About: Another Birthday?! :)

Today, I'd like to wish my dear friend, Hannah a very happy 19th birthday!
Hannah and I met over 3 and a half years ago.
We didn't become close friends till just a little over one year ago!

I can't explain exactly how it happened...
or when for that matter.

The farthest back I can remember right now is that night at the YC last year :)
Fun night, eh, Hannah? :)
Staying up till 4:30 in the morning talking of everything and nothing!

Rabbit trial.

Hannah, you're such a dear friend to me, we call each other "sista" :)
Amazing how the Lord has allowed us to be such kindred spirits in such a short time!

How to describe Hannah Marie...?
Love for the Lord
Love for family...
Friends...
Strangers.

Small person :)
BIG heart

ENGAGED!
*hehe*
GETTING MARRIED!
In December!
(Sorry, sudden burst of excitement :)

Hannah,
thank you for being a dear friend to me.
You've been there for me when I've needed someone to talk to about certain things.
You've been there to laugh with me...
To cry with me. (well, maybe not cry with me, but let me cry to you :)
I look forward with great anticipation to what the Lord might have in store for us in the coming years!

I so look forward to helping you more with whatever "stuff" you need help with!
Can't wait till the big day!
48 days you said today, right? :)

I pray the Lord will bless you as you serve Him to the best of your ability!
Blessings dear Hannah(Soon~to~be Blizzard ;)
Love you, Sista!







Click HERE to see the story behind the picture :)
7th picture from the top.

About: The Perils of Being an Impulsive Person...

THIS is what happens when I say "change"

*haha*
Fear not, blog readers, I'm not bald!
Just multilayered ;)
No length is gone... just on top :)

OK!
Now, I away again!
Short and sweet, yes.


~Ciao y'all~

About: A New Addition to My Guitar Family

Everyone...
Meet, *uhhh* my new guitar!
Haven't come up with a name yet, but hopefully I will before Barberville!
And... just a snippet of a picture :)

Been enjoying it's sound.
Though not like my other one, I still enjoy this one immensely!
AND!
It's an acoustic/electric...
PLUG IN!
So happy about that!

*sigh*
Ok, I'm done now and going to bed!
~Blessings~

About: Matters of Life and Death

MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
Confirmed: Skin cream contains fetal proteins
Company's anti-aging products built on cells harvested from aborted baby

Posted: October 28, 2009
10:24 pm Eastern

By Drew Zahn
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

One of Neocutis' skin products containing PSP

A pro-life organization is blasting a Switzerland-based cosmetics manufacturer

whose website openly admits some of its products were developed from the tissues of an aborted baby.

Children of God for Life is a non-profit organization focused on the bioethics of embryonic tissue use in medicine and manufacturing. One of its current campaigns includes petitioning pharmaceutical companies to produce safe, effective alternatives to vaccines derived or cultivated from aborted fetal tissue.

But the organization's attention has now turned Neocutis, a company with offices in San Francisco which has developed a line of anti-aging products that include an ingredient the company has trademarked as Processed Skin Cell Protein, or PSP, developed from skin cells harvested from an abortion.

"It is absolutely deplorable that Neocutis would resort to exploiting the remains of a deliberately slaughtered baby for nothing other than pure vanity and financial gain," said Debi Vinnedge, executive director of Children of God for Life, in a statement. "There is simply no moral justification for this."

The website for Neocutis, which is privately held with estimated annual sales of in excess of $2 million, explains that its research began years ago, when scientists discovered fetal skin's unusual ability to heal without scarring. Scientists at the University Hospital of Lausanne, Switzerland, then created a process to extract proteins from fetal cells in the attempt to obtain an optimal, naturally balanced mixture of nutrients.

The scientists then infused those nutrients into a line of cosmeceutical anti-aging products: Neocutis skin cream, Journée day cream, Lumière eye cream and Bio-Gel bio-restorative hydrogel – products Vinnedge is advising women to throw in the garbage before contacting Neocutis to voice their concerns.

"There is absolutely no reason to use aborted babies for such selfish motives," Vinnedge said. "It is anti-life, anti-woman and counter-productive, as Neocutis is about to find out!"

Children of God for Life boasts that it has been a watchdog on pharmaceutical companies using aborted fetal cell lines in medical products and has received thousands of inquiries from the public on the use of aborted fetal material in cosmetics. But this is the first time, the organization says, that any company was bold enough to put the information right on its own website and in product literature.

