Fun Times

Well I had a blast this weekend. I was super busy, but it was good. Saturday night a few others and I went to the YMCA in Oconomowoc. It was a ton of fun...even if the dance music was giving me a headache. :D Yup, the theme for the night was DJ Dance...but don't worry, we Maranatha kids didn't do any dancing...okay, maybe Swifty did, but other than that. (Just kidding, he didn't really. He was feeling kinda poorly, so he sat the whole time besides keeping score for one game.) So anyway, we had volleyball tournament, and you all really missed out if you didn't go. I met two girls there in middle school that are totally cool, so I was able to make some new friends! I also successfully rang the bell at the top of the rock climbing corner. :D
Then Sunday I went to Schaumberg, IL, for the KIKS demo/rally. It was...an interesting night. Late, but fun. So Monday I was pretty much running on below Empty. I got about a 45-minute nap in after work before Art class, so I was feeling at least 16% better. But I went to be early, and now I'm back to about 89%. Hopefully I will be catching up on sleep before next weekend. It's going to be doozy, too. :D

7 lessons for driving me crazy!

Well, today was the day. No, I didn't take the driving test in the yellow lego car, but...that would have been more fun! My appointment was for 8:00, no sweat, whoever was the tester would probably be in a relatively good mood because it was still early in the morning, nothing to get them upset yet, right?
Well, no.
I walk in the DMV, and there's a couple of people sitting in the chairs, but I didn't know why. Not like they were in line, or anything, so I asked anyway, and the one lady said no and she pointed to the man standing at the end of the room behind the desk. So I started to walk toward him and that's when the morning digressed. Apparently the red "Do not walk past here" signs really mean what they say, no matter if you're never going to be attended to otherwise. Walking past the signs was my first mistake. My second mistake was noticing my brother's name on the test list (okay, it jumped out at me, I had to notice it. There was a red line next to it, with the three or four names above it crossed out.) Well, actually, noticing it wasn't the problem. Verbalizing that notice was. The man at the back started shooing me out ("oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize!")and I was pretty much tripping over myself to get out of there quick enough. Then he politely informed me (okay, it wasn't really so polite) that those lists were not for public viewing ("I'm sorry!") and that I should not be looking at them (whispered "I'm sorry...") Okay, so my third apology wasn't really a whisper; it was more like a pathetic squeak as I tried to become one with my chair. Then he shuffled the papers around a bit and said "if you're hear to take the driving test you need your permit out and ready." This was not directed to me, but rather to the world at large. Well, Alyssa was there for her driving test so she humbly removed her permit from her wallet and walked to the do not enter sign. But she did not pass it this time. Lesson number one learned.
Actually he asked for Jared, as his name was on the list (we were swapping because my driving test date fell in the middle of band tour. My mom called on Tuesday to make sure it was okay, they said, oh yeah, that's fine, don't worry about. You can just switch when you get there!). However, they lied. It wasn't fine, he was worried about it, and you can't just switch when you get there because "that's not how we do things around here." My mom was my hero at that point because she kindly reminded him that we did call and they did say it would be okay. "well, make sure you call and change it for your son, because that's not how we do it here!" Yes sir, lesson number two learned. Never trust anyone.

Lesson three: Always, I repeat always know where your lights are. Even if they turn on automatically and you will never use the manual button, know where they are anyway. It's a good idea to know where the parking break is too.
On to driving...my first mistake driving was the stop at the parking lot entrance. FYI it is the law to stop before the sidewalk, not over the sidewalk. No it doesn't matter that you can't see any cars coming from behind the sidewalk. You stop there. That was lesson four.

Oh yeah, lesson five: don't drive in the parking lane! I was all thinking about turning into the correct lane on a one way street (thanks Josh!) that I was driving in the wrong lane on a two way street. There was a car coming behind me and he was like "why are we driving in the parking lane?" as if it was obvious that I was in the parking lane. Hello people, the last time I drove more than ten minutes was 20 months ago (only one tne minute drive in the entire 20 months, too) and that was in Charlotte, NC! They don't do parking lanes on most road in that city, how am I supposed to know that it's a parking lane?!? But I was and I didn't, so I got marked down on that.
Parallel parking was...okay. Not perfect, but not horrible either. (Thanks for showing me how yesterday, Mom!). My Y turn (to which I have always referred as a 3 pt.) was good--only three points, but I'm afraid I was a rather uncourteous driver to all the other non-existant drivers on that road because...I didn't signal that I was turning around.
Lesson six: always signal!
Oh yeah, Lesson seven: always Always ALWAYS signal when you pull away from the curb. Yes, even when the only living thing in a mile radius is yourself, you still do it. That's roadside courtesy. (Sorry, folks, turn signal overdose is not a big thing in my lovely southern city either.) I couldn't park on a hill (not mention it wasn't even on a real hill, we pretended) because I didn't remember that my parking break was to go on. I'm sure if it was a real hill I would have remembered. But I didn't.
Hm...what else? Oh yeah, the turn signal thing, pulling away from the curb. That, too.

