My last post for awhile!

I leave for school one week from tomorrow, so I might not find time to update for awhile. (like I did this summer... *rolls eyes*.

Anyway, so I've been living at home and nannying this summer - it has been such a great experience. I'm getting lots of practice planning outings and meals - and discipline, too, which I do not enjoy so much. Being with the kids all day, having to listen to their nitpicking and namecalling - I realized it must be SO OBNOXIOUS to my parents when I and my sisters act that way!
I've also been pushed farther in correcting people, or figuring out the best way to tell someone they are wrong. Man, it has not been all high-flying but God has taught me so much this summer!

And now I move to Florida in one week! CRAZY! I'm overwhelmed with excitement for this opportunity - but of course as the day draws near, I'm being filled with last minute doubts and panic. I don't want to go far away! I don't want to leave home! But I tremble with delight thinking about the warm weather, the friends I will make, the incredible chances to grow! AND to be back at a Christian school again - I have missed that!

So, thanks for reading. I'm out for now!
-Lexi

Books I'm reading right now

I got this book for my plane ride home from Florida when I went down for orientation. I have not gotten very far (just too busy!) but I have heard great things about it and I can't wait to get into it!

I also finished 'Clay in the Potter's Hand' by Dorothy Sun today. That was a hard book to read - I almost put it down 3/4 of the way through. It just makes you miserable reading about the torture and suffering Chinese Christians have gone through!

Let's see... what else. I also just read Renting Lacy by Linda Smith and Cindy Coloma. Ohhh, that is a must read! It's about prostitution in America. It is so sad, so awful. Here's a paragraph that really touched me:

When I grow up, I want to be a prostitute.
I want to be used by men however they wished.
And I'll say, "Oh baby, yes, I love it, I love everything about you." And I'll hold back my vomit and keep on my smiles to convince them, so they'll stop slapping me. But because I love it, because I love the taste of everything about them, they'll say I'm a slut, a dirty little girl who needs to be punished. They'll burn cigarettes into my skin, jab me anyplace they like, bloody my nose, blacken my eyes, laugh at my tears, hold a gun to my head, cut me, tattoo me, as their eyes grow large and excited. I'll scream and cry and beg because I can't act anymore.
I don't want to be riding a pink bicycle with a basket in the front. I hate the little girls with their hands held tight by fathers, fathers who look at me in disgust and cover their daughters' eyes so they don't see me. I don't want to be one of those girls with a decorated bedroom and frilly pillows on my bed. I don't want to giggle and talk about whether a boy likes me or not. I don't want to decide for myself whether to wait for marriage to have sex and remain a virgin.
When I grow up, I don't want to attend college, consider joining a sorority, or have my own apartment. I don't want to try different career paths or figure out who I am. I don't wish for a wedding day in a church or on a beach with bridesmaids, a dad walking me down the aisle, little flower petals beneath my feet. Who cares about baby showers or decorating a nursery? I don't want to learn how to cook or decide between being a stay-at-home mom or a working mother. I don't want any of those things.
Because when I grow up, I want to be a prostitute.

-from Renting Lacy by Linda Smith and Cindy Coloma. Doesn't that break your heart?

I'm working on this book, too. I wish I had more time to read!


Other books escape my mind, but I have had time to read a few others this summer. I read a fantastic summary of American history, with great pictures and quotes! I just can't remember the name though. That's all I got!

Thanking God for summer!

Finally on here again - finals came and went and I've just gotten busier and busier. I started another blog, http://www.theantivegetarian.blogspot.com/, about my battles with food allergies, and I am going to try and post on that regularly so this blog might have to be put on the back burner.

I started a great nanny job this Tuesday, and got my first car the Tuesday before that - God is providing, no doubt about it! I was thinking about that the other day - I get so excited when great things happen, and am so thankful that God is providing - but He's providing all the time, isn't he? With rare exceptions (aka when we let my dad do the grocery shopping), I am able to find healthy food that I can eat in my kitchen every day. I've been blessed with a great church and a family that I love to be with. Last night we went to the Relay For Life in town, and I marveled at the AWESOME city I get to live in! So many people came out to support the fight against cancer. I feel like I must live in the best place in America!

