"When Will My Life Begin?"

Hello Everyone!  I think I am back to blog-y land, and first off I wanted to share a good post I found last week.  I thought it made some great points on the subject of the world viewing the keeper at home life as not good enough.  Take a moment to read...

 

When Will This Life Begin?
By Abigail Stricklen

 

"7 AM, the usual morning lineup:

Start on the chores and sweep 'til the floor's all clean

Polish and wax, do laundry, and mop and shine up

Sweep again, and by then it's like 7: 15.

And so I'll read a book

Or maybe two or three

I'll add a few new paintings to my gallery

I'll play guitar and knit

And cook and basically

Just wonder when will my life begin?

Then after lunch it's puzzles and darts and baking

Paper mache, a bit of ballet and chess

Pottery and ventriloquy, candle making

Then I'll stretch, maybe sketch, take a climb,Sew a dress!

And I'll reread the books

If I have time to spare

I'll paint the walls some more,

I'm sure there's room somewhere.

And then I'll brush and brush,and brush and brush my hair

Stuck in the same place I've always been.

And I'll keep wonderin' and wonderin'

And wonderin' and wonderin'

When will my life begin?

Disclaimer: I understand that in the movie, Rapunzel had been locked up in a tower with her deranged, evil kidnapper/mother for the course of her life. That is however, not the case of most of the girls watching the movie (Well, I certainly hope not). The message that the producers want girls to take away from this song (and the movie in general) is blazingly clear.

She starts her day at 7 am. "She rises while it is yet night." Proverbs 31:15
She sweeps, polishes, waxes, does laundry, mops, and shines. "She works with willing hands." Proverbs 31:13
She reads books. She educates herself. "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." Proverbs 4:7

She paints, plays, guitar, knits...good grief, where does it end with this girl? Again, "she works with willing hands."
She cooks! "She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household." Proverbs 31:15

"Puzzles and darts and baking, Paper mache, a bit of ballet and chess, Pottery and ventriloquy, candle making
Then I'll stretch, maybe sketch, take a climb!" Wow, she is one accomplished young woman, I'd say! All of these are wonderful, challenging things. She sure sounds educated and competent in many areas! "She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong." Proverbs 31:17

SEW A DRESS! "She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple." Proverbs 31:21-22

Then, she reads again, she paints the walls, she brushes her hair. Whew! What a day! Feels good to be accomplished and productive doesn't it?
But wait..... "Stuck in the same place I've always been.And I'll keep wonderin' and wonderin'And wonderin' and wonderin'When will my life begin? "

Your life? Look at the list of things you did today! That's not life? Your life hasn't begun even though you've just cleaned your whole house, read some good books, painted, played guitar, knitted, cooked, did puzzles, played darts, baked, did paper mache, practiced ballet, played chess, made pottery, practiced ventriloquy, made candles, stretched, sketched, climbed, sewed a dress, read again, painted some more, and brushed your hair? ALL IN ONE DAY?

Ok. Before you judge this whole post as me being derogatory, go read my disclaimer above. I understand Rapunzel's position. But that is most definitely not the position of any little girl watching that movie or listening to that song. Do you see the pattern? Every line of that song could be backed up by a Proverbs 31 woman verse! Rapunzel was a Proverbs 31 woman! What a great gal!
But she was wonderin, and wonderin, and wonderin, and wonderin, WHEN WILL HER LIFE BEGINNNNNN? (you know you just sang that)

Obviously, the producers of that movie wanted to get the message across that all those great things Rapunzel was doing were not good enough. Which is why she had to escape from her "authority," gallivant around the country with a cute criminal, fight a few evil, non-cute criminals, save the cute criminal from certain death by her evil mother (this is portraying authority as a bad thing), and basically be the greatest hero ever....because being a Proverbs 31 woman is simply not good enough. See what I'm trying to say here? Obviously Rapunzel's situation is an exaggerated version of some girl's lives. You want to get away from your parent's authority, you don't want to do what you're told, you want to go out into the world and be the hero. But guess what? When you do that...when you leave everything you've ever known with "Prince Charming-who-isn't-your-husband-who's-probably-gonna-end-up-being-a-lousy-bum-very-unlike-Flynn-Ryder, chances are.....YOU WON'T HAVE A CUTE FAIRYTALE ENDING. Because I PROMISE, you will NOT save him from certain death with whatever super-power you happen to possess (Face it, we all want sparkly magic hair and it's not gonna happen). You will never find your long-lost King and Queen parents because you left them at home, and you will most CERTAINLY not get a castle. Things will not turn out as ducky as you thought they would. But you will expect all of that because that is what everyone is telling you will happen! Go out! Face the world! Earn your freedom! Everything will be great and you'll even get a Prince and a castle at the end of it!
Nope, nope, nope, nope, NOPE.

