Especially for Girls...

A "new" (not really new, but newly re-designed) website that one of my friends directed me to! Daughterhood by Design is a primarily web-based magazine written by girls to encourage us to reach the high standard God wants us to reach. And they've recently re-designed their website to be particularly friendly to those of us who reach them from the web! I'm looking at it right now (multi-tasking, yes) :) and am excited about keeping up with their new articles as they come out. Check them out!

Reaching Others while Staying at Home :)

I love writing to people! Whether it's letters, hand-stamped cards (my personal favorite) :), emails, Facebook messages, or forum/blog posts, I love communicating with people! And I've found it's a wonderful way of developing friendships and reaching out to people. I have been "e-pals" with two missionary kids so far and it's been a wonderful experience both times. One of those e-mail and chat buddies is now my best friend in real life (although we're back to phone calls and emails since he left for boarding school), and another is currently overseas, but hoping to come to college with me. Whether you're writing emails to and chatting with an MK who just needs support, encouragement, and prayers; making a card for your work supervisor or other friend who's having a tough time in life; or helping other kids with their questions about life, writing is a wonderful way to communicate and make people feel loved and special. And you can do it all from your desk and/or computer! It's a simple outreach that can have big results!

Thursday Thoughts--Who Are You Being?

What am I showing to other people? What do they see in me? It's fascinating to me to watch people's reactions as they get to know me. I am reasonably conservative compared to most of my friends here where I live, although I'm not very conservative compared to a lot of other people. For example: I wear jeans and shorts, but my clothes aren't skin-tight, low-cut, or revealing; I listen to some contemporary Christian music, but I still can't figure out how you can really praise God by destroying your hearing; I watch movies, but not very often (at all!) and not most of the ones that my less-than-conservative friends are watching; I'm allowed to date, but I'm choosing to fall in love with GOD first and not worry about guys till later.

For a long time I was afraid to be labeled. I wanted to fit in with the crowd. I still do, to one extent or another, but I'm beginning to be more comfortable with the person God is leading me to be. If I'm just like everyone else in the world, what do I have to give them?

And it's amazing to me to watch people's reactions. At first they may find it difficult to talk to me, if all they can talk about is the latest movies and popular songs; and that's always frustrating to me. I want to be friends, but how can we talk if you seem totally uninterested in real life? ;) But when they really have something on their hearts, God has over and over been able to use me to reach them. Which, when He does, is an amazing experience!

So it's something I find myself thinking about. Who am I being? Who am I showing to others? Am I showing them that all I really care about is the normal way of doing things, or am I showing them that there's Someone even better out there?

Well Things May Be Quiet...

I will still post from time to time but for a while my life will be taken up with this! Our family is receiving another puppy to raise from Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) and he'll be flying in on Friday! So I'll be busy for a few weeks. :)

Random Thoughts

I have been working more on my Bible memorization lately. Memorization has always been comparatively easy for me and a while ago (a couple years) I was impressed that I should probably be using that gift for more than just school! So I started memorizing whole chapters of the Bible. That makes it much easier for me to remember where a text is found...I am horrible at remembering individual texts! If I can memorize a whole chapter, getting the context in that way, it's much much easier to remember!

So I thought I'd share my personal method of memorizing. I like to make up a sheet with the verses marked on it, and the beginning letter of each word. I also include the punctuation. It's a little hard to describe, so here's a (unfortunately not too good) picture:


The slashes mark every two verses. If I'm really "on the ball" I can memorize about two verses a day, so that divides things up more easily. To do the actual memorization, I read the verse two or three times in my Bible, then switch to the sheet and try to do it with only the first-letter "clues." After a few times going over it this way, I can try saying it without looking at anything. I always review the past half-a-dozen verses or so as well, so I don't forget.

Since I'm taking my second year of Spanish this year, I'm also LOVING memorizing chapters in Spanish! So far I'm working on my second Spanish chapter--I Corinthians 13. So cool to learn the same thing in a different language! I'm looking forward to adding French chapters next year!


Well that is all for today, more later. :)

Poem :)

I write poetry every now and then...well actually pretty frequently...and this is one of my many favorites. :) Reminds me to wait for GOD's plan for my life, and not go running off after something that just looks good, or that everyone else thinks is great.

BIRD OF PARADISE

It shimmers, it gleams
It’s like flames in the night
Every color of the rainbow
Silk-brushed soft feathers

They ran for nets
And set up snares
Arranged lures
Even fought with each other

I stepped away
Just held out my hand
Watched it flit by
From tree to tree

If you come you’re not my captive
Neither will I be yours
Though I love you just like they do
I will never force

You must choose to land
Will you? I don’t know
But the true bird of paradise alights
Only on the open hand.

Pictures :)

It's starting to look like fall even here in the South, and I just can't resist taking pictures, especially of the last few flowers! Besides, I'm taking a photography class this year, so I have a good excuse. :) I love the seasons--they're such a wonderful example that God really does "make everything beautiful in its time"!