Ends and Beginnings

So as summer is quickly coming to an end (how cliche) and school is going to start like next week, I've been noticing how life really changes. This year I'll be a senior in highschool which brings the dreaded words of SATs, college applications, visits, and interviews, GRADUATION! (which isn't so dreaded), and a ton of other stuff. It's crazy how it seems like just yesterday I was getting my feeding tube taken out, surgery for my trach to be closed... and other stuff that I thought I'd never live through. But I'm just reminded that when we think we can't, God is up in Heaven saying, "Oh yeah, with me, YOU CAN!"

So I'm starting a new blog, if any of you care, its going to be called, "Senior Year" haha, I wonder why? Lol. But hopefully during my senior year there'll be more good than bad happening...

~Liz

The Words I Would Say

This song by Sidewalk Prophets totally sums up what I would say to all of my classmates, friends, and family :

Three in the morning,
And I'm still awake,
So I picked up a pen and a page,
And I started writing,
Just what I'd say,
If we were face to face,
I'd tell you just what you mean to me,
I'd tell you these simple truths,

Be strong in the lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
Gods got his hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why your here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,

Last time we spoke,
You said you were hurting,
And I felt your pain in my heart,
I want to tell you,
That I keep on praying,
Love will find you where you are,
I know cause I've already been there,
So please hear these simple truths,

Be strong in the lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
Gods got his hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why your here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,

From one simple life to another,
I will say,
Come find peace in the father,

Be strong in the lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
Gods got his hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why your here,
Take your time and pray,
Thank God for each day,
His love will find a way,
These are the words I would say

Life since school got out....

My life since school got out has been interesting - to say the least! It has been quite the summer, and God has really been working in my life. I've been to the Bill Rice Ranch in Tennessee, we've had VBS at church, my sister's family moved, I GOT MY FIRST CAR, I gave my horse back to her previous owner, and lots more! It's weird, but I'm really thinking this summer is going to be the best summer yet! Oh, I'm also reading a few books that my English teacher is requiring. Some of them are boring, while others are pretty intriguing. I got my senior pictures taken the other day, and I'm excited to see how they're going to come out.

THE BEST PART!!!! My car - a dark blue '00 Jeep Cherokee - is really sweet! I love it! I don't have a picture yet, or else I would've put one up.

I'm also doing A LOT of riding! My horses will be well ridden and worked with by the time fall comes and soon after that winter hits!

God has really blessed me and taught me A LOT this summer, and it's only half way through!

Patience....

Patience: the act or power of calmly waiting for something due or hoped for

Lately I've been thinking a lot about having a boyfriend. I see a few of my friends that have significant others and it makes me wonder if there's something wrong with me that makes guys not want to date me, or if I'm just not good enough for guys to date. A few weeks ago I was talking with my pastor's wife about this and she said that I just need to be patient. Yeah, it's easier said than done, I wanted to say.

Should it be? It's easy if we have the right mindset, right? If we're focused on God then it is supposed to be easy to be patient and wait for the things to come about that we want. I really don't think so. I think that it can actually be harder to be patient when you're a Christian than when you're not. I say this, not to justify myself, but to be realisitic. I mean, honestly, how many of the Christian teens you know would save themselves for their spouse? How many do you think would wait? Or what about just normal everyday stuff. We know how Jesus would act, and how everything He did was to honor and glorify God.... even being patient. Jesus was patient through the cross. He let the soldiers whip him, beat him, and do whatever they were going to do. Not a word came from his mouth of complaining. There was never "When is this going to be over, Father? It's just getting to hard." No. He was going through so much, but you could never see Him be impatient.

I annoy myself sometimes because I think I have it so hard because I have to wait for the man God has for me. It is hard, I'll admit, because most people would just go with whoever, and it can be a little intimidating going against the crowd. But you know what? I've got God on my side. I know, that because I'm serving Him, and living for Him, He's going to work everything out for His honor and glory. For example, today we had the mile run at school. I'm no runner, and because of my asthma it makes running a whole lot worse. BUT! God showed His power through all of that. I didn't finish first, but I finished - which is an improvement. I didn't get to get nationals or anything, but I got my breath back fast - another improvement.

Once again I can only go back to that verse in 2 Chorinthians 12:9-10 when God says that His grace is sufficient for us. Oh, and one last thing, while you're waiting for the person God has in mind for you, try becoming the ideal person God has in mind for someone else.

Drained...

I am so drained right now it's not funny. It seems like forever for school to be done. I'm excited to be graduating next year, but it's also a little frightening. :/ Geometry sucks. Anyone who has the chance, DON'T TAKE IT! I mean, yeah it's good to be challenged, but ugh, it's just too much of a challenge. Maybe I should be looking on the bright side, at least I get to go to school. Anyways, I'm so tired and just want to relax for about 5 days and do nothing that has to do with school, homework, studying or tests. I guess the break will come soon enough! Haha.

What I learned from X-Men Origins: Wolverine

This past weekend I saw X-Men Origins: Wolverine in theaters. It was pretty good and I think I'd like to see the rest of the movies. There are a few bad spots in it, which kinda didn't appeal to my liking at all, but all in all, I thought it was a good movie. There was lots of action and cool gifts too. I think that my favorite part was at the end when the mutants used their "gifts" to help each other. I thought that was so cool. They barely knew the person, yet they'd trust him and help him out. They all had something to offer, and if needed, I'd bet they'd use them to help the group.

Isn't that what we, as Christians, are supposed to do. God gave us all gifts that we are called to use it "...in proportion to his faith." (Romans 12:6) We're not all the same, though. In X-Men, the mutants didn't all have the same gift. If they did, they wouldn't be useful for the purpose that they were there (which wasn't good, but that's besides the point). It's the same way with people, and Christians in particular. We aren't all the same. If we were, we wouldn't be useful for the purpose that God has put us on earth - to bring Him glory in everything we do. I play the piano and the violin a little. Imagine how boring it could get listening to that all day everyday because that was the only thing that was able to be played. But that's not it at all. Not everyone is able to play the piano, drive a bus with no problem, or teach kids all day. That's the beauty of it all! God created each of us differently, and because of it we can each reach different types of people. My friend works at a grocery store and because of this she can share Christ's love with those people there that I might never get to talk to and they probably wouldn't listen to me very much. But because she knows them, and can relate with some of the things that they are going through, she can witness to them a lot easier than I could. The scenario could be flipped around too.

I used to wish I could be someone else because I didn't have the "perfect" body, couldn't play that many sports and wasn't as smart as others I knew, and I was annoyed of being me. But then God showed me three things.

1. Perfection in all reality is left to God. He alone is perfect, and there's no way that I can have the perfect body until I get to Heaven. I just need to accept what I can't change, and try to fix what I can.
2. God has a plan for my life, that's like nothing I could imagine! He's got all things covered, and it might not be in His plan for me to play sports, be a genius, or whatever. But He's got things for me to do, that no one else can. Because of who God made me, there are people that I can reach that, without me reaching to them, they'll never hear about God.
3. This is the best. God showed me that even though I might get tired of trying, sick of being me, or just wanting to give up His grace is sufficient for me (2 Chorinthians 12:9-10). God says that even when we don't think it's humanly possible to do something it is, and by His grace we'll be able to do it. When someone says that you can't do something, or will never be good enough, I can just imagine Him saying to His angels "Oh yeah? Watch what I can do through him/her."

Ford Mustang Bulitt

This is the car I want! It's totally awesome! However, I'd rather not have it be green. Even though I love green, cars like this don't look good in green. Maybe black!!! I'll probably never get it though, because it's probably really expensive!!!