courage quote

''Courage is what it takes to

stand up and speak; courage

is also what it takes to sit down

and listen.''

--Winston Churchill

short post

Thought you all may be interested that I was a '' guest blogger'' ( heheh, in a way) at my dad's blog, the roasters blog. I would love for you to check it out!

~Emily

hello and...good-bye

This is an old photo of me, Hannah, Papa, and Henry, taken maybe 7 or 8 years ago.

It reminds me that life is beautiful.

Life is also short. I want to live life to the fullest.

Since life is so short and beautiful, I don't want to waste any time.

So...

... I'm taking a blogging break.

Aside from being quite busy, time is so precious and I just need a wee bit o' time to just, well, be.

I'm not leaving for good, or even that long in the grand scheme of things.

We're doing so many things around here...we've been on several road trips/journeys this year, with more to come, so I won't even have access to a computer at times.

All this to say...don't be surprised if you don't hear from me for awhile.

My break may turn out to be a short one. Who knows where God will lead me...I only know it will be good.

Lots of love,

Emily

P.S my super mom took the photo. ( =

birthday mama

Happy Birthday, Mama!!!

Dear Mama,

I love this picture of you as a young, first-time mom. It represents everythong you are--loving, kind, strong, intellligent, nurturing, giving, beautiful.

You are wonderful, and I don't tell you that enough. Thanks for being the best mama, I love you so much. And I know I'm not the only one who does...everyone loves you because you are so warm, you are so easy to love and you are so loving. Not many people are discerning and soft-hearted, but you somehow manage. God blesses me in new ways every day by you.

Happy Birthday!

Love always,

Lili ( :

xoxoxoxoxoxo

note: the picture is circa 1993, and the pretty lady is my mom and the baby is my older sister Hannah.

counting my blessings

This photo is a perfect example of how God blesses us in little ways. I found these flowers on the sidewalk when we were in San Francisco last summer. I felt God's presence was so near. I love how the flowers appear to be glowing in this picture...perfect. Speaking of blessings...

...Before you is a list of 25 things I'm thankful for.

Looking over the list, I am so blessed!

Here they are!

1. My salvation in Jesus Christ. Thank you, Father!

2. my super family...

3. my mama

4. my papa

5. my baby sister

6. my little brother

7. my big sister

8. and the fact that we all have a great relationship--my parents and siblings are my best friends. Thank you, Jesus, for my amazing family!

9. I'm homeschooled! YES!

1o. I've grown up constantly surrounded by music...

11. ...and art

12. the sorrow that has deepened my character

13. a house that is a home

14. food

15. the ocean!!! And that I live near it in all it's magnificence. Bliss.

16. our coffeeshop. It is awesome to be a part of a small business, to have grown up like this.

17. my life

18. the Bible. God's Word, total Truth. And He has given it to us to read and study and love.

19. coffee

20. TEA!

21. SMOOTHIES!!!!!

22. flowers...jasmine, freesias, lavender, daffodils, tulips, sunflowers, roses, and on and on...

23. drawing and painting, one of my talents from God.

24. singing (this should probably be in the top ten, but I'm not really doing this in order.) I love

to sing, and I am always singing. Always.

25. every day, every breath, every heartbeat I've been given.

Note: only the first eight are in order, the rest are random things I'm thankful for.

How are you blessed? Make your own blessings/thankful post on your blog, and leave me a comment! Share the love, and encourage others to do the same. You'll be blessed, I promise you. *grins*

Love,

Emily

so wise

I long to accomplish a great
and noble task, but it is my
chief duty to accomplish
small tasks as if they were
great and noble.
--Helen Keller

a full life

If tolling bell I ask the cause.
"A soul has gone to God",
I'm answered in a lonesome tone;
Is heaven then so sad?

