Saturday, 31 October 2009


Blogging is addicting. I don't care who you are, once you get started it's like: "ooh. blogging."
As is chocolate. Cute shoes.
New clothes. BOOKS. Friends.
As is God.

So, we have all these addicting things in our lives. They consume us (now that I think about it... Freddie Highmore should be on that list.) and they make us who we are. You go into a candy store craving chocolate, you're going to get chocolate. You go to a store, see cute shoes, no matter how dry your wallet is those shoes are going to be yours.
It's addicting. Consuming.
I used to get a magazine called BRIO. It was an
amazing magazine. I remember this article that was talking about priority. The title was Where Do You Put God in Your Life? And there was a picture of Jesus, bleeding on the cross on the very bottom of a ladder. When i saw that picture I was horrified. They treated Jesus like the bottom of the food chain.
But as I read the article I noticed that's how I was.
My friends and everything in my life that would one day run through my fingers was high up there. Then... on the very bottom... was Jesus. So I could call and check up every once and a while, but never really care.
That's really big for me now. I want God to be my constant. My number one. Top of the totem pole.
How bad do you want it?
Blurb for the day.

  • Today I went out with Brittany and had loads of fun!
  • Emma came over yesterday and we volunteered at my church. I love that girl, and I had a lot of fun! We ended up singing from 10:00 until 11:00 because nobody would give us a cleaning job!
  • Desperate times call for desperate measures.
  • Not seeing Astro Boy is... angering. VERY.
Trip, Ace & Demo,

~Yours Truly

"So I tell you, don't worry about the food or drink you need to live, or about the clothes you need for your body. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. Look at the birds in the air. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. And you know that you are worth much more than the birds. You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it." (Matthew 6:25-27)

Thursday, 29 October 2009




Dear Life,


So, it was snowing today. Thus came the never-ending facebook-snow-statuses. It was interesting reading all those statuses that said pretty much the same thing. Then there were the multiple statuses that said that people actually WANTED to go to school.
It's a shocking thing, wanting to go to school. Though I suppose I kind of want to as well.
Today I shoveled for money. As I did yesterday too. Shoveling is an interesting thing to do. It gives me lots of time to think. And considering I was shoveling a parking lot, emphasis on the whole TIME thing.
So I was scooping, and thinking about my book (RTBB) and the book I am going to start once RTBB is done. Then I started acting out various monologues and movie scripts I had memorized then I thought about God and my dreams, and his plans and hopes for my future.
And I thought of this verse:

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. Before you were born I set you apart..." (Jeremiah 1:5)

That's a pretty amazing thing. He knew the plans he had before me. He knew me, weirdness and all and he set me apart. I don't know if I'm going to end up fulfilling my dreams. But I do know this: God set me apart, and he knows my dreams better than I do.
Blurb for the day.

  • I missed out on sledding with three of my best friends today. That's sad.
  • They left snow angels in my yard though. TOTALLY WORTH IT!
  • Chili is the meal of the day.
  • My feet are cold and all my socks are in the laundry. Perfect timing? I think so!
  • Tomorrow will be an amazing day!
  • God is definitely amazing. Spectacular. Marvelous. Miraculous. Gracious. Lovely.
  • I finally learned how to spell definitely. Aren't you proud?
  • Enough said.
Trip, Ace & Demo,

~Yours Truly

P.S. read Matthew 6... A S T R O B O Y . . . . .

Saturday, 24 October 2009

Well, there is no way to describe how happy I am about the comments! I almost, lost my mind it was that cool!
Just to let everyone know, the picture for this blog makes me laugh every time I see it. No joke.
So, today I had a really great week. On tuesday (has it really been that long since I blogged??) I was reading my lovely bible and I came across these verses in Hebrews:

"The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12: 27-29)

That is an amazing word to get a hold of. When you devote your heart to God you can be happy, and at peace that you stand on a rock, you stand with a God that cannot be shaken. You will not be shaken!
I was thinking about the verses all week and I had my own little "conversation" with God.

God: So, you go that word, how about giving it to some other people.
Me: But God that's really hard. I don't know how to do that.
G: Did I ever promise you it would be easy?
M: No, no you didn't. Why can't it be?
G: Because then I would be your average God. And I am more than that. I AM GOD. I gave you that word, those scriptures, you're going to carry them with you. I promised you that if you trusted in my i would never put on you more than you can bear. I will never let you be shaken. There is no promise in there that it's going to be easy.
M: But HOW? God sometimes it's so hard and I don't know what to do!
G: Is it not easy to pull someone off a chair? Yet how hard is it to pull someone onto it? You're my child, I have your future mapped for you. Don't worry. So what, it's not easy? You CAN do it.
M: But HOW?
G: Oh you already know. You will not be shaken.

