Ben and Recent Events::

My mom got this from a friend in one of those chain email things. Although this isn't the whole

article, I thought it was super good and thoughtful. Thus I am sharing it with you.

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My Confession:

I am a Jew, and every single on e of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees... I don't feel threatened.. I don't feel discriminated against.. Thats what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating his happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc.. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide.). We said an expert should know what he's talking about.. And we said okay..

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send "jokes" through email and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

My Best Regards,

Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein

..woah..

To Be A Christlike People

So, my family and I are reading a little book, Listen Up! A practical guide to listening to sermons, at dinner. Tonight we were reading point #4 which was Hear the Sermon in Church. It was talking about how listening to a sermon in church is so much better than listening to an mp3 sermon. Now before I continue, it's not a bad thing to listen to other preachers sermons while running on the treadmill etc., but it's healthier to be in an actual church. Here is an excerpt from the book::

"The normal place for preaching is the gather of the local church. We are to hear sermons as a people gathered together; they are not preached so that we can listen to them solo later. The word 'church' means an 'assembly' of men and women who gather physically together. There is no such thing as 'virtual church'. The assembly of the people of Israel in the Sinai desert was called (literally) 'the church in the wilderness' (Acts 7 v38).

This church was defined by the call of the word of God to gather under the word of God. It began when God said to Moses: 'Assemble the people before me to hear my words' (Deuteronomy 4 v10). This set the standard shape and pattern for the people of God (God take the initiative to summon them, and us) and gathered to sit together under the word of God ('to hear my words'), to be shaped together by His word. God's purpose is not to shape a collection of individuals to be each like Christ, but to form a Christlike people."

That last sentence "God's purpose is not to shape a collection of individuals to be each like Christ, but to form a Christlike people" is the part that really hit home for me. Of course I want to be like Christ, but more than that I want to be a part of the Christlike People. I want to surround myself with amazing Christ like people so that we may become the Bride.

In today's culture, the goal is to be an individual. When you are "hipster" you are an "individual". *disclaimer: I love hipsters. I like to think that I'm one sometimes.. not always but sometimes. I hangout with a lot of hipsters. Being Hipster Is Not A Bad Thing. I was just using it as an example. But back to my point. In the statement above it states that the goal is not to be an individual but to be a people. I want to be a people. You can't do it by yourself. Being a Christian and being alone is hard! You need a community to keep you in line and eyes set on the prize.

New Goal: To Be a Part of a Christlike People.

what do you think? Do you want to be a part of a Christlike People? What does your People look like? How does carrying out this call look like in your life? Comment below!::

C•A

Fallnesssss

Last Tuesday, Kate Kelly and I went on a photowalk. We took some cool pictures around the city. That night I came home and edited the pictures with photoshop..for the first time. I'm so excited! I figured out how to use photoshop (by myself) and I can now do everything that I've been wanting to do photo-editingwise. I'm so excited. So here is a photo from that walk::

Wednesday Awesomeness::

Wow. What a Wednesday. Today was great! And I'm oh so thankful.

Here are some highlights::

• The weather was lovely. I took the dog for a walk and the air was brisk, the leaves beautiful, the sky blue, and color vibrant. I loved it.

• I went to CHC to write some of my paper. Nate made me a mocha with a fun picture in the foam. I look forward to that every time I get something there. I sat at the bar with a bunch of other people. Man, the cafe was packed! It's never that busy after 4 o' clock on a Wednesday.. Anyway the mocha was good and the paper writing fine.

• As I was sitting in CHC writing, an older gentleman came in to order. He sat about two or three chairs down. I had sat near he and his wife before. He was a regular like me, and Nate knew is name and what not. Anyway, about halfway into him sitting there, he spoke to me. He asked what school I went to and what grade I was in. I answered. He then asked what my plans were for after highschool. It was so dear. He was very encouraging about everything. He said that I need to keep my mind open, to know what I want, and to let no one tell me that I couldn't live my dream. It was so nice. He reminds me a lot of my grandfather, sitting there, drinking his coffee, making conversation with a complete stranger. It completely made my day. I was so thankful. I hope to run into him again. I like having older gentlemen in my life who remind me of my late grandfather, because I miss him. A lot.

