Sleep-Less

Hullo everyone,

Whenever I can't seem to sleep, I usually post on my blog... I've really only done it once before. You see, I love my sleep so much I rarely forfeit it if I can help it. So it's seldom that I can't sleep. Did that make sense? Probably not. Anyways, maybe 2:00 AM isn't that late/early for most of you... but it definitely is for me!! Well, while I'm sitting here I might as well say something worth while... So I will.

Tonight when I was doing the dishes, I was listening to the different noises around the house, namely: Dining room: talk between the parents and Peter on his business. Kitchen: sound of pots and pans crashing together as they're being washed, dried, and put away. Landing: the sound of Angela and Chloe laughing about something particularly funny in those beautiful laughs they possess. Living room/family room/dining room/all upstairs rooms/kitchen/all hallways: the sound of scampering feet and screams of little children as they chase each other— "I'm going to get you!! Ohhhh yessss I will!! I'm going to put my lizard down your shirt!" — in short, a lovely, loud, typical night-after-dinner at the Hopkins home. Yet as I was listening to all these familiar sounds, a sense of completion and absolute contentment overtook me. I then thought how thankful I was that our family was whole. When Peter was gone for all those months, I never did have that sense. There was always something missing. When all the children younger than me went with mother to New York, it was abnormally quiet. The regular alarm clock of little children pounding up and down the stairs, slamming bedroom and bathroom doors, was completely gone. While it was refreshing, it was not normal or satisfying. And when they came home, though there was an explosion as soon as they walked through the door— (hey, they're little, what do you expect??) I thought, "Oh! We're whole now!"

These noises—yelling, fighting, playing, talking, running, etc—that all come from little childern, sometimes get on my nerves. I realize that siblings are really a blessing to me, and a lesson... A lesson in patience. They have been placed here for my sanctification.... And really, when they are all grown up, I know that I will miss all those noises. I know that the quiet will seem stifling. All these thoughts made me stop, and think, and finally be thankful for the time that I am given with my dear little siblings! How often I take things for granted... How often I get impatient and annoyed with siblings who I am supposed to love and serve. But oh! we have such a God in heaven who is so patient enough to forgive me for each one of these sins, and to never cease to teach me in the right way.

Well, I shall stop now... But I have one more thought... I just have to describe this. :)

Yesterday Olivia's mind disagreed with her body and refused to keep it running all over the place. In short, she took a nap in a chair. Now, for Olivia to take a nap in the afternoon is a rare occasion in the Hopkins household. But there she was. She had one little pudgy hand tucked under her head, and her large droopy eyelids looked like they covered half her face—but it was oh so adorable—and her little body was all scrunched up underneath a blanket. Her expression (because, you know, you DO have expressions while you sleep) was one of the utmost fatigue. She looked so sweet, so little, and so fresh and (well almost) innocent that I found her irresistible. And how grateful I was that God has given us that little girl for awhile, and how I long to cherish each moment with her, watching her grow up in the Lord.

Um... I don't know if this made sense to any of you—but hey! A blog is an online journal that's open to the public!! *gasp* So it's up to me to post, up to you to read and decide if it does make sense or not. :)

Oh, and this probably won't make much sense because it's late... :P

Hmmm...

Yup, this is what we look like when the Clarkes leave their house to us. :)

CAN ANYBODY GUESS WHAT'S HAPPENING OUTSIDE IN THIS PICTURE???

AHHH! TAGGED!!!!!!

Olivia Howard tagged me from Eager Hands.

okay. So rules are that... um... I have to.......

1. Go to your documents/pictures.
2. Go to your 5th file.
3. Go to your 5th picture.
4. Blog about it.
5. Tag 5 people.

This was taken in May of last year when I went to stay with the Clarkes. We were baking together, and yes, I was done using the wooden spoon. We had a lot of fun!! I LOVE to bake and cook and clean the kitchen!!! :)

Tagging is especially hard since I know a very limited number of bloggers. However, I shall try to do my best..... (BTW, more of my readers need to get blogs... :P)


Nevermind. I don't know anybody who Olivia hasn't tagged... :)

Hunters Inc.

