Thanking God for Small Miracles (Sam's Story)

 

Some of you may have seen that my youngest brother had his appendix rupture a couple days ago, probably from prayer requests on various social media sites. To say the least, it was a frightening situation. One of those scares where your heart skips a beat and your lungs refuse to work properly for a couple seconds.

William stayed by Sam's side throughout most of his hospital stay (coming home for nights and Sunday church). It was so cute watching him worry about his little brother. These two have always been really close, and it was during this time that that really showed. :)

It started on Wednesday afternoon, January 17th. Sam complained of an upset stomach and was kept home from prayer meeting that evening after vomiting a couple different times.
At first, we thought it was just the flu bug, assuming he had caught it from our cousins who had barely recovered the week before. However, as each day went by with no improvement, Mom's worries steadily grew. Sam wasn't able to eat anything, and couldn't keep any liquids down. He complained of severe pain in his mid-section, and could hardly walk upright.
With these symptom's in mind, Mom did some research and finally came to the conclusion that it might be appendicitis. She immediately called our Urgent Care and scheduled an appointment for Samuel on Saturday morning, January 20th.
After an ultra-sound confirmed her fears, Sam was taken by ambulance to Mary's Bridge Children's Hospital where he was to wait for surgery.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the rest of the family had to go about our daily Saturday business. Nerves were stretched to the breaking point while we waited for news...any news...from Mom. I took the boys to a basketball game, and Margaret made sure the house got clean with the other kids' help.
Prayers for Sam's safety had already begun, multiple family's from church and other friends came up to us during the basketball game to say they were praying and ask if they could do anything to help.
It wasn't long after this that I got the text that nearly made my heart stop. Sam's appendix had ruptured. It was at this moment when it really hit me that Sam could DIE. In the back of my mind, I knew a lot of people survived a ruptured appendix, but after what happened to the Houston and Simao family last year, I had this terrible sinking feeling that we were next.
When our Assistant Pastor and his wife heard that turn of events, they went all the way out to the hospital to give my parents and Sam a visit.
The next couple hours were probably the most nerve-wracking, frustrating hours of my entire life. Sam, our little ray of sunshine, our precious red-headed caboose, was mid-surgery in what could easily turn into a life-threatening situation. And I could do nothing about it. There was no way I could help him. No way I could ease his pain. Helpless and fearful for his life, us kids at home tried to carry on with normal life. It was easy for my mind to fill with all the 'what if...' questions. What if Mom hadn't brought in Sam when she did? What if Sam's appendix had ruptured earlier? And of course the unspeakable question on my mind: What if Sam didn't make it?
Prayer and support poured in from our amazing friends and family, reminding us that we were not in this struggle alone.
Saturday night, after dinner at our cousin's house, we learned that Sam was out of surgery and doing ok, despite a few complications that would keep him in the hospital for several more days. I could almost feel the tension dissipate after we heard the news. It was like our family let out a collective sigh of relief as the invisible burden lifted off our shoulders.

William read basically the entire Wingfeather Saga
to Sam while he was laid up. :)

Sam is still in the hospital recovering, but almost back to normal. He was thrilled to be placed in a room on the fish-themed floor of the hospital, and declared that the pancake he ate Sunday morning was "the best breakfast EVER." (This pancake was the first food he had eaten in four days, so it's no wonder it tasted so great.)

We look forward to having our little guy back at home, and continue to praise God for his wonderful mercy toward us and our little brother.

God is SO good.

Our family had planned to be on a vacation at Cannon Beach this week, but because my younger sister was having a surgery on her foot, we ended up canceling a month ago. Pastor Miller was able to step in and preach on Sunday morning so Dad didn't have to worry about a sermon AND a sick son. Despite the weekend being as busy as ever, we were able to cover all the bases and people stepped in to help us where help was needed. I'm still overwhelmed by how we were able to make it through the weekend. It's almost like God knew this was going to happen or something.

And I can't say how thankful I am to all of you who prayed with us through our trial and continue to pray for Sam's speedy recovery. He has no idea how much he is loved, but we do, and I wanted to tell all of you on his behalf that we are so grateful for your support and love and prayers.

Even though surviving the removal of an appendix is a common thing, even after they ruptured, I will always consider Sam's story a miracle. Truly, God IS our refuge and strength, our very help in times of trouble. Whom shall we fear? God is on our side. With Him for us, who can stand against us?

Until next time, let everything you do be done for the glory of God!

2017 Reflections, 2018 Goals (ft. Some Exciting Announcements!)

Yes, I know I'm late. But I knew you guys would all be terribly disappointed if I didn't post this, SO HERE YOU GO, OK? 

2017 is over...man, where do I start? There have been so many ups and downs...so many tragedies and joys... I other words, I have a lot of mixed feelings about 2017. And HOW DID IT GO BY SO FAST!!?!?!? Like, whaaaaaat? Tbh, no other year has gone by this fast. I'm not kidding. SOMETHING made this year go by faster than previous years and whatever it was I want it to STOP. Seriously.
2017 held a lot of challenges for me, but most of them were positive. I'm going to give you some of the things that happened to me during 2017, followed by what I plan/hope to achieve this year because of those things. We'll see if this actually works or not. Bear with me please. ;) 

~ 2017 College Reflections ~

I finished my first year of college during last year. Lots of nail-biting moments, late night stress dreams, exhausted mind and body while cramming for upcoming tests...but I completed that milestone and it felt great. :) 

~ 2018 College Goals ~

I want to be able to finish my second year of college and wrap up my Associates degree with the hope that I can then go on to get a Bachelor's degree in English at some point in the future.

