The Stone Was Rolled Away

Photo by Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash

Joseph was set free from the pit 

The Israelites were set free from their captivity 

They made it to the promised land 

Jerico's walls came tumbling down

Their foes were defeated 

David's sins were forgiven 

Solomon was given the wisdom he asked for 

Ester helped secure the lives of a whole race 

God sent messengers to His people 

Jesus healed everyone who asked

The stone was rolled away 

Jesus raised to life 

He left his spirit 

And He's coming back

God likes happy endings. Don't worry. Sunday's on the way.

December Highlights

I'm planning a super epic review of the year, including my top ten books, and highlights of the whole year. But today, I've got my December Highlights.

My sister Grace and I decided we wanted to do a hot dog roast (These are becoming quite regular around here), so we did a spontaneous trip to town to get the stuff for it. 

I got to go to the Zoo with a lot of fellow Texan writers and friends. It was a blast hanging out with them. 

I had Cedar allergies most of the month. Thankfully except for a few days, it wasn't too bad. it just gave me a phantom fever and made my nose stuffy. 

Our table for the Christmas party

We had our annual Christmas cookie party, and we made so. many. cookies. Seriously, I'm kind of sick of cookies. But it was fun! =D

My siblings and I played a lot of games this month. Mostly Forbidden Island, but we threw in some Monopoly in there. 

Two of my sisters and I decorated trees in the woods!

Me in the entrance to Longhorn Cavern (Photo taken by Rebekkah)

We went to Lornhorn state park, got to see a cave entrance, and amazing views. Then we went to a lake and walked around a pretty incredible light display! 

The floor in our storage shed started to give out, so we spent all of one day carting the boxes full of stuff to a different location. Exhausting, but it was good to get the stuff safe! 

We celebrated Christmas a little early because of my brother's work schedule, which was fun. We all got up at six and spent a very leisurely morning slowly opening presents. It took us until noon because we kept stopping to get food, and at one point to play with a game! We went for a family walk, then had a beautiful candlelight service. This Christmas was just about the best. 

All of us (Except me) on Christmas

I undecorated my room for the first time ever by myself. But Rebekkah (Whom I share the room with) was busy helping my mom, and so I did it. It took a lot longer (surprise), but I got my books really well organized. ;) 

We had a girls shopping day on the 26'th. We got a very early start, hit a lot of good deals, and had an awesome time. I didn't get a lot, but I did get a couple of fun things, like sticker packs, and a little-stuffed elephant.

We went up to Dallas to see my Grandparents and went to the biggest Half Priced Books ever. Seriously, that place is heaven for bookworms. 

Monster (Which is not nearly as creepy as it looks) was my favorite of the month. (I'm excluding my re-read of Radialloy, and It's Not About Me) 

It Turned into Narnia Aria 

Hike Four Dancing in the Rain

You Have a Purpose Chosen Vessels 

December 26 The Introverted Extrovert 

A Poem and a Bit of a Quizzie Brin Lael 

2018 Goal Progress The Left-handed Typist 

I Don't Understand this Love A Storynerds Life

Subplots & Storylines and How Beautiful on the Moutain Tracey Dyck 

See y'all next year! I've got some pretty big plans, I'm really excited to share them with y'all! 

How was your December? and your Christmas?

Loosing Christmas Joy

Christmas joy 

Seems lost this year

The sparkle of the season 

Seems beyond my reach 

Nothing I do 

Can bring it back 

I struggle to find 

That magic anticipation 

That longing in my heart 

For that special day 

But this year seems to go by 

In faded black and white

I can’t find my Christmas spirit

And I have begun to wonder 

If I’ll ever get it back 

And somehow 

As these thoughts go 

Through my mind 

I realize 

I’m focusing on me 

During a season 

That’s all about Him 

So maybe instead 

Of being worried

That I’ve lost my anticipation 

I should focus 

On God’s amazing gift 

And the fact that this year 

My family is all together 

I won't be posting on Monday because of Christmas, but I'll be back next Friday!

Christmas Past

Me. 2017.

I was looking through my files tonight and I found a poem I wrote three years ago. This isn't anything super deep, or anything; its just the ramblings of a fifteen year old who was ready for Christmas. Said fifteen year old didn't keep with a consistent style of poetry, or care if it made sense or not, but I hope you'll like it anyway!

