Blog views

This is sort of random but I decided to post how many views I've had on my blog so far:

USA - 552
Russia - 15
Germany - 6
Canada - 4
United Kingdom - 3
Australia - 1
Brazil - 1
Egypt - 1
Malta - 1
Malaysia - 1

From March 2010 - May 23, 2012, 611 total.

Colonial America (1492-1763)

I decided to try and make a Barbie outfit from the colonial days.  

 It's completely made from cotton. 

 It has a homemade hoop made from a plastic canvas sheet underneath to help puff it out.  

 The skirt and shawl are brown and were knitted.  

The apron, shirt and cap are white and were crocheted.  

What do you think?

Are you Beautiful? Post 3

I'm going to start this post with asking a question:

Do you know that every time you have a close, intimate relationship with the other gender, you are giving a part of your heart away to that person that you can never get back, you'll never be able to give your spouse someday that part of your heart.

Let me tell you a story to help illustrate my meaning, this story comes from Joshua Harris's book "I Kissed Dating Goodbye".

It was finally here - Anna's wedding day, the day she had dreamed about and planned for months.  The small picturesque church was crowded with friends and family.  Sunlight poured through the stained-glassed windows, and the gentle music of a stringed quartet filled the air.  Anna walked down the aisle toward David.  Joy surged within her.  This was the moment for which she had waited for so long.  He gently took her hand, and they turned toward the alter.  


But as the minister began to lead Anna and David through their vows, the unthinkable happened.  A girl stood up in the middle of the congregation, walked quietly to the alter, and took David's other hand.  Another girl approached and stood next to the first, followed by another.  Soon, a chain of six girls stood by him as he repeated his vows to Anna.  


Anna felt her lip beginning to quiver as tears welled up in her eyes.  "Is this some kind of joke?"  She whispered to David.  "I'm...I'm sorry, Anna,"  he said, staring at the floor.  "Who are these girls, David?  What is going on?"  she gasped.  "They are girls from my past"  he answered sadly.  "Anna, they don't mean anything to me now...but I've given part of my heart to each of them."   "I thought your heart was mine,"  she said.  "It is, it is,"  he pleaded.  "Everything that is left is yours."  A tear rolled down Anna's cheek.


Then she woke up.  Anna told me about her dream in a letter.  "When I woke up I felt so betrayed,"  she wrote.  "But then I was struck with this sickening thought:  How many men could line up next to me on my wedding day?  How many times have I given my heart away in short term relationships?  Will I have anything left to give my husband?"

Well, you might be saying "It's too hard to wait, I can't."  Well, the Bible says that:

Philippians 4:13
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 

Song of Solomon 3:5 

I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the deer of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.  


Here's a poem called "Wait", the author is Russell Kelfer.

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried:

Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.

I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,

And the Master so gently said,

"Child, you must wait."

"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!  

Is your hand shortened?  Or have you not heart?

By faith, I have asked, and am claiming Your Word!

My future and all to which I can relate

Hangs in the balance, and YOU tell me to wait?

I'm needing a "Yes" go-ahead sign,

Or even a "No" to which I can resign.

And Lord, You promised that if we believe.

We need but to ask, and we shall receive.

And Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:

"I'm wary of asking!  I need a reply!"

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate

As my Master replied once again, "You must wait."

So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taught

And grumbled to God, "So I'm waiting...for what?  

He seemed then, to kneel

And His eyes wept with mine,

And He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.

I could shake the heavens, and darken the sun.

I could raise the dead, and cause the mountains to run.

All you seek, I could give, and pleased you could be.

You would have what you want~

But, you wouldn't know Me.

You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint;

You'd not know the power I give to the faint;

You'd not learn to see through the clouds of despair;

You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there

You'd not know the joy of resting in Me;

When darkness and silence were all you could see.

You'd never experience that fullness of love

As the peace of My spirit descends like a dove;

You'd know that I give and I save, for a start,

But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

The glow of My comfort late into the night,

The faith that I give when you walk without sight,

The depth that's beyond getting just what you asked

Of an infinite God, who makes what you have last.

You'd never know should your pain quickly flee,

What it means that, "My grace is sufficient for thee."

Yes, your dreams for your loved one

Over night would come true,

But, oh, the loss!  If I lost what I'm doing in you!

So be silent, My child, and in time you will see.

That the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me.

And though oft' may My answers seem terribly late,

My most precious answer of all is still "wait".

Here's another poem that shows the charge of Christians.  It's called "A charge to keep I have" by Charles Wesley.

