Unthinkable Evil

I first read about the Gosnell case on Thursday evening.

It completely broke my heart.

I wanted to weep, to grieve the loss of those precious children and their mothers. But no tears came. I was just dumbfounded that anything like this could happen. It was surreal. So evil, so heinous, so unthinkably terrible. I thought, “Surely, I’m dreaming this and it’s just a horrible nightmare. When I wake up, all will be right again with the world.”

And then I realized that this heartache I was experiencing for these precious babies was familiar to me. I had felt it many times before when reading about abortion. I realized that horrors like this are happening by the thousands every day in our country.

And it’s completely legal.

And it’s supported by our government.

A pit forms in my stomach when I think about the fact that my hard-earned dollars are used to pay for these murders, these so-called “medical operations.”

And we, as a country, claim that it is a woman’s right to her own body.

It’s her right to let a doctor kill her child.

So long as the baby is inside her. As soon as the baby has moved the 6 inches to outside the womb, it becomes murder.

Do you know what? I do not place the majority of the blame on these mothers. I understand that their lives, their situations, are more complex than I can realize. I understand that a baby is a huge responsibility, that being pregnant for 9 months is certainly very inconvenient, that she didn't want to get pregnant in the first place. It is a heartbreaking situation; but it only becomes more heartbreaking when she chooses the option that our culture shoves in her face,  telling her it’s the best and only option.

The solution our culture offers these troubled and worried and confused and lonely women is to terminate the pregnancy. To remove the fetus. All of the medical jargon sounds so much better than “murdering an infant.”

I’m not going to go into a discussion of why abortion is wrong. I will let any article about the Gosnell case speak for me on that point. I just want to share with you a prayer that I've been praying non-stop since Thursday night.

I am begging the Lord to use the horrendous story of Gosnell’s crimes to open the eyes of Americans.

I think it’s safe to say that the vast majority of people who read about the case will be horrified, will agree that Gosnell should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, will be outraged that such an atrocity has been going on so long and yet has only begun to cause a ripple in the news.

And I hope it causes all those who claim to be pro-choice to rethink their position. To realize that there is no difference between what Gosnell has done and what abortionists do every day to younger babies.

There are two logical conclusions that pro-choice Americans can reach after rethinking their position based on the Gosnell case.

First, it is possible that, in order to remain consistent and maintain their positions, some may claim that post-birth abortion (infanticide) should be made legal. In fact, some already have come to this conclusion. 

I hope and pray that very few people join that camp of thinking. It will only lead to acceptance of killing many other groups of people, including those with disabilities.

The second conclusion that people may reach is that abortion is wrong, no matter the gestational age of the baby.

Oh, Lord, may this thinking overwhelm the minds of America’s people!

Here are a couple of my favorite pro-life links, if you’d like to consider this further.

Can I Live—a song by Nick Cannon. Makes me cry. Beautiful, powerful, and true. http://vimeo.com/25303505

180 Movie—a 33 minute documentary that explores the similarities between abortion today and the Holocaust. Very, very difficult to watch, but also very powerful. http://www.180movie.com/

3 things

So. This is a very random, very short post.

1. I'm sorry for being such a sporadic blogger. This blog is basically a journal, and all of my diaries have had very long gaps between entries. So I guess that just means I'm consistent. Or lazy...but let's stick with consistent :)
2. Biology is very tough. I thought chemistry was going to be horrible, and then ended up loving it. I thought I loved biology, and it's turning out to be the hardest class I've ever taken. Life's kinda funny like that, isn't it?
3. "My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty. There's nothing my God cannot do." Those familiar words sum up my feelings at this particular moment. Yesterday was quite a difficult day for me, but today felt like drinking an ice-cold glass of water on the hottest day of summer. Today was uplifting. Today was beautiful. I sang, laughed, played, danced, and felt loved by friends and family. Yeah, today was definitely a blessing.

Well...here I go; gotta study some oxidative phosphorylation. Wish me luck!

The Hobbit

AHHHH!!!

I absolutely. Can't. Wait. It looks so good, so epic, so wonderful, so perfect. I'm so excited.

I was too young to appreciate The Lord of the Rings movies when they came out; now I've got a second chance, and I will enjoy it with all my might.

Oh, and here's a grand picture that was my laptop background for a good while. I love it. 

Emma, by Jane Austen

This book is so, so good. I absolutely love it. I cannot put it down. One of the things I like best about it (besides the wonderful characters *cough* Mr. Knightley *cough*) is that it is chock-full of the funniest quotes! Seriously, there have been probably 10 different passages that I have wanted to write down because they were just too delightfully witty. So, when I came across this gem, I had to post it.