Twas the night before Christmas

When all through the house

Not a person was sleeping 

Bedtime everyone was breaking

But no one really cared 

Because the crime was shared 

Mikayla was pinning like crazy 

And being all together lazy 

But she couldn’t go to sleep 

Well, at least not very deep. 

She was too excited about the next day 

Even more then she could say 

The music coming through her headphones 

Is all cheer and nothing like the moans 

Tis getting quite late into the night 

But sleep is still not quite in sight

She must read a chapter or two 

Or maybe a whole book might insue 

But she doesn’t care that much 

As the circumstances are such

But now she will go 

And lie very low 

But the morning can’t come soon enough 

Not only because of all the stuff

But because of the family that will be there 

Who all will all love me and care

It's Here

Yup, that's me. ;)

Snow falling

Lights on trees

Cookies in the oven

Carol of the Bells

Cold nights
Warm fires

Partys 

Friends coming over 

Wrapping presents 

It's a Wonderful Life 

Poinsettias 

Lots of cuddling 

Cards 

Live nativity's 

UPS delivery every day

Secret plans 

Reading the story 

Smiles from God 

Seeing stars differently

Red and green

Wishing to be with freinds

Snow ice cream 

Glass balls 

Some may say Christmas is coming, but for me it's already here. These things I listed are only a fraction of what makes Christmas so amazing.

He Is Here

Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com

Christ died, giving up everything to come here and teach us how to live. He came to show us how much He was willing to go though for us. That He was even willing to go though a death far worse then any of ours will ever be because it wasn't just Him dying, He was taking the punishment for our sin with Him. Letting it separate Him from His father temporarily so that you and I could be with Him eternally. 

Then He rose from the grave, conquering death for all of us. When His followers came to the tomb that day, an angle told them "He is not here, He has resin!" 

The power those words hold is just incredible. God broke the chains of death, coming out of the grave so that we could be with Him. 

Then He sent His spirit to fill us so we could have a relationship with Him. 

I think one of the most amazing things about Easter for me is being able to know two that He is not in the grave anymore, He has resin. But He is here, in my soul, and He is never leaving.

He came because of His never failing, never ending, perfect love.

He is alive, and He is here.

Comfort Zone Love

Loving can mean giving the thing you want to give the least. Or not giving the thing you want to give the most. Long story short, love is pretty much the definition of stepping out of your comfort zone.

As a wise pinterest quote said “Comfort zones are beautiful things, but nothing ever grows there.” 

In order to love, we have to step out of our comfort zones every single day. Probably quite a few times a day. Because God didn’t call us to be comfortable. He wants us to grow. That can mean anything from sending a text, to telling someone something hard, to anything really. Only you can know what you are called to do. But I can guarantee it doesn’t always stay inside your comfort zone. 

I’m pretty sure that after St. Patrick was kidnapped, enslaved, then finally getting free from the Irish, going back to witness to them was not on his ‘inside my comfort zone list.’ That had to be one of the hardest things God called him to, yet you can see all the good it did. St. Patrick made an impact. 

Elizabeth Elliot’s husband was killed by an tribe, and God called her to go and witness to that very tribe. Probably not what she wanted to do.

Love isn’t always that hard, most of the time I think it’s much easier. But it is our decision weather to love like God called us to. Its not easy, it’s not in our comfort zone, but its worth it.

What’s a way you’ve had to step out of your comfort zone lately? 

Happy St. Patrick's day!

December Highlights

Hello everyone! Sorry this post is so late, but better late then never, right? Here ya go: 

I actually got my Christmas presents sent out early. Yes, this made my highlights because that's the first time I've ever done that. ;)

I got to play an angel in our local live nativity. More story's from that here.

This was the program for his event that I kept notes on. =)

I got to play official photographer at one of my brothers honor society meetings. Mostly what this involved was eating a lot of snacks and playing on WiFi. The other little part involved photos of a lot of random stuff and getting to stand up when everyone had to sit down. It was awesome.

This is a sad highlight. I discovered I cannot drink milk. I can still have some milk products, thankfully. Though, I'd much rather give up milk then keep throwing up, so it worth it. Its just sad while I'm at it. 

