In Remembrace Of Me...

"And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake [it], and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me."

"After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me."

Tonight was the Thanksgiving & communion service at my church. It was very different from any other communion service i've been too. i've seen two other kinds of communion services: Where it's tacked on to the end of a regular service, and doesn't seem very important. Or where its all very solemn and somber.
This one was different. Where others focus on how holy we should be, this one focused on how we're not holy, and God chose to save us anyway. Several people gave testimonies, and the praise band lead us in several songs. That was really cool, most communion services i've been to didn't include music. It was a serious service, but more joyful, more thankful than i've seen before. i really liked it.

My Favorite Place

My favorite place.... i actually have two. One is about an hour away, and one is 5 minutes drive.

One is a campground up past Conway. It's really beautiful there, the grounds are very well cared for. There's a river that runs through the camp, i like to just sit and listen to it. There's a pasture bordering one side of the camp that has Bison in it. Its a pretty interesting site. The buildings on the camp have character, they just look interesting. i love walking around, just being there. Its relaxing for me, i feel closer to God there. Its miles away from the nearest town, and that town is pretty small. i usually feel closer to God when I'm off by myself in His creation. i've always wanted to drive up during the winter, i want to see what the grounds look like covered with snow. i imagine it as being a magical, icy wonderland. No one is there during the winter so it'll be unspoiled. That is prolly my favorite place on earth.

My second favorite place is much closer. It's only a 10 minute drive away. Its just as beautiful, but its a very different beauty. More sad, or somber almost. It too is part of nature, but in a different setting. i go here a lot. Its calming for me, i leave feeling more at peace. I'm not going to tell you where it is, or even what this place is. Its my place, where i go to get away, and i don't want anyone to know where t is. If you don't know where it is, you can't find me!

Where is your favorite place? Why is that your favorite? What makes it special to you?

Childhood Dreams...

Childhood dreams are sometimes improbable, impossible, impractical, or just plain silly. And yet, they can shape us so much...

Interestingly my dreams contradicted themselves, and are nothing like what i want now.
i had two most visited daydreams, the first was about Amy Carmicheal. If you don't know, she was a missionary in India, she worked with children, mostly orphans or the abandoned. i was about 5 or 6 when i first heard of Amy. i thought she was just the coolest person ever, and i wanted to be her when i grew up. Noe you'll notice i didn't want to be like her, no i wanted to be her. i asked some of my friends to start calling me Amy, and i daydreamed about what i'd do when i got to India. Today, i don't have any desire to go to India, and if you know me at all you'll know how i feel about kids. i still have a great deal of respect for Amy Carmicheal, i think she was an incredible woman. But i no longer want to be her.

The second dream i had was vastly different, and interestingly enough i'm a lot closer to fulfilling this one than i ever thought i would be (or wanted to be). When i was really young my dad would take me to work with him sometimes. i thought his work was so cool! It was a big building, with all kinds of neat equipment that the guys would give me rides on. i thought it smelled so interesting too, it reminded me of my dad. All the grease, oil, dirt, and general machine shop smells. And the girls who worked the front desk were so pretty, and nice. They'd give me pop and candy and let me sit at the counter and talk to the customers. A lot of the guys there, both employees and customers said i was "cute" or "adorable". i loved going to my dads work, and i wanted to work there when i grew up. Well, i don't work for RSC... but i do work in the office of a machine shop, i take orders, answer the phone , and talk to customers just like those other girls did. i spend all day talking to mechanics, and yes, it does smell like the shop my dad worked in. i know this is a pretty weird dream for a little girl, but i loved my dad, and i wanted to be like him.

So, those are two of my childhood daydreams. What are some of yours?

Zack

Dear Zack,
You prolly don't remember me, but I'll never forget you. You taught me more than you'll ever know. Four years later and i still think about you nearly every day, i think about what you taught me. You prolly have no idea what I'm talking about, i don't think you ever realized how much what you said affected me. But you helped me so much. Let me remind you....
We were sitting in a booth at a pizza place, talking non stop like we always did. i said something i used to say a lot, i don't remember the exact words but it was something like "i suck at that" or "I'll never be any better". You looked at me for a moment, and said "Why do you do that?" "Do what?" i answered. It never occurred to me that i was doing anything wrong. "You always say you're not good enough, or not smart enough, or not pretty enough. Don't you know you're amazing just the way you are?" i was completely shocked. I'd never been told that i was good enough how i was. i was told i needed to improve so much, that even when the adults stopped saying anything, i was still so critical of myself. i just looked at you, wondering "What does he see that i don't?" You smiled at me, and said "I like you that way you are, you should too." I'd never been told that before. For a girl of 15, being told that by a guy was a big deal. i said "Thank you" and we went back to our conversation, you never mentioned it again, but i still think about what you said. A lot of the time, when i start to say something critical of myself, i think of you. i think "Do i really mean this?" And a lot of the time i don't. So i don't say it, and now i think those things less.
So thank you Zack. You are changing me, even if you don't know it. That little conversation still affects me nearly every day. You are special, and i thank God we had the time He gave us, even if it was only a few years.
Someone once asked me why we didn't ever date. i told them that you were 3 years older, engaged, and that we prolly would have killed each other, we were so different. I'm glad we didn't ever date, what you said means more to me than the things other guys i dated told me. Your words are more real, more comforting, knowing that you truly meant them as a friend.
So Thank You. Thank you for caring, thank you for being my friend. But mostly , thank you for seeing me, and telling me what you see.
Forever,
Rachel

