Well, I decided it might be time for another picture to put up. The other day, Lindsay, Mom, and I went by Lindsay's school and took a whole bunch of pictures...and this is one of 'em!  

Free

Howdy! Today's actually been a fairly busy, good day. I went over with my mom early this morning to the office to help her with some work she needed to get done. Then, mid-morning, we went to the airport to pick up a man coming in who'd been volunteering in one of the tsunami-affected areas. He will be here for a couple of days, and on Saturay, a group of three college kids who have been volunteering in the same area will be coming in for a few days. It will be fun to have some kids around my age!

Our family took this man out to eat, and then my sister and I went to see a movie. I'm almost embarassed to say it, but we went to see The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy. I'd heard it was a cute, fun movie--and granted, it had funny moments--but a lot of it was soooo weird! Granted, it's crazy enough that some people might like it; and while it provided amusement at some parts to me, I couldn't help but wonder why I'd paid money to see it. But that's just my opinion. One element of the movie was this quest for the answer "to life, the universe, and everything." I think all of the world is searching, in one way or another, for that answer. That answer is found only in one person, Jesus Christ; it is found only in God. I pray that any of you who reading this and are still searching for that answer, I pray that you will turn and find that answer in Christ. He is more than you could ever hope for.

Please continue to pray for the people in the tsunami-affected areas. Our guest was talking about the area he was working in: its previous population was about 30,000 people--and today, only 200 people live there. That kind of loss of life is incomprehensible to me. I know I can never understand it; but God is doing good even in the midst of great suffering and tragedy. Pray that more workers would be sent to the field that is so ripe for harvest right now.

There is a song by Hillsong called "Free" that I am completely in love with at the moment; seriously, I've been playing it over and over today! The lyrics are great, but you miss a lot without the music; still, thought I'd include the lyrics:

Would you believe me if I said
That we are the ones who can make the change
In the world today.
Would you believe me if I said
That all of the dreams in your heart
can come true...today.

Would you believe me if I said
That life could be all that you want it to be...today

And if I had wings I would fly,
'Cause all that I need, You are.
And if the world caved in around me
to You I'd still hold on.
'Cause You're all that I believe
And the one that created me.
Jesus...because of You, I'm Free

Would you belive me if I said
that God can make miracles happen today (yeah, yeah).
Would you believe me if I said
that you don't need to wait for the answer before
you step out in faith.

Would you believe me if I said
that nothin' is ever impossible...for God.


Just live your life with God inside;
you won't regret one moment of it.
And give all that you can for God--for God.

The goodness, the hope, and the joy of God

Tonight we just finished having "Girls Night In," an evening where several girls from our church come over for fellowship, food, and a flick: in tonight's case, The Sound of Music. We had fun, talked, and--of course--sang along to the movie. There are some very neat, very special girls at our church, and I'm honored to know each of them.

I have to say that God is good. Isn't it amazing how we can know something, and still be surprised by it anew every day? The Lord blessed me with reminders of his goodness today. He has, for today, lifted the depression I had faced the last several days. Tomorrow may be even better, and if so, I will praise God. But even if not, even if tomorrow is worse, I will also praise God. For how can we not rejoice? Even in the darkest times, we have the promise of hope and glorious joy that awaits us. Many people don't. I am thankful for the God of Hope. He is good.

Life can be difficult. Sometimes the enemy comes like a flood. But then is the time to prove our faith and live our songs. A day or two ago when everything was feeling more than usually impossible I opened on Psalm 40 with its new song. 'He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise.' How like Him it is to 'put' it there. We couldn't find it for oursleves, so He puts it. And when He puts it we can sing it.

This morning Psalm 70:4 spoke to me. 'Let all those that seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee.' That's not just a holy aspiration, it's a command. And He who commands enables. Let all those who seek the Lord rejoice, today, every day. Joy is to be the keynote of our lives. He calls us then to make an act of faith every time we would naturally be pulled down into the pit of joylessness, for there is an end set to the sin and sorrow and conufsion of the world as well as to our own private trials. We only see today. He whom we worship sees tomorrow.

Joy, not suffering, is eternal.

-Excerpts from Candles in the Dark
by Amy Carmichael

Opinions wanted

It's time for a little "audience participation!" This is for anyone, but particularly for those who have been reading my blog for a while. No, that's not favoritism...it's just that they've seen the previous, "pink" blog template I had. I'm trying to decide if I like the design that I have up currently, or if I'd like to switch back to the pink template, or if I should try something new. So, here's your opportunity to give me your opinion! Please give me your input in the comments section, and let me know if you like my blog the way it looks, if you liked the previous design, or if you think I should try something new. Thanks for your input!!

