Ranting, ranting..

So, as you (even though "you" are imaginary) know, I am a huge classic movie buff.
Which means it is taking alot for me to say this...
Which also means you should be able to have some sort of concept of how much this bugs me.

Marilyn Monroe.

Sure, she was pretty, and she made a couple of movies that I like.
But, for the most part, I think it is kind of pathetic when people cite her as a role model.
She was immoral, uneducated, cursed like a sailor, etc.
And especially when people quote this little ditty:
"You're the beautiful one, it's society who's ugly."

Yeah..Says the woman who changed her entire appearance to gain acceptance and get jobs in the fake world of Hollywood.

And you really want to cite somebody like that as your role model?
You really want to be like that?

I just don't understand why everyone everywhere goes so nuts over someone like Marilyn Monroe, when there are so many even more amazing (by a long shot) people out there who can be celebrated and who would make fore much, much better role models.

Why not celebrate someone like Katharine Hepburn?

Now there is a beautiful woman who didn't change so much as her name for Hollywood, and still made it big.
And not only that, but she was extremely intelligent, professional, and funny.

There are others, too.
I don't know why this bothers me so much, but it does. I mean, I know nobody is perfect, but I just look at who people choose to idolize, and most of the time it's pretty sad and pathetic.
And it's still like that today. Actually, maybe even more so than it used to be. I guess it's just a classic commentary on our society and the things we choose to pay homage to, but I think it's pretty ridiculous.

And if I ever decide to cite someone like Lady Gaga, the Kardashians, who knows who else, or even Marilyn Monroe as my role model....

Somebody please slap me.

A little thing called trust..

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6

How great are these verses?
They are so small, yet hold so much knowledge that we can take and apply to our lives. They're so brief, but they hold such a wonderful promise.

Even for non-Christians, for people all over the world, one of the things we worry the most about is the fact that we don't know.  We don't know what decisions to make sometimes, we don't know where life is headed for us, we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, we don't always know what the outcome of our choices will be, etc. That makes us feel like we don't have complete control (which we don't), and therefore, as beings that were created with free will, we don't like that.  We feel like we have to have all of the answers in order to have things go perfectly according to our standards.

But we don't.

God has all of the answers to everything that we will ever need or want to know. And He might not reveal those answers to us when we want them, but the point is that He knows all. He knows what the right decision is, where our lives are headed, what is going to happen tomorrow, what the consequences of our decisions will be, etc. Sometimes I think that's kind of difficult for us to wrap our heads around--and not because it's a hard or complex idea, but because it is so unbelievably simple that we overthink it.

Not only does He hold all the knowledge and all of the answers, but He wants to help us use that  knowledge and apply it to our lives. And all we have to do is trust Him. That's all He asks--all He ever asks of us. If we ask for His guidance, and simply trust that He will give it, then He will.

Another great thing is that, while this is great to remember in times of a crisis, it's not just for huge and major life decisions. God is the ruler of all things, including our hearts, and He cares about the little things that trouble us. Whether you're worried about passing a test, going to a job interview, a fight you had with your best friend, getting financial aid, whatever it may be, He cares about it. And if you're worried about anything, anything at all, all He asks is that you be willing to put your troubles in His care, that you ask for His help, and He'll give it.

Pretty amazing, as always.

"May the odds be ever in your favor."

So, I had a pretty great weekend, even though it went by so dang fast.
I went over and helped a friend paint her dining room on Saturday, and then after we were finished with that, we went to the movies to watch this little gem...

And, I know nobody probably cares, but I am going to give my own review on it.
First of all, I should probably clarify that I have not read the books yet. I still really want to, and typically I would've read them first, but I was persuaded to see the movie anyways.

It was a really interesting plot line. And while I'm saying that, I'll also address the whole idea that people think it's "just like Twilight, only better." Uh...no.That was nothing like Twilight, at all.

I do have to admit, though, that it was really sad in more than one way.
While the plotline was interesting, I was surprised by how violent it was. And it would've been violent anyways, but especially since everything centered around kids...survival of the fittest between kids who are encouraged to kill eachother--that is pretty intense.

And you also can't get around the setting of the story. From what I gathered, it's basically a fallen North America with a really depressing history of rebellion against the government. And I already know that in the next two books there are plots to take down government leaders in a revolution.

