Starlit Dreams

Brides and Grooms

2011-04-29T20:31:00.005-04:00

Weddings have been on my mind very frequently lately, as you can expect! Constantly my thoughts are on preparations, plans, concerns, and details. My appearance for "the day", our home, money, so much to consider!!! So when I realize that I have to share a story/thought in church tomorrow I decided to look up "brides" in the a commentary of the Bible. Amongst other verses two verses in Isaiah jumped out at me...

"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness. As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." Isaiah 61:10.

"And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you." Isaiah 62:5.

Before a wedding it is all about preparation. And the day of, time is spent to prepare oneself personally. The woman has a beautiful gown. Her hair is just so. She wants to look more beautiful than she ever has for her groom. The same is for the groom. He wants to look desirable for his bride. I somewhat feel sorry for grooms as so much hype seems to go toward the bride. However at the end of the day, the beautiful bride leaves with the groom. She is his bride. He waits at the end of the aisle for his bride to be ready. She walks down the aisle to him. They are for each other.

What beautiful imagery it is! And a powerful representation of Christ and His church. The church is referred to as the bride of Christ, dressed in pure white in Revelation 12. Jesus wants to come take His bride home.

"In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:2-3.

Just like a groom preparing for His bride to come home with him, so is Christ. He wants to receive us to Him. 1 Thessalonians 4 describes Jesus coming in the clouds for His people. We will be caught up to Him in the clouds where He will be waiting for us.. "And thus we shall always be with the Lord." ( 1 Thess. 4:17) Isn't that the whole point of a wedding? To be with each other. I just want my home to be with Charlie. I don't want to be parted from him.

And it is the same with Jesus. He wants to be with His bride. He wants to rejoice over us! And He is coming for His bride! Are we ready? Are we preparing? Am I just as serious about Christ as I am about being ready for June 5th? Jesus is coming. Look around us! The world is going crazy and He said it would before He came. (Matthew 24) Our hope and security must come from Him and the hope in His coming. Just as a bride's desire is to be with her husband so we must have our highest desire to be with Jesus so we can be ready for when He comes.

Of Moles and Freckles

2011-04-08T22:03:00.001-04:00

This past week I went to the dermatologist to have some moles looked at. This was a unique experience for several reasons. But what stands out is that I learned something and that always makes me excited! I learned that my freckles are not freckles at all. What I thought were freckles are actually moles. All the dots I have on my face, my arms etc are moles! In some ways that seems gross because my perception of moles has been somewhat negative. Maybe everyone knows this and I am just behind the times.

Now until this last Monday I have referred to the dots on my arms and face as freckles. Someone could say I have been lying to people! I have been misrepresenting the truth. But I don't think anyone would condemn me because I simply didn't know.

Acts 17:30 say that in "the times of this ignorance, God winks."I am not condemned for my misrepresenting moles.

However if I were to continue to tell people I have freckles, that would be wrong! I would be deceiving people as to the true nature of moles and freckles.

This is a rather trivial example but it holds true in the more serious aspects of our lives. We are not condemned for our sins that we do in our ignorance. God is just and fair. However when God's will is made clear to us, He expects us to act and choose His truth. It's like a child who suddenly learns that certain words should not be spoken. The first time the child simply does not know the meaning. But for a child who knows better, he will be held accountable for what he says and his parents will discipline him if he disobeys.

Jesus says in John 12: 35, "Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going."

God reveals truth to us and just like it would be silly for me to disregard what I have learned about my skin, it is foolish for us to disregard what God reveals to us in His word. Let us be wise in the small things in this life as well as that which relates to eternity.

I'm Getting Married!

2011-02-04T21:34:00.003-05:00

June 5, 2011

Ode to Muffin

2011-01-16T21:16:00.006-05:00

O little fat cat of brown and white,

How I wish you brought me some delight!

If you would stop sitting in the corner to stare

And not hiss at my attempted pat with a glare!

Your name is Muffin, which should mean something sweet,

But having you, it seems to me, is far from a treat.

Muffin, you were a cute kitten indeed,

But something happened, did we not fulfill a need?

We fed, pet, and played with you till you would fall asleep,

But you soured as you grew up, and away from us you started to creep.

You don't seem to care as long as your food bowl is filled.

We're not your servants Muffin, you need to chill!

Muffin, I honestly wish we could be friends.

I wish this gap, we would reach across and mend.

You are a pretty cat and could be nice to hold and love.

Please stop being mean and be like your Creator above.

Stressful Changes

2011-01-07T22:25:00.004-05:00

Life is stressful...can I get an "Amen"? The more aware of life that I get, I have come to that solid conclusion: Life is Stressful! It seems to me that at the foundation of this stressful life is one specific thing: change. (Now there may be other things we could point at but for the sake of this little writing, I am looking at change.) Now change is not always negative; it can certainly be for happy occasions: the birth of a baby, a wedding, a new and better job, a new car etc. But I do believe that everyone would agree that all those wonderful occasions bring stress. That new baby will cry an awful lot, a wedding takes a lot of hassle and planning, a new job has to be learned and that new car took a chunk from your savings account. We are also all familiar with negative changes: the death of a loved one, a divorce, being laid off, car accidents etc. Death often brings incredible loss, divorce brings heart break, there is desperation without a job and a car accident, even with minimal damage will undoubtedly cause great pains with insurance agencies. Change= stress. Outside of circumstances people often change. Children grow in each stage to face different issues that often drive their parents wild. Graduation to a new school brings excitement and fear. The lists can go on and on of the stress of all our particular stages and challenges of life no matter how exhilarating or upsetting.

Now, as a Christian I wish to pause now after having painted this picture of general despair. For after all, no matter what happens in life it seems that we are bound to be stressed, right? I wish to ask, who never changes? Of course we know the answer to that! "For I am the Lord, I do not change," Malachi 3:6 makes it very clear. But I want to ask, why is it that we have such dramatically differently attitudes toward God so often. One week we are praising Him! The next week we are sobbing, "God, how can you do this to me?" Is this because God changes His attitude toward us? Of course not. "I have loved you with an everlasting love..." God says to us (Jer. 31:3). We can know God's character and that is of love and goodwill. He does not change. If He does not change, then it must be us changing our attitude toward God. Do we really trust Him, His word to us and His love for us? O, how we need to trust God and turn to Him when we are in those negative changes. Who does not wish sympathy and love when they are stressed out? Who better to receive that from than the infinite loving Creator who knows us better than anyone else?

These thoughts have come to me as I have reflected on this past year. So much has changed in the past year and it seems that it shall be the same for 2011. It is stressful! I could choose to be distressed, worried and upset when I realize how unsettled I am. Or I can trust in my God who is my Rock and know He will see me through. That is my wish for you as well.

"On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand."

"Change and decay in all around I see; O Thou who changest not, abide with me."

Tiny as a Pin Hole

2010-08-17T11:11:00.002-04:00

Recently as I was driving I had to slam on my breaks. I was making a left-hand turn and was awaiting a car to pass before I made my move. What I did not notice was the car speeding up behind the car I was watching. As the first car went through the intersection I was already turning, then spying the other car, I slammed on my breaks to avoid hitting it. With a swerve from him and jerking stop from me, we avoided collision. After that alarming moment I shakily continued and quickly noticed that my breaks were not what they used to be. I had to put my foot to the floor to stop. Now I am not a car buff and so it is very possible that my breaks had been going for some time, but with that slamming stop they were completely gone. With the help of my friend Ben who is a car buff, we were able to determine the problem. I had a leak in my break fluid line over my right rear tire and thus I had no pressure in my breaks. I asked him how big the leak was, "oh, probably the size of a pin hole." A pin hole! My whole car could have come to a crashing stop over a pin hole! The whole vehicle was rendered not functional because of a tiny, tiny hole. I could have crashed in to a car and disaster could have ensued all because of a leak the size of a pin hole!

Isn't that ironic? A tiny, tiny weakness in a car disables the entire thing. What a great spiritual analogy that is! In our lives we can be all set but if there is one specific sin that we refuse to surrender or deal with, it can corrupt our whole being. Just as if a physical part of our bodies is damaged or not working right and that hinders our whole body, so it is with our spiritual lives. If we want to be complete in Jesus, we need to be completely His.

James 4:7-8 says, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you...." We must continually resist anything that comes between us and God. As we walk step by step in our Christian journeys closer to God, we will surely become entirely His.

Guard your heart

2010-08-03T11:53:00.003-04:00

In Proverbs 4:23 the Bible says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." When I think of guarding, I think of the middle ages. I think of a treasure guarded in a stone castle with a moat surrounding and a thick wall. Something that is guarded is not readily available and not easily seen. It is protected and kept secure. We are to guard our hearts.

Why are we to guard our hearts? Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked..." Our hearts are fickle and easily swayed. We cannot trust them. That is why our hearts need to be guarded.

This is completely counter to our present society. In movies, books and television, we are constantly told to follow our hearts. Unfortunately when we do this, we do not encounter the happy endings we see in movies. We are left with baggage, single mothers and broken families. Following our hearts is not the reality media portrays. In contrast to following our hearts, the Bible cautions us to guard our hearts. Do not put them out there. Do not wear your heart on a sleeve. Guard it. Keep it secure. Song of Solomon 8:4 cautions "do not stir up nor awaken love" until it is time. When is it time? When the Lord says it is. We will only know if we are connected to Him. May God give us the courage to follow His way and not the world's.

http://codybateman.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/heartinhands.jpg

What is Death?

2010-07-30T10:20:00.010-04:00

What is death?
Death is no answer. It is no solution.
Death offers nothing to satisfy. It is the epitome of separation.
Death, the opposite of life, the opposite of birth.
A birth offers hope and joy.
The first smile, the first laugh. The first step.
Death is the last. The last vacation. The last visit.
The last independent drive in a car. The last week. The last day.
Life in reverse is death. The loss of vigor. The loss of ability.
We gather to celebrate lives. The memories and accomplishments are recalled. We do not want to forget a thing of those we loved.
But as the years pass and the pain numbs, a granite stone is all that is left of many loved ones.
What is death?

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die,"John 11:25,26.

What blessed hope is this! Where would we be without Jesus? As unnatural as death is, Jesus experienced it, to conquer it. That though our loved ones may die, they in Christ shall live again. What will be forgotten will be remembered. Those who are parted will be together again. The joy and the firsts will one day be renewed. Praise the Lord!

In memory of my great Aunt June, a joy to know. I wish I knew her more. I praise the Lord for her life. I praise the Lord that we will see her again. That her life was full and blessed. And her passing was without prolonged suffering. Those who have known her have been blessed. May we all know the Lord that we may all meet together with her again.

Facing Fears

2010-05-11T12:38:00.018-04:00

Within each of us are fears. Fears whether simple as spiders and mice; or complex, deep insecurities. These fears can shape our worlds and dictate our actions. Fear controls.

All through my growing up years I have feared snakes. I think, for most people, snakes are not favorite animals, but for whatever reason I have always greatly feared them. This was further enforced by my dear brother tormenting me with rubber snakes. I recall playing outside in the yard and finding a snake around some rocks. I ran away, scared. For years to come I would avoid those rocks, remembering that snake and never wanting to see it again. To this day I have an irrational fear of snakes and many times it can control me even in small ways.

As a child I was extremely shy. I was afraid of meeting people; afraid of embarressment; afraid of attention all directed upon myself. I recall a birthday party I was attending. I do not remember why but at one point everyone was laughing at me. I was hulmiliated and ran to the bathroom for what seemed like hours before I dared to come out. I was overly sensative and insecure. I was fearful. This shyness dictated what I did and did not dare to do, where I went and what activities I took part in. For the most part I was a happy child but at times I really struggled with myself for being so quiet and shy.

One day in high school a pastor of the school invited me to a leadership retreat. I was shocked that he would ask me! Me! Little shy Lorrie who quietly went on her way without making waves. In that moment and through that experience, the view which I held for myself changed forever. I was challenged to do things which I never thought I was literally capable of doing. I had to face my fear. I praise the Lord for putting people in my life, like that pastor, who caused me to reflect on what I am capable of doing with the Lord. I saw him yesterday and that brought this experience to mind.

2 Timothy 1: 7 says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Fear is not from the Lord. God would not have His children afraid.

Instead of fear we are to have power. Power is ability; ability to do that which will honor Him. We should not be fearful of failure in any venture which honors the Lord as He promises us the power to accomplish whatever He may ask of us.

Instead of fear, we are to have love. When one loves someone, no sacrifice is too great, no venture is too much. Love gives. A spirit of giving is what we are to have. When we fear we cling to what we have. With love, we willingly give up what we have.

Lastly, instead of fear we are to have a sound mind. Soundness is security and health. With fear we are insecure and our body is in an unhealthy state. Soundness is peace, contentment and satisfaction.

This verse still challenge me. We all have weaknesses and fear is one of mine. But I praise the Lord for experiences I can look back upon and remember how God blessed my steps of faith, though done in fear and trembling. I pray that I will never stop taking those steps in to unknown territory that I may rejoice in the Lord for ever new and fresh victories. That I may be powerful, loving, and of a sound mind.

(http://www.freeuni.edu.ge/shortprograms/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/fear.gif)

(http://victorianewage.com/images/Joyful-Girl.jpg)

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth

2010-04-03T11:27:00.004-04:00

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed---and gazed---but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

This is one of my favorite poems and it was brought to mind when gazing out my window upon the bunches of daffodills growing around campus. I love spring!

http://playingintraffic.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/daffodils-737979.jpg

Post-Valentine's Day Musings

2010-02-18T13:48:00.016-05:00

I told Jackie that I would post a Valentine's day blog. However, I neglected to write that Valentine's day blog. I find myself this afternoon in quietness and solitude so I will try to type my thoughts about that auspicious day.

Valentine's day brings thoughts to me of teddy bears, roses, and chocolate. But what does that have to do with love? These things can be expressions of love for sure. But of themselves they are not love. A dozen roses can be an empty gesture without accompanying affection. Love is not in things.

When I was a child my mother would buy paper doilies. At a table of construction paper, glue, markers and glitter I would work hard to cut these doilies in to pretty designs and with the other supplies I would decorate large paper hearts. I would give these hearts to my parents and grandparents with written "I love you" and such messages on them. I am sure these glue-laden and often messy valentine's were treasures to my parents. In them was seen the earnest work and affection of their child.

As I have grown older and hopefully wiser, I can look back at "lost loves" and see the problem with those experiences. There was no earnest childish effort to show love. There was an earnest effort to gain love and warm feelings. As a child my only design when giving my glue-valentines was to show my parents I loved them. I didn't want them to do anything for me. It was a gift to them, nothing else. As I grew older I lost sight of that innocence. I wanted and expected love in return for myself. I would find myself empty, disappointed and broken

Love is a gift. It is meant to given. In every human heart is the capacity to love, to give of oneself. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails," 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a. Love is modest, simple, positive and steadfast. I am realizing that love is never about changing anyone else. It is not about what I gain. Love is not about the feelings received. Love is selfless. To sincerely say "I love you" with the deepest meaning is to mean that "I would do anything for you." Truly the greatest expression of love came with Jesus giving His life. Love is cheapened today down to the level of "I love doritos." Love is not understood at all. No wonder so many "I love you till death doest part" ends in divorce. The commitment of love is lost.

Love is commitment. A parent who loves their child is committed to their child no matter what that child does for as long as they live. Their loyalty to their child will not end. True love means a lasting commitment for the good of a person.

The depth of love is endless. The facets of love surely knows no bounds. Two loving people in a marriage relationship seems like the most beautiful picture ever - selflessly loving and being selflessly loved in return.

And yet, to truly love seems to also truly know sorrow. Inevitably, you will not always be loved in return. The child will disappoint. The spouse will hurt. The friend will not care in return. Jesus is the only human being to truly love and he is called "a man of sorrows," (Isaiah 53:3). His earthly life was filled with being misunderstood and rejection. But He loved with a depth and passion that we little understand. (But we should seek to understand)

I have no conclusions on love but that I want to love more. Should the Lord will, I want to love my husband selflessly and sacrificially. I want to be dedicated and loyal to my friends and family. And I want to know the Lord more that I may grow in to His character. I want to return to the attitude of myself as a child laboring over the glue and glitter to create a treasure to present to my father to say, "Look Dad at how much I love you!" I want my life to show those around me, "Look! I love you!" and above all I want to show my Heavenly Father, "Look, my life shows I love You!"

I enjoy hearts and roses just as much as anyone. I think it is wonderful that there is a day every February 14th where the focus is on relationships and showing others how much you care. I just pray that in all the obligation and shows of affection given, that true love may be sprinkled amongst them. That God may be revealed in our hearts all year long.

http://www.bunches.co.uk/images/products/PRODUCT_BALLOONS_I_Love_You_Gift_large.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b_-0-Bi6jns/SZz4gnnIg7I/AAAAAAAAE-U/RBAkBkgpXBM/s320/Jesus_Loves_Me.png

Winners

2010-02-17T15:17:00.005-05:00

I enjoy the Olympics. I especially like figure skating and have been watching what I can when I am not working. During that time I have also seen some bits of snowboarding, luge and skiing. It's fun to watch these sports that usually I am not interested in. The Olympics are so intense. With most of these sports if a blade slips, if your balance is slightly off, if you are distracted for just a moment, your dreams are sunk. You fall, go out of control or otherwise mess up. In most of these sports, months of practice, years of hard work, can be seemingly ruined by just a split second of time. You mess up and there goes the gold. There goes the notoriety. There goes success. It seems like so much pressure! In the grand scheme, there are few winners at the Olympics. Most of the participants go home without medals. Most of the participants are not really noticed. Just the few high-profile athletes are watched and interviewed. Those who are contending for a medal get most of the attention. Many of the athletes who participate in the Olympics are just names that are announced and then forgotten by those watching.

Paul uses language in Philippians which could be compared to a race. "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus," Philippians 3:13-14. But the great thing about this journey, this race we are in, is that we are not unnoticed. And we all get the prize. In Revelation 3:21 the Bible says, "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne." Everyone is a winner who overcomes. How wonderful that this Christian life is not a competition. It is a journey. And all who are striving forward are winners.

http://www.plaidkidscrafts.com/content/binary/olympics1.gif

Skiing

2010-02-08T11:48:00.009-05:00

Have you ever noticed how certain people will motivate you to do almost anything? I have always been interested in skiing, but having never gone as a child, I have been too embarressed to try something new like that for fear of hulmiliation. Through the years I have had several invitations to go skiing but I have always turned them down. Inside I wanted to accept these invitations but my pride would rise and I would refuse to go. Even my closest friends have tried to get me to go skiing but I would not go.

