30 Day Challenge - Day 18: Someone You Met Randomly That Impacted Your Life

Once again, Blogger's scheduling feature decided not to work with me.  I'm going to report this and see if next week goes a little better.  Sorry about the delay!

Now, some of my lovely readers have different religious and political views.  That's to be expected, since I have around 60 GFC followers, 20 Networked Blogs followers, and 15 email subscribers - plus 36 Facebook likes.  I personally believe that homosexuality is sinful and unbiblical.  However, I believe that we should "love the sinner and hate the sin."
Time for today's story.  Back when I lived in Okinawa, I went to the library frequently - at least once a week - and checked out literally as many books as I could carry.  One day I needed a nonfiction book report, so I decided to check out the writing how-to books.  This particular shelf was on one side of the little tables and chairs spread through the library, and a girl was there with her mother writing a research paper at the table.  She wore a black, long sleeved, button-down shirt and black pants.  (It was spring on a tropical island, people. I started sweating just looking at her.)  Her hair was medium-long, straight, and brown.


She and her mother were apparently big bookworms and they started up a conversation with me - turns out the girl's name was Bug.  When they found out what I was doing, they started offering suggestions.  (I was thoroughly impressed, because some of their favorites were things I considered a little too deep/thick for me, and I was already beyond the average reading capacity of my age.)

It was cool, and I really liked them.  I didn't think anything of it until later, hanging with some friends of mine, I told them about Bug and her mom.  Apparently, two of my friends had gone to school with her at the last place they lived.  They told me she was a lesbian and they seemed to have an odd opinion of her.  I was surprised but still thought Bug was nice.

Actually, I saw Bug one more time.  Turns out she was the next-door neighbor of a family from my church - she was cleaning her family's van when I was babysitting.  We discussed out mutual disgust of spiders, and that was the last time I saw her.

Bug taught me the real meaning behind the phrase "Love the sinner, hate the sin." Because I met a lesbian and didn't even know she was one - because I met a girl I thought was cool and would be a nice friend - I learned a lesson.  I've always known that those people that commit the "big sins" are real people with dreams, hurts, favorite colors, and phobias.  But not until I met a lesbian with a love of books and a disgust of spiders did that truth have an affect on me personally.

Friendlight Friday

I haven't had a Friendlight (friend spotlight) in a good while.  Since Friendlights were inspired by my favorite posts of Bailey's, and her most recent post is a beautiful expression on friendship that touched my heart, I decided to bring them back - if only for today.

Bailey from Big House in the Little Woods

If you say something, I'll hear what you say and not what I think you say.

If you tell me you like me, I'll believe you.

If you seem to enjoy my company, I'll enjoy yours too instead of fearing it'll end.

Read the rest of this post here...

Visit Bailey here...

30 Day Challenge - Day 17: A Piece of Art

Sorry this is late!  Apparently Blogger's schedule feature decided to break down, so this didn't go up on Saturday as planned.

I'm not a huge art person. The only artist names I know off the top of my head are the basics: Rembrant, Monet, Raphael, Da Vinci... and also Kinkaide, my mother's favorite.  I just enjoy art as art.  Paintings of pretty people or scenery are something I accept without trying to find out the history of a particular piece or painter.

If you asked me my favorite artist, I'd probably say Monet.

But there's one piece - a real, actual painting, not a print - that hangs in my bedroom.  It's technically my parents' and I'm borrowing it; they bought it in France when I was little.  All I know about it is what it looks like - I can't even read the artist's signature - but I love it.

Really Cool Animals I've Never Heard Of

This is your chance to glimpse inside my biology book!  Okay, I admit that sounds really lame and unexciting, but these photos are really cool.  Like the title says, they're animals I'd never heard of until I saw them in my bio book.  Internet searches for photos led to more unusual animals, and this post kinda tapers into "World's Smallest Animals."  They're all really cool/cute though.  :)
(Yes, this may partially be my personal attempt to turn off my instinct to fall asleep when reading textbooks.  Next up I might share something interesting from history class.)

Duckbill Platypus.  Okay, I've heard of this one, but it's so cool!

Pangolin (with a baby!)

No, not a striped squirrel.  A numbat!  Aka "banded anteater"



Diatryma.  Actually a digital image.  See skeleton.

Real diatryma, long-time extinct.



Epigaulus, a drawing.

Epigaulus, also extinct.

Lesser mouse-deer, highly endangered.

World's smallest lizard species.

Hyrax.

Bee hummingbird.  Actually, I've not only heard of this, I've had one fly right in front of my face!  In Okinawa, *in my backyard.*  It was awesome.

Fairy penguins, aka blue, little blue, and/or little penguins. World's smallest penguins.

World's smallest snake.

30 Day Challenge - Day 16: A Song That Makes You Cry



30 Day Challenge - Day 15: A Person You Admire

Lately life has been nuts.  I've been helping my friend Kathryn; getting ready for my part in my church's Easter drama; planning a Mad Hatter tea party for some girls at my church; and trying to catch up on homework.  Therefore, I apologize for my sparse blogging in March and the fact that I totally dropped the 30 Day Challenge.  It'll take more than my planned 30 weeks, but I still intend to finish this thing!

Today's topic would seem obvious.  After all, anyone who's read this blog could figure out I admire Bailey.  She's such an encouragement and role model to me.

But today I'd rather talk about a few people that I admire for their impact on my life.  When I sent out my first-ever query letters a few weeks ago, I started to wonder who I'd want to dedicate my first book to.  (I'm nowhere near actual publication, and yet I'm already writing my dedication in my head.  Sheesh.)


Lately I've come to terms with the fact that I might not be a published author, ever - or, if I am published, it may not be until after graduation.  It's a little sad for me to realize that my dream may not happen the way I want, but it's a fact of life.  Maybe God has different dreams for me.  But whether I'm published at sixteen, sixty, or never, I want those who have been influential in my life as a writer to know I appreciate them.  Without further ado, the dedication I hope to print in my first book...

To Mrs. Rose, who taught me the love of story

To Mrs. Wolfanger, who taught me the art of story

To Grandma, who encouraged me to finish what I start

To Dad, who gave me Black Beauty and a notebook and told me to write what I think

And to Mom, who trained me in life and language class.  Without you this book and this girl would not be.

I love you all.

Guest Post at Just Us Girlz

Hello lovely readers!  Just wanted to tell you that I guest posted at my friend AnnaKate's blog, Just Us Girlz, on Sunday.  Topic?  The parallels between America and the Hunger Games. :)

"Why is the Hunger Games so popular outside of the young adult world?

This series teaches the reader. It makes a person think about topics like freedom, government, choice, and the morality of humans and humans' entertainment. It pushes you to wonder about the things we've been desensitized to today in the real world. Whether or not Suzanne Collins started out to write a critique of today's world into her books, she ended up with one. Not to mention the characters are nothing like any stereotypes - every single one has a life story, weaknesses and strengths, and reasons for every action that are true to life and believable."

You can read the whole post here: http://godlygirlz.blogspot.com/2012/04/emily-russell.html