2008 in Review -

This past year held a lot of life-growing opportunities and trials for me, along with some amazing memories that I will hold on to for a very long time. There were plenty of times where I felt helpless and alone but God let me know very quickly that was not the case. There were also many times where I messed up BIG TIME and like I could never fix what I did, but yet again God informed me that that was not the case either. I am constantly amazed at how incredible and loving and beautiful Christ is. He never ceases to surprise me with something :-)
Okay so here's a quick list of what went on this past year....
December 27th, 2007 - Let for Europe with MK for a 6/7 week trip to Europe; and as I have said before, it was a dream come true!!!
January 2008 - I LOVE Macs and Brioche and snow. I stayed with a dear family in Germany, but visited Luxembourg (several times), France and Switzerland. I didn't think about the rest of the world (family, boys :P, life, issues, problems, ALL of it) for most of the time ( ...until I received a strange email from a guy friend. GR. But he wasn't thought of most of the time). But it was such a breath of fresh air to get away from EVERYTHING. I was able to see all kinds of neat things in Europe. I think my favorite things were the Swiss Alps and, of course, the Eiffel Tower, and people who had a sense of style! lol...seriously. I came back feeling "trendy" ;-) Oh and for the first time I rode trains. I like them a lot - accept for the weird European guys that have to stare at you. ugh. It was a FANTASTIC time....especially with the world's best roommate and ping-pong buddy, MK =)
February - Alright moving on, I got back from my European expedition on the 7th. GAH I didn't not want to be home. Seriously. lol I remember MK and I trying to come up with a plan for us to stay a couple more weeks. Then when that one didn't work, we had fun trying to come up with another to not have to go home. Lol sad they didn't work ;-) Oh my, the funny times with me being jet-lagged. Getting up at 4 in the morning, then getting SOO sleepy at 6/7 in the evenings. Chris proposed to my 2nd older sister the beginning (i believe) of this month...yes while I was gone. They had a very fast relationship. Whatever works I suppose. During this month I continued trying to find out what God was wanting me to do...It's such a pain. I am hating the question "what are you doing after you graduate" cause I DONT KNOW!!! And while I desired to go to a certain school, later on I find out, this was not God's plan.
March - What a month....on some topics it was awful, others it was AMAZING. My oldest sister informed me that I was going to be an aunt in November - !!! I was very excited! I was very busy this month getting ready to graduate HS, my senior piano recital, piano guild, and piano festival...A LOT OF PRACTICING! I had to develop some endurance during the next coming months. I like the Enchanted movie too...lol. I've been VERY swamped with school work, especially math. Trying to keep up French!... Camping, "the office" marathons, and playing in the rain.
April - GAHHHH. This was a month full of mistakes and learning experiences. I didn't enjoy this month very much lol, except for getting to go on a 4-day trip to the Okefenokee Swamp with dad and all the boys... we paddled 33 miles. My arms were killing me the following week. But yet another trip I enjoyed greatly. Had to get Senior Portraits done. I don't like them very much but OH WELL. "Build a bridge and get over it." Took a "Spring Break" trip down to FL to see J and A, lol poor A was so sick (morning sickness). It was fun, but very rainy :P
May - GRADUATION!!! Yay!! I was so ready to be done with School, as I am sure all seniors are during the last semester. But I still am not sure as to what I will be doing in the fall. Guild and my Senior Piano Recital all went very well! =) This is what I played for my Recital:
*Toccatina, Kabalevsky
*Prelude in B minor, Chopin - second favorite
*Sonata, Scarlatti
*Sonata, Beethoven
*Hymn arrangement
*Dawn, from Pride and Prejudice movie ('05) - this one was my favorite
And I was the 2008 homeschool Prom Queen :)
June - 2nd older sister and Chris got married on the 7th ... I am so happy for them! I've had a lot of "1st timers" recently...lol and I've felt like an idiot too. haha. wow. I've been doing a lot of Gourmet cooking the last few weeks...It's a lot of fun and I enjoy it.
July - My bday =) spent up in the Appalachian mountains in WVA...AMAZING and very beautiful! I know that God does not want me at TFC this fall...that was hard to face. But I know that it's for his plan. And July 4th was spent over here with everyone... good times :)
August - My amazing friends surprised me with a bday party .... !! It was VERY sweet of them! They did a very good job keeping it a secret! Mom and Dad gave me my bday/graduation ring - Blue Sapphire with White Sapphires around it. I love it and it's beautiful!! The couple MK and I stayed with in Switzerland came for a 2 week visit - I loved getting to see them! I started working on Pathetique mov. no 1, Beethoven. I Love it! I've already played the 2nd mov but wanted to get the first one. It's very different, and very difficult, but it's also beautiful.
September - J and A's Wedding anniversary (2 years) was the same day. I will be staying home for the fall :-( I am trying to learn how to be content with where God has me. I am struggling a great deal with being submissive. gah it's rough to learn. ADD Now weekend at CBC - Olive and I were leaders of the CBC girl middle school group. I greatly enjoyed getting to share with those girls and to let Christ have his way in all of their lives...and he most certaintly did! Oh yes, and 2-week beach trip =)
October - Yay for fall weather! Although, it's been a little hot so far. But the trees are turning colors and showing God's amazing handiwork - My favorite time of the year!
November - Gabe DM was born the 7th =) I am an aunt...J and A are doing wonderful! They are going to be awesome parents!! 1st time voter! Although, I am not a fan of either candidates for the presidency  This country is not going to do so well.
December - I enjoy being an Aunt!! Christmas and New Years was quiet and different, but good. 
January - So far the New Year as been very good and prolific. I am more content, but I am also looking into different opportunities that the Lord has opened doors too. I am so excited to see what is in store for this year and what will go on, although I know there will still be plenty of trials and things that will come up, but I continue looking to Christ as number one and not let things, or people, get in my way. Joshua 22:5.
SOOOOO, after that very long post, that was some of my year in a nutshell. So much more went on that I would like to go into and share but not right now. I'll do a better job this year about blogging more often!!! Goodbye and God Bless!!!

