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."

Patience...from Bug

In a "Me, myself, and I" centered society, patience is easily forgotten, even to believers. Personally, most of the time even the mention of the word evokes an annoyed response inside our minds. Picture this: you are living in a house full of females and it's a busy Sunday morning. Unfortunatly, one of the gals has been locked in the bathroom for fourty-five minutes and everyone else is left outside waiting. As they desperatly pound on the door the only reply they receive is "patience is a virtue!" yelled over the racket of the hair dryer and the blaring radio. In the end, tempers flare and nerves are frayed. (Ya, this was a real life scenerio....'cept it was me in the bathroom. LOL. *sheepish grin*) Okay, I'm sure all of us have experianced something similar and had the same reaction. Yes, we blow the whole patience-thing daily!
Patience, however, is the giving up of our own rights for that of someone else. We all have this in-born surge to justify ourselves and demand what WE DESERVE! However, this is not what God desires our attitudes to be like. In the scenario explained above, both of the parties involved failed to show patience. The people outside the door could have waited quietly for the person to be finished instead of demanding entrance NOW. However, the person hogging the bathroom could have displayed patience by setting aside what they had to do for a moment in order to serve the others. Everyday moment of our lives calls for a conscious decision to let ourselves fall into the second place category. Phil. 2:3-4 says: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceat, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." We can't be loving if we don't have patience!
Okay, now that we'ev looked at how to be patient to others, let's look at how we can show patience in our relationship with God. I'm the kind of person that wants to know exactly what I'm going to do in my life, where I'm going to do it, and how I'm going to get to there. Unfortunatly, God has not given us a detailed outline of exactly what we'll be doing and when we'll be doing it. Pateince is the ability to wait for God's timing and trust that his plan is perfect. In these past few months I've experianced a lot of things falling apart and it's hard not to want to pound the gates of heaven demanding why??!! However, God calls us to wait for his perfect timing. He calls us to wait for his better plan...his better timing...and ultimatly, his better purpose. I'd like to end with a quote from "My Utmost for Hs Highest":

"Patience is more than endurance.

A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and an arrow in the hands of an archer.

God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains,

and every now and again the saint says-

"I cannot stand anymore."

God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight,

then He lets fly.

Trust yourself in God's hands.

Maintain your relationship with Jesus Christ by the patience of faith.

"Though He slay me, yet I will wait for Him."

Show patience in love to those around you, and wait for God's perfect purpose.

poem

Is the midnight closing in 'round you?

Are the shadows dark and long?

Ask Him to come close beside you,

And He'll give you a new, sweet song.

He'll give it and sing it with you;

And when weakness slows you down,

He'll take up the broken cadence,

And blend it with His own.

And many a heavenly singer

Among those sons of light,

Will say of His sweetest music,

"I learned it in the night."

And many a lovely anthem,

That fills the Father's home,

Sobbed out its first rehearsal,

In the sahde of a darkened room.

George Matheson

blessings,

~becca~

quote of the day

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore

thoughts

If your anything like me, you have so many thoughts rolling around in your head but you can't quite put them into words. Well, whoever wrote this expressed my thoughts EXACTLY. Wow. It was so freaky when I read it cuz this is JUST what I have been thinking about! :)

Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone

To have a deep soul relationship with another

To be loved thoroughly, and exclusively

But God to the Christian says, No…

Not until you are satisfied, fulfilled and contented with being loved

By Me alone, with giving yourself totally unreserved to Me

Discovering that only Me is your satisfaction to be found

Then you will be capable of the perfect human relationship

That I have planned for you.

You will never be united with another until you are united with Me

Exclusive of anyone or anything else

Exclusive of any desires and longingI want you to stop planning, stop wishing,

And allow Me to give you the most thrilling plan existing

One that you cannot imagine

I want you to have the best, please allow Me to give it to you

Just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things

Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I am

Keep listening and learning the things I tell you

You just wait…that’s all!Don’t be anxious, don’t worry

Don’t look around at the things other have gotten or I have given them

Don’t look at the things you think you have

You just keep looking off and away up to Me…

Or you’ll miss what I want to show you…

And then, when you are ready, I’ll surprise you with a love

Far more wonderful than any of you dream of

You see, until you are ready and until the one I have for you is ready

(I’m working to have you both ready at the same time),

Until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me and the life I prepare for you

You won’t be able to experience the love that exemplifies

Your relationship with Me and is thus the perfect time.

I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me

And to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty

Perfection and love that I offer you myself

Know that I love you utterly,

Believe and be satisfied.

amen. and again amen.

blessings,

~becca~

Thursday 7

woohoo. okeyday:
eins: I have a cellphone (soory, Byrde!!) lol. But i only have 60 minutes for THREE months!! YES, you read that right! ugh.
zwei: I love eating pizza and watching movies on Friday nights...and sometimes Saturday nights...and maybe Sunday nights. (oh, never all 3 the same weekend...just so we don't sound too heathen! :)
drei: I love action comedy movies. w00t.
vier: I don't really like chocolate
funf: skittles and smarties are my ALL TIME favorite candies!! yay.
sechs: I pretty much like picture frames. *random*
sieben: I'm getting tired of counting in German
acht: I have hardly any hw...and only 4 classes this term. :) how happy is that???
neun: my room is a mess right now...everything just...kaaput everywhere
ZEHN: tee hee


~becca~

Thursday 7

1. Well, I got braces today! (Call me Metal-Mouth! :)
2. I want a pet skunk
3. I've been on a coast-to-coast trip when I was very tiny!
4. I LOVE yellow Kiwis
5. MUSTANGS KICK BUTT! wait....does that count? is that random?
6. I don't have a cell phone...wow...that is like revolutionary!
7. I HATE mashed potatoes.

<>Byrde<>

AHHHHH! *flips out*

YO, all you dog people out there, beat this little beagle's eyes!! OH MY WORD!! Send out a cute alert quick!
gah. this pup is WAY TOO adorable! :)





~becca of course~

The Room

Here's an excellent article from the blog, The Rebelution.
Hop on over there and read it, then let me know what you think! I found it very powerful!

blessings,
becca

A cool blog...

Hey guys and gals!
I just dropped in to let you know that I am still alive and well. Life has been so downright busy! My goodness! Anyways, I wanted to just draw your attention to a new blog that's been added to the links list. It's called the Rebolution. It's a great blog with great topic discussions, etc. The authors are Joshua Harris's younger, twin brothers. Anyways, check it out!

~Bug~

Are you weary?

I really hope I'm not the only one who feels this way, but sometimes I just get plain weary. Not physically, but spiritually. I can't wait for heaven! Now I'm not trying to be some morbid pussycat who hates life, but do you ever wish you could just...be HOME?!?
That your faith could be made sight?
That the devil will no longer tempt you?
That you ccould be perfectly holy?
That you could worship Jesus Christ around His throne with all the other saints who have gone before?
And every tear will be wiped from your eye and every sorrow gone.
All the pains and illnesses and worries and trials will just roll away.
In heaven we don't always have to be on the lookout for false teaching...the church will be utterly perfect.
Yes, there are days I wish with all my heart God would take me home. Yet, I am still here. I guess I still have stuff to do! :)
The sufferings in life make the reward all the sweeter and the crown all the more glorious!

stay strong,
~becca~

Two profound mind treasures

fascinating title, no?! Lol...that's my new word...fascinating...isn't it fascinating? Lol, and my new song is "Dead man" by Jars of clay....OH YAH BABY..."carry me, I am just a dead man lying on the carpet, can't find a heartbeat, make me free, i wanna be a new man, tired of the old one, off with the old man..." YEH! Checka! Lol...now, where was I?! Oh, yes...thoughts:

1. So, when you read the verse that says: "Be still and know that I am God" I always thought like...okay, get away from distractions, sit down, close your eyes, don't move. But, no...it's being still MENTALLY. Focusing your brain, listening with your mind. It doesn't have to do with physically being still...but mentally.
2. So, the next one is about tithing...it's a quote: "We tithe with our money, but what about our time...do we tithe with our time?" I thought that was an amazing thought...what else can I say...it pretty much explains itself. I give the Lord part of the money I earn, but do I ALWAYS give Him part of my time????

