Saying Goodbye to 2019

I'm saying goodbye

To 2019

This year held a lot

I said a few very hard goodbyes

I had to let go of someone

I wanted to hold onto forever

God led me to the best job

With a dozen kids to love on

I got to travel and see new sights

I spent nights staring at stars

Staying up to see an eclipse

I spent so much time

Just hanging with my family

God led me to an amazing bible study

With the best girls to share it with

I spent nights crying

Trying to figure out what's going on

I found peace in a loving God

I found provision as He sent me what I needed

So as I say goodbye

To this year of highs and lows

I have to thank God

For all the things He's done

Cause in the good and bad

I know He's working it all for good

Even if I can't see it yet

I will see y'all next year! In January I'll be sharing my top ten books of 2019, my highlights of the year, and my goals for 2020! It's been a great decade.

Five Christmas Songs I'm Loving

It is getting so close to Christmas! I wanted to share with y'all five songs that I've been listening to on repeat this month. These are all songs that just make me excited for Christmas, and remind me of the reason of the season. There is also one that's just an epic version of Carol of the Bells. ;)

Just as a note, all of these videos lead to youtube and all copyrights belong to their respective owners. 

How Many Kings by Downhere

(Probably my number one Christmas song of all time)

It's About the Cross by Ball Brothers

(If you haven't heard this, do it now. It's amazing.)

One Small Child by David Meece

I Heard The Bells by Five Strings

(This is the best version of this song I have ever heard)

Carol of the Bells Alala

(A fun dramatic version to shake it up.)

What are your favorite Christmas songs? Drop them in the comments below and I'll check them out and tell you what I thought!

Currently... Christmas Edition

It has been a super busy week over here of Christmas prep. With everything from sending out presents, going to parties, and writing cards. So I thought it would be fun to do one of the "Currently" posts I used to do a lot on my old blog. So here we go!

Currently, I am... 

Reading... A Very Bookish Christmas. It's a delightful collection, you should check it out before it's gone at the end of the month!

Watching... Christmas movies! My favorite being The Christmas Card. <3

Listening... How Many Kings by Downhere. One Small Child by Aaron Pelsue Band.

Writing... Christmas cards and gift tag labels. Both super fun to do. 

Trying... To keep Christmas gifts a secret. It's getting harder the closer we get to Christmas cause its just. so. exciting!

Crafting... Painted Christmas cards. It is so much more fun then I thought it would be and I may have spent three hours doing it one evening. ;)

Doing... Lots of laundries. With Christmas comes parties, more outfits, which means more laundry. 

Loving... All the time with my family at Christmas events, and getting to hang with freinds!

Hating... How fast the month is going. Like how are we already almost halfway???

Discovering... New music. I got Music Unlimited really cheap, and I've been enjoying getting to try out a lot of music. (If you've got any recommendations, drop them off in the comments!)

Enjoying... My little Christmas tree on my desk. <3

Feeling... Happy. =)

Thinking... About my last job of the year tonight. I've got some super fun kids I'm babysitting. 

Hoping... To get some more Christmas cards written so I can send them out on Monday.

Considering... Making myself some tea. 

Starting... To get into full-blown obnoxious Christmas mood when you won't be able to get me off topic for long. ;)

Finishing... Up Christmas shopping! I did the last of it today!

What are y'all up to? Are you ready for Christmas? 

November Highlights

It was such an awesome month! 

My parents, Grace, Rebekkah, and I went to a gospel concert together. We saw so many good groups, and found some new favorite songs. I got to see Legacy Five, Ball Brothers, Greater Vision, Ernie Haase, and more. It was incredible. I felt so filled up by the amazing music, and the testimonies. I had fun doing NaNo in between the concerts. I got to hang with my sisters, and do some book shopping. It was a truly amazing weekend.

Both of my consistent childcare jobs ended for the year. It was sad saying goodbye to all of them until January, but it's a really nice break.

I got to go to tea with the awesome Abigayle Claire. It was such a fun morning hanging with her.

My sister and I filled a shoebox for Samaritans Purse. I hadn't done one since I was a kid, and it was so much fun.

NaNo took up a huge part of my month. I thought the story I had picked would be 50k, but it ended up only being 15k. That threw me through a loop, and I had a bit of burn out as I scrapped together some flash fictions to keep me going. That ended up being pretty fun, and I got stuck with inspiration to finish a story I had tried to write a few years ago. Overall, it was a bit of a roller coaster, but I had a lot of fun. This was my seventh year completing NaNo, and I broke my all-time record for how much I wrote in a day. I did 6k. =D

My dog discovered hanging his head out the window. My heart is happy.

After a whole year of taking off, our Frisbee group started up again! It's harder right now, cause I am out of shape, but it's fun to push myself again.

