Dark Silence to Joy

The world was dark.
The silence between God and man was deafening. It had been going on for four hundred years.
Religious rituals, mind-numbing customs, and a sense of abandonment.
The emperor even sought truth, because it seemed no where to be found.

This time, this was the right time.
God came crashing into our world.

The world light up as angels filled the air.
This was not a silent night. The silence between God and man was broken. The sound of music pierced the air as angels declared God's entrance into our world. Cries from the God-man gasping for his first breath sliced through the quiet of a stable.
Religious rituals were shown to be futile. The customs were now given a meaning, and the world now knew of it's purpose.
Truth had entered the world.

No amount of silly Christmas songs can do this situation justice. The night was not silent. Mary knew that her child was to be the Messiah, and there was no little drummer boy.
There were the cries of an infant, the decelerations of an angel, and the applause of none.

All this. For what?
To show us the light. To declare to a severely warped world that there was still hope.
The world began with light.
"The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the ace of the waters. And God said, "Let there be light." and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness."
The world was the same in those days. It was without form. It had no meaning. When God came to earth as a child, God declared "Let there be light" .............

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a  land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. "
 

A stinky, smelly, dirty baby. Jesus.

Uhoh, better hide. Now that I'm off of school my mind is ready for some hearty meat spiritually/mentally. That means contemplative blogposts.Don't know how many of them will actually get published... but, hey doesn't matter.

Christmas is in like eight days, and I have to say that I have not felt very excited, joyful, etc. My emotions just aren't lining up like they usually do this time of year. Don't get me wrong, the excitement I get from the lights at night makes me sooooo happy that I want do the Snoopy dance. Christmas parties make me laugh and enjoy life... but I'm not talking just about the season.

I'm talking a little bit more about the reality of my Savior coming to earth. THAT hasn't quite hit me yet. Sometimes Christmas seems a little over-rated to me... I know, that sounds terrible... but to be honest, shouldn't we be thrilled the rest of the year? But. I understand that we're stupid humans and we forgot the realities of life a lot. Just like I am right now. So I thought, I'd post something Christmas-ie... I know you guys are probably overloaded on Christmas, but I kinda wanna hit the meat. Sometimes we get so overloaded on the candy in our stockings that the Christmas turkey doesn't sound good anymore.
I know, weird way to think about it... but I think that's the way we get with Christ sometimes. So I wanna look at the meat of things.

Meaning of Christmas: God. Entering our world as a child.
Too often I think his birth is glorified, so much that we miss the reality of it. This God, entered the world he created, and we messed up. The world which we rant about that our hands have wreaked havoc upon. This world where the cruelty we impose on our fellow humans is something we fall asleep with tears streaking our face---this is the world the God of the universe entered.

He entered this world as an infant, his parents waiting to see if he would take his first gasp of air. The God of the universe, that holds our lungs together, was born, gasping for breath, screaming into our darkness, crying out for life as he experienced oxygen for the 'first' time. He created the molecules that make-up oxygen, yet had to learn how to breathe it just like we do.
When he was born, there was no fanfare. We too often forget that the angels didn't sing to Mary and Joseph. The angels declared a savior to the shepherds. The wisemen probably didn't come till he was a tad older, I've heard three... but I'm no historian.

After birthing a child for the first time, Mary wraps her infant in what she has. "Swaddling clothes" I think is often glorified as well... however, I've always had an image of Mary tearing the bottom of her tunic to wrap her child in. She had nothing else in my mind, but again, I'm no historian. I did go to the trouble of looking up "Swaddling Clothes" and even though wikepedia isn't the most reliable source, I found some interesting information.
It's said that swaddling a child was very common, however it's been known to cause SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and DDH (Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip) basically it's a chronic dislocation of the hip.... So, I wouldn't be at all surprised if from being swaddled Jesus walked with a limp... it would fit in with the scripture from Isaiah saying;

"For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not."

I am by no means saying this is fact, but I AM saying that it's possible... in fact if you google "Swaddle" there are instructions on how to snuggly wrap your child without dislocating his hip.

So our Lord entered the world, the Lord that could at any moment cease to keep our hearts beating, the Lord that feeds all the animals in the forest was no incapable of taking care of himself. He had to rely on his parents to feed him, clothe him, and wash him.
This BLOWS my mind. He was an infant, yet fully God. Was he aware of it at that time? I don't know... but you have to imagine.. as Mary, it's obvious she believed that this was the Christ. She had SOME inkling. (She DID know.. so stop singing that song please.Kthanx) that the child in her arms was going to rescue them, but I'm not sure she fully understood what that meant. Imagine feeding the infant that you believe to be God incarnate... a little intimidating, no?

But it was also her first child. She had never had a child before, what do you DO with them? "Am I worthy? Am I doing this right?" Probably ran through her mind a thousand times.

The Lord probably wasn't always treated fairly when it came to disicipline. ;) But even as an infant, I don't know... it just blows my mind. He came as a baby.  A smelly, stinky, dirty, baby.

 

Christmas/Sound/Bass/Homeschoolers/Jumpers... I NEED SLEEP

So today was really fun. ... and tiring, and I really am sick of Christmas music. OHHH and that dumb bass riff. Serriously. Plus the attempt to make it better by switching up a key. "OH LOOK. WE ARE GOOD MUSICIAN. WE PLAY TWO KEY. NO THREE CHORD FOR US. WE PLAY SAME CHORD HIGHER."
Okay. Yeah.. maybe I need sleep.
Tomorrow I gotta get up early again. (Yet I'm still up, why is that?) I'm teching for the highschoolers :)
Sad part.
I have no cyc lights.
THEY STOLE THEM FOR THE SWEETIES.
Cruelty.
tsktsk.
Which means I should probably get there double early to patch them.....
OOO Something else to talk about:
I want a bass amp like the one that I got to use today ^_^
It's probably worth more than my left eye. But I still want one. It makes the bass guitar rattle the room mwhahahahahahaha <--- laugh of musicianal joy.
I haven't gotten to do a whole lot of musical things since I started college. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I had actually stuck with the plans for Music Therapy. But the truth is, I'm too much of a coward when it comes to playing in front of people to actually go through with the idea.





Unfortunately I'm missing the oppurtunity to be a gaffer for the Raleigh Ringers Concert so that I can study for a math test.
Just one more reason to hate math I suppose.
The good news is, if I get a 60 on the test, I'll still pass the class... with two points to spare. So. Let's hope I get more than a sixty. This is my first time ever taking finals.

Plus, I can't wait to get back to enjoying my family. They've been complaining about me not being around. When I get home apparently I "Hide in your room." ... but they know it's cuz I have homework that I can't ignore :(

The other thing I can't wait to do is be able to call a friend and say "hey, wanna hang out?" and not have to think about how I have to get up in the morning and function and do homework and...
Yeah.  So much for homeschoolers being unsocialized. WHAT IS THIS. WHY YOU HAVE THINGS CALLED SCHOOL DAY? WHY YOU NO HAVE FREE TIME? WHY YOU STILL NOT AS SMART AS US? DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
;)
-walks around in a jumper-
Best part of being a homeschooler? When someone asks you if you are unsocialized.
There are so many ways to answer this one.
"Why am I talking to you? I'm not allowed to talk to people. I'm sorry. Please stop talking to me. My parents will ground me and make me work the farm the whole week without help. THEY MIGHT EVEN KILL BESSIE. Great. Thanks for talking to me. Now my best friend is going to turn into a hamburger. MURDERER."

Then when they realize you're joking being like "yeah, pssht. We totally walk around in jumpers all day."
Then they look at you and say, "What's a jumper?"
.....
-facepalm-




MMM DELISH.

Purity vs. Innocence

I don't have a picture for you today.
Instead I have a thought. Well, rather two thoughts... And maybe my thoughts are a little blunt. But I believe they are worth posting.

I've been reading a young friends facebook wall, and it just makes me want to cry. I guess I don't understand the point of young girls looking to intimacy with a guy for love. Why keep going back to something that just doesn't satisfy?

