mr. right

I'm pretty sure that, at some point, all little girls dream about something very similar. We all want a perfect wedding, with a special someone waiting at the end of the aisle for us. Many girls (/coughtotallynotmehonestcough) have had their entire wedding, from dress options to reception goodies, planned out since they were old enough to realize mommy and daddy had had a wedding, that this whole wedding thing was desirable, and that boys weren't all that bad. Some girls actually go so far as to cut out the man entirely, and plan a huge bash solely for their own benefit, in the naive hope that they can have a wedding without actually, you know, getting married. Thankfully, that stage ends right about at ten, and never really comes back.

It goes without saying that the future is a question with a lot riding on it. Even more than that is the question of who we're going to spend half of our lives with, and sometimes longer. So, to my mind at least, it's very important that we get this right. There are various ideas as to how exactly we can get it right.

Some girls choose the path of experimentation. They go through a variety of boyfriends, never quite settling down with any one, excusing it with the idea that they're saving up a list of characteristics they want, or just testing to see what they like, or just goofing off while they're young because YOLO, right? More than just spending time with guys and "dating", though, many girls also end up giving themselves in some form to one or more of the guys they date. Be it a few kisses, a few emotional concessions, or a night spent together in secret, they often go farther than they should, and realize too late that it's a mistake, that they shouldn't have ever gotten involved. Some of these girls have had "lines" that they weren't willing to cross.

I've seen so many girls give themselves away to someone who wasn't willing to be there for the rest of his life. He wasn't willing to embark upon a life spent together. Yet time and again, girls continue trusting, giving everything to someone who is undeserving. Is this what God intended for us, his daughters?

I would give an emphatic no in answer. I believe that God said:

...I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, NJKV)

He knows your future, every little side-plot and roadblock, every plot twist and turn, everything that has ever happened or ever will. He knows what you will name your children and, in their turn, he knows everything that will happen to them. He's got it covered, down to every single last, seemingly insignificant detail. He knows who you're going to marry, who will be the perfect fit to round out your service, to perfectly complement your personality and skills and make your future life the best it can be.

So trust him. Don't think you have to "shop around" to find that one perfect guy who will complete you. Don't think you have to do something to find God's best for you. He'll bring it. Wait for your Mr. Right, because I know God's got it covered.

Trusting in God

Every girl goes through times that try her spirit. Perhaps her Dad has lost his job, the family is undergoing financial stress, a person dear to her heart has passed away, or her best friend has moved out of state. No matter what the reasons, no girl has a carefree and perfect life all the way through. We all face trials at some point. And sometimes they can be really hard to bear.

Image source – www.thecountryhandmaiden.blogspot.com   

At times perhaps it seems like God does not hear your prayers. It seems everything that happens is just a turn for the worse. Why does this have to happen to me? You think. Why does God have to give me so many sufferings, hasn’t He given me enough? Hasn’t this lasted long enough? Trusting in God to guide your every step can be difficult at trying times like these. But you must persevere, for you are not alone.

God tests those He loves. He is testing you, because He loves you, and because it is for your own good. He is there by you, every step of the way, there to hold your hand when no one else can. You are his handmaiden, here to serve Him, trying to do your best. He loves to see that. So many people in the world neglect, and even reject Our Lord, and your faithfulness is a great comfort to Him.

God’s ways will never be understood, but we must follow His plan with willingness. We may not see the reasons for what we are going through right now, but in the end we will see them, and we won’t be able to believe how God worked out such a masterful plan for our lives. We will look in awe at how each incident worked together to bring us to where we are now. If Dad hadn’t lost his job, he never would have found one in Kentucky, your family never would have left Virginia, and you would never have met your best friend Sarah. What a blessing a friend is! Before you didn’t have one, and you were feeling lonely, and you couldn’t believe your dad had lost his job, but look where it took you? A little perseverance back in those months of job-searching, financial stress, and loneliness pulled you through and now look what came of it.

Sometimes we have to look at the ups and downs that God sends us every day as just another step in His wonderful plan for our lives. What may be difficult now, will be better in the end. All it takes is a little cheerfulness and a perfect surrender to God’s divine will, and all will be well in the end.

- This guest post was written by Miss Elizabeth at The Country Handmaiden blog. She is a stay at home daughter who is striving to learn the traditional arts, soapmaking, spinning, gardening, sewing, canning, etc.  She loves to bake, crochet, watercolor, play Celtic fiddle, ride horses and raise bunnies.

