guess what?

I just had one of my poems published on a website! cool, no? :) I dunno how amazing it is, cuz i'm not sure what the percentage of the contestants make it, but it's on a website either way! You can read it by going to voicesnet.org and on the column on the left, click on Poem Database (er something) and then click on "War" and then look for a poem by me! lol.

blessings,
~becca~

i'm alive :P

Hey!
just thought i'd post something to let y'all know i'm still alive and kickin just in case you thought i had died er something worse had befallen me. :) So yeah, I'm still here! I've SO enjoyed my holiday break and i'm SO glad i still have a whole week left of it! I have many things i want to accomplish before school starts up again, so i may be even more scarce on this blog then i have been! :P One of my goals is to finish reading "When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight For Joy" by Piper...then I want to read "Don't Waste Your Life" and "Desiring God" by Piper too. I've started "Don't Waste Your Life" already and i L.O.V.E it!!!!!! it is a MUST read! I'll post some of his thoughts sometime if i get around to it! :)
This next semester in school is gonna be a tough roller-coaster ride...my social life will suffer, my friends will suffer ;), and my reading life will suffer. But most importantly, i CANNOT let my spiritual life suffer! I will be doing 18 credits (more then my sis at the university!!) and i'll be at school all day every day (on Wednesday i'll be there until 5:50 :P) so it's a MUST that i set time specifically for my Bible reading. I am almost looking forward to the down time between classes (on one day i have almost 4 hours w/ no class) so i can do my devotions and my other reading. I can see myself cramming that time w/ homework tho, but i REALLY don't want to do that! you can pray for me! ;)
also, college apps are due...and i am nowhere near making up my mind on what i want to do. :P it's SOOO hard!!!!!! It takes faith to know that God has a plan for me, and i just have to be patient and ready to see it all unfold!
well, have a wonderful rest of your Christmas holidays!

on His adventure,
~becca~

...Missed you guys!...

Hey Ladies,
First of all I would like to have a HUGE round of applause for our dedicated friend, Bug. She has inspired, atleast me I know, with her "Christmas Series." (By the way, am I the only one who thinks she should write a book?!) I think she did and awesome job, and brought up many great points! Good job girl! We all love and appreciate you!
So, maybe Becca and I have been really busy, but I know that I'VE missed you guys. I feel like I've been out of touch with some very good friends for a very long time! I know that you great "fans," often keep us going! ;) You guys are awesome! I'm so glad that a few of you are still "bearing with us!"
Well, I hope you ladies' Christmas was as awesome as mine! We have some family staying with us, and we have had alot of fun together! I always hate the feeling of homework hanging over my head though! : / Oh well, bad things always come with good things! :) But I am lovin' the break! Have an awesome rest of "paradise!" ;)

In Him,
Byrde

The Shepherds

I apologize for not posting the last few days. Having company and being sick have kinda slowed me down on the important things in life. (Such as posting on the blog! :)) I apologize that today's post is shorter... As you probably gathered from the title, today's post will be about the Shepherds. I always loved this portion of the Christmas story because it clearly shows the majesty, yet humility of Christ's birth. The king of the universe has just entered the world and the whole universe is caught up in the drama. God Himself has come as a baby! As far as my human understanding goes, I would have chosen the powerful, rich, and influential people as the first to know about the Lord's birth. Surely more honor and glory would be given to God if they were chosen to be the ones to worship God. However, God, knowing best, chose the poorest of the poor...the most humble and downcast...the shepherds. God shows no partiality! It's the same for us, isn't it? We were the lowest of the low...dead in sin...yet he plucked us out of our helplessness and chose US to be part of the few that worshipped Him. God came to this earth in the most humble way possible, yet not even this could fully conceal His majesty and glory. We see a clear picture of this when the thousands upon thousands of angels are seen by the very same Shepherds, praising God.
Rejoice this Christmas season that God does not show partiality. He has chosen us to worship Him....and Him alone. We don't deserve to have God's love revealed to us, but because of his birth, we can.

XXXBugXXX

Mary's Response

Hi! For day two of our Christmas series we'll be looking at Mary. The life of this young woman is full of rich lessons for us women today. As most of you probably know, Mary was around our age. Scholars say she was probably in her later teens when she was chosen by God for this task. When I understood Mary was near my age, suddenly it becaome so much easier to relate to her. How would I feel in that situation? You have just been told by an angel of God that you will bear His child. I would be first hit by the honor of that choice. Then I would be humbled that God had looked beyond my failings and still chose me. I'm afraid, however, that soon I would be overwhelmed by my task. I would be so tempted to cry out God...asking Him to please choose someone else. I would ask Him how he expected me to deal with the social pressures... Obviously there were people in Mary's life who thought the worst of her...thinking she made up this specatcular story about an angel and the messiah to cover up her own sin. She was probably hated...Rejected...looked down upon by everyone. I'm sure doubts and fears arose in her mind, yet she chose only to respond, "I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said."
Like Mary, we have been given tasks from the Lord. No, none of us will ever be asked to bear the Son of God, but we have tasks just the same. I would go so far as to say that the tasks given by God to each one of us is equally important as Mary's task was. Some have been given a larger, more daunting task then others, but they are of equal importance on the kingdom of heaven.
However, our attitude towards God greatly affects how well he can use us. Like Mary, our response must be I am your servant. We must acknowledge that God is our master...The one that knows far more than we do. Our tasks may vary...God may call one to be a minister, another to be a janitor, still another to be a teacher, a singer, a wife... All equally important yet he calls us to do the task he has given us with diligence. He may also call us to undergo certian trials or suffering. Yet even in this we need to have submissive hearts...Hearts that accept His Lordship over us. May it be to me as you have said...
Remember that Mary's story should extend beyond the Christmas season. She should be remembered despite the season or time of year. What has God called you to do? Maybe he's called you to suffer...or lead many to his name. Whatever it is, seemingly big or small, I pray that you can respond with the same willingness as Mary. In the Magnificat Mary rejoices that God has chosen her for such a task. You also, rejoice for whatever God has chosen you to do for his name. It may seem too hard, but remember, with God, all things are possible!

The Mighty One has done great things for us.

Bug

Christmas Series

Hello! I am so sorry that the blog has been neglected for the past few weeks! Hopefully we can get back to it as soon as possible. Today I'll be started a new Christmas series for you guys. As an introduction, I'd just like to dwell on the significance of Christ's birth. First, I want you to think of God. What words or descriptions come to your mind as you ponder Him? Maybe you think of Power....Holiness...Majesty....Perfection....Faultlessness....Divinity.... All of these words only begin to describe the utter VASTNESS of God. We can never, never, never even hope to scratch the surface of the character of God. We do not know the depths of his attributes...I'm sure there are even characteristics of Him we have not even discovered yet! He is all-powerful, all-knowing, omni-present and the list goes on and on. In short, he is beyond us.... He is too much for our minds to wrap around. Please...don't let the magnificance of God escape you...It's what makes the Christmas story 10x more amazing! How can a God so beyond us become a tiny, helpless, dependant baby? We are speaking of the God who does not tolerate sin...yet, He chose to be born in a stable? The Creator of the Universe chose the lowliest and poorest of people, the shepherds, to be the first ones to worship His son. The commander of thousands upon thousands upon thousands of angels has chosen to come to earth. If that doesn't affect you then you've missed something. Why did the Creator come for the created? We'll never know why. Why He chose to display his bottomless love and unquenchable mercy to us is too beyond our imaginations. He didn't come because we deserved to be saved. He didn't come because He needed us. He came because it was His good pleasure that even more glory may be brought to His name. I hope the significance of that blows you away. Don't get caught up in the material side of Christmas. When you are receiving gifts, remember the greatest gift you've ever been given...The gift of God himself. The gift you and I did nothing to earn.
So...where would we be if Jesus has never come as a baby? Dead in our sin. Hopeless. Destined for wrath. What do you have that you have not received from God?! Obvious answer: nothing. Please...let's take a stand to remember the true meaning of Christmas. If Bethleham had never happened you and I would be nowhere.

Bug

Sorry...

