Blogging through the alphabet- A

Hello friends!

 I have decided to attempt a series, and the one I have chosen is Blogging Through the Alphabet. Ta-daaa!

A is for...

America.

Being American is entirely different from being a citizen of almost any other country for three (main) reasons:

*note- I will take a fairly Republican view in this post for the sake of my Republican friends. you can ask me later if you want.

1. Freedom

This is basically the reason America was established in 1776- freedom, liberty, and justice for all. Today, freedom often means the absence of control- of boundaries- of oppression- of slavery. This sounds all well and good- until the implications sink in. Freedom of this kind carries a huge responsibility...do we all want to be solely responsible for ourselves with no guidance or perimeter whatsoever? No! The problem with the modern interpretation of freedom is that it leaves no room for moral considerations, adopting instead a "I live for myself" attitude which is extremely dangerous to others and to self. This contemporary definition of freedom is very different from the noble ideas which birthed our country. Then, it was freedom from oppression, freedom to rule ourselves, and most importantly, freedom to follow God's laws.

1 Peter 2:16

Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.

Galatians 5:13

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

God's law clearly states that man's "freedom" can be perilous, and I believe the founders of our country recognized that fully. Our forefathers made provisions for man's freedom of speech, freedom of living, freedom of most choices, yet left boundaries in place to prevent us harming ourselves or one another. Though prohibiting drugs may seem like a violation of freedom, by God's definition this is freedom: freedom to follow God's laws uninhibitedly. 

However, it makes me very sad to see this freedom encroached on in recent years. Laws which attribute the care of widows and orphans to the State, not the church. Abortion legalized. And we have no say. Regardless of our policy of...

2. Democracy

The ability to rule ourselves. This is what the revolutionaries fought for 200 years ago- to slip from under the thumb of a faraway king and make our own decisions, as a country. This most definitely sets us apart from many other nations around the world, which are ruled, not governed, by dictators and kings. We, however, have the chance to vote and make a difference (*note- problems with the voting system- email)  

3. Founded on Christian principles

This is the biggie. Why is "under God" in our pledge? Why did the original laws of the country mirror the ten commandments? Why is there a prayer at the inauguration? Because America was founded of Christian principles. Why, then, are children compulsorily taught the opposite of God's word in schools? Why are teachers not allowed to pray? Why can home churches be "zoned" away?

Because America has fallen. Hard. Along with the rest of Creation. We need God to come in and rule our people once more. The corruption and hardship will cease when Jesus returns. I fear lately that this is the only hope for our freedom. But I know that God is in the room, and God is in control, and God will bring us home.

This is what it means to be an American.

Jared Anderson – Hear Us From Heaven

Knaves and Hay

   Hiya, it's great and glorious me again.
Today I watched a whole bunch of soccer games because I'm supposed to be learning all the rules of soccer since I'm going to be a referee and I'm hoping not to look like a complete imbecile.  Whether or not I actually will pick the rules up is debatable.
   Right behind me Heidi is practicing a jazz dance that really I don't understand but maybe I would understand if she had her costume on and she really was holding the thing that she is supposed to be holding. If she did have those things irrefutably it would be unambiguous and superb.

    Our horse is happy, but a board fell out of the barn ceiling. So my dad went out (with plenty of help, of course) to fix it. The other children enjoyed playing in the hay.

See, Ellie's happy, Mary's happy- and one can't be sure what Burt happens to be doing, at least he looks happy too. But who can tell? Perhaps he just wants to jump off the pile and then devour as much hay as possible. I can see him doing that, and I wish he would. Ha- ha, just kidding, I can see me doing that too.

Oh one of my new favorite words is dastardly rogue. Or knave, which works too. Those mean sort of the same thing as a churl. In case you wish to know.

And now I must skedaddle. So TTFN, Ta-Ta For Now.

Signed, Miss Me Myself.

P.S. I Might Return Tomorrow.

Quirky and Commonsensical

Don't you just love the word commonsensical? I do :)

I was just thinking the other day about the word quirky. Here's the definition:

quirky |ˈkwərkē|adjective ( quirkier , quirkiest )characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits: her sense of humor was decidedly quirky.
So, I came up with some quirks of mine that you should know :)
\\I like my shirts folded with the sleeves tucked back, so there's not a crease down the middle when I put it on. My mom is extremely kind to humor me in this way :)
\\I don't like things in my room. Now, if you know me already, don't have a heart attack. I did literally go from being the messiest person I know to being a neat freak in one week, no joke. (for those of you who have not seen m room...up until last Saturday it looked like someone dropped a clothing bomb. Now it bugs me if there's a piece of paper out on my desk :P)
\\I place high importance on table manners. Unfortunately, no one else in our house does, and I am frequently told to "stop being so bossy/fussy/mean/rude/a jerk." Seriously. Close your mouth when you chew.
\\I really don't like straight tomatoes. I don't know why. I have eaten them in every way possible over the past few years in hopes that I would eventually like them. I don't. Fresh from the garden, cooked, frozen ... I don't really like them.
\\I wear tie riding boots rather than lace. I think they look better and they conform to my foot more.
\\I don't like people to talk to me while I'm playing the piano.
\\I smile almost obsessively. I see so many people that don't and a lot of the time it looks like they're depressed or something. But I have Jesus in my heart so I can smile all I want :)
\\I have to have someone hold the horse for me when I mount. Every time. It is a failing, and I have a reason for it, but it's a long story. Bottom line: if we're going riding, hold the horse for me.
\\I get bored with my handwriting, so I change it. Often during history homework, because it's so mindless anyway. My history teacher probably thinks something's wrong with me.
Ta-daaa!! I promise I will make Clara write something tomorrow :)

