After driving 2 hours to Atlanta, flying 16 hours to Johannesburg, flying 2 hours to Cape Town, and driving 45 minutes to The Team House (our home for the week), we FINALLY made it to South Africa. So we basically left Birmingham at noon on Thursday and arrived at The Team House at 11:30 (ish?) on Friday evening (South African time...8 hours ahead, 7 hours ahead after Daylight Savings change). The traveling was probably one of the most brutal situations I've ever been in but it was SO worth it. On the super long 16 hour flight, I spent some time reading The Awakening (novel I had to read over spring break for school...so fun...), watching some movies, and reading scripture/devotional material. I read a whole 20 pages of the novel on the flight to Jo-burg (wow, way to go) and watched "Life As We Know It" (cute, but probably won't watch again). Oh and I also got about 5 hours of sleep total on the flight. WAHOO. The most rewarding part of the flight to me though was reading some devotions I get e-mailed to me daily by Joni Eareckson Tada and reading some in my Bible. The devotion from that day, which fit perfectly, was about how God purposely put you exactly where you are (where you live, what group of friends you have, what decade you were born in) because of His plan for you. The verse reference that went with it was "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live." -Acts 17:26. I took this deeper and thought about how if I wasn't going to Shades Mountain Baptist and surrounded by such a strong group of Christian friends and family members, I would not be as strong in my faith as I am. That's just that. I strongly believe God has purposely placed me where I am so that I would be surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses", as God intended according to Hebrews 12:1, and so that I would have the opportunity to go on trips such as a spring break trip to South Africa or a choir trip to New York, all to make His glory known to the world and to strengthen my faith in Him in the process. While I was reading, I listened to some praise and worship music on my iPod to help my mind focus more on Him. I especially enjoyed listening to Leeland, which is one of my favorite contemporary Christian groups. Listening to these words from "Follow You" especially got me pumped for the trip...
"You live among the least of these
The weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away
All my needs you have supplied
When I was dead, you gave me life
How could I not give it away so freely?
And I'll....
I'll follow you into the homes of the broken
I'll follow you into the world
I'll meet the needs for the poor and the needy, God
I'll follow you into the world
Here's my hands, here's my feet
To make your kingdom come
To the corners of the earth until your work is done
Cause faith without works is dead
And on the cross your blood was shed
So how could we not give it away so freely?
.......
And I give all myself
I give all myself
I give all myself to You
Yes, I give all myself, I give it all to You"
---"Follow You", Leeland feat. Brandon Heath
Even as I sit here typing these lyrics, I am able to look back on the trip and see how these words came to life in my experience in South Africa. Praise Him for the great things He has, is, and will do in South Africa and the South African people.
I hope these glimpses of my experiences can touch your life like it touched mine.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." - Hebrews 12:1-3
"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'" - Matt. 28:18-20
Grace and Peace.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
insert applicable title here.
It's beautiful today. The weather is gorgeous and the temperature is FINALLY high enough that I can comfortably enjoy being outside... and I'm really wishing I was still in Auburn. I just spent the past couple of days there for honor band and pretty much was ready to stay and just start college right then. Now I'm back home and have to worry about all the make up work from the days I missed...sad. but it's okay. I've got plenty to look forward to.
1. Spring Break trip to SOUTH AFRICA!!!
2. Graduation!!!!! whoop whoop!
3. Summerrrrrrrrrrr....New Wind trip to New York, Summer Camp, 18th birthday....last summer before college...
4. going to Auburn in the fall!!!
exciting stuff :)
hopefully these things will help me see the bright side to all of the work I have to go through right now. Disney music always helps too... :)
So for all of you who are struggling with focusing on something now, think about the things you're thankful for/looking forward to that are coming up and you can get through it.
I don't know if this passage really relates to my blog post, but it's a passage that's really been dear to my heart lately so I wanted to share. It is a passage from 2 Corinthians, which Paul was writing to the church of Corinth.
The God of All Comfort
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behlaf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many." - 2 Corinthians 1:3-11
I'm just really impressed by how Paul handled the situation he was in. He could have complained about SO many things that were going wrong for him, but instead he chose to say that God was using that situation to test his faith and strengthen his trust in Christ. Amazing.
This is definitely my motivation for the "sufferings" I am enduring. (I say "sufferings" because I don't feel like I can call my struggles "suffering" compared to the struggles Paul faced).
I hope this passage gives you motivation to turn to God during your struggles, too.
Grace and Peace.
1. Spring Break trip to SOUTH AFRICA!!!
2. Graduation!!!!! whoop whoop!
3. Summerrrrrrrrrrr....New Wind trip to New York, Summer Camp, 18th birthday....last summer before college...
4. going to Auburn in the fall!!!
exciting stuff :)
hopefully these things will help me see the bright side to all of the work I have to go through right now. Disney music always helps too... :)
So for all of you who are struggling with focusing on something now, think about the things you're thankful for/looking forward to that are coming up and you can get through it.
I don't know if this passage really relates to my blog post, but it's a passage that's really been dear to my heart lately so I wanted to share. It is a passage from 2 Corinthians, which Paul was writing to the church of Corinth.
The God of All Comfort
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behlaf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many." - 2 Corinthians 1:3-11
I'm just really impressed by how Paul handled the situation he was in. He could have complained about SO many things that were going wrong for him, but instead he chose to say that God was using that situation to test his faith and strengthen his trust in Christ. Amazing.