As a Christian, I just can't think about the darkness of the plotline in those ways without having these verses come to mind:

"Now Cain said to his brother Abel, 'Let's go out to the field.' While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, 'Where is your brother Abel?' Cain replied, 'I don't know. Am I my brother's keeper?' The Lord said, 'What have you done?Listen!Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground..."

Genesis 4:8-10

Now, I know that it's just a movie, and it's just a story. But just think of something so dark like that--children killing other children and other people watching it for enjoyment. Think of the massive amounts of blood that are spilled that cry out to God from the ground. It's just pretty depressing when you think about it, even with the knowledge that it's just a story. Because murder isn't just a story--it is unfortunately very real.

And the other verse it makes me think of is:

"Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against that which God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgement on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment, but also as a matter of conscience."

Romans 13:1-5

I'm not saying rulers do everything right, but regardless of that, they are placed in their position of authority by God for a specific reason, and we are not to rebel or rise up against them unless they command something ungodly of us.

Anyways, like I said before, these are just rambling thoughts of mine. I am aware of the fact that it's just a story. I promise. And I won't try to deny that it was very interesting, and that I still definitely want to read the books. Just something to maybe meditate on as a Christian while you read the books.

The wheels on the bandwagon go round and round..

Okay, if you don't already know this about me, then it's about time you learned.

I am a Wyomingite by birth, still loyal 100%, and as most of the country has probably noticed, Wyoming has no professional sports teams. None. So, as a general rule, the true Wyomingite cheers for all of the Colorado teams.

Therefore, I am a Broncos fan, through and through.

Now, in case you haven't heard the news, Peyton Manning is officially going to come to the bright side of life and be a Bronco.
I have nothing against Manning, cause I can't deny that he is a good player and seems to be a decent enough guy off the field.
But I do have major beef with bandwagon fans. You find them in every sport, and they're pathetic no matter what team they're a "fan" of at the time, but when they start coming in droves to the Broncos side, I can't handle it.

It's like Tim Tebow all over again. I never hated Tim Tebow, but I was never on his little bandwagon--I was a Broncos fan anyways by the time he came. But once he did, a multitude of people were overnight Broncos fans, just because of him. Now that there's a chance he either won't get as much play time, or else might even get traded, they're all going to leave. And that's fine with me, overall, because if they're not real Broncos fans then they don't need to be here. But it's still infuriating because it just proves my point.

And I would be willing to bet any money I had (too bad I have none) that it's going to happen all over again with Manning now becoming a Bronco. There's going to be a fresh onslaught of overnight Broncos fans who just decided they are fans of the team just because of Manning, and I.can't.stand.it. I've already been seeing posts all over facebook and other places on the internet saying things like, "I wasn't expecting that from Peyton Manning, but oh well..Guess I'm a Broncos fan now!"

No.Go away. Us true Broncos fans do not want you here.

What people need to realize is that you can remain a supportive fan of a single player without having to transfer your so-called "loyalty" to whichever team he may be playing on at the time. It is possible, believe me. I'm a huge Drew Brees fan--he is a phenomenal player, and he always presents himself as a good and respectable man off the field, too. But I'm not a Saints fan just because Drew Brees is on the team!I'm still a Broncos fan--just a Broncos fan.

Seriously, people, if you want to be a fan of Peyton Manning, go right ahead. I don't have a problem with that. But figure out which singular NFL team you are really a die-hard fan for, and then be a fan of that through thick and thin, and just support Manning as a person and leave us Broncos fans to cheer on our boys in peace.

In regard to bandwagons, take a page out of Captain Jack Sparrow's book:

"I love those [bandwagons].I like to wave at them as they pass by."

But please don't ever jump on them.

Bed, bed, I couldn't go to bed...

"Bed, bed, I couldn't go to bed.

 My head's too light to try to set it down.

 Sleep, sleep, I couldn't sleep tonight,

 Not for all the jewels in the crown.

 I could've danced all night,

 I could've danced all night,

 And still have begged for more.

 I could have spread my wings and done a thousand things

 I've never done before.

 I'll never know what made it so exciting.

 Why, all at once my heart took flight.

 I only know when he began to dance with me

 I could've danced, danced, danced all night."

Just because I had a wonderful evening, and that's about how I feel right now :)

Summer, please hurry...

