I haven't written since practically last year!

Happy New Year, everybody! This has been a great year, and I'm looking forward to what God will teach me in the next one. I hope you will all join me as I hope (hope hope hope!) that my blog will get better and more interesting. :) And I can almost promise more photos. See ya next year!


Grace be with you,

Abby :D

A Tag with Character

I found this fun looking tag on Julia's blog. It looks really really fun. We shall see if it is, shall we not?

The rules are to name 12 literary characters and then answer the questions. Here goes!
First my list of 12 characters:

1. Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie
2. Mary Poppins from, well, Mary Poppins
3. Desperaux from The Tale of Desperaux
4. Pip from Great Expectations
5. Meg from A Wrinkle in Time
6. Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings
7. Elsie from Elsie Dinsmore
8. Gilbert from Anne of Green Gables
9. Mandie from the Mandie series
10. Count Olaf from A Series of Unfortunate Events
11. Mary from The Secret Garden
12. Betsy from the Betsy-Tacy series

Now to answer the questions!



1. Who would make a better college professor, 6 or 11?
Hmm... Sam or Mary. Probably Sam. He knows more.

2. 12 sends 8 out on a mission. What is it? Does it succeed?
Betsy sends Gilbert. Uh, maybe a mission to find a way to make her hair stay curly? He gets a curling iron. :)


3. What is, or what would be, 9’s favorite book?
Mandie? The Bible, most likely.

4. Would it make more sense for 2 to swear fealty to 6 or the other way around?
Sam to Mary Poppins, or Mary to Sam? Probably the first way. He's kind of that sort of guy.
 

5. Number 5 is looking for a roommate. Should s/he room with 9 or 10?
Definitely Meg with Mandie. I don't think Meg would enjoy sharing with Count Olaf.
 

6. 2, 7, and 12 are going out to dinner. Where are they going, and what do they discuss?
Mary Poppins, Elsie Dinsmore, and Betsy. They probably go to a fancy restaurant. After all, Elsie is rich. I don't know what they talk about. Maybe theology and uh... looking pretty?



7. 3 challenges 10 to a duel. Who wins?
Count Olaf and Desperaux. I would hope that Desperaux would win, but Count Olaf is bigger. So he'd probably win.
 

8. If 1 stole 8’s most precious possession, how would s/he get it back?
Gilbert could probably just ask Laura for it. Unless it was something she really wanted. Then she'd shut the door in his face and he would have to resort to stealing it back.

9. Suggest a story title in which 7 and 12 both attain what they want.
Betsy and Elsie. How about, "Inward Beauty" or some such name.


10. What kind of plot device would you have to use to get 1 and 4 to work together?
Pip and Laura. Well. I really don't know. First Pip would have to have a boat to sail to America, then he would knock on her door and ask very politely.


11. If 7 visited you for the weekend, how would it go?
Elsie Dinsmore. I've always wanted to meet her! We would probably spend the weekend sewing and talking.
 

12.  If you could command 3 to perform any service or task for you, what would it be? 
I would send him to fetch me some soup from the cook.

13. If 2 had to choose sides between 4 or 5, what side would s/he choose?
Mary Poppins choosing between Pip and Meg. She'd choose Meg. They both come from sort of magic-y tales, so they would most likely like each other.
 

14. What might 10 shout out while charging into battle?
Count Olaf. Maybe he shout, "I will get your fortune!" :)


15. If you had to choose a song to best describe 8, what would it be?
Gilbert. Probably some song about loving never failing or something.



16. 1, 6, and 12 are having a dim sum at a Chinese Restaurant. There is only one scallion pancake left , and they all reach for it at the same time. Who gets it?
Laura, Betsy, Sam. I should hope that Sam would be gentlemanly enough to let the ladies have. I think that Laura and Betsy would split it.



17. What would 5 most likely be arrested for?
Meg. Uh... maybe fighting... for her brother?



18. What is 6’s secret?
Sam. That he wanted to steal the Ring for himself?


19. If 11 and 9 were racing to a destination, who would get there first?
Mandie and Mary. I don't know, they're both pretty fast. Probably Mary, because she's more determined.

20. If you had to walk home through a bad neighborhood late at night, who would you be more comfortable walking with, 7 or 8? 
Elsie or Gilbert. Gilbert, because he's stronger. 


