we are thanking the Lord

well, we are very thankful for two full days of sun! it rained a little last night, but not enough to hinder the basement cleaning.
We had a total of 12 inches in our basement, and 4 feet in the church basement. So we are very thankful. I've been working all week, except for wednesday since we couldn't get out, so we've had to work on our house and the church in the evenings. BUT, I have found time to clean out the fish's tank, ( I found out that Jon named him Ruby a couple years ago ) it was getting rather green. And I finished a dress. haha, I think so far we've got all the carpet ripped up and we have HUGE piles of trash outside waiting to be taken to the dump. Gives us an excuse to get rid of things. : ) Did I mention that I am SOOOO sore. I fell on the stairs on wednesday, Everyone was running around like crazy, and I was trying to bring stuff upstairs in the midst of it all, and I had on dads boots, but the stairs were all wet. I was going down for another trip and completely wiped out, nailed my head on the stairs..I am SO sore. It hurts wicked to sit down. goodness. I felt like a 5 year old sitting there on the stairs crying while our basement is filling up. lol. and I feel like I've had an intense workout. my abs hurt. oh man.
Anyways. I'm off. Thanks again, for everyones prayers. We really appreciate it. we are very very thankful. Pray for the family of Robert Stockwell, Nate knew his brother, he died on his way to work Wed. morning. He was a christian, and he had some very young children. It was very dark, and he didn't see a massive culvert on the road in front of him and his truck careened into it. Even though we know he is with the Lord it must be very very hard for his family.


-E.G.E.

more news..

Well, thank the Lord for the sun! It came out yesterday, and for the most part, the river is back where it is supposed to be. Dad and Mr. Luoma are ripping up the carpets in the basement and I moved into Ruths room and Jon and Nate brought their stuff up and moved into my room. There was a big tractor trailer crash on I-88, in a huge section of the interstate that got wiped out. The bridge down the road from us is completely wiped out. There were three deaths total in NY, I'm pretty sure. So we are very thankful that the Lord was so merciful to us. I was very VERY worried about Karrie, Matt, and Julie though. I had tried calling her Tuesday, all day wednesday, and this morning, but she didn't answer. They are supposed to be camping in Cooperstown, but because of the rain they haven't been able to. So they've been staying at Andrews house. So finally, she called me from his cell, and told me they were ok. *phew*. They came and picked me up Tuesday, and we went to lunch and the store, picked up Andrew from work and then we went to the Inn to pick up Ruth, but then Dad called and said Oneonta was in a state of emergency so we had to come home. Bummer. So our plans are postponed to tomorrow night. They're leaving Sunday. Hopefully we'll be going to town tomorrow night for dinner, and maybe bowling. So we won't be able to get my computer for a few days, which is fine with me, I'd rather stay off the highways for some time. Anyways, my computer is the least of our worries right now. : ) I'm on mom and dads macbook anyways.

Thanks for all your prayers! God is SO good!!!

-E.G.E.

an update

this is pics of the church basement and outside

-E.G.E.

its still pouring

its only 9:20 a.m. and i feel like it should be past noon. its going to be a long day.
there is 6 inches or so in jon and nates room, and the church has like, over a foot. craziness.

-E.G.E.

in a state of emergency

this is completely amazing. i've never seen the river this high before. the church has about a foot of water in the basement, and the first driveway, the one where the sign is, is completely gone. its covered. the sign, it had a flower box in front of it, it was like, mayb 10x5, that floated away. the second driveway is going to be gone, and all behind us, the fields are just a river. the whole river is almost up to the rasberry patch on our lawn. its just crazy, and its rushing really fast. we drove out today, knowing we wouldn't be able to go to work but more wanting to see the damage. the water is lapping over the bridge outside our driveway. I'm not worried about the house, because it will take a long time before it comes up here, (maybe not-who knows...) but I am very very worried about an exit. Because if we don't get out of here soon, we're not going to be able to leave. I'm not dramatizing either. The road going left out the driveway is not in good shape. Its completely covered. And who knows how long the bridge will be open for. I really think if this rain keeps up, its going to get knocked out. I just can't believe how much the river has flooded. I mean, the river has come over the banks about 400 feet down by the first driveway. Its so crazy. I think right now we're going to get dad home, and then discuss where we can go. Its still pouring! You can see some pictures on Ruths blog from yesterday, but its about 50 times worse right now. The picture with Jon and Nate by the church, that lawn isn't there anymore. Its all a rushing river.