Our septic went out for a bit, so we had to be very limited on the amount of water we used. It made me realized how grateful I am for normal running water!

These are slips we wrote throughout the year with things we are grateful for on them.

My family went up to Dallas together. We got to see two of my Great Aunts, so many cousins and had a lot of fun time just hanging out in the car for nine hours out of the day. ;D

I decorated for Christmas!! My sister and I have a little three-foot tree and a Christmas village. =D

I attended so many good Bible study's this month. I have been so blessed to find girls who are eager to dig into God's word. I got to go to one where we sat around a campfire, roasted marshmallows, and it was great.

I reread some really good books this month, so my favorite re-read was Wren. <3

Etcetera A Farm Girl's Life

Fading Chasing Moonlight 

Dear Boy Sunshine and Joy

Not Giving Up Fifth out of Ten

Twinkle Light Photos Aria Lisette

November Wrap-up Now All I Know is Grace

Reading Problems Book Tag Little Blossems for Jesus

Book Review: In 27 Days & My Shoes Have Bows Once Upon an Ordinary

How was your month? And your Thanksgiving?

What Thankfulness Looks Like Tonight

Tonight I'm sitting with an open book 

Waiting for me to write down 

All the things I'm thankful for 

I try to think of all the things 

From air, and water, and laughing 

To books, family, and friends

I try to list all the things God gave me 

But I would be lying if I didn't say

That what's filling my mind tonight 

Is what I haven't got 

The way I jump when my phone buzzes 

Hoping it's them calling me 

The way I look on my feed 

Wishing there was a post 

Saying where they've been 

I can't help but feeling the empty space

Like a hole in me today 

And it's hard to be grateful for holes 

But tonight that book's reminding me 

That God gave me everything for a reason 

And the hole is there to remind me 

Of the God who fixes all things 

And I know that He'll hold me until He does

Sometimes gratefulness doesn't look like beaming smiles 

Or long lists of things you love 

Sometimes it looks like tears 

Like three words written on a page 

God's got me

What's Up in My World

                                                                                                           

Hello everyone! I'm kind of drowning in NaNo right now, so I had intended to post something way cooler than just an update, but this is what you get. ;)

I already finished the main story I was working on for NaNo. Which has been a bit of a problem, since I thought it was going to be my only project. I've been experimenting with some flash fiction since I've never really made time to do that before, and have been having a blast! I'll probably polish up some of those and post them here later on. Today I'm going to dive into my next project, so we'll see how that goes!

I took a break from my writing last night to decorate my room for Christmas. I know, it's early for a lot of y'all, but Christmas is just. so. exciting. I couldn't help it. Now I've got pretty lights to look at while I write. =)

I've got to get back to writing, but here's a short (unedited) tidbit of my book where my who MC's (main character are on the road

"Did you pack snacks?" I asked, straining to look behind me.
"Maddie, breakfast was like two hours ago." 
I gave her a pointed look and she just laughed. 
"I packed snacks, but what makes you think I'll share them with you." She gave me a look of mock suspicion.
I rolled my eyes, throwing my hands up. "Come on, Jenny, don't let me starve. All I want is your caramel popcorn and I'll be fine."
"What makes you think I packed caramel popcorn?"
"What makes you think the sun is still in the sky?"
She laughed "I do have a bit of a reputation, don't I?"

Classics

The awesome Gray Marie tagged me for this months ago, and I just now found the time to do it. Oh well, better late than never, right? Here's her post.

Rules: 

1. Link your post to Rebellious Writing 

2. Answer the questions

3. Tag at least 5 bloggers.

What is one classic that hasn’t been made into a movie yet, but really needs to?

Jack and Jill by Louisa May Allcott. Seriously, there are dozens of Little Women movies, but no Jack and Jill ones.

What draws you to classics?

The beautiful writing style. So many classics have amazing writing styles that just make me excited about how words flow. I rarely read books that have as beautiful styles as Jane Austen or Louisa May Allcott.

What is an underrated classic?

The Robe!! That book is so amazing. It encouraged me in my walk with God. And while I didn't agree with 100% of the conclusions the main character came to it left room for me to make my own decisions.

What is one classic that you didn’t expect to love, but ended up loving anyway?

The Bronze Bow. That book was recommended to me a dozen times before I finally read it because I didn't expect to like it. But it was incredible.

What is your most favorite and least favorite classics?

Emma by Jane Austen is my favorite and my least is Robin Hood. I love some movie versions of Robin Hood but I haven't like any of the classic books I've tried. 

What is your favorite character from a classic?

Emma from Emma by Jane Austen. I could relate to her a lot, and I loved how she was always trying to do the right thing, even if that didn't always turn out well. 

