I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and I’ve decided it’s time for me to stop blogging. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it when I first started, but I thought I’d try it anyway, and I’ve decided it isn’t my "thing" as one might say. I’ve had fun and "meet" a few really nice people, but I am bored of it. So, with that said, Goodbye and God bless. ~ Elise
This is the original piece I did for some gave all. I wrote it almost two years ago as a school assignment and I've never posted it before.
If you had turned on the TV on June 21, 2007 you would have heard controversy over the war in Iraq, problems with Israel, and stories covering the 2008 presidential election,. You would not however, have heard about Operation enduring Freedom, taking place in Afghanistan. This is a war that most people have forgotten. But Anna Marie Perrot has not forgotten it. And she never will.
That is because her husband, Sergeant Dustin Perrot died on June 21, 2007 after an IED exploded near his vehicle while he was on patrol in Miri, Afghanistan. He was a paratrooper in the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He received the Bronze Star medal, the Meritorious Service medal and the Army Achievement medal. He graduated from Chancellor High School in 2003 and joined the army in 2004.
His family, friends, and fellow service members had nothing but good things to say about him. His family said that they were proud of him, and that “people were always drawn to his kindness:” His commander stated that “he was the kind of leader who infused others with motivation.” and that he was “ the sort of person with whom it was impossible not to share a smile.” Many of his friends said that he was brave, charismatic and selfless.
Thank you, Sergeant Dustin Perrot for your service and your sacrifice. Our thanks and prayers go out to your family as will. You fought overseas in a forgotten war, and gave your life for a cause may Americans do not believe in. while listening to politicians debate the Middle East, I will remember you and the life you gave for your country.
Jul. 1, 2008 - Some gave and some took, but both made me very sad
My apologizes, dear readers, for abandoning you so long. Computer time at my house has been cut short as everyone (mostly me) was spending way to much time on there. But when I checked up on my blog this morning and saw I hadn’t written since the 17th, I simply had to write something so you would know I was still here.
After that note of apology, I have some very sad news to share with you. I’m not sure if any of you are aware of it, but a certain site has been hacked and all of it’s work deleted. This was not just the work of one person, but hundreds of people, myself included, wrote for them. Some gave all wasn’t just a site were you could read what other’s had written, it was a place to honor those who gave their lives for our freedom.
I understand hating war, war kills people, but it was those very people we were trying to honor. Deleting the memory of thousands of soldiers isn't something any true American would do. Miss Sandy is asking all of her readers to post something on July 4th in support of our troops. I will be posting my original some gave all piece on July 4th, and hopefully something new as well. I ask all of you to join me in support of our troops, the ones who keep America what it is. Blessings ~ Elise
India, Turkey, Ethiopia - Three countries on three continents. Different people, different cultures and different governments. Yet all three are tied together by a common thread. Every day in each of these countries Christians are being persecuted. Their homes are burned, their animals slaughtered and their bodies beaten. These are not the only places were Christians are being persecuted. As far away as Indonesia and as close as Colombia, Christians are facing fierce opposition from all sides. The worst part of it- These are all countries were Christianity is legal.
It is hard to describe the feeling I get when I look up from school work or playing around on my iPod and seeing the map from Voice of the Martyrs on my wall; and then remembering that the red and yellow spots are people. Different countries on different continents. Different people, cultures and governments . But we’re all tied together by a common thread- our faith in Christ.
Each month, twice a month, I blog about the work Voice of the Martyrs is doing to help persecuted Christians around the world. Every time I sit down to write for them I try to come up with something different, as not to repeat myself. But I need to repeat myself, I need to write this and remember those dots are people. Sometimes we forget there are people on the other side of the world. People who we cannot communicate with; people we cannot touch or see. People who look to us and can only dream about our blessings. People we forget to pray for because we didn’t have the time.
Often I forget to make the time to pray. But we must make the time- get up early, stay up late, put off science tests and French lessons. I don’t know if you’ve ever thought of this but lives depend on it. This isn’t a topic for debate or something we can simply “care” about. Right now, all around the globe, Christians are dying because we aren’t doing anything about it. All we have to do is open our mouths in protest and believe God will help them. We protest against peanut butter sandwiches and doing someone else’s chores everyday so why not this? Pray, believe, and let God do His job. That’s all there is to it. ~ Elise
Yesterday my Mom, sister and I all went to the craft store to get yarn for some crochet projects we are working on. Mine is a beautiful crochet dress from interweave crochet magazine'sspring issue. I am working on the top at the moment, which is worked in single crochet and as soon as I finish that I will start on the bottom which is a shell stitch. Here is what the dress will (hopefully) look like when I'm finished-
Mine is in the same color, so of course it will look very similar, but I'll post a picture of it when it's finished so you can see my work. Blessings, Elise
When I woke up yesterday morning, I realized I don’t really care about the environment as people today think I should, and I’m okay with that. I have for sometime now, been trying to write a paper about the subject in order to educate myself on the issues and facts surrounding the environment.However, in my studies I have come to the conclusion that yes, the earth is a beautiful thing and we should take care of it for that reason, but those who say the earth is going to fall to pieces have been fooled by bad science, political propaganda and a society that has fallen under the spell of advertising to the point that they no longer think for themselves.