• My family went to Rockford Plantation for a dinner picnic. It was so cold but really fun. We saw deers. :)

• I went back to CHC after dinner to work some more on my paper. I find that I can concentrate so much better there.. Anyway Kate Kelly, my lovely friend, was there (she had gotten there before I left the first time) and so I sat next to her. We get along so well and make each other laugh so much. We made a new friend, Carl from Prince St., who was sitting next to us. Good music and good friends while studying is such a nice thing. I'm very thankful for Kate. This also made my day.

• Mumford & Sons while studying= yes. :D

I'm write, write, writing right now... but writing this was my break from paper writing. woohoo.

I hope yall had a good Wednesday!

xoxoCA

Playing For Keeps::

I've started playing the piano regularly again. I stopped taking lessons last year because my schedule was so crazy with school and work. Because of my busy life I kind of stopped playing all together. I would play a lot of songs that I could sing along with but not a classical or instrumental piece. But I got to the point were I really missed it. Like A Lot. I'm working on a Yann Tiersen piece from Amelie {La Valse d'Amelie} and a Brahms piece {that I've been working on for three years but have yet to master..}. Playing the piano, playing well, is a very satisfying feeling. I'm thankful that God gave the gift of music, even if it isn't a gift I'm amazing at or am using as a career.

{this lady looks so beautiful. Now I feel I should dress up to play the piano..}

I Have This Urge..

I found some yarn in my closet and I had this sudden urge to take up knitting again. Only, I have a problem.. I could only find one knitting needle. As soon as I find another one I will start knitting. I'll let you know how it goes..... I'm hoping to one day be able to make a hat.. maybe that's a little too optimistic...

In Memory of an Amazing Man::

This weekend marked the two year mile stone of my maternal grandfather's death. Richard Symons was such an amazing person. I love him so much and it's weird not having him around anymore. He taught me what unconditional love is, because that's how he loved me. I have so many good memories of the times we had together. I feel like I spent almost every weekend at his house when I was little. I'm so thankful for the 15 years I had with Pop-Pop. I wish he was here to see me grow up; to see me turn 16, to see me drive, to see me graduate, to see me get married, to see me grow as photographer and as a woman of God. Thank you, Pop-Pop, for being such an important part of my growing up. Thank you for teaching me how to be a woman of God, even through your death. I LOVE YOU!

Pumpkin Carving!

I know, I know, Halloween isn't until tomorrow, but here in Lancaster City, we trick-or-treat on Friday. Thursday night, my family and I carved our pumpkins! It's our little family tradition to carve pumpkins on trick-or-treat eve. That way when the trick-or-treaters come, the pumpkins are fresh. My dad is super creative and so we always have cute pumpkins. Dad's this year is the Harry Potter one, Mom's is the face with the glasses, Mine is the camera, Maggie's the owl, and Ellie's the face (with hair). The front of our house looks so cute with our pumpkins!!

...This is how I feel....

So I've been here for ages...

...And I don't think I'm leaving anytime soon.

I'm sitting in Chestnut Hill cafe, watching Nanette make sandwiches and Nate make coffee drinks, doing school. I've been here since 4:45. It's 7:15. To be honest I'm so tired of being here! Sitting at the bar, drinking my mocha, and doing school is one of my favoritest things to do but seriously.. I'm not done my school yet. I'm getting anxious. And for no reason. I'm tired of reading. I'm tired of having to pee like crazy (thank you coffee that runs through my body way too fast.. . although you probably didn't want to know that...heh). I'm tired. I want to go to bed. But HATS homework calls! <-- a very mean call actually.

I'll be up forever. Thank you homework..and coffee..

On a happier note, my dear friend Amy is coming over tomorrow and we're going to take pictures. I'm excited.

This is probably a boring post and not needed but... I had to vent somewhere. Thank you blog.

...CHC I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I really do love being here. You make me smile.

xoxoCA

this makes me smile::

OH...

...And I forgot!!!

Check out Kate's Blog. It's awesome and beautiful and adorable. Just like her.

If I Were A Fish....

....I would have the most epic bubbles. Just sayin.

So. Uh. Again I have been neglecting to write here. But I have a very good reason. I don't reallyyy have anything to say. But here are some things::

• I just read Cry, the Beloved Country. Oh. Em. Gee. It's a must read. Really. It took me a little while and it was a little slow but so good!

