Another New Book
Got another new book at Teacher's Convention yesterday morning. It's called Make My Life a Prayer: Glimpses of God from the Ministry and Personal Journals of Keith Green. I was bored during one of our General Sessions, so I read about a fourth of it, and there is some good stuff in there. I admire his passion and unapologetic commitment to Jesus Christ!

Fun Trip!
Went snowboarding at Wintergreen yesterday with some friends. Great times! I fell a lot and have the bruises to prove it! :) I'm not very graceful on a snowboard, yet! :)

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From The Chasing Song
By Andy Peterson
Well, I realize that falling down ain't graceful
But I thank the Lord that falling's full of grace
Sometimes I take my eyes off Jesus
And you know that's all it takes.

Heading off to Teacher's Convention again, THEN GOING SNOWBOARDING!!!! :)


Psalm 77:11-15
I will remember the deeds of the LORD ; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.
Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?
You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.
With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

By His Own Glory And Goodness
Ok, this morning I was reading the following verses, and was really EXHORTED by them!

II Peter 1:3-9
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

Gosh, This is all such good stuff! I especially love this part!

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Teacher's Convention
I was pleasantly surprised at teacher's convention today! Usually the General Sessions are the same ol' fundamentalist, Christian-School only teaching that I have heard for years in years! This one was so different. Not only did the speaker challenge Christians to lead in academic excellence, he encouraged THINKING! He said quite a bit of contraversial things (breaking out of the conservative, fundamentalist box) but they were needful! He even had a book list of recomended reading that was full of good books! And I finally bought one of the books that I have been wanting for a while now. Dallas Willard's Renovations of the Heart! I'm so excited!

Oh, and the best part of it all, at the beginning of General Session, there was a group of kids that did this musical/drama presentation of creation. These kids were about 8-9 years old. It was a pretty routine "Christian School" production until near the end. This little 9 year old BROKE IT DOWN! I mean, he started doing all of this break dancing... the worm and all!!! And he was GOOD at it! It was really cute!

Too Early
*Yawn* It's early! *Melissa, wake up wake up wake up!* Ok, Off to teacher's convention!

This is the day that the Lord hath made! I will REJOICE!

From Love of God
by Rich Mullins
There's a wideness in God's mercy
I cannot find in my own

No school again today! Gosh, that's 3 days! I think this is our last freebe... After today I believe we have to start making them up! Anyway, I'm at my dad's hanging out with Maliah today!
Have a blessed Day!

Day-2
Ok, this is day 2 of no school, sitting at home. Yesterday I got a ton accomplished. :)

Things I did on my day off in no particular order:

1. Cleaned my house (after much procrastinating... I did it. Clean feels so good!)
2. Read more in Feminine Appeal and Ruthless Trust
3. Played my guitar (learned to play "Untitled Hymn" by Chris Rice... Thanks for Chording and Lyrics from Sandra's Site)
4. Finished knitting a scarf!!! and Worked more on my FIRST baby Blanked! (DONT LAUGH! It's fun! LOL!)
5. Graded 7 of my 35 Math Tests (that is about all I could sit still for!)
6. Made a cake. :) (Had to have something to go with my hot chocolate!)
7. Watched One Day '04 DVD - John Piper's Message (oh my, AWESOME STUFF! I got more this time than hearing it when I was AT ONE DAY!)
8. Spent some time with the Lord and reading Romans 9 - Ever read it? It's Intriguing!
9. Took a Nap :)

Ok, so I did everything yesterday and this morning! All i left myself for the rest of today is to finish those ol' math papers!!! YUCK! SOMEBODY PLEASE COME SLEDDING WITH ME!

Lol! Actually my sis and 2 nieces, Haley and Andrea, are on their way over! Gonna go slide down some of our hills, and hopefully not INTO THE LAKE! :) Fun!

You know, this snow is much like one that we had when I was a child and lived in Milton. Some of you may remember this. We were out of school for like a week. We had about a foot of snow, then the sun came out and melted the top of the snow. That night the temperatures DROPPED and the top froze like a sheet of ice! The next day it was a kids DREAM! We grabbed mom's cookie sheets and started at the top of our steep drive way and slid all the way down to the creek! It is the best snow memory ever!

Side Notes
1. I added picture links to my side bar
2. If you are new visitor to my blog and have not done so, post your location on the GUESTMAP! COME ON! :) It's fun!!! :)
3. My friend Aaron has a business and WEBSITE HERE - He makes Rock Chalk that cannot be seen on the side of a Rock. Check it out!

Alright, that's it! Over and Out!

My Reward
God has really been teaching me lately that, as Shane Barnard puts it, JESUS is our reward! In his concerts, Shane tells the story of the Prodigal Son. He tells how the older son is embittered b/c the younger has partied and squandered his wealth, but then gets a welcome home party. But the older son had the reward of being with the Father while the younger was away. That is the greatest reward. Being with our Savior!

How often I lose focus of that. How often I forget.

Luke 15:31 And he said to him, "Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours."

From Song of Surrender
by Shane Barnard

There is a wicked man in me
Wanting the wicked man's disease
Fleeting pleasures, but pleasure indeed
Oh Lord, take my envy of these things
And the prideful war within
Take me to the place of sweet surrender

You are, You were, You will always be better!

This is a song of surrender
For whom have I but You?
You are, You are better
Forever so much better than the world
You are my portion (Lord you are...)
You are my portion (my reward...)
You are my portion
My never ending, overflowing Lord
My reward
My reward
My portion, Lord!

Psalm 73

Luke 15