~ 2017 Job Reflections ~

Last year I got my first actual job (cleaning grandparents houses hardly counts as a job after all) as a nanny for one baby girl. When that job fell through, God immediately gave me a follow-up opportunity with another family. Now I watch two little girls, four hours a day, three days a week (sometimes more, sometimes less). 

~ 2018 Job Goals ~

This next year, with my nanny job still going full steam ahead with no end in sight, I'm excited to watch the two girls grow in their education and personality as well as hopefully gain a relationship with Christ. As for me, I will probably become a master Mac and Cheese chef and learn how to come up with even more creative ways to keep their active hands busy in a good way. ;) 

~ 2017 Author Reflections ~

I published my first novel-length book in the spring of 2017. "The Princess and I" has been my greatest creation yet and I was so blessed to see it welcomed by my community of author friends and loved to pieces by family members and church members. My favorite compliment I received from our church's assistant pastor's wife. She said she forgot she was reading a book by me because she was so caught up in the story. 
Though I didn't officially "do" National Novel Writing Month in November, I completed a novella within Thanksgiving break. The outlining, plotting, research and writing...all of it...within a week. It was one of those story ideas that latched on and didn't let go until I had it all out. Not only that, but I sent it off to an editor and had a cover artist make a cover and promotional material for me too. (If you don't know which book I'm talking about, it's "Sleeping Handsome", a retelling of Sleeping Beauty...sort of.) 
To top my writing of last year off, I wrote a total of 42,537 words in "A New Name" and am beginning to realize that this might be one of those books that have 100,000+ words and take up a third of your shelf space. O.o I keep deepening the plot and realizing I'm going to have quite the challenge climbing back out again.

~ 2018 Author Goals~  

I'm hoping to publish my first exclusive e-book edition of "Sleeping Handsome" on Valentine's Day of this year. So far, I haven't heard back from my editor so plans may have to change a bit. But we'll hope for the best in the meantime. 
Also, I'm having to do a chunk of re-writing in "Ocean Mist", but I'm hoping to have it ready for publication by this summer. 
Though "Alice and Alyssa" has been finished for over two years now, I have ye to actually get it published...so that is something I'm hoping to accomplish within this year. The sooner the better.
And finally, as if three books isn't enough, I'm planning on having the first completed draft of "A New Name" written by the end of this year. (Maybe actually PARTICIPATING in NaNoWriMo this year for the first time?) 
Yeah. I'm crazy. I know. Wish me luck! XD 

~ 2017 Reader Reflections ~

I was sadly unable to read 100 books this year (at least I failed to record them if I did). But I did discover several new authors I now love, and had the privilege of beta-reading for a couple dear author friends. Beyond that, I also discovered I'm not a huge fan of college textbooks *cough* and WHY DO I NOT GO TO BARNES & NOBLE MORE OFTEN?? 
However, I was able to finish reading through my Bible in a year, although I started a bit late and finished a bit late. STILL. 
My bookshelf has four shelves stuffed full of books...and I have officially run out of room. At this rate I will have to start laying books on my books that are lined up in height order. Not the prettiest sight, but sometimes extreme measures must be taken. Ignore the fact that I could just stop buying books. (Who does that anyways?) 

~ 2018 Reader Goals ~

Yes, I signed up to try to read 100 books again. *shrugs* Might as well, right? With a pile of books on my dresser as we speak just WAITING to be read, a virtual TBR list that is miles high and teetering dangerously on the brink of toppling over, and more on my shelves that need tender loving care, I've got my work cut out for me...all I need now is time. *laughs* Sounds so easy. NOT.

~ 2017 Blogger Reflections ~

Instead of the record breaking 100 posts I wrote during 2016, I only posted 47 times last year. However, I'm about four posts away from having a 300th blog post, which is pretty mind-boggling. 
I gained over twenty amazing followers this last year, and can I take a moment to say how much I appreciate both you who have been following me from the start and you who have joined recently or sort of recently. Every new face I see pop up brings a smile to my face and brightens my day. You have no idea how much your comments mean to me and how much I love watching you react to my posts. Blogger's don't post for themselves, they post for the enjoyment of others, and we love watching our audience interact within themselves and with us! :) 
It's been incredible to be a part of the teen writer community, and I'm beyond thrilled to call many of you my friends. Some of you I've been able to actually meet face to face, and I look forward to maybe meeting more of you someday. :) 
I have to admit, I've been very scattered on here recently. You never know WHAT I'm going to post about next. It's been a roller coaster of a year and that impacted my blogging. Having a lot of you faithfully checking my blog and leaving comments gives me a bad case of "the warm fuzzies". ;) 

~ 2018 Blogger Goals ~ 

You may have noticed the new theme if you're a slightly observant person. Guys, my dear friend Savannah Grace from Scattered Scribblings has cheerfully offered her services when I asked for someone's help in designing a new blog template. Personally, I LOVE how it turned out, and I'm sure you guys will too... Once the actual theme has been put into the system, that is. Yes, I'm leaving you with a construction theme right now, but this is only temporary, I assure you. Patience, guys. ;) 
Thanks to a certain post from a certain fellow blogger *coughs* I'm hoping to get this blog more professional and streamlined with a bigger focus on writing. However, since I don't have a newsletter email yet, I'll still be doing my monthly overview posts more or less on a regular basis. ;) Just so you guys know what's up in Western Washington. 
I'm hoping to also keep up better on my other blog, Simply Stories, with regular posts on behind-the-scenes stuff about my books. So if you are interested in character interviews, pictures, sketches, or backstory details, that will be the place to go. 
In short, I'm going to TRY to get more organized. We'll see how that goes.

