To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

... A time to blog, and a time to take a break from blogging.

I have enjoyed this a lot, but lately I don't know what to post. I just feel pressure when I think about it. Besides that, I have started writing a new book, and I would much rather spend my time on that than here on HSB. So I have decided to take a break from posting for a while (unless, of course, I come up with some really good ideas). I don't know how long I'm going to be away. It may be a few weeks or a few months. Or... I might not ev -- hold on here! What am I saying! Of course I'm planning on coming back!

If you've been e-mailing me, not to worry. I'm still planning on e-mailing. I may still read a few blogs, too, just not as many as before.

Keep an eye out for me. You never know when I might pop back in!

All week I had been looking forward to yesterday. Well, to be more specific, the picnic in the mountains. Every year our church has a picnic in some mountains about 50 miles from here. This is the same place we went to see the snow last winter. It's about 30 degrees cooler up there at 7,000, so it is a really nice cool break from the 115+ heat here.

I'm not going to post a bunch of pictures, because I don't think we really got all that many good ones this year, and also, because I don't think most of you would be interested in seeing pictures of a bunch of people you don't even know. The exciting moments were not caught on our camera. But, just so you can see what the area looks like, here are a couple I took last year. Pretty, huh?

I read this really neat couple of verses in my Bible this morning. Now, I have read them before. But the thing I noticed about them today was that one was right after the other. I actually realized, for the first time, that they went together. I have heard both of these verses before. I even have one memorized. But I never knew that one was because of the other.

Are you wondering what these two great verses are? Well... I'll tell you. They are Philippians 2:14-15, which say: Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

Don't you see? God didn't just tell us to "do all things without murmurings and disputings." He told us why. And, as with all his rules, this one is here for a good reason. He tells us why in the next verse! It's so that we'll "shine as lights" "in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation"!

People do notice the way you live. They notice the way you dress. They notice the way you treat your parents and your siblings. Your neighbors probably notice if you go to church every Sunday. The librarians at our libraries recognize us. Our mailman likes us because we're "nice" kids, "not like the other kids in this neighborhood," LOL! Probably more people recognize us in this town than we even realize! We might be watched every time we go out in public (now that is kind of scary!).

If you're grumbling and complaining about everything you're asked to do, you're not going to be shining very well! But if you're doing what that verse says, you will shine for Jesus!!

I would love to be always doing "all things without murmurings and disputings," but I'm not perfect. I fail often. But isn't it a great feeling to obey right away, to be kind and gentle with your little siblings, and to always have a smile on your face? Do it for your Saviour!

A little while ago, bookworm12 tagged me with a homeschool-themed tag. And, as I can't think of anything else that I really want to post, here goes:

1. How long have you homeschooled? Well, I never went to public school or even preschool or any of that, so I guess ever since I was born.
2. What grade did you start homeschooling? 1st grade
3. What grade are you in now? I will be starting 9th this next school year.
   
4. How old were you when you started? 5 when I started first grade, I think?
   
5. Do you like homeschooling? Yes, of course! There's all kinds of things that are better about homeschooling. Like... I can work ahead, we can have a flexible schedule, etc., but of course the best one is because I am taught the truth of God's word -- none of this evolution or humanistic garbage.
6. Have you ever gone to school? No. Well, I did homeschool work in a Christian school classroom while my mom and dad were in a meeting (probably for about 1 hour), but that's not going to school. 
7. How long did you go to school? Didn't go to school
8. Do you intend to home school your kids when you grow up? Of course, I don't think there are any other options!!
   
9. What are two things that you like about homeschooling? Well, besides the things I mentioned in question #5, I like being able to switch curriculum if the one I have isn't working, and I also like the way I can discuss my science lesson with my mom sometimes.
   
10. Do you totally go against public schools? Meaning... am I against them? Well, yes. I don't keep up on all that public school news, but from what I hear, they are violent, wicked places that (among other things) brainwash the kids into becoming great future communists, and throw common sense out the window.
    
11. Do you have friends who are not home schoolers? One, the one I wrote about a while ago, but she's not really what I would call a "friend."
    
12. Is it hard to get along with public school friends? I don't really have any public school friends, so I wouldn't know. I would imagine! I don't listen to any of the same music, watch the same movies, etc. We wouldn't have much in common!
    
13. What is the first thing other people say when they find out that you homeschool? A lot of the time they say something like,  "That's great," or "Do you like it?", but once in a while someone will ask some kind of question that makes it sound like they don't know how we are getting a good education at home.
    
14. Who are you going to tag? diamondsinthrough (my mom -- please tweak some of the questions to be applicable to you), Altariel, Bluejane, tinderheartedteen, and vintagegirl.
    

