One of my Mom's friends

It's pretty cool. One of my Mom's friends is hosting a giveaway to win two dresses from Shabby Apple.

You should visit Seven Clown Circus, and check out the amazing giveaway that's going on over there. And you should just say hi. XD

If you love vintage dresses *or vintage anything* you will love the dresses you could win. I REALLY LIKE THE YELLOW ONE! I like both..but I love yellow things with all my heart. XD

~Lissie

Bye for now

I'm taking a break from blogging. Just for a while. I realize my last post was four months ago but I will be taking a break. Life is pretty busy and I am writing the good, the bad, and the crap in my life elsewhere.

Just for now, I will be taking a break. I am not sure how long it will be. It could be a few months, it could be a half of a year, or a whole year. Hopefully not longer than that. But, I don't know.

Shout out to all who read me: Thanks. I commend you for that. I mean my life isn't really worth reading, but to those who read me anyways (and put up with my feisty, opinionated ways.. :P) well, thanks! Heheh. (:

-Lissie

Condemnation On Both Sides Of The Spectrum Part 1

Lately I've been thinking about what happens after high school. Say what you like: Little late for that eh?, You've got plenty of time!, Just enjoy the time you have now!, Better get to cracking! Time's a' ticking!

Whatever it be. Just shut up for a minute. No matter what side of the spectrum I'm on I feel so condemned from both sides: Either go to college and pursue a degree and in essence live your LIFE a bit before you "settle down". Go out and experience things, experience life, and struggle and wrestle with your faith, because that makes you strong. Or DON'T go to college, DON'T pursue a degree, or a career. Settle down, be a stay at home mom. Women are suppose to be at home.

No matter what side I'm on, there's condemnation on the OTHER side. It just sucks. I'm so tired of people applying (whether unconsciously or consciously, although consciously done tends to hurt more..) their standards to me, and others for that matter. I'm SICK of this. Jesus defines me-not your freaking standards. I'm not living my life to reach YOUR bench mark..mmkk?

Please note that the sarcasm will be given in heavier doses in this particular post.

No matter where I go in my life there's always going to be condemnation coming from somewhere. It really crushes (especially in this area in my life) my spirits. It does nothing to encourage me and spur me on in Christ. In fact it tears me down, it spreads decay, it HURTS me, honestly it does. Why should it bother me so? If I'm honestly letting Christ define me and not what others say or think about me, then why does it bother me?

First- It's so confusing. I'm indecisive as to what I'm going to do as it is! I just need time to think away from the noise, away from the people, the influences, the beloved people and yes role models. Apart from these people, I need time to think about my own interests, my own pursuits and figure it out. I don't WANT to pursue a career. I really don't. I don't see *me* living life in pursuit of a career. I don't see a point in a degree unless I'm going to use it. I'm not going to be an idiot who uses it for bragging rights. I'm either going to use a chunk of my life to go to college in pursuit of a degree for a career, to USE. Or I'm not. Because I'm certainly not going to waste my life, my time, the short time I have on God's green earth (it's beautiful..and guess what I'm a flower. I'm here for a season. And so are you. Think about that.) to waste spending time at college, getting a degree for NOTHING. (*add*: But bragging rights) I'm not going to waste my time partying it up as a college student either. There's things I would rather do, places I would rather see, things I would rather learn, food I'd like to eat, people God wants me to meet (that I know not of now..), etc.

Second- That's just it, it IS a struggle of who defines me. It is a struggle of my identity. American culture today has successfully made you an unsuccessful person if you do not have a degree, a career, SUCCESS-intellectually, financially, socially, etc. Right now I speak more of intellectually. Your intellect must be written on a paper that says, "Hey look I've got a degree. I have a ph.d in math.." Or whatever. You HAVE no identity if you don't have that fancy paper saying you went to BSU for four years. BS. So I'm a nobody because my intellect doesn't jump through your freaking hoops? Kick rocks, and that's BS.

My identity must be, Christ. My acceptance is in Christ. Tell me why again it bothers me so much? I see a heart issue..

To be continued...

~Elisabeth

New Music

1~Arcade Fire: Fave songs: Wake up, My body is a cage, Keep the car running, Headlights, No cars go..

2~Radiohead: Creep (Edited version) (so far..I haven't been able to listen to them much)

3~Band of Skulls: I know what I am, Fire, Cold Flame, Death by Diamonds and pearls (I recommend them to any Black Key fans, Broken Bell fans, or White Stripe fans..)

4~The Pixies: Where is my mind, The happening, Into the white, Here comes your man (The Pixies are one of my favorite bands ever.)

5~The Shins: New Slang, Turn me on, Split needles (haven't been able to listen to them hardly at all!)


The other bands I'm trying to listen to more to see if I like them: Son Volt, Forest Sun, Sea Wolf (they're kind of like the Shins), Ra Ra Riot (So far I REALLY like them!), Pretty Girls Make Graves, Passion Pit, and The Whigs. (I really like them so far too.)



~Elisabeth Darcy

Looking Forward To

Driving again. My Mom and I want to maybe dedicate a day to practice driving in certain areas. (like in driver's ed) And driving just to where ever my Mom happens to be going. (I've already been doing that much.)

School! I'm SO SO SO excited for school!! All new curriculum this year! I can't remember all of their names. But I know I'm going to be taking in a lot of literature; doing a lot of essay writing etc. Grammar, and SPANISH!! (Although I'd prefer to learn Latin first..but whatever. Spanish is on my list of languages to learn so I'm down with that!) Algebra 1 (yes I'm behind but whatever. grades don't define you, luckily. If they do--well you need to re-think your life.), a lot of history, etc. Maybe a sport or two..I don't know. :D I haven't looked into that stuff yet. We had checked a while ago but the fall stuff wasn't out yet. I'd love to learn tennis. For some reason I've always wanted to learn.

