I am a fourteen-year-old girl; a Christian, given many blessings by God Almighty, who loves me and mine. I love to retire into the inner analyzing processes of my brain, and contemplate the conundrums of life. I love a hug and a kiss from my siblings and parents; an encouraging word when I am low; a genuine smile. I love deep, thought-provoking, meaningful conversations. I love the satisfaction which comes from home-made, freshly baked loaves of bread. I love delving into a world of wonder in a good book. I love learning about how America's system of government works and the results of it--in short, politics. I love the variety of science, applied science, and technology. I am literarily oriented, so I love to work with words and write poetry, stories, and blog entries. I love a jovial sense of humor. I love classical, country, and quality Christian music. I love to dance. I love to laugh, converse, encourage, and interact with friends, whisper secrets and discoveries to my sister at night when we should probably be asleep, and keep my things organized. I love--in a magnanimous way--the pursuit of knowledge. I love, hopefully most of all, being God's child and experiencing the awesome wonder of His grace. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:30:00 -0500 Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:30:00 -0500 Here is the promised sequel-two months later! Well, you can't whip up an entry like this in a day. In the previous post, we addressed the issue of predestination and its biblical, logical and word-for-word support. Last time I wrote in a wholly positive perspective; this time I will evaluate the other side and some potentially challenging verses. I will begin this post by iterating the conclusion in my previous post and continuing from there. "This verse leaves no doubt in my mind about the truth of predestination." Still, what of the challenging verses? What is their message? Do they contradict it? Well, we all know that the Bible, the Word of God, does not contradict itself, so what is the explanation? The verses that I am referencing are these: 1 Timothy 2:3b-2:4 (English Standard Version) ...God our Savior, who desires(A) all people to be saved and(B) to come to(C) the knowledge of the truth. Cross references: 1 Timothy 2:4 : 1 Timothy 4:10; Ezek 18:23, 32 1 Timothy 2:4 : 2 Tim 3:7 1 Timothy 2:4 : 2 Tim 2:25; Titus 1:1; Heb 10:26 It is my belief that this verse clearly states that God wants all people to be saved.  So how does this statement affect the foundation supporting predestination? Does it support or strike it? Let us look at two ways one could interpret this statement in opposition to predestination: a. God wants all people to be saved (true), and therefore will eventually save all people. Wait; hold it. Rewind. Let us peer closer....If all of this were true, everyone would rest in the assurance that they would go to Heaven, regardless of what sins were committed on earth. This would lead to endeavoring to have the best time of your life (whatever that means....), with no striving after what is good, right and true. The most evil murderer and blasphemer would be automatically saved along with the sweetest and most gentle child. I believe that God's character in Scripture forbids such a world. It would be abhorrent, and an abomination to God. b. Another way one might interpret this verse is to say that because God desires all to be saved, He does not ordain who will be saved from the beginning. In other words, this idea implies that God basically acts on a whim and saves whomever He feels like saving, whenever He feels like saving. I believed that both of those explanations were wrong, yet I wanted to know how these verses fit with predestination. Still, I couldn't think of a convincing explanation, so I asked my elder and pastor. My pastor used the very applicable example of a parent. As a parent, you desire to give and do good things for your children, but you also have to discipline them, don't you? Do parents enjoy disciplining their children? No, of course not. Yet they must, or the other children will assume that their wrong behavior is acceptable. My point is simply this: with no guide, we shall fall into our own pits, and with no example of the consequences of horrid behavior, we shall continue to do it. I believe that those who have not and are not to be saved are that example. A passage from Romans 9 comes to mind (Please stay with me; I know this is a rather long passage that you can't really skim.): Romans 9:10-24 (English Standard Version) 10And not only so, but(A) also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of(B) Him who calls— 12she was told,(C) "The older will serve the younger." 13As it is written,(D) "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." I call your attention to the first section of verse eleven: Esau and Jacob had done nothing; had not even entered this world yet, but God ordained them for His 'purpose of election'. Sound familiar? Let's keep reading.... 14What shall we say then?(E) Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15For He says to Moses,(F) "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16So then it depends not on human will or exertion,[a] but on God, who has mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh,(G) "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show My power in you, and that My Name might be proclaimed in all the earth." 18So then He has mercy on whomever He wills, and He hardens whomever He wills. Throughout this section of the passage, I noticed the recurrence of God ordaining people to certain purposes for His glorification. Not a hint of them making decisions against His will, or doing something righteous out of their own will (verse 16) even the powerful and feared Pharaoh of Egypt . Now to the key questions:  19You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For(H) who can resist His will?" 20But who are you, O man,(I) to answer back to God?