Then it was like God went off line. He was still there, but he wanted me to think about it. And I did. It totally did. And I think that my faith is elevated and I can do it. We ALL can do it.
Blurb for the day.

  • Last night I went to our school play and it was better than I had expected!
  • And I went with my twin sister on what we called a "date night".
  • Pretty much the best date ever (considering I've never been on one, it was insane! My standards are now extremely high!)
  • And Astro Boy (ASTRO BOY!!!!!) came out Friday. I will probably have to wait until next week to see it though. I just realized, I haven't talked about Freddie Highmore on the blog in a long time.
  • Dear goodness.
  • God is definitely doing a thing in my life and I am SO SO ready.
  • Have a beautiful ending.
Trip, Ace & Demo,

~Yours Truly

P.S. I reccomend you read Hebrews 12... and maybe go see Astro Boy

Monday, 19 October 2009


Slap Happy.
That's the only way I can describe myself at this moment!
(By the way, where did that phrase origonate? I, personally wouldn't be too happy if I was slapped. Just saying.)
I think it all started way back when on Friday night prayer. I have said it quite a few times in recent posts: How bad do you want it?

This, I think really changed my life. I desperately needed that. That was my second time attending prayer, the first time I had, I guess what you could call an emotional break down. The world felt like it was crashing down, but then we had a big prayer and well, that was that.
Leah prayed for me (and amazing thing) and I couldn't stop sobbing. Big choking sobs, sobs that, if you didn't know why they were coming out, would break your heart.

That's what amazing about God. No matter how many times you walk away, turn your back, he's still there. He was there when I was in prayer, at the end of the line playing my heart song.
He knows how much you can take, and he will NOT leave you or forsake you!
God has been dealing with me lately, in a way I have never felt before. It feels good to pray, it feels good to give myself over to him at the end of the day.
There is definitely that change and I hold on to those words:

"How badly do you want it?"

  • I woke up at 3:45 this morning without my alarm and was not even tired!
  • I went to bed at 11.
  • So I read my bible. I tell you, it was a God thing. I also thought. Thinking is my pleasure. IT completes my life.
  • Like Barlow Girl...
  • Have a beautiful ending.
  • Enough said.
Trip, Ace & Demo,

~Yours Truly

P.S. comments. sigh. Read Matthew 5.

Friday, 16 October 2009


Showers, are a waste of my time.
You really can't do anything in a shower but... bathe. And, personally it's not that entertaining.
That is a full 7 minutes of my life I could be using doing something else!
Some may argue that I am being unreasonable, that it is disgusting to say that. I mean, I like being clean, but I like being dirty at the same time. Because when I am dirty or sweaty after a good, long run, I feel so accomplished! Maybe it's just me.

But now I think of poor children who rarely get to bathe and think, well, maybe a shower isn't that bad after all.

  • I am back to me. Full out Sydney. Take it or leave it. God has definitely been dealing with my heart. The process has been kind of ugly, and I'm not out of the water yet, but I am who God says I am and nothing is going to change that.
  • I don't have any deep wisdom right now. Actually, no, I do. But I think it's for me, God meant it for me, and I'm going to tuck it away in my jacket pocket, lined with silk, so I can take it out, and admire it every night as the light grows dim and my eyelids grow heavy. And I will think of what a beautiful gift I have, that God gave me. What a beautiful gift I get to keep.
  • I'm going to get selfish in the spirit, like pastor says. Just this one time.
  • It's been an interesting weekend. I got kind of lonely not talking to my twin and Twinkie.
  • I've been kind of sad with the lack of comments lately. I'm back to that whole:
    Dear world, thank you for not hearing me but letting me pour my heart just to feel heard. Sincerely,
    Me
  • Today I was hanging laundry (oodles) and I was like: "well hey! Sydney, pal, what's going on? You could be doing something productive with your laundry-hanging time! Turn that frown upside-down!"
  • So I went into my room. Unplugged my i-pod dock (a process that involves moving my bookshelf... sigh) then lugged my i-pod dock to the bathroom, plugged it in, strung the impossibly long cord along the counter and went to Hillsong United. And as I hung the laundry I sang my heart out to every praise and worship song that came on.
  • And it was great.
  • However, I'm glad God loves us no matter what because as I sang my heart out I was stringing underwear along a wire. Just saying.
  • My family is debating which movie to watch tonight and I think I should be a part of this conversation of up-most importance.
  • Enough said.
Trip, Ace & Demo,