Today is the last day of my spring break, and then it's back to my regular schedule on Monday.
The idea of that is kind of depressing, I won't lie, but at the same time, that means that I am officially halfway done with second semester, and only have 7 weeks left until summer vacation. :)

And if that's not exciting, I don't know what is.

I don't think I have ever been so excited to be on summer break in my life.
I mean, of course I've always loved summer vacation, but...
When I was in elementary school, I took it for granted and really paid no attention to it.
When I was in middle school/jr. high, it was pretty much the same.
When I was in high school, I believed I had a full appreciation of how wonderful it is.

But, honestly, college is a whole other game. It's really hard work, way more so than high school, and I can't wait to take a break from it. Can't wait for sunshine, warm weather, outdoor activities, picnics,4th of July, tanning, the beach... :D

Unfortunately, there are a couple of things I need to get through before I can go into total sloth mode.
Obviously, the first thing is the next 7 weeks of school.
Then, the next order of business is to get over this horrible cold I have somehow been infected with. And, while I'm on the subject, just allow me to stress how terrible it is to be this sick while you're on spring break.
Last but not least, salad, salad and more salad!
I'm a fairly healthy eater to begin with, and I'm not obsessed with fitness or anything.
But it has been a long winter, and I've been sick/fairly inactive for the last part of it. Plus I am going to the beach this summer, so it's time to get my act together.

Summer, here I come (but it'd be nice if you'd meet me halfway, so that the time goes a little faster)!

Let go and unfold

Not that I don't get feelings like this everyday, but today I am completely overwhelmed with the knowledge of how freaking awesome and amazing my God is!

There is nothing He can't do! He is the creator of everything around us, from nature and our immortal souls, to our very free will.

That's right, He even created the right to make our own decisions, knowing that we might not choose Him. But He always hopes and prays that we will, and He is constantly searching for us, so that He might gain our trust, and we might then give Him our hearts.

And let me tell you from personal experience, there is absolutely nothing that will ever compare to the beauty, peace, purpose, and happiness that we gain by giving our hearts to Him, and letting Him be the King of our lives.

Even though God made us with free will, we were still created by Him, so everything in our being naturally gravitates towards what He has to offer. Everyone searches for something in their life--something that will give them the true peace that every immortal soul longs for. You've probably seen people who jump from lifestyle to lifestyle, all because they're on a desperate seach for that peace, but nothing can supply it but God. When you finally discover that, and let Him touch your heart, it will seem like the most natural thing in the world!

"..and what was said to the rose to make it unfold was said to me, here in my chest..."

Everytime I hear this song, it just makes me excited. It's upbeat and fun, but it's also true, and beautiful, because it speaks about all of these things.
It just makes me want to jump around and sing it at the top of my lungs!

Philippians 1:21

"For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Isaiah 12:2

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation."

Matthew 11:28-30

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Romans 8:6

"For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace."

Happy Birthday

I would imagine that everyone has somebody in their life who they love, and respect more than anything--someone who has influenced them more than anyone or anything else. It doesn't even have to be someone you are related to.
But for me it is.

If I had to choose one person who has influenced my life more than they could ever know; one person who I have loved more than anyone, it would probably be my grandpa.
His name was Victor Walter, and he was an outstanding man of God throughout his life, and influenced many people with his wisdom.
Besides his wisdom and loving actions towards others, he was incredibly loving and gentle to us--his family. He was the first father figure I had when I was gowing up, and I have countless beautiful memories of growing up and having him around, and a part of my life for so many years. He was funny, and sensitive, loving, kind, faithful. He helped instill so many important values in my life. He baptised me when I was eight years old, and went beyond preaching to me from the pulpit every Sunday, to lovingly teaching me in everyday life.

He was such a caring person--never turned anyone away, seemed to be infinitely patient, and had a genuine heart of gold for people and their troubles. Actually, I guess you could say that he had a true understanding of what I was talking about in my previous post about how everyone has an immortal soul. He was the best example of demonstrating Christ's love towards others that I can think of.

My grandpa was the pastor of the church that I grew up in. I have recently moved back to the area where I spent a lot of my childhood, in order to go to college, and I have started going to the church, again. A lot has changed, to be sure. Many people that I knew as a child have left and gone elsewhere, but there are still quite a few families who have remained faithful to this church, and who remember my grandpa. I get people who come up to me all of the time and tell me how amazing, loving, wise, or in today's case, "awesome" he was. Being ever-so-humble, as he was, my grandpa would have just said something along the lines of, "That's what you get when you stand in the shadow of a fat man." But I never get tired of hearing so many good and wonderful things about him. I'm so proud to be his granddaughter, and to be a living piece of him.