The blogging board is very sorry that we have not posted of late. :( We're still debating what topic we want to do next! So...if you have any awesome ideas, now would be the time to let us know! If you have a specific thing you would like discussed, tell us! (Provided it has some spiritual significance) :) Meanwhile, sorry it's taking so long!

btw, meanwhile, check out the modesty survey on the rebolution blog. Basically, there is an open question/answer time. Girls can ask guys anything they want about modest dress and the guys will answer. If possible, join their forum and get involved! If you have any questions...here's your chance! Questions may be submitted until the 15th. We'll keep you posted on how this progresses and will probably post something about what the survey reveals.

In Christ~
Bug

Thursday 7

1. I've always wanted to visit Montana
2. Panda Bears have fascinated me for a LONG time. ;) I use to want a pet Panda...I still do! :)
3. I like Peanut butter on my pancakes
4. I can't stand cauliflower
5. OSU won the CIVIL WAR!
6. My favorite type of gum is Spearmint
7. A natural high is going shopping at the mall! :)

Bethi

Christmas Thursday 7

Hey all!
13 things about me and Christmas! ;)

1. I love Christmas...who doesn't?? i love all the celebrating and traditions that surround the holiday! yay.
2. I love drinking cider and eating sausage and cheese and crackers while decorating the tree...i usually help with the lights and let everybody else put on the ornaments. heh heh
3. eggnog makes me feel SO SICK!!! even smelling the nasty stuff puts me over the edge. bleck.
4. I love celebrating advent. oh goodie.
5. i love singing Christmas songs and eating yummy cookies during family devotions
6. I love going caroling. heh heh. even tho i've only gone once. OMW, byrde and bubbles, we should SOOOOOO go caroling during our co-op Christmas party!!!!! woohoo. *brain wave* what do ya think?????
7. I love remembering and pondering Christ's birth and Him coming to earth. it's amazing, and always leaves me wondering "WHY???" i guess we will never fully know...

on His adventure,
~becca~

Citizen of Another Country

I am a Swiss citizen. Most days I never remember that I'm a citizen of another country. Maybe only once a month it comes to my mind, when we receive the Swiss Review in the mail. Other then that I live my life like I'm an American. I do things like Americans. I speak in English, I dress like an American, I walk and talk like one. Even eat American food. Recently I was thinking about how really we ALL are citizens of another country! It's so easy to forget and go on living life like you belong where you are at. It's easy to fall into the pattern of the world, talking and dressing like the world would have us do so. We must remain heavenly minded, remembering that we don't belong here! Let's be proud of the fact that we are citizens of another country! When we talk let people hear that accent and have them wonder where we are from. When we dress, let people ask what makes us so different that we will not dress in the immodest way the world wants us to.
Hebrews 11:13-16 says, "And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of thier own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called thier God, for he has prepared a city for them."
We belong in a heavenly country. One that is pure, holy, and righteous. Don't be ashamed of that citiznship. ACT like you belong somewhere else. It's so easy to forget that and go on living life like you where made for this earth. I challenge you to not remember this once a month, or twice a year around the holidays, but EVERY DAY, be mindful that the way you speak, dress, and act should reflect your citizenship in God's country!

on His adventure,
~becca~

another quote!!

"Behind every great man, there is a great woman."

how true is this? Women either have the choice to tear down their man or build him up. If you look at the great men throughout history, look also at their wives! :) Just something to keep in mind when you get married! Ladies, we REALLY do have a LOT of power!! agree? :)

on His adventure,

~becca~

A mirror quote

This is an absolutely awesome quote from Voice of the Martyrs. I've had this pasted by my mirror for forever now, so I thought I'd share it with you gals.

I Stand

I stand with the apostle Paul in stating that “for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

I take a stand to honor the Lord Jesus Christ with my hands to serve all mankind.

I take a stand to honor the Lord Jesus Christ with my feet to spread the gospel to all the ends of the earth no matter what the cost.

I take a stand to honor the Lord Jesus Christ with my lips by proclaiming the Good News to all who hear and by edifying the Body of Christ.

I take a stand to honor the Lord Jesus Christ with my mind as I meditate upon His Word and His promises to me.

I give my earthly treasures and all that I posses to follow the way of the cross.

I commit to love my family, orphans, widows, lepers, the wealthy, and the poor the way that Christ loved the Church.

I surrender my will and life to His will and life.

I commit to the service of the Lord by being a good steward of my time.

I surrender this body on the earth to the perfect will of Jesus, and should my blood be spilled may it bring forth a mighty harvest of souls.

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb. I will seek to honor His command. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.

Lord Jesus, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

I love my America and my fellow citizens, and I claim America for Christ.


++Bug++

PRAY

Well, since we are on the guy/gal topic, I thought it applicable to add a quote from some missionarys we know. This is very thought provoking!

Patience (don't get ahead of the Lord in this matter; wait on Him and for Him);

Responsibility (focus on what the Lord has called you to do, and He will bring your spouse into your life at the right time);

Ask (we have not because we ask not; ask and you shall receive; be specific -- pray for a wife/husband just like the one described in Titus 2 or Proverbs 31);

Yield (the Lord Jesus will not reveal His will to us if we are not committed to obeying it; if your calling is to be single, accept it).

Bug

Thanksgiving

So...I pretty much decided that it was time to post, considering that my two bossom blogger buddies are off partying in Coos Bay...Coose Bay...Cose Bay...Coo's Bay...WHATEVER. Yeh, so my Thanksgiving was really, good I hope it was the same for ya'll! I dunno about you guys, but yes I was one of those crazy shoppers who got up at 5:45 this morning to hit the sale craze And Fred Myers, Khols, and wherever else. :) I honestly hope you all got to take just a few moments to consider the TONS of blessings the Lord has showered us with. I know like everyone says that, like every year. But seriously, think about it. I am SO blessed to have an AWESOME family who ALL care SO much about me. They have shaped me into the person I am now! :) And Jesus' saving grace, and my puppy, and my friends that mean SO much to me. You guys are SO great, and have encouraged me in SO many ways. I would not be where I am today if it was not for you guys. And even the "silly" things that mean alot to me, like moozic! (worship rocks! :) And sports, and color, and things that smell nice, pictures, clothes, and cars, and make up and...well yah get the point! :) But most of all, I'm SO grateful for the Lord's COMPLETE faithfulness that I have experienced over and over in my life. Most times it is when I look back and I fully realize it. Also his never failing love, no matter what I do, he will ALWAYS understand me and forgive me, his grace is astounding. Each day he shows me that i can trust him with my innermost thoughts and feelings. These attributes make Christ the Great Prince, the Lord of my Life and I love Him so much, and I am SO excited to be on this amazing journey!


Much love to each one of you,
Byrde

The Making of Poets

Here's the last of the articles! Enjoy!

and...HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you all! We'll be back sometime...dunno when tho. ;)

enjoy your weekend...eat lotsa food, and thank the Lord for His countless blessings!

on His adventure,
~becca~

The Making of Warriors Part 2

Here's part two of the articles! If you didn't read the one from yesterday, make sure you go back and read it, otherwise this won't make much sense! :)
Again, it looks like it is for guys, but just keep reading...

on His adventure,
~becca~

A Vision of Warrior Poets Part 1

Hey y'all!
Check out this article. It's the first of 3 articles I will be posting in the next couple of days. Please leave me comments and let me know what you think...whether you agree or disagree, what you liked about it, etc! btw, it seems at first that it is for guys, but keep reading! it's really for us girls! ;)

on His adventure,
~becca~

Fruits of the Spirit: Self-control

Woohoo! THE LAST FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT! And....how long did it take us to accomplish this? Okay...a few notes before I get started:

1. First of all, we took off the "Quote of the Day" Because there were some quotes that the blog commitee did not agree with :) Also, some people "Quote of the Day" displayed, the Blog Commitee does not choose to support. Sorry for this inconvience. :)
2. Second of all, I don't know if many of you know, but the "Hawk Nelson" link was not working. So I changed the link to their new site, that is still in progress, but it still has some good moozic available there. So go check it out!