• God has blessed me with the most amazing new friends recently. I'm so thankful for Kate Kelly, Bethany Taylor, and Nate Kaiser. They are so awesome. Really. Be jealous if they aren't friends with you. They are adding beauty to my life (literally, Kate and Nate are photographers. Kate is my second shooter! and Bethany just loves beautiful things.). Enough about them.

• I am also very thankful for Chestnut Hill Cafe..Where I tend to spend a least half of my week. I'm so regular I have my own special regular card. Bam.

• Listen to this:: In Christ Alone...awesome version.

• Im really missing Scotland right now. If you want to know why read this:: Moody Sunshine.

For the most part, life is pretty good right now. If I have anything insightful or interesting to say I'll post.

Happy Tuesday everyone!

xoxoCA

OhMy!

Well Hello there!

Yes, I do realize I haven't written in almost six months. But here I am again! I am sorry that I have left this poor lil blog in the lurch but I do have some excuses.

Excuse 1: I am so flippin busy. It's not even funny.

Excuse 2: I kind of forgot..heh.

Excuse 3: I am so so so busy.

Excuse 4: I kind of seriously forgot.

Excuse 5: I haven't really had anything to say.

Excuse 6: Heh.

Let me update you a little on some things that have happened in my life since I last wrote.

• I went to Scotland for 15 days. You can read allll about my trip here:: Moody Sunshine

• I got more hours at my uhmazing job. I also made a few more work friends :)

• My photography business has been flourishing. I have a Facebook Fan Page, a Blog, and *drum roll please* A WEBSITE!!!!! My awesome dad designed it for me. Check out his website. Here's another one.

• Imma Junior.

Lets talk about that point a little, shall we. I don't think I've ever been so busy or so exhausted in my whole life. Dude, Junior year is exhausting! I honestly just want it to be over, and it's just started.

There is a perk, though. It's hit me (quite a few times, actually) what an impact Juniors and Seniors have. I have freshies following me around. I have people asking my opinion on things. It's so weird!(in a good way). I never really realized how much impact I could have on someone. It's crazy. Apparently I've lived long enough and done enough stupid stuff that I can actually give advice to some of these kids.

A downside to almost graduating is the fact that I've been trying to figure out what I want to do after high school. I have so many ideas. and then I have No Idea What So Ever. Oh well. I still have a year (or more) to think about it.

Fact: I love photography. I thought I'd share some of my favorite photographers right now. Is that cool??

• The Wiebners:: These guys are a local husband and wife team who happen to live next to my best friends. We have been come friends. They are so cool. 'Nough said. I've liked them for awhile now.

• Brooke Courtney Photography:: Another local husband and wife team. These guys are cool. Sadly, I do not know them personally, but I do stay up-to-date with their blog.

• Jurina Photography:: Another local photographer who I happen to know personally. Al goes to my church and was my photography teacher. We've shot weddings together, actually.

• Amber Jacoby Photography:: Local photographer that I actually kind of work with! Amber works at Shenk's poultry in Central Market and I work at Lettuce Toss Salad. Our stands are almost right across from each other. Amber is one of the sweetest persons ever. I love her.

• Jen Blatgalvis Photography:: I do not know this photographer but she took one of my dear friends senior pictures. I love the way the eyes of her models are so sparkly.

• Navyblur:: This team is based in the UK and they are so. cool. I can't even describe how cool they are. check it out.

• Jeremy Cowart:: Oh. My. Gosh. This guy is good. So. Good. I didn't give you his blog because you just need to look at his whole website. Really I can't even describe it.

Those are just a few out of many many photographers I really like. I hope you like looking at their work! I know I do. I spend WAY too much time looking at pictures and getting idears.

I hope yall are good!! If I think of more things to say I will write them here :)

Here's one of my all time favorite quotes to leave with you::

"God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His promises...leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself." -Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Good night everyone.

xoxoC•A

quote

The end [purpose] of life is not to be happy, nor to achieve pleasure and avoid pain, but to do the will of God come what may. -Martin Luther King

quote

When you were born , you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice. -Cherokee Saying

quote

Life is not measured by length but depth. Birthdays tell us how long we have been on the road, not how far we have traveled. - Vance Havner

quote

The meaning of earthly existence is not, as we have grown used to thinking, in prosperity, but in the development of the soul. -Alexander Solzhnitsyn

quote

One can live on less when one has more to live for. -S.S. McKenny

Happy Monday!

