Monday, August 30, 2010

Young Maiden's Daybook - August 30



Today…
August 30, 2010

Outside my window…

Hot desert city with plenty of wind to keep the heat away!


I am thinking…
About the excitement of my first week of college!


I am thankful…
For a wonderful church family up here at college,

and for the wonderful preaching and friendly students.


I am wearing...
Lime green suit. (may change l8r 4 activity!)



I am reading…
The Holy Bible:Proverbs, John, various places;

"Changed Into His Image" by Jim Berg
"Do Hard Things" AGAIN Ü by Alex & Brett Harris



I am creating…

My book, Falling In Love With Jesus.
Digital photo album for my best friend.


One of my favorite things…
Technology... I'm so thankful to have grown
up in the 20th / 21st century! ;-)


For education this week…

Planning my semester, buying my textbooks,

a couple activities, and chapel every day!


A keeper at home skill I am learning/using...
Trying to eat a little healthier.


A spiritual lesson I'm learning...
Not to lean on my own understanding and ideas,
but to fully trust in the LORD and He will direct my paths!


A godly character trait I plan to work on…
Spending extra extra time in Bible studying and prayer.


Scripture I am memorizing…
"The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble;
and he knoweth them that trust in him." Nahum 1:7



I'm praying for…
The Lord's guidance and provision through college;

Him to reveal His perfect will and help me trust in Him;
His strength (physically and spiritually);
For a several dear Christian friends;
Also praying that He sends more missionaries to
the much needed country of Greece and the rest of the world.


For the rest of the week…
Getting my dorm (tomorrow!);

unpacking and meeting roommates;
getting this semester planned out;
paying part of my... bill... :-/
spend time with my wonderful Savior;
and whatever else the Lord sees fit to send my way.

 

A picture I'm sharing...
Me at college... :-)


Have a great week!

To learn how to participate, click HERE.

If you participate, please leave a comment
with a link to your daybook as well.



Saturday, August 28, 2010

Dear Mom... Week 2

MONDAY AUGUST 23
 Like most Mondays around home, it was a slow & sleepy morning.
I cleaned, made finishing touches to my shopping list, and rested.

TUESDAY AUGUST 24
 We all awoke early, anticipating a field trip out with Dad.
He took us to the USS Midway, a ship that fought in WW2,
and happens to be 'parked' in downtown San Diego. :-)
It was a fun time as Dad showed us around, since it was similar
to a ship he had been deployed on previously.
We also go to look at cool jets and bombs!! :-)


WEDNESDAY AUGUST 25
 Mom drove me around where I needed to go,
so I could pick up my last-minute things for college.
I was blessed to be able to get a pair of shoes that
meet the dress code, and matched my budget!
Afterwards, we all enjoyed a pound of assorted chocolates
using a gift card a friend gave us for See's Chocolates. YUM!

THURSDAY AUGUST 26
 My little brother wanted to bless us all by making
chocolate chip pancakes... all on his own!
It was a bittersweet moment watching my 'baby brother'
flipping pancakes on the hot skillet!
Later, I packed nearly everything, except the last-minute things.
I also made a blog post (below) of what the Lord's been teaching me.

FRIDAY AUGUST 27
 Enjoying my last day at home with my family,
everyone was sure to make it special for me!
Mom took me out thrift storing & bought me some new clothes.
Later we went to the dining area of my choice,
and the children showered me with hugs, kisses, & drawings.
I enjoyed one last tea time with my 'tea buddy',
and headed off to finish packing everything.
After enjoying homemade sourdough pizza with my family,
I went and played the Wii for the children.
Today was a bittersweet day!

SATURDAY AUGUST 28
 The day that seemed to be so far off, has finally come!
Today Dad and I set off towards college.
We'll be getting a hotel, becoming familiar with the town,
and spending our last moments together (goofing off, I'm sure! lol)
I'm excited about meeting a few friends, hearing great preaching,
getting my dorm, and planning out my schoolyear!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Seeking God's Will...

When you're on the brink of
your future, it's very difficult
and even a bit scary trying 
to make a career choice.

