My Life

Moved on

2008-09-24T12:23:00.002-05:00

Hey
I just wanted to let you know that I'm on a different blog now. I have to do one for school. The address is www.allwar08.blogspot.com
Feel free to read and write! :)
Blessings!

p.s I'm hoping at some point to get some thoughts up about the summer.

Hands On

2008-06-16T22:10:00.002-05:00

I will be blogging from this website this summer.... www.handson-argentina.blogspot.com
Check it out...write comments so we feel loved!

Argentina and Paraguay

2008-06-12T21:24:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to let you all know that I'm at Star Lake for Orientation for hands on. I will be leaving Monday for Argentina. Please keep me and the rest of my team and the other team (going to Estonia) in your thoughts and prayers.

Enoch

2008-05-27T17:27:00.001-05:00

Oh..... to be like Enoch......

Song Book

2008-05-19T22:13:00.002-05:00

I have to admit I am in love with the Song Book. :)
I'm not kidding I really love it!! It just amazes me, especially the chorus section..you know the tiny section at the back with the simple chorus's? Love, love, love it.
Like this one..

All my days and all my hours,
All my will and all my powers,
All the passion of my soul,
Not a fragment but the whole
Shall be thine, dear Lord,
Shall be thine, dear Lord.

So simple, yet so powerful.
I think that too often we just sing the words and don't really think about what we are singing. Unless you really mean them or are striving to live by them, why sing them??

Here are just some of the very powerful chorus's that have had an impact on my life.

All there is of me, Lord,
All there is of me,
Time and talents, day by day,
All I bring to thee;
All there is of me, Lord,
All there is of me,
On thine altar here I lay
All there is of me.

Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me;
Spirit of the living God,
Fall arfresh on me.

Where he leads me I will follow,
Where he leads me I will follow,
Where he leads me I will follow,
I'll go with him, with him, all the way.

I want to live right, that God may use me
At any time and anywhere:
I want to live right, that God may use me
At any time and anywhere.

This is God's moment, God's moment
for you;
A moment so solemn, yet joyous and new,
Forgiven is all sinning,
Real life is beginning,
For this is God's moment for you.

To be like Jesus!
This hope possesses me,
In every thought and deed,
This is my aim, my creed;
To be like Jesus!
This hope possesses me,
His spirit helping me,
Like him I'll be.

Keep on marching with a fighting faith,
Fighting faith, fighting faith,
Keep on marching with a fighting faith,
And win the world for Jesus.

Bless his name, he sets me free,
Bless his name, he sets me free,
O the blood, the precious blood,
I am trusting in the cleansing flood.
Bless his name, he sets me free,
Bless his name, he sets me free,
I know my sins are washed away,
And now in Jesus I am free.

Clear skies are above me,
Pure are the joys within,
Boundless the grace that keeps me
Free from the power of sin;
Walking each hour with Jesus,
Held by his mighty hand,
Pardoned, the past behind me,
Before, the Gloryland.

The world is needing us,
Christ is leading us;
Comrades, let us be true.
His love constraining us,
Prayer sustaining us,
Faith will carry us through.
His service calling us,
None appalling us,
Deeds of valor we'll do;
For souls are needing us,
Christ is leading us;
Comrades, we will be true.

This weekend

2008-04-30T20:26:00.002-05:00

Sorry that I haven't updated much, I've just been dealing with a whole lot of stuff.

Pray for the youth of the GNY division this weekend as we attend youth councils. Pray that the youth not be hesitant in following what the Lord tells them to do. Pray for a spirit of willingness. Pray that lives change.

In His Presence

2008-03-31T21:58:00.002-05:00

In the quiet of this hour,
as I kneel before you now,
I believe your promise to be faithful.
I don't always understand
what your perfect will demands,
but I've learned to trust you more
in your presence Lord.

In your presence there is comfort
In your presence there is peace
(in your presence we can find true peace)
when we seek to know your heart,
we will find such blessed assurance
in your holy presence Lord.

There can be such sweet reward
when we wait upon the Lord!
As we take the time,
he gives his perfect wisdom,
to be found in Him alone,
all our deepest secrets known.
We're surrounded by His grace
when we seek His face.

In your presence there is comfort
In your presence there is peace
(in your presence we can find true peace)
when we seek to know your heart,
we will find such blessed assurance
(an ever open door to know our Savior more)
in the presence of our Lord.

As this beautiful song filled the air in Railton Hall this evening it hit me...the word seek. Seek. It's a very simple basic word. The dictionary defines it as this. Seek- attempt to find...attempt or desire to obtain or achieve..search for and find someone or something.
Here is what the bible says about seeking.
Deuteronomy 4:29
But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
1 Chronicles 16:9-11
9 Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. 10 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. 11 Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.
1 Chronicles 22:19
Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD."
2 Chronicles 7:14
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Psalm 9:10
Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 24:5-7
5 He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, O God of Jacob. [a] Selah 7 Lift up your heads, O you gates;be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
Psalm 27:4
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 27:8
My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek.
Psalm 34:10
The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
Psalm 63:1
[ A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah. ] O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
Psalm 69:6
May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the LORD Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel.
Psalm 119:10
I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
Isaiah 1:17
learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.
Isaiah 55:6
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
Lamentations 3:25
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;

I could go on and on.....
Seek...Seek the Lord. Seek His face. Seek his truth. Seek his love. Seek his ways.
SEEK

Life's Great

2008-03-21T22:18:00.003-05:00

Well as the title says life's great. I honestly don't have anything to complain about.

This past week I was accepted to the Salvation Army's Eastern Territory Hands ON Missions team. I will be going with 7 other people to Argentina for 6 weeks. We will be having an orientation at Star Lake Camp the week before and a debrief plus some work at the Old ORchard Camp Meetings in August. I am so excited! Pray for me!

More good news. For those of you who don't know my brother Tim he hasn't been to church in years. He left the army a number of years ago and hasn't been back. He still lives with us. Well anyway he asked me to shave all his hair off on Thursday. lol. I of course jumped to the opportunity (when I was younger I ALWAYS wanted to be a hair dresser) this was like my dream come true! Anyway as I was shaving all his hair off he said to me "Allison I think I'm going to start going to a church." I was thrilled. So pray for him, that he will stay true to his word and actually go.

MORE good news. I have been chatting a lot recently with a friend of mine. I hadn't really spoken to him in a long time but this past week I felt like God was telling me to talk to the person. So I did and it turns out there is a whole lot going on in his life right now and he is... well just a mess. So I've been trying to talk out all hiss issues with him and I actually convinced him to come to tonights Good Friday service. He showed up!!! It was great. Please pray for him too. He is going through a whole lot.

MORE GOOD news. My art teacher put one of my pieces in an art contest and I won! Haahaa I got a check and everything!

MORE GOOD NEWS. My parents are finally behind me with going to RAilton. I am almost done with my application and I am looking forward to spending two years in the Railton School for Youth Worker training. That is IF I get accepted :)

So life is going great. I praise God for the times like these when everything is running smoothly.

Happy Easter Everyone.

I just want to share with you a few verses that I have been concentrating on this week.

James 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Isaiah 61

The Year of the LORD's Favor

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners, [a]
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

Philippians 2:14-16 this verse is very near and dear to my heart :)
14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16as you hold out[a] the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

FAW

2008-03-16T21:37:00.002-05:00

So this past weekend was my last Future All Stars. I have been going since it started...man I'm getting old!! Well let me tell you about the weekend.

First I had the privilege to meet up with my former corps officers Major's Larry and Janet Ashcraft. It was so good to see them even though they interrogated me about everything!! haha I'm so glad that they are apart of my life. I love that they care and listen to what is on my heart and mind. I love them :)

Anyway after that we went straight to rehearsals. We rehearsed and had our prayer partner times. Lucky me I had the privilege of having two staff band prayer partners, Artie Henry and Scott Garman. I know both of them very well so it was very easy to talk freely. My delegate prayer partner was Jeanie, she is from Michigan. She was also my roomate. She is such a nice person and we had so much fun together. The Rocks led us in our devotion times. The theme of the weekend was Victory and in our devotional time we focused on prayer. Different ways of praying like listening prayer, praying the bible etc. It was good stuff and it brought up lots of conversation in our small group.

Saturday morning the NYSB had a mini concert along with some testimonies. My sister gaver her testimony :) Anyway the rest of that day was all rehearsing and prayer time. We did have some free time and I spent that with my good friend Lindsay who I haven't seen in ages.

Sunday morning was good. We were at the School for Officers Training. We had our worship time with the cadets and their families and the training school staff. During the meeting Mrs. Rock led a time of testimonies. You know when you just get the feeling and you know you gotta stand up and say what is on your heart? Well that was how I felt. I stood up, and began to speak about a piece that the NYSB played during their Saturday morning mini concert. It was called In Christ Alone which is one of my favorites and it was a Euphonium solo played by Aaron Vanderwheele. Throughout the weekend we focused a lot on the lyrics behind the pieces. It's all fine and great if you get the notes right but if you don't know the meaning behind it, what good is it? So I then read the verses to the song.

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Brought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

The last verse really struck me. No guilt, fear, power of hell or scheme of man can ever take me away from my Lord! How awesome is that! So yeah I just talked about that.

Then we had our big concert in the afternoon. I think it went ok. It's just hard to try and get it all right when you have less than two days to learn it all. I think we did really well considering the circumstances.

OVerall it was a great weekend!

His Provision

2008-03-11T21:21:00.002-05:00

At the moment of my weakness,
When my need for pow'r is plain,
And my own strength is exhausted once again,
Then my Lord has made provision
For the day of my despair,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer, my prayer,
Then my Lord has made provision
For the day of my despair,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer.

Holy Spirit! Promised Presence fall on me.
Holy Spirit! Make me all I long to be.
Holy Spirit! Holy Spirit!
Give your pow'r to me,
O Holy Spirit.

When the darkness falls around me,
When bewildered and afraid,
When I feel the most deserted and betrayed,
Then my ev'ry need is answered
By God's providential care,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer, my prayer,
Then my ev'ry need in answered
BY God's providential care,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer.

Nothing now can rob God's servant
Of the peace that He bequeaths,
Nothing take away the strength His presence breathes,
Of the EVERLASTING ARMS OF LOVE I'M DAILY MADE AWARE,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer, my prayer,
of the everlasting arms of love I'm daily made aware,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer.

A few days ago in a Sunday evening concert at my corps Major Mack was praying for the Army music forces and I got a picture in my head. It was of Jesus and I. I was holding Him really tightly, it was like we were hugging each other. It was almost like the biggest relief ever. Personally I am a very social person and I am always hugging people but nothing compared to this hug. And then He had His arm around me like we were best friends walking and we walked all around Star Lake Camp. It was strange. It may have happened because I was deliriously tired that day from being at the corps all day but it was an awesome thing to experience. Then the next day in English class I closed my eyes (yes I was falling asleep in english, shame, shame) I got the same picture except this time we were walking around the city. It was as if I didn't have a care in the world. No worries no shame..nothing. Later on that day as I was walking home the lyrics to the song His provision (one of my favs) got stuck in my head. The lines from the final verse stuck with me all day.

Peace. It's something very hard to find in this world. But for those few moments when I saw that... I experienced peace. At least what I think peace is. It was awesome and very rare. I just thought I was share this with you.

Numbers 6:25-26 "25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."

Psalm 29:11 "The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace."

Psalm 34:14 "Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

Proverbs 14:30 "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."

Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."

Haggai 2:9 "The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty."

Luke 1:78-80 (New International Version) 78because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." 80And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel."

Argentina

2008-03-01T12:06:00.027-05:00

I honestly don't even know where to begin. This trip was by far the most life changing trip for the entire group! Even members who have been in the band for years said that they have never experienced something like this before.

Well our flight was delayed over 6 hours on the way there so our first open air was canceled..and they overbooked the flight so they had to offer money and hotel accommodations to 10 people (luckily none of us). And in the process of taking the ten peoples luggage off they took Chris's Soprano. So he didn't get that till like two days into the trip.

Literally as soon as we got there, after we were greeted by the Nuesch's, we went straight to the BA Central Corps to do a concert..we were all dead tired and smelly lol but the concert went well. We were two hours late to it but everyone was so appreciative. After that we had a dinner at the hotel..still smelly and gross but the meal was delicious. It's all steaks down there. After all that we were finally aloud to take showers and go to sleep! We stayed in a nice hotel. And it was right across the street from the biggest mall in Argentina :)

Umm I can't really remember the next day specifically..we played a lot of open airs that were ridiculously hottt!!! But we got good crowds. We played in a building in Buenos Aires that actually doesn't allow religious groups to use but they let us..and the owner of the building came up to one of us and asked us to pray with her because she wanted to accept Jesus as her savior! It was amazing. Every concert we had people coming up to us asking us to pray for them. So powerful!

Most of us got really sick though. Like stomach issues. it was kinda funny how much going to the bathroom was talked about! Some people hadn't gone for days like Doug, Vic, and others and some couldn't stop going like Stephen, Chris, Felix, Ryan...It was funny with Doug though because he hadn't gone in like 6 days and when he finally did (on a three hour bus ride!) We were all cheering for him! hahaha..

Katherine joined us half way through the trip. Her grandma died like the day before we left and she was very close with her. She was really upset because she knew that she couldn't afford to change her ticket and then at the end of the funeral major Klemanski went up to her with a ticket and said if you are feeling up to it we got you a ticket. We were all so happy that she
came. She gave her testimony about it one night and she made me cry. She talked about her grandma and everything and then started talking about all her friends in the band and how loving we all were toward her and how we prayed for her and she started crying and she made us all cry! I love her.

Two days during the trip we went to the camp there. They have abandoned this camp for like 15 years. It was nasty!!!! but we were all put into work groups and assigned work to do in the camp. It was so amazing seeing everyone so willing to work so hard and in such nasty places too. It was awesome. There was an officers family who just got moved into the camp there and they had no beds for their children. So we as in the band and chorus not the leaders decided to collect money for their family. We presented it to them and they were so grateful. She started talking about all the work that we had done at the camp and all the money we gave her and she said "This is the Salvation Army" once again we were all brought to tears. I will never forget that moment...I'm crying right now just thinking about it.

We took a tour all around Buenos Aires even through the bad cities. It was so devastating to see the places that so many of the people there live in. Literally little shacks, some just made out of cardboard! It definitely made us all realize how much we have and how blessed we are.

As if all that wasn't emotional and life changing enough we had a little debriefing meeting with the Nueschs. There was an 18 year old named Lucas who helped us the whole week. He was so sweet. But he has some kind of cancer that the doctors can't really figure out. It keeps coming back and he keeps having to get surgery done to remove it. Anyway there is like no medical insurance or anything in Argentina so he's struggling to pay for them all. He's gotten a scholarship to go to TMI (territorial Music Institute) in the South but he didn't have money to pay for his next treatment so he thought he wasn't going to be
able to go.. So we, once again the band and chorus members not the leaders decided to collect money for him so that he could get his next treatment. We Presented him with about 4 thousand Pesos (his surgery is 5 thousand). Lucas couldn't even speak he was crying so much and major couldn't speak either. A silence came over the room and everyone started crying..I'm not talking like one tear I'm talking like full blown sobbing. It was so amazing. There was not a dry eye in the room.

