The year I

2014

The year I traveled out of the country 4x

The year I drove for the first time.

The year I started high school.
The year I became a Compassion International advocate.

The year we got one step closer towards adoption prep for Miss M!

The year that consisted of court, court, and more court.

The year I prayed more.

The year I fell in love with classical music. And football games.
The year I joined a discipleship group.
The year Chipotle was brought into my life.

The year I lost my reading mojo…

…and the year I got it back.

The year I understood more about what being a daughter of the King means.
The year we added another child to our sponsorship family. 

The year I purged my clothes. Hallelujah and Goodnight.

The year I got a newfound desire to dig in The Word.
The year my family had to cancel two vacations. Boo.
The year I learned to like avocado (my taste buds finally love me!)

The year I should've written more.
The year my friendships grew, both in number and closeness.
The year we thought about moving, but didn't (for, like, the 3rd time).

The year I turned 15 (but honestly, it feels more like 18).
The year I became an essential oil addict.
The year I was reminded that DQ blizzards exist.
The year I was introduced to the greatness that is Jimmy Fallon.
The year I was an infrequent blogger.

The year I accidentally tasted champagne (aka the most disgusting drink in the history of ever).
The year with so many ups and downs my head started to ache.


2015
The year I will pick up the cello again.
The year I will go to Disney World for the umpteenth time.
The year I will go sweet free*
The year this girl will finally get some school done. Sheesh.
The year I have so much hope for. Crossing my dainty little fingers.

*Bless my sugar-lovin' heart. I'll do the best I can. // UPDATE: Never mind. 

On the subject of social media...

  I've never seen a teen blog about social media in this sort of way. I don't see many teens blog, period. Actually, this is a pretty popular topic amongst parents. 

   You've probably seen blog posts about this many times before, but I am hoping, since I'm a teen myself, that hearing it from me could spark a different response.  If anything I say is misunderstood or offensive, I'm sincerely sorry. I am only telling you this because, Moms and Dads, as a teen, I care about my peers.We are the same generation. They are my closest friends, my acquaintances, and my enemies. I was with them 5 days a week, for months at a time, every year for 8-9 years of my life. I'm homeschooled now, but I still see your child everywhere. At Target, at church, and most of all, online.

  I can see who they follow. I see what they're tweeting, sharing, posting and liking. Fantasizing about boyfriends, offensive retweets regarding race. I even see some teens I know following pages containing porn. And not every teen is like this. Let me repeat: not every teen is like this. But still, people are surprising me. And even the ones like me who try to stay away from that stuff are accidentally being exposed to it; whether it be through friends they're following, or innocently clicking a popular link. It makes me wonder if parents really know about their child's account.  Or maybe they do know, but they don't have access to it or interest in seeing it. I feel that if more parents knew what their teen is able to find on social media and how easy it is to find it, then they would be more cautious.  Here are some things I think would help.  

Your child should not have a better phone than you. 

  If you own a flip phone while your teen is sporting the newest iPhone, then I suggest you trade phones. You should know how to use your child's phone, and know what's on it.

Be informed about the social media apps and websites your child is on.

  If your child has an account on anything, you should know about it, or maybe even get one yourself so you can check in on your child. Know who they are following and who's following them, and who they're friends with. I'm not saying you should stalk them. Be engaged in and knowledgable about our generation, even if you're not a part of it. You and your spouse are like the king and queen. You live in the castle, but you also need to know what's going on down in the village where your people are. It's how you keep your kingdom strong, happy and safe, because you care for them and love them. Unless, of course, you're evil. Grin.  

Set rules. 

  If you don't feel comfortable with your child on a specific social media, cut it off and have them wait. Set a time limit. You choose. You are the one in charge. Your teen does not need social media, no matter how imperative it seems in our society. Even if we don't like the rules y'all give us, we will end up thanking you in the end! I know I feel that way with my parents.

 These are only suggestions. Go with whatever you want! I am not the parent. 