Good Girls Really Do Have More Fun

Who says that you have to be lewd, rude, and worldly-wise to have fun? My summer trip is proof that a few girls with spunk, imagination, and a big sense of humor can have a blast without resorting to gossip, trashy talk, coarse programming, or any real naughtiness beyond one-too-many cups of tea.

The adventure began with my first ever flight on an airplane (It was definitely something special!). I flew down to Austin, TX to meet one of my best friends, Aubrey, who then drove with me to San Antonio where we spent several glorious days with two of the sweetest, fun-est girls ever, Brittany and Victoria. All of us have something wonderful in common—we are all Christian homeschool girls.

You have probably read and heard people talk about how “sheltered” girls are no fun at all. They’re naïve, clueless, and utterly dull. We know that this is so far from the truth! However, if you’re like me you’ve probably wondered how the other half lives…maybe you’ve been tempted to do something that went against your conscience because you wondered if you were missing out on something really wonderful.

Because we do miss out on things, right? There are movies we can’t see, books we can’t read, music we can’t listen to, places we can’t go, people we can’t befriend, experiences we can’t have, all because we love the Lord and want to please him. And, to be honest, sometimes that feels incredibly limiting. Even if we don’t respect the “bad girls,” even if we know the consequences of their actions, isn’t it hard not to go there ourselves, if only in our minds?  

Tea, scarves, and friends—what could be better?

Some people would probably say that it’s impossible to keep oneself separate from the things of the world. They argue that evil is too pervasive, and if we truly cut ourselves off from everything that didn’t honor God then we would be living in a cardboard box in the middle of the desert. But do you know what I learned from my trip to Texas? That girls like Brittany and Victoria can dress modestly and be cute. They can watch movies and avoid profanity and innuendo. They can show their girlfriends a good time without resorting to cheap entertainment like alcohol or seedy nightclubs.

 Tell me if this sounds like fun:

·         Watching Doctor Who while wrapped in a life-size replica of Tom Baker’s scarf

·         Shopping for teaspoons at a quirky little antique shop

·         Trying weird new foods like kippers, Marmite, and Fevertree ginger beer

·         Laughing over our celebrity crushes (most of my friends’ would be over 100 years old if they weren’t already dead)

·         Watching hilarious YouTube videos late into the night

·         Talking in British accents—constantly

·         Having afternoon tea once or twice a day (complete with jammy biscuits and scrummy muffins)

·         Singing along to Danny Kaye, Bing Crosby, and The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre

·         Doing the Happy Dance in front of the Alamo (I have provided a video for your enlightenment)

People can call us sheltered. They can say we’re missing out. But do you know what I say? Good girls really do have more fun.

Hi ho, off we go!

To step away from everything. The routine. The chores. The daily cycle of life.

To breathe in new air. To see new creation, and new life.

To stop and praise the Lord for who He is and how He is working in your life.

This past summer my family and I took a trip to our favorite area, the mountains of North Carolina. Coming from a southern land of swamps, forests, and sandy beaches, the height and depth of those rugged hills were a delight and refreshment to me.

We visited old towns, hiked, and simply slowed life down {just a bit!} and spent family time together.

So many memories were made, so many smiles and laughs, it is quite hard to share of my time without keeping you all day! But fear not... I will try to keep this post... well... not *too* lengthy! :)

Our trip mostly consisted of driving on the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway.... a road filled with overlooks and hiking trails. My family loves hiking... to hear only the quiet sounds of creation... it is so pleasant!

My and my sweet little brother... :)

Budding rhododendron... they were blooming during our trip, and there beauty added an extra joy to our time!

Linville Falls...

An amazing waterfall which we hiked to {that climb down was so worth it!}

The time was simple. sweet. and cherished.

A vacation that I shall look back upon and smile.

A trip that was filled with the mercies of God and one to be thankful for.

{For more photos and details of our trip, please visit my blog here}

May the Lord bless the rest of ya'lls summer... filling it with His love and joy!

Blessings,

still the same

Well, the past several months have been absolutely amazing for me. There's just something about summer that gets me excited sometimes--and it has nothing to do with the heat or the sudden ability to get soaking wet outside without freezing or enjoying cookouts. It does have a lot to do with the bevy of summer activities I sign myself up for, though. This summer, I've attended Christian Youth In Action (a nine-day training program put on by the Child Evangelism Fellowship), gone to Romania, and then gone on to summer camp with my youth group in Ringold, LA.

