Wow, I've missed this thing.

I haven't posted in a very long time. And I have a lot of things to say and catch up whoever reads this on. Even if it's only me.

While listening to the fish, I came to find out that blogging actually releases stress. It's a good way to let your anxieties out. Speaking of being anxious, there's Philippians 4:6. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." So that's a better solution for anxiety. But blogging is nice because you can put all your thought into paper.

So I recently took the trip to Pennsylvania for the Teen Leadership Conference at Baptist Bible College. That was a blast. I didn't know I could learn so much in a day. An average day had three speakers. And honestly they were the speakers God was using to project his voice. It was amazing going to the workshops. Everything was so independent it made feel like I was really grown up. TLC really let you pick and choose what you wanted to do. You weren't forced to do games and the workshops weren't already picked out for you. Everything was for you to take the initiative in.

While I was there I took two two-day workshops. The first one I took was called Blessed Are the Merciful. Fun stuff. The second day we went to a nursing home in called Allied in Scranton, Pennsylvania. I talked to a woman named Rose Marie and she was lovely. (Which reminds me, I have to send her a letter.) She was a Jehova's Witness and it was a little big of a struggle explaining the Trinity to her. But yeah, I'm still praying for her. She was so cute. I really want to see her in heaven.

The second workshop was with Don Jackson. It was Answering Tough Questions. That was quite interesting. I learned a lot from those two days. We got a booklet to remember things and how to defend ourselves from unbelievers. It's how to explain our beliefs. I found this workshop useful with the Day of Truth (hopefully coming) and all.

Overall TLC was a big eye-opener. You can't expect to be a hero for God if you don't get up in the morning to do your devotions. We have to pray for success. Like Nehemiah. The speakers had a lot of good analogies. They were all pretty funny. I can't pick a favorite one, they all pretty much had an impact. Although, Mr. Dwight Peterson did kind of leave an impression. He laughed at me when I was running from the door to my seat. The next day he ran up to me the same way I had ran and he shook my hand. HAHA. He seems like a pretty funny guy. I hope I see him again. Mel Walker asked Ron how tall he was. HAHA. And Doc Harris smiled for forever. He just made everyday happier.

What I liked best about the speakers was that they all showed emotion. I mean, they were all authoritative but they had feelings too. Whenever they teared up, I wanted to cry my eyes out.

I got convicted lots of times. And I gave up my dream to be a journalist. You know, if God doesn't want me in film or journalism, I'll give it up. If he's calling me to serve, then so be it. I'm not willing to fight him. Peter didn't fight him, and he was close to Jesus. They went everywhere together. And it was here that I decided to serve God. You know it means sacrificing. But at the end it doesn't seem like a sacrifice because it will all be worth it.

Going to Pennsylvania took a lot from me. When I worked I had to save almost all my money to go. I sweated a lot carrying my baggage and my muscles hurt for days. I had to make a lot of cutbacks at home. But honestly, every single part of it was worth it. I would do it again a million times.

Victory Ranch came next. It was quite fun. Pastor Gary was great. He was funny too.

Feels like forever ago...

Since I posted something. I love writing and I've neglected it. But I think it's been done for good reasons.

So I leave to Pastor Jen's house on Thursday to be there for the Praying Ministry. Fun! Fun! Fun! Then we leave Friday night to New York and ride the subway. Exciting. Then we go to Pennsylvania. Yeah, I hope we do have time to do all the things we planned. So I'm excited to leave town and hopefully learn to become a better servant.

So what my daily life consists of is reading a lot. I read Acts and take notes, read my Max Lucado devotional, I read Everybody Can Know and I read Frankenstein. I shower, I go to the World Trade Center and sometimes the public library before that. Today at work I read sixty pages. Go me!!

I realized I can read nearly 200 pages a day. That's cool.

I got a three on my APUSH exam. That was a surprise. I really was not expecting to pass and I was not taking it too seriously. I was trying to email my grandpa but I don't have his email address. So I guess he won't know. But passing it really encourages me for college and to take AP classes next year. I really praise God because I know he did it and not me. I'm not smart enough to pass something like that. I'll study next year.

I've been learning a lot from Francis and Edith Schaeffer. Sometimes I see a little humor in them. They're funny. But I'm really learning about the biblical times during Luke and I'm learning that Luke was a doctor and all these things. It's pretty cool. I mean, they give a lot of basic examples.

I'm getting better at memorizing verses! I have memorized Deuteronomy 6:3 (Fear the Lord your God, and serve him only, take oaths in his name.) and 1 Timothy 4:12 (Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.) So yeah. Go me! God's making my memory better.

I'm nearly done with the quotes for Miracle at St. Anna, which is what I'll be working on once I'm done writing my life story here. I have to analyze eleven more quotes, re-read and make sure everything makes sense to be done completly.

I miss Mexico. I miss driving through the heat in the highly populated streets. I don't know. The thought just came to my mind.

I still have to finish Frankenstein. The ending to Miracle at St. Anna made me cry a lot. I bet I looked like a weirdo crying in the middle of the library.

I have a lot of things to do before I leave. I have to clean my room and desk. I have to pack and buy things. And all that cool stuff.

Unfortunetly my camera broke this weekend. Grr. Makes me sad! But I asked Yapo for hers and she's letting me borrow it. (I think.) She's sweet.

Hello, World!

I haven't had time to sit down and write on this thing. Well, actually, I've just been too lazy to do so. But I'm not right now. I'm actually waiting for Mae and Grace so we can go to Bible Study. I'm a bit hungry.

So I've started John and I've failed at memorizing Psalm 5. I've learned a lot. I honestly have and I'm so thankful because it's spiritual learning not just knowledge. It's still overwhelming so I don't think I've learned that much. But I think I slowly am. If that makes any sense. I did start Everybody Can Know and today I just finished chapter three. I'm really enjoying it. Francis and Edith Schaeffer did a good job. They're pretty funny and make it a simple read. The book is on the gospel of Luke. I'm enjoying it.

I didn't read Miracle at St. Anna, for I don't know what reason but whatever. It is an interesting read. I am enjoying it.

I ate grapes today. ALL the grapes. And they were good.

I make myself laugh.

I love Coldplay. I can't believe they hit a record for the most downloaded album in two weeks. Go Viva La Vida. HAHA.

I miss The Format, I know I've said it before but I do want them to come back. They're very very cool.

I got my SAT scores and apparently I got a 1610. That's above the average score, which is cool. I just wish I had done better because Boston University only looks at people who have a 1750. But it's okay. I take what God gives me. If he doesn't want me to go to Boston, he must have his reasons.

I just realized I leave for New York in two weeks. Yay! Go, me! I am really looking forward to it. I wonder if they have Boston sweatshirts. I mean, they should New York is something like the United States. Okay, I know Washington D.C. but I'm just saying. DUDE! I'm going to Washington D.C. in January. Yay!!! I'm excited. I just remembered. I'm excited. I wonder if we'll have time to go "shopping". I put it in quotations because I'm poor and poor people don't go shopping, shopping.

Anyway, I think that's it for today. I'm going to go read for a while because waiting can get boring.