So, self-control. What is there to say? Well...hmmm. Perhaps I should start with how important Self-control really is. 2 Peter addresses "Self-control" in chapter one:

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness; knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindess; and to brotherly kindess, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Clearly, if you possess these traits, it says that it will keep you from being ineffective. Truly, Self-control IS important. It's not just something your parenst taught you so that you would be better behaved. Self-control applies to SO many areas of life, and I know when I haven't controlled myself. After, as I have told many of my friends, I regret what I have done...and especially SAID. Everyone one of us needs to practice Self-control, and it is something inspired by the Holy spirit. So, this is pretty much all I have to say. But maybe you should consider this more than you have before. Like I said, we ALL need to work on it, Yes, that includes you! ;) So, I've tried to think twice about everything I say. (of course I don't do this all the time unfortuantely...wouldn't it be great if I did) And I find myself often thinking? Would that be proper? Would that be building someone up? Whatever is true, whatever is pure, whatever is right.

Live for Him,

Byrde

Becca's 7

Ok, pardon me if this is a little late :) and pardon me if any of these i've already posted, cuz i have a TERRIBLE memory!! :P

1) My knees always pop when I stand up
2) I'm tongue tied
3) I'm directionaly challenged. no joke. like on Thursday I got lost going to the orthodontist (sp). i had to turn around TWICE. then i got lost going to church that evening. I still don't know how to get to Old Navy, Christian Supply, or Kohls. ;P (the most important stores, right??)
4) I like chewing on gum. it keeps me occupied. especailly during boring classes *chomp chomp* *blows bubbles*
5) coffee cake + water makes me burp. hahahahaha. but you really didn't need to know that. LOL. hey, random, but my grandpa ALWAYS sneezes after he eats a peppermint. :P
6) Speaking of sneezing, I like to sneeze. loud. I love how it clears my head and scares the living cells out of everyone near me. :) *beware*
7) I hate going to the dentist. i mean, i'd rather go to the dump then the dentist. and yes, i've been to a dump, oh, 3 times. nasty places. so unsanitary. they're like, full of garbage. and they reek like trash. :P no duh.

Bug's 7

So much for keeping the "7 Facts about ourselves" for Thursdays....I never seem to find time on that day! Here's seven things I love~

1. Mini Coopers...(I have this really cute picture of a red one on the background of my computer)

2. Perfume....(I don't care if I knock you out...I love smelling good! :))

3. Electric guitars....(This is totally random, but they're just so SAWEET!)

4. Butterflys and Ladybugs....(Bug's favorite bugs!)

5. Sunday Comics

6. Curling up in front of the fire for a relaxing and quiet evening with a good book.

7. A book that holds you in suspense from cover to cover!

~Bug~

Oh Saviour, I have promised

O Jesus, I have promised
To serve thee till the end;
Be thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend:
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my guide.

Oh, let me feel Thee near me;
The world is ever near.
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear.
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

Oh, Jesus thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee,
That when Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And, Jesus, I have promised
To serve the till the end.
Oh! Give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.

- John E. Bode

Thursday 7

Seven things I can't STAND:

1. Nails down a chalk board (or glass!) duh! :)
2. "Light" hugs. Like when the person your hugging or who hugs you just like barely puts their arm around you and doesn't even let the full weight of their arm(s) drop down you. And they just like barely lean in. Oh man. I'm like...dude, if we're gonna hug, let's HUG! I probably smuggle people. But it seems so pointless to just like smile and "air-hug"! my word...
3. The smell of the recyling things for bottles. ewww...like the big ones with all those machines at Fred Myers or w/e. YUCK!
4. Young teenage couples making out in public! PA-leez!
5. Mashed Potatoes
6. People who think they are WAY cool, and somehow superior to everyone else
7. Going "shopping" when I have no money with me! :(

<>Byrde<>

"Only dead fish swim with the stream"

"A Real Woman" was taken from "The Rebelution" blog. I enjoyed this ALOT. It challenged me in many ways...Yay! *pastes on wall* :) Hope you like it too! Very convicting!

Much love,
Bethi


Written by Philip Hainline, Heidi Reimer, and Maria Reimer at the respective ages of 16, 19, and 17.

"A Real Woman"

A real woman . . .…is glad she’s a woman and rejoices in her femininity, expressing it through her attitude, appearance and bearing. (1 Timothy 2:9-10)

…does not compete for equality with men or chafe at God’s design for male and female, but delights in and understands the importance of her calling to complement man’s role. (1 Timothy 2:11-12, Ephesians 5:22-24)

…values the cultivation of her mind and diligently seeks after wisdom and knowledge. (Proverbs 22:17-21, 2:2-6)

…realizes her imperative need to allow the Holy Spirit to control her emotions and expressions of them. (James 1:19-20)

…does not wallow in self-pity or make a habit of voicing complaints, but radiates cheerfulness and joy. (Proverbs 15:15, Proverbs 17:22)

A real woman . . .…appreciates her father’s protection, and respects and submits to his authority. In so doing, she is preparing herself to exercise the Biblical role in her relationship with a possible future husband. (Ephesians 5:33-6:3, 1 Peter 3:1-2)

…is trustworthy and gains the respect of those around her. (Proverbs 31:11)

…restrains herself from listening to, or participating in gossip, but instead speaks with wisdom and discretion. (Proverbs 11:12-13, 22, 20:19, 3:11)

…encourages and builds up those around her instead of criticizing and tearing them down. (1 Thessalonians 5:11, Ephesians 4:29)

…does not have a nagging, contentious or manipulative manner in which she deals with others. (Judges 16:16, Proverbs 21:9, 19, 26:21)

…is not boisterous or loud in her speech or actions but is characterized by a gentle and quiet spirit. (Proverbs 9:13, 1 Peter 3:4)

A real woman . . .…portrays chastity, modesty and reverence in her manner, and wears the ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is her true beauty. (1 Peter 3:3-4, Titus 2:4-5)

…is not offended by respect shown her through gentlemanly courtesies (opening doors, etc.) but cultivates the differences between the sexes that make her worthy of this deference. (1 Peter 3:7, Mark 10:6)

…seeks to make God her number one desire and the Lover of her soul, knowing that only He can fully satisfy. (Psalm 73:25, Psalm 63:1)

…uses her years of singleness to seek and serve God without distraction, and is content to leave the details of her future to Him. (Psalm 73:25, Philippians 4:11)

A real woman . . .…does not relate to members of the opposite sex in a flirtatious or forward manner, but instead saves all her passion for her future husband. (Thessalonians 4:3-8, Proverbs 6:25, 1 Corinthians 7:1)

…holds her virginity before marriage sacred and will not compromise it for anything.(1 Timothy 5:22)


So, how'd you like it. Comment and let us know! What are your thoughts?!

Take Time to be Holy

Take Time to be Holy

Take time to be holy,

Speak oft with thy Lord;

Abide in Him always,

And feed on His word.

Make friends of God's children;

Help those who are weak;

Forgetting in nothing

His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy,

The world rushes on;

Spend much time in secret

With Jesus alone;

By looking to Jesus

Like Him thou shalt be;

Thy friends in thy conduct

His likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy,

Let Him be thy guide,

And run not before Him

Whatever be 'tide;

In joy or in sorrow

Still follow thy Lord,

And, looking to Jesus,

Still trust in His word.

Take time to be holy,

Be calm in thy soul;

Each thought and each motive

Beneath His control;

Thus led by His Spirit

To fountains of love,

Thou soon shall be fitted

For service above.

hymn of the day. ;)

blessings,

~becca~

Stuck in a Rut

Have you ever felt totally stuck? Like life was just a wheel that keeps going around and around? I'm feeling that way. I really don't like routine. It's kind of weird, but I've just started to notice that about myself. I'm more of a random person who likes spontaneity in life. ;) Maybe college isn't the thing for me. It's like I don't have a life and my classes are dictating it for me. Every day is the same...get up...go to class...get home...do homework...eat dinner...do the dishes...drop dead into bed...wake up...go to class, etc etc etc. *sigh*

am i the only one who ever feels this way??

~becca~

Quote!

I've given up saying which ones are my favorite quotes. They're all so good! Here's one by Betty Stam, a martyr for our Lord.

“Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own
Desires and hopes,
And accept Thy will for my life.
I give myself, my life, my all
Utterly to Thee, to be Thine forever.
Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit.
Use me as Thou wilt,
Send me where Though wilt,
Work out Thy whole will in my life
at any cost
Now and forever."

