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.