i don't want to build castles in the sand

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life -- your sleeping, eating, going-to-work and walking-around life -- and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to it's level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well formed maturity in you. 

                                                                     -- Romans 12:1, The Message 

see the way

With just one word from your mouth were the heavens made 

With just one breath of your lips the foundations were laid

With just one dream in your thoughts, you have wanted me

With just one pulse of your heart you are wooing me 

See the way he holds the stars in his hands

See the way he holds my heart

God is a lover, looking for a lover

So he fashioned me

God is a lover, looking for a lover

So he formed my heart

With just one pulse of your heart

I'm in love

unbelievable!

How is it possible that my favourite goalie and one of my favourite musicians have the same face?? How did I not realize this sooner?

               (Miikka Kiprusoff and Glen Hansard, Irish musician)

you are the potter, & I am the clay

right by my side

inspiration comes in from funny places. it peeks from behind the kitchen door, intertwines with falling snow, creeps though the pages of old-weathered books, and weaves through blades of grass. it comes in and, by using it's glittery appeal, seems to taunt me to capture a photo or draw a picture and keep it in my memory forever. it seems that oftentimes the uncommon is found among the common, or the beautiful is found among the plain. i think this is the way God views each of us; He has searched and sought for us, to see the deepest part of our hearts, and the best we can do is give everything to Him. He longs for us to just give it all. i am willing -- i will run towards the One who loves me and calls me by name!

N

it's been a while...

Hello again. So I'm determined to make a post for November. I've been busy enough with different things & occasions, and finally seeing the light through the foggy tunnel of homework. I'm becoming to realize God's purpose for my life, and I like it! I feel like I've always known it in the back of my mind, but it's just been confirmed over and over until now. So now I'm in that in-between stage, working to get there. But I am so happy! Even just living at home I feel the effect of other countries and cultures on my life almost daily, thinking about a different country every day (well, they actually rotate with each other, haha). I'm constantly inspired by little things too, wanting to create it for myself... like a couple days ago I made a necklace out of yarn, wire, and a pearl button. And that goes the same for music, too, I'll hear something and want to recreate it, or make something that sounds new and unique. Today is November 25th, so one month til Christmas! And one month and four days til I am twenty! I am so excited! I also just bought boots, I want to walk everywhere in them! I think I might just do that.

N

navy blue

Now, think of it. Navy Blue is a wonderful colour. My sister and I were just discussing this today. Here are some reasons I've come up with.

• anybody can wear this colour. really, it's true. and it makes your skin glow.
• it's very versatile. you can wear it with black, dressy, casual, etc.
• and instead of "little black dresses", everyone could wear "little navy blue dresses". i think i would like that.
• it's the colour of deep water -- such as oceans or the great lakes...
• and the colour of the night sky. with the stars sprinkled in this vast space, it's beautiful.
• it's just really, really good.

I've run out of reasons. But you get the point. Also, I've had the notorious swine flu this past week. It's been interesting... lot's of coughing, aches, and runny noses, but I do believe I'm on the upswing now. And it hasn't all been bad -- I learned a new recipe from Racheal Ray, and now I'm painting my nails red and waiting for The Office to start.

Goodnight!

N

the essence of busy-ness

It is strange to be buried underneath electronic homework, since homework being electronic it is not often a tangible thing. But that is where I can be found lately. I do love being busy though, it makes me feel... good.

I'm drinking coffee at the moment and calculating how much time I have before I work tonight... not very much. And this weekend is Britt's wedding! Crazy eh! Soon we will all pile into cars and head south-eastward for that smallish Wisconsin town to celebrate. I'm so excited! I have the dress and the shoes and everything. Now if only I could only walk in those shoes... back to practicing...

N

hum dee dum

Hello there! Well, I am happy to say I do not have strep throat anymore, my voice is back, and my cough is gone! It is an overwhelmingly happy feeling.

Last night at youth group I had the privilege to lead worship... I am so inspired to press forward in that direction! This is so cool, because I've been feeling like I need a way to channel my creativity in music and God is continuing to lead me here.

Yeah!

N

$2 sweaters & honeycrisp apples

i had the day off today, so it was the perfect opportunity to catch up on some rest and also finish up an essay for one of my online classes. my brother and i had a chance to slip away to do some thrift shopping (goodwill yes!) and i purchased a gap sweater for less than an ice cream cone. (i'm not actually sure if it would be less than an ice cream cone, come to think of it the sweater was probably more expensive, but it was a good deal, nonetheless. :)

p.s. if you have not tried honeycrisp apples, try one! they are delicious!

the garden that you planted remains -- sea wolf

i'm writing in a coughing, sore, light-headed state... with tea in my left hand and typing with my right. but not really. i actually have so much to do that it's hilarious i'm writing right now. i found a good recipe for fruit dip for britt's shower tomorrrow :) and i'm finishing up some decorations i fastened together with tree branches, wire, and beads. my last week has been really good. i'm loving the weather (imagine the summer sunshine morning warmth + orange tinted leaves) and i can't wait for the month of october where i will be busy every single weekend.

thursday

this morning was a beautiful mysterious misty morning. running through the air was like running through a shimmery cloud -- such a cool feeling. now i'm at the church, catching up on homework, and listening to music. i feel like i don't have much to say, so here's a photograph of a flower from el salvador. i love the colours, and also how there are tiny white flowers peeking out from underneath the petals. the flowers in el salvador were some of the brightest, most vibrant flowers i've ever seen.

:)

espresso!

so... today was an interestingly wonderful day. we performed our "mi rey jesus" dance at church, and it was awesome! i got to spend some delightful time with chelsea, in which we discussed her forthcoming wedding (next may/june). i'm gonna be a bridesmaid in it :) i love her and eric!

i'm suuuch a procrastinator. which is why online schooling is good for me... i think...

i'm feeling a bit headache-y at the moment, however i'm in a sing-song mood. it's kind of a nice mixture. abba is the music of the moment.

anyways, back to homework, goodnight

okay

okay so nevermind i just changed the picture for my heading, it's from the same place but it's called "there is no earthly explanation" and it's by rune guneriussen. just to be clear. time to read...

mmm

okay, so today was a pretty motivating day. i got up early, studied for a quiz, took the quiz, got 95%, then i went for a run in my wonderful new shoes.

i'm starting to become more aware of the presence of God in my life. i'm reading the book "blue like jazz" by donald miller, and in the beginning he talks about how certain people can trace God back to being so alive and breathing in just nature itself. how amazing is it to imagine that!

:)

first post!

just thoughts, ideas, curiosities...