Hope

If I may be frank, I've been facing discouragement lately. Discouragement in and of itself can be discouraging, too. But today, I read the June 27th devotional from my new book God Calling. I thought it was a beautiful reminder that God can always lift us higher than our discouragment, than our depression, than our sins, than anything on this earth that would seek to bring us down. It also was the first time I had ever heard a certain take on what "faith, hope, and love" really mean. I don't know what may be going on in your life, but I know that everyone, now and then, needs to be reminded of the Hope and grace we have in Christ.

The Eternal Arms shelter you. "Underneath are the Everlasting Arms." This promise is to those who rise above the earth-life and seek to soar higher, to the Kingdom of Heaven.
You must not feel the burden of your failure. Go on in faith, the clouds will clear, and the way will lighten--the path becomes less stony with every step you take. So run that you may obtain. A rigid doing of the simple duties, and success will crown your efforts.
I had no words of reproach for any I healed. The man was whole and free who had wrecked his physical being by sin--whose palsy I healed.
The woman at the well was not overwhelmed by My "Thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband."
The woman taken in adultery was told "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." She was not told to bear the burden of the consciousness of her sin...
Remember now abideth these three, Faith, Hope, and Charity. Faith is your attitude towards Me. Charity your attitude towards your fellow man but, as necessary, is Hope, which is confidence in yourself to succeed.
-"No Self-Reproach"
God Calling
Edited by A. J. Russell

Books!

I've decided I've gotten out of habit of posting every day or so on here. Oh well! I usually wait to do all my computer stuff (e-mailing, blogging, etc) till night when I'm getting ready to go to bed anyways, so sometimes I spend too long on e-mails and decide not to get around to writing on my blog. Ah well!

Friday, my whole family got up to go exercise that morning. We came back and then all did separate things; Mom and Dad went to the office, Lindsay was making plans with friends, and I began reading the first Anne of Green Gables book (great book! I'd forgotten how humorous Montgomery's writing is!). Mom and I walked Lindsay over to her friends house a little later, and then I went to the office with Mom to help her and Dad with something real quickly. There, I found another book I wanted to read, so I started in on that.

I read that most of the rest of the evening before e-mailing, reading the Bible, and journalling before bedtime (which has become something of an established ritual for me). This morning I got up, talked with Lance on the phone, and then asked Mom if we could eat at a certain restaurant nearby. Well, I think that was a God-thing, because when we went there, we met a lady who knew my mom, and we started talking. To make a long story short, she knows of a Malaysian girl who will be starting at my college in the fall. She doesn't really have any friends or family in the States, so our friend was suggesting that I could keep an eye out for her. She got my number to give to this girl, Crystal, and Crystal actually called me this evening. I found out when she was getting in to the US, and that she had no one to meet her there or to give her a place to stay. So I told her that wherever she came in at, I could find a way to meet her and would know of a place she could stay at. Anyways, we talked, and she seems so sweet! We're going to meet on Monday. I'm really excited that a Malaysian girl will be at my school.

Today I finished the book I borrowed from my dad and then also finished Anne of Green Gables--so I can start on the next one in that series! I hope you all have a blessed day of worship tomorrow in church. God bless you and make you a blessing.

From mac-and-cheese to Spades

Again, it's been a few days since my last post, and a few things have happened since then. For example, on Tuesday night, several girls from our church came over for the evening. We made macaroni and cheese and watched the special edition of Beauty and the Beast. :-) It was fun, and a good time of fellowship. They (mainly Jessica!) got me to play for them a song I wrote (the lyrics are under my September 27th post), and now I've been asked to play that for our church sometime during missions week. I was seriously blown away! When you scribble out songs, sometimes you never realize how God could use them, so I'm honored that this one blessed the girls here on Tuesday and maybe will also bless our church. God is great!

Wednesday was a laid-back day, mostly spent at home. I actually got to talk with Lance for a good long while on the phone, and it was really nice to catch up with him. The rest of the day I did a couple of things with my mom and my sister, and then my dad got home early from his trip. We had a neat talk about his meeting, and then he was giving me some figures about how much Christian money actually goes to missions. The figures are shocking, and once I double-check them, I will put the numbers up.

I actually had a good night's sleep last night and slept until 10:00 this morning. I did a little bit of e-mail this morning and then showered before starting in on cleaning our kitchen. I made lunch for our family (from a rough recipe provided by Lance) and continued to try to wash dishes (our hot water was acting up). Mom and I went out a little later to run some errands, and I actually bought a new book with some babysitting money I had earned here. It's called God Calling and is published under A.J. Russell's name, but it's actually written by two women who remain anonymous (Russell gives them credit for it in his introduction). I skimmed through it and found it to be pretty deep stuff, so I thought I'd get it. I'm excited about reading it; it's divided into daily readings, like for a devotional book, so that's nice.

