My life in a nutshell :)

Thursday: well, I just had to point out that I had my last piano lesson on this day. Also, we went to the concert that night and I got to see the Walker kids!



Friday: I already updated you on the morning, but now it’s time for the rest of the day. But other than getting my hair cut and such, I also went to the CHESS graduation and played there. The HSMA people playing were David, Rachel, Lauren, and Grace, my mom, Stephanie and Elaine, myself, Chesna, and Rachel. I was the only viola! I had a couple solo parts too so that was a lot of fun!! That night, we came home and had to do a lot of baking because of the bake sale the next day. So we all stayed up to the wee hours of the morning. Jared had come over so he and my dad were out in the “man cave” smoking while the majority of us were in baking. Rachel made Rice Krispies with chocolate and butterscotch on top, and I made Peanut Butter No-Bakes. Not sure what my mom did other than just helping out. After that, I just got a little wild in the head…I was still in my concert uniform, and before I knew it I found myself out on the road dancing and twirling around till I was dizzy! So much fun! Then, I had to go back inside and finish baking.



Saturday: We all got up early despite our very late (or shall we say, early) bedtimes…and headed off to the Wal-Mart in Lansing near GL. We were there in the sun and rain from 10-3. There were the Fraziers, us, Benj, and Porah who came home with us. When we got home, Porah and I cleaned, cooked and just talked a little bit before we decided to do something! We then went on a two hour walk around the country-side out here. I showed her some of my favorite places to walk. After we got back, we had dinner, and then began to watch Seussical until the parents/Jared/Rachel kicked us downstairs cuz they wanted to watch their movie. So we went and sat/laid on the sleeper sofa downstairs and watched it on Rachel’s computer. After it was done (it was pretty late), we stayed up even later and just talked in the dark. We did this until we couldn’t think anymore because we were so tired!!



Sunday: we got up nice and early so that everybody could take showers. Then, we all headed off to church! After church, we had a luncheon of sorts which was for Hello Walkers/Goodbye Jared type of luncheon. Zipporah, Levi, Jon and I all began to walk home, but it wasn’t long before Aimee picked us up and drove us home (the parents and the rest of them were still at church). She came in with us and we all sat down to watch Seussical (again). After it ended, Zipporah and I decided to go take another nice long walk (this one only lasted about an hour). Once we got back, they had to leave. We had a short breathing space of time before it was time to head off to evening church.


Monday: well, let me just point out that it was AIMEE’S BIRTHDAY! Yea just thought I might throw that out there. That was also the day that I attempted to bike for an hour in 90 degrees weather with no water to work. Fail. She came and picked me up. Worked all day till that night when we had the HSMA concert. That was the most amazing concert ever. Afterwards, I came home and danced in the road again!



Tuesday: The only thing about this day was that Jon had his recital at night at Faith Bible. I sat in the back and worked on school.



Wednesday: This was my last day of etymology. I was so glad! We took our last test and then got out early. The rest of them played ultimate frisbee and I watched. When I got home, I left again for work for the rest of the day. That was an interesting day. I cleaned house, cooked dinner and fed and changed the boys. I biked home cuz the rest of the family except Jon were at Jared's goodbye party. Jon was with Jake playing frisbee golf. On the way home, I saw a live turtle, and a dead turtle, a live bunny and a dead bunny, a chipmunk, and several families of geese. Also, I passed several fields of freshly cut grass which smelled soooo wonderful! I was almost home and I called my mom...sooo...yea, because of that, I fell off my bike in the middle of this road. Genius. So yea, that was my night.



Thursday: This was the beginning of an amazing weekend. We had a pre-tour concert for HSMA at a retirment home. I got to see Madison and all my friends. Right after, Madison and I went to Biggby's and had coffee and just sat and talked for a couple hours. We then decided to walk down to Burger King (without knowing exactly how far it was going to be). Lol, after walking forever, we got there and had breakfast/lunch/dinner. Then, my dad came and picked us up and took us to Nick's and Christy's recital. We had fun there. I got to see everyone again!

Friday: We didn't have much till the Nunez open house. Then, ...guess what?! I went home with Madison and stayed the night! We had tons of fun. :) When we got there, we fed the horses, ate toast and talked a bit.

Saturday: this was the first day I got to sleep in in forever...I woke up, got a shower, and then we fed the horses. After more toast, we went out and rode for a bit. After that, we went swimming for a couple hours. Then, I went and met up with my family at the TW graduation. After that, we went home and cleaned up for a bit before watching a movie and then hitting the hay.

Sunday: this was the most amazing day in forever. I woke up and went to church. After that, we hurried off to Nick's open house. I was there for an hour or so before Madison invited me to a friend's house to go swimming. I left, and then after swimming for a couple hours, went back. We were there till everyone left and we cleaned up. Then, we went swimming with the others for a few hours. *That* was amazing. Then, we went home and I ended up staying up really late cuz I got a cleaning crave at midnight.

Today: I woke up and headed off to work. Tonight, I was going to go out with my family and see Prince of Persia, but since Becca wouldn't have any babysitter to watch her, I told my mom that I would stay with her. So yea, let's see what happens!


Tomorrow: I have a doctor's appointment early in the morning, and then the rest of the day is set aside to prepare for tour. I *really* hope I don't forget anything!!

So that's my life in a nutshell! It took me forever to get it all typed out!! ENJOY!

MORE MLIA

Today, I looked both ways before crossing a one way street. MLIA.

Today I accidentally used a number 1 pencil on a scantron test. I expect the bloodshed to be horrific. MLIA

Today I realized that when you wear an apron backwards it's like you're
wearing a cape... My day suddenly got a whole lot better. MLIA.

oday, I sent a text to someone and they never texted back. I deleted the text so that I wouldn’t feel bad. MLIA.

Today, I noticed that my C: drive looks very happy, while my D: drive looks very sad. MLIA

Today, I realized that lol'd, the past tense of lol, is inaccurate. That would mean laugh out louded. L'dol, however awkward, would be correct. MLIA

another quote

"That which you wait for the longest, you treasure the most, and through much struggle the prize is won."
-Unknown

more MLIA

Today, while watching a show on my computer, there was an explosion and a lot of dust was thrown into the air. I instinctively tried to wave the dust off the screen. MLIA.

