Rejoice!

   It's the Christmas season again, and everyone has plenty of things to do. There's holiday baking, Christmas shopping, secrets to keep, parties,celebrating, and wrapping to be done. And that's just the beginning! It seems each year is busier than the last.It's go,go,go! from morning til night.
   The rushing of the Christmas season didn't start in the 21st century or even in America at all. It all started outside of Bethlehem  when the birth of our Savior began.Picture it:
   Young Mary, nine months pregnant, slumps on a donkey Joesph leads.Bethlehem's in sight, but they are tired and move slowly. When the pains of labor started,however, they  hurried. Disappoint-ment after disappointment meets them at inn doorways.Soon they aren't hurrying anymore; they're   rushing! At last they are able to stop. Mary delivers Him, and all rejoice.The surroundings of this rejoicing were not perfect. They were dirty messy, and flawed.
    So,when you stop rushing at last, rejoice.Your surroundings, including the people, won't be perfect. They'll probably be dirty, messy, and flawed,but rejoice! Whether your rushing has ended, ends tomorrow, or ends at 11:59 p.m. on Christmas Eve, rejoice!

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his

shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, 

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

~ Isaiah 9:6

REJOICE! 

         
 

An Idea for Publishing my Book

  As most of you know, I hope to publish my first book soon. My main problem is funds,but I've had an idea! One of my hobbies is creating jewelry. So,in exchange for donations, I'll send you the jewelry piece of your choice. The donations will then be used to publish my book. Just leave a comment with your promise of a donation, how much it is, which piece(s) you'd like; and we'll go from there. 

Snow-flower

Autumn Blossom

 The Spring Set

Velvet Brown

River Mist

Mountain Summer

Mountain Spring

Stacked Stripes

Ancient Blacks

Topsy-turvy Hearts

Christmas Trees

A special thanks to 2 Sisters Photography , the most amazing photographers on Earth! Y'all did an amazing job with the pictures!

A Day in My Life

   As part of a household of eleven (something some people can't even imagine), my day is a little different from most 15 year olds. Here's what a typical school-day  should look like.

7:00 A.M.~  The alarm goes off.I brace myself and get out of bed.I open the blinds and turn on the light. Then I climb back into bed and begin my quiet-time.

7;30-40 A.M.~  I end my quiet-time with prayer. Depending on the day I either make breakfast or spend this time reading or writing after chores are done (and sometimes before as well).

8:30 A.M.~  Breakfast time; again, depending on the day, I'm either getting it on the table or waiting for it.

9:30 A.M.~  Time for family devotions. By now, hopefully, breakfast has been cleaned up, and the dining room's been swept.

10:00 ish A.M.~  School begins about now.

12:30 P.M.~  Lunch. Depending on the day, I may clean up as well.

1:00 P.M.~  At this time, I finish any schoolwork not completed.Afterward,it's free-time! I might post something on my blog (like now), read, write, and possibly get on the Wii or computer.

5:30 P.M.~  Help with dinner prep.

6:00 -7:00 P.M.~  Supper with my family. Next comes clean up, and everyone pitches in to help get it done.

8:00 P.M.~  Family prayers. Dad reads from Jesus Calling, and we say our memory verses.Carter on down goes to bed. The rest of us read, talk, and/or play games.

9:00 P.M.~  My bedtime unless we're doing something.

Note: This is what an ideal day,but it rarely actually happens. Each day holds an untold numbers of surprises, but this is our guideline. Changes are part of life in a family.
 

Broken Beauty

     Imagine a soap dispenser made of yellow glass with a diamond pattern.Its pear-shaped frame is trimmed in brown.This dispenser not only did its function; it was beautiful until the day it was broken. When it was fixed, there was a noticeable crack. I like it better that way for some reason. My sister thought I was crazy.

      Later I wandered if I was weird to like it better that way. God's answer to that was no. Then He asked if I thought The Cross was weird. I told Him no, I thought The Cross was beautiful beyond compare.

      "But My Son was broken,"God said to me.

      "But He was broken in love," I argued back.

      "Moriah,it's good to see the beauty others miss,"God told me gently.

