Let Your Hearts Be Light

A broken laptop. Still living in rent house. Missing school friends. Coffee spilled in new bag, staining beloved Little Women and writing book. Crochet hook lost. 

What do these have in common? They are all things that Satan could be using to try to steal my joy. They could be things God is using to teach me about not taking stock in material possessions. But one thing I know, in the long run they are all trivial. Looking back to think of my "poor me" list, I couldn't even remember half the things that had gone wrong last week. 

This couldn't have come at a better time and I praise God for it. Those "trials" helped me remember the main focus of this season and put me in my place. Here's my reasoning I've come up with for it: 

First, everything I have comes from God and is ultimately His. If He saw me becoming too materialistic, He has the authority to teach me a lesson. Second,  let's think about something for a moment. The Lord, King of kings willingly gave up the glories and riches of Heaven. Gave up His throne to do what? Be born in a primitive stable. Not even a small comfortable home. A stable. Born in a stable, surrounded by animals, to grow up in our dark world only then to sacrifice His life. I had to tell myself, "Elizabeth, He held nothing, NOTHING back from you. Surely you can offer to Him whatever He asks of you." 


Now that's not to say God asked me to sacrifice those things. Maybe He did, I don't know. But it did teach me a lesson. That if He did, I know I can- and should- joyfully and willingly. I also learned that Satan is still prowling around to attack. He wanted those little bumps in the road to ruin my week. He wanted me to throw a pity party and forget about joy. I wasn't going to give him points on his scoreboard though. With the power of the Holy Spirit I was able to grasp tightly to joy in Christ. 


Turns out, the broken laptop has led to me spending more time with my family, crafting, and reading. Still being in the rent house means a simpler, handmade Christmas. Missing school friends only means I'll appreciate them all the more when I return. The bag got clean, the book is still readable. On that note, when the coffee incident happened my Bible was in that same bag but saw no damage. For that I'm thanking the Lord. 


Friday afternoon sent thoughts of Philippians 3:7-8 swirling through my head, "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ" 

No, I did not suffer the way Paul did. I didn't even suffer at all. But I was encouraged to count all things as garbage compared to knowing the love of my Savior. 

In light of this, I hope this Christmas season finds you all well, dear friends. Let's look up to Heaven and rejoice in the best gift of all. Have yourselves a merry little Christmas and let your hearts be light, for Christ Himself said, " Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)

Veteran's Day! It's 11/11/11!

Hello friends! Wow, can you all believe its 11.11.11? Isn't that crazy?

But it's also Veteran's Day! I'm so thankful for people that have died and fought, protecting our country, and those who continue to do so.

Is there a veteran that you know? Be sure and thank them for their bravery and service!

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD." Psalm 33:12

Exciting news!!

Hello everybody! Its Emmy. Hope October has got off on a good start for you all!

This afternoon, I had ballet rehearsals, as I do every Saturday. Well, today while I was at my studio, I got an invitation to a competition in Denver called "Denver Ballet Guild: Young Dancers Competition"!! It will be held in March. I'm very excited! I am hoping and praying that I'll be able to attend!

Have a fantastic rest of your weekend!

