Academic Cranial Torture

There are so many things I want in life. So many dreams I want to pursue. So many goals I've made...realistic or far-fetched. There are so many things I want to do for Christ. So many people i want to reach the gospel with.

There are so many things I want to be, that I'm not.

Sorry, I'm contemplating all this because I keep getting college stuff in the mail. Carson-Newman, Bryan College, Maryville College, the Art Institute in Nashville and EIG have all been sending information to me. I'm completely astounded that life is capable of going by so fast. I can't be 17. It's like a dream. Well, a nightmare.

I'm reminded more and more that I HAVE to live every moment of my life giving glory to Christ, because those moments are the only ones that will last eternally.

That being said, I have to take my ACT tomorrow. Please please pray. I'm nervous and trying not be overwhelmed. I know that God is the source of my knowledge, and that is SUCH an incredible comfort. Needless to say, I'm under pressure to get a good grade.

Sorry, about the lack of real posts. I have company here and we have had a great time together. Today, Shiphrah and I had a photo shoot and it was a blast!! I will post something a little more in depth very soon.

Rejoice in the Coming King!

Stress...This Will Be a Happy Post

i'm going to vent, so don't feel like you need to read this. ;)

I'm stressed. Yes. Yes. I know. I shouldn't be stressed. Stress is not good. But there are a ton of things going on. I miss my niece, I miss some old friends I never talk to anymore, and I've done something horrible...I've let my ACT stress me out. I take it on Saturday and I'm just praying that I don't totally fail. I can't explain to you all how slow I think, and under pressure, it's just going to be worse. And with graduation coming up, I just keeping wondering if I made the right decision to stay back. I keep thinking about college and how I could be there soon...but, I'm trying not to let it get me down. Satan is trying to confuse me. I made my decision with a clear head and God is going to bring good if I serve Him. *is convincing self*

This picture made me laugh very very hard today.

Please pray for me.

And I'm tired, not to mention the allergy head-aches I keep getting. >.<

I need to do better putting myself aside when I'm stressed. I can be really short with people. Not that I have anything against them, I don't know, I guess I just get uptight? But, God has been convicting me of that. I need to be a P31W and take a deep breath. Breath slowly and tell myself that its going to be okay and I must serve the Lord with my whole heart, just like any other day.

Enough of my issues. I'm going to talk about some things that made my day. Andrew, Timmy and Richard's Manly Men Man Scent commercial in drama class. I thought I was going to die. Those three are very gifted in drama and HILARIOUS!

Seeing Carlee. I missed her.

McDonald's french fries. Yummy. Not healthy, but lovely.

Singing "Lord, You're Holy". The words of the song are soooo beautiful and soooo encouraging.

Finding out that Kirstin is taking her ACT on Saturday too, so I won't be all alone in the world.

Rocking on my recital piece.

Receiving funny year book pictures.

A hectic year book class.

And last but not least....Nutella.

I know this is a very out of character post for me. But I wanted to be random. And silly. I needed too. And I feel better. If you have actually read this far, then sorry you wasted your time. Lol.

P31W: The Danger of Snoozing (Part 2)

Discipline. No one truly jumps for joy at the word. I mean, who actually likes training yourself to do something that your natural tendency in NOT to do? In the area of sleep and laziness, I could, and I will venture to say that you could, use a lot more discipline.

Proverbs 31:15 "She rises while is yet night and provides food for her family and servant girls."

Like I said in my previous post, "Who thinks of being virtuous when you are lying in bed?" The P31W is SO FULL of integrity that the time of the morning that she gets up is written down in the Bible to be modeled and praised. That amazes me. Is it possible that something as little as when we wake up can please the Lord? Will the Lord praise us for something so small? The Bible presents her as a woman to model because she awoke before the sun to care for others.

The Proverbs 31 Woman knows that God wants her to be diligent and not lazy. She knows that He judges them harshly and makes very strong promises to them.

 Proverbs 12:24 Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.

Proverbs 13:4 The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

 Proverbs 15:19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.

There is danger in getting into the habit of staying up late and getting up late. We live to love and serve the Lord. Not sleep and be lazy. Notice in this last verse it compares the lazy to the righteous. That's a stout comparison. That is saying that the righteous WILL NOT BE LAZY! Therefore, we can conclude that in order to be righteous, you must not be lazy. God says that a lazy man in his bed is like a door on hinges.

I think it's a Chinese Proverb that says, "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise." There is a lot more truth to that statement than we credit it for. And the Bible supports it! It talks of how prosperity comes to the righteous worker and poverty to the lazy man.

Now, this isn't saying that if you often get how from work at 11pm that you need to shoot happily out of bed at 5 the next morning. Each persons schedule and lives are different, so I'm not suggesting the "one-size-fits-all" way. But, we honestly need to examine ourselves.

Eg: If 8 hours if enough time for me to sleep, and I decide to go to bed at 2:00am in the morning, this probably means that I'm going to wake up at 10:00am. What are the hours of the day when I can serve people and Christ most efficiently? Is waking up at 10 going to encourage me to commit my day to the Lord in prayer, or will I have to run out the door just to get to school on time?

Personally, I like getting up around 6-7 every morning. It allows you to start the day fresh and on time with the rest of the world, I'm ahead of schedule and have time to spare. My problem is thus: I sometimes don't go to bed early enough to support that enthusiasm. If 8 hours is the ideal amount of sleep, then I need to go to bed at 10. I don't most times, so I end up with tired head-aches and cranky attitudes.

Try these questions: Am I indulging myself in sleep? Am I getting to little, so that I'm a crab and don't glorify God in the way I treat people? Am I being counterproductive?