I knew him as a child; as my grandpa, my father figure. I have nothing but respect for him as a pastor, and all of the work he did throughout his life, but most of that respect has come over the years after I lost him--as I have grown up and been able to look back at him and memories I have of him with new eyes. There are times now, as I enter adulthood, that I wish he were still around so that I could have long talks with him and experience his wisdom and passion for God on a new and different level, like many others had the opportunity to do.

If you haven't guessed, I lost my grandpa several years ago.
I love him so much still, and all of the memories I have of him, happy as they may be, make days like today a little hard.
Today would have been his 81st birthday. And while I wish I could share it with him, I know that I will share even more special times someday in heaven--I have that promise through my Savior, who I know held my grandpa in His open arms when he passed.

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that, when Jesus returns, God will bring back with Him all of the believers who have gone before us."

I Thessalonians 4:13-14

And with that, I leave you with his favorite song, in honor of his birthday:

Happy Birthday, Grandpa.

Here we go..

FINALLY

It is officially Spring Break!Partayyy!!

Nevermind the fact that my "partay" consists of me sitting alone in my dorm for half the week...it's still a relaxing break from classes and homework. Besides, I really don't mind it much. I've always been enough of a home-body that I'm perfectly fine with staying in, reading a good book and/or watching movies to my heart's content. I've already got several enjoyable things lined up for myself.
I've been reading Little Women, so I want to finish that and then start on Queen of Fashion.
I've already watched Tangled twice but let's be honest, I'll probably watch it again.
I want to have an Audrey Hepburn day and watch Sabrina and Roman Holiday.
I want to finish watching Anne Frank: The Whole Story.
And we'll see what else calls my name...

And hopefully, if all goes according to plan, I won't be alone for the entire week. My one roommate, Lesley, is housesitting for her cousin til Thursday, so after that Meghan and I are hopefully going to stay at her house for the rest of the week, and get a tattoo at some point in time.

Not only is this super exciting because it's my first tattoo ever, but it's also exciting because it's going to hopefully look a little something like this:

It might seem a little dumb to some people but I really don't care.It's special because it's gonna be mine and Meghan's first tattoo, and we're all getting it together.And it's significant to us because we always joke about making pinky promises all of the time.

So, yeah, that is what my Spring Break looks like. I'm not going to go to the beach or do anything super exciting, but I'm still having fun...in my own way.

On a completely random side note, I want sushi.

Somewhat of a postscript..

Just proof that I need salvation more than anyone, and that I have to constantly work on my relationship with my awesome God...

I posted the previous entry earlier this morning and realized, of course, that I am not doing all I can to be an example of Christ to others, and not just with love, but also with His spirit of forgiveness.

Now I'm trying to make it right, and I pray with all my heart that it works out, but even if it doesn't work out the way I want it to, I can hold fast and stand firm in the promise that my God will bless me for trying to live according to His standards...

"I've been living in this house, here,

 Since the day that I was born

 These walls have seen me happy

 But most of all they've seen me torn.

 They've heard the screaming matches

 That made a family fall apart.

 They've had a front row seat

 To the breaking of my heart.

 7 times 70 times,

 I'll do what it takes to make it right.

 I thought the pain was here to stay,

 But forgiveness made a way.

 7 times 70 times,

 There's healing in the air tonight.

 I'm reaching up to pull it down,

 Gonna wrap it all around.

 I remember running down the hallway,

 Playing hide and seek.

 I didn't know that I was searching

 For someone to notice me.

 I felt alone and undiscovered,

 And old enough to understand,

 Just when I'm supposed to be learning to love

 You let me down again.

 7 times 70 times,

 I'll do what it takes to make it right.

 I thought the pain was here to stay,

 But forgiveness made a way.

 7 times 70 times

 There's healing in the air tonight.

 I'm reaching up to pull it down,

 Gonna wrap it all around.

 I lost count of the ways you let me down.

 But no matter how many times you weren't around,

 I'm alright now.

 God picked up my heart and helped me through

 And shined a light on the one thing left to do,

 And that's forgive you.