~ A Couple Exciting Announcements ~

~ (as promised) ~

First, "The Princess and I" is OFFICIALLY out as a paperback and e-book on Amazon/kindle as well as being found at Barnes & Nobles, the iBook store, nook, and of course Lulu. So to those of you who have been waiting patiently for my slow release of the ebook form of my book IT'S AVAILABLE NOW! 

Second, I'll be announcing a cover reveal sign-up for "Sleeping Handsome" in a week, so stay tuned for that post coming up! 

Third, I'm going to begin my search for a group of FIVE core alpha readers for "A New Name" sometime in the next couple months, so if you're interested in that, keep an eye out for that post coming up. 

Fourth, I'm hoping to have a group of betas read through "Alice and Alyssa" and finally get that book published for good. I have it sort of published, but I have yet to go through the whole system yet.

Finally, to wrap this post up, I'll give you the list of goals I made for myself at the end of 2016 and make a new list of goals for this year. (To be completely frank, I don't think I even glanced at this list since maybe spring? *sheepish laugh*) 

Here they are, my official list of goals for 2017!

~ Goals of 2017 ~ 

-Read through the Bible
(I actually did do this one, barely.) 
-Read 100 books
(*cough* better luck this year, eh?)
-Make new friends who help me grow closer to God
(I did make a couple new freinds. Looking forward to getting to know them even better this year! ^_^)
-Have stronger relationships with siblings
(In all honesty, I did get closer to my siblings. Some more than others, but in general too.)
-Finish writing "A New Name", "Alone", and "Beyond the Galaxy"
(Nope. Though I made significant progress in at least two of those stories.)
-Publish "The Princess & I" and "Alice & Alyssa"
(One down, one to go. I can do this!)
-Complete a year of college
(*sings hallelujah chorus while checking this off with a florish*) 
-Have a closer relationship with God
(I feel like I could have done better with this goal. I'm not saying I think my walk with Him has grown more distant, but I feel like I could definitely be a lot closer. However crazy my life gets, God still needs to be at the center.)

And now, the moment you have all been waiting for, a list of 2018 goals! 

~ Goals for 2018 ~

-Memorize the book of Daniel
-Read 100 books
-Attend a writing conference
-Have a consistent prayer life
-Grow closer to my family members
-Finish writing "A New Name"
-Publish "Sleeping Handsome", "Ocean Mist", and "Alice and Alyssa"
-Complete my second year of college and get my Associate's Degree
-Have a closer relationship with God

Think I can do it? Well I guess time will tell. ;) What were some of your goals for the new year? Do any of you guys have major writing milestones planned this year? How about reading goals? 

Until next time, let everything you do be done for the glory of God! :) 

Thankful Through Tough Times

When I first put this down as my Thanksgiving post title, I didn't realize how appropriate it would be for what our friends have been going through. 
Even though our family has been spared the loss of a child, two other pastor's families that we are very close to have not. Today is the first Thanksgiving that both these families will have to celebrate without their beloved boys. The Houston's will not hear the bubbly baby laughter from little Lemuel, and the Simao's won't have their energetic Isaiah asking every five minutes if dinner is ready yet. 
It's a sobering thought, and should remind those of us more fortunate to have all our family around us to truly be grateful for another holiday in their presence. 
As I watched these two families struggle through the hope that God would work a miracle, the pleading prayers offered up on the boys' behalf, the eventual acceptance that God had a different plan for their precious children, and the grieving process, I was convicted. The Houston's and the Simao's both showed such an amazing testimony of faith and trust that I don't think I could have if I had been in a similar situation.
The truth is, we all need the reminder to be thankful in EVERYTHING. 
It's easy for us to thank God when things go the way we want them to. If we happen to pass that one college test we were worried about, or if we get that raise we were hoping for, or when the weather clears so your favorite football team wins, or when you manage to somehow crush that writing goal, praising God is easy. 
But what about when things don't go your way? What about when God gives you something you don't want? What about when you fail that test? What about when you lose your job? What about when you lose someone precious to you that you had hoped and prayed would somehow recover? 

We want to hold it against God. We feel bitter. We know we shouldn't, so we tell our friends that surely God knew what He was doing and that it will all work out for His glory in the end, but deep down in our sinful souls we're angry. We make all sorts of convincing arguments to ourselves and others that God is in control and knows what is best for us, but at that same time, there's that nagging voice in our heads asking: but why? Why would he do something like that to me? I'm pretty sure I have a better idea of what's good for me, because I really don't see how that terrible thing could possibly have been good. 
It's pride. And that pride is what makes it so hard for us to admit that God is right and we are wrong. 
God is in control. And His ways are not our ways. 
So how do we stay thankful when things are tough? How should we show gratitude when we're in the midst of trials? 

