Sunday

Two songs I had in my mind today that go along with two thoughts
1. I want to be available to God for Him to work in and through me.
2. I want to love like He does.






It seems like so many are losing loved ones and facing tragedies and trials in their lives. The world is a chaotic place right now and I think now more than ever, the church has an opportunity.

I want to hold God's hand...

Happy Monday

There's a mountain
Here before me
And I'm going to climb it
With strength not my own
He's gonna lead me
Or the mountain beats me
Carry me through
Carry me through

There's a river
Here before me
And I'm gonna cross it
with strength not my own
He's gonna save me
Or the river takes me.
Carry me through
Carry me through

Oh Lord be gentle
I'm just a man
Please don't crush me
Help me in.

Oh Lord remember
I try so hard
I walk and talk
Your kingdom love

There's a sinner
Here before me
And I'm gonna give them
Strength not my own
He's gonna carry me
when I get weary
Carry me through
Carry me through

Oh Lord be gentle
I'm just a man
Please don't crush me
And help me in

Oh lord remember
I try so hard
I walk and talk
Your kingdom love

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Carry me through

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Lord Sweet Lord
Carry me through.

-Carry Me Through, David Mackee Barnes

I love to read!

I really do love to read! I remember in hs I used to not like the fact that I was 'forced' to read summer reading but somehow I generally managed to like the books after I read them. I went to the library yesterday and found some great books! My next reading segment is 10 Nonfiction books. For some reason I was really drawn to the Biographies, I just love learning, reading about other people's lives!

Oh and I picked one more dance book up to add my collection because it was just so good!

A Dictionary of Dance by Liz Murphy-fun pictures and great simple terminology

10 Non-ficton (I haven't read them all yet, but I did check them out-that's the first step!)

1. The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles-what an amazing little girl! beautiful illustrations

2. The Coat of Many Colors by Jenny Koralek-the story of Joseph

3. Magic Windows by Carmen Lomas Garza

4. C.S. Lewis Christian and Storyteller by Beatrice Gormley

5. Anna's Story A Journey of Hope by Jenna Bush

6. See How They Run Campaign Dreams, Elections, Schemes, and the Race to the White House

7. Safari by Robert Bateman

8. You are Weird Your Body's Peculiar Parts and Funny Functions by Diane Swanson

9. Cleopatra by Diane Stanley Vennema and Peter Vennema

10. Joan of Arc by Diane Stanley

I found myself having trouble picking books because so many of them looked good! So many books so little time!

Valentine's Day and sticks

I got a Valentine package today from my momma!



Psalm 136
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.
the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.
to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.
and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.
with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.
to him who divided the Red Sea[a] asunder
His love endures forever.
and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures forever.
to him who led his people through the wilderness;
His love endures forever.
to him who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.
and killed mighty kings—
His love endures forever.
Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.
and Og king of Bashan—
His love endures forever.
and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.
an inheritance to his servant Israel.
His love endures forever.
He remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
and freed us from our enemies.
His love endures forever.
He gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.

Most of us had a pretty full Valentine's Day since it was on a Monday this year.

I had class just about all day but sometimes class can be fun. We went to give a book talk (i gave one on dance to some very cute and excited kindergarteners) and went to the science museum to see all kinds of fun animals.

The alligators live with the turtles-its amazing how the alligator just rests its head on the turtle's back, such opposites of strength in nature, yet they live together! If you turn an alligator on its back, he will go unconscious. They also adapt to whatever temperature environment surounds them.

The gopher tortoise was grumpy because he wanted to go for a walk so he was pushing over all the stuff in his pen. I think I could just sit and watch animals for a long time. He was making quite the racket during a speech!

The Eastern Indigo Snake can shoot some not so pleasant stuff a very far distance and also eats venomous snakes! Their tongues are amazing!

We saw some sort of albino fish, which was cool. Because they are all white and don't have any sort of camouflage, they get eaten rather quickly.

We also saw these turtles that slap each other around, they do have a purpose for this odd behavior. If you really want to know, I will tell you the secret behind this funky little play time.

There was a very old dogwood and we were reminded that the dogwood is the tree that the cross of Jesus was made. The Judas tree as well, always grows crooked.

We were good little students and stayed around after our tour....we just HAD to go through the butterfly exhibit. I got my card stamped and everything!

