Snapshots of my week....

Short Story

I decided to post a short story I wrote about three months ago...please tell me what you think!

(Oh, and by the way...you should really check out this very cool knitting blog: http://knittinggoddesswithacat.blogspot.com/)

The White Envelope

Gray. Everything was gray: the trees, the streams, the grass. That was why I was leaving. I needed to escape the gray. My legs rattled as the train pressed through the countryside. My fingers toyed with the brown envelope which was tucked inside the pocket of my wool jacket. I slid it out, and dumped the contents onto my lap: a picture, a ticket, and a note. I examined the faded picture, cut out of a magazine, which had hung by my bed since childhood. It was the city of my dreams, shining like glass against a cobalt sky. Even as a young girl, my head had been filled with one desire, to travel to this city. Now the wish was becoming reality. I caressed the ticket with my fingers. When my mother had given me my inheritance, she knew at once what I would do with it. I remembered the shadows under my mother’s eyes and the unspoken words on her lips as she watched me drive away. But the strength of her embrace and the warm grip of her hand filled me with the promise of her permanent affection. Picking up the wrinkled note, I reviewed my plans. I would study at the most prestigious university in the country, dance the nights away in expensive dresses, and become as famous as my talents would allow. Knowledge, amusement, and success - that was all I asked of my perfect city. My mother was now alone in the world of gray, while I was finally free to fly into a world of color.

Every night I sat in a cramped dorm room at the top of a middle-aged building. My desk was swamped in masses of papers and books. I studied until my eyes could no longer see clearly. I stuffed my mind with facts until it was fat with information. I barred out all other thoughts. But when I unlocked the door to my room one evening, a perfectly-white envelope lay on my dresser. My eyes narrowed. Biting my lip, I emptied it out onto the floor. A folded letter and a ticket slid out. Without opening the message, I discarded them into the wastebasket which sat next to my newest pile of knowledge.

A yellowed scroll was between my fingers and a slippery graduate’s hat sat on my head. I watched the people around me. All were somber. All were cold. All were gray. Bowing my head, I held back bitter tears. I was no longer blissfully unaware of the world and its sorrow. Knowledge did not bring happiness. It was a lie. Wisdom brought grief and nothing else. I crumbled the pristine envelope I had received that morning, threw it on the sidewalk, and flattened it with my foot. I turned to the street and walked away.

The lights of a twinkling club danced before me. Leaving discernment to the wind, I slipped through the illuminated door. The room swayed. I felt giddy, drunk with the laughter that tinted the air. The clink of wine glasses, the swish of a skirt, and music that woke the neighbors three blocks down drowned out all thought. My investment in a shimmering scarlet dress, sharp silver heels, and gaudy emerald necklace were perfect in attracting the attention I had imagined for so long. I giggled in the arms of a stranger as we careened down the floor that flickered with neon lights. A drummer crooned in the corner, the cymbals crashing. The rainbow of shades engulfed me as we twirled past slurred conversations and fawning couples. No gray here. My mouth formed a stained smile.

The bitter air woke me. My head throbbed as I endeavored to sit up. My dress and shoes of yesterday were crumpled on the floor, their allure drained away. The emerald lay as if thrown across the room. It glared dully in the sober morning light. Collapsing back on my bed, I wrapped my face in my icy hands. I was too cold to cry. A hollow, flimsy feeling filled my chest. The colors of last night’s pleasure were a sham. Through the clear light of day, their colors shone true - cheap and transparent. A flash of white caught my eye. On top of my dresser sat the latest envelope, forgotten in the rush of yesterday. It seemed to illuminate the room with its spotlessness. I felt a slice of longing for such unpolluted clarity before sleep conquered all thought.

The museum’s clean lines painted an elegant contrast against the dark clouds pregnant with snow. Pulling off my glove, I pushed open the frosted glass door and stopped. My breath caught in my throat. The hall was like a lake at sunrise; still and dazzling. My heels clicked on the polished floor as I gazed at the pictures hung on the wall. Each was a miracle of shades. Each was a masterpiece. I explored the silent passages, soaking in the magnificence. As I walked, I studied the gold plaques beneath the paintings, wishing to see my name engraved on each. The letter I had picked up at the post office moments before lay forgotten in my pocket. My head was filled with dreams of achievement. Reaching the seventh floor, I devoured the paintings, each more glorious than the next. I arrived at the end of the corridor and paused. On the wall hung a picture with tones so clean it burned my soul. Here, at last, was color in its purest form. I read the artist’s name beneath the frame, and realized his name was on every plaque on this floor. I carelessly skimmed the paragraph about his life but froze when the final lines caught my eye. “Despite his successful career, this genius suffered from depression. When he was thirty eight years old, he killed himself.” I stepped backward. The hues of the painting stabbed me. Tripping over my feet, I ran down the halls and burst out of the door. The snowflakes stung my face, but I ran on. Could anything satisfy the hollow in my mind? But the void was not in my mind; it was in my heart.