The stage is set with the exhausting Mrs. Elton talking with the ever-gentlemanly, ever-dashing Mr. Knightley. They are discussing a strawberry-picking party to be held at his estate, Donwell. ("Donwell was famous for its strawberry beds." :)

"Oh! now you are looking very sly. But consider;--you need not be afraid of delegating power to me. I am no young lady on her preferment. Married women, you know, may be safely authorized. It is my party. Leave it all to me. I will invite your guests."

"No,"--he calmly replied,--"there is but one married woman in the world whom I can allow to invite what guests she pleases to Donwell, and that one is--"

"--Mrs. Weston, I suppose," interrupted Mrs. Elton, rather mortified.

"No--Mrs. Knightley;--and, till she is in being, I will manage such matters myself."

Read. This. Book. It is one of the cleverest books I've ever read. You will love it.

In Christ Alone

I think I have another post titled that, so hopefully this doesn't confuse anyone. I had to use it, since it is the perfect summation of what this post will be about.

Anyway, here goes.

It all started with a bad class picture. I teach the preschool class at our homeschooling co-op, and a couple Fridays ago they took class pictures. I was not prepared for them to take teachers' pictures, or to be in the picture of the whole class. Needless to say, I opted for comfy rather than stylish, clothing that day, and my hair was...well, let's just say less-than-perfect. I shrugged it off, though. Smile. Flash. Done.

Fast-forward two weeks later when the pictures arrived. A few of the thoughts that ran through my mind when I first saw them: "Gross." "Yuck." "Ew." "I am ugly."

Not a happy day. After laughing (but mostly crying) about the pictures, my sister and mom attempted to make me feel pretty by showing me some less-unflattering pictures of myself. Yet, I was in such a low spot that I found flaws in all of them. I never claimed to be photogenic, and these new horrible class pictures proved it (in my mind). Plus, I was freaking out because I still haven't taken senior pictures yet--and I had already been anxious about how they would turn out, without more proof that my face doesn't like cameras.

Anyway, I got through the day by fixing my hair and doing my make-up. I felt better, but really was just distracted. All morning on Saturday I was in a funk about it, without realizing it. I found myself crying on my bed, thinking that no one would ever want to marry me; I'm ugly, not funny, not creative, not artistic, not musical, blah blah blah. So I went downstairs and started talking with my beautiful, wise mother.

I wish I could remember every word of the conversation, but I can't. I told her that I didn't understand why I had so many sweet friends, and my fear of no one marrying me. I couldn't understand why anyone would really like being around me. (I'll just interject here that I don't usually let a bad picture do this to me, but the Lord knew what I needed--just wait.) In her gentle, motherly way, she helped me see that this wasn't true, and told me that she was my #1 fan. "I don't think anyone can love you as much as I do," she said.

We proceeded to talk about what the real problem was, why I was crying. Then I realized something so big, that my throat seized up in that really uncomfortable crying thing.

"Mom, I think I'm fighting to believe that I really am fearfully and wonderfully made. Satan and my own flesh are telling me that I'm not--but God doesn't make mistakes. I am beautiful, because He made me and I am His."

Okay, so I didn't say it that clearly. I was crying so it sounded all froggy and it was choppy and not as eloquent. But those words were what I was feeling.

That was thing #1 that I realized.

Thing #2 was that Christ is All. I'll explain.

As I was telling my mom that I didn't understand why people would like me, she said, basically, that I wasn't supposed to know. He is the one who works every good thing in me, so I cannot make a list of "Katie's Good Qualities"--then my life would become trying to live up to the list and make it longer, instead of just abiding in Christ and living in Him. In Christ alone my hope is found. He is my life, my strength, my song.

Oh, how sweet it was to remember that I am not my own! That I am merely a fallen sinner, saved by His incredible grace; a faithless woman loved by an ever faithful Savior. Apart from Him, I can do nothing.

Thing #3:

My mom graciously and sweetly reminded me that God does not withhold any good thing from His children. If giving me a husband is what is good for me, the Lord will give one to me. If He doesn't give one to me, it is best.

Well, that's about all I have time for for now. Chemistry class calls. I'm sure I will fall back into those same questions and feeling down about myself, but He is always faithful, and will bring me back to this place of contentment and satisfaction in Him.