But as it turned out, inspite of all these previously unlearned lessons, HE PASSED ME!!!
Not to mention my very loving, endearing tester was about the most intimidating man I've ever met and that I almost cried when he was "going over my test" with me and my mom--outside in the freezing cold...why couldn't we have done it comfortably in the warmth? But, I was the first person he passed all morning. Thank You, Lord! I was praying about this so hard, yesterday and today and getting a lot of people praying for me. So if you prayed for me, thanks so much! He really does answer prayer! (Well, I also prayed that my tester would be in a good mood, and he pretty much wasn't, but I can take a no to that prayer. I passed!) So look out, world, cuz' Alyssa is cruisin' by!

Snow Day

Well, last week I had a great Thursday...yes, it was a snow day so I missed one class. That was fun. My dad, brother, and I went over to the Jaspers' house and built the cute li'l snow bunny. Katie came out for a while and we played in the snow. We made sled tracks down the hill, and if you see two snow angels in the snow next to the stairs in front of old main, the one closer to the stairs would be mine. The other one is Chrisi's. Yeah it was a ton of fun...Except when Katie and I were rolling down the hill and I chunked a ton of snow down my sweatshirt. That was not fun. Because then I was kold. K-O-L-D. But I got over it. I digress... Anyway, so I just wanted to say that I had a great time, and Katie's a great friend! Love ya, babe!

Ponder Samuel

I was reading I Samuel 11-14 this morning, and there were a few things that really stuck out to me. In chapter 12, verse 21 says, "And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain." It was a good reenforcement, because I've been really struggling with keeping my focus on the Lord lately. It really is a choice you have to make, because the flesh always wants to think on it's own things. But this verse shows what choice we need to make--refuse to turn aside. The next verse says "For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people." I know it's talking about Israel there, but what a thought! God won't forsake his own, because He has bestowed His great name on them!
The next verses were needful too: "Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you." I guess I hadn't really thought of "ceasing to pray" as a sin against the LORD before. I mean, I know we should be "praying without ceasing," but it hadn't really stuck to my brain that it was a sin if I did cease.

My other valentines

I just had to post these pix of my other valentines. They are so cute! Justin's is the car one, Landon's is the Elastagirl one and Kellie's is the CareBear. On Landon's front, it just said "To: Alyssa" with my name in his cute handwriting. He's getting pretty good at that. Then he wrote his name on the back. Kellie's said "To: Alyssa Owens, From: Kellie Bower" all by herself. ;) As if I would get it mixed up with another Alyssa or Kellie. And Justin's said "To: Alyssa Owens, From: Justin" and his came in it's own envelope. He sent one to my brother too! Isn't that sweet? They are so funny. Always in the past they have sent a bunch of valentines to all their little friends, but this year...I was the only girl to get a valentine from the boys, and Kellie didn't send any boys a valentine. (Cuz girls have cooties and boys have germs...but hey, at least cooties aren't real!)

more songs

Okay, here's some more to ponder. They're so good!

This song is so good! It's full of absolute Bible truth. So true of the dark stain of sin I hold, but so true, too, of my freedom from guilt and sin, all through the blood of my Saviour. There is no other way. It's only because of "His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us (made alive) together with Christ, (for by grace ye are saved)." (Eph. 2:4-5)

Free from Guilt and Free from Sin

Dark the stain I cannot hide
Stain of sin my guilt to prove
Guilt my own and foolish pride
Pride, the reason for my sin.

Light of God came shining down
Son of God, my soul to win,
Laid aside His Heavenly crown
Paid the price for all my sin.

















Wash me in the Savior's blood.
Make me pure without, within;
Cleanse my heart and set me free,
Free from guilt and free from sin.

