The French Poet

AMAZON WATCH » Stop the Belo Monte Monster Dam!

2012-02-09T12:27:00.000-08:00

AMAZON WATCH » Stop the Belo Monte Monster Dam!

I don't normally post things like this on my blog, but I feel this is important. Please take the time to watch this video and sign this petition!

Thinking on Politics

2011-12-06T13:47:00.001-08:00

I've never been big on past elections, but partially because this will be the first Presidential election I am eligible to vote on. I've done a lot of thinking on the kind of person I would want leading our country, and I have a good idea of what that person looks like.

"As the nation approaches its 57th Presidential Election, we're asking the future leaders of this country, students, to define the single most important political issue in this election. Tell us not only what that issue is, but also tell us why and how you propose we come to a solution that benefits the majority?"

With the direction our country is heading these days, I'm positive the most important issue in the upcoming election is the financial plan for the country, and where our future president plans on allocating monetary resources. This has been a major focus point for the past few years, but many people have no idea how to address it because of the current severity it has reached. I feel that in order to remedy the situation, the only thing we can do is to severely limit our spending by focusing only on research that is of true importance, such as cancer research or other disease research. We should also slowly begin to save some of our national income to pay back the people and companies we owe, in order to lower our overall debt.

Even with those practices in place, it will take time to get our country's economy back on its feet. We as citizens need to continue to support pur leadership, regardless of whether or not we agree with their personal beliefs. Without the country's full support, our president cannot hope to help us in any way.

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This is an official blog entry for the YourLocalSecurity.com Blogging Scholarship. If selected, I'll receive $1000 towards my college expenses in 2012. This scholarship is sponsored by YourLocalSecurity.com

Thoughts...

2011-11-19T22:29:00.001-08:00

I know I haven't written anything in awhile, and this post is super written, but I needed to write out my feelings.

I was listening to this song today, and I started to really think about the lyrics.

Who am I that You would come and die?
I don't understand
Why the God of all the universe
Would become a man

Seriously... why? I'm nothing but a screw-up... so why? I'm not even worth it. I know You think so, but I really question it. Everything I've been through has made me who I am. I've been pushed around and put down and used by others and have learned that that's okay. I've spent my life trying to get out of that mindset and I never fully have. I know it will take many more years.

But I still don't understand why You would love me. Out of all the people on this Earth... why me?

Like I said... random post and I'm just venting. Sorry I haven't been posting... I'll try and be better.

formspring.me

2011-10-27T19:25:00.001-07:00

What is it you need to know? http://www.formspring.me/angelvelvet

Lying Hurts

2011-10-27T19:15:00.001-07:00

I say that I won't lie,
Because I hate it.

"So I'm not worth the truth?
It hurts me more than you know."

But what hurts me more
Is the knowledge that I lie.
I say I won't lie,
Yet I lie over and over.

Lying has ruined relationships.
Being a hypocrite has hurt myself more than being lied to.

Lying makes everything worse.

I realized something today.

2011-10-07T11:53:00.001-07:00

I keep telling myself that someday I’ll find the perfect guy. In reality? He will never be perfect.

We’re all human, so we’re all flawed. Anyone I fall in love with, and whoever I marry will always have flaws. He won’t be perfect, but we will be the perfect guy for me.

Along with that, I realize I will never be perfect. I have flaws, and I always will. I’m emotional, I worry way too much, I’m too cuddly, I can be immature, but that’s who I am. I will always have flaws. If someone can’t accept me with those flaws, then they aren’t worth it.

Someday, I’ll find a man who sees my flaws and loves each and every one of them :)

Great Sunday turned sad...

2011-09-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

For those who are my Facebook friends, you probably saw that just an hour or so ago I posted that today was a perfect Sunday. I went on to read all my blogs, and discovered that the author one of my most inspirational ones passed away last night.

To most people, this would seem sad, but not such a big deal. To me, it's a huge deal.

Yeah, she was just a blogger and I never even met her, but her story was, is, so inspirational! She went through so much physical and emotional pain, and yet she still trusted that God was taking care of her. It just amazes me how someone can have that kind of faith, the kind where they don't even question God for a second.

But I know that people will continue to come across her blog and read her amazing life, and she will continue to touch people's lives.

Sara was an inspiration to me in her life, and I know she will continue to be in her death. Please go and read her amazing story, she truly deserves to have it read.

Lion King in 3D

2011-09-18T22:03:00.000-07:00

Today I got to go see the Lion King in 3D. I am not a big 3D fan when it comes to animated movies, simply because the animation isn't typically made for 3D. Lion King was no different, but it was still pretty good!

I haven't seen it in years, so it was nice to re-watch it and remember everything that happens. Now I would like to point one thing out: I have never cried while watching the Lion King, not even when Mufasa died. This time, I was crying through-out the entire movie! I don't even know why haha. Pretty much every part of the movie had me crying. It was so embarrassing! And my roommates were totally making fun of me. But oh well, I'm a crybaby when it comes to movies haha.

While only a few parts were noticeably 3D, it was still worth it. I definitely think all Lion King fans should go see it :)

Has anyone else seen it? What did you think of the 3D?

Finally an update!

2011-09-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

I was planning on writing this post on Saturday... but that didn't happen due to me doing my homework all day long :P So I'm writing it now! Since I have no homework and am bored out of my mind, I don't really have an excuse.

The first week of classes was TORTURE. I honestly almost started crying the first day. My Client-Server Programming class is already kicking my butt. Luckily I have friends in that class that understand it better than I do, but it's still really hard for me. My other CS class, Software Engineering, is actually pretty easy so far! Really, Client-Server Programming is my only hard class. If I can keep up in that class, I should easily pass my classes this semester. (And hopefully pull my GPA back up!)

Our brother floor this year is SO MUCH better than last year's. They have already had a bro/sis floor dinner with us and a game night, and we're friends with most of them on Facebook. My roommates are considering asking them to all go as a group to the Sophomore formal :P They're all super nice :)

I got to go visit L Sunday, and me, her, K and J went to Powell's and the mall. It was so much fun but SO HOT. Seriously, I got sick it was so bad. I got a really cute new white leopard print cami :D I'm wearing it in this picture, but you might not be able to tell. I'm also wearing a skirt, which rarely happens :P

Classes are going fine now, except for Programming of course. Music Fundamentals is a CAKEWALK. That class bores me, to be honest. Unfortunately... I need it for an art credit so I can't just drop it. And it'll be fun... except for having to compose our own song for out final! Scary.

I've been reading a tons, and will keep reading even more because I have a bunch of blog tours due for my other blog. So if I don't update as much as I'd like, that would be why! But you can always bug me if you want me to update ;) I will possibly be finishing my new layout tonight... but no promises! (So you might want to read this on the actual blog to see haha!)

Hope everyone who has already started school isn't drowning yet, and good luck to those who still need to start!

Disney Love

2011-08-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

So for those who don't know, I have a Tumblr.

Recently there have been more and more confession Tumblrs, where a certain movie, tv show, or franchise has a special Tumblr for people to post anonymous confessions. (For example, I follow the Bones one, Harry Potter one, and the Game of Thrones one.)

I decided to see if there was a Disney one, and there is! Believe me, I was SUPER excited! I love Disney movies, and ended up reading every single confessions they've already posted, and reblogging quite a few.

As I read some of them, I realized there are a lot of Disney movies I've never seen. I looked up a master list of all the movies, and surprised just how many there are that I haven't seen!

Which lead me to make a new goal for this year: I plan to watch every single Disney movie ever made, in order. Even the unpopular ones, and the ones I've already seen.

After all, can I be a true Disney fan if I still have so many to see?

What are your guys' favorite Disney movies?

Blog Bash Intro Post!

2011-08-09T10:54:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in Brittany and Hannah's 2011 blog bash! I'm a few days late in posting this, but I was on vacation all weekend so I didn't have internet.

If you're a new reader, I'll share a little about myself! If you're an old reader, just bear with me :)

I'm Ariel, and I'm a 20-year-old from Oregon! I love blogging, and currently have three blogs. This one, my book blog The Librarian's Bookshelf, and a private one. I'm attending George Fox University, and am an aspiring librarian! And if you hadn't guessed, I LOVE to read! I have tons of books and I love sharing my love of them with others.

I also love technology! I own two laptops, a Nook, a Nintendo DS, an iPod, and my cell phone of course. I rarely go anywhere without some sort of technology and a book!

On to the questions!

1.) What's your favorite memory from Summer 2011?

Triangle Lake! It was such an awesome weekend, and I love spending time with all my friends!

2.) What's your dream summer vacation?
Paris. Anyone who knows me would not be surprised by this answer :P I LOVE everything to do with France, and especially Paris!

3.) What's your favorite thing to do in the summer?
Read! I love just sitting on my bed and reading all day. I know that makes me sound really lazy, haha! But I also enjoy going on random adventures with my friends :)

4.) What's your "blog goal" for 2011?
To blog more :/ I don't blog on this blog as much as I used to, so I'm hoping to do a lot more on here! I'm also considering do an entire month of vlogging, if I can get enough topics! We'll see :)

5.) Let's hear the story behind your blog title! :)
Well as I said before, I LOVE anything to do with France. I am also a writer, and I tend to write more poems than stories. Thus The French Poet was born :)

If you are stopping by as new follower, leave a link in the comments so I can check your blog out!

Greatest Apartment Ever

2011-08-03T16:40:00.000-07:00

I'm a poor college student, so I can't afford much. (I can't even afford all of my textbooks this term!) So when I get my own apartment, I want it to be CHEAP. On Vacancy.com they had a listing for a great apartment, with various floor plans. (Check out the details here.) Depending on the floor plan I would want the price varies, but they are all less than $1000 a month!

I think I would probably choose the two or three bedroom, and have a roommate or two to cut down on costs. One of the reasons this particular apartment caught my eye was that they allow cats! I have a cat now that I will be getting from my best friend's dad, but I can't take her until I get my own place. This is perfect! Also, water, sewage and garbage is all paid in rent costs. And internet is free. That's fantastic, people! All I would have to worry about paying is rent of course, food costs, cat care costs, and whatever car and phone stuff I have. I can totally do that! Especially if I'll be splitting food costs with my roommates.

This place is a great apartment, and I would definitely love to live here. Unfortunately I cannot afford it yet, but I will definitely keep it in mind when I can!

This post is for a scholarship for Vacancy.com. I was asked to write a blog post on a listing and explain why it's perfect for me. I do not plan on moving out anytime soon.

Memories...

2011-07-28T16:15:00.000-07:00

I started going through all of my old Facebook photos, deciding whether or not to keep them or delete them. I have WAY too many, but on top of that my mom found a bunch of my photos on her laptop that I have to transfer, and I might need to upload them :P

Going through the last few years however, I realized just how much I have grown. I’ve gone through so many hairstyles and colors, on a bunch of trips, and met a bunch of new friends.

I am so blessed to be where I am today. I know I haven’t learned everything I need to know in life, but I also know that God will make sure I do. My life is far from over :)

I can’t wait to see what is in store for me in the next few years!

And I knowwww that I haven't updated this blog in almost a month! I'm so so sorry :( Life has been CRAZY. I will try and be better! Hope everyone is having a great summer!

Sick Day

2011-06-30T09:52:00.000-07:00

So, I'm sick. And it kind of sucks.

I had felt a little queasy last night while shopping with friends, but I wasn't too worried. Usually if I am really full and stand for too long I feel queasy. Once I sat down for awhile however, I felt fine. Well I woke up again this morning feeling sick. I figured it was just nerves, because I was supposed to work today and I get nervous when I go to work for some reason. But about 15 min before I actually needed to start getting ready, I threw up. Bleh.

So I'm spending the day at home. My brother has a report to write for his 4-H meeting tonight, so I'll be helping him with that, cleaning up my room again, since it got rearranged a little when my grandma went through my books, and watching tv shows I'm behind on. And possibly a little laundry. At least that I can do sitting down!

Also, my family was supposed to go up to Vancouver from the 1st through the 5th for a drum line reunion the 1st and 2nd for my mom, and then be up there for the 4th. That meant I got to see the boyfriend as soon as he got back from his cruise. Now we're not going to her reunion, so we're going up the 3rd. As much as I wanted to see him when he got back, this means I get to go to a welcome back/goodbye for the summer party on Saturday for my little choir sis that I haven't seen for almost a year, and a scrap-booking and possibly movie party with my friends on Friday. Hopefully I won't still be sick, and it was just something I ate!

Hope everyone else is healthy :)

Dang...

2011-06-28T18:19:00.000-07:00

I am so horrible at keeping up with blogging.

I finally have the pictures for the header of my new layout, I just haven't gotten around to working on the layout. Hopefully I will soon... but I've been behind on review books for my other blog so it might be awhile still.

I have a Tumblr now! This is actually my second one... the first got hacked and it was a hassle so I just made an entirely new one. I've been posting quite a bit on there so follow me if you have one so I can follow you back!

Sorry I'm so lazy... I will try to be better soon!

Dialect Vlog

2011-06-13T13:56:00.000-07:00

Read these words:

Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

And answer these questions:

•What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?
•What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?
•What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?
•What do you call gym shoes?
•What do you say to address a group of people?
•What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?
•What do you call your grandparents?
•What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?
•What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?
•What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

True friends

2011-05-25T19:28:00.000-07:00

A blogger friend called me a rare bird today. Otherwise known as a true friend. It meant a lot to me, because while I do enjoy reading her blogs and we are friends on other sites, I didn't think she really considered me a good blogger friend. I like knowing that I can be there for someone in spirit, even if I can't be there physically.

I really do love helping my friends out. I complain to them so often that I feel like I need to return the favor. And I love them dearly enough that I'll protect them to the ends of the earth and back if I need to.

I also try to being non-judgmental when people tell me things that are sensitive or that they might not want to be public knowledge. I know from personal experience that it's much easier to tell someone something if you know they will take it well. It's hard to be honest in the world these days when everyone is so passionate about what they believe. While I am passionate about a lot of things (abortion, for example) I also love hearing other people's beliefs and why they believe the way they do.

Everyone has a story, you just need to be willing to listen.

Update

2011-05-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

I have been a horrible blogger. On both of my blogs.

My summer is well under way, and I've been crazy busy hanging out with friends! I've also finally been getting back into reading so I have been on my other blog a bit more than this one. I'm hoping to have more exciting things to write about once I start doing more stuff!

I'm going to be having a new blog layout soon! The only reason I'm not putting it up now if I will have my own photos in the header, and we're taking the photos for it tomorrow. I'm super excited! I just dyed my hair a slightly darker reddish-brown with red highlights, so you'll get to see that in the pictures :D I guess I could put up a pic now... but I warn you: photobooth doesn't have the best quality!

I don't think you can even see the red :P

Hopefully the pics won't take too long for her to edit, and I'll have the new layout up in the next week or two!

Hope everyone is having a good week!

2011-05-03T13:33:00.000-07:00

Crying is supposed to make you feel better.

I've been bottling up my emotions for the past two weeks. Finally I've been crying like crazy. Seriously, I've cried about 5 times in a span of a week. Who does that?

