The Day and Way the Addiction Began

When it comes to memories, most people make it a point to remember things like previous birthday parties, prom nights, wedding days, etc. But for me, its a little different.


As I walked into my kitchen on this, chilled and lovely morning, I reached for the coffee pot and poured out what was left from my dad's morning fix. I proceeded to fill the glass pot with water, walked to the coffee maker, poured it in, and walked out of the room. 6 minutes later, I returned. The aroma of something wonderful was in the air. I pulled out my favorite coffee mug from the drainer and filled it with what is commonly known as, Joe, bean juice, or the Christian's alcohol. ;) I have not gotten to the point where drinking it black is actually appetizing to me, so, like I do every morning, I opened the fridge, pulled out my French Vanilla Coffee Mate creamer, opened the top and began to pour it into my drink. As the creamer hit the coffee's surface a memory rushed to mind, like it does every morning when I get to this point. A fond memory of the day I got addicted to coffee...


It was 5am on a Saturday morning, 2 years ago. There was a scheduled sunrise service for the HS SWAT kids at the church that morning. There were maybe 10 of us there, and of the 10, the ones I remember being there are Me, Kylie Campbell, Daniel Hooper, Tyler Bianco, Christina Craig, and Kendall DeWitt. Many of us were having trouble staying awake, considering the hour of day, so someone came up with the idea to make coffee, which is full of caffeine and would wake us right up. So, Kendall went over to the coffee maker and started the brew. She waited a few minutes and then began pouring out the drinks, and as she did, I made a comment of how tired I was. At that moment, she turned to me and said "You should try some coffee." (In a persuasive sort of way.) I was hesitant. Coffee was never something I thought was disgusting, in fact, I always sort of liked the taste of it. But I had never had it straight from the coffee maker. I walked over to her and she poured me a cup. Then the conversation went something like this:


"You want creamer" said Kendall, in a sort of matter-of-fact way.


"Umm Okay.." April replied.


"Here taste it and tell me if you like it. You may want to put more creamer in." Kendall said.


*April took a sip and sorta cringed at the lack of sweetness*


"More Creamer, please!" April said in an urgent voice.


"Here, this should be good. After a while, you'll be able to tell if you have enough creamer, just by the color of the coffee." Kendall said informatively.


At that moment, April took one sip and the taste, mixed with the glorious smell and jolt of caffeine, gave April a feeling she had never known before- the feeling of being addicted to coffee.

The rest of it is history. That was the day and way that my coffee addiction began, and, every morning as I pour my french vanilla creamer into my cup of Joe, I remember the statement Kendall made "You'll be able to tell if you have enough creamer just by the color of the coffee."

We Stand In It

“Justified believers enjoy a blessing far greater than a periodic approach to God or an occasional audience with the king. We are privileged to live in the temple and in the palace. Our relationship with God, into which justification has brought us, is not sporadic but continuous, not precarious but secure. We do not fall in and out of grace like courtiers who may find themselves in and out of favour with their sovereign, or politicians with the public. No, we stand in it, for that is the nature of grace. Nothing can separate us from God’s love.”

—John Stott

Sweet, Sweet Sound

I am an instrument of the living God
My life a melody to His name
More than the songs I sing
Worship is everything
I live to glorify my King


Hear the song of my life
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound
I raise this anthem high
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound


Through all the mire and clay
You're washing me with grace
You carry me, oh Lord, through it all
So I will testify even in the fire
I live to praise my Savior


Hear the song of my life
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound
I raise this anthem high
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound


Let everything that has breath
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord
And all creation will sing Hallelujah


Hear the song of my life
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound
I raise this anthem high
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound


A sweet, sweet sound
A sweet, sweet sound

Jesus

Jesus, the most beautiful name that I know.

I am devastated

I heard devastating news today... I feel so betrayed... I don't even know what to say...



My heart is broken...



I found out today, that the love of my life, that man who delivered news to me so perfectly and was, not only a pleasure to watch, but my soon to be husband.. Anderson Cooper.... is a homosexual...





I AM SO SAD!



I had NO idea! hahaahah Okay.. its sad that he is a homosexual.. but I feel so dumb for not knowing!! hahaah





ANDERSON, NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

El Shaddai

I am being reminded that it is completely by the grace of God that I have salvation. It is through His blood that I have been set free. It is by His love that I have stepped out of darkness and into His marvelous light. He alone has done a great work in me. Who is this great God that I have the undeserved privilege of serving? What could He possibly find lovable in such an unlovable person like me? I am nothing, I am lower than dust compared to Him. He is the God of grace and Lord most high! He is sovereign and mighty. My God is God of ALL the earth and when He speaks, mountains crumble!! He is El Shaddai (God Almighty).

A Crazy, Random, Sis Story! :)

Apparently using Dove shampoo with Finesse conditioner is the hot thing right now... so hot that you can use this combination and 6 hours later, randomly bring it up in a conversation, only to find out that your Sis used the same exact combination that day because she too, was out of her Dove conditioner....