~ Give Thanks for the Good Things God HAS Given Us ~

The Houston's and Simao's thanked God for the time they had with their boys, though it was cut short. They thanked God for the precious memories that they would be able to keep in their hearts forever. They thanked God that they still had their other children and people who loved and supported them through their grieving. 
I think this is such an important point. So often I find myself feeling down about everything going wrong in my life when I could be instead showing gratitude for all the amazing things that happen to me on a daily basis. 
Why grumble about things you don't control when you can enjoy all the free gifts God gives you with every breath you take?  

~ Give Thanks for the Things We Take for Granted ~

Ever take a moment to say thanks for things we tend to look past and take for granted? Like the fact that you probably drink clean water every day and have the ability to shower inside your house without critters crawling up the drain? Or that you can own your Bible without endangering your life? Or that you actually have a family that loves you and supports you? Or that your have shoes? And clothes? And TURKEY? (Even though I'm not a huge fan of that.) When was the last time you thanked God for candy corn? Yeah, it may seem silly, but think about it. I don't think God would object to us telling Him that we appreciate the fact that our dad's have jobs and that we have money to spend on stuff, even if that stuff is somewhat frivolous. And if you're at a complete loss as to what you could POSSIBLY thank God for, consider the fact that you're still BREATHING. That's a pretty major blessing when you stop and think about it. 

~ Give Thanks When You're Put Through Trials ~

This is by far the toughest thing in which to give thanks. I mean, who thanks God when they find out they have cancer? Who decides to thank God for losing a friend or loved one, whether to death or to something less fatal like a move away from your state? Who thanks God for pain? For hardship? Or even something as little as an inconvenience like the loss of power or your favorite Walmart parking spot? Usually we just start asking God to take it away, right? Rarely, and I say rarely because there are Christians out there who show amazing spiritual maturity in this, do we stop to THANK God for using such trials to show us how we need to grow closer to Him. But the truth is, that is why trials happen to us. They're God's way of giving us a little, or larger, nudge in His direction. Because admit it, the second a trial does appear in our lives, who do we immediately turn to? (I hope!) God. 

~ Give Thanks for the Little Things ~

Laughter. Hugs. Quiet rainy days that you can spend inside reading and writing. Pillows. Fuzzy socks. Hot chocolate (with marshmallows) right after you come inside from a snowball fight. Another day of a safe commute to work. Ever said thank you for those things? It's so easy for us to remember to show proper gratitude toward God when a huge prayer request is answered, but do we take the time to thank Him for the everyday things that make us smile? These are some of the biggest blessings in our lives...but we only realize that when they go missing. I'm sure God is happy that we thank Him at all, but imagine how glad He is when we notice the little things He does to help us have a good day and take the time to be grateful. And really, it doesn't take that much effort on our part to realize and thank Him from the bottom of our heart. 

Anyways, I hope this post made you stop and reevaluate your attitude a little bit. I have to admit, even as I wrote this, I had to consider all the times I've failed to thank God for things. It's hard to remember to be thankful, but I think the more we do it, the easier it becomes. Make sure it never becomes an involuntary kind of reflex, but at least make yourself notice blessings sooner, and start perceiving the trials we face as blessings in disguise. 
Throughout this post I've included a few of my favorite songs that went with my theme so well I just had to include them. :) I hope you were encouraged by this post, and I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

Poetry Post: These Are the Lost and Unaware (ft. Ramblings on Evangelism)

Today I want to talk about something that makes most of us inwardly squirm with discomfort.
Evangelism.
For some of us, it's easy. For most of us...it's hard. Sure, I could talk to my friends all day, but you'd have to pay me to go up and talk to a perfect stranger. Especially if I want to talk to them about Christ. Why? Why is it so hard for us to talk to people about our Savior? Why is it so hard to share the good news?
Well, there's a couple things, at least for me.
First and foremost: I'm afraid. Plain and simple. Of what? Rejection mostly. Also, the possibility of being mocked or laughed at or being thought less of.
Secondly, I have this terrible ailment called pride. I don't want people to think I'm "one of those crazy Christians". Am I wrong in this? Absolutely. I mean, I'm SUPPOSED to be "set apart", right? Trust me, I'm working on it. By God's grace I'll overcome this pride one day.
Lastly, I tell myself that'll I'll only mess things up if I try to share the gospel. God doesn't need our help to get His Word out to the people He wants to hear it, right? He could just have a Bible fall out of the sky and land in the hands of some person who was ready to accept the Truth. So why should I risk turning someone away from God by my rambling approach to the good news? 
I can't remember where I was or who it was that said this, but recently, someone said something that struck me as utterly profound. (Please don't laugh at what I'm about to disclose to you. I'm sure you thought of this LOOONG ago, but give us slower ones a chance to catch up, ok?)
Evangelism is a gift. It was one of the spiritual gifts mentioned in Ephesians. God GIVES us the opportunities to evangelize. And when we don't take them, it's actually turning down a gift from God.
When I realized this, it gave me a whole different aspect on evangelism. I realized that when I felt prompted to go up to someone and ask them if they knew about God and His Son's sacrifice, to refuse to reach out to them was to refuse a gift from God.
Does this mean I'll never be rejected again? Does it mean I'll never be mocked either directly or behind my back or have people think I'm some crazy weirdo? Does it mean I'll always present the gospel in the best possible way for that particular person? Ha! NO. Of course I'm going to be rejected. Probably a lot. But I only have to try. That's all God wants from us. He wants us to try.
It's like us taking that gift and beginning to unwrap it. It might take a long time for the gift to be opened, but if God wants that gift opened, He'll make it happen. And if we get to produce the first rip in the wrapping paper, it's because He decided we got to play a part in His plan. And doesn't that sound amazing?
Ok, ramble over.