I love BJU

I love college. I love almost all of it. I admit I'm not crazy about coffee or 2-o'clockers. But you really can't beat Catchphrase at 10:00p or Stagecraft at 2:00. And what, pray tell, has inspired these reveries? Why, my recent trip to BJU in South Carolina. And yes, I had a blast.

First of all, the weather was gorgeous! If you're sick of cold, visit SC. Nothing can possible top 70º in February.

Second of all, the campus was wonderful. Lots of trees. You're not allowed to walk on the grass (not that I would) so that's pretty too. The buildings are all pale brick with lots of shiny glass (always a plus) and there is a separate Fine Arts building and no less than four auditoriums, one DDP size and two as big as or bigger than the Whitney (sorry, dear Bomhard, but I'm in love)

This is Rodeheaver. It's the Whitney sized one. It has balcony seating, three separate lifts (or at least that's how many I counted) and a green room as big as my kitchen and dining room. Plus an enormstrous prop room, wig room, costume shop, and makeup room with which I became intimately acquainted. I have never seen so many broadswords and rapiers in one place. Or as lifelike a moose head (that one was a set piece).

Speaking of set pieces, did I mention there's a film company? Yes, on campus. I stood in the middle of  a room set of a movie I've seen that was set in the 30s. It has a greenscreen, soundstage, sound room, editing lab, and animation department. I kid you not.

via google images

This brings me to my favorite part- the people. Nearly everyone at BJU looked happy. Students and faculty would greet me the visitor on the sidewalk, hold the door open automatically, and apologize for gently bringing their backpack in contact with my shoulder in a crowded hallway. The teachers shared the Valentine's candy they brought for their class, insisted I sit up front with the other students, and even gave me handouts and taught me their theatre games.

Will I be attending BJU in three years? I'm not sure. Some things I wasn't as comfortable with, but on the whole the good outweighed the bad. (PS: Their Creative Writing program was highly recommended to me by a girl named Erin. You know who you are:)

So, don't be surprised if you spot me sporting a Bruins shirt in the near future. :)

Sisterly Love

Guess what I found on my clothes when I went to pack for BJU this morning? :)

No prizes if you can guess who it's from:) I ♥ You Clara, who always thinks of what everyone else would like, adores any tv with a princess and a battle, and never buys anything for herself.

1 Corinthians 13 
[ The Excellence of Love ] If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. ...

Astounding Utterances

Howdy, it's Me.

Okay some people think that having a bunch of siblings must be kinda crazy and I won't deny it! It is! But it's really fun and it's awesome for people who don't like to be alone.

This is my siblings not including Heidi or the baby.

There's almost always somebody who has nothing better to do than goof off. And big sister tip: learn to babysit! If you've got a bunch of siblings, it's a great way to earn money. And really seven kids isn't that much as some people.

Does anybody ever just randomly look up words to astound people with? My new favorite word:

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. 

No joke that is a word and it's a kind of lung disease. It's great because when you hear someone cough you can just be like, "Oh I hope you don't have pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis." and wait for them to go, "What?" I got it off this computer's dictionary. By the way that is the astounding utterance.

This is Burt trying out faux  fur at BassPro Shop, he looks chilly, doesn't he?

So if you've got a bunch of crazy sibs after you finish school you can write a book (which I am), read (which I do), read more (which I do), ride (which I do), or be kooky (which they do, and yup ya got me I do it too). 

So today my sister (not Heidi, Old Ellerkins today) has riding and sometimes I watch just to see her fall. Ha-ha, no, just joking, I'm not quite that mean. Almost, though.

Heidi says that somebody named Anna Faith had a birthday? I have no idea who you are but happy birthday regardless. And my sister just turned six on the first.

Isn't she cute? No, just kidding the below picture is the six year old.

Mary loves her birthday present. Heidi says soon she wants to put a video on here, and I'd like to see her try. :^) Just kidding she probably can but me being totally ignorant of computers I have no idea how.

Toodle-oo,

Myself Which Is Clara.

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Who knew??

Thanks all! Clara is sure she will post later today...and it will probably be more than three lines, if you know her :)

For His Glory

Y'all go over and wish Anna Faith a happy late thirteenth birthday, 'K? And enter her awesome giveaway while you're at it!!

www.annakizasuofl.blogspot.com