I used to have really long hair. All the way down to past the small of my back, to the point where I ended up accidentally sitting on it a couple of times. But I got it cut today up to shoulder length, donating the difference to Locks of Love. I don't really look too different from my picture. So it's still mostly valid. Just so you know that I haven't changed my hair because I don't want you to recognize me on the street or anything. 

I'm amazed at all these things that I can now do with my hair, that my hair used to be too long for before. I know, too long! You'd probably be amazed at how many hairstyles don't work when your hair is too long. All the ends poking out, or something like that.

When I was younger my hair was always too short. Go figure!

Going to church tomorrow should be interesting!

Well, enough about hair, it's only hair after all. I would like to inform you that the TBQ Regional Finals will be next weekend for me, and I hope the your prayers will be with me. I will be gone the later part of next week, so don't worry. I won't be dead. This, like most things, snuck up on me. I was always saying, "Oh, I have lots of time." But in reality I didn't have that much time at all. How time flies!

Oh, and don't be alarmed if all I seem to talk about is the TBQ Regioanls Final. That's normal for me, even if it isn't less than a week away.

Right now I'm reading this amazing book "Reunited Hearts," by Ruth Logan Herne. Great book!

Have a great weekend!

Deepest Waters review.

I have just finished reading one of the best books I've read in awhile, so I decided to review it for you all.

The book Deepest Waters by Dan Walsh

In 1857 John and Laura Foster set sail on their dream honeymoon aboard the SS Vandervere. Suddenly a hurricane wrecks the steamship, and Laura is sent with the women and children onto the Cutlass, while John is left with the men on the fast sinking ship. Laura struggles to deal with possibly losing John, while John fights for his life along with about 100 men on the open sea, and dreams of seeing Laura's face again. Both grow spiritually, and form strong friendships along the way. Through this entire book Dan Walsh paints a beautiful picture of God's providence through everything, how God uses people and situations for our good, when we can't see it. Dan Walsh show us the beautiful moments in John and Laura's relationship, as they look back on these tender moments. The characters are all very real, and relateable Mr. Walsh has this way of making you genuinely feel for the characters and their plights. This book is engaging, romantic, with threads that cross in such a way as to weave the masterpiece that is this book.

I would highly recommend this book. I didn't think I'd like it at first, because I thought it would just be too sad to read. But I was surprised at how much I liked it, I'm not saying that you won't cry, because you might. But I think you will be surprised at how the characters grip you and steal your heart when you aren't looking.

Through the entire story Mr. Walsh shows how God can work through all sorts of tragedies for the good of those who love him. And the miracles of God's providence. The story was well written, and tugged at my heartstrings. This book was crafted with care, weaving in all the ends carefully. I really liked how Mr. Walsh used this book to show how God uses tragedies to bring other to him, and bless them, in spite of hardships.
I highly recommend this book. It took me by surpirise and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

*I got this book from my local library, and I didn't receive any thing for reviewing this book, I just really liked it and wanted to share my opinion with you!*

Hey there! I told you that I would be posting today, and so here I am. I have a link here to a website where you can check out my entry in Stephanie Morrill's Writing Prompt Contest. I place in the top few so here is the link. I hope you enjoy it! First time I placed.

Okay, moving on. I know you all know that I am going to TBQ Regionals the weekend after next (the 5th, 6th & 7th), And I just wanted to thank those of you who have offered me support, going into this big competition. Pray that the team will grow and learn to support one another through this experience, and that we can be a good example to others. Thanks so much for all your support!

I just wanted to make a quick comment on the weather as it is really, really nice today, 65 degrees. Which is warm where I live. Well compared to the last few freezing cold weeks where it actually snowed, much to some peoples' disbelief.

Well, I ought to let ya'll go, or I'll have nothing to say tomorrow, or I'll go on and on about BQ. Which I do way too much.

Thanks for having me on your computer today, bye!

AWANA over for the year, I can hardly believe it and I will miss my girls so much! 3 of the 5 are going up to TNT which is for 3rd-6th grade. I will miss them. *sob* I can't believe they grew up that fast!

Oh, and AWANA stands for "Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed" from the AWANA key verse 2 Timothy 2:15.

I highly recommend AWANA, I learned so much there. And I love working with the children.

Feel free to ask me questions about AWANA.
Post them below or email me at: crazi.swans at gmail dot com
Here is a link to the AWANA website.

Oh, and I'm posting tomorrow sometime after 4pm central time.

Writing, Reading & Bible Quizzing, Oh my!

Hi ya'll! I am mega excited right now because of something posted here.
Yep, that made my day!
Made me hyper too!

I have been studying my brains out for the TBQ Regionals where my team will quiz BQ royalty, if there is such a thing. I will honestly be surprised if I have any brains left after the tournament. Or my brains might get fried out right before the tournament and then-well, that won't go over very well with my teammates.

Bible Quiz trips are really fun, especially when we go to a hotel with a pool, and free breakfast. The van rides are not for those who are more than a little claustrophobic, because we pack the kids and parents tight! The coach tries to make everyone study 55 minutes of every hour, but it turns into more like 55 for the entire 6 hour trip! I am so excited for Regionals! Seeing all my quizzing friends on the other teams, quizzing them etc.