Then tonight, my family and I actually played Spades! All my friends back in Texas know that I usually get nervous, for some odd reason, about card games, so this was a big step for me. Since all my friends love Spades, I decided I'd learn how to play while I was home this summer so I could come back and know what I was donig. So far, it's fun!

Alright, I'm off to read my Bible and then some of God Calling. After that, I may do some light reading. I've been considering re-reading the Anne of Green Gables series, so who knows! God bless each of you.

Anyone ready to fall in love?

It's been a few days since I posted an update, so I figured I might do that in some of my spare time today. Things have been a little busy lately. We had a guest come in from Indonesia for a few days on Friday; she just left this morning and was really nice. Saturday, I had worship team practice, and then that evening my mom and dad had a wedding reception they went to while I took our guest to a movie and Lindsay met up with a friend. Sunday's service was good and interesting; a lot of food for thought. It did end up being long, however, and my mom, sister, and I had to leave early so we could take my dad to the airport for his flight. We had lunch there together before he left. Then we headed home, and my mom went to a supper at our church while Lindsay and I took our guest out to Hillside (the food stalls) to eat.

Today's been a lazy day. Mom got up early to take our guest to the airport, so once she had done that, she came back and took a long nap. Lindsay and I did random things around the house, and later all three of us watched a TV show together. I know, the excitement of it all is too much!! :-) Right now, my mom has some friends downstairs she's talking with, and I just finished reading my Bible and writing in my journal. Now I'm considering moving on to a good book to read.

God has been showing me over and over again how amazing his Word is. God really didn't have to give us the Bible, but he chose to reveal himself to all of humanity through it, his Word. That's an incredible act of love. I was just thinking: when you're in love with someone, you pour over every word they write you in a letter, re-reading the parts that were particularly special to you. When you talk with that person, you could talk for hours, because you're sharing yourself and learning more about them. Then you play that conversation and their words over and over in your head throughout the rest of the day, thinking about them, thinking about the next time you can talk with them again or see them again. And while I love God more than anything else in this world, I wonder how often I act as if I'm truly in love with him. Do I wake up every morning, eager to read the words from my Beloved? Do I scan his love letter, reading with excitement and love those special words I feel were written just for me? Do I take time to pour out my heart befor him, sharing myself and eagerly awaiting his every word for a greater revelation of who he is? Can I not help but think about him all day, about his words of love to me, dwelling on the next time I can come before him one-on-one? I look back at all of these questions, and I have to say that I am not nearly the lover that God deserves. I know I will never love God as much as he loves me, never be as faithful as he is to me. But am I loving him with everything I am capable of? It's a question I need to ask myself every day.

The God of the universe is calling for lovers, people who will abandon everything for his love; and when we are in love, deeply in love with God, we cannot help but want to share with others the love of our Beloved. Am I falling deeper in love with the Lord every day? I pray that I am. The words below could not say better what I have been praying lately, for myself and all who have been called by his name:

You will, I believe and trust, become more and more in love with a crucified Saviour. He wants lovers. Oh how tepid is the love of so many who call themselves by His name. How tepid our own--my own--in comparison with the lava fires of His eternal love. I pray that you may be an ardent lover, the kind of lover that sets others on fire.
-Amy Carmichael
Candles in the Dark

Are we ready to fall in love?

Lindsay Joy

Well, today has also been a special day as we celebrate the birth of my sister, 17 years ago. It's still amazing to me as I see my little sister grow up to be such a sweet spirited young lady, with a sensitive heart for God and others. She's beautiful, inside and out. And I'm so thankful for the privilege of being her big sister! It's been a blessing, and I'm so thankful for such a great sister and for the gift of having such a good, close relationship with her.

I think Lins has enjoyed her birthday today. We did presents this morning, and she got several big surprise presents, which was fun for her and the rest of us, too. :-) Then we went out to eat at Texas Roadhouse Grill (they actually have one in Malaysia!), Lindsay's choice. My dad and I actually played pool there, and I ended up winning! Which, if you know me, is pretty crazy, because I've only played pool a handful of times. But it was fun. Then we went to the mall and Lindsay met her friends to go see Batman Begins. Well, my dad also really wanted to see it, so mom and I went with him; we were also joined by a friend of ours who works with my parents (his wife didn't want to see it with him, so he came to see it with us!). Anyways, I have to confess, I really didn't want to see Batman Begins; I just wasn't that interested in it. Sounded ok, but I wasn't dying to see it. I'd seen a few other of the Batman movies and just didn't really love those. But I have to tell you: I really liked this movie! It's so much better than any of the other ones that I've seen, and it was really well done. It really was just an excellent movie; I loved it! So if you ever consider going to see it and aren't sure if you'll like it, take a chance, because I really enjoyed the movie.

