Packing and License

Hi! It is now 12:18 a.m., a little after midnight on October 21st. I am just about finished packing for my trip to Tennessee a little later in the morning. My suitcases are full, really full, I don't know why I do that. I guess I should take some stuff out. The only thing is, I might want to wear those things, or use those things, and its going to be cold too. I might get to the airport and find I have to pay too much for the weight though, in which case I will just send some of my stuff home with my parents. I have way too much stuff anyway! I really want to go to sleep. I am tired. Oh, yeah, I finally passed my driving test and got my drivers license today(yesterday)! I guess the third time is the charm! Well, that, and everyone's prayers. I had eggnog earlier, the first of the season for me. I love that stuff. I am not really sure when I will have computer access again, hopefully tomorrow, but who knows. Well, Good night. I really pray God helps me in Tennessee to do what I need to do with the work I have to do, and be able to get along with everyone. I really don't know what tomorrow (or later today)is going to be like. It will definitely be an adventure. It is a good thing I like those. I like to fly too!

Sunday

Today we went to an Apostolic Christian Church. They are not Oneness. They are a very old denomination or group of Anabaptists, who originated in Europe. One of the families we met at the farmer's market where we sometimes sell vegetables. They sell eggs. So, we have visited their church a few times, and today one of their sons was getting baptized, so they invited us to go. They have very interesting services. It is very formal I would say. They men sit on one side and the women on the other. For prayer you usually kneel in front of where you sit. They sing Acapella, with very beautiful 4-part harmony. It sounded like a highly trained choir. It is a bit funny to me, because their servicess seem sort of old-worldish, yet the people are quite modern, so it is interesting. They are very nice people.

I love that fall is here. I really love fall. I like all the leaves turning. Here we don't have much of that, but I hope I will see more in Tennessee. I like the slight nippiness in the air, to look up at the moon and the stars at night with a chill in the air. There is just something romantic about fall and winter! I like that people eat pumpkiny foods. I had the most delightful piece of a pumpkin roll today at church, and the pumpkin pie blizzards from Dairy Queen are yummy too! I like to look at the fall displays people have in their yards. I love fall!

Fun With Friends

This morning I did some office type of work for my dad. This afternoon my Mom and I went to my friend Leah, and her husband, Randy's little girl's first birthday party. She is so adorable. It was really nice to see everyone. I got to meet Micah's bride Natasha. She is really sweet. I graduated from Homeschool Highschool with him back in 2005, so it was nice to hear what they have been up to. My friend Ruth was also there. She has been working for Gospel For Asia in Dallas for about the last two or 3 years. I had fun hanging out with Rosemary and Dorcas too. Dorcas told me that she actually reads my blog. So, "Hi" Dorcas! I am including a picture of Leah and Hallie at the party, and another one of our gift for Micah and Natasha, and Hallie. By the way, I have a fascination for beautifully wrapped and packaged gifts. I always have.

This evening we went over to some friends house who live close. Some other friends who used to live around here were down for a visit. We went to hang out and eat yummy finger food. The older girls and I watched "Persuasion". It is a Jane Austen movie - one of the better ones in my opinion. I really like it. I am glad I got to see most of my friends around here today, because I probably won't get to see them for quite a while. It was a good day!

Failure Today

Well, today I took my driving test again in another town, with the same man, and guess what, I failed it yet again! I did a few things wrong. But at least I believe I know what to do next time. I did get the left turns right today which I got wrong the day before yesterday. I also paralleled parked well. So, thats good, but I came not too far from being crashed into by some cars because I didn't look back right again before turning left. Not so good. But I will see if I can find another town in which to take it Monday again, if anything is open for that. It seems that in these smaller towns they only do the driving tests a couple of times a week. I also tried a new recipe for sweet potatoe bars that Mama found. I messed up one thing, and it wasn't very good, but again it might not have been very good even if I hadn't messed it up. Normally my food comes out good, so that was sad. But not all is bad in the world. I had some yummy tacos in town today. Tacos are wonderful. I love them! Not all days can be spectacular, you just have to find the good in them!

Getting Muddy and Working

Today was a chilly day, I think we got a cool front here. I bundled up and went to plant lettuce plants for my dad (He raises vegetables to sell). It was really muddy down where we were planting though, so I took off my boots and socks and went barefoot to plant, because it is faster. So there I was, all bundled up and barefoot. But, I warmed up and started shedding - my warm hat that is. I got really really dirty. I did get about 6 flats planted though, which was pretty good. My mom made a nice warm, cajun shrimp and sausage gumbo for lunch. It was great to have on a day like today. This afternoon and evening I did some office-like work for my dad, went driving around the little town by where we live and taking lots of left turns, and reading other people's blogs, etc.. I have been reading Acts chapter 2 lately. That chapter has a whole lot of interesting things in it. One thing that I was thinking about last night while reading, was the content of Peter's address to the crowd. He told them things they knew and could validate and relate to. They knew about the writings of David. That was not foreign to them. They could also go and see for themselves if the tomb was empty, and you know, there is no record there of them protesting that fact, instead they asked what they should do. That was pretty interesting.

