Monday, June 14, 2010

Declaration of Joy

Yeah so I'm pretty happy right now. Summer is here! I think it's finally here to stay. It is nice and hot out. Oh sun. I love you. On Sunday afternoon I spread out my cheery quilt that helps me get through the dreary winter: My red and yellow quilt. I spread it out on our front lawn, still in my summer dress I wore to church, sun hat on, sunglasses on, Idaho's driver's manual out, Drive right book out (from driver's ed class..these aren't my choice in reading..), ice cold glass of water, soaking up vitamin D. It felt good. Finally though, I had to go inside because it was so warm, so nice out that I thought it'd be nice to take a long sun nap on my favorite quilt ever. If we had private property I probably would've done just that..(being in a dress and all..hehe..u know..)

But I had forty vocabulary to memorize for my driver's ed vocab final. And so I memorized all forty within an hour and a half. (Well I had to write them out too..)

I did SUPER well on my quiz we got back from last Friday! And I did well on the quiz we took today!!! So happy! Hopefully my 87 will go up (which it most likely will because that's not counting extra credit) to a 90 something.. :D YES.

I'm taking driver's ed with two friends: P-nut and Sarah. Sarah sits in front of us (teacher assigned our seating..) and P-nut and I sit next to each other. Woot woot. It's bombizzle doing it with friends. If I was a lone well :( no one likes being the lone wolf.

Anyways. I have a presentation tomorrow. Should be super duper easy. Three articles on accidents and you have to tell what the driver's error is, and what they driver COULD have done to prevent the accident.

Oh and on Saturday (this last Saturday) it was such a nice Saturday!!! It was the perfect temperature out. I had my first *legal* drive with my driving instructor and P-nut. It was fun. I definitely like going 35 mph rather than 10/20 in a subdivision. *bleck*

Then Mum picked us up and we headed on over to the Flying M (bestest coffee shop everest..). We drank coffee, got jittery (..dunno why it's not like P-nut and I don't drink coffee OH yeah Mum said it was because we didn't eat lunch (in my case a *proper* lunch)), laughed at everything because we were just a little bit hyper, talked smack about our classmates *the ones that we dont know and have no connection with them/have never been in their lives before until now in class* *WHICH would be pretty much all of the class..33 students*. Ok maybe I should clarify. We didnt talk smack (the apostrophe key isnt working just so you know...) about them. We (being seated in the back row..hehe given the ability to observe/people watch) just simply stated everything weve got *figure out* about them. Example: We know who are the nerds in the class..and the girls sitting in our row whos the perfectionist (if you didnt catch it the first time Im having issues with the apostrophe key so Im giving up on trying to use it..) and whos the dumb*ist*..(as in she who makes up answers..to tests..).

Then we headed on over to this place (RIGHT NEXT to the M..) called (note the quotation marks are on the same key as the apostrophe key too..shooot me..) *The White Pine*. It is awesome! They have used books for a decent price and I found 4 books that are on my reading list that I have to buy (which I figured Id just order them off of amazon..)
  1. Gone with the Wind
  2. Count of Monte Cristo
  3. Lord of the Flies
  4. Moby Dick
Now I know what you are thinking!!! Im a slacker for not having read these already! But that is the point! I created a booklist for this year (2010..lol) consisting of some of the classics that I havent read and need to read and wanna read and should read. Get it? Got it? Good!

So anyways. I wasnt thinking that we would go to the White Pine (I was jammin out the door for class) and so I just shoved some coffee money and a little extra to buy something to eat at the M for *lunch*. I didnt bring enough money on me to be able to buy all four.. CUZ I SO TOTALLY COULDVE DUE TO THE SWUH.EET. PRICES.

I left proudly with Moby Dick though! Im trying to build my library. By that I mean buy books on my own or ask for more books on birthdays and Christmases so when I move out/or get married I have a library to bring.

Yes the amazing Woman who inspired me to do this was Aunt Lori. We were talking about hope chests one time and got on to talking about books and how she wants her daughters to leave home with a mini library of their own to begin to fill their home with books. It kind of woke me up because I realized when I leave home I want to leave with my books *with some books even to have! is a better way of putting it..*.

I have to catch up on sermons!! I missed one week because we were at a baptizim. Then I missed another week because I was helping out in Childrens church..and so now Im going to go back listen to the two missed sermons and then all the way up to this weeks sermon. I feel like I need to do that to get a full understanding. All this to say this weeks sermon was really challenging. Im now praying every day that God would give me ears to hear what Hes trying to teach me/say to me.

