NIPTO, Day 113

Gooood evening/morning.

I've had hiccups 3 times today. *sigh*  Having hiccups is tiring. And hurts sometimes. Maybe my diaphragm should stop spazzing. That would really be great.

We went to the Memorial Day Parade today. It ended at our section right before it started to storm. It was crazy. I'm guessing that a lot of people in the parade got wet. I feel bad for the Green Valley bunch. They got rained on for sure. Crazy.

On the way home, while it's pouring rain, Mom realized that the windows were open. AHHH. We started freaking out a little bit. We were stuck in traffic. We got home, and ran upstairs where the windows were open... and everything was dry. As Mom put it, it was a Memorial Day Miracle!

We came home and ate lunch and recorded a video for Kate. We cleaned up from lunch and then went downstairs and started The View From Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg. It's probably on my favorite books list. I think I might read it "by myself" because I can't wait to see how it turns out! Because I love it =P

The girls left. Hannah vaccuumed ants up. She's a beast. I watched this awesome video over and over. We watched it at Encounter last night. It's SWEET. You should definitely watch it!

Cute. Sad. But it's only love.

Then Mom&Dad came home. Mom pointed out the fact that my free Starbucks drink coupon from my birthday expires today. So we went to Target. But they don't accept that coupon. So we went to the Starbucks down the road. And I got THIS. 

Venti

Nonfat Java Chip Frappuccino

With whip.

Uhm. YUM. Free, by the way. No way I would've gotten a venti if it hadn't been free. I'm not paying like, $4.50 for coffee. Sorry. But once a year when it's free, SURE.
So I split it with my fam. It was DELISH.

While we were finishing that up, we watched The Princess and the Frog. It was good. The voodoo stuff was weird and creepy and could potentially give kids (/me) nightmares. (Not really me, but ya know =P)

Then Dad asked if I wanted to return those to the RedBox. If you want to read more about that adventure, you can go here.

We got home. Ate dinner. Went out again to put the neighbors trash out. Came home. Blogged about driving. Watched something on PBS about Europe. Really wanted to go to Europe... missed the mountains of Colorado. (Or anywhere that isn't Ohio...)
Had my computer NOT FREEZE! I think we've figured out what the problem is. It's a hardware problem that requires my computer to be taken completely apart. Good thing I have a dad who knows what he's doing. Most of the time =P But the power supply needs to be sodered (sp?) to the motherboard. YAY. Heh. But if I charge my computer, unplug it, then don't move it, it works! YAY! So yeah. That's exciting.

Now I'm nipto-ing. Or being distracted by MckMama's blog. She just put up some pictures from a wedding she shot this weekend. Gorgeous. Can't wait for more from her :) She takes amazing pictures!

Okie-dokie!
Romans 15:1-6
 ¹We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

Interesting. We bear with the failings of others. And we don't do that to please ourselves. Kinda like "oh. That person's going through a hard time/can't do something very well. YAY me! I can do that!" That's not what we're supposed to do. Instead...


²Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

We need to build each other up. Tearing people down does nothing good in the long run. It might feel good to rip someone apart at the time, but later, you'll probably not feel so good about that. 


³For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me."

Jesus didn't please himself. He took the insults of people who insult US. Wow. 


⁴For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

History is here to teach us... so that we don't make the same mistakes. So that we can build up endurance. So that we can be encouraged. So that we can have hope.



 ⁵May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, ⁶so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The same God that gives endurance and encouragement gives unity. As a whole, the church is so divided these days. All different denominations with different beliefs. Serving the same God, but not in unity. It says that God will give a spirit of unity so that we can praise&glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one heart and one mouth. 
Join together with other Christians that you know. You might not all have the exact same views, but you can still worship God with one heart and one mouth. 
Kind of incredible, no?