Okay, most of you won't understand why this is so crazy.. but trust me, this is NUTS!

My friend (Sis) Bethany and I were hanging out tonight after church and we were just wrapping up the conversation. But I randomly said something along the lines of "So, today, I used Finesse conditioner and my Dove shampoo because I was out of Dove conditioner... have you ever used Finesse before?" And this is all I got out before she said "Close the door... Are you kidding me?! Finesse conditioner?" It turns out that she was out of her Dove conditioner too and the only thing in her shower, which she had never even seen before, was Finesse conditioner!! We were sitting there like.. amazed that we both happened to be out of our Dove conditioner and the ONLY conditioner we both could find was Finesse.... How much more random, or specific, could you get?!!?? HAHA

THAT IS CRAZY! Sis, I feel like we are living the same life, but in different bodies! hahahaha! :) Oh man... good times, good times. :)

Senior Portraits

So, I went and took Senior Portraits at the beginning of May and it took me an entire month to decide which ones to get. The photographer took like 70, and I had to pic a couple from that. I picked three... and here they are.. (I don't know for sure that I can have these on my computer.. but I DID buy them.. so I think it's okay... lol)

Pic #1

Pic #2

Pic #3

So here they are... I am glad to have finally ordered them. It was fun. I went to the Botanical Gardens are UCR to take the outside ones and then the photographer's studio for the last one. This lady is an AWESOME photographer! Her name is Christine Racz. Check out her site HERE!

Balboa Beach

I went to the beach today for the first time in 2 years. LONG over-due. I went with my sister and my nephew. Here are a few pics from it. My nephew is the CUTEST!

He has the MOST beautiful blue eyes. I love Him!!! :)

He calls them "Crack-uhhrs" Lol :)

He was rocking the shades on the car ride over.

My first beach picture of the year! :) (More to come!)

We were sitting and watching the waves and every time a wave would crash my nephew would say "WOOOOW!" He was so amazed. Even little children are amazed at God's creation!

The format of this blog is probably whack, because I did some weird spaces between the pictures, but yea.. sorry. I love the beach. Balboa is my fave. I got to walk down the pier and down the boardwalk. Today was simply lovely. :)

S-I-C-K

This is me being sick. It started on Tuesday. When I came home from school, I took a nap because I wasn't feeling too great, but when I woke up 2 hours later, I felt even worse! So the rest of the day I felt groggy, but I chose to ignore it. I went to sleep and woke up Wednesday morning and had to rush to get ready for school, went to school, took a test, went to breakfast with my grandma and then went to her house. I felt alright in the morning, but toward the afternoon I felt a little sick, then I went to church and came home. I went to sleep pretty early, so imagine my surprise when I woke up and looked at my clock to see that it was10:30am!!!! I was in shock, for sure! I tried to think of why in the world I slept in so late and then started to notice that my body was not only sore, but weak.. and it hit me... I am SICK!! NOOOO! My voice is a little gone and I have a fever of 99.8. I have been laying on the couch most of the day, which, might I add, is not my idea of having a good day. I want to get up and clean or something, but every time I get up, I have a head rush.. and I get tired... haha So, this is my sick blog.

You're a trooper for reading all of this! haha!

Irresistible Attractions

“The crucified Christ has irresistible attractions. When He stoops into the utmost suffering and scorn, even the brutal must relent. A living Savior men may love, but a crucified Savior they must love. If they perceive that He loved them and gave Himself for them, their hearts are stolen away. The city of Mansoul is captured before the siege begins, when the Prince Emmanuel uncovers the beauties of His dying love before the eyes of rebellious ones.”

- Charles Spurgeon, The Power of the Cross of Christ

This is the most beautiful description I have ever heard of Jesus Christ's crucifixion.

Rock Of Ages

"While I draw this fleeting breath,

when mine eyes shall close in death,

when I soar to worlds unknown,

see thee on thy judgment throne,

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

let me hide myself in thee."

Come Messy

“Jesus does not say, ‘Come to me, all you who have learned how to concentrate in prayer, whose minds no longer wander, and I will give you rest.’ No, Jesus opens his arms to his needy children and says, ‘Come to me, all who are weary and heaven-laden, and I will give you rest.’

The criteria for coming to Jesus is messiness. Come overwhelmed with life. Come with your wandering mind. Come messy.”

—Paul Miller

In the Garden

I come to the garden alone,

While the dew is still on the roses,

And the voice I hear, falling on my ear,

The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own,

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,

Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,

And the melody that He gave to me,

Within my heart is ringing.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own,

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other has ever known.

I'd stay in the garden with Him,

Tho' the night around me be falling,

But He bids me go, thro' the voice of woe,

His voice to me is calling.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own,

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other has ever known.

Even so

"And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul. "

Salvation

"What else needs to be done? Isn't salvation enough?"

-- Paul Washer

Wow..

Confusion in the midst of chaos

In the chaos, in confusion, I know You're sovereign still.