When I stop to think about it, it boggles my mind how great my life is - and then I start to feel like a spoiled brat. I need to remind myself what people in the rest of the world are going through. I was just reading Compassion magazine's summer issue on Haiti, about the horrible things people in Haiti went through when the earthquake struck. It stirs me up - I want to go live there instead and try to help!

And in my hometown too - there are many homeless people here. A couple of times I've gotten gift cards and given them to people looking for help - I really hope it makes a difference. I don't know. My prayers are probably far more important, anyway.

On a less serious note - I'm going to try and take my nanny kids to the library once a week. Yesterday I was able to actually finish a book, the Lost Island of Tamarind. I LOVED it! I suppose some people would find it juvenile, but I adore jungle-sea-lost-children-pirate-princess adventures, and this book was packed with them! A girl and boy and their baby sister live on a boat with their scientist parents, who are washed overboard during a storm. The siblings manage to find a island that immediately shows itself to have some magical properties. There's lots of scheming and adventure and they go all over the place - the island has all kinds of different cultures and peoples whom the kids come into contact with.
The book had lots of minor mysteries and plot twists (which I love), most of which were revealed at the end ( I didn't like that not everything was explained!), and of course, a very happy ending. I wish it were a whole series, but alas... I'll just have to read it again someday. :-)

Well, it's time to say goodbye for now. I would love to be posting every week, but I just get too busy. *sigh* Maybe I will have better luck with the Antivegetarian!

Thank goodness for Hebrews 13:5 - 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'!

Yikes! I keep meaning to do another post, and have even opened the page a few times, and then other stuff ALWAYS comes up! At the moment, though, I'm putting off reading my Psych book. I have no choice. :-)

Last night I went to hear Roxana Saberi, and it was really intense hearing her story. She's from right here in North Dakota, and was reporting in Iran when she was arrested for 'spying' and held for 5 months. Her website is www.roxanasaberi.com. She has an amazing story. However, I was so disappointed that she didn't once mention God's role in her experiences. She went to the same Bible college my mom went to, and we were both pretty bummed that she wasted such a great opportunity to testify to God's grace.

I've been following the articles popping up in my feeds about Jennifer Knapp, as well. This article was an interesting read - I can't figure out Christianity Today's stance on all this. I for one am totally disheartened by Jennifer's coming out. She says the Bible has saved her, and she doesn't want to go by legalistic Old Testament/former covenant standards - I can relate, but I don't understand how she can rationalize away Romans 1:26-27.

It confuses me, but a lot of things confuse me. I don't know if I'm sinning by not wearing a head covering, and attending a church with a female pastor on staff. Am I? I don't feel convicted that I should change churches - in fact, my spiritual life has grown like crazy because of this church!

I don't feel convicted to start covering my head, either. I read that in Paul's time, only prostitutes showed their faces in public to show they were available. Clearly no good Christian woman would want to be propositioned on the street!

Today that isn't an issue, so I don't think a head covering is necessary. I don't know if I'm right. Jennifer Knapp is definitely right about thing - the Christian walk is definitely messy and hard and confusing, and the Bible is sometimes the only thing that can keep me from going CRAZY!

I wanted to share links to a couple of books I've found online lately that I am DYING to read!

Silent Tears by Kay Bratt - this lady moved to China because of her husband's work and started volunteering at the local orphanage. She was profoundly impacted and started going daily, fighing to change the orphan's living conditions. I can't wait to get my hands on it!

The Lost Art of True Beauty - eh, I just love the Ludys! This is Leslie Ludy's latest book and I'm really excited to read it. I love reading her books at night, when I do my devotions.

Field of Blood by Eric Wilson - mixing vampires and Biblical history? I don't know if I'll like it, but I want to read it anyway! The idea fascinates me.

With all the earthquakes going on, I thought this post was interesting - here are some scary facts, when you consider Matthew 24:7-14.

I LOVE this website! Poverty.com has devastating statistics on the world's death rates - it's awful. But then! they have realistic ways to help! They list so many organizations and ministries you can get involved with. I love it!

I was reading about Terri Schiavo the other day (I know, I spend WAY too much time on the computer, but at least I'm reading about important things, right?) and her story breaks my heart. Here's a petition you can sign - I can't STAND the show Family Guy, and they have made a parody of Terri's life. Her parents are really upset and asking for an apology. I am totally behind them!

