The Secret of the Gospel

"The secret of the Gospel is that we do better when we realize that it's not about our doing better. Growth does not come by going out to find what we're missing, but by living in the reality of what we DO have. Because of Jesus, I have everything. Everything I long for in Christ, I already have."
~Tulian Tchividjan

stupid funny...

http://www.thedoghousediaries.com/?p=207

this is for bekah.

patterns

i love patterns. i love how crazy and fun they can be.

they make things seem layered and sophisticated.

this clutch/organizer by downstairsDesigns comes in lots of different patterns.

i love them all!

prepare yourself

ok, this is realllllllly funny.

and downright disturbing.

something to say - starfield

and faith might mean there won't be answers
and hope might mean enduring through the night
help me not forget in darkness

the things that i believed in light

why i love school.

[a growing list of quotes from my classes]

1. "...so don't be down on my peeps!"

"wait they're your peeps?"

"yeah, he was blowing up his peeps."

2. "dude your ancestor must have been ripped!"

3. "then way out, far in the distance, past the blistering desert sun... they saw... pete hermit!"

4. "i have two older brothers and they're both nerds."

5. mr. stogs - "oh my gracious! he's holding her phone! he's touching it! so cute!"

6. "oh my gosh you just drowned our fish!"

"wait oh! really? ooooooooh. hahahaa!!!"

"ummm. wait, did you just say you drowned your fish?"

"uhhh. yeah. i actually did."

"that's awful! oh no!"

"ummm. you can't drown fish."

"oh. right."

7. "mrs. ellis likes me. she's hugging me! she's BLESSING ME!!!"

8. "its not a brain. its a turtle butt!"

9. "oh my goodness, no way! i've always wanted to dissect a sponge!"

10. mr. stogs chanting: "huuummm. my father can beat your father in dominoes. huuum."

new.years.resolutions / things.to.do

[a list in progress.]

1. goals:

- think more. i want to spend all that time at night before i fall asleep mediating on God. i want to meditate on him randomly throughout the day. i want to remember him when i eat, sleep, breath, sing, read, write, live. he is so infinite and satisfying, and i want to go back to my first love.

- read more. for the first time ever, i want to read through the bible in a year. i've got my whole plan set up, and i'm SUPER excited!

- pray more. i just wrote up a plan that tells me what to pray for on different days, printed out in my Bible so I don't forget. so my mind doesn't just wander aimlessly.

- remember. i can't do any of these things without God's help. and he's always there by my side, hands filled with ready grace. this means that i don't have to fall into self-pity mode once i have failed on january 3rd. i am not perfect. God is good though! :)

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2. books to read:

- Tale of Two Cities by charles dickens

- another book by Gene Stratton-Porter

[ Freckles & The Keeper of the Bees ]

- something totally different. something happy.

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3. movies to watch:

- Inception [haha. check already. score!]

- a new, cute, funny chick-flick thats worth my time

- any suggestions???

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4. prepare for the future:

- learn more recipes

- application: cook once a week for mom

- supply my hope chest more

[ got some measuring utensils for christmas ]

[ ice cream scoop ]

5. misc.:

- keep taking all of my vitamins and supplements

- buy a new journal so i can keep writing

[ and check already with this one too! thanks rebekah! :) ]

- make sure that every week i have spent time with my siblings

- funny one now: be presentable at all times.

(my family is rather annoyed by the fact that i walk around the house all day in mom's old painting sweatpants, and one of dad's old baggy shirts. HA! i shall try to shed this habit that is so disgusting to them. :)

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