the pilgrim's day.

Yesterday I was thinking. I was thinking about all the things I ws honestly thankful for... and some of the things I should be thankful for :p But then I watched Charlie Brown Thanskgiving and they were talking about the first Thanksgiving. When it comes to Christmas, when you grow up around a wonderful church and a christian family you always remember the first Christmas, or atleast you are reminded of it and the story of Christ being born and the star and the wise men. But when it comes to Thanksgiving, the only time we really think about the first Thanksgiving is when your elementary school is putting on a small school play or you dress up like pilgrims and indians for a class party. Think about it, the pilgrims, they sailed on that forsaken ship for a very long time. Many of them died coming to America, those ships were way more danger then movies make them look. The rats carried diseases, once someone caught a disease, you all did. Sea sickness is horrible... and if you were prone to that and got it all the time, you would be miserable. People you loved died daily and the food made you want to join them. Then, finally, they land... and there are PEOPLE already there. People who don't look like you (which back then would be a big big deal), people with weapons that you have never seen, and just when you thought you were safe getting off the boat, those people threatened your lives daily as well. You also didn't know how to plant or harvest anything to eat because it was new land. Then, when you finally get the hang of it and you realize that there is actually food to harvest and it is ready to eat and your "enemies" come in peace and celebrate with you. Now that is something to be thankful for. There were only 53 pilgrims left on that Thanksgiving Day, 53 who had lost almost everything but kept trudging on. 53 that trusted in God and were blessed for their trust on one fall afternoon. 53 pilgrims who worshipped God for his mercy and love. We complain in all this comfort everyday but then on Thanksgiving we thank God for what we have. Those pilgrims, I am sure thanked God for their life all the time. Its just amazing. Its amazing we have so much and they had so little and they still thanked God for what they had. The pilgrims amaze me.

How glorious is God to give us so much when we deserve so little? When we lose so little, we still wait for the once a year to seriously sit and think about what God has given us. It goes to show you how different America was when it first came to be and how it is now. Praise God for the good. Praise God for the bad. Praise God daily, for he is good.

daryl

the beautiful bec's birthday.

How about that alliteration? yeah. thats right lit teachers. I pay attention. Probably only during the poetry months during the year but whatever. Anyways, that was the other years.. this year I want to pay attention because my teacher is amazing. OK. stopping on the lit class rant now. Yesterday was becca's birthday, she is 17. I know. She is turning wrinkley and is shrinking everyday (probably on the days i am not wearing my contacts and glasses and I have those random growth spurts... but i am pretty positive it is because she is getting old.) She drove. Like 15 hours on her birthday. She always has such a good attitude about things. She always slaps a smile on that pretty little face and goes on with life. Number one, SMART. Number two, everyone should be a little more like her. Well, anna, court, ryan and myself wanted to do something for her.. so we concocted this HUGE, awesome plan... when she went to bed the day before her birthday.. we were going to decorate her whole house and draw all over her driveway. Well we were siked and bought everything and rebecca didnt know. It was gteat. Then... God had other plans, and it rained. It ruined everything and our present turned out reallll ghetto. Not even the COOL kind of ghetto. sheesh. But, we decorated, wrote her letters, and left her a decorated cake. She deserved the best, she is the best. The thought was there and I would just like to declare my love for that kid.

REBECCA ELISE CARLSON. I love thee.

(tomorrow is thanksgiving. I am in Hilton Head... I LOVE Thanksgiving. I am SIKEDDDDD)

the dee

refreshing.

really though. REALLY though. I just feel relaxed. I still have a bunch to do, but after working so hard this week and staying up really late all these nights and having CRAZY classes today (best ones yet though) and just finishing it all... for atleast a week. I am truly thankful for this peace God has given me. I just feel like a huge load has been taken off me.. when really... i still have a bunch to do.. but i just feel.. so GOOD!