Weeel. It's late. I should sleep now. We have rehearsal for our dance show tomorrow. I ♥ rehearsals. A lot. It's so much fun to see everybody's dances. I will put up videos of our dances after the show on Sunday. But for now, sleep. (sleep, sleeeeeep that's the only thing for me/Cause when I sleep, sleeeep/God's preparing one for me) Barlow Girl shout out! =P
Goodnight. (And White Rabbit, Katie... and/or Caleb. ;) ... and/or anyone else who plays who sees this! (I lose)) (That was written after midnight (even though my post time is 11:30), just so you know. In case you would doubt me. :P)
Much love,

NIPTO, Day 96

It sounds like we're going to have a morning thunderstorm. YAY! I love thunderstorms! They're gorgeous. There's some thunder. I looked at the weather and it looks like there is some rain headed this way. YES! I get to sit here and blog about Jesus during a thunderstorm! (Maybe... if I don't finish this too fast... which, judging yesterday's post... I wont. (I started at like, 7am and finished at 12am. There was a lot of time that I wasn't blogging. Of course. We did a ton of running around yesterday to find Katie luggage, and to get a couple other things that she needed before she packs.))

It's starting to RAIN! And now it stopped.

100 Days of Holiness: Day 12. Don't stress it. Good advice.

NIPTO! Woot! I hope we have NIPTO on Sunday... Just sayin' :)
This is coming from talking about the law and how we are saved and whatnot. To read my thoughts on the rest of Romans 10 go here and here. (Or if you're on my homepage, you can scroll down and read the last 2 posts.)

Romans 10:14-21
¹⁴How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

So we just finished talking about how you have to believe in your heart and confess with your mouth. And how everyone is the same and can be saved. That sums up the last 2 verses. Now: If you haven't believed someone (gotten their phone number) how can you call them? erm. You can't. If you haven't heard something, how can you from an opinion about it? You can't. Can you hear truth without someone telling it to you? Maybe. But not really. Hm... interesting... moving on.


¹⁵And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

Can you preach if you aren't sent? Eh. Not really. If you're not called to preach, it's probably not going to work out well. 
I love the second part of this verse: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. Gospel is translated to good news. 
I don't actually like feet that much... I don't really know anyone that does like feet a lot. But the feet of God's messengers are beautiful. The dirty, maimed, grotesque looking feet of God's messengers are beautiful. They bring life! How awesome is that?


 ¹⁶But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" ¹⁷Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

Not everyone accepts the news that is brought by the people with beautiful feet. To accept it is to have faith. To have faith is to hear the message. The message is in the Bible.


¹⁸But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
   "Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
      their words to the ends of the world."

 Didn't they hear? Well... yeah... Their voice (the collective voice of those spreading the gospel) has gone everywhere. (Except for the fact that it hasn't... People are working on that though. YAY missionaries! ...or just people that love God and other people so much that they're willing to go somewhere for any length of time to share God with people!)


¹⁹Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,
   "I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;
      I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding."

Did they not get what these people told them? Erm. Kinda. I'm not sure I completely get this though. I think Moses was saying that "these people, who aren't really a nation, are going to make you envious. Then these same people are going to make you angry. They don't understand anything though." But the people that have no understanding could also be the Israelites? I do not know. I'm starting to think that the people with no understanding are NOT the Israelites. Because they had understanding, they just weren't using it. I think that's what Moses&Paul were getting at.    


²⁰And Isaiah boldly says,
   "I was found by those who did not seek me;
      I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me."

Basically Isaiah went where he was unwelcome. He put himself out there without anyone asking him to. He was just there. 


²¹But concerning Israel he says,
   "All day long I have held out my hands
      to a disobedient and obstinate people."

Isaiah wanted to help these people. He had his hands stretched out waiting for someone to grab on so he could help them. But they didn't because they were disobedient and obstinate. Kinda sad.
I feel like this is a good reminder though: We need to put ourselves out there with God by our side. We need to have our hands ready to grab onto people who find you and want your help. You might be out there forever with no one grabbing on, but chances are, there will be at least one person. And isn't one person worth it? 


