September and October have been an incredible start to the school year...but that doesn’t mean they were without disappointment and tears.  Yes, there was laughter, fun, and productivity...but there was also frustration and dead-ends.  One project in particular did not turn out as expected.  The Pajama School trailer, that was supposed to be finished and entered by October 30^th, is still not finished.  I bought the book, read it, and filmed the scenes for it.  So what was the problem?  I had hoped by that time to have already bought a new desktop with which to edit.  The computer I am currently using is not capable of true video editing.  The frames freeze up and skip, making it impossible to edit frame by frame.  Still, I was willing to give it a shot.  Bigger problem: the computer no longer recognized my camcorder. I could not upload any video.

This had happened before.  I had tried uploading footage for the first time ever and it didn’t work.  For months, we had no idea how to solve the problem.  At last, Dad cleared out our computer and started it over from scratch with the start-up discs and it worked...somewhat.  There were still problems because of its limitations.

Back to the present, I was facing the same problem once more.  I didn’t want to clear out the computer again (a ton of work) since it wouldn’t work properly anyway and I would be getting a new one soon.  Or so I thought.  To make a long story short, October has come and gone with no new computer...and no finished trailer.

But the object of this post is not to fill you in on my filmmaking woes :).  As the deadline was approaching, I hoped somehow everything would work together at the last minute.  After all, I’d prepared by reading the book and filming the necessary footage.  I thought about how it would be awesome if, by God’s grace, everything came together and I was still able to enter the contest...especially since it would be obvious I didn’t do it in my own strength.  It would be a great opportunity to give God all the glory. Would that be wonderful?  Yes, I would’ve loved it.  But then I thought, wait a second.  Can God be glorified when things do not look "successful"?  Or as my title says: What about when things don’t work out?  Definitely!!!  In Facing the Giants, Coach Taylor doesn’t just say, "When we win, we praise Him."  He also said, "When we lose, we praise Him."  Either way, God was to be glorified.  I want it to be that way in my life.  When, by God’s grace, I’m able to accomplish something...I want God to be praised and glorified.  And when, no matter how hard I try, I can’t accomplish something...I want God to be praised and glorified.  Because I "lost"?  No!  But because He is always worthy to be praised and deserves all glory and honor forever!  Soli Deo Gloria!

Note: I still plan, Lord willing, to eventually finish the trailer and post it here. I don’t want all that interesting footage to go to waste :). Who would have thought that sixty seconds could involve so much? I was able to practice my piano playing and handwriting, dress up as a pioneer and detective, serve and drink tea, and much more! Are you wondering if it’s possible for all that to actually be pertinent to a book trailer? Stay tuned and see for yourself!

I have been incredibly busy for the last two months!  I thought I'd give y'all an update :).

-I finished at least two months worth of 11^th grade.

-More Than Conquerors Magazine was "published" on September 20^th. Sadly, it will not be continued. There are too many other things that I should be focusing my time on. I will simply keep posting here.

-I joined an Apologetics/Speech club and have written and given speeches. Also, this club offers a writing course which I am participating in.

-Two new videos were created: GFA video and Agnus Dei worship video.

-Quite a few storyboards were drawn and a screenplay was revised.

-I wrote and sent out over ten articles (including but not limited to my articles for GGM).

-A very rough draft for a novel was completed and I worked on my other writing.

-I practiced piano, taught my younger brothers piano, and learned The Sweetest Name of All.

-A short story for the Match That Artwork contest was written and entered.

-I read Pajama School, Voices of the Faithful book 2, Redefining Beautiful, Take Your Best Shot, The Land of Calais, and The Bible Answer Book.

-And more!

Today… October 26, 2009  

Outside my window… Soggy fallen leaves.  It's wet and cold outside. 

I am thinking… about a *real* blog post that should be coming up soon. 

I am thankful for… my new account on Vimeo.  I like it better than YouTube :). 

I am wearing... A dark red t-shirt and jacket and jean skirt.

