No more DPC

I'm finished! I completed the Decmeber Photo Challenge! I am so proud to actually post on my blog every day for 25 days! 

Now that I have the habit going, hopefully I'll be posting more regularly! 

See ya soon! 

Hannah!  

DPC- He is Born!

Today we celebrate Jesus' birth! Today is the day that we remember how much he loves us, loves you. Sit back. Remember. Jesus loves you. 

Look at the manger. It is a symbol of His love. It says, "I crossed the gates of heaven to come to you. I gave up my throne for a manger. I love you this much." 

Thank you Jesus! You love is enough! 

Merry Christmas! Let Christ's love fill you with assurance and joy! 

Hannah 

DPC- Christmas Eve

Today is Christmas Eve! 

The whole day seemed filled with a surge of excitement and festivities. We cleaned, wrapped, made, decorated, and more. Christmas songs filled out ears all day. Smiles and laughs each org through the house as we imagined what might be in those boxes under the tree. 

We went to the Christmas Eve service at church, where I was reminded of how amazing God's love is! The Christmas story is spectacular! 

And then it happened. We opened our presents. 

My family always opens our gifts in Christmas Eve. We are more night owls than morning people, so this just made sense. 

After all of the wrapping, planning, bow-making, and buying, it was finally time to give and get presents. 

And it was wonderful! 

I am so thankful for my family, and most of all, for Jesus, the greatest Gift ever! 

Merry Christmas! 

Hannah 

DPC- Crafty

Today was a crafty day. 

We made Christmas cards, ornaments, and cookies. Very fun! And the best part about it all was spending time with my wonderful family! 

 

Don't you love my Legolas, Harry Potter, and Nativity cookies? 

The ornaments were so fun yet easy to make. Everyone's turned out so pretty! 

It's almost Christmas Eve!! 

Hannah

DPC- Harry Potter

Harry Potter is my favorite story of all time (except for God's story).

We watched Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince tonight.

And so, tonight was a very good night. 

Add a glass of homemade butter beer and things become delicious as well as epic.  

Thank you J.K. Rowling for writing such a creative and uplifting story like Harry Potter! 

Hannah 

DPC- Elf

(Okay, I just realized that this post, originally from December 19th never published. Apparently the internet was down or something. Well, here's the post, a few days late.) 

Today we watched one of my favorite Christmas  movies, Elf! Pair it with warm chocolate chip cookies, and you get a delightful evening! 

Hannah

DPC- Christmas Cookies

After a busy day of running errands and cleaning, my family and I had a relaxing evening watching Holiday Inn and making Christmas cookies. 

 

I am so excited that Christmas is so soon! At the same time, I don't want the holiday season to end! 

"The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means "God with us"). 

Matthew 1:23 

Hannah 

DPC- Music and Musicals

Today was a musical day. 

First, Rebecca played at her piano recital. She did a wonderful job, very beautiful and persice. 

After going out to eat, we came home to watch quite a different style of music. 

Psych The Musical. 

Yes. The songs are still in my head, dramatically echoing Shawn's voice. I really liked it and can't wait for season eight! 

Hannah 

DPC- Christmas Light Seeing

One of my family's Christmas traditions is going Christmas light seeing every year. But we don't just get in the car and go. There's a certain way to do things. Most of us wear our pajamas. We play Christmas music, which, of course, includes Veggietales Christmas. The we go and get ice cream and eat it while looking at the lights. 

There's these houses a little ways away that always put up a huge display. Every year we always journey over there to look at their rows of soldiers and light-strung oaks. This year was no exception. 

Here's to traditions, family, and light! 

"And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness." 

-Genesis 1:3-4 

Hannah 

DPC- The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker.


I love The Nutcracker! I love the music, the dancing, the magic, and more. Most of all, I love being in it. I love putting on the costumes and learning all of the dances, whether or not they be my dance.

This year, my studio partnered with Moscow Ballet to perform their Great Russian Nutcracker. Working with them is always so cool, because they are the pros. They know what they're doing. And they speak Russian.


We've been working hard on our roles. I am one of the Arabian girls and a Butterfly. The roles may be the child roles, the ones in the back or on the sides. They may not be the longest dances. But they are our dances. It is my role. And I want to do my best.

I just watched Royal Ballet preform the Nutcracker, and it really inspired me to work hard, the jump higher, to turn faster, and the all of the other little and big things that make up a dancer. The steps may be hard, long, and tiring, but a dancer must never make them look hard, long, or tiring. Technique must be perfect, yet at the same time, a dancer must make it look easy. I call it, the effort of being effortless.

The Nutcracker.

This ballet will always hold a special place in my heart.

Hannah

DPC- En Pointe

Some people, many people actually, don't know that each dancer sews her own ribbon and elastic on her pointe shoes. Well, it's true. The work, pricked fingers, and disorderly stitches are all part of preparing pointe shoes. 

When you buy a pair of pointe shoes, they come like this: 

This is a rather photoshopped picture of my newest pair of pointe shoes. A pair that I need to sew. 

I started sewing them during Nutcracker practice today. While I placed the elastic, two of the younger students huddled around me and asked what I was doing. That opened up an opportunity for me to show them how to see pointe shoes, a skill which they will need soon. 

I really love teaching younger students things about ballet! That's why I can't wait to start teaching! 

Share some knowledge with someone else today, and maybe you'll discover something about yourself along the way. 

Hannah 

DPC- Gingerbread Village

Here's the promised picture of our gingerbread house village! 

Serve, read, relax, sing, watch, or dance, but whatever you do, do it in Jesus' name! 

Hannah

DPC- The Hobbit

We went to see the Hobbit the Desolation of Smaug today. 

It. Is. So. Good. 

(Not a picture I took, found on IMDB) 

I think that this movie is the best Lord of the Rings movie yet, and that's saying something. 

The acting, scenery, story, and action all kept me on the edge of my seet for the whole film. And that's not even mentioning the wonderfully intriguing love triangle. 

You. Must. Go. See. It. 

Hannah

DPC- My Mini Library

Every year, my parents give us all a book for Advent. Over the years I've collected many children's books, ones with tear-tugging stories and beautiful pictures. 

This year, though, I genty ask Mom if she could give a bigger book to add to the collection. 

And so she gave me a beautiful copy of Pride and Prejudice, one oft favorites! 

I am so thankful for the elevan books that my parents have thoughtfully given me and read to me over the years for Advent. I cherish each one, and one day, if God wills, my family will read these books too. 

Read something beautiful today! 

Hannah 

(Note, this is published a day late because my internet connection was down. Sorry!)

DPC- Gingerbread Houses

Hello!

