Hello --again!

Wow! I never intended to leave you all for so long. So much has happened since my last blog post; I don't even know where to begin!

When I last wrote an entry in this little diary of sorts, I was in the middle of preparing for final exams at Bermuda College. I prayed, asked for your prayers, and hoped for the best. Well, I am delighted to say that in my first semester of college I received a GPA of 3.8. Glory to God!! I am so glad that all my hard work was so richly rewarded.

After final exams, I began working in the College's Communications Dept. I had volunteered there off and on throughout the summer and was granted a job as a summer student. This has kept me quite busy but I enjoy working here and look forward to the challenges each new day brings.

In addition to working on campus, I have also begun volunteering with St. John Ambulance Brigade - a local chapter of the international charity that not only provides emergency service to the community but helps to train people in first aid and CPR. I have been a member for only a month but enjoy each minute I spend on duty at sports and other public events.

Clearly, I am one busy young lady but I thoroughly enjoy being so active. :) I hope to stop by and update y'all more often as you are all very special people.

I hope everyone's enjoying Summer 2011!!!

Blessings!

Tests, Quizzes, & Exams

So college has been good…so far. This week happens to be the last full week of classes and exams are due to begin in just a week and a half. This is the not-so-glamorous part of college. I’ve spent the past week or so placed in self-isolation in some corner of our campus’ library studying away at seemingly hundreds of facts that become increasingly random as the hours tick by.

Occasionally, I venture out for a meal or for a “study break” but I must remain ever-vigilant lest Mr. Procrastinator rears his head and I lose track of time, purpose, and all things important.

This, my friends, is why college can be a pain…

So, I must go back to studying. There’s a Biology exam to prepare for and a PowerPoint presentation that needs a bit more attention before it’s finally ready.

Please pray that I will remain on track and finish this semester strong. It can be very easy to become side-tracked when there is so much to do. It is also very easy to feel overwhelmed when everything seems to need attention at once. I know there are many people on the campus who are watching to see how a 16-year old homeschooler will fare during exams. However, I’m praying that whatever final grades/GPA I receive, it will glorify and honor God.

To all the kind people who have sent me emails: Please realize that I’ve read all of your kind notes and letters. However, I have been unable to take out time to reply to all of you. At last check, my inbox has close to 500 messages unread. However, once exams are over, I plan to go through my inbox message by message and write a reply to each of you. Until then, thanks for your patience.

I hope you all have a wonderful, exam-free, study-free, stress-free week! Thanks for praying!

Blessings,

Evidence of Spring

Wow, I can’t believe it’s been more than a month since I last did a blog post. My life has been so busy –so much has changed since the last time I hit the publish button.

My family has moved closer to Bermuda College’s campus to cut down on what was originally a 40min. commute each way. Now we’re living just 5 minutes away from the campus and less than 15 minutes away from town. This move makes life as a college student so much more convenient for me.

College has been going well…which explains why I haven’t posted here recently. :) I’m currently taking 4 courses and also keeping busy with volunteer work and making new friends.

One of the things I’ve noticed about college is the lack of free time in general. Remember all the time I had to pursue a long list of hobbies? Well, I definitely don’t have the time to enjoy knitting, crocheting, bird watching, sewing, etc. during the week. Depending on the amount of homework I have to complete, the weekends could prove just as busy. However, it’s still important to do something fun now and then so I make a conscious effort to do at least one thing I enjoy on the weekend.

Over all, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my time at Bermuda College. I’ve learned so much both in and out of the classroom. I know the next couple of weeks will be busy ones. Final exams are just a month away and I’ll have lots of studying to do to prepare.

College aside, life has been good. :) It definitely looks like spring has sprung…even if the temperatures are yet to begin their annual climb. As part of this weekend’s “fun time”, I decided to take photos of some of the simplistically beautiful flowers that are blooming abundantly in our new backyard. Here are just a few of the delightful posies that I captured by photography yesterday:

		Spring Delights VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

So how have you all been doing? I can’t wait to hear from all of my dear blog readers…it’s been SO long! What’s new in your life? How are you celebrating spring?

Drop me a line; I look forward to reading your comments!

Blessings,

College Days

Wow, it seems like it’s been ages since I last opened up Blogger to write a post here! My friends have been doing a fine job of keeping this little blog going with their guest posts that I know have been an encouragement to me –and I’m sure y’all have enjoyed them as well!

As you can probably tell, college has been taking up a huge portion of my time. I almost never sign onto Blogger these days, and I no longer refresh my Facebook page 12 times per day –quite different from my pre-college habits!

This Friday completed a full month of college studies. I know that I’ve made it this far only by the grace of God. In the past 4 weeks, I’ve faced challenges, had fun times, disappointing times, both good days and bad. But overall, I’ve enjoyed my college experience thus far and look forward to continuing my education as God guides my steps.