Somewhere in the Middle You'll Find Me

I'm riding the fence. College or home? I am torn.
College. This has proved to be a blessing in so many ways! Besides the obvious college education factor, I have also become way more prayerful and reliant on God for the small things in everyday life. I have met incredible friends. I have a good job. I enjoy my classes, for the most part.. ;)  Chapel is amazing. I know completing a degree will help me, should I enter the work force. I even spoke with a man who works for a mission organization in Africa, and he told me about their need for Home-Ec-Education specialists to teach village people life skills! However I find myself feeling constantly surrounded, yet lonely. I don't feel like myself....but maybe this really is myself.....okay that's the extent of my philosophizing. Something doesn't feel right about being here on my own but having my parents paying for it and having to pay back colossal loans for it. Basically, I'm finding myself how I anticipated: desparately missing.....
Home. The whole reason behind my FCS-Ed major. SO MANY THINGS I miss (I won't go into listing them). SO MANY THINGS I would love to do there (maybe I'll share those later). Going back home would not mean becoming a lazy, couch potato, parasite. Nor does it mean letting my mind God has blessed me with go to waste. It is my goal and dream to become a domestic artist. I want to excel in the art of making a house a home; I want to be a blessing to my family and through them, other families. Why am I paying thousands and thousands of dollars to learn something my excellent homemaking mother can teach me through experience? What better way to learn about my passion, families, than to be engaged in my own? I would relish the opportunity to teach my sister and help her with her education. That right there would save us a couple dollars! Not paying private school tuition or private college tuition! I dream of broadening my sewing expertise, learning how to sew clothing and curtains! I want to learn more about gardening. I would love to learn home canning and preservation. I could acquire skills for financial management. The list goes on. Those skills could be taken to minister to others in Africa. Correct me if I'm mistaken, but a college degree is not necessary to teach over there.

Regardless of my situation and where I am, I still praise God! I'm thankful for Him being unchanging. He's the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He's the one constant in my life. There are so many things to praise Him for that I don't even have time to waste pining for what I don't have. I have made the decision to CHOOSE JOY and delight in the Lord's love!

Looking for a good book?

Hey friends! Emmy here.

Last week I got a great book at the library called "A Voice in the Wind" by Francine Rivers. (It's the first one in a series called  "Mark of the Lion".) It's about a Roman servant girl, during early Christianity times, and how she clings to God and her faith, to get her through tough times. I'm not finished with it yet, but so far, it's a good one!

Have a fantastic rest of the week!

How is everyone's week? We want to hear from you all!

Good evening, friends! It's Emmy! This week at my school, it's Homecoming week! (also called spirit week.) There's a theme for every day, so everyone dresses with the theme to show their school spirit! Today was "Twisted Tuesday" and tomorrow is "Twin Day". It's fun to see everyone's outfits and creations that they come up with!

Also this evening, Libby went to a mixer for a social service club there at Harding. She said it was great! Hope college is a blast, Libby!


So how are you guys? How has your year been so far? What have y'all been up to?

Send us a message or comment below! Have a wonderful rest of the week!

Coming to you live from Arkansas!

I am so sorry for being so hit-and-miss with my posting....I guess I'm not a very faithful blogging pal. I am now at college! I miss my family VERY much, but I'm really enjoying my experience here so far. It's a great school and I also have a great job in the Admissions Office! The whole schedule thing really agrees with me as well. Every day except for Tuesday I am finished by one, so that is all together fine with me!
Two exciting things from today: 1) I gave a tour of the campus to a girl and her dad who were visiting. 2) I went to a thrift store where clothes were a quarter, shoes and purses were 50 cents, and books were 25-50 cents!
Also, before I forget: does anyone do Pinterest? I just started yesterday. I must say it might be detrimental to me! ;) It is the most fun site ever! Pretty much people post pictures from blogs they like on "Pinboards" and you can go through and make categorized boards and look at pictures from other people's. Then you can pin them to your own. I am having so much fun with it! Check it out!

 

This is what you can get at a thrift store for $7.75:
5 shirts
3 skirts
1 pr. basketball shorts
2 pairs of shoes
1 purse
2 pairs of earrings
4 books
1 CD
1 silly wall hanging for a gag gift :)
1 basket

I think "Paws Inn" will be my new Saturday morning hang-out! haha!
I hope you all have a lovely Saturday afternoon. Go enjoy the outdoors or spend time with your family and watch some college football! Many blessings, friends!

Wow, what a week! (and now for a 3-day weekend!)

Hello friends! It's Emmy!
Well, I've started ballet classes at my new studio! 
I am exhausted after this week of dancing and schoolwork. It's been a few months since I've been in a ballet class, so I had some sore muscles the first couple of days.
But it was a good week, and I'm super excited to announce that I will be a part of the senior division of a company called Colorado Youth Ballet! My first rehearsal with CYB will be Saturday afternoon! :D

Also on Saturday, we have some dear friends from San Antonio, coming to stay with us for a little bit, over Labor Day weekend!