Dad and Peter, second or third year of hunting, and I think those two does are Nora and Dora. I kinda forget though. :P

The much-belov-ded buck, who has no name. :(

It's amazing some of the things daddy shoots!! :P

Letter From John Robinson

Below I have posted part of a letter that John Robinson, pastor of the congregation of Leyden in Holland, wrote to those leaving to form a community in America, where they could worship the Lord. It was read aboard the Mayflower, just before they left. I would have posted the whole thing, but it was really long, so I didn't. :P I originally came across it in Plymouth Plantation, by William Bradford. But here's a link to the entire letter in case you want the whole thing:

http://www.mayflowerhistory.com/PrimarySources/RobinsonFarewell.php

"And if taking of offense causelessly or easily at men's doings should be so carefully avoided, how much more heed is to be taken that we take not offense at God Himself, which yet we certainly do so oft as we do murmur at His providence in our crosses, or bear impatiently such afflictions as wherewith He pleaseth to visit us. Store up, therefore, patience against that evil day, without which we take offense at the Lord Himself in His holy and just works."

This letter to Mr. Robinson's congregation is filled with warnings and advice like this. What care he had for his congregation! He loved the people therein, and cared for them as if they were a part of his own family! I am of the opinion that that is how it should be. Yesterday morning mommy was reading to us 1 Corinthians 13. It dawned on me that this entire book was a letter. Of course I knew that it was a letter before hand, but I realized this was a letter to a congregation. He was teaching certain congregations these things, and encouraging them in the Lord. And later those letters became a part of the Bible. John Robinson's letter is similar to Paul's, but these papers express and reveal a deeply felt love for the beloved in Christ, the people they were shepherding. I don't know. Just some thoughts. :)

χλɷɩ (It Means... Blooming)

Usually I don't advertise my older sister on the web, but this picture was irresistible. :)

New Face Scrubber Gets Everything Off In A Split Second!!!! Great For All People Who Hate Their Faces

Rachel Clarke is a living testimony to this. Note the living.

Romeo And Juliet Paper Written At Age Nine....

And yes, complete with original spelling and grammar....

Romeo And Juliet (Narration)

There was once a place in Italy. a city in Italy and in this city there lived two Ruel (Note: this is supposed to be royal... :P) familys the Capulets and the montages who lived across from eachother. Thay always had wars small wars in the market place. Romeo, a hansome man, was a Montagu. he loved a girl named Roslind but she did not care for Poor Romeo. As he was camplaining to his freinds, a servent from the Capulets came to them with a list of peapel to go to Lord Capulets huose and feast but as the poor man could not reed Romeo helpd him and who shell he find but Roselinds name at the top of the list. Romeo decided to go to the feast and find Roselind. But when he got there with a mask on he cought sight of a bautifull girl named Juliet. he said something and his vaise was remeberd by a capulet. But as he was to be killed by that capulet Lord Capulet orderd that he did no harm. but the capulet did not listen and draw his sword was banished from the feast. Bothe Romeo and Juliet fell in love.

Romeo, that night climd the capulets wall and he hid in the dark. He heard Juliet winning (whining) for him, Romeo. Then Romeo went from his hiding place and Juliet saw him and was very happy. There was nothing better that Juliet liked than a wedding. So Romeo and Juliet decided to wed. So that after noon thay were mairred secretly in a kind friyers sell. after thay were mareid, Romeo wasmarcet place when A capulet killd Romeos freind and Romeos friend died in Romeos arms with in two mitents Romeo struck the capulet. this capulet was Juliets cusein! Then Romeo was banished from the city of vrenen. Juliet was winning that her cusen was dead but most of all she longd for Romeo. then Juliets Mother and father orderd Juliet to merry a capulet. Juliet did NOT want to merry this capulet. So she went to the friyer and told him her trubles. the kind man gave her some magic potshon. Juliet drank this and fell into a deep sleep. When Juliets maid came into Juliets room and saw her on her bed dead She was horefiyd. Now the monk was sending news to Romeo that he had gave Juliet some magic potshon and Juliet would not die. But bad news travles faster than good news does. And so Romeo decided to go to the city of Vrenen and die with he bautifull wife Juliet. Romeo took along with him poison strong enough to kill twontey men.

