"He loved us when we had no beauty to attract his attention." ~David Clarkson
I had a great conversation about compliments with a friend a few days ago and, at some point, he was talking about how all girls struggle with appearance. Initially, my thoughts went something like: “I don’t need compliments. I’m perfectly fine with the way that I am.” And, all of two seconds later, my conscious retorted with: “Then why do you like compliments?” All self-assurance and pride aside, I do struggle with appearance and I’m pretty sure that everyone else does too. We want to be attractive and beautiful and noticeable. And God did create us to enjoy and desire beauty. However, that desire, like every other desire, can lead us astray when it consumes us too fully. I've often witnessed girls seeking to change themselves so that they appear more attractive to their latest guy interest. First, how awesome is it then to be pursuing Christ? He has already shaped us into exactly what he wants us to be. Second, how incomprehensibly marvelous is it that Christ still continues to pursue us after we have completely marred the beautiful image he gave us? We were already exactly as he wanted and we destroyed ourselves. He then ruined his perfect self and became the image we had marred so that he could continue to pursue us. He still desired us when we were hideous and corrupt in every way. "He loved us when we had no beauty to attract his attention." An even now he cotinues to change us to be more like him...It couldn't be any better...
Friday, May 13, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
college
College...dare I speak the word?
I haven't posted much about college because if I did I'm pretty sure I would have exploded (or imploded... my dad says he would prefer I implode because it's less messy), but now the topic is unavoidable.
I am going to be a Mercyhurst Laker in the fall :)
**Don't ask me what a Laker is. I tried to have a logical conversation with my mom about it and she told me I was being too analytical (shocker, I know). **
Mercyhurst is a small, Catholic school in Erie, Pennsylvania with one of the best ballet programs in the United States. It didn't initially attract my attention because it is a small, Catholic school in the "middle of nowhere". However, visiting the school was all it took to convince me that those things in no way disqualified the potential the school had for me. I've never been in a class with more than 20 students ever. And usually, in both ballet and school, my class size is under 10. While I wouldn't mind going to large university, I'm almost positive that a small class dynamic is much more suited to my learning preferences. The Catholic title was initially a turn-off as well. However, Catholic or secular, I'll have to "fight" my battles with professors. They'll just be slightly different. And the students will be the same. Also, while a religion class is required, I can take a class on any religion I like. I might try Buddhism :) Finally the location is actually beneficial to me because it means I will be only a hour away from an amazing person who is attending Grove City in the fall and it's much closer to Maryland. So I should be able to come home on a more frequent basis.
I loved the college visit to Mercyhurst. I met with the director and she is one of those people that you just know will make the perfect ballet director. I can't exactly explain it, but everything about her just said: amazing, firm, dedicated women who can lead a program perfectly. The whole atmosphere of the dance program was very endearing. It reminded me a little bit of home. In fact, just enough to asure me that it would be a great home away from home. Also, I loved the teacher of the class I took. I'm really excited to get to learn more from him in the fall :) The school campus is not quite as astounding as Butler's, but it has a more gentle, realistic, weathered beauty about it. The academic structure of the school also allows me to double major in Engish. This is really beneficial to me because an English major opens a lot more doors in case ballet doesn't work out for any number of reasons.
So, what about Butler?
Well, prior to last summer I had no idea where I wanted to go college. I've always known that I wanted to be a ballerina, but I never had a particular path in mind and I don't think I ever will. That being said, I started to research good classical ballet schools. That alone brings the search to under 20 schools in the entire country. However, I felt like I didn't know enough about any of the schools to be able to realistically determine my top choices. My mom told to just pick one that looked nice. So Butler looked beautiful and I had always heard great things about it. It was the first good college visit I went on and so, naturally, I got excited about it. The school does have an amazing ballet program and getting accepted will definitely be beneficial for my resume. They also gave me some of the best scholarships they offer. Yet, Mercyhurst offered me a better package. I need to be realistic about the fact being ballerina and hopefully one day being a wife and mother means that I will never obtain a high income career. That doesn't bother me in any way, but it does mean that having a large amount of student loans just doesn't make sense for me. With Mercyhurst I'll still have a small amount of loan, almost no good college gives a full scholarship any more, but it will be much more manageable.