Praise God for His promise to never flood the earth again!



-E.G.E.

muah

i love cydney. she is awesome. i love her xanga. www.xanga.com/sweetclementine
i love the song on it. it makes me feel summery.
i love cydney.

where the sidewalk ends

Well, its been a super busy week. The meetings with David Morris went really well, even though I sometimes felt very cold and hard I know God can work in spite of me. That is encouraging. I'm so thankful that His working does not depend on me. Heather is pretty positive that it is the Lords will for her to transfer to Bob Jones, which is cool. She's not sure if she's going to come down this fall, she might come down in the spring semester. At this point, I'm not even sure when I'm going down. I need $7,000 more for this year. I'm praying it in.

I talk to Quinn the other night, and he says I should stay home for a year. He also says "loner is the way to go." *cough*healsolikesgreenday*cough* so I'm not sure if all his advice is so noble. : ) Sorry Quinn.
But seriously, sometimes, I just wish I could keep walking down the sidewalk and for that to never change (as I also told Quinn the other night) And by saying that, I don't mean anything deep or hidden or anything. I mean just that. The sidewalks in Cooperstown are so nice. When I'm listening to my ipod and walking down enjoying the simpleness of it all. The BJ sidewalks will compare in no way at all. I will miss these sidewalks very much. But I suppose like dreams, sidewalks end. And I know there will be other sidewalks. But still, like my friends, I will miss these ones. So yes Quinn, if I could, I would most willingly walk down these sidewalks the rest of my life. Which, would also mean I'd get to see everyone on Tuesdays still. : D

Did I mention that I started a journal? I've been trying to write in it every night. I think it is good to keep a journal. It, among other things, helps you with your writing skills. That one of the things I'm really looking forward to when we get my macbook on Thursday. I'd like to pick up my writing again. It's so hard to find time for all these hobbies and maybe having my own computer will help a little with my writing and photography. I've recently been reading "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell."
By Susanne Clarke. It is a most interesting three-volume novel, but the writing is very very wonderful. The style in which she writes. It draws you in, when at other times, you would not normally be drawn in. It has encouraged me to start/finish some things that I've wanted to work on for a long time. I'm sort of weary of writing poems. In my own case, I think I've stuck to poems to make myself believe I'm getting something accomplished. When all these massive ideas are up here and I've sort of made them stay there in effort to cause less work for myself.
Ok..all this not to even MENTION piano..work..school..AH!
Karrie, her bro Matt, and her friend Julie are coming up tomorrow! SWEET ACTION! I'm so excited. They will be here for a week. On Tuesday, I have off, for the time being, but Ruth wants to go to Alfresco's with them, for dinner. Its a really cute little Italian restaurant. Then she wants to get a movie. And come here and watch it. I might try to sneak in a trip over to dairy queen to get my long awaited mint oreo blizzard with resees peanut butter cups. : ) yay.
Anyways, it should be a good time with them. karrie was saying we should have mark and andrew hang out with us too. so we should shoot some hoops. and basically cream them. HAH!
oh *sigh*



goodnight

-E.G.E.

my pretty horse. : )

her head is much too high in this one but i love how her mane looks. she's so pretty. : D

she certainly was in rare form today. she was awesome, but she was at her best AFTER dad left. lol. figures.
this one is a bit blurry, but she looks really really good.

"... so glad that i'm let down..."

little wilma hows the sun in south america?
does it shine upon the faces of the poor
do they see in it the brilliance of the place thats been prepared
and dwell upon the hope of whats in store
or are they just like me?
do they only see
an opportunity
to complan about the heat?

and little wilma hows the rain in south america
does it fall upon the rooftops of the sick
do they thank the Lord for comin' up with such a great idea
and dream about a place beyond all this?
or are they just like us
do they gripe and fuss
about the rain and mud
when they've had too much

cause i'm just a little jealous
of the nothing that you have
you're unfettered by the wealth of
of a world that we pretend is gonna last

well i'm weary of the spoils of my ambition
and i'm shackled by the comfort of my couch
well i wish i had the courage to deny these of myself
and start to store my treasure in the clouds
cause this is not my home
i do not belong
where the antelope and the buffalo roam.. oh no..

and i'm just a little jealous
of the nothing that you have
you're unfettered by the wealth of
of a world that we pretend is gonna last
well they say God's blessed us with plenty
i say we're blessed with poverty
cause you never stop to wonder
whether earth is just a little better than the land of the free

so i hope you're safe and dry in south america
cause i'm feelin' pretty good in tennessee
may you never be so happy that you forget about your home
your home in the land of the free.