Then we watched a video about the "Hidden City." It is probably the poorest and most dangerous city in Argentina and maybe the world! We were told a story about an officer who was working there. She goes a couple days a week to deliver food to the children. Well in this neighborhood, past 8 oclock you can't cross this certain road because you will get shot or stabbed but this lady had one bag of food left that she had to deliver to this child so she crossed it. She was immediately surrounded by a group of men and a gun was put to her head. They recognized the uniform and most of them ran off but the one with the gun was still there. She began telling him about Jesus and how much he loves him and that she loves him too and she wants to help him. The kid was scared and he shot her in the arm and stole the bag of food. She began running after him telling him that she isn't mad that he shot her and that she still has more to tell him about Jesus. She kept running for a while but then
became too weak from the loss of blood. She then went to the police station. Since it was past 8 the doors were all chained up. She kept ringing the bell to get them to open the gate for her and they didn't believe her. Finally they let her in and she told them that she was shot. The policeman said to her "This is why we should just kill them all..all they do is cause trouble." the officer got so mad that she got up, got into the ambulance and left. To this day she still delivers food to children in the Hidden city and she still searches for the boy who shot her. After the shooting the boy went into rehab. She tried to contact
him but they wouldn't let her. She wrote a letter to him and got it published in their war cry. The boy got hold of it and wanted to meet with her in rehab but couldn't. The letter she wrote basically said that she forgives him for shooting her and wants to help him and tell him about Jesus. To this very day she is still searching for the boy. Amazing right. That is true love..that is love like Jesus's love. Wow.
We then had a prayer time that ended up being like an hour long. We were praying for everything. For the Army there, for the "hidden city", for the band and chorus. It was awesome!

So it was a life changing experience. It makes me realize how much I have and how blessed I am. Well I think the devil was trying to steal my joy because I lost my digital camera on the plane. At first I was upset and then I realized that it isn't that big of a deal. I still have a roof over my head and food on the table. This trip has really put everything into perspective for me.

I experienced the true joy of giving to people in need and it changed my life!

Home

2008-02-25T15:57:00.001-05:00

Well we arrived safely today at JFK Airport at about 6:00am. The trip was absolutely amazing. I can't even begin to explain it to you. It was more like a missions trip then a band trip...I'm going to wait to post about it though..My camera got lost on the plane on the way home so right now I don't have any pictures or videos :( but my friends are going to give me theirs so I will post when I get them.
Thanks for the prayers, they worked!

ARGENTINA!

2008-02-12T20:24:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to let you all know that I am going to Argentina on Saturday with the GNY youth band, timbrels and chorus.
Please keep us in your prayers as we travel to the South America East Territory to minister.

A Favorite of Mine

2008-02-06T15:42:00.000-05:00

"No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
from life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus comands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can EVER pluck me from His hand;
'Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand."

Shine As The Light

2008-02-05T22:35:00.000-05:00

This Sunday is the International SET at the Temple in the city. If you live near here I highly encourage you to go. Above is a live recording of the NYSB playing the amazing piece entitled Shine as the Light. The GNY Youth Band will be playing this on Sunday. It is personally my favorite band piece EVER! Oh and the Bates are the special guests! Who would want to miss that! And the youth chorus is singing in spanish. It's going to be a wonderful, Jesus filled event.

Here are the program notes in the score....
Shine as the Light follows traditional Salvation Army band music principles in its programmatic or story telling outline.
In essence, the music depicts a journey from darkness to light, expanding on the theme of Joy Webb's song, The Candle of The Lord, which lies at the larger work's core. Webb's song provides both the textual and thematic basis; in particular, the falling figure (a minor 3rd) with which the song's chorus concludes, "Light Me" is utilized at key points in the music.
The extended climax of Shine as the Light commences with a selection of aleatory (i.e. random) music where cornets and bells literally picture-paint Webb's evocative line, "a myrid of tiny flames expanding to a whole." Underpinning this free section is the phrase "light me," repeated three times in the lower brass with ever increasing intensity. the phrase metamorphasizes into Chick Yuill's majestic praise song with which the work concludes: "NO MORE WE WALK IN DARKNESS THE LIGHT HAS COME!"
This music is dedicated to the memory of my friend and colleague Captain Al Honsberger.

It is such a moving piece. It has my favorite song in it so how could I not love it. It's hard to get through the piece without shedding a tear. Again for the second time on this blog are the lyrics to the song The candle of the Lord.

How great the darkness
How deep the need!
How vast the problems of indiff'rence, hate and greed.
A world rejecting the truth once known
And slipping down into a nightmare of its own.
Is there a LIGHT that's strong enough to go,
And metamorphasize the darkness that we know.

I am the candle of the Lord,
And truth and love more powerful than sword!
O fan the flame, its single gleam diffuse,
AND LET MY SPIRIT BE THE LIGHT THAT YOU CAN USE.
I am the candle of the Lord!

AMEN!

p.s. To Captain Brett DeMichael who told me he reads this....Four words for you! HOW BOUT THEM GIANTS! hahahhahaa I told you they would win!!

Decisions

2008-01-29T22:26:00.000-05:00

We as human beings tend to make lots of decisions. Some small ones like what we are going to eat for breakfast or what we are going to wear (except for officers hahaha) and some that will change the rest of our lives. We make decisions to follow Christ and accept Him into our hearts and we make decisions to resist sin. The lists could go on and on. One decision I am dealing with right now is what college to go to. I only applied to two schools, Asbury in Kentucky and Nyack in New York. I never thought that it was going to be so hard to decide. I've been trying to work it all out in my head and trying to figure it out for myself, figure out the pros and cons and it was stressing me out. It wasn't till Carole Bate texted me this.. "At the right time you'll know. And just in time!" that I realized I wasn't putting all my trust in God as I said I was. It's easier to say then to do if you know what I mean. Well I have been looking up scripture all night to try and help me with it all and I thought I would share them with you.

Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Psalm 33:21-22 "In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you."

Psalm 62:1 "My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him."

Psalm 91:1 "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."

Isaiah 11:2-3 "2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD -3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;"

Matthew 11:28-29 "28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

2 Corinthians 12:9 "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

1 John 3:18-20 "18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything."

Deuteronomy 7:9 "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands."

Deuteronomy 32:4 "He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he."

There has also been a song on my computer that has been on repeat all night. It's a song called Speak Your Name. It is on transMISSION's most recent CD Unfailing Love. If you don't have it I highly suggest you get it. And if you do have it, listen to this song. This song fits my life right now. My favorite part is HALLELUJAH FIND REST IN THE KING OF HEAVEN!!!!!

Speak Your Name
Words and Music by Murray Preston

From the valleys low to the mountains on high
There are answers you must find.
There are questions though,
you’ll leave with the father of time.
Leave your sins with Him.
Leave your worldly ways behind.

For He hears you, when you call out His name
He will listen, He will take away your pain.
As we sing to him we pray,

Chorus:
Speak your name, to the ears that haven’t heard.
Speak your name, through our hearts to tell the world.
That you are holy, amazing, conquering God.
Who holds the answers that can break our sinful hearts
Speak Your Name.

Hallelujah, find rest in the king of heaven,
Hallelujah, sing to the king of kings.

And one more thing that has blessed me immensely is this beautiful work or art written by Carole Bate

He Holds Me In The Darkness

He holds me in the darkness
He never lets me go,
I do not see the future prize
Nor have the need to know.

When life gives me a beating,
Why would I lift my hand?
To share in all His sufferings,
I know this is His plan.

He never has forgotten,
I'm always on His mind.
So in the darkness I do rest.
I know that He is kind.

Suffering for a moment
Is nothing in the end,
'cause vindication always comes
To those who trust in Him.

Amen!

New Years and more

2008-01-13T18:40:00.000-05:00

As you all know from my previous post I was very sick. But don't worry I am feeling much much better. My life is back to normal, I'm not going crazy from being stuck in the house for such a long time. hhaha..

Anyway as some of you already know I spent my new years eve at the Times Square Corps in... well Times Square New York! Captains Billy and Annalise Francis (who are AWESOME) agreed to having a bunch of us teens as well as other adults chill at their corps for New Years Eve. I went into the city with the Hickmans after staying at their house for a day. Once we got in we helped set up for the program that was going to happen that night. Then everyone started arriving and the city started filling up with people. A bunch of us teens were there early and had a little jam session in their awesome chapel and had a game or two or three of HALO in their awesome x-box room.

After a while of fooling around on the roof (pictures at the end of the post) we had a little meeting at around 10 oclock. Annalise sang beautifully and then she talked about the past year and how there have been good times and bad and she talked about her beautiful baby Callie. It made me look back on the entire year and it brought a tear to my eye. A whole lot happened this year and well I'm glad 2007 is finally over! Anyway, we had the priviledge of Commissioners Francis being there and leading the meeting. Commissioner Francis spoke about being light in the darkness which could not have been more perfect for me because as you have seen on my post about light I am obsessed with it. :) It was so crazy because as he was preaching he walked out near the congregation and said I see a light in you and pointed to me! AHHh.. WILD! hahaha. So it was a perfect way to bring in the new year!

After the meeting we went upstairs for some food and then we went to the roof. Commissioner Francis, Captain Billy, Captain Hickman, Felix, Juliann and I went up this ladder to a really high part of the roof. It was so scary but we definitely had the best view of the ball. After the ball dropped we went back inside, played some more x-box then walked Jamie Strain and Lili Wilson back to the ARC. Then, Stephen, Seth, Felix and I headed out into the madness of NYC to Penn station. I linked arms with Felix because there were loads of drunk crazy people out. It was really depressing actually. We had to jump over piles of vomit and beer cans and mcDonalds bags and streamers. It was gross out. It was like another world. People were stumbling all over the place, Screaming, some even crying. It was a mess. I wondered why someone would want to bring in a NEW YEAR like that. It just doesn't make sense to me. Anyway, we got to penn at like 2:00am because Stephen said there was a train leaving at 3:00 (we figured we should get there early to get our tickets and get on the train quickly so we could get seats.) Well I go to the board and look for the hempstead line and I see the time 3:51!!!! AHHHHHHh Stephen was like oopssss...By this point I really wasn't feeling good either, I had a fever, sore throat and headache. Penn station was a mess too. I have never seen so many people passed out in one place. So we decided to go Au Bon Pain were we could sit and have a bit to eat. Once we got our food and found a seat we were so relieved.

Au Bon Pain was an experience in itself. We encountered so many odd things. First there was a man passed out on a table behind me and a man working on something the smelled like he hadn't taken a shower in months by Stephen. If any of you know Stephen you know that he was freakin' out about a guy smelling near him. Then there was this man behind felix dressed in a black suit with a red shirt and tie. He was sweating like crazy and mumbling words over and over. I looked over at him because I am so nosy and noticed a Bible on his table and he was mumbling phrases from a book called Spiritual Warfare. I thought that was interesting. After the passed out man got kicked out by the cashier a group of four girls and one guy came in with mcDonalds. They didn't seem very out of it, maybe just a bit. Well all of a sudden Felix started laughing, so I turn around to see what he is laughing about and the guy with them had mayo ALL over his face. I'm talking like on his forehead, cheeks, chin, it was soo nasty! hahahhaa...After the spiritual warfare man left a rather large Asian woman came in with a cart filled with nicknacks. She seemed like the most normal person I had seen all night until she started singing really really loud. She was singing in her own language and by this point we were all delirious and exhausted that we just could not stop laughing! Finally after sitting in Au Bon Pain for nearly two hours we ran onto our train. The train ride wasn't that bad. It was packed with trashed people and some of them started fighting with each other but other than that it was pretty uneventful. We finally got off at our stop. I get home and all the doors are locked! By this time it is like 5 in the morning and I'm stuck outside in the freezing cold. I ended up just calling the house phone and waking everyone up so that I could get in.

So as you have just read new Years was very interesting. Billy and I are already planning next years! We are going to have an all night praise and worship time with all young adults. It's going to be awesome! :)
So I guess that is it for now. Oh here are some pics from that night.

Sick :(

2008-01-04T15:41:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone,
I promise that I will update soon about New Years and all the crazy things that happened that night but right now I have the stinkin' flu. I don't really have the energy to think and write something that makes sense right now. All I know is that I'm mad that I can't go to the camp staff reunion this weekend because I'm sick. For those of you who know me, you know how I must be dying inside because I'm missing an event like this!
AHHHHHHHHH

This just in..... Dr.Rader just came over and looked at my throat and said to me "Well it looks like you've got a bad case of Tonsilitis." OH great what a wonderful way to start off the new year!

It's Christmas Time in the City!

2007-12-09T21:21:00.000-05:00

Today was the Christmas Spectacular at the Temple in New York City. So my dad dropped me off across the street from DHQ and then parked in the parking lot. When I got into the temple I realized that I didn't have my phone. So I figured that I left it in the car so my dad told me to go back to the garage and get it. So I go back and there is one older kinda shady man there and a younger man. I told them that my dad just brought his car in and I left my phone in it and the older guy said to me "well I just parked it in the basement (then he held my arm) we can go down there and get it." I was immediately like "no thanks, I will just wait till later." I have never walked so fast in my life! hahaha... So then I went out to eat with a couple friends and when I got back to the temple to find a seat (because it was jam packed) my friend Seth was like "Some guy has your phone! He found it on the street!" I was bugging out. It turns out that the man found my phone on the side of the street and when Seth text me asking where I was the man responded "The person who owns this phone lost it, do you know how I can return it to the person?" So seth told him the address of DHQ and told him to leave it at the security desk. So when I got out of the meeting I went to the desk and there it was! Wow. There really are nice people in the world! How great is that? We need more kind people like that!

I encourage you during this Christmas season to do something nice for someone. Maybe buy the coffee for the person in front of you...or let someone else take the closer parking spot at the mall...or even open a door for someone and say God Bless you. Little acts of kindness can really make a big difference in this dark world. Cherish the little things in life :)

Merry Christmas! :)

College Applications

2007-11-28T20:01:00.000-05:00

Well I have officially finished my college applications!
oh yeah and I got accepted to Asbury! WooO whooO!!!!!
Now it's all in the Lord's hands and we will see what happens.

Please Pray

2007-11-11T18:55:00.000-05:00

Mourners honor teen who died after LIRR accident

BY KENNY PORPORA

lidesk@newsday.com

8:56 PM EST, November 9, 2007

A Floral Park teenager who died Friday morning after being struck by a train was remembered by friends and teachers as "charismatic, kind and always willing to give compliments."

At the corner of Tulip and Plainfield avenues in Floral Park -- a spot known as "the square" -- about 50 classmates of Phelim Lynch gathered Friday night for a vigil. Candles flickered around photos of the high school senior while tears and strains from acoustic guitars played by friends punctuated the air.

Lynch, 16, was walking on the railroad tracks with a 17-year-old friend late Thursday night when he was hit by a westbound Long Island Rail Road train just west of the Floral Park station, police said.

He was taken to Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola following the 10:45 p.m. accident, police said, and died at 6:08 a.m. Friday. His friend, who was not identified, was uninjured.

"I didn't believe it when I first heard because Phelim was always joking around," said Vinny Tetro, 15, a close friend and classmate of Lynch for the past 21/2 years. "But I was just devastated. It's amazing how fast death can happen."

Tetro, along with his friends Robby Skahill and Tom Power, both 14, spoke of Lynch while skateboarding around the Floral Park train station where, according to Skahill, walking along the tracks and hanging out near the site where the accident occured is not uncommon for youths.

Lynch attended Floral Park Memorial High School and was set to graduate in May.

Principal Kathleen Sottile said the school and community were "very saddened" by Lynch's death. Sottile said she first heard about the accident on the radio while driving to work. She was later contacted by police and Lynch's family, both of whom confirmed his death, she added.

