Thankfulness November 20, 2009

Just simple things I am thankful for…one for each day in November thus far.

1. Food. I’m thankful for food. God made the Earth with food. I love it, most of the time. When I’m hungry, there is always food. So many people make thanksgiving about food, and so with that on my mind, I’m thankful for food and the abundant supply that we, as Americans, have.

2. My bed. No, not just that I have A bed, but that I have MY bed. I have one of the best beds in the world. I would stay in it all day if I could. I have tons of pillows, tons of blankets, just the right amount of things. I just love that I have my bed. I am truly thankful for it.

3. Schooling. It’s not always easy to be thankful for education, but when I think about it, I am blessed to be in college. Many people do not have the option of going to college. However, via financial aid, I am having my college paid for. It’s so great to know that I can achieve my dreams and go to college to get to my dreams. Without going to college I could never succeed in the field of work that I want to go into. I am thankful for an education.

4. Music. I love music so much. It can be so many different things to me. It can be soothing and relaxing, stress relieving, an outlet of my emotions, a way to remind me of truths, and so much more. I just love music and I’m thankful God created music.

5. Freedom of speech. With Christina in China, I have to be careful about words I use in my e-mails and chats to her. She does not have freedom of speech and religion. It makes me sick to think that I have so much freedom, yet act like I am in bondage. The only thing I am in bondage to is my own pride. I have the freedom to scream Jesus’ name from mountain tops, yet I avoid the topic while conversing with friends from school.

6. A car. I don’t have a car right now and I didn’t realize how blessed I was to have a car. It’s great to know that I was blessed with a car. Not everyone my age has a car. And I don’t have car payments, that’s great. I love not having to pay monthly car bills. Someone donated my car to me, and she’s a beauty (in my eyes anyway…).I didn’t realize how blessed I was to have a car until I didn’t have one. Typical. This picture is NOT my car. It’s far too young and in far too good of shape to be mine 😛

7. Internet. Think about how useful the internet is. I just love that I have it. I’m so thankful for it. Plus, without it, I wouldnt be able to talk to Chris while she’s in China. Along with this goes Skype, by the way.

8. New friends. Enough said. New friends at school, at work, etc. I love my new friends so much.

9. Writing-especially letters. I love writing so much and I’m thankful for it. I’m thankful I have two hands and ten fingers and pen and paper and stamps and envelopes.

10. Sleep. I really need it sometimes. I just love it.

11. The Bible. I know that sounds very…typical, but I am. I am so thankful for the Bible. I’m thankful for every word in it, thankful that it’s living, thankful for the encouragement it brings.

12. Jobs. So many people are out of work right now. Not only do I have a job, but I also babysit on a regular basis which really really adds up. I also was even able to add a day so that I work more. I’m thankful for a job.

13. Weekends and Sunday. I am thankful that God has told us to rest one day out of 7. I really need to remember sometimes that He TOLD me to rest.

14. Good books. I LOVE a good read!

15. Mended relationships.

16. Games. I love mancala and Yahtzee. I really am thankful for them. You wouldn’t understand why.

17. A creative mind. I wouldn’t normally say I have a creative mind, but with a couple things I do. I can think out of the box and I have a little creativity when it comes to card-making. I’m thankful that God gave me a creative mind.

18. I am thankful for memories. I am so thankful that God gave me a mind that remembers things. It’s an amazing thing to remember memories, to smile and think of something good that has happened.

19. I am thankful for hot water. I know that sounds kind of silly, but i’m dead serious. I am so thankful for hot water.

20. I am thankful for beauty. It reminds me to thank God. I am thankful for beauty in nature and people and things.

21. I am thankful for my own room. For 16 years (or so…) I shared a room. Sometimes it was with my older brother, sometimes with my twin, sometimes with my little sister, sometimes with my big sister, sometimes with my big and little sister. I can’t complain, we did laugh a lot-but we fought a lot too. Having my own room for a year (or so…) now is just amazing. I so take it for granted. But I’m thankful that I can be in my own room, that my dad works hard to pay for this house, and that my sister moved out so I could have my own room (is that bad to be thankful for….?). This is NOT a picture of my room, by the way.