That bells should joyful ring to tell
A soul had gone to Heaven,
Would seem to me the proper way
A good news should be given.
--Emily Dickinson

Today was the funeral of my best friend's dear, sweet Grandma.
She was so kind and full of life, and I have wonderful memories of her.
Although our hearts are aching, I know if I could see a glimpse of her in Heaven with her precious LORD Jesus, I wouldn't wish her back. It helps to think that, but I'm still crying.
We loved her, she touched so many lives with her warmth and love. She sure touched mine.
We will miss her.


Keep her wonderful family in our prayers, as they grieve and heal and remember her with joy.
I am so proud of my friend Cassie, she sang two songs for her Grandma today at the funeral, and she sounded like an angel. My courageous friend.

I am so blessed to have known this wonderful grandmother. She loved her family so very much.

with love,
Emily

a bit of somewhat random summerness...

Well, well,well. I have what is referred to as a summer cold.

Ick.

Just a stuffy nose, not life-threatening ( ha ha), but not, in my humble opinion, the optimum frame of health for summertime. My family has been amazingly helpful and sweet about it.
So, I'm fueling up on all the herbal remedies and vitamins from my wonderful,organic, natural-healing-minded Mama. And..
I'm feeling much better.

On a lighter, brighter note--the sun has come out! The weather is gorgeous. Bye-bye to hazy, muggy, grey, weather! YAHOOOO! ( Is it just me, or do I sound really enthusiastic?*smiles*)
Now I can stop crooning hopefully/mournfully 'the sun'll come out tomorrow, so ya gotta hang on to tomorrow...'
Teehee.


And...my little brother just turned TEN! I can't believe it. Where did all the time go?
I count myself blessed beyond words to have him as my brother. Henry, I love you to death.

How are you all? Doin' anything, goin' anywhere, fun or unusual this summer?

Oh dearie me, this turned into a somewhat random, catch-up post. Any thoughts?


God bless, and keep me in your prayers.


Your friend,
Emily

I'm back...

Yes. I know I've been gone a long time.
But, I've been busy. Living life.

Thanks so much for the sweet comments on my last post, dears.

A question for you...what have you done this summer?

I hope and pray you are all well and enjoying this gorgeous season!

~Emily

just wondering...

Hi.



How are you?



Does anyone miss me? ( =

I was just wondering.


Bye.

another quote

''Anyone can sympathize
with the sufferings of a
friend, but it requires a very
fine nature to sympathize
with a friend's successes.''
--Oscar Wilde


You might all be sick of quotes, but I had to post this one. It is just TOO true.

hi there

Hello.

I want to post soon, but I doubt that'll happen. We have a VERY hectic weekend ahead of us, and blogging just needs to be on the back burner for a bit.

Thanks friends. I love hearing from you. ( =

~Em

rest

''And I smiled to think God's

greatness flowed round

our incompleteness,

Round our restlessness His

rest...''

--E. B Browning

Oh how that refreshes my soul! I just had to share it with you.

~Emily

hallelujah

For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us

into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption,

the forgiveness of sins.

--Colossians 1:13 & 14

happy star wars day

Happy Star Wars Day, everyone!!!

I wish I had time to write a lengthy post expounding on the 'joys' of some of my favorite films, but alas, I don't. I'm off to spend the afternoon with my good buddies, together we were actually walking dictionaries of Star Wars a few years ago. We would have 'lightsaber battles' and do Star Wars 'plays', the most legendary being our famed 'Ruin of The Jedi'...

Aaaahhh, the good old days. [ =

~Emily

random tag from Cassie

Here are my answers to the Random Tag:





1. How many toes do you have?
Enough. Ok, ok, I have ten.

2. How many bones have you broken?
Never broken any. Thank You, LORD!

3. Name an epic thing that you have done.
An EPIC thing? I can't escape that word. [ =
I think the most epic thing I have ever done was roast coffee for our coffee shop with my sister while my dad was in Guatemala this past February. It was an amazing experience, I love roasting coffee. I just love coffee, period. Yeah, that has to be the most 'epic' thing I have ever done.