Last week my boyfriend invited me to go skiing with him and some friends. And guess what, I actually went! There was just something about him that persuaded me to swallow my pride and go along. It helped that he had only gone skiing once himself so I wasn't as intimidated. We were able to hilmiliate ourselves together. I did not do so great. I couldn't master the art of stopping so I was falling all over the place and am still extremely sore. But I am very glad that I finally went skiing.

Some people are particularly good at motivating us. There are some people in our lives that we really want to please and we really want to do things for.

Is God one of those? Will we do for God what we will not for anyone else? If He asks us to do something will we do it no matter the consequences? Is God a motivation in your life? I was willing to risk embarressment and make myself vulnerable by showing Charlie what a horrible skiier I am...am I willing to risk embarressment and be vulnerable for the Lord? Are you?

The End of an Era

2010-01-29T08:08:00.004-05:00

My beloved cat Thumbs has passed away at the ripe old age of 16. He is predeceased by his brother Scamper and survived by many loving family members. Thumbs came in to my life as a small kitten when I was 6 years old. I had always wanted a cat and my grandparents brought back to my brother and I two adorable kittens. I l loved both Thumbs and Scamper but Thumbs had a special place in my heart. I would hold him like a baby and throughout his whole life I was the only one who could hold him like that. Thumbs was very adventurous. He was an indoor cat but would always try to sneak outside. He loved to eat grass and explore anything he could get in. He was always a plumper cat that Scamper but the last year or so he had gotten terribly skinny. I will miss Thumbs. He was the cat of my childhood. He was my friend, a very special cat.

What to say....

2010-01-14T16:05:00.000-05:00

I need to write a blog. It has been awhile.

Autumn Leaves

2009-11-04T09:59:00.004-05:00

I love the Autumn. I have especially loved being up in the north this year for Autumn. I have loved going for walks in the crisp air. I have loved getting cozy in my bed as the nights have gotten cooler. Autumn brings back memories of raking leaf piles and then leaping and lying in them. It brings memories of buying cider from a road-side stand near where we lived when I was younger. There was Autumn of sorts down in Tennessee but it is just different here in the North. It is longer and more brilliant. I have enjoyed so much gazing out the window of my office at the hillside and observing the changing colors.

However, today as I look out most of the trees are bare. There is a sprinkling of golden leaves but for the most part, the leaves have fallen and Autumn seems to be coming to a close. It is November after all. A few weeks will be Thanksgiving and when I was a child, coming back from my grandma's house in Massachusetts after Thanksgiving I was always excited to come home and put up Christmas decorations. I was ready for the next season! Perhaps because I am older and life is changing as well as the seasons, I can not help but be melancholy as I gaze at the bare trees outside my window.

There is excitement in change. It is exciting to see the brilliant colors. It is exciting to watch the green turn to red, orange, or yellow. But the excitement fades as all the leaves eventually turn to brown. They will fall from the tree and are no more.

Job 14:2 says about man, "He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure." We can compare our lives to the changing of the leaves. In the grand scheme of time we have just a moment. What will we make of that moment? We grow, mature, and then fade.

Just as I admire the beauty in the leaves, may the Lord look at my life and smile. In Him is meaning and in Him is life. "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full," (John 10:10). Let us be beautiful for Jesus.

http://www.shopperati.com/Slideshow/p7ssm_img_12/fullsize/autumn_leaves.jpg

A Grandma's Love; A Savior's Love

2009-10-12T18:57:00.004-04:00

A few weekends ago was my grandfather's 90th birthday. Some time ago my grandma was telling me that she wanted to have a party for him. I thought it was a nice idea but I wanted to say, "Are you sure?" My grandpa has dementia and quite honestly, I was sure that he would not even know that it was his birthday. On Sabbath which was his actual birthday, we had potluck after church and when my grandma brought out a cake and started singing, my grandpa just looked ahead blankly then looked surprised when he heard his name. He didn't know it was his birthday. Sunday was his party. We had family members come and a few others. Everyone had a pleasant time but most of the time my grandpa sat quietly. I knew he didn't quite know what was going on. He may not have known who everyone was.

I watched my grandma during this time. She was beaming at my grandpa when she brought him his cake. I watched her touch his shoulder when posing for pictures. I read the card she gave my grandpa. It said "I love you so very much" and was underlined several times. My grandma wanted my grandpa to have a nice birthday so badly. I felt bad because it just could not be the way that my grandma wanted. My grandpa could not give my grandma what she wanted. In their relationship now, I am sure that my grandpa is not able to carry on conversations and give my grandma the support that he used to give her. It is not his fault. It is just the way it is.

I see Jesus in my grandma. I see Him in her unending love for my grandpa though he is not able to return what she gives him. I see Jesus in my grandma's desire for him to be happy. I see Him in her loyalty to my grandpa.

Just like my grandpa can now never give back to my grandma in the way she gives to him, we are not able and never will be able to give back to the Lord for what He has given to us. "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus knew we could not repay Him. He knew there was no way we could ever give back what He deserves to be given. Yet He still loves us, still wants to be with us, and still wants to give us His life. He died for us! What an amazing God!

Goose Sanctuary

2009-09-25T20:08:00.002-04:00

Sanctuary can be defined as “a consecrated place,” or “a place of refuge or protection.” I think of a sanctuary of a church. It is to be a special place, a place to draw closer to God. A place of peace. A place for reflection and consecration. I think we should all have a personal sanctuary; a special place to direct the thoughts to the Lord. Whenever I am home and the weather is nice, I have a sanctuary. In the fields surrounding my house I like to wander. These fields are places of peace and tranquility. They are a place to get away. There are no distractions out there other than the workings of nature. To the sound of the breeze, the calls of geese, the chirp of crickets, my thoughts can focus on the Lord.

Tonight I went to the fields just as the sun was setting and the Sabbath hours were descending on the day. In the long shadows of the setting sun I wandered. I prayed for anyone who came to my mind. I prayed for situations I am in. And I was still. I sat down in the grass, surrounded by Queen Anne’s lace and clover. I stared down at the pond that is below the field and watched the geese flock. They are headed away from here as the days are getting cooler. In long V’s many geese flew over. As they did I heard the calls of the geese that were landed at the pond. It was as if they were calling to one another. “We are down here if you want to land. It is safe here.” It was interesting that as the sky darkened, more geese landed at the pond rather than traveling to farther waters. I wonder, if the geese who were landed there already did not call, would the geese in the air know to land there? I cannot get into the mind of a goose but I like to think that those geese that were at the pond first were taking care to let any other goose around know that this pond was safe; that it is a good place to land.

I could not help but think of our lives as Christians. We have found a place, a Person, of safety. We have a refuge in the Lord. All around us are people searching, traveling for safety. Like the geese, if we do not call out, who may not find safety? Who may not find what they are looking for? We may be safe, we may be saved. But who is around us? Will they be saved? Who do we need to be reaching out for, calling out? It was getting dark when I went inside, but the geese were still calling out, seemingly into the darkness. It may seem that we’re calling out into the darkness, “Put your lives in Jesus’ hands! Look what I have found!” But our sight is limited. We cannot always see who is out there; who is struggling along and hearing the call.

I thank the Lord for the geese! I thank the Lord for the lessons all around us that He has given to us. I thank the Lord for His grace and mercy. And I pray that my life will be calling out to all those around me, "Jesus saves! Come to Him!"

A Prayer

2009-09-17T13:51:00.003-04:00

Lord, take my tears.
Make them an ocean,
An ocean of Your love.

Take my cries.
Make them a mighty shout,
Proclaiming Your grace to save.

Take my aching heart.
Make it a burden,
A burden to do Your work.

Take my thoughts.
Make them a vision,
That I may see how to reach Your children.

Take my wishes.
Make them Your dreams,
Dreams beyond my human mind.

Take my heart,
Lord I pray.

Make me closer to Your design.

A Post, an Update

2009-09-03T14:18:00.006-04:00

I feel like I should write a post. It has been a while. Life is quite different than the last post which was from Central America. I am not residing in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania. More specifically, as the task force dean (girls', obviously) at Blue Mountain Academy.

But I don't really want to talk about that. Things are fine. They could be better. But it is the beginning of the year still and Lorries have to adjust to things. So I am adjusting and submitting. Growing and learning, by His grace.

Family- they are fine. My grandpa turns 90 in a month. My brother comes home from Europe in a little less than 2 months. Parents are fine. etc. There isn't much to say there.

Friends. Well, it is an adjustment to not be at Southern. I do miss the people of Southern. There have been some lonely moments here. People my age are very few and far between. I miss coming home to my apartment with my girl-pals and discussing the day. I do miss my friends. But I do have suport here at BMA with the other deans and staff. It is just different support. I am in touch with friends and have a wonderful boyfriend. It is different than it has ever been. But God is good. He has not left me without relationships.

Money- I don't have much. But I have a car, phone, food and shelter. Amen!

Today as I write this I am tired and the sky outside is dreary. I have a desire to eat lemon poppyseed bread but I have none. It's been a bit of a down day. I miss my cat and being at home. But I am thankful. Thankful for the beauty of spying a few leaves that are turning autumn colors. Thankful for a conversation with an empathetic staff member. Thankful for smiles. Thankful for the promise that with the changing days of life, God never changes.

An Amazing Day

2009-07-24T00:57:00.004-04:00

(I am still in El Salvador. The campaigns are nearly over. It is hard to believe.)

Tonight was amazing. Life is interesting. Nearly all the day I was tired and grumpy. Tonight as we left for the church it was pouring rain. And I was just so tired. We got to the church and nearly no one was there because of the rain. We still had 20 visitors but a bus bringing a bunch of people including around 10 visitors didn't come. So a lot of people were not there. I was just so tired and trying desperately to energize myself. And I was unsure how the message was going to go. I didn't practice as much as I usually do. But I prayed.

Everything went very well. I've been trying to always include a personal experience/make the end personal so the people feel relating to me and I am being vulnerable. I told how I ended up in El Salvador. (First plan was to go to Argentina, then Mexico, then that was changed to Nicaragua and then one spot left in El Salvador trip that I slipped in to. And God provided the money) and how God knows the plan He has for us. It is never by chance where we are. He knows our hearts and knows exactly where we are this very moment. He has a plan for us. I wasn't sure if I should share that tonight but I was praying for a story and couldn't think of another. God knew that was the story. The pastor said that really touched him. And he continued the appeal from that. Then he appealed for people to come forward who wanted to join the church. And slowly but surely 10 people came up! Praise the Lord!

The coolest part was how a couple members brought others up. They encouraged those around them. There is this lady who lives in such poverty. Her home is literally a shack. She sleeps on a stack of cardboard. She quietly got up and was encouraging a family. She could see the tears in their eyes and the conviction on their faces. She went over to them, took them by the hand and they allowed her to bring them to the front. It was powerful! I stood at the front with a huge smile, tears in my eyes and trembling lips. We need to genuinely care that people are following Jesus. We need to be encouraging each other to choose Christ. God is teaching me so much on this trip. I'm not sure how I will use it all when I go home. But I am convinced that is why I came here: to learn and to use these experiences wherever I end up. God has His hand writing a story for me. I'm just not sure the next chapters. But I want to be faithful.

So my grumpy day became one of the most blessed experiences ever. Satan wanted me down, grumpy and tired. But God prevailed! Praise the Lord! I am so thankful! I will never forget this ever.

God is so good. He is all we need.

In Spite of Myself

2009-07-16T23:53:00.008-04:00

"Lord, don't let me stand in the way of Your work. Don't let me be a hindrance. Lord, in spite of myself, please use me as Your instrument."

This was my prayer this evening before standing up to preach. This was the burden on my heart. You see, as I sat there waiting to take the stage and present the Word of God, realization of my own failings was before me. I realized that today, I had not been faithful as a Christian. And in a flash of horror, I realized that I could misrepresent the Word of God I am presenting and the proper actions of a Christian. Thus, my prayer.

I am in El Salvador with Southern's Evangelistic Resource Center. I am preaching an evangelistic series. I don't speak Spanish so I am working with a translator who is the pastor of the local church that I am at. The series is nearly 1/2 over which is very hard to believe.

This has been an adventure and I am still in disbelief that I am actually here. I never would have thought I would do this. I never really thought I literally could do this. But God has had other thoughts and other plans for me.

I stood up the first night with fear and trembling. In spite of myself, I stepped forward in faith that Christ would bless my willingness. And He has! In spite of my natural self, He is using and blessing me beyond my imagination. It is still a struggle. I still get nervous. But the clarity of the Word of God is encouraging. The encouragement of others is priceless. And the blessings have been extraordinary. I don't plan on becoming an evangelist. But I am seeing that fear is never a reason to not do God's work. I am naturally fearful and timid. Slowly but mercifully God is breaking down those barriers. I am so grateful.

There are some heavy topics still to be preached in the next week and few days. Truth is cutting. The Word of God is nothing to be trifled with. I have a new appreciation and respect for God's word. I admire and am learning so much about how the church's here in El Salvador are growing. My perspective on life will be different when I return to the U.S. What God is preparing me for, I am not entirely sure. But I pray that I will have eyes open for the opportunities He wants me to see and the path He has laid for me.

El Salvador is a poor city. Today I saw a boy asleep on the sidewalk. A lady in the church lives in a dilapidated shack. The city is dangerous. Nearly every store has an armed guard standing outside the entrance. It is a different world. And yet it is so similar. Because humans are the same, the world over.

It is so encouraging to come here and have family- the church family. They have welcomed me with smiles and hearty greetings every night. Even when we can't speak many actual words between us, their gestures speak volumes. It is so touching. The children are especially loving and adorable.

I am being challenged here. I feel unworthy to present these Bible truths and yet God is teaching me that there is no qualification for presenting the Word of God other than a heart for Jesus. I pray that my sincerity and love for Jesus will radiate through every message. I am challenged by preparing the messages as well. Each message I am trying to include an experience or an application to my own life to share with those listening. I am reminded every night about how God loves me and has worked in my life through the years. I am so thankful for Jesus! I am also challenged to be faithful to the messages I am presenting.

Like tonight, I was called to be faithful to the messages and the life I was representing. I had fallen short today. But praise the Lord, the grace of Jesus that I am presenting is real, and He blessed in tonight's presentation....in spite of myself.

Blessings from El Salvador!

Sock Story

2009-07-10T13:15:00.000-04:00

- My mom wanted a story for church-

Are we like socks? That is a strange question isn't it? But how many of us have worn holey socks? How many of us own a pair of socks where a toe is worn out? Or how about the bottom of the socks? I have worn socks where the bottom of the sock is worn and threadbare. But it doesn't matter what the condition of the sock if it looks good, right? As long as no one can see the toe sticking out or see the threadbare bottom, we will still wear the socks.

Let me ask again.....are we like socks? Is what others see of us not what we are? Are we hiding holes? Are there sins in our lives that we are very aware of but we don't repent of because no one else can see them? Don't be deceived. God can see them. God knows our hearts and our lives more than we know ourselves. If we are seeking acceptance and approval from anyone it should be from our Heavenly Father. His opinion is all that matters.

Perhaps we need to clean house. Just as one would go through a sock drawer and throw out all those which have holes, we need to go through our hearts and rid our souls of anything which hinders us. Don't hold on to the old and the worn. We are new creatures in Christ when we choose to follow Him. Embrace the new life. Embrace the power of sin through Christ Jesus. And wear His clothes of righteousness. :)

My Noble Steed

2009-06-16T12:47:00.002-04:00

Recently I got a car. I was excited about getting a car but very soon in to the process of literally searching for a car I found that I did not enjoy it all. You see, I know next to nothing about cars. It was not that long ago that I thought the ignition was the transmission. I didn't know many makes or models of cars. I didn't know which ones got good gas mileage. I didn't know any real differences between Fords and Hondas. Simply put, I am very ignorant about anything to do with automobiles. Thus, whenever my mother and I pulled into a car lot to look at what was available, I hated how the salespeople would come out to talk to us. "Mom, they're coming! Mom I don't want to talk to them!" (I would immediately regress about 7 years of my age.) They would ask me what I was looking for and saying "a car" just did not sound very intelligent. I hated sitting in front of the insurance guy and the car dealer and feeling stupid because I did not know what was really going on. After test driving my car a friend asked me how the engine sounded. I responded with, "well, it ran and didn't sound abnormal to me." I just did not know what I was talking about.

It was a very humbling experience but now on the other side of it, I do see that I have learned a lot. I now know which cars make decent gas mileage. I am more enlightened as to what a transmission is. I could carry on a somewhat intelligent conversation about auto insurance. And I may even have an idea of what an engine is actually supposed to sound like. (maybe.)

We all need help don't we? In fact it is foolishness to not ask for help. On the first day of searching for a car I found one that I thought was a good deal. Coming home and asking my friends about this car I found out that I would be paying more than $1000 of what it was worth. That would have been foolishness. I felt vulnerable after that because I knew I could be taken advantage of in my ignorance. I tend to be a bit too trusting of people and in being gullible someone could easily take advantage of me. I don't like that feeling. But God worked it all out. After some more searching, I found a car with wonderful mileage (41K), in my price range, in good shape and from a kind dealer who was very helpful.

None of us like doing things that we don't feel skilled in. We like to stick to our area of expertise and not admit our weaknesses. But how do we grow that way? Should I have to go look for another car any time soon- which I certainly hope I don't- I would feel more confident and more sure of what I am looking for. I have grown from this experience.

Let's not get complacent. I was forced in to this experience and so while I am happy I learned from it, I had little choice. What about the things that we do have a choice of? How eager are we to step out and do things that we don't feel competent and comfortable doing? I know what the answer is, not eager at all. But why? Are we so prideful that we refuse to be humbled? Speaking of our Christian walks, how much are we missing out of the blessings and knowledge of God by only doing that which we are comfortable doing?

A while new world of automobiles is being opened to me by this experience. What whole new realm of the knowledge of God and His workings is just waiting for us to experience and learn of if we just did what we know we should and step out in faith with God?

I am preaching to the choir on this. I liked being forced in to things rather than choosing them. But Praise the Lord, God does not force us. I want to choose Him today and always and learn from Him. Don't you?

It's no coincidence that the Bible is filled with "Don't be afraid," and "Be strong and courageous" and such verses. Because we are afraid and we are weak. But the Bible is also filled with myriads of stories and promises of God's deliverance, protection and strength.

What a great God! He has brought me a car. And with it, a promise of His guidance, love and surety in my life.

Thickets and Thorns

2009-05-29T12:48:00.001-04:00

Recently I visited a friend who lives on a farm and they have quite a bit of land. In the morning we went on an epic hike through pastures, meadows and the woods. It was fun! And also a bit arduous. At one point we were going through thickets filled with thorns and brush. There was no way to avoid the thorns as we made our way through. We just had to plunge through. Thankfully I was wearing a fleece, jeans and sneakers so I did not get scratched up. But the others with me had sandals on and their ankles and feet got scratched up in the process. Finally we made it through these thickets and emerged in a clear wood where the walking was easier and more pleasant.

