You're never too old for a fairytale

Here's the scene: it's November 23, 2010 approximately 1:00 in the afternoon. My sisters tell me that Tangled is now out in movie theaters and that I am taking them to see it. Fast forward to two hours later and we're in the movie theater along with dozens of little girls and their moms. I wonder if I am really going to like this movie, I mean it is an animated fairytale.

There was something so cute about Rapunzel's little chameleon lizard that is always there for her. Maximus the horse was quite hilarious and I have to say I thought his facial expressions were quite unique. Ah...and what girl doesn't love a guy who rescues a damsel in distress? I'll admit it-I loved it. I loved Tangled.

I thought I might be subjected to 100 minutes of a fairytale that only little girls would like but I was wrong. I didn't end up aimlessly counting popcorn kernels or wondering just how much longer I was going to have to sit through there in the theater. Certainly I know that glowing hair and magic flowers don't exist but that's all right because your never too old for a fairy tale.

Tell your little sister that you have a surprise for her. Take her to see Tangled and don't think you are too old for this. You might just discover that you still believe that dreams come true.

P.S. Don't forget the popcorn! =)

Read the Tangled review from Focus on the Family here.

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What are you thankful for?

That wonderful holiday where we celebrate with friends and family and ahem.....indulge in too much pecan pie is here. This Thanksgiving what are you thankful for? When I woke up this morning I lay in bed thinking about all the blessings God has given me in my 18 years of life. Here's my challenge to you: for each year of life that God has granted you with list one thing you are thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving and may our Lord bless you abundantly!!

What I am Thankful for:

1. for salvation
2. for family
3. for the Bible
4. for wonderful friends
5. for good books
6. for education
7. for Pride and Prejudice =^)
8. for God's grace
9. for language
10. for music
11. for musical instruments
12. for malls :^)
13. for sisters
14. for hot tea
15. for letters from friends
16. for our Founding Father's who were brave enough to establish a nation that honored God.
17. for America
18. for freedom

There are my 18 things! If you took the challenge then comment on this post with a link to your blog post.

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Why you must read

I remember the time that I had just received a new copy of a Laura Ingall's book that I desperately wanted to read. At that point in my life I was a little girl with freckles who dressed up in my bonnet and pretended that I was living the Little House on the Prairie series. The day that I received the next book in the series I made an error in judgment and called my brother a name. I was heart broken when the book was taken away from me and my dad told me that my punishment was that I couldn't read the book for a week. I cried and got angry because not being able to read my book was pure torture. Reading assignments were things that I loved and still do.

Do you love to read? I hope that you do but if you don't I want to tell you that reading is important. I can just imagine that some of you are thinking that I sound like your mother when I say that reading is important. In a world where you can just watch the movie instead of the book we have forgotten the feel of those crisp pages and the fresh smell of a newly printed book but most of all we have forgotten that reading great literature grows our hearts and minds.

"Reading Christians are growing Christians, when Christians cease to read they cease to grow."

-John Wesley

One of the best reasons to read is this: you must read to learn more about Christ. Hearing a Bible verse here and listening to a sermon there is not going to grow your love for the Lord as much as you would if you would read the Word. When you read you put your time into something and what you put your time into you will care about. You must read because all of the Wikipedia articles in the world aren't going to give you all the information you need to be acquainted with a Shakespearean masterpiece. Carl Marx knew that reading is a powerful exercise. The Communist Manifesto took freedom captive and became one of the most infamous books of all time. Literature changes things.

Do you want to know more about Christ? Then read his Word. Do you want to be entertained without the television? Then read a book. Do you want to change the world for good? Then read a book that will change you. Put down the remote, log off of facebook, and just do it. Just read.

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The home stretch

Apart from gaining a fear of red ink, my education has been without trauma. There were definitely days when I didn't want to get out of bed to do school, there were days when I didn't want to take a test, and I am ashamed to say that there also were days when I didn't care if I learned anything at all. The end is near.

After all the chewing on pencils and erasing a thousand wrong answers all of those school days, I'm coming closer to the end. Like a horse running in a race, I can see the finish line as I come around the curve. There is something exhilarating about seeing the end rush nearer and nearer. When you see the finish line coming closer that is when the danger is very present. You can keep running and running with the goal of reaching the prize but when the prize is nearly yours you must not feel too certain of it. You must not quit.

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
-Galatians 6:9

A few nights ago I sat at my desk with piles of homework spilling over all around me and I thought "I don't want to do this" but I needed to do it. An hour later I had made it to the end of stack of paper and felt rewarded for sticking to the task even though there were more enjoyable things that I wanted to do. I want to encourage you, especially if you are coming upon a life transition, to stay strong. Even as the finish line comes into view, keep running your hardest. Just as a jockey does not slow the horse down as they race toward the end so we must not slacken our step.

Never give up and never give in!

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I want you to vote!

I remember the time when my mom went to vote and I stood with her in the voting booth and asked her all sorts of questions about what that button was and what that lever did. I didn't understand why we had to stand behind a curtain and I secretly wondered why everyone in the building seemed to be decades older than me. As time went on I realized what those buttons were and why we had a curtain around us but I didn't realize how quickly the time would pass. Now I'm the age of some of those voters and I'm excited about it.

Can I really be this old? Can I really vote? I can! Tomorrow I get to vote in an election for my first time ever and you know what? I hope that some kind person at the voting establishment will give me one of those famous stickers that says "I voted." Being able to vote is a privilege and I look forward to exercising that privilege.

If you are registered to vote and are of voting age I would encourage you to vote tomorrow. If you have the ability to vote and do not then you have no right to complain about our government and the leaders who are elected. If we do not use our freedoms then they will be taken from us. Americans have the freedom to vote as we see fit so it is my desire that those of us who can would not toss that freedom aside simply because we do not care about politics or social issues. Voting isn't about party or politics it is about having a responsibility to your country and fulfilling it.

I hope that tomorrow many of you will fulfill your responsibility to vote. =)

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