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

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

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

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

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

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