This is definitely my motivation for the "sufferings" I am enduring. (I say "sufferings" because I don't feel like I can call my struggles "suffering" compared to the struggles Paul faced).
I hope this passage gives you motivation to turn to God during your struggles, too.
Grace and Peace.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
reminiscing already?
*for all of you who know you are criers, just go ahead and get some tissues*
Today I finally decided to clean the most unorganized corner of my room...where my organizer is... Ironic?
I've been putting this off for WAY too long and decided that it was time to tackle the job since I could no longer even sit in my desk chair to do homework or anything anymore. I started by clearing out the stacks of papers, yearbooks, and notebooks so I could get to my organizing drawer and went through EVERYTHING. I trashed stuff, put things in different places, laughed at some of the things I'd actually kept, and was reminded of some things I'd already forgotten about. I didn't think this whole reminiscing on my life thing would happen until I start packing up for college, but no I definitely just flipped through my life in a nutshell for the past few hours.
Some things I found...I'll just stick with the top 10:
1. My ACT scores - I am so thankful that God helped me get EXACTLY the score I needed for full tuition at Auburn. I only had to take the test twice and am SO glad. Thank you, Lord!
2. All of my Children's Hospital volunteering letters and information - this is an opportunity that I have really enjoyed/am enjoying. I volunteered last spring and am volunteering this spring and love just getting a feel for what my potential career (as of right now) would feel like.
3. Old AP U.S. History work - oh goodness, that class. Looking back, I am glad I took the class, learned lots, and earned AP credit, but I have to say I am beyond thankful that I am done with that class and praise God for getting me through it, because there is NO way I could have made it through without Him.
4. Prayer journals and old sermon notes - I loved being able to read back through some things I wrote throughout middle school and high school, seeing how God worked things out in ways I never could have imagined at the time. God is good.
5. Old yearbooks - I'm talking elementary school old. It's amazing to look through those and see how much people change...how much I'VE changed...note to self : hide these from Mom so she doesn't find them after I go to Auburn and starts to look through them and cry. Bad idea...
6. Birthday cards and concert tickets - I too often overlook this fact about my life but I have AMAZING friends. Friends that I go WAY back with, and some that I'm only just now getting to know better and wish I would've gotten to know them sooner. quick shout out to my wonderful friend Rachel Autrey---when my family first moved to Birmingham right before I started 4th grade, my parents had the intention of visiting a few churches they'd heard about before deciding on one and the first one we visited was Shades. We first visited on a Sunday night when they would do a service and have a dinner afterwards and my parents met the Autreys and Rachel just immediately reached out to me and made me feel right at home. Seriously the way her family reached out and helped us influenced my parents' decision to stay at Shades and we never even visited anywhere else. I am so thankful that God knew exactly where my family needed to be and got us there...I can't imagine what my life would be like if we hadn't stayed at Shades. Praise the Lord for great friends, timeless memories, and spiritual growth.
7. South Africa trip information - I am so excited about going to South Africa over spring break!!! I've been on several mission trips with my church before but this one is seriously stretching me to get out of my comfort zone, which is pretty cool to be honest. I need that kind of a challenge in my life. I'm looking forward to what God is planning on teaching me through that trip.
8. Verses from my parents and Sunday School teachers - I found Mrs. Marti's Micah 6:8 verse, the verses my mom gave me during the times I've become beyond stressed over school, and the verses my dad gave me to encourage me to keep pushing on and have "no regrets." I am so blessed to have these role models in my life and definitely don't thank them enough for what they do for me. (Thank you mom, dad, Mrs. Marti, Mrs. Paula, Mrs. Marla, Fernanda Lima, Katherine Crutcher, and all the other role models I have in my life who I know I can go to when I need advice. You always help me get right back on track, giving all the glory to God, which never ceases to amaze me.)
9. Old crafts that my brother made for me - I know, right? precious. Sometimes I forget how great he is, since now he's older and sometimes acts like he's too cool to know me, but he is the best brother I could have ever asked for and am so thankful for him (yes, I really did just say that). although I'm not going to lie, I miss the old days when we were little...
10. okay the tenth thing is not really something I found, but while I was cleaning and dusting my room, I decided to change the clothes on my American Girl doll because she was still wearing her Christmas dress, so I'm counting Kit as the 10th item because I want to talk about how wonderful my grandmother, Bambie, is. When I was little, I wanted an American Girl doll for a pretty long time and when I turned 9 years old, my grandmother got me the Kit Kittredge doll (Kit was always my favorite....a writer with an adventurous spirit, looking for hope during the Great Depression) and pretty much everything else that went with it (the bed, all the outfits that went with her, etc) and I pretty much did everything with that doll for the rest of my childhood playtime career. As I was playing with Kit again today, brushing her hair, remember how special she was (and still is...) to me, I thought back on all of the memories I have with my grandmother. Before we moved to Birmingham, we lived one block away from my dad's parents and I loved to go spend the night with them on the weekends. Bambie would cut out Ann Estelle paper dolls from magazines for me, which I loved and pretty much kept all of them in envelopes to play with over and over again. We would play board games or watch movies (that's probably where I started my love for Mary Poppins) or, once I was a little older and could actually help, would do puzzles. At bedtime, Bambie would let me pick out a story for her to read to me and would come read it to me and stay with me until I fell asleep. These memories are very near and dear to my heart and I'm so glad that I had this opportunity as a kid. My grandmother is one of the strongest and most selfless people that I know (grammatically correct? I don't know and actually don't care for once). She is currently battling cancer and I know that God is watching out for her, even in this circumstance. But just to reiterate my point if I haven't really made it there yet, I love Bambie and all of the love she has shown me unconditionally throughout my life and am so thankful for her, as I also am for my other grandparents, who all support and love me more than I can ever know or understand.
