Return of the Blogger: Part 1

Hey guys!
Oh my goodness! I missed you all and the blog and everything sooo much! :)
Ah! You have no idea how good it feels to be BACK!! Lately I've been so busy it's not even funny, and I've been waiting for one moment to catch a breath and WRITE!

My heart is seriously about to burst since I haven't written in so long, so I knew that if I didn't start again soon, my life was in grave danger. (I'm just kidding, by the way!)

So first I wanted to start off by saying hello and telling you somethings that will be new this fall with my blog! First off, I will most likely be posting at least once a week during the soccer season(now!). Also, it has been about a year since I posted my very first post on my blog, so it is my 1 year Anniversary! Yeah me:). Because of that, I would like YOU, reader, to select your FAVORITE post of mine and contact me about it(annagp.16@gmail.com)so I can re-post it at some point to celebrate my 1-year Anniversary.

Another thing I would like to start doing is taking tips or suggestions for things I can add to my blog or you would like to see me write more about, so feel free to tell me anything you want!

I AM really glad to be back! Don't forget me!
I love you, readers:).
Until Next Time,

Summer Vacation!

Hey!

I am taking a big summer break from my blog.
I will miss it, but it will be nice to take a break.
I will hopefully return in the fall with much to write about and share! Please keep reading then.
I hope you all have a WONDERFUL and safe summer!

With much love,

Did You Know?

Here are some really random, yet funny facts.

~Because of animal crackers, many children until they reach the age of ten think that a bear is as tall as a giraffe.

~"Singapore" means "City of Lions", but none have ever been seen there.

~The average American(here we go again, slamming the Americans!)comsumes enough caffine each year to kill a horse.

~Christopher Columbus was blonde(I don't know if it's true, but I think it's funny).

~Julius Caeser was self-conscious about his receeding hairline, hence he wore the laurel wreath. (I don't know if that's true either:))

~Elephants can communicate using sounds below the normal human hearing range.

~A goldfish has a memory span of 3 seconds(I love this one!).

~The percent of men who wash their hands after using the restroom is 55%....ew!

~There are 6,500 windows in the Empire State Building.

~There are 45 miles of nerves on human beings' skin.

~Fish cough....I cracked up about this!! :)

~Men get hiccups more often then women.

~A chimpanzee can learn to recognize itself in a mirror, but monkeys can't.

~

~

All Around the World

Home:).

I love trees and the great outdoors!

Washington, DC

I have a pine tree I like to climb and sit in.

I love to sit by creeks.

Badlands, South Dakota

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware


So I haven't written on my blog for a long time....too long. And here I am, sitting at the computer at 8:30 PM, wondering what to write about. There are lots of interesting things in my life, yes. But what can I put into words?

How about I show you some of my favorite places on earth?

16 and a half days until summer and Sam's graduation.

30 days until Nemacolin.

40 days until the Fourth of July.

About 68 days until I get to see one of my best friends ever.

98 days until my parents' 25th anniversary.

Where has my life gone?!

I am running out of ideas for things to write about...sorry I can't come up with anything better:).

Hope you have a great day!

Awesome Verse:)

Romans 8:35,38-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? For I am convinced that neither death nor life, angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor any thing else in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Footprints in the Sand by Mary Stevenson

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,
"You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during
the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one
set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most,
you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied,
"The times when you have
seen only one set of footprints in the sand,
is when I carried you."

What I Need to Know

Ah! I haven't been on my blog in what feels like AGES:(.
So sorry! Life just got away from me. Oh, gee, speaking of just that, the other day I just thought to myself, where has my life gone?

I'm stinking gonna be in middle school next year! I honestly cannot believe time goes this fast. Before I can even stop to protest, my life will be zooming down teh road to college, then marriage, and motherhood. Sometimes I have to take a moment to just look at myself, at my life, and remind myself that this is MY life, this is REAL.

One of my biggest questions is: What splits the boudary between what I NEED to know, what I WANT to know, and what I truly understand?

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW:
I need to know how to go to sleep without my blankie. I need to know how to run the house when mom is gone. I need to know how to stand up for myself and say no. I need to know how to handle criticism and bullying. I need to know how to fend for myself. How to operate a credit card, what's the difference between credit and debit?

I need to know how to drive a car, how to make decisions, how to save money. I need to know how to work hard and never give up. I need to know how to give my best, but never everything I live for. I need to know how to say, "Sorry, I called the wrong number." instead of just hanging up.

I need to know how to make enough time, know when to leave, and when to arrive. How to use passwords, how to work a key, how to say sorry when I really don't want to. I need to know how to speak, to a person who just lost someone very close, and how to handle the pain, when I loose the person I love the most.

What do I need to know?

סוף

How will it end?

Will it end in fire, in a big explosion, a giant mushroom cloud?

Will it end with a bang, a boom, a flash of light?

Will it end with yet another fight?

How will it end?

Will it end with a shout, a triumphant cry, when it ends, will we ALL die?

Will it end like it begun, every nation peaceful, every battle done?

Will it end with all of earth asunder, every particle split apart?

How will it end?

In my heart of hearts, I know it will only end when God has finished His plan.

When Jesus comes again.

Daisies

My favorite flower....sorry I was lame today:).

The Face of the Earth

When someone falls off of the face of this earth....