 I forgive you.

 7 times 70 times,

 If that's the cost, I'll pay the price.

 7 times 70 times,

 I'll do what it takes to make it right.

 I thought the pain was here to stay,

 But forgiveness made a way.

 7 times 70 times,

 There's healing in the air tonight.

 I'm reaching up to pull it down,

 Gonna wrap it all around.

 I've been living in this house, here,

 Since the day that I was born..."

Reality check

On Wednesday nights, I meet with a small group from my church and we have Bible study.  We do various different studies, and this last Wednesday we just  finished The Truth Project. It's an excellent study, and there are lots of things that get you thinking from week to week, but the last segment that finished out the series was pretty powerful.

It touched on a lot of things, but the number one thing it discussed was a sense of community in Christ--loving others and reaching out to them, because that is what God has commanded of us.

There was one thing that stuck out to me more than any other. Dr. Del Tackett, when reminding us of how important it is that we display the love of Christ to those we come in contact with, used this quote:

"It is a serious thing to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or esle a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, we are helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all love, all play, all politics.

There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal."

-C.S. Lewis

After he spoke about this, he followed it up with this video (link), and I beg you to watch it:
The Truth Project: Flash's Story

Pair that quote, with something like Flash's story (or anyone's story, really), and is it not powerful?
Listen to everything Flash has to say about his life, about the people he has come in contact with, how they have influenced him (especially Christians), and then think of how all of that has influenced his immortal soul.
And let me tell you something: no matter if a person's immortal soul is a horror or a heavenly treasure, it is a beautiful, intricate, precious thing to God, who created it. He doesn't give up on the troubled immortal souls, and neither should we.
Is this not what God has called us to do in the first place? We should be so busy demonstrating His love in everything we do, to everyone we come in contact with. We shouldn't even need a video to remind us of the importance of the task He has given us. We should always be prepared because we should always hold the knowledge that this is what He has asked of us.

Think about all the people in your life. Not just the "important" ones, but everyone. Every single one of them was created with an immortal soul. Every single one of them is going to spend eternity somewhere--either in heaven or in hell, there is no grey area in between. What do their immortal souls look like, do you think?
Now think about yourself, and all the interactions you have with these people. Think of all the opportunities you have had in the time that you have known them to influence their immortal souls, so that they might spend that eternity with you in heaven. Think about the fact that you have no promise that you will see any of them again tomorrow, thereby not having another chance to influence their immortal souls.

What are you waiting for?

One day, someday soon...

I am in love....with a dress.

This really is the most perfect wedding dress I have ever seen. For myself, anyways.
It's so graceful, and simple, but it's still got a little shimmer to it. And, like almost every little girl ever, I have basically been planning my wedding my entire life, and this would fit in so perfectly, it's like it was made for me.

Sigh.

I don't want to get ahead of myself, here. I'm still so young, and especially when I see how many people my age (or younger) are rushing into marriage, it makes me want to wait.But I can't deny that I am such a cheesy, hopeless romantic by nature that I can't wait to fall in love with the man God created for me and get married.
I mean, could it be any more perfect than that? :)
But at the same time, I am an extremely impatient person and I have to keep reminding myself that things will be so much more beautiful if they happen in God's timing rather than my own.  Which is really the case in all parts of life.

Just have to take it one day at a time, I guess, and keep on prayin' for patience. But finding things like this ^^^ on Pinterest, doesn't really help with the whole patience thing.

Romans 12:12

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

"The times we find ourselves having to wait on others may be the perfect opportunites to train ourselves to wait on the Lord."

-Joni Eareckson Tada

"Timing is so important!If you are going to be successful in dance, you must be able to respond to rhythm and timing. It's the same in the Spirit.People who don't understand God's timing can become spiritually spastic, trying to make the right things happen at the wrong time. They don't get His rhythm--and everyone can tell they are out of step. They birth things prematurely, threatening the very lives of their God-given dreams."