~A&A


"With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death."
(Romans 8:1-2)

Wednesday, 14 October 2009




For some reason, every time I type "though" I always type a
t at the end then delete it. It's like osmosis. it's weird. Just a little quirky side note that you may remember in the future. It's like, useless information.
Like a shark stops breathing when it's not moving.
In the
Wizard of Oz, Dorothy's last name is Gail. It says so on the mailbox.
Captain Kirk never said "Beam me up Scottie".

Children grow faster in the spring time.
Pointless information like that. I mean, you take it and... walk around with it? I don't know, maybe you could slap it in front of a politician or something.

Anyway.
My blogger boycott, as you can tell, ended today because I finally got inspiration, and I finally couldn't stand the lonely state of our blog page.
So, I was listening to Superchick's song: beauty from pain. Part of the song goes like this:

After all this has passed, i still will remain
After i've cried my last, there'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today,
Someday i'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain

My whole world is the pain inside me
The best i can do is just get through the day
When life before is only a memory
I'll wonder why God lets me walk through this place
And though i can't understand why this happened
I know that i will when i look back someday
And see how you've brought beauty from ashes
And made me as gold purified through these flames


And wow. It wrapped up my life. As do a lot of songs lately, but this one was really big for me because I have had so much pain in my life. I watched my mother slip through my fingers. I saw people hurting all the time, and life never really seemed fair to me.
But God brings beauty from pain.
You have to go through pain, and heart ache to be beautiful. Because that's what makes you, you. That's what creates your testimony.

A swan is hideous when it's a baby. It's small and gray and nothing looks right on it. But over time, through the cold harsh winter that ugly duckling turns to something beautiful and captivating.

I don't know why, but I always find when I'm hurting and straying spiritually songs like these come to me. This was one of those times.

This wasn't a terribly long post, nor was it insanely deep. But I think I got something out of it. I think it helped change my life, my future.

Enough said.


Trip, Ace & Demo,

~A&A


P.S. listen to "beauty from pain"

Sunday, 11 October 2009




For some reason right now, I can't get these three certain things out of my head:

  1. Why things happen
  2. Barlow Girl, and how much they sum up my life
  3. Something I am not going to mention
It never ceases to amaze me how many thoughts I can have in my head at one time. If I were to mull over each and every one for a while I would probably go stark raving NUTS.
So. Barlow Girl. I have been talking about them for a while here on the blog, and have been using songs in my daily life. A lot.
And once again, they complete my life. They sum up every thing I am thinking in that little burrito of love and tin foil and make me feel not so... alone.
This time about beauty and self worth.
I thought of their song Mirror because a girl from church came up to me and was talking to me about how her friends thought they weren't worth anything.
And Barlow Girls song came into my head:

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, I won't try

Mirror I am seeing a new reflection
I'm looking into the eyes of He who made me
And to Him I have beauty beyond compare
I know who defines me


That's an amazing thing to get hold of. The world doesn't define us. To God we have
beauty beyond compare. That's insane beauty. Who are other people to say that we're not beautiful? We need to seek that new reflection, the reflection of God's mirror. One that is beautiful, flawless. Perfect. So, here's to you faithful readers. God has made you all beautiful, and worth more than anything that the world has. You can't put a price tag on a human. Blurb for the day.
  • Our house smells so good right now. We're having french toast (french toast!) for lunch. That is an amazing feeling.
  • Church was amazing today. I really loved it and being with all the girls.
  • Why can't I get this thing out of my head right now? I have this one thought occupying my thoughts that will not stop. It's like a little pick ax on my brain. ping. ping. ping.
  • Have a beautiful ending.
Trip, Ace & Demo,

~A&A

P.S. read 1 Thessalonians 5 "... be joyful always..."