It seems like it sort of started when I decided to go through a bunch of old letters a few days ago and sort through them -- which ones to keep, which ones to throw away -- while I listened to Jonathan Park with my sisters. I ended up throwing them all out! Then I went through the whole box they had been in and sorted through that. I got lots of my stuff organized!

Well, the next day I threw more stuff out. One thing I got rid of was a box-full of rocks. Actually, the box wasn't full. There were about five rocks or so. Now, I must explain about these rocks. Many years ago, before we lived in the desert, where rocks are probably even more plentiful than grass is farther east of us, I would collect some small rocks that I deemed precious or pretty. Since then, I had gotten rid of a lot of them. But there were still a few that I was keeping "just because." I almost never looked at them (I mean, they were under the bed!!).

So finally, I tossed the remains outside. Oh, what relief! I was so glad to be rid of them and not have their hold on my heart anymore. LOL. But it's true -- otherwise I wouldn't have been so hesitant to get rid of them, right??

Sometime, either right then, or later, I don't remember, I realized the spiritual application. Don't we all have things in our lives that we wouldn't exactly call "bad," but the Lord is just waiting patiently for us to hand them over? The rocks weren't bad -- from my way of looking at it, keep reading -- but they weren't benefiting me in any way, either. They were just taking up space. For example, perhaps you have a certain pastime that is fun, but does not edify you (or anyone else), or does not  help you prepare for the future.

There is no gray area with God. Either it's righteous or it's wicked. Jesus said, He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. (Matthew 12:30) So... if it's not right or good, then it has to be wrong. I know, that is a bit hard for me, too, but it is truth! I have prayed that the Lord would show me clearly, from his word, if there is something in my life that needs to be removed, and that he would help me be willing to give it up (I will need that!!).

I wonder how many other things I have -- material or otherwise -- that are like those (formerly) precious rocks of mine... How many do you have??

Yesterday I finished my journal. I wrote the last entry I am planning to write in it. I am excited. The reason? I get to start my new journal now. It has a purple (vinyl? leather?) hard cover and beads on the spiral/ring binding. Inside, the paper is purple with pale purple roses in the background. The thing I like most about it, though, is not how it looks, but the fact that it is so fresh and clean inside. There are no pen marks. There are no places where I have made a mistake and had to cross something out. There are no places where I was in a hurry or writing in the dark and made a bit of a mess. It is perfectly blank.

And so that has me thinking. How do I want to start the first page? What will I say? Will I continue to write the same way -- the same kinds of things in my new journal? Will I always make sure I am writing in my neatest writing?

And that reminded me that a new journal is kind of like our life (I know you have all heard this before, but repetition is a good thing). Every new week is like a new start. Every day. In fact, every moment is fresh and clean. I once read a poem somewhere about how we can't change the past, but we can "change" the future. How true! If you have been making a mess out of your day, or even out of your life, you can start over on a fresh new "journal."

I don't mean just "turning over a new leaf." That won't cut it. You need the precious blood of Jesus to wash you clean. If you are already his child, simply put 1 John 1:9 into practice. It says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If you are not one of his children, you need to repent of your sins and trust the Lord Jesus Christ to be your Saviour. Because of what he did, in taking your punishment on the cross, you can be washed clean!

I don't know what I will write in my new journal. I don't know what I'll be doing in five minutes or even five seconds. But it is up to me. I can do whatever I want with the future.

Since Altariel has begged me, I must post. It has been a terribly long time, though. Thanks for the reminder, Altariel!!!  Actually, I was planning on it soon anyway. Ready for a scatter-topic post?

Warning: this is going to sound pathetic, but sorry. You don't have to read it. I would like to ask for suggestions on how to talk to a girl my age who is really quiet around me. She is almost exactly my age, and comes to my church every Sunday morning, but the similarities end about there. She goes to public school, so topics about HS are out. She doesn't really play any musical instruments, so that is out. I don't really know much about her, but she is really quiet (around me -- she has friends from public school), so it is hard to get her to talk! PLEASE, someone, give me suggestions or conversation starters?

I really want to become friends with her. Partly because I don't have any friends "my age" here, and also because she is getting to the age where she will not want to keep coming to church anymore, if there is nothing to interest her there (she comes with her dad and two younger siblings). So, if we became friends, I could keep her wanting to come to church. I know, not the best reason to get someone to come to church (and don't you think it's a bit conceited?). But please. Help me!