In fact, the Neocutis website openly explains the history of its PSP ingredient:

"A small biopsy of fetal skin was donated following a one-time medical termination," the website states, "and a dedicated cell bank was established for developing new skin treatments. Originally established for wound healing and burn treatments, today this same cell bank also provides a lasting supply of cells for producing Neocutis' proprietary skin care ingredient Processed Skin Cell Proteins."

The company adds, "No additional fetal biopsies will ever be required."

But Children of God for Life finds little consolation in the company's statement.

"You note in your literature that 'no further fetal biopsies will be needed,' as though the life of the one child you have exploited has no value," wrote the organization in a letter to Neocutis' CEO. "It is deplorable that you would attempt to mollify the public and whitewash your badly tarnished image so thoughtlessly."

Vinnedge also told WND that companies aren't required to disclose their research history to the public, so there may be facts conveniently omitted from the Neocutis story.

"What we don't know is how many other fetuses were involved before they perfected that one cell line," she surmised. "There's a possibility there were more."

WND contacted Neocutis repeatedly for comment, but phone messages

were not returned. A Businessweek web report says the company was founded in 2003 and its directors were identified as Frederic-Edouard Koehn, Patrick Hohlfeld, Diego Braguglia and Jennifer Pearson.

Children of God for Life, however, is actively calling for a boycott of all Neocutis products, beginning a campaign to contact the company's investors and even offering free publicity to companies that will certify in writing their products are free from ingredients derived from aborted babies.

"We know there are companies using moral sources for collagen and skin proteins," Vinnedge said. "We intend to publicly promote these other cosmetic companies competing with Neocutis that are willing to step forward and contact us."

About: Olivia Update

GREAT NEWS!
The Dr. said Olivia's surgery went SPLENDIDLY!
It couldn't have gone better!
He's talking about taking the cast off in TWO weeks!
The doctor is pleased as punch!
So are we...
She's not awake yet :)
God is good!

About: Olivia Update

Hey y'all!
Quick update...
Olivia's arm is broken just below the elbow...
Sorry, I had info mixed up.
Anyway, she is having surgery on Wednesday to insert 1-2 pins.
She'll be casted up for 6-8 weeks.
Yes, yes... that means at Barberville too.
We'll see if she can play the mandolin and bodhran...
Lord willing she can!

NOW!
I away to bed...
Still tired and not feeling well.
*sigh

~Blessings~

About: Prayer Needed...

Hey y'all,
Quick note to ask for prayer...
Olivia had a bike accident tonight and broke her left arm just above her elbow.
She's been at the emergency room for a few hours now and she's going to need surgery.
Right now possibilities are being explored.
Please pray for my little sister, parents and the doctors.
I'll update when possible.

Thanks so much
Blessings,

About: Check THIS out ;)

OH MY GOODNESS!

Look here to see what I'm so excited about y'all!

Scroll down to 4th place!

:D :D :D :D

I'm just SO excited right now!

:)

Sorry for the absent~minded post...

hardly anytime right now :D

About: Barberville's Schedule

Hey y'all!
The Stone Family Band will be performing at the Barberville Fall Jamboree.
We're playing Saturday at 1:30 and Sunday at 11:00
If you have any questions, feel free to email me or leave a comment!

Hope to see y'all there!

About: The Cold mornings in an old house :)

Well folks, it's starting to happen...

"Winter" is on it's way!
*wild applause*

Anyway, living in the old house we do, cold air can get in...
we've had our AC off the past couple days because it's been so lovely.
However; we forget to turn the heat up at night...
leaving the house pretty cold in the morning.

I walked in my room not long after getting up and this is what I found.
(not wrapped up of course, that was my doing)
B.B. was laying on my bed trying to nuzzle her way under the covers.
She's such a little cutie! :) Poor little gal has been freezing this whole time since she's gotten all her hair shaved off! *haha* sorry B.B.

So, there she lay...
quite contentedly for about an hour or so :)

Funny little animal!

About: How my ways aren't His ways...

Well, man plans his days, but God orders his steps...

I'm putting off applying for FBCH's for a while.
I got a monitoring job where I escort 4 children from the local elementary school to a local church for after school tutoring.