21. 1 and 9 reluctantly team up to save the world from the threat posed by 4's sinister secret organization. 11 volunteers to help them,but it is later discovered that s/he is actually a spy for 4. Meanwhile, 4 has kidnapped 12 in an attempt to force their surrender. Following the wise advice of 5, they seek out 3, who gives them what they need to complete their quest. What title would you give this fiction? 
Laura and Mandie team up to save the world from Pip's secret organization (funny, he never struck me as that sort of person). Mary volunteers to help, but is discovered that she is a spy for Pip. Meanwhile, Pip has kidnapped Betsy (poor Betsy) in an attempt to force their surrender. Following the wise advice of Meg, they seek out Desperaux, who gives them what they need to complete their quest. 
It could be called, "The Wisdom of a Mouse".




That was really fun! I liked it a lot! Now, I'm not going to tag anyone, but anyone who wants to take it can. I recommend it.


Grace be with you,


Abby :D

running through my head: sanctification

I've decided what to be when I grow up. Ready to hear?

Alright. I want to be a role model.

"No, no, Abby. You're supposed to choose something like a veterinarian or an author or something."

Nope. I'm going to be a role model.

I'm going to be the type of person that everyone gets along with and wants to be around. The kind of person that knows the right things to say. Who everyone depends on and trusts. Who is always cheerful and ready to help. The kind of person who loves God passionately and talks about Him all the time.

The next thing I need to do is to figure out how to become that kind of person. Becoming a role model requires a lot of sanctification. Prayer and Bible-reading is probably the best road to becoming a role model. Every day, I have to constantly pray, "God, help me to be cheerful," or "Lord, please help me to stop complaining." I have to check myself every minute to be sure that I have a good tone of voice or facial expression. But I want to become that kind of person, that kind of model to the people around me. Something to remember is that even the people who seem like that to you, who are like that, have the same kinds of struggles. Maybe people consider you like that. Would you be surprised if someone told you that they wanted to be like you? I would. Becoming a role model is not easy. It's a growing journey. It's being justified and sanctified by God. And it's something I'm reaching toward, stretching towards, with the hopes that maybe one day I'll be able to look back on my life satisfied with what I've done.


Grace be with you,

Abby :D

a short thought for the week

 A week or two ago, I stood around for 5 hours. Of course, I wasn't just standing there. I was helping to pack shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. It was a wonderful experience, checking and taping boxes for needy children. I willingly stood there and packed for 5 hours... and it made me think.

At home, when my mother assignment vacuuming as the 'chore of the day', I grumpily get out the vacuum. I slam it around and grumble under my breath at how hard and unfair it is.
What is so different about serving out and about, and serving at home? Is it just that it's more fun to be with friends while working? Or maybe that we try to make a good impression on people, "Oh look! I just love to work so much! I'm so cheerful and happy as I work!" I'm certainly not like that at home. Would I have been so cheerful if we had to pack boxes at home, without friends, without anyone to impress?

What is your opinion? Do you work more cheerfully at home, or out-and-about?

Grace be with you,

Abby :D 

I'm A Horrible Blogger.

Do you not agree? It's been- what? Seven days? And I don't blame most of you for not commenting on or reading my last post. You've probably gotten sick of my unfaithfulness. Sorry!

Christmas is coming up. The most celebrated holiday in stores... you know, when they give you all those Christmas discounts and fun new holiday products. But you have to wonder, is this a good thing? Have we taken the celebration of Christ's birth and turned it into a big sales holiday? I know many of you hear a lot of this around this time of year, "Think about Jesus this year!" "Jesus is the reason for the season" "Christ is the true meaning of Christmas". But do we take this to heart? This year, we need to really, truly make this a celebration of Christ's birth. I'm not trying to judge those of you who make wish lists and put up decorations and buy things with holiday discounts. I do it too, and love it! But maybe this year, we should do something like donate to a charity in someone's name, or maybe tithe Christmas money or donate it. Do something in Christ's glorious, wonderful name.

Boy, have we had a lot of recitals this season! We have had one piano recital, almost three hand bell recitals, and one violin recital. It was a lot of music to learn, but much, much fun. Have you done any recitals this year?

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas season! Look for better posts soon!

Grace be with you,
Abby :D


ps. How many people read my blog? Just wondering.

story idees

 These are some ideas I had during my daily life. I typed them up off the top of my head, so don't expect any first-class writing. How do you like them? Do you have some helpful criticism to add? The two paragraphs are not related, by the way.

