My Father's Love

"The world's wealth and riches can be bought and sold

but I possess a treasure far greater than gold

'twas a gift passed down to me from heaven above

'twas the gift of my Father's love

Safe and secure now in His love alone

I find at last my place of worth as one of His own

and I don't need everything this world wants to give

'cause I live with my Father's love.

And my Father's love is strong and true

always believing - always seeing me through

so no matter what happens in His grand design

- I'll be fine with my Father's love

I have my Father's love.

"A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in His holy habitation."

- Psalm 68:5

Nine years ago today Daddy passed on to heaven. It is hard for me to believe and sad to me that I have lived my life without him now almost as long as I had with him. But even in those 10 short years, His life had an impact on me that continues to influence and challenge me as I live my life day by day. I am thankful for all the wonderful memories that the Lord has allowed me to cherish in my heart - I remember so many special details that I know a lot of kids don't have the privilege of remembering when they lose someone close to them at such a young age. I think it is because our family was so close - is so close. Every night when Dad came home from work Mom would get us kids all excited, and I remember dropping whatever we were doing (even if it was the greatest Barbie story ever! haha!) and racing for the door because "daddy's home!" There's so much of course that I could say. I miss Dad SO much, yet through it all, the Lord has become more real to me as my Father, as Jehovah Jireh (my Provider), Jehovah Rohi (my Shepherd), and as El Shaddai (the God Who is sufficient to meet the needs of His children). God is so good.

"Know ye that the Lord, He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlatsting; and His truth endureth to all generations."

~ Psalm 100:3 - 5

Happy Mother's Day!

"Who can find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above rubies?"
~ Proverbs 31:10

HAPPY MOTHER's DAY, MOM!
I wish I had more time to blog a whole bunch about my wonderful mom, but maybe I will be able to be on and update later. But I wanted to be sure to pay tribute to the best mom in the whole world! Thank you, mom, for the godly example you have been to me, for your unfailing faith, constant prayers, your selfless heart, and unconditional love. I admire you for all that you are and all that you do. Thank you for keeping our family so close - for all the fun times and memories. I'm so excited I get to be home with you all summer! We're going to have even more fun times! ;) I love you more than words can say! Thank you for not only being the bestest mom ever, but for being my very best friend! I want to be like you someday because I see Jesus in you! xo

One More Day!

Well, I missed a day of blogging for the countdown, but then I realized, the countdown was till graduation, and for the countdown for going home, I was still right on! So one more day and I will be home! In fact, we'll probably be on the road traveling to get home still at this time tomorrow. (sorry if that sounded confusing) It's been an awesome semester at school! I'm so thankful for all the Lord has done and is doing in my life! God is so good! Jordan graduated today - I will try to blog that if the computer can handle it at home ;) ...congratulations, Jordan! You're awesome! :D Then mom came around 2:30, and we've been hanging out with Jen and Jordan since. Laura, Meg, and Danielle left this morning really early - and are all home safe and sound now! PTL! I missing you already, girls! (this picture made me think of you, Laura! I laughed when I found it, and knew you'd get a kick out of it too! try not to be a baaaaad girl while we're apart . . . wait for me! JUST KIDDING!) Can't wait to be home! :)

Campus Family Bowling

A couple weekends ago our campus family went bowling as a last hoorah activity. It was so neat because it actually worked out for everyone to be there even with the busyness of the year end school work. We have such a fun bunch of people, and had such a good time! I think I was laughing most of the time ;) I'm going to miss everyone and all the fun times - especially my campus mom and dad! (you guys were such good parents to laura and I - hee, hee! Thanks for driving us to church every Sunday and Wednesday and having us down to your apartment! You guys are awesome!

I GOT A STRIKE!

LAURA GOT A STRIKE!

Jordan and Jenn had lots of pow - wows and bowling lessons ;) They're so cute! :) ...it's a good thing they were on the same team.

Thanks again for the fun, Jenn and Jordan!

Timeline STILL Continued ;)

This is us in our Christian Service class. It was nice we got to choose where we wanted to sit, and then that was our spot for assigned seating - so of course we all sat together. (Megan WAS smiling till Roy got in the pic - poor Meg! hee, hee!)

This was during missions conference week. Each evening meal, one of the classes was in charge of doing a banquet theme. This night was the Juniors, and I think the country was Ecuador. Anyways, they serve food like that country, and the servers dress up like they're from that country, and then a missionary from that country gets up and presents their ministry, etc...That night was probably the most normal food. We girls had fun :) Dani and Megan were in rare - or maybe not so rare - form, and wouldn't be good little girls for their picture, so these are all we got of them from the night, but even in their goofy pictures you can see that looked so pretty for the banquet ;)

This is a typical afternoon for us after classes, we all come pile in laura's and my room between the computers and talk and laugh and check our emails, etc... so much fun! :)

Timeline Continued

This brings me to some fun updating news. At the "Arsenic & Old Lace" play, Laura went with Sam. Things have progressed from there, and Laura and Sam are now dating! I have LOTS more I could say, but I need to keep these captions short, or I might not be able to finish my timeline :) Hee, hee! All I can say right now is Fun, fun! ;)