and tonights cell group, talking over Sunday's message and thinking about it and hearing other views, was honestly the bets topping to my night. I couldn't have chosen a better ending to my "social day" (it obviously wasn't the end of my day or i would be asleep). That group just yearns for God, they just want him with their everything. You can tell. You can tell that they just reach until their arms ache. They strain with their eyes just to see a real glimpse of him. They hold His Word like the sacred book it is. I want to be like them. I want their attitudes. I want the fire in me like HG, the light of Jesus Christ in me like Steph, the passion in me like Bec, the humble attitude in me like Catherine, the heart of a servant in me like kellie, the look of God truly shining through me like amy, I want to follow hard after Christ like Jess, know God like dan, show the attitude of Christ like dustin, Submit to my God like Jude... and just so many others.

I want to be like them because they strive to be like God.

and that is my heart's desire.

"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1 Peter 2:11-12

I know, what a refreshing way to end my day. God couldn't have blessed me with a better end.

"They longed for me to speak as people long for rain.They drank my words like a refreshing spring rain." Job 29:23

Just Plain Daryl.

Submission.

really though, it seems like the easiest thing you can do for God, and for some people, it is; but for people with strong personalities... not that easy. It's hard when I feel like someone disrespects me and I have to sit there and be respectful back. But like Dan said, thats just the thinking of, "I deserve better, when really, all we deserve is death." God has blessed me with so much, so many wonderful, wonderful friends, an amazing family, the team of a lifetime, a youth group that is solid and the best there is, a dance stuido that carries the attitude of putting God first, just... the list goes on and on. And that wonderful God who gave ALL of that to me, when i deserved nothing, asks me to submit to my authorities. He asked me to do it. How could I sit here and know that God chose me, asked me something, and then still want my selfish ways and still want to give them a taste of their own medicine? I dont know.. but its easier said then done. I even find it hard praying for those people, just cause I don't want to. But how selfish could I be? I have been having the opposite attitude and doing everything I can to show everyone and that person the error of their ways, but its not working... they don't notice. The reason they dont notice is because it isn't between myself and that person. It is between them and God. And then! just when I go to those places, see those faces, my heart and mind thinking and feeling, "full submission." It gets harder, something happens and I don't want to do it anymore. Satan is alive and well and I need to remember that I can't do anything without the Lord. Nothing.

I will be set apart, I will pray daily and rely on the Lord for help, and I will show submission. Oh, I will. Because I have to, because I love God.

the G calls me d-money.

the game of basketball.

last night the G, bec, nuke and i had a basketball experience. We went from our own practice, to matt's game, to the girls version of knights vs. knights (as dustin called it) and then the boys version of knights vs. knights. Matt's game was hilarious, the other team looked like a t.v. show, the average movie rejects who were good but they didn't look like they could be by their looks and that's why no one picked them. it was quite the funny. Matthew Carlson had a great game, led his team and beat the other team... by 50. but still fun to watch cause matt's a beast. On the way to NRCA's gv team, we got a little.. confused. Map quest is just like that. So we stopped after about 45 minutes and got directions from a pizza man who sounded new yorky.. but he was from cary.. i think it was just his pizza man cover up. Then we arrived and the game was close close close. Both teams were amazing, Rebecca Fussell amazes me, she is so good. They lost by five but to a team that is amazing and they fought through the whole thing, so they should be happy with that. That's my opinion. On to the epitome of greatness. The boys were stoked and bouncing around, yelling at each other in encouragement. They amaze me, how they are so pumped and so... big. That boy though, that boy took over the game. It amazed me, with castle corner screaming at everything behind me, G and nuke yelling beside me, players cheering in front of me, it just simply amazed me. He truly is THE good basketball player. Like the definition. He killed it, had like 40 points (seriously), like 18 steals (i don't know. but a lot), and a million other things (legit). It was truly appalling. He was like the hero of NRCA, after the game EVERYONE like surrounded him and gave their high fives or pats; G, Bec and i were like, HA, WE GO TO CHURCH WITH HIM! ha! It just amazed me and i decided i want to play like a boy. :)