And last but not least, this Saturday, college football! It's game time! The Oklahoma Sooners (our favorite team, because we're from Oklahoma) will be playing their first game of the season against Tulsa! BOOMER SOONER!!!
I hope everyone has a fun, safe, and blessed Labor Day weekend!

School is in session!

Well folks, school has started! Hey there, Emmy here.

I survived my first week of sophomore year at Pikes Peak Christian School and I actually had a good week! My teachers are really nice and the classes are great! I'm taking World Literature, Chapel, New Testament Survey, Algebra 2, P.E., Introduction to Business, Chemistry, and World History.
 
Libby is at Harding, and will be starting her college classes tomorrow! Good luck, Libby! You can do it! 

We will keep you all updated on any school news or happenings.
Hope everyone has a great week!

House progress and other happenings

Howdy! Just want to give an update on our house that's being built and other things that we've done lately! 

The house is coming along very nicely! Lots of progress has been made....when I left for Utah, there was barely anything and there was a house when I got back!

Dad and Mom are sitting in the window seats in the future master bedroom.

Emmy in her room.

Doorway of my room.

Standing in the basement.

This is how we will get in and out of down stairs. ;) 

I am almost convinced you can do anything in a skirt. The past week I have: climbed down and up that window well, played basketball, and ridden my bike in one!

On Wednesday this week we visited the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo where we got to feed the giraffes!

Yum yum yum!

Up close and personal!

 

"Tutorial": Personalizing Towels-EASY!

Alright folks, here's the "tutorial" I promised. It's really so simple that you don't really need instructions. When I graduated I received a couple towel sets that were very generic. I wanted to be able to distinguish mine so I went to Hobby Lobby and picked out some wide ribbon that coordinated with both towel sets and sewed it on. 

What you will need:

• Sewing machine
• Towels
• Ribbon
• A good movie to watch while you sew! (This isn't essential, but it's fun)

How to: 

1. Measure and cut the ribbon, leaving a little bit of extra length on each end. 

     2. Pin down the ribbon across the towel.

     3. After you have pinned the ribbon all the way across, fold under the extra ribbon at the ends and sew them down. 

 

    4. Sew either down the top of the ribbon or the bottom, you choose! You can remove the pins as you go or leave them in- whichever you are comfortable with.

 

    5. Sew the other side. 

And there you have it! Your own unique towels! 

 

 

Back to School: It's that time of year again!

Hello friends! It's Emmy. How is everyone?
Well, summer is reaching its end, as that infamous day that every kid has a bittersweet feeling about, approaches. I'm talking about: the first day of school! Don't we all love it? ;)
This fall Libby will be a freshman at Harding University! I can't believe she's going to college! Love you Libby!
As for me, well, I'm proud to announce that I will be going back to school this year! So long home-schooling! It's been nice learning with you! This fall I'll be a sophomore Pikes Peak Christian School, which is a school at our church here in Colorado Springs. I plan on finishing up my high school career there. I'm actually kind of excited about it!
Will keep you all updated on school happenings.

Debates, Debt, and Deals

Hey everyone. It's Emmy!
I don't know if any of you out there have been watching the news lately, but for several days now, Congressmen, politicians, and the president have been trying to figure a deal for the nation's debt. (We like to stay informed via Fox News)
The debt ceiling deadline is in 4 days (Aug. 2nd) and today on the news they said if they(congressmen) don't figure out a solution, the government will "default" and the nation will not be able to pay it's bills. This to me is scary! And what's also troubling, is the fact that the president is showing a lack of leadership on this matter! He only makes speeches about the issue, he does not take action on it.
Just thought I'd share my thoughts on that.
Hope everyone has an incredible weekend!

Coming soon to a Dutch Umbrella near you.....

