I’m not old enough to vote yet (gaah!!), but I’m going to do everything in my power within the next 8 weeks to get John McCain and Sarah Palin elected. Why you ask? Because if I didn’t, I would be going against all of my moral sense. It makes me want to beat my head against the wall when people like James Dobson (for whom I have a lot of respect) say that they won’t vote, or if they do, vote for a third party. You're just going to stand on the sidelines and wait to see what happens? You're going to drop your responsibility as a citizen because you don't think McCain is good enough or he makes you feel uncomfortable? Now I have respect for someone who is willing to take a moral stand on something, but I think that this is going about it the wrong way. This isn't the right moral stand to take, and believe me, if Christians don't get out there and vote in November, it will have disastrous consequences.

You say that you have a problem with voting for the "lesser of two evils?" Whenever you vote in any election, no matter who is running, you'll be voting for the lesser (or greater) of two evils. I'm sorry to tell you that there is no perfect candidate. McCain certainly isn't perfect, but he is in an entirely different class from Obama. They are literally worlds apart in their beliefs and policies.

I could talk about the War on Terror, education, oil, government spending, or any of McCain's stances, but these aren't the reasons why Christians should vote for him. We can look at all of these things only after we take a look at his moral positions. The obvious first question that we should ask about our candidates is do they support murder?

You know, I think that the best endorsement McCain has gotten has been from the National Abortion Rights Action League. Yeah, you read that right. Do you know what his rating is from NARAL? ZERO PERCENT. Take a stab at what Obama's rating is. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT. In fact, even when NARAL claimed neutrality on the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, Obama voted against it twice because he thought it would undermine Roe v. Wade. That makes him even more pro-abortion than NARAL. [Check out Jill Stanek's blog if you want more info]

When does McCain believe that life begins? Without hesitation, "At the moment of conception." When does Obama believe that life begins? "Well...you know...I think that...whether you're looking at it from a theological perspective or...uhh...a scientific perspective...uhh...answering that question with specificity...uhh...you know...is...is uhh...above my pay-grade." (yeah, that's an exact quote, with the "uhhs" and everything)

Now let's use some common sense. McCain's pro-life voting record isn't impeccable, granted, but if you had the choice to put either of these men in the President's office, would you go neutral and just let the dice roll? Well, guess what: you DO have a choice, and you should be ashamed of yourself if you forego it by avoiding the voting polls in November.

Here is what I believe to be the #1 reason why Christians should vote for McCain: this next President will be nominating possibly up to 3 Supreme Court justices. Think about how significant this is. The scales in the Supreme Court will be tipped on way or the other. McCain has pledged to nominate people like Roberts, Alito, & Thomas. Obama has pledged to nominate people like Ginsburg, Breyer, & Stevens. I haven't even mentioned the marriage amendment to the constitution. Legalized homosexual unions? Do you want this to happen?

God help us if Obama wins this election.

We cannot let this take place!

For Today…September 3, 08

Outside my window…the sun is starting to appear through the trees

I am thinking…about starting my Latin course today

From the learning rooms…the school area is empty because the kids are having a late start today

I am thankful for…this house and these gorgeous grounds

From the kitchen…freshly made grape jam from our vines

I am wearing…tan capris and my Last Day tshirt (dressed for some DISC!!)

I am reading…nine books at the moment

I am hoping…that Victoria and I will get to have a movie night with Dad soon

I am creating…a very elaborate crosstitch

I am hearing…the boys being loud outside my door

Around the house…there are buckets of grapes waiting to be turned into jam

One of my favorite things…listening to soundtracks

A few plans for the rest of the week…drive to town tomorrow for music lessons, hit the library, have the first youth choir practice on Sunday then rush home to babysit for Mom and Dad's NFP class.

Here is a picture I thought of sharing with you:

For my birthday, I received The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis (edited by Walter Hooper) in two volumes. One wouldn’t think reading letters would be particularly interesting, but I’ve been so fascinated by them, especially his correspondences to his best friend Arthur Greeves, who shared many of the same interests in literature. Basically all they do is write about books! It’s been great discover Lewis’s taste in literature, especially as a young man. And how uncanny to read him raving about the same stories and writers that I’ve so enjoyed over the span of my teenage years so far! Also, it’s incredibly interesting to read about his philosophical viewpoints, especially as Arthur remained a Christian while Lewis wandered off into atheism. I could share so many quotes that gave me sweet little pleasures of discovery about this great writer whom I’ve loved since a childhood.

