we can not lose

" ²⁰ I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹ For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²² If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³ I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; ²⁴ but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶ so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me."

~Philippians 1:20-26~

A litter from Paul and Timothy to the church at Philippi.

Thankfulness

"I thank God for this day,
For the sun in the sky,
For my mom and my dad,
For my piece of apple pie!

For our home on the ground,
For His love that's all around,
That's why I say thanks every day!

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart!
I'm glad for what I have,
Thats an easy way to start!

For the love that He shares,
'Cause He listens to my prayers,
That's why I say thanks every day!"



Many of you may have heard this song as a kid or because of your kids. But if we actually listen to the words they are quite great! We should thank God for all the things in life, even the little things!

*song by VeggieTales *photo by either me or my mom

Wordless Post

My Last Day of Freedom

Ok well not really. "my last day of freedom" was a bit of a stretch. 

 But it was my last day...

 of summer vacation. 

my life as an all time homeschooler

of just saying "no i dont go to school, im homeschooled"

Though im not going to school full time,

I am taking 2 classes. 

The most iv ever taken at a public school,

Now I have taken 1 before but it doesnt seem like it was at school cause it was a drama class.

And its not like iv never taken a class before, because i was in a "school" for homeschoolers for about 5 years.

But this feels totally different.

Maybe its cause its at the HS.

Maybe its because im taking a math class (i dont like math very much)

Maybe it because iv always just been homeschooled. 

Maybe if because im afraid i wont know anyone in my classes

or what people will think of me.

I not quite sure what it is, but im going to school :)

Well i better go and get some sleep for for my first day of school.

I'll leave you with this...

Gods Love Never Fails!

so even if no one likes me in my classes God will always love me!

ps i may or may not post a picture of my first day of school :)

My Story

I sit here. Dad and Mom are out to dinner with friends. Josiah and Sarah are reading. Elijahs playing a game. The radio is playing in the other room. And i sit here typing out a blog post. I dont know where this post is headed, but im ok with that. I could talk about how sad i am that summer is coming to a close or how school starts on wednesday. I could tell you all how excited yet worried i am about taking 2 classes at the high school this year. I could tell you all about our camping trips these last 2 weeks or how im going to miss some friends that are going off to college. 

But instead im going to ask this... do you ever wish something in your life didn't happen?  or why God would let this happen to you/your family? Cause i do. I ask God why he wont give my dad a job. And why does life have to be so hard sometimes?

 Sometimes i wish that life could be the same as it was for me 5 years ago. I was almost 11, had lots of friendships i thought would be life long, went to a school for homeschoolers, had 9 siblings, helped in kids church, and i didnt have a care in the world. But im not. Im here almost 16, have friendships i hope will be life long, start public school for the first time in 3 days, have 11 siblings, at a new church(sense april), and i have lots of cares in the world. Now dont get me wrong I wouldn't trade my family, church or friends for anything. But what it took to get here, its been hard. 

First we adopted,  i LOVE Sarah and Rachel dearly and wouldn't trade them for anything, but as any adoptive family can say its hard. 

Secondly we stopped going to the homeschool school, and with that i lost some friends i thought would be my "BFF's". Some i still talk to occasionally but we're not as close. 

Thirdly my Dad got a job as a pastor in the San Juan islands. Then we moved to the island for 8 months, but our house never sold so we had to move back. After 18 months of Dad going to the island on weekends(thursday-sunday/monday), our house never selling and it being really hard for us with him being gone most of the time he quite the job and "moved" back home. 

You now find me in January 2011, im 14 years old, at a new church, dont have many friends, my brother jeremiah is married and due to the fact that my dad hasnt been really living at home the last 8 months and now doesnt have a job, life is hard. The next few months life goes up and down, one day its really hard and the next we think we see the light at the end of the tunnel. My mom finds out shes pregnant, but then has a miscarriage. July comes around and both Josh and Cassie get married. School starts and life goes on. Im in the musical and then run track, making friends along the way. 