What’s a popular classic that you felt wasn’t actually that great?

Robinson Crusoe. I love a few movie adaptations I had seen and was disappointed to find that Robinson wasn't a very nice guy.

Who is your favorite classic author?

Surprise surprise, it's Jane Austen and Louisa May Allcot. Don't ask me to pick between them. I love them both. 

In your opinion, what makes a classic a classic?

A book that's style and theme is potent to all generations, and that has something in it for everyone.

If you would like to do this tag, please do and then drop the link to your post below!

What's your favorite classic? What do you think makes a book a classic?

September and October Highlights

Hey there! Here are my highlights for both September and October, so it's a bit lengthy, sorry!

September

We had some missionary friends come and spend some time with that. It was nice to see them again. They translate Bibles, so it is really cool to hear about their work.

I finished editing my book Just Your Ordinary Sister. It was so satisfying to finish a book after so long. 

Scrapbooking is not something I would have thought I would enjoy, but I have loved taping things that are important to me onto paper. I have had so much fun staying up till midnight, watching movies and working on it.

My siblings and I in a nutshell. Top row left to right: Rose, Michael, Grace, Bottom: Rebekkah, Sarah and Me.

My sister and I found the best shave ice place in the town nearest us. It's a little pricey, but it's the best stuff I've ever had. Yes, this is highlight-worthy. 

I started going to a Bible Study Fellowship group, which is just about the best thing ever. We're studying Act's and my small group has the most amazing bunch of girls. 

My sisters and I went to go swimming and just as we got in... a snack dropped in. We got out, and that was the last time we swam this year. ;P

I quilted my first baby blanket. It was little grey elephant's on super soft fabric, and now I want one in my size.

October 

My sisters and I made a blanket fort and watched a movie in it. It was awesome. =) 

I had two skypes with my friend Kate. We shared cheesecake over the miles one time. The next time I sat in the back of my car in the Starbucks parking lot. It was great, except the part where I set off my car alarm and it went off for nearly a full minute while Kate sat patiently by. Let me tell you, sixty seconds seems like a long time when you have forgotten how to turn off the panic. ;D 

I celebrated twelve years of knowing Jesus!! Twelve was a very awkward age before, so I'm hoping it's better in spiritual age. ;)

My church had a picnic, and I got to hang out with a bunch of kids that I babysit. They even gave me permission to go on the bouncy obstacle course so I could be with them. I got some 'carpet' burns from the plastic, and the kids wore me out, but it was a blast. They also had free snow cones, and I had six. ;D

I finally did it, I plotted a book. It was very basic, but I did get a rough outline on paper.

Me at the Bubble Run

My sister Grace and I did The Bubble Run. I didn't know what it was either. Here's a picture of me doing it, but it's pretty hard to describe it. (Here's a Youtube video you can watch it if you want a feel for it.) We walked it, and it was awesome!!

My siblings and I had a two-day retreat at our house. We played so many games, ate so much junk food and had a blast. We filmed a video, and generally had a good time. 

I stood out in the pouring rain to get Toy Story 4 from Redbox. I have dedication to my kid movies. ;) 

My sisters and I re-painted our bathroom. It was a big project, but so worth it. It was nice to say goodbye to the green and go to a Texas theme.

My sister Grace took me out to dinner after a bad day at work. <3

My dad retired!!! This was the highlight of the whole month. My dad has worked so hard, and now he gets to do all the work here he hasn't had time for. And... I get my dad home all the time! =D

                                                    September                                                   October                                         

     

My favorite from September (besides my re-read of Annabeth's War) was Cleftlock by Nicole Sager. 

My favorite from October was a toss-up between No Man and Unoffendable. 

See the Way Brin Lael

Word's Never Said Fifth out of Ten

Once Upon a Dime Little Blossoms for Jesus 

My Favorite Cover Reveal (Ever) Once Upon an Ordinary

Five Favorite Siblings || Cover Reveal of No Man The Destiny of One

Fall Leaves (Art Ideas) and A Sparkling Photoshoot A Farm Girls Lifes

5 Reasons We Need to Eliminate Euphemisms From Our Vocabularies Sunshine and Joy

How was your month? Are you doing NaNo?

Where I Am and What I'm Writing

Hello everyone!! I am writing this from a hotel room. I've got a bit of downtime, so I thought I'd update y'all on what's going on.

One: The reason I am in a hotel room is that some of my family members and I are going to a gospel concert this weekend. It has some groups that I really love: Legacy Five, Ernie Hasse and Signature Sound, the Ball Brothers, and more. I went last year, and am super excited about going back now!

