I Have Neglected Thee!

Istartedmysenioryearofhighschool-and-I'vebeenreallysuperbusy-and-Igraduatein5monthsand23days but that is by no means a logical explanation for my disappearance. I offer you all the sincerest of apologies.

BUT. Since I have been gone I will take the next few bullets to catch you up on my life and where I have been.

• November 3rd, 2012 signified my one year Chick-fil-A anniversary! Wow. I've been working there for over a year now? That's hard for even me to wrap my head around. It has been very wonderful though, and I enjoy it very much.
• I'm a senior in high school and I am soooo close to being done. I know I kind of already emphasized this in my very run-on sentence at the beginning of this post but still. 5 months and 23 days. This is exciting, I may start screaming about it soon.
• I've begun writing another novel. For those of you who follow me on Figment (*cough*) you may have already read my short story "Stubbornness and Arrogance" which is essentially a modern day Pride and Prejudice that I wrote for a contest which I did not win. Anyway, I discovered that I really liked the story so I began expounding upon it and am turning it into a novel. We'll see where this goes.

So is my life. Not very interesting or anything. Mostly busy and full of analyzing Russian literature and serving chicken to hungry people. But hopefully this explains why I have been MIA.

Now onto some exciting discoveries and stuffs I have stumbled upon as of late!

• I have found Pinterest.
• I have found Twitter.
• I have found this cover of Somebody That I Used To Know. And with it, I have found Penatonix. Seriously. They make me feel so untalented and yet so motivated to try what they do. Which is why a group of choir friends and I are covering the aforementioned song for our May Vocal Variety concert (you could also file this sentence under "things going on in my life).
• I have found The Lizzie Bennett Diaries. I am so hooked. These videos are very well-made and very accurate to the book. And they are good to get the wheels in my mind turning for my noveling adventure.

Yeah feel free to follow me on the above. Oh and you can follow me on YouTube too (*anothercough*).

And finally here are a few plans that I have for the months to come.

• I intend to keep blogging. It probably won't be as often until I graduate but I shan't abandon thee again! I may start vlogging as well. We shall see.
• I plan on getting a new job and hopefully write for money. We'll see where the writing part goes. As much as I love my current job, I need something that pays more. My poor Cortez (my car, which I also should have told you about and which I am attaching a picture of) needs to be taken care of.
• I'm moving out. Next summer, either late July or early August, I'll start renting a house or condo with my dear friends Emma, Laura, and Destiny. I'm more than a little bit excited.

This is Cortez:

And I will wrap up this post with a picture of Colin O'Donoghue, otherwise known as Captain Hook and this one needs no explanation.

Cheers!

A Lip-Sync

It's been too long!

I'm sorry I've gone MIA :( I've been so bust with school and work and church and school and work and so on. But! I have come to post a wee video of our senior lip-sync!

This requires explanation.

Ahem.

Every spirit week, at the pep assembly, classes compete against each other with a lip-sync competition. Normally they're goofy and dorky but this year we tried something a bit different.

You can find it here.

Cheers!

Ekklesia

Well, Friends, it has been a while since I last updated you on my life and I figured I should do that. Except, this will not be a numbered list giving a slight overview of a couple of events. I intend to write today on one major thing that I have discovered, one thing that is reshaping the way I view a lot of things.

Ekklesia.

Those of you who are familiar with the Bible understand what the word means. I'll get into the meaning of the word later, but let me first tell you what Ekklesia is in the context of my life.

Ekklesia is the name we decided on for a home church I have been attending for a few months now. We meet every Monday night for several hours in the basement (and kitchen) of a very lovely and hospitable girl named Brittany. We do worship, we do prayer, we do Bible reading and prophecy.

We do life together, and that is why I'm writing.

*cue long-winded rant*

I've found myself growing so tired of the way the American church is being run. It's evolved from a living-together-and-sharing-everything-we-have kind of thing like it was in Acts to the once-a-week-for-about-an-hour-because-we-should sort of thing that it is now. I think people still believe that works can get you into Heaven. And if they don't believe that, then they believe that works will make you "better" in the eyes of the Designer.

But nothing could be farther from the truth.