Happy Monday everyone! The weather here is lovely, again. Yesterday was frightfully cold even with the beautiful sunshine and blue sky, which was depressing for Mother's Day. I hope everyone's Monday hasn't been completely awful :P

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

quote of the day:

"God's logic is very different from ours. We assume that the circumstances must be right if we are to be really effective Christians. But God is not waiting for the circumstances to be right; he is committed to producing really effective Christians, whatever the circumstances may be." -Sinclair Ferguson.

^so encouraging..

xoxo C•A

Sunshine and Happiness

1. I got my passport and am going to Scotland this summer! Yay! I think what I'll do is either post here everyday of what we do or start a new blog... we'll see..

2. The weather here has been wonnderrfullll. sigh. nough said.

3. http://taxicabphotography.blogspot.com/ I want to show off my photography :D

xoxo

C•A

quote

"A good old minister was once asked whether he believed in the final perseverance of the saints. 'Well,' said he, 'I do not know much about that, but I firmly believe in the final perseverance of God, that where he has begun a good work he will carry it on until it is complete.' To my mind, that truth includes the final perseverance of the saints. They persevere in the way of salvation because God keeps them in it." ~Charles Spurgeon

quote

"As God did not at first choose you because you were high, so He will not forsake you because you are low." -John Flavel

quote

"[Philippians 1:6] teaches us that the greatest work in our lives is not the one we try to ignite, but the one He makes out of nothing, for Paul says, 'He who began a good work.' And it says that HE does this good work, this beautiful, creative work of new life in 'you', that is, in ordinary people like you and me. It also says, and I know of no other wonder greater than this in the believer's life, that God will bring to completion what He has started." ~Michael Milton

quote

"Man is a hungry being. But he is hungry for God. Behind all the hunger of our life is God. All desire is finally a desire for Him." -Alexander Schmmann

thoughts, good or bad-thus to be decided

I'm having one of those moments where I feel utterly lonely and empty.. this feeling I long for Jesus to fill but it's been hard. I miss my friends, whether far or near. I want a boyfriend (as lame as that sounds) its one of those things where I would love to be able to call someone who I know is there all the time. sigh. Part of this feeling right now is probably because its 10:18 pm and I just spent time chatting with my dear Susannah and we were talking about amazing Church friends/family.

What a depressing thing for me to talk about when I haven't blogged in forever! But I didn't really feel like putting my feelings onto facebook, and I had to let them out somewhere.

Ignore this silly post, for its just me putting my thoughts and feelings down. Is it right for me to secretly wear my heart on my sleeve?

On a happier note, I have good things to look forward to tomorrow: Work and a Photography Lesson with Al Jurina. Thank you God for blessings.

Happy Monday, friends.

C•A

yay

{Shannon Odell}

blog of interest

This blog is so cool. Mr. Jurina (who happens to go to my church and is teaching me photography) is taking a picture everyday for a year and posting them here. It's quite a challenge but he's done a great job so far!! I hope you check him out and enjoy the pictures as much as I do. It's like a little mystery each day, to go and see what he has put up :)

http://thejurinas.blogspot.com/

hello again!

Hello all! I'm sorry I haven't written anything in a while and here are my excuses: a) I've been busy. b) our internet has been down for a couple days. c) I haven't really had anything to say.

But I do have a quote. This quote I found on Easter (speaking of which, I hope everyone had a very blessed and joy-filled Easter sunday and holy week).

Here's the quote:

"[A person is fully human]... when joy is the fundamental thing in him, and grief the superficial. Melancholy should be a innocent interlude, a tender and fugitive frame of mind; praise should be the permanent pulsation of the soul. Pessimism is at best an emotional half-holiday; joy is the uproarious labor which all things live."- G.K. Chesterton

xoxo,

C•A

Central

Though this may not be wise or insightful, I thought of something to share here.

I want to tell you about one of the most lovely, beautiful, heartwarming place on the earth.

Central Market.

This is where I spend every Tuesday and Friday (and most saturdays too). I work at a stand called "Lettuce Toss Salad", where I make salads for business people. Its like subway where you get to pick what you want on it. I have an amazing boss and awesome co-workers. A few of my best friends work (or have worked) in the stand next to mine and across from mine.

