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/

Hello, 2010!

I can’t believe 2009 is already gone. It seems like just a few months ago my big brother turned 18. I vividly remember the nervousness as I took my first CLEP test…the excitedness when I knew I had passed with a good score…my little brother's birthdays...the torture of wearing a wrist brace for 3 months (wow..was it really that long?) after spraining it during a heated game of soccer….good times with friends….funny experiences…fun family times…my birthday and my sister’s, a party and a camping trip…many nights of sewing costumes for a play…my new camera, now officially named Captain Nemo….my mom and dad’s birthdays…Thanksgiving….then the December busyness and Christmas. Now it is January 1, 2010. I’m a year older, so much different and wondering what 2010 will bring. There are so many things I never would have thought of happening. Like having 30 hours of college credit, for instance.

I’m realizing more and more that time FLIES. I don’t know how it happens, it’s mind-boggling. I know I can never understand eternity with earthly time making me feel so confused. Thankfully, God understands exactly what He’s doing. :)

I got out my unfinished journal from last year. This is a portion of the entry on January 1, 2009:

A new year has dawned, and with it, a new era in my life. An era of understanding, of living, of growing. One in which my faith rests in God alone. 2008 was a year in which I had many doubts, many struggles. Lord, you sustained me, and brought me through safely. Thank you.
Thank you for my sister, thank you for friends…..Show me who are true friends, whom I can trust to encourage me in Your ways…
We watched Pilgrim’s Progress tonight. I had read the book, but forgotten much. Pilgrim had many struggles….After all this, the prize- the words, “Well done, good, and faithful servant.” Lord, help me to be faithful in 2009 to you alone.

As I enter 2010, my prayer is much the same. To be faithful in the little things as well as the big things, because often that is so much harder. I’ve changed, grown, and learned much in the last year; God willing, I will learn and grow more in 2010.

So much happened last year in my life. I’m sure that just as much has occurred in everyone else’s lives. I have nothing profound to say, no sage words of advice. Just the prayer, that at the end of this year, we may all be able to say this:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Tim 4:7.

Hello, 2010!