NYC

I spent last weekend in New York City. :) It was a ton of fun. Details and pictures will come next week when my mum gets home with them.

spanked

Proverbs 23:13-14 says Do no withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.

There is such debate over whether or not it is right to spank children, and I'm just wondering, were you spanked as a child? We were. Ketcher and I were decent kids; I think our most common misdemeanor was fighting with each other. But we were spanked, and we turned out okay. =] It was always worse to have Dad spank us than Mom, because Dad used his belt and Mom only used a wooden spoon. And I don't remember how old we were when we stopped receiving this punishment.

Today I have a dentist appointment, then I am spending some time with friends before I head out tomorrow. My preschool classes at the studio start today, too. =]

Psalm 9:1-3

I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.

I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you.

Stop and think for a minute about what Father created. This earth is incredible. The way my heart pumps and my lungs inflate and my eyes blink baffles me. God takes care of His children. That's us. He created each and every human being and He loves each one fully and equally. He protects and defends us, provides and cares for us, loves us, cherishes us, guides us. If we let Him. It's simple and beautiful.

I'll sum this up with a song from Desperation Band, "Amazed."

You dance over me, while I am unaware.

You sing all around, but I never hear the sound.

Lord I'm amazed by you.

Lord I'm amazed by you.

Lord I'm amazed by you, how you love me.

How wide, how deep, how great is your love for me.

I hope summer is treating everyone well. So far mine has been very enjoyable. I teach my first dance classes tomorrow, then leave for Ohio, New Jersey, and NYC on Tuesday. =]

tilt

things I love thursday...

yet again, tacos. It's Taco Thursday at my cousins' house tonight. My aunt and uncle are in town for one of the little one's birthdays tomorrow, so all the family in the area is getting together tonight at the country house for delicious tacos. I am so very excited.

movie nights with Megan. She cultures me with movies. I have probably seen more movies at her house than anywhere else in my entire life. Last night we watched Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist (which was so so good and hilarious and so awkard, I loved it), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (which was entirely too slow for me but I was thrilled when the girl was dancing in a polkadotty leotard/skirt combo =]), and Footloose (which was awesome but did not really have enough dancing in it).

kids. We had lunch today with friends from church including two of the most gorgeous children ever, Rachel and Christian. Rachel will be in my ballet class this summer, and Christian has huge blue eyes. They are both just so cute.

summer time. So far, this summer has been so nice. It is great to just chill and not have to do anything or be anywhere. Dancing starts next Monday night. =] In less than a week I'll be on a plane to Ohio getting ready to drive to NYC with my mum, my best friend from pre-school, and her mom. We're meeting a few people there and we're going to have an amzing time.

photography. I really want to go shoot some photos somewhere soon. Maybe tonight I will take some.

shopping. I want to look cute when I'm in NYC. I bought a new purse today. I'm going to carefully plan my outfits. Even if my mum is going to be touristy, I want to look the part, haha.

yet again

self-explanatory, which is great because I don't have the energy to write anything.

Proverbs 3:3

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

Proverbs 12:22

Another self-explanatory one:

The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in men who are truthful.

I want Father to delight in me, don't you?

Dress rehearsal today. I will be praying throughout. Happy Friday!

TILT

Things I Love Thursday!

I love...

Tacos. My parents who are willing to bring me tacos when I'm at the studio running music for over four hours at a time.

The freedom I have to talk to Father at any time.

The pure worship of kids. Watching them dance and sing.

Cute stationary. Coloring. Stickers.

Simplicity.

Matthew 10:32-33

Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in Heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in Heaven.

I don't really know what to say about this except: don't disown Jesus, okay? He lets you breathe and live and sing and do everything that you do. Don't deny that. You are powerless without Him.

Today is Thursday and I have no obligations, at all. I slept until ten, will probably do nothing all day until I go up to Elements to see all my fam[ily] and worship with them. I definitely need that time before dress rehearsal tomorrow and recital on Satuday. 

Continuously praying for Connor and his family. :/ I'm worried, but I'm trusting Father.

Matthew 7:26

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

I used to sing a song in children's church about this:

The wise man built his house upon the rock,

the wise man built his house upon the rock,

the wise man built his house upon the rock,

and the rains came tumbling down.

The rains came down and the floods came up,

the rains came down and the floods came up,

the rains came down and the floods came up,

and the house on the rock stood firm.

The foolish man built his house upon the sand,

the foolish man built his house upon the sand,

the foolish man built his house upon the sand,

and the rains came tumbling down.

The rains came down and the floods came up,

the rains came down and the floods came up,

the rains came down and the floods came up,

and the house on the sand went SMASH!

We've all experienced hurricanes and storms, and we know it's the beach houses that go first. Building our house--our life--on a solid rock foundation--Father--just makes sense.

On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

Matthew 7:13-14

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Another well known verse today, but one that is always worth some consideration. An encouraging verse, if you really think about it. Life, by which we mean eternal life in Heaven with Father, is not an easy thing to acheive. Well, all you have to do really is trust in Christ, that He came to save us, died and rose again, taking our sins away and giving us the opportunity to live in Heaven. But being a Christian is not easy. Satan tries his hardest to keep us from believing, to keep us from spreading Father's love, to keep us from truly living. Believing in Father does not automatically make your life easy, but it makes it bearable. He's there through everything and He's strong enough to get you through it. It's easy to go down the path that leads to death; easy in life but you'll be eternally regretful. Take the hard road for the small amount of time we have on this Earth; you'll be eternally rewarded in Heaven.

English final complete.  Tomorrow: IHOP for Mads. Wednesday: choir written final/officer meeting. =]