Thursday, September 30, 2010

Looking for hope in a hopeless world-Margaret Becker

My parents have a shelf full of CD's that we've had since I was a little girl. Just recently I've started pulling off random ones and popping them into my lappie-top. Ha, a year ago I never would have listened to my parent's music. But now I'm burning most of them onto my computer. Right now I'm listening to Margaret Becker...pretty good!

So what is there to look forward to in the next month? Hopefully cooler weather. I'm still switching between capris and pants. And I still leave my window open at night. But October highlights include:

-Celtic Thunder!
-House sitting

haha, I thought there were more things. Oh well, those two are good enough to cover the whole month! Oh, and an extra special is when I donated blood I got a coupon for a free pint of ice cream from Baskin Robbins. So I'm going to get some for house-sitting!

I am actually very proud of my French abilities. I know I could be studying harder and learning more but seeing as I don't study that much and just go to class I think I'm getting the jist of it.

I've realized how much I really do not prefer texting. Like, I don't mind it for little "hello's" or asking questions, but it irks me when people want to hold a convo completely over texting. I don't know why, it's just not my style.

So I figured out some statistics about my life. Recently (because of a bad test grade in chemistry class) my parents have been demanding I give up either Bible study or some of dance. And I will post it loud and clear for everyone to read because I am ashamed of them: MY PARENTS WANT ME TO GIVE UP BIBLE STUDY FOR SCHOOL!!!!
Anyways. I figured out how many hours a week I spend on certain activities.
45 hours free/homework/housework
18 hours class
9 hours work
7 hours dance/Bible study
So can you see how frustrated I am??? The least amount of time a week I spend on fun stuff and my parents want me to give some of that up!

I am really frustrated. What great parents they are but sometimes I don't think they really understand what it is like to go to class, go home, and sit inside doing homework and homework and homework. I need a break!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Meme Day 11

Day 11 – Your siblings
Ok, so by blood I have only one sibling.   My little sis Margie (her real name isn’t that, but it’s the nickname I gave her several years ago…)...because she sorta hunches her shoulders over and she does this hacking thing with her throat and flem and stuff that reminded me of a little old grannie. So I call her Margie. Oh and she is 3 years younger than me. I love her like heck. Yeah, she’s annoying and vain and taller than me and grumpy in the mornings but she is also the closest person to me. No, I can’t tell her everything but I share the most memories with her, laugh the most with her, and if I had to choose one person in the whole world to spend all of my life with just traveling and being awesome I would choose her. She loves pigs (as an animal and a food....gross) and plays soccer and has a gerbil.
I also believe that spiritual ties are stronger than blood ones. So all my brothers and sisters in Christ...I love them.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Meme Day 10

Day 10 – What you wore today
For most of the morning I wore my mickey pj boxer things and a big t-shirt. When I went to class I put on some jean capris and a teal mid-length sleeve top with a hood on the back. And dangly earrings with hearts on the end. And my brown ballet-flat crocs :)

Monday, September 27, 2010

Meme Day 9

Day 09 – Your beliefs
Ok. Jesus is the Son of God, part of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created the earth all on His own, no help from natural selection the Big Bang, or macro evolution. Everything in the Bible is true but you need to read it in context sometimes to understand it. I believe that anyone can be saved and that God desires all people to come to Him. But it’s of free will—He wants those who truly love Him to spend all eternity with Him. I believe Christians’ main life purpose is to worship God. Abortion is always murder, homosexual unions may be politically correct but who cares what society says—man and woman, people! They fit together like blue and pink lego pieces (maybe that doesn’t work, cuz my fave color is blue so that would make the guy…pink?). However, God loves all sinners. I am a sinner. You are a sinner. Maybe you killed an old lady and I only stole a cookie but we both need Jesus’ forgiveness equally. And you know what, we don’t have all the answers. No one does. So I just say, read and know the Word of God. Strive to worship and honor Him in all you do.

Just another manic Monday

Thank the Lord Mom gets home tonight. It's been so weird having her gone. Not like, weird that she isn't here, but weird that things seem so crazy with her gone. Mostly on my part since I'm the one doing dinners and cleaning up and went shopping today because there was no food in the house. If her plane crashes on the way back I will get in my car and drive to Kansas.

