Welcome 2014

Haha, I saw this on Google this morning and I thought it was pretty cool. :D

Anyhoo, HAPPY NEW YEAR! :D I can't believe it is 2014! I am so excited! 2013 was an amazing year.

Highlights

~ Got my braces off ~

~ Got my driver's permit ~

~ Went to two of my friend's weddings (so fun!) ~

~ Summer vacation at Lake Tahoe (where I got to meet Grace!) ~

~ I turned 16 :) ~

~ The Jungle Book play! :D ~

~ Started my sophomore year and my first year at a public school (!!!) ~

~ I met my special new friend Sky (Thanks God) ~

~ Christmas Concerts with Jasper <3 ~

And that's all I can think of right now off the top of my head... so, yeah!

LOVE YOU GUYS!

Signing off...

Interview with Miss H

1. What are your hobbies?
Lots of things! I like reading, sometimes writing, singing, gymnastics, blogging... and probably much more ;)

2. What do you like about my blog?
Lots of things! I love the short stories you write and I really like the made to inspire. 

3. If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
Oh, that is a hard one... I think I would want to read minds. But only when I choose too, so I could have the ability to turn my mind reading off. 

4. Would you rather read or write?
Both. I like them both. But I probably read more than I write.

5. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
From my mum, "Don't worry about what other people think of you, just be yourself."

6. Dog or cat?
Cat. Because they are so cute and cuddly. But don't get me wrong, I love dogs as well. ;)

7. City or country?
Ooh, I am a bit of both. I love the country, but I want to have a town nearby where I can get groceries and hang out with friends. So I think I would rather live in a town of about 10,000 people.

8. What are you most looking forward to in life?
Everything! I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me! But I think the biggest thing I am looking forward to is going to UNI to hopefully get a doctor's degree. But I have to see what God wants me to do. :)

9. Favorite season?
Spring! Because it isn't to hot and it isn't too cold. And the leaves start to grow back on the trees and the flowers start blooming! It is so pretty!! It feels like the whole world is waking up again.

10. If you had 1 million dollars, what would you do with it?
Save it. I know, lame. But I would. I would save it to buy my first car, pay for UNI and buy my first house. :D

Thanks Miss H! Be sure to check out her blogs here. Have a great day! :)

Interview with Laurel!

1. What are your hobbies?
Huh. So many. Reading, writing, blogging, drawing, singing, sketching, dancing, studying (don't ask me, that's a weird one), knitting, photography, making people laugh, watching High School Musical, watching movies, and listening to music. 

2. What do you like about my blog?
Nothing. Just kidding, the opposite!! Everything. It inspires me in a way, espcially your short stories and made to inspires. I love the pictures that you find on Pinterest.

3. If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
"We're soaring, flying..." - Excuse the HSM quote I couldn't help myself - FLYING!!! It just seems so graceful and beautiful, you're soaring and floating with the winds, while looking down at everything God has created... *shakes head to get myself back into reality* Really, I think it's amazing. <3

4. Would you rather read or write?
Write!! Because when I write there is no such thing called a bad book. There are only bad ideas that I mix and change up to make a wonderful story or book. :) Also, when I write, I feel like I'm in the middle of creating something uninmaginable, and it's so beautiful. :)

5. What is the best peice of advice you've ever received? 
It's just a quote that I found on Pinterest, but made loads of sense and helped me a lot in my life, so I'll just post it here. Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you need to keep moving.

6. Dog or Cat?
Dogs. Because they're forever loyal, and aren't as "catty" as cats. LOL.

7. City or Country?
Country! Because it seems so peaceful, it would really be an awesome place to stop and think or relax. Also, it's surrounded by nature, which I LOVE!!! And also, seems to me I get more inspired to write in nature.

8. What are you most looking forward to in life?
Everything. I want to see where I'll be when I'm in university, who my husband is, how many kids I'll have, and even more, I want to grow as strong as possible in the relationship between me and God.

9. Favorite season?
Spring. It's a new start, a fresh beginning to me when new sprouts of grass grow, where bright yellow dandelions cover the green grass, and where the buds start turning into inviting flowers and leaves.

10. If you had one million dollars, what would you do with it?
I would definitely donate half of it to needy people, keep an eighth, and give the rest to my mom because she's better with these things. LOL.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thanks Laurel! :) Be sure to check out her blog here. Have a great day!

