Hallie Part 5

Jasper

I found Uncle Robin writing in the back bedroom.

"I thought I heard you walk in," he said, not looking up from his work. "Did you happen to bring back any dinner from when you went exploring?"

"Unfortunately no," I answered, cursing myself for not remembering. It would have been nice not to have soup again for once. "However, I did find something else. Someone else."

Uncle turned and looked up at me, eyebrows raised. "And what might that be?"

"A girl."

"A what!?" He stood up abruptly, his eyes open in shock.

"A girl," I repeated. "Her name's Hallie. I rescued her from the river when she broke The Bridge."

"She what!?"

"I know, right?" I said, throwing my hands up in the air. "How are we supposed to get to town now? No one was supposed to know about it. Which makes me wonder... where did she come from?"

"You should have asked that question before you let in. She's a stranger, Jasper! What if she tells someone about us? Are you expecting me to take care of her?"

"No, no of course not. She'll be my responsibility. But I mean, I'm sure she could help out around here. She's my age and now that she's wearing Mother's dress she doesn't look completely useless. I mean, she looked beautiful in her old dress, but she'll probably look better now."

"That's great, Jasper. I'm surprised you let her wear your mother's dress. I thought you wanted it to be a keepsake."

"I did, but what else is she supposed to wear? I'm sure Mother wouldn't mind."

"Jasper?" I hear a soft voice call from outside the closed door, breaking our conversation.

"That would be her," I explain, and then call to her. "I'll be right there!"

1/26/14

Hey guys. :) I've come back from the depths of winter. Though lately the weather has been holding back on our typical winter and instead swapped it for sunny, 70 degrees summer weather. And there's been no rain for the longest time so it's very dry and there may have to be water shortages. :P So please pray for rain!

Updates on life...

School~ I'm slowly starting to figure it all out and the big picture.

Confession time: Certain people have been heavy on my heart lately. People who don't have God in their life. It makes me so sad because they are missing out on something so wonderful and they don't know it. I want to tell them all these awesome things about God and that He loves them and so do I, but the words never come in the moment. The moment passes and I feel like a loser, like I didn't do enough and that it's all my fault, that they will never find God. But I've come to realize, that I don't need to worry about them so much. That's God's job. I've just got to give all my hardships and worries and problems to God. Because He'll sort them out. He always does and in His time.

Thank you God.

Home~ My wonderful dog, Kinley, died today. We had to put him down because he had cancer. :( It was hard at the time and we'll miss him, but it was for the best and he lived a very happy ten years. He's in dog heaven now. :)

Also, I'll be able to get my license soon! Ahh! :D

Plans for the summer~ 1. Lake Tahoe 2. Working at Kruz Kidz again as a part-time counselor 3. Maybe working (and getting paid) at a local ice cream shop. How fun would that be? 4. More Tahoe 5. Disneyland!!! (More to come on that.)

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

Be You

Just Be You

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.

~ 1 Corinthians 12:14 ~

When I was reading today, I came across something that I think is really important to share with you. The body of Christ is made up not of one part, but of many. I don't know is you are familiar with that section of 1 Corinthians or not, but it is talking about spiritual gifts. It says that we are all different parts of  the body, there are hands, feet, eyes, and ears, and we all need each other.

Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in trying to fit in the "good Christian" mold that it is out there, but the truth is that God made each of us different. He didn't make us to be just like the other girls in our class, or just like the girls in youth group, or not even just like our parents. He made us to be who He wants us to be, and only when we are fulfilling that plan are we truly beautiful.

Can you imagine for a minute an ear trying to walk across the room to sharpen a pencil? How far would it get? What about an eye trying to write a book report? We need to be who God wants us to be. Plus if we are an eye trying to write a book report, who is going to be on the lookout to see if we are writing on the lines or making a mistake? We are all important in the roles that God gave us.

It's important to be whom God made us. It's important to let who we are shine out, and show our true beauty in Christ to others. Our best friends beauty in Christ, might not be pretty in us at all.

Reflection: Are you being who Christ designed you to be, or are you trying to be who He designed someone else to be?

Application step: As you go about your day today, just be you.