I really wanted to post this because I wrote a poem recently and wanted to share it with you. But I got carried away with talking about evangelism. Sorry about that. ;) Hey, maybe someone out there needed to hear this. So I'm leaving the rant in.
However, now I'll go on to the real post by introducing, without further ado:

These Are the Lost and Unaware

A poem by Rebekah Eddy
 

Happiest smiles hide the most hurting hearts

Where the scar ends is where the wound starts

To the rest of the world life seems almost unreal

Desperate for someone to hear their appeal

When they cry out in fear or in pain

When used by others for their own selfish gain

Their whole life feels worthless and empty

A mere raindrop in the vast open sea

But they put on a show for the world

A stage where their life is unfurled

They practice their lies day and night

Until even they have begun to lose sight

Blinding themselves with deception

Nodding at their phony reflection

They think they can make it to heaven

Convinced their flour outweighs their leaven

Clutching in a hundred thousand sweaty palms

Their good deeds, their dirty rags as alms

These are the lost and unaware

We were once like those poor fearful souls 

Believing in things that were quite full of holes 

Only by the grace of our God alone 

Can we look forward to the judgment throne 

But while we are here in amongst the cries 

The broken hearts and the same old lies 

 Are we gonna just stand around down here 

Ignoring a world of faces full of fear?

Are we gonna go and share the good news

Or hide behind our precious church pews

The harvest is ready, the fields are white

Why stop now when the goal is in sight?

The harvest is plenty, the workers are few

Stop waiting around, there is so much to do

Open your bible, go talk to that person 

Open your ears and be there to listen

Share God's truth without hesitation

All it needs from us is some presentation

We are the sinners saved by grace

Don't forget, my giveaway is still going on! If you haven't entered yet, here are the links you need! :) Three lucky people are going to walk away with a copy of one of my books...don't think YOU might not be one! :D Have fun!

First giveaway: An autographed copy of "The Silver Flower"!
Second giveaway: An autographed copy of (my yet to be released) "Alice & Alyssa"!
Third (and final) giveaway: An autographed copy of my newest novel "The Princess and I"!

Until I post again, let everything you do be done for the glory of God! :)

One God, One Savior: A Belated Easter Poem

Yes, I know. This is late. Like...a week and a half late. Keep in mind that I'm part of a pastor's family, though, and we get even more busy around Easter time, so give me a little grace. At least I still WROTE an Easter poem, ok?

After doing two other Easter poems (this is my third annual poem) I was hard put to make one unique from the other two, while still keeping the same message. You'll have to tell me how I did. ;)

One God, One Savior

One God who created our wonderful world

One plan for all our salvation unfurled

One baby, one manger, and one humble birth

One Holy Gift given to the whole planet earth

Two parents who heeded God's sovereign voice

Two people who actually made the right choice

Two parents who raised the Savior of men

Two who did not know just how it would end

One disciple was paid for one dirty job

One kiss to betray his Lord to a mob

One disciple said he would stay by His side

One who later denied Christ and cried

Three men were killed on a Golgotha cross

One was Christ, one was saved, and one was lost

Two deserved the terrible death given them

One would die innocent for the sins of all men

One anguished cry toward His Father above

Two tears dripped down in sorrow and love

One cross took the life of our Savior and Lord

Three bloody streams from His body out-poured

Three days in darkness the body then laid

Three days for the people He had just saved

Three days he was dead in a cold, lonely grave

Three days until the stone rolled away

Two disciples who ran to the tomb that dawn

Two who saw that His body was indeed gone

One who doubted saw his Savior alive

One who then touched His hands, feet, and side

One sacrifice of love which set us all free

One Savior who now hold the eternal key

To one heaven that we can now all enter in

If we cast on Him our guilt and our sin

Believe this one thing and you will be saved

Believe in the sacrifice of love which He gave

Believe me when I say that there is no other way

If you want to see heaven from the inside one day

I hope you all had a wonderful time celebrating our risen Savior! I know our family did. :)

Twelve Drummers Drumming: MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

The day you (and I) have all been looking forward too! The day when I stop flooding your blogger feed with Christmas posts! ;) Just kidding. Hopefully you guys have been enjoying this 12 Days of Christmas as much as we bloggers putting it on have! :)

Can y'all believe it's CHRISTMAS!!!! :O It's come so crazy fast!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!!!! :D :D :D

And here is the poem I promised you:

I Don’t Believe in Santa Clause

I don’t believe in Santa Clause,

And let me tell you why:

He’s too fat for chimneys

And reindeer never fly

I don’t believe in elves

Or a North Pole factory

I’m not a three-year-old

Those toys cannot be free

I don’t believe in Jack Frost

Or a red-nosed, cartoon deer

Stockings aren’t filled by magic

Presents don’t just appear

So what do I believe in?