I made some cupcakes today!! Alas, I didn't want to even mess with scratch batter so I just got some chocolate mix from the store. But one of my friends told me that someone had told her that if you put marshmallows on the top of the cupcakes when they are in the oven that they will melt in a nice glaze over the top. Do you think it worked? Check my cupcake blog in a few days to find out!

Today I nearly blew up at my computer screen. I read something someone had posted and I just got this impatient, tired feeling. Tired of games and tired of not knowing what's what.

Had an interesting convo with a couple at church yesterday...waiting for an e-mail from them. Maybe I'll have awesome news in a week or so.

Margie (my little sis) had her first homecoming on Saturday night. Not only her first ever but her first this year. Yes, she is going to two. And good thing she doesn't read this blog because she would kill me that I'm broadcasting it all over but...she went to this one with a boy! But most of you know that. And it isn't what you might think. They grew up together, our families are very good friends, so they just went as that sorta "friends" couple. Margie looked so pretty and her friend was so handsome! I think the fact that my sister has a guy date to homecoming in 9th grade is foreshadowing of the future...she's totally going to get married first. Which is FINE with me. ;)

I'm wearing more make up lately and I'm kinda mad at myself for it.

Had a great late-night convo with a great friend last night. Watched Miss Congeniality and While You Were Sleeping with the guy-date's sis (one of my oldest and dearest) on Saturday night. But that is about the extent of my social life right now. What with work, taking care of the house, my cupcake adventures, and school school school! there isn't much free time.

Oops, gotta go make dinner...

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Meme Day 8

Day 08 – A moment
Sitting in my car in the middle of a dark church parking lot with our former exchange student girl from NZ. We had bought a big piece of chocolate cake from Walmart and were eating it while playing “Guess my person”. And it took her about 20 minutes to guess Sandra Bullock. When she finally did she screamed really loud in excitement…

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Meme Day 7

Day 07 – Your best friend
Jesus. I am beginning to realize what sole dependence on Him for every type of companionship is like. I used to be all into having human best friends but not anymore. I don’t believe in favoritism—I strive to love all my friends equally. Each one is different and that is what I like. I have God friends, fun friends, crazy friends, etc. etc. etc.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Meme Day 6

Day 06 – Your day
Woke up, ate a poptart and hot chocolate. Drove my sister and the neighbor to the bus stop. Drove to my babysitting job and was there until about 12. We went to the park where we saw another little boy and his babysitter for the second time. Fun! Then I went to Subway then to a CAN place to finish paperwork. Next I went to the church to stuff bulletins and then to a friend’s house I am going to house-sit for. Stayed there and chatted, then came home and cleaned and organized my room. Making lasagna for dinner, looking at scholarships, going tonight to a movie night at church.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Spontenaity--Olivia style!

Tonight after having a very enlightening conversation with my fellow Fearless-Feminist friend (who also happens to be one of my regular followers) I decided something. I decided I need to make some very impactive (is that a word?) changes in my life.

For starters, I am very very very heavily leaning towards migrating from the country next year. Yes. Seriously. Migration. M-i-g-r-a-t-i-o-n. Yes, peoples. You have a migrant on the loose. Lose. Loose. Whatever. Anyways! No, not really. I'm not sure what the definition of "migrant" is But, I am seriously considering being serious about going away next semester to another country and serving in some sort of way. As I told my friend tonight, I feel stuck in the toilet bowl of shallow American living. You just sorta sit there and every once in a while you go round and round but then you just end up sitting there again. On yo fat butt. That's right, I said it. Actually, on my bed. Here. Right now. On this computer, doing nothing important and saying nothing of significance. Not bettering my life or mind in any way or doing anything with my life for other God or other people.

So that is the one major change that could be happening. Oui.

Other major changes. Well, as this last week has shown me (and oh my goodness I can't believe I made it through this week without crashing, getting extremely sick, or screaming at someone) I need to work on my time schedule. I need to do my homework when I can, do my chores, do other things, and other things, so then I can do fun stuff! And read good, enlightening books. And bake. And work. And maybe even volunteer. I wish, but it sounds noble to say that. So in short, I need to be more productive and on top of my life. Oh my gosh, see? I was supposed to do Bible study with my sister tonight and I totally didn't. Instead I sat on the couch for like, fifteen minutes. Showered. Now I'm here. I prove my own point.