Overwhelmed

"Hear my cry, O God;

Attend to my prayer.

From the end of the earth I will

cry to You;

When my heart is

overwhelmed;

Lead me to the rock that is

higher than I."

-- Psalm 61:1,2

Our Aim

"To feast on the glory of God in Christ forever is the aim of our being created and redeemed." -- John Piper

Fixing Whats Been Broken

Sometimes things seem so unfixable. It feels like everything is going wrong and there is no escape, like you'll never be able to fix the things you've broken or changed.

I know that that isn't the truth and that everything is fixable. I know that only Jesus can fix it. Its just a matter of letting Him do it. He CAN do it, but you have to LET Him...

Yea...

Jesus knows.

Lies, Truth, Restoration

Jesus is good for making this happen.



I was avoiding it at all costs, but what the Lord wants will always happen. Every attempt I made to avoid submitting to the Lord's will was in vain... His will is what prevailed. His will is what always prevails.



Though for now I am overwhelmed, I know that in the end, everything will be for the absolute best. He knows what is best..



"Let it be to me according to your word.”

-- Luke 1:38

Toes- First Attempt

Today I went to the store and I saw that they had a pretty good deal on nail polish, so I jumped on the opportunity and bought a bottle of white nail polish and clear. I have decided that I want to try and give myself a pedicure with a french tip (For you guys who have no idea what that is, I will post a picture at the end of this blog.)

Well, I came home and got busy, but I just spend the last 20 minutes attempting to give myself a pedicure. I messed up many times, but finally, it was a success!! :)

Yay for cheap nail polish and free pedicures!! :)

It Is Well With My Soul

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

TRUTH!

The word of God is TRUTH!!!! :D

I am SO thankful and so at peace to know that!!!!! :)

There You Are...

"Wherever you go, there you are."

That saying is so true. You can never escape yourself. You can go to the most beautiful places and do the most outrageous things, but at the end of the day, when everyone has gone home and all of the distractions are gone, you are still you. You can't escape who you are. No amount of fun, or anything, will ever change that. If you are looking to get away from yourself, you're looking in vain. It's not possible, no matter how much you wish it was.

List Of Words

Remembering.

Thinking.

Regretting.

Wishing.

Wanting.

Waiting.

Wanting.

Wishing.

Regretting.

Thinking.

Remembering.

Phone, Meet Water!

I dropped my phone in a cup of water today and it is... TOAST! I am getting a new one either tomorrow or Wednesday, but until then, I cannot be reached on my phone. Just thought I'd let you all know! :)

I hope you all are having a blessed day!

Mother's Day

I am very much over all of this Mother's Day hype. Can it be May 11th already? Thank you!

Face to Face

I am so amazed by Jesus! What He has shown me in this last week has been remarkable! He answers prayers. When you pray, He hears!!!!!!! :)

I am so thankful for Him. I love Him.

"How beautiful the blood-flow! How merciful the love shown! The King of glory poured out- victorious are we now!"

It's all because of Jesus we're alive! His precious blood was poured out in love. Never has blood-shed been so beautiful! I can't wait to see my Jesus face to face!!

None But Jesus

None But Jesus-- Hillsong

In the quiet, in the stillness
I know that you are God
In the secret of your presence
I know there I am restored
When you call I won't refuse
Each new day, again I'll choose


There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise


In the chaos, in confusion
I know you're sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do your will
When you call I won't delay
This my song through all my days


There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise


I am yours and you are mine...


All my delight is in you Lord
All of my hope
All of my strength
All my delight is in you Lord
Forevermore

Psalm 46:10

Still-- Hillsong

Hide me now

Under Your wings

Cover me

Within Your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar

I will soar with You above the storm

Father You are King over the flood

I will be still and know You are God

Find rest my soul

In Christ alone

Know His power

In quietness and trust

When the oceans rise and thunders roar

I will soar with You above the storm

Father You are King over the flood

I will be still and know You are God

Birthday, Sick, Faithful

Today is my daddy's birthday. He is 48! :) My sister took him to Disneyland and I am glad she did because they had a GREAT time! :) I had school this morning, so I didn't go. But the Lord knew. I stayed home and got to clean the house for my dad today. Also, I got really sick. I had been feeling, for the past couple days, that I was going to get sick, and I've been trying to tell myself that I really wasn't getting sick, but today, I couldn't deny the truth. I am exhausted.

God is so faithful. Like SO faithful. He knows EVERYTHING! He knows when something isn't going to work out and He knows how to make it work anyway! He is so good!!

I'm off to clean or do homework or something. Have a good day!! :)

Wonderful Cross

Oh the wonderful cross! Oh the wonderful cross! Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live. Oh the wonderful cross! Oh the wonderful cross! All who gather here, by grace draw near, and bless Your name!

Colorful!

