Maidenology

No Regrets

2008-08-28T10:43:00.002-06:00

I have the wonderful privilege of being related to Bethany Anne. She is my cousin and she, her siblings, my brothers and I have practically grown up together. Recently, Beth emailed me her thoughts on a study her church was doing. I found the email profound and incredibly thought provoking. I believe this is worth sharing and I hope you take something from this.

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"At church tonight, we started a new series called One month to live. It gives insight into how one would live their life if they knew they only had one month left to live. Tonight's lesson was called, Living the dash. Our Associate Pastor, Shane, said how sometimes he drove through one of our cemeteries and looked at the inscriptions that were on the stones. He observed that no matter what was written about the person, there was one thing that was synonymous throughout them all. they read something like this. Bethany Bell
1993 - _______
And from the time you were born to the time of your death was simply represented by a single dash. Though we have no control over when we are born or when we die, what we do in between is entirely up to us. He then gave several scripture points on how Jesus lived his life, and how we should attempt to mirror how he lived and eventually died. So, I thoroughly enjoyed the service, and it gives one alot to think about.

What would I do if I only had one month left to live?

One Month:

1. I would cry for about an hour because, well, duh! I am dying.
2. I would call( text, email) everyone I know and care about and tell them how much I love and care about them.
3. I would apologize to the people I have wronged, and ask for their forgiveness, and do the same with God.
4. I would go outside on a rainy day with my iPod and just dance till I passed out.
5. I would enter a 100 contests, because ( what the heck) I might win something.
6. I would take every penny I had and go to Europe. Mainly France, Italy, Cuba ( I think that's in South America), and to Jamaica where my mother was born. I would take my family with me.
7. I would track down some TV show host or somebody and make them put me on TV.
8. I would blow off all my homework and forget about the PSAT!!!
9. I would go to CA and visit my friend Rachel, who I have know for five years and never seen.
10. I would finally go on a real roller coaster. Sure, I would scream bloody murder, but it would be worth the experience all the same.
11. I would pray for inspiration and try and write MY song, the song I feel expresses who I am completely.
12. I would visit the Sistine chapel, and the Louvre in Paris.
13. I would pack up the majority of the things that I own, go to a third world country and give them all away.
14. I would go to Africa and hold an orphan child in my arms, and whisper to them that it was going to be all right.
15. I would thank God for giving me such an amazing life.
16. I would put together a video of myself for my family to look at and always remember.
17. I would smile as much as possible, laugh even more, love as hard as I could, and dance to all my favorite songs.
18. I would kiss someone, because really, is it fair to die with out being kissed?
19. I would visit the Grand Canyon, and Niagara Falls.
20. I would buy a grand piano and play more beautifully and fully then I ever have before."

What would you do if you had one month to live?

Strive to live your life in such a way that you harbor no regrets at the end of it.

"Life is too short for drama and petty things, so Kiss slowly, Laugh insanely, Love truly and Forgive quickly..."

blessings,
Alena

2008-08-08T09:54:00.003-06:00

Isaiah 49:14-17, "But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her suckling child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me."

When I read this for the first time, my eyes filled with tears. Of late, I have been tempted to think that my Yaweh had forgotten that I existed. But, how could I think that? The God who created the entire universe, has counted me as something of extreme importance. I matter to Him. He never forgets about me. He permanently impressed me on His big hands. OH, my heart swells at the thought!!

Dear sister in Christ, remember these verses. I am going to memorize these verses, so in an hour of feeling forgotten, I can recite this verse to myself. I encourage you to look for other verses that remind us that our great God cares for us and is always with us.

If you are curious about this Jesus I love, and you know you do not know Him, let me help you get introduced. The Bible says in John that God sent His "only begotten Son", Jesus, to die for you and me. The Lord loves you dearly and wants to be the love of your life. Christ is the bread of life. He is knocking on the door of your heat. Let Him in. Tell Him you are sorry for your wrong doings. Tell Him you want Him to inhabit your heart, mind, spirit, and soul.
Jesus said in John 10:28, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." HE LOVES YOU! Don't wait another day. Tomorrow may not come. Offer yourself to Him.
I will be keeping you in prayer.

His peace be with you.

blessings,
Alena

Journal Entry

2008-05-16T10:23:00.002-06:00

Finally. No, not really. See...I was one of those people who looked at graduation as just another milestone. Not a gravestone with "RIP (not) SCHOOL" engraved on it. School isn't over. Life is not just beginning. In fact, it's been going for 18 years now. We're just stopping for a bit to celebrate. So no, not finally. But I am glad it happened :)

It was a humid rainy day. I never want to wear one of those robes again. Or those hats. Ever. Until college. By then I'll probably be so glad to be out of college that I'd gladly parade around in a robe all day if I had to. Rehearsal went great. There was something like 67 homeschooled students graduating at the ceremony in which we chose to participate. My job was the welcome speech. There were about 900 in the audience...so I'm not going to lie to you and say I wasn't nervous. Because I was. Anyone in their right mind would be just a little bit nervous to talk in front of almost 1,000 people. Goodness. But it went well. I didn't stutter or play fast forward. I also did not trip when mom and dad came up to give me my diploma. It was a good day.

Over the weekend, I went to an after party. Instead of just dancing the whole time (hip hop dancing for hours on end is really NOT in my best interests...) I talked theology with a few friends, had a jam session with a couple guitars outside in the dark, and yes, I did a bit of swing dancing. It was awesome.

Some of you may have seen a "Ryan" commenting on the blog here and there. There was also a link to the "Screen Watchers" blog for awhile before the site went down for maintenance. Over the weekend, we were blessed to spend some time with Ryan and his mother. It is always so wonderful to be around like minded families...and stay up into the late hours talking about it :) While they were here, Ryan, my sisters and I took a trip downtown to wander around before they flew out. While we were in the Rivermarket, we made a quick video for you guys to enjoy. Sorry for the recent absence, I will try to make up for it now that I have a little more time on my hands!

-Paige

To The Mothers

2008-05-10T21:34:00.002-06:00

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MOTHERS!

God bless you all on your special day. May you continue to get all the love and resepct you deserve.

Blessings,
Alena

True Images

2008-05-08T11:39:00.005-06:00

Hello, everyone. I'd like to introduce a wonderful young lady I know. Her name is Sarah Elizabeth, and she is actually good friends with Grace and Elizabeth(Caitlin and Paige's younger sisters). The other night Sarah Elizabeth emailed a bunch of her friends. I found the email a blessing. It's always wonderful when the Lord reveals something to His children. Especially something so wonderful as this!

Hi gals! I decided to approach a subject that, for a while, I've been silent about. I was reading my devotional tonight and prayed that God would just get it through to me tonight. Well, He did! I was reading this new book my mom just bought me called "Lies young women Believe, and the truth that sets them free" by Nancy Leigh Demos and Dannah Gresh. (This is an amazing book and EVERY young lady should read it. :D ) I read the whole chapter on guys and our standards of relationships and felt SO convicted! I realized how mediocre I had been on the subject and am asking you to forgive me for it.
I'm going to say it up front now and not beat around the bush. I made a commitment to the Lord tonight. I've been believing the lie that the world has been throwing at me! The lie that says I need a boyfriend or a relationship to make me valuable. That, at the very least, someone desirable by worldly standards has to like me for me to be an individual.
The Lord showed me that there's no room for compromise in a relationship. I wish every young woman could see that God did NOT create our hearts to be broken! But rather to be locked in a box, with God holding the key, to be opened in HIS time for HIS glory! God's standard of purity is high, but the rewards are worth the price of self-control!
I have made a commitment to the Lord: I purpose to NEVER become involved in a relationship with a guy who is not a true follower of Christ and does not meet my standards of the man the Lord would want me to marry. Meaning, he MUST be a leader, spiritually and physically. He MUST have his own commitment to stay pure. And he MUST love the Lord with all his heart and soul. I'm going to say up front, that I will NOT enter into a relationship until the Lord has unlocked my box with all my love for that man until HIS timing. Not mine.
You don't have to agree with me. But, I encourage you to make this decision for yourself. I can't make it for you. I'm not judging anyone at all! This is just something I'VE chosen to do. I can't hide behind the curtain of mediocrity anymore. This is what God wants me to do :D, and strangely, I'm at peace about it!

I love and care for you all so much!

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I pray no matter how young, or old, every woman would come to the same realization that Sarah Elizabeth has come to. It's never too late, for we have a merciful and understanding Father. He is in love with us and wants to be the Keeper of every part of your heart.

Proverbs 139:14, 17- "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."
"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!"

Blessings,
Alena

The Grass is Greener???

2008-05-05T11:47:00.003-06:00

The first time my family saw our future home in Florida, we all responded with different degrees of dismay. We thought the place ugly, and very dismal. I was sure I'd be perfectly miserable living here, and I missed my old life in Arkansas. I couldn't wait to get out, and go somewhere. Anywhere.
As most of you know, I just returned from visiting Caitlin and Paige. I had a wonderful time, and enjoyed every moment of it. But, when I returned home, I was ecstatic. I screamed as loud as I dared, when the plane landed. Then, I saw my family!!! I jumped up and down with delight. As we drove home, past all the familiar landmarks , I drank in the sights. I was SO glad to be home! I didn't even think it was possible to miss Florida as much as I did! Honestly, I hated this place, not too long ago. Now, I love it. Don't want to be anywhere else. Imagine that. From abhorrence to joyful acceptance.

The grass is greener on the other side? I think not.

Blessings,
Alena

Journal Entry

2008-05-05T11:29:00.003-06:00

"Is dawk ouside".

Her two year old voice was too young for her vocabulary. But still she talked on. It was about eight o'clock, and I had just rocked her little sister to sleep. The recliner made a soft ticking sound as I kept rocking, just to make sure she was fully asleep before I attempted to put her in her bed. Her two year old sister, tan,
gorgeous dark curly hair, and the cutest eyes you have ever seen, was leaning over the arm wrest beside me. She loved her little sister so much. But she was preoccupied with what was outside. So she told me again.

"Is dawk ouside. We can no go pay ouside."

She told me so matter-of-fact, shaking her head and pursing her lips, that I couldn't help but smile.

"That's right. It's too dark to go play outside right now."

She looked down for a minute. I glanced down to see her little sister open her eyes a little bit, so I continued rocking. She was so precious. Then the silence broke. Her big sister looked up at me with a soft glimmer in her eyes, that matched the tiny smile on her face.

"The dawk is good!"

I paused and looked at her. Most two year olds are frightened of the dark, or are at least annoyed by its presence because it interrupts their playtime, and is the cause of baths and bedtime. But she was still smiling at me, and an excited look was dawning her face. I looked at her for an answer.

"The dawk is good. God made the dawk!"

The dark is good. God made the dark. I repeated it to myself in my head, staring at her in disbelief. She was still looking at me, bouncing up and down a little bit. At that moment, I think I got goosebumps all over. It was one of those warm shivers you get when something amazing happens. I looked at her and smiled. It was genuine. God has many ways of teaching us life lessons. This one hit me hard.

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As I relayed the story to my mom and sisters, I started choking up. I began thinking about all the times I had questioned God's goodness. Why? Because I didn't understand. I didn't like not being able to grasp everything, or put things in little boxes. Over time, I was more able to accept the fact that the more I can't understand, the more powerful God becomes in my eyes. It's hard to step back and say "God is good" in the middle of trials. Maybe I was about to question things, and this saved me from it. I don't know. But I do know that God's power is revealed every single day. In the big things, but also in the places I least expect them. Like in the voice of a two year old girl. I am weak, and I don't understand. But I will step back and say "it is good". Because in my inability to understand and utter weakness, God is good.

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

-Paige

Visitors!!!!!

