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Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Maine is...

....being with crazy family members that you can't help but love

...staying up till 1 am playing silly games like Whoonu, or Uno

....laughing harder than you've laughed all summer

....seeing who can eat a donut off a string (with no hands) fastest.

....having nothing to do but sit by the lake all day

...swimming whenever you want

....going for peaceful canoe rides

....kayaking around the lake

...trying new things (such as kayaking through a culvert covered in spiders)

...more ice cream flavors than you could possibly count

...sitting in a boat on the lake, surrounded by family, watching beautiful fireworks

...the feeling of wind whipping through your hair as you sail across the lake in a speed boat

...hula hooping contests with little cousins

...a delicious breakfast of french toast, bacon, and fruit on Sunday mornings

...waking up to the sun dancing around your room

...watching loons swim around the lake, and great blue herons fly overhead

....toasting s'mores around a big bonfire

...playing double, triple, or quadruple solitaire

...being competitive, but having fun even if you don't win the game


Maine is...

....the epitome of summer

...one of my favorite places on earth.

Maine is... L.O.V.E. <3

Saturday, May 21, 2011

amen

Almighty God,
I am loved with everlasting love, clothed in eternal righteousness, my peace flowing like a river, my comforts many and large, my joy and triumph unutterable, my soul lively with a knowledge of salvation....

I have scarce anything to pray for;
Jesus smiles up on my soul as a ray of heaven and my supplications are swallowed up in praise....
If Jesus were not my righteousness and redemption, I would sink into nethermost hell by my misdoings, shortcomings, unbelief, unlove; If Jesus were not by the power of his Spirit my sanctification, there is no sin I should not commit.

O when shall I have his mind! When shall I be conformed to His image?

All the good things of life are less than nothing when compared with his love, and with one glimpse of thy electing favor.
All the treasures of a million worlds could not make me richer, happier, more contented, for his unsearchable riches are mine.
One moment of communion with him, one view of his grace is ineffable, inestimable.

~Valley of Vision, "Assurance"

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Why is it that the most important time to trust is when it's hardest to?

It's easy to trust when everything is sunshine and flowers and happy, but when it's dark and stormy and cold, it's hard to trust, and yet that is when trust is most vital.

Why is it that when I least feel like reading my Bible and praying is the exact moment when I need the most to?

And yet it's the most rewarding. When I bring myself to read my Bible and pray, and humble myself before God, then is when He speaks to me more than ever, because when I draw near to Him (even if I resist at first), then He draws near to me in return. And oh, what an utterly blessed thing it is to have one's dear Savior draw near to them!!

Life is hard. Full of thorns and trials and tempests and confusion and disbeliefs and temptations.

But that's okay, because Jesus is loving, gracious, merciful, restful. And He's always there, right in the middle of my storms and trials, and not only is He there, but He's holding me, and carrying me, and holding my hand to lead me through it.

When I feel like kicking and struggling and resisting the most, that's the time for me to be still. To be patient, to relax, to trust. No matter how hard it is.

I have to trust that the God of the universe, who created all things and is in all things, is on my side, that He never breaks a promise, and that He loves me with an everlasting love.

You know, maybe life isn't so bad after all.

For if God is for us, then who can be against us?

Crazy life

I'm finally done with my spring semester!! One more year of college down, one to go. I got all my grades back too...three A's and one B+! Not bad! All those late nights studying and frantic rushes to get stuff done before the deadlines paid off, I suppose. ;)

And my brother just graduated college! Whoa. Talk about crazy. It feels like just last week we were all playing Playmobils downstairs after homeschool lessons upstairs, and it seems like just yesterday we were dropping him off at college. And now he's graduated. Can't believe how old he is!! ;)

Now, I have time to myself, and I don't even know what to do with it! :P I was doing good for a while today...slept in (finally!), took my little brother to the library, applied at some nearby preschools, and watched some TV....but now I'm bored and don't know what to do with myself! ;) I have no homework, no school, and I don't even have to work until Friday. I should get stuff done probably, but this rainy weather is making me lazy! And it's supposed to rain allll week long.

I am babysitting tomorrow morning though! Last time for the semester, maybe last time forever. *sniffles* Gonna miss babysitting my little kiddos. I've certainly enjoyed babysitting them!! ♥

Sunday, April 10, 2011

One year.

Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of my Grandpa passing away. Tomorrow marks one whole year since I got to see his face, hear his laugh, feel his hug. And one whole year since I knew I'd never get to experience any of those things again in this life. I can't believe it's been a whole year already. In some ways, it seems soooo long, it seems like I've been missing him forever. And in some, it seems like it was just yesterday.


We spent the day today at my Grandma's house with my dad's family, to celebrate my Grandpa's life and just be there for each other.

The day was bittersweet - full of all the things my Grandpa loved - uncles and cousins reenacted some of my Grandpa's favorite "magic" tricks (classics such as the disappearing-leg trick, the pulling your thumb off trick, throwing your finger, etc), story telling, pretzel-eating, Jack and the Twoderful Beans read by my uncle, singing favorites such as "I'm My Own Grandpa", "Fio, Fio, Fiola", "And the smoke goes up the chimney just the same", and "Take me out to the ballgame"; listening to Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First", Mexican sundaes, but mostly it was about family, and sharing memories, pictures, hugs, and of course laughs.

I was thinking on the drive home - my Grandpa was one of the most full-of-life people I knew, and to have him gone is just such a big impact. It just seems wrong that someone so full of life should be robbed of life. But, I know he wasn't robbed of life. He had 73 years, and he made the most of them. He touched the life of everyone he met in some way or another, and brought life and laughter and love to so many people, and all I can say is that I am so honored to be his granddaughter, and he'll live on forever in my heart, though I'll miss him so much in the years and days to come.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

She was a princess worth waiting for


I want to be a princess worth waiting for. I have no idea if God is going to give me my very own prince charming or not, but if he does, I want to be worthy of him. I want to be every bit as much his "princess darling" as he will be my "prince charming." I want to be a princess that was worth waiting for!


(ps, I love Tangled!!) :P

Monday, March 28, 2011

How I long for the day when people look at my life and say. "Oh, you must be a daughter of the Heavenly Father, I recognize His face anywhere!"


~Katherine Walden