22. Understanding. I am thankful for God giving people understanding. The dictionary would define the word “understanding” as “mental process of a person who comprehends.” This can be used and thought of in many different ways. Likewise, I am thankful for understanding in many different ways. I am thankful that I understand school work. I don’t have any real big learning issues that keep me from understanding educational things that I am supposed to learn at school. I am thankful that God has put a desire in my heart to understand what others are feeling, what’s going on. God often opens doors for people to, well, share their lives with me. People tend to be surprisingly open with me. Some say it’s because I want to be a social worker (…and counselor in that field). I say it is because God does some cool things. Anyway, I am thankful that God helps me understand things. I am thankful for others who understand. I mean this in a couple different ways also. I am thankful for people that understand in their brains what is going on in my life. I can share my life with them and they are able to understand, even if they haven’t lived through a situation even close to similar. They give me wisdom that I’m so thankful for. Then there are those in my life who understand in a different way. Maybe “get me” is a better term. They have lived through things, so through experience, they understand. I am thankful for these people and for their God-given ability to understand, however it may be that they understand. Can I just say it is getting harder and harder to find pictures to go with these things I’m thankful for!?

23. Dreams. I was excited when I thought about this one. I couldn’t decide which thing I should post I was thankful for then I thought about dreams and knew I couldn’t go without posting that today. I don’t mean dreams like, “I had a dream while sleeping.” I mean. . .like goals, you know? Maybe “passions” would be a better word. God has put so many passions in my life. I’m passionate about helping people, wanting to travel, meeting my educational goals, etc. I am thankful that God gave me dreams that I can’t wait to come true!

23. Beachmont. I’ve been going to Beachmont ever since I was a little girl, and I love it there. I loved going to camp there, I loved volunteering there, I loved going to gym there, I loved having co-op there, I loved working there, I love going there on Tuesdays. I just love the place, and especially Mr. Paul and Mrs. Maureen. Mrs. Maureen personally cares for me and seeks me out, asking probing questions that I know I can answer truthfully because I will get wisdom and love in response. Anyway, I’m very thankful for that.

24. Church

25. Medicine

26. Salvation.

My friend, Jessica Preisinger March 26, 2009

Shout out.
Who? Jessica Preisinger.
I just love this girl. Because it is almost 12:30, I am going to make this short. I could go on and on about this girl, but I wont. I just want to say that I love her. There are so so so so many reasons, but I just want to name a few.
*She talks a lot. I like people who can talk a lot. Since I talk a lot, it’s good to have someone to listen to.
*With her talking, she gives her input and advice. She rambles, and I love that. But she also talks and give sound advice. I’m so thankful for that. I don’t like talking and having no reply. That can bother me sometimes. I like that we balance each other out.
*She listens. She’s doing so much better at this, and I can see her learning and trying hard to make sure she listens.
*She loves to serve the teen girls. She’s so fun with planning events and I’m so thankful for her gift with that.
*She’s alert and attentive of those watching and following her example. She lives accordingly. I so wish WAY more college girls would follow her example in that!
*The way she is pursuing her relationship with Tim Phelan is so so so refreshing!!! I was talking to her tonight about finding a middle ground, and she’s such an example of that. I pray for her and Tim so often and can’t wait to see what the Lord does in their lives together and where He will lead them!!!
*She’s willing to give up  her time to serve others. Tonight, I really needed to talk. I called her around 10 and we talked for over an hour. She has to get up at 6:30 tomorrow morning and yet she still talked to me because that served me well.
*She’s creative and thoughtful in small ways. I hadn’t talked to her for a couple days so she called me up-just to see how I am. That is so kind and thoughtful and reminds me that she loves me.
*She’s so loving and I never ever feel judged by her. I love that, even though I’m 5 years younger than her, she treats me just like her friends that are her age. She’s taken me under her wing and disciplining me well. But she doesn’t act superior, she acts kind and on my level. She never treats me like a child, rather a peer. I love this so much and hope to follow her example in that.
*She’s a caring friend to all. She is always keeping an eye out on how her friends are doing. Tonight was was telling me how a friend is struggling and asking me what I thought she should do about it. I gave her my input. I just think it’s so God that she pays attention to those around her and wants to best serve them-no matter what.