2008-05-04T22:03:00.002-06:00

Let me make something clear for you.I do NOT expect all of you to comment on every single post. I actually just don't expect any comments...because then I'm pleasantly surprised when we do get them. But I have this nifty little device for our blog called a "sitemeter" that tells me when people visit, how long they stay, and where they are from. There are no names, so don't worry, your cover has not been blown. But since I've seen some visitors from the same places that keep coming back, you've gotten us a little curious. We would LOVE to hear from our Siloam Springs, AR visitor, Youngsville NC, Merrifield, Virginia, and whoever else is feeling up to coming out from their "lurking" status. Once again, I'm so glad you guys are visiting, and hope you keep coming back! From all of us at Maidenology, thank you. Have a blessed Monday!

-Paige

The Second Part of the Video

2008-05-03T06:00:00.001-06:00

...We will post pictures from bowling soon! Yes, some fabulous pictures of the shoes too:) Check my web albums for prom pictures, like I said before, and be watching for more posts from Alena's stay. Maybe you'll get one from Caitlin as well if she decides to come out of her college cave :)

-Paige

Reviving Denim

2008-05-02T20:55:00.006-06:00

Most of us have our favorite denim clothing item. By the time we are through with it, the over-all appearance of it is torn, worn, and loved. I had a pair of jeans like that. Take a look...

Notice the pre-shredded pockets, vintage fade, and torn hem at the bottom. I am not ashamed to say that I am a lover of this appearance. But over time, I didn't like wearing them anymore because of the look they gave me. Since I wasn't working on my punk rocker reputation, I decided to stash them in the closet. Mom wanted me to throw them away...but I just couldn't part with them. About a year later, I dug them out of the closet and put them on. Since they didn't look any better, I began brainstorming what I could do with them. Cutting off the torn knees was out of the option because of the fit of the jeans, as was making them into cropped pants or capris. So I set off on the journey of trying to make them into a skirt. Let me tell you something. I DON'T know how to sew! Try as I might, I know ONE stitch. This was a challenge for me. I got out the seam ripper and began painstakingly ripping out the inseam, cutting out the shredded knees, and saving the good denim from below the holes. After much walling in, stitching, and nearly going cross-eyed from cutting fabric to fit, I came out with this.

I must say that I was rather pleased with the result. In using the only easiest stitch there is, I kept that vintage look I love, but gained a more modest appearance. The fade is still there, as are the pockets. I even cut off the shredded seams on the bottom and am using them as a hair tie. I still had plenty of fabric after that, so I also have a matching cell phone case.

I really wanted to share this with you because I know that there is a group of girls out there who are STRUGGLING to find denim skirts that they like (does anyone carry anything besides a miniskirt anymore????). I also know that at least one of our readers has a pair of jeans in their closet that they don't wear anymore that perhaps could use a revival like mine. Ladies, if I can do it, YOU CAN TOO! Just do a little research, give some time, and you'll have an amazing new skirt! Really. If you want to know exactly how I did it, you can email me at maidenology@gmail.com with "Reviving Denim" in the subject, and I'll be happy to help you. In the meantime, I'll shopping at our best thrift store playing around with some new skirt ideas using old jeans. Have a blessed Saturday!

-Paige

PS: There's one more piece of denim that came from the jeans that I turned into something else. Can you spot what it is in the skirt picture? :)

Updates!!!

2008-04-30T17:35:00.002-06:00

Ok, I'm going to give you a quick rundown of some new things on the blog. Here goes...

1. If you look in the section that used to say "Questions? Email us..." you will see that the text has changed. You can now submit your blog to be put on our blog roll. If we get enough requests, we will have a special section for our fellow "Maidenologists". So, if you would like your blog to be on our blog roll, just send us a quick email at maidenology@gmail.com with "blog roll" in the subject box.

2. A new poll! If you didn't see the trailer for "Fireproof", check it out right here to see what it is all about. Then you can vote on our latest poll!

3. Even though this is only half-way new, I'm going through our posts and labeling all of them for your convenience. As I go through old posts and get more new ones up, there will be more articles in each label, and maybe even more categories.

I'll probably be updating some pictures here and there as well. Just giving it an over-all easy to access appearance. If you have any suggestions, feel free to send them!

-Paige

A Black and White Apparel Event (with polkadots!)

2008-04-30T11:08:00.002-06:00

Greetings fellow Maidenologists (and gentleman)! Here are some of the promised pictures. These are from the Alena's last night with us when we decided to dress in our black and white and go out to a nice restaurant together. Enjoy!

-Paige

Pretty fast, wouldn't you say?

2008-04-29T21:48:00.003-06:00

I admit it. I got curious to see if I could break my old record of about 70 wpm...and I blew it away :) This is me when I am warmed up and focused. I average 60-70 wpm when the situation does not call for me to fully exert myself upon the keyboard. So go ahead and take the test! Meanwhile, I'll be trying to get to 100...

Really though, I was trying to think of how I could apply something applicable to this, and in the end, decided that typing fast wasn't all that important. As long as I'm doing my best, and trying to improve in everything I do (all for the glory of God) I shouldn't set myself up against other people's standards. I should live by God's alone. Now there's proof that God is in everything in your life. Live it for Him.

86 words

Speedtest

-Paige

A Visitor from Down South...

2008-04-29T20:19:00.003-06:00

Okay, so I know that Arkansas is already in the south...but our visitor was from even further down. If you haven't guessed it by now, Alena came up to AR from FL for a visit. As you saw in the picture, she went to prom with us, and we had a grand time together. There's actually a video that I have for you to watch. We made it LATE at night, and my camera battery died before it was done, so I'll just finish it for you as soon as you watch it. I will also be posting some pictures that we took together as soon as I get this video loaded...

Okay...so I had to cut the video in half, and I may end up cutting it into thirds after all the trouble it took to get this little one up (youtube is not being my friend this evening...). That being said, you can expect another one or two videos from me soon, and some pictures as well. I'll also keep you updated with a random post or two in between it all. Have a blessed Wednesday!

-Paige

Wisdom from the Dancefloor

2008-04-27T10:06:00.006-06:00

After attending three social dancing events, (prom twice and homecoming once), I wanted to share with you some tidbits of dance floor knowledge that I have gathered. Since they may include stories, I'll be posting them one at a time. Hopefully these will help you to enhance your enjoyment while you are "breaking it down" (that's homeschool for conservatively dancing when you are trying to avoid any other slang usage)at your next dance.

1. Wear comfortable shoes. While this may seem like a given, I really encourage you to take your time in choosing your shoe. Especially and mostly if you are a girl. Illustration: I wore some three or four inch silver spiked heels to prom two nights ago. They were fairly simple, and mostly comfortable to dance in. But, like most of the girls, about halfway through the instructed dancing (way before free dance even thought about starting) I kicked off my heels on the side of the dance floor. We were in the middle of learning a line dance when all of a sudden the dance instructor decided to start giving a speech on being barefoot while dancing, and how unheard of it was in his day to even think about losing your shoes. I was on the front row with my partner, right in front of the instructor. You can imagine my shock when in the middle of his rant, he stopped, bent down, and picked up a pair of silver heels. My heels. At this moment, I shrunk about a foot to hid my bare feet, causing my partner to give me a double-take glance as I was motioning to him to keep quiet, making him snicker, which caused me to laugh even more. While this was going on, the instructor waved my shoes about and said "And this is even worse! Cinderella has left her slippers!" which caused even more laughter about the floor. The dance instructor never found out whose shoes they were (or at least he acted like he didn't know), and after about an hour, I (not Prince Charming) went and removed my shoes from that spot, long after the teacher had left. Apparently it is good etiquette to keep your shoes on your feet.

One more good thing that can come of this is that if you ladies do wear heels, keeping them on will allow you to look your guy in the eye (or at least get closer to it than you were before). This doesn't bother me too much (if it did, my shoes would have stayed on the whole time). But I know some of you don't like being smaller, so I thought I would throw it out there anyways.

Having said all of that, I hope that you will take extra time in choosing your next pair of shoes. In doing so, you will be able to follow dance floor protocol, keep confident on the floor, and hopefully avoid any Cinderella moments :)

-Paige

PS: The picture above is the Maidenology group before prom on Friday night. As soon as I have pictures from the dancing, I will put them in my web albums for viewing. Keep checking!

Journal Entry

2008-04-24T13:43:00.002-06:00

It's so humid outside. I'm sitting here wishing I could open my window and remember that breeze that washed over me two weeks ago. It's funny how quickly things change in this season. But then again, I think it's just Arkansas spreading her arms and saying "welcome home". That's where I am.

If you can't tell, I'm feeling a little melancholy. I think I'm also a little contrary...because I have a feeling that as soon as something might start to happen, I would want to be back in my room listening to the organic acoustic sounds coming from my laptop, as I finish whatever work I have. Or maybe not. Because there is PLENTY going on right now. I won't rattle my schedule off to you. That can be another thing to share later :)

I started piano lessons again last week. For those of you who don't know, I stopped taking lessons for a bit because of issues with my fingers. But things are getting better, and I'm feeling so blessed and privileged to be able to make music again. God is so good. Everyday. I will be practicing my Senior Recital repertoire and working on a date in these coming weeks. Graduation is also coming up soon.

Speaking of graduation, I've been blessed to meet quite a few other homeschooling '08 graduates, and participate in some awesome activities with them. Perhaps I'll blog about those sometime soon. It's a wonderful reminder of how good it is to be around like-minded people. Since I have not addressed my absence of a few months, you can check out what all I was up to by clicking HERE. I will probably be updating that each time I have some worthy photos to show.

That's about all I have for now. Nothing terribly weighty, just some thoughts for you. Have a wonderful weekend!

-Paige

What it's worth...

2008-04-23T22:34:00.004-06:00

When I put those extra periods at the end of a post, it usually means I am going to expand on something. The video below is one someone made with the song "Love is not a Fight" by Warren Barfield (that song you just had to hear after watching the "Fireproof" trailer). The lyrics are in the video. I encourage you to listen to it, and read them. This song is so amazing for me to listen to. When my thoughts begin to wander about aimlessly, I like to listen to it. Things like this remind me that the love I'm saving my first kiss for, and the love I'm trying to keep my heart for, is going to be a love that is literally worth fighting for. That's what I'm waiting for.

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.
-Song of Songs 8:4

Place me like a seal over your heart,like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like a blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.
-Song of Songs 8:6-7

-Paige

Happy Earth Day!

2008-04-22T20:52:00.004-06:00

Happy Earth Day to all of you! I hope you take some extra time to give thanks for the wonderful creation that we have to live in. It truly is amazing.

In Christ,

-Paige

Journal Entry

2008-04-20T22:04:00.004-06:00

Have you ever read a scripture, and felt that it was really speaking to you...and then read a completely different scripture in a completely different book of the Bible, and a similar message spoke to you? Here, let me explain myself for you.

Tonight, Caitlin, Alena and I attended a friend's church. They have a service for college and high-school age people on Sunday evenings, so we decided to go. It was very low key. Taco buffet, acoustic worship, and then a devotional. The way they do their devotional is very neat. There is a schedule that they follow that takes them through the Bible in a year (I know most of you have heard of it). But after they read a part, they pick a scripture, and apply the S.O.A.P acronym. (Scripture, observation, application, prayer). We read the assigned scriptures (I know I wasn't doing it right, but it turned out for the better), and then journaled our "SOAP". The assigned scriptures were Matthew chapter 7, and Psalm 31. I'll let you look them up yourself, because if I put them here...people would probably just glance at this post and not read it because it was WAY too long for their attention span. So. I read both chapters. The Psalm first. I had read it before, but not really looked deeper into the meanings. It was Psalm layout where David is praising, asking for his enemies to be taken care of, and talking about everything he was going through. As I was reading this, I started comparing my "bad" situations to the ones the Psalmist was going through, and my problems began to feel very insignificant. Well, at the very end of the scripture, as my pride was slowly being crushed (I can't count how many times I've been broken), I read this. "Love the Lord, all His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful, but the proud He pays back in full." Psalm 31:23

A double hitter. It is so amazing how God does that sometimes. The scripture could have meant something completely different to someone else, but I think that was what I needed to hear. Every time I pray for humility, I get it. I'll have to tell you an amazing story sometime, but not now. Moving on...