Finally... I just love this mug. Lexi wants very much! :-D

Who loves a peaceful Sunday? Me! Me!

I feel like such a picturesque blogger! Cup of tea, armchair, lamplight, classical music playing...

It may never happen again - at least not once school starts! - but it sure feels GREAT to curl up in a quiet house!

Today is my last week of break, and by george, I'm gonna ENJOY it! I've already spent the last month watching movies and goofing around... now I'm going to try and get caught up before school, and cross a whole bunch of things off my to-do list. We'll see how that goes, I guess.

On Friday I leave to spend the weekend with friends. I can't wait! I love staying at home and not doing anything (going strong after four weeks!), but I think I need a break from my family. For my sanity, as well as theirs. :-D

Then I come back and prepare for the mad chaos that I'm afraid spring semester will be. My first class is at 8 three mornings a week, so I'm going to be up EARLY! :-O

On this site I found something that made me so very excited... Kratt's Kreatures clips! This was my FAVORITE show growing up and I was so disappointed when they replaced it with Zaboomafoo. Who cares about a stuffed monkey!?

Little kids who care more about entertainment value than raw, real nature, I guess. ;-)

I recently got a zebra-striped Franklin Covey planner - the little one I got at Walmart just wasn't cutting it. I absolutely LOVE it! I've been writing to-do lists like crazy. I'm hoping that I can stay really organized this year. Ha. :-D

We've also hit a few stores for New Years' sales. I found SO much stuff on sale! YAY! I found some basic things I was looking for - white turtleneck, dark jeans, neutral-colored camis - and I am THRILLED to make up a ton of new outfits! (Why have I never purchased a white turtleneck before? I have no idea, but I'm glad I finally did!)

Well, it sounds like my mother has awakened from her nap, and she's supposed to be helping me finish my quilt and accomplish a few other things, so I'd better get off the computer (and I also really have to go to the bathroom after all that tea.) Ciao!

Christmas at our house!

Silver bells... silver bells... it's Christmas time in my city!

It's 1:30 in the morning, and I ought to be sleeping. But I can't!

I don’t want to go to sleep yet. Tonight, I have an incredible peace. I suddenly have this vivid clarity, that right now there is NO where else I’d rather be, and nothing else I’d rather be doing. I am SO grateful that God has put me where I am, with the family/job/friends/school/city I have and belong to. After all,
Now is not forever.
This is the title of B. Reith's latest CD. I heard him at the FANTASTIC TobyMac concert I went to earlier this month, and now I want to chant this mantra to myself over and over and over until I really believe it. I won’t struggle with wild hormones forever, I won’t be single forever, I won’t be living at home forever, I won’t be in school forever, I won’t be a naïve teenager forever, I won’t be shy and insecure forever.

‘Cuz now is not forever.

Here is a picture from our church's Christmas program... my mom is second from the right. It was GREAT! Dancers and a school drum line and a wild heavy metal-esque version of O Come, O Come Emmanuel. I can't wait for next year!

When I took my sister out to check up on her horse and take care of stable duties, we spotted sundogs and I had her take a couple of pictures. They were NOT this vivid, though - just two little rainbow spots in the sky! She later upped the contrast and fixed them up and I think they are AMAZING! So this is what a sundog really looks like, huh? I am impressed, God!

Here's our silly puppy, Bobbie. We keep her bed under the cabinet, otherwise she will chew it up, but she loves to crawl underneath and just lay there and watch us. Every so often she'll wriggle around and change position to get more comfortable. It's so cute!

Lastly, I've been making Christmas cookies! Well... not really Christmas cookies, just cookies to eat at Christmastime. Snickerdoodles, jello cookies, applesauce cookies, and peppermint 'puffs'. They ended up being peppermint flats, but they are SO GOOD! I made them last night and I think I've eaten six already!

Yesterday I watched the Star of Bethlehem for the second time. It is AMAZING. I LOVE learning about Jewish tradition and how it affected the authors of the New Testament and the way we should understand the Bible today.
The website for this movie is http://www.bethlehemstar.net/. I highly recommend it!

Well, I should probably get to bed. I might finish another episode of Glee first, though. I've just started watching this show and I LOVE it. It does have some - okay, a lot of things I don't like, but it is more about the singing and less about the sex and catfighting and drama - that gives it an A plus in my book! Not mentioning any names, but my sister is currently obsessed with a certain teen drama (rhymes with 'gossip girl') and I HATE it. I'm so annoyed with Leighton Meester for going from Hangman's Curse to this crap! Her character is nasty!