4. If you had a pet lemming, what would you name him?
LEMUEL! I mean, come on, you can't get any better than Lemuel the lemming.

5. What color are the clothes you're wearing right now?
I am wearing a pink, yellow, dusty aqua and fern green flowery April Cornell skirt, and a black top.



6. How awesome are orca whales on a scale of one to ten?
Well, I think Orcas are pretty awesome because God created them. Did you know an Orca in the wild has never attacked a human? It's true! They just should not be put in captivity, it's like killing them in essence. I guess I would give them a 7 or 8. They're not as cool as Blue or Beluga whales.

8. How old do you want to be when you die?
Any age where I would still have my sanity.


9. Name a pet peeve and an addiction.
My pet peeve? PEOPLE WHO MOVE TO CALIFORNIA!!!!! Seriously. Anyone who knows me is aware of this. California is over-populated! That is why we are in a water crisis! Leave California to the natives and bloom where you're planted.
An addiction?This is a little harder... one would be my baby sister and her pudge. She is so CUTE!


10. Write a paragraph detailing your life. 100 word minimum.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, saved by His grace. I am home-educated, and have always been.
I love my family like crazy. I have an older sister, a little brother and a baby sister. My family owns a coffee house. We roast our own coffee. I am a 4th generation Southern Californian. I love almost everything vintage, retro or antique. I love to draw and paint, especially in watercolor. I love to sing, and I love to harmonize with songs. I love the ocean and beach. My dad is teaching me how to surf. I love to write. I love to read. I love comedy. I love history. I am slightly nutty and goofy, yet serious at the same time. I wonder as I wander out under the stars. I think that is enough.

11. Name one thing that isn't really a secret, but that you haven't really gotten around to telling anyone.
Maybe that I love to write poetry. Or that I get depressed in gray weather.

12. Name another pet peeve.
Hairs in the sink. Snobbish people.

13. Sprechen Sie deutsch?
Nein.

14. Tell a joke.
Here goes...
A man walks into a bar and says... ow.
[ =

15. How many of the questions have you answered in a witty manner so far?
That's not for me to say.

16. Compose a haiku.

I find it quite odd
To write this here random tag
And blog about it.

Was that okay?







17. Have you ever noticed how sour candies taste even more sour if you rub them on the side of your tongue?
They always make my mouth feel raw.

18. What book(s) are you reading at the moment?
Streams of Civilization, volume one...the best ancient history book from a Christian worldview ever.
I am also reading Jane Eyre in my non-existent spare time.

19. How many doors are there in your house?
Seven.

20. How would you solve a problem like Maria?
She doesn't need solving.

21. Think of something about yourself. Anything. Go on, think of it.
I am the only child in my family with brown eyes.

Now think of something more interesting. Write it down here.
I slept in my parents bed until I was four.

23. What's wrong with your legs?
Well, I have an extremely painful blister on my right heel. You really needed/wanted to know that.

24. What's your favorite show tune?
'Anything you can do I can do better' (the story of my life) 'Open a New Window' (the story of my life). Of course, this isn't an all inclusive list. I love many more show tunes.

25. Okay, you can tell us what that first thing you thought of for number 21 was. We all want to know.
I thought that I couldn't believe I didn't know what to write.

Now I tag you if:

You drink coffee or tea every single day,
or
Have brown eyes,
or
Like cheese quesadillas with guacamole,
or
In the rare, random case that NONE of the options apply to you. [ =

That was fun. The End.

~Emily

do I really believe 'to die is gain'?

