I honestly think that being overwhelmingly tired can just be a lifestyle after awhile. Whenever I'm tired it seems I'm nowhere near my bed (like at school) and then when I get home and in my room I don't sleep, I just feel like wasting time (like being on Facebook, or Blogging about my 16 year old life).
Well my first major announcement is that I am now a licensed driver! On Thursday after school I took my test (and studied my 2 year old homework I still had from driving school all day...sad, I know) and it was surprisingly easier than I remember. Nerves have a lot to do with it... I tend to do really stupid things when I'm nervous, like forget what a stop sign looks like.
That evening, after I had gotten my license I was in a Christmas Play. My choir teacher had written and composed the whole thing. But what was cool about it, is the music, script, everything, is literally word for word out of the Bible. Just in musical form. This is the first year we have a music program at my school, so of course I was all over it. The class is only offered to eighth grade and below, however, so my headmaster signed me up to be the teacher's assistant, so I could still do the class. So Kindergarten through eighth grade was up on stage (which surprisingly didn't take up that much room) and because I'm the oldest girl, my choir teacher gave me the role of... yes... Mary.
I believe this is my third time as Mary in the Christmas Story, at various times in my life...Funny. Today in church we talked all about Mary; her faith, her purity, and her love for God. So in that way of imitating her on stage, I also want to imitate her in life :)
And so the very next day was my best friend and cousin, Emily's, 17th birthday. Emily came and got me after I got home from school. Now Emily and I (shes been my best friend my whole life), we spent basically our entire summer this year in her bright red, 1994 Geo Trackker--christened "Shelby Shablam". When it came time for us to head out, she gave me the keys to her car and reluctantly let me drive her precious Shelby. Okay, now this is officially my first time driving with a license, and without an adult in the passengers seat. So of course, things like the following occur. We do a test run around the block, and I make a gentle right turn--suddenly the car spun out and swerved slightly into the middle of the road on some ice. Emily froze, I held my breath and took my foot off the gas. As soon as it had happened, I regained control of the car a second later and continued down the road. Emily was astonished and said, "Wow, good job. The first time I ever did that I screamed and my passenger had to grab the wheel." We laughed and I drove to Dutch Bros, still in dumb awe of the fact that I was driving all by myself, without my mom or dad next to me. Grinning awkwardly, we pulled up to Dutch Bros. Okay, I think its a national law that if you work there, you have to be extremely cool. And attractive. So we told them it was Emily's birthday, and that I was taking her to get coffee because I just got my license (with her car haha). The employees congradulated us, and gave us free coffee! Blaring some Jason Derulo, we drove to her house and had an awesome rest of the weekend.
I believe this is my third time as Mary in the Christmas Story, at various times in my life...Funny. Today in church we talked all about Mary; her faith, her purity, and her love for God. So in that way of imitating her on stage, I also want to imitate her in life :)
And so the very next day was my best friend and cousin, Emily's, 17th birthday. Emily came and got me after I got home from school. Now Emily and I (shes been my best friend my whole life), we spent basically our entire summer this year in her bright red, 1994 Geo Trackker--christened "Shelby Shablam". When it came time for us to head out, she gave me the keys to her car and reluctantly let me drive her precious Shelby. Okay, now this is officially my first time driving with a license, and without an adult in the passengers seat. So of course, things like the following occur. We do a test run around the block, and I make a gentle right turn--suddenly the car spun out and swerved slightly into the middle of the road on some ice. Emily froze, I held my breath and took my foot off the gas. As soon as it had happened, I regained control of the car a second later and continued down the road. Emily was astonished and said, "Wow, good job. The first time I ever did that I screamed and my passenger had to grab the wheel." We laughed and I drove to Dutch Bros, still in dumb awe of the fact that I was driving all by myself, without my mom or dad next to me. Grinning awkwardly, we pulled up to Dutch Bros. Okay, I think its a national law that if you work there, you have to be extremely cool. And attractive. So we told them it was Emily's birthday, and that I was taking her to get coffee because I just got my license (with her car haha). The employees congradulated us, and gave us free coffee! Blaring some Jason Derulo, we drove to her house and had an awesome rest of the weekend.
Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year because its a time where I feel like a little kid again. Where nothing mattered and everything was beautiful and innocent. A time where Santa Claus was real, when snow was actually fun to play in, and when the gifts I made for my parents where all paper mache. Now, whenever I hear a Christmas song, I get those warm tinglies all over again. And even though it will never be the same as it was when I was younger, the memories I hold on to will never change.
I watch all of these Christmas shows on tv and as cute and classic they are, I wish they had the true meaning of Christmas in them. These days all the Christmas specials worship Santa and shopping and giant light-clad evergreens. Really the only moral message in them is "the spirit of giving." Oh how I wish there were more Christmas Specials like Charlie Brown...the ones that tell the actually true meaning of the season. In the movie, much like everybody else today, Charlie Brown is searching for the meaning of Christmas, and gets discouraged when no one seems to know. Finally, my favorite part comes when Linus stands center stage and recites directly out of Luke chapter 2. I praise God that that program still airs, because sometimes Christmas time is the only time people hear the name of Jesus. We all need a Savior...and what more a reason to celebrate than the fact that one was born, for us all.
On that note, I'll finish out my week at school (without getting too distracted by shopping and other pre-holiday traditions) and to make the time go faster, whistle a couple bars of "Sleigh Ride" whenever things get too quiet in the classroom. But ultimately, remember that the Lord is good for sending his son to this earth, in a humble stable in the form of an innocent, helpless, baby boy. Lord.... how I wish more people knew.
