Nashville!

Well, we are in music city!

Yesterday we arrived and unpacked at the hotel. We didn't really have that much trouble finding it because a friend of ours loaned us their GPS...all I can say is...WOW! It really works! We also were able to find an Apple Bee's and Wal-Mart. Here comes the exciting part...All without having to stop and ask directions! In downtown Nashville, TN!! Needless to say I am in love with the GPS.

Right now I'm down in the lobby of our hotel waiting for the rest of my family to get ready to go. Our plans for today are as follows: Eat lunch, visit Belmont University where I'm interested in going to Pharmacy school in a couple of years, drive around and see some of Nashville (yay GPS!), go shopping at the HUGE mall, eat supper, and whatever else we want and have time to do.

Tomorrow we plan on visiting the Hermitage, the former home of President Andrew Jackson. Maybe we will do some more shopping...well the probability of that is more than maybe. And I'm not sure what else we will do. It will depend on how much time we have.

Business: Yeah, you could say I was there

What a busy week!

Monday: A Beka was in town so we went over to order some books for my brother's freshman year in high school. (He's in high school?! Boy am I getting old...lol.) And even though I'm finished with homeschool we ordered a grammar handbook to help me in college.

After that we went to the college I will be attending and bought my books. They sure are expensive! But thankfully I was able to buy all of them used except for one that had to be bought new. When we arrived, there was a huge pile of boxes outside of the bookstore and inside they were still stocking the shelves. So I got there at just the right time and was able to get the used books that were still in great shape. I didn't exactly like the idea of getting a book that was going to just fall apart on me later.

Then we went to Target and bought some other supplies I needed for school.

Tuesday: I have been having trouble reading road signs and other things that are farther away so Tuesday we went to the eye doctor. We went to the one at our local Wal-Mart. We received great service. We arrived early and they took us back almost immediately. (Plus it was at a reasonable price.) Well the doctor said I have a little astigmatism and nearsightedness. So I have to get glasses. Thankfully I don't have to wear them all the time though.

After the appointment we looked around at Wal-Mart's eyeglass frames then went to a few other places in town to see what kind they had. So many choices...head spinning...lol!

Wednesday: We had an appointment with our new dentist. And it was truly an enjoyable visit. And no, I'm not crazy. They really went out of their way to make it enjoyable. They were so friendly. Plus they had a small refrigerator out in the waiting room with soft drinks, Capri Sun, etc. that you could have. Also while you were laid back in the chair there was a TV hanging above you so you could watch it while they were working on your teeth. When I was waiting for the dentist, the dental hygienist gave me headphones and the remote so I could turn to whatever channel I wanted to. Very cool if you ask me...lol!

Thursday: Nothing!!! Yay! Well at least nothing scheduled.

Introducing....

Darcy!

(He holds his food with his foot! It's very neat.)

He/she is a green cheeked conure. Unless you do DNA testing, you can't tell for sure whether it is a boy or girl. But I'm guessing it is a boy so I'll call Darcy a him.

I got him a few months ago. He was hand raised but hadn't been worked with that much so he was not quite as tame as I would have liked. He was cage aggressive and would bite a lot but I have work with him and now he is a lot better.

He loves to sit on your shoulder and cuddle up to you. He will sit and chatter and nibble on your ear. Sometimes he nibbles a bit too hard though.

He hates it when I wrap a towel around my head after I wash my hair. If I try and pick him up he fluffs up and bites at me...oh well...maybe I'll be able to break him of that sometime.

Oh and the name Darcy came from Jane Austen's character Fitzwilliam Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.

Review: The Dark Knight

We went to see The Dark Knight today. If you are worried about it having fewer action scenes than Batman Begins, it will not disappoint. It has a lot of action. Some people would argue that it has too much.

It was violent. Also it had some bad language. (Can't they ever make a movie without bad language!?) I would definitely recommend not taking younger children to see it. In some of the scenes I turned my head because they were so intense. The special effects were very well done.

One thing I found disappointing was that they didn't get the same person to play the part of Rachel Dawes. It always ruins it a bit for me when that happens. The actors all did an excellent job though. They made their parts believable.

