Better Late Than Never, I Suppose

Well, it has definitely been a while since I've posted. I've been really busy lately, but everything has finally started to slow down. I don't even know where to begin... Cross country season finished, and it went well. I was able to improve on every race, and my last one was about 25 minutes flat. High school has been going well. We just finished our first quarter. I can't wait to get a couple days off for Thanksgiving next week! Which brings me to another point. What are you thankful for? I have thought a lot lately about how much I have to be grateful for. A friend of mine's mom just died, and I realized that I take it for granted that I even have a family. I have so much to be thankful for, and I can't believe that I ever take it for granted, but I do.

I am super excited for the holidays. I have actually been listening to Christmas music, which I normally don't do before Thanksgiving, but I couldn't help it ;)

I have really been meditating on Ephesians 1:3-6, which says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved." Our Sunday school teacher talked about how everything we do should be done to give glory to God. I was really convicted that I don't think about giving glory to God before I make decisions, but this verse has really helped me.

I hope everyone enjoys the holidays!

Happy Labor Day :)

Happy Labor Day to everyone! I know it's been forever since I've posted. I've had kind of a busy summer. I figured I better post something today, because I start school tomorrow, and posts will probably be few and far between starting then.

I hope everyone had a good summer! Mine was great, but it was a little too long for my liking. I've had my first two cross country races, and those went great. My times weren't amazing or anything, but they were a great start, and it was definitely an accomplishment for me.

I'm very excited for school to start, but I guess I'm a little nervous too. I'm a freshman this year :) Fun fun. I'm taking four honors classes this year, so it's going to be lots of work balancing church, school, cross country, and piano. But, I'm ready for the challenge :)

So, I hope school is going great for everyone who has already started, and I hope it goes great tomorrow for everyone who is starting then. 1 Timothy 4:12 will definitely be on my mind as I start school.

1 Timothy 4:12 ~Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Day 5338

I haven't been doing a whole lot this summer... Cross country has been going great, but other than that, I've done nothing but sit around and read Karen Kingsbury books. I still can't believe that I'm starting high school in a little over a month... This summer has been great, but I'm ready to start school. Shopping for school supplies is my absolute favorite thing to do:) I guess that's about it...

Rainbows

Well, tonight we were driving home after a rain and we saw an awesome rainbow. It was probably the best one I've ever seen. You could see the whole entire thing and where it touched the ground on both sides. I always love seeing rainbows because they remind me of the promise God made to Noah thousands upon thousands of years ago. God will never leave us or forsake us. He is with us always, even to the end of the age. No matter what we are going through, no matter what circumstances we are in, God is with us.

So my thought for the day is, no matter what kind of spiritual rain we may be going through, there is always a spiritual rainbow on the other side!

Thoughts on Pride

I haven't posted in awhile... I just got back from the beach. I had a great time, and if I had my way, I would spend my whole summer there. But all good things must come to an end.

Cross country practice is still going great. I have worked up to running for 40 minutes at a time, which is amazing considering that when I started, I could barely run a mile.

I have been thinking about a lot of things lately... One thing thing I've been thinking about is pride. I was reading a couple of different books on it, and one thought that really stuck me is this: If we don't commit ourselves to overcoming our pride, God will do it for us. If we don't submit to His will, we may end up learning it the hard way. God loves us too much to let us stay in our sin of pride. So no matter how you struggle with pride, ask God to help you fix it. Trust me, learning lessons the hard way is not something you want to have to do.

Wait Upon the Lord

Isaiah 40:31~But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

One of my earliest memories of learning this verse was at church soccer when I was around 9 years old. My dad was my coach, and everyone on the team had liked the name my dad picked out: the Golden Eagles, because our jerseys were a goldish-yellow color. My dad read this verse to our team, and told us that it would be our team verse.

Over the past couple of days, the Holy Spirit has showed me this verse several times. I'm not exactly sure why it is relevant to this moment, but I know that it is a verse God wants me to meditate on right now. I have always loved this verse, especially because I run cross country. This verse alwasy seems to give me an energy boost when I think of it as I'm running.

But I think that God might be wanting to meditate on a different part of the verse right now. "Wait upon the LORD." I cannot do things apart from His strength, and if it's not His timing, all that I can do is wait. I don't know what any of you might be going through right now, but I encourage you, wait upon the Lord.

Family Vacations

Well, I recently got back from a weekend at the lake with my family. We took our boat and stayed at a lake house with some of our relatives. I never thought I'd say this, but I actually enjoyed my vacation with my family. It was a nice break from my cell phone and laptop.

I was on the lake pretty much 24/7 and I looked like a lobster by the time I got back. I even drank my coffee down at the lake. I had a great time water skiing and swimming and eating tons of food.