I slipped into bed and closed my eyes. My money was gone and this night was my last in the apartment. My plans had collapsed. Here I lay, in the city of my dreams, still cold and still gray. A rap on my door burst my morose thoughts. Sitting up, I watched as a luminous envelope was slipped under my door. It lay on the shabby carpet, glistening.

With slow, shaking movements, I bent and picked up the letter. I tenderly peeled back the seal and slipped out a letter. As I read the single sentence written on the paper, a ticket slipped from the envelope and floated to the ground. I looked at the ticket, and then at the letter.

I fell on the bed and wept.

The raindrops pelted the windshield as the cab pulled up at the small, brick house. As I jogged up the steps to the crooked porch, I took in the weeds of the flowerbed and the peeling paint on the single rocking chair. This place was more alive than any skyscraper. Turning the brass doorknob, I sprinted – no, flew – up the creaky staircase. I knew the way to my mother’s room by heart. There she lay, asleep on the bed. I sat in the rickety chair next to the bedside table. The drawer was open, and I glanced at its contents. A neat stack of envelopes, a pad of paper, an ink pen, a pack of stamps, a wallet, and a ticket lay in the dusky light of a small lamp. I grasped the wallet. A ten dollar bill and receipts for all the items on the table was all that was left in it.

My mother’s blue eyes fluttered open. A heavenly smile emerged on her face, and without a sound, she pulled me into her embrace. After several moments, she released me and clutched for the notepad. As she pressed it into my hands, I read the sentence printed in her trembling writing. “I love you.” I reached for her hand. In that instant, I realized my quest for happiness could never be fulfilled in knowledge, or pleasure, or success. Those things would fulfill for a day, but they would not survive the test of time. But love, true love would never fall short. Love encompassed every virtue and passed every barrier. My mother’s eyes closed once more. The sun began to rise. The beauty of the burnt oranges and bright pinks could not compare to the splendor of the rosy blush on my mother’s cheeks and the warm clasp of her hand. I turned to the dim mirror on the wall and beamed. My mother’s radiance reflected on my face. I was no longer gray. I was a rainbow of color.

God is awesome

I read this blog post on our Pastor's blog this week, and thought I would share it with you! It is something I have never thought about before...hope you enjoy it!

March 15, 2010

God is Awesome

A few weeks ago, I did something I don’t usually do on the short drive from our church office back to where I live… I turned on the radio.

I won’t mention the station (in order to protect the guilty), but in the three minutes when I was listening, I heard the program host use the word “awesome” roughly 38 times (I don’t want to be accused of exaggeration, so I’m conservatively low-balling here).

Here’s how it went: “That song was awesome!” “I heard an awesome quote this week… isn’t that just awesome?” I had an awesome steak last night and it was awesome! I mean, awesome!” “Hello caller! It’s awesome to hear from you today! Are you having an awesome day?”

After about three minutes of this, I had to turn the radio off. I became weary of hearing the word “awesome” used so many times and so flippantly.

Aside from the tedium of repetition, I think there’s a deeper concern that bothers me. It is the fact that “awesome” is such a superlative word that it only rightly applies to God and His works. God is awesome! And the works of God are also truly awesome!

The song you hear may be melodic, inspiring, and perhaps even beautiful, but it isn’t awesome. A quote may be insightful, but it isn’t awesome. And your steak, however well prepared, may be great and delicious, and even succulent… but it isn’t awesome. God is awesome.

Scripture is teeming with the awesomeness of God:

“Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds doing wonders?” Exodus 15:11

“Say to God, “How awesome are Your deeds! So great is Your power that Your enemies come cringing to You.” Psalm 66:3

“Awesome is God from His sanctuary; the God of Israel — He is the one who gives power and strength to His people. Blessed be God!” Psalm 68:35

“For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord; a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around Him?” Psalm 89:7

There are many other Scripture texts extolling the superlative awesomeness of our God! The late Rich Mullins was right: “Our God is an awesome God!”

Perhaps I’m expecting too much when I turn on the radio in rush-hour traffic. Rather than trying to re-educate the hosts on radio programs, the better option may be to simply keep the radio off and get back to praying to our awesome God on the way back home.

Yours for His glory,
Pastor Kevin

HELLOOOOO BLOG! Yes, you have every right to hate me...I'm a terrible friend. But I'm back..for now!

It's snowing. And snowing, and snowing, and snowing.