“Any last words, Jones?” The town’s mayor looked up at the man sitting on the horse, a rope around his neck. The sheriff had finally managed to catch the notorious robber and horse thief, Jackson Jones. He had been bothering the town with his crimes for almost two months, and was very slippery and hard to catch. The sheriff and his officers set up a trap and caught him. They looked very pleased with themselves as they helped tie the other end of the rope to the tree. “Well,” said the criminal, looking around at the assembled townspeople, “just that pretty soon I’ll play my last trick. Hah, hah!” The people looked at each other and laughed. He was about to be hanged! How could he play any more tricks? “Giddap!” the mayor said to the horse. The horse leapt forward, leaving Jackson hanging by the rope. But what was this? The man reached up and started pulling himself up on the rope, using just his arms. The townspeople watched in disbelief as he climbed to the top of the branch where the rope was tied. No one moved. Jackson untied the rope, climbed down from the tree, and saluted cockily. “Guess I’ll be seein’ you folks later, then,” he called, and winked. Then he was gone. The people couldn’t believe it. Nobody made a move. No one spoke. They weren’t sure what they had just seen. Finally, one by one, the townspeople dispersed, talking amongst themselves.

“It’s creepy,” the words were spoken in a whisper. I rolled my eyes and looked over at my cousin. “Come on,” I sneered, “Are you saying that one old abandoned trailer is creepy?” He narrowed his eyes at me. “I’m not chicken, if that’s what you’re saying.”

I gestured toward the old trailer. “Then come on. You promised you’d come with me.” We were going on an expedition. My cousin Thomas and I loved to explore and find treasures (well, to us they were) like old bottle caps and pennies. I asked him to come with me to the old abandoned mobile home way back in our woods to see what we could find. “There’s probably things living in there,” he whispered to me as we got closer. “Things? Like what kind of things?” I asked sarcastically.

“Um… like spiders…”

“You mean like ghosts?” I smiled incredulously, “come on Thomas. Ghosts aren’t real.”

We were almost to the door when suddenly a loud crash came from inside. “Oh, they aren’t?” Thomas was shivering; I could hear his teeth chatter.
"Let’s go home!” I whispered to him frantically, scared now myself. But it was too late.

The door sque-eaked open and out stepped…

Grace be with you,

Abby :D

ps. The trailer one came from a abandoned looking mobile home in our neighborhood.

A Bird-Brained Guide to Thanksgiving

In four days, it will be Thanksgiving, a holiday where hundreds of helpless turkeys are slaughtered and cruelly eaten. That's why we have compiled this handy list. It tells all of you turkeys what to do during this horrible holiday.

~A Turkey's Guide to Thanksgiving~
a list of helpful options for scared turkeys

1. Temporarily move to Brazil- it has a nice warm climate and thankfully only Americans celebrate Thanksgiving.
2. Come to my house- we are having a nice thanksgiving party--I mean, uh, turkey refuge party and we would just love to have you over.
3. Dress up- some disguises you could use are: chicken, a funny looking man with a pointy nose, a mascot for a sports team, a piece of furniture. These are all simple easy disguises you can use in a pinch.
4. Join the TRP- the Turkey Refuge Program (TRF) is a program just for all you confused turkeys out there who just want a home during the holidays. It sends you the address of different vegetarian families around the States who take no part in this barbaric holiday and will take you in as part of their family.
5. Write a petition- standing out on a busy sidewalk, taking signatures and addresses, and finally sending it to the White House to ban Thanksgiving-- what could be more patriotic to your cause? Beware that this method could lead to you becoming a dinner somewhere. After all, as we have shown in the above picture, there are millions of Americans who will attack and capture a helpless turkey.
6. Lose some weight- getting thin might stop the thought of a plump juicy turkey from running through people's heads.
7. Stay inside- this one explains itself.


Well, as you can see, there are lots of options for frightened turkeys such as yourselves. Following this list, there is no need for panic as Thanksgiving draws closer. Have a happy Thanksgiving! *evil chuckle*

Oh Look. Abby's Written A Post After Two Weeks...

Well, hello! It's been about two weeks since I've posted, so I've decided to favor y'all with my presence.

*immense applause and cheering*

*holds up hands* Now, now. That's enough. So I had a good idea. It seems that there was a certain blog which had a giveaway a couple months ago (over now). In the comments, a very smart person suggested we write a story in the comments. This was the best idea ever. :) Joint stories are real fun. So I thought we could start one on this post. *edit: This means that one person writes the next paragraph, then another person writes the next one, and so on and so forth. You build on the previous person's paragraph. Make sense?*
Whatcha think? Well, if you want to start it, here is the starting sentence:

 “Are you sure you want to do this?” Lily hesitantly shouted at me. “Perfectly sure,” I shouted back. I was standing on the hill’s edge, paper feathers glued onto my arms, ready to jump. “Nothing could possibly go wrong.”

