My Music (Ocean Damaris - When the Snow Melts)

I have not posted on here for ages. But I will not apologize, because I have been busy with other things, specifically my music, and I am going to share something of that with you now.

I made this music video for one of my songs. I'm not going to explain it though; you just have to watch it!

WorldView Academy 2008 Summary

I just came back from a week at WorldView Academy. It was a wonderful learning experience. Full of joyful times. ;-)

We spent 25 hours listening to lectures on worldviews, leadership and apologetics. We didn't go to bed until 11:30 or 12:30 and had to get up between 7 and 7:30 every day. First thing after showers (which had to be super quick) we went out for our quiet half hour devotion time. Meal times were fun, because a bunch of the guys had this competition of which of them could take the most trays from the tables. The guys also held all the doors open for us (*applauds the guys*). We had some free time on Monday and Tuesday afternoon during which I got to call home, play mafia and sing with some people and a guy who brought his guitar.On Thursday we had the color team relay that my team came dead last in. Green team won the sought after Spamley Cup complete with an elaborate presentation ceremony on Thursday night, in which Indiana Jones defeated Darth Vador, Sauron, and the Persians. There was also a WVA staff fashion show on Tuesday.

My roommate and all the girls in my suite/small group were wonderful. I had an awesome time laughing and engaging in deep conversations with them.

The highlight of the week, the reason I wanted to go, was the witnessing time on Wednesday. We went into the down town in groups of three and just started conversations with people about what they thought happened when they die. We had some great discussion. I was in a group with my roommate and another friend from my area. We just talked about life after death with these people, eventually telling them about Christ, telling them that He's the only way to be forgiven so we can go to heaven. Out of the whole group of about a hundred kids, I think five people trusted Christ that day. The three of us were all first-timers, but it still went really well.

Evangelizing there was probably one of the scariest, if not the scariest, thing I have ever done. It was wonderful though. At the time, I completely got lost in it and forgot myself like I never have. I was just focused on the other person and God and everything else was pushed from m mind. Now, I feel so much more equipped to share the gospel with my unsaved family members, along with other people I meet, know and interact with. It is the best skill I have ever been taught and I plan to use it always.

I met lots of nice people and spent time with old friends too. They were all so awesome!

I missed my family ever so much though. I was so homesick the first three days that I cried for a while in bed before I could fall asleep. God restored my spirits though, thankfully. My wonderful family sent me lots of stuff. I got two emails, three pictures, two letters and three cards. I love my family!

I'm sure I'm leaving lots out, but to summarize what I thought about the whole thing... I signed up for next year.

Conversation With Elliott

(Sorry for the long delay.)

Yesterday, my little brother, Elliott, asked me to eat lunch with him. During the meal, the following conversation occurred:

Elliott: (singing) "If a squash can make you smile...have we got a show for you! Beggie Tales (that's VeggieTales if you didn't get that), Beggie Tales, Beggie Tales, Beggie Tales."

Me: "Good job, Elliott."

Elliott: "I sang that song for you. That's yours and my song."

Me: "Aww, thank you. That's so nice."

Elliott: "Ninny (that's his nickname for me), when you grow up, you should be Larry."

Me: "Elliott, I can't be Larry! I'm not a cucumber. I'm a girl."

Elliott: "And when I grow up, I'll be a girl too?"

Me: "No, silly. You'll be a man like Dad."

Elliott: "I can't be a man. I have to play with toys."

Me: "When you get married and have babies, you can play toys with them."

Elliott: "I'll have to always play with baby toys?"

Me: "No, they'll grow big like you. When you're a man you can mow the lawn with the big mower like Dad and drive trucks and cars."

Elliott: "No, I can't. I can't know how to drive."

A lot more confusion followed concerning genders and his future ability to do things that he can't do now.

I hope that made you laugh.

Spring Photos!

In case you all didn't notice, spring is in full bloom. If you did notice, we should have talked about it by now, because it is definitely newsworthy. God's creation completely amazes me. I am so grateful that He deemed me worthy to walk through it.

My Other Blog

For those of you who don't know that I have another blog, I have another blog! It has some more serious, but less personal writings of mine. The reason why I'm bringing it to your attention now is because I just put up some of my notes from the Rebelution conference last year. They're not amazing, but anything to do with the Rebelution is cool.

I Trace The Rainbow Through The Rain...

These words to the song we sang yesterday just gave me shivers, they're so amazing.

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O light that foll’west all my way,
I yield my flick’ring torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

I wrote this out on a piece of paper about six months ago and I forgot about it until now. It seems appropriate for me to post it, since I'm feeling sort of the same way today.

Oh how failing are the things of this world. Not one steady thing under the sun is there. Friends come and they go, and come again, but alas, some are gone forever. Families are created and grow, yet so many are broken. The triumph of success is a beautiful feeling, but all too often overcame with the despair of defeat. Beauty is inexplicable pleasing, but such an eerie contrast in this world compared to the horrific and grotesque.

The time when fullness comes is a source or joy, but also springs forth guilt. What have we done in this life to have any good brought near us? Did no one see that we are unworthy of the sun, water air, oceans, sunsets, fields and mountains on this earth that we are privileged to live in? Who decided us worthy to be sisters and brothers, sons and daughters, and to have some friends that will always love and never leave us? Why are we so blessed?

This world is one of mixed emotions. With grass growing in the pavement and thorns on the roses, it is a little hard to make sense of things. The ups and downs are jarring. Nothing is steady. How can we live with this turmoil? Some days we feel we need someone, anyone to save us. Already He has come, though we cannot always feel it. Right know though, feelings don't matter. I choose to live past the impulse and rest confident in my Savior.