Those thickets impressed me, though. There was no way to avoid the thorns.We tried to take the best path but even then the thorns still stuck out. Is not this true of life? On this side of Heaven there is no utopia where there is no temptation, no difficulties and no pain. It is everywhere and it will effect us, no matter what life we are living. The most diligent, productive Christian life will contain these temptations, difficulties and pain. So what do we do? Do we stand there waiting to be translated upward? Do we turn and run? Do we dig a hole? No, we plunge right through. God has given us tools and armor so that the thorns won't hinder us. The covering of His protection and the Armor of God enable us to keep marching in the Christian walk. I did get pricked a few times, and there is certainly pain in everyone's life. After all, Jesus experienced more pain than anyone. But we have the shield of faith to protect us and the constancy of Christ's presence that we can ever move forward. By faith, Jesus conquered and in the same way we conquer. Whether in the thorny thicket or in the wooded vale, we press on. We move forward covered by His hand and leaning on His promises, by faith

Silly Cat.......Silly Humans?

2009-05-25T13:20:00.008-04:00

I love my cat Belle. I think she is beautiful and amazing. But she is silly. She can be such a scaredy cat. Belle loves to sit in my open window at the screen for hours at end. She cranes her neck to see birds in the tree outside the window. She paws at bugs that land on the screen. She will also sit by the screen door which goes to the back deck. By all appearances she would love to escape through the screen and enjoy the freedom of the great outdoors. But whenever I pick her up and move 4 feet out the screen door to sit in a chair on the deck with her on my lap she freaks out! She whimpers and whines pathetically, struggling to escape my grasp and run back in doors. Her observable behavior is deceptive. She looks like she would love the outdoors but it is not so. And it is disappointing! I would love to have a contented kitty cat on my lap as I sit enjoying the sunshine. But it seems that this will not likely happen for a long time if ever.

Are we like Belle? Would someone observing us come to conclusions that aren't actually so? Do we talk up who we aren't? Are we fascinated by lives we would never have the guts to lead? What about those professing a Christian life? I am reminded of a quote that goes something like, nominal Christians read mission stories but real Christians live mission stories. We live in a world that is all about entertainment but rarely about experiencing life. We watch others experience and expressing life. Think reality TV, think movies, think sports, think many books. But what are our own lives? Are we so entranced by what other people are doing that we don't do anything ourselves? Are we really living life?

Belle is missing out. She could feel the grass under her paws. She could look up at the big blue sky and watch the birds swooping above her head. She could be sniffing bugs and plants which her little nose has never experienced before. Her fear is holding her back in what she could see and what I could show her.

Is God disappointed with us? Is our fear holding back from what He is able to show us and do through us?

Belle has nothing to fear because I would be with her the entire time she would be outside. Likewise, we have nothing to fear as well. The Creator and Sustainer of the Universe is at our side. What are we afraid of?

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6

Weather of our Hearts

2009-05-10T21:11:00.002-04:00

This past Sabbath afternoon as I came home the sky was dark and dreary. Rain was to be expected and rain it did. In fact, it stormed. I was reading on my bed with my cat Belle nearby. Her ears expressed concern at the sound of the thunder. I comforted her fears and continued to read. A little while later I noticed that Belle’s ears were no longer concerned; she was fast asleep and the room seemed visibly lighter than it had been before. I glanced out the window and indeed the mood was greatly changed. The sun was out and the blue sky was displayed around fluffy white clouds. Wow! What a change. Soon I found myself perusing the adjacent fields before settling under a tree to examine violets, watch the birds, ponder life and pray. The lavender of the lilacs, the green of the new leaves and the brightness of the blue sky all combined as a beautiful landscape set against the sound of the breeze and the serenade of the birds in the trees around me.

Isn’t it interesting how weather can dictate our behavior? Should the sky be stormy and thundering, we most likely will not do lawn work, clean the eaves or wash the car. We’re more likely to curl up with a cat on a bed or clean out the cupboards in the warm, dry and predictable indoors. Minus a tree falling on the house, those plans would be able to be accomplished with no hindrance by the storm. However, if the weather is bright, sunny and warm we are much more likely to tackle some landscaping or just sit and bask in the sun.

What is weather anyways? According to my Encarta encyclopedia “weather” can be described as “the state of the atmosphere.” Weather is certainly an external condition which we are all used to. But I think there is a valid comparison between the external weather and the internal weather of our hearts. What is the “state of the atmosphere” of your life? Are we like Tennessee a few weeks ago where one day was 80 degrees, the next 50 degrees and then it was stormy for a week straight? Or are we predictably pleasant like a stretch of summer in the Northeast?

What should the state of the atmosphere of our lives be?

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you,” – Isaiah 26:3.

This world is going out of control. It can be a blinding wind and a blur of confusion. Like the weather, our lives: our minds and hearts can become so muddled and confused. But God’s desire for His people is to live in peace.

As I sat under that tree and thought and prayed, the simplicity of the Christian life came in to my mind.

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man,” Ecclesiastes 12:13b.

Trust God. Obey God. Be at peace. That is it. He will take care of His people. My mom experienced this this past week. She was nearly in an accident but God took care of her. He takes care of His people. We have nothing to fear if our faith is in Him. Our minds and our hearts can be as calm, clear and serene as a warm, sunny summer day. :-)

What I Learned At College

2009-05-05T22:14:00.010-04:00

One of the most amusing things I liked to do randomly these past years was to call up my dad and say something along the lines of, "Hey, I learned something today! I learned _____." To which he would respond somewhat sarcastically, "Well I certainly hope we're sending you to college to learn something!"

Now that I have actually graduated from college, I am finding myself reflecting on these past four years. I have grown and learned a lot. As I think about it, much of what I have learned is hard to pin point to specific things. I did not learn a trade. I did not learn calculus or how to build a house. I have learned to write well. I have learned to critically think and do research. I have learned to work with people. Much of what I have learned at college does not necessarily revolve around facts and figures. It is based upon the experiences I have had and the people I have met.

1. People are who they are for reasons.
Everyone has a story. Do not judge. One of the more profound concepts I learned when I was first came to college was in a Marriage and Family class I took. I remember distinctly thinking, "I am 18 years old and know more about families than at least 1/2 of the countries population." The cycles of families is something which impressed me greatly. If you are from a divorced family, the probability of you getting divorced goes up tremendously. You parent the way you were parented. It makes sense. It the same with addictive behavior and medical conditions. If your dad died of a heart attack the predisposition toward such a medical condition is likely in you. Breaking cycles of abuse and dysfunction has to be intentional. Healthy relationships have to be intentional to make them work. That having been said, people are the way they are for reasons. If a person is controlling, there is an underlying issue. If someone cannot communicate, there is a reason. If someone is a basket-case, there is a reason. Too often we take people at face value and say "that is just how they are." No! Oftentimes behavior is a cry for help and also a symptom of a deeper issue. We as Christians cannot be judging people but when faced with difficult people need to pray to God that we can see the heart of the matter and help people. The breakdown of the family is an epidemic in America and the greatest cause of violence and the vast majority of problems in America. Things like: the percentage of people in jail from single-parent families is staggering. (end of that soap box)

2. We are called to service
Some of my greatest experiences of college were in extracurricular activities. For several of my classes we were required to do community service hours. Also with the clubs I was in we were involved with service activities. I volunteered at a school. I volunteered at a day care. (And was asked if a 3 year old was my child.) We went to nursing homes. We went to missions. We went to government housing. I was able to be involved with a lot of outreaches and this stretched me and was the source of great joy. Eventually I joined the Bible Workers Club and was involved in a Bible study which I think ministered more to me than to the lady. They were all great experiences! There is certainly blessing in serving others. It opens our eyes to the needs around us. It will be my challenge to look for these opportunities wherever I am and find what God has in store for me to help others in specific ways.

3. We are called to study
I admit it, I loved school. I honestly can't think of a class which I particularly did not like at all. Certainly there were some that I preferred more than others but I learned every class and gained something which is useful to life. From Shakespeare to Greek to Biology, it's been a joy! God wants us to take advantage of the resources and opportunities we have. The more educated we are the more diverse people we are able to reach for Him. While certainly the Bible and inspired writings need to be the heart of everything we do, we need to be well-rounded people and be interested in the life around us. I don't ever want to stop learning about people and the world which God has created.

4. We are called to be responsible
One of the burdens of school has been group work. When looking at a syllabus for a class and discovering some group project I would inwardly groan. Inevitably someone in the group would not do their work and usually someone like myself would take it upon themselves to do their work. It was always such an ordeal. I was responsible in school. I wanted to do my best in whatever I had to do. I don't want to lose that. However, there are other areas of life which my responsibility lacks. I can be extremely lazy and unmotivated when I have no accountability. By God's grace, I will overcome these areas and learn to be responsible in all areas of life even when it seems no one is watching. Cause, after all, He is.

5. We need relationships
Some of the most profound insights to myself and people in general are the results of relationships: whether male/female or friends. We are all so different. Whether personality types or backgrounds. I admit, it can be a huge struggle to understand some people. But I think in doing so, we discover so much about God. We are made to be together to reveal Christ's character together.

I have certainly learned more than just these points. I could talk about social norms, neurons in the brain, Daniel 4, different religions, history of native americans, yadda yadda. But I think these 5 points transcend the specifics. God has been so good. I am so grateful.

2009-04-21T18:36:00.004-04:00

Today I felt the roughness of tree bark under my hand.

I felt the breeze in my hair.

I felt the cool grass under my bare feet.

And the soft delicate petal of a dogwood bloom.

I reveled in the bright beauty of an azalea bush.

I noticed the long shadows left by the setting sun.

I smelled the freshness of a new green leaf.

I noticed two birds chasing each other on the horizon.

I felt the sunshine on my face.

And the Son in my heart.

Thank you, Lord, for your reminders of love.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/128/322845787_752848c872.jpg
http://images.quickblogcast.com/1/0/8/2/5/162433-152801/bare_feet_in_grass.jpg

Plans

2009-04-15T15:12:00.002-04:00

Is it not funny how life can change instantaneously? You wait for months for something to happen and then >bam<, within 30 minutes there it is. Or you wait to meet someone and then >bam<, out of the blue there they are. Or you are unsure what you're doing and then >bam<, within 24 hours you get your answer. And is it not also funny how oftentimes, or usually, the answer is not what you hoped it would be, or imagined it would be, yet it is for the better because you know God orchestrated it?

Maybe funny is not the right word. The word could be aggravating, annoying, ironic, unnerving, or any other such negative word. But I prefer funny. Because when we look back, that is usually what we do: laugh.

Wall of Fame

2009-04-13T15:21:00.012-04:00

My face is going to be on a wall. No, not a "most wanted" sign. My face will be on a plaque and displayed in a case in Hackman Hall. The words "outstanding scholastic achievement" will be near my picture. Along with a few other of my classmates, our faces will join the faces of other students gone before us who excelled while at Southern. It really is an honor to be part of that wall in Hackman hall. Until the Lord comes or some disaster strikes the school, a record of my time at Southern will be recorded on that wall. I excelled and attained "outstanding scholastic achievement" during my time at Southern.

But what in the world does that mean? One could say that the past 17 years of education are what led to a plaque and recognition for a scholastic achievement. From Kindergarten to a Senior in college, I have done very well. "Well done, Lorrie, you have done an outstanding job." Why thank you. I appreciate it. I really do. I am grateful for the journey I have been able to take through the halls of acadamia. But attaining "outstanding scholastic achievement" really gives me no bragging rights. It does not guarantee me a job. It does not guarantee me anything. Perhaps it is a sentence to put on my resume. Maybe it will give me a boost if I go to Grad School. But it may not as well. Scholastics is not experience.

As I reflect on my face on the wall, I guess I do approach the feat a bit cynically. I suppose it is a big deal? And I do care. I am very thankful. It is an honor. But I am not bursting with joy. Perhaps it is the realization of an end of a journey. Perhaps it is the uncertainty of future plans.

Perhaps it is because I was not trying to get on the wall. If I did not win the honor and get my face on the wall I would not have cried a tear. I have never had ambitions of glory, I have just always tried to do my best. I have studied and listened. I have taken notes and researched. I have gone to class every day and done what the syllabus said to do.

I guess I realize that if it were not for the first 5 years of my life before stating this long academic journey that the past 17 years of success in school would not have been possible. Psychologists say that in the first 6 years of life the majority of your personality and disposition is solidified. So who you were in Kindergarten is most likely very similar to the way you are today.

So I really owe that plaque to my parents and to God. I would not be on that wall if it were not to them. Now obviously I am not a cookie-cutter product of people but by submitting to God my parents have raised me the way they have. By submitting to God I have been able to do my best in school with the gifts He has given me.

So when I walk down that aisle in less than 3 weeks with my honor cords and flowing gown, I will be proud. I will be proud of the success that we have achieved. And I will pray that this knowledge within will produce a servant of Him in the future. After all, I owe Him everything.

A Tale of Tori

2009-02-03T19:34:00.003-05:00

There once was a girl named Tori* who lived in the state of NY. Over Christmas that year she had a grand ole’ time but during that vacation something unfortunate happened. Her father got sick. Her mother got sick and then her brother got sick. But Tori didn’t get sick. She denied that it was a possibility. “I never get sick” she prided herself and tried to ignore the slight cough she started to develop. Tori was relieved when she went back to school. “Tennessee may not be warm in January “she said “but it is a lot warmer than home”. However Tori’s cough continued and to her astonishment it got worse. “I don’t understand” she thought each day when she would catch her breath after a good cough. Several weeks after getting back Tori realized how cold it was in her room. It was So Cold. Sitting on her bed which is in front of the window she looked around and noticed how much colder it was at that specific part of her room. Then she saw something. “Aha!” Her window, though closed and locked had a crack all along the front. Putting her hand there she felt the cold air wafting in to the room. “No wonder I am coughing. This is what I am breathing every night as I sleep.” So Tori, being the sensible girl that she is, made haste to cover that window up good and tight. “Ah, now I will get better,” Tori thought.

But she didn’t. In fact she got worse. In time she developed a fever and sniffles to add to her cough. Tori even moved her mattress to the living room and slept there to not infect her roommate. Tori did not understand what was going on.

Now this seems like a sad tale but it illustrates some important points which we as Christians need to be careful of. Tori was sleeping next to the means of her illness. She was oblivious to the fact that she was essentially cuddling up to what was making her sick. How much do we in our own lives subject ourselves to the influences of sinful behaviors without our conscious knowing? If Tori had just been observant she would have noticed the window right in front of her which was letting in that cold air. What do we have in our lives- like a window- which is not in itself- bad but what it can let through that produces evil? Computers- something Tori tends to waste a lot of time on-books, relationships, frivolous things- are they influencing you for the right or for the wrong?

Tori had a weakness when she was coming back to school since she had been exposed to her family’s sickness. This weakness got exploited by the faulty window. So Satan knows our weaknesses and takes advantage of our often oblivious natures. We need to be alert and conscious of what is in our lives and our predispositions. We need to have our attention on examining our hearts that we be ready for the Christ to come every day.

Tori did not immediately get well after she discovered the problem. In fact she got worse. The damage had been done. She had to reap the consequences. So we have to reap the consequences of sin and often times they are much more tragic than a cough. This should cause us to be cautious.

Tori finally had to leave the room of her initial illness. She had to separate herself from the situation so that she didn’t spread the illness. Sometimes we have to make decisions to separate ourselves entirely from influences that cause us to turn our attention from that which is of God. This sometimes may seem trivial as banning yourself from YouTube for a couple weeks like Tori did once. After all, the small if not dealt with often becomes much larger.

What Tori would like you to get from her sad story is that we need to be intentional in our walk with Christ. Whatever takes our attention and affections from Christ should be removed from our lives. We need to call sin by its name and flee from it. Sin is like an illness. It takes advantage of our weak moments and creeps in to our lives unawares. When we see it we need to block it, get rid of it and move away from it.

Ephesians 5: 15-17 reads, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.”

*resemblance to a familiar name is entirely intentional

Christmas Tree Thoughts

2008-12-19T22:34:00.010-05:00

A family Christmas tree set up anew each year. White lights, pine smell, brings life to the room.

Decorations speak of the family living here. Interests, hobbies, and life events are recorded amongst the limbs.

A wedding from seeming so long ago. Young faces, beautiful cake. 25 years later, so much and so fast.

A boy is evidenced. A train, comic characters, all declare a little boy. Absence of later years speak of absence more far-reaching. Grown up and living far away. He's here this year. Fondness touches that which he used to cherish.

A little girl in girlish charm is seen all around. Cats and angels, snowflakes and dolls. Christmas is her favorite time. A young woman now puts up these charms in sentimental care. Holding to what she knows, keeping them in her sight. The future stands with open arms, yet she looks back with heavy heart.

A trumpet, a cross, kindergarten crafts, beautiful gifts and treasures hang amongst the needles. As if to soften their likely prick.

What is this Christmas tree we always take pains to search for, cut down and drag home? Set up. Is it straight? Untangle the lights and perhaps buy new. Search for the blown out bulb. Keep the water supplied. Is it just a tradition? Some would say so.

For the once little girl it is very special. Memories of carefree days. Family together, sharing memories, making new. The years are now becoming different, the worries different than what they once were. Next year perhaps there will be an ornament to remember this year. Put up with tender thought. What will it tell of and where will we be?

My Family

2008-12-04T12:38:00.043-05:00

I belong to a small family. I have one older brother. I have one uncle. I have no first cousins. I have a bunch of great aunts but I never see them. And there is more extended family out there but again, I never see them. However, I am so blessed with the closeness of my immediate family.

If I were to describe my father the first word which pops in to my head is faithful. My dad is a faithful man in everything which he does. He is calm and he is responsible. My dad is a man of a routine. He is like clockwork. One of the ways which this routine has affected me is seeing the consistency of his spiritual life. The first thing he does when he gets out of bed every morning is kneel to pray. After he does his lesson, he kneels to pray. Whenever he visits the church during the week, before he leaves, he goes in to the sanctuary to kneel and pray. I cannot express what an impression that made to me as I was growing up. My dad is a consistent man. I have never seen him angry. He is calm and rational. He is a peace-maker. And he also has a very unique sense of humor. I get my even-keel temperament from my dad.

My mother is a loving woman. She is one of my best friends. We can talk for hours. She and my interests are much alike. We love history, stories, and studying people. The frustrations I have had in college, she had when she was my age as well. She is close to her parents and is sentimental. She loves to read and would prefer this with a cat on her lap. I share that opinion. My mother wants the best for me and she has absolute faith in my abilities. That faith in me has been a motivator at key points in my life.