Meme Checka,

<>Byrde<>

God's Beautiful Creation

Our family has been blessed with many opportunities to travel over the years. There is not one place like another. From the beauty of the national parks to the coasts, they all are so uniquely different. However, it was all created by God. For His glory. And when we see creation, we are getting a glimpse into the mind of God. That never ceases to be overwhelming, no matter were I go.
Psalm 36:5-7 says "Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O Lord, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings."
Whenever you are out in God's world, don't forget to look around you and marvel at the creative, amazing work of God and stand in awe, that this God loves YOU more then all of the universe!

ForeverHis,
~becca~

quote

We exist to worship God, in our thoughts, words, and deeds. Our joy is rooted in a right relationship with Him…How much of our weariness is related to chasing after things wholly unrelated to glorifying God?

-Jane Bentley-

blessings,

becca

P.S. isn't that the most bee-u-tiful picture evah? It was taken in Glacier National Park, Montana.

yet another weird day :)

well, today at PCC was weird again. ;) I sat by a drunk girl in German class. :P She was really nice though, and knew the German alphabet way better then i did, so she ended up helping me. yikes. And she took a real interest in things like stabbing, and threatening, and murder, etc. Like she'd say, "if the teacher calls on me, I'll threaten her". :P Perhaps I should be afraid for my life??? lol. Classes were fun tho today! :)
ooo, i almost forgot to tell y'all about yesterday! It twas very exciting and exhausting. :) I had my first digital photography class. oh boy, is that insane. I thought it was gonna be like "here's how you edit pictures, here's how you use your camera, etc"...instead it's TONS more complicated. Like, I have labs I have to do were I get to work w/ Photoshop on a Mac (WOOT!!) and then print out my prints on this HUGE printer. I've never seen one so big. It's like 3 times the size of my desk! So, pretty much i'm thoroughly intimidated to say the least. And besides the fact that we are all going to work on portfolios (which is tough in itself), we are gonna hang our prints on the walls for everyone to critique. SCARY. weeellll, you could pray for me, that I will survive and understand everything!! :)

blessings,
~becca~

my memory verse

Just thought I'd share my memory verse for this week with y'all...and yes, I'm gonna quote it from memory, so if there are errors then you know that I have a terrible memory. :)

2 Timothy 3:14-17
"You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom which leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."

blessings,
becca

quote of the day

The way you dress, the way you act, and the way you talk have everything to do with the Lord because your outward appearnace is a reflection of the inward state of your heart.

Fruits of the Spirit: Patience

Wow...I think Becca deserves a round of applause! *insert loud clapping here*
Well, Glow went REALLY well. We all had a GREAT time, and I'll let ya'll know when the next one is...as soon as i find out! ;)
Well Patience...yeh...next fruit of the spirit!

Wow...one thing the Lord has brought to my mind is patience in prayer:

Proverbs 19:11~
"A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook and offense."

Colossians 1:11-12~
"being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints of the kingdom of light."

Those are just two out of like twenty verses that address patience. It seems just like a mannerism. Yah know, like a polite trait. But no! It's something that God instructs us to "...clothe ourselves in..." it's more important than we realize. In my most recent "realization from God." He showed it to me through Sunday's message about Prayer and patience and persistance. We can't just ask once and give up, persistance and patience are PART of prayer. God wants to hear from us and what we have to say. Patience is important for WAITING for His perfect timing to show you what His will is. He has showed me that through prayer lately! I was praying the other day that he would show me something I had lost. It was very important for ME and MY schedule at that moment. I needed it then and there! Three days later, I sat down on the floor and questioned why God had kept me waiting and if He was even willing to listen to me. I opened up my eyes reached forward and tipped over a magazine. There lay what I was looking for. Patience is important...not only in prayer but everyday life. It applys to SO much! The Lord always answers our prays...sometimes we realize it seconds later...or years later...or never at all. Patience and trust is what the Lord was trying to teach me through my situation! I didn't pay attention, and I WASN'T patient, when He finally answered me, I saw my impatience and selfishness. I hope the Lord is showing you things everyday and even when you ask for things...wait...listen...maybe He is showing you patience!

In Him,
<>Byrde<>

A Day of Firsts :)

Yes, today was the first day of alot of firsts for me! :)
1) i went to college for the first time (scary)
2) i actually didn't know anybody in my classes
3) in German class i sat by somebody with PINK hair (tell me how often that happens in our little homschool world.) :)
4) not only that but in math class i sat by someone who thought tattoos were the bomb ;)
5) for once in my life i was faced with different professors wanting completely different things and had to keep track of which was which. i.e. I can't use pencils in German class, but if i use pen in math i'll get heavily docked...
6) i have a teacher who is totally against cellphones...to the point where if someone's cellphone rings, it's an automatic pop-quiz for the whole class. ;)
7) i sat IN THE FRONT ROW during math class. alrighty y'all, if ya know me ya know i NEVAH sit in the front row...unless forced...which has happened before. :P
8) i'm going to continue to sit in the front row cuz the back row is full of scary looking dudes that reek like smoke and B.O.
9) tomorrow i get more firsts...as i start 2 more classes. and yes, i shall tell y'all all about everything! ;)
10) and prolly the most important thing of all: Today was the first time I've ever had non-Christian classmates. It's weird, but true. I have to ask myself: what if someone asks me about my faith? Will I be ready to give an answer? Will I stand firm on what I believe? Will I be a light in the darkness? I sure hope so!

blessings,
~becca~

I'm Back

Yeh, okay OFFICIALY back. Hmmm...that didn't sound very official. Well, I'm sick anywho. But I'm sure that's of no consequence to anyone here really. :) So, My trip was great, and you can talk to me if you want more info! :) It was a GREAT time to catch up with family, and grow closer! So, I'm sorry I missed out, but I'll try to catch up a bit.

Rando things for today:
Well...er...

1. I love the rain
2. Mulan is my favorite "Princess"
3. Dunkin' Donuts is the best Donut place EVER!
4. I want to learn how to surf
5. I like Switchfoot...alot
6. I'm lactose Intolerent
7. My fingers aren't double jointed

Satisfied?! ;) good! So, well...for those of you who don't know. Um, our church is having a worship service, this Sunday night. It's gonna be like AMAZING. I'm SOOOOOOOOOO excited, and I know some of you are coming. So yeh, tell all your friends! ;) Lol...Yeh, so TOLLY, I'd LOVE you to come! It's gonna be great! :D I'm SO siked! ;P so...COME! :) To catch up...about Peace:

I think to "have peace" is something that is God given. Like what the other girls said, it is a VERY markable trait in Christians. To have Christ living in you is a type of peace NO one can give. Nothing compares with it, and it passes understanding. It's NOT of this world. Peaces comes with trust in Him, laying it ALL at His feet. Relying on His completeness to cover YOUR incompleteness...the beautiful surrender, what a wonderful peace.