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ! (I'll post the rest of the lyrics to that song later :)

Light

As I was getting ready for the first day of classes this morning, I read today's Morning & Evening by Spurgeon. As soon as I read the verse at the top, I knew it was perfect for me today. Here it is:

"In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." ~Philippians 2:15

We use lights to make manifest. A Christian man should so shine in his life, that a person could not live with him a week without knowing the gospel. His conversation should be such that all who are about him should clearly perceive Whose he is, and Whom he serves; and should see the image of Jesus reflected in his daily actions. Lights are intended for guidance. We are to help those around us who are in the dark. We are to hold forth to them the Word of life. We are to point sinners to the Saviour, and the weary to a divine resting-place. Men sometimes read their Bibles, and fail to understand them; we should be read, like Philip, to instruct the inquirer in the meaning of God's Word, the way of salvation, and the life of godliness. Lights are also used for warning. On our rocks and shoals a light-house is sure to be erected. Christian men should know that there are many false lights shown everywhere in the world, and therefore the right light is needed. The wreckers of Satan are always abroad, tempting the ungodly to sin under the name of pleasure; they hoist the wrong light, be it ours to put up the true light upon every dangerous rock, to point out every sin, and tell what it leads to, that so we may be clear of the blood of all men, shining as lights in the world. Lights also have a very cheering influence, and so have Christians. A Christian ought to be a comforter, with kind words on his lips, and sympathy in his heart; he should carry sunshine wherever he goes, and diffuse happiness around him.

Gracious Spirit dwell with me;
I myself would gracious be,
And with words that help and heal
Would thy life in mine reveal,
And with actions bold and meek
Would for Christ my Saviour speak.


Those words set a flame in me that is burning to live this life for my beloved Jesus. One of my favorite parts is, "he should carry sunshine wherever he goes, and diffuse happiness around him." I want to carry sunshine. I want to show what joy is like; it's so much better than the transient happiness that this world can offer.

chemistry and captain america

Hola! Well, this is gonna be short because I am going to try to be going to sleep before 11 tonight. We'll see if that happens. But I wanted to inform you all of something big. huge. massive even.

Actually, it's really not a very big deal at all.

But anyway, my first chemistry class ever took place yesterday, and my second one will happen tomorrow. As well as my first chemistry lab.

And you know what? I think I'm going to survive this class. Now, I'm not saying I'm sure I'll live through it, I just feel like there is hope. I mean, I didn't take high school chem and now I'm running head-long into college chemistry? What am I thinking?! But actually, the professor is very nice, very approachable, and she said that this class is not going to be that bad. She said to expect something more like high school chemistry 2. I can handle that. I think.

On second though--scratch that. I know I can handle that. Not of my own strength, but the Lord is my strength, and through Christ I can do all things. Even chemistry.

Oh--and I've been thanking Him for blessing me with a professor I like. I was pretty nervous about that aspect of it, and He totally provided someone I really, really like.

And now, I'd like you all to meet someone, if you haven't already. His name is Steve Rogers:

Also known as...

...Captain America. He is awesome.

That is all.

a list-y post

Because it's too late to be posting, and I wanted to post anyway. Please excuse the extreme randomness.

1.) I really, truly am going to try to post more frequently.

2.) I promise.

3.) You don't believe me? Gosh. Haha, well I wouldn't believe me either. I'm seriously a horrible blogger, and you all are so wonderful to keep checking this little neglected corner of cyberspace.

4.) I'm 17. And it's super weird.

5.) School starts in 10 days, and that makes me sad. This summer has officially gone faster than any other summer in my rememberance. I'm taking chemistry, art appreciation, and interpersonal communications, all PSEO. Thankfully, chemistry is the only one starting on the 22nd, and I have a couple more weeks before the others start. I'm also teaching a preschool class at our homeschooling co-op for the first time this year. I'm so excited and so nervous at the same time! Any craft/theme/lesson/book ideas you have would be very much welcomed :) Still trying to pull together some sort of curriculum.

6.) There are about 6 long things that I should post about, but I'm not. I'm posting a list, 'cause it's easier.

7.) We are going to a wedding tomorrow, and I'm so excited. The helpless romantic in me just loves anything to do with weddings, including looking at pictures of peoples' weddings I don't know from Adam. I've only gone to one wedding this whole summer, so tomorrow will be super fun. I can't wait for my own wedding, and for my friends' weddings! It will be ultra-strange, but it will also be crazy fun when all of us start gettin' beaus and tying the knot :)

8.) This really should be number one. But I'm so tired, that my brain isn't thinking logically. My brother and sister-in-law are having a baby in February! I cannot WAIT! I love anything to do with babies, but having another one in the family is extra, extra special :) Current nickname? Baby O. Adorable? I think yes.