Today, I read that in New York, it is illegal to greet each other by “putting one’s thumb to the nose and wiggling the fingers”. I laughed, spotted a cop and ran up to him. I screamed, "YOU'LL NEVER CATCH ME ALIVE, COPPER!", wiggled my fingers on my nose at him and ran. When I looked back, he was doubled over laughing. No ticket. Cool. MLIA

A few days ago I was at Wal-Mart with my friend. We were getting supplies to make posters, but we weren't allowed to buy the spray glitter because we aren't 18. After the cashier took it away, we saw our other friend, who is 18. We asked the cashier if we could just have him buy it, but she still said no. So my friends went and got a different can of spray glitter and paid for it while I waited outside. When they came out, we quickly exchanged money for the glitter and left. I felt like it was a drug deal with glitter.

Today I decided to participate in the Yahoo versus Google war. I typed in "poets have...". Yahoo gave "we have lost one of our great poets". Google gave me "poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese". Win. MLIA

Quote

"I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy
is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of
looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope.
Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at
life's realities."

~Dr. Seuss

Today

Today is gonna be busy! I don't have time right now to update my life over the weekend (I promise I'll do that soon!). Today, I have to do *A LOT* of Algebra in order to finish soon!! I should probably go shopping soon in order to get Aimee a b-day gift (her b-day was yesterday). Jon has is horn recital tonight (which I really don't want to go to). Annnnd...that's about it. I know there is so much more to be said...Friday, Saturday, Sunday and yesterday all need to be caught up on and there is so much to be said, but that will have to wait for sometime when I have TIME to sit down and write it all out! It is dreadfully long and I am not one to mince around words as many of you already know.

I take the long way around saying something very simple and easy (Libby, Christian, and Jon all know what I'm talking about thanks to Ancient History classes). Sometimes I wonder if it's a curse or a blessing that I can talk so much??!! I suppose it is a blessing, because all God gives me whether I like it or not is a blessing! I just need to accept that.

Right now, in my life, I have had a lot of friends asking for help or guidance in their lives, and at first I thought it was *such* a pain! But, then it struck me today...I am such a whiner??!! God has blessed me with this oppertunity to bless others and to lift them up and all I can do is find time to complain about it?? How pathetic is that?! I need to trust Him SOOOO much more and understand that He knows exactly what I need for my spiritual life! I can use these friends asking me for help to not only help and guide *them* but myself also! Thank you, Lord! You truly do know every single thing I need! Grant that I may always be trusting in You and You alone!

<3

TONIGHT!!

Hey all! So I am leaving shortly (just like me) to go play for the CHESS graduation!! I will be the ONLY viola!! AGH!! HELP! But anyways, that'll be fun!

Last night, Jon and I went to the HSMA concert for the younger groups. That was AMAAAAZING! :D I had such a fun time there! I ALSO GOT TO SEE PORAH THERE!! SHE'S GONNA STAY THE WEEKEND WITH ME!! (for those of you who do *not* know Zipporah, she's my friend from VA).

This morning, I got my hair cut REALLY SHORT! I am gonna post pictures as soon as we get some pictures taken! Rachel's camera has died, so that's not gonna go far. Oh well! It's super short and super cute!! I LOVE IT! *laughs to self* I did, however, shock my mom to death when I walked up to her after I got it done! :D


That's all for now! Wish me luck tonight!

<3 Sarah

LAST HOMEWORK! Homework 5.18.10

This is going to be a whole bunch of randomness because the tape was not that interesting because we didn't have much to do. This will be my last homework.

It has been shown time and time again of God's sovereign redemption throughout history.

You can't separate the Old and New Testament. They are not two different books. They weren't written that way and shouldn't be interpreted that way. They are both so intimately connected.

The part of the word, "-ism" absolutizes whatever comes before it. Humanism would make a god out of the human. Materialism would say that all there is is material things eventually making the material into god...etc.

If you look at Genesis and Revelation, there are so many similar if not exact passages of things going on. There are connections there and between those books is one overall covenant.

The Gentiles were given the Kingdom when the Israelites rejected it. Because of this, the Israelites were cut off.

Without propositions, Christ is not known. There is no possible way However, you cannot make it all about propositions, there must be a primary focus upon Christ.

Reformed is the closest belief to Hebrew. The Hebrews were very organized covenantally, and were very much about audio; the hearing of the Word. The Gentiles were very much about vision...seeing everything. It must always be physical in some sense. We can see that in our churches today, that they are getting more about the seeing and the visual.

Methodology is always based on technology.

Thinking of books, chapters, and verses in the Bible can lead to a wrong way of thinking. You could read it differently as a whole. It is not necessarily wrong, but it can lead to wrong and divided thinking. We don't take most verses in their context. Instead, we pick and choose what we want.

Bible into abstraction - we have turned it into that way. Instead, we must turn God's Word into a concrete application, not an abstract one.

We must think covenantally and then we will live covenatally. If we don't, the antithesis (humanism, moderanism, paganism, etc.) will rule over us. They are disorganized as of now, but if we don't get our act together, they shall get theirs together and destroy us.

An excert from "Reformed: What it Means, Why it Matters"

How did Calvin get along with other church leaders of his day? Opposing Roman Catholic teachings of the time, he agreed with the other Reformers that

* Salvation is by grace alone through faith, and not by our own good works.
* The Bible alone is the authoritative Word of God for our lives—not church tradition or what church leaders say.
* All believers are priests of God, anointed in Christ to serve him always, everywhere, in all they do.
* God gave us two sacraments, baptism and communion, which are signs and seals of God’s promises.
* A clergy’s blessing of the communion bread and wine do not really turn them into the actual body and blood of Christ.
* The original sinful condition in which we are born as well as our actual sins are all fully washed away by Christ’s one sacrifice on the cross.
* Prayer should be directed to God alone, not to saints or to Mary. In fact, all believers are both sinners needing God’s constant forgiveness and saints whom the Holy Spirit is already remaking to be like Jesus.

