One Little Monkey, Posing for His Sister.

I've been trying to make a goal every day--have one outing and/or photo shoot with Luke daily.

Luke's been wearing this little monkey costume that Mama won for him on a blog a lot lately.  He'll put it on, wear it for a while, then take it off because he gets hot.  :)

I asked him to go out on a photo shoot with me.  And this is what we did.  :)

The little man picked flowers for Mama.  A must every time we go outside!  :)

"Be a monkey!  Go like this!"

More monkey madness.  :)

Smile!  I think he gets a bit frustrated at times..."HERE.  I'LL SMILE."  :P

The tail.

Showing off that tail again.  :)

I also took him out a few days ago in his little overalls...I love how the pictures turned out!  :)

God bless you and have a great day!  :)

Joy :)

Faithful Fridays ~ She Learned a Hard Lesson.

Hey everyone!  It's Friday.  :)  Which means...it's time for Faithful Friday!

Faithful Fridays is a weekly "meme" hosted on my blog.  I made it so that Christians would have a designated day (Friday) to share something from their Christian walk on their blog.  If you'd like to participate, write your post, grab the Faithful Friday button from my "Faithful Friday" page, and come link up at the bottom of this post!  :)

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I've started doing Bible study.  I know, I know, I should've been doing it long before now, but...I'm doing it!  Thanks to the handy BBC (Bedroom Bible College) Manual in our curriculum.  :)

I did a character study on Martha.  That's right, the Martha that got frazzled when her sister was sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him, instead of helping her with the household chores.

Let's take a look at the situation.

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

-Luke 10:38-42

It sounds a bit crazy, doesn't it?  Scolding your sister and even complaining to Jesus because she won't help you with the chores...she's spending her time with Jesus, the King of Kings!

But...at that time, Jesus hadn't risen from the dead.  He had performed miracles and healed the sick, but many people still doubted Him and even wanted Him killed, including the rulers and authorities.  There was a lot of doubt and uncertainty in the people as far as Jesus was concerned.  Yet Mary and Martha still opened up their home to Him.

I'm sure they were very excited and at the same time anxious at having Him come there.  Jesus was quite the controversial figure at that time, as we've established above.  There was a lot of preparations to be made: what they would eat, where Jesus would sleep, all the normal things an apt homemaker tends to fuss a bit about.

When Jesus arrived at the house and Martha was still bustling around, making last-minute touches, Mary simply sat herself down at his feet and listened intently to Him speak.

Well, can't you just imagine how Martha felt?  How would you feel if you were left to get everything ready while your family members sat with the company that just came to visit?

So, finally, probably quite boiling, Martha asked Jesus to tell her sister to help her.

And Jesus explained that while Martha fussed and worried over many things, only one was needed.

We sometimes get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life.  All the demands--be here, do this, do that, talk to this person, socialize here, be this.

And we forget the one thing that's most important.  The single most important thing in life.

Jesus.  Spending time with Jesus is the most important thing in life.  Shining His light is what we were put on this earth to do.

So remember, when you're overwhelmed and upset and sad...just breathe.  Pause.  Pray.  Spend time with him.

"God, you are my everything."

God bless you and have a great day!  

Joy :)

The Artsy Award.

I was awarded the Artsy Award by Hannah, Ruth, and Sarah over at Three Girls and Their Hobbies.  Funny, because I'm not that artsy.  :P

Thanks, girls!  :)  You're so sweet.  :)  Here's the rules:

1. Normally this is where it says "thank the person who gave you the award and leave a link to their blog etc. etc." Well, you can do that if you want. I mean, if you like the award and you're glad you got it and you can do that. Or you can just copy this and have people listen to me rambling. :)

2. Answer the five questions set out for you and make the next five questions for the people that you nominate. 

The questions I'm to answer:

1.) Skirts or Jeans?

Jeans.  :)

2.) Cats or Dogs?

Probably dogs, although I have a cat.  :)

3.) Cows or horses?

Horses.  :)

4.) Wood floors or carpet?