So now that I've probably made some of you cry, some of you laugh, and some of you think "why do I read her blogs when they're always WAY too long," I hope I've at least reminded some of you of all you have to be thankful for and all of the memories you should keep close to your heart as you go into the next steps of your life, whether it may be high school, college, or just the trials of life. I have been reminded today of how fast life flies by, but how wonderful life is when you can remember all of the steps you have been through and see how they are working together to bring you to where you are now. What I've learned today: don't waste your life, have no regrets, keep holding on [to God] during every trial in your life, and hold on to the special memories that you never want to lose.
"Now listen, you who say 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'" - James 4:13-15
Grace and Peace.
Today I finally decided to clean the most unorganized corner of my room...where my organizer is... Ironic?
I've been putting this off for WAY too long and decided that it was time to tackle the job since I could no longer even sit in my desk chair to do homework or anything anymore. I started by clearing out the stacks of papers, yearbooks, and notebooks so I could get to my organizing drawer and went through EVERYTHING. I trashed stuff, put things in different places, laughed at some of the things I'd actually kept, and was reminded of some things I'd already forgotten about. I didn't think this whole reminiscing on my life thing would happen until I start packing up for college, but no I definitely just flipped through my life in a nutshell for the past few hours.
Some things I found...I'll just stick with the top 10:
1. My ACT scores - I am so thankful that God helped me get EXACTLY the score I needed for full tuition at Auburn. I only had to take the test twice and am SO glad. Thank you, Lord!
2. All of my Children's Hospital volunteering letters and information - this is an opportunity that I have really enjoyed/am enjoying. I volunteered last spring and am volunteering this spring and love just getting a feel for what my potential career (as of right now) would feel like.
3. Old AP U.S. History work - oh goodness, that class. Looking back, I am glad I took the class, learned lots, and earned AP credit, but I have to say I am beyond thankful that I am done with that class and praise God for getting me through it, because there is NO way I could have made it through without Him.
4. Prayer journals and old sermon notes - I loved being able to read back through some things I wrote throughout middle school and high school, seeing how God worked things out in ways I never could have imagined at the time. God is good.
5. Old yearbooks - I'm talking elementary school old. It's amazing to look through those and see how much people change...how much I'VE changed...note to self : hide these from Mom so she doesn't find them after I go to Auburn and starts to look through them and cry. Bad idea...
6. Birthday cards and concert tickets - I too often overlook this fact about my life but I have AMAZING friends. Friends that I go WAY back with, and some that I'm only just now getting to know better and wish I would've gotten to know them sooner. quick shout out to my wonderful friend Rachel Autrey---when my family first moved to Birmingham right before I started 4th grade, my parents had the intention of visiting a few churches they'd heard about before deciding on one and the first one we visited was Shades. We first visited on a Sunday night when they would do a service and have a dinner afterwards and my parents met the Autreys and Rachel just immediately reached out to me and made me feel right at home. Seriously the way her family reached out and helped us influenced my parents' decision to stay at Shades and we never even visited anywhere else. I am so thankful that God knew exactly where my family needed to be and got us there...I can't imagine what my life would be like if we hadn't stayed at Shades. Praise the Lord for great friends, timeless memories, and spiritual growth.
7. South Africa trip information - I am so excited about going to South Africa over spring break!!! I've been on several mission trips with my church before but this one is seriously stretching me to get out of my comfort zone, which is pretty cool to be honest. I need that kind of a challenge in my life. I'm looking forward to what God is planning on teaching me through that trip.
8. Verses from my parents and Sunday School teachers - I found Mrs. Marti's Micah 6:8 verse, the verses my mom gave me during the times I've become beyond stressed over school, and the verses my dad gave me to encourage me to keep pushing on and have "no regrets." I am so blessed to have these role models in my life and definitely don't thank them enough for what they do for me. (Thank you mom, dad, Mrs. Marti, Mrs. Paula, Mrs. Marla, Fernanda Lima, Katherine Crutcher, and all the other role models I have in my life who I know I can go to when I need advice. You always help me get right back on track, giving all the glory to God, which never ceases to amaze me.)
9. Old crafts that my brother made for me - I know, right? precious. Sometimes I forget how great he is, since now he's older and sometimes acts like he's too cool to know me, but he is the best brother I could have ever asked for and am so thankful for him (yes, I really did just say that). although I'm not going to lie, I miss the old days when we were little...