I was hoping crying would make me feel better... but it only makes me feel worse. I don't even know why I'm so upset. I just cry. A certain song will come on, and I start crying to the point that I can't breathe.

I just want to stop feeling like this.

100 Truths

2011-04-23T18:19:00.000-07:00

I'm bored sooo... here's a random quiz.

WHAT WAS YOUR:
1. Last beverage: Juice
2. Last phone call: Rachel
3. Last text message: To Michael
4. Last song you listened to: Um... Stronger by Mandisa I believe
5. Last time you cried: Yesterday

HAVE YOU EVER:
6. Dated someone twice: No
7. Been cheated on: No
8. Kissed someone & regretted it: Yes
9. Lost someone special: Yes
10. Been depressed: Yes
11. Been drunk and threw up: No

LIST THREE FAVORITE COLORS:
12. Pink
13. Green
14. Purple

THIS YEAR HAVE YOU: (2011)
15. Made a new friend?: Yes
16. Fallen out of love? No
17. Laughed until you cried? Yes
18. Met someone who changed you? Yes
19. Found out who your true friends were? Yes
20. Found out someone was talking about you? Yes... but good things
21. Kissed anyone on your FB friends' list? No

GENERAL:
22. How many people on your FB friends list do you know in real life? All except my blogger friends
23. A TV show you wish was NOT canceled? Pushing Daisies
24. Do you have any pets? My kitties, and brother's rabbit
25. M&M's with or with OUT peanuts? Without
26. What did you do for your last birthday? Party at my grandparents'
27. What time did you wake up today? 9:30
28. What were you doing at midnight last night? Sleeping
29. Name something you CANNOT wait for: The end of the week, so school will be over!
30. Last time you saw your Mother? In person, two weeks ago. Otherwise, a couple of days ago on Skype
31. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life? Get a job at the public library
32. What are you listening to right now? Abandon All Hope podcast
33. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom? Yes
34. What's getting on your nerves right now? Nothing at the moment
35. Most visited webpage?: Facebook
36. PC or Mac? Mac!
37. Nicknames: Hun, Tink
38. Relationship Status: Dating
39. Zodiac Sign: Pisces
40. Lady or Gent? Lady
41. Elementary? Whitworth
42. Middle School? Lacreole
43. High School? Dallas High School
44. Hair Color? Brown
45. Long or short? Longish
46. Height? 5'8"
47. Do you have a crush on someone? Yes :)
48. What do you like about yourself? Uhhh... personality?
49. Piercings? Ears
50. Tattoos? None yet
51. Righty or lefty? Lefty
52. First surgery? None
53. First Piercing? Ears
54. First best friend? Leanne Wilson
55. First sport you joined? Basketball
58. Notice 56 & 57 missing? Not until this question

RIGHT NOW:
59. Eating: Cookies
60. Drinking: Water
61. *Poke*: *poke*
62. *Poke*: *poke*
63. Waiting for? Tomorrow!
64. Want kids? Eventually
65. Get Married? Eventually
66. Career? None yet

WHICH IS BETTER :
67. Lips or eyes: Eyes
68. Hugs or kisses: Hugs
69. Shorter or taller: Taller
70. Older or Younger: Older
71. Romantic or spontaneous: Romantic
72. Nice stomach or nice arms: Arms
73. Sensitive or loud: Sensitive
74. Hook-up or relationship: Relationship
75. Trouble-maker or hesitant: Both

HAVE YOU EVER :
76. Kissed a stranger? No
77. Drank hard liquor? No
78. Lost glasses/contacts? No
79. Had sex on first date? No
80. Broken someone's heart? Yes
81. Had your own heart broken? Sort of
83. Turned someone down? Yes
84. Cried when someone died? Yes
85. Fallen for a friend? Yes

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
86. Yourself? Yes
87. Miracles? Yes
88. Love at first sight? Yes
89. Heaven? Yes
90. Santa Claus? No
91. Kiss on the first date? Depends
92. Angels? Yes

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
93. Had more than one bf/gf at the same time?: No
94. Is there one person you want to be with right now? Yes
95. Did you sing today? Yes
96. Ever cheated on somebody? No
97. If you could go back in time, how far would you go, and why? I wouldn't
98. If you could pick a day from last year and relive it, what would it be? I'm not sure
99. Are you afraid of falling in love? Sometimes yes
100. Posting this as 100 truths? Yes

Blog tour: Besides Still Waters

2011-04-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

This is the synopsis from Amazon:

Raised among the Amish of Indiana, 18-year-old Marianna Sommer plans to get baptized into the church, marry Aaron Zook, and set up life in the only community she has ever known. But when her older brother chooses the world’s path following his rumschpringe, and a younger sibling begins showing interest in Englisch ways, Marianna’s parents move the family to Montana.

Although she is also in her rumschpringe years and not obligated to move, Marianna makes the journey to dutifully help her mother who is expecting another child. Surprisingly, from strangers on the cross-country train ride to the less rigid stance of the new Montana community, many Englisch influences awaken within Marianna—and even her father—the desire to pursue a deeper kind of joy and love for God. After an accident, Marianna tells her friend Ben a defining story about the Sommer family, and his response further illumines the active relationship God seeks with His followers. In due time, she learns the move from Indiana was not about losing anything, but finding out who God really is. Despite all the shake-ups, Marianna feels a sweet peace, like still waters, in her soul.

My mini review:

I love reading books on the Amish! This book was just as touching, and I enjoyed learning more about their culture through Marianna's journey and her struggles with her family and her faith. I found it interesting that she gave up her wants for the needs of her family, but in doing so ended up learning what she needed to know in the end.

If you love Amish reads, I would strongly encourage you to pick up this book!

Dance Afterwards

2011-04-16T20:26:00.000-07:00

The dance was SO amazing :D

I don't have the energy nor the desire to post the details, but if you wanna know, ask. Here's a few pictures instead!

Michael and I

Dinner: Reese's cheesecake :D

The flowers he got me :)

Us girls!

Eeeeeeeee!

2011-04-11T14:33:00.000-07:00

So for those who didn't already hear... I got asked to the dance on Friday :)

It was super crazy! Half of my floor was asking when I would be back so I knew something was up and then one of my friends said she needed to know as soon as I was back. I walked into my room and when I saw so many of my friends in there, I almost walked back out! :P On my desk was this:

I get really quiet when I'm nervous or terrified of something (which I was both!) so apparently my lack of a reaction was a disappointment, haha. I really am excited though! Hopefully I can make coherent sentences on Friday and not get so nervous I clam up :P

WHW: Drive in!

2011-04-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

This week's WHW is drive-ins! I'm going home this weekend and out local drive-in is having their opening weekend, rain or shine! I am super excited, because my friends and I always have a blast with our parties :D

Sadly these are the only ones I could find :(

Random Sunday

2011-04-03T15:13:00.000-07:00

An update on my last post:

I might just be doing a summery layout for now, and it might be a few weeks before I have a set one that I really like. Just a heads-up :)

Today I'm linking up at MannLand5 with these questions!

1. do you weigh yourself?

2. what's the nastiest thing you've ever eaten?

3. snail mail or email?

4. do you have any irrational fears...what are they?

5. do you play an instrument?

6. would you rather be bitten by a snake or attacked by a bear?

7. do you ever go braless in public?

8. today i am thankful for........................?

1. Yes, I do. I like to see my number go up!

2. Sushi. Ewwww.

3. Snail mail. I love love love getting a letter or package addressed just to me!

4. Losing people. I've had a lot of people leave my life. I'm not sure if that counts as irrational however...

5. A little piano. Not well though.

6. Bitten by a snake. Less pain and much easier to cure.

7. Ha... probably not.

8. Shasta! We've been spending a lot of time together and I will miss her when she transfer next year.

2011-04-02T15:42:00.000-07:00

I love my blog.

Love love love it. However I'm starting to question my writing style. I've been missing writing a lot lately and wanting to return to it, but I find it hard to write on here because I don't feel this blog is really who I am. Yeah, I love Paris and I'm definitely a poet. But my blog doesn't really show that.

I'm going to making some changes to my blog in the next few days, so be looking for a brand new look :)

Blog tour: The Mountains Bow Down

2011-03-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

Sibella’s celebrating the release of The Mountains Bow Down with a blog tour, a Cruise prize pack worth over $500 and a Facebook Party! Don't miss a minute of the fun.

One Grand Prize winner will receive:

A $500 gift certificate toward the cruise of their choice from Vacations To Go.

The entire set of the Raleigh Harmon series.

To enter click one of the icons below. Then tell your friends. And enter soon - the giveaway ends on 4/1! The winner will be announced at Sibella’s Raleigh Harmon Book Club Party on FB April 5th, 2011! Don’t miss the fun – prizes, books and gab!

About the Facebook Party: Join Sibella and fans of the Raleigh Harmon series on April 5th at 5:00 pm PST (6 MST, 7 CST & 8 EST) for a Facebook Book Club Party. Sibella will be giving away some fun prizes, testing your trivia skills and hosting a book chat about the Raleigh Harmon books. Have questions you'd like to chat about - leave them on the Event page.

My review:

Plot: I loved the mystery in this one! It was constantly twisting and turning, with the reader never knowing what to expect. I was a bit disappointed in the love story part... but it was still a good story that I enjoyed!

Characters: I loved the ship's security guy, he was soooo funny! I think his sarcastic remarks made the book that much better :) I didn't like Raleigh's love problems... honestly she annoyed me a little.

Setting: A cruise, what could be a better place for a murder?

Overall: I enjoyed this book very much! I actually liked it a little better than the last one. Great book!

WHW: Writing

2011-03-29T17:00:00.000-07:00

I have been neglecting my writing a lot lately. I realize how much I miss it, and how much I need it. So today it will be a writing day!

Writing in Paris? My dream!

"I am a writer; it's what I do."

2011-03-27T21:48:00.000-07:00

I'm a fairly shy person around people I don't know. It takes a lot for me to just walk up to a person and say hi or introduce myself if I don't know them. Transferring to Fox this year has helped to change that a little bit. I've learned that all of the incoming class was in the same boat: they were all brand new and in desperate need of friends. I quickly bonded with quite a few freshman because of this. Most of my friends here are freshman; I'm only friends with a handful of sophomores and even fewer upperclassmen. For those students who already have friends, they are always willing to meet more people. The connections I've made here have helped me to become more outgoing in amazing ways. However, I still get shy at the strangest of times. Today I was sitting at Multnomah while the best friend had a meeting. Instead of sitting near others or introducing myself to anyone, I sat in the corner by myself playing computer games until Macy died, and then I wrote this post.

I don't understand how sometimes I can be totally outgoing and introduce myself to a random visiting student and invite her to eat lunch at our table (yes, I have done this) and other times I stutter or clam up. I've noticed in most of the times I'm shy, I'm being introduced to someone by one of my friends or I'm in their "territory". I'm sure part of it is a matter of self-esteem; I'm constantly comparing myself to others, especially my closest friends. Times like this help me realize the faults I still have to work on. After all, I'm not perfect and I never will be.

2011-03-12T22:34:00.000-08:00

I had planned on going to church tomorrow. I was so excited because it was the church I had visited the first week and loved, but had no one to go with. My roommate has a friend who goes, and offered to take me along. I have missed church, so I was super excited. Unfortunately, I am no longer going.

I've had a headache most of the afternoon, and it is quickly escalating into a migraine. I can tell it will not be going away anytime soon, so either 1) I will get no sleep 2) I will still have the headache/migraine in the morning, or both. I just decided to not go, and I'll go after I get back from spring break.

In other news, I got my hair cut!

I love my Photobooth a little too much :)

It's only about 4 whole inches shorter plus the bangs! I really like it :) I'm also looking forward to coloring it again in the near future, with the specific color to be announced later ;)

George Fox is sending a team to Peru for May Serve this year, and they held a garage sale today to raise funds. They had super cheap prices and pretty decent stuff. There was even an iTouch! I ended up with a new laptop cover for Macy (since her knitted sweater is missing...), a dark green long-sleeve shirt, and a white lacy-ish girls top. (And by girls, I mean little girls XL :P Yes... I sadly still fit them. Barely.) All for $5! My friend went along and just paid for both of our stuff with one check, since I had no cash. Our total should have been about $8, but they were nice and only charged us $5! Woo bargains!

Don't forget to set your clocks forward an hour tonight!

In closing, I will leave you with my new favorite song of the week: Who Says by Selena Gomez. (Don't judge. She rocks, and this song had an amazing message.) Enjoy!

Waiting on Her

2011-03-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

I finally stopped hiding things from her yesterday. I got up the courage to write her a novel of a message on FB, since I was in class and knew I wouldn't see her until late. (Actually, I didn't see her at all. I was already in bed when she finally got back.) It was a very heart-felt message, and I almost cried writing it. It made me really sad to think about the way our friendship has ended up, and that most of it is my fault. I knew she wouldn't give me an actual response through the message, because she likes talking in person. That's fine, I understand. But I would have at least liked an acknowledgment that she got the message and would talk later... but nothing. And I know she's read it.

This morning I thought she might say something, because we were both awake and not doing much, the door was shut (she always closes the door when we talk), and no one else was bugging us. But nothing. The only thing she said the entire time before she left was, "How did your speech go?" Don't get me wrong, I was glad she remembered I had it and genuinely wanted to know how it went, but still. My speech isn't as big of an issue to me. I would rather fail the speech then go on acting the way we have been. *momentary break while I stop crying* Ahem. I care about her a lot, probably more than she knows. It's hard because I am a very huggy person, and we never hug. Ever. I know that's partially my fault because I never say anything and should, but still.

Normally I'm pretty good at hiding my emotions from the other girls on the floor. One can usually tell something is up, but knows not to ask unless I say something. Last night I realized how hard I've been taking this when another girl who I've only recently been becoming closer with immediately asked me what was wrong. It scares me to know that something like this is becoming so huge that I can't even hide it from the people I live on the floor with. What does it look like to her, who I actually room with?

I'm hoping to talk to her tonight. I actually just sent her a text, asking if we could talk after her evening class. I'm not sure if we will, because I'm pretty sure she has a test tomorrow and will want to be studying. But I figured it is worth a shot.

She is slowly becoming someone in my life that I can't label. She isn't my best friend. She isn't my study buddy. She isn't my movie buddy. So what is she then? She's the person who can relate to me. She's the person here I can trust with anything. She's my RA. And she's my roommate.

But the one thing I want her to become again, is simply my friend.

WHW: Hugs

2011-03-08T08:35:00.000-08:00

I've been in a very emotional mood the past few days and have been craving hugs. The funny thing is I won't ask my roommate for one so I don't usually get any. Sad, right? Haha.

Awww, so cute ^^ Link up with Briemarie if you want to join!

WHW: Flip flops!

2011-03-02T17:13:00.000-08:00

Ready for this weeks WHW? :) This week, I heart flip flops! I have over 10 pairs, and I have just about every color of the rainbow, minus red I believe. I have a small obsession :P I would love to wear them year-round, but my family doesn't like me wearing them over winter because in Oregon it constantly rains so I'm walking through puddles all the time. But it is now MARCH which means I can once again break out the flip flops!