Wood floors!

5.) Rain or sun?

I like both.  Sometimes I prefer cozy, rainy days, and sometimes I prefer bright, sunny days.  :P

The questions I have for those I tag:

1. What was the last thing that made you laugh?
2. What was the last movie you watched?
3. Describe yourself in one word.
4. What's the first thing you do in the morning?
5. If you had one wish to use however you want, what would you do with it?

3. OK, so usually there's a "NO TAGBACKS" rule. I'm here to say that in #3 of this award you can tag or not tag or whatever you want to do. Agreed? Agreed. ;)

4. Award five people (at the least) or as many as you like this award.

I award/tag:

Emma over at Rescue the Orphaned.
Ruthie over at Journey with Joy.
Amber over at A Different Kind of Girl (God's Girl).
Bree over at Tea and Bree.
Kathy over at Chatty Kathy.

Thanks again for awarding me, girls!  :)  

Have a great day and God bless,

Joy :)

Fall Photo Challenge.

Oh, *squeeeaaaaal* I'm loving Fall!

Sweaters.

Coffee.

Scarves.

Warm, colorful, crunching leaves.

Cool, crisp weather.

Rainy, cozy autumn days.

Not that, ahem, I'm wearing a ton of sweaters, or that I drink coffee, or that I have very many scarves, or that the leaves around here are colorful...because they're really not.  :P  But...we do have the cool, crisp weather!  It's so...fall-ish.  I just love it!  It makes that creative, literary side of me flutter and squeal.  ;)

So.  Today I'm entering Emma's Fall Photo Challenge.

Here are the two photos I'm entering:

God bless you and go enjoy these fall days!  :)

Joy :)

The Liebster Award!

I was tagged first by Chantelle and then by Noelle to receive the Liebster Award.  :)

Here's the rules:

1. The person must list 11 things about them

2.  Answer the 11 questions that the tagger has set for you PLUS you MUST create 11 questions of your own for the 11 people you will nominate with this award            

3. Choose up to 11 bloggers linking them to your post

4.  Go to their page and inform them of the nomination

5.  Absolutely NO tag backs

6.  Remember to ONLY tag bloggers with less than 200 followers  

Since I was tagged by both of the girls, I took six of Chantelle's and five of Noelle's questions.  :)

11 things about me:

1. I'm a Christian, God Girl, Jesus chick, whatever you want to call it...I'm one of those people.  :)

2. I can honestly say that if you asked me who my best friend was, I would reply, "my mama."  Because she seriously is my best friend.  :)

3. I'm stubborn (I wonder where I get that from...*cough*Mama*cough*).

4. I want at the very least six kids.  But I'm open to about twelve.  :D

5. I'm working on improving my photography skills.

6. I despise teenage arrogance.  I get really, really irritated when teenagers start acting like they "know everything."  It really just blows my top.  :P

7. The last movie I watched was "Mirror Mirror."  I really want a little brother or sister that's a dwarf now.  :)

8. I'm the only American in both my Chinese language class and my Chinese dance class.  I'm also the oldest.  :)  Heh.  One of the girls in dance class asked the teacher if I was Chinese.  Guys...do I look Chinese?!

9. My favorite color has changed a lot over the years.  First it was yellow, then it was pink, and now it's blue.  :)

10. I'm prone to randomly bursting into song.  Yes!  Just ask my parents.  Or Luke.  Luke can often be found asking for "some peace and quiet."  Oops.  :P

11. I'm trying to start playing basketball.  Get out of my way, ya'll...otherwise, you might get hit in the head with my fantastic ball skills.  ;)  Thank goodness for patient friends, right?

Questions from Chantelle:

1} If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?  

Hmm...well, if you're talking about outside of the U.S., I do love my China, although it would take an adjustment to live there.  ;)  So, maybe China.  Other than that, I really can't think of anywhere else.  I would like to live further south here in the states where a lot of our family lives, but we'll just have to see about that.  :)

2} Do you learn a foreign language?

