CONGRESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahhhhhh, the beauty that is Congress at Crown. After about three months of practicing, praying, and just pure agonizing TORTURE that is waiting, Congress is sadly over. Oh, words can not even describe how wonderful this Congress was. In this last year, the thing I have learned the most is that if you keep your focus on the Lord Jesus Christ, nothing can make you nervous. For the first time in my life, I walked on the stage (three of my girls at my side) and sang without a single butterfly in my stomach. Nothing besides my Salvation has ever felt that amazing! Of course I have been taught to "Focus on the Lord" but until this last year, no one has actually explained HOW you are to do that when a ton of people are staring you down. Last night and today, we stood upon the stage, sang for the Lord, and nothing could put us in a bad mood. It caused such a peace to come over me that I can not explain. My whole life, I have DESPISED singing in front of people by myself for the fact that they might possibly judge me. Just within the past few months, God has been teaching me one thing: I AM NOT UP THERE TO BE JUDGED! If anyone judges me, that is because their heart is in the wrong place. It is such a undescribale joy to truly serve the Lord.
This afternoon, I rededicated my life to the Lord. Bro. Pauley preached a message entitled "Are You Ready?", and it made me realize that I am not ready to serve the Lord because of hidden sins and just not doing what He has commanded me to do. I just praise the Lord that He is a God of second chances. God was truly working on the hearts of everyone in the Congress last night and today.

HAPPY BOXING DAY!!!!!!

Well, I wanted to update this yesterday and the title be "Merry CHRISTmas!!!" but I sadly ran out of time. lol
This week is going to be so wonderful! After about three months of countless hours of practice with our girls, Redeemed is ready to sing at Congress! How I praise the Lord for the talents He has given us as well as the opportunity to sing for Him. I am so excited and anxious for tomorrow night to get here. Although Congress does not begin until Monday night, tomorrow night is the beginning of our "Festivities". lol Our schedule is as follows:

• Sunday, after evening church service, the girls in Redeemed will head over to our "fearless leader's" house to have a sleepover and watch "Gladiator". Even though most of us are quite girly and love movies like "Pride and Prejudice", we all love a crazy awesome battle film! This evening will be filled of amazing fun!
• Monday morning, after probably sleeping in, we will start practicing. We will practice for hours until we need to get dressed, primed, and polished for the services. We actually have matching outfits! (I'll post pictures soon.)
• Monday evening at 7 o'clock, Congress starts. I encourage anyone in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area to come. The cost is $15 per person. This includes meals and a Christian Life Journal. It will take place at The Crown Southwest/ Norris Bible Seminary in Fort Worth. I'm not sure how many songs we will be singing Monday night.
• After Congress, we all (including our Jr. High girls) will head back to the Fieseler's house where we will watch "Up" and possibly "Singing in the Rain"! (love that movie)
• Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock, services start. During this session our Jr. High girls will join us onstage for a song that we all sing together called "By The Way of the Cross". Such a gorgeous song! Also, we will be singing several songs just as Redeemed. This will be followed by a few hours of break.
• Tuesday evening, we will meet back at the school for another session.

I am looking forward to this week!!!! Bro. Scott Pauley will be preaching all of the services, and I adore to hear that man preach. God has blessed him abundantly! I would like to ask you to pray for us, as well as Bro. Pauley and Bro. Knickerbocker.

Well, Good Golly, Miss Molly!!!

I apologize for the month-long absence from my blog! My family went out of town for a week to see my grandmother before she had a complete knee replacement, and I have been up at the church practicing, practicing, and (you guessed it) practicing some more for our Junior High/Senior High/ College and Career Christmas play entitled "Mary's Journey". This play shows a "behind the scenes" look at everything that took place in Mary's life once discovering that she would give birth to the Son of the Most High God. In the play, we are people who are putting on a church Christmas play! (Ironic, isn't it?) There are some very comical parts throughout the first act. Once our little characters begin to practice, the message in this play is astounding! It speaks of everything from the actual visit from the Arch Angel, Gabriel to Mary explaining the visit to her mother (played by yours truly!!!) to visiting Elizabeth. The second half of the play is the opening night, and everyone is serious. You meet Abigail, Mary's niece, Nicodemus, his wife, Haleigh, and various other characters. This play is absolutely amazing and I am so pleased to be a part of it!
This week, I will be at our church practicing for a total of 10 1/2 hours! Wow, that is an awful lot of practice! It will be a very tiring, but exciting, week!!!

Autumn is here...

