Today I pray for...

the wisdom to recognize what is really important in life and the confidence and trust in Jehovah to pursue it.

"take exquisite delight in Jehovah and he will give you the requests of your heart." -Psa. 37:4

wisdomosity

"life is about the doing, not the done."

i got a card from my best friend Kelly last night and she started her letter with this quote. i think that this quote is the epitome of what we've learned through the years we've shared together. our friendship is one of the most beautiful things in my life.

i create because:

• i have artist in my blood
• its how i express myself
• it helps me to remember and rejoice in the little moments of life
• i can share those joys with others for years to come
• i love it
• i'm addicted to it :)

"Art is the only way to run away with out leaving home."

We are personally important to Jehovah

and we have to show jehovah that he is personally important to us. this was the subject of our talk today. what an amazing talk....and speaker. he was a young brother in his mid 20's from out of town. his way of speaking just blew me away! seriously. it was quite an emotional and moving talk. he spoke about the resurection hope that we have and it just gave me tingles....he put us in the paradise and walked us through the experience of seeing one of our loved ones again. it was amazing. there was not a dry eye in the whole kingdom hall. especially since we just lost one of our old faithful sisters late last night and we had all found out about it this morning before the meeting. so to say the least it was quite an emotional morning. then i got my new jan. 8th Awake! at the meeting and there is an experience in it that Dawn had told me about. i got my mom and read it to her. by the third paragraph we were both bawling! reading experiences like that just reinforce the fact that i have nothing to complain about. i am so blessed and need to put things back in perspective....this experience sure helped.

well, winter has arrived. i got snowed in this weekend and couldn't go to the party in canada like i had hoped. i HATE snow!! :( :( but knowing that winter is here reminds me that spring is that much closer!!

BIG NEWS: my family has sold our house!! wow. what a weekend. a single guy from the coast named kent has bought it. he seems like a great guy. he's a counsilor moved here for a job in the new behavioral health building. so now we have to find a new place to live. i'm debating what my plan is. i know i'm going to move to spokane, but now it seems like it might be a better idea not to wait, but just move there when my family moves into their new place. so i've got a lot to pray about. i've also got to pray about whether or not i'm going to buy the car that i want. i'm scared that if i don't buy it now it won't be there later....so i have some big decisions to make.

i get to scrapbook some tonight. i'm looking forward to it. its been nice getting back into that after not doing it for so long. so that's what i'm going to go do now. :D

"The nicest place in all the world is right beside a true friend."

that is why i wanted to post a couple pictures of me and my friends before i scrapbook them.

this is kaelah, jeana and i on saturday morning. arent' we cute?? i always have so much fun with these girls no matter what we do or how long its been since we've seen each other.

this is us at "our place" in Penticton. we were dancing up a storm on friday night in the sweetest little mexican place by the lake that had a dance floor. the music was great!! our favorite was "i will survive" in spanish! we are going to learn the words. we've decided that we're going to have our bachelorette parties there. that could get CRAZY!!

so i got 5 scrapbook pages done this morning. i'm so proud of myself. it was nice to just sit and scrapbook for a few hours. i worked on my most recent pictures from canada and an older one of my mom and I. i found the perfect quote for it too... "they say that i'm a lot like you...I say thanks." how cute is that? well, it fit the picture perfectly. i'm really pleased with all that i got done. i can't wait until i have another day to come in and just sit and scrap. its too bad that i don't have my own place at home to scrapbook. dad said mom and i could turn michael's old room into a craft room, but now the house is for sale, so it seems kind of pointless to decorate and 'move in.' so for now i just scrapbook at the store. which probably means that i spend more $$$ but that's alright. i feel comfortable here. :D

SCRAPBOOKING!!!!

so its 7:00 am and the store doesn't open for another 4 hours so i finally get to do some scrapbooking!!! it feels like forever since i've scrapbooked. so i'm uber-cited (def: super excited) !! i have great pictures from my week in canada that i can't wait to scrapbook! so off i go..... don't miss me while i'm gone ;)

"Writing is a way of talking without being interrupted."

so here is my conversation for today....

my sister shelby is home for a visit from georgia. i haven't seen her since i was 17. it is really nice to have her here, even though she is such a different person. she talks different and walks different...she has her nose pierced. but underneith it all she is just shelby. and i have missed her so terribly. it changes the dynamic between kelsey and i too, having another person in between us. maybe this week will bring us all even closer. i hope so.

this weekend is another party in CANADA!!! i'm hoping that hannah has the weekend off so that jen and i will have a way to get up there. jenny is sooooo excited about going. its a special place for the both of us with great memories. and i'm hoping that we can make some new ones. :D friday night is Light Up in summerland and Kinship is going to perform!!! yay! they are this group of scottish musicians who wear kilts and have an amazing show. i saw them for the first time in smithers at the fall fair when i was younger. i'm really looking forward to their show. i think that i can appriciate it even more now that i'm older. so i'm hoping that everything works out so we can go. *praying* :)

Got Quizzes??

