Ink Spots of an Idle Writer

The Haze Is Starting To Clear

2009-08-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

Today is Monday, which means it's been a whole week since Vacation Bible School started for my church. See, Calvary Chapel Living Word does our VBS at Col. Bill Barber Park every year (as we have for the last five years), which means that we have to hike through the park with every last bit of equipment, from E-Z Ups and tables to huge boxes for each class, to snacks and crafts and music stuff. I certainly got a good workout this last week because of it. Not only did my family help set up every afternoon, and help tear down every night, but my dad taught the 5th and 6th grade class, and I was one of his helpers. For the last few years I've either done registration, skits, or helped in a kindergarden class, and I really enjoyed the older kids. They're not as easily distracted, and they can carry on a longer conversation than a four or five year old can.

But I still miss my babies. And the toddlers. In fact, I couldn't help but climb into the twos and threes yesterday at church when I heard they needed help. So I don't think I'll be jumping ship from the nursery to the 4th and 5th graders for a while.

So needless to say, VBS has left me exhausted, physically and mentally, hence the post title. Things were a bit blurry Saturday, and then Sunday I was still a bit tired. Today I'm feeling much better, and I plan on getting back into the normal swing of things.

Well, the infection in my jaw is gone (Praise the Lord!), and I think I'm almost all done healing from oral surgery. It took a little longer than I'd hoped, but the Lord knew, and that was all the reassurance that I needed.

This week is going to be extremely busy for me, as I'm going to be at Vanguard University four days in a row, starting tomorrow, from 9 to 3 for this Taylor/Studioworks Workshops. I made it into the yearbook staff, and I was one of the people chosen to go to these workshops. Then my sister might have a bonfire at the beach with friends from drama, and since I have friends there too, I might go. AND Saturday my youth group is planning on going to the Harvest Crusade. That will be awesome too. So I might not post for a while (like that's a huge surprise to anyone...).

I have to go, but I'll try to update soon! Adios!

Pill-Taking Mastery and Other Random Rambling

2009-08-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

You know I'm bored when I start giving my post titles annoyingly clever titles. But it's true. I have mastered the art of pill-taking. I've been sticking my pretty blue capsules in a spoonful of pudding, hiding it under the chocolate, and gulping it down before the pill has a chance to get stuck in my throat. Yep...talk about exciting. One more thing to add to my list of abilities. Not.

More exciting news - I got to chat with my best friend Morgan for a very short while the other night. She's in North Carolina at the moment, but (hopefully) will be returning soon for college. I miss her so much!

I've also gotten my hair cut. Very short. Actually, it's shorter than I've had it in a REALLY long time :D maybe I'll post pictures.

AND I've just gotten information for school, including a flyer for senior pictures. It really kind of finally hit me when I opened that letter from school that I'm a senior now. In a few months' time, I'll be making decisions about college!! Crazy, huh?

Day 16 and A Couple Steps Backwards

2009-07-30T19:49:00.000-07:00

Yep, you read it right. It's been one step forward, and one giant leap back for me. It's been over two weeks since I had my oral surgery, and up until now everything has been going great. My stitches are coming out, I haven't had any pain, and I've been eating much better than before. Then I woke up today, sore, slightly swollen, and just plain uncomfortable. Mom called the dentist for advise, and we were told to come in right away. Turns out, I've got an infection in my jaw!!! Lucky me! I'm not going to go into detail, because I gross myself out, but it isn't pleasant. I've been given this oral rinse that smells like toothpaste, and it may stain my teeth (which is brilliant, as senior pictures are just weeks away...), and I was given a strong antibiotic that only comes in capsule form. And I've never taken capsules....so after a very disasterous attempt at opening the capsule into some applesauce (I don't recommend this for anyone if you can help it), I swallowed a whole one with a mouthful of ice cream. I almost choked.

So this week just gets better. My dad is also sick with pneumonia, which is dangerous for him because his lungs are compromised (from horrible pneumonia that put him in the hospital when he was a kid). And next week is Vacation Bible School, and as always, things are stressful for everyone. My mother's comforting words: "You're a Cordova. Things are never simple". Amen to that, Mom!

Now I'm sitting here, trying to ate a waffle so that the medicine I just took doesn't make me sick. And, for some odd reason, I can't lay down for thirty minutes and I'm exhausted. Life is unfair, isn't it? Thankfully, I'm not contagious and hopefully, this will all be a (bad) memory in about a week or so.

Sorry if this seemed like a rant....because it was....but it felt really good, even if no one reads it all!

Day Four and Harry Potter review

2009-07-18T17:41:00.000-07:00

All the relief at my oral surgery recovery is beginning to wear off, I think....Yesterday, I was so happy and just really excited at the progress I was making (because, to tell the truth, things are going really well). But now, I'm really starting to get tired of the pain and the stiffness and the still-puffy cheeks. Don't get me wrong, I'm still really thrilled that everything is going so well! But at the same time...I'd really love to be able to eat something substancial. I'd rather chew the cookie's I'm consuming instead of softening them up in my mouth first. And I would have loved to have had popcorn at the movie theater today, but I had to stick with an Icee that very well could have given me dry sockets if I had used the straw too much.

