Hurray for being 18 and mature! What a great week I've had home with my family - I'm so thankful for the many blessings I have, and my family and friends definitely top the list. God has surely lavished His love on me through them, and for that I will be ever grateful.

Oh Give Thanks!

Ah, Thanksgiving Day at last
When we mere mortals break our fast
And all of us, both great and least,
Sit down before a bountiful feast!

We lift our prayers to God on high,
Then stuff ourselves with pumpkin pie
Cranberry sauce and candied yams,
Homemade rolls and turkey hams
Taters mashed and giblet gravy
Beans of green, and stringed, and navy
Turkey breast and cornbread dressing
All get munched after the blessing.
Until it comes out of our ears,
Our noses, our pores, and then through our tears!

We eat a lot, and then some more
While keeping one foot on the floor
We eat until we're all done in
And then sit down and start again

Thanksgiving Day, ah what a treat!
To eat, and eat, and eat. . . and eat.

Contentment

There is nothing that calms the soul on an overwhelming evening quite like a warm cup of tea, catching up with a dear friend, and studying for math tests.

Minus the studying for math tests part.

On Overcoming Sin. . .

I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.

But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.

I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?

The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

Romans 7:15-25

A Day in the Life. . .

Today -

An accomplishment: Walked 1.25 miles to Hyvee for groceries. Walked 1.25 miles back from Hyvee, carrying those groceries.

Poem, compliments of my Chem teacher:

Johnny was a Chemist
But now Johnny is no more
What Johnny thought was H2O
Was H2SO4

Read:
"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life." - Romans 6:11-12, 22

Owned Face At:
My Math quiz
Waking up before 7 am

Made:
Two batches of cookies

The Water Spilt Poem

Please, oh please, still work

Even after this initial

Moment

Of testing

Because otherwise

I will be sad indeed

~ Yes, even you work, little tilde key

Or whatever you are called

@ the 2, the water seems to have not had effect

Tab ahead seems to be functioning

AS DOES THE CAPS LOCK

Hurray!

"It seems God continually brings me to the end of my endurance,
both emotionally and physically, to reveal the truth about my heart.
What's revealed in those moments of pressure is usually something that needs addressing,
like selfishness, insecurity, jealousy or bitterness.
Getting split apart isn't pleasant.
In fact, it's often painful and embarrassing.
Yet, it's required if I want to become a true follower of Christ."

-Proverbs 31 Ministries, Daily Devo