Thursday 31 December 2009

New Year

Well it's the last day of 2009 so time for recap and looking forward.

This year has been a really good year, but not really how I'd expect it to go. 2009 was a big year for me as I left school and started college, something I wasn't all that sure if it was the right thing or not. In fact, to begin with I really wondered what I was doing. However, after October it all took an unexpected turn and it got better - just got a bit more comfortable really. I have a friend now and I'm really thankful for every small thing.

This summer was a different one as I did camp leadership at the local Christian Endeavour camp as a first. It was an interesting experience I have to say.

The other thing about this year ... I've spent so much time online but it's been a good thing in my opinion because all these people over there <<<<<< in the blog roll who continually amaze me with their faith in hardship and with many other things. Obviously I'm not naming anyone here, but I'm sure everyone knows who they are.

2010 looks uncertain and I didn't think it would be a good year. However, I then realised I said the same thing last year! and as I've said, this year's been fine! So that gives me hope. Right now I'm excited to see what God has in store for me.

While writing this post the song playing on my computer is this - the current number one in UK singles chart - while I don't really pay much attention to that normally this one (ok, X Factor winner!) includes lyrics which fit the New Year pretty well.

A happy new year to everyone out there. The end of this year has not been good for some people (see previous post for example) but who knows what God is planning for next year - keep smiling, even when things don't go your way. (Here's some more song lyrics - I love them!)

Blessings for a good 2010 everyone,
Emma

Tuesday 29 December 2009

Prayers Needed!!

Can't believe how bad some people have it ... Just checked the Riggs family blog and after all the concerns with Abby's cancer, now it's a car accident for their son .... oh grief.

Please guys, remember them in your prayers. Hope everyone had a great Christmas.

Sunday 13 December 2009

Temptation, Elsie and the X Factor

It's been a busy weekend but good. My grandparents just celebrated 50 years marriage (an amazing achievement) and of course there was family here visiting for the occasion.

Anyway, the title of the post ... starting with the Elsie books, I have to admit they're one of the best I've ever read. Set in the 1800s so not entirely up to date, but you get a bit of history lessons in there added onto the story of a little girl with amazing faith. The first two were books I've had about two years and just love.

Book 1, Elsie's Endless Wait, was quite tear-jerking because we see Elsie living in a house full of six aunts and uncles close to her own age, who mistreat her. It's not only their teasing, their mother often claimed that since she was no blood relation she couldn't excuse a punishment as she would her own children, so for that reason in the very first chapter she is punished through no real fault of her own. Yet she is then consulting her Bible and reminding herself that Jesus bore worse than that patiently.

But the main focus is her endless wait to meet her father, which does happen in this book, but they conflict slightly as he doesn't agree with her strict principles. He is a very determined man, and we see a glimpse of what is to happen in the next book, Elsie's Impossible Choice. She had strict principles about the Sabbath, as to what is or isn't suitable to do on a Sunday. If you think that's easy back in the 1800s, by reading this it is not. The real conflict is caused by her refusing to read a newspaper on the Sabbath. A small thing maybe, but it all built up to a big thing and she suffers HUGELY.

So after reading those I wondered about trying out the Sunday idea .... which was easy enough at first but these past few months it has got so much harder to keep the faith that I'm doing the right thing. Back to another part of the title post ... X Factor. I don't watch TV much nowadays, but got a bit hooked on X Factor last year and it's hard to stop once you've started - it's quite good actually.

The only problem that arose this year was that it was extended for the whole weekend with the results on Sundays. I thought it would be simple to just record and watch another day, but because we are so busy and it's hard not to find out when you're out on Mondays, it just became much tougher than I anticipated it to be. I haven't seen the final yet so that's 4 hours to catch up on tomorrow.

When you're making things complicated for yourself, I admit I was tempted to give up and just watch it at the usual time. MANY times. I never thought I would ever say that, but there you go.

However, luckily the Bible has something to say about that:


"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful, He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13