The movie has some interesting twists to it. They didn't follow the typical "that was so predictable" route.

So overall it was a very well done movie.

2008: Firsts

As I was thinking about 2008, I began to realize how many "firsts" I would be accomplishing this year: graduating high school, turning 18 and be able to buy all those TV offers...(LOL I'm kidding about the last part), beginning college, getting to vote in the up coming elections, etc.

But wait a minute! It seems just a short while ago my "firsts" were riding a bike without training wheels, loosing my first baby teeth or five and starting kindergarten.

I know that in the years ahead there will be many more "firsts" and I'll be wondering what happened to the "firsts" I am facing this year. Today is here and gone before you know it.

There is no way to stop time. That's why it is so important to live in today...not yesterday or tomorrow. I am guilty of that. Wishing I could go back or go forward in time. But that's not how we should live. We should live in today. We can't go back to yesterday so no point in wasting time wishing we could. Also there is no way to go forward to tomorrow, we aren't even promised that we will have a tomorrow.

What can we accomplish today?

Wherever He Leads. Will you go?

I've played the piano for years...and year...I was 5 years old when I began learning and have fallen in love with it. I have fun with piano and get a lot of personal enjoyment from it. Also if I am stressed or upset, I can just sit down and start playing and I start to relax.

But God had more in mind for the piano and me than that. I have to admit I have not always like the thought of what He now has me doing. Even still the only reason I'm doing it is because of Him. What am I talking about? Playing the piano in the worship team at our church. Sure I've played in church before, for offering and prayer...but never in the worship team. I dislike being on stage in front of everybody. I like blending in with the crowd.

When I was asked to do this I agreed to pray about it. And I began to seriously consider it. I told God that I would not get up on stage and play the piano unless He went with me. I wanted to make sure this was His will. And I came to realize that it was.

When I played for the first time, I was surprised to find that I wasn't as nervous as I figured I would be. He went with me.

And I know that He will continue to go with me...as long as I go with Him.

Is God asking you to do something that pushes you outside of your comfort zone? Trust Him, obey Him and go because you will not go alone. He will be there every step of the way. I'm finding that out...!

(I would appreciate it if you would pray for me as I begin this new adventure with my Lord. It is not easy for me and I need His help and I need your prayers! Thank you!)

Pictures...

Here is a slide show that I put together (music courtesy of Avalon) of our church back in Belgium. We miss them so much!

I hope you enjoy it...

hmmmm....

I guess getting high speed internet didn't help me blog more...oh well!

Just a quick update on what's going on with us. The walls in the house are de-wallpapered and are now painted. We are all sleeping in our own beds instead of on mattresses on the floor. We actually have pictures hanging on the walls now. We are making friends. We are getting used to the church and loving it. That's just a little bit of what has been going on in our lives.

There has been a whirlwind of stuff happening in the last few months....in fact the last year! (February 8th will make it officially 1 year of living in the US.) But God has been gracious and patient. He has put up with our "little faith" and complaining. And has come through for us once again. So if you are in the midst of uncertainty about your future or even your present, trust God with it. If you will just let him take control of the situation you are facing now, He will come through for you...just as He did for us!

Mystery Trip: The End but The Begining of Something New

Well, we have high speed Internet again! Maybe that will help me blog a little bit more now...we'll see :-).

Everything is going well. Things have been pretty busy. The house we are living in is really nice but it has needed some work done on the inside (Like taking off wallpaper for instance. If you have ever done that before you understand just how difficult that can be...Lol!). But it is getting there and we are really happy with it. Illinois isn't home yet, but it will be in time.

I guess this will be the last post in the "Mystery Trip" series of posts. It has definitely not been an easy "Trip" but it has been worth it. God has been faithful. God has provided. God is good!

Mystery Trip: Finally There

Hey guys!

Well, we know where we are moving! And actually we are already there. All of our things aren't...but will be hopefully later this week.

We didn't move to Kentucky but to a state very near by. We are now in Illinois.

My dad is pastoring a church here. Everyone has been so nice to us and very, very welcoming. It has been amazing to watch God work all of this out. We know that this is what we have been waiting on.

