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Yesterday's post was not supposed to be depressing, so sorry if it looked that way. Something I've been learning is that trusting in God and giving Him praise and being joyful are not dependent on how I feel or what's going on in my life. I will yet praise Him. The bottom line is that God's love never changes, so my response should always be to give God all the glory. I'll choose to give my heart to Him becuase He is always good. Kid's camp! Those yellow shirts are awesome. I have another picture, but I won't post it. It's too cute.
Jessica P.S. I want to go to Santa Cruz. I did art on my desk calender at work. I wish you all could see it. |
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Why are you cast down, O my soul? |
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I'm home. There are thirty days in the month of June and I spent eighteen of them living out of a suitcase. I love summer and being busy, but I'm happy to be sleeping in my own bed.
So, here's the news: We found Sammy a wife. I led campfire songs for over four-hundred kids over the last week. James is an Eagle Scout. James wants to be a firefighter. Emmanuel, Kayla, Nick and Chris accepted Christ this last week.
I'm not too sure why I'm writing today. I got one comment in one month, so I'm thinking not so many people are reading this blog (Which I totally understand. Rachel says I've been boring lately, and not only on the internet.) I haven't been on anyone else's blogs either, and that might have something to do with the lack of participation. Well, I'll try to be more interesting next time. But not today. Today is for napping.
Jessica
P.S. I want to go to Spirit West Coast. |
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9/4/07: A secret admirer will soon send you a sign of affection. I have an awesome little box that I don't really know how to describe. I guess it's something like a victorian era chinese take-out box. Anyway, I keep my fortune cookie fortunes in the box. I've been saving my fortunes since 2005 and I have quite the collection. Not all my fortunes have come true yet (I have not inherited property or a large sum of money and no exciting medical opportunities have presented themselves.) But I still like coincidences. We are going to Mexico in five days. I'm excited. I'm excited to spend a whole week with a group of people for the purpose of serving Christ in any way we are presented with. It's not that I think God works better in Mexico than where I am today or any other day, but I'm excited to go back to Pastor Jorge's church and see how God is already working there. If our team can be a blessing to Pastor Jorge and give him any help or encouragement in his ministry then I think we will have been effective. The cool thing about God is that He doesn't stop when our hopes or expectations have been met and so I'm also excited about the opportunities we will have to serve God that we're not expecting or planning for. I'm excited about playing guitar with Joel and stealing watermelons and washing dishes and driving for hours on end. I'm excited to get this summer going. Jessica |
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I like coincidences. Like Coffee on shuffle. I don’t think they are important or mystical or anything, I just like them. It’s raining today and I wonder if I should go plant my poppy seeds. I want to, but Kirsten said it’s not wet enough. She’s right; I know they wouldn’t have a chance. I’ll have to wait until fall. Joshua (7) has taken up gardening. He is out in the garden pretty much every day, weeding and watering and planting. It’s fun to see him get excited about something. I wonder what he’s going to be when he grows up. Growing up is weird. I haven’t talked with Becca about growing up in a long time. I haven’t talked to Becca at all lately. I miss her. And I want to hang out with Kathryn today. I’ve been having fun being friends with my sisters. Sisters are the best, especially nosy obnoxious ones. I hope Rachel doesn’t mind too much if this is a very short post. I wish I had a funny story or something to tell. Sometimes funny things happen to me and I think, ‘I’ll put that in a blog’ and then I forget. Jessica P.S. What’s your favorite number? Why on earth do you have a favorite number!? What good does it do to have a favorite number? (Mine is fourteen) |