10. okay the tenth thing is not really something I found, but while I was cleaning and dusting my room, I decided to change the clothes on my American Girl doll because she was still wearing her Christmas dress, so I'm counting Kit as the 10th item because I want to talk about how wonderful my grandmother, Bambie, is. When I was little, I wanted an American Girl doll for a pretty long time and when I turned 9 years old, my grandmother got me the Kit Kittredge doll (Kit was always my favorite....a writer with an adventurous spirit, looking for hope during the Great Depression) and pretty much everything else that went with it (the bed, all the outfits that went with her, etc) and I pretty much did everything with that doll for the rest of my childhood playtime career. As I was playing with Kit again today, brushing her hair, remember how special she was (and still is...) to me, I thought back on all of the memories I have with my grandmother. Before we moved to Birmingham, we lived one block away from my dad's parents and I loved to go spend the night with them on the weekends. Bambie would cut out Ann Estelle paper dolls from magazines for me, which I loved and pretty much kept all of them in envelopes to play with over and over again. We would play board games or watch movies (that's probably where I started my love for Mary Poppins) or, once I was a little older and could actually help, would do puzzles. At bedtime, Bambie would let me pick out a story for her to read to me and would come read it to me and stay with me until I fell asleep. These memories are very near and dear to my heart and I'm so glad that I had this opportunity as a kid. My grandmother is one of the strongest and most selfless people that I know (grammatically correct? I don't know and actually don't care for once). She is currently battling cancer and I know that God is watching out for her, even in this circumstance. But just to reiterate my point if I haven't really made it there yet, I love Bambie and all of the love she has shown me unconditionally throughout my life and am so thankful for her, as I also am for my other grandparents, who all support and love me more than I can ever know or understand.
So now that I've probably made some of you cry, some of you laugh, and some of you think "why do I read her blogs when they're always WAY too long," I hope I've at least reminded some of you of all you have to be thankful for and all of the memories you should keep close to your heart as you go into the next steps of your life, whether it may be high school, college, or just the trials of life. I have been reminded today of how fast life flies by, but how wonderful life is when you can remember all of the steps you have been through and see how they are working together to bring you to where you are now. What I've learned today: don't waste your life, have no regrets, keep holding on [to God] during every trial in your life, and hold on to the special memories that you never want to lose.
"Now listen, you who say 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'" - James 4:13-15
Grace and Peace.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
history in the making
So my family loves to watch movies. It's kind of almost a weekly, or at least monthly, thing for us. We order pizza, kick back in the den, and watch a movie on our super cool big TV with the surround sound blaring (of course my dad claims it's MUCH louder in the movie theater, but I have to say it gets pretty loud in our house when we crank up that surround sound).
Anyway, so tonight was a movie night for the Bruces. We decided to watch National Treasure. One of my all time favorites. It's not only a great adventure movie, but a very historically accurate movie as well. Of course the whole story is fiction, but the way they incorporated so many accurate historical facts to make the story and the treasure seem believeable is just phenomenal.
I think one of the reasons I've begun to love these historic types of movies is because of taking AP History with Mrs. Maddox. I was never really that crazy about history but I definitely liked learning about American history facts more than I did world history facts, so I decided to take Mrs. Maddox's class for that reason (plus getting some advice from older friends that it was worth it). The way Mrs. Maddox taught history made me love it. She always talked about how the study of history isn't just the study of facts. It is the study of how historical events happened, what could have gone differently if those events hadn't happened, and how those events changed the world from then on.
After taking a class like that and really processing every thing that the people who founded this nation went through, plus by watching movies such as National Treasure that really bring that history to life, I have to wonder...what have we done? Would the Founding Fathers really be proud of what has become of this nation? Or would they look at us and say, "What have you done here?" And then I wonder...is God proud of what we're doing here? The nation that was originally founded to be a "city on a hill", according to John Winthrop, has become...what exactly?
This past week for my AP Government class I read Federalist Paper No. 51, written by James Madison, and was moved by this very powerful line in the letter. Madison wrote, "If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary." Madison wrote this letter as a response to the Anti-Federalist argument that the new Constitution was not necessary (which it definitely was...) and he did so by stating this simple fact: we are not perfect and therefore we must be governed properly. The nation was not holding up under the Articles of Confederation and it was very clear that a new government system needed to be set up. (sorry if I'm losing those of you who don't care too much for history...) But basically I was just amazed by this statement. Madison realized that human beings by nature are not perfect and therefore must be governed. Also, since men are governed by men, the government must be given the right amount of power so that they do not abuse their power because by naturally selfish tendencies, the government would seek the most selfish solutions possible in their governing without the right controls.
I believe the Founding Fathers really got it. They understood what it meant to be given responsibility and do with it what was necessary. And that is why I admire them.
One thing I know I'm thankful for is that we can learn from history, whether the history we learn from is good or bad, and can continue to work towards positive change for the future. History is always in the making.
Sorry this blog post has been so scatter-brained, I can't really piece together what I'm trying to say so I just kind of threw it all out there. Make of it what you will. After all, interpreting someone's writing is usually more fun than just reading it.
-------------------
"Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not only of all free government, but of social felicity under all governments and in all the combinations of human society." -John Adams
"As I understand the Christian religion, it was, and is, a revelation." - John Adams
"Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people, who have...a right, an indisputable, unalienable, indefeasible, divine right to that most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge, I mean the character and conduct of their rulers." - John Adams
"By our form of government, the Christian religion is the established religion; and all sects and denominations of Christians are placed upon the same equal footing, and are equally entitled to protection in their religious liberty." - Samuel Chase
"It is the duty of mankind on all suitable occasions to acknowledge their dependence on the Divine Being... [that] Almighty God would mercifully interpose and still the rage of war among the nations...[and that] He would take this province under his protection, confound the designs and defeat the attempts of its enemies, and unite our hearts and strengthen our hands in every undertaking that may be for the public good, and for our defense and security in this time of danger." - Benjamin Franklin
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." - Thomas Jefferson
"The patriot who feels himself in the service of God, who acknowledges Him in all his ways, has the promise of Almighty direction, and will find His Word in his greatest darkness, a lantern to his feet and a lamp unto his paths.' He will therefore seek to establish for his country in the eyes of the world, such a character as shall make her not unworthy of the name of a Christian nation...." - Francis Scott Key
"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." - George Washington
"In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed....No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people." -Noah Webster
"The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. Where, some say, is the king of America? I'll tell you, friend, He reigns above." - Thomas Paine
Grace and Peace.
