oh happy day

1. Mulan is truly one of my favorite Disney movies. One of the reasons is this scene below. I can just see my own grandmother saying this if I brought an attractive war hero home {and to be honest, I might ask it too}. Of course, it's ten times better watching it with your closest friends :)

 

2. I really am an optimist. Yes I have my gloomy moments, but you can ask my family and friends---I'm known as Susie Sunshine, for I always look on the bright side *laughs* So when I saw this picture, I about died with laughter. I feel like printing hundreds of copies and taping them to mirrors in every public restroom I enter. People might start looking at things like I do.....or they may just ignore it. Who knows?

3. Fred and George Weasley = two of my favorite movie characters. They've sweet in the books too, but the movies bring them to life. The only time I cried in the whole saga was when Fred died. *sniffles* Aiden has this quote on a t-shirt that Hannah made for him. It's a brilliant quote, don't you agree?

4. I've always admired people who go 'outside the box' when it comes to their clothes, accessories, etc. I have the occasional eye-popping outfit, but for the most part I don't like attention being called to me. Which isn't good, for as Christians we're supposed to stand out in this world. Like in this post!! Still working on that whole thing....but this imagery should help.

 

 

5. In case anyone was wondering, my college visit went smashingly. I was nervous at first, but then sitting in on different lectures became fun. I visited Messiah College, so I already know the campus and that their soccer team is amazing. But seeing how interesting their History and English departments are was encouraging! And talking to former students was pretty sweet as well. I'm thankful I didn't do/say anything stupid....or introduce myself as a panda :)

 

6.  I've been reading quite a few books lately! A Tale of Two Cities, Return of the King, Son of Neptune, and Through My Eyes have been dominating my book table. I long for summer days when I didn't feel guilty reading something for pleasure rather than school. And yes, ATTC is for school. I've learned that drinking tea while reading Charles Dickens helps me concentrate on his sometimes long passages.

 

 

7.  Dreams are such funny things! I've had many in my sixteen years on earth. Ones that have faded with age; ones that have intensified; ones I didn't even know existed up until a few months ago. God has such a crazy-cool way of revealing the very inner desires of our hearts to us! Usually for me, it's late at night when everyone else is asleep, and I'm in bed, talking to Him. The dreams just sort of appear. I know most of them won't come true on earth....but maybe in Heaven I'll get to have tea in some English cafe *wink wink*

remember to smile.....it's good for you :) :) :)

such a worrier

Monday, I'll be going on my very first college visit. 

*pauses for emphasis*

I'm more than a little nervous. The past two weeks or so have been filled with studying SAT practice questions, checking out different classes required for English majors, and basically freaking out over this frightening thing called college.

You could say I'm overthinking these things...and you'd be right. It's my nature to go over everything in my mind, even if what I'm worrying about is far in the future. Aka, college and everything else that goes along with that word. 

My brain is swirling with the different plus and minuses of each school I'm considering. This one has a beautiful campus, but its atmosphere isn't the best. That one has a great soccer team, but not necessarily the Christian views. There's the one with the amazing lesson plan, but a bit far away. Then, of course, the one perfect little college that may just be too perfect for me. *holds back scream*

As a sophomore, it's silly to be thinking of this like it's all going to happen tomorrow---but the stressful thoughts still hang around. I've been praying for discernment and a clear head, so hopefully God will continue to keep my head above the murky water.

If you think of it, pray for me on Monday morning! Pray I don't embarrass myself, I think of good questions to ask, and that the admins don't hate me :)

love always,

Lily 

more than anything, I just want to go back

for a moment, if you can, transform yourselves into my 6 year-old self, when everything was right in the world.....especially at Grandma and Mom-mom's houses.