Another person is hurting. A congregation sings. A funeral is held. All dressed in black.

When someone slips into heaven, the land beyond our world....

A daughter is broken. A wife is devastated. A girl is touched.

When a very special person gets taken by the hand of death....

Another person wonders. A soul is grateful for the life that they lived, for the words and wisdom that they always were willing to give.

When an amazing Christian passes away....

I wish I could have known him better. I wish I could have said so much more. I've never been so touched by a human before.

May the light of God shine on all of those who have lost a loved one.
Just remember that they're in a much better place, looking at Jesus. Face to face.

FAQ

Who am I? Where am I going? Does this look OK?

How are you? Where are you from? Is there a God?

How much longer? Where did you get THAT?! Really?

How do I do this? Are you OK? What is wrong with you?

Are you hurt? Am I doing it right? How did you do that?

Why can't I? Huh? Me? When?

What time? Where? What's your name?

Why?

For Him

Ring ring ring. No answer. Ring ring. I guess I'll wait one more ring, I thought to myself. Ring. Nata.
"Do you think I should just go up there?" I called to my mother, "Or wait?"
"Um, you can go up if you want to, if it's a good time for them." came her reply.
"Kay, I'll go!" I slipped on a pair of shoes, swung open the door, flew down the steps, and into the fresh spring air until I could tell myself otherwise.

Though I was scared, my legs a bit shaky, I prayed to the Lord that He would give me strength to do what I knew I needed to do. So many times I had shoved it aside, excuses swirling in my mind, "I'm too busy. Maybe tomorrow. I have too much homework." There was no excuse to avoid this anymore.

I looked down at the pebble-filled driveway, remembering so many games of tag and laughter and fun. What hung here now was silence, and the faint trace of remembrance, hanging by a single thread. A little slower, as if my legs had been weighed down, I climbed the three small steps and wrung the door bell.

After waiting about a minute, and debating whether to stay or leave, someone opened the door, beckoned me in, and had me wait until he was off the phone. Blind to what I was going to see, I walked into the carpeted room, where a hospital bed seemed so out of place in the beautiful sun-lit place.

A monitor flashed green and red, an IV plugged into his fading white skin. Drowsy from the pain medication, mostly from the pain itself, waiting, eagerly longing for eternal life. All the words I thought I was going to say slipped out of my mind and vanished right before my very eyes.

Words stuck in my throat, I felt like a kindergartner, trying to form the right kind of words to say after I fell and scraped my knee. I could have said thank you. Thank you for all of your words, thank you for all of your insight, your wisdom, your faith. Thank you for changing my life.

Instead, tiny tears swam around in my eyes, and all I could say was, "I'm praying for you." In reply he told my that he loved me and that I should just continue to honor God and that he was glad I was in his life. As one final word he said, unafraid and heartfelt, "Goodbye."

As his wife apologized that he couldn't talk more and walked me downstairs, she handed me a homemade cookie. A cookie. In all of her distress, she gave me a cookie. I walked home, happy and sad, threw away the cookie, for it was too much to eat.

Then I cried. I cried for all the words he'd said to me. I cried for all the cancer patients who had nothing to hold onto. I cried for all of the world, that it would know Jesus. I cried for him.

The Joy of Photography

Oh, I just love taking pictures! The freedom of taking them is so amazing. You can take one of nothing, and it will be sure to turn out as something. You can mess up, mess up, mess up, and then get it right. You can pull out a camera at any given moment and snap a few photos. There is no test, there is no knowledge level you must have to be good at photography. Just a camera and an idea:).

Ah!

Hey! I am sorry I didn't post a poem today as usual. I am also sorry that my posts have been brief. My life has been very hectic the last few days. My parents have been gone, both sets of grandparents are here and have come, and my brother is in a musical at the high school!

Phew! Just I couple of minutes ago I had to sit down and pray for patience to get through this crazy weekend:). It's so amazing, how God's love and mercy works, because just after I prayed, it felt like this huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders and now I am so free and much happier.

It's a good thing God is always listening when we pray...I don't know what I'd do without Him:).

I am Weak...but You are Strong

For times when you feel lonely, weak, afraid, or feeling like giving up......

"He said to me, 'My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you.' So I am very happy to brag about my weaknesses. Then Christ's power can live in me. For this reason I am happy when I have weaknesses, insults, and hard times, sufferings, and all kinds of troubles for Christ. Because when I am weak, then I am truly strong."
2 Corinthians 12:9-10

"The Lord will always lead you. He will satisfy your needs in dry lands and give you strength to your bones. You will be like a garden that has much water, like a spring that never runs dry."
Isaiah 58:11

"If God is for us, no one can defeat us...we are completely victorious through God who showed His love for us."
Romans 8:31, 37

"He gives strength to those who are weary and more power to those who are weak...the people who trust the Lord will become strong again."
Isaiah 40:29, 31

"I find rest in God; only He gives me hope. He is my rock and my salvation. He is my defender; I will not be defeated. My honor and salvation come from God. He is my mighty rock and my protection."
Psalm 62:5-7

Learning to Play the Game of Life

Last night as I lay awake in bed, I started to compare playing soccer to "playing" life.
Seriously, there are a lot of similarities. When I play a soccer game, there are lots of things that I try to remember...I would list them, but what's the point? When I'm on the field in a game, sometimes I get all caught up in trying to remember all the little details, where to pass the ball, who to pass it to, where I should stand, etc.