Friday morning, faculty members remembered Lynch.

Adam Glatzer, Lynch's guidance counselor, described him as "fun-loving and giving, with a grade-A sense of humor."

Also Friday, students gathered at the Lynch's home to pay their respects.

"Everybody knew him," said Michelle Russo, 15, as she left the Lynches' home. Russo, who is the best friend of Lynch's sister Margaret, 15, was one of dozens of friends who stopped by the house in Floral Park. "He was such a funny kid. I think it's so sad."

The school has arranged for students in need of counseling to meet with bereavement specialists.

Lynch spent his entire life in the Floral Park education system, starting in Floral Park/Bellrose elementary. He had been a student at the high school since the 7th grade.

Members of Lynch's family were not immediately available for comment Friday. Sottile said she had spoken with family members, but she declined to comment on the conversations.

A statement from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority police said the train engineer sounded his horn and applied emergency brakes but was unable to avoid striking Lynch. No one on the train was hurt, police said.

It was unclear which train struck Lynch or why he was walking on the train tracks.

Staff writer John Valenti contributed to this story.

Copyright © 2007, Newsday Inc.

"Everybody knew him." I knew him. He was my friend. I was just out at Starbucks with him on Tuesday. I think that deep down inside Phelim was a good kid. He made some mistakes in life but he was trying to get better. He started going to support group meetings for his drug addictions, he was trying to quit smoking but drinking? Drinking was something he always did. The night he died he was at a party, drinking. Nobody knows exactly why he was on the tracks..my guess would be because he was drunk.
Please join me in prayer. Pray for his family, and his friends, and the school. Pray that this will be a wake up call to all his friends and to the town that drinking is not "Cool." Pray for me please. That I will be a witness to the students. That I can comfort them but use this as a way to talk to people about their faith and about the choices that they make. Pray that I can be a light in this darkness.
Thanks

Light

2007-10-24T20:35:00.000-05:00

How great the darkness
How deep the need!
How vast the problems of indiff'rence, hate and greed.
A world rejecting the truth once known
And slipping down into a nightmare of its own.
Is there a LIGHT that's strong enough to go,
And metamorphasize the darkness that we know.

I am the candle of the Lord,
And truth and love more powerful than sword!
O fan the flame, its single gleam diffuse,
AND LET MY SPIRIT BE THE LIGHT THAT YOU CAN USE.
I am the candle of the Lord!

The Dictionary definition of light. Light- something that makes things visible or affords illumination:
Psalm 18:28 - You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into LIGHT.
John 8:12 - When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the LIGHT of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the LIGHT of life."
John 3:19 - This is the verdict: LIGHT has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of LIGHT because their deeds were evil.
Romans 13:12 -The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of LIGHT.
2 Corinthians 4:6 - For God, who said, "Let LIGHT shine out of darkness," made his LIGHT shine in our hearts to give us the LIGHT of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Ephesians 5:8 - For you were once darkness, but now you are LIGHT in the Lord. Live as children of LIGHT.
1 John 1:5 - This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is LIGHT; in him there is no darkness at all.
Philippians 2:14-16 -Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you SHINE like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

Sense the common theme? I am just amazed by light. The concept is simple really. Scientists don't fully understand the concept of light. Why? Because God is light. And as Christians we are called to be like God. Therefore we should be a light in our darkness. God has called me to be a light in the darkness. God has called you to be a light in the darkness. Since the day is drawing nearer lets put on the armor of LIGHT.

Tired

2007-10-17T17:52:00.000-05:00

I don't have anything to post I'm just tired..and I'm tired of being tired.
ZZzzZzzZZZZzzzzzz
I wish I could just sleep like this baby

Clyde and loads of other thoughts

2007-10-11T22:02:00.000-05:00

Just warning you.. this post is going to be very scattered. I have a lot to say tonight :)

So as you all know I go to the corps every Thursday and help with the kids cafe program. Well this year I somehow got the job of looking after the little ones. They aren't really old enough for all the programs but they have no where else to go because there older siblings are involved in all the activities at the corps and their parents aren't home. So this one boy that I look after and love dearly is Clyde. He is a younger brother of another kid in our program named Issah (yes it is pronouced Isaiah but that is how he spells it). One day sometime last season Issah really opened up to me telling me all about his family situation. His mother is in jail, for what I don't know but he lives with some other realitive and loads of step brothers and sisters. His dad is not in the picture. He is about 11 or 12 years old but he has loads of responsibilities. Not only does he have to look after clyde and Trinniah (his half sister I think) but he does most of the cleaning in his house too. I know that only because he sometimes can't make it to the corps because he has to go to the laundry mat and do the laundry or he has to clean his apartment. I feel bad for him. He is 12!! He needs time to be a kid! That's why I'm glad he goes to the corps. For those 4 or 5 hours on Thursdays he has a chance to be a kid. He doesn't have to look after the little ones and he doesn't have chores to do he just has to be a kid and have fun and learn.

ANYWAY back to what I was going to post about, Clyde. Clyde is a very silly boy, very loud and energetic.. kinda like me hahah.. Anyway one Thursday, I think two weeks ago someone dropped him off at the corps. When I got there he was sitting in the bandroom crying. Now that's not like Clyde. So I went over to him and asked why he was so sad. I couldn't really understand him but he said something like there is nobody to look after him. His older brother Issah wasn't there so he was alone. Issah is like his parent. So I took him around with me, gave him gum, let him sit next to me in singing company and sit with me at dinner. He always just sits next to me and hugs me. So later on that day he said to me "Would you be my mommy? Because my mommy has gone away and I want you to be my mommy." My heart broke. I said to myself "I wish I could be his mommy." I don't remember exactly what I said to him but I quickly changed the subject. It kills me inside. Just because I give him attention and hug him and show that I care about him he wants me to be his mommy. He doesn't get any of that at home. I couldn't imagine growing up with parents who didn't care...could you??

Another thing that bothers me is the media. Because Clyde isn't really looked after or cared for he knows waaayyy tooo much for a 6 year old. I caught him singing this song "Ima put you to bed." Oh my WORD!!!! It is sick that children 6 years old are singing about having sex. What is going on in this world!

Which brings me to my next point. The bible says train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it. What are we as the Salvation Army doing to help train those children? to help train those lost men and women?? Those lost teens? What are you personally doing to train them? Sure we have our weekly programs at the corps but I think we become content and satisfied with what we are doing and don't strive to get more people and think of new ways to reach people. They need us and more importantly they need JESUS! I love hearing and reading about The Salvation Army back in the day. They were awesome. They were out in the streets, out in the bars reaching people. They were brave and they made an impact on people. I pray for BOLDNESS every day. That I would be bold in my faith and bold in reaching out to people. That we as an Army would be BOLD.

To be honest with you all I think that the Army has a little bit of changing to do. I realize that there is a need for all the corporate business stuff that I would never fully understand but I think we may be focusing on that (dare I say) a bit too much. When was the last time you went out into you neighborhood or local bar and started talking to people and sharing you faith with them?? They did it back in the day...why can't we do it now? We don't have the time right? That's what most people say. We should make time! We should want be out there. It's sad that so many people only know The Salvation Army as a place where they donate clothes. Let's change that. What is stopping us? I'm asking you this What is stopping us? I want to know what you have to say about this.

William Booth

2007-09-25T19:09:00.000-05:00

William Booth once said...
“In answer to your inquiry, I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.”
Makes you think....right?

Booth's 6 Resolutions
1. That I will rise every morning sufficiently early to wash, dress and have a few minutes, not less than 5, in private prayer.
2. That I will, as much as possible, avoid all that babbling and idle talk, in which I have lately so sinfully indulged.
3. That I will endeavor in my conduct and deportment before the world and my fellow servants especially to conduct myself as a humble, meek, and zealous follower of Christ, and by serious conservation and waning endeavor to lead them to think of their immortal souls.
4. That I will read no less than 4 chapters in god's word every day.
5. That I will strive to live closer to God, and to seek after holiness of heart and leave providential events with God.
6. That I will read over this everyday or at least twice a week.

Wow right? I encourage you to try to live out Booth's 6 resolutions.

Captivated

2007-09-23T18:14:00.000-05:00

Ever just sit in God's presence. In your secret place and just think about the beauty of the Lord. Well this song has been playing on my computer all afternoon. It is beautiful and it talks about being captivated by the beauty of the Lord. The song is written by Vicky Beeching (who was at congress) my favorite part is transform me into the likeness of you.. I encourage you to spend time in His presence today...maybe even download this song :) Another song by Vicky Beeching that I love is called Above All Else. My favorite part in this one is May all other goals bow down to this journey of loving You more. Powerful right???
Be Blessed.

Captivated

Your laughter it echoes like a joyous thunder
Your whisper it warms me like a summer breeze
Your anger is fiercer than the sun in its splendour
You’re close and yet full of mystery
Ever since the day that I saw Your face
Try as I may, I cannot look away, I cannot look away…

Captivated by You
I am captivated by You
May my life be one unbroken gaze
Fixed upon the beauty of Your face

Beholding is becoming, so as You fill my gaze
I become more like You and my heart is changed
Beholding is becoming, so as You fill my view
Transform me into the likeness of You

This is what I ask, for all my days
That I may, never look away, never look away…
No other could ever be as beautiful
No other could ever steal my heart away
I just can’t look away…

Above All Else

Jesus, my passion in life is to know You
May all other goals bow down to this journey of loving You more
Jesus, You’ve showered Your goodness on me
Given Your gifts so freely
But there’s one thing I’m longing for
Hear my heart’s cry
And my prayer for this life

Above all else
Above all else
Above all else
Give me Yourself

Savior, the more that I see Your beauty
The more that I glimpse Your glory
My heart is captured by You
Jesus, You are my greatest treasure
Nothing this world can offer
Could ever compare to You
So, hear my heart’s cry
And my prayer for this life

It's a New Season

2007-09-18T15:18:00.000-05:00

Well yesterday was our first GNY Youth chorus rehearsal of the season. It's good to be back although it was kind of annoying having an ice pack on my face the whole time (due to my burn.) I love the youth chorus even more than the band shhh don't tell my dad. I love it because singing the words is very powerful and I believe effective. A couple songs really got me thinking last night. Here are the lyrics
This one is very simple yet very effective and meaningful to me

In All Things

Sometimes it's easy for the circumstance of my present need to chase away any faith in me.
But in my weakness, there is always strength in Your loving hand.
So help me Lord, just to trust and see you plan.
Chorus
In all things, in all things You are King.
Yes You are King.
I won't worry over anything, but I will sing
Jesus You are King.

And the chorus just repeats over and over.
It's funny how the most simple phrases tug at your heart. The whole IN ALL THINGS really gets me. Just think about it. EVERYHTHING IN YOUR LIFE! He needs to be the king of. Wow. Easier to sing than to live right?

And another one
This is a very old song that we are doing for profile night written by Dean Goffin. It talks about Mercy.

Mercy

Welcome, welcome, sinner; hear!
hang not back through shame or fear;
Doubt not, nor distrust the call,
Mercy is proclaimed to all.

Welcome to the offered peace,
Welcome, pris'ner to release;
Burst thy bonds; be saved, be free;
Rise and come - he calleth thee.

Welcome, weeping penitent,
Grace has led thee to relent.
Welcome, long rebellious child,
God by Christ is reconciled.

All ye weary and distressed,
Welcome to relief and rest;
All is ready, hear the call,
There is ample room for all.

I don't know about you but have you ever had that feeling in your stomach when you know it's your time to fall on your knees at the mercy seat and you just sit in refusal. This is the perfect song for that. It blessed me and I hope it blessed you.

CAUTION

2007-09-18T14:47:00.001-05:00

CAUTION!
The content in this post may be too graphic and violent for some readers.
Please read the entire post.
Last night I was at the corps working very diligently and completely lost track of time and when I looked up at the clock I realized that it had gone 7pm. So I decided to go for a short walk to a local convenience store. As I began walking maybe like one block or so I came across a guy attacking a little boy from the neighborhood. My immediate reaction was to run to the boy and help him. I hit the man who was attacking him and another guy came out of a car garage and held the bad guy to the ground. As the car garage man was beating this man to the ground I began to ask the kid some questions like if he was ok and why the rumble broke out. Unfortunately the man from the car garage had a welder in his hand and in the process of "containing" the bad guy he burned the side of my cheek. I had a quick reflex so he only got a bit of my lower cheek. All in all it wasn't such a good day.

KEEP READING!!!!!

me after it happened.

Just kidding :) I did burn my face but not like that. I figured that sounded a bit more interesting. Props go out to mhairi who helped me with the story :) I burned my face yesterday with a curling Iron.

Here We Go Again

2007-09-16T19:14:00.000-05:00

If you actually read my blog you will realize that these pictures are from the same park that we had our end of the season bbq. Well we are all back for a new season. Today was what we call a sneaker sunday. It means that we don't have to wear our uniform. I think it's my favorite Sunday of the year...just kidding :)
Anyway since yesterday was the corps street fair we had loads of people at the corps today. When I went off the stage to sit down I actually couldn't find a seat!

Haahaa. I guess that is a good thing. My Sunday School class was rather large this morning too. They are so cute.. well they look cute but they have an attention span of like 4 minutes hahaha. It's fun though and I love them. They were all so excited to be at the corps and see everyone. They are definitely an important part of our corps family.

Matthew 19:13-15. 13Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

Songbook

2007-09-15T20:52:00.000-05:00

Even though I am a teen I really love some of the good ole army songbook songs. One of them is this one.
Storm the Forts of darkness
1.
Soldiers of our God, arise!
The day is drawing nearer;
Shake the slumber from your eyes,
The light is growing clearer.
Sit no longer idly by,
While the heedless millions die,
Lift the blood-stained banner high,
And take the field for Jesus.

Chorus
Storm the forts of darkness,
Bring them down, bring them down!
Storm the forts of darkness,
Bring them down, bring them down!
Pull down the devil's kingdom,
Where'er he holds dominion;
Storm the forts of darkness, bring them down!
Glory, honor to the Lamb,
Praise and power to the Lamb,
Glory, honor, praise and power,
Be forever to the Lamb!

2.
See the brazen hosts of Hell,
Their art and power employing,
More than human tongue can tell,
The blood-bought souls destroying.
Hark! from ruin's ghastly road
Victims groan beneath their load;
Forward, O ye sons of God,
And dare or die for Jesus.

3.
Warriors of the risen King,
Great Army of salvation,
Spread his fame, his praises sing
And conquer every nation.
Raise the glorious standard higher,
Work for victory, never tire;
Forward march with blood and fire,
And win the world for Jesus.

Robert Johnson

It just kinda pumps you up doens't it :) I can't even pick a favorite part because I love ALL of them.
I just wanted to share that with you all and hopefully light some sort of spark in your souls.
Be blessed.
p.s. I'm going to try and post more often even if it is little things like this :)

Labor Day Camp Meetings

2007-09-05T18:22:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning I slowly walked up to Hilltop complex enjoying the serenity, quietness and beauty of Star Lake Camp. As I sat in the giant tent on the ball field in a band rehearsal I watched the loads of cars and buses pull up and hundreds of people flood out and all over the camp 1,500 people to be exact. So much for the quietness!! Even I was a bit overwhelmed at how many people were at camp. All morning and afternoon were fun and games. The first meeting opened with a big bang! We burst out into song about revival, it was very simple but powerful.
I want a revival in my soul
I want a revival in my soul
I want to be washed in the Blood of Jesus
I want a revival in my soul

Send down the rain (oh glory)
Send down the rain (oh glory)
Send down the gospel rain
Send down the rain (oh glory) 3x's

After that we had the privelege of National Commander Commissioner Israel Gaither preach about Revival and expanding our tent. He preached from the book of Isaiah 54:1-4 1 "Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband," says the LORD. 2 "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. 3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.4 "Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.