Be realistic with yourself. Just because it's a Wednesday and you don't have anything to do until after lunch, doesn't mean that you should sleep until it's time to go. As with EVERYTHING in our lives we have to ask a determining question: "Is this pleasing to the Lord? Am I glorifying His name with something as mundane as my sleep schedule?" Perhaps you could even talk to your mom or a friend about how they view the way you sleep.

Sounds stupid, but then again, the Proverbs 31 Woman is noted in the GREATEST BOOK OF ALL TIME for the way that she scheduled her zzzzs.

Read this verse. If you cannot do everything in your life whole heartedly as unto the Lord, then something needs to change. But there is GOOD NEWS! There is a God, Jesus Christ, who will always help us to become like Him if we ask Him. And He is the ROCK that never changes!

Colossians 3:23-25 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism."

P31W: The Danger of Snoozing (Part 1)

When the covers are pulled over my head, it's still dark outside, and I want to go back to sleep, the last thing on my mind is being a Proverbs 31 Woman. I hit the alarm clock once, twice, sometimes three, and even four times.

In this study about the P31W and how she lived her life, I am not surprised to see a the reoccurring theme of diligence. She is a woman who is never behind schedule, on top of things, and continuously working hard in everything she does!

Verse 15 in Proverbs 31 says:

"She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls."

The P31W had a houseful of people and the fact that they needed to be cared for was something that didn't pass her. She was pro-active in caring for her family! Let's take ourselves back to her time period. Preparing food was no little task. It was huge. She didn't have wonder-bread and pre-sliced turkey breast. Wheat had to be milled into flour, and any meat had to be *gag* prepared all the way from living-and-breathing-with-fur-stage into patties for the grill (okay, well I know that technically they wouldn't be eating hamburgers or even beef for that matter, but you get my point). And she rose "while it is yet night" (ESV) to get it done.

Have you noticed that she is not daunted by any task?

Today, thank goodness, preparing food doesn't take that much hard work and energy, but I don't think "preparing food" is the lesson we - the gals of today - are supposed to gather from this. Constantly throughout the chapter we are seeing that the P31W served. Always. To everyone, especially her family! As teens, we don't have the responsibility of feeding a family or servants, but as Christian women we have the responsibility of service to others. In Galatians 5, Paul is talking to the Galatians about our freedom in Christ. I love verses 13-14. It sums up service for us!

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”"

We are to serve in obedience to God!

I don't know what the opportunities for service are in your life. Maybe it's helping your brother or sister with school, your mom with breakfast, or writing a thank-you card to the elders in your church. Maybe there is a nursing home, or park that you could be a service in. Maybe you work a job, blog, play piano, or frisbee golf. But WHATEVER you are doing, there are always, always ways to serve people. You don't have to look outside your own home. An encouraging hug, a phone call to your grandmother or sweeping the garage for your dad are all acts of service! :) So don't feel like you can't serve people because you are young and may not have lots of responsibilities! Quite the opposite. Listen to this verse; it should still every fear you have that you may not be able to do anything!

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12)"

I've said this before and I'll say it again! Prayer is the answer. If you express to God your desire to serve other people, then He will show you. Grab a pencil and a piece of paper and just sit in the presence of God, quietly asking Him to show you. He will! As you think of ideas through the next couple of days, write them down and give them a shot.

We can spiritually "snooze" if we neglect the importance of serving other people. We won't be growing in Christ if we live for ourselves only. Just like if we over-sleep and don't get out enough, we will get fat and lazy! If we "snooze" through the Christian life and don't exercise Godliness through service, we will get lazy and believe that others can handle it (Which they might be able to, but that's not the point. :D) and we don't really need to lift a finger. We can't let our service muscles get weak. Use them! They will only benefit us when kept up and challenged!

I love, love, love this verse and my next few posts will be about a few different applications to it. This is only one of the things that I believe God is communicating! So stay tuned...

Be a P31W, stop snoozing and SERVE!

Squishing Roses

There is a little girl that I know that I am 100% sure that I would lay my life down for. My almost two-year-old niece, Brooklyn. That girl is a ball of energy! Full of fire, smiles and hugs. She has curly, ringlet hair that is frizzy as ever, but just adds to cuteness.

"Brookin" the other day kept pointing to a scar on my leg and saying "Ow." I said, "Yeah, it's an owie. It hurt!" Then she repeated kissed it trying to make it all better! She is such a joy and her eyes soak in everything, trying to learn.

I have been thinking a lot about her innocence. When things all around her are going bad, she still sits happy at the dinning room table, eating her grapes. In her eyes, we have her covered and there is nothing to worry about. She will jump to me from the table because there is no doubt in her mind that I'm going to catch her.

Often, I think I should be more like her. She is so trusting of fallible human beings. Yet, I sometimes have trouble trusting a infallible God.

Only moments ago Brooklyn ran from my room. We were jumping on the work-out trampoline together. Jumping, she saw something on my dresser that she wanted to take a closer look at - my purple rose mom picked from the garden for me. She pointed and I brought it to the floor to show her. Her immediate instinct was to wrap her fat little fingers around it,  and she did. But I said, "No, no Brookin! Gentle! We have to be gentle or the rose will break." She looked at me confused. She tried to smash it again and I had to remind her again. And again. And again. Then I told her smell it, she did and then tried to take a bite out of it. :D I guess it smelled good!
 
Eventually, she got it. She stuck her index finger out, quickly rubbed it across the flower and said, "Hentle".