Church is not supposed to be this place where you go once a week because it's the "good Christian thing to do." But that's what it's become. People slip on their masks, show up, make small talk, maybe raise a hand during worship if they "feel lead", attempt not to fall asleep during service, then rush home to watch the game.

Maybe I'm insane, but that isn't how it's supposed to work.

Church is supposed to be the one place that truly feels like home. It's supposed to be raw and honest, brave and trusting. One should show up and be greeted with a hug. Several hugs. One should not be afraid to ask for prayer for sin or to pray aloud or dance or lay down or cry during worship. One shouldn't worry about being judged because in that place judgement doesn't exist. One should be willing to give everything that he has and accept anything that another offers. It should be a safehouse. A sanctuary. A home. With a family who loves you unconditionally no matter how you messed up over the past week.

And it is this very thing that I have discovered in Ekklesia.

I remember the first night I went. I was greeted enthusiastically with hugs from close friends, and hugs from those I'd never even seen before in my life. People told me I was beautiful. They told me they loved me. The Holy Spirit was in charge and we ended up doing whatever we felt He was leading us to do. We worshiped, we prayed, we laughed, we cried, we ate, we loved, we were family.

Ekklesia has redefined the meaning of church in my own life.

Now many of you are probably wondering where the name came from. Let me explain.

The word ekklesia was not originally used in the context of the church. It was first mentioned when Jesus said to Peter, "You will be the Rock on which I build my church." The word He used for church was ekklesia.

Before ekklesia had a connection to church it meant something else. Ekklesia was when, after one empire had conquered another, people would be sent in to change the culture of the land that they had conquered. That way, when their king entered the land, it would look like home to him.

And that is what we as Jesus-followers are called to do.

We are called to be warriors. Before He left, Jesus gave us a command. "Go forth and make disciples of all nations." His final words to us were a command. A command to get off of our couches and out of this mundane human existence and away from what church has become and become this ekklesia. We are to conquer the world before us and change it so that when our King returns to us, it will look like home to Him. That is the sole purpose and calling of the church. To change this world that we know so it will be acceptable when its Designer comes back.

I don't know about you, but I'm certainly not going to let "those who are called" do it on their own.

When we were adopted and accepted into the family of the Lord, we were given a mission. A mission to go and change things and bring more warriors back with us. Another thing this modern church has done is blurred the idea of what it is to be called. Well brothers and sisters let me tell you something.

We are all called. Each and every one of us is called to change the world and rescue the souls who do not yet know our King.

It doesn't matter if you've been called to missionary work or rockstardom, church planting or professional baseball. We all have a mission to use the platform we are given to bring glory to our King.

Before we named our Church Ekklesia, I referred to it as Nameless. And that is relevant to us as well. When everyone else in the world has given up hope on us and we are worth nothing, when we are filthy and starving and nameless, He picks us up. He calls us His. He gives us a name. And then He sends us into our world to change it.

This is why I have determined that I am going to change the world; because He decided it for me.

*end long-winded rant*

Overall, I think it is fair to say that I have fallen in love with something beautiful. Papa designed something so very perfect and now that I've gotten to live it and breathe it, I am sold. Ekklesia has left me with a passion in my heart and a fire in my eyes that I am not expecting to dim - soon, or ever. For the first time in a really long time, here in Colorado, in all my mess and drama and confusion I am happy.

Because I found my way home.

Beautiful People: Discovering Emma (and Travis) Part Dix!

1) What is his/her favorite type of shoes? Emma: Ballet slippers. Travis: Converse.
2) Does he/she journal? Both: On occasion, when inspired.
3) What's his/her favorite animal? Emma: Tigers. Travis: Dogs.
4) What does his/ her average day look like? Emma: She wakes up at 7:00 and goes straight over to the house she nannies at and spends the day over there taking care of the kids. She then goes home around 3:00 when their parents get home and meets Heidi at her school and walks her home. The she makes a snack for herself and Heidi and stays with her until 4:00 when Travis gets home. She spends her nights with friends or at the bench. Travis: He wakes at 6:30 and makes breakfast for himself and Heidi. He then walks her to school and takes a Subway to The Waters School of Dance where he spends his day teaching and choreographing. He returns home at 4:00 and has dinner with Heidi and Emma when she's home and spends his nights with Heidi.
5) Night owl or morning person? Emma: Not really either but more night owl. Travis: More morning person, but he can be a night owl too. He's not often tired.
6) Does he/she have a sweet tooth? Both: No.
7) What colors are his/ her bedroom? Emma: One wall is exposed brick and the others are green. Travis: Blue.
8) Can he/she cook? Both: Yes.
9) What is his/her favorite household chore? Emma: Doing dishes. Travis: Folding laundry.
10) Favorite kind of tea? Emma: Chamomile. Travis: He doesn't drink tea.