Dear readers, I am excited to announce that I will be posting my very first "tutorial" in the near future! I just started the project and will hopefully be done with it tomorrow as my plans to finish it tonight got derailed-but that's a different story. Anyway, I'm trying to remember to take pictures. Until then, I'll give you a preview:

For senior recognition night at my church I got two towel sets that were useful and nice, but very generic. They definitely need some personalization so I don't lose them at college. The "tutorial" is VERY basic and easy for anyone who can do a straight stitch on a sewing machine as it is just sewing on some ribbon to glam it up!

I can't wait to share with you! I hope this is just the first of many more projects to come. I imagine that I will have some more projects coming up since we are needing to watch how much we spend and go out right now. Things are going to get crafty around here! Not that we don't ever do them, but now that our activities are limited we can have more time at home to craft. So stay tuned and don't change that channel!

Summer Lovin', Lovin' Summer!

     Greetings Pals and Gals! (That line was borrowed from Grease...my fave line in the whole movie!) Anyway, I must apologize for forgetting about this. How neglectful I am! In my defense, however, we have been busy with packing, graduating, ballet recital, more packing, moving, and unpacking with some sight seeing and hiking mixed in! Summer always is the busiest season for our family. I wish I could catch you up on everything we have done, but I don't want to be a bore. So I will just tell you about our move to Colorado!

Our roadtrip to Colorado via West Texas

     Almost one month ago, we loaded up our cars and said goodbye to many wonderful friends in San Antonio. We are now in Colorado Springs! Praise the Lord for His magnificent creation! The mountains, weather, and scenery are simply gorgeous! We have had the opportunity to go on some challenging but fun hikes. We've also gotten involved in a new church family where we have been blessed with new friendships. I even met my future roommate for college at our church! That will prove to be a blessing if she and I ever drive home for a visit.

On a hike at the Air Force Academy

      As for our house, we are in the process of building a home on 2 1/2 acres and are in a rental house not too far from our land. Both homes are in the Falcon/Peyton community. I am right in my element here because it is a small town out in the country. The town has everything you need yet is roomy and uncrowded. What a welcome change to the crowdedness of San Antonio! We have a big backyard where I've planted six tomato plants, a gift from our realtor. Little Miss Pearl has ample room to run around. She enjoys exploring in this rural environment....sometimes we catch her digging holes to bury mysterious furry things. Ew! I think they might be rabbit feet. :(

This is the beginnings of our new house!

     Quite possibly the best thing about our rental house is our little visitor/resident: a baby bunny. Emily and I have named her Ivy. At least we think it's a her. She lives in a little hole right outside the front door. A few times I have gotten her to eat crackers from my hand! She also loves me to leave her some leaves of basil from my plant. ;o)

Ivy, the baby bunny

     Aside from our house, we have been making great memories by watching the Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman series (it takes place in the Springs)! The base library has the whole series. We were thrilled to find it! Although it's quite dramatic and sometimes borderline cheesy, it still is very entertaining! We also just went to a fun event at the Old Colorado City History Building. The society that runs it hosted an old fashioned ice cream social fundraiser. It was very fascinating and we enjoyed looking around that historical part of town.

Independence, CO: an old mining town, now a ghost town. We actually visited there on Independence day, the day it was founded!

     To celebrate the Fourth of July, we sisters took a road trip to Aspen, Colorado to babysit for our dear friends. IT WAS A BLAST!!!! See the pictures to find out what we did there! We drove through some mountain passes that were quite nerve-racking but we praise God for taking care of us and keeping us safe!

Independence Pass! As you can see, there was snow and it was pretty chilly!

 
     Hopefully this week I will get around to writing some more edifying and encouraging posts, but right now I need to go make a run to our local library and return some books!

A miner's cabin in Independence.