Guess what I did today? (Hint: it is something Christmas-y.) 

I decorated a gingerbread house! 

This is one of my many favorite Christmas activities. I love the creativity and the festiveness of it. My family buys the pre-cut ginger bread houses, and the set we buy has five mini houses, perfect for each person (except Dad) to make their own house. Every year each person does something different. This year many candy canes were used, whether in whole form, cut into strips, or crushed into little pieces. Here's a picture of my gingerbread house: 

I post one of the whole village once we make the whole village. 

Merry Chrsitmas. Jesus is born! 

Hannah 

DPC- Childness

"It's good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Chrisrmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself."

Charles Dickens

I found this quote in The Greatest Gift today and little did I know how much it would apply to my day. 

Today I watched a Veggietales movie. I laughed so hard with Rebecca that I almost peed. I played with my kitties. Yes, I am totally okay with acting like a child sometimes. Or most of the time. 

So don't be afraid to be a little silly, to watch kid movies, to approach God with child-like faith this Christmas season. 

Hannah

DPC- My Favorite Things

In honor of recently watching the remake of The Sound of Music, I give to you, my version of "My Favorite Things."

"Bright fluffy sweaters and soft purring kitties, 

Steaming hot chocolate and fun Christmas movies, 

Gingerbread topped with some homemade whipped cream, 

These are a few of my favorite things. 

Glittery dresses and songs of God's glory,

Pointe shoes and sisters and making up stories, 

Nutcracker music which I always sing, 

These are a few of my favorite things."

Don't be afraid to sing today. Sing praise to God and songs that make you laugh. Sing Christmas carols and love songs. It doesn't matter if you can't reach every note. Sing for the joy of it. Sing because God has given you a voice, one which He created for talking and screaming and singing and shouting. 

"These are a few of my favorite things..."

Hannah 

DPC- Chirstmas Trees

High school retreat continued today! I had a fun time stayin inside, away for the rain, and visiting with my friends!

When I came back home (the camp is only about an hour away), tiredness began to come upon me, but I held it back until after Nutcracker practice. When I came home though, in my sweatpants and on the couch, I couldn't resist anymore. 

Speaking of tiredness, I should be going to sleep. 

Before I do that, here's my picture for today. We finally finished out Christmas tree today! 

Because of Nora, we didn't want to put up the breakable ornaments until we knew how she treated trees. But now we fully decorated the tree, angle and all! Isn't it beautiful? 

I'm thankful for fun retreats and learning and talking about Jesus. More than that, I'm so thankful that Jesus lives in me! I'm thankful for coming home and family and Christmas trees and warm gingerbread, fresh out of the oven. I thank my Father I heaven for all of shod blessings! To Him be the glory!

Hannah 

DPC- Camp Life

No time to write, but Go Jesus!!

(Note: I was at a high school retreat with my youth group when I wrote this post. I thoughts if be able to post this picture? But the internet connection was too weak, so you get it a day late. 

I had a blast, though! It was cold outside, but there was hot chocolate and campfires a plenty, as well as fun people to hang out and grow I God with!

Hannah, a day late) 

DPC- Joy to the World

My sisters and I made paper snowflakes this afternoon! It is very fun! I don't have much more time to write, but let me tell you this, Joy to the World.

Joy to the World. 

Joy to the World. 

Jesus has come, why shouldn't we overflow with joy? 

Let's find joy in paper snowflakes and frisky kitties. Let's unwrap God's gift of joy in laughter and family. 

Joy. Joy to the World. 

DPC- More Nora

Here's another picture of Nora, who is super cute! She is either wildly excited or lazily tired, but rarely anything in between. She has a pattern of playing intensely all morning until I start to wonder how much longer she will last. Then she crashes after lunch and becomes this adorable little sleeping machine, too tired to open her eyes. She perks back up in the late afternoon into the evening and the (hopefully) sleeps all night.

Enjoy the gifts and blessings that God gives you today, whether it be cats or books or walking or dancing. Live in the grace that God gives you each day!

Hannah

DPC- Lights

I decorated my room for Christmas today! It is now filled with white lights, silver bows, sparkly snowflakes, and pink ballerina accessories.

Laying on my bed right now, looking at my festive room, I thank my Father in heaven for the joy and beauty that I get to enjoy. Not everyone has their own room, let alone fun Christmas lights to decorate it with. 

Let's find joy in the little things, things and moments that God has given us. Today I revealed in decorating and my favorite movie, Tangled. However much I love the story of Tangled, God's love story to me is so much prettier! Thank You Jesus! 

Hannah 

DPC- Away in a Manger

While reading "The Greatest Gift" today, I realized something about the manger that I had never realized before.

The manger represents how much Jesus loves us. It represents the distance He traveled to seek us. He came from heaven's throne to a manger. He wanted to let me know to what great lengths He will go through to save me. 

Sometimes I feel that I'm far away from God. When I look at where I am and where I want to be, I sigh at the distance I have to travel. I seem to be functioning under the false idea that I have to do all of the approaching, like I have to come to God in certain way, or else I might scare Him off. I try to seek God, when in truth, I am not able to seek Him. Instead, He seeks me. 

He sought me when I was dead, covered in filthy sin, and cursing Him along the way. When I was completely unlovable, He came to me. He traveled great distance for me. The manger testifies this. If He sought me when I could do nothing to deserve it, how much more will He seek after me when I am His daughter! 

Does this mean that I sit still and wait for God to do all of the action? Do I just go about my day like normal, waiting for God to approach me? I don't think so. 

Right now, I'm trying to find out what it means to be actively at rest in God. What does it look like to rest in God yet walk with Him and obey Him? Must I come to Him or wait for Him to come to me? 

What I've concluded so far is this: God seeks me. He looks for me, and only by His love am I saved. 

This truth is enough. Nothing of my doing can be added to make His love brighter or duller. 

That being said, the very fact that Jesus came to me, slept in a manger, died on a cross, and rose again, makes me want to leap with joy! My being, my soul rests in His salvation, therefore my actions, my words, my thoughts all go out and glorify the One who sought me when I was unable to do anything worth His attention. 

My assurance is at rest, and out of an overflow of my spirit, my actions are very active. That, I believe, is active rest in God. 

So whenever you look at a manger, whether it be in your nativity set or a Christmas movie, remember that God is always seeking you. His love is all around you; take the time to look for it today. 

Hannah

DPC- The Greatest Gift

As I've stated before, I love Christmas. Also, my favorite part of Christmas is Jesus. That being said, I wanted to find a Christmas devotional this year. So, my mom and I are both going through Ann Voskamp's book "The Greatest Gift." I did the first two days today (as I didn't do yestererday's) and really enjoyed it.