"Grandma's House"

Marshmallows.Those big, plastic blocks.The Dragon Tales theme song.The feel of that scratchy carpet in the family room.The sounds of bullfrogs, crickets, and cicadas.The smells of woodsmoke, soap, and cookies.the library, where I spent countless hours reading and dreaming.Walker Texas Ranger on the tv screen.Playing hide-and-seek.The laughter of my cousins. The wallpaper in the front upstairs bedroom.The pink upstairs bathroom.The daybed on the backporch.Old coloring books.Running into the master bedroom during a thunderstorm.The warmth of a summer's evening.The sounding of the grandfather clock in the hallway.Rush Limbaugh's voice coming from the kitchen radio.The crunch of old leaves in the yard.Fireworks on Independence Day.Barbies and pony beads in the basement.Hitty and Narnia in the guest bedroom.Late night ghost stories and whispers.Pulling weeds from the flower beds. Penny, the sweetest dog in the world.Long walks around the neighborhood.My imaginary friend, Megan, and my imaginary pet parrot.Lemonade and strawberries covered in sugar.The very grand piano. Pokemon with Tyler.Mosquito bites and dirty feet.The crowded garage.Family parties.Earaches and my rag doll, Cornelia.Which Way USA? activity books.Magic Tree House and Boxcar Children.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Mom-mom's House"

Ham and cheese sandwiches.The front door that was never, ever used.The family room wall of mirrors.Easter baskets and bunnies.Sledding.The carport floor.Scooby-Doo on Cartoon Network."Bambi" in Pop's study.The whirliglass in the kitchen.Noodles and ham for dinner, with applesauce on the side.Listening to Rice Krispies in milk.Ben and Christopher, neighbors on either side.Chasing lightning bugs in the front yard.The splintery back porch.Christmas!Looking at skeeters while wading in the creek.The attic's musty smell.Daffodils and tulips.The 'Welcome' sign with ducks on it.The, '1-800-Mom-mom' sign in the kitchen.Saying grace while holding hands.Juicy Juice.Old Yeller and Alvin and the Chipmunks movies.Drinking apple juice from sippy cups.Darts in the basment.The year-round nativity scene in the family room.Peeled apple slices.Looney Tunes movies.Barbies and stuffed animals for Christmas.The crucifix in Mom-mom's bathroom.Paint-in-books.Lots of talking, laughing, and telling of stories on the carport.The banister-less basement stairs.That china doll with a built-in music box.'Santa' giving out gifts.Singing Christmas songs in the family room.Swinging around the basement support pillar.Pop's comfy recliner.Special vanilla-Oreo cookies.Family parties.The creepy laundry room.New books from Borders.Passing the soccer ball with Christine.Holding baby cousins on the couch.Birthdays full of love.

Obviously, there's no way I can get back to those days of innocence. But at least I can remember all these things....and at least I have memories. 

You promise me that I'll get through this

When you were a kid, it was easy to feel jealous. You were jealous of your neighbor's new bike, or your friend's long hair, or even something petty like your brother getting a hug from Grandma before you.
I'm sixteen, and I know I can't have everything I want, and that life's just not fair. But now that I'm past the kiddy jealousy, Satan has stirred up more feelings of desire.....a desire for the 'gifts' that my peers have.

Someone is better at speaking than me; he/she will be a great leader someday. She's an amazing writer; God will certainly use her as an author. He knows everything about theology; God obviously wants him to be a pastor. Those two have such a way with people; they'll probably end up as wonderful missionaries.

And so discontentment fills my heart yet again. After all, what can I do? I get nervous in front of crowds, my writing is sporadic, I don't explain theology well, and I'm not the most outgoing girl in the world. How could God use me to do His will?

“Let no man despise his calling; whatever instrument of usefulness God hath put into thine hand, consider that the Great Captain knew what weapon it were best for thee to wield. Covet not thy neighbour’s sword or spear, but use that which thy Lord hath given thee, and go forth to the battle of life to serve according to thy capacity.” ---Charles Spurgeon

I stumbled upon this quote while perusing Tumblr one day. I stopped scrolling and read it over about five times. I was hit with this feeling of guilt mixed with relief {strange feeling, by the way}.

Here I was, assuming God, the Creator of Heaven and earth, couldn't use little 'ole me to do something in this world! The same God who closed the lions' mouths, made manna rain from Heaven
and who brought down the walls of Jericho can easily make me someone special.