When I read Matthew 7, the part where it talks about getting the plank out of your eye before you remove the speck from your brother's really hit me. So many times if I would just humble myself and examine my own spiritual life, helping other people would be so much easier. Doing things with a humble spirit is SO important. So that's what my little rant up there was about.

The rest of the night was filled with listening to other people's "soap", which included "Hoperade" (I quote the lovely girl at the Bible study), two amazingly applicable food analogies, and a few other deep thoughts. I love being in a dynamic and focused group. We played pictionary after that, and though the other team dominated, we still had lots of fun. Next time we'll try and roll less ones, and more sixes. Even a four would have worked...but I'm not complaining. There's always next time...

-Paige

Fireproof

2008-04-16T21:52:00.009-06:00

Hey guys, I really wanted to share this with you, and encourage you to look into supporting this movie. I think it will be worth our time. Really. Just watch the trailer.

-Paige

PS: If you just fell in love with the song that's playing throughout the trailer, it's called "Love is not a Fight" by Warren Barfield. The album is not out yet, but you can listen to it on a few other websites. More on that to come...

2008-04-12T22:58:00.005-06:00

I have my driver's license. No, really, I actually got it. After taking the test twice, and getting it renewed after the second time, Caitlin and I finally got our official license's. After experiencing this, I thought it appropriate to share with you some things I have learned about the road, and how I apply them to life. I will probably do this post by post. So, here's my first one.

It was my turn. The very nice policeman who was taking Caitlin and I on the driving part of our test had us go at the same time. I sat in back while Caitlin drove, and then he had her pull into a parking lot so that we could switch out. While I was thankful that she had gone first (oldest privileges seem to apply at more than just our home), I was a little nervous. All those little things that dad had been telling us were replaying in my mind. "Don't budge until you nudge", which applies to coming to a full and complete stop just happened to be stuck in my head, which helped me to stay focused. So, I got out of the car, got in the drivers seat, took my precious time setting the mirrors to my height (she may be the oldest...but she is most certainly not the tallest), then started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

Our first main event was driving by the wreck that we had passed earlier. The policeman wanted me to drive by it again so he could see if any of the cars were gone. We passed without trouble. I made my second right turn (the test consists of about six right turns and parking). As we were driving down the road, changing lanes very nicely, and going a few mph under the speed limit, two dogs decided to run out in front of the car. My reaction was to squeak a little for the policeman, swerve just a little, and slow down to almost a stop. Apparently this was the right thing to do because after the dogs got out of the way, the police proceeded to talk casually with Caitlin and I about his three dogs he has at home, and how they are very protective of him. The last thing that slightly resembled an event was when the police decided to tell us about all of the wrecks he had been in while administering tests previously. I drive past a corner and the policeman says "oh yes, that's where we had a head on". I drive past a ditch and he points "we rolled over there". As I am making the second to last right turn, he tells me in his matter-of-fact voice that "a poor girl panicked right there and pushed the gas too far so we went straight into that storm drain". I could feel my stomach twisting into nervous knots as the man in the passenger's seat lectured us on how people are just so inconsiderate while they are driver nowadays. And yes, I kept my eyes on the road during that time. We pulled into the parking lot, I parked our little four door, and he handed us our permits that were stamped and ready to be traded for hard copy license's. My lesson: always pay attention. Life lesson drawn: learning accurate discernment.

If I had not slowed down, I would have run over the two dogs, gotten out of the car and bawled (while another car rear-ended us since I would have stopped in the middle of the road) and then promptly failed my driving test. The end. I slowed down because I had to decide in that short moment A) to slow down/stop or not to do either, B) how much to slow down, and C) what my reaction was going to be to all of it. We make decisions every single day, whether we realize it or not. I had to decide that I was going to make getting this post done a priority. Driving has made me more aware of my surroundings, and taught me that I need to be able to make quick and accurate decisions, or else I will pay. I brought this over into my off-road life, and it really showed me just how important it is to be aware of the choices I make daily. My motives should be clear, and wisdom and logic should be the main influence. So before you sit down and play a round of solitaire on the computer, or, on a heavier not, are making those life impacting decisions about college etc, I encourage you to examine your motives and choice, and the outcome. I'll be doing it with you. Here's an encouraging scripture I wanted to share with you.

Proverbs 3:21-26

My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment,
do not let them out of your sight;
they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble;
when you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
for the LORD will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being snared.

Conversation Questions:

What helps you to make your day the most productive?
Are there any favorite scriptures that influence your daily decision making routines?
What helps you the most when making hard decisions?

Dancing.

2008-01-11T10:05:00.001-06:00

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

Keep that in mind as we look at the results of the poll.

0% said that they do not believe that dancing is bad all the time.

12 Now King David was told, "The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God." So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. 13 When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 14 David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, 15 while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

2 Samuel 6:12-14

David danced before God. This was David praising and being joyful. That should say enough for us there. Not all dancing is bad.

6% of you said that dancing is never bad. It should not take scriptural reference to tell you that this is not true. Our culture has embraced a provocative and sensual lifestyle, and dancing is part of the core of this movement. If you are not a Christian, we have no common ground. But if you are and you voted for this, I highly suggest that you re-examine your standings on this issue. I do not have time to examine the more fine points that could be hit on (define dancing, dancing motives, etc)...maybe in a later post. But for now, think about our culture, and it should tell you that dancing can be very bad.

45% said that dancing is fine only if it is conservative, modest, and not suggestive. I completely agree with you there, and will now reveal that this was my choice when I voted. If dancing is within modest boundaries, is not causing anyone to stumble, and not suggestive, then I do not struggle with it at all. I find it to be a truly enjoyable experience, and a wonderful means of exercising.

Lastly, 48%, the winning vote, said that group dancing is fine withing modest boundaries, but not much else. There does not seem to be much of a difference between the previous choice mentioned and this one, other that the face that "group dancing" was mentioned. I don't know how you define "group dancing", so let me give you some examples of how I define it. If you remember awhile ago, we mentioned learning the "Virginia Reel" at my grandparents 50th anniversary party in Montana (many thanks to the DeGroots for this...we've taught it to so many people, and it has become a favorite activity!). This is a dance where you have a partner, but the ladies all stand in one line, the gentleman in the other, and you move back and forth spinning and skipping as a group. Think Pride and Prejudice and you have the right idea. Also, at our home school prom last year (yes...there is such a thing!) and at homecoming this year, we had a dance instructor teach us a few dances, along with some dancing etiquette. Many of the dances he taught were line dances where you did not even need a partner to participate. I classify these as "group dances", along with the ever popular "cha cha slide" and "Cotton-Eyed Joe" (I'll hold my comments on that one :P). Some of you may consider "group dancing" as a dance where there is more than one person on the floor. I am not sure. But I think the general consensus is what I talked about above.

The main thing I think we can draw from our results is that dancing is not bad for Christians, as long as it is done modestly in all realms. In fact, I encourage all of you to go find a partner sometime and have a friend teach you and your friends the "Virginia Reel", or another fun dance like that. Maybe you could learn the basic waltz or polka step. It's all quite amusing, and worth giving it a try. Who knows...you might even learn the Cotton-Eyed Joe ;)

-Paige

Home Again...

2008-01-04T10:09:00.000-06:00

Good morning to all of you! I have a few short things to cover in this small post. First of all...we are home! Some of us were worried we might get snowed in (remember last year...being stuck in the hotel room on New Year's Eve in Iowa?) but we didn't. All of us were thankful for that. In fact, there was no snow at all when we left. Just little patches scattered here and there. We pulled out at half time in the Cotton Bowl (leaving a house of hard-core MIZZOU fans was somewhat of a relief) and got home at around 9:45. Things are already picking up as 2008 has begun. I already have a jam packed schedule that I'm trying to squeeze a few spare moments out of for things like blogging. Speaking of moments, there are only 15 hours left to vote on the poll that's just over to your right on the sidebar. After we have all the votes, I will try and have a post up for you by Sunday concerning it. That's all I have for you for now! Have a blessed rest of the day!

-Paige

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

2008-01-01T00:08:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year! I thought we might as well get a post up while we were awake. It truly was an amazing year. So many trials, yet so many blessings. As I get older, I get more and more thankful for the lessons I learn. Next year holds many new adventures. But I'll save that post for another time. Here's a video from us. Wishing you a blessed 2008!

-Paige

In the mall...

2007-12-31T23:02:00.000-06:00

Yeah...one last trip to the mall before 2008. Oh the joy! Okay...so I'm not too fond of malls, or shopping for that matter, but being with my family (and the WONDERFUL vanilla snow) made it all worth it. Talk to you later!

-Paige

(PS...we got 50 posts in before 2008! HOORAY!!!!!)

2007-12-30T23:59:00.000-06:00

Sermons, Songs, and Beautiful Buildings

2007-12-30T21:26:00.000-06:00

Today was Sunday. But today was much different than any other Sunday. We joined Uncle Mad and Aunt Maddy at their own church. It was an experience I won't soon forget. We arrived at the MIZZOU campus early, and walked along a well-groomed path to a small chapel. I was a little apprehensive, just like I am before we visit any new church. But when we walked into the door, all of that melted away. My entire family (EVERYONE) was greeted with a warm handshake, and smiling faces. Not the cheesy ones...but the real genuine ones. I love that. We began with a few rousing hymns (there were no instruments, but that just caused the voices and harmony to sound even more beautiful), communion and prayers, then the sermon. By the way that the people in the congregation responded to the preacher, you could see that they were eager to hear God's word, and I'm pretty sure nobody fell asleep. We ended up staying for awhile afterwards visiting with different members of the church. I left there convicted, and built up in God's word. I am looking forward to our next visit. Here are some pictures of the building, and that which surrounded it. The huge clock that you see is the main part. We were in a smaller building on the side. The others should speak for themselves.

In Christ,

Paige

Evening Thoughts

2007-12-29T19:18:00.002-06:00

If you saw that right, it says "Wise shall be the bearers of light". It is on the MIZZOU campus near Uncle Mad's office. It caught my eye, so I snapped a picture of it. I thought that it was interesting how the campus is not a necessarily a Christian one, but God's truth is there, even when people don't acknowledge it. Wisdom is a prized thing in the Bible. More precious than all the wealth you can have, because it is of God.

Back to God's truth being everywhere...I just find it amazing that God and his laws are there, and we can't do anything about it! Some people even acknowledge them, without acknowledging God (murder, stealing, etc etc etc). It is so amazing! That's about all I have for you tonight. More pictures and videos to come!

In Christ,

Paige

Uncle Mad's Laboratory

2007-12-29T12:21:00.001-06:00

I told you I would share our scientific outing with you, so here goes!

Elizabeth wasn't too happy about me filming, as you might have observed ;) Let me explain it a little bit for you. Uncle Mad's prime lab, as you might have heard, is where he and his students study media, and how people react to it. The experiment that Caitlin and Elizabeth were acting out (and I was filming yet again) was actually one where they study reactions to anti-smoking commercials. Caitlin was the "researcher", keeping watch over Elizabeth's heart rate, and a few other things on the screen (as you should see up there). That's what all of the sensors were for. It was all very interesting. The pictures should be pretty self-explanatory. I hope you enjoyed them! More to come later...

In Christ,

Paige =)

Booche's!

2007-12-28T14:21:00.000-06:00

Greetings from Missouri!!!!!!! This is Paige here, acting as the journalist (again) for our holiday travels. We arrived here last night, and have already had such an eventful day! Our first experience was this afternoon, when Grace, Christopher, and I had our very first experience at Booche's, a world famous burger place! Take a look...