So what were some of the differences that have kept the followers of these Reformers in separate denominations ever since? Here are a few:

* Calvin differed with Luther on how Christ is present in the Lord’s Supper. Calvin taught that Jesus was not physically present but was spiritually present through the work of the Holy Spirit in believers’ hearts. Luther taught that Christ was in some sense still physically present in the bread and wine. Calvin also had a different view of how the kingdom of God actually operates in this present world. And Calvin placed more emphasis on how we should live as a result of God’s grace while Luther placed more emphasis on continually experiencing that grace itself.
* Calvin differed with Zwingli on the Lord’s Supper. Calvin taught that in communion Jesus actively participates. Jesus is our host who actually gives us his grace through the operation of the Holy Spirit. Zwingli taught that communion was our own doing—our remembering what Jesus did for us on the cross.
* Calvin differed with the Anabaptists on the role of civil government. Calvin saw government as a necessary agent of God to which Christians had to submit and which they had to actively support. The Anabaptists taught that civil government was only for non-Christians and that those within the kingdom of God had to separate themselves from civil society. Calvin also maintained the tradition of infant baptism, a practice rejected by the Anabaptists in favor of believer’s baptism.
* Calvin differed with the Anglicans/Episcopalians on many of the same points as he did with the Church of Rome. Anglicanism broke with the corrupt leadership of the Roman Church but retained many of its teachings.

Pros and Cons
Before he went to the cross to earn our salvation, Jesus prayed to his Father:
“My prayer is not for them alone.
I pray also for those who will believe
in me through their message, that all
of them may be one, Father, just as
you are in me and I am in you. May
they also be in us so that the world
may believe that you have sent me.”
—John 17:20-21

Clearly Jesus wanted the church to be one unified fellowship around the whole world. But through these two millennia the church has been fractured into different groups—groups that often tear each other apart over relatively unimportant things. There’s no denying that the Reformation contributed to this fragmentation. So was it good or was it bad that it happened?

Thoughtful Reformed Christians would probably answer that question by saying it was both. It was bad that the Reformation had to break up the visible unity of the church. But it was good that it did so because the church in those days had gone so far astray. Luther, Calvin, Knox, and Zwingli never wanted to break up the body of Christ. That’s why we call them “Reformers.” They wanted to stay in the church. They urgently tried to get the Church of Rome to re-form, to become obedient again to the Word of God. That was their aim—not to establish their own brand of Christianity. But they ran out of choices when the church leaders of their day stubbornly refused to budge and persecuted them ruthlessly. The Reformers had to break from the existing church. Notice in the verse above how Jesus prays not only for unity but also asks that believers will remain in God. When the church drifted away from God, the Reformers saw no option but to return to the straight and narrow as commanded by Scripture, even when it meant breaking ranks with the Roman Catholic Church.

Where does that leave us? We need to stay true to the teaching of Scripture. That’s the only way we can stay in Christ. However, we should always, always be looking for opportunities to join with other Christians. We should work with them even if our differences will not allow us, yet, to routinely worship with them. We need to keep reaching out to each other as we continue to reach for our Bibles. We may not always agree on doctrine or on how to worship. But there’s plenty we can agree on that God wants us to do in this impoverished, sin-wracked world. So let’s join efforts and do what needs doing together. Let’s make our own unique contribution to God’s mission, using the particular gifts God’s Spirit has given us. That way we may be the hands and feet and voice of our Savior for those who need to share in his goodness. Then we’ll still be functioning as Christ’s body. And the world will experience God’s reconciling love.

As Reformed Christians we want to keep praying both of these: “Lord, keep us obediently in you” and “Lord, make us one.” And to the best of our ability we’ll need to work at both, right along with our Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, and Baptist sisters and brothers.

My lil sister

"If Penny were a human, she'd be shallow." -- Becca

"Do you even know what that word means??" -- Me

"It means she'd be shy and impertinant" -- Becca


E.P.I.C.

10 things to do over the summer!

1) Get a nice tan!

2) Toughen up my feet so I can walk on sharp rocks! :D

3) Save money from my two jobs over the summer.

4) Have a blast on tour and Blue Lake

5) Play violin or piano for Secret Garden.

6) Learn *how* to play the violin ;)

7) Feel beautiful for at least one week straight!

8) Love my life fully!

9) Have a blast with my friends

10) Glorify God in EVERYTHING I do!!


<3

An MLIA of mine...truly mine

Today, I attempted to jump up on our kitchen counter with a piece of fresh warm bread with honey on it. The first attempt I totally failed. Second try I held it half-way for a few seconds before falling. Third try, I was very violent and my bread flew out of my hand and fell honey-faced down on the floor. The four attempt... ok so there wasn't a four attempt. I simply put the bread on the counter and jumped up on it. Uh...the counter, not the bread. MLIA


So that's my little MLIA *true* story for the day!

An American Woman Of A Different American Era

“Christianity can be proved to be the safest and highest ally of man’s nature, physical, moral, and intellectual, that the world has yet known. It protects his physical nature at every point by plain, stringent rules of general temperance and moderation. To his moral nature it gives the pervading strength of healthful purity. To his intellectual nature, while on one hand it enjoins full development and vigorous action, holding out to the spirit the highest conceivable aspirations, on the other it teaches the invaluable lessons of a wise humility. This grand and holy religion, whose whole action is healthful, whose restraints are all blessings–this gracious religion, whose chief precepts are the love of God and the love of man–this same Christianity confirms the subordinate position of woman, by allotting to man the headship in plain language and by positive precept. No system of philosophy has ever yet worked out in behalf of woman the practical results for good which Christianity has conferred on her. Christianity has raised woman from slavery and made her the thoughtful companion of man; finds her the mere toy, or the victim of his passions, and it places her by his side, his truest friend, his most faithful counselor, his helpmeet in every worthy and honorable task. It protects her far more effectually than any other system. It cultivates, strengthens, elevates, purifies all her highest endowments, and holds out to her aspirations the most sublime for that future state of existence, where precious rewards are promised to every faithful discharge of duty, even the most humble. But, while conferring on her these priceless blessings, it also enjoins the submission of the wife to the husband, and allots a subordinate position to the whole sex while here on earth. No woman calling herself a Christian, acknowledging her duties as such, can, therefore, consistently deny the obligation of a limited subordination laid upon her by her Lord and His Church.”