(J) Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" 21(K) Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump(L) one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience(M) vessels of wrath(N) prepared for destruction, 23in order to make known(O) the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he(P) has prepared beforehand for glory— 24even us whom he(Q) has called,(R) not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? Do you see, my friends? Do you see how many answers He has provided for us in this particular section? God has made an example of 'vessels of wrath' who are 'prepared for destruction', in order that we, the blessed 'vessels of mercy', would receive and understand fully the gargantuan sacrifice Jesus made for us, and the eternal, magnificent glory for which we are being prepared. Footnotes: Romans 9:16 Greek not of him who wills or runs Cross references: Romans 9:10 : Gen 25:21 Romans 9:11 : Romans 4:17; Romans 8:28 Romans 9:12 : Gen 25:23 Romans 9:13 : Mal 1:2, 3 Romans 9:14 : Deut 32:4; 2 Chr 19:7; Job 8:3; 34:10; Psalm 92:15 Romans 9:15 : Exodus 33:19 Romans 9:17 : Exodus 9:16 Romans 9:19 : 2 Chr 20:6; Job 9:12; Dan 4:35 Romans 9:20 : Job 33:13 Romans 9:20 : Isa 29:16; 45:9 Romans 9:21 : Isa 64:8; Jer 18:6 Romans 9:21 : 2 Tim 2:20 Romans 9:22 : Romans 9:21, 23; Acts 9:15 Romans 9:22 : Prov 16:4; 1 Pet 2:8 Romans 9:23 : Eph 3:16; Romans 2:4 Romans 9:23 : Romans 8:29 Romans 9:24 : Romans 8:28 Romans 9:24 : Romans 3:29   Even one of the most frequently quoted verses in scripture, John 3:16, could be misunderstood to mean that we are able to believe of our own accord. John 3:16 (English Standard Version)   For God So Loved the World  16"ForA) God so lovedB) the world,a]C) that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should notD) perish but have eternal life.     Footnotes: John 3:16 Or For this is how God loved the world Cross references: John 3:16 : Rom 5:8; Eph 2:4; 2 Thess 2:16; 1 John 3:1; 4:9, 10 John 3:16 : John 1:29 John 3:16 : Rom 8:32 John 3:16 : John 10:28  This verse is saying that GOD has given us the gift of being able to believe--to have faith. It is not saying that we have the ability to choose to be saved. I have spent multiple paragraphs on how that view is wrong. I think I have fully explained my viewpoint on this, but really, why is it so important? Well, to understand that, we must look at the alternative. Imagine, just for a moment, the scenario of the world if we could choose to be saved; if our free will was what it is commonly misunderstood to be: essentially the control of our own lives. In all honesty, how inclined do you think you would be to Christianity? If you had even a cursory knowledge of what it meant to become a Christian, would you be willing? Every day, we are required to make what to us seems like a lot of effort. We must sacrifice our stubborn will, our self-centered desires, our pride and self-pity. When our feathers are ruffled or we are truly wronged, we must sacrifice the resentment and bitterness which swells up inside of us and forgive. More than that, we must forget and put it behind us, as GOD does our sins. I don't know where your heart is, but I know that even these few requisites are extremely difficult for me. The truth is, we humans do not want to "make every effort", we do not want to sacrifice our desires; we want our own way! Our innate sin nature is repulsed by such actions as cheerful obedience and unquestioned authority. It is satisfied only when we are truly "our own boss".  But, as we know, the Christian life is NOT about getting your own way! So, truthfully, if the decision was left to me, I would not choose to be a Christian. I would be enveloped in the false lie of humanism. If we were given total control over our own lives we would make a pretty dreadful mess of things. We cannot even keep track of mundane things like keys and appointments, let alone our souls! You may think that I am making light of this, but in truth I am not. We are dependent beings, no matter how self-sufficient we think we are.   This is why having the proper view of faith is important-because we are able to boast in ourselves otherwise! If we believe that we, foolish sheep that we are, can choose to be saved, then (at the heart of it) we are putting ourselves above GOD-even in this seemingly small way. My main object in this post is simply this; there are only two ways that I can find of looking at this issue. 1. Either I believe that I am given the gift of faith by GOD alone, 2. Or I believe that I can choose for myself. If the first, I acknowledge my total depravity and dependence on GOD. If the second, I state that I can refuse GOD, and that He owes me something. I bring this entry to a close with a request: to please consider what I have written; this is an incredibly important issue. Whether you agree with me or not, please feel free to post your thoughts below; I am quite willing to discuss! By His Grace and For His Glory, ~Mariel~   P.S. Stay tuned for the third part of this series: Free Will vs. Predestination pt. 3: "Free Will: Control or Choice?" http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/644243/ Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:30:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/644243/ Or rather, Free Will and Predestination. Wait, you say, are they not conflicting issues, contradicting each other? So it would seem, but my answer is no. I will explain my reasons throughout this prospective series, and I hope you will stick with me as I can be, shall we say, very thorough. I am about to write my perspective on an issue that has been debated hotly for years, and I am keenly aware that there are a fairly large amount of people who will disagree with me. I also realize the fact that I am a young girl who, as of yet, has not had a huge amount of life experience, and as such cannot and should not dictate to her elders. I am here merely to write-as I stated above-my perspective and belief with regards to this very important subject. I would love if you would post your opinion below-whether or not you agree. I am stating my conclusion first in this instance, then the premises of my argument supporting it. Now, some food for thought. I believe that the Almighty God predestined us from the start, as part of  His plan for the universe, and therefore, that we do not choose our salvation, but that we respond to His call.  So, as with any post endeavoring to prove something, for now, predestination, we start with the basics: what exactly is predestination? Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language defines it as this: a. the action of God in foreordaining from eternity whatever comes to pass. Well, that is essentially what providence is, right? Wait, definition b. reveals the crucial difference. b. the decree of God by which certain souls are foreordained to salvation. What this is saying is that from the very beginning, God chose who would be given salvation, and who would not. That we do not perform a work by choosing our religion, thereby enabling us to say that we are somehow responsible for part of gaining our salvation. Hold on, I will get to the concept of free will later; for now, I am establishing predestination.  My point is this: I believe that, first and foremost, 1. Salvation is a gift, not a work, and that 2. God, who paid the immense price for that gift, is completely justified in giving it to whomever He decides. Now, of course, that raises the question: if that is true, why some and not others? Why does God condemn those who do not have faith when He Himself gives faith? It doesn't seem fair does it?  You know, this incredibly important question had me flummoxed for quite a long time. I had that unspoken conviction of its truth, but how could I explain it if someone asked me, unbeliever or not? How could I articulate what I knew to be true if I did not understand it myself? I began to earnestly seek for reasons and, most importantly, a conclusion. The first reason that I  found was simply this: who was I to dictate to my Creator what was fair-or what I thought was fair-and what was not? I began to realize that I could not organize God into what I wanted Him to be; it did not depend on what I thought was just and fair. I am a created being, and therefore certainly not in a place to judge my Creator. After all, does the Clay tell the Potter whether or not it will accept His direction? Does it decide how it will be shaped? Does it decide whether it will be "picked up" and "sculpted"? By no means! What does the apostle Paul say in: Ephesians 2:8-10 (English Standard Version) 8For(A) by grace you have been saved(B) through faith. And this is(C) not your own doing;(D) it is the gift of God, 9(E) not a result of works,(F) so that no one may boast. 10For(G) we are His workmanship,(H) created in Christ Jesus(I) for good works,(J) which God prepared beforehand,(K) that we should walk in them. Cross references: Ephesians 2:8 : Ephesians 2:5 Ephesians 2:8 : 1 Pet 1:5; Rom 4:16 Ephesians 2:8 : 2 Cor 3:5 Ephesians 2:8 : John 4:10; Heb 6:4 Ephesians 2:9 : 2 Tim 1:9; Titus 3:5; Rom 3:20, 28 Ephesians 2:9 : 1 Cor 1:29; Judg 7:2 Ephesians 2:10 : Deut 32:6, 15; Psalm 100:3 Ephesians 2:10 : Ephesians 3:9; 4:24; Col 3:10 Ephesians 2:10 : Ephesians 4:24 Ephesians 2:10 : Ephesians 1:4 Ephesians 2:10 : Col 1:10   This was one of the verses that strengthened my belief, and enabled me to form my conclusion. I will now proceed to illustrate the reasons why I have drawn this conclusion. In Ephesians 1:11 we find this: Ephesians 1:11 (King James Version)  11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will: (or for those that prefer a modern English version) Ephesians 1:11 (English Standard Version)  11In Him we have obtained(A) an inheritance,(B) having been predestined(C)purpose of Him who works all things according to(D) the counsel of His will, according to the Cross references: Ephesians 1:11 : Deut 4:20; 32:9; Ephesians 1:14 Ephesians 1:11 : Ephesians 1:5 Ephesians 1:11 : Ephesians 3:11; Rev 4:11; Rom 8:28 Ephesians 1:11 : Acts 20:27 In Ephesians 1:5 we find this: Ephesians 1:5 (English Standard Version) 5(A) he predestined us[a] for(B) adoption as sons through Jesus Christ,(C) according to the purpose of His will, Footnotes: Ephesians 1:5 Or before him in love, having predestined us Cross references: Ephesians 1:5 : Ephesians 1:11; Rom 8:29, 30 Ephesians 1:5 : Rom 8:15 Ephesians 1:5 : Ephesians 1:9; Luke 2:14; Heb 2:4; Luke 12:32 In Acts 4:28 we find this: Acts 4:28 (English Standard Version) 28(A) to do whatever your hand and(B) your plan had predestined to take place. Cross references: Acts 4:28 : Isa 46:10 Acts 4:28 : Acts 2:23 I believe that all three of these verses support the doctrine of predestination. Nevertheless, if I have misunderstood all my biblical support for it, or if the Greek word has a different connotation than the English word does, my argument is shattered. Therefore, in order to be in no doubt of the implication of the word 'predestination', let us examine the meaning of the original Greek translation. This is where I shall proceed to outline the structure of my argument by delineating my premises. My first and strongest premise is this: that the Greek word (in English "predestinate") is defined in this manner: The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon Strong's Number:   4309 Original Word: proorivzw Definition 1. to predetermine, decide beforehand 2. in the NT of God decreeing from eternity 3. to foreordain, appoint beforehand So not only does the English version express the truth that we are chosen, but the original language, Greek, says this as well. I shall bring this entry to a close with a few last words. This verse leaves no doubt in my mind about the truth of predestination. I know this may not be the case with anyone reading this, but I humbly ask you to consider this, my second premise: If we are truly dead in our sin, as Jesus teaches, then do we have the capacity or the 'willpower' to choose our own fate? Can a dead being bring itself to life again? I pray that God would bless you and keep you, my friends, and guide you in His paths. I pray that He would grant you wisdom, and strengthen your faith until the day when "every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD". Until that glorious day when Jesus brings us home, I remain your loving friend and sister-in-Christ, ~Mariel~ P.S. Stay tuned for part two of my series Free Will vs. Predestination, "Challenging Verses". Coming soon!       http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/588514/ Sun, 19 Apr 2009 21:30:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/588514/ In case you are wondering about the above name, it was my youngest sister, Emma's, babyhood name for the birthday girl because she could not pronounce 'Elizabeth'. This day, September 11th, is the eighth anniversary of my little sister, Elizabeth's, life. She was born "at the crack of dawn" in my mother's words, and from being the most mellow baby amoung us, she grew into one of the liveliest, most talkative, and social. She is often the life of the party, but is willing to listen and go along with other's ideas. In fact, she often offers ideas, but then if someone suggests a different idea and seems to really want to use it, she will quickly add, "But we can do that if you want to; I don't care." "Are you sure?" they ask. "It's okay, I really don't care." she assures with a smile.   "Ibizis" loves to make other people happy, and usually has a ready smile (or rather, grin). She has her faults, as do we all, but they are not the only side of her character. On the contrary, Elizabeth can be and often is, a very sweet, loving, and generous girl. I have worked on accomplishing meaningful relationships with my siblings, and it has paid off tremendously: she confides in me, and wants to share all her little or big discoveries. That smile, that hug, that trusting look: if that doesn't make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, I don't know what does! She even asked me to help plan her birthday menu.  [In case you are in the dark, on our birthdays we get school off and get to choose our meals, although there are limits as to what we can choose, after the Great Sugar Crash Incident of 2006 on another birthday of Elizabeth's. What a day for stomach jitters! Do you really want to know the menu? Alright, she had Magic Stars cereal for breakfast (which is pretty much the same as Lucky Charms), cinnamon rolls for lunch, and blueberry waffles for dinner. Plus, Mommy gave us two pieces of strawberry cake with vanilla frosting. I couldn't even finish my cake, I felt so sick. That day has been a joke in our family ever since, and today, she chose cranberry bread and tea for breakfast (yum), tuna sandwiches and watermelon with milk for lunch, and grilled chicken in BBQ sauce, mashed potatoes with gravy, biscuits, and cooked carrots for dinner. Her birthday dish will be a marvelous, home-made, Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Cake with an Oreo crust, a nice, thick layer of mint ice cream, and fudge sauce on top. Bon Appetite!] I have been extremely blessed by Elizabeth, and her active, delightful personality is a God-given blessing as well. I pray that God grants her many more years, and that He calles her to Himself. I pray that He would bestow upon her the fruits of the Spirit, and that His hand of protection and guidance would be upholding her throughout her life. God Bless You, my dear, sweet sister! Love from Within, Mariel http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/588508/ Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:24:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/588508/ I Have Returned!!! Greetings, fellow bloggers (I dare not say, 'readers'). I trust that I find you all in good health and joyful in the Spirit of our Almighty God. I am astonished at the amount of time that has passed since we last conversed. Six months! That is my longest ever on record, and, of course not a little shameful. I have missed you all so very much! Because of the long period of time, I almost posted saying that I had stopped blogging, but then when I logged on today, it dawned on me what I would be and was missing! How could I leave my dear friends? I have met so many wonderful people on HSB and I realized what cutting off those friendships would mean. I probably wouldn't talk to Kylie, Jocelyn, Amanda, Rose, Eyebright, Grace, or my other HSB friends again! That would leave a gap.  I love all my friends here and that is why I choose to return and blog. I look forward to future conversations with you all. (And perhaps in our jammies, right, Kylie?) On another note, these last two days, we have had the extremely delightful Suarez family visit here at our house! On Tuesday, they were coming for dinner; Mommy was going to make wine chicken, boiled potatoes, salad, and our traditional Suarez/my family dessurt, sugar bread. Yet, there was one big problem: Cornflower and I had forgotten to tell her that the oven was not heating up correctly over the weekend that she was gone to the Modesto conference! Trouble on the horizon.... So, when she preheated the oven so that the wine chicken could be cooked--the oven did not turn on at all, although the stove worked perfectly. To top it off, the Suarezes were going to be here in an hour, so no time to get it fixed. Of course, that was when I remembered to tell her about the oven's behavior during the weekend. I prayed furiously, asking God to make the oven work, knowing that He must have a plan, but not a spark flared. Oh, dear. You mothers can imagine the situation. The Suarezes got here, the situation was explained, and--fabulously flexible friends that they are--we were able to settle on Chevy's for dinner. We high-tailed it over there and had a scrumptious meal, came home, Levi, Julie, Corn, Spidey, Wibbs, Emma, and I went into our backyard and fought battles with the foam-padded swords that Daddy made us. [Pause: I'm sorry, Corn and I are laughing over Jocelyn's post "You've Been Labeled" Go check it out.] Paul eventually came out and beat us all with his quick moves and blocks. After a few more matches together, we went back inside and Daddy showed us some amazing martial arts scenes and then some absolutely hilarious WIPEOUT episodes. [Warning: This show is occaisionally a wee bit crude, so, even though my family, namely my sister, Cornflower, teases me about being so sensitive to some crude humor, I still don't appreciate all the jokes on this show. That said, there are many laugh-out-loud moments from the hosts, but, unfortunately, as with any obstacle course show, there will be and are some people who take the LORD's name in vain.] Anyway, somewhere around 12:00, they left and we parted by saying "See you next year!" Little did we know that tomorrow, spontaneously, the mothers had put together a playday for Levi and Julie at our house! So they came over again, dropped Levi and Julie off, then Mommy invited them to