**side note** The next Beautiful People is about the villain of the story, but mine doesn't really have one. Therefore, I will be skipping that one.

Finally

Well. As most of you know, I'm kind of cool sometimes. Not all the time, but sometimes. And today proves that. I decided to do something awesome for my mother on this day.

And so I took her to see the traveling Broadway production of Wicked at the Buell.

I have but one word: SQUEE!!!!!

It was so very good! I've seen it on Google videos but nothing could have prepared me for how amazing the show would be live. The cast was phenomenal, our seats were great, I have no words for how wonderfully, beautifully spectacular it would be. I can now check that off my bucket list. Please enjoy these photos documenting my journey while I go fangirl some more.

It gave me chills, it made me laugh. I even almost cried several times due to the sheer magnificence of it all. Was it expensive? Maybe. But it was worth every penny and I am on top of the world now.

A little piece of my symphony has just been uncovered in a Broadway show that defies all expectations.

Making Hearts With Stars

The title is basically irrelevant if you're not in on what went down last night. But this is a quick post to show you as best I can what did happen. I've got one word for y'all.

Prom.

Yes, last night was my junior prom. I went with my dear friends Bianca and Sarah and we did have a splendid time. I'll let the pictures explain.

The last picture is exhausted me at Bianca's house after we danced our hearts out. It was very wonderful. I can now add "prom" to the list of things I *adore*.

Cheers!

she dreamed of {Paradise}

Soooo. Over my Spring Break I took an excursion to the Golden State. If I were to tell you in detail of all the adventures I had and all the fabulous things we did, I'd be here all night. In a nutshell, it was exactly what I needed at this point in time. It was a tall drink of cool water and a dazzling firework display and the nostalgic cheerful song of an ice cream truck. But I'll shut up with the metaphors and let you piece together how my trip went with some pictures for guidance.

I'll leave you with this video of what my sister, cousin, and I do at Disneyland.

Cheers!

Because It's Been A While

So. I've missed you and I thought I should give you a little life update. If you actually read this, I *adore* you.

--Last weekend I embarked on our church's annual youth retreat in the mountains: Avalanche! The theme was Insurgo which means "to rise up." Isn't that lovely? To rise up. Here's something else lovely:

These are the drop-dead gorgeous girls I had the pleasure of rooming with over the weekend (and me, second to the left with the huge purse). I love them all. So very much.

--So way back when around the time that Christmas Break was coming to a close, I told some people at my work (Chick-fil-A, for those of you who have not yet been informed) that my parole was ending and I was going back to prison the next day. They believed me. I was really just comparing my school to a prison. I'm not sure how I should feel about that.

--I'm going back to California for spring break! My joy is unspeakable. I haven't been in almost two years and I miss it so much. I'm excited for the beach and Disneyland and In-N-Out.

--And just in case you forgot what I look like, here is a picture of me now:

Today, my hair looks good and my voice sounds great. I think I'll go conquer the universe.

Cheers!

Beautiful People: Discovering Emma (and Travis) Part Neuf!