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The Tooman's kitchen is a good place for singing. I've spent the past two days in that kitchen and I've sung just about every song I know. Well, that's not true. Rachel says we didn't sing Glorious One. I don't know the words to that song, so it doesn't count. I've never fallen asleep in church before. But I was pretty close today. What's your favorite kind of ice cream? Toppings or no toppings? I got out of school two weeks ago, but everybody else I know is still in school for another week or two. Except for Kat. I'm glad she is home. We went out to breakfast on Tuesday at Blues. Yay bagels! I brought a tea pot and some fun china and we had a little tea party right there at Blues. Why is "bagel" spelled like that? Rachel, can you play "For the Beauty of the Earth" on the piano? Okay, let's go try it then. Jessica P.S. Yes Rachel, this is short. P.S. If anyone has any nominations for the Psalm of the week, let me know. |
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If you tried to break into our house (to steal stuff or something) you would fail. There are all kinds of crazy booby-traps to keep you out. Like the invisible clothesline, the motion sensor potato guns or (my personal favorite) the super sticky doorknob. And there is Daisy. Daisy the Dreadful. It would be very difficult to penetrate the stronghold that is our home. It's keeping people in that is the problem. Brian decided to take a walk today. He walked kinda far. There is a road that follows the irrigation ditch (not the road on our property, the one in front of the house) and that is where Brian decided to take a stroll. I would never have been brave enough to walk that far when I was two years old. After the whole family had been looking for him for 20 minutes, Kirsten finally found him. His explanation: "I was running with the puppy!" Daisy the Dreadful is a bad influence on the poor boy. I wish I could fit in these boots.  Jessica P.S. To Mr. R: You were not the last to comment. Your son beat you to the finish... or whatever the opposite of that is. P.S. To Mrs. Reynolds: I need to go to your house to watch American Idol. P.S. To MR: Your quotes were cool. I liked the second one. P.S. To Mrs. Hector: I didn't even know any of my family was going up to your house until Ben (Dunfee) gave me a hug. I thought "wow, that was weird." Then he said, "That was from Mrs. Hector, not from me." Oh. P.S. To Ben and Thomas: I want to play Nertz. And Snaps. P.S. To Erica: You should watch more musicals. P.S. To Mom: Capitan Crunch. I'm so humiliated. Please don't tell anyone. P.S. To Kat: Sorry if I was grumpy to you on Wednesday. Can we watch Star Wars now? Have you had Strawberries yet? I'm glad you are home. Hey, you know snaps! P.S. To Becca F. and RED: I don't really know if either of you read this blog. I miss you both. P.S. To Joel: I want to see the picture of Robin Hood and Little John. P.S. To Rachel: Stop laughing. No really, stop. Let's go to the Studio and play 'Son of God.' ♫ |
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They are watching 'Newsies' in the other room. That is one of my favorite movies. Buy me last pape' lady? I like the visual style of the movie. The sets and the blocking work so well together. I like musicals. I don't care that Christian Bale can't sing at all. Let 'em laugh in my face, I don't care! My parents are going on a cruise next weekend and my mom has threatened to take the curling iron and the flat iron. Not threatened, stated. I'm cold, I think I'll go find some socks... Now I look like Susanna in my skiing socks. They are more like wool slippers that go up to your knees, but I like them. Anyway, while my parents are crusin,' Kirsten and I are going to repaint our living room. Well, Kirsten is going to. I'll help. I think the room will look a million times better after it's been painted (and after the popcorn ceiling is scraped off, the pictures on the walls are redone, one of the bookcases moved into a different room and we change the whole color scheme...) You're right Kelly, brains. Becca F., I'm still really mad she broke our mugs yesterday. I'm usually really bad at that kind of stuff, but mine actually looked pretty good. I think I might stop by the dollar store tomorrow and get myself a new one. I need to sit down and write a speech for a final I have on Tuesday. I think I would need more than six minutes to convince my audience that werewolves exist, but it's true. How can I be sure the Delanskis stink? It's just the way things are. 