I think we are this way with God. God has to reminds us of His promises over and over and over. He has to say "I love you!" and "Don't be afraid!" many times until we really believe it! This with any lesson. Little children learn by repetition and so do we! I know for me that I didn't really believe that there could be something in my life that God wanted to use, but now, I believe it - even though I still struggle. And the only reason I have learned this lesson is because God has taught me so many times! After continuous repetition, I finally get the point. Gods promises and His statements as simple as "I love you" start to change me. At first, just on the outside, but then the inside. I stop just hearing the words and saying "I believe it". They change me and I start ACTING like I believe it!...whatever the lesson may be.

It's hard to be patient with kids. I have four nephews and a niece and sometimes you want to go crazy, but I am so inspired by our wonderful Savior. Isn't it great to remember that the Lord's mercies are going to be new every morning? He isn't ever going to yell in frustration at us and wonder "why we don't get it". He is always going to be there, gently pointing us the right direction and teaching us through His sacred word. Never angry or impatient when we fail and squish the "task" or "rose" He has given to us.

My Father is amazing!

The rose...well, lets just say that it doesn't look as good as it did. Dark lines in the roses petals indicate that someone had tried to squish it, but that's okay. A lesson was learned and there are always plenty of roses. :)

P31Ws and Foreign Food

Sushi, chorizo, crab-ra-goon (spl?), pasta con broccoli, Cow hide and monkey-face on a stick...These are foreign foods. Believe it or not, the Bible actually talks about how and from where a Proverbs 31 Woman obtains her provisions.

Proverbs 31:14 "She is like the merchant ships. She brings her food from afar."

I have to admit I scratched my head about this one. Every verse in the chapter seems so clear. She is being diligent, willing, or trustworthy or something, but this this verse wasn't so clear to me. I thought about it for a long time, until I finally decided. Okay, time to go ask someone. So I talked to my Pastor's wife and Mrs. Craver about it. They were so happy to talk to me about it and gave some really helpful advice about the meaning on several verses. So, just know that they gave me direction on this! (Good idea to go to the older and wiser when in doubt. They give GREAT advice and they are always happy to do it!)

Alright, so it probably doesn't really mean she eats foreign food. I made that up. But in that day and age, they probably did have to go far for their food and stuff. And I would dare say that she did everything she could to provide the absolute BEST for her household.

In 2011, we are surrounded by advertisements, stores, fashions, sample booth people in Sam's Club, and salespeople trying to get us to invest in things that we really don't need. Trying to get us to by the latest flavor of Arizona Green Tea (AMAYZANG, btw!) or the newest lose-weight-while-you-eat-jelly-crackers. But, a P31W will go about her shopping with wisdom and discernment. She isn't going to be suckered into buying the most expensive clothing because of the name brand.

I've heard of women who coupon hunted so much that they could literally bring $200 dollars worth of groceries out of a store and pay on $17 dollars. A P31W is going to know how to get it done! (I'm really starting to like her.) She looks for coupons, goes to multiple stores, finds bargains, and saves money.

One of the many jobs of a P31W is to do her husband good and make his life easier. What do men do? Make money! So what does she do? Saves money! Girls, I can be a money spender. I admit. Especially since one of my love languages is gifts. BUT, as godly women we are supposed to put money aside and give a portion of it to God and be WISE with it. This, undoubtedly, will make your husband very very proud and in love. ;)    

We must also consider the times we live in. I wish I could see the ultimate P31W living today. How would see be preparing for the future? We can't kid ourselves, eventually the US is going to be destroyed. And I fear we could see it in our life times. What would she do? How would she be seeking to store up for the future?

We can practice this at home - now. It's a good discipline to learn how money, taxes, eating out, grocery bills and make-up play together in the budget. It's also good to know how the economy is changing and what we can expect. So let's take a few practical steps.

-Grocery shop! My dad has suggested this before. This summer they might give me money and send me shopping. O.O *gulp* I just need to make sure I eat a five-course meal before I go, so I don't try to buy one of everything at Sam's.

-Open an account! Go ahead and open an account at the bank if you don't have one.

-Learn how to shop for low prices! If you haven't learned how to compare food prices by ounce, than you need to learn. And this goes for clothing too (and everything else). If you can buy the one at wal-mart that looks IDENTICAL to the one at New York and Company...go with the cheaper.

-Turn down things you don't need! I'm not condemning buying nice stuff every once in a while. It's okay, as long as you aren't doing it all the time and spending you money badly. Have you ever heard of "marginal utility"? It's an economics term saying that when you gain more and more of a product it doesn't increase satisfaction or meets your need like the first couple times - sometimes it has the opposite affect. Girls need to use this economic rule more. If you have 13 pink shirts, another one probably won't make you any more happy.

-Tithe! Everything we have is a gift of God. Tithing is just a way of giving back to him, and I think it helps us not to be too greedy too. This is a command guys, from the Bible. God will bless you!  

-Give to others! "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Nuff' said.


-Look for coupons! They are out there and will they help your family. Your current one and your future one!

I can't think of anything else at the moment, but if I do I'll add them. Any suggestions?

A P31W will invest the right amount in the right things. This may be something we can work on in ourselves with a simple evaluation of what it is we find valuable!

The Hands of a P31W

(Quick note before the start of this post: I haven't yet finished the section on what we can do to "do our husbands good all the days of our lives" yet. It's a bit hefty, a hard topic and I'm not sure I want to tackle it on a co-ed blog (Don't worry-it's not bad, just deep.) I'm still thinking on what I should do...but we'll see. For now, I'm moving on.)

