GEEKING!!!!

So across states (I don't know how widespread this promotion is), libraries have been asking "What do you geek?". I geek a LOT of things. As you might guess... music is one of them.  P.S.: I color coded for easier following along. Good luck!

As I Skype IM'd my dad, he told me that Peter Furler and Phil Joel would be at Lifelight. If this means nothing to you, allow me to explain. Peter Furler and Phil Joel previously belonged to the group: Newsboys. This band is arguably the greatest 90's boy band in CCM (Contemporary Christian Music). As a 90's child, my parents raised me on their soft rock, positive messages. Lifelight is a Christian music festival during Labor Day weekend near Sioux Falls, SD. I've gone to it at least 5 times, I do believe. I have so many great memories.

Well, now that you know... who wants to go?!? THIS GIRL!

P.S.: Check out the Main Stage Schedule!!

Have fun geeking!

Powerful.

This past week I read through John 17-19 for small group. What I didn't realize was I was about to read about the crucifixion. What amazed me was the way this story affected me; I had heard it so many times before. I had occasionally heard the song "Why" by Nichole Nordeman and this time, I read while I listened. I teared up thinking of the horrors Christ went through for my sins, my wrongs, my terribleness, my awfulness.

This past weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a retreat in Des Moines!! (A HUGE thanks goes out to my parents for being the greatest! Love you!) The theme: Bride of Christ focused not only on relationships between men and women, but our place in the church. I learned so much! I would love to tell you everything I soaked up, but I'll save you three days of reading. How about a taste of a couple stand-out points?

Being a Biblical woman submits to male leadership. In a world trying to gain equality for women in every aspect, I learned that submission shouldn't have a negative connotation. Allowing men to lead even glorifies God! What a simple way to please our Lord!

Also, the speakers, Paul Sabino,  Jeff Dodge, and Bob Thune each had challenging, yet encouraging messages. Today, Troy Nesbitt totally ruined just the happy vibe and humbled me with: Does God care about and love us? Yes. Does God love the church, His bride, more than lowly me? Absolutely. Adding to that, we pray for His will be done in our own life. This limits our all-powerful Lord. God does not think that small. Yeah, He keeps His eyes on the sparrow and He's watching over me, but what am I doing to further His bride? The church isn't just the bride, but the body of Christ. We are recognized and seen by our bodies; God is no different. He must be seen through His body. (Next part from Bob Thune) Without our community, the body of Christ, we are simply a severed body part, lying lifeless on the floor. (This isn't the Addams family, it's God's!)
I can tell when I haven't been to church in a while, I don't meet with God as much, and I miss the fellowship with my friends! Some weekends, I wouldn't "feel" like going to church, or something was "more pressing". I could tell! I needed that community of believers encouraging me and helping the Lord form me into the perfect being I can only be through Him.

Also, have I told you what I'm giving up for Lent?? Negativity. Yep. That's the term I'm giving it. Every time I say or think something negative or rude or just plain mean, I have to say or think something positive to counteract it. I told lots of my friends to help me stick with it and call me out. It really challenges me! I realized I can be so mean and not using my words to build others up. I want to change this. Changing thoughts takes practice, but I know it will help me better myself and the ways God can use me in His church to further His will. (Also, I gave up biting my nails. I'm not doing super, but better!) God's always shaping me, I just pray to remain soft and mold-able. :)

Praying for each of you!

Favorite Things!

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Two.

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Six.

1. MUSIC: I love Jason Gray! Not only is he a great guy, but his music totally jams! Overall, his tunes are pretty chill while still praising God. Some of my fave songs of his include: "Blessed Be", "Grace", and "Move". And you can find most, if not all, of these on Grooveshark! :) I love listening to him while I read.

2. NEW BOARD GAME: Last Word! Played this at a New Years' Eve party and loved it! I'm a word person, so I thought it was a lot of fun! (It probably didn't hurt that I won...) :) Basically, you draw a category and a letter, and then push the button on a timer-ish thing. (really specific, I know) Everybody gets to now yell out whatever they can think of that starts with that letter in the category. The timer goes off randomly, and whoever said the last item that qualifies, wins that category and moves up a space on the board. Whoever reaches the end first, wins! Yay!

3. VIDEO GAME CONSOLE: I love the Wii. We don't have one in our household, but I love playing at friends' houses. "Now, Emily," you might say, "isn't that kind of anti-social? Or maybe even rude??" I understand where you're coming from! But if you play the right group games, every one can have a blast dancing or playing away!