My brother graduated collage! I kept teasing him for this past four years that I was in collage to because he would tell me all this stuff he was learning, and stuff. So we teased that I'm now out of collage. Seriously though, I'm so happy. Now we have a nurse in the family! 

I spent the day in San Antonio with some friends and my family. That was super awesome. We got to eat the most awesome TexMex, visit some old Spanish missions, and walk a crazy long way on the river walk. I posted pictures from that here.

I watched a Star Trek that was so funny I was doubled over in laughter. Yeah, small things in life, but I love moments like that.

My sister and I tried to make a conversation out of the hot sauce packets. ;D

My family had an awesome Christmas party, had an amazing Christmas and an amazing shopping trip. I'm just lumping these together since they're all Christmas stuff. We have a Christmas party every year, and this one went really well. So did our Christmas. Of coarse no day every goes precisely as planned, but it was awesome none the less. I ended up singing so much at church that I could only barely wispier for about thirty minutes afterwards. And the day after Christmas the girls in my family always go shopping and this year was awesome. I got to hang out with my family, get a lot of fun stuff. 

The Snippets Tag The Introverted Extrovert

How To Print Your Novel for 10$ The Introverted Extrovert

Christmas Costume Party Mic's Room 

2016 Bookish Recap Adventures Beyond the Horizon 

Our Holy God Who Washes Feet Burning Youth

Me Twilight to Dawn 

Your Choice Twilight to Dawn

Need Him A Purpose and a Promise

Out of the Deep Burning Youth

The Accomplished and Unaccomplished.... Fifth out of Ten

What were some of your December Highlights? Even if they are kinda old news by now. ;) 

Goodbye Christmas

Merry Christmas! I know it is technically a day late, but I didn't really feel like writing on Christmas day. ;)

I had a pretty awesome Christmas, which we actually celebrated on Christmas eve. We opened our stockings, then played one of worlds longest games of Life. I actually won by a tiny margin. That night we went to a candle lit service, which was probably one of the most beautiful ones I've seen. On Christmas day, we had a nice meal and then... *cough* we took down all of our decorations. I had the bad timing to get a fever (I'm telling you, ether Ceder Fever or I am going to leave Texas, and I do not intend to leave my 85 degree Christmas. Yeah, so here's hoping Ceder Fever ends soon.)

So I spent most of yesterday on my window seat reading and trying to keep cool. That night I packed up my decorations. That was no small task because my two huge shelf's full of books had been packed up during the holiday and had to be unpacked and reorganized.

And then there was a tradition's my family has had for years now. On the day after Christmas, all the girls in our house go on a huge shopping day. That was today and the term shop till you drop actually seemed to apply. I am now fully convinced that Family Christian Store is the best place for buying music, Hobby Lobby best (I knew that before, but reaffirming never hurt), and I am glad these trips only come once a year or I would be perpetually bankrupt.

 Now I saying goodbye to the holiday season with cleaning, writing to-do lists, and trying to finish up a few last minute projects before next year.

How did your Christmas go?
Did you do any after Christmas shopping?

The Angel that Wore Tennis Shoes

Edge of a pond.

Well guys, this week I got to play an angel in our local walk through nativity. I think it was a pretty bad miscast but its fun. ;)

One of the things I love about playing in things like this is the people I get to act with. 

We got to the church and got into costume. I have these bulky wings that stick out about half a foot on each side so I had to turn sideways to walk down most hallways and get into doors. And yes, I was wearing tennis shoes, because this nativity is one where it repeats as people walk through. My feat hurt even while wearing the good shoes. I texted friends, nervous about our first performance. And then it started and.... it went fine. 

During one of the performances, I stood up to give my line to the shepherds, and my halo fell off. I managed not to burst out laughing through my line and when I was done speaking and the attention turned off of me I snatched my halo and put it on. I got up to do my line again and it fell off just before I started talking so I managed to shove it up my sleeve before I started. When we got to the stable I put it back on. This time I secured it. 

Another time the wise men accidentally gave Jesus two things of Myrrh. When that happened the whole cast there, wise men, angels, shepherds, Mary and Joseph all fought to keep from bursting out with laughter. The tour ended and we all had a good laugh, including the guy who had made the mistake. 

I sang Silent Night enough times that I now hope to not hear it for at least another year. 

Overall, it was an awesome experience.

Have you ever been a part of a live nativity? If not, have you seen one that you really like?