This is a sad thing, because my bestest mother and I were going to go shopping in Stillwater today. This is also a happy thing, because snowing + saturday = studying ACT math book, starting on Great Books Paper, "working on AP World History", cleaning out the pit of the disaster (aka my closet), loading my pictures on the computer (by the way...you know how I found my camera cord? Well, right after that, I lost my camera. *dark music* But, I found it yesterday! *cue cheering*), painting my toenails PURPLE, practicing piano, working on Miss Suzi Play, writing in my novel in which I am hopelessly behind on, clean my room, studying my Sunday School lesson, and writing on my blog, all things which I needed to do. Haha. Like that will happen. So, update on my life in the past...two months (in pictures, of course!)

I love this little guy!

He's hilarious. <3>


This was after a lovely game of Penguin outside. (Penguin is my version of Horse.) You can't tell we're sisters, can you?

This was at a church fellowship! This is my beautiful friend, Amy!

This is my other beautiful friend, Ashley!

This is everybody!

After we ate, we decided to have go take crazy pictures with the collection of costumes from various church plays.

Waaay too much fun!

Crazy :)

These people are awesome! We have so much fun!

This is Titus. He is the funniest little boy ever!

This is at a basketball game. (Weird picture..but the only one I have that wasn't really dark)

I love these way too cute shoes.

On the way to our final basketball tournament in Kansas, I got to ride in Ballinger Sprinter (singing, picture taking, stories, and laughing included.)

Fun, of course, was had by all :)

Eeeeww...this is our double chin picture. Heh.

God has blessed me with such wonderful friends.

This was when we finally got home...a day filled with running, sweat, junior high boys in our car talking very loudly, fast food, and very loud cheering for our varsity guys (who got third place!).

Oh, and I must mention..they had some contests at the tournament (three point, free throw, and the triathlon). My Dad, Randall, and I were in the triatholon (it had to be a highschool girl, jv boy, and a parent)...you competed against another team. Each team shoots a layup, free throw, and three pointer until they make it (I shot the layup, Randall shot free throw, and Dad shot the 3 pointer), and which ever team finishs first advances to the next round. Our team rocked (especially Dad, swishing the threes the first time almost every time!!) and we tied for third!

We've been going through Ephesians at Bible Study - it's great! There is SO much packed into those verses. This verse especially has really been convicting me...
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29
Definitely something I could work on.

We also had a really great discussion about what it means to imitate God - by what we say, wear, watch and think.

Seussical auditions are ever getting closer...I am SO. EXCITED. I'm singing "Vanilla Ice Cream" from She Loves Me. This song is so much fun. You should look it up...I would post a video, but I forgot how to.

I miss my friends in Houston and Bartlesville and Tulsa a whole, whoopin' bunch. :(

I went to Tulsa earlier this week with my friend Leah. We had a fun time shopping and eating cheesecake and swimming :)

I will really, really try to write more often. Really.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and mountains quake with their surging." Psalm 46:1-3

P.S.

I watched these two movies this week. More on these to come :)

I'm not a procrastinator! Really, I'm not!

Yes, it has been a MONTH since I last posted. Bleh.

I was going to post...but my camera cord got lost, so I put it off.

Then, there was this big basketball tournament, so I put it off again.

And, there was this little test. What was it called? Oh yeah! That National Latin Exam! I remember! And, you guessed it, I also used this as an excuse not to post.

I still can't find my camera cord, but basketball season is over (we had our last hurrah, the awesome Fun Night, on Tuesday) and I just finished the NLE about an hour ago. Only the AP World History test and the ACT to go...woot.

Oh, and there's driver's ed, which I'm about to start! YAYAYAY! I got certified for passing the eighth grade reading test without actually taking it (I just had to give my ACT reading score) and we're sending in the parent taught affadavit either today or tomorrow.

Seussical Jr. auditions are in about threeish weeks - YES! I haven't been in a play in much, much to long.

I just found out that I get to go to this writing workshop weekend that I was hoping to attend! It's taught by the guy who wrote my writing curriculum, One Year Adventure Novel, and he is an incredible teacher!

I have to leave for piano, but SOON I'll post videos of the Jr. Music Festival, write about my dream theatre roles and post some awesome pictures me and some friends took!

<3,
Kaley

"Here comes the sun, doo doo doo dooo!"

THIS PICTURE IS NOT PHOTO SHOPPED. The sun REALLY did come out. For one day, yes, but better than not at all!

Is it really February? Already? Are you sure?


Yes, I am a bad blogger.


But blame it on that bad boy, not me.
And the National Latin Exam.
And the ACT. Well, the math part of it anyways.

I had donuts for breakfast. (Powdered Sugar FTW!) And McDonald's soft serve ice cream after dinner. Could you get any more deliciously, unhealthily better than that?!

Annie Jr. Performances were last weekend! The play turned out really well, much better than I expected! I went to practice on Monday...it was pretty messy. But by Friday, WOW!