-T.D. Jakes

Props

There has been a lot of heat directed towards Kirk Cameron since his interview on CNN when he said that homosexuality was "unnatural," among other things.
If you have not seen the interview, here it is:

I have to say that when I watched that, there were two things running through my mind:
1) I was impressed at how eloquently he stated his beliefs.  When you are a Christian, and the majority of the world is waiting for you to mess up, or just looking for something to pick at so that they can try and tear you down, that is a lot of pressure. Everyone knows that, and by putting someone like Kirk Cameron, who is so vocal about his beliefs, on the spot like that with questions like those, you can't tell me that they weren't trying to set him up for failure.  You can see, if you watch the video, that there are a couple moments where he hesitated, but he still stated his beliefs, and you can tell that he tried to do so in a way that was fair to society and those who might be insulted by what he had to say, while still staying true to his faith. And I think he managed to do that, which is pretty impressive.
2) I was angry. And contrary to the majority, I was not angry at Kirk.

Even if you are not a Christian and you don't believe the way he does, you should be able to respect the fact that he was willing to stand up for his beliefs, despite the knowledge that it would come back to bite him.
Everyone was automatically so up-in-arms about what he said, and I do not understand why.
Did he sit there and say, "YES.I think homosexuality is a sin, and anyone who practices it is a horrible person, and they are going straight to hell, and I hate every single one of them"?
No.
Instead he took the approach where he basically said, "This is what I believe, and just as you might believe something different, I am going to stand up for it.You asked me what I thought and what I would do, so here is my answer."
He did not give a hate speech, he simply stated his opinions. And I read an article online earlier today where he later stated, "I should be able to express moral views on social issues, especially those that have been the underpinning of Western civilization for 2,000 years, without being slandered, accused of hate speech, and told from those who preach 'tolerance' that I need to either bend my beliefs to their moral standards, or be silent when I'm in the public square."
I must say that I agree with that statement wholeheartedly.  He has the right to state his opinions just as anybody else does, and it is not fair to try and take that right away from him, just because you don't agree with what he is saying. It's called "agreeing-to-disagree," and by not willing to do that, you are just making yourself look like you are afraid of what he has to say because you know that it's wrong. People who make hate speeches towards him because of what he said, are immature and are just as guilty as they make him out to be.

I'm sure, if I actually had anyone who reads my blog, there would be people who would think, "Of course you believe what he says and side with him. You are a Christian."
Dang right, I do.
I'm sure there would also be people that would make the age-old assumption that becaue I am a Christian, I am homophobic.
Wrong.
I have friends who are gay, and I love them just as much as I love my straight friends.  And before you try and condemn me for that, and try to say that that's not possible because what I believe doesn't allow that, you should think again. I am not for the practice of homosexuality. How can I be when my God and the Bible tell me that it is wrong? But I was also raised on the Biblical idea that you "hate the sin, but love the person." That is possible.

And I would stand up for Kirk Cameron out of respect for what he said in the position that he was in, and I would stand beside him and anyone else who said things like that because I believe in them and the truth that they speak.

So, Kirk Cameron, I give you props, good sir. You deserve them.

And with all of that,
Adieu

Brush,and brush,and brush,and BRUSH my hair..

May I just even try to express how much I love this movie?
I've seen it several times, and each time I do, I rediscover my love for it.
Earlier this last week, my roommates and I took a late night trip to Walmart just so we could buy this movie and watch it.
It is just that precious.

I mean, I love Disney movies anyways, but here's one Disney princess they hadn't really focused on yet.They did Ariel, Belle, Mulan, Aurora, etc., and did sequels for most of them.  But they hadn't ever touched Rapunzel, which is sad, because I feel like there are a lot of little girls (myself included :) who can relate to her.

Don't get me wrong, just about every Disney princess has something about them that little girls can relate to, personality-wise, but for the most part, they are just what little girls want to be.
But this?

This is me, all over, times two, and backwards (obviously besides the whole long-lost-princess thing).
Disney is finally giving me, and other little girls like me, a princess who is weird, crazy, fun, goes barefoot, and sings and all that other jazz.

Plus, you get him:

And he's just a precious bundle of sarcasm. What's not to love?

So, with all of that being said, I leave you with these....
And yes, you betcha I am singing along, word for word:

Beloved...

"My true love hath my heart, and I have his,

 By just exchange, one for the other giv'n.

 I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss;

 There never was a better bargain driv'n.

 His heart in me keeps me and him in one,

 My heart in him his thoughts and senses guides;

 He loves my heart, for once it was his own;

 I cherish his, because in me it bides.

 His heart his wound received from my sight:

 My heart was wounded with his wounded heart;

 For as from me, on him his hurt did light,

 So still me thought in me his hurt did smart:

 Both equal hurt, in this change sought our bliss:

 My true love hath my heart, and I have his."

