Tuesday, February 17, 2009

A bit amusing...

I received the most hilarious Valentine on the 14th that I thought I'd share with y'all.

Here is what it said:


"Jessica Dear, Though your love of singing is loveable, you cannot stop singing. You could join the opera and sing as loud as you want!

Just kidding. I would miss you. :-) Love, Abigail"


I think it's a hint for me to cut back on the singing. LOL! What kind of funny things have your younger siblings told you?


Oh, and a post with photos is coming soon. :-)


I am Feeling:
amusedAmused

Saturday, February 14, 2009

That Crazy Little Thing Called Love



Valentine's Day is here!

That delightful time of year has arrived when love, flowers, and chocolate fills the air. When you notice, with sweet envy, the couples walking hand in hand, the smiles on their faces, the love in their eyes.

For me, Valentine's Day brings to mind people like Romeo and Juliet, Lizzie Bennet and Mr. Darcy, my mom and dad. *grin* I hum songs like "L-O-V-E" and "That's Amore". I smile at movies such as "The Shop around the Corner", "Ever After" or "The Princess Bride". I envision gauzy pink dresses, shiny dress shoes, black tuxedos, and red roses. I can picture the smiles, the joy, and, of course, the love that seems to hang in the air.

It's on days like this that I wish I had a lacy hammock underneath a giant tree, a book in my hands , and a cool breeze rippling about me, as the hammock rocks gently to the rhythm of the wind. Unfortunately for me, it is rather chilly outside, the trees are bare of their leaves, and that hammock is still in the Soft Surroundings catalog. So much for a romantic afternoon. *grin*

I cannot say that I do the same thing every year, as I have not. One year I was working in our Tea Room, another I found myself shopping with Tiff and eating free ice cream at Culver's. Another year I found myself doing absolutely nothing but the everyday things. This year, however, I'm going to celebrate a bit with three dear friends and my darling family. Us girls will watch a “chick flick” and laugh...just have a lovely time. We're going to prepare a romantic dinner for my parents and help them celebrate this day of love by giving them time with one another, because it's good to keep in mind that true love is about giving to others. It should be a lovely day.

Many of you may have romantic aspirations that you hope to someday attain. You envy those Jane Austen heroines and wonder where your Mr. Knightly is. When he does come, you are sure that he will sweep you off your feet. He'll give you flowers and serenade you with love songs. He'll cherish you. Isn't that nearly every girls dream?

Two important things that I remind myself of on this day (especially) are 1.) I am not "incomplete" or "single" (I have my family, my church family, and most importantly, my Lord.) and 2.) I am not going to be "depressed" on Valentine's Day because God has not yet put that “special someone” in my life. I am content with where He has me.

What am I going to do on Valentine's Day? I am going to rejoice in the love of Christ, my Savior! Some of you may frown and say that I know nothing about it, since I am just eighteen and haven't spent my mid to late twenties wondering if that right man will ever come along. And I admit, y'all are right, I have not experienced those feelings, and as such, unfortunately, I am unable to tell you anything save this : God gives us the grace to be content with where He has us, now and in the future.

"Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:" (Philippians 4:11, NKJV)

He is my True Love. And He is yours. He will always be there, no matter what, and He will always love us. Who is able to snatch even one of the sheep out of the Shepherd's hand? I am safe in His embrace and content in His never-ending love and nothing can ever change that. Once we are His, we remain His.

I have a Love this February 14th...Jesus. He serenades me through the Scriptures, and through the obvious love He has poured out all around me through my parents, my siblings, and my friends. I love my Savior passionately. He died to save me. What greater love can there be than that?

In closing, here are some favorite *love* quotes of mine:

"Can he love her? Can the soul really be satisfied with such polite affections? To love is to burn - to be on fire, like Juliet or Guinevere or Eloise..." - Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility
"Dear Diary, Today I tried not to think about Mr. Knightly. I tried not to think about him when I discussed the menu with Cook... I tried not to think about him in the garden where I thrice plucked the petals off a daisy to acertain his feelings for Harriet. I don't think we should keep daisies in the garden, they really are a drab little flower. And I tried not to think about him when I went to bed, but something had to be done." - Jane Austen, Emma

"Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can the floods drown it." -Song of Solomon 8:7a
"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." - Dr. Suess

"My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." - William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

And last, but certainly not least:

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 1but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." - 1 Corinthians 13


Happy Valentine's Day!

I am Feeling: contentContent


I am Feeling:
thankfulThankful


Friday, February 13, 2009

In preparation...

for Valentine's Day. :-) A hilariously ridiculously amusing video that never ceases to make me laugh:



"Awww! Bless his heart; he needs to be cared for!" LOL!

A new post will be swift in following this one! It's a bit early as of yet but, Happy Valentine's Day! :-)

In Christ Alone,

Jessica

I'm Feeling:
peaceful Peaceful


Tuesday, February 03, 2009

I feel quite ashamed for the way I have neglected my blog of late. But I came to the conclusion that 'twould be better for me to not post then to write something that would bore everyone to tears.

Unfortunately, I can't even think of anything to bore you to tears.

So, as such, I am going to ramble a bit about my life and three very dull things indeed that have occupied a bit of my free time. :-)

1. Here are a few things I have currently checked out from the library and/or are on my reading list:

The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer

The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton
Love and Respect by Dr. Emmerson E. Eggerichs
Why Shoot a Butler? by Georgette Heyer
Tuesday Club Murders by Agatha Christie
Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Georgette Heyer is a current favorite of mine. "Cotillion" is a marvelous piece of fiction! I'm reading "The Corinthian" currently! Her regency-style writing, wit and humorous and exciting storyline's are ones that Jane Austen herself would have loved to read, I'm sure. Mhhm! True brilliance, I say.

2. Some people might be wondering what is going on with my novel. I will tell those who are curious (*hugs*), and for those who are not, well, I will tell you as well. :-) Su
bsequently, I, being my brilliant self, decided to do a bit of typing in my novel while sitting upon my bed's coverlet. I had previously taken my novel off of the internet (it was on my Google docs page.) and put it in a word document. I (still being my brilliant self) removed myself from the bed and leaving the computer in its comfortable resting place, vacated the room. I had no idea that, apparently, leaving a computer on a bed can do one of four things:
1. Catch the house on fire.
2. Overheat and never turn on again.
3. Catch the house on fire and get destroyed with the house.
or 4. Nothing.
Unfortunately, it did not do the last, and instead did number two. It overheated and now refuses to turn on. But thankfully, my Father is wonderfully heroic and is aiding me in aquiring someone to get the data off of the computer (aka. My novel). So what began as a nightmare, is ending...well, rather well. Of which I am very, very thankful!


Another thing that I have done this week was watch an episode of the ever-hilarious-and-oh-so-British TV show, "Jeeves and Wooster". Really, it's worth a try! Absolutely hilarious and full of non-offensive and clean humor! Here's a clip from the latest episode that we watched. And as a side note (to understand it better) Aunt Agatha (the older woman) is always trying to get Bertie (the fellow with the pearls) married. He's never stood up to her, but *let* her boss him around. Well, when he finds out that she was trying to get him to marry a girl who he discovers (she didn't know) to be a thief, he finally gets the gumption to stand up to her. Too funny! :-D Oh, and check out that happy dance at the end! :-D




Alright, so I divulged three interesting facts about my life. Whether you found them interesting or not, I leave completely to your own judgment. :-)

Lord bless and have a marvelous week! Until my next post...

In Christ Alone, Jessica



I Am Feeling: Devious