And when I get all caught up, I forget to play soccer. This really does happen. My brain is going so fast that I don't have time to even think...in fact, it's as if I ate too much McDonald's and my artery gets clogged, so I can't eat McDonald's any more(sorry, McDonald's, but it's a true fact).

This is just like life. When we live our lives, we try to remember how to treat people, do the right thing, make perfect decisions, and always try our hardest. Just like playing soccer, we tend to get caught up in trying to remember things. What we need to do is just step back, and remember that all we need to do is honor our God.

We are not perfect. We won't always make the right decisions or do the right thing, but at the end of the day, God still loves us. All He wants us to do is play the game.

Save the Drama for Your Mama

DON'T say it. Don't even say it....that dreaded word! D-R-A-M-A...grrr.
Today is a message for all my sista-girls out there:
Friendship is more important than guy-ship...okay?
I have three things to say to everyone who dates at this age:
1.) You ARE TOO YOUNG!!

2.) You will be much happier if you spend more time with your friends, because boys will just break your heart in the end, anyway.

3.) THERE IS NO POINT! Why not just be friends with all of the guys now, wait 'till later for all that romantic junk.

Yeah. Sorry. Just my opinion. Oh, one more thing!! Save the drama for your mama....

P.S. It's OK to be different!

Spring Checklist

1.) Flowers are blooming~check

2.) The sun is shining~uber-check

3.) The grass is green~check

4.) The snow is melted~check

5.) The weather is warmer~CHECK!

6.) Dairy Queen is open~check

7.) I am getting homesick(I guess)for the beach~CHHHEECCKKK!!!!!

8.) I am reallyyy tired of school~check!

9.) The trees are green~not yet

10.) I hear the oh-so-sweet sound of birds chirping~check:)

Easter Break!

Hey everyone! I am taking a break from my blog for Easter!

I hope you all have a wonderful vacation celebrating the wonderful joy and life in Jesus Christ!

Yeah, it IS OK to be Different!

She sat in solitude on the swingset, kicking at the soggy mulch and dipping her toes in the small puddle below the swing. A gentle breeze lifted her dark brown hair off her neck for a moment. A group of kids on the kickball field were arguing over an unfair play, their arms flailing in every direction.
The distant sound of squealing could be heard as a clique of drama queens chased a boy around the blacktop. But she would never fit in. She was too weird, too mature, too out-of-fashion for the rest of the world. No one would ever accept her.
She thought to herself as she swished up and down on the swing, "What does it take to fit in? Coolness? The best clothes? The prettiest hair? A spectacular body? A dirty mouth?" A silent tear rolled down her cheek and splashed into the puddle below. "How can they not see?!" she wanted to scream, "How can they NOT know that the way they are living is never going to get them anywhere?!"
Three more fat tears raced down her face, and she wiped them away just as quickly as they had come. What is so wrong about being different? She started to get up and walk away, seemingly invisible to the rest of the children out playing. She walked and walked and walked until the whistle blew.
No one made sure she was there. No one walked with her. No one stood by her. It went on like this for weeks, months, and she couldn't stand it any longer. She wanted to make sure someone noticed her for once in her lifetime.
She left. She walked straight out of the playground, unto the busy road, into downtown, past her house, and disappeared. When the children lined up at the end of recess, no one noticed her absence. At the end of the day, her teacher didn't know where she was. By 6:00 that night, the police had been searching for nearly three hours.
When they found her, she was at a church, talking to the youth pastor that had stayed late to help clean up. She told him about how much she wished she could be heard, but no one would listen. She told him about how much she wished she could be seen, but no one would look. And she told him about how much she wished there was something or someone out there who loved her, but no one did.
He, in response, told her about God.
To all of you who are struggling to be different in this world, who feel alone and unloved, God is there for you. Just remember this girl. Think about what COULD have happened if someone would have approached her on that swingset, talked to her, told her SOMETHING nice.

P.S. It's OK to be different.

Saved

We've never met, but I know you so well.
I've seen you from the inside out.
I've seen you hurt, and cry, and I've seen you try to take your life.
You've come so far along the way, you've stumbled and fallen, your hands are bleeding.
Your face is stained with dirt and tears, but you will be clean.
I will wash you. Cleanse you. Set you free.
And if you ever fall again, I promise to catch you, and when your tears leak down, I will dry them.
And when you come stumbling to my feet, old and tired, forgiven and saved, I will let you in.

Haiti

My post today is about Haiti. I have no idea what they must be going through. I have no idea how they're going to fix up their mess. I have no idea how many people are dead, dying, or missing.

All I know is that God's got a plan.
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."





Hey! Sorry I'm late today! I had a bit of a busy afternoon:)!

Pray for Haiti.