I know. I'm there.

Above all, I want to do God's will, 
but what is God’s will?
Well, it’s not our job to find God's will for anyone else,
but it is our duty to find out what God wants for our own lives.
We cannot go to other people and have them make the choice for us.
It's our own decision; our own lives to live for God.

The fact is, God has put me here and keeps me here because He has a purpose.
A plan from before I was born, and He waits to use me in that perfect way. 
Life isn’t about just doing what I want, even if it’s a ‘good thing’.
Maybe I want to be a teacher, but is it what God wants for me?
Perhaps I want to be a doctor, but is it what God made me to be?
Maybe I dream of being a foreign missionary doing the Lord’s work,
but is that the Lord’s work for me?
So many times, we tend to settle for something good, or maybe even really
good, but we don’t bother pushing for God’s best for our own lives.

 Now, the Lord has not planned for me to do something 
I absolutely hate and I’ll have to miss out on everything I do like.
He is not a mean God who sits back thinking,
“OK, Ally dislikes this, and that’s what I want her to do to be a living
sacrifice, or else she doesn’t get my blessings.”
Quite the contrary, actually.
There comes great joy when doing the Lord’s will.
And He has taken care to plant every little thing about me…
He knows my interests, my likes, my desires;
and He wishes to use those things for His own will.

But when I’m in my flesh, I cannot properly balance such things,
and can easily be swayed into doing things off of how it feels to me.
He wishes to help us, to strengthen us with His own strength,
so that we may accomplish what we were created to do.
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”


 Ever since I took college-level chemistry in high school (at age 14!),
I dreamed of being a Nuclear Chemist. I have a great love for science
(especially chemistry) and have a very good understanding of it.
But at the time, I figured that it wasn’t the Lord’s perfect will for my life,
and thus gave that desire to Him about my 11th grade year in school.
Since I was 12, I thought foreign mission work was what God wanted.
After all, shouldn’t every God-fearing Christian
fulfill such a noble, godly calling? 
I certainly have a heart for mission work, just as every Christian should, 
so after graduating high school, I started making plans on how, 
where, and when I was going to get to the mission field.
I figured I could better use my science for God by being a missionary doctor.
I was literally weighing the differences of careers from what
I thought was the eternal perspective of each situation.
Surely I was in the will of God! After all, look what I surrendered: 
I wasn’t planning to fulfil my own dream to be a scientist! 
Sacrifice, great plans, His work… yep, God must be pleased.

 But I started really examining my heart and realizing
that it was I who had it all planned out. 
I was doing what I thought was best. I was trying to serve Him in my flesh. 
I was using my talents, my time, and my plans
in my own strength to try and please Him. 
It was a humble realization to find that it was really not pleasing to Him. 
Maybe He actually does want me to be a nuclear chemist? 
Maybe He wants me to be a missionary doctor? 
He could want me to be a plumber! 
My ideas and plans for mission work were certainly good ones, 
but I may have been shutting out God’s perfect will by doing what seemed
right to me, and what I thought would impress all the Christians around me.
And my plans may be what the Lord wants, but I was doing it in my own 
ideas, ability, and strength, thus it was not pleasing to Him.


So many times we try to walk in the spirit through the flesh. 
How contrary is that! 
Yet, isn’t that the case a lot of the time? 
We may want people to think,
“Oh, that’s a great Christian. He does great things for God.” 
My desire is that people will not look at me and say 
“What a good person she is”; but rather, 
“What a great Savior He is.” 

I am nothing without Christ. Jesus says,
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” John 15:4.

Just as plucking off a branch from a vine isn’t going to get you grapes from the
branch; so a Christian working in his own flesh without Christ, 
isn’t going to produce the right fruit. 
We need to be abiding in the Lord day and night, all the time. 
We must to be strengthened with His might, not our own.

Now, as I'm confused as to exactly what the Lord wants,
I've been learning to completely trust in Him, not in my own ideas.
I don't need to plan my whole life out, just take it one step at a time.
He'll put me where He wants me, I just need to be willing 
and surrendered to wherever and whatever that is.