SIGH

Okay, sorry for the ranting. I just had to get it out of my system. Now I can tell you what was actually exciting about my day. I got to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince! I had been dying to see it since the last film came out, and was kind of bummed I couldn't see it on opening day...So here are the pros and cons that I've come up with (may include spoilers!)

Pros: 1.) Rupert Grint. I've really grown to love Ron as a character, and he was really funny in this film (I didn't like him so much in the book). One of my favorite scenes was when Ron ate the box of chocolates tainted with the love potion...talk about hilarious. 2.) Harry's relationship with Ginny. It was really sweet, and really well done. It was actually super cute everytime it was brought up. 3.) Ron and Hermione's relationship. It was kind of sad and funny at the same time. But I love how it built up for the next films. 4.) Draco Malfoy. I actually love Draco in the series (book and film), and so I was really happy that he got more screen time in this film. You really feel bad for him, rather than hating him like you usually do, and he's really become a great actor. 5.) Freddie Stroma. He played Cormac McLaggen. Yeah....nuff said....

Cons: 1.) Added scenes. Some of the scenes that were in the film weren't in the book, like the whole thing at the Weasley home when it goes up in flames and the Death Eaters come attacking. What??? But I kind of liked it...2.) Dumbledore's death. It happened all too fast, and he didn't even have a proper funeral! Sheesh. 3.) Teenage Tom Riddle. I was disappointed that they got a different guy then the actor in the second film. I was looking forward to getting to look at him....

Sorry this was such a long post. I just had so much so share, I guess...

Oral Surgery Day Two

2009-07-15T10:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I made it through the first (and hardest) day of recovery! But now I have to go all day without any gauze in my mouth (which freaks me out because I HATE the sight and taste of blood). But thankfully, I'm not as sore, and I'm rinsing with salt water (which is AMAZING). And now I get to put heat on my still swollen jaw instead of ice, which should help with the swelling and stiffness. At least I'm not drooling everywhere like I was yesterday...

And no, Morgan, you will not be seeing any pictures of me with puffy cheeks. I have forbidden any cameras from the house for the next week or so. That's how long it should take to get back to normal, I guess :D

So that's all for today, even though I have endless time on my hands. There's just nothing that interesting to blog about!

No More Wisdom :(

2009-07-14T20:23:00.001-07:00

It's official, I have had every ounce of wisdom removed. This morning at 8:00 I went in and had my wisdom teeth surgically removed. Let me tell you, it was probably the most blissful twenty minutes of my life. And it all went really well! They told us the surgery would take about forty-five minutes, or about ten minutes for each tooth. But because my teeth were so ready to get outta there, it only took twenty from start to finish. And so stitches! So I've got gauze packed into my mouth, and it's not very attractive....

But let me tell you guys, it was the most pleasant dental experience I've ever had. First they gave me the nitric oxide to relax me, then they put me to sleep with anesthesia. I don't even remember falling asleep. I just remember waking up in a different room, feeling really groggy. Ever since then I've been lying on the couch in the living room, a cold pack on my jaws and gauze in my mouth. I'm not feeling so hot now, but I should be back to normal in a few days! Yay!! Hopefully, the swelling will go down my the time I go in to get my senior pictures taken....

Loving July (so far)

2009-07-07T09:57:00.000-07:00

As you might guess from the title of this post, July has been (so far) a pretty good month. I'm not as bored as I have been thus far this vacation, and a lot of things have been happening.

For instance, my best friend Morgan's family is moving back to North Carolina. As I type, they are travelling across the country. I know, I'm really sad too. But the good news is, Morgan is coming back to California for college, so I didn't have to say goodbye for ever.

And the England team from my church, Calvary Chapel Living Word, arrived safe and sound in Leatherhead over the Fourth of July weekend. They were able to bypass the long lines at the airports and they didn't lose one piece of luggage (and there were about eighteen or so people in their group!). Keep praying for them as they have already been ministering to England. I'm so excited to see what God will do with them in Leatherhead.

On Tuesday the 14th, I'm having oral surgery to remove my wisdom teeth (thank God they have to cut them out, not pull them...), so that will keep me in the house for a few days at least. But I'm glad I'm getting it done now, rather than next month before school starts and before I have to get senior pictures taken...that would be bad.

I'm also starting to get ready for my church's Vacation Bible School. Every year we do it at Col. Bill Barber Park in Irvine (as an outreach to the city), and this year it's a safari theme. My dad is teaching the 5th and 6th graders, and I'm going to be his helper. We tried to convince my little sister to help (so it could be a family thing), but she didn't want to...

And guess what! Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince comes out on the 15th! The day after my oral surgery! So I won't be seeing it opening day, but maybe on the weekend. Anyone else totally excited about this new movie? The trailer looks amazing.