Last year our team competed in a high level tournament in Southern Texas (despite my use of "ya'll" I don't live down in the land of black gold), and it was at the exact same time as the 2010 Winter Olympics were going on. So our team decided to have our own BQ Olympics, when we weren't quizzing. We had luggage cart races, pool football and elevator races in the hotels, a scavenger hunt in Wal-mart, and a banana pepper eating contest at the 59' Diner. I will always treasure those memories that I made on BQ trips, (I got a bronze over-all medal in the BQ Olympics!) I remember the boys singing constantly  the whole way down to Texas, repetitive songs like "With Christ in your boat, you can smile at the storm, sailing home!" And how much I bonded with other Christians all brought together for the purpose of quizzing over God's word.

Oh, and in case you were wondering the list for the scavenger hunt looked something like this:

1. Baby Bath Toy
2. Optimus Prime Action Figure
3. Cast Iron Skillet
4. Canned Jalapeno peppers
5. T-shirt with the president on it
6. 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle
7. Colgate Toothpaste
8. Box of Valentines candy
9. A stuffed bear with hearts on it.
10. black nail polish.

I'm proud to say that my team found everything on the list.

So if anyone tells you that Bible Quizzers never have any fun, you be sure to set them straight!

Oh, and I just finished "Lilies in Moonlight" by Allison Pittman, "A Family for Faith" by Missy Tippens, and "The Forgiving Hour" by Robin Lee Hatcher. All great books that I would recommend to you. And right now I am reading "The Deepest Waters" by Dan Walsh.

If you have any questions regarding BQ or anything else I post, please leave a comment and I will get back to you!

Blessings!

Happy Easter 2011 Part 3

Hello there! Today is Easter and I wanted to post the last of John chapter 20.
Here I am struck by alot of things, like how we all have serious doubting crisis's, even though we know we should be trusting in Jesus.Thomas wanted to put his and hand and finger in Jesus' wounds, he wanted serious proof! Jesus knew Thomas had doubts, so he came to Thomas and put his doubts to rest. God knows we have doubts concerning His will or how much He cares, but if we turn to Him he will help us with our doubts, all we have to do is open our eyes, "stop doubting and believe!"

John 20:19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.

So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my fingers where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Have a blessed Easter!
Sorry this is late!

Happy Easter 2011 Part 2

Hey, I'm back and I decided I should post more.
I really like this scripture, because Jesus calls Mary Magdalene by name, and she thought he was the gardener! Makes me think of how he knows all of our names, even before we know Him!

John 20:10-18

Then the disciples went back to their homes,

but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept she bent over to look into the tomb

and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (Which means Teacher).

Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers, and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

So remember this Easter, that Jesus knows your name even if you don't know who He is!

Have a blessed Easter!

           

Happy Easter 2011 Part 1

Hi everybody!
As Easter is drawing very, very, near I thought I'd post some of the most beloved Scipture in the Bible.
This is one of my favorite passages, I have the entire chapter memorized.

John Chapter 20:1-9

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.

So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.

Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.

Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there,

As well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.

Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.

(They still did not understand from scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)


Have a blessed Easter!

To entertain y'all

To entertain ya'll here is a random snippet of nothing in particular that I wrote in a time of boredom and writer's block. (Writer's block associated with what I was supposed to be working on, that is). Remember, I did promise randomness!

Three days later, Mort returned. He returned with a princess. She was, in essence just like every other princess Ward had seen before. And he had seen more than his share, with Bob being married to one and Mort rescuing one almost every other week. (You see, sometimes while rescuing one princess he would find another in distress as well, and save her too. Not to mention all the people Mort rescued that weren’t princesses).

                This princess was no different, she was beautiful, charming, perfectly poised, and completely in love with Mort. In fact she had already planned their wedding down to the last frosting rosette on the seven foot tall, twenty layer wedding cake.

And Mort was scared. Not of Princess Harriet, but of the raving madman who was running full out toward them, waving sword. He was old, it was true, but he was menacing just same, (old men waving swords usually don’t do so unless they want to look menacing).

The madman was the king of Lardo.

Though at that moment he looked more like a pauper than a king, running about in his long john underwear usually had that effect on kings- and people in general. The sword added a whole new level of insanity to the almost comical situation.

I know, I cringed. It was pretty bad. I tend to write lots of stuff just to amuse myself, and that stuff that I write in moments such as those is complete and utter nonsense. Just thought I'd amuse ya'll.

I have a job delivering papers. Yesterday I had to do it right after it had rained.
It is a small paper that is available for free and is something like a classified add, full of advertisements and coupons. The good thing is that we only have to deliver it once a week. The funny thing about it is that it is mostly delivered my other homeschoolers, like me. And thankfully I don't have to wake up at the crack of dawn to do it. We deliver them at 3 p.m.-ish.

The good thing was that most it was just cold, not too wet. Just enough though.

Today, we had a last get together for my choir and we had this huge party. Played games and ate. Not to mention talked. Girls tend to to talk alot when in large groups together like at a party.

I know I promised you a long post, but I really don't have that much to say.

I am of course still studying away for TBQ, I can't believe I only have a little over two weeks till Regionals. So hard to believe. I can't wait to see some of my friends that I only see at BQ meets. I was overjoyed when I heard that they had made it to Regionals. If you wan to know more about TBQ check out my post here.

I am reading "Jewel of His Heart" by Maggie Brendan.

I think I'll post something really random tomorrow.

Bye!