Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Halloween/Reformation Day

Happy Halloween everyone!

Or for those of you who celebrate it, happy Reformation Day to you as well!


I know it's not quite Halloween yet, but I thought I'd send my best wishes to you early, since it's unlikely that I'll be blogging tomorrow due to a busy schedule.

I hope you all stay safe and enjoy the day that the Lord has made, whether it's dressing up in a costume, eating candy, carving pumpkins, giving gifts to others, or doing the same-old same-old Thursday night routine, remembering God's presence and love.

For those of you in need of a good tune for the day, I would recommend the youtube link below. It is Mendelssohn's 5th Symphony, otherwise known as "The Reformation" Symphony. Mendelssohn based it off of Martin Luther's hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God." It is one of my favorites, especially during this time of year. (Note: If you don't have time to listen to the entire thing, the 4th movement is my favorite part.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTdZTSqpwyg

God bless you all on this coming Halloween/Reformation Day! :)

Question for the Reader: What's your favorite way to celebrate October 31st?

"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good." --Romans 12:9

Saturday, October 26, 2013

The 30 Day Blog Challenge, Day 20: Childhood Memories

Prompt: Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.

Okay, I'm a teenager so by technicalities of the law and my parents (and I think the Bible too...) I'm still in "childhood." But I won't let that stop me from describing a few memories of mine. It'll be kind of like the letter I wrote to my 16 year old self even though I'm still 16! :)

1) Sunday School
I still vaguely remember some of the events of Sunday School at my church in Kissimmee, Florida when I was only 3 or 4 years old. We'd sing songs, learn Bible stories, and eat frosted Animal Crackers. I remember some of my teachers, and some of the songs we learned like "The Wise Man Built His House on the Rock," "Let My People Go," (I had my first lesson of snapping my fingers in this song), "Onward Christian Soldiers," and the most famous of all: "Jesus Loves Me." I'm so glad that I started learning about God's love at such a young age. I think that it was the foundation of my faith that was built early, so that it could be built upon for the rest of my life. And now, it's that faith of that little girl at Sunday School that I can fall back on when I have any doubt about God's love (and that doubt never lasts long).

2) Drawing Pictures
When I was about 4 or 5 years old, I used to ALWAYS draw or color pictures on 8' x 11" standard copy paper with RoseArt or Crayola crayons on a little table in my bedroom. The table, from Fisher Price, was a terrifyingly ugly dandelion yellow with two benches on the sides that were red and purple. Overall, the entire table was about 1.5 feet off the ground: very small, very ugly, very much used and loved. The table was my school desk and also the kid's table at many Thanksgiving dinners, but primarily, it was my drawing desk. I colored everything: ladybugs, jack-o-lanterns, Christmas Trees, Monster's Inc. characters, and baby Moses in a basket on the river. To this day, my grandmother collected them all (or what she could save anyway) and made a quilt which is hanging on the wall in my bedroom. Looking back, I think the reason I drew pictures so often was because it was my mode of communication. I didn't know how to write very well (at that time, I thought writing was using a pencil to draw letters in the alphabet) so I drew pictures about what I was feeling or thinking about. When I learned how to write sentences and stories, I didn't draw so much anymore at all. By the time I was 8, I had my own diary which I still have on my bookshelf today. Writing and drawing were things that God gave me to communicate with others that I've taken advantage of since I was little, and I still haven't stopped.

3) First Day at Kindergarten
My first day at Kindergarten was at Rocky Mountain Christian Academy in Niwot, Colorado in the early autumn of 2002. It wasn't the first day of school, but maybe a few weeks or a month afterwards, so I was considered "the new kid." I had already met my teachers a few days before, but not my classmates. My parents still have a picture of me and my sister on that morning before leaving for school in the front yard of the house we were staying in. The picture is too cute: Moriah in a pink sweater and polka-dot pants all ready for pre-school, and me in my uniform: navy blue cardigan, plaid skirt, and knee socks. I was more excited than nervous, but I remember being scared of going to a school for the morning with kids that I had never met before. My teachers were very kind though. During circle time, I got to pick a song to sing: I think I had the choice between the alphabet or the days of the week. Ready to try something new, I chose the days of the week song (and I still remember it to this day). I've been attending the same school every year since, and it's proven to be a big part of my life.

Question for the Reader: What are your favorite childhood memories?

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." --Proverbs 22:6

The 30 Day Blog Challenge, Day 19: Well, You'd Probably Say the Same Thing!

Prompt: If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?

My answer is pretty simple: Europe (especially the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, and Hungary).

I've always wanted to go to Europe because it has beautiful artwork, delicious cuisine, extraordinary opportunities for careers, and it seems that everywhere you turn around God especially reveals Himself in Creation. Of course I probably think that because of pictures on the Internet, but people who have been there and lived there always seem to show how unique, vibrant and beautiful the continent of Europe is.

I can't wait to see it for myself one day, Lord-willing.

This is a picture of the castle in Eger, Hungary where my church often goes on mission trips.
Question for the Reader: Where would you live if you could pick anywhere in the world?

"You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you." --Nehemiah 9:6

Thursday, October 24, 2013

The 30 Day Blog Challenge, Day 18: "I Took the One Less Traveled By"

Prompt: A poem.
The Road Not Taken 
by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Question for the Reader: What is your favorite poem?