9.) Speaking of babies, we now have a family living with us (in our attic) and they have two little girls! The older one is nearly 2 and the younger one is around 8 months. Both are sweet as can be. Both are crazy adorable. But they are absolutely. Positively. Opposites. It's so fun! :) And their parents are so great. They're definitely dear friends of mine--it's not weird at all for them to live here. She is like a sister--we talk all the time, share clothes, tease each other, and seek prayer from the other. And her husband is awesome! He's helping me--

10.) learn guitar. We'll see if this actually goes anywhere, but I hope it does! So far I've learned majors A, D, G, and E, and E minor. Not too great, but it's a start! I can play some Bob Dylan, at least :)

11.) And...so people won't accuse me of being "Monk-ish" (ever seen the t.v. show? My family claims I share some traits with the genius detective--not in the genius part, in the "liking things even, symmetrical, etc." part.) I will not stop at 10! We will have a number 11! :) I was up nearly all night last night, not of my own accord. Then I slept in until 9:45, which explains while I'm still slightly functioning at 12:15 am.

12.) Oh, and I have a job! I work at a thrift store, started by our old church, 8 hours a week. I absolutely LOVE it. It's so, so fun. I'll have to write another post about it sometime. It's seriously great :)

13.) I've considered changing the name of my blog again, out of fear of what people will think. ("Oh. She's one of those, 'Jesus is my boyfriend' people. Ew.") But I decided to keep it because it really captures a huge part of who I am--that helpless romantic I was talking about earlier. I still love envisioning my Savior as my Prince, rescuing me from myself and breaking my bonds of sin. In the words of one of my favorite hymns of all time:

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
fast bound in sin and nature's night;
thine eye diffused a quickening ray--
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light.
My chains fell off, my heart was free--
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Amazing love! How can it be?
That Thou my God shouldst die for me?

Goosebumps, eh? How great is our God! How sweet is my salvation, how glad I am that my Savior is Jesus! :)

modesty

Yesterday was a very happy day. Partly because I went driving with my dad again (on REAL streets!), partly because my sister, mom, and I got delicious Caribou coffee drinks for really cheap, partly because I got new flip-flops and a new dress. But the thing that stuck out the most to me, the thing that made me almost giddy was something not all that exciting, to some people.

I found two pairs of summer shorts.

Yes I did. And, these aren't your ordinary show-everything-but-underwear shorts. They were modest! And no, they weren't capris. And no, they don't come all the way to my knees. And yes, they are very cute! In my opinion :)

Modesty is a very important issue to me. I take extra time in the fitting room to make sure that the clothing isn't too low, short, tight, and doesn't show too much skin. I feel that God wants His children to be modest; the Bible even talks about it!

I really think that being modest is a huge way to love the men around us. I am not someone of the opinion that "if he has a problem with it, he better fix his sick mind!" I do believe that men should avert their eyes if something a girl is wearing causes them to stumble, but I think it's better if the girl never wears the problematic clothing in the first place.

You know, one thing that makes modesty difficult is that girls sometimes don't have a clue about what's modest vs. immodest. Things that are hard for guys probably wouldn't make another girl blink an eye. Sometimes I will wear something that my mom and I think is modest, but my dad will point out something about it that we hadn't even noticed. Which brings me to my handy-dandy little list! :)

1. Consult your dad. He's a guy, and he cares so much about you. He is a great resource; he can tell you when something will be difficult for a guy because he's been there himself.

2. Pray! Modesty is a heart issue at it's core, and only God can change hearts. Girls can be covered from head-to-toe and still be immodest if their heart is in the wrong place and they are seeking that form of attention. If your desire is to be modest, ask the Lord to give you a heart that embraces modesty and longs for it.

3. Use this modesty survey done by Alex and Brett Harris. It has been an invaluable tool for me! Read the main page and the Survey Overview first, and then browse the Survey Results to see if your clothing could be causing guys around you to stumble. If so, see if your mom would like to go out shopping! :) Now, I do have one precaution here: sometimes, you have to ignore some of the comments, because in some cases, the guys interviewed seemed to need the girl to walk around in a head-to-toe box. That's just not practical, and at that point, the problem is really theirs. However, sometimes the comments are super helpful, because they let me know which kinds of tank tops are fine, and what makes one borderline-bad or just plain bad.

