Christmas Recap

Memorable. Crazy. Randomly fun. Green. Family frenzied.

Musical. Cold-at the last minute.

Beautiful.

Hope yours was wonderful as well.

I recieved an email with a Christmas thought question: Why did Christ come as a baby? He ascended in an unusual way, and it would have made perfect sense for him to come in an unusual way as an adult. Why did He not come for his few years of ministry and then ascend a few years later? What was the point of the birth as a baby and then the silent years until his ministry began?

I don't know the reason. That may be a thing too high for us- we aren't supposed to know. But I know what He did.

He came as a baby to be born like we were.

He grew up like we did.

He walked the ground we walk on.

He was born under the law so that He could fulfill it- He is the only one that could.

He was tempted as we are, and overcame without sinning.

He felt the pain we do, and His pain like no other.

He cried the tears we cry, then cried tears of blood.

He was silent to teach us to speak.

He became sin, that we may become righteous.

He died the death of a sinner, so that we could live.

He loved us. Though we hated Him, He loved us. And He is The Way.

He came under the law to save us from it. Christ didn't have to become a Christian. He came so we could be Christ-followers.

And I stand in awe that He could love me. Me.

And I'm forever grateful.

Randomness, ect.

It's been awhile. Life happens.

I turned 17.

I got my driver's license.

My procrastination is 10 times worse.

I make faces with fruit snacks during math. Then take a picture. After all, it's math, right?

My family and another family went to a Civil War reenactment. We dressed up. :) My little brother was the cutest little guy there.

The guys died after the battle. Well, most of them.

We even made the paper.

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The longer between posts the harder posting is. Not really sure why.

I'm not going to promise updates any more-they may or may not happen.

My apologies to the 12 people I haven't emailed back in the last...well, little while. My philosophy for respondng to emails is:

1 line email- I'll probably respond within the day.

2 line email- I'll probably respond within two days.

3 line email- it may or may not take me a week.

More than that- call me. Otherwise you may have to wait a week or a matter of months.

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Because Christmas is almost close, I'm hosting a contest on my blog! It's the how-random-can-you-be-in-one-sentance contest. The winner will recieve a random prize. The only way to enter is to leave a random comment. No extra entries, sorry. This contest will close December 17th at 7:32 and 1/2 p.m.

Good night!

Your Hands

Thanks Ames.

Math must've gone to his head too...

"I know that two and two make four-and should be glad to prove it, too, if I could-though I must say if by any sort of process I could convert two and two into five it would give me much greater pleasure."
-Lord Byron

Chocolate, check. Candy corn, check. Dr Pepper...not.

I can't believe it's just Monday. It feels at least like Thursday or something. At least, my to do list normally isn't this long on a Monday. And I don't normally have 14 emails waiting for a response. Another photography assignment is due tomorrow. No worries, though, I have at least 13 more hours to come up with something. Why stopped and blurred motion? Wouldn't a sunset do if it were pretty enough?

Well, here it is for you to see, even if it won't be accepted for this week's assignment. Off to do the next thing!

Gun Control- being able to hold the gun steady...

...and hit the intended target.

Overheard conversation...

...between my 5 and 1/2 yr old brother and my mom.

(J) If you bees a mother, you cook!
(M) What kind of things does a mother cook?
(J) Oh, bread, tea, muffins and waffles and pancakes, chicken, dinner, lunch, and cake.
(M) what kind of things does a father cook?
(J) Eggs, toast, noodles, jelly on crackers, and hot dogs.

Of course, we teach people not to stereotype in our family.

An attempt at a 'real' post...

I've been told that busyness is a choice. However, I believe that busyness is simply relative. What one person thinks is busy isn't for someone else, and vise versa. I think I used to have a lot more stamina and people toleration that is now entirely evading me. And just when I think I have my schedule maxed out, something else pops up. Amazing how that happens, eh?

Anyhow, this post is for all 14 people who have told me to post recently. My deepest apologies for delaying a 'real' post (what is a real post? please tell me why pictures and quotes don't count, I'd like to know). I hope this will suffice.

