Merely Miriam

2010-06-03T09:13:00.000-07:00

Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls;

All Your waves and breakers have swept over me.

Psalm 42:7

Picture taken in Yellowstone National Park

2010-05-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.

In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him.

The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land.

Psalm 95:3-5

The Church

2010-04-12T15:20:00.000-07:00

The window was cracked,

intimating a forgotten story.

Sunlight seeped through

and spread its multicolored aura

on the walls and floor.

Mystery is hidden in the dark

and dusty corners of the room.

Light does not illuminate the

secrets long covered.

The prayers and lies spoken

in the sacred room seem to linger still, like a whisper

that continues to echo.

There's a mother in the window,

a child in her embrace.

She gazes down in knowing,

inspiring lost souls to come home.

2010-04-07T14:22:00.000-07:00

Alabama Snow!!!

2010-02-19T21:14:00.001-08:00

My favorite

Timmy the Snowman

My Life at Judson in Pictures - Tango Night '09

2009-10-28T18:22:00.000-07:00

Judson sponsored a tango band concert on October 15th. For fun, Judson students got together with MMI cadets so that we could dance with one of the songs. I've always wanted to learn different dances and this presented a great opportunity. Our dance was "Judson appropriate" and a lot of fun. So, enjoy these pictures.

Quote from At The Back of The North Wind

2009-09-19T19:27:00.000-07:00

"Well, please, North Wind, you are so beautiful, I am quite ready to go with you."

"You must not be ready to go with everything beautiful all at once, Diamond."

"But what's beautiful can't be bad. You're not bad, North Wind?"

"No; I'm not bad. But sometimes beautiful things grow bad by doing bad, and it takes some time for their badness to spoil their beauty. So little boys may be mistaken if they go after things because they are beautiful."

"Well, I will go with you because you are beautiful and good, too."

"Ah, but there's another thing, Diamond:--What if I should look ugly without being bad--look ugly myself because I am making ugly things beautiful?--What then?"

"I don't quite understand you, North Wind. You tell me what then."

"Well, I will tell you. If you see me with my face all black, don't be frightened. If you see me flapping wings like a bat's, as big as the whole sky, don't be frightened. If you hear me raging ten times worse than Mrs. Bill, the blacksmith's wife--even if you see me looking in at people's windows like Mrs. Eve Dropper, the gardener's wife-- you must believe that I am doing my work. Nay, Diamond, if I change into a serpent or a tiger, you must not let go your hold of me, for my hand will never change in yours if you keep a good hold. If you keep a hold, you will know who I am all the time, even when you look at me and can't see me the least like the North Wind. I may look something very awful. Do you understand?"

"Quite well," said little Diamond.

2009-08-13T04:28:00.000-07:00

"The Thinkers" =)

Summer Music Academy 2009!!! - Part 2

2009-07-25T06:50:00.000-07:00

Bethany

Lisa, one of our counselors

Mr. Canada and Mr. Barbosa

Me and Caleb

Esther

Michael and Jasmine

Me and Riana (?)

Me and Jasmine

Me, Elizabeth and Melissa

Jasmine and Melissa

Esther

Michael

Wes and me

Playing a flute duet

Caleb and Ms. Graby

Suzanne and me

Melissa, Michael C. and me

My wonderful friends!!!!!

Summer Music Academy 2009!!! - Part 1

2009-07-24T19:29:00.001-07:00

I spent the first two weeks of July in Florida! No, not the beach, music camp. =) I had the most amazing time, making wonderful friends, learning music and growing in many ways. I finally got myself a camera before I left, so now I can take all the pictures I want...that ended up being dangerous and I came home with tons of pics. I pulled the best ones to share with everyone. Enjoy!

Our dorms

Where we all spent most of our time

Bowling at the Sports Center in the evening (Michael)

Me and Virginia (I miss you, girl!!!!)

Virginia!

He didn't mean it! =)

The orchestra

The orchestra again

Melissa and Virginia!

Me and Esther

Group picture!

The Barbosas telling us goodbye... =(

Mrs. Barbosa and me

Our wonderful conductor, Mr. Barbosa, and me

Signing notebooks...they had to leave halfway through camp.

We had a fill-in conductor (who was also very good!)

