Everything Drama (Lifehouse)

Here is a different version of the Everything skit. This one is more professionaly done. I like this one because of how they put alot of dance in it.

"Everything" Lifehouse skit

This is a skit that I would love my youth group ot homeschool group to learn. It is easy and extremely meaningful. If you get on youtube there are tons of versions of this skit...and they are all a bit different. This would be a great one to learn for a mission trip or church block party.

I liked this version because of how overly dramatic they were. I love it when God is creating the trees and water...how fluid he is!

Trusting God, Even When Life Hurts

For the past few months, my family has been going through this book called "Trusting God, Even When Life Hurts" by Jerry Bridges. I used to think it was very good...and made sense and all,but it didn't really mean much to me. Over the past two weeks though, several very serious bad things have happened to several of my friends and church family. A few of them are things that make you think that you're stuck in a nightmare...and just can't wake up. But I can now apply this book to life. The book's main point is trusting God even when life hurts. (note the title) Here are some things that I am now applying to life that I found extremely comforting.

"In order to trust God, we must always view our adverse circumstances through the eyes of faith, not sense.....that faith comes through the word or God alone."

"3 truths we must believe if we are to trust Him in adversity:

1.God is completely sovereign

2.God is infinite in wisdom

3.God is perfect in love

"Our suffering has meaning and purpose in God's eternal plan, and He brings or allows to come into our lives only that which is for His glory and our good."

This is only a tiny tiny sample of what Jerry Bridges has written on this topic. I totally recommend this book to everybody. Even if your not going through tough times now, you most likely will in your lifetime. And this book will give you some ideas how to help your friends who are hurting...because I don't know about you, but knowing that God is in control and how everything will eventually turn out for good just gives me peace. We might not see any good come out of our adversity in our life time....but God has a plan, a plan for good that cannot be thwarted. This book explains everything in such a clear understandable way and should clear up many questions you have.

What I Learned Today....

That Toy Story 3 is the bomb....and that I'm officially afraid of monkeys. (if you've seen the movie....you know what I mean.)

Fare Thee Well Summer!

School is about ready to begin...which means summer is about ready to end. I get depressed everytime I think about it. So I decided to put together some pictures that scream summer to me. They cheer me up. :) Enjoy the summerness of these pics!

All these pics came from weheartit.com.

Enjoy this poem of summerness too! It's purdy!!!

' Summer Light... ' by MoonBee Canady

Owl Goodness and Movie filming

So, I've been messing around on Polyvore some and I created this. A collage of owl stuff!!! If you want to know what everything is and where its from....look at the very bottom of my site and you shall see a scrolly Polyvore thing. (you'll know what I'm talking about once you see it....sorry its late-ish, I'm tired, and I just can't type tonight. grrrr. lol) A friend of mine has been filming a movie for the past 3 days (which i had a main part in) and I am so pooped! We filmed from 9:30 in the morning till sometimes 11:30 at night....straight. It was fun...but tough. Anywho...have a great night. :) ....... zzzzzzzzzzz........

Depression and Negativity

Depression. Such a sad word. Many times I have caught myself saying phrases like,"I was depressed today", "I'm having a case of depression", "I don't feel like it, I'm depressed." I openly admit it, I am a negative person. Instead of looking at the glass half full, I look at it half empty....and cry over it. ;) Not too long ago, God slapped me in the face and told me that being negative is a sin...and that I needed to get over myself. Whoa....wake up call! Well, getting over my negative thoughts is alot harder than I realized....and I still find myself slipping back into them. (like a few days ago...) But here are some tips that I have found that really help.

1) Stop thinking about yourself!!!

The main way to stop being negative is to get your eyes off of yourself, and start focusing on God and others around you. There are so many other people that are hurting so much more than you. Keep an eye out for a friend in need, or a person in need of a friend, or an elderly neighbor that needs company, or a little kid who needs some positive attention. If you don't know where to start...ask God! When you first wake up pray, "Lord, what can I do for you today?" I guarantee that he will answer.

2) Read the Bible.

This one is kind of a no brainer. Open it up to Psalms or Proverbs and pick out a passage about praising God. Praising God helps you focus on his goodness, and not on your negativity.

3) Sing!!!

Not just any song though... sing a praise song. Like reading the Bible, praise songs helps your negative thoughts disappear while glorifying God.

4) Before Bed...

I don't know if it's just me or what...but I always seem to get more depressed at night right before I go to bed. Maybe it's cause I finally have time to think...and I think about all the bad things that have happened. (instead of the good things) But anyway, while your in bed, right before you go to sleep, read a praise passage or sing a praise song. It will put you in the right mind set and helps you sleep better. (or at least it does me...)

I hope this post helped somewhat. Being depressed and negative is not fun. It wears you out and makes you not want to do anything. Plus, it is dishonoring to God. Take these three points (especially the first) to heart and continually ask, "Lord, what can I do for you today?"

