Interesting....

lol.

This guy was very whimsical. He was playing a harp...
Yes, I laughed at this.
JACK BLACK.
MUSTACHE!
She was so cute!
This guy was pretty amazing.

hahaha

So we were driving home and some pedestrians walked in front of us on the sidewalk. This one guy was AMAZING. He looked like a model. No, I'm not saying I thought was he was cute he was just AMAZING. It was funny.

I looked at Kristy and I started singing this song. lol. Kristy was like, "Yeah.... He was strutting." AND HE WAS. I'm not kidding. He was wearing a buttoned up shirt and jeans and his hair was like "POOF!" He thought he was H- double O-double T (HOOTT)!!! He gave me this model look like, "I'm gonna look at you but oooohhh.....

'I'm a mooooooodel you know what I mean...'"

Oh my....

Um. Right now we're watching a Ferret program on PBS. I'm. So. Disturbed. It was so funny though, a ferret came on and I said, "That ferret is SO FAT!" Then Kristy said, "It's just like you Elyse!" Came to find out later that she really meant how I was just like the owner, who was singing a song about her ferret pulling plastic bags through her couch. lol.

Like seriously. And the fact that the Buckeyes host this thing is REALLY DISTURBING. Um. Besides the fact that ferrets really creep me out. yeah.

And apparently ferrets are h00ge in Japan (this brings to mind an instance today when my Mom said, "h00ge" lol)

BTW I'm holding a Chihuahua named Harry. He's 8 weeks old and I think he's a little cold. I'm going to spend a week with him.

Hey hey!

Happy Birthday Mommy! I love you!

Pictures!!

Normal(-ish) picture

I'm still about to die whenever I see this picture. It needs to be the desktop, I'll do that now. But just to clarify, we were posing so that it looked like her bear umbrella was attacking my frog umbrella (just in case you were wondering).

Bella and Dad! Bella being her model self, as always.

.....

You know that you have a drama queen around when you hear the words, "There is no fun. All the fun went away." To which I promptly responded, "All the fun diiiiiiied. It all died. There is no more fun."

lol. We actually did have fun today and I will post pictures soon. There are a couple that are on the same level of awesomeness as this one. Like every time I look at these pictures I laugh my head off and yes I am laughing at myself. Most of you will die from laughter. Expect retarded things.

Burns on top of burns on top of burns on top of burns on top of burns...

My nose is peeling.

me: Chaos is breaking out upstairs. Sir: You should name your next pet Chaos and then when you say that it'll mean he broke out of his cage or something me: lol! I think Mimi just got out! I mean. That's horrible. snicker Good thing no animals are upstairs. Sir: IIIIIIIIIIII don't even know who Mimi is. ^_^ me: Bella's hamsters. hamster. Just one. Sir: oh yeah! heh me: That was funny. Hopefully they find it. Sir: lol Maybe it's in the doll house or something since they've trained it to use that stuff me: I'm so insensitive! I'm like laughing at this and Bella is almost crying. lol I'll have to tell Kristy that. lol Sir: hahaha aww me: Hold on. I'm going to go see how it's progressing. Sir: oki doki me: lol!!! I had to walk away I was laughing so hard. snort Sir: Hahahaha me: Bella is smirking Sir: oh dear me: My Dad is getting frustrated. John and him are trying to get Mimi out from behind the buffet thing. One of them has a broom, I'm not sure how that's going to help. This is really funny. I wish this was on video. I think they found it! Sir: Buffet thing? Is it like a bar counter? Or do you have one of those kitchen windows? 'Cause both of those are cool, heh me: Good times, good times. No, umm... What is that called. hm. But that was funny. Good times. Sir: Maybe it's called good times. me: No. I asked my Mom And she said it was a "heavy piece of furniture." Sir: Hahahahaha!! me: It has cabinets and it's long. Sir: Hey, I think we have quite a few of those at the store, lol

Sir is offline. Messages you send will be delivered when Sir comes online. ps. Kristy, Mimi is fine and safe in her cage.

Sunday

Yesterday I walked the new bridge.... Twice. So I have two BIG H00GE NASTY blisters on my foot.