Christopher was very tempted to "call them hogs". You see...he was fascinated with the idea of the fame of being kicked out of the restaurant, namely the well loved Booches. Luckily he wasn't curious enough to see if it would work. As you probably saw, the burgers are served on little squares of wax paper. They don't have fries or desert either, which makes them all the more particular of the quality of their burgers. I must say that mine was very tasty. If you look at the pictures below, grandfather and Christopher enjoyed theirs as well =) On a side note, the picture of the grill down there may seem rather unimportant. But given the history of people photographing it (the chefs don't like pictures to be taken of it), I was lucky to get it. My technique was to snap it through the mirror hanging on the wall in front of me. If you look closely, the chef behind it looks like he was smiling at me. I think he found me out. If he did know, I'm glad he let me keep it :) After we finished our meals, we ventured out into the FREEZING COLD (okay...so I don't like it colder than about 62 F) to take our picture in front of the window. So, other than the COLD weather, we had a wonderful time and are very grateful that our Uncle Mad took us with him (<3 you Uncle Mad!). That concluded our first adventure of the day. I'll fill you in on our visit to Uncle Mad's lab later ;) I hope you are having a blessed week!

Rejoicing in Christ,

Paige

Vote!

2007-10-25T12:03:00.000-06:00

No, I'm not talking about politics (yet). I am talking about our NEW poll! I think I might not be the only one interested to know how other Christians feel about this. Perhaps we can have a good discussion about it at the end. So...don't forget to state your opinion! It's on the right hand side of the page, under the contributers section. Have a blessed day!

Paige

2007-10-15T19:02:00.000-06:00

They have been called a "tree-huggers". They have been labeled "environmentalists". People have laughed at what they do and acted as if what they did was useless. They are the people who speak out for the environment. I have seen this happen among a wide age range. At first I was somewhat skeptical about being an "environmentalist". Being curious, and looking for more information (particularly from a Christian perspective), I came across a book called Serve God, Save the Planet by Doctor J. Matthew Sleeth. For lack of time, I thought I would share with you some of the revelations I got from this book.

You DO NOT have to be a hippy to care for God's creation. If you are a Christian, you know that in the very beginning, God formed this earth with HIS hands. You also know that we are called to be good stewards. We need to get over the fact that turning off a light that we aren't using, or recycling the ever-present junk mail is NOT some radical new thing. I do realize that recycling is not available to everyone. If it is, try and think of things like this: "If I put this in the trash, how long will it sit there?" It seems to me that we use the easy access we have to dispose of things as an excuse to be wasteful...or even materialistic. Think of all the kids meal toys that get thrown away daily. If you think that a plastic miniature of the latest "what's in" is going to disintegrate back into the earth in your lifetime...think again. Back to the being a Christian environmentalist. God says to take care of our possessions, but in reality...it's all His. Bearing that in mind, this earth is His as well, so everything basically falls under the same category. According to that theory, we should be taking care of His earth just as much as we take care of our own home!

A common mis-conception I have found is that a lot of people think caring for the earth is putting it in a bad place on the priority list (my apologies for the run-on sentence). Here I will try and abolish the fact that you do not have to worship creation to take care of it. Taking into consideration what I said above, would caring for God's earth not be putting God on a higher pedestal? Taking care of the work of God's hand can also be a way of showing that we do care about what God has done.

I have always loved nature. Sitting under the stars in the middle of nowhere, the magnificence of the mountains, majestic creatures throughout creation, even the soft cushion of grass in our backyard, all of these have provided me many moments of awe of God being ever-present in the visions of creation. But at a certain point, something happened. I was convicted in my heart that loving creation as much as I did meant so much more than using my eyes to enjoy it. It meant me working with my hands to keep it beautiful.

James 2:14 "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?

Seeing that God made the earth, but doing nothing to take care of it just does not make sense to me. Here I must make clear that I do not claim that you have to recycle to go to Heaven. I will never claim that I know any such doctrine as the one and only truth except that God is my creator, Jesus is my Savior, and there are laws by which we must abide. Taking care of creation is a way for me to serve my God. Turn off a light here and there. Support companies that are "green". Try not to focus on material man-made things for beauty, but instead on He who formed you from the dust. Be humbled in His presence.

Here I must conclude my post. I hope to make more sense of myself in the near future, as this is something I truly enjoy talking about. I hope that you all have a truly blessed autumn and fully take in the changing of the seasons.

In Christ,

Paige

For more information on caring the environment from a Christian vantage point, visit the website for Serve God, Save the Planet here.

Blog Action Day

2007-10-11T08:31:00.000-06:00

Check this out...

This could be interesting. Some of you know that caring for the enviroment is one of my convictions (this is Paige speaking). So when I saw this, I thought it would be a great opportunity to jump in as a Christian and get my view out there. Here I must make it clear that I do not support everything that Blog Action Day does (heavy tolerance of basically everything) and I will NOT bring up global warming. Now that I have made myself clear, you can expect at least one blog from me on Monday. Have a blessed day!

Paige

And the point is...?

2007-09-23T17:21:00.000-06:00

Among the many advertisements that are being flung at us from every direction, there is one particular category of them that stirs my thoughts the most. The Christian witnessing billboards. Particularly, the one you see below. Take a look. Afterwards, you can either come up with your own "what's the point?", or read mine.

Alright, what thoughts did that billboard produce in your mind? Let me be brutally honest with you. We have around three of those advertisements in approximately a 20 mile radius of our house. The first time that I saw one, my thoughts were pretty close to this: "Oh..wow. Ummmm...what?" After this thought occurred, questions began to arise in my mind. "Who is this appealing to?", "What about people who have never heard the name of Christ?", and "Why put a billboard up with the name of our Lord and Savior...and that's it?". Please do not take me wrong here brothers and sisters. In our darkening culture, I am glad that they allow this advertisement...but I do wish that they would use their form of spreading the gospel (if that is what the point was...) in a clearer form. This can also be compared to the way that we talk about Christ to someone. We must make sure that we are clear. Jesus makes everything clear (and even uses stories to help us understand it!), whereas this type of witnessing is very indirect. So...unless they were just trying to get the God-fearing people to be more conscious of their speed, and lower road rage (this is possible...), I find that the money it takes to rent a billboard would be better spent elsewhere supporting something that would bring our country closer to God and His laws. But I'll spare you another nine paragraph post and let you decide for yourselves. =) Is this effective? Think on it.

In Christ,

Paige

Standing Up for Standing Out

2007-09-04T18:48:00.000-06:00

I have almost always felt that I should write according to my convictions. That I should write according to the recent happenings in my life. I felt this would be the most truthful, and perhaps the best writing I could provide in the short time I have for blogging. So here I sat in our somewhat bare "computer nook" (we have yet to hang the pictures) wondering what exactly I should write about that would be of interest to the reader, and hopefully be able to bless someone in some way. That is a hard thing to think about sometimes. After much consideration, I decided what I could offer right now, more than much else, is encouragement. You see, lately I have been struggling with fitting in, finding kindred spirits who are my age, and an over all positive attitude about all of this. I figured that the best way to deal with this humbly (I truly wrestled with even posting about this) was to build up my siblings in Christ who are going through this as well. Let me share some things that have helped me. Chances are you have heard all of this before...but bear with me. Hearing the same encouragement for a second time is usually as good as the first.

Family. Ok, so I know the culture and most of the people your age say that having a close relationship with your little and big siblings and your parents is not "cool" (oooh...I have tried to dismiss that word from my vocabulary) but truly, this is where so much encouragement lies. I have spent countless hours talking to my parents about everything, and they are always able to encourage me. I have also found refuge in my siblings numerous times. Chances are being with your siblings might cause you to stick out a little more...but the fruits that can be gained from those relationships in the long run are so much better than turning them down now for a social standing. Please believe me here. You are not alone. Talking to your parents and siblings helps to teach good communication skills now, that will carry over into life later.

Self-examination. Ouch. Okay, so not all of this is encouragement, but this is something that really helped me. First of all, let me make myself clear that I am not in any way telling you that you are doing something wrong just because you are standing out. I know from everyday life that this is not true. Moving on. I used to have really this bad habit of withdrawing whenever I felt like I stuck out and felt the results of the sticking out process. By examining myself, I realized that I was partially alienating myself from everyone else, so I couldn't just blame other people anymore. That may not be so with everyone, but sometimes examining your own actions can save you some emotional pain. Glad to get that one over with. Now onto some more encouragement...

Comparing yourself with other people generally ALWAYS leads to trouble. You either end up feeling really depressed because they are way better than you (whatever "better" might be to you...it all depends) or, more commonly, one might get a prideful and "holier than thou" attitude. So instead of looking outward, look in God's laws and truth, and hold yourself to those. Hear this:

Philippians 2:3 (NIV) "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."

Well that should kill the "holier than thou" attitude pretty quick. The Bible is packed with verses on humility. If we are in Christ, we should strive to prevent our pride from taking over. Imitate Christ. What then do we say to those who bringing themselves down? Again, look to the word. Know that there is joy in humility and purity of the heart. Compare yourself to God's truths, just as any Christian. Know where you are in your Christian walk, and take joy in the fact that you have a faith in Christ.

People get lonely. I have struggled with feeling a little alone in my beliefs and standing point on things. Now, I know some people have an easier time not having many kindred spirits than others, so this may not apply to everyone. Skip it if you please. For those of you who are like me...read on. You are not alone. I was talking to another Christian sister of mine this evening, discussing the frustrations of being alone on certain things. But she was not alone in her position, because I share the same one. Here me out: there are people all over struggling with these things. They do seem to be a bit more widespread, but they are there. Also, take joy in the friends that you have! I have yet to find another sister in Christ who completely agrees with me on EVERYTHING I believe, but cherish the friends that I have. We aren't supposed to be a puzzle piece that fits perfectly into the cultural trendy mold, we are to be fashioned by God's hand, fitting into his Kingdom. Never forget this.

Romans 12:2 (NIV) "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will."

I hope that I have been able to build someone up somehow with this. Remember it's not social networking, always fitting in, popularity, dating, having the right friends, pleasing the crowd, or whatever else this culture is screaming at you that is important. It is staying on God's good and perfect path, walking in his boundaries, and loving Him and His law that really matter. Remember obedience. Remember Love. This is one of my favorite verses. Our troubles now seem a bit small compared to those that were dealt with when Paul and Timothy walked the earth, but this verse can be applied today just as well.

2 Corinthians 5:16-18 (NIV) "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Have a blessed weekend.

In Christ,

Paige

TODAY

2007-08-22T14:21:00.000-06:00

I love poems(as if you can't tell.) I was reading a book and found this piece. I loved it and thought I'd share it with you. I'm trying to take it to heart, and I'll hope that you will too.

TODAY

Mend a quarrel. Search out a forgotten
friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with
trust. Write a letter. Share some treasure.
Give a soft answer. Encourage youth.
Manifest your loyalty in a word or deed.

Keep a promise. Find the time. Forego a
grudge. Forgive an enemy. Listen.
Apologize if you were wrong. Try to
understand. Flout envy. Examine your
demands on others. Think first of someone
else. Appreciate, be kind, be gentle. Laugh
a little more.

Deserve confidence. Take up arms
against malice. Decry complacency. Express
your gratitude. Worship your God. Gladden
the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the
beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak
your love. Speak it again. Speak it still
again. Speak it still once again.

Author Unknown

God Bless,
Alena

College, a Calling, and Hair Loss

2007-08-17T19:40:00.001-06:00

Alright, we are going to play a guessing game. One of those items up there, is something I stressed about, another is something I was frustrated about, and the other is result of the stress and the frustration...so have you guessed which goes with which? Yep, I was stressed about college, frustrated about not knowing my calling, and as the result of that (plus a Senior recital, graduation, grand choir concert and my whole life changing) I started to lose my hair, not something I would recommend. Don't worry though, I still have plenty left, but it was a bit of a scare. Everyone thought I might be sick, so I went to the doctor. My wonderful doctor just said "Are you experiencing any big changes in your life right now? Ah yes, then let me tell you, you have plenty of time to figure things out, and let us start you on a multi-vitamin." So I stopped stressing, started taking about twelve to fifteen vitamins a day, and thankfully, everything turned out fine.

Now, I would like to share with you what I learned from that experience: If we follow the Lord, do not worry, and trust in Him, He will take care of us:~) I am past all of that now, and it is amazing how everything started working out when I finally got down to breathing and taking each day as it comes. I think it is funny when we finally learn something that the Lord has been saying to us for years, "Do not worry" seems to have been my particular lesson this summer.