Love of God that lights my way,
Love displayed on Calvary.
Lamb of God, my soul to save,
Gave His life to set me free.

Gone the darkness from the light,
Gone the night the day begins,
Gone the wrong, my soul made right.
Free from guilt and free from sin.

This next song is very special to me, and kind of sad. Actually it is very sad. It almost makes me cry when I hear it, because I just think about my brother, and I "want him over there." It reminds me to pray for him.

We Want You Over There

We are going home to glory soon
To see the city bright,
To walk the golden streets of Heav'n
and bask in God's own light.

But some of you are out of Christ
And held by many a snare
We cannot leave you lost and lone.
We want you over there.

The pearly gates are open wide
And we shall enter in
To knowthenceforth no tear or sigh,
No sorrow and no sin.

Oh come with us and come at once;
That land is bright and fair
We cannot leave you lost and lone.
We want you over there.

We come to tell the story true
Of love so rich and free.
The crucified and risen Lord
Has grace for you and me

Oh listen to His words of love
His messangers declare
We cannot leave you lost and lone
We want you over there.

We once were burdened sore with sin.
And dark were we and sad.
But Christ has washed us in His blood,
And He has made us glad.

Fly to His wounds, ye guilty ones,
His love and mercy share.
We cannot leave you lost and lone.
We want you over there.

We are going home to glory soon.
We want you over there.

Some songs to ponder

The first thing I wanted to say is in regards to the song we sang in chapel this morning "Until Then." The second time through the chorus, I started really thinking about the words, and they say, "But until then, my heart will go on singing. Until then, with joy I'll carry on..." What a difference in what seems like would be our attitude and what should. It seems like we should be waiting, almost impatiently, for God to call us home. Like we should "endure" this world, but 'don't enjoy life too much because the best is yet to come.' Like "this world is not my home, I'm just a-passin' through." And isn't all that true? Shouldn't we be anxiously awaiting the day we finally get to go home. Aren't we supposed to resist the pleasures of this world? So why does the songwriter say "my heart will go on singing" and "with joy I'll carry on"? It made me stop and think about it. I shouldn't just be "enduring" my stay on this world--I should be singing joyfully in the midst of my journey. This isn't totally a developed thought quite yet, and I'm not quite sure exactly what is jumbling around in my brain either. Hmm. Just ponder the thought anyways.
Next, I wanted to share a song that I first heard at Northland. The lyrics are from an old hymn, but one of the students at Northland revamped the music a couple of years ago. Sorry, but I couldn't get the new music to go with the words...visit a Northland student body chapel, and you'll likely hear it. My roommate Leah sang this song at her extension church when I was up north and she gave me a copy of the words...but I couldn't find them so I mooched 'em off the internet.

Complete in Thee! no work of mine
May take, dear Lord, the place of Thine;
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,
And I am now complete in Thee.

Refrain:
Yea, justified! O blessed thought!
And sanctified! Salvation wrought!
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,
And glorified, I too, shall be!

Complete in Thee! no more shall sin,
Thy grace hath conquered, reign within;
Thy voice shall bid the tempter flee,
And I shall stand complete in Thee.

Complete in Thee— each want supplied,
And no good thing to me denied;
Since Thou my portion, Lord, wilt be,
I ask no more, complete in Thee.

Dear Saviour! when before Thy bar
All tribes and tongues assembled are,
Among Thy chosen will I be,
At Thy right hand, complete in Thee.

Rosa for Valentine's Day

Well, single awareness day has come to a close, but it wasn't all bad. I did get Rosa from my parents! Isn't she cute? She's super soft and kinda shiny.

M&M Mania

Well, M&M's have just become more Alyssa-friendly. They have finally invented dark chocolate m&ms. I am so totally stoked. I love dark chocolate. Milk chocolate and I don't get along too well. But I am rather fond of dark chocolate. And I'm totally "on the dark side" regarding the new m&m issue. The actual colors of the

dark chocolate M&M's are: dark red, purple, black, dark blue, and gray. Dark side M&M's are most definitely tasting better than the ole regular ones. "Darth mix" is totally my flavor for the day. I've been snacking on this new brain food all day...must stop...must stop...must save some for my tests tomorrow...must stop munching.