Anyway, so tonight was a movie night for the Bruces. We decided to watch National Treasure. One of my all time favorites. It's not only a great adventure movie, but a very historically accurate movie as well. Of course the whole story is fiction, but the way they incorporated so many accurate historical facts to make the story and the treasure seem believeable is just phenomenal.
I think one of the reasons I've begun to love these historic types of movies is because of taking AP History with Mrs. Maddox. I was never really that crazy about history but I definitely liked learning about American history facts more than I did world history facts, so I decided to take Mrs. Maddox's class for that reason (plus getting some advice from older friends that it was worth it). The way Mrs. Maddox taught history made me love it. She always talked about how the study of history isn't just the study of facts. It is the study of how historical events happened, what could have gone differently if those events hadn't happened, and how those events changed the world from then on.
After taking a class like that and really processing every thing that the people who founded this nation went through, plus by watching movies such as National Treasure that really bring that history to life, I have to wonder...what have we done? Would the Founding Fathers really be proud of what has become of this nation? Or would they look at us and say, "What have you done here?" And then I wonder...is God proud of what we're doing here? The nation that was originally founded to be a "city on a hill", according to John Winthrop, has become...what exactly?
This past week for my AP Government class I read Federalist Paper No. 51, written by James Madison, and was moved by this very powerful line in the letter. Madison wrote, "If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary." Madison wrote this letter as a response to the Anti-Federalist argument that the new Constitution was not necessary (which it definitely was...) and he did so by stating this simple fact: we are not perfect and therefore we must be governed properly. The nation was not holding up under the Articles of Confederation and it was very clear that a new government system needed to be set up. (sorry if I'm losing those of you who don't care too much for history...) But basically I was just amazed by this statement. Madison realized that human beings by nature are not perfect and therefore must be governed. Also, since men are governed by men, the government must be given the right amount of power so that they do not abuse their power because by naturally selfish tendencies, the government would seek the most selfish solutions possible in their governing without the right controls.
I believe the Founding Fathers really got it. They understood what it meant to be given responsibility and do with it what was necessary. And that is why I admire them.
One thing I know I'm thankful for is that we can learn from history, whether the history we learn from is good or bad, and can continue to work towards positive change for the future. History is always in the making.
Sorry this blog post has been so scatter-brained, I can't really piece together what I'm trying to say so I just kind of threw it all out there. Make of it what you will. After all, interpreting someone's writing is usually more fun than just reading it.
-------------------
"Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not only of all free government, but of social felicity under all governments and in all the combinations of human society." -John Adams
"As I understand the Christian religion, it was, and is, a revelation." - John Adams
"Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people, who have...a right, an indisputable, unalienable, indefeasible, divine right to that most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge, I mean the character and conduct of their rulers." - John Adams
"By our form of government, the Christian religion is the established religion; and all sects and denominations of Christians are placed upon the same equal footing, and are equally entitled to protection in their religious liberty." - Samuel Chase
"It is the duty of mankind on all suitable occasions to acknowledge their dependence on the Divine Being... [that] Almighty God would mercifully interpose and still the rage of war among the nations...[and that] He would take this province under his protection, confound the designs and defeat the attempts of its enemies, and unite our hearts and strengthen our hands in every undertaking that may be for the public good, and for our defense and security in this time of danger." - Benjamin Franklin
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." - Thomas Jefferson
"The patriot who feels himself in the service of God, who acknowledges Him in all his ways, has the promise of Almighty direction, and will find His Word in his greatest darkness, a lantern to his feet and a lamp unto his paths.' He will therefore seek to establish for his country in the eyes of the world, such a character as shall make her not unworthy of the name of a Christian nation...." - Francis Scott Key
"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." - George Washington
"In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed....No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people." -Noah Webster
"The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. Where, some say, is the king of America? I'll tell you, friend, He reigns above." - Thomas Paine
Grace and Peace.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
tribute to Disney
I've been meaning to write this post for quite some time because thoughts about what to write for this have been on my mind for a while, but I just haven't had the time to write it until now. I wanted to make sure I had plenty of time to write this blog because I want to give credit where credit is due and make sure I say everything I need to say without rushing or messing anything up.
That being said, now that you think I'm going to write about something important and mind-boggling, I want to talk about how incredible Disney is. (not joking).
This past Monday, we were out of school because of bad weather and I was stuck at home working on some homework. Not the most fun thing ever. I began to get a headache and was having trouble focusing, so I decided to pop in a classic Disney movie. I went with Mulan since it's all about girl power and has some of the best music ever (such as I'll Make a Man Out Of You). It's times like these when I realize just how incredible Disney is (talking about the one and only Walt Disney himself and his company). It's something that you can't really describe, because frankly it's just magic, but the way they can tell a story and make you feel like you're really there, it's just...incredible. One of the things I love most about Disney is the music. Oh, the beautiful music. Every time I listen to "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes," I get goosebumps. Of course that happens to me with several indescribably wonderful pieces of music, but no matter how many times I listen to a good Disney song, this happens. Honestly, there is no way for me to explain just how many great things Walt Disney has done because this blog would be too long to read and I would rant so ridiculously much that you may start to lose me. When I start talking about something I love, I tend to go into a little world of my own where my imagination roams free. But I will add this one little fact that I love....Walt Disney is afraid of mice. It's true. Some of you reading this may have known that, but I think it's just so cool. I think this is a sign of pure genius. Taking something that scares you and turning it into something magical and fun. And I believe this is a lesson that everyone can use throughout life. No matter how old you get, you will always be afraid of something. And the best way to conquer these fears is by making the most of it. Looking fear right in the face and saying, "HA. Nice try." Also, it's better if you realize that you don't really ever have to grow up. Not really. As long as you love and believe in the magic of imagination deep down in your heart.