I heard a story years and years ago. I don't remember who told it and I don't even remember the details. I just remember the point of the story, which is good. So I'll make it up and try to fill in the gaps (I'm really going to make it up cause I don't remember anything about it.). There was a group of women who were preparing themselves for the groom. A man was coming to pick a bride form among them. They all went into a frenzy and started making themselves beautiful, doing their hair and wearing fine clothes and making sure their bodies were in tip top condition, so the groom would pick them. When the day came, one lady was a little embarrassed because her hands were very beat up and she didn't have nice clothes. Her nails had little nicks on them, scrapes and her nails were different lengths. The groom came and choose his bride. All the women were anxious to hear who it would be, and to their surprise he chose the lady with the beat up hands and old clothes. "Why?" they all wanted to know. The groom explained that this woman's hands showed her character; she was not afraid of hard work and dove into it, despite what it made her look like, what it did to her reputation, or how it made her feel. Her hands showed that she was a woman who sacrificed her own comfort to suit others' needs. They held more promise than any nail design or latest fashion.

Proverbs 31:13 "She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands."

 This verse says so much about the P31W. If we want to be one, this is a great place to start - being a servant and working hard. It is so hard to put aside every one of my desires and needs to serve other people - especially when no one notices.

I'll admit it, I can be pretty selfish. There have been so many times when I have let something go unfinished or undone in hopes that someone else will take care of it. Or times when I haven't extended the emotional care/comfort that someone needs in a time of trouble. Or when I wasn't a friend when I should have been. Or when I should have done the dishes for mom, but chose to do my own thing instead. All those instances are forms of service and we pass them up every, single day. I would much rather him/her take care of it, or better yet, take care of me!

When dealing with service, this passage come to mind. Sadly, the disciples were arguing about who was the greatest when the Lord Jesus was in their midst. Jesus rebuked them.

Mark 9:35 "Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all."

Notice that Proverbs 31:13 uses the word, "willingly". If it just said, "she works" it would lose a lot of the meaning and instruction. The key is that she willingly works with her hands. She doesn't complain and she doesn't have ulterior motives. But being willing is hard. God has really been teaching me this. Let me tell you the answer: PRAYER. Now, I wish that I was, but I can honestly say that I am not a prayer warrior. Prayer is very hard for me. But, trust me, whether praying is like pulling teeth or breathing to you, it does not go unheard or unanswered. I have prayed, "God, make me a servant today." And boy, He gave me an opportunity to serve. If we ask God for opportunities He will send them - whether we dive in or hem and haw about the situation for a while.

When it comes to hard work and service, I don't think we are capable. Not you. Not me. But, God is. I found out that I have to stop putting the pressure and stress on myself to serve while managing a smile, but rather, let God just be God through me. If I want to be a servant, I have to stop acting like the strength to serve comes from myself and give credit - all of it - to God. If I try to do it any other way, the acts of service just become meaningless blobs of...nothing. They get tainted by my pride (which ruins literally everything we try to do) and all misconstrued by my motives. In order to truly be a servant, I have to "set down my cross (all the earthly things with no lasting impact that I am so obsessed with) and follow Him (Christ)." Service requires me to point people to Christ, humbly accepting that I will never do the job like Christ does, but determining to do better every time.

Wow. That's a hefty demand. One time, I had a little note on my door that said, "Make me a servant." I took it down eventually...I don't know why...but it reminded me that "servant" isn't something I decide to be, but rather something God transforms me into, little by little. I can say, "God, use me." And He will, even when I feel inadequate, stupid, or incapable.

Now don't get me wrong, forcing yourself to serve toughens you - even if you do grumble. Kinda like lifting weights. I mean, who actually LIKES lifting weights the first time? But then you start getting muscles, you like the results and it gets easier and easier. HEY! What do you know? You could be a professional weight lifter someday. Same goes for service, it's hard at first, but as you serve you will develop a love and passion for it.

A P31W will always be looking out for the needs of others and actively meeting them. Whether the needs be emotional, physical, mental or spiritual.

Galatians 6:9 "And in due season, we will reap if we faint not." 

Hey! Take My Quiz!

So I spent the night with Carlee last night and we made quizzes about ourselves. It's stupid but a bunch of people did them back in '09 and it was really fun! Here is the link, or you can just take it from the side-bar over.... <---- there!

And just a tip- you may get a better score if you try to think like me for a few minutes. Yes, could be the worst few minutes of you life, but it'll only be for a short period of time.

http://www.quizyourfriends.com/take-quiz.php?id=1103281706212838&a=1&

A Post About How Silly My Fears Are and How Awesome My God Is

I have good news. I'm an official Chick-Fil-A employee. The interview went well this morning - obviously - and I go back on Wednesday to do paperwork and then will start hopefully at the end of next week. It's all happening so so fast, but I'm excited. And my boss, Mr. Garretson, is awesome! So, that being said, come and "eat more chicken" so you can see me. OKAY?

I was thinking this morning about my plans. I have a lot of big goals in life. I wanna go here or there and do this and that. It dawned on me for the thousandth time that God has already written my story. No matter what decisions I make or places I go, God already knows the outcome and it is fit into His marvelous plan in a way that pleases and brings glory to His name!

WOW! I don't know about you, but that encourages me. Really. I can't make a decision that is going to surprise God. He already knows where I'm gonna work and go to school. There was a time in my life when I was worried about future decisions in my life and everything about the future and school and work and boys and projects was bogging me down! But, I realized that I had not given it to God. I had not surrendered those parts of my life into His hands yet. Once, I did - wow - what a difference. My fear died and I was given hope and a calm spirit over what God is going to do. Not to mention my renewed since of excitement!!

