FINALLY!!

Oh my goodness! I'm so proud of myself! I am truly a puzzle genius!! Now, which one can I do next. That was fun!

I wish

I wish people would realize that God likes to laugh.
I wish they would realize that God finds delight in everything and so should we.
I wish people could walk outside and see the daisies and thank God for making something so happy.
I wish people would realize that God is not left in the church building.
He is everywhere. In everything. He laughs when you laugh. He likes to make you laugh. He created laughter. He loves to hear you laugh. So laugh, give praises and be joyful unto the Lord.

Guess what again!

I got a real Bible for Christmas! It has a giant concordance (my dream!) and red lettering! I am so excited! I have wanted a "grown-up" bible for SO LONG!! Yipee!! It's so pretty!

-Rachel :)

Progress... :)

This is mainly for Amber. :)

Guess What!?!?

Guess what?! My brother gave me a Little Black Book for Christmas! Mwahaha! Now there are two of us! Beware! ;-D

-Rachel

My brother's awesome :)

My very own Fred Astaire! (minus the special effects!)

My brother and I had fun bouncing off the walls tonight.

I think he's pretty awesome :D

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

-Rachel Elizabeth

I love you!

I just wanted everyone to know how much I love them and appreciate them! My life would not be nearly as wonderful if I didn't have you all to cheer me up! I love you! Have a terrific day!

-Rachel :)

Strange things happen on windy nights

Wow, that was an interesting experience. I just walked out my front door to look at the trees blowing in the wind and right in front of me was a reindeer. I was shocked. Apparently the reindeer was too because it didn't move a muscle. We just stood and stared at each other. The only thing I noticed about it were how beautiful its antlers were. They were like small delicate branches all intertwined together, creating a beautiful masterpiece atop its head. A big gust of wind blasted me from behind and I took a step forward. "Strange," I thought. "He didn't even move when I did." The wind had woken me from my trance and I took a cautious step towards the reindeer. His antlers swayed a bit. "He must have seen me." I took another step. He tilted his head forward and one of his antlers brushed my face. It felt odd, not like I would imagine an antler feeling. It actually felt sort of smooth, yet poky at the same time. A bit like a christmas light. I looked closer at his antlers and realized that it was a christmas light. In fact he had christmas lights tangled all inbetween his majestic antlers. "Poor reindeer," I whispered softly "How did you get yourself in a mess like this?" "Here, hold still, I'll help you." I gently untwined the lights from his antlers all while wondering how he knew to come to me for help. As I pulled the last string off, I noticed he wore a tag around his neck. "Dasher" It said. "Could this be? One of Santa's reindeer?" Dasher tossed his head, glad to be free of his burden. He started walking across my lawn but then turned back to look at me. He gave me what looked like a smile then he tossed his head again and leapt into the air. As he flew away I waved and whispered to myself, "Merry Christmas, Dasher and thank you for bringing back to me the one thing I wanted for Christmas. My imagination."

I don't get upset very often but when I do, I do!

Just a few fuming thoughts about Pastor Brian's sermon tonight. I'm sorry that it is all disorganized and may be hard to follow but I was just pouring out my feelings without a care. I hope there are some who agree with me on this and feel free to talk to me about any of them because I AM going to do something about it!! Anything!! Pray for me, for courage.

12-14-05

"If you’re not on fire for God, you’re hanging out with the wrong people." - P. Brian

This is so not true! It’s not realistic to be “on fire” for God ALL the time! You go through up and down times. Depending on what time of personality you have, like me, it is very rare to be “on fire” in the way P. Brian says. Not everyone is all gung ho all the time!! I used to cry because I never got to be on fire like all the others and I thought there was something wrong with my relationship with God because I wasn’t like the others because I didn’t know any better. If I felt that way then there must be others too!

"You ALL have the power of God to heal people in Jesus’ name and you need to utilize this gift!"-P. Brian

Some aren’t called to minister this way. Some, like me, are called to minister through example or the joy and spirit of Jesus inside me that others can see and want. Read Romans 12! One Body, Many Parts. Different gifts!

"You need to minister to people, tell them that their souls need to saved by Jesus and that they are living their lives wrong and they need to surrender their lives to God!!" -P. Brian

This is the worst way EVER to minister to people!! No one likes to be told they’re wrong!! It turns them off totally!! Minister to them by showing them Jesus’ love and how he can love them and help them too! Don’t condemn them!! I’ve tried and it turned my friend away!

"If you’re not being persecuted, then you’re not a real Christian." -P. Brian

Crap. You must be WILLING to be persecuted but if you’re not, that doesn’t mean you’re a bad Christian!

Pastor B also said that testemonies of people who were alcoholics and drug addicts and prostitutes were terrific and are always used to turn people to Christ but what about the people who NEVER did ANYHTING wrong!? Isn't that almost even a greater testimony? And yet you never hear those ones!!

This sermon made me feel like crap but then I remembered what I’ve been taught through my life! A ton of people who haven’t had my teaching would feel like they are bad Christians and they cant do anything right. This will make them quit on Christianity and stop coming to church because they feel condemned and bad and then all your “sprouts” will be crushed because they never had any time to grow strong. Plus, they have had no where to gain this teaching and they don’t know it’s okay to have a relationship with God that is different from everyone else’s. Christianity is not a “One size fits all” sort of thing! Everyone is different and that’s okay at church too!!!!!

I want to cry for those poor people who are feeling condemned and hopeless. I love them and feel for them because I know what it’s like!! They need to be taught the true love and acceptance and wonderfulness of Christ!!

-Rachel