"but use that which thy Lord hath given thee, and go forth to the battle of life to serve according to thy capacity." I'm not invincable---that's a given. But that quote helped me remember that God will use me, somehow, to make a difference. He's given me gifts....now I just have to find out what they are :)

And sometimes I think that I'm not any good at all

And sometimes I wonder why, why I'm even here at all

But then you assure me

I'm a little more than useless

And when I think that I can't do this

You promise me that I'll get through this

And do something right

Do something right for once.

-Relient K

Lord willing, I'll find out what special things I can do on this earth very soon. I'm getting tired of the waiting.....but "patience is a virtue," as my dear Bleah reminded me.  

just keep praying, just keep waiting.

Oreos have nothing to do with this post....but they sure are delicious

I feel like writing.

but I don't know what to write about

I feel like reading

but I don't know what to read

I feel like talking

but I don't know what to talk about

I feel like learning something new

but I know I'm too lazy

I feel like giving up on schoolwork

but I know it's super important

I feel like traveling

but I don't have any money

I feel like eating

but I don't know what to eat

I feel like singing

but {shockingly} my brain is devoid of song lyrics right now

I feel like hugging God

but I have a while before I can do that

I feel like I need God's word in my heart right now

but.....wait, there's no but. Just a kick in the pants to get off my laptop and read my Bible. Therefore, I will leave you with a few pictures that have encouraged me lately (:

Calvin, I love you♥

love always,

Lily

because I love ponchos....and my pals

Some girls have loads of friends, from every aspect of their lives. They always have someone to talk to or hang out with, and they get tons of 'likes' on their Facebook statuses.

I used to envy these girls, with their epic social lives. I was dissatisfied with the friends God had given me, even though they were fabulous in their own ways.
*cue wake up call from Heaven*
This a post on three of the truest friends I've ever had; friends who've shown that no matter what, they'll be there for me. Friends I probably don't know I don't deserve, yet God has given me anyway.

My poncho pals

Otherwise known as Boo, Yeti, and Wazzy. Their real names are Hannah, Lydia and Emily; those are just their code names{long story, don't remember how it started}. Hannah and Lydia joined our church about eight months ago, when their daddy became our pastor. Even in that short amount of time, it feels like they've always been a part of my life. And, of course, Emily's my bestest best friend. We all mesh perfectly {we're four peas in a pod} and they are some of the most amazing people I've ever met. Hannah is absolutely hilarious, Lydia's wittiness has no comparison, and Emily is one of the sweetest {yet sarcastic} girls I know. We've had many a sleepover filled with movies, ridiculous videos, and way too much soda. These three girls have kept me sane by doing insane things, from making hot kool-aid {I don't recommend it} to performing this song at our co-op.
We have so many inside jokes, it's not right. We even came up with names for certain boys in our lives *evil chuckle* Needless to say---I'd be a pretty boring person if not for my poncho pals.

And now, in honor of my poncho pals....here is a video of me dancing. In a poncho. That Lydia and Hannah's little sis, Naomi, made. We each got one, but we all have different prints. In case you can't see, mine has smiling cupcakes *giggles*

Sorry it's so small, and that I'm a horrible dancer. God obviously gave me skills that do not include dancing. *chuckles*

love always,

~Lily

of blue boxes, roses, and the best theme song ever

Like most good things in life, I stumbled upon Doctor Who quite by accident. 'Twas last summer, and I was scrolling through Netflix, looking for something new to watch. I saw the title Doctor Who and remembered that Bleah had mentioned this show on her blog a few times before. So I clicked 'play' and embarked on an exciting, confusing, and totally rad journey.

best. intro. ever.

he's so cute when he's being smart ;)

great slogan

I don't have the time/brains to really explain Doctor Who to y'all....but I'll introduce you to it.

Basically, the show is about the Doctor, a Time Lord {special type of alien} who is 900+ years old. He travels through time and space in his machine, called the TARDIS. He picks up various companions over the years, for he does get lonely.

Ten had my heart after this moment *giggle*

Eleven makes bowties cool.