Major changes coming people. Hold me accountable. Call me, text me, e-mail me, throw cream pies in my face that read "Olivia, get it under control."

Meme Day 5 and more

Day 05 – Your definition of love
So both Sam and Amy have the PERFECT answer:
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 " 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away."

and also my definition of love is: God. God is love.

~~~~~~~~

Today.

-Went through a red light when trying to turn left out of an intersection. So pretty much turn left or sit in the middle of the intersection during the red light. Oh and guess what? They just installed red-light runner cameras at that intersection. So that will probably be another chunck of my pay-bill.

-Attended orientation for a possible CNA job today. If all goes well I will be hired with the company and just have to wait for a case to open up. Oh and I'm adding three more hours to my babysitting job so...lots of working to pay all of my red-light tickets.

-Forgot to do my French homework before class so I was out in the hall fifteen minutes before doing as much as I could.

-Bought a Naked smoothie at school. Banana/strawberry, but it wasn't as good as the mango one.

-Got a 95% on my French test!

-I love getting voicemails from friends on my cell phone.

-Some random pen markings on my finger look like a smilie face.

-Oh, I almost ran over my sister today in the car.

-And thus the neighbor boy we also drive to the school bus stop must think I am the worst driver in the world.

-I almost threw away $5 today. Or actually, I found $5 in my trash can. So I saved the $5 from being thrown away.

-I am sitting in the library and I just watched an employee fix up the children's area, setting Teddy bears upright and stacking puzzles. And I wished I could have so few cares as to walk around a children's room making it look organized and cheery.

-But I really don't have that many awful cares. Nothing God can't use for His glory. The hardest part? Trusting Him with all of those cares.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Meme Day 4



Day 04 – What you ate today
Most of a chocolate muffin with milk, a banana, mixed nuts, crackers and cheese, some carrots, and a mint brownie. And a cup of tea. Maybe I’ll get another one. 

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

oooh!

I have 1 follower. Yay!

The end.

Meme Day 3

Day 03 – Your parents
Mom and Dad (no names for privacy sake). Mom is an awesome mom. She home schooled me for 10 years (no sweat, especially compared to my sis!), cooks amazing food, cleans all the time (something I wish she might not do so much of!). She is also pretty easy for me to get along with and probably spoils me more than I realize. She has an awesome salvation story and was very pretty when she was young (not that she isn’t now, I just don’t notice like I do when I see her pictures of when she was in her 20’s). Dad is referred to as Chuck Norris by people at his school, our church, and pretty much anyone else we know. So yeah, you have an idea of what he looks like. Beard and everything. He lives in a house full of females but he rocks all the more for it. He actually loves Jane Austen films and is currently reading “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” to better his mind. He’s way fun and a little scary and annoying sometimes. But I know he loves me and my family tons and will cry every night when I leave the house. Oh, and did I mention he makes gross sounds when he eats??

A God thing!



I just love how God blesses us with little things that may not be life-changing but are regular reminders that He's got it all under control.

So on Saturday I was going to see the film "Flipped" (SOOO cute, go see it!) with some friends from church. The theatre was downtown and I spent about ten minutes trying to find good parking. Finally, I had to drive up past the theatre again to go to a different road to park. I had just driven by the theatre and there was nothing open (which I never expected there to be) and as I was driving past I saw an open spot right in front! I swung in with a victorious whoop. Then I grabbed some quarters to put in the meter and guess what?? There was already 30 minutes on it so I only needed one quarter! Yaay!