Anyway, that is the origin of my title for this post. He sometimes wrote at the end of his letters to ask what Arthur was “doing, reading, and thinking.” So often, most of what they were “doing” was reading, and nearly all of their thoughts were directed toward books. So in the end, they still ended up just writing about “reading”. ;) The same could probably be said for me in regards to the recent weeks of summer…here are some of the books that have been hitting my log lately:

Fiction:
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes [Quite amusing, but overly long.]
The Mysterious Stranger by Mark Twain [ugh…I never realized how bitter Twain was toward Christianity! This was eye-opening!]
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte [Not my favorite of the Brontes, but I can still see why it’s a classic.]
The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling [So much to say about this…message me on goodreads or something if you want to chat about it!]
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde [haha…so brilliant! It’s one of those plays that everyone needs to read]
Watership Down by Richard Adams [Good book, but not my style]
Black by Ted Dekker [I had to see what this Dekker fellow was like…and I was pretty intruiged. This book actually reminded me quite a lot of Lewis’s Space Trilogy, not just in form, but in theme.]
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens [About halfway through now. After reading so much modern lit my craving for Dickens pretty much took over…lol]
The Lady of the Lake by Sir Walter Scott [Just started it today…Scott is always lovely]

Non-fiction:
Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton [PURE BRILLIANCE.]
Every Young Woman’s Battle by Shannon Ethridge [Very candid and relevant to pretty much any teenage girl.]
The Lessons of St. Francis by John Michael Talbot [Great content, though not a very stirring read. I have a lot of respect for JM Talbot.]
Crossing the Threshold of Hope by John Paul II [Still getting through this one. It’s not something to be read fast. I’m trying to soak everything in.]
The Olympic Games by M.I. Finley [In honor of the games in Beijing…I’ve been reading this during the commercials…lol]
The Rhythm of Life: Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose by Matthew Kelly [I don’t normally read books like these, but this was given to me so I thought I might as well.]
The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis Volume I: Family Letters 1905-1932 edited by Walter Hooper [of course]

So there’s a quick overview of my summer reading. I’d love to hear what books you’ve read over the past few months! Add me on goodreads (if you haven’t already), send me a message or something and we can CHAT LIT! ;)

As for what I am (or will be) doing and thinking…

Normally, by this time in the summer, I am making schedules for my new school year, creating lists of things I want to accomplish, and planning for all of my classes. For some reason, though, I have a total lack of motivation right now. It seems like summer hasn’t been long enough; as if I haven’t even had my break yet. Perhaps it’s because I’ve known ever since the beginning of high school that this was going to be my most challenging year. Tenth grade was actually comparable to a nice, breezy ride down the river. I only had 5 classes and none of them were particularly difficult. Now I have two big monsters glaring down at me: Intro to Chemistry and Algebra II. Chem I’ll be taking at the college along with American Lit and Government. Algebra will be my main class with K12, accompanying Health and Latin I (yes, I dropped French for Latin…I just had to. Hopefully I’ll be keeping up with French on my own, though). Maybe the reason that I’m so intimidated is because I’ll be going to a different (and much bigger) campus for my college courses (though it’s still the same school, it’ll all be very new and unfamiliar).

I suppose I should also mention that I started driving school last week. I don’t like it at all, but it’s something I’ll have to get over with. I don’t mind driving in general, but the class is just a pain.

This post has become freakishly long, but that’s to be expected as I haven’t written any entries at all for…well…too long. I guess this will just have to pass as my single summer update. Maybe I’ll just write one post each season to keep things simple…lol.

Don’t forget to tell me all that you’re “doing, reading, and thinking!”

Regards,
Sylvia

Blogging has sort of become a chore for me. I remember the good old days when I would post every other day and jump onto every comment I received! Haha…I guess times and priorities have changed.

Well, I went to see Prince Caspian the day it came out—May 16 (was it really that long ago?) and I have to say that my expectations were VERY low. Ever since I found out that Walden was making it, I knew that it wouldn’t be made the way I would want it to be. Prince Caspian is a wonderful book, but the term being thrown around to describe it is “un-cinematic.” I have to agree. If there were a movie that followed the book word for word, it would be a horrible film. I anticipated many changes that I wasn’t going to like ever since the get-go.

Halfway through the movie, I was sitting in my seat being unable to contain my idiotic grin. I was sooooooo happy with how it was turning out! However, having watched and read every single spoiler that had come out, I knew that the worst was yet to come. I was right. From the point where the Pevensies met up with Caspian, I was squirming in my seat. I wasn’t so much disappointed with the plot changes, but with the changes to the characters.