So that's really all I wanted to say. Today has been a lazy day, though I'm going to go for a walk in a little while. I'll try to be better about posting, I promise...

Summer Update

2009-06-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

It's officially summer vacation. PRAISE THE LORD!!!! I've really done nothing productive, and that's just fine with me!!! I have been perfectly content to read and write and listen to music and watch movies and sleep in late. Actually, this week my dad is taking vacation, so we're going to finally have some time as a family. Again, praise the Lord!

A few other things that might be interesting to those who read this thing - I just got my report card for the spring semester....I am now a 4.0 GPA student! I know, I don't know how that happened either....

AND I got onto the yearbook staff for next year...pretty exciting! We'll see if next year's yearbook is as good as this year's. Stiff competition.

AND I'll be entering into my senior year of high school, so I've been spending some time researching different colleges and praying about the direction God wants me to go in.

AND next month I'm getting my wisdom teeth extracted....
So life for me isn't terribly exciting at the moment, but I'm enjoying the rest and the relaxation, and I'm really looking forward to the new school year. So, yeah, that's it really...I'll post something more exciting next time!!!

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T14:24:00.000-07:00

I know it's been sooooo long since I've posted....yeah, things have been that boring....BUT!!! today I get to say...

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!!

On a personal note, I want to say thanks to my own father. He's never been anything less than a fantastic father and leader of our family. We've been through difficult times in my life, but he's never stopped working hard and persevering and following after God. He's been such an example of a man of God, and I know that he will be blessed profusely for it. So Dad, I love you so much!!!

Nervous much???

2009-05-28T07:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, yes I am. Why you ask? Because today is our final dress rehearsal for Bye, Bye Birdie. Tomorrow is our first performance. And we'll be there for, like, eight hours! *dies* Pray for us!

Getting closer...

2009-05-22T21:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my Theater Arts class's first rehearsal at Kingsfield Church (where our final production will be). It's always stressful, because for so long we've rehearsed at school without any idea of what the stage looked like. So, as usual, a lot of adjustments have to be made to make everything work. But it was really exciting to finally be on an actual stage. And us girls even have a small dressing/waiting room! That will defintely make it easier for us...plus we'll have microphones on the stage, unlike for A Midsummer Night's Dream. Our leads even get their own mic packs. Pretty awesome. So, my costumes are all together, I'm trying to keep my voice nice and rested (I do a lot of screaming, so my throat wears down easily...), and I cannot wait for Friday, when we finally get to perform Bye, Bye Birdie for our audiences!

Friends

2009-05-22T20:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes life is tough/boring/hard/painful/just plain strange. My life is usually one of those on a regular basis (i'm a teenage girl, remember?). But friends make it all better :D

Now, your average teenage girl would see her friends six hours a day, five days a week. She'd be with her friends so much she'd probably get sick of them. She'd be texting them constantly, always on MySpace or Facebook, etc, etc.

I'm not your average teenage girl. The only time I really get to see my friends are either at church once a week, or at school. I'm at school three days a week, but only for about an hour and a half. I don't have a cell phone, MySpace, or Facebook page. So when I get to be with my friends, it's like a holiday for me.

So you can imagine how happy I was just the other day when I went to an event for my sister's school and discovered not just one of my friends, but a multitude of them! My best friend Morgan, friends from school like Ariana (if you read this Ariana, you're awesome!) and Lucy (Lucy, you're fantastic too!), and friends I went to school with years ago (like Kiana). And just my luck, I had a camera!

Yep, friends make all the difference!

Really have to stop...

2009-05-20T07:49:00.000-07:00

I keep forgetting to blog! I have to stop doing that! Anyway...

A lot has been going on lately, so maybe that's why I haven't had time to blog. Besides Bye, Bye Birdie being only *gasp* a week away, I have a Service Learning Project due for U.S. History, a Guys and Dolls play report due for Theater Arts 2, and a project for Spanish 2 that I haven't even started working on yet...PLUS looking for a summer job and preparing for Vacation Bible School. I've also been doing a lot of writing lately, which I haven't done in a LONG time (it feels good!)

I know this is a short post, but I actually need to start getting ready to go to school - I'm going to be selling Bye, Bye Birdie tickets before my Spanish class this morning. But hopefully I'll be updating later on (I got some really cute pictures from the Chep Expo last night!). So chau!

Narrow-Mindedness VS. Convictions

2009-04-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

I am not easily disappointed. I have come to never have high expectations for anything or anyone, because I know that 1.) we are all humans, and 2.) things happen. Life happens. But every once and a while, I will find myself very disappointed. But these things tend to be just my own opinion, like in politics.