Remembering

On Saturday morning I had nothing to do. I meandered outside into my driveway, kicking at lose asphalt and dry leaves. I slowly walked to our silver van, opening its rusted door, a tiny piece of paint chipping off the handle.
As the door swung open, the sunshine streamed onto the dull gray material. I sat down on the middle seat, thinking to myself how fast time flies, I chanted over and over in my head, "Sam is turning 18. 18! He's actually going to leave for college! 18! College!"
I stared down at the beaten old floor mat, remembering the many feet that had trampled it. The old van almost seemed to creak in remembrance too. Our Silver Bullet(aka: the van)has served us well for seven years, and is now the junky one compared to our new gold Honda.
Our Silver Bullet doesn't have automatic doors, or a super-nice sound system, or a pop-up table, it can't switch the track on a CD from the steering wheel or even blast cool air for more than a couple hours, but our beloved silver van holds so many memories.
It holds sandy feet from Rehoboth beach, it holds mud and sweat from thousands of soccer games. It holds the wins and the losses, the ups and the downs. This van has a map for crazy adventures, instructions on how to get lost, and a GPS that always knows the way home.
This van holds dirt from the wild west, laughter and music, hymns from Sunday mornings when there was no church, and unforgettable conversations. On the floor, as I look, I remember many liquid spills, chip bags opened improperly and strewn across the floor.
I sighed and let the memories take me away for awhile, before I would forget them. Who knew a van could hold so much?

The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

This is one of my favorite poems ever, enjoy:


The tide rises, the tide falls,
The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;
Along the sea-sands damp and brown
The traveler hastens toward the town,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.
Darkness settles on roofs and walls,
But the sea, the sea in darkness calls;
The little waves, with their soft, white hands
Efface the footprints in the sands,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.
The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls
Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls;
The day returns, but nevermore
Returns the traveler to the shore.
And the tide rises, the tide falls.

Tickin'

Do you know one thing we humans are so good at?
Any guesses?
We're so good at wasting time. We're SO good at making a whole DAY of time into a fiesta of procrastinating. We're so good at putting aside things we NEED to do and coming up with excuses so we can do the things we WANT to do.
It's funny(funny?)how we waste so many chances to shine for the Lord, in our heads thinking that "there's always tomorrow". And then we shove it aside for another day.
Did we ever stop to think "what if there is no tomorrow"?
One of the reasons that I picked the verse that is under the title of my blog is because we should not be ashamed to tell others about our wonderful Lord.
Here is a little video that means a lot to me. Pass it on. Think about it. The clock is ticking....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piuoGb-Nhfw

Shoes

Hey, ya'll! I'm back! I'd like to share with you a weakness of mine....shoes. It's dangerous to take me into a shoe store because I almost always find something I like, but, no, I don't always get it!

So here is an exclusive look at my shoe collection:



Everyone's gotta have flip-flops.

The classic school sneaker, very classic. Classic.

Running shoes. The girl's gotta run, man!

Converse are awesome, okay? Everyone should have a pair of converse.

Ummm....church shoes...heh.

These are surprisingly comfortable church shoes...my first heel:).

These are strictly for soccer use only. Don't judge me, okay? They're for soccer. SOCCER.

You gotta love these, they're just so.....lovable.

These are soooo comfy and cute:).

Who doesn't like a good pair of mocassins?

I was scavenger hunting in my Grandmother's closet when I found these, and, well...
These were $5.00 at the good ole Walmart. $5.00!

Oh, come one! You HAVE to love these. Must.

I got these to go to a wedding. That's all. A wedding.

I got these when we were buying the ones for the wedding...I couldn't resist.

Cool shoes. Cool shoes.

These are my personal favorite. Aren't you jealous?

Shoes

Hey, ya'll! I'm back!

Today I'd like to share with you a little weakness of mine.....shoes. Shoe stores are dangerous with me because I ALWAYS find something I like, and, no, I don't always get it, if I did I would have thousands of shoes:)!

Bringing me to a shoe store is like bringing an alchoholic to a bar....okay, so that was rather exagerated and, well, you know....anyway, here is an exclusive look into my shoe collection:

A Temporary Break

Hey, ya'll!

I am going to take a little break from blogging! Especially with the new-found sunshine, I want to do other things!

I will be back be either Saturday or at the lastest, Monday!

Thanks!

See it All

God, you are the light.
I want to be blinded by Your light, like Paul no longer Saul.
Clear this mud from my eyes, so that I can see it all.
I want to see you, not a rear view.
I want to know you, so I may show you.
In every way, I'll bless your name, because for me you came.
You are the one real God.
There's no man behind the curtain.
You are the only God.
There's no mask to take off.
You are the one real God.
So clear this mud from my eyes,
I want to see it all,
take my heart, and I'll watch it thaw.

Food for a Hungry Soul

There are so many verses that I just LOVE! Listed below are merely a few of them.
Please, please, please feel free to leave a comment with some of YOUR favorite verses!

Here is a verse for when.....


IN DOUBT OF CHRIST:
Ephesians 2:12-13
Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from the citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

FEELING ALONE:
Isaiah 49:15-16
I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palm of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

HOPELESS:
Isaiah 40:31
Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint.


UNSURE:
Psalm 115:3
Our GOD is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.

AFRAID TO SPEAK OF THE GOSPEL TO UNBELIEVERS:
Matthew 5:16
Let your light shine before men that they will see the good things you do and praise our Father in heaven.
WORRIED:
Zeph. 3:17
The LORD your God is with you, He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love.

YOU NEED SOME REASSURANCE:
John 8:12
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

ANXIOUS:
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer…present your requests to God.
PRAYING:
Psalm 18:28
You, Oh LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

ANYTIME:
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

YOU FORGET HIS POWER:
1 Corinthians 2:9
“No eye has seen, no ear has hear, no mind has imagined what he has prepared for those who love him!”
LOW SELF-ESTEEM:
1 Peter 3:4
The unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit is of great worth in God’s sight.

