Julie & Julia

So, tonight (seeing as it is just the two of us at home) me and mom watched the movie 'Julie and Julia' for the first time. I loved it.

I got so into the movie, that I forgot that my extra-large pack of sour rainbow strips wasn't 'Beef Bourguignon' or even, 'Chocolate Raspberry Ruffle Souffle'. Note to self: Never EVER do that again. I (woe is me) ended up eating the WHOLE package of extra large sour rainbow strips,as if I were eating the food straight out of the movie. And, as expected, the after effect (as if) wasn't pleasant. As if, as if, as if. Hmph.
Have you ever felt like a total glutton? Well, while I was groaning on the living room floor, at the zenith of self pity, I decided, to ease my conscience, I would do some sit ups. So, here we go. 1..2..3..4...5...6...7...8...9...10...11...12...13...14...15...16...17...18 and, right as I was about to grudgingly do my 19th sit up (don't you judge me) I heard the 'jingle jangle' of Elvis' collar, and the 'pidder padder' of his paws, and, to my utter horror he came sprinting (i swear he was sprinting) into the living room and LEAPED onto my stomach. If you are having a hard time visualizing this, let me help you out. Here I am, on the floor with my feet under the couch, bemoaning my current physical condition, and my baby elephant of a dog comes sprinting in and LEAPS (i am not being dramatic) onto my gut.
You might be surprised to hear that I didn't throw up all over the floor. Yay me. My mother just had to rush me to the hospital for emergency surgery. Just kidding.
But, anyways, even though I am in no mood to think about food, me and mom are going to the store tomorrow to get the ingredients we need to make Julia Child's 'Beef Bourguignon'. Pray for me. I would still like to think of myself as a good cook after I attempt to re-create this masterpiece. If you don't hear from me ever again after tomorrow, know that I am in a better place.
　
In Him,

Does everybody expect this of me?

I was recently out Christmas shopping. (Surprise, surprise.) And as I was out hustling and bustling all over town, I realized something that I have never realized before. In each store that I went into, I noticed how low our society's expectations of teenagers has gotten. Several times, I was treated as if I didn't care about a thing....and when I politely replied or asked a question, it was like I had slapped the person in the face. Literally, I could see in their face how surprised they were that I responded with kindness and concern! And it caused me to understand and visualize what this generation's adults think of this generation's teenagers! And in all honesty, they expected me to respond as if I didn't care, or to respond with a major attitude about it! I was almost insulted! But then...it dawned on me! That IS what today's teens act like! We crave worldliness and rebel against holiness and purity! They expect us young adults to choose the easy road instead of the hard one! They expect us to resent God, and ache for independence! No wonder they expected me to treat them like trash!
So, needless to say, I went home and I made a list...more like a questionnaire, that I truthfully anwsered.
Here it is:

• What are my expectations for myself?
• What are my parent's expectations of me?
• Am I rebelling against the hard things in my life, or am I embracing them?
• Am I rebelling against God's wish for holiness in my life, or am I fully accepting it?
• Am I yearning for purity in my life, which demands sacrifice? Or am I really wanting worldliness, which requires no self-sacrifice and supplys cheap, short-lived thrills.

And then I asked myself, which side of the table gains the Kingdom of God?

Rebelling --------or embracing?

Feeding our flesh --------or doing hard things?

Worldliness -------- or purity?

Short lived thrills --------or self sacrifice?

Why isn't this generation of young adults revolting against the low expectations set by today's twisted society?

Why is it that we nag and complain about the simple tasks set in front of us, and aren't out embracing the life that God truly called us to live?

As I wrote out this list, I thought, "Why am I rebelling against God (because that is who we are trully rebelling against) and who He has called me to be, and not embracing? Why am I feeding my flesh every chance I get, and not pressing through the temptation? Why do I seek worldliness and not purity? And why do I yearn for short-lived thrills...and not Eternity?"

As I went over and over theses things in my mind, I realized that, in our teenage years, we are predicted to do all of these things! And, most Christians see those things to be 'normal', and 'okay', most of the times even, encouraging it.

On Christmas morning, one of the presents that I excitedly received was a book by Alex and Brett Harris, titled, "Do Hard Things: A teengage rebellion against low expectations". Coincidence? I think not. I believe that God was sending me spiritual reinforcement, because(surprise. not.) I have to diligently work on all of the things listed above.

And so, in this post, I am not trying to judge you, but encourage you to take a self examination of yourself, and ask yourself the same questions that I asked myself. And whatever the anwser, see it as an opportunity, an opportunity to change.

And so,I leave you only with this: What are you going to do about it?

In Him,

Merry Christmas!

Well, it was as I predicted. I was drug out of bed at exactly 7:38 this morning. But, to my pleasant surprise, I was quite rested, and ready to face the day. :]


Oh, the joy of Christmas morning! My 16 year old view of it isn't quite as enchanting as it was when I was 5, but exciting none the less.


Here are some pictures of a few of our spoils:








Here are a couple of my presents xD





The girls were ecstatic to find out that one of their presents was a full place setting of girly china. xP Our life will now be a neverending tea party. Oh joy.


I will post more later. To grandmothers house I go......for Christmas lunch. Yummm


Merry Christmas!

Presents...

Wow, its Christmas Eve already! Can you believe it?

I wish that I was as giddy now as I was when I was 5. I remember literally counting down the minutes until I would wake up and go downstairs to open presents. I don't get quite that excited now, but it brings me the same amount of joy to see how electrified and amazed that my brothers and sisters are on Christmas morning.

Anyways, I have been working on presents ALL day. No joke. I haven't even wrapped them yet. It is 10:10 at night AND I HAVEN'T EVEN WRAPPED MY PRESENTS YET. I know, it's pathetic. Have pity on me. Pray that God would give me grace for in the morning when I bite my siblings head off for waking me up too early....(because I STAYED UP WRAPPING THEIR PRESENTS.)

But, enough about me, here are some pictures of the Planners and Drawing Books that I have been working on. xD

Be Amazed:

Sarah's Planner (pink) Hannah's Planner (blue)

Well Hello There!

Well, I think I've caught the bug. I have finally gotten a blog. BUT WAIT! Before you strangle me with hugs, or throw tomatoes at me, I really must explain.
1. I am an amazingly creative person (ha) and what good is creativity, and amazingly creative ideas if you can't share them with other amazingly creative people? Let me tell you, no fun.

2. I am a wretched sinner, saved only by the merciful grace of God, and I would like a place to write my convictions and reflections. AND I am sure that my friends are tired of me calling them and endlessly ranting and raving on my wretchedness and sinful ways, SO, here I pray, is the cure.

3. Also, to be brutally honest, I am a horrid writer. I can't write a paper to save my life. Literally, ask my mother, I am sure she would be glad to tell you about the hours she has spent trying to convince me to quit procrastinating, and "write the dang paper".


So, I hope, as you go along with me for this ride, you are the slightest bit amused at my 16 year old ponderings and ideas.

Until Next Time,

Laura Lee