I am starting to believe that nothing is more satisfying than a nice mug full of Earl Grey tea on a chilly autumn night. It is 46 degrees outside, but due to large amounts of rain we have received, it feels as if it were in the 30s. So, here I am, doing what I love to do: drinking hot tea and blogging. I can't believe that I got so far away from my blog, because I simply adore to write my thoughts and feelings in here.
I had a small adventure today as my lovely brother, Casey, attempted to teach me how to drive a manual! I say "attempted" because I am not the best at driving a manual. I have extremely short legs and fail to push the clutch in far enough, causing his poor car to come to a screeching halt! It was quite funny, because we had our lesson at an abandoned Wal-Mart parking lot. A group of teenage skaters had somehow gotten into the outdoor garden area and were, um, skating QUITE poorly. They then had the nerve to laugh at my driving! It was my first lesson and, of course, I made mistakes, but these young men consider themselves to be skaters when they can't even skate! I found it quite amusing to watch!
A few days ago, I spoke of our youth group's Christmas play. We have now had a few practices, and I must say that this past Wednesday's practice was absolutely HILARIOUS!!! I don't remember laughing that hard in my entire life. Everyone was just terribly funny at their parts. For example, my brother, Casey, has completely adapted to playing a bumbling country hick. He kept us all in stitches. I am not sure if we'll be able to get through this play without everyone in the cast bursting out laughing! Also, I tend to speak extremely fast regularly. For whatever reason, if I speak slowly, I start speaking in a English accent. I do not know WHY I do this, because it is definitely not intentional, but I do. That made everyone laugh even more because I was a British Jewish woman! It was extremely funny.
I am in a quartet along with three lovely young ladies. Last month, during our church's revival meetings, Bro. Knickerbocker heard us sing a wonderful song entitled "Jesus Passed By". When he got up to preach, he told the congregation that in the end of December, a youth congress would be held at Crown Southwest and Norris Bible Seminary. Unfortunately, the extremely brilliant, kind, and talented girls at Crown who usually sing at these meetings will be at their homes for Christmas at this time. Bro. Knickerbocker asked our quartet, Redeemed, to sing at the congress!!! You have no idea how much this means to us. We all feel extremely blessed of and grateful to the Lord Jesus Christ for giving us the gift of song as well a love for Him. Bro. Knickerbocker would not have asked us to come if he even assumed that we sang pridefully, I believe. This is such an honor for our quartet! We will need to have about eight or nine songs ready by then and be ready to give our testimonies. Our quartet consists of Taylor and Courtney, who juggle between alto and tenor, Hannah, who sings alto and second soprano, and myself. I sing first soprano. I love these three girls more than I could ever say; they have been such an encouragement and a blessing to me and my family! They have such lovely voices and even more beautiful hearts! Hannah's parents, Bro. Rick and Mrs. Tammy, are our youth leaders. Also, an amazing woman, Miss Sherry, helps out with our crazy group. We are also extremely blessed to have a pastor, Bro. Carrier, and a church family who loves and supports us all the way. I couldn't pick a better church family. They are such amazing people, and they each pray for us often. We wouldn't be able to do any of this without their support, as well as the support from our parents and siblings. I am so honored that God would give me a voice to praise Him with as well as friends to praise Him with!

Baking Day!!!

I believe that one day of each week should be put aside just for baking! Today, I made some chocolate-chip cookies, some oatmeal raisin cookies, and a batch of the Orange Blossom muffins I spoke of a few days ago! YUMMY!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup stick butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 (12-oz) bag chocolate chips (2 cups)

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2) In medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt.

3) In large mixing bowl, mix together butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. 4) Stir dry mixture into beaten mixture.5) Add chocolate chips; stir until evenly distributed.

6) Drop mounds of dough 2" apart onto ungreased cookie sheet

7) Bake 8-12 minutes until light brown.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

• 3/4 cup stick butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Don't be afraid to add extra!)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup raisins

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)

2) In large mixing bowl, mix butter and sugars together until smooth. (Use the largest bowl you have...)

3) Beat in eggs and vanilla until fluffy.

4) In small mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually stir this in with sugar mixture.

5) Stir in oats and raisins.

6) Drop spoonfuls of batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until slightly brown. Cool slightly before transferring onto plate.

Orange Blossom Muffins

• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 oil
• 1/2 cup undiluted orange juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup Smucker's Orange Marmalade
• 12 servings of Pioneer Biscuit Mix
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

1) Combine first five ingredients plus sifted biscuit mix.

2) Stir in marmalade and pecans.

3) Pour batter into lightly greased (or oiled) muffin tins. Be sure to use SMALL muffin tins! Bake at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes or until brown. If you have any extra batter, bake a loaf of Orange Blossom Bread. Just add a few minutes to the cooking time. It is FABULOUS, especially with a mug of hot tea!

These lovely homemade goodies were amazing! I thoroughly enjoyed baking them!

I've done a post like this before, but I strongly believe that repetition is a good thing! I often like to just type (or write) a completely random list of things about myself. Even if no one else finds them interesting, I think it is fun to be able to look back someday and see how I once was!

• I have a strange fascination with anything covered in Polkie Dots. (Yes, I realize that they are technically called "Polka" Dots, but I do not care! Polkie Dots just sounds cooler.)
• I love coffee when it is just slightly above room temperature. I also love hot tea at this temperature.
• My favorite thing to do is curl up with a good book or sitting at the computer, typing a story or working on my blog, drinking a nice cup of Earl Grey Tea. (Bigelow, of course. No tea is better!)
• I have always loved music. I guess I have my elementary music teacher, Mrs. Fox, to thank for that! She is such an inspiration to me. Not only is she an amazing teacher and genuinely kind lady, she is a strong Christian. Such a blessing to have been part of her life. She inspired me to go to school for elementary music, which I will be doing next fall.
• If everyday was a brisk Autumn day, I would absolutely love it! Nothing is better than a cup of Earl Grey, a good book, and a fire on a nice Autumn day!
• I love watching Christian Comedians, especially Mark Lowry. I absolutely LOVE that man! Such an amazing comedian, singer, and I believe, Christian. It is so refreshing to see someone who is not ashamed to speak his mind about what he believes and what He has done.
• I am slowly falling in love with old-fashioned things. I used to want to be like everyone else, but I couldn't care less what the others are doing. I must remember that if the majority agrees with it, some thing's probably wrong with it! I simply adore things as plain as a white pitcher and basin. (Does anyone have one that they would like to give me? Just joking.)
• I love my friends! I have some of the most amazing friends that anyone can have. God has blessed me with a great group of young ladies who want nothing more than to serve and please Him.

If I kept listing, I would be here all night long. :)

Yesterday, we (Junior High, Senior High, and some memebers of the College and Career class) started practicing for our Christmas Play, entitled "The Journey of Mary". It is an incredible play, and I can't wait to get more involved in it. We are playing people who are putting on a play, so most people have two parts. (For example, my brother, Casey, is playing a guy named Hank who is playing Arch Angel Gabriel. You get it?) There are several humourous parts. For example, Hank is trying to figure out how to play a "relaxed, confident angel flying in from Heaven to deliver really happy news" by flitting around the stage and acting like a vampire at one point. It was the funniest play practice I have ever been a part of!