~Betty Scott Stam

Bug

"Thursday" 7

1. I LOVE HAWK NESLON's....music. Not them. lol
2. The "child-catcher" in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang scares me...like he SERIOUSLY looks like Michael Jackson. NO lie man.
3. Um, k, moment of honesty *sucks in huge breath* the T.V. show "Mr. Rogers" use to scare more than anything. I would run into my room and hide under the bed. I'm not kidding! :(
4. I like Frank Peretti books
5. I swam in in a lake in Switzerland that was "run-off" from a glacier, and it was raining. Um, yeh I just about froze.
6. Mulan is my favorite princess
7. I have been used in part of miracle.

}"Bethi"{

Bug's Thursday 10

Okay, here's 10 things that I would never do!

I would never~

1. Go skydiving.... (Now I know this is a touchy subject for some of you cwazy/idiotic people, but I am all for the feel of ground beneath my feet!)

2. Eat bugs....(Despite the fact that considering my nickname it would be considered cannibalism...I still would never eat the crunchy things! Unless, of course, there was some reason I had to. :P)

3. Be seen in public without earrings! (It's like being.....unclothed! Random fact of the day, I collect earrings...I am already at a whopping 56 pairs. :P)

4. Kiss a snake! (MJ...I'm sorry...I know how close you are to reptiles, but putting my ruby red lips (rofl) anywhere near some scaley THING is just wrong.)

5. Propose to a guy. (That's is just WRONG! Talk about tolly reversing roles! btw, I am talking about marriage proposals here, not bussiness proposals. :P)

6. Play the part of a crazed fan. (Can't you just see me screaming my lungs off for just one glimpse at my most glorious someone?! I shall remain dignified till I drop dead. (We can all hope you never catch me in a moment of weakness.)ROFL. )

7. Go backpacking. (If I was given the choice! Going with friends, though, is different. :))

8. Swallow a live gold-fishy. (Again a touchy issue. I know some of you have done that. :) That's so....so....so...inhumane! rofl. And....unsanitary! lol. :P)

9. Squash a spider. (EEWWWWW! The feeling of crushing miniscule bones is not on my top-ten ways-to- make-myself-feel-happy list!)

10. Shop at the mall in my pajama pants. (This seems to be like a new style or something!)

XXXXX Bug XXXXX

Most embarrassing moment: REVEALED!!

Ok, I don't think I've ever told anybody this before. It's my WORST embarrassing moment. I'm not sure why I'm sharing this cuz telling it might rank up there with the top 5 embarrassing moments...BUT, I think it is most hilarious on this side of things so I'll spill the beans. ;)

So, I must give you some background infromation first. Mom went to the beach with her good friend from CoosBay several years ago. I must have been in the 7th or 8th grade. I'm not sure exactly. Anyway, mom and this friend went out to eat on their way home from the beach at a restaurant next to Camp 18 (which i'm sure you've all been to...the water they serve is GROSS, isn't it?? lol). Mom ordered a hamburger I think, with extra thousand island dressing...which turned out to be way too old and rotten. Sickness followed. However, none of us knew it was food poisoning because food poisoning can hit 24 hours after the bad food is eaten. Nobody connected it in their minds. WELL, maybe somebody did, but didn't feel the need to share it with me. :P Anyway, I do believe AnnaChristie and Holly and I were at youth group while mom was home being sick. Dad had told us before that if it got any worse we would have to take her to the hospital. Half way through youth group, Dad shows up. SO, I immediately assume that mom is worse and therefore we are taking her to the hospital. Mistake #1. Mistake #2: I told my friend that we were rushing to the hospital. Mistake #3: My friend told the youth group. Mistake #4: The news traveled ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PRAYER CHAIN. Of course, I didn't know half of that until later. So, we're rushing home, and I'm practically praying that mom will have to go to the hospital. :P However, Dad didn't think it was nessecary. Later that night the pastor's wife calls, and said to Dad, "I called every hospital in the area and couldn't find her." Dad said "she just has a stomach ache". LOL. food poisoning, if you know, does NOT AT ALL come close to "just a stomach ache". It added to my embarrassment of course...the whole prayer chain alerted!!!! dear me. Well, you wouldn't believe all the weird looks we got that Sunday. Or how many people came up to me saying "Your the one with the mom in the hospital?" :P

ok. that was...embarrassing. hope you all enjoyed laughing at my expense. ;)

until I post again...
~becca~

A New Blogger!

Hey y'all!
Hop on over to my cousin's new blog and give her a grand welcome into the blogging world!! :) She's the one I mentioned last Thursday 7 about us having written letters to each other for so many years! ;)

blessings,
~becca~

P.S. ONE more post on the fruits of the Spirit! hang in there! :) I will TRY to post on self-control tomorrow, but I'm not gonna make any promises on that. I've got tons of stuff to do for Friday! *wink*

Wednesday evening 7 :P

7 random things I want to do before I die:

1) I REALLY want to ride a motorcycle. But only with someone I really trust. And only on some country road way out in the middle of nowhere, where there are no speed limits. jk.
2) I want to go jet skiing. It looks like SOO much FUN! WOW!!!
3) I want to get married to some awesome, handsome guy and have really cute kids. ;)
4) I want to have 10 puppies at one time. ok, this is getting a little far-fetched...but still..ya know. whatever. ;)
5) I want to travel the world. I love traveling...i adore exploring new places
6) I want to lead at least one person to the Lord
7) I want to be a missionary to either Israel or Russia.

wow. i've got lots to do! I'd better go!! ;)

blessings,
~becca~

Bug's FaVoRiTe Quote eva!

This is the most awesome quote ever! It's so amazing! Next time you're going though a hard time, read this! It puts everything into perspective!

“In times of trouble say:
First, he brought me here. It is by his will I am in this strait place;
in that I will rest.
He will keep me here in his love, and give me grace in trials to behave as
His child.
He will make the trial a blessing,

teaching me lessons he intends me to learn,

and working in me the grace he means to bestow.
And last, in his good time he can bring me out again.
How and when, He knows.
Therefore, I will say,
I am here by God’s appointment,
In His keeping, under his training,
for His time.”
~Andrew Murray

~Bug~

learning to trust God with my future

Today at PCC, I talked with an advisor about the degree I want to pursue: Vet Technology. I love animals, as you all know, and enjoy science so it seems like an ideal thing for me to pursue. However, there are so many thing that I have to do to get into the program. I have to trust God completely and if that is what He wants me to do, then He will open the doors. Not only is it a competitive program, but most students applying already have college degrees. They are practically guaranteed a spot in the program. Only 25 students are accepted each year, and 50 to 80 students apply. Basically I won't know if I've gotten into the program until June. Which is too late to apply somewhere else so I have to think about Plan B and Plan C now and trust that God will do the rest. It's comforting to know that God will show me His will. I just have to be patient and willing to see His plan unfold in my life.
Pray for me, as I strive to meet the necessary requirements and deadlines. It is going to be very streching for me, but I know I will have MANY stories to share with you of God's continuing faithfulness in my life!

ForeverHis,
~Becca~

Gentleness

I've been pinched and prodded and yelled at and....ya, so now I'm posting...finally! :) I understand I have failed all my friends and am a discredit to the blogging world. Well, now that I've got that off my chest...gentleness. Here's a quote defining gentleness from "A Young Woman's Walk with God":
"Gentleness~
. means to be gentle or meek, to be lowly or humble,
. is a form of self-control that Christ alone can give,
. expresses itself in a submissive spirit toward both God and man, and
. is the opposite of self reliant arrogance."