'Seize the Day,' reprise. I love it. Dale Torres says that girls sing better than guys. He's wrong. Mrs. Hector, I really liked having you (and everybody) over last Monday. I miss you guys. I don't think I'll ever use your cell phone again. "I'm calling on behalf of your mother. Are you drowned in the canal?" Thomas and Matthew, I wouldn't even have made it past Gustine. You have my applause. It's really adorable when Brian sings 'King of New York.' He really thinks he is the king of New York. Proud get humble. (I love the Newsies! I had just sung that part of the song ∞Rachel∞) Hey Rachel! Get your own blog, just kidding. Sorry for leaving you today. Dan Stoppe is funny. Okay, I think I'm warmed up enough to go write my speech. Maybe I'll try to prove that the world is round. The professor said we could speak to a hypothetical audience. That would be fun, but I'll probably be boring and talk about Title IX or Spanking or Vegetarianism. Sorry for the length and boringness of this post. It's this brain of mine. It's always making mistakes. It has a mind of it's own. Jessica P.S. I wanted to put an excerpt from Psalm 25 here, but I'm having a hard time picking just one part. So you have to read the whole thing on your own. The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant. |
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I was looking through the Patterson Irrigator this morning and WOW, Elias took this great picture of a softball game last week! I was just looking at it and wishing I could take a picture like that. The timing was perfect. I was impressed. So, I go to the photo lab later in the day and who do you think is printing right next to me!!!? Elias Funez of course. How intimidating. I've seen him at the lab before, but he has never been printing in the darkroom while I've been there. I guess there is no good reason to be scared of him, but I am. Now I will be scared to go to his booth at the Apricot Fiesta. He might recognize me and think I actually know something about photography. I don't. I just like to take pictures. This is a really bad introduction for a post that was originally going to be just a bunch of photos. I'm still waiting for my pictures to upload to flickr, so I have to write something to fill the time. You know, I had this dream that there was a mouse in my room... These are just some pictures of my family. I like them (I mean the family)! Rachel, me and Kirsten "practicing" for the song we did for the Easter service.  Kirsten is distracted. We are only supposed to be singing!  I'm distracted too. Mirrors are just so fascinating...  Bonnie's pre-Easter haircut.  Matthew and Brian, glued to the T.V.  I think this one is my favorite. What is Brian thinking?  ~Jessica~ P.S. To mom: In answer to some of your questions, the prom I'm going to is the one unofficially dubbed "our prom" as opposed to "real prom." I'm going to prom with Joel. We are going bowling so there will be no dresses or boutonnières involved. I'll have to find some fun socks though. P.S. To Thomas: See you Monday after next! |
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I feel that it is necessary to post today, but I haven't the slightest idea what to write about. For Rachel I will write a bit on the Declaration of Independence. Rachel, this is gonna knock your cloned tiara off! "The Declaration of Independence was a radical note written in a radical tone. It was an outcry against the oppression of the English, protesting unfair laws like the old anti-acre act. Today we see the Declaration of Independence everywhere; we see it in history, politics, movies and even nailed to car." (okay, that one was lame.) If the signers of the Declaration of Independence had used their HSB usernames, one might have signed "Creation Lad." Anyway, I just realized I only have about four more weeks of school before Summer! Until then I probably won't have anything interesting to post about unless you people ask me questions. Uncle Lowell, I found journal of Grandma Audrey's - the 1964 edition. It looks like you got a watch from your dad (or maybe her dad?) and $1 from Mrs. Riera for your 9th birthday. This is a pathetic post. Sorry. ~Jessica~ |
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Happy Easter!!! A few months ago, Becca and I decided that growing up was fun. It’s pretty hard too, but I guess I wouldn’t have it any other way. Growing up means: ♠Realizing I have been going to the same church since before my J.H.ers were born ♠Eating ice-cream for breakfast ♠Coming home from school to left-over hardboiled eggs to dye. (Coloring eggs is not as much fun by yourself…) ♠Opting against sponge curlers ♠Walking outside the crosswalk without a permission slip ♠Canceling a shopping date so I can honestly say I have no plans ♠Realizing that honesty is not as simple as I’d thought ♠Driving to ♠Teaching my little sister’s Sunday School class ♠Never making my bed… ever! ♠Filling up an entire photo album ♠Eating cereal and driving a stick shift at the same time (that’s fun) ♠Making up my own recipes
