In the last month I have been so very busy! Lots of different, exciting, interesting happenings.
Events First of all, my aunt took my mom on a tour of Europe for three weeks. Meanwhile I took care of my three sisters, did schooling and all. It was a great learning experience, but I can assure you I missed my mom!
While mom was gone, we did some apple processing. We made some apple sauce, apple cider, and my sister even made an apple pie! I love the smell of the warm cinnamon we put in the cooking applesauce, and the hot cinnamon and cloves in the cider! It made it feel more like holiday season!
Another event, one that wasn't so pleasant, is the fact that, despite the precautions, sickness visited our house. I went down with it a couple days before mom came home, I got a flu :( Then, my mom went down the day after she got home, with something different than what I had, some kind of flu though. I was in bed for a week, during which my three sisters got sick with something different than what either mom or I got! I guess we figured if we were going to all get sick we may as well have a variety to make it interesting ;) Now we're all pretty much recovered, though we're all tired now.
Music
Recently I've started listening to a style of music that I've decided is my favorite, Celtic. My favorite two groups are Celtic Thunder and Celtic Women. Of the two, Celtic Thunder is my ultimate favorite. What particularly impresses me is the voice of the youngest member, Damian McGinty. His voice is so strong for one so young! In this video he is about 14/15.
Celtic Women is also very impressive. The women all have amazing talent, very strong, impressive voices! The violinist is amazing! Just amazing!
Books
I just finished a really wonderful book, The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas. The setting is ancient Rome and Galilee during the latter part of the reign of Tiberius. It's about a young Roman Tribune. An extremely well written book and has an amazing story to tell! I was really moved by it and thoroughly enjoyed it. I would strongly recommend it!
Also, my little sister Tabitha, is reading a book on Martin Luther to me for a school project. Though it is a book written for a younger audience, I'm enjoying it and the illustrations are very well done.
Extras
Every year the excitement mounts in our home as the holidays come around! I'm playing Christmas songs on my violin and Tabitha is playing Christmas songs on the piano. I love the hot chocolate, cider, tea and coffee. Curling up by the fire with a good book is my idea of a very pleasant afternoon.
Today is the one year mark for my blogging adventure. I've really enjoyed puting down my thoughts and adventures and sharing events in my life! I look forward to continuing on in this second year of blogging, sharing thoughts, ideas, etc. with you all. The Lord has really done some awesome stuff in my life this last year, I can't wait to see what I can blog about next! Thank you all for reading! Please feel free to suggest ideas that you may have on how I can change things and make things better and more interesting in my blogging. I would be open to any ideas you have. Happy future reading!
With the H1N1 virus going around not to mention the colds that come with this season, we're doing what we can to avoid getting sick. One thing that my mom has been having us do is gargle with salt water. None of us minds it much, it's actually quite comical when there are four cups of salt water in a row on the counter, and then four gargling children, sputtering with mouths full of warm salt water. Different pitches of "agagagag" erupt at various intervals from one bathroom or the other and sometimes from the kitchen. So far we haven't gotten sick so it must be working!
I've been going through some really tough stuff today. After worrying about it all day and fearing the worst, I finally came to a place where I just couldn't handle it any more! I needed to go meet with God. So I grabbed my bible and went for a walk.
Halfway down our driveway there is a small grassy meadow, it was bright, sunny and comfortably warm. I just sat down and drew my knees up to my face, folded my arms across them, laid my head down and just sat, for a while. God met me there, no not in person, but He was there. I just stayed there and worshiped in His presence, I read some scripture and sang to the Lord and He filled me with peace and comfort.
One passage that really stood out, was;
Psalm 139 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways.4 For there is not a word on my tongue,But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it. 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.9If I take the wings of the morning,And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me;12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!18If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You. 19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.20 For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain.21 Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
I'm so glad that the Lord took my burden and He has given me peace! Though I'm still going through this hard trial, I'm leaning on Him, knowing He is in control. May His will be done!
