Charles Dickens, No. 48 Doughty Street, Mecklenburgh Square:

"Where stars and suns that we behold not burn,
Higher even than here, though highest was here thy place,
Love sees thy spirit laugh and speak and shine
With Shakespeare and the soft bright soul of Sterne,
And Fielding's kindliest might and Goldsmith's grace;
Scarce one more loved or worthier love than thine."


Ok, Ok, you all wanted a post - here it is!

Saturday
Well my modem quit for like three days which was why I didn't post a little sooner, and then yesterday was co-op and out medieval feast. Anyway, today I'm at least home a little bit. The past month has been pretty crazy.

I started driver's ed three weeks ago and had my first drive last Monday. It went fairly well...and I have the same instructor for my second drive, so that should be good too. Next drive is a highway/freeway drive, which I'm a little nervous about, but I drove home last night on the freeway from our feast (in the rain) and didn't kill anyone; that's always a plus, right...? i'm enjoying driving a lot, and my dad's getting me out as much as he can. still learning stick shift in mom's car, ha-ha. (the only reason I haven't killed anyone in that yet is because I'm still on the driveway.)

oh I remember what the other thing was i really wanted to post about! A young man at our church is on a mission trip right now in the Middle East (of all places, rather ironic considering our discussion in village square, lol), in Turkey right now, and he'll also be going to Beirut, Iraq, and Lebanon. He send e-mails fairly regularly with prayer requests and updates, etc., and I was wondering if any of you guys might like me to forward those e-mails on so you can see what he's doing too! If you would, just comment and I'll be sure and send them to you as I get them. If you don't want the e-mails, please pray for him anyway. He is in a very anti-Christian part of the world, but a part ready for harvest! His name is Ryan.

Sunday
Well I thought I was going to be home yesterday, but after our 4-H cat thingy we went to some friends' house to watch the Mariners and hang out and stuff. don't you love inviting yourself over places? ;P

hmm...church today was AMAZING!!! the worship was very inspiring and I wore my selwar kameez (Indian outfit) for the first time in a while. I used to wear it pretty often, but since we changed churches I haven't since we're still getting to know people...don't want to scare anybody off. and you guys are gonna love this - it looks like I'm a Calvinist now, ha-ha. It came up in the sermon and I talked to the pastor a little bit afterwards about it; he explained it in a different way; I think we were all just having some communication problems in our earlier discussion about it, lol! So he explained it in a way I got it, and i think I pretty much agree with it all. either I was misunderstanding Calvinist teachings, or I was interpreting the Bible the wrong way...either way they didn't work together in my mind and now they do.

I was gonna post on village square, or comment rather, on the whole Middle East discussion, but I was late and it all worked out. the only thing I really had to say (I agreed with at least one thing everyone else said!) was how unless we go there, we can never fully understand their culture. actually, we can't really even come close. The way religion impacts every little detail of their lives, every single thing they do, whether it's obvious or not...I guess I'm really thinking of India and Hinduism, but I've also seen it in Muslims, and how we in America have religious freedom, but most use it as freedom from religion, rather than freedom of religion. People here don't have to believe anything so religion doesn't shape their lives. (not saying this is good or bad, though as Christians our entire lives should be shaped by our faith) In other countries, religion defines them as much as fashion, etc., defines us. Where Ryan is right now, they turn the power off in the city for like two hours every day because they can't afford to keep it going all 24 hours. just image...no we can't imagine that here. it's two totally different worlds.

I've been looking at a lot of colleges lately...missions and Bible colleges...this one looks great! Ryan is going there when he gets back from the Middle East, and I really like the look of their program. They have one year of school, then up to 16 months of overseas internship in mission work, then debriefing and final preperation for full-term future work when you get back. BA in Cross-Cultural Studies, :)
Multnomah in Portland also looks good...here. And I heard that Wycliff has a branch called ISL that is for linguistics, which is of course right up my alley! (ahem, Elvish, Dwarvish...) that is here.

well in church I ended up finding out that two girls who I kind of know (they are still more or less acquaintances) also both want to go to India. one is Ryan's sister, and she told me that their youth group's prayer team sponsors I think both a missionary and a child through Bridge of Hope with GFA. BTW I'm waiting to hear back from a GFA person on the payment schedule thingy. it's an automatic withdrawal that starts as soon as you begin sponsoring, but I'm not sure yet when the monthly payments are due. That's what I'm waiting to hear back on.

yesterday was our 4-H cat clinic at the Fairwood library. I AM IN LOOOOVE WITH THAT LIBRARY!!!!!!!!!!! it's perfect! they even have Hindi books!!! *coughs* not that I can read any of them fluently yet... but it was really cool. the cat clinic thing was just classes on anatomy and breeds. blah. it was not really fun, but I did learn a lot. i guess nothing's that fun when you're sick. oh yes and that library has a whole section just for teen classics (Jane Austen, Watership Downs, Wuthering Heights, etc.) the only sad part was that I only got to spend 15 minutes there *sadface* :( before they closed. you should see their ginormous golf section! (ah yes, I went to a golf clinic thingy last Thursday too. that was neat) BTW I'm probably going to finish Oliver Twist in the next couple of days if I don't have to go too many places. The it's Nicholas Nickleby. I'm looking forward to that! we're doing testing this week then it's SUMMER BREAK!!!!!!!! very very excited.

FOUR MORE DAYS TIL PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLDS END COMES OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ugh, I'm sick right now. i think i'll go lay down on the couch and watch a movie. sounds very good. did you give me your bug over the phone Lego? lol. actually it's more of a throat cough thingy.

i'll post about my piano recital and medieval feast later. i'm gonna go now...*waves* bye!!! :P


~Verya

P.S.
interesting fact of the day: Pintel is Ragetti's uncle, according to Wikipedia!


I get turned around
And I mistake my happiness for blessin
And I'm blessed as the poor
Still I judge success by how I'm dressing...

So keep 'em coming, these lines on the road
And keep me responsible, be it a light or heavy load
Keep me guessing with the blessings in disguise
And I'll walk with grace my feet and faith my eyes