Hee hee :D Seriously, the picture with the rainbow flip flops could be my closet :P Yaaaay flip flops!

Help me win a $3,000 college scholarship. Vote for my essay!

2011-03-01T20:23:00.000-08:00

Help me win a $3,000 college scholarship. Vote for my essay!

Please vote for this, it's so I can win a scholarship! Thanks!

Casting Crowns - Always Enough

2011-02-27T19:03:00.000-08:00

This song pretty much hit home tonight.

I went home this past weekend for my birthday, which is tomorrow. My party went pretty well for the most part but I was just stressed the whole time. I was also reminded how much I dislike going home. I love seeing people, but I hate being at home. I'd much rather stay at school and have people come to me. I just don't feel completely comfortable at home anymore. So by Saturday night I was ready to come back. Thankfully we were heading back right after church the next day, so I got back much earlier than we normally do. It was nice being back, but I was exhausted to the point that I was having trouble forming coherent sentences and couldn't even just mess around on FB without nodding off. I got a quick nap in, but it ended up messing up my vision in one eye, so I have about 3/4 vision between my eyes right now. Because of that, I have a headache. And then... I got an e-mail from my CS professor. Now CS is my major, but this semester has been kicking my butt because I've been having issues writing up the programs. The Java itself is fine, but the programs just don't make sense to me. So I have not been doing well... but he sent me an e-mail today and said he wants me to re-do last weeks programs. He also said that he was leaving my assignment at his office so that I wouldn't be embarrassed if anyone else saw my grade. I seriously freaked.... because I have a solid C right now and if one assignment can drop it to where he's worried I know I bombed it. I'm stressing out, which is bad because tomorrow I want to be in a good mood since it is my actual birthday.

So yeahhh. Keep me in your prayers? :/

Perfect

2011-02-17T11:46:00.000-08:00

This song has been running through my head lately.

I never feel like I am perfect, I am always the loser. The one in everyone else's shadow. The one who can't do anything right. I always try to please others, but never live up to their expectation, which makes me feel worse.

This is going to be a long weekend.

NOTE: I apologize for the song title, but there is no language in the actual song.

Angry rant to follow.

2011-02-16T19:41:00.000-08:00

WARNING: This post will contain a very angry rant about how my day has gone and how my school does not contain a bunch of heathens.

SERIOUSLY???? I feel like punching out a freaking window right now, I am so MAD! My day did not start great, because I slept through my alarm and was almost late to my class. Then roomie found out someone in her family is not doing well and she took it pretty hard. She is normally the emotionally sane one, which helps keep me sane. Having her upset is throwing me for a loop. Then I got laughed at in ethics for stating my opinion (which basically was that I didn't care either way, but hey I was honest) which just made me feel worse. I then proceeded to have a fabulously PEACHY fight with one of my best friends about how my school gets out two weeks earlier than hers even though we're on the same schedule. Which then proceeded to me getting sick of everyone attacking MY school because MY school is a bunch of heathens and MY school lets in non-Christians YET they have the same curriculum and the teachers have to align themselves with the school's statement of faith before they are hired.

Do you understand why I'm upset here?? I'm sick of having to defend MY school against my two best friends because THEIR schools are FABULOUS all the time. I'm not saying they aren't, but HELLO!!! I go to a Christian school too and we are just fine!!! It just makes me SO mad that no one even ASKS me once in awhile what Fox is like, when frankly I would spend hours telling them all about it! This school has so much to offer, but no one cares. I'm tired of it.

Now I have to spend my time pretending through a floor meeting that I'm just peachy and nothing is wrong. Roomie might have noticed, but chose not to ask. Which is probably a good thing, because I probably would have gone into a shouting rant at her.

Why can't my Sunday brunch with Ang come sooner??? She's the one person I can rely on 24/7 and who accepts me who I am. And ironically, I haven't even told her about my past. Maybe Sunday. But that's another post.

WHW - Books and reading!

2011-02-15T15:05:00.000-08:00

It's funny.... I was in a major reading slump earlier this week. Now all I want to do is read! So this week's We Heart Wednesday is for books and reading :)

I love these last two the best :D If you want to link up, click the button at the top and join in!

Why...

2011-02-13T15:33:00.000-08:00

You know those days where you feel like the whole world is against you?

Today is one of those days.

I went home this weekend partially because I'm babysitting my step-sister tonight and partially because I wanted to surprise my friends. My best friend was also coming down this weekend, so it was a double surprise, basically. We happened to be coming home on a square dancing weekend, so we got to go. It was the first time in almost a year we have had the whole group there (minus Nicki...) and it was so much fun. Today I was so happy to be here I started crying in church. Now I'm crying for the complete opposite reason. We're trying to figure out plans to hang out but nothing is working and I get a feeling I'm not being told the whole story, which kind of hurts. I feel like I'm trustworthy, I mean I've kept secrets for friends before, so why can't I be trusted? Honestly, I feel like I should have just stayed home all day.

I wish things would stay the same....

---

Well. Now I wish I didn't ask, because I just feel worse.

---

Okay, so I guess I'm okay now. I just have a lot bothering me right now and this was just the thing that set my emotions off.

I probably won't be blogging much on this blog this week, but I'm sure a few posts will go up on my private blog.

Random Acts of Kindness

2011-02-08T15:53:00.000-08:00

This is a new meme hosted byBook Soulmates! To read all the details go here. Basically you sign up some months with your wishlist, and someone gets you something from it. Other months you get something for someone else. This month I signed up as a receiver, and next month I'll hopefully be a giver :) I'll let you know what I get!

WHW: I Heart Sleep....

2011-02-08T08:36:00.000-08:00

Yes that's right, I Heart Sleep. I haven't been sleeping well lately due to my throat freaking out and just when I was starting to sleep all night again, we have a fire alarm last night (no fire, don't worry) but the smoke smell hurt my throat and has me coughing now. So I want sleep.

I want a hammock....

Yep that sums it up. Join the others in WHW by going to Brie Marie's blog!

Sick sick sick...

2011-02-05T21:18:00.000-08:00

Well this weekend has not gone well... *sigh*

Yesterday one of my friends was teasing me and went to run off with my Nintendo DS. Well it was plugged in... and when she pulled it too far it smashed into a chair and the hinge broke. It was already cracked so I'm not too surprised it broke... but still. I bought it myself, and those things aren't exactly cheap. Anyways, I'm buying another one off of eBay. I can afford it and my current one is already 3 years old so I figure it's okay to get a new one.

On top of that, I am officially sick. This is a big deal because I rarely get sick and when I do, it is HORRIBLE. I can't even begin to tell you how much my body attacks me when it's sick. I've managed to get over most of the congestion and body aches, but my throat is not healing. I'm so tired of having to force food down because I can barely swallow anything that's NOT hot. I've drank all of my apple cider packets, so now I'm working through my hot chocolate ones. Hopefully I can get rid of this before Wednesday... because I have my first speech in comm class. >.< Eeep! I am So. NERVOUSSSSS. Words cannot describe O.O

The one nice thing about being sick this particular weekend is my roommate is gone on her staff retreat so I have the room to myself. Which effectively means I get to take over her bed without feeling guilty :) Believe me, napping is so much nicer on her cushy mattress than mine!

Basically I just want to get over this sore throat. Honestly, I can deal with the runny/stuffy nose and sneezing, but not the throat issues. Mehhh.

Anyone else dealing with sickness?

School is kicking my butt.

2011-01-30T14:09:00.000-08:00

Welllll.

These past couple weeks have been crazy. I added half of my classes two weeks after they started so I'm super behind and trying to catch up. On top of that I'm taking a full load of 18 credits. Trying to keep my sanity intact while getting my work done is not going well, but I've been doing better. The only thing is lack of sleep, but at least I have all afternoons off to take naps if I need to.

Things have also been getting better with my roommate. We don't fight at all, but we do have our issues and it has been hard since we're both taking a full course load and she has started official nursing classes. Thankfully we're starting to adjust so it's been better.

I've been having a hard time balancing between schoolwork and personal reading time, but I've still been reading tons. I'm hoping to get more books read than last year, which should be a piece of pie. (Yes pie, not cake. Don't ask why.) I've been mainly reading ebooks off of my Kindle, since I have WAY too many, but I've also been slowly making my way through my actual bookshelf. Since I have close to 100 print copies now, between my bookshelf here at school, my bookshelf at my mom's, and my closet at my mom's. I'm a major procrastinator, so forcing myself to do homework is hard. I have quite a few chapters to read for Christian Foundations to catch up, but I'm thinking I might just skim the past ones and just read the ones for Tuesday's quiz. Much faster! Plus I still have CS to finish before tomorrow morning which requires me to borrow a book from someone because mine is STILL not here! Grrr.

Anyways, I just thought I would update all of you on my past couple of weeks. How is everyone else dealing with schoolwork? Any killer classes? Favorite classes? Let me know!

Bloggiesta Wrap-up

2011-01-24T14:54:00.000-08:00

So I had waaay more homework this weekend than I expected, so I didn't get all of my goals done. Here's what I did:

Series posts (I didn't even work on these >.< Hopefully I'll have time in the near future to mess around with my ideas for this one!)
Guest post template (I decided against guest posts, so I nixed this goal and the next one.)
Guest post questions
~~Review template~~ (Done!)
~~Clean up sidebar~~ (Done!)
~~Create book blog~~ (Done! See it here!)
~~Clean up personal blog (transfer posts)~~ (Done!)
Elevator pitch (I decided against this for this blog, but I did include one in my About Me page of TLB. So I guess I sort of finished it?)
Update Goodreads shelves (Still not done :/ I'm in the process of it and hope to finish it this week.)

Well if you don't include the ones I nixed, I only missed two goals! Pretty good, considering my weekend.

I also have an idea for a weekly Friday post, so be looking for that!

Bloggiesta!

2011-01-20T16:16:00.000-08:00

It’s already time for the fourth edition of Bloggiesta! Are you a blogger? (With apologies to those who are not). If so, this event is just for you! Bloggiesta is scheduled for January 21st, 22nd, and 23rd. The beginning of the year is a great time to evaluate your blog, see how you’re doing, and get re-energized for the rest of the year!
Some of you may be asking what is Bloggiesta? In short, it’s a blogging marathon. A opportunity to cross those nagging items off of your to-do list and improve your blog while in the good company of other awesome bloggers doing the same thing. Our awesome mascot Pedro (Plan. Edit. Develop. Review. Organize) is ready to break out the nachos, enchiladas, drinks, mariachi music and whack a pinata or two! It’s nothing short of an awesome fiesta!

What to do during the Bloggiesta?

Write reviews.
Write backup posts for a rainy day.
Write that great post idea from three months back.
Work on series posts.
Write guest posts.
Put out invitations for guest posts.
Conduct and edit author interviews.
Create template posts for your future reads (ie: title, images, linking, tags, etc,) so you can open up, write review and post without being bogged down with technicalities
Clean up your tags, archives, books reviewed list, etc.
Create a text file (or Google Doc) of cheat sheets (html codes, post url’s, etc)
Improve your blog template, clean up sidebars, add a favicon, install those plugins that you’ve been meaning to do.
Add or edit your about me page, review policy, disclosure policy, privacy policy, create landing pages (for example – an about me for Twitter readers page) or any other pages you might have.
Any bloggy type housekeeping that you’ve been neglecting.
Clean up and update your challenge lists. Link up your posts with hosts.
Make sure all of your social network profiles are up to date. Be consistent in those profiles with color scheme, images, etc.
Go get a gravatar.
Visit the Blogging Tips group on the Book Blogs Ning and find ways to improve your blog.
Work on any specialized projects that you may have going.
Clean out and organize your feed reader and blog subscriptions.
Create an elevator pitch.
Make business cards.
Find a blogging buddy.
Analyze and re-evaulate your blog.
Back up your blog.
Learn more about blogging, read great articles, get inspired.
Make sure you have properly copyrighted your blog and know what to do when somebody reposts your material.
Brainstorm blogging topics.
Manage your feedreader.
Help other bloggers, answer questions, share your expertise (let’s face it – this is the best part of Bloggiesta!)
The sky’s the limit!

This is my first year, and so I haven;t really decided how many tasks I will accomplish yet. Part of it depends on my workload, and as I haven't registered for classes yet I don't really know what my load is. I will update when I have a better idea :) For those who want to join, go to the original post here!

-----

Okay, I have officially decided on my list for this! How much of it will actually get done... well probably not much. I'm LOADED on homework this weekend :( But anyway, here we go!

Series posts
Guest post template
Guest post questions
Review template
Clean up sidebar
~~Create book blog~~
Clean up personal blog (transfer posts)
Elevator pitch
Update Goodreads shelves

Well I already made my book blog, The Librarian's Bookshelf! So please please go check it out :) I will slowly be setting it up so it's more pretty, and I have a poll over there that I would love for all of my readers to vote on!

Hopefully I can get some of this list done....

Help!

2011-01-19T19:52:00.000-08:00

So you know how I said I was participating in Bloggiesta? Well one of my to-dos is the make a separate book blog. (More info to come.) I'm having a bit of an issue making the layout.... I found a perfect background and header to use but the site asks me to make a gadget and add it that way. However Blogger's default template covers it up and messes up things. How do I eliminate the default template? Anyone know?

EDIT:

I figured it out! :D I'm still finalzing things, but once it's set, I'll post the link :)

Review - The New World

2011-01-16T21:27:00.000-08:00

This is the description of the book from Amazon:

In this dramatic prequel to the award-winning Chaos Walking Trilogy, author Patrick Ness gives us the story of Viola's journey to the New World. Whether you're new to Chaos Walking or an established fan, this prequel serves as a fascinating introduction to the series that Publishers Weekly called "one of the most important works of young adult science fiction in recent years."

My review: 5 stars

Plot: Oh. My. GOOD. NESS. This book made me stop breathing. And it's a NOVELLA!!!! It was nothing but intense and had you pulled in wondering what on earth would happen next. Beyond amazing.

Characters: The mom and dad aren't in the story much, but they are good supporters of the main character, Viola. Due to the circumstance of the book, she is expected to be a strong leader, against her wishes. She plays her part well, and you want to comfort her because you feel her pain.

Setting: The setting is unique because it's mostly set in a ship, on the way to a new planet that they are moving too. It helps set the whole story.

Overall: Yes, I just gave a novella 5 stars. And yes, I am adding the rest of the series to my wish list. I. am. sold. Read it.

SQUEEEEEEEEE!!!

2011-01-16T20:58:00.000-08:00

I. AM. SOOOOO. EXCITED!!!!!

:D

So Amazon recently released their Kindle lending program, where anyone with a Kindle ebook (that has been okayed by the publisher to be lent) can lend the ebook to another Kindle for 14 days. The only catch is the original Kindle loses it for those 14 days, and each ebook can only be lent once.

Ahem. On the the squee-worthy news.

I WAS LENT THE HUNGER GAMES :D

Yes yes yes yes yes! I have wanted to read these books for awhile, but was afraid of buying them in case I didn't like them. Now I can read the first one for free and then make sure I like them before I get my own copies :D So after I finish the last novella on my Kindle, this will be on the top of my reading list. Be looking for my *hopefully* great review!