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of mockers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law, he meditates both day and night." --Psalm 1:1-2

The 30 Day Blog Challenge, Day 17: I'm Not Perfect

Prompt: What is the thing you most wish you were great at?

I've learned recently that our culture rarely values this important definition of love: to be willing to drop EVERYTHING in order to be there for that person, whatever is on his/her mind.

In answer to the question: I wish I could be great at loving everyone around me, and displaying that through a strong relationship with God.

I'm not always good at maintaining my relationship with God, and each time I fail to live for the Lord, I find that at the same time, I don't maintain good relationships with others.

I know that I'll never be 100% perfect as Jesus was, but I know that one of my responsibilities as his child is to do my best to reflect His image. Furthermore, I know that I have a chance at becoming like Him because He made my record of sin completely clean. So, even though I mess up a lot, Christ made it so that I can still build up my relationships with God and others.

That means that Christ has given us all the chance to do great things.

Question for the Reader: What do you wish you were great at?

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." --Ephesians 5:1-2

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The 30 Day Blog Challenge, Day 16: Accomplishments

Prompt: What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?

1) Accepting Christ as my Savior
This is the greatest accomplishment that I believe any person can achieve. It's the act of accepting an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, loving, merciful God as our friend and Savior.

2) Longmont Youth Symphony, Longmont All Stars, CU Honor Band
These are all musical accomplishments that I am happy to say that I have participated in.

3) 11 years of school so far...
If you're a student, you'll probably understand.

4) Leadership opportunities at school and church
I like the leadership opportunities that I've been blessed to have. I've been a teacher aide and pioneer at my school as well as an assistant to my mom (the leader of Family Ministry at the church) on Sundays. I've also been blessed to teach youth group before.

5) Writing: Blog, Scripts, Short Stories
These are all hobbies: I haven't really been awarded in writing before (except for English awards in middle school), although I've won several spelling bees. However, I enjoy writing and creating stories though scripts and prose. Also, I enjoy writing this blog, of course. :)

I wouldn't necessarily call of these accomplishments, but I look forward to the days where I can increase this list.

Question for the Reader: What are your greatest accomplishments?

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." --Titus 3:5

Monday, October 21, 2013

The 30 Day Blog Challenge, Day 15: Beaches and Mountains

Prompt: Where is the most beautiful place you've ever been?

I can honestly say without a shadow of a doubt that I live in a beautiful place: Colorado. It's a place where the grass is mostly green, the highest mountains are almost always snowcapped, and the sun rising is an event of nature. Yet, when I think about the most beautiful place I've ever been, I don't just think of the town where I live in. I think of two places: Vero Beach and the Rocky Mountains.

1) Vero Beach


Vero Beach is gorgeous because when you travel to Florida, the weather tends to be unbearably hot. However, when you go to a beach, like Vero Beach, you feel comfortable and even a bit more relaxed. This was the first beach that I had been to in over ten years, and I'll never forget it. When you first walk onto a beach, there's a huge hill of sand that's grainy, hard, hot and completely uncomfortable. But then, as you get closer to the water, there's a floor of sand that the waves crash over that feels like a cold, soft carpet. This is the best place to collect seashells. Looking out into the water feels somewhat intimidating because of the energy of the waves and how infinite the distance of the ocean looks, and when you swim in the water you have to watch your step, because it's easy to loose your footing when the sea floor is completely made of sand. But it's a beautiful sight to see and constantly reminds you of the infinite power and beauty of God with each minute that passes.

2) Rocky Mountains


When our family first moved here to Colorado, we used to go on hikes in the Rocky Mountain National Park about once a month because we (my parents especially) couldn't get over how beautiful the view is. It truly is magnificent to see how big the mountains are and how for most of the year, even in July, they will be covered with snow.

I hope you enjoyed my presentation of two of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. It reminded me of God's beauty and omnipotence. :)

Question for the Reader: Where is the most beautiful place that you've ever been?

"For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse." --Romans 1:20

Saturday, October 19, 2013

The 30 Day Blog Challenge, Day 14: Strengths & Weaknesses, Part 2

I know it's been a couple of months since I last posted for the 30 Day Blog Challenge, but I don't want to start something and not finish it.

Prompt: 5 strengths you have.

1) Christ
Christ is the best strength granted to me.

2) Writing
This is a much lesser strength than the first. However, this is a strength I am happy to have. It's a way that I can communicate clearly and also share my opinions and minister to others.

3) Work Ethic
This one is sometimes a strength of mine, but not always. My weakness of procrastination can outweigh this at times. When I have the enthusiasm and motivation to do something, I very often do my best to work my hardest to achieve the goal.

4) Organization
A few of you have probably seen my tutorial on creating a planner, so that was probably a hint as to how much I love to create things that makes things much more organized.

5) Stubbornness
This has been mostly a weakness lately, but I have faith that God will turn it into something good. If I can be so hard-headed in believing something in which I'm wrong, then how stubborn can I be in believing something that's right?

This post was a lot harder to write than I thought it would be, but I've learned that I need to like myself a lot more and focus on the good instead of the bad.

Question for the Reader: What strengths do you have? How is God using them?

"But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." --2 Chronicles 15:7

Friday, October 18, 2013

Don't Forget...

I know I haven't posted anything in a while, but I wanted to share a quick and short, yet beautiful verse today before we all get too far in the day.

Simple message: Don't forget how much God loves you, and therefore how much He will take care of you.

"Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" --Matthew 6:26