Saturday, 10 October 2009

Ok so I know how I said that I love running in the cold weather, and I still do, but today was the coldest race of my life. And believe me it was a challenge. So I get to the school at 8:15 in the morning just like they wanted and it's snowing. We drive all the way to the meet which is around 30 minutes away and we get off the bus only to hear that it has been postponed 30 minutes. So its 9:00 and I don't run until 12 now. Fun. So I fall asleep in the isle of the bus (because it's much more comfortable down there then it is on the tiny seat) until my friend starts pouring crumbs on my face. I'm really not sure why but it woke me up! We were all hoping that the meet was going to be canceled but it wasn't. So we were going to be running in the 20 degree weather. My friend Kylie and I were joking that it was too cold to snow. When it was my turn to race we went to go warm up and stretch and then we went to the start line where it took like 5 minutes for the guy to finally come out and say the little stuff you need to know like if someone falls we will hear another shot and we have to go back to the start line. Finally the race starts and I can tell that I'm not going to do very good. Here's how I know:

  1. My other friend Zoe's brother said that he thinks he broke 30. And for those of you who don't know 30 minutes for him would be terrible.
  2. My lungs feel like they are going to explode with every breath I take and my heart feels like its frozen to my chest.
  3. I can't feel my nose within the first minute
  4. My legs are really really tired
  5. The ground is so uneven I'm looking down the entire time to make sure I don't twist an ankle

Ok so they aren't the most ideal running conditions but do I stop? No. Do I decide not to try and just go a slow easy pace like everyone else? No. I keep running, really hard, in fact I keep up with these two girls named Tanna and Amy who are way faster then me. (although I think they are a few of the people who decided that they weren't going to run as fast as they could) The course was pretty hilly and at one point we had to run in sand, and as Zoe described it "It felt like I was going backwards!", I thought that was an accurate description. So i finished the race, near the end i passed like three people but then they started sprinting and just passed me again. I thought I was going pretty fast at the end but my dad said I was pretty much standing still. So that was my day for ya. Tomorrow I'm going to 10:30 mass and then were staying after for a little church meeting thing. I'm not positive what that is going to be like, all that I know is that we have to fill out a lot of papers. I'm hoping that I will be able to go to the store afterwards so that i can buy Mario cart for the wii. Fun times, and then I will have to invite Sydney over so we can duke it out!

DON'T FEED THE WILD ANIMALS!

~A


Today was one of those days.
It wasn't exactly the best, to start out. Later, however, it got better. We were driving home and listening to the radio (oh how it makes a great good dent in my life) and Barlow Girl came on (oh how they complete my life). It was their song Beautiful Ending, which I have come to love very much and it just made me perk up. The lyrics are like this:

Oh tragedy has taken so many
Love lost cause it all forgot who you were
And it scares me to think that I would choose
My life over you
Oh my selfish heart
Divides me from you
It tears us apart

So tell me what is our ending
Will it be beautiful
So beautiful

Oh why do I let myself let go
Of hands that painted the stars and holds tears that fall
And the brighter my heart makes me forget
It's not me but you
Who makes the heart beat
I'm lost without you
You're dying for me

So tell me what is our ending
Will it be beautiful
So beautiful
Will my life find me by your side
Your love is beautiful
So beautiful

At the end of it all I wanna be in your arms [x4]

So tell me what is our ending
Will it be beautiful
So beautiful
Will my life find me by your side
Cause your love is beautiful
So beautiful

This song hits me hard in a lot of aspects, but it took on different meaning today.
What was my ending for today going to be like? Was I going to still be stuck in the mud under this ugly storm cloud? Was I going to wallow in self-pity forever? No. I wanted the end of my day to be beautiful. I wanted it to be a beautiful ending, one that I could look back on and be like: "Yeah Syd, that was beautiful."
Not only that but one of my friends lost her mother recently. I know all too well what that is like. And it cut me rather deep to think that she was going through that. And I cried for her on Friday night prayer, because that is hard. That's something that nobody needs to experience, but does because it's part of life. But the part of the song where they sing:
"Oh why do I let myself let go
Of hands that painted the stars and holds tears that fall"
I knew that she wasn't alone, and that my hurting from missing my mother was still there, it would be impossible to forget. But God was there all along, even when I turned my back, he was catching my tears. He still is.
Enough said.