Susan Fenimore Cooper (1813-1894)
American Author



In God's eternal plan the man is nothing without the man, nor the woman without her mate. As the world creates woman into images and degrades their divine nature of motherhood, the younger generation of girls are being raised in a world that tries to brand in their mind they are nothing more than a figure. As the world wins the battle and slowly tears young women away from their true beauty that is found in becoming a mother in the home, the resposiblity of women is being changed and altered for the worst. No longer should the woman learn all things, being educated and well-spoken in order to teach children in their home, but they are to be consumed in their image and personal gain. Christianity is the only saving hope to maintain the beauty found in a mother teaching, educating and raising a child to become the saving hope for future generations.

homework 5.12.10

Clement of Alexandria: he made the first catechism for us. He was very concerned with the life of the mind. If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have the Nicene Creed.

Tertullian of Carthage: in his time, Christians were gravitating to Plato's world that there are two separate realms. "We really can't do much about this world, so we must fix our minds on the spiritual realm. We must be above this realm." They had given up on the earth. "Heavenly-minded" is what became the "fashion." Tertullian's argument however, was that Christ came to us by the world. We have to still work on earthly and worldly things. Christianity ought to change everything in life on earth.

Cyprian - he was the leader of Antioch. He wrote a book (well, I guess they didn't have books back then, but you know what I mean) called "Against the Novatians." The Novatians were teachers who believed the essence of the Gospel and the church are to safe-guard the secrets of God's knowledge. The Church is to "box" up that knowledge and give it out to only the "worthy and righteousness" people. The Church is to build up its walls. It is to invade the world; to attack the world. But Cyprian believed that the gates of hell are not marching against us...it's Satan. We have been given power, and we must strike while we have this kind of power and dominion. The Novatians were very strict about entrance to the Church. They were against Modalism which is all for that there is one god, but there are many different identities for him. Sometimes he is God, sometimes Christ, sometimes the Holy Spirit...but never one in three, and three in one. Therefore, they didn't truly believe in the Trinity and farther back from that, the Word. But there is always only one God. They had a rigorous church community and wouldn't let strays back into the fellowship of believers.

Polemical Fathers: they defend and apply the Gospel to new realms. They defend it by attacking.

Irenaeus: He believed that you can't fight something with nothing. That something is the world order or the world system: art, music, economics etc. that are at all flawed. We can pinpoint what is wrong, but how do we make it right? How does a Christian life influence others? What does it look like? These are questions he addressed. You must be affected by the Gospel. Christ is Lord and He is over the totality of our lives.

Hippolytus - he accumulated the apostolic tradition which taught us that we have to look back to know the present, and that you can't rely on opinion polls.

Origen - he was much like Athanasius. In his studies, he worked out a system of hermeneutics and rules of interpretation. Everyone can't see something the same way...there is one true interpretation, but many overall applications. There is a systematic worldview.

Athanasius - he was Origen's successor. He was forced into exile 7 times because he refused to bend under government's rule. The Bible is not open for changing. It is true and will always be. It will not change ever. It's here to stay and it can't be updated. You don't mess with the Gospel. His main point in life was that Jesus is Lord. He fought for the deity of God.

Ambrose - was a professor of rhetoric. He lived mainly in Northern Italy. He convicted and converted Augustine Bishop of Hippo.

Pastoral Fathers: these men built real communities and were more like pastors. They tended to do more of pastor-like things.

Basil - this man came from a prominent family to begin with. He lived in Ceaserea and was close friends with Gregory of Naziansis and Gregory Nyssa. When he was younger, he was a student in Athens with the future emperor. Nine of his family members were proclaimed saints. And during 1,000 years, there was always at least one member of his family that was governor, bishop, emperor or some other high office like that. Basil died in 379...his last words were, "This is but the beginning." Basil believed in hospitals. The church was found to be a healing center. Not only for spiritual needs, but for physical needs also. This shows us that hospitals are rooted in Christianity. AS the pagans take over the hospitals, it'll be more about death as opposed to life and healing.

Gregory Nyssa - he believed that Christians ought to be the best scientists, generals, artists, musicians and so forth. They should be the ones leading the culture and fashion.

Gregory Naziansis was the brother of Basil.

John Chrysostom (Chrysostom meaning golden tongue) was the bishop of Antioch. He was dragged down to be the bishop of Constantinople. He tended to speak strongly against the government. He firmly believed that the government was becoming an idol and was taking over the church's roles. This, he said, was tyranny and idolatry. For this, he was sent into exile.

Jerome - his scholarship was for the church. His most famous role was his Latin translation of the Bible which he wrote while staying in a cave in Bethlehem. He wrote it from a mixture of Greek and Hebrew to Latin.

The Dark Ages are only named that because pagans saw the Christian advance during that time.

My weird and interesting life

Wow, so last night I was faced with one of the hardest decisions of my whole life. We were on our way home and don’t ask me how, but we had a gallon and a half of vanilla ice. cream (one of my favorites at the moment.). Rachel had one gallon between her and I and Jon had the half a gallon back with him. They both had some sort of silverware to eat with, but I had none. There was no spoon anywhere to be found! So now we come to my extremely hard decision. I had to choose to either eat my vanilla ice. cream with a fork that had been sitting under my seat since who knows how long, or some random fork that could be a little bit more recent that I found in the trash. Now, let me set you straight folks…I am not normally *anywhere* this gross, but I was pretty desperate. I was really craving this ice. cream. There was no option *not* to eat it! Besides, why let Rachel eat it all?? So, it didn’t take too long for me to choose the fork from the trash. Don’t worry! I didn’t wipe it off with a napkin from the trash along with a sort of relatively cleanish blanket. I had a lot f fun totally grossing Rachel by being very dramatic, however. So yes, I ate my vanilla ice. cream for about 20 minutes till I couldn’t feel my tongue anymore and we were come. I was so hyper on sugar that I couldn’t feel anything (one of my favorite places to be). So after putting my stuff away and doing a quick clean-up around the house, I did my #1 favorite thing to do. I ran outside to the road (not the dirt one) and stood in the middle of it and then twirled and danced there till I was gonna fall over from dizziness. The only thing missing was the rain. Other than that, the warmth and strong wind were all it took for me to have the bestest night alive and to be collapsing in giggles on the way back to the house out of pure joy. It was so much fun, that I did it again right after. Twice! In one night! Blissful. :)

Saturday was the I.N.C.H. conference and that was enjoyable cuz of performing the opening number of Seussical there. After that, I hung out doing random things till about 3ish. Then, Jon and I went with the Doerrs to their house, and then to the Eileff’s for the Seuss party. That was fun. We did random things until a dinner of tacos and nachos (NACHO CHEESE! :D you had to be there to get that inside joke). Then we sat around until a game of improv was started. That was *extremely* funny. Probably one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. That lasted for about 2 hours until we left.