I encourage you, pour out your burden to the Lord, 
tell Him what you want and what you feel you should do.
Ask Him to use you according His will. But don’t ask if you’re not willing.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Young Maiden's Daybook - August 23



Today…
August 23, 2010

Outside my window…

Bright, blue, chilly, and gorgeous.


I am thinking…
About all the things to do this week!


I am thankful…
That I can trust fully in the LORD,

to direct my life according to His will,
even when I get confused or uncertain.


I am wearing...
Khaki skirt and white/brown top.



I am reading…
The Holy Bible:Proverbs, John, various places;
"Learning to Live With God"
Bible study at church
"Changed Into His Image" by Jim Berg
"Do Hard Things" AGAIN Ü by Alex & Brett Harris



I am creating…

My book, Falling In Love With Jesus.
List of last-minute things to get for college.
Digital photo album for my best friend.


One of my favorite things…
Technology... I'm so thankful to have grown
up in the 20th / 21st century! ;-)


For education this week…

Going through a Clinical Neuroanatomy for Medical Students,

doing clinical problems of diagnosis and treatment this week!


A keeper at home skill I am learning/using...
Trying to eat a little healthier.


A spiritual lesson I'm learning...
Not to lean on my own understanding and ideas,
but to fully trust in the LORD and He will direct my paths!


A godly character trait I plan to work on…
Spending extra extra time in Bible studying and prayer.


Scripture I am memorizing…
"The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble;
and he knoweth them that trust in him." Nahum 1:7



I'm praying for…
The Lord's guidance & provision through college;

Him to reveal His perfect will and help me trust in Him;
His strength (physically & spiritually);
For a several dear Christian friends;
Also praying that He sends more missionaries to
the much needed country of Greece and the rest of the world.


For the rest of the week…
Spending my last week at home with my family;

leaving for college on Saturday (starts next week!);
finish packing everything up;
studying more in my Beloved's precious Word;
possibly going thrift storing this week,
responding to some letters, comments, and emails;
spend extra time with my wonderful Savior;
and whatever else the Lord sees fit to send my way.

 

A picture I'm sharing...
A wonderful promise from the Lord!





Have a great week!


To learn how to participate, click HERE.

If you participate, please leave a comment
with a link to your daybook as well.




Saturday, August 21, 2010

Dear Mom... Week 1

 Today is exactly one week away from the date I leave for college!
As excited as I am, I'm also sad to be leaving my dear family behind.
I'm particularly going to miss the times I spend with my Mother;
she is my best friend, confidant, counselor, and... well... my Mom!
I'll miss our daily tea times, our daily conversations, and fun times together.

 I know that college life is very busy and can be stressful,
but I do hope to still make time for blogging (and facebook Ü).
Since I've always found time to write a little something in my daily schedule,
I've decided to try to type up my journal/schedule entries at least once a week.
(I plan to add a few pictures or so to each entry!)

 I've dedicated this new series of posts to my Mom,
as a way to keep in touch and to continue sharing my daily life with her.
I'll miss sharing life together in person, Mom, but these posts are for you!
I love you so much!


MONDAY, August 16
Most Mondays are pretty relaxing around the house.
I stared a 20-day devotional challenge called,
"Changed Into His Image" by Jim Berg. I'm just loving it!
I spent a lot of time getting more detailed info about college,
including getting my schedule for the first week.
I also put the finishing touches to my resume.

TUESDAY, August 17
I got up pretty early to clean a lady from church's house.
We hit morning rush hour, so we arrived about 1 hour late! lol
I spent about 4 hours deep cleaning while having little chats
here and there with her. Afterward, we ate lunch together
while in conversation at her table. I went home pretty exhausted!

WEDNESDAY, August 18
Mom took the girls to go grocery shopping,
while I stayed home with my 'lil bro to clean the house.
We had a great time while cleaning, then we shared a bag
of fries for lunch while on the wii and computer. :-)

THURSDAY, August 19
For some reason, I had a pretty sleepless night,
so I woke early (at 5am), and decided to surprise everyone
with cappuccino muffins! While they were baking, I went out
in the cool early morning breeze and had a lovely time with Jesus!
Then I caught up on my much-needed rest with a 3 hour nap.