Book Review: Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

All I have to say about this book is that it will change your life and make you re-examine yourself. I'm nearing the end of it, but it has made such an impact on me that I can't wait until I finish to tell you about it!
Screwtape Letters is about a temptor/ devil, Screwtape, writing to his nephew Wormwood, a new temptor, about how to tempt and capture humans. Each devil is assigned to a human to tempt. Wormwood's man is a new Christian convert, so Screwtape is sharing his expertise and sure-fire strategies on temptation.
Probably the most incredible thing about this book is that C.S. Lewis put himself into their place to write it. He tried to get inside the mind of the devil and understand how he operates. Lewis says in the preface that writing Screwtape Letters was one of the hardest things he has ever done because of having to think how the devil and his helpers would think.
Many of the methods Screwtape recommends to Wormwood for tempting the man are things you and I might never think of, pick up on, or admit to. While reading through the book, I am convicted over and over, because it reveals instances Satan has used to attack me. While this is a scary thought, it also makes me all the more thankful for Holy Spirit and Christ's power in me.
Screwtape Letters gets five stars from me and a very high recommendation!

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  Ephesians 6: 11-14

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 1 Peter 5: 8-9

Easter Island

Hey this is Emmy!

     I don't know what it is, but something about Easter Island just fascinates me.
Maybe it's the mystery behind why those giant statues were carved, or why they border the small island.
Who carved them? How did they get there?
I hope to visit there one day. It's an amazing mystery.

By the way, Happy Easter! Do you think they celebrate Easter, on Easter Island? ;)

New York, New York!!

Hi everyone! This is Emmy! This is my first post to write on this blog!

Libby had mentioned something earlier in the blog about my trip to New York City!
Well, the trip has come and gone, and it was a blast! Me, the 2 other girls, and my ballet teacher had a great time touring, sight seeing, and enjoying the city! It was an unforgettable trip and experience. 

More details on the trip and pictures will be coming soon! (:

The End is Near!

No, this is not some post about the End Times, you can relax. :) The end I'm thinking about is graduation. At co-op today we took our Sr. group photo for the yearbook with our "Class of 2011" shirts and got our cap and gowns. I can't believe that in 3 months, my school career will be ended- but not my learning career. Such a drastic change like this will be weird, exciting and cool, but weird. As I get ready to "go out into the real world" (I really don't like that term, is it saying where I live now isn't real or something?!) I still haven't decided what I'm going to do yet about continuing education. I have too many choice, and time is running out. As I have been seeking God's guidance, another alternative came to my mind and I pray that it is His plan that has been revealed to me. It seems like it would be the perfect plan and I would get to do some great work for Him with my best friend! Like Dori says in Finding Nemo, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming", I have to "Just keep praying, just keep praying"! With graduation approaching, and deadlines for notifying colleges about my choice I humbly ask for prayers that God will clearly make known to me the best route for my next steps in life.
Other noteworthy happenings, one of my very best friends is coming TOMORROW!  And the lovelyTexas bluebonnets are in bloom! Praise God! I think they are my favorite of His beautiful flowers.

He first loved us

Yummy Valentine's Day cookies that got eaten up before the actual day!

Happy Valentines Day, dearies! I hope this day finds you all surrounded by a loving family, and sharing your love with others. As we think about today, the holiday for love, let us not forget the Greatest Love of all.

Love. It's crazy! What is it? Is it an emotion, a choice, a lifestyle? It is multi-faceted. Love for family, for friends, for spouses, for God. We even find different kinds of love, if you will, in the Bible. However, I think the best way for us to define love and how it relates to us is this: 

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.  In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.                                   (1 John 4:7-11)

I like to call that the "love chapter." 1John 4 is absolutely terrific! In that passage it gives the message of the Gospel: God loved us and sent us his only Son so we can live. It reminds us that we are sinners, and that we did not love God, but He loved us. Notice how it uses the word beloved. John's use of the word means: very dear, esteemed, favorite, and worthy of love. Wow! Continuing on in the chapter we see what life is like when we have the love the Lord and His Spirit living in us:

 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  We love Him because He first loved us.  (1 John 4: 17-19 emphasis is mine)

That last sentence gives love a whole new meaning to me. We learn in just eight simple words that the source of all love is from God. He created it, and gave it to us. That is the only way we can love, and we learn from Him. 

