[photo+verse]

The Lord lives, and blessed by my rock, and exalted be God, the rock of my salvation.
2 Samuel 23:47

You just need to listen to this. :D

[photo+verse]

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:6

[experiment]

Soo.. a while ago I mentioned I was doing an experiment. You may or may not remember :) Anyway.. I did it.
The reason I started it is because Samantha and I had been working on a project all day, listening to music. I noticed later on that day that all the lyrics and melodies from the songs we'd been listening to for *hours* were floating around in my head. Some of them were ok, some of them were good, and some of them.. weren't so good. I got to thinking, "If I listened to good, solid Christian music only, maybe it would have the same effect. If I pound my brain with these wonderful lyrics, maybe they'll be what I'm thinking about instead of true love-turned breakup." Now I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with secular music. I just wanted to focus on some truly good music for a while. So I made a resolution to listen to only select Christian music for two weeks. That.. kinda didn't work. We went to TN the first week and of course the driver (my dad) had to listen to music all 24 hours of driving :) And it wasn't Christian music. So I just decided to extend my experiment. Which was fine, I'm not complaining at all :) It took about two weeks of truly listening to nothing but my selected music, but it worked!! I found myself singing hymns in the shower *cough* I mean around the house instead of secular music, and thinking more about the lyrics to the songs. Another motivation I had was I wanted to learn to enjoy them more. Because secular music is usually more attractive as far as the tunes/singers go to me. And that happened too!

But I have to admit... It feels good to be listening to some different music again :) I had gotten some new music right before I did the experiment, and of course I'm listening to the Phantom of the Opera :D

Soo.. there you has it. I would encourage you to do something like this!! It was a really good thing, I think.

[photo+verse]

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Thy name give glory because of Thy lovingkindness, because of Thy truth.
Psalm 115:1

[quote]

"If there is one thing the Spirit of God does, it is to purge us from all sanctimonious humbug, there is no room for it."

Oswald Chambers.

[photos+quote]

[peace]
Blurry. But I like it. I love this light that floods into my kitchen every evening.

For Romans in Rome's quarrel
Spared neither land nor gold,
Nor son nor wife, nor limb nor life,
In the brave days of old.

Then none was for a party;
Then all were for the state;
Then the great man helped the poor,
And the poor man loved the great:
Then lands were fairly portioned;
Then spoils were fairly sold:
The Romans were like brothers
In the brave days of old.

 

Just part of the awesome poem Mr C read to us in class today. 

This is what my day looks like. Teabags, eraser shavings, broken lead.

[photo+verse]

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear, and will trust in the Lord.
Psalm 40:3

[body and soul]

"Once I was lost
Hurting inside
Dangling over the edge
But the history of pain
Barely remains

Once I was blind
But could it be
That the excess of light
Is shading the weary past
With the shadow it cast

And as sin gives way
To atoning blood
And a debt is paid
With the riches of love

There's a hope that I see
There's a freedom in me
There's a comfort in death and in life
Knowing that I belong
To the Savior who's making me whole 

Body and soul

Now, I can feel
A sense of resolve
Choosing a new point of view
Going against the grain
Breaking the chain

And the shackles fall
On the road to peace
And I lose them all
As I find my release

And that Hope eternal springs in me

And that Freedom seems to willingly carry me
Through a world of fears I've stored inside of me
Lord, abide in me

And as sin gives way
To atoning blood
And a debt is paid
With the riches of love

There's a hope that I see
There's a freedom in me
There's a comfort in death and in life
Knowing that I belong
To the Savior who's making me whole 
Body and soul." 

Susan Ashton

[photo+verse]

For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.
Psalm 91:11

This week has been *cough* very happy :) Two new couples among my friends!! Can you believe it? Nope. Is it wonderful? Yes. :)

[DAY THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE]

[three sixty five]
So, basically I was thinking about what I wanted to do for my three sixty five today, and I decided to do one with a bunch of things I'm wanting to do this school year. All these books are ones I want to read or re-read; I want to learn to use a film camera, I want to learn to sew, I want to learn more about baking and cooking, and I want to learn to draw, with the help of Bertie. Can you spy all these things? :D The books included are: "Stepping Heavenward" by Elizabeth Prentiss (GREAT book) "Counterfeit Gods" by Tim Keller, "Til We Have Faces" by C.S. Lewis, "The Scarlet Pimpernel," "Scarlet" by Steven Lawhead, "Alice in Wonderland," "Until You Meet Prince Charming" by Sara Mally, "Just So Stories," "Middlemarch" by George Eliot, and "The Labors Of Hercules" by Agatha Christie.

Color or.....

black and white?

[flare] <3

I gather this is a very typical "Shaina" look. haha :)

Lovely sunset tonight.

[because it's joyful]

Today during lunch Micah and I were just chatting... I asked him how he was and he said, "G." I was like, "Soo, you're talking in texting language already?" "Y." We talked for a while this way, and sometimes I had to ask him to translate from texting language. All of a sudden, he just grinned this huge, happy, genuine grin at me. I remarked that he was happy and asked him why. "B I J." is what he said. "Because...it's....what? What is it?" and he said Joyful. Because it's joyful. Because it's JOYFUL. 
You know something? I love it when my six year old brother teaches me a lesson. In texting language no less.