Here's my good lookin' brother, Will :)

And here is my cute little sister, Karis :)

(GUESS WHAT?!?!?! I just found out they are doing Beauty and the Beast Jr. with the Children's Theatre next year! AHHHH!! *is really excited*)

As we made Valentines for the elderly in our church and the kids at the Children's Home, I found myself using this verse many times.

"Above all love each other deeply, for love covers over a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8

Our God is an awesome God.

Most posting to come later. For now, picture me pounding away at the piano, scribbling in my school notebooks, bustling off to basketball, and babysitting my bros and sista's as my parents head off for a nice weekend retreat :)

Guess What I Did Today?

Note: I wrote this yesterday, but wasn't able to post it until today :)

I made my first complete dinner (and dessert!) completely by myself! EEE!

(I'm not the most accomplished baker in the world. In fact, I am THE clumsiest person EVER in the kitchen...ask my Mom. Hah. I open a cupboard, and everything falls out. And let's not go into the time I added 2 tablespoons of salt into the pancakes instead of 2 teaspoons.)

I'm picking out the recipes, getting comments/rating on them from my elite panel of judges (i.e. my family), and then saving the recipes in paper protectors and putting them in a big binder.

My mad organization skills ;)

Fun cookbook I got from the library (I LOVE THAT PLACE).

Mmm...I know what we're having for breakfast!

This was seriously amazing. Ahh.

Starting on dinner/dessert.

SsSsSsugar!

Yes, I am one of those weird coconut lovers who eat it PLAIN. *Rachel Ray Voice* Yumo!

It's the happy spoon!

Dinner is served!

Beef and Bean Chimichangas got a star rating from the judges. (YES!)

Cilantro and Lime Rice. Note the LIME. Heh. The kids called it "sour rice" and Kate asked me never to make it again ;) So much for that!

Oatmeal Cake with coconut and pecan (and chocolate chips...not in the original recipe, but hey, you can't go wrong with chocolate) frosting...success!

Zeke asked for seconds! How sweet...wait. He does that every time we have dessert.

I am very grateful for my awesome family, who allows me to experiment on them... I mean, cook for them :)

Hopefully, this will happen every Saturday night!

Other news:

We have around 7" of snow on the ground! Yippee!

I'm practicing and practicing and practicing for the Junior Music Festival, which is on February 20. Oh dear me. I'm doing a music theatre solo (Look to the Rainbow and Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again) , art song duet (Poor Wayfaring Stranger and Scarborough Fair) piano solo (Spanish Rhapsody and Variations on an American Folk Song), piano duet (Maine Mambo and Rockin' the Boat, and big singing group thing (The Power of your Love and Great is Thy Faithfulness). Whew! You probably didn't want to know all that!

The Steele Family (missionaries in Ukraine) visited our church last week! Kelsie Steele, who went to our church waaay back before we did, came and talked with the girls on Saturday night over tea, scones and fruit. It was an incredible time of encouragement. I wish I could put everything she said in here - she was such a testimony of a woman who loves the Lord and had followed his guidance faithfully in her life.

First, she talked about delighting in the Lord with your whole heart, and what that really means. She told us how, when she was 14, she made a commitment to pursue her relationship with the Lord and serve him with all her energies for the next four years of her life, rather than be focused on other relationships.
She also told us about her courtship with Joshua (her husband...what an amazing story of the perfect plan of God!). She talked about how God had used three "lemons" (not so great guys) in her life to teach her. She talked about how important our relationship with our parents is, especially with our fathers (for girls), as he is the one God has placed as the authority in our lives.
I had never really known what Courtship was before this year...it almost sounded like just a weird homeschool form of dating to me. But really, it is a God-centered way for a young man to approach a young lady THROUGH her father (and with his complete approval) as a way to get to know her better with marriage in mind. AHHHH! After this week, I have decided this is definitely what I want to do.

Our girl's bible study, led by our Pastor's wife, continues to go wonderfully. This week we sat around, talking and laughing over hot chocolate and other goodies as the snow fell out the window. We have been making our way through Ephesians. Every week, around 10 of us girls give prayer requests and pray for each other, study the Word, discuss questions we've had as well as other topics such as spiritual gifts and God's sovereignty, and have a great time learning more about our magnificent Lord and Savior! Could you get much better than that?

School...is school. Sometimes, it's a little difficult to finish everything - life is so busy!

Basketball is still going on...we're getting all the paperwork filled out for the national christian basketball tournament that we're heading to in March. FUN!

Our services at the Children's Home have been going AWESOME. We've been having a great turnout, and so many heart felt questions. I can really see a change in the behavior of some of the kids! God is so great!

EDIT:
And tonight, Hannah and Amy and Abby will be coming over to watch the second installment of Emma! Woot Woot!



"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." - John 10:28 Goodnight, dear readers! <3>

Whoever invented Kleenex was a genius

Hurrah for colds!

I love my tissue box.