This week was insane. I had a great deal of school to do. I also started an online photgraphy class. This will be fun. :)

Yesterday evening through a few minutes ago I was babysitting 3 girls in my neighborhood. It was exhausting but good. I arrived at 4ish. We watched part of a movie (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in case you were wondering), then decided to play dress up (inspired by the movie of course). I didn't have any dress up; that was unacceptable. So, we walked a mile an a half to my house to retrieve a dress for me to wear. Actually, I ran most of the way. The kids biked. A dress was found and approved, and another mile and a half later we were back at their house. During the course of the play time I went from being Queen Susan to being a servant girl, which was fine by me. We ate supper in dress up. After a musical and Toy Story 2, we went to bed. The secret to no arguments at bed time is to keep your kids awake until they drop. 10:45 ended up being late enough.

The next morning consisted of chocolate chip pancakes with cool whip, more dress up, an impromptu photoshoot, and playing in the rain. Lunch was a picnic on the porch, since it had been raining all morning. The ideal way to get to the porch ended up being opening a window from the living room onto the covered portion of the porch instead of running through the rain.

(the view from the living room to the porch picnic)

During rest time the girls finished a movie and I did the accumulated dishes from the entire time I was there. Then we painted fingernails.

Home now, I'm appreciating being able to go into my room and shut the door. I'm appreciating the knowledge that I'm not responsible for making the next meal. It was fun though, and I'd do it again...

Hopefully that rambling was enough of a 'real' post for now. Off to do multiple random other things...

Good night!

Summers' last day

"How strange this fear of death is! We are never frightened at a sunset!"

~George MacDonald

When thinking about the future is stressful...

He promises that His grace is sufficient for NOW. He won't give me tomorrow's grace today, or next week's grace tomorrow. He gives me grace for the moment I'm living in.

Sufficient for now.

I thought about updating...

Then I realized, I don't feel like it. So I'm not going to.

Life Stuff

In thinking about everything that's happened since the last time I've posted, a comedian line comes to mind. A guy is talking about life. The Christian life, to be specific. Christians are promised life more abundantly, which begs the question: what is life? Well, life is pain, hard work, joy, tears, ect. And the Christian gets this...more abundantly?? great.

Well, since the end of June I've taken and passed another CLEP, so I now have 42 hours. Other things on my schedule have included teaching piano and horseback riding lessons, helping a mom take care of her 5 kids (which happened to be 9 and under!), multiple random projects, math class, and a concussion. Well, the concussion wasn't exactly in my schedule. It just sorta happened. Last Friday actually. So now I've had the wonderful experience of a CT scan among other things. Who knew getting whacked in the head with a stick (ok, small log) could be so bad? My dear sweet brother even wrote a song about my headaches. I felt so special.

Slowing down is hard for me. I haven't been roller blading in almost a week! And I can't ride! Or do anything else 'strenuous.' I'm redefining strenuous to mean something like climbing Mt. Everest. All I have to do is make Mr. Webster and the doctor agree with me. Couldn't be too difficult, right?

Joking aside, I have been thinking alot. (What else can I do when I can't do anything else I want to do?) What am I doing that matters? What will count for eternity? Am I truly living abundantly?

'Til next time...

Be Still...

The Power of Stillness
Posted by jerrywhite on Jun 24, 2010

“It was a ‘still small voice’ or the ’sound of gentle stillness.’ Is there any note of music in all the chorus as mighty as the emphatic pause? Is there any word in all the Psalter more eloquent than the one word, Selah (Pause)? Is there anything more thrilling and awful than the hush that comes before the bursting of the tempest and the strange quiet that seems to fall upon all nature before some preternatural phenomenon or convulsion? Is there anything that can so touch our hearts as the power of stillness?

The sweetest blessing that Christ brings us is the Sabbath rest of soul, of which the Sabbath of creation was the type. There is, for the heart that will cease from itself, ‘the peace of God that passeth all understanding’; a quietness and confidence, which is the source of all strength; a sweet peace, ‘which nothing can offend.’ There is, in the deepest center of the believer’s soul a chamber of peace where God dwells, and where, if we will only enter in and hush every other sound, we can hear His ‘still voice’….

We cannot go through life strong and fresh on constant express trains, with ten minutes for lunch; but we must have quiet hours, secret places of the Most High, times of waiting upon the Lord, when we renew our strength, and learn to mount up on wings as eagles, and then come back to run and not be weary, and to walk and not faint.