Well, there’s a question just for me

I’ll tell you why in a tale

Of a baby who set us free:

I believe a baby came

To save us from our sin

He was God’s precious Son

And I believe in Him

I believe that He was born

In a stable one dark night

Laid in a hay-filled manger

A burning lamp the only light

I believe that shepherds came

And knelt there in the hay

To worship Him as King

While in Mary’s arms He lay

I believe there was a star

That led some wise men East

Where they found a toddler

Who would be the one High Priest

I believe they gave Him gold

Frankincense and myrrh

They worshiped Him as well

Then escaped from Herod’s lure

After thirty years or so

He was a full-grown man

And after He was baptized

His ministry began

Because of His perfection

Enemies He made

When all He did was good

A trap for Him they laid

Upon a cruel cross He died

As meek as any lamb

He knew He had to do it

For every sinful man

But, thankfully this tale

Doesn’t end that way

Because our blessed Savior

Rose up on the third day

No matter what the devil does

No matter how he tries

To make you forget that Christmas

With all the season’s lies

Remember about the baby

Who traded glory for this earth

To save us from our sin

And give us a second birth

I believe this Christmas tale

Of our Savior, Jesus Christ

Who came down to save us all

Who came to pay sin’s price

Hope you all have a fantastic Christmas day!!! ^_^

Incomplete: A Poem by Yours Truly

Today is Thanksgiving Day. Whoop, whoop! Probably you are all at home eating turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing with family. *cringes* I'm sorry about that. I think I'm going to skip on all that except the family part and go on a pumpkin pie and candy corn diet. Anyone with me on that? ;) 
Anyways, last year I wrote a whole blog post about being thankful. Cheesy and cliche, I know, but I did. So instead of doing that again for this year, I decided to give you a poem about something I am very thankful about: God isn't done with me. He hasn't given up yet (nor will He ever, thank goodness). I keep messing up my life, but God is always there to forgive me and help me move on. I'm pretty happy about that. And, good news guys: He's working on you all too! How's that for awesome? So, sit back with your leftover turkey dinner (since you're probably reading this tomorrow...that sounds weird, but anyways...) and reflect on all the things YOU have to be thankful for while reading my poem.

 *curtains open*
*music starts* 
*mic feedback* 
*waits awkwardly for feedback to stop, then bows*
So now, without further ado *clears throat* I present my poem entitled:

Incomplete:
Written by Rebekah Eddy

I'm not perfect, I'm a sinner
Just like you, I'm a beginner
I've no idea what
Is in my future but
When God is done I'll be a winner!

I'm incomplete and unresolved,
My God's not finished with me yet.
I am broken, and undone,
But God's not finished with me yet.

He takes me through thorny briers
And through His refining fires
The dirt all burns away,
The gold shines bright as day
He never takes a break or tires.

I'm incomplete and unresolved,
My God's not finished with me yet.
I am broken, and undone,
But God's not finished with me yet.

I don't how long it will take
For God to perfect and make
This old self disappear,
To wipe off Satan's leer,
While Jesus pleads for my sake.

I'm incomplete and unresolved,
My God's not finished with me yet.
I am broken, and undone,
But God's not finished with me yet.

There are things I don't understand

I trust that God holds it in His hand

When good and innocent die,

And wicked are left alive

Over all this He has command.
 

I'm incomplete and unresolved,
My God's not finished with me yet.
I am broken, and undone,
But God's not finished with me yet.

My God will give me a chance
To bear fruit like other plants
No matter what I do,
He can make me just like new
So sing with me and dance!

We're incomplete and unresolved,
Our God is not finished with us yet.
We are broken, and undone...
But God's not finished with us yet!


So...*bites lip* what did you think? (And yes, this is a song...since I know that you were wondering. *points at chorus*) I thought this was a pretty good post to have after my rant on depression. ;) 
Enjoy your hectic life and Happy Thanksgiving! :D

Defeating Depression

Everyone has Those Days. Those days when you feel like nothing is going right. Those days when the world seems about to end (or has ended). Those days when you feel like no one loves, understands, or cares about you. Those days when even the weather seems to reflect the hurt and abandonment of your soul. Those days when you just can't stop crying and you don't know why. Those days when you're an emotional roller coaster. Those days when you just want to curl up in your favorite blanket and wallow in self-pity.

I come from a loving, Christian family. I have an optimistic, the-sun-is-always-there-even-if-it's-hidden-by-clouds personality. I'm one of those "the cup is half full...of juice!" people. But even I have Those Days.

Recently...on Election Day coincidentally, I was feeling depressed. After going to bed having a pretty good guess at who our next president was going to be, I just lay there wondering how God could let our country get this bad. I mean, He couldn't WANT this to happen, right? Why would He? What sort of twisted plan would involve such a mess like our nation is today?

Well, thankfully for me (and the rest of the world), God knows what the end looks like. And He actually DOES know what he's doing. And no matter how the future turns out, He is still in control. We all need to accept that. No matter how hard it is to do that.

But back to the main subject. Enough of the political rant for today or I'm going to end up using my own advice sooner rather than later. ;)

I'm writing this post in order to encourage myself and hopefully you as well. So let's do this.

Like I mentioned in the beginning of this post, everybody struggles with depression at some point in their lives. Self-doubt, self-pity, lack of self-confidence, and other variations of those things. For some reason, teens are hit the hardest when it comes to struggling with depression. Often times this is because of broken homes, bad friends, or unwise choices. Not knowing that there's a God who loves them also plays a part in that too I'm sure, which is why on a scale of one to ten Christian teens don't get as depressed as non-Christian teens. (Don't get me wrong though, Christians get depressed sometimes.)