Just imagine the possibilities of that sentence. :) Anyway, what has everyone been doing lately? Today we made some applesauce. Yum! We have at least two giant pots of it just waiting to be canned. We used a mixture of different apples, including Roma apples, which turned the sauce a strange pink color. :O I'm pretty sure it's safe to eat though.

School has been interesting. We've started a new curriculum, and are currently reading a book called The Flames of Rome. It's about Rome in the time of Paul, Aquila, Priscilla, and others. It's a good book, although there is a lot of killing and sensuality. Math is doing as well as can be expected too. :P We're having a piano recital in December. I'm working on four songs: O Christmas Tree, The Little Drummer Boy, Noel, and Jingle Bell Rock (a duet). How is your school year going?

This concludes this exceedingly interesting and engrossing post (just kidding). I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Grace be with you,

Abby :D

Of November and Little Dorrit (and other things besides)

November is here. This is the month of fall changing to winter. It's sort of a dreary cold month. I love how Lucy Maud Montgomery described it in Anne of Avonlea, "November is usually such a disagreeable month... as if the year had suddenly found out that she was growing old and could do nothing but weep and fret over it." But there is a certain charm to it. The way leaves change and fall. The way that you can see the spindly, graceful black frames of trees. The way that the mosquitoes die... :)

Lately we've been watching the 2008 version of Little Dorrit. I love it! The actors did a wonderful job, especially Andy Serkis, who is the villain. He is so creepy! I can almost believe that he is really evil. I won't give away the plot. All I can say is, watch it!
In my Bible reading time, I've been reading  some of the prophets. They're sometimes extremely weird, and I usually have no idea what they are talking about, but they're still really interesting. What have you been reading/watching?

School is going OK. I'm in 10th grade, I think, which seems a bit impossible. I used to be scared of people who were in 10th grade! I'm a little behind in math (still on Algebra 1), but when you're home schooled, it doesn't matter too much. Still doing Latin, but right now, we're mostly learning about the rules of Latin, like 1st person, and singular and plural. Today our new reading curriculum came. It has books like Romeo and Juliet; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; other classics like that. I'm having to really restrain myself from peeking ahead. :) Piano and bell Christmas recitals abound as well.

As Thanksgiving is coming up soon, here's a list of what I'm thankful for. Yes, rather early and cliche, but it's fun to think of specifics sometimes instead of 'food' and 'health'.

-sleep
-a 'B' on my math lesson
- pigtails (I'm wearing these today, first time in a while)
-the color green
-cute little brothers
-colorful pens
-compliments (always glad for these)
-that God listens to me
-cheerfulness
-November
-new curriculum matieral
-cool breezes
-comments (hint, hint)
-the Bible
-chicken casserole for lunch
-music
-church fellowship
-the great outdoors
-Jesus

Hope everyone's having a wonderful life! What have you been doing lately? I'd be interested to know.

Grace be with you,
Abby :D

ps. I wanted to say thank you to Shelley, who almost never fails to comment on my posts. It's really appreciated!

Have you heard...

...what my God did for me? He sent His son down to me, to be my Savior.
For me, He came down to this earth and became a little baby.
For me, He grew up to be a man.
For me, He somehow resisted the temptation of sin.
For me, He was silent during his trial.
For me, He carried His cross.
For me, He died on that horrible day.
For me, He bore the wrath of a righteous God, so that I could go to heaven.
He did something that I didn't deserve, that I didn't earn.
He loves me. He conquered death and hell for me.
He did it for you, too.
He loves you and me, more than a fear of death and hell can shake.
I love Him, enough to live and die for Him.
Have you heard about Jesus? He paid the ultimate price and faced a just God's wrath. For you and me. For everyone.


♫♪ Jesus loves me, this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
The Bible tells me so.♫♪

Update

Were you expecting a boring "I'm-still-alive" post when you clicked on this link? Well, too bad. I'm sure you're disappointed to know that it won't be that sort of post. :)
I spent my (mostly) week-long blogging break at the beach. Hilton Head Island has a great one. It was real, real fun. We rented bikes and rode them to and fro, up and down, in and out. You don't know how powerful you feel zooming down the beach on a bike until you try it. 

Just a glimpse of how truly lovely it was there. I don't see how you could doubt God's majesty while looking at the ocean.

A cute bird, one of the many seagulls we saw there. They're much cuter in person. :)
It was a good vacation, with lots of Oreos and peanut butter Cap'n Crunch cereal, which is the epitome of vacation for us.
And now for a list, because lists make any post better, right?

