Don't Waste Your Life

"Only one life,
'Twill soon be past;
Only what's done
For Christ will last."

That basically sums up the book "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper. We, on the Rebelution forums, are studying this book. I am privileged (really, quite surprised) to be one of the discussion leaders and moderators.

It has just started, so if you are reading this and want to join, click Here to get instructions for how to join on the rebelution blog. I highly recommend this book, especially for our age group!

I will most likely be posting thoughts about this book in the weeks ahead, so stay tuned!

Why I'm not going to college

No, this isn't to make you girls feel bad about going to college! :) I'm just hoping to lay out my reasons for myself, and anyone else who wonders.

1. I know several people who have gone to college and then did not use their degree. So in that way it can be a real waste of money and time.


2. At this point, we don't have the finances for college and I don't want to start out my life with such a large debt.
   
3. I have heard too many stories of Christians whose faith was not the same after college. Some even leave the Christian faith. So I feel that at this time in life, when I am still forming my beliefs, it is better to keep the input positive.


4. I am planning on being a stay at home mother, and I don't think college will be the best way to prepare for that.


5. Also, as I have stated before, there are so many ways to continue education at home. I am looking into college plus! and CLEP right now.

Plans, Respect, and Polls

As you all know, I am staying home rather than going to college. When people ask me what I'm doing now, it's kind of hard to explain. I don't want to come off sounding like I really don't have a clue what I'm going to do with my life, and that I'm just going to sit lazily at home. But I'm afraid that's how it comes out sometimes, especially if someone like a cashier asks me and I don't have the time to explain everything. :) Anyway, I was talking to my dad about this, and wanting to have a more clear plan for my year. He suggested that I write a book!

So, I am in the planning stages of that. I'm sure it will be very interesting. :P

The topic I am thinking of writing about right now is how young ladies can show respect and honor to the men in their lives. I think it is a topic that needs to be written about and that currently (at least from what I've seen) doesn't have any book devoted to it.

I would like to include topics such as: What does it mean to respect someone? What does it look and sound like in real life? Why is this so important? What makes a guy feel respected? Disrespected? Who exactly should I be showing respect to?

Here are some questions that I'm wondering about that you all may be able to help me out with:

1. Would you be interested in such a book? (i.e. Would you purchase it?)
2. Do you agree that this is an important, but unaddressed topic?
3. Are these some of the questions you have asked?
4. Are there any other questions related to respect that you would be interested in having addressed?

I would appreciate any input that you all have!

About the poll-- I thought the results were quite interesting! I did not expect to have 50% of the people saying that they were planning on staying at home. Okay, so it was only 6 people... But still! Also, I was wondering what the "other" people are planning on. If you are reading this, and you voted for "other", I would be really interested in knowing what you are planning on! Does anyone else want to add to my thoughts on the results so far?

Refereeing and jobs?

This blog has been sorely neglected over the past few weeks. Our apologizes!

Work has started up for me in full force and I'm continuing to fill out paperwork for Clark University. I just finished and sent in my "Writing Placement Exam" I must admit the story was a bit confusing but my lovely mum helped me revise the essay and I think it turned out quite nicely.

I also recently got my varsity crew workout that I was supposed to start this week. I did not pay attention to the dates so I didn't realize it, so my week has been spent recovering from this weekends work and me being sick, as well as finding a gym so I can actually work out. However, today I ventured out and found a gym for a reasonable rate for the summer. It is also close to home and across the street from a Starbucks that is currently hiring so I'm going to apply there as well. If all goes well not only will I have a gym but a second job so I can save some money for this coming school year.

Also, while at refereeing this weekend I met the Clark University varsity soccer coach. Since I had a few minutes off I took the opportunity to introduce myself and upon hearing that I was a referee and also going to be attending Clark University next year and that I wasn't interested in playing at the school he asked if I was given a Work study job grant. After hearing that I had a work study he proceeded to offer me the job of running the intermural referee program for Clark University... Despite being a bit stunned I managed to say yes and now ladies I have a job for this fall. God is good!

I'm off to do more paperwork and exams. Many blessings for the end of your school year!

Success!

I have successfully made the first step of launching my devotional blog. It is called Devotional Dose and can be found at www.devotional-dose.blogspot.com I'm hoping to "officially" launch it at the Junior High youth group this Friday night with its first devotional post.

Who is Allison?

Hello! My name is Allison & I just wanted to let you know who I am & what I hope to contribute to this blog. I am 15 years old & will be starting my sophomore year of high school in the fall. I am younger than most of the authors of this blog however I hope I can present an interesting perspective.

To give you some background for my future posts. I am apart of a homeschool, military family. My father is a dentist in the US Air Force which causes our family to move every 2-4 years. I am the eldest of a 13 year old sister & 10 year old brother.

I would love to be able to share with you my journey of how I choose the path I will take post high school. Currently I have not yet decided what I will be doing post graduation & I would love to use this as an outlet to share with others how I approach this journey & make that decision.

I guess that's all for now! Blessings!

My newest ambition

As I get to know my Junior High ladies better and as our time together is fast approaching a close, I don't know about ya'lls youth groups but ours ends with the school year. I've decided to try and make a devotional blog for them to get ideas for their Bible reading. From talking with them, they often times claim lack of inspiration for doing their devotionals but when I asked if I were to give them materials would they do them they said that they would. So this, ladies and gentlemen, is my next project.

My thought for the format would be to take some verse from both the Old and New Testaments and to talk about God revealed to me about them in my time in studying them. Then after that give them verses for that day and the next day for them to look up and study on their own that also relate to what I was talking about or what I will be talking about in the future. I'm hoping to do that three days a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

I originally tried to encourage them to do reading on their own but for most of them their idea of a devotional is opening the Bible randomly and selecting a chapter on a whim. Yes, God can definitely work through that method. However, I think that a bit a structure would do them good.

So this, ladies and gentlemen, is currently what is next for me. My goal is to get in to the habiting of posting three days a week before I start Clark University next year. I think this will not only benefit my Junior High girls but it will also encourage me to study God's word more as I help these beautiful young ladies navigate the teen years.