Otherwise... tonight I am thankful for yummy cookies, a warm house, a God who sticks with me, a Savior who died for me, the internet, and mostofall for CHRISTMAS BREAK! I know I will be appreciating getting to sleep in tomorrow! Good night!

What's been on my mind...

I've been so busy with school, I really haven't had the time or desire to even log on here, much less update regularly. I am pledging now, however, to blog every Sunday! It's supposed to be a day of rest, so I ought to have time to write a few lines, right?

Life isn't any easier since I last posted. School was fun for the first month, overwhelming for the second, and now I've settled into a nice groove. I can hardly believe my first final is in eight days!

I'm working on a speech about abortion, and lately I've been reading some things about it online that make me smile, or break my heart.

Here is a 72-year-old minister who has started a late-term abortion clinic in Texas. Quote: "Am I killing? Yes, I am. I know that." He also says the 'hardest ones' are the NINE and TEN year old girls. This makes me so angry! Who gets a nine-year-old pregnant, and who takes her to get an abortion? What grandfather-aged man starts a business of killing babies? How on EARTH is this okay?

And here's a quote by Regis Nicoll, from this link:

"I dream of a day...
When abortion is not rare, but non-existent.
When “family planning” clinics go the way of drive-in theaters;
and their practitioners, the way of keypunch operators.
When every child is welcomed into this world, regardless
of her condition or her parents’ preparedness.
When a large family is praised and encouraged, rather than
frowned upon because of its environmental footprint.
When every child has a family with a mother and father to love her,
care for her, and nurture her into healthy, mature adulthood.
That is my dream."

I am so glad I found this site. These pictures of aborted babies are amazing and horrific at the same.

Here's an encouraging story about a girl rescued from prostitution who had nowhere else to go:
http://www.sharedhope.org/what/storiesofhope_tanya.asp

A girl close to my age has died in Arizona. She was purposely run over by her Iraqi father, who felt she was becoming 'too westernized'. Sick.

One more Regis Nicoll quote:

"While it is true that our nation enjoys a rich diversity of faith
expressions, that diversity is not the product of religiously pluralistic values
but, rather, of Christian notions about individual freedoms, including,
foremost, the freedom of religion. There is a reason why culturally Christian
nations consistently lead the world in religious liberty, while Muslim, Hindu,
and secular nations lead the world in religious persecution."

Lastly, here's a fascinating story about a Muslim-turned-Christian girl who is afraid for her life. And she's from right here in America! I am definitely keeping her in my prayers.

This cartoon made me laugh.

"God does not play dice with the universe: He plays an ineffable game of His own
devising, which might be compared, from the perspective of any of the other
players [i.e. everybody], to being involved in an obscure and complex variant of
poker in a pitch-dark room, with blank cards, for infinite stakes, with a Dealer
who won’t tell you the rules, and who smiles all the time." – Terry Pratchett
& Neil Gaiman, Good Omens

I like this quote! Do you ever get the feeling that when we're freaking out, God is grinning from ear to ear (metaphorically, I suppose) because everything is really going to be okay and he's just waiting for us to catch on to the secret to 'inner peace' and cast our cares on him?

So... that's what's been on my mind.

Happy August!

I can't believe it's already August! This summer has been pretty cold, and it's disappointing to think that school starts in just a little over three weeks.

It's been a hard summer. My parents have separated temporarily, and I've been fine with it. Yesterday, though, I realized that it IS a big strain on me (the bizarre crying fits were my big clue). Since I'm the oldest, I'm the one they both confide in, and I feel stuck in the middle. I'm so sick of this, I actually want to leave home. I suppose it'll get better. Mom has been out of town for a few days and so things are particularly stressful.

I think it's probably the hardest period of my dad's life, since he's still unemployed. And I have no idea what to do, except pray. I feel helpless. :-(

Not everything has been bad, though. My family has fallen head over heels for this little girl.
Bobbie is a Brittany Spaniel, and we absolutely love her.

My room has been laid bare for the last few months, the paint has been sitting in the hallway since April - and we FINALLY finished the painting! I'm excited to move stuff in.