Right now, I’m working towards an Associates Degree in Science(Nursing). This is a two-year program that I hope to complete in 2013. Once I pass the NCLEX which is the required exam for all new nurses, I will become a registered nurse. But I don’t plan to stop there. Even as I begin working at our local hospital, I will work towards my Bachelor’s Degree online.

God is so good because just a year ago, Bermuda College did not offer a nursing program. I would have had to go overseas to become a nurse. But I decided to call the college last year just be sure that they did not offer a nursing program…and it turns out that they were just in the process of putting it together! Praise God for that!

I’ve been quite busy managing the 4 courses that I’m currently taking. Each course comes with it’s own share of assignments and homework so even when I’m not in class, I have work that needs to be completed. I usually leave home around 7:00am so I can catch the bus and get to campus around 7:30-7:45. The campus is quiet this early in the morning which makes it easier for me to concentrate on my studies and plan my day. My classes begin at 9:30am and end at either 3:30 or 4pm depending on the day. After class, I go to the library for a while to continue studying and review my notes for that day. I try to come home early so I can get to bed on time so I can wake up feeling refreshed for the next day.

Even though I haven’t had time to do a lot of the activities and hobbies that once kept me busy, I’ve been enjoying my college experience. I’m striving to do my best in each course so that I can be the best nurse possible.

I hope that everyone’s new year has been going well. Leave a comment below and let me know what you’ve been up to! I can’t wait to hear about all those projects I know y’all are working on. ;)

Have a blessed week, friends!

Guest Post: Beauty

You all know what it’s like to get these spurts of ‘insecurity’ about how you look, right? Well I do, too. I’ve been told quiet a few times that I am stupid, ugly and fat. Where these accusations came from and what I did to deserve them—I do not know. I know I am not a runway model, or the girl that’s going to get into Harvard, nor am I the face you’ll see on TV; but I really don’t care about any of that. You want to know why? It’s because God doesn’t care either. He doesn’t care if I am the smartest person in the world, and he definitely doesn’t care if I am a skinny, starving model— because I’m not! In Proverbs 31:30-31 it says, ”Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” (KJV)

I start having these insecure thoughts about my body when I subject myself to the unreal images that the world presents to girls: be skinny, be smart; be beautiful. But what if I’m not any of that, does that mean I get tossed to the way-side with all of the other girls that didn’t make the ‘cut’? Does that mean I am worthless and have no purpose in life, because I am not what others expect me to be? Not quite! You see, I was created in God’s image—as is every other human being—so, that means everybody else is made in the image of God, too! Everyone of us were created to be individuals, to serve and praise our Lord, not be part some lame, robotic cult with plastic arms and legs.

Instead of worrying about how pretty or skinny we look to the world, we should be more worried about whether or not we look like Christ to the world. My purpose, just like any other Christian teen is to share the love of God. In Colossians 3:17 it says, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (KJV).

As I read that verse, I do give thanks. I give thanks to God for making me who I am, so that I may be influential to the people who need Christ. I look the way I do, act the way I do, walk the way I do, talk the way I do and live the way I do for a purpose—this purpose is not my own, but God’s divine purpose for me. Not only do I have a purpose, but every individual on the face of this earth has one as well. I don’t know what God will call you to do, and if you already know His plans for your life, then that is a blessing indeed! But for most of us—like me—we are struggling to find our identity and purpose in life. And this is one of the reasons we turn to the sinful world for answers.

When we are feeling down about ourselves and our current situation: waiting and praying for God’s purpose to hurry up— we often lose sight of the big picture and slowly gravitate to where the grass seems to be greener of the other side (but it really isn’t). God doesn’t move at our pace, he doesn’t go by our schedule. He does everything on his own time, and he needs you and me to be patient and trust in him. But does that really ever happen? We’re all human, so we tend to stray and follow the desires of our sinful nature. We get caught up in the world and the lies that world says is the ‘truth’.

We are a gullible race of humans. We believe most of what we are told! So, when we see a TV add with some major skinny girls, we automatically think we have to look just like that. We get so caught up in our emotions and desire to look that skinny person that we sometimes go to the extreme of starving ourselves, or making ourselves throw up right after eating. As many of you know, your thoughts, feelings and desires truly determine how beautiful you are on the outside. The beauty of a selfish, hateful model doesn’t compare to the beauty of a loving, caring, giving woman who has scars on her face, barely any teeth and ratty hair. At first glance, we’d all gravitate towards the skinny model, whose appearance is easier on the eyes. But upon closer inspection, we see that she isn’t the kind of person we thought she was. Her character and manner is ungodly, she uses you, cheats on you, gossips about you.

