Christmas 2013!!

      Merry Christmas everyone!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, I know I did.  I waited until now to write this post because I had to make sure to write about everything that happened, not just what happened strictly on Christmas.   I had a wonderful Christmas and loved seeing all of my close family (literally).  I have a few people to thank for making this Christmas so amazing and wonderful.

      First, I want to thank God.  If God had not sent his son to earth, we would not even be celebrating this holiday, except with the secular traditions.  I am thankful for Christ because he paid our debt we could not pay, even if we had tried.  I always find it amazing when I think that God sent his son down to earth, out of heaven knowing full well that he would have to die on a cross, for the people he came to save! There is a song that really blessed and touched me this Christmas.  It's called "How Many Kings" by the band Downhere :

Follow the star to a place unexpected

Would you believe, after all we've projected,

A child in a manger?

Lowly and small, the weakest of all

Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mother's shawl -

Just a child - 

Is this who we've waited for? 'cause...

How many kings stepped down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

And how many gods have poured out their hearts

To romance a world that has torn all apart

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Bringing our gifts for the newborn Savior 

All that we have, whether costly or meek

Because we believe,

Gold for his honor, and Frankincense for his pleasure

And myrrh for the cross he'll suffer

Do you believe?

Is this who we've waited for?

How many kings stepped down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

And how many gods have poured out their hearts

To romance a world that has torn all apart

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Only one did that for me...

Whoa,oa, All for me...

Whoa, oa, Whoa, oa, oh,oh 

All for me (All for me)..., 

All for you (All for you)...

All for me (All for me)...

All for you (All for you)...

All for me..., All for me (All for me),

All for you...

How many kings stepped down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

And how many gods poured out their hearts

To romance a word that has torn all apart

How many fathers gave up their sons for me? 

Only one did that for me..

All for me...

All for you.

I would totally recommend listening to this song!! ( at this website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTYe9sWYKdo or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iSivQmzJ_w )

      Secondly, I would like to thank my mom, dad, brother and sister.  Without you guys I would be so bored in life.  Mom and dad, thanks for always encouraging me and loving me and giving me my wonderful outfit this Christmas and my boots and all my other gifts.  Sister, you are totally my twin, thank you for being my best friend and thank you for my present ( going to see the Hobbit together!!!).  Brother, if you weren't here I wouldn't have as many arguments or laughter as I do.

      Thirdly, I want to thank both sides of my family! 

1) My mom's side: Thank you for all your love and encouragement all year round.  Thank you all for the gifts this Christmas and making Christmas a wonderful holiday.  Oma and Opa, thank you for your love, you are my only grandparents and I love you. My Aunts and Uncles, thank you for everything. Cousins, thank you for being my cousins and always talking with me and my siblings.

2) My dad's side: I always look forward to Christmas because I get to see my uncles and aunts on this side of the family, since this is the time of year I see you guys.  I have so many people on this side of the family, I don't even know where to start.  I thank God for the uncles parents, even though they are in heaven, for raising all christian sons and daughter.  I love singing Christmas songs and carols with the uncles every year, it brings so much joy to me.  My favorite time though is singing the Twelve Days of Christmas with everyone singing on their separate months (its so much fun)!  I had such a great time on Saturday and cannot wait until next year to see all of you again.  I wish we could all see each other more throughout the year.  I was so encouraged when one of my cousins told me she was reading "Authentic Beauty" by Leslie Ludy, which I had read a few years ago, which now I might reread.  Another cousin also told me about a series of adventures on the radio called "Johnathan Park" which I haven't listened to yet, but I might soon.  I love all of you so much!!

      Fourthly (is that a word?) I want to thank everyone else that made this Christmas special that I didn't include above.  

I will probably be writing a few more posts over the next few weeks until college starts again on January 15th, 2014.  I thank God for a great year this year and I pray that he will draw me closer in the coming year and also everyone I know. AMEN   

  

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Wow, sorry it has been so long since I wrote a post on this blog.  This semester at college has been crazy!  Oh, well enough about me.  As you all know, or most of you, tomorrow is one of the most wonderful, yet most skipped over holidays of the year.  Yeah, how do I know that, ... well I see it and hear it around my neighborhood.  Christmas decorations are coming up and Christmas music is already playing in many stores.  Last year I was able to restrain from Christmas music until after Thanksgiving, but this year, I guess knowing that Thanksgiving was pretty late this year, I wasn't able to restrain myself.  Don't worry though, I am not totally listening to Christmas music all the time.

        The reason I named my post "Happy Thanksgiving", when it is tomorrow, is that I don't know if I will have any time to post tomorrow.  I am going to my grandmother's house to celebrate and spend time with my family.  So, I am going to say a few things that i am thankful for in this post today and if I post tomorrow I will probably post more things I am thankful for.