P.S. Elder Jargon. I can do it too☺! Sometimes people surprise me with their cleverness, like Kirsten. Here is a random photo (which has nothing to do with Easter, growing up, elder jargon or Kirsten - that is what makes it random):
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Sometimes on Friday nights we play a sort of game. At dinner we pick a letter of the alphabet and just start listing as many words as we can think of that start with that letter. There is no point to the game, no winner. Tonight's letter was W. There are not too many words that begin with W. Wanton, wilted, wrought, wary, wrinkle, whimsical... I guess our family is very easily entertained. I bought myself a new photo album last week. I'm so excited to start filling it up with pictures. Actually, there are photos spread out all over my bed right now. I think there is a hammer and possibly some nails on my bed too. I don't usually do things on impulse, but after work today I went out to the cottage and thought "I would like a big bulletin board in here to put pictures and stuff on." So I went to our storage container and got one and mounted it on the wall. I don't know what Kirsten thinks about it yet. I hope she doesn't mind. It's kinda big, but it's over by my bed and doesn't affect her side of the room at all. We don't really have the room divided up like that. It's more like the desk is hers, the bookshelf is mine, the loft is hers, the window sills are mine. James is very concerned about the health of his family. He always comes in and turns on the light when I'm working on the computer and tells me it's bad for my eyes to stare at the computer in a dark room. He tells me to stand up straight. He tells me I've eaten enough. Brothers are the best. ☺ ~Jessica~ P.S. Think of the most wonderful, wacky or witty word you can come up with that starts with W and share it in a comment. No dictionaries allowed. |
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Jessica told me to write the post. I'll try to write about what Jessica would write about. Well since Jessica won't tell you what happened I guess I'll just have to do it. Jessica made a really good dinner tonight. It was called 'Jessica's Spinach and Garlic Sauce'. I don't know how she did it, because I was not watching. Jessica told me that she was going to Becca's piano recital friday night. She asked me to wash a shirt I was wearing so that she could wear it that night. I did. She did not wear it. I went through all that just to let her wear a different shirt. Theres a song called "Thoughts of You" that I like a lot. It's by Barlow Girl, my favorite band. I learned it on the piano recently and it sounds lovely. It fun listening to a song, really liking it, and then learning it on the piano. I have nothing to say about Kirsten's party. Wait I do, I beat Jessica at scrabble! But Janine beat me, and I wasn't by myself, Abby helped a lot. But I was the one who thought of the word that got us 45 points. By Rachel (Severely edited by Jessica) |
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I like books. When I was eight I read all the Kirsten books (American Girl) so that I could get the doll for my ninth birthday and I've been hooked on reading ever since. But for the past while, I haven't had much time (or enough discipline) to read much. I did get a chance to do a little bit of reading yesterday between classes. That was nice. But anyway, here are some of my thoughts on books and reading. I find that reading is more fun in big chunks. I like to read a whole book all at once, but that hasn't been working out for me lately. I read a chapter one night, then a week later I go back to read on, but I end up having to refresh my memory and read the last chapter over again and by the time I catch up to the new chapter, it's time for bed. It's a terribly slow process and it creates a problem: The Problem of Library Fees. I logged onto my library account yesterday and found that I had $1.50 in late fees! $1.50 seems like a lot of money when I think of handing it over to the scary blond librarian, but not so much if I think of the other (nicer) librarian. Making friends of books. Mabel Hale devotes an entire chapter of Beautiful Girlhood (a book that every young lady should read and take to heart) to discussing the importance of choosing good books over poor ones. You become like the people you hang around with and characters and attitudes portrayed in books work the same way. If you are careful and choose your book friends wisely, you are choosing to shape your mind constructively. I know I haven't always chosen the best books, not that they have been really bad, just worthlessly entertaining. My dad always tells me to