The best thing about this stillness is that it gives God a chance to work. ‘He that is entered into His rest hath ceased from his own works, even as God did from His.’ When we cease from our works, God works in us; when we cease from our thoughts, God’s thoughts come into us; when we get still from our restless activities, ‘God worketh in us both to will and to do his good pleasure,’ and we have but to work it out.

Beloved! Let us take His stillness; let us dwell in ‘the secret place of the Most High’; let us enter into God and His eternal rest; let us silence the other sounds, and then we can hear ‘the still, small voice.’”

Dr. A. B. Simpson (1844-1919)

~~~Saints through the ages learned the necessity, privilege, and blessing of time alone with the Lord Jesus to sit at His feet in silence like Mary (Luke 10:39). We do well to learn from them what the Lord Jesus said was the good portion—the one thing necessary.

This post was so timely for me. I stuggle with being still, with being quiet enough to listen. I think many people do without realizing it. We are constantly caught up in noise, music, conversations, and thoughts. Not often do we get quiet, release busyness to sit at the Lord's feet and listen. But that's where God works. In the time that we're silent before Him, that's when He speaks.

The part that struck me the most, though, was this:

We cannot go through life strong and fresh on constant express trains, with ten minutes for lunch; but we must have quiet hours, secret places of the Most High, times of waiting upon the Lord, when we renew our strength, and learn to mount up on wings as eagles, and then come back to run and not be weary, and to walk and not faint.

So often, my life is like this. This afternoon I got home in time to shower and then grab my lunch as I ran out the door again. I forget to spend quiet in a secret place, with the only One my strength can come from.

This was very convicting, and a perfect reminder of what I need the most: to be still.

I would strongly encourage each of you to subscribe to http://www.adisciplesnotebook.com/ It's probably the most worthwhile reading in my google reader. :)

Midsummer-morning crisis

A dreadful thing happened. No, really. It's awful. I'm rather depressed, actually.

My snooze button on my alarm clock broke.

Stop laughing. This is a crisis. I don't know how I'm going to manage getting up at 5 tomorrow morning to leave our house by 6! This is summer! I sleep in until 6!

So now my alarm clock is practically useless. The "collection for a new alarm clock for Leah" fund is now open...

7:26am

Such are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless shall perish. His confidence is severed, and his trust is a spider's web. Job 8:13-14

7:25am

In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus...

I want to live like I'm alive

The moment after the sun sinks beyond the horizon when time seems to stand still…the methodical sound of hoof beats on asphalt…the feeling that I’m truly flying as I go over a jump. The moment I hold a newborn baby, and hear its mother tell me all about every detail of her precious blessing…the pain and heartbreak death brings, yet the hope of life to come. The adoring gaze of a newly married couple as they look into each other’s eyes, and the tears of the little bridesmaid trying so hard to be happy for her sister’s sake. The excitement of the graduate; the loneliness of the little sister who will be alone when the graduate leaves for college. The sweet, shared memories between sisters. The loss felt when I realize the moments I’ve missed, just by not stopping to give a hug or smile, a word of encouragement or a shared tear.

And yet Time goes on, unkind to the moments slipping away…unknown.

Does anyone realize what they miss by failing to live?

Does anyone realize what they miss by failing to truly love sacrificially?

Does anyone realize the value of friendship? The moment when there is a true need for comfort? The moment when TRUTH needs to be declared.

I know. I’ve been that person. Failing to live by passing by opportunities of a lifetime, presented in small ways to impact the people around me. Failing to love, to give up my will and time to benefit others and crushing them in the process. Failing to be a true friend. Failing to comfort by often not even realizing the need. Failing to speak truth when it is desperately needed.

Then there are those that know the value of each moment.

Those that have impacted me beyond what they could dream, simply by living a life dedicated to Christ. Those who have loved me at the risk of being hurt, rejected, and unappreciated. Those who have been true friends. Those who’ve comforted me. Those who’ve spoken truth, even when it hurt, even when I didn’t want to hear. Moments taken advantage of...used to the greatest potential imaginable.

This is what I want my life to be. I want to impact moments, making them into monuments. I want to love like Christ did. I want to be a true friend, willing to lay down my life for someone. Comforting and being sensitive to needs. One who speaks truth.

I want to live like I’m alive, because with Christ, I truly am.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me…Galatians 2:20

When dreams distract from diligence, remember....

