Brilliant...

.
I have to pull an all-nighter to finish writing a bunch of poems.
Because guess what! I got a freaking D in my poetry class because I forgot to turn in my final project. My mom's grounding me until I write and turn in more work to raise my grade... for a class that ended a month ago.

I could scream right now.

I'm unsure of how much sleep I'll get tonight.
Gotta be up by 6 a.m. though.

Blarghh...

It would be so incredibly easy to give up right now.





Venting venting venting....... Arghh....

Sorry.




- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Update:

It's 3:23.
I've now written a Haiku and Sonnet.

Making progress.
Slowly... but surely

Four more to go...

Scary Day

.
Sometimes, my mom really does scare me.

*sigh*

Tomorrow will be a better day.
I've already made up my mind.

Blasted...

.
I have to take SAT classes this summer, like I did last year.
They'll last for 2 1/2 weeks at Paschal HS during June, in order to study the SAT like mad so I can get a better score so I can save money on college classes... so I don't end up in major dept for the rest of my life, considering DBU is radically expensive.

*sigh*
It kinda stinks to have such a detail oriented mother sometimes.

Also, my mom's pushing me to make a resume so I can get a job this summer.
Honestly, I desperately need(and want) a job to pay for car insurance, gas, mission trips, and all that jazz, so I don't really mind making one at all. She's kinda freaking out about it though because I want to go to Mexico and San Antonio(If Bill lets me) this summer, which means it's going to be hard to find a job that will hire me and let me off for two weeks right away.
Makes sense, but nothing to freak out about, in my opinion.


Dangit, why do I have to grow up so fast?
Pray for me?

WOW!

We've all read it.
Have you thought about that it means?

1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient,
love is kind.
It does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects,
always trusts,
always hopes,
always perseveres.
Love never fails.
But where there are prophecies, they will cease;
where there are tongues, they will be stilled;
where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror;
then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain:
faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love.



For a while, I wasn't entirely sure what the last portion was about. But I figured it out by reading another Bible translation. :-)
We can't see clearly, as humans. Our life, our circumstances, and even God Himself is all a fog. It's blurry. We can't see what's ahead or fully understand what's already here or already past. But when we meet God face to face in heaven, we will understand. We will see and know Him as clearly as He sees us. The understanding "in part" will pass away, and the understanding "in full" will take over.
As a child I talked like a child, and thought like a child, but when I became older, I put my childish ways behind.
As human, a sinner, I talk like a sinner, act like a sinner, think like a sinner, and my lack of understanding is like that of any human.
I have hope that only God gave me though, the hope that God offered through His Son. The hope I accepted when I became reborn in Christ.
I am in my physical body now, an unknowledgeable wretch, but I will someday see God in front of me. It won't be blurry. It won't be misunderstood. It won't be uncertain. It will be God, clear as day. I will know Him, and He will know me, and I will not be in my earthy body. I will be in heaven, with the ultimate love.

Until then, I must trust God always, hope unswervingly, and love extravagantly.
But most of all, I must love, for I am nothing without love.


Katie

Life

.
God's always been so faithful to me.
I'm so happy with my life, it's so cool.
And it's only because God's keeping Satan far from me. Bad things don't bother me. I haven't been getting angry. I haven't been fighting with anyone. It's like for the past 3 weeks I've had a huge contentment come over me so much that nothing can shake me.
Putting God first and staying positive really pays off...


It's a pretty big blessing though, if you ask me.
But, please pray for me...
..For wisdom and guidance in some current situations.

Let me know if you have anything that needs to be lifted up in prayer also.
I'll be happy to do it.



God Bless,
Katie

Questions to ponder...

Do you express your faith and reflect Christ so much that unbelievers can't help but wonder if God really exists?
Does God's love shine in your life so much that unbelievers can't help but see that Jesus willingly sacrificed His own life so we could live eternally?
Does your attitude reflect the hope and gift that you have, as a child of God?

You claim you believe in God.
You claim to be saved.
You claim that God is your first priority.
Why fear?
Why anger?
Why sadness? Guilt? Stress? Jealousy?
Why are those still a huge part of your life?
It's GOD, for pete's sake!
Can't you understand that He is so much bigger than that?
Fear was diminished when God promised He would always be there.
Anger was turned to forgiveness when Jesus forgave our sins, even when we didn't deserve it. Sadness was turned to joy when a hope and future were given to us the moment we were born again.
Guilt was wiped away when forgiveness took it's place.
Stress was eased when Christ healed our hearts. Why hold on to it?
Jealousy shouldn't even be a part of our life, because nothing is better than Christ. If you have Christ, why be jealous that you don't have something else?
Is Christ not enough??