Market is absolutely lovely. The people there are wonderful. In my corner of market, I have some of the best people anyone could ask to interact with. There is Jim from the Herb stand, Omar and his wife from their middle eastern stand, the German Deli couple, everyone who works at the fudge stand, everyone who works at the burrito stand, the Shenks at Shenk's poultry, the Mecks etc at Meck's Produce, the Barr's, and the Turkey Lady people. Its a wonderful community where everyone knows everyone. And with the weather so lovely everyone is in a good mood. haha!

I really wonder if anyone could ask for a better place to work. I know I couldn't. God has surely blessed me with a fun job and amazing people to be around.

I suggest to you that you stop by sometime. There is never a dull moment, and there is great food, flowers, and folk everywhere.

I love Central Market.

I love Lancaster.

{I'm sorry for my ramblings about something that might not be of any interest to you, But I love this place and I wanted to share that with you. xoxoC.A.}

ho hum

I'm in one of those moods where I wish I had something insightful to say, or something interesting and beautiful. But sadly I, like many other times in my life, have nothing to say right now. So instead of saying something wonderful (sigh) I'll give you a link.

http://jenbaltgalvis.com/

I am so excited about this photographer. My dear friend Marissa was photographed and the pictures were gorgeous, so I went on Jen's website and was amazed. I want to be able to take pictures like her. They are absolutely amazing. The colors are great, the pictures very crisp, and, if you look at the eyes, so sparkly! I Love It. I'm rather jealous actually. But I guess with time and training, hopefully I'll be as good.

Enjoy looking at her beautiful photos!!

to find beauty..

Let me tell you.. the weather here in Lancaster PA is very dull. No sunshine or blue sky. It's rainy and grey. This is somewhat depressing considering today is Monday, and mondays are somewhat depressing anyway since they're mondays. BUT I took a walk up to my friends house to drop something off. I decided, as I walked, that I wanted to find the Beauty in everything. This is my new goal. It seems to me that many people say the same thing, but whether its "typical" or not, this is my goal. So, in order to fulfill my goal, I put on my super cute plaid rainboots with my blue shorts and yellow and gray stripped shirt. I totally clashed but it made me happy. I had a huge umbrella and my ipod and thus was set to take a walk. I decided that to find the beauty in this rainy weather I must step in Every Puddle I Came Across. and I did.

And so besides the pretty drops on the trees, I found beauty in Puddle Hopping.

Happy Monday!

xoxoC.A.

quote

"Do not be angry with God for what he does to you; but feel it must be fit even though it should tear everything away from you, though it should leave you a window and houseless, though it should strip you, and though it should even slay you. God is God still; and the deeper your trouble, the greater are your possibilities of adoration; for, when you are brought to the very lowest, it is that, in extremis, you can raises the song in excelsis, out of the deepest depths you can praise the lord to the very highest. When we glorify God out of the firers of fiercest tribulation, there is probably more true adoration of Him in that melody than in the loftiest songs of cherubim and seraphim when they enjoy God, and sign out His praises in His presence above." -Charles Spurgeon

quote

"We must not cling to a sign itself, even though it be the most beautiful, mystical experience. We must fix our regard on what caused the sign, on what is shown us by it." -Jacques Ellul

quote

"And if we obey God, we must disobey ourselves, and it is in this disobeying ourselves, wherein the hardness of obeying God consists." -Sermon of Father Mapple in Herman Melville's Moby Dick

wowness

These ladies are my inspiration. They have two books out of their photography and I have one.

http://3191.visualblogging.com/

Their work is truly amazing and beautiful.

What happens when....

...you want to tell the world beautiful, intelligent things but you have nothing to say? I'll let you know when I find out. So far I think sadness happens. That is my take on the matter.

L'Engle

Isn't she lovely? I can't wait to meet her in Heaven. She is one of my heros.

Need?

Fear of Man, Making God small....

"When we fear the Lord, we stop thinking about ourselves..."

In my Youth Group we're talking about when people are big and God is small. On sunday we were talking about our "needs". and our discussion really got me to thinking and I wanted to post some of the notes and thoughts. They are going to be kinda scattered and very quote like, but this is how I think...heh.

: Our live proceed out of our theology.

: If we think sin is superficial then we don't understand sin.

: The Good news of Jesus is not intended to make us feel good about ourselves. The good news numbles us. If it was all about us than we wouldn't be able to fully worship God. The point of our existence is to glorify God, hence the Gospel--to help us worship God fully, thus it is not about us.

: To look to Christ with or for wants "christianizes" our lusts.