Sunday went well. It was a day of relaxing and nothing much. That was a pleasant change of pace.

Yesterday, I was busy with lots of school and then the last rehearsal for HSMA before our concert next Monday night. I highly recommend coming to that as we are playing this really hard/amazing piece that you *have* to hear! We were practicing last night from 6:45-9:45 without any breaks! But I have to say that it was lots of fun.

Last night, Dudley Winston (fondly nicknamed Bug) came and cuddled with me for a few minutes while gnawing on a scrunchie of mine until he left and was replaced by Penelope Ann Marie (Pig) who did *not* cuddle, but sat on the far end of my bed. She was still cute. This was not the case, however, this morning, when I was the only one up and about in the house and they both enjoyed tormenting me! I could swear they had it planned! One would get up on the counter and I’d smack whoever it was off just to turn around and see the other one up…and so and so forth. One of their favorite games to play with me is to get up while my back is turned and to knock off the counter one of the eggs that sit out all night drying. They *love* to do this! And it creates a mess that I don’t want to clean up but have to or they’ll eat it!

That is my life in a short blog post!

My little sermon

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are

This song clearly shows us that we cannot be saved by anything we do. We are not saved by works. In fact, we have nothing remotely related to our salvation. Christ has done it all already. We must take the Law very seriously, but the Law cannot save us. Only Christ can. God is always prior. This is not to say though, that we should just sit back and let Him do it all. If we are truly mindful of our sin, we should be so filled with gratitude that we are filled with life and glory to God. To God be the glory forever and ever. If we are *truly* grafted into Christ we can't help but respond this way! It is natural! It is in us! It is like our DNA. We can't help *but* do it! We are saved by justification alone. If a branch is truly grafted into a tree, it can't help but produce fruit. Now, will it be perfect fruit (like us being grafted into Christ and having perfect works)? No! Most certainly not! It can't be. But it is still recieved by God because it was done for the glory of God and for Christ. We are made perfect by the righteousness of Christ covering us completly. We aren't recieved but for that.


Thought I might share some musings of mine during evening church tonight. Thanks for reading.
~Sarah

Lately

My life? My life is normal. Lately, I've been a bit down...but other than that, it's been great. My friends seem to be there whenever I need them. Lately, however, I have been dwelling so much in self-pity. Not sure where it came from, but it's there and it doesn't want to leave. Realizing the problem is half of fixing it, right? *nervous laugh*

Yesterday was...a day. I got through the morning doing school, jobs, and music ok. I wanted to go help out at INCH so bad though. :( Then, at night, we had Aimee's party. That was amazing. I had such a good time. I had time out of the house (first time all week) and I got to loosen up and relax. We were always laughing. So I got there early cuz Rachel had her last concert, so I got to be there with Aimee; we washed dinner and cleaned up a bit. Then Chelsea got there, and next Donovan, Weston and Michael. A little while later, Libby and Christian came, and then Anna, and eventually Laura and then later Becca and later that night Jon. We had a blast. We ate snacks and then moved on to dinner. After dinner, we sort of hung out until we decided to dance. We danced the Virginia Reel, Strip the Willow, the Waterfall Waltz and I got to dance Gay Gordons (thank you Christian). We then proceeded to sit in the grass and just talk for a bit. After that, we went inside and played two games of Mafia before it was time to go home. In all, I had a very enjoyable time.

Today, today has been hectic. I haven't been sleeping so well lately and therefore, I have been waking up feeling very stressed and tired. Not a good start to the day. I called Aimee at 7:30 in the morning to see about a ride to INCH. Found out that she was not going. Great. So I gave the Timmis household a call...while falling asleep. So glad someone picked up! Got a ride...hurrah. So that's where I'm headed in about 2 hours. Until then, I think I will play some piano, practice some viola, and get a shower. Pluff, I am so tired.


MLIA posts:


Earlier today, my "7" key wasn't working while I was IMing someone. To overcome this, I started typing out "the number between 6 and 8", but then I realized I could just type out "seven". MLIA.

Today, I tried to blow a leaf off of my windshield...from the inside of my car. MLIA

Today, I found out that there is actually a strategy to Minesweeper that does not consist on clicking on random squares and crossing your fingers. MLIA.

Today I had a staring contest with my cat. He blinked, I laughed, he hit me with his paw. MLIA

oday, during a test I did not know the answer to a question. Instead of guessing I drew an epic battle between pirates and ninjas. Guess who got extra credit? No, not me. I just got a question mark. MLIA.

Today, I was walking home from school with a guy I kind of like. I eyed a really crunchy looking leaf a few feet in front of us. He was just about to jump on it, when he saw my disappointed face, then said 'Ladies first' and let me step on it. I wish there were more gentlemen like this. MLIA.

Today, my roommate took an "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" container out of the fridge that I had put grapes in for my lunch. When she opened it, she was shocked to find that it wasn't actually butter. It's not like the container didn't warn her. MLIA.

Today, a customer who was around 5 feet tall gave me $21 for his $22 order. I told him he was a little short. He laughed. Hooray for unintentional humor. MLIA.

Today, I was listening to music on my computer and thought I smelled my mom cooking brownies. I wasn't sure, so I turned the volume down. I still don't know why I did that. MLIA.

Today, I was wondering how deaf people can tell when their cellphones are ringing. Then I realized that that's what the vibrate mode is for. Then I started wondering why a deaf person would need a phone. MLIA.

Today, I heard my brother sneeze in his room. We were both on IM so I sent him a message saying bless you. MLIA.

Today, I freaked out when something touched my foot. I soon realized, it was just my other foot. MLIA.

Today, while playing 'Hide and Seek' with a group of people, I randomly shouted "I see you" without actually spotting anyone. Two people came out from their hiding spot thinking that I had found them. I felt like I had doubled my productivity. MLIA.