As a Christian teenager, and one that comes from a loving, Christian family, I have an advantage over a lot of the teens who struggle with depression. (My cheerful, happy-go-lucky personality helps too...just saying. ;) But even so, there are lots of times when I feel like I'm not understood by my parents, or I feel picked on by the world in general. There are even days when I feel God is far away and somehow unreachable.

Because of this, I'd like to give you a few steps I take in order to climb out of that pit of selfishness we create whenever we throw a self-pity party. Hopefully it will help you like it has helped me in the past. :)

1: Stop focusing on the wrong things. You might have been treated unfairly. The world might be falling apart around your ears. That breakup might have torn a hole in your heart that you think is unmendable. Your parents might be acting unreasonable (although, for the record, I've found parents are usually right...just keep that in mind). But you shouldn't dwell on that. Dwelling on everything people have done to you will only make your depression worse.

2: Logically, if you're not supposed to focus of wrong things, the next step would be to focus on the right things. So step number two is just that: Start focusing on the right things. Phillipians 4:8 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible for a very good reason. When your mind starts to dwell on everything that's gone wrong in your life, STOP. Turn your mind instead to the the many blessings you have. Once you start looking for blessings in your life, it's hard to stop. And the list seems endless. Nothing is more amazing and awe inspiring than looking back on your many, many  thousands of blessings and realizing that your life really isn't that bad. After all, have you ever considered every breath you take is a gift from your Creator? If all else fails, you can thank Him for THAT.

3: Realize that there ARE people in your life who love you. A lot of times when kids (or even adults) are feeling depressed, its because they're having a "I'm worthless, no one cares about me or loves me" day. This is only a lie. A lie you tell yourself so you have an excuse to wallow in self-pity. EVERYONE, I repeat everyone has people in their lives that love them. Whether it's your parents, a favorite sibling, spiritual leaders, or friends. And even if you are a homeless beggar with no family (but apparently some sort of electronic device if you're reading this...) and no friends, God loves you. And He will always be there for you. No matter what. You can always count on Him...He will NEVER fail you. Keep that in mind.

4: Stop degrading yourself. You're not worthless. You're not unloved. You're not "trash" or "useless" or any other name people think up. You are precious in the sight of God. If your heart belongs to Him, nothing can take it away. He will help you overcome every trial that trips you up on the path of life. Sure, you might feel useless at times, but that's only an illusion. God knows exactly what He's doing with your life, and He'll make sure it happens. Read your Bible, keep your mind open to the guiding of the Holy Spirit, and pray often. If you do those things, God will use you to accomplish great things. Trust me on that one.

5: Seek out godly people in your life and talk with them about what you're going through. This might be your parents, your pastor (or you might luck out and have a pastor AS a parent...but I digress ;), or a person from your church. I am blessed to have all three types of people in my life. My parents have always been there for me, which I know is a rare commodity nowadays, and having my dad as a pastor has helped me even more.
He is one of those thinking types...a guy who will read a whole book about something just so he can casually drop a golden nugget in the laps of those who pay attention to what he's saying at any given moment. Yeah, my dad is a personified treasure chest of information. And if he doesn't know something, he'll look it up. Right there. So he'll know next time someone asks him about it.
My mom is less of an informant, but if you want a shoulder to cry on, she's the better choice. She is always willing to hold me, to comfort me, to let me know that she's there for me no matter what I've done or how rotten I'm feeling at the moment.
If you're like me, one of ten kids, competition for one-on-one time with parents is high...and usually the little kids are the ones who end up being the main focus because they have more training that needs to happen. In my case, the stats are even less in my favor because Dad has a whole congregation to lead as well as his family, even though we are his first priority.
However, I figured out a way to fix this. I found a couple godly women in my church who I look up too and admire for their love of Christ and their love for their families. One of these women in particular is our assistant pastor's wife, Mrs. Miller. She has been a huge encouragement to me and we have had a close friendship ever since they first started coming to our church. Whenever I'm struggling with something I know I can confide in her and ask her for her prayers as I go through whatever it is I'm going through.
I would highly recommend you to do the same. Find someone you respect in your church and talk to them. Peer pressure isn't the best way to figure things out. Ask an older person's opinion. They'll have better advice than the friends around your age. Probably. There's always an exception, but as a general rule, older people have learned more from life, and therefore will give you better advice. Just something to think about.

6: Read your Bible. Maybe you don't have one. Well, if you can read this blog post, you can read the Bible. Just Google it. But, most of you have a Bible. (Probably a couple different versions.) Nothing helps me get out of a self-pity party than reading a chapter or two of the Bible. Psalms is a good place to start. It helps you realize things could be a lot worse, our God is in control, and that with Him, you can conquer all things...even depression.

7: Pray. Talk to God. He is always there to listen. He will never let you down. And once you've taken out all your frustration and poured out all your woes on His loving ears...

8: Have a good cry. Sometimes, you just need to cry. Not to sound too sappy and sentimental, but everyone should have a good cry every once in awhile. It's scientific people. Tears have a way of draining bad things from your body (not sure what, but they do). Sure, our tears might make us feel a little silly about ourselves, or perhaps more frustrated because you did not want to cry in front of so-and-so, but they do help. I'm not an avid crier. I tend to bottle up my sadness or depression inside and cover it with a mask of "everything is fine" until the bad feelings dissipate. Which really isn't the best way to deal with it. Burying feelings never helps. Don't do it. Deal with them. Even if it makes you cry.