Although the game of basketball makes me so frustrated all the time, i can never go away from it. I love the sound of squeaky shoes on the court, the swish of the ball, the cheers of the crowd, and the pounding of your heart and the silence of it all as event after event occurs. Sure, it frustrates me a ton if i lose by a lot, but i still got to play and that is something i need to thank the Lord for. Sometimes i wish i didn't like it so much, but that wish ceases to come true. I just thank the Lord for the actual sport itself and for the actual ability of playing the sport itself, and the ability to watch and learn from other amazing players.

Matt, Rebecca, and Nate taught me a lot in just one night, and boy, i cant wait till Monday's practice.

Dmun

it's a wonderful life

update on the last few days. Wednesday night was a blast "supporting the storm" with the best youth group in the world. I couldn't find the words to describe how great that group of people is. Like, i just wish everyone could come and experience my youth group, Dan, the shepherds, the talents of Catherine, Jess, and Dustin. Seriously, come experience.
Yesterday.
The safteyman came over and dyed the ole noggin. It actually looks really good, its like this strawberry blond color that i thought would look quite horrid, but it looks good. so congrats to the bec. Then, we went to NRCA and pondered the wonderful acting skills of Devon Corey, he did quite a job. Then, socializing with the whit and steph :) Seeing old theater folks (just made me excited for Oklahoma), and Boes with the crowd (the G is so much like J. can't wait for the wedding :p)
I was thinking about that play/movie (it's a wonderful life). It does a really good job on capturing life, and how sometimes its just plain great and sometimes its just plain bad... but the good always out ways the bad in the end. It's such a enchanting life that George Bailey has, just because he is a normal guy who changes the lives of so many people, and he doesn't even realize it. It is amazing that you can change so many lives and not know it, gives you inspiration to wake up and start your day with a smile.

Oh George Bailey.

dmun

the jumble

my life is crazy. I have atleast 13 hours of school classes a week, atleast 4 1/2 hours a day of homework each day, 6 hours of dance a week, im a lead in two plays, i am in the nutcracker, i am a starting center on a varsity girls team (practices everyday besides wednesday), i dont like missing youth group or church, and i have to squeeze in family and babysitting evie-grace time. Sometimes it's nice to sit and read the bible. What would i do without that book? its just the most comforting thing i own. I am funny about the bible though, i find extreme comfort in holding and reading MY Bible. The satisfaction that it is a book I have received and it is mine to read for however long it will hold together.

Also, man, the music. Clicking that ipod into the speakers and playing Shane & Shane, Passion, Jessica Lyndon Ray, and so many others. Just sitting there and hearing the words and in your heart agreeing and singing as loud as your lungs take you... of course singing with your diaphragm because my voice teacher would be appalled if i hurt my voice cause i wasnt using that diaphragm. Anyways, its comforting to know that in this jumble of everyday and intense schedule, God is there and loves to hear about my day and loves for me to just sit. and listen. Such a breath of fresh air. Especially when everything seems to be sinking slowly, painfully, and surely, He is loving, encouraging, and neverchanging.

"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6-7

thats my rant for the busy wednesday.

(tonights storm "spirit" night. woohoot)

busy, storm fan in the hands of the amazing God,
D-rel

the beginning.

i know i will get hooked on this thing cause of steph. i know it will not satisfy me until i get the background, the words, the everything just perfect. dang. today was a rough day to start a blogging addiction, i felt like an old violin bow that was worn so much, down to its last horse hairs and they all were snapped off abruptly.
I know I have a purpose and I know there is a reason for the choices that were made.
But what the outcomes will be, that will be the suprise.

a wise Jessica Ray once said, "I would rather be reckless than warm the bench."
allow me to tear up the court.

i will be overloaded with schoolwork tomorrow, my day starts at 1 and i dont get home till 9 (all work must be done before then. ha) i must go and start.

dmun