Susan was awful. Yeah, you knew that was coming. Honestly, why did they have to wreck her character by making her some sort of warrior-princess, Legolas-shoot-off, male-attracting-hot-chick? I couldn’t even look at her without grimacing at the dark eye-make-up. I would have been okay with her doing some archery and getting involved in the battles a little bit, but why was she charging with Peter and Caspian in the night raid scene? It should have been Edmund there, or Glenstorm, or Reepicheep, or somebody, but NOT SUSAN!!

Peter wasn’t the high king. He was supposed to be a hero, but he was a moody, incompetent, argumentative jerk. That’s all I have to say about that.

Caspian didn’t seem like the main character. When all of the scenes were cut with him and Dr. Cornelius, showing his longing for the Old Narnia, he lost A LOT of his dynamic. He wasn’t badly portrayed, he just didn’t seem very distinctive.

The kiss was just cheesy. It cheapened the movie.

I do have to say that I was overall happy with it, though. Most of the changes that they made were warranted.  I loved Trumpkin, Lucy, Edmund (though he should have gotten more screen time IMO), Miraz, Sopespian and Glozelle, Glenstorm, Reepicheep, and all of the lines and scenes that were taken from the book.

All in all, my low expectations made for a better movie experience. I think that the reason I was happy with it was because of all the little scenes that just captured the spirit of the book. I liked it for the same reasons that I liked it when I read it. I’d say that makes it a success.

I am a bit late in posting these, but here they are!

I love jean skirts, especially ones that are very full and easy to walk in. As I guess you can see, I like being able to look sort of casual while still wearing a skirt. The braids are my easy, regular, everyday hairstyle (one of my ends is a little crazy in this picture, but oh well). Since my jacket was 3/4 sleeve, I pulled out a bracelet from my old jewelry box that also doubles as one decade of the rosary (it has a crucifix and 10 beads).

These are my favorite shoes! You can also see the flowery pattern at the bottom of my skirt, which I really like.

Since the weather was so GORGEOUS, I went outside to take these pictures. It was ultra-windy, but I got some decent ones. I wore a new shirt that I got from C28 that has 1 Corinthians 15:51 on it--Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. Then it has Not of This World written in shiny letters below it. The skirt is the exact same as the one before, except in light tan.

This is my "medieval maiden" hairstyle...haha. It added a bit more feminine feel to have my hair let down, long and flowing. I also found a pretty bracelet with small purple stones set into a gold chain.

This is a random one that Leandra shot when I was fixing my skirt in the wind. It gives you a little better view, I guess.

I have been enjoying this challenge! I suppose you could call me a bit of a "tomboy" in a way; I don't pay much attention to clothes/jewelry/hair/etc. It's been good for me to step out and be a bit more "fearless" with my femininity. It makes me feel so much more unique and...well...beautiful.

Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. ~ Proverbs 31:25

Best regards,
Sylvia

This is something I've been thinking a lot about recently, so I thought I'd write a little something to share with all of you. Oftentimes, girls don’t think that lust is an issue for them. We tend to skip over verses about lust thinking that they only apply to men. We're different from guys in that sense; we aren't wired in the same way. But just because we're different doesn't mean that we don't struggle with it--we are simply tempted in a different way. I like to call it, "emotional lust."

Yes, we like to daydream. Most of us have probably lain awake in bed at night thinking about "Prince Charming" sweeping us off our feet. I'm not exactly what you would call a romantic person, but even I've experienced feelings like this. There's nothing wrong with being attracted to guys, but when we start obsessing over it in our minds, it becomes and issue. The problem with this is that we can become very easily "swept off our feet" in our daydreams and easily justify it by saying, "I didn't actually do it!" We're actually still giving little pieces of our hearts away when we do something like that, even if it's not real. And the more we do it, the more likely we are to get swept off our feet too quickly in real life.

The temptation is to dwell on frivolous selfish desires. The thing that I've done to overcome this is dedicate my heart to Jesus. Yes, I know that's what every Christian does, but it is the only way to overcome sin, so it all works out. It's okay to be cliche. ;)

Haha, but seriously--every day this prayer is what helps me to overcome temptations of emotional lust: "Jesus, let every beat of my heart be for you and you alone." When my mind is occupied by different guys, then everything I do is hindered from channeling to Christ (and I'm not sure if that makes any sense, but it's what I've experienced).