Okay. So know I've spat a bunch of stuff at you that you may or may not have wanted to hear! But now I want to tell you something.

While it does take a little bit of extra effort to find them, modest, stylish clothes are not non-existent. You can find cute clothes--no matter what your style is--that are modest by doing a little digging. You don't have to shop at online stores that sell matching, modest dresses for the whole family (not that there's anything wrong with that! It's just not my taste). Case in point: I found the aforementioned shorts at Target. :)

On to one of my favorite style/modesty tips: Some clothes that would be immodest by themselves are made cuter and modest by layering! I use camis ALLLLL the time, because most of my shirts would be too low on their own. I love the layered look anyway, so it's no problem for me--until the camis get stretched out and they themselves are too low :) But then it's just another excuse to go shopping again!

Well. Maybe that was helpful, maybe not. But now I have to go. I would love it if you would ask questions in the comments!

Over and out.

Driving with Daddy--again, sorry for smooshedness!

As some of you know, I got my permit about a year ago. I have barely used it. A few months after I got it, my mom took me to a parking lot and showed me how to operate the car, and I attempted to park about 50 times. Never succeeding. Due to busy craziness, I had not driven again until last night. Last night, my wonderful dad took me to a different parking lot. A Home Depot parking lot. Oh yeah. And I drove around. And, again, failed at parking. Over and over. But my daddy was patient with me. After giving up on parking, we decided to do some figure eights, and my dad taught me how to turn without being extremely tense and herky-jerky. How to make smoooooth turns :) And, of course, we ended our lessons with a trip into the wonderful hardware store. Ahhh... It was a perfect date with dad. I am truly blessed to have such an amazing father, a dad who represents my heavenly Father with his patience, kindness, and gentleness. I love you, Daddy.

Letters

Dear Readers, Thank you so much for your comments. They really do encourage this terrible blogger to keep on posting! :) Each and every comment means so much to me. Dear Allergies (and stupid virus), Please go away. Pronto. You make it very difficult for me to do my massive amounts of homework (see next letter), because my throat hurts and my head seems like it's filled with brick. And that doesn't feel too great, and it's distracting. So, yes, I would really appreciate if you took a hike somewhere without human beings. Dear Homework, Do you ever do anything for yourself? Geesh, I seem to do all the heavy lifting around here. You never seem to get yourself done--I always, always have to do that for you. I'd really appreciate it if you could learn to do at least a little of the work. At least revise the essay yourself, maybe? Dear Pastor, Thank you very, very much for the wonderful sermon this morning. The gospel was spoken to me in a completely new and beautiful way, and my week has already been touched by your words. I feel like I can handle Allergies and Homework so much better after hearing so much truth this morning. Sincerely, Katie p.s. Dear Blogger, What's going on? Stop smooshing all my stuff together! Please. :) p.p.s. Dear Readers (again), Please forgive the smooshed-ness. I don't know what Blogger is thinking. Thanks!

"Help!"

I don't think it's humanly possible to watch this video without smiling :) Now, aren't you at least slightly happier, having watched that?

just some thoughts

This is going to possibly be the most random, scattered blog post you have ever read or will ever read. In your life. But I feel like if I don't do one of these types of posts, I will never post again, and that would be a very bad thing indeed. So, are you ready? Brace yourself.

School: Oh my goodness. School. Where do I start? The fact that my junior year will be basically over in a mere 20 days? The 9-page paper I wrote for my college English class? My wonderful history and literature classes? Hmm. Well, I can hardly believe that I'll be a senior in the fall. A senior. A SENIOR. A STINKIN' SENIOR! Yeah, I'm a little flabbergasted, if that's the right word, which it probably isn't. Oh well.

But yeah. Let me start with PSEO, I guess. For any of you who don't know what PSEO is, it's just where you get to take college classes in high school, for both college and high school credit. For free. That's right. Tuition for this awesome opprotunity is a whoppin' $0.00. It's pretty sweet. Anyway, last semester, I took a Nutrition class online, and a College Algebra class through a Christian University, but at a homeschool co-op thing. It went really well! I was challenged, but in a good way. Probably my biggest challenge was having due dates. Having been homeschooled my whole life, "due dates" were very flexible, even non-existent. So, getting things done in a timely manner was a big stepping stone for me :)

This semester, I'm taking college English and general psychology at the same University, through the same co-op, and it's going fabulously! It's pretty hard--even more challenging than last year. Psychology really isn't bad at all, but English just about killed me with the large research paper...just kidding. It really wasn't SO bad. The problem was mainy my perfectionist self. I couldn't stop thinking about it, ever. And I way over-researched--I had to take out an entire subtopic! But now I have the rough draft complete, and the final draft isn't due until Monday, so I have some time to polish it up a bit before my teacher sees it. That's another thing that's been weird--my English professor doesn't read any of the rough drafts! We just do peer reviews, which are...interesting. Thankfully, my professor is wonderful, and so are the kids in the class. It's a tiny class, actually. Like, really, really tiny. 8 students. Just 8. Where else could I have taken college English 1 with such an awesome teacher/student ratio?! It's really great.

