a girl like NUN other

"I solemnly swear that I am up to KnoW good."
(Harry Potter movie quote, except for the "K" and "W")

Isaiah 1:17
"Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow."

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It was once said that:
We should live our lives as if we were going to be put on trial for being a Christian. Would there be enough evidence to convict us?

I try to live that way, but I'm not perfect. Everyday is a struggle for different reasons. I may get frustrated over classes, get an attitude towards my parents, or any other number of things that are challenging for a Southern 22 year old Conservative Christian girl. To counter-act this, I have dared my-self to learn what is good. God has given me a strength to pass these "tests" but I must "learn at the foot of the Master" on how to use it.
My parents and I have recently been watching the t.v. show "Monk" a lot. The title character is an ex-cop who helps the detectives with tough cases. His O.C.D makes him notice the tiniest details that can make or break the case. I'm resolved to pay more attention like "Monk," even though it seems as if my attention is bankrupt some days. When it doesn't go the way I think it should, I shall pray. When it goes the way I do want it to, I shall pray. When my nerves are shot and I'm worried that something is about to go wrong, I shall pray. God is not my crutch. When I seek Him, I'm not runnig away from my problems, I'm running (with all haste) to the answers.

Dear God,
Please help me to understand that I'm not to live by the world's axioms. Your standards are what is worth living by. You are the definition of "good" and I hope that I can live my life by Your rules (like You show us in Isaiah 1:17). Please give me the strength to learn You.
Amen.


"Monk": http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312172/

Song "Tears Fall" by BarlowGirl

{the following post is a song about abortion. I'M PRO-LIFE}

I've had this same dream many times it haunts my mind
It starts with a life but it ends every time
Oh so many faces that this world will never see
A reason for your life but your heart will never beat

CHORUS
May the tears fall down
Let them soften this ground
May our hearts be found
God forgive us now

Oh what have we lost because we chose will never know
And loving You is better than feeling alone
And all our claims to freedom have become just heavy chains
And in the name rights we keep filling nameless graves

Written and Recorded by BarlowGirl ~ ©Word Entertainment

...a short thought about dating

I don't really know how to even start this blog... but here it goes...
I feel I must preface this: I have never dated.
I don't believe in dating "just for fun" or "for a free meal." I believe one should really know the other person before they enter the World of Dating with each other. For any relationship to last, it must be founded on friendship and true unconditional love. Not "I love you (because I feel like I'm supposed to after a month of dating you)" but "I love you (and I want the best for you, even if that does not include me)." To reach this one must first know true love, for example please see GOD ie.John3:16... 'nuff said.

God created one Adam and one Eve,
not one Adam and five Eves
and then say, "hey Adam, why don't you just date around until you find the right one"

I am currently not dating due to ... well, to put it bluntly... life. College is hard enough as it is; I don't think my attention needs to be torn between studying chemistry and having chemistry with that cute guy on the other side of the room. To tell you the truth... it's not only college. I'm also not dating because I feel like I need to devote my whole heart to God before it's ready to give to a man. Sounds pathetic right? Well, I don't think so. It is extremely hard to wholeheartedly love a God I can't physically see or even hug; but I'm determinded.

If any gentlemen are reading this and would like to date me, please see the receptionist on your way out of the office (he is the burly man with the Ugly Stick known as my dad... pictured below).

Meaning of Life

I've previously blogged about life with a purpose, but I never said what that purpose was. I say it now for all to hear {or read}; it is to GLORIFY GOD.
Everyone always says that the meaning of life is some huge mystery. No, it's not! We were created by God for God. Sure He created the angels too, but they don't have free will. That's what makes us His masterpiece. That's why we must choose Him. Think about it; If you created something, wouldn't you want it to love you out of free will? That's why He wants us so much. That's why we must glorify God, because we should want to (not have to) and that's why we were created. It's our purpose. It's our meaning.

If I'm wrong about God, what do I risk? Spending my life believing in little things like faith, hope, and true unconditional love? ... What do you risk if you're wrong? How about spending eternity without those things!

6 Impossible Things

The Alice character {in the 2010 "Alice in Wonderland" Disney movie} mentions being so imaginative that she and her father could think of six impossible things before breakfast.

Here's my Six Impossible Things:
1.) I can and will love my enemies.
2.) I put my faith in a God that I cannot see.
3.) I will praise God in the storm and thank Him for it.
4.) The Bible is the inspired Word of God.
5.) God created everything in six days with nothing but His voice.
6.) The Gospel is true.