Okay, that’s enough for now. I’m excited because I have great plans for a card I’m working on making Jess to give her this weekend. It’s gonna be amazzzzzzing if I can get my brain and hands to coordinate getting this idea out of my head and into a card. I just want everyone to know how thankful I am for this girl and how God’s working her life. And really, I could go on and on, but my eyes are burning, so I should go get some rest 🙂 I LOVE YOU JESS! :-*

2, er 3, things :) February 13, 2009

Two quickish things, that I would love to talk about forever. Unfortunately, time does not permit. I have gotten a LOT done so far today, but I still have a TON left to do before drivers ed at 5. . .How awful, spending 3 hours of my Friday night sitting in a classroom! At least two of my fav’s are coming over when I get home 🙂 I love them.

Anyway, I am getting sidetracked (as my mind has been all day, gr).
1) This week was so incredibly challenging and hard. Actually, the week started out pretty well, but by Wednesday night, it was worse than ever. But a few of the Dubell family  were praying with me and encouraging me and trying to comfort me through this scary, hard situation. Well they kept saying that this is for a greater good, a bigger purpose than what I see. They proceeded to tell me how great God is and point out all the things leading up to the situation that were all “God things.” As I was thinking over the prayer they prayed and the words they spoke to me, I was thinking about how great God is. I mean, really. I think that I have a little bit of a new perspective. I am realizing that if everything went smoothly, I wouldn’t have noticed all of those things that God had set up previous to this outburst situation. I now realize that, but I wouldn’t have if He didn’t put this trial in my path and ordained the Dubell members to be so close to me that they will speak truth into my life (no matter what time it may be…). I am realizing that if God made things work out in life keeping everything calm and happy, that I wouldn’t be surprised or in awe of how amazing His works are. When God gets glorified because of these big trials and brings people to Himself through these hard times and when He encourages me and others through difficult times when people are struggling, that is amazzzzing. I am in awe of how He takes seemingly disastrous situations, but turns them around for good, and allows people to point out the good that He has brought through that situation. I’m just thankful. No, not thankful for the situation (though I’m working on getting there), but I am thankful for God bringing good out of “bad.” I’m thankful for trials in general because they bring me back to Him, make me make choices of who I will trust and what I am putting my hope in, and the put me back on my knees in awe of Him, as I should be. Okay, that was a little longer than planned, but oh well. Everything is for HIS GLORY and OUR GOOD.

2) Crap, now I forget! Gr. I came up with something else until I remember. I love card making. I have to do a speech for highschool, a speech that dementrates something, so I am going to give a speech (or record me giving a speech and put it on youtube or something) about making cards. I made some Valentines cards today. I think I made 4 if I’m correct. I’ll totally post pictures, but I want the people to recieve the cards before posting the pictures because all 3 of the people I made cards for read my blog-I dont want them to see the card on here before they get it! Anyway, I just wanted to say I love making cards because I get to make a mess, then organize stuff when I’m done. I get to go from a few pieces of paper and stickers, to a beautiful card! And I love getting creative! I usually try to print a picture or something then I will look at it for about 5 minutes, then put it out of sight and recreate the card. It hardly ever looks like the orginal because I changed colors or patterns, didn’t have the same supplies, or wanted to make it personal for the person. Anyway, I’ll post the pictures of the cards and the original pictures I copied off of after the people recieve the cards.