Love you all and I'm really siked about being back on the blog. We have some AWESOMESAUCE topics in store for you! ;) So, keep checkin' on us, and thanks for hanging in there...and remember...commenting never killed anyone! Peace out...or In...HIM! Lol

Peace in Him,

<>Byrde<>

7 things about Becca

Alright, I do know what day this is...I'm just bored. :)
So, 7 more things about me:

1) I can count in 3 different languages. hehehe. I just wish I could laugh in 3 different languages. if that's possible.
2) Water and Pepsi are my favorite drinks
3) I love watching football. My favorite college team is USC...between the Beavers and the Ducks, I'm for the Beavers. For no reason except I like beavers better then ducks. :) I don't have a favorite pro team.
4) I used to cry listening to sad songs when I was a baby
5) I still sometimes do...but only when I'm sad er something. :)
6) I L.O.V.E. car trips
7) I love going to new places and exploring new things

~becca~

P.S. hey y'all, drop Byrde and Bug a notice telling them to get their selves back to posting!! :)

~quote~

"Nearly all of God's jewels are crystalized tears."

foreverhis,
becca

Discussion question

Ok, this should de-lurk this site! :) I thought it'd be fun to post a question for y'all out there to answer and/or give your opinion.
SO, the question is:
Are romance novels ok to read? In what circumstances are they ok to read or not ok? What are your family rules regarding this topic? Is it healthy for a young woman to read romance?

I'll give my opinion on a later post...so I have lotsa time to gather my thoughts on this! Meanwhile, comment, and let me know what YOU think!!

blessings,
~becca~

quote--one NOT to paste on my mirror

Here is one scary quote by Rosie O'Donell:

"Radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam, in a country like America where there is seperation of church and state."

Is persecution just around the corner?

~becca~

quote of the day

"If I discover within myself a desire which no experience in the world can satisfy,

the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

~C.S. Lewis~

you guessed it. yet another quote to paste on my mirror. :)

~becca~

"May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless..." (1st Thess. 5:23)

" 'Your whole spirit...." The great, mysterious work of the Holy Spirit is in the deep recesses of our being which we cannot reach. Read Psaml 139. The psalmist implies--'O Lord, You are the God of the early morningsm the God of the late nights, the God of the mountain peaks, and the God of the sea. But, my God, my soul has horizons further away than those of early mornings, deeper darkness than the nights of earth, higher peaks than any mountain peaks, greater depths than any sea in nature. You who are the God of all these, by my God. I cannot reach to the heights or to the depths; there are motives I cannot discover, dreams I cannot realize. My God, search me.'
Do we believe that God can fortify and protect our thought processes far beyond where we can go? '...the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin' (1 John 1:7). If this verse means cleansing only on our conscious level, may God have mercy on us. The man who has been dulled by sin will say that he is not even conscious of it. But the cleansing from sin we experience will reach to the heights and depths of our spirit if we will 'walk in the light as He is in the light' (1:7). The same Spirit that will feed the life of our spirit. It is only when we are protected by God with the miraculous sacredness of the Holy Spirit that our spirit, soul, and body can be preserved in pure uprightness until the coming of Jesus--no longer condemned in God's sight.
We should more frequently allow our minds to meditate on these great, massive truths of God." (Chambers)

ForeverHis,
~becca~

Prayer

Prayer is something we all could do more of. I know for myself, it is something that I easily forget in the business of my life, but oh, how important and powerful it is!

"The potency of prayer hath subdued the strength of fire; it had bridled the rage of lions, hushed anarchy to rest, extinguished wars, appeased the elements, expelled demons, burst the chains of death, expanded the gates of heaven, assuaged diseases, repelled frauds, rescued cities from destruction, stayed the sun in its course, and arrested the progress of a thunderbolt. Prayer is an all-effcient panoply, a treasure undiminished, a mine which is never exhausted, a sky unobscured by clouds, a heaven unruffled by the storm. It is the root, the fountain, the mother of a thousand blessings." --Chrysostom

foreverHis,
~becca~

Verse of the Day

Romans 5:1-5
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."

blessings,
~becca~

Verses from my favorite book

I absolutely L.O.V.E the book of Isaiah!! It's hands down my favorite book of the Bible. (Besides Colossians, 1&2 Corinthians, 1&2 Peter, Revelation, Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Hebrews, and Esther. lol)
Anyway, I was re-reading all my high-lighted passages in Isaiah last night, and thought I'd share some of my favorites with y'all.
"For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, 'In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength'." (30:15)
"It is You who has kept my soul from the pit of nothingness, for You have cast all my sins behind your back." (38:17)
"Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created the stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of His power, not one of them is missing...Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to Him who lacks might He increases their power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who trust in the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." (40:26 & 28-31)

All I can say about the above verses is "Thank you Jesus" and "Why? Who am I??"
That reminds me of my favorite song by Casting Crowns:

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would chose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

I am Yours
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours



blessings,
~becca~

Five Friday Facts about Bug

Sorry...I missed Thursday again so I'll just do my facts today. :)

1. Unlike Becca, I love the rain. There's is nothiing quite like listening to the "pouring-down-sound" when you're all cozy inside. :)
2. I love literature and history.
3. I hate math. Like as in...don't even mention the word m-a-t-h 'cause it gives me nightmares!
4. I am the "Keeper of the Cats". In other words, I feed, water and give emotional support (lol) to Mr. Knightley, Benedick, Smee and Elsie.
5. I am not on speaking terms with Callie. She has ruined too many of my outfits lately! However, when no one's looking I might give her a pat on the head or actually play with her. (I can't believe I'm actually confessing to this! Don't tell Becca! rofl) :)

:.:.Bug.:.:

Comment y'all

Hey all you lurkers!
Drop us a comment now and then and let us know what you think about posts, etc. Do it under a fake name if ya want. :) Give us ideas about topics we could cover, too, K? We'd LOVE to hear from ya! We don't bite. Seriously. ;)

foreverHis,
~becca~

How I Met My Baby...for those who want to know

Alright, I'll come right out and say it. I'm a dog lover.
And this post is for fellow dog lovers. (especially you, MJ! :)
Okeyday, so this is Callie's story!

