excitement

Today is a very exciting day! Not just because it's thursday and that means tomorrow is friday, and tomorrow evening is Sabbath. It's not just exciting because sunday is International Supper, and it's one more day closer to Christmas. But...today is a very very exciting day because...my Daddy, Mom and Oliver are coming to visit me, all the way from Milton-Freewater Oregon...tomorrow! They are on their way up right now, at this very moment!!!  I can barely believe it!

Let me tell you, I can barely concentrate! This morning in English class I talked to Christian...and occasionally Michael..about sailing..and random things, because none of us really felt like working on our papers. To say the least, I didn't get that much done. Plus I was informing them about the fact that my family is coming up...those boys got the privilege to listen to me ramble on and on about how excited I am!  Then this afternoon at work all I could think about was the fact that they were on their way and...time has been going so slow!

SO...I can't wait...less then 24 hours I will get a huge hug from my Daddy, Mom, and get to squeeze my little bro. I love my family! 

Now I must go and try to study some. 

I'M SO BEYOND EXCITED!

"A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell."

C.S. Lewis

"The heart of man may be the abode of the Holy Spirit. The peace of Christ that passeth understanding may rest in your soul, and the transforming power of His grace may work in your life and fit you for the courts of glory. But if brain and nerve and muscle are all employed in the service of self, you are not making God and heaven the first consideration of your life. It is impossible to be weaving the graces of Christ into your character while you are putting all your energies on the side of the world. You may be successful in heaping up treasure on the earth for the glory of self, but "where your treasure is, there you heart will be also" (Matt. 6:21). Eternal considerations will be made of secondary importance. You may take part in the outward forms of worship, but your service will be an abomination to the God of heaven..." (That I May Know Him Aug. 4)

A life in Christ is a life of restfulness. There may be no ecstasy of feeling, but there should be an abiding, peaceful trust. Your hope is not in yourself; it is in Christ. Your weakness is united with His strength, your ignorance to His wisdom, your frailty to His enduring might. So you are not to look to yourself, not to let the mind dwell on self, but look to Christ. Let the mind dwell upon His love, upon the beauty, the perfection, of HIs character. Christ in His self-denial, Christ in His humiliation, Christ in HIs purity and holiness, Christ in His matchless love,--this is the subject for the soul's contemplation. It is by loving Him, copying him, depending wholly upon Him, that you are to be transformed into His likeness. (STC p. 70, 71)

It would be well for us to spend a thoughful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit." (DA p. 83)


"LET THE PEACE OF GOD RULE IN YOUR HEARTS," AND "BE YE THANKFUL" (Col. 3:15

Some Words..

I have been having a really exciting summer. Lots of things to do...babysitting, changing lots of diapers, spending time with my wonderful family, and some time with friends too. One thing that I have been noticing more and more recently is how easy it is to compromise my relationship with the Lord. Just today I almost caught myself giving in to the pressure...giving up for the sake of "it's to hard to say no". But then I thought of the martyr's who risked their very lives for Jesus. Although my punishment wasn't being burned at the stake, I realized if I couldn't stand up in this small situation, I was never going to be able to. I have been finding that in life God is constantly calling us to a higher standard. The devil wants me to be pulled down and uses all the things in his power in order to do so. But the Lord is stronger and way more powerful then the devil and He has a way. A much more challenging, much more character building way. But a way whose reward is far more rewarding then the way of this world. It is eternally priceless...

And all those times when we feel like giving up because the straight and narrow hurts to much? We need to remember that His way is always best, even if it doesn't feel like it. He has a plan--a purpose. Ellen White says, "When God brings us into trial, He has a purpose to accomplish for our good. Jesus did not presume on God’s promises by going unbidden into temptation, neither did He give up to despondency when temptation came upon Him. Nor should we. “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” He says, “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High: and call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” 1 Corinthians 10:13; Psalm 50: 14, 15 DA 128

"When I am afraid I will trust in You." Psalm 56:3 

"If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

Thank you Lord for caring so much. Help me to trust you, that you will help me to fulfill your purpose in my life.  I love you so much.

Trust

Last night I was walking down to the school building to go to supper, and get a few of my things that I had left on the bus from our filming trip. As I went to grab my sleeping bag I noticed that Craig, our music director, was on his way back home. He had all of his things that he had taken on the trip loaded up in his hands while one of his hands was starting his motor bike and he was trying to convince his little boy Andrew( I think that he is about 8 or 9) to hop on the back.