Ann has a very pretty language that is so relieving. Her poetic writing captures ideas in a way that I never would have thought of before. I am really looking forward to spending the next several days digging into her book, which centers around God's greatest gift to us, Jesus Christ! 

Hannah 

DPC- Introducing, Nora

So, I decided to start this December Photo Challenge. I'm super excited about the moments and memories that I can share, and I'm also thankful that this will get me into the habit of blogging regularly.

The Christmas season has officially begun in my opinion, because we put up out Christmas tree today. I helped put up the nice nativity set along with the Little People one. I helped decorate many surfaces with figurines and mini Christmas trees. I plan on transforming the while house into a Christmas wonderland. 

If you can't tell, Christmas in one of my favorite times of the year. I like the decorations, the music, the movies, the food, the traditions, and the memories. But most of all, I'm thankful for God's love story to the world through Jesus Christ's birth, life, death, and resurrection. 

Today we had a big (well, little if you're being specific) surprise to start the holiday season. 

We got a kitten. 

I was not even aware that this was a consideration. Patches, our cat, has never liked other cats, so we never got a second one, however much we wanted one. But today my sister announced that we were getting one of the kittens that our friends were finding homes for. The deal is this, if Patches likes this new kitten, then we keep her. If Patches doesn't like this new addition, then we won't keep her. I like this idea, and personally, I'm had been on Patches' side, wary of this little ball of fur. But that was all before she slept in my lap. It sort of melted my heart. And she purrs so loudly! 

Hopefully we can keep this bundle of joy! After all, it tis the season to be jolly. 

Hannah

Fall Ramblings

It was cold outside today. (Well, I say cold, but it was really above 40 degrees. That's "cold" for where I live.) I enjoyed wearing my jacket and scarf and boots. There's something about season changes that always gets me excited. And the beginning of winter is particularly exciting because of the holidays.

I love the holiday season. I love the food, the decorations, the presents, the laughter, the memories, and the joy that abounds in them. It's Thanksgiving break right now, and I'm so thankful. (No pun intended.) I'm looking forward to a nice, relaxing week, where I can just chill, catch up on Psych, and also get a few things done that I've pushed back. I'm looking forward to the food and the games. I'm looking forward to spending time with my family and with God. Yes, I'm looking forward to a lot of things.

But I'm also thankful for a lot of things right now. Here are five things that I am thankful for right now:

1. God's love for me. I read Psalm 22 this afternoon, and I became so amazed at God's grace and power and love! You should go read it too!

2. Sweatpants. They're comfy, warm, slightly too big, and perfect for cloudy fall days.

3. Psych. I've already mentioned this before in this post, but I've been catching up on Psych. My sister and I finally got our hands on the seventh season and we are going to be done with it shortly. (We watched five episodes yesterday and two so far today.)

4. A Christian home. I grew up in a Christian home, and for that I am very thankful. I have such a firm foundation to stand on! I am not saying that Christians who come from non-Christian homes are not as good as those who come from Christian backgrounds, but I am just saying that this way I am thankful that God has given me such a blessing!

5. Possibilities. I often take for grated all of the possibilities that I have. For example, this week is going to be full of possibilities. My family is taking a mini trip to Houston. I may paint me room. I  have so many opportunities that many people don't have, and for that I am thankful.

To God be the glory.

Hannah

Crayons and Disney Prinsesses

There's something about a new box of crayons that has always fascinated me. I treat the new crayons with reverence and make sure not to press too hard when using them. I try to keep them pointy as long as possible. I only use the new ones for detailed work; old ones will suffice to color the sky and the grass; the new ones must be used for faces and dresses. I've always been that way and I believe that I always will.

Today I got out some Disney Princess coloring books, an almost new box of crayons, and my Disney station on Pandora. There's something about doing something that I used to do as a child that brings me joy. Memories come up, and for a moment, I'm a child again, coloring Ariel's hair bright red. I'm listening to the music of the only kind of movies that I watched back then, singing Under the Sea and Be Our Guest.

My three younger sisters and I looked at all of the old pages in our coloring books, pages with careful coloring and interesting color choices. We tried to remember who drew what so that we could label the pictures. It's amazing how I can remember so clearly what I drew. I also got pretty good at identifying who drew what based on drawing style. My sister Rebecca always used unexpected colors (and generous amounts of blush). Elisabeth most likely wasn't quite as careful in finishing every last detail, unlike Abigail, who colored the whole pages carefully and with a heavy coat of crayon. I have always been the careful one, coloring precisely and completely. I color lightly and with soft colors.

Sometimes I want to go back to being a little girl again. I want to play Barbies with Rebecca and watch The Incredibles, thinking that this qualifies as an action movie. I want to play House in the backyard during the fall, pretending that leaves and grass makes soup. I miss tickle fights and reading American Girl books. I miss a lot of things about being little.

But at the same time, I also love being sixteen. I love being able to stay up late watching real action movies. I love baking desserts and being big enough to put them in the oven. I love wearing make up and going to formals. My relationship with God has grown so much. I can drive and type and do so many things that I couldn't do as a little girl.

What makes me sad, though, is when people grow up too fast. You only get to be eight once, don't waste it pretending that you're ten. I'm only going to be sixteen once, and I'm determined not to waste it. I'll have plenty of time to be an adult later. For now, I'm going to be sixteen.

But no matter how old I am, I will never be too old to listen to Disney movies with coloring in my princess books.

Hannah 

Story Time

I love stories. I always have and always will. I love to read them, watch them, write them, and hear them. Now, as I have already said, the best story of all is the story of Jesus Christ, but there are other stories that are pretty cool, and over the years, I have absorbed quite a repertoire of stories that I enjoy. 

When I was little, Mom would read my sisters and I books. We would all sit on the couch in the afternoon for about an hour or so and listen to her read us books like Little House on the Prairie and The Chronicles of Narnia. We called it story time. As I grew older and learned how to read those books myself, story time became more flexible. I was constantly reading. I read American Girl books and countless Nancy Drew books. I read stories about princesses and dragons, spells and fairies.

Image found on Pinterest

During high school, the size of the books I read grew. I read classics, like Homer and Jane Austin, and epics, like Harry Potter. I read fairy tales and adventures, historical and contemporary. I also started watching more movies and TV shows, which also have good stories. It's impossible for me to choose just one favorite book (besides the Bible, which would obviously win), but I will compose a list of a few special books.

Anything Jane Austin. I haven't read all of her books, but I will one day. My favorite is Pride and Prejudice, but I also enjoyed Emma.