  I am telling you all of this with the best intentions. I love you and your teen, no matter what you believe and choose to do, or how you parent and use social media. 
  
  May the Lord give you wisdom to do what is best for your family. 

  So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. (Ephesians 5:15-17 NLT)

  Let all that you do be done in love. (1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV)

El Salvador 2014: Day 1

 It has been a bumpy road, but I finally made it to the day I've been waiting for. I think it's safe to say I'm home again. I just can't wait to fulfill God's plans for this week!

 Isn't this place gorgeous?!

They performed plays and songs for us when we got there as a welcome!

This is one of our sponsor kids, Milton. He's only 12, but he looks 15.

All these kids are learning how to sew water bottle holders, towels, pillows, etc.

 

When it was time to go to back to the hotel, I felt like every single person in the church hugged me to say goodbye. They all have such beautiful hearts. I hope to be more like the people of this wonderful place.  For more updates on the trip, go to the hashtag #elsalvador2014bcf on Instagram.

ABC's of Me

idea stolen from citymomsblog.com/houston/

About Me:

  I am first and foremost a follower of Jesus, a sister to 5 others, and a homeschooler. I spend most of my time babysitting or doing other teenager stuff such as church events and being on my phone. I like homemade chocolate chip cookies, Anthropologie, young adult fiction novels, and art museums. I wish my life looked like my Pinterest account, and I have a heart for a country called El Salvador. My best and favorite friend is my mom. A lot people think I'm mature for my age, but I find that hard to believe.

Best Thing About Houston:

 Two words-- the food. I have yet to find any greater restaurants than those in Houston. I was shocked when I found out there wasn't a Chick Fil A in every state. I mean, come on! What's a girl gotta do to get good food out of Houston?! Another one of the best things is the people. I swear, these are some of the best people in the whole world. Especially at my home church, Bayou City Fellowship. I feel so loved here.

Chasing My Dreams*:
     My dream is to fulfill whatever God has planned for me. I know it sounds like the "Christian answer", but it's true. When I meet God face to face, I desperately hope He sees me as someone who obeyed their calling and trusted in Him. For as long as I remember, I have felt called to the mission field, specifically to El Salvador. I have always planned on skipping college and just moving there to serve and love on the people (Katie Davis is my role model). But honestly, I still don't know for sure. Everyday I am learning more and more about my Father, hoping I am lead to the right place.
 

 *Originally, the "C" stood for "Children of Mine", but obviously I don't have any children so I changed it.

A Valentines Day Letter to all the Single Ladies

Tomorrow is Valentines Day. Yes, it's the day of love, but it's also the day a lot of you are reminded of how unloved you feel and soak in your aloneness. It breaks my heart to think some of y'all are not satisfied because you don't know how loved you truly are. Girls, there is One who loves you more than any man on this earth ever could. He is the Creator of everything. He is also the One who gave up His life so that you would have eternal life. Girls, He is the definition of love. Don't think you need an earthly man's love when you have God's love. Why don't we focus on Him tomorrow? I pray that you can relate to these words:

If God hadn’t been there for me, I never would have made it. The minute I said, “I’m slipping, I’m falling,” Your love, God, took hold and held me fast. When I was upset and beside myself, You calmed me down and cheered me up. (Psalm 94:16-19 MSG)

 Girls, don't lose heart. Remember, you are loved more than you know.

When we have a calling

  With every decision we make, we need to figure out which way God is calling us to go. There are confusing callings, and some very easy ones. Some big ones, and small ones. In every one of them God is present.  He's there guiding us. Let's listen to Him.

 "I’ll be a personal guide to them, directing them through unknown country. I’ll be right there to show them what roads to take, make sure they don’t fall into the ditch. These are the things I’ll be doing for them— sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute.” (Isaiah 42:16 MSG)

I love homeschooling. I really do. 


…it just isn't as easy as I thought it would be. 

I had such high hopes and expectations. I planned on getting ahead in my work. I planned on being so much smarter than I was in public school. I planned to keep on hanging out with my school friends. I planned on getting away from all the drama public school brought. 