These are the times of Job

Everything hit me hard again yesterday. Boomer is dying, Diesel is gone.... I learned this song at camp and it really helped me. I wasn't thinking about how much my life is horrible because of all the people dying but I was thinking about school. I get really nervous about school before it starts, and I'll be at main campus in the fall so that is really intimidating. This song reminded me that life passes quickly and God is always with me! Always.

Matt Redman - You Never Let Go
From the album Passion 06: Everything Glorious

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won’t turn back
I know You are near

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Chorus:
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We’ll live to know You here on the earth

Chorus:

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You

Camp

I'm so tired right now, I stayed up until 4 last night pranking people. It was amazing.

This week was amazing. I met amazing people, Katy and Melissa were in my cabin and they rocked my socks off. They actually care about the Lord and want to serve Him! It's refreshing to find other people my age like me. God reminded me that I am precious to Him. I make Him smile when He thinks about me. Wow. I forget so quickly and easily! Satan doesn't want me to remember how God loves me and what He's done for me. The speaker said that sin isn't our biggest problem, forgetting is.

This week has been so full! Full of worship. Full of games (I jumped hurdles. No, I'm not kidding. I ACTUALLY did that.). Full of friends. And sunburns, smelly cabins, and getting soaked by the worship leader. I went on a gigantic slip and slide, I did not fall. I played wiffle ball with shaving cream in it and I hit the ball on my first swing. I would have also had a home run but the girl who was running got out.

It was a very good week. It's odd to come back to real life, but I'm here now and I'm going to try and not say anything rash while I'm SO TIRED. That wouldn't end well. lol.

lol

You know you live in the ghetto when the kids in your neighborhood take the wheels off an office chair and leave it on the side of the road.

lol

So long, farewell....

I'm leaving for camp in the morning!!!

It hasn't really sunk in, so I'm not nervous. There aren't any girls from my church that are coming so it'll be pretty much like last year except that I'll know people that I met last year! It should be fun.

But seriously, I haven't psyched myself up about it at all. I was so busy this week that I did my laundry yesterday and I packed my stuff today. I still have stuff like my toothbrush to pack. Hopefully I won't forget that! lol.

Also, please pray for me to get better. I've been a little sick, or a lot sick to the people that have actually been around me (aka Kristy lol....). I'm getting better, I think. 0.o But I want to get fully back to normal.

But I'm sure it will be a good week. It was last year. Although this time I won't have any excuse to not participate in games. I haven't broken any bones so it looks like I might have to run around.... >.<

AND I met a guy today that looks like James Stewart (MY ALL TIME FAVORITE ACTOR AND ONE OF THE CUTEST!!!) and acts like him (acts like a gentleman). AND WHY IN ALL BLASTED BLASTY BLASTS(!) DOES HE LIVE SO FAR AWAY!? Lame. lol. Amelia and I were discussing him tonight, she actually saw him too! So we can both remember what he looks like.... Since I'll probably never see him again.

Cutie!

h00ge cheeks!

This was funny, Kadyn was trying to grab John's hand but he was pushing John's arm away with his foot. He was getting really frustrated, it was funny.

Kadyn looked very cool in the hat.

........

What a man....
















;)

Grand

I saw Transformers today.

UH-MA-ZING.

You should all watch it.

It pwn'd Pirates 3 infinitely, but I didn't like Pirates 3. Very awesome though.

Happy Fourth of July!

I likey

It says, "I'm dressy, but I'm here to party."

andiownone. YES.

Big days

Today was super busy. This was the first day that we switched over to two services. Our new sanctuary opened on Easter and we've had one service since then, until today. There weren't a lot of people in the first service, maybe a hundred. The sermon was excellent. I love my church because the Word is preached. The Gospel is preached. And yes, we do say Jesus in the service. It's a biblical church and I love it. The preaching is excellent. The sermon was about how all Christians are bound together, no matter what denomination we are. My church is non denominational by the way. God didn't intend for His church to be splintered.

Anyway I waited around for my Dad. After he finished singing and playing songs in children's church we went home. Then we left again. lol. Anyway, the second service was packed. Mostly everyone came to that one because they wouldn't have to wait around or go home, they could just go directly to the barbecue. The barbecue was good an older couple sat at our table, turns out the man worked in the shipyard. So John, Dad and him talked about all things Navy.