Even though these are impossible by today's worldviews, I still believe.

The Comforter: a story

~
She stopped breathing.

Her eyes were flooded with tears.

Before she realized what was happening, her feet were racing beneath her.

Many people were in the halls that day. Some didn’t even notice her passing, but rather, kept on with their little lives. Others saw her but didn’t really “see” her. To them, she was just an interruption, a blur passing by. There were those who truly saw her and felt sorry for her. Seeing her tears, they wondered what could be wrong with her, but never did they attempt to find out.

At this point she was outside. Unable to see through her tears, she didn’t notice that everyone was herding to refuge from the rain. She tripped over something and fell to her knees.

She paused.

For the first time, she took a breath.
She raised her head to the showering heavens and lifted her palms.
With her eyes shut, she slowly, but very clearly, smiled.
The Comforter met with her there that day.
~

In God We Don't Trust... but should

In Sunday school we were always taught that "God is a God of love." We picture Him in our mind as an old man holding out His arms for a hug. It's true that God is the architect behind all true love (among mankind & between us and Him), but there is another side to Him. In Genesis chapter 19 we are told that God completely obliterated Sodom and Gomorrah because of their "iniquities(wickedness)" (Gen19:15). In The Gospels we see that Jesus {God incarnate} "overthrew the tables of the moneychangers" in His temple (Mark11:15). Still, though, we've heard these stories countless times...

but one day I decided to start reading Isaiah. I was astonished when I read God's words say "My soul hates (Is1:14 NIV)." I actually had to go back and read that a couple of times to make sure I read that correctly. God hates! It's such a scary thought that He could hate us enough to turn the earth back to nothing with just a single word (think of The Creation going backwards!). Isaiah goes on to say of many things that "provoke the Holy One of Israel unto anger (Is1:4)," and if we refuse "we shall be devoured with the sword (Is1:20)." It even says God will "hide His eyes from you (Is1:15)" ... and what things could make God hate? Isaiah makes it crystal clear. A corrupt nation. All this makes me wonder about the state of our country and the path it has chosen over the decades. We have even tried to take God out of schools and government... like we can actually lock our doors to Him! "How is the faithful city become an harlot (Is1:20)!!!"

Dear God,
I'm sorry we put You on the back burner and piled dirty dishes around You over the years. We eventually made ourselves believe that You had become just like them and blindly threw you out with the trash.
How can I change this?

Optimism

Sorry I'm optimistic. Christianity and creationism is just more optimistic than the belief that our lives are just a biological accident. I live a life of purpose; try to tell me otherwise... good luck. Call me naive, a hopeless romantic, fool, or even idiot; but I prefer this compared to accepting the theory that my ancestor is a puddle of slime. If you find your life lacking... become optimistic.

Actually, now that I think about it, I'm not sorry.

{UPDATE}
I read a BarlowGirl blog about purpose. It mentioned Isaiah 61 ... its a good read.
http://www.barlowgirl.com/blog/alyssa/beautiful-ending-0

Song "Average Girl" by BarlowGirl

• So what I'm not your average girl
  I don't meet the standards of this world
  Chasing after boys is not my thing
  See I'm waiting for a wedding ring
• No more dating
  I'm just waiting
  Like sleeping beauty
  My prince will come for me
  No more dating I'm just waiting
  'Cause God is writing my love story
• "Boys are bad" that's certainly not true
  'Cause God's preparing one for you
  If you get tired waiting till he comes
  Gods arms are the perfect place to run
• Sleep that's the only thing
  For me 'cause when I sleep Gods
  Preparing one for me

Written and Recorded by BarlowGirl ~ ©Word Entertainment

Song "Clothes" by BarlowGirl

Clothes aren't what they used to be
They don't seem to fit you and me anymore
Modesty is out the door
Flaunting what we've got and more is in
Yeah it's in

.

They're saying
"Don't ask why just wear what we say
You'll look like a model if you'll only obey
To get the attention, just do what we say"

.

Pay so much for clothes so small
Was that shirt made for me or my doll?
Is this all I get?
I looked so hot but caught a cold
I was doing just what I was told
To fit in

.

We're saying let's ask why
Don't wear what they say
Don't want to be a model
They can't eat anyway
That kind of attention will fade with the day
So I'll stand up and say

.

Clothes that fit are fine
Won't show whats mine
Don't change my mind
I'll be fine

.

Written and Recorded by BarlowGirl

©Word Entertainment