I hope you all have realized by now that it is impossible to live out the fruits of the Spirit without the Spirit! Gentleness is gleaned from God alone! Only in a right relationship with God can gentleness be cultivated in our lives. Like all the other fruits of the spirit, gentleness gives a clear picture of God's presence in our lives. "Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near."
So often when we think of gentleness we are reminded of wht gentleness looks like in action. However, for this post, I want to focus on a heart of gentleness.
We must ask ourselves, why is gentleness so important to God? In 1 Peter 3:4 we are told that a gentle and quiet spirit is precious in the sight of God. By definitiont, gentleness is a heart that is at rest. A heart not tossed about by worries or doubts. Gentleness means trusting in God. A spirit of gentleness is a spirit at peace. Gentleness means submitting to the Maker.
Gentleness also means "to be tamed". "The word tame, which is the opposite of wild, describes one accustomed to control by another. The word also suggests one whose will has been broken or who has allowed himself or herself to be dominated by the will of another. Speaking as a teenage girl I can generally say that my gender is typically "emotionally unstable". (No insult intended) :P However...it's true! We live on this emotional roller-coaster of worry, depression, anxiety and whatnot! Yes, we have wild hearts! We need our Lord to tame our spirits and bring our hearts under His domination. We have our will and worries, but we need to submmit those to God's authority and power. Whenever you feel like there is a tempest going on inside of you, remember that peace is yours to obtain if you submit to God. I know I've only gone into one small corner of the huge picture of gentleness. I would encourage you guys to go study it more because the jewels to be found are amazing!

~~~Bug~~~

Saturday 7

Well, since everyone else did this...I'd better do it as well!

1. I played basketball for two years and soccer for one year.

2. My favorite sport is swimming. I would tolly do the swim team if I had the time!

3. My favorite dog is a Burnese Mountian Dog

4. I love the ran...It makes me sooo happy!

5. I have never been on an airplane. (My first time is coming this Spring!! *Falls off chair in excitement* :P)

6. I hate chocolate cake and ice-cream...bleck!

7. I HATE answering the phone...It freaks me out! I mean, hey...who knows what kind of freaky individual is lurking on the line! :)

Thursday 7

1.) Well, first of all, I haven't done this in a while! :) My deepest apologies!
2.) I wear a little of almost every style: punk, formal, sporty, fancy, funky, traditional, yatta yatta
3.) Volleyball starts next week and I'm SOOO excited...like you wouldn't believe! ;)
4.) I took an art class at Heritage Highschool
5.) I like Bichon Frises
6.) I ran up the down escalator, HUGE one mind you!
7.) I LOVE sugar...like I could literally eat JUST sugar. mmmmm. :P

<>Byrde<>

Thursday 7

Seven things you may not have known about me:

1) I did gymnastics for 2 years...then I got too tall. :) jk. that was before I was...tall.
2) I have played basketball for a total of 5 years.
3) I was in a choir for 7 years...2 different choirs.
4) I've moved twice. When I was 3 months old we moved from Bellevue, WA, to a little farm house, then from there to the house we live in now...and we've lived here for 17 years!!
5) I am a HUGE letter writer. I've had too many pen pals to name. My cousin and I have written each other for the last 9 years. I've kept every single letter...there are around 100. ;)
6) I'm the official phone answerer in our home. lol.
7) AND, i love dogs. wait, you already knew that. oops. aw well.

blessings,
~becca~

howdy ye peoples!!

hey y'all!
sorry it's been so long since i've posted! The football game was SO much fun! The weather was as good as can be expected for fall--cold and crisp. BUT, it didn't rain, so for that I am thankful. It was a competely sold out game...58,600 people in attendance or so. It's always fun hanging around football fans. They really get into the game! WOW. It's better now that alcohol has been banned...not quite so crazy. :-P
So, I promise I will post on self-control as soon as bug posts on gentleness. ;) *pinches Bug*

foreverHis,
~becca~

Discussion

"Sweet is true love that is given in vain, and sweet is death that takes away pain."



Alrighty, we're gonna try something new here! So, this is going to be a discussion group/loop/room, thing...w/e you wanna call it really! But, yes, everyone who would like to is going to discuss the quote above by commenting. So, for this particular Group discussion, I was thinking people could comment on what the quote means to them, or what they THINK it means, etc. So, please join in the discussion, and we love hearing from you!

<>Byrde<>

Boasting in Weakness

These past few weeks, I guess you could say, I've been confronted with my own weaknesses. I was feeling so discouraged and down as I considered my failings which are oh-so common. It seemed like I was messing up everything and that I couldn't do anything right. One particular issue was frusterating me, because I'd been trying over and over and over again to overcome it and still every time I would slip up. However, as I was studying my Bible today I decided to look for as many verses as I could that talked about God being the Strength for the weak. It occured to me that I was trying to do everything on my own instead of accepting much needed help from God. Here are a few of the verses I found~
Psalms 28:7~ The Lord is my strength and my sheild. My heart trusts in Him and I am helped.

Philipians 4:13~ I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Isaiah 40:31~ Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

I was so convicted...God told me clearly to stop looking at my weaknesses and start seeing His strength. So often I've told God that there was no way I could go through with what He was telling me to do because it was just too much for me. Yes, too much for me to handle alone, but so easy to handle with God! We need to recognize our weaknesses, because our weakness will show us our need for Him. Yet, so often all we pay attention to is our own failings and we ignore His power. Recognize your need. Recognize the One who answers that need. I was especially touched by 2 Corinthians 12:9 because it felt llike it was speaking directly to me: "But He said to me, "My grace is sufficent for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest upon me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I felight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

God is the answer to our weakness. The power in our limitations. The strength that makes up for our flaws.

Bug

Thursday 7

7 of the weirdest/freakiest things that have ever happened to me:

1) I've been chased by a baby weasel. A wild one I might add...and it was in our shop. :P It was scary cuz it was HISSING at me!!! lol.
2) I almost got a guy arrested. (note the almost...well, i wish he had been...BUT we won't go there)
3) I almost picked up a deer's leg to throw for our dog Belle, thinking it was a stick. BOY, did i SCREAM when I saw a hoof attached to the "stick". :P *shudders
4) I've been chased by a mentally unaware man. yikes.
5) I almost died once. I dunno when, where, why, or how, but i'm sure at some point I've almost died.
6) I was bitten on the cheeck by a poodle when I was little
7) This really has to do with all of us girls, cuz I won't take full responsibility, but we messed up our neighbors field so badly that we were kicked out. that was weird. and slightly embarassing. anyway, that's all for now! ;)

blessings,
~becca~

I'm. going. to. a. football. game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HEY EVERYBODY!!!!
mesa going to a Duck football game on Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *jumps up and down* I'm SOO excited! hopefully it will be nice weather cuz last year I went and I got Drenched. like, soaked to the bone. tee hee. anyway, i just had to tell that to somebody. ;)

~becca~

Wait...

This is an amazing poem I found on another blog. It was really convicting, and I thought I'd share it with you.

Wait
by Russell Kelfer

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;

Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.

I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate...and

the Master so gently said,"Wait.""

Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply.

"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!

Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?

By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

My future and all to which I relate

hangs in the balance and you tell me to Wait?

I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign.

Or even a 'no,' to which I'll resign.

You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,

We need but to ask, and we shall receive.

Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:

I'm weary of asking! I need a reply."

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate

as my Master replied again, "Wait."

So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,

and grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting...for what?"

He seemed then to kneel,

and His eyes met with mine...and He tenderly said,

"I could give you a sign.

I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.

I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.

You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.

You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint.

You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.

You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;

you'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.

You'd not know the joy of resting in Me

when darkness and silence are all you can see.

You'd never experience the fullness of love

when the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.

You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,

But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

The glow of My comfort late into the night,

