pictures! wahoo!

I'm in a not-so-serious mood, and was flipping through some pictures I recently took and decided to post some here! (I go back and forth between serious, deep posts and frivolous worth-absolutely-nothing posts. :P Maybe I should blog sometime about consistency .... )

Anyway. Here is a picture of Noah (he's 14) showing off his amazing kite flying skills. (the kite flying was yesterday by the way)

Here is Noah (on the left) and Ezra (on the right, he's 11) watching the kite

That was all yesterday (Sunday). Today, Judah (he's 9) and I went golfing! Change that - Judah golfed and I cheered and took pictures. :) It was fun to watch him play! Here is a picture ...

So yeah - pictures and brothers are fun. :) All else ... I've been up to a lot of things lately and working on balancing it all. I have gained something like three new jobs in the past week, plus school and my responsibilities at home. It's a challenge, but I love a good challenge ... and Do Hard Things, right? :D

I have been reading Joshua lately (among other things) but it's great to hear this:

''Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, nor be discouraged, for Yahweh your Elohim is with you wherever you go.''

where did it go? I can't seem to find it ....

Modesty. Self respect. Morals. Where on earth has it all gone? Ach nein! I have two words to say: swimming pool

This weekend my brothers are in a swim meet. The swim meet is outside and right next to our water park. All of this afternoon I was quite disgusted. What is wrong with people that think it's okay to walk around and go swimming in basically their undergarments!!!! I think it's just plain wrong. Do people not care that they are showing the world around 80% - 90% of their body? Do people just flat out not care? I mean come on - seriously. What makes it okay to walk around in a bikini just because you are at a swimming pool? Would you walk around in a bikini at Target? The Library? Church? NO!! Never! So what makes it okay to wear that at the pool?

Yes, I know there are those that say that you can't go swimming in anything else, or that it's good for your body to get sun exposure, or some other random excuse that doesn't negate the fact. Modesty. There used to be modestly in our world. It used to be where if someone, anyone saw a girls' ankle it was absolutely awful!!! What happened? Those were good days, when men opened doors for ladies, ladies cared about being ladies, and cared about not showing things they shouldn't show to the world! (the ankle thing might be going a little far, but it's a good point)

I am just a little perturbed about the whole situation. Does nobody care any more? Does no one care about what the rest of the world sees? Maybe I am just too old-fashioned thinking or something - but I just don't know if God is happy with all of the immodesty that is in this world - in my little, sheltered world. I just don't know.

A couple notes to end with .... it's in the Bible, and I'm not the only person who thinks this way! Check out the Modesty Survey - it's really great and interesting.

1 Timothy 2 .... vs 9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, vs 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.

The Modesty Survey part of The Rebelution

painting, graduation, calc .... nothing real important ;)

So from the above title - nothing too exciting or important has been going on lately. I have been painting (along with my Mom, Dad, and brother Noah) since Sunday. We have everything done, except for a few things which I hope to finish up later this morning. :) I was given the job of doing ALL the trim. Everywhere there is trim, I need to repaint it! I struggled with this for awhile because I did not want this job, nor did I feel I was the right candidate for it. But I learned a few good lessons from having to paint all that trim. Do everything to the glory of God! It doesn't matter that I got the worst paint job - I need to do a good job because I'm doing it for God! And not complaining about it ... oooh boy that one is hard. Especially when my brother did the green wall paint and got it all over the trim and the ceiling - which, I might add, is white! But I'm not complaining - it's character building. It looks so much better too. ;)

With the weekend comes Sunday, June 7th, and with that comes my graduation party. I am slightly nervous for it because I hate being the center of attention - but I'm just praying that I will have fun, relax, and just give everything to God! After all, there is no way I could have finished high school without Him. So yes - we are getting everything ready to go! Food plans are done (partially ... I still have to make like 400 cookies on Friday - fun fun!), I have my outfit I'm wearing, we have all the plates napkins etc., Mom is almost done with the picture collage thing .... yes, it's all coming together! It will be fun though - to see lots of people. :D

I had a coaching call yesterday and we figured out that I can take Calculus II for an online class over the summer!!!!!!! :D :D :D I am SO excited about that!!! I do have to take the Calculus I CLEP first (obviously) but I think that one won't be too hard ... I think I have most of the concepts down. Oh, and I do have to take English Literature before that one! So I have a little ways to go, but I am so excited for Calculus II!! Brand me as insane and crazy .... I don't care hehe.

After all that - I leave you with my memory verses for the past couple weeks. They are so beautiful, just the whole picture of what Yahshua did for us and what we need to do to have a wonderful relationship with Him ... just walk in the light. :)

1 Yohanan (John) 1

1. What was from the beginning, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked upon and our hands have handled concerning the word of life:

2. And the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and announce to you this everlasting life which was with the Father is manifested to us.

3. We announce to you what we have seen and heard, so that you too might have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son Yahshua Messiah.

4. And we write this to you in order that your joy might be complete.

5. And this is the message we have heard from him and announce to you, that Elohim is light and in him is no darkness at all.

6. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and are not doing the truth.

7. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Yahshua Messiah His son cleanses us from all sin.

8. If we say we have not sin, we are misleading ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

9. If we confess our sins, He is trustworthy and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar. and His Word in not in us.