Tomorrow VBS starts. My sisters and I are teaching the 2nd grade. It's a program put on by Go Fish, and they will be coming up and doing a free concert the last night! I'm SO EXCITED!

http://www.nlag.net/images/freedomfest/gofish2.jpg

I love Go Fish. Even if all they do are kiddie songs - I still get a kick out of it. :-)

Summer is here!

Here's something that made me smile on this beautiful morning:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23679187?pg=1#ZOObabies_science

Now it's almost noon, and I've wasted the entire morning. Well, I wouldn't say wasted entirely... just pretty close. Time to get to work.

Were the whole realm of nature mine…

It’s Sunday morning, the very last Sunday before I leave school for good. I’d be in church right now, but my roommate seems to be unconscious.

It’s been an amazing year, it really has. Even though I had a really hard time with some people, I’m glad everything that happened, happened. I’m going to miss it, I think… but I’m so glad to go home!

Last weekend I went to see the Minnesota Symphony with a few friends… it was a great night! I was bored after the first song, but I had fun dressing up and taking pictures.

I thought my Historical Books this semester was pretty boring, for the most part. But now that I’ve gotten a better look at the Old Testament… I NEVER thought that it would be so interesting!

The New Testament, certainly. Paul is an awesome writer. But the Old is full of boring stories I’ve heard a million times.

The latter is still partly true… I am tired of studying Genesis, Exodus, Daniel, etc. Now I realize, though, that I don’t know ANYTHING about the minor prophet books – AND, more importantly, they are actually really interesting! :-)

So right now I’m really trying to get a good grasp on the story of the OT. I had to do a study last week on the kings that ruled over the Northern and Southern kingdoms of Israel after Solomon’s reign, and it really peaked my curiosity! I want to find out more about it.

Time to stop talking and start reading… buh-bye!

My God is an AWESOME God... He reigns from heaven above...

I feel so blessed right now!

I had a great time with my friends. Those awesome girls treated me to dinner! Then we rented a couple of movies and painted our nails and stayed up too late. Just like the good old days. ;-)

I had catfish for the first time... I was a little leery, but then I tried it.. and inhaled the rest :-D

Yesterday I played chauffeur and took my sister to her biology class. I got to dissect a fish! I was feeling a little nauseous by the time we finished... but it was very enlightening.

Then I went to the chiro and got my neck cracked - HAPPY DAY. I was disappointed, though, because I thought I wouldn't perpetually feel like I needed to crack it anymore - but I still do. I guess it's a bad habit now.

Today I organized the laundry room... then took my sisters out to see friends' new kitties and puppy. We need some babies around here again!
Then I visited their youth group... I like it.

This morning, I read that verse following Paul's statement about being the foremost, aka most pathetic, of all sinners - 1 Timothy 1:15. Anyway, I read 1:16. It's good.
"But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience..."
I love my Jesus. I love that He uses my pathetic, oft-wasted day-to-day life to demonstrate His perfection and goodness and awesome love!

And now I'm going to bed at ELEVEN O'CLOCK and I'm SO EXCITED!!!

So good night!

Thank you, Jesus, for yummy food. And coffee.

I have been looking for an online Bible website that doesn’t look so.. outdated.. ?.. and I’ve finally found one! The YouVersion Bible site is AWESOME! It is also my new home page… maybe now I can keep my Facebook addiction in check. Here is a little picture:

Guess what fabulous lunch I’m having today!

…

3 eggs

minus yucky white baby things

plus broccoli and mozzarella cheese

and salt for flavor

and a drizzle of ranch

equals DELICIOUS! I’m all done now, but my mouth is watering just talking about it. I can’t get enough of frittatas!

Add in coffee, and I am in palatable heaven. Mmm.

But enough about food. We spent Easter at my grandma’s. My sister bought a horse on Saturday (We may name it Chica, Cheeky for short. Which isn’t shorter at all.). And today my bestest friend is coming over for a slumber party! So now I have to clean the disaster that is my bedroom… and pull out my Bible. I’ve been really bad about that the last few days. *bummed face*

Thank goodness for Psalm 52:7, eh?

HUZZAH, spring break has arrived!

Ooh! I tried Windows Live Writer once and I didn’t like it very much. Now I’m trying it again, and I think it is much improved! :-) All the same, it's still making my post a little funny...