This is one of my fave pics of me and my sister. It's great! She is so beautiful! :)

A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS

(THIS WAS WRITTEN ON AND ABOUT SATURDAY)

Here is my day so far:

This morning, starting at mid-night I was at an over-nighter at the church for the Girls in the HS ministry at church. It was SO FUN! :) We did Karaoke and danced around and played games- a total blast! After all of that, we sat and watched the movie Enchanted and all laughed and awwwed at every cute moment. That ended at about 3 and I made an attempt to get a decent night's sleep, but utterly FAILED! I couldn't get to sleep, for who knows what reason. I laid there for a good hour to an hour and a half trying to sleep. Finally, I dosed off, but was awaken 45 minutes later. There was no reason I woke up, I just did. After wiping my sleepy eyes, I got up and went downstairs to use EL BANO and when I came out I saw that my fried was WIDE awake working on a project, so I decided to join her... well... watch her and talk. lol. So I did that until about 7 when all of the other girls started waking up, and then got dressed and ready for the day. We ate our donuts and I decided to call my dad to pick me up. I said bye to everyone, grabbed my stuff, and left.

Here is where my day took a bad turn and kept going down the wrong road: I got home and planned to take a 20 minute power nap before I spent the rest of the day doing homework, but that 20 minute power nap turned into a 2 hour REAL nap. I woke up in shock and slightly frustrated that now I was behind in my plans. I jumped up and started getting ready to go to CBU to do homework, but when I went looking for my bag from the sleepover to get my hairbrush out, but to my not-so-pleasant surprise, I couldn't find it ANYWHERE! I looked high + low, retraced every step and NOTHING! So I called and txt a few people to find out if they saw it and then I remembered EXACTLY where I left it-- on The couch at the church. GREAT!

Now that I was not only behind schedule, but was distracted by the fact that I left something so valuable somewhere, I needed to make sure I got to CBU on time. So I packed my book bag with my laptop and books and headed to the car. My dad dropped me off and not even 10 seconds after I get out of the car, my book bag BREAKS and my computer, I thought, was done for! There was no way to fix my bag, so I just held it. Thankfully the Lord preserved my computer! But GREAT!

So I walk over to the library and right when I hit the steps it dawned on me, I don't have my folder!! NOT AGAIN! I called my dad and asked him to bring it to me and he said yes. (I left it on the couch at home. What is up with me and leaving things on couches?! HA!) He brought me the folder and I finally made my way to the library to do my homework.

Today has just NOT been my day. I am exhausted and want to sleep, but can't because I have homework... I could have spent this time power-napping, but I felt like writing a blog about how unfortunate my day has been. What's next? A bird poops on me?! hahah ;)


(AFTER ALL OF THE BAD STUFF)

I ended up going to my friend's cottage to do more homework and my day got better. I didn't get much homework done, but did have a pretty good day. We decided to go for a walk because it was SUCH a beautiful day so off we went. Around the theater, around the courtyard, and then inside of the James Building. (It's my favorite building and love walking around in it.) We went all the way over to the Staples room, and then to the Staples room lobby (Or so Liz and I named it) We sat and talked for a brief moment and then we went off to find a secret room! She showed it to me and then my day was perfect. I could die happily after that...

So my day started out HORRIBLY but turned out to be magnificent. God is good! :)

ME AND SARAH ARE BFF!!

So, I was hanging out with my friend Sarah the other day when she was in her hometown in Alaska and I realized that I didn't have a picture of me and her. So we posed to take a picture, but her being the big politician that she is, saw a fan of hers and waved right when I took the picture... Silly Sarah.. This is how it turned out.

I love this picture of us!!

:)

ITS A WOLF!

The other night after church, my friend Bethany and I went to go Taco Bell it up (It's the cool new way to tell someone you want to eat at Taco Bell. Bethany is genius. ;) ) cause were HUNGRY!! We get to Taco Bell, pull in the drive thru and then order a bean and cheese burrito, an enchurrito with green sauce, not red, and no onions, and two cups of water. We pull up to the window, laugh, get the food, and then drive off into the parking lot to find a spot to park and eat. We find it, park, pray, get the food out and BAM! We discovered that we forgot our waters, so Bethany, being the brave girl that she is, got out and walked up to the building, got the waters, and then came back! Now it was time to eat- finally!

So as we ate, I listened to her tell me a story but I got VERY distracted. By what, you ask? BY A WOLF!!!!!!!!!!! There was a scary wolf in the parking lot!!!!!! Okay... so it had a collar on... and it wasn't scraggly and vicious... but it looked like a wolf!! Hey! It could have been someone's pet wolf!! People have some pretty crazy pets these days!!! ;D

After the whole "wolf" thing, we settled down and continued with our conversation, finished eating, and then she drove to my house, dropped me off, and went home. The whole point of this blog was to tell everyone that I saw a wolf-dog at Taco Bell on Wednesday night... :D


On a side note, I am very much in awe of God. He just knows. He is great... The fact that He used someone to do something so awesome makes me amazed!!!

Hope you all have a blessed day!!