That's all for now! Signing off!
~Sarah

Pamphlet

Fellow Fighters in the Resistance!

Shaken and broken, our people behold the loss of the men of Stalingrad. Three hundred and thirty thousand German men have been senselessly and irresponsibly driven to death and destruction by the inspired strategy of our World War I Private First Class. Fuher, we thank you!

The German people are in ferment. Will we continue to entrust the fate of our armies to a dilettante? Do we want to sacrifice the rest of German youth to the base ambitions of a Party clique? No, never! The day of reckoning has come - the reckoning of German youth with the most abominable tyrant our people have ever been forced to endure. In the name of German youth we demand restitution by Adolf Hitler's state of our personal freedom, the most precious treasure we have, out of which he has swindled us in the most miserable way.

We grew up in a state in which all free expression of opinion is unscrupulously suppressed. The Hitler Youth, the SA, the SS have tried to drug us, to revolutionize us, to regiment us in the most promising young years of our lives. "Philosophical training" is the name given to the despicable method by which our budding intellectual development is muffled in a fog of empty phrases. A system of selection of leaders at once unimaginable devilish and narrow-minded trains up its future party bigwigs in the "Castles of the Knightly Order" to become Godless, impudent, and conscienceless exploiters and executioners - blind, stupid hangers-on of the Fuhrer. We "Intellectual Workers" are the ones who should put obstacles in the path of this caste of overlords.

Soldiers at the front are regimented like schoolboys by student leaders and trainees for the post of Gauleiter, and the lewd jokes of the Gauleiters insult the honor of the women students. German women students at the university in Munich have given a dignified reply to the besmirching of their honor, and German students have defended the women in the universities and have stood firm.... That is a beginning of the struggle for our free self-determination - without which in intellectual and spiritual values cannot be created. We thank the brave comrades, both men and women, who have set us brilliant examples.

For us there is but one slogan: fight against the party! Get out of the party organization, which are used to keep our mouths sealed and hold us in political bondage! Get out of the lecture rooms of the SS corporals and sergeants and the party bootlickers! We want genuine learning and real freedom of opinion. No threat can terrorize us, not even the shutting down of the institutions of higher learning. This is the struggle of each and every one of us for our future, our freedom, and our honor under a regime conscious of its moral responsibility.

Freedom and honor! For ten long years Hitler and his coadjutor have manhandled, squeezed, twisted, and debased these two splendid German words to the point of nausea, as only dilettantes can, casting the highest values of a nation before swine. They have sufficiently demonstrated in the ten years of destruction of all material and intellectual freedom, of all moral substance among the German people, what they understand by freedom and honor. The frightful bloodbath has opened the eyes of even the stupidest German - it is a slaughter which they arranged in the name of "freedom and honor of the German nation" throughout Europe, and which they daily start anew.

The name Germany is dishonored for all time if German youth does not finally rise, take revenge, and atone, smash its tormentors, and set up a new Europe of the spirit. Students! The German people look to us. As in 1813 the people expected us to shake off the Napoleonic yoke, so in 1943 they look to us to break the National Socialist terror through the power of the spirit. Beresina and Stalingrad are burning in the East. The dead of Stalingrad implore us to take action. "Up, up, my people, let smoke and flame be our sign!" Our people stand ready to rebel against the Nationals Socialist enslavement of Europe in a fervent new breakthrough of freedom and honor.

A poem of mine that I found while cleaning

Where are we going?
The world seems just fine,
But people are homeless,
People in debt, and minimum prices,
Supply and demand, inflation and money,
Where are we now??

Socialism



I wrote this on the way back from seeing HPA's Rose of Treason.

Quote

He by whom all things are made was made one of all things. The Son of God by the Father without a mother became the Son of man by a mother without a father. The Word Who is God before all time became flesh at the appointed time. The maker of the sun was made under the sun."

~Augustine - Bishop of Hippo - Sermon 187

Happy Happy Birthday, to Libby Lou Dear!

Happy Birthday, Darling! You have lived in the world now 17 years! You have become a beautiful young woman set apart from the world for your wonderful and sweet deeds! You have always been a light for me (lol, ok, well there was that oooone time :D ) You always have a smile...and you're always there to help and lift up anyone who was down!

You make *anyone* feel like a celebrity! Trust me, I know!! You spend time with little kids, not afraid to be associated with young children. You spend time with ME! Imagine that! (still can't believe it ;) ) I can't see you once, without you stopping to help someone. You are *always* there with a compliment for me! No matter how discouraging I am, you still find time to lift me up with a smile or a compliment! YOU are amazing!

I still can't believe how much you have grown since the time that I've known you...what is it?? 7 years?? Maybe 8?? Anyways, you are a beautiful, godly, GORGEOUS!, amazing, awesome, encouraging, and need I go on?? You, my dear, are a light among many. You are one in a thousand. The world is blessed by you, and your future young man (for I have a feeling there will be one) is eternally blessed!

May God bless you and grant you many, MANY more years on the earth, always praising and glorifying the One who you cannot breathe without...our Lord and Savior.

Love always,
Sarah

homework 5.5.10

God does extra ordinary things through ordinary people. Don't ever think that God won't use you mightily. Don't ever think that God chose you for no good reason. There is always a meaning. And I am going to write today about works and people who were mighty; I have often looked at these people and thought that they were so much greater...so much better, and that they were not ordinary in the least. But no matter what I want to think, every person who has every been anything, whether large or small, has always been ordinary. Not every one of these men we will touch upon was born and thought of right away as someone who would impact many lives, as someone who would go to their death while being looked at as a hero. You must believe that you have a purpose. Believe in yourself because He does.

In Asia Minor, there was a cultural transformation. It didn't stop there, either; it began to spread even farther. Christians were multiplying no matter what you did - you could persecute them, ignore them, or block them off to a section of the city for them, but they were always converting.

Clement of Rome was one of the ordinary "heroes" that we will talk about briefly. He was taught by the Apostle Paul, and was under the shadows of many different rulers. Clement eventually began to train and teach young people about the Gospel. He found that he could communicate well, and pull meaning out of ordinary stories. People would sit for hours listening to Clement. He was, however, very humble about his achievements; he knew he was a sinner. Something he said once, was, "I remember the day I supposedly became an expert...I was surprised."