Well… let’s see. I’m trying to get a lot accomplished when I'm at home. While, of course, staying up as late as long as I can stay awake and sleeping as late as I am able - My dad considers it his duty to destroy any notions we have of sleeping in and is always banging on the door before 9:00am. Horrors!

I hid slept in my sister’s room last night, on the floor behind her bed. He found me anyway.

Today I cleaned the fishbowl, started the laundry, made a couple of phone calls, and hit the thrift stores with my sisters. I found a futon I’d really like for $100… so maybe I can work out a deal with my parents and get it before I have to return to school.

I wish I had something interesting to write about, but I don’t. I think my writing mechanism is turned off.

Tonight I watched Princess Diaries 2 (love Chris Pine!). I wanted to start on the season of Monk that we found at the library, but it’s just getting too late. *Yawn*

(My room is still buggy and rather arctic in temperature. No thank you.)

In closing, here are some pictures from a “Spy Banquet” the boys threw for us at school (I’m the one with red shoes - the 1st is a couple of girls and I being silly, the 2nd is my roomie and I, and the 3rd is our junior class), and a favorite quote from Romans 1:16. G’nite!

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it the power of God for
salvation to everyone who believes…” – the Apostle Paul

You'll always be my only One... You're the only God I'll ever love!

Me again! It's been a lazy weekend, so I have time to post again. Posting is being kind of weird, plus I was trying to be cool, so everything is sort of different sizes and fonts...

All the reasons I'm having an AWESOME day:

Summer is in sight.

I leave for spring break in 5 days (or 4, if things work out!).

I am finishing the last of my big assignments for the semester.

Pride and Prejudice is a great movie.

I slept until noon today.

Popcorn and jello make delicious snacks. Or meals, whichever.

The yearbook is coming along nicely.

iTunes is cool.

God is good!

Recommendations I give today:

Listen to Beautiful King by Phil Danyew

Watch a good movie. Like Pride and Prejudice.

Read... I think it's called the Peace of God by Rosenius... someone. It's heavy, but really good!

Call your mother.

Take a nap!

I just read a really interesting article - http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/03/30/090330fa_fact_gawande. I don't think I'm a supporter of prisoner isolation anymore. It's scary to read about!

Well, I've been putting it off long enough... now it's really time to finish my paper. Ta-ta!

Here's the weather I'm enjoying - the grass isn't exactly green yet, but the sun is shining and it feels GOOD!
Meanwhile, my family is suffering bitter winds and falling snow. HA! Do I really want to go home this weekend...?

Beautiful King, has anybody seen your glory unfold?
You walk up to me with sparks in Your eyes,
You brighten my world
And You'll always be my only One.
You're the only God I'll ever love because...
Every word that you say wields the beauty of angels.
Every smile is arrayed with a joy like wedding bells.
It's my heart you hold, of your mystery I sing.
I will stand and behold my Beautiful King
Love of my soul, with power untold, who is like you?
Lamb that was slain, my God, You reign in victory and truth.
And I'll follow You all my days.
And I'll give to You every single thing.
I hand everything over...
And time flies by. We're not standing alone.
Every word that You say, Father, let it be known.
I fall so fast without You by my side.
Let Your beauty be seen, let Your glory unfold

So I'll stand, with arms high and heart abandoned...

I thought I would post quick, so my blog doesn't look like it DIED! I have been SO busy since I last posted! The last weekend has been campus days, so I'm short on sleep and have been having a great time meeting new people and taking pictures for yearbook!

It's still exhausting trying to deal with my roommate... but I've come to understand her better, so it's easier than it was before. Also, I had a major attitude adjustment last week, and that helped a lot. (Prayer is good. So is reading one's Bible!)

We sang the most amazing song in chapel yesterday - Before the Throne of God. It was BEAUTIFUL! And today we sang The Stand... I think that is definitely the current most powerful worship song existing, especially for people like myself! :-D
Anyway, I wanted to share the lyrics of both these songs, and then I'm going to sleep!

Before the throne of God above,

I have a strong, a perfect plea:

A great High Priest, whose name is Love,

Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on his hands,

My name is written on his heart;

I know that while in heaven he stands

No tongue can bid me thence depart

No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,

And tells me of the guilt within,

Upward I look, and see him there

Who made an end of all my sin.

