Now and the Future

To put it simply, I'm a horrible procrastinator. I'm working on that. . . In fact, I hope to put up a list of things I hope to get done each month on here with the intention of actually getting them done. Among the things that has been happening, I have gotten a job recently, VBS is this next month, I've been accepted to the college I want to go to, and I've actually started to read some books again.

My newest job is a small hospice kind of job. I'm helping to care for an old lady who is dying of cancer. She is a very sweet lady; she loves gardening, bird watching, and she loves cooking. I'm thankful that I am able to help her in any way I can.

Ever since I moved to where I am now with my family, I have helped with our church's VBS every year. This year I'm taking on a different role then before (I used to be either a craft helper or a group helper). This year I'm director's assistant, costume assistant, and props assistant for the play. This year's VBS is medieval themed, and I can't wait to help!

Yes, I have been accepted to Northland International University. I am very happy about that. What I am doing now is procrastinating horribly with filling out my transcript, FAFSA papers, and everything else I need to do. My goal is to have it done by the end of this month and hopefully signed up for classes, but with my current record (which I hope to change) it look doubtful.

I have been very bad for a few months. I have not touched any books to read for fun. Instead, my computer has entranced me into it's depths. I've been on Pinterest more times than is useful, and played around with things like Paint and Windows Movie Maker with nothing in mind for making with them. I have started to read two very fascinating books, Johnny Tremainn and The Gift of Music. I'm half way through Johnny Tremain, and am completely loving it! (Especially since I've been going through One Year Adventure Novel I now understand what the author is doing and why. ) I've read the first four or so chapter's of The Gift of Music, and adore it! It's written by Jane Stuart Smith and Betty Carlson, and each chapter is about a different composer. Did you know that most of the influential composers (up till Bernstein) wrote music for the Psalms? It's true! Some of the composer's I've never even heard of, and am very excited to listen to their music.

That's all for now, though I hope to be back tomorrow with my resollutions!

Solo Deo Gloria,

Joy

I'm not on the computer much lately. . .

This is the reason I'm behind on this blog, and my writing blog. In fact, most of my computer time lately has been taken up with college prep and writing (okay, I squeeze in Pinterest too now and then. :P ), so I'll just try to give you a really quick rundown on what has been happening.

My mom bought the Trim Healthy Mama book as I've said before, and I have finally finished reading it. In fact, I finished it last Sunday, on Easter. It took that long to finish it! I am already trying to put it too work, even though the rest of my family isn't that into it yet. I even started trying to do the 'Spew' workout. My first time doing it was last night, and I am still sore today! I am planning on getting pictures taken soon for 'before and after'.

I have been accepted by Northland International University! I am so excited! As you can tell by the exclamation marks! Now, I'm working on figuring out how I'm going to pay for it. . . I am going to stubbornly not take out any loans, so if that means I have to go one semester at a time in order to pay for it, I will do that. I'm working on filling out FAFSA, and I'm starting on a search for as many scholarships and grants as I can find.

I've been reading through Martha Peace's book Becoming a 2 Timothy Woman, and I've been highly convicted on how I and my life are not the picture that God want's me to be like. I'm almost done reading through it, and I'll be starting the Girls Gone Wise book next.

I'm doing a World View class with my mom and some friends, and one of the things I will have to do is a Media Fast. I'm not sure exactly when I'll be doing it, but it will include no TV or computer for a certain amount of time. I'm planning on doing more crafts, reading, and school during that time.

That's all that has been happening around here!

God Bless!

SDG ~
~ Sparrow

Trim, Healthy, AND be able to eat butter, cheese, chocolate, cream, and all that?

Yup. It's called the Trim Healthy Mama diet, or the S and E diet. I can't wait to start it!

It's based on separating your meals into two different kinds of meal. The S meal or the Satisfying meal is full of fats, the E meal or the Energy meal is full of carbs and sugars. The switching back and forth from the different kinds of meals allows your body to use up one kind of fuel all the way before you feed it more. (It uses up all the glucose and sugars you just fed it for the E meal, and then it uses up all the fat you feed it with an S meal.)

I'm not an expert yet, I'm only on page 66 and this book is a whopping 607 pages long. Most of it is recipes, but it is till a whole lot to read!

The thing is, this book makes more sense than anything I've seen on TV, the internet  or any other book. This is something I can try to start to do as I read it! It's fun to read, and is stock full of scientific information. Those women have done their research well!