So, without futher ado, I leave you being personally in a much more peaceful state simply because I finally know what's happening to me next year. Resolution makes me so happy. I have no idea which Princess face my computer screen is being given right now, but it's whichever one has a big cheesy grin invovled :)
I haven't posted much about college because if I did I'm pretty sure I would have exploded (or imploded... my dad says he would prefer I implode because it's less messy), but now the topic is unavoidable.
I am going to be a Mercyhurst Laker in the fall :)
**Don't ask me what a Laker is. I tried to have a logical conversation with my mom about it and she told me I was being too analytical (shocker, I know). **
Mercyhurst is a small, Catholic school in Erie, Pennsylvania with one of the best ballet programs in the United States. It didn't initially attract my attention because it is a small, Catholic school in the "middle of nowhere". However, visiting the school was all it took to convince me that those things in no way disqualified the potential the school had for me. I've never been in a class with more than 20 students ever. And usually, in both ballet and school, my class size is under 10. While I wouldn't mind going to large university, I'm almost positive that a small class dynamic is much more suited to my learning preferences. The Catholic title was initially a turn-off as well. However, Catholic or secular, I'll have to "fight" my battles with professors. They'll just be slightly different. And the students will be the same. Also, while a religion class is required, I can take a class on any religion I like. I might try Buddhism :) Finally the location is actually beneficial to me because it means I will be only a hour away from an amazing person who is attending Grove City in the fall and it's much closer to Maryland. So I should be able to come home on a more frequent basis.
I loved the college visit to Mercyhurst. I met with the director and she is one of those people that you just know will make the perfect ballet director. I can't exactly explain it, but everything about her just said: amazing, firm, dedicated women who can lead a program perfectly. The whole atmosphere of the dance program was very endearing. It reminded me a little bit of home. In fact, just enough to asure me that it would be a great home away from home. Also, I loved the teacher of the class I took. I'm really excited to get to learn more from him in the fall :) The school campus is not quite as astounding as Butler's, but it has a more gentle, realistic, weathered beauty about it. The academic structure of the school also allows me to double major in Engish. This is really beneficial to me because an English major opens a lot more doors in case ballet doesn't work out for any number of reasons.
So, what about Butler?
Well, prior to last summer I had no idea where I wanted to go college. I've always known that I wanted to be a ballerina, but I never had a particular path in mind and I don't think I ever will. That being said, I started to research good classical ballet schools. That alone brings the search to under 20 schools in the entire country. However, I felt like I didn't know enough about any of the schools to be able to realistically determine my top choices. My mom told to just pick one that looked nice. So Butler looked beautiful and I had always heard great things about it. It was the first good college visit I went on and so, naturally, I got excited about it. The school does have an amazing ballet program and getting accepted will definitely be beneficial for my resume. They also gave me some of the best scholarships they offer. Yet, Mercyhurst offered me a better package. I need to be realistic about the fact being ballerina and hopefully one day being a wife and mother means that I will never obtain a high income career. That doesn't bother me in any way, but it does mean that having a large amount of student loans just doesn't make sense for me. With Mercyhurst I'll still have a small amount of loan, almost no good college gives a full scholarship any more, but it will be much more manageable.
So, without futher ado, I leave you being personally in a much more peaceful state simply because I finally know what's happening to me next year. Resolution makes me so happy. I have no idea which Princess face my computer screen is being given right now, but it's whichever one has a big cheesy grin invovled :)
Sunday, April 24, 2011
happy easter :)
"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep."
~1 Corinthians 15:17-20
"...But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead..."
in fact--in truth, in reality; there is nothing simply symbolic or imaginary about this resurrection
raised from the dead--death could not contain Chirst
~1 Corinthians 15:17-20
"...But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead..."
in fact--in truth, in reality; there is nothing simply symbolic or imaginary about this resurrection
raised from the dead--death could not contain Chirst
Thursday, March 31, 2011
thank you God for...everything :)
I am thankful for..
parents who put forth more than they have for my family and my school
a little sister who not only tends to herself but constantly asks how she can serve her older siblings
a little brother who offers me his snack because he is concerned that I won't have enough to eat before ballet
a brother who carries my school bags to the van without even asking
a sister who forces me out of my comfort zone at her own expense because she knows it's good for me
a school family who extends grace and compassion continually
teachers who begin their classes with prayer and scriptural encouragement
friends who start by asking: "How can I pray?"
