Argh!

My internet died yet again, so I'm sorry again for my silence. I think we have everything worked out, but if not, you'll know why I've disappeared. :)

It was amazing; this morning I woke up and the ground was covered with snow! To get snow in Tennessee at the end of fall is unbelievable! So we went outside with the dogs and had snowball fights and raced down the hill in sleds. So fun!

Compline V

Tuesday -- The Cuthbert Compline

*I will lie down and sleep in peace

for You alone, Lord,

make me dwell in saftey.

*O God, and Spirit, and Jesu, the Three,

from the crown of my head, O Trinity,

to the soles of my feet mine offering be.

Come I unto Thee, O Jesu, my King -

O Jesu, do Thou be my sheltering.

My dear ones, O God, bless Thou and keep,

in every place where they are.

*Whoever has chosen to make

the shelter of the Most High their dwelling place

will stay in His over-shadowing.

*He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;

He is my God, and I am trusting Him.

*He will rescue you from teh traps laid for your feet,

and save you from the destroying curse.

*His faithful promises are your armour.

You need no longer be afraid of any terror by night,

or the death-arrow that flies by day.

*The Lord Himself is your refuge;

you have made the Most High your

stronghold.

*Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,

for You are my crag and my stronghold.

*How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand.

When I awake, I am still with You.

*I will not lie down tonight with sin,

nor shall sin

nor sin's shadow

lie down with me.

*O God of life, this night,

O darken not to me Thy light.

O God of life, this night

close not Thy gladness to my sight.

O God of life, this night,

Thy door to me, O shut not tight,

O God of life, this night.

*Be it on Thine own beloved arm,

O God of grace,

that I in peace shall waken.

*Jesu, Son of Mary!

my helper, my encircler.

Jesu, Son of David!

my strength everlasting.

Jesu, Son of Mary!

my helper, my encircler.

The peace of all peace

be mine this night

in the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Compline IV

Monday -- The Aiden Compline

*O Christ, Son of the living God,

May Your holy angels guard our sleep,

May they watch over us as we rest

And hover around our beds.

*May You reveal to us in our dreams

Visions of Your glorious truth,

O High Prince of the universe,

O High Priest of the mysteries.

*May no dreams disturb our rest

And no nightmares darken our dreams.

May no fears or worries delay

Our willing, prompt repose.

*May the virtue of our daily work

Hallow our nightly prayers.

May our sleep be deep and soft

So our work be fresh and hard.

*I will lie down and sleep in peace

For You alone, Lord,

Make me dwell in safety.

My dear ones, O God,

Bless Thou and keep,

In every place where they are.

*Into Your hands I commit my spirit;

I give it to You with all the love of my

heart.

*How precious to me are Your thoughts,

O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them, they would

Outnumber the grains of sand.

When I awake, I am still with You.

*Christ without sin, Christ of wounds,

I am placing my soul and my body

Under Thy guarding this night,

Christ of the poor, Christ of tears.

Thy cross be my shielding this night,

O Thou Son of tears,

Of the wounds of the piercing.

*I am going now into the sleep:

O be it in Thy dear arm's keep,

O God of grace, that I shall

Awake in peace.

*My Christ! My Christ!

My shield, my encircler,

Each day, each night,

Each light, each dark.

*My Christ! My Christ!

My shield, my encircler,

Each day, each night,

Each light, each dark.

Be near me, uphold me,

My treasure, my triumph.

*Circle me, Lord,

Keep light near and darkness afar.

*Circle me, Lord

Keep peace within; keep evil out.

*The peace of all peace

Be mine this night

In the name of the Father,

And of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Complines III

Sunday -- The Ita Compline

*The Sacred Three

to save

to shield

to surround

the hearth

the home

this night

and every night.

*Search me, O God, and know my heart.

Test me and know my thoughts.

*See if there is any wicked way in me

and lead me in the way everlasting.

*O Father, O Son, O Holy Spirit,

forgive me my sins.

O only-begotten Son the heavenly

Father,

forgive.

O God who is one,

O God who is true,

O God who is first,

O God who is one substance,

O God only mighty,

in three Persons, truly merciful,

forgive.

*O God of life, this night,

O darken not to me Thy light.

*O God of life, this night,

close not Thy gladness to my sight.

*Keep Your people, Lord,

in the arms of Your embrace.

Shelter them under Your wings.

*Be their light in darkness.

Be their hope in distress.

Be their clam in anxiety.

*Be their strength in their weakness.

*Be their comfort in pain.

*Be their song in the night.

*In peace will I lie down, for it is You, O

Lord,

You alone who makes me to rest secure.

*Be it on Your own beloved arm,

O God of grace, that I in peace shall awake.

*Be the peace of the Spirit

mine this night.

Be the peace of the Son

mine this night.

Be the peace of the Father

mine this night.

The peace of all peace

be mine this night

in the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Glory to God Forever

This was a song we sang at my school retreat (link), and it's been on my heart ever since. Enjoy!

