Thanksgiving Reflections

It's back to school now with t-minus two weeks until finals. Now that Thanksgiving break is over, I feel like I'm in the vacation mindset and am now impatient for the next two weeks to be over. Not so much that I want to leave here, I'm so glad to be back "home" today. The buildings are decorated with an explosion of garland and ribbon. It's quite beautiful, a small sparkle of fresh snow would make the vision complete. This past week, was busy and packed. I have a gift to make breaks 'unrestful'. So much fun to pack into one weekend. It started off with Thanksgiving Day at grandmas, complete with Turkey, Chicken, and Ham...potatoes, green beans, bread, jello, 3 types of pie, and all of that wonderful goodness, Macy's parade, a GB Packer game, and many rounds of cards. The hunters trompsed through the woods with little success. A sleepover Thrusday night left me more tired than before, and if the cold didn't keep you awake it was the hard floor, and a crooked neck. Friday my mom, grandma, and I made oodles of Christmas cookies, mint patties, and other deliciousness. Saturday was a morning at home with a MaryKay party, and Oreo truffles with my cousin. Sunday was church, a baptism service that was so beautiful. I think there were almost 40 people who chose to be baptised. Many of them families where the fathers baptised their wife and children, an autistic boy, a father who blessed his daughter, and my "little brother's" little brother Nathan Street. A huge "family" lunch at Casa Mexicana (by family I mean my family, the Street Family, two of my cousins, a couple of best friends, and a boyfriend). The weekend was topped off with a lego consruction, to scale, of my dream house. I have so much to be thankful for. Oh the Lord is good to me, and so I thank the Lord, for giving me the things I need, the sun and the rain and the apple seed, the Lord is good to me. Amen!!

Busted

For the past several years my female cousins and I have been writing little notes whenever we find ourselves at my grandparents home. We decided it would be a fun way to communicate with each other and leave memories behind to reminisce later on. We have hidden them by tucking them into the back of a picture frame in their guest bedroom. Once it was full we moved to another of the 3 collages of senior pictures from my aunt, uncle, and mom. Yesterday, I recieved an urgent phone call from one of my cousins who has already arrived at Grandma and Grandpa's for Thanksgiving/Hunting season. Grandma has found the notes and they were laid out, read, upon the kitchen counter. We don't know what we said. Were their hurtful things, boy talk, secret messages??? Who knows,....well I guess now Grandma does. So she quickly retrieved the notes, and they are not safely hidden somewhere...I guess. Grandma as or an hour ago has not made any mention of the notes, but that's sort of how the family is. They tend to keep things to themselves. Well I can't wait to read them tomorrow when I finally arrive and we can deal with the situation accordingly.

Yesterday's Tomorrow

Today has the potential to be the best day of your life

...so tomorrow it is said again

For if each day could expound upon the previous

...and lay foundation for the next

Tomorrows joy may very well surpass

...the best of days on which it follows

While the glow of a monumental yesterday

...in the beams of present reality dims

Natalie Bell '09

Psalm 73

A Psalm of Asaph

1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

2 But asfor me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.

3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.

5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.

6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.

7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.

8 They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.

10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.

11 They say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”

12 This is what the wicked are like—always carefree, they increase in wealth.

13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.

14 All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.

15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed your children.

16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me

17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.

19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!

20 As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.

21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,

22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.

23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.

24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength ofmy heart and my portion forever.

27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

If I'm being honest with myself am I the evil person?

Left-over Turkey Soup

Looking for something to do with left-overs from Thanksgiving? I actually just whipped up this soup last week, and thought it turned our pretty well. The timing couldn't have been any better either. Enjoy! (Ingredient amounts are just estimates)

Left-over Turkey Soup

4 cups chicken broth
2-3 celery stalks, washed and chopped
2-3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large potato, cubed (I didn't even peel mine)
1 cup left-over cooked turkey, shredded or cubed
1 cup canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup left-over gravy
1 tsp. shallots
pinch of rosemary
black pepper

Place broth, celery, carrots, and potato in a saucepan. Bring to boil long enough for harder contents to cook slightly. Add remaining ingredients, and reduce to a simmer until vegetables are soft. Serve!

A Sacred Moment

Could this be love
Too soon to say
Maybe just friends, I don't know, either way
I want this to be*

*A sacred moment in her life
Guard her heart and treat her right
There may come a day
When she's someone else's wife
If she's not mine to have and hold
May this time we share be known as
A sacred moment

She keeps me praying
Lead me Lord
Don't wanna say and do things I'll be sorry for
God show the way
To live out Your love
Strengthen her faith, be a man she can trust
I want this to be*

Till the true love of my life takes my name
Whoever's hand I get to hold
My prayer will be the same

Daniel Kirkley
"A Sacred Moment"

Getting it all Started

After prompting from my old roommate (who recently started her own blog) and a small inspiration from watching Julie and Julia yesterday, I have now officially started my first blog. I guess that means I may now consider myself among the bloggers of the universe. In fact as I am typing this my current roommate is aslo subjecting herself to the world of blogspot. The fever has caught on and I have a feeling some roommate blogging parties will insue in the near future. What I'm actually going to blog about has not yet been decided, but I figure we'll just take each day as it comes.