Driving, Voting and Town

Well, today has been interesting and a bit frustrating for me. I went to take my driving test. I wasn't really sure if I was going to pass it, because I really haven't had a huge amount of practice. I know, I know, I am really late getting my drivers license. I have been busy with other stuff, school, working, and yeah, just being plain lazy about it I suppose. I didn't make one of my left turns wide enough though, so he couldn't pass me, because evidentely getting in the other lane is against the law, and if you break the law, they can't pass you. So the same man will be in another town around here Friday, and I am going there Lord Willing to retake it. Lets I hope I get it the next time, because I am leaving Tuesday for Tennessee. I tried to absentee vote today too, but that didn't work out, so I don't know if I will get to vote at all. I did get to buy some presents for a friend who recently got married, and a little girl whose birthday party I will be going to Saturday. So, at least that worked out. Oh, yeah, and I had a fantastic supper/ late lunch from Dairy Queen. I had a pumpkin pie blizzard and a Jalitos burger. The burger had fried jalapeno strips on it and was so good and spicy and flavorful. I think it makes like the top 3 burgers I have ever had at a restaurant! I had had a blizzard pretty much like that, one time when I went out to Dairy Queen while at KMBC, and I loved it then, and having been like wanting one every since. So, my day was not bad I suppose.

The Sky

Tonight I laid in the back of one of my dad's pickup trucks and looked up at the beautiful night sky and the beautiful moon that kept getting covered up by clouds. It was great talking to God like that. Life seems so beautiful. Life is beautiful. The clouds might cover it up sometimes to where we can't see it, but life is still so beautiful and adventurous.

Sunday

Today we went to church with the church who meets in homes. It was good. The lesson was about the discipline of study. Okay, I get it God. I have been hearing it everywhere,here, at the church in Louisiana, and at the youth group there. Now, I read my Bible, but not as consistently as I should, I have taken some steps in that direction, but have not arrived yet. I need to be reading it, and thinking about it every day.

Tonight we went over to some friend's place, and I got to see their new goats and chickens which they got while we were gone. The goats are so cute and friendly!

Thoughts and Peacefulness

Yesterday Mary wrote me something she heard in chapel by a missionary girl: "The Stories in the Bible, they didn't know at the start of their story, the ending of their story." That is inspiring to think about. I thought about this:When Eve was created, she had no idea of the pain of childbirth awaiting her. Her garden was perfect. As they named the animals, Adam and Eve had no idea that some of those would rise up against mankind. Enoch had no idea when he was born, that he would not die, but be taken away. How could Noah have known he would be building a big boat of all things? Do you think his wife knew she would be cooped up in a ship with animals for 40 days and nights, and be the only family on earth after that? She had no other women her age to talk to after the flood! Could Rebecca have known that she would travel to another land to marry a man she had never met? What about Sarah, when she was born and later married Abraham, could she have known that he would be the "Father of Many Nations"and she would have a baby in her old age? How could Ruth have known that her husband would die, and she would leave her land and be an alien in a country of which she was not from, marry a bachelor, and eventually be in the lineage of Jesus?(I guess she never knew that though) She was just faithful to do her part. Esther, a Jewish girl, had no idea, as she played with the other little girls, and did her work, that one day she would marry the King, and God would use her to save the race, by which His Son would come. David had no idea as he watched his sheep, and held his lambs, sat around his campfire, and wrote poetry, that he would be King one day. Mary, the mother of Jesus, probably imagined herself living a very normal settled life in Nazareth, never could she have imagined herself being pregnant without even having been with a man, having that baby in a cave, fleeing to Egypt, and later watching her son die on a cross. The fisherman never would have thought that they would have been following a man around and watching him do miracles, and later doing miracles themselves. But they just took one step, and when Jesus said, "Follow Me," they followed, and that changed the course of their lives. They couldn't have known that their nets would be full of people, instead of full of fish. We have no idea what will happen in our lives, God just asks that we follow one day at a time, each step preparing us for the next. One day their will be a beautiful picture, in many cases it is already there. Just look back and thank God for His faithfulness, and keep on, because there is so much more ahead, lives to be touched, and God's kingdom to be furthered. Like the words of the song - " I'm going on, I'm going on, I'm going on, towards the mark, towards my goal, so many lives, they depend on what I do, give me the strenghth Dear Lord, I'm going on for You."