It was absolutely amazing how I couldn't not pay attention. Have you ever heard a speaker where you were sitting on the edge of you seat listening to every single word and soaking it in?? I didn't look at my watch once! It was insane! He was encouraging us to go out into the world and not be afraid to bring people to the corps and tell them about Jesus. My favorite part in those verses is Do not be afraid, you will not suffer shame! AWESOME! I think he is my all time favorite preacher.. well one of them :)
After that meeting I quickly ran (literally) down to the campfire where my best friends band was playing. They were awesome. We had so much fun roasting marshmellows, making smores, giving testimonies and praising Jesus. It was an awesome time for the teens. I would do it again in a hearbeat. After that I stayed up really late talking with people that I don't see much. It was fun!
Sunday morning it was a little hard for me to wake up, which was completely my fault. :) Again we had the priveledge of listening to Commissioner Israel Gaither. He preached about dry bones. Ezekiel 37:1-10 1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know." 4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath [a] enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' " 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' " 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

He talked about how people are carrying bags of dry bones and they need to let them go. It was very powerful. Our corps members joined together in a circle of prayer during the alter call. It was awesome. I could see that he had spoke to many of the people in my corps family. Our time of prayer brought many of us to tears, which made me cry.. ofcourse!

As for the afternoon meeting, well it's always exciting. The cadets walked in and Commisioner Eva Gaither gave them the charge andthen Izzy preached a bit and then had us praise some more. He had the youth chorus sing We Are Not Ashamed THREE TIMES! It was fun though. He had those who really ment what they were singing to come to the front and hundreds of people were up out of their seats singing with us. It was awesome.

It was an amazing weekend and it officially marked the end of my summer.
Today was my first day of my senior year of high school. It is so easy for me during the summer to be completely focused on Jesus and in the word everyday but now that everything is starting again it's hard to keep focus. Please pray for me as I go through this school year applying to colleges and busy with everything that goes on in the division and at the corps. I really need to stay focused and on the right path.
thanks :)

The Summer

2007-08-27T19:38:00.001-05:00

Wow! What a summer. I don't even know where to start. I apologize in advance because this is going to be a long one. :)
So as you all know I worked at Star Lake Camp this summer. This was my third summer working there. I was a counselor this year and I worked with the younger girls. It was a lot of fun but I think this was my last summer working at camp. I'm hoping to go on the hands on mission trip next summer. :)

While I was working this summer I had lots of encounters with "the bear." One night as I was bringing the girls back to the cabin the bear decided to run in our direction!!! You can just imagine the chaos that occured that night. The bear also loved the garbage cans right by my cabin. Lets just say the night duties I had were VERY interesting.

One of my breaks I went up to OOB. I love going up there and seeing everyone. This is a picture of me and Ashley bored on the car ride up :)

It was really good to see my family too. I missed them. While I was up there at the pier one night Mrs.Bate grabbed my arm and pulled me into the prayer tent. There I met a couple people from the war college. They did a listening prayer and told me these images that they saw. It was pretty awesome. I told some people what they saw and they had these awesome explanations. It was such a cool experience.

So the last day of camp I went straight to the training school to attend my 4th TAM conservatory :) TAM is my favorite part of the summer. This year I decided to change my major and sang in the first ever Worship track. I couldn't have asked for better instructors. Bill Rollins, Raymond Livingston, Mark Hood (who is an amazing guitar player from the west), Phil Laeger (An amazing piano player, music writer, singer :) ) and an officer from Ohio whose name I can't remember but he was such an encourager and had so much energy. I learned loads about worship leading and putting together a worship group and rehearsing. We immediately started leading worship for the students and instructors. There is such a sense of freedom in the woship times we had it was amazing. One night we went all over times square with our small groups doing various tasks like praying with someone, giving someone a lunch, handing out new testaments, tipping workers in Starbucks, singing on the street corner. It was an awesome experience. After that we went and saw Mary Poppins on Broadway. One night I went to the prayer room with Tabitha Gray, Amber Medin and Ashley Morgan. We talked about our prayer requests and started praying for one another. When they began to pray for me I fell on my knees and began sobbing. God really broke me and it was very much needed. This was the begining of a huge transformation that happened at TAM. After that night God spoke to me through everything! Through the devotions lead by mrs. munn, through the worship times, even through the TAM finale. Just the fact that the whole TAM Conservatory learned the entire book of Mark was a blessing. Sunday morning was very powerful. It was a challenge to the students. Taken from the book of Mark chapter 16 verse 15 - Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. That's a pretty big job to do but with God anything is possible. Sunday was an emotional day too. I prayed with lots of people but the one that sticks out in my memory is praying with Mrs.Munn. I could barely speak when I was telling her what was on my heart and the tears wouldn't stop flowing but she prayed and it changed my life. God was definitely at TAM conservatory.

Immidiately after TAM I went back to Star Lake for Territorial Music camp. There were a bunch of tam students that went to star lake so when we got there we prayed in a huge circle asking God to keep this fire burning inside us and to not change because we were at camp, I think it worked :) We had an awesome week at Star Lake. The special guests were the Press's. They are amazing people from Australia who really love the Lord. We had such a great time with them. I also hung out with the most amazing bunch of people. It's awesome to have friends who love Jesus and who you can talk to about anything and everything. We all live so far away from eachother so this time with each other is crucial!

Well camp went by quickly and everyone left except me. I had to stay because I had to get ready to work for GNY Junior Music Conservatory. I was the girls counselor. It was a good week. So now I'm back at home for a few days then off the camp for old fashioned camp meetings! Then my senior year starts! What an exciting life I have :)

If you would like a well written overview of the summer check out my friend Seth's blog www.soldieroffaith.blogspot.com
He's a writer :) I'm not.

Band and Songster Dinner

2007-06-21T21:22:00.000-05:00

Tonight was our annual band and songster dinner. This year we decided to spice it up a bit and we went to a Japanese HIbachi Steakhouse. If you have never been to one I suggest you go atleast once! It is soo much fun. The chef in the middle of the table cooks your meal right before your eyes and he flings veggies into you mouth and sings songs. It was so much fun! Here are some pictures from it. I love the people from my corps, they are awesome. (These pics are for you major ashcraft :) see some familiar faces????)
This will probably be my last post for a while because tomorrow morning I am off to camp. Hopefully I will have some time to update :)

my last sunday

2007-06-17T22:57:00.001-05:00

Well today was a bitter sweet day at the corps. Our assistant corps officers Captains Tony and Jennifer Rosamilia are leaving us. They have been such a great addition to the corps and we are sooo sad to see them go. They are going to be corps officers at the white plains corps which isn't too far away but it still won't be the same. Please keep them in your prayers. Speaking of prayers we had a prayer of blessing over them this morning. It's amazing how much more of an impact the prayer makes when we physically come together as a congregation and lay hands on them as we pray for them. It seems to make the prayer much more powerful.

This morning was also my final corps cadet project! EVER! We had to lead a united sunday school...I thought it was loads of fun. I love working with the kids and doing creative things. We told the parable of the woman and the lost coin. It's amazing how much bribing kids with chocolate coins works :) I love those kids.

Today was also my last day at the corps. I'm off to star lake on Friday. This will be my third summer working there. I love it. Please pray for me and the staff of star lake. I think the staff including myself tend to forget how much of an impact we can actually have on these kids. I've been praying for a while that the staff will have a sense of unity and that we will just come together under the love of Christ and help change these children forever.

Kaleidoscope Congress

2007-06-11T17:05:00.000-05:00

I don't even know where to begin! This weekend was PACKED with amazing things!
Thursday wasn't so great for me. We were driving (my sister and I) down to Hershey and I wasn't feeling well and I got really sick. ALL OVER THE CAR! It was not a good experience at all! My sister kept saying when we stopped so I could clean it "we're going home, we're going home!" I had been looking forward to this weekend for a long time and there was NO way I was going home!! So I shouted back at her "NO WE ARE NOT! I'M FINE NOW! WE ARE GOING TO THE CONGRESS." So after I cleaned up we drove the rest of the way there and as soon as we got there it was just a huge crowd of uniforms. I went down to where the meeting was and waited outside to see some people. I went to bed after, which is sooo not like me. I normally stay out really late but I was feeling really light headed and weak. I think the devil was trying to steal my joy. He knew how much I was looking forward to this weekend and how much I had been praying for it. Well the devil couldn't steal my joy!!! I love God and people too much!
Friday morning I still wasn't feeling to well. I went to the giant center for rehearsals. Then I ran the GNY Music and Creative Arts Booth upstairs. The friday night meeting was awesome. The Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers were phenomenal. It was like there were angels singing! Then both General Clifton and Pastor Jim Cymbala spoke. Both were very powerful. Pastor Jim spoke to the Army and based it off of this scripture. Isaiah 51:1 (NIV) "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn.." I think it was just what everyone needed to hear. God definitely spoke through Pastor Cymbala and the Singers.
The rest of my Friday night was spent in rehearsals for the Saturday morning meeting.
By Saturday I was feeling a lot better. I have never been so nervous in my entire life though. My video testimony was being shown. My heart was racing and I couldn't sit still. Everyone seemed to like it and it even made some cry. As long as God was glorified that is all that matters to me. Our National Leader Izzy Gaither spoke. His words were very powerful and lead many to the alter. It is a beautiful thing to watch people fall on their knees and fully surrender their life to the Lord. Especially when you know the person. It makes me cry tears of joy. The final piece of the meeting was amazing. During every rehearsal for it I would cry. It was a piece arranged by Dorothy Gates entitled "How Great Is Our God." It was a medley of My God is So Big, God is God, How Great is Our God and How Great Thou Art. The GNY youth band played along with Jon Knaggs and Kevin Berry on guitar, Simon Morton on Bass, Gavin Whitehouse on piano, Raymond Livingston and Amber Medin singing along with Alexa Davis and Bill Rollins, the Eastern Territorial Songsters and a group of dancers. It was absolutely amazing.
Then we headed over to the Star Search celebration. I will be honest I wasn't there long but what I was there for it was good. Then Saturday night was the Rebecca Saint James concert. Phil Laeger opened which was awesome but I was disappointed that he was only there for like 15 minutes, I would have liked to hear more of him. Then a woman named Vicky Beeching sang. She was pretty good. Then Rebecca Saint James was on. I guess she really isn't my style so I left early. I went back and ate with some friends and then sat in the lobby and chatted till the early morning.
Sunday morning was another amazing meeting. Everything the General said spoke to me. He was awesome!!! The commissioning of the Officers was beautiful. I love it. This makes me cry too. jeeze I'm an emotional wreck! Oh well. The response to the call to officership was huge too. And many others this weekend that I spoke to were also called to officership and weren't on the stage so there were even more! WOW! I think that the Army is in GOOD hands. :) Sunday afternoon I ate lunch in the park with John Clifton, Olivia Munn and Mhairi Smeaton. We had some intense conversation!!! I love it though. And I love how open people are about their faith. It is so encouraging. The Sunday afternoon appointment service is always fun! Cheering and singing songs like "Onward Christian Soldier" is always a blast for me.
Overall the weekend was amazing. It was so good to see people that I haven't seen in a long time :) I was soo happy to see the Ashcrafts. They are awesome people who have helped me so much in my walk with Christ. I love them!
God was glorified, lives were changed, relationships were made, friends were reunited and it was a weekend I will never forget.

Kids Cafe Picnic

2007-05-24T14:15:00.001-05:00

Well Tuesday was our final kids cafe till september. So we took the kids to Hempstead State Park for a bbq and some fun time. They all loved it and I think the instructors even had fun!!! haha.. It was a beautiful day and it was the perfect way to end the season. I'm looking forward to next year!
Please keep these kids in your prayers. Most of them come from broken homes and are exposed to far more than they should be.
I really love these kids and I feel so amazing when I think of how much of an impact we are making in their lives. I pray that our numbers grow and that more and more kids come to the corps. Not just in Hempstead but in the entire Army World. I think that we need to raise these children spiritually and show them that they are loved by God. Proverbs 22:6 says "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Well lets do it then!!!!!!

Music

2007-05-21T21:53:00.000-05:00

This evening was the final rehearsal before the youth band records ALL weekend long! So it was long and tiring and kinda stressful considering my sister who plays the same part as me was sick. I was all alone on my part and right in front of the bandmaster (aka my dad.) That was some scary stuff!!! Anyway about halfway through the rehearsal we started playing all the solo pieces. Doug began to play his flugel solo I Surrender All. It is such a beautiful solo and hearing it resonate throughout the CMT was almost breathtaking. Who would have thought that in the middle of a rehearsal amidst all the stress and counting measures and marking sharps that I would be blessed. Well I was and now the amazing words to this song have become my prayer.

All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In his presence daily live.

I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken,
Take me Jesus, take me now.

I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

just some pics

2007-05-17T14:30:00.000-05:00

I'm a little too busy right now to think of something deep and meaningful to write so I'm just going to post some pictures lol. I got my hair cut a couple weeks ago. This is a mini photo shoot of me and Stephen in the car. THis is what happens when you are stuck in new york city traffic with a camera :) Enjoy

OH yeah! One more thing. I came across these verses in my devotions yesterday. They are from Zechariah's Song when he was filled with the spirit and prophesied in the book of Luke. The end of it is my favorite part.
Luke 1:76-79
76And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
78because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace."

Don't exactly know why I decided to include this... I guess I just really liked it :)

I'll go where you send me

2007-05-07T13:47:00.000-05:00

This song is like the story of my life right now.

An image flashed across my T.V. screen
another broken heart comes into view
I saw the pain and I turned my back
Why can't I do the things I want to?

I am willing yet am so afraid
you give me strength when I say ...

I wanna be your hands
I wanna be your feet
I'll go where you send me, go where you send me
I'll be your hands
I'll be your feet
I'll go where you send me, go where you send me

And I'll try, yeah I'll try
to touch the world
like you touched my life
And I'll find my way
To be your hands

I'll abandon every selfish thought
I surrender everything I've got
You can have everything I am
And perfect everything I'm not

I am willing, I'm not afraid
you give me strength when I say ...

I wanna be your hands
I wanna be your feet
I'll go where you send me, go where you send me
I'll be your hands
I'll be your feet
I'll go where you send me, go where you send me

And I'll try, yeah I'll try
to touch the world
like you touched my life
And I'll find my way

This is the last time
I turn my back on you
From now on I'll go out
send me where you want me to
I finally have a mission
I promise I'll complete
I don't need excuses
when I am your hands and feet
I am your hands and feet

I wanna be your hands
I wanna be your feet
I'll go where you send me, go where you send me
I'll be your hands
I'll be your feet
I'll go where you send me, go where you send me
I'll be your hands
I'll be your feet

I will go
I will go where you send me
I will go
I will go where you send me
I will go, go
I will go, go
I will GO!
Go where you send me

I wanna be your hands
I wanna be your feet

Virginia Tech

2007-04-19T14:43:00.000-05:00

I'm sure all of you have heard about the terrible events that happened at Virginia Tech this past week. I was looking on yahoo news lastnight and came across these pictures. Some of them brought me to tears.