God is so so so good!!!!!!!! :)

The PERFECT Dress

It's perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

QUOTE BOOK ENTRY

I am proud to announce that Elizabeth Mousa has added a new entry to the infamous QUOTE BOOK.

"Sometimes I talk in status update."
-- April McLean


This is EPIC!

I feel like a little girl whose daddy bought her a pony or something!! I would like to thank Facebook and Twitter for being so supportive. I couldn't have done it without you! Thank you. Thank you so much.

Powerful Words

God IS powerful.

She was full of the power and the blinding glow of God.

Every word she spoke, was like a treasure flowing from her mouth.

Respected by all. Every part of her.

She started to change...

Not so powerful, not so bright.

She seemed to be holding back.

For quite a while at that.

Comfort set in.

Then, out of no where, she pulls out her secret weapon,

And throws it with all of her might.

It hit more powerful than ever.

Penetrating my very soul.

There is power in truth.

Respect has been restored.

I know my place.

God IS powerful.

The Enemy Has Been Defeated!

The Lord's peace is such a wonderful thing. When He grants you His peace, it's the most calming thing ever. Knowing, and I mean REALLY knowing, that He is in complete control brings such peace. I gave Him every care when I couldn't handle it and He took my load and made it lighter. He took my yoke and replaced it with His. What a wonderful God.

"The enemy has been defeated

Death couldn't hold you down.

We're gonna lift our voices in victory

We're gonna make Your praises Loud

Shout unto God with a voice of triumph

Shout unto God with a voice of praise!

Shout unto God with a voice of triumph

We lift Your name up

We life Your name up!"

Wordle

I liked this "Wordle" better. :)

Kari Anne. :)

You have all met my Sis Bethany. Well, this is my other Sis Kari. I love her so much! She is funny and athletic.. and she is REALLY pretty. :) She blesses me so much! :)

House-Wife Training

The plus side of being the only girl in my house is that I get to do all of the cleaning and cooking. It's practice! :)

Cookie

Just BE Christian.

Nyssa! :D

This is my friend Nyssa and I on Easter morning.

Nyssa is so beautiful and I am so thankful that the Lord has her in my life. We were up since 2 that morning... SUPER exhausted, but rejoicing because Jesus is alive! :)

Registered Voter

I sent in my voter registration form today!!! :)

I am almost an official registered voter.

One life goal completed!!!! :)

FINALLY!! :)

I am oddly ecstatic about this. I'm such a nerd. haha! : )

Joy In The Fellowship Of God

"O God, You are my God;

Early will I seek You;

My soul thirsts for You;

My flesh longs for You;

In a dry and thirsty land

where there is not water."

Psalm 63:1

At All Times

At all times I will sing of Your greatness

At all times I will sing of Your love

At all times I will say You are faithful

For Your goodness remains and Your love is the same at all times.

SISTERS

This picture is amazing. Lol. It's a picture of me, my Sis, and my sister. We found it quite interesting that I look like a mix between the two of them!! :) I love this picture. :) :) :)

I am excited to see what the Lord has planned for my life in this next year. I am happy to be starting a new year and to finally be 18!!!!!!!!! :0) Yay!!!

Happy Birthday To Me... ;)

These girls made my birthday so lovely! I love each and every one of them SO much!! :) They bless me so very much!!

Thou Art Fairer, Lord Jesus

Fairest Lord Jesus

Fairest Lord Jesus,

Ruler of all nature,

O Thou of God and man the Son;

Thee will I cherish,Thee will I honor,

Thou, my soul's glory, joy, and crown.

Fair are the meadows,

Fairer still the woodlands,

Robed in the blooming garb of spring;

Jesus is fairer,

Jesus is purer,

Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

Fair is the sunshine,

Fairer still the moonlight

And all the twinkling, starry host;

Jesus shines brighter,

Jesus shines purer

Than all the angels can boast.

Beautiful Savior,

Lord of all nations,

Son of God and Son of man!

Glory and honor,

Praise, adoration,

Now and forevermore be Thine!

Your Mom Joke

Why did your mom cross the road?

Why did she leave the kitchen in the first place?!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Stop Time

"I wanna break every clock, the hands of time could never move again. We could stay in this moment, for the rest of our lives. Is it over now? Hey, Hey, is it over now? I wanna be your last first kiss that you'll ever have."

-- "Inevitable" By Anberlin

The Amazing Disappearing Woman

TA- DA! I MADE MYSELF DISAPPEAR!

Well, not entirely... and not really... Just from Facebook and Myspace. I know what most of you are thinking "Hasn't she done that a million times? She always ends up getting a new one anyway." And that is true. I am not going to say "But this time, I am done for good!" because, honestly, I don't know that I am. I just know that Facebook and Myspace are the BIGGEST time wasters. I spent multiple hours on the two sites doing absolutely nothing. And I am sure that it is not the will of the Father for me to stare mindlessly at a computer screen for half of a day or more. I don't want to waste anymore of the time that the Lord has given me.