And for those who don't already have the PC or Mac Kindle apps, get them. Seriously, they're free and there are plenty of free ebooks on Amazon. Just do it! Sooo worth it.

Review - Living Above Worry and Stress

2011-01-16T17:29:00.000-08:00

This is the description of the book from Amazon:

These topical guides will deal with issues that women wrestle with today: God's Will, Living in Christ, Prayer, and Worry.
Reaching an audience across race, socio-economic, denominational, and age boundaries, these guides will enhance the lives of women in America as they empower them in their weekly devotions. The study guides can be used for both individual and group settings.
Women are asking good questions about their faith. With our study guides, we want to join them in their quest for knowledge and lead them in finding the answers they are seeking.

My review: 4 stars

This was written as a 12 step study, although I read it straight through. While it had great advice and tips in each chapter for each separate emotion, it almost seems like it would be better to read the chapter that corresponds to the way you feel at the time. It also includes a leader's guide, so you can do it as you see fit.

2011-01-16T11:40:00.000-08:00

Today has not started well.

As some people already know, my roommate and I have bunk beds, and I sleep on top. I have no problem with bunk beds, despite my fear of heights. As long as the bed is solid, I'm fine. This morning I went to climb down at about 8:30 to let my roommate in because she had locked herself out. Normally I have to climb down the end of our bed, which requires me turning around on my bed. This time I lost my balance and fell off of the side of the bed. And let me tell you, my bed is pretty high up. I managed to sort of catch myself and fall on my back rather than face first, but I hit pretty hard. Even just sitting here my back is throbbing. It also hurts to turn my neck in any direction. I'm hoping I didn't hurt it, but I've been pretty stressed this week and I hold stress in my shoulders and they tense up so I'm pretty sure this didn't help at all.

I hope to be okay, just take pain meds and rest some, but I could do with prayers. This was a pretty terrifying experience for me, since I don't like heights, and my roommate already feels bad enough that I don't want her to have to worry about me. Hopefully I can heal quickly!

Review - Outta the Bag (Me, Myself, and Why? Prequel)

2011-01-15T15:47:00.000-08:00

Starting with this review I'm planning on separating my review into plot, characters, setting, and my overall opinion of the story. Hopefully I can give more in-depth reviews this way.

Here is the synopsis from Amazon:

FREE PREVIEW! READ THE PREQUEL TO ME,MYSELF, & WHY!

From New York Times bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson, comes OUTTA THE BAG the hilarious prequel story to her upcoming novel ME, MYSELF AND WHY, the first in a brand new series. In OUTTA THE BAG, Clive Better—the better-than-best plumber in town—attends a speed dating event where—instead of attempting to score phone numbers—he recounts his recent run-in with a freaked-out cat and a sexy-but-psychotic woman that has left him confused, scratched up, and rather aroused.

My review: 2 stars

Plot: Since this was a prequel, it didn't have much of a plot line. And honestly, I felt the plot line didn't make any sense.

Characters: The blond that the plumber talks about it just plain WEIRD. I think she might have multiple personalities, because of how drastically she changes over the short time of the story. While she is interesting, she was just odd and didn't interest me much.

Setting: Since it was such a short story, there isn't much setting. Basically it's just set around the guy's plumbing truck. Nothing too exciting.

Overall: This book did nothing for me. I'm sorry, but I prefer my short stories to pull me into the series and want to look into it, and this book didn't. I was quite disappointed.

Review - Cat Calls

2011-01-13T22:01:00.000-08:00

This is the description of the book from Amazon:

Tiffany's grandmother sees something wild in her future -- but is 16-year-old Tiffany prepared for the powerful shape it will take? When she takes over her grandmother’s fortune telling booth for a day, some really strange things happen… CAT CALLS is a short story by New York Times Bestseller Cynthia Leitich Smith -- set in the same dark universe as her novels Tantalize, Eternal, and Blessed.

My review: 3 stars

This one was a little weird for me. I t was good, and it had me hooked. But I felt like this short story should have been the book in the full series, rather than Tantalize. Also, I looked up the other books in the series and this series doesn't sound as appealing as the others did. Not something I would look for again.

Review - Remedial Magic

2011-01-13T21:42:00.000-08:00

This is the description from Amazon:

Delve deeper into the world of the fae with a Faeriewalker bonus story.
Having a prodigy for an older brother is not so fun…especially one who is magic wiz-kid. But Kimber has a plan to finally step out of his shadow.

My review: 3 stars

Honestly this companion novel wasn't as good as the others I read. It was based off of a character that I couldn't even find mentioned in the original Faeriewalker series, and it seemed very out of place with the series. Pretty much the only useful thing it did was introduce the world the series is based in.

It also includes the first two chapters of Glimmerglass, the first Faeriewalker novel, and I was HOOKED. The second chapter end with such a cliffhanger! I literally gasped when I saw there were no more pages :P All three novels of the series are now on my wishlist :)

Review - Beasts and BFFS

2011-01-13T20:47:00.000-08:00

This is the description of the book from Amazon:

A Bonus 13 to Life Prequel Story.
Meet Jessie Gillmansen as she realizes that things might not be what they seem in the town of Junction.

My review: 5 stars

As I mentioned in my last review, I typically don't like companion books. However this book was so intense, I was literally on the edge on my seat. One of my friends even came by and made me jump a foot! It also includes the prologue and first chapter of the series it is attached to, 13 to Life, and I added the books to my wishlist right after. These books sounds amazing and I can't wait to find out more!

I apologize for the massive attack of reviews, but more will come! I've started reading shorter books on my Kindle and since I read my ebooks fast I finish them in no time. And I try to post reviews as soon as I finish a book, otherwise I tend to forget. For my readers who don't read much, especially fantasy, I would still recommend looking up future releases on Amazon in the genre you prefer; you'd be amazed what books you find! Plus Amazon does recommendations, which are often very accurate.

Review - Retro Demonology

2011-01-13T17:39:00.000-08:00

This is the description of the book from Amazon:

A Demon Trapper’s bonus story.
Before Riley Blackthorne can take on Grade Five demons, she has to trap her very first. Her debut solo trapping experience should be a breeze, just a harmless Grade One after all. But throw in some dippy hippies (whose peace signs and Patchouli really aren’t driving any demons away), one mischievous demon, and a run-in with the police, and Riley might not be able to pull it off...

My review: 4 stars

This is a companion novel to The Demon Trapper's Daughter, and it's actually pretty good. I want to read the original story now! Typically I don't like companion novels or short stories because of the lack of depth, but this one is just enough to get you interested and wanting more. If you like fantasy, I definitely recommend it.

Writing Prompt: The last time my heart truly melted was.....

2011-01-13T10:37:00.000-08:00

I am linking this up with Mama Kat at Mama's Losin' It!

The last time my heart truly melted was when I was sitting in chapel Monday morning. Yes I know, not very long ago. But after being away from Fox for three very long weeks, and being chapel-deprived and people-deprived, it was wonderful. Sitting amongst half of the girls from my floor, and singing worship hymns, I almost started crying I was so happy. You know that feeling when you are so blissfully content that nothing in the world could ruin it? That was how I felt. My emotions just welled up all at once and I felt so peaceful. Here is where I want to be, and here is where I belong.

It is such a relief to be back. :)

Review - The Clouds Roll Away (LATE!)

2011-01-13T08:35:00.000-08:00

This is the description of the book from Amazon:

Raleigh Harmon's life seems as impossible to solve as the high-profile case she's pursuing.
Closing her assignment with the FBI's Seattle office, forensic geologist Raleigh Harmon returns to her hometown of Richmond, Virginia, expecting a warm welcome. Instead she finds herself investigating an ugly cross burning at a celebrity's mansion and standing in the crosshairs of her boss at the Bureau. And the deeper Raleigh digs into the case, the murkier the water becomes...until she's left wondering who the real victims might be.
To make matters worse, Raleigh's personal life offers almost zero clarity. Her former confidant is suddenly remote while her former boyfriend keeps popping up wherever she goes. And then there's her mother. Raleigh's move home was supposed to improve Nadine's fragile sanity, but instead seems to be making things worse.
As the threads of the case begin crossing and double-crossing, Raleigh is forced to rely on her forensic skills, her faith, and the fervent hope that breakthrough will come, bringing with it that singular moment when the clouds roll away and everything finally makes sense.

My review: 4 stars

This book was not my normal genre, so it took me a long time to get into it. While I do love suspense and mystery (and my two favorite tv shows are crime labs) I don't like reading about detectives and such. So this book started out really slow for me. However, once it got started it was really good! One thing that kept me on my seat was the twists and turns regarding both the cross burning and her fragile relationships. I felt so horrible for her every time her former best friend said something cold!

I didn't know this before I read the book, but this is book 2 in the series. Book 1 is The Rivers Run Dry, which I hope to get my hands on soon, and book 3 is The Mountains Bow Down which I will hopefully get through an upcoming blog tour.

I received this book free from the Litfuse Group. This review is my own opinion.

Review - Emotions: Freedom from Anger, Jealousy and Fear

2011-01-12T22:02:00.000-08:00

This is the description from Amazon:

Help in Understanding the EmotionsStrong emotions that we don't know how to handle effectively lie at the core of so many difficulties in the life of the individual. They can affect our relationships with loved ones, and how we function in our work. They play a profound role in how we feel about ourselves, and can even affect our physical health. And we are too often trapped in the dilemma of "expression" versus "repression." Expressing our emotions can often hurt others, but by repressing them – even in the benevolent guise of "self-control" – we risk hurting ourselves. Osho offers a third alternative, which is to understand the roots of our emotions and to develop the knack of watching them and learning from them as they arise, rather than being "taken over" by them. Eventually we find that even the most challenging and difficult situations no longer have the power to provoke us and cause us pain. Osho's unique insight into the workings of the mind, the heart, and the essence or "being" of the individual goes far beyond the understandings of conventional psychology. Over more than three decades of work with people from all walks of life, he has developed simple techniques and insights to help modern-day men and women to rediscover their own inner silence and wisdom.

Review: 3 stars

While this book had some good points, it was a just too weird for me. It referenced multiple religions, and sometimes in weird ways. Also at the end it gives many exercises that help the reader release certain emotions, but some of them were pretty strange. I wouldn't recommend this book unless you're really looking for something out of the ordinary.

Is the week over yet?

2011-01-11T20:32:00.000-08:00

I was in such a great mood yesterday. I am so glad to be back and see people, that I just couldn't stop smiling.

Today has been a drastic difference. I woke up late because my phone turned off in the middle of the night, so I had 20 minutes to get ready. All of my classes today are boring classes: management, marketing and stats. I was starving by 10:30 but couldn't eat until 1:15 because of back-to-back classes. Certain people make hurtful comments about something I did, and I can't tell them they upset me. Other people decide to make my mood worse and blow something way out of proportion.

I honestly just want to cry right now. I'm so upset that I'm playing my own music with my earphones in, which i only do when I'm upset because my roommate just plays her music and I listen to that. But when I get upset I go into my own little world and play my own music, which for some creepy reason always plays depressing songs that match my mood and make me cry. So I'm sure I will start crying before I go to bed tonight. I'm hoping tomorrow will be better, as I only have two classes and one is CS, but I'm 99.9% positive I have it with the one person on campus I try to avoid with every cell in my body. And I don't have my friend in it to protect me this semester. So I'm slightly dreading it which is sad, because it's my major and I love the class itself. I'm considering just going semi-early and bringing my laptop and stealing a non-computered desk in the back so I'll have a better chance of him not sitting by me.

Also on a slight side note, a few of my friends from home go to my school's rival school. In the past we've always joked around about it just teasing each other. However in church on Sunday they took it way too far and basically said my school was a bunch of heathens, which really hurt. Yes, I know my school is more liberal than yours, but really? We have the same foundational beliefs. The only reason I'm bringing this is up is because Monday's chapel was on George Fox's foundational beliefs and how diverse we are. I would now like to quote some of it, listed under out statement of faith:

We believe in one eternal God, the source and goal of life, who exists as three persons in the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In love and joy, God creates and sustains the universe, including humanity, male and female, who are made in God's image.

We believe that salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone, to whom we must respond with repentance, faith, and obedience. Through Christ we come into a right relationship with God, our sins are forgiven, and we receive eternal life.

There is obviously way more, but I'd rather not post it so if you're curious go here. I just chose the big parts, the parts that make someone Christian. The rest of the statement of faith I personally agree with, and I am not Quaker. Yes, my school is founded by "liberal" Quakers, but the school is very open to any religion, and gives the opportunity to explore your own beliefs. So why do people have to tear a school down and call them heathens simply because we're rivals? What happened to fun rivalry, rather than an all-out war?

Honestly I wish I could just go away for a day and stop time so I wouldn't miss classes. (As nerdy as that sounds, and as boring as my classes sound, they're actually pretty interesting!) I think I might just read some tonight, since I've been neglecting my books quite a bit. Plus the ebook I'm currently reading is on emotions, so maybe it will help ;)

If you managed to make it all the way through this post, I applaud you. I hope I didn't make you want to run away screaming or break down crying. But hey, my blog is partially for me and I felt like I just needed to get it all out.

We Heart Wednesday

2011-01-11T19:17:00.000-08:00

This is my first time participating in the weekly meme. You can choose any topic, but the only requirement is you get your images from weheartit.com!

This week I want to choose dorm life/floor mates.

I so want my room to look like this!

This does not even begin to cover the crazy adventures we have :) Just today, a few of us tried to get ourselves stuck in the elevator. Yeah, that's how we roll.

Blog cleaning!

2011-01-07T22:46:00.000-08:00

I just finished cleaning up my blog list, and BOY do I feel better! I was following over 200 blogs people. 200!!! That is unrealistic for me to read them all, considering the amount of time I spend with people, doing schoolwork, reading or whatever. Quite a few were also either deleted or hadn't posted for a few months, so I just tossed them. I kept a few exceptions, those being people I know personally.

Because I followed so many blogs I would get behind in reading them a lot and skip tons of posts just trying to catch up. I'm hoping now that I've cut down significantly I will read most of the posts. I know I won't read all, but hey. I'm human.

If I removed you and you don't think I should have, let me know! It may have been an honest mistake.

Review - I'm Beautiful, Why Can't I See It?

2011-01-06T11:37:00.000-08:00

This is the description of the book from Goodreads:

Emotional eating. It's a rising epidemic. Katrina looks in the mirror and sees "repulsive," "fat," "stupid," even though friends tell her she is one of the most intelligent and beautiful girls in her college. If I'm so beautiful, why can't I see it? Katrina wants to take back control of her life. Do you? Author Kimberly Davidson, a recovered bulimic, found spiritual and physical restoration and brings a clear message of hope and restoration in I'm Beautiful? Why Can't I See It? Anybody suffering from unhealthy eating patterns and low self-esteem needs unconditional love and acceptance, forgiveness, as well as needing to learn how to forgive herself and others who may have harmed her. This effective, proven, step-by-step 13-week healing devotional study is for anyone struggling with unhealthy patterns of eating and body image issues, including eating disorders (compulsive overeating, bulimia, and/or anorexia). Emotional (or disordered) eating is very serious, and God has specific processes for setting people free. I'm Beautiful? Why Can't I See It? can be used as a personal resource or in groups and is 12-step compatible.