Here it goes. . .

1. God (everything about him)
2. God's work in my life this year and his promise that he will never leave me nor forsake me!
3. My family (especially my mother, father, sister, brother, aunts, uncles and cousins that I know)   
4. My friends (my old one's and new one's, out of state and in state)
5. All the things that are necessary to live (food, water, body parts (hehehehe....), etc...)
6. My classes in college this semester (although they were full of writing and tests, I learned more about my major and whats involved in it) 
7. Nature
8. This time that I have off from school right now
9. Music (singing and classical)
10. Freedom of religion

And many more . . .

In comments below you can each share something you are thankful for and if I don't get to write tomorrow i wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Such an Amazing God!!

        Wow, it has been quite a while since I wrote a post.  Junior year of college keeps me busy!  I cannot believe how fast my past two years have gone.  I thank God for everything I have done and give him all the credit for how well I am doing in school.  This past Thursday night I was extremely blessed to be able to go to a concert at the Tiles Center at CW Post (LIU) when Michael W. Smith was there.  It was such an amazing night and I really felt God there. I don't know if any of you who have a challenge bringing that feeling back home, but I always hate going home after concerts or retreats like that and adding that work God has done in me to my home life.  It has always been that way for me, I pray for God to change that and he has helped me.  It has gotten easier over the years and I thank him for that.
        Well enough about me.  How have all of you been?  Has God done an amazing thing for you in your life since I last wrote to you?  I had my first big test for the semester two Thursday's ago and God helped me get a good grade on it.  I was anxious about this test and he came to help me through one of my friends at college.  I posted that I was anxious about this test because the teacher did not tell us what to expect on Facebook, and one of my friends commented "You are in my prayer :) God is in control...study your best and he will help you do the rest :)" and that was exactly what I needed to read and see. I did just that, studied the best I could, and then prayed before the test and I did well, so thank you God!!  Our God is such an amazing and powerful and wonderful God!
        I just wanted to post a song, because I just felt touched by it today:

Above All (Michael W. Smith)

Above all powers, above all kings

Above all nature and all created things

Above all wisdom and all the ways of man

You were here, before the world began

Above all kingdoms, above all thrones

Above all wonders the world has ever known

Above all wealth and treasures of the earth

There's no way to measure what you're worth

Crucified, laid behind a stone

You lived to die, rejected and alone

Like a rose, trampled on the ground

You took the fall and thought of me

Above all

Above all powers

Above all powers, above all kings

Above all nature and all created things

Above all wisdom and all the ways of man

You were here, before the world began

Above all kingdoms, above all thrones

Above all wonders the world has ever known

Above all wealth and treasures of the earth

There's no way to measure what you're worth

Crucified, laid behind a stone

You lived to die, rejected and alone

Like a rose, trampled on the ground

You took the fall and thought of me

Crucified, laid behind a stone

You lived to die, rejected and alone

Like a rose, trampled on the ground

You took the fall and thought of me

Above all

Like a rose, trampled on the ground

You took the fall and thought of me

Above all

You thought of me (4)

Thank you Jesus

Hallelujah

Here are also some pictures I took from the concert!

Come, Holy Spirit. . . Summer Youth Retreat 2013

      Sorry, that I have not written a post in a while.  I had Vacation Bible School (VBS) at my church and then I went to a youth conference.  At VBS, the theme was, "We Believe..."  We were blessed to have around 50 to 60 kids attend per night.  I taught the last lesson which was on the Holy Spirit.  Throughout VBS, I was so excited for the youth conference that was on Friday night.  On Friday night was also the closing ceremony for VBS, but I wanted to go to the youth conference and had already paid for it.
        So Friday, my sister (Julie Waldvogel), my brother (Kenneth Waldvogel), and I drove up the first time alone to Pilgrim Camp.  I had an amazing time and was really blessed by the lessons, but also the youth around me.  The theme during the meetings we had was, the Holy Spirit.  Some things that I learned was:
- the Holy Spirit is God living in us, a divine being that comforts us, guides us in practical ways
- the Holy Spirit does not just show through us once, but is always with us
- the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to live more like our savior Jesus Christ
- the Holy Spirit is given freely to those who ask for him
- first we have to clean ourselves of the old and then ask for the Holy Spirit
- the Holy Spirit is practical!
- our spiritual fruit ( Galatians 5:22 ) is proof that the Holy Spirit lives within us
        My favorite meeting was the Saturday night meeting when we had our prayer meeting.  The youth split into some smaller groups and prayed, which felt more like we called out to God.  I felt God so strongly in that meeting.  God was definitely there and was pleased with what each of us were praying.
        There were also games that we played and watched.  There were basketball and volleyball games that I watched and then there were some games on Sunday which I participated in.  There was a penny-chin game where you had to balance a penny on your chin and knock everyone else's penny off without knocking yours off.  Then there was a doughnut eating contest where you had to eat a doughnut hanging from a string without using your hands, which was fun to watch.  On Sunday a hike was organized which ended up being pretty exhausting and fun (some of us got wet ).  When we on the hike though there were some complaints but not when we made it through.  The weather turned out wonderful and got to have two campfire's!!  
          I thank God for meeting us this past weekend!!