Have a great day! :)

Currently

Eating: Breakfast - I woke up so late today! Oh, the joys of no school... :)

Listening to: "Think of Me" from The Phantom of the Opera on repeat - it's my audition song!

Excited about: The Sound of Music play I am auditioning for today! :D I hope to be either Liesl or Louisa.

Reading: 13 Curses by Michelle Harrison and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green <3

Happy about: the time I got to spend with Angelique when she came to visit! :)

More things I am excited/happy about: a huge sleepover tomorrow with my BFF and I'm getting my hair cut! :) It's super long! Oh, also Starbucks is good. :D I just went and tried their Double Chocolate Frappuccino!

What's going on in your life right now?

Made to Inspire #20

Dear Diary, she wrote. I'm going to tell you something I have never told anyone else...

They were like the mist - there one minute and gone the next. The sisters were always there, lurking in the trees, and watching your every move with a curious eye.

Her eyes stared me down in a defiant sort of way, and I knew then I would not be winning this argument. She was like fire, and I was the spark that set her off.

A memory from yesterday: strawberry picking in the summer.

A slight wind blew over the dusty piano making the faded, worn music book dance from page to page...

It was a dream that I never wanted to end...

"Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be grown up?" the girl sighed, looking over at me.

I shook my head.

"I do," she said, smiling. "I imagine myself living in a quaint little house on a cliff overlooking the ocean. I would have a white picket fence and a little garden out in front. There would be color and sweet-smelling flowers everywhere, and I would have several children and after supper my husband and I would dance to our favorite records."

She sighed again, looking into the distance. "Wouldn't that be lovely?"

I stopped and stared at the beautiful girl before me, bubbling up with joy. I took her hand and looked in her the eyes. "Yes. Yes, it would."

Her eyes sparkled like the stars and I knew that she felt the same.

Five years later we were married, and I got her her house on the cliff that overlooked the ocean. We had four beautiful children and after supper, we danced to our favorite records together. And we loved each other til the day we died. The end. <3

The feeling you get on Christmas morning :)

The smell of old books, she thought as she walked into her favorite used bookstore, was the best smell in the world.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Part 4 of Hallie's Story

Hallie

I followed Jasper for quite aways into the heart of the forest. He definitely knew his way around as he moved through the undergrowth as quietly and quickly as a deer. I almost had to run to keep up with him and my dress kept getting caught on brambles.
Eventually, we came upon a clearing where a wooden shack was set up against a hill. It was well camouflaged by the surrounding trees and the dark door made the place look mysterious and imposing. I don't know what I was expecting Jasper's home to look like, but it certainly wasn't this!

Jasper

I stopped just outside the door and looked back at Hallie. She stood still and was staring at my home with a curious look in her eyes. Judging by how fancy her dress was I guessed she came from a well-to-do background. Well, she would have to deal with my lifestyle if she were to stay.
"You coming?" I asked. "I know it's not much, but it's home."
"Oh! Yes, it's fine. I sort of like it. Thanks."
Smiling, she came towards me and I held open the door for her.

Hallie

The inside was even more dismal looking than the outside. There was a square table with two wooden chairs, a fireplace with water boiling in a pot, a pantry stocked with food, and two, small bedrooms off the main room. Jasper's home was... rustic.
"Are you hungry at all?" Jasper asked, politely.
At the mention of food, my belly started rumbling. I remembered I hadn't eaten much at the party I had run from, but I didn't want to impose. He was already letting me stay with him.
"Thanks, but I'm fine."
He shrugged and then moved over to where a large chest sat in the corner. He slowly opened it and gazed down at what was inside. He seemed to be deciding what to take out. After a few seconds of careful consideration, he extracted a practical, medieval looking dress and carried it over to me.
"Here, you can wear this instead since your other dress is ruined."
"Oh, wow," I said, fingering the fabric. It's beautiful."
"It was my mother's."
"You're too kind."
"So I've heard." He smiled.
"Is there a place where I can change?"
"Yes! Right in here," he said, motioning towards one of the bedrooms. "I'll go see if I can find my uncle."

Have a great day! :)