UNSURE:
Hebrews 11:1-3
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

FAILING FAITHFULNESS
Lamentations 3:21-23
Yet this I call to my mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.
Hebrews 11:6
Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.

Isaiah 30:21
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way, walk in it.”

Random Things for a Random Mood

First picture-George drinking coffee.
Second picture-Bad hair day.

I know I'm so random, but I don't know what else to write about, and I'm feeling glum, so sorry to disappoint you!

Divinity

Divinity

If I could bottle up laughter,
And mail away some love.
If I could send some happiness, and package up a hug.
Or fly a kiss across the sea,
Or take a sip of compassion, and a bite of glee.
Then save them all for later,
Then the world would be,
A much brighter, better place, where people could be free.

Help Me!

I often feel like screaming this.

Sometimes I'm so confident, and so pumped to serve the Lord, and then, BABAM! I realize how hard it is. Then I get discouraged. Then I pray for help. Then I can't take it any longer. And, sometimes, I confess, I give up.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will NEVER leave you or forsake you."
Deuteronomy 31:6

Hold up, wait a minute!! He will NEVER leave me? He will NEVER forsake me? Don't be AFRAID?! Oh, gee, what an awesome God our God is!!!!!! Does this mean that even when my life is spinning out of control, along with my sanity, my brain, my body, and my heart, that God will still be there for me?

Well, yeah! You bet He will! Even when my dreams have been crushed, even if everyone around me is driving me nuts and making me mad, even when life isn't looking so swell, God will be there for me, promising me a better life with Him.

Okay, whoever you are, take a deep breath. Sit back, relax. Close your eyes. Think of all that you have, all that you are. Think of your many blessings. Now let go of all of your worries: a 10-paragraph essay due tomorrow, a big test you're not ready for, decisions that you don't want to make, spring that you wish would come, things that are hanging over your head.

Now let them all slide away. Pray to the Lord our God, who loves you, who is the only one who will ALWAYS be there with you. And next time when you're screaming HELP ME! Just look to Him, for He cares for YOU!

P.S. It's OK to be different!

And Now a Word From.....

"GROOVY!" ~Collin...:)

"It tickles me!" ~Catie

"Monkey!" -Dyani, "Um, Dyani, that's a squirrel!" -Me

"Saturn..." ~Mary

"We're truffles!" ~Olivia:)

"Your lobes are soft!" ~Courtney (okay, that sounds really awkward!)

"National Anthem, National Panthem." ~Machen (my personal favorite)

"You have nice hands!" ~Creepy game machine at Fourstar

"Did you know our house has two fireplaces? No, I'm lying, it doesn't have any fireplaces." ~Collin

"Are you for real?" ~Alecia

"If you aren't gonna take this seriously...." ~Lucy

"NEVER, EVER mess with an olive or a pickle, their juice STAINS!" ~Olivia

"You know what else is impossible? Our friendship." ~Collin (he was JUST KIDDING!)

"Squizzles!" ~Erin

"In 0.03 months, I'm gonna be a waterfall!" ~Mary(well, sort of, long story!)

"Was that an atomic bomb? Did I just see a mushroom cloud?" ~Lucy, Courtney, Catie, me(a modified version!)

"Anna, are you okay?" ~Catie "No, I'm hyperventilating!" ~Me

"14 to 3!" ~Erin (oh, whoops! did I just post that?!)

"Goldfish!" ~Olivia

"Cocoa's chin." ~Roya

Ha. Ha. I love you all, my dear friends! To all of you who don't have a quote up there, you're still special to me! Sarah-Thanks for the endless debates and outrages and conversations about our dear Percy Jackson. Collin-Thanks for always being GROOVY and for being my friend even though I think those basketball tickets smell like oatmeal.

Catie-Thanks for always being happy and laughing, and for being a super-duper awesome friend. Dyani-Thanks for always being there, even though you're thousands of miles away, and for making me laugh 'til I cry. Olivia-Thanks for being the wonderful gal that you are and for teaching me things that I would not have known if God hadn't put you in my life.

Courtney-Thanks for the support, the laughable moments, and most of all for being my spelling buddy for life:). Machen-Thanks for all of the "inside jokes", soccer games, and "national panthem"s that still make me smile.

Alecia-Thanks for ALWAYS glowing with your bright personality, and for making me smile from the inside out! Erin-Thanks for our long talks, for your funny emails, and for your wise advice, it means a lot to me.

Mary-Thanks for being my long-lost twin, for sharing your thoughts and hopes and dreams with me, for understanding me so well it's scary, and for showing me that there's a God that's GOT me:). Lucy-Thanks for your inner beauty, for your bright personality, and for the many memories we've shared.

To all of my cousins, I thank you for the many moments we've shared, for our laughing contests, walks on the beach and in the park. For so many Christmas dinners, for eating so much we might die, and most of all for sharing with me the true love of Jesus.

Thank you, my family, for understanding me more than any other person. Thank you for the many car trips, adventures, prayers, laughter, and love. And thank you Jesus for being the BEST friend any one could ever ask for:).