“Daddy, are you joking me?” He whined, “there is no way I am getting on that thing!”

“Come on Punkin, don't worry about it! It's going to be fine,” Craig began, “it'll be fine!”

“Are you sure Dad?”

“Yes! I'm completely positive, would you rather ride in front of me?”

As he continued to persuade little Andrew, I kept on watching. It took quite a while but after a few minutes, with the motor bike running, and Craig continuing to reassure the boy that all would be fine, he finally listened and they took off headed for home.

I was just thinking that I can be a little like Andrew sometimes, a lot of the time in my Christian walk. I see a mess, a big scary mess of a loaded up motor bike.

“Are you joking me Dad? I am not going to get on that thing! What if it breaks? What if we die? Can't you see what you are asking me to do is completely insane?”

But it doesn't end here with me being left in the dust walking up the long hill back home by myself. God, like Craig, continues to persuade me in the right direction.

“Come on honey, it'll be fine! Trust me! Would you rather ride on the front? Would that be better? You have a helmet on, and I am not going to do anything to hurt you. I promise.”

“A man’s heart plans his way,
 but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

The Lord is longing to plan your steps for you. He wants you to get yourself up on that motor bike with Him, trusting Him to figure your life out for you. I know that it's hard, and I'm not saying that it will get any easier. But the truth is that God is in control. We just have to keep trusting Him.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” 
Proverbs 3:5,6

{Picnic} Photo Shoot:)

We need to have a photo shoot kids! Soon!
The blossoms were out, it was a perfect evening to take pictures..."Can we please?" Not quite...everyone was busy doing other things...and there was quite a lot going on that evening. Thus, our lovely photo shoot got postponed, yet again.

One week and two days later...

"We should do it today! The blossoms are out and it looks like the weather is going to be perfect!" Our photographer agreed, and we planned for that evening to take the lovely photos. The day came and went, supper ended...7pm right on time Laurie prayed to end our evening worship. The time had come! It was here! Finally we were going to take our pictures!

We all ran to "our dorm". Originally the plan had been to take them in the orchard with our picnic table. The only slight problem that we had though was that the sprinklers were "tick ticking" away and we would be all wet if we were to run into the orchard where all the blossoms were. Spontaneously, we grabbed our picnic table and lugged it over to the road. "Perfect!" someone exclaimed. "This is going to be so fun!" I was so excited!

Ironically enough after we had taken several perfect shots with our table Loralee suddenly got the notion in her silly head that we should run out onto the dock in the middle of the pond. "Come on guys, it'll only take three minutes to get out there!" Agnes, and I both thought it would be a great idea. WayAnne, Katie, and Ruthie weren't so sure. No worries the canoe was already down there waiting for our arrival, and in less then a minute Loralee and I ran and found a couple paddles for us.

7:42pm. Girls free time ended at 8pm. We got this! We all managed to get out there, plus our bottles with flowers in them, plus our happy sign in less then 5 minutes. The plan was brilliant, and worked splendidly!

7:57pm. We should just jump in!!! Someone decided. Not sure who that was. But all of a sudden in less then two minutes I was jumping in with dear Agnes in a skirt of all things! I didn't even think before I did this crazy thing, because I knew I wouldn't do it if I did. I was so surprised when I realized the water was actually not as freezing as I was expecting.

The evening turned out to be an absolute success! We got great pictures, and had a ton of fun.

I am so thankful to have friends. These girls are so sweet, beautiful, and we have had so many fun memories. I can't believe that all four of them--all except my dear rommie, will be leaving in less then 40 days.

I love you girls!

Lord, Thank You for Friends

WayAnne is such a cool lady! 

Bubbles!

Poor Ruthie was really not sure about this ;)

DANDELIONS!!!!!

AHH!!!

one of my favorites :)

Special thanks to:
Our photographer Sierra, who did an excellent job.
Our bubble blower: Melissa
And: All my girls, this was so much fun!

Me and my other half:)

"Friends are the most important ingredient in this recipe of life."

 A special friend is hard to find...

hard to lose...

and impossible to forget.

  "Best friends remember when you say to forget it. 

They'll wait forever when you say just a minute.

 They know somethings wrong when you say whatever. 

That's how you know your best friends forever."

"A friend loves at all times." Proverbs 17:17

A Good Day...