the faith that I give when you walk without sight.

The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask

From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

You'd never know should your pain quickly flee,

what it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.

Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,

but oh, the loss if I lost what I'm doing in you.

So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see

that the greatest of gifts is to truly know me.

And though oft My answers seem terribly late,

My most precious answer of all is still

"WAIT".

~Bug~

Fruits of the Spirit: Faithfulness

Faithfulness:
There are so many applications for the word. Faithful to a friend, or husband. Or, maybe a promise. But I'm going to talk about the Lord's faithfulness to us. It's amazing how many times I don't realize it. And then, there are those time's when it's just overwhelming. It is amazing to think, no matter WHAT I do, it's never going to change his love for me. It's SO faithful, that there is nothing that can be compared to it. His unswerving devotion is not understandable to us fully, because we can't grasp it.
"He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow..." Just think about all those moody people out there isn't it great He isn't like that?! Not the least little bit. He will always be there, He will always love us. When he fail, we ex-communicate ourselves from Him, it takes time for us to realize what we done, and come to Him again. Lay everything at his feet, and whole-heartedly seek his forgiveness. It is then that we see his faithfulness to except us, and he waits until we see what we have done, he convicts us of it...and waits for us. He is always forgiving. Always. And each time he's completely forgiving, and forever loving. How amazing is our God?! No one compares to him! Nothing compares. I want to live my life completely devouted to the only one, the holy one.

<>Byrde<>

Food For Thought

For my devotions today, I read a part of the book "Knowing Scripture" by R.C. Sproul. He brought out the most interesting point, so I thought I'd share it with y'all:
(he's talking about why people don't study the Bible and the myths they believe about it)
"Myth: The Bible is boring.
If we press people for an explanation for what they mean when they express the first myth [the Bible is too difficult to understand], usually they respond by saying, 'Well, I guess I can understand it, but frankly the book bores me to death.' This statement reflects not so much an inability to understand what is read as a taste and preference for what one finds interesting and exciting.
The preponderance of boredom that people experience with the Bible came home to me sveral years ago when I was hired to teach the Scriptures in required Bible courses at a Christian college. The president of the institution phoned me and said, 'We need someone young and exciting, someone with a dynamic method who will be able to 'make the Bible come alive'.' I had to force myself to swallow my words. I wanted to say, 'You want me to make the Bible come alive? I didn't know that it had died. In fact, I never even heard that it was ill. Who was the attending physician at the Bible's demise?' No, I can't make the Bible come alive for anyone. The Bible is already alive. It makes me come alive."


foreverHis,
~becca~

I'm baaaaaack!!!!

Hey all!
I'm back! Did ya miss me?!?! :) My week was crazy insane. This morning was even worse! lol. If that's possible. Basically, a few days before, our electricity went out for awhile...and I forgot that when that happens it changes my alarm clock from a.m. to p.m. :) SO, as you can imagine, bedlam ensued this morning, when I woke up at 7:36...and I was supposed to have left the house at 7:30. Hey, ya know, at least I woke up! I could have slept all the way til 12! :)
But, I was appeased when I got my score today for my German class!!! WOOT! Listen to this those of you who heard me whine about my oral exam last Friday...I got 100%!!!!! I was like NO WAY! Yes way! lol. My mind was blown away to oblivion. Then, I got my score for the whole class this far and it's really good too! (but not 100%, just so y'all don't think I'm some kind of brainy-ack) Pretty much, it was a good day...after 8 a.m. :) And I was really productive and bathed Callie. She reeked. I mean bad. But, now she smells like flowers. (we were out of dog shampoo and I used our cheap old shampoo). ;)
Oh, more random nothings: Just so y'all know where I stand on the World Series, I'm SOO rooting for the Tigers to win!! ALL THE WAY DETROIT!!! WOOHOO! Any red birdy fans can just click that little red x at the top right of your screen and all will be well. No leaving hateful/spiteful/nasty comments on this blog! :)
Also, anybody ever seen "The Importance of Being Ernest"? (or is it Earnest?? whatever...) My point is, it's the most hilarious spoof on Jane Austen movies I have ever seen! *sees a movie night in the future* (MJ, call me! mesa home ALL day tomorrow! :)

peace out~

~becca~

*wins blog award for the most random post ever*
*although, your post below, byrde, was kinda random too* lol. Glad to have ya back, girl! POST AWAY!!!!!! tee hee

Wow...

Okay, it seems we've all been declining our blog! ;) So, i just wanted to let ya'll know I'm doing fine...can't really speak for the others! ;) I, for one, have been pretty darn busy with school....yatta yatta. Whatever else female teens do...yah know, get make overs, do your nails, watch movies, hang with friends, hit the mall. No, not really. :) I'm not THAT bad! ;) I just wanted to "stop in" and say "hi!" LOL. Your prolly all thinking what a pointless post this is. But, HEY! That's what I'm here for!


Love you all,
><



Ha-ha-ha---ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-HEY!

My Favorite New Quote!!! :)

A woman's heart should be so close to God that a man has to seek Him to find her.

Thursday 7

Seven things that scare me: :)

1. Mannequins. They.terrify.me. Dead serious. I will walk past one at the mall or whatever and literally jump cuz they "startle" me. :P
2. Squishing spiders. Bugs don't really bug me (lol), but hearing them go "crunch" is beyond my tolerance level.
3. Public Restrooms. No, not cuz of the germs, but who knows who could be hiding out in there???
4. Seaweed, or any underwater objects. It's really weird cuz I LOVE swimming and doing anything in the water, but I will seriously PANIC if I see anything in the water. (I'm working on that you know) :P My imagination is way too wild.
5. Doing stuff in front of a class. Like speeches or demonstrations. ARGHHHH on computer apps class! :P
6. Losing my dog. She's gone missing before, and it's always freaky. :(
7. Spooky people. w00t. ;)



~becca~

my new mini-series

So, now that I finished my posts on music, I thought I'd start another series on friendships.
There are many qualities to look for in a friend. I'm going to focus on one today. This really isn't just "how to find a great friend", but "how to BE that amazing friend". I want to talk about showing interest in others. It is one of the most important things in a friendship. The biggest turn-off for me, is talking to someone for 15 minutes and never answering one question. I can't tell you how many times that has happened to me. It's SO discouraging and makes me never want to hang out with that person again! Not that I'm selfish and only want to talk about myself all the time. Think how unloving it is to never show interest in other people's lives.
(Just to put all your hearts at ease, all the people I know who read this blog are AMAZING at showing interest in others! Seriously! :) This is just something to keep in mind though.)
It is unkind and unloving not to show interst in other people. It screams "I don't care about your life, my life is way more important." Maybe they don't mean it that way always, but seriously. Sometimes I wonder.
One way to show interest in people's lives is to learn to be a good listener. I really love listening to people talk. Even if I have no idea what they are talking about, I love seeing them get excited about something that floats their boat. :) Some are better listeners then others, but we ALL need to grow in this area. If you're not a listener, you can't resolve conflicts, be a good friend, or discuss anything for that matter!
I am closer to some friends then others. I'm sure you can say the same thing about the people you know. Some are just better friends. Those who I am closer too are the ones who know the most about me. And how do they know stuff about me? They ask questions. And we are closer because of it. It's really quite simple. And it's NOT HARD!! It's FUN to get to know people! Everyone is different. Everyone has different interests, likes, dislikes, backgrounds, etc. It is an adventure to talk to people if you know how to listen!


ForeverHis,
~becca~

Hanging by a Moment Here With You

"desperate for changing
starving for truth
closer to where I started
chasing after you

I'm falling even more in love with you
letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you

forgetting all I'm lacking
completely incomplete
I'll take your invitation
you take all of me now

I'm falling even more in love with you
letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you

I'm living for the only thing I know
I'm running and not quite sure where to go
and I don't know what I'm diving into
just hanging by a moment here with you

there's nothing else to lose
there's nothing else to find
there's nothing in the world
that could change my mind
there is nothing else
there is nothing else
there is nothing else

desperate for changing
starving for truth
closer to where I started
chasing after you

I'm falling even more in love with you
letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you

I'm living for the only thing I know
I'm running and not quite sure where to go
and I don't know what I'm diving into
just hanging by a moment here with you

just hanging by a moment
hanging by a moment
hanging by a moment
hanging by a moment here with you."

<^>Lifehouse<^>

HOT! A fact about Bug....

I am having way too much fun posting random things....Sorry, one last thing. This is my favorite perfume! Woot!