Oh, and this year I've also been taking history and literature classes with some amazing friends. The mom of two of the girls is the teacher, and she's so awesome! Maybe you remember me posting about her blog, Orange Marmalade? If not, definitely check it out! It's super cool :) Anyway, we've been studying mainly 20th century history and reading literature that goes along with a similar timeline. It's been so rich, and I've learned so much! It's incredible. It's been so fun, to boot! Instead of a final exam, we have been making history scrapbooks with pictures from the Internet of the things we've been learning about. On the days we work on them, we have "Scrapbook Parties" and listen to music from the time period we're studying and eat food from that time period. It's so awesome. I wish it wasn't ending so soon!

Spring/Summer: Spring is definitely in the air around here! It's glorious. I slept with the window open last night, and today my room smells like spring. The sunlight is so lovely, and I can't wait for the leaves and flowers and grass to grow. Already I'm wearing lots of skirts and tank tops and dresses!

I'm very excited for summer this year, although I'm savoring every moment of spring. But this summer, I can't wait to have lots of picnics, read dozens of books (just wait until I post my book list!), bake lots of cookies, drink yummy smoothies, swing on swings, go camping with friends (even if it's just in the backyard), play with my siblings, ride my bike, go for walks, go to the zoo, eat tons of barbeque, go swimming, and have people over nearly every weekend. It will be so wonderful, I can't wait. How will I have time to do all of these fabulous things? NO SCHOOL, BABY! FREEDOM! :D

Oh, but summer can't fully start until after June 11. The dreaded ACT. Yuck. Thankfully, I have a great book about how to do the math section, which is my Achilles heel...anybody with me on that one?

Oh, and here's something I can't believe, almost as much as I can't believe I'll be a senior in the fall: June 26, I'll be 17. Wow.

17.

Let that just sink in. It's crazy.

Anyway, on to a new topic: As mentioned very briefly in my last post, I have a most adorable new nephew, named Elijah! He was born on December 3, and he's just the sweetest, chubbiest baby you ever did see. And he's a little snugglebug! Big brother Gideon took a little while to warm up to him, but now they're best buds. Oh, and Gid is 2 now! Yesterday was his birthday, and he was such a trooper, opening present after present with his little drippy nose running, saying "de-di" ("thank you"). So precious.

Well, I should probably start to bring this variously topic-ed post to a close, since I have quite a bit of school to accomplish today. But there is so much more I could write! I'll try to post again very soon about all that God is doing in my life. Things are quite exciting!

For now, I'll end on a very unrelated note: Tangled.

Can you say "absolutely positively amazingly adorable, funny, and sweet"?

I can. "Tangled." Sha-bam.

Christ is All

Boy, I'm such a horrible blogger! Dear me.

And there are so, so many things that I want to blog about. Christmas, music, books, my new room, my new NEPHEW!!! Inception, bread baking mishaps...the list goes on. Hopefully in the next couple weeks I will be able to post about most of those. But right now, I want to post about one thing.

Christ's preeminence.

That's a weird word, I know. According to my pastor, it only occurs one time in the New Testament: Colossians 1:18. As a church, we are going through the book of Colossians by memorization and the sermons. It has been wonderful! I have been learning so much. But the main thing that has taken hold of me is the fact that Christ is ALL. This was the main point of one of the very first sermons in the series. It's so true. Here are some verses that back this up:

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven making peace by the blood of His cross." Colossions 1:15-20

Try reading that by replacing all forms of "He" with "Christ". Notice how many times Paul uses the words "Christ" and "All". It's staggering.

This is how our pastor started that sermon. Do you see the preeminence of Christ in this passage?

This sermon was preached at least a couple months ago. Then, last night, I decided to begin studying the book of Hebrews on my own (I've been wanting to have more structured personal devotions for a while, and I decided to actually "start" last night. Our pastor had read a portion of Hebrews yesterday morning, so that seemed like a good place to start. Anyway.) I was so excited to find these verses:

"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs." Hebrews 1:1-4

Doesn't that sound incredibly similar to the first chapter of Colossians? I thought so, at least.

