Our Turkey Day

Since my odd family was all gathered together the other day for Thanksgiving, you can just imagine the odd conversations that went on in our house. I've decided to add three small snippets of our day, in honor of the holiday.

Mom: Stop arguing. It's Thanksgiving! Today's supposed to be all about Jesus!
Me: No, it's about pilgrims killing indians. How does that have anything to do with Jesus?

Anonymous Family Member: I've got to go to the restroom. Sorry if that's gross, but my stomach's cramping.
Me: Ew!
Dad: What did they eat??
Nana: It's just the excitement of the day.
Me: Is that what you do when you're excited?!

Mitchell: I'm also thankful for crucifixion-
Me: Just crucifixion in general or a specific one?
Nathan (my uncle): Well, I'm thankful for the hangman's noose.
Me: The guillotine!
Nathan: Yes, the guillotine, the electric chair, lethal injections...

Have a great holiday weekend with your own quirky families! I'm rather amused by my own.

Kirsten, Don't Be a Pirate!

Myself (obviously pre-black hair), Dad, and Mitchell on Thanksgiving '09

My Dad, brother (Mitchell), and I just got back from seeing Tangled. It was a fantastic movie and we all loved it! Add our talking about the movie to the way our conversations always take weird turns, and this is what you get:

Me: "Pa, I don't want a normal romance."
Daddy: "That's likely."
Mitchell: "Like Mom going all psycho and you having hair that glows?!"
Me: "No, I mean, I want one like Rapunzel's."
Mitchell: "Oh, you mean, have rapists be attacking you and then your husband comes in and saves the day?"
Me: "Yeah, but do they have to be rapists? Can't they just be kidnappers?"
Mitchell: "Fine, they're kidnapper rapists."
Me: "No! Just kidnappers."
Mitchell: "No, they have to be rapists. You're the one that added kidnappers. Or they could be pirates... pirate rapists."
Daddy: "Does that mean they rape pirates?"
Mitchell: "No, they're pirates who rape. Well, maybe. Kirsten, don't be a pirate."

Oh, by the way, my new favorite Disney Princess is Rapunzel!!! :D

All Give Some, Some Give All

To be honest, I didn't even know today was Veteran's Day. I thought it was last weekend, only because my pastor mentioned it. When I got to class this morning, though, we publicly recognized the Veterans in the room after watching an especially moving clip about their sacrifice.




Afterward, the Vets assembled onstage and we gave them a standing ovation that lasted over five minutes because no one wanted to stop clapping. At the end, one of them, wiping tears from his eyes, proudly lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
It is so easy for us to downplay or even forget the roles the Army, Navy, Marines, and the Air Force have played in securing our freedom and standing for justice. We forget that men have died so that we might have to freedom to vote, to chose our religion, and to be able to speak out about what we believe to be right and wrong. We have such a unique and beautiful nation that ought to be celebrated.
I've never been a super patriotic person, but it's hard not to get choked up when I remember the sacrifice these men and women have given for people like me. They are the reason that we have the right to vote, to chose our religion, and to speak freely of what we believe.
Thank you, Veterans, for your sacrificial service! It is a privilege having you defend us. And in particular, I'd like to thank my uncle, Henry Neustupa, for his bravery and honor during his time in the Armed Forces. You are a man of integrity and I will always appreciate your courageous heart. I'm thankful to have you in my life!

Fellow Whovian: Charlie McDonnell

This is Charlie McDonnell, YouTube sensation in the UK, a member of the Trock (Time Lord Rock) band "Chameleon Circuit", and an avid Whovian. Of course, the latter is what mainly endears me to him and the British accent just makes the videos far more enjoyable to watch.
Yes, I think I've developed a celebrity crush. :P
The newly twenty year-old Brit has swept his way into the hearts of thousands of Europeans and a few awesome Texans who realize that both Doctor Who (and this kid) are sorely underappreciated in America. So go check out some of his stuff. I prefer the actual vlogs and his rants about Doctor Who (and his songs are amazing!), but you may enjoy some of the crazier stuff he does, like drink ketchup or color himself purple.

Website: charliemcdonnell.com
YouTube Account URL: youtube.com/charlie

All Your Tears

Last week was not my greatest.
Whether it was the moving away of one of my best friends, the flu virus that's going around my school, my lack of sleep, or a thick mixture of the three and many other factors- I wasn't feeling all that hot. I was discouraged and tired, irritated and disconnected.
You know, sometimes I think we forget just who it is we serve. I mean, I never forget I'm a Christian. I'm always aware that I serve Jesus Christ, but sometimes I forget what the full meaning of that is. I forget just WHO He is.
It was in this mood that He spoke to me. I was in the middle of worship, struggling to let go of everything bothering me and just give in, yet He spoke. Simply saying, "I care, I really care." was all I needed. I was nearly in tears. How mindblowing is it that the God of the universe cares about my bad days? He cares when I'm upset, angry, or sad. It hurts Him to see me like that.
No matter how many times we hear that, we seem to always forget.
He directed me to Psalm 56:8, an absolute favorite verse of mine. It reads, "You number my wanderings; Put my tears into You bottle; Are they not in Your book?"
It hit me like a freight train as He continued to speak to my heart. He reminded me of that Sunday, just after one of my best friends moved to Houston. I cried the entire way home and walked in the door in the same condition. My dad immediately sat up from where he'd been napping on the couch, called me over, and laid my head in his lap while he stroked my hair. He comforted my like that until I stopped crying.
God took that instance and told me how that was exactly what He wants to do with me. He wants to take me, lay my head in His lap, and stroke my hair when I'm upset. That's how much He cares.
Remember that the next time you're frustrated, worn down, or broken hearted. God wants to lift you up and hold you. He knows you're hurting and it breaks His heart. Just let Him hold you. Let Him be your comforter.

Hello, World!

Hello, everyone! Welcome to my new blog!
Kirsten Erin, here- formerly of Living Water. Yes, I've moved blogsites. Why?
1)The other one wouldn't let my put up posts anymore. :(
2)I thought it would be nice to have a fresh slate.
3)Because I said so.

Here's a little bit about me:
-I have a fantastic family made up of two rock awesome parents, two older sisters, one younger brother, one brother-in-law, and two drop-dead-gorgeous nieces.
-Like the summary says, I'm an 18 year old homeschool graduate who's currently attending Bible college and loving it. I didn't even plan on coming here until a month before classes began, but God has directed every step and clearly wants me here for a reason.
-I love to write... like a lot. Therefore, it follows that I'm an avid reader. I write both fiction and non-fiction and read the same. On here, I'll likely be writing non-fiction, but maybe I'll give y'all a tidbit or so every once in a while.
-I'm a comic book nerd. DC Comics all the way!!! My favorite superheroes are The Flash, Batman, and Robin (Tim Drake). Don't mess with my comic books or I'll mess with your face.
-I love knitting and crocheting, I usually practice the latter more due to it being much faster than the former. I tend not to have enough patience for knitting, but I still really enjoy it.
-Umm.... flowers make me ridiculously happy? This is true, but I'm not sure why I'm telling you this other than the fact that I'm rambling now.

Well, that's all for today. I'll write about something worthwhile eventually! :)