Random photos

Okay, folks -- so I don't usually post random pictures. But, since someone was bugging me tonight to post something so that something comes up other than the quote-en-quote ugly picture of the snow...I searched quickly for a photo to post. Quickly. This is the first thing that proved acceptable in my search, and therefore that is what I chose.

There you have it, folks...my niece -- I mean my sister's doggie.

Do you see what I see?!

SNOW!!!

A smile

A smile starts on the lips, a grin spreads to the eyes, a chuckle comes from the belly...but a good laugh bursts from the soul, overflows, and bubbles all around.

--Anonymous--

A smile is a powerful tool! Use it often! :)

Forgiveness

Relationally, forgiveness is the key to freedom in Christ. It is the glue that holds families and churches together. Satan uses unforgiveness more than any other human deficiency to stop the growth of individuals and ministries. The unforgiving person is yoked to the past and is not free to move on in Christ.

--Neil T. Anderson

Pride

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.


I cheat you of your God-given destiny...because you demand your own way.
I cheat you of contentment...because you "deserve better than this."
I cheat you of knowledge...because you already know it all.
I cheat you of healing...because you're too full of me to forgive.
I cheat you of holiness...because you refuse to admit when you're wrong.
I cheat you of vision...becasue you'd rather look in the mirror than out a window.
I cheat you of genuine friendship...because nobody's going to know the real you.
I cheat you of love...because real romance demands sacrifice.
I cheat you of greatness in heaven...because you refuse to wash another's feet on earth.
I cheat you of God's glory...because I convince you to seek your own.

My name is Pride. I am a cheater. You like me because you think I'm always looking out for you.


Untrue.


God has so much for you, I admit.
But don't worry...



If you stick with me, you'll never know.

-Broadman & Holman

One more

I am: actually Dustynne Witt though most know me as Noelle Mathison...long story!
I know: I'm a goose.
I want: my ears to un-plug. (Oh, the 'joys' of being sick! Ugh!)
I have: a Savior and Master that died for me, and a wonderful, wonderful family to love.
I wish: I would get more comments.
I hate: semi's, fluorescent lights, and plastic wrap.
I miss: my sister.
I fear: sometimes.
I feel: very deeply. (Yes, I stole that from Jasmine...)
I hear: just about everything.
I smell: everything too strong. Me and my sister.
I crave: nothing, right now -- I'm sick.
I search: for anything that gets lost.
I wonder: what I'll learn in the next year.
I regret: the many mistakes I've made in all my fourteen years.
I love: the Lord and my family.
I ache: to go deeper with my Lord.
I care: very much.
I always: think.
I am not: tagging anyone on this post.
I believe: that God works in mysterious ways.
I dance: when I'm really happy.
I sing: as often as I possibly can.
I cry: yep.
I don't always: do what I should.
I fight: off bees whenever necessary.
I write: and write and write.
I never: like winter anymore by February.
I listen: to the Wissmann's as often as possible.
I need: to grow closer to Jesus.
I can usually be found: inside, doing something.
I win: battles over the enemy in the strength of the Lord!
I lose: sleep when I'm too excited.
I confuse: a lot of people.
I am happy about: too much to describe!
I imagine: that some things will never change.

Six things...

...that I've learned in the past year:

1. That I have changed drastically in this short, but long, period of time.
2. That God is faithful, even when we forget that temporarily.
3. That when a relationship or situation makes you angry or anxious, it's usually because something you want or need is being blocked.
4. I've been reminded over and over again that once we surrender our will to God, He will often give us the desires of our heart -- and not until then. Or, even if He doesn't give back to us exactly what we wanted, He will give us a peace of mind, knowing that we did the right thing.
5. I've learned just how much I have to be thankful for.
6. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. :)

My, the tags are bouncing around lately! Thank you to dear Jasmine for this one! :)

...And, I tag whoever wishes to participate. (But you have to let me know. :)

Oh, and one more thing I've learned -- that being around kids (which I love) has a cost: being sick three times in the past two weeks!

Fall favorites

As Jasmine tagged whomever wished to participate, I decided I might as well have a little fun with it too. :)

So, here's my fall favorites...