Now, I'm not saying I'm never going to have doubts and fears again. Cause I still do, and I will continue to. But, God is teaching me that I don't have to live in fear because the biggest and strongest power empowers me...if that makes since. My source of strength is a well with the sweetest water that never ever runs dry.

A lot of things scare me. Like our economy/country/world. That really scares me. I often wonder if we will be roaming the streets before long. You know, with the wars in Asia and the Japan devastation, and our DUMB choices (or mistakes...depending on whose side you are taking) it looks like we, the US, may see devastation in a few years...but, you know what? I feel really peaceful about it. Yeah, it nags at my mind, but God has whispered in my ear many times, "Don't worry. This is a part of MY plan."

And I ask, "What isn't?" And I rest. I rest in His never changing control over all that happens in the world. In our country and in something so small as one person's life - mine.

I love the hymn, "His Eye Is on the Sparrow". It goes, "Why should I be discouraged? Why should the shadows come? Why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven and home? When  JESUS is my portion a CONSTANT friend is He. His eye is on the sparrow, so I know he watches me. I sing because I'm happy. I sing because I'm FREE. His Eye is on the sparrow, so I know He watches me."

God is good? All the time. All the time? God is good.

Maybe Tomorrow

I had every intention of posting tonight. Really, I did. But I just finished my English paper and I don't want to type at all. Maybe I can tomorrow.

On a lighter note Rally Day was great. Had tons of fun. I was the greeter, so my cheeks are hurting from smiling so long, and I had WAY to much sweet tea. I was SOOO hyper. I hold all the girls at the drink table responsible. They should have physically restrained me...they know what caffeine does. *rolls eyes* Oh, well, I guess I should stop blame shifting. It wasn't bad - it just made my day more interesting because I noticed the small things that shouldn't have been hilarious at all and appreciated them more than everyone else.

On an even brighter note, Chick Fil A called and I have a second interview on Friday. :) Prayer would be appreciated. I need, I mean, I really need a job.

Be back soon...

*sings* Rally Da-hay!

If you think you can't have a voice with your senators...well, to be straight to the point, you're wrong. In fact, your voice and encouragement/discouragement often has a big affect on the House and Senate. When you tell your Senator and Representative what you want and what you stand for, they can make decisions that will better their district because YOU talked to them about what is important to you and your family and friends.

Sending letters is an AWESOME way to do this. I encourage you all to send a letter to you Senator/Representative once a month encouraging them and sharing with them.

HEY! THAT'S A GOOD IDEA! *pats self* ;p I'm going to try that!

Rally Day is a GREAT way for home schoolers to show the Senators what home schooling has done for them and what kind of impact its made on their life.

I like Rally Day. Sometimes its a tad disappointing, because UCA serves the Senators and Representatives lunch. Its a privilege and I love doing it, but sometimes I would rather actually MEET with them and talk to them (which is the point of Rally Day, btw...).

But it's cool. We've served lunch for about three or four years now. They made a sign for us and they all know us as the "singing servers". *squeal* So I guess that counts as being a "voice" huh?

You. No, not you...You...Yeah, you right there - reading this. I have a message for you. You have "rights" but you also have "responsibilities". They go hand in hand. You can't have one without the others. So, since you have so many rights and often exercise them - exercise your responsibilities and thank and encourage your Congressmen.

Shake on it.

*shakes hands all around*

Now go!

P31W: Purity Seeks Guidance and Watches Burning Flames

How can we strive to remain sexually pure for the good of our future husbands?

I'm going to skip Dannah Gresh's fifth secret because its covers a lot of the stuff I'm planning on talking about, and it's going to take me a year to get through Proverbs 31 at this rate anyways. *shrug*

Dannah's sixth and seventh secret to are vital in the "purity journey".

We are to embrace wise council and watch burning flames. There is no way we could be sexually pure, if no one had ever done it and if no one has any encouraging words about the matter. Can you imagine trying to be the first girl, or even the only one you know being pure? Shew. I can tell you right now that if it wasn't for the examples and encouragement and Christ in my life, there is no way I could do it.

It is good to have an accountability group that talks about sexual issues and struggles and stuff. It can and should be an encouragement to know that other people are fighting the same battle!! That's what the body of Christ is for - to help and encourage one another.

A P31W will realize that she doesn't have all the answers and she will look for wise women to coucil and guide her. For us, that could be finding a girl a few years older than us, or a newly wedded couple or an older woman in the church. But find that council and stick to every word they say (testing it against scripture of course). The Bible commands the older people to teach the younger and the younger listen with a willing ear.

I love affectionate couples. I mean, I really really do. Sometimes couples - especially middle aged couples are so frumpy and weird with each other. Maybe that is judgmental, but I feel like if you really love one another it's going to show everywhere -right? I mean, I've seen older people totally in love so it's not impossible. Who are the "burning flames" in your church or family? Maybe it's your parents or your pastor and his wife or maybe it's your neighbor. Talk to them! Ask them how they make it work. Trust me, if they love each other and the Lord, they will want to talk to you.

Purity must be encouraged. By the older and wiser and by peers.

A P31W will seek guidance, watch good examples and encourage others in the fight.  

Go Here...or There

Okay, there are some really great blogs that I want to note and point everyone too. I do this on occasion, just to encourage my fellow bloggers and point out the wonderful stuff going on. There is a big online, Christian, teen, blog community building and supporting each other only helps.