I absolutely love my brother. Growing up he was my defender and my protector. As we hit the teenage years we became much more expressive of our care toward each other. My brother knows me in a way which no other person on this earth knows me. I find it awesome that usually the longest human relationship one has during their lives is usually a sibling. I will be very content if my brother and I get to share that experience. My brother is an eccentric individual. He is the most open-minded person I know. He is accepting and tolerant. And man, he is smart. He graduated from college Summa Cum Laude. He would make a good diplomat and who knows, he may be that someday. One of my grandma's favorite stories of my brother and I when we were little goes like this: My brother was probably 5 or so and was sitting on the step of their house. I would have been about 3. Apparently we had some sort of disagreement and I went over to my brother and said something along these lines, "Roger, you know I love. I'm going to marry you some day!"

My mother's parents are part of my being. I've lived down the road from them my whole life. Being home includes being with them. My grandmother is the most beautiful woman I know. I love her positive outlook on life and her ability to laugh at problems. She is strong: physically and mentally. I have spent many hours sitting and talking to her. It pains me to see her and my grandfather getting older. Growing up their home was filled with delight and warmth. And food. She is the most amazing cook I have ever known. My grandfather spoiled my brother and I tremendously when we were small. He is one of the most ingenuous people I have ever met. They both love animals and nature. Again, it makes me very sad to see the effects of age on their abilities. I have often wished I could go back in time and see them at my age. Part of my love of history comes from the love of wanting to see what life was experienced during the time of my older relatives.

My father's mother is a character. She has been a widow for at least 30 years. Trips to her house were always filled with food, shopping, and enjoyment. She loves baseball and used to golf. My father and her have a Yankees- Red Sox rivalry which is highly amusing. She, like my father, is a consistent, faithful individual. She has looked after my uncle who has mental problems for over 40 years. She is tremendously generous. I think she would do anything for us if she could. She is so proud of my brother and I.

I was thinking about my family today. It seems that we are much more quick to be angry, short, rude and resentful towards members of our family than anyone else. Why this is, I'm not sure. Probably because we figure that they have to love us. However, our families have created us to be who we are. They sustain us. They are our support. Therefore I wanted to write this blog about the good qualities of my close family. I don't want to immediately think of what irritates me when I think of any of them- I want to first think of what wonderful people they are and how much they have done for me. They have given me everything. If I can remember that, then everything else will fall in to perspective.

(images: http://or.ucr.edu/images/pictures/centers/FamilyStudies.jpg, http://www.donnabellas.com/image2/family/daddy-girl-brunette.jpg, http://www.prescriptiondrugalternative.com/images/Headings/baby_mom.jpg, http://www.olga-art.info/gal/fineart/Brother%20and%20sister.jpg,
http://fatihiraz.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/0512171356395thankful_prayer.jpg )

People are like Umbrellas :)

2008-11-24T13:14:00.022-05:00

It is a rainy, drizzly day. Thankfully I had checked the weather forecast this morning and grabbed an umbrella on my way out the door. Not 15 minutes later the rain started and has not stopped as of yet.

My umbrella is a cute umbrella. It is powder blue and has little cats and dogs all over it. (It's raining cats and dogs! ha..ha..) My grandma got it free from the Humane Society and gave it to me. However, like most free things, it is lacking in quality. The fabric on at least two of the ends of the umbrella had ripped before this morning As I was walking home for lunch the wind started gusting and my umbrella became almost more of a hassle than a shelter as it flipped inside out and I was gripping it tightly lest it fly away. It now has a few other ends ripped and looks like a mishapped pity of an umbrella.

I couldn't help but notice some of the umbrellas around me passing as I went to and from class. Some were brightly colored. Some were massive. Some were obviously older. Some were shiny and new. Some were designer. Some were probably from a thrift store. Some even were several layers of material. As I crossed the road toward my apartment a friend walked up and I couldn't help but feel a little chagrined over the state of my sad umbrella next to his massive, very refined, high-quality umbrella. My broken powder blue cats and dogs looked very silly.

People are like umbrellas. We're all shapes and sizes. We come from all different places. Like my poor umbrella, some of us need some mending of tears in our lives. Some of us may even need new parts. Some of us are getting our heads wet in rains of trial. Some of us are sheltered from the rain and toasty warm. Some of us may even be fighting to hang on as the storms are threatening to turn us inside out. Some of us may think we're just plain and not very exciting. Some of us are sporting shiny designs but perhaps hiding the emptiness inside. Some are guarding a happy heart that is splashing with joy through the puddles (that's who I want to be :) )

Umbrellas are always held. They do no good if they are not opened and held up. So are we held in Christ's hands. He has control over our lives. We may fancy we're holding on to our own lives but one fierce storm will whip the control from our weak hands. We would do better to let go of our umbrellas, our lives, and walk next to Christ and He can hold our lives for us. :)

There are dozens of analogies between us and umbrellas but I must hasten to mention that there is at least one important detail which does not make us entirely like umbrellas. When I left for work today I left my poor powder blue cats and dogs at home and grabbed my roommate's more robust umbrella for the walk to work. Christ never trades us in. We are not disposable in His sight. He will mend us. He will perfect us. He will never let us go.

The Bible doesn't say anything about umbrellas, but it has something to say about clay...

"O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel." - Jeremiah 18:6

"Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' or 'Your work has no handles'?"- Isaiah 45:9

Don't hang on, let go and let God form you as He wills. Let yourself be clay (or an umbrella) in His hands. :)

(images: http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/IMCcard/KD6061%7ERaining-Cats-Dogs-Posters.jpg, http://www.microdrainage.co.uk/mdimages/mdimage_pg1.jpg)

Struggle to grow

2008-11-19T15:48:00.010-05:00

Whenever I write a blog I want to have something to say. I want to have had an experience or a thought that I have developed and attempt to write eloquently to get my concept across. Therefore my posts are rarely spontaneous and while, yes they are me; they are a refined me. The me that I want everyone to see and know. The me that spends time planning things and consciously thinks about how she is viewing life.

Then there is another me. The me-in-the moment that often is not seen. The me that reacts to things. The me that hangs up the phone with a heavy heart when her mother tells her that her grandmother is in the hospital. The me whose heart sinks with the realization of the stress of home which she is not part of.

My grandmother is in the hospital. But there is more to the story. My mother was in the hospital last week and had surgery that was more complicated than expected. She had 13 staples removed yesterday. My grandmother thought she had the flu but when she went to the doctor it was found that she has some sort of pervasive infection and is being hospitalized. This is distressing, yes. Who wants their family member in the hospital? But the implications of my grandmother being in the hospital are what bother me. My grandfather is very dependent. He has dementia resulting in short-term memory loss. He's isn't out of control or anything. He is forgetful. This means that my grandmother monitors his diet, tests his blood routinely (diabetes), gives him his various pills and in general keeps an eye out for him. He will probably forget that she is in the hospital and wonder where she is. My mother will have to look after him. My mother who is recovering from surgery and needs to be taken care of herself. I don't know if this means she will sleep at their house or what they will do. My mother is wonderful, however, when my mother gets stressed she becomes difficult to live with and often unreasonable. Ugh. I perfectly understand.....it's just hard. And then my grandmother. My sweet grandmother. Oh, how I love her. I hate seeing her becoming more dependent herself. How frustrated I know she must be. Then there is my father. Calm and collected Dad whom I have never seen angry or rude in my life. He will be the chauffeur and pitch in where he can. He is the mediator. The reasonable, reliable one who is often taken for granted and unappreciated. Oh Dad. I appreciate you.

But in this whole situation there is always sunshine to be seen. There are always lessons to be learned. There are always opportunities. I believe that with every part of my being.Satan wants us to get so focused on the negative that we can't see the sun rays breaking through. Trials are certainly a reminder that this world is not our home. There are no hospitals in the New Jerusalem.

Without struggle there is no growth. If the plant never struggled it would stay in its happy little seed in the dark earth. Without struggle the leaves can't spread, the color can't deepen and the roots are not fed. To receive nutrients you have to endure the rain. And it's not coincidence that plants turn their faces to the sun.

So I don't know how this will all turn out. I feel bad not being at home. I want to be there to help, to make it all go smoother. It's difficult to realize my life path is going in a different direction. Meaning my focus is not pointed toward home anymore. My life focus is outward to wherever my own home will become. That's growth too I suppose.

So my heart is heavy for home. My concern and thoughts are focused there. I anticipate a very difficult time the next few days. And I wish I could be more of a help. I want to help bear the burden. But in the mean time I will pray, call my grandma and encourage my parents.

And turn my face toward the Son.

(images: http://pocketchange.become.com/images/charlie-sigh-769156.jpg, http://www.syspro.com.au/img/grow.jpg, http://radiantlifeministries.org/images/in_jesus_arms.jpg)

Quote of the Day

2008-11-18T13:21:00.004-05:00

"If that's not the work of the Holy Spirit, I'll eat my hat!"

~ Dr. Jack Blanco

(image: http://www.adventistbookcenter.com/Author_Info/Small_Photos/Blanco_Jack.jpg)

Autopilot

2008-10-30T12:35:00.004-04:00

Do you ever have those moments where you realize that you have no idea what you're actually doing? When you're performing a task that is so routine and suddenly your realize that you totally were not thinking? That just happened to me. I am here at work and the phone rang....I reached for it unconsciously and started talking...what I meant to say was,

"Library media center, this is Lorrie"

but what happened was..

"Library media..." and I drew a blank. I couldn't find my next word. There was this awkward moment that seemed to stretch a long time where my mind was frantically trying to catch up with my actions to process what I was doing and to continue my sentence...

"center! Library media center, this is Lorrie" I finally blurted out.

Thankfully the call was not overly significant. "Wake up, Lorrie!" I mentally told myself as I hung up the phone. "Are you living today or are you just existing in la la land?" I'm trying to actually start living for the rest of today!

Are you living today? Or are you just alive today?

Lessons from Dr. Blanco

2008-10-28T14:15:00.010-04:00

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” ~ Genesis 3:15

Something I'd never really noticed was how God says "I will put enmity..." What would have happened after Adam and Eve had sinned if God didn't put that enmity between humans and Satan?

Great Controversy enlightens in chapter 30...

"God declares: "I will put enmity." This enmity is not naturally entertained. There exists naturally no enmity between sinful man and the originator of sin. Both became evil through apostasy. Had not God specially interposed, Satan and man would have entered into an alliance against Heaven; and instead of cherishing enmity against Satan, the whole human family would have been united in opposition to God. Satan tempted man to sin, as he had caused angels to rebel, that he might thus secure co-operation in his warfare against Heaven. But when Satan heard the declaration that enmity should exist between himself and the woman, and between his seed and her seed, he knew that his efforts to deprave human nature would be interrupted; that by some means man was to be enabled to resist his power."

"It is the grace that Christ implants in the soul which creates in man enmity against Satan. Without this converting grace and renewing power, man would continue the captive of Satan, a servant ever ready to do his bidding. But the new principle in the soul creates conflict where hitherto had been peace. The power which Christ imparts enables man to resist the tyrant and usurper. Whoever is seen to abhor sin instead of loving it, whoever resists and conquers those passions that have held sway within, displays the operation of a principle wholly from above."

What happened when Adam and Eve fell is that their power of choice was taken away from them. Without God's grace we would be mindless servants of Satan. In fact we would be warring against Heaven! Scary thought, huh? What is so fascinating is that as soon as Adam and Eve sinned, Jesus stepped up and immediately took responsibility for the action of sin that grace might be administered. (Genesis 3:15 is the first prophecy of the Messiah to come.) The enmity placed between humans and Satan is the power of choice being reinstated. While our character is now sinful instead of perfect as Adam and Eve's that choice against evil is still ours'. It's a second chance. Isn't God good?

(images: http://www.mts.net/%7Ewarreno/eden.jpg, http://healmenow.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/grace3.jpg)

Testimony

2008-10-24T10:48:00.008-04:00

I'm going to MEXICO!

With the ERC

In July

And preaching an evangelistic series!

HOW EXCITING!

Now, why would Lorrie, who is certainly not renowned for her speaking ability and desire to be a specticle excited about such a thing?

Well, cause God has given her joy in all things and made it clear thus far that this is His will for her.

That's EXCITING!

Let me share the story.....

I agreed to sign up for an interview with the ERC early this year. It was an exciting thought of something to do after graduation. I preferred to go to Argentina when I signed up. It's in May. Mexico is in the middle of the summer. Why would I want to go smack-dab in the middle of the summer. It is illogical. And I like to be logical. So I interviewed and they told me Argentina is filled. In my mind I went, "ok, well, that's that." I left without saying yay or nay. I talked to my mother. "Lorrie go for it!" "But Mom...." As days went by, I thought, well, my life after graduation is a black hole. You won't have this opportunity, certainly this easy, probably ever again. So, go for it. So in my mind I thought, "Well, ok. I'll follow this path and see where it leads." A Bit half-hearted. A board meeting at my home church was coming up so I asked my parents to see if my church would donate to the cause. The afternoon after the board meeting I talk to my mother. She sounds excited and proceeds to tell me....My parents told the board about Mexico and how much I need which is $500. Certainly a good price but it's still a lot when you're like me and have no money. As they are speaking a church member named Tom hands my mother $25. A lady pulls out her check book and writes a check for $25. Another does the same for $20. My pastor says he will give $100. My grandma says she will give $150. !!!!! So, I now have $320 toward my $500 in just one afternoon board meeting! If no one else gives, I am sure I can muster the rest if need be......PRAISE THE LORD! That was a sign to me. I need to go to Mexico. God wants me to go. He will empower me. I am so excited! Why this summer? Why in the middle of the summer? I don't know. But it's fine. I am so touched by the faith that the members of my churck back home have in me. They were willing to give from their pockets instead of having the church as a institution pay. That is so encouraging and sweet of them. They have faith in me and God's abilities using me. That is such a complement and so affirming for me.

I just went and paid my commitment fee this morning.

I am So excited! I'm sure I won't be quite as excited just beforing stepping up the first day. But, yet, I think I will be. Knowing that I am in God's plan. And He is the one presenting, not me.

Submission. I think that is one of the lessons for this year.

So now, the black hole of my life after graduation is delayed till after July 26th. What shall be next?

:-D

(Mexican turtle)

(images:http://www.essex.ac.uk/armedcon/images/country/headings/flags/mexico_flag_large.bmp, http://www.hurricanedivers.com/hd03066.jpg)

You Talking to me?

2008-10-23T12:55:00.018-04:00

I am taking a class called Christian Philosophy and World Views. For the first half of the semester we studied different philosophers from history. People like Heraclitus, Protagoras, Hume, Marx etc. It's all been very interesting to see how these different views are reflected in contemporary culture. This second half of the semester are looking at specific issues. Tuesday we addressed the issue of authority.

The concept of authority has changed dramatically throughout time. Think about simply from New Testament times until now. In NT times slavery and servant hood were cultural norms. Authority in the church was not questioned in the same way today. Society was under totalitarian rule.

Today in western cultural with democracy the rule, authority is looked upon much differently. Self is the determinant and standard of authority. Be true to yourself. Be yourself. Religious authority is a whole other ballpark. It seems to me that Christians will accept that Christ/Scripture is the authority, however, forbid that anyone should tell them what that means. We want to interpret It ourselves.

Authority denotes submission. If you are under authority, you are submitted to that authoritative entity. If you were a slave or servant and your master said "go do this", there was no thought, no questioning, you immediately went and did that. How different society is today, isn't it? It seems that we pride ourselves in being defiant.

Matthew 8 records the story of the Centurion's faith....here is the condensed form...

Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him.....saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.....Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

The significance of the Centurion's faith was that he recognized Jesus' authority.

Jesus is our example. And if anyone submitted, Jesus did. Think about this....Jesus is God. He has the power of God. On this earth Jesus submitted to His Father and lived a life of faith. Never once did He draw upon His divine power for His own benefit. When Jesus died, that was the ultimate act of submission. Jesus is God. He Chose to lay down His life. An hour after He died, He could have resurrected Himself. However, He waited in the tomb for the Father to call Him forth.

When the voice of the mighty angel was heard at Christ's tomb, saying, Thy Father calls Thee, the Saviour came forth from the grave by the life that was in Himself. Now was proved the truth of His words, "I lay down My life, that I might take it again. . . . I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." ~ Desire of Ages

Do you realize the implications of that statement? Jesus was not killed. He laid down His life. He gave it up to the authority of His Father's will. He made Himself, Who was equal with God, to be below God the Father. He gave up His authority and gave up life itself.

Philippians 2: 5-8, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus - GOD, CREATOR, OMNISCIENT, OMNIPOTENT, etc- gave up His status, omnipresence...everything! He did not live for Himself. He submitted Himself to the authority of the Father and was obedient to His wishes.....to die. To save you. And me. Talk about humility.

Who is your authority today? Who are you really living for?

(images: http://www.nailscars.com/storage/i%27m-humble.png, http://www.picturesofjesus4you.com/images/in_humility_dewey_l.jpg, http://www.centurionwebdesigns.com/Centurion2.gif, http://www.aspiritualguide.net/0871_Jesus_resurrection_christian_clipart.jpg )

Hidden Valleys

2008-10-15T16:18:00.013-04:00

In a hidden valley just over the hill
A young shepherd boy surrenders his will
As he lifts his voice in praise to his King
Only the lambs will hear and follow as he sings

In a hidden valley a faithful one leads
No one looking on, he cares for their needs
For he knows the One who tries the heart
So he is steadfast and content to do his part

Chorus:
Hidden valleys produce a life song
Hidden valleys will make a heart strong
Desperation can cause you to sing
Hidden valleys turn shepherds to kings

In a hidden valley a leader is born
He has faced the fierce and weathered the storm
So with humble heart and love for his God
He becomes royalty with just a staff and rod

That's a song from Steve Green that I hadn't heard in a really long time. It made me think of my own literal valleys. I grew up in a valley for 18 years of my life. There were hills all around me: a rural small-town country area of New York. I've been here at college in the infamous "happy valley" of Southern for the past several years.

David grew up in his hidden valley. He communed with God in the simplicity of pasture life. He fought his battles and protected his sheep. That simplistic life is what prepared him for the challenges of life outside his valley. The lessons he learned were essential and designed by God for his training and preparation.

I consider being raised in a Christian, Adventist home the most tremendous blessing in my life. I can never thank God enough. Not having to deal with the junk so many people my age have gone through....I can never be more grateful. I have this heritage which I absolutely love. Always going to small Christian schools has also been one of the most valuable blessings in my life. I have met and been blessed by so many wonderful dedicated Christian teachers and folks every year of my schooling life. Combined with my beautiful literal valleys, these protected social valleys have guided me in such a powerful way through these years of my life.

But we can't stay in these valleys. David was called from his peaceful pastoral life to a future he could never have imagined. Many of the prophets, the disciples, and Jesus Himself were all called out of their peaceful valleys to a life of service to God. We are certainly not all called to be Paul, Peter or Moses. But we are all called to step from our comfort zones and be soldiers for Christ.