 "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him" ~ Luke 11:13  

Thank You God for Today!

Happy Birthday USA!!  I thank you God for giving us this country we live in and the freedoms that are given to us..  I am so thankful for the wonderful time I had with my family yesterday (and Tuesday night)!  I was very blessed this week by a couple of things.  First, I got the chance to see a cousin that I do not get to see very often since she moved away.  Secondly, my uncle got sick with the mumps and yet God started healing him right away and thankfully he was able to be with us yesterday at the gathering because the mumps were not contagious anymore. Thirdly, it was my mother's 50th birthday!  I just want to say that I am incredibly thankful for my family, both my mother's and father's side and I would never want any other family.  I am also thankful for my family's health!  Lastly, I am thankful for the country God gave to the forefather's and now us, even when things are not going great.  We Americans still have a country and a place to live in that is okay, while some people have it a lot worse than us, so we should all be thankful for that!
        Now a song has been going through my head all morning since I got in the shower and it is "Every Good Thing" by The Afters!

                                            

I guess this song was put into my head by God to remind me to be so thankful for every thing that God has given to me, even when I am not fully paying attention to him.  Well since the fourth of July was yesterday i just want to pray for this country : 

Dear God, 

I just want to pray for this country and all the leaders leading at this time.  

I pray that all the leaders will turn more toward you and follow what you want them 

to do in every situation.  I pray that you will open our presidents and countries 

eyes and teach them who you are in a closer way and through a closer relationship.  

I pray that you will use me to be a light unto tall the people in this country.  

Thank you for this beautiful country that we Americans are blessed with and bless 

and protect those who are fighting and who have fought for this country also.

I pray this in your name, AMEN

If everyone who looked at this post would pray either this prayer or another prayer for this country God will move through the prayers and will do a work in this country even when it doesn't look like its happening.  If you liked this post feel free to comment on it. 

D-Day - Invasion of Normandy, France

        On June 6th, 1944 a group of 156,000 daring and heroic men from America, Britain, and Canada invaded  Normandy, France to liberate western Europe from Nazi Germany control.  The battle started a operation that was code named Operation Overload.  During this invasion the forces landed on five beaches along a 50 mile stretch of heavily fortified coast.  As the map shows, the US first Army led by Lieutenant General Bradley was split into two forces one that attacked Omaha beach and one that attacked Utah beach.  The Canadians and Britains attacked Gold, Juno and Sword Beach.  A part of this operation was that there were tons of troops that fought which helped the mission succeed.  This invasion of Normandy did succeed therefore pushed back the Germans (Nazis) to Paris.  By the next spring Germany  was defeated.  This invasion was known as one of the largest amphibious assaults in history.                           Last summer I went to France with the Honor's Program I am in at Molloy College, and one day we went to Omaha Beach which is actually American soil.  Me and my sister collected a container of sand from that beach and still have it.  It was beautiful and we walked through the part of the cemetery and one of the girls with me found one of their relatives grave their.  I thank all of the soldiers who helped out and who died for their country during this invasion.  Some say that this invasion was the beginning of the end of war in Europe.  Thank You brave soldiers!

    

Memorial Day!

        Memorial Day is a day that is every year observed by Americans all across the United Sates of America.  This holiday was first called Decoration Day and was first established as a federal holiday in 1971 following the civil war.  This holiday is usually celebrated with barbecues, visits to cemeteries, parades, and gatherings in family's, but we should always honor those men and women  who have laid down their lives for our country.  I had a wonderful day with my family, but I also prayed fro those who have died for our country and those who are still fighting for it, even if I disagree with the conflict.
        I just wanted to say thank you to our troops who have given their lives throughout our countries history and all who are buried in cemeteries such as Arlington cemetery, United States Soldiers' & Airmen's Home National Cemetery, and also those US cemeteries over sea's.
        There is a hymnal that came to mind while i was writing this, our national hymn "God of Our Fathers".  Here are the lyrics:

God of our fathers, whose almighty hand 

Leads forth in beauty all the starry band

Of shining worlds in splendor thro' the skies,

Our grateful songs before thy throne arise.

Thy love divine hath led us in the past,

In this free land by Thee our lot is cast;

Be thou our ruler, guardian, guide and stay,

Thy Word our law, Thy paths our chosen way.