Girls, be firmly planted on the foundation of Christ. Don't let anyone sweep you off your feet. Keep your gaze fixed on the only one who can truly satisfy your desire for love. Let your focus be on becoming the woman that will be worthy of being Prince Charming's wife, and let God be the one to develop true and pure love in your heart. His dreams for you are much bigger and more beautiful than you could ever imagine anyway. ;)

Much love,
Sylvia

PS Here's my first photo for the Feelin' Feminine Challenge. I wore my favorite jean skirt with a nice blue and white striped polo and dark navy jacket. I love this skirt because it's super-comfortable, easy to run around in, and has no slits! :D

Victoria snapped the picture when I wasn't quite ready, so I'm making a funny face. lol

I wore my hair pinned up like this:

I like wearing my hair this way, but it always takes me a while before I can put it up just right.

I rarely wear any jewelry. I don't have my ears pierced, and necklaces always irritate the skin on my neck. I do wear some bracelets, but only in the summer when I wear short sleeved shirts. Even then, I only wear stuff that people gave me because I never spend money on things like that.

It'll be fun to see all of your pictures! It's neat how different girls have different styles, but we can all be modest and feminine in our own ways.

Love to all!
~S

Yes, this blog has been resurrected! I know I’ve been absent for a while (more than a month…yikes!), but I’m back, and hopefully I’ll be posting more often.

So, why haven’t I posted in so long? I guess you could say that schoolwork took over my life for a little bit. This quarter, my college composition class has been CRAZY HARD. I've been spending every spare moment compiling my 50 resources for my annotated bibliography and researching each one, taking notes and writing my 20-page paper. Yeah. I'd rather not talk about it. Thankfully, I have a little break in the homework this week, so I'm trying to catch up with the rest of my life.

About 3 weeks ago, our youth group went to Washington D.C. for the March for Life. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life! We had such a good time; everyone bonded so much. I never thought I'd have friends like that again. It really was amazing. We got to stay at Michael's friend's parish in Maryland where we had a huge lock-in with the youth group there. We attended Sunday Mass at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine which was beautiful. The night before the march, we attended the Salesian Vigil for Life. All I have to say about that is CONFESSION IS POWERFUL!!! (and Fr. Steve is one of the coolest priests ever) The march was tiring, but worth it. Every second of it was for the babies. Oh, and I got interviewed on TV a couple times. That was cool. =D

I haven't been reading as much as I would like since I've been so busy, but right now I'm in the middle of The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor and a book called Mystics and Miracles by Bert Ghezzi. Both of them are interesting; I only wish I had more time to sit down and really get into them. Also, I know it's late, but I plan on starting up the SAYR again. We'll be reading The Giver by Lois Lowry. Let me know if you're interested in joining us!

Oh, I guess I should pass on the news that Mother had an ultrasound and the baby is a boy! His name is Gregory Lawrence. Yes, unlike *some people*, we name our children before they're born. ;) Samuel likes to hug Mother's belly and say, "I love you, baby Gregory!" It's just the cutest thing. I love my little boys.

It's hard to believe that Lent came so early this year. Today's the third day and it has already been powerful. I'm doing a novena, so let me know if there's something I can pray for you! I'll have to write up an entirely separate post just to talk about Lent; it really is awesome. You gotta hear it.

Well, I've missed you all over the last month! I want to catch up on how you're doing! Tell me all. =D I saw on some blogs that you did a skirt-wearing challenge or something like that. It was fun seeing some of the pictures. Maybe I'll post some of myself; I've been wearing skirts more often lately.

Hoping to hear from you,
   Sylvia

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!  We had a great time with our extended family in Indiana.  I posted pictures on my xanga and facebook for those of you who want to see them. 

I got some great gifts for Christmas including a long brown sweater, the sheet music from the P&P soundtrack, a scarf, hat, and gloves, and some other things.  With my Christmas money I bought a purse and The Village soundtrack.  Mom also bought me denture cleaner for my retainer...lol.  As Mrs. Sellers said, "Nothing says 'Joy to the World' like some Efferdent!" 