I'm not sure if I have the chronology of all these events correct, but this is from Easter Sunday. It was a beautiful day, though a little windy. Our church had an Easter fellowship breakfast, and then a cantata, "The Bread of Life." Laura sang a solo in it, and it was just beautiful! There were a LOT of people there, and visitors that came - what an answer to prayer! And someone got saved! It's been neat to see how the Lord has been working at Norway since we've been here over the school year - I think the church has pretty much doubled in size, many people have gotten saved, baptized, and joined, and a teen group has developed. (Laura and I get to help in the teen group :))

Timeline Recap

Well, I decided that since I'm so behind with blogging, that I would just do a bunch of pictures with a quick caption before I have to really officially put my computer away, so here goes... :)

This is the week of Valentines Day. Laura and I checked our mail together, and we each had a slip for a package! We looked pretty funny walking down the sidewalks all giddy with these huge boxes and cheesy oversized smiles on our faces. Laura got one from her parents, and then we each had one from the church. Thank you church family, and Swensons! :) That was fun! ;)

This is the last time it snowed not long before spring break...when we got back from spring break - it was pretty much all gone! The snow is pretty, but it was a nice surprise to have most of the melting process overwith when we got back.

This is St. Patrick's Day in chapel right before we all said our goodbye's and headed home for spring break. Do you like our greens? Hee, hee! :)

Mom and Jules came to visit during the play, "Arsenic and Old Lace" - sorry Jules, I don't have a picture with you from that weekend on my computer :( We had so much fun together, though - I'm SO glad they could come (even though I was working on school work pretty much the whole time :( but I got everything done! :) and now I'm done, done! Hee, hee!

Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home

Well, this picture is a little inacurate, because there will be no snow on the ground when I get there, but I cannot wait to be home! I took this picture over Christmas break. It's the only picture of home I have on my computer - Laura has a few of her house, too - so whenever they would come up on our picture screensaver slideshows, we'd be like, "look! home!" And now we're going home! Our whole room is pretty much packed up now - and will be for sure by noon today, then white glove tomorrow, and graduation on Saturday. Then mom and I get to swing by Maranatha to see Julie before we head home late Sunday night. I cannot wait to see you guys and be with you! Yay! Today is my last exam! Two more days, and we'll be done here! Thank you all for your prayers! (please don't stop!) :)

EEEEHHHH!!!

3 Days Left!

I only have ONE exam left! It's a great feeling!

Today is the last day we will have internet in our rooms, because we have pack check tomorrow at noon - so we will have to have everything packed and ready to go tonight. So no more blogging or instant messaging till i get home, and even then, not much cause of our dial up. haha! so it'll be back to good old email soon.
It's funny how e-mail is even starting to seem a little old fashioned now. I will try to blog again today, though, (with some pix as u requested, mom ;)) Can't wait to see you all back home in just 3 days! Yay!

4 Days Left!

Yay! Only four more days! Can't wait to see you, mom! (and only 3 till the Swensons come - can't wait to see you guys, too!) Laura and I are so excited!!

Hee, Hee! :)

5 Days Left!

I can't believe there are only five more days till we're done! AND till Jordan's graduation! :)

Keep studying hard - it will be worth it all! (you, too, Jules - there in summer school ;))

Finals Week

Time has gone so fast! Last week was our last week of classes, and now we're studying for finals! There's a lot of studying to do, and also a lot of cleaning for white glove. We did most of our cleaning yesterday, and now our room looks so bare - it's kind of sad. But of course I'm excited to go home and be in my real room :) We've been doing as much as we can with our friends this weekend, because we know this week will be busy and fast, and before we know it, it will all be over. You can go to Laura's blog to see pix from all that - I haven't put them on my computer yet, but hopefully will be able to blog some more before I go home (where it's back to slow dial up - and pretty much no blogging opportunities). Anyways, you all can pray for Laura and I - we both have 2 exams a day Monday thru Wednesday (she has 3 Wednesday), and then just 1 on Thursday along with pack check. Because of pack check, we will be disconnected from the internet Wednesday night till we go home. :( Can't wait till all the studying and finals are done, and then we'll be sophomores! And also can't wait to get some real sleep when we get home! I'm not going to use an alarm clock again till I get back to school - probably not really, but at least I won't be using one EVERY morning. :)

Happy 20th Birthday, Danielle!

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday, dear Danielle,

Happy Birthday to you!

I hope you have a very special day cause you're a very special person! I love you!

THIS DAY IN HISTORY:

1833 John Deere makes 1st steel plow (ewe - don't like john deere - don't worry, john) heehee!

1835 1st edition of New York Herald (price 1¢)

1889 Universal Exposition opens in Paris France; Eiffel Tower completed

1950 Liz Taylor's 1st marriage (Conrad Hilton Jr)

1957 Last broadcast of "I Love Lucy" on CBS-TV

1979 Fred Markham set a bicycle speed record of 81.8 kph over 200 meters (I wonder if he's related to the pastor at our extension church? heehee!)

1990 Tom Cruise is ticketed for careless operation of a vehicle in South Carolina

Bulgaria : Shepherd's & Herdsman's Day

Denmark : Prayer Day

Thought for the day :" Hearts will never be practical til they're unbreakable. "

Deuteronomy 4:29 - "But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. "

¡agradezca a dios que es viernes!

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