The church softball team was playing my old church, so Dad and I went to the game. It was really good. I don't like baseball that much. ;) But I got to visit, I held Gwendolyn (around 3 weeks old), and I got hit with a baseball! I was just sitting there day dreaming about nothing and I saw this yellow streak and I felt pressure on my arm. lol. It was like I was sedated. Anyway, it didn't hurt. I moved though. My team won.

Then dad dropped me off at church for the Jubilee and Dedication of the new building service. My church has been assisted by Village Missions for 50 years, therefore the Jubilee thing (it's from the old testament). Pastor Paul told us the story of the town where my church is. It was founded in 1898 by a group that hated the government. They made rules and declared that no church could be established in this town. Here's what wikipedia had to say about the town, "[the town's name] was established in the 1890s by a group called the Co-operative Brotherhood as a cooperative socialist colony. It was originally named Circle City, with buildings laid out on the periphery of a circle. When the colony failed in 1908, the present name was adopted for the creek that runs past town, which is the namesake of an early settler who was not a member of the colony."

Well, you know the old "W" not as reliable as Old Faithful Pastor Paul said the colony failed in 1920. Anyway, the Co-operative brotherhood built buildings, a school, library etc.

Guess where my church is built? That's right, smack dab on top of where these crazy people taught their children to hate God, the schoolhouse.

That makes me laugh.

My church was small. In 1957 Village Missions sent a pastor to the town, he was paid about 40 dollars a week by Village Missions (that's what they do, the support pastors that cannot be supported by rural churches). There have been 7 pastors from Village Missions since 1957. The church has had up and down times but by the grace of God it is a strong place today.

See, the nice thing about the new sanctuary is that it is ALL PAID FOR. That's about 750,00 dollars for the sanctuary. It took 7 years to build, but oh boy does it feel nice to be debt free. One of the Village Missions guys said during the service, when has your church not been building? lol. We've always added on. The schoolhouse was tiny, so they knocked out some walls once they had enough money. Then they built an education building to the side. And now the brand spankin' new sanctuary.

I'm not bragging about my church, I'm not saying that I think it's better than all of your churches. All I'm saying is that I'm amazed at how God works. My church's purpose statement is, "reaching people for Jesus Christ, building them up in their faith, and mobilizing them to reach others." That's what I love about my church, the Gospel is preached! We want to reach our neighbors and everyone around the world! In fact the Franklin Grahm evangelism class this fall for the Sound will be held at our church. Their mission is to reach 5,000 people in our area, and to teach them how to share the Gospel. I'm thinking that my church's attendance will sky rocket after the classes are held.

How good God is to use the little that we have for something great! He takes the small offerings and turns that offering into well, wonderful, useful things.

I'm looking forward to what God has in store for my church, and me.

!!!!!!!!!

John is COMING HOME RIGHT NOW. LIKE HE'S GETTING ON THE PLANE RIGHT NOW. LIKE HE WILL BE HOME TOMORROW MORNING.


yay!

That IS the question

Should I go swimming? That would be the perfect way to cool down after today. But I have so many reasons to not go. I want the lake to be perfectly deserted when I go there, it's more fun when there aren't aren't people playing "King of the Dock" or doing anything equally as low.. haha... I'm such a lake snob. It's perfect to go swimming when it's quiet and I can take in all of the beauty. The beauty that I can see anyway. I just take in the general colors since I don't swim with my glasses on. :) The lake isn't as low as it was last year so the scary wooden shark thingy won't attack me again. But I still will get swimmers itch. Oh so many decisions.

I think I'll wimp out for today. Maybe sometime this week though.

Continued prayer request

I know this is the first time that most of you have heard about it but I want to ask you guys to keep praying for John, my brother.

He had a spinal tap a couple of days ago. The doctors concluded that he had meningitis, later they concluded that he had a mild form of viral meningitis. Today my parents talked to him and he said that he doesn't have meningitis, the doctors don't know what he has. He will most likely be released from the hospital in a couple of hours.

Please keep him in your prayers. Pray for healing for him, and peace about this situation for all of us.

Par-taaaaaay!