In case anyone was wondering (and so I don't have to answer this question a hundred more times ;~) I will be doing my college through a program called College Plus! the website is linked, as they are better at explaining what they do than I am. So hopefully I will have my bachelor's degree in 18 months, because after that I believe I will be going to graduate school, where I will possibly be getting my masters in both Christian Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy ( I am still investigating all of this). I have succeeded in shocking many acquaintances, who might have actually expected something like this from a home schooled graduate, who is 19 and doesn't have a boyfriend, and really does like her parents ;~) All kidding aside, I have been overwhelmed at the love and support people have given me as I move on with life, even from those who might not completely understand how or why I am going to do college at home. That is a quick and brief update to fill in any gaps. I will try to post something more meaningful coming up here soon, there are still a few details with college and work that are consuming my time. For now, I will leave you with this quote from a dear old book that I love:

"Flapdoodle, trust and obey. His eye is on the Sparrow."

In Christ,

Caitlin

And We're Back!

2007-08-06T14:13:00.000-06:00

That's right...maidenology is back in the blogosphere. SO much has happened since our last real post! Caitlin graduated and had her senior recital (and did beautifully, if I may say so). If you were checking the family blog, you will know that we had a Father's Day concert with our church youth choir. That was indeed an experience that we will remember for a long time. We had our yearly piano competition. Grace took 2nd at the county level, and I went all the way to win state and carry on the recent family tradition. Caitlin took the title last year, and it was my turn this year. Perhaps Elizabeth will be next year =) We also had a few family reunions, which were most enjoyable. A few changes have happened. Some good, and some...well, some were not asked for. But for the most part, things remain joyful and blessed. For now, I will give you a brief update on what is going right now.

Caitlin is preparing for college, but I will let her be the one to tell you about that if she so chooses. We are both working at the same building. I as a gymnastics coach, and she as a front desk worker and a fill-in coach when she needs to be. I am currently spending more time at the piano than before (and on my guiter as well), which I really don't mind at all. There are more pieces to learn than ever, so I am kept quite busy. We are wrapping up the Summer with some last minute swimming, relaxing (when possible) and spending time with family and friends.

As for the future of the blog, Caitlin and I recently got our own laptops. They will mainly be used for schoolwork, but we do plan on keeping the posts fresh, and it will be much easier to do that being as we have easier computer access. There are plenty of things to write about, and I hope to find time to share them with you all. I hope that you are having a blessed Summer's end, just as we are!

In Christ,

Paige

Happy Independence Day!

2007-07-04T22:16:00.000-06:00

Well...here we are. From left to right: Paige, Alena, and Caitlin. Happy Independence Day!

The first try...

Getting closer...argh

We had a few technical difficulties, as you can see

Losing all hopes of looking somewhat professional...

-Maidenology

PS: Caitlin doesn't like the camera ;)

In The Midst of The Madness

2007-04-19T19:54:00.000-06:00

A poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning..

The little cares that fretted me
I lost them yesterday
Among the fields, above the sea,
Among the winds at play,
Among the lowing of the herds,
The rustling of the trees,
Among the singing of the birds,
The humming of the bees.

The foolish fears of what might happen,
I cast them all away,
Among the clover-scented grass,
Among the new-mown hay,
Among the husking of the corn,
Where drowsy poppies nod.
Where ill thoughts die and good are
born -
Out in the fields with God.

Go With God,
Alena

Greetings Everyone!

2007-03-21T11:05:00.000-06:00

Caitlin here, to explain our absence from the blog lately. We are very sorry we haven't been able to maintain regular posts, but we are having issues with our computer right now. Our screen has taken to blinking and changing colors (and sometimes there are shapes that look like little faces!), when we have our computer on for a long amount of time. It eventually goes completely white and we have to try and restart it again. We are looking for a way to get this fixed, but until then we will be having a hard time blogging. We have some neat posts planned on purity for you all to look forward to though! I hope everyone is having a blessed week!

Caitlin;~)

Hope for Hannah

2007-03-08T15:43:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone, I just wanted to encourage you all to visit our newest link in our website section, "Hope for Hannah". This is a website for a young friend of ours who was in a bad car accident. The website seeks to glorify God by meeting the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ. You will find all of the details on the website. Keep checking it, there should be updates soon. Another post should be coming quickly...but I am off to work right now. If you have anything that you would like to see us post on, feel free to tell us by contacting us at our blog email (see sidebar). Thank you for all of your patience!

In Christ,

Paige =)

The last of the Trilogy...

2007-03-02T16:57:00.000-06:00

Here is the last part of the pictures. There are tons more...but this is what I can put up. My camera battery is getting quite weak. Once again, enjoy!

Here is a group picture at El Chico with our good friends, Caitlin, and I.

Here are friends at El Chico.

Here is Elizabeth and some of our sweet young ladies.

Some more of our good friends.

Mr. and Mrs. Arkanblogger having a lovely dinner.

More of our friends.

And some more...as you can see we have a rather large group. =)

A brother and sisiter in our group. Sibling love =)

Of all the simple things in life, you would think I would be able to turn that picture around. Oh well. Here is our friend and her "taco salad". We were all quite amazed at its size.

A group of our guys having fun together.

Group pic! There I am with some friends.

One of our sponsors and a group of guys with him. Looks like they were having fun =)

A sponsor and one of our guys talking together.

GOOD MORNING!!! We look SO sleepy...I think it was seven something. Up at about five I think. Oy.

I did not see many pretty things in Waco. This was an exception. There were some other very pretty homes.

Myself and friends again at lunch on Sunday. Our last time in the Baylor cafeteria.

Here is our choir together with our director and trophie. What a beautiful day it was.

Here is our last rehearsal before the gran performance. It was amazing. You see the Baylor orchestra before you. Those are some of our memories from Festival at Baylor, 2007.

Paige =)

Part Two of Festival 2007!

2007-03-02T11:49:00.000-06:00

Here are a few more of the pictures that I will be posting. There are still more to come. Enjoy!

Here we have Mr. and Mrs. Arkanblogger with our dear friends who came as sponsors.

During rehearsals some of our sponsors went to the Dr. Pepper museum. It looks like they had fun!

Here are all 300 of us up on the risers for rehearsals. I am in the far left section of girls. It reminds me of "Where's Waldo??" =)

Mmmm...chocolate mint ice cream!

Here's Grace eating some vanilla ice cream after a wonderful lunch.

Say "CHEESE!" =)

Caitlin and our good friend at lunch time.

One of the best parts of the trip was hearing the Baylor men's choir sing for us. This picture was taken during a hilarious song about a man who loved a woman but she turned him down because smelled like this really good fish dish. A little confusing...but extremely entertaining!

Z-pac (one name I can use) and another one of our guys being goofy.

The guy up top was our soprano and alto coach. Below him you see Grace and friends.

Elizabeth, our choir's soprano coach, and friend enjoying the wonderful bubbly floats. Got Dr. Pepper?? =)

Some of our guys clearly enjoying break time.

Here are two of our sponsors serving the Dr. Pepper floats...from buckets. Despite their containers, they were wonderful.

I hope you enjoyed part two of the festival pictures! I am on a roll now. Expect part three soon!

Paige

Festival 2007 Pics Part One

2007-03-01T15:28:00.000-06:00

They aren't exactly in the right order, but here is round one. And this time I WILL be getting part two and three...maybe four up. I have to do it in small groups. Enjoy! Oh, if you see yourself on there and don't want to be up there, just tell me and I will take you off.

This is Charne and I on the bus together. What a wonderful ride that was!

Here is Pastor Eddie in front of the million dollar organ. A fitting picture =)

Some of my sisters in Christ on the bus.

Here are some of our guys on water and snack break Friday night. You really learn to drink a ton of water on these trips.

Here are some of the sponsors and Elizabeth Friday night on break. I believe that is a sponsor's hand sneaking in...

One of my great friends and I eating caramel apple suckers. Yum =)

Grace and some of our sweet young ladies out of the bus for a stretch.

Here is a view on the ladies bus.

This is before we leave. Like I said, they are out of order...

The student pastor, his wife, and my friend playing the guitar before we left.

Here we are boarding the bus. A long day ahead of us.

I hope you enjoyed round one! Have a blessed day!

Paige =)

Festival 2007

2007-02-28T19:50:00.000-06:00

Praise the LORD

Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.

Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,

praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,

praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD.

-Psalm 150

That has to be one of my favorite Psalms. It is fairly simple, yet full of praise. This past weekend, all of my family (except young Christoper) got to experience something akin to that Psalm. We went to Baylor University for a Festival of Choirs.

This Festival that we went to was made up of about fifteen church youth choirs from all sorts of denominations. From the start of the school year, our choir has been learning pieces (I think it is nine) to perform together with the other choirs that had learned them for a grand concert. There are numerous festivals held over different states. We went to Alabama last year. I must say that I prefer Baylor over Birmingham. So, after a ton of hard work, our choir took about 80 chorus members to Baylor University in Waco, Texas, for one awesome weekend.

Festival lasted from Friday morning (almost everyone was able to get off school) to late Sunday night when we arrived home. There were over eighty of us, so we had two huge tour buses. One for the ladies, and one for the gentleman (that was one of my favorite things about the entire trip, no offense intended to the gentleman of course). The bus rides were full of great fellowship between all of the ladies. I don't know what went on in the guys bus, but I am sure they had just as good a time as we did :) Another great thing about this trip was the amount of parents who went. We had lots of sponsors, so things were kept under good control and went smooth.

Our schedule was pretty tight, with late nights (midnight sometimes...though partly by our choice...) and early mornings (can you say five-o-clock AM??? good grief). Almost all of Saturday was rehearsals. We did have some free time for our lunch hours though, and a short break with Dr. Pepper floats. The cafeteria was pretty nice, though I must say that none of us Arkansans were fond of the water. We also got to see the Baylor Bears. Yes folks, they were real...and asleep. But they were still neat to see. The campus was very nice. They had planted trees here and there, so it made it a little less flat looking. There was still a ton of wind and dust though.

Singing up on the stage was absolutely awesome. There was a 1.5 million dollar organ behind us, a Steinway concert grand in front of us, plus members of the Baylor student orchestra. We had two conductors for the concert. One of them was Randy Edwards, a head member of Youth Cue and a graduate student of Baylor. It was so inspiring to be conducted by someone so young. The energy that went into it was amazing. The 25 year old conductor was also our soprano and alto coach and the accompanist for most of the pieces we sang. We had a ton of fun in rehearsals and learned some new exercises (the tennis ball exercise...). Over all the other choirs were friendly, and we all sang together quite well.

Saturday night we had to follow tradition and eat Mexican food. So we all dressed up a bit and headed to El Chico for some great Mexican food. I am not a huge fan of spicy foods, but the fellowship was great, so that made up for it. I was SO blessed on this trip to get to know a few people better then I knew them before. Our group is so large, so it is hard to know who everyone is. But of all the large groups I have been in, ours has been the most unified. I love that.

On Saturday, another awesome thing happened. Our choir was given the first ever (in 40 something years) award for embracing the youth cue spirit and being what a youth cue choir should be. Our choir director, Pastor Eddie, gave us a group talk about how humbling this is. We are not perfect, this is for certain. But people will now be looking at us to follow our lead. This is just a little scary. But I know that through Christ we can pull together to do the best that we can. Our choir has a key verse that applies here. Colossians 3:17 says this: "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." This is what we must strife for, so that we do not lead people astray.

Sunday morning was our earliest morning. Groups of the youth cue choirs went to sing at a pretty Baptist church at two services. Our choir was assigned the early service. It was really neat to sing for everyone at a church we had never been to. Our director really emphasized the fact that the chances were extremely slim that we sing together with that exact group of people for the congregation that we sang for ever again. So we had to do our best to make the best intended impression for Christ upon these people...at eight in the morning. I think it went well.