Vintage Travels

I have just recently found the site polyvore.com and am having a blast with it. (I know.....I'm behind with everything lol) It's just such a cool idea!!! Almost like paperdolls online!!! So above is the first collage I have created....I have named it Vintage Travels. And I totally wish I had everything in it. ;)

~Friendship~

"The only way to have a friend is to be one." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

One who looks for a friend without faults will have none. -- Hasidic Saying

A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.-- Walter Winchell Friendship doubles our joy and divides our grief.-- Swedish proverb

Plant a seed of friendship; reap a bouquet of happiness. -- Lois L. Kaufman

photos found via: #1http://.targophoto.com/private/hamilton/index.html #2http://audreyhepburncomplex@tumbler.com #3http://ache@tumbler.com #4http://ericasergio.com/home/category/anytime

Fun With Friends, Summer Days, and New Experiences

Yesterday was a day full of new experiences. My friends invited me to come on a mini vacation with them which included renting a party pontoon boat (with a slide!) and going jet skiing. It was my first time being on a boat...and being on a jet ski. I even drove it!! It was a great day! :)

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. ~Henry James

There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart. ~Celia Thaxter Dirty hands, iced tea, garden fragrances thick in the air and a blanket of color before me, who could ask for more? ~ Bev Adams What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade. -Gertrude Jekyll

What I Learned Today...

I learned that you should always discharge yourself before you put gas in your car. Meaning, you should always make sure you don't have any static electricity (by touching something metal and shocking yourself) before you touch the gas hose. I saw this thing on TV about just one little shock to the gas hose can cause a big fire and sometimes explosion. Crazy..I know. I can't believe I didn't know this!

Letter From Your Future Hubbie

This is a letter/article that I found in BRIO mag issue July 07. It's called "On The Flip Side" by a real guy. It starts by saying: Ever wonder what your future husband is thinking? How he is living right not? Wonder no longer...he mailed this letter to BRIO for you.

"Hey!, OK I admit, this feels a little geeky. I mean, how many guys write a letter to the girl they'll marry someday---even before they meet the girl? Probably not too many! But the world is a weird place, so even though we haven't met yet, I thought you might need some encouragement.

To answer the first question you might be wondering about me, the answer is yes. I am definitely keeping myself sexually pure. I do this partly for God and partly for you. I figure if I'm going to ask you to marry me someday, you must be pretty special--so special that you're worth waiting for. Yeah, I know, plenty of guys have given in to temptation and found a girl who is willing to have sex with them. And I have to admit...I've felt that temptation too. But I'm not giving in! Like I said, you're worth waiting for. Besides, I wouldn't want a memory from some shallow sexual encounter with another girl making me feel guilty on our wedding night. How about you? Are you still saving yourself for me? I notice some of the girls in my youth group wear purity rings, and that's cool. I'm proud of them even though none of them are quite right for me. But whether you wear the ring or not, I hope you are staying pure for God and me. Hey, don't think that you shouldn't have fun and get to now other guys before me. Truth is, I want you to spend time talking to a variety of guys. (That's how you will know I'm better than all those other dudes when we finally meet!) But I wanted to give you this heads up:Lots of guys out there pretend to be guys like me. Don't let them fool you. If they try to get intimate before marriage, they've just tipped their hand. Dump 'em!

As long as I'm writing from the heart, can I mention something that's bugging me? It's about clothes. Non-Christian guys love it when girls show off their bodies. You know what I mean: short shorts and skirts, bare stomachs, skimpy tops. Some fashions might not show skin, but they're so tight they might as well be painted on. They reveal every curve and encourage superficial jerks to think lustful thoughts about girls wearing them. I don't write this to complain. I just want to encourage you to set a higher standard. It would kill me to finally find you--and then to see you wearing stuff designed to glue other guys' eyes to your body. Sure, I know what some girls say: "To catch a guy these days, this is the kind of bait we need." Garbage. Tell your friends that any guy can be caught by flaring skin isn't worth having. That's not the kind of guys who's gonna stick by you and be faithful after you've gotten married, had a baby and gained a few pounds. That kind of guys will always be lured to other shapely bodies.

You probably wonder what I look like, so you'll know me when we finally meet. Sometimes I wonder what you look like too. Almost every time I meet a new Christian girl I wonder if she's you. I might not recognize you at first sight, but be patient with me. I'll want to get to know you, to make sure you're sincere and not just putting on an act. But when I see that you truly love God, when I see what a beautiful soul you have, I'll begin to suspect that you're the one for me, even if you don't consider yourself attractive. Well, this has been kinda strange writing to you like this. But with so many people our age messing up and doing dumb things they can never undo, I figured this letter was worth the extra effort.

So stay cool, stay pure, stay close to God, and I promise that I'll do the same. Deal? Hey pray for me ok? I'll pray for you too. We don't have to know eachother's names to do that. After all, God knows! See ya (someday)! Love in Christ, Me." This really meant alot to me when I read it today. (I've read it before...but it was a while ago) I just came back from the 4-H fair in my county...and I was struck with the jealousy bug. I saw all these girls with their boyfriends... and felt left out and ugly. The same thing happens every year. This letter encouraged me...and I hope it does the same to you. :)

Shout It! Voting Time!