I love this (:

I suppose those of you who haven't watched the show before are wondering why there are different Doctors. Well.....they're all the same guy, just different faces. See, every time the Doctor is near death, he just regenerates in to an entirely new body. He's the same person, just new personality and looks. Ever Whovian has their favorite Doctor. Mine is Nine, for he was my first Doctor and is just plain awesome :) 

Nine fell in love with Rose first, but Ten officially won her heart. And that is why I will go down with this ship *laughs*

I believe Martha {my least favorite companion} said this.

he's so cute when he's defending ancient Pompeii with a water gun.

 I still cannot decide why I love this show so much! I'm not a huge science fiction fan, yet this show is all about physics and various big words. I've never been into aliens, yet the Doctor is one himself. I usually prefer shows that make sense, while Doctor Who makes my head hurt sometimes. *shrugs* I guess good stuff doesn't always need an explanation.

Eleven is so quirky

still saving up for my own sonic screwdriver :D :D

pretty much me right now ;)

I do not always agree with the morals of the show, and there is always the possibility of characters dying. But compared to most television shows, Doctor Who is tame and clean. Which is great for me. I've enjoyed watching it with Owen, even if Aiden does think the show is/we are crazy.

they're all so wonderful!



this is why I love Nine so much.



his voice is so funky

 

teehee....get it?



left to right: River Song, Rory, Elven, and Amy.

 

And there ya have it! Your very own introduction to Doctor Who. I would highly suggest watching it, especially if you're interested in British accents, British actors, British humor....basically British anything. The show has science stuff, history stuff, comedy stuff, smart stuff, even book and movie stuff! Stuff for every person around....and that is why Doctor Who is such a wonderful show.

your Nine lovin', Ten/Rose and Rory/Amy shippin, Eleven adorin', frustrated-cause-it-doesn't-come-back-till-next-fall blogger,

~Lily

of cute things, an itch, and beautiful randomness

1. I have so many dreams for the future, but the most earnest I have is to travel. I've said it a million times, and I'll say it a million more! There's an ache inside of me that won't be satisfied until I visit someplace new. London, Paris, Munich.....I'd even go for Nashville or New York. It really doesn't matter, so long as I go to a place I've never been before.

I wish people still used film cameras

2. So I have this new obsession. It's an interesting obsession, and sometimes mindbending too. I am, of course, talking about Doctor Who. This is the closest I've ever been to becoming a fangirl. Or, as some people say, a Whovian. *chuckles* I'll introduce y'all to this amazing show some other time. For now, though....

I can't wait to write my Doctor Who post :)))))

3. I've been sixteen for about three months now. 'Tis a strange feeling, telling people I'm sixtten years old. When I look in the mirror, I don't see someone who will be graduating highschool in two years. I don't see a girl who can take her driving exam this summer. I don't see a girl who is old enough to get an actual job. When I look in the mirror, I still see myself at age eleven, when my world was happy and I could still be a little girl.

4. I like cute things. Cute things make me happy. And isn't this panda bear cute? He reminds me of Winnie the Pooh, which reminds me of my childhood, which reminds me of Disney, which reminds me that Beauty and the Beast will be in theatres very, very soon. *happy dance*

6. I'm amazed at how wonderful God is, right when I need Him to be. I have had many a bad day where I've though, "This is officially the worst day of my life." But then, He sends something or someone to brighten the fog that's hung over me. So thankful for His love :)

7. I've learned to really like hugs. I suppose it all began at World Views, when I hugged my girls good-bye about a hundred times. And now I've come to expect hugs from most everyone I see! Only girls, of course---hugs with guys are icky. Boys have cooties, ya know *giggle*

finger hugs are really cute too

I hope 2012 is going well for you, my dears. It's been great for me so far, and I'm so excited to see what God has in store for us all.

love always,

~Lily 

the girl who remembers....and should forget

We all have those songs that speak to us, in amazing ways. I love it when God shows His love for me through inspiring lyrics.