- the elusive AP. (andrew peterson)



It was a beautiful letdown
When I crashed and burned
When I found myself alone, unknown and hurt
It was a beautiful letdown
The day I knew,
That all the riches this
world had to offer me will never do.

In a world full of bitter pain,
and bitter doubts,
I was trying so hard to fit in,
Fit in, until I found out

I don't belong here
I don't belong here
I will carry a cross and a song
Where I don't belong
I don't belong

It was a beautiful letdown
When you found me here
Yeah, for once in a blue moon
I see everything clear
I'll be a beautiful letdown
That's what I'll forever be...

We're still chasing our tails
In the rising sun
In our dark water planet still spinning
In a direction no one wins
No one's won.

I will carry a cross
With a song where I don't belong
I don't belong
I'm gonna set sight
And set sail
For the kingdom come, kingdom come
Your kingdom come
Won't you let me down
Let my foolish pride forever let me down

Ah, Easy living, you're not much like the name
Easy dying, you look just about the same
Would you please take me off your list
Easy living please c'mon and let me down...

I don't belong here
It feels like I don't belong here
It goes like I don't belong here
I don't belong
You always let me down
So glad that I'm let down...


-switchfoot




i am so so so very glad i don't belong here.

Sunday Thoughts

The Confidence of Faith.

The veil was rent
My heart was rent
Praise God the veil was rent!!

He cried as He died
I cried as I died
Praise His name! He cried as He died!!

He paved a way
He made a way
Praise God His death made a way!!

Praise God He made a will
Praise Him my name was on it
Praise God His will cannot be thrown out!!




-E.G.E.

I'm so very very proud of you all. : )

Well, I am going to post some pictures and say a few words, so this might be a long post. It will be directed to all those involved saturday night, so I suppose you don't have to read it if you don't want. I think I will post pictures first.

this is me playing for the concert part of the evening, the lovely brittany, she played the trumpet. one of the 50 million instruments she can play

they did this acknowledgment thing for the seniors, Will and I, and in every picture I look retarded. I have this gleaming light in my eyes, and why on earth am I looking at the ceiling? goodness.

this is a picture taken BEFORE ben and I became friends. so we have kind of fake smiles and he has a pillow underneath his costume. you have to understand-there was ALWAYS grievences that I had with him, and he had with me. I will not go into any of them, because after the play, we confronted each other and shook hands and all is forgiven. for now. but I must say, you did NOT help me when I fell at the skate night, quinn did. so HA to you mr. spode.

wow. this is madeline in essence. i can practically see quinn groaning and rolling his eyes right now.
"goodness gracious! goodness gracious! why bertie, when did you get here?" :D

"Madeline! don't tell me you know this man!" (pointing to quinn who is not in the picture.)
"Oh but of course I do! Bertie is an old, old, very, very dear...."

"...you had to see me once more..."

me telling bertie that "I will make you happy...I will be your wife!" as he slumps into a chair, not facing me, until I came around and said..."Augustus will become merely a memory, one that grows fainter and fainter, as you and I draw EVER closer.." I made him jump out of his chair quite quickly when I informed him that I was going to go and tell mother.
"Oh, my AUNT! Don't do that!"

Ah! its over?!

we got a standing ovation, though I think most of it was directed to quinn and will. : )

group shot.


oh man you guys, it was so bittersweet saturday. I'm going to miss you all SO much! AH! everyone tells me that I'll make new friends, this I have no doubt on, but, however, I am going to miss all you very much and I shall never ever forget any of you. You all mean so much to me, and right about now I know I have Abbey bawling again, and I'm very sorry dearest, but it must be said. You guys rocked my socks off, and Quinn, as nate so aptly put it, you were "stellar!" Oh and thanks to everyone, teachers included, for the great cards. It was so nice to read all your notes. Even Matt Johnstons..."Thanks for being a part of LEAP, even though you teased alot..sometimes..."
I cannot wait to see all of you again on July 10th...at the rollerskating ring!! By the hopefully, I will know when we can have a party. Mom said we can have a bonfire and stuff at my house, sometime in August, before I leave, so I'll let you know when we pick a date.
Well, its been a great journey with all you guys, and I don't want it to end. But it must.
Remember you guys, don't waste your life, if you are a child of God's, its not yours to waste. He's got a big big plan in store for each you, if you go through life looking at yourselves, you will never know what that is. Look to Him to guide you. It won't be easy, He didn't promise that. But He did promise rest for all those that are weary and heavy laden, so look to Him, and He will shelter you in the cleft of the rock.
If I think of anything else to say..I'll post it. but for now, I guess thats it.
Guys-thanks for everything.