I am reading… The Bible (Job right now).  It hasn't even occurred to me but I don't think I'm reading anything else right now.  *Gasp* Could it be?  No wonder I've been feeling somewhat book deprived :).  I've just been too busy.  

I am creating… Novel, speech, blog post(s), etc. 

One of my favorite things... comfortable sandals (I know tis' not the season but they still come in handy :)!)

For education this week… You can see my list of subjects for this school year here.

A keeper at home skill I am using/learning … keeping the kitchen clean

A spiritual lesson I’m learning… joy

A godly character trait I plan to work on… steadfastness

Scripture I am memorizing… I'll be reviewing this week. 

I am praying for…  Various people and people groups.

For the rest of the week… I need to finish writing my speech and give it at the Speech and Apologetics club meeting, attend a friend's birthday dinner, go to a church event, etc.

You’re doing something right now that is such a part of your daily life you don’t often even think about it. Yet, it is necessary for your survival. I am talking about your breathing, specifically the fact that you breathe in oxygen and nitrogen. Even though you can’t see those two gases, you see their effects. If someone came up to you and said, "I can’t see oxygen or nitrogen so how do I know they’re real?" You could respond, "They’re keeping you alive right now!" God made us. Without Him being real, we would not exist.

Today, I’m going to be answering the question: If God is real, why can’t people see or touch Him?. I"ll be doing this in two parts. 1. God’s handiwork and 2. What about feelings?

The reason we cannot physically see or touch God is because God is Spirit. If you think about it, there are a lot of other intangibles we live with. Love, joy, peace, etc. You can’t see love physically floating around. You can’t grasp it. But you can see its effects on a loving person’s attitudes and actions. And you can see what it does to those who are loved. In the same way, we see the effects of God’s existence through His handiwork. "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–His eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20 His creation is incredible! That certainly includes us.

Have you ever thought about how many things must work perfectly to keep us alive? We need oxygen in our air to survive. But if the air contained more than 21% oxygen, we could die. The chemical reactions in our bodies would speed up too much, causing strokes, heart attacks, high blood pressure, etc. If the percentage was raised even 10%, it is estimated that our life spans would be cut in half. Dr. Jay L. Wile, in Exploring Creation with Chemistry, wrote, "For ever 1 percent increase in the amount of oxygen in the air, the chance of natural forest fires occurring goes up 70 percent!" Thankfully, air continues to be made up of 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, and 1% of other gases–a perfect mixture. And this is just one tiny part of the universe we live in!

Let’s move on to point two. What about feelings? Some people may think or say, "Okay. I see the evidence. The effects. But I just don’t feel like God’s real."

Psalm 14:1 says, "The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’"

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12

I think this has a lot to do with our feelings-based culture. For example, we have twisted what love is. Love is not just a feeling. If you love someone only when you feel like it, then perhaps you don’t truly love that person. Selfish love, which "loves" only when it is convenient, is not true love at all. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." True love never fails. We can’t just trust what we feel in our hearts. Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"

We must come back to absolutes. The Bible is inerrant. When the Bible and God’s creation clearly show that God is real, non-believers should believe–regardless of their feelings. True faith is not based on feelings. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

I would like to conclude by encouraging you to see God’s handiwork in the amazing universe we live in. I want to encourage you not to be guided by your feelings. I really like something that was said in the movie Fireproof. Caleb’s friend, Lt. Michael Simmons, is talking. "Don’t just follow your heart, ‘cause your heart can be deceived, but you got to lead your heart."

"Teenagers think they know everything." It’s something adults say. But it can actually be close to the truth. As teenagers, we look back at our younger selves and see how much we’ve learned. We can be tempted to think-and even say-that we know quite a lot. We figure we’ve got a pretty good grasp on things. Without even realizing it, we have displayed our immaturity. The older and wiser we get the more we realize how much knowledge in the universe we don’t have. Dave Irish, a Christian singer, wrote a song entitled "The More I Learn The Less I Know". Two different lines that strike me as important and relevant are: The more I learn the less I know, with every turn along this road. AND I need Someone to guide me show me the way to go. I believe this is true. The more we learn, the more we realize how little we really know. Thankfully, we do have Someone to guide us–God. While we will always have more to learn, God is omniscient.

