Randomness

I'm weird.
I don't know how this happened, but it's true.

(I also wonder when it is that being weird became some badge of honor rather than a disgrace)

There are a lot of random things I randomly do/think/say/shouldn't randomly say, that make me the randomly random person that I randomly am, so naturally, I'M GONNA TELL YOU GUYS.

Top 10 Random Things About Me
1. I can go from really super quiet to REALLY SUPER LOUD AND SPASTIC in about 2.78 seconds.
2. I positively despise white chocolate. I think it's a disgrace to humanity and the good name of chocolate.
3. I say "Your face" in situations where it really doesn't apply at all, simply because it's become a knee-jerk reaction.
4. I am incredibly obsessed with Jane Austen movies, and particularly the romantic interests of the female protagonists. (i.e. Mr. Darcy, Captain Wentworth -AAAH- etc..)
5. I'm ridiculously paranoid about crossing the street. It takes me like half an hour to get across a fifteen foot crosswalk.
6. I don't like hot drinks.
7. I am against white mint chocolate chip ice cream. It must be green, or it doesn't taste right.
8. I am very easily startled by bugs, people, phones, potato chips, dogs, hats, sheet music, doors, backpacks, trees, glasses, lotion, water, frisbees, flowers, and did I mention bugs? I don't like bugs...
9. I'm kind of obsessed with the way things smell. My room has about fourteen different air fresheners (okay, two), I do happy dances over my body spray, and I immediately flip over any guy wearing a decent cologne.
10. I laugh loud, long, and a lot. (But most of you probably knew this already)
11. I'm not good with numbers.

HERE'S A RANDOM PICTURE OKAY BAI

Engines

In my Drivers Ed course.

Which mechanical part or feature listed in Module 9 do you think is most important?
I think the most important part is the engine.
Why is that particular part or feature so important?
The car can't be driven if the engine is not functioning properly.
How do you benefit from that part or feature?
If the engine is working right, I can drive the car, which is always a plus when driving.

I pity the person who has to grade my work...

My Adventure

Today I realized a terrible realization to realize.

I forgot to post about my trip to Ohio.

*Dun dun dun duuunnnn* 

(It's funny because the opening line of Beethoven's 5th was like code for victory during World War II or something like that.)

But I have tons of pictures and all kinds of commentary that you guys don't want to see or hear, so naturally - I MUST POST!

 For every gorgeous family picture we have, I can guarantee that there are twelve just like this. At first we couldn't figure out how Geoffrey managed to look so serene while the rest of us were being blinded, but then we noticed that his eyes are completely closed. And yup. This is my family.

 This is the kitten that had adopted my Aunt Elaine. She slunk around outside, attacking various shrubs and waiting for food. (She was appropriately named Precious)

 I really missed the pink sunsets we've been having in Pensacola, but Ohio sunsets aren't so bad.

 The lake was maybe twenty feet from the house where we were staying, which was nice. Aunt Elaine had a huge window on one side of her house (it was almost the size of a whole wall) so we could sit in the living room and see this beautiful view.

 And of course, Cameron found a way to play video games...

 I honestly just got incredibly lucky with this shot. We were driving and I knew there was about a two percent chance that I would be able to get a decent photo coming around the corner in our van. So I stuck my camera out the window, crossed my fingers, and shot.
My camera loves me. x)

 Uh.

 One of the best things about playing photographer is when you get those shots that just really capture someone's personality.
This is definitely one of those shots.

 Yes, guys, it really was as picturesque as it looks. It was incredible.

 Another one of those personality shots. This is one of my favorite photos ever.

 This is pretty much what everything looked like along the roads in Ohio (unless it was a cornfield)

 Getting ready to head underground at Ohio Caverns! It was a cool trip, although it was somewhat monotonous looking at wet rocks the whole time...

 My beautimous little sister. <3

Ahahaha.... I'm picking on Dad and he doesn't know it....

 My pool buddy. I think we won...maybe?

 We employ extremely strict technique. This has been practiced for hours and is a complex art that takes years to perfect.

Now I could have posted tons and tons of photos from underground in the Ohio Caverns, but it really would have been pointless. Everything looked pretty much like this. It was interesting, but nothing particularly spectacular, and thusly not worthy of four thousand pictures when one will suffice.

So yeah! Those were a few of my favorites. Because I know that your interest in my life is somewhat limited as a general rule, I have mercifully stopped there. If you want to see them all and hear the long, boring narrative which accompanies, feel free to stop by (and bring a cantaloupe or something)

Passing Storms

I think I like storms.

I can say that now, sitting at the computer in the cozy, dry warmth of my home, looking out at the world all fresh and green and clean-smelling. The sun is reflecting its golden light off the water droplets which adorn everything in sight. The plants have all perked up, refreshed by the rain.

I can say that now that I see why the storm was necessary and good. But in the midst of the noise and chaos of the thunderstorm, I can't say that I always like storms. (Especially when they mess up my iPod so I can't hear my music)

Isn't it like that in our lives sometimes, though? When friends move away, when you can't have something you wanted, when you feel like you aren't doing anything right - these are our storms. It's hard to see through the initial pain how any good can come of it. But God brings these storms into our lives to bring us closer to Him and refine us, so we may come forth beautiful as gold in the end. When trials seem to come endlessly, that's when we need Christ the most.

This morning I was really worrying about something that came up suddenly. A little later I was being driven home from a friend's house (still with a heavy heart), and I wasn't really paying attention to the various conversations in the car, but the lady driving us said something about the weather and mentioned that it was "just a passing storm." That comment, though not aimed towards me or my situation, reminded me that God makes all things beautiful in His time, even if it takes a storm to do it.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:25, "The foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men." It may not make any sense to us how we can make it through our storms or why they're there, but God knows, and past that, it doesn't really matter. We're just supposed to trust His promise that He would give us nothing in our lives that we can't overcome.

In Christ, we have nothing to fear from the passing storms of life, and we know that when they're over, we'll see the beauty that He realized all along.

At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it?-- Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant to step the Ocean, and crush us at a blow? Never!--All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years. At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide. 

         -Abraham Lincoln, 1838