Wow. It cleared up a lot since I started this post. It was overcast and thundering when I started this post. Now there's blue sky and a few clouds. And the birds are singing. But I can hear that now because my mom opened the door. YAY birdies!

Oh my. My sister leaves tomorrow for Germany. For 12 weeks. CRAZY. Today is the "put everything in suitcases (while watching Lion King) and run out to get anything that you forgot" day. Hopefully we didn't forget anything. We spent most of yesterday running around getting stuff that she needed... like a suitcase. And a rolling backpack for weekend trips. And a "Just Enough German" book (German phrases&whatnot). And stuff like that.
Please pray for her trip. Her plane takes of around noon tomorrow. She'll get to Germany about 3:30 am our time. I know she's going to have a ton of fun... but I'm going to miss her. ... hmm. She better take lots of pictures and post them on facebook too! =P


We have a lot to get done today..... so I'm going to eat breakfast now.
Have a wonderful day!

NIPTO, Day 90

There was a thunderstorm last night. It was gorgeous. There was a ton of lightning. I think there were a few tornadoes in areas surrounding us. None near us. It was too far north for us. But I'm okay with that. We just got the rain, thunder, and lightning.
Oh, did I mention that we had to finish mulching before all this happened?
If you saw my post yesterday then you know that we mulched. If you didn't, you can click on that and read it.
I'm so sore this morning. Arms. Legs. Neck. Back. But I kept Jesus with me. On my wrist. In a little blue strip of cloth. My 100 Days of Holiness reminder. Today is Day 6. Just so you know.

Onwards to NIPTO. 

Romans 8:28-39
 ²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Ahhhh what a famous verse. What a good verse. So we've been adopted. That's what yesterday's post was about. Annd now we're given a promise of sorts. A promise that God works for the good of those who love him. Who are called to follow his purpose for their lives. That's. Us. Christians. People who are like Jesus. I really like this verse for a couple reasons. One reason is that I love a good promise. The second reason is that it doesn't promise that things will be easy or that everything that happens will seem good. It just says that God works for the good of us. Things might seem bad to us, but God knows what's good and he works towards that for our sake.


²⁹For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers

Aka God made us like Jesus so that Jesus could be a fantastic example to us. Like a big brother. 


³⁰And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified

God chose us beforehand. He called us to him. He called us and then he justified us. He made us holy. And then, to top it off, he glorified us. That hasn't exactly happened yet. It'll happen in heaven though. shweeeet. 



³¹What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

There is a Chris Tomlin song called "Our God." We've sung it a couple times at Encounter62. The lyrics in the bridge go something like "and if our God is with us, then what could ever stop us? And if our God is for us, then what could stand against?" 
I like it. This is another awesome verse. If we've got God on our side, we don't (really) have to be worried about people being against us. Kinda cool. 


³²He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

God gave up his only son. And he gave him up for us. As a gift. If he gave up his only son for us, won't he give us the things that we ask for? (within reason) 


³³Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.

Paul's throwin' down a challenge. Does anyone want to accuse God's chosen child? Just a reminder: God is the one who justifies.


³⁴Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

 Who condemns people? Jesus. Just a guy who died... and OH YEAH was raised from the dead. And sits next to God. And kinda jumps in for us. BOO YAHHHH Jesus is awesome.


³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

A continuation of the challenge: Who's gonna separate us? 


³⁶As it is written:
   "For your sake we face death all day long;
      we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." ³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

I'm not quite sure who "we" is in verse 26... 
But verse 37 is kinda cool. We're not just conquerors. We're more thana conquerors through God. It's cool. It's kind of empowering too. Like, there are all these things that we are in God. (Who I Am in Christ statements anyone?)

³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

These verses are amazing. NOTHING in the ENTIRE world can separate us from God's love. No matter where we are, what circumstances we are in, who we're with, God loves us. And nothing can stop that. 
Amazing. It's almost too much to comprehend. Love it. 