Hector

Esther and Mr. Barbosa

Michael, Mr. Barbosa, and Melody

Held by Natalie Grant

2009-07-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

Senior Recital Pictures

2009-07-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

I haven't done a full length post on Maidens of Worth about my senior recital because I don't have all the photos that a friend took for me. I'll go ahead and post here the few pictures that we had on our camera and the rest will be out on MoW as soon as possible. Just to let y'all know, God bless me with a wonderful recital and I was really happy with the way it went.

How Sweet...

2009-04-19T16:55:00.000-07:00

I surreptitiously snapped this picture this evening. Aren't they sweet?

2009-04-09T04:46:00.000-07:00

Senior Pictures

2009-04-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

These are rejects from my senior pictures, but I like them nonetheless. My favorites are posted on Maidens of Worth for readers to vote on. Meanwhile, enjoy!

My Savior My God

2009-04-01T06:02:00.000-07:00

About God

2009-03-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

About God

by Rita Springer

I have thought about God and my own life’s existence,

And it’s not like I’ve not been on my knees in repentance.

Bigger than life, and out on my own.

I’ve come to these conclusions about God.

I have thought about God when searching for solutions

Disappointed and cost birthing such confusion,

Surrendered my heart to the truth not a system. And to God.

How can we walk underneath an open sky?

How can we say we have eyes and yet we can be so blind?

You have your race and religion, and I guess I have mine,

What about God?

I had thought about God when my own father was dying.

And I thought "the idea, of death and it’s timing!"

I turned the other cheek only because I was crying out to God.

How can we walk underneath an open sky?

How can we say we have eyes and yet we can be so blind?

You have your race and religion, and I guess I have mine,

What about God? What about God?

How can we walk underneath an open sky?

How can we say we have eyes and yet we can be so blind?

You have your race and religion, and I guess I have mine,

What about God? Do you think about God?

You can look through the windows of a stained glass cathedral

You can speak in tongues in a church with a steeple

Who holds the keys to your own heart’s temple?

I wonder if it’s God.

I wonder if it's God.

Do you ever think about God?

Quotes For Thought

2009-03-28T06:06:00.000-07:00

Those who won our independence...valued liberty both as an end and as a means. They believed liberty to be the secret of happiness and courage to be the secret of liberty...that without free speech and assembly discussion would be futile; that with them, discussing affords ordinarily adequate protection against the dissemination of noxious doctrine; that the greatest menace to freedom is an inert people; that public discussion is a political duty; and that this should be a fundamental principle of the American government. But they knew that order cannot be secured merely through fear of punishment for its infraction; that it is hazardous to discourage thought, hope and imagination; that fear breeds repression; that repression breeds hate; that hate menaces a stable government; that the path of safety lies in the opportunity to discuss freely supposed grievances and proposed remedies; and that the fitting for evil counsels is good ones... Those who won our independence by revolution were not cowards. They did not fear political change. They did not exalt order at the cost of liberty.

-- Louis D. Brandeis (1856-1941)

Find Us Faithful

2009-03-23T05:54:00.000-07:00

Find Us Faithful

By Steve Green

We're pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives

CHORUS:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find

CHORUS:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

"Y'all Come Right In And Make Yourself At Home!"

2009-03-16T09:17:00.001-07:00

"Y'all Come Right In And Make Yourself At Home!"

"In the South, the breeze blows softer...neighbors are friendlier, nosier, and more talkative. Our way of thinking is different, as are our ways of seeing, laughing, singing, eating, meeting, and parting. -- Charles Kuralt

To be Southern is to be part a diverse culture with a rich and deep heritage -- a heritage that is steeped in traditions of music, stories, family, and yes, food. Southern culture is a blend of people from different places who have adapted to a similar way of living. Being Southern is not just living south of the Mason-Dixon line. It is a way of living.

Stories and memories that are passed down through the family line play an important role in keeping this heritage alive. Each successive generation receives an invaluable gift of family history to build on. I remember visiting my Papa (grandfather) and listening to the stories he would tell about his childhood, and also about my father's growing up years. The stories might be slightly altered in the telling to reflect his style, but that is part of the tradition. By the time the tale is passed down five or six generations, and "improved upon" a little bit each time, it has become almost unreal, a tall tale.

