Being a kid!

Love where I am in life, but it's nice to remember the simplicity of childhood too. I loved this and had to put it up!

Close your eyes... And go back...
Before the Internet or the AIM
Before PlayStation2 or X-BOX
Before the 5 hours of homework you put off every night...
Way back...
I'm talkin' bout hide and go seek at dusk.
Red light, Green light.
Playing kickball & dodgeball until your porch light came on.
Mother May I?
Red Rover
four square
Hula Hoops
Running through the sprinkler
Happy Meals
Getting the privilege to sit in the front seat of the car Wait...
Watchin' Saturday Morning cartoons
Like Hey Arnold and Doug
Or what about legends of the hidden temple, global guts, double dare, and who, ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK!
Who could forget Snick
Or the teenage mutant ninja turtles, and Power Rangers, Christmas morning...
Your first day of school
Bedtime Prayers and Goodnight Kisses
Climbing trees
Getting an ice cream off the ice cream truck, A million mosquito bites, and sticky fingers. Jumpin' down the steps, Jumpin' on the bed, Pillow fights, Runnin' till you were out of breath. Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt and you almost peed your pants. Being tired from playin' all day, Your first crush...
Kool-Aid was the drink of the summer
Giving your friends a ride on your handlebars or spokes.
When getting high was swinging on the swingset. When $5 seemed like a million, and another dollar a Miracle.
When your parents took you to McDonalds and you were so cool.
When Toys r Us overruled the "mall"
I want to go back to the time when...
Decisions were made by going "eeny-meeny-miney-moe"
Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, "do over!"
"Race issue" meant arguing about who ran the fastest.
Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in "monopoly"
Catching fireflies could happily occupy an entire evening It wasn't odd to have two or three "best" friends.
Being old, referred to anyone over 20.
The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was cooties.
Nobody was prettier than Mom
Nobody was cooler than Dad
Scrapes and bruises were kissed and made better It was a big deal to finally be tall enough to ride the "big people" rides at the amusement park.
Getting an inch of snow was a dream come true.
Abilities were discovered because of a "double-dog-dare"
Spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down was cause for giggles.
If you can remember most or all of these, then you have LIVED!!!

Queen of the Cats

Sometimes I Forget...

Sometimes I forget...

That others are hurting

Sometimes I forget...

What it feels like to have your heart broken. To feel the pain of overwhelming circumstances take over.

Sometimes I forget...

What it's like to feel so helpless that you blame God. To feel so sad that you don't know what to say.

Sometimes I forget...

How to sympathize with the pain of others. How to cry their tears and make their sadness my own.

Sometimes I forget...

That I was once in their shoes myself.


It can be so easy sometimes to forget or purposely brush aside the trials of others during the happy times of life. That doesn't mean that it is wrong to enjoy happiness or contentment. But to harden your heart to the pain of others is a curse that frightens me every time I find it in myself. It's times like today when I really remember that there are still people that hurt, people who need a miracle, who need my prayer, even if I forget how to feel their pain.

God soften my heart to the heartbreak in the world around me.

Falling and Fighting

Ugh! My heart overwhelms my brain, my feelings lie but so does my commonsense. The only one I can come put my trust in is God, but I've wronged Him so. He doesn't deserve a servant like me. Servant? how dare I even put myself in that category. I want to do right but I fear failure. I want to back down but I fear turning my back on His plan. I pray and trust that He'll guide me, but I can't be free of this battle. I'm sick of it. Sometimes it's almost easier to want to turn your back on Him. That sounds awful, but it's the truth. I may want to, but I won't. Life with battles is far better than life without my Savior. That is no life at all. I'll keep going...

God forgive me and give me the strength to continue.