I feel like God is helping me realize how important He is, and how important His Son is. I know that sounds strange, but I'm afraid that He is not "All" in my life. Other things sometimes take a higher place. It's not like I actually believe that other things are more important, but my actions speak otherwise. Would I really get irritated with my sister if Christ was always preeminent in my thoughts? No. Do I desire to spend my time watching movies and listening to music rather than reading my Bible? Yes. Now, I'm definitely not against movies and music. I love both! And I actually think both can be very good and beneficial, in addition to being fun. I just have to keep my love for these things in check, and make sure that I don't stay up too late watching movies so that by the time I'm doing devotions, I can barely keep my eyes from closing. Does that make any sense?

Well, I need to get lunch ready for the kids. But, I do want to share one last thing. This is a song that we sang in church yesterday that really sums up everything I've said so far:

The First Place

by Matthew Westerholm

Jesus, the perfect picture of the unseen God
Maker of things we cannot comprehend
Wisdom, the earth displays Your strength and beauty.
Sovereign, yes, every throne knows You are God.

Chorus:
Every inch of this universe belongs to You, O Christ.
For through You and for You it was made.
Your creation endures by the order of Your hand.
So You must have in all things the first place.

Victor, over sin and death You triumphed.
Firstborn, You've shown us life beyond the grave.
Bridegroom, we long for You in expectation.
Jesus, Your church rejoices to proclaim:

Every inch of this universe belongs to You, O Christ.
For through You and for You it was made.
Your creation endures by the order of Your hand.
So You must have in all things the first place.

In Christ Alone

Just click. Then listen.

http://owlcityblog.com/2010/10/25/my-hope-is-found/

Amazing.

Yikes.

Alright. Well, I think I've just about met my previous record of not-posting. Oh dear. I must work on that.

However, now it feels like there is just SO much to write about, that I get overwhelmed.

Let's just pick one topic. How about school? Boring subject, I know, but it's kinda a big part of my life right now. Okay, never mind--I'll do one sentence about school and then write about something else.

This year I am taking 7 college credits (Nutrition, College Algebra, and a Child Development class that's already over) through PSEO, as well two high-school classes (twentieth century jistory and literture) with some awesome girls.

There. Okay, now you're a little caught up on school stuff. And now for other things.

How about muffins? I love muffins. And I'm sort of addicted to making them. Be they pumpkin, banana, or blueberry&oat, muffins are delish.

This is BO-ring. Soooo...maybe this is why I stopped posting? Hmm... Oh well.

I'll write more later (hopefully). I have a precious Morning and Evening to share with you all, so that will most likely be my next post.

And now, you have read the lamest post in history. Sorry. And on that note, adios! :)

Anne of Green Gables, new poll, new design :)

Hey, y'all!

I just got back from our family reunion/vacation. It was great fun. While I was there I read Anne of Green Gables and started Anne of Avonlea, as well as some other books. But this post is about the "Anne" series, by L. M. Montgomery.

Anne Shirley is the heroine of this set of eight books. She is an orphan girl of eleven when she is adopted by the kindhearted and lonely Matthew and his sister Marilla. Anne is a helpless romantic and uses her imagination at all hours of the day. She is dreadfully conflicted by her red hair, which seems to be the only thing that she cannot imagine away. As she finds true friendship in the neighbor girl, Diana, she also warms the heart of crusty Marilla, and brings joy and life to dear Matthew. I have only read the first one and a half books, but I can already tell you--they are books to be treasured. The characters in Anne of Green Gables are all so well-rounded and funny--you will love them all immediately. Except perhaps the dreadful Josie Pye. :) Anyway, I highly, highly, highly recommend these books. You will fall in love with the red-headed Miss Shirley and the wonderful town of Avonlea.

Okay, on to the next matter of business :) If you have already discovered this gem of literature, please vote in my new poll! Also, let me know who you picked. If you've seen the movie/s, you can vote, too! The first book is very, very similar to the first movie :)

And lastly, as you can see, I'm toying with the design of my blog again. We'll see what it actually ends up being :)

Well, I have to leave for orientation in a few minutes, so I have to go.