-Sir Philip Sidney

Song of Solomon 6:3

"I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine..."

Just cause everyone needs a little romance in their day :D
Have a good one!

I don't love you, but I always will...

Don't you hate it when you have somebody you really care about (whether it be a family member or just a friend), and you love that person with all of your heart, but then something happens that changes your relationship forever?

I can think of a couple people who would fall into this category, and it stinks.
Do I wish things had gone differently?
Of course.I will probably wish that for the rest of my life.
But there are some walls that go up that are extremely hard to take down, and even if you can manage to do that, to break through so that you can see that face that you love, it doesn't look the same to you anymore after what happened.  And it never will.
And sometimes, it's up to you to tear down that wall, and you would love to, but you can't bring yourself to do it--not just because you're afraid of what you'll find, but because you're afraid that they didn't want that to happen. Afraid that maybe they'll reject your peace offering.

It's not really a question of whether or not you still love or care about that person.  Of course you do.  When they've been so important to you for so many years of your life, or maybe are even genetically linked to you forever, I think you both know that you will always love that person and care about what happens to them, deep down.  If they ever came calling because they desperately needed you for some reason, you'd do your best to be there for them.
But you can't have the good days back.  You can just remember them, and hope that somehow there are more to come.

"And even if we never talk again, please remember that I am forever changed by who you are and what you meant to me."

-Chasing Amy

"If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart, I'll stay there forever."

-Winnie the Pooh

Bloggityblogblogblogger...

I have no clue why, but I have been so tired lately!
All of the time, I just feel like I'm about to zonk out at any moment.  And that kind of sucks because, I don't take naps--don't really believe in them.  I kind of think of them as a waste of time.  And it also sucks because I'm just going to have to wake up even earlier tomorrow than usual. :/  It's worth it, but still...I'm going to be sooooo sleepy.

And also, may I just say that, when I moved to Wyoming, I knew that it was a lot windier here than other places.  But seriously, it seems like we have been having non-stop violent wind storms for the last week and a half. I guess this just comes with further adjusting to my new surroundings, but where I lived before, it was already getting warmer and sunny for spring.
Here, I actually walked outside the other day and thought, "This isn't so bad. Maybe Spring is on the way...it's nice and sunny and just a little breezy." Then I was assaulted by a huge rush of glacial air, and practically ran the rest of the way to my car going, "Never mind.It's cold."

I still love it here, though.  And I can't imagine myself living anywhere else.  Everytime I look out my window and see those wide open prairies with the majestic mountains in the distance, or I walk by a pine tree and hear the distinct and beautiful/refreshing sound of wind blowing through the fine needles, I just can't help but contentedly sigh with the knowledge that I am right where God wants me to be, location wise.
I have a lot of people from back East who either don't know where Wyoming is at all, or else just tease me about it and say, "Wyoming?Is that even a state?Seriously, there's nothing there.Why would anyone willingly live there?"  I understand that there are some people who just prefer to live in a big city or something like that, so they might not like it as much.  But I grew up here, I have tons of memories here, I still have friends I love dearly who live here, and I've known for a long time that I wanted to come back and settle down in this area.  Truthfully, I'm willing to bet that most people who tease me about living in Wyoming have never been here in their life--undoubtedly never even bothered to look up some pictures of what it looks like.

Why would you not want to live here?
It's so beautiful, and refreshing.  It's full of history, and besides the ocean, the mountains and prairies of this area are where I can go and feel closest to my Creator.I love my life here, and wouldn't have it any other way (except maybe not having to go to school.That would be a welcome change). :)

Isaiah 55:12

"You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; and the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."

Psalm 19:1-6

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."

Isaiah 40:8

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our Lord shall stand forever."

Lucky me...

So, I'm not even sure what it was, but something got me thinking...
Isn't it amazing how you get to know all of your friends?

I mean, just looking at myself as an example, I moved to the other side of the country for college.  I have gotten to know so many people, some of whom have become some of my closest friends, and I never would've known that they even existed if I hadn't moved out here, and God hadn't brought them into my life.
I've met people from all various walks of life, from all over, not just the United States, but the world.
Seriously.  I have friends from all over the United States--Tennessee, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Texas, California, Virginia...Then I have friends from China, South Korea, Africa, Latvia, Bulgaria and Australia.  Before I met them due to various circumstances, I never even knew they existed.
And yet, now they are people who I love with my whole heart, care about, and can't believe I haven't been friends with them my entire life.It feels like I have.