When he was there he went to the tomb where Juliet was to be bured. When he got to the tomb he knelt becide the girl and said, I drink to you Juliet. and then he kissed his wife one last time drank the poison and then he, Romeo, died in Juliets tomb. Then when Juliet awoke and yeld in a soft sweet vose, Romeo sweet Romeo I'm here Juliet. but then she saw him dead at her side she said oh Romeo did the fryer not send word to you? but he was dead and cuold not answer. When she saw the poison bottle and she relized he was dead. Then she took it hopeing there was still some poison in it but of course Romeo was not a sloppy drinker so of course there was none left. So she kissed Romeo's lips hopeing he had spilld a little but of course Romeo was not a sloppy drinker so of course there was none left. And so Juliet started to cry as she cryd she grabd Romeos dagger because she could not live without Romeo so she grabd his dagger amed it at her heart stabd herself and gasped. oh Romeo. and died.

THE END.

Stupid Picture

Yes.... I love cooking....

Chloe says I have to think of a clever title... But I can't. It's too hard.

"Hey kids!"

In The Army....

Of the Lord, of course! :)

But you CAN'T wear a helmet without wearing it fashionably... Good grief!

And some people's sense of fashion is different from others...

Don't you see why I love my daddy?

You Gotta Love the Steelers... And If You Don't, That's Your Problem, Not Mine...

Somebody's happy. :D

Way to go Holmes!! He made the winning catch for the Steelers in the end zone.

Nate Washington....

Roethlisburger and Hines Ward, who smiles through the whole game. Just like Davy Crockett "grinning down a bear" Ward grins down his opponents and it drives them nuts.

I am sorry Kurt Warner....

Boo looking like we just ordered a coffin for him...

"Wahoooo! That's my team baby! THOSE are the Pittsburgh Steelers!!!"

"Thank you so much Harrison!!"

Duncan is wondering why we're taking pictures while the game is on, Peter is enjoying itching his neck, Angela is nervously watching the TV, and Tirzah is bored.

Oh boy...

Now THEY look like Steelers fans...

And she's an adorable Steelers fan. :)

Well? We couldn't take a good picture of us smiling, so we decided to take a bad one of us not smiling... Doesn't that make all the sense in the world?

All us girls victorious... er, rejoicing with the victorious. :)

First quarter...

And Gabriel the Egyptian Pharaoh Steelers fan.

Reformation: Love and Faith: Martyrs: Guido de Bres

Guido de Bres was a *snaps fingers* um... I can't think of it. He was born in Mons, a city in a Belgian province. His father had been a glass maker, and he started out in that profession too. He was only 14 when news of Tyndale's martyrism reached him. He became intrested in Protostantism, and since Mons was located on the border of France and the Lowlands (which is now Belgium) the Huegenots who were coming over from France influenced him greatly. Later in life, in his late twenties and early thirties, he studied at Geneva under John Calvin. After this he pastored a small town, but their true doctrine was kept secret. When the officials found out, they ransacked de Bres' house (he had escaped) and burned his papers including letters FROM JOHN CALVIN!!! (Wouldn't it be so great if those hadn't been destroyed?!) Later he was finally captured, and put to death by hanging. He was buried in a shallow grave, and dogs dug up his body and consumed it. He had a wife whom he had been married to for seven years, and five children. (He was also the author of the Belgian Confession.)

Much is known about John Calvin, Martin Luther, William Tyndale, (of course, not as much as we would LIKE to... but still). But not much is known about Guido de Bres. However, his character can be somewhat determined by this letter he wrote to his wife just before he died:

"My dear and well-beloved wife in our Lord Jesus.

Your grief and anguish are the cause of my writing you this letter. I most earnestly pray you not to be grieved beyond measure . . . . We knew when we married that we might not have many years together, and the Lord has graciously given us seven. If the Lord had wished us to live together longer, he could easily have caused it to be so. But such was not his pleasure. Let his good will be done . . . . Moreover, consider that I have not fallen into the hands of my enemies by chance, but by the providence of God . . . . All these considerations have made my heart glad and peaceful, and I pray you, my dear and faithful companion, to be glad with me, and to thank the good God for what he is doing, for he does nothing but what is altogether good and right . . . . I pray you then to be comforted in the Lord, to commit yourself and your affairs to him, he is the husband of the widow and the father of the fatherless, and he will never leave nor forsake you . . . .

Good-bye, Catherine, my well-beloved! I pray my God to comfort you, and give you resignation to his holy will. Your faithful husband, Guido de Brès."

Guido de Bres, 1522-1567

What faith he had in Christ! What trust and love he had to commit his wife and children to the Lord's care while he died for Christ!! I can't think of anything else to say, because I happen to be too overwhelmed by his example of faith and love.

Well? What Did You Expect From A Romantic Person?

