Two Giveaways!

There's an AWESOME giveaway at the Yodeling Dwarf (3 copies of The Curse of the Spider King)! Go check it out HERE!

Also, an adorable mug cozy giveaway at Below the Plateau HERE! Go enter :)

Trust

I found this quote today, and realized that it related to me, and thought I would share it. I think it's really true. I've broken peoples' trust, and had my trust brutally decapitated by others.

Trust is something so easily broken, something so hard to fix.
-Anonymus

God's Amazing

God's amazing, ya know that? Sometimes it's just like the realization of His love for me is like a big bubble within me, and I feel like, if I don't tell somebody I'm going to burst! :]
Life definitely has its struggles, its pits, its snares, its horrors...but God overshadows all of it. Reading over my post two days ago, I kind of portrayed this world as a horrible place. But it's so not! *grins*
Life has so many good things as well as bad. Family is one. God has so blessed me with amazing family. My mom and dad are so strong in Christ, and are so willing to share their knowledge of Him with me. My siblings are just utterly incredible. And friends! *laughs* I have SO many amazing friends, and I love every single one of them. God has worked through them and ministered to me in unfathomable ways.
And one of God's definite blessings is writing. Writing, anywhere. In my diary, on my computer, in my head, on a scrap of paper...my diary is probably the one I'm most fond of. You can find me at any time, hunched over in my room, scribbling in that notebook like the world is going to end tomorrow. I end up getting ink all over my hands and face, but writing is bliss. I don't know about you, but diaries have been such a big thing in my life. I write everything in them: my disappointments, my joys, my loves, my hates, everything. And then when I look back at a diary entry I wrote three years ago, I'm rediscovering a piece of myself as a younger, more innocent person that I had forgotten and left behind in the scramble to grow up. It's amazing, and I can just pore over the seven diaries that I've filled with my slanted, messy handwriting and remember things that I would have otherwise forgotten.
And new life! Hannah's mom just gave birth to a baby boy, Samuel Josiah, yesterday morning, somewhere around there. How amazing is that? :]
Anyways, just shouting it out right now....
GOD IS AMAZING!
That's all there is to it. ^_^

We Have Come A Long Way

For my online writing class, I needed to research a whole bunch of Victorian lifestyles and websites in order to answer an array of questions.

And as I was struggling through them, this thought hit me: We have come a long way. There is so much more technology then there were in the Victorian days. There is so much more icky stuff all over the internet ("icky" is not a bad enough word for it...and there was no internet back then). There are way less rules and regulations concerning everything (dress, courtship, dancing, dinner parties, hosting, manner, conversation, etc.). There is so much more bad stuff everywhere. (Note: there were bad stuff "back then," just perhaps more subtle then today)

There is so much more technology.

This is both a good thing and a bad thing, for me. A good thing because so many people can learn online (computer-wise). If you have internet access, you can learn anything. A bad thing is that it distracts you from the less-noticable, yet equally-important aspects of life, like family. God. Quiet time. Solitude. Contemplation. Reflection. Exercise. Time to worship Jesus. Appreciating nature. All these things are important, yet sometimes neglected, especially with me. When was the last time I really reflected everything - my life, my moral self, my faith, my relationship with those around me, my trust, my love? A week ago? A month ago? A year ago?

There is so much more icky stuff all over the internet.

This is definitely a bad thing. Go on YouTube, Google videos, celebrity sites: anywhere, and there you can find it. The devil's havoc on this world. *shudder*

There are way less rules and regulations concerning everything (dress, courtship, dancing, dinner parties, hosting, manner, conversation, etc.).

For me, this kind of life-style, penned in by rules, would have positively driven me insane. Me, I love my freedom. I couldn't do without it. Too many rules, and I just feel this devilish instinct within me to rebel. I would have been the outcast of the society if I had lived in the Victorian times! I would have cast off my skirts and run around in trousers. ^_^

There is so much more bad stuff everywhere.

There is. Wanna go to the movie theatre? Bad movies. Wanna go on the internet? Bad stuff. Wanna go to public school? Bad people, bad language, bad relationships (I have been homeschooled my entire life. But just by being on the school soccer team, I am exposed to these girls' language, attitude, world view, relationships, gossip, everything. Last Tuesday, us girls rode on the same bus as the guys to an away-game, and there was so much flirting, INCREDIBLY bad language [not even kidding: at least one swear word per sentence. Probably more, just I don't know all of the swear words], and very bad attitudes [girls leaning over to show cleavage, guys asking for kisses, gossiping about all the newest couples, etc.], and one guy even tried to treat me like he was everybody else. Never have I been so glad I am homeschooled).

