It's Tuesday!

What's so special about Tuesday? Well, not much.  This morning as I was evaluating the day at hand, I realized that I love Tuesdays! For several reasons: It's not Monday.  It's a short(er) day at school. I haven't been going to school all week so I'm not as exhausted.  I get to teach piano.

School tends to take up a good portion of my time and makes me quite weary even just thinking about it. It's so easy for me to fall into the trap of complaining and displaying a lack of joy. That shouldn't be! I have SO much to be joyful about. The greatest thing that I can rejoice about is my salvation.  Even if I had nothing else to be joyful about (which I DO), my salvation would be enough to cause me to rejoice every waking moment.

Psalm 27:6- And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.


Today, Tuesday, is the 15th so before I ran to class this morning I sat in my car and read Proverbs 15 aloud to my friend. What a blessing!  Over and over again I read about joy in the believer's life and my heart was affected as I realized that I have not been displaying joy on purpose like I should be!

4a- A wholesome tongue is a tree of life:


13- A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.


15- All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.


23- A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!


My day hasn't been without frustrations and disappointments, but purposing to have joy has made all the difference. How can I hand someone a tract and expect them to read it if I am so consumed with my own valleys and trials? How else will they see the joy of the Lord unless they see it from ME?!

The Weekend

I'm just now getting around to writing about last weekend due to a pretty crazy week, but it was so great that I couldn't just leave it unsaid!

First, let's start with Saturday.  It was mostly sunny and just plain beautiful. I love how the Lord has been blessing us with beautiful weekends. The morning started off with outreach and I had the privilege of partnering up with one of the teen girls. I love our teens so much and I am excited to get to know them even better as we prepare to go to Mexico together at the end of the summer.

In the afternoon I played wallyball with some friends. It's been so long! First, a little background. Bro. Benjamin Hall is here from Lehigh Valley Baptist Church to do some training in our church for the month of May.  We got a group together and headed off to the gym to play a game (or four) of wallyball and I hope we haven't scared him off! :-) But it was great fun. Wouldn't you know, at the start I was the only one who knew how to play but by the end I was the only one who hadn't won a game!! Haha.....I think round two is on the way so that can change. :-)

Sunday morning arrived, and with it, the ordination of a new pastor.  BBC Oak Harbor now has the privilege of calling two men "Pastor".  The Lord has blessed us tremendously with wise leaders who take their responsibility before God seriously.  Men who consult the Word above any of man's opinions and are not afraid to stand strong for its doctrines and teachings.  I hope we'll never take it for granted!  Even though we were exhausted by the end of the day, it was SUCH a joyous time for the entire church. One of those sink-into-the-chair-with-a-huge-smile-on-your-face moments. :-D  After the afternoon service we headed to Rebecca's recital.  Video coming soon......

(Pictures by Linnea Rawls)

My Day in Pictures

All packed and ready to start the school day. Yeah....that backpack is as heavy as it looks. :-/

Practicing at school on the Fandrich. Lovely piano!

Only to come home and practice more. :-)

But I took a well needed break from sitting and did some printing. 

Parents were away so I made homemade pizza. Delish!

Currently drinking some delicious Mangosteen and Peach Tea. More peach than mangosteen...I wish I had some mangosteen right now! :-)

 More theory homework....

And I'm just having way too much fun with instagram! And I like the effect it has on this tulip picture. :-)

No More Dots and Swirlies!

A few years ago I began decorating cakes with a friend. We would do it for special occasions (if we were brave enough!) but because we hadn't taken a class we were learning things the hard way and didn't know many of the technics.  Many late nights were spent bent over a cake applying royal icing flowers or fretting over crumbs in the frosting. We were unfamiliar with how to use the tips so we were pretty limited with what designs we could do.....dots and swirlies pretty much completed our style.

I am so excited to say I've completed Course 1 in Wilton Cake Decorating! I have learned so much in this class, easier ways to do things! No more dots and swirlies for me.  Ok......yes I'll still use them, but I don't feel as limited.  I hope to take the more advanced classes at some point. I would LOVE to learn how to make all of the beautiful flowers with gum paste, fondant, and royal icing. At some point I hope to post tips and things I've learned in the class. Stay tuned!

Here was my final project....

Spring is Springing!

Yesterday morning as I walked to my class in boots and a sweater the thought never occurred to me that by the time I was finished with my class the sun would be shining brilliantly and that flipflops would have been more appropriate.  It was a perfect gift from God to finish out a busy week.  I was even more grateful because a friend and myself had planned to see the tulips and the sunshine was perfect!  I never cease to be amazed at how God reveals himself through His creation, these beautiful detailed flowers. Their splendid color and beauty never fails to make me smile.

Today, another beautiful day! started off with outreach. It's always encouraging when you get a good amount of people that not only answer their doors but seem interested in what you have to say! I'll be looking for a few of them at services tomorrow. :-)

One of my favorite things to do at the beginning of spring is to plant pots for the porch.  They always seem so bare and basic but after a few weeks the flowers are spilling over the rims! Right now as I sit watching the neighbor's horses prance around in the field by our house, as I smell the fresh cut grass and hear the birds singing, I am reminded why I LOVE Whidbey Island. Yes, we get a lot of rain and clouds. So many people don't like to live here because of that. But if it weren't for the rain and clouds we would not have this lush green grass! The Lord works in our lives the same way.  God uses the rain and storms in our lives to produce such beautiful results that we could never accomplish had we not experienced the hardships. Bring on the rain! :-)

Pictures from Concert

My friend, Hannah, and myself performing our duet at the Emerging Artist Concert in La Conner.

With our teacher, Marilyn Brossard.

All the performers! (Haha....the angle makes me look SO short!)

Usta!

Story time....

Late this morning I returned from school in time for lunch while everyone else was down at the church doing annual testing. Little Chester was in his kennel since everyone was gone so I brought him out to snuggle while I studied. As I looked down I saw a poor, sad swollen face. And I do mean SWOLLEN! It kind of scared me and the poor guy looked miserable. He was constantly scratching his face on the carpet or with his paw. So, I immediately took him to the vet! I thought it might be allergies but you never know how it will affect breathing etc. Immediately the vet verified that it was an allergic reaction to.......get this.....a bee sting from inside the mouth.  That means that Chester got a hankering for a bee snack and it came back to bite him!  One eye was bigger than the other and almost swollen shut, but after a few shots he was all set to go! I thought of this "silly song" and how Larry's friend Oscar was "stung by a bee right on the lips!" So now...Chester's nickname is Usta. :-)