-A very very sad but happy, E.G.E.

alas what a quote...

"you know i'm really going to miss you esther..."

thank you quinn. i'm still waiting for this same admittance from a couple others. including Mr. Spode. : D
the day he admits it will be the day dogs bark. my lanta. he is stubborn.
but, it will definetely be a long time coming, especially after all the charictatures of you guys i drew on the chalkboard. : D
i'm really looking forward to saturday night, because its going to be crazy fun, but it is going to be SO sad, my last night with all my pals. i'm going to miss you guys like crazy, but i will wait until after saturday night to write a fitting tribute. i seriously don't know what tribute will be fitting.

anyways, i heard from ruth that karrie and matt are coming up with a friend of karrie's to camp in cooperstown this summer, so we get to see them! i'm so excited, i haven't seen them since forever. i remember i was near tears so many years ago, when i saw their moving van drive down our road and dissapear. they moved to georgia. actually, they won't be too far from me when i'm in south carolina. so that is cool. the mathis' are one of the first familys we met moving here. i was...8 or 9. so justin is their oldest, and he and jon always hung out, and karrie and ruth hung out and i remember matt and i playing battleship a lot. i also remember jon and justin locking ruth and karrie up in this very room i'm sitting, and then going down to untie them and let them out, when matt and i sneaked up behind them and locked them in too. it was awesome. then we ran and hid forever because they were really mad.

I feel like God is really helping me with some things. Helping me to push through in prayer, and helping me to breakthrough. I'm really excited, because I know that He is able.

Well, I have to get up nice and early tomorrow. I hope everyone had a good prayermeeting tonight, but that we'll all continue to keep that prayer meeting with God going on past wedenesday and all through the week! Praise Him for His goodness to us!



a very thankful E.G.E.

i was going to post the lyircs to a song that jon, ruth and i sang on sunday, but i don't have them with me. so i will just wing it.

"just a few broken pieces to work with
a hanful of fragments of me
Jesus picked them all up
with the sweet hand of love
His plan was what I could be
He took what the world saw as worthless
and created a masterpiece

made by mercy shaped in love
formed by the Fathers hands
grace from our God above
nothing that I have done
no offer was enough!
for what you see today
was made by mercy
saved by grace

and I can't explain how He found me
I was hopelessly lost in sin
but Jesus could see
what tomorrow would bring
and He did His work within
with a skill of a potter he molded
me in the image of Him

made by mercy shaped in love
formed by the Father's hands
grace from our God above
nothing that I have done
no offer was enough!!
for what you see today
was made by mercy
saved by grace"

as sung by the Galloway family, with thick, thick southern accents. we passed on the accents, except for Jon, but we did pray for the same spirit to sing it with, as they sing it.

oh but nevermind, i didn't wing it. i called over to jon in the next room and he helped me. : ) thanks jon. the next song that we sing, i want it to be the first one on their newer cd...

I cannot take a cloud ascended in the sky
I cannot love humanity so much that I would die
I cannot take a piece of clay and mold it into man
but I have a Father- I have a Fatherrr....who.....can
now He sits high (he sits high) and He looks LOWWWWWWW
and He GUIDES my feet wherever I goooooooOOOooo


: D

a public apology

Brother Gene Johnson has been staying with us. He is a missionary to Welshpool, Wales, a place that my sister and I stayed at for a few days when we toured Europe. Please pray for him, he is a great and humble man of God, who has been used in my life greatly, mostly today. They started a church over in Wales, and have been ministering for 30 years, they have 16 members.
Please pray for his family. Two of his three sons, and his two daughters are not right with God.
He had a word from God today, which he shared with us in the morning and evening services and I praise God for it.

My apology is this, I feel that this blog has been a very selfish one, that it has been all about me, and I desire now, that it be all about God. I want it to point believers to Christ, mabye convicting them of sins in their own lives. I pray that God will use this in the lives of unbelievers as well.