dinner. Mrs. Suarez said they had an engagement with the Wuehler family for dessert at 7:00, but they could push for 7:30 and have dinner at our house! So, Mommy crockpotted the wine chicken through the day. All of us kids went out into the backyard and fought some more skirmishes with the swords. Levi is an aware fighter and a good opponent, therefore he presents a challenge, which I appreciate. I love challenges! Mommy made some lemonade to refresh us hot soldiers, and we came in and played Bluff, Lord of the Rings Stratego, and the girls played with Playmobil until the most heated part of the day was over. After that, we went back outside and played five games of Medieval Times Capture the Flag, or simply, Fight for the Flag, where you use your sword to defend yourself from the opposing team with your sword while trying to steal their flag and guard the prisoners. We had so much fun playing with them! Next, we asked Mommy if we could go outside in the court on our bikes and scooters to play Cops and Robbers. She agreed and we strapped on helmets and swept the highways! Levi and Cornflower were the police officers, and the rest of us tried to avoid their hawk's gaze while breaking traffic laws. So you see, we didn't really rob, we only went the wrong way on 'lanes' and crossed 'off-road'. The rest of their family arrived and we had a splendid dinner of wine chicken, boiled potatoes, and a lovely salad. While we were eating it, Paul came into the kitchen and I asked him when they had to leave. He replied by saying: "It was canceled." Whereby Cornflower accidently tipped her plate over and the remains of her salad scattered on the table, everyone laughed and Paulie added, "Don't get too excited!" I found out a bit later that the cancellation was due to Mrs. Suarez's headache. I did feel sorry for the Wuehlers because I know that if I had been in their place, I would have been very disappointed, but I was SO VERY glad that they could stay! So we spent some more quality time with them and I was reminded of how much I love their family, not to mention adorable little Susanna, who resembles Luke and looks so much like a Suarez! I love her! We LOVE you, Suarez family!!! Goodbye, fellow bloggers! I sincerely hope that you enjoyed my narrative. God Bless You All! Love from Within, -Mariel~ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/568566/ Fri, 1 Aug 2008 13:33:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/568566/ I won't even begin to describe how late this is, and I apologize profusely for the aforesaid tardiness in getting back to you all but I hope that you will forgive me and--now that the Christmas rush is over--I hope to correspond with increased regularity. Well, how's that for a run-on sentence! Oh, it feels good to be back! My family and I had a wonderful Christmas, but New Year's was a little under the weather as we all had intermittent versions of the dreaded flu--but not the stomach flu, which--to quote our beloved Kylie, is something to be thankful for. I will tell you what Christmas was like in a moment, but first I would like to post our family picture for the various friends that reside at HSB. [Warning: Prepare yourself for the tall alien in a red dress who dares to call herself Mariel!] Left to Right: Me (13) , Elizabeth (7), Mommy, Emma (5), Daddy, Corny (10 or 11 in February), and John (8 or 9 in February)    I must say, my siblings look very nice in that picture, though that was before Spiderboy got his hair cut. *gasp* You should have seen the difference. Both my parents look good in it, contrary to my mother's belief that she appears large in this photo. I. Don't. Think. So.   Oh, I am so very blessed with my family! My father is the strong, persevering oak, gentle rebuker, handyman, willing explainer, godly example and humorous comedian; my mother is the supporting vine, beautiful, self-sacrificing, wise teacher, my understanding confidante, and God is so real to her! My sister, the lovely Cornflower, is my giggly, tell-secrets-at-night confidante, comedian extraordinare, partial tomboy, and smart computer-lover; John is the silly, I-like-to-do-all-kinds-of-things, thoughtful and delightful brother, and the little girls keep us entertained with their sparkling and unique personalities. I love my family!   Our parents and relatives were very generous this year, and as such there were many wonderful surprises waiting for us under the tree.  Still, all this put me in mind of Jesus, the First Gift. If he had not come as a small, human baby, what would become of us? Just take a moment and think about that.....if Jesus had not come, there would be no resurrection, if there were no resurrection, there would be no interception from Jesus for us to the Father. We would have no hope, for we sinful, weak, self-important people cannot keep God's Law but break it repeatedly, thereby securing eternal punishment for ourselves. But God, in His breathtaking mercy, sent His Son--His only begotton Son--to take our place. Why? Because He loved us. I ask you; what have we ever done to deserve this love? I know I have done nothing. So what am I trying to say? I am reminding myself that Jesus is the "Reason for the Season".   In light of that amazing fact, I will describe to you our Christmas Day celebration--well, I think I'll have to do that later as it is time for dinner, but, once more, it is SO wonderful to talk with you all again!   God Bless You, and may your New Year be guided by Him,   ~Mariel~ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/460219/ Sat, 12 Jan 2008 18:01:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/460219/ I am going to to an entry about tags that I need to do, so here are one from Tatertots, two from Ryann, and one from Daddy's Lioness. Thank you, girls! Tag 1: From Taters Here are the rules: (1) The player starts with eight random facts about herself/himself. (2) The person who is tagged must post her/his answers, and she/he must post the rules first. (3) Then the player must pick eight people and tag them. Then leave them a note so that they will know they have been tagged. 1. I am very particular about my diet. (Though I love going out to dinner at resturants(spelling) which happens so rarely that I LOOVE it!) And I was doing TAEBO for a while but I pretty much dropped off. 2. I truly enjoy everything about words! 