"God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame." ~E.B.Browning

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. ~James 1:17

They just didn't listen. They still think the sole purpose of a window is to break it.

I'm serious. This time he managed to break the window with a tennis ball. Who would have thought? To Joshua's credit, he wasn't involved this time.

Many apologies for the lack of 'real' posts. I'm working on several projects right now and blogging hasn't been top priority. Perhaps that will change...perhaps not.

Till next time.

Pictures, the Son, so on and so forth...

I've been organizing pictures, and it's rather overwhelming. I just started working on 2009's pictures. So far I've deleted over 1,000 pictures. Deleting is so hard, though, because there will be pictures that are equally good but have different things that make them awesome and I want to keep ALL of them. Alas, I doubt my computer can acommodate all the pictures I would take...

Anyone have any photo organizational tips? ;)

Anyways, going through pictures, I realized that I'm really obsessed with the sun. Seriously, a rather large percent of my pictures are of the sun. Thinking about this, though, I need to be obsessed with the Son- the Son of God. I need to be looking at how different He is in the different angles of His personality and character. I need to be focused on His brightness, so I can reflect His image. I don't see how anyone can look at creation and not know the One who spoke, and created everything.

Here's a picture I took a few months ago, one of about 15 that took forever to narrow down to..

Forever in awe of HIS glory...

New additions, balls, and cuteness

We've had several new additions to our barnyard, as well as house. Four of our goats have kidded in the last month or so, and last Saturday we got a dog! So...

This is Girl. We haven't yet decided whether to re-name her or not... She is an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix. Very pretty and very high energy!

Girl has one blue eye and one brown eye. And she's obsessed with balls. This is Bunny. He was born on Easter morning, hence the name. My dad came in that morning and said he was a girl. When I went out later, in daylight, I saw that the girl was actually a boy...

And here I am holding Ricecake. Yes, my 5 year old brother named the kids this year.

(Oh, and my mom took this picture, obviously I didn't :).)

There are 3 more that I have yet to take pictures of...perhaps I'll post more pictures of the other kids later.

I'm sleepy.

Though the night is long...

God, you bring the sunrise.

From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the name of the LORD shall be praised. Psalm 113:3

Just for, like, your information and stuff, you should like, totally watch this, you know?

Voiceless

I've lost my voice. Several things combined caused this, but at any rate, it's gone. And it's not funny, though my family seems to think so. It's been quite interesting for me, though, to see how much I really don't need to respond to during the course of a day. And I haven't had any conflicts. The things I always though I needed to respond to really aren't worth it. But, I'm pretty sure I could have learned that without losing my voice. So maybe it'll be back soon???

My marathon week is over. I think for the first time in several weeks I've actually been able to stay home for an entire day! so exciting. What isn't exciting is that I started seiously studying for the American Government CLEP. Not fun. I read 64 pages before it put me to sleep, and I'll probably have to re-read the last 4 or so...depending on when I mentally checked out of what I was reading. It is so hard to read for a long time and not zone out. I can even be reading out loud and not be paying attention to what I'm saying. I can also read upside down and backwards just as well as normal reading. No, I don't study like that...just saying.

Until the next post..

Windows aren't for breaking, actually

No, I'm not a vandal. I promise. There's actually a rather simple equation for the picture you're about to see.

Brothers + hard baseball + fact that they were in front of a window playing + inexperience on the part of the younger brother = broken window.

See, it makes perfect sense. A nice, base-ballish type hole. (I was entirely uninvolved.)

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I must apologize, my dear readers (if indeed you actually read my blog), for the lack of readable material of late. It's not for lack of ideas. I have tons of them. It's simply for lack of time. I have several posts in the works...I just can't manage to finish them to post them. I will try to remedy that...soon... After being gone tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday all day doing many random things. I know I should say no to things sometimes, but I couldn't resist saying yes to helping with wedding photography!!! Should be interesting...

My 'to do' list is calling me.

I'm stealing Mary Poppins' identity

Sitting at lunch listening to a seven year old describe the first 10 minutes of Mary Poppins in about 15 minutes was getting a bit exasperating. So I started saying more than 'mmmhmm' and 'that's nice.'

Did you know that I have a talking umbrella?