Narnia. C.S. Lewis does a phenomenal job telling a story that stays with you for all of the right reasons.

The Hiding Place. This isn't a fiction book, but it is so inspiring.

Anne of Green Gables. I love Anne (spelled with a E)! Her quirky adventures and fiery spirit always make me laugh.

Harry Potter. If I really had to choose my favorite books, I would probably choose the Harry Potter books. They really are that good.

The Goose Girl. I really like any of Shannon Hale's teen books, but The Goose Girl is the best!

The Gallergirl Girls. Ally Carters books are so fun to read! This series was fresh and exciting to read.

There are so many more, but these are some of the top favorites. Another day I shall rant on about movies and television shows, but I'm done for now. After I end with this quote from Samwise that really summarizes why stories are so important to us. 

Frodo: I can't do this, Sam.
Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.  
Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?
Sam: That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for

Hannah

Thankfall

Thankfall. Yes, I know, Thankfall isn't a word. But I'm thankful. And it's fall. And I'm thankful that it's fall. So, Thankfall came into existence.

I've noticed, that the culture in America today, there's not a lot of thankfulness going on. There's a lot of consumerism. There's a lot of rush. There's a lot of comparison and envy. What happened to the thankfulness?

I'm not saying that I am always thankful. In fact, I'm not. Too often I find myself saying, "I want that." Or, "I wish I looked like that." Or, "I wish I danced like her." Too many times I pass over the many wonderful things that God has placed in my life without thanking Him for His gifts. But as the Bible reminds me, "Every good and perfect gift is from above." (James 1:17)

 

(Image found on Pinterest) 

This includes fall. God made the seasons and the years, and at the end of creating all of this He said, "It is good." (Genesis 1) God made the trees turn from green to orange and from orange to red. He made the days become shorter and the nights colder. He made weather perfect for camp fires and hot chocolate, sweaters and boots. He made pumpkins for everything-pumpkin-spice, carrots for carrot cake, and turkeys for thanksgiving dinner. And He said, "It is good."

It is good.

It is good.

Say that to yourself today. Rest for a moment and say, "It is good." That doesn't mean that you think all of your circumstances are good, and they may be the opposite. But thankfulness isn't dependent on circumstances. Thankfulness from God comes from the fact that He is good and has made good things all around you. Thankfulness in God blossoms from realizing that wherever you are and whatever you're facing, God is always enough for you. Jesus has set you free! And that alone is sufficient enough for you to be thankful for for the rest of your life.

As a challenge to be thankful this fall, I am writing down three things each day that I'm thankful for. Whether it be someone's laugh or Blue Bell ice cream, there's always something to be thankful for. The trick is, living a lifestyle that looks for these gifts from God and praises the God who makes every good and perfect gift. I'm challenging myself to live this lifestyle because it sounds so wonderful! Who wouldn't want to have thankfulness founded in God as their constant companion in all situations?

So I challenge you to be thankful this fall. Or, as I like to put it, be thankfall.

Hannah

Designer Clothes and Filthy Rags

What would you do if I told you that you have the option to wear custom-made, beautiful, designer clothes, or you could wear dated, dirty, ugly clothes? I don't know what you would do, but I'd go for the designer clothes. Who wouldn't?

But many times we choose to hang on to the rags that we're used to instead of exchanging them for something magnificent. To understand what I mean, read the following verses.
 
"Don’t lie to one another. You’re done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it."

Colossians 3:9-14 The Message 

I had read these verses many times, but when I read them in the Message today, they took on a whole new meaning. Maybe it was the clothing illustration that grabbed my attention, but I'm sure that God was in on it too.  

I like clothes. I like wearing something that fits me and stands out. I like pretty dresses and lace shirts. Yet even the most beautiful gown, extravagant jewels, gorgeous shoes, and flawless make up cannot even begin to compare with the wardrobe God has given me! He has in store for me "compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline." And the Little black Dress of God's style is love. No wardrobe is complete without it, and I should take it with me everywhere I go. 

How wonderful does that wardrobe sound! And, it will never go out of style or get holes or smell musty. They have God's label on them! And the best thing is, I didn't even have to pay for them! How many times have I wished for a true shopping spree? And God has given me the ultimate wardrobe re-do! 

In contrast, my old way of like is like a filthy set of ill-fitted, dated clothes, things I wouldn't be caught dead in. But somehow, I pick up one of those rags and put it on. I hold it close, under the illusion that it is good or at least unavoidable. Satan comes around and tries to sell me a shirt of comparison or a purse of pride. And sometimes I find myself taking his offer, which always comes at a price.

No! I do not need those ugly clothes! Take them off! Throw then in the fire! I never want to wear comparison again! Irritability is so not my color! Pride looks horrible on me! Greed clashes with the garment of love that God gave me! 

Today I ask God that He help us wear compassion instead of comparison, kindness instead of frustration, humility instead of pride, quiet strength instead of vanity, and discipline instead of laziness. I ask that He help us to realize how ugly those clothes really are, and how wonderful His wardrobe to us is. 

Let's have a bonfire. Let's burn those old clothes, representations of our old ways, and put on the shining clothes of God! Every time that we are tempted to put on a bird-hat of vanity, remember that we are already wearing a crown of love. Take that hat and throw it to the birds! (Not that birds will enjoy a hat of such ugly proportions)

Lord, I ask that you start many bonfires. I ask that you have some wardrobe makeovers. What Not To Wear better watch out, because God is coming through, remaking our whole being into something beautiful! 

In Jesus' name, I pray, knowing that You, Lord, are able to do immeasurably more than all I can imagine.

Hannah

Take Up Your Cross

I come to you with a question. At first, this question seems simple, but then it becomes harder and harder to answer. The question is: what are you willing to do for God?

Some people might answer: "Anything. I will do anything for God." Yet their life doesn't show the same kind of enthusiasm. Some people may want to be willing, but fear gets in the way. For myself, I struggle with letting go of comfort and letting God lead the way completely.

The truth is, God didn't save us so that we could read the bible and go to church. He saved us for so much more. Those things are not bad; in fact they are very good and necessary for a strong relationship with Christ, but they aren't everything. God created and saved us for so much more than a comfortable Christian life. God doesn't just want us to go to bible studies and tweet verses; He wants us to follow Him. 

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever wants looses their life for me will find it.'" Matthew 16:24-25

Now to understand this verse, we must first understand what Jesus means by "cross." When I think of cross I normally think of a large wooden cross, like the one Jesus died on, strapped to my back. I think of it almost like a heavy burden. But this thought doesn't seem to be consistent with the scriptures.