Once upon a time....jk.
For as long as I can remember I had wanted a puppy. A Golden Retreiver puppy, to be exact. I would spend my free time reading dog training books and coming up with lists for imaginary puppy needs: shampoo, leash, collar, dishes, etc. And puppy names. I love naming animals! I still have a running list of dog names that I love. The 2 most recent are Brandywine (from the lord of the rings), and Braveheart. :) But, that's besides the point. On June 16th, 2002, I celebrated my 13th birthday in Florida. We were in the middle of our 4 1/2 month trip around the United States. In my birthday card from my parents, they promised me that when we got home, they would buy me a puppy. I had it all planned out and fantasized about my little Golden Retreiver (GR) puppy I had already named Annie. :) As you know, things didn't really work out that way...
Purebred puppies are amazingly expensive. For a decent GR, it would cost about $400, not including food and vet bills. We only spent that much money on a dog once...and that's cuz he was a trained police dog...and we needed a watch dog, but that's besides the point. :) So, as you can imagine, my parents didn't want to spend that much money. Instead I got free nickle-ads every week and searched for a cheap puppy.
I kept looking and looking and looking. On February 1st, 2001, the day the Challenger exploded, my dreams came true!! We had just spent our morning in front of the TV, watching the devastating news. Then Dad left for work even though it was a Saturday. Not long after he left, he called home and told me he had seen an ad in the paper advertising GR, rott, aus shep mix. The key was the price: $75. I quickly called the lady, and she told me they only had one puppy left, a female. woohoo. Mom, Meg, Bug, Rachie, and I piled into the car to go check out this puppy. I knew from my reading on choosing a puppy, that I shouldn't just take the puppy cuz it's cute, but to make sure it was healthy, etc. Hahaha. Those are just words. Trust me. You can go looking for a puppy with all the right rules, but when you see those soft, fluffy, rolly-polly, brown eyed, wet nosed, pink mouths w/ puppy breath, softly growling puppies, you're a gonner. And no rules in the book can stop you. :) BTW, Callie was born in December, so she wasn't very small or rolly-polly.
Anyway, back to my story. When we drove up to the ladies house, I was shocked. It was the dumpiest place ever. There was no lawn, just mud and I saw muddy, gross looking dogs in the backyard barking. I was determined to see the puppy, though. :) So, we walked up to the door and the lady opened it.....and there was my puppy. OH MY WORD. I knew she was mine the momment I saw her. She was tied to a refrigerator door handle by a leash that she was hopelessly tangled in. She made eye contact with me, and oh boy, I was like, "mom, i want her." I didn't notice until later how dumpy the house was. I can't really describe it...it was just a mess. I picked up the puppy, whom the lady had called Tiny because she was the runt, and carefully examined her to see if she was healthy. Of course, like I said, my head wasn't really in it. :) I didn't put her down, but walked right out the door. Oh, yes, don't worry, mom did pay. ;)
She was such a sulky dog when we got her. She didn't scramble around the car, but just layed there with her head on her paws. Oh I forgot to tell ya, but the lady we bought Callie from had a daughter. The girl would tell Callie to jump up on her and to "bite". Dear me. Lotsa stuff to undo, for sure!
The first thing we did was stop by the store and buy a collar. Callie's collar was extremely small. I almost had to cut it off her. On the way home, my older sister Meg, came up with the name Callie. Our relatives had a dog named Kellie, and our friends had a dog, Killie (I'm not sure how to spell that :). Little did we know that our neighbors had a GR named Callie. Hahaha. Anyway, the name stuck.
The sweetest thing was that I was Callie's from get-go. After all, I was the only one who ever fed her, bathed her, etc. She adored me, and still does! :) From day one she followed me EVERYWHERE. When I was playing the piano, she was sleeping under the piano bench. When I was doing the dishes, she was laying in the kitchen watching me. When I showered she layed on the bathroom rug. At night she slept in her crate by my bed.
Not every day was a picnic though. A puppy is a puppy and Callie was no exception. The funny thing was, she chewed on ONE pencil. That was it. She has NEVER chewed on anything else since. Not even bones. Which I don't get. She went to the bathroom in the house all the time those first few days and vomited stomach acid after every meal. We later found out that she needs "gentler" food cuz it's easier on her stomach. Callie was terrified to be left alone in her crate while we were gone like at church or somewhere else. This resulted in her defecating (yeah yeah yeah, sounds tons better :P) in her crate and smearing it everywhere. All over herself, the crate, and stuff being flung within a radius of 2 feet around her crate. So, there where many nights I had to bathe her, wash her crate, mop the floor, etc. I don't complain though cuz she is just way too precious. :) I have reason to believe that Callie was abused before we got her, because to this day, she is scared to meet new people and piddles whenever someone scares her. Poor puppy.
I remember the first vacation we went on with her and we had stopped at a gas station to take her to the bathroom. The gas station dude got down on his knees to give her a treat and Callie refused to eat it and instead rolled over onto her back and piddled for him. I was mortified. Who on earth has heard of a dog refusing a treat?? helloooo?? At the vet's office she's even worse. She does eat the treats they give her, but ooooooo soooooooo sloowly and messily that she leaves crumbs alllll over the examining table. Silly pooch.
Callie is a smart dog though. I never taught her to come...she just eventually did it. She obeys both English and German commands and hand signals. Her favorite thing to do is stare at me with her big brown puppy eyes and send me on guilt trips. She also loves rubbing her face all over my legs. It's SO cute when she runs up to me and shoves her head between my knees and just stands there. lol. She also adores our cats. Especailly the ones who run, cuz she loves to chase. :P The ones that don't run, she plays with by smashing them with her paws. The cats love her for it. :)

SO, there you have it. My pooch's story. :) I think that's the longest post yet. go figure. hahahaha.

blessings,
Becca

Book List

You know I like reading about WW2, so I thought I'd give ya a book list of the ones I've read so far. They are all amazing!

World War 2 Book List

Band of Brothers—Stephen Ambrose
Pegasus Bridge—Stephen Ambrose
The Victors—Stephen Ambrose
The Wild Blue—Stephen Ambrose
Citizen Soldiers—Stephen Ambrose
D-Day—Stephen Ambrose
Flyboys—James Bradley
Flags of Our Fathers—James Bradley
Hiroshima—Hersey
We Band of Angels—Norman
Treblinka—Steiner
Auschwitz—??
Ghost Soldiers—Hampton Sides
Overlord—Albert Marrin
In Harm’s Way—Stanton


~becca~

7 Things about Becca

Hey all!
Thursday is here again! (oh my word, i just noticed it's raining outside!!! it hasn't rained here in FOREVER!) Anyway, 7 things about me:

1. Speaking of rain, I hate the rain. It makes me feel depressed and trapped. Trapped as in I don't like having to be in the house all day. :)

2. I am a Swiss citizen. AND, this is the year (((drum roll))) I get to register to vote in Switzerland! Ain't thet cool? I pretty much think so. It's kinda weird the way things work, but if I don't register to vote, then I'm no longer a citizen. Strange, huh? I think I'm gonna register with the People's Party...er something. My sister, Meg, is registered with that party, so she did all the research. ;)

3. My favorite season is summer, summer, summer. I absolutely LOVE HOT weather. Maybe it's cuz I get cold really easily and I hate being cold, but maybe it's cuz there's no school. :)

4. Ok, I must say that I do have somethings I like about cold weather. First of all I like wearing sweatshirts...I wear em all the time cuz I get cold so easily, as ya know. Winter just makes that habit seem more reasonable. ;) Secondly, I love reading in a chair pulled up in front of the fireplace. *sigh*

5. I was baptized on Palm Sunday, 2001.

6. I've been to 41 states...er something. Either that or 42. lol. And I've been to 3 provinces in Canada--British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec. w00t.

7. I have a 3 1/2 year young puppy that I got as a gift for my 13th birthday. I can't remember if I've already shared that. Aw well, I'll just keep saying it cuz I love her way too much! :)
(and if you really want, I can tell you how I got her...it's a darling story! :)

Ok, well there's 7 random things about me!

blessings,
~becca~

PEACE

Sorry it's taken me so long to post about the next fruit of the Spirit. To be honest, I'm not really sure what to say about peace other then 'be at peace with one another'. There are several different kinds of peace; peace between brothers, peace between nations, and the peace that God gives us in our hearts. I'm gonna talk about the latter cuz it's one of the greatest belssings we have as believers.
Jesus said to His discples before His death, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." (John 14:27) This peace comes from looking into His face and fully understanding and receiving His quiet contentment. (chambers)
Remember Jesus' words when you despair, "Let not your hearts be troubled..." and rest in the peace He so freely gives!


blessings,
~becca~

Quote of the Day

"If I see aright, the cross of popular evangelicalism is not the cross of the New Testament. It is, rather, a new bright ornament upon the bosom of a self-assured and carnal Christianity. The old cross slew men; the new cross entertains them. The old cross condemned; the new cross amuses. The old cross destroyed confidence in the flesh; the new cross encourages it."

