Funny Alert!

These are some of the funniest videos I have ever seen! :) I hope you enjoy them as much as I did! :)

Math 911

Granny and The Airbag

Pachelbel Bedtime

"Oh, how dissatisfied I am with myself. How I long to be like unto Him into whose image I shall one day be changed when I see Him as He is! I believe nobody understands me on religious points, for I can not and, it seems to me, need not parade my private feelings before the world ... I do dislike the present style of talking on religious subjects. Let people pray - earnestly, fervently, not simply morning and night, but the whole day long, making lives one continued prayer; but, oh, don't let them tell of, or let others know half how much the communion with Heaven is known to their own hearts. Is it not true that those who talk most, go most to meetings, run hither and thither to all sorts of societies and all sorts of readings - is it not true that such people would not find peace and contentment - yes, blessedness of blessedness - in solitary hours when to the Searcher of hearts alone are known their aspirations and their love? ... there is not enough of real, true communion with God, not enough nearness to Him, not enough heart-searching before Him; and too much parade and bustle and noise in doing His work on earth.

~From Elizabeth Prentiss' diary on January 1, 1841

Autumn is a restful time, silent and lazy. Its days of Indian summer are hazy and misty. The trees have donned their richest garments of gold and scarlet; but here and there some have resisted her beckoning call and are still emerald green, stubbornly trying to remind us that summer was only yesterday.

Over everything is a heavenly golden glow. Even on a cloudy day as I walk along a country lane with the trees forming a burnished golden arch overhead, it seems as if the sun is smiling down upon me.

All summer the sumac stood like proud sentinels with reddish-purple plumes in their caps. Now they are crimson and make the hills along the roadside look as if they were on fire. The graceful goldenrod nods gently in the soft breath of fall, greeting me as I pass by.

Chimneys are sending up lazy smoke signals, scenting the air with a sweet woodsy aroma that fills me with quite nostalgia. Some of the leaves have fallen and cover the woodland path. As I walk, I purposely shuffle along as I did when I was a child, so that I can hear the chattering of the crisp parchmentlike leaves crackling beneath my feet.

Mists and vapors are rising in the low spots, giving everything a look of fairyland enchantment. In the puddles left by the rain I watch the leaves drifting by like sailboats - then swirling and twirling, spun by the soft fresh breeze. The frowning clouds that have been hanging overhead suddenly break up and disappear; the smiling October sun sends down its Midas touch and everything blazes with shimmering acres of sparkling gold.

All along the thickets the spiders have woven their own intricate designs with fragile-looking webs that weave in and out of the branches and soar aloft like strings of tiny fairy kites. In the fork of a small tree they have placed an almost invisible round platter, its design circling and circling, interlaced with silvery webs from edge to center. Everywhere the webs have caught and held the raindrops, catching the setting sun's rays, making them glitter like diamonds on a silken thread, promising that tomorrow will be a golden day.

As I near home I can smell the burning leaves, like incense filling the countryside. Dusk falls quickly in October and the stars are starting to twinkle in a sky that is not yet dark. Somehow, this time of the year the stars seem closer, as if I could reach up and pick myself a bouquet of star-flowers.

The night has become quite crisp and I pull my sweater a little closer to me and realize that by morning the pond will almost certainly be covered with a delicate shell of crystalline ice. I remember that as a child I would tap it gently with my foot and hear tinkling sound, like the breaking of a fragile glass goblet.

My day has been peaceful and rewarding; I have walked hand-in-hand with God. Today I have gathered many treasures to store in my memory. These are souvenirs that I shall keep and cherish forever.

-Doris Moberg-

Summer Slips Away

Summer is slipping away

In the beautiful days of September
We see and smell and hear the signs
That leads us to December.
The sky seems bluer in September
And the cumulus clouds are white;
A soft purple haze shimmers over the land
And covers the hillsides with light.
The Master's plan is evidence
Of the mystery of life today
Which man can only accept with faith
As summertime slips away.

Edith M. Helstern

It was short...but sweet

This morning our puppy Wilbur died. We're not exactly sure why he died. But what we do know is that God is good and whatever He does is right and just. Even if it is taking little Wilbur. (Below- His burial "plot".)

Wilbur
August 30, 2007 - September 21, 2007

An "Almost Autumn" School Day

Today was an absolutely gorgeous "almost Autumn" school day. I wish you could have smelled it. It was just fantastical! I love Autumn days! :) I had homemade hot chocolate (compliments to Ana) during school and then I took a break and walked outside and enjoyed the "almost Autumn" beauties.

"It is not enough for the believer to begin to pray, nor to pray correctly; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray. We must patiently, believingly continue in prayer until we obtain an answer. Further, we have not only to continue in prayer until the end, but we have also to believe that God does hear us and will answer our prayers. Most frequently we fail in not continuing in prayer until the blessing is obtained, and in not expecting the blessing. Those who are disciples of the Lord Jesus should labor with all their might in the work of God as if everything depended upon their own endeavors. Yet, having done so, they should not in the least trust in their labor and efforts, nor in the means that they use for the spread of the truth, but in God alone; and they should with all earnestness seek the blessing of God in persevering, patient, and believing prayer. Here is the great secret of success, my Christian reader. Work with all your might, but never trust in your work. Pray with all your might for the blessing in God, but work at the same time with all diligence, with all patience, with all perseverance. Pray, then, and work. Work and pray. And still again pray, and then work. And so on, all the days of your life. The result will surely be abundant blessing. Whether you see much fruit or little fruit, such kind of service will be blessed."