      Beauty, an interesting topic. But broken beauty is an even more interesting topic. The ultimate example is The Cross.

       Jesus was broken. His physical body was beaten, whipped, and humiliated. His soul was turmoil. Then, to top it off, they push thorns onto His head. That whipping? The soldiers were probably surprised to see Him moving.Why? Because most didn't come out able to breathe.Next they took crude nails and hammered them into His hands and feet. He was left hanging (literally), waiting for His lungs to collapse. The entertainment was watching men gamble for His clothing.

       It was a gruesome,beautiful sight. There was blood all over Jesus,but right then He was most beautiful.Jesus broken but beauty.

       All His physical pain was nothing compared to what was to come.'And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying,"Eli,Eli,lema sabachthani?" that is "My God,My God,why have you forsaken me?" (Matt.27:46,ESV)

       Since before the beginning of time,Jesus had always been with God the Father.Then,suddenly, their fellowship was broken.

        When I can't connect with God it's hard; it hurts my soul.Think how much harder it was for Jesus who had never been separated for a second. To Him,it was the worst pain ever,far worse than His physical pain.Not only was Jesus' body broken,His heart was broken.Yet it was  beautiful.His brokenness was beautiful.

          Yes, there is broken beauty.To me, it's the most beautiful kind of beauty.

Book Update

    So I finished my first book earlier this year. I hope to get it published by this time next year. Here's a preview.

  

       When my biology field trip gets interrupted by a minortaur, my life changed dramatically.

         Hi,my name is Priss Chancing, and I know something you'll never believe. I live a life most people don't think possible. I am an Inkling.

         My days are spent with elves and wizards.My past-time is fighting to save the world you live in. I risk my life regularly so the Dur Ones won't murder you.

         No, I'm not crazy; I am perfectly sane.I do not belong in an asylum.I am Priss Chancing, and I am an Inkling.

       Note: There should be an upside down /v/ over the /u/ in Dur.     

"What do You Want to be When You Grow-Up?"

      I don't remember the first time someone asked me that question. But I know I've been asked. Over the years, my answer went through same changes.
      "I want to be a mommy when I grow-up!" The curly-headed five year old proudly announced.
       The nine year old girl said,"I'm gonna raise horses."
       "I'd like to write for a living,"The thirteen year old answered calmly; "I enjoy it and can do it from home."
        Yeah, those were some of my answers over the last fifteen years.There were plenty of others too; just ask my family. But notice the first word in every answer. I. It's all about what I want, what I plan. Me, Me, Me.
        Umm.... That doesn't sound right. If I gave my life to Jesus Christ, He is in control now.I have no power or authority in this or any matter.Jesus has a plan for my life. I know He does, and it's a really good plan too.I mean, we all know that verse from Jeremiah. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jer. 29:11,NIV)                                                                                                                                   He knows. So do I need a plan? 'Cause if the Creator of the Universe, who made things so wonderful that they hurt my head, is planning every single second of my life, I can't wait to get started; and I certainly don't want to mess it up.
        I'm not saying to not dream or plan.I'm not telling you to sit around, doing nothing and expect God to instantly fulfill His plan you someday.If you do that, chances are, you'll do that for the rest of your life. And that's not God's plan for you. I firmly believe God wants us to dream, and you have to makes plans for somethings. Just seek God's will, and follow His plan. It'll make things a lot easier.
         For a long time I skipped the first part of Jer. 29:11 and went to "plans to prosper you". I believed that whatever choice I made, God would make it prosper. Which sounds great, but isn't true.
         Besides, God's definition of prosper is very different from most. To God, prosperous people are people like: Stephen from Acts 6&7, Paul, Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor, and Billy Graham. These are people who gave their entire lives to God and His work.
         You know something else these people have in common? Their plans were changed by God. Paul wanted to rid the world of Christians originally. Amy wanted to be a missionary to China, not India. But in the end,His plan was For the best.
          What's God's plan for me? I don't know right now. It could be one of my answers, or even more than one of them. His plan might not be any of them.But whatever it is, God's promise from Jeremiah 29:11 will be fulfilled perfectly. Maybe not the way I think it will, but perfectly nevertheless.
           So, what do you want to be when you grow-up?