So this is basically just a public announcement to everyone that I cannot be reached on Facebook or Myspace anymore. However, you can email me at aprilcmclean@gmail.com. :) Also, if you have my number, feel free to call/txt me whenever! :)

I hope you all have a blessed day!

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!" Psalm 118:24

Gospel Rap!!

Yo listen up! I got a story to tell,

on how to get to heaven, and not to hell.

But first there's a few things you should know,

You're a sinner and you're bound to reap what you sow.

By our nature, we are destined to death

But one man changed that when He took His last breath.

But wait, hold up! That's not the end,

Three days later, He rose up again!

His name is Jesus, Savior of mankind.

Now no one has to be left behind.

Repent from your sins

And flee this foolish life.

This world is fleeting

It ain't worth the strife.

One simple thing, you have to do

is confess with your mouth and believe it's true.

Say this prayer and soon you'll be

In His heavenly dwelling for eternity.

Hardest Thing Ever

I miss her so much...

(Biggest understatement of the year)

Mr.Acronym

I want to get a beagle and name him Mr.Acronym.

:]

I am

...exhausted.

Easter

Easter is Sunday! Whoo!!

No Title

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

(Romans 12:1,2)

"'Come now, let us reason together,' says the Lord, 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword'"

(Isaiah 1:18-20)

His Love For Us

"My love is over,
its underneath, its inside, its in between
the times you doubt Me, when you can't feel
the times that you've questioned 'is this for real?'
the times you've broken, the times that you mend
the times you hate Me and the times that you bend
well My love is over, its underneath
its inside, its in between,
these times you're healing
and when your heart breaks
the times that you feel like you've fallen from grace
the times you're hurting
the times that you heal
the times you go hungry and are tempted to steal
in times of confusion and chaos and pain
I'm there in your sorrow under the weight of your shame
I'm there through your heartache
I'm there in the storm
My love I will keep you by My power alone
I dont care where you've fallen, where you have been
I'll never forsake you
My love never ends, it never ends."

Truth...

The hardest things to do are usually the most worth it.

I'm Almost An Adult. ;)

I am making my own decisions and I like it. :)

Summer Memories

Summer Song -- Wavorly

Spread the blanket on top, and I’ll turn off the lights

And we’ll gaze at the stars

With you by my side, the moon set to the right
It’s incomparable so far

I haven’t stopped falling in love

Haven’t stopped falling

Two years ago, I had no idea that you were so perfect

As we wait so long, until we join hands

You make the wait worth it

I haven’t stopped falling in love

Haven’t stopped falling

Now years down the road

Still hasn’t gotten old to sit and laugh the day away

There’s one thing you should know

My love for you grows even more every day

I haven’t stopped falling in love

Haven’t stopped falling in love

And the day that I finally can take you home

There’s no way that I’m ever, ever letting go

We’ll be ok, though miles may separate

There’s no space between our hearts

And this day, I choose to keep loving you

As if it were a choice, I can’t stop falling…

I haven’t stopped falling in love

Spread the blanket on top, and I’ll turn off the lights

Just Because

I love getting "Just Because" cards in the mail. They make me happy. :]

Right In The Guac!

Avocados were on sale at the store today so we bought some. I thought we would just get 2, but nope! We got 4!! :) That means 4 bowls of guac. :) Thanks to a Miss. Bethany Lynn, I can make delicious guacamole in less than 2 minutes!! I would take a picture, but I can't send it from my phone.. :'( lol. So anyway, I made some yummy guac and enjoyed some chips along with it! :)

OH! And I was craving pickles today for some weird reason, I haven't liked those since I was a kid, so we bought some at the store and I ate one and found out that they have 0 calories. That made me happy. :)

That is my food blog of the day! Have a good night!! :)

"He made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." - 2 Corinthians 5:21

(Memory verse week#2 MEMORIZED!) :)

The Notebook

"Why didn't you write me? Why? It wasn't over for me, I waited for you for seven years. But now it's too late."

"I wrote you 365 letters. I wrote you everyday for a year."

"You wrote me? "

"Yes... it wasn't over, it still isn't over"

Story Of my Life... I wish it would end this way. Haha!

Don't Lose Christ In A Relationship

Make Christ the center of, and reason for, your relationship.

All I want for my Birthday...

... is a yummy home-cooked meal.

OUCH CHARLIE!!!

Watch the real one... and then watch two guys reenact it!!! hahaha

This made my day!!! :)







These guys are HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!! :)

Truth:

I love Jesus.

Beautiful Lord

I wonder how truly beautiful the face of the Lord is.

I Want To Apologize...

Hey guys.

I know I have been posting blogs lately that say stuff that is really a downer, and I want to apologize for that. I am giving off the wrong impression. I get down, but a few minutes later, after I have sought the Lord through prayer and reading His word, I am filled with His joy again. It's not like I am bi-polar or anything like that, lol, I just lose sight of His glory for a second and need to refocus my attention on Him. The Lord IS my comfort.

