The First Annual Coffee Awards

I am wide awake and it's 2am.


That sounds like the beginning of a love song... or the opposite I suppose. But my alert mind, at this late hour, is not due to some broken heart. Rather, it is the result of homework left undone. I haven't pulled an all-nighter since the beginning of the year and I forgot how much I really enjoy them. Now before you think I am out of my mind, (since that wouldn't be such a crazy assumption, considering the situation) let me explain. I love coffee. Yes, it's true. I am addicted to the Christian's alcohol. (I know, bad joke.) I drink coffee on a very regular basis, but my absolute favorite time to drink it is late at night, when no one is awake and things need to be done. I could be completely tired, but the moment that coffee runs down my throat, the caffeine rushes to my brain, and I am given an extra boost of creative energy. Yes, I said creative. Here is the thing. For some crazy reason, whenever I consume coffee after mid-night, I seem to be in a very happy mood and when I am in a happy mood, I am confident and when I am confident, I get creative. It's a silly process, but it's just grand! I once wrote an entire essay in 10 minutes, 3 pages long and got 100% on it. CRAZY? I think not. Coffee is amazing. I credit all of my good work to it.


Thank you coffee for your addictive and energetic nature! Without it, I would not have finished the majority of the homework I have been given over the past years of my life.

Be Faithful To Obey

Compromise. I used to hear this word and think "Compromise is when you are out with your boyfriend and you purposed in your heart not to kiss him, but temptation got the best of you and you think 'It's just a kiss... It's not a sin.' and then you do it." or something along those lines, but Compromise has been given and new definition to me recently.


As most of you know, my mom died almost 8 months ago. It seems like it's been so long since I've seen her, but it also seems like only yesterday. These last 8 months have been such a blur. I miss her, there is no denying it. I wish things didn't end the way they did, but I can't control life. Grief is something that I have come to know all too well. It isn't bad to miss someone and it isn't bad to cry about it either, but there is such thing as grieving in the wrong way, as I have learned. Here is how I see it, there are two ways to live after losing a loved one. One way would be to cry about it to the Lord and find comfort in Him and encouragement from friends (the right way), and the other way is to dwell on it and use it as, almost an excuse, to keep you from living the life that God wants you to live (The wrong way; which really only hurts you and your walk with the Lord.). I have been guilty of the grieving her death the wrong way. I haven't been using it to get attention with people, I hardly even mention with others, but whenever the Lord wants me to do something and a memory of my mom pops up, I think "God will understand, I mean, I just lost my mom... He can't expect me to do that thing when I am cry about my mom." There is that compromise I was talking about. As a Christian, I long to live a life of absolutely NO compromise; nothing to keep me from doing the will of the One who knows all things and this has become an area of compromise in my life.


This is really a tough thing to understand, though I understand much of it now, I am still trying to fully comprehend that, even dwelling on the death of a loved one (my mom), can be compromising. Dwelling on it could cause distance and dissension in my walk with the Lord. There is nothing wrong with missing her and there is definitely nothing wrong with being sad about it, but when I start to dwell on it and it affects my obedience to God, I know that I am compromising. I want nothing to hinder my obedience to Him. I want a life of NO compromise. That means, if I am in the middle of thinking of my mom and the Lord tells me to do something, rejecting His command is not an option. I need to stop and obey. He is my Rock and my fortress. My grief is much, but I can't let that compromise my obedience to the Lord.



"... Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life." Revelations 2:10

Hey everyone

.vcccccohj gb`ccc```crg4`cccvgbf
ffff ff
My nephew says hi! :)f

God is so Perfect!

God is so PERFECT!

All of His ways are PERFECT!

Everything He says in His word is PERFECT!

I am in awe of His perfect plan. He is so wonderful!!!

God is Love

"Though I speak with the

tongues of men and of angels,

but have not love, I have become

sounding brass or a clinging cymbal.

And though I have the gift of

prophecy, and understand all mysteries,

and all knowledge, and though

I have faith, so that I could remove mountains

but have not love, I am nothing."

(1 Corinthians 13:1-2)

If we do something but do not have love, we are nothing. If we don't have God, who is love, we are nothing.

January 19th

And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail.
Matthew 28:9

‘All hail’ was a very common expression. Slang of the day, it simply meant, ‘Hi’. I like that! When the women came to the tomb, their doctrine was all wrong. They thought Jesus was dead. But guess Who came to them? Jesus Christ Himself, because, although they were doctrinally wrong, they were devotionally right.

I am convinced that a lot of us take pride in our doctrine when the Lord is saying, ‘What I desire is your affection.’ We are committed to precepts about Christ, but are we committed to the Person of Christ? Many believers are doctrinally right — but they’re dead right because their doctrine is devoid of devotion.

And so I say to you today, that even if your knowledge is limited or your doctrine not perfectly accurate — if your affection for Him is real, Jesus will appear to you time and time again, saying, ‘All hail ... Hi!’

(From JonCourson.com)

Friends

The Lord brought up Proverbs 17:17 again. I am thankful for that verse and for His correction.

A Friend Loves At All Times

"A friend loves at all times,

And a brother is born for adversity."

-- Proverbs 17:17

This is my verse right now. It's something that the Lord has been reminding me of. A true friend loves at all time... I know that sometimes I am guilty of being the exact opposite of what 1 Corinthians 13 says love is. A friend doesn't envy, or boast. A friend isn't prideful and doesn't act rudely. A friend thinks no evil and rejoices in the truth.