And, for the most part, I usually act on lyrics He sends me. By Your Side taught me to trust Him. Your Love is a Mystery showed me His love is radical. Background reminded me to let God be first in my life. And Have Your Way made me realize God knows what I want, what I need, and He'll provide for me.
But a new song that's been playing over and over in my head has been, well, tough to put into real life. Here are the main lyrics:

I'd rather forget and not slow down
Than gather regret for the things I can't change now
If I become what I can't accept
Resurrect the saint from within the wretch
Pour over me and wash my hands of it.
-Relient K
One of my signature traits is I remember things. I remember conversations from years ago; times spent with now-lost friends; memories made with people I love.

Some of you might say, "Why Lily, that's a great gift!" And, most of the time, it is! I can recall good times and stories that will never come about again. But my mind also retains bad things; sad, confusing, depressing memories.
I've come to look upon my 'fabulous memory' as a sort of curse. While those around me forget things, and move on, I'm stuck in the past. At night I replay my mistakes over and over in my head. My mind is a sponge, soaking up every word spoken and moment lived. That includes those I should forget.

I need to let some things go from my brain.....but I'm not sure how to start the detoxing process.

'cause when a heart breaks, no it don't break even

These lyrics are so, so true. This past year brought me a lot of heartbreak. People I had once trusted turning on me. Old friends forgetting about me. People I cared about changing, 'till I didn't even know who they were. The fancies of 'first love' fading away.

And as every hit came, I thought to myself, "Surely, this will be the last one. Surely my heart cannot take any more pain!"

But of course, it all kept coming. Little things, big things, things that hardly even matter---they all hurt.

With God's neverending love and grace, I got through the hardest times. With special Bible verses, He calmed my soul. By giving me true friends, He healed the cracks in my heart. And by playings the right songs at the right times, my Father soothed the pain I'd been holding inside. He showed me true love, of all kinds, that will never leave me.

For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High, he will not be shaken.

--Psalm 21:7

And for a while, I was okay. I began to move on from my past and live in the present. But by various means, the moments of heartbreak started coming back. A picture from last year, an old blog post, and a chance meeting kept on reminding me of the hurt I'd been through. So, being the stupid human I am, I let the wounds that were finally healing began to reopen.

Yet even while I was torturing myself with old pains, Jesus opened His arms and engulfed me. I realized things that hurt me hurt Him too--- and that's just not cool. Jesus already endured the pain of the cross to save me; I shouldn't give Him more oppurtunities to hurt. Dwelling on past things is sinful, and I really need to stop.

I decided this not too long ago, so I'm still struggling to forget what I've been through. I'm still trying to get past my hurt feelings and mentally forgive what former friends did to me. God still has to remind me that my heart has been made new by His healing, and that it will be made perfect once again.

It's a learning process....but with soul-sisters, poncho pals, and amazing song lyrics, I'm getting there. (:

love always,

~Lily

being alone isn't such a bad thing

My poncho pals introduced me to this song by Auburn. It's one of the most adorable songs I've ever heard! And it describes the exact relationship I want with my future husband; one where we're truly soul-mates, and think {almost} the same about every topic.

However....I did find something  that kind of annoyed me. There's this one lyric where the girl sings, "don't know if I could ever be without you, 'cause boy you complete me!"

I'll agree, that's a cute line. But after hearing it a few times, a question popped into my mind: why do I need a boy to complete me?

 *eye roll* I guess that sounds like a rather feminist-thought, huh? "Oh, I don't need a man! I'm a woman! I've got more than enough power on my own!"

But what I mean to say is I'm already complete. I've got Jesus in my heart, which means I'm as complete as I'll ever be! until I get to Heaven, at least....but that's for another post ;)

If I find out that God's plan for me doesn't include a husband/family, I'll be okay. Maybe it will hurt for a while, but with His love, I will survive. I have so many things I want to do with my life! Being single would allow me to do things like missions trips, spoiling my nieces/nephews, and being a full-time school teacher.

I would be free to travel the world with my best friends, without worrying about hurting my husband's feelings. I could own tons of cats, and visit my family whenever I wish.