Just got word in that we're not cleaning out the garage today! HURRAY! Too windy. But the Karen girls are coming over. And I think we're going to make Mother's Day cards and whatnot. Should be fun.

I love the fact that my sister works at Panera Bread. Last night, she brought home a bunnnnch of Cinnamon Crunch samples that couldn't be donated and were going to be thrown away. So I basically ate a cinnacrunch bagel for breakfast. But it was in samples. But it still tasted amazing. Hannah, I love you! haha

Time to clean up my "area" in the living room.... It's basically where I dump all of my school stuff and whatnot. My laptop (that I share with my mom... I'm sure my dad would cough and protest if he saw that I called it "my" without including my mom =P) is here and all the remotes and stuff. Just right now. The remotes aren't usually here =P
I have homework laying around and food stuff... Time to clean up! (clean up everybody everywhere, clean up clean up everybody do your share)

Here's that Chris Tomlin song I was talking about. Enjoy!

Oreos. Thunder. Lightning. Books.

Mmmmm. Oreos are good. I like thunder. And lightning. I'm considering not listening to anything tonight when I fall asleep. (I usually listen to Harry Potter or some kind of worship music) But only if it starts raining. Rain is the best sound to fall asleep to.

Tomorrow's Thursday... I think I might be going to Panera tomorrow night while Hannah works. And my parents go to ChipOtle. (intenTional.) Without me.

LIGHTNING! THUNDER! Lovely. I used to hate thunder and lightning. But now I love them. This is going to sound UUBER cheese-y, but I love thunder and lightning because they remind me how small I am. How powerless I am. God is so much bigger than me. Sweet, huh?

Oh. Yeah. So I just read A Walk To Remember. (I read The Last Song last week and started The Notebook this afternoon) I'm on a Nicholas Sparks kick. But I've realized that I can't read his books without waiting for something bad to happen. Because something bad always happens.

Okay. I'm going to bed. Goodnight.

NIPTO, Day 77

Sundays are NIPTO meeting days. I like Sundays in general. They're probably one of my favorite days of the week.

We have church which is always fun and encouraging. Pastor Mike always has something that's applicable. Which is fantastic.

Here's a fun fact from today: I heard a Justin Bieber song and I honestly thought he was a girl. HE HAS SUCH A GIRLY VOICE! I'm listening to Baby right now, just because I can, and I'm laughing. He sounds like a little girl!I'm sorry to all the "beliebers" out there, this is ridiculous. Once he hits puberty his career is dead. It's so ridiculous.
Okay. Sorry. I'm done ranting a little about Justin Bieber... who is a 16 year old male... who sounds like a 10 year old girl. Oh dear. It's just wrong that someone who sounds like that is popular... and is constantly trending on Twitter. Just annoying. haha.

NIPTO meeting=short. We managed to get through a church in Revelation in about 15 minutes! YAY us! =P Hannah and I got a brief run through of the "program" for the evening because we weren't actually going to be there. It looked good. I still can't get over how annoying that alarm clock video was... I'm trying to find it. But I don't know if it's on YouTube. FOUND IT. Brandon edited the one he used (cut @2:50ish). But this is the full version:


I would die if it took that much to get me out of bed in the morning...
If you watch the whole thing.... even if you don't: this person has some serious sleep deprivation issues.


On to observations from Revelation 2:8-11-
⁸"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
      These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.  

<sup>This is the picture that Jesus revealed to the church in Smyrna of himself. I think the part about "died and came to life again" is relevant to this church. You'll see why.



9</sup>I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.  