I love how our facial expressions are completely different in this first picture. I took five, Mary was only satisfied with two. lol.

Kaity looked very lovely. :)












Caroline and Madeline!!! Some of my favorite people ever.

My favorite!

Isn't it amazing! It's my favorite bug! It's a Orchid Mantis. :)

Family

Yesterday I went to Kaity's senior recital. It was lovely. Kaity did a wonderful job playing and she was wearing an evening gown. She looked lovely. After that mostly everyone packed up and went to Kaity's house. Then we partied. I think about 40 people were at their house. So it was packed. It was so much fun. By 7 o'clock mostly everyone had left. I stayed until 9 and then I left.

I love them SO MUCH. Mary and Caroline are some of my closest friends and I love hanging out with all of them. It's wonderful to find a family that thinks so like mine. Our views on dating and alcohol are pretty much the same. Other than just viewing the world in the same way they put Christ first in their lives. Their family means to much to me. I'm so grateful to know them. I think I'll write them a note.

Anyway, I took lots of pictures so I'll probably post them later.

Whaaaa????

Where is my sister? She now not only has a dog and a hermit crab but also a hamster....

Two weeks

Well my peeps it seems that John may be coming home sooner than expected, like in a little more than a week. It'll be good to have him home. I think he's had fun over there. At least when he gets home the house will feel a little more normal, with Boomer dying, Diesel and John gone the house is very quiet. Well, other than the punk rock playing right now. =P

ewwwwww

Spiders creep me out.

Today I was moving wood around in the backyard. I had to pick up nasty pieces of wood with all sorts of creatures crawling or ooozing all over them. It wasn't that bad. In the end the score was Elyse-6, Spiders-0.

I had to move three wood piles, two of them went into the wood shed and the third was moved against the fence. I saw some nasty big spiders and I'm getting the heebie jeebies just thinking about them. Anyway, tomorrow I still have more wood piles to deal with. It's all good though, I'm not bored. :)

Things that I've discovered this week

1. A letter to Japan costs ninety cents
2. Getting a package from Japan makes me happy
3. I love the musical My Fair Lady
4, I can possibly (most likely) go to camp this summer!
5. I still have homework anxiety (I had a dream that I had to write a paper and do math homework in two days. I was very anxious about it. Then I woke up and said to myself, "It's alright, you don't have to go to school until September." But I was still worried about it. After I woke up, I laughed at myself.))

Smallish?

I made biscuits a while back for dinner and I think I miscalculated the size........ My Dad made fun of me, but I think he should have just been grateful to get biscuits. =D

Gone

There hasn't been time to digest the thought that Diesel is gone. It was completely unexpected.

He's been gone for three days now. I think. I'm not sure. At times I'll walk around and think of how he used to stalk me, or attack me when I wasn't looking. Or when I see one of his toys, when I walk past one of his favorite spots to sleep I'm instantly reminded that he's gone. Eleven months went by so quickly.

Still hasn't sunk in. I don't feel like I'm really awake when I wake up in the mornings.... Diesel isn't there to wake me up. He used to attack my feet if I moved them at all.

He may come back, only God knows. For now I'm practicing living without him. I read this last night, "Leave your orphans; I will protect their lives. Your widows too can trust in me." Jeremiah 49:11 And today I realized I can't do anything to bring him home. I cried. But I looked at that verse again and read about the widow at Zarephath. My heart was quieted, and I knew God has Diesel in His hands.

I didn't cry before today. We didn't really talk about him being gone. But when I told Kristy about how unexpected all of this is I almost started crying. It's not good to hold things in all of the time.

Anyway, tomorrow is a new day. I'm always glad for the freshness of tomorrow.

Ouch

Did you know there's a town in between Texas and Arkansas? It's called Texarkana. This pretty much makes my day.
So I've started doing yoga again. Oh my word!!!! I love it so much. I'm really sore today but it's a good feeling. I love yoga because it is so good for the body. It's made me more flexible, made me stronger, and has helped with releasing tension. No, I'm not talking about meditation or some weird demonic type of thing. Yoga is great because it's relaxing and also difficult.

Other than that nothing too uplifting has been going on. I have quite a few projects that I'm working on. One is a baby blanket (or blankant for those of us that are in the cool club... lol.) and the other is a dress. I've been working on the blanket off and on. I think I'll work on the dress today.