Trip, Ace & Demo,

~A&A

P.S. Have a beautiful ending

Friday, 9 October 2009


I don't know what to say. By that, as usual, I have A LOT to say. As in, there is so much I have to say I don't even know where to begin.
I guess prayer would be my starting place. I didn't feel so hot when I went into prayer, and I didn't exactly feel fantastic leaving either. But during prayer, it was amazing.
I have been thinking about "the race of faith" lately and not walking off the track, when I remembered a very popular passage of scripture:

"... Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, his love endures forever..."
(Psalms 136)

But there was one word that struck me: endures.
I often refer to the word endures as in running. It's hard and you have to endure to pass the finish line. But in this scripture it's not talking about us enduring, but aboug God enduring, or more correctly his love enduring.
We don't endure alone. We don't fight this spiritual battle alone, we don't endure alone. It says right there He is enduring too! That is so amazing to me.
When God showed that to me it hurt my heart so bad because I'm always thinking about myself through this, all my struggles, when God's standing right besides us fighting too.
Blurb for the day.

  • By the way, my blurb has SO much to do with my 5 minute challenge.
  • I went to Emma's today so we could work on editing my book (wow. what an insane thing to call it. God has blessed me so much with this story, you have no idea!
  • It was fun too though. Did I mention he was tri-polar? I told you all the names have significance!! Oh yeah, and they're all telepathic. Just a heads up!
  • Sigh. Don't you just love those little moments that make you laugh so hard? They make the world go round, they really do. They're blessings in disguise.
  • It's finally the weekend. School wasn't so bad, and I really enjoyed talking to Kristen and Taylor in history. That is probably one of the best classes!
  • My family is watching Wall. E right now. I wanted to watch Finding Nemo but nooooo.
  • You win some you lose some.
  • Enough said.
Trip, Ace & Demo,

~Yours Truly

P.S. I greatly encourage you to read 1 Peter 5... "Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble..."

Thursday, 8 October 2009

Ok, I have to say one thing and one thing only (actually I have a lot of things to say, but this is the one that's going to get out of the ball park) Emma, I know you're reading this so read up: You can never ever, ever, ever write too much! So the next post, man I want it to be a novel! You are a beautiful girl and writer and I dare you to think about yourself for a few seconds and write everything. I dare you.
Ok, my rant is over, somewhat.
Today was a really great day. Beyond great, actually. I definetly had the joy of the Lord inside. But there was something that I found out last night that stirred emotions in me that I slam lids on. I'm not an emotional person, I try not to be.
But I was sitting in bed and I was thinking about God. I was wondering why He didn't just show me what to do, how to live right for him, why didn't he just make me be perfect in his eyes? And I got it. Oh my gosh did I get it. I got the image of a slave in my head.

Running, running away from what they are forced to do.
And it all clicked, the puzzle pieces were falling into place.
We're not God's slaves. He doesn't force us to do anything. We chose. That's where God's love comes in. Jesus wasn't forced to be brutally murdered and nailed to a cross. He could have destroyed every single on of those soldiers without batting an eye. But he didn't. He chose to stay there and take that pain.

I don't know. To me, that is truly amazing.
Blurb for the day.

  • Today, I cracked and write A TON more in my story... I mean, book.
  • In fact, I am sad and happy to say this (if your name is Danielle, Emma or Grace I HIGHLY reccomend you DO NOT read the rest of this bullet!) Ok. When I was writing I wrote this really good part that it made me cry as I wrote it. That was definetly a God thing. He was there and it was his idea. So amazing.
  • Anyway. Well I think that this is going to be a pretty short post. I have been on a writing streak and I wrote for a full hour in my book. It's an amazing feeling.
  • I really like this song by MercyMe. It's called Finally Home. Here are some of the lyrics to take with you wherever you are.
I’m gonna wrap my arms around my daddy’s neck
And tell him that I’ve missed him.
And tell him all about the man that I became
And hope that it pleased him

There’s so much I want to say
There’s so much I want you to know

Chorus
When I finally make it home
When I finally make it home

Then I’ll gaze upon the throne of the King
Frozen in my steps
And all the questions that I swore I would ask
Words just won’t come yet

So amazed at what I’ve seen
So much more than this old mind can hold

Chorus

Bridge
And the sweetest sound my ears have yet to hear
Voices of the angels


  • Whenever I hear that song it encourages me. It makes me pick myself off, dust myself off and keep on walking. Because, when I finally make it home, it will be SO worth it!
  • How badly do you want it?
  • Enough said.
Trip, Ace & Demo,

~Yours Truly


P.S. read Isaiah 1


Ok so before I get started I noticed that some people were saying how they loved all of the pictures that we use and I feel that it would be appropriate to give credit to the people who actually took the pictures. Most of the AMAZING pictures that we get are from the blogs "the drifter and the gypsy" and "Daydream Lily". So I would like to thank them for all of the pictures (even though I don't think that they even read our blog).