Here are some quotes, just for the fun of it.
"Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language." -Walt Disney
"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." -Walt Disney
Cinderella: "Oh, no. No, it isn't true. It's just no use. No use at all. I can't believe. Not anymore. There's nothing left to believe. Not anymore."
Fairy Godmother: "Nothing, my dear? Oh, now you don't really mean that."
Cinderella: "Oh, but I do..."
Fairy Godmother: "Nonsense, child. If you'd lost all your faith, I couldn't be here. And here I am."
"Listen with your heart. You will understand." -Pocahontas
"Oh, yes, the past can hurt. But you can either run from it or learn from it." -Rafiki, The Lion King
"The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all." -The Emporer, Mulan
Wendy: "But Peter, how do we get to Neverland?"
Peter: "Fly, of course!"
Wendy: "Fly?"
Peter: "It's easy! All you have to do is to....is to....is to....Ha! That's funny."
Wendy: "What's the matter? Don't you know?"
Peter: "Oh, sure. It's just that I've never thought about it before...Say, that's it! You think of a wonderful thought!"
"What do you do when things go wrong? Oh! You sing a song!" -Snow White
Belle: "Gaston, may I have my book back please?"
Gaston: "How can you read this? There's no pictures!"
Belle: "Well some people use their imaginations."
Mr. Banks: "Just a moment, Mary Poppins. What is the meaning of this outrage?"
Mary Poppins: "I beg your pardon?"
Mr. Banks: "Will you be good enough to explain all of this?
Mary Poppins: "First of all, I would like to make one thing perfectly clear."
Mr. Banks: "Yes?"
Mary Poppins: "I never explain anything."
"What did I tell ya? There's the whole world at your feet. And who gets to see it but the birds, the stars, and the chimney sweeps." -Bert, Mary Poppins
Mr. Banks: "These silly words like...Superca....Supercal...Supercali...."
Mary Poppins: "Supercallifragilisticexpialidocious."
Mr. Banks: "Yes, well done! You said it!"
"Even miracles take a little time." -Fairy Godmother, Cinderella
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." -Walt Disney
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." -Walt Disney
"If you can dream it, you can do it." -Walt Disney
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." -Walt Disney
That being said, now that you think I'm going to write about something important and mind-boggling, I want to talk about how incredible Disney is. (not joking).
This past Monday, we were out of school because of bad weather and I was stuck at home working on some homework. Not the most fun thing ever. I began to get a headache and was having trouble focusing, so I decided to pop in a classic Disney movie. I went with Mulan since it's all about girl power and has some of the best music ever (such as I'll Make a Man Out Of You). It's times like these when I realize just how incredible Disney is (talking about the one and only Walt Disney himself and his company). It's something that you can't really describe, because frankly it's just magic, but the way they can tell a story and make you feel like you're really there, it's just...incredible. One of the things I love most about Disney is the music. Oh, the beautiful music. Every time I listen to "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes," I get goosebumps. Of course that happens to me with several indescribably wonderful pieces of music, but no matter how many times I listen to a good Disney song, this happens. Honestly, there is no way for me to explain just how many great things Walt Disney has done because this blog would be too long to read and I would rant so ridiculously much that you may start to lose me. When I start talking about something I love, I tend to go into a little world of my own where my imagination roams free. But I will add this one little fact that I love....Walt Disney is afraid of mice. It's true. Some of you reading this may have known that, but I think it's just so cool. I think this is a sign of pure genius. Taking something that scares you and turning it into something magical and fun. And I believe this is a lesson that everyone can use throughout life. No matter how old you get, you will always be afraid of something. And the best way to conquer these fears is by making the most of it. Looking fear right in the face and saying, "HA. Nice try." Also, it's better if you realize that you don't really ever have to grow up. Not really. As long as you love and believe in the magic of imagination deep down in your heart.
Here are some quotes, just for the fun of it.
"Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language." -Walt Disney
"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." -Walt Disney
Cinderella: "Oh, no. No, it isn't true. It's just no use. No use at all. I can't believe. Not anymore. There's nothing left to believe. Not anymore."
Fairy Godmother: "Nothing, my dear? Oh, now you don't really mean that."
Cinderella: "Oh, but I do..."
Fairy Godmother: "Nonsense, child. If you'd lost all your faith, I couldn't be here. And here I am."
"Listen with your heart. You will understand." -Pocahontas
"Oh, yes, the past can hurt. But you can either run from it or learn from it." -Rafiki, The Lion King
"The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all." -The Emporer, Mulan
Wendy: "But Peter, how do we get to Neverland?"
Peter: "Fly, of course!"
Wendy: "Fly?"
Peter: "It's easy! All you have to do is to....is to....is to....Ha! That's funny."