"For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:30

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

So the cross isn't a burden; in fact, it is a rest. When we can't carry our crosses, it is because we are too busy holding on to everything else, things like pride, laziness, or possessions. These things are much heavier than the ways that God has planned. They weigh us down with worries and stress. We try so hard to keep things under control, and then everything falls to pieces around us.

 But, when we give these burdens to God in exchange for His cross, we experience freedom. All of a sudden, the pressure isn't on us. All we have to do is trust God. This life isn't always easy, and is often times very hard. But we are not doing it by ourselves. We have someone to lean on, Someone who never gets stressed or tired or confused. We end up becoming free in His wonderful love, free of those troubles that we tried to handle ourselves.

I have a challenge for you. I challenge you to let go of whatever you are holding on to and take up Christ's cross. It sounds so simple when I put it that way, but in reality, this requires sacrifice. We have to sacrifice our wants and desires. We have to let go of what little control we think we have on our lives. We have to daily give up what is normal and comfortable. But God is worth it. He is, in fact, the only thing worth our lives. Everything else will fail to compare.

So, will you day by day take up your cross and follow Jesus? Will you sacrifice your comforts and old ways of life for a new life full of joy in Christ? Let Christ lead you in an exhilerating and joyous journey with Him!

Hannah

The Most Amazing Story Ever Told

The above title may give you some questions. You may be thinking, "Hannah, it may be good, but your story can't be the most amazing story ever told." And you're right. My story isn't the most amazing story ever told. It's God's story that claims that title.

And so this afternoon, I will try to capture, in the best way that I can, the most amazing story ever told. And the thing that makes this story so wonderful, is that it is true! This really happened! Here is goes.

There once lived a little girl who lived in the Kingdom of Darkness. Why did she live there? She lived there because her family was a criminal family. Once, a long time ago, her family lived in the Kingdom of Light, where peace and glory reside, but they had disobeyed the King; they had tried to overthrow Him so that they could become kings themselves. And so they were banished to the Kingdom of Darkness.

This girl grew up in the Kingdom of Darkness, where the streets were filled with filth and muck. The kingdom was ruled by an evil Tyrant, who oppressed the people day and night.  Sin filled the kingdom, because it knew no other way. People lied, pretended, worried, bragged, stole, and even killed.

This girl had heard stories about the Kingdom of Light, and she wished and wished that she could go there. It sounded so nice compared to the despair that filled her world. But how could she get there? There was no road connecting the two kingdoms. And even if there was, she was far too dirty to walk the pure streets of the Kingdom of Light. She was a criminal. How could she ever live in the Kingdom of Light?

Her story would have ended there if the King of the Kingdom of Light hadn't stepped in. His heart broke for the girl trapped in the Kingdom of Darknes. But what would he do? He knew that the Tyrant over the Kingdom of Darkness wouldn't easily give over the girl. He also knew that in order to let her come into His kingdom, a road would have to be built, and He would have to wash her of her filth.

So He sent His Son.

The Prince of the Kingdom of Light build a road connecting the kingdoms. He stepped into the Kingdom of Darkness and walked among the people, telling them of the Good News that that they could enter into the Kingdom of Light. Even though He walked the grimy streets, His feet never got dirty. He never sinned.

The girl followed the Prince around everywhere, hanging on to His every word. He let her stay with Him, and told her much about the Kingdom of Light. She could hardly believe His words were true! But how would the Tyrant let her go? And she was still covered in dirt.

The Prince knew of the cost that must be paid in order to rescue the girl from the Kingdom of Darkness. He knew what the Tyrant would demand. The Tyrant would command death.

And so, the Prince offered Himself as a sacrifice for the girl. He died to save a criminal, a girl that had sinned against Him. The Tyrant drug the Prince through the streets, rejoicing in His death. The girl didn't know what to do. Her only hope had been crushed, beaten, and killed. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she was filled with despair.

But the Prince didn't stay dead.

Three days later there was a bright light coming from the very edge of the Kingdom of Darkness. The girl followed this light and before her eyes stood the Prince! He was alive! The girl ran towards Him with tears of joy, and He opened His arms to embrace her. He hugged her and cried with her.

"You are mine now," He whispered in her ear. "I will never let you go."

"But what about my filth?" she asked. She looked at herself and gave a scream of joy. She was clean! The Prince had made her clean!

"You are free from accusation and without blemish," the Prince said. "Now how about you come with me into my kingdom?"

She took His hand and she waked into the most beautiful place that she had ever seen! It was pure and loving and peaceful and righteous. He held her hand and guided her to the most splendid castle that she had ever seen.

"Where are we going?" she asked Him.

"We are going to meet your Father," the Prince said. The girl's stomach fluttered as she wondered what her new father would be like. She walked with the Prince into a large room with a throne standing in the middle. In that throne sat the King.

"Come here, my daughter," the King said.

"I don't understand," the girl said, "I am supposed to be meeting my new father." The King just smiled.

"I am your new father," He said. The girl could hardly believe her ears! Just a few hours ago she was criminal in the Kingdom of Darkness. Now she was a princess in the Kingdom of Light! Nothing nothing could ever describe the joy that she felt inside. She finally felt alive and loved and cared for.

"Thank you," she told the Prince. He just smiled.

"How can I repay you?" she asked.

"Just follow me," the Prince said. And so the girl did follow Him. Together they had many adventures and led many other people into the Kingdom of Light. It wasn't always easy, and there were many struggles, but the Prince never left her side, and the King always loved her. And so, the girl, who was once a criminal, but was now a princess, lived forever in the presence of her King.

And this story has no end.

"And giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgivness of sins."
Colossians 1:12-14

That my friends, is the Most Amazing Story Ever Told, because it is God's story to us! It is real!

Therefore, I write this as, not just Hannah, homeschooled ballerina, but as Hannah, daughter of the King!

Live in His story today, 

Princess Hannah

A Homeschooler's Day

I'm sorry that it's been so long! I am still not in the habit of keeping up with a blog, but the habit will come over time.

Summer is over. School has begun. You may ask me whether or not I did the things that I said I wanted to do last post. The answer is yes, I did achieve most of them. I did a photo shoot, made desserts, had many sleepovers, and much more. In fact, the last two weeks of summer rocked. My family also took a little vacation on the beach last week which was fun and relaxing, filled with sandy feet and salty hair, not to mention good food.

I had a pretty great summer. Busy, but memorable. Hard, but fun. And God was with me the whole time, teaching me how to be a beautiful woman of God.

But now, summer is over and I must get back into the rhythm of the school year. I never truly dread the school year. To me it's almost like an adventure, filled with new ideas and big books. Of course this idealistic view of school wears out quickly, but I enjoy it while it lasts.

