Life Goes On

You have to take the good with the bad, smile when you're sad, love what you've got and remember what you had... Always forgive but never forget, learn from your mistakes but never regret, people change, things go wrong, just remember life goes on.

There comes a time in your life when you have to let go of all the pointless drama and people who create it and surround yourself with people who make you laugh so hard that you forget the bad and focus solely on the good. After all, life is too short to be anything but happy.

Live today, because yesterday is gone, and tomorrow may never come.

This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days. Smiles when sadness intrudes. Rainbows to follow the clouds. Sunsets to warm your heart. Laughter to kiss your lips. Friendship to brighten your being. Beauty for your eyes to see. Faith so that you can believe. Confidence for when you doubt. Patience to accept the truth. Courage to know yourself. Love to complete your life.

Done-Over-New-and Happy

The first semester is over and done with now. I did pretty good on both of the English tests I had, but not so well on the Biology and Chemistry. The good news is that I ended up doing good in my classes, getting work turned in and my grades up; my GPA for the semester was 3.29, 3 A's, 3 B's and 1 C. Which means that I will be able to have cheaper insurance. Today was the first day of the second semester and I only had 2 classes that were the same from the last semester. I feel like this is going to be a good semester for me and although some of the classes may challenge me at times, they're going to be fun. I feel happy about the new semester because I am starting it out right by not letting myself fall behind in the beginning.

His/Their Love

He loved me more than any other, held me in his arms as a babe.

As I grow older his love grows more and more, he cares and wants to keep me in the safety of his arms.

I'll stumble and fall, he'll be there to catch me and teach me the way.

He's there for me even when I don't want him, hears my cries and sees my smiles.

(It says 'His/Their because I originally wrote it about my parents, but then realized that the titles 'he' 'they' could be switched and the poem would apply for the Lord also. I started writing it in my head when I was thinking about how much my parents care about me, how they are now able to show me their love and care in a new way by every time I go to drive somewhere they make sure to tell/remind me to drive safe. I feel very special to be able to hear this from them even if other people say the same thing to their driving teens. I realize how different my life would be with out either one of my parents or with out God and that they all care and love me more that I will ever know.)

The End is Getting Closer

The first semester of the year will be ending next week. I know of 4 tests I will be having next week and on top of that we have papers and whatnot due all the time, something else everyday, they're keeping us overloaded (I really shouldn't even be on here). I have grades to finish getting up and classes to get changed for the next semester. Of course I am wanting to kick myself again for the way my transcript looks like because of the why my grades turned out the year that I home schooled, I know that if I would have done better that year I wouldn't be worrying and stressing so much on how I am ever going to get all of my credits in to graduate next year. If I can get them to let me change my classes the way that I want to then I shouldn't have to worry too much cause I should work out. I better get to all of that work now cause it is just piling up in there.

Blessed

Last week in my English class we watched a video on the life of Stalin to get ready to read A Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich'. The way he treated his people really got to me and the worst was when they showed the destroying of churches and temples and the killing of priests. The part when he brought back the churches and such because he wanted help winning the war really bugged me because I know that that is not how it works. All books teach you something about life or at least they should and this one is teaching me how lucky I have to not have lived in that time of in any country with rulers such as Stalin.

It really made me see how blessed we really are to live in a country where were have the freedom to serve God. In some ways with all of the laws we have some may not feel so free, but when the thing that matters to me the most is serving God and the country that I live in gives me that freedom I know that I am blessed.

Then I realize that I am also blessed to have even been chosen to serve the Lord and be a child of God because I know that it didn't have to be me, he could have chosen anyone else.

(P.S. I had planned on posting this last week, but never got around to it.)