"The biggest myth about Southern women is that we are frail types -- fainting on our sofas...nobody where I grew up ever acted like that. We were about as fragile as coal trucks." -- Lee Smith

A favorite story of mine is one that my dad told me. As a boy, he spent much time with his grandparents and once, when he was about ten years old, he was visiting with the rest of his family. His grandmother was a no-nonsense lady with rather strict notions about children, so they usually steered clear of her. During this particular visit, my dad was to see a prime example of why his grandmother was a force with which to be reckoned.

My dad was standing outside playing, and looking up, he saw a scorpion on the side of the house. Now understand, the scorpions in this certain area weren't the teeny tiny creatures that can be easily crushed with a foot. The size of one of these scorpions would rival the length of a large man's index finger, and the results of getting stung by one could cause critical damage. My dad called out to anyone around that one of these creatures was on the wall of the house. His grandmother happened to be within hearing distance. The next thing my dad knew, his granny walked out the door with a double-barrel shotgun. She said, "Git outta the way, James", aimed the gun at the house, and blasted the scorpion to kingdom come. That day, my father gained a new respect for his grandmother and another reason to keep on her good side.

"The accent of one's birthplace remains in his mind and his heart, as it does in his speech." -- Francois de La Rochefoucauld

When talking to a friend in Idaho for the first time, she exclaimed how much she liked my accent. She wasn't the first person to say that. It did cause me to reflect, however. What exactly is a Southern accent? I never considered myself as having so noticeable an accent, so I started listening to myself more and comparing my tone with others around me. I have grown up around what we call rednecks, with their ill-use of grammar and bad enunciation. So, I determined to always say my words clearly to make sure others can understand what I am saying. I don't speak with a distinct Southern (pronounced "Suh-thurn) emphasis, but I have developed the soft and gentle overtone that occasionally shows in my speech and is known as an accent.

"Our walk is different, as the old song goes, our talk and our names." -- Charles Kuralt

One thing I love about the South is the insane and hilarious names of some of the towns and cities. Names like Hopeulikit, Georgia; Possom Trot, Kentucky; Ticktown, Virginia; Hooker Hole, Louisana; and Frogtown, Mississippi. Oh, and let us not forget Slapout, Alabama! The diversity of the South is remarkable, and hearing new and interesting names always delights me.

All in all, the South is an amazing place to live, and it's difficult to imagine living anywhere else. The qualities that make this place home are what keep me here. It does not matter if I ever leave; my heart will always remain in the sweet and sunny South.

"Nothing about us is quite the same as in the country to the north and west. What we carry in our memories is different too, and that may explain everything else." -- Charles Kuralt

A Late Post

2009-03-08T20:25:00.000-07:00

I really should have put these pictures up a week ago, but I never made time to do it. We had snow!!! It actually snowed all day Sunday and we got some ground covered.

Towards the road

Towards the stream bottom

Of course we had to play around a little

Joel came over just to throw some snowballs at us.

Right outside the house

2008-12-23T18:42:00.000-08:00

My favorite part of this photo is the sun streaming

down in the back.

Thanksgiving at Joel's House

2008-11-30T15:42:00.000-08:00

The rope swing

Andrew about to swing

Miriam, Amanda and Esther

Two uncles and two nephews

On a mission

Miriam, Amanda, Esther, and Ginger

Patrick

Riley, Miriam, and Patrick

18th B'day Pictures

2008-11-25T11:52:00.000-08:00

The day before my birthday, Nana, Uncle Bill and Aunt Suzanne came over for lunch. We had a great time.

Uncle Bill and Nana

Me and Aunt Suzanne

Me and Nana

Wedding Pictures!

2008-11-05T16:05:00.000-08:00

Our new sister-in-law, Racheal

During the ceremony

Racheal and all the lovely bridesmaids

Waiting for 3 o'clock...

...still waiting...

How sweet...

Poor guys, it was so sunny out there.

Campout - Fall '08

2008-10-20T18:47:00.001-07:00

Weston and Uncle Andrew

Wearing Uncle Andrew's hat

With his adoring fans

Awww...

Separating cards for a game

"Well, this is how I put them in."

Absolutely too cute

I've Been Tagged!