This has already shaped to be a fascinating year of my schooling life- potentially the last ever. Schooling is a very comfortable valley and leaving it forever is an exciting and daunting thought. I am confident however, that these years of education and guidance, through God's Spirit, have prepared me for whatever He has before me.

Whether you're in the valley of indecision, sorrow, light, joy, frustration, trial, complacency, or wherever you find yourself, may the peace of Christ fill your hearts.

Proverbs 16:15

2008-10-05T12:37:00.006-04:00

“In the light of a king's face is life, and his favor is like a cloud with the spring rain.”

This is such a beautiful verse. I think of Jesus, the King of Kings. I want His face to be lighted up when He thinks of me. I want His favor to be upon me, rejuvenating my soul with the sweetness of the Holy Spirit; like the spring rain refreshes the earth and brings forth vibrant growth and new life. What a beautiful thought that is!

(images: http://babyboomcandles.com/images/Fragrance/springrainlg.jpg)

Are you ready?

2008-09-29T21:34:00.006-04:00

Go to CNN, Fox, whatever news you like and read the headlines....how can you not think that Jesus could come very soon?!

Lift up the trumpet, and loud let it ring:
Jesus is coming again!
Cheer up, ye pilgrims, be joyful and sing:
Jesus is coming again!

Like/Dislike

2008-09-25T12:08:00.006-04:00

I like this 70 degree weather which is currently outside. It's marvelous!

I dislike handkerchiefs. I won't articulate all the reasons why because, quite frankly, it's gross. My father uses one and it tends to be his personal paper towel as well as tissue. I thought of this today because one of my professors took one out of his pocket.

My lunch today was chili, onion rings, and chocolate milk. Not very healthy. But probably the largest lunch I've had this week.

I experienced grace today. I skimmed over material for a quiz today. Can't say I really studied. But somehow the quiz was really easy and I got my first 100% on a quiz in that class. Funny how things like that happen eh?

(images: http://www.wunderground.com/data/wximagenew/m/Melagoo/522.jpg, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Handkerchief.jpg, http://stores.wholesome-essential.com/catalog/chili.jpg)

Home

2008-09-24T20:18:00.005-04:00

It's been a long day. A good day but a long day. I left at 7:30am got back at 8:10pm. It went late cause I had a grand time exploring the TMC with Lauren. I rode my bike home and as I stood by the crosswalk a car went by and some random person yelled lewd comments at me as I stood waiting to cross. I calmly acted as though he did not exist. But several thoughts went through my head...

1. What is wrong with the human race?
2. Get a life.
3. Thank the Lord for Jesus Christ. And the esteem I have through being His daughter.

Anyways, to veer from that subject. I was supposed to meet a classmate at noon to discuss questions for a discussion we're leading tomorrow for a class. She didn't show. I emailed and tried to call. I haven't heard a thing. Thankfully I have a feel for what we're doing and it's not a huge deal. But...HELLO...what is wrong with people? Just don't show up.....She doesn't even know me. It truly astonishes me sometimes. She probably forgot and whatever, that's fine but I simply go crazy if I am not prepared for a class. Anyways, it'll be fine. I'm prepared.

So I'm doing a book report on a book which is called Lipstick Jihad and its a lady's memoir of growing up Iranian in America and then living in Iran as an Iranian American. It was very interesting from many different points of view. But basically she was describing her quest to finding belonging. She's not American and she's not Iranian. She didn't know what was home.

It was kind of interesting because I don't know where home is anymore either. SAU is my home. And my parents in NY are my home. My cats and grandparents are my home. My friends make a home. My brother makes home and he is across the world. Where is home? I've been missing home a lot the past couple weeks. I've been missing the weather and just the security of home. I talked to my grandma and she sounded lonely and I wanted to go and visit her and cheer her up. I wanted to sit on my backporch wrapped in a blanket with my cat on my lap in the chilly autumn dusk. My mother would be sitting in the other chair. And we'd chit chat about life. Then I would go inside and drink some hot cider and listen to a baseball game with my father. Then I would go to my room and fall asleep to the sounds of....nothingness. And my cat would be curled at the end of my bed. I miss a NY Autumn. It's so beautiful. We'd always buy cider from our neighbor who has a cider press. So it'd be fresh and amazing. I remember racking leaves and making a pile and just lying in it, smelling the dry leaves. Something random and silly: when I was in elementary school we'd always make a LLBean order in August before school started. I had a yearning for LLBean the other day. lol

I'm having a great time in SMA. I'm doing a bulletin board and we're going to have faculty trivia with people guessing what faculty did very odd and random things. I'm excited.

Psi Chi is having a car wash Sunday. I can't say I'm rip roaring excited. But hey, it'll be a first. I've never worked a car wash before. So yea, come on out and support Psi Chi at the Brock parking lot! Whoo hoo! lol

I have a cold. Last night I felt pretty horrible. My head felt like it was going to explode. I took some unmarked medicine that Bekah had and eventually fell asleep. I feel better today, sniffly but not too bad. I'm excited about going to sleep early.

Anyways, those are my thoughts for this evening.

Police get call over non-floppy rabbit ears

2008-09-16T10:55:00.008-04:00

Mon Sep 15, 9:05 PM ET

STIRLING, Scotland - Your rabbit's ears aren't floppy? Sorry, that's not an emergency. So said police in Scotland when a woman rang the emergency 999 number to discuss her concerns about her new pet. She said the newspaper ad promised floppy ears, but flop they would not.

Central Scotland Police said Monday they were equally unimpressed by another caller who complained that a passing car had splashed water on him, and by someone else inquiring about the postal code for a town's post office.

"Whilst officers and staff are dealing with these frivolous matters that a member of the public has deemed so serious as to call 999, they are not dealing with genuine emergency calls," said Chief Inspector Alan Stewart.

Story here

And some people have real problems in their lives.....

(image: http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/995/760287.JPG)

Rancher?

2008-09-15T16:58:00.003-04:00

My mom thinks I should marry a rancher out west and breed cats....any takers?

In other news, it hit me today how much I talk with my hands like my mother does.

Pictures from the Weekend

2008-09-14T13:44:00.004-04:00

More to follow...

Our Author

2008-09-11T13:28:00.005-04:00

So much I am realizing that our entire Christian experiences really have absolutely nothing to do with us. This verse was pointed to me today by a venerable professor: Hebrews 12:2, "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith....." I've read this many a time but today I thought about it a little more than usual. This venerable professor then wrote on the board, "Faith is not in our ability to hold on to God but in God's ability to hold on to us." My first reaction is to disagree. Do we not need to hold on to God? But then I realize. I cannot of myself hold on to God. I am too weak. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Our faith is not what we do. It's what we allow God to do. Jesus gives us faith. It's all about Him. Why is it we always feel like we have to do something? "I'll toughen up and have faith through this!" We feel like faith is an action. But I don't think it is. It's a God-given attitude that only God can manifest in us as we know Him. It's about giving up ourselves: our pride, our wills.Thats all we do-empty self and just let God in. And even letting God in is about Him because only He can break down the barriers and give us the desire to know Him. We're just clay which lets itself be molded. We just have to pray to be willing. The Christian experience is about submission- real submission to our Savior. Jesus is the author. Our lives are His story. That is my conclusion.

Many Faces of Belle

2008-09-09T18:55:00.006-04:00

The Sphinx

The Catch

Annoyed

Regal

Startled

Sleepy

Adorable

Missionary Turmoils

2008-09-08T12:49:00.007-04:00

Did anyone else see this?

India: Mob kills Adventist pastor

August 27, 2008

Here

Hindu extremists are being blamed for the beheading of a Seventh-day Adventist pastor in Orissa, India late last week, local church leaders reported. Since then, at least 15 Adventists have been reported killed.

Samuel Naik, pastor of the Phulwani Adventist Church, and his mother were killed during anti-Christian violence sweeping the region of India, said Gordon Christo, communication director for the Adventist Church in Southern Asia.

One Adventist school in Jeypore was attacked last Sunday, and another school in Khurda was closed for several days, Christo said.

"They broke the gate and all the glass doors and windows of the children's home, the cafeteria, the girls' hostel ... and a few staff quarters," said Arun Panda, principal of the Jeypore school.

Panda said the mob attempted to light several vehicles and some equipment on fire after pouring diesel on them, but nothing burned.

"We believe it is a miracle of God," Panda said.

Thousands of Christians have fled for their lives, some hiding in the forest. Local church leaders are asking for help from the local government and media and the world-wide community.......

What I Learned Today- Did You Know

2008-09-02T18:21:00.001-04:00

This is from 2006. Psyc class is so interesting..

My Brother has a cat named Mila :-)

2008-09-02T18:04:00.001-04:00

Croc Attack

2008-08-25T13:43:00.008-04:00

We get Newsweek here at home and I read one of the most hilarious things ever... Several week ago a journalist wrote an article about crocs which you can see Here This article caused a swarm of responses which prompted the journalist to write a follow-up which was what amused me. America is ridiculous....

A Croc of … Wit

Readers lash a rant against the popular rubber clog

By Steve Tuttle

Over the last couple of weeks I've received at least five marriage proposals and a couple of death threats. One guy told me he wanted to shoot me. Another thought a knife would be best. I was called a bad father and a wonderful, caring man. Several women admitted their undying love for me, and several men wanted to do something to me with a shoe that is anatomically impossible. At least one person thinks I'm "friggin' hilarious." But many, many more have concluded that I am an "idiot," a "dork" and a "loser."

My crime? I wrote an essay for NEWSWEEK in which I said that I sorta, kinda, maybe don't like Crocs shoes all that much. OK, I said I hated them and that people who wear them are dorky. It was an Ed Anger-style rant for a lazy August afternoon, intended to brighten the Friday of our Web readers and maybe make them chuckle a little. I had hoped a few people who noticed the story would even leave a quick comment.

I had no idea what I was in for. Within hours, there were hundreds and hundreds of comments. Within a few days there were thousands. The people who wrote in were elated. They were furious. They demanded to be heard. Tip to fellow journalists: Forget the presidential election. Never mind Iraq. The death penalty? Gun control? Feh. If you want to inflame the passions of the American people, write about rubber clogs.

I was called "absolutely brilliant" and a complete "dumbass." I was accused of being a racist and yet somehow pro-Barack Obama because I ended my rant with a jokey "Yes! We! Can!" Some said I was just plain un-American for criticizing neon clown shoes that are made in Mexico, Italy, Romania, China, Canada, and the United States. One patriot went so far as to accuse me of stirring the pot "with the stick of America." I honestly have no idea what that means, but at least it makes me sound manly.

Many, many people speculated that I was a big loser in high school. If being in charge of the Senior Class Homecoming float and being the water carrier for the varsity football team makes me a loser, then fine. But one guy defended me on this front: "I want to be a has-been high school loser, too. He's clever, witty, ironic AND brilliant." Clearly, this reader gets me.

Two themes ran through the negative comments: One, that I shouldn't spend my time railing against rubber shoes in a world threatened by war and disease and global warming; and two, that I am an idiot. Many of those who accused me of slacking off as a journalist—and there were hundreds—were no doubt themselves reading the article and posting about it while they were at work, on company time. As far as I can tell, I was the only one who was actually doing my job. Some of the more entertaining comments came from the second group—the ones who accused me of being an idiot. A reader with the user name Castanee was "amased of myself that was cappable of reading through this lines." Ouch. that stings, I think. A Crocs lover who goes by Allen54456 thought I should try to be more "revenant." Another angry reader wondered how I ever got "publicated."

There were many suggestions about how I could better use my time, from killing myself to seeing "how long it takes to replace all your light bulbs with energy saver bulbs." I'll choose the latter if that's OK. One guy said my essay was "fascism disguised as humor." Many thought my outlandish opinions about the shoes were a threat to our free society. At least a couple of people accused me of encouraging genocide. For the record, in no way did I intend the article to encourage genocide, and to the extent that it might have done so, I apologize.

Bitter Crocs owners said they were going to rush out to buy more Crocs to punish me. Darn, didn't see that coming. Many, many readers thought I was a terrible father because I let my son poke gentle fun at people who wore Crocs. Farmgirl12 put it best when she said, "I cant beleive your raisin your son like that." One thought I was a cool dad for spending time with my boy, but that maybe it might be best if I "didn't procreate again." From your typewriter to God's ear, my friend. Another felt sorry for my son for "having a goober dad with a job writing about shoes." That one made me laugh out loud; I'll definitely be stealing that line. So will my boy.

One angry reader said he could picture me in my ivory tower sipping wine by candlelight as I typed my essay. That is a gross mischaracterization. I drink bourbon. Guilty on the candle, though.

One woman wrote that she thought it was unfair to judge me just from one story so she went and looked up my other work. She thought all of those stories sucked, too. SeriouslySad agreed: "The writer is obviously not a good one, he works for Newsweek." Another careful reader said he couldn't believe Time magazine paid me to write such garbage. The good news for me is that all of this angry reading of my awful prose drove up my traffic numbers, which only encourages my editors to let me commit more acts of bad writing. The Crocs story alone got millions of hits, so you haters can look forward to hilarious rants about people talking in public on cell phones andnasty airline food. You have only yourselves to thank.

One quick side note: To reader Eroticism, who wrote, "I think I love you," and to laftacad who went all the way and said, "I officially love you," and to all of the women who proposed marriage: could you please send photos? I know we'll have at least two important things in common right off the bat: you love me and you don't wear Crocs.

I went through every single one of the thousands of responses and letters, and some of them were tough to read. But one stood out, and I'd like to close with it, because one Crocs wearer, Leayellowrose, got the joke: "OMG ... This was hilarious!!! Thanks for the laugh. I lost my 4 year old to brain cancer in January and hadn't laughed this much since ... Now, that being said, I wear Crocs all the time!!!"

It was signed, "A dork in Texas."

(images: http://www.insidesocal.com/tomhoffarth/archives/crocs.jpg, http://earthskyknitter.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/crocs.jpg, http://blog.wired.com/underwire/images/2007/04/20/crocs.jpg)

Reflections from the Summer

2008-08-21T12:50:00.007-04:00

As the days are now counted down to less than a week till I go back to school, and I have not much better to do than watch my cats stalk each other, I figured I should look back and reflect on the past summer experience and draw some conclusions.

I worked at Camp Cherokee for the better part of this summer, about 8 weeks. I readily admitted that I never really wanted to work at camp. I never went to camp myself. I didn’t grow up around horses and canoes, archery or sailing. And I never felt a burning desire to experience these things. Therefore the thought of going to or working at camp was never foremost in my list of summer ambitions. However, through several circumstances: volunteering last year and the persistent bugging of the camp director are notable; I ended up working at camp this summer. I was hired as a counselor and craft assistant. Crafts largely involved ceramics which I had never done before. But that soon became comfortable with the presence of one of my good friends in crafts with me. By the end of the summer I was running the craft house by myself and despite breaking a couple ceramics and a window on the craft house, I did fine.

As far as being a counselor…that was an interesting experience. I am the type of person who has ideals for everything and thinks about things a lot. However, as far as practical experience, I am usually lacking.

It is interesting how satan takes advantage of our weaknesses. I alluded in a previous blog how starting the summer at camp was such a struggle in that I felt that satan was plaguing my mind with doubt. This will always happen when one steps out of their comfort zone. Camp was outside of my comfort zone in about every possible way. I don’t like being in charge. I am not naturally assertive. Being in charge of the craft house and especially as a counselor I had to be on top of things and not passive. We started with teen week and that was a tremendous struggle. In the middle of the week I was sitting on the director’s porch crying out my frustrations. However, I survived. I can never thank Kristin, my co-counselor enough for her presence that week. Junior week and adventurer week were such blessings compared to teen week. We had several incidents. Bed wetting, homesickness, girls fighting amongst themselves. It was stressful and exhausting. But rewarding. I think generally speaking I did a good job.

Family Camps were fantastic. I enjoyed them immensely. It was a welcome break from 24/7 supervising children. There was more free time and it was great to be around families. Ministering was a different concept with the families than the kids. With the kids we could essentially say “let’s talk about Jesus..” but with the families it was different. And for me, I felt that some of the families were ministering to me more than we were them. It was such a blessing to be around families which were centered on Jesus. It seems like only the families I see day to day are so messed up. And yes, there were those too at camp, but there were families where it was so obvious that the parents loved Jesus and were working to have a Godly relationship with their spouses and children. It was so encouraging and inspiring to see.

Some other notable camp memories are:

· Doing Bible studies with the kids. One girl had absolutely no knowledge of the Bible. She didn’t know what the Garden of Eden was or who Adam and Eve were. And it was amazing to see her start reading her Bible at nights.
· Our Sabbath afternoon activity was a walk through the 2300 days. The kids went through a walk through the woods and around campus and met people through history and different activities. I was a “deceiver” who tried to make the kids leave their path and then they would be arrested. It was hilarious fun.
· Days off randomness: camping, eating fudge, lake placid, hiking gorge for $10, walking barefoot when my flip flop broke etc etc
· The “Gallant Gentleman” of Cherokee had a breakfast for the “Lovely Ladies” of Cherokee
· Salty the camp cat was the most matted animal I have ever seen. She was appalling. I took scissors to her mats whenever I could.
· Having my eye nearly swell shut from bug bites during staff week. “Little lady with the eye problem.”
· Running in to a door and soon after falling flat on my butt in mud when trying to enact revenge on a worthy person. Revenge is never worth it. I had not been so dirty in years.
· Speaking of which, I was always dirty. I don’t think I was clean all summer.
· The cinnamon sugar toast epidemic during kid’s camps. I have never seen children eat so much toast in my life. Those kids ate way more than me.
· My first kayaking experience. Although there was much whimpering and whines, it was fun.
· My first horse riding experience since I was 13. It’s like a slow cumbersome car.
· My first archery experience. Though several arrows were lost in the woods, it was grand. I did manage to hit the targets. Some of those bows are hard. It’s harder than it looks.
· The raccoons that were adorable.
· Being a drunkard in the passion play.
· The most amazing cherry, orange, various fruit jelly I have ever had.
· One of my girls chewed through a glow stick and had it in her mouth.
· Bedwetting and homesickness.
· Lice…..and the pink eye that threatened being an epidemic.
· CPR
· Praying over the kilns, that they would work. (they were questionable)
· Shooting stars and the call of loons in the night.

There are many more I am sure. So, do I want to go back to camp? Well, I don’t know. I feel like I missed out on a lot of the enjoyment I could have had simply because I didn’t know what to expect. That would be different if I returned. When people have asked me how camp was, I have been responding “character-building.” It definitely was. Christ gave me strength in my weakness. Those verses of “my strength is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness…for when I am weak, then I am strong” were definitely the promise I claimed, especially during kid’s camps. I enjoyed getting to know the staff. I wish everyone had stayed through family camps because there was definitely more hang-out time then.