"Trials Turned to Gold"

Have you ever awoken to the words "Oh Lord, forgive the times I tried to read Your mind. Cause you said if I'd be still then I would hear Your voice"? Yeah, if God was ever trying to get my attention, well that would be the way to do it. Actually that IS what happened just a while ago. Those words from one of my favorite Keith Green songs just cut my heart. It's amazing how something as simple as a single line of lyrics can be so convicting. You can feel God's spirit just pulsing through the veins of his music, and each time it brings new meaning to you. I'm so tired of trying to do things on my own strength, trying to "figure out my own life." Or even worse, hoping that my loved ones will make these important decisions for me. There is only One Who I need to depend on to guide my decisions, and sadly, so often He is the last one I come to for help. But I can't live that way any longer, I never should have tried to in the first place. So I take these two lines and make them my prayer right now. And I'll keep trying to live only for Him.

Looking back and forward

I spent the afternoon looking through what seemed like hundreds of pictures to single out a measly thirty for my graduation slide show. I cant believe I'm graduating in only two months!! I've lived such a huge chunk of my life in one type of routine. Being a devout creature of habit and despisor of change, I can't imagine what it will be like to suddenly be doing something different with my life. But it's so very exciting at the same time; I can't believe I'm saying this, but I am actually starting to look forward to taking this next step!! However, staring at pictures of me as a little girl does make me think back a lot. I'll never admit it to your face, but I have changed a lot already. I guess I'm finally starting to grow up :-). Never thought THAT would happen!! Oh well, life is just full of little surprises!! Heehee, well I hear a Alison Krauss song playing in the other room that's just calling out for someone to come dance to it! Till next time...
Queen of the Cats

Beautiful spring days

Sunshine, cool breezes, friends to laugh with, and two fluffy cats: what a lovely way to begin my spring break. I love having time off to just be able to take a breath, pause and look around myself for a moment. Sometimes I get so caught up in perfecting things that I forget about the big picture. Yesterday I got to go on a hike; I don't even remember the last time I did that. It was lovely. To be outside with the sun falling on your face and the beauty of God's creation surrounding you on every side is a joy that I wish everyone in the would could have the opportunity of experiencing. It breaks my heart when I talk to people that have forgotten how to enjoy life. They simply don't care anymore; maybe they never did. No, but that isn't true. They did care, and they did notice even the smallest of beauties. But it was when they were very small. It often takes a child to be able to put life in the kind of perspective that one would think an adult should be able to. I hope I never completely fall away from appreciating all the joy surrounding me in this world that I'm so blessed to live in. Some days I feel as if I'm already losing more and more of that innocence. The innocence of a child is one of the saddest things that a person could lose. I felt rather out of touch with that this morning.

God I pray that You would always remind me of Your glory in the beauty of the world around me, and through the simplicity of a child's eyes.

I am understood

I love this song by Relient K because it expresses the way God is able to look into my heart and see what no one else can, not even I. Sometimes it's so difficult to try to make others understand, I choke and hide. With God, I don't need to hide. There is a sense of vulnerability any time you are that open, but above all a gratefulness simply to be understood...

Sometimes its embarrassing to talk to You

To hold a conversation with the only One Who sees right through this version of myself

I try to hide behind

I bury my face because my disgrace will leave me terrified

And sometimes I'm so thankful for Your loyalty

Your love regardless of the mistakes I've made will spoil me

My confidence is, in a sense, a gift You've given me

And I'm satisfied to realize You're all I'll ever need

Then You looked into my life and never stopped

And You're thinking all my thoughts are so simple but so beautiful

And You recite my words right back to me

Before I even speak You let me know I am understood

And sometimes I find myself just trying to escape

I work so hard, so desperately, in an attempt to create space

Cause I want distance from the most important thing I know

I see Your love and turn my back and beg for You to go

Then You looked into my life and never stopped

And You're thinking all my thoughts are so simple but so beautiful

And You recite my words right back to me

Before I even speak You let me know I am understood

You're the only One Who understands completely

You're the only One Who loves me and still loves completely

And sometimes the place I'm at is at a loss for words

When i think of something worthy, I know that it's already Yours

Through the times I've faded and You've outlined me again

You've just patiently waited to bring me back and then

You looked into my life and never stopped

And You're thinking all my thoughts are so simple but so beautiful

And You recite my words right back to me

Before I even speak You let me know

I am understood