stop reading about other peoples' adventures and have my own. He's right. Plus there is a danger of expecting things in real life to happen the way they do in fiction. Of course there are really worthwhile books to read. Hale asks "Who would not count it an honor to have among her friends the wisest, noblest, and best of the earth...?" This isn't to say that I have sworn off all easy reading or entertaining books. I love the Squire's Tale books, By the Great Horn Spoon, Emma and many others. I just hope I think a little more now about the affect reading has on attitude and expectations. I read Beautiful Girlhood in junior high and I wish I had paid better attention to what Mable Hale had to say. This is getting a little off topic but I had to get a blue book for a midterm I had yesterday. Mine was actually one I hadn't used last semester so it was a few months old. I got to class and everybody else had a green book. 100% recycled paper. Blue book gone green. But here is where it gets good. There were four questions on the test, each could be answered in only four or five sentences. So, recycled paper or not, 15 of the 16 pages were turned in totally blank. Don't tell Kirsten, but I got her a spiffy journal for her birthday. I am trying to be stealthy now because Kirsten is in the very next room, but she is going up the canyon with Janine pretty soon, so my blog will be out of reach. Journaling is cool, but I never remember to do it and it always sounds so cheesy to go back and read over it. "One must have something sensational to read on the train." Now, how to conclude? "I am not a great reader and take pleasure in a great many things." I also play piano very ill indeed, and I plan on living at Pemberley someday. ~Jessica~ P.S. I was driving to school today and I realized it was February 29th, leap year! I'd been writing the date on stuff at work all day and I hadn't noticed what a special day it was. So in my car I thought "wow! this day won't come again for another four years!" And then I thought "wait, this day won't happen again ever..." Then I lapsed into contemplative silence (or perhaps thoughtlessness?). Just kidding, and yes, I think in all lowercase letters. |
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For some reason I've been showing up for stuff lately that no one else shows up for. On Friday I went to photo lab at MJC all the way in Modesto. The parking lot had only three trucks in it and they were all parked by the ag area on the far side of the lot (I guess someone has to feed the cows). The doors to the photography building were locked and the entire campus was silent. Arrg. I guess the school took a four day weekend and no one bothered to tell me. Then today I went to observe and tutor at the elementary school in town only to find that my fourth grade class had gone on a field trip. They went on a field trip without me! The people in the office found me another classroom, which was a nice change (I like 5th grade better than 4th grade anyway). But still, why am I so out of the loop? I'm starting to worry that I'll go to church tomorrow night and be the only one there. Now I'm really second guessing myself... should I go to work tomorrow? Just kidding. I like going to work. At work I am the queen of organization. Book recommendation of the day: Cinder Edna, by Ellen B Jackson. But only if you have already read Officer Buckle and Gloria. Someday I will have enough time to read more than just picture books. To Uncle Lowell (and Hi Ashley!): I actually don't have any pictures of our house. I'll have to take some sometime, but it's kinda dark outside right now... Thanks for the comments! I love to hear from you guys. ~Jessica~ P.S. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 4:4-7 |
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I pretty much lock my keys in my car at least once a month. Sometimes more often than that. I’ve done it twice this week. I’ve gotten into the habit of leaving the back window unlatched in James’ truck so that when I lock the keys inside, I can just open it, reach in and pull them out from the ignition. I did my speech on my pet peeve on Tuesday. I should have written it about James’ truck. Since I don’t have a car of my own, I have to drive James’ ugly little pick-up. I have absolutely no problem driving ugly cars, it’s all the other stuff that makes this particular truck my pet peeve. First of all, it gets horrible gas mileage. Probably the worst thing for me is that the heater doesn’t work… that includes the defroster. I hate being cold. Yesterday I was driving around This is a very negative posting so far. I’ve had a rather tragic week, but it’s time to snap