Overall it was definitely a positive experience. I felt at home there. And learned a lot. I actually wasn’t exhausted when I left. It actually progressively got easier throughout the summer. However, the last week for some reason the Pastors/teachers wanted breakfast at 7am which was lovely. But besides still getting up early, the stress was minimized as the summer went on.

So in one week I will have had class today. I’m very excited to go back to SAU, my best friend and our apartment. I have very high expectations for my senior year of college. Can you believe it? I sure can’t.

I cut my hair- not the best pics
but I'm not great at posing for myself

Promise for the Summer

2008-07-29T08:03:00.002-04:00

For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

~Isaiah 55: 8-11

That last part is especially a comfort to me. During the kid's weeks it was often thought, "Are they listening? Will they remember? Do they understand?" However, the Lord promises that His word will never return void, it Will accomplish what God desires. That is such a fabulous promise. If we present the Bible, God will do the rest. We can't make anyone believe anyways. We just need to be the tools.

We are now in family camps. It is great because it's a break from the constant attention required during kid's camps. It's also kind of different as far as ministry is concerned because it's not as overt as the kid's were with "Let's talk about Jesus." However, we are still here to minister. I think it is more with our lives now: being involved and being like Jesus in what we say and do- that, I theorize, will make the biggest impact.

17 Days left at camp for me. What a unique summer this has been.

Lessons from Basket Weaving etc

2008-07-15T10:35:00.001-04:00

A year ago I didn't know how to weave baskets. A month ago I didn't know how. 3 weeks ago I didn't. Two weeks ago I learned how to weave baskets. So this past week, of course, I was qualified to teach basket weaving, right? lol The camp director thought so. So this past week I taught basket weaving. It was quite the experience. But the cool part was that it went fine. I had help and now that it is over I can look back and wow, it went fine. So the life lesson is that we often learn things the best when we teach them. This is definitely true in witnessing and many things. I guess I knew that already but it was a very tangible thing this past week. Here are my lovely baskets...

I'm having a lot of fun in the craft house.

In other news...here are some random pictures from the past several weeks.

My grandparents on their 65th anniversary during camp meeting.

Me and Jackie before our Saturday afternoon activity.
I'm a deceiver. Jackie is a Bible person.

Snow in Lake Placid!

Flashback to Camp Meeting

2008-07-08T11:30:00.009-04:00

(Because I haven't gotten the chance to write this until now...)

Saturday night the 28th of June found me trudging back to the dorm with tears in my eyes. I always get nostalgic at the end of camp meeting. It gets worse as the years go by as each experience builds on the other. I have been blessed to be able to go to the same camp meeting every year of my life. I always want to learn something new each year and I always expect to learn something. And Jesus never lets me down.

Saturday night as I trudged to the dorm I was disappointed with how the week had ended. It had been such a wonderful time. I had been challenged, inspired, and motivated to walk closer to Jesus. And then it ended. Suddenly over.

Near the dorm where I was staying the primary tent was set up. As I neared the dorm I heard the sound of children's voices singing. They were singing praise songs in the primary tent. I stood in the darkness and listened to them and joy filled me. The week of camp meeting may have been over but it comforted me to know that the ministry of camp meeting was going on. Camp meeting has been such a blessing through the years in my life. Hearing those children singing those songs like I did years ago assured me that as long as camp meeting continued, the blessing would be passed on.

Camp meeting is a piece of Heaven on earth. It has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. This year was particularly wonderful and I was so blessed to be able to experience it once again. This year the emphasis was on the Holy Spirit. I was really convicted as to the nearness of Jesus' coming. And am once again questioning where my life is going. Come a year from now I will have to choose a direction. Am I living for myself or am I living for Jesus? If I knew Jesus was coming in 2 years would I change what I plan on doing? If so, why am I not living like that anyway? Should that not be the way we should be living? We also spent a good amount of time at Camp Meeting studying spiritual gifts. That is something I "know" a lot about but rarely think of during normal life. I want to develop my gifts more. Camp is a good opportunity for that. And come the school year Bekah and I are going to have a schedule of prayer topics. Spiritual gifts is going to be included in that. I am excited.

After I had trudged back to the dorm and packed a bit, for some reason 15 minutes later I found myself walking back out of the dorm. I had no reason to go back out. I should have been getting in bed. However, I found myself back in the large tent looking for Bekah who was helping her dad. As I walked in to the tent I saw 3 new friends we had met at camp meeting walking in to the tent looking for us- to pray together before leaving. I don't believe it was a coincidence. We joined hands in a circle and prayed together. I cried again. But this time they were tears of gratitude and joy. God truly understands the needs of our hearts.

I could

2008-07-03T19:33:00.002-04:00

I could tell you that staff week was just fine.

I could tell you how wonderful camp meeting was. I could tell you how spiritually amazing it was. I could tell you how I made new friends. I could tell you what a wonderful week it was.

I could tell you how my grandma broke her wrist but even through that turmoil God's grace was very evident.

I could tell you about waking up at 4am to come up here and feeling the lowest I had felt in a really long time- a tumble from the high of camp meeting. I could tell you how I could tell satan was playing on my weaknesses.

I could tell you about teen week. How it has been...interesting. I could tell you how I honestly am not so sure how I feel about being here right now. It is a struggle and I feel very frustrated and a bit disappointed over the whole experience.

But I am tired.

So I will just tell you that.

Camp Memory #1

2008-06-16T19:13:00.002-04:00

Waking up with my eye swollen 1/2 shut

(I am being attacked by bugs. It's awful. I do not care if I smell like bug spray all summer. The left 1/2 of my face has a prominent bite on my cheek. A couple by the corner of my eye. One on my eye lid. And it's red and puffy. I look deformed. Yay for long hair to cover.)

Packing Again- Camp Ho

2008-06-12T10:05:00.009-04:00

Packing, the story of my life.

(Incidentally, I never pack this neat. I am trying to fit everything in one suitcase)

Belle knew something was happening and kept getting in my way.

(I like her expression: it is so confused!)

(Like my sleeping bag? lol, I've had it a loooong time. Back when I liked carnival colors.)

I guess I'm excited? Sorta? We'll see. lol. For some reason I am skeptical. I'll try to lighten up.:)

In other news, my mother hard-boiled eggs yesterday and one of them exploded:

See ya'll

Dye- For Danielle

2008-06-06T10:55:00.003-04:00

I had an interesting dream last night. Kinda goes along with the thoughts of everyone's different perspectives on life. In my dream I was some other ethnicity and wearing semi-traditional clothes. I was either Muslim or Hindu I would guess. And I was engaged to a man of the same ethnicity. I and this man were shopping in a modern strip mall. I presume it was in the United States. Every time I and my engaged would walk outside to go to another store I would take his arm and he would hold my hand firmly as if to steel me from the looks of others. Every time we walked out it was as if a front was put up and we proudly walked to wherever we were going. At the end of the dream his father came and picked us up in his car. The father was wearing even more traditional attire. It was an interesting and peculiar dream.

Anyways! What have I been up to lately? Well. I dyed two shirts. I should have taken pictures of the entire process but I didn't think of it till I was nearly done. I did it on the stove top. First I used a color remover. Then washed them. Then I dyed them. Rinsed them out and washed them again. The only picture I have is of our pink bathtub as I was rinsing the shirts out. Rinsing them took the longest part of the process. I may never throw away a stained shirt that I like again. I will dye it.

Other than that I have gone down to my grandma's nearly every day to help out. We planted 48 tomato plants and I have been setting out her flowers around her house. She always has a plan of how she wants the flowers set out: in a certain pattern. I've been somewhat cooking as well. I say somewhat cause it's always desserts. I've read a few books. Watched a bunch of National Geographics. (Learned about archeology in Afghanistan, the FBI since 9/11, the remaining monarchies of the world, and the search for Kennedy's sunken torpedo boat.) And spent too much time online. I also finally got around to playing my flute yesterday. I should do that more. This coming week I need to think about camp more. I want to have a bunch of worship thoughts ready, especially for the teen week. I think I've been in denial that camp is coming. But alas, it is nearly here.

I wanted to write about my lovely experience last night of wandering around in the fields at dusk. But that deserves a blog of its own and more thought so that will come later.

It's very muggy today: going to be near 90 degrees. Ah, perhaps summer has arrived. I should go make some lemonade.

Postscript:

By popular demand, here is the dyed shirt. Sadly you have no original to compare it to, but you can see it turned out nice.

Perception

2008-06-03T23:42:00.006-04:00

I googled for the definition of what "perception" is and amongst various definitions I settled upon the following: The feelings, attitudes, and images people have of different places, peoples, and environments.

And because I fancy myself a student of psychology I will add this: In psychology and the cognitive sciences, perception is the process of acquiring, interpreting, selecting, and organizing sensory information.

I was thinking about how I perceive the world different than every single other person. Certainly some people's perceptions of the world are similar to mine but I do not believe any one person thinks exactly the same way as another person. Because we all have different life experiences, we see things differently based on those experiences.

Our attitudes about life around us and how we interpret the information and experiences thrown at us every day are absolutely unique.

These thoughts came to me recently because I was reading an article defending the move in New York to recognize gay marriages. My initial reaction is "that's ridiculous. this world is going down the tubes." However, I believe it is important to stop and consider where people are coming from. I read the article and from that person's perception of the world, they had come to a very logical conclusion. I disagreed but it was well-thought out conclusion. I sat with the article and pondered this world. I was born in to a Christian Seventh-day Adventist home. I attended Christian schools my whole life. I have a "traditional" family with my parents still married to each other. I have been raised in a middle class white family. I live in the United States of America where freedom/liberty of speech and religion are accepted. I have freedom to travel as I have the means. This absolutely shapes my perception of the world

However, so much of the world does not enjoy these privileges and so much of the world has been raised with vastly different values and ideals.

My point is that we cannot blame people from where they come from. None of us had control of where and to whom we were born. We cannot judge people on how they have been raised. This could easily evolve in to a "what's good for you" - post modern attitude. However, I cannot believe that and be a Christian. There is a danger in hastily judging people. There is also a danger in accepting everything. It seems to be incorrect to say "I'm right" in this world. It is seen as non-tolerant and prejudiced.

But. Yes, we can't judge.. But. There is right. And there is wrong. How does someone come to that conclusion? Can someone come to that conclusion apart from the Bible and God? I'm not sure it is possible.

How do we not come across as nonjudgmental and yet hold to morality in an immoral world?

So much of what bothers me about this western world is the focus on self. We need to feel good about ourselves. We need to accept our selves and let our "inner beauty" shine. We need to be strong. We need to be real. We need not to be ashamed of ourselves. I appreciate the well-meaning behind these sentiments. We should feel good about ourselves. However, that should not come from within. We need to see ourselves in light of Jesus Christ and the worth that He gives us.

*Sigh* I'm not sure if there is any point to these ramblings. They are unorganized and spontaneous. It just seems discouraging. However, we were told that life would be like that. "As it was in the days of Noah..." People are just out for pleasure as they were in those days. Morality has become relative. Everything meant for good is perverted. Those against gay marriage are seen as intolerant and judgmental. Morality cannot be legislated. When the people become immoral so will the laws become more accepting. Anything goes.

But Jesus is coming. We have this hope.

And in light of His promises we must live our lives in the face of what ever may come. We must live as beacons of His truth and His will. And He will do the rest. We just need to be faithful.

(images: http://isg-mit.org/projects-storage/Survey_Perceve&Introduce/perception.gif, http://www.holisticeducator.com/perception.jpg)

An Update for Leslie

2008-05-24T16:30:00.003-04:00

Back home- tired but happy. Yesterday was an extremely long day: on the road from 5:30am till 9:15pm. Won't worry about my disaster of a room till tomorrow.

Finished "Studies in Daniel" with a bang- got an A! I do prefer to take classes like that I think: 3 weeks intensive. Wrote a 13 page paper on Daniel's personal religion. It really was an awesome class.

Had lunch with grandparents today and we had "Purple Cow" drink- grape juice with cottage cheese and yogurt.

I tried to take a picture with Thumbs- he sort of cooperated. (I look so tired! Or else there is a shadow of something...lol)

Here are some pictures from my grandparent's bedroom : they were so hot! (pictures from circa 1943)

To top it all off....here are the many faces of ME!

2008-05-20T13:37:00.005-04:00

2008-05-18T14:13:00.002-04:00

God has no grandchildren, only sons and daughters.

Parents' losses compounded by China's one-child policy

2008-05-15T15:30:00.001-04:00

Please come Lord Jesus.... this is horrendous.....

SICHUAN, China (CNN) -- Li Yunxia wipes away tears as rescue crews dig through the ruins of a kindergarten class that has buried her only child -- a 5-year-old boy.

China's one-child policy magnifies the loss parents are feeling after learning their child died in the earthquake.

Other parents wail as soldiers in blue masks trudge through the mud, hauling bodies from the rubble on stretchers.

"Children were screaming, but I couldn't hear my son's voice," she says, sobbing.

This grim ritual repeated itself Thursday across southwestern China, as thousands of mothers and fathers await news about their sons and daughters.

The death toll from Monday's massive earthquake could be as high as 50,000, according to state-run media.

The grief is compounded in many cases by a Chinese policy that limits most couples to one child, a measure meant to control explosive population growth.

As a result of the one-child policy, the quake -- already responsible for at least 15,000 deaths -- is producing another tragic aftershock:

Not only must thousands of parents suddenly cope with the loss of a child, but many must cope with the loss of their only child.

China's population minister recently praised the one-child rule, which dates to 1979, saying it has prevented 400 million children from being born.

Some wealthy families ignore the order, have more children and pay a $1,000 fine. In rural areas -- like earthquake-devastated Sichuan province -- families can petition for an additional child, but there's no guarantee the authorities will approve the request -- they usually don't.

That reality has cast parents like Li into an agonizing limbo -- waiting to discover whether their only child is alive or dead.

Thousands of children were in class when the temblor hit Monday afternoon. Many of their schools collapsed on top of them.

In Dujiangyan City, more than 300 students were feared dead when Juyuan Middle School collapsed with 900 students inside. A similar number died at the city's Xiang'e Middle School.

Now parents cluster outside collapsed school buildings, held back by soldiers in some cases as rescue crews search for signs of life.

"Which grade are you in?" a rescuer asks a trapped child in Beichuan County.

"Grade 2," comes the answer.

"Hang on for a while," he says. "We are figuring out ways to rescue you."

The child is pulled from the rubble a short time later.

For every child saved, though, many more are lost.

Many are missing at a middle school in the city of Qingchuan. The scene is devastating at Juyuan Middle School, where sorrow seems endless.

"There were screaming parents, and as the bodies would come out they were trying to identify whether it was their child or not," said Jamil Anderlini of London's Financial Times. "And once they -- the parents -- realized it was their child, obviously they collapsed in grief."

Article

Cats and their people -- how to match them

2008-05-15T14:52:00.001-04:00

For your amusement....

(AP) -- It happens to all of us. You fall in love with someone's looks... but then he's not quite what you expected. Even, sometimes, if he's a cat.

"People come in and say, I had a black and white tuxedo cat before, so that's what I want," says Jim Monsma of the Washington Animal Rescue League in Washington, D.C. "But cats are not all the same. They have widely divergent personalities."

That's why the shelter is now using the Feline-ality program, developed by behaviorist Dr. Emily Weiss of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Part of the ASPCA's Meet Your Match program, which also includes Canine-ality for dogs, the program assesses a variety of behaviors in individual cats. It rates the animals on confidence and sociability, which Weiss' research has shown are independent of each other.

The program then tallies those assessments to place the cat into nine personality categories, which can be matched with a family's situation and desires.

It's not unlike a magazine quiz to find out, "Which kind of cat are you?"

The program is used at 45 shelters, with additional facilities preparing to use it.

On this day in the Washington shelter, Monsma brings Barnaby the cat into an unfamiliar room and opens the carrier.

Barnaby shoots out and takes charge, checking out the room and everything in it. Monsma uses a stopwatch to track how much time Barnaby spends on social interactions. For example, he adds up how many seconds Barnaby spends trying to get on his lap. He also monitors his noises and blink rate, both indicators of sociability.

Monsma then initiates some interaction, offering a hand, three different toys and hug. Each transaction earns Barnaby some points.

His total comes out high on both scales -- he's both highly sociable and highly confident.

All of the types have fun, vivid names and descriptions. Barnaby is "leader of the band." His opposite, a cat low on both scales, is called a "private investigator," who stays out of trouble.

A more middle of the road cat is familiar to many people: the "personal assistant." "You're working on the computer? Let me press the keys. Reading the paper? I'll hold the pages down for you... You'll wonder how you ever managed without me," according to program literature.

Equally important to the Feline-ality program is the fact that people differ, too. Adopters fill out a questionnaire and the results give them a color code, telling them which set of personality types would be best for them to consider.

The program aims to end animal-human mismatches, often a reason cats are returned to the shelter, Monsma says.

Weiss says the program has helped to increase adoptions in shelters that have tested the Feline-ality program, partly because people find the process fun.

Experts may differ on what details of a test can best predict a pet's behavior in an adoptive home, says animal behaviorist, author and radio host Patricia McConnell.

But she applauds these efforts to enlighten people about the differences among cats, which have always been less well understood than dogs.

"They're complicated, interesting animals with rich emotional lives that deserve to be treated well," she says. "Any kind of test is somewhat limited, but it's an excellent idea to be thinking as much as we can about what's the right cat for the right home, and whether we can do some matchmaking."

Weiss says that people still sometimes fall in love with a cat that isn't a perfect fit, but the program can help in these cases too: People who know what issues to expect are more prepared to deal with them.

But as Monsma says, "There are so many cats out there, why not get one that fits?"

Article from CNN

2008-05-10T10:55:00.001-04:00

"From the story of Daniel's deliverance we may learn that in seasons of trial and gloom God's children should be just what they were when their prospects were bright with hope and their surroundings all that they could desire. Daniel in the lion's den was the same Daniel who stood before the king as chief among the ministers of state and as a prophet of the Most High. A man whose heart is stayed upon God will be the same in the hour of his greatest trial as he is in prosperity, when the light and favor of God and of man beam upon him. Faith reaches to the unseen, and grasps eternal realities."
- Prophets and Kings page 545.