My other thought is this....
There's a difference between innocence and purity.
Innocence is something a young four year old girl has, sure she has a flesh that one day she's going to have to give to God, but she's naive, new, and innocent to the world. Innocence iss something that is admired, but something she loses as she gets older. Not because she has been evil, but because life has been evil to her. As she turns to 14, and even 24 .. she may still be a virgin, but she's no longer innocent.
She's seen the reality's of life.

The thing about purity, is that it's a renewal of innocence. It doesn't mean that she doesn't know about the crudeness of life, instead she chooses not to be a part of it.

Purity is a CHOICE.
Innocence is a STATE OF BEING

No matter what happens to a girl who's pure, she'll always be pure. Purity is something God provides her the ability to have.

Innocence--- the state of being completely oblivious to sin (and or the evils of the world)... can only be regained in heaven. See.. in the Garden, the thing lost was this "innocence". Once Eve at the fruit she had the knowledge of good AND evil.

No one can handle that knowledge, and not sin, except God.

One day, purity won't be scorned, and innocence will not even be abnormal. But until then, I'm going to strive to be pure. No one can change that.

AS PROMISED

Alrighty my beloved stalke---er I mean, blogger friends. ;)
Now is the moment you've all been waiting for!!!
I AM PUTTING UP PICTURES.
I'm not putting them in any particular days order, because well, lets be honest. You do the same show all week... the pictures get kind of boring... so I'm going to put up the interesting pictures, and call it good. Is that fair?

Good. Cuz I'm doing it anyways.

 Our church has an amaaazzinggg bell choir. They're just fantastic.

 This was my view every night. We had a hazer, and I was running spot. NOW. You tell me.. Would you be able to aim YOUR spotlight properly in that?!?!










I guess you could say you lost the forest for the trees.. .(or however that dumb saying goes)

 This is our sound board. He's pretty. He's completely digital. I'm not 100% positive how many channels he has, but he's amazing.

 AHHHHHHH I LIVE OFF THIS STUFF DURING PERFORMANCE WEEKS.

 This is what you see as your setting up XD

We have this joke. See, okay... We had our church raided by dear this summer. NO LIE. So we made a joke on it during Christmas Sweet. We had the deer running through the building during the performance. It was great.

OH INSANITY

Dearest followers of my blog. I have failed you. I have not been able to post pictures, and missed taking a picture on Tuesday. HOWEVER. I have a TON of pictures that I'm intending to put up at some point in time... I've just been insanely swamped with school and Sweet.

In fact, I've run on so little sleep that I accidentally missed a quiz on Tuesday. :/ I serriously am debating not going back in the fall. But my parents say I'm just exhausted and after break I'll feel differently.
My response?
Maybe.
I guess I just don't see the point when I could be doing an internship and accomplishing the same goals. But then again, if I really am planning on going to Full Sail... then I need school. But since I'm young for college anyways, taking a semester off to work.. probably isn't as terrible as it sounds. I have my whole LIFE ahead of me... I'm just tired of wasting it in a classroom all day, and when I get home, sitting on my butt to do homework. I can't sit still that long. I have to be *doing* something... S:LDKFHSDL:GH
Anyways. That was my rant. I'll probably rant some more when I'm not so tired....
But I will get those pictures to you guys. .. .Just give me some patience :)  Every time the Holidays roll around, I think of a line in a song by Switchfoot:
"Stars looking at the planet, watching entropy and pain. Maybe start to wonder how the chaos in our lives could pass as sane."
I'll leave with that. Because if I don't go to bed now, I'll try to wax eloquently and look back on it in the morning and think "wow, that's a caffeine post."
Anyways.
I WILL POST PICTURES SOON

Key Lime PIe

Today was the first day of Sweet!!! (The concert at my church)
Technically it's supposed to be a "Dress Rehersal"... but we had people watching it. So I was super jittery and nervous, even though I'm not really doing that much for it. I'm running Spotlight ^_^ I super love doing behind the scenes stuff :)
Anyways, I was totally going to put up an awesome picture of Sweet, and completely forgot my camera. But I did get a picture of today to show you:

:) This. This is a Key lime pie. A MINI ONE. Okay so after church, a few of my friends and I usually hang out and get lunch together, then go watch a movie together. This week they had a "late thanksgiving" dinner. But I didn't get to go, because I had Sweet Practice. So my friend brought me over some of the dinner today. Which worked out perfectly for me because I was supposed to be leaving, and didn't really feel like fixing something to eat... So I just ate what my friend brought over :) TAHDAH. My Key Lime Pie was amazing. It was full of awesome sause. I've never had Key Lime Pie before. It's really good. Today went pretty well, it was still really choppy, but now that we've actually run through it twice tomorrow should be a piece of cake. LAWLZ. NO PUN INTENDED. Anyways, I need to get some sleep. I have a test in the morning :P NO FUN. Only a few more days till school ends ^_^ then finals :'( NS:LDKFJ:LHGSF:ALSIKJ CHRISTMAS BREAK WON'T COME FAST ENOUGH.

Thur-Sun

I probably will have no time to update my Facebook this week. Between my schoolwork, homework, and Christmas Concert we're having at my church, I'll be surprised if I have sanity left. :)
I intend to still do the picture a day thing... Idk how quickly they'll be put up, but I intend to try. So I know I told you guys I'd post mine from my break. So here they come:

Thursday:

See, this is a very special picture to me. We NEVER set up our tree before December 8th. But now that I'm in college, and have like no time... My mom set up the tree on thanksgiving day. I was so shocked. As a lighting technician, you can guess what my favorite part is.

Friday:

I got to help a friend decorate...Again, ... you can see why I love Christmas

Saturday:

We went to a bonefireee :) The people who had it made the BEST chicken. TODAY:

This is the sound board we use for the Christmas Concert.

ISN'T THAT EXCITING?!?!

I'm not ignoring my readers ;)

You know how holidays go.
I WILL put up my pictures that are due.
ONCE I have some time :)
Dreading Monday, but practicing for Sweet tomorrow.
I don't even know if you guys observe these. mwhahaha I CAN SAY MEAN THINGS ABOUT YOU MWHAHAHA..
ok. Just kidding.
But I will put up my pictures in case you're actually paying attention to my blog when you should be stuffing your face with turkey and talking about how you need to go the gym next week.

Well. I'm saying odd things. I should go to bed now.
Goodnight.

I'm Thankful For

I realized yesterday that I did not post a picture, I intend to post some too. But hey, it's the holiday's... who's really paying attention to my blog anyways? GO BE WITH YOUR FAMILY.