Another ordinary "hero" was Ignatius of Antioch. He lived at the same time as Clement and knew him. He was taught by the Apostle John. He knew and met many notable people, who were mentioned in the Bible. He believed that even with his martyrdom, it would encourage other people to convert to Christ. In fact, he hoped that by it, Christianity would be furthered. He was bound and eaten by beasts with about 40 other Christians. A Roman centurion who had converted to Christianity was also with them. He was known for his booming voice and so, he was assigned the job of proclaiming the Gospel to onlookers of the "sport." Other Christians being killed with them were instructed to pray for him, while others were to gather around him so that he lived longer and might preach for longer. Ordinary people who changed lives. Many of the people sitting in the stands that day, came down and joined the Christians in the arena.

Polycarp: a more well-known ordinary man who changed lives. He lived until his later-eighties. Even at this point in his life, he refused to pinch a small piece of incense in the fire in honor of Caesars name. "I have served him 80 years, how could I desert Him now?"

Papiist lived in 140 and died in 170 AD. He dated the manuscript of the New Testament and organized the canon of Scripture. He was what we would call a tinker. He would go from house to house repairing pots and pans. But he was still a very important part in history.

Early Church History

There were many great heroic cities as well. We will list 5.

1) Constantinople: it was at the tip of Asia between Asia and Europe. It was the gateway into the East and was next to the sea. It had great cultural significance and was targeted for evangelism. Their imperial celebrities were their pastors. Everyone knew who the pastors were and literally worshiped them.

2) Antioch: they were a pioneering church. They were nicknamed the "Followers of the way," and the "Fountainhead of hope." They were the hope of the gospel. Paul and Barnabas were the leaders of this theological center.

3) Alexandria: Clement and Athanasius headed up this church. They were the "Apologetic center of the church." The defense of the gospel was taught here. They were a prominent church looked up to by many smaller churches.

4) Jerusalem: this was a church more symbolic than anything else. It was an apt symbol. They were looking for emotional, cultural, theological, and ethical responses and they got it.

5) Rome: this was another powerful symbol. It was the gateway to the west. All roads lead to Rome and this made it become very powerful and influential.

In 1054 AD, the one church ended. They all shared the same belief, but now they broke up and drifted away.

Antithesis - although with pagans, there are many different beliefs, it all boils down to the same thing at the end of the day.
An apologetical father (defending the Gospel):

Justin Martyr - "the great apologist" and the defender of the faith. He wrote directly to the emperor who would write back about the Gospel.

Rome was *very* tolerant of all different beliefs, but all societies have a blasphemy law, whether they admit it or not.

America used to have laws about men cursing with women present, as opposed to now when we have laws against you speaking out against homosexuality. Wow, how more obvious is this fact to us that we have changed so much. We were once considered a Christian culture, but if this is what we're characterized by now...we have lost so much.

"Render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." People often use this to prove that somethings go to Caesar and Caesar alone...not to God in the least. This is false, however, as we know that everything belongs to God. Caesar belongs to God.

The Future??

I know I'm a bit young...14 is early to be thinking about one's future, but I have thought it rather essential for the longest time. Of course, at that time, I didn't know much about anything. I didn't know what I wanted to do, or how to do it. But I have been seriously thinking about it lately, and have come up with several different roads.

1) I am not going to dilly-dally with school or music, but get out of high school ASAP, so that I may advance to college and get a head-start on life.

2) I am going to study Occupational Therapy at college.

3) I am hoping to apply for Grand Valley State College.

4) I intend on graduating in two years from now.

5) In the meantime, I will be working extra hard on school, and I have already begun clepping. I got the Sociology clep book on Monday and have already begun reading it.



So that's it. What do you think? I know, I am a bit ambitious, but I have always hoped to be great and to know my own mind. If any of this is not God's Will in my life, well, I know He will change it. It may not be what I want to be my life, but it is truly not all *my* life. My life is to glorify Him above all else. And if, by changing my plan for my life, it will glorify Him even more, then so be it. Let His Will be done, and His name be glorified.

homework 04.28.10

We will begin where we left off: with the city of Ghana.

Ghana: there weren't many stories or facts uncovered about this city until about 1050-160 AD. This unique culture-group flourished during 400 BC - 100 AD, though, in fact, it existed in some form or another until 1400 AD. The main occupation for the people of Ghana was the slave market. Ghana began and eventually ended due to slave trading. It became so rich and prospering because of slave trading, that this began to encourage other countries to follow suit.

In 400-300 BC, the Ghanans began to exploit those around them. They were known to be the greatest of all the slave traders. They traded mainly to Rome and Carthage. They did, however use slaves for themselves also. This brought in a considerable amount of money which gained them gold, silver, and many precious gemstones. This led to many lives of luxury.

*Quick note that I found intriguing: The Africans enslaved more Europeans than Americans ever enslaved Africans.

In 1400 AD, the new level of slave trading had died off during the medieval age. In Europe, it had died completely. But soon enough, with the economy dwindling, people began to see that the Ghanans were still as rich as ever due to slave trading. So slave trading was brought up to the markets once again. In fact, the Portuguese began to trade the Africans to the Europeans. Eventually, the whole continent of Africa was enslaved. "What goes around, comes around."

An example of something like this was in early 19teens - the 1920s, when Jewish doctors developed technology for the creation of eugenics, and soon enough, it was turned against the Jews, as it turned into the Holocaust. Hitler came into power and turned it right around.

The richest culture was turned completely around and was in severe impoverishment. The Europeans saw that Africa could be a gold mine, so it was divided up and the whole continent became enslaved and in poverty.

They had basically only two different types of buildings after the enslavement: either great and powerful palaces, or slave trading prisons/markets. Everything in Ghana, their cotton weavings from the lower Nile, silk from China, carpets from the East, all their rare spices and herbs...everything was taken from them and turned over to the rich and greedy Europeans. You were either a slave or a slave owner. There was absolutely no middle-class whatsoever, unless you count the slave traders. "The have and the have nots." You either have it all, or you have nothing. This point must be hammered home, because it can be paralleled with where America is going right now. You will either have everything (and be a part of the government) or you will have nothing (how the good guys will be treated).