3. I enjoy reading C.S.Lewis's theology books. So far, I have read "Mere Christianity" and "The Screwtape Letters". He is not reformed and he doesn't believe in predestination, but I have learned much from him. 4.  I absolutely love Trader Joe's dried apricots! 5. I don't like kissing in movies, because usually, the actors/actresses are not married-or even engaged! 6. I am not very diligent. 7. Classical music is my favorite style. 8. I could tell my mother anything, and she wouldn't mock me. I tag: Well, I need to come back to this because we need to clean up our house, so bye!      And here is the first tag from Ryann: 1. What state do you live in? California 2. Do you have a pool? No, sadly. 3. Do you like animals? Indeed! 4. What is your favorite animal? A dog, I guess. 5. Do you have siblings? Yes, four-I am the oldest. 6. Do you have an account on a animal site such as Virtual Horse Ranch or Virtual Pups? No, I don't even know what those sites are. 7. Which 10 people are you going to tag with this annoying quiz? It's not long enough; whoever wants to can take it.   Tag 2: From Ryann   Do you have any pets? Yes, three--soon to be two. What color shirt are you wearing? Visibly, a red sweater. Name three things that are physically close to you: The desk, the computer, the keyboard. What is the last book you read? Lady of Palenque: Flower of Bacal it's a book in the series called "Royal Diaries". Rating....It is an informative cultural study and interesting, but if you are looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this isn't it. The whole series is about girls and, presumably, for girls. While a lot of the books are enjoyable for girls and boys, this might not be the very best for the latter. Are you or were you a good student? Ask someone else, like my mother. What's your favorite sport?  Swimming. Do you enjoy sleeping late? Not usually; it's time-consuming. What's the weather like right now?  Dark and cold....it's nighttime. Who tells the best jokes? My sister, Corny. What was the last thing you dreamed about? Sorry, folks, I forget. Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed? No, and no. Do you believe in luck? No. Do you like your eggs scrambled or sunny side up? It depends. Do you collect anything? If so, what? Books and rocks. Are you reliable? I'm working on it. Have you ever given money to a bum? Nope. I gave an umbrella to one once, because it was raining. What's your favorite food? I don't know Do you like the smell of gasoline? NO! Do like to draw? Yes. What's your favorite invention? The book. Is your room messy? *chagrin* Yes. What do you like better: oranges or apples? Oranges. Do you give in easily? Huh! No. At least, not inwardly. Are you a good guesser? Mmm, sometimes. Can you read other people's expressions? Often. Are you a bully? I hope not! Do you have a job? Yes, chores. What time did you wake up this morning? I don't know, I didn't look. What did you eat for breakfast this morning? Bob's Red Mill cereal with raisins, small apple slices, and a little bit of milk. It was tasty! When was the last time you showered? Don't ask. (A few days ago) What do you plan on doing tomorrow? Going to the co-op that we do with several other families, and glorifying God. What's your favorite day of the week and why?  Sunday: I get to go to church and see my friends! Do you have any nicknames? "(Insert real name) Banana" Have you ever been scuba diving? Nope. What's your least favorite color? Sickly green. Would you ever go skydiving? Probably not. What toothpaste do you use? Crest. Do you enjoy challenges? Yes! What's the worst injury you have had? A twisted ankle. What's the last movie you saw? The Railway Children What does your last text message say? I don't text message. Who was the last person you spoke over the phone to? The person who tagged me! What's your favorite school subject? Does reading count? If not, history. What's your least favorite school subject? I don't know; I like them all! What is your dream vacation? Going to the UK--and seeing, in person, the Loch Ness Monster! Yes, I think it is probably real--at least I hope so! What is your favorite animal? A dog, I suppose. Do you miss anyone right now? Now that you mention it, yes. Do you need to do laundry? Ah, yes, that. Do you listen to the radio? Not really. Where were you when 9/11 happened? In the living room watching it on television in confusion. It was my second youngest sister's birthday. What do you do when vending machines steal your money? I hardly ever use them. Have you ever caught a butterfly? Yes. What color are your bed sheets? A very light lavender. What's your ringtone? Ringtone? Who was the last person to make you laugh? My splendid sister. Have you ever sat on a roof? I don't believe so. Have you ever been to a different country? No, I've never even been out of my native state! Name three things in the world you dislike: Immorality, tight clothes and public school's teaching. Do you like sushi? Yes, the kinds I've tasted.  And here is the tag from Daddy's Lioness: : <Evil laugh> you've just been tagged by DaddysLioness<Another evil laugh>here are your questions: 1.How many brothers do you have? One 2.How many sisters do you have? Three 3.Can you whistle? Yes 4.Do you like "Silly Songs with Larry"? It's cute. 5.How often do you wear black? Not very often. 6.Do you like to wear black? It's not my favorite, but I like it. 7.How about pink/purple? Not extremely. 8.What is you favorite veggie? Probably corn or garbanzo beans. 9.How often do you lose your hairbrush? About once a week. 10.How long is your hair? Just about one-and-a-half inches higher than my elbow.   That was fun! Thank you again! (I am very sorry that it took so long!   