Far Side...completely random

Bug

Jesus Christ Satisfies

There's not a craving of the mind

Which Jesus cannot fill.

There's not a pleasure I would seek

Aside from His dear will.

From hour to hour He fills my soul

With peace and perfect love;

While rich supplies for ev'ry need

He sendeth from above.
The joys which this vain world bestow

Have lost their charm for me.

Once I enjoyed its trifles too,

But Jesus set me free.

Its joys will perish in a day,

Its pleasure quickly fly;

Its mirth like mist will pass away,

And all its honors die.
He stilled the angry tempest's power,

Which raged within my heart;

And bade each sinful passion there

To speedily depart.Y

es, Jesus is my All in All,

He satisfies my soul,

For me He died on Calvary,

And now He makes me whole.
Yes, Jesus is my Lord alone,

My Rock, my Strength, my Song,

My Wisdom and my Refuge safe;

To Jesus I belong.

He is my Advocate with God,

My Way, my Life, my Light,

My Great Physician and my Friend,

My Guide by day and night.

~Bug~

After all this time...

Girls, after all this time I've just discovered what kind of person I am! :P I was in a very random mood and took a bunch of online personality quizzes...they were very..ummm..interesting! So, here's the several daily facts about Bug told by someone other than Bug! I thought I'd share a laugh with you and tell you what I "learned" about myself:

• Evidently I am independent, stubborn and definitly the scientist or engineer type. (the last part made me laugh) :)
• I like words and love expanding my vocabulary. (Okay, this maybe does fit me. LOL)
• According to studies, I generally drive like the typical female. (Phew!)
• I'm 100% yankee without a snip of red-neck in me! (Hallelujah and do the splits!)
• Evidently if I'd been born in the 1950s my name would be Loretta Yvonne.
• I have a high self-esteem! (Oh goody!)
• I love this one, it was a quiz to find out how old you are at heart: I'm 25! Woot!
• I also discovered I'm a pretty quirky person...but just normal enough to hide it. :P ROFL. ROFL. ROFL. ROFL.
• At first glance people see me as warm and well balanced. However, my true self is reserved and logical. In stressful situations I'm cheerful and optimistic. With friends I am dramatic lively and quick to react. When in love, I am mysterious and interesting. LOL.

Well, you've all had your laugh. So, you now all know that you are friends with a quirky-scientificky-mysteriousy-25 year old. Hope you all will still love me! =0)

???Bug???

How to Get the Most From Reading your Bible

I love lists...and this one it especially cool, so I thought I'd share it with you. I am not sure who wrote this, so just be aware that it wasn't me. :)

How to get the most from reading your Bible~

1. Remove hindrances. (a) remove the love of every sin (b) remove the distracting concerns of this world, especially covetousness [Matt. 13:22] (c) Don't make jokes with and out of Scripture.

2. Prepare your heart. [1 Sam. 7:3] Do this by: (a) collecting your thoughts (b) purging unclean affections and desires (c) not coming to it rashly or carelessly.

3. Read it with reverence, considering that each line is God speaking directly to you.

4. Read the books of the Bible in order.

5. Get a true understanding of Scripture. [Ps. 119:73] This is best achieved by comparing relevant parts of Scripture with each other.

6. Read with seriousness. [Deut. 32:47] The Christian life is to be taken seriously since it requires striving [Luke 13:24] and not falling short [Heb. 4:1].

7. Persevere in remembering what you read. [Ps. 119:52] Don't let it be stolen from you [Matt. 13:4,19]. If it doesn't stay in your memory it is unlikely to be much benefit to you.

8. Meditate on what you read. [Ps. 119:15] The Hebrew word for meditate' means to be intense in the mind'. Meditation without reading is wrong and bound to err; reading without meditation is barren and fruitless. It means to stir the affections, to be warmed by the fire of meditation [Ps. 39:3].

9. Read with a humble heart. Acknowledge that you are unworthy that God should reveal himself to you [James 4:6]

10. Believe it all to be God's Holy Word. [2 Tim 3:16] We know that no sinner could have written it because of the way it describes sin. No saint could blaspheme God by pretending his own Word was God's. No angel could have written it for the same reason. [Heb 4:2]

11. Prize the Bible highly. [Ps. 119:72] It is your lifeline; you were born by it [James 1:18] you need to grow by it [1 Pet 2:2] [cf. Job 23:12].

12. Love the Bible ardently [Ps. 119:159].

13. Come to read it with an honest heart. [Luke 8:15] (a) Willing to know the entire and complete will of God (b) reading in order to be changed and made better by it [John 17:17].

14. Apply to yourself everything that you read, take every word as spoken to yourself. Its condemnation of sins as the condemnation of your own sin; the duty that it requires as the duty God would require from you [2 Kings 22:11].

15. Pay close attention to the commands of the Word as much as the promises. Think of how you need direction just as much as you need comfort.

16. Don't get carried away with the minor details, rather make sure to pay closest attention to the great things [Hosea 8:12].

17. Compare yourself with the Word. How do you compare? Is your heart something of a transcript of it, or not?

18. Pay special attention to those passages that speak to your individual, particular and present situation. e.g. (a) Affliction -- [Heb. 12:7, Isaiah 27:9, John 16:20, 2 Cor 4:17. (b) Sense of Christ's presence and smile withdrawn -- [Isaiah 54:8, Isaiah 57:16, Ps. 97:11] (c) Sin -- [Gal 5:24, James 1:15, 1 Peter 2:11, Prov 7:10&22-23, Prov 22:14] (d) Unbelief -- [Isaiah 26:3, 2 Sam 22:31, John 3:15, 1 John 5:10, John 3:36]

19. Pay special attention to the examples and lives of people in the Bible as living sermons. (a) Punishments [Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, Num 25:3-4&9, 1 Kings 14:9-10, Acts 5:5,10, 1 Cor 10:11, Jude 7] (b) mercies and deliverances [Daniel, Jeremiah, the 3 youths in the fiery furnace]

20. Don't stop reading the Bible until you find your heart warmed. [Ps 119:93] Let it not only inform you but also inflame you [Jer 23:29, Luke 24:32].

21. Put into practice what you read [Ps 119:66, Ps 119:105, Deut 17:19].

22. Christ is for us Prophet, Priest and King. Make use of His office as a Prophet [Rev 5:5, John 8:12, Ps 119:102-103]. Get Christ not only to open the Scriptures up to you, but to open up your mind and understanding [Luke 24:45]

23. Make sure to put yourself under a true ministry of the Word, faithfully and thoroughly expounding the Word [Prov 8:34] be earnest and eager in waiting on it.

24. Pray that you will profit from reading [Isaiah 48:17, Ps 119:18, Nehemiah 9:20].
Natural obstacles You may still be able to profit from reading even though:

1. You don't seem to profit as much as others do. Remember the different yields [Matt 13:8] though the yield isn't as much as others it is still a true and fruitful yield.

2. You may feel slow of understanding [Luke 9:45, Heb 5:11].

3. Your memory is bad (a) remember you are still able to have a good heart despite this you may still remember the most important things even if you cannot remember everything, be encouraged by John 14:26.

Good, isn't it?!

~Bug

Music and Lyrics

It is extremely important to make sure that the music you listen to has good lyrics; lyrics that are wholesome and uplifting and you wouldn't be embarassed to sing them in front of your parents. :) Music has a way of getting into people. That's what makes it music. If the melody is catchy, and the music is the style you like, it is beyond easy to remember the lyrics. Funny how you can remember the words to a song you never saw written down, but you can't remember the Scripture memory verse you studied the week before. I have all the songs on ALL my CDs memorized. And I never read the lyrics. (well, on some I did, because some Kutless songs just aren't clear ;)
Are the things you are listening to and "commiting to memory" good, right, pure, and lovely? If you listen to a song that has questionable lyrics, pretty soon it starts rolling around in your head. I'm sure we have all said this phrase at least once: "I have this song stuck in my head!!!" Well, too bad we can't have Scripture verses "stuck in our heads". Wouldn't that be wonderful though? If as many times as you remember a song, you remembered a passage of Scripture? That is why it is SO important to monitor the songs you listen to. It is easy to fall short in this area. I'm sure you all can agree! So many times I find myself singing the chorus of a song, and my Dad says "you did not just say that!" And I could be completely ignorant of what I had just said, not even realizing sometimes that it had slipped out of my mouth. I'm not talking about Christian songs here. I'm talking about "secular songs", like country and pop. There are some Christian songs though, that are off on their theology, so you should really always be aware of what you are listening to. What goes in must come out. Either in our way of thinking, or even our actions. Approach this subject with a humble and prayerful heart, asking God to keep you from evil thoughts, and ask for forgiveness when you stumble!

ForeverHis,
~becca~

Friday funny

LOL, check out this bumper sticker I found:





I'm so printing that off and pasting it on my car! :)
have a great weekend!
~becca~

Comments

Hey y'all,
Some tips on leaving comments. Please use your name or nickname when you comment. It makes it easier for us to reply to your comments, and know the validity of them! :)
Also, when leaving links for sites, please use your name and email me first before you do. We have been having problems w/ anonymous people leaving links for gamblings sites, etc. We don't want to delete yours, so let us know first! And, don't follow any links unless you "know" the person who commented.

thanks,
~becca~

CUUTE OVERLOAD

AWWWWWW!!!

Fruits of the Spirit: Goodness

Goodness gracious me!
What in the world is goodness?
It could be defined as moral excellence, virtue, kindness, or generosity. Or it could mean just being good.