~Unusual Things to be Thankful For~ a list

• for washing the dishes, because that means you have food to put on them.
• for vacuuming, because you have a house to vacuum. 
• for schoolwork, because that means you are able to get an education.
• for annoying little siblings, because that means you can build patience.
• for laundry, because it means you have clothes to wear. 
• for a bed to make, because that means you have somewhere to sleep. 
• for gloomy days, because you have something to compare the sunny ones to. 

  With that, I will leave you, to the sadness of all who read this blog. :( 

*weeping and mourning* 
*sighing and sadness*


Don't cry! I'll be back soon! 
Bye bye...





*photo credits to my sister Leah*

Word of the Week: school...

Yes, I know it's been a while since I've  posted. No, I'm not going to say I'm sorry. Because I'm not. I guess blogging has become sort of a chore. I have other, better things to do. I will probably be posting less and less as I get older, or perhaps I'll fade out of blogging forever, or maybe I'll post more as I finish school, or maybe it's just a time in my life when there's not much to say. I don't know. I will still read your blogs with the same frequency, and probably comment too. I'm going to be taking a week-long blogging break, starting Saturday. I might post before then, or not. It depends if I have something to say. Well anyways, on to the interesting part!

The word of the week is: School! What a wonderfully inspiring word, don't you agree? (that was sarcasm, big-time) Math is not going too well, I'm still stuck on Algebra 1, wondering if I'll ever finish. I think after Algebra I'll move on to Business Math. I want to have my own business someday, co-run with my husband, of course. Maybe if I'm nice, I'll even let him take over the math part! :) Just kidding.
I'm finally done with last year's reading curriculum. It took a long, long, long time... It included books such as To Kill a Mockingbird, Maniac Magee(that one was weird), and The Green Book. Looking back, none of those books really seem like history. Maybe they were just put in for fun.
Latin's going well too. Here's a sentence: Non es agricola. Cookie points to the blogger who can tell me what that means without looking it up! (oh, and I wrote that from memory. You can tell I'm learning something!)
What's going on in your life?

Have a great week!!!

Grace be with you,

Abby :D

Love that!   ↓

via

The Randomful, Pictureless Post (not as boring as it sounds, truly!)

Autumn. The time of leaves, acorns, sweaters, and deliciously cool breezes. Oh yeah! And deliciously yummy baking. Seriously, why does Autumn trigger baking instincts in people? Not that I'm complaining, of course... anyone have some extra cookies lying around that they could send me? :) If I make anything, I will take pictures. Have you made anything lately?

Just kidding. Anyway, today we made some yummy ham-and-cheese sandwiches for dinner. They're baking in the oven and I can't wait to eat them! Also, our neighbor dropped by and gave us a chocolate torte... one bite=heaven. Maybe I can get the recipe to share. :)

Yesterday we did hand bell choir, which was SO FUN! I love it. Something about ringing bells is very magnetic. We're working on Do You Hear What I Hear and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I have two notes, E and F.

Here is a list of things that I see right now:

1. A lamp
2. My brothers playing the piano
3. A science CD case :P
4. A music stand
5. A baby (my sister!)

And things I hear:
1. The piano
2. My brothers exclaiming
3. The TV going in the background
4. The baby pacifier being sucked on

I'm in the office right now, finishing this post. Today's been a busy day, with trips to the grocery store, dropping off my sis to babysit, that same sister's violin teacher coming over, and trying to get some school done. Lately I've been listening to bluegrass on Pandora while doing math. :) It's fun. Ooh, and Latin is fun too! Anyone learning that this year? Sum! (that means 'I am')
Oh yeah! Nearly forgot! I'm getting baptized on Sunday the 9th. :D I can't wait! I've been baptized as a baby, but I believe baptism is a public sign of faith, so I'm doing it again. I'm SO excited. :) :)
Well, that's all on the update of my exciting life. :)
Have a great week!!!

"Happiness is a full soap dispenser..."

Grace be with you,
Abby :D

ps. the sandwiches were scrumptious...

Hi, folks! Ready to go on safari?

Hello! I suppose you're here for the safari. Well, step right onto this bus and we'll get going. Today we'll be taking a tour of Abby's backyard! It's all right, you'll be viewing these perils from the comfort and relative safety of the bus. Here we go!

 On this steamy hot day, all the creatures are out and the grass jungle plants are growing big and green.

Sorry folks, it's a bit of a bumpy ride. There are no trails in this jungle grass.

All right, here we are at our next stop... the asparagus bed! Everyone pay close attention.
Look to your right, there it is.

 Look very closely... there they are! Do you see them?

The ladybugs!!!! It's all right, sir, we're safe in the bus.

Look at the beady eyes, the crawling legs...