Empty

This morning in my devotions, I was studying Rom. 15:13 which says, "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."
Wow, what a conviction! This though comes from the idea of "filling." If you have a cup and you want to fill it with milk, even the tiniest bit of OJ in the bottom will ruin it. The cup won't be filled with milk...it will have some OJ in it. True, too, that in order for the Holy Spirit to fill me, I must be totally emptied of myself. I guess the verse is more talking about being filled with joy and peace--so if I am focused on myself, I will not have joy or peace because my flesh is such a discouraging thing to dwell on! I guess my thought pattern here was as Dr. J. said in chapel today...Men are like waffles; women are like spagetti. It connects. The same principle applies to allowing God to fill me with joy and peace as being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Lord really gripped my heart on this though process. Pretty sure, that was the only verse I got to this morning...but as I meditate (or marinade as I've heard it put) on this idea, it's changing my life. I want to be totally filled with the Holy Spirit, but in order for that to happen, I must be emptied of my self-love, my pride, my own ideas and counsel.
This whole self love issue has been revealed in my heart recently too. The Lord has graciously shown me how little I love others--yes, there are specific people that He has brought to mind--and how much I lust after my own self. He continually shows me areas in which I am lacking. Odd to think of it--as we grow closer to the Lord, the more things He shows us that need changing. It's like a grand paradox. But He doesn't show us these things to discourage us or put us down, but so we can make them right--so we can reflect more accurately the love of our wonderful Saviour. Truly He has heard me "in the multitude of [His] mercy." (Ps. 69:13)
It is as the song says "In my weakness He is strong. In my need He leads me on. When I come to the end of all I am and I place my trust in Him, that's when His strength begins...In my weakness, He is strong." (Based on II Cor. 12:10)

Some interesting thoughts

I found this article from some else's blog (Chelsie...it was a link to the article on her blog.)
Anyway, it's pretty articulate in explaining some deep relational issues. Check it out at http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001200.cfm
The article makes a good point about the brothers in the family of Christ being on guard to keep from defrauding their sisters. We girls hear a lot about defrauding our brothers, but it's a two way street here. The point of us girls guarding our own hearts responsibly is also tastefully given.

Declaration of the Cross

A friend of mine from camp wrote this, being stirred to write something of the Lord Jesus. I thought it quite profound, and he gave me permission to post it here with the prayer that it will be a help to you in fueling the passion for our blessed Saviour.

Declaration of the Cross by Leon Wong

At the cross, where the Savior died, I was there.

Behold! The meek and innocent Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world! I saw Him who commanded the Legions of Heaven, humiliated by the vilest of His creation. Falsely accused and forsaken by family, followers, choicest friends and the Cherished Father.

He walked the path of the Cross.

Scourged by injustice, the nine feline demons clawed the backbone of Creation. With each stripe, they took hold of the Creator and ripped His glory, bit by bit. Smeared the Water of Life over the cesspool of unholy hatred. With devilish glee they hailed the King of Kings, clothed His batter’d frame in royal garments. They ripped that robe off his healing wounds- the dried blood flowed once more.

Stones hurling, mockery spitting, the hordes cheering, the drumbeat of Lucifer deafening! I heard the heart of my Savior singing, “It is for you beloved ones, I die. Gladly on the altar of justice, I lie.” Strengthened by unearthly love for the unlovable, He carried the Petabulum of the Cross.
Stumbled and crawled in the dust to Golgotha times without number, they hastened Him with a horse’s whip.

The bleat of innocence! When the nails fastened Him to His executor. Unashamed, He hung on the pinnacle of Satan, for all His creation to see- The Epitome of the Father’s Love. As the victorious soldier danced o’er the ill-gotten gains, my Savior gazed on the faces of the multitudes there. Familiar, yet unfamiliar. Had He not fed them with bread? Had He not restored their infirmities? Had He not taught them on the Mount?

Nonetheless, no one stood by Him. He never knew them.
And while He thought on those things, his mouth parched dry, as the Fountain of Life gushed out, the Bread of Heaven broken to tens of thousand crumbs.

Yet this excruciating pain was not simmered, but dwarfed, by the forsaking of His Abba, Who stripped Him hollow of Himself and His very character- the Holiness and Righteousness that girded His very existence. All at once, the nails at His hands and feet numbed, the weight of His body forgotten by the Weight of Sin. His breathing unconscious, the smirk of a thousand demons blurred, the scorn of self-exalted mankind oblivious, the crown of sin that pierced His Holy Crown- insignificant, when the Windows of Heaven shut- God separated from God. It is finished.