I went into the theatre and my friends had already purchased tickets for the film. So I got in line right after my friend to buy one and when I got up to the counter and said cheerily "One ticket for Flipped please!" (cheery because I was SO excited to see it)...something bizarre took place. I can't even remember how it all went, but for some reason the guy didn't want to sell me a ticket. Even though my friend had just bought one, he was reluctant to give me one. He said that "there are only 6 seats left" and "you might not be able to sit with people you came with" and "In my opinion it's our lowest selling movie". It was as if he was trying to convince me not to buy a ticket! I explained that my other 2 friends had bought tickets and we realized that we might not sit together, but he just told me to talk to his manager (who was sitting at a booth right across the small room. So I got in line to talk to him but the other dude called me back. "Ma'am," he said as he pulled out a ticket. Then he ducked down a bit so that his face would be hidden behind mine from his manager's view. He handed me the ticket and said, "If there are no seats up there then come back down and we'll work something out." FREE TICKET!! I was thinking, "Umm.....you could've just sold me this" but I just said "Thank you" like he had just saved my life and off we went to watch the cutest movie I've seen all year. It was so bizarre but quite a blessing! Those tickets are expensive! I think God knew I was having a crappy day and He just wanted to say, "Look Olivia, I still love you. Here's a movie ticket on Me."

Monday, September 20, 2010

Meme Day 2




Day 02 – Your first love
Wow, this could potentially be embarrassing. Except I am not answering this in the terms that you all want to know and that the question implies. Oh wait, actually...it asks my first LOVE, not my first CRUSH. My first love was probably...reading. Books. My first real human love would have to be very recent. Damian McGinty. Youtube him. But he’s mine, so don’t fall in love with him.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Meme Day 1

(stolen from Amy...looks fun, I'll post an answer every day if I can. would love to see other people's if possible)

Day 01 - Introduce yourself -
Hi....I’m Olivia (hello Olivia). My middle name is Joy, not that I live up to it but I try to. I think the only time I live up to my middle name is the in mornings when you compare my disposition to my sister’s. Anyways, I’m 18 years old and obviously very narcissistic since I love doing meme’s so much. No, I actually don’t think people who do meme’s are narcissistic. I like to read about others! I just happened to think I was narcissistic even before meme’s were invented! Ok, getting back on track. I am a senior in high school but I don’t really tell people that because I’m actually going to our community college full time and I figure that if I do the work of a college student I should be able to tell people I am one. My life goal is FIRST to worship God ALL THE TIME. Ha, the impossible dream, but the best one there is to have. Second my goal is to do overseas missions and I actually decided today my ultimate missions dream would be to do missions to unreached people groups. I mean, I can’t save the world but Jesus can and I can speed up His return by finding and befriending and witnessing to all those who don’t know Him.

Random facts -
-I love mint gum more than any type of gum
-I don’t like butter and I don’t prefer vanilla ice cream
-I am allergic to mushrooms (or actually I wish I was)
-Je suis une fille. (French. =D I just felt like showing off my awesome French skills)
-I love rain and snow and cloudy days more than any other type of weather
-My favorite natural aspects are stars, clouds, and the ocean
-Tea is my favorite drink
-I still sleep with my baby blankie
-My dad makes the grossest sounds with his mouth while he eats cereal
-I would work and save up all my money just to travel
-I am trying to think of something REALLY random...my toe nails grow this fast: I got a pedicure in the middle of August and already the bottom half of my toenail has no polish on it and the top half is still perfectly polished like I got it. Yeah, it’s gross. OH, and a HUGE pet peeve is when dancers have long toe nails—it rips through your shoes and just pushes up against your nail. Very awful feeling.

Just a thought

If only all the lonely people out there realized that with Jesus there is no loneliness. Maybe an earthly sort of loneliness, but never an eternal type. And all your friends could desert you but it wouldn't matter.

Is that detachment or true acceptance of Jesus' love and friendship?

Thursday, September 16, 2010

It is well with my soul.

I am going to try and make this post as optimistic as possible. Call me a Pollyanna, but I do believe that when we start focusing on the things in life to be thankful for the bad things just sorta get pushed into the back of one's mind. Not that I don't have TONS of things to be thankful for! Gosh, I am more blessed than so many people. I wonder why God just heaps blessings on someone like me...

So the exchange girl who has been living with us for several months is going home to New Zealand on Saturday. We are going to miss her terribly as she has become a part of our family quite easily. And the fact that I get my own room and bed back doesn't really make it better. Surprisingly I didn't mind sharing a bed with my sister...NEVER thought I'd be saying that. But we worked out the sleeping arrangement quite well. I sleep with my head at the feet of the bed and set up my pillows so she doesn't accidently kick me in the face. Anyways, back to our "sister" leaving. Yep, it will be sad but I am happy that she is happy to be going home. And knowing that she isn't leaving because of anything wrong with our family is quite comforting, as you might imagine.