So I was disappointed today when I read about the Miss USA pageant worked out. I'm not upset that Miss North Carolina won (I didn't even watch it), but the aftermath of Miss California's question. She was asked (by Perez Hilton...) her views on gay marriage. And she gave an honest, convicted answer - she believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman. And then it seems like the whole world blew up from there. Everyone and their brother has a comment about her OPINION. Whenever someone expresses their OPINION that gay marriage is wrong, EVERYONE is up in arms, saying it's discrimination and narrow-minded, etc. But when anyone says that gay marriage is right, they get a hero's welcome. Can someone tell me what is WRONG with having an opinion? As far as I'm concerned, NOTHING.

Dr. Laura once said (yes, I've listened to her before...she's very wise, that woman) this: an opinion without much thought is narrow-mindedness; an opinion that has been carefully thought out is a conviction. (that was paraphrased).

So it sounds to me like Miss California had given much thought to her opinion. After all, who would say something so controversial (on live television to boot), without having thought it over? Her answer was honest and she stood up for what she believed in, even though she knew it might cost her that crown. That really is conviction isn't it?

The Best of God

2009-04-11T17:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Good Friday, or the day that, all those thousands of years ago, Christ was crucified. And so last night my dad, my sister and I (my mom and older sister were sick) went to Good Friday service at church, and I'm so glad I went.

As my pastor explained it, Good Friday was the day the world saw the worst of man, but the best of God. The worst of man because Judas had betrayed Jesus, Peter had denied Him, and the Jews sent him to the cross. The best of God because in the hour that Christ died, God gave us life. What grace He showed us! Good Friday indeed!

So before I finish my post, I wanted to share an incredibly interesting piece of information. When Christ died, the veil in the temple that separated the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom. That veil was sixty feet (yes, 60 ft) high, and about four inches thick. There was no way a human could rip it. Not even two horses tied to either end and made to run could pull it apart. Talk about the power of God!

SOOOOO excited!!!

2009-04-10T09:55:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't really been saying too much about my school's spring musical, Bye, Bye Birdie. But you might be hearing a lot more about it soon. Because I just got a new role, and it's a bit bigger than the one I had originally. AND we have a place to perform!!! AND we have Mrs. Darby in charge of costumes and sets and whatnot (and she's incredible). AND we have an amazing director, Mr. Koff. AND we have some great actors!!! So naturally, I'm really excited.

Of course, the part I have now requires a lot of screaming, which I'm not used to. So the next time you see me, I might not be able to talk. But whatever...what we actors do for our art. jk.

Another thing I'm totally excited about - Spring Break!!! I cannot believe it's already Good Friday! Two days and it's going to be Easter! Where has this time gone? But I'm not complaining. A week without school (supposedly...) and only about five or six more weeks of school!!! Praise the Lord!!!

But Spring Break wouldn't be Spring Break without homework, so I'll be doing some Spanish, and I'll be memorizing lines that I got yesterday, and I'll be reading for U.S History, and I'll be trying to put my costume together for the play. Yep, it's all good!

Adios for now, I'll hopefully be posting more with the free time next week!

We Should Be Dancing...

2009-03-27T17:28:00.000-07:00

OMG I CANNOT believe I just used that as a title. Oh well...it worked, right? lol

So I'm going to prom! For the first time! And I can't dance to save my life! But that's okay, because I hear from everyone that I know that it's a ton of fun. And thankfully, I know a lot of people who are going. That's cool, at least I won't be embarrassing myself in front of total strangers.

Tonight I'm going to my youth pastor's house for Friday Fun Night. They do it every month, but this is the first time I've gone in, like, six months. But I really need to hang out with my friends from church. It's really hard to walk strong with God when you're surrounded by people who don't believe what you do. But when you're around your brothers and sisters in Christ, it makes this life so amazing.

So I hope to post more later (I know it's been forever), but right now I have to go get ready to leave. Adios!

A Little Foggy...

2009-03-15T21:35:00.000-07:00

So this is the first time I've been sick with a cold in a long time. Actually, I rarely get sick. So it really sucks. At least I can blame my sister. She had a cold, then she gave it to my mom, then my little sister got it, now I have it, and my dad is getting it too.

Other than that, not a whole lot is going on. This week I've got a U.S. History midterm, and I learned that I cannot paint to save my life :D

I'll post more when there's anything worth telling the world about!

What a boring life I have

2009-03-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

It's true. Besides the random stuff that happens (like someone dying or getting sick), nothing happens. It's pretty sad, actually.

Well, recently I decided I'm going to run for secretary for the National Honor Society at my school. I gave a speech last year, but didn't really run for anything, since it was a last minute decision. But this year I'm planning things out, talking to our current secretary (Alex rocks!), and she's given me some pointers.

But honestly, that's all that's been going on. Bye, Bye Birdie is....going....we still don't have a theater, so we might have to perform at school, which no one really wants to do. So, keep that in prayer!

Right now I'm working on U.S. History work, which I hadn't even looked at until yesterday, and it's due today by three o'clock. Brilliant, I know.

Anyway, that's it for me! Ciao!

Ready...Set...Freak Out!!!