Dear friends, on this "love" day let us not get so wrapped up in mushy cards, candy, chocolate, and flowers that we forsake our First Love like the church in Ephesus did (Revelation 2:4). On the contrary, we should remember constantly the ultimate source for love- our Heavenly Bridegroom Jesus- and share His love with those who need it. 

Love your secret admirer, Libby (well I guess it's not a secret anymore!) :D

Howdy Friends!

It seems that since 2011 has been upon us, I haven't posted yet! The new year so far has been full of many new blessings and changes. I have also realized that I am terrible at taking pictures, as I hardly have any to share of our recent happenings. 
Some fun news is that we have been honored to receive the Stylish Blogger Award from Miss Frannie over at Authentic Virtue ! Thank you Frannie!
If y'all can wait just a second, I'm going to go get my camera and put the pictures on the computer to see if I have any worth sharing.  :P

Alright, I found some! 

Auto-timer, take 1...looks like I'm dancing!

The temps dropped on Christmas night so we bundled up for a walk!

I got to go visit my elementary school....happy memories!

Dad and I went to OKC to celebrate my lovely Grammy's birthday!

Hmmm...wonder what they could be....

I know these are overdue, but I was so excited with how they turned out I just had to share them!

 

Well with the New Year, here's what's happenin':

1. Co-op started! Emmy has: basic Chinese, Personal Finance, and study hall . I help teach 1st grade art, Drama, and Study Hall
2. I started helping on Mondays and Wednesdays at a Christian school where a sweet lady from my church is the principal. I help in the 3rd grade class, mostly with a little girl who lost her leg in a car accident and needs help getting caught up. It's such a blessing to get to spend time there and I hope I can be a blessing to the teacher and the 3rd graders. (there are only about 15!)
3. Emily is learning choreography for Beauty and the Beast ballet and getting ready for a trip to New York!
4. I have been reading 1 Samuel-2Kings in order to get ready for a mission trip to Arizona next month.
5. Last Saturday, we visited Medina Children's Home and had a wonderful time of fellowship and service with the teens there. (we picked up trash along the highway, and found some interesting rubbish such as a cowboy boot and a skull of some animal. [: )
6. And the most important news of all.....

             .....WE ARE MOVING! To Colorado Springs. Daddy had to go early so he left on Monday, but we won't be going until sometime in June. He'll be able to come back a few times. As much as I wish we could just up and leave, because i'm so excited, we must stay behind a while longer for co-op graduation and to sell the house. 
This move is such an answer to prayer. The Lord couldn't have chosen a better location for us to move. We have always loved His creation up in Colorado. The honor, praise, and glory all goes to Him for His unfailing faithfulness. Have a blessed week my friends! I'll try to post more often!

Homeschool and schedules!

Good afternoon folks! Today we are going to be talking about....schedules. Okay maybe not just that, we'll talk about other fun stuff too! Anyway, back to the schedule thing. For the homeschooled readers out there: What do your days look like? Is it structured with a daily schedule of when to wake up, do English, eat lunch, etc? Or do you use your homeschool freedom to the fullest extent by just doing whatever, whenever, as long as your work gets done everyday? I have some friends who say they wake up early to do their math, and others who tell me that they sleep til 10 a.m. and "go to school" in their jammies! So just for fun, I'd love to hear back about what y'all do!
At our house, we go by a loose schedule. By that I mean we wake up at a decent hour, have breakfast, and start the day. Some mornings we wake up earlier than others. We usually have lunch around noon, depending on what time we ate breakfast. The school work tends to wrap up around 2 or 3. And we hardly ever work in our pj's.

Also friends, I was wondering if anyone had any tricks to remembering when to use who and whom. I'm learning about it in English Comp. and I mostly have a grasp on it, but it still takes me a while to figure out which pronoun to use.

Hope the week is good and that everyone learns something new! Many blessings, Libby