First off, there is the Wones' Blog. Okay, well, I don't know about this blog being "great" but you should give it a try. If you don't know us very well, be warned. It might ruin the rep we have with you. Lol. www.weepyourtearsintothechannel.blogspot.com

I have a friend who has recently started up a blog. So far, he has posted some good thought-provoking or hilarious posts. He needs some followers, so let's help him out kk? http://ttfblogger.blogspot.com/

Here is one, my personal favorite. He has some pretty deep posts for those of you who like to think. http://lovwritingblog.blogspot.com/

Here is another blog that is good. http://rebelutionjourney.blogspot.com/

Here is another great one...we need to encourage him to post more though...Haha...kidding. I know he is busy a lot. http://grow-and-live.blogspot.com/

P31W: Purity Speaks Boldly

For those of you who may not be up to date on the P31W thing...here's the lowdown. I've been posting about Proverbs 31, taking the chapter verse by verse. We came to the verse that said, "She (the proverbs 31 woman) will do him (her husband) good and not evil all the days of her life." So, that sent me on a trail of HOW we can do our husbands good our WHOLE lives when we may not even know him yet.

The first and most obvious answer to this question is by remaining sexually pure. So today, we have come to secret #4 from Dannah Gresh's book, and the Bride Wore White.  

The secret is: Purity Speaks Boldly

One way to stay pure is to tell people about it. Don't be afraid to tell people what you're about and why you stand on purity's side. Not only will people be influenced and witnessed to by your boldness, but we will be emboldened ourselves.

I was having a job interview at Chick-Fil-A yesterday and Greg asked me if I was married. He asked because I wear my ring on my left ring-finger and it looks like his wife's. I got so excited (I love talking about my ring!!). After I told him about what it meant to me and the promise it represented his eye brows shot up and I was given a new serge of determination to wait and NOT to give in to pressures.

A fellow blogger was telling me about a shirt he wears that says, "Virginity Rocks!". He said that he gets questions about it too. I'm sorry, that is just awesome. Purity needs to speak BOLDLY WITHOUT FEAR.Yeah, sometimes talking to people who totally don't understand it, is...well, awkward, but it always makes me feel that much more determined. 

I'm getting this dreadful mental picture. Let me share. A girl, who wants to be pure, is questioned about it by her friends. She looks at her hands and shifts her weight from foot to foot. "Well, I dunno, I mean, it's safer...and I don't want my life to be ruined by a baby...and it's just...well, it's just right..."

It is okay if you have done this (we all have learning moments), but now is the time to KNOW why you stand where you stand. Don't just be abstinent because your parents told you (although it's a good reason) but be abstinent because you KNOW what it means to God, because of a promise you've made and because of your future. If you rub shoulders with non-Christians a lot, you are going to be looked down on, people are going to wonder what the heck is wrong with you, and you may be avoided, but for every time we are persecuted for Christ's sake we are going to be rewarded. Jesus said, "Blessed are the persecuted for they will inherit the Kingdom of God." O.O

Purity also speak boldly to protect (this was Gresh's point in the book). Dannah Gresh talks about how we need to have comeback lines. When you find yourself alone with a guy on a date...or whatever, it's good to know what to say to encourage one another. Maybe you think that's weird, but its a good idea to be prepared. She gives a few examples like, "Isn't it cool that God is watching us every minute?"

I hope that "my man" (heh) will really respect me physically (I can't imagine going with a guy who didn't). I want him to be strong. If we ever do have moments when we are really tempted or we are kinda trippin' or something...I want him to be able to say, "Hey, we need to get away from each other for a while because we are going to end up screwing up." or something. Purity speaks BOLDLY.

I want my guy to do that, so shouldn't I at least be that for him?

Girls, I don't know if you have read the whole chapter of Proverbs 31 but WHOA that woman is a go-getter. She knows what she wants and knows how to get it. She doesn't seem like a woman who won't stand up for herself. If ever we find ourselves in situations or in relationship that is pushing the physical, speak up. Say something. Get help. Have those "Tennis Ball" comebacks that Gresh talks about ready.

The other thing that it can build is accountability. Lord help me if I ever mess up, because I have established a HUGE group of people that now know about my commitment through this blog. The more we talk about it, the more people are going to realize that we are serious...and whether its a good thing or bad thing, the pressure of looking bad to others helps. In fact, its a driving factor.

Be a P31W who speaks boldly. To protect yourself and to strengthen yourself. If we push important decisions like that aside, they will collect dust and drop on our to-do list. GOD FORBID that we make that mistake.

The Mask: A Random Poem

Okay, three things. First off, please pray for me. I have been sending in job applications and I've had two responses. (A) Larivieres (spl?)and (B) Chick Fil A. I'm totally spazing because Chick Fil A told be that they weren't hiring so it would be a while before I heard from them, but I got a call this afternoon and we are having a interview on Friday at 9am. And Larivieres said that I couldn't even train with them unless I knew how crazy it could get, because it's stressful. *gulp* So they are going to let me come on Friday night to go in the kitchen, watch, ask questions and go to tables with the waitresses. 

To say the least, I'm excited but 100% freaked out. 

Second, I have a channel on God Tube and I've been uploading things. Random school videos mostly. Check it out.   http://www.godtube.com/ashes94/

The third thing is - here is a poem I wrote. I wrote it in like 45 minutes and didn't critique very much. So hopefully it makes good since. Lol. :) 

I look in the dark mirror,

Wishing to see my face clearer.

My fingernails tear the side of my face,

Trying to remove even a trace.

Scraping, ripping, pulling free,

That mask which so entangles me.

I know my disconsolate fate –

For I waited much too late.