Today, I’m going to be explaining the meaning and significance of the omniscience of God. First, what does the fact that God is omniscient mean? The word "omniscient" means "all-knowing". Wayne Grudem, in Systematic Theology, defines the knowledge of God as this, "God fully knows Himself and all things actual and possible in one simple and eternal act." Obviously, God and only God fully knows Himself. 1 Cor. 2:10-11, "The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

God knows everything that has actually happened, is happening, and will ever happen. Is. 46:9, "I am God, and there is none like Me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come." God also knows all things possible. Everything that could or could have happened. As Job 37:16 says, God is perfect in knowledge. In addition, God has never learned and cannot learn. If God were ever to learn anything, it would mean He is not eternally omniscient. This point is made using rhetorical questions in Isaiah 40:13-14, "Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed Him as His counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the right way? Who was it that taught Him knowledge of showed Him the path of understanding?"

Second, what is the significance of the omniscience of God? Personally, I would find it very heard to trust God if He is not all-knowing. How could I trust Him with my life, my salvation, my eternal future, etc.? I am very grateful that I do not have to worry about that because God is omniscient. As 1 John 3:20 says, "He knows everything." In addition, it is such an awesome thing to realize that God knows me perfectly. Psalm 139:1-4, "O Lord, You have searched me and You know me. You know when I sit and when I rise, You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O Lord."

In conclusion, we have looked at the meaning of the omniscience of God and seen that He is all-knowing. And finally, what a comforting thing to know that nothing catches God by surprise and that He is familiar with all of our ways!

More Than Conquerors Magazine's Christianity and Science Fiction DVD giveaway ends on the 20th!

Out of curiosity, how many of you have read at least part of More Than Conquerors Magazine?  Can I please see a show of hands (comments)?

The following is a speech answering the question: If man is inherently sinful, why do most men lead relatively good lives?

Little kids can be amusing. Their innocence, naivety, and lack of self-consciousness is fun to watch. They’ll run to us with a drawing–very happy with it and believing it’s well done. Of course, we encourage them and say, "Good job!". They do not have a concept of what good art is so they truly believe they are good artists. Once they’re older, as teens or adults, they look back and realize their earlier attempts at art actually weren’t very good. They now have a higher standard. Stick figures and wiggly lines just don’t cut it anymore. Even those who are artistically talented and continued to be praised for their work will point out things they need to work on. They see their flaws and weaknesses so much more clearly and work hard to improve.

In a way, this serves as an analogy between non-Christians and Christians. Christians hold themselves to a higher standard. They will readily admit that they are sinners saved only by God’s grace. They are honest about their shortcomings and strive to meet God’s standards. Most non-Christians, on the other hand, have a very low standard. Many say, "I’ve never killed anyone or robbed a bank so I think I’m a pretty good person." Like a little kids, they do not grasp what good truly is and how far they fall short.

Today, I’ll be answering the question: If man is inherently sinful, why do most men lead relatively good lives? I’m actually going to be answering this question with 2 other questions. 1. Is this questions legitimate? and 2. What should our response be?

First, is this question legitimate? To answer this we must define "good" and see if it is even possible for inherently sinful people to do good. I think the 4^th definition of the adjective form of "good" from Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary is fitting. It’s defined as "having moral qualitites best adapted to its design and use, or the qualities which God’s law requires." Now, let’s look at some Bible verses.

Psalm 106:1,3, "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever...Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right." Here we see that the Lord is good and blessed are the people who constantly do what is right. Again, is it even possible for inherently sinful people to do what is right, much less constantly do it? Jeremiah 4:22 says, "My people are fools; they do not know Me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good." This verse shows us that people know very well how to do evil but they do not know how to do good. Psalm 14:2-3, "The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one."