And the most horrible of all, the mandibles of death! AHHHH!!!! AHHHH!!!

*shiver, shiver* Sorry, folks, got a little carried away there. Next, we will be viewing the bees. No need to scream, ma'am. Here we go!

Don't worry folks, it can't hurt you in here.

Watch out for its poisonous stinger and mighty wings!

Of course, there is also the terrible mosquito and the disease-ridden flies. But we don't have time to see those right now. Would you like to see the plants now? All right, let's go!

This is the fire pepper. Don't try it folks, it'll give you heartburn for years.

Watch out for these! They may look like normal tomatoes...

...but they can actually eat you, just like Venus Fly Traps!

This is called the Seed of Death flower. NO! DON'T BLOW IT!

It may look like dandelion, but if you inhale the seeds, you'll get a horrible migraine. No, ma'am, I don't know why they call it the Seed of Death flower. It doesn't kill you.

Well, that's all for today, folks. Here's the drop-off point. Hope you enjoyed the tour of Abby's backyard! Come back soon. Watch your step. All right, bye now!


Grace be with you,

Abby :D

"It's what's on the inside that counts..."

Discontent is very common nowadays. You are constantly seeing advertisements for weight loss programs or wrinkle cream. Movies and TV shows have perfect model-like men and women. The world tells you that this is what you need to be happy and fit in. Why is this? Why do we feel that we need peer approval to be happy? Recently I have been slightly discontent with my rather ordinary life. These thoughts were running through my head:

Why couldn't I be the best blogger in the world, with hundreds of followers and tons of comments, turning out funny, interesting posts with great pictures?

Why couldn't I be a really popular cool person, friends hanging on my every word and laughing at my witty comments, someone that everyone admired and envied?

Why couldn't I be a fashionably stylish person with perfect outfits and a model's face and body?

Why couldn't I be an amazing missionary, with awesome stories of miracles and redemption, someone that had the perfect relationship with God and never ever doubted His grace and love?

So in other words, I was asking myself this, "Why can't I be someone else? Why am I me?"

I constantly have to remind myself, "Real life is not like this. No one is perfect. And God does not want me to be worried about this." Yes, it's a bit cliché, but it doesn't matter what is on the outside. God only looks on the inside. Your whole purpose on earth is to please and glorify God. If you are doing that, what you look like doesn't matter at all. So the next time you are feeling discontent, remember that your friends love you, your family loves you, and most of all God loves you, even if your nose is five inches long or you forget to brush your hair in the morning. And that is what counts the most.

Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
Proverbs 31:30 NASB


Grace be with you,

Abby :D

Sunday Song

This is the song that has been floating around in my head lately. It's really catchy, too! I heard it on the radio a couple of times, then found it on another blog, so I decided to share. Enjoy!


You say love is just a word,
just four letters in a row.
Just a thing that people say,
or they never tell you so.
And you use every excuse, to let nobody in.
Now this cloud you bring around, has become your only friend.

And everybody's saying that it's gonna go away, but it don't go.
And everybody's telling you one day it's going to change, but you don't know,
if it's really going to end.

But there is a way, there is a spark,
there is a hope that you can hold on to.
There is a lifeline come to the rescue,
just like a hand that's waiting for you.
And if you believe in this I promise that you won't be alone.
There is a way, the Truth and the Life, and the Way.

But if love became a man,
if the Word had flesh and bone,
Would you recognize His face,
if He came to bring you home?

You think you're all alone, gotta do it on your own, riding solo.
Is there someone you can call, when you stumble and fall?
'Cause you don't know, if you'll be getting up again.

There is a way, there is a spark,
there is a hope that you can hold on to.
There is a lifeline come to the rescue,
just like a hand that's waiting for you.
And if you believe in this I promise that you won't be alone.
There is a way, the Truth and the Life, and the Way.

Don't you think your life's worth saving?
Don't you know that love's amazing?
Don't you want to lay your troubles down?
Lay them down.

If I thought love was just a word,
I might feel the same way too.
But there's so much more than that,
and it's waiting here for you.

There is a way, there is a spark,
there is a hope that you can hold on to.
There is a lifeline come to the rescue,
just like a hand that's waiting for you.
And if you believe in this I promise that you won't be alone.
There is a way, there is a way, there is a way.
The Truth and the Life and the Way.

 Grace be with you,

Abby :D

And...

...The winner of the photo contest is...




....Sierra! Great job! Please comment with your address (which will not be published) and I will get your prize to you as soon as possible.

Thanks to everyone who entered, you all did great. :)

Finalists

Thanks to everyone that entered the contest! Five was actually more than I expected. Now it's time to vote! Here are the entries.