While this book has plenty of great info and advice, it didn't apply to me as much as I'd hoped. It focused mostly on eating disorders, and some of the steps branched off of the expectation that the reader has an eating disorder. For that reason it was hard to read, as I don't have an eating disorder, but as a whole the book is definitely worth reading. Even if you simply compare yourself to others, wishing you were someone else, I would encourage you to pick up this book and try it out. You won't be disappointed.

Review - Pretty Little Liars

2011-01-05T19:45:00.000-08:00

This is the synopsis from Goodreads:

Three years ago, Alison disappeared after a slumber party, not to be seen since. Her friends at the elite Pennsylvania school mourned her, but they also breathed secret sighs of relief. Each of them guarded a secret that only Alison had known. Now they have other dirty little secrets, secrets that could sink them in their gossip-hungry world. When each of them begins receiving anonymous emails and text messages, panic, sets in. Are they being betrayed by some one in their circle? Worse yet: Is Alison back? A strong launch for a suspenseful series.

I went into reading this book with hesitancy. I am already an avid fan of the TV series, and I didn't want my enjoyment of the show to be spoiled by the books, which while the cast of the TV show has stated there are differences, I won't know what the differences are and I don't want the show spoiled. The book turned out to be much better than I thought, however there are many things I did not like about the book compared to the show.

Since the show is aired on ABC Family, the show is mostly clean. However after reading this first book, I can see they cleaned it up a lot more than I originally thought. The book is much more graphic with many scenes (which I'd rather not go into detail here) and has fairly strong language, while the show keeps the language out almost entirely. Don't get me wrong, the book was really good. I just wish the book was a bit cleaner than it is.

While shopping today I bought the new TV tie-in edition of Flawless, the second book in the series (pictured at right), so I will hopefully have that one read soon and have a review up. First, I need to finish reading another book for a blog tour (that I am super late on!) and get that review up. Hopefully that one will be up in the next week.

Hope everyone is enjoying the end of Christmas break, and for those going back to school this week, hope it's not too overwhelming!

Harry Potter fans: Free e-book :D

2011-01-03T14:50:00.000-08:00

So I have wanted The Unofficial Cookbook of Harry Potter for awhile now :) It contains recipes of various foods from the Harry Potter world! :D While browsing through the free e-books for my Kindle for Mac, I found a teaser of this book for FREE :D Find it here! Seriously people, even if you don't have an actual Kindle, Amazon has free apps for both Macs and PCs, plus various other platforms. Definitely worth checking out, considering the massive amount of free e-books there are! ;)

Resolutions

2011-01-01T15:02:00.000-08:00

I decided to make two resolution lists this year: one for my blog, and one for RL. First I'll start with my blog:

1. Do more reviews. I tend to read a book just for the fun of it, and not worry about reviews. However there are some books I regret reviewing simply because either they were too good not to pass on, or because they were not as great as I had hoped.

2. Possibly make blog changes. I've been focusing more on book blogging on this blog, when originally this was my personal blog. I really love this layout and don't want to give it up either. I'm considering making a separate new blog just for book blogging, and keeping this one personal. Not to mention my private blog that I still post on every once in awhile. I just don't know if I want this blog to mix personal life and reading anymore.

3. Post more. I have started only posting reviews or when big stuff happens, and I regret that. I love blogging, and I want to do it more. I think I will go back to past post I did with my tentative weekly schedule, and start that. Hopefully that will get me back into the swing of posting more :)

And now for life itself:

1. Monitor my eating better. I have never been a healthy eater, and I know that. However, when I went to the doctor's for my kidney stones they told me that diets high in fat, salt and sugar are large contributors. Unfortunately, that's pretty much my diet :/ I want to be strong in cutting down on unhealthy foods and being aware of what I'm eating. Thankfully I can still eat sweets! :)

2. Spend more time with people, and less on the computer. This will be interesting, especially if I want to post more on here :P But I've been realizing how much time I waste just reading blogs or surfing FB, and how much time I miss spending with my family and friends. I haven't gotten to see my brother much, and while that's partly due to the fact that he's at my dad's a lot, I know I could spend time with him while he's here.

3. Read my Bible more. This past year I had a 365 day Bible that I read, but not too regularly. And while it was okay, I definitely prefer devotional readings to just simple Bible passages. I might look around for something :)

4. Get my license. Honestly, the only reason I haven't is because I don't have enough practice. I'm not afraid of driving; I just don't do it often enough. I just need to set aside time to go driving, especially now that I have someone over 21 in the house all day who could take me.

That's all I can think of at the moment.... but I will update this if I get more :) If any of you have resolutions, post them here so I can read them! Happy New Year!

Oops...

2010-12-31T16:54:00.000-08:00

Oh man.

I didn't get too much reading done yesterday, just a few chapters, and absolutely none today. Plus I was just reminded I was supposed to post my review of The Clouds Roll Away today for the blog tour. My reason for not doing any of it?

I am in the middle of my first kidney stone attack :/

I started 3AM Monday morning and has been hitting me off and on all week. The past few days had been fine so I thought I was done until it hit again early this morning and I spent all morning in the bathroom throwing up from the pain. Believe me, this is something I wouldn't even wish on my worst enemy. I'm doing better now, but I have been weak all day from lack of food (since I was throwing everything up). I'm slowly getting food back into my body and regaining my energy. Plus I'm exhausted from lack of sleep.

I will try and get a little reading done before I leave tonight for a friend's New Years Party, but if not I might just bring my book and read there. Especially since I'm pretty out of it (my pain meds make me drowsy). We shall see.... but I plan on posting my New Years Resolutions tomorrow sometime, so be looking for that post! I will have some blog resolutions and some RL ones :)

Hope everyone has a great New Years!

Out With A Bang Update

2010-12-30T15:50:00.000-08:00

I am such a bad book blogger :(

No really. The challenge started Tuesday and I've read maybe.... a page and a half? Oops O.O HOWEVER, I will be tearing myself away from my DS this afternoon (*sniff sniff*) to read some. I'm hoping to at least finish my current read Pretty Little Liars, and if I have time I'll be reading Are You There God, It's Me Margaret?

Now I will get reading :) Hope everyone is having a good end of the year!

Out With A Bang reading list

2010-12-28T17:49:00.000-08:00

The next few days I'm going to try to read some of my older books in my TBR stack, to make room for the new ones I got for Christmas :) Be sure to click the pictures to see more info at their Amazon pages! My list is as follows:

Pretty Little Liars (TV Show Edition) by Sara Shepard

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (Re-Read) by Judy Bloom

Be looking for my review on this one, I have two copies and will be giving one away!

Real Live Boyfriends (ARC) by E. Lockhart

Leven Thumps and the Eyes of Want by Obert Skye

I can't actually remember if I read this one :/ I know I read the first two, and when I went digging in my closet for books for this list I found this one and book 4 (see below) and since I got book 5, the last one, for Christmas (SUPER excited!) I figured I should brush up on this one and read the next one so I'm set to read the last one!

Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra by Obert Skye

The Love Killer by Josh McDowell

I actually forgot I had this one.... I'm glad I found it! I'm really looking forward to reading this one.

Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O'Neill

The title of this book was intriguing, I had to pick it up. It actually sounded really great, so I bought it :) I'm posting this because one of my friends who reads my blog thinks this book sounds completely creepy :P Just for you Shortie! ;)

Hopefully I can get through all of these in the next few days.... I bought two new DS games with my Christmas giftcards and have an older one I'm re-playing so I'm not sure how well my balancing time will go :P

Out With A Bang Read-A-Thon

2010-12-28T11:43:00.000-08:00

I will be participating in the Out With A Bang Read-A-Thon, hosted by Book-Savvy and The Bookish Type. Basically the rules are to read as much of your TBR stacks as possible during that time period to prepare for all of the new releases and reading challenges in 2011. I have quite a few older books I need to read before I start reading the new ones I got for Christmas :) I'm excited to start this challenge!

If you want to participate, you can find the complete details and the sign-up linky at this post. Good luck and let me know if you join! :)

Day 13: Love

2010-12-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along through Christmas day as each post shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year. AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

~~~

Love
by Lauraine Snelling

When asked to write a Christmas message, one of my first thoughts was Do I climb up on my soapbox regarding changing the words in Christmas songs, using only holiday, etc. I thought about it and decided no. After all, they’re only words and what difference does a word make---really make after all?

Then I kept on thinking. If they’re only words… But we as writers know the power of words, as do readers. When the wrong word is used, it jars, while the right word can be most powerful. Take one highly overused and under practiced word---Love. Four letters is all. We toss it around so glibly, saying love ya and luv and love. But think about the power in I love you. Three of the most precious words in our language when put together. Those of us who write romances or books with romance in them, understand the power when one of our characters tells another, I love you. As humans we can never hear that enough or too much.

Christmas is about love. The greatest love story ever told, that of God for us humans, and it never changes. Customs change, politics change, the years change but God’s love never, ever does. At Christmas we are invited to share that love, to give it away, to pass it around. To find wonder again and joy in simple acts of love. We make contact with people we might never see or talk with through the year. That says I love you. We buy and make gifts to give, we reach out to strangers in need, we try to make sure everyone has a special dinner and every child a present. By giving, we receive.

So, let’s use the power words, but more so, put feet on those words and pass the love around. Let’s look for and find the wonder, the joy and the peace, maybe in small bits and pieces and perhaps in an avalanche of blessings. Make your days brighter with the simple gift of a smile, a kind word, a touch, for every single one that you give away, will come back to you multiplied. As you give, so shall you receive. Merry Christmas my friends. May we all recognize our blessings----and let an attitude of gratitude permeate this holiday and every day. With love and joy on this day, Lauraine!

~~~

About Lauraine: Lauraine Snelling is the award-winning author of more than sixty books, with sales of over 2 million copies. She also writes for a wide range of magazines, and helps others reach their writing dreams by teaching at writer’s conferences across the country. Lauraine and her husband, Wayne, have two grown sons, and live in the Tehachapi Mountains with a cockatiel named Bidley, and a watchdog Basset named Chewy.

For more information please visit Lauraine's website: www.laurainesnelling.com.

~~~

A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

Day 12: An Unforgettable Gift

2010-12-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

~~~

An Unforgettable Gift
by Karen O'Connor

On Christmas morning, 1912, in Paducah, Kentucky, fourteen-year-old Charlie Flowers and his three brothers and two sisters huddled in their beds, fully dressed, trying to keep warm as the wind howled outside their small frame house.

It was a desperate time for the family. Earlier that year the children's father had died. And their mother had not found work. The coal had run out and there was little money––none for gifts. Their scrawny tree with decorations made from scraps of colored paper had been given to them the night before by a local merchant.

"Can't sell this one," the man said with a nod of his head before handing it over to the eager children.

To pass the time, the siblings joked and shouted stories from their bedrooms across the hallway from one another. Then suddenly a racket from the alley at the rear of the house broke into their games.

"Charlie," his mother called, "would you see what's going on out there?"

Charlie pulled on his shoes, grabbed a thick overcoat from the hook by the door, and ran out back.

There stood a man in a wagon bent over a load of coal, shoveling it into the shed as fast as he could.

"Hey Mister, we didn't order any coal," Charlie shouted. "You're delivering it to the wrong house."

"Your name's Flowers, isn't it?" the man asked, still shoveling.

Charlie nodded yes.

"Well then, there's no mistake. I've been asked to deliver this to your family on Christmas morning." He looked the awe-struck boy square in the eye. "And I'm under strict orders not to tell who sent it," he teased.

Charlie ran into the house, his coattail flapping in the cold morning wind. He could hardly wait to tell his mother and brothers and sisters. God had provided––just as he had on that first Christmas morning so long ago when He sent his only son to a needy world.

Charlie Flowers died in 1994 at age 96. And right up to the last year of his life, not a Christmas went by that he didn't tell the story of that sub-zero Christmas morning of his boyhood when two men gave his family an unforgettable gift.

It wasn't the coal that was remembered or cherished, Charlie often said––welcome as it was––but rather what two men brought to his desperate family. One, for his gift of recognizing their great need and taking the time to do something about it. And the other, for being willing to give up part of his own Christmas morning to deliver it.

That gift of so long ago has continued to warm the Flowers family from one generation to another, as Charlie's son––my husband, Charles––calls to mind these two unknown men each Christmas morning and whispers a prayer of thanks.

~~~

About Karen: Karen O'Connor is an award-winning author and writing mentor living in Watsonville, California with her husband, Charles Flowers. Karen’s latest book is 365 Reasons Why Gettin’ Old Ain’t So Bad (Harvest House 2010).

For more information, please visit Karen on the web at www.karenoconnor.com.

~~~

Day 11: Just Give Me Christmas This Year!

2010-12-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

~~~

All I Want for Christmas…
Is to be able to have Christmas this Year
by Melissa Mashburn

This is a simple request, isn’t it? In the previous years, we had great big bountiful Christmases with our family. Gifts, goodies and general Christmas cheer but this year it was different. The year before has been chock full of disappointments, failing businesses and severe cutbacks for our family.

Sitting with my husband one night we hammered out the bare minimum that we could spend that year for Christmas and even still the total was four hundred dollars. It does not sound like a whole lot compared to what we’ve spent on Christmas before, but this year it could have been four thousand dollars because we just did not have it.

We prayed, I cried, we prayed some more and decided that we would cut back anything else that we could that year so we could have Christmas for our kids. We did not know how we would make this happen, but we knew that we needed to step forward in faith that it would happen.

Answer this question: Does the God who lavishly provides you with his own presence, his Holy Spirit, working things in your lives you could never do for yourselves, does he do these things because of your strenuous moral striving or because you trust him to do them in you? Don't these things happen among you just as they happened with Abraham? He believed God, and that act of belief was turned into a life that was right with God. Galatians 3:5 the Message

Not even two days later, we hear a knock on our front door. We open the door to see some friends of ours from church. With tears in their eyes, they handed us an envelope and said that the felt they needed to give us this. We opened the envelope and inside there was four hundred dollars cash.

Shocked, stunned and with tears flowing down our face we just sat there in a state of crying and laughing at what God had done. We never shared with anyone that year what we needed, how bad it was, what was going on or what that number was for us to have Christmas for the kids, but God knew.

“And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 NLT

He took a willing servant, led them to our front door and changed Christmas for us that year. After many years of being in full time ministry we knew that God would provide, but when He shows up just at the right moment, you know that it was all a part of His plan to show how much He loves, provides and cares for His people.

Father God, thank you that after all the years of serving and loving you in ministry that you continue to teach, guide, love, shepherd and care for us. You, Father, are abundantly gracious and kind, thank you for showing up for us at just the right moment every time, forgive us when we forget that. In Jesus name, Amen.