: If we are going to try to figure out who we are, we first have to find out who God is, since we are made in God's image and we have Him in us.

: God deserves praise simply because He Is God.

: God's greatest love is himself, and if we are images of him, we must love him too.

: Imaging God is loving him and our neighbor.

: We really need: TO LOVE. It's about what we do...

I made a list of things I think I need. I wont share everything on the list but here are two:

•A Car

•To have a better relationship with my sisters

but as we were talking I changed my list:

• TO LOVE

We need to love because he first loved us. Church=the body of Christ {because God gave us each other for a reason}

•OBEY

•Glorify God!!

We should praise God, not because we want to but because He Is God.

I hope this made sense and that I wasn't going off randomly. I hope this was helpful to you as it was helpful to me.

xoxo C.A.

Spring!

Its spring. Ok, it might not be "officially" spring, but here in Lancaster PA, the snow drops have come out, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, the sky is blue, and lots and lots of people are downtown. I think I forgot how beautiful this time of year is. The snow has been here so longgggg. BUT, thank Jesus, I can now go outside without a coat! Here are some pictures I took yesterday of snowdrops (my favorite):

Madeleine L'Engle quote

"Today we live in a society that seems to be less and less concerned with reality. We drink instant coffee and reconstituted orange juice. We buy our vegetables on cardboard trays covered with plastic. But perhaps the most dehumanizing thing of all is that we have allowed the media to call us consumers--ugly. No! I don't want to be a consumer. Anger consumes. Forest fires consume. Cancer consumes." -Madeleine L'Engle [Two-Part Invention]

first lady of the world

I'm writing a paper on Eleanor Roosevelt. She was a truly amazing woman. here's a quote: Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

It may not be "right on" but I think that if you add Jesus to this it's so true.

I've been challenged by Eleanor by how I view the world. What a truly messed up god forsaken place we live in. Thank you Eleanor for everything you did to make this place a better place. May I do so too, in Jesus name.

happy birthday!!

Today is my best friend's 17th birthday!! She is amazing and I love her loads. <4

(photo by: TaxiC•A•B Photography)

my valentine

(idea, picture, and work by me)

SNOW!!

There is snow everywhere here in Lancaster PA. I've been snowed into my house for the passed two-ish days. Its beautiful but I'm ready for it to go away. But thank you Jesus for snow. It is beautiful.

(picture by me from before christmas)

Happiness- A.A. Milne

John had

Great Big

Waterproof

Boots on;

John had a

Great Big

Waterproof

Hat;

John had a

Great Big

Mackintosh--

And that

(Said John)

Is

That.

quote

God intends to bring life out of death. -Sinclair Ferguson.

(This encourages me so much. Thank you Mr. Ferguson!)

love the lighting

quote

(Jonah 2:1-10)

Jonah then in this song shows that he was agitated with great trouble and hard contests: yet this conviction was firmly fixed in his heart,--that God was to be sought, and would not be sought in vain, as he is ever ready to bring help to his people whenever they cry to him. -John Calvin

quote

Grace is stronger than circumstances. -J.C. Ryle

quote

The ultimate test of our spirituality is the measure of our amazement at the grace of God. -D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

sigh

from a holga camera: look at the blue sky! and the beautiful church. so amazing.

quote

God is always previous. God is always there first, and if you have any desire for God, and for the things of God, it is God himself who put it there. -A.W. Tozer

Burberry spring/summer 2010

quote

"Always seek peace between your heart and God, but in this world, always be careful to remain ever-restless, never satisfied, and always abounding in the work of the Lord." - Jim Elliot

this makes me smile

a new blog!

I love how all of my friends (well not alll) are getting blogs! It's so fun!! Here's a new one my dear friend Emily just started: http://emily-meatspace.blogspot.com/ . I'm so so so excited about this. I love Em and her thoughts!! She is very insightful. I hope you enjoy! (i hope you don't mind me giving you a shout-out em!) <3

view

this is the view from my window. i absolutely love it. best view. ever.

nature and the little things of life

i think it is very important to enjoy the little things in life. i have realized how much i really love blue sky, sunshine, warm air, a little breeze, green grass, puddles, flowers, friends, trees, the sun. its all so glorious. thank you Jesus! [photo by me]

quote

"God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His promises...leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself." -Dietrich Bonhoeffer

pretty

ok so notice how she isn't in focus but the flowers are. i love that.