Redwing;

I had the epiphany as I was pacing back and forth in front of the living room window, watching the current weather patterns. It was at that moment that I realized: I am becoming one of them. I had missed the warning signs in the things that have subconsciously slipped into my daily routine the last few days. Now that I look back on my time here in Redwing, I can see just how this slow yet steady transformation took place.

First of all, before I get into the details of this process, let me just recognize that the mere suggestion of moving into a retirement complex for two weeks should have been enough to make me say, "Oh, I better get some young fun in this weekend before I leave my Seventeen magazines (not that I have any anyways) and chick flicks (not that I watch them a whole lot) and the strapping young men (not that I see any on a regular basis) back at home." But no, I had no concerns at all.

I should have known, however, when I started talking to Nicky like he actually was one of my cousins. And as if that wasn't enough, I knew his walking route backward and forward. I could do it with my eyes closed by Sunday. I knew all of the stops at the third bench on the left, that last telephone pole on the right, and the bridge barrier on the way home, in addition to the few grassy patches that were just perfect for rolling around on. Heck, by the third day, I even knew all of Nicky's neighborhood friends: Coby, Charlie, Spot, Mabel, and Buddy. I knew their walking times too.

In case you were really curious, this is what my day looks like. After breakfast (consisting of fruit loops, orange juice, and a cup of tea) I do a little reading. I picked up a few Chicken Soup books from the thrift store because I used to love reading those cute little anecdotes that would make you laugh and cry at the same time (but of course I never cried). Next we got our exercise done: golf on the Wii - Grandad vs. me before Granny plays the winner. Lunch is followed by an Irish movie or two (and a cup of tea).

Don't get me wrong; I love Ireland, and I actually find these movies rather interesting, but they're not your typical-teenager past-time. Uncle Dan has been coming over for dinner, which provides a few good laughs around the table before yet another cup of tea. Granny hands me my Sudoku puzzle from the newspaper at eight o'clock while she does the Cryptogram and Grandad watches the weather channel to see if his predictions match up with the weatherman's. After my eighth cup of tea for the day and some good conversation, we hit the sack.

To some it may seem odd that I haven't been outside of the retirment complex for four days, or that I've taken up knitting at seventeen to pass the time of day, or that I haven't watched television in a week because I've been too busy watching movies like "The Quiet Man" (1952) and "Angel in My Pocket" (1969), but it's not bad. Sure, it may not seem normal when you look at the facts, but if you knew me, you'd know I am having the time of my life.

Seventeen magazines can't tell you how to raise a wonderful family and keep a good home. Chick flicks aren't as good as hearing the story about how your grandparents fell in love. And strapping young men will always be around, but Granny & Grandad might not. Nothing can replace the time I am having this week.

Today, Grandad and I went for a bike ride along the channel this afternoon. And Granny and I exchanged a skill for a skill; I taught her how to play cards and she taught me how to knit. Tomorrow I am hoping to learn how to paint. I am reading more than ever, but none of the books I am reading compare to listening to the stories of my grandparents lives.

xo

wanna cupcake?

"Do you know," Peter asked "why swallows build in the eaves of houses? It is to listen to the stories." _JM Barrie

Everybody has their own story, and every story is worth being heard. So go on and tell me yours. I'm listening....

i could feel it in my bones

when i was told

we were going for a ride

down woodland drive

i almost fell asleep

watching the rows of trees

until we ran out of lines

on woodland drive

i wish this would never end

just keep going round the bend

keep this memory alive

down on woodland drive

i will always remember

waiting forever

by your chevy that died

on woodland drive

i'll never forget

the road was so wet

you were the love of my life

but i lost you on woodland drive

quote me.

While I was writing my little grad thing for the yearbook, I found some really stellar quotes. Here are a few of my favourites...