M.I.A.

I miss my baby.....

Unsure

You know that feeling when nothing feels right? Well it feels like that now.

I know God is in control. I know that. Other than that I don't know anything.

"13Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." James 4

I'm reminded again that this world is not my home. I can't imagine a place where I will never face a trial again. I will always be with the Lord. Why do I act like this world is my home? It's not, it doesn't even come close to where I will live for eternity.

"For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come." Hebrews 13:14

"13Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5

Pray with me, pray for me. Prayer is important, and like James 5 says, it is powerful and effective. I need to be reminded of that, I need to know that my prayers are heard. I really know that they are. Sometimes I just wish God would do things the way that I imagine they should go. Thankfully He has a better plan. Still, I feel sad today and something is amiss. Three things that I can think of. Some of them won't be back to normal for a couple of months, some of them might be back to normal at any time, and one of them will be gone soon. Then I'll have to get used to that normal. For now I just wait, it's hard to wait and watch something die.

And it is taking so long, and that is harder than a quick death.

I still have so much to learn from God. This time He is reminding me, again, that my plans are not supreme. Things don't work out the way I think they should. Problems and trials pile up, life never stops happening. People die, pets die or disappear, people leave, people get mad and have arguments. Even so, life is so good right now. God is so good. I won't say I wouldn't change a thing because at this point I want one thing to change very badly. But I know God has a purpose for this.

I also know that no matter what happens in life we should never stop loving. C.S. Lewis said "Other than heaven, the only place where one's heart is completely safe from the dangers of love is hell."

No matter what happens I must continue to love and trust that God knows what is best. I'm still learning, that will never stop.

Happy Birthday!

"WOOT!"

Puppies!

I want one.... They are free!!! And they live down the street.

Please pray for Boomer (my dog). He needs to die, I'm actually very serious. His health has deteriorated rapidly, and he will die soon. No, this doesn't have anything to do with the puppies. My dog is in pain, and his life will end soon. But he needs to die soon. I don't want to go into all of the details, but please pray.

Little one....

To Be Alone with Me....

"I'd swim across lake Michigan
I'd sell my shoes
I'd give my body to be back again
In the rest of the room

To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you

You gave your body to the lonely
They took your clothes
You gave up a wife and a family
You gave your goals

To be alone with me
To be alone with me
To be alone with me
You went up on a tree

To be alone with me you went up on the tree

I'll never know the man who loved me"

Sufjan Stevens' "To Be Alone with You"

Fun Times

Amelia and I punked Mary's car yesterday, it was amazing. Mary thought it was hilarious. You can read about it here, at our joint blog. Then we studied at Albertsons for THREE HOURS! We took our final today and it was easy, as in we really over prepared for it. But that's okay we had so much fun studying. I saw a lot of people that I know, it was good times... Tomorrow we are going to eat at the Mongolian Grill as a end of the quarter celebration. Hopefully we can get Mary to come as well.
PEPITO!!!!!!!

BTW I love Sufjan Stevens.

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday Ruth!

I must say...

I love google! I love gmail! And I love gtalk! We are talking to John through gmail right now. It's free! From Japan to the U.S.! And my brother is on youtube. It makes me miss him and he's only been gone for 2 days?!

Only about 43 more days to go....

Rainy Day

Well today was a little bit of a downer, except I'm not depressed. It's stormy and we went to a funeral. My Grandma's cousin's wife died last Saturday.

Oh how appropriate, Flogging Molly's "If I Ever Leave This World Alive" just came on.

Moving on. The "reception" (??) was held at the widower's house. At one point I was stuck in the middle of the house, some old friends of my Grandma's cousin, Ben, were talking in the doorway. I was blocked, finally I worked up enough courage (or perhaps discontent with being stuck in the dining room) to stand there, and the man moved for me. I wanted to go and ask Mom to come with me to get some food. Mom was talking to an elderly lady and then I was brought into their conversation. This lady was very nice, but I think she might have had some memory problems because she asked me what my name was, so I repeated it loudly. She was like, "Oh that's lovely." Five minutes later she was like, "What's your name?" "ELYSE." "Elaine?" At this point I was like, whatever... So I was trapped in the middle, and then when Mom and I finally started to head towards the backyard she was stopped about three different times. It was still raining..... But there was a cool dog there! Nels, or Ben as his name actually is, is a very nice older lawyer and it's very sad for him. We ate and then we were ready to leave. I was cold and wet.

