WARNING: POINTLESS RAMBLING WILL OCCUR.
 I don't really have a lot to blog about today but I want to write so here I am, sitting at the computer with blogger pulled up and listening to Hillsong United. I wasn't really into Christian music for a long time and I'm still not to some extent. Some of the stuff kind of bothers me. It paints a picture of life after you meet Christ as a perfect and easy escalator ride to Heaven when, in fact, it is often the opposite. Life is hard, especially for Christians. The world doesn't like it when anyone goes against the norm and living like Christ is definitely not normal. He was born in the same room where animals poop, called out the religious leaders of the time before he made it to his 30th birthday, and didn't protest when he was beat up, spit on, insulted, tortured, and ultimately killed. He was about as far from 'normal' as you can get. I was going somewhere with this...oh yeah! Christian music! I like Hillsong because they don't make this life out to be something it's not. They don't focus on the negative either. Their songs are all humble praise to God. Some other Christians bands/singers that I like are Francesca Battistelli, The David Crowder Band, Chris Tomlin, Chris August, and Kutless. I'm sure there are tons of others that I just can't think of right now. 

Now I'm listening to 7X70  by Chris August. The song is really speaking to me about forgiveness and and loving like Christ. It's so real and easy to relate to, I just love it. If you haven't heard I highly recommend it.

I am...
Reading: The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Excited for: My mom to come home from Chicago. Her plane gets here in about 5 minutes!
Ready for: School to be over.
Excited and ready for: HOLLYMONT!!! It's the camp I am CITing at this summer! I found out yesterday that two of my favorite people ever are the CIT leaders so I'm even more pumped now!
Doing this weekend: Going to a team building day for the mission trip I'm going on next month and working at Dog Trials. "What is Dog Trials?" you ask. Well, basically we go sit in the woods and shoot dead ducks out of slingshots for laboradores to come find as fast as they can. It doesn't sound like that much fun, but when you've got good people with you it is.

...Got a couple rips in my jeans...

You know what I don't get? Why everyone harps so much on what people are wearing or what they look like. I just came across this page on Yahoo as I was looking through the news that was basically just bashing different looks celebrities have had (see the page here). We really have no right to complain about what they wear. We criticize if they are too "normal" and then we criticize when they are too outlandish. Why don't we all just make a pact to give these people (and each other a break)?! Each and every person on this Earth has been fearfully and wonderfully made, so why does it matter whether they want to dress like a cowboy straight out of 1872 or a punk rocker from New York? So go ahead, don't match your clothes, don't straighten your hair, don't cover your face in make up. You are, as Francesca Battistelli put it, free to be you!


[Steps off of soap box] In other news, I've got something I've been working on for a couple of days now that I'm really excited about so when I get it finished I'll be sure to post it.


Listening to: Beautiful Beautiful by Francesca Battistelli
Looking at: My dog. She is absolutely adorable right now! I think she's a little mad at me, though, because I have the light on to type and she wants to go to bed.
Thinking about: How incredible and terribly wrong it is that Jesus would die for a sinner like me. Another post on that will come though.
Attempting to: Empty my mind of anything that isn't of the Lord. I over-analyze EVERYTHING and since I'm so busy filling my thoughts up with random crap, I can't really focus on God like I should.
Wondering: Why we were out of school today when we don't get out for other religions' holidays. Again, there will probably be a post on this.
Wondering, Part 2: How I can be a better daughter, not only to my parents, but also to my Heavenly Father.


Since I don't want this post to be over yet, I'll give you a recap of some random things that have happened.

My youth group had movie night last week and the senior high watched The Passion of the Christ. Even if you disagree with it, I really encourage you to go watch it if you haven't already. I was wary of it because of several things I had been told about it, but it opened my eyes up more than I could ever have imagined. It's been in my head literally all week. Also, one day this week I started writing the first thing that I would consider any attempt at "creativity" I've made in a long time. It's been really really difficult, but in the way that makes me hunger for more. I want to get it finished but at the same time I don't want it to be over because I'm not sure when I'll find something like that again. I guess that's just my insecurities talking haha. Well I'll stop boring you now. I love you and Jesus loves you more. His blood poured out for that love a couple thousand years ago and continues to cover us daily. Goodnight friends.