Can you believe that it is the second week of November already? Where did this year go to? I am so excited for these next two months. Soon, we will have Thanksgiving and then on to Christmas! I love this time of year so much!

Orange Blossom Muffins, anyone?

Well, what have I been up to the past few days? I have been baking pies to NO end! I've made a few apple pies and am currently trying to find a good cherry pie recipe. I'm not a huge fan of cherries, but my friend wants one! I am going to bring an apple pie and a cherry pie to church soon to see what my lovely friends in our youth group think of them. (I love those girls so much! They are some of my dearest friends, and I praise and thank God for them. Not many people are as blessed as I am when it comes to friends. I know that these lovely young ladies love me and want God to use me. Too many "friends" could care less about your spiritual life, and I am so grateful that I have friends who do care!)
I, sadly, forgot to take any pictures of my pie making process, but I will have to take some the next time I bake. What is my next project? Maybe I'll make a batch of Orange Blossom Muffins! My mummy and daddy went away for a few days last week to celebrate their 26th wedding anniversary. They visited the Excelsior House Hotel in Jefferson, Texas. This hotel is a beautiful hotel that has been in operation since the 1850s. The photos my mother took of it were astounding! Also, my parents RAVED over the Orange Blossom Muffins that were served at breakfast every morning. They were extremely pleased to discover that the recipe for these muffins is in a cookbook that they bought through the Jefferson Gardening Club. These muffins sound amazing! If the baking is a success, I will post the recipe on here. I can't wait to try them out! My parents stayed at the Lady Bird Johnson suite. They were told by one of the staffers of the house that former First Lady Johnson's favorite memories as a child were always going to the hotel with her father to eat brunch while they were "in town". I think that is so sweet! http://theexcelsiorhouse.com

Apple Pie!

Today, I made my first attempt at baking an apple pie from scratch. This is something that our society is losing, and I decided that I want to start baking and cooking the old-fashioned way. So many people bake cakes just by dumping out mix and adding eggs just because it is easier. I loved baking this pie, and it tasted GREAT!

Crust:
-2 Cups all-purpose flour
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 tablespoon sugar
-6 tablespons butter
-6 tablespoons vegetable shortening
-6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

1) In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, and sugar.
2) Cut in the butter, shortening, and ice water.
3) Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill.

Filling:
-5 Granny Smith apples
-1 Cup Sugar
-2 Tablespoons Flour
-1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
-1/4 Teaspoon Salt
-1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
-1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

1) Peel and slice your apples.
2) Soak apple slices in water with a tablespoon of lemon juice. (This will prevent them from turning brown.)
3) In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
4) Mix apples in with filling.

Assembly:
!) Divide the dough into two equal halves.
2) Roll one of the balls of pie crust out until it is around 1/8th of an inch thick. (If the dough it too gooey, simply add extra flour.)
3) Once you have rolled out the dough, wrap it around the rolling pin and unroll it onto your pie pan.
4) Once you have shaped it to fit the inside of the pan, take a fork and poke holes in the bottom of the crust. This will let the steam out as the pie bakes.
5) Dump all of the apples in the pie. Place about 4 chunks of butter on top of apple filling. This will give the filling rich flavor.
6) Roll out the remaining pie dough and place it on top of pie.
7) Create a pattern around the edge of the pie by using the back of a knife.
8) Cut long strips of tinfoil and place them around the edge of the pie. This will prevent the crust's edge from burning while it bakes. You will want to take the tinfoil off about ten minutes before the pie is done. This way, the apple pie will have a golden brown edge.
9) Bake your pie at 400 degrees (F) for 50-60 minutes.

Enjoy this recipe... I honestly loved making and eating it!

I have had one of the most amazing days. Two lovely ladies from my church, Miss Bobbie and Miss Sherry, came around 4 PM to hang out with me and my mom. We ate, just talked, and played THREE board games: Glory, Jumanji, and Bible Pictionary. The first two were fun, but the game of Bible Pictionary was the most hilarious events. Sadly, none of us can draw to save our lives, so we all were just having to completly guess what each other was drawing. We almost rolled over laughing. They just left, and it's already after 11 PM. It was a delightful evening.
I had the opprotunity to cook a Baked Spaghetti. I adore cooking, but I never cook, for some reason. I really need to cook more often! The Baked Spaghetti came out EXTREMLY well, if I might say! This is the recipe I used:

INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 oz) package of spaghetti noodles
1 medium onion, chopped
Sm. can of mushrooms (Optional)
1 (26 oz) jar of meatless spaghetti sauce
2 eggs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
5 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt and garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:
Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, saute onion in a large skillet until clear. Stir in spaghetti sauce, mushrooms (drained), salt, and garlic powder; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, Parmesan cheese, and butter. Drain spaghetti noodles; add egg mixture and toss to coat.
Place half of spaghetti mixture to greased baking dish. Top with half of the cottage cheese, sauce mix, and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted.

This dish is extremly easy to make and, oh, so satisfying! I would reccomend it to anyone with a love for Italian food or vegetarian meals. I have been a vegetarian for almost four years and love when I can find a great dish like this that EVERYONE (meat eaters included) will like!