In honor of thanksgiving, I wanted to post a list that I made for a friend of mine. I had been dared to make a list of 457 of my favorite things. I am going to post it here, but add a few things, and call it "I'm thankful for".
If you actually read through this whole list, I apologize... but maybe it'll help you find things to be thankful for!!
1. God
2. Worshipping
3. Dad
4. Mom
5. Brooke Fuller
6. Benjamin Fuller
7. Ethan Fuller
8. Lights
9.  The color yellow
10. My church
11. My church Family
12.  Snoopy
13. Stories
14. Books (yes there is a difference)
15. Pictures
16. Electricity
17. Fire
18. Lasagna
19. Grace
20. Love
21. Happiness
22. Joy
23. Peace
24. My Ductape Sandals (MOM)
25. Playing the piano
26. Playing the Bass guitar
27. Singing
28. Singing A-cappella in church
29. Singing to Switchfoot
30. Switchfoot
31. Jon Foreman
32. Tim Foreman’s bass skillage
33. Mary Ramsey
34. Ivoryline’s “Vessels” CD
35. Switchfoot’s “Nothing is Sound” Album
36. DC*B’s “ A Collision” Album (seriously.  Go listen to this album. It’s order is so beautiful)
37. When people *DON’T* Argue about doctrinal issues over youtube.
38. When people share the truth in *LOVE*
39. Un-angry people
40. Forgiveness. Deffly one of my favorite things.
41. Kindness
42.  The answer to life (Yes. That does count Avery)
43. Ashton Rueda
44. The English Language
45. Teachers
46. The fact that I never needed braces
47. Unbroken bones
48. Bananagrams
49. Scatagories
50. Mao
51. My laptop
52. Ipod’s (seriously? COOLEST INVENTION EVER)
53. Phone’s
54. CELLPHONES
55. Facebook
56. Twitter
57. Email
58. Pretty much the internet in general
59. When Ben plays the drums whilst I play the bass :D
60. NOT playing the piano in front of a large group of people
61. Good health
62. Inhalers. Because they’ve saved my life more than once.
63. Un-awkward situations
64. Rita’s
65. DMX Calculators
66. Calculators in general
67. Good math scores
68. MONEYMONEYMONEY ARH ARH ARH
69. NOT watching spongebob
70. Being in the tech booth
71. Having a Brain
72. Breathing
73. Being able to walk
74. Green lights
75.Bubbles
76. Paper
77. The Cajone
78. PLAYING the Cajone
79. Summer
80. Swimming
81. Dancing
82. RANDOM Dancing
83. Scaring people
84. Making people lose the “Game”
85. Irish accents
86. Teasing Megan Black
87. Megan Black
88. Sho Baraka’s “Shut Us Down”
89. Lecrae. SO MUCH WIN
90. Having deep theologically sound rap music
91. Having deep theologically sound music in general
92. The fact that Krista Hoganson is moving back to NC
93. The fact that Krista Hoganson and I are still friends even though she moved when I was in gradeschool and we were best friends and we didn’t think we’d ever hear from each other again.
94. Krista Hoganson
95. Skype
96. The fact that I COULD win all those special contests
97. Actually winning a contest
98. Shouting happy things
99. Calanders
100. The fact that I’m already at 100 things
101. Old people (YES. THEY TELL GREAT STORIES)
102. Quotes. I have a secret obsession with looking at quotes.
103. Quoting quotes.
104. When people like my status
105. When people I know add me on Facebook first
106. Extremely well-made Christian movies
107. Good movies in general
108. Netflix
109. Monk
110. Numb3rs
111. Camera’s
112. People with better camera skillz than me
113. People who let me use their photos because they know I’m not good at taking pictures
114. Free stuff
115. Free USEFUL stuff
116. Stocking Stuffers
117. Tacs. They hold things to my wall.
118. Letters.
119. Oh you thought I meant written letters from people? I like those too
120. Chubby adorable babies.
121. Think Geek
122. Church Productions Magazine
123. That the Lord knew I was terrified of being ON stage, so he gave me the ability to do techie things BACK stage.
124. Notebooks
125. Being Hydrated
126. Going barefoot
127. Being barefoot in the snow until your feet go numb
128. Nirchi’s Pizza
129. The New York Yankees
130. Spiedies
131. The Beach
132. The Mountains
133. The fact that it’s not winter all year in N.C.
134. The fresh air of NY
135. People Watching
136. Theater
137. Adding a good beat to an old hymn
138. The lyrical strength of old hymns
139. The Lecrae Concert I went to last yearish
140. Attalus Concerts
141. Working at Attalus’ Concerts
142. Tight Harmonies
143. Finding a song you heard at a concert and loved, but didn’t know the name of.
144. Heaven.
145. Mangoes
146. Toothpaste
147. Running Water
148. The fact that I can take a shower every day
149. HOT running water
150. Waterfalls
151. Oceans (Not the same as the beach)
152. Glow in the dark weapons
153. Music Videos that make sense
154. The Truthfulness of children
155. Making a Walmart Cashier’s day.
156. Smiling and watching people feel better
157. Glowsticks
158. Blacklights
159. Toilet-papering the whole gym under blacklights while the leaders were encouraging it
160. Competition
161. Actually completing a dare.
162. Only accepting dares that aren’t dumb
163. The fact that I missed out on a lot of crud in middleschool
164. The fact that I am no longer IN middleschool
165. The fact that God blessed me with great friends
166. The fact that I can sing along with a lot of rap music
167. Dwayne Tryumf’s unbeatable rap skillage
168. The color blue
169. Lime green, yellow, and orange ALL TOGETHER
170. Lemonade
171. Cooking
172. Pink Pants
173. When people wear more than the color black
174. Haley Mathiot
175. Haley Mathiot’s sewing skillage
176. Haley Mathiot’s throwing skillage (like the pottery)
177. American Sign Language
178. Narnia
179. Jaclyn Young
180. Unlimited Texting
181. When Jaclyn and I watch Disney movies together
182. Eleventyseven’s “Galactic  Conquest” album
183. Robots
184. Gaff Tape
185. Duct tape
186. When I get past the retarded bird in GIRP
187. Unicorns
188. Cute earrings
189. Cheap Earrings
190. Glitter
191. Not spending massive amounts of time shopping for nothing
192. Going out with my mom on mommy daughter dates, and getting to pay for her food
193. When I actually get to drive. Stupid government.
194. When people totally guess my age wrong.
195. The hilarious look on people’s face when I tell them how old I am
196. Sunday Night Hangout-times after service.
197. Moriah Grant.  She just brings me so much joy.
198. The Mccoy Kids.
199. When the Mccoy kids give me hugs J
200. Amanda Mann’s drawing skillage
201. Amanda Mann’s mean banjo skillage
202. Amanda Mann in general
203. The After's "Summer Again"
204. Megan Black’s photography skillage. I would steal this.
205. Megan’s “Dead puppy face.”
206. Yakkety Sax
207. A song with more than 3 chords
208. BIRTHDAYS
209. The fourth of July. This is my all time favorite holiday.
210. Christmas too.
211. Wearing dresses
212. Wearing dresses for SHORT periods of time.
213. Walter the Owl.
214. CUTE LUNCHBAGS
215. The smell after it rains
216. The cornfield next to my old house in NY
217. Cheese
218. Twirling in a happy dress
219. The starkness of shadows when light is shown upon them
220. The jingling of car keys in MY HAND
221. Canolies (spelling? Some really delicious Italian dessert.)
222. When free songs on itunes actually are worth listening to
223. Contacts
224. The Cupcake Bite
225. The Cupcake Bite’s “Blondie Cupcake” (joooyyy)
226. I really really really like vegan soap for some reason
227. Adorable hair pins
228. Sequins
229. Decent Shorts.
230. The memory of jumping in the icy-cold pool in the middle of January with my siblings.
231. “The Shadow Proves the Sunshine” by Switchfoot (yeahyeah it’s off that album. Get over it.)
232. The fact that my purse is really speakers for my ipod
233. The fact that my key card gets me into the church when I’m working. I didn’t always have that privilege.
234. Amy Justice coming back to church in the summer and letting me tag along on her techie adventures!
235. Hot chocolate on a cold day
236. Eating Icecream when it’s cold and rainy.
237. My nice warm bed after a long day.
238. Sitting around the dinner table with my family telling stories.
239. Laughing. I *LOVE* laughing.
240. The smell of a new book
241. The smell of an old book
242. Finding treasures in a book