Let Christians Vote As Though They Were Not Voting

Written by MKH .... (and yes, posted on her blog - I cheated and just copied it...lol)

OK. I normally wouldn't interrupt a day of school to post something, but I decided to make an exception, considering what went on last night. No, I don't normally blog about politics, and I don't plan to start blogging about politics, but I think this election earns an exception. (I should put first though, that if anything I say makes you mad, please don't stop reading--scroll through everything I say if you must--but at least read the article that I posted after this. It's really good, and I think everyone should read it.)
I'm going to be frank here. Yes, I voted for McCain, and was proud to. Although I can't say I was particularly pleased at the outcome of things, I've accepted the fact that Obama is going to be our next president, and am very proud of the fact that America has just elected its first black president. I think that is a great accomplishment. Now... I hope I don't step on some toes here (though it's hard not to when talking politics), but to those of you who think that Obama is... a muslim, a racist, the antichrist, a communist, or just plain "evil", I strongly disagree. Obama is a human being. Why do people hate others and accuse them of all sorts of things, just because they have a difference of opinions and beliefs (controversial as they may be)? As far as you know, one of your best friends could share the same views as Obama.
In some ways, Kerry, in the last election was much worse than Obama is in this election, yet no one accused him of anything even close to as radical as what people have accused Obama of. I've heard so many people say of Obama "He needs God." Well...don't we all?? "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" -Rom. 3:23
Now, I'm not saying that I agree with Obama's view points. There are quite a few things that I disagree with him on, some more strongly than others. One of my biggest problems with him is his stand on abortion. But I don't disagree with him on every single aspect either (though I'm not going to sit here and write out a list of all the things I agree or disagree with him on). I do think, (shoot me if you want) that there is some good in him, and whether or not all of his ideas are the best, that his intentions are good.
In a nutshell, I would have greatly preferred that McCain won, and am disappointed that he didn't, but I'm not giving up on Obama, am looking forward to seeing how he does. You know, he just might surprise you--I hope and pray that he does. And most importantly... know that God is in complete and total control. If anything, remember that.

All that to say, here's an article that my dad read to me and JA this morning at breakfast. Though the election is over, I think it still applies, and I would greatly encourage you to read it.