Wendy: "What's the matter? Don't you know?"
Peter: "Oh, sure. It's just that I've never thought about it before...Say, that's it! You think of a wonderful thought!"
"What do you do when things go wrong? Oh! You sing a song!" -Snow White
Belle: "Gaston, may I have my book back please?"
Gaston: "How can you read this? There's no pictures!"
Belle: "Well some people use their imaginations."
Mr. Banks: "Just a moment, Mary Poppins. What is the meaning of this outrage?"
Mary Poppins: "I beg your pardon?"
Mr. Banks: "Will you be good enough to explain all of this?
Mary Poppins: "First of all, I would like to make one thing perfectly clear."
Mr. Banks: "Yes?"
Mary Poppins: "I never explain anything."
"What did I tell ya? There's the whole world at your feet. And who gets to see it but the birds, the stars, and the chimney sweeps." -Bert, Mary Poppins
Mr. Banks: "These silly words like...Superca....Supercal...Supercali...."
Mary Poppins: "Supercallifragilisticexpialidocious."
Mr. Banks: "Yes, well done! You said it!"
"Even miracles take a little time." -Fairy Godmother, Cinderella
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." -Walt Disney
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." -Walt Disney
"If you can dream it, you can do it." -Walt Disney
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." -Walt Disney
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
random thoughts from snow days
Well, it's been a while since I last wrote a blog post, so I guess I should go ahead and update it.
So I've been enjoying these extra surprise days off of school due to the "blizzard"...very nice! I'm guessing it's pretty sad that I was already desperate for a break from school when we just had two weeks off for Christmas and we have next Monday off...but what can I say, I'm a senior, school gets rough, and I like catching up on sleep every once in a while :)
So...I don't really have anything extremely profound to say, since I just decided to write this as an update, sorry. I guess I'll just talk about how excited I am that I only have a semester left of high school and after that will be headed to the best university in the nation...Auburn!
Haha, seriously though, having these few days off to kind of take a breath and relax, and to watch Auburn win the national championship, have been SO wonderful for me and have definitely helped me remember that balance is always a good thing. Meaning that I've realized if I would stop stressing out about school so much, I may actually have time to just FOCUS on what I need to get done and finish SO much faster, and then have time to do more fun things, like watch a football game with my family, go out with friends, watch a good old classic Disney movie, or even have a longer quiet time (if I could stop doing my homework in the mornings before school and finish it at night like I really should be able to do...). One thing that really hasn't hit me HARD until the past few semesters of my high school career is that life is tough and stressing out about it doesn't make it ANY better. For instance, I took AP History my sophmore and junior year and I continually let myself stress out, even though I knew I would finish my work (even if it meant staying up late and drinking lots of coffee) and I knew that it would all be over soon enough. Still, I was so set on trying to make sure I worked out everything and had control over what I was doing...I was missing the point!!!! This stuff is supposed to be hard (in fact, impossible at times) for me to do on my own, which is why God is constantly having to come back and tap me on the shoulder, clear his throat and say, "Ehem, that's my job. Would you please let me take care of it? Don't worry, you'll help." As I've begun to realize this and calm down about things that I know he will take care of, I've had less headaches over school, less stress...everything. I mean I definitely try to control things every day and have to constantly remind myself to chill out, but knowing that God is going to take care of everything is hands-down the only thing that I know will ever get me through anything in life. And I'm so thankful to know that.
Sorry that was about the most random string of thoughts I've put together, but hey....that's how I write.
I'll close with a verse, since that's kind of become my thing for these blog posts. This verse is one that I memorized with my Core Group once. It has been on a notecard on my mirror for the past two years and is a constant reminder to me to chill out and let God give me the peace I need to accomplish the goals that not only I have for myself, but also the goals that He has for me.
*"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7*
Grace and Peace.
So I've been enjoying these extra surprise days off of school due to the "blizzard"...very nice! I'm guessing it's pretty sad that I was already desperate for a break from school when we just had two weeks off for Christmas and we have next Monday off...but what can I say, I'm a senior, school gets rough, and I like catching up on sleep every once in a while :)
So...I don't really have anything extremely profound to say, since I just decided to write this as an update, sorry. I guess I'll just talk about how excited I am that I only have a semester left of high school and after that will be headed to the best university in the nation...Auburn!
Haha, seriously though, having these few days off to kind of take a breath and relax, and to watch Auburn win the national championship, have been SO wonderful for me and have definitely helped me remember that balance is always a good thing. Meaning that I've realized if I would stop stressing out about school so much, I may actually have time to just FOCUS on what I need to get done and finish SO much faster, and then have time to do more fun things, like watch a football game with my family, go out with friends, watch a good old classic Disney movie, or even have a longer quiet time (if I could stop doing my homework in the mornings before school and finish it at night like I really should be able to do...). One thing that really hasn't hit me HARD until the past few semesters of my high school career is that life is tough and stressing out about it doesn't make it ANY better. For instance, I took AP History my sophmore and junior year and I continually let myself stress out, even though I knew I would finish my work (even if it meant staying up late and drinking lots of coffee) and I knew that it would all be over soon enough. Still, I was so set on trying to make sure I worked out everything and had control over what I was doing...I was missing the point!!!! This stuff is supposed to be hard (in fact, impossible at times) for me to do on my own, which is why God is constantly having to come back and tap me on the shoulder, clear his throat and say, "Ehem, that's my job. Would you please let me take care of it? Don't worry, you'll help." As I've begun to realize this and calm down about things that I know he will take care of, I've had less headaches over school, less stress...everything. I mean I definitely try to control things every day and have to constantly remind myself to chill out, but knowing that God is going to take care of everything is hands-down the only thing that I know will ever get me through anything in life. And I'm so thankful to know that.