FRIDAY, August 20
Our traditional homemade sourdough pizza day! :-)
Mom took the girls to Costco while Will and I stayed home.
I planned to do dishes, laundry, sweep, and mop,
but upon opening the dryer and seeing a large load of whites,
I had no time to finish the latter two tasks! lol
Matching socks and folding towels and shirt took about 30 min!
Later, Mom and I made the pizza, and the family gathered around
to watch a movie while enjoying the fresh, hot pizza.

SATURDAY, August 21
I woke up and had to pay the consequence of not setting
the coffee pot last night! Hardly able to open my eyes,
I sat at the kitchen counter with my laptop, waiting for
the coffee to finish brewing. Today we plan to have a couple
from church over for supper, which Dad is making grilled chicken.
He's had it sitting in the fridge marinating for 3 days,
so I'm anticipating it being nice and flavorful!

Monday, August 16, 2010

Young Maiden's Daybook - August 16



Today…
August 16, 2010

Outside my window…

Bright, blue, chilly, and gorgeous.


I am thinking…
About spending time in extra Bible studying


I am thankful…
That my God shall supply ALL my needs,

according to the riches of HIS glory!


I am wearing...
Purple shirt and black skirt.



I am reading…
The Holy Bible:Proverbs, Luke, various places;
"Learning to Live With God"
Bible study at church
"Changed Into His Image" by ??
"Do Hard Things" AGAIN Ü by Alex & Brett Harris



I am creating…

My book, Falling In Love With Jesus.
List of last-minute things to get for college.
Digital photo album for my best friend.


One of my favorite things…
California! I may be a true Michigander,
but I've got my heart here! =)


For education this week…

Going through a Clinical Neuroanatomy for Medical Students.
Also brushing up on Physics & some extra Biology.


A keeper at home skill I am learning/using...
Trying to eat a little healthier.


A spiritual lesson I'm learning...
Growing up. Taking responsibility for my life,
but still being in submission to the authority God's placed me under.


A godly character trait I plan to work on…
Spending extra extra time in Bible studying and prayer.


Scripture I am memorizing…
"The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble;
and he knoweth them that trust in him." Nahum 1:7



I'm praying for…
The Lord's guidance & provision through college;
His strength (physically & spiritually);
For a several dear Christian friends;
Also praying that He sends more missionaries to
the much needed country of Greece and the rest of the world.


For the rest of the week…
Spending time with my family;

Getting last-minute things for college (2 weeks!),
studying more in my Beloved's precious Word;
possibly going thrift storing this week,
responding to some letters, comments, and emails;
spend extra time with my wonderful Savior;
and whatever else the Lord sees fit to send my way.

A picture I'm sharing...
A new dress my friend bought me when we went shopping:





Have a great week!


To learn how to participate, click HERE.

If you participate, please leave a comment
with a link to your daybook as well.




Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Adventures In Songwriting : I Stand In Awe

 Here's the most recent song I wrote.
Having a video up was making my blog load up really slow,
sp I just wanted to share the words...

I STAND IN AWE
 Lord, You are my Strength, my Comfort, and my Guide
Under Your wings I safely hide.
My Fortress and my Rock; My Shepherd and my Light
In Your love forever I'll abide.

(chorus)
I lift my hands and worship You alone
I fall at Your feet singing Your praise
For Your endless mercy and grace.
Now my life, my heart, my all I give to You
For all that You are
For all that You do
Lord, I stand in awe of You!

 Lord, You are my Hope, Defender, and my King
Messiah, Redeemer, Prince of Peace
My Portion and my Cup; my Refuge and my Love
Whom have I in Heavn' but Thee above?

(chorus)
I lift my hands and worship You alone
I fall at Your feet singing Your praise
For Your endless mercy and grace.
Now my life, my heart, my all I give to You
For all that You are
For all that You do
Lord, I stand in awe of You!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Young Maiden's Daybook - August 9



Today…
August 9, 2010
My parent's anniversary!