Security

2008-05-06T13:43:00.001-04:00

Last night when I went to bed, I scoured my room and grabbed any stuffed animal I found. I am a fan of stuffed animals but sadly a few of them are in storage for the summer so the only ones I found were "Disney" the bear (who came from Disney world), "Rob" the kangaroo (who is a girl, oddly enough) and dear Sammy the skunk (who looks more like a bear than a skunk). It was just one of those nights where I wanted to just hug "someone", as of course the stuffed animals are, and make everything go away.......as they used to. I lay in bed thinking of the security of life as a child. I could see myself at 7 years old. My father would get me cups of water in my yellow Minnie mouse cup. He would tell me a story. He would pray with me. And then "I love you Ladybug. Good night." And I would go to sleep with a Raggedy Ann or animal under my arm. In the early mornings I would be stirred by my father's kiss before he went to work. Every evening and night were completely dependable: "I love you Ladybug. Good night" and the gentle kiss on my head that would stir my sleep.

However it is not the same anymore. The animals under my arm did not make everything go away. And I woke up as I went to sleep: alone. My father still kisses my head, but the times have become few and far between. I have been feeling very lonely the past few days. This has been compounded by a distinct lack of security which goes beyond simply my friends leaving for the summer. It's been difficult and nothing like I have felt before. It unnerves me. And I'm not quite sure what to do. After all, I'll be home in 3 weeks. I could do nothing about it and have a very stinky time for the rest of my class and then go home to my parents and cats and continue with my summer at camp with my friends.

But something else has been bothering me. I am holding on to these feelings almost as if I enjoy them. I do not enjoy them; then why don't I give them up? How do I do that? "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden. And I will give you rest." I have been resisting giving this up to Jesus. Somewhere in me I have an innate stubbornness and self-sufficiency which makes me want to handle things on my own. "I can deal with things. I am strong." But where has that come from? If I want to fool myself I could say "From me of course." But if I am honest, I have to look at myself and say "You are weak. You need help." Any strength I have of my own is from God. I freaked out yesterday like I had not in a long, long time. I panicked and felt out of control. I cannot handle this on my own. And yet I am so resistant to give it up. Perhaps it is my pride...It probably is my pride. I want to be in control. But again, if I am honest, I have to realize I am not in control and never am. Anything that catches us off guard, or that we do not expect reminds us that we are not in control at all.

I know what I need to do. I have to. "Give it up Lorrie, let Him take it." I wish sometimes He would force me. But of course Jesus is not like that.

When I was little, it seemed I could transfer my emotions to my animals. If I squeezed hard enough, life would become better. Jesus wants me to transfer my hurt to Him. Then He can replace it with His joy. Why wouldn't I want that?

This has been slightly cryptic but it accurately portrays me right now. I am still at SAU- for the first summer session. I had to move back to the dorm and everyone I am close to have left. And beyond that, things have just been hard. But God is faithful, this I do know. He wants to hold me in His arms. I just wish it were as simple as those who came up to Jesus and touched Him when He was here. Why does it seem so much harder? Maybe it isn't...

Friends

2008-05-02T08:34:00.003-04:00

I was chatting with one of my friends last night and telling him that I was feeling somewhat lonely. (Very long day, people leaving, moving back to the dorm from Southern Village...etc) He said he would draw me a picture to cheer me up..... It made my day!

A Wonderful Weekend

2008-04-21T10:36:00.004-04:00

It started Friday night with food/gathering with Alyssa and Bekah. Which got strange when we decided to make cookies. Bekah suggested I mix them with my hands. Later we chilled and I burnt my arm on the stove when I was taking the cookies out, thus the picture with me and the ice cream box on my arm.

Then we made ourselves beautiful for vespers.

Saturday night we went to Leslie and Trenton's for games. We had fun. Me, Gene and Trenton were playing this hotel game. Trenton won.

I do not want to face the reality of this week...... *sigh* However, "My grace is sufficient for you"

Life is good

2008-04-15T10:30:00.001-04:00

but I am cold.

God is Gracious

2008-04-03T09:29:00.001-04:00

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.

Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God.

Ezekiel 36: 25-28

Find your Beaver

2008-03-27T17:16:00.004-04:00

There is a stuffed beaver in the entryway of the library. Just looking at it makes me happy. I pet it nearly every day. It's very therapeutic. Find your beaver today!

(http://www.maxwaugh.com/images/yellowstone05/beaver1.jpg)

A Cat's Prayer

2008-03-27T09:08:00.006-04:00

Now I lay me down to sleep,
The king-size bed is soft and deep...
I sleep right in the center groove
My human can hardly move!

I've trapped her legs, she's tucked in tight
And here is where I pass the night
No one disturbs me or dares intrude
Till morning comes and "I want food!"

I sneak up slowly to begin
My nibbles on my human's chin.
She wakes up quickly, I have sharp teeth -
And my claws I will unsheath

For the morning's here and it's time to play
I always seem to get my way.
So thank you Lord for giving me
This human person that I see.

The one who hugs me and holds me tight
And sacrifices her bed at night.

Author Unknown

(images: http://piccat.com/pictures/1/sleeping_kitty.jpg, http://lh6.ggpht.com/metalicshield/Rfv7VeeJjvI/AAAAAAAAAdA/IvB_Sy0vY1E/s512/IMG_0771.jpg)

Skunk Enlightenment

2008-02-26T21:41:00.008-05:00

Quick: Think of a skunk. What's the first thing that comes to mind? For many, it's the animal's unmistakable eau de parfum. Which is too bad, because skunk spray has given the wrong impression about these gentle, non-aggressive creatures.

Cat-sized or smaller with long fur and long bushy tails, skunks are easily identified by their distinctive black and white coloration. These near-sighted creatures are omnivores and have a hearty appetite for grubs and insects that are pests to humans. They have also been known to consume mice and baby rats.

Skunks are members of the Mustelid family, a group that includes weasels, martens, and badgers. Found throughout almost all of North America except the far north, skunks often live in suburban areas—unbeknownst to their human neighbors. In the East, spotted skunks prefer agricultural landscapes and spend much of their lives in or near farmyards. Other species, such as the striped skunk, are adaptable to a variety of open, scrub, wooded, and developed habitats. Normally, skunks do not engage in long migrations and have home ranges that encompass a few hundred acres at most. Skunks can be active all year but will remain in dens during cold spells.

Striped skunks breed in February and March and sometimes become quite noticeable when amorous male skunks seek out females who may not be in the mood. Generally, skunks are solitary animals, except when raising young or sharing a den during cold periods.

Baby skunks are generally born in May and June. Skunks den in cavities such as woodchuck burrows, hollow logs, brush piles, stone walls, and under buildings. A den is usually used for brief periods because of skunks' nomadic tendency. Once the babies are mobile, the mother will appear with young, traveling single file behind her.

A skunk's only defense is a familiar noxious odor created by a sulfuric acid that can be "fired" from either of two independently operating anal glands. Contrary to popular myth, striped skunks cannot spray over their backs. However, spotted skunks do have the unique ability to spray while doing a handstand. Skunks have a limited supply of ammunition; they don't waste their defensive spray, because they can't "reload" very quickly. Instead, they stamp their front feet as a warning when threatened, giving ample opportunity for an intruder to back off.

—Laura Simon, Director, Urban Wildlife, The Fund for Animals, New York City

Striped Skunk

Found over most of the North American continent north, the Striped skunk is about the size of a house cat and can weigh up to 14 pounds.

Spotted Skunk

The Western Spotted Skunk(S. gracilis) occupies mostly lowland wooded areas in North America west of the Continental Divide from southern British Columbia to Central America. The eastern species (S. putorius) is found opposite of the Divide in prairie and wooded areas south to Mexico but not as far east as the Great Lakes. The spotted skunks are smaller, faster and more agile than the striped skunks .

Hooded Skunk

The Hooded Skunk can be distinguished from the Striped skunk by its longer tail and longer, softer coat of fur. A ruff of white fur around its neck gives the animal its common name. The hooded skunk is most abundant in Mexico, but its range extends into Central America and into the southwestern United States.

Hog-nosed Skunk

The individual hog-nosed skunk species vary in size, but among them is included the largest of all skunks. All are characterized by comparatively short hair, especially on the tail, and this appendage lacks the plumelike appearance observed in other skunks.The nose is prolonged into a distinct "snout", naked on the top and sides and evidently used for rooting in the earth after the manner of a pig. The hog-nosed skunk ranges from Mexico through central America and down to South America.

"I'm adorable! Don't hate me!"

(images:http://www.windstar.org/eMagazines/eMagazine24/website%2520baby%2520skunks%25201.jpg, http://www.halkorberphoto.com/Striped%20Skunk%20in%20Fall%20copy%20web.jpg, http://www.striped-skunk.com/pictures-images-gallery/striped-skunks-01.jpg, http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/collections/mammalogy/mamwash/Images/spotskunk.jpg, http://itech.pjc.edu/sctag/hooded_skunk/skunk1.jpg, http://www.hunter-ed.com/wildlife/wildlife_specific_images/wildlife_photos/hog_nosed_skunk.jpg, http://www.stinktierbuch.de/skunk-baby1.jpg)

German police dogs to wear shoes

2008-02-25T12:24:00.004-05:00

BERLIN - Police dogs in the western city of Duesseldorf will no longer get their feet dirty when on patrol — the entire dog unit will soon be equipped with blue plastic fiber shoes, a police spokesman said Monday.

"All 20 of our police dogs — German and Belgian shepherds — are currently being trained to walk in these shoes," Andre Hartwich said. "I'm not sure they like it, but they'll have to get used to it."

The unusual footwear is not a fashion statement, Hartwich said, but rather a necessity due to the high rate of paw injuries on duty. Especially in the city's historical old town — famous for both its pubs and drunken revelers — the dogs often step into broken beer bottles.

"Even the street-cleaning doesn't manage to remove all the glass pieces from between the streets' cobble stones," Hartwich said, adding that the dogs frequently get injured by little pieces sticking deep in their paws.

The dogs will start wearing the shoes this spring but only during operations that demand special foot protection. The shoes comes in sizes small, medium and large and were ordered in blue to match the officers uniforms, Hartwich said.

"Now we just have to teach the dogs how to tie their shoes," he joked.

(Story here)

(image: http://img.alibaba.com/photo/11342809/Dog_Boots.jpg)

Snowdrops

2008-02-18T20:41:00.014-05:00

It was Monday at 4:30pm and I had just come from "Colony to Nation" with Dr. McArthur. Because I had randomly decided to wear a skirt, I was more chilly than I normally would be on this brisk February day. Therefore I was hurrying down the promenade, my mind on what I had to accomplish before my 6pm class. I had to rush home and find some food, find the paper I had written for my class and skim the chapter that I had not really read to have an idea of what we were going to discuss that evening. And I was cold. So as I approached the student center I decided to go in and see if anyone interesting was around and un-thaw myself before the plunge down the road to Southern Village. Alas, no one was around so I turned to head out. An older lady was behind so I held the door for her. "Thank you honey," she rewarded me with after the first set of doors and after I held the 2nd door open she came up and put her arm around me. "If you have a few moments you should go to the prayer garden and look for a surprise. You have to sit down, look at the plague and then look around before you will see it." I smiled and thanked her, but was quite puzzled. What in the world was she talking about? I didn't want to turn around immediately to head back up the promenade while she was watching me so I walked in to the religion building with the excuse to check my box. Having found nothing in my box I walked back up to the prayer garden. At first I wondered what plaque she was talking about but figured she meant the large wooden sign with the quote from Steps to Christ. I walked over and stood in front of the sign.

"'God is love' is written upon every opening bud, upon every spire of springing grass. The lovely birds making the air vocal with their happy songs, the delicately tinted flowers in their perfection perfuming the air, the lofty trees of the forest with their rich foliage of living green -- all testify to the tender, fatherly care of our God."

I looked around, and then down. There were flowers - snowdrops scattered about the area next to the sidewalk. They were all around and they were so lovely against the brown ground. Snowdrops, my grandma has told me, are one of the first signs of spring, along with crocuses (croci?). "'God is love' is written upon every opening bud, upon every spire of springing grass." I smiled. I bet this is what the lady was talking about! The little flowers were so delicate and pure and such a beautiful illustration for the quote. As I left I noticed some other students walking toward the sign in the prayer garden. I bet that lady had told them to come looking for a surprise in the prayer garden too! What a neat lady!

Now, I can't be positive that the snowdrops are what the lady was talking about. Perhaps there was a monkey scurrying around the trees or something else she was talking about. However, I think I found what the lady was hoping I would look for and find- a reminder of God's love in the midst of my busy, preoccupied day. And I hope those who came behind me found the same.

Don't get too busy; don't get too preoccupied to not notice the little reminders everywhere of the great God that we serve. He wants us always to have in our minds how much He loves us. Look around and see the flowers, hear the birds, smell the rain, appreciate the smiles, laugh with little children, admire the blue sky- they all testify of our Savior's love.

(images: http://www.spain4uk.co.uk/images/wildlife/flowers/snowdrops.jpg, http://www.tipperary.com/images/gallery/Snowdrops.jpg, http://www.dutchflowers.com/catalog/images/crocus_yellow_mammoth.jpg)

Israeli cats

2008-01-31T21:37:00.000-05:00

So today I had an Archeology and the NT test. And there was a bonus question that was like, "What is (Hebrew word)?" And I had no idea what it was. So I wrote a small dissertation on how (Hebrew word) was a species of domesticated cat native to Israel which was renowned for its agreeable nature and pronounced stripes. And then it went extinct when a type of feline malaria spread through Palestine.

Alyssa, roomie, is the professor's reader and she was helping him grade the tests and apparently Dr Hasel read this out loud to her and cracked up laughing hysterically! I wish I could have seen it! Dr. Hasel is such a stately, professional man...I wish I could have seen laughing hysterically. Haha! I got that question wrong btw. It was a Jewish bath. (as in bath house type thing)

I did good on the test though!

$2000 Disappointment

2008-01-22T09:54:00.000-05:00

January 17th was my birthday. While I was working in the afternoon I talked with my parents who were very concerned about mail from my grandmother. They said she had accidentally sent it to the PO box for Thatcher South instead of my PO box set up for my Southern Village apartment. I assured my parents that the RA would surely bring me the mail in the evening but my parents persisted that I go to Thatcher South after work and see if I could find my grandmother's mail. Their persistence made me wonder, "What in the world is my grandmother sending me?" They were very mysterious and thus I got excited. As soon as I got off work I went bounding expectantly down to Thatcher South. In a short while I was handed a plain looking card. "Hmm, maybe she just sent me money." Well, money is always good. I sat down and ripped it open. There I found a check for $2000 and a note saying that it was my birthday present, to be put on my bill. Disappointment stung my heart. Disappointment? Why in the world should I be disappointed? Well.... my parents graciously take responsibility for my bill. Of course I was very thankful but the present seemed more for my parents than for me. As soon as these thoughts passed through my mind I started getting angry with myself. "Hello! Lorrie! Wake up! This is a huge sacrifice for them! Be Grateful!" I wrestled with these thoughts as I walked from the dorm and headed toward Spalding and yonder to Southern Village. I stopped on the sidewalk to wait for a car and happened to look back toward the dorm. There was a group of people carrying boxes from the back of a van. "I should help them," I thought to myself. I stood there and noticed that they were nearly done. I had walked right by in my preoccupied, selfish thinking when I could have been helpful. "I am so stupid." A song went through my head at precisely that moment, "We are His hands to touch the world around us..." My conscience was in overdrive and I felt terrible. Here my grandmother was being Jesus' hands. And I was being selfish and lost a chance to do the same. I walked home in a rather despondent state. I opened the door and found a bouquet of flowers my brother had sent me. I wanted to cry. I was surrounded with such love. And I didn't deserve it.

Christ calls us to be selfless. We need to think of others before ourselves. You may say that my thoughts and feelings were only natural. After all, we are only humans: naturally selfish aka sinful. That is a problem, not an excuse. We claim to be Christians and as such we have surrendered our hearts to Christ. "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus," is our commission, (Philipians 2:5 NASB). We need to stop making excuses for ourselves. We need to see our hearts for what they really are: undeserving of anything good, let alone Jesus' love. We need to truly repent.

I need to write a "Thank you" note.

touched

2008-01-18T08:03:00.001-05:00

My brother sent me 21 flowers for my 21st birthday. :)

Heart Check

2007-11-08T08:53:00.001-05:00

Last night I was working on journal entries for my New Testament class. I was a bit behind so I was determined to catch up and maybe get a head. I was reading 1Peter chapter 1, typing notes as I read a long. I came to verses 18-19, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty was of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” I made a note- “bought not with perishable, but with blood” and started to move on. Then I stopped. Was I even thinking about what I was reading? “The precious blood,” I read it again. What do I call precious? I don’t use that word every day. If I describe something as precious, it means something significant to me. It evokes heartfelt emotions. My brother is precious to me. That baby is precious. “The precious blood of Christ.” I thought of Peter writing these words, later in his life. He could look back on his experience and remember his Lord and indeed, his heart must have been moved and full when he wrote these words. How could I have just brushed over them? How could my heart not be moved? Is not Jesus’ blood precious to me as well? Oh how I wished I could reach back in time and take Peter’s emotion and plant it in my heart. How could I callously read such powerful, significant words? Being in such a setting as Southern and being a religion major, there is a danger that the Bible can become academic. What a fearful thing that is. I became almost angry with myself. I no longer cared about my journal entries. I closed the file, left the room and grabbed my Desire of Ages. I turned to the chapter on Calvary, curled up on the couch and prayerfully read for a good 40 minutes or so. Ellen is right; it would do us a great service to ponder the life and death of Christ for at least an hour each day. What a powerful scene Calvary must have been. What agony Jesus went through. For me. My Savior.

That time certainly did me good. I needed a heart check. My heart had to be softened. My focus had been entirely off. It’s good to stop, think, and consider….what does this mean to me? Does the Gospel still move your heart? If for second you are not sure, examine your hearts. Who is Jesus to you? He’s my Savior. Is He yours?

Meet Thumbs and Scooter

2007-10-30T11:17:00.002-04:00

In the absence of cognitive processes regarding the putting of thoughts onto a screen....enjoy Thumbs.... he has thumbs btw...I guess you can't see them well in these pictures.

This is Thumbs - he is 14. He is adorable.

He's my baby. Such a sweet cat. =)

This is Scooter: he is 3? He was left in my grandparent's barn when he was just a wee baby kitten. He is now enormous.

I think he was trying to sniff the camera..

He's a beautiful cat but a bit rambunctious. He's about 15 pounds.

Now I have completely wasted my morning by fluttering around. lol Have a wonderful day!

In Memory of my friend

2007-09-05T20:47:00.001-04:00

My beloved cat Scamper has been lain to rest today. He was 14 years old. He is the first pet to die that I really cared about. I figured I wouldn't see him again when I left to come back to school. We're not sure what was wrong with him but my grandmother hypothesizes that he may have had a tumor of some sort. A year or so ago Scamper had a toe removed because of a tumor on it. We think that perhaps he may have had cancer elsewhere.