I believe we can safely conclude that the question: If man is inherently sinful, why do most men lead relatively good lives? is significantly flawed. Since we are inherently sinful, none of us can lead even close to a good life. As Chuck Colson said, "Mere knowledge is not enough to undercut the evil in the human heart. Simply knowing what is right doesn’t enable us to do right." I think a more appropriate question is: If man is inherently sinful, what can he do? Is there any hope for him? Is there any way for him to be able to lead a good life?

This brings me to my second main question: What should our response be? Some people believe we should try to do all the good works we can and hope God will somehow be impressed and let us in to heaven. But the Bible says, "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags." Isaiah 64:6. I believe this is because we are incapable of true righteousness and goodness on our own. Our very best deeds do not measure up to God’s standard. God’s standard is perfection–something we can never attain on our own. Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." How then can we ever lead a good life? The answer is found in Jesus Christ and in Him alone. When we surrender our lives to Jesus and make Him our Lord and Savior, we are washed clean. 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." What we need to do is repent and make Jesus the Lord of our life.

In conclusion, we have discovered that the question: If man is inherently sinful, why do most men lead relatively good lives? is not legitimate but is in fact, flawed. We have found that our response must be putting our trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. I would like to end with a verse that has been show true once again. Mark 10:27, "Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.’"

Take Your Best Shot by Austin Gutwein (Founder of Hoops of Hope) with Todd Hillard

I’m glad this teenager decided to write this book and I was given the chance to read it. This book is encouraging and inspiring. It is a reminder that, by God’s grace, kids and teens can make a difference. It’s not often a book comes around that makes you want to change the world and helps you believe you can really do it. I love that Austin encourages us to put spending time with God first. At the end of chapters, there is a suggested passage of Scripture to meditate on and talk with God about. We are encouraged to see the need around us and seek out our own particular vision and passion. Do something bigger than yourself! We also get to hear the story of Hoops of Hope and other kid’s stories. Wow. Nothing is impossible with God! This book is easy to read, draws some interesting analogies, and manages to be funny and serious at different times. Have you ever heard of a Pet Rock? Did you know that every five seconds a child dies because of lack of food? That’s what I mean. Light-hearted and sad. It somehow works! Those who read my reviews will notice that in most books there are at least some things that bother me. I’m not going to say anything negative about this book. That says something :).

Today… October 4, 2009  I'm doing it a day early to make sure I don't forget or post it too late this time :).

Outside my window… It's sunny and cold.

I am thinking… about how important it is to "do hard things" for God's glory and to not waste my teen years.

I am thankful for… by God's grace, being able to finish More Than Conquerors Magazine!  Have you visited yet?  There's a giveaway! 

I am wearing... A blue/green Steps for Life t-shirt and black skirt

I am reading… The Bible (Job right now) and The Bible Answer Book by Hank Hanegraaff

I am creating… Novels, articles, speech, etc.  You can read my first apologetic speech here.

One of my favorite things... receiving nice comments :).  Both here and on my articles at GGM.

For education this week… You can see my list of subjects for this school year here.

A keeper at home skill I am using/learning … communication

A spiritual lesson I’m learning… perseverance

A godly character trait I plan to work on… patience

Scripture I am memorizing… Philippians 2

I am praying for…  Various people and people groups.

For the rest of the week… Besides school, I hope to work on my novel, storyboard, finish and give my speech, write articles, etc.

I gave my first apologetic speech on Thursday evening. I was supposed to "explain the meaning and significance of the Trinity." Here is the text of my speech (which was written out on 3 X 5 cards.) 