Ever since Naomi and Joshua came out for a visit, and they talked about (In Joshuas sermon and talking to Naomi after church..) witnessing in the every day mundane things in life. Ive been really convicted of this. Ive been really (and am still struggling and striving to be aware of this) aware that the little *mundane* things in life like having an attitude with my parents, serving my siblings, honoring my parents, dying to myself daily really DO speak out to the world of who it is I worship. Is the way Im living, in every moment of every day, saying LOUDLY that I am God's child..? I serve Him. I worship Him. AM I BEING A LIGHT to the world?

I was thinking it is kind of like love. You can say *I love you* to someone all you want but if you treat them like they are the dirt you walk on..then you obviously dont love them. It is plain and clear that actions speak louder then words.

The attitude Naomi and Joshua were encouraging us to have *SCRATCH THAT THE MINDSET..THE WAY OF LIVING LIFE FOR CHRIST* is not *lets go out and street preach for 3 hours..so I can get my witnessing in for the day..*

And that is NOT to say that the Todd Friel way (because hes who comes to mind..) is wrong. But over time it is so easy to slip into that mindset of ok I got my witnessing in for today. Kind of like how people say *Ive done my good deed for today..* As Christians it is so so easy for us to become little pharisees. The whole *holier than thou* mindset and attitude is VERY common in Christian circles. Bulls*** You Christian, are no better then the thief on the cross. You Christian, were given the gift of grace JUST like the thief on the cross was. You didnt gain Gods good favor by your good works so you can shove the little pharisee/holier than thou act up your butt. Its not going to cut the mustard and THAT isnt something God looks down upon in good favor. He didnt look at the pharisees at pat them on the back telling them to keep up the good work. In fact He wanted them to STOP working. Its not the work thats getting them to heaven. How many times did Jesus have to tell them to stop toiling endlessly!? Theres a verse that talks about how all our good works are like filthy rags in the eyes of the Lord. (See Isaiah 44:6, and also see Hebrews 9:14)

Witnessing one-on-one is NOT WRONG AT ALL. That is NOT what Im saying. What I am saying is we are not to take for granted those times where we think oh it doesnt matter no one is watching or even those times where we give in to our flesh and sin even WHEN ppl are watching-THOSE TIMES IN YOUR LIFE MATTER. Your WHOLE life should demonstrate who it is we serve.

Naomi was telling me about how her Mom has a front door garden. (It was either her Mom or Joshuas...) (SORRY THIS WHOLE SCREWED UP APOSTROPHE KEY IS BUGGING ME TOO!) And she purposefully has her vegetable garden in the front because her neighbors pass by. And when she gets a lot of basil or of some sort of vegetable, she gives some to the first neighbor who happens to walk by. And the neighbors know this since it is a habit of hers. And through this means she is able to be a light to her neighbors by engaging into conversations and whenever she can she talks about Christ-in some way. And it is always natural and in something so mundane as gardening and sharing with neighbors.

Its little things like this where we share the love of Christ in the mundane things in life!

Also Sharad and Evy had their neighbors over for dinner. Their neighbors are LDS, and when they found out that Evy and Sharad are Christians they were surprised because they werent trying to force the Gospel into them like an aggressive nanny trying to give some kids medicine. So they were really happy and appreciative that though they (APOSTROPHE WORKING AGAIN! YES!) differ, they aren't debating with them like their life depends on it. And they aren't doing the "holier then thou" act either.

And so they invited them to their community group every Thursday. (I guess their neighbors just moved here from Seattle and they don't have any friends and they don't go to their LDS church either..)

I'm really straining to hear what God is calling me to do. It's good too because I'm at that point in life where I'm still growing up and trying to figure out who I am suppose to be/where my place in this world is.

We have some neighbors that moved into a house across our street. We met the mom (who was KIND of cooky/slightly on the creepyish weird side..but still nice..) one day as we were bringing in groceries. Anyways her daughter is a single Mom who isn't a Christian (the mom is). She has 2 daughters I think that are around Jonah and Jami's age. I think at some point this week or next week I'm going to make them some chocolate chip cookies and welcome them to the neighborhood. As time goes on who knows? I may be babysitting for her? As we get to know them better we can invite them to church and stuff. We also have a house that is almost finished being built (pretty much done.) RIGHT across from ours..uhhh diagonal. So more cookies for them too once they people move in! :D

OH so as I was saying. After the White Pine we went to the Brass Razoo. And they lady there had a MARVELOUS ENGLISH ACCENT..and helped me out A TON. She was sooooooo sweet too! She told me of 4 places that are hiring and I know of one other place too so that makes 5 places to apply for!! :D Woot woot!!

OK this declaration of joy is kind of meshed around with a bunch of stuff that has been on my mind. Quit making fun of me. I know this is long. Whatevvvv.

Sunshine and Ponies,

~Lissie Darcy
Then we headed on

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