thinking (inspired by shai... bua haha)

So this is a little post just to say

I think the best when I try to arrange

words invisible on a silly webpage

Many of you may get the brunt of it

I'm not really sorry you have to put up with it :)

I could just think inside my head and say nary a word

but if i did that then my voice would never be heard.

so thank you, dear friends, for listening still,

to my ridiculousness as i think with my *cough* quill

Driving

Last night I had the privilege of driving about twenty minutes away from my "house" to pick up some neat young people, and on the way back I realized how much I really missed driving. Not the whole city-driving, with all the traffic lights, building lights, and house lights, but driving over 75mph through the desert in the dark with stars exploding around me. Well, maybe not even that, but just driving long distances to drive, usually with a far-off destination. For example, driving for at least forty minutes to get to chuch... I miss that. I miss the time God gave me to reflect before church while careening down the road at 75 miles per hour (or 30something in the snow)... Sometimes I'd go the whole way without music, just praying or making up my own songs, and who cares really, because out west everyone's nuts, so why not??

Anyways, I miss that. I miss being ABLE to drive forever to get somewhere. I miss the lack of civilization and the dust and the smell of sage. I totally miss my crazy students. But I know one thing.... I would never trade where I am right now to go back to Sanders unless He could use me more there than He can here. Maybe someday, who knows. But for now, I am here. I am in Grand Rapids, a city far from the desert and the stars, but surrounded by people that love me. Surrounded, also, by new experiences and new opportunities and new friends. Reminded daily how much I have been blessed, as I remember the Rez and its poverty and big-hearted Navajo children. I am where I am because the one who said "I, even I" has led me here.

i can only follow, as much as he fills my lungs with the right amount of oxygen and pushes my muscles together and apart to move me where He can use me.


So whether I am driving in the city or in the dark skydome of the night, I know that He has been my guide and my pillar of light and strength, and whom shall I fear? Hope, my soul, in God!

What (in case you were curious)

this year i:
moved back to Grand Rapids, MI.
am living in my old bedroom.
plan on subbing this fall around Michigan.
am planning on traveling a bit to see babies and old friends and research life.
am taking online graduate classes to earn my Master's degree - deciding between elementary and secondary... (thoughts??!)
hope to start up the Tabitha Club - in actuality. not just as a facebook group!!!
have been learning a TON from the Word and from his servants.
have made so many new friends, and been able to stay in touch with some old friends, that it's been a blessing! :)

Pentateuch - beeves and unknown women

I am listening to /reading the Olde Testament, because I finally found an mp3 copy!!

So I may be posting some observations on here... such as the following:

(Numbers 31) 17: Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. (¹⁸⁾But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. ...
And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves*(apparently BEEVES is plural of beef), of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD. ♥ kjv lols ♥ ³¹And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.
³²And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep, ³³And threescore and twelve thousand beeves, ³⁴And threescore and one thousand asses, ³⁵And thirty and two thousand persons in all, of women that had not known man by lying with him.

how... interesting

1. What color is your toothbrush? clear, green, and yellow

2. Name one person who made you smile today: Vincent, just now. he brought me a beetle with a fluffy butt.

3. What were you doing at 8 this morning? thinking about waking up.

4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago? playing Scrabble with Vince and Quentin

5. What is your favorite candy bar? the giant KitKats or Take5 or Twix

6. Have you ever been to a strip club? no

7. What is the last thing you said aloud? i think it's a plant beetle...

8. What is your favorite ice cream? Moosetracks or Mac. Island Fudge

9. What was the last thing you had to drink? water, and before that, Barqs from the gas station.

10. Do you like your wallet? yes, it's from the Ecuadorians at the flea market <3

11. What was the last thing you ate? kit-kat.

12. Have you bought any new clothing items this week? no, but last week - yes...

13. The last sporting event you watched? i saw pictures of someone golfing...

14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? kettle korn, if necessary..

15. Who is the last person you sent a text message to? joey

16. Ever go camping? yes

17. Do you take vitamins daily? almost daily. Sometimes I get busy and forget.

18. Do you go to church every Sunday? yes, Lord willing :)

19. Do you have a tan? yes, but it is fading, since the michigan summer here is not very sunny of late.

20. Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza? depends on the place...

21. Do you drink soda with a straw? at restaurants, yes... in bottles, no.

22. What did your last text message say? something like "you too.." haha.

23. What are you doing tomorrow? night-fishing, maybe sewing and finding a pattern for some squares

25. Look to your left, what do you see? the wall! and pictures of Tony, Joey, and I.

26. What color is your watch? my wrist! i don't wear a watch.

27. What do you think of when you hear “Australia?" Hugh Jackman!! really cute Maori kids!!

29. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? usually go in to get it to go... :-p

30. What is your favorite number? 17 (because that's my birthday, and i've met a lot of good people that have their birthday on the 17th of some month or another.)

31. Who's the last person you talked to on the phone? my mum

32. Any plans today? go to bed!

33. How many states have you lived in? 3 - North Dakota, Michigan*, Arizona *current :)

34. Biggest annoyance right now? my neck/head.

35. Last song you listened to? Bach - Praeludium

36. Can you say the alphabet backwards? yes, and quickly :)

37. Do you have a maid service clean your house? No... that's silly.

38. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? my feet. or flip flops.