This new year, I went back to see all the books I had read in 2007.  The final count was 54.  This year I hope to get lots more!  Let me know if you're interested in seeing the whole list.  Here's my top fifteen (in the order that I read them):

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Miracles by C.S. Lewis
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila
Theology of the Body for Beginners by Christopher West
Sir Gibbie by George MacDonald
Confessions by St. Augustine
Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte
50 Questions on the Natural Law by Charles Rice
The Spirit of the Liturgy by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss
Go in Peace by Pope John Paul II
J.R.R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth by Bradley Birzer
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

I started my high school classes again yesterday.  College classes start on Monday.  This quarter, I'll be taking 2 classes Mon/Wed rather than a class every day.  It'll save gas and give me a little more time at home.  I think it'll work out a lot better.

Well, as you can see from my title, today is Tolkien's eleventy-sixth (116) birthday!  I plan on celebrating by popping some popcorn and perhaps reading some of my favorite excerpts from the Trilogy.  ;-)  It's cool because Tolkien was born in 1892 and I was born in 1992.  He's 100 years older than me! =D

Until next time,
Blessings for the new year!
Sylvia

It's a bit late to be writing my thoughts on Advent seeing that it is nearly over.  Can you believe that Christmas is in three days?  Time goes by so quickly when you're on break. Hmph. 

This is the third year that our family has celebrated Advent.  Looking back over the past two years, I can see how much I've changed.  In 2005, I didn't really see Advent as having much significance.  It was just purple and pink candles with names like "peace" and "joy".  I was really confused with all the new Catholic things we were learning, so nothing really sunk in. 

2006 was a lot different.  I remember Saturday night, I had started to pray the rosary while I was in bed.  On Saturday, we pray the Joyful Mysteries (a mystery for each decade: the annunciation, visitation, nativity, presentation at the temple, and the finding at the temple).  As I was praying the third decade and meditating on the third mystery--the Nativity--I realized that the next day was the first Sunday of Advent.  Coincidence?  I think not!

Now it's 2007.  This has been the best Advent of them all.  Last year I wrote about the feeling of expectation and longing for Christ's second coming.  This year, I not only had that expectation, but it caused me to want to prepare for His second coming.  This has been the first time that I've actually gone out of my way to get myself ready for the coming of Christ.  The passage that I keep coming back to in Scripture is Matthew 25:1-13. 

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh.

Be always ready.  Be always watchful.  Don't fall into sin.  When you fall into sin, grab Jesus' hand and get up again.  Don't waste this time.  You won't get it back again. 

Over the past couple months, my musical taste has pretty much totally changed.  It’s really odd.  Maybe some of you noticed the switch from Skillet and Hawk Nelson to Celtic Woman and Enya on my playlist.  I’ve been listening to Josh Groban, Hayley Westenra, (young) Charlotte Church, John Michael Talbot, Michael Card, Eric Genuis, Yiruma, tons of SOUNDTRACKS, etc.  Basically, I have shifted to a more classical style.  I guess that after hearing Celtic Woman, I realized that there’s music out there that’s…well…beautiful.  I personally wouldn’t call Relient K’s music  “beautiful”.  It’s fun and upbeat, but I wouldn't call it real music.  Real music can communicate without words.  It can wake up emotions inside of you that pop or rock could never do. 

I've often thought it was strange to call both screamo and Bach music.  They're definitely not the same thing.  I classify music in my brain as either "contemporary music" or "authentic music".  Not to say contemporary music is fake, but to me, it's like comparing doritos to a good steak.  They're both "food", but they're totally different in terms of look, feel, taste, smell, and health.  I totally filled myself with all kinds of contemporary (Christian) music - Switchfoot, Sanctus Real, Kutless, Red, Superchick, etc.  I knew it was kind of like eating junk food, but I didn't really want to listen to other kinds of music because I didn't want to be out of the loop. 

Don't get me wrong; I still like contemporary music (and doritos).  I'm not throwing out my CDs or anything like that.  But I've found a lot of value in music that's beautiful.  And I'm not just talking about Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi.  If you look at my playlist, you won't find a single true "classical" track (although I have developed a huge appreciation for classical music).  All of it is kind of modern, but kind of traditional.  It's what I would call "authentic".  You can call it what you will. 

Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, and life to everything.  It is the essense of order and leads to all that is good, true, and beautiful. ~ Plato

Regards,
Sylvia

PS The SAYR is starting The Magician's Nephew TOMORROW!!  As of this moment, we only have 4 people participating.  It's definitely not too late to join!  I am really excited about starting.  I have already prepared discussion notes and questions for the first day and I can't believe how much I enjoyed doing it.  Even if you've read it before, it's still a great book to read again and discuss with other homeschoolers. 