Outside my window…

Bright, chilly, and gorgeous.


I am thinking…
Of all the things I plan to do today.


I am thankful…
Not to suffer from humidity anymore.


I am wearing...
A pink/white collard shirt and white skirt.


I am reading…
The Holy Bible:Proverbs, Luke, various places;
"Learning to Live With God"
Bible study at church
"Lies Women Believe" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
"Do Hard Things" AGAIN Ü by Alex & Brett Harris



I am creating…

My book, Falling In Love With Jesus.
Words to more songs I'm writing.
Music video to a song I just finished.
Digital photo album for my best friend.


One of my favorite things…
The sweet, sweet hour of prayer.
What a privilege we have!


For education this week…

Going through a Clinical Neuroanatomy for Medical Students.
Also having some fun (yes, FUN!) with a "Practical Calculus" book. ;-)


A keeper at home skill I am learning/using...
Trying to eat a little healthier.


A spiritual lesson I'm learning...
Growing up. Taking responsibility for my life,
but still being in submission to the authority God's placed me under.


A godly character trait I plan to work on…
Spending extra extra time in Bible studying and prayer.


Scripture I am memorizing…
"The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble;
and he knoweth them that trust in him." Nahum 1:7



I'm praying for…
The Lord's guidance & provision through college;
His strength (physically & spiritually);
For a several dear Christian friends;
Also praying that He sends more missionaries to
the much needed country of Greece and the rest of the world.


For the rest of the week…
Writing in my book and words to songs;
spending time with my family;
getting things ready & planned for college (3 weeks!);
studying more in my Beloved's precious Word;
possibly going thrift storing this week,
responding to some letters, comments, and emails;
spend extra time with my wonderful Savior;
and whatever else the Lord sees fit to send my way.

A picture I'm sharing...
My lazy dog at the computer...

LOL!!

Have a great week!


To learn how to participate, click HERE.

If you participate, please leave a comment
with a link to your daybook as well.




Saturday, August 7, 2010

Lessons In Young Adulthood



The past couple of months
have been somewhat difficult for me.

Entering adulthood is a very exciting,
but challenging time.

Ever since I was little,
I just couldn't wait to be a 'grown-up'.

And now that it's within sight,
I constantly
find myself impatient
and trying to rush
things.
I suddenly fell for the idea
that since I was leaving home
(for college),
I was the one who should be controlling my life.
Of course, I wasn't owning up to,
it in that wording,
but I figured that

since I'm pretty much an adult,
I can do what I want, right?


So I confess, I was getting pretty frustrated
if my parents would tell me
"no",
or tell me to do a certain thing a certain way.

I mean, God should be my only authority,
shouldn't He?

I was actually believing
that I was the one in the right!


But God's been using
a lot of different circumstances,
and a lot of prayers
and discussions
to pop my pride bubble
and show me I was the one who was wrong.

OUCH!

I was grieved at the disrespect
that I had allowed to pile up in my heart.

He's shown me that, still being under my parent's roof,
I am still under their authority, like it or not.
And just by turning 18,
it doesn't make me exempt from honoring my parents.

They are the authority God has placed in my life.
And the commandment He has given is
"Honor your parents".

No matter what age,
we're instructed to honor and obey our parents.


Parents are God-given authority in our lives.
They have lived longer, had more experience,
and can think clearer than we can.

God knows just what each of us needs
in order to be who He wants us to be.

His purpose was to use our parents to get us to that goal.

I realize that young adulthood
is a challenging time for many,

so I just wanted to encourage those of you
(and any age, for that matter!),

don't despise the convictions and rules
placed by your parents.

If you don't think they are God's 'rules',
well, they ARE!

He said to honor and obey,
thus that's His will for you right now!

If your Mom says to make supper,
it's actually God telling you to.


Looking back in my younger years,
I remember some rules and restrictions

that I thought at the time were dumb or pointless...
but I can now see

that the Lord has spared me a lot of heartache and trouble
by placing it
in my parent's hearts,
even though I wasn't happy to comply.

I look back on something like that
and only wish I was more submissive

and obedient in those areas...
but I can't change the past.