Hallie Jo

Sierra

Shelley

Leah

Mina

So now, vote! Polls on the sidebar. Winner will be revealed on the 16th.

Grace be with you,

Abby :D

Mina's Photo contest

Here is my photo for Mina's photo contest. The theme is 'Favorite Things'. Egg rolls! They are one of my favorite things. Isn't it funny how they don't have eggs?
(ps. better hurry! Her contest ends tomorrow!)

Bugs and school and things

I love this post from Kendra's blog. I would like to do the same thing on my blog. From now on, my blog is going to be more like an online journal instead of trying to focus on followers and comments. Here goes.


Today was my first day of school. It was OK, I think the hardest thing was probably math, and that wasn't too hard. The best thing was starting reading new books, The Moonshiner's Son and A Year Down Yonder.

It's been really cool and rainy, which is nice considering the temperature has been in the 80s lately. It's almost sweater weather! Fall is just around the corner. I can't wait for the leaves to turn yellow and orange and red!

Yesterday, I went on a bug hunt and took pictures. Wanna see them? OK!

Mr. Snail.

A bee seeking refuge from the rain.

A pretty green fly

There wasn't too many because of the rain, though.Well, signing off for today!

Grace be with you,

Abby :D

ps. Go enter Mina's photo contest! The theme is Favorite Things. Look for my picture soon!

pps. don't forget to enter my contest either! See below post.

2 years of blogging photo contest...

Time for another photo contest! This one is in celebration of two years of blogging. (well, yes, that was a couple of weeks ago, but I can celebrate now, right?) Two years of my life are cataloged on this blog. :)

So, here are the rules!

~Rules~
1. Theme: Beautiful Imperfection. Example?

Dead or dying flowers, home grown vegetables, vintage things.

2. Deadline: August 27- September 10th.

3. You may only enter 1 photo, which must be taken by you.

4. You must include this button, or a link to this post.

<a href="http://jesusrules13.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/Yir5w.jpg" alt='Create your own banner at mybannermaker.com!' border=0 /></a><br>

5. Prize: These six hand-painted cake cards. Does not include envelopes. Blank inside.

 Have fun! Can't wait to see your entries!

To cover, or not to cover, that is the question.

First off, I want to remind everyone to pray for all the people being affected by Hurricane Irene. According to weather.com, there will be major damage from this hurricane. But, we have to leave it all in God's hands. All we can do is pray!


Head coverings. What a subject! I have been thinking more about wearing one as I get older and closer to God.

I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.  For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God. 
 1 Corinthians 11: 2-16


Judging from those verses, every Christian woman should be wearing a head covering. But why don't we? Maybe most think it's weird, unnecessary, or that long hair is enough. In the Bible Commentary I read, it said that because woman was made for man, man is the head of woman. Man was made for God, so God is the head of man. If man wears a head covering or long hair, he is dishonoring his head (God). A woman would wear a head covering to show her submission to man, her head. So if she does not wear a covering, she would dishonor her head (man). Thoughts on that?

I'm really not sure of my outlook on head coverings. I'm not totally opposed to it. Maybe I should wear one just for prayer and during the church service. What are your thoughts on this subject?


Grace be with you,
Abby :D

ps. For more insight, I asked the same question on Preparing To Be A Help Meet's website, here. Click to see.
pps. the above picture is from Google images. If it is yours, and you don't want it on here, just comment. Thanks!

A whole week...

Has it been that long? I haven't posted for a whole week? Sorry everyone... *sheepish smile* I'll probably get into a regular schedule soon. We've been busy, even though we're having a 3-week long break from school. Working on our transcripts, watching little siblings, and making new curtains can do that to you. :) On Mondays, we also have handbell choir! It's so much fun!
Summer is the best time for fruit! I love it all, especially grapes. :)

Pineapple...

Mango...

Strawberries...

Cantaloupe...

 

And grapes! Mmm...

So colorful, and yummy too! What are your favorite summer fruits?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23



Grace be with you,

Abby :D

HURRY!

I'm entering this photo in Kelsey's photo contest. There are some pretty neat prizes. Go enter, quick!

Bead Nest Tutorial

If you have any questions, please comment. Hope you enjoyed!

Back...

Hi everyone! I'm back, obviously. It seemed like a long week. Here are some verses I found during the week.

...Worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
 Hebrews 12:28

We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:4-6

And I know there was another one about a spirit of thankfulness, but I can't find it now. :) How did y'all did on the challenge, if you did it?

Well, this break has been nice! I hope to be back with more interesting posts later.