Looking at the other woman, we’d be disgusted by her looks and not even give her the time of day. But by doing the unthinkable, you go over to the woman and start to talk to her. You find out she’s funny, kind and has a great character. She would never hurt you intentionally, gossip about you, cheat on you or use you. Compared to the model, this average woman is more beautiful than the model could ever wish to be. The beauty on the inside is what counts; the beauty on the outside is just a bonus. 1 Peter 3:3-4 says, “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price” (KJV).

Don’t be in a rush to find your purpose. And don’t subject yourself to the degrading images and messages directed towards girl and women. We’re all beautiful in our own unique way and no amount of eyeliner, lipstick or blush can change that. A quote by Eleanor Roosevelt states this: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

So, if you ever watch a TV add and feel like you don’t compare, or someone told you that you weren’t pretty or smart—remember this, you have to power to love or hate yourself. You have the power to block out all mean and hateful things said about you. You have the power to be you, so don’t change because someone told you to! Be you, and I’ll be me. No in between, no straying off the line. We are who we are; we are who God created us to be, so why change? That would totally defeat God’s purpose for us.

~Written by Emily K.

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Emily is 18 and describes herself as your “un-average” girl. She loves to write, sew, get dirty, swim, and work hard. She has a fascination for mushrooms, loves reading historical literature and bios, and keeps herself busy by writing on her blog: Grace Like Rain. She is in love with Jesus Christ and would be totally lost without His unfailing love. She hopes to shine with the love He’s bestowed upon her with every step she takes.

Homeschool Graduation 2011

This post is certainly overdue! I’ve been very busy with college classes this week. As most of you know, I graduated from home school on January 3rd. It took a lot of work to put a wonderful program together to celebrate but it turned out lovely!

We decided to have a dinner in one of Willowbank Hotel’s lounges. We invited a few friends that I’ve known for years –friends that we knew would enjoy celebrating this wonderful occasion with us. Willowbank’s staff did a fabulous job decorating the lounge where the dinner was held. The table was set elegantly and the fireplace had such a cozy scent (and feel!).

It was a beautiful program! Actually, it turned out much better than we even expected! We began with a selection of special music by my younger siblings and friends who are also home-schooled. The electricity went out just a few minutes after we began, but Willowbank’s staff brought in plenty of candles and flashlights. I’m glad that we lit the fireplace before the program began! It did give off some light! :p  Even though we didn’t plan to lose the electricity, we still went on with the program and had fun! It turns out that an electricity pole caught on fire down the street and the power had to be cut so they can properly repair it. The lights came back about 15-20 minutes later. Mom read a short speech that she prepared especially for the dinner before Dad presented me with my high school diploma and Mom gave me a lovely gift. :)

{Dad also had a few words to say before he gave me the diploma}

After receiving my diploma, I read my graduation speech and sang “Where He Leads Me” by Twila Paris.

Shortly following my solo, we began a delicious dinner prepared by Willowbank’s chefs. A dear friend of ours baked a tasty vegan cake and we purchased “vegetarian ice cream” for dessert that everyone enjoyed.

I really enjoyed my graduation dinner and I know that I formed special memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Here’s a copy of the speech that I delivered after receiving my diploma:

Good evening Family & Friends:

Thank you for joining us on this joyous occasion.

As I begin to look back on the past 11 years that I've spent studying in home school, I am humbled and amazed at the marvelous work that God has done both in my life and in the life of my family. I cannot begin to express my gratitude to Christ who blessed me with two, wonderful Christian parents and encouraged them to raise me and my younger siblings in a Godly home with a solid Biblical education. Time and time again, God has blessed my parents with both grace and strength to patiently teach me. Through each lesson, each semester, and every grade --all the way, He has been there uplifting my parents and giving them the strength, and sometimes even the courage to continue homeschooling us. I know beyond a doubt that without Christ it would've been impossible for my parents to tenderly raise me with the level of care, gentleness, and love that has been showered upon me for these past 16 years. Many times during my homeschool years, my family and I have faced seemingly insurmountable difficulties --trials that, looking back, we realize only made us stronger and increased our faith in Christ. And each time we've faced a trial, the Lord has brought us through. I know beyond a doubt that without Him and His grace; I wouldn't be standing here graduating from home school.
I am also forever grateful to my parents who have made countless sacrifices to homeschool my siblings and me. As you all know, it is not an easy thing to homeschool and live on one income in Bermuda. Yet, my parents have resolved to do the best they can in giving us a quality Christian education. On different occasions and in various ways, they have been tempted to quit providing us with a home education. And each time they've faced the temptation to give up, my parents have looked to Christ for strength and support. Together, they have set a wonderful example for me and my siblings. They’ve shown me what it means to be a true Christian ---what it means to always trust in Christ regardless of the circumstances or trials that may come our way. My parents have shown me what it really means to be committed to raising a family Biblically.
If someone was to ask me, "What are 3 things that come to mind when you think of your parents?" I would say patience, kindness, and confidence. Through the years that I've spent in homeschool, I've carefully watched my parents, and their examples of patience, kindness, and confidence are plentiful. When I didn't get that Math concept, or I didn't appreciate their help as I should have, or when I was unsure of myself, they showed me an amazing amount of patience and unwavering confidence.
So what have I learned on this homeschool journey? Well in addition to learning essential skills like Math and English, I've learned many priceless life lessons during these past 11 years –lessons that have left an indelible mark on my mind and will have a lasting impact on my life. Lessons of diligence, self-discipline, and contentment.

