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."

Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners

This song ministered to our whole family on Sunday morning, which was even before my Grandpa passed away.

Jesus! what a Friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.

Refrain:

Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

Jesus! what a Strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him.
Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
He, my Strength, my victory wins.

Refrain

Jesus! what a Help in sorrow!
While the billows over me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my Comfort, helps my soul.

Refrain

Jesus! what a Guide and Keeper!
While the tempest still is high,
Storms about me, night overtakes me,
He, my Pilot, hears my cry.

Refrain

Jesus! I do now receive Him,
More than all in Him I find.
He hath granted me forgiveness,
I am His, and He is mine.

I was crying as I sang this Sunday morning. What a fitting, beautiful hymn! I hope that our Savior is wooing you to Himself--He sure is doing that for me more and more every day. Sometimes it seems like my faith/love for Him fluctuates, but in reality, He is "my Guide and Keeper". He is the one who granted me love for Him in the first place. He's never going to let me go. He is continually faithful. How I love Him!

p.s. If you haven't noticed, I love my Savior A LOT.

Monday: The start of a week and the end of a life

Yes, a life very dear to me. My grandpa passed away this afternoon. The Lord was gracious, in that it was a very peaceful death. My mom was able to be there with her father--she left yesterday afternoon after hearing Saturday night that he was in pretty critical condition. We had been busy making a cd of stories that we read into my dad's recording microphone and writing cards to send down with my dad when he flew there today. I don't know if my grandpa got a chance to see them or not--I doubt it. This made me so sad, because I felt like I didn't have a chance to tell him I loved him and to say goodbye. I spent a good part of the afternoon crying, as did my younger siblings left with me while my parents are gone. As I was explaining this part of my sadness, my brother Keith said--"Well, now he knows that we made him the cd, and he's probably listening to it right now!" It's true--my grandpa was wholly trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation. We have full assurance of his whereabouts at the moment--he is home with his loving Father and Savior, perhaps listening to some stories and reading some cards from his grandchildren.

Maybe I will post more details later, when I have them. At the moment, I've only talked to my mom for less than two minutes, and so I know very little more than I've already written.

We're going to be spending the evening and night with my sister and her family, so that will be nice and comforting.

Prayers for all of us children at home, as well as for my other siblings, grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins, and mom and dad would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

misc.

Hello Everyone! I don't have any excuses other than "school" for why I haven't posted in so long, so I'll just say I'm sorry :)

Anyway, in my devotions this morning I read this selection from Morning and Evening:

"His bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob."
-- Genesis 49:24

"That strength which God gives to his Josephs is real strength; it isnot a boasted valour, a fiction, a thing of which men talk, but whichends in smoke; it is true-divine strength. Why does Joseph standagainst temptation? Because God gives him aid. There is nought that wecan do without the power of God. All true strength comes from "themighty God of Jacob." Notice in what a blessedly familiar way God givesthis strength to Joseph-"The arms of his hands were made strong by thehands of the mighty God of Jacob." Thus God is represented as puttinghis hands on Joseph's hands, placing his arms on Joseph's arms. Like asa father teaches his children, so the Lord teaches them that fear him.He puts his arms upon them. Marvellous condescension! God Almighty,Eternal, Omnipotent, stoops from his throne and lays his hand upon thechild's hand, stretching his arm upon the arm of Joseph, that he may bemade strong! This strength was also covenant strength, for it isascribed to "the mighty God of Jacob." Now, wherever you read of theGod of Jacob in the Bible, you should remember the covenant with Jacob.Christians love to think of God's covenant. All the power, all thegrace, all the blessings, all the mercies, all the comforts, all thethings we have, flow to us from the well-head, through the covenant. Ifthere were no covenant, then we should fail indeed; for all grace proceeds from it, as light and heat from the sun. No angels ascend or descend, save upon that ladder which Jacob saw, at the top of which stood a covenant God. Christian, it may be that the archers have sorely grieved you, and shot at you, and wounded you, but still your bow abides in strength; be sure, then, to ascribe all the glory to Jacob's God. "

Oops, some of the words are smooshed together. Sorry about that! Hopefully you can still make it out, because it is powerful and encouraging! I don't know about you, but I frequently feel my lack of strength spiritually. Not that I question my salvation, but sometimes I just don't feel strong in my faith. Like the ever-so-popular children's (and adult's) worship song, Jesus Loves Me says: "They (we) are weak but he is strong!" (now just picture a room full of 4-5 year olds singing that with only a handful of adults in the room, with heavy emphasis on the "strong". That's what I get to see almost every Sunday:) Anyway, to picture the Lord laying his arms and hands on mine and restoring my strength is a thing of great beauty to my soul. I'm falling deeper in love, people!

Okay, I have two more awesome tidbits to share with you. I received an ESV Study Bible for Christmas this year! And I've been using it nearly everyday (I'm trying to read through the New Testament this year). Just this morning, however, I decided to register my "online code" in order to view my Bible online. IT IS SO COOL! You are able to add notes, listen to a person read it (enthusiastically, I might add!), read the notes from the Study Bible, go directly to a linked verse, see a verse just by hovering over the bold type, and more! If you have a Study Bible, but, like me, you never registered your code, DO IT! You won't regret it. And if you don't have a Study Bible, I highly recommend one! It has been very helpful to me in understanding what was really going on in Bible times, and it has also helped me with theological questions that I've had.

Now for my last item: Faith Like Potatoes. I watched this movie with our small group on Friday night and it blew me away! It is a Christian film that is both encouraging and faith-building. There is one part in the movie that I had to close my eyes, and for families with younger kids, I would recommend fast-forwarding through, since it is a scene that involves an extremely traumatic circumstance. However, it really added a whole other dimension to the movie, and although it was hard to watch/hear, it was good for me. I hope to do a more full review on this movie later, but for now I'll leave it at that and add it to the "Favorite Movies" section of my profile ;)

Off to start my day!