Later that day was our grand concert. It was amazing. The orchestration on certain songs made it extremely hard for me to not cry during certain parts. It was so awesome praising God while blessing other people with music! After the concert there were hugs, laughter, tears for those not coming back next year, and an over-all uplifted feeling. Things like that give me a lasting spiritual boost. That is another great things about festival...the results aren't as temporary as other things I have done with church. I will remember those exact moments for the rest of my life. God truly blessed that trip. I can't wait until next year!

Paige =)

POST SCRIPT: Pictures are coming soon!!!

Are they Christian???

2007-02-17T19:17:00.000-06:00

Recently, I have considered which religions claim to be "Christian". The Catholic, or Roman Catholic Church, is one in particular that comes to mind. After researching many publications, having one on one conversations with Protestants and Catholics, and observation done on my own, I have come to the conclusion that one who belongs in the Roman-Catholic Church, and lives it, is not a Christian. Before I delve into my reasoning, I feel I must define a few things for you so that we are both thinking on the same terms. Then I will share my reasoning and discoveries.

First I must clarify why I called it "Roman-Catholic", instead of just "Catholic". If you look in the dictionary, you will find that "catholic" (not capitalized), means the Universal Church. This is the idea that all Christians form part of a single body. Let me give you a definition of "Roman-Catholic" from the dictionary: "of, relating to, or being a Christian church having a hierarchy of priests and bishops under the pope, a liturgy centered in the Mass, veneration of the Virgin Mary and saints, clerical celibacy, and a body of dogma including transubstantiation and papal infallibility". This is the group that I am addressing. One small thing I want to point out is that they are addressed as "Christian" in this definition. To be a Christian basically means to be a follower of Christ and His teachings. I will show you that this definition got that part wrong later. Now that you know I am speaking of the Roman-Catholic Church, not the Universal Church, and what a Christian is, we shall move along.

The first thing I discovered that their teachings go against is in John 14:6 where it says this: "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." The Roman Catholic church attempts to contact God through appointed "Saints", praying to them so that they might pray for them also. Although saints are mentioned, nowhere in scripture does Christ or anyone else say to pray to the saints for help. I did find scripture in Ephesians chapter six, verse 18, that tells us to pray for the saints, but not to them. What the Bible tells us is that we as believers are the saints (see Romans). Also, Heaven is supposed to be a place of joy and reward, from what little you can gather about it. If it is a place like that, why would the souls in Heaven have to worry about praying for the troubles here on earth? Would they not be praising the Father in Heaven? I must conclude that the problem is not the fact that they have saints, but the pedestal that they have put them on so that they are given honor that is due to God only.

One of the biggest flaws in the Roman-Catholic doctrine is "Marian devotion". Let me share this quote with you: "The very fact that God has elected her proves that none was ever holier than Mary, if any stain had disfigured her soul, if any other virgin had been purer and holier, God would have selected her and rejected Mary." This was said by Jacob of Sarug in AD 521, a bishop and writer. The first thing I will say is that there is no proof that Mary was sinless. We do know that she was a virgin, and Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit through her, but not that she was sinless. I will be specific here to make myself clear. The Roman Catholics pray a certain prayer to Mary that calls for her intercession. The parts of the prayer come from two scriptures (Luke 1:28-32, 42-48,) and the last is from the Roman Catholic Church (I am not certain of the person or exactness of it). Christ teaches on prayer in Luke chapter 11 verses 1-14. He does not say to pray to saints, or anyone else for that matter. We are supposed to follow Christ's example, and He did not pray to anyone but the Father. I do not know why God selected Mary, and I probably never will. But I am for certain that only One is perfect in all ways (Matthew 19:17), and that is our Lord, Jesus Christ. From what I have found, the Roman Catholic treatment of Mary is idolatry. It is just like the idolatry of the saints. Our God is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14).

There are other flaws in the Roman Catholic doctrine (the position of the pope, image idolatry, and purgatory) I have only mentioned the ones I feel necessary. If you are to be a follower of Christ, you should follow His teachings. The Roman Catholics do not do this. In honoring the "saints" and Mary, they are dishonoring God. Or, in other words, by following a doctrine made by man, they are not following Christ. It is quite simple. I am not saying that a Roman Catholic is condemned to Hell, for that is not my judgement. But I will go as far to say that the laws for being saved are not the same as the Roman Catholic standards. But once again, it is not my judgement. I must say here that there are also good things about the Roman Catholic beliefs. They embrace the Apostles Creed, which is a wonderful way to say what you believe. I do not disagree with this.

The above statements were made to pose a question, and present on of many possible answers. A thought provoking post, as it were. Another purpose would be to state what I believe is the truth. This is not meant to provoke arguments, debates, or the likes of them...though this may happen. It is a statement of faith, that probably not all will agree with. You must come to a conclusion on your own. I hope I have aided you in just that. Have a blessed week!

In Christ,

Paige

Happy Valentine's Day

2007-02-10T17:51:00.001-06:00

This is for my Daddy, The Arkanblogger, and is my present to him for Valentine's Day (since was the one who had us start blogging in the first place:~). Please read it, and I encourage you to go and thank your fathers for everything they have done for you.

This Valentine's Day I would like to thank my Daddy for being the father that God has called him to be and let him know I am blessed to have him for my father. Here is a list of things my Dad does and that I would like to thank him for:

1. He is the spiritual head of our household
2. He has supported us financially by working so hard and being gone, sometimes for weeks on different trips for his company.
3. He is always there to talk to (something I like to take advantage of at inconvenient times;~).
4. He is our protector (waiting with shotgun in hand for the first suitor to come along;~).
5. He stands in the brink for his family and I know he would protect us to the death.
6. He shares bits of wisdom with us that he finds in his search for God's truth in all things.
7. He encourages his children to grow in their talent, and listens (almost) tirelessly to the sound of two pianos going at the same time, every day.
8. He sets an example of what a Godly man is that we may know what one looks like.
9. He goes shopping with his daughters and helps them to protect their purity by guiding us in what is modest or not (starting the petition for "Daddy chairs" outside dressing rooms in all department stores).
10. He teaches his son daily what it means to be a man.
11. He teaches all of his children to be seekers of the truth.
12. He loves his wife and by doing so shows his children how love between spouses should be.
13. He leads by example, and teaches his children to do so as well.

My father does all of these things and more. I have memories of things I have done with him that I will cherish all my life. Hiking Pinnacle Mountain at sunrise, going for a drive, talks until midnight about faith and and being a follower of Christ. One of the more recent ones may be a little long, but I will share it with you anyways. I was on a business trip with my Dad in Jackson TN. I had gone with him so I could see Alena, who had just moved to FL and was visiting her Grandmother in Jackson at the time. This was in November, and at the time there was a movie in theaters called "Facing the Giants". My sisters and I had just gotten back from a Christian film festival in San Antonio where we had heard much about the film, and had even gotten to meet the producer, but we hadn't seen it. Our parents though, went to see it while were at that same film festival and loved it, so us four girls were determined to see it. Back to Jackson, we were driving through the city looking for our hotel when I saw a sign for movie theater that was showing "Facing the Giants" and "Unidentified", another Christian film that we had heard about at the festival. My dad said if I wanted to go that he would take me to see one of the movies. I said OK, but not "Facing the Giants", for I felt that would mean a sure and sudden death when I got home if I went without my sisters. My father however, kept pushing me to go see "Facing the Giants" telling me I would really like it, and that he would take the others to see it when we got home, I still said no, feeling like I would be operating outside the codes of sibling fairness. When we got to the theater however, and I looked at my Dad's face when the movie attendant said "Unidentified" was "something about the rapture" I gave in and we got two tickets for "Facing the Giants". We were very early, and for awhile were the only ones in the theater which was in a bad part of town, and my Dad took the opportunity to give me a self-defense lesson. He asked me if I knew what he would use for a weapon if someone tried to attack, and then proceeded to point out these objects around the theater. Lucky for us, though we didn't know it at the time, this was the only theater in Jackson screening "Facing the Giants". So about time for the movie to start, a nice sized church group showed up. So the movie started and the sound system in the theater was not the best, but you could hear everything. It took just a few minutes and I was engaged in the film. It is a wonderful movie, but the one thing I was thinking the whole time, was "why am I not crying?" Almost everyone who had gone to see it told me I would cry (which is a big thing because I don't cry very easily. "My Dog Skip" was one of the only movies I had ever really cried for). It would come to these wonderful moving parts and my heart would ache with joy or sorrow, but I still wouldn't cry. Finally, it is coming to the end of the movie and nary a tear had been shed when something happens. The character in the movie named David has to go out out for a field goal that could win the game. His father, who is in a wheelchair sees what is happening and knowing that his son is scared does something that I will never forget. He goes to the end of the field behind the goal, and he stands for his son. The second I saw that man start going towards the goal I knew what was happening, and I started to cry. In fact, I was crying so hard that I was shaking with quiet sobs. My Daddy thought I was laughing and looked to see if I was OK, then saw that I was crying and tried to comfort me. I kept crying, but not as hard, even after we left the theater. In the car, on the way to Cracker Barrel for dinner, my dad asked me why I was crying like that, wondering if it might be something bad, or that he was a bad father because his daughter was crying, and all I could get out without breaking down again was that is wasn't anything bad. But after we got to the restaurant and I had blown my long-suffering nose, I told him something like this: "Daddy, the reason I was crying wasn't because you don't do those things for me, it was because you do. You stand for me just like that man did for his son, in so many ways. I was also crying because Christ stood for me, and still does stand for me." That is my father, a man who stands for his family, one who loves his family and sacrifices himself for his family. He is my Valentine and I want to thank him and tell him that all of us, his family, love him very much.

In Christ,
Caitlin

Pictures of Alena

2007-01-27T17:31:00.000-06:00

Here are some of the pictures that we have of Alena. Most of them are from when our homeschool group performed "Pride and Prejudice" with a script adapted by Alena herself. Practices were quite tiring, but in the end it was all worth it.

Here is a picture taken during one of our adult directors talks. Like Paige said, the practices were very intense and tiring, especially since Alena and I were the student directors. But in the end it was an amazing experience.

Here you have three of us on stage (with our scripts, it took awhile to get rid of them, being as some of the lines were over a paragraph long!). From left to right you have Alena as Elizabeth Bennet, Charne as Mrs. Bennet, and myself (Caitlin, with lots more hair:~) as Jane Bennet.

Here you have the lovely Alena trying on one of her costumes to see how it would work on stage. We were fortunate enough to find many dresses that actually looked like they came from that time period.

Here is another picture of Alena as Elizabeth Bennet. Doesn't she have one of the most "Lizzie" like looks on her face? One of the neat things about being in this play together was that Paige, Alena and I got to play sisters, as Paige was Mary Bennet. It brought us all very close together in a special way.

Happy Birthday Alena!

2007-01-27T16:25:00.000-06:00

To our sister in Christ, loving friend, and fellow maiden and blogger, Alena. May she have a most wonderfuly blessed birthday with many more to come! We have been blessed to know her and her family for almost two years, and they are all such wonderful Godly people. Happy Birthday Alena! We love you!

Paige and Caitlin

Pictures from the Capitol

2007-01-24T20:04:00.000-06:00

Homeschool Day at the Capitol

2007-01-23T21:45:00.000-06:00

Today was a very interesting day. We got the opportunity to meet with over 600 (YES!) other home-educators and put our best foot forward for the staff at the Capitol. I thought I would give you a brief report. I do not have too many pictures though (which is not how I had planned it) as there were not many chances to take them.

We began the day by going to up to a main meeting place and dropping off our homemade desserts to have them labeled and handed out to the senators and legislatures. It seems that homeschooling families have very good baking skills. There were tables and tables full of cookies, bread, etc. I am sure that the staff that received it will be well-fed =)

Our support group had about 45-50 people there. We all met up and tried to get in to see a bill being discussed by some representatives, but due to the mass amounts of people, we were not able too. Then after some confusion (OK...a lot of confusion), we got to take a tour of the Capitol. That is what most of my pictures are from. I found out (much to my disappointment) that out of 100 Representatives, 75 of them are democrats, and the rest are republicans. Oy. But one of the encouragements was seeing "In God We Trust" in gold letters over the house of senate. I am not sure how many of them live by that, but it was still good to see that they hadn't take it out.