I had a life changing moment today, and I rarely have these. Now don't think that this is something I always talk about because yes, it happened when I was running today at cross country. I was running and thinking about how cold it was when it started to snow. All the sudden I closed my eyes and listened to the snow hitting the trees, my feet pounding on the hard ground, the wind blowing in my face. I just took it all in, all of my surroundings, using every single one of my senses. I breathed in the dry cold air and felt the numbness in my ears. I opened my eyes and saw the snow sticking to my lashes, the white flurry of flakes falling all around me. And at that moment I thought "this is what I love to do, this is what i live to do." Because it's true. Running is my life, it challenges me, like it did today, can I run in the rain? yes. Can I run in the snow? yes. It has really changed my life, for the better. And no matter where is is, no matter what the weather, I love it all the same.

Cross country is almost over and I'm starting to stress out. I don't know what I'm going to do. My life will feel so empty. Maybe I'll get Sydney and Kylie to go running with me during the winter.

Today during English we had to write a topic sentence and I redid mine like 4 times before I got one that I was satisfied with. But once i got it I was pretty happy with myself because I'm not the greatest writer.

It's still snowing and once again I can see it out of my window, right now. I love love love the snow! And the cold! Coming inside to un thaw your hands and to drink a nice big cup of hot chocolate is amazing. Then spending the day on the couch watching movies and reading. And even more fun then that is spending the day in the mountains to go skiing! Another one of my favorite sports!

And to add to all of this great news my favorite song just came on the radio!

Ok I don't want you to get bored out of your minds reading this post so I'll stop now (I guess its not that long is it?)

DON'T FEED THE WILD ANIMALS!

~A

Tuesday, 6 October 2009


Waking up with a worship song in your head is the best feeling ever. Period. End of story.
At least to me. It's been happening lately, every day. I go to sleep dreaming and thinking about way too much and I wake up-all of that removed-and am at peace.
That happened today. I went to bed, the weight of the world felt like it was crashing down. But when I woke up I was OK. I was better thank OK, I was great.
Oddly enough, I felt removed from the situation. In the valley there was a battle, but I was on the hilltop, staring down, mourning over the losses, cheering at the joys.

  • I've never had this feeling before, but when I got home today, I did not want to do my homework. I wanted to do everything besides my homework.
  • So, I did. For a while anyway, until my sister snitched on me and told my mom I was writing a letter. You gotta love her.
  • So then I finished my math homework (which, might I add, took forever) and went around my room looking for envelopes.
  • An odd thing to look for, but I was thinking about how many envelopes I had to be safe that I had more than plenty to write to my pen(cil)-pal, Lovely Leah. (Rest assured Leah, I have enough envelopes to last me writing you a life time. And some.)
  • WE HAVE 17 FOLLOWERS!!!!
  • Today was a pretty good day, to be sure. After I wrote that last blog I felt like a veil was lifting and I needed to do something that would reap benefits to more people than just myself.
  • So I read my bible. I read Romans 8, actually. But I wasn't done there. I read Psalms 89, and Ecclesisastes 3, then I read from 1Peter. I couldn't stop myself because no matter what I read it had meaning. It dug deep into my soul, sifted around a bit, and came back up, making my heart feel ten times lighter.
  • It made me think of Barlow Girls song "I Don't Regret". Part of the song goes like this:
Why do we think if we trust God too much he will fail us?
Nothing has come when I chose its that in me I'd trust
Separate me You have called out to follow You blindly
I won't fear You're leading me
I don't regret choosing You
And I'm not ashamed
That it's You who holds my heart

You have shown my ever wondering heart what love is
What on earth is more important than to have all of you

  • Barlow Girls wraps up my life. I really encourage you, Dear Reader, to listen to this song.
  • Ryan's words won't leave my head and I think they were really meant for me. Specifically for me.
  • "How badly do you want it?"
  • Enough said.
Trip, Ace & Demo,

~Yours Truly

P.S. Walk around with a smile on your face. You burn more calories.

Monday, 5 October 2009


I'm disheartened. It's one of those times in my life where, out of all the people who have failed me, I have done it the most. I betray myself at the greatest lengths.
It's hard.