Spring break comes and goes and we find our selves at yet another new church, this one with a few people i already now. School ends and summer begins, all the while making new friends at church. July comes around, i go to Tennessee and Rachel moves to a boarding school of types for adopted kids that need more help then their families can give. (thus why there haven't been many pics of her this summer) 

I now find myself in the present, August 26th 2012.  The last 4 1/2 years have been hard. They have been filled with tears, broken relationships, loneliness, lost friends but also new friends, learning, new churches, marriages, changes and transitions, memories, lots of prayers, new ways of life, unemployment and hardships but also happiness. But even though all the sadness and all the happiness its been worth it. If they hadn't happened i wouldn't be the person i am today, I wouldn't have 2 amazing sisters that i love oh so much! I wouldn't have learned so much. I wouldn't have made the memories iv made or the friends iv made. 

So all though i sometimes think i would like it if the last 5 years hadn't happened because of how hard they have been, im oh soo glad they did! They have shaped me into the young lady i am today. 

Now that the kids are in bed, Dad and Mom are home and you all know the true me. Not the me that is always happy and just shows you pictures iv taken. Tell me about the true you. Whats your story? 

Do you have the courage... to tell the world?

Here we are another time. Another day. Another post. But what is it all for? 

Is it so we can have lots of followers? 

Is it so we get lots of comments? 

Is it because we have nothing else to do?

 Is it because we just like to write?

 Is it so we can share our photographs?

 Is it because we want to feel in with the crowd?

But most importantly is it a place where all the glory goes up to God?

Here on my blog. My little corner of the interwebs. I hope all the glory goes up to God. I hope that you all can see that I love and serve the creator of the universe. 

Some people think that one day they will be able to tell the whole world that "all the glory goes up to God". They are waiting for the day when the whole world is watching to say 

"I give all the glory to God!"

Gabby had the courage to say it.

She had the world watching. 

 She said what she believes. 

She gave all the glory to God.

Lolo Jones had the courage to say this after getting 4th in the 100m hurdles.

 She thanks the Lord in the midst of her pain.

She cries out for comfort and healing.

She tells the world she believes in the Lord Jesus.

Would you have the courage?

The courage to tell the world that you believe?

The courage to tell your town?

The courage to tell your school?

The courage to tell your friends?

The courage to write it on your blog? 

Im taking the step. 

To tell the world.

To tell my town.

To tell my school.

To write it on my blog.

I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I believe He created the universe.

I believe He is coming again.

I believe He has a purpose for each and everyones life. 

I believe He loves me and you like no one else could.

I believe He is Lord.

I believe we all should stand together and tell the world

Tell our towns.

Tell our schools.

Tell our readers.

Tell our friends.

That He is lord

That He does live today.

That he is coming back again.

That he loves US.

That he has a plan for US. 

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

-Jeremiah 29:11-

Dont wait till your in the olympics or your famous.

Cause really how many of us are acualy going to have the whole world watching?

But we do have people watching.

Our friends are watching.

Our school is watching.

Our readers are watching.

Our families are watching.

So lets tell them, the people who are watching.

That He is lord

That He does live today.

That He is coming back again.

That He loves them.

That He has a plan for them. 

He has a plan for you.

 A plan for me.

A plan for the world.

Will you join me in telling the world?

Our schools.

Our families.

Our readers.

Our friends.

Have the courage.

Take the step.

Write the post.

Tell the world.

* Gabby pictures/quotes via google

Freedom

Freedom 

Freedom: The condition or state of being free: political independence. Thats the dictionaries definition of the word freedom But is that all there is to it? Servitude, bondage, slavery thats what freedom is NOT, but what is freedom? Freedom is independence, privilege, liberty. Here in the US we have lots of freedom, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and many more. Freedom is not being in slavery, its being able to believe what you want, say what you want and just do what you want, in reason of course, you cant just go kill people of something like that, but anyway. As the constitution says we have the right to "life, LIBERTY (freedom) and the pursuit of happiness"

I wrote this for my writing book the other day and thought i would share it. I have been reading in history about the cival war. Did you know that Abraham Lincoln died April 15, 1865? Thats 147 years and 5 days ago. What do you think about freedom? 

President Abraham Lincoln

And here is a funny drawing of him that was in my history book...

(photos from google)

Well i hope you all have a GREAT day!!!

Pinterest/Tumblr Wisdom

So lately iv been going on pinterest, like all the time. And while on there i'v found some awesome quotes! Hope you like them!  

           

 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!