"Let Christians Vote As Though Not Voting

by John Piper

Voting is like marrying and crying and laughing and buying. We should do it, but only as if we were not doing it. That’s because “the present form of this world is passing away” and, in God’s eyes, “the time has grown very short.” Here’s the way Paul puts it:

The appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away. (1 Corinthians 7:29-31)

Let’s take these one at a time and compare them to voting.
1. “Let those who have wives live as though they had none.”

This doesn’t mean move out of the house, don’t have sex, and don’t call her Honey. Earlier in this chapter Paul says, “The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights” (1 Corinthians 7:3). He also says to love her the way Christ loved the church, leading and providing and protecting (Ephesians 5:25-30). It means this: Marriage is momentary. It’s over at death, and there is no marriage in the resurrection. Wives and husbands are second priorities, not first. Christ is first. Marriage is for making much of him.

It means: If she is exquisitely desirable, beware of desiring her more than Christ. And if she is deeply disappointing, beware of being hurt too much. This is temporary—only a brief lifetime. Then comes the never-disappointing life which is life indeed.

So it is with voting. We should do it. But only as if we were not doing it. Its outcomes do not give us the greatest joy when they go our way, and they do not demoralize us when they don’t. Political life is for making much of Christ whether the world falls apart or holds together.
2. “Let those who mourn [do so] as though they were not mourning.”

Christians mourn with real, deep, painful mourning, especially over losses—loss of those we love, loss of health, loss of a dream. These losses hurt. We cry when we are hurt. But we cry as though not crying. We mourn knowing we have not lost something so valuable we cannot rejoice in our mourning. Our losses do not incapacitate us. They do not blind us to the possibility of a fruitful future serving Christ. The Lord gives and takes away. But he remains blessed. And we remain hopeful in our mourning.

So it is with voting. There are losses. We mourn. But not as those who have no hope. We vote and we lose, or we vote and we win. In either case, we win or lose as if we were not winning or losing. Our expectations and frustrations are modest. The best this world can offer is short and small. The worst it can offer has been predicted in the book of Revelation. And no vote will hold it back. In the short run, Christians lose (Revelation 13:7). In the long run, we win (Revelation 21:4).
3. “Let those who rejoice [do so] as though they were not rejoicing.”

Christians rejoice in health (James 5:13) and in sickness (James 1:2). There are a thousand good and perfect things that come down from God that call forth the feeling of happiness. Beautiful weather. Good friends who want to spend time with us. Delicious food and someone to share it with. A successful plan. A person helped by our efforts.

But none of these good and beautiful things can satisfy our soul. Even the best cannot replace what we were made for, namely, the full experience of the risen Christ (John 17:24). Even fellowship with him here is not the final and best gift. There is more of him to have after we die (Philippians 1:21-23)—and even more after the resurrection. The best experiences here are foretastes. The best sights of glory are through a mirror dimly. The joy that rises from these previews does not and should not rise to the level of the hope of glory. These pleasures will one day be as though they were not. So we rejoice remembering this joy is a foretaste, and will be replaced by a vastly better joy.

So it is with voting. There are joys. The very act of voting is a joyful statement that we are not under a tyrant. And there may be happy victories. But the best government we get is a foreshadowing. Peace and justice are approximated now. They will be perfect when Christ comes. So our joy is modest. Our triumphs are short-lived—and shot through with imperfection. So we vote as though not voting.
4. “Let those who buy [do so] as though they had no goods.”

Let Christians keep on buying while this age lasts. Christianity is not withdrawal from business. We are involved, but as though not involved. Business simply does not have the weight in our hearts that it has for many. All our getting and all our having in this world is getting and having things that are not ultimately important. Our car, our house, our books, our computers, our heirlooms—we possess them with a loose grip. If they are taken away, we say that in a sense we did not have them. We are not here topossess. We are here to lay up treasures in heaven.

This world matters. But it is not ultimate. It is the stage for living in such a way to show that this world is not our God, but that Christ is our God. It is the stage for using the world to show that Christ is more precious than the world.

So it is with voting. We do not withdraw. We are involved—but as if not involved. Politics does not have ultimate weight for us. It is one more stage for acting out the truth that Christ, and not politics, is supreme.
5. “Let those who deal with the world [do so] as though they had no dealings with it.”