Growing up, I asked a lot of questions. There many things I wanted to know about. But the most important questions I asked were the ones about God. Most of them were relatively simple and easy to understand. But one of the hardest questions for me to understand the answer to was What is the Trinity? How can God be three in one? How can something go beyond reason but not against reason? After all, human reason cannot fully comprehend the doctrine of the Trinity. We know it only because God has revealed it to us through His Word, the Bible. This does not mean it is irrational or contradictory and there are still things we can learn about the Trinity.

Today, I am going to be explaining the meaning and significance of the Trinity. Wayne Grudem, in Systematic Theology, defines the word "trinity" as "tri-unity" or "three-in-oneness". Three statements help summarize the doctrine of the Trinity.

1. God is three persons.

2. Each person is fully God.

3. There is one God.

First, God is three persons. This means that God the Father is not the Son or the Holy Spirit. They are distinct persons. It is not as if God is an actor playing three parts in a play. In other words, the persons of the Trinity are not just 3 different ways of looking at God. This is evident in Matt. 3:16-17, "As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descend like a dove and lighting on Him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, Whom I love; with Him I am well pleased."" Here all three persons of the Trinity are present at the same time.

Second, each person is fully God. The Father is fully God. John 4:23, "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." The Son is fully God. Col. 2:9, "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form." John 20:28-29, "Thomas said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God’. Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’" Jesus Himself is affirming that He is fully God. The Holy Spirit is fully God. In Acts 5:3, we read, "Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit...?" In verse 4, it says, "You have not lied to men but to God." In addition, we are told to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Third, there is one God. Though the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three distinct persons, they are one in essence and nature. They are all omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, eternal, infinitely holy, etc. One way to say it is that God is one "What" and three "Whos". Scripture is adamant that there is only one God. Deut. 6:4, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." In Isaiah 45:5, we read, "I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from Me there is no God."

Now, let’s talk about the significance of the Trinity. Why should it matter to us whether someone believes in the Trinity or not? I believe one of the reasons is that if a person denies any aspect of the Trinity, they are denying an essential doctrine of the Christian faith. To deny the Trinity is to call the Bible and God a liar. Though the word "Trinity" is not found in the Bible, the doctrine is clearly taught throughout Scripture. If you deny that there is one God, you are going against all the Scriptures that state there is only one God. If you deny that God is 3 persons, what is the explanation for Jesus praying to the Father or promising to send the Holy Spirit to the disciples? You would be forced to conclude that Jesus is either crazy or a liar. Again, this is heresy. If you deny that each person is fully God, you contradict all the verses in the Bible affirming the deity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

In conclusion, the meaning of the Trinity is that God is three persons, each person is fully God, and there is one God. The significance of a proper belief in the doctrine of the Trinity is that without it, the historic Christian faith shatters and the Bible is made out to be a contradictory book of lies.

GGM's October issue is out!  Isn't that tree on the cover lovely? 

My articles are Plentiful Harvest (*Video by me Included*) and Land of Calais (*Review and Giveaway*).

Redefining Beautiful by Jenna Lucado with Max Lucado

I read through this book in one evening. That says a lot. I loved the casual, easy to read style. The book is meant to be made your own. It includes lines to write in, questions to answer, and a quiz to take. More importantly, it is about helping girls realize their God-given beauty. Not just on the outside but on the inside. It is about letting girls see that God is the perfect Father who will never leave them nor forsake them. Amazingly, this book has the ability to appeal to both girls who come from God-fearing homes and those who come from completely broken homes and those in between! "Life Accessories" and "Beauty Tips" are sprinkled throughout the book. Personal stories of girls from different backgrounds add another touch to it. One problem I have is that she condones dating. She dated and she seems to assume that all other girls will date. Therefore, most of her advice regarding boys does not line up with my convictions. That being said, there is still good information in the book. From meditating on the Bible to your relationship with your family to having a closer relationship with God, there is quite a bit to appreciate and agree with.

Why are all those books lying on my desk?  Answer: I've joined a Speech/Apologetics club and those are books I thought would prove helpful in my research.  Obviously, not all of them will apply to every topic :). Most of them I have not read yet (even though I should have) so I'm excited to finally get to it! 