Traveling Yesterday

Yesterday we traveled back home to Texas. For lunch we stopped at this barbeque place owned by some African-American people. It was right beside the Missionary Baptist Church. The place started to raise money for the church, but people liked it so much, they just kept it going. Their Brisket was really good. I am including a picture of the place. We stopped in the town where Sam Houston is buried, and looked at his gravesite memorial thing. He pretty much was the leader in making Texas independent, and wanted them later to join the Union. He was a really interesting man. My mom looked around in a couple of antique shops and a thrift store in that town, just for fun. I found a really interesting-looking old book about a Persian man who converted to Christianity and became a beloved Physician. It said that he was a man who walked and talked with God. We stopped in Brenham, where they make Blue Bell Ice Cream(the best commercially made in the whole world, in my opinion). It was closed, so we just looked around outside, and I took a picture of the logo picture on their cartons. It was a statue of a girl and a cow. Then we stopped and got ice cream. Mine was one scoop cinnamon, and one scoop coffee. Yummy. Then we got home, Mama wanted to go to the biannual community wide garage sale, so we went, I only found a shirt and a book, okay, I guess I wanted to go too. It is kinda fun. It was really wierd to be back in my room.My cats are fat.

Last Day

So today was my last full day in Louisiana. It was very busy. My mom and I went to my grandma's again today, and had lunch there. We went visited my great aunt too, and saw my great uncle. My mom has a very large extended family, I don't know nearly all of them by a long shot. This afternoon, my mom and I went to a thrift store. I saw there the principal of the Christian school I went to here in 10th grade. The school has been closed now for three years. I was so glad to see her, she was a really sweet lady, and a real inspiration to me. She was a real encouragement to me in my education. My mom and I went to about seven stores looking for a new coat for my grandpa, he had a certain thing in mind, and we finally found it. Once I was so tired, I just sat down on the floor in, I think, JC Penny's . Talk about "shop till you drop." We finally came back here to my other granparent's house, where I have been staying. We had a really good supper of ribs and other stuff. I had to pack tonight too. We are headed home tomorrow morning. I don't really know where "home" is. Sometimes I think it is wherever the people are at that I love, that would make home to be in at least 3 places. Maybe it is wherever I am at too.

Riding and Eating.

Monday, my grandpa and I went fishing. We didn't catch all that much, but then we went on a longish boat ride. We rode for about 24 miles. It was great, it was rough some of the time too. Yesterday my parents came to get me and to visit with family, my grandma and I went shopping yesterday too. I was able to get me a nice winter coat, It will be nice for where I am going. I got some more driving practice in too, so me and my grandma had one nice full day together. It was good to hear about my parent's trip to South America, my mom had a nice time, and told me all about it. I had so much fun here too, I am so glad I came. Today my mom and I went over to my other grandparent's house(her parents). We took my grandma out to eat for luch at a seafood restaurant. She gets out very little, and my mom hasn't had much good seafood in a long time, so she wanted to do that. We had fun visiting. We also went to see the lake. After that my mom and I went to do a little shopping again, and grocery shopping for my grandparents. My grandparents blessed me with birthday money, so I bought me a sweater. They are so sweet. I guess I have another day of visiting tomorrow. The sky was so beautiful tonight. I thanked God for blessing me. He does with every good thing, and for that I thank Him.

Church.

I had a good day today. I went to church this morning. The message was on taking Communion. One thing that stuck with me was that Hitler said that he would pretty much be able to take over the whole world, were it not for that tiny red spot on the map which was England, and the devil would be able to take over the whole world too, but there was one little spot, Calvary, and because of that the gates of Hell cannot prevail against us. I might have changed that a little, but that was the gist. Tonight I went to the youth service. It was good, we dissected the story of the Good Samaritan. A thought came to me while I was doing that. Maybe those other guys were just too caught up in themselves to look at the poor beat up guy. They weren't worried about others, they had themselves on their minds. Maybe they were not trying to be mean, they were just too preoccupied with themselves to have anyone else on their mind. You know, sometimes I go through life like that, just thinking about what I have to do, getting it done, without really taking the time to worry about others, to pay attention to others. Another thing, maybe I don't want to get my hands dirty, and get involved in other people's problems or lives? What if the way they look, their piercings, or their lifestyle gives me a bad reputation? What would people think of me if they saw me with these people? But I think me and everyone else should just slow down, look around, see what we can do, and just not be afraid to reach out and touch someone, connect with someone.

More Fishing

Today my Grandpa and I went fishing on the Intercoastal Canal. I caught 9 fish. Several were big enough to bring home, and a few we threw back, cause they were small. I caught a redfish, some Bass, and one other kind. It was a lot of fun. I saw several alligators swimming around too. I really did not want to fall in the water, believe me. I loved riding fast in the boat, it was really fun when we passed two tugboats pushing barges. The water was rough, and it sprayed me, and a little water came in and got me kinda wet. Oh my goodness it was fun! I love the outdoors!

Fishing

I went fishing today with my grandpa. We went this morning, and this evening. On our way this morning we stopped and bought snacks and bait. We fished in the Laccassine Reserve in my grandpa's boat. I had so much fun in the boat going through the water fast. I caught 4 fish this morning, and 3 fish this evening. I had more fun this evening though, because the sun wasn't as strong. I got a pretty bad sunburn this morning on my legs and arms. It really hurts. The pictures that were taken were of my 6th and 7th fish. They were Bass. The sunset was beautiful out there tonight. It is amazing to think that God really created this world, and He likes to make things beautiful, and its for us, that is so cool. Well, I guess God likes to look down at His pretty world too.