I have always loved this painting ever since I can remember.... Probably the first time I saw it. The smirk on the guys face, the intentness of the girl on making everything perfect and exact, the tender look on the husband's (or soon to be) face as he watches her work, and the way she has to stand on tiptoe to reach the desk in order to sign, the single rose on the window sill, paints a very expressive, exact, sweet protrait of going to get a marriage license. :)

Just A Random Picture...

I guess I just got into a Lizzie Hall mood... :P Expect random posts from a random person!!

Girls an' Guns....

Isn't that just lovely?

But guys an' Guns...

Quite a different matter. :D

This was when we went to the Clarkes for Peter's 20th birthday. We took a friend, Luke Nuebecker, with us. Of course that was about one and a half years ago, but still, it was so much fun and worth posting about. 'Sides, I am unable to post new pictures because our camera is unfortunately broken. :P oh well! Praise the Lord! :D

Not As Important But.....

Isn't it so beautiful!? "The heavens declare the glory of God! The skies proclaim the works of his hands!"

Patriotic Sentiments

I was just "reminiscing" as some people call it, on a time a few months back, when I was in the most beloved and honoured (by me) town (or not so town-ish) Hickville. I remember that around sunset, Rachel and I "took a walk through the wilderness" as we call it. As we were coming back, we got a rather patriotic feeling within us, or at least I did, and we decided to belt out America's National Anthem. Alright.... Please don't think I'm strange when I say what I was feeling at the time, because I feel like I've gotta tell somebody, but I don't know which somebody to tell, (so why not tell everybody?) and besides, I wouldn't be able to put it in these exact words that describe the feeling as I am about to do now.... Wow, that was a really wordy sentence!!

So, we belted out the National Anthem. We really sang it out, as there was no one to listen but God and the birds around us. We looked across the vast land around us, so desolate, maybe, but so free, and so beautiful in the setting sun. What made the song more astounding, the view around us more spectacular, and being in the place itself more wonderful was the knowledge we had that we have a God, a heavenly Father in heaven, who is supreme over everything, who is all-powerful and in complete control of any little thing that happens. And if he cares for the life of a sparrow, how much moreso the life of his children! And also this thought.... the hymn O Worship The King says in the last verse, "Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!" If he is all those things, then he certainly will care for us in times of trouble or should disaster strike! Malachi 4:2 says, "But for those who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings." I feel that "we the people" have been very blessed, and have felt God's grace and mercy in giving us, and allowing us to live and flourish, in this free country.

Some people say that we don't have a very free nation... A good friend went to England this past year. She said that a homeschooling mother there said to her, "The law of England states that a superviser must be within our home to watch how we treat and raise our children. They never warn us when they come. Don't let, like we have, the simple freedoms that you posess slip through your hands, because we look and depend on you." I don't know about you, but when I heard that my mind bounced... so to speak. I almost got up and slammed my hand on the table saying, "That's it! First I'm going to the American Government and then I'm going to Parliament to do something!" If only it were that simple! Many of you might have read a post I wrote a few months ago entitled "pray!" I was about to say that the only way we can help our country is by being some great person of state that has great influence on our government. However, I was promptly reminded that, again, we can, and we WILL pray. Prayer is the greatest thing that we can do for our country.

But may I be so bold (in a good way, of course) to urge my brothers and sisters in Christ to pray without ceasing, and to never, ever be complacent! I'm not saying you are, but remember how many thousands of people died for a freedom that they had not yet obtained in the late 1700's! Remember how many sacrifices they made, and how hard they worked, and how constantly the fought for a freedom and a liberty and a country that they could call their own! And just think, after all that they had suffered to make this, our nation America, and after the thousands upon thousands who had died (not even knowing the end result), just think how ungrateful it would be, how entirely careless and thoughtless and defiant it would be to take all those sacrifices for granted, and to stand complacently by while this our country, one Nation under God, reaches a crisis! How in the world can we do that? We must not, and we cannot, stand passively and complacently by and watch the show.

So pray! And watch! And never be passive! (I would greatly appreciate it if y'all would help sharpen me and remind me to do the same thing.)

I feel so much better after saying all this.... :D

Annabel Lee

This is awfully sad..... One of my favorite poems.

Annabel Lee

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was more than love -
I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her highborn kinsman came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulcher
In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and me
Yes! that was the reason
(as all men know, In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we
Of many far wiser than we
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride,
In the sepulcher there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.