Note: The CD is NIV Bible Library.  This is a very useful tool!  It contains many versions of the Bible for easy comparison and allows you to go back to the original Greek and Hebrew.  It has other resources as well.

My first assignment is to give a speech explaining the meaning and significance of the Trinity.  I have one week to prepare.  Here is a picture of my desk an hour or two into beginning my research:

The open book is Baker's Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics by Norman Geisler...very good and informative so far!  The little pink card is my working outline, the yellow card is filled with Bible references for me to look up and of course, the notebook is for all my notes.  The books above are Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem, The Bible Answer Book by Hank Hanegraaff, The NIV Complete Concordance, and the Bible.  While other books are helpful, the Bible must be the final authority on all matters!

I encourage you to be involved in apologetics, whether you join a club or not.  Every Christian should be well-equipped to defend his/her faith. 

"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect." 1 Peter 3:15

By God's grace, I'm looking forward to furthering my knowledge and understanding in the area of apologetics. 

The surprise is....More Than Conquerors Magazine!

Miss Eyebright was the first person to guess correctly.  Congratulations! 

Thank you, everyone, for your comments.  I hope you enjoy the magazine!

Voices of the Faithful Book 2 is a collection of missionary stories from around the world. It is meant to be used as a devotional with one story for each day of the year. Hearing from Christians who have been spreading the Gospel in so many different areas can be quite exciting and encouraging. The 366 devotionals are separated into twelve months; each month has a different topic. My personal favorite was the section on children. Each devotional includes a relevant Bible verse and prayer. One of the purposes of this book is to encourage the body of Christ to pray for missionaries and people groups. The only complaint that comes to my mind is that this book, made by Southern Baptists, is partial to Southern Baptists and the missionaries in the book are Southern Baptists.  An example of partiality is that at the end of the book, the International Mission Board (IMB) offers free resources to only Southern Baptists.  I believe division in the body of Christ is to be avoided and I cannot endorse the idea or practice of denominations. The important thing is that a believer is correct on the essentials of the Christian faith. I believe a missionary should not have to belong to a certain denomination to be supported.  Trying to convert people in other countries to be part of a particular denomination is inappropriate and unBiblical.  A westernized sect of Christianity will not appeal to most indigenous people.  Unity is desperately needed in places where the number of believers is often under one percent.  We are to be one Body.  Other than that, this book is interesting and a nice devotional.

If you have not seen hints #1 and #2, please go see them :).

Things we need for what we're working on:

-Internet

-WordPerfect

-Typing and editing skills

-Hours and hours of time

Things we do not need:

-Printer/burner

-Shipping packages

-Cloth, yarn, etc.

-Paint

Bonus Hint: When I said "season" in Hint #1, it could have just as easily been "quarter". 

To reiterate quickly, the first person to guess correctly will receive an early Christmas present.

The surprise will hopefully be announced on Sunday or Monday.  That means that this guessing contest is over on Saturday, September 19.  That is just two days away so please start guessing!

I recommend that you read Part 1 and Part 2 first.

How do we become accomplished?

First of all, the only way we can ever become truly accomplished or make a lasting difference in the world is by God's grace and His power at work in and through us. 

Therefore, the number one thing to do is pray, seek His will, and grow in your relationship with Him. 

Here is a passage from Pride and Prejudice:

 Mr. Darcy spoke with affectionate praise of his sister's proficiency.  (Note: In piano playing.)

"I am very glad to hear such a good account of her," said Lady Catherine; "and pray tell her from me, that she cannot expect to excel, if she does not practise a great deal."

"I assure you, Madam," he replied, "that she does not need such advice. She practises constantly."

"So much the better.  It cannot be done too much; and when I next write to her, I shall charge her not to neglect it on any account.  I often tell young ladies, that no excellence in music is to be acquired, without constant practice."