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life from what we give. {Winston Churchill}

Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live. {Anonymous}

It's easy to make a buck, but it’s a lot tougher to make a difference. {Tom Brokaw}

Life isn’t measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. {Anonymous}

There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right... {Martin Luther}

♥ ireland

Round-trip flight to Ireland: $1,502

Room & board at Aunt Vera's for the summer: $200

Taking a bus from Belfast to Enniskillen: $53

Discovering your family heritage, seeing the world, and having a good time while you're at it: Priceless

If only I happened to have a Visa card with $2,000 on it...$3,000 wouldn't hurt either. haha.

But maybe it'll happen in a few years, God willing.

bee yourself.

Halloween is the one day of the year that you are allowed to be someone that you're not. Or maybe it's the one day of the year when you are allowed to be yourself without others judging you. Either way, it's a great excuse for a party.

"Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation." _Oscar Wilde, De Profundis, 1905

True true.

"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth." _Oscar Wilde

But my favourite of all.

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." _Dr. Seuss

high school.

Oh the drama, oh the parties, oh the hype! It sounds fun, at times, but then again it also sounds kind of exhausting. haha. So good to see J & K & N again, and to be a part of it all again, just for a minute. But I'll never be able to reminisce about the grad prank we pulled, or the ultimate sweet sixteen that so and so threw, or the time we got that clueless Social Studies substitute teacher. Oh well. There are more exciting things in life, like traveling the world and working at the food bank and graduating early!

I saw HSM 3 on Friday. AHAHAH. But it was actually pretty good, maybe even better than the first = O !!! I also saw FIREPROOF! It was amazing, even though it was really cheesy. It was refreshing to see a movie that actually had meaning, plot, conflict, and importance. I really liked it. How could I not, especially with Kirk Cameron in it!?

backcome?

Or comeback? 

I think it's true, I think it's coming back. 

So here's my first back-come post.

purple.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience — among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. {Ephesians 2}

I always have to remind myself of this passage. I have to remember that I was dead in my sins, but our loving, merciful, and gracious God saved little old undeserving me. Doesn't that make you think about things a bit differently?

We got home from camp last week, and oh boy. It was so much fun, but I think I actually did learn some things too. It was sad though because it's like the week didn't even start till Thursday, and then we left early Saturday morning. Oh well, I am really looking forward to next year. But our family is so spontaneous who knows what we'll be doing.

touch your nose.

Wiggle your toes, why not. Be silly. Because “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” {Dr. Seuss}. And you know what? Live your life. I know it sounds so ridiculously ridiculous and simply simple, but it's profound. In the span of all eternity, our lives are just a snippet, a raindrop, a snowflake, a sun ray, a mountain top, a grain of sand, a falling leaf, a passing car, a wheel going round. So make the most of it.

By the way, if you've seen Summer around, please tell her to come visit me. I miss her. She's due in a couple of days and I'm worried about her. Just pass on the message if you get the chance, thanks. Oh, and ask her to make this one real special. <3>

www.flickr.com/photos/karadarling

when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Actually, I prefer the saying, "When life gives you lemons, make orange juice and then everyone will wonder how you did it." ...But for the moment I think the one in the title is more suitable.

God sure works in mysterious ways, and even when I have no idea what He's doing I am so happy that I can trust in Him because His plan is perfect and good. I got baptized this last weekend, and it was just an amazing weekend all around, for the most part. I met someone named Zin, who is an atheist and really needs Jesus, just like we all do. We got to talking and I invited him to youth group, totally not expecting him to come. Sure enough though he showed up, and he came to church on Sunday! I am praying that God is working in his heart.

It's been crazy the last couple of days, and that's all I have to say about that {Forrest Gump said that too}.

Sigur Ros is coming out with a new album this month and it's beautiful. I listened to it this morning online and I love it, all of it. 

Hope you enjoyed this insanely random sane post, for all you random people that accidentally happen to come across my blog and wish you never had, but I thank you for the 0.3 seconds that you stay on it before realizing that this is not your friend's blog about how to actually make orange juice from lemons.

Cheerio.

watch yo back.

Look out OK Go........

GANGSTA!

When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

do hard things.