I don't know, maybe that doesn't seem like a big deal to you guys, but it just seems more and more incredible to me, the more I think about it.  So incredible that all of these people who come from different backgrounds, different families, different states, different countries, different continents, can come together and build meaningful friendships and relationships.  It makes me think of all of the amazing friends I have made, and how much I love them.  It brings a smile to my face, makes me feel blessed, and oh-so-lucky...

Kickin' it Old School..Yeah..

Hello, all my imaginary readers that I make up to keep myself satisfied :)

So, I have a very wide range when it comes to my taste in music, both secular and Christian.  When I listen to Christian music, I love contemporary music as much as the next person who loves contemporary music, but sometimes I forget how much I really love hymns.

I'm one of those unusual people who has a great love for good poetry, and that's what hymns make me think of.  I love a good hymn. And I'm also really weird, in that I have to write down the lyrics to a song in order to get it out of my head.Maybe you'll enjoy the beauty of these as much as I do...

"Come thou fount of every blessing,
 Tune my heart to sing Thy grace.
 Streams of mercy never ceasing
 Call for songs of loudest praise.
 Teach me some melodious sonnet
 Sung by flaming tongues above.
 Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it
 Mount of Thy redeeming love.
 Here I raise my Ebenezer
 Here by Thy great help I've come
 And I hope by Thy good pleasure
 Safely to arrive at home.
 Jesus sought me when a stranger
 Wandering from the fold of God.
 He, to resuce me from danger,
 Interposed His precious blood.
 Oh, that day when free from sinning
 I shall see Thy lovely face!
 Clothed then in blood-washed linen
 How I'll sing Thy sovreign grace!
 Come, my Lord, no longer tarry
 Take my ransomed soul away.
 Send Thine angels now to carry
 Me to realms of endless days.
 Oh, to grace how great a debtor
 Daily I'm constrained to be.
 Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
 Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
 Prone to wander, Lord I feel it.
 Prone to leave the God I love.
 Here's my heart
 Oh, take and seal it,
 Seal it for Thy courts above."

"And I hear the Savior sing,

 'Thy strength indeed is small.

 Child of weakness watch and pray,

 Find in Me thine all in all.'

 Cause Jesus paid it all,

 All to Him I owe.

 Sin had left a crimson stain,

 He washed it white as snow.

 Lord now, indeed I find,

 Thy power, and Thine alone,

 Can change the leper's spots

 And melt the heart of stone.

 Cause Jesus paid it all,

 All to Him I owe.

 Sin had left a crimson stain,

 He washed it white as snow.

 And when, before the throne,

 I stand in Him complete,

 'Jesus died my soul to save,'

 My lips shall still repeat.

 Jesus paid it all,

 All to Him I owe.

 Sin had left a crimson stain,

 He washed it white as snow.

 O! Praise the One who paid my debt

 And raised this life up from the dead!

 O! Praise the One who paid my debt

 And raised this life up from the dead!

 Jesus paid it all,

 All to Him I owe.

 Sin had left a crimson stain,

 He washed it white as snow."

"O Lord, my God,
 When I, in awesome wonder,
 Consider all the works Thy hands have made,
 I see the stars,
 And I hear the rollnig thunder,
 Thy power throughout the universe displayed;
 Then sings my soul,
 My Savior God to Thee,
 How great Thou art!
 When through the woods
 And forest glades I wander,
 I hear the birds
 Sing sweetly in the trees.
 When I look down
 From lofty mountain grandeur,
 And hear the brook
 And feel the gentle breeze;
 Then sings my soul,
 My Savior God to Thee,
 How great Thou art!
 And when I think that God,
 His Son not sparing,
 Sent Him to die,
 I scarce can take it in.
 That on the cross,
 My burden gladly bearing,
 He bled and died
 To take away my sin;
 Then sings my soul,
 My Savior God to Thee,
 How great Thou art!
 When Christ shall come
 With shouts of acclamation,
 And take me home,
 What joy shall fill my heart!
 Then I shall bow
 In humble adoration
 And there proclaim,
 'My God, how great Thou art!'"