New York Temple Corps Music and Creative Arts Day Camp

2007-04-09T22:15:00.000-05:00

This past week was the second ever music and creative arts day camp at the New York Temple Corps. Captains Billy and Annalise Francis along with their youthworkers Jen and Pratik are doing awesome things with their young kids from the city. We had a very busy schedule for these kids but it was loads of fun. We did singing, devotions, theory, dance, drama, art, ceramics, piano, guitar, brass lessons, swimming and gym time at the YMCA and our favorite time of the day, the XBOX ROOM! A lot of these kids come from broken homes so for them to come to the corps all day for the whole week was good for them. They all loved it! The kids really grew on me, I love them all! I was actually sad that the week had come to an end. The last day the youngest girl came up to me and said "I don't want to leave." Awww that hit me. They are awesome children and I really think that if they continue this program and they continue coming to the corps that they will truely grow up to be great christians. You should have heard some of them during devotions. Captain Billy asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up and about half of them said pastors :) of course they all thought of that after the first kid said it :) They are great though. We had a great week. Please pray for these kids.

This is a group shot of them on Sunday morning.

And another one

Captain Billy and Cheyenne with her huge easter basket!
All the easter baskets in these pictures were donated by the Rockerfeller family :)

Captain Annalise and Cheyenne

Ivan and Gavin. Ivan actually starting coming to the corps because his dad worked at the parking garage across from Dhq and heard about music lessons and brought him. :)

I know you shouldn't have favorites but I can't help it. Katherine is my favorite :)

Makayla...she is adorable

Michael, Moses and Wonder three brothers their sister is Katherine

This is Seth and Jamal...Doug and I taught them music lessons

Yyvone and Carlos

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Good Friday FET

2007-04-07T14:33:00.000-05:00

here is a video of the Greater New York Youth Chorus singing Alpha and Omega.
I will update later about the meeting.
Happy Easter!

How Deep The Fathers Love For Us

2007-04-06T22:08:00.000-05:00

How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will nost boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

The Circus!!!!!!

2007-04-01T19:02:00.000-05:00

Friday night was The Salvation Army Night at Madison Square Garden also known as the Night of 10,000 smiling faces!!! Ringling Brothers Circus was awesome. The Greater New York Youth Chorus sang the National Anthem, which was pretty cool.. I'm going to attempt to put the video of it on here.
Here are some pics of the fun night.
go to this website if you want to hear the national anthem.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te3Tyd1LdYg

Pictures

2007-03-25T21:40:00.000-05:00

As promised some pictures from the future all stars weekend :)

And here are some pictures from Juliann's sweet 16. I'm sure their will be more but here are the first couple

I love my friends :)

Fututre All Stars

2007-03-18T21:31:00.001-05:00

This past weekend was future all stars. This is the 4th one i believe. I have been to every one. It is such a great weekend. This year it was held at the Lodge at Star Lake Camp which is new because we normally stay in cabins and practice in Hilltop. So yeah the weekend was amazing. There was loads of playing. We played for like 6 hours on Saturday! More then I have ever practiced! hahaa...There were people from every Territory in the US plus people from Canada. It is so awesome to meet new people at events like this. I actually have kept in contact with a lot of people that I met at All Stars over the years and continue to do so. Devotions were lead by the Moretz's throughout the weekend. They were great. We focused on the book of Hebrews. We learned a lot about FAITH- Forsaking All I Trust Him. We also learned about being itinerant. And realizing that this world is not our home but a temporary place. REAL home is in Heaven with our Lord and Savour. After each time of devotionals we were assigned to a prayer partener one staff bandsmen/women and another delegate. We then discussed questions based on the devotions and prayed about them. It was a great experience. I cannot explain how much love and sense of oneness I felt during the weekend. It really was truely amazing.
Saturday morning after a band rehearsal a couple staff bandsmen did something we call a solimony. Which is a solo and a testimony. They were all excellent. After the day of practicing and a little free time we had the evening meeting. I was soo nervous all day because I was asked to play a solo. I don't think I have ever been so nervous in my entire life! I played a simple yet meaningful solo, The Heart Of Worship. It went well. When I played the solo I just prayed the words of the tune as I was playing it. "When the music fades all is stripped away and I simply come. Longing just to bring something that's of worth that will bless your heart. I'll bring you more than a song for a song in itself is not what you hvae required. You search much deeper within, through the way things appear. Your looking into my heart. I'm coming back to the heart of worship and it's ALL about you, it's all about you Jesus. I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it, when it's all about you, all about you Jesus. King of endless worth, no one could express how much you deserve. Though I'm weak and poor, all I have is yours, every single breath."
The people there were so amazingly gifted and the best part is that they give it all back to God in Worship.
Sunday morning we had our own church service instead of going to a corps like in previous years. We had a time of testimony. It was amazing. My friend Laura Foley from California was just saying how truely amazing it is that we can all be together and meet eachother and praise the Lord together. Lots of people were thanking God that the weather didn't stop them from getting there. I was blessed. We then played a Hallelujah Chorus called In Christ Alone. When the band played the third verse to this song it was as if angels were in the room. I got goosebumps and I couldn't even play. All I could hear in my head were the words... There in the ground His body lay, light of the world by darkness slainl Then, bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again! And as he stands in vicotry, sin's curse has lost its grip on me; For I am His and He is mine, Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
I couldn't get this song out of my head for the longest time here are all of the verses. It's a great tune :)

1. In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease.
My comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

2. In Christ alone, who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
'Til on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied.
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

3. There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slainl
Then, bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as he stands in vicotry,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine,
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

4. No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
can ever pluck me from His hand;
'Til he returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand!

I'm hoping to get some pictures up soon.

A bad day

2007-03-13T13:55:00.000-05:00

Well today my school had a two and a half hour delay because of state testing. So I was looking forward to sleeping in. I woke up this morning and my cell phone wasn't working. So I called the company to see what the problem was and the lady said that I need to get a new one and that it just stopped working. I couldn't order the new one because my dad had already left for work. So that made me mad. Then I was rushing to get my breakfast and lunch together because I had to walk to school and my mom spilled all the pineapple and strawberries all over the counter and the floor! So I had to quickly help her clean it up. Then I went to put some cheerios into a zip lock bag and spilled them all over the floor!!! So I left the house in a terrible mood. As I was walking I calmed down and tried to look for the good in the situation. I thought to myself well I woke up this morning! And it was soo beautiful outside and the birds were chirping, it was like a spring day. So that made it a little better. Then came Chemistry! Science is probably my worst subject. It always has been and always will be. So I found out I didn't do so well on my last test. That made me mad because I even studied for it! So I complained to some friends about how terrible my day was going. Finally school was over. As I was walking home a kid who was in my french class last year pulled over and asked me if I wanted a ride. hahaha..I live about a mile away from school so I wasn't going to say no! So he gave me a ride home, which was very nice of him. :) Then I came on my computer to check my email and stuff. I get this thing called daily manna sent to my email everyday and today it fit perfectly.
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. Philippians 2:14-18 NIV
I read it and started to laugh. I think God has a sense of humor. I love it. I love Him. And even though days like this are annoying I am thankful for the lessons He teaches me.

Project 1:17 Preview Weekend

2007-03-12T13:48:00.000-05:00

I know it was a while ago but I just stole some of Mhairi's pictures from the weekend. I had sooo much FUN!
Here they are

Mrs.Bussey dancing and singing I'm a little teapot to get her mug back lol

Listening :)

Steve Bussey talking about the program.

The panel

hahaha...trying to look smart :)

Mhairi and Eli being special

Working hard, trying to build a 3-d giraffe made of cake.

Hahaha.. I don't even know what I was doing!

The beautiful masterpiece!!!!!

Trying to explain the project. We WON! woo whoo
I had an awesome time

Youth Chorus

2007-03-05T22:06:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love our Divisional Youth Chorus. We had rehearsal tonight for the FET on friday, by the way if you live near the city you should definitely come..It's going to be a great night :)
Anyway there are two songs that we are singing in particular that I fell in love with. The words are amazing and everytime we sing it, even in rehearsal I get the chills and shed a tear or two. EVERY TIME! They never get old for me.

Not Too Far From Here
Somebody's down to their last dime;
Somebody's running out of time
Not too far from here.
Somebody's got nowhere else to go;
Somebody needs a little hope;
Not too far from here.
And I may not know their name,
But I'm praying just the same
That you'll use me, Lord, to wipe away a tear,
'Cause somebody's crying not too far from here.

Somebody's troubled and confused;
Somebody's got nothing left to lose
Not too far from here.
Somebody's forgotten how to trust
And somebody's dying for love
Not too far from here.
It may be a stranger's face,
But I'm praying for your grace
To move in me and take away the fear
'Cause somebody's hurting not too far from here.

Help me, Lord, not to turn away from pain.
Help me not to rest while those around me weep.
Give me your strength and compassion
When somebody finds the road of life too steep.

Somebody's troubled and confused;
Somebody's got nothing left to lose
Not too far from here.
Somebody's forgotten how to trust
And somebody's dying for love
Not too far from here.

Now I'm letting down my guard
And I'm opening my heart.
Help me speak your love to every needful ear.
Jesus is waiting not too far from here.
Jesus is waiting not too far from here.

I Surrender All
I have wrestled in the darkness of this lonely pilgrim land,
Raising strong and mighty fortresses that I alone command.
But these castles I've constructed by the strength of my own hand,
Are just temporary kingdoms on foundations made of sand.

In the middle of the battle, I believe I've fin'lly found
I'll never know the thrill of vict'ry 'til I'm willing to lay down
All my weapons of defense and earthly strategies of war,
So I'm laying fown my arms and running helplessly to Yours.

I surrender all my silent hopes and dreams,
Though the price to follow costs me everything.
I surrender all my human soul desires.
If sacrifice requires that all my kingdoms fall,
I surrender all.

If the source of my ambition is the treasure I obtain,
If I measure my successes on a scale of earthly gain,
If the focus of my vision is the status I attain,
My accomplishments are worthless and my efforts are in vain,

So I lay aside these trophies to ursue a higher crown,
And should You choose somehow to use the life I willingly lay down,
I surrender all the triumph, for it's only by Your grace.
I relinquish all the glory; I surrender all the praise.

I surrender all my silent hopes and dreams,
Though the price to follow costs me everything.
I surrender all my human soul desires.
If sacrifice requires that all my kingdoms fall,
I surrender all.

Everything I am, all I've done and all I've known
Now belongs to You. The life I live is not my own.
Just as Abraham laid Isaac on the sacrificial fire,
If all I have is all that You desire,
I surrender all my silent hopes and dreams,
Though the price to follow costs me everything.
I surrender all my human soul desires.
If sacrifice requires that all my kingdoms fall,
Let all my Kingdoms fall.
Let all my kingdoms fall.
I surrender all.

This is my prayer.

The Siren Call of A Dangerous God

2007-02-26T23:07:00.000-05:00

So there is lots to blog about. I don't really have the time to update about everything so the rest will be coming soon.

Lately I have been reading alot. I just finished a book called "Who's Child is This?" by Bill Wilson. This is will blog about later :)

I just finished another book called "The Siren Call of a Dangerous God" written by Geoff Ryan. I actually met Geoff's wife Sandra in Italy when the Youth Band was there. She was the guest speaker for this youth weekend held in Italy. It is a SMALL world! haha.. Anyway I borrowed this book from Mhairi. It is a quick read, I suggest you read it if you haven't already. The book is awesome!! It really caught my attention by chapter two.
Young and Unafraid.
Give fire that makes men heroes, turn weakness into might,
The fire that gives the courage to suffer for the fight,
The fire that changes fearing to pentecostal daring,
The fire that makes me willing for Christ to live or die..
The world for God! The world for God!
I give my heart! I will do my part!
-Evangeline Booth
"A late victorian hymn with new life breathed into it by a fiery melody fashioned by a young British musician. I sang it with conviction and abandon and fervor along with several hundred others at a missions conference for young people. We sang it very well with enthusiasm and gusto, with eyes closed and faces upturned beseeching-demanding even-satisfaction of our God, some with raised fists and many, many with tears.
But did we mean it? As a friend of mine pointed out to me-Christians do not usually tell lies, but we often sing them.
Were we lying or was it just another terminal case of youthful euphoria, the strength of our convictions being no match for the stength of our emotions? Was our singing not ragged around the edges witha whiff of fear? What if we actually had to become heroes, live lives of pentecostal daring, make the choice between living or dying? What if our hearts were asked of us, our lives?"
hmm..makes me think. This excerpt is soo true. There are many times when you are in church just like he was and you are so on fire for God and ready to make a difference and then you go home and it's back to the same old same old! I know I'm guilty of it. Over these past couple months I have really been challenged by people and by God. God has given me a heart to want more and go further. He's taught me to not settle for mediocrity. All these songs we sing, if we don't mean them with our whole heart and carry out the duty that we are singing to God then we are like the book said, lying. Sad but true.
So what do we do? How do we live out the songs that we are singing?

I can't wait to start reading Geoff Ryan's other book "Sowing Dragons"

Contentment

2007-02-20T11:09:00.000-05:00

You know what is bothering me more than anything recently? Being Content. It bothers me that people including myself sometimes feel content in the way that we are living. Shouldn't we always be striving for more? Shouldn't we never be satisfied and always want more? I'm talking about in the church of course just incase some of you were thinking something else. It bothers me when people are content with the amount of people in their congregation and content with the amount of kids in their program. Sometimes I sit and think of the Salvation Army and how we have so much potential! We can change the whole world! I think some of us just need a kick in the butt to get in gear. I'm not saying that the Army isn't doing alot already. Ofcourse it is but there is soo much more that we can do! Locally and internationaly. I think that people, including myself sometimes care too much about our own desires, what WE want and what is good for US. We need to realize that it's not about us all the time. It's about them. It's about the abandoned and unloved and unsaved druggies and alocoholics, it's about the people in the community who are going down a dark path. I don't really know where all this is going but I needed to get it out. Advice and criticism is greatly appreciated :)

2007-02-19T12:55:00.000-05:00

I was inspired by Mhairi's blog to put up a video of one of those moments when everything is funny and you can't stop laughing. This video is Stephen, Seth, Tabitha and I making fun of Major Ditmers eye when it was all messed up. We couldn't stop laughing and could barely breathe. HAHHAHA.

This video is of our singing company. I love them all but they are CRAZY!

Psalm 97

2007-02-12T23:04:00.000-05:00

I have a new favorite Psalm. This particular one keeps popping up in my life. I came across it on New years andthen again a couple weekends ago at the Project 1:17 previeq weekend Mhairi and I came across it again. She had a cool story about it but I can't remember it enough to tell you :)
Psalm 97
The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.
Clouds of thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side.
His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples will see his glory.
All who worship images are put to shame,
those who boast in idols- worship him, all you gods.
Zion hears and rejoices and the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments, O Lord.
For you, O Lord, are the Most High over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
Let those who love the Lord hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light is shed upon the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name.

AMEN!

PRAY

2007-02-11T22:39:00.000-05:00

Please pray for my friend. His name is Eric White, he goes to the Pioneer Corps. I just found out that he collapsed this morning and started having a seizure..They had to sedate him yesterday (Sunday) to stop the seizures. today at about 2:30 they started
to let him come out of the sedation. but he immediately started having seizures again. The doctors to not know what is causing this. All of the tests they have run so far have come out negative. He hasn't woken up yet. He's only 18 years old!!! He is such an awesome person...always making people laugh and always smiling. Pray for healing

another one

2007-02-09T14:54:00.000-05:00

just another piece that i am working on. hope you like it :)

recent projects

2007-02-01T23:11:00.000-05:00

here are two recent projects I'm working on....