Well, my plans fell through. Big time. 

Trying to adjust to homeschooling has brought hardship. I sometimes worry about getting behind on schoolwork and not graduating. I never see my friends from school anymore, and now I ache at the thought of them because I miss them so much.  I never wanted a lot of things to happen, but they did.


There is something I've learned about homeschooling, though. Despite all those struggles, it has been good for me. My character is improving. My knowledge in general is increasing. I am free to learn about anything, and in the way that's best for me. My family is getting closer. I can pursue my passions more. Really, I could go on forever. But the best part is now my school focuses on Jesus. I am getting to know more and more about Him everyday, and because of that, my faith in Him has grown. He has become my first priority again, and not getting attention from everyone or getting straight A's on my report card. Sure, my own plans may have failed, but God's plan is bigger and better. And that's what gets me through those hard times.

Guest Post: Brave

This is a post my friend Madelynn wrote. I can very much relate to it. Her words were just what I needed to hear. 

2013 was a bittersweet year for me. One thing I found as I walked through the valleys and the peaks of this past year was that more and more people kept calling me brave. Some even the bravest person they had ever met. And this struck me as odd because I had always viewed myself as a little cowardly. I'm often very soft spoken and timid in nature, and I'm definitely not known as a risk taker. I'm the epitome of indecisive, the queen of over thinking. I worry. A lot. And sometimes I let fear hold me back from moving forward. I can string pretty words into sweet truths and stories, but when it comes to acting on those words? I freeze. I'm quick to avoid discomfort and awkward situations, staying in my cozy little bubble of complacency. 

So to say I was confused when people called me brave is an understatement. I was dumbstruck. How could someone like me ever be considered brave? As I thought on it, I remembered a quote I had stumbled upon a while ago:

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." -Nelson Mandela

If there's anything I learned looking back on 2013, it's what it is to be brave.

Being brave is looking fear in the face and saying, "You don't own me. You have no power over me."

Being brave is trusting without borders. Even when those borders are a little outside your comfort zone.

Being brave is surrendering your heart to the one who is Freedom.

Being brave isn't being strong. It's letting. God's power be perfected in your weakness. It's letting His strength be at work in you.

Being brave is listening, really listening to that still small voice of the Holy Spirit and acting on it. Even when it hurts. Even when everything in you tells you to go another way. It is better. And it is worth it.

And being brave is being Love. Purely and simply Love. When we pursue the one who is Love and reflect His heart, that is when we are our bravest. Because love is not easy. It is difficult and messy at times. But when we step into loving each other and immerse ourselves in Love Himself, we find ourselves face to face with the creator of courage, the one who holds bravery in His hands. For when He was pierced for our sins and showed the greatest  display of love by laying down His life for the least of these, that was the peak of all bravery. And it is from those same scarred hands we receive our courage.

So was I really that brave in 2013? Probably not as much as I could have been. But in those moments when I shied away from being brave and stepping out of my comfort zone, God stepped into my insecurity and uncertainty and showed me what true bravery is. He is my source of courage when I feel cowardly to the core. 

My only resolution going into the new year is this:

To be brave.

For more of Madelynn's posts, go to littlewisdomnuggets.blogspot.com

The year I…

(idea stolen from debraparker.blogspot.com)

2013

The year I went on my first mission trip

The year my family started fostering Miss M again

The year we road tripped to South Dakota

The year I started homeschooling

The year my faith became real
The year I learned to play the ukulele 
The year I felt confused

The year I turned 14
The year I started a blog. Grin. 

The year I struggled hard

The year I went to Disney World for the 8th time 

The year my church planted a 2nd campus

2014

The year that will be different
The year I will stop wearing bikinis
The year I will watch more documentaries
The year I will be educated about Togo, Africa
The year I will try to use social media less*
The year I am most happy about 
The year I will kick in the butt  

*I said "try". I admit it; this one will be harder to get used to.