-- A.W. Tozer (1897-1963)

All I can say is wow. Yet another quote to paste on my mirror! :)

i need another mirror...LOL.

blessings,

~becca~

"Lord, I will follow You, but..."

"Suppose God tells you to do something that is an enormous test of your common sense, totally going against it. What will you do? Will you hold back? If you get into the habit of doing something physically, you will do it every time you are tested until you break the habit through sheer determination. And the same is true spiritually. Again and again you will come right up to what Jesus wants, but every time you will turn back at the point of true testing, until you are dtermined to abandon yourself to God in total surrender. Yet we tend to say 'Yes, but--suppose I do obey God in this matter, what about..?' Or we say, 'Yes, I will obey God if what He asks of me doesn't go against my common sense, but don't ask me to take a step in the dark.'
Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him that the natural man exhibits. If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says. Once you obey, you will immediately find that what He says is as solidly consistent as common sense.
By the test of common sense, Jesus Christ's statements may seem mad, but when you test them by the trial of faith, your findings will fill your spirit with the awesome fact that they are the very words of God. Trust completely in God, and when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis--only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God."

--Oswald Chambers

blessings,
~becca~

School is upon us!

Though I haven't started school yet (not until the 22nd! yay!), I know most of you already have! When school starts, our lives get hectic and busy. Of course, I've always enjoyed being busy, but one must remember the important things in life! I just wanted to encourage y'all to remember to spend quality time in the Word and in prayer every day. It is more important then an education...more important then sports...more important then hanging out with friends!

Forever His,
~:~becca~:~

Lead me in a straight path

"I said, Let me walk in the field';

God said, "No, walk in the town";

I said, "There are no flowers there";

He said, "No flowers, but a crown."

I said, "But the sky is black,

There is nothing but noise and din";

But He wept as He sent me back,

"There is more," He said, "there is sin."

I said, "But the air is thick,

And smog is veiling the sun";

He answered and me, "Yet souls are sick,

And your work is yet undone."

I said, "I will miss the light,

And friends will miss me, they say";

He answered me, "Choose tonight,

If I am to miss you, or they."

I pleaded for time to be given;

He said, "Is it this hard to decide?

It will not seem hard in Heaven

To have followed the steps of your Guide."

I cast one look at the field,

Then set my face to the town;

He said, "My child, do you yield?

Will you leave the flowers for the crown?"

Then into His hand went mine,

And into my heart came He;

And I walk in a light Divine,

The path I had feared to see.

By Madame Guyon

We never need to fear the call when we know who is calling us!

~:~Becca~:~

Scripture Verse

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ forgave you."

Ephesians 4:29-32

I love these Scripture verses! It makes me stop and think about what I say...do I grieve the Holy Spirit with my words? Or do I worship Him and bring Him glory with my actions? It also struck me as I read through these verses, that Christ forgives us when we grieve Him. Therefore so should we forgive others when they wrong us! How much more did Christ have to forgive us?

blessings!
~becca~

7 Things About Byrde by Becca :)

Ok, since Byrde is gone (*sob*) I shall post 7 things about her. :)

1. She has tons of friends
2. All her friends adore her ;)
3. Byrde has the gift of encouragement
4. She emails her friends all the time, brightening up their days
5. She's sensitive to other people's feelings
6. Byrde desires to grow deeper in her walk with the Lord
7. altogether, Byrde ROX!! :)

love ya and miss ya, girl! ;)

~becca~

7 Things About Becca

I totally forgot to post 7 random facts about myself on Thursday! So, here goes! :)

1. I love studying World War 2
2. My favorite WW2 authors are Stephen Ambrose and James Bradley
3. My favorite WW2 books are Citizen Soldiers and Flyboys
4. I go to the library at least twice a week
5. I always get WW2 books and Popular Photography magazines every time I go
6. I don't have a library card. random, I know...but in light of the above points, I thought it was kinda funny. :)
7. I also like Dee Henderson books

Ok, so you probably can't tell what I spend my free time doing ;)

blessings!
~becca~

Seven (or more) things about Bug

Okay guys....sorry. We were supposed to post seven things about ourselves every Thursday, but somewhere along the line that kinda bit the dust. So, I'm doing it now. (Yes, I am aware of the fact that it's a Friday) (Actually, sorry, couldn't narrow down my dislikes to only seven things, so you'll hafta bear with me on a few more)
So....*drumroll* Here's seven things that annoy Bug:

1. Socks that don't fit. (argh!)

2. When a teacher doesn't erase all of the chalk on a chalk board

3. Email forwards

4. Suspense. It kills me! I almost always peek in the back of a

novel to see "who dun' it" 'cause I hate waiting!

5. When people talk during a movie or say the lines 2 seconds before

it's said in the flick.

6. Flirts or show-offs.

7. Losing one part of a pair of earrings

8. People chewing really loudly when the room is otherwise quiet

9. People who sneeze really loudly

10. People who chomp on gum

:.:.Bug:.:

Be Still My Soul

Well, here's one of Bug's all-time favorite hymns! Whenever I'm struggling with trusting God with a problem I'm often reminded of this hymn.

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In every change, He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake

To guide the future, as He has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still knowHis voice

Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,

And all is darkened in the vale of tears,

Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,

Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.

Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay

From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on

When we shall be forever with the Lord.

When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past

All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise

On earth, be leaving, to Thy Lord on high;

Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,

So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.

Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine

Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.

:.Bug.:

JOY

I'm just going to post a bunch of random quotes from my favorite book "When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy". I like how Piper always points us back to the basics: Joy comes from God and being content and complete in Him.

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

"For there exists a delight that is not given to the wicked, but to those honoring Thee, O God, without desiring recompense, the joy of whom Thou art Thyself! And this blessed life, to rejoice towards Thee, about Thee, for Thy sake."

"If God alone is enough to support joy when all else is lost, it is a mircale of grace." (again, joy comes from God...it is a gift totally undeserved!)

"The final object of our pursuit is joy itself, rather than the beauty of what we find joy in. This is a very common mistake."

"Our chief end is to glorify God...we do so most fully when we treasure him, desire him, delight in him so supremely that we let goods and kindred go and display his love to the poor and the lost."

"Surely this is a battle worth fighting for [the battle for joy]. It may seem strange at first, but when we seewhat is at stake, no battle will seem more important. Loving Christ involves delight in his Person. Without this love no one goes to heaven. Therefore there is no more importnat struggle in the universe than the struggle to see and savor Christ above all things--the struggle for joy."

"Our joy in him will be greater because we see him as the one who gives both the joy and the strength to fight for it."

"It is our duty and privilege to rejoice in God, and to rejoice in him always; at all times, in all conditions; even we suffer for him, or are afflicted by him. We must not think the worse of him or of his ways for the hardships we meet with in his service. There is enough in GOd to furnish us with matter of joy in the worst circumstance on earth...Joy in God is a duty of great consequence in the Christian life; and Christians need to be again and again called to it."

"God's aim in all that he does is to glorify himself. This invovles both radiance from God and reflection from creation. His glory streams out from himself, and it streams back again in many ways, especailly when he is treasured and enjoyed by his people."

"All strategies in the fight for joy are directly or indirectly stratigies to see Christ more fully."