out of it. Has any one ever read Officer Buckle and Gloria? I think of that book whenever I do anything unsafe, like standing on a swivel chair (Safety tip #77). Someone borrowed that book from us like ten years ago and never returned it, but I still remember it. Speaking of safety tips, the other day I was measuring something with a ruler that has a picture of Smokey the Bear on it (Smokey’s friends don’t play with matches!). I think it is from way back in the “Too Hot to Handle” days. Now I’m going to have the “Water, water, water, etc.” song stuck in my head. Yeah, I remember that too. Kat, do you remember the song? Actually, I have a different song stuck in my head: “Cry in my Heart” by Starfield. Rachel made me sit down and learn it on the guitar yesterday. I like it a lot. Rachel is the only person in our family who has her own room. We call it the studio, and I’m pretty convinced that it is an extension of the Phantom’s Lair. Tomorrow is my birthday. I tried to opt out of having one this year, but that didn’t work out. Kirsten and Rachel are arguing over my head (literally) about whether or not Starfield is better than Barlow Girl. Now they agree that Barlow Girl is better, but they don’t know why. The support for their original arguments included that boys should not use a flat iron on their hair and that Barlow Girl wears skinny jeans… except for Becca. How do they know all this? I think I will assign my sisters a research paper on something important. Something like rocks. I was looking for a random photo to end this post with. For some reason, this picture totally cracks me up. I laugh every time I see it and I don’t know why.
Here is your assignment: Narrate what is going on in this picture. ~Jessica~ |
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Today is a holiday. At least that is what I've been told. I've also been told that holidays mean no school. Mrs. Dooling called me last night to make sure I knew it was a holiday. So, alas, I have had to cancel my writing class for today. I really am terribly disappointed! We were going to learn about paragraphs today. Paragraphs are fun. They have a topic sentence, a body and a conclusion. Each part is important. It is important for paragraphs to have continuity or flow. Flow can be achieved by staying focused on the main idea of the paragraph, by keeping a logical sequence of thoughts and by using good transitional devices. I think everyone should learn to write paragraphs. Disclaimer: None on the normal rules of writing apply to this blog. Speaking of writing, I have to finish writing a speech for my speech class tomorrow night. The assignment is to give a three minute speech about a "pet peeve" I have. James is taking the class with me and he is giving a speech on when people talk when they should just be quiet. That was originally my idea, so I am doing my speech on when people steal my brilliant ideas. Okay, so I don't have that much experience with brilliant ideas or with getting them stolen, but I think it will be a fun topic anyway. I'll probably have to make most of it up, but I don't have a problem with that. What's your "pet peeve"? There is a huge rainbow in the sky right now. It ends right where Pete Talia used to live. Rachel thinks I'm random. Jessica says: "Rachel, what else are you thinking?" Rachel walks away silently. No fun. Wait, she comes back with a banana. Does she do this to annoy me? Banana's are one of my pet peeves. Jessica says: "You have to say something interesting now." Rachel is pondering... and laughing. Jessica says: "I'm waiting!" just like Vizzini. Kirsten enters the scene. Kirsten fixes my grammar. Rachel says: "Hook is a fiend!" Kirsten says: "Are you waiting for someone to say 'And a bounder'?" Yes. Susanna says: "And a bounder!" Kirsten says: "Is it done now?" Yes. ~Jessica~ P.S. Ben's birthday was last week. He and his friends and my dad built a catapult (Or technically a trebuchet; notice it is a flinging machine, not a springing machine).     These are Dalton's shoes from winter formal.   This is Matthew.  |