Thank you all for your prayers. I really appreciate it a whole lot!

Mystery Trip: Return to USA

Wow...I'm actually blogging! It's been a long time since I posted last!

Well, I will give you guys a short update on what's happening with us.

We are still waiting on God to see where He is going to place us. My dad feels like it is God's will that he pastors a church but at this point we don't know which church or where it is. So we wait. Which is very hard after being here almost 6 months but we're hanging in there by His grace!

I'd really appreciate it if you would keep us in your prayers that God would give us patience to wait upon Him, and that He would show us where He wants us to go...that He would open up the right door and close all others.

Thank you to all of you who have been praying for us! We really need your prayers. It has been a period of growing and learning. Learning some of the lessons that we as humans seem to have a hard time learning, patience, trust, obedience, and submission to God.

But God has been faithful and has provided completely (and exceedingly above) for our needs. He has been good.

Thanks again for your prayers!

Until next time,

Hannah-Liz

Mystery Trip: Unveiled

Hey everybody!

Sorry for the extremely late unveiling of the “Mystery Trip”. And no, we are not back from the “trip” yet. And actually…we aren’t going back. The following is not a typo: we are not going back to Belgium (To live anyway. Maybe we will go back for a visit sometime.). We have permanently moved back to the USA.

It was time for us to come home and we are happy to be back. We didn’t make the decision to leave nor did the church we are with bring us back. God brought us back.

Right now we are living in Tennessee, unsure of where we are going next. As you can imagine, we are very anxious to get to where we are going and get back to normal life. But all of it will fall into place eventually.

We would really appreciate it if you guys would pray that God would show us where He wants us to go, what ministry He has for my dad, and also that He would help us adjust to living in the USA again. It has been approximately 11 years since we have actually lived in the States. We have come back for visits and two furloughs but we haven’t lived here permanently since the beginning of 1996.

Just to let you know, I don’t think I’ll be updating my blog much, if at all, for awhile (exactly what I’ve been doing for some time now… :-)). I don’t know if I’ll continue blogging…I’ll just have to wait and see how it goes when we get where we are moving.

Thank you all (nope, not y’all….yet. :-)) for your prayers in advance! We really appreciate it.

All4now,

Hannah-Liz

Mystery Trip

We are going on a trip. . .but I can't tell you where. (hehehehe) And I won't tell you where until after we get there! Have I made you curious yet?

Some people already know where we are going and if you are one of them, please don't tell!

Quote: Abraham Lincoln

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.

~Abraham Lincoln

Hmmm...good advice!

Christmas or CHRISTmas?

I don’t know. There’s something about this time of year that makes people want to pull out their Christmas CD’s, dust them off, and pop them in the CD player. There’s something about this time of year that calls for hot chocolate, a blanket, and a good (clean) Christmas movie. There is something about this time of year that demands lights, Christmas ornaments, and a tree.

Also this time of year…Stores are overcrowded. Slushy snow is on the streets (depending on where you live). Houses are being cleaned and prepared for uncles, aunts, grandmas, grandpas, and cousins to arrive for the holidays. Presents are being wrapped. Cookies are being baked and decorated. Menus are being planned.

I don’t know…maybe it’s the weather. The ugly gray skies and trees with bare limbs make us feel so depressed we just have to do something to liven up our surroundings.

But is all of this stuff really Christmas? I mean, is this what Christmas is? No, it isn’t.

It’s easy in all of this hustle and bustle to forget the TRUE meaning of Christmas.

Christmas celebrates the birth of a baby that was born over 2,000 years ago. A baby that was no ordinary baby. A baby who was fully human…but at the same time fully God. Someone that would later grow up and become the Savior of the world. One whose name is Jesus Christ.

Christmas is His birthday.

But in all the hurrying and rushing around this time of year…it’s easy to forget it.

Let’s remember not to forget Him this year. Yeah, we’re busy…but so is Jesus. If He had a calendar think of how full it would be. But yet He doesn’t forget us…let’s not forget Him either.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Music Video: "America"

I love this song! It has a beautiful melody and great lyrics with a desperately needed message. Hope you enjoy! (“America” is sung by Rebecca St. James.)