Practice, patience, persistence, perseverance...they really do matter.  They can often make up for a lack of natural talent in an area.  For instance, I wasn't born knowing how to draw.  I wasn't like those who can just pick up a pencil or paintbrush and do something amazing with it.  But I wanted to be.  In August, I became more determined to succeed in the area of drawing.  Guess what I did?  I drew.  I started an art journal and  I went from drawing only on special occasions when I "felt" like it to drawing nearly every day and sometimes several times a  day.  I drew and drew and drew.  Some of my drawings were fairly good and some were horrible.  But the point is you'll never draw well if you never draw.  A funny thing happened.  I started to love drawing more.  I "felt" like drawing more the more I drew.  Funny, huh?  But it was wonderful to look down at a sketch and think Not bad.  It was special to record my days through art.  I used to not draw for awhile and then suddenly decide to tackle a big drawing project that would take hours and leave me not wanting to draw again for days and weeks...and months.  It can be better to start slow and work your way up.  I kept to sketches before finally finishing a "bigger" project I started last year. 

Pick a skill you want to learn (or improve) and make a determined effort to practice deligently for a set amount of time.  It could be a week or a month.  At the end of that time,  I think that you'll find you've improved...especially if you keep pushing yourself.  In piano, for instance, it will not do much good to keep practicing songs you already know well again and again.  Once you have learned a song, you must move on to newer and harder songs.

Again, we must not forget character.  Pick a character trait to work on for a set amount of time as well.  I really need to do this.  Every day we should ask ourselves, "How am I doing in the area of ____?"  Improvement in character is much more important than improving your skills. 

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men," Colossians 3:23

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

The surprise is not...

-Just for kids

-Just for teens

-Just for adults

-Just for boys

-Just for girls

...it is for the whole family!

 (Norman Rockwell's painting "The Greatest Joys Are Shared")

To see Hint #1, go here.

The seasons come and go.   The "surprise" will only last for one season if you do not like it.  If, however, you enjoy it, find it useful, etc. then it may continue for many seasons to come.  Your opinions truly matter! 

Feel free to start guessing!

P.S. If you have no idea what I am talking about, please go here and read the "I am thinking..." section.  Thanks!

Today… September 7, 2009 Happy 18th Anniversary, Dad and Mom!  I helped my mom put together a video to surprise my dad for their anniversary.  If you would like to watch the video, please go here.

Outside my window… It's wet.  I have been enjoying all this rain.

I am thinking… that there should be an exciting announcement posted to this blog in the next week or two.   Until then, we will be dropping hints.  The first person to guess correctly what the announcement is about will win an early Christmas gift.  (We're leaving this a surprise, too :)).  One last thing: If you are related to me, you are not eligible for the prize.  I would still like to hear your guesses, though :).

I am thankful for… not getting salmonella yesterday.  Those breaded frozen chicken things can be deceiving...beware!  Even cooking them in the oven at the right temperature for the right amount of time doesn't always work.  My piece was half raw...and I didn't know it until I had eaten part of it.  I was terribly anxious about getting salmonella but Thank God, I did not get it.  I am so grateful!

I am wearing... A blue shirt and dark blue jean skirt 

I am reading… The Bible (Proverbs right now)  

I am creating… Articles and novels.  Editing a short story.  If you would like to read Part 2 of the Accomplished series, it is here.  

One of my favorite things... when my younger brothers behave :).

For education this week… You can see my list of subjects for this school year here.

A keeper at home skill I am using/learning … taking care of children (i.e. babysitting).

A spiritual lesson I’m learning… to do my best not to be anxious about anything.

A godly character trait I plan to work on… Not worrying

Scripture I am memorizing… I need to get back to this!  Hopefully, I'll work on Philippians this week.

I am praying for…  We are taking part in the 30 day prayer challenge for Muslims during Ramadan (which is right now!).  You can read what my mom wrote here.

For the rest of the week… Besides school, I hope to...start reading a new book, get back to drawing, and whatever else comes up.