Those are just a few of the parts I have underlined in the book! I highly recommend reading it! :)

blessings,
becca

Girls and apple trees

Hey!
When I saw this, I knew I had to post it. I know it was a forward going around, so sorry if you've already seen it...it's good enough for you to see again, for sure! :)

---------------Girls------------------
-----------are like apples--------------
-------on trees. The best ones--------
-----are at the top of the tree.--------
---The boys don’t want to reach------
--for the good ones because they---
-r afraid of falling and getting hurt.--
-Instead, they get the rotten apples
from the ground that aren’t as good,
but easy. So the apples up top think-
something’s wrong w/ them when in-
-reality they're amazing. They just--
---have to wait for the right boy to--
---- come along, the one who's-------
----------- brave enough to-----------
---------------climb all-----------------
---------------the way-----------------
--------------to the top----------------
-------------of the tree.----------------

Good, isn't it?


blessings
~becca~

Bug's Book List

Wow...I guess I'm on a role today! I'm trying to make up for all the posting I've missed! Anyways, here's my reccomended book list. Becca and Byrde probably have their own that they'd love to share, so hope you guys like to read! All of these books are devotional or spiritual books that are a MUST read! I, personally, struggle with finding good book out there, but here are my top favs:

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers~ You are probably not surpised that this book is on my list. I quote it about every post! I highly reccomend this book! It's broken down into short devotionals for every day. It's very in-depth and great for people who desire to grow more in their walk with God.

I Come Quietly to Meet You by Amy Carmichael~ A great devotional book! (By one of my favorite ladys, too! :)) This book is also broken down into short, thought-provoking devotional readings. I like it alot because it's very informal and almost just a collection of Amy's thoughts.

A Young Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George~ A very helpful and down-to-earth book about how we can become women after God's own heart. The book is a study on the fruits of the Spirit.

Mountian Breezes by Amy Carmichael~ For those of you who love poetry this is a God send. Even if you don't, you'll love this collection of Amy's poems and songs. I love it because it's just a beautified collection of writings about her struggles and joys.

Let Me Be a Woman by Elizabeth Elliot~ (My other favorite lady!:)) This is a book about a woman's role. Very good!

Passion and Purity~ All the guy and girl stuff you'll eva want to know! :P lol. It's very good and Biblically strong. Whenever you get to the relationship stage this is a good book to read.

Mere Christianity~ A very good book! A fairly easy read that states very clearly what we believe.

Knowing God by J.I. Packer~ An excellant book!Tough to get through in spots, but very worthwhile. Packer expounds on the power of knowing God.

Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ by Piper~ I love this book! It really expounds on many qualities of Jesus and is very meaningful.

The Sovereignty of God by A.W.Pink~ I'll praise this book to the skys! It is an amazing book on how "God still lives, God still observes, and God still reigns."

The Pursuit of God by A.W.Tozer~ I'm in the middle of reading this and have found it amazing. It's very readable, but very deep. Tozer has many meaningful thoughts on finding and discovering God personally.

Well, that's it for tonight, folks! When I think of more I'll be sure to let ya know! Also, post a comment and tell us what books are your favorite devotionals!

:.Bug.:

Fruit of the Spirit: Joy

*Sigh* It's so refreshing to slip back into the world of blogging! Well, we're back on track with our posting and today (as you may have guessed) is JOY! Here's a look at how Naves Topical Bible defines joy: "emotion excited by expectation or acquisition of good; attribute of God; fruit of the Spirit; not the same as happiness which depends largely upon happenings, as it may be experianced even in affliction." Joy comes from something other than our circumstances. Joy is SO essential because it is the unmistakable mark of a Christian. When non-believers look at your life and take note of all the hardships you're going through and then see the joy overflowing in your life they are bound to want to know what makes you different. What a witness we can be!

So, now that we know we need joy...How do we get it? As mentioned above, we know our source of joy depends on something other than our circumstances. Jesus Christ. He is our source and our well-spring of life. The scriptures tell us over and over again to rejoice in the Lord, and that the joy of the Lord is our strength. "Rejoice in the Lord and be glad!" Psalms 32:11
See, when we really know Jesus Christ and draw our every breath by His sustaining grace then we can posess joy which will sustain us even through trials.
Oswald Chambers stated: "Be rightly related to God, find your joy there, and out of you will flow rivers of living water." Take time to be rightly related to God! Read his word constantly. Meditate on it day and night! Don't let anything else sneak in and steal your relationship with Him. The moment we look at things or people to fulfill our joy then we will fall into depression instead. Jesus is the only true source of everything we need.

"The full flood of my life is not in bodily health,

not in external happenings,

not in seeing God's work succeed,

but in the perfect understanding of God,

and in the communion with him that Jesus himself had.

The first thing that will hinder this joy is the captious irritation of thinking out circumstances.

The cares of this world, said Jesus, will choke God's word.

Before we know where we are,we are caught up in the shows of things.

All that God has done for us is the mere threshhold;

He wants to get us to the place where we will be His witnesses and proclaim

WHO

JESUS

IS."

(Oswald Chambers)

Be witnesses of God's joy...

:.Bug.:

It Works!

Wow...technology. I hate it! Becca and I have been unable to get onto Blogger until low-and-behold I try one last time and it works! So...we'll try to get back on top of things! I just wanted to let you know that we've not given up on this blog! :) LOL.
Anyways, back to bussiness...Here's what your bloggers are up to...Byrde has flown the coop and is somewhere partying in Tahiti at this very moment. JK. Actually, she's on the East Coast and we all miss her very much. ;(
Becca and I just got back from a great vacation at Diamond Lake. We had a very relaxing time! (We biked 36 miles, hiked 3 1/2, and I swam 1). That's pretty much what's been going on with all of us. As I mentioned before, we'll try to get back to our spiritual stuff asap!

:.:.Bug:.:

Apologies!

The Blogger Board of Operations (BBO) is very sorry that techincal difficulties have kept us from posting these last few weeks. We apologize for this inconvienence and will let you know on further developments.

Byrde, Buster, Bug....


"I cried but no one saw me, I yelled and no one heard me. What will it take?! Is it because I look different? Is that why you ignore me?!"

Don't wait until it's too late...love those around you...each day...each minute.

Love- A Christian Essential

I’ve just recently started studying 1 John in my devotional time and found that this book has many thoughts on love. Love is emphasized over and over again as an essential to identifying those who know Christ. I counted six times that the author stated that whoever says he loves God must also love his brother. We serve the God of love! How then can love be absent if He is in our hearts? I have seen it too many times. (Even my own life, I confess) A Christian girl will be telling me how much she loves God. Then, not five minutes later, she’ll tell me conspiratorially how she just hates so and so (who happens to be a fellow sister in Christ). Has anyone ever said that to you? Or perhaps you are guilty of saying the same thing yourself? I am reminded of the verse from 1 John 4:20b~ “For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.” Talk about convicting! “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1John 4:10) The fact is, ladies, we can’t make ourselves out to be Christians and not have love. “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:8) Also, a few verses later the text states that whoever says they love God and yet hates their brother is a lair. They are deceived. They don’t know whom they serve. Reading these chapters in 1 John made me come to realize that the real problem why we have a problem with loving others is because we have lost touch with our Savior and forgotten who he is and what he’s done. Loving comes naturally when you are intimate with the God of love. You cannot claim to know God and then not love your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ! If you really know Christ then you know his love. When someone has personally experienced how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and really knows this love which surpasses knowledge they cannot help but be affected by it! The love that overflows in our hearts because of Christ dwelling there will overflow as a love for others. My encouragement to all of you is to draw near to God and experience his love. Know who it is you follow. Follow His example! If you know Christ, you can know how to love others! Follow in His footsteps…Love is so essential to being a Christian!

.:.:Bug:.:.

The Martyr

Ok, Bubbles, here’s that long-awaited poem you wanted me to post!



The Martyr

By Becca



Slowly he stands,

In front of the crowds.

Standing silent before

The taunting mobs.



His crime no one knows,

His punishment is burning.