We went to Costco and I saw people from school. I called Amelia to tell her who I saw and she was in the doctor's office. She tripped while playing football. Anyway she called me a couple of minutes ago, she's fine. She just has a sprain. You can read the account of her accident here.

I've grown very attached to Sufjan Stevens lately, and Bjork. Bjork is VERY weird, but her music is AMAZING. Sufjan Stevens is mellow, but I like mellow music. I want to get all of his albums.

Funerals are depressing. This one was especially so, I don't think many people there are Christians. The pastor said the Lord's prayer and everyone repeated it like automatons. I wondered how many of them actually know the life giving and freeing power of Jesus.... Almost all of them looked depressed and bored with the Scripture that was read, they were probably thinking about what TV show they would watch when they get home. Or they were thinking about how life is horrible and they wish they were dead, just like Nels' wife. How sad! What was even more sad was seeing a person worrying all of the time (I'm not going to name anyone...), worry is a crippling thing. The pastor was off in what he said, he talked about how Jesus died for us but he didn't present the Gospel or give the prayer. There wasn't a lot of hope in that funeral. If Nels' wife was a believer she is better off than we all are!!! She's in heaven with the Lord, free from pain.

We stopped at T.Albertsons so Mom and I could get something to drink. So now I sit here in dry, warm clothes with my iced black tea, happy and warm.

"Whenever you feel like using a comma in a sentence, use a semicolon."

lol. If only the Ninja were my English teacher.....

Weird

Diesel thinks that he's the bomb, but he just ends up looking retarded. I love my cat. I found him a couple minutes ago sleeping in that same flower pot, I'm not sure how that is comfortable.

Entertaining

This quarter is almost over, and I must say.... My English teachers lack of humor has been made up by having Amelia in that class. We almost die laughing. We will be taking chemistry together in the fall quarter.

THIS QUARTER IS ALMOST OVER. I rejoice.

What amazes me is thinking about my first day at school, I had a really bad attitude about the whole day. God worked on my heart, and a couple of days later I got over my attitude.

A month or so ago I looked at the entry for January 2 in My Utmost for His Highest. I was astounded at what I read.

January 2, 2007

Will You Go Out Without Knowing?

He went out, not knowing where he was going —Hebrews 11:8

Have you ever "gone out" in this way? If so, there is no logical answer possible when anyone asks you what you are doing. One of the most difficult questions to answer in Christian work is, "What do you expect to do?" You don’t know what you are going to do. The only thing you know is that God knows what He is doing. Continually examine your attitude toward God to see if you are willing to "go out" in every area of your life, trusting in God entirely. It is this attitude that keeps you in constant wonder, because you don’t know what God is going to do next. Each morning as you wake, there is a new opportunity to "go out," building your confidence in God. ". . . do not worry about your life . . . nor about the body . . ." (Luke 12:22). In other words, don’t worry about the things that concerned you before you did "go out."

Have you been asking God what He is going to do? He will never tell you. God does not tell you what He is going to do— He reveals to you who He is. Do you believe in a miracle-working God, and will you "go out" in complete surrender to Him until you are not surprised one iota by anything He does?

Believe God is always the God you know Him to be when you are nearest to Him. Then think how unnecessary and disrespectful worry is! Let the attitude of your life be a continual willingness to "go out" in dependence upon God, and your life will have a sacred and inexpressible charm about it that is very satisfying to Jesus. You must learn to "go out" through your convictions, creeds, or experiences until you come to the point in your faith where there is nothing between yourself and God.

My heart was hard toward God I didn't want to hear what He had to say on that day. When I looked back on that day I almost cried... God gave me what I needed to hear, but I wasn't about to listen to Him. It took Him speaking through my sister, my youth group leader, and Philippians 2:14-15 (Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe) before my heart was softened. I'm so glad God never gives up on me!

!!!!!!