[brutus]

Reading material... by candlelight :)

 Today I got to help pull my first calf :D It was *amazing*. So much fun :)

[three sixty three]
Wonderful morning light. <3
9.23.11

This. Was one of the most beautiful skies I have EVER seen. This photo doesn't do it justice, truly. On the left was soft, peachy, salmon tones, in the middle was a darker orangey-red-pink color, and the dark ones on the right were a lovely plum. It robbed me of my breath.

[good morning]
Do you spy the spyder web in the corner?

Meet Brutus.

[three sixty four]
He's my current favorite caterpillar.

Isn't he adorable?

Summation of Livy, book 2:

Government: "We cab be greedy so we will be."
People: "The government is greedy and mean. We hate them.
Give us what we want."
Government: "No."
People: "Yes!"
Government: "No!"
People: "Then we won't fight."
Sabines: *attack*
Government: "We're gonna die! Fight!"
People: "Not unless you give us what we want."
Government: "Fine, we promise. Just fight!"
People: *fight* *kick booty* "We won!"
Government: "We were just kidding about that promise."
*repeat 29475738181 times*

[quotes]

"Oh how great are His judgements/ to our minds so dark and deceived/ perfect mercy and justice in ev'ry decree!"

"The study of history is the best medicine for a sick mind; for in history you have a record of the infinite variety of human experience plainly set out for all to see; and in that record you can find for yourself and your country both examples and warnings; fine things to take as models, base things; rotten through and through, to avoid."
-Livy.

[photo+verse+butterflies!]

These purple flowers are wildflowers called Kansas Gayfeather. They are one of my very favorite wildflowers!! Their wonderful purple tones flood the Kansas prairie in the fall. Not to mention, the Monarch butterflies love them!

This photo and the next are the same photo; I just played with the tones in this one. Which do you like better? 1)

2)

From the rising of the sun to it's setting the name of the Lord is to be praised. The Lord is high above all nations; His glory is above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, Who is enthroned on high, Who humbles Himself to behold the tings that are in heaven and in the earth?
Psalm 113:3-6

[photo+verse]

Can a woman forget her nursing child, and have no compassion on the son of her womb? She may forget, but Lo, I will not. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands.
Isaiah 49:15

[three sixty-one]

[three sixty]
This little guy. Greets me every morning when I wake up and bids me goodnight every evening. And I'm totally ok with that :)
9.20.11

[three sixty one]
9.21.11

[wonderstruck]
by Your glory.

Food, glorious food...

After five days of living off of granola and eggs, the grocery faries finally came. The trouble is, now I can't decide what to eat. Too much goodness all in one place! :D

[photo+verse]

Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instructions as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still more.
1 Thessalonians 4:1

[gumbo stew]

Making a favorite of Dad's (and the whole family's actually): gumbo stew. And it's looking and smelling yummier than ever! :D

[quotes]

"We all face a myriad of personal insecurities and we face them every day. With Jesus we have 100% security, and no one can ever breach the parameters of His love."
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear."
1 John 4:18

 

"Friendship? Yes, please."
Charles Dickens :)

 

[three fifty eight&nine]

[three fifty eight]
A beautiful sunrise after the rain on Sunday morning. It was more beautiful in real life; the clouds underneath the sun were dark and ominous yet the hilltops were flooded with sunlight. It would have been neat to see a rainbow :)
9.18.11

Dripping pears.

BANGS. I can't decide if they're cute or if I look like a twelve year old from the ninties.

light. morning. sun. gold. sunflower. glow. <3

Nother picture of the bangs :)

Sometimes I feel super retarded.. probably because I am ;) This spontaneous photoshoot being one of those times.... in athletic shorts and a teeshirt... Yeah.
Oh my back. Ouch.

Well I know a man who's been doing some thinking
He's as bitter and cold as the whiskey he's drinking
He's talking 'bout fear, about chances not taken
If you listen to him you can hear his heart breaking
He says "One day you're born and the next day you're dead
I wish way back when someone had said

Seize the day, seize whatever you can
'Cause life slips away just like hourglass sand
Seize the day, pray for grace from God's hand
Then nothing will stand in your way
Seize the day"

Well one thing I've noticed, wherever I wander
Everyone's got a dream he can follow or squander
You can do what you will with the days you are given
I'm trying to spend mine on the business of living
So I'm singing my songs off of any old stage
You can laugh if you want, I'll still say

Seize the day, seize whatever you can
'Cause life slips away just like hourglass sand
Seize the day, pray for grace from God's hand
Then nothing will stand in your way
Seize the day

I marked that one line in bold.. because that's what I've been doing lately. I've not been too concerned about posting every day, or even taking wonderful photos. I'd rather drink in the day. I'm not feeling the "need" to post every day. To stay caught up with things like this. I'm staying caught up with God and my school and living happily instead. I'm not saying it's not possible to do both; it just is better for me right now. I'm enjoying it. And I can't believe how far along in this project I am. It's not sinking in, haha.