Warmly, Mariel http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/436164/ Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:11:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/436164/ Apologies. Why elaborate when everyone knows what I am going to say? I am very sorry that I have not responded to you all and been absent for a lengthy period of time. Honest! Now, one thing; are any of you positively intrigued by the use and anatomy of words? For I am and always have been. My mother and I have had long discussions on simply the sound of one word or the placement of another! They fascinate me, therefore when I find a book which marries the perfect word with the perfect sentence and then the perfect paragraph, it is devoured. So you can imagine the happy thoughts that go through this girl's head when she does her Total Language Plus curriculum which combines literature, vocabulary, spelling, grammar and critical thinking skills all in one! No, if you are wondering if this is an advertisement, you are wrong. I merely wish to share an enjoyable assignment I had with regards to the vocabulary portion in one of my lessons. You see, I had to use my vocabulary words, plus the ones from the former unit in sentences--and I could use more than one word per sentence! This was shaping up to be a pretty fun part of my lesson! Now, I will underline the words that were part of my vocabulary for that unit, and I leave it up to you to decide whether these are well-used or not. 1. (this first sentence is not the most--well, you can see for yourself, but I'm putting it last) 2. I was aghast at the burgeoning fracas the zealots were causing. I love this one! (above)   3. It has been almost a fortnight since Rhoda was christened and baptized. 4. As Amos donned his tallith and stepped out the door, he gently fingered the mezuzah, then joined the other men and boys in phylacteries. 5. Justin was baffled; what had his cousin been thinking? There is a connection between this sentence and the one below it; number six. "Justin" is describing "Bertha" in his mind. 6. Bertha had blue-black curls down to her waist, a flowing dress of dazzling white, with a multi-faceted amethyst brooch fastened to her collar which set off her vibrant complexion--she was beautiful! 7. A rancid stench emitted from the mangy pauper, suffocating the delicous odor from the lentils. 8. His hunger was interminable, yet he was forced to be finicky, restrained by the manacles of his fast.   9. Samuel anointed David, the conqueror.   Again, a connection:9-10.   10. His cohorts stood by, the auxiliaries in the rear.   11. His arm a cubit long, and quite muscular.    So there you have it! What do you think? Do I have a future as an authoress? Just kidding--it was fun to do! Oh, and about that last sentence....well, all right, here it is: 12. Only an infidel would dare to blaspheme the name of our Messiah in the synagogue! Good words, bad meaning. This is NOT implicative! I look forward to hearing your probable humor in the replies! In the meantime, I would like to thank WillowTree10 for awarding me the Beautiful Blog award created by her! I am going off to bed, so I will award five deserving people in my next post! Here is the banner, and many many thanks!   Beautiful!     Now goodnight, dear bloggers! Sleep well. Warmly, and with much love, ~Mariel~ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/414365/ Wed, 24 Oct 2007 23:02:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/414365/ Today is the day! Today is the day! I've waited a whole year and it's finally here! Alphameticasmicdociousogger! Oh, my. Do you know, I was trying to find a word that fit, and my brain automatically triggered some meaningless twaddle to express some unknown emotion supposedly classified as 'joy' but.....pardon me. This is so unlike myself.... I am blessed with a generous family! My wonderful, devoted, sel-sacrificing, simply spiffing parents gave me my favorite "holdable" gift--books! Ever heard of H. Rider Haggard? King Solomon's Mines, Pearl Maiden, The Brethren, or Lysbeth? Those are written by him and he is a fabulous writer! Anyhow, I had PM and TB and my parents gave me Lysbeth! They also gave me Christy by Catherine Marshall, my sweet brother gave me Jason and the Argonauts retold by Felicity Brooks and a handmade card with a special message just from him. :+) As did my caring sister, again with a handmade card. My parents also gave me an embossed leather journal, as I had spoken of my wish to write in a "official" old-fashioned diary--it was beautiful! My grandparents, great-grandparents and great-aunt/uncle also gave me gift cards for Target, Borders and cash--which I haven't spent half of yet! Thank you, Lord, for my family! Now, I would like to express most sincere thanks for the wonderful friends and friendships I have here at HSB--I am SO very grateful for you all, and for the warmth, encouragement, comfort and inspiration you have given me! God Bless You All!   My plans for this year are:   1. Continue to grow and serve the Lord more fully.   2. Keep a record of all the movies that I watch in a year, and judge my screen time from that!   3. Cultivate my relationships with family, siblings and friends.   4. Be able to offer God something at the end of this year of my life.   Love from Within,   ~Mariel~  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/397480/ Tue, 25 Sep 2007 03:31:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/397480/ Ah, so here we go: my brilliant sister got these awards up for me, though, of course I would have figured it out myself....right? Oh boo-hoo, I am SO incompetent when it comes to HTML, that it almost hurts me to see my sister rattle it off--I'm kidding, of course!   Oh, do you know, my birthday is in almost two weeks! (The 25th) I will be thirteen! A teenager! And that is NOT a bad word! It is how it's used. I am excited, but not because I'm entering my teens, or because I get presents, or because us children get a school holiday on birthdays, though I look forward to those things very much, but because I get to have another year to serve the LORD! And my wonderful friend Jocelyn remembered and acknowledged it on the VirtuousMaidens blog! Oh, she is so sweet! Still, with the big one-three, comes the exclusion of all those reduced price ranges for ages 6-12 when you go to a resturant! Oh, well. That's the only thing to lose, so look on the bright side!   Ah, yes, and before I pass it off as "okay" I would like to formally, officially and sincerely apologize for my HUGE absence and 'same-old entry'. Goodbye to "Regular Blogger Reputation"! I could at least say, "I'm sort of busy at this time, so I won't be able to get back to you for a while..."