Rudolph Valentino!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3<3<3<3<3

okaybye.

Industrious

Diesel likes to work at home.....

A Prison without Walls.

Not long after my rescue
I let my failures get me down
My sin had robbed me of the joy I had in you
Then you saved me from that too

(chorus)
All I wanna do is talk about Your grace
I don't wanna go unless I go Your way
Get a little closer to You everyday
I'm gonna turn around and go Your way (X2)

What I thought of as my freedom
Was a prison without walls
I held on tightly to the shackles that I hate
But this wasn't freedom at all

(chorus)

I thought that I'd gone too far
Then I heard You call my name
Return to me child
I am eager to forgive
But leave behind the chains (X2)

(chorus)
-Go Your Way by the Supertones

I was listening to this on the way home from youth group tonight, and it made me
think of all the people that have fallen away.  My friends that think it's cool to
be a rebel, and they think that the way I'm living is repression.  It's not. 

"What I thought of as my freedom
Was a prison without walls
I held on tightly to the shackles that I hate
But this wasn't freedom at all


I thought that I'd gone too far
Then I heard You call my name
Return to me child
I am eager to forgive
But leave behind the chains"

God is always close, and He always wants us to come back.  He desires mercy, not
judgement!  I hope my friends come to realize that God gave us His laws to set us
free.  And if you know someone that is deceived, like my friends, keep praying! 
God has a way of working on people's hearts.

BEHOLD!

My brother has a blog! Go ahead and drop him a comment. He will be leaving for Japan on Thursday and will probably be gone for 6 weeks. His blog will be entertaining (believe me.... He has a good sense of humor) and it will cover his travels in Japan.

!!!!!

!!! OK my peeps, I tried on this dress at Macy's yesterday and I totally LOVED IT. Unfortunately it is many-much monies..... :'(

It was like it was made for me, and I felt like a princess or something...

I think I'll go to Macy's and try it on every once in a while....

Oh and if anyone is wondering, life is good for me. School is almost over and I'm looking for a job, so I can squirrel away monies so I can buy the dress. But what would I wear it to? I'm not sure....

Pirates

Well I saw it today, and um.... I think this pretty much sums it up.

So, to sum up the highlight of my day was going to Jordan's and Reece's Eagle Court. At one point I was laughing so hard that I doubled over and it took me about a minute to recover.... Jaho you probably know which part. lol.

Life

Today has gone decidedly better, and less painfully, than last year's today. I cannot believe it's been a year. How much God has shown me in that year! How much He has shown me through that trial.

Here are my thoughts about it from last year.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. " James 1:2-4

If you are in a trial, trust that God knows best. He's doing this for your good.

"Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." James 1:12

Summer.

I have some random things to say today. I think I should number them. Here we go.

1. Pickles are cucumbers soaked in evil.
2. Pickles are the opposite of raisins. Think about it... Raisins are dehydrated and pickles are weird and hydrated???
3. Raisins, I think, are highly overlooked. They are nummy.
4. Figs are very sugary.
5. Apples and peanut butter is really yummy.
6. Pears and light laughing cow cheese are really yummy.
   
7. I have a sunburn.
8. Sunscreen smells like Summer.
   
9. I won't be taking any classes this summer!
10. That means I'll probably be going to camp!
11. I have the highest grade in my math class!
12. I made friends with a dog named Bear, he's nice.
13. I have a stalker! He was Mary's stalker last quarter and yesterday morning he was walking out and he said, "See ya, Elyse!" even though Mary was standing right there. He only acknowledged my existence. I told Mary that she wasn't allowed to dump her stalkers on me.
    
14. Amelia's birthday is a week from tomorrow and I have something special planned.
    
15. A week from today there is no school.
16. I only have 4 weeks of school and finals week left.
17. Next Monday I will be done with high school.
18. That is surreal, since I only started in 2005.
19. I enjoy driving myself to school.
20. There are Russians working on Mary's yard....
    
21. Gabe is in Norway with his mother.
    
22. I need to catch up on Heroes.
23. I have a lot of homework to do.
24. But I'm almost done....
25. I'm learning how to love unlovable people, because God is placing them in my life.
    