All right y'all, here's where you help me. What IS goodness? Is it any different from kindness? No, I don't have all the answers...that's why I'm asking you! (or I could just let Byrde or Bug post on goodness...but then we'd be stuck for awhile! lol) :)

~becca~

Thursday 7...or 10...which ever comes first. :)

So, 7 things about me...

1. I love Starbucks. (who doesn't??)
2. My favorite restaurant is the Olive Garden. oh, and the Rheinlanders. :)
3. I love the feed store in Forest Grove. tee hee. They have THE cutest puppies for sale there...and you can hold em! ;)
4. I love swimming
5. New Years Eve is my favorite day of the year. :) We always get together w/ our totally awesome cousins and have a totally way too awesome time. ;) *think all singing Phantom of the Opera around the piano, video taping murder plays, screaming w/ laughter over the game spoons and mafia, talking about everything under the sun, eating until we can eat no more...but still eating, etc* lol.
6. Besides church and home and co-op, the place I'm at the most is the library. :P
7. I love tigers and lions and monkeys. *random*

blessings,
~becca~

More on music ;)

Alrighty...this has become my own little mini-series...I will post on the fruits of the Spirit soon, I promise! :)
SO, more about music. Actaully more like more on worship. What exactly is worship and how should Christian music reflect that? Well, I have to admit I've just stumped myself w/ my own question. lol. Well, at least the 2nd half I haven't completely come to any conclusion. Anyway, the dictionary definition of worship is:
1.
reverent honor and homage paid to God
2.
adoring reverence or regard

Ok, so what exactly is reverence?
1.
a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe.

wow, wow, and wow again. For some reason I really truly can't see half of the Christian artists I know fall under the "reverent" category! That's sad. Where did we go wrong? I think we just lost our focus. Like I said in the last post, we have become too focused on man. Songs these days are about what? How I think, how I feel, what I want. Shouldn't we be singing about God rather then ourselves? Check out the songs the angels sing to God in Revelation: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
Explore the Scriptures...read Psalms. See what God wants from us regarding worship.

blessings,
~becca~

Fruits of the Spirit: Kindess

Wow...the angelic-sweet-perfect-articial word to describe the amazing girl: "kind". Is it just me or does that seem so...lame...so....fake...so...silly. Kind. "How kind of you to come!" "Oh that was TOO kind." "That was SO kind of you!" How many times do I get sick of saying that word when I don't mean it. "kind" slips off my tongue so many times, when the REAL emotion is not felt.

Ephesians 4:32 ~
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving eachother just as Christ forgave the church."

The word "kind" is used for SO many different meanings, but all have the same basic principle. It is the giving of self, selflessness, thoughtfulness of others, the "dieing of oneself daily." Kindess is truely a beautiful trait, longed for and sought after. But it all starts in our hearts...not with books, and tapes, and cds, and seminares. The change come from a will to not be self-centered. It is pleasing in the sight of the Lord.

It's All For Him,
><

Music, cont.

I was gonna put this on a comment thing, but I think I'll just post it, cuz I got myself thinking again and it got long enough! :)
Back to the music topic...
Also, I think that we can get obsessive w/ music. I fall under that ALL the time! But everything in moderation is the key. When we give too much time and attention to something, it really becomes our "idol". And I think the thing w/ Christian music is how secular it is becoming. If you were to compare CD covers (for example) of bands such as Kutless w/ some other worldly rock band out there, I don't think you'd see a difference. What is the world to say to that? That this is a form of worshipping GOD? How does that work? And yes, I really hope that all bands play music for God's glory, and try to keep the spotlight off of themselves, but how often do you see that happening? They can say all the right words, and I will believe them, until their actions speak loudly otherwise. Take concerts for instance. What is a concert really all about? Yes, it is fun to have a good time and enjoy people's amazing talents, but the bigger issue is really worship. Even the artists say that themselves! That they are worshipping God. Ok, so what does jumping up and down on stage, throwing water on the audience, getting them to jump up and down, making them sick w/ flashing lights, blasting away the roof w/ loud music have to do with worshipping our God? In my ever so humble opinion, I believe it hinders it. I really do. Instead of focusing on the words of the song (if you can possibly make them out), you can get so caught up in everything else you forget what the song is really about! and that's Jesus...hopefully.
Now for some examples of my above points:

tell me if this is a guy from a Christian band or not:What do you think? Was it hard for you to decide? It was for me...I even had to go back to "double check" it was who I thought. I'm not saying music is bad. Nor am I saying mowhawks are bad. HOWEVER, when they say that they are up there worshipping the ONE HOLY, TRUE, PERFECT, TERRIBLE God, what am I to say? We are to approach the subject of God with reverrance, not fling His name around like some quirky lyric to a rock song.
Again, look at it from the world's perspective. Is there a difference between us worshipping our God and them worshipping theirs (lust, money, drugs, etc)? Remember we are IN not OF the world!
In addition, people tend to worship artists. It's true. There are music magazines out there with articles covering all sorts of juicy issues. Just like with celebrities. Are they becoming our idol? Do we talk about them non-stop, and stand in awe of them when we see them at a concert, or rush to get their autograph? How can we so easily forget what we are really truly here on earth for? And that is to glorify God. Not worship some other Christian! I must be careful here though, because honestly these things themselves are not bad! But when it causes us to lose sight of God and focus on man, then it becomes a sin. Let us not fall into that trap!

For His glory alone,
~becca~

weird stuff

I'm in a random mood. hehehe. I took this online quiz to see which literary woman I am most like, and this came up:
That's SOO me! lol. Yes, even the quick to judge part *blush*. I'm working on that though! So, you can all call me Ms Bennett. Just kidding! :-P

Then, continueing in my random mood, I took another quiz...this one to see "which color of green I am" :)


You Are Emerald Green
Deep and mysterious, it often seems like no one truly gets you.Inside, you are very emotional and moody - though you don't let it show.People usually have a strong reaction to you... profound love or deep hate.But you can even get those who hate you to come around. There's something naturally harmonious about you.

LOL. do you think I am naturally harmonious?? *hmmm*
This is the color of red I am:


You Are Apple Red
You're never one to take life too seriously, and because of it, you're a ton of fun.And although you have a great sense of humor, you are never superficial.Deep and caring, you do like to get to the core of people - to understand them well.However, any probing you do is light hearted and fun, sometimes causing people to misjudge you.

I don't think I probe people light heartedly. I do it SERIOUSLY! lol. And yes, I LOVE to get to the core of people and understand them well. ;)

ok, no more weird stuff!

Auf Wiedersehen! (MJ, that means 'goodbye'...add that to your German vocab list!) lol

blessings,

~becca~

Thoughts on Music

Here's an excellent article. It's written for parents but I think we can all get something from it! Let me know what you think! :)

blessings,
~becca~

celebrities and other famous people

Hey y'all!
A certain topic has been weighing on my mind for some time now and I finally decided to post about it, and see what y'all thought. That is the topic of famous people/celebrities.
Ok, so I'm a football fan. I think you all know that by now. :) It hits me every time I watch a game, at how revered athletes are. So, they are good at sports, but to some people they become an idol. Everything revolves around them.
Let's take celebrities. How many magazines about celebrities do you see at the stores? Oh, only about 5.5 million. Why is that?? For the life of me I can't figure it out. Why in the world would someone be so obsessed with someone else? Is it because they are envious? Because they are "cool"? I certainly am not that interested in knowing so and so broke up with so and so after finding out that so and so cheated with so and so after divorcing so and so and having so many number kids. What's the draw??
For my part I am inclined to feel sympathy towards celebrities. That's just what they are. People. With an acting job. Just as lost as the rest of the world is. And yet every cotton pickin' part of their lives are exposed to the world and if there isn't something exposed, rumors spread like wild fire and end up on the front page of the New York Times. WHY? Why does anybody care what Brad Pitt ate for lunch, or who Orlando Bloom kissed last?!?! I wonder if it's just cuz people like gossip or if it's more then that. Maybe they believe that their life is nothing in comparision with these rich, famous, beautiful people? Maybe everybody has to have something to worship? I'm sure that foreigners, when they think of America, think "Brad Pitt" or whoever (I can't come up with another actor's name. lol). WHY???
Somebody help me...this is going to eat my mind until I have a good answer! :)

blessings,
~becca~

quote of the day :)

"If you run, you might lose. If you don't run, you're guaranteed to lose."

Hebrews 4:12-13

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper then any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him whom we must give account."