A true friend does not rejoice when their friend stumbles, but they are there to be a brother/sister and help them. A true friend love at all times, even when they think their friend has made a rude comment, bad decision, or has done really nothing at all. A true friend will not let envy or jealousy get involved in a friendship. A true friend will think no evil thoughts about their friends.

A friend LOVES AT ALL TIMES!

"Always love, hate will get you every time. Always love, even when you wanna fight."

-- Always love by Nada Surf

Bubba Gump Mason

This little Goober has stolen my heart.

I love him so so much.

For those of you who don't know, this is my nephew Mason. He is going to be 2 years old this May!! :) I love him. He is so sweet! :)

True

True beauty cannot be expressed.

Goofy Silly Girls

This is my friend. Her name is Bethany... or Sis... but only to Kari, Matthew.. and me. ;) We are goofy. The End. :)

Free In Christ and Country

I absolutely love that we have freedom of speech. We cannot legally get into trouble for preaching the word of Jesus! I am so thankful for that. We can legally go up to anybody in the entire U.S. and tell them about Jesus without the fear of being put in jail for it. Christians, we have the freedom to tell everyone about Jesus. We have the opportunity to share the love of Christ with the people around us and we should be taking advantage of that. If you had the cure of cancer and everyone had the disease, you would want to share that and save people's lives, right? In the same way, everyone is dying and we have the cure for death; we have Jesus! We should be motivated to go and tell everyone that the cure for death is the fountain of living water. Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the father but by me." We, as Christians, should be telling everyone that simple truth. Lies are floating all around and people are believing them. We have the truth. It's time to set things straight.

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free..."
(Galatians 5:1)

Embracing The New Year

2009

This is the year that I turn 18, graduate High school, and go off to college. This is a big year for me. So many changes, but I am excited to see how God is going to use each one. I am just so amazed that this year has finally come. I have waited since I was little to turn 18, graduate, and go to college. Now that it's here, I am nervous, but excited. New things force me out of my comfort zone and cause me to rely on the Lord. College... I wonder what its going to be like... I know, it's just more school, but I am excited to call teachers "Professor", I am anxious to know who, if it happens, I will be rooming with my freshman year... So many changes that I am so excited to experience!

I am ready to embrace whatever the Lord has for me in 2009!! :)

5 More Months!

"A Full 17-Month 2009 Calendar"

The big change for 2009 is that there is going to be 5 extra months!!

Month 13- Gebruary
Month 14- Fanuary
Month 15- Treevember
Month 16- Blogtober
Month 17- April
(They liked it so much, they decided to have another one!) ;)


Get ready!!! ;)

For Bethany! :)

(Inside joke)

hahahahahahahaha!

:)

The Canterbury Tales-- Beautiful

Okay, the poem "The Canterbury Tales" we quite possibly the most beautiful thing I have ever read. My favorite part is the part of "The Parson". Read this part: (In modern Language)

"The true example that a priest should give,
Is one of cleanness, how the sheep should live.
He did not set his benefice to hire
And leave his sheep encumbered in the mire
Or run to London to earn easy bread
By singing masses for the wealthy dead,
Or find some Brotherhood and get enrolled.
He stayed at home and watched over his fold
So that no wolf should make his sheep miscarry.
He was a shepherd and no mercenary."

I think that is truly beautiful. This entire poem is 856 lines and it tells the story of many different people on a pilgrimage to a sacred place. There are different sections describing the different people and the Parson is my absolute favorite. This Chaucer guy was very talented.

Yeah, I miss you. And I wish you were here.

"From Where You Are"

So far away from where you are
These miles have torn us worlds apart
And I miss you, yeah I miss you

So far away from where you are
I'm standing underneath the stars
And I wish you were here

I miss the years that were erased
I miss the way the sunshine would light up your face
I miss all the little things
I never thought that they'd mean everything to me

Yeah I miss you
And I wish you were here

I feel the beating of your heart
I see the shadows of your face
Just know that wherever you are

Yeah I miss you
And I wish you were here

I miss the years that were erased
I miss the way the sunshine would light up your face
I miss all the little things
I never thought that they'd mean everything to me

Yeah I miss you
And I wish you were here

So far away from where you are
These miles have torn us worlds apart
And I miss you, yeah I miss you
And I wish you were here

The Missing Piece...

I wish we could still take pictures like this.

I miss her so much.

Think On What Is True

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy- meditate on these things."
(Philippians 4:8)

What is true?

"But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob,

And He who formed you, O Israel;

'Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by your name;

You are Mine.'"

(Isaiah 43:1)

I belong to Jesus. I am not my own! He has created and formed me. He has redeemed me. I belong to Him! :)

A Promise Of Protection

I am disgusted by the way some people view love. I don't understand how people can see that control and power is considered love. I am talking about molestation and rape. Something I am pretty passionate about stopping. I am just baffled as to how, in many cases, a father can abuse his little girl by taking advantage of her and call it love. It's not love. But it just doesn't make sense to me. A precious little girl, who trusts and loves her daddy, is one day betrayed by him and he calls it "love". The only love that I see in this situation is the love of sin and perversion. It just breaks my heart that things like this are happening. It shouldn't be that way. The relationship between a father and daughter is supposed to be sweet. She is supposed to be able to trust him and he is supposed to be her super hero.

I want every girl to know that regardless of your earthy father, your Daddy in heaven loves and cherishes you so much. You are a treasure to Him. Never will He leave or forsake you. He will never mistreat you in anyway. You can trust completely in Him and He will be faithful. :)