Well, unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Tonight was the last night of our church's revival meetings, but I don't believe that it is the end for the changes. I ask anyone who stumbles upon this to pray for me; I, sadly, have a problem reading my Bible. As much as I love to read other books, I don't have as strong of a desire to read my Bible as I should. I'm ashamed to even have to say this, for I know how important it is. When I think of all the martyrs who died for my faith, as well as the soldiers who gave their all for my country, I am saddened my lack of enthusiasm for reading God's Holy Word. I hope that you will pray with me on this subject.
All of the messages have been so amazing this week, and I wish that they could continue. I beleive that the message that spoke to me the most was Thursday Night's service, entitled "Our Condition Before God." The key verses were Nehemiah 1:1-11. One thing Bro. Knickerbocker said was "We as Christians have become extremly corrupted. Why aren't we devestated when we do what we KNOW is wrong? The Difference between a corrupted city (Jerusalem, in this case) and a corrupted life is that, unlike a human, a city can be rebuilt." So many people either never get back with God or they end up committing suicide because of their extreme depression.
1) The Sad Condition of Jerusalem
-It had become a laughing stock. How often do people say, "I remember when ..... Church had the power of God."
- The walls of protection had fallen down. Everything around us will lead us into temptation. We are faced with a society that could care less of God or His Word.
-The gate had been burned.
2) The Spiritual Concern of Nehemiah (Neh. 1:4)
-We need to become so consumed in God that we ignore everything else, including time.
-God will not speak to us until He knows that we are ready and willing to listen to Him.
3) The Sacred Commissioning (Neh. 1:9)
-Before one can be commissioned, they must first be revived.
4) The Stately Cooperation (Neh. 2:6)
-The king noticed a change in Nehemiah's countenance. Sadly, lost souls do not notice any change in the countenance of Christians today. They need to see our care, our love, and our concern for them. (Neh. 2:2)
-In the Christian life, the words "Building" and "Fighting" always co-incide.
5) The Saintly Cooperation (Neh. 2:8)
-Anything I touch that God wants me to touch will prosper.
6) The Skeptic's Criticism (Neh. 4:3)
-Someone will always vote "No" just in case that something goes wrong. Bro. Knickerbocker told us of how a man in a church he once pastored was the only person to vote against a new building project. The man honestly told Bro. Knickerbocker, "Well, I voted "No" just in case it fell through. I didn't want to be disappointed." Sadly, many people, including Christians, are like this today.
7) The Substatial Completion
-If we could see what God had in store, we wouldn't be able to get enough of His Word. (This is my desire.)



Please continue to pray for Bro. Knickerbocker, his wife, and all of the students at Crown Southwest and Norris Seminary.

Wednesday Update

I have a few minutes before I have to leave for church, so I decided to update my blog. Well, last night's message was so amazing! Bro. Knickerbocker was feeling a whole lot better. He has been taking Tamiflu, which is what I took a few weeks ago when I got the Swine Flue. (And, yep, I didn't die! lol) I pray that the Lord will bless him with the right words to say tonight. Oh, how we truly need a revival.

Camp Meeting Update

Well, I just got home from our church. Unfortuantly, Bro. Knickerbocker is still very sick, but praise the Lord, we have men in our church who are always ready to preach. Bro. Ken Moore, one of our deacons, preached a very powerful message on how we need a revival. It was a great blessing to me.
I hope that everyone is doing well.

Who has a job for me???

At the beginning of my last school year, my family and I decided to homeschool. Not only would this let me have a good, Christian education, it would allow me to graduate a whole year early. What did not occur to us is that NO ONE hires people under the age of 18. It is next to impossible to find a job when you are only seventeen years old. No matter where I look, I can not find a single place that will hire me. Do you have any suggestions? Please continue praying for me to find a good job!

Welcome, Fall!

I know that it has been officially Autumn since mid September, but today it actually feels like it. It is 52 degrees where I live and it is lightly drizzling. Rain always makes a chilly day feel a lot colder. I absolutley LOVE this weather. All I really want to do is curl up by the fire (yes, we have one going) with a good book. Maybe I'll finish the Chronicles of Narnia series! I simply adore those books.
What will this day be like? Well, tonight, our church's revival meetings continue. I pray that the Lord will open our ears and soften our hearts. The problem our nation is facing, no matter what our government officials (you know who I mean) want you to beleive, is not one of the economy. The problems in our nation are all directly caused by our spiritual needs. Sadly, we as Christians are not doing our part, and our whole world is suffering for it. 2 Chro. 7:14 says, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." A lot of the time, we Christians (and by that I mean, blood-bought, born again) forget that this only begins with us. We expect everyone else to change, and yet we don't want to work hard and pray. We don't want to "waste our time" witnessing. Until we Christians change, the world is going to stay the same. Pray for a revival. The great Welsh Revival was started by a young girl who stood up to testify. Who knows what our great generation can accomplish with God on our side!

Random Update

Hello, people with computers!
I haven't been on my blog in QUITE some time now, but I am here now to speak my mind. (Yes, this can be an extremly dangerous thing.) This week, Bro. Dan Knickerbocker, the head of The Crown College Southwest and Norris Seminary, is holding a camp meeting at our church. (I understand that many people call this a revival, but we must realize that revival is not a meeting or even a group of meetings. Revival only occurs when a revival is sparked in the hearts of individuals and then spread throughout a church or community.) Tonight, he was not able to make it because he is very sick. It seems that he has a sort of stomach flu. Remember to keep him and the revival in your prayers. Also, his lovely wife, RoseMarie, will be going in a few weeks for some medical treatments.
So far, I have still not found a job. I am still searching and praying for patience. Unfortunatly, most establishments will not hire people under the age of eighteen. Since I do not turn eighteen until the end of May, this causes a large problem for me. Please pray for me to find a good job soon.
Like I have said in previous posts, I will begin goin to The Crown College of the Bible in Powell, Tennessee next fall (or maybe this spring). I can hardly contain my excitement about going to this amazing school. Many of my friends are currently attending school there and I can not wait to join them there. Not only do I adore the school and everyone that goes there, I truly LOVE the area. I was raised in Georgia, and Tennessee is the closest thing to home that I can get. This summer when our church's youth group went to the Youth Congress at Crown, I did not want to come back to Texas. It truly feels more like home to me. The week we were in Tennessee this summer, I felt as if I were home, but after three years in Texas, it still feels like a strange place that I simply live. Thankfully, God has blessed my family with a wonderful church here, and I love everyone there to pieces! (Shoutout to TayTay and Mrs. Jonna, my blogging buddies!) I simply wish that this year would be an extremly quick one! lol

Nothing to Say

I don't really have much to say, but here I am! The job hunt continues, because I have applied at the Sweet and Sassy Shoppe in the Firewheel Town Center in Garland, Texas. In case you have never heard of Sweet and Sassy, it the ultimate girl's salon. They treat young girls like royalty. It is so adorable! They also have HOT PINK LIMOS that the girls can ride in to the store. I hope and pray that they hire me.
What am I doing right now? I am watching Cinderella on YouTube. (You know, the politically correct one with the black queen, white king, and Asian prince. I still don't know how that happened. lol) Have a good night, world!

hmmmmm.......

