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Bible Bee!!! (And some silly pics...)

8/27/2011

6 Comments

 
Wow.  It has been a, long, long day.  But I had SO much fun!!!  Today was...drum roll, please....the Bible Bee!!!!  Wow.  It was amazing.  Thank you so much for all of your prayers!!

I think I did pretty well on the written test (one hour to complete, 200 questions – I almost finished, at the 175th question), but I did really badly at the oral round.  I was only able to attempt to recite two passages out of 25 out of...umm...300? 500? I forget.  Anyway, yeah, that’s that.

During the time in the waiting rooms (before and after the oral test), we wrote thank you letters to sponsors, judges, proctors, etc.  I wrote a letter to a woman whose job description was ‘operations’.  (What is ‘operations’?!)  I just basically thanked her for taking time out of her day to help us.  BTW, I think my friend knows this lady, though I’ve never met her.  I also started a thank-you letter to Chick-Fil-A for giving us ice cream cards, but I didn’t finish it because I had to leave to take my oral test.  One of the girls next to me wrote a letter thanking Taco Bell for free taco cards...which we learned later were expired. :) Oops!

Before, in between, and after the tests, everyone hung out in the Family Fun Center.  Yes, it was a lot of fun.  We munched on snacks, stood around talking and...played four-square!!  It was inside, and it was amazing.  I think it was a huge-stress reliever, which is why it was a big hit.  It was for most of the junior kids (ages 11-14), anyway.  We were all disappointed when we couldn’t play anymore, because some tables were moved over the four-square...uhh...squares.  So then we played ninja, but that quickly became boring because it was a really large group and it took too long to go around the circle.

After all of the tests were over, and after we ate lunch, we all joined in the sanctuary and they handed out trophies, did a raffle, did a little contest, etc.  Then we ate ice cream!!  After helping clean up a little, Mom took the boys home, and I stayed with Dad and helped clean up some more.  Needless to say, we didn’t go to church this evening – we’re planning on going tomorrow morning.  And we might to see the Reysen family there!  Mrs. Reysen is the one who hosted this local Bible Bee, BTW.  Her children were in the Bible Bee (well, duh), and one of her daughters might be going to nationals.  We’ll see.  We get to know on Wednesday who is going to nationals (which is in Nashville, BTW).

Here’s some pictures from today...and some silly pics we took yesterday at lunch (please click on them for captions!).  So, thanks again for all your prayers, and I hope y’all have a great weekend!!

6 Comments

School, Poetry, God, and Bible Bee

8/18/2011

2 Comments

 
Hey, y’all! :) (You know, I hardly ever say that in real life, but I type it a lot.) I hope everyone is having a good week.

Next week we start homeschool, but this past Tuesday we started a Christian science class taught by Connie Gerbasi – each Tuesday she rents a room at a church not far from here.  I really like Abeka science, but this curriculum is OK, and I really like the teacher. BTW, the science we’re using is called Exploring Creation with Physical Science (www.apologia.com).  We’re using Abeka history, which I’m really excited about! And Nicholas and I finally get to start Algebra 1 this year with Teaching Textbooks. I like algebra...most of it, that is. :) We’re finishing up Shurley Grammar Level 7 (7th grade) from last year, since they don’t have an eighth grade level, and we need to finish that anyway.  Noah and I are taking a Language Arts class with Florida Virtual School (FLVS), and Nathan and I are taking Spanish with FLVS.  I wanted to learn Sign Language as well as Spanish, but my parents said I could only choose one extra class (because two would put too much stress on me...they know me too well J), so I picked Spanish. I can’t wait!

We’re preparing for the Bible Bee contest coming up soon – August 27th!  I’m nervous.  I keep catching myself thinking, ‘I better make sure I memorize these verses perfectly so I won’t make a fool of myself on contest day’ instead of ‘BB is a great opportunity to memorize God’s Word and learn more about Him’.  I’m having some issues with perfectionism lately (‘lately’ as in my whole life).  :p

Anyway, please be praying for me and all the other BB contestants across the nation!  Oh, and hey, if any of you are open on Saturday, August 27th and would like to help out with our local contest, that would be great!!  Please let me know in a comment and I’ll email you the info.

Here are a couple bits of poetry I’d like to share with y’all. I started to write this one in a rhythmic poem one night, but it didn’t really work, so I switched to prose and clinched it with a few rhyming verses, keeping it all in poem format (don't really have a title yet...any ideas?):

Like a lilting breeze gently
Brushing my face with its
Wispy fingers

Like the petals of
A velvety rose
Swirling in the air

Like ribbons of sunlight
Encircling me
With their warmth

Like the fragrance
Of lilies dancing
In the field

Like the peaceful face
Of a child
Asleep in the Teacher’s lap

Like the rush of a waterfall
Mingled with the
Song of morning

It’s pure like a dove
Like a kiss from above
This is the true and holy gift of love

And then just a little thing that hit me last night (or was it the night before?) and then I added on:

I know I don’t deserve it
So I thought I had to earn it
Then why are You telling me
That Your love is free

Yeah, I know I don't deserve it
And I thought I had to earn it
But now you have shown me
That Your love is free...
Your truth has set me free!!