Yesterday, we had the first snowfall of the year.   It was only a couple of flakes, but it made me realize how fast the year has gone.  It's already mid-November!  The fall quarter at the college ends next week!  It seems like just yesterday I took my midterms (which I got very good scores on...PTL).  In 6 more days it will be Thanksgiving.  Is 2007 really almost over?  Yet another year, come and gone in the blink of an eye. 

There are so many things to say that I hardly know what to write about.  I could tell you about the STACKS of books I've been reading, or the fun semester of co-op that just finished last week, or the amazing things that have been going on at our youth group, or my thoughts on the primary elections, but there's just so much that it's overwhelming. ;-) 

I guess I can tell you that my parents finally decided on a girl's name for the baby - Maria Joan.  The middle name is for St. Joan of Arc and the first name is for Mary (of course) and my mom's grandmother.  For some reason, we can't come up with any good boy names, but Mom is fairly certain that this baby will be a girl, so she isn't worried. 

I think I told you all that I am playing the keyboard for the monthly youth masses at our parish.  Last week I totally butchered one of the hymns, but hopefully I'll get better.  I don't play very well when under pressure.  I really want to stick with this, though, because I feel that it's a ministry that God is calling me to.  He gave me the ability to play the piano and He even provided an organ for me to practice on.  Someday, I hope to be a church organist, so I am trying to prepare myself as best I can right now. 

It seems like so many people are leaving HSB -  either going to blogger, getting their own URL, spending more time on facebook or myspace, etc.  I have been spending WAY more time on xanga, just because I like the setup so much better and I have so many close friends there.  I will probably quit this blog sometime, but I don't plan to do it right now.  I'm going to hold out for a bit longer and see what happens.

Mrs. Dixon and Amanda are going to be leading a reading and discussion of The Hedge of Thorns by John Hatchard over at the HSB Literary Club.  My copy is on its way through inter-library loan...all the way from Oklahoma!!  I may not get it in time, but at least I will be able to read it with everyone and join the discussion.  There is still a bit of time to find a copy before next Wednesday! 

If you aren't able to do that, look forward to some updates on The Society of Avid Young Readers Blog.  I offered to help Cassy manage the blog and she agreed to make me "assistant manager" since she has so little time to update. ;-)  We are planning to read The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis.  I have some cool ideas for the upcoming year.  Stay tuned!

Oh, and I'm going to put in a quick plug for Ben over at God First, Knowledge Second.  He is doing a survey for a school project.  It only takes a couple minutes to complete! 

That is all. ;-)  Hopefully it won't be too long until I update again, but until then-
 
      Sylvia

Whenever I tell someone that I don’t date, I normally get weird looks.  When they ask me why, I say, "I think the whole high school dating mentality is just stupid."  Do you know what's weird?  Most of the time - they agree with me!! 

That's a huge problem with today's culture.  We do things even though we know they're stupid just so that we'll fit in with the crowd.  I was talking with a girl last month, and she was telling me all about the problems she was having with her boyfriend.  I told her that it'd just be better if she broke up with him and didn't involve herself in dating relationships like that.  She said that she knew she should do it, but she couldn't.

What kind of teenagers is our culture raising?  Most of the time, they're too blind to see what the right choice is, and when they do know it, they supposedly "can't do it." 

Here's why I don't buy into the whole "high school dating mentality."  High schoolers seem to think there's some sort of unwritten law that they have to have a boyfriend/girlfriend.  But, when you're 15, it'll be another 5 years until you're really old enough to get married.  Do you think you'll still have the same boyfriend when you're 20?  Sometimes it happens, but the great likelihood is that you'll eventually get married to someone else.  That means that it's probably a 95% chance (or more) that you'll break up.  Why would you want to have a romantic relationship with someone when you know that you'll eventually break up?  Why attach yourself to someone when you know it'll cause you pain in the end?  Every month, I see girls moping because their boyfriend dumped them or vice versa.  Well, I have a very simple solution to that problem - don't date in the first place! 

There's another problem with dating in high school, and that has to do with physical and emotional purity. 

A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.  ~ Song of Solomon 4:12

If something is pure, that means that it's unstained or untouched.  If you've opened the doors to your garden and let someone else inside, that garden is no longer pure in the strict sense of the word.  I don't think this is only talking about physical purity.  It also has to do with the emotions.  We as girls can open ourselves up emotionally to guys and get attached to them.  That's why breaking up is always so hard. 

I'm going to borrow a line from Joshua Harris, the author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye and Boy Meets Girl: An Introduction to Courtship. 