Scamper came into my life when I was 6 years old. He and his brother Thumbs, who still has a bounce in his step, were presents to my brother and I from my grandparents. Because of my mother's cat allergy the kitties stayed at my grandparents just down the street and we saw them constantly. Scamper was always the high-strung one. He tended to be nervous, always jumping when the phone rang and he would get frightened when I would take him outside. Of the brothers Scamper seemed to be the spokesman and communicate his wishes and complaints to whoever would listen. He loved to eat grass and climb all over the place. Many a time in his younger days when he was "missing" we just had to look up and he would be on top of something. He was certainly a mischievous kitty.

This past summer Scamper was not himself. His hearing and eyesight seemed to be going. He never seemed to know where he was. I would have him on my lap and he would put out his paw as if to step off, like he couldn't tell he was above the ground.He would just wander around and got dreadfully skinny. He would eat allot but he was just wasting away.

Evidently this morning he wouldn't eat and seemed to be losing control of himself. So my grandma figured it was time and he was put to sleep and buried on their property. My poor sweet cat. Scamper makes me think of my childhood. Pets are very special to children. They are friends unlike any human can be. I will miss my Scampy. He has been part of home life for so long. I wonder if Thumbs will act any different now. They have always been together. I'm glad I wasn't home. It is a cruel world. Praise the Lord for Jesus. His coming will save the animal world too. They don't deserve to suffer.

(Scanned pic of young Scamper and Thumbs)

Hmmm

2007-09-03T16:39:00.000-04:00

What makes you you is your memory. Without memory one has no identity.

I learned that today. :-)

When we were discussing Job in Sabbath School last weekend I thought about this: Job never got an explanation to why he was suffering. All he needed was to realize who God is, the all-powerful personal Creator. We don't need to know "why", we need to know Him. And have faith that in time we will understand. We may never know on this earth why certain things happen. But we can know the God who controls all and trust Him and grow through the experiences.

By the way, I am married. My husband is RDS1, otherwise known as Research Design and Statistics 1. It was an arranged and forced marriage performed by Dr. Ruth WilliamsMorris. It is quite tragic and I am not sure how much affection I will be able to give. It seems it will be a tough relationship. *sigh* :-)

Back Roads

2007-08-24T22:05:00.001-04:00

It’s been one of those days where it is tempting to just lay on a sofa, read a book, sip lemonade and have a fan pointed at you for hours on end. Today was a very hot and humid day. However this evening we had a thunderstorm. I love storms in the summer. There is just something about the smell in the air when it has passed by, a freshness that can not be duplicated. It was just becoming dusk when I went down to my grandmother’s – just down the road. I spent about 45 minutes pampering the cats, eating blueberries and visiting with my grandparents. I took the cats one at a time out to the breezeway on my lap. We saw bats flying around the trees. It was such a beautiful evening. When I bade my grandparents adieu I decided to go for a drive. One thing I absolutely love about rural America is back roads. They are so much fun! Windy, sometimes bumpy roads surrounded by fields, woods, meadows, hills all around, passing farms and houses set on big lawns. I rolled down the windows, put on the high beams in the growing darkness and ventured off into the darkness. It was glorious! There are just a couple places that I will burst into song: mowing, in the shower, and the other is driving. What a beautiful beginning to the Sabbath. I belted out my favorite hymns and praise songs as the moon shone brightly toward the west and on the eastern horizon lightning flashed behind the clouds as the storm was still rumbling in the distance. It was just beautiful. Several times I stopped the car. All that could be heard were peepers and crickets singing their tunes. The roads were starting to become foggy, like a blanket that the car passed through. I saw a cat stalking in the bushes. To my delight I saw a skunk romping across a lawn. Farmers were ending their day in the barns. Cows were moving slowly across the fields. A frog jumped out of my way and many a squirrel looked around in alarm. It was such a perfect summer evening. I sang my praises to my Lord for this beautiful day and I could just sense His smile on me. “Thank you Jesus for this present, a beautiful opening to Your Sabbath.”

I encourage you to take the back roads today. Take some time to get away from distraction and notice what Jesus has for you to enjoy. I know many people who are stressed every single day. There can be so much to do, so many things that fill our minds. Too many people just fall to their beds at night never having taken a moment to reflect, to think, to be calm. “Peace I leave with you” Jesus tells us. There is peace to be had in every situation. We have to “be still and know that I am God” and then God’s peace will fill our hearts and rejuvenate our minds.

2007-08-03T23:05:00.000-04:00

(for some reason I really like this picture)

Local woman attributes longevity to "God's Blessings"

2007-08-01T11:05:00.000-04:00

By: Wendy Post

07/29/2007

Hilda Wiser sat in her living room chair on the morning of July 20th and awaited a ride that would soon take her and her friends to lunch.

The special outing took place that particular day because Hilda, who was born in Port Alleghany and moved to Owego at a young age, was celebrating her 103rd Birthday! But according to her 73 year old son, Bruce, it's hard to believe that she is celebrating 103. "It just happens," said Bruce about aging, "sometimes I can't even believe I'm 73." But sharp as a tack, Hilda still gets out for drives with her son and enjoys spending time with her friends from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Catatonk; a church that she attended. Hilda lives with her son in their modest home located on Sherwood Boulevard in Owego. According to Hilda, her son's father died of pneumonia when Bruce was only a year and a half old. "He died just before the Sulfur drugs came out," said Hilda. Bruce has remained by her side since that day and has witnessed her timeless aging. Friends from her church are also amazed that Hilda is living gracefully past 100 years old. Anne Whitaker, a church member that checks on Hilda regularly, is 87 years old and living her life actively and independently. "I marvel at Hilda," said Anne. "I'm amazed at what I can do at 87."

Some may wonder what to do at the age of 103. Hilda likes to sit comfortably in her home and listen to Sabbath music, and occasionally enjoys an outing with her son. For the birthday celebration on July 20th, Faith L. Fish, who is also a church member that visits Hilda, brought her son Christopher along with some freshly picked blueberries. Although Hilda also feels that her health is pretty good for 103 years old, she claims to be a bit "wobbly." But in spite of the mild signs of aging, Hilda stands strong that her life continues through "God's blessings".

©Owego Pennysaver 2007

The article online didn't include the picture of her that was in the paper.....but she is a member of my church! Can you imagine being 103? I can't imagine being 30...lol

Hope

2007-07-25T20:38:00.001-04:00

I realized today how incredibly grateful I am for the hope we have in Christ. Today I went to my great uncle's funeral. He had cancer but was expected to live for awhile longer. Evidentally last Sabbath he had a heart attack and died later that day. I honestly have to say that I didn't know the man, had only seen him acouple times. But he is my grandmother's brother. She has 4 siblings and he was the first to go. It is very remarkable to get to the age of 85 and have all your siblings alive to this point. I hadn't been to a funeral in years. And I hadn't been to a viewing since I was probably 5 years old. I have been very sheltered from death. To this day I have yet to lose anyone close to me, even a pet. My cats are 14 years old. Our dog died last year but I wasn't too attatched to him and didn't see him when he died. I am very grateful that I haven't felt the pain of such a lose. Today I saw those who were experiencing that lose.
Last night we went to the viewing and to be honest I was wary of seeing my great uncle- Judson. It seems weird but when I did see him, it almost didn't seem real, until I saw a little boy touch his hand. It never occurred for me to touch him. It seemed that as long as I didn't, there was a wall up in my mind. It is a bit hard to explain. After I saw that boy touch him I wanted to as well, to make it more real to me. But I couldn't, I wouldn't.
Today was the funeral. Judson's son sat in the front corner and cried much of the time. There is something that happens to me when I see people cry, especially men. It is so sad to me. My great aunt from California came in last night and so the funeral was the first time she was seeing her brother. I saw her come in and she made a bee-line for the casket. There was something in the manner that she went forward and then stopped at his side that just gripped my heart. I know they were close. I have only one sibling so I don't know the experience of several brothers or sisters but just the thought of coming to see my brother who has died, not having seen him in months...tears me up inside. I cannot comprehend. It was possibly one of the saddest moments I have ever seen: Her rushing to, then standing at his side. My grandfather was teared up during the service. My grandmother wasn't though. I have never seen my grandmother cry. I think it would frighten me.
Funerals are awful. The epitome of the curse on this earth, a seperation that the rest of the universe cannot understand. When the casket goes into that hole in the ground.......no more will anyone see that person. I am young....so perhaps perspectives change as time passes. But death is not something I expect at this point in life, it is not natural. I can see how one with no hope would go from a funeral service with the thoughts "what is the point in life? Everyone will just die."
But praise the Lord! There is hope for the taking. "There will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain." In the past year death seems to be creeping up on me: first a church member this past spring and now a distant family member. Hopefully these premonitions will not continue. But, forbit it if they do, there is a Savior. There is hope eternal. Seperation and endings are things which I don't like. I get broken up over silly things: I recall when I was around 8 years old my grandparents took my brother and I to the circus. We got there early in the morning to see all the trucks roll in and we stayed all day watching the huge tent go up, the animals let out and in the evening we attended. At the end of the day I was so distraught over it ending...I had been part of it and now it was over. That was over the circus....what about lives ending which I have been connected to? I cannot imagine. Someday I will have to face this. But I pray and trust that I will never have to face such things alone. Jesus experienced seperation which we can never fathom no matter how much pain we have to face. He is our comfort, our protection, and Savior.
"We have this hope which burns within our hearts...hope in the coming of the Lord" Oh what His returning will mean.....come Lord Jesus.

Rainbows around us

2007-07-12T22:05:00.000-04:00

I saw one of the more spectacular things I have ever seen this evening. To set the stage I shall inform you that I live in a very hilly terrain: not mountains but many hills and valleys. I live more on a hill. And we have been having some pretty nice sunsets lately. ---------->

So this evening having returned from making some purchases I saw the sunset and grabbed my camera and took some very nice pictures. When I was satisfied I went to my room to putter around. Several minutes later I happened to pass by my father “Ladybug (as he calls me) did you see the rainbow?” Rainbow? I grab my camera again and rush outside to behold a spectacular sight……a rainbow was stretched across the sky- but what made it spectacular was that I could see both horizons where it originated (because I live on a hill) therefore it was a humungous arch. There are no words to describe what an impressive sight it was. I of course started snapping pictures. And of course I couldn’t fit the whole thing in the pictures because of the size. I shall attempt to share the pictures. I ran back in the field next to our yard to try to get a better shot. Then I ran like a lunatic to the car, barefooted and sped down the road to see if I could get a better shot- to no avail. 10 minutes later the rainbow was gone. And it started to rain. But I hope I always remember that rainbow.

The irony of this is that I almost missed that rainbow. I was outside faced the other direction looking at the sunset as the rainbow must have been starting to come into view. If my father hadn’t said something I would have totally missed that spectacular sight.

I wonder how often God is trying to get our attention....or we are so preoccupied with what we think is important that we completely miss the promises of God all around us? We might be faced the entirely wrong direction and have just to turn around, look around, and we would see a completely different picture?

(pictures aren't the best: it was starting to get dark and my flash made everything too pink for some reason :p)

2007-06-22T14:12:00.001-04:00

I have a problem, a dilemma, a thorn in my flesh which I have strove against for years. I have a problem with sleep. Now, it’s not that I don’t like sleep. I love to sleep! In fact it is about my favorite time of day: that moment of lying back in a blissful rest, the subconscious starts to sweep over you....it is wonderful! No, I love to sleep. It's not that I have insomnia. I get tired like a normal person to head to my bed at the appropriate hours. It's the going-to-sleep part that I get hung up on. It is difficult for me to get to sleep. Noise keeps me awake. I have diagnosed my problem and as many problems do, it goes back to my childhood. I was raised in a two story house. The bedrooms were upstairs and the floors were all carpeted. People would get up, do their business in the bathroom, dress and then putter downstairs. And the other residents would sleep in peace. However two year ago my family moved to this new house. It's a very nice house but it is one floor with a basement. My room is next to the office and across from my parent's, down the hall from the kitchen and the floors are largely wooden. And I hear everything! My father is inherantly a noisy person. He doesn't close doors, he slams them. And he doesn't discriminate on the type of door: normal door, microwave door, medicine cabinet door, they are all closed with a forceful bang. He doesn't realize this ofcourse, whatever his hand finds to do it does in a forceful manner. So I awaken in the mornings to the sounds of thumping, slamming or talking in the office next to me, all amplified it seems by the wooden floors. To say it is frustrating is an understatement. As my parents get up earlier than I, usually I awaken and go back to sleep 3 or 4 times before I finally arise. I sleep better in a dorm of 400 girls than in a house of 4 people. Isn't that tragic?

Now my sleeping problem doesn't restrict itself to the house. I can count the times I have fallen asleep in a car on one hand and I think those were times I was ill. Buses are no better. On my senior class trip we went to Florida. While I had the seat to myself I did not sleep on the entire way down from Pa and we drove straight. It becomes agonizing because I do want to sleep during these times. The only times I have been able to sleep in a bus are times when I have been able to stretch out on the floor. I have to be lying down. Planes? hah! I flew at 2am from Ecuador overnight to Texas and the entire way I could not sleep. I tried, I really did but it is just so difficult for me to be comfortable and noise always seems to find me.

The reason I was thinking of this is because today we leave for NY Camp Meeting and I know I will encounter my sleep problems as I am sharing a room with my parents....my mother snores horrendously. I sleep through it at home but it becomes more difficult in a confined environment. I will get used to it after a couple days but I know that tonight I will toss and turn. It is my lot in life.

There are many ways to handle a problem such as mine. I can become angry. This happens often. I can yell about our house being a barn and become resentful. However this is no good. No one is intentionally making it so I can't sleep. I can roll over and try to ignore the problem. Sometimes this is best. But the best way is to politely make the problem known and do my best to safeguard my room against noise.

Jesus understands our problems - no matter how insignificant they seem and He always sympathizes and cares. I was thinking how He sometimes often spent a lot of the night in prayer. I try to do that now when I have a hard time sleeping and usually after awhile......I do fall asleep.

A "Worship Story"

2007-05-26T15:24:00.001-04:00

At my church we have "worship stories" instead of "children stories" - due to the lack of children. Today I did the worship story......

"I like a good many sports. But I very hastily admit that I am definitely not an athlete. For a couple years now I have wanted to roller blade. I roller-skated a few times growing up and enjoyed it but never did it enough to become very good. But I had fun and have wanted to make a habit it out of it. Over winter break I almost bought myself some roller blades to take back to school but my pride got in the way. Even at my age people have stopped trying new things and I realized that it was quite possible that I could embarrass myself while floundering around trying to learn how to skate near campus and it would be a particular disaster if this embarrassment happened in front of good looking young men….thus I didn’t get the roller blades. Just yesterday while snooping around my brother’s room I found his old roller blades. I put them on and rollared around the house. Then I decided to go down the street to my grandma’s and make use of her good-sized cement driveway. I decided if I really enjoyed it I just may actually buy some blades and learn to skate better over the summer. After 20 minutes my poor ankles were very fatigued. If anyone was watching they would have seen me making a fool out of myself….I ran into the cars several times, using them as brakes- also the bushes and generally stumbled around. But it was ok… because if anyone did see me it would have been my grandparents, the cats or my parents.

There is something very comforting about having good family. I have been blessed with a great family. Generally speaking I can be foolish in front of them. I can admit my weaknesses and not be ashamed. They know my faults but love me in spite of them. And they believe in me. Sadly we don’t all have loving families. Our church should be a good family. But even more God is our family, our Father. Jesus is our brother, friend and Lord. He embodies the perfect family that is lacking here on earth. I even admit that Dad isn’t perfect, though close. If I don’t continue to practicing roller blading I will never progress. If I am not honest with my family they wouldn’t know me and I could never be comfortable around them. Likewise if I am not real with God, I will never spiritually grow. We must treat God as our confidant and closest companion. There are some things our families on earth cannot really understand. But God knows every detail about us and He understands us better than ourselves. Since He already knows us, why not trust Him and leave our weaknesses with Him? He can not only understand but He can change our sorrows into joys, our weaknesses into strength and our fear into courage. There are amazing privileges with having our Heavenly Father in our lives, let us embrace Him."

Cat Sayings/Quotes/Proverbs

2007-04-30T19:50:00.001-04:00

"Happy is the home with at least one cat" - Italian Proverb

"I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior." - Hippolyte Taine

"The cat is nature's Beauty." - French Proverb

"Cats, flies and women are ever at their toilets" - French Proverb

"Books and cats and fair-haired little girls make the best furnishing for a room" - French Proverb

"After scolding one's cat one looks into its face and is seized by the ugly suspicion that it understood every word. And has filed it for reference."- Charlotte Gray

Cats are smarter than dogs. You can't get eight cats to pull a sled through snow. - Jeff Valdez

You see, wire telegraph is a kind of a very, very long cat. You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles. Do you understand this? And radio operates exactly the same way: you send signals here, they receive them there. The only difference is that there is no cat. - Albert Einstein, when asked to describe radio

Those that dislike cats will be carried to the cemetery in the rain.- Dutch Proverb (lol?!)

"Who would believe such pleasure from a wee ball o' fur?" - Irish Saying

If toast always lands butter-side down, and cats always land on their feet, what happens if you strap toast on the back of a cat and drop it? - Steven Wright

There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats. - Albert Schweitzer (mm, Amen)

Kittens are born with their eyes shut. They open them in about six days, take a look around, then close them again for the better part of their lives. - Stephen Baker

A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not. - Ernest Hemingway

As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the human kind. - Cleveland Amory

The smallest feline is a masterpiece. - Leonardo da Vinci

(images: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GtsHGHE7r0s/RjaDWiX1hJI/AAAAAAAAAAU/qTjnkK16NEo/s1600-h/cat-facts.jpg, http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GtsHGHE7r0s/RjaDhCX1hKI/AAAAAAAAAAc/pW_10Ipc42k/s1600-h/maine-coon-cat-facts-2.jpg, http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GtsHGHE7r0s/RjaJQCX1hNI/AAAAAAAAAA0/2AfJTGg8FwU/s1600-h/himalayan-cat-facts.jpg, http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GtsHGHE7r0s/RjaIbyX1hMI/AAAAAAAAAAs/fOlZL0sIxR0/s1600-h/british-longhair-cat-facts.jpg)

=D

2007-04-19T19:08:00.001-04:00

That tiny text says: "One week after being born, six baby skunks were abandoned by their mother. Luckily, we had just weaned five kittens off of our resident farm cat a day before and hoped that perhaps she might take them on as her own. She was reluctant at first, but she let them nurse - a positive sign. Two weeks have gone by and the six little "Stinkers" are thriving and their new mom couldn't be happier. She has become quite devoted to them and even carries them around to show them off to visitors."

How adorable!! =D

(It was a random email fwd)
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p227/DaveMatrix/s3.jpg