A what?

If a person who studies biology is a biologist and a person who studies chemistry is a chemist, what is a person who studies literature called? A literist, of course! Don't worry if you didn't know the answer; "literist" is actually a brand new word (I made it up a few weeks ago). I was in the process of writing a research paper about Marianne Moore, an American poet. I used the word literist thinking that it actually existed, only to be told by spell check, the dictionary, my dad, and my English teacher that no such word was a part of the English language. Oh well, it makes perfect sense to me! Maybe one day it will make it into our everyday vocabulary and then you will be able to say that you were among the first to know about it.

Sebastian

Have you ever seen something that made your heart hurt? I mean literally ache inside your chest? Maybe it is just me that experiences these feelings; I am an extremely sensitive person, perhaps too sensitive at times. Well I only saw him once, but Sebastian made my heart hurt.

I don't really know anything about him. I don't know where he is from. I don't know what his home situation was that left him to be cared for by the state and a foster family. I don't know how long he has been a victim of the heart-wrenching circumstances over which he has no control. I can't imagine how terrifying it must be for him to feel unwanted and all alone in a world that can be so dark and cold. All I know is the expression on his precious 4-year-old face and the tears that spilled out of his big brown eyes. The spaced-out baby teeth that showed when he finally got up enough courage to smile. All I know is that it isn't fair.

I've been so privileged to grow up in a safe and healthy environment with a loving family. I have two wonderfully supportive parents and two beautiful and talented sisters. I have received an Adventist education through all my years of school and I have had opportunities for travel and service that far exceed my age. But why me? Why not him?

Maybe I have been created with a sensitive heart for a reason. Maybe this is just one more experience to strengthen my already-strong desire to spend my life in service. I may not be able to make a difference for Sebastian, but could I for someone else?

When God Writes Your Love Story

Hardly a book of relationship rules, When God Writes Your Love Story is a call for young men and women to let the Creator of love and the Author of romance script every detail of their love stories. Broken into five sections (Desiring a Love Story; Preparing for a Love Story; Waiting for a Love Story; Sweetening a Love Story; and Discovering a God-Written Love Story) this book provides "the ultimate approach to guy/girl relationships" while constantly pointing the reader's heart towards Christ, the Originator of love and romance.

Eric and Leslie Ludy are two of my favorite inspirational authors. They have a beautiful writing style and every book that I have read has encouraged me in my walk with Christ. You can find out more about Eric and Leslie, their family, their ministry, and their books at http://www.setapartlife.com/SAL_Home.html.

Winter Wonderland

A few pictures of our winter wonderland...

sunset

neighborhood

back yard

iced needles

iced berries

Double Blessing

Homeleave is always a blessing; it seems to come at just the right times! This month was no exception. I had been under a little more stress than usual because I was organizing yet another fundraiser for my class. (You would think that in a class of 36 kids and 3 sponsors, it wouldn't be hard to find 10 families that would be willing to host Korean students for one weekend. Well it was!) Thankfully, everything worked out (3 hours before pick-up time) but I was a little frazzled for the experience. Then God sent some much-prayed-for snow that doubled homeleave from 2 days to 4 days! This was just what I needed to catch up on some sleep, studying, work, and various projects that have fallen behind in the rush of my daily shedule. Thank you Father!

And the Father Cried

A few weeks ago our family received the tragically shocking news that a friend in England comitted suicide on New Year's Eve. She had suffered with an unpleasant illness for many years and decided that she just could not stand to live through another year of pain. As I tried to process and make sense of all of this, I kept thinking about God and how he must have cried as he watched Wendy end her own life. Oh how the Father must cry as he looks down from heaven and sees all the suffering, misery, pain, and death on our sin-sick planet. How he must long to say, "Enough!" and come to take us home. The poem below is a simple attempt to describe some much more complicated thoughts and feelings that I have been trying to sort through. It doesn't really rhyme- it's not supposed to. It isn't musical sounding to read or listen to- it's not supposed to be. There is nothing rhyming or musical sounding about the results of sin on this earth. I can't wait for heaven when the rhyme and music will be restored!

And the Father Cried

In a 48 room mansion with a 14 car garage
a man lived all alone after divorcing his new wife.
A second man lived all alone in downtown New Orleans
Katrina took his house and left him nowhere to reside.
And the Father cried.

In the waiting room of an abortion clinic sat a teenage girl
waiting for her turn to end a small unwanted life.
In the hospital a mother gasped; where'd the heartbeat gone?
She'd been waiting for this little one, and now, no life inside.
And the Father cried.

A husband and his wife had been married nineteen years
but now divorce was on the way because the love was gone.
A brand new bride had cancer; they were praying for more time
Day and night a brand new groom sat at her bedside.
And the Father cried.

A tiny premie baby was now fighting for his life.
The NICU tubes and moniters helped him in his fight.
A woman had decided that her life was just too hard
so she swallowed all her pills and comitted suicide.
And the Father cried.

I had a dream of heaven, it was wonderful to see
death and pain forever gone- joy for all eternity.
You and I were standing there right by the Father's side
He smiled and said, "I'm glad your here." I looked into His eyes
A tear of joy was trickling down... I think the Father cried.

Devil's Backbone

Sabbath afternoon we had a mini photo shoot at Devil's Backbone in hopes of getting a family photograph for this year's Christmas card (we're late, I know!). It was a gorgeous day but the bright afternoon sun cast some unwanted shadows in our pictures. Still, a lovely afternoon in the brisk winter air.