Considering Conviction

What is the quality that brings a man to accept death over the denial of his ideals; to undergo many an "unnecessary" inconvenience; to forsake material good,  or to have the strength to stand steady on a decision?

This quality is conviction. The convictions of a person may lead them through, times of fire, loneliness, diminished funds and fear. However, a conviction runs deep and forms a strength of character that no temporal circumstance can replace. Conviction are worth the effort and the "loss".

 Not always will others hold one's same conviction; however, one's own are the only convictions that must be endeavored to keep. No matter how large or small, one's convictions are worth holding with strength. It is with that strength that we try to please our Father and with which we gain the respect of our fellow humanity. Conviction forms  the unmovable mountain which stands strong within our being. Alone or with others, as long as our convictions are based upon the word of God, we are able stand with confidence. 

The evening of a blackberry Eclipse

Since the Annual Eclipse was scheduled for this evening, a few friends gathered to watch it. Being Dewberry season and as there was a handy patch, Tucksie, Julia and I set out to gather dewberries for the general consumption of the assembled few.

Tykes bring so much imagination and so many unique views to life. While diligently picking berries, we covered brother-relationships; people only considering how something looks vs. the true reality of an object; the reasons that dogs act the way that they do; Dresses vs. Pants pros and cons; and the reasons behind an eclipse.

The sun sank low and we did not see the eclipse....but we had a lovely time beholding God's creation, and His artwork for this day!

"Just one more Chapter ...Please Daddy!!" A chorus of girls petitioned to Daddy as he would read aloud to us at night.  Often he would read,  "just one more chapter" However, when the time truly did come for him to end the chapter he would say, "That is all, we will read another chapter tomorrow." And it felt so sad to end the happy chapter and go to bed...

This week I ended a very happy Chapter in the book of life. As I walked away from the lovely brick buildings, looked across the green fields with grazing cows, and thought of the lovely people that form my school, the warmth that has surrounded my time reading this chapter enveloped me.

 Chapter Georgia Perimter

-Early mornings at the perk

-Lovely trails 

-Birthday outings with my sisters

-BCM 

-Delightful friends

-Deep conversations

-Philosophical inquiries

-Miss Brenda's help desk 

-Talks with teachers

-Julia my twin, Molly, Erin and arabic with Amanda

-One cry, every three months

-Baseball 

-Coffee cups

-The Grotto

Closing chapters is sad, but never finishing books holds even more sadness.  Therefore, I end this chapter and embrace  finishing the volume entitled School.

smashing green things, to get a whiff of spring

Sunshine and Soil,

Spring fever has hit the house-hold,and barely anyone can stay away from the world outside. 

Life has been bustling and busy around this time of year, with ground cultivating,garden planting,and herb gathering.

It happened almost by accident... this lovely combination of aromatic goodness.

Lemon thyme
peppermint
lavender
stevia
strawberries 

                                           Crush

     and

Intake 

    with great delight













....Unless you are my Daddy...

Perhaps he will find more pleasure in the next round of the delectable concoction. 



sunshine and barefeet,
~ Anne of the Grey Submarine 
 

The Root of the Matter

Splanchnizomai and Splen are the roots of the Greek word from which compassion is derived. Most importantly they are the derivatives for the word that  was used all of twelve times when talking about Jesus.

Luke is said to have written the gospel that describes a compassionate savior. As I am reading through it, I thought it behooved me to look into this word, this characteristic of our greatest example.

"To feel sympathy, to have the bowels yearn , inward affection, tender mercy, be moved."

I found it interesting to note that the bowels were an important figurative example in the days in which the New testament was written . It depicted the very deepest part of a person. Thus when we are truly compassionate, we are going to be affected for them in sympathy.

It is so easy in today's culture to get hardened to the seeming mass of independent individuals. However, there is still a need for Christ's followers to have compassion. To truly take the time and often to forget the inconvenience,  in order to feel deeply, to be affected by/for those in our world.

By the way..

I like to run. 

These just came in....I'm pretty excited, to say the least.

Three hours and fifty some- odd minutes later it was over.
I didn't think I would finish but Hebrews kept me going the last three miles.

This was one of the most amazing feelings... to be acting out one of the apostle Paul's greatest lessons.

1 Corinthians 9:24

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

Philippians 3:14

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1-2
 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The pre-semester posting spree
~ Anne of the Grey Submarine

Creating the "attitude of gratitude"

In this skewed world, there is a sense of ungrateful fairness that is unrealistic at best.
We often have the attitude that we are deserving of every good circumstance this life can afford...end of story, we win.
 And when circumstances are adverse or unsuitable to our desire,  the bitter tongue of complaint is readily willing to have her way.

However,  if our perspective is on target,  this fallacy is clearly dissolved. 
When we can approach every day with the consciousness of what Christ has done, then the materialistic fairness seems empty, and circumstantial joy slightly looses meaning.

The source of gratitude is not in our circumstances, it is in Jesus Christ our savior.
Action precedes emotion, and in this case, the by product of gratitude is allways joy.

Daily creating of the attitude of gratitude
~AGF

In which... a girl learns to drive, a birds nest is discovered, and the moon shines on skipping sisters

 Today has been like a cup of hot tea. You want to savor it,  smell it, and drink it a little at a time yet all at once.

Seventy degrees and sunshine...and jonquils peeping up from weathered soil.

Its official....My second to youngest sister got her drivers permit and did the traditional "daddy driving lessons" day.

The only comment  he gave after they both came into the house looking rather dazed and haggard was....... "She did pretty well....for a first timer"










                                My sisters and I found a birds nest in a large oak tree.  I looked on, as they looked for ingenious ways to pull it down. Using all manner of utensils....tree branches, trampolines, shoulders......I finally handed them a rake... :)

 We girls like to excercise together. And that sometimes includes skipping....and making rhythms while we do fun exercises.....and looking up at the stars when we do crunches....wondering why wreathes are not year round apparel for the house.( But that is another discussion, for another day, and for another post....try saying "another" ten times)

~ Faux Spring and seventy degrees
Yours truly - Anne of the Grey Submarine

To whom it may concern...and an ode to the thrift store

 I think that God must have given me a shoe- loving gene.
 


Welcoming the newest member to my small shoe family :)

I have also come to the conclusion that there must have been a miserly, thrifting strand of dna in that certain conglomeration that creates me.
Today, I had the delight of a thrifting/ coffee outing with my dear sisters and some wonderful friends.

I contemplated, with amusement, the ability we all had to individually run around this huge thrifting joint; while still maintaining the shopping comradery, as we laughingly gasp over horrid shirts and dresses that are terrifying memoirs of the 1990's.