I have gotten a little off-topic, but this is my point: in my opinion, society has had many good and bad turns. "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." Martin Luther King Jr. As a Christian, I resolved today that I am going to attempt to face the evils in my society with God's grace, and to confront hate with love, to pray for those trapped in Satan's snares, to witness to those who have not heard of God's salvation, to bring His water to those thirsty.

"And you can tell me that I can't make a difference 'cause I'm just one, but one is all it takes to start it." -FM Static, Voyage of Beliefs

My bit of rambling for the day ^_^

Later,

Busy...so very busy...

Today, I woke up, threw my clothes on (and I mean that almost literally), rushed downstairs, jumped into a chair, yanked out my Bible, and took a deep breath. And spent a short time with God with the rest of my family (excluding my Dad, he's at work), as is the ritual of every school morning. After that, I gulped down my breakfast, washed the dishes, and thundered downstairs, thinking of all the school I had to finish.

I am exhausted! I just returned from my vigorous soccer game (we lost, but it was fun. Two war wounds: a bruise above my eye from a soccer ball in the face, and an aching ankle from a misplaced kick), then swallowed my baked potato in seemingly one bite, and hurried back downstairs, jumped on my computer, and attended my online writing class, with one minute to spare. Now it's over, I can finally just sit and rest. It feels so nice! :]

Off to write in diary and elaborate on plots (I'm feeling doubtful right now that my creative cells will be able to rouse themselves out of their stupor to hatch something other then gibberish),

Navigational Bar and House

So...does anyone like my navigational bar? *grins* I finally figured out how to do it, after reading various tutorials. It's pretty complicated, and I got it from mainly guessing and trying out different html tags. *wipes brow in relief* If anyone wants to know how to do it, I am considering writing a tutorial or something on it.

And recently, I read House by Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker. I was completely blown away. It was one of the most amazing books I have ever read. It was like The Matrix movie...it was violent, but just blew me away. It's amazing. :]

Hang with me here...

Sorry, guys, bit of trouble with photobucket...just hang with me. Thanks :)

Bekah

Giveaway

Click this to go to an awesome giveaway at "Content in Christ"!

To Musket

Two days ago, Musket died. At 4:30, Abby found him, stiff in his cage, legs straight out, eyes glazed over and white. In remembrance of him...

I love you, Musket.

As I went up into my room a few minutes after his death, pretty sad, I turned on my radio, and Beautiful Ending by BarlowGirl just started playing on Air1; and I knew, all of a sudden, that, wherever Musket is now, his ending was truly beautiful.

Short Answers

Alright, so this is the first time I've done Short Answers (hosted by Abigail Kraft) so here it goes.

These are Abby's answers:

How tall are you?

I don't know.

Just guess.

Um...5 feet 2...No! No! 4 feet...2 inches...I guess.

What are Mom and Dad doing when they're paying bills?

*rolls her eyes and answers evasively* paying people

What's the fanciest restaurant you've ever been to?

I have no clue.

Just guess!

Emma Krumbees...I guess. I really don't know.

Who do you think you look more like, Mom or Dad?

Mom, even though Dad has big ears.

Why?

Because...um...she had blonde hair when she was a kid, and I have curly hair like she does.

If you had a million bucks, what would you do with it?

Give some of it away, only a few hundred though. I would buy a really really old-fashioned car, and a really really...like limosouine (spelling?)...then put the rest in the bank.

If you could meet a famous person, who would you meet?

God.

No, like a human...ya know.

I...have no clue.

Just pick one person.

Francesca Battestelli....I guess.

Peter's answers:

How tall are you?

*not really listening to me* 1.5 inches

What are Mom and Dad doing when they're paying bills?

Oh...I don't know *in a distracted voice*

Just guess.

Uh...paying...?

What's the fanciest restaurant you've ever been to?

Noodles and Company.

Who do you think you look more like, Mom or Dad?

Dad.

Why?

'Cause we both have glasses (Abby commented: Mom has glasses, too!) *answers again* I know she does...but he's a boy!

If you had a million bucks, what would you do with it?

Give it to the poor, spend it on...everything. Star Wars, and Bionicles, oh! and rollarcoasters! And a BIG waterslide. *losing interest in questions*

If you could meet someone famous, who would meet?