"Intimacy without commitment, like icing on a cake, can be sweet, but it ends up making us sick."

When you're in high school, you're not old enough to make a marriage commitment.  Why should you enjoy having intimacy (whether physically or emotionally) with someone else? 

In this post, I just talked about high schoolers dating, but I think I'll post my thoughts on dating in general next time.  I think that it can be a good thing when it's in the right context. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts. :-)

-Sylvia

I am long overdue for an update!  As you may have been able to guess from my title, this is my 100th blog entry.  =D  So, that's pretty exciting.  But do you know what's even more exciting?  My mom's expecting another baby.  Yep, this will be the eighth kid.  The due date is sometime in late May or early June.  We have already had some long discussions over what to name him/her.  ;-)  What do you think of Octavia, Teresa, Maria, Julia, Juliana, Olivia, Angelica, or Serena?  Which one is your favorite out of Gabriel, Gregory, William, Henry, George, Maximilian, and Gideon?  I might as well get some outside opinion. ;-)

And no, don't freak out; I am not going to delete this blog.  I am going to keep it up, but my posts will be more sparse (not like they aren't already).  I have fallen FAR behind in commenting.  Sorry krisjacob, onedaymore, Brielle, Free2bme, and all the rest of you who haven't heard from me in a while!

Of course, I can't post a blog entry without telling you what I'm reading. ;-)  My sister and I both started Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne at the same time (without knowing it).  We are both enjoying it s0 far.  The character of Phileas Fogg is especially good.  He's always cool, collected, and confident about everything, even though his circumstances are nutty.  It adds a whole new dimension of humor to the book. 

For those of you who don't know, Lydia started a new group on HSB called The Society of Avid Young Readers.  Cassydoodle will be heading it up.  :-)  It should be really fun.  Send in your application to become a member! 

Remember the Narnia Trivia Contest that I had on my blog a little while ago?  Well, I think it'd be hilarious if I had another contest - Veggie Tales Trivia!!  What do you think? ;-)  Everybody loves Veggie Tales. ROFL

And don't worry, Jocelyn, my "thinker post" is coming. ;-)  I think I'll be writing it on dating.   (one of your favorite toipcs, eh?)

Go with God,
-Sylvia

I suppose I’d best update since it’s been a week since I last posted.  There's not too much to report; life has been fairly uneventful lately.  I'm very comfortable in the pace that I've gotten into since the beginning of the school year.  Things aren't going crazy, but I never have a "boring" moment.  Thankfully, I've been able to get all of my homework done without ever having to rush or press myself for time. 

A couple weeks ago, the youth pastor asked me if I would play the keyboard for the youth masses that we have every month.  They really needed one...so I am practicing some stuff for that.  It's weird because I've never really accompanied a whole bunch of people (other than my family occasionally singing hymns).  Now, for some people, that might be no sweat. ;-)  But for me, however, it's a little nerve-wracking. 

Right now, I'm reading Sir Gibbie by George MacDonald and really enjoying it.  It's just like everything else I've read by him - beautiful and poetic in a sense.  It's as if he takes the essential parts of life and lifts them up to a higher level.  His characters aren't always realistic, but you can learn so much from them.  The diologue is a little difficult to follow, but I can always get the gist of it. 

My list of books that I want to read is getting really long.  It's about 3 pages right now...lol.  I feel like I spend more time adding books to that list than I spend time actually reading!! ;-)

Well, I'm very sorry to all of you that I haven't commented in a long time.  Would you believe that I've actually considered quitting this blog over the last couple weeks?  It seems to be getting tiresome to keep up with.  *sigh*  But, I'll keep holding out for a while longer.  I think I'll write what Jocelyn calls "a thinker post" sometime soon.  I have a couple of ideas that I could expound on. 

No galu govad gen! 
Melon nin,
Sylvia

It happened also that seven brothers and their mother were arrested and were being compelled by the king, under torture with whips and cords, to partake of unlawful swine's flesh. 2 One of them, acting as their spokesman, said, "What do you intend to ask and learn from us? For we are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our fathers."

3 The king fell into a rage, and gave orders that pans and caldrons be heated. 4 These were heated immediately, and he commanded that the tongue of their spokesman be cut out and that they scalp him and cut off his hands and feet, while the rest of the brothers and the mother looked on. 5 When he was utterly helpless, the king ordered them to take him to the fire, still breathing, and to fry him in a pan. The smoke from the pan spread widely, but the brothers and their mother encouraged one another to die nobly, saying, 6 "The Lord God is watching over us and in truth has compassion on us, as Moses declared in his song which bore witness against the people to their faces, when he said, ÔAnd he will have compassion on his servants.'"

