I'll Come Back...

When you call me...

Oh, wait... that's not where I was going with that. hehe

Here's a quick update on my life:

1. I'm graduating tomorrow

2. I'm very busy with school

3. I cannot find the cord to plug my camera into the computer, so I'm very sad

4. I'm planning on going to Elitch Gardens on Thursday with some *awesome* friends!

5. It's time for supper, so I've got to scram!

I haven't forgotten you all, I've just been busy. I promise I'll be back!

Right There

She knelt down, putting her face into her hands. How had it come to this? She had loved him so, SO much! And now... now he was gone. The best part of her life. The person she had always counted on, always looked forward to seeing. Gone. Sobs shook her body, the grief overwhelming her and making life look bleak and worthless. Someone touched her shoulder. Could she not even mourn in private? Looking up through her tears, she saw a man.

"Why are you crying?" he asked her, his tones gentle.

Anger mixed with her pain and sorrow and she gestured to the gaping hole. How hard-hearted did a person have to be to take a body from the grave? "Please, sir, tell me where they took him."

"Mary."

Recognize the story? I've been thinking about it today. Here Mary was, her heart broken. She didn't understand. Can you imagine what was going through her mind just then? A stranger comes up to her, so she turned to him to ask for help. But guess what??? It was Jesus!

I realized that sometimes I get wrapped up in anger, grief, or frustration. I wonder where God is. I turn to a friend or some human and say, "Help me! I can't find God!"

Then I realize something.

He's right there.

He puts his hand on my shoulder and says, "Emily." That's all He needs to say, really. His voice is so gentle, so loving. It says, "I love you. I forgive you. I'm still here. My promises to you will never be broken. Come to my arms."

If you're feeling hurt or angry like Mary, take a moment to look behind you. God will be there, watching over you. He promised.

Promised Pictures

So... it's been a long time since I got my hair cut and all of you said you wanted to see pictures. And I never posted pictures. Shame on me. A week ago I went out to have my senior pictures taken. Here are just a few of the 222 pictures. =D Which is your favorite?

Cherish Me

Today I was playing with Seth and I just. about. lost. it. You know that proverbial straw that breaks the proverbial camel's back? Well... that's kinda where I was. Why? Well, be patient! I'm getting there!

As Seth has gotten older, Dad has had him hold doors open for us girls. Seth knows that he's *never* to hit a girl. So... basic gentlemanly behavior isn't too much of a problem. But I cannot think of my brother as a gentleman. I don't care how many doors he holds open or how often he refrains from hitting a female antagonist. (AKA big sister) He may have some of the motions down, but the spirit of the gentleman isn't there.

Name calling. Among other things. But the name calling is the worst. He makes up words - his current favorite being "skoobadook" - and calls us by these names any time something isn't going his way. I get a match in Go Fish? "You big blakkayeada!" He growls at me, yells at me, calls me names. Not the behavior of a gentleman if you ask me.

Seth and Dad also play Bible stories together. Guess who gets to be poked and mocked as a substitute Philistines when it comes to playing David and Goliath? Us girls, of course. Who become animals or even poop piles in Noah's Ark? The sisters who are (un)lucky enough to be close by.

And today it just really bothered me. Seth and Dad probably don't even think about what they're doing, so I shouldn't blame them. But it just brings to my mind a dream that I have had for several years.

The dream of feeling cherished.

I think I'm cherished. My parents spend money on me even when it's not absolutely necessary. And they take the time to say "thank you" when I do something like make breakfast or desert. Oh, and there's that routine, "I love you" right before bed. But even though in my heart I know that I'm NOT hated and that I AM loved.... I don't feel cherished, appreciated, and worthwhile. I feel like I've been lost in life's crazy demands.

So... to the guys out there: Respect the girls. Hold open the doors for them. Allow them to go first in line. But if you ever want to win a girl's heart, you can't stop there. 'Cause for this girl here, and I imagine for other girls as well, we're looking to be cherished.

A Little Late...

Happy Mother's Day!

I am so thankful for my mom and everything that she does for me. She is definitely one of the top moms out there! (I'd say she's the best, but I know how much controversy that would cause among my friends... so I'll leave rooms for their moms to be great, too. LOL)

I'm also thankful for the many godly women that have been a blessing and encouragement to me over the past few years. Here are the blogs of a couple of the ladies who have blessed me most online:

http://myseasonsoflife.blogspot.com/

http://raznoggle.com/

http://mommamindy.blogspot.com/

http://heart-and-home.net/

YouTube Tuesday - Yours Truly

So... I have watched a lot of videos on youtube, and I've subscribed to several people. My favorites are people who post videos of piano pieces that they've learned and people like OpheliaBH. Ophelia is most famous for her Homeschooled vs. Homeschooler video, which I will include below. Well, I decided to post a few videos somewhat similar to what Ophelia and many other people have done. Here's the result... I'm not called the Ramblin' Rose for nothing! LOL