The cities around Ghana revolved around their idea of man against man. When Ghana was enslaved, everyone else around them went rock-bottom. Human exploitation: nobody can trust anybody else. This culture turned racial animistic.

In the 1st millennium, there was tribe that emerged from the Western African forest. The Aksums didn't leave a written record of themselves, so it is hard to know exactly what they did or were like. Because of this, although we know that they had a lot of oral traditions, we also know that many of them are lost. They also traded, and they made their own jewelry, particularly glass beads. The Aksums had a lot of Mongolian influence. At the time of Tolima, in the first century AD, the Aksum became very powerful. They would trade ships to the Arabs. They were great navigators and ship-builders. They refined the Babylonian astrology technology as well as correcting the star-charts. They found that they needed to be changed constantly because earth's axis was (and is) always moving.

Christopher Columbus found out from the mass of a river the land mass of Africa.

Asuna(?)was the first African architecture outside of the Mediterranean. They were the first African tribe to convert to Christianity in mass. They made their buildings out of mountains. They would literally carve out the mountain. This was especially helpful in hiding their churches. They were geniuses at mathematics. The Asunas had natural a/c built into their houses. On the other hand, they didn't produce things...they weren't great with herds/flocks or agriculture. They would sell their information to gain these things however. This made them very vulnerable. The Arabs moved in and took the smartest Asumas and forced them to work for them

We tend to either undersell or over inflate the African cultures. We would undersell because of racial animism, or over inflate because of political correctness.

Patristic Age

There were many gifted, talented, and brilliant individuals who transformed the world within an amount of two lifetimes.
In America - the Founding Age
In England - the Victorian Age. Their literature for example: their authors were masters at their work: Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Kipling, Tolkien, Lewis and many others.

There are bevys of geniuses who are passionate, focused, driven, and self-less. Within a culture war (the decline of Rome for example) these people come together. They create a strong structure of culture. It is impossible to overestimate this kind of work. Art, music, literature, political institutions and many others are influenced.

The Romans truly hated the Gospel. It would change their culture entirely. It would mean the end of Roman roads, as well as Roman life. Its power, wealth, and so forth would all be destroyed. The Gospel would be Rome's ultimate death.

Barnabas was the partner of Apostle Paul. He worked in Antioch. Every city was known to have one church...one bishop. He was the first bishop over the church at Antioch. The maximum that any church had at one time was 500. There were also smaller private groups that met in homes. The bishop still oversaw these homes and their services. The house services would have elders/deacons to look out for that area's widows and orphans. The bishop would oversee a large number of smaller churches. Barnabas was gifted in encouragement. His nickname was "son of encouragement." Antioch was the first church to send out missionaries during the 1rst and 2nd century. Barnabas would bring out talents and gifts within people. He was the one, however, who was not very gifted in preaching.

My life :)

Wow...all I can say is wow. My life has been so filled with blessings it is hard to know where exactly to start. God has shown me His Love and is Mercy very visibly during these past few weeks. I have received sign after sign that He is there and He is hearing me and He knows exactly what I need and He has given it to me.

All my friends...you are such a blessing. You have no clue what little things you do that brighten my *entire* day. Even a smile or a hug mean so very, very much to me. I thank the Lord especially for Erin, Katherine, Madison, and Marissa. Knowing that you girls are out there to help me up whenever I fall is such a *huge* encouragement.

My family...I know...this isn't supposed to be like this. I know that I under appreciate my family for what they are. They are everything. I don't know where I'd be right now if it weren't for them. My friends are amazing, but my family is awesome. God knew what He was doing when He placed the people in my family where they are. Sometimes it doesn't feel like they're anything to me, and that they are the hugest pests ever. But honestly? I can be too!! I have learned to turn things back on me whenever I think bad of someone else. I can be just as bad if not worse! So thank you, Lord for the family you gave me.

The many things that have been falling into place have been wonderful. I didn't have enough money to go to Blue Lake, which is something I've been wanting to do for a long time. So earlier this week, I laid it to God...I said "Lord, this is something I've been wanting to do. Not something I need. But I know you do provide for wants as well as needs. Please, if this is Your Will, let me do it? I know that it is Your Will if you can provide the means of money. I won't have it in time. I'll have it just after the required day. Please, open a door for me." Then, I asked for the money from my Grandma. I honestly didn't know what she was going to say. But she called me early the next morning and said that she'd be more than happy to do this. I was ecstatic for the rest of the day! Well, lol, I guess I still am. I can't believe that God has been so providing even to my wants! This is just one of many examples that I could give of God giving me things that I simply ask for. One more thing that I think is essential to thank Him for here is the gift that He gave me to see these gifts. He has truly opened my eyes and made me so thankful for them. This I thank Him for. :) I love it when I can see His Love, His mercy, His Will, His provision portrayed so clearly. It is so humbling to know that I can't even breath without His Will. It's because of His Love, that I can be here today confident of seeing Him one day face-to-face. It is because of His Mercy that I can be here today telling you this and glorifying Him through everything that I do. His provision has seen me through everything: ecstatic days of dancing in the rain, sad days when all I want to do is cry, days where I can't see anything good and am so stubborn and angry, or days with serious depression where all I want to do is jump off a bridge. Lord, you have seen me through it all...I am still here because of you. If it was left up to me, I'd be gone years ago. But I'm not...I'm here...I'm alive...I'm still glorifying You, because of You. So after all of this, there is nothing to say but "Thank you." I found this beautiful song on Marissa and Andrea's blog on their playlist, and I thought I'd leave the lyrics here to close off. So farewell, and whoever you are: Thank you. :)


Oceans Will Part by Hillsong:

Verse 1:
If my heart has grown cold,
There Your love will unfold;
As You open my eyes to the work of Your hand.
When I'm blind to my way,
There Your Spirit will pray;
As You open my eyes to the work of Your hand,
As You open my eyes to the work of Your hand.

Chorus:
Oceans will part; nations come
At the whisper of Your call.
Hope will rise; glory shown.
In my life, Your will be done.

Verse 2:
Present suffering may pass,
Lord, Your mercy will last;
As You open my eyes to the work of Your hand.
And my heart will find praise,
I'll delight in Your way,
As You open my eyes to the work of Your hand,
As You open my eyes to the work of Your hand.