7 After the first brother had died in this way, they brought forward the second for their sport. They tore off the skin of his head with the hair, and asked him, "Will you eat rather than have your body punished limb by limb?" 8 He replied in the language of his fathers, and said to them, "No." Therefore he in turn underwent tortures as the first brother had done. 9 And when he was at his last breath, he said, "You accursed wretch, you dismiss us from this present life, but the King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws."

10 After him, the third was the victim of their sport. When it was demanded, he quickly put out his tongue and courageously stretched forth his hands, 11 and said nobly, "I got these from Heaven, and because of his laws I disdain them, and from him I hope to get them back again." 12 As a result the king himself and those with him were astonished at the young man's spirit, for he regarded his sufferings as nothing.

13 When he too had died, they maltreated and tortured the fourth in the same way. 14 And when he was near death, he said, "One cannot but choose to die at the hands of men and to cherish the hope that God gives of being raised again by him. But for you there will be no resurrection to life!"

15 Next they brought forward the fifth and maltreated him. 16 But he looked at the king, and said, "Because you have authority among men, mortal though you are, you do what you please. But do not think that God has forsaken our people. 17 Keep on, and see how his mighty power will torture you and your descendants!"

18 After him they brought forward the sixth. And when he was about to die, he said, "Do not deceive yourself in vain. For we are suffering these things on our own account, because of our sins against our own God. Therefore astounding things have happened. 19 But do not think that you will go unpunished for having tried to fight against God!"

20 The mother was especially admirable and worthy of honorable memory. Though she saw her seven sons perish within a single day, she bore it with good courage because of her hope in the Lord. 21 She encouraged each of them in the language of their fathers. Filled with a noble spirit, she fired her woman's reasoning with a man's courage, and said to them, 22 "I do not know how you came into being in my womb. It was not I who gave you life and breath, nor I who set in order the elements within each of you. 23 Therefore the Creator of the world, who shaped the beginning of man and devised the origin of all things, will in his mercy give life and breath back to you again, since you now forget yourselves for the sake of his laws."

24 Antiochus felt that he was being treated with contempt, and he was suspicious of her reproachful tone. The youngest brother being still alive, Antiochus not only appealed to him in words, but promised with oaths that he would make him rich and enviable if he would turn from the ways of his fathers, and that he would take him for his friend and entrust him with public affairs. 25 Since the young man would not listen to him at all, the king called the mother to him and urged her to advise the youth to save himself. 26 After much urging on his part, she undertook to persuade her son. 27 But, leaning close to him, she spoke in their native tongue as follows, deriding the cruel tyrant:"My son, have pity on me. I carried you nine months in my womb, and nursed you for three years, and have reared you and brought you up to this point in your life, and have taken care of you. 28 I beseech you, my child, to look at the heaven and the earth and see everything that is in them, and recognize that God did not make them out of things that existed. Thus also mankind comes into being. 29 Do not fear this butcher, but prove worthy of your brothers. Accept death, so that in God's mercy I may get you back again with your brothers."

30 While she was still speaking, the young man said, "What are you waiting for? I will not obey the king's command, but I obey the command of the law that was given to our fathers through Moses. 31 But you, who have contrived all sorts of evil against the Hebrews, will certainly not escape the hands of God. 32 For we are suffering because of our own sins. 33 And if our living Lord is angry for a little while, to rebuke and discipline us, he will again be reconciled with his own servants. 34 But you, unholy wretch, you most defiled of all men, do not be elated in vain and puffed up by uncertain hopes, when you raise your hand against the children of heaven. 35 You have not yet escaped the judgment of the almighty, all-seeing God. 36 For our brothers after enduring a brief suffering have drunk of everflowing life under God's covenant; but you, by the judgment of God, will receive just punishment for your arrogance. 37 I, like my brothers, give up body and life for the laws of our fathers, appealing to God to show mercy soon to our nation and by afflictions and plagues to make you confess that he alone is God, 38 and through me and my brothers to bring to an end the wrath of the Almighty which has justly fallen on our whole nation."

39 The king fell into a rage, and handled him worse than the others, being exasperated at his scorn. 40 So he died in his integrity, putting his whole trust in the Lord.

41 Last of all, the mother died, after her sons.

42 Let this be enough, then, about the eating of sacrifices and the extreme tortures.