friends who open their Bible and share a verse they were reading for devotions that morning
friends who listen while I ramble through everything that is going on in my life
friends who like to talk about the symbolism in the current literature novel during lunch (being nerdy isn't a crime)
guys at school who go out of their way to open doors for the girls
guys at school who make me laugh over the silliest things (like brick walls and fuzzy penguins)
extended family that lives less than half an hour away
grandparents who stop by the house while my family is at school just to bring homemade jelly
a grandmother who drives me to dance classes and who comes to every single one of my performances
a grandmother who has taught me how to sew and lets me come over to her house and sew all the time
warm blankets and a real fireplace
bookshelves in almost every room of my house
a whole shelf full of tea and lattes
two fridges and an extra freezer just for keeping food
more shoes and clothes than I know what to do with
a warm house
..and so much more :)
parents who put forth more than they have for my family and my school
a little sister who not only tends to herself but constantly asks how she can serve her older siblings
a little brother who offers me his snack because he is concerned that I won't have enough to eat before ballet
a brother who carries my school bags to the van without even asking
a sister who forces me out of my comfort zone at her own expense because she knows it's good for me
a school family who extends grace and compassion continually
teachers who begin their classes with prayer and scriptural encouragement
friends who start by asking: "How can I pray?"
friends who open their Bible and share a verse they were reading for devotions that morning
friends who listen while I ramble through everything that is going on in my life
friends who like to talk about the symbolism in the current literature novel during lunch (being nerdy isn't a crime)
guys at school who go out of their way to open doors for the girls
guys at school who make me laugh over the silliest things (like brick walls and fuzzy penguins)
extended family that lives less than half an hour away
grandparents who stop by the house while my family is at school just to bring homemade jelly
a grandmother who drives me to dance classes and who comes to every single one of my performances
a grandmother who has taught me how to sew and lets me come over to her house and sew all the time
warm blankets and a real fireplace
bookshelves in almost every room of my house
a whole shelf full of tea and lattes
two fridges and an extra freezer just for keeping food
more shoes and clothes than I know what to do with
a warm house
..and so much more :)
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
how to convince nature that spring has arrived
Nature is apparently unaware of the season change and I have therefore developed a plan for solving this atrocity...
1. Wear your favorite pastel purple leotard with classic pastel pink tights to ballet class
2. Add pink and purple glimmer eye shadow
3. Finish your look with a sparkly butterfly hair clip positioned on the side of your bun
4. Throughout your ballet class, dance like a beautiful spring fairy
5. Hope that nature notices your beautiful performance and changes it's weekend plans accordingly
1. Wear your favorite pastel purple leotard with classic pastel pink tights to ballet class
2. Add pink and purple glimmer eye shadow
3. Finish your look with a sparkly butterfly hair clip positioned on the side of your bun
4. Throughout your ballet class, dance like a beautiful spring fairy
5. Hope that nature notices your beautiful performance and changes it's weekend plans accordingly
Monday, March 14, 2011
music :)
"Living life without the love of Christ is like living life without music." ~Mr. Wes Harris
How simply beautiful is that?
As a dancer, I present my life and many stories through movement to music. Music is the path that I follow. Music is the guide to my art.
In my spiritual life, the love of Christ should be my guide. The love of Christ should be path that I follow through this life.
"For breadth the love of Jesus is immensity, for length it eternity, for depth it is immeasurably and for height it is infinity." ~Charles Spurgeon
How simply beautiful is that?
As a dancer, I present my life and many stories through movement to music. Music is the path that I follow. Music is the guide to my art.
In my spiritual life, the love of Christ should be my guide. The love of Christ should be path that I follow through this life.
"For breadth the love of Jesus is immensity, for length it eternity, for depth it is immeasurably and for height it is infinity." ~Charles Spurgeon
Sunday, March 6, 2011
"I have spoken with many godly men who have told me that if young women started keeping their standards high rather than settling for mediocre men, then guys would be forced to make serious changes to their masculinity. And even if you are mocked, ridiculed, or ignored because of your stand, you can be sure that God will honor your decision. He paid for the treasure of your heart with His own blood. You disregard His amazing sacrifice for you when you allow your femininity to be trampled in the mud. You are a daughter of the King, so hold out for a man who has royal blood coursing through his veins." ~Leslie Ludy
I found this quote on a friend's Tumbler. I don't know much about Mrs. Ludy, but this quote just fit a little too perfectly to be passed over.
I found this quote on a friend's Tumbler. I don't know much about Mrs. Ludy, but this quote just fit a little too perfectly to be passed over.
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