I may not have mentioned before that I am homeschooled. Well, I am. I have been homeschooled since I entered Kindergarten. Some people think that homeschooling is weird; they just don't understand why I wouldn't want to be with a peer group all day. Some people think that I just sit around all day in my pajamas doing nothing. Homeschooling (at least for me) isn't like that. There are advantages, but I still have to work.

My typical school day starts around nine in the morning. (I know some of you just shout out in envy. Yes, I get up at nine; it's pretty cool.) I get up and do a short devotional to focus my day around my King. I will get some breakfast and eat in my room, reading history while I eat. I will then proceed to do my school. I do a curriculum that is self driven, so I have to make sure that I get all of my work done without Mom reminding me when to do what. I have lesson plans that tell me what book to read. I don't do very much on the computer, most of it is in textbooks.

I take a break for lunch, and after lunch I finish anything that I couldn't do before lunch, normally literature reading assignments. I take the quiet time around two in the afternoon to spend time with God for a while. I may have to write a paper or do a science experiment in the afternoon, and then I am done.

Then I have ballet.

Ballet doesn't start until after Labor Day, and I am slightly enjoying all of my free time that I have in the afternoons and evenings without it. At the same time, I miss it. I am ready to work hard and come home sweating, satisfied with a good days work. Ballet takes up a lot of my time, but I really enjoy it, and it had taught me so many things.

That's my school day. I don't just sit around all day, and most days I get out of the house and see people my own age, whether at ballet or at church or something else. I love being homeschooled. I don't wish that I went to "school." Yes, I do sometimes wish that I could see more people my age, but I believe that God has placed me here for a reason. I believe that He is training my up, teaching me, all for His purpose. My school curriculum is Christ based, so every day I get to learn more about my Savior. I get to learn about the world through the gospel's lenses, and that is an education that is valuable beyond just this world.

I'm not saying that everyone should be homeschooled. I am saying that I m thankful that I am homeschooled. It's not for everyone. (Okay, I just felt like I was voicing a medicine commercial.)

That's a homeschooler's day, or at least my day. And now I am off to watch Duck Dynasty. See ya!

Hannah

The Big Question

After reading this question, you might think that I am making a big decision. Maybe I'm considering getting a job or making plans for the future. But no, you presumed wrong. The question that I have been asking myself lately is "What do you want to do?" And many times, no one has a practical answer. (After all, going to Disney World is kind of out of the option for this afternoon.)

Summer boredom wants to strike this house, but I am not going to let it. So what do I do? Well, I can say that Netflix has been my best friend, but I also have some best friends that will come over and go see Despicable Me 2 on a random Thursday afternoon. Between the things that must get done, like cleaning and working out, and the things that are incredibly fun but a waste of time, like watching whole TV shows on Netflix, the last few weeks have been very relaxing, but almost dull.

Summer is almost over. But I am going to squeeze all of the relaxation, fun, and summerness out of the days that I have left.I have made a list of things to do over the rest of the summer. Lists make everything so much more official. Here are a few things on the list:

*Have a photo shoot

*Have sleepovers

*Bake desserts

*Get a make over

*Be crafty

*Go shopping 

It's a good list. There are many possibilities for laughter and memories. Late nights and messy kitchens may come into play. But I am going to enjoy the rest of my summer.

So, to answer the big question of "What am I going to do?", I say, I am going to laugh, eat, make something new, and remember something old. I am also about to go eat lunch, because I am hungry. Enjoy your summer, and don't let boredom take over.

Hannah

Coming Home

After three weeks of dancing, laughing, sweating, and even some crying, I'm back. I made it. And I loved it.

Looking back to my experience at Ballet Austin, I would say that it was one of the coolest yet hardest time of my life. I really learned a lot about ballet, myself, and God. I learned that I can do more than I thought that I could. I learned that ballet is something that I still love even when I am dancing for seven hours a day. I also learned that God is always with me. I developed a habit of reading a short devotional in the morning to prepare me for the day and then remembering that devotional throughout the day. I plan to keep that habit going.

My parents picked me up Saturday morning (after a sorrowful goodbye to my friends that I made at Ballet Austin). I stayed Saturday night at my Nana's house because she lives close to Austin. Man, I slept so good that night. I got twelve hours of sleep, and I was still tired the next day when we drove back home.

The first day home was wonderful. I didn't do much. I watched four episodes of Psych with my sister, took an hour long nap, went to bible study, and ate homemade brownies. They were very yummy brownies, especially because they were warm and gooey.

I had the time of my life at Austin, but I am also very glad to be back home, relaxing, hanging out with my friends, eating desserts, and watching my favorite TV shows.

Hannah

My Adventure At Ballet Austin

I haven't posted for a while, but this time, I have reason. I am at Ballet Austin's summer intensive, and trust me, when they say intensive, they mean it. It's intense.

A ballet intensive is like ballet boot camp. Dancers from all over the country come to the intensive and train almost every day. I chose Ballet Austin because it was near by, only three weeks, and it looked like a very good program.

I have not been disappointed.

Saying goodbye was hard. I cried three times. (Once when I left home and my cat, once when I said goodbye to my sisters, and once when I said goodbye to my parents.) But once everything started up, I didn't have the time or energy to be homesick.

My schedule is crazy! I wake up around six thirty, and that is a shock for me, because I sleep in until nine every day. Then I get ready and go to class. I have five classes a day, and normally dance for about seven hours every day. There's ballet technique, pointe, partnering, contemporary, musical theater, Pilates and choreography. In the evening there are normally activities, but I am normally too tired to do them.

Even though this is a lot of work, it is still a lot of fun! The people are so nice, and I have made so many friends! We went shopping last weekend, and this weekend there's a dance party! Also, there are no classes tomorrow, for 4th of July. Yay!

Throughout this whole process I have been trying to connect with God and point everything back to Him. That's hard, because ballet takes up so much thought process that sometimes I struggle with thinking about Jesus too. I find that I think about God most whenever I am struggling. I remind myself that this is just ballet, a temporary thing. God, eternal God, is still my Lord and Father whether I nail the double pirouette or not.

I am about half way done with my experience at Ballet Austin. I am making so many new friends and having so many new experiences, not to mention learning a lot about ballet. I don't want to leave, yet I desperately want to go home, see my family and friends, and sleep in every day.

"Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp."
Psalms 149:3 NIV

Hannah

Hello Sixteen

I turned sixteen this month. (For privacy reasons, I will not disclose the actual date) Here is the account of my birthday  festivities.

