I Have Been Set Free!

This is one of my all time favorite hymns. 

And Can It Be 

by Charles Wesley

                                                

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above

So free, so infinite His grace—

Emptied Himself of all but love,

And bled for Adam’s helpless race:

’Tis mercy all, immense and free,

For O my God, it found out me!

’Tis mercy all, immense and free,

For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

A Celtic Melody

The Mists of Islay

by 

Hayley Westenra.

Hayley has a wonderful marvelously stunning voice 

and 

she sings Celtic music which is awesome.

One cannot get better then that :)

Anyways enjoy.

Lately. . .

So I have not posted much lately but I have been rather busy

having a outstanding summer!

However at the moment my camera is acting like a donkey and won't let me upload any of my

lovely summer pictures to the computer. :(

So those will have to wait. . . 

Anyway 

today I took a three and a half hour assessment test for the 

American Sign Language interpreter program at BATCollage. 

It was exhausting

sitting there staring at a computer, solving math problems, and correcting grammar 

for 3 hours. But. . .

I passed!!!

So I am officially bursting with elation.

:D

Saturday morning I took a hike in the canyon with my brothers and some amazing friends.

Hiking up the mountain was slightly uninvigorating (if that is a word)

but 

walking along the top was amazing!

Fields of yellow wildflowers and Indian Paintbrush.

And the view was breathtaking.

Cliffs and peaks and one could even catch a glimpse of town. 

However I did not pack my camera so the calamitous thing is there are no pictures.

After returning from the hike we crashed on various couches for an hour

and then drove down to Layton to visit friends.

I was slightly acquainted with the family, however,

hanging out with and getting to know their four kids (all homeschooled or graduates of homeschool)

as well as a couple other kids was phenomenal!! I only wish they lived closer.

And now I am officially adding ultimate frisbee to my favorite sports.

Ah good times. . . I wish they never had to end :)

The weather here has been like a two year old; crying one moment and smiling the next.

 I keep expecting summer to come but then it rains. Again!

We have like double the normal rainfall and all the rivers are flooding or near flood stage.

Oh and I am reading The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare. It is rather entertaining though I can't help but feel sorry for Bianca and Katharina. Getting married off to the richest dude who happens along would suck more then anything.

 Oh and I need to write a paper on the moral of it and, well . . .

I have no idea what the moral is! 

So I have procrastinated on it and now have less then a day to write it. . .

So 

I should do that.

But hopefully I can upload my pictures and do a fun post soon :)

A Tiki Torch and Chain

The Mind

"The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to 
shut it again on something solid." 
           
             -G. K. Chesterton-

Memorial Day

So I never really think about all those holidays like Labor Day and Presidents Day etc.

But just this past month or so some things really began to hit me.

Memorial Day is tomorrow

and I don't think I have ever celebrated it 

Ever.

But then I started thinking about what Memorial Day is all about.

"A bunch of dead people or whatever" was my attitude in the past. Memorial Day simply meant stores had sales and something about the army in the news.

But America is free. Other counties in the world are free; and why are they free?

Because of all those men and women who have given their lives to keep the world that way.

I sit here safe and am able to worship God in freedom.

Because people gave their lives for that freedom.

And I just take it for granted. 

What if no one had fought Hitler? 

I thank God that someone did.

I have freedom because so many people over the centuries have fought and died for that freedom. 

Freedom should not be taken lightly. So many people have very little or no freedom.

And yet I have it and take it for granted and don't thank those who helped me to keep it. 

Memorial Day remembers and honors those who died

for freedom.

The Silver Chair

I just finished reading this book. I read it before, maybe 5 years ago or so but I must say

I have never liked it all that much. Maybe it was because they spend part of the book underground

(I dislike caves) or that none of the Pevensies were in it.

But as I read it this time I noticed so many things about

the characters and setting that I had forgotten or overlooked. 

C. S. Lewis knew how to create real characters who one loves and feels deeply for. 

All the characters are human. They aren't super heros. 

They are normal people who argue and fail. But they also have courage and kindness.

Throughout their travels they meet dangers but they keep on; they don't give up.

My favorite character is Puddleglum the Marsh-wiggle.

He is a pessimistic fellow but he has such courage. And though he is not jolly he does add a bit of  humor with all his gloomy views.

As Jill says at the end 

"Puddleglum! You're a regular old humbug. You sound as doleful as a funeral and I believe you're perfectly happy. And you talk as if you were afraid of everything, when you're really as brave as- as a lion."

 This book has a slightly different feel to it then the other preceding books 

however I can't quite put my finger on what it is. 

In a way it is sad.

The Silver Chair starts the end of Narnia.

There is only one book, The Last Battle left.

Caspian and the other characters from previous adventuress are old and dying or dead. 

None of the Pevensies will return to Narnia till the end of time.

Never again will there be an adventure that the children will return home from.

But I guess everything must end.

Except. . . 

there is always Aslan.

He continues forever. 

And so does His beautiful country.