Glory to God Forever

Verse 1 Before the world was made,

before you spoke it to be

You were the King of Kings

yeah you were, yeah you were
And now you’re reigning still

enthroned above all things

Angels and saints cry out

we join them as we sing

Chorus Glory to God, Glory to God

Glory to God, Forever

Verse 2 Creator God you gave

me breath so I could praise

Your great and matchless name

all my days, all my days
So let my whole life be a blazing offering

A life that shouts and sings

the greatness of the King

Bridge Take my life and let it be

All for you and for your glory

Take my life and let it be yours

(for more info, go to this site)

Complines II

Saturday -- The Patrick Compline

*In the name of the King of life;

in the name of the Christ of love;

in the name of the Holy Spirit:

the Triune of my strength.

*I love you, O Lord my strength.

The Lord is my rock,

my fortress and my deliverer.

My God is my rock

in whom I take refuge.

*I will praise the Lord who counsels me;

even at night my heart instructs me.

*I have set the Lord always before me.

Because He is at my right hand,

I shall not be shaken.

*I am placing my soul and my body

under Thy guarding this night, O Christ.

May Thy cross this night be shielding me.

*Into Your hands I commit my spirit;

redeem me, O Lord, the God of Truth.

*The God of life with guarding hold you;

the living Christ with guarding fold you;

the Holy Sprit, guarding, mould you;

each night of life to aid, enfold you;

each day and night of life uphold you.

*May God shield me;

may God fill me;

may God keep me;

may God watch me;

may God bring me this night

to the nearness of His lvoe.

*The peace of the Father of joy,

the peace of the Christ of hope,

the peace of the Spirit of grace,

*the peace of all peace

be mine this night

in the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

16 Golden Retrievers Teach On The Atom!

This is so adorable! I wish my dogs were so well-behaved.....
16 Golden Retrievers Teach On The Atom!

Hand Care

Even in Tenessee, the winters can get cold. My hands crack badly, and last year my mom gave me a helpful tip, so I thought I'd share it with you! The secret: olive oil and salt. No, I'm not kidding. Pour a small amount of salt into your hand, and pour a tablespoon or so of oil on top (doesn't need to be exact). Rub it around on your hands for a minute or two, but be forewarned: it will tickle! Use just enough water to get the salt off, and then pat your hands dry with a paper towel. Your hands will feel soft and hopefully won't crack as much.

Complines I

Lately, before I drift off to sleep, I've been reading a compline to myself. Complines are prayers for each day, (I believe) from the earlier centuries, named for the priests who wrote them.I will post one each day for 7 days; I hope you enjoy them!

Friday -- The Boisil Compline

*O Lord, you will keep us safe,

and protect us forever.

*I am placing my soul and my body

in Thy safe keeping this night, O God,

in Thy safe keeping, O Jesus Christ,

in Thy safe keeping, O Spirit of perfect truth.

The Three who would defend my cause

be keeping me this night from harm.

*I call on You, O God,

for You will answer me;

give ear to me and my prayer.

*Show the wonder of Your great love,

Who who save by Your right hand

those who take refuge in Your from their foes.

*Keep me as the apple of Your eye;

hide me in the shadow of Your wings.

*Lighten my darkness, Lord.

Let the light of Your presence

dispel the shadows of night.

*Christ with me sleeping,

Christ with me waking,

Christ with me watching,

each day and each night.

*Save us, Lord, while we are awake,

guard us while we are asleep;

that, awake, we may watch with Christ,

and, asleep, may rest in his peace.

*God with me protecting,

the Lord with me direscting,

the Spirit with me strengthening

for ever and for evermore.

*In the name of the Father precious,

and of the Spirit of healing balm.

In the name of the Lord Jesus,

I lay me down to rest.

*The peace of all peace

be mine this night

in the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

While I am reading them alone, during a quiet time, you can read it with family members, alternating phrases and reading the bolded phrases together.

The Explanation of My Recent Silence....

While the Internet is a wonderful thing, we must sometimes go without. :) My computer suddenly quit about 2 weeks ago, so I haven't been posting, but I've been thinking about a lot of posts! So don't be surprised if a wave of posting begins very soon....

~Livvy

New books to read!

As a very critical reader/writer, I am always on the lookout for good literature! With this mind set, I've decided to go through most, if not all, of Jane Austen's work, as well as Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, on the recommendation of a friend. (Thanks, Katus!) I just got Persuasion, Emma, and Jane Eyre out from the library, and I'm going to start reading one of them tonight. So don't be surprised if a few book reviews start popping up the next week or few! (Any good book recommendations from my readers? Let me know please!)

Practical Science in the Home

Stand back, Mythbusters! In an effort to prove something, and to add selling charm to Mom's latest knitted designs, we were testing the effectiveness of her new cup cozies! Here, in detail, are our steps!