A charge to keep I have,

A God to glorify;

A never dying soul to save,

And fit it for the sky.  

To serve the present age, 

My calling to fulfill-

Oh, may it all my powers engage

To do my Masters will.

Arm me with jealous care,

As in thy sight to live;

And, oh, thy servant, Lord, prepare

A strict account to give.

Help me to watch and pray,

And on thy self rely;

Assured if I my trust betray, 

I shall forever die.  

For those who love battles, and even those who don't; I hope this next poem called "A maiden's Warfare" by Carol DeLadurantey will be enjoyed.

Press on to heights of glory how; and keep thou steady eye.

One must not falter in this fight

though some may flee or fly.

Take hold the charge thou hast been given,

To battle we must go.

But not with our own maiden hands

do we take up shield or bow.

We wage this war in words and actions, with our every deed

We follow Christ our captain,

thro' Him we will succeed.

Tell me now have we forgot the charge from God above

To keep our hearts in purity,

grace, modesty, truth and love.  

These are our weapons, our shield, our swords;

in this battle we now fight.

We strive not for an earthly king,

But for our God of truth and might!  

The Two Lords of Ashington Trailer

My brother (jmmentertainment.blogspot.com) is working on a video, here's the trailer!  I composed the music for it, I'll be working on the music for the video in the coming weeks.  Hopefully we will have the video out mid January if everything goes well!  

    

Are you Beautiful? Post 2

Ok, now back to the original topic: beauty.  The Bible says in...

Proverbs 31:30
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a women who fears the Lord is to be praised.

1 Peter 3:3-4
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

So you're asking yourself "ok, if my beauty is supposed to come from the inside, then what do I wear on the outside?"  Well, I wouldn't suggest what the women of Zion were wearing and how they were acting.  It first lists what the women were wearing and how they were acting, then the consequences because of that:

Isaiah 3:16-26
The Lord says, "The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, tripping along with mincing steps, with ornaments jingling on their ankles.  Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion; the Lord will make their scalps bald."  In that day the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces, the earrings and bracelets and veils, the headdresses and ankle chains and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, the signet rings and nose rings, the fine robes and the capes and cloaks, the purses and mirrors, and the linen garments and tiaras and shawls.  Instead of fragrance, there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well-dressed hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, branding.  Your men will fall by the sword, your warriors in battle.  The gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.

Wow!  Even the men suffered for what the women did.


Well, you might be asking "that shows me what 'not' to wear, so what 'can' I wear?"  Well, I'll ask you two questions then give you another test and then see if you can answer that question for yourself.

Question 1 - What if you walked into a room full of people dressed in something that you would normally wear, what would their first thought be?


*what a lovely, modest girl!


*how sad, she must not have any self respect for herself.


*is that a boy or girl?


*she must be carrying a wilted spirit.


*she must be insecure.

Question 2 - Ask some of your Christian friends to honestly describe you with one or two words, what would they say?  Do you want to be known as that?

And now for the test:

1. When some of your friends decide they want to hang out doing a certain thing that you'd rather not do, do you:


A. Distance yourself and hold a grudge.
B. Keep talking to try to overpower the majority and get your way.
C. Listen to everyone's feelings and try to bring about a happy compromise.


2. When you've just gotten another long writing assignment from your lit teacher, do you:


A. Refuse to do it because she's assigned way to much this quarter.
B. Do it but bad-mouth the teacher to your parents and friends.
C. Do it- she's your teacher and you're called to respect her.


3. When your mom asks you to take out the trash just as you sit down for the first all day, do you:


A. Throw a royal fit.
B. Grumble under your breath and do it....grumpily.
C. Do it with all your heart to please your mom.


4. When your little brother wants the same computer you had planned to use to IM your best friend, do you:


A. Tease him the whole time you use it.
B. Tell him what you think he should be doing.
C. Let him go first.


5. When you think someone has made a mistake, do you:


A. Want to be the first to correct it.
B. Try to take over because you can lead better.
C. Try to cover it up until you can mention it quietly to the person.


6. Do you go to church because:


A. You have to, but you hate it.
B. You have good friends there, and it's a great social outlet.
C. You love God and want to be in His house.

[ok, score it.]

Were you mostly A's? 

You are wearing the wrong stuff, friend!

Were you mostly B's?

You should try harder to wear better stuff inside.

Were you mostly C's?

Great!  Keep up the good work!  

Questions and test quoted from Dannah Gresh series "Secret Keeper".

Be on the look out for Are you beautiful? Post 3