I’ve found that I listen to God the best late at night when it’s dark and quiet.  I guess it’s because even though my mind is tired, kind of numb and silent, my spirit is alert, open, and teachable – like an ‘ears open, mouth shut’ kind of thing.  I find it hard to quiet my wandering thoughts any other time in the day.  So, yeah.  Also, I was going to post another poem I wrote, but I can’t find the piece of paper I wrote it on (uh-oh...), so hopefully I’ll post it next time.

Oh, and by the way, if you attend the Crossing Church, don’t you just love Pastor Greg’s sermons lately???  I really like the series he’s preaching on, called “Cast Away: what are you carrying?”  It’s incredible.

I hope y’all have a great weekend! God bless!!!
2 Comments

Froggy da Origami :)

8/13/2011

1 Comment

 
Do you guys remember when my mom blogged earlier this year about going to the spa with her friend (here is her post: The Spa)?  Her friend invited my mom again for a relaxing weekend at the spa, along with a couple of her other friends.  My mom left early yesterday afternoon, and she might be staying tonight. (Mom, if you’re reading this while you’re still at the spa – which you most likely aren’t – I hope you’re having fun!!!)

Anyway, just thought I’d let y’all know – especially because that’s probably one of the reasons we stayed up late last night (Mom being gone, I mean).  We’ve been getting in bed around 9:45 the last couple of days, but last night it was a little later. ;) While the boys were watching the football game (Bucs against Chiefs – 25 to zip, Bucs!! I don’t watch sports usually, but I know that that was awesome!!!), Nicholas and I turned the bunk into a makeshift studio and created...

Froggy da Origami!!!

OK, so, Nicholas folded the frog...but both of us made Froggy’s music video – which we posted on YouTube!! :) Our first video that we’ve uploaded on YouTube...if you type in ‘start somewhere tobymac’ in the search bar, our video is the 20th suggestion. If you type in ‘froggy tobymac’ it’s the FIRST suggestion!!! (Yeah, we were really excited, if you couldn’t tell).

Nicholas did the choreography and lip-synching (which was a LOT harder than it looks) and I was in charge of the music and the lighting. :D Hahaha.
Picture
Anyway, after all the giggling was over and we were ready for bed and the others were watching the end of the football game, Nicholas and I went back up in the bunk and we listened to more tobyMac music from his MP3 (the curtains were still closed in the bunk, BTW, because of our ‘studio’ for Froggy, so it was dark).  That's when I took this picture (I accidentally blocked part of the flash with my finger - oops).

When 'Made to Love' was playing, I was just cherishing the moment. I loved laughing with Nicholas, and now while the two of us sang along together to the words, "I was made to adore You, made just for You...I was made to adore You - yeah, I am loved by You", I thanked God for blessing me with the wonderful family that I have, and for His incredible love for me.

Last thing: My Amazing Ten-Second Survey was apparently a big hit! I got tons of them! Two people said they found my blog off of Ancestry.com...interesting. :) One person said that I should talk more about him/her – but I don’t know who it was! I guess I’ll have to add something asking for a name on my survey. That’s what Noah did – he copied off of my idea of a survey, and now I’m copying off of his idea of a name and email thingy. I guess we’re even. :) So, yeah – go check out Noah’s blog! Oh, and if you've already did my survey, could you do it again so I know who you are? It makes it a bit more interesting, even though it is kinda fun trying to guess who said this or who said that. Yeah. Anyway...

I hope y’all are having an incredible weekend, and I hope this brightened up your day a bit! :)

God bless!!

1 Comment
    Hey, peoples!  :)  I'm glad you found my blog - now I'm going to tell you to go to another blog!  ;)  This is my old blog (hence the post to the left over there), so you can go to my new blog (with Blogger) with this link: *Forgiven Mess*

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    A Lot about Me,
    Nicole Gregory:

    I am your untypical 13-year-old girl (well, I like to think of myself that way). :)  I love my Savior, Jesus Christ, and I try my best to obey my awesome God.  I like writing and enjoy reading even more. My favorite Christian author is Nancy Rue.  My two favorite colors are teal and fuchsia.  I love animals, especially dolphins, dogs, cats, and horses.  My favorite Christian radio stations are JoyFM and K-Love, and some of my favorite  Christian singers and bands are Francesca Battistelli, Britt Nicole, Chris Tomlin, Matthew West, J.J.Heller, Mandisa, MercyMe, Casting Crowns, Sidewalk Prophets...the list goes on and on and on.  I am home-schooled and I love it!  I lovespending time with the wonderful friends God has blessed me with!  I love my family who I always thank God for.  :)  By the way, I am a TRIPLET, with three brothers, Nathan, Noah, and the youngest by a year and a half, Nicholas.  God has blessed me abundantly, and I can't wait to see what He has in store! God bless!!


    Awesome pic I took of Nicholas at the beach!

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