• Step 1: Boil water and measure a cup of it into each travel cup. One cup is covered with a knitted cozy and one is not. The initial measurement of the uncovered cup: 188 degrees Fahrenheit. The measurement of the covered cup: 186 degrees Fahrenheit. (difference of 2 degrees)
• Step 2: After 15 minutes, check both cups and take new measurements. Uncovered cup: 152 degrees Fahrenheit. Covered cup: 158 degrees Fahrenheit. (difference of 6 degrees)
• Step 3: After another 15 minutes (30 minutes from the start), take final measurement. The uncovered cup: 131 degrees Fahrenheit. The covered cup: 140 degrees Fahrenheit! (difference of 9 degrees)

Our theory was proved! The cup cozy kept the drink approximately 9 degrees warmer for 30 minutes than the cup with no cozy did. Just goes to show that some science is applicable in the home!

Foothills Craft Guild Show 2009!

Many, if not all, of you know that my mom is a knitter! This year, she'll be in the Foothills Craft Guild Show. If you are an artsy person, and live in this general area, you may want to come check it out. Admission is reasonable; $5-$6 dollars. Here is the link to the official site: Foothills Craft Guild.

Sick :(

This morning when I woke up with a raging sore throat, Mom told me, "Go back to bed!" So here I sit, blogging, feeling somewhat better, but not well enough to go to school. Since I only woke up about 2 hours ago (11:00), it doesn't feel like it should be after 1:00 already! Another reason I decided to stay home was the fact that I have a huge geography project due tomorrow. A classmate and I will be teaching the rest of the class on Western Sahara, and I thought if I have to miss a day this week, it should be today and not tomorrow! On a happier note, the project is going well. Last night I painted the flag, my friend is doing a poster, we're going to do a crossword puzzle and play a fishing game (at first we thought we might try camel racing, but decided against it!), and have a fruit salad! It should be a very good project. I'm just praying that my throat will be well enough to talk for 40 minutes. :) I need to go make some fishing rods, and type up so notes....

Blessings!

~Livvy

Family!

This week, my older sister and nephew came down for a visit. It was so much fun! They came in on Wednesday night, late, so everyone said hello and then went to sleep. In the morning, Jen and I introduced Tallie and Bono to their dog, Domingo, and thankfully it went well; no one bit off any limbs or anything like that! I took the day off from school (it was such a sacrifice..... Not!), and we went to the Smoky Mountains. The weather was absolutely gorgeous! One stop we made before we explored the mountains was at a store called "Wood and Strings." The man who owns the store specializes in handmade dulcimers, but also has flutes, lap harps, bow psaltrys, steel drums, and other instruments. My nephew Rhys enjoyed the steel drums especially! After that, we went to the Y (a beautiful stream in the mountains, and a good place to throw rocks). Our next stop was Buddy's, for some true Tennessee barbecue! It was a great time for hanging out and enjoying good family time! Thanks, Jen and Rhys!

Good for a laugh...

If you want a laugh, just watch this:Who's on first

October Reading List

I have seen this done on another blog (link), and I thought it looked like a nifty idea. Every month, I'll post and give small reviews on books I have read during that specific month. Some months will obviously have more than others, since school keeps me pretty busy. So, I now present my reading list for the month of October (thus far).

• Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. An interesting remake of the traditional story, Cinderella. This book is well-written and fast-paced. Mrs. Levine does an excellent job of creating believable characters, while still including the small amount of magic necessary for any fairy tale.
• Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene. I've been reading various books in this series, both from the new and the old. Although not the best writing, reading Nancy Drew gives me a break from other more studious requirements.
• The Bible (NIV). In Spiritual Life I, we do three Bible readings a week. Right now, we're going through Philippians and Psalms.

Not much else, but then, it's only October 15! What are you reading?

Adventures in Odyssey!

One of the fun points of each day is to sit down after school and listen to the new episode of Adventures in Odyssey. With good morals and no bad language, they're a pleasure to listen to. If you would care to check it out, just follow this link.

What a week....

I do believe that this week was the longest school week that I have had so far. Overall, I had about 7 tests/quizzes and a huge geography project on Sudan, besides all my regular school work and basic things like eating and sleeping. :) It was, however, a good week. I feel as though I got plenty accomplished, and the project on Sudan went okay. Our food though was absolutely, without question the most disgusting thing I have ever had the misfortune to be required to put in my mouth. My partner and her mom made a custard, flan type thing. They definitely made it the right way, so it certainly wasn't their fault. But the food just jiggled while we carried it, and the texture was totally gross and slimy. Ugh! The project itself went well though.

So, this weekend I plan on recovering from my activity-filled school week by going to my brother's soccer game and spending time with church friends. Ev's team is short a few players, so maybe I'll get recruited! Have a great weekend, all!

Blessings,
Livvy

Note...

I have removed comment moderation except on comments older than 10 days. Just thought I'd let everyone know. Since I love to get your comments, and removing comment moderation makes commenting on my posts easier, it seemed like the wisest thing to do. Thanks!

~Livvy