Word of the Wednesday: Adorable

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jog....

Picture of the Day: 

A car from the car show a couple years back. 

Quote of the Day:
"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page."
-Saint Augustine

Home again, home again, jiggity jog; home again, home again...time for a blog! 

Okay, for starters let me explain my absence. See, I am a glutton for punishment. I, like an idiot, have decided to move into the realm of graduate school, immediately following my obtainment of my degree. For reasons unknown, I feel that I am called to keep up with my school and stay closely knit with my college scene just a little bit longer. I have a church ministry that needs me, and a campus that could use my gifts and skills. 

Problem?

The University of South Florida doesn't desire to accept me into their graduate program for English. 

Yikes! 

Now, that means (for those of you keeping up with the game), I have to look for my schooling elsewhere. Right now, my biggest concern is where does God want me? I think I found it. Way on down in Corpus Christi, Texas! 

There is another ministry there that I meld into quite easily. It is amazing, really. Anyway...I went down for a visit.

I loved it. 

The people were welcoming and warm, I have a church to attend there, and a campus that certainly could use the attendance. It seems just right. Now, I have to figure out how to get there, and what consolation I can give my father. (He has a bad case of empty nest syndrome, I should say.) 

How fast I get there will depend on how fast I raise the money for an apartment.

How fast I raise the money depends on how fast I find a job here.

Oh, Lord, please let me find a job here! 

And then over there, too. 

Basically that is all the update I have. I am bringing in the first five pages of the Orphain Train short story this weekend to my Inklings meeting. I will update with how that all goes, and the changes, if any, I am making to it! 

God bless, and keep reading! <3 

Prayer

God,


I know I am not the daughter you want me to be, but I am trying so hard to change for the better. Lead me, oh Lord--for you are the only one who knows my path. You alone can lead me to a better place, where I no longer am stuck in darkness and filth. 


I want so badly to please you. I want to have faith that abounds and defies earthly logic. I want to lose my fear. Take me, Lord, and lead me. Lead me to where I can grow and run this race with pride. I desire you, God. I want you and nobody else. 


I want Kathryn to go away. I want her to go away and never come back; I don't want to miss her. My heart is broken; I am broken. Take my pieces and help make me whole. There is nothing I want more than to love like you and live like you want me to, but I know I cannot do it alone. 


Help me, guide me and forgive me. I am just a sinner who wants something better for herself.

It is in your Son's name I pray,

Amen.

Picture of the Day: 

Lettuce Lake!

Quote of the Day: 

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 

- 1 Peter 4:8

Today is book review day! I started reading this book: Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst. I am not even all the way through with it yet, but I am very much excited about it, but at the same time it leaves me ashamed. Reader, I encourage you to hear me out on this; it is my hope that I can help you, too.

First of all, let me say this: it most certainly is geared toward womenfolk. Menfolk, I am sorry--this post may not be for you! TerKeurst speaks with loving authority and wisdom--it is clear she has been there before, and she wants nothing more than to spur her lady readers on in the fight.

The fight against what, you ask?

The fight against food.

Yeah, that's right. Food.

Now, back to why I am ashamed.

Let me begin by saying that I think ancient Greek authors had something right: everyone has at least one harmatia, or tragic flaw. Something we struggle with. Personally, I have never thought of food as an idol. Sitting in Bible class, it is very easy to recognize wealth (greed), power (pride), and similar things as idols--things that take the place of God. These things have all very clear places in the Bible where God explains that they should not come before him. Food, though, seems so innocent.

I have found that I worship the idol of Food. I turn to Food before God in my times of trial. I eat when I am depressed; I eat when I am bored; I eat when I am happy. Face it, ladies. I. Eat. And I know I am not the only one that does it. I am ashamed of myself--I should be upright enough to forego idols altogether.

Maybe you worship Food too. Then let me say this: You are not alone. I promise! TerKeurst wrote this book so that we could learn to satisfy ourselves with God and not Food.

