Myspace Blog #3: "Hope"

5 Jan 2009
Hope. I've always hoped for things. When I was little, it was a new Barbie. Even now, sometimes I hope for Mac&Cheese for supper. I hope daily for a car. 
Now, I think of so many people out there who have no hope. I think of the babies in the orphanage in Korea on the Holt International video. When the caretaker was asked why none of them were crying, she said that they had quit crying because they had cried and cried for someone to come for so long, and they had finally realized no one was coming. When they were crying earlier, they had hope that someone would their cries. Now they knew no one would hear them. They had lost all hope.
I have hope. I have a faith in God, and as Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now FAITH is being sure of what we HOPE  for and certain of what we do not see." Only if you have a FAITH in God, can you have HOPE for a life after this one. A life with the Creator of world.
On December 30, 2008, I surrendered to the call to ministry. I am really leaning towards the mission field. I want to give people this hope. I am so excited for what God has in store.

Myspace Blog #2: "Light"

13 Jan 2009
Matthew 5:14, " You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden."
You know how on Friday nights in the fall, you can just be driving down the road, and then you notice the glowing behind some trees. Like shining over the top of them. And you know that you are within a mile of a football game.
Or Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays in the spring, you pass the north end of Grove Hill, and you can almost count every light that's on at the park. And you know that somebody's playing baseball/ softball/ teeball. 
Or if you've ever been in Tennessee, staying in a cabin, especially in the summer when it's not too cold, you can stand out on the balcony of the cabin and look out at the mountains, and see the lights of houses and buildings all over the Smokies. And you know that somebody's awake.
A Christian is the same way. Or should be, anyways. If not, then it's a good sign you're not souled-out. We have hope, which I talked about in my previous blog; and that hope, the basis of our faith, will translate to joy, which is the light in which Matthew 5:14 talks about.
Peter 1:9-10 says, "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with and inexpressible and glorius joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

Myspace Blog #1: "Strength"

Transferring my blogs from my old Myspace account to here so I can FINALLY delete my account!

23 Jan 2009
2 Corinthians 12:10 says, "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
For when I am WEAK, then I am STRONG.
Just doesn't quite make sense does it? Until ya think about it like this...
Think about friends. There are plenty of people you know who you could have a good time with, and for that reason you may consider them your "friend." But when it comes to your real friends, it's a totally different story. Sure, you can have a good time with them, but that's not what ties the bond. Real friends are those that have been there with you through the good times AND the bad times, the times when you were weak, when you were insulted, when things were hard, when you were persecuted, when things were difficult. For those times when you were WEAK, then you (and your relationship) became STRONG.
God is like that. He uses the bad times to draw us closer to Him. In times of weakness, He is our strength, and by that, we become closer to Him. In times that we are insulted, He is our defense, and by that, we become closer to Him. In times that are hard, He lightens the load, and by that, we become closer to Him. In times of persecution, He never leaves nor forsakes us, and by that, we become closer to Him. In times that are difficult, He is our never-changing Foundation, and because of that, we can remain close to Him.
For when we are WEAK, then... and only then... we are STRONG.
 
Aha!

Day 2: Smile :)

Pre-braced smile:

Braced smile:

 

Post-braced smile:

Possibly the most genuine smiles to have ever been on my face:

....Am I the only one seeing a correlation between genuine smiles and these people? I do miss them.

Silly smiles:

Recent smile:

Mr. Quacka smile:

Day 1: Favorite Food :)

Mi comida favorita is CHURCH FOOD.

This is a real picture of food that I had this summer.  An awesome local church provided a ballin' meal for the WorldSong staffers one Sunday.  So great.

A close second is:

Any of the wonderful goodness found at Charlie's (As Time Goes By).

30 Day Photo Challenge

I shall do this. NOW. :)

Photo Ideas

I've been asked to do pictures for a bride and her bridesmaids/closest friends.

I just wanted to compile some cool ideas I've come across.

And this photo is just too cute to let myself forget about!

Autumn!

At the stars in the night, I wonder

At Your lightning in the sky, I shudder

Your glory is a blanket that covers

Every living thing

I’m in awe at the majesty of who You are

Your love is a seal burnt inside my heart

All of the day I want to be where You are

Holy Father

And it feels like there’s not enough praise inside of me

With all these words, all my heart can sing is holy

You are holy

Jesus Christ

You bled Your love, laid down Yourself

And gave me life

In naked shame You hung and You were lifted high

Here I lay in awe and wonder

I am afraid

For no one’s ever sacrificed and loved me this way

So on my face I fall under Your heavy grace

Here I lay in awe and wonder

And I wonder

I’m in awe at the majesty of who You are

Your love is a seal burnt inside my heart

All of the day I want to be where You are

Holy Father

And it feels like there’s not enough praise inside of me

With all these words, all my heart can sing is holy

You are holy

Lyrics: "I Wonder" by Leeland

Pictures by me, using the techniques I learned at thecreativemama.com

Pop-In Crafts

Tomorrow night is Pop-In Night at Judson.  This is a SUPER fun tradition of the upperclassmen trick-or-treating in the freshmen dorm.  Families dress up together, and every Junior-Soph makes a sign for every single stinkin' freshman.  That's 75 total.  I actually enjoy making signs though, so I didn't mind a'tall.  Here are a few of my favorites. :)

Our family (the Duck Family), consisting of 7 members, will be dressing up as the characters of Clue!  (I'll be sure to post pictures of costumes!)  Here are the name signs I made for each character!

Holly Beth

Ashley

Taylor

Sara

Katie

Brittany

Rivers (me)

Weddings.

Here I go again. 

Every now and then, I go through this phase where I do nothing but plan my wedding.  And this "phase" has lasted a lot longer this time than ever before.  I think I have wedding fever.

Picture it with me, if you will:

Outdoor ceremony in late September under a giant tree with unconventional seating...

... the wedding party is in vintage mis-match blues and greys...

... with wild/random flowers.

The bride (that's me) walks down the aisle wearing a vintage-inspired dress...

... and the groom is overwhelmed by her beauty.

[That picture is just too precious.]

Her shoes rock.

Sorry, but I just really enjoy this stuff.

Some ideas for the ceremony...

Mason jars and old books are essential to decorations.

Also for reception:

And um, how awesome are these Save-The-Dates?

I know it doesn't look it, but I'm totally not ready to get married any time soon.  I just enjoy decorating/designing stuff.  Maybe some of my friends should get married so I can get this wedding fever out of my system!

* DISCLAIMER:  I'm not obsessive over this at all.  Pinterest makes it too incredibly easy to come by these things. I "searched" for very little. Honest.