This is how I feel at the moment... very happy:)

Thankful Things:

1. Tortillas, beans, and rice for breakfast

2. The smell of grass right after it has been mowed

3. How much better I feel after having supper with great friends that make me laugh, and always cheer me up. Thanks guys:)

4. Mrs. Corrigan—her insight on Spiritual things

5. Dandelions

Ps. GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!!! (Even when life doesn't feel so hot, God is still there through it all, that's what's so great about Him...I mean, He IS God!) 

"Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow." James 1:7

"For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives grace and glory; No good things does He withhold from those who walk uprightly." Psalm 84:11

"Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever." 2 Chronicles 20:21

Little Ones:)

My siblings are four of my favorite people in the whole wide world. I am missing them an awful lot tonight...

Dear Michaela, Nina, Simeon, and Oliver, 

I love you! I miss you more then you even realize. See you in 68 days!!!

Love, Beth

Michaela is going to be 6 this June, isn't she a cutie pie?

This is Nina, she is my cuttle bug. She will turn 5 this August! 

Simeon, what a guffy little guy:) He's going to be turning 2 coming up here in May.

and little adorable Oliver will be 10 months on the first of May! 

I can't believe how big they are all getting! Let me tell you, these kids make my life. I miss each one so very much. I can't wait to watch them all grow up, and be there for them. 

My prayer for each of them is that they would all come to know Jesus, that He would be there best friend in all the world. And one day we shall all be together, I pray that every single person that is close to me, will meet way up there where we will be with the One who created us all, and loves us all and cares for each one more then we ever can possibly. Then we can live with Him for Eternity.

Agnes Gretarsdottir

It was first campout and I was sitting next to this girl. I remember thinking she was so pretty, and I wasn't sure how to start a conversation with her. I was sure she would think I was weird or something. I don't even remember who started talking but somehow we managed to introduce ourselves. She told me that she was born in Iceland and had lived in Denmark most of her life. I was amazed! I had never met anyone from Europe, let alone Iceland or Denmark! From that moment on I knew I wanted to be this woman's friend. When we got back to school after the campout I was thrilled to see that her room was on my hallway! Maybe we will be friends, I thought. Somehow making friends with this girl wasn't as simple as I had imagined. The year slowly but surely progressed, and we just never really clicked. She moved downstairs, and I began getting close to a few other girls in my class. We sometimes worked dorm together, and I was so excited. The only problem was that I kept saying the wrong things...and the whole “getting to know her” idea didn't really work out to well.

Throughout that year we were acquaintances, we didn't hate each other, we just never really got to know each other. I think I got on her nerves. Then I began to get closer to Sierra. The only problem with this was that Sierra and Agnes had been friends the whole year...and so, as I found out later, this did not make Agnes anymore pleased with me.

Something changed that summer, whether it was the fact that we started talking more, or just the fact that we were meant to be best friends, I don't know. But sometime in-between summer and the beginning of the next school year Agnes and I started becoming friends.

We have been close ever since. We have one of those relationships where we can be together all day long, and still have a bizillion things to talk about. People sometimes call us the other one's name, or ask if the other one is sitting beside them, even though they are no where in sight, I guess because we are always together they get us mixed up easily.

Agnes is one of the most amazing ladies on the planet, and I have no idea what I would do without her. She is so incredibly unselfish, and truly cares about how others are feeling. She is probably one of the most easy-going people I know, it isn't very often that she lets life drag her down. She doesn't like plans, she is the type of person who would be perfectly happy with going on vacation and not having a single plan of where to go or what to do. One of her favorite things is to go on a drive with her Daddy and not have any idea of the destination...trust me, they have ended up anywhere... This outlook on life has really taught me something though. I tend to get stuck in the future, worrying my little head off about life. Whereas Agnes doesn't seem to have this problem. She lives for today, for right now, and I am learning...to be more like that:)

She has shone me Christ in a way that no one else possibly can. And I thank God for her everyday. She has this talent—that impresses all who know her...her speedy come-backs:) Over and over again this woman has inspired me with her thoughtful mind. Sometimes she will say something, and I will wonder where in the world did that come from? She has taught me to live, outside the box.

Every time I am discouraged or not feeling that happy she has exactly the right thing to say. She always knows when something is wrong or bothering me. She has a faith that I believe could literally move mountains. It's incredible to hear her talk about God, because you can just tell she believes in Him, and I know HE has amazing plans for her life.

Thanks for everything Agnes, I am so blessed to have you in my life. Love you!