Two: I started on NaNoWriMo. I started writing at midnight, which was pretty fun. And I was up anyway packing. Last-minute packing is how I work best. ;) I wrote the rest of today's word count on the way up to the hotel since it's a five-hour trip. I am pretty happy with what I've got so far. If you didn't see it before, I'm writing a contemporary YA  road trip book. My characters are two girls in their late teen's road-tripping from Texas to Colorado. I am so excited about this book!!

Three: You may have (or may not have, if your like me) noticed that there were no highlights posts for September and October. They are coming, they are just going to be smashed into one post next Friday. When I unexpected joined in on Five Fall Favorites all thought of that post just went out of my mind.

That's about it! I need to go now, cause I need to get in a little more writing before the concert starts. =)

How is your month going? Can you believe it's already November? 

Review of Firmament: No Man

I am so excited to be sharing my review of J. Grace Pennington's newest book, Firmanment: No Man!

Warning: There may be mild spoilers if you have not read the previous books in the series!


I don't even know where to start with this book. I've been waiting for it for about two years and was beyond excited to be able to dive in.
These characters are just. so. stunning. I feel like if I met any of them, I would know them instantly.
The plot was so intense, I stayed up until midnight reading it one night. Thus continuing my tradition of always having Pennington's book steal my sleep. Also, I was crying at midnight. I can't say why, but I am not okay. At all.
This book had one of the most interesting for character interactions. Crash and Guilders were such a unique pair. They were so opposite that it was hilarious to watch them. Having Andi, August, and the Doctor all alone together was fun to see. I really felt for Andi and all the emotions she didn't know what to do with. I wanted to just give her a hug.
Book (yes that's a name) was a very interesting addition to the group, and I cannot wait to hear more about him.
This book so good I don't even know what to tell you. I laughed out loud (a rare thing for me while reading), I cried (also rare for me), I was on the edge of my seat. I haven't felt this many emotions reading a book in a long time. Sci-fi has been my favorite genre for a long time, and this series is the best I have ever read. I cannot wait for the next book.

Find it on Goodreads and on Amazon. 

Visit J. Grace Pennington's website.

Have you read any of Pennington's books? 

On The Edge of Tomorrow

This is a super short, kind of moody poem, but I love it and wanted to share it. 

I stood there and looked 

At the life I might have 

The people I might have known 

Childhood friends were unjaded 

Loved ones were back 

I met new people and loved them 

I laughed in delight 

And didn’t feel any pang of discontent

I held on to all those sights 

And clung to those people 

As long as I could 

In the place that felt like a dream 

On the edge of tomorrow

Sometimes Good Stories Scare You

I don't typically talk about my story ideas before I write them. I don't know why it just makes writing lose a little bit of its sparkle if I tell about it before I get it on the page. But with NaNo coming up, I've been trying my hand at basic outlining.

I was sitting at McDonald's while my mom working online, and I had an outlining workbook laid out in front of me. I didn't really know what I wanted to write about. I normally literally go into my writing with a vague idea of a character, maybe a mental image or two and go from there. I sat down and tried to convey the mental image in my head onto the paper.

After two hours of writing, I felt shaken. I had just put on paper the extremely basic outline of a book that scares me. Not like a ghost story or anything. It's about a topic very near and dear to my heart and is probably a little too autobiographical to make a good story. I got home and sat for a while, praying, really wondering if I actually had to write a story that made me mentally quake. The answer: Yes. Sometimes good stories scare you. I think they were meant to, to remind me that writing isn't just about what makes me happy, it's about what God wants to do through me.

I don't know how well this story will turn out, but I am excited and nervous to dive in. Last night I made a Pinterest board for it, so if you want to hop on there and see what I've got so far, go ahead.

>>Pinterest board<<

Have you ever written a story that scares you? How'd it turn out? 

Five Fall Favorites || Top Five of 2019 (So far)

Hey there! It's hard to believe it's the last day of Five Fall Favorites already! To end us off here on my blog, I've got my top five books from this year so far!

Note: All titles are linked to Goodreads.

Lord, Change my Attitude by James MacDonald. This book is one of the most convicting books I've read in years. It's about how our attitudes impact every part of our life, and how important it is to have a good one.

Left Turn to the Promised Land by Rachel Starr Thomson. This book was so incredibly encouraging to my faith and my writing career.

The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White. I've already talked some about this book, but it deserves a second slot. The romance was the sweetest, the characters were stunning, and it had a good look at history.

Plan to Fail by Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick. This series. <3 It's about an accedentaly spy who happens to be super adorable. This is the second book in the series, but it was my favorite so far.

The Protector by Dee Henderson. This is the fourth book in the O'Malley series, and I read it for the first time this year. It was amazing.

Make sure to hop over to Rebekah Morris's blog (Read Another Page: linked below) to find the links to all the other posts and follow the link here to a giveaway for the books pictured above!