CYIA was epic, as always--most of my best friends attend, mostly because that's where I met them--and I learned a lot. They basically teach us how to run a five day club, which is a VBS-type program where we take kids and teach them about Christ and missions and the Bible and the Gospel over the course of a week that is usually pretty crazy. I'm doing another five day club right now and, let me tell you, it's nothing short of an adventure.

Romania was even more of an adventure. As some of you may know, I've taken two other overseas trips, to Zambia and China. Flying all the way across the Atlantic Ocean is, while not yet a commonplace happening, isn't quite so much of a novelty anymore. In other words, it's pretty boring. But then we got to Romania. We helped run a VBS for our missions, Tim and Debra Tyler, in Timisoara. On our peak night, Wednesday, we had over 70 kids. It was a huge blessing.

There's something amazing about going overseas and seeing how similar things are. Yes, we have different languages and different styles of living, sometimes even different cultural values and ways of looking at the world. Yet at a fundamental level, all people are the same. They live, laugh, love, die the same everywhere. Not only that, they pretty much worship God the same way. Oh yes, there are different styles of music, and some cultures (Africa comes to mind) get into it a whole lot more than Westerners usually do, but that doesn't change the simple fact that people are people, that when they really love God, they do it with all their hearts, and one of the purest expressions of that love is lifting praises to the Lord of the universe.

Romania didn't "change my life" per se, but it did refresh some things in my mind and show me a few things I need to change in my own life. So, I suppose it was a success. Pache (peace).

Niagara Falls! A place filled with examples of our Creator's Creativity!

Hello Friends!  It is good to be back with all of you!  I know all of us Bloggirls had wonderful vacations and are looking forward to sharing what the Lord, taught, shared and showed us on our trips.

I've been trying to figure out how to fit our vacation into a short blog post and it just isn't possible :] Therefore, I'm going to focus on just one of the many highlights of our families trip......Niagara Falls!

Have you ever been somewhere where the power of something just overwhelms you?  Where something so enormous is hard to comprehend?  Well Niagara had that affect on me :o)

As I wrote this post the following verse came to mind.  "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you."  ~ Isaiah 43:2

When I put the context of this verse next to Niagara Falls and realize that no trial, no matter how hard, even if it is as powerful and overwhelming as a raging, forceful river in early spring, it "shall not overwhelm you" because God is with us and is bigger than the trial! Praise God.

The first falls we visited were American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.  Both of them fall inside the United States and were beautiful to see.  Here are some pictures:

Standing next to the observation tower looking at
American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.

Standing on Goat Island looking at Amereican Falls.
At the bottom left hand corner you can just a small portion of
Bridal Veil Falls.

We then walked to the other side of Goat Island to view Canadian "Horseshoe" Falls.  1/3 of Horseshoe Falls falls inside the U.S. border and therefore the fall is considered Canadian. The falls make a "U" shape hence its name, but because of that feature it is hard to get a good picture unless you are on the Canadian side....however I thought you might enjoy a couple pictures anyway!



Looking over at the Canadian side with the mist from the falls
rising up.

I though you all might enjoy these quick facts about the falls:

150,000 gallons of water flow over the American Falls every second!! - (Give or take what time of year it is)
600,000 gallons of water flow over Horseshoe Falls every second!! - (Again the amount may change depending on the time of year it is.)

As our family discovered different parts of Niagara State Park, we were overwhelmed by the amazing creativity of our Creator and the power that He has and uses on our small planet, in our country, in the state of New York, in the park of Niagara!


I would definitely recommend visiting Niagara and our family hopes to return someday!  We thank God for the opportunity He gave us!

Guest Posting

Hello again! How is summer treating you? I hope you've found plenty of excuses to enjoy ice cold glasses of lemonade and fun times with friends and family, plus an extra measure of closeness to the Lord.

As we bloggirls prepare to jump back into regular posting, we want to extend a cordial invitation to all of our community members: we want you to write for this blog! Our home is your home, and as fellow Christian homeschool girls we want to hear about what is going on in your life, what the Lord is doing with you, what you're cooking, creating, loving, and learning. If you have your own blog, or have ever considered blogging, we'd love to hear what you have to say. 

If you're interested, please leave a comment below with your email address and one of us will get back with you as soon as possible. I can't wait to read what your creative minds come up with!

The welcome mat on Bill's pier, a photo by Vincent Maher on Flickr.