How to Photograph A New Puppy

Photographing a new puppy with a conventional camera (remember those?) isn't quite as simple as it may seem. Here are the instructions:
1. Remove film from box and load camera.
2. Remove film box from puppy's mouth and throw in trash.
3. Remove puppy from trash and brush coffee grounds from fur.
4. Choose a suitable background for photo.
5. Mount camera on tripod and focus.
6. Find puppy and yank dirty sock from mouth.
7. Place puppy in previous spot and return to camera.
8. Forget about selected spot and crawl after puppy on knees.
9. Focus with one hand and fend off puppy with other hand.
10. Get tissue and clean puppy-nose-print from lens.
11. Take flash bulb from puppy's mouth and throw in trash.
12. Put cat outside and put peroxide on the scratch on puppy's nose.
13. Place magazines back on coffee table.
14. Try to get puppy's attention by squeaking toy over your head.
15. Replace your eyeglasses and check camera for damage.
16. Jump up in time to grab puppy by scruff of neck and say, "No, outside! No, outside!"
17. Call spouse (or "significant other") to clean up mess.
18. Fix a drink. A strong one.

Top 10 Places To Visit

Here's a list of the top 10 places I'd like to visit before i die.

1. Great Britain. I'd actually like to live in London at some point, but visiting is absolutely essential. Great Britain has so much history, there's so much to learn. i want to see the castles, the gardens, the small villages and well as the big cities.
2. Appalachian Mountains. I'm not enough of a nature freak to want to hike the entire 2,179 mile trail, but i would like to go hiking for at least a weekend. i want to see the beauty of these mountains for myself, not just in photos. Although i plan on taking plenty of photos myself, of course!
3. Ireland. I'm Scotch-Irish so i want to see my ancestor's country, and i want to visit cause its so beautiful. i love the rain, so the climate sounds great to me! This country is still wild, and i want to see some of that before its gone.
4. Egypt. Egypt has such a unique culture. i want to see Alexandria, and the Nile. Ride a camel, and see a archaeological dig. There's so much to experience. It'll make a pretty interesting trip.
5. Rocky Mountains. i want to hike up to Pike's Peak. i also want to see some of the ghost towns, or old mining towns.
6. Fiji. What can i say? Its a tropical island. Great for a vacation.
7. Germany. A lot of history here too, both recent and older, religious and political. The culture is fascinating as well. I'd prolly take few side trips to Austria while I'm at it.
8. Greece. Ancient Greece is a fascinating subjects, and the modern culture is just as interesting. i love Greek Mythology and seeing where it originated will be incredible.
9. New Zealand. No snakes. Actually i like snakes, but i still want to visit New Zealand.
10. North pole. Santa & flying reindeer!! What could be better??

Ok, so i was Googling photos of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. So i now have another place i want to visit. *sigh* I'm not willing to bump one of these ^ from my list, so i now have 11 places i want to see before i die.

Good Muslim or Good American?

i got this as an email earlier this year. It's pretty interesting. What do you think?

"This does give one pause - - I don't believe that most Americans would choose to live under Sharia law. I do not, however, propose that ALL Muslims be summarily deported from the United States - that would be contrary to the Constitution."

 "If the Government were in charge of the Sahara Desert, there would be a shortage of sand" - Milton Friedman

Can a good Muslim be A good American?

This question was forwarded to a man who worked
in Saudi Arabia for 20 years. The following is his reply:

Theologically - no. . . .
Because his allegiance is to Allah,
The moon God of Arabia.

Religiously - no. . .
Because no other religion is accepted by His Allah
Except Islam (Quran, 2:256)(Koran)

Scripturally - no. . .
Because his allegiance is to the five Pillars of
Islam and the Quran.