243. Those books that have the pockets and things that you can open and pull out stuff of. (anyone know what I’m talking about?)
244. Nancy Drew computer games
245. Specifically  The Curse of Blackmoore Manor
246. Going to the pool with Megan Black and Brooke Fuller, and Jumping in all at the same time
 247. The memories of “Veronica” The evil Barbie doll that represented all the “popular bad girls” we didn’t like in middleschool
248. Arthur the Aardvark. Who taught me how to spell “Aardvark”
249. Pens
250. Markers. I have this strange obsession with them.
251. Bandaids. I don’t really know why. I just love multicolored/decorative bandaids.
252. I loovvee glass dolls. I collect them. Did I just admit that over the internet?
253. Tiny glass tea-sets.
254. When people do my hair. I’m so uncreative with it… I love it when people dress it up.
255. Super Mario Sunshine
256.Super Nintendo
257. The movie “The Imposter” with Kevin Max
258. DC Talk, even though I’ve never gotten to listen to all their songs.
259. “The Second Chance.” With Steven Curtis Chapman ( I think? Some famous guy.)
260. The fact that Newsboys sounds so much better now that they switched singers
261. The fact that Betsy Townsend took me to Winterjam :D
262. Betsy Townsend in general. She is a role model of mine.
263. The fact that my mother likes Switchfoot
264. The fact that my mother made a Lecrae reference the other day without noticing it…
265. The fact that my daddy takes time to ask me how I’m doing
266. The fact that my daddy let me go to a Lecrae concert even though he can’t stand the stuff.
267. My kitten, I usually hate cats… but this one thinks he’s a dog. And he loves me.
268. Watermelons
269. Skin. I like having skin.
270. The smell of fried chicken
271. Hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com
272. Electric nail polish colors
273. Those converses that I wanted to buy years ago but couldn’t afford and still want but seem to no longer exist.
274. Shopping Carts. I mean come on, try holding all that stuff by hand
275. When people actually use the shopping cart corral
276. Golden Corral
277. HUSH PUPPIES
278. Curlz MT
279. Being able to count.
280. The little rainbow swirlie thing that twirls and twists in the wind that sits above my bookshelf
281. Rulers. Like the things that you can use to draw straight lines with
282. Sketch pads –ahhhh-
283. Brand new pencils
284. That brand new pencil smell
285. The smell of those bring pink erasers.
286. Glitter Glue
287. Crayons
288. PLAYDOUGH
289. Yellow Ductape
290. Dragonfruit and Thai Febreez room spray
291. Cheesecake
292. Christmas Sweets
293. Working in the kitchen during Christmas Sweets
294. Working as a waitress during Christmas Sweets
295. Working as a techie during Christmas Sweets
296. The kitchen staff at Colonial
297. Ed Maness
298. The fact that the CYT cast can do the Bernie
299. When my hair doesn’t frizz
300. Creating sets with Mrs. Cindy
301. Mrs. Cindy’s brain. Serriously. I love her creative mind
302. Mrs. Cindy in general
303. The memory I have of going into home Depot with Mrs. Cindy
304. Galatians 2:20
305. Spellcheck
306.  CYT
307. The people at CYT
308. Working as a techie for CYT
309. Gummy anything pretty much
310. Mike & Ikes
311. Reeses
312. That little statue of cupid that keeps showing up in random places
313. Bacon
314. Making Waffles with Krista Hoganson
315. Sausage Pizza
316. Those Hot N’ Ready’s from Little Ceasers
317. Dominos Pizza
318. Audrey Daum
319. Going to the Dollar tree with Audrey Daum
320. Going to Cookout with my carpool buddies from CYT
321. The memory of Jacob Abraham and Jamey Meeker hopping on Megan’s van
322. Jacob Abraham’s guitar skillage (steals skillage)
323. Jamey Meeker’s vocal skillage
324. Grooveshark
325. My stuffed animal puppy ^_^
326. Random Conversations
327. Josh Mcdowell’s message at our church
328. The silly reaction of people to “famous people.”
329. Those orb thingies with electricity inside that follows your hand around.
330. Lava lamps
331. Multicolored lightbulbs
332. Mountain Dew
333. Not doing what the crowd does
334. A gentleman
335. Arsenic and Old Lace
336.  LOTR
337.The Cosby Show
338. Ashton Rueda’s hair flip
339.Scrabble
340. Mad Gab
341. I Am Number Four
342. George the statue
343. Dani Fuller
344. Sammi Fuller
345. Quenton Fuller
346. Tina Fuller
347. Uncle Wesley
348. Aunt Becky
349. The fact that my cousins respond to life the same way we do
350. The fact that we were instant friends… once we could remember who was who
351. The fact that they like to laugh
352.The Starship Unicorn
353. IT lights
354. Children
355. Pastor Aaron
356. Pastor Don
357. “Myspace” By The Afters
358.The Parrot on The Curse of Blackmoore Manor
359. Little Debbie Swiss Rolls MMMMM
360. My piano teacher
361.  When my body lets me sleep in
362. Felt
363. The softness of  a Chinchilla
364. The fact that Chinchillas look like Pikachu
365. Cotton Candy Body Spray
366. Edith Olivarez
367.The fact that Turbo Dax’s profile picture is a show I lite
368. Avery Thorn’s pinano skillage
369.Chocolate
370. A double chocolate chip mocha frappacinno without the coffee xD (Doublechocolatechip)
371. The fact that I know all the people at the Starbucks across from church
372. The fact that they know me xDDDDD
373. Playing in the rain
374. Rain in general
375. You know what? Snow.
376. Salt n’ Vinegar chips
377. Going out to lunch with Lauren Folk
378. My daddy’s laugh
379. Ethan’s dancing
380. Ben’s Old Spice Man impression
381. Evil Genius by EleventySeven
382. American Dream by Switchfoot
383. Smashing Sprite cans with a car
384. Stickers
385.Drawing
386. Painting
387. Biltmore Castle
389. Taking pictures at Biltmore Castle with Brooke Fuller
390. Going to Tweetsy Railroad during Halloween
391. Holidays that get you free candy
392. Texting my friend while she’s driving all the way across the country
393. Petting Puppies!!
394. Petting Kittens!
395. Holding a Rabbit!
396. I want a Rabbit. SO. BAD.
397. Amigurumi
398. Juicy Juice
399. Candy Corn
400. Memory Cards
401. Memory Sticks
402. External Harddrives
403. Seeing Haley and her family for Thanksgiving
404. Nicknames
405. Hugs
406. Jericho
407. Cheese Whiz
408. Rhubarb Pie
409. Moose Tracks Ice cream
410. Cookiedough Ice cream
411. Sugar
412. Hammocks
413. My Bubble Chair
414. Snickerdoodles
415. MP3’s instead of MP4’s
416. Emma Marx’s photo skillage
417. The Student Tech Team
418. Air Conditioning
419. Heater
420. Cheesecake
421. Those Cheesecake Jello things.
422. Ice Cream Cake
423. The Cave
424. My strange hearing abilities when I’m around Mary Ramsey
425. Picnics
426. Emma Marx red hair
425. Straighteners
426. “All I have is Christ”
427. “We Stand Amazed”
428. Nachos
429.Dutch Blitz
430. Cookout
431. Getting trucks to honk
432. The little convenience store by my house
433. Walking around the neighborhood without worrying about dogs
434. Walking around the neighborhood AFTER DARK and not worry about creepers
435. Feeding the ducks at the pond
436. Contemplating life at the pond
437. Scaring the trashman because I’m singing at the lake at talking to ducks.
438. Naming the ducks
439. Realizing that the ducks know their names
440. Ducktor Laura (yeahyeahyeah cheesy)
441. Cream Cheese Frosting
442. Spice Cake
443. Despair.com
445. Blarnia
446. The dollhouse we had as kids
447. SHOPPING CART  (Brooke Fuller)
448. “Adventures in Space” Featuring the seven dwarves
449. When my little brothers and I would wrestle in the bonus room
450.  The fact that my cat is ticklish
451. Glazed Pecans
452. Peanut Butter
453. Brut Ads
454. Steven Crowder (most of the time)
455. What little I’ve read of the “Adventure’s of Dr. Mcninja”
456. Ninja’s SO beat pirates
457. Playing piano whilst rain is pelting the music room windows
458. Attalus' new Album "Post Tenabras Lux"
459. The love of God pulling me out of darkness into his wonderful light
460. The faith God's provided me with, and that I'm not responsible for saving myself.
461. Puppets
462. Joanne's Fabric's
463. Thanksgiving Break
464. Christmas Trees
465. My Religion Professor at School