So, I am setting aside that paper for the simple reason that I have better things to do with my time than listen to a bunch of red herrings, ad hominems and arguments stemming from emotion rather than fact. Instead, I am using one of the advantages of being self taught, the ability to change the subject of my paper without anyone caring, and writing about the fine arts, something that is more important to me than the hole in the ozone layer or fish that aren’t laying as many eggs this year.
I must confess my new paper may not be posted this week, though it very well could be as I am so enthusiastic about it that I was able to sit down and write out my outline in five minutes.
This Saturday is the official last day of the 2007 – 2008 season of dance, though I start the 2008-2009 season next Monday. We are, of course, going through the make sure you have everything-absolutely don’t be late for dress rehearsal- don’t push yourself hard this week-phase of dance which can get hectic but the end result is always rewarding. Blessings ~ Elise
My sister and I are working through a study of Proverbs 31 and one our assignments this week is to visit those in prison. As we are both under 18 and not allowed to actually visit those in prison, we didn’t know what we were supposed to do. That was until I asked my mom what she thought we should do, and I must say I should have thought of it myself. Voice of the Martyrs has a section on their website where you can write to people who have been imprisoned for their faith if Christ. My mom recommended that we send some of these letters and I invite you to do the same. It’s not hard, you just click on what you want the letter to say and it puts in the box in both English and the language of the prisoner you have chosen, then you print it out and mail it to the address they give you.
These letters encourage them in their time of trouble, and get the Word of God to them when they need it most. if you would like to send one you can learn more about it here. ~ Elise
Congratulations on your graduation Eyebright, high school is fun; but now you are free to move on to bigger and better things. Your blog is always good, whatever you post about; and you're always readly to share what you've learned with the rest of us. May the Lord bless you in all that you do. ~ Elise
Many daughters have done virtuously,
but thou excellest them all.
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain:
but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands;
and let her own works praise her in the gates. ~ Prov. 31:29-31
I'm learning to do fouetté turns in ballet class. Right now I can barely do one, but my teacher says by the end of the summer I should be able to do five or six in a row. Not many, but it's a start. In the dance of the Black Swan in Swan Lake you have to be able to do 32 fouettés; I only wish I were that good.
An unintended blogging vacation that is.I didn’t mean to stop posting all of a sudden after posting everyday for two straight weeks; but somehow it happened. So here is all the new stuff I'm doing that I can think of at the moment.
The paper I mentioned I was writing has to be finished by the end of this week, so I have been reading and taking notes till my hand cramps or I run out of pencil lead. I’ve learned a lot about the state of the environment; but most of it can be summed up in one sentence- If I were stupid life would be a whole lot easier. But I’m not stupid, so I have to weed through a lot of bad science and political propaganda to get to the real issues.
I am also redoing my icons for the summer, but it doesn’t look the way I want it to; and I will have to change it again.One of these days, I’m going to learn how to make templates for myself, but for now copy and paste seems to work and I’m okay with that.
Yes ladies and gentlemen, I have seen Prince Caspian and I think it is quite good, and I look forward to watching it again when we get the DVD. I purchased the soundtrack last night, and it is highly recommended as well. I like Susan much better in this one and it is a shame that she can’t go back to Narnia because she is my favorite character in this film; though I think it was her archery skills that did it for me.
Well, that catches you up on every thing I’ve been up to and I promise to post my regular schedule this week, including my essay when it’s finished. ~ Elise
May. 8, 2008 - Links to not one, but three good posts.
First up, the drawing blog has its first exercise up which I am going to try and, if the result is not too embarrassing, I will post next Wednesday. Second, Timothy has a great post on growing in our relationship with Christ, Good stuff there if you have the time to think about what you’re reading. And third, Sami has a new blog just for her icons which I will be using in the near (when I get around to it) future. There you have it.Three things to look at and you even have a project to work on. ~ Elise
I found a great site today called Hot Patterns.At first, I thought “Hot patterns?This could be bad.”But don't let the name scare you away; these are some of the most beautiful patterns around.From the vintage patterns to the Easy Sew section, the most immodest piece was a tank top in a Coco Channel based set.No extra length or higher necklines need to be added when you lay out one of these patterns; and there wasn't a mini skirt/dress in sight.I defiantly look forward to getting some of these when I can sew on a higher level.~ Elise
For the next two weeks I am doing an in depth study of Ecology.I will be reading, taking notes and conducting experiments on the subject which will all go into a thoroughly researched argumentative essay.