4. WII GAME: Now that we've discussed the Wii, I'd like to introduce you to a fun game! I admit my Gleek -ness. (Gleek= Glee geek; lover of the show Glee) I love music; I love singing. I HATE true karaoke... It's just not my thing. Singing all alone with just bare accompaniment and without loads of preparation in front of lots of strangers? I'll pass. But... singing just in front of friends with your friends from McKinley High that you enjoy looking up on Youtube and singing on the radio (and in the shower)?? Sure!!! My friends and I had so much fun! P.S.: I totally own "Taking Chances". I doubt you could beat me, but I'd agree you might have a chance at tying. :)

5. NEW BOOK: Longing by Karen Kingsbury!!!!! I was sooooooo excited to get this!! A. I love Karen Kingsbury! B. I love the Bailey Flanigan series because she's only a couple years older than I am. C. Bailey Flanigan was inspired by Mrs. Kingbury's own daughter Kelsey. So cool!! D. I enjoy reading books that others read too. I love sharing about what I love in a book without spoiling it! If you have never read a Karen Kingsbury novel, I totally suggest you start with the Redemption series. It sparks so many of her series! Happy reading! :)

6. FORM OF COMMUNICATION: I <3 Skype. I recently had a super long conversation with a best friend from another state for free. I love those words, too. I can even call from my laptop in my room to the home computer in the office if I need my mom or sister (who both use the home computer the most out of the four of us here). 

This is just a fun sharing of things I've been up to within the past week!


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Back Home!

Well, I'm now back in my dorm after a long week at home. This post comes late, due to the nagging of papers and tests to prepare for. I enjoyed my week with family, but my friends and I have so much fun together! This weekend is WinterFest! I really hope it lives up to the hype my friends and I have added. :) Carriage rides, touring the Campanile, hot chocolate at the Knoll (president's house), free ice skating! AHH! I'm almost ready to burst from excitement!! This night will hopefully be filled with Christmas-y magic! It's my favorite season! I can now listen to Christmas music unashamed and, not to worry, have been doing just that. Enjoy your weekend and do something productive. And then, do something that you'll never forget! Hugs!

P.S.: It snowed yesterday!! Hooray for December 1st!! What perfect timing! :)

Thankful fors:

Over my break, I have been super busy! I worked three days at an elementary school subbing for a TA that works one-on-one with a special education boy. Mostly, he's not handicapped, he just doesn't always know how to deal with his emotions correctly and gets easily frustrated. But he is a great kid. One of his assignments the rest of his kindergarten class was doing included writing "Thankful Fors". Each day for the past week or so, they would come up with something they were thankful for and write it down to put in an envelope to show their parents. So....... here's my list! (I'll limit it to seven things, so you aren't reading forever!)

1. I can't even tell you how thankful I am to have a God that forgives and gives. He does so much for everyone, I don't even know! How neat is that?
2. I may be biased, but I'm pretty sure I have the best family! We're all pretty close, even though there's a lot of us on both sides! I'm so blessed to have each and everyone of them!!
3. I gotta say, I love my floor at college! We're pretty awesome. 'Nuff said. :)
4. My friends are the best! They always have my back, and I would do the same for them. Love my guys and gals!
5. Music. I could not live without it. I'm so glad there's so many great options!
6. Books! (especially Karen Kingsbury ones!!
7. I love my home. It's a great, loving place to come home to after a long time at college. My comfortable big bed and homemade food... I couldn't ask for anything better!

Hope you can make a longer list than I for all the great things God has blessed you with! xoxo

"Because I knew you, I have been changed for good"

If I have ever influenced your music listening choice, most of you should recognize the title as part of the lyrics to the song, "For Good" from the musical Wicked. Here's how this post came to be.

Yesterday, I had the joy of experiencing the Iowa Straw Poll at Iowa State University. As I had attended a youth group overnighter the previous night, I slept. :) To put me to sleep, I have a "Naptime" playlist on my iPod. On this playlist is all sorts of slow songs I have fallen asleep to previously, including "For Good". Listening to those lyrics, I have realized that my friends, family, acquaintances that have jaded me or lifted me up, have all touched my life as Glinda describes Elphaba had done for her. (Yep, now you have to listen or read the lyrics) As I listened tears of joy came to my eyes as I realized just what a certain family had taught me: you can't be besties with everyone, don't reveal secrets because they aren't yours to tell, always hug your siblings and sometimes, people from other families can become a part of your family to fill an empty role. (this isn't to say the role is not fill-able by the original 'owner', so to speak, but sometimes, it's good to have someone in that position) Though I will leave for college this week, those lessons I learned over the years, and so many more will come with me, shaping who I am, like a hand print on my heart. Who shaped you? Does that person know? Was it for the better or worse? As you truly listen to the lyrics, I hope they touch you! Fun music fact: Stephan Schwartz wrote the music for Wicked, as well as contributed or wrote Godspell, Pippen, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The Prince of Egypt, and many others. Isn't he amazing? What talent! :)