Ladybugs Scare Me :(

My picture for the day kinda makes me laugh... and makes me want to cry. Okay, not really cry. I don't like these little buggers.
LOOK --------->
THESE GUYS SCARE ME.
Now I know, I can hear you in my head "YOU ARE RIDICULOUS!!" HOW ARE LADYBUGS SCARY?!?!"

Well see... there's a story behind that one.

See... when I was younger, we lived in NY. :) That has nothing to do with story... actually, it does. Because I catagorize my stories by what house I was living in at the time. ANYWAYS. We were living in NY and we were all so young that me, and all three of my siblings were in the same room. Well I had the bed next to the window. My sister had the bed on the other wall. Well one night, right before I went to bed, I happened to look outside my window.
That's when my fear began.
I glanced outside. There were thousands (okay, not thousands) .. BUT THERE WERE A LOT!! Of ladybugs, crawling around INSIDE the screen of the window. As they were trying to escape, tons and tons of ladybug carcasses lay in the sill of the window. In that sill, were thousands of ladybugs that had tried to escape but couldn't.
I have no idea why this terrified me.
But I was so scared, that I ran to my sister's bed asked to sleep with her because there were ladybugs outside my window.
She told me I was ridiculous and to go back to sleep.
I went and tried to lay back down.
I couldn't sleep.
So I waltzed over to my younger brother's bed and asked him.
He told me I was ridiculous and to go back to sleep.
I crawled tentativly into my bed.
Then jumped up, and ran into my sisters bed.
I squished and squeezed until she finally succombed.
I slept in her bed.
THE END.

I hate ladybugs.

RUN LADYBUG RUN!

BRYONNNN :) My light board. Well. Sorta mine.

TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL TILL BREAK!! :) :) I got to help set up for a Christmas Concert we have at my church every year. I'm super stoked. :) I got to help:
Make the walls covered in black felt
Cut out cardboard ... I'm not sure what for.
Paint "wood"
Change lamps in lights
Get ammonia water to clean mirror lights
Play with the fog machine
Move a Spotlight
... hmm... Yep. Unfortunately I don't think we get to use the fog-machine for the concert. Last year the fog machine set off the fire alarm ohhh 4 times? I don't know. A lot. The Fire Department hates us.

This is a photo of the Vista S3. It's the board we're using because the S1 conked out on us. ISN'T IT PRETTY? His name is Bryon. Because, well, we're not using Version 2.. but if were were, it's called "Byron" and... I always read it as "Bryon" ... so that's his name. He's awesome. Well. I have class in the morning. FAREWELL.

Catchup

Totally was going to post something, but got busy reading other blogs. MY BAD. I know I owe you two or three pictures. Here they are:
1. Friday, I have some really cool pictures on my camera... but I didn't take them. So I will allow my sister, who took them, to upload them. Eventually. But the Attalus Concert was amazing. I do have a picture of what we did afterwards........




So now for Saturday, we went on random errands, I did homework. While my dad was at Home Depot, I went to my favorite section ^_^

Sunday. I am an idiot. I forgot to take a picture. I intended to take a picture of us practicing for Christmas Sweet. But I... got so... distracted by... the awesomeness. I forgot. Yeah. So. Here. The picture to the left is a picture a friend of mine took. Be pleased.

Post Tenabras Lux/Attalus

A blogger friend of mine wrote a review for the newest Attalus Album, I won't steal his thunder because the review is EXCELLENT. His blog is here. Go take a gander at his blog and follow him folks! Oh, and if you want, Attalus' album is coming out on Itunes today, go buy their album! Their Facebook page is linked in the review:

"I was asked to write a review of the new album from Attalus titled Post Tenabras Lux, which is Latin for "after darkness, light." This is a concept album, meaning that the theme and sound of the songs all progress according to some overarching design (I'm a creationist, can you tell). In this, the title kind of explains it. The songs start off darker and get lighter, both musically and lyrically. I personally think that they did a brilliant job with the whole album, each song progresses to the next flawlessly and each song is great by itself as well. One can tell that they really spent a lot of time on even the smallest details. So, now that I've hyped it up some, time to digest each song and after that give my final thoughts on the album.

01 Night - The album opens off with with this powerful song. It opens with a soft and sad piano piece then Seth strikes a note, pause, and bam! You are hit with the rest of the band. I love the sound of this song. It starts out with dark undertones and then picks up pace getting more jaded as the song goes on till the line "if this is enlightenment, then why is it dark as hell?!" Then it just gets crazy as they vent the frustrations of living in this post-modern age, screaming "all is vanity" over and over. I love this song because it deals pretty honestly with some of the doubts I know I myself have felt as I try to make sense of the world.

02 Problem of Pain - This next song flows thematically right from the album opener with a really moving intro featuring clips from the news about various tragedies locally and around the world. With night they opened up the subject of faith and admitted to the seeming meaninglessness of life. Now they go straight to one of the hardest subjects in Christianity. The way I see it, after admitting that enlightenment kinda sucks and is rather meaningless, the next step is to look for meaning. One of the reasons a lot of people have trouble with Christianity is this problem of pain. How can an all powerful God love us when so much seems wrong with the world ("either you're not good, or your just not that strong). I think that this song captures the full depth of the pain and frustration, and then flips that on its head when God replies to the man.

I may like other songs more musically, but this stands as one of my personal favorite (not just on this album, but in general) songs because it reminds me why I do what I do as a δοῦλος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, "slave of Jesus Christ."


03 Post Tenabras Lux - I'm not going to lie, this may be my least favorite song just for the beginning. I just personally do not like the sound of this song at all. But I am torn, cause I always find myself singing along to it and lyrically it is solid (like every song Attalus has). There is a turning point at about the 3 minute mark where I actually enjoy the song. I love the refrain "whoa-a-oh, whoa-a-oh, the road of faith will lead to sigh, after darkness comes the light." It is so fun live. So, I can't say I don't like this song altogether, but it's not my favorite and I think it has a lot to do with the sing-song voice Seth uses. Oh well.


04 Faith and Reason - Wow, so pop-punk, and I still kind of like it. This is a song that I started out hating and grew to absolutely love it. The biggest thing is the line "whoever said life is easy... They lied!", it makes me smile every time! If you look around this blog at other posts, you'll learn more about why I smile at that line. This song won me with the lyrics and the part about "a faith that's never broken is a faith that's never healed." I find so much meaning in this song because this spring I nearly walked away from my faith and you have no idea how painful an experience that can be unless you've been through it yourself. But I came to that same conclusion, that your faith has to be broken, like muscle fibers, so that it can be healed back stronger than it was before.


05 Shadows of Doubt - This is just an all around good song. It does not stand out as much as some of the others but I really really enjoy it. The progressions and lyrics and tone of the song are just so in sync with each other. I'm actually not sure why it does not stand out more to me, cause it's really good. It could just be that it just lyrically does not grab at me personally as much as the previous song, they deal with more or less the same thing.


06 When I Lose My Way - This song flows so smoothly from Shadows of Doubt on the album. It starts off really slow and is just personal reflections on what it is like to struggle with feeling like you have lost your way. How you put the Bible back on the shelf and kind of drift away, but you keep feeling called back for some reason. Again, like Problem of Pain, this is a conversation between man and God. After these confessions God comes in to comfort his wandering child. This song is so great, especially where if comes at in the album. After all these songs about the struggles and such, this song is like a turning point where finally the man collapses and just rushes back to his Father. It is interesting cause the song just continues to build and build. I tend to reflect on my own life during this song and the pace is just right. I would sing this on Sunday morning in Church for worship, actually. It just about brings me to tears at the end.


07 One Defining Spark - Okay, so after getting so sentimental and deep and even getting me to tear up, this song comes up with the new screaming vocals and instrumentation and I just go crazy in my head (and sometimes I will actually jump around and headbang to it). This album is organized so well, the songs flow so well from one to the next. I won't really talk about this song much cause most of you should already know it as it is just the same song re-done all prettyful with the screaming added (hehehe). I will say this though, I absolutely love this version of the song.


08 At the Rubicon - Now that we have gone crazy, they calm things down a bit with this song. This song is about finally really committing one's life to Christ, I think. It captures that scary happy feeling you get when you know this is for the best but you don't actually know what is going to happen. You have to fling yourself headlong into this world of faith where you're not really sure what's going to happen you you feel like it is okay because God is in charge. 