Yep!  :)  I'm learning Chinese.

3} What is your favorite animal?

Probably either a dog, cat, or a dolphin.  :)  I'd love to swim and play with dolphins some day.

4} What is your favorite time period?

Hmm...I like the pioneer times.  The 50's are really neat, too.  :)  I would have LOVED to dance the 50's dances in those big twirly skirts.  I'd still do it today if I could, ahem, get away with it without coming across as a total weirdo.  ;)

5} What is your favorite activity/hobby?

Oh, I have many.  Talking, writing, singing, dancing...just to name a few.  :)

6} What is your favorite book?

Oh, gosh.  I really don't know!  I love Little Women.  I've come across two books in the past that I really loved--Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher and a book called Out of My Mind about a disabled girl who receives equipment to help her "talk."

Noelle's questions (I picked a few questions here and there):

Why do you have a blog?

I made this blog in 2008, when I was nine.  I had really wanted a blog after my mama started one...a place to share my thoughts, pictures, and writings.  :)  I just thought it was really neat.

What is your favorite sport?

Probably either soccer or baseball.  But, ya'll...I'm SO not a football person.

Do you have a favorite outfit?

Hmm...kind of.  I love my colored jeans.  :)

What is your favorite season of the year?

Oh, that's hard.  I really like all the seasons, but I'd have to say either summer or fall.  :)

Walking park or water park?

Water park!  I love water parks.  I haven't been to one in a while, though.

My 11 Questions for Those I Tag:

1. What's your favorite school subject?

2. What is the last book you read?

3. What is the last movie you watched?

4. What was the reason for your first smile today?

5. What's your favorite ice cream flavor?

6. What song are you singing--you know, that song that goes over and over in your head?

7. Name one thing you did over the summer.

8. Who is your best friend?

9. What is your favorite quote?

10. How did you choose the name of your blog?

11. Do you have any siblings?

I award:

-Rachel of Stand Out Don't Fit In.

-Brooke of Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust.

-Amber at Hangin' Out in the Sunflower Patch.

-Emilie at 1 Timothy 4:12.

....And anyone else who wants to pick up this tag/award!  :)

Have a great day and God bless!

Joy :)

Faithful Fridays ~ Purity Ring.

Hey everyone!  It's Friday.  :)  Which means (*puts on best cheesy announcer voice*)...it's time for Faithful Fridays--with JOY of DOODLEBUG!  :P

Faithful Fridays is a weekly "meme" hosted on my blog.  I made it so that Christians would have a designated day (Friday) to share something from their Christian walk on their blog.  If you'd like to participate, write your post, grab the Faithful Friday button from my "Faithful Friday" page, and come link up at the bottom of this post!  :)

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On Wednesday night, my parents took me out to eat at one of our favorite restaurants, Hibachi, to receive my purity ring.  We've had this ring for a little while, but we've been waiting to have a little "ceremony."  :)

The purity ring is a symbol of a promise.  That promise is that I will keep myself physically and emotionally pure for my husband, and I will trust my parents' judgement on the guys I'm interested in, especially my daddy's judgement, because dads tend to have a "thing" for figuring out guys.  

I had made this promise a while back, but this was a sort of official symbolic sealing of the promise.  :)    Some people do this at an older age, but I think it's something the parents need to use their judgement on...they know their daughter, so if they think the girl is ready for it, then whether she's 13 or 16, it's a good age for her to get the purity ring.  :)

My purity ring actually kind of resembles the one that Jade Hayes receives from her daddy (and mama) in the movie "Courageous."  I liked that ring and when I saw this one, I knew it was the one I wanted.  :)

So, my friends, if you're thinking about getting a purity ring to seal and make official the promise of purity you've made, or if you haven't made that promise yet and want to, PRAY and talk to your parents about it.  It's something every girl needs to do. 

God bless you and have a great day! 

Joy  :)

Expectations.

Hey everyone!

Sorry I've been lacking on posts a little.  I hope to get some more fun posts going soon!  :)

Today I felt the need to share something with you.

