baker's string and paper hearts

Dear Blogging world,

My package came in the mail while I was gone!! Hooray! Olive Manna has a mini pack of three different colored baker's twine for a great deal, so I had to order some. They are so cute Im thinking of doing a photoshoot with them! ;)

Today's thoughts have revolved around string...which led me to think of one of my favorite oldies songs, Knock Three Times... which brought my mind to the thought of paper hearts...which of course led to the thought: how fragile our hearts are! Here are some verses flitting through my mind:

James 1: 2-8 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."

Jeremiah 17: 9 "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"

So what are we to do? How are we to think about relationships, whether its a romantic relationship, or friends, family or acquaintances? Where do we look for advice? Do we google it? Do we look on Yahoo! or at the latest stars' love lives? What does the Bible have to say?

1 Corinthians 3:19 "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God..."

Now where are we to look? If we can't model the world's opinion of love, who are we to model?

Paul says, in 1 Corinthians 11:1 , "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ."

So we are to imitate great men? Well, what defines a great man? That he is an imitator of Christ. Why should we exemplify Christ in our relationships? Because we are to imitate Him in all matters and areas of life and living. If we are to do as 2 Corinthians 5: 7 says, and "walk by faith, not by sight," then we should have as our ambition "whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him." [2 Corinthians 5:9]

2 Corinthians 5: 14, 15 " For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."

If the love of Christ controls us, what does His love look like? How should we look?

1 Corinthians 13: 4 - 7 " Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things..."

Just some thoughts, I'll let you draw conclusions as I am late for an appointment! Have a fabulous day!

Sincerely,

Alice

Hello, Goodbye, and Hello?

Dear Blogging World,

Why does it take a minute to say hello and forever to say goodbye? ~Author Unknown.

I haven't found the answer yet... However, I have enjoyed the company of so many dear friends this past week, that I hate to hear the dreaded word "goodbye".

Where is the good in goodbye? ~Meredith Willson, The Music Man

This morning's sermon dwelt on hello's and goodbye's, but not just the average hello and goodbye that visits allow. Instead, these goodbye's could be entitled "the final farewell".

Never part without loving words to think of during your absence. It may be that you will not meet again in this life. ~Jean Paul Richter

Time is so precious. It is the most valuable possession we shall ever have, because no matter how hard we work, we can never earn any more time for our life.

Missing someone gets easier every day because even though it's one day further from the last time you saw each other, it's one day closer to the next time you will. ~Author Unknown

The best things said come last. People will talk for hours saying nothing much and then linger at the door with words that come with a rush from the heart. ~Alan Alda

You're searching...
For things that don't exist; I mean beginnings.
Ends and beginnings - there are no such things.
There are only middles.
~Robert Frost, Mountain Interval, "In the Home Stretch"

A man never knows how to say goodbye; a woman never knows when to say it. ~Helen Rowland

Promise me you'll never forget me because if I thought you would I'd never leave. ~A.A. Milne

Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation. ~Kahlil Gibran

The Book Store

Dear Blogging World,

I am reading a few books right now, and wanted to share them with you quickly.

Here is the rundown:

1. For CollegePlus!, I am reading a book for my next CLEP test, on Government. The book? Sparknotes 101: American Government: A complete course in a book. Here is a link.

2. The Valley of Vision. Ok, so I know this doesn't really count as a book, since it is just a collection of prayers, but it has been one of the biggest helps in my prayer life, and spiritual life all together, that I can recall. The link for this book is located here.

3. Alright, this is the biggest book right now, not literally but figuratively. If you have never read this book, READ IT. No matter if you are a guy or a gal, it is vital. Title: Emotional Purity, by Heather Paulsen. Here is the link.

and,

4. I am not a big non-fiction reader, I will be the first to admit. However, this book came highly recommended by several friends {and family members}, and so I thought I would give it a shot. The Great Bridge, by David McCullough. The link to buy this book is here.

have a splendiferous rest of your week!

Sincerely,

Alice

On names, friendship, and cookies, part deux

Friendship is the same as a name, in my book. Someone has said, "The best mirror is your best friend." With whom do you spend most of your time[voluntarily]? With whom do they spend their time, when not with you? What are their likes and dislikes? Why? What is the common bond between you? In those questions, you can find what you value most.