~Katie

New Blog: Orange Marmalade :)

Well I have sufficiently neglected my blog, I think. This seems to be quite the cycle, does it not? Oh well. I can only do what I can do. And today I'm going to give you a real treat :)

A wonderful friend of mine, mother of two of my dearest friends, has started a scrumptious blog that I would like to share with all of you. It's called "Orange Marmalade" and it's goal is: "spreading the word on delightful children's literature". Sounds awesome, huh? You can visit the blog at: www.jillsbooks.wordpress.com.

Mrs. Swanson (the blog author) led my book group this past year. Thanks to her, I have found some of my very favorite novels, including "Jane Eyre" and "A Tale of Two Cities" and "The Three Musketeers". Her love of literature is irresistibly contagious--I can't even tell you how much I have grown in my own love of written works in large measure due to her enthusiasm and discussions that we've had. She is also a lover of our Lord, and an amazing person, mother, and friend. :)

One of her posts on "Orange Marmalade" has inspired me to find and read "Winnie-the-Pooh" by A. A. Milne. It is such a hoot!

So, I encourage you to join me in enjoying some delightful "Orange Marmalade". You won't regret it! :)

Love Song for a Savior

My family has just started a "Secular Music Fast" where we only listen to worship music for a while. I think it's a great idea, even though it's hard. :) Actually, the fact that it's hard confirms all the more that I probably need it. Anyway, I was looking through a bunch of my CDs, and I came across one by Jars of Clay--I think it was my brother's, because he loves that band. Anyway, the third track on the CD is this:

"Love Song for a Savior"

In open fields of wild flowers,
she breathes the air and flies away
She thanks her Jesus for the daises and the roses
in no simple language
Someday she'll understand
the meaning of it all
He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on her lips
Someday she'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
Someday He'll call her and she will come running
and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and she'll pray,

"I want to fall in love with You"

Sitting silent wearing Sunday best
The sermon echoes through the walls
A great salvation through it calls to the people
who stare into nowhere, and can't feel the chains on their souls
He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on our lips
Someday we'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
Someday He'll call us and we will come running
and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and we'll pray,

"I want to fall in love with You"

It seems too easy to call you "Savior",
Not close enough to call you "God"So as I sit and think of words I can mention
to show my devotion
"I want to fall in love with You"
"my heart beats for You"

Given the "theme" of this blog, I thought it was a fitting song to post. :) Hope it gave a little sunshine to your day!

p.s. I think the lyrics are correct, but I found them online, so you never really know. :)

Drawing Closer to God

Lately I've really felt the need to draw closer to God. I'm not sure why, but I've just felt a distance between myself and my Heavenly Father. I know that nothing can snatch me out of His hands, and that He's always right there beside me (Owl City's "Meteor Shower" :). I think every Christian goes through drier times--or rather, what feels like drier times--but we do not need to fret! God will not let us wander away, because we are His precious children! Anyway, I really feel like He's drawing me closer in many ways, and also showing me how to draw closer to Him. Here, I'll explain a little bit.

My family and I started going to a new church a couple months ago. The Lord has used this change for so much good!!! Every week I come home refreshed from a time of fellowship with the body of Christ, a great time in the Word with all of our pastor's sermons, Gospel-focused worship, and wonderfully intense, sometimes interactive, times of prayer. Suffice it to say, the Lord has provided a place that my family feels "at home" and that we love! So, that's one way in which I feel Him drawing me closer.

Then, this morning, as I was reading Morning and Evening and my chapter of Hebrews, I came across these little jewels:

"The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be;
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee." ~"Morning and Evening" by Charles Spurgeon, May 4

and here is a section of Hebrews chapter 4 that really touched me:

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

I'll sum up with a short little prayer that all this lead me to pray this morning (hopefully this doesn't make anyone feel awkward, or like this is a lame blog :) :

Father, please strip all idols (I have so many!) away from me, even though it will hurt. I want you to be the only One on my throne--you're the only one deserving of that place! Thank you SO MUCH that Jesus came to die for me, and while he lived on earth, He was tempted in every way but yet did not give in to sin! Thank you that He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. How incredible to have a Savior who understands the feelings of the ones He is saving! Thank you, also, for allowing us--horrid sinners, yet by your Son we have become righteous--to draw near your throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need!!!!! What an awesome promise you've given us!

Anyway, I often times just pray the scripture I'm reading, whether by turning it into a plea or into a praise or into a prayer of thanksgiving....I think this one might have all three :)

So, be encouraged today, friends, that our Savior knows how we are feeling, and that God can and will strip away all of our idols, so that we might indeed draw nearer to Him.

"Prone to wander, Lord I feel it!
Prone to leave the God I love!
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for thy courts above."