After that, my family headed home while Lindsay went out with her friends. Mom and I had to go back to the mall a little later to get my dress fitted (the beautiful one I got for my birthday!), and it fit perfectly. It is so pretty, I just wish I could tell you how pretty! I have to say, I've never been much of a girly-girl, but every now and then I have a weakness for pretty dresses, like the ones you might wear for a formal or banquet or some special occasion. Which is odd, considering I own next to 0 of them; but now I have at least one!

Alright, enough about dresses. Lindsay is downstairs right now watching a movie with her friends, and I'm finishing up a couple of e-mails. I pray that the Lord will bless each of you in a special way today! And if you have any siblings, say a prayer for them today; they are some of God's greatest gifts to us!

A blessed birthday

This will be short, as it's late and I need to get to bed. I did want to stop in to say that my birthday was a wonderful day. My family and friends were so wonderful in the things they did to bless me today. I got to talk with Lance on the phone this morning so he could wish me a happy birthday; my family gave me wonderful gifts and took me out to eat for lunch at a nice restaurant. We spent the afternoon letting me pick out my main birthday present--a digital camera of my own! Then this evening, my friends Emily and Andy came over. We went out for a fast supper of roti canai and then came back to watch Star Wars IV: A New Hope. Yes, I'm a Star Wars fan! It was fun, especially since it was Em's first time to ever watch it. And my grandparents from Texas called this evening to wish me a happy birthday as well! Anyways, it was a great day, and thanks to everyone who made it so special. I'm so thankful for all the family and friends who love me, and I'm most of thankful for the Lord who gave me life--in more ways than one.

Here I am with my beautiful "baby" sister Lindsay! (Hehe, I'm wearing heels so I don't look so much shorter than she does!) Two days from now we'll both be a year older. When I turned three and Lins was born the next day, Mom told me she was my "late" birthday present from God; and to this day, she's one of the best presents I ever received! 

And here's Lindsay and me again! (You can see the lovely flowers in front of us and the fern in the back, both of which Mom got for HER birthday on the 4th) 

Birthday countdown

Hey everyone! Life's been a little busier lately, but mostly because it's been involving preparations for the upcoming birthday's: namely, mine tomorrow and Lindsay's the day after. Yesterday and today, our family went to the mall while Mom made sure to try and find a few gifts for Lins and me (isn't Mom sweet?!). And Dad took me on a father-daughter date yesterday for lunch (isn't Dad sweet?!) while Mom and Lins shopped; today Dad took Lins out for lunch, and Mom and I shopped. Works well, huh? We also got to go eat as a family at the night market tonight with some friends of ours from church, which was fun.

Well, forgive my brevity, but I'm going to get ready for bed. Busy day tomorrow! Turning a year older can be very tiring business. :-) Hope you all have a great day!

"Since the first day..."

I'm pretty tired right now, this post won't be long or deep or anything like that. I just wanted to drop by and say we had a really neat time of worship at our church today; it's such an honor and privilege to sing on the worship team, and it's something I truly love. Last week at church, I actually got to meet another blogger, Tom, whom I had met through blogging; and he was at our church again this week, so it was nice to see him again. My dad hasn't felt well today, so my sister and I went home after the service to check on him while my mom stayed behind for a meeting. Anyways, we ran some errands later that afternoon, and I finished a book I was reading. This evening my sister and I walked up to Hillside for some Indian food and some good time to talk; I love my sister! And I can't believe my "baby" sister will be 17 in four days! Craziness.

So, that's been my day overall. I do want to say how good the Lord has been. He has begun to consistently teach me some awesome things lately, and it's been incredible to see how as I humble myself and seek him further, even if I may not feel immediate results, I will begin seeing them in my thoughts and attitudes in the days to come. They're almost always the elementary things, and sometimes I despair of learning the same "easy" truth over and over again; I long to be taken deeper in my understanding of Christ. But there's a verse that has encouraged me lately; it's in the Old Testament where God sends an angel to Daniel in response to a prayer Daniel made. The angel tells him, "Don't be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer" (Daniel 10:12, NLT). This encourages me so much, and I can know that whenever I humble myself, seek God's will, and pray for understanding, no matter what area of my life it's in, God will hear and he will answer. Our answer may not always be immediate; in fact, the next verse in Daniel 10 tells us that it took the angel three weeks to make it to Daniel with that message because the spirit prince of Persia blocked his way. But I can know that even "since the first day" I begin to pray and cry out to God, he hears me. And I will see him answer.