During the tour my sisters and I slipped out to get ready for our performance. There was a one hour block of time dedicated to home schooled children singing, praise dancing, playing instruments, etc. The acoustics in the rotunda were very interesting, being as it was round and marble. It traveled well, but almost killed the sound. The effect was one that caused everyone to lean in and listen a little bit closer. We began with "God of Our Fathers", a traditional hymn, and then closed with "The Price of Freedom". It went very nicely. We were glad to hear a young bluegrass group play, which inspired some foot-tapping (I love that!), and were awed by a beautiful arrangement of "How Great Thou Art" in which the young lady who sung it had all of us waiting for the chandelier to fall. I had goosebumps by the time she was done. A few others from our group performed also, and did a great job. Then at the end, our support group's young ladies closed the performance session with the National Anthem.

I am sad to say that we did not meet the Governor. Elizabeth accidentally bumped into him as we were leaving, but did realize that it was him until she heard everyone whispering "that's the Governor!". Even though it seemed that some of the staff was not pleased at our being there, the ones who spoke to us were pleased with the behavior of all of the children, and said they were encouraged because of what they saw. It was a good day. I hope that every year that we have more and more involvement and are able to show people the good fruits of home education. Have a blessed rest of the week!

Paige =)

(the pictures are coming soon!)

Cheers to Dr. King

2007-01-13T17:28:00.000-06:00

A great man will be remembered on Monday. A man who changed his community, America, and the world. I would like to say that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most honorable men I have ever read about. His legacy is so powerful, how could he be anything less than honorable. Not only did he carry out God's command to "love your neighbor as yourself" but he also accomplished much academically. Reverend King was also a family man. He married Coretta Scott King, and they had four children who are still alive today. Probably the most amazing aspect of Dr. King's life is that he protested with peace, even when attempts were made on the lives of his colleagues and his family. I cannot even begin to imagine how hard his struggle must of been. But, Dr. King never wavered. He never changed his tune. Every march was carried out peacefully, and every speech was given peacefully. Here is a man of self discipline and solid morals. Dr. King has also done a great deal for me specifically. You see, if Dr. King hadn't fought for the right, my mom and her family would have never have immigrated from Jamaica to America. In short, I wouldn't be alive. I am deeply grateful to Dr. King, his family, and all other men and women who bled, sacrificed, and died for me. Cheers to the man who made my world what it is today. I honor you Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for everything you've done for me, my family, and my world.
In His Love,
Alena

The Reason Why...

2007-01-10T21:18:00.000-06:00

...Not long ago I sent emails to some of you with the news story below among other things. I wrote the following paper seeking some answers myself and I believe I found them. I ask that you would read this with an open mind, and know that I do not claim to have all the answers. But I pray that I may always seek the truth in all things, to the glory of the Father who has given me a wonderful mind that I may do so.

"New Delhi, India-A three year old little boy is attacked and eaten alive by pigs. The family had been eating outside when the child wandered away from his family with a piece of bread in his hand. He was not heard when he was attacked. By the time the child was discovered, it was too late. At the same time in Mid America, down the street at the local grocery store-Pork chops half off this weekend only; Get 'em while you can!

The story above about the little boy is true, the advertisement after it is fictional, but I am sure you have seen one like it. Why do we eat things that eat us? Why do we eat creatures whose role in creation is the equivalent of a living garbage disposal? Maybe our sin nature has taken over and we are following an age old lie that has been fed to us for generations. "Peter's vision!" and "Christ did away with that!" we cry as we run to our ham and our shrimp. Through an analysis of of scientific facts and different scriptural arguments for and against this subject, we will examine the relevance of the food laws to us as Christians today.

First, we need to know what God designated as clean and unclean. In Leviticus 11:1-47 Israel as a nation was given the laws concerning what they should and should not eat, they are also given in Deuteronomy 14:1-24. The basic outline of these laws is this: 1. You may eat any animal that has a split hoof divided in two and chews the cud, but it must do both, not one or the other. Animals with paws are not clean. 2. You may eat any water creature that has fins and scales. Once again it must have both, not one or the other. 3. For winged creatures it states directly what kinds you can or cannot eat. They are all either birds of prey, or scavengers.

Now let us look at this, God obviously had a reason for saying we cannot eat these animals, after all, He created them. I believe the main on is found in Deuteronomy 30:15-16 when Moses says: "15See I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess." I believe that verse is very clear in its meaning, the following of the Lord's law means the difference between "life and prosperity, death and destruction" The following are a few more reasons that I believe apply: Did you know that the pig carries in it's body ten times the amount of arsenic it would take to kill a person? It does, that is the way God made it. In the earlier centuries pigs were kept by the garbage dump to help with waste management, by eating it. Also, did you know that if an area is over-fished for shrimp the water becomes polluted? They are made to do in water what pigs do on land, clean it. so are catfish and shrimp for that matter, and shellfish. Crabs are scavengers, eating all sorts of things, dead or alive. Like I mentioned before, the birds that are forbidden are all predators or scavengers. The term "you are what you eat" applies to animals as well as humans, whomever is eating whom. The basic function of these animals is to control and clean the environment. they were not created to be eaten and there are consequences for doing so, just as there are consequences for breaking any law.

Many times people will cite Peter's vision in Acts 10:9-22 saying that it meant that we can eat all the unclean animals now. I would like to point out a few things about this vision. First of all, notice that neither before during or after the vision did Peter kill and eat of the unclean animals. Do you think that Christ might have explained to the apostles that they didn't have to follow the laws anymore? Yet we see Peter, who obviously saw a need to follow the laws, astonished when God suggests that he go and eat the unclean animals. Notice also that he was puzzled about the meaning of the vision afterwards, this was no cut and dried thing. But when Peter is called to the Gentile Cornelius' house, he gives us the meaning of the vision from his own mouth, saying in verse 28: "But God has shown me that I should not call any man clean or unclean." To say that vision meant anything else is to contradict the Word.

Am I saying then, that Christ's death meant nothing if we are to follow the law? No, I believe that Christ is the way the truth and the life and that no one may come unto the Father except through Him. But I want you to look at some of Christ's own words in Matthew 5:17-18 "17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."

Is all accomplished yet? No, Christ's return is the final accomplishment that has yet to come. When Christ speaks of the Law, many will say that He is referring to the Ten Commandments, yet they two are separate things things. Look at Matthew 22:37-40 "37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." I would like to call to attention verse 40 and note that the commandments are spoken of as a separate thing from the Law, therefore, in Matt. 5, Christ must be speaking about the whole of the Law, not just the ten commandments.

The ten commandments take up just 15 verses in the book of Deuteronomy, the Law is given throughout the whole book. I find it strange that we should have ourselves follow the moral code without following the Law. I believe the Laws God set in place ion the Old Testament still apply to us today, with the exception of the ritual ordinances given to the Levitical priesthood. Christ was the perfect atoning sacrifice and by Him we now have a way to follow the Law, a way back to God.

When Christ died, did the anatomy of a pig change? How about the anatomy of the shrimp? Did government and economy fail? Did gravity itself fail? No, yet all of these things were designated by God and addressed in the Law, but do you remember what did happen? Matthew 27:51 "At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom." No longer did we need blood sacrifices and burnt offerings for atonement. No longer did we need priests as intercessors, nor did God dwell in a temple. Christ took the place of all of that. Once again I will ask you though, was the makeup of creation and the laws of nature and nation which God set into place abolished? My answer, which comes from a journey of seeking the truth which I am still on, is no.

It is said in 2 Corinthians 13:1 that "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses" and here we have two: 1.The word of the Lord God almighty. 2.The observances taken from His creation that surrounds us. I will leave you with just one more:2004-Twenty people die from vibrio after eating contaminated oysters.Oyster fishing banned in parts of the New England coast due to the high level of Red Tide growth.-Meanwhile in Mid America, down the street at the local grocery store-Oysters on sale for holiday season! Only $5.99 a pound!

Once again, the news story above is true, but the add above is fictional. I'm sure you could find one like it though. I now leave it to you and yours to consider the matter. May the Lord grant you wisdom and discernment."

In Christ,
Caitlin

HOME!!!!

2007-01-02T13:42:00.000-06:00

I don't think I have ever been so glad to be out of the car. Ever. What a trip we had! Let me see...you can read all about our wonderful time in Montana (I miss it so much!) at thearkanbloggers.blogspot.com I will be posting some more pictures and videos up very soon (as soon as my camera battery charges so I can extract pictures). For now, I will do this short little post here.

The reason I was so happy to get out of the car was this: we left Montana on Saturday hoping to possibly get home on Sunday. We ended up in Rapid City (not the length we needed to go) because of weather. We left the next morning trying to get to Fayetville AR (I think that was a bit ambitious, maybe it was just me...) but we did not make it there either. We were in Council Bluffs Iowa (the middle of nowhere in my opinion) on New Years Eve. I was thankful for a hotel room at that point. We had been driving on black ice trying to find one with vacancy. We got the last room. The next day we FINALLY made it home. I think it was worth it though, being as our trip was so wonderful. We are truly blessed. Look for more posts coming soon. For now I must finish my work on the family blog.

God Bless,

Paige

2006-12-30T16:39:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope that all is well with you and that you and your family had a wonderful Christmas celebration. I'd like to share my Christmas story with you. Well, first off, I was supposed to be going to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for Christmas. My family and I were going to stay in a beautiful condo with our cousins, and enjoy amusement parks and other fun things. But plans changed. My family stayed right here in boring Florida.(No offense to those of you who like Florida.) And our cousins stayed in the condo without us. At this point, I'm going "Lord, I hope there is a really, really good reason for this." In short, I wasn't very happy. Christmas Eve was a very stressful day, filled with cooking, no snow(after spending four and half years in Alaska, the no snow thing is really weird), no friends, and no family. Could it get any worse than this. Hmmm. Christmas morning, my dad was on the phone, and his face was very grave. It would appear that one of his people was in the hospital with severe tuberculosis and the guy's mom was in town. Guess who she spent Christmas breakfast with? Us! We've never had good friends, let alone strangers, over for Christmas. But when our surprise guest arrived, I realized what we were doing. My family was ministering to a needy soul on Christmas day. We were sharing the love of Christ with an unsaved individual. Of course, I began to feel guilty over my previous selfishness. Caught up in what I thought Christmas should have been, I had forgotten to dwell on the real meaning of Christmas: Giving and sharing what the Lord has blessed us with. Later on that day our guest and her daughter came back over for Christmas dinner, and we all had a wonderful time. And her son is getting better! The end.
Happy New Year,
Alena

In Montana

2006-12-25T01:01:00.000-06:00

Hello all, this is Paige speaking. I am sure you have noticed the recent emptiness of new posts lately and you just might be wondering where Caitlin and I are. Well, we are in Montana on holiday vacation having a lovely time. The snow is beautiful. I do not have much time to do a post, but I will tell you this. If you want to see pictures and videos of our vacation you can visit our family blog at thearkanbloggers.blogspot.com for updates. I will be working on that blog for the most part getting pictures, videos, and a few words up whenever I can. But I will try to get a few things done here if I have time. We hope you stop by our other blog. Have a Merry Christmas!