3) Oh, I remember what 2 was supposed to be…but now it will just be point three. I have to write a research paper for English. 6-8 pages. I was going to write about Nannying and the pyschological affects it has on kids development, but after reasearching, there just wasn’t enough information to support my point. I switched my topic to Chemistry. I’m not 100% sure what my narrowed topic will be yet (possibly Madame Curie), but I’m so excited. I decided early this week that I would love to minor in Chemistry. I’m just about sure that I’m supposed to major in Pysch, but I am gonna pray and think about minoring in Chem. I just love it so much, and I really have a passion for it. I could, and HAVE, do chemistry all day. I am just so interested in it. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I’m super excited about this paper now 🙂

The Middle, for Hannah :) February 11, 2009

Hannah, I am writing to you right now 🙂 I thought about this song and how I haven’t heard it in a long while so I turned it on. The entire time I couldn’t get you out of my head. I know you know the song and you’ve heard it before, but too bad. Listen again.

Hey, don't write yourself off yet 
It's only in your head you feel left out 
and looked down on. 
Just try your best, 
Try everything you can. 
And don't you worry what they tell themselves 
When you're away. 

It just takes some time 
Little girl, you're in the middle of the ride. 
Everything, everything will be just fine, 
Everything, everything will be alright, alright. 

Hey, you know they're all the same. 
You know you're doing better on your own, 
so don't buy in. 
Live right now and 
just be yourself. 
It doesn't matter if it's good enough 
For someone else. 

It just takes some time 
Little girl, you're in the middle of the ride. 
Everything, everything will be just fine, 
Everything, everything will be alright, alright. 

It just takes some time 
Little girl, you're in the middle of the ride. 
Everything, everything will be just fine, 
Everything, everything will be alright, alright. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Hey, don't write yourself off yet, 
It's only in your head you feel left out 
and looked down on. 
Just do your best, 
Do everything you can. 
And don't you worry what their bitter hearts 
Are gonna say. 

It just takes some time, 
Little girl, you're in the middle of the ride. 
Everything, everything will be just fine, 
Everything, everything will be alright,alright. 
*************************************************
Girl, I love you, and you know that. Don't ever forget it. We have a deal. You give up, I give up. Stay strong dear! I love you!!!

At the end of your rope. . .

I would love to sit here and blog forever and write about my life and all the changes and what’s been going on and how exciting life is and how much school I have and how awful drivers ed is, but alas, I cannot. I have too much to do and I can barely keep my eyes open. I think I’ll go start “Romeo and Juliet” and get some sleep. I just wanted to share this pic with you 🙂
Hannah Yeich drew it. She’s my best friend. I love her so much. She’s amazing. She’s my fav. We made a deal. We pinky promised. She’s my lifesaver too. And she’s amazing at art. SEE? Well actually, I dont think she DREW it, she made the pic totally though 🙂

Hannah Drew It!

Quote February 6, 2009

My friends church is going through a super hard time. As she was e-mailing me about it, she said something that impacted me so greatly. I wanted to share it with everyone. When she says “we,” she is referring to her churches congregation, not my church. This was encouraging to me not really with church necessarily, but more so with just life. I can’t give up, I cannot quite. I gotta work through the hard things to see the fruit of them. This applies to my friendships, classes, and every part of my life, church included.

“Well I really dont know why, but its obvious that we have issues and they don’t feel like sticking around to deal with them.
So, overall, I’m not about to give up on the church.  And I’m not about to quit on the church either. It may be true that you don’t really get ‘fed’ very well when the church is going through hard times, but we can’t focus on ourselves. From my perspective, we can’t just run as soon as things get hard, we need to work thru the problems so they can make us stronger. I have seen this period as one of pruning, where God is trimming off the old dead branches, so that we can be healthy and produce more fruit for Him. ”
Thank you, friend

Free Write February 5, 2009

This transitional period of my life is so scary and exhilirating. That is the only word I can think of to sum up my life. Things are very exciting, but different. As I think about the coming months and about what God is doing and will do in my life, I get so happy! I’m super excited about starting Drivers Ed monday because I know God has plans and a reason for me being in that class with whoever I happen to be with.
This upcoming freedom and change is a little scary though. Going from highschool to college, not driving to license, no job to full time job for the summer, homeschooled to driving to college everyday, it’s all a little strange and I’m a little worried. I want to make the best of this time though. My best friend and I had a really awesome conversation Sunday night while lying under the stars on her deck (it was so beautiful! God’s creation NEVER ceases to amaze me). We talked about all the changes that are going to be occuring in the next year of our lives. With her being a year younger than me, we have big challenge ahead. And since I skipped a grade it’s almost as if I’m two years older than her. We know there will be many challenges and too many changes to count, but we are ready to take them on and make sure every change is positive.