At the cross where my Savior died, I was there.

No Burden is heavier than His Cross,
No Sacrifice, no greater Loss,
No Injustice, too lowly for me to bear,
No Pain, no Grief, too great a Care,
No Regrets,
No Retreats,
No Return.

For I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
And the life which I now live in the flesh,
I live by the faith of the Son of God,
Who loved me,
And gave Himself for me.

At the cross where My Savior died, I am there.

Egg beaters, cannibalism, and Fido's fur

When you were a kid, did your mom ever give you the egg beater to lick when she was baking? That's a random childhood memory that was revived tonight. My mom was making a cake for some guests we're eating tomorrow night (yes, it's true, the company is indeed on the menu!), and she gave me a beater and my brother one. So there we were, sitting in the living room, listening to Steve Pettit sing "Puttin' On the Dog," licking our egg beaters.


Ok, so maybe the first part of this post is a little weak, but I'll try to make it a little better. So this company we're having over (two young men from the college who will remain nameless to protect the innocent--that would be me...don't ask me why the only company we ever have is of the male persuasion...) So anyway, these guys, we'll call them Jim and Jim...(ah, Southland memories of Peter's cabin...) So my mom has this pad of paper that's magneticized to the refridgerator that she writes the menu on every week. So this week, it reads:
Sunday: Turkey soup
Monday: pork chops
Tuesday: eat at Maranatha
Wednesday: grilled cheese sandwiches
Thursday: breakfast for supper
Friday: Jim and Jim here

Okay, done with that funny story, and since this is a random post, I'll let you in on the song mentioned in the primary paragraph. "Puttin' on the Dog" is a song on Steve Pettit's Clean Pickin' CD. So this whole CD is laugh out loud funny. This particular song especially. It starts out with Uncle Steve telling the story of how Aunt Terri wants a fur coat like everyone else...and how she gets it in a rather round-about way. So the song goes on to say that Uncle Steve was too poor to buy the afore-mentioned fur coat and too afraid to steal one, but the problem solved itself in the form of an unfortunate Golden Retriever. This chance meeting of Uncle Steve and Fido convened on Highway 62, and now that Fido's in Dog Heaven, Uncle Steve gets the hide. He slaved for six weeks in the basement, going by trial and error, but he finally got it right, so he packs up the new fur coat in a cardboard box and takes it upstairs to Aunt Terri. She, of course, is tickled "near to death" to see it. That nice fur coat that hangs around her knees...only thing is, she's been complaining that her closet's full of fleas! She don't know it's Fido that's wrapped around her tight, She's puttin' on the dog when she goes out at night. Poor Aunt Terri is sad though, because Uncle Steve backed into the cat...but he's pretty sure that she'll feel better when he gives her a new fur hat!

Here's the rest of your fur coat!

Afraid? Of What?

This poem was written by E. H. Hamilton upon hearing of Missionary Jack Vinsen's martyrdom.

Afraid? Of what?
To feel the spirit's glad release?
To pass from pain to perfect peace,
The strife and strain of life to cease?
Afraid? Of that?

Afraid? Of what?
Afraid to see the Saviour's face,
To hear His welcome, and to trace,
The glory gleam from wounds of grace,
Afraid? Of that?

Afraid? Of what?
A flash - a crash - a pierced heart;
Brief darkness - Light - O Heaven's art!
A wound of His a counterpart!
Afraid? Of that?

Afraid? Of what?
To enter into Heaven's rest,
And yet to serve the Master blessed?
From service good to service best?
Afraid? Of that?

Afraid? Of what?
To do by death what life could not -
Baptize with blood a stony plot,
Till souls shall blossom from the spot?
Afraid? Of that?

Does this not stir your heart? The fire of urgency of missions has definitely been rekindled in my heart tonight. I was also reading Let the Nations be Glad by John Piper, and he says:
“The picture of nations without the gospel is that they are blind and in the darkness and in bondage to Satan and without forgiveness of sins and unacceptable to God because they are unsanctified.”
Just think on that a few minutes. Take some time and meditate. Is your heart stirred, too, for the desperate need of those nations? They CANNOT see the "light of the glorious gospel of Christ"! (II Cor. 4:4) Oh, that my heart would flame with a love for them and the Saviour that I would not be afraid...