Awaken

My life is sleeping,
a fragile chrysalis.
My wings are waiting,
my memory fading.
Awaken my, oh Lord,
I'm falling away.
Help me restore,
I need thee, oh Lord.
Moments of my life,
good and bad,
have past.
Now upon me, Lord,
please cast.
Awaken me from sin and grief,
rescue me from this dread thief.
Day by day, and hour by hour,
unfold me, Lord, to your power.
Reign over me forever, Lord,
and never leave me,
don't close your door.

I'm So Pathetic

Oh. My. Word. This morning and....well, every morning, I hate math.

Today it was really bad. (Sorry all you math-loving people!) I know this is reallllyyyy pathetic, but I kept looking at the clocking and calculating exactly how many minutes we had left.

I know. Really pathetic. Please try not to be like me!

That's how much a hate math. If I could, I would skip it altogether. Oh, well. I can't.

Short and Sweet

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a women who fears the Lord is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30

What a powerful verse. So often we get caught up in how we LOOK. Is my hair okay? Are my teeth white enough? Is my body acceptable? Are my clothes cool enough?

Yes, we ask all of these questions, because we are unsure and insecure about what we look like. But this verse says it all, it's short and sweet, and gets straight to the point. What you look like doesn't matter!

It doesn't matter if your hair is messed up, if your clothes aren't "cool", if your appearance doesn't live up to the world's standards, well, that's fine!

So here's my challenge: this week, try to "take some time off" of being so worried about what you look like. Try to not to judge others by their clothes and hair, and try not to get so caught up in looks.

Focus more on God and what He has given you. As you slowly turn away from the world's standards, and zero in on what God has in store for you, you become less indulged in yourself and your appearance, and more exuberant on honoring Him!

Waking Up

I hate waking up. I hate it. That is, on a school day.

First off, the alarm in my brothers' room goes off,(our rooms are sort of connected, so we share an alarm)and it's not just any alarm. It's one that plays music. No offense to my brothers, but I don't really like their music.

So I wake up to some hard rock song. That just puts me in a great mood. Not. And then I realize that I have to get up. Yeah, I forgot that I actually had to GET UP! And then I realize that I have to get out of bed.

After all of this dazed confusion, I get out of bed, praying for a better mood, as I drag myself to the closet.

Waking up is not the best part of my day:). What's yours?

I don't have much trouble falling asleep.

Huh.

Horizon

She's out there, she's somewhere.
She's floating amongst the horizon of reality and the boundary of my imagination.
She's a rainbow in black and white,
she is passive, still, quiet.
She's an enigma carefully wound,
intricately woven, complicated.
She's the moon waiting for the sun to reach her,
warm her, make her shine.
Her heartbeat is the rhythm of a soft, small drum,
as it beats under her skin.
She won't ever cross the horizon,
she'll never see the sun,
her rainbow will stay in black and white,
until my life here is done.

Twilight and How it has Taken Over

Recognize either one of these? Jacob Black, the werewolf, and Edward Cullen, the creepy stalker vampire. Yeah. It's them.
Sorry for being so mean. That's about all I have to say for today.
Bye now.

The Way We Live

'Tis Wednesday already, isn't it? Time for contemplation and worship.

I don't know about you, but I often question the way I live. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "So whether you eat or drink or what ever you do, do it all for the glory of God." I wonder, do I do EVERYTHING for the glory of God?

Am I neglecting my time with God, and trading it for worldly activities that don't really matter? The gospel of Luke tells us that we should, "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind."

I have had people tell me, and I'm not trying to be boastful, that I am special and unique and that there aren't many girls my age like myself. I have considered this multiple times. And I still don't get it. Why am I, of all the people out there, "special"?

No one can see what is going on underneath me. Truth is, I am such a mess without Jesus. Like in one of my poems untitled, "Rain", I wrote, "You may not see it, 'cause it's under my skin, but I'm a mess within.

You see, the bible tells us that Jesus is the only way to heaven. In John 14:6, the gospel states, "Jesus is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE."

Hmmmm....let's just ponder that for a second. Jesus is the WAY to heaven, Jesus is the TRUTH, though this fallen world is full of lies and hatred, and Jesus is the LIFE. Jesus is the life that He gave us by dying on the cross, spilling His OWN blood to save us. To save YOU.

So this makes me ponder even deeper about the way that I live. And when I think hard about it, I can come up with three words to describe how I live: lazily, selfishly, and wishing for something to change.

Uh-huh. Yep. That sums it up for the way that I live. What does the bible say about this? Well, let's check: Hebrews 11:6 tells us that, "...without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."

Another verse in 2 Peter says that, "...since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him."

It is so easy to be lazy here in our world of high-speed Internet, On Demand cable, and cell-phones that supposedly "do everything". With one click, touch, or tap, the "world" is at our fingertips.

It's so hard for us sometimes to "do the hard things". Selfishness is one of my problems too. Let's see what the bible has to say about this: Matthew 22:39 basically says it like it is, "though shalt love your neighbor as yourself."

No laziness. No selfishness. No wishing my life away.

It may be hard and grueling work to live as a Christian, but I'm here to tell you that God has a plan! And it will all work out.

Well, here I am, just a Christian girl in a fallen world:).

P.S. It's OK to be different!