From war's alarms, from deadly pestilence

Be Thy strong arm our ever sure defense;

Thy true religion in our hearts increase,

Thy bountous goodness nourish us in peace.

Refresh thy people on their toilsome way,

Lead us from night to never ending day;

Fill all our lives with love and grace divine,

And glory, laud, and praise be ever Thine.

There is a clip of this sing being played by the National Marine band:

Just Saying . . .

        While I was reading the book, Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper,  i was reminded of my philosophy class in my freshman year of college.  One of the key philosophical concepts we discussed was existentialism.  This was mentioned in his first chapter.  Existentialism is described as existence precedes essence.  Many people today in this world still believe this although this is a century old concept.  He mentions that many people believe that, "there is no essence outside you to pursue or conform to . . . it is not there until you create it by your own courageous existence" (Piper 14).  I believe, like John Piper that God created our essence and gives us a purpose to live.  
        I thank you God for giving us a purpose to live so we can follow you and not waste our life!  i was also going to post a song the last blog but here it is:

         

Don't Waste your Life !!

        It has been almost a year since I have written a post on my blog.  Today I want to talk about a book I received about the time of valentine's day from my parents that I have started to read.  It is called "Don't Waste you Life" by John Piper.  I got a gift edition so I also got the DVD of when he talked about this at a conference.   So I watched the DVD and was so touched by it.  

        When John Piper first starts talking at the conference, which was in 2003, he mentions an earthquake that had happened in southeastern Iran, near Bam.  he mentions that more than 25,000 people were dead  and about 30,000 more were left injured by the time the earthquake was over.  He then goes on to talk about a time in Luke 13 when the Jews come to Jesus to ask questions about the past tragedies like the how the tower in Siloam fell on eighteen people and how Pilate kills Jews and mixes their blood with their sacrifices, and Jesus answers in a sense of saying "unless you repent, you  will likewise perish" (Luke 13: 5).  Jesus responds as if he is saying, are you astonished at all the tragedies that have happened?  Well i will tell you what to be astonished at, be astonished that you were not under the tower or that you were not in Jerusalem at that time with Pilate, because everyone here deserves to die, unless you repent.  Jesus does not respond to get God off the hook but to make the Jews realize that they have to repent and not waste their life   He then goes back to the earthquake and relates it to what Jesus might say to us about the earthquake, "our wonderment shouldn't be the 25, 000 perished in a moment, but that we have not yet been snuffed out" (Piper).  

        John Piper then concludes with this point that our lives hang by a thread of God's grace and that God made us and knows our purpose and also has the right to take away and give life whenever he pleases.  he relates Job and Hannah to this.  Job had his ten children taken away in a moment and Job says in Job 12:10, "In his hand is the life and the breath of all mankind.".  Hannah wanted a baby so much and prays about it so hard and he gives her a son and she sings praises to God and he relates this to Deuteronomy 32:39.  We should know that every day and every moment we live because of God;s choosing and grace.  It is only by God's will that when I am done with this message I might not fall dead right on the spot.  We live every moment by God's grace and the only way to not waste our life is to keep on living with God.

        Then he mentions Matthew 16:24-25 and starts to talk about his book and mentions a poem that used to hang in his kitchen that said: 

Only one life,

 'Twill soon be past;

 Only what's done

for Christ will last.

This means that only what we do for God will matter in the end, not we do for ourselves and others.  He then mentions that one part of life in the United states that draws people to waste their life is retirement, which is a time when older people sit back and "play" while the states, sink under poverty and no evangelism.  he says this retirement draws healthy sixty-five year old to play golf and bridge right into the presence of God, the judge of life to come and he says that we will be pulled in unless there are choices made in earlier life of where our treasure will be. 

        John Piper then goes on to explain the life of unwasted life.  he gives the text of Philipians 1:20-21.  In this passage he explains that Paul's wish and our wish to honor or magnify God through our life and death.  Paul shows this example in Philipians 3:7 when he acknowledges everything compared to his relationship with God as loss.  How do we honor and magnify God in everything we do in life?, by doing it all to show that that thing on earth is not our treasure, but God.  We should eat to show that food is not our treasure, but God is, and we should use money to show that God is our treasure, not money.  In death there may be certain ways God may plan for us to die to honor God.  This is shown in Philipians 1:21 when Paul says "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain."  This means that in order to honor God in dying we have to experience "our dying as gain because it means more of Christ" (Piper).  Christ has to be more precious to you than everything you leave behind.

Essentials in an unwasted life:

1. life and death are given to you as a gift in order to display the supreme value of Jesus.

2. The way to do this is to consider God above everything in your life.

3. This treasuring is seen by what you risk and sacrifice for more Jesus. 

This movie was amazing and taught me to embrace God above everything else and so should our generation!!