Be content, ladies. The world wants to tell you that you're not good enough, but you ARE. There's so much pressure out there to be better than God's best. God's best is what we want to strive for. God told us what he wants us to be in his beautiful Word. Be content. Don't let the pressure of this world get you down. Keep on cooking and baking and cleaning and doing that gross laundry, BECAUSE THAT IS GOOD ENOUGH. It's GOOD! It's beautiful and praise-worthy!! Live up to God's standard, not the world's.
Okay, now I'm done picking on Tangled. I like that movie, haha. ;)

~By Abigail Stricklen

Busy Busy!

 

Summer 2013 has been a busy, exciting, and totally new summer for me thus far!

 

 

In the beginning of June our Bright Lights Bible study group had a tea party, hosted at our house.  As you may very well know, I love tea parties, so it was very fun to plan and be able to spend extra time with Abby, our Bright Lights leader.  Even when it took all day for me bake the cookies, that was enjoyable too!

 

I re-did some cookies I had done for another tea party a couple years back. 

 

And the actually tea party turned out to be SO blessed too!  We were expecting about 15-20 girls, we had set the two tables, making our house look like a lovely tea room, for 18.  But the Lord blessed beyond our expectations, I started counting at 19 girls, and there was more on the way!  We ended with 24 girls in our house!!  What a wonderful time with a house bursting with joyful, beautiful girls!

Then a few weeks ago Abby emailed me, saying that she would like to have a Bright Lights retreat and she would like me to plan most of it, and this was emailed to me just a day before she left for a month in which contact would be more difficult!  :-o  But contact has ended up to be no problem, planning fun, and everything coming together smoothly so far!  I look forward to a whole day set aside to seek the Lord in late August!

Then just this past Wednesday was a super exciting day for me - I passed my driver's test to get my license!! 

 

The beginning of my test.

 

The part I was most nervous about was the parallel parking.  I had practiced a good amount before hand, but was still a little inconsistent in how close I got to the curb.  But that actually went smoothly while during the 90' back up I got a little close the cone (but thankfully no hitting!).  Over all the test was easier and faster than expected and it's such a relief to be done!  We had planned to go to Caribou afterwards, and I am happy that we went there to celebrate instead of drown my sorrows in coffee! :D

 

Now we have a busy week coming up with Anna and I helping out with VBS at our church.  Each year I enjoy this time with the kids, catching up with the other teens who come to help, and just that totally different week from any other week in the summer!

 

Well, it has felt good to be back to blog-y land!  Thank you for letting me ramble about some of the top things I have been busy with!

 

Blessings,

Amber 

40's Luncheon - Farewell Bible study

 

Last Thursday we "celebrated" our final meeting of the girl's Bible study my sister and I have been attending.  Was it a flash back to another era or the end of an era?  Probably a little bit of both... 

 

 

Anna (my sister) is second for right and I am third.

 

For the past two to three years we have been attending this Bible study, making such dear friendships and sweet memories!  Amidst the tea parties, learning to crochet, dressing up, stories, volleyball, quilting, laughter, and crafts, I have appreciated the God honoring studies of the Bible shared together!  Although there will still be opportunities to see each of these girls, this special group will be missed!

 

It was time to move on,  but first to make a few final memories!  The theme was 40's, a fun era to choose!  We dressed up as best as we could (which I think we did quite well at), listened to old records, played Clue, had burgers and fries, shared prayer requests, and made sure to take lots of pictures!

 

 

Last Scripture passage shared. 

 

 

At the end we went to an old fashioned ice cream parlor where our leader shared her engagement story over delicious ice cream!  We will truly miss her when she moves away!

 

The whole day was so much fun, along with a twinge of sadness to see a good thing end.  I praise the Lord for the time He gave us together and that this party was not a real good bye!

 

Blessings, Amber

 

 

Spring Time Preparations

 

I wanted to make a skirt, not to difficult, I had made one before, and I got inspired by this pattern - I wanted a full skirt.  So I found this lovely blue fabric (linen I think), but quickly realized how much six yards of fabric really is...

 

At the cutting counter:

 

Employee rolling out yard after yard of fabric:  "What are you making?"

 

Me: "A skirt"

 

Employee: *silence*

 

Most projects take longer than expected, and this is where my work slowed down, while trying to figure out if I should really try this pattern or not!  Am I really suppose to be able to wear six yards of fabric!? ;-)

 

I actually ended up using a pattern we already had - Simplicity pattern 2843.  I used the pieces for the petticoat, shortened it, and added an elastic waist band.  And I am quite pleased with how it turned out, with only half the amount of fabric I think it is just as full looking as the other pattern!