Snow Party

So, I had thought that we weren't gonna be going to the snow party because mom isn't up to traveling and we don't have a lot of money for traveling. I had known that they were having a snow party in Alturas and that Shay and Brandon were probably going, but I didn't really care too much about not being able to go because I hadn't ever expected that I would be going with mom being pregnant. Then at about 11:00 on Friday morning Bro. Bill called to see if Tyrel, Mackenzie and I wanted to ride with him and Ryan down to the snow party. Mom called and talked to dad, I called Amber to find out more about what was going on for the snow party (the same things as every year), mom called dad to tell him what Amber said, dad called Bro. Bill and then some more back and forth. They decided that we could meet him and go, which meant that we had to hurry and get packed and everything that we were already planning on doing that day in about 3 hours. We had had a whole list of things that we needed to get done, but had decided to go in around 1 so that on our way home we could go to Sonic during happy hour, so like none of us were even ready to go to town yet. Tyrel had went to work with dad and after work they were planning on going to get him a hair cut, so they were trying to find a place in Redmond to get it done, but decided everywhere in Redmond was too pricey and went to the place they had planned on going to in Bend. Mom and all of us at home hurried and got our things packed and were heading to town by about 12. We stopped at the D.M.V. as planned for me to take the safety test again and guess what, I PASSED AND GOT MY LICENSE!!! Then we went to Bend to meet dad, moved our things into his car, got lunch and headed for La Pine to meet Bro. Bill.

On the way down we sang and played a spelling game. Bro. Bill's turn was before me on the spelling game and he kept on making me have to spell 'Y' word, which got hard after a while.

We got down there at about 6:30 or 7:00. Said hello, hugged lots of people and told people that I got my license. At 8:00 we had a surprise birthday party for Alissa Young, who had recently turned 13 and then we ate dinner. Then we played Pictanary, Wink'em and Who's Holding My Hands. Most of the older boys, who are like around my age and some a little older wouldn't play the games, which made me a little mad at them, but I tried to wrestle them into sitting down and playing, their just bigger than me.

At ten us girls all went over to Amber's to hang out and then 'got to bed'.

Saturday morning we got around and went over to the church to have breakfast. At about 10:00 we got ready and left for the snow. We were out sledding until about 1:30. It was a lot of fun; they also had a fire up there and hot chocolate and muffins. It was between 1:30 and 2:00 when they realized how late it was getting and started heading back, so it was like 3:00 by the time we had lunch.

After we were done having lunch we played States; we tried to teach them how to play were you have the name of the person to your left at the beginning of the game instead of states, but I guess that was too confusing for them. Then we all got little kids for partners and helped them do a scavenger hunt, it was really fun. After that we played Wink'em, I hurt my had playing because I went to hit Brandon and hit the bench instead, which didn't feel too good.

When Rachel called to tell us that she was ready, the young kids all went over to the school to have our scavenger hunt. It was with bible verses and we had to look up the verse, find the key word and go to somewhere there to find the next clue. It was cold outside, so Shay and I decided that we had enough bibles (the prise is a bible for the first boy and first girl) and quit with Katie and Ketura. Tyrel won the boy bible and Amber won the girl bible and gave it to Victoria (the girl who was in a wheelchair when we were down there last time).

At about 6:30 we had a singing and then ate dinner after that because we had ate lunch so late. After we ate we started thinking of initiation games to do, Rachel helped us and we came up with a list that was about a page long, but only did about 5 of them. We got crayons and rolled out their roll of paper on one of the tables for the little kids. It was like after 9:00 by the time we were ready to start playing the games. We played Measure Your Coffin First, then Who Do You Love? Who Do You Love was really funny when we did it on Tyrel because first he said God, then Elise and then George (a boy who was there). Then we played Blow the Penny Out of the Cup; Shay and I hadn't played that one before, so we had to have it done to us too, but we made sure to be the first ones. Then Mr. and Miss. Salt Lake City and after that we did the Train, which I found out that Josh and I were the only ones who had played and he couldn't remember how it went, so I let C.J. Pittman and Kelsey, Amber's cousin, help me because they hadn't wanted to do it and were still in there. After that we played Questions and Answers, the girls had Answers and the one I got was 'Purple rainbows are my favorite', when we were done with that we played Wink'em until 12:00 when it was time for the girls to go to the house and everyone to 'go to bed'.

-While we were getting ready to play the games, Tyrel had some hot chocolate and Josh, not knowing about him having hot chocolate, came up behind him to hug him or something, which then made the hot chocolate spill all over the front of Tyrel. Tyrel threw off his new WHITE sweatshirt (it has some brown on it, but mostly white; not a good color) and the boys ran him in to the bathroom to clean up and cool his neck and chest off, so that hopefully he wouldn't be burned. Well I grabbed his WHITE sweatshirt that had hot chocolate down the front, found Amber to see what we should do with it, we soaked it in cold water and put shout on it when we got to her house and the sweatshirt didn't stain *magic*.