New Favorite Song

2007-01-22T23:02:00.000-05:00

You know how you hear the same song alot and you kinda just sing it and don't think about what your singing? Well maybe that only happens to me but I do that alot. So this weekend one song that really blessed me was Did you Feel the Mountains Tremble. The words are so amazing!!!!! I can't stop listening to it and singing it in my head and outloud! It's such an amazing feeling when you are in church and all the voices around you are singing a song with all their heart. I think it brings a smile to Gods face. My favorite part is did you feel the darkness tremble? When all the saints join in one song and all the streams flow as one river to wash away our brokeness!
I encourage you to listen to it, if you have it. Man I wish I could put up a sound file. Oh well..maybe one day I will learn how. :)

Did you feel the mountains tremble?
Did you hear the oceans roar?
When the people rose to sing of
Jesus Christ the risen one

Did you feel the people tremble?
Did you hear the singers roar?
When the lost began to sing of
Jesus Christ the risen one

And we can see that God you're moving
A mighty river through the nations
And young and old will turn to Jesus
Fling wide your heavenly gates
Prepare the way of the risen Lord

Open up the doors and let the music play
Let the streets resound with singing
Songs that bring your hope
Songs that bring your joy
Dancers who dance upon injustice

Did you feel the darkness tremble?
When all the saints join in one song
And all the streams flow as one river
To wash away our brokeness

And here we see that God you're moving
A time of Jubilee is coming
When young and old return to Jesus
Fling wide your heavenly gates
Prepare the way of the risen Lord

So what now?

2007-01-17T22:46:00.000-05:00

So Major Ashcraft asked this after my last post. "What is the mission that God has for this band of revolutionary Christians who met on New Year's eve?"
This question really got me thinking. I am so on fire for Jesus, now what!? I mean I know what I have to do now, SPREAD IT! But How? So as I was thinking about this, the idea popped into my head to have a twelve hour praise and worship here in the Greater New York Division. I immediately spoke to my DYS about it and he was all game for it which got me really excited. I think it will be sooo amazing to have one in New York. I think it will shake up the divisions youth, in a good way. We have so much talent in this division it would be a shame to not use it to praise God. So I have this whole idea planned in my head and we are just working on a date. Please pray that this whole thing will work out and that lives will be changed and hearts will be on fire for Jesus again. I have never felt so strong about something as I do this. I have talked to a bunch of people about this and they think that it is a great idea and are willing to help make it work! I'm excited.

Oh yeah I'm 17 now :) my birthday was on Tuesday. I had a couple people over Sunday night into monday and went into the city on Monday. It was allot of fun to just chill with good friends!
Well I'm off to Ladore tomorrow for the Worship Arts Convocation. I'm going down early. I'm excited for that too. Please also pray for that.

oh yeah and a reminder that the 120th anniversary of the New York Staff Band in coming up! :) PLEASE COME! It's going to be a memorable event! You could sit next to me!!! :)

New Years Eve

2007-01-02T22:22:00.000-05:00

Well for New Years Eve I went down to the Pioneer Corps in Philly. I went down with Tabitha, Seth and Evan. We got there really fast and early to help set it all up. I met loads of awesome people in the process of setting up which was cool.. Then 7 o'clock came around and it was time for some worship. For TWELVE HOURS STRAIGHT we praised and worshiped God. It was absolutely amazing!! There were two short messages during the night..and they were both great! The main theme for the evening was the river of God and it focused around this verse.

Psalm 46:4, There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

There was a point during the night oh about 2 in the morning when there was a lull and people started to fall alseep and go outside and stuff...ofcoarse there were the 5 of us who never stopped :) anyway one of the leaders Mary said that she thinks we need to get back on track and she was right. We got close together all sitting on the floor and began to pray. It was an amazing time. It changed my life!! It made me realize how far I have drifted away from God and He told me my flaws and it was very clear. We prayed and prayed. I left with a changed heart, mind and soul. It was amazing! PRAISE GOD!

At about 4 or 5 in the morning there were maybe twenty people left and we started talking about what the verse ment to us.
This is how Erin Burgmayer described it..."There IS a river." no questions. there is. "Whose streams make glad." so the river makes us glad. "the city of God." the river makes not only us, but the whole city of God glad. "The holy place where the Most High dwells." this is my favorite part. If we are immersed in the water. the water is the holy place where the Lord's presence dwells! So the deeper we are in the river of God, The more in His presence we are."
How amazing is that!

YES! Finally got some pics up! ...I hope this made sense! hahaha

EPCOT!

2006-12-22T00:04:00.000-05:00

Well on Thursday our family was off to Epcot. As most of you know Epcot has lots of different countries and lots of past present and futuristic rides. It was a whole lot of fun! So here are some pictures.

The first country we went to was Mexico. This is where all the hat and souvenir pictures started. The best part about all these pictures is finding someone and asking them to take it! hahaha they must think that we are crazy!! Oh well

We ate in Mexico. This is me and Tim chillen in Mexico!

Vic and Chris eating in mexico.

hahaha..this is Vic and I waiting for one ride to start. We were faking like we were scared and you can see Chris and Tim behind us! hahaha

This is us in Norway after the ride they have there.

We couldn't find any cool hats so we had to use the fans and Tim and Chris found some obsurd hats! hahaha it was hilarious!

These are the only hats we found in Moroco!

I had fun.

FLORIDA

2006-12-20T00:03:00.000-05:00

I thought it was funny that we all had our Ipods on! Oh technology! hahaha

this is a view from the pool to the tv room. The ceilings are sooo high its beautiful!!!

This is PART of my parents bathroom..there are three bathrooms. :)

This is chris playing darts in the garage aka gameroom. There is air hockey, pool, foosball, hockey, darts, poker, connect four and the list goes on and on!

me bored on the plane beacuse Chris and Vic were sleeping...

I was IN LOVE WITH THE CLOUDS! Good thing I got the window seat! Oh man I could look at them all day! They are soo beautiful!

This is Chris and I at Chili's right when we got to Orlando.

This is part of our pool...there is soo much more to show you but it's late and I need to have a late night swim :) This place is amazing!!!! WAY more then what I EVER expected. Tomorrow we are supposed to go to the outlets andthen Thursday is Vic's birthday and we're going to DISNEY! Lots of more pictures to come! Today was just travel. My dad is picking up my brother Tim right now. So the whole family will be together soon :)
hope you liked the pics!

Kettle Season

2006-12-17T20:36:00.000-05:00

Well it's kettle season and I haven't had a chance to really breathe. Between corps activities and kettles and everything. So each band member in our corps band was asked to do 8 volunteer hours in a small group on Saturdays at a kettle. So i did 4 hours one Saturday and 4 the next so that way I could be done with it and finish my shopping on the next Saturday. Well a day before Saturday I got an "IM" from one of the band members asking if I could do two hours for her because something came up. I immediately said yes because I'm the type of person who can't say no. But I will admit I wasn't too happy. So I was sitting playing the Christmas Carols over and over in the middle of the crowded mall wishing I wasn't there and that time could go by faster! Well after about one hour this women came over to the kettle and said thank you she started talking to us and said something like this. "God Bless the Salvation Army, I don't know what this world and I would do without it. I was in Florida when a few Tornadoes hit where I was living. If it wasn't for The Salvation Army being there throughout it all it would be a wreck." So yeah what she said was nice and wasn't exactly heart wrenching but it actually brought a tear to my eye and made me think about the Army and really changed my attitude towards what I was doing. God definitely planned that and I'm thankful for it.

Well I'm off to Florida on Tuesday with my whole family. I'm happy to just have a break from everything and everyone. So I will be posting MAD (the kids from the corps are rubbing off on me! for those of you who don't know mad means allot! lol) pictures when we get down there because we have wireless internet in our condo! WOo hoo

HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Check it out!

2006-12-11T22:13:00.000-05:00

http://thesingingcompany.com/
Check out this website...I think its pretty cool..and I LOVE what they wear! hahaha...Enjoy! :)

Give Me Jesus

2006-12-05T22:12:00.000-05:00

I tried to get a audio clip onto this post but I guess I'm not smart enough to figure it out..maybe one day. Anyway I love this song. It's sooo simple but powerful. If you've heard it you probably like it too :) Its beautiful

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
Give me Jesus

Chorus:
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
But give me Jesus

When I am alone
When I am alone
When I am alone
Give me Jesus

Chorus

And when I come to die
When I come to die
When I come to die
Give me Jesus

Chorus

New Verse

2006-11-30T20:52:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 27:19 (New Living Translation)
As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.

Mhairi said this to me a while ago and I really like it...not much point to this post :)

Lamb Of God

2006-11-26T23:12:00.000-05:00

YOUR ONLY SON, NO SIN TO HIDE
BUT YOU HAVE SENT HIM
FROM YOUR SIDE
TO WALK UPON THIS GUILTY SOD
AND TO BECOME THE LAMB OF GOD

YOUR GIFT OF LOVE THEY CRUCIFIED
THEY LAUGHED AND SCORNED HIM
AS HE DIED
THE HUMBLE KING THEY NAMED A FRAUD
AND SACRIFICED THE LAMB OF GOD

O LAMB OF GOD SWEET LAMB OF GOD
I LOVE THE HOLY LAMB OF GOD
O WASH ME IN YOUR PRECIOUS BLOOD
MY JESUS CHRIST THE LAMB OF GOD

I WAS SO LOST I SHOULD HAVE DIED
BUT YOU HAVE BROUGHT ME TO
YOUR SIDE
TO BE LEAD BY YOUR STAFF AND ROD
AND TO BE CALLED A LAMB OF GOD

O LAMB OF GOD SWEET LAMB OF GOD
I LOVE THE HOLY LAMB OF GOD
O WASH ME IN YOUR PRECIOUS BLOOD
TILL I AM JUST A LAMB OF GOD

update....I can't think of a name :)

2006-11-19T23:28:00.000-05:00

so..Lots and lots has happend since I last updated...hmm lets see..well this past weekend me, Stephen and Seth took a spur of the moment road trip to Massachusetts. As much as I like to have plans all figured out I must say that this adventure was FUN! We headed up on friday right after school to see Jasmine Rollins STAR in her school play The Marriage of Figaro...Well on the way to her school we got a little lost. Seth and I thought it was HILARIOUS because Stephen was like screaming to his dad on the phone and we were getting futher and further away from where we were supposed to go. We finally got to the street of the school and we saw a school with cars outside and assumed it was the school we were looking for. We ran out the car, down the street and rushed into this school to find old women playing BINGO! OOOPPPSSSS wrong school! So we ran back to the car and finally found the school we were looking for. We missed the first half which kinda stunk but it made a good story didn't it? Anyway, when they were all taking their bows we decided to cheer for Jasmine and we all yelled out "YEAH JASMINE" well about 2 seconds after that the ENTIRE audience of snotty rich parents lashed there heads back at us and gave us all the death stare..I thought it was funny but obviously they didn't! Oh well, we are New Yorkers what do you expect? I had never felt to out of place in my entire life!
Anyway we stayed at the Jubilee house that the Dunnigans run friday night and chilled with Allie Dunnigan and her school friend till 4 in the morning. We left saturday afternoon. When we got home Seth, Mrs.Ditmer and I decided to go to the movies. We wanted to see James Bond but all the showings were sold out! So we went to see Prestige. I loved it, but that's just me. I thought that it taught a good lesson about the people who constantly are obsessing about being the best and who are willing to do anything and everything to achieve it end up miserable anyway! hahaha that was long...lol but I loved the movie. Oh yeah there was a preview for a movie that Mel Gibson Directed about the fall of an ancient empire (I can't remember which one) and when Mel Gibsons name came on the screen someone had the nerve to yell BOO! How rude! In the theaters? I so wanted to screem I love Mel Gibson! But after what happend the last time I yelled I figured I wouldn't do it. People who do that really bother me. There is really no need to scream out your opinion because nobody really cares how you feel! lol that sounds mean but its true! Oh there was a preview for The NATIVITY it looks soo good so if you get a chance sometime during the busy Christmas season go check it out!
So yeah I'm so happy that I only have three days of school this week!
I haven't posted like this in a while I hope you enjoyed it! lol

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Psalm 100:3-5. 3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his [a] ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

ps the picture is my latest AP drawing.

Click

2006-11-04T22:36:00.000-05:00

About The Film:
Michael Newman (Adam Sandler) is a family man whose busy career as an architect does not leave much time for his wife Donna (Kate Beckinsale) and his two kids. Unable one day to determine which of his many remotes turns on the television, he decides he needs a universal remote that does it all. On his search for the perfect device, he meets Morty (Christopher Walken) who gives him a one-of-a-kind remote that has magical powers. With each click, Michael can control his career and personal life. But complications arise when the remote starts to overrule his choices. The film also stars David Hasselhoff as his boss, Henry Winkler and Julie Kavner as Michael's parents. Sean Astin, Rachel Dratch, and Jennifer Coolidge also co-star.

Release Date: June 23, 2006
Starring: Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Walken and David Hasselhoff
Directed by: Frank Coraci
Written by: Steven Koren & Mark O'Keefe
Produced by: Jack Giarraputo and Neal Moritz
Executive Produced by: Barry Bernardi

hahaha sounds really really cheesy doesn't it? That's what I thought and I guess it was kinda cheesy. One of those movies where you can predict what's going to happen. Well although the movie wasn't that good it actually made me thank God for my life today...Sometimes when we get all wrapped up in a million things, have loads of work to do, are having problems with relationships and so on we seem to forget how precious life really is! And how much of a joy it should be...This happens to me all the time and lately I've been dealing with allot of problems but this movie actually helped me appreciate life!
So today take a moment out of your busy schedule and thank God for your life and for the people in it. I did and I went from being unhappy to non stop smiling...have a GREAT DAY!

not sure if this made sense...it's late! :)

future

2006-10-25T14:49:00.000-05:00

hello everyone,
Sorry I don't update much anymore..I've been really busy.
So I'm taking psychology in school and I must admit that it is very interesting and I get really involved in the discussions that we have. It's great! anyway today we took a little survey about multiple intelligences. First we had to write down what classes we excel in and what we would like to be when we grow up and a couple other things...So for Classes that you excel in I put band and art hahahaha because I have really high grades in those classes...and for the future question, well I left that one blank...then we filled out these checklists, checking the statements that apply to us.
After tallying up the checkmarks my four highest were...

Interpersonal Intelligence which said this.. "This intelligence involves sensitivity to moods, temperament, and intentions. The ability to work well in groups and be an effective communicator with others. The ability to "read" people and have genuine empathy for others feelings, concerns and beliefs. This intelligence is often found in counselors, therapists, teachers, religious leaders, and politicians."

Visual/Spatial Intelligence.. "This intelligence involves skill in the visual arts such as painting, sculpting and drawing. The sense of sight and imagination is key, as is the ability to form mental images and pictures in the mind. This intelligence is often found in architects, graphic design artists, painters and sculptors."

Musical/Rythmic Intelligence.."This intelligence includes the ability to use rythmic and tonal patterns, and recognize differences in the human voice, instruments, and other sounds from the environment. This intelligence is often found in musicians, dance bands, composers, music teachers, and vocalists."

Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence.. "This intelligence involves the ability to use the body to express (dance), to play (sports) and to create (invent). The body knows things that the mind is only able to express through motion. This intelligence is often found in athletes, dancers, actors and inventors."

My areas of weakness where in logical/mathematical Intelligence which explains why I hate math sooo much!!! And Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence.