1) If he/ she could be played by an actor, who would it be? Emma: Since she's a dancer, I'd cast her as Melanie Moore, not an actress, and her hair would have to be dyed, but she's such an incredible dancer I couldn't not choose her. Travis: Since the character was based after him, Travis Wall! He's done choreography for Melanie before, so I know they'll work well together.
2) Does your character have a specific theme song? Emma: Brave by Idina Menzel. Travis: Fix You by Coldplay.
3) What is his/her worst childhood memory? Emma: When her Uncle Ben died. Travis: When he broke his ankle in third grade and couldn't go on the dance tour to Europe that he'd been so excited about.
4) If your character had a superpower, what would it be? Emma: Invisibility. Travis: Strength or flight.
5) If your character crashed on an island with a bunch of other people, how would he/she help the group survive? Emma: She would take care of their wounds and help them find suitable food. Travis: He'd step up to a leadership position and try to organize an escape plan.
6) Is he/she married? If not, does he/she someday wish to be? Emma: No, and it's not a priority to her, but she would like to. Travis: No, and he would definitely like to so Heidi could have a mother.
7) What is a cause that he/she would die for? Both: Heidi and each other.
8) Would he/she rather die fighting valiantly, or quietly at home? Emma: Quietly. Travis: Fighting.
9) If someone walked up to him/her and told him/her that he/she was the child of the prophecy, would he/she believe them? Both: Since this is a realistic book, no.
10) Does he/she prefer the country or the city? Both: The city.

Beautiful People: Discovering Emma (and Travis) Part Huit!

I am a bit behind but I will try to catch up I promise!

1) If your character's house burned down, and he/she was left with nothing but the clothes on his/her back, what would he/she do? Where would he/she go? Emma: She basically went through an I-have-nothing-and-nowhere-to-go situation when she left home after she graduated. She'd gravitate to her best friend, Mandie. Travis: He has wealthy family to support him so he'd probably just shake it off and move back with his parents.
2) Is he/she happy with where he/she is in his/her life, or would he/she like to move on? Emma: She definitely views this time - the nanny job, staying with Travis, etc. - as more of a transition phase in her life. She would much rather move on and get a job as a dancer. Travis: He's certainly content with where he is in his job, with his friends, and with his life. But he can't help but feel that he's missing something and he can't quite seem to pinpoint just what it is.
3) Is he/she well-paid? Emma: Yes, the family she works for is rich and pays her well, but she uses a lot of her money to pay for food, rent, and transportation in the city. Travis: Very much so.
4) Can he/she read? Both: Yes.
5) What languages does he/she speak? Emma: English and French. Travis: English, French, Spanish, and some Latin.
6) What is his/her biggest mistake? Emma: The unforgiving attitude she has toward her father, and the resentment she has toward her mother and sister for holding her back. Travis: Late in the book when he withholds certain information from Emma.
7) What did he/she play with most as a child? Emma: Not with things as much as imaginary friends and places. Travis: His blue and gold striped kite.
8) What are his/her thoughts on politics? Emma: She doesn't really follow them that much except during presidential elections. Travis: They aren't a big deal to him, but he stands obviously on one side of every political issue and has strong opinions.
9) What is his/her expected life time? Both: 80-ish years.
10) If he/she was falsely accused of murder, what would he/she do? How would he/she react? Emma: She'd see it as an outrage. She'd call, Travis, Mandie, and the family she nannies for and seek their support. Travis: He would defend himself, but keep his cool and trust his lawyer.

The One That Nobody Seems To Like

Is it just me, or does everyone seem to hate Valentine's Day? And it's not just the single people. It's a vast majority of those I know. I've never hated the holiday. But I don't exactly like to entertain the idea of International Love Day. That's really all it is: a day, invented so that February would have something interesting, for mushy high school couples and an excuse to eat out and a reminder to all the single people just how single they really are. It's a day to celebrate love.

But why can't we just show love every day?

I've been single my whole life and I'm totally fine with that. If Papa doesn't want me to have a guy then I don't want me to have a guy. It's Papa's job to pick him out. I don't trust myself enough to do that.


It actually bothers me to see how many girls my age are obsessed with the idea of having a man. Being in a relationship. Being someone's other half. I honestly don't see the appeal. If you've got your whole life ahead of you, why would you want to get tied down so quickly? Get an education. See the world. Go on adventures. Then once you hit the age when you're ready to marry you can start checking out your options.