I found this one recently and felt like filling it out tonight. Let's call it: "2 things"

2 names you go by 1. shai 2. shadylane
2 parts of your heritage1. german 2. english
2 things that scare you 1. ending up alone 2. marrying the wrong person
2 of your everyday essentials 1. prayer 2. my notebook
2 things you are wearing right now 1. warm socks 2. my SEI shirt
2 of your favorite bands or musical artists (at the moment) 1. postal service 2. antigone rising
2 favorite songs (at the moment) 1. "Longshot" by antigone rising 2. "Such Great Heights" by postal service
2 things you want in a relationship (other than real love) 1. similar spiritual goals 2. emotional stability
2 truths 1. real peace comes from Jehovah 2. life is sustained through our memories
2 physical things that appeal to you (in the opposite sex) 1. good teeth 2. soft hands
2 of your favorite hobbies 1. scrapbooking 2. writing poetry
2 things you want really badly 1. humility 2. true love
2 places you want to go on vacation 1. ireland 2. tahiti
2 things you want to do before you die 1. bring someone into the truth 2. publish my poetry
2 ways that you are stereotypically a dude/chick 1. i laugh a lot 2. i carry lipgloss around at all times
2 things you are thinking about now 1. service plans for tomorrow 2. Kelly

Antigone Rising

i have made a beautiful discovery. its now my new favorite CD. these are they lyrics to one of my favorite songs. its about loving a woman who doesn't need anyone. she's a survivor who lives on her own terms. i think the reason why i like this song in particular is because i wish i could be that person. i want to be strong and not need anyone, but have someone somewhere who needs me. i am amazed by these girls; the power in their music and the reality of their lyrics.

SHE'S NOT INNOCENT

He casts a shadow down the block
he can't remember
Just how to start or when to stopfight or defend her
He shines the light into the dark and empty corner
right where the past had left its mark
Too late to warn her.

Chorus:But she's fine
she's not innocent
She's fine in all her discontent
She knows it's always been the same.
It'll always be that way.

He holds the secret in his fist
a burning ember
To stay or go now that's the twist
hate or befriend her.

Chorus 2:But she's fine
she's not innocent
She's cool in all her discontent
She knows it's always been the same

She's fine
she's not ignorant
She knows there's no main event
She's fine
It's always been the same
(bridge)It'll always be thatway
It'll always be that way...be that way...
(repeat 1st half of chorus)She's fine
she don't give a damn
You don't have to understand
She knows it's always been the same
and she'll always be that way.

White Picket Fences

it hurts
how dreary contests lie
sweet victory
what farse braves your coast this morn?
what say you?
to a half-lit room
& a cosmopolitan haze
(REJOICE)
we say--then die
disturbedby half truths
& whole truths
that are no better--
what you've gained
will never fill the void
of what you gave up.
salty tears slide toward her all but silenced lips
as she watched hearts break
from the inside out & back again.
porch swings hang
in a loneliness i recognize all to well;
i'm doubtful of my courage.
when walls
(& white picket fences)
we build
are somehow still not tall enough
to hold out hurt
its as if all we have left to do
is rest upon
our elbows.

Canadian Living

i have a breif moment in my day and i was sitting here in Summerland on the dock by the lake thinking about all the things i love about my canada.

i love:

• white rice from my dad's rice cooker
• early morning fog over the lake
• driving the Bug from penticton to summerland ;)
• skinny dipping
• my 'girls'
• service with different people
• laughing for real again
• drinking legally :)
• walking the block in the cold of the night
• the big king size bed
• dancing

i have to go home again tomorrow, but i have my memories. my soul feels good this side of the border.

i think there is something beautiful about sitting down to type. i wish that i had more of an opportunity, but maybe with my own blog i'll have more incentive. :)
why does my life feel so crazy right now? i don't even have anything "BIG" going on. i feel so rushed. perhaps its just that today is monday. another monday.... today was nice though. i went in service and got to have my study with Jamie. she just makes me smile. :D and i think that she's really enjoying what she's learning. then i got to go to work. its amazing how much i love my job. i love the smell of the scrapbooking paper. i'm a nerd, i know, but i just love everything about this store...the people...the products....making samples...i'm very fortunate. hopefully Paige will be able to keep the store open. it would be such a loss to the community for this store to go.
i'm going to CANADA tonight. my dad is coming to pick me up. i'm really looking forward to spending some time with them. i haven't seen them since august, so its been awhile. i hope i have a nice visit.