Well there you have it hahaha now the question is what career could include all these aspects?

The pictures are of some of the AP art projects I have been working on.

Corps Band

2006-10-03T21:46:00.000-05:00

Well, today is Tueaday... Tuesdays are very very long days at the Hempstead corps..This morning started kinda rough for me...I set 4 alarms the night before to make sure that I would wake up and sure enough I either hit them all while I was asleep or they didn't go off. So I started the day off on "the wrong side of the bed." Afterschool I had a PSAT Class till 5. Then as soon as I walked home, I had to leave to go to the corps...I then taught Drama, THeory, gave an instrumental lesson, played in Junior Band, sung in the songsters, then the youth chorus and last but not least the senior band..now by the time band rolls along, I'm dead! And all through the rehearsal all I can think of is how much school work I have to do when I get home...haha now this sounds really bad like I'm complaining and well I shouldn't because after all its done right before my head hits the pillow (literally right before because as soon as it does, I'm out like a light!) I am blessed and gratful for the opportunity I have at the Hempstead corps...So during band we got the rest of our hallelujah choruses because well we had copying problems anyway we turned to "In Christ Alone." Silly me I thought that it was the cool upbeat one that Roofus sings then I looked at the top of the piece of music and it said thoughtfully 69 bpm...haha..I kinda laughed at myself...ANyway as were playing this piece we got to the final verse and its a key change and its at forte and man oh man it was amazing.. I could feel God in that chapel with us...so I took my copy home and decided to read the words to this song...what a GREAT TUNE! I think it's my new favorite ;) anway here are the words.. THEY ARE SO POWERFUL and Meaningful...

1. In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease.
My comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

2. In Christ alone, who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
'Til on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied.
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

3. There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slainl
Then, bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as he stands in vicotry,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine,
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

4. No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
can ever pluck me from His hand;
'Til he returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand!!

Ah I love it! :)

update

2006-09-30T20:27:00.000-05:00

Well this post is for Mrs.Bate! :)
So far my weekend has been very interesting....
After freezing like crazy at Seth's night football game, Me Stephen, Karla and Kia went to blockbuster to rent some movies...We were looking around forever trying to pick out something that we all haven't seen before...Stephen, being the odd person he is decided to look at the foreign films...he came across a film called the unnamed man or the man without a name, something like that I can't remember..anyway, the cover of it was a Salvation Army officer..It was made in Finland a long time ago..the uniforms so where authentic! Anyway, the story is about a man who gets mugged in a park and forgets his entire past. He meets this female officer and falls in love with her...It was soo funny though...they would have like a soup kitchen in the middle of the road and there was an army band that consisted of a banjo, guitar, stand up bass, and snare drum! It was soo cool....The main guy started helping in the army like at the thrift store and he suggested that the band change it's style of music because the people weren't very affected by it.. so they decided to make up some christian rock and roll songs and sure enough people started listening to them and dancing and enjoying themselves..I thought that was interesting! Then today we watched a movie made by MTV called The Perfect Score..it was about stealing the SAT's so that they could go to good schools and stuff..that wasn't that good...but whatever...
So tonight I went to CVS on my way home because I needed to get some stuff for a project..I went to the cash register and there was a guy working the register, probably 19-20 years old. Anyway he asked how I was..and I was like good thanks and you and he starts talking to me saying that lastnight he had a bad night and that he was at a party and one of his friends overdosed on something and ended up in the hospital and that the cops came and broke up the party and I was like oh man thats awful, are u ok? and he was like yeah, I didn't get caught or in trouble or anything but it was so much drama and he was saying that he would have rather been working...I felt really bad for him, he seemed kinda scared. So by the time he finished telling me the story my stuffed was all bagged and I said well I hope you have a good night...and I left. As soon as I got in the car I thought to myself how much of an opportunity that was and how I missed it..I could have told him that that's why I don't drink or do drugs..I could have told him that I would pray for him and his friend..I COULD HAVE done allot of things but I didn't...I chickened out and left...I regret it..I feel bad..I could have helped him...

lifes good

2006-09-17T13:19:00.000-05:00

Vic and I "working" at work!!!!
:)
and a collage one of the girls from the Konduit group made...I miss camp!

My life is good...I hope yours is going well too...

David

2006-08-31T20:19:00.000-05:00

Update on Trixie's friend David.

On Monday morning - day after Trixie passed - I spent a good deal of time with David. It was decided that Trixie would want him to clean his life up. I called a group called Project Runaway - saints of New York City streets. They were at our doorstep within 10 minutes and transported David to a medical rehab center in New York City. In 28 days I'll pick David up at the Center and take him to one of our Adult Rehabilitiation Centers. Sometimes redemptive lessons are so difficult, especially in this City.

Please keep David in your prayers.

David and Trixie

2006-08-28T00:05:00.000-05:00

Sunday, August 27, 2006
THis was written by captain Billy Francis..

David and Trixie

David and Trixie have made their home outside of the Temple on 14th street for the past year and a half. They are our neighbors and Annalise and I have become very close to them. Every Sunday morning as I put the 'welcome sign' out on the street I would make it a point to invite them to church. The usual response was, "I don't want to get struck by lightening, Captain."

During my message this morning I challenged our Corps people to embrace our friends who live out on our steps. After the service we were all making our way out of the building when Trixie (the one on the right) stood in the doorway and asked to pray by himself at the alter. After he finished at the alter one of our Corps members put his arms around Trixie and invited him back for church the following Sunday.

After finishing our lunch at the Markle residence with a number of Corps people we all went our separate ways. Just as I arrived in our apartment the phone rang. It was Henry, who works maintenance on Sunday, informing me that the E.M.T and police were in front of the building. By the time I arrived down the elevator they had already transported Trixie to the hospital.

Annalise and I made our way to the St. Vincent’s hospital just down the street. We were in uniform and explained the situation to the guard at the desk. He escorted us into a back room where a sympathetic nurse informed us that Trixie was gone. The cause was classified a heroin overdose. She asked if we would like to see him and we agreed. Annalise and I, in the privacy of that room, both prayed over Trixie's body. He was only 27 years old.

When we came back to our building we looked for David -Trixie's long-time partner. David had vanished. An hour later I came downstairs and found David drinking in front of our Corps doors. I sat down next to him and asked if he had been to the hospital. He shook his head 'no'. He looked at me and said, "She’s dead, isn't she?" (Even though Trixie was a man, he preferred to be known by his feminine street-name). I nodded.

I have just returned from spending a good hour listening, talking and praying with David. I'll continue to check on him tonight. Please remember him in your prayers.

During the two years that I have been in ministry no one has taught me more about the difficulties of life on the streets, and the deep-hole and pull of addiction than Trixie. He brought a smile to my face every day and I will miss him.

The lights are a bit dimmer on 14th street.

This brought a tear to my eye..I always see Trixie outside of Dhq, and to think that he was only 27!
So I have a question..do you think Trixie is in Heaven now?

Camp

2006-07-16T14:05:00.000-05:00

So, I've been at camp for about a month now. As most of you know it gets very, very tiring and everyones in everyones business but that's kinda expected with camp. Anyway, camp is good. I'm in a dicipleship training program for junior staff, it's called konduit. It's 15 and 16 years olds that work in the kitchen, dining room and two are maintenance. Besides working we have devotions, that we ourselves lead in the mornings, then in the afternoons we have an hour meeting, that varies every day. Andthen a meeting most nights, except for opening and sunday nights (campfire.) I love it most of the time. THe only thing is that you live, work, and learn with the same people everyday! The konduits are lead by Mrs.Stoops and Paul Dymott. It's great! This week we went bowling and to Dairy Queen and we have been to lazer tag and the mall and Walmart (haha) already. Aswell as learning loads about ourselves and about others and ofcoarse about God. I was sitting in one konduit meeting one day and thinking to myself, these are the future leaders of the Salvation Army. Crazy right? I was sitting and listening to everyone's opinion and thinking wow this is my generation! It's exciting and scary to think that in a couple years we will be making life changing decisions and all that! Woah! Anyway please keep star lake camp in your prayers. Aswell as Paul Dymott because he is having some issues with his visa and he may get deported and well, konduit would NOT be the same ever again if he left! WE all love him so much and we would be soo sad to see him go! So also keep in your prayers my brother Tim. I recieved a text message from my sister saying that my brother ripped his tricep and he is in alot of pain, it brought him to tears and he is not one to cry, so yeah. Anway I'm really sorry that I have to cut it short but we only have soo much time on the computer!
~Peace~

I

2006-07-08T22:25:00.000-05:00

Senior Soldier!

2006-06-18T15:41:00.000-05:00

YOu need to remember that Seth, Stephen and I had a little "get together" with some good friends the night before, so we are looking a little rough :)

Well, it's now official, I am a Senior Soldier of The Salvation Army! Today, Stephen and Seth Ditmer, Natasha Murray and myself became enrolled as Soldiers. It was great! Thank you Mhairi for being my Witness for the signing! your awesome...Oh yeah, And Major Stoops decided to suprise me by bringing ALL of the leadership staff to my enrollment! oH bOY what an awesome suprise! Many people where there to support us too, the Hickmans, the Formans, many of our friends, ALL OF CAMP LEADERSHIP! Mhairi, Paul, Soo many people and I can't Thank God enough for them! I'm am sooo blessed to have so many leaders and officers in my life to help me along the way. Sometimes I think I take them for granted and I shouldn't. So I've decided to make a list of some people who have influenced me and helped me in many ways (no specific order)

Mhairi
Mrs.bate
Tabitha
Captain and Mrs.Hickman
Major and Mrs.Stoops
Major and Mrs.Ashcraft
Paul
Colonel and Mrs.Knaggs
Major and Mrs.Forman
the Ditmers
Lindsay Waiksnoris
Joel and Kathleen Ashcraft
Dan Shade
Alright I'm drawing a blank right now but there are plenty more people!
I encourage you to take the time to think about people who have influenced your lives and pray for them and thank God for them.
Have a GREAT DAY!

P.S. I'm off to the WONDERFUL STAR LAKE CAMP ON FRIDAY!

Four young people killed....

2006-06-14T23:04:00.000-05:00

Four young people killed, one injured in Floral Park car crash

Play the video
(06/14/06) FLORAL PARK - Four young people are dead and another is in the hospital after a car crash in Floral Park early Wednesday.
Police say a car carrying five people crashed into a tree on Plainfield Avenue. Authorities believe the victims had been traveling home from a billiard hall. It is not clear if any of the passengers were wearing seatbelts. Police are also investigating if speed and alcohol were factors in the crash.

Nineteen-year-old Max-Lesly Auguste, who was driving the vehicle, 18-year-old Kevin McArthur, 16-year-old Nyana Adingupu and 20-year-old Michael Richardson were killed in the crash. A fifth person, a 16-year-old, was taken to Winthrop University Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. All of the victims are from Elmont. Police do not believe alcohol was involved in the accident.

two of them were from my school...the one who survived and Kevin, who was about to graduate from high school..
please pray for their families and friends.
Thanks

Band and Songster Dinner

2006-06-06T23:31:00.000-05:00

Aww me and my big brother/ band master at the band and songster dinner...more to come soon! :)

Books, books and more books!!!

2006-06-04T19:50:00.000-05:00

Well I have to say that the only time I really read a book is when I HAVE to for school, sometimes I don't even read the school book! Good thing for SparkNotes! HEhehe...anyway after hearing all this talk about the book Blue Like Jazz, I decided that I would ask to borrow it from someone..I was at camp this weekend working women's camp and asked Paul if he had it..he let Major Stoops borrow it so I will get it in youth band rehearsal on monday! :) so Paul also gave me two other books by Donald Miller, the same author of blue like jazz. Through Painted Deserts and Searching for God Knows What. I've started Searching for God Knows What and I love it! It's the first book I've ever read where I don't want to stop reading, where I actually laugh at some points and actaully have some serious thoughts! I love how real the author is. He doesn't try to cover up his feelings with fancy words! OH MAN I LOVE IT!! So thank you, all the MANY people who mentioned Blue Like Jazz and actually helped me to enjoy reading! And ofcoarse Paul for letting me borrow them :)

Have any of you read a book by Donald Miller, specifically one of the three that I mentioned? Did you like them? what are your thoughts?

My Friends

2006-05-30T22:13:00.000-05:00

I love my friends!
This past weekend was a three day weekend. A couple of my friends and I decided to make plans..though some of our plans fell through due to our committment to our Sunday Morning at the corps, we still managed to figure something out. Saturday was Katherine and Felix's graduation/birthday party, they are now 18! so we had an amazing time dancing various different styles of Spanish music, especially seeing Stephen, Seth, Lindsay and myself seen as though we were the whitest people there! Lol anyway..Late Saturday night Lindsay came back with Stephen, Seth and I and we all stayed at the Ditmers house. We stayed up till 5 in the morning talking about various things. Good things, bad things, this summer..anyway, when we started to hear the birds chirping we realized it was time for bed.
After church on sunday we went up to Jen Genslers house and met up with her and Juliann. We went to the palisades mall and back to jens house. We had a firepit on the deck next to a swing and we sat around sang songs and talked and talked and looked at myspaces lol.. Yes I said we sang! lol we sand we are marching in the light of God for Mrs.Bate! :) and we sang Kumbaya and some partiotic songs for the holiday. As I was swinging on the swing, by the fire, huddeled up with some of my closest friends I was glowing with happiness and I took a moment to thank God! Thanking Him for these wonderful people who I LOVE being around. Although some of you may find it hard to believe we do actually get into some pretty serious conversation. That's what I love about my friends! We are not scared to talk about situations and conflicts with one another.
Whenever I leave things like that, I always get soooo sad. I realize now that some of us are almost done with high school and moving on in life and it scares me! I want to just be in a place with all my friends and NEVER LEAVE! Do you ever feel like that? Like something is just sooo perfect and you are sooo happy andthen you go back into the real world and you feel soo depressed?
So I'm back in the "real world" feeling down, but looking forward to the next time we will be together, like this summer at star lake camp! Wooohoo!

Just a couple pics of me chillen with some cool people at dairy queen during youth councils!
Props to Stephen!

Youth Councils

2006-05-26T20:56:00.000-05:00

Haha Aaron took this picture the saturday afternoon of youth councils. We were about to have our Forum and nobody wanted to sit in the front with me :( ...It was just me and my dunkin donuts iced coffee!
Once again the picture was taken in the Tabernacle in the beautiful star lake camp!!

Star Lake Camp

2006-05-22T21:48:00.000-05:00

I have been going to Star Lake Camp my ENTIRE life and I still am amazed by how beautiful it is. It is truly a gift from God!

Fortune Cookie!

2006-05-22T15:43:00.000-05:00

I got had a fortune cookie tonight and the fortune said this

"Beauty is not in the face; it is the light in the heart"

what a nice fortune!

I'm dieing to see a fortune that says something bad or negative! hahaa that's kinda messed up :)

anyway, I will update about youth councils soon :)

We are Family

2006-05-19T14:25:00.000-05:00

Some, well most of the family in Brienza, Italy!

P.S. youth councils is this weekend and transmission is here! yay! please pray! thanks

More and more pictures!!!!

2006-05-15T22:16:00.000-05:00

Kia and I walking to the Vatican

Don's Angels. GNY Youth Band Horn Section ROcks!

Seth and I in the Bus on the way to Pompeii

Doug and his little tea cup! hahaa

Aww Father and Daughters! :)

more pictures of Italy!!!!