Books and How I Get so Indulged in them that I Can't Get Back to Reality

Ahh! I am so totally addicted to my book!
I have my head so wrapped around it that I can't get it out.
I sit there just thinking about it, that is, if I'm not reading it.
When someone asks me a question, I'll accidentally say, "What's that, Annabeth?" and they give me a weird look, and say, "I'm not Annabeth." "Oops!," I say, completely humiliated, "Haha, that's just a character in my book!"
Right. Who on earth besides me starts calling their friends fictional characters?! It won't be long before I start talking to my characters, since I've already started dreaming about them.
Goodness. Somebody help me. I need psychiatric therapy.
Ah.

For Jesus

For Jesus, who saved me from eternity in hell.
Whom is my best friend,
and one that will never leave.
For Jesus, who loves me the way I am,
who saved Daniel from the lions' den.
Who led me to quiet waters,
and did not abandon me me in the valley of death.
For Him who without I would be like chaff,
which the wind blows away.
For Jesus who suffered, died, and rose again.
All for a sinner,
all for me.

Hmmm....?

So I have decided that I need to come up with some sort of routine for my blog. But I have been having trouble coming up with SOMETHING!

THOUGHTS FOR THURSDAY: On Thursdays(unless I am unavailable)I will have a brief post about things to think about, maybe deep and reflective, or light and fun, depending on my mood.

SATURDAY POETRY: Saturdays(unless I am unavailable)will always be poetry days. I will post one of my poems each Saturday, or maybe one of my favorite poems by a different author.

MISERABLE MONDAY: Ha. Yeah, I don't know what Monday posts will be about, we'll see. Haha:).

WORSHIP WEDNESDAY: On Wednesdays I will write about God and the Christian life. The posts will include passages from scripture and my favorite "bible heroes and heroins". I will often use my little motto: "I'm just a Christian girl in a fallen world."

WILD CARD DAY: Sometimes I will just randomly splurge and write on a Tuesday or Friday. My posts on a wild card day may be filled with memories, insights, favorite quotes, and family adventures.

Let me know what you think!

Keep on reading!!

Top 30 Best Songs of the Year (In My Taste)

I am most definitely a music-lovin gal, so here's some of my favorite songs of the year:

~"Everyone to Know"; Bethany Dillon
~"I am Yours"; Bethany Dillon
~"One More Round"; Barlow Girl
~"Hanging On"; Britt Nicole
~"Walk on Water"; Britt Nicole
~"Welcome to the Show"; Britt Nicole
~"Say It"; Britt Nicole
~"Free to be Me"; Francesca Battistelli
~"Beautiful, Beautiful"; Francesca Battistelli
~"Gimme that Funk"; Group 1 Crew
~"iContact"; Group 1 Crew
~"I See You"; Group 1 Crew
~"Change"; Group 1 Crew
~"I'm Yours"; Jason Mraz
~"We"; Joy Williams
~"Beautiful Redemption"; Joy Williams
~"For the Ladies"; KJ-52
~"Everything"; Lifehouse
~"The Upside"; Newsboys
~"My Friend Jesus"; Newsboys
~"Fireflies"; Owlcity
~"Free"; Switchfoot
~"Wishes and Dreams"; Stellar Kart
~"Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours"; Stevie Wonder
~"White Horse"; Taylor Swift
~"Our Song"; Taylor Swift
~"True Beauty"; Mandisa
~"You'll Never Know"; Krystal Myers
~"Mr. Blue Sky"; ELO
~"Falling Slowly"; Kris Allen

One of those Days

Ugh. It's Monday again.

I think that sentence just speaks for itself.

Mondays are filled with:
Forgetting to remember what you forgot over the weekend.
Failing to pay attention in your least favorite class.
Mindlessly staring off into space.
Getting a C on a science test for the first time in your life.
Watching an excruciating English lesson on writing a How-to paper about making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Realizing that you forgot your lunch box at school while on the bus.
Getting frustrated with your friends and the stupid drama they cause.
Noticing at the IM room while running on the track how out of shape you are.
Being overcome by fatigue.

Anyone out there having the same kind of day?

P.S. Tomorrow is lookin better:).

Standing Out

My hand shook as I reached into my backpack to pull out a piece of paper.
I ripped it from the notebook and asked my friend next to me for a pencil.
I trembled all over now.
They were all watching me.
What was I going to do?
Was I going to back down like I had done so many times before?
The bus rolled along as it neared my house,
I trembled more, and I prayed for strength.
Jesus, what am I to do?
With a shaking hand I wrote my message on the piece of paper.
I knew my friend was watching me, what would she think?
The bus stopped at my house, as I got up, my legs shaking,
I handed the folded note to the girl across from me.
I got up.
I exited the bus.
As I walked up my driveway, I praised Jesus, because through Him I did it!
I did it it and I didn't back down.
I stood out.

Like an iPod

The Native Americans, the Greeks, and many others came up with myths and beliefs to try to explain certain things. For example, and I'm making this up, maybe one day a Native American said, "Hey, I wonder why it rains?" he scratched his chin, sat down by the fire in his teepee, and declared to his family, "It rains because the clouds are sad and shed their tears on the earth below."

And BANG! That's what all of the Native Americans think.

Huh. I guess we sorta think that way too, don't we? Okay, so we don't come up with some random myth about why it rains, but we tend to come up with all of these excuses about life and what and who we are.