Daphene, Amber and I were smart and took showers that night so that we wouldn't have to wait in line for one the next morning. I was the last in line for that night and I was out by 1:15, but then Amber, Shay, Victoria and I stayed up for a lot longer talking before we went to bed and then to sleep.

Sunday morning we got up and went over to the church for breakfast and then came back to get ready for church.

The church meeting was really wonderful.

Bro. Brad Bell preached mostly about the difference and separation between wise and foolish. He also talked some about how the faith is something that we each have to do ourselves and we can't do it for any one else and the same for them not being able to do it for us. He read in a few different places too. Bro. Cory Bell then got up and read in a few different places. He mostly talked about how the faith is more that just going to church on Sunday and Wednesday, not cutting your hair and not going to the hospital. Bro. Marven Wilkinson then talked about how there is room for everyone to serve the Lord and not to let Satan convince you other ways. Bro. Josh Fitzjerrel talked about forgiveness and read in the 18th chapter of Matthew. Bro. Bill Hays and Bro. Mark Mcmanus both got up, but I don't remember exactly what they said. There was also a different brother, who I didn't know who got up but I don't remember what he said either and there were 2 sisters who testified. Sis. Andra (she used to be a Bell, I don't know what her last name is now though) prayed for her little brother, Patrick; I think that it was probably one of the most beautiful prayers I ever heard.

After we ate and said bye to everyone we left for home.

It was an amazing weekend that I was not even expecting to have. I guess leaving the plans to the Lord is already working work in a wonderful way.

Happy New Year

Well, it's year 2009 now. The years seem to just fly by faster and faster. I will be 17 in just 6 months; that's probably the scariest thing ever, but not as scary as the fact that next year I will be 18. I used to be a little girl, only dreaming about being out of school, getting married and just being an adult and now those days and years are creeping up on me so quickly. I still feel like I should be a little girl and I am one inside, but sooner than I know I will have my own little girls growing up.

I started the past year not really expecting anything and I guess that could be a very good thing because I never would have excepted any of the things that did happen.

New Years Resolutions:

1. Keep my blog updated. I know there are some people who read my blog regularly and I'm sure that if I posted a few times a week it would keep Sabrina off my back about posting.

2. Eat healthier. Sure neither my weight or health are in any kind of danger, but I'm also sure that the way I eat is not good.

3. Get more exercise. I get a lot of exercise in P.E. right now, but here in about 3 weeks I will now longer be in P.E. and so I want to try to get at least a few hours of exercise a week.

4. Get and keep grades up. My grades aren't the greatest right now, but I very much plan on getting them up before the end of the semester and then keeping them up during second semester.

5. Be a better help. I want to be a better help to my parents, brothers and sisters, brethren and a better example of Gods light unto the ones that are around me.

6. Get a job. I am hoping to get a job as soon as the right opportunity comes my way so that I will be able to start paying insurance and saving to get a car; I like babysitting, but just having a little babysitting to do every month or so is not enough to start doing these things.

7. Hear and listen. There are many time that I am only hearing and not listening; if I would listen I would not fail so much to do the things that are asked of me by the Lord, my parents and anyone else.

8. Don't grow up too fast. There aren't a lot of people my age here, so sometimes it may seem easier to just be grown up, but I know that if I grow up too soon than I will miss out on being a kid.

9. Don't worry so much. Go with the flow and bring all my worries and cares to the Lord, for only he knows what the best for my life would be.

10. Seek. I will be seeking the Lord before every step of the way, that I could do the things that would be his will and not stray away from the path he has given me.

I will also just make the best of whatever the Lord brings my way.

Lessons of 2008:

I feel that I learned a lot about myself and the faith in the last year. I've came to know to just leave all of the planning to the Lord because He will take care of them all in His own time and way. I also learned that boys might try to break your heart and the people you love will pass away, but the world is gonna keep moving, with or without you. You can either stay where you are or move on; the best thing to do is move on and the best way to do so is with the Lords guidance.

I plan on taking this year the same as I did the last year, without having any expectations and that is the only real plan I have for the new year.