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My mom said I couldn't use the computer tonight if I didn't update my blog. I guess she is curious about how my life is going since I don't seem to be at home that much anymore. Just kidding, I talk to my mom all the time, even when there is no time. But the part about never being home is true. School started last week and soon I'll be spending mornings that I'm not at school or work at an elementary school in town, observing and tutoring. James and I got home from our speech class tonight and everyone was already in their rooms, getting ready for bed. I've started teaching a class on composition. Three of the students are my siblings and the other three I have known pretty much their whole lives, so it's a little weird that I am their teacher, but it is really fun, at least for me. I think I should make them all call me Miss Dunfee. Just kidding, that would sound really strange coming from Rachel or Kody Paul. Yesterday we talked about brainstorming for ideas to write about and how to get started on organizing those ideas. So here is a question for you: What are some ways you brainstorm for ideas? Do you have any special techniques you use to come up with ideas for writing? Let me know, and I'll pass them on to my students. The next part of this post for Uncle Lowell. Hi! I tried to find a recent family photo, but we haven't all been all together in the one picture for a long time. This is the closest I could come up with: This is Rachel's 8th grade graduation last spring. A couple of us are missing from the picture.  This one is dad and Brian (2 years old, not pictured above) working on our room addition.  I think Kirsten took this picture two years ago. It's the view from our house, but I'm just putting it in here because I like the picture.  I wish I could post or email you pictures of San Francisco with Ashley, but all my pictures from that day are on film and I don't even have prints of them to scan. I do have some pictures of when it snowed up in the canyon. I remember you were visiting that Christmas. ~Jessica~ P.S. "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:17b-21 |
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Merry almost-Christmas! Last weekend, on Friday, I went to see the Nutcracker in I am not afraid of heights. I am more afraid of dentists than I am of scaling cliffs or riding Oh yeah, I almost forgot, Christmas is tomorrow! (How do I keep forgetting?) To tell the truth, I am more excited about our church’s youth winter camp that will start on December 27th, only two days after Christmas! I have official youth leader status this year, although I think I am still at the bottom of the food chain as far as leaderly duties go (“I think I need a better duty!” –Nacho). Just kidding, I am excited about my duties this year. I am helping with team building games, running the Media Shout, and I get to be a counselor this year. The theme for camp is equipping and encouraging our youth to pursue Christ and work out their salvation (Phil 2:12). I believe that those who have accepted the gift of salvation and put their faith in God (faith which comes from God in the first place) have been equipped with everything they need for life and godliness through His grace and our life purpose is to seek to know Him and seek to bring Him glory. I hope that the campers will be reminded, or realize for the first time, that God is pursuing a real relationship them. This may sound strange, but I am praying that hearts will be broken at camp as people realize their need for God. I am the last person to advocate than a relationship with God is based on emotional reactions, but when people realize their own nothingness and God’s holiness, I think that is when God works in people. I am excited. Well Christmas is in only one hour. I had better get to bed. I think I hear footsteps on the roof… James and I made up a song at dinner: ♪Santa got run over by his reindeer Walkin’ to the barn on Christmas Eve No one knows what spooked those stupid reindeer But as for me and Jessica/James… uhh (sneaky smiles)… Merry Christmas!♫ ~Jessica~ P.S. Addition to my “favorites” list: Music boxes. |
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Well, I lost it. I had a nice long entry. I had listed random things that had made me laugh in the past week. It is all gone now. Arrggg! ♪Arrggg when I'm happy, Arrggg when I'm sad!♫ I guess I will just leave you with a shortened version of what I had before, but here is the catch: On my old list I had explained most of the quotes or random things so you would understand why I laughed. I will skip the explanations this time around and leave you to speculate. -(Sirens blaring outside) "Santa!" Yells Kat, Krista, Becca and Kody Paul. -"You know, if you hit a bicyclist you get five points." -Research and Development -Blowing my nose at church while everyone is clapping with my mom clapping as loud as she can right next to my face. -"Becca, don't 'hold it on your hand,' eat it!" -The ugly reindeer head ornament -The white chocolate chip toffee that we didn't spread right -The Force I'm going to bed now. If you do happen to stumble across this blog in the next day or so, feel free to list a few things that made you laugh in the past week. ~Jessica~ |