This is an opportunity to work with children like I've been wanting...
and I don't have to drive half way across the state to do it.
It's 4 times a week for about an hour.

Precious children!
Today is only my third day, but I love them all dearly already!
I'll be doing this for 5 weeks as of right now...
Possibly more in the future!

God is good and knows the desires of our hearts!

White House blasted for assault on Fox News: Criticism from unexpected sources, including left-leaning media

By Aaron Klein
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

TEL AVIV – The White House's recent frontal assault on the Fox News Channel is drawing criticism from some unexpected sources, including members of the left-leaning media.

"Cutting off a media outlet can be a risky strategy. It can reduce the voice and effectiveness of a politician or a party," Doug Heye, a blogger for U.S. News and World Report, wrote today.

"It's not likely to work, however. The far-left may love potshots at O'Reilly and Sean Hannity, but it loves a healthcare public option, card check, and closing Gitmo even more," Heye added of the White House campaign.

David Zurawik, a media critic for the Baltimore Sun is usually harshly critical of Fox News. But Zurawik blasted the White House campaign as "dangerous to press freedom, and it should concern everyone in the press, not just Fox."

He slammed White House Communications Director Anita Dunn, who has led the charge against America's top-rated cable news network as "sounding so uninformed and blatantly biased."

"Dunn is absolutely wrong about Fox's coverage of the election last fall. I did watch it every day and wrote about it several times a week for this blog. And while I didn't like a lot of what I saw with soft interviews and only favorable coverage of Sarah Palin, it wasn't all about Bill Ayers and ACORN by a long shot," added Zurawik.

Writing at the Atlantic website, Derek Thompson sniped the White House "looks petty and pathetic" taking on Fox News.

On CNN, the network's senior political analyst David Gergen called the White House attacks "a risky strategy, and it's not one that I would advocate.

About: What to call this?

Thanks Matt for this birthday wish! :D

About: My Last Day as an 18 Year Old... *eek*

Well, y'all... this is it.
Today is my last day in the "18~year old" club!
How have I spent this momentous day?

Very laboriously! :)
Weeding, raking, arranging...
Yeah, it's been a fuuuuuull day.
But a good one!

19 used to always sound sooo old to me (lol)
Isaac got married at 19... I was 5 at the time.
I remember looking at him and thinking:
"Wow! He's super old! I don't think I'll ever live to be that old!"
*hahaha*
Still can't believe it to a certain extent!

Well, this is short and sweet... but I bid y'all adieu!

From a now 18~yr old... ;)

About: ♫Someone's Biiiiirthday Today!♪

Happy birthday to one of my bestest friends!
I want the whole world to know that I ♥ this girl SO much!

Sharon and I have celebrated our birthdays together for a few years... pretty much since we've known each other! Her birthday is 2 days before mine which makes her *shhhh* TWENTY!
Sharon, I wanted to thank your for your friendship to me over the past ALMOST FOUR YEARS since we've met!
You're so special to me and I wish you many many blessings on today, your birthday!

SO!
In honor of your birthday, Dear... I'm going to post some pictures of us :D

Sharon and I, Baltimore MD. December 2007.

June 2008, Cape Canaveral FL.

May 2009.
Our Graduation!

Camp 2009.
One of the best times of the year, eh, SharShar? :)

*hehehe*
Couldn't help posting this pic!
Sharon is a die-hard Tennessee Vols fan, so to wear a UF hat...
>:)

I love you, Sharon!
♥

About: Beauty~ Who Hijacked It?!

Today, Anna, Mom and I went to an oral surgeon to get our wisdom teeth checked out. While we were there, Anna and I sat down in the waiting room and decided to flip through one of the newest fashion magazines.
I tell you what... I'm continually shocked at how "beauty" is defined!

I'm curious...
who finds this look remotely attractive?
Let me know what you think.

I don't know about you, my readers, but if you have the same values I do, which I know many and pretty much all of you do, you find this style disturbing.

Have you ever wondered...

Why our culture's view of beauty is so distorted?
Who made the "experts" the experts?
Why the "experts" design things the way they do?
Why the models look like they're starving?
About the hollow look in their eyes?
The unattractive poses?
The lifestyles and why they're glorified?

I know that growing up in this, our American culture, style and fashion have been idolized.
It's been made into such a god that it's an all consuming factor in many people's lives!
People eat, breath, sleep, think, obsess over this god.

