Perfect quietness

Humility is perfect quietness of heart. It is for me to have no trouble; never to be fretted or vexed or irritated or sore or disappointed. It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me.

It is to be at rest when nobody praises me and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the Lord where I can go in and shut the door and kneel to my Father in secret and be at peace as in a deep sea of calmness when all around is trouble. It is the fruit of the Lord Jesus Christ's redemptive work on Calvary's cross, manifested in those of His own who are definitely subject to the Holy Spirit.

::Andrew Murray::

Isn't it ironic?

...how headcoverings seem so odd, yet half a century ago, women didn't go anywhere without a hat.

...how jeans are the only thing to wear, yet it hasn't been that long that women have been wearing them.

...how modesty is something some Christians don't think about even though God calls us to "dress modestly, with decency and propriety."

I am: tagged again

I know: my mom is coming to Illinois next month
I want: it to be next month, or the next (Christmas break :)
I have: to work on my 7-10 page research paper
I wish: it was finished
I hate: eating raw onions
I miss: my family
I fear: angry bulls
I feel: tired. Yesterday, I made apple pies for a couple hours and then got to go in a corn maze. Fun, but a long day!
I hear: Rebecca typing a research paper on her laptop
I smell: with my nose
I crave: always chocolate!
I search: for growth in Christ
I wonder: what kind of “big-girl” job I’ll have in the real world a couple years down the road.
I regret: not always leaving time in my day to read my Bible.
I love: my Savior
I ache: after playing wii bowling
I care: about people
I always: um, um, yeah,… forget
I am not: in Italy
I believe: God is amazing
I dance: not at Judson. Besides it not being allowed, I have no rhythm (I’m basically as white as you can get :)
I sing: not always on-key, but I try :)
I cry: after watching the Passion of the Christ
I don't always: talk this muchb about myself. At least I hope not!
I fight: waking up in the morning
I write: this blog post
I never: eat squid
I listen: with both ears, but I still might not hear you.
I need: to write more of my paperI can usually be found: in studio
I win: victory over death through Christ!
I lose: everything.
I confuse: easily
I am happy about: my salvation
I imagine: what my future will be like

Chicago pixels

I spent two hours outside the Art Institute on Saturday. Here is a portion of what I saw.

A sculpture in a park nearby.

A midday nap.

This picture just fell into place. The pipe, the newspaper. I love it.

Fast-paced life of the city.

Performing for survival.

And that isn't even half of all the sights I saw. A policeman riding a horse. A student studying in the park. A bicycle for two people. The traffic. The brakes screeching. The photographs inside the museum. Kids. More homeless, more teenagers performing for money. So many sights, so many sounds.

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday Mom! I love and miss you ever so much! I really wish I could be with you today, to help celebrate this momentous occasion! (Her new age ends in a zero :) Thank you or being such a great mom and the wonderful encourager that you are!

LOVE YOU!!

Will you join me in wishing my mom a most excellent birthday?

Calvin and Hobbes

[click to enlarge]

How are you working?

If he was ever tempted to cut corners, He did not yield to the temptation. He did nothing sloppily. He worked carefully, thoroughly, dependably, promptly, faithfully.

::Elisabeth Elliot::

I've been tagged..

Da rules:

Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Write six random things about yourself.
Tag sixish people at the end of your post.
Let each person know he or she has been tagged.
Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

1. I want to have a lot of kids after I get married.

2. I can not swim.

3. I love lemon pudding.

4. For quite some time I wanted to continue the Seven Brides for Seven Brides tradition of naming kids where they left off. (Alphabetical bible names)

5. For my typography class, I am doing a human rights poster.

6. My semester is going to be crazy next year. I'll have five studios and history of art II. (Mondays and Wednesdays I'll go from 9 in the morning to 9 at night :P)

7. My brother and I tried to sell lemonade at the end of our road (Note: we live on a highway where an approximate number of three cars per hour come whizzing by at 65 mph) We didn't sell any, but later my grandma took sympathy on us and gave us some money. :)

I tag...