I know, i know.... I'm a bad person. Well, at least a bad blogger. lol I haven't been on here since before we went to Tennessee, which, by the way, was AMAZING!!!! I haven't been on here because I have been out of town almost all summer. You wouldn't beleive how tired you are after being on the run for several weeks.
Well, it's the tenth of August, and as you all know, school is about to start for most people, but I do not have to go back to school because I graduated EARLY!!! So, I have to find a job. For the past several weeks, I have been searching for a job to hold for this next year before heading off to..... DRUMROLL, PLEASE...... THE CROWN COLLEGE OF THE BIBLE IN POWELL, TENNESSEE!!!!!!!!! (or as most people call it "Crown"), AKA, the most amazing school in the whole wide world! Can you tell that I'm super psyched? I can't beleive that I have to wait for a whole year, but I understand why I have to. This year will either seem very long or very, very short. All my friends are going back to school, whether it be one of my Kindergarten buddies or one of my College pals, so it already feels somewhat strange that I won't be going to school. But I'll live... lol
I promise that I'll try REALLY hard to be faithful to my blog. I love blogging, but I often forget that I need to actually get on here and write something. lol. I love you peoples!
Caitlyn Mae

The Final Countdown...

No, not the 80's song. The Countdown to Congress! I am so excited and can hardly wait!!! we leave in 1 day, 21 hours, and 36 minutes from the church to head up to Tennessee (or as we call it, Paradise!).









Yes, I know... we're amazing!

Hi, Everybody!!!

Well, I'm waiting for my new YouTube video to finish loading, so I decided I could blog to let the time pass quickly. For those who want to know, my YouTube account is veggicma92. All of the videos are my friends and I just goofing off as part of our "Countdown To Congress" video series. We are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited about the National Youth Congress at The Crown College of the Bible in Powell, Tennessee next week. Me, my friends Taylor, Courtney, Megan (JALAPENO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), Baylee, and Talon are going along with our pastor, Bro. Carrier, my brother, Casey, and two ladies from our church, Mrs. Paula and Mrs. Samuels. It is going to be the best week to Tennessee yet. As many of you know, I feel God wants me to go to college at The Crown, so every time I can go up there, I grab the chance!
Wow, my video still has nineteen minutes left. I guess I'll head over to Facebook and see what is happening in the world today!

Hey Everyone!

It's been a pretty busy few weeks. My parents and I just went to Louisiana to visit with family and friends, and in SIX DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, I'm heading to Tennessee with my youth group for the National Youth Congress at The Crown College in Powell. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited about it! It is going to be the best trip to Crown yet, and I know it! After the trip to Crown, we'll be heading over to Royal C Ranch in Eufala, Oklahoma for another camp. This is going to be an awesome summer.
Can you beleive that it is already June, almost July? I can't beleive how fast this year is going.
Well, love you all, fellow bloggers!!!!
Caitlyn Mae

I AM SO SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel bad because I haven't blogged in FOREVER! A lot of people keep telling me, "You really need to update your blog; it's just getting sad!" So, here I am, updating it. What has happened since my last entry? Well, I am now a HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE! That's what! Oh, and I turned seventeen finally. I've been waiting to turn seventeen my whole life! lol I have also become addicted to Facebook, which is why I'm never on here. But, dear bloggers, I promise to become much more faithful to my blog.
My life is now somewhat boring, because I am not having to run everywhere at 1,000 MPH. During these next few weeks, I am going to be sleeping in, swimming, blogging, Facebook-ing, YouTube-ing, and farming on my Farm Town (yes, it's very sad). On June 22, my family and I are heading down to Louisiana for a short getaway to see our family and friends. We'll be in Denham Springs for about 5 days.
Then, on July 5, our youth group leaves for the NATIONAL YOUTH CONGRESS AT THE CROWN COLLEGE OF THE BIBLE IN POWELL, TENNESSEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am SOOOOOO excited about that. I love going up to Crown and we'll be there for a whopping 6 days! Oh, I also get to join a bunch of different teens from around the country and sing in the youth choir during the Congress! Oh, it is going to be AWESOMELY AMAZING (or Asquared)!!!!!!!!!
On July 21 (i think), we leave AGAIN for Royal C Ranch in Eufaula, OK. It's also going to be AMAZING!
As you can see, my summer will keep me moving again. Then, I will actually have things to blog about!
Love you, people of planet Earth!
Caitlyn Mae

Wow!

I can't believe that it's been over a month since I posted anything on here. I think it should be considered blasphemy. lol Well things (you know, school, life, facebook, school) get in the way of blogging. I'm sorry, loyal blog followers, for the delay.
In the past month, I have finished most of all my school work. I'm almost finished with Economics and Physics. Then, I will just be working on English Literature. I'm actually excited because I get to start reading Pygmalion. (You know, it later was made into My Fair Lady!)
Well, in less than a month, I will finally graduate highschool and then turn 17. I'm so excited.
That's pretty much all that has happened. (You see why I haven't blogged?)

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!

I got my permit in yesterday. The people at the DMV were like, "Oh, it is the right date!" lol Well, I'm really happy. Hopefully I'll be able to drive a lot. (Fingers crossed!)

I forgot about this...

I passed my permit test Saturday! lol All of the permits (except mine) came in yesterday. Here, you have to bring a TEA (Texas Education Agency) form to take it. Well, since I'm homeschooled, I had to turn in a different form. The people at the DMV said that the date was wrong, even though it wasn't. So, I have NO idea when my permit will come in. I want it NOW!!!!! lol But, I'm trying to be patient.