Well, I hope those steps helped you as much as they have helped me in the past. I know most of you don't deal with serious depression, but these things will help you even when you're just having a bad day (which I know you all deal with. Don't even try to deny it! ;P).

Have a great day, and don't forget: YOU ARE LOVED.

Purposeful Pages: October

Greetings foreign beings from distant planets. I come in peace. 

Heeeey guys. My font was doing weird things, so I just felt like writing that. Ignore me. I'm going slightly insane with life craziness and working off of less then seven hours of sleep each night. Six is average. Why? Honestly, I have no idea. Usually I sleep really well at night. But not recently. 

However, on to the introduction! It is time for the monthly purposeful pages post! :) Another round of delightful questions from ma friends Amanda and Hannah! I'm having so much fun with this link-up, and I hate to see you miss out! It's free to join. And free stuff is always awesome. So. Go and join. *shoves you toward blogs*

But now the questions and answers for your enjoyment. *bows*:

1: What is something (or who is someone) that has encouraged you to grow in your faith?

Well, my parents. (Duh) But there are also quite a few godly couples at my church who have been both an example and an encouragement to me as I try to follow God with my life. 

2: Has blogging showed a side of you that you normally don’t see? 

Not really. Except that I'm waaaay more outgoing with brand new people on here then in real life. And posts are a LITTLE more rehearsed then on the spot conversation. But otherwise, I write on here how I talk to friends. (I don't talk internet lingo out loud though...I use words. REAL words.)

3: What inspires your “creative genius?”

First of all, I'd like to thank you for saying I have creative genius...that was really sweet. Secondly, I'd like to mention that you didn't need to use quotation marks. Thirdly, let me answer your question in one word: everything. Really, everything in life inspires me whether I'm writing, playing one of my musical instruments, or creating a work of art. (Yes, I do draw sometimes. But don't ask me to show you any of my "art" THAT does require quotation marks.) 

4: Why do you write?

Because I love too. (Yes, FINALLY a simple question that I could answer easily!) 

5: Your house is on fire, and you only have time to save one thing. Do you grab your hand-written manuscripts or your cat? 

Assuming all my family was safely outside already, I would grab my briefcase. (It holds my Bible, a notebook, my laptop, my iPad, and my Kindle. I know, that's ALMOST like cheating on this question.)

6: If you could ban any book, which one would it be, and why?

BAN any book? Oh heavens, I have no idea. "The Origin of Species"? There's a lot of terrible books out there. Only one wouldn't make that much of a difference.

7: What is your Myers-Briggs personality type (if you know it), and what unique aspect of your personality makes you who you are?

I'm an ESFP (extroverted, sensing, feeling, perceiver). My strongest function is extroverted sensing, which is how I collect information. Forgive me if I'm getting to technical with you, but basically, extroverted sensers collect information from things going on around them, through trial and error, and from other people's mistakes. 

Also, I'm an introverted feeler. I don't express my deeper feelings out loud (which is why I don't usually cry during movies or while reading...so if I ever say I cried during a sad part of something you've written, that is a HUGE compliment coming from me.) However, I do feel things strongly, I just might not show it. You'll mostly see my chipper, everything-will-work-out-for-the-best side on here, but I can express my feelings better by writing them down, so you might come across that side of me at some point. Take this as a warning. ;) 

I'm also an extroverted thinker...so even if my "T" wasn't strong enough to make it into my personality, it's still there because there's a little bit of each function in us. It's just the strongest four that make up our type. So, because my thinking function is extroverted, and my feeling introverted, to most people I might seem like the "T" is actually a stronger function because I'll tell you my opinions and I love discussing things with other people whether I agree with them or not. But I'm more of a people person then most ESTPs and if you need a comforting shoulder to cry on, I'd be the better choice. 

Good grief, I should just write a book about my personality type! Sorry guys, I got carried away. I'm a talker, could you tell? Hopefully something in that long winded rant was an answer to the question.

8: Did you have any kind of “breakthrough” point in your life, whether it had to do with writing, blogging, art, or anything else? If so, would you like to share about it?

This is going to sound a little ridiculous, but at fourteen, I had NO IDEA that were other teen authors out there. When I first began my blog at that age, I felt very alone and completely at a loss as to how on earth I would get my stories out and available to the public eye. When I found other young authors, I was ecstatic! A lot of them had blogs and I joined the teen author community on here and have grown as a blogger and author since then. You all have been not only a huge encouragement to me, but you have posted tips about writing troubles you've had to overcome and countless other helpful stuff! I'm so grateful to you all and thrilled to call you my friends. ^_^

9: Are there any hobbies that you have that don’t fit the stereotypical you?

Absolutely: writing. I'm terrible at focusing on one thing at a time, and ESFPs rarely choose to write as something fun to do. BUT I AM GOING TO CHANGE THE HISTORY OF ALL ESFPS AND PROVE THE STEREOTYPE WRONG! Heh, heh. Yeah, well I'm going to TRY. ;) 

10: Even if you haven’t written an official life purpose statement, can you tell us in a few sentences what you feel called to do with your life right now?

I'm currently in what I like to call "the waiting room" years. I've finished high school, I'm not starting college until at least January, I'm not in a relationship with anyone...really, I'm just hanging out at home, helping my mom with homeschooling, editing my book and books by friends, reading, blogging, and cool stuf...like sleeping. I have no idea what God wants me to do with my life, but I will be ready to do it when He gives me the green light. 

Hopefully that answers your question. :)