So, my thought for the day is, never take what you have for granted in your family and friends. There are so many people that would give anything to have a family, and I (sadly) take it for granted many times.

Happy 4th!!

Happy early 4th of July! I hope everyone has a great weekend filled with family, friends, and fun!!!!

Day 5305

Today, June 27, 2011, I am 5305 days old. I just got back from cross country practice, and I think it was one of the best yet. We ran for 30 minutes, and even though I walked for about a minute, I still finished with everyone else. I finally found people that run at about the same pace I do. Then we did strides, and they were amazing.

Another reason that I like running is because it gives me time to plan. I'm doing something that is profitable but I also have to time to think about something else. I planned out my whole day today. So, I hope everyone has a great day!

Toyless

Apparently I just invented a new word, because toyless isn't in the dictionary:)

Anyway, I have been cleaning out my basement for the past week, and I came to the realization today that there are hardly any toys left in the basement. My youngest brother is seven, and he has most of his toys in his room now. In place of all the toys is a huge (very loud) drum set. Maybe my little brother will follow in my footsteps one day and plan in the percussion section of middle school band.

It's hard to believe that all of us are old enough to get rid of almost all the toys. I can remember the countless days spent down in the basement playing Barbie's and G.I. Joe's. Oh the fun times we had. It is really sad to see those times go, but I guess a new chapter of life will begin...

Cooking

So, I decided I'd have a cooking label. My mom has planned out that my sister and I each have to cook one meal a week, so I thought it would be a good idea to share some recipes with y'all (and it's a good way to keep up with them if I lose the websites;)).

The first thing I made this summer was a sour cream noodle bake from The Pioneer Woman. I usually don't like sour cream, cottage cheese, or green onions, and a tomato sauce base isn't my favorite. But I looooved this recipe. So, I hope y'all like it:)

Stubbornness, Perseverance, and a Lesson from Cross Country

I have lots of jumbled thoughts to tie together in this post, but here goes nothin'.

Our pastor has spent the last two Sunday nights preaching from James. His message was entitled "Living Faith in a Dying World." He was encouraging everyone to live faithfully through trials. I must confess, as I listened to the message, I was thinking, "I don't need this message. I haven't ever really gone through a trial. I know people with cancer and broken relationships and family issues, but I don't have any of those." But boy, I was wrong. I have come to realize that pretty much anything in your life that you struggle with can be classified as a trial. I have been going through some things lately that I have really been struggling with. I have been extremely stubborn in listening to the Lord, and I have been unwilling to submit to His authority. A.W. Tozer says, "The voice of God is a friendly voice. No one need fear to listen to it unless he has already made up his mind to resist it." Honestly, I had pretty much made up my mind to resist it. I didn't want to be joyful. I wanted everyone to know that I was miserable so that they would feel sorry for me.

But my attitude changed after cross country practice last night. We had had a kinda hard practice. By the time we finished our sprints, I thought I was gonna die. But I persevered through it and by the time we finished our core exercises I felt great. I forgot how hard it was and how much it hurt because the triumph of finishing strong was one of the most amazing feelings in the world. Then I stopped to think. If I can persevere through practice with only my strong will and determination to get me through, then why can't I persevere through these trials when I have God to help me?

So, with God's help, I will be going though this trial with a smile on my face and a determined spirit.

Cross Country Friends

I had cross country practice this morning. If you had told me 2 years ago that I would be getting up at 6 am to RUN, I would have considered you a crazy person. But here I am... I ran for 30ish minutes this morning without walking at all, so that was actually good for me.
I am so thankful for all my friends at cross country. I was surprised when I first joined that I didn't feel really stupid. I expected to be made fun of by all the seniors since I'm only a freshman, but I totally wasn't at all. Everyone there (well, most people;)) is really nice and I'm glad to know everyone. These people have to be able to like me when I'm sweaty and tired, so I know they won't let me down.
So far, cross country has been a really great decision for me, and I really hope I continue to get better!

Courtney

I'm excited, because my friend Courtney who lives in Illinois will be coming down here soon:) Courtney is a great friend, and I enjoy all the time I get with her, even though it's not very much. When Courtney comes over, we usually talk and play mad libs. Lots and lots of mad libs:) I don't get to see her in person very much, but thanks to Skype and gmail chat, we are able to keep in touch. I love today's technology:) Although we do write an occasional letter or two:) Because we are apart for so long, the time I do get with Courtney is fun and special.
Thanks so much, Courtney, for being a great friend!

Technology...