2009-03-06T22:15:00.001-08:00

I was in for a shocker today - senior registration came in the mail!! My jaw literally dropped; it doesn't seem right! I can remember the day we filled out freshman registration, and the very first orientation, and all the great stuff that happened freshman year. Now it's going to be senior year. And to be honest, I don't think I'm ready for it! I mean, I'm looking forward to finally finishing school and starting college and getting a job and all that jazz. But I have so many great friends, and all of my teachers are fantastic. I'm ready to leave that all behind. BUT I have to remind myself that that's all months and months away. This semester isn't even over yet, so I can't officially start freaking out until June or so :D anyway, just thought I'd share that bit of information, seeing as it's the only interesting thing that's happening in my life. Well, that and I applied for a job at the AMC theater at the District! Exciting, I know.

I Love Waterproof Mascara

2009-03-02T17:24:00.000-08:00

Today was Ian Lopez's memorial service at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. Thankfully, I was able to get out of Spanish to go, and I'm really glad I did. I think it really gave me peace, and while everyone is still grieving his passing, we know that he is in a much better place. The legacy he left was one of hope and faith, and he truly loved God with everything in him.

So, needless to say, I cried at his memorial service. I'm really glad I decided to wear waterproof mascara, otherwise I would have looked like a racoon. lol!

I also forgot to mention yesterday that I'm starting a new story! Perhaps it's time to start up my Creative Writings blog again? Did anyone besides Morgan and her sister read it?

Well, it's been an emotionally trying last couple of days, so I'm going to sign off for now. Perhaps I'll post again in a couple days!

Exciting, I Know

2009-03-01T17:45:00.000-08:00

So after that little thought for the day, I decided to post what's been going on in my life lately, starting with this past week.

Speed Reading and Spanish on Monday, and we got to make posters in the latter...I know...exciting.
Studying with Morgan at Barnes and Noble, then grabbing a Subway sandwich with her mom and sister afterwards. We also saw some "Amanda Pants" at PacSun!
Wednesday was Spanish, and then later I had to work on U.S. History
Thursdays are our busy days. That's Theater Arts day, and my mom is choreographing for Bye, Bye Birdie (she rocks). Plus spending about fifteen minutes with Lucy Darby afterwards laughing, sharing random stories, and shooting movie quotes at each other.
Friday was a very strange, tired day. We got the email about Ian, and I had a ton of schoolwork to do.
Yesterday we just kind of took the day off to relax and get rested, and I danced and sang a little.
Today was church, and then after that I went to The District with my friends Christi and Mary. We had lunch at Johnny Rocket's, saw some people we know from church, and walked through Hot Topic. Then we went and saw Confessions of a Shopaholic, because Christi works at AMC and she got us free tickets:D love her. And the movie was actually pretty good. I wouldn't mind seeing it again. And now I just finished Spanish homework.

And now I have to go, because my little sister is requiring my attention. Adios!

New Beginnings

2009-03-01T17:28:00.000-08:00

You know the old saying "With life comes death?" it may be true in some situations, but I truly believe that with death also comes life. It's especially true in my life. Ian died three days ago, and I didn't find out until Friday, but after I was finished crying (and I cried like a baby), God showed me that it was time to get my life back on track. For the last six months or so, I've kind of been in a rutt as far as my faith goes. Well, not my faith, because I have never wavered in my belief in God and his Word. But more like my walk with God. I hadn't really been taking it as seriously, I wasn't reading my bible as much, I wasn't praying nearly as much, and I wasn't as happy as I used to be. But after learning that Ian was dead, I realized how short life truly is (and I shared this with my friend Morgan). Ian was only eighteen. I'm sixteen. I don't even have to live a full life to die. When God wants you to come home, there's no arguing. But then I began to think - what sort of life will I leave behind? In other words, what will my legacy be? How will others remember me when I'm gone?

This truly worried me, because I don't want people to remember me as the girl who called herself a Christian, but lived an entirely different way. I don't want to be remembered as the person who didn't let her light shine, or didn't lived her faith every day. I want people to remember me for the way I want to live now - I want to live for God, I want to walk by faith, and I want to let my light shine for Him. Because life is so short compared to eternity. But not short enough to where I can't start living better now. When I get to heaven, I want to be able to say that I did everything I could to share Jesus with the world, to make a difference, and to live my life the way Christ would.

So that's my thought for today. So now you know that I'm really turning my life around now, and I'm going to get back to where I once was - completely in love with Jesus and wanting nothing more than to grow in Him.

Life is so short

2009-02-27T12:37:00.000-08:00

Today I got some devastating news that just broke my heart. A boy I knew named Ian was killed yesterday in a motorcycle accident. He and his family went to my church, and he just graduated from high school last year. He was only eighteen years old, and he wanted to get into the Armed Forces like his older brother. Now, I didn't know him very well, but still, I cannot believe that he's gone. Only last month he was in the parking lot at church, showing off his new motorcycle to friends. Now he's with the Lord. That brings a little peace, though I'm still crying. But if I feel this way, and I barely knew him, how much worse are his friends and family hurting? Please keep the Lopez family in your thoughts and prayers, as this will be a very difficult time for them. But also, rejoice, because Ian is with God now, and he has no pain and no suffering.