2008-10-12T17:29:00.000-07:00

I decided to have a little fun and do this tag. I found out that it is harder to tell six random things about myself than I thought.

Jody has tagged me to tell "Six Random Things" about myself!

The rules are simple:
• Link to the person who tagged you.
• Post the rules on your blog.
• Write Six Random Things about yourself.
• “Tag” six-or-so other people at the bottom of your post
• Leave comments on their blogs, letting them know they’ve been tagged.
• Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve written the post.

1.) When I read books, I get involved with the characters and will cry with them and laugh with them (out loud). It often annoys those close to me when I'm reading and start laughing all of the sudden.

2.) I'm just as comfortable on a construction site as I am playing with an orchestra. I practically grew up on the job site because my dad would take us kids to work with him all the time. We used to love climbing scaffolding so much that Mom would joke about buying a set for us to play on at home.

3.) I really like heights. Whether it's a rooftop or the balcony of a tall building, I love the feeling of exhilaration I get when I'm up high.

4.) I absolutely love storms! This I inherited from my mother. During a good hard thunderstorm, we love to go outside and watch. There's something about watching the awesome power of God in a thunderstorm.

5.) I have a high tolerance for pain. I remember I hurt my knee a few years back and though it hurt so bad I wanted to cry, I couldn't. It's funny, everyone who heard me said they thought I was laughing.

6.) I love to laugh. I'll burst out laughing at random moments and perplex everyone around me. It's quite fun. =)

I've decided not to tag anyone else, but if you read this and decide you would like to do it, then that's great.

Hmmm...

2008-10-02T17:45:00.000-07:00

Captions, anyone? =)

Mom and Dad

2008-09-23T05:39:00.000-07:00

Sisters with Mom and Dad...

...and Caleb

Sisters

2008-09-19T15:04:00.001-07:00

My only sister, Esther, and myself

Snapshots of Weston

2008-09-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

His classic grin

With aunt and uncle

Yep, train them early

Seriously, who can resist that?

Many Years Ago...

2008-09-10T18:55:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of pictures from about 9 years ago.

The darling little boy is my youngest brother, Andrew...

...and the young lady is Miriam from Not Her Own , recently married.

The Coffee Prayer

2008-09-10T04:54:00.000-07:00

THE COFFEE PRAYER

Caffeine is my shepherd;
I shall not doze.
It maketh me to wake in green pastures,
It leadeth me beyond the sleeping masses.
It restoreth my buzz,
It leadeth me in the paths of consciousness
for it's name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of
the shadow of addiction,
I will fear no Equal
for thou art with me;
Thy cream and thy sugar
they comfort me.
Thou preparest a carafe before me
in the presence of thy coffee shop,
Thou anointest my day with pep;
My cup runneth over.
Surely richness and taste
shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of Mocha forever.
Amen! Amen! Amen!

- Author Unknown

My Favorite Activity

2008-09-05T08:58:00.000-07:00

Where Are We Heading?

2008-08-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

America was a country founded on God and His word.

It was rich in character and sound principles.

But as has happened with all great countries throughout history, America's glory faded with the arrogance and deceit of man.

America needs our prayers.

A Light In The Darkness

2008-08-28T11:27:00.000-07:00

And light shines in the darkness, and the darkness

did not comprehend it.

John 1:5

A Lone Flower

2008-08-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

This red and yellow canna was so pretty, I couldn't resist putting lots of pictures of it on.

Visiting Joel's New House

2008-08-18T13:21:00.000-07:00

Myself, Seth, and Esther

My Latest Project

2008-08-15T04:19:00.000-07:00

Joel's fiancee, Racheal, asked me to make the bridesmaid dresses for her wedding, so my life will soon be busier with making five dresses. Mother and I decided to make a sample dress first just to see how the dress worked and if there might be any problems we would need to fix. But the dress went together very quickly and easily. I can't wait to start on the dresses! Watching the dress come to shape while sewing is so much fun.

This is my sample dress.

With my hair braided.

Hello and Welcome!

2008-08-14T12:45:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone! Welcome to my new blog!

I'll mostly be posting pictures of family, friends, and events going on in my life. But it won't exclusively be photos. I plan to post other little tidbits, as well.

I look forward to sharing more about myself and my family with all my blogging friends.

In Christ,

Miriam Rebekah