It's about the world's expectations, their hopes for "successful" Christians.  By successful Christians, I mean Christians who are visibly different--set apart.  If we seem different, other people are going to either 1) see a light in us and want to change their heart or 2) see a light in us and despise it--try to put it out.  They'll expect us to fail and they'll want us to.

I have a longtime friend who has changed--she's started to resent her parents and be very rude to everyone she meets.  We've grown apart.  But the past two years have been the time I've really grown closer to God and become a God Girl--a girl for Him.

I've realized that in those past years, my friend must have seen a difference in me.  She frequently tried to "make" me fail.  She would comment that she, for instance, had heard my parents say a cuss word...when they really hadn't (because I know that my parents would never say stuff like that).  She asks me every time she sees me if I'm "a teenager yet?"  What she means by that is am I smarting off to my parents, hibernating to my room, and acting like I know everything?  My answer is always simple: "No, I'm not and I won't ever be."

She's tried all kinds of things.  "You will be soon."  "Oh, you're wearing skinny jeans?  That's the next step to being a teenager."  That last one made me chuckle, actually.  ;)  One time she got a bit perturbed when I told her that actions speak louder than words and we'd just find out as time goes on whether or not she was right.  I'm constantly working to prove her wrong.

So, the point is, the world wants you to fail.  Why?  Because they don't want anyone rising above them and doing anything with their lives.  They want you to stay in that popular brainwashed hole of boys, drama, and Justin Bieber.  Of gossip, celebrities, and "perfect" beauty.  Of cool cars, name brand clothes, and being envied.

They want you to fail.

They want you to spend your teenage years the same way everyone does.  And so many people do this.  But they regret it.

Alex Kendrick, maker of the movies Flywheel, Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and Courageous, was asked what he would do if he could "do it over again."  His response was:

"Would have dated less in my youth and spent more time chasing God."

So there you have it.  Take it from someone who's done this before.  I guarantee you that if you look around, several adults would agree with Alex.

We can rise far above the expectations this world has for us.  We're better than that.  We're worth more than that.  Don't throw it away.  Don't "survive" these teen years.  Thrive in them.  Use them.

Faithful Fridays ~ Worth More.

Hey everyone!  It's time for Faithful Friday.  :)


Faithful Fridays is a weekly "meme" hosted on my blog.  I made it so that Christians would have a designated day (Friday) to share something from their Christian walk on their blog.  If you'd like to participate, grab the button code from my "Faithful Friday" page, write your post, and link up at the bottom of this post!  :)
*************************************************************** I have a website (click HERE) where I advocate for orphans in China, Taiwan, and Russia.  I admit, I had neglected it a bit lately, and I felt bad about it.  So I was looking through the website, updating it, and getting ready to add new kids, and I guess you could say my wheels started turning.

Sunshine (also known as Jessa), a two-year-old little girl from Russia with Down's Syndrome, rickets, and a mild umbilical hernia, and a grant of $1,631.46.

These kids are worth so much more than the things of this world.

Oscar, a three-year-old little boy from China with Down's Syndrome.  This little one has stolen my heart!

They're worth more than big houses and nice cars.

Shaw, a seven-year-old from Taiwan with mild mental delay and ADHD.

They're worth more than the most stylish clothes, and those darling shoes.

Kaia, a soon-to-be six-year-old from China with post-operative cleft lip and palate and a delay.

They're worth more than the cutest boys and the most attractive girls.

Amelia (also known as Daisy), a three-year-old little girl from China who has no muscle tone from the waist down.

They're worth more than iPhones, iPads, iPods, and all the other "Me, me, me" products.

Nina, a soon-to-be three-year-old little girl from China who has cleft lip and palate.

They're worth more than all the money in the world.

I want you to do me a favor.  Look deep into these kid's eyes.  Study them.  Think about them.  You'll realize that they're worth so much more than they or anyone else could ever imagine.  And you know what?  They're sitting in an orphanage, waiting for someone to come and get them and take them home and love them.  They're waiting.  Waiting.  And waiting.  Can you hear their silent pleas?  They can't fight for themselves.