Being educated at home has given me the opportunity to learn much more than traditional “book knowledge”. I’ve learned important homemaking skills that will be helpful should it be God’s will for me to become a wife and mother someday. I’ve also been able to invest my time in nurturing my talents and pursuing many hobbies and interests such as singing, playing piano, guitar, and writing.

But my journey is far from over. Someone once said that life is a school –one that we never graduate from. So today we celebrate my completion of high school but I also remember that I’m simply closing one chapter of the textbook called “Life” and opening the next one. I still have so much more to learn. Next week, I will continue my formal education when I start classes at Bermuda College working towards a nursing degree. My primary goal in life is to glorify my Creator and do His will for my life. I’m determined to always do my work to the best of my ability so that I may reflect Christ.

I feel tremendously privileged to have been home schooled. I realize that many children will never have the opportunities that I have had. While I’ll always look back upon these years and think on the precious memories that I’ve made in homeschool, I’m also looking forward to using the knowledge and skill that I’ve learned to help others and most of all serve Christ.

Thanks to all of you that have encouraged me on this journey.

And thank you to all of you dear friends here on Blogger that have encouraged me over the past year. I wish I could’ve invited all of you to my graduation dinner!

I’m hoping to take some professional-style photos of my diploma soon so look out for those! :D

I hope you all have had a blessed week and are looking forward to this weekend. :p

Blessings,

A New Year

Happy New Year to all of you and your dear families! I can’t believe that it’s 2011. It seems like this new year has crept up on me suddenly. It feels like just a few months we were ringing in 2010! Now it’s 2011 and I have to get used to writing a one instead of a zero at the and of my dates.  :)

As you all know, I’ve been super busy these past few weeks. My graduation dinner is tomorrow this evening (!) and I’ve been working hard for the past week to get everything ready. I’ll be giving a speech and we’ll also have a mini-concert. :) Then, we’ll enjoy a delicious dinner with a few friends at the Christian resort where we live. I can’t wait! I think it’s going to be fun. :)

My college classes start next week Monday and I’m all set for it! I think it’ll be an interesting transition from home school to college and I’m looking forward to adjusting to my new life. :)

To help me keep up with blogging, 7 lovely ladies have offered to write guest posts throughout the week so y’all can have something encouraging to read. Of course, I’ll still be writing here as well…just not as often as I used to. ;)

Look out for another post introducing each guest writer. They are great writers and I’m sure you’ll enjoy their posts!

Blessings,

Turning A Page–200th Blog Post

Well, I can’t believe that I’ve actually posted a whopping 200 times in just over a year’s time!

When I started my blog, I invited all of you on a journey –a peek inside my life through this little blog. You have commented, followed, and supported my blog in more ways than I can mention here. I’ve been inspired by connecting with other girls who blog, and I’ve been encouraged to continue growing in Christ.

The past year and a half has been an interesting time for me. I’ve improved my homemaking skills and shared a few tips here along the way. I’ve learned more about how God would like for me to dress, to serve my family, and obey His will for my life. I’ve watched as He has worked in my life helping me to grow into the young lady He would like me to be.

But my journey is far from over. I have much room for improvement. I still have more maturing to do. And I’m still working on my relationship with Christ. And next month, I will begin a new chapter as I start classes at the local community college working towards a nursing degree. I’ve prayed about this decision quite a bit and feel that God is leading me in this direction.

So I invite you again, dear readers, to continue with me on this journey and join me as I turn a new page and begin education outside of my home for the first time. And although I may not have the time to post as frequently as I’d like to, I realize know that many of you are eager to hear what college life will be like for a homeschool teen. And I’ll make an effort to keep you informed on what’s happening in my life as a college student.

I pray that as you read about my life, whether it be a new recipe I’ve made or an A that I’ve gotten in class, you will be encouraged and strengthened in your faith. I pray that you will be inspired to also continue your journey and grow in Christ.

Blessings,