to read the hunger games..or not to read...

So, as you've probably pick up on by now....I absolutely haaaaaaate doing what is normal, average, hip, popular, etc, etc. I don't want to be like everyone else. Period. 

Which is why, loves, that I have resisted reading the hunger games...

I know, you gasp, you scorn me...I know..I know...but, you wanna know one of the main reasons?

I don't want to get sucked into loving it and barfing all over you about it like every other blog you read....no bueno...

But, then again, I've heard they're "fabulous" and "amazing" and yada yada yada....so, what to do, what to do? 

I'm thinking I should probably read them....just get it over with. And if I don't like them then fine, whatever, I'll move on, and can say I at least read them....right...? 

Right....

Plus...the movies look fantastic....and I really don't want to watch them without knowing the real story...

But I'm still torn....

If you've read them - what was your honest opinion of them? Did you thoroughly enjoy them? Were they worth the time? Did they have any positive or negative messages within the pages, that some may not instantly pick up on? Let me know please! I'd love to read them if they are worth my time - I don't have much time to read in general these days, so I don't want to wast that time on something I may not like! 

xoxo,

Ruthanne

study help....please.

Okay people....ladies, I should say, since none of my followers have proven to be otherwise...(yes, I do indeed look at every single one of my follower's pages...for now at least. Maybe that'll change? Who knows. anyway.)

Laaaaaaaadies.....(and potential gentleman folk who have hidden their identity...), I need some serious study help. I suuuuuuck at studying, and I really need some tips on what works for you. 

I'm not a highlighter - it doesn't work for me, highlighting key words/phrases just gets it more jumbled. And writing things out does the same too...no fun. So if you just so happen to be like me, and have some tips, shoot me with em? Like. HARD. I want you to use a sniper and penetrate my souuuuuuuuuuul with these tips. Okay? Okay. Cool. 

Happy tuesday, loves. :)

worship & wonder.

I led worship last night for our evening service at church. 

Two of the songs we sang were How Great is Our God - by  Chris Tomlin, and Wonderful Maker, also by Chris Tomlin. 

These songs...and the lyrics....I can't get over them. They send chills up my spine - they remind me of how wonderful and great our God is!

Our God was the only thing in a vast expanse of nothingness - no life, no sound, no existence but him. And all he did - all  he had to do was say "let there be light", and there was light. God didn't have to do some insane list of things to make this happen; He just said four words; four little words; and there it was. 

Before we sang Wonderful Maker - I asked the congregation to close their eyes, and picture nothing - no noise, no light, no darkness - and I asked them to breathe - that's what God did to create them. I asked them to imagine saying let there be light - because that's what God did - and to try and grasp onto how truly amazing God is. 

I guarantee none of those people, including myself, came close to even touching comprehensiveness of such a thing. None of them. Because that is how great God is! There is no way for us  to ever imagine Him fully. He is the Lion and the Lamb - the beginning and the end, that alpha and omega. 

About 6 weeks ago I wrote a worship song centered around this - I'm hoping to share it with the congregation soon and then maybe even you all - but I wanted to share this first; because as I left that stage last night, and I reflected on the people who had raised their hands in adoration; closed their eyes in awe; I knew it was not me who did any of that. It was not me who inspired any of that - it was God. Because He gave me the gift of singing; the ability to play piano, and the perseverance to get better at leading His people into the throne room. It's not me. 

It's Him.

And when people tell me that I did a wonderful job; that I have great talent; that I am so gifted; if I ever cling to those words and believe that it is "I" and not  the great "I am" who has those things, I fall - in some way. And it is never good. It is never fun. And it always humbles me. 

You see - He could take my "talent", "gifts", and "ability" away in an instant. He didn't put me on this earth to be glorified - He put me on this earth to glorify.

I love these verses in Matthew chapter 6, 1-4:

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven."Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

 I always remind myself of that. Because I can do nothing great that will last without Christ.

Nothing at all; all attempts at greatness will be futile; vapid; worthless.

Thank you, Lord; for loving me even when I make those attempts; when I try to be the great one. Thank you, Lord; for not only forgiving me, but still allowing me to glorify You after it all.

You are my wonderful Maker - and I am, indeed, in awe of you.

sunday best.

Sweater: Kenneth Cole 

Jeans: American Eagle - real flare

Black Oxford Heels - gift - no idea

Bangle: little shop downtown

That was today's outfit:) sorry for no color. My brother took all the pics and was having issues. So I fixed them (ha......quote unquote) with black and white...he'll learn eventually. :)

By the way - it FINALLY snowed after 30 days of no precipitation - which is #10 on the list of most days we've gone without a drop of anything in my town. Insane! So happy though.

Happy late sunday :)

the desire to love those who hate.

YOU KNOW THOSE PEOPLE? YOU KNOW, THE ONES WHOM YOU CAN NEVER SEEM TO PLEASE NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO?

The ones who believe your world and everyone else's should revolve around them?

Yes, those people. The ones who truly think you are wrong in everything you do, and if only you would do it their way, you would be much happier and would succeed. 

I have one of those people as a friend. I have, in fact, put up with it for almost 7 years now. 

The bossiness, the rude remarks, and the unnecessary strictures she condemns me with are far from welcome. 

She came over tonight - and went through my closet like girlfriends do - except the first thing she could think of saying was "God, you're so much bigger than me! Guess I'm not borrowing clothes from you..."

It took everything within me not to tell her to leave. I have dealt with these sort of comments for years. And I am so, so incredibly sick of them. 

Not being good enough for someone you care about is one of the worst feelings in the world, is it not? When you love someone for their strengths and weaknesses, and they can only return that with loving you for what they think is good in you. Not for what truly is good in you.

I know for a fact that I am a strong, independent, confident, outgoing, and capable 16 year old. And I never doubt that until she comes around. 

Comments are made about how silly my faith is, how much more I should work out, what size jeans I wear....all to make herself feel better about "who she is". 

I will never be strong enough for her. I will never wear a size 00 in jeans like she thinks every girl should. And I will most certainly not give up my faith because she thinks it's unreasonably artificial.

But, after taking this all in for consideration....

I don't understand why she keeps calling.

Why does she keep wanting to pursue a friendship if I am that terrible of a person and can do nothing right?

It baffles me, and angers me, then saddens me. 

How dare she tell me what I can and cannot do in my life - how dare she think she can move away and still just waltz on in like I don't have a life. How dare she think I will stop everything for her - commitments I have had for weeks - to spend an hour with her. How dare she, is what I always think.

But then my heart softens and I see the true reason for this.

I don't push her away. I don't correct her on the stupid things. I've never once told her to leave. And you know why? I don't say this to glorify my actions at all, but it's because I've always loved her for who she is. I honestly don't know why either, because I don't want to.

But I've always been compelled to love her because I know no one else is going to do it for me. 

No one else is going to show her Christ's love. That's my job. And that's why God has kept her in my life this long, I know it is - because He knows that it's a challenge for me to love her - but something that needs to happen and I need to do to grow. 

And I've never looked at it like that until now. Until she left and I sat and thought about it. 

I may not like the rude and stinging comments about my faith, family, no-dating policy, pants size, etc. But I do like her enough to love her. And so that's what I'm doing.

I desire though, to love those who hate, even if it means dealing with a few strictures along the way.

So now the question is...

DO YOU DESIRE TO? && EVEN MORE THAN THAT - WILL YOU?