Well...

He's gone and I'm trying not to think about it anymore today. On a good note, Daddy said that the shelter (which is no-kill) had a full parking lot. Who knows; maybe he found a home already!

Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This...

Well, I've been trying to not say anything, but I can't hold it in anymore. My beautiful dog, T-Bone, is going to have to find a new home. I hate this, but I know it is the best thing for him. We have a small yard and didn't know that he was going to grow as much as he has. My heart is breaking into a million pieces as I even write these horrible words. It wouldn't be fair for me to keep him. I can't give him the attention he deserves, even though I am here most days all day. Soon, I will be starting work and then leaving for college, and I can't expect other members in my family to have to babysit a 60 pound dog for the rest of their lives. Also, he is full of energy. I mean, he really needs room to run and maybe even a doggy pal to play with.

In the morning, Daddy has to bring him back to the shelter we got him from in Gainesville, Texas. If you happen to live in that area or know someone in that area who wants a great dog, please tell them to go to Noah's Ark Shelter in Gainesville and check him our. He really needs a big yard and maybe, like I said, a doggy pal. I feel so horrible about having to do this, but it really is the best thing for all of us, including him. A dog like T-Bone shouldn't be cramped up in Suburbia.

Please pray for T-Bone to find a good home. Also, pray for my family in this horrible time. Dad and my brother seem to be doing okay, but Mummy and I are really taking it hard. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I can't stand it. I wish I could rewind time and that we never would have went to that shelter on a daytrip to Oklahoma. Having no dog would be so much easier than getting rid of a great one.

Oh, and also, I have to take my learner's permit test in the morning. How, I ask, am I supposed to concentrate on that when I have all of this to worry about?!?

Okay, so I get to driving school and...

1. Someone tried to bum a buck off of me. I didn't have any, honestly. I didn't bring a purse or (obviously) a backpack, so I had no money.
2. Someone asked what it meant to be an organ donor. Seriously.
3. Two people asked what a maiden name was.
4. Someone thought stop signs were too confusing.
5. I was the only one who knew what D.O.B. stood for. (If you're not that bright, D.O.B. stands for Date of Birth.)

I'm serious; people are so retarded.

WOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I finally start driving school today! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm almost seventeen and don't have a permit, but I will soon! HAHAHA!!! Well, it starts at 3, and it's 2:30 now. I'm waiting for my brother to get home, cause he's using our car. Then, we'll be on our way!

Yeah for Anoop!

Okay, that was just mean! The American Idol judges scared that poor boy to death! When the said that Matt had made it, I thought, "Well, I'm happy for him, but I wanted Anoop to make it, too." I was SO excited when they told him that they decided to make it a top 13 this year! WOOH!

Test Your Sanity

I'm getting this off of my mom's blog...
The statistics on sanity is that one out of every four persons are suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

Writer's Block

Don't you hate it? (Writer's block, I mean.) The story I was writing "My Own Meadow" isn't going so well. It's a good foundation, but nothing is happening with it. Oh, how I wish for the muse to decend!
So now, I'm sitting at the computer blogging and eating mashed potatoes! Yum.

Random things I wonder about...

What did Yankee Doodle call "Maccaroni"?
What if the Hokey Pokey really is what it's all about?
If fairies come from baby laughs, what happens when a fairy laugh?
Why are people scared of bears, but they think that pandas are cute and fluffy?
Does the male kangaroo ever have pouch envy?
Why did the cow jump over the moon?
Why are clowns creepy, but everyone likes a good court jester?
Why do we drive on a parkway, but we park in a driveway?
If all the raindrops were lemon drops and gum drops, would they be raindrops?
What makes penguins so cool?
Why do I wonder such random things?

YUMMY!!!

Okay, I just had the most AMAZING drink ever. It's called Cucumber Lemonade. (Yes, it does sound gross.)

1 Cucumber, peeled and cubed
4 cups of water
Lemon juice and sugar (I actually used Country Time mix. Just enough to make two quarts.)

Puree the water and cucumber. Add lemon juice and sugar (or mix) to blender and mix. Enjoy!

Um...

Okay, last night a bunch of people from our church went out to eat for a lady's birthday. I wanted to go, but I knew that I shouldn't have. I was right. Well, first of all, I still have this migraine, and that is a VERY loud resturaunt. Like, half of the kitchen staff came to sing Happy Birthday VERY loudly. It was funny, but it really didn't help me.
Next, yesterday was my "Veggi"versary, the third year of me being a vegetarian. And this place is a steakhouse. Yep. Not fun, especially since there are heads on every inch of every wall, and in the lobby, there is a BEAR! It was so gross. (My friend Ryleigh named one of the deer heads "Gigi"! lol)
Well, now my headache is STILL not going away, and I just would like to scream!!!
That's my news.

I love things like this!

Here is what you do...Erase my answers and put yours in. Use the first letter of your name to answer ALL of the following questions. If the person before you has the same 1st letter pick a new one. You CAN NOT use anything twice, and you CAN NOT use your own name for the boy/girl question. After you are done, tag 5 people.......
1. What is your name: Caitlyn
2. A four letter word: Cool
3. A boy's name: Chris
4. A girl's name: Callie
5. An occupation: Carpenter
6. A color: Coral
7. Something you wear: Coulottes
8. A food: Crepes
9. Something found in the bathroom: Cold Water!
10. A place: California
11. A reason for being late: Caught traffic
12. Something you shout: COME ON!!!!!
13. A movie title: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!
14. Something you drink: Coke
15. An animal: Coati
16. A song title: Children of the Lord
17. A verb: Cry
And, I'll also tag anyone who wants to do this! :)

Headache Update...