I will have to see my grave,

The mask – my master, I – the slave.

It strangles, holds and kills my life,

Leading me down a road of strife.

I didn’t mean to put it there,

It snuck up on me, unaware.

I was only trying to fit in,

I didn’t know I’d let it win.

I only changed myself a little

Not feeling that a big committal.

But that change lead down a road,

Where enemies and strangers strode

Off’ring me the best of days,

If I changed my petty ways

And pretent to be someone I not.

It didn’t seem so hard a shot.

People would like me, and even care,

So, not stopping to beware

In ways big and small I changed,

Hoping for fair exchange.

I changed my hair, the way I talked,

Who I hung with and where I walked.

At first the results were good,

It felt the way I thought it would

But the mask began to grow,

It started little and very slow.

Growing from the inside – out,

Filling my mind with fearful doubt.

I tried to push the fear aside,

And listened to my shameful pride.

“It’s no big deal” I tried to say.

“I’ll let it stay another day.

I can wait to remove it,

It hasn’t affected much –yet.”

So in foolishness I let the black

Eek around and down my back.

With sneaky and with cunning art,

The mask strangled my blackened heart.

I’m no longer who I used to be –

This mask, so strong, defines me.

I let it happen, I let it stay,

And now the time for me to pay.

I looked at my bleeding hands,

My power not meeting its demands.

In anguish I crumbled to the floor,

Wanting death and nothing more.

In my moment of deepest despair,

A voice whispered from somewhere.

“See? Your nothing!” It accused,

With words, me, it abused.

It hissed around inside my ear

Saying words I had to hear.

It told me of all I’ve done,

The battles I’ve lost, the fights I won,

The way I lie and how I cheat

Reminding me of each defeat.

But another broke through the air

Causing the old voice to swear.

A voice said, gentle and true,

“You know what I’ve done for you?

You have no need to cry,

Your tears we must dry.

I’ve paid for all your crime

Let go of them, they’re mine.”

I felt a warm hand touch my face.

It felt like a tender embrace.

I jolted as what felt like rain,

Ran down my spine, easing pain.

The mask snapped and rolled down,

It fell and tumbled to the ground.

What I held dear for so long,

Melted away in joyful song.

For the first time, I felt free!

No shackles were enslaving me.

The black mask sizzled on the floor

That life I treasure no more.

P31W: Purity Dreams of It's Future

YAY! I'm finally posting again! Thanks for bearing with me, you all.

Today, I'm going to be talk about how purity dreams of it's future. A thought spurred and planted by Dannah Gresh, from her book, and the Bride Wore White. This is one of my favorite chapters in the book. Every person dreams about the future him or her. It's exciting to think about. I dream of dating some adorable guy, falling in love, having a small beautiful wedding and spending our lives together - laughing, crying, raising kids, having tender moments...

Everyone is going to have reasons they wait for marriage to be intimate or have relationships. But for me, the strongest reason is this: I want to present myself to my husband as pure and whole - in the heart, spirit and body. Think of it! No, really. THINK OF IT! If there is something that should motivate us, it should be our future husband!

YAY!!! *runs around*

Another way that purity dreams of it's future is by aiming for something. I love the way Dannah says it, "If you aim at nothing...you'll hit it." Pure P31W know what they want. They aren't picky indecisive females who can't make up their minds. They think about things then do them with wisdom. "She considers a field and buys it." Purity will dream about it's future husband.

What do you see in your husband?

List some qualities.

What is important for him to have? What is a maker or breaker? What isn't so important, but would be nice? What is so important that he DOESN'T have that you will not consider him if he does? Many, many girls date for the sake of doing it. Just for the heck of it. Girls, P31W do things with a purpose. Dating for the sake of it is dangerous. It gives us scars, eats our energy, and could trap us in very exhausting, repetitive loops of immorality.

I know I posted on this topic recently, but I'll say it again. It's totally okay for us to know and find what type of guy we want. It's okay to notice good character in guys and think, "I would like to have THAT in my husband some day." Write it down. I did. So when I find that my heart is flipping over a guy, I can refer to that list and the Bible and see if he is the type of guy that matches the Lord's and my standard.

Now, now, that doesn't mean if Mr. Perfect matches your list that you can throw everything out the window and pursue him. We still have to wait on God's timing. I just find this list as a guideline on what to look for and it keeps my heart from getting to attached and entangled in fantasies about someone that God would not want me to have.

I encourage you all to grab a pen and notebook and dig into the scripture to find Godly character that a husband should have and look at how they should lead their home - write those down. Then write down the personalities you think would gel with yours, then the physical features! Dream! It's okay to do that. The personality and physical part don't hold to like the Bible - they don't matter in the long run (I mean, I'd take an ugly but Godly guy over a gorgeous but mean guy anyway...), but it's still fun.

Write him a letter. Nothing will get you more excited than thinking of the things you want to tell your husband right now. If you could write a letter and give it to him, what would it say? Would you talk about the things you want to do eventually? Or what it is you will love about him? Maybe the way you are praying for him? I've done it multiple times - once for a letter writing challenge I did (It's in the blog archives somewhere.).

Pray for him. If you want to do something for your future, pray for your husband! Prayer does change things!! You never know, you could be praying for him when he is in total despair and God could lift his spirit in response to your prayer. His life could be changed, or his walk strengthened. Our prayers don't bounce off the ceiling. Listen to this verse on prayer! I love it! "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16) 


What a great promise!

Dream...

Why are you waiting? For me, the reason is simply this. On my wedding night I want to be able to say, "I have a whole body and heart to give to you." And I want to spend the rest of my life unashamed-ly, and wholly in love with him. Just him. Forever. 