~~~

About Melissa: Melissa is the founder of the blog Mel’s World Ministry, co-founder of the Praise and Coffee Nights Ministry with Sue Cramer, Kids Ministry Director at her church. Just last year she launched a new weekly series called Godly Gals ~ Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith where we meet new women each week who are “Taking their everyday, ordinary lives and placing it as their offering to God.” Romans 12:1 the Message. You can find her on twitter and at her blog. She loves encouraging women to live with an authentic faith by being transparent, renewed and transformed. ~ Romans 12:2.

~~~

Day 10: What's the Best Thing About Christmas?

2010-12-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

~~~

What’s the best thing about Christmas?
by Maureen Lang

The answer to that question will undoubtedly be different depending on the age and the faith of the person being asked. Most children will say it’s all about the gifts. Adults, even if they secretly still enjoy the gifts, will probably strive to sound more mature and say the holiday is all about friends and family. Still others might say it’s about tradition, or memories or the music or even the special food we connect to this time of year. The scrooges among us might say this season is just another marketing gimmick, or materialism gone awry. The faithful will say it’s all about Jesus, a reminder of why He shed the glory of Heaven to step into human skin and frailty.

I’m not here to defend or attack any answer to this question, but rather to ponder those possible answers.

Gifts: They touch us in personal ways, as tangible evidence of someone else’s thought and affection. Even if we don’t get exactly what we hoped, there’s something to be said about the thought behind a gift being the important part. Why wouldn’t gifts be an important and valid part of this holiday in which we celebrate God’s gift of salvation?

Holiday Gatherings: Parties might be a lot of work, forcing some out of their comfort zone, but at the core they’re all about human connection. Isn’t that what most people want?

Traditions and memories: They remind us of the past, of who we are, with the hope that even as we look forward to an unknown future we still hold some things worthy enough to repeat every year. We might find ourselves letting go of some traditions, or we might want to start some new ones.

The music: This is the only time of the year when even secular radio stations welcome songs about a baby born in Bethlehem. As a nation we may be getting stringent about separation of church as state, but the lines blur just a bit with old favorites that reflect this season.

Scrooges: The holiday season is probably a time to endure rather than enjoy, but even the scroogiest-scrooge might admit the lights of the season are pretty to behold. They’re free to look at, after all.

As for the food, the busyness, the expense and all the other things that make up this season: keep in mind that it’s all temporary. This, too, shall pass. Until next year, of course.

I’ll leave you with this thought: we are all made in God’s image, whether we believe that or not. Part of that image is the ability to give—and to receive. So here’s my thought for the day: stop a moment and dwell on all the gifts of the season. From the little mementos that say we haven’t forgotten someone or been forgotten by others, to the costliest gift of all: what God did for us in the form of Christ. As you enjoy the sounds, the sights, the scents and the tastes of this season, may your only trouble be in choosing just one thing among so many best things about Christmas.

~~~

About Maureen: Maureen Lang is the author of ten books, her most recent from Tyndale House is The Great War Series which are full of romance, adventure and spiritual journeys. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, two sons and their lovable Labrador Retriever.

For more information please visit Maureen at her website, www.maureenlang.com.

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Day 9: Good News

2010-12-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

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Good News!
by Deb Kalmbach

The first Christmas card of the season arrived in my mailbox way back in August. How could anyone be that organized? Then I noticed my friend, Nita, had sent me a card I had written to her more than 20 years ago!

Memories rushed back as I read the words penned in my familiar handwriting. It was Christmas, 1991, and my world had unraveled. I could almost pretend everything was all right at this most wonderful time of the year—but not that year.

My husband Randy’s drinking problem had escalated to the point where his job and career were on the line. He had already been through two alcohol treatment programs and managed to stay sober for short periods of time. Then he slipped back into old, familiar patterns. His ongoing relapses were a crushing disappointment for our family.

I had looked forward to Christmas Eve and our family traditions; making homemade lasagna, singing carols around the piano, attending the candlelight service at church, and then coming home to open one token Christmas Eve present.

“Randy, are you ready to crank out the pasta?” I called to him over the Christmas music I was playing to lift my spirits.

I peered into the living room to see what was keeping him. My heart froze. Randy sat on the couch, trance-like, watching a basketball game while sipping a drink.

No, not on Christmas Eve, I screamed inwardly. I felt like I was suffocating. Usually Randy pulled himself together but it didn’t happen that night. He drank vodka all evening while I finished holiday preparations on autopilot. None of us felt like eating lasagna or celebrating.

Only a few days earlier, I had written these words on the Christmas card to my friend, Nita. I don’t know God’s plans, his timing or his ways in accomplishing his purposes, but I am learning to trust him. He is faithful!

I suspect Nita kept my card all those years because she saw a small seed of faith and it encouraged her heart. I didn’t know it at the time, but it would be eight more Christmas seasons before Randy experienced the miraculous breakthrough of finding freedom from alcoholism.

As I read the card I had written so long ago, I felt awed by God’s faithfulness to us—even when our situation looked completely hopeless.

You may be facing great difficulty as the holidays approach. The last thing you feel like is celebrating. And that’s O.K. The Good News of Christmas isn’t about picture perfect holidays where our homes are decorated a la Martha Stewart and tables are laden with holiday delicacies. Your days may not be merry and bright. You may be grieving the loss of a loved one or the loss of a relationship through divorce or estrangement. Your world has unraveled.

That’s exactly why the message of Christmas is Good News. The Savior is born! The One who came to set you free, to give you peace and hope and help beyond anything you could ever imagine is as near as your next breath. Today you might not be able to see how God’s purposes are unfolding for your future, but you can be assured that He is working all things for good in your life. A twenty year-old Christmas card came on a summer day as an unexpected gift and gentle reminder of God’s presence—especially in the worst of times.

~~~

About Deb: Deb Kalmbach is the coauthor of Because I Said Forever: Embracing Hope in a Not-So- Perfect Marriage and the author of a book for children, Corey’s Dad Drinks Too Much. She has contributed to The New Women’s Devotional Bible, Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace, and other anthologies. She is a vibrant and engaging speaker who gives hope and practical solutions to those who struggle with difficult relationships. Deb and her husband, Randy, live in a tiny town in Eastern Washington. Visit Deb at: www.debkalmbach.com, or on Facebook and Twitter.

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Day 8: Gift List

2010-12-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

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Gift List
by Tricia Goyer

I've been thinking lately how hard it must be for Oprah to Christmas shop. I mean if you were on her "gift list" wouldn't you expect something really, really good? The woman gives away cars and trips to Australia on her television show for goodness sake! It seems by the end of Christmas Day her friends and family would look at the pile of presents and think, "Is that it?" I mean if you knew there was billions of dollars she could spend on you, would you ever feel satisfied?

Sometimes I think we approach God the same way. We look around at our home, our family, our job, our free time and we still aren't satisfied. We wish our body looked better, our clothes were more in style, our husband was more considerate and our kids were more ... well, like the perfect little people we picture in our mind. Our careers don't excel as quickly as we think they should and people don't give us the attention we feel we deserve. We're tired and anxious and the to-do list seems to be tacked to our hearts for all the pain it causes.

Often, we look around and don't speak the words out loud, but think them just the same. "Is that it?" I mean, You're the God of the universe and You have all things in Your hands and under Your control. Couldn't you provide a little more money to help those bills disappear or make me a bit more content with the man I've chosen to spend my life with? And I thought Oprah had it tough.

Is there ever a time when God doesn't hear the murmurs? Again, not with our mouths but in our heart.

I've been guilty of this--of not being satisfied with the gifts I've been given. Yes, there will always be more to want, but today--at this moment--I'm satisfied. And I look to Him with a grateful heart and whisper, "Thank you, it is enough. More than enough."

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About Tricia: Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-six books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. For more information, please visit www.triciagoyer.com

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Day 7: Hurting Near Christmas? 10 Tips to Hope Again

2010-12-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

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Hurting Near Christmas? 10 Tips to Hope Again
by Stacie Ruth Stoelting

Feel sad this Christmas? Hey, I know the feeling. In fact, many programs have interviewed me to share about it! Last year, I tried particularly hard to share stories and tips on how to cope with grief during the holidays: I wrote a feature for CBN.com, Coping with Grief at Christmas, visited and counseled grieving people, etc.

Then irony hit: Near Christmas, two people I loved died within two days (December 15-16, 2009).

Are you or a loved one hurting during the holidays? I relate. But let me encourage you: Jesus remains faithful! As real as my pain, He met my needs and comforted me with peace unexplainable. I’m serious. He’s real.

Before I continue with tips, let me share this: If you feel suicidal, contact an emergency counseling service like the New Life Call Center at 1-800-NEW-LIFE(639-5433).

10 Tips for Hurting Hearts to Hope and Cope at Christmastime

1.    Realize and internalize it: God still loves you and wants to hear from you. He wants you to know that there is a Way out of your pit of despair. The Way is Jesus.

2.    Sometimes, our suffering causes us to forget His. Understand He understands you. He suffered more than any of us when we bore the weight of every sin and pain on the cross! In fact, Is. 53:3 describes Jesus: “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.” Think of it: He took your punishment and pain on the cross. He was your capital punishment Substitute! And your Deliverer -your Rescuer- wants to hear from you. His heart hurts with yours. Will you pour your heart out to Him now? He’ll pour His love in where the fear previously resided. Let Jesus inside. Do you know Jesus on a personal, one-to-One basis? Visit here to learn why Jesus was born to die and how to be born again. (Hey, Jesus said it: "You must be born again.")

3.    Rather than mere gifts, make a Christmas prayer list of other hurting people. Then pray for them and request prayer for yourself, too. Contact your church. Tap into ministries (including CBN.com) that offer extra prayer support. And feel free to join my prayer e-group at www.PrayingPals.org or on Facebook by clicking here.

4.    End the Christmas comparison game. Don't compare your Christmas to your neighbor's. Don't compare your Christmas to past celebrations.

5.    Center on the Savior! This year, trade a superficial Christmas for a real one. Deepen your appreciation for the true Christmas: the arrival of Jesus Christ to banish the effects of sin and death!

6.    Whatever your loss or pain, open up and let God be your Gain. Maybe your pain comes from another cause: a divorce, a devastating diagnosis, a job loss...the list extends. God offers to be your Counselor, your Father, your Healer, your Provider. Let Him answer your heart’s cry.

7.    Love on people. Even if you don’t “feel” like it, prayerfully do something for someone else who is hurting.

8.    Remember: Feelings change. God doesn't. Loved ones' deaths never kill His love for you. God's immeasurable, unconditional love still flows to you! When you know Jesus, you know eternal love and security. Nothing separates you from His love! “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39, ESV).

9.    Realize the reality of the sudden reunion. Holidays exacerbate the feeling of long separation from our loved ones in Heaven. Does it feel like it will take forever for you to see your loved one in Heaven? Be encouraged: Jesus IS coming again and it will be a time you don't expect! So the fact that you feel like it won't happen soon is a good thing! Once reunited, it will feel like no time transpired. All sadness will be entirely removed!

10.    When Jesus comes back to earth, it will be a celebration greater than any previous Christmas you've ever experienced!

For believers, losses hurt but never win. We will celebrate Jesus together -and it will be glorious "for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith" (I John 5:4, NIV). In that Day, all believers will be able to jubilantly say, “Merry Christmas to all and to all the true Light!”

Additional Help: Ready for some practical tips for coping with grief at Christmastime? Here’s one: Rearrange furniture to reduce absence reminders. To read this tip and others found in another of my CBN.com’s articles: “Coping with Grief at Christmas", visit www.CBN.com.

Going thru a rough time? Join Stacie Ruth’s prayer group at www.PrayingPals.org.

~~~

About Stacie: Stacie Ruth knows pain, but she also knows Jesus! After Stacie Ruth met Jesus, her life blossomed with true joy and purpose. Life’s blows hurt her, but Jesus heals and strengthens her. Now an author, actress, and recording artist, she laughs at the irony and praises God, who uses unlikely people...like herself. Discover why she's written a book at age 15, sung/spoken for the 43rd President, been pictured in major media (i.e. The New York Times, USA Today), and keynoted conferences since she was a teenager. To watch video clips, worship Jesus with music from her album, or get in touch with her ministry for women, visit www.brightlightministries.com.

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Day 6: Wrapped in His Love

2010-12-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

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Wrapped in His Love
by Rebecca Ondov

The temperature is below zero and dropping quickly—probably to -15 or lower. Old Man Winter gusted in a couple days ago, leaving cold temperatures and a foot of snow behind. Moments ago I bundled up in my long johns and Carhartts to go out and feed. Of course I had a warm horse blanket draped over my arm. When it’s below zero I wrap Czar in two horse blankets.

Czar nickered as soon as he saw me coming. When I buckled up the blankets, it was as if I was wrapping him in my love. He buried his head in my chest. I snuggled him and stroked his long red winter hair. I pulled a couple icicles out of his black mane as my mind drifted through memories. I’d bought Czar when he was a month old; it was love at first sight. After he was weaned from his mother, I brought him home.

Czar leaned into me, almost as if he was hugging me. I patted his neck, “That was thirty years ago, Czar. Can you believe it?” Czar had been my main saddle horse when I worked in the Bob Marshall Wilderness of Montana. I’d ridden him over 20,000 miles. Together we’d faced grizzly bears, mudslides, forest fires, and even fallen off a cliff. He’d saved my life more than once. With my finger, I traced a couple gray hairs that dotted his forehead. “You’ve earned your blankets, buddy.”

The icy breeze nipped at my cheeks and I thought how much his blankets resemble God’s love for us. God was there when we were born—and He loved us at first sight. He’s faithfully been with us through every step of our lives—through every joy and sorrow. He’s cried with us and laughed with us. He cheered when we’ve overcome. Most of all, when I’ve gone through tough times, it’s been God’s love which wrapped itself around me like a shield and pulled me through.

I glanced around me. The snowflakes glistened in the sun. His love surrounded me: the wind whispering in the pines, the chickadee that serenaded me this morning, the gurgling creek that flowed through the pasture. And His greatest love is manifested in the prize of His creation –you and me, the ones created in His image.

This Christmas season, I’m praying that you feel the God of the universe—the one who hung the stars in place—wrapping His loving arms around you and holding you tight (two horse blankets worth). And I pray that all of us experience the love He’s given us in Jesus.

~~~

About Rebecca: Rebecca Ondov is the author of Horse Tales from Heaven: Reflections along the Trail with God and Horse Tales from Heaven: Gift Edition. She was a contributing author in several books including Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace. She lives in Western Montana with her family, horses, mules, barn cat, and golden retriever. By day she works for Fox Lumber, brokering lumber throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. By night she forges ahead with her mission, writing stories which equip Christians to lead extraordinary lives. Join her on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn by going to her Website: www.RebeccaOndov.com

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Secret Santa Swap!

2010-12-17T19:05:00.000-08:00

So I finally am home for break, and I have my package for my Secret Santa book swap! I was super excited, so I had to open it and share it right away :D I got two books: The Highwayman of Tanglewood and.... MATCHED!!!!!! I was super excited to get this, because I have wanted it for awhile :D The other one wasn't on my wishlist, but my Secret Santa left a note with it saying it was a Christian author and that she thought I might like it based off of my other books.