Well, this became a little longer than I thought it might, so I guess you can scratch out my claim in the first sentence. :-) I pray that each of you would be blessed by the knowledge that God hears your prayers from the very first day you begin praying in humility and for understanding; even if you don't see results right away, he has heard, and he will answer. We serve such a faithful God! May he bless you and make you a blessing.

Here is a picture of mom and me, all dressed up, right before we left for the wedding reception we went to tonight (see the post below for details!). 

And here's another picture of mom and me! All dressed up for a reception we stayed ten minutes at. :-) 

I absolutely LOVE Malaysian food

Seriously, people, you have not eaten right until you've had the kind of food that exists in Malaysia. Seriously. My favorite are probably the Indian dishes that are available here...so good-lah! I say that because yesterday was pretty much a normal day at home--reading, writing a few e-mails, doing things around the house--but then at night, Mom, Lins, and I went to this wonderful Indian food place called Subaidah's. That just made the day perfect!

Today's been a little more active; Mom, Lins, and I all went to get our hair cut, which was exciting, I'm sure. Mom and I went to the church for a worship team meeting and for worship team practice. The team meeting was for all members of the worship team, and it was mostly for bonding, inspiration, and growth for the team as a whole. Our four main worship leaders talked about what it meant to really lead in worship and how one prepares for that; they mentioned some awesome things. And then we had practice for the worship service tomorrow. Originally, my mom and I weren't supposed to sing this week, but one of the girls cancelled, so our worship leader asked us to "pinch hit" so to speak (or would that be "pinch sing?"). Anyways, we're singing a new song I simply LOVE; I can hardly sing it standing still! I just keep wanting to bounce or jump to the beat.

Afterwards, my mom was going to a wedding reception for the son of one of the guards who works at my sister's school (random connection, huh?). Dad wasn't able to go, and Lindsay went out with friends, so I decided I'd go with Mom--otherwise, she wouldn't have really had anyone to talk with. So we got all dressed up pretty, and we took pictures which should be put up above this post shortly. Well, we went, saw the bride and groom, saw the groom's father who'd invited us, gave congratulations, gave our gifts, and then tried to find a place to sit at the allotted tables for people from the school...and no place was available. So rather than embarass the host by making a scene about having no place to sit, we left. It worked out well, because really Mom had mostly wanted the guard to know that we cared enough to come and were honored that he'd asked; and he wouldn't really have seen us later on. So instead of sitting through a long reception, we got to leave having still accomplished all we came for.

So then Mom and I went back to the house, changed clothes, and walked to the area of food stalls (called "Hillside"). We had a lovely chat and, of course, some great food. I am loving this food!! I had an iced lime juice, iced coffee, wan tan mee, and garlic nan (those of you who know what I'm talking about now that it was a GOOD meal). And then I came home, happy, full, and content. Lovely day, wouldn't you say?

May God bless each of you tomorrow in church as we worship him. He truly is amazing, and worthy of so much more worship than we could ever give. And in the days to come, as a friend of mine wrote, "may you bless and be blessed."

"To a young worker" by Amy Carmichael

The fight to which we have been called is not an easy fight. We are touching the very centre of the devil's power and kingdom, and he hates us intensely and fights hard against us. We have no chance at all of winning in this fight unless we are disciplined soldiers, utterly out-and-out and uncompromising, and men and women of prayer.

So first, give much time to quietness. We have to get our help for the most part direct from our God. We are here to help, not to be helped, and we must each one of us learn to walk with God alone and feed on His word so as to be nourished. Don't only read and pray; listen. And don't evade the slightest whisper of guidance that comes. God make you sensitive, and very obedient.

Fill up the crevices of time with the things that matter most. This will cost something, but it is worth it. "Seek ye My face. My heart said unto Thee, Thy Face, Lord, will I seek." No one is of much use who does not truly want to learn what it means to pray and listen and definitely choose the life that is hid with Christ in God.

Keep close, keep close. If you are close you will be keen. Your heart will be set on the things that abide. You will drink of His spirit and you will thirst for souls even as He thirsts. You will not be attracted by the world that crucified him, but you will love the people in that world who have never seen His beauty and are losing so much more than they know. You will live to share your joy in Him. Nothing else will count for much.

All this will be if you walk with Him as with a visible Companion, from dawn through all the hours till you go to sleep.

-Excerpt from Candles in the Dark, by Amy Carmichael-

And so the day goes...