Funny thing, as we are talking about blessings. On the day I found out that our student was leaving earlier than planned a couple from my church called to ask if I could house sit for them for ten days at the beginning of October. I would have been thrilled to do so any time of the year but I think it's so amazing that God knew I would need a little "escape" like this at this point in time. Needless to say I am quite excited to be on my own for a little bit. Not that I'll be a total loner--my sister will stay on the weekends with me and a few of my friends might give me company some nights. Oh, and the husband of the couple called me "ultra responsible" when his wife mentioned me for the job. Haha that made my day!

I applied for another CNA job today. I have mixed feelings about it. Part of me really feels like I need to get a steady, good-paying job. But then again, seeing as there is a possibility I might not be in the States next semester I wonder if it is worth it. But compared to the actual possibility of leaving the country for a bit but trying to find out how or why or when....the job thing is kinda not stressful at all.

Ha, I've just been typing like nuts about nothingness. It's this new computer, the keyboard is so fun to type away on.

Oh, I think I've decided I really like the Beach Boys. :)

Dance is going so amazing! Our lyrical dance is AMAZING. Definitely will record it when we are done and post it somewhere. And our tap dance is acapella and quite groovy. Plus on Saturdays I help out with two classes which of course I love, being with dramatic little ballerinas.

Well, I've got French class in two hours. I haven't taken my first test, but I am LOVING this class. It's my longest but the two and a half hours seem to fly by. Au revoir!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

"I finally died, which started the whole Earth living"

What an absolutely awesome Labor Day weekend. Except for the fact I was not nearly as productive as I wanted to be. In fact, I have done hardly any homework. Typical college procrastination going on here. Oh if there were only a medicine for procrastination sickness. What's that you say? There is? It's....work. Yeah.

So I love pictures, and I think I will do updates with some pics.

Sunday

So one of my childhood memories is of waking up early on Labor Day Sunday and going down to our city's downtown park to watch hundreds of hot hair balloons take off. This year I was all gung-ho about going until I found out no one else in my family wanted to go. But as I laid in bed contemplating the hard decision of if I should go alone or not, I realized that it was possibly my last year to attend for a long time. Turns out Dad was up for going with me, so at 6:30 in the morning we walked with crowds of other tired people towards the park. It was an awesome morning, just getting to walk around and look at the cool booths. We saw tons of friends we hadn't seen in a long time. And some awesome balloons, too!


Sunday night-Monday morning


Dad had a sort of spontaneous desire to get away to the mountains for a night. And I didn't hesitate (much) to go with him. Originally Tracey was supposed to go with us but she got sick so I invited a great friend of mine, Katie (my God-friend). We packed up some granola bars, sleeping bags, NO tent, and took off. The hike itself was only about an hour and a half. Dad knew of a secluded flat spot across the creek and we plopped ourselves down there for the night. After hiking the rest of the trail to St. Mary's Falls we came back and hung around the fire. Then we put our sleeping bags around it (JUST LIKE COWBOYS!!) and laid under the stars. Let me tell you something. God is amazing. So we see one shooting star. It was gorgeous, as can be expected. Then as we laid there, I prayed "God, please send one more". And guess what? Right before I closed my eyes, a long, shimmering star shot across the sky. You ARE amazing, God. It was such a surreal night. I would wake up, look at the sky for a moment, notice how the stars had moved slightly as we rotated, then go back to sleep. How blessed I am, how amazing my life is, and how wonderful the Lord of all creation is.



Saturday, September 4, 2010

New laptop!

Dad got me a new laptop today. If you knew all the troubles we had with our old one, you might understand this spontaneous act. It's a shiny purple one--Toshiba--and quite snazzy. Maybe I'll take some pictures sometime...maybe not. Oh, and there's a built-in webcam! So now I can video chat all the time with all sorts of people. Ooh-la-la!

Tomorrow we are going backpacking. I cannot wait to just sit and stare up at the stars.