I really don't see the benefits of dating before you're ready to get married. The whole point of dating is to get to know the one you plan on spending your whole life with. If you can't see starting a life, raising a family, living forever with someone, why do you even bother giving your heart away? All that's going to come out of it is pain. For both of you.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that no one who dates in high school ever gets married to each other. It actually does happen sometimes. But to see these junior high and high school girls obsessed with love or their boyfriend or just the idea of being with somebody bothers me. A lot.

But I'll stop myself before I go too far.

I've made a pact with two of my best friends, Mel and Andrea, that we're not going to date in high school. That we're going to stay pure. That we're going to guard our hearts and keep each other accountable so no one gets hurt. Andrea already has a potential man, and Mel and I are so very excited for her. But The Fellowship of the Ring Pact was made so that we can spend these years focusing on Papa and what He wants us to do with our lives. That's why I'm letting Him choose my man for me.

I have extremely high standards. I demand respect. I refuse to be treated like an object. I expect adventures. If we're talking in terms of a ship (a thing I've become rather obsessed recently)*, he's allowed access to the helm, and I actually expect him to guide me through storms. But if I ever get to the point where I think he's become my anchor and I am no longer free to pursue my passions and goals and callings, then he is obviously not the one for me.

And that's the power of a metaphor.

I hope your love day was beautiful. I hope you got candy and/or flowers. I hope someone told you they love you. I hope you told them back. And I especially hope that even in your season of singleness you choose to pursue the Designer and what He has planned for you. I promise that He will eventually let the right man step aboard.

*I've been considering writing a post about ships and pirates and adventures. Would you read it if I did?

Overall

Everyone is doing this, so I thought for once I'd hop on the bandwagon and reflect on all the fabulous things I got to do during 2011. Gosh, I remember it like it was yesterday.

I couldn't resist.

And thanks to Facebook's new timeline layout for helping remember all of my adventures.

In 2011, I dyed my hair red for the first time. It didn't exactly turn out as drastic as I was going for, but it was still a lot of fun :)

In 2011, I attended a pro-life rally and solidified one of my life goals. Something Papa has called me to do is to open a home for pregnant teenage girls. Last January I got to speak about my dream in a video for a pro-life rally we did, and I was reminded of how excited I am for the chance to open the house.

In 2011, I got my permit. I'm technically supposed to get my license in a few weeks, but I doubt that will happen. I'll keep you updated.

In 2011, I went my church's annual purity banquet. We ate, we danced, we laughed a lot. A fabulous time was had by all.

In 2011, I made the Fellowship of the Ring Pact with my best friends Mel and Andrea. Basically we decided we aren't dating in high school and we are going to keep each other accountable when it comes to guys.

In 2011, I attended my church's annual youth retreat. Papa spoke to me so much during that weekend in the mountains.

In 2011, I starred as a serial killer in a one act called A Play With Words. I met some hilarious, gorgeous, awesome people who I am so happy to say I still know.

In 2011, I helped to host a Back to the Future Dance Party. We threw it to raise money for our missions trip and it was ridiculously awesome.

In 2011, I took over the role of my club's president. It's a community service club and a lot of work, but oh so very rewarding.

In 2011, I went on my first missions trip. We went to Cambodia and I can say that it was the most spectacular adventure. It's when Papa first told me He wants me to move to Thailand. And though I was hesitant when He told me, I know cannot wait to do so.

In 2011, I finished my novel. Uritus and the Sword of Fire took me a good three years to complete and I am so very proud that I did.

In 2011, I turned sixteen. And I also threw a crazy-awesome dance party to celebrate said momentous occasion.

In 2011, I stepped out of my box and auditioned for a play called One Night's Dream. And upon being cast in the show, my life would never be the same again.

In 2011, I began my junior year of high school. Stress, exhaustion, and mental breakdowns would be the result.

In 2011, I got my first job at Chick-fil-A. And I've made some pretty awesome friends because of it.

In 2011, I got to meet one of my favorite musicians. We have a mutual friend in common which made it much easier to show up at his house and go into his basement.

Overall, I think it's fair to say that 2011 was a grand success. I made some memories, I made some friends, I made some life choices that are going to make 2012 a very eventful year.

2011 was a success. Here's to hoping that 2012 is even more so.

I'll depart with the first picture of the new year.