Well, today, my mom and I went to the doctor. He believes that this is a sinus headache, and he put me on an antibiotic. Also, I had a blood test done to make sure that all of my levels are good. I have had Polysystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) for about a year, so they have to make sure that all of my organs are working good. Also, my Doc refilled my Metphormin. This will, hopefully, prevent me from ever getting diabetes. A side-effect of PCOS is diabetes. Since I'm also not the smallest person and have diabetes in my family, I have a high chance of getting it. Hopefully, this medicine will do its job. Also, it will help with my weight control. I hope that this antibiotic will stop this migrane and fast!
Well, I think that dinner is almost ready.
Good Night, Fellow Humans!
Caitlyn Mae

I Am...

I am.... Stealing this idea from my mom's blog! lol
Outside My Window... Night has hit here in DFW. It's warm, but not too hot. It's just right. (Oh, earlier, two ducks landed in our pool. I've gotten used to this at this time of year and I love them. But, the surprise was looking over to see the HAWK sitting in our backyard! Isn't that insane?)
I am thinking... of how much I want this headache to go away.
I am thankful for... the Lord Jesus dying for my sin, and for my family.
From the kitchen... comes the loud noises of my parents cooking dinner.
I am wearing... our youth group's shirt and some coulottes.
I am creating... a story and several projects.
I am going... to eat dinner and then watch E.R.
I am hoping... that my graduation will go smoothly.
I am hearing... the tv playing in the living room.
Around the house... I see people who love and care for me, and a beautiful boquet of roses my brother bought for me and Mummy.
One of my favorite things... a beautiful rainy day!
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week… Schoolwork, going with people from church to dinner tommorrow night for someone's B-Day, calling my BFF to wish her a happy B-Day, and celebrating my third "Veggie"versary!

Ah, the pleasures of migranes!

Since Sunday night, I've had a horrible migraine. I hate to complain, but it really hurts! I used to have very frequent migraines, but they stopped- until Sunday. I just am praying that it passes very soon. My parents are watching the Presidential Address message on Fox News, but all the applause on TV just makes my head hurt even more. lol
Well, I'm very bored. I probably shouldn't even be on the computer right now, but I'm bored. I was just watching 18 Kids and Counting, but it went off. (I love that show!)
Oh, have you seen the movie Fireproof? I finally saw it this past Saturday night; it is SOOOOOOOO good! I loved it. If you haven't seen it, I really recommend it.
Well, have a great night, Citizens of the planet Earth!

Projects, Projects, and... need I say more?

Okay, you know how, in public or private school, you work really hard your junior year and kind of have NO responsibilites senior year? HOMESCHOOLING IS NOT LIKE THAT!!!! Last semester, I did eleventh grade and had maybe two projects. Now, I'm taking all senior courses, and it is nothing but PROJECTS!!!!!!! For example, I have to do a Patriotic Project about one of the founding fathers. (I chose Patrick Henry. You know, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" guy.) Also, I have that recipe report I already talked about. Now, I am also reading Macbeth. I am so tired of projects! GRRRRRR!!!!!!!!
Oh, I also have Vocation Project for Composition. I have to write a report about what I want to do for the rest of my life, have someone in this field fill out a questionaire, and other things. For the past few years, I have felt that it is God's will for me to be an elementary music teacher. I went to Fort Daniel Elementary school when we lived in Georgia, and I recently e-mailed my music teacher from there and she happily filled out my questionaire. I'm actually excited about this project, because it will help me as I'm in college and starting my career.
I probably should start working on my projects right now... I think I will!

Evolution: Theory or Lie?

Wow! I'm so irritated! This guy put a video on YouTube about how much he hates God and how creationism is a lie. I put a comment about how he was wrong and how 3/4 of scientists in this world believe in creation. Now, all of these people are bashing my beliefs. My first reply was kind of rude, and I apollogized, but people are still jumping down my throat. I think that people beleive in evolution because they're too prideful to beleive in anything logical.
GRRRR!!!!!!

PRAISE THE LORD!!!!

We had a marvelous week at "Camp Lenoir". The main speakers were Dr. J. C. House and Evangelist Brian McBride. Everything was amazing. The Holy Spirit truly moved everyday, especially Wednesday night. It was a truly awesome week.

Strange Things about Me

• I freak out if I can't find my phone, camera, or my MP3 player, even if I don't need it.
• I like to eat Corn Pops with orange juice, not milk.
• I have an obsession with polka dots. (Actually, I call them polkie dots and have ever since I remember.) Most of my wardrobe is covered with them and so is my luggage set.
• I love to watch movies with the audio commentaries on.
• I have this weird thing with calling everyone "Sweetheart" or "Darling" or even "Lovie"! Even my guy friends get called this on a regular basis.
• If something's shiny, I pick it up.
• I know at least one line (usually more) or one song (usually all of them) of every Disney movie.
• I like to sing old showtunes and VeggiTales songs while on roadtrips.
• I hate popular music. Instead, I like Christian music and opera.
• I like Michael Buble. (Sorry, no accent. It won't do it. Sniff!)
• I love to sing in Latin. Also, if people say a word in Latin wrong, I get really mad!
• I love the Progressive commertials with the lady named Flo.
• I also love the freecreditreport.com commercials.
• I have the themesong to Saved By the Bell on my cellphone. (I also have the song from "Three's Company" even though I've never seen one single episode. I just like the song.)
• I make a nickname for all of my friends.
• I named my flutes. All three of them. Carlotta, Rising Star, and Hibiscus. Yes, I'm a wierdo.
• I also named my piano. Her name is Christine.
• I like to play "Bookworm Adventures"
• I doodle while I take notes, whether they be for school or for church. (It's a proven fact that it makes you remember what you wrote more.)
• I get really mad when people forget to change the month out on their calenders.
• I really like faries. Whenever I have a little girl, her nursery is going to be decorated with faries.
• Did I mention that I love pens? Give me a nice Bic Ball Point and I'll be a happy camper.
• Whenever I see a singing stuffed animal, I HAVE to press its foot. I just can't help myself.
• I love to watch musicals, especially the Phantom of the Opera. Andrew Lloyd Webber is a pure genious.
• I hate word searches, but I love cross-word puzzles.
• I love the smell of hand sanitizer.
• I get so excited when I see the mailman or the UPS man, even if I'm not expecting anything.
• I think that people who don't like animals are just plain stupid.
• I think that love isn't love unless it's unconditional.