First, I had my Sweet Sixteen birthday party. Due to scheduling, I held my party before my actual birthday. (Personally, I like that better. That way, I get two days to celebrate my birthday. What could go wrong?)

Now, I have been thinking about this party for a while. Almost a year ago, I decided that on my sixteenth birthday party, I would get a limo. And I did. Now, I didn't have the whole party planned out a year ago, so I spent the week leading up to the party planning, making reservations, sending invitations, and what not.

Then came the party.

Now, I love parties. I love the people, I love the food, I love the music, and I love the laughter. For my sweet sixteen, I wanted to make it sweet, so after a homemade dinner, we all got in the limo and went downtown to eat dessert. (A very yummy dessert, I must say. I got the chocolate mouse cake.)

After exchanging our share of spooky dream stories and other normal conversations like that, we all got back into the limo and dropped everyone back off at their homes, which took a while, since some people lived farther out. All the better, that means more time in the limo.

When the limo pulled into my driveway, I was so tired. My best friend was spending the night and we thought that we were just going to go to bed. But really, what fun is going to bed, and how often do you have a limo in your driveway? 

So somehow we manged to find the necessary energy to have a ridiculously fun midnight pajama party in the limo. Yes, you heard me right. Midnight. Pajama. Party. In a limo. This said party was complete with little sisters, pillow fights, peanut butter m&ms, and Taylor Swift. When we got home, we crashed. But that was one of the best nights ever!

And that wan't even my birthday;, that was just the party.

On your birthday, people always ask you if you "feel different". What do they expect the answer to be? Of course everyone's just the same as the day before, only happier because they ate cake and received presents.

I did feel slightly different, though. The day was full of possibilities and fun.I ate brownies for breakfast and painted my nails pick with my best friend. I went out to a Mexican restaurant with my family and then we saw Man Of Steel in theaters. (The move was very good, and I recommend it.)

I opened presents and then we ate cake. I love those words: and then we ate cake. I had Red Velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. (Picture shown below.) Maybe Marie Antoinette wasn't so far off when she recommended cake. After all, cake makes everything happier. (I tried to think of a situation that cake couldn't make better, but failed. If you can think of one, please share.)






I'm sixteen now. Do I feel different? Maybe. Well, not really. But I am excited for what this year holds. I'm excited for what God will show me this year, and the places that I will grow in Him.

Hello sixteen. My name is Hannah. Let's go places.

Hannah 

Rambing About Randomness

I can't decide what I want I want to write about, so I will just ramble on about randomness.

Random Thought One: Chocolate Chip Cookies. There is some chocolate chip cookie dough sitting on the counter calling my name. But I have already had several bites, and I asked my sister to slap me if I took another bite of the dough. The only thing is, my sister isn't in the room right now... Self control, Hannah, self control...

I get up and put the cookies in the oven. I sneak a bite of cookie dough in my mouth, and my sister, now back in the kitchen, spanks me.

Random Thought Two: The spanking was worth it.

Random Thought Three: I am very excited to see Star Trek Into Darkness.

Random Thought Four: Three days later, after I saw Star Trek Into Darkness, had a birthday party for my sister, and finished up the second week of my local ballet intensive.

I've been busy.

Random Thought Five: But Star Trek Into Darkness did not disappoint. Just thinking abut it makes me cry and laugh at the same time.

Random Thought Six: Birthday parties are fun, very fun.

Random Thought Seven: And birthday cake is yummy, very yummy.

Random Thought Eight: You're probably tired of this randomness, but I will leave you with three very important words, and one very funny video.

Here are the three very important words:

GOD IS ENOUGH

And if we live by these words, trusting that they are always true, then there is no need to worry or fret or stress. All we need is God, because He is enough. And if you are a son or daughter of God, then you will always have Him with you, therefore you will always have enough. Why, then, do we depend on circumstances and people to be "enough" for us? They will fail, but God, will never fail; His love will always be enough no matter what.

Okay, I'm done preaching. 

And here is the promised video:

Enjoy randomness, laughter, and whatever other joys God places in your life. Because life is more fun when your laughing.

Hannah

Ballet, Ballet, and More Ballet

Hello! Today has been a rainy day, stormy even. In fact, during ballet class today the power went out. We were in the middle of marking a variation and the lights and music went out. Did that stop us? No! We kept on dancing, singing the tune to make up for the loss of music.

Ballet has been very exciting lately. A few weeks ago, I performed at my studio's recital. I always love recital day. We got up and go to the theater in the morning, and we rehearsing and prepare all day. When I step onto the stage I feel so excited and happy and confident. Backstage is full of laughter and make up. Then comes the recital itself. I get slightly nervous, but once I'm on stage, all I have room to think about is dancing. I performed a variation from Swan Lake's pas de trios. Also, my class and the younger class performed a ballet dance to a dub-step like music. It was so much fun, and the audience enjoyed it too.

I had three weeks off from ballet, but now summer ballet is in full swing. When I was younger, summer ballet seemed like a waste of my summer, but now I spend many weeks of summer training. This summer is different than last summer, though, because I am "going off." (That means that I am going out of town, to a bigger city, to train for ballet.) I am going to spend three weeks at Ballet Austin.

Even though I have been preparing and thinking about this next step for over a year, I can still hardly believe that I am going. I am nervous, excited, and unsure all at the same time. Part of me just wants to stay at home, but the other part wants to see what I can really do. I'll let you decide which part won.

I leave in two weeks. Wow, I can't believe that I just wrote that last sentence. I don't know how often I will be able to post when I am at Austin, but I will try to keep you posted.

Hannah

P.S. This is a picture of my variation costume. I loved it! I felt like a princess while wearing it.

Work and Play

It's been too long. Way too long.

I could tell you that I've been busy, but I still could have posted something! The truth is, once the charm of having a blog wore off, all that was left was the work part of it. And did I really want to do the work as well as the fun? That seemed to be the question. And I have come up with an answer.

Yes.

Yes, I do want to do the work as well as the fun. As I am growing up, I am realizing that work is a very crucial part of fun. After all, eating cupcakes is fun, but first you have to make them. (And afterwards you have to clean them up, the hardest part in my opinion.)

Now, I don't know about you, but I don't really like work. My birthday party is coming up, and it is going to be very fun! But before the party, I have to send the invitations, make the reservations, clean the house, and cook the food. Basically, I have to work for my party.

Another example is ballet. I had my ballet recital a few weeks ago, and it went great! But before the recital I had to put in countless hours at the studio, as well as all recital day rehearsing and getting ready. Was it worth it? YES!

So even though I like having fun, work is still a necessary part of life. This is a fact that I am learning over and over again. I am learning not to be scarred of work.