The people will not settle for less.



An epic of faithfulness,

A legacy of grace.

Footprints on hearts,

One finishing the race.



So onward he moves,

To the pile of sticks.

The doorway to heavenly freedom.

A gateway to the King he adores,

The One he is dying for.



One last look

At the loud, angry crowds,

Then upward pierces his gaze

And raises the praises of the Lord.



Burning with fire,

The dross melted out.

In its place a fine jewel,

No grief left, nor doubt.



blessings,

~becca~

Wow, this is long overdue! ;)

Okay...quotes, quotes and more quotes...love is coming! :)

"Give up yourself, and you will find your real self, lose your life, and you will save it. Submit to death, death to your ambitions and favorite wishes every day and death of the whole body in the end. Submit with every fibre of your being, and you will find eternal life. Keep back nothing. Nothing that you have not given away will ever be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. Look for youself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, lonliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in."


It's all for Him,
<>Byrde<>


...inspired by bug...

Thursday 7

Well, some random things about me:

1. I was born in Massachusetts
2. I played soccer for five years
3. I always wear eyeliner
4. I hate swimming with fish in the water
5. I want to learn how to surf
6. I've been to Europe
7. I was caught in an avalanche once.

Living for Him,

<>Byrde<>

Thursday 7

1) I’ve played the piano for over 10 years
2) I absolutely L.O.V.E. singing…I almost shrivel up and die when I have a cold. :)
3) I took voice lessons for a year
4) my favorite thing to sing right now is Phantom of the Opera (boy, does that stretch one’s vocal chords!)
5) I listen to music all the time…everything from Kutless, to Jeremy Camp, to Rascal Flatts, to Josh Bates, to the Afters :)
6) I wish I could play the guitar, bass, and bagpipes. lol. ok ok, I’m odd, I’ll admit.
7) I love to sing the songs As the Deer and Only Hope


-:-:-Becca-:-:-

7 things about myself pertaining to music

I can’t tolerate jazz-ugh- but, I adore country!
When I’m trying to study I always listen to instrumental music- but no classical for me!!
I listen to the radio almost 24/7. My favorites are: Klove, The Wolf, Air1, KUPL, and The Fish
Concerts are the BEST! There’s nothing like actually feeling your favorite music! :)
I just learned Kutless falls into the “hard metal” category, but I like them anyways. :P
My favorite Christian singers are: Jeremy Camp, Kutless, Casting Crowns, and I’m drawing a total black about the others ------
I’ve only been to two concerts in my lifetime: John Tesh, and Jeremy Camp/Afters/Bethany Dillon

^:^BUG^:^

Fruits of the Spirit: Love

“Love is the more excellent way. However, in talking about the word love, I think we’d better define it, since our world doesn’t have the foggiest idea what it means. The word in the Greek is agape, which is the most grandiose concept of love. Agape is the highest level of love—the love that is associated with God. Agape is the term used in 1Corinthians 13. So, the question is, what does it mean? Well, first let me tell you what it doesn’t mean. Agape is not romantic or sexual love, emotional love, ecumenical love, or charity. So, what in the world is it? What is love? 1 John 4:9-11 says ‘In this way manifested the love of God toward us, that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein 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 ought also to love one another.’ In other words, God’s love is demonstrated in an act of self sacrifice—and so is ours. Now, when we talk about love, that’s what we’re talking about. It is an act of self-sacrifice. It is humility. It is meeting needs and doing what God wants us to do. There’s no self-seeking, pride, selfishness, self-glory, or vanity in love.” (excerpt from Perfect Love by John MacArthur)

Our sinful nature, our desire to be self seeking and prideful, have been put to death(Gal 5:24). In its’ place comes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. When we display these fruits in our lives, it proves to the world that we indeed have been regenerated.

The greatest of all the fruits is love. Of all the fruits of the Spirit, the Bible spends the most time commanding us to love. We are to love our enemies, our brothers and sisters in Christ, our mother and father, and we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
“And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us. Those who obey His commands live in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave you.” (1 John 3:23-24).

We can’t bring about love on our own. “Love comes from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8) Also, “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16b)

Love really encompasses all of the fruits of the Spirit. Because there is love there is joy. And peace. And patience. And kindness. And goodness. Do you see why love is so important? Not only does God command us to love one another, but these other vital fruits won’t be displayed in our lives unless we have it! Let me explain further. Imagine yourself just getting out of bed and making your way to the bathroom to get ready for the day. And your sister (or brother) is in there already and you know that they take forever to get ready in the mornings. (trust me, this scene happens a lot at our house!). Instead of banging on the door and demanding that they hurry up, in LOVE you remain patient. You LOVE them, so you are patient. You see? I’m sure you can come up with instances in your own life where you displayed love for another by being kind, peaceful or gentle!

In addition, love is not merely words. We can easily say we love a person, but what really counts is our love acted out. The simple deeds we do for people, the patient way we act, the grace we give when wronged.

Love does not come easily. Our sinful nature is battling against the Spirit inside us to do those things which are contrary to God. We must prayerfully go before God each and every day and ask for His strength to show a self-sacrificing love to everyone we come in contact with!



Love in Him,
~Becca~

Kick off!!

Well, here's the kick off for our new series on...*drum roll* The Fruits of the Spirit! I think...actually I know that we are all really excited about starting and tomorrow you will get to hear from Becca about LOVE. Yeh babee...your favorite! lol, the popular most mis-used word! So, get ready for some good discussion and great posts!

For Greater Loss,
<>Byrde<>

My quiet time

Alrighty, well today, my Bible reading was in Hebrews. (I hope to finsih the New Testament this summer) So, I was reading a few chapters (8-11) and, it was a wee bit obvious to me a point that God was trying to get across to me. It was that Chirst Jesus came ONCE to die for ALL sins until the end of time. Isn't that amazing. Like when you think of the sacrifice that was commited over 2000 years ago, that is STILL "working" today...still taking place. When you REALLY think about it it's like...breathtaking. It's crazy to think that when God sent His only son to go save the world. It was the WORLD, not just the world at that time. For the rest of time. What a POWERFUL gift that was...everlasting! Here are the verses that showed up:

• Hebrews 9:25-26 ~ "Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place ever year with the blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. "
• Hebrews 10:10 ~ "And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all."

Take a moment to think about how life changing that is...Praise be to the only perfect one!

<>Byrde<>

Seven Things about Me

Every Thursday, Bug, Bryde, and I are going to post 7 things about ourselves so you can get to know us better! Some may be slightly random and impersonal, but that's ok, right? :)
Another thing. I know this isn't Thursday, but seeing as tomorrow is our last day here at Black Butte Ranch, and i will be slightly busy having way too much fun, I'm gonna post 7 things about myself today. :) SO, 7 things about myself on the subject of food (cuz i thought i should have a theme...and i like food) lol.