I'll try to update this thing later, but right now I have no time

Rejoice in the Lord always

2009-02-19T09:09:00.000-08:00

I just have to keep repeating that to myself today. I have to keep reminding myself that God is in control, and that everything happens because it is in His perfect will. See, things are really, really tough at my dad's job right now. Business is so slow that everyone has been forced to work less hours, and for less pay. Actually, my dad has been working about less than thirty hours a week, and his pay has been cut in half. Which means that for the next few months, we'll have just enough money to pay rent, but barely anything left for bills or anything else. But, I have to keep reminding myself, we've been there before. Heck, we've survived on barely anything before. We still have a job, and we still have an income (just barely, tho). God is good, He's had this planned long before any of us were born. Somehow, He is going to use this situation to grow my family, or maybe help others. Only God knows why this keeps happening to us, but I know that He wants us to lean fully on Him, and not worry about money or the economy. He will give us peace and strength, and I know that He will provide our every need.

Now, to try and keep spirits high at home...it's harder than it seems.

Pure Imagination

2009-02-10T15:21:00.000-08:00

That song has been stuck in my head for a week. AHHHH. See, this past weekend, my sister Amanda was in "Willy Wonka Jr." with her school, and it was fantastic! It's always so much fun to see these kids perform, and to see the gorgeous sets and costumes and watch them sing and dance. Amanda played Mrs. Teavee, and she was brilliant. I could distictly hear her when she sang with the whole cast, and she really gave it all she had. Plus her birthday was Saturday. So here's a shout-out to her!

Amanda - I know that you'll miss Chep South drama, and you're not really looking forward to high school next year, but I know that you'll always do your best in everything that you do. God has given you some major gifts, and it's always a blessing to see you use them. I also know that your birthday wasn't as great as it could have been (you had back-to-back performances Saturday!), but I'm going to say it: Happy 14th birthday!!! Another year older, wiser, and cooler, and I'm so proud to be your big sis. Love you!!

You Know You Love These :)

2009-02-05T11:43:00.000-08:00

1. Do you like blue cheese salad dressing? nope, i prefer ranch dressing
2. Do you have a hero? my #1 hero is Christ, but my friends and family are all amazing
3. Do you own a gun? no, and i don't plan to
4. What's your favorite drink at Starbucks or other specialty Coffee shop? caramel frapp
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? sometimes
6. What do you think of hot dogs? ummm...they're...very pleasant...especially with ketchup
7. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? milk or tea
8. Can you do push ups? only a few!
9. Favorite piece of jewelry? my purity ring
10. Favorite hobby? writing, reading, makeup
11. Do you have A.D.H.D? not that I know of *eye twitch*
12. What's one trait that you hate about yourself? i'm super indecisive
13. What is your middle name? Cathleen (yes, with a C)
14. Name 3 thoughts right now? I'm hungry, I can't wait for drama today, and i wish it would rain
15. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? water, milk, tea
16. The friend you had the longest? Alyssa and Annika
17. Current hate right now? the sun keeps coming out, then going away, then coming out again. it's annoying
18. Favorite place to be? usually the mall with friends, or at church
19. How did you bring in the New Year? fell asleep at 9:30
20. Do you like to travel? i haven't been many places, but i do like to travel
21. Name three people who will complete this? Morgan, Christine, and maybe Audrey
22. Do you own slippers? not at the moment
23. What color shirt are you wearing? blue
24. Do you have a crush on someone? not right now!
25. Does someone have a crush on you? hahahahhahahhaha!!! wait, were you serious?
26. Favorite color? pink
27. Would you be a pirate? probably not, i get sea sick (and the boat I was on was docked)
28. What songs do you sing in the shower? i don't sing in the shower, actually. but lately i've had Willy Wonka songs stuck in my head :/
29. Favorite girl's name? Ruby Susann, Abigayle Rose, or Elena Faith (those are the names I would give my daughters)
30. Favorite boy's name? Elijah, Asher, or Samuel
31. What's in your pocket right now? fuzz
32.Best bed sheets as a child? ???? i don't really keep track of these things...
33. Worst injury you've ever had? I had to get thumb surgery when I was five to fix a tendon. that was not pleasant
34. Do you love where you live? I guess it's okay, i've never lived anywhere else
35. How many TVs do you have in your house? one
36. Who is your loudest friend? Morgan. jk, probably probably someone in drama
37. How many pets do you have? none
38. Can you whistle? yes
39. What is your favorite book? anything from the Twilight series, or Jane Eyre
40. What is your favorite candy? nerds
41. Favorite Sports Team(s)? .....uhhhh the US Women's Olympic Gymnastics Team
42. What were you doing before starting this survey? checking my email and doing my makeup
43. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up this morning? "Do I really have to get up???"

Say What???