Maybe you would like an update on my life. Well, I finished school several weeks ago, which "officially" makes me a "highschooler." But Mom wants us girls to keep doing math through the summer so we can remember it when we start up again, and also so we will have something to do. I guess it's not that bad. And I DO need something good to do though the summer. Otherwise, my mom will hear a lot of "Is there some job you want me to do?" from me. At least that is better than sleeping in to 11. Actually, I'm getting up at/around 6. YES!

My mom had to go to Wal*Mart today. We are also going to make me another jumper (yay), so we had to go to the fabric store, too. I really didn't want to go. 1.) Because I have such a hard time finding the *perfect* material at our little fabric store. 2.) Because I do not like shopping at Wal*Mart. There is way too much stimuli in there for my poor little brain to handle. I felt like I was in a daze for most of the time. Yep, that is how I felt! LOL. I was thinking about how I must look to everyone else there. I mean, a Christian should have a smile on her face, right!?! I was too tired and dazed to feel happy.

Plus I have a cold, so my nose has been running and running. So I am quite the case today. But you know, it hasn't been that bad of a day, actually! I got my violin practiced before lunch. I have all of my chores done. And I am working on yet ANOTHER story. I think it will be a good one. I hope I will stay interested.

Well, that's it. More in another post sometime.

Eleven years ago I fell in love with the violin. It really was "love at first sight." When I was only two years old, I got to play an eight-year-old girl's violin -- you know, just hold it and rub the bow back and forth.

March 30, 1997

I don't really remember very well, but I probably begged my mom and dad for a violin all the way home or to the hotel or where ever we were going. And they probably thought that in a few days I would forget about it and that would be that. But nope, I never forgot! When we would listen to recordings of symphonies or orchestras, I would be able to point out the violins. As the years went by, sometimes I wanted a violin worse than other times, but it never went away.

When I was about seven or eight years old, I got an opportunity to borrow a friend's violin (which was actually a Chinese imitation piece of junk). I was so excited!! My mom got me a book so I could teach myself. I don't recall ever using the book a whole lot (I still have it and it is in pretty good condition). I wrote in my diary, "My dream is coming true! We may be able to borrow the violin from the B--s! It will not stay in tune, but that will not bother me. I want to learn. I already know how to bow and to hold the bow. I know some of the parts too! - that is - mom got me a violin book I will try to teach myself."

I don't think I actually played that violin much, but I sure was excited to get it! We must have returned it soon after that, but I don't remember. I think it was the next summer that I got to go to "music camp" (day camp). I took violin and piano. While at music camp, a complete stranger offered to loan me her daughter's (very expensive) violin which she wasn't using anymore (talk about trust)! Despite not taking any lessons, I was able to sound out a song or two back then.

October 17, 2003

A little over three years ago, a lady in our church gave my mom a catalog to a music store that sells instruments for very low prices. I was soooo excited again. I soaked up those pictures of the violins. I would take it into my room almost first thing in the morning and wish and wish. Once my mom found out the name of a violin teacher, my parents decided it would be best for us to rent an instrument first, to make sure I really wanted to do this. About two years ago (?) I bought one for my very own. Three years ago this month, I started taking private lessons for the first time ever.

January 17, 2007

I still love the violin. I have never seriously thought of quitting (at least, not more than for a few minutes, in which case that would not be called "serious." LOL). I haven't taken lessons for the whole three years that I have been playing, but I can still tell an improvement, which is encouraging. After over a year of no lessons, I had a lesson with a new teacher last week. We're still not sure if this will become a "permanent" thing or not (partly because her husband is talking of moving), but for now it is good.

I am so thankful for my violin. I guess that lately I have kind of taken it for granted that I finally got my "life dream" , but after all, it was the Lord who gave me the musical talent that I have and who also gave me my violin. I only spent about $200 on it myself, and the instrument that I have now cost much more than that. I have my parents and grandparents to thank! But most of all, my Heavenly Father, for giving me my heart's desire.

About a year ago Homeschool Radio Shows put together an audio collection of kids reading good stories. In order to be selected, I had to do an audition for it. This was to record myself reading a short story about Robert Bruce. I did the audition and tried to send it to them, but it never made it! I was soooo disappointed!!! Well, I still have the audition saved on my computer, and recently I got this really neat idea to set music and sound effects to it. It was so fun! I put it all together last week, and I am sooo pleased with the way it turned out (I love that music!!! LOL. ) Beth, I think I know you well enough to say that you will like this audio. Of course, I could be wrong, but I hope I'm not. Let me know what you think!

Click on the picture below to stream the audio directly from the internet. If that doesn't work for you on your computer, please right-click on it (or control+click for Mac users) and click on "Save Target as..." or "Save Link as..." depending on which browser you are using. Download the file to your computer and then play it like you would any other audio file you have. Enjoy!!