And besides all that, I consider myself a sort of 'loner' anyway. I think, if I had to, I would be just fine on my own. And with God as my Main Man, I could do just about anything. :)

love always,

~Lily

sing along to my stereo

 starting from top: Owen and I watching Doctor Who {new favorite television show}; funky socks with my poncho pals {Lydia, Emily, and Hannah}; spaghetti at three in the morning {fun stuff}; Pride and Prejudice in my basement {with sparkling cider and Spaghetti O's}.

As you all can tell, the past two weeks have been cram-packed full of fun and relaxation. Christmas is a time for me to sit back, take a deep breath {or ten} and enjoy the life God has given me.

I did, however, accomplish a few things during this break:

-have a four hour phone conversation with Anna 
-finally catch up with Doctor Who
-buy/wrap presents for my family members
-drink lots of tea {from a special little teapot :)}
-organize my bedroom
-update my design {I love it}
-come up with ideas for blog posts

I hope you all had a wonderful, beautiful Christmas. I won't be back 'till 2012 {eep} so have an amazing time celebrating the new year. Oh, and don't forget to laugh---laughing is healthy *wink wink*

love always,
Lily

singing, "Merry Christmas, here's to many more"

There's something about this time of year that makes me feel different. Christmastime. It's my favorite time of the year. And, contrary to popular belief, it's not because of the gifts, my family or even the music. Those details just add to the whole Christmas experience.

No...it's not any of that. Christmas is special to me because it's the only time when people all over America are singing the same music. Because people are more cheerful. Because decorating my Christmas tree is the highlight of the year for me. Because my Savior was born.
Super cliche, right? What would a Christian blog be without the author saying, "Oh, my favorite part about Christmas is Jesus' birth."

But this is one of those rare times when I enjoy being cliche. 'Cause it's true! Celebrating the birth of Christ is the reason I feel so happy right now. Christmas has always made me feel safe, cozy, and loved. It's the only month out of the whole year I am truly myself. And it's all because Jesus became a baby, born in a lowly cattle shed, who's mother was Mary. God in the flesh. His Son, come to save us all. Is that amazing, or what?

So look at me now
It's finally Christmas and I'm home
Head indoors, to get out of this weather
And I don't know how
But the closest friends I've ever known are all inside
Singing together
Singing, "merry Christmas, here's to many more."

Be merry. Be joyful. Open presents, sing carols, drink loads of hot chocolate.....and thank God for the most precious gift of all.

merry Christmas,
~Lily

I'm not who I was

When I started this blog on April 17, 2010, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. 
 I wrote rather nonsensically for almost six months. From unschooling, to a Saturday filled with movies and food, to really random posts, I talked about every topic under the sun. Then I started following other blogs, and realized I could do better than just the silly posts I used to do. I began thinking harder about my posts; planning the words out in my head before creating a post.

It was about a year ago, in December, when my blog became more popular. I would get 8-10 comments a post, and the girls who commented soon became friends. We had a little circle of Christian girls who wrote to lift up their fellow bloggers. Little by little, I felt like I'd finally found a place where I belonged.

But then....something changed. 2011 came, and with it a multitude of blessings. I became close to two special girls from blogging, who have since turned out to be two of my best friends. Emily and I were inseperable, and the kids from my co-op turned out to be amazing friends. Summer brought even more friends, from my WorldViews small group to the new pastor's daughters. And one day I realized something: I wasn't lonely anymore.

And that is the real reason I created this blog: I felt alone in my wishes, dreams, and thoughts about life. I felt like, somehow, God meant for me to start Snatched from the Wind for some reason other than just writing about everyday life.
I have met so many beautiful, wonderful people through blogging. They're sisters of the heart; girls who go through the same things I go through; girls who believe the same things I believe.

It's been almost two years....and I've changed. I'm not blogging to make friends anymore. I'm blogging for me.

I express a thank-you to all the followers who have stayed with me, even these past months when I haven't been posting as much. I promise, with the start of the new year, you'll have many more things to read. (:

yours forever,
Lily