I learned today that my country, America, is named after Amerigo Vespucci. He was a map maker and everyone kept seeing his name on the bottom of maps.

In other news...you know your an El Ed major when you 1. Take pictures of all the American flags on the way home from the store. 2. Your only reason to go outside is to find a small tree for your project. 3. It's 11:00 pm and you, again, go outside to look for sticks because there has to be some sort of creative way to represent the Underground Railroad...

-Life as an Education Major.

Be Still

We have a chance of snow again here in MS. I have to say, the once nice thing about snow days in the South is that everyone has to stop. They are forced to stay home and 'do' nothing. I love how time stands still. And if you do actually get some of that beautiful snow, you can take a deep breath and say Thanks God!

Excerpts from Broken-down House by Paul David Tripp

"Sometimes, what looks like obedience on the surface may not be obedience at all....You ask your child to turn off his Gameboy and go clean his room. As he goes down the hallway he loudly and rather disrespectfully complains about your request. If obedience is a willing submission of the heart to the authorities God has placed in his life, then this child is not being obedient. No, what looks a little like external obedience is not obedience at all, but a rebellious heart bowing only reluctantly to the power of another." (bold added by me)

"But the battle is ever-present, and I am afraid that at the same moment we are nibbling at the table of the Lord, we are often stuffing ourselves at the buffet of the world. No wonder our hearts are not satisfied; we are feasting on food that has no capacity to satisfy. And no wonder we are addicted; as we feed on what cannot satisfy, we must go back again and again and again."

Source: Tripp, Paul David. Broken-down House Living Productively in a World Gone Bad. Wapwallopen, PA: Shepherd Press, 2009. 93, 95. Print.

A Year Ago Today

A year ago today, I was flying back from my Grandpa's memorial. I remember because it was the second time I had flown by myself and the Super Bowl (the one with the Saints-who Dat!) was going on. I was flying in the South so people were very excited, they even let people board at the very last minute just so they could keep up with the game!

Grandpa has been in Heaven for a whole year!! We shall have to have that bowl of ice cream when I get there!

College tends to be a roller coaster and though students are not quite living an 'adult' life per say, sometimes they are thrown into life head first, more than they expected. I have one more year left and looking back so much has happened: life, death, taxes. Well that sounds a bit dramatic but honestly, a lot has happened and yet God is there every step of the way just as He promised!



P.S. the pic was taken by Alli and her caption says it all: I know it's blurry, but it's the only picture I have of Grandpa Schreck taking pictures. The whole photographer thing apparently runs in the family - we had three guys with fancy cameras taking a billion pictures.


We love our Schreck boys!

So many books so little time

I finished reading my ten books for my topic (combination of fiction and nonfiction): Dance (I wanted to read The Day We Danced in Underpants by Sarah Wilson, but I couldn't find it. There are SO many good ones to choose from, I most certainly did not pick the best but here's what I read. If I had more time and resources I think I would've chosen differently.

Nonfiction

Dance! by Elisha Cooper (my favorite Nonfiction I read!)

Dance for Fun! by Balinda Craig-Quijada (great overview of all styles of dance, simple how-to's, and some fun trivia!)

Feel the Beat! Dancing in Music Videos by Jenai Cutcher (some interesting info about how MTV started, though today it is far from what it was)

A Young Dancer: The Life of an Ailey Student by Valerie Gladstone (has real-life pictures and I think kids would enjoy learning about an actual dance school!)

Fiction (I really enjoyed these!)

Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird (thanks mom!)

Jazzy Miz Mosetta by Brenda C. Roberts (jazz and the South at its finest! shows that young and old can dance!)

Piggies in a Polka by Kathi Appelt and Leuyen Pham (the piggies go to the "yearly hootenanny")

Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Plum Fantastic by Whoopi Goldberg (Disney and Whoopi came out with a good story, this is a series so young readers can keep going!)

Marie: An Invitation to Dance, France 1775 by Kathleen V. Kudlinski (excellent historical fiction and easy to understand, beautiful illustrations and fun story)

Elephants Cannot Dance! by Mo Willems (My favorite! You just must read about Gerald the elephant and Piggie the pig!)

Next group: Nonfiction!
We'll see how my Dance Booktalk goes...

It's great to be a kid

I just love this. Also I have babysat for a little one before who, I think, could've experienced this...

P.S. thanks for sharing this Abbie