26. He's been reminding me that I'm not very love able all of the time.
27. And He's reminding me that while I was being unlovable He sent His only son to die for me, so that I could learn to love others like God has loved me.
28. Because Christians are supposed to be Ambassadors for Christ.
29. God is reminding me to treat others as if they were perfect in Christ. He's reminding me that I was in their shoes and that I can be ruder, prouder, and more obnoxious than they are.

2 Corinthians 5:11-21 (New International Version) [with emphasis added by me for those of you who glaze over when Scripture is presented. And by the way, read this passage, k? Do it for me!]

The Ministry of Reconciliation

11Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

And on that note, I leave you. I think I will go watch some Star Trek.

All my love, Elyse.

Happy One year Anniversary!

I can't believe it's been a year, time really does pass quickly. Last year at this time I was in an E.R., unable to walk. Now, I can stand on my own two feet (notice my sweeeeeet vans!).

Anyway, I shall have another thing to celebrate next week, the one year anniversary of the joining of my ankle and metal.

Dashboard jesus

Dashboard jesus
he sits with his head bobbing with the bumps
the american ideal of what faith looks like
a plastic figurine with light skin, silky hair and clean outstretched hands. (because you know, carpenters have very clean hands.)
you can pat his head for luck
"Help me to find free parking this morning..."
after the e-brake is pulled and you grab your things you pull him from the dash and put him into your dark, linty pocket.
Because you control him.
When you want something pull him out, pick the lint out of his hair and then ask him for presents
and when you get what you want just shove him back inside. Inside that dark pocket he can't see what you do. Which is good because you gave the bird to the cab that cut you off in traffic this morning.
Sometimes you don't get what you ask for. So when he doesn't come through you can just kick him across the street into the bushes
but you'll eventually rummage through the leaves to find him
because you'll need him to find you free parking tomorrow.
Do you have a dashboard jesus?
Sometimes I think I do
lower case jesus. a non-existent jesus. a made-up figurine. might as well be a rabbit's foot. severed animal feet and plastic, robe wearing, sandal sporting christs...both have as much power as cooked spaghetti.
Are you living your life under the rule of a Sovereign King? or is he just a toy?
I have been graciously convicted of how I sometimes don't view God with fear nor awe. He has been so kind and so patient to show me that I do not give Him the place He deserves.
'Jesus you are magnificent. and you are powerful. and you own me. I know there are times I let you down, but you have always reached down with your calloused, pierced hands to pick me up. You are my best friend, and you are my King. and your gentle touch always steers me back to the path that leads to you.'

-Sarah Morrison

Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." (Exodus 4:10-13)

My way. Moses’ wanted it his way, he was too afraid of what might happen. He was afraid that he would stumble in his speech.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You turn men back to dust, saying, "Return to dust, O sons of men." For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning-- though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered. We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. The length of our days is seventy years-- or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Relent, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us-- yes, establish the work of our hands.

Does that sound like the same man?

Psalm 90 A prayer of Moses the man of God.

So what happened? From this, “Not me, Lord! Pick someone else!” to that overwhelming sense of something huge. Something Moses’ realized along the way. When exactly did that happen?

Exodus 5:22 –6:2 Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all."
6:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country." God also said to Moses, "I am the LORD.

Maybe what happened was just Moses’ realization that the One with whom he was speaking was and is the LORD.

Romans 1: 20-25 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.

Perhaps that’s what happened to Moses’. His eyes were opened. God, over time cleared the muck from his eyes. Well, God also made the Israelites wander in circles for 40 years in the desert. Sometimes it takes that long. Sometimes people never get it.

They continue to walk around in circles; with their “dashboard jesus’” in their pockets. Let’s not be like them.

John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

And in verse 34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

Cats and Dogs

Right now Diesel and Chato are having a stare off. Diesel is trying to be as still as possible and Chato is starting to wonder if she really saw a cat....

Diesel will lean over so he can see where Chato is walking. I think he's wondering if he can jump on her and kill her.

Ha! Chato just came downstairs and Diesel was trying to go over to the sliding glass door. I said, "Diesel come back!" Then Diesel ran back and jumped up on the desk. Now Chato is pacing the floor trying to smell out where the cat is, and Diesel is still watching her..... Waiting for his opportunity to make his move.