So, I apologize if you have read any of my posts that have been a little bit of a downer!! I will DEFINITELY be sure to t.h.i.n.k. before I post any more. And for those of you who don't know what I mean by that, t.h.i.n.k. is an acronym that stands for T-true H-helpful I-inspirational N-necessary K-kind. Think of this because you do anything and if what you're about to say or do doesn't match all of those things, then chances are, you shouldn't be doing it.

Have a blessed day in Jesus!!

New Memory verse:

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21

HEAVEN IS REAL-- Are you going there?

Heaven is real.

We hear that all of the time in church, we say it all of the time when we are witnessing, but how many of us hear that or say that with a believing heart? I always KNEW that heaven is a real place but up until 3 nights ago, I didn't truly believe it. I didn't believe that we are going to die and that after we do, we either go to heaven or hell. We all KNOW that every 1 out of 1 person is going to die, and that statistic becomes more real to us when we lose someone we love, but it becomes absolute truth when we think about the fact that WE, ourselves, are one day going to die. It sounds so morbid, but it's the truth.

Before I was a Christian, the thought of dying would cause me to have a panic attack, so I would refrain from thinking about what was going to happen after I died... anything to do with death, I ignored. Since becoming a Christian, I allowed myself to think this thought about death "I'm gonna die, but I'm going to heaven... no worries!" Which is true, but I never fully believed it. I still ignored the fact that I am going to die one day and lived like I had all of the time in the world to live. But 3 nights ago, that all changed. I stopped everything I was doing and sat in my room and said "April, one day you WILL die." (Again, sounds SO morbid, but bear with me.) I finally understood how short life is. Then I said "But heaven is REAL!" It wasn't until I realized the brevity of life that I truly believed in heaven. I am not saying I have it all figured out, but I am saying that I believe, with EVERYTHING in me that heaven IS a real place... more real than this earth, and one day, I will be home.

This life is NOT going to last forever. We WILL ALL die. ALL of us. There is no exception. Hell, just like heaven is a real place. The choice is ours, we could either accept and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who willingly died for us so that we might be freed from our sin and go to heaven when we die, or we can choose to ignore Him and live every day of our lives seeking out the pleasures and empty promises of this world, only to be promised eternity in hell. I don't say all of this to be harsh or to condemn ANYONE. This is what the Bible says and it is TRUTH!!!!! This is NOT just a religious belief, it is TRUTH and it's ALL that matters.

If you were going to take a test on the different bones in the body and you passing this test meant whether or not you would make it to college, you wouldn't spend 8 hours studying the way plants grow if you wanted to pass this test. Similarly, the way you spend your life will determine whether you will go to heaven or hell when you die. Don't live this life you have for the things of this world, because you will just be wasting your time. We have been given this life to do one thing and that is to glorify God and follow His plan.

I desire to see every single person come to know the Lord and, when they die, dwell in HEAVEN forever. Because all of us DO have an eternity... it's just a matter of where yours will be spent. Do YOU know where you are going to go after you die? Are you living for the temporary things of this world or for the everlasting God? Those who are in Christ are promised heaven.

We will all die. By the way you live your life, what are you being promised after you die? Think about it because, ultimately, that's all that is going to matter.

Purity Message

THIS is the best purity message I have ever heard.

From Generate at Crossroads Church.

(It IS kinda graphic, but it speaks the truth!)

Also, its 50 minutes long. So spend 50 minutes listening to this message instead of going on myspace/facebook/twitter/youtube... or playing video games and doing things that aren't productive. This message is worth the listen. Even if staying pure doesn't seem like an issue for you, listen to this. It will speak to you.

(Click on the "THIS" at the beginning of the blog to view the video.)

When My Heart Is Overwhelmed...

"Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Psalm 61:1,2

I

failed.

Memory Verse

"Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily."

Colossians 1:28,29

Fairest Lord Jesus

All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.

Push YOUR Activate Button

Bethany and me being goofy!! :)

I Just Need You

This is the first Monday in a long time that I don't have to stay up to do homework. I actually get to go to sleep. And praise God that it's this Monday. He knew! :) I absolutely love how God knows everything. I mean, of course there's the part where He knows everything we do and have done, but I mean that I love that God knows everything about the future and we have every reason to trust Him with it. He knows what tomorrow is going to bring... That is so comforting.


New favorite quote:
"I need Christ, not something that resembles Him." -- C.S. Lewis


That is all I need. Christ- HIM. Not something that resembles Him, not the things that He gives me, just Him. I just need Him.


"I just need You, 'til You're all I can see. You're the Lord of lord, and the King of kings. And Jesus You're all this heart needs."

What Shall I Eat?

I decided to switch back to my old background. I just wasn't used to seeing my blog so bright. lol

I really want an apple and peanut butter right now, but I ate our last apple last night. Now all we have are eggs... I don't think I can survive ALL day on just eggs... they are bad for you anyways (So much cholesterol) and if you know me, you know that I could be at risk for having high cholesterol-- it runs in my family. So I can't decide what I should do about food today... Any ideas??