Every so often, I hear, read or see something that sparks some serious soul searching and self examination, deep, deep down in the darkest corners of my heart. The kind that keeps me awake when I should be asleep, the kind where I force myself to be honest, and it's painful. The most recent time this happened, and most likely one of the more crucial instances... Was it last Sunday, or the Sunday before that? I can't remember. On that day, I learned about one of the Reformers who was tortured and murdered by the Catholic Church for his resounding and unrepentant faith in the Gospel, Salvation by grace and faith alone, and non-violence (the man was Michael Sattler;he was an Anabaptist. I would encourage you to do a little of your own research to learn about him, as this is not a biographical post). He would not back down or shy away from the convictions he held so strongly and dearly, he would not forsake the Hope that he had found...or rather the Hope that found him--Jesus Christ.The price, was of course, death. He left this earth with joy in his heart.
And so, I was forced to ask myself...would I die for Christ? Would I die peacefully and joyfully? Do I really, really, really, hold the Truth of the Gospel higher than any other, and would I DIE for it, like so many have and still do? Or would I forsake it, leave it, just as so many others have, and still do? Of course, I told myself, you would do the right thing. But then, another part of me said, 'sure , you might die for Christ, but what if it wouldn't just be your life on the line? What if standing strong wasn't just your life, but say, Henry or Elizabeth? What if you were tortured or someone you love was tortured on account of your belief? Would you stand strong then? Would you really?'
(If any of you don't know, Henry and Elizabeth are my little brother and baby sister.)
Days followed, and my thoughts were consumed with this one, all important question: Do I love Christ more than I love myself?

I'll answer this question with a question...What could compare with the joys of heaven, of seeing my Saviour face to face,in His presence forever...the answer is, absolutely nothing. If I die, I will be in Glory for eternity. And, on the other hand, what could compare with the guilt and eternal consequence of denying Him, my LORD, and losing the most precious gift of salvation? The answer is, absolutely nothing. It says in Matthew 10:32-33 "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown before my father in Heaven." those are serious words, serious, true, UNCHANGING words.
Here is a verse that speaks to my core and testifies to the truth:
"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."
--Philippians 1:20-21

Yes, I will live for Christ. And if need be, die for Him.

Joyfully in Him,
Emily
Matthew 10:22

All scripture verses were taken from the NIV translation.

shalom alechem!

''The LORD bless you and keep
you; the LORD make His face
shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn His face toward you and
give you peace.''

~Numbers 6:24-26

hymn for the resurrection

Christ the LORD is risen today, Alleluia!

Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!

Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply: Alleluia!
~~the first verse from the song ''Christ The Lord Is Risen Today'' by Charles Wesley


''HE is not here; He has risen, just as He said.'' Matthew 28:6

May The LORD bless you with a Happy Resurrection Day!

Joyfully in Him,
Emily

a big move...

I can hardly believe it. Dad and Mom just told me today some big news...we are moving. To Wyoming. My Dad just got a job there. In one month, we will be gone. It happened so fast! I'm excited! I'm also sad and a little scared. Of course, my parents know what is best and I trust them.
The only thing I have to say is...



April Fools!!!!
Ha ha ha! Did I get ya? Sorry, I just couldn't resist such a ripe opportunity as this!
We are NOT moving...sorry to disappoint you. [ =
Happy first of April!

Love in Christ,
Emily

P.S I will be 15 in less than a month...the 28th. That is something to be scared about. [ =

home

We are home from the retreat! What a wonderful, blessed by God weekend!
I hope to post in all the juicy details in the next few days, LORD willing.

Sorry, this was a short note, but I just had to touch base with y'all
( a weekend in Georgia has me trailing off in a southern accent and filling my sentences with a healthy dose of y'all. [ = ).

Love in Christ,
Emily

Georgia Father Daughter Retreat

I just wanted to tell all of you that my dad is taking my sister Hannah and me to the Vision Forum Father Daughter Retreat in Georgia this upcoming weekend. We are sooooooooo excited! I have never been to Georgia, neither has Hannah or dad. Hannah and I never thought we would be able to afford to go to one of these retreats, and yet now we are going! I am really looking forward to spending time with my Daddy.
Are any of you who read my blog going to be there? It would be great to meet you dear sisters-in-Christ.
Hope to see you there!

