last year (2008) the pastor of the church my family were members of felt (for various reasons that I won't go into detail on just now) that the Lord was telling him it was time to move on, so he resigned as pastor. It was really hard... especially since his wife is my mom's cousin (making their kids mine and my sister's cousins) and we were/are really close to them. I don't have any brothers, but I've always wanted them, and Ben (the oldest of the two boys, and the third child, but almost ten years younger than me) and I have always been close, best friends really, and I always called him my "adopted little brother" :) . We'd all gotten used to seeing each other and fellowshipping three times a week! Before we joined there, it seemed like we all never got to see each other enough. And Cousin Jonathan was such a dedicated, hard-working, deep-stuff preacher, it seemed that each service, I always came away with something 'deep' and new to ponder and think about. Anyway, long story short, it was really hard when things as we knew them were no longer that way. Cousin Jonathan and them went to a church near where they live, and eventually joined there, after visiting for quite a while, and feeling like that was where the Lord would have them settle. But us? Well, all I can say is that there followed for my family about five painful months of visiting church after church, or sometimes having 'church' alone in our house because it was just so emotionally, physically, and/or spiritually exhausting to keep 'being burnt' at every place we'd visit. 'Burnt' in the sense that each place we'd go, there was something that wasn't quite right about it, and we just couldn't all feel the Lord leading us to "that one either."
Finally in February, one Saturday afternoon at lunch, I think it was, we were considering (again) where we would go to church the next morning. Then Dad mentioned a church in town (we live about 7 miles out in the country) and asked if we'd all feel like trying there. It was right under our nose! I still don't know why we hadn't thought to visit there long before then. But when Dad mentioned it, the rest of us were just about ready to try any suggestion, once anyway. So that's what we did. That first Sunday we just went to morning service, just to see. Looking back, it makes me laugh to think of my first impressions! I had been disappointed soooo many times, that at this point, I was just about automatically finding things to pick on - not intentionally, just, well, I was afraid to hope. On our way back to the house after the morning church service, we all agreed that it was worth going again, "just to see". So next Sunday found us there again. And the next. Then we started going for evening service and Sunday school as well. By the second Sunday though, I knew Victory Road Baptist Church was my home.