If you're interested in any of these kiddos, please contact me at countrygirlathome@att.net

Pinned It, Made It! Monday ~ Remodel Your T-Shirt!

Hey everyone!  Time for Pinned It, Made It! Monday.  :)


Pinned It, Made It! Monday is a weekly "meme" my Mama (Country Girl at Home) made for bloggers to share something that they pinned on Pinterest and actually followed through with.  :)
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You have a T-shirt.  It's cute, or you like the message or graphic on it.  You'd like to wear it out in public, but...alas, it's too big!  Baggy, over-sized (and not in the "fashionable" way, either), and just plain large.
Pinterest to the rescue!
My blogging friend Shelby posted this on her blog, and I pinned it onto my Pinterest and decided to try it.  Thanks for the idea, Shelby!  :)

The original pin from Shelby's blog.

SO.  You'll need:

A loose, large, big, over-sized tee

Scissors that will cut fabric

And that's it!  Lay out your T-shirt on a table or other flat surface.

I used my Captain America shirt.  I love it, but it's a little loose-fitting.  I was a bit nervous about cutting it because (as we all know) I LOVE Captain America, but I was happy with the result.  :)

Begin cutting medium-sized indents from right above the hem of the tee up to the armpit.  These will be the strips you use to tie your tee into a nicer style.

Do so on both sides.  Then begin tying the pieces together into a knot, starting at the bottom.  Make sure to double-knot them.  I made the mistake of not doing so in the beginning, and when I put the shirt on, all the knots came undone.  :P  Mama helped me double-knot them after that.  ;)

Once the pieces are all tied together, you are DONE!  :)

That's it for today, folks!  :)  Be sure to check out the poll over there on my sidebar.  :)

Have a great day and God bless!

Joy :)

Faithful Fridays ~ Is He Speaking?

Hey everyone!  It's Friday!  :)

Faithful Fridays is a weekly "meme" hosted on my blog.  I made it so that Christians would have a designated day (Friday) to share something from their Christian walk on their blog.  If you'd like to participate, grab the button above, write your post, and link up at the bottom of this post!  :)

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Sometimes, I get this amazing feeling.  It usually happens slowly...I read an article or a blog post on a certain topic.  Something in our pastor's Sunday sermon touches on that same topic, and then....my devotional clearly speaks about it (gosh, I sure do love that devotional of mine).  And it's like God is speaking to me.  It's amazing.  I remember trying to "hear God" when I was little...I would "think" a thought and try to make myself believe it was God talking.  But this is different.  I feel like God is actually saying something, and I try to make whatever it is He's saying my motto or theme for as long as I feel I need to.

At one time, I felt like God was telling me to depend on and seek HIM and His love and approval, rather than other people and their approval.  

At another time, I felt that He was telling me to guard my heart.

And recently, I've felt that He's telling me to love others.  Reach out.  

And the awesome part about it?

I've been given a few clear, open opportunities to do so.  

To me, that's awesome.  

Because sometimes I feel like I'm blind to any opportunities to reach out and help, or that I'm unable to because I'm not old enough, or I don't have enough money, and on and on.

But, no.  When God tells you to do something, He'll provide a way for you to do it.

So, my dear reader, is God speaking to you today?

Is there a little prodding in your heart?

Don't ignore it.  Don't tune it out.  Listen.

Welcome, September!

Ah, September.

Don't you just love the sound of it?

September.

Savor it.  It's time for fall, ya'll!

Cozy Autumn. by shout4jesus  

It's time for sweaters and boots and jeans.

It's time for crunchy, colorful leaves.

It's time for cool, crispy weather.

It's time for autumn.

School kicked off last Monday.  It's going pretty well.  :)  My cousin, Trey, and his wife, Shauna, are here for a week or so.  

How are you welcoming September?  :)

God bless and have a great day!

Joy :)