Wouldn't it be so cool if the whole world turned to Christ?
Wouldn't it be so amazing if everyone saw the hope that Jesus offers?
Wouldn't it be awesome if everyone was so moved by Christ that all of a sudden nothing else mattered. Nobody else mattered. Problems were not problems anymore. Worldly pleasures were not sought after anymore. Money was not an object anymore. Religion didn't exist.
It would just be Christ, and His church(body of believers).
It would just be a true love relationship between you and the Father.

Wouldn't that be amazing?
If only Christians did their job...




These questions are not my own.
These are God's.
I'm just a voice.

~Katie

True Love

Pretty much my favorite song now...





True Love - Phil Wickham

-----

Come close listen to the story
About a love more faithful than the morning
The Father gave his only son just to save us

The earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt the Father's broken heart
Tears were filling heaven's eyes
The day that true love died, the day that true love died

When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn't move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, the day that true love died

Search your heart, you know you can't deny it
Come on, lose your life just so you can find it
The Father gave his only son just to save us

The earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt the father's broken heart
Tears were filling heaven's eyes
The day that true love died, the day that true love died

When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn't move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, the day that true love died

Now Jesus is alive
Jesus is alive
Jesus is alive
Jesus is alive
Jesus is alive
oh He is alive
He rose again

When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn't move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, the day that true love died

Come close listen to the story

Stop and listen...

I read a really good devotional(more like a whole chapter) a few days ago that has totally changed my attitude this week. I thought about typing it up, but I realized today that it was 12 pages long... that's a lot. So I'll "summarize" it for you.
It's still really long, but I hope you take the time to read it.


How do you act on a day to day basis? How positive do you feel? Do you do everything with the right attitude, or handle situations in a way that's pleasing to God? Personally, I don't always live with the positive attitude I should always have, and I'm sure there are times when you struggle with the same thing. We all do! We're human! But each of us has the opportunity to allow the power to God to work in our lives. All of God's attributes are positive, and he positively wants to make a difference in our lives. He love us, and he desires to have a relationship with us. On our own, we may not be so positive, but we can find great joy in walking hand in hand with Him.

Consider King David in the Old Testament. Now, David was no picture-perfect, positive person. His life wasn't easy, and he made quite a few mistakes through the years. But he had a heart for God. As a result, God took a simple shepherd boy and did positive, powerful things through him. Read what David had to say about God's blessings in his life...

I said to the Lord, "You are my Master?
and all the good things I have are from you..."
Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing,
You guard all that is mine.
The land you have given me in a pleasant land.
What a wonderful inheritance!
I will bless the Lord who guides me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
No wonder my heart is filled with joy
and my mouth shouts His praises! (Psalm 16:2, 5-9)

Together, David and God were a positive team. And their teamwork started when David was young, long before he became a big deal in Israel. God wants to team up and do wonderful things in your life too, right now. Often we picture God up there is Heaven, shaking his head as he looks down at us, thinking, "There they go again, messing everything up", when in fact, God is lovingly supporting us, redeeming us, forgiving us, and guiding us. Despite our negative tendencies, we have a positive God who is at work in our lives. He wants to fill us with joy and do amazing things in us and through us. He wants to help us become positive people.

So what does a positive person look like? Maybe you think being positive means being perky all the time, or kind of ditzy-happy. Or maybe you think some people are just born with a positive attitude, and others simply aren't. Maybe you think the only way you could possibly become a more positive person is by faking it. None of these things are true. Being positive doesn't mean being silly or ignoring reality. It doesn't mean keeping a smile on your face through thick and thin. It means living from day to day with a contented and joyful spirit. It's a lifestyle choice each of us can make.
The question is, how are we going to allow the event of our lives to affect us, to affect our mind-set? Being a positive person means choosing to have an optimistic outlook, because we know, as David did, that God is right beside us. It means reflecting through our words and actions the hope and joy that we receive from God. It means seeking and running to God.

I have to admit, I forget about that hope sometimes. It's easy to fall into that rut of responding negatively to everything. What we've discovered is that we have to reply on God to fill us with his love and joy. Then we have to rely on Him to help us live in a way that allows those qualities to genuinely shine through, so we don't respond to situations with a face smile or pretend laugh.
A positive person can ultimately be identified by three traits..
1. A positive person recognizes his or her need for God.
2. A positive person makes wise choices based on what's right, not feelings.
3. A positive person doesn't blame people for circumstances.

A positive person realizes it's impossible to be positive on his own. Being positive is a God-thing, not a me-thing. We don't have all it takes to walk moment by moment with a positive outlook or react to every situation with a positive attitude. We need God's presence in our lives. David knew his joy didn't come from himself, but from God. That's why he said, "Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you"(Psalm 51:12).

Just because our life's circumstances are difficult doesn't mean that God has left us. Actually, these are the times we can stand back and see the hand of God at work all the more, helping us to make it through. God doesn't promise that life will go by smoothly, but he does promise He will be there in the midst of the struggles. He will never leave you.