09 A Country Road in Two Seasons - Honestly, this is actually my favorite song on this album. If we can take this album to be a progression from sin to salvation, this is the aftermath. The gentle maturing process that can be turbulent at times, but it is much better. It is like looking back at all that we have gone through, all the doubts, all the pain, and just seeing how God has led our lives along and also looking ahead down the path to where we are going. It is so beautiful, and the fall/winter imagery is so beautiful. I like to relax and just listen to this song and pray.


10 Let There Be Light - This song closes the album and is just a powerful song of worship repeating the words found in Genesis, "let there be light". After everything else on the album, this short simple song contains more meaning in its notes and words than can actually be written down. It is the culmination of this album's progression from darkness to light and just brings closure to the whole thing.


Overall, I think this is one of the best Christian music albums I have heard in a long time. This is the story of salvation and dealing with doubt and all the crap we have to go through and coming through hurt, but better off for it I think. A passage in Luke comes to mind actually. Jesus is eating with the pharisees, a very strict religious sect in the Jewish culture at that time, the typical "holier than thou" stereotype (all too common in the Church today too). While there, a sinful woman washes His feet with her tears and pours perfume on His feet. The pharisees were appalled that Jesus let her touch him, so He told them a parable where two men owed money but were each forgiven their debts. Jesus asked which man loved the king more, the one who owed much and was forgiven much, or the one who owed little and was forgiven little? The pharisees replied that it was obviously the man forgiven much who would love the king more. The point of all that was to explain the line in Luke 7:47 where Christ says, "he who has been forgiven little loves little." (implying, he who has been forgiven much loves much). So, this is how I see the trials we go through and the pain of our own sin. It hurts a lot, but without it, we would not have this wealth of love that we can share with others. I plan to try to pick up a handful of the CDs and give them out as Christmas presents to friends I know could use encouragement or just need to hear the Gospel. I think that is what I love most about this album. It is not just more music to enjoy by myself or at concerts, but it is a new avenue to evangelize and talk openly about my faith, and I pray my Lord would give me the confidence to be able to do that. So please, don't just listen to this album and move on. Let the words and the notes speak to you, and if you find something that sticks, share it with a friend and tell the band. I know they love hearing how their hard work affects people's lives."

I <3 glowsticks.

Are We Willing to Die for our Faith? (Thrice/Ivoryline)

Man, I have been so convicted this morning. I thought I would share it with you guys. I'm not entirely sure how to put it in words, so I apologize if this  is mumbo jumbo.

I've been reading in Acts, and it's a little hard to "apply" sometimes. But I've been encouraged by a Bible Study leader, and a Professor at my school, to read deeper. To not just "read the words". To really try to visualize what happened, and to dig deeper than just one run-through. I started doing that, and really asking the Holy Spirit to give me understanding, and man. I feel like I've missed a lot. I want to read through it over again!!

But the point of this was to share the specific lesson I'm learning. So here goes:

In Acts 20, Paul is traveling to Miletus, and when he gets there, he calls for the elders of the church of Ephesus. He then makes a farewell speech to them. This hit me really hard. Here's what it says:

"And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God, and now behold I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. .... In all thing I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Paul knew he wasn't going to get to see these guys again,  yet he still went to Jerusalem!!! Later on they sail to Tyre, where in the Holy Spirit, his companions warn him not to go to Jerusalem. I don't completely understand the whole "God said to go" now "God said to not go", I believe that some of what was said was lost in translation, and that the Holy Spirit was probably letting the people at Tyre know that they would not see Paul again, that he would die if he went to Jerusalem. I think that this news probably greatly saddened the people, and they told him not to go. But in any case, Paul went to Caesarea from Tyre, and there, a man named Agabus came down from Judea.
"And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bounded his own feet and hands and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'this is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt  and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" When we heard this, we and the people  there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

Something in Peter, Paul, Stephen, Simon of Niger... something changed. Something told them that this gospel was worth being killed for. They were so in love with God that they couldn't be stopped. Not even the gates of hell could stop them!!! They were so convinced that the gospel was the truth, that they couldn't see any point in doing anything other than evangelizing the world. I don't know if whoever you are reading this have stopped because you don't believe the Bible, but I don't see how someone knowing that they were going to be killed for sharing something, would continue to do it, if they knew the thing they were sharing was a hoax. Don't be fooled, these guys died for their faith. Some of them in the most gruesome ways.
But I'm not here to prove God to you. I'm here to say that I'm so convicted that I don't love God the same way these guys did. I'm not able to say "I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die for the name of the Lord Jesus". I can't say that, not in all honesty. So I've been praying that the same Holy Spirit that was given to Paul, and also to me, would teach me to love, and pursue Christ, in the same way that he pursued me. That I would see him as something worth dying for.

I'm challenged by this, I need to be so in love with this gospel, that I'm willing to look foolish and get hurt by other people by their scoffing, and even by their punches.

There's a couple songs that came to mind after reading this passage that I thought I would share with you. One of them is by a band called

Thrice,


The other by Ivoryline:

Attalus, Frog, Alien Monk? OH MY

My picture for today is another sky picture. See, I really did have intentions of taking a picture of what I was doing through out the day, but totally got distracted. BUT on the upside, I did go to this really adorable place called "Sweet Frog" a really cute premium frozen yogurt place. I suggest you guys find one near you, and go check 'em out. I hung out with a friend of mine, who I will call Avery... because that's her alias. :D We watched "Lie to Me" and "Monk" ... Which, I don't know if any of you guys knew this, but the guy who played Monk is in "Galaxy Quest" ... a really retarded movie about TV Stars who have to save an alien race from annihilation. YEAAAAAHHH. I just though that was an interesting fact. Anyways. Hope you guys enjoy these random posts.
OH! And another thing. I know that I have random readers from all over the world (HEY GUYS, I CAN TRACK YOUR PAGEVIEWS MWHAAHAHA) So all you folks in Russia, go check out this band called "Attalus"
THEY ARE AMAZING.
This week, they are going to have their album release party, and I am SOOOO STOKED. SO definently check them out. Their reverbnation is here. Their Facebook page is here. GO LIKE THEM.
SIGNING OFF.

My Yoke is Easy

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light"

       (Mathew 11:28-30)

Gnomes, Veggies, and Mallows, OH MY!

Today's picture comes from my crazy Tuesdays :) I got to hang out with my blogger friend "thefearinsideme"  please go check her blog out!! :) We had a lot of fun, as you can see!
Usually my Tuesday's are a little maddening. I got to school at 9:30, and get home around 3:30. Then I usually prepare dinner for my brother Dion and his awesome mom Jan. This week though, my blogger friend ventured onto my school campus and picked me up! To make a long story short, we watched Gnomeo and Juliet, and Veggietales after we made hotchocolate and a face out of muffins and marshmallows. Because, we're just that awesome.
Well, I know that I haven't gotten to post anything extremely deep, any Switchfoot bashing posts, or anything.. but I hope you're enjoying these small posts... because they literally are all I have time for this week.
I am off to bed, because I realllllyy don't want to get whatever virus is going around my campus, and I'm already feeling lousy.
GNITEFOLKS

Math Homework?

My picture today is of my math homework, it is upside down because that's how I feel about it right now. I have absolutely no desire to complete this math homework. The teacher gave us SO much homework of all the same thing, that it's just completely making me want to bang my head against a wall. I do not like this, Sam I am.
:)
Hopefully your Monday was a bit more chipper than mine. Mine started a wee-early because I had too much caffeine last night. Caffeine does weird things to my head, so I woke up with my mind running at like a million miles per hour., now it's not going anywhere. It's like molasses on a January morning.
My stomach is complaining at me too. It didn't like all that caffeine. It's a bit picky about my love of Mountain Dew.
So yep. That was my day... Tomorrow should be fun though :) ...but you'll get to hear about THAT with the next picture. This week's pretty insane. I only get the day before thanksgiving off,and the weekend. Unfortunately. I have another paper due, and it's about my mom. I really don't want to write this paper. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom. But I have to write it in the third person, and it has to be compared to some mother we read about in an essay.
I hate this paper.
Okay. I'll stop complaining now.