Maybe for everyone else a relationship and true relationship with God comes easy, but for me it's like a ton of bricks. Because, honestly, I don't feel strong. I don't feel like I can go through with it. And I have had to fight myself too many times and told myself that I can do it.
Can I? Will I?
Yet what Ryan said two weeks ago keeps playing in my head:

How badly do you want it?"


Do I want it? Sydney, do you want it? How hard are you willing to struggle, how far are you willing to go?
To the ends of the earth. Because the love I feel when I am in God's arms is overwhelming. It's more incredible than anything I could ever imagine. I may have not had my first kiss yet, but I know what love feels like from the creator of love, and I am keeping it.
The struggle is so hard, I get that. Hello? I live it. But that's what makes the fighting so much better. I want to win and be a sore-winner about it. I want to take the devils nose and shove it, to rub it around in failure like a bad dog. I want to have the victory of a win.
That's what I want. My heart has been set on that, it always will be.

  • I really liked Emma's last post. It made me think. A lot of that has been going through my head as well.
  • Thinking is going to be the death of me.
  • You have no idea.
  • To be totally honest, this was not a very long post. Danielle, and maybe you other readers are probably very proud.
  • Then again, we say the most when we say the least.
Trip, Ace & Demo,

~Yours Truly


"So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
" (Romans 8:32-39)


I went running in the rain today. It was pouring and it is right now, I can see it out my window and it started like 3 hours ago. We were running around the track today doing speed work but we didn't have any breaks so by the time we were done it liked like we had took a shower. Some people even asked us if we did take a shower, it was pretty funny actually. At one point for like 3 minutes it came down so hard it felt like I was in a swimming pool. It would have been really fun if it wasn't really cold, which it was. I loved it though, it made me think of all the times that parents tell their kids that the reason it rains is because God is crying. I wondered what they would tell their kids for why it was raining for 3 hours. The world has broken out in a WW4? No i probably would have heard about it. Maybe it because he saw us out there working so hard and it made him really proud. The only thing he didn't know is that it would have really helped if he stopped crying.


  1. I have decided to try to get at very least 8 hours of sleep each night for the entire week.

  2. It's not helping that I'm doing this post instead of doing my homework

  3. I heard some very disturbing today and it's making me think

  4. Just think

  5. About life

  6. And how much I love to live, I know it sounds weird but I'm really not kidding. I'd rather be living then anything else in the world.

  7. How cheesy did that sound? Ok well I'm so full of thoughts that I can't write anymore

DON'T FEED THE WILD ANIMALS


~A

Sunday, 4 October 2009


Prayer completes my life. Bar none. It wraps everything up into this tight, hot burrito of God wrapped in tin foil. I don't know why, but Friday night prayer, man I needed it.
I had just gotten to the point where it was too much. So many things were happening but none of them made any sense. I was running that race but I couldn't take much more. Then in prayer it all clicked.

A slap-you-in-the-face moment.
What Ryan said last week, God knows what he can do, he knows what you need, but how badly do you want it? That struck me and added so much!
So I went into prayer and as I started crying out I felt it. I can still remember falling my knees, the feeling of hitting the ground burns in my mind. God was tugging at my heart, telling me that I wasn't going to get anything out of prayer unless I fought for it. All I could hear from him was this:

"How badly do you want it Sydney?"

  • Yesterday I went on a hike with my family and it was really great! I just loved being out in the open air, so cold. It nipped at my cheeks, but it felt SO good! I wish I could do that all the time.
  • Honestly, I think I could have grown up in the country.
  • Actually, I would really be happy anywhere.
  • Except Antarctica.
  • I finished Hunger Games (the book I was reading) on Thursday and I am dying to read the next one. You have no idea (unless you're around me a ton) what role books play in my life. I love them so much. In fact I'm starting my own personal library. I need another bookshelf I have that many books. I LOVE books.
  • In fact, I was thinking about this when I woke up. (I woke up with a worship song in my head. Do you have any idea what a great feeling that is?!) And I started thinking about my favorite books and who taught me to read.
  • My mother.
  • She taught me how to read. (not to gloat or anything) but I read pretty fast too.
  • Wow. Crazy thought.
  • I wrote more in my book. That is a GREAT feeling, to be sure!
  • Enough said.
Trip, Ace & Demo ~Yours Truly P.S. this is the first post that I didn't have any spelling errors in!! AAAAUUUUGGGHHH!!!!