Today's been a slower day, but actually a pretty good one. I woke up on and off this morning till I got up at around 9:00. I did various things around the house and on my computer before deciding to exercise. Lins was planning to go out with friends, so around when she left, I popped Tae-Bo into the DVD player and had a great workout for 45 minutes. And, for those of you who know how I get when I exercise, my face was RED once I finished. :-) But it felt really great and put me in a good mood. After a lovely shower, I made a tuna sandwhich (and I love tuna!) and watched a good chick flick. Lindsay actually came back home early instead of going out to eat supper with her friends because she wasn't feeling well. Thankfully, a nap helped her start to feel better, so I think she's doing ok. Since then, I've been writing some e-mails to two of my oldest best friends, Terri-Lynn and Beth, and to another of my best friends Christina (I love you girls!).

Hmm. This is a rather boring post. But what can you do when that's the way the day goes...

A little update on life

Well, life's been a little slow. In fact, yesterday, I never even left the house. My sister went out with friends around noon, and one of my friends was supposed to come over but then ended up making other plans instead. So...I read a book, mused over many things, wrote in my journal, listened to praise music, and watched the beginning of a movie. It was really neat because a storm came in that afternoon, and it was so beautiful. I know it's odd to think of a storm as beautiful, but they really can be. I love the way the ocean looks when a storm comes in--all gray and choppy, with the white foaming waves that crash onto shore. I opened the windows and sat in our rocking chair, watching the rain, sea, and fog, listening to the wind. It was beautiful. Funny, how the storms in our own lives don't usually seem so beautiful. Funny how I usually forget that the God who can calm the storms on the sea can calm the storm in my heart.

When Lins got home last night, we watched a movie and made cookie dough, good girl-stuff. :-) This morning I got to talk with Lance on the phone, which made me really happy because it had been close to a week since we'd talked. Not very long in the scheme of life, I know, but it had seemed long to me. Lindsay and I went to the mall around 1:00 to eat and see Madagascar, which Lindsay hadn't seen (even though it was my 3rd viewing). Then we came back to the house, finished the movie we had started last night, and played cards. Lins invited one of her friends to meet us at a little Indian food stall place near here, so we met her friend there and ate. Now Lins and her friend are doing something, and I'm sitting in my room doing stuff on the computer. Man, I am so tired...I've just been out of it lately, and I've had a headache most of the day. I'm hoping I don't become sick.

Anyways, that's life in general right now. Mom and Dad get home from Indonesia tomorrow night, which will be nice. I hope all of you have a God-blessed day!

A declaration

I found this on a blog of another Christian guy named Jake. He graciously said I could quote some of the things he had written on his blog, so I'm taking the liberty of doing so now. This is a declaration he wrote that I thought was really amazing; thought I'd share it with you:

I am a child of the King
purchased by the Blood
redeemed from a dark past
bestowed a glorious future

I am a nazirite
consecrated in the womb
dedicated at birth
anointed for mighty exploits

I am in this world but not of it
lonely but never alone
poor yet rich in Christ
despised yet secure in His love

I am an enemy of mediocrity
sick and tired of being sick and tired
done with compromise and low living
fed up with lukewarmness and religion

I am sold out for the Revolution
dead to personal ambition and self-promotion
ruined for anything less than God's best
living for a cause greater and bigger than myself
resting on the finished work of Christ on the Cross
working to win for the Lamb the rewards of His suffering

By God's grace
I'm gonna run this race
press on towards the goal
That I may see His face
Bask in His presence until I am changed

And in the process
make it hard for my generation
to make it to damnation

Use me Lord.

You are the Potter, I am the clay.

If you're interested, click here to visit Jake's Blog: Firebrands.

Some of the most beautiful words in Scripture

"Don't be afraid," he said, "for you are deeply loved by God. Be at peace; take heart and be strong!"
-Daniel 10:19 (NLT)

Let the old dreams die

Well, today's been a neat day. My parents left this morning for Indonesia (but that isn't what made the day neat, let me just clarify), so my sister and I are here by ourselves for a few days. We think it'll be fun...some good girl, sister-sister time! So today we spent a while watching a show on TV (lazy, I know!) and doing some other things. Then I went out with two of my friends who just graduated from high school here, Than and Christi (both of whom I've mentioned previously). We went, of course, to Coffee Bean and talked about the last year. They wanted to hear about my year, and I was dying to hear about their senior year and the plans they had for college next fall. Than, actually, won't be going straight into college but will be attending a DTS for several months, which I think is awesome. I know God will bless both of them as they go. They're both such neat kids, and I admire their hearts for Christ. We talked a lot about their hopes for the coming years, about what they hoped the Lord would do in their lives.

Then later today, I was listening to some music on my laptop, and a song by Avalon came up called "Dreams I Dream for You." It made me think about the conversation Than, Christi, and I had just had. I think it's important and good to think about the future, about what we want to do for God and what we want to see God do for us. Even still, I know it's so easy to get caught up in our own dreams for ourselves. Sometimes I think God is calling us to dream bigger than we would on our own. That's sort of what this song by Avalon is talking about, about how God may take away our dreams, but it's always to give us a bigger dream. I just wanted to include some of the lyrics to this song. If you feel like you've lost a dream, or that you've had to watch some of your dreams die, I hope you'll know that God is just waiting to give you bigger dreams. And if you are just now creating dreams, ask God to shape them for you, and to make them bigger than you ever could.