We can walk in confidence that God is with us and make the best of our circumstances, even when they're difficult. In Paul's case, his prison cell became his writing room and ministry headquarters. What about you life? Have you ever felt defeated and discouraged, like you were in a prison cell? Have you ever felt like giving up because all the doors seemed to be shut or because you thought you made too many mistakes? Well, there's hope! God is with you just as he was with Paul and David. And He can take the broken pieces of your life, along with your gifts and abilities, mix them together, and use them all in a wonderful and positive way. As Romans 8:28 tells us, "We can know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them."

Maybe you're thinking, "aren't I being fake if I act positive when I don't feel that way"? If we always waited until we felt like doing something before we did it, we'd never get much done. Do you live by your feelings, or do you do what is right? (the feelings usually follow.) Should our feelings determine how we act or think? Life demands that we not determined out actions by our feelings. So when we want to say, "But I just don't feel like being positive", what we really need to ask ourselves is, "How can I choose to be positive in this situation, whether I feel like it or not?".

Often times, we try to blame other people and things for our circumstances. But the truth is, blaming others is the opposite of being positive, because it only leads to bitterness and anger. Think right now... what are some of the most common reasons for being negative...
My family doesn't have enough money, my teacher doesn't like me, I don't fit in with this crowd, my job isn't going well, no one understands me, my friend left me, I don't have anyone to talk to... the list goes on.
Unfortunately, excuses only cripple us from becoming the positive person that God wants us to be.
One person(let's call her Robin), is a good example. She is a grumbling and negative person; and if you ask her, she'll tell you exactly why. Her dad died of a heart attack when she was in high school, her mother was never there for her, and her brother spent the next several years on drugs. She's mad at the world, and it shows. She refuses to crack a smile and complains about everything she can. And she certainly doesn't bless other people with her actions or attitude. Instead, Robin stays busy nursing all her hurts and blaming everyone else for the way she lives. Instead of forgiving the people who hurt her when she was younger, she used them as an excuse for not living for Christ and making positive choices today.
Are there people you need to forgive? All of us must ask ourselves that question. Instead of blaming others for our negative attitudes, we need to make the positive decision to forgive those people who've hurt us. As Christians, it's our responsibility to forgive, since we have been freely forgiven by God. Ultimately, forgiving others is one of the most positive things we can do, for them and for us.
Let's look at another example. Track and field legend Wilma Rudolph is another positive person who refused to get caught up in the blame game. Growing up, she face many difficult circumstances, but she movies beyond blame to live a life of joy, discipline, accomplishment, and Olympic victory.
In 1940, Wilma was born prematurely, and as if that didn't cause enough struggle, she contracted double pneumonia and scarlet fever. Later a bout of polio left her with a crooked leg and a foot that was twisted inward. As a result, Wilma spent most of her childhood in braces. Wilma's adversity generated a determined spirit within her. By the age of eleven, she was sneaking around without the braces. When she told her doctor what she has been doing, the doctor acquiesced and said it was ok for her not to wear the braces "sometimes". In Wilma's mind, "sometimes" meant "never again". By thirteen, Wilma was on her high school basketball and track teams. Two years later she was chosen to participate in a summer sports camp with the Tennessee State University Tigerbelles. There, a teammate got her interested in running for the U.S. Olympic team.
During the 1956 Olympics, at the age of sixteen, Wilma reached the semifinals in the 200-meter dash and won a bronze medal. Her heart was set on winning a gold medal, though, so she was determined to run again in the 1960 Olympics. For the next four years Wilma underwent rigorous training, even as she paid her own way though Tennessee State University and maintained a B average in her studies. When the 1960 Olympics started, Wilma was ready. She won the hearts of eighty thousand fans as she ran her way to three gold medals, the first American woman to win three gold medals in Olympic track and field history. Few Olympians have matched Wilma's determination and perseverance against such odds. Because she made a positive choice to look beyond her circumstances and see the possibilities, she became an inspiration for us all.

Do you want to become a positive person? Then start today by recognizing your need for God. You can't be positive without him; it's not in you. It's not in any of us! Then begin to make wise choices based on what's right, not on how you feel at any particular moment. Finally, stop blaming other people or circumstances for the way you respond to life. Choose to forgive. Choose to see God's hand at work. Choose to be a positive person!


Romans 12:12
Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.

Done!

Sonlight is over.
Half of my high school career is overrr.
:-D

End of semester program was this evening. My ballroom dancing class performed a demo to show what all we've learned this year. Robert and I did the 40's Charleston, tandem, and a floor sweep. After practicing the darn thing about 30 times, my hip, knee, and elbow were thoroughly bruised. *shrug*
Nonetheless, I did it (almost) perfectly for the audience. :-D
Some of the other "couples" did the Shag, Swing/Pretzel, Lindy Hop, and a few others, as well as the group line dance "Smiley Charleston".

Maybe I'll post pictures later...