I'm a little late with this but...Natasha has a poll open at her site where you can vote for three of your favorite fashion contestants. It's a hard vote, I can tell you that! Everyone did such a good job! But hurry over there because it only has 5 days left. *Peace out*

Uber Cute Dresses!!!

So, I found this really cool site. (which I'm sure most of you all ready know about it...I'm always behind on these kind of things...lol) It is modcloth.com and it is amazing. I love every single piece of their clothing...especially the dresses. Here are 13 (and believe me...I could have put a lot more!) of my favorite dresses I found on there. This site makes me wish I had money!!!! tee hee Which ones are your favorite? Tell me! Let's have some interaction!

Shout It! Fashion Show day 7-- A Dramatic Entrance

Day 7!!!! This is probably my favorite outfit so far. (good lighting always makes a difference too..) I guess I'll call it "A Dramatic Entrance".... dramatic huh?

What I am wearing: Dress-- yard sale ($1!!!)

Cardigan-- yard sale

Boots-- Target I think.... Well...yeah. Thats it for the contest/fashion show. Its been a ton o' fun! Thanks Natasha for putting this thing on! You're great!

All Fixed!

Good job Blogger!!! The problem I had with comments is all fixed... well mostly. Under my posts...it says I don't have as many that I actually do...if that made any sense at all. For example it says I have 1 when I actually have 5. Anywho...whatever. NO biggie. *Ashley*

Day 6 of Shout It! Fashion Show-- Past/Modern Mixup

Day 6 of the Shout It! Modest Fashion Show. I am not feelin very creative today...so this one is just gonna be called "Past/Modern Mixup." Because the surroundings look old....and my outfit looks fairly modern to me. Impressive, I know. :)

What I'm wearing: Shirt-- hand me down

Skinny jeans-- JC Pennys

Gladiator sandals-- Old Navy

Berea-- Wet Seal Just to let you know....I don't usually look like that when I'm talking on the phone....unless I'm talking to a boy. Ha ha jk!!!

UH-OH! Problems!!!

I am having problems publishing comments. The problem is bX-o3qgph.....whatever that means. I asked the blogger people for help....but I don't know when they will get around to fixing it. Please keep leaving comments!! I can read them, but I just can't publish them. I will as soon as it is fixed though! You all rock peace out *Ashley*

Shout It! Fashion Show day 5--- Summer Breeze

Day 5 of the Shout It! Fashion show. For some reason...till now...I thought it was called the Shout It Out Fashion show....contest...thing. But I was wrong...he he whoops! Anyway....today's outfit is called Summer Breeze. (because it is summer, and there was a breeze. see how creative I am???) What I am wearing: tank- Walmart halter top- Goodwill necklace- friend made it jeans that I rolled into capris- don't remember flipflops- Walmart once again If you haven't already noticed... halter tops are in every summer. They are just so cute and bright that I can't help but want to wear them. (but I consider them immodest....) So I tried putting a halter top over a tank...and it worked out perfectly! I just love the way it looks!

Shout It Out Fashion Show day 4--- Red, White and Blue

First off.... Happy 4th of July!!!! I hope everyone has a special day. Well, here is my outfit for today...and yes, it is red white and blue.

I am wearing: Ruffle shirt- Charlotte Rosse

Cardigan- Goodwil :)

Capris- Don't remember..I've had those babies since forever!

Shoes- Walmart

Doesn't my cat look happy? NOT! lol

Pictures of Ocoee Outreach 2010

Here are some pictures of the mission trip to TN. This first one was taken outside of Target....those who came shopping all had our Ocoee Outreach Tshirts on....and the blue looked really cool next to the red. This is probably one of my fave pics that we took.This is me scraping the paint off the house. It took forever!!!! I'm striking a threatening pose... in case you were wondering.

At our paint site there were a litter of kittens. They were so fun to play with on your free time. They got in the way though...they had paint all over them by the end of the week.

This is me (white shirt) and a friend painting way up high. I must admit... I was freaked out. Thank goodness I didn't need to be up there long. :) My sister...me... and two other girls that went showing how messy we got. (by the way... I painted Emily's shirt on purpose. She didn't get that messy by herself.)

Before Picture of the house.... After picture of the house.... and the whole group...and the home owners. Video of poor Alex way up high on the ladder. He was scared the whole time...but would not come down till he was done. He would shake so bad from fear that the whole latter would shake. He was a trooper!!! Ok...so the videos are not working for me... are they working for you all?

Video of our group at the youth rally. There was an awesome band that came and played for us. They are called Refuge 99. We had a ton o' fun!!! Im in the white shirt (front right) dancing like crazy. he he...

Alex and the lead singer of the band having a screeching contest. It cracks me up everytime. Personally...I think Alex won. What do you think? lol

Well...thats enough. You're probably bored by now. But...seriously. Consider going on a mission trip. Whether it is in the country...or over seas. GO! It may be scary at first...but once you go, you will be on fire for God. Let me know if you are planning on going on one soon....or if you have been on one before. I love hearing about mission trips!!

Peace out