Today, I printed out a bunch of pictures to go in my picture frames that have been sitting around forever. It took me a really long time, but it was soooooooooooo worth it because I figured it out all by myself:) I sound like a little kid;) Hopefully I can get some pics posted for y'all to see. But I actually know how to do that:) Anyway, hope y'all have a great night!

Mud...

I went to my second Cross Country practice today. I survived. We did a 25-minute run today. I am not doing quite as well as I had hoped, but I am really enjoying it and I hope I can get better. It was great to be able to get up, run, and shower before 10 o' clock. We ran in a kind of woodsy area today and there was lots of mud from the rain. So my clean running shoes are pretty much filthy now, but that's ok. It will all be worth it if running helps me have a healthier lifestyle...

1 Timothy 4:12

1 Timothy 2:12 ~ Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
This verse has been on my heart a lot lately, as some things have come up where I feel like adults are looking down on me. Paul wrote this verse to Timothy as he was preparing to minister to others. Paul knew Timothy would be considered young, and he wanted to encourage him to let no one look down on him.
I have always striven to set a good example, especially because I'm an oldest child. I must confess, it's gets on my nerves when adults look down on me but I'm feeling like I'm doing what God wants me to be doing.
So, I just wanted to encourage y'all to always try to do what God wants, even if adults do misunderstand your actions. Don't compromise just because you're young. Remember, David killed Goliath when he was 12!
P.S. Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris has some really great points about this!

Cross Country

On Thursday, I went to my first Cross Country practice. I have been running on my own for about 9 months, but I haven't really run with anyone other than just around the neighborhood with friends. But, I enjoyed running so I decided to give Cross Country a try. I figured that it would give me a sport to do since I'm going into high school, and I thought it would give me a chance to hang out with some really good friends. Plus, no one thought I would actually do it, so I thought I could just surprise some people if I actually could. My first practice went really well, even though I had to run with the beginners, which are all younger kids. We only did 20 minutes, but we also did some stretches and exercises, and overall, it was a really good workout. I really hope I will be able to stick with it and get better!!

Breanna

I am so thankful for all of my friends that God has placed in my life. My best friend is Breanna. I blog with her at Psalm 119:11. We do so much stuff together, and I'm at her house every chance I get. From running, to playing Mario on the Wii, to watching Untold Stories of the ER at 1 in the morning, we do just about everything together.

Breanna and I are different in a lot of ways, but we get along great. Our differences and similarities have challenged us and helped our friendship grow. I really encourage you to find good friends who can help you grow spiritually. You might have tons of friends that you know from school, sports practice, etc., but if you don't have a close relationship with someone, you cannot have accountability. It is an amazing feeling to know someone that you can tell everything to.

Thanks, Breanna, for being a great friend!!

Summer!!

My summer break started last week. It's been so great to have a week from school. I know I will be tired of summer before too long, but for right now, it's really nice. I've been sleeping till noon, swimming, and pretty much doing nothing. In a little while, I'm gonna watch Gnomeo and Juliet. It should be interesting to see after studying Romeo and Juliet last year in English I. My thoughts are so jumbled right now, but I have a hard time wanting to use my brain. Well, that's about all for now...

Days Go By

"Days Go By"

I'm changing lanes
I'm talking on the phone
I'm drivin' way to fast
And the interstate's jammed with
Gunners like me afraid of coming in last
But somewhere in the race we run
We're coming undone

Days go by
I can feel 'em flying
Like a hand out the window in the wind as the cars go by
It's all we've been given
So you better start livin' right now
'Cause days go by

Out on the roof just the other night
I watched the world flash by
Headlights, taillights running through a river of neon signs
But somewhere in the rush I felt
We're losing ourselves

Days go by
I can feel 'em flying
Like a hand out the window in the wind as the cars go by
It's all we've been given
So you better start livin' right now
'Cause days go by

We think about tomorrow then it slips away
We talk about forever but we've only got today

And the days go by
I can feel 'em flying
Like a hand out the window
As the cars go by

It's all we've been given
So you better start livin'
You better start livin'
Better start livin' right now

Cause days go by
I can feel like 'em flying
Like a hand out the window in the wind as the cars go by

It's all we've been given
So you better start livin' right now

Cause days go by
These days go by

So take 'em by the hand
They're yours and mine
Take 'em by the hand
And live your life
Take 'em by the hand
Don't let 'em all fly by

Come on, Come on now
Don't you know the days go by

These are the lyrics to the song "Days Go By" by Keith Urban. I decided this would be kinda a cool title for a blog about life. Since that's what happens in life: days go by. You live them. Sometimes your choices are good. Sometimes they're not so good. But you can only live your life once. Today, I am 5,281 days old. Only God knows how many more days I have left. So, it is my job to live out all the days I have and live them doing everything to the glory of God.