America

This land is built on freedom
Life and liberty for all
We've declared our independence
So we will depend on the One who made it all

(chorus)
Honor God, America
The land of the free
Honor God, America
O land of liberty
Honor God

So let justice flow like water
And let mercy fall like rain
Those who honor Him, He'll honor
Together let's raise up the One who has made us

(chorus)
Honor God, America
The land of the free
Honor God, America
O land of liberty
Honor God

(bridge)
From the mountains to the prairies
From the desert to the cities
From the heartland to the coastland
Let our hearts turn to the Lord's hand
From the mountains to the prairies
From the desert to the cities
From the heartland to the coastland
Let our hearts turn to the Lord

(chorus)
Honor God, America
The land of the free
Honor God, America
O land of liberty
Honor God

(repeat bridge)

Words and Music by Phil Laeger, Rebecca St. James and Tedd T.
Copyright 2006 Doxology Music. All rights reserved.

Poetry: Letting You Take Command

My poem was featured on Real Teen Faith two different times (The last time was a mistake though. She forgot that she had already posted it.). And I've decided to finally post it over here. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Letting You Take Command

Sometimes, Lord, in You it seems
Hard to put my trust,
But to my heart You whisper that
I must.
You tell me that my life I have to
Place in Your hands,
To step down from the rank of captain
And let You take command.

For me to move over to the passenger
Seat and let You steer,
But for some reason I can't seem to
Trust, for some reason I fear.
I seem to have forgotten all You've done
For me in the past,
You've helped me before when I put
My trust in You at last.

So why is it so hard for me to have
Faith in You now?
I want to trust You but I need You to
Help me remember how.
In You, God, help me to place my
Trust and hope,
Trusting You'll help me with the problems
That I can't cope.

Help me to trust You as captain
Over me,
Help me to trust You to guide me
Through the stormy seas.
And I pray that next time my trust
Won't begin to fade,
But that I'll trust You that You'll
Come to my aid.

By Hannah-Liz

Bible Verse: Philippians 4:19

Prayer: Why's it necessary?

Little children do not need any particular reason to talk. They just talk (and talk and talk) even to the point of driving you crazy. They question this and question that. At first a child’s favorite word seems to be no. Then the favor tends to shift to the word why. So parents of a young child never seem to have trouble conversing with their child. It just comes naturally and easily.

Then comes adolescence. And for some (notice I said some. . .not all) kids the chitter chatter and questions end here. Then it is all parents can do to squeeze just a little bit of conversation out of their once so talkative kid. He/she no longer shares things with them—fears, dreams, activities they’re involved in, etc. And the relationship begins to fail. Why? Communication—a vital part of a good, strong relationship—has been cut off.

When we don’t communicate with God (who is our Heavenly Father) our relationship will grow weak. Yes, our walk with God is a relationship. Not a religion. And in order for that relationship to be strengthened, we have to communicate with Him. He is willing to talk with us. He is willing to share what’s on His heart with us. . .but we have to be willing to listen to what He says and then in turn talk and share with Him too.

Prayer is a great privilege that we’ve been given. It is a gift. And God doesn’t want us to just set it on the shelf to look pretty. He wants us to use this gift He’s given us! He wants us to talk with Him and pour out our hearts! All those frustrations that we lock inside He wants us to unlock for Him. And those times when we are so happy we can barely stand it, He wants us to open up and allow Him to share in our happiness!

God is there through good times and bad. He’s committed to us. . .but are we committed to Him. Do we show that we are serious about our relationship with Him by spending time with Him? Or do we ignore Him and talk to anyone and everyone but Him?

The times we spend with God should be one of the things we most look forward to because it truly is a privilege. I think if we would just view prayer this way it would take on a whole new light. A whole new meaning. Instead of something that just “has to be gotten through” it would become a treasured part of our lives.

What an awesome thing it is to be able to have a relationship with the King of kings and the Lord of lords! To be able to know Him and talk with Him! Prayer is a wonderful gift that God has given to each of us. How are you using yours? Is it getting dusty on the shelf? Or is it getting worn with use? Something to think about. . .