2009-02-03T21:28:00.000-08:00

I just read an article on Yahoo where Stephen King (yes, THE Stephen King) said that Stephenie Meyer (author of the Twilight saga) "can't write worth a darn". How could he possibly say that? Stephenie Meyer is an amazing author, especially for someone who 1.) never intended on being a writer and 2.) became a best-selling author all because of a dream she had.

I know I'm not the only one who loves the Twilight series (there are millions of fans out there). For being about vampires, the books are not especially gory or gross, and are surprisingly conservative when it comes to more adult themes. It's refreshing, because so many teen and young adult novels are filled with foul language and sexual content, and sometimes it really ruins the experience for me. That's why I couldn't read this certain book for English this year - it was completely ruined by all the language and adult themes that it was not even worth reading.

Sorry, had to rant a little here (I've been doing that a lot lately...) because I love Twilight and I really hate when people, especially other writers, criticize other people's work.

Pigs, Dodos, and Dinos, Oh My!!!

2009-02-03T16:03:00.000-08:00

Yep, you read that correctly. See, today my bff Morgan and I were chatting, and all of a sudden she enters:

"OMG THE PIGS KILLED THE DODO'S!"

Then she told me she had been reading Animal Farm for her Comparative Literature class at school. Then moments later, she enters:

"HOLY COW PIGS KILLED THE DINASAURS, TOO!"

And she gave me a link to an article she read about pigs and dinosaurs. I didn't read it, I just took her word for it...

THEN her status message said:

"....O_O we're next... the pigs.... they're the extinction police, i SWEAR! RUN FROM ANY SIGHTING OF PIGS!"

So, I came to realize (rather, further realize) how crazy we both truly are. Yes, the both of us. Because I could not stop laughing at her comments, and I was not weirded out for a moment. I got it. Morgan - dearest friend, never stop being so random, crazy, funny, and awesome! I love you!!

Signed, Offended

2009-01-29T09:55:00.000-08:00

Joel Osteen is big, and his church is even bigger. Seriously, have you ever seen his show? Can you imagine the childcare for that church??? But beyond the church and the fancy suits and the hairspray, what Mr. Osteen preaches (or doesn't preach) is the biggest issue of all. In fact, I was offended by what he said in one of his preachings, and I do not get easily offended, especially when it comes to spiritual matters. I know what I believe, and I know that not everyone interprets the bible in the same way. But the fact of the matter is, while not everyone believes the same, or interprets the same, some things are true and some things are purely for the warm fuzzies.

For instance, the other night I was watching TV with my dad while I was doing some writing. Because "Good Eats" was on a commercial break, my dad changed the channel to Joel Osteen's show. Normally, we don't watch Joel Osteen, or listen or read what he says because we're not really into the whole Prosperity teaching that he's into preaching. As usual, Mr. Osteen was talking about prospering and God blessing people with money and gifts. That didn't bother me, it's to be expected. But here's what did - Joel Osteen made a comment about "true children of God are blessed immensely" and how "only when you've released all your faith will you be truly blessed". And THEN he said that "If you're thankful for the food on your table, or the peace you have, that's not enough. You shouldn't have to be praying for food, you should be prospering". So basically, he implied that true believers, and those with the most faith, will be blessed and have everything they've ever wanted. He's saying that those who are poor, or are struggling to make ends meet, or are living humbly, aren't really faithful and aren't truly children of God.

That is what offended me, and I have a right to be offended. Because 1.) my family and I DO live very humbly, and 2.) we HAVE struggled to make ends me, or simply to pay rent. Does that make us any less Christian? Does that mean that we didn't have enough faith? But God always provided, and we never went without anything. And what about those who are even poorer, who are homeless, or those missionaries living in Africa and Asia, who have nothing. Aren't they faithful to God's call? Aren't they doing the work that God has set out of them?

So, here's my belief. God blesses people in different ways. For some, it's material things: money, cars, homes, etc. But for others, he gives peace and joy and and an abundance of faith and mercy. He has called each of us on a different path - some He wants to have a prosperous business, or have a wonderful job. For others, He has called them to more humble positions. But He uses us the way He wants to, not the way we want to be used. So who are we to expect great rewards? We can't take those material treasures with us, but it's the spiritual gifts that will last forever. So it does not matter if we're rich or poor, because that has nothing to do with faith. I wish someone would tell that to Mr. Osteen, who keeps on preaching about prosperity and earthly happiness. Whatever happened to forgiveness and mercy? Doesn't anyone preach about sin and fire and brimstone anymore?

anyway, that was my thought for today. kind of long-winded, i know, but I needed to get it off my chest :D

Just Call Me Alice

2009-01-29T09:34:00.001-08:00

Ahhh!!! It's been so long since I last posted anything. Maybe it's because my life has been relatively boring as of late. But today I got onto Angel (the online program my school uses) and what else is waiting for me in my inbox but the cast list for Bye, Bye Birdie? It was only the list for the singers, but I was on there! I tried out for the role of Rose Alvarez, but I got the part of Alice!! And I'm soooo excited !! I don't know if I could have taken a huge role right now, and as Alice I'm still in a few songs, and I get to help my mom choreograph the play. I can't wait to start working on this musical!!!