This week I am developing questions that I will try to answer in my paper.For instance- Why should we try to use less paper if we're going to recycle it anyway?Why’s the problem with landfills if a soda bottle can only be used once due to deteriorating plastic?
These and other such questions will be debated by me and my family and posts on the subject are likely to find their way to my blog.
Now I know you're interested in my book list, but before I go on I will tell you I have come into this debate out of curiosity and will be reading books from both sides of the issue.
Our Changing earth-Tomas Y. Canby
High tide: The Truth about Our Climate Crisis- Mark Lynas
Silent Spring- Rachel Carson
An Inconvenient Truth- Al Gore
A Fierce Green Fire: The American Environmental Movement- Philip Shabecoff
America's Environmental Report Card: Are We Making the Grade?- Harvey Blaff
The Environmental Pendulum: A Quest for the Truth about Toxic Chemicals, Human Health, and Environmental Protection- Allen R. Freeze
This is just a start, but I think it will be interesting to see what comes of my studies. ~ Elise
Today I was reading a book about a very famous American woman who we are all supposed to be like. A woman admired by all and criticized by none. Such a person seems almost unreal, something that we made up in order to have a standard to live up to.
I am supposed to be impressed, to be in awe of the amazing things this woman accomplished, and yet I am not impressed. Because, as I looked at her life I realized she didn't accomplish anything worth while, she didn't make a change in the world that helped anyone but her, she didn't make life easier for Americans who didn't have her status, she didn't inspire anyone who saw her to make a difference. She went shopping, married rich men, gave great parties, went to selective restaurants, became the fashion icon of her time, had control of a room the moment she stepped into it and had better manners than anyone thought possible.
So what, if anything, did she accomplish in her life? From what I could tell, not much. She's famous, yes, but if she hadn't married the people she did no one would know her name. She had manners, yes, but only to a certain degree. Fashion? A beautiful house? Amazing parties? Well behaved kids? Yes she had it all, but what did she accomplish?
As a read the book, the authors would praise her, saying how cleaver or cunning she was in a situation; when in reality she had been selfish, rude, unkind and at times deceitful. This is who we are supposed to be? This is the ideal we are supposed to live for? A person who gets what they want, when they want, without any sacrifice on their part.
If you look around you'll notice the entire world wants to be that person. At times, I've wanted to be that person. This is what were supposed to want, this is the dream we're supposed to have. Never having to do or say anything for ourselves, always passing the bill to someone else, always shifting the blame to the next person in line- if it was ever put on us in the first place. Sugar coated words and a few tax deductible gifts; this is what is considered charity today. If their isn't something in it for us we don't want to bother, if we can't get the best out of the deal we'll let it slide in hopes of a better one.
But as I read, I kept thinking of the word others. I kept thinking of the people in Greece I'm praying for this month, The people groups that show up in my sidebar each time you come to my blog, the persecuted church members I write about and the people at church my tithe serves. What about them? What about the joy that we get from helping others and giving back to our communities?
No, I'm not perfect. No, I am not the best Christian in the world. No, I don't give and serve as much as I should. But as I watch the rest of the world go down the tubes while reaching for the kind of life this woman lived, I remember our ideal. I remember the Sunday school lessons and the bible story books. I remember the fact that according to medical statistics America is the saddest country in the world; with more suicides and anti depressants than any other nation on earth. I remember the person I get to look up to, and somehow, it seems like a great privilege to be able to look up to Christ.
To live like Christ is a very different ideal than the ideal most people have. People who look like Christ are what the world wants and needs; yet they've lowered their standard until it is nothing more than who has the most stuff. Because that seems to be the American cure for everything that ails the planet- More stuff. This cure is the opposite of the one Christ offers us- Sacrifice.
Sugar coated words and a few tax deductible gifts- Not a lot of sacrifice required. To do something one must give up something; the woman I read about had manners but wasn't truly kind. Kindness- that is the ideal we are to reach for everyday. She owned any room she went into but that was because she demanded attention. Humility- that is the ideal we are to demand; not of others but of ourselves.
What did she accomplish? Nothing, she accomplished nothing in her life that anyone can remember. And, in reality none of us have accomplished anything if we do not show the love of God to those in our lives. That is our ideal, that is what we live for- to love like God. She was a fashion icon, but fashion can't buy healing. She threw great parties, but parties can't give us freedom. She always said the right thing, but speeches can't change nations. Love, Love the way God loves, is the only thing that can do any of that. That is our ideal. That is what we live for.
37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' ~ Matthew 22:37-39
Take a moment to think about Greece.Athens, the Olympics, islands and beautiful coast lines, rich wines and good food- it all seems so great doesn't it?