She speaks on my very problem: you think to yourself, "Well, I am not using illegal drugs. I am not sleeping around and succumbing to my desires of the flesh like that. Surely God wouldn't care what I eat." This book is about the truth: yes he does.

This book is not about dieting. Let me repeat: this book is not about dieting. This book is about your heart, designed to help you as you tackle your eating habits. It is meant to help you find your "want to" for eating right, and designs your trek with weight loss to be a trek with God. It is simply fantastic.

Perhaps I should write a Bible study for women about these things. I am encouraged now that I have found my problem and am willing to tackle it full on, and I want to help everyone else tackle it too.

It shouldn't take me long to devour the rest of this book. Dear reader, let me challenge you to take this one on too. Let us no longer be ruled by our stomach, but God himself. I will be tackling my issue with food from this point out. With y'all as my witnesses, I shall seek to remove Food from it's pedestal and place God back to where he needs to be.

We, as humans, were made to thirst and crave. This book is about satisfying all of the desires with God, and not chocolate, mashed potatoes, bread or cake. Let's face it: one leaves you a lot more fulfilled.




Do not think I have forgotten that today is Valentine's Day, either. Remember that even if you are spending this day single, you are not alone or unloved. God knows your name, and let me promise that there is no love that is as pure! My lady readers, I repeat: you are loved.

Go out and make today count.

What have you done for the Kingdom today?

Picture of the Day: 

My little sister and I.

Quote of the Day: 

"‎And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

-Matthew 28:20

So I have been diligently working on trying to get back to writing my novel. Is it working? Not really. Am I still proud of my progress? Yes. Yes I am. Basically, I have reread the last two chapters that I have written and decided that my character, Octavian, needs more depth. 

In one of the chapters, he sounds like a whiny jerk. Which, naturally, is not what I am going for. Yes, Legacy of Elysia needs work. And so work it shall revieve--sparingly and intermittently, but loyally as well. Page count? 194. Wooo!

I finally found someone willing to take a look at the beginning of the novel, so I may get some work done on that soon. I am happy with what I have, but know that you can always stand for improvement. My writing will grow and prosper, and someday I will look back on this novel endeavor and hate the way it was written--re-write it and send it out again. I know me too well! 

My writing group has been worlds helpful. We have begun doing challenge pieces, and it is making me very happy to stretch my bounds and train and as a writer. The group is so supportive, too! And fun! So, I will be working on my newest challenge which is to write a short story with a twist. I think I have an idea, and since y'all are not in my little group, I will give a sneak peek at the inspiration to it! 

Enjoy! 

Picture of the Day:

Monticello's backyard.

Quote of the Day: 

"All that lives must die, / Passing through nature to eternity."

-William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Hello, my dearest readers! I regret to say that I have nothing of my own to post today. However, I would like to do two things today: 1) Introduce February's book of the month and 2), give you a link to something that will make any Shakespeare fan laugh a little on the inside.

So, lets get down to business!

February's book of the month is....

Their Eyes Were Watching God

by Zora Neale Hurston

Now, before you start yelling at me, telling me that you read this in high school, I just want to say that it is a beautiful book. At first, I wasn't too impressed. But the poetry in the very way Hurston writes is fascinating! It might be a little tough at first, the colloquial way the characters talk can be seen as a little tough to get through. Nonetheless, it is completely worth the read.

It is a love story that spans the life of Janie, a mulatto woman in Florida who is trying to find true love. There is nothing about this book that is dull, though perhaps it is slow to start. Please, please, please! Give this book a read for February!! You won't be disappointed.

Okay, now on for part two. Ever read Hamlet? Have you ever heard of it? Well, than this is for you!

SHAKESPEARE'S HAMLET AS TOLD BY FACEBOOK UPDATES!

It is completely worth the click, guys. I promise. (Grammar issues aside, it made me laugh really hard.)

Well, that is all for today!

Go out and make it a great day!