I don't want to just make a decision and then go back on it. I want to live a life of passion and thirst for God. I don't ever want that passion or thirst to quench. Please, please, if you spend any time at all interceding for others, intercede for lost souls and for christians that are apathetic and complacent.

fearfully and wonderfully made,

-E.G.E.

saturday june second?

this picture was my present from meg for my graduation. i love it.

yeah well, I'm supposed to be playing for a dinner at the Otesaga tomorrow night, or so I thought, until I heard a message from Mrs. Johnson on our phone that said, "looking forward to meeting you saturday, june 2nd." Hmmm. well, since today is the second, and its friday, and tomorrow is saturday...
I'm calling around to make sure about which day it is. hopefully its tomorrow night.

there was a really cool thing on NPR just now, they interviewd Eric Whitacre. And we heard "Go, Lovely Rose." His first choral piece. It was pretty good, i like my recording better. We heard "A Boy and a Girl" too. That was the first one I ever heard by him. I was just listening to his complete a capella works cd this morning. I hadn't listened in a long time, so I just decided to this morning. While I was getting music ready for the dinner.

I'm in the middle of cleaning my room too. That is an ongoing process. I don't think it will ever end.

I'm getting a macbook! We're ordering it this week. I'm excited.

The school play is a week from tomorrow. AH! I guess I better start memorizing my lines. Well, they are pretty much memorized anyways. I think we'll be ok. I can't wait to see what our costumes will look like. we're also doing "Lean on Me." That is super fun. I'm playing the piano, Will is playing the drums, Quinn, Ben, and Eric are playing their guitars, and everyone else is singing.

I haven't gone riding for like, 3 weeks and I'm going through serious withdrawl. Maybe tomorrow. If i get everything done today. we'll see. i'm sleepy now. i wish i could go back to bed.

I'm reading Man O' War again. such a good book. Comes in at around #2. In the horse book category. We all know what #1 is.

I read that to ruth recently. My Friend Flicka. she really liked it.
just for kicks, heres another exerpt. : D

"If Flicka's really loco, Mother-"
His appearance shocked Nell. The look in his eyes was direct, almost staring-nothing like Ken. He was looking at her now, to drag facts from her.
"Well, Kennie?"
"If she's loco?"
"It's a bad lookout for her, then, isn't it?"
There was a long silence. He struggled. "If she really is, Mother-"
"If she really is, Ken, then not all the king's horses and all the king's men-" Nell didn't finish, but flung the dough out on the table, floured the rolling pin and began to roll it out.
Ken watched her, hooked on that terrible IF.
"Mother, is there anything you want-terribly?"
Nell paused, looking out the window, then began rolling the pin lightly over the dough again.
"Kennie, there's something I've wanted -terribly- for a long time."
"How long?"
"Since a few years after you were born."
"But Mother! I didn't know you wanted anything!"
"Most everyone wants something, dear-"
"But not you Mother. You're grown up, and married and you've got Dad and us-why, you're finished-"
Nell laughed...

"Mother-"
Well?"
"Do you? Will I?"
"Will you what?"
"Get through wanting."
"What do you want now, Kennie?"

There was a feeling in his chest that his breath was too much for it and crowded it.

In his eyes she saw a question. He was asking if it wouldn't come true, if he wanted it hard enough; and his face was strained in anguish.
Right now, she thought, narrowing her eyes against the tears that came so quickly, stinging them, right now- to let him know, once and for all, that wanting and wishing can't buck a fact.
"Perhaps she isn't loco, dear, we don't know yet for sure. But if she is, Ken," her words came slowly, "wanting won't change it."
Ken turned away and walked out of the kitchen with his chin tucked down into his neck.
She went on rolling the dough, cutting the cookies, putting them on tin sheets in the hot oven. But she had really gone away with Ken, up the Hill, into the woods, face down on the pine needles, hands clawing at the ground, salt tears burning-
"No Kennie-not all your love and longing-not all the wishing and wanting-"

when you try your best but you don't succeed
when you get what you want but not what you need
when you feel so tired but you can't sleep
stuck in reverse

when the tears come streaming down your face
when you lose something you can't replace
when you love someone but it goes to waste
could it be words?

tears stream down your face
when you lose something you cannot replace
tears stream down your face and I