NaNo Approaches!

NaNoWriMo is seriously 2 days away!  I can hardly wait!  I know I post on it every year and about how much fun it is.  Hey, I can't help it.  It's something I enjoy...a lot!  Here's the link just in case someone wants to check it out and join me on the crazy mission to write a novel in a month!  NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program

French!

Today, my youngest brother was writing some "words" on the back of note cards that my sister had used for a research project (luckily the project was finished!).  He gave them to my mom and told her to read them.  While she was reading out loud what his gibberish said my little brother had a proud look on his face.  When she finished, mom said, "Great job buddy!  What language are you writing in?!" To which he replied in the most matter of fact tone possible, "French!"
Oh the little moments that make us laugh.  They're so unexpected but then end up making our days so happy and enjoyable!

The Truth About Youth Group

Blimey Cow: The Truth About Youth Group

Silver Platters

Having a job is not at all what I was expecting.  Before, I had kind of been able to hide from the hard days and avoid things I didn't really want to do.  Now, I stare the hard stuff straight on in the face.  Mom told me that life can't be handed to me on a silver platter.  The hard part is, that up until this point, some of it has been.  Getting out of that is a little bit of a challenge.  But I must admit that even on the hard days, I still find myself having a good time through it all.  As my boss said, "If you're having a bad day, don't show it because the customer might be having a bad day too, and your smile and kindness might just give them the push they need to finish the day."
Truth is, I enjoy my job, and the chance to push myself and leave my comfort zone may be scary and intimidating, but it's just broadening my horizons so that I can be better equipped and prepared for the things God throws at me throughout the day.  It's all for a purpose and a reason!  Don't give up just because it's hard!  Instead, see it as a challenge that God has given you to help you grow in your faith, or be better suited to spread his Gospel.
Last Sunday my dad gave a wonderful sermon.  In the passage of scripture he was speaking from Paul said:

"For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain.  But though we had already suffered ad been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.  For our appeal does not spring from error nor impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts."

(1 Thessalonians 2:1-4)

I just think it's kinda cool that Paul saw the gospel as a precious gift that God had entrusted him with.  We also should see it that way.  It's not something we keep in our back pocket and flash it whenever we need it.  It's something we should protect, treasure, and share.

The Giver

Yesterday afternoon, I went to see the movie The Giver with my dad and sister.  I'm not going to lie, at first I thought it was a little slow and confusing.  But as the plot developed and the movie went on, it started becoming more clear and less strange.
The Giver is about a boy, Jonas, who lives in a Utopia where everyone is the same.  They wear the same clothes, speak the same, and there are no colors.  Jonas is chosen to be The Receiver on graduation day (where every eighteen year old is assigned a job).  The Receiver is given all the memories from that past that have been lost, from The Giver.  As Jonas gains all of these memories *spoiler* he starts to realize that the "Community" they are living is incomplete and empty.  There are strict rules (never lie, precision of language etc.), curfews, and no emotions (due to daily injections).  All in all, the movie was great and very interesting!  My dad and I were talking about it and he said, "It's strange, most movies these days are about teenagers.  And there's a teen who is a Christ like figure trying to save the world."As I thought about it, I realized he was right.  It kind of feels like Hollywood ran out of ideas so they keep repeating the same plot line but with different characters with goals that "sound" different.  While I watched The Giver, I noticed that while people may deny that there is a God, and that Jesus died for our sins, they can't help putting a "Messiah" in their books and movies.
Anyway, just a thought.  Hope this little review was helpful for this highly recommended movie!

RUDE!

Today, girls don't really see their dads as the protectors of their hearts.  My best friend showed me this a few weeks ago and it's a parody of a song by the band MAGIC, but from the dad's perspective.  Honestly, I think it's very accurate and also hilarious!

Fair 2014

I just finished my 4th year doing a steer at the fair!  It was tons of fun and VERY exhausting.  It's hard getting up every day to get to the fair grounds in time to clean pens, feed the animals, AND get them and myself ready to show that day.  My steer, Tornado, wasn't on his best behavior, but he placed first in confirmation which gave me the #5 spot in the sale!  Very proud of him and I'm sad that he's being hauled away tonight.  I'm gonna miss that animal even though he had a strange obsession with licking/eating leather.
One of the members of my 4-H club won grand champion showman overall for the beef barn and got to participate in the Round Robin which is where all the champion showmen from the other barns show lambs, goats, pigs, horses, dairy cattle, and steers.  For being a Junior Showman, he did fantastic!  He didn't win Master Showman, but he did us all proud:)
It's been a great experience and I can't wait for next year!  So there's my FAST summary of fair 2014!