Geographically - no .
Because his allegiance is to Mecca ,
to which he Turns in prayer five times a day.

Socially - no. . .
Because his allegiance to Islam forbids
him to make Friends with Christians or Jews .

Politically - no. . .
Because he must submit to the mullahs (spiritual Leaders),
who teach annihilation of Israel and destruction of America ,
The great Satan.

Domestically - no. .. .
Because he is instructed to marry four Women and
Beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34 )

Intellectually - no. .
Because he cannot accept the American Constitution
since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes
the Bible to be corrupt.

Philosophically - no. . . .
Because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran does Not allow
freedom of religion and expression. Democracy and Islam cannot
Co-exist. Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic.

Spiritually - no. . .
Because when we declare 'one nation under God,'
The Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah
is NEVER referred to As Heavenly father, nor is he
ever called love in the Quran's 99 Excellent names.

Therefore, after much study and deliberation....
Perhaps we should be Very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS
in this country. - - - it would seem difficult for them to be both
'good' Muslims and good Americans. Call it what you wish
it's still the truth. You had better believe it. The more who
understand This, the better it will be for our country and our future.

The religious war is bigger than we know or understand. ....

Footnote: The Muslims have said they will destroy us from within.

SO FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.

J12 Iraq War

"How would you suggest we end the war against terror in Iraq? Explain at least three reasons why."

Two years ago i turned in a blank paper. i didn't have an answer then, and i don't now. There has always been conflict in the middle east. This newest "military action" against terror is just another scene.

Will it ever end? Will there ever be peace? 

Can the fighting stop? Can the war end?  



i don't know what can be done. i don't think it can be ended, not really. It will just start again a few years later. 

J11 One Hour

"If you could spend one hour with any person who ever lived, who would it be? Why that person? What would you ask?"

i originally wrote about my older brother, about how much i miss him and what i would tell him if i could see him again. But since i've already written about him, i'm going to find a new answer to this question. If i could spend one hour with anyone it would prolly be Elizabeth I. i've done a lot of research on her, she was an incredible lady and a magnificent ruler. Elizabeth proved that she could rule without a man, and be more than just ok, she could excel at running her country. i don't really know what i'd ask her, i wouldn't want to waste a minute on things i could find out for myself. i would just want to talk to her, to get to know her a little.


What about you? If you could spend one hour with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be??

J10 Seasons

"If you were a season, which would you be and why?"

If i could be a season i would be fall. i like fall ‘cause everything changes. Kids start school, the colors of the leaves change, the temperature drops. People start thinking about the holidays; they spend more time with their family and friends. The colors of fall are incredible; so many different shades and hues. For me fall is a new beginning, like spring is to most other people. Backwards, i know, but for me fall has always been a chance to change with the seasons.


What season do you think you would be??

J9 Best Friends

"Two of your best friends are angry at each other (each thinks that you are his/her best friend). You must choose only one, which will it be? Describe."

Hmmm... this is a tough one. When i answered this a few years ago my best friends were both guys, and didn't know each other. That isn't the case now. i have a lot of really great friends, but i really only have one 'Best' friend. She's the very best friend i've ever had and i wouldn't do anything to lose her, so i'll chose her. Although, just to clarify, niether she or any of my friends would get in a fight over who's my best friend. They're either to mature, or don't care about lables like 'best friend'. i really dont care about lables either, and i try not to make any of my friends feel less important than others. And really, all my friends are equelly important to me, just in different ways. however, i do have a closest friend, one that knows me better than anyone else.

I Will Believe

I Will Believe

We were meant to open doors
And we were meant to face the danger
Never knowing what's in store
And never having met a stranger

One of us is big and brave
And one of us is tenderhearted
One of us is tempting fate
And the last but not least of us
Has faith enough for each of us

And I know
That I could never go it alone
'Cause I believe
I'd be lost without You here beside me


It's like daylight
At midnight
It's my favorite dream when nothings really as it seems
Don't wake me
Just take me
Take me by the hand and I will believe

We have always been protected
Little ones should run and hide
But we expect the unexpected
When love arrives and calls us all inside

And I know
That even when the wind blows
I'll be fine
'Cause You and I will get by 'til Springtime


It's like daylight
At midnight
It's my favorite dream when nothings really as it seems
Don't wake me
Just take me
Take me by the hand and I will believe

Don't close your eyes, I'm right beside you
Don't be afraid, I'm never far
You and I were always meant to
Wake the dreamers from the dark
Come out, come out wherever you are


It's like daylight
At midnight
It's my favorite dream when nothings really as it seems
Don't wake me
Just take me
Take me by the hand and I will believe

Come out, come out wherever you are