 

 

So along with preparing my wardrobe for spring, we have also started planting the garden.  Thus far we have only planted about half, as the weather continues to swing back and forth from hot to cold.  But when possible it has felt very good to work under the warm sunshine, sweet smelling flowers, and fresh breezes again! 

 

 

 

"Now the heart is so full that a drop overfills it,

We are happy now because God wills it:

No matter how barren the past may have been,

Tis enough for us now that the leaves are green:...

We may shut our eyes, but we cannot help knowing

That the skies are clear and grass is growing:..."

 

Excerpts from "June"

by James Russell Lowell

 



~Amber Swanson~

Book Review: Joyfully At Home & It's Not That Complicated

A few weeks back I finished two amazing books:

 

 

 

Joyfully at Home

by Jasmine Baucham

 

Through witty writing and wonderful personal stories Jasmine shares great truths and thoughts while staying very real.  Along with covering family relations, how she has answered all the what if and why questions, and filling our days, Jasmine talks about the "six key areas that keep us from finding the value in our single years:

 

A false view of marriage

 

A fasle view of husbands

 

A false view of self

 

A false view of singleness

 

A false view of God's sovereignty

 

A false view of the bigger picture"

"Jasmine paints a beautiful picture of how young ladies can become good daughters to their fathers and mothers, good sisters to their siblings, and gain vibrant confidence, godly contentment, and purposeful joy in their ministry in and from the home."

It has been about one year since I graduated from homeschool highschool, and it can be hard at times to know exactly what I should be doing.  But it has also been such a wonderful year at home, and Joyfully At Home is a very encouraging book in that area!  I have never yet regretted that I didn't go away to college!

 

 

It's (Not That) Complicated

by Anna Sofia & Elizabeth Botkin

 

Can you relate to guys in a pure way?  Or is a "it's complicated" Facebook relationship status going to be the way it is?  Anna Sofia & Elizabeth share their thoughts on a Biblical way to relate to guys.

 

Through reading their other book So Much More (which is truly another great book) I found it easy to think of them as not so real/down to earth as they seemed to be instructing only and sharing none of their own experiences, which Jasmine does so well.  But in It's (Not That) Complicated we do get more stories from their own life included with so many great truths to take away from every paragraph.  There is also comments from 14 guys to get their perspective.

 

From my reserved and quiet spirit and knowing that you do have to be careful in relationships with guys, it can be easy to choose the shunning relationship, but this book shares that you can talk to them - for the right reasons!

 

Read more praise for It's (Not That) Complicated on Anna Sofia and Elizabeth's blog.

 

Blessings, Amber

Crocheted Rosebud

 

 

 

The plants outside are just beginning to bud, but I have begun my own little garden indoors.

 

I found these two delightful little patterns for crocheted rosebuds and leaves.  Both are very easy, the leaf only took about half an hour - instant gratification with charming results!

 

 

Lovely Leaves

 

Little Rosebud

 

What to do with them now?  Well, right now they will just sit pretty in my room.  But I would someday like to make a whole crochet flower garden and then attach them to a pillow to brighten up any space!

I am also excited over a new magazine we have found..



Mollie Makes is a magazine, based in the UK, full of craft tutorials, lovely and inspiring pictures, and each issue even comes with a free gift!

I first found the magazine at Barnes & Noble bookstore, and it was nice to first look through the magazine before buying.  But if you find yourself buying every single issue, it would be cheaper to subcribe even if the $93.52 price tag seems rather steep right off the bat.

You can also find back issues on Etsy, Ebay, and Amazon, which is really nice!

Take a peek inside one.

I hope you will find time to take out your craft bag this weekend!  Enjoy!

~Amber Nicole~
 


Opening Lemons & Zesting Cans

  Last Friday evening you would have found me busy in the kitchen cooking dinner - chicken & rice and baked broccoli, which is delicious by the way! It makes boring broccoli into delicious broccoli, check out the recipe. Anyways, it's not that unusual to find me in the kitchen Friday nights, I usually try to cook dinner once a week.

  Cooking is really fun for me, I like to try out lots of new recipes - don't want it to get boring! :) And all was going well.. chicken was finishing up in the oven and it was time to put the goodies on the broccoli (lemon zest & juice and Parmesan cheese). So, quick grab the lemon, quick grab the little zester mechanism, and zest.. no zest.. try again... still nothing...

  I must have been distracted.. I am ashamed to say that I tried quite a few times, even going back to the fridge for a firmer lemon, before realizing I was trying to zest a lemon with the little can opener that makes holes in the top of cans! *forehead smack* I couldn't help but laugh at myself!

 

They kind of look alike, right? :)

Well, I do look forward to experimenting in the kitchen again, but maybe next time I won't be so distracted! :)

 

~Amber Nicole