Suzanne at Perfect in Love, Noelle at Noelle's Blog, Linda at Linda's Thoughts, Ginger at Pieces of My Heart, Amanda at A Touch of Grace and Stepheny at Stepheny's Blog.

I made another blog...

for Prairie Bible Camp. I thought it would be kind of nice to have more info about it so people could read about it (yes that would be you Noelle :).

Various sheep

Call me crazy

I kind of miss winter.

A new model

I choose joy

I choose joy... I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical... the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.
::Max Lucado::

Lukewarm?

Revelation 3:16, "So because you are lukewarm-- neither hot or cold-- I am about to spit you out of my mouth."

Is it really possible to be lukewarm?! He has done so much for us. He DIED for us. He didn't have to do that, he CHOSE to do that!! I have an amazing God. Sin has lost it's power. Satan is defeated. I suppose we can become lukewarm because even though Satan is defeated, he is still here on the earth, trying to discourage us.

Give me the love that leads the way, The faith that nothing can dismay, The hope no disappointments tire, The passion that will burn like fire, Let me not sink to be a clod: Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God. :::Amy Carmichael:::

Well, I have been feeling 'lukewarm' as of late. Well at my small group last night, I shared this and asked for prayer, for a renewed thirst in my spiritual walk with God. We started prayer by laying hands on one of the girls, and eventually we went around to the rest and laid our hands on them and prayed for them individually. What a blessing it was!! It was so encouraging to hear those girls, my dear friends, speak edifying words for each other. We four girls only prayed probably 15-30 minutes, but it really lifted my spirits. I ask that you'd pray for me. It seems hard to "find" time for God. He should truly be my main focus and desire, first and foremost.

Random thoughts and musings

Well it's good to know that all my friends haven't died or contracted some rare disease that disables them from communicating with me through cyberspace.

Yesterday I was in Chicago for a field trip. We went to the Art Institute. That was fun. The few times that I do go into Chicago, I am always surprised at the homeless on the street. It is a totally different world than back home. It's funny how a couple dollars seems to make their day. I mean if I found a dollar or two on the street, I'm sure it wouldn't have a huge impact on my day.

Well I should get back to homework. I have to work on my ten page research paper for History of Art...

ATTENTION!!

Have all my commentators fallen off the face of the earth? I've noticed as of late that my comments have been dwindling in size. According to my archives, I once had a whopping 14 comments (granted that was my blogiversary) for one post. It makes me oh-so happy when i get comments, so unless you want me to become sad, I suggest you leave a comment. I won't force you to do it now. I'll give you a week in which to do it. Thank you for your time.

Can people see your gratitude?

Joy is prayer - Joy is strength - Joy is love - Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. God loves a cheerful giver. She gives most who gives with joy. The best way to show our gratitude to God and the people is to accept everything with joy. A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love. Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of the Christ risen.

:::Mother Teresa:::

Here I am!

I thought I'd update on my blog since it has been awhile. School is okay. Not too crazy yet. I do have a 7-10 page research paper on Greek architecture due in November. That ought to be fun. I'm preety sure everyon ein my math class did horribly on the quiz today.

However, on a lighter note, I'm loving my photography class. It's pretty awesome so far. And upper Room was tonight. And my small group with Joy is going to be amazing. Oh, I started last week, fasting and praying on Saturdays around noon. It is really hard and I didn't think I could do it, but I'm going to try to keep it up.

Do you like my new signature?

Compared to you

Compared to you, O God, I am just scum.
The vast wonders you have created are endless.
Yet, you tell me to come.
Come into your presence.

Compared to your love, I am pitiful.
I do not deserve it in the least.
I can't even begin to comprehend how you love so easily.
I fall to my knees in amazement. I lift my hands to you.

You could toss me aside, but you love me unconditionally.
When I am scum, you beautify me.
You cleanse me.
You love me.

Empty Me

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.
I've seen just enough of the quick buys of the best lies
To know how prodigals can be drawn away.
I know how I can stray
And how fast my heart could change.
Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.
Cause everything is a lesser thing
Compared to you, compared to you.
Cause everything is a lesser thing
compared to you. So, I surrender all!
Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.
Oh, filled with you.
Empty me.