"Dreams I Dream for You"
Album: A Maze of Grace
Artist: Avalon

You taste the tears
You're lost in sorrow
You see your yesterdays
I see tomorrow

You see the darkness
I see the spark
You know your failures
But I know your heart

(Chorus:)
The dreams I dream for you
Are deeper than the ones you're clinging to
More precious than the finest things you knew
And truer than the treasures you pursue
Let the old dreams die
Like stars that fade from view
Then take the cup I offer
And drink deeply of
The dreams I dream for you

You see your shame
But I see your glory
You've read one page
I know the story

I hold a vision
That you'll become
As you grow into the truth
As you learn to walk in love

(Chorus)

Let the old dreams die
Like stars that fade from view
Then take the cup I offer
And drink deeply of
The dreams I dream for you

Knocked over by God

You know those days when you are knocked over by the ways God works? I mean, you know we serve an amazing, awesome, incomprehensibly good God...and yet, there are days when we are still surprised by something he does, as if he's blown away our expectations. Well, duh, he's God; it's his job to blow away our expectations. So it makes me wonder: what is it we're expecting from God? Specifically, what do I expect from God? What do I expect to see him doing, in me, around me, through me? Are my expectations of him so easily blown away? Am I expecting too little of a God who is too big for me to understand? It makes me wonder, and it humbles me.

Our church service today was, again, incredible. Our speaker was a woman who's a missionary in Asia, and she came to share about the work God is doing in the country she works in. She shared amazing stories, and the things God was doing blew me away. We have an amazing Lord who is making his name famous throughout the world--are we being a part of that? Because someday, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all, and there will be people from every tribe and tongue in Heaven. I want to have had a part in that, to not be left behind in the work God is doing among all peoples. The lady who spoke today told of a family that she and her co-workers had shared the gospel with. Afterwards, this family asked, "Why didn't you come to tell us this before? If God loves us so much, why didn't you tell us before?" It is a question that haunted me. Are there people just waiting to be told how much God loves them? Actually, that's a silly question: I know there are. Here's a more serious question: Why aren't we telling them? What is stopping us from seriously telling someone how much God loves them, whether it is a long-time friend, a family member, a person across the street, a co-worker, or an isolated tribal person in Asia? People are waiting to hear...why are we so hesitant to share?

I admit it freely: my faith is often weak. I worry, I fear. But I have a God who is above my weaknesses, who's power actually works best through my weaknesses. So I want God to knock me over. But I don't want it to be because my expectations are too low. I want to dream big, to live extreme, to expect extreme things, and then to still watch God blow away every expectation, every prayer, I ever had. He's waiting to knock us over.

Are we ready for it?

Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen.
-Ephesians 3:20-21 (NLT)

Ok, they're finally here...yay for more pictures from Grad Night! This is me with Christi, one of my favorite grads. I've known this girl forever; in fact, her dad taught me in fifth grade! Christi is a sweet girl with an amazing heart for Christ. She will definitely make a difference in this world. 

This is me and Emily, one of the sweetest, cutest girls you'd ever meet. We first met in Indonesia when the two of us were six...imagine our surprise when we both ended up in Malaysia years later to go through high school together! 

Here I am with Andy and Ben, two of my best guy friends from high school. They tried to bend down a little so they wouldn't make me look so short...but still, Ben is about 6 foot, while Andy is 6' 4" (which is most definitely a whole foot taller than I am!) 

And, of course, here is me and my favorite girl in the world...my sister, Lindsay! 

Happy Birthday to Mom!

Today is my mom's 50th birthday--go Mom! It's been a fun, good day. I got up early to make pancakes (chocolate chip ones!), bacon, and eggs for breakfast. Then I made her a German chocolate cake, which is her favorite. We gave her presents shortly after breakfast: Lins and I gave her a new purse and a pretty necklace. We had a good day together. I am so blessed for the mom I have; she has been an incredible source of strength and encouragment through many difficult times. She has been a friend and an amazing listener for years; she has also been a great example of what it means to love and follow Christ. I am so thankful to God for her, and I especially celebrate her today on her birthday.

Tell your own moms today how much you love them.

A birthday's comin' up...!

Well, I said goodbye to Ben yesterday. He and his family flew out last night, so I went with him to Coffee Bean for one final chat. It was actually the first time just the two of us had had to talk, and it ended up being a really good talk. Ben is a neat guy, and a good friend.