So, I came up with a little metaphor about myself, a weird one, but a true and accurate one.

I decided, as I sat on the bus, listening to my iPod, blocking out the world around me, that I am just like an iPod.

Think about it, really. iPods have a hard shell, just like me. I'm a little rough around the edges(aren't we all?)but once you get inside, there's so much more. Just like an iPod, I am a commonly used and known device.

I am no surprise on the outside, no "new invention". Like an iPod, you can push my buttons, and choose my song, and listen to me, and turn me up, and turn me down. Just like an iPod, I am full of different, surprising things.

Have you ever secretly looked at all the songs on someone's iPod when they aren't around? Oh, whoops, I wasn't supposed to admitt that:). Any who, the person's iPod will have songs that you probably knew, just like someone might know somethings about you. But the iPod might also have songs that you didn't know, or that you didn't expect.

Just like me, there are some things not many people know about me, and that may surprise someone. The only thing that I do not have in common with an iPod is that you cannot, unforunately, turn me off. :)

Who knew we were all so much like an iPod?

Hey, Check it Out!

Hey, everyone!

I am officially BACK! And check out my AMAZING new blog!

Thanks to Sheila at Blog Designs By Sheila, my blog is now polished off, funky, fun, and just what I wanted. :) Thank you, Sheila!

Comments are greatly appreciated and welcome!

Thanks for your support!!!

Sorry, everyone!

Hey, everyone!

Sorry for the confusion! I am currently working on a new blog. It is being designed at the moment.

I will not being posting as much, since I am working on my new blog. I will alert all of you when it is up and running!

Until then: tomorrow is my birthday, pray for Haiti, and live your life serving Christ!

Lots of Love,
Anna

Where I'm Going is a Question that I'll never Know

I often wonder where I'm going....

What will my life lead me to?

This is just a little thought for the day.

Jesus has a plan for YOU and a plan for ME. He won't ever leave!

Psalm 139:9
If I rise on the wings of dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

Are You For Real?

So tonight I am home alone. It's so weird, the silence of this house when nobody is around. After I finished up my homework, put my backpack away and such, I decided to take a shower.

I checked on the dog, who causes lots of trouble at times, but is the sweetest thing EVER! I checked to make sure he was asleep. I thought to myself, 'I guess I trust him well enough.' And I bounded up the stairs to the hot shower.

Ahh...so warm and refreshing, the shower was. I sat there enjoying the relaxing water pour over me, while singing at the top of my lungs. (I give you my permission to laugh.)

I barely heard it at first, it was faint and coming from downstairs. It was a dog. A howling, barking dog. A beagle in fact. It was Snickers.

Ugh! I moaned as I regretted leaving him on the couch. I smothered a glob of conditioner in my drenched hair, and hobbled out of the shower, grabbing my towel. I dried myself of as well as I could, and descended the wooden stairs to the living room below. I was wrapped in my towel, and my wet hair was dripping all around.

And much to my surprise, there was Snickers, sitting on the couch, just as I'd left him, except with his head perked up and his mouth crinkled from barking. There was nothing outside, no dogs, no people, no burgalers.

In fact, Snickers hadn't done anything, he hadn't chewed up a shoe, or scratched the couch, or ripped a pillow. I had left my hot shower for nothing. Not one single thing.

Gee. You see the drama that goes on when you're home alone?

Weird

Weird is such a good word. I love it! I love it so much because it is a word that not only describes me, but describes every human being on planet earth! So, you listen to me, whoever you are, WEIRD IS NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF!

But today I am talking about the kind of weird that people treat Christians in this world. I'll tell you one thing, it ain't easy being a Christian girl in a fallen world.

But if it means Jesus and eternal life, and that one day I'm gonna be a beauty, then, fine, call me weird! I like to try everyday to look for as many opportunities as possible to shine the light of Christ.

So if I'm speaking to someone in need of reassurance today, then, please, don't be afraid to be WEIRD!

Trust me, it's so much better than being normal! :)

ISAIAH 40:31
THOSE WHO HOPE IN THE LORD WILL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH,THEY WILL
SOAR ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES',
THEY WILL RUN AND NOT GROW WEAK, WALK AND
NOT BE FAINT.

(Wow! Did you just read what I just read?? Dude! I think you should read it again!)

Welcoming 2010

Hey, 2010!
And goodbye, 2009!

2010 brings so many new things, so many great things, so many lovely things, and it's so exciting to get started on a new year!

For example, 2010 brings the graduation from high school of my oldest brother. I am so excited for him, and though I'll miss him so much when he heads off to college, and to start a life of his own, I know God has such great plans for him!

Also, this summer is my parents' twenty-fifth Anniversary, and, believe it or not, my grandparents' fiftieth Anniversary! WHEW!

So welcoming our new year of 2010 is a joy to me.

Speaking of the new year and all, I need to come up with some resolutions. I have a few in mind:

1.) Grow closer to Jesus and learn to love Him even more.

2.) Cook more often,and conquer the tricky process of ironing clothes.

3.) Okay, I'll admit it, I'd like to help my parents out more, whether it's doing the dishes more often, setting the table everyday instead of every other, and doing laundry.

I think these are some pretty good resolutions! I'd love to hear some of YOURS!

SORRY!

I am so sorry for the delay in writing!
I will write VERY soon, I promise!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!


-Anna