The two sister's who wrote it, Serene Allison and Pearl Barrett, have been using this method for five years now. Serene has helped her husband to lose weight, and Pearl's husband finally has food that he likes to eat at home! The sister's write in a way that is fun and easy to read. I highly recommend this book!

I'm hoping to make their Chocolate Nut Slabs later today!

Solo Deo Gloria,

Sparrow

Brownie in a Mug, Take One

Today I decided to try making a Brownie in a Mug. I found a recipe off of Pinterest and tried it out. Here's a link to the pin: http://pinterest.com/pin/171910910748329027/ I couldn't find necessarily where it came from either. . . Oh well.

It turned out pretty good, though it could have been better. I added about two teaspoons of vanilla (because it didn't call for it, and chocolate usually tastes better with vanilla), and the substance wasn't as runny as it showed in the picture, but it was still pretty good (I ate it, so it is at least edible hee hee!). 

I made two of them, one for my mom and one for me. Hers came out better; it was fluffier and richer than mine. Mine was okay, but it was a bit grittier. I probably should have added more liquid to mine. I might take out the salt all together if I try this recipe again. 

Here's the recipe typed out in my own words:

~

1/4 Cup Sugar

1/4 Cup Flour

2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder (I used heaping tbsp's, maybe that was my problem hee hee!)

Pinch of Salt (Neither my mom nor I liked it with the salt, I used even less than a pinch and it was still salty at times)

2 Tbsp Olive Oil (I used vegetable instead because we don't have olive oil)

3 Tbsp water

(Optional) Ice Cream (I didn't use this last ingredient because I don't have any currently.)

Add all dry ingredients together in your mug. (I mixed them as well, but they didn't say that in the Pin.) Add the oil and water. Mix until the texture is consistent. Cook it in the microwave for 1 minute and 40 seconds. Be careful taking it out, it is hot! Add Ice Cream, and enjoy! 

~

Solo Deo Gloria,

Sparrow

O let me ne'er forget

This is my Father's world,

And to my listening ears,

All nature sings,

and 'round me rings,

The music of the Spheres.

This is my Father's world:

I rest in the thought

Of rocks and trees,

of skies and seas

His hand the wonders wrought.

Oh how I love old hymns! This one written Maltbie Davenport Babcock is amongst my favorite. I love to sing it or read it. Eventually I want to be able to quote hymns, but I suppose I'll just have to keep going with the poems that I've been learning. :P 

This is my Father's world, 

The birds their carols raise, 

The morning light, 

the lily white, 

Declare their Maker's praise. 

This is my Father's world, 

He shines in all that's fair: 

In the rustling grass 

I hear Him pass, 

He speaks to me everywhere. 

One thing I like about this hymn is how soothing it is. It reminds me of who I am, where I am, and why I am here. That is something that I constantly need to be reminded of. I'm a worrier, and I constantly worry about so many things. The only thing I should do, is praise God and help others see Him. Not worry about how life is going for me or for others. 

This is my Father's world, 

O let me ne'er forget 

That though the wrong 

seems oft so strong, 

God is the ruler yet. 

This is my Father's world: 

The battle is not done; 

Jesus who died 

shall be satisfied, 

And earth and heaven be one. 

Praise the Lord for not only a book full of instructions and reassurances to those who believe, but also songs and hymns that give us strength. 

*~*

Today has been a crazy laid back day. I did four lessons of history with my little brother at 7:30 - 8ish this morning while my sisters and mom where at piano lessons. Yes, we get up early, and yes we really do go to piano lessons that early in the morning. I worked on some of my writing, and we did memory with my siblings. The poems and things we've memorized so far fill up three pages, double columned. I'm guessing that we've memorized twenty some poems. I'll post later about what we've memorized. :) Around after that I, well, okay I'll confess. I didn't work on school. I went on the writing forum I'm on, and didn't do any school. :P Oh well. I ate lunch at 1 in the afternoon, and started working on this blogging stuff. I really should start to work on my College applications again, but I'm really scooting around them. I want to go to college, but I don't like doing phone calls and all that. Bleh. I really should just buck up and do them, but I don't want too! I'm a backwards contradiction sometimes. o_o Whatever that means. :P Oh well

God Bless,

Sparrow