2006-05-05T14:17:00.000-05:00

scroll down to see my actual entry.

tour of Italy

2006-05-04T22:18:00.000-05:00

Well..I honestly don't know where to start! Italy was absolutely amazing! I learned allot over this tour. The first couple of days we were there we were in Rome. We were playing during a youth congress. Just a little comparison between Italy and the GNY Division... Officers in Italy 17, in GNY 90. Employees in Italy 10, in GNY 2,252. Number of corps in Italy 17, in GNY 40. Number of senior soldiers 240 in Italy and 2,518 ikn GNY. Nuymber of Junior Soldiers in Italy 34, in GNY 856. As you can see the Army is much smaller in Italy. it was a very different expirience. Anyway, Friday through Sunday night was the Youth Congress. There special guest was actually from Canada, her name was Sandra. she is an officer and was previously stationed in Russia. Throughout the weekend she spoke about becoming one with God and with others. We did not let the language barrier stop us from communicating with others. Sandra was very forward with her messages and told some deep stories and miracles that have occured in her life. Some brought us to tears and some left us in pure amazement! This whole expirience really got me thinking about doing some missionary work at some point in Italy and around Europe. Maybe for a couple months at a time. I actually spoke with some people to Captain Wong, there youth leader about going to Italy next summer and just helping them out. There is soo much work that needs to be done there. I am so lucky to have expirienced the Army in another country.

Anyway there was one particular session that I liked. Sandra talked about lines and how we always divide the world up into different types of poeple. Sandra made a line dividing the room in half. One half was over 25 and the other was younger then 25. Sandra asked us questions like what are our dreams and what is stopping us from persuing those dreams. Then she asked the over 25 group what would they have done differently when they were our age. Then she asked us what is it that makes us not trust the older people and vice versa. Then she asked us both what promises we would make to each other. Promises to listen and not judge, to not be scared to share with you, to realize that you have gone through similar things, to love you and care for you. Then we were asked to break the line and pray with one of the older people. It was awesome.

Anyway we played a couple of open air concerts and visited a corps in Briennza. The Popolardo's are the corps officers there. I actually remember them, they were in trainging here, they worked at star lake for a summer. Anyway, they are awesome people and were soo kind to us.

We had a good amount of time to go around Rome and we also visited Pompeii.. it was awesome. I will be posting pictures for the next couple days! Sorry if this didn't make much sense, JET LAG!

Italy!!!!

2006-04-24T15:14:00.000-05:00

Well I leave Wednesday with The Greater New York Youth Band. We are touring Italy for a little over a week. Please pray for us. We are at a youth congess in Rome for the weekend, we are performing on the Spanish Steps, taking a midnight tour of the colosseum, visiting Pompeii and much much more! It's soo exciting! Please keeps us in your thoughts and prayers as we travel to minister in Italy!
God Bless!

Don't Worry Child

2006-04-18T20:37:00.000-05:00

Don't Worry Child

(Marty Mikles)

to live is Christ, to die is gain
you believe this, but you can't ignore your pain
it's hard enough to make it through another day
now you need someone to hear you when you pray

don't worry, child, I'm right here by your side
i've been here all along, in me won't you abide
is your grief too much to bear? give it to me
i can heal your heart, your soul; i can set you free

when you wake up each day, my promises are new
have faith in me, and i will see you through
is your burden heavy? here, take mine, it's light
my yoke is easy, come and have this life

so, you've fought until you've nothing left to give
every ounce of energy, you have spent
though your heart, it breaks inside, more than anything in life
i long for you to know...

my child, i'm right here by your side
i've been here all along, in me won't you abide
is your grief to much to bear? give it to me
i can heal your heart, your soul; i can set you free

i know the pain that this has caused
i gave my son upon a cross
no, nothing has been lost, believe in me

Take my Life

2006-04-08T20:26:00.000-05:00

I bet most of you have sang this song once or twice but recently I have been hearing it more and more and I love it..

1.
Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2.
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of thy love;
Take my feet, and let them be
Swift and beautiful for thee.

3.
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from thee.

4.
Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as thou shalt choose.

5.
Take my will, and make it thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is thine own,
It shall be thy royal throne.

6.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At thy feet its treasure-store;
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for thee.

This Weekend

2006-04-02T21:14:00.000-05:00

So this weekend was the 45th Anniversary of the Hempstead Citadel Corps. It started off with rehearsals for the reunion band and songsters. I guess they were ok but I really don't like rehearsals. We got to look around at all the hundreds of pictures in the gym. They brought back lots of memories, both joyous and sad. Then the kids did a little performance that consisted of the junior band, songsters and dance group. It went well but since I was involved with all of them it was a little hectic. Then we sat and ate dinner together. During the dinner Major Cox, Major Hodgson and Major's Ashcraft spoke. Major Ashcraft's touched me the most. He spoke about all the times we laughed and cried (he made me cry!) stories about people of the corps and he still managed to embarass me! I guess I can forgive him :) After dinner we had a concert, well I don't know whether to call it a concert or a meeting but whatever you want to call it, it went well! Lots of music and good fellowship. I love seeing people that I don't see allot. Sunday morning went well too. Sunday night I went to Montclair for a coffee house. Raymond, Victoria, Annalise, Gavin and Lindsay all sang aswell as the Montclair songsters and the the Montclair band played. It was a very nice and casual atmosphere and ofcoarse nice to see everyone :) It was a great weekend.

I have been reading a book in English class called 1984. George Orwell wrote this book in 1948 on what he thought the world would be like in 1984. One of the things my class has been focusing on is the desensitization of the characters. I was thinking about the world today and this world is sooo desensitized! The media is ridiculous. I was in the car with Meghan and instead of mumbling the words to a well known song that we both knew we were just listening to the words. we were actually too tired to sing but as we were sitting there we were disgusted with the lyrics to the song! It was soo appauling! To think that people actually sing along to it, including me was just sick. How do you stop stuff like that? you can't, can you? It's everywhere, not just the music, its the tv, the magazines, EVERYTHING! I know that everyone allready is aware of this but if everyone is aware of it what are we doing to stop it? I don't know if any of this makes any sense but it's just something I've been thinking about.

Can't think of a title!

2006-03-22T22:38:00.000-05:00

As most of you already know, I gave my testimony on Sunday at the Spring Valley Corps. This past weekend was the 3rd annual Future All-Stars weekend! I have been there every year and plan to keep going for as long as I can lol. Every year I go to it and I learn so much musically and spiritually. It is soo amazing and your in the same boat as everyone else. And it's with the New york Staff Band! Even if you don't really prefer brass bands you still love them! I sure do! Anyway Aaron Vanderwheele asked me to give my testimony..It was about allot of stuff going on in my life particularly temptation in school. Tonight I was in Senior Soldier prep class and God gave me this verse.... 1 Corinthians 10: 12-13 "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyong what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."l
The scripture Verses I used in my testimony had allot to do with trust. Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord will All you heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowldge Him and he will make your paths straight." I also used Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope nad a future." and Pslam 37:3-4 "Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart."
Yeah this doesn't really make much sense but..all I have to say is that I was Blessed over and over!!!!

I like this story!

2006-03-15T22:10:00.000-05:00

Your Son For A Quarter...

Several years ago, a new preacher moved to Houston, Texas. Some weeks
after he arrived, he had occasion to ride the bus from his home to the
downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had
accidentally given him a quarter too much change.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, "You'd better give
the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it." Then he thought, "Oh,
forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little
amount?

Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it.
Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet."

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he
handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much
change."

The driver with a smile replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town? I
have been thinking lately about going to worship somewhere. I just
wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see
you at church on Sunday"

When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the
nearest light pole, held on, and said, "Oh God, I almost sold your Son
for a quarter."

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really
almost scary example of how much people watch us as Christians and will
put us to the test! Always be on guard and remember (as I try to
remember) that you carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you
call yourself "Christian."

Have a great day!

Territorial Vocal Convocation

2006-03-06T22:44:00.002-05:00

So this past weekend was the first ever territorial vocal convocation. It was geared toward the adults but since I am in the songsters and Our GNY youth chorus was singing, I went. Now I'll be perfectly honest when I first heard about it I thought it was a pointless weekend. I thought that we were just going to show off to eachother how good we are. Obviously I was completely WRONG! Major Lenn Ballentine lead the weekend. He taught me so much about music and singing and how to reach the audience and different styles and everything!

Saturday night was the concert. Many different styles of music were portrayed and it was awesome. My corps songsters sang the song psalm 91 in loving memory of Normajean Honsburger. She attended Hempstead with her husband Al. Although I was young at the time they were very happy, loving people and had such hearts for God. Sadly both Normajeann and Al died of cancer. So that night we all sang it for her. I know that she was smiling down from heaven Saturday night. Many of us in the songsters who knew her got emotional.
psalm 91 says 1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. [a] 2 I will say [b] of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." 3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.4 He will cover you with his feathers,and under his wings you will find refuge;his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night,nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. 9 If you make the Most High your dwellingÂ even the LORD, who is my refuge- 10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

Our brand new GNY Youth Chorus sang as well. Now this was our first real debut. We sang for the Christmas Spectacular but that wasn't Gavin's chosen music. We sang two of the greatest songs ever! We didn't use music and were encouraged to interact with the audience. Talk about awkward, haha but I did it. I had never had so much fun singing before in my whole life! It was such an amazing feeling! We sang this upbeat song called we are not ashamed. The chorus was - we are not ashamed, no we are not ashamed of the gospel, the truth we will proclaim. We are committed and we chose to tell the world the good news, the gospel, we are not ashamed! We also sang an arrangement by Gavin. It was a mix of We fall down and Holy Holy Holy. It was very powerful.

This weekend I realized how much of the time that I just sing the notes on the page and don't really think about the words I'm singing and who I'm singing it for. Especially with the song book. I am trying so hard to figure out how the tune goes that I don't even think about the words coming out of my mouth! On Sunday morning we did allot of singing. Allot of it was from the songbook. Instead of attempting to find the melody I just meditated on the words. They were very powerful. From the point on for the rest of the meeting I thought about the words I was singing. We sang the songs Heart of Worship and Breathe on me. I was very moved and God spoke to me in a new way. Once again, I was blessed.

Ofcoarse I can't forget about the fellowship I had with all the people that I don't see allot. I amalwayss blessed with my awesome friends from all over the territory! I love them!

Come To Jesus

2006-03-02T15:31:00.000-05:00

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!

The moment I heard this song I fell in love with it. Tabitha will be dancing to this song at the "Be A Hero" Program on March 11th. This song is also the star search dance test piece. And yes I am in it..Haa I know what you are thinking, Allison Dancing? I didn't say I was good at it, but yes, I am dancing. Anyway a bunch of us are dancing to this song the weekend of the Hempstead Reunion. I just love the words and the song is soo moving.

Just another reminder! The Be a Hero program is going to be awesome! So much work has gone into it. The information is on the poster but there is going to be dancing, singing, Drama and much more! Admission is free but we will be taking a love offering in which ALL the money will go to TAM's efforts in building a childrens home in Nigeria. Our ultimate goal is 50,000 dollars by August of this year. right now we have about 20,000? Anyway we have alot more to go so please don't forget! If you can't make it you can always contact a TAM member and donate :)

Be Blessed :)

This Week

2006-02-25T23:47:00.000-05:00

Wow, this week flew by. Wednesday I took a trip to THQ. Stephen and Seth had to pick up their uniforms from trade. We hung out with Mhairi all day. We went to IKEA and bought 11 frames for the old posters in the youth department, andthen attempted to put the posters in the frames. Oh what fun! Then Lindsay came back with us.

Thursday we had an international buffet to raise money for the hero fund. It was a great success. Lots of work and planning went into the event. And we successfully made $430.00 praise the Lord! We also had Raymond Livingston come and he sang and we all sang together and it really went well. Then Felix Padilla came (late ofcoarse) and stayed over. We hung out and played board games and just had a great time talking with eachother. I can't say how much I love having good christian friends to hang out with. We have our serious times and silly times and we can talk about anything. I love them soo much and I thank God for the good times that we can have together.

Friday was the Fet. We went into the city to go to American Eagle and to eat at the Salvation Army HOTSPOT, Sammys. I have to say I have never been so nervous for anything in my ENTIRE LIFE! For many it was just another FET but for me this was the first time performing in a vocal quartet. I was shaking and the rehearsal before it didn't go well so I was on the verge of crying. Thankfully Mhairi came and sorta calmed me down a little bit. I then sat in the bandroom and just prayed for like 20 minutes. That is not like me to not be social before an FET but I was way too nervous! I came to the realization that I care WAY to much about other peoples opinions. I am soo self conscious when it comes to performing in front of a bunch of Salvation Army people and people that I know! Anyway Paul helped me to realize that I shouldn't care about what other people think because it was my personal offering to God. Anyway, no major mistakes happend only on my solo I was extremely shakey. Anyway, Pastor Jim Cymbala once again blessed me with his message. He is a very powerful speaker and definitely gets me thinking about a whole lot of stuff. In particular my family. Anyway after it was over I got to talk to allot of people that I don't see very often, so that was good :) Then I was off to Sunset park, Brooklyn to stay at the Padilla's house. We had lots of fun!

Pictures

2006-02-19T22:43:00.000-05:00

I know it's a little late but here are some pictures from the Young Adult Retreat!

FET

2006-02-18T18:41:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,
Just a little reminder that there is an FET on Friday! 7:25pm (I always thought that was such a silly time). Anyway Pastor Jim Cymbala from the Brooklyn Tabernacle will be speaking, which is definitely something to look forward to. The GNY Youth band will also be performing. There will also be a little group of singers. Gavin Whitehouse, Felix and Katherine Padilla, My sister and I accompanied by Billy Francis and a little pit band. It should be great! I'm soo nervous though. I have NO idea why they asked me of all people to sing with them. AH!!! Anyway, It will be a great night and I hope you all can come!
God Bless

P.S. just thought I would share this picture with you all... This is what Stephen does on the weekends lol :)
Also this Thursday night is an International dinner at the Hempstead corps. Corps soldiers are making different dishes in which we will be serving 50 cents a scoop (All money will go toward the hero fund). There will also be some entertainment, we are having Raymond Livingston and there will be singing, acting, and loads of fun. There will also be a love offering that will be taken up, all money will go toward the Hero Fund. So please if you have nothing to do Thursday night come to the corps and enjoy some food and fellowship!
Almost forgot the GNY Be a Hero Fund-raiser is soon.. Be sure to check it out and please come and support our efforts in building a childrens home in Nigeria.

Love

2006-02-14T23:19:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been thinking alot about the word "love" and well it just so happens to be Valentines day too! Yesterday I had divisional Youth Chorus and we were practicing a song for the Easter FET and the Chorus was I love you, I love you, that's what Calvery said, I love you, I love you, I love you written in red. Now reading that and hearing it sung are two very different things. The way the notes fall into place in this song makes the words I love you really think about God loving us. After sining that I decided to look up the word love in both the dictionary and the bible. The dictionary said- A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness. Then in the bible, the characteristics of love - well ofcoarse 1 Corinthians 13. But next to that in my bible says this. Genuine love is a choice to act a certain way, regardless of how you feel. Love is patient when you're frusterated, kind when others are unkind. Love always seeks good of the other person. Love does not get mad easily or hold grudges. Love is trusting, protective, hopeful and strong. TRUE LOVE IS TO LOVE AS GOD LOVES. I find it interesting how different these two definitions are.
The fact that God loves all of us SOO much that he gave His son to die on the cross for OUR sins stills boggles my mind and forever will!
So next time you say I love you to someone think about what love really means.