To me though...
Modern fashion is a freak show and total joke!
Outfits look like clown suits.
People look like Jokers.
Like they dressed in the dark and put their makeup on with their left hands (if their right handed, of course), standing on their heads under water!
Pleeease... don't even get me started on the hairstyles!
Seriously!

Beauty is distorted.
Just like sinful man.
Distorted.

I've heard it said before that the reason people find...

(modern art)
so attractive is because as sinful people, we are anti~God.
We fight against anything that is related to God and His plan.

Thus, true beauty is ugly and hideous is gorgeous!

"Well... what is true beauty?" some ask.

God defines beauty as such:

Psalm 96:9~NKJV
Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth.

Proverbs 31:30~NKJV
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

1 Peter 3:3-5~NKJV (italics to verse four added by me)
³ Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— ⁴ rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. ⁵ For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands...

Wow.
So different from our culture, eh?

So... to answer my question in the title, "Who hijacked beauty's definition?"
I say... sinful man.
Plain and simple.

Hope this made coherent sense :)
Let me know what you think!
Comments are greatly appreciated!

Thanks for reading and God bless!

About: Minor Adjustments

This past Saturday, we went to some thrift stores with some dear friends of ours!

This is what I found!It's actually a tri~fold screen that I decided to use as a headboard.
I had to turn my bed of course, but I love the results!

It cost me $9.68 to be exact!
Many thanks to Mr. Xander with an X!
He finagled the cashier down a whole $6 for me!

I got the red sheets last week when thrifting with some other dear friends!
Working on bringing in reds to accent :)

Note: this isn't a full~blown redecorating job...

Just minor changes :)

*sigh*
I love decorating :)

About: A Night to Remember

This past Friday night, Anna, Olivia and I had the privilege of supporting our friend Zach in his pursuit of Mr. Daytona State.

We arrived at 7 p.m. for a reception to talk with the contestants.
I was shocked at Zach's calm when we arrived.
He just kept saying,
"I'm relaxed because I know it really doesn't matter if I win or loose. This is for God's glory. If someone hears the gospel, I've done my job!"
Well put, Zach!

We ,the audience, got to take our seats around 8 o'clock for the beginning of the show...
It went something like this~

The contestants for this title had to answer a few questions about themselves, how they would better student life, and demonstrate some sort of talent.
I was so happy that there were at least 3 Christians in the contest!


Zach performed his original piece "Never Saw This Coming".


(Sorry about the shakyness and the mike stand in front of your face... I guess I was sitting right in front of you :D)

An empty stage.
Before the show started, of course :)

The Program.
I'm sorry to admit this, But I think I was taking these pictures during one of the performances...
*whoops*


I only have one picture from the performances and that one was really blurry.
*sigh*
I'm obviously not a photographer :)

And since I'm obviously not a photographer...
I had to make all the pictures in black and white to make them look better :)
I think I took these without flash...

Here are some of the contestants giving their final speeches.
Sorry that they're out of order.
Aaaand, there are only a few :)

Richard Thripp.
He played the Entertainer and had a sideshow of his photographs.
He's an amazing photographer!
Certificate of Appreciation.

Tad Jennings.
He performed an original piece called Tease Me, I think...
*sigh*
(I can't remember exactly and I tore my program in half before the show even started...
bad habit I'm trying to break...
lol)
ANYWAY!
Runner up for Mr. Daytona State.

Zach Smith (ya know... the one we went to support :)
He performed his above piece entitled, Never Saw This Coming.
This may sound weird...
but during his performance it almost sounded like there were background vocals to me. (?)
Especially on the chorus.
Certificate of Appreciation.

Shawana Brown.
She sang the song, If You Don't Wanna Love Me.
Runner up for Miss Daytona State.

Michelle Underwood.
Improv comedy: Interrogation.
Miss Daytona State.

Jerred Mason.
He recited an original monologue, This is How I Am.
He did an amazing job!
His piece had a strong Christian influence and direction...
If you ever read this someday, Jerred...
Thank you for standing for what you believe in!
Mr. Daytona State.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

You can visit Zach's site *HERE* to read his perspective on the evening.

Thanks for inviting us, Zach!
We had a wonderful time observing everyone's talent!
Everyone did so well!

God was glorified in the God honoring performances!
Many blessings to y'all!