What I Love

Bibles. I love Bibles. I've owned a Bible since I was born. But I didn't really start digging deeper into them until this year. Being a preacher's daughter, I know that we have Bibles spread throughout the whole house. My last Bible that I used for about four years was one that my dad found on a shelf in his office and just gave to me. I wanted a Bible that I could pick out. So I went to Family Christian Bookstore today and picked one out. I'm so excited! It's an NLT study Bible with a black leather covering. I got my name personalized on it too. I've never been so happy to get a Bible!

This is what it looks like (I had to blur out my last name):

I then discovered that I have more Bibles than I thought...

Busy busy busy

So I haven't posted in quite awhile. I'd like to be able to but I'm on vacation right now. Actually, I may be able to post an entry on my trip once I get back. But I'm then going to church camp and a choir tour. I hope to be able to post on how those trips went too!

This picture is a hint of where I am. Think you know where this is? Comment and let me know!

Low Expectations, and acting opportunities!

So, last night was interesting. I went to Chili's after a bible study at my church and several people from my youth group and the bible study went along with. I had heard a guy from my group say, and I quote, "Dude I hope Garrett's there tonight! I love that guy!" So I was expecting this really cool, laid back waitor. NO. He was extremely rude and talked about, well...innapropriate things involving the opposite gender. First, a few tables over, some people left a tract (a small Christian booklet about the religion, etc.) He brings it to our table and says "I hate those church folk! They're so stupid and ignorant!" And he said some other things that I refuse to repeat. But oh, that's not all.

After that, he then tells us about this scale he rates girls on for how "hot" they are. He rated me, TO MY FACE, and rated me pretty low. It actually really hurt me, until I realized something-this guy doesn't have God, he's only looking for one thing out of a girl, and he doesn't care about anyone but himself! So I didn't really care later on (he probably only rated me low because he realized that, um..well...I won't give him the one thing he wants from a girl). So this is why I've finally decided to read Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris. I'm sick of teenagers having such low expectations on well, EVERYTHING! So I'm going to read this book, even if it kills me!

Also, I know I'm ranting, but oh well. I met a couple at my church who helps run this small acting group of girls around my age who want me to be in the group!!!!!! *takes deep breath* So I'm getting a private audition! It's pretty much like real life theatre. I receive a script, learn the entire thing myself, then come back for one final rehearsal and perform. I'm so excited! I was also told these are all Christian girls, but I could be wrong. Anyway, wish me luck!!

What's Your True North?

I was searching the library franticly for a good book to read when I came across the book North Of Beautiful. It looked interesting, so I read it. We had a few rainy days this week, which were perfect settings for days of reading. As I opened the book, I noticed something. Justina Chen Headley, the author, talks very intricately. That may not be the best way to describe it. Well, I guess I simply mean that she used big words. But I still enjoyed the book.

Terra Rose Cooper was gorgeous. She had perfect blond hair, and has an almost perfect body. But on her right cheek, there is a flaw-a noticable flaw. She has a large port wine stain that she was born with. Basically, that means she has a pinkish-red mark covering her cheek. She has been labeled as a freak because of one flaw that she cannot change. I don't understand why people can look at outer beauty, rather than inner. I guess this is really what the book is about. Her father and mother have problems, as well. Her father verbally attacks her mother and yells at her frequently, so her home life is no better than her school life. Her mother, who is obese, turns to food to escape from her husband's frequent attacks.

But Terra is a little different than her family. She is very artistic and wants to go to East Coast College to achieve dreams of becoming an artist one day. But her father doesn't want her going there, so she "never gets an acceptance letter"...or so she's told. After a terrible car accident, Terra meets a boy-this is the part of every story that I love! :). Anyway, they have something in common: they both know what it's like to feel different. She goes on a trip with her new friend, Jacob, to Shanghai. They go to visit his older brother. On the trip, they discover a beauty that cannot be seen from the outside. They discover their true beauty.

I enjoyed the book, because I felt as if I was on a journey with Terra. She describes her plan for life-her true north:

"Finish high school in three years, escape to a college far, far away. Graduate in record time, and land a lucrative job where I'd make so much money no one could tell me what to do, where to go."

And then I thought about my true north. My plan for life is to gradaute high school with a 3.0 or higher GPA, go to college, and move to Orlando to either have an acting job at Disney World or The Holy Land (a reinactment of the true Holy Land that Jesus once walked).

What's your true north? Leave a comment and let me know (I want some way of knowing whether or not people are actually reading this).

I've Decided to Learn Guitar

That's right. I've had an acoustic guitar for years but never actually tried to learn. Well, I did...once. But now I've decided that I'm going to take guitar lessons and see how it goes. I'd like to learn how to play pretty much anything, so we'll see how this goes. Wish me luck!

Go Hawks!

So..today has been crazy! I went to the Blackhawks Parade, which was a huge adventure. First, I woke up at 6:30 to catch the train at 8:20. But..there was a long line for the train so we missed the first one. When we finally got downtown, it was packed! I was with about 8 or 9 other girls and in order to stay together, we literally had to hold onto each other. We got kicked out of a lot of different places we tried going to see the parade. We were running all over the place and pushing through hundreds of people, just to see the parade.

Well, we finally saw it. It was so worth it! Then there was a rally for the Stanley Cup and it was even more packed! People were throwing beer everywhere, which I was not a huge fan of. It was crazy and we walked at least 5 miles downtown Chicago. My feet hurt now :/

Oh but that's not even the whole story. After that, we went to Union Station..and that's where the fun really begins. We thought it was hot outside...and then we went to Union Station. No air conditioning+thousands of people=mass chaos. And we found out that everyone in the building were all going on the same train we were so as soon as it got there, it was every man for himself until we got into the train. The 2:30 was packed by 1:50 and had to leave early. We found out that at least 2 million people ended up going downtown to the parade today!!

Anyway, I'm home now and everything is calm so I'm happy. I'm gonna get my horse blanket and cuddle up with a my new book North of Beautiful in my big comfy blue chair. Life is good :)

Who needs regular school when you can go to a school for spies?

So my friend Maggie told me that she read this amazing book and always talks about it so I thought I'd give it a shot. Cammie, a member of a legacy that has traveled the world-and not just for fun. Her family is a family of spies. She is a member of the Gallagher legacy-one with generations of spies. The Gallagher Academy is a school that on the outside, looks like an ordinary boarding school for snobby rich girls. But on the inside, is filled with secrets and elite spy training for the smartest girls out there.

On her first training mission, Cammie meets a boy that she instantly falls for, named Josh. She wants to date him and fall in love with him, but there's just one problem...she's not allowed to. So she makes a fake identity and sneaks out whenever possible. In the book, I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You, by Ally Carter, a young girl is being trained to be a spy and handle every situation she is faced with, except for one-love. No, she isn't taught a thing about guys or love. Why would she need to know that stuff? She goes to an all-girls school. But when Cammie meets Josh, she almost immediately falls for him. But what does she do? Will she continue to learn about the world of love and dating, or choose her school life?

I really enjoyed the book, not only because I'm a romantic, but also because I simply couldn't put the book down! It's now on my favorites list because I absolutely loved it! Very rarely do I find a book that I would read more than once, but this one just happens to be one of those. I would highly recommend that any girl who reads would read this book!