I havn't really been on the blog lately because I have had no inspiration on what to write. Do real writers always have somthing in the back of there minds to write about so they never get in the same boat as me with nothing to write or or do they think for the entire day about what they should say like i have all day because incase you haven't noticed this post has taken all day. And I'm not even on the second paragraph yet. Wow does that say somthing about me or what. I ran the race for the cure today and it was much more fun to run with my friend for a change. I was at the start line and I really started to think about how great this race really is, not only does it rais money but you also get a ton of free stuff! Just kidding, What i was really thinking about was how there are so many caring people out there that even if you are not a runner you rise to the occasion and do it for someone that you love. Tons of people I'm sure were doing it for their relatives or friends or even themselves. I thought that was really cool to, yes its ok to run a race in celebration of yourself.

I kind of had a reading weekend, I really wanted a good book that I hadn't read yet so I started a bunch of different one trying to find the right one. I did, thanks to grace, first I tryed a book called Fairest which I thought the beginning was kind of boring so i didn't want to finish that one. Then I started one called The Fire Within, which was sort of an easy read, I got to page 50 before I realized I didn't really like it. Then my sister was reading some little kids book which was like 200 pages of rubbish but I read that whole thing anyway because i was so bored. And finally yesterday I started Life as we knew it (also thanks to grace) and it is AMAZING. It's kinda depressing but I really find it interesting. And little books like those I usually finish really fast which makes be mad but I'm only half way through this one which is really good! I finally got smokey to go in his box, Sydney you know what i'm talking about, all i had to do was put it on my dress or, and PRESTO! he loves it, well i hope he does anyway.
~A

Thursday, 1 October 2009


My new favorite word?
Because.
Cuz.
'Cause.
I actually had this slap-you-in-the-face-moment because of beautiful Sonia (thank you Sonia!!!)
Too many time we are like: "Well all these stupid, pointless things are happening to me, and breaking me apart, and ruining my life. Why? WHY? God are you even there? Can you even HEAR me?!"

OK, so maybe I'm the only one who has said that... no? Because whenever something goes wrong we're like: "GOD WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!"
But we often forget that it's not God doing it, it's God allowing us to do it.
Because he knows we can take it. He knows that we're going to have to reach DEEP inside of us to find that last burst of energy that helps us finish the race. He KNOWS that we have that in us, the real question is: Do we want to use it?
Since Emma is such a great, spectacular, fast etc. etc. runner, I will relate this to running (analogies, eh Leah?)

Imagine this: You're running a race. Your lungs burn, your arms (yes your arms) ache like the dickens and your legs are screaming. The blister on your foot is rubbing against the back of your shoes. The person you are trying to beat is right behind you and you can hear them letting you know in colorful language that they are going to beat you (even though they're, uh, behind you...)
So you just walk off the track.

Why would you do that? The reason anyone enters a race is to finish it. There would be no point in you just walking off that track when you are doing so good. Yes your legs and arms and lungs and every part of your body ache and you feel like you can't go any further. Yes it's miserable and you can almost taste the finish line, but you still have to sprint for it. Why do you get pain when your running your hardest? Why don't you just walk off the track and throw up your hands?
Because.
God pushes us, like a good coach who knows that you are good enough, but wants you to prove it. He pushes you until you can't move after practice. He pushes you until your lungs feel like they're going to burst, until you feel like throwing up.
Because he know you can take it.
He loves you that much.
Because life is an endurance race.
Blurb for the day.

  • I thank everyone for all the comments about what I should do in my next book! Now I have to location scout and such. And if you have anymore suggestions on location (Maine, Canada or Kansas) and what emotions a reader likes to feel LET ME KNOW!!! Thank you!!
  • Audrey over-did it a little with the lemon Pledge in the family room. Just saying.
  • I started reading the book: THE HUNGER GAMES which my wonderful bible study buddy so graciously recommended to me! Very good!!!
  • My book is chugging along once again after I deleted a WHOLE TWO CHAPTERS.
  • Yes, that's right people. I got rid of two beautiful, time consuming, prayer time chapters.
  • And it was worth it. Oh the life of a writer.
  • I could say "woe is me" but I'm not going to go all Shakespeare on you. Why? Because there is no "woe is me" in this. I should be saying "woe is you" to the computer that I bang the keys on and the computer that I say "UGH THIS IS SO STU.... AGGRAVATING!!!!" to.
  • Enough said.
Trip, Ace & Demo,

~Yours Truly

P.S. Read Isaiah 53

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