Appetite A.D.D.

I don't think I am normal. I love baking. I love making new recipes that come from random places. However, when I am done, I have no desire to actually eat anything I just baked. Not because it looks gross or anything, it actually looks quite yummy. After whatever period of time it took to make it, I just am not hungry for it anymore. I think that must mean that I have appetite A.D.D. That seems to be the only logically answer. Like for instance, I made brownies and put Oreo pudding on top and it looked delightful. However, out of the whole pan, I had like one serving. And just last night I made some German chocolate cookie sandwiches with coconut pecan frosting in the middle. They look appetizing. I just seem to have no appetite for them. But I can't just stop making things, because I really do love baking. I find it very fun and it gets my mind off how I have no idea what I am going to do for my schedule next year, but have to decide before Wednesday anyway. I would very much rather bake than think about that. So I may have appetite A.D.D., but at least I am making my mind preoccupied. In the end, I still win.

Baking is Fun

I enjoy baking cookies that are so very unhealthy.

Just Thinking Thoughts, You Know

10 days left of school. I have to admit, I am a little sad. My junior year has been a good year so far. My brother, mom and I were all in the living room and my mom was like, "After Kyle graduates, nothing is going to be the same." And it's kind of true. In like 11 days, I will technically be a senior. And while the thought of leaving Ellendale and never having to deal with all the drama-filled girliness in my class is alright with me, it's still sort of sad. I have no idea this time next year I will be totally crying my eyes out. Well, I will be sad and ready to leave. Anyway, since my brother is also 23 months older than me and was only in the grade ahead of me, I have pretty much always had my brother there. He has always looked out for me. He has always just been there. There have been times where we fight and argue, but we mostly get along. Next year my brother won't always be there. Granted he will only be like 40 miles away, but in a little over a year, I will be many, many miles away. Things will never be the same.

On a completely unrelated note, our Africa team is going to perform probably the most painful human video yet. By painful, I mean the most people have gotten hurt so far and we just completed it last week. Krista's toe is probably broken. It's all black and blue. And, yes, I stepped on it. But so did Rebecca. And my foot keep bleeding, everything it gets scabbed over, it gets opened up again. So, pretty much if we all make it through this human video alive, it will be by the grace of God.

The week is pretty much hurrying to get as much done as possible in school. It's the week before finals. It's going to be a lot of finishing chapters and reviewing. Two of my least favorite things. I am so sick of school. I have nothing going on tonight, because my guitar teacher left to go back home to Colorado. I have an Africa planning/practicing night tomorrow. So I guess that means I don't get to go to the Elementary spring concert. Anyway, Wednesday is worship team practice and youth group. Thursday is the High School spring concert. Friday is the showing of "The Wager" which I am not signed up for to work anywhere, so I don't know. I may or may not still go. Fun, fun, fun.

Mad Skills

I told you so.

Quotes and What Not

"It is God's business, not ours, to care for what we have. God is able to protect what we posess. We can trust him [with our things and our relationships]. The lock on the door is not what protects the house. Simplicity means the freedom to trust God for these and all things." -Richard Foster

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (The Message) Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

1 Peter 1:6-7 (The Message) I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.

"If God is anything, then He must be everything. And unless He is everything, He is nothing." -Dick Woodward

"If your faith isn't changing you, it hasn't saved you." -James MacDonald

"I do not like to think of you as needing to have 'things' pleasant around you when you have God within you. Surely he is enough to content any soul. If He is not enough here, how will it be in the future life when we have only Him Himself?" -Hannah Whitall Smith

Romans 12:17-21 (The Message)
Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it." Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

"It is doubtful that God can use anyone greatly until He has hurt him deeply." -A. W. Toze

“God places the heaviest burden on those who can carry its weight.” -Reggie White

“God loves us the way we are, but too much to leave us that way” -Leighton Ford

Wood Chips

I still smell like wood chips.

You see, my mother and I went to Aberdeen today and picked up some wood chips for our backyard. So we put ten bags in the back of my car. Not only my car smells like wood chips, but I even still smell like wood chips. Boo.

But all is well, you see, I also got two new pairs of shoes today. Well not needed and there's no room to store more shoes, I have an addiction. And I am alright with that.

Talk About Old School

Like an Orange

Last night in youth group, we watched a DVD called Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. I was sitting by Krista and Dixie. Anyway, it was funny. Krista was feeling pain just watching and listening to the child developing process.

Krista: [Having a baby] is like an orange coming out of a lemon.
Dixie: It's more like an orange coming out of a garden hose.
Krista: It's like a basketball coming out of a garden hose.

Anyway, youth group was alright. But I just have to say how much I really don't like high school. I really wish I was a senior right now so I could be out of here. There is so much drama. There is so much drama that it really drives me crazy. It's just all so high school. I realize that no one is mature enough to raise below it. Let's just reduce the drama a little. Come on now.

It's already May. So only like 16 days until the last day of school. Only 18 days until my brother graduates and enters the world has a high school-educated person. Only like a month and a half until I turn 17. That's exciting. It's already May. And, yes, there is a chance of snow Friday or this weekend or something. I want spring. Boo snow. I want to wear shorts. Boo snow. Boo wind. Boo everything.