Church Camp

Well, we used to go to a church camp in North Carolina every year when we lived in GA. It was easy because I could do my school work between classes. Since we moved to Texas, though, it's been impossible. I would be missing over a week of school. BUT, now that I'm homeschooling, it would be do-able. So, WE'RE GOING TO CAMP LENOIR!!!!!!! I'm beyond excited. I love it there so much. http://westlenoirbc.org/

Is anyone going there? It's such a great week of preaching and singing and just fellowship. I love it!

More Schooling!

WOW! I'm so excited about English Literature. For whatever reason, I've always had this extreme fascination with western Europe (particularly England and France). It's so cool because I get to read Chaucer, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and so much more! (I read Chaucer's Canterbury Tales as a Freshman lol).
This has been a most excellent year and I'm so excited for graduation. Now that I'm an official Senior (haha) it feels so strange. I can't beleive that in only a few months, I will have completed high school!

WOOOH!!!!!!

I'm now officially a complete senior! lol Yesterday I finished my English 3 exams (and got a 89%. Man! One point away from an A! lol) and this morning I took my American History exam (and got a 94%). Monday, I'm going to start English 4 and American Government/Economics. (I'm not happy about our new American Government leaders, though lol)

Last night, we went to the semester kickoff at the Crown Southwest/Norris Bible Seminary in Fort Worth. It was funny because Dr. Sexton asked all of the highschool seniors and juniors to raise their hands. I raised my hand, but from where I was sitting, I didn't see anyone else raise their hands. Then, he asked us to stand up!!!!! I was thinking, "I so don't want to do this!" but I stood up anyway. Thankfully, there were about ten other seniors and juniors there, so I wasn't standing up in the midst of several hundred sitting people. lol Please pray for Crown Southwest (and the entire Crown College family.

Well, it's now cram time. Everything has to be planned, because I'm the ONLY homeschool senior at our church. One guy is graduating this year, but he goes to public school. This means it's a graduation for me! So weird sounding to me. Oh, we've picked a date of May 16. I wanted to graduate before my 17th birthday (which is later in May) because when a 16-year-old graduates, they sound very smart. lol

Recipes Galore!

Well, in my Home Ec (I'm sorry, Family and Consumer Science) course, I have to do a project in which I make a recipe book or box with a minimum of 30 recipes. I (being obsessed with getting an A) am doing, like, 70 recipes. lol I've been searching the internet, cookbooks, and everything imaginable. I've found recipes using ingredients I didn't even know existed. I'm a vegetarian and have been for almost three years, so this is a great opprotunity for me to be able to make my perfect cookbook. Home Ec is really exciting for me because I get to learn things that I wouldn't have learned in public school. I even get to host a cake reception and then a dinner party. (AH, STRESS!!!) I love to cook, and I especially love to bake. Baking is new to me, but I throughly enjoy it. I love to get dirty and always have my Sansa MP3 player on while I'm working in the kitchen.
Oh, the other day, I started my speach course (Public speaking frightens me.) It's funny doing a course that needs several people with only you and your mom. lol

Random Picture lol

Look at this totally cute picture of my puppy!

He fell asleep with his head on the hearth of our fireplace. He's so goofy!

HAIRCUT!!!!

I finally got another haircut. I needed on desperately. lol

Yeah, bad pics, but whatever. I'll try to get better ones posted

Senior '09!

It feels so weird knowing that I'll be graduating a whole year early. Does anyone have any homeschool graduation advice? lol



My favorite color is pink and I actually found a pink cap and gown set. (http://www.homeschooldiploma.com/apparel/new.cpgn.page.htm#rose) It's cool that I'm not in an official group so I can make my own school colors (pink and white) and mascot and everything. Oh, speaking of mascots, I want you to meet mine. Her name is Princess Tinkerpuff! lol We have a purity retreat every year at my church for girls in the area and I won her as a door prize and made her my official mascot. We are, in fact, home of the Mighty Warring Tinkerpuffs! lol
Yes, my mascot is a white bunny in a tutu with a pink tiara on her head. But, she's a cute mascot! lol You can't really see her eyes because they're hidden under the fluff. I LOVE PRINCESS TINKERPUFF!!!

My Own Meadow

Well, I've started writing a novel. It's about a girl named Ainsley who was born (as the title suggests) in a meadow. The name Ainsley actually means "my own meadow". She suddenly has to move back to New Zealand after living in the States since she was 2 years old. I really like it so far. I've been doing a lot of research on New Zealand for this book, and I've decided that I want to visit there someday. LoL
This is the first few sentences: 'Many stories begin with “Once Upon a Time” or “In a land far, far away”. My story begins with, well, the beginning. Let’s go back to the day of my birth. I was born in a meadow in New Zealand after my parent’s car ran out of gas while mom was in labor. Because of my birthplace, my parents named me Ainsley, a Scottish name meaning “my own meadow”'.
Wish me luck as I start this new novel!

New Year's COMMITMENTS

Well, I refuse to make "resolutions" because no one ever keeps them. This year, I've decided to make New Years Commitments. That way, I know that I will fulfil them.
This year, I commit to:

1. Read my Bible through to become closer to the Lord.
2. Eat healthier and loose weight.
3. Try my absolute hardest in school.
4. Keep my room clean and become more responsible.
5. Talk to random people as often as possible.
6. Love more.
7. Watch my attitude.
8. Learn to control my emotions.
9. Practice my piano, flute, and voice more.
10. Work on my blog more.
11. Have eleven commitments instead of the ten people expect of me.