Arrived

The first glimpse of Jesus, and faith becomes sight.

Jesus, come quickly!

Hallelujah! We are finally home!

Picture this: One day, we will be in the presence the King of kings and fall on our faces before Him and sing praises to Him forever!! We will be able to literally sit at His feet and worship Him!!

"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen."

--Revelation 7:12

Oh Momma

(Kinda blurry.)

I miss my momma a lot. She LOVED being a grandma!! :)

His Love

I don't understand His love. How could He love someone who chooses something so worldly over His perfect will for them? How could He forgive someone who's selfish desires rule their lives rather than the desire to please Him?



His love is perfect. Agape love- Unconditional. His word says that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. NOTHING can separate us from His love for us... He will never stop loving us... That blows my mind!

Your love still amazes me, Lord!

Here it is...

The TRUE mark of friendship. ;)

YUMMMMYYYY :)

I just STUFFED myself FULL of Del Taco.. like seriously, my stomach hurts and I look like I'm pregnant with a food baby. But oh was it worth every single bite!! :)


YUMM :)

Sleep Revolution

I think I have sleep problems.. I went to sleep at 9:30 last night and had trouble getting to sleep... then my friend txt me at 11:30 and I woke up.. I usually sleep through those things but not last night. So I txt her back and went back to sleep. Then my sister called me at 1am to tell me she was going to get something from the garage so she needed me to open the door. So I just unlocked the door and went back to sleep. Then my phone vibrated at 3:30am telling me I had an email...

What in the world is up with all of these sleep distractions?! haha I am going to make my bed extra comfy and irresistible so even if someone does call, txt, or email me, I won't wake up... :)

Nice Relaxing Friday Night

I stayed home from witnessing tonight to do homework. I forgot that I don't have paper. Now I am going to read. I am glad. I never really get a chance to just relax and read. This should be nice. :)

WITNESS TO THE CLUBBERS!

Today, I got to thinking.

Every week we go out witnessing to the mall or the plaza.. but the REAL heathen dogs are in bars and clubs partying. That being said, Kim gave me the GREAT idea to go out to clubs after witnessing every week. The bible says we should be all things to all men, so I figured I would have to forsake my modest wardrobe and buy a scandalous dress... And of course get a fake ID so I can drink... again... all things to all men...

Kim said she will totally come with me... I can see it now- people coming to Christ by the minute... with our drinking and dancing, who WOULDN'T want to be a Christian?!?!

Kim, you couldn't have come up with a greater idea.



(Sarcasm over.)

:D

Mrs. Diem

One year today since one of the most amazing women to ever live passed away. Mrs. Diem was, by far, an incredible woman. I can't believe it's been a year already. I really miss her.

For those of you who don't know, I used to be involved in a service organization (IORG). Mrs. Diem, ever since I could remember, was there beside me 100%. She was probably the only person who would be able to get me to calm down when I was in one of my 13 year old hyper moods. She was the one who taught me that there is a time and place for everything and when it was appropriate to act a certain way. But honestly, as this might sound cheesy but it's true, the one thing I learned from her that I will never forget is that love is the greatest gift you could ever give or receive. She was so selfless. I miss her smile.. and her smell. Now, if you know me, you KNOW that I LOVE LOVE LOVE perfume. If I hug someone and they smell good, I will tell them. Well, Mrs. Diem always always smelled SOOO good. Her scent was Beautiful by Este Lauder. I would hug her and say "You smell beautiful." And she knew exactly what I was saying. I love her and miss her terribly.

She got diagnosed with lung cancer a little over 2 years ago. When she beat that and was finally recovering, she had a seizure at work and it was then that they discovered she had a brain tumor. After that, it was a long fight. I would call over to her house every couple of weeks to see how she was and she always had her same peppy attitude about everything! If you look up "Optimistic" in the dictionary, hands down, you would see HER picture!! The last time I got to talk to her was difficult because it was, without being said, the "goodbye" talk. She told me many things that I will treasure in my heart and I will never forget our conversation.

I miss her. But I know that she is in heaven and that I will see her again... the beautiful promises of God are so comforting. Until we meet again... :)

Another day, another chance.

Can't mess this up.

Free Book Pt.2

My book came today.

I am really glad that it did. It couldn't have come at a better time. God knows.

Good News

Self-control is a fruit of the spirit.

Oh Bethany!

This is me and my best friend, and "sis", Bethany. She is pretty awesome, not gonna lie. She has a truck named Truck and is a big fan of hot sauce. She smiles like 24/7 and laughs at my super lame jokes. She can read my mind... and sometimes I can read hers. :) My favorite thing about her: her insane love for Jesus!!

Love you, Sis!! :D

I'm lame... haha!

I made my coffee extra strong so I can stay up extra long.

And do my homework all night long, while listening to my favorite song.

I was making coffee just now and thought of that first part... thought I would procrastinate doing my homework by posting a blog of a poem about doing my homework...


:D

Free Book

When there is a need, God knows. I love the ways He works.

I love Him.