So, I promised a radio station I would make them some cookies and bring them this weekend. Ive been dying to try out a new recipe, and thought it would be cool. Bad idea. Ive made 3 different batches of the cookies, and they all spread out WAYY too far. As in, you can't tell what shape they were supposed to be they look so terrible. So I thought I should make them thinner. This helped, but not as much as I had hoped. Now, they are paper-thin cookies that sort of, kind of, if you squint hard enough resemble ice cream cones. I am disappointed, to say the least. They do taste great, though :)

Hopefully, through all the madness of today, I will have a chance to bake the rest of them and decorate before tomorrow. I have to work in the morning, so I will have to take them to the radio station as soon as I get off work. Any suggestions on how to make the dough stay...shaped?

Sincerely,

Alice

On names, friendship, and cookies.

Dear Blogging World,

Robert E. Lee said, "My name is not for sale, at any price." Another famous quote, this time by William Shakespeare in his play "Romeo and Juliet", asks," "What's in a name? that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." But what is behind a name? When I, removing my own name and calling myself Alice, write, I have not changed bodies or hearts or minds. I am still the same person, with the same convictions and outlooks and worldview. This girl, Alice, is just another side to the circle of my whole character. A different speech pattern, perhaps, but still the same.

Why is it so important to protect a name? Proverbs 22:1 reads, "A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, favor is better than silver and gold." Why does a good name matter? After all, its what we do right then that counts, right? Wrong. Think, for example, about Starbucks [yes, this is a strong subject on my mind right now, I still haven't heard from them!]. What comes to mind when you think of the name "Starbucks"? For me, I think: wow, their drinks are delicious; ouch, they are so expensive!; I love how friendly everyone is that works with Starbucks. Why? Because from personal experience and from what I have heard from others, I now know Starbucks has delicious drinks and great service at a fairly high price. Lets say that today, though, Starbucks all around the world have a new policy: frappes are $1 for one hour, but you have to come blend it yourself, and wash an already used cup to use for your own drink. That would be ludicrous, right?! Starbucks' reputation would be ruined. Who would want to go to a place that makes you wash your own cup after someone else just used it? It doesn't matter that Starbucks learned its lesson, and never does that deal again. It was that one time that brought them down. [NO worries: Starbucks is NOT doing this policy, and I totally made it up. Feel free to go buy as many frappes as you want from them, the cups will be new and unused every time :) ]

Its the same idea with your own name.

[Ok, I have to stop here in the middle of my thought process, but I'm going to go ahead and post this.. hopefully I will remember to come back and finish!]

[Sincerely, Alice]

Chapter Twenty-Six, the last day

Dear Blogging world,

Due to not wanting to spend a weekend on bananas and apples, I stopped my gluten-free diet on Friday, the 24th of September, and the 26th day of my diet.

I am so excited- I had cereal for breakfast this morning!!! :D

In all truth and sincerity, I have been so grateful for this gluten-free dare. I have come away from this feeling more confident in using self-control, and have discovered a few healthier options to my typical diet. I have also discovered that I have no allergy or sensitivity to gluten whatsoever, and I am supremely thankful for bread :)

sincerely,

Alice

Chapter Twenty-Five

Dear Blogging World,

I have come to the realization that I need to be an adult. I am almost twenty [less than two months to go!], and still do not feel "grown-up". I have narrowed the reasons down to three:

1. An inordinate love of cupcakes and cookies. Not something adult, like a moist and decadent slice of chocolate cake, covered in a creamy drizzle and served with a silver spoon.

2. a young face. [but, hey, lets "face" it, this reason cannot change. No matter how many chin exercises I try.]

3. a strong distaste for mushrooms and squash. Now, I know, squash is a universal disease that must be destroyed, so its understandable why I [typically] dislike it, and its relatives [except in Wisconsin, where a dear friend grows and makes the best tasting squash and zucchini ever! I think its really sugar hidden in a squash-like form.] But for some reason, Mushrooms seem to be loved worldwide. This phenomenon explodes the mental capabilities, but is true nonetheless. Therefore, I see it as my duty to learn to love mushrooms.

Sincerely,

Alice.