Sunday's Picture!

I don't think this one needs a commentary. Goodnight guys!

Picture for a Year/BOREDOFSWITCHFOOT

Okay, I'm really bored of critiquing Switchfoot. I'll come back to it later. Maybe.
I figure if *I* am bored of it, you guys must be too, right?
Right.
Just agree. It makes the relationship between us SO much easier.....

So today I decided to blog about my LIFE.
WHAT??
WHO WANTS TO READ *THAT*
That's right. You.
Remember. Just agree, it makes things easier.

So for a class I'm taking at college, instead of taking a final exam, our teacher wants us to do a *project* which is awesome, because it's not a dumb test.
So for my project, I am making puppets.
YES.
PUPPETS.
I LOVE PUPPETS.

So today, I slept in. TILL 8:45!!! YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF ME. THAT TOOK A LOT OF EFFORT.
Then, I went shopping for fabric ^______^ I LOVE FABRIC STORES. I wish I were rich and famous so I could make my own dresses.  I didn't get to work on my puppets, or the video I've been trying to make... but I did get fabric, and had a really fun day out with my sister and mom :) So it was a worthwhile day. Oh.. and I'm almost done with my math homework, which makes anyday a FANTASTIC day.

So I thought I would tell you guys about this really cool thing I saw on Facebook!!! :)
It's a challenge to take a picture EVERY DAY for a WHOLE YEAR. ... kinda like a photo journal. But not like, just pictures of your face... because then, everyone knows you have no life. :P :)
I thought this was a GENIUS idea. Only problem is, I'm not a very prolific photo-taker. But. I shall attempt to do this. I'm not sure they will make it up each day.... but I thought it would be fun to try, no matter what else I post about.
You guys chill with that?
Yeah. I thought so.
So. My first photo for the day isssss:


Yep. That's my picture.
We went to a place called Ollie's.
My sister and I just DIED laughing when we saw this.
Oh... another fun thing we saw?
A book called "Depression for Dummies"
... Go look it up on Amazon, it exists.
Hope you enjoyed this random post!

Afterlife

I've tasted fire, I'm ready to come alive
I can't just shut it up, and fake that I'm alright
I'm ready now, I'm not waiting for the afterlife

I let it burn the way that sunlight burns my skin
The way I feel inside, the way the day begins
I'm ready now, I'm not waiting for the other side
I'm ready now, I'm ready now..........

Cuz everyday, the world is made
A chance to change, but I feel the same
And I wonder, why would I wait till I die to come alive?
I'm ready now, I'm not waiting for the afterlife.

I still believe we can live forever
You and I we begin forever now
Forever now
I still believe in us together
You and I we're here together now
Forever now, forever now
Or never now

Every day, a choice is made
Every day, I chose my fate
And I wonder, why would I wait till I die to come alive?
To come alive?
Every day, every day, every day, I still feel the same
And I wonder, why would I wait till I die to come alive?
I'm ready now, I'm not waiting for the afterlife
I'm ready now, I'm ready now, I'm ready
I'm ready now, I'm not waiting for the afterlife

 Okay, well first things first on this one; the music is absolutely horrible. I mean really? How hard is it to strum THAT guitar pattern? I was seriously disappointed in this song. There's no meat to the music!! It's almost as lame as autotuning a whole song (no offense to all you Kanye fans out there.) The next thing I want to mention about this song is the strangeness of the lyrics. At first I was aghast that Switchfoot would put this as the FIRST song on their album... as I misunderstood the point of the lyrics.
"Why would I wait till I die to come alive" I originally thought meant that Switchfoot was not going to wait for the treasures of heaven, but was going to seek all the pleasures they could here on earth. I was a little shocked at this and was ashamed that I had supported a message like this.
Further listening to the album opened up a whole different view, personally I love the appearance of the song in the last song "thrive" it ties the whole album together perfectly, and gives this "Hello Hurricane" flair to the CD.
In the end I must say I like the lyrics to this song. Because rather than saying we should do whatever we want, it really points towards living for Christ. It's really quite fantastic. We need to live like every day we're standing before the father, giving an account for the things we said and did. Would he be proud of us?
I'm going to just leave with that thought... because
1. I'm freezing
2. I have school in the morning and I'm NOT a night person.
3. If you guys are totally more interested in what's happening in my life and want me to quite the Switchfoot rant, lemme know.
4. I'm cold.....

Dark Horses

I decided to post about this song first because, well technically I was talking about it with a friend of mine, and promised I would put it on my blog.
The other reason is because I actually really love this song with a passion. The chorus didn't make sense to me... well till a few minutes ago.

I made my mistakes
I seen my heart cave in
I got my scars
I been to hell and back again

Born for the blue skies
We’ll survive the rain
Born for the sunrise
We’ll survive the pain

We’re singing…
Hey, you can’t count us out
We’ve been running up against the crowd
Yeah, we are the dark horses
We’re singing…
Wait! It’s not over now
We’ve been down but we’ve never been out
Yeah, we are the dark horses

We found the way out
The city takes everything it can
But outside the crowds
I can feel my lungs again

Born for the blue skies
We’ll survive the rain
Born for the sunrise
We’ll survive the pain

We’re singing…
Hey, you can’t count us out
We’ve been running up against the crowd
Yeah, we are the dark horses
We’re singing…
Wait, don’t care what they say
We know we’ll find a way
Yeah! We are the dark horses

Keep running with the dark horses
Hope makes the blood change courses
Keep running with the dark horses
Stand up with the dark horses
Keep running with the dark horses
Hope makes the blood change courses

 This was one of the best songs off of this album. I absolutely loved it. However, I couldn't understand what the term "Dark Horses" was supposed to stand for.... I understood the concept of the song, but didn't understand what Jon was trying to say with the specific analogy of "Dark Horses".  So of course, I ask my family.. who a lot of times are smarter than me when it comes to interpreting song meanings. But none of them knew. My brother attempted to help me out by suggesting that it had to do with the black horse in Revelation. However, after reading the passage... that made even less sense.
So what do you do when all else fails?
GOOGLE.
I found this article by pluggedin.com, which explained the term perfectly.

"If you look up the phrase dark horse in Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, here's the first definition you'll find: "A usually little known contender (such as a racehorse) that makes an unexpectedly good showing, or an entrant in a contest that is judged unlikely to succeed." In the spirit of that definition, the lead single from Switchfoot's eighth studio album, Vice Verses, is a straight-up anthem for the underdogs of the world—no more, no less."

This makes absolutely perfect sense. Most people know that Switchfoot started out under a Christian Label (and no, I don't mean they called their music Christian, I mean they were employed by people who did Christian music. But that's another argument for a different time.) and most people know that the Christian faith strongly affects Jon's lyrics. I think this is true for this song.

Many times Christians are shunned, and mocked. They are seen as just another religious cult, they don't get much attention (unless it's to be ridiculed.) In fact, the scriptures talk about how the world will hate Christians. Luke 21:17 says; "And everyone will hate you because you are my followers." (NLT) We are constantly seen as underdogs, but we need to "rise above it" (yet another song on the album)

This however is just one of the reasons that can be 'read into' the song. Jon said on pluggedin.com:"For me the true underdogs are the people who didn't chose their situation, but are rising above it.For me that song the 'Dark Horses' is all about the homeless kids back in San Diego, specifically the ones who are being helped out by [the nonprofit organization] StandUp For Kids. It's always nice when you have a song you are passionate about singing night after night that has a deeper meaning than simply another verse and another chorus."

The music is beautiful in this song as well. I'm kinda running out of time to blog.. so I have to make this section quick. This song has the grungier feel that Switchfoot is famous for. It kinda has the same feel as "The Sound" but not even that..This song is one of those unexplainables... it's what makes Switchfoot one of my favorite bands. You can't really describe their music with precision. It's unique.
If you can come up with a better explanation. Please do. You can some how write annonymously if you're scared I'll know who you are and will disagree with you or something.
Basically just write on my blog... Even if you totally hate what I'm saying. It's nice to know I at least have readers! :)
I really do need to go now though.
THANKS FOR LISTENING TO MY RANDOM RAMBLINGS.