Made to Inspire #19

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Updates on my life:

1. Finals are over and I killed them! :D

2. I'm off to perform in my sixth annual Christmas Concert with my family and friends!

3. Merry Christmas! :D

Part 3 :)

Hallie

"My name is Jasper," he repeated.

Jasper. What a nice name.

"I'm Hallie."

"Like the princess?"

"Yes."

Like the princess.

I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard those words. Worry started gnawing at my belly and my eyes widened in fear. I was that princess. Oh, no I was the princess of Ellenwood and I had left Soren standing by The Bridge! What had happened to him?

I wanted to find Soren, but I couldn't go back home. At least not yet.

That's when I realized that Jasper didn't know who I was. He hadn't realized that he had just saved the Princess Hallie of Ellenwood!

Relief pored over me and a smile crept its way onto my face. My identity remained a secret. And I was intended to keep it that way.

Jasper

Crunch, went the leaves on the forest floor. I groaned inwardly, turned around once again, and there she was. She was following me.

"May I help you?" I asked, sarcasm inching its way into my voice.

"Um, well... I," Hallie murmured, pushing back bushes and breaking off branches that had gotten tangled in her hair. "I'm sort of lost."

She then looked at me with those big, brown eyes of hers and my heart just melted. The poor thing was half-drowned in an unfamiliar place and night was coming. Where were my manners?

I sighed. "Where do you need to go? I would point you towards town, but since The Bridge is broken you would have to go the long way around and I don't want you to do that."

"I don't want to go into town anyways. I want to stay far away from all those... people," she said, shivering.

I frowned with confusion, but I didn't ask any follow up questions.

"Well, I guess you could come with me and stay with Uncle and I. At least, just for the night."

"Could I?"

Hallie's eyes brightened and she came nearer.

"Oh, thank you so much. I promise I won't stay long or cause any trouble. I just need to figure out a few things before going back there."

I nodded, and pointed deep into the forest.

"My home isn't too far away. Follow me."

And so she followed.

Part 2 of The Bridge

Hallie

Time seem to slow when The Bridge broke. I felt myself start to fall and I couldn't grab ahold of anything solid. I let out a scream, and then I hit the water.

The river was cold, and my heavy dress dragged me down into the depths. I kicked out, my arms flailing. I had to get to the surface!

The river's current pulled at me and I could feel myself being carried farther and farther away from The Bridge. I was starting to panic; I needed air!

All of a sudden something grabbed my arm, and the next thing I knew I was alive and breathing in fresh air. I coughed, spitting up water, and fell against my rescuer. The boy held onto me firmly and dragged me onto shore where I lay in a heap.

"You alright, miss?"

 Pushing my hair out of my eyes, I turned my head towards the voice.

The boy was about my age and had a strong, muscular build about him. His hair was a striking reddish color against the sun and freckles dotted his frowning face. If it hadn't been for the frown I would have thought him to be quite handsome. But then his stern voice brought me back to reality.

"What's a girl like you doing in the river?" he asked, eyeing my once beautiful, white dress.

"I fell," I stated, crossing my arms over my chest.

"From what?"

"The Bridge. It sort of broke."

"What?" the boy exclaimed, his voice ringing out. "How could it have broke? You don't weigh that much, do you?"

"N-no," I stammered, inching away from him. Why was he getting so upset? "I was running."

"Running!" He threw his arms up in the air. "Why on earth would you be running on The Bridge? Do you know how old it is? No wonder it broke."

He shook his head sadly, as if The Bridge had meant everything in the world to him.

"It's just a bridge. You can always build another one," I said, trying to reassure him.

He must not have heard me, though, because he didn't respond and instead started walking away from the river into the woods.

"Where are you going?" I called.

I did not want to be left alone in the middle of nowhere.

"Home," he replied.

I stared after him, reluctantly, and decided to ask one more question.

"What is your name?"

He stopped and turned around, his blue eyes blazing.

"Jasper."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Yay! The second part! :) I'm starting to get a lot of cool ideas for this story. I wish I could have found a picture for this scene. :P Oh, well. Stay tuned for Part 3! Have a great day! :)

The Bridge {A Short Story}

Soren

All of a sudden, she started running. Taken by surprise, I stared, frozen, and watched her go, but then I sprung into action and took off after her.

Even in a dress, she was still fast and she didn't stop until she was halfway across The Bridge.

"No! Stop!' I called, panting.

She whipped her head her around, fear in her eyes.

"Go away! Leave me alone!"

Her eyes welled up with tears and she clung to the railing. I took a tentative step onto The Bridge and it instantly groaned with the added weight and I immediately stepped back. This bridge was not made for running on. And by the looks of it, it was ready to break. I gasped.