Christians should deal with the world. This world is here to be used. Dealt with. There is no avoiding it. Not to deal with it is to deal with it that way. Not to weed your garden is to cultivate a weedy garden. Not to wear a coat in Minnesota is to freeze—to deal with the cold that way. Not to stop when the light is red is to spend your money on fines or hospital bills and deal with the world that way. We must deal with the world.

But as we deal with it, we don’t give it our fullest attention. We don’t ascribe to the world the greatest status. There are unseen things that are vastly more precious than the world. We use the world without offering it our whole soul. We may work with all our might when dealing with the world, but the full passions of our heart will be attached to something higher—Godward purposes. We use the world, but not as an end in itself. It is a means. We deal with the world in order to make much of Christ.

So it is with voting. We deal with the system. We deal with the news. We deal with the candidates. We deal with the issues. But we deal with it all as if not dealing with it. It does not have our fullest attention. It is not the great thing in our lives. Christ is. And Christ will be ruling over his people with perfect supremacy no matter who is elected and no matter what government stands or falls. So we vote as though not voting.

By all means vote. But remember: “The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17).

Voting with you, as though not voting,

Pastor John" ---- Posted by Mary Kate H.

Noelle said...
One thing--Obama probably wouldn't part of the KKK, because then he'd be chasing himself ;-). Just thought you might want to revise that...

Mary Kate H. said...
Oh, I know...that's exactly why I put it in there...because it's completely ridiculous. Look it up if you want--there actually are people that accuse him of that. But I realize most people wouldn't, so I did take it out.

Fredric said...
Though I would've put my two cents in for McCain (or written in Ron Paul) and decided on different propositions, the time came too late and I was unable to carry out my small duty to my country.

Now that Obama is president, I can only pray that he will change things for the better (as he said numerous times). There's also this talk about race. Quite frankly, I've learned that the Human Genome Project determined there's only one race of human being, but we just have a wide variety of skin pigmentation. I don't care what color the president is, so long as he's qualified for the job. For certain, it's nice to see different color varieties getting along...but in my humble opinion they're making a bigger deal out of this "race" thing than necessary.

I similarly don't go into politics (I'm a biologist in the making, not a presidential candidate). Though I do take care to know what different candidates support and what different propositions will do if enacted, I try to just keep one foot in to ensure my beliefs are supported by the right political agents.

Submissiveness

Submissiveness for my parents can be so hard to learn. I am having such a rough time learning to be respectful and submissive at the same time towards my parents. There are so many things I want to be doing (College for example) but because my parents dont think it's the best option, I am not doing these things. I know that they want what is best for me and my future, but in some areas I keep having these thoughts that they do not. And yes, you could probably say that is the devil trying to get me to do just the opposite that my parents and God want. I want to learn, and hopefully perfect, how to be submissive and respectful to them, especially my dad, because I realize that I will always be under someone's authority (whether that be my dad, husband, goverment, God, ect) and I'm guessing it's easier to learn now in my home than later on... I dont want to "learn later when I'm married" - that would probably ruin my relationship with my husband!

Anyways, I just needed to vent this morning =)

I promise, my life is not a huge mess!! It's actually a big learning classroom (so to speak) that I am in right now ... it's crazy but it's awesome at the same time. I am learning so much and I am holding my Heavenly Father's hand the whole way. Some VERY interesting things have come up, I've been involved in a lot of new experiences, had some hard challenges on the way, and so much more. But it's all a learning process and also a character builder too.
In Christ, SLR

Appalachian Mountains and my bday :)

Ah, what a breath of fresh air this past week was (July 21-26)!! It was so amazing getting to spend time up in the Appalachian mountains. Just me and God, well sorta... my brothers and others were there, but most of the time it was just me with God. Having been at home playing "mom" and helping my family out non-stop for the last several weeks, it was so nice getting to have some alone time and time to have some awesome adventures. It was also amazing getting to see how awesome and loving and wonderful my creator and heavenly father is. Being up in the mountains, I think, catches just a glimpse into the majesty and hugeness of Him ... and it always leaves me breathless and wondering more about him. It was one of the best birthdays I can ever remember.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ~ And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. ><> SLR

I dare you to ask God to show you He's real

I want to see Him be real in my own life. I want my desire to serve and love other people to overflow on others so that they can see just HOW real Jesus is. I know He is real; He's the cringe I get or the uncomfortable moment when I'm in a place unsuitablefor me to bring Him, for He is always with me. He is the smile on a needy person's face when they've been helped. He's the heavy burden and tears of compassion I have for those who are hurting.