Sorry that was about the most random string of thoughts I've put together, but hey....that's how I write.
I'll close with a verse, since that's kind of become my thing for these blog posts. This verse is one that I memorized with my Core Group once. It has been on a notecard on my mirror for the past two years and is a constant reminder to me to chill out and let God give me the peace I need to accomplish the goals that not only I have for myself, but also the goals that He has for me.
*"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7*
Grace and Peace.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
define epiphany
I just had one of those moments where my brain thinks "epiphany." Just to be sure that this is really what I was experiencing, I decided to look up the definition of epiphany. According to the Google Dictionary (oh, I always "google" it.. google being a verb, naturally), the definition of epiphany is "the sudden realization or comprehension of the larger essence of something." Why, yes, I would say that is EXACTLY what I just experienced.
In case you don't know too much about me, I'm a senior this year and will be headed to Auburn in the fall. My plan as of a few moments ago was to major in Nursing. I can't necessarily say I was 100% sure about that at any point in time, but I did spend major (whoops...pun intended) amounts of time praying about whether or not this was God's plan for my life. I love helping people, and I feel like I would really enjoy getting to help people get well. But I also have many other traits and interests that have influenced my thoughts about majors in the past, but I kind of decided to do away with. For instance, I LOVE English. Seriously. Anyone who knows me well can back me up that I am a book worm, a spelling and grammar freak, and enjoy writing (for the most part...I'm not going to lie and say that I've enjoyed EVERY paper I've had to write for school). So a while back, I had considered majoring in English. I think I began to consider what a major in English would lead to in a career and all I could think of was an English teacher. And I just really can't see myself being an English teacher. I don't enjoy speaking in front of people unless I REALLY know them and I don't know that I'd ever feel comfortable actually teaching classes. I mean maybe that is something to still consider, I don't know. But as I was sitting here a few moments ago, reading a short story for my AP Literature class, I was making notes in the margins of the story and I stopped for a moment. I realized something. I really love doing this. I love reading a story, looking for the deeper meaning, making notes about the possibilities of what the author could be trying to tell the reader, all of it. It's something that I could see myself doing. I immediately stopped and began to pray that God would give me the wisdom to realize whether or not this was really something I needed to reconsider. I will still be praying about this for a while (probably until I graduate college...and I would be happy if you would pray for me as well) because I want to be sure that whatever I do...college major, career, life goals...always has God's will at the center. Always.
So what if I'm one of those people who changes majors in college (which I never wanted to be). If that's what God wants for me, so that I can learn why He doesn't want me to do one thing and why He does want me to do another, then I am completely alright with that.
I just wanted to share this because I feel like often times a really small thought can become an epiphany moment if you allowed God to really lay some thoughts on your heart. If you would just pause and listen. So I hope this is an encouragement to you that God can speak to you, even (and especially) when you're not expecting it. And if you just take a moment to listen, it can change your life.
*"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does....Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." - James 1:6-8,12*
Grace and Peace.
In case you don't know too much about me, I'm a senior this year and will be headed to Auburn in the fall. My plan as of a few moments ago was to major in Nursing. I can't necessarily say I was 100% sure about that at any point in time, but I did spend major (whoops...pun intended) amounts of time praying about whether or not this was God's plan for my life. I love helping people, and I feel like I would really enjoy getting to help people get well. But I also have many other traits and interests that have influenced my thoughts about majors in the past, but I kind of decided to do away with. For instance, I LOVE English. Seriously. Anyone who knows me well can back me up that I am a book worm, a spelling and grammar freak, and enjoy writing (for the most part...I'm not going to lie and say that I've enjoyed EVERY paper I've had to write for school). So a while back, I had considered majoring in English. I think I began to consider what a major in English would lead to in a career and all I could think of was an English teacher. And I just really can't see myself being an English teacher. I don't enjoy speaking in front of people unless I REALLY know them and I don't know that I'd ever feel comfortable actually teaching classes. I mean maybe that is something to still consider, I don't know. But as I was sitting here a few moments ago, reading a short story for my AP Literature class, I was making notes in the margins of the story and I stopped for a moment. I realized something. I really love doing this. I love reading a story, looking for the deeper meaning, making notes about the possibilities of what the author could be trying to tell the reader, all of it. It's something that I could see myself doing. I immediately stopped and began to pray that God would give me the wisdom to realize whether or not this was really something I needed to reconsider. I will still be praying about this for a while (probably until I graduate college...and I would be happy if you would pray for me as well) because I want to be sure that whatever I do...college major, career, life goals...always has God's will at the center. Always.
So what if I'm one of those people who changes majors in college (which I never wanted to be). If that's what God wants for me, so that I can learn why He doesn't want me to do one thing and why He does want me to do another, then I am completely alright with that.
I just wanted to share this because I feel like often times a really small thought can become an epiphany moment if you allowed God to really lay some thoughts on your heart. If you would just pause and listen. So I hope this is an encouragement to you that God can speak to you, even (and especially) when you're not expecting it. And if you just take a moment to listen, it can change your life.
*"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does....Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." - James 1:6-8,12*
Grace and Peace.
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