Dream...


I believe in fairy tale happiness in marriage. Is it because of how we handle our marriage? Yeah! But more than that, I believe it's the patterns and standards that we set as young, single people. I believe it has a lot to do with...with...well, dreaming.

We're Going to Convention...We Thought We Should Mention...;)

Okay, just in case you don't know. The Title is part of a song Mr. Counts made up about convention. Lol. It's totally epic.

So, tomorrow we embark on a journey to Bowling Green to sing, play basketball, act, play checkers, play piano pieces, ping-pong, PACE bowl, Bible bowl, spell, do shot put, run and await the results of our essays and art entries. It's a fun, stressful and rewarding week. Often, in this time it is easy to forget about focusing on the Lord and delighting in His law. Its much easier to dwell on Sugar Grove and Faith Trinity stalkers, cute boys, how we look, being social and perfect in every performance. But I  have been thinking about this for a while. All of these things that are everything to us right now, will vanish. We are vapors. "This too shall pass". These is a quote and I love it. I'm going to try and quote it, but I won't be able to perfectly. It says something like, "Everything done will one day pass, only whats done for Christ will last."

How true that is! Everything we are driving for will vanish. So that brings up a good question we can use to evaluate our hearts. What are we striving for? And is it eternal? If it's not, what can we do to refocus?

These are not questions we ask ourselves one time. We need to ask those everyday. Daily I need to say, "Ash, what are you striving for today? Is it eternal? What are you going to zoom in on? When the world burns, will it too? What are you going to do to focus yourself?" (And yes, I talk to myself in third person all the time.)

I'm going to be surrounded by my friends and people I love all week this week. It's going to be easy to have the attitude, "Oh, I don't need to have quiet time. I can catch up this weekend." This is a time when I need to examine my motives and ask those questions. When I decide not to sit with thus-and-so when they look lonely, or help her prepare for her skit, or help him warm up, or be a shoulder to cry on, or distract people during the loooong rallies, I need to ask myself those questions.

"ONLY whats done for Christ will last."

What am I doing for Christ?

I think something that will help me stay focused on my Daddy this week is finding a few verses to meditate on. The Lord, ever so graciously, has been bringing some great scriptures to me recently. And I am going to write them down and dwell on them -really mull them over this week. Here they are.

1 Corinthians 4:7 "For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?"

Acts 8:4 "those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word." AHH! I LOVE THIS ONE SO MUCH!!! Right after people were being persecuted for being Christians, they go out and spread the Word of God!

1 Timothy 4:12 "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity."


Psalm 3: 3-5 " But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the LORD with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me."

I need to do this more often. Just pick some verses and dwell on them for a few days.

Prayer is appreciated. First, pray that we all stay well. So far, I'm concerned because we have a sick sponsor, and four students sick and we haven't even gone yet. Last year, we had boys getting sick one by one with a stomach virus. It was no fun at all and a few events were affected by it. So pray for health. Then pray that God would anoint the lips of the speakers and that they would minister to the whole convention, but specifically to our school. We could use a revival. And lastly pray that God would give me opportunities to be a servant and a godly influence. Well, take that back, He's always giving them. Pray that I SEE THEM and ACT ON THEM. That's better.

Until next time! Prolly Friday. Ciao. I love you all.

Boast in the Lord!

Apologies, Updates and Congrats

I am sorry about the lack of good, meaningful posts recently you all. I've been so busy. Allowing myself just enough time to get to post a little picture here and there, so as to not bore my readers.  I leave on Monday for a week for Regional Convention in Bowling Green. I'm excited, but boy am I busy! There is so much that still needs to be prepared. But the stress is part of the fun - and I don't think there is anything I like better than fun competition.

When I come back, I'm going to start on Proverbs 31 Women posts again. So stay tuned. The reason I'm not doing them now is it takes me a little time...(I'm slow at collecting thoughts, plus for those posts I do some research and reading - which just adds to the time problem.). But hopefully, I'll return into them full swing by next weekend. Until then, I'll just say something here and there, post a picture, post a video or something like that.

On the bright side, our Convention Performance Night was a GREAT SUCCESS! We were able to hold a crowd for over three hours. What a blessing. We got worried that the program would be too long and people would get bored, but they LOVED IT and we got a standing-o at the end!! Not one performance that went on the stage was a fail. It was wonderful - all of it!!! So to all my readers who performed, "You were spectacular and you music and drama brought glory to God." We raised over six hundred dollars. Not bad for a little church and much MUCH better than we have done in the past.

I am continually encouraged by the spirit of UCA. Seriously. When someone got done with a performance, there was always a bombardment of hugs waiting for them the second they walked off the stage and through the doors. I was SO encouraged by a few friends who ran all the way around the building to listen to my solo and then came all the way back around to hug me when I was finished. I was SOO NERVOUS because I have never belted (style of singing, btw) in front of people before O.o and they totally made me feel better. We can't lose that. We always need to be like that with people. Loving and all-inclusive. It's blessed me many many times, and I know we have been part of changing and blessing other people.

I have a God Tube channel. Watch videos from the performance on there and keep checking back. I'll upload some from convention too. :) http://www.godtube.com/rsc2011/

After a successful night, I'm READY BEYOND READY for convention. Bring. It. On.

YAY! A QUARTET!!!

A Pure Sign...

Okay this picture is PROOF that we go to the Mexican restaurant too much. We started a collection of their thank you mints. I saw this jar tonight and was laughing so hard I could not pull myself together.