! I'm sorry. Oh, and for the record, before anybody starts looking up to me as a role model, may I say what I struggle with? I struggle with laziness--no really! I don't even--well, I've already started so I might as well let it all out--sweep the floor everyday, I don't load the dishwasher everyday, I certainly don't make my bed everyday, and our (Corn's and I) laundry hamper is a joke! I am NOT a good example of a helpful daughter, and some girls my age could even run their own households! I'm turning thirteen on the 25th, and "turning a new leaf" is harder than ever. What do I have to offer Jesus at the end of my twelfth year of life??? A bedroom that hasn't been vacuumed for weeks? Irregular reading of the Word, and even when I do, I barely think about it for the rest of the day? Sure, some verses stick and remind, but that's rare. Guilt at seeing my friends at church who do their jobs regularly and are diligent on a regular basis? And usually, they do it because they want to! Whereas me, when Mommy asks me to clean the bathroom, rage and "It's not fair!" churn inside of me. I pray consistently for God to change me, but I've started to wonder--especially after this week's sermon from our pastor--do I really expect God to do all the work? Yes, and why shouldn't I? The Bible says that we need to surrender ourselves to Him and He will change us, right? Note to self: Excuse me, Mariel, but haven't you noticed that the Bible also says, "We must decide to follow Him?" God isn't going to spoonfeed us/me. Do I expect him to? Yes, of course, I can't do it. Pardon? God gave you free will, and when you get mad at your siblings or at your mother, that is your choice. In the same way, we need to choose to listen to God, to allow him to sculpt us. Sure, I want him to change me, no question, but we have to ask, is wanting always doing? No, it is not. I. Must. Allow. Him. The sooner I realize that, the better. Thank you, Bloggers. You are all SO encouraging! Oh, and next post will be about the "Nice Matters" award, that Kylie gave me. And what she said about me almost made me cry! I love you, Kylie! Love from Within, ~Mariel~   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/376756/ Mon, 17 Sep 2007 20:53:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/376756/   I know it's about time I posted, and this is the last day of the contest too! Short on time, I can only tell you all that I have been busy-very busy. Here goes; let's see if I can make a tribute that is even remotely accurate. A Tribute to my Dad -------------------------------------------------- I love my dad. I don't see any other better way to begin. If you asked me why, I could spew forth pages, but as we don't have that, I will name as many as I can and hope you get the same impression I do. I am going to divide this into three parts: -------------------------------------------- (A) Why I Love Him (B) What He Has Done For Me (C) What I Can Do For Him -------------------------------------------- (A) Why I Love Him Because he loves me. And he showes me that he loves me. He is always ready for a hug and he takes time to explain difficult subjects. He needs to reprove me often, but he does it in a gentle yet firm manner that pierces a lot farther than yelling ever could. He is always there to protect my heart, and I know I can tell him pretty much anything (same with my mom) and when I did have feelings for someone once (not anymore, thanks to God) I was able-because of the bond of trust that we had-to tell him through Mommy about it. He is very careful about what we watch on the television also (movies and shows) and we have a TVGuardian on those very grounds! He is the kind of father who will take you out if only for some special time together. Here, let me give you an example; say you were going to a baseball game with him or something along those lines, and you didn't really know the inner workings, plays and positions of the game-he would explain all those things to you, and point them out too-just so you would be able to enjoy the game with him!   He works very hard at his job, and sometimes it is overwhelming to him. And still, he has that much patience that if he comes home to a messy house and bickering children, he just shrugs his shoulders, takes command and tries to make Mommy's burden lighter by stopping the bickering, and ordering a "House Rescue" which is what we refer to as cleaning up the house, then asking Mommy what he can do to help. That is what I call long-suffering!   If he sees me crying during a movie (which I usually try to hide, crying that is, not from him, just in general) then he will often come over, sit next to me and rub my leg. He is the kind of dad who doesn't make a big deal out it, he just offers a little comfort. (B) What He Has Done For Me He has inspired me and shown me what a real man of God is, and he is what I want in my future husband. He has shown me many things technological-one of his specialties-and while I don't think I could build a computer at the moment, thanks to him, I know enough to get around. :+) He has taught me so much, and frankly, I would know only half the things I know now if not for him!   (C) What I Can Do For Him   I can show him what a true daughter can be, I can be his ray of sunshine when he comes home, I can tell him about what my day was like, I can make him laugh. I can show him that I care about what he has to say, I can show him that when I apologize, I mean it. I can be a comfort or a burden, a joy or a pain, an optimist or a pessimist, a good listener or a brush-off. "If you love me you will do what I command you." I will show my father that I love him by listening, learning, and doing. I love you, Daddy! Love from Within, ~Mariel~ P.S. I wrote most of this on the fourteenth, but we had to go somewhere so I didn't finish it, but still, you don't have to be in a contest to write a loving note about your father. You should be lifting him up in ways like this every single day. (Sorry, Jocelyn. I would have been on time! I will still say I wrote this on the 14th though, because--technically--I did!) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/373546/ Tue, 14 Aug 2007 19:41:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mariel/373546/