I went home afterwards to rest a little; my throat had been sore when I woke up that morning, so I was trying to make sure I didn't get sick. After a very long and complicated procedure (don't ask), Emily, Andy, Daniel, Zach (a guy who goes to Daniel's school), and I agreed to meet up to go see a movie, The Interpreter, that evening. Em and I went to the mall early and had time to eat and chat before the guys (who had gone caving earlier) showed up. The movie was really good--I had already seen it with Lance, but I enjoyed seeing it again. Good plot, well-developed characters...overall great movie.

Yesterday, my mom had gone to Indonesia for a one day trip. This morning, while she was gone, my dad, sister, and I made pecan pies for her. See, tomorrow is her birthday, and she had really wanted pecan pies. So we made those, and then Lins and I went to the mall again. Lins met up with a couple of her girl friends and hung out with them for a couple of hours. I, in the meantime, ate, walked around, and then got a drink at Coffee Bean to sip at while I read a book I'd brought (it was Deception Point, by Dan Brown, if you must know). Afterwards, Lins and I walked around and found presents for my mom for her birthday. We also bought some things from the grocery store, a couple of which are also surprises for my mom. (I would tell you what all those were, except my mom regularly checks my blog...so it shall have to remain a secret until after her birthday tomorrow.)

Then, this evening, we went out to eat with a family and a lady that we are good friends with. Of the family, the wife works with my parents some, and she and my mom actually share the same birthday (just ten years apart), so that's part of the reason we celebrate with them, besides the fact that they are good friends. It was lovely Chinese food by the ocean, so we had a magnificent view of the sunset.

That's about it for now. Tomorrow we will be celebrating my mom's 50th birthday...oh wow! Exciting. Hope all of you have blessed days...and may the God of peace be with you.

Here's a picture from grad night: this is me with the guys I am honored to consider my "brothers" and dear friends from high school. Pictured (left-right): Ben, Andy, Daniel, and me. (I have other pictures that I will try to post shortly, but for now this is all I have--hopefully more will come soon!) 

Grad week

Well, it's finally over: the class of 2005 has graduated. The week's been centered around those graduation activities. Well, not as much for me, because I've been out mostly with my other friends. Like I said, Monday night involved being out at Coffee Bean and playing cards. Yesterday I went to Coffee Bean (again!) with Dan to talk and catch up; he told me about his freshman year of college, so it was good to see how he's doing. We went to the chapel the seniors put on that same evening, and it was really good. Two of my "younger brothers," Than and Robert, shared reflections during the chapel that were mature, profound, and touching. They are both awesome young guys who I know will make a huge difference in this world for Christ. Afterwards, a bunch of friends came over to my house for junk food, talking, and a movie that we only watched ten minutes of. Squeezing ten people (including me) into our living room was interesting. :-) It's a little small for ten people. Anyways, it not only included my friends from my class--Andy, Daniel, Ben, and Emily--but it also included Robert, Caleb (Ben's brother who's a senior), Dan (the one I went to Coffee Bean with earlier that day), Pam (a girl who was in Dan's class), and Amber (same class as Dan and Pam). Fun!

Today we went to the school's awards ceremony. My sister did so well and received so many awards! That my sound like bragging, but hey, I'm proud of my sis. She was awarded four course awards (an award given to the best all around student in each class) for AP English 11, US History, Evangelism Explosion, and Who is God? (a Bible class). She also received recognition for different levels of achievement in academics and fine arts. Finally, she was given the (very big) Academic Award, given to one student from the whole high school who has shown the best performance academically. Usually it is awarded to a senior, so we were all surprised and thrilled when it was given to Lins. And seriously, I'm sure she deserved it; for this last semester, she said her lowest overall, end-of-year grade for a class was the 97% she made in AP English--and that's amazing! (The 97% is without the ten points that is usually added to AP classes to even out GPA) So I was really proud of her.

I spent the rest of today at home and then went to the graduation ceremony. Andy picked me up and went with me, for which I was grateful, because he was the only person I ended up being able to sit with (Ben and Daniel sat up front because their brothers were graduating, and my other friends were already sitting with their families). The program lasted just over two hours...yes, it's long. But I was really proud of those kids! Particularly the ones who are special to me, my "younger siblings," Christina, Than, and Robert. So that was neat! Afterwards, my friends and I went to the food stalls to eat and talk, which was fun as well. And that's pretty much been my last few days! Busy busy. I hope all of you are doing well, and I hope that you treasure the relationships and friendships you have in your lives...they are such special gifts from God. He's blessed me with some really neat friends from my school, who, even if we haven't seen each other in a year or two, can still pick our friendship back up the moment we see each other. It's a neat blessing--God is good.