Track List Links for Vice Verses

So my next blogpost dealing with Switchfoot is going to be something positive.
Originally I wanted to go in track-order. But, I decided against it. BECAUSE I CAN. <--lil joke thar.
If you get lost, I'll try and consistently update THIS post, by placing the track-order here, and linking to the post that deals with each song on each song name:

1. Afterlife
2.The Original
3.The War Inside
4. Restless
5. Blinding Light
6. Selling the News
7. Thrive
8. Dark Horses
9.Souvenirs
10. Rise Above It
11. Vice Verses
12. Where I Belong

Now I'm going to make a new post with what I actually intended to post about.

Oh, Switchfoot! Why Can't you Keep it Together?

Hey guys! So, I actually don't have any homework due until Tuesday... which means I have time to post a new blog post!!!

I decided I would write about the new Switchfoot Album -Vice Verses.
I recently bought the album, and was very excited when I saw that it was coming out on a day when I had a bunch of tests. I figured it'd be the highlight of my day. Which, buying new music always is, when I was finished with the new Switchfoot Album, I was left wanting.

Now I know this sounds like heresy to any devout Switchfoot fan. Which is partly why I feel I need to make these posts into really lengthy posts. I've never seriously critiqued something on my blog before (which you all know) So if this is horrible and you're extremely bored.... go read another blog.

Okay, actually don't. I love you all and your readings, and would absolutely LOVE to get some ratings on how well you agree with me (or disagree) and then tell me whether to shut up or not. Okay? Okay. THANKS.

So first things first. I intend to write about the album as a whole, then each individual song, then the album as a whole in conclusion. Though I may not get to do that, at least it's the idea. SO, without further ado (MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING I SEE.):

Vice Verses.


First of all I must say that I was completely thrilled when this album came out. I had been waiting since Hello Hurricane to listen to this newest album. 
In an interview found on landofbrokenhearts.org, Jon Foreman talked a little bit about how the new Album was going to sound:

"LJ: Is there any particular direction you’re heading toward after Hello, Hurricane?
JF: I think the next CD is going to be quite a bit different. We’ve been talking around the idea about a double album. The name of the next CD is called Vice-Verses, and I think it’s a chance to show off even more diversity than Hello, Hurricane."

It was also rumored that a song called "Until You Lose One" was going to be on the album, with the lyrics "You don't know a friend until you lose one."
I personally was very excited for the darker themes of Vice Verses, my favorite album of Switchfoot's has always been "Nothing is Sound" because it deals with the darker side of life, it doesn't ignore the pain. I heard from a friend of mine that Vice Verses was supposed to follow along that vein.

To continue the journey, in June of 2010, LOBH posted some new songs that were supposed to be on Vice Verses, Check out the post here. For me personally the biggest letdown was the fact that Switchfoot didn't put the song on their album called "Against the Voices".
Here are some of the lyrics:

Start the day against the voices
The ones that tell me that I’m wrong
I hear them now screaming their delusions
I close my eyes and they’re gone If they ain’t singing, if they’re just talking
Let them keep talking to themselves
Cause everybody knows
That the hardest war to fight
Is a fight to be yourself in a world
That wants to turn you into someone else

The lyrics and tune of this song was fantastic, and can be found here.
Come Home was also another one rumored to be on there. I absolutely love this song, I found it while I was writing this post and you MUST listen to it. The lyrics are here. The song is here.
So when the album listing came out I was very disappointed with the songs that were cut. In the beginning I was thrilled with the list, and wish I could find the original one on LOBH, however I cannot at this time. If you find it please comment at the bottom of this post and let me know where to find it. THANKS
I'll comment later on the songs that made it to the album.

The overall sound of Vice Verses was a little more pop-ish to my liking. I was expecting the more grungy-alternative feel/sound of Switchfoot, and was rather surprised with what was supposedly "bold" music. It sounded a little too much like the common low bass beat that everyone is obsessed with lately. For me this was NOT a "beautiful letdown". I was expecting at least something less mainstream, and was surprised by the fact that Switchfoot not only made us wait so long, but it felt as though the songs were more rushed and lazily put together than the long wait we endured.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Switchfoot, but as a whole the album was dissapointing. I did LOVE certain songs, which I will write more on later, but that's the first section of my Switchfoot Vice Verses rant.
I guess every blessing comes with a set of curses. :)
-SinkingUp

Well. That's a Lot of Words.

I don't know about you, but this and the past week has been kinda "blehh" for me. Not like, "THIS IS THE WORST WEEK OF MY LIFE EVER." kind of "bleeh" but the " I really just don't want to get up and do what I have to another day of my life. I just want to go home." kinda "bleh".

This whole "school" thing is new to me. I went to school yes, but I didn't have to get up, make a lunch, get specific books ready, go to class, then come home. (Granted, I wish my schedule were that simple, but you get the picture) Being homeschooled I could get up when I wanted, and do my schoolwork when I wanted, and be DONE by noon if I wanted to.

College is definitely different. It's not that there's anymore work to be done, it's just that it takes so much longer. I've hardly had anytime to myself, and when I do, I don't feel like doing any of the things I'd like to do. So instead I just check my Facebook, watch a movie, or go to bed. I used to be really great at time management.... now it seems to be my shortcoming!!!

A lot of kids told me that there seemed to be more freedom in college.

I have yet to experience this. Instead I seem to be drowning in homework and responsibilities. (Okayokay, so it's not THAT bad... but I do have like waaayyy less free time than I did.)

I was also told I was "unsocialized", and that when I finally went to a "real school" I'd learn how to be social. I find this to be false. Don't let anyone fool you into thinking that that's true. I no longer can have friends over on the weekdays, a "school night" is now in my vocabulary. There are only so many weekends in a month, which means I can only have 3 to 4 friends over in one month. (HOW SAD IS THAT HOMESCHOOLERS???)

The second thing I wish to say is, please don't pick on my grammar, the format I type this blog in, or the fact that I'm not using "Times New Roman." Also please ignore the fact that this is NOT the second thing I've said. Serriously. I know I spelled that wrong. No, really.

Okayokayokayokay. I really did have a point to this post. REALLY! Simple things like "another sheet of homework.","another paper due","another weekend event missed because I have homework and can't drive", or even the mantra "I need money", tends to steal our (or at least my!) joy. The thing is no matter how routine or frustrating my life gets, I always will have a reason to be joyful. Yes, even on a Monday when I have math class, I have a reason to be joyful.

Why? Because I have been rescued from death. I am loved, and wanted. My strive for purity doesn't offend someone, in fact it pleases him. No matter how "painful" a Monday morning gets, I can smile because I know that I have something better coming for me.
Come on you guys, I know you get the same way. Sometimes the daily "grind" is just so hard. You're sick of people thinking your a goody-two-shoes, sometimes Holiness is such a hassle! (Uhoh, did I just say that? YOU KNOW YOU'VE THOUGHT IT!!) Sometimes stopping to pray before you eat gets so many strange looks, it makes it unfun to do. Even though you really are thankful that God provided food, sometimes it's hard to thank him in front of someone who thinks God doesn't exist.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is:

Keep your chin up! Don't forget the promises God made you!

"So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and none will take your joy from you." ... "I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:22&33)

So I know the week is almost over, IT'S FRIDAY. But if you're doing what I was doing a few moments ago, sulking because of your circumstances:
Whether that be:
Your single and don't have a date tonight
You are dreading the weekend.
Or something as dumb as; You graduated from highschool early and you can't drive to a concert on a Friday night.

Remember that it's just the world. It's just one night out of a bajillion nights the Lord could give you on this earth. Instead of sulking, write a song, list your blessings, remember you're loved no matter how "single" you feel. You're never alone, you're never going through the "daily grind" without someone helping carry the load with you.

"So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and none will take your joy from you." ... "I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:22&33)