Paige :)

On Our Way

2006-12-19T09:59:00.000-06:00

Good morning everyone! I am sitting here in my Mimi's kitchen in Rogers AR having a wonderfully restful time (meaning I slept really late). We are now on our way to Montana! For those of you who haven't heard, we are heading to MT for my maternal Grandparent's 50th anniversary celebration. If everything goes alright, we should leave Rogers tomorrow and head up through South Dakota, making it to Bozeman MT on Thursday. It is a very long drive. Yesterday was organized chaos (as I have named our family's way of life:~) as we all cleaned and packed for nine days in MT with skiing and swimming (Christopher still doesn't understand exactly how we are going to go swimming in 30 degree weather, I am not sure I do either). Our new van, complete with car top carrier and a DVD player (yesterday we watched "Veggie Tales': Jonah" and lots of "Looney Toons"), was "packed to the gills" as my dad would say. He stood out on the driveway as we brought him all our luggage saying " This is not going to work, we have way too much stuff!" and calling my mom to come and tell him what exactly was in these fifteen billion suitcases. In the end though, my brilliant father strategically packed everything in, with room to spare (which is a good thing since we always come back from a trip with more than we started with). On the way out of town, we had to run almost two hours worth of errands, including a run to the glasses place for my daddy, who still can't see, by the way. Our last stop before heading out of the city was Krispy Kreme for a "snack" (according to me, doughnuts are not snacks, they are desserts, but everyone else disagrees), being as almost everyone had missed lunch we were so busy. We finally made it out onto the interstate and didn't make it very far till we ran into traffic, the weather was nasty as well, foggy and rainy. When we arrived last night, my wonderful Mimi had some of her excellent Red Beans and Rice waiting for us (real food mind you, not fluffy bits of refined sugar and dough), and everyone collapsed, till we had to unload the car. I have now been on the computer this morning checking out the weather for my father on the two routes our family might take, and finding winter storm warnings throughout South Dakota, Colorado and Wyoming. I believe that in the time I have taken to write this post our traveling has been delayed a day due to freezing rain in SD and 2ft of snow in CO. I ask that you would please pray that we have safe travel in the wintry weather of the west. We will be heading through South Dakota (makes me think of Little House on the Prairie).

I hope you all have a joyful Christmas!

Caitlin

This Is Not My Day

2006-12-14T15:36:00.000-06:00

OK, I know that everyone has had one of those days where they look in the mirror and say "this has not been my day". Everything seems to be going wrong (almost everything). So to talk about it anymore would be a bit cliche. Well, I just had two of those days in a row. At the end of the second one, I leaned against the door feeling defeated and sighed "this has really not been my day". I had to deal with a mother who wanted her daughter in a different class (long story) then deal with one of my grumpy higher ups (I want to be my own boss), back pain, other junk. It really did not feel like my day. Well, later as I was journaling in my prayer notebook, the words that I had said earlier hit me square in the face. "This was not my day"...well, it really wasn't my day. Not at all. Psalm 118:24 says "This is the day that the Lord hath made, I will rejoice and be glad in it". That exact verse came to mind as I was journaling. (perhaps I will blog on journaling some other time...) It is the Lords day. Everyday.

I wrote this verse down on a sticky note and put it on my mirror. Now I see it and remember it every time I look in the mirror. I am memorizing it so that when I look in my own mirror for reflection I can see it there too. It is funny how such a verse can mean something one day, and then something happens and you gain a whole new perspective on the verse, while keeping the old one. Maybe that defeated feeling at the end of the day was me finally giving in and deciding "No, this isn't my day. But I am going to rejoice in it, because it is the Lord's day." I encourage those of you who are in the midst of finals, work, or just "bad" days, to remember that it really isn't your day. But that is alright.

In Christ,

Paige =)

Just A Few Words

2006-12-12T15:34:00.000-06:00

Hello,
Yes I know, I'm finally blogging! My schedule has been packed with school work, and since I have to blog here at the library it makes everything even more difficult. Anyway today I'll be sharing two poems I have written in the past four years. They are both about praising God and I'll just ask one question and then you can read them. If rocks and flowers can praise Him, what is stopping our praise?

A Lily of Fair White

I am a lily of fair white,
I know and was made by The Lily of The Valley.
I, from my perch of rippling waters watch goldfish,
And laugh as I watch frogs hop-leap from my home to others.

I am a lily of fair white,
I know and was made by The Rose of Sharon.
I watch people gasp and exclaim over my beauty,
Oh, how they would gasp and shout at my Artist's face.

I am a lily of fair white,
I know and was made by The Whitest Lily alive.
I sigh as the great, golden red sun sinks,
And think of that Great Son that made the sun and I.

Your Praise

Your praise I raise.
Your praise is like drinking warm tea.
Your praise is my strength,
And your praise fills my heart.

Your praise I raise.
Your praise is like a warm sun, brightening the day,
Your praise, even the rocks cry out.
And your praise causes the earth to make a glad shout.

Your praise I raise.
Praise, rise to your Divine recipient.
Your praise causes people to cry,
And your praise makes people sing "How great is our God".

Your praise I raise.
Your praise echoing through a building could cause glass to shatter.
Your praise creates peace within.
And your praise fills earth, heaven, and sky.

P.S.- I have a prayer request. The three youngest of my six cousins are all sick with chicken pox. If you could pray for restoration of health I would appreciate it. Their ages are eight, three, and almost two.

Comment Moderation

2006-12-11T20:50:00.000-06:00

I was hoping this would not have to happen, but due to some recent comments, we have turned on our comment moderator. The first thing I would like to say is this: PLEASE DO NOT LET THIS STOP YOU FROM LEAVING COMMENTS. We will only look at the comments to see if they are acceptable before we post them. Yours will be posted if it meets a few qualifications.

1. If your comment contains anything profane, crude, unkind, evil (that should make things clear for you) then it will not be posted. If you are questioning us, we will not look it over just because we have to answer you....as long as it is appropriate.

2. If your blog has anything crude, profane, etc etc etc, (which we will be checking for) then we will not put your comment up. This does not mean that if we disagree with your theology then we will not put your comment up. There are things that are less important then arguing over such things (though I do enjoy debating).

3. If you are just complaining about our comment moderation with disrespect, then your comment will not be posted.

Re-read my post down there on commenting as a maiden or squire if you like. We have not had problems with anyone that we know personally or visit their blog and comment on it personally. I know that the people who come to our blog will generally hold themselves to a higher standard then others. This is what Christians do. Once again, please please PLEASE do not hesitate to comment! Our criteria is normal if you hold yourselves to high standards. Thank you all for your patience! We look forward to seeing what you have to say.

In Sincerity and Christ,

Paige

565?????

2006-12-09T14:55:00.000-06:00

OK, for the first time, (and not the last) I am going to ask you guys a question (no pressure). Do you see that 565 up there on our blog? It came with the layout. I have considered digging through the template to get rid of it, but I don't think I am that smart. Seriously though. Is there anything that you have heard of that has something symbolic to do with the number 565? I would like to make use of it. I will look into it, but I would also LOVE to hear what you think we could do with it. Perhaps a number from the Bible? I am struggling here. I look forward to seeing what you all have to say!!!

In Christ,

Paige

Rating Books

2006-12-06T10:00:00.000-06:00

Almost every type of entertainment is rated these days. Movies, video games, C.D.'s even have parental advisories on them if they have explicit content. Now, they have gotten a little of balance these days (you can still buy a CD that has curse words on it without a parental advisory, I won't even start on the movies). There is one form of entertainment that is missing that type of warning label, rating, or advisory. Books.

Every year we participate in the local Summer reading program at our library. You read books as many books as you find time to, and record the title, chapters, and author. Now, I am the type of person who likes books that make you think. I like novels too. I suppose one of my bad habits is to judge a book by it's cover. I just figure that if the author wrote a good book, they would choose a good illustrator to go along with it. I also like to pick up the "mystery books" that just have a solid color cover. I start in the children's section, and it is shocking what you can find. Many a time I will pick up a book, read the information on the inside of the cover, and discover that it does not belong in the children's section. Every year this is the case. If these books could be rated by the world's standards, they would most definitely have at PG-13 rating. And it would not just be for violence. What really astounds me is that these books could be picked up by a ten year old, and the parents, (thinking that since it is from the children's section, it is alright) will let the child read. These are books that are just not worth being read...by ANYONE. And our libraries are full of them.

What can we do about it?? Us not reading them is one thing. But what about the people who are losing their children to these fantasies and not knowing the cause? I have seen the results that the books can leave, and it is not a pretty picture. And what of the authors that are responsible for feeding our nation this trash? If we are to make any difference, we will have to take a stand together. I caution all of you who go to the library for books to watch what you pick up. Once you have read something, it leaves a print on you that is hard to get rid of. We are to fill our minds with what is good and pure, not the worldy garbage of today.

In closing, I am interested to know what you, as the readers think we could do to make a difference. I would love to see some comments. Also, we have had a few hits from places that I am not sure of. If you could, we would love to hear from you! Thank you!

In Christ,

Paige ;)

Commenting as a Maiden (or squire)

2006-12-02T18:47:00.000-06:00

Yes, that is the word squire that you see up there. I couldn't think of a word to use for young men, other than "young men" for a long time. But as I was thinking about it, I came up with the idea that we are the maidens training to be noble ladies (if you look those two words up in the dictionary it is a wonderful combination). So the young men are squires in training to be knights. Moving along...

I have looked at many blogs and their comments. Some of them have rules set, others don't, and then some just expect the readers to use common sense. If you are a maiden or lady, your posts will be more feminine. Gently written, yet not afraid to state the truth. And of course you squires and knights and squires will comment more masculine. As Christians, we all have standards to follow. I might address the topic of maidens commenting in a feminine manner later. As for now, I will address one thing that seems to be key in the way we comment.

Proverbs 16:13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth. When I entered the word "truth" in the search box on biblegateway.com, I got 228 results. It is obviously important. I was going to quote Ephesians 4:15, but I read the first part of the chapter and decided that it would not do to just take a bit from what makes it whole. Of all the rules that I could think of for commenting conduct, one stuck out in my mind the most. Speak the truth in love. That sums up Eph. 4:15. If we speak the truth always, but not harshly, then our comments should not have problems. (disregarding foul language, etc) And I do not just mean the truth as in "thou shall not lie", I mean the truth that we are called to walk in. The Truth, and the law. We should not be afraid to state what is true with love. Not happy bubbly smiley love, but the kind of love that would cause you to not fellowship someone because of their actions. Because you love them. That is the truth.

Now that I have gotten past the wall of getting my first post up, you will be seeing more of me. I have plenty to talk about and plenty I would love to hear about. There are many ideas that I am coming up with...so look for new posts. Have a blessed week everyone!

Paige ;)

Just to get something up...

2006-11-30T14:46:00.000-06:00

A Sacrifice.

A leaf, brown and withered as an old wrinkled face.
Holding many memories.
That time which trees, eldest on earth,
Cry out to the Creator's glory with colors defying man's imitation.
Unto their leaves, a burst of precious life,
To fall to a dried-up doom.
Yet in that moment showing the palette of the Father's hand.
The red, warm as living blood, running deep.
The yellow-gold of joy, rich light, true lasting.
The orange of ripe sunshine, full fruit.
All original from His mind.
A sacrifice simple, praised by people.
A gift to those who see.

Yes I wrote it, and I considered posting it anonymously, but Paige put up a fuss so I am telling you it was me. This poem was inspired by something my father read me from a book several years ago. It was about how trees do not have to change color in the autumn, it is not a necessary part of the process. In fact, it uses their precious stored up energy to change their leaves those beautiful colors in the autumn, a sacrifice of sorts. I love autumn because when it comes (especially in Arkansas) in it I find a glorious display that shows the amazing creation of the Lord. I thought I would go ahead and post it, having written for a Lightning Literature class several weeks ago (yes, it is pre-written material,and maybe I am cheating by blogging it). Read it and give your honest opinion, this is one of three poems I have written in my life so I would like to know what you all think.

In Christ,
Caitlin

We have arrived...again

2006-11-24T19:18:00.000-06:00

...And this time, we brought someone along for the ride. Meet Caitlin, Paige, and Alena. You may already know Caitlin and Paige from their family blog, The Arkanbloggers (where they still post). Alena is our new addition, and a sort of sister to us. You can read more about each of us in our profile section.

This is what we are about: we are three maidens who are followers of Jesus Christ striving to bring glory to His name in everything we do. Some of our beliefs may differ (random theological things) but we all share the same foundation. This also makes for good discussion within the blog. This blog will be used for encouraging our brothers and sisters in Christ, and promoting goodly discourse between people.

Now that we have gotten past the hard part of our first post, we can work on the rest of it (details, profiles, etc). Please bear with us as we fix this site up. Thank you all!!!!

Caitlin, Paige, and Alena.