He's that feeling in my stomach, that stirring in my soul, that melting of my heart when I know I've seen a person or a circumstance through His eyes.

Although this God is REAL and ALIVE, I often chose to believe many lies that keep me from following and living for Him. I've believed that by missing time that should've been spent with Jesus and instead seeking after my own personal pleasures, that Jesus is angry with me. So why have that time the next day? My enemy likes me to believe that after I sin, there's no turning around or way out. I often believe after following my own ways instead of Jesus' that I am worthless and out of luck.

BUT...praise the God of the entire universe, who redeemed us from the curse of sin and wants us to realize that guilt is a glorious thing. Own it. Wear it. Be gutsy in it!
"Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Thought I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord's wrath, UNTIL he pleads my case and establishes my right. He WILL bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness." - Micah 7:8-9

Amazing Poem =)

You are the daughter of the King of Kings You too are special! Set your heart to live like a princess, a daughter of the King. You possess something to give the worlds that no one else has ever possessed before. God saw a need, and important need, that had to be filled. So he created you. He placed dreams within your heart which will be fulfilled when his plan for you is complete.

Love (...a post made by and borrowed from JAH)

(This is a post written by JA, It is wonderful and I think I need to share it with others. It is very true and gets me thinking about what (she/he) says here...)

Love
~~~~~~~~~

"If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth
But didn't love others,
I would only be making meaningless noise
Like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I had the gift of prophesy,
And if I knew all the mysteries of the future
And knew everything about everything,
But didn't love others,
What good would it be?
And if I had the gift of faith
So that I could speak to a mountain
And make it move,
Without love
I would be no good to anybody.
If I gave everything I have to the poor
And even sacrificed my body,
I could boast about it;
But if I didn't love others,
I would be of no value whatsoever.
Love is patient and kind.
Love is not jelous or boastful
Or proud or rude.
Love does not demand its own way.
Love is not irritable,
And it keeps no record
Of when it has been wronged.
It is never glad about injustice
But rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
Love never gives up,
Never loses faith,
Is always hopeful,
And endures through every circumstance.
Love will last forever..."

1 Corinthians 13:1-8


Love...I was thinking about it the other day, and I came to the conclusion that there really isn't a single definition for Love. Some might define Love as the feelings husbands and wives have for each other. Yes, I suppose it is, but aren’t the feelings parents have for their children also Love? Aren’t the feelings that brothers and sisters have for each other also Love? And the feelings that friends, or relatives have for each other? Isn't it all Love? Do you see what I mean when I say there is no single definition of it? The love a Mother has for her child is not the same as the love she has for her husband. The love a child has for his parent is not the same as the love he has for his sister. The love a person has for his friend is not the same he has for his enemy. Ah, yes, I did say enemy. I was thinking mostly about the love we, as Christians, should have for our enemies. It's so hard to love your enemies, but, as I learned from an elderly lady in my church, you don't have to like someone to love them. In other words, you can still love someone even if you don't like them. I find this very true in my case. I guess loving your enemies (and by enemies I mean those that are morally and spiritually wrong according to the Bible. I am not speaking yet of those that have wronged us by offending us in their manners or speech, thus making us resent them or be extremely annoyed with them) means having compassion towards them and praying for them to "see the light," if I may say it like that. I think to hate someone for what they believe (or what they don't believe) is only going to make them believe that what we (by "we" I mean Christians) say we believe in and what we actually do are quite opposites. We say we believe in God and follow the Bible, yet if we hate our enemies, what kind of message is the going to send across to them? By loving them with the Love God has given us, we can draw a step closer to conquering Hate. Now, about the other kind of enemies...those that we choose to make our enemies because of our dislike of their way of communicating or acting or speaking etc. I think it is just as important to love them too. You don't have to like them, but Love is, nevertheless, essential. If we caress and nurture a dislike for someone, we plant a seed of Hate. And if we allow it to grow, it will one day turn into a full-grown Hate. Aside from the Hate of Sin, Hate is never going to help anyone strengthen their relationship with God. Without Love, we cannot love God, and without God we are nothing.