"No you don't!"
I have a carpet bag too.
"I don't believe you." (Muttered under breath, boys!)
Ok, well, I just won't show you!
"Wait-I guess I believe you!! But I'll have to think about it...."

I was able to finally have a conversation with the people I thought I was going to talk to when I sat down, while he thought. Actually, I think he's still thinking. Now I just have to produce an umbrella...

Not for the Uncommitted

The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.
~G.K. Chesterton

it's amazing how some things that are very wordy can say less of anything than something else that has less words

It’s been a long week. Insanely busy, random, but good. Exhausting, though. I’m so grateful at the end of weeks like these that I’m not in life relying on my own strength, because I couldn’t make it. I’m constantly reminded that without Christ I am nothing. Nothing. I don’t think people understand the concept of nothingness. I don’t myself. But, in reality, we are dust. What an amazing thought that God loved me, a sinful, disobedient sinner, enough to die for me even while I was totally against Him. (If you’re not for Him, you’re against Him…) I’m floored even thinking about it. Wow.

It’s actually been rather springy and sunny this week, compared to the last few months. I love the sun…this is my desktop background right now. My mom’s roses from Valentine ’s Day, and the sun…light and happy. And entirely unedited.

Really quick, just so y’all know, any picture I post on either of my blogs I have taken and belongs to me unless I’ve stated otherwise. I’ll be putting something up on the side bar soon…just haven’t gotten around to it.
Also, I’ve recently been accused several times of being a photographer of sorts just to avoid being in pictures. That is entirely inaccurate, and here’s a picture of me to prove it. :)

Ok, yes, that is cheesy. I do indeed take pictures of myself in Target with my camera balanced on a shelf and using a remote, in case you ever wondered. Here’s a slightly better one…and not in Target.

And, to answer the accusation that I only post good pictures, here is a bad picture of myself to prove you wrong.


Ok, so it’s not terrible. I have some really good bad pictures, but I’ll save those for another post. ;)

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I don’t even know how many pieces of lined paper I’ve used up in the last few weeks for ‘to do’ lists. I’m thinking about just using the note pad on the computer. But then, I can’t scratch the things off…hmm…I’ll have to think on it some more. Suggestions are welcome. :)
For today though…


Things Leah guarantees:
-pictures from yesterday’s photoshoot downloaded
-at least 4 cups of peppermint tea
-my clothes washed
-many interruptions in my agenda
-a clean house
-some food item burnt
-my shower

Things Leah does NOT guarantee:
-a clean room
-pictures edited
-clothes put away
-makeup
-my 'to do' list finished
-math homework
-your shower


Have a great day!

i get 5 pieces of candy now!!!

It's Jared's birthday...and he gets a raise with dessert. :) I can't believe he's already five, time flies! Here's some pictures from the last year.

Like a true Texan...sleeps with his gun. Ok, fine, pop gun.

I love his face here. He knows he's been caught with a cookie and my violin. :)

Happy birthday buddy!

Happy Valentine's Day

Isn't God cool?

His love, even in the small things like a heart cloud, amazes me.

(I took this picture, btw.)

Here's a funny quote. :)

"...We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love..." ~Author Unknown

And a very true one...
One cannot love God, except at the cost of oneself. ~ Mother Teresa

(I apologize for not having posted in awhile. Life has been hectic...between studying for another test, my mom's lasix surgery, my horse's hoof injury, and multiple other things, there's barely been time for sleep. :)

To all the people who are waiting for an email from me, I'll try and do that sometime this week...)

Have a great day!

A fanatic...

...is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.
-Sir Winston Churchill

1 Chronicles 16:8-9

O give thanks unto the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples.
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; speak of all His wonders.

the exactness of the order got lost somewhere....

Dad's instruction: "Get all the boots and find the matches for them."
8yro brother: went and found the matches (like, the ones you light fires with) and put the match box on top of the full boot bucket.

Can you say Amelia Bedelia?

Happy 19th Birthday Joshy!

To my bestest big brother:

You've always been pretty cool.

And so sweet to my when I was a baby! (and still, btw)

Always dressed for the occasion

Such a geek

Always up for a song or two.

And a nap wherever you end up.

You still think you can fly...

Band Leader

Willing to give a lift..

 

Or to help out in whatever way necessary...

 

To call the shots...

Or just hang out.

And goof off...

There were so many more pictures I wanted to post, but I'll stop with one from your graduation last May.

Love you big brother and all the best!!!

PS. If yall haven't said happy birthday to him yet, you can comment on his blog: http://www.passiondefined.blogspot.com/