<sup>I don't think that this letter quite follows the typical "introduction, good things, bad things, encouragement/overcomer statment" format. This is kind of "introduction... stuff: half depressing, half encouraging... closing/overcomer statement"
So Jesus is telling them "I know you're suffering and poor... but you're RICH!" Today in America, we're like "HuH??" Cuz there's only 1 kind of rich in America. That's with MONEY. Laaaame. These people were rich in the spirit. They had God's blessing. They didn't have money, but they had God. Which is all that really matters! Jesus also knew that they were being smack talked by Satan. 


10</sup>Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.  

<sup>So, they're probably thinking "Okay, we can handle ten days of persecution..." Then they keep reading: Be faithful, even to the point of death "OHHHH dear..." and I will give you the crown of life. 

This had to freak these people out a little bit! I mean, they were going to die. And now they knew it. And they knew that it was basically ordained by God. But when they died, they would receive the crown of life. Not just any old crown. The Crown of Life. People would look at them and see the image of life. Crazy.  


11</sup>He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

Overcomer statement! He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. Overcoming is difficult. But when you do that, you get all these things that God promises to you. It's fantastic! You won't be hurt by the second death (when Jesus comes back). In fact, you'll receive a crown of life like those people who died from the church in Smyrna. Pretty cool, huh?

Well. I think I'm going to go to sleep now. It's been a busy day and tomorrow is a busy day too! I have 2 things that aren't normally scheduled tomorrow. Should make the day really crazy. 
meh. I just realized that I'm probably not going to get a lot of school done. I don't usually get a lot of school done on Mondays because I have classes from 11-1:30... which cuts into my day. 
Tomorrow I have something at 9:30ish... then I have class from 11-1:30... then I go home and do school or whatever... then I have to leave at 6 for a make up dance class... then I have to get home by 8 for a new episode of Chuck!(class is from 6:30-7:30... and it usually runs over... and it takes 15-20 minutes to get home...) Chuck doesn't matter that much. But it would be nice to be home in time for it. :P


Okay. Last thing. YouTube worship video of the day: Take It All-Hillsong

Enjoy!

P.S. There was a thunderstorm today: WIN.

NIPTO, Day 43

You should listen to this song. It's pretty amazing. We sang it on Friday night... and it was the first time I'd ever heard it. I love it... and you should listen to it :)

There's a thunderstorm going on right now (God's roaring like a lion). I love it. I used to hate thunderstorms with a passion, but now I love love love them. I also have a whole week of new NIPTO material in front of me. It makes me happy. So I'm pretty much in a great place right now. More opportunities to spend time with God+Thunderstorm=Happy Abby. =D

Also, today starts week SEVEN of NIPTO. I mean... I know we have 46 weeks left... but yeah. It's exciting. I'm really doing this. Awesome.

Acts 11:15-17- As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." 17So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?" I like those last few words. Who was I to think that I could oppose God. Really. If these people were doing the same thing you were doing in the name of the same person, you can't do anything about it because, well, God kinda told them to do this. I mean... the Holy Spirit came upon them too... so yeah. I wouldn't want to oppose God!

Proverbs 22:2-Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all. This verse is proof that you can't say "I have absolutely nothing in common with this person" because you do. God made both of you. And that is something to bond and rejoice over. 

Revelation 21:4-He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. How cool is that? No more pain or crying... to be honest, I kind of cry a lot. It doesn't really take much to set me off. You hit something that's close to my heart, I cry. Sometimes I don't cry for a long time, and then it all comes bursting out at some random time. Usually when something upsets me. Even just a little bit. But when we're in heaven, no. more. crying. Just worshiping God in his holiness.

Starting today, every day, for the rest of the NIPTO year (kind of like a fiscal year but different!) those of us who are in NIPTO are going to be reading about who we are in Christ. It's pretty amazing actually. If you want to read what we're reading, you can just click on this link and it'll take you to the post :)

It's time for me to go to sleep to the sound of the rumbling thunder and the pitter pat of raindrops on the roof... and Jim Dale's voice reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to me... =P (Yes. I listen to Harry Potter every single night as I fall asleep. I fall asleep fastest that way!)

Goodnight!