I also got a few goodies: a pair of fuzzy socks (which I love!), a book light! (woohoo!), a cute Christmas tree snowglobe, and an amazing Eiffel Tower bookmark!!! I am definitely using it right away, that's for sure ;)

I plan to start Matched ASAP, and the other one soon after :) I also have two others I won recently off of blogs, plus my already HUGE TBR stack, so I plan to read tons these next three weeks of break :)

To my Secret Santa: thank you so so so much!!!! I would love to know who you are, so I can follow your blog and send you a thank you card ;)

To my readers: be prepared for reviews galore these next few weeks! :D

Have a great Christmas!

Day 5: Home

2010-12-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

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There’s No Place Like….
by Melody Carlson

I grew up spending Christmases at my grandparents’ quaint Victorian home, surrounded by lots of relatives, laughter and love and really good food. For a little girl growing up in a single parent home, harried working mother, no church family, and TV dinners, these extended family holidays spent at my grandparents were like a real gift from God. But as a young adult, my grandfather passed on, the old house was sold, I grew up and eventually had a small family of my own.

Still I longed for those familiar kinds of “big” Christmases—I wanted that house full of relatives and fun times to go home to—I think the “child” in me thought I deserved it somehow. But my grandmother had gotten older and lived in a tiny apartment, and my mother and my husband’s parents were not comfortable hosting Christmas in their homes. For a while we went to my cousin’s, but I soon had to come to grips with reality. The days of going to Grandma’s for the perfect Christmas were a thing of the past.

In other words, it was time for me to grow up—time for me to start hosting our own Christmas celebrations. So biting the holiday bullet, I decided to just do it. With two very small children underfoot, I cooked my first turkey, made my first stuffing, invited some family, neighbors, and friends over, and we all crammed ourselves into our little house, balanced our plates on our knees, and had a very good time. Oh, I’m sure the turkey was dry and the gravy lumpy, but what I remember most is that everyone seemed truly happy to be there. And I realized that I wasn’t the only one longing for that sense of warmth and community—that longing to “go home again”—and I finally grasped that I could (with God’s grace) help to provide that for my family and others.

So for the next three decades we continued to host Christmas in our home. I got better at decorating, cooking, gifting…the works. Some years the place would be packed and crazy. A few years were thinner and quieter. But family, friends and neighbors could always count on the fact that the Carlson’s would be “doing something for Christmas.” It was a no-brainer.

Until this year. This year, for the first time in more than thirty years, my husband and I decided we’re going to take a pass on hosting Christmas—we are going to the beach. At first I felt terribly guilty, and even right now I’m a bit unsure—and wonder if I’ll end up changing my mind at the last minute. And yet, I believe it’s the right thing for us to do—for a lot of reasons. One being that my husband’s birthday is Christmas and he never gets to do what he wants on his birthday—this year will be different. But more than that, I hope that our stepping aside will encourage the younger members of our family to find and embrace some of their own traditions—to grow up and look for opportunities to stretch themselves a bit. Because, similar to how and oyster creates a pearl—or how a young mom learns to be a hostess—with some discomfort and distress a burnt turkeys, the end results are truly valuable.

~~~

About Melody: Melody Carlson lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Labrador Retriever. She’s the author of around 200 books including this year’s Christmas novella, Christmas at Harrington’s.Visit her website for more information, www.melodycarlson.com.

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Day 4: The Joy of Unexpected Circumstances

2010-12-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

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The Joy of Unexpected Circumstances
by Lori Kasbeer

The Christmas season is upon us again. Starbucks is selling their Christmas blend; stores are posting their holiday hours; and moms everywhere are making a list and checking it twice, planning for a special Christmas day. It has been our family’s tradition to spend Christmas with relatives. Last year money was tight and we were unable to travel, this is not how we had planned to spend Christmas day but circumstances were beyond our control. Realizing my three boys--who are now teenagers--will not be under our roof for much longer, I wanted to have a special Christmas with just the five of us.

Leading up to Christmas morning we all made mouth-watering, cinnamon cut-out cookies, spent time together sticking tape everywhere while trying to wrap presents, and enjoyed spending time together. We did not have much money, but were having fun making memories. When Christmas morning arrived and we sat around to open gifts my eyes welled up with overwhelming joy. This mother was trying to absorb all the activity that was going on all around her: the smiles from each of my teenage boys, the sounds of laughter, and the smell of cinnamon rolls cooking in the oven. If I could freeze a moment in time, this would be it. I don’t know what the future holds for each of my boys, but that Christmas morning I wanted to soak it all in so I could recall this special day for years to come. Despite struggling financially, unexpected circumstances turned into immense joy and a lifetime of memories.

Mothers treasuring special moments is not something new. Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, was one who tried to soak in everything that first Christmas morning. Even after Christ’s birth she was still trying to absorb what the angel had said to her when he delivered the news that she was going to be the mother of the coming Savior. She reflected on the time she had with her cousin Elizabeth while they were both pregnant. Along with comprehending the unusual way her son came into this world.

While very pregnant with child, Mary and Joseph traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register Mary for the census. Never did she image she would deliver her baby in a barn with a manger being the only thing to lay him down in. These were not the circumstances she had envisioned. Before she had time to catch her breath, suddenly all around her there was excitement when shepherds showed up reporting what they had seen and heard. There were angels—a multitude of angels—who were singing and declaring the Savior was born and a bright star led them to her and Joseph. So much has happened in a short amount of time and Mary did not want to forget any of it. Instead she stepped back and “treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)

Mary did not exactly know what the plans were for her son, but she knew it was going to change the lives of everyone on earth. She was preparing her heart to obey God concerning her son Jesus, without the full knowledge of what was going to come while at the same time quietly reflecting and capturing this one special moment in time.

May this Christmas be filled with joy and a lifetime of memories, even if you find yourself in unexpected circumstances. Merry Christmas!

~~~

About Lori: Lori Kasbeer lives with her husband Tadd and three teenage sons in Florida. She's a contributor for Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace and a Christian book reviewer. Please visit Lori’s Book Reviews for more info. You can also find Lori on Facebook and Twitter.

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Day 3: The First Christmas

2010-12-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along through Christmas day as Melody Carlson, Lauraine Snelling, Rachel Hauck, Tricia Goyer, Maureen Lang, and more share their heartfelt stories of how God has touched their life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! You may enter once a day. The winner will be announced on New Year's Day at the Pearl Girls Blog! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

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The First Christmas
by Pat Ennis

It was October of my eighteenth year of life when my Dad stepped into eternity. As a college freshman I not only had to deal with my own grief, I also was faced with the responsibility of helping my mother adjust to a new lifestyle. You see, when Dad died, she not only lost her husband of thirty years, she also lost her circle of friends. Suddenly the married couples (my Dad was the first of their group to die) didn’t know what to do about Mother—so they did nothing. Her grieving process was actually extended because of the withdrawal of her friends, many with whom she and Dad had enjoyed fellowship for years.

Our plight was magnified by the reality that we did not have extended family and I was an only child. Quite frankly, the outlook for the holiday season appeared pretty dismal!

As the holidays approached our neighbors, who embraced a different faith than we, graciously invited us to share their Christmas celebration with them. The sincere invitation, their effort to fold us into their family, inclusion in the gift exchange, and intentional conversation that focused on recounting the blessings of the year as well as looking forward to the next turned what could have been a miserable day into one of joy. Of course we missed our husband and Dad but the focus on the Lord’s provision for us through the hospitality of our neighbors (Philippians 4:8-9, 19) soothed our grieving spirits.

I have a happy ending to my Mother’s loss of her circle of friends that I described at the beginning of this story! Ever the gracious southern hostess, she did not cease to extend hospitality because of the change in her marital status—in the five years that she lived beyond Dad’s death, we entertained frequently, and eventually our guest list included widows from the group that had earlier excluded my Mother. Though her arthritic condition precluded her engaging in as much of the food preparation as she was accustomed to doing, she continued to help me hone the skills that were second nature to her.

The loving hospitality extended to us on that first lonely Christmas served as a catalyst for Mom and me to open our home throughout the year—especially during the holiday season! Will you consider displaying biblical compassion by including some of the “others”—singles, widows, and the grieving in your holiday celebrations? Who, knows, you might be entertaining an angel incognito (Hebrews 13:2)!

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About Pat: Dr. Patricia Ennis, author of Precious in His Sight, the Fine Art of Becoming a Godly Woman, co-author of Practicing Hospitality, the Joy of Serving Others, and contributor to Pearl Girls, Experiencing Grit, Experiencing Grace as well as professor and establishing chairperson of the Department of Home Economics at The Master’s College. Visit Pat's blog, Unfading Beauty for more information.

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Day 2: Wear Joy

2010-12-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

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Wear Joy
by Rachel Hauck

Thanksgiving day in central Florida broke warm and sunny under a blue sky. The thin fall breeze beckoned me. Taking my bike out, I rode the neighborhood feeling so grateful for all my blessings.

Joy bubbled up in my spirit. I’d been feeling it for a day, these waves of joy, but as I rode my bike and talked to God, the waves strengthened and splashed my heart the entire ride.

I’d laugh. Then tear up. And laugh again. As one who’s battled and won the war on anxiety and fear attacks, the onslaught of joy was welcomed, and actually sparked a new prayer in my heart. I’ve endured attacks of panic, time for attacks of joy.

The journey of joy began earlier in the year while writing a book coincidentally named, “Dining with Joy.”

Sitting at my table one day, revelation hit me. “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Nehemiah 8:10. The more I meditated on it, the more I wanted His joy. I don’t want my strength. I want His.

Not long after, I went to Nashville for a girl’s weekend. One of my friends handed me a coffee cup inscribed with “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”

Ever just know? God is calling.

During the holiday season, I turn 50. Yep, the big 5-0. Can’t stop it, I might as well embrace it.

Fifty is often associated with jubilee, a time of restoration, and healing, even release from debt and slavery. It’s a time of returning to property, and inheritance.

A time of rest.

A time of JOY!

This past week, a friend gifted me with a beautiful Christmas ornament. Inscribed on it? You guessed it.

JOY!

To me, the world doesn’t look very joyful. There are social and economic woas. But God is speaking and offering joy.

As you go into this holiday season, ask God for a pearl of joy. Like pearls, crafted through abrasion, God’s true joy is often formed in us during difficult seasons.

Here’s the thing, His strength isn’t doled out based on our goodness, our success or failure, or the fact the holiday season is hard or sad for you. He is ready, willing and able to overcome all your weaknesses, fears and anxiety, sadness with the power of His very own joy.

His joy. Your strength.

I’ve been walking into rooms, houses, outdoors, raising my arms and shouting, “Joy!” People look at me funny, but I want to spread the joy of the Lord. To spread the very essence of His strength.

How about you? Can you find the pearl of joy in your life, in the essence of God’s heart toward you?

Wear joy this season.

~~~

About Rachel: RITA-finalist Rachel Hauck lives in Florida with her husband, Tony. She is the author of Dining with Joy; Sweet Caroline; Love Starts with Elle; and The Sweet By and By, co-authored with Sara Evans. For more information please visit www.rachelhauck.com.

Oh, and be sure to enter Rachel's Dining With Joy NOOK eReader giveaway!

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Day 1: Pearls of Patience

2010-12-13T09:31:00.001-08:00

Hello - I'm thrilled to announce the 2nd Annual 12 Pearls of Christmas! We've lined up several authors to share their Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along beginning today (Monday the 13th) through Christmas day as Melody Carlson, Lauraine Snelling, Rachel Hauck, Tricia Goyer, Maureen Lang, and more share their heartfelt stories of how God has touched their life during this most wonderful time of the year.

We are also providing this series as free content for your own blogs (as 12 html posts) - if you'd like to share the 12 Pearls of Christmas with your blog readers email (amy@litfusegroup.com) and she'll send you the content.

AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post or any of the following 12 Pearls of Christmas posts (on any of the participating posts) to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! You may enter once a day. The winner will be announced on New Year's Day! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

~~~

Pearls of Patience
by Margaret Mcsweeney

As I write by the light of my Christmas tree on a late winter’s night, I reflect upon the poignancy and purpose of this season. The tiny white lights look like strands of pearls draped gracefully (perhaps haphazardly is a more honest description) across the evergreen boughs. Tomorrow I will hang the ornaments and at last place the angel atop the tree

Angels carry a special meaning this Christmas. My brother, Randy passed away on December 2nd from a heart attack at age 53. He was feeding a stray cat on his side porch. Randy was always like St. Francis of Asissi – animals would find him, sensing a kind soul. And my brother was a gentle and patient soul. He loved to fish. He tried to teach me, but I immediately lost interest when I realized worms were involved. And I could never sit still on the banks of a river and just wait. However, Randy could do that. He could wait, and waiting is a true gift. He put into practice the Scriptures. “Wait upon the Lord.” “Be still and know that He is God.” Patience doesn’t have to be passive. Wait is still an action verb. Part of the waiting process for fishing is seeking. Elaine (Randy’s wife of 31 years) told me that Randy said he could see the fish deep beneath the waters. He actively waited for the right time to catch them.

During Randy’s last fishing trip on earth – just a week before his death, he felt an urgency to take a picture of the clouds with his cell phone. When he returned home, he showed the picture to Elaine. They realized that a face of an angel was looking at Randy from the sky – perhaps waiting for God’s timing to bring Randy home to heaven. In my heart I like to think that this “angel in the sky” was part of the heavenly host that appeared to the shepherds over two thousand years ago. A Christmas Angel.

The Christmas Angels brought tidings of great joy that Jesus, our Lord and Savior was born. And because of that incredible gift from God that these angels announced, we all have the promise of eternity. Let us actively wait for His return by sharing our faith, offering hope and acting with love in everything we do.

May each of you be blessed this Christmas as you celebrate the purposeful promises of the Season: Faith, hope and love. And may the 12 Pearls of Christmas be a blessing to you, too.

~~~

About Margaret: Margaret McSweeney lives with her husband, David and two teenage daughters in the Chicago suburbs. After earning a master's degree in international business from the University of South Carolina, Margaret moved to New York City to work at a large bank where she met David. Charity and community involvement are very important to Margaret. She is the founder and director of Pearl Girls. For more information please visit www.pearlgirls.info. Margaret is fast at work on several fiction manuscripts and her book Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace was written to help fund the Pearl Girl Charities. Connect with Margaret on Facebook or Twitter.

~~~

Did She Know?