George Mueller on Expectant Prayer

Hummingbird Through Shades

Making Cabinets

A Prayer

Lord, I am weary of myself,

Let me more weary be,
Stay not thy hand until I learn
From it for aye to flee,
And all that I have loved, to pour
In lavish floods, on thee.

Do not I leap for joy, when saints
To praise Thy name combine?
Is not Thy name a sweeter sound
Than this poor name of mine?
Do I love better to be praised
Than to hear praise of Thine?

Alas! two passions strong and deep
Contend my soul within,
I love myself, but I love Thee,
And long Thy grace to win,
Long to be like thee, to get free
From the old life of sin.

Which of the twain shall win the day?
Oh empty out this heart,
Dwell there in peace and leave not self
In its remotest part-
I want to yield it all to Thee
Who its dear Master art.

I want to be all eye, all ear,
Jesus, for Thee alone,
To be forgotten, lost, cast out,
Knowing, but all unknown,
To feel Thee sitting as my King
On undisputed thrown.

This is my feeble prayer, oh hear
My poor, my childish cry,
Do for me what I cannot do,
And pass in mercy by.
I have not courage self to slay
Do thou then make it die.


-Elizabeth Prentiss, Golden Hours, pg. 29-31

Sugar Drying

Puppy Update

Well, it has been 10 days since the puppies arrived. Here is an update on their condition. Their eyes are starting to open and they are getting a little bit more vocal when they are upset. We are having to feed Wilbur by hand every now and then to help him gain weight. But other than that the puppies are coming along quite well.

Chocolate is 1 lb.

Wilbur is 5 oz.

Vanilla is 1 lb.

Beauty of Math!

1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 + 10 = 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

Brilliant, isn't it?

And look at this symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321


Now, take a look at this...


101%


From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:

What Equals 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?

We have all been in situations where someone wants you to GIVE OVER
100%.

How about ACHIEVING 101%?



What equals 100% in life?


Here's a little mathematical formula that might help answer these questions:



If:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


Is represented as :

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26



If:


H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K

8 + 1 + 18 + 4 + 23 + 15 + 18 + 11 = 98%


And:

K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E

11 + 14 + 15 + 23 + 12 + 5 + 4 + 7 + 5 = 96 %


But:

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E

1 + 20 + 20 + 9 + 20 + 21 + 4 + 5 = 100%


THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:

L-O-V-E-O-F-G-O-D

12 + 15 + 22 + 5 + 15 + 6 + 7 + 15 + 4 = 101%

My Favorite Subject In School

Wow! The summer has gone by so fast! But I love school so it's alright. This year my favorite subject is Greek. :) My dad is teaching my little brother E, and my sister Ana and me Greek. We are working on the Greek alphabet right now. It is a ton of fun!! So here are a couple of pictures from my Greek worksheets and notebook.

<---The front of my notebook. That's my name in Greek up in the corner.

<--- Part of the alphabet sheet we got. We got up the the letter Theta.

<---My notes.

Little Girl and Psalm 23

Hey! I found this absolutely adorable little video of a girl saying Psalm 23. Unfortunately I couldn't get it onto my blog so I'll just link it.

Little Girl and Psalm 23

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

2-¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup cold butter
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
¾ cup sour cream
1 egg, beaten
1-½ tsp. almond extract

FILLING:

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
1 egg
½ cup raspberry jam
½ cup silvered almonds
__________________________________________

1) In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Remove 1 cup and set aside. To remaining crumbs, add baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the sour cream, egg and almond extract; mix well.

2) Spread in the bottom and 2 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan.

3) For the filling, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and egg in a small bowl until blended. Pour over batter; spoon raspberry jam on top. Sprinkle with almonds and reserved crumbs.

4) Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; remove sides from pan.

Yield: 12 servings.


Recipe found in: The Taste of Home Cookbook

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

September

September

by Helen Hunt Jackson (1830-1885)

The golden-rod is yellow;
The corn is turning brown;
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.

The gentian's bluest fringes
Are curling in the sun;
In dusty pods the milkweed
Its hidden silk has spun.

The sedges flaunt their harvest,
In every meadow nook;
And asters by the brook-side
Make asters in the brook,

From dewy lanes at morning
The grapes' sweet odors rise;
At noon the roads all flutter
With yellow butterflies.

By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather,
And autumn's best of cheer.

But none of all this beauty
Which floods the earth and air
Is unto me the secret
Which makes September fair.

'T is a thing which I remember;
To name it thrills me yet:
One day of one September
I never can forget.

--------------- This poem can be found, for example, in:
Jackson, Helen. Poems. Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1893.