**Change of Topic!!!**
Someone was recently talking about youth being the “future of the church” and it reminded me of when Pastor Matt was saying how youth AREN’T the FUTURE of the church, rather, they ARE the church NOW! It got me very excited when he was talking about that. So often people refer to youth as the future of the church and that allows me to get into the mindset that my job in the church right now is not a very big role and all I am supposed to be doing is “preparing” or when I AM a part of the church. I will not let anyone look down on my for my age. As I’m in this time in my life when everything seems to be changing and I am growing up and getting older (ah!), I want to be more involved. I want to be the church. I want to be more active in the church and play a bigger role. Today, as I was practicing one of my spiritual disciplines that I’d been putting off for two days, I found myself thinking “wow, it’s weird to think that I’m a 16 year old girl sitting here reading a book about spiritual disciplines. How many kids my age do that?” While that’s all good and fine, I was getting myself all self-righteous and puffy. “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up”-The Bible. I don’t want to compare myself to todays teens because, yeah, I wouldn’t look too shabby. I haven’t had sex, never done drugs, never kissed a guy or snuck out. According to the world, I’m a “pretty good person.” I don’t want that!!!!! I want to be godly in GOD’S eyes. Not in the eyes of the church or my friends or my parents or my leaders or my teachers. I want GOD to see humility and gentelness in me. I want to compare myself with the Bible. So often recently I have been comparing myself to those around me and the secular world. That’s not right. I want to set myself apart from them. I want people to be asking me what it is I have that gives me this joy, this peace, this love. And especially this love.
Getting older and changing all these things in my life is opening up so many more opprotunities that I’ve never had before. Especially starting to drive alone in the next month, I will have a lot more freedom (although my mom reminds me daily that when I get my license I cannot go wherever I want whenever I want…) and I will be more freed up to go serve and be around people and witness. This excites me.
I know I’ve been blogging a lot and I know that I’ve been talking about the change and transition in my life a ton, but it’s what I’ve been thinking about all the time pretty much. I get so excited. I just need to make sure I stay in God’s will and continue seeking Him.

I apologize that this post was ALL over the place. I just had a lot of thoughts that were coming and I used this more as a free write than anything else. I had no rhyme or reason to it all, sorry 🙂

Hannah’s my hero. . .still.

I love Hannah. She drew this for me 🙂

Me and my projects . . . January 30, 2009

I did a project this week. It’s not for me, but for a friend. Here are a few pictures of it.

I

Basically what this is what is it: I cut out a bunch of one inch strips of orange and blue construction paper. Then I wrote on each one “You can do it-_ _ days left!” And then I linked them together by stapling them. What you do is everyday you rip one off and the paper chain gets shorter until the countdown is over. The yellow strips are big markers-4 months, 3 months, half way, etc. This particular chain is a graduation count down for someone. I honestly had no idea it would get this big or I probably would’ve made it a weekly one or done something else creative to countdown. When I was finished I sat in awe and thought “Did I really just make that huge thing?!” It was fun making though. Hopefully they will appreciate it 🙂

 

 

And I apologize for the mess of my room. I am currently working on hanging up those clothes, really. I just didn’t have enough hangers. But now I do and that is the next thing on my to-do list for the evening. 🙂

P.S. I plan to have a ‘real’ post about expectations & God sometime before next Saturday.

Welcome, Liz January 25, 2009

Liz has actually been blogging for a while, but I’m just now finding this out and adding her to my blogroll thingy. So click the link on the right, you know how it is… 🙂

Welcome, Liz