2010-12-12T00:18:00.000-08:00

Here's a sneak peak post of the 12 Pearls of Christmas series that I'll be hosting at my blog for the next few weeks! Please follow along through Christmas day as each post shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year. AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

~~~

Did She Know?
by Anna Joujan

Mary, did you know . . . that your baby boy is Heaven’s perfect Lamb? And the sleeping child you’re holding is the great I AM

I am in the middle of a revival of my used-to-be-annual project of a Christmas card sketch. For several years, with a few years missed, I have done a sketch of some image of Mary the Mother of Jesus, something that came to my mind without complete awareness of why that particular picture was needing to be put to paper. It was originally a simple pencil sketch that, once completed, I would have printed out into a set of cards that would go out to all my friends and family. Along with the sketch, however, I have always had a verse that came to mind to signify the meaning of the drawing in my mind. And so I have had images such as “Be it unto me according to your word,” as well as a more enigmatic one that went with “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me . . .” But each one was important for that year of my life. And so I would spend the necessary costs in order to produce and mail in relatively large scales, for my general penny-pinching tendencies.

This year I did not expect to produce a card. The fact of my life lately as a boarding school librarian/teacher in Zambia, Africa, has made such projects feel rather far-removed from the realm of possibility.
And yet, I have had an image in my head for several months now. I started to put it to paper, and I abandoned it for a bit, figuring it was a bit frivolous with all the practical work I had to do. But then I picked it up again, and it is now nearing the stage of completion, hopefully to be completed with printing and mailing once I arrive in the U.S. for a holiday visit with family.

What I realized is that, frivolous though it may seem, it is actually quite important. For women [especially Western women of faith], the holidays carry with them great amounts of expectation and stresses. So much so that we often get swallowed up with the hectic pace and forget to soak in the meaning. What is important for each of us, I believe, is to “pick and choose.” We must resist the pressure to do what doesn’t not bring meaning for us. And we must cling to those traditions and activities that promote an aura of true, Christ-centered celebration for ourselves and for our loved ones.

So this year, Lord willing, I will be sending out my cards—and enjoying every bit of it; and in case you wondered, Mary did you know . . .? will be the theme

~~~

About Anna: Anna G. Joujan was born in South Dakota, as a Canadian citizen, and was raised in Zambia, the child of missionary teachers. Since her family’s move to the U.S., Anna spent her childhood and early adulthood traveling throughout the world thanks to various educational and work opportunities . . . France, China, Peru, and Jamaica being some of the stops in her journeys. Her undergraduate degree in French Literature led to a Masters in Information Sciences, and to work as a college and high school librarian, and a cross country coach. She has also returned to Zambia multiple times to teach for individual families and for local schools. All the while continuing pursuing her passions of writing, artwork, photography . . . and card-production. You can find her online at http://annajouj.wordpress.com

~~~

A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. One entry per person, per day. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

2011 E-book Reading Challenge

2010-12-02T12:43:00.000-08:00

So I know I've been a little MIA with the book reviews on here.... All the books I've read past few weeks have either been re-reads or for class so I didn't think you wanted to hear my opinions :) However, I am planning on doing a reading challenge next year!

Challenge Guidelines:
1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

2. There are four levels:

-- Curious – Read 3 e-books.

-- Fascinated – Read 6 e-books.

-- Addicted – Read 12 e-books.

-- Obsessed – Read 20 e-books.

3. Any genre counts.

4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.

5. Challenge begins January 1, 2011 and lasts until December 31, 2011.

I'm going to be doing the obsessed level. Should be fun to read more of my Kindle books next year :) Let me know if you join!

Giveaway!

2010-11-21T14:13:00.000-08:00

For my book blogger friends, there is a great giveaway going on here. The adult pack seems a little... risque.... but the teen back is full of great books! Check it out!

Yay next weekend!

2010-11-20T19:59:00.000-08:00

This week has been CRA. ZY.

So many emotions, so many things to figure out.

BUT next weekend! Wednesday Leanne is picking me up and we're heading home for Thanksgiving, Thursday we're having Thanksgiving dinner #1 at Lisa's, and that night I get to see HARRYPOTTER7PART1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm a little excited :D

Friday I'm hoping to go Black Friday shopping with Jenna, my family has Thanksgiving dinner #2 and then Lindsay is *hopefully* going to spend the night! And Sunday I have church :) These few days cannot pass fast enough!

31 Days to a Better Blog - Day 2

2010-11-10T10:16:00.000-08:00

So for day 2 of the 31DBBB challenge, we are to make a list post. Here goes!

Reasons I like the person I do:

1. He's a Christian.

2. I have fun with him.

3. He's a gentleman. (Yes, I know, this sounds corny :P)

4. He talks to me randomly when he has nothing to do, and could talk to someone else.

5. My mother and my best friend's mother like him! (This may seem like nothing, but to me it's HUGE.)

I can't really think of anything else right now, so here you go :)

31 Days to a Better Blog - Day 1 (200th post!)

2010-11-08T10:24:00.000-08:00

So I wasn't sure what my 200th post would be, but I have it now! I am participating in another blogger's idea to take the original 31 Days to a Better Blog (look it up!) and expand it so it's not as time consuming. Today is day, so I think building a better blog it perfect for my 200th post!

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I am many different things and my blog represents all of these. I am a student, a sister, a daughter, a friend, a Christian, a nerd, a writer, a reader, and an obsesser of many other things. My blog is a culmination of all of these things in one spot.

I have started book blogging, so if you love to read be sure to come by regularly to see what I'm reading and what I think of the books I read! I read a wide scope of genres, so there is sure to be at least one book to interest you.

Interested in my writing? Check out my deviantArt to see a large amount of my poems and stories, as well as a few drawings and photography!

Quick Five:
Favorite movies
– Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
– The Village
– Flicka
– Anastasia
– Ella Enchanted
Places I want to visit
– PARIS
– England
– Canada
– Italy
– China
Favorite books
– Poison
– Storm Thief
– Septimus Heap Series
– Edge Chronicles Series
– Harry Potter Series

Giveaway Opportunity

2010-11-07T10:30:00.001-08:00

Bloggy Blog Designz is having a Giveaway!!! They are giving away all kinds of goodies. Plus ALL entrants will receive 20% off any purchase through the end of the month! Be sure to check out their website for more information, or to enter yourself. Take a look at their portfolio and packages to see what's right for you.

The first 5 entrants will receive a $15 giftcard. The giveaway will close on November 14th, so be sure to have your posts done and comments left by midnight! Good Luck to everyone!

They have some good designs, so check them out!

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One a side note, my next post will be my 200th! Any special ideas for me to do? Hm...

Review - How to Survive Your Freshman Year of College

2010-11-05T17:19:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from the back cover:

The perennial bestseller, How to Survive Your Freshman Year has become known as the college freshman's "bible.” The Third Edition offers college freshmen 30 per cent new material: more real-life advice and experiences from interviews with college students and graduates across the country, plus tips from the book’s new special editor, Frances Northcutt, an academic advisor and instructor. New entries reflect today’s world of new freshman lifestyle and experiences, including all wireless digital devices, social networking, global and political awareness, and the importance of volunteerism.

My review:

This book as a whole is great and has a good amount of advice. However, some of the advice does not align with my morals and beliefs. There is a whole chapter on drinking and partying (which I almost skipped, but didn't for the sake of a fair review). I would still encourage anyone just starting out in college to read it. While this is more sophomore year, it is my first year away from home so a lot of the advice applied. A good choice to pick up!

2010-11-03T21:12:00.000-07:00

La dee daaaaaaaaaa......

I cannot focus right now :D

I know why too... hahaha! If you care to know, text me or e-mail me or something, but no promises haha. I'll probably tell you though ;)

This is pretty much how I look/feel right now ;) NOTE: This is obviously not me :P My photobooth just cannot capture the fullness of my mood at the moment, so this will have to suffice.

Leaving....

2010-11-02T18:17:00.000-07:00

I had no idea how much this was going to hurt the people here.....

For those who don't know, I will most likely be moving back home next semester and going back to CCC. Basically I'm leaving at Christmas break, and probably for good. I finally told a few people yesterday: Megan, Amber, Aleaha and Kirsten.

Every reaction was different. Amber didn't say much, just listened to me cry about it. Megan looked totally shocked, which made me cry again. I told Kirsten next and she freaked saying we needed to find me scholarships because I couldn't leave. And then Aleaha almost looked hurt, like I wanted to leave or something.

Later I ended up talking to Kirsten about how everyone's reactions were different, and specifically Amber's because she didn't react much. Then Kirsten told me that Amber was actually really upset and had told Kirsten about how upset she was.

I didn't even know what to say. I started crying again. When I brought it up with Amber at dinner, she got really quiet and wouldn't talk much. All she really said was "Well yeah, I mean I don't want you to leave." It broke my heart. I honestly didn't know it would affect her that much. Now I feel like some big jerk who is leaving and ripping apart all the friendships I've made here.

Anyone have $14,000 for me to continue here all year?

Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T09:59:00.000-07:00

Halloween was so fun this year! I really miss trick-or-treating. Yes, I may be too old but when you live in a town with a college campus people don't complain - too much. They just give you funny looks.

This was before I put my green jacket on :) It got so cold, and really fast! But I had fun. We went down the main street and back, getting candy from businesses and a few houses on the way. There was supposed to be a free haunted house as well, but they couldn't open it this year :( We were pretty upset.

Spock and her nerdy fan :) At one point a little girl took one look at Spock's face makeup and was terrified out of her wits! Ha. :) But she looked great anyway. Miss Nerd had a hard time seeing all night with the glasses, as she normally doesn't need any. She kept tripping and running into things. It was pretty funny ;)

This is Xiangting, one of the exchange students from China on our floor. This year was her first Halloween! She didn't quite understand the costume concept, she she just dressed nice :) But she took so many pictures, and loved seeing all the decorations and costumes.

These two are the cutest roommates ever :) Their signs say "I'm with frog" and "I'm with princess". Guess what they are? ;) The Princess and the Frog! :D Haha, only a few people actually guessed but when they did those two were so excited.

I didn't get a ton of candy, but enough to satisfy me for awhile. Thank goodness my roommate isn't a big candy eater, so I don't have to hide it from her! ;)

Hope you all had a fun night!

Review - The Magykal Papers

2010-10-31T22:37:00.000-07:00

The description from the inside cover of the jacket is as follows:

Enter the world of Septimus Heap with this collection of previously unpublished papers.

This rich compendium include:

The private journals of Septimus, Jenna, and Marcia Overstrand
The best - and worst - places to eat as described in The Egg-on-Toast Restaurant Guide
Sirius Weazal's Speedy Guides to the Palace, the Wizard Tower, and Wizard Way
Excerpts from the Pigeon Post Biography series and the Heaps of History series
Alther Mella's Guide to Being Dead: Ten Handy Rules for New Ghosts
Beautiful maps, quirky flyers, funny letters, and much more!

My review:

This is a great addition to the Septimus Heap series! I am a huge fan of the series, so as soon as I found out about this book I had to get my hands on it. It took me a few years, but once I found it (and CHEAP) I was thrilled! I finally got around to reading it now and I do not regret buying it. While it would make no sense to someone simply picking it up randomly, to those (myself included) who love the Septimus Heap books it is a great side book to read while waiting for the next book to come out. If you are a fellow fan, I highly recommend it!

Review - Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff

2010-10-31T10:55:00.000-07:00

I got this book from a friend. Originally I had simply borrowed it, but then she said I could just have it since she never read it. It didn't disappoint!

The description from the back of the book is as follows:

Part of growing up is learning how to deal with difficult issues. The pressures of life can be overwhelming for teens. You worry about schoolwork, competitive sports, family responsibilities, dating, and sometimes more serious problems, such as school violence, drugs, pregnancy, eating disorders and suicide. This book gets to the heart of these issues in the following chapters: On Self-Acceptance, Drugs & Alcohol, Suicide, Tragedy, Family Matters, On Courage, Growing Up, Eating Disorders & Depression, Abuse, Learning Difficult Lessons, Death & Dying. (I accidentally wrote the chapters slightly out of order, so the actual order is different on both the back of the book and inside the book.)

Every person in this book realized something profound from his or her experience; hopefully, this lesson will be passed on to you and spare you similar pain. At the very least, you will know as you read these stories that you are not alone in the world with the challenges you face. May you find comfort, hope and inspiration in the courage, strength and faith of the teens who have bravely shared their stories with you in this book.

My Review:

This book has it all! Whether you have a normal life with not many obstacles, or you're like me and have had your share of trials, this book has a story for you. Many of the individuals I can relate to. The stories don't gloss over any of the hard details; they share the experience as-is. These teenagers went through terrible situations but many of them are using them for good. This book is an inspiration. Another great Chicken Soup book!

Homemade Halloween Costume - SITS Girls Giveaway!

2010-10-30T22:31:00.000-07:00

For Day 2 of the SITS Girls Giveaway, I'm linking up my current Halloween creation.

Since I'm at college and don't have access to much money, I had to make do with a homemade costume this year. My school had a Disney carnival earlier in the month, and as Tinkerbell was my favorite character I thought she would be the perfect choice.

I already had a bright green tank top, so I needed a skirt/dress and wings. (I'll get to the shoes later.) I went thrift store shopping with my roomie and found a great green skirt and those amazing wings! Seriously, those wings are my pride and joy :D

Looks pretty good, if I do say so myself! :) For the last part of my costume, the shoes, I realized too late I had no green flats to wear. Thankfully my roomie has the most adorable green flats that actually fit me(!) and all I had to do was something for the white pompoms. My solution? Cotton balls! :D

I was so proud of how well they turned out! I kept showing them to everyone I saw ;) Aren't they just great??

So since I don't have much else to wear for Halloween, I'm just going to re-wear my Tinkerbell outfit, crafty shoes and all! ;)

Hallween SITS Girls Giveaway

2010-10-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

For looking at past Halloweens, I could not find any pictures :/ How sad is that??

Normally for Halloween I would either convince my mom to buy me a cheap costume from Walmart or something, or just make one. I still think my favorite ones were two from my childhood: a Tinkerbell one (bought, not made) and a Little Mermaid one.

This year I'm dressing up as a homemade Tinkerbell and trick-or-treating with some girls from more dorm. So fun!

2010-10-30T15:06:00.000-07:00

So I've decided to a little revamping of my blog. I don't know if you have noticed, but I added the follower widget to my sidebar, as well as a button for a blog community called the SITS Sisters that I joined. I want to starting taking my blogging more seriously, and blogging more often because I really do enjoy it!

No, I don't plan on changing my layout. I LOVE it waaaaaaay too much. So unless someone wants to offer to make me a new one with no cost to me, this one shall stay. I wanted to start with a weekly schedule, where I post specific things on specific days. I have a few things in mind, which I'll write in a sec, but I would like suggestions as well from my readers. So comment and let me know!

Thoughts so far:

(* = maybe)

*Saturday or Sunday (probably Saturday): School week review (since school is a big part of my life right now)
*Sunday: Devotional post/verse of the week
Friday: Friendship Friday (I'm trying to get better at treating people, specifically one person, as better friends so I'll open it up for me and all of you to share how you were a friend that past week)
Wednesday: Wordless Wednesday (I'll post a picture of something that happened to me the past or that sums up my mood/day)
Monday: Music Monday (I have been listening to so much music lately that this day is perfect! I'll post a YouTube video of a current song that I like and how it relates to my life)

I'm also going to try and spend more time reading and reviewing books so I'll post reviews as I finish books.

This is not to say I won't post on other days; if I feel like I need to blog about something, I will! This isn't set yet either, I still want input from all of you and maybe I'll do a trial week sometime soon.

Love you all! <3

EDIT:

I made my own blog button :D Isn't it beautiful?

Follower widget = success!

2010-10-29T11:53:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the double post today, but I just wanted to point out that I FINALLY figured out how to put the follower widget in a classic template. I feel very accomplished :)

So if you are a new reader, please follow me!!!