39. Are you jealous of anyone? not really....

40. Is anyone jealous of you? i hope not. let's be friends instead!

41. Do you love anyone? oh yes.

42. Do any of your friends have children? most of them.

43. What do you usually do during the day? craft, read, study, music, think

44. Do you hate anyone that you know right now? no.

45. Do you use the word 'hello' daily? No. I say "hullo"

46. Would you ever get back with an ex? I don't really have any...

48. Are you thinking about someone right now? yes :-D

49. Have you ever been to Six Flags? Yes - Chicago?

50. How did you get your worst scar? walking up a ramp for wheelchairs in flipflops after it was raining.


The end.

healthy snacks (as recommended by Denise Austin)

Best Bets for Healthy Snacking

What's your "hungry" time of day? Does your stomach rumble midmorning? Are you starving by dinnertime? Smart snacking is a great way to control your hunger and keep your diet on track. I've put together a list of easy-to-prepare, tasty treats for you to safely snack on when the urge strikes!

Snacking is not a dirty word for dieters if you're careful about what you reach for! I can think of loads of nutritious, low-calorie foods that can help you feel full and boost your energy without ruining your day. Stick to a sensible serving size and you're good to go! Here are some ideas to get you snacking healthfully!

• Cut up veggies with hummus
• Sliced fruit with nonfat Greek yogurt
• A few almonds or walnuts
• Low-fat cottage cheese
• Air-popped popcorn
• Hard-boiled eggs
• String cheese
• Baked tortilla chips with salsa
• Homemade smoothies or fruit shakes

fireworks are noisy! and fun!

It is July 4th. I am still looking for a school (preferably) to hire me for the fall. However, I am not sure where that school is. May hap it is out west, or maybe it is next door (well, down the roads from here).

Here's to staving off the rain.

a year ago I was in Medora. Hello, Medora! Hope to see you soon! :-D
~Amanda

tag time!

My new source of mischief and inspiration. pictures to come (of my own adventures :) )

You are totally welcome to come along and erm, join me. :)

tag time!

My new source of mischief and inspiration. pictures to come (of my own adventures :) )

You are totally welcome to come along and erm, join me. :)

Do I offend you?

Bits and pieces from today (West Cannon Baptist Church, Belmont, MI. Pastor Doug Crawford, and Derek Anderson).

*Jn 6:60-71*
This is the passage directly following the "Bread of life" discussion.

Apparently there is a statement out there that "Doctrine divides, but love unifies." This is slightly ridiculous, especially if you consider that "Jesus is the EPITOME of love."

Jesus does not say (to the disciples that have left him, and to those that remained- because of a "hard saying"/revelation of who Jesus is and what he actually was teaching) "Let's find peace somewhere because I love you;" rather, He asks the leftover disciples - here called "The 12," receiving that identity... - "will you also leave me, now that you know what I teach?"

Check out "If you abide / CONTINUE in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed."
Also consider those seed-on-rock believers, that had real joy... We all know of that one person (or more!) who was "saved" and experienced a real life change, and then somehow POOF just stopped coming to church, stopped attending Bible study, stopped showing up anywhere that fellowship could take place.
Part of that happening may well be from the not abiding, not continuing in the word! It is only by God's grace that any of us are continuing at all!

My Bible teacher back in the day when I went to high school stated once that it takes less than seven days of not being in the word for a person to be totally walking the wrong direction. :( Sad though it is, this is the truth. Hence the importance of not only reading "Christian books," but abiding in the words Christ is teaching, if one is truly a disciple.

Also, here are some "Distinguishing Marks" of that disciple:
-has FAITH in Jesus *needs works to be happening alongside, as the screen door on a submarine song states, "It just ain't happening..." See also James 2:19-20
-is following (progressive) Jesus. Note: not perfectly, but continuously. *facts are not equal to salvation
-persevering in faith until the end (Heb. 3:12-14)
-Take heed *lest unbelief!
-Exhort one another daily *lest... hardened through the deceitfulness of sin! (like my Bible teacher was saying... it doesn't take long! This is also referring to the essentialness of the Body. (Consider how you may spur one another...)

"Right doctrine is not only important in following Jesus, but it is essential"


...and tying nicely with all of the above was Derek's discussion on the gospel. He got us thinking about what the gospel is - besides being "the Good News." It was a very whirlwind journey-look at the "good news of what God has accomplished through the person and work of Jesus Christ," with various tidbits of Scripture for supportation. (which is not a word, but it is now!)
Thinking about things of the kingdom is very mind-boggling at times; take for example the few seconds a month our brain can handle considering eternity - less than that, sometimes!

So when you try to think about something as "Simple" - though we throw that word out there - as the Gospel, it can be quite painful (at least to us non-Calculus-comprehending types!) Take for instance, Jesus. He really is "more than a carpenter." He is the light of the world, the creator, the king, God-in-flesh, man-that-never-sinner, our priest, a teacher, and the fulfullment of multitudinous prophesies. He is also much more than that - he is our Meshiach, our redeemer, the one who can heal, the restorer of relationships, and the only one who can "truly" understand us from the inside out.

And that is only describing a very small big of the very large definition of this God-man who took our place...

you can also attempt to consider the work he accomplished while on earth -
his teachings, establishing the kingdom, living perfectly, miracles and signs, and kicking death in the butt.

So put the teachings of those two men of God together, and really, they relate quite a bit.


Who is this Jesus, that He would offend his own followers to the point of a "split?"
And why might his teachings offend those people enough for John to write, "His doctrine led many to abandon Him?"

We serve not only a "loving" God, but an exacting, precise, and jealous God. He does not want to "unify the world" in peace and harmony. That would be, well. terrible and contrary to His character. I want to say, with Paul, They glorified God in me! (see Galatians)... this can only happen when I am "continuing in His word!"