FALL! I love all the colors, the crisp air, and the comfy clothes. :) Cocoa on the porch! OH SPEAKING OF WHICH cocoa on the porch while it's snowing is magnificent!

Fall brings Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving brings..CALIFORNIA TRIP! I'M SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CALIFORNIA TRIP! MY OLDER SISTER JALYNA AND MY OLDER BROTHER DREW (WHOM I HAVEN'T MET IN PERSON YET!!) ARE COMING OUT TO VISIT! AND I GET TO SEE UNCLE! AND I GET TO MEET MY AUNTIE EMMA (from the Philippines! my Lola's sister!)!!! And I get to see Papa! And Auntie Carmen and Ate Maria (Filipino *relations*)!! AND TT!! YEAH-YA! I get to see some awesome friends!!!!!!!! It's going to be one heck of a trip! A very memorable one!

I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm looking forward to all of these things! School's going to keep me busy enough to make the days go by faster, and Cali CLOSER!

I do have to say though, I love all the new friends and church family we've met out here in Idaho. You guys are a blessing to my life and I love you guys very very much. You all are some very dear people to my heart. God knew just what we (my family) needed, and just who to put in our lives; some very special God-fearing people. Shout out to Nampa Bible peeps: I heart *stalk* you.

Affectionately,

~Elisabeth Darcy

Driving Strike

I haven't been driving for a while. When I first got my permit I drove quite a bit. Then at some point I stopped, and avoided it as much as I could. "Oh I uh..left my wallet upstairs, it has my permit in it.." You know. Stupid stuff like that.

I'm quite insecure driving the big red van. I'll to take a picture of it and post it so you all can see. Anyhow, it's a 12 passenger van (currently only having eleven seats as of now..) the right side mirror was bashed off (by my Mom--haha not me). Having all of the family in it at once, doesn't help either. Too many distractions.

Driving with my Mom SOMETIMES makes me nervous. I think it's just bad communication on my part so she's no clue what I'm doing. And then she freaks out. And then I get freaked out because she's freaking out and then it's just a misunderstanding overall. HOWEVER sometimes I am doing something worth freaking out-but not always. I mean not for that kind of freaking out..

So I'm terrified. But, I want to overcome that fear. I want to be a confident (not timid) driver! I just need to practice. The plan was to ease into driving with all my siblings. But instead I just jumped into it. So then I stopped.

My parents aren't ones to force me into it. My permit is good until 5 days after I'm 18. That's a while. I think their main thing is to let me ease into it. Which I like. I'm ready to start driving again, just maybe not with all my siblings and stuff. I'm going to start over and ease into everything at my own pace. Once the water is warm then I'll start swimming to a cold spot until that's warm again. (EW. NOT TO CREATE AN ANALOGY OF SOMEONE PEEING IN THE WATER..THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS GOING FOR AT ALL. WHATEVER.)

All this to say--I'm going to be driving again! THE ROADS ARE NO LONGER SAFE!! Mwahahah!

~~Lissie~~

What's Left

Summer for me is almost over. I have two and half weeks (approximately) left. I start school September 7th. What's left of the summer is going to be enjoyed fully. Reading books, enjoying summer evening walks, and discliplining myself for the coming school semester. I'm trying to get up somewhat early to do my work out, eat breakfast, shower and get dressed, and make my bed. I want to be done with all of that by 8:30 during the school semester so I can actually start school by then. (Or at least by 9) I'm also trying to stay in the habit of working out. Mon-Fri I do the 30 day shred with Jillian Michaels. Fri-Saturday I go running. I also want to stay in the habit of daily devotions. Feed my soul.

What's left of summer is going to be pretty chill and relaxed:

• Summer evening walks,
• Reading whatever I can get my hands on,
• Working out,
• Daily Devotions,
• Building my wind (see HERE),
• Some owed-letter writing,
• A few crafty projects:
  
• I'm currently working on a skirt,
• Some spray painting stuff for my room,
• Mod podging stuff for my room,
• Going out driving with my Mom (hopefully we want to do it but things keep coming up),
• Netflix like crazy,
• Coffee dates,
• Common Placing like crazy,
• Sleeping in,
• Getting up early,
• Staying up late,
• Iced tea on the porch,

• Maybe some shopping (for fall clothes though!!),
• Enjoying as MUCH of the sun as possible!
  

What's left is going to be nice. I don't want to take it for granted.

I'm excited! I still have a bit of summer left!!

~Lissie

Quote of the day#4

"Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." C. S. Lewis

AND (because I think they can be read together...)

"Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die. “He that will lose his life, the same shall save it,” is not a piece of mysticism for saints and heroes. It is a piece of everyday advice for sailors or mountaineers. It might be printed in an Alpine guide or a drill book. This paradox is the whole principle of courage; even of quite earthly or quite brutal courage. A man cut off by the sea may save his life if he will risk it on the precipice.

He can only get away from death by continually stepping within an inch of it. A soldier surrounded by enemies, if he is to cut his way out, needs to combine a strong desire for living with a strange carelessness about dying. He must not merely cling to life, for then he will be a coward, and will not escape. He must not merely wait for death, for then he will be a suicide, and will not escape. He must seek his life in a spirit of furious indifference to it; he must desire life like water and yet drink death like wine."~G. K. Chesterton's "Orthodoxy"