Another fun thing from the weekend:
Since I will be attending college at Iowa State, my parents decided that we should all go see my room. Unfortunately, I can't see my actual room until I move in, but my CA (in ISU terms, in 'typical college terms': RA. Iowa State thinks they're soo cool!) said that a guy moving in today probably wouldn't mind if we looked out his window. After seeing that view, I'm fairly certain my dorm will acquire the nickname "The Penthouse". WOW! SO BEAUTIFUL! (yes, I'm yelling in my mind) There are trees of green, red roses too, and I also see skies of blue, and clouds of white, bright, blessed days, and dark, sacred nights. What a wonderful campus! :) Plus, the guy I talked to was really nice; he's from North Carolina. To me, that translated to a 21 hour drive! (not automatically translated, but "Hoky Smokes, Bullwinkle!") I feel really bad for him because he probably won't be able to go home for Thanksgiving! :( I am glad that I met someone on my floor already!

Wow, maybe some consistency?!?!

So two Saturdays in a row?? Miracles still happen! :P Thanksgiving was fabulous! Black Friday, not so much due to the almost 11.5 hours put in at work. I'm going to New York for 5 days over Christmas break, so there goes all of my hard-earned money. It's going to be fabulous though! I AM SOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I kinda like this holiday. Just a little bit. I love to sing Christmas carols; I begin in late October and keep going until about mid-January!! I guess I'm like Walmart in a sense! :) There's a chance I may begin a second job sometime soon. Right now I'm simply contemplating applying, but we'll see…

Over the past couple days, my sister and I downloaded most of our CDs onto our iTunes accounts, and I'm loving it!! I love old school stuff like records, but I also enjoy having all of my favorite music in the palm of my hand. (Which, conveniently, is where I'm writing my post: on my bed, on my iPod) That's my technology sales pitch for this post… ;)

Over the past week, my school has let out twice for freezing rain!! Wednesday, I got to Skype my brother for almost an hour. My family took over after that, but it was awesome to see and talk to him about all sorts of things!

Oh, poop. Try, try again, right?

So it's been a month. Okay, a little over. My bad! (see title) Well, first quarter is over, and so is All State. I didn't make it, but I'm okay! I was bummed, but I'm okay now! Yesterday, in fact, I sang the national anthem at the regional volleyball game!

Now I can focus on the musical The Secret Garden. I am the Ayah, Mary's Indian nanny. Technically, I'm dead, but I come back as a ghost and creep on Mary with my cohort, Fakir. It's a little weird, but cool at the same time. I recommend it and not just because I'm in it. I also recommend the book by Frances Hodges Burnett and movie!

School is going well! Composition is gonna kick my butt, though, if I don't get mine into gear! (That class is ironically the class I'm procrastinating right now.) If you would like to buy traditional, turtle, or pumpkin cheesecake, please let me know! (please insert nice wish here for 11:11!) Tomorrow is a 12:30 out for teacher inservice and next week Friday is no school!! Thank goodness! It's about time!! :)

The college search is still on! I have it limited to ISU and UNL. Maybe this is mean, but whatev, I'm going to say it: although I don't really want to see a bunch of kids from my school at my college, either one is a great school! I do need to finish my applications and send them in soon, though!

Thanks for reading through my random, kinda lame life! Until I remember (procrastinate) again!

So much music!

So this past week or so has been one of the best in my life! I had the performances for "A Midsummer Night's Dream". They went wonderfully! Thank you to those who were able to attend! :) Also, last Friday and Saturday, I was able to attend a family reunion for my Grandpa and his cousins. It was a lot of fun to be able to talk to the different family members from all over! Then, after the Sunday matinee, I quickly left for pre All State choir camp. I was able to see most of my friends from a different town!! Camp is crazy fun. Monday night I watched 'Iron Man' with some of the girls, and Tuesday was the dance. The dance ended up kinda lame. The songs were dumb, and many of the guys acted like they were in middle school: lame! Whatever! The concert went really well, and I can't believe that I'm already beginning my senior year! Band Camp was the day after All State camp, and that was so much fun! I love band. :) We are playing Billy Joel music this year, and it's really starting to come together! My voice sounds slightly terrible, but it will get better soon; I'm not worried. :) Today, I am able to go to my cousin's wedding. Congratulations to Vern and Natasha!

Queen

When I get on the computer, if it's quiet in the house, I go to youtube. I look up whatever I'm feeling and currently, Queen is blasting through my speakers. I love them! This may sound like a commercial, but their classic rock sound will never die. Guitar riffs, timeless lyrics, and just plain epic-ness will continue to live on through the generations. It may just be one regret in my life that I never got to see Queen perform live. As I am typing this now, a 'song' came on and the title is simply "Guitar Solo (Live at the Bowl)". And that's exactly what it is: awesome! If I could play the guitar half as good as these guys, my life would be pretty much complete. THANK YOU NEW YORK CITY!!!