Love,
Emily

Happy 17th (gasp!) Birthday to my sister Hannah! You are the 'bestest' big sis I could hope for! I love you so so so so much!!!!!!

Sonnet 18 by Shakespeare

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summers lease hath all too short a date.
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed,
And every fair from fair sometimes declines,
By chance or nature's changing course untrimmed.
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose posession of that fair thou ow'st;
Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade
When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st.
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

~by William Shakespeare



How can words be so breathtaking, how can they leave me speechless the subtly radiant way that they do? The universe is full of mystery. It is self-evident my love for Shakespeare and the unquestionable beauty of the written word, and of poetry.
And you? How does this sonnet stir your heart or capture your mind? I want to hear your thoughts.

Emily

all my heart

I will praise you, O LORD, with all my

heart;

I will tell of all Your wonders.

I will be glad and rejoice in You;

I will sing praise to Your name,

O Most High.

--Psalm 9: 1-2

A Poem From Phillis Wheatley

Phillis Wheatley has long been one of my heroes. I first heard of her several years ago on an episode of 'Liberty's Kids' ( do any of you remember that show? ), and I have loved and admired this beautiful woman of God ever since.
I thought I would share with you this powerful poem she wrote, it is a precious testimony to God's Providence.

On Being Brought from Africa to America

Twas mercy brought me from my

pagan land,

Taught my benighted soul to

understand

That there's a God, that there's a

Savior too:

Once I redemption neither sought

nor knew.

Some view our sable race with

scornful eye,

"Their color is a diabolic die''.

Remember, Christians, Negroes,

black as Cain,

May be refin'd, and join th' angelic

train.

--Written By Phillis Wheatley, at the age of 13

I just had to share that with all of you. What a strong spirit for the Lord she had!

I pray that you were blessed by these lovely words...and she wrote them at 13!!!

Have a gorgeous day!

~Emily

P.S. Hey, I didn't get any mean comments when I didn't post once a week like I had said I would...where are you guys?!? tee-hee!

I have not posted since October 20th...of last year ( scary how time flies). My sabbatical was unintentional, I had every intention of posting often, but of course...as you can see, that didn't happen.  I had planned to post photographs and updates, especially when my baby sister Elizabeth was born, but, as is evident, that didn't happen either ( but the 'Ode to Elizabeth' post will hopefully be coming soon. ). 

Elizabeth ( or 'Lil Bit' as we often refer to her ) is, by the way, unarguably adorable, sweet, cute,  chubby, precious, charming, intelligent, hilarious...you get the picture. 

Speaking of little sister, I might as well add that my 'little' (well, he's nine, but he is still little to me. I'm sure all you big sisters understand) brother Henry is all the aforementioned adjectives, minus of course the chubby part= ]. I love him to bits, and cry when I think how quickly and how much he has grown in what feel like nine short years.  

I  geuss while we are on this subject of siblings, my older sister Hannah is my dearest and closest confidante, and I really should try to never irritate or irk her, when you consider it was I ( 3 years ago) who put that crack in her hopechest Dad made her (it was an accident...although you know as well as I do that 'accident' is an empty word ) and do you know what that sister of mine did? She told me not to worry and asked dad to not be upset. That is a good sister for ya! 

I can see that this post is slowly morphing away from what I had originally planned, and that is that one of my New Years resolutions was to post once a week if not more. And I am asking you all to keep me accountable if you see my resolve is weakening and more than a week has passed without out even a miniscule 'hello'...be hard on me if you see I 'm not posting, you won't hurt my feelings--and if you do it'll probably be good for me.[ =

 

I hope this year is blessed as together we forge through all our weaknesses and doubts and fears and pursue rightousness as pilgrims and strangers in a strange land. It is a strange land, but a beautiful land...and a beautiful life, thanks to God.

Happy New Year!!!

Emily