Er...George Bush *just saying that so he can get away*

Abby is 9, Peter 7. You have to love 'em! :D

Prayer

Musket, the beloved family guinea pig, is dying. Pray especially for my younger siblings...they're taking it kind of hard. I don't know how long he'll last. Maybe tomorrow morning, we'll find him dead...maybe the next morning, or maybe in a week, I don't know. Prayer would be so appreciated.
Also, for Earwen's Dad, who just was driven to the hospital, due to a lung collapse.

Harry Potter

I have read all seven of the Harry Potter books (by J.K. Rowling), and deem them excellent books, praiseworthy of high recommendation. On top of that, I own all seven of them. But not until yesterday have I actually watched even one of the movies.

Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone: an excellent movie. I was not bored a moment of it. There was some slight language, some rude insults (coming from Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, or Goyle [mostly] directed against Harry, Hermoine or Ron [sometimes vice versa...these three were bitter enemies through all seven books and undoubtedly the films too]), some violence (Voldemort's face was on the back of Professor Quirrel's bald head, and the camera caught all that so it might be disturbing to those of younger age, but it wasn't all that bad...I was expecting worse, even prepared to shut my eyes...ya know, you can never be to careful :D), but that's to be expected from movies such as this one. Those were the negatives, now for the positives: There was humor, definitely; a lot of delightful characters, and the actors and actresses chosen to protray them did excellent; it was action-packed; there was no crude romance at all (or romance for that matter), it's nice, Hermoine, Ron, and Harry were all so young and innocent...of course later books/movies have romance. Overall, I believe this movie was definitely worth my time.

I haven't watched all of Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets, but so far it's been even BETTER then the Sorcerer's Stone in many ways...so much more spookier *shudder* it's awesome.

I just was wondering...what do you guys think about Harry Potter? Please feel free to share your opinion. I know tons of Christians are totally against it because of all the magic in it, but I personally feel like it is no problem whatsoever. I read so many books with magic in them (the Ink Series, the Inheritance Cycle, Lord of the Rings, Narnia [well sort of], etc.), and yet these books do not get criticized like Harry Potter does...I'm not trying to impress myself as a totally HP defender; I love the books, think they're great; but I'm not going to defend them from the world of Blogger Christians who don't like them. So please, comment away, love to see who likes them, who doesn't! :) (I'll have a poll too...haven't had one of those for a while :D)

So yeah! Today was cool, I went to church (love my church), then went to my friend's house all day, while my dad and brother played golf with the dad and 13 year-old boy. We went to this pool all afternoon which was cool.

Later,

Fear Factor

Yesterday I went to this awesome thing at my friend's house; they called it Fear Factor (haha, used to be obsessed with the real show), and a whole bunch of friends were there, and we split up into teams, and did crazy stuff (examples: drinking a mixture of rice milk, a raw egg and a banana; eating onions with hot sauce on them; guzzling a can of Dr. Pepper in as short time as possible; building a fire and roasting a perfect marshmallow as quickly as you could; piggy-backing each other, just to name a few). It was awesome.
And tonight, we're going to Hunter's house (Hunter's house was where Fear Factor was) for this small group thing. And cleaning for an hour or so before we leave.
And I thought I'd share my writing to-do list:

• Finish plot for Midnight [a story I'm writing]
• Completely finish Anwyn's plot and think up new title [yep, how'd you guess, another story I'm writing]
• Create plot to match story title Waning Moon [strange title, but oh well another plot's always welcome, right?]
• Think up new title and finish plot for sequel to Anwyn.
• Start language for Anwyn [yeah *sigh* necessary but oh so laborious]
• Complete Maranna's plot

Yep there it is *roll up sleeves* off to writing *moves clicker down to open Word*

Later,

Some Blends I Made...

This one I made on Photoshop CS4 (I got a 30 day free trial...Photoshop is amazing, even more awesome then Gimp)




I don't like this one very much, but *shrugs* yeah here it is:




I tampered with it a bit, but I still don't like it...




This one, also, on Photoshop...

And the same thing, except devoid of words:

This one was made on Photoshop too (yeah I don't really like how the Immortal overlaps on Arwen's face)

My favorite is probably the first one. The others aren't so great...but I thought I'd share 'em. :D
(Side Note: Yeah, you probably think I do way too many LoTR blends :D I've done a few Narnia ones, which aren't great, and regular pictures of my family too; but LoTR are the majority...as you can tell :D)