Because a sinless Savior died,

My sinful soul is counted free;

For God, the Just, is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me

To look on Him and pardon me

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Praise the One, Risen Son of God!

Behold him there, the risen Lamb

My perfect, spotless righteousness,

The great unchangeable I am,

The King of glory and of grace!

One in himself, I cannot die

My soul is purchased by his blood

My life is hid with Christ on high,

With Christ, my Savior and my God

With Christ, my Savior and my God

You stood before creation
Eternity within Your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand
You stood before my failure
Carried the Cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand
So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You
So I'll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
This life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand
So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You
So I’ll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
So I’ll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours...

"This ain't no ordinary, this extraordinary love!"

I've returned to the land of winter. Who knew there was such a huge difference between Minnesota and NoDak? I wore flipflops all the way home, and then Dad coaxed me into putting my winter boots on. I wasn't happy, but as soon as I got outside, I was glad for them.

Right now, I'm watching a video of my second-youngest sister at about... seven months. Not a lot of dialogue, but it's sure cute :-) Good golly, I had a shrill laugh at two... even as aforementioned sister ripped chunks of my hair out. How odd.

I'm home until MONDAY! This is going to be a much-needed break. It felt like we were in the car forever today, and any moment I'm going to get a phone call, letting me know it's time to drive another hour to pick up a friend and bring her back here to town, where her parents will (hopefully) meet her.

The first week of spring semester was fantastic. Everything was going fabulous... and then I just had a two-week-long attack of PMS/TMBFF syndrome (too much BFF). The last two weeks have been rather hellish, and I seriously missed having my own room. Today went surprisingly well, however - I have high hopes for next week!

I have to say, I would not survive without my mother. I would flip my lid. I wish all teenage girls had such a wonderful mother as I.

I made lots of valentines today... I cut hearts out of pink cardstock and slapped on a sticker, a reference, a to-and-from, and of course the standard holiday greeting. I hope they are appreciated. :-)

Anyway, happy early V-day from this absurdly dressed child and myself!

Time... where did you go?

36 hours ago, I dyed my hair blond. Or rather, tried to. Then I tried again.

12 hours ago, I dyed it again.

4 hours ago, I dyed it a fourth time - this time, peanut butter chocolate mahogany, to conceal the yellow disaster. I have given up on being blond for the time being.

30 minutes from now, I will (hopefully) be sleeping.

10 hours from now, I will running around like a crazy girl finishing up packing. (I cannot forget my rice milk)

12 hours from now, I will be in church. (I definitely need it)

14 hours from now, I will be eating spaghetti at a school fundraiser. (Yay!)

16 hours from now, I will be on the road. (Watching HOUSE!)

19 hours from now, I will be be back at school! (cheers quietly)

Here's a picture my sister cute-ified of Lilo and I... :-)

We need JESUS!

This is an interesting post...
http://www.flowerdust.net/2009/01/21/why-is-being-gay-a-sin/

My sister is an AMAZING artist, if I do say so myself!

Fixing up Zelda... my first experience with a whole chicken (whole anything, for that matter)!

Trying to look picturesque...

A comic that I really liked...

Ten things I am thankful for tonight:

-I can download cool stuff off the internet

-A proposal I thought was far off in the distance... may be closer than I thought! (not for me, of course)

-I go back to school in just FOUR days!

-I'm not the least bit sick, and my allergies are really mild right now! (for the next four days, anyway)

-I'm almost done with my loong to-do list before I leave

-When aforementioned sister and I get in screaming fights, it doesn't take long before we are buddies again :-)

-God has plans for me to have hope and a future! The Most High has a purpose for ME, little old me!

-I have the nicest parents EVER! (to me, at least!)

-I finally got a song I've wanted for years... We Need Jesus by Petra!

-Tomorrow is another BEAUTIFUL DAY! Every day it gets lighter, earlier! Summer is in the future! WAHOO!

Now that put me in a FABULOUS mood!

The days are slipping away... way too fast!

This is good..

http://thedeb8withn8.blogspot.com/2009/01/from-john-piper-to-president-obama.html

And this is funny!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/4270990/Barack-Obamas-inauguration-in-Legoland-California.html#

.... and I'm not actually going to write anything because I'm so tired I might fall asleep going down the stairs. Good night.