Great weekend, so much fun, so inspiring to hear the speakers talk about going above and beyond expectations of teenagers today. I was really challenged to come home and do a hard thing, and I am looking forward to making a difference more often. I learned about life and about myself. And I loved hanging out with everyone, eh babay! Good times...

Anyways, I heard this song on the way home from Oregon and I really liked it.

Praise You in the Storm - Casting Crowns

I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

happy birthday to you...

Happy birthday Mom!
You are the BEST mom ever. Through thick and thin, good or bad, happy or sad, you have been there for me. You have been there to listen to me talk on and on late at night when you wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. You have been there for me when I had a test the next day and had no clue what I was doing. You have been there for me even when I didn't think I needed you, but I did. Thank you so much for being such an amazing example to me of a Godly woman, of a loving wife, and an awesome mom. When I grow up I want to be just like you.
I love you.

88 keys.

I got a phone call from a very good friend on Saturday night, and it made my day. Actually, it pretty much made my week, maybe even month. God is amazing, the way He works things out. In the toughest times, and in the best times, whether we are faithful to Him or not, He is faithful to us. I am so happy for that, because I know that I lack on my side of the relationship, but it never changes on His side. God is so good.


Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Morning by morning I wake up to find
The power and comfort of God's hand in mine
Season by season I watch Him, amazed
In awe of the mystery of His perfect ways
All I'm in need of, His hand will provide
He's always been faithful to me

I cant remember a trial or a pain
He did not recycle to bring me gain
I cant remember one single regret
In serving God only, and trusting His hand
All I'm in need of, His hand will provide
He's always been faithful to me

This is my anthem, this is my song
The theme of the stories I've heard for so long
God has been faithful, He will be again
His loving compassion, it knows no end
All I'm in need of, His hand will provide
He's always been faithful, He's always been faithful
He's always been faithful to me


He's Always Been Faithful - Sara Groves

a tribute, to sliced bread.

We found a whole pile of home videos this weekend, and have been watching them every night. We've seen videos from when I was a baby, when we were all small, from back in the White Rock house, family-get-togethers, old film from back in the day, and the lost footage from Africa. It's made me miss Africa even more, and realize just what an experience that truly was. I was so young, and I still am really young, but at the time there was so much going on and so fast that I didn't really realize what an impact it would have on the people we met there and me. I want to go back so bad, and I hope we do get there one day, God willing.


And Happy Birthday.
and Happy Belated Birthday.
To Dad, and to Gram.
Two wonderful people that I am glad to know, and just happened to end up in the same family as them.


WORD OF THE DAY:
faz´zo`let ; n. A handkerchief

[hohm]

home. [hohm] : the place in which one's domestic affections are centered.
my own bed. [/maɪ/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciationmahy ohn bed] : a lovely dreamland where I can get a full night's rest and awake to familiar surroundings.

I love that the sun is setting later, and prettier every day I think. We're having clearer skies and the trees are getting getting a little more colourful. I'd say that's a sure sign of spring. And oh the daffodils! I think ours are going to bloom this season. I hope they do. If only I could smell the flowers, if only I didn't wake up with an annoying cold. Thank goodness for Ricola. And a warm cup of tea.

{increase the peace}

I am still alive, and I have a few pictures that I will post later for those few faithful readers. I like this place, but I could never live here. Maybe up the coast a bit more, where there is actually mountains and natural water and trees that have more than five branches.

Anyways, I really have nothing to say, other than I am very grateful for what Christ has done and is doing in my life. But the last post was getting kind of old.

As they say here in southern California, ADIOS.

hi ho, hi ho.

So before I get started on the California thing, I must say - I love the sky. We went to the Planetarium yesterday and I love learning about and looking at the stars, and planets, and moons. It's cool how people know so much about things so far away, that robots haven't even landed on. Yeah, I guess I'm a star geek, not because I know so much but because I find it SO fascinating. So, now to tell you about Cali.




I'm off to Cali-for-nia on Thursday.
Goodbye clouds, goodbye rain, goodbye cold.
And sorry, but Spot won't be coming again this year. Maybe next time?