I have had so much going on, and I can't wait to share it all with you! And I have a lot of exciting things coming up!

Hannah

P.S. Here's a random picture of a cat. Your welcome.

Nothingness

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart form me you can do nothing." 
John 15:5 NIV

This verse stuck out to me this week. In this one verse there is not only a great illustration, but there is a promise and a warning. What more can I ask for from one verse? But so often, I let the words of God pass me by as another Sunday School memory verse, but not the real and living words of God. Today, I am not going to let that happen, and I hope that you won't either.

In the first part of this verse, Jesus tells us that he is the vine. THE Vine. Like, the real thing. He also tells us that we are the branches. You don't need a biology major to know that the branches can only exist through the vine. The branches cannot survive on their own, and they get all of their nutrients from the vine, just like we cannot survive on our own, and we can only be truly satisfied by God. This takes the focus off of the branches, and onto the Vine.

I don't know about you, but I like to be in the center of attention. It's hard to reorient my self-centered thoughts to center around God, who is the rightful center of my life. After all, I am just a branch, who am I to talk big and mighty when I cannot even survive by myself. But that's what I do.Sometimes I like to give glory to myself instead of to God. The fact is, I can either give glory to myself, or I can give glory to God. I cannot do both.

Let's look at what happens when I give glory to the Vine.

"If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit." 

That's what I'm talking about! This is the promise. If I remain in God, and God remains in me, then I will bear much fruit. Now this verse doesn't say that if I remain in God, He will deliver fruit baskets to my door every day, because one, fruit baskets are weird, and two, Jesus is talking about lasting fruit. Check out this list of "fruits" that come from God.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control." 
Galatians 5:22-23a

If you think about it, this makes sense. After all, God is all of these things, and if I stay close to Him, then He will guide me in His ways. When He guides me in His ways, then I will bear fruit from Him, as a sign that I have remained with God.

Think about it this way. I have a friend that really likes the color mint green. She is obsessed with this color, and after time, I began to like the color more and more, because I value my friend's opinion, and I hang out with her a lot. Thus, if I am hanging out with God, I will see that He is so incredibly loving, and I will be more loving as result. I will see that He is so passionately faithful, and His faithfulness will run into my life and change me, producing fruit.

Notice that this fruit can only be produced by REMAINING in the Vine.

Now, what happens when I don't remain in Him? I like to call it "nothingness."

"Apart from me you can do nothing." 

NOTHING! I can do nothing on my own. For example, if I cut off a tree branch (which is a really funny example, because I am not a yard work person!), what would I do with the branch? Would I keep it so that I can get fruit from it? No, the branch is useless to me now, so I put it by the curb (or, a better idea, I could have a bonfire).

Just so, I can do nothing without God. I am not good for anything if I don't remain in God.

Sometimes, I find myself doing a lot of nothingness. I do things my own way, and it's easy and comfortable. To be honest, most days are filled with nothingness. Maybe that's why this verse stuck out to me this week. Because in this verse, there's a promise straight from the mouth of Jesus.

"If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit."

It's not my job to sustain myself. It's not my job to make my own fruit by good works. That's not my job, that's God's job. It's God's job to sustain me; it's God's job to produce fruit in me. It's my job to remain in Him.

Stop your nothingness.Remain in Him who sustains, and you will bear fruit.

Hannah

The Master Class

I am a dancer. More specifically, I am a ballet dancer. So when I heard that there was a free master class in a studio near by, I sighed up. I was ready for a challenging class, full of pirouettes and grand jetes, adagio and grand allegro (excuse my ballet language). Imagine my surprise when the class turned out to be a modern class!

There are many differences and many similarities between ballet and modern. Let's start with the similarities.

*They are both an art and a sport combined, which makes it the hardest art and the toughest sport.

*They are both very expressive and beautiful.

Now the differences.

*Ballet has specific forms and ways to do things, while modern tries to break as many rules as possible.

*In ballet, you rarely fall down on the floor.

*In ballet, there's a certain form that is kept, but modern dances get to break form regularly.

So, because of the differences, I never thought that I would like modern dancing.

But I was wrong.

There's something exciting about breaking the rules (dancing rules, not the other kind of rules). Rebellious me, turning my leg in, and curving my form. There was even some hip circles during the class! Sure, I didn't know what I was doing half of the time, but it was a fun kind of lost. The kind of lost that makes your legs go higher, and sweat pour down you back. At the end of the class I was sore, sweaty, and tired, but happy. Maybe I am not a modern dancer, but that doesn't mean that I can't have fun breaking the ballet rules every now and then!

I am still sore, but I'd go again if I could. Maybe I'd finally get that step...

Hannah

Sundays

Sunday afternoon has rolled around, and I remembered that I haven't touched my blog in a week. That's too long. So I will write about Sunday.

I have already mentioned that Friday is my favorite day of the week, but I also love Sundays. First of all, I get to go to church and worship God, which is awesome! Second of all, Sunday is the day of rest, and I love to rest. I take that back, most of Sunday is restful. The morning might be the exception.

Sunday morning are almost always hectic. I live in a house full of girls, and so everyone is fixing her hair or trying to find the right shoes. I prefer to think through my outfit the night before, to avoid last minute panic, but I occasionally find myself rushing to be ready on time. Okay, maybe more often than occasionally.

You see, I have these dreams.  I dream that it is morning and I have to go somewhere, but I either woke up too late, or I toke too long doing my make up, so I am running late. These dreams always end up with me rushing out of the door, stressed and sometimes not even ready. Then I wake up, and the dream becomes a reality.

Yeah, I don't like those dreams. That's one of the reasons why I always give myself plenty of time to get ready. I really do think that I have a small fear of not having enough time to get ready in the morning. 

But once the morning is over, the rest of the day is delightful. (For some reason, the word "delightful" sounds British in my head.) This morning, in Sunday School, we stood outside and read out of Acts 4-5, which I may have to write about later, because it is so powerful!

Then comes Sunday afternoon.

This afternoon embodied rest and other nice things, except for the vegetable dip that I made; that was nasty. There's always lots of time to catch up on my TV shows, like White Collar. I lounged on the couch while looking at the Sunday ads, and wasted time on the internet. There's even time this afternoon to write a blog post!

When Sunday evening comes, something hits me. I realize that tomorrow is Monday. There is only a few more hours left of the weekend! I had better enjoy them as much as I can, so I watch Once Upon a Time, another one of my favorite shows. Sometimes, there might even be a dessert, like the salted caramel chocolate chip cookies that I will bake tonight (recipe later).

Now I am off to enjoy the rest of my Sunday, hope you have a good one too,

Hannah