What else....Oh yes, Mr. President Barack Obama has lifted the ban on abortion (less than a week after he was sworn in), and I am not very happy about that. To me, abortion is wrong. Period.

Prayer request - my dad's job. Hours keep getting cut, and he's already taken a cut in pay. Are we on the road to more unemployment? Possibly, since the lumber business is really slow right now. But, as always, we put our trust in God, who has and always will provide for us. He knows what He's doing, and that gives my whole family peace.

More posting to come soon! Like, really really soon! I wanted to blog about something, but I wanted it on a separate post.

<3 Em

Fin De Semana

2009-01-23T21:16:00.000-08:00

I am sooooo ready for the weekend! This week wasn't even that busy! Anyway, this was the first full week of school, and I was really excited. I had some U.S. History work, and some Spanish homework, and then auditions for Bye, Bye Birdie were Thursday. I tried out for the part of Rose Alvarez and sang "An English Teacher" from the show. I guess it went well - I had a sore throat and I was nervous, but I didn't forget the lyrics or anything. I even started on the key I had been trying to start at. Next week we're going to do read-throughs, and as much as I would love to get the part of Rose, any other role would be great (I love Bye, Bye Birdie).

This coming week should be interesting - Speed Reading starts on Monday, so I'll be at school all morning and into the afternoon. Tuesday is free for me (which means schoolwork). Wednesday is Spanish, and Thursday is drama again. Friday is another free day (more schoolwork).

Something exciting (not that big of a deal though, really) - I have been named Head Foundation Person for Willy Wonka (in which my sister plays Mrs. Teavee). I did makeup for High School Musical last year as well, and I'm looking forward to doing it again.

This is it for me tonight, I think I'm going to head to bed! Post more later!

You Likey???

2009-01-20T19:37:00.001-08:00

My best friend Morgan made that header for me. Thanks so much Morgan!! You are truly awesome. Well, didn't have much to say besides that!!! I'll be posting more soon!

Good Times...

2009-01-18T21:16:00.000-08:00

I was just reminded of some awesome MSND moments by a friend from school, Ariana (Ayana to some). One of those moments was the best from either of the two nights we performed at the Village of Hope: probably halfway through the show, a few scenes before intermission. Almost everyone was hanging out in the wings, but some of us were in the dressing rooms. So Robert, who played Nick Bottom, peeks into the dressing room and for some reason hands us his donkey head (we still don't know why exactly). All of a sudden, it starts making horse noises and playing music. Turns out, the head was taken off a little hobby horse thing, and it had a motion sensor on the top. It took us forever to get it to stop, and by the time we did, we were all on the floor laughing our rears off. When we came out, everyone was staring at us. But that was one of the funniest moments I've had in a long time! Thanks for reminding me Ariana!

Auditions are next week!!!

2009-01-16T20:39:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe that auditions for Bye Bye Birdie are next Thursday. But I guess I understand, because for one, my drama class only gets to meet once a week, and secondly, there are so many holidays during the spring semester. Anyway, I'm a little nervous because I don't know what song I'm going to sing. I'm trying out for the role of Rose Alvarez in the show, and so I was thinking of singing "Spanish Rose" or "An English Teacher", but I don't know either of those very well. I might also do "Moondance" by Van Morrison. I know it's not a showtune, but it's a great song, and really fun to sing. *sigh* we shall see what happens. I just hope auditions go well!

btw I got my new glasses today. They make me look smart (that's a first!)

New Year!

2009-01-15T21:36:00.000-08:00

Wow, am I behind on the times! it's 2009! Fifteen days into the new year, to be exact, and I haven't posted. As you can see, I'm starting a fresh blog (working on giving it a face lift). So that means *hopefully* I'll be posting more often, and with more interesting pieces of information besides the usual "this is what my week was like" business.

However, there are a few exciting things to announce. One being the PCHS performances of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Village of Hope Monday and Tuesday night. Thanks to those who came, I hope everyone enjoyed it. I played a fairy :D and got to sing and dance with the other fairies and even pretend to stomp on Josh M's foot! Yeah, everyone I talk to said that was funny. On another note regarding Theater Arts at PCHS, we will be performing "Bye Bye Birdie" for our spring musical! I'm really excited, because I love that show. So I'm going to try out for the part of Rose! If you'll scroll down to the bottom of my playlist, you'll find "Moondance" by Van Morrison. That's the song I think I'll audition with.

I'm still praying about going to England this summer with my church. I want to go, but right now financially it doesn't look like I will be. But, like with everything else, God is in control, and nothing is impossible. So I'll keep praying! Otherwise I'll be stuck doing geometry over the summer!

I'm going to go get ready for bed (exhausted for whatever reason), and tomorrow I'm going to get my new glasses! yay! jk. I'll write more later!