I am writing the present and the future, however,
and it is my desire to be
able
to look back and say that I was glad
of how I responded to

authority through my late teen years,
and throughout my life.


I've realized,
I really can't continue in that way on my own;

I need help from my precious, precious Jesus
every second of the day.

"I can do all things through Christ,
which strengtheneth me."

This is why it is so important
to keep a sweet and intimate relationship with Him!


We shouldn't just try and "survive"
the years of young adulthood,
we need to thrive.

God has lessons to teach us,
if we're willing to humble ourselves to listen.





Chocolate Meringue Stars

I made these for the first time last night for our church fellowship.
They're the perfect light snack for a small get together.
They don't last long, so I recommend making a double batch!

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE STARS
from Taste of Home Baking Book (photo courtesy of cookbook)


3 egg whites
3/4 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder

1. Beat egg whites and vanilla on medium speed until soft peaks form.
2. Gradually add sugar, beating on high until stiff peaks form.
3. Gently fold in cocoa
4. Insert a #8b tip into a pastry bag; fill with meringue.
5. Pipe stars, about 1-1/4 in in diameter, or drop by rounded
teaspoonfuls onto ungreased parchment paper.
6. Bake at 300 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Remove from paper; cool on wire racks.

GLAZE:
1. Melt 3 squares of semisweet chocolate and 1 TBSP of shortening.
2. Dip cookies halfway into glaze; place on wax paper until set.

ENJOY!







Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Cakies...

These have become a family favorite over the years.
We named it "cakie" because they taste like little mini cakes.


COCOA DROP COOKIES
from Betty Crocker's 40th Anniversary Cookbook

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup softened butter
1 egg
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk or water
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix sugar, butter, egg, cocoa, milk, & vanilla.

3. Stir in flour, soda, salt, and nuts.

4. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfulls on greased cookie sheet.

5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched.




6. If desired, frost with chocolate frosting:
Heat 2oz of unsweetened chocolate and 2TBSP butter over low heat
until melted; remove from heat. Stir in 3TBSP water and 2cups
powdered sugar until smooth.







Monday, August 2, 2010

Young Maiden's Daybook - August 2



Today…
August 2, 2010

Outside my window…

Bright and beautiful... what else would Cali be? ;-)


I am thinking…
My, oh my! It's already August?!?


I am thankful…
For whoever discovered how to brew coffee!


I am wearing...
"I Have the Sleepiness" shirt & black skirt.


I am reading…
The Holy Bible:Proverbs, Luke, various places;
"Learning to Live With God"
Bible study at church
"Lies Women Believe" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
"Do Hard Things" AGAIN Ü by Alex & Brett Harris



I am creating…

My book, Falling In Love With Jesus.
Words to more songs I'm writing.


One of my favorite things…
The sweet, sweet hour of prayer.
What a privilege we have!


For education this week…

Going through a Clinical Neuroanatomy for Medical Students.
Also having some fun (yes, FUN!) with a "Practical Calculus" book. ;-)


A keeper at home skill I am learning/using...
Trying to eat a little healthier.


A spiritual lesson I'm learning...
The LORD always provides!
If He wants you somewhere, He's going to get you there!
He is good beyond all my comprehension!


A godly character trait I plan to work on…
Spending extra extra time in Bible studying and prayer.


Scripture I am memorizing…
"The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble;
and he knoweth them that trust in him." Nahum 1:7



I'm praying for…
The Lord's guidance & provision through college;
His strength (physically & spiritually);
For a several dear Christian friends;
Also praying that He sends more missionaries to
the much needed country of Greece and the rest of the world.


For the rest of the week…
Spending time with my family;
getting things ready & planned for college (4 weeks!);
studying more in my Beloved's precious Word;
possibly going thrift storing this week,
responding to some letters, comments, and emails;
spend extra time with my wonderful Savior;
and whatever else the Lord sees fit to send my way.

A picture I'm sharing...
Homemade cream puffs I made this past week...


Have a great week!


To learn how to participate, click HERE.

If you participate, please leave a comment
with a link to your daybook as well.

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