#1-I luv pizza. like LUV pizza. more specifically garlic chicken pizza. cold, out of the fridge. warm is awesome too, but cold is...heavenly :)
#2-I don't like tomatoes. tomatoes in stuff is ok, but not by themselves
#3-I don't like potatoes. bleck :P
#4-I love olives (only black ones). and they can't be sliced. dunno why, but sliced olives are soo gross.
#5-I luv melted vanilla ice cream. yummmmy.
#6-Rice is one of my staple foods
#7-I luv raisin bagels with a slice of pepper jack cheese. just ask byrde. :)

Anybody have the same likes/dislikes as me? (just curious) ;)

Well, our vacation is almost over. Today was kinda a last big "bash". We hung out at the pool all day and yes, we got burned. oopsy. :P We were there for like 5 hours sunning and swimming and eating and playing cards. great fun!

foreverHis,
~becca~

Animal post!!!!! yay

ok, i know that our posts haven't been very...deep lately, so I don't feel bad posting about this! :) I had a funny animal story to share with you and it concerns my favorite little animal: CHIPMUNKS!! lol.
The other day, when we were at Scout Lake, I was over-run by those little creatures. I was sitting in a chair reading my book while my family swam. This chipmunk came up to me and started walking over my feet and climbing up the back of my chair! I actually fed a few of them right out of my hand. :) soooo cute. then this one little guy crawled into our empty bag of chips and got stuck. He completely panicked, so i had to go and dump the bag upside down. It didn't scare him too bad though, because soon he was back eating out of my hand. Well, that was for you animal lovers out there! lol.

foreverHis,
~Becca~

Braces...AH!!!!!!

Oh great, yep, you guessed it! Today, I go to OHSU to get my braces, or atleast all that boring stuff that comes before braces, like x-rays, and molds, and that sort of disgusting thing! I'm not very excited as you can tell. *pauses to go devour chips, bubble gum, and taffy* Well, who died from swallowing that nasty mold stuff? Well, I'm afraid to say that...I don't do well with things in my mouth, I ALWAYS gag. You know those pictures they have to take at the dentist office? Where they stick those little tab thingies in your mouth, well, I ALWAYS gag, the lady takes the picture as QUICK as she can and rushes back to take it out before I barf. *sigh* It should be no less then an adventure today! Adieu, and pray for good providence! ;)

His Always,
<>Byrde<>

Anita Falls

Wow yesterday I went on the best hike EVER! It was great. wow. It's called Anita Falls, just past Multnoma Falls. :) You park and then walk down to the creek, where you climb over a bunch of logs and rocks. You keep hiking (altogether it is a VERY short hike), through thigh deep water at some points until you get to the falls, it is beauitful. So, when you get to the falls, there is this tiny tiny lake thingy at the bottom of it. So, us brave teens decided to brave the fish, and FREEZING water and take a swim, only a few of us (Tim, Jake, Me, and Amber) were actually "man" enough to swim all the way under the falls, it was quite cold and the current and temperature made it hard to breath and swim. My word. It was the best hike I've ever been on. Although, Jake does make things a whole lot funner! :D lol. It was great, we found out Hiroko doesn't like amphibians or fish and may scream when provoked by Tim, and it's hard to swim in ice cold water with socks and shoes on. We also found that silt and seaweed in a lake may provoke screaming from swimming girls, and Jake was quite surprised when i wasn't shocked that he threw a frog on my head. One other thing...most girls would prefer their boyfriend to carry them over ankle deep water then walk through it themselves. So, altogether it was a GREAT hike, and lots of fun and laughs. I would HIGHLY recommend it!


His Always,
<>byrde<>

Happy Anniversary!

Hey all! I would like to take up several inches of space on this blog to wish my parents happy anniversary!! They have been married 22 years now! That seems like foreve! They are great parents and just plain fun to be with. We are so lucky that God has given them to us! Luv you mom and dad! Love- AC, Becca, Bug & Rachie

more summer fun

ok ok, at the urging of bubbles, i will postpostpost! :)
Today has been relaxing yet exhausting if you know what i mean. funny how the sun zaps you of energy, no? Well, we went to Scout Lake, which is a man-made lake not too far from Black Butte. It has TONS of huge logs in the water that have been there for forever so it's always fun diving and jumping off of them. Actually, to tell you the truth, I didn't do much swimming this time. i know...terrible me! :) I was caught up in reading a most interesting book called "Captivating" by Eldredge (sp). I highly recommend the book! It's a great book for Christian women.
After staying at the lake for a few hours, we went and played tennis. Ok, confession time...i do not like tennis. not even a little bit! Maybe it's because i've never really learned how to, or maybe it's because every time i hit the ball it goes sailing out of the court. *hmmmmmm*
Tonight my mom and dad are going to the Lodge for dinner, to celebrate thier anniversary. We girls get to stay home and watch movies!!! YAY! :)

foreverHis,
~Becca~

Having fun in the sun! :)

Howdy!
My family is having a marvelous time here at Black Butte Ranch! I didn't know we'd have Internet access, so it was a nice suprise, for sure! :) We've visited the pool lots and biked everywhere. The biking trails here are so beautiful!
The house we are staying in is very nice. It has 3 bedrooms, two with queen size beds and the other with 2 bunk beds (so both my little sister and I get top bunks...no fighting involved. lol). Don't ask me how, but Bug ended up with a room all to herself and a queen sized bed. :)
This evening our family biked to the Lodge and played beach volleyball and baseball. It was pretty funny, seeing as we never really play volleyball. :) and baseball was...interesting. I hit my cheeck bone with the bat and got a nice bruise. (don't even ask how that happened :P) By the time we were done, it was dark, which made for a FUN bike ride back to our house. Think swerving around corners at top speed and bats dodging at head. :) Next time i think we will take a flashlight.
So, besides that, we've just been relaxing. My dad has been catching up on his Seminary studies and the rest of us have had good times in the Word too.
You can pray that the weather stays nice down here. We are supposed to get thunder showers tomorrow, which would be rather disapointing. :( we'll make the best of it though....maybe blog the whole day! :)
Until next time then...
foreverHis,
~Becca~

When Darkness Comes

Since Becca would never post this herself, I guess I'll have to do it for her. :)

When Darkness Comes
By Rebecca G.


When darkness comes
And you feel sad,
I’ll reach up to the heavens.
In my hands I’ll grasp a star,
And send it to you
My love,
I’ll send you a shining star.

When I am lonely
And feel afraid,
Fetch for me a shining star
My love,
Fetch for me a star.

From the blackest of black nights,
When the shining stars
Are the only light,
Fetch for me a star
My love,
Fetch for me a star.



I love it!

<>Byrde<>

me and my pooch

Hey all!
Here's a picture of me and my ever loyal friend! :) Introducing, Callie (she's a 3 year young mutt). There is quite an amazing story about how I found her, but sadly I haven't the time to tell the whole thing! Maybe some other time. :)

blessings,

~Becca~

Beach Day

Hey all! Becca and I just got back from a day at the beach with friends. There's nothing like relaxing on a sunny beach with a good friend. (and camera...) I thought I'd share some of my pics with you. My whole family is made up of photography buffs, so I try my best to fit in... Lots of room for improvement!! lol. As you can probably tell...:) (btw, the gorgeous girl is our friend Paj) Enjoy...

Paj and my lil' sis

















What's the beach without a picture of your feet? :)















Paj and I...




















My favorite picture of Paj...

Me....The beach does not do wonders for my hair!!

God bless!

<-Bug->

Quote of the day

"Isn't it funny how I can be worried more about what other people think about me than what God thinks of me?!"

<>Byrde<>

As we ride off into the sunset...

Hey all! Here's some headline news: Becca and I (Bug) are going on a long vacation. Actually, it's not too long, but we're not sure when we'll be getting back. (And no, we are not going to Paris...) I do know that we will be gone for over a week. We will leave this Friday and (possibly) return the 14th, but as I said before...we have NO idea. We would appreciate your prayers for safety and a fun time as we relax with family. Now here comes the good part... *drumroll*...Byrde will be blessing the blog with topics of the most intriguing nature until our return!!!! Byrde has yet to decide which topic she wants to discuss while we are away, so now would be the time to completely overwhelm her with emails filled with topic suggestions....I know she will appreciate the ideas... :P Toodles!

God bless!

<-Bug->