But Greece has many problems that most people don't know exist. For instance, it is illegal to grow or sell drugs in Greece, but their use is wide spread.Human trafficking may be the biggest problem in Greece- over 18,000 people were trafficked into Greece in 2002 and today women are sold in to the sex trade at 2,000 a day with 65% of males having a hired prostitute.Unemployment is high and good jobs are scarce.Though Greece was the first European country to hear the gospel not many people believe it. 97% is Greek orthodox, 2.3% is Muslim, while a mere, 0.7% is simply called other.
Prayer is the most powerful force on the planet and it is the greatest way to help Greece.For twenty days, I am joining a group of bloggers on HSB and praying for a specific country.Join us and make a difference through prayer.
The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.~ Proverbs 15:29
What happened to Monday morning? I do believe I've missed it. Because today I had the thought "Goodness, Friday already and I haven't posted since Sunday." Sorry about that. I would have posted every day the way I want to, but I didn't seem to have much to say this week. But I have plenty to say today so prepare yourself. This is going to be long, but I'm going to post the subjects I didn't get to post on their days. In other words, I'm going to do a weeks worth of blogging in one post.
Monday- I was supposed to post a free write, which oddly enough is usually a poem. I am working on a new poem this week which I post next Monday. Right now the title is Song for the night, but that may change.
Tuesday - I only have three credits left to earn for this year and then I'm done. I also realized this week that I'll be taking the PSAT's in October, which seems really weird for some reason. As far as dance is concerned, The school dance recital is June 7th so we have extra rehearsals, costumes etc. going on. I hope to get my Pointe shoes in the fall, perhaps earlier because releves and sit ups don't hurt me as much as the other girls in my class.
Wednesday- My current art project is photography. My little sister, little brother and I all did a photo shoot in our back yard and it turned out really well. We got some great shoots but I can't post pictures online so you don't get to see them.
Thursday- No one has posted anything much this past week, though Pinkflamingo and Eyebright both had good posts on prayer; I forgot to post for National Day of Prayer but if you read their posts it will make up for it.
Friday- I'm working on a paper about the history of the polo shirt which will be ready next Friday. Also, I went to the library today and got a book about Jackie O, and several others about fashion which may become favorites- all of which I shall have to post about.
Saturday- Incase I can't get on the computer tomorrow I will post Saturdays post tonight. Brezzytulip's drawing blog is now up and will be linked to in my side bar after I finish this post.
This story was posted on the Persecution blog a few days ago. I don't have much I can say about it, except it will make you examine your walk with God as it did to me.
Mary was only seventeen when Muslim fanatics raided her village in Lebanon. Mary and her parents were confronted with a grueling choice: “Become a Muslim, or you will be shot.”
Mary boldly told the man, “I choose God. Go ahead and shoot.” Mary and her family were shot and left for dead. Two days later, the Red Cross arrived in the village and found a miracle. Mary was alive—paralyzed by the bullet wound.
Devastated and grieving, Mary clung to her faith and prayed. Finally a strange peace came over her. She made this commitment to God: “Everyone has a job to do. I can never marry or do any physical work. So I will offer my life for the Muslims, like the ones who killed my father and mother and tried to kill me. My life will be a prayer for them."
Her prayers and her undeniable witness of Christ brought many Muslims to faith in the Son of God. In Lebanon, 1990 was the fiercest year of the fifteen-year civil war. Thousands were killed or wounded, and hundreds of thousands fled. However, Mary’s offering of her wounded life encouraged many Christians to stay and take a stand for Christ.
The greatest gift to God’s service will not fit in an offering plate. When we view our entire lives as offerings to God, our resources to benefit his kingdom are unlimited. Many of those who have been persecuted like Mary share a similar story. They continue to offer their lives to serve those who oppress them as an act of worship. Therese of Lisieux once noted, “Sufferings gladly borne for others convert more people than sermons.” The majority of Christians will find it easy to make the usual excuses for offering their lives: “too busy” and “too much going on.” However, God can reveal unique ways that we can be witnesses for Him.
One of my favorite blogs on the internet is Dancing to bring God glory.Not only is she a dancer, but she is also a home schooled Christian and her faith shows in her writing. She blends beautiful photographs with personal experience and information about the dance world. Well worth reading if you love ballet.
If you have read tens of thousands of books, the spirit of learning will flow from your brush as you write. ~ Chinese poem
Written by a high school student,
this blog is a place for me to learn
and reflect on the things I’ve found
through my own writing and the
writing’s of others. All writing will
be signed with my pen name, Elise
Sunday- Voice of the Martyrs
Monday- Freewrite
Tuesday- School
Wednesday- art project
Thursday- link to a great post
Friday- fashion
Saturday- a new site