Grace be with you,

Abby :D

Changing the Rules.

After talking it over with my mother, I have decided that books are not media. Therefore, the rules should read:


- We'll read the Bible in place of all media (movies, TV, and computer).
- This challenge will take place from August 7-14, starting on this Sunday.
- You can join any day of the challenge. For instance, if you only want to do it for five days, you can.
-Any necessary media is OK. As are books. So if you need to e-mail or do any schoolwork on the TV or computer, that's OK.
-At the end of the challenge, make a post talking about the experience. Did you like it? Would you like to do it again? What were your favorite verses?

Thank you everyone!

Let's play tag...

Where's your phone right now?
I don't have a phone.
 
Do you have any plans for the weekend?
No.

Has someone ever made you a promise and broke it?
I'm sure. But no actual occurrences come to mind. :)

Last movie/DVD watched?
I think it was Singing in the Rain.

Does anything hurt on your body?
Nope.

How are you?
I'm great. :)

Are you excited for next year?
Sorta, I guess...

Is your room clean?
Relatively.
How many pillows do you sleep with?
One. 

What are you doing?
Obvious question?


I bet you miss somebody right now:
No. 


What are you planning on doing after this?
 Not sure.


Have you ever read an entire book in one day?
Yes. 


Who did you push last?
Uhh....


Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with?
Define "deep".


Do you own any band t-shirts?
Nope. Never was into any bands.


What does your hair look like right now?
It's in a ponytail. 


Has anyone ever told you that you were their best friend?
Yes.


Did you get hurt today?
Probably.


When was the last time you felt upset?
Just a couple of minutes ago.


What are you looking forward to?
Church on Sunday.


Do you currently want something?
Yes, some pretty shirts. :) 


What was the last thing you had to drink?
Water.
Who was the last person you said "I love you" to?
Probably my mom or dad.

Where are you?
In the office. Our home office, that is.
Do you like to walk in the rain?
 Depends on how hard it's coming down.


Do you like looking up at the stars?
Not really. But mostly because there aren't many where I live. Typical of Suburbia.

Do you think you are a nice person?
I would like to think so. :) But wouldn't everyone?


Do you like swimming?
Yeah.
Have you ever swam in the ocean?
No. I've been in the ocean, but never swam in it.
Do you go to school?
  No, we home school.

Do you want to go to college?
I'm not sure.
 
What do you want to be?
See previous answer.

Do you want kids?
Yes. Lots and lots.

Do you like going to the beach?
It's OK, I guess, but I don't like the creatures. *shudder*

Who is the last person you went to the mall with?
It's been so long, I don't remember.

Have you ever had any x-rays?
Yes. Dental x-rays mostly.

Who do you hate right now?
No one.

Who is the last person you yelled at?My brothers.

Who was the last to cook you food?
My mom.

Are you in a complicated relationship?
I suppose all relationships could be called complicated.

What did you do 2 nights ago?
Watched a movie.

Who was the last person you were on the phone with?
One of our mom's friends.

Does a hug make you feel better?
Sometimes.

How long ago did you hug someone?
A few minutes ago. We had some friends over.

Anything good happening tomorrow?
Not that I can think of.

Have you kissed more than ten people this year?
No.

Do you have unlimited texting?
No.

Will you keep your last name when you get married?
No. Hey, three 'nos' in a row!

You have to get a piercing, what do you get?
Ear piercing.
 
Who was the last friend you got into a big argument with?
My sister, sad to say.

 
Your phone is ringing. It's the person you fell hardest for, what do you say?
"Wrong number."


Did you have any unread text messages when you woke up today?
Nope. No phone, remember?

Do you want to see somebody right now?
Not particularly.

Do you think two people can last forever?
Sure.


When was the last time you had a late night phone call?
I don't know. Maybe never.


If you could move somewhere else, would you?
No.

Would you be able to date someone who doesn't make you laugh?
I don't know. Maybe.

Has anyone ever sang to you?
I don't think so.

Do you think you can love someone without trusting them?
Sure. But not if you're talking about a spouse.

Is there someone who you can spend every minute with and be happy?
Probably. Haven't found 'em yet, though!

Last person to make you smile?
One of my friends who came over, most likely.

How was last night?
It was fine.

If you're being extremely quiet, what does it mean?
That I'm thinking.

Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?
I don't know.

Do you have trust issues?
Define "trust issues".




Was this a good weekend?
The weekend just started!
 


Were you happy when you woke up today?
I don't remember. I was tired, though.

















I tag:


You
You 
You
and You

Happy tagging!

Grace be with you,


Abby :D