"Hallie, whatever you do, don't move!" I warned, my eyes wide.

I reached out my hand to her.

"Please, come back. We can fix this."

But she shook her head and started walking farther away. And what happened after that was just a blur.

A cracking noise filled the air, and all of a sudden the boards beneath Hallie's feet snapped. Frantic, she looked up at me and opened her mouth to speak, but then she was gone. In the blink of an eye she had fallen through the hole in The Bridge and was now being swept away downstream.

The last thing I remember is hearing a scream pierce the air, my back hitting the ground, and my eyes meeting the sky.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gahh, I love writing! I hope you enjoyed that. Maybe I'll even continue it. :) Have a great day!

Parents {A Sunday Devotional}

What about Mom and Dad?

"Honor your father and mother that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

~ Ephesians 6:2-3 ~

Did you just sigh? This is one of those verses that sometimes we would rather just ignore, right? Well, we can't do that. This is part of God's Word, and all of God's Word is important. Plus, this is the first commandment with a promise! The first four commandments don't have promises (that's just the way it is), but when we get to this one, God tells us that if we follow this, that we will enjoy life. Why is that? For one thing, if we obey our parents, life at home will be a lot more pleasing! They will be happier, thus we will be happier. It might not be fun to clean our room, or fold the laundry, but we can do these things with a happy heart because we know that doing them not only pleases our parents, but pleases God too!

Honoring our father and mother is more than just what they say. It also means that we don't talk bad about them to our friends, or yell at them. We need to remember that our words our powerful, and God only wants us to say things that are beneficial to those around us (Eph. 4:29). We also need to remember that we are to be content in every circumstance (Phil. 4:11), and always willing to go the extra mile (Matt. 5:41).

Reflection: Do you honor your parents with your actions, words, and heart?

Application step: Today, work at honoring your parents. Don't talk back, do what they say, and smile at them. Pray for them that they can be the parents that God wants them to be (and if they aren't believers, pray for their salvation!). Try to do something today that you know will make your parents happy without them having to tell you.

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Finals for me are this week! Eek! :P But then it's Christmas break (for 3 weeks!) and I'm in my church's Christmas Concerts again, and then it's Christmas! Yay! :)

Made to Inspire #18

The butterfly was a sign, Philippa realized. It was a sign of hope.

This is perfect <3

The geese, they came back every year. But this time, winter came early.

Just a girl and her horse...

The princess was unhappy.

The road to adventure.

The girl may be plain on the outside, but I could see a fire burning within.

The forest was enchanted.

"Mommy, I want to be a fairy too!" And so off they went.

"I've found our Christmas tree!"

She's painting a pretty picture...

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Have a great day! :)

My Winter TBR List

Here is a list of my top ten books that I would like to read this winter! :)

I love this author!

Yay for Erin Hunter! :)

Ahh! I am so excited to read this!

I've heard it's really good!

It sounds really interesting!

I have a good feeling about this book.

I love this author!

It looks really interesting!

I love this author!

Have a great day! :)

Updates!

Hi guys! :) Happy Sunday!

Well, I was planning on posting the next Made to Inspire and a Sunday Devotional this weekend, but I never got around to it. :P I'm sorry.

Instead... yesterday, I sang with my choir at my town's Christmas Tree Lighting event! It was really fun, but really cold! It's been in the 30's all week. :P I know some of your who live in midwest or on the east coast right now probably think that's nothing, but it's something here! The only thing that would make it better would be snow. Sigh.

Well, at least we have our Christmas tree and decorations up! The house looks so pretty and I love cuddling up by the fire with a warm blanket, good book, and hot chocolate while listening to Christmas music. :) Don't you?

Then, last night, my family and I watched The Hobbit again altogether! I can't wait to see the second one on Friday! It looks so good! :)

Other things that are happening in my life right now...

School finals are coming up! :P I've been filling out lots of study guides and preparing myself. :)
Also, check out a new story that I am working on right now at Seven Faraway Friends!

What's going on in your life right now?

Thanks for reading // Have a great day! :)

December

I'm starting fresh in December.

Hi there! Remember me? I've missed you guys! It feels good to be back. :)

How are you all? How was your Thanksgiving? I can't wait for Christmas! Though, it sure doesn't feel like winter. :P We don't really have seasons where I live...

Just though I would check in with you guys. Thanks for bearing with me.

I go back to December all the time. ~ Taylor Swift