1.) Favorite smell...dinner cooking when I walk in the door from the dark and cold.
2) Favorite food...peanut butter cookies.
3.) Favorite color...brown. I really like brown -- especially with pink. :)
4.) Favorite drink...coffee. :)
5.) Favorite treat...coffee. :)
6.) Favorite place to visit...Pittsburgh, PA.
7.) Favorite candy...I ditto Jasmine's answer -- skittles!!! :)
8.) Favorite movie to watch...Luther (2003).
9.) Favorite clothing to wear...t-shirts and skirts. I wear summer clothes as long as I can. :)
10.) Favorite outdoor activity...again, I ditto Jasmine -- playing tag outside when it's cold enough for your nose to get chilly. :)
11.) Favorite football team...GO STEELERS!!!
12.) Favorite fall holiday...Reformation Day. Then Thanksgiving.
13.) Favorite haunted place (haunted as in frequently visited)...the office or my bedroom.
14.) Favorite food at Thanksgiving dinner...mashed potatoes. :)
15.) Favorite pie...pumpkin!
16.) Favorite fall hobby...hiking.
17.) Favorite fall memory...last fall was a really neat time for me. I'm not sure exactly why -- I just have good memories of the entire fall season. So there. :)
18.) Favorite fall sight...leaves so thick they cover part of the road.
19.) Favorite season...I like all the seasons.
20.) Overall favorite fall thing...looking forward to the snow. (Remind me in January that at one time I actually was looking forward to the snow! :)

Panography-ish

Panny Joy

Olivia

And, yet another shoot (with another cutie)! Let me introduce you to Olivia (she's 2-1/2! [grin]). She is Pandora's sister, and a real sweetheart. I tell you, I've never seen a child of that age that could talk so well! She speaks full sentences, carrying on conversations with you like a little adult.

Thank you, sweet Livva, for co-operating with me! (smile)

Pandora

I had the privilege of doing a short photo shoot with a 10-year-old neighbor yesterday afternoon. In the last one, I know the lighting isn't the best, but still I thought the sun on her face looked really neat. And in the others, well, the lighting was really perfect!

Thank you for letting me practice on you, Panny Joy! (For a little while, anyway...[grin])

Favorites, anybody?!

It's still me

Suprise! Did you think you came to the wrong blog? Nope. You didn't. It's still me, Noelle.

Explanations...

First things first: The title. A Mile In My Flip-Flops came from my dear Mother's ingenious head. It originated as the caption of an artsy photo, then morphed into the name of my blog. What do you think?

Second things second: The color, font, and layout. I chose black because photos show up so nicely on a black background. The font? Well, you probably didn't notice it -- but if you did, it's just that I tend to like Verdana better than Trebuchet. The layout? I took off most of my sidebar items so as not to distract from the writings and photography.

Third things third: The music (or the lack thereof). I decided music was too distracting.

So, folks, there's your explanations!

Would you all do me a favor and leave me a comment letting me know what you think?

...And tagged again...

...this time by by Anna from Anna's Blog. (Thank you, Anna! (smile))
I am to put down...

Five Things I Love, Excluding Family (and family includes the Lord :)

• Writing
• Blogging
• Summer and winter
• Eyebrows
• Music

And as an added touch, three things I hate:

• Plastic wrap
• Semi's
• Fluorescent lights

And I, too, will tag one person:

my dear Mommy :)

Tagged...

I've been tagged by Megan at AIMING for Perfecton! (Thanks, Megs!)

Now, here's the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag sixish people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know he or she has been tagged.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

All right, lemme give this a shot...(random, huh? it might have been easier for me if I was supposed to put six weird facts about myself. yeah, that would have been very easy.)

1. I didn't like bluegrass until I was 12. Now I love it.
2. My birthday falls very near -- and sometimes on -- Inauguration Day.
3. I love the streetlights on Route 28 in Pittsburgh, PA.
4. It's very hard for me to sleep without a little bit of noise.
5. I love harmonies.
6. Two of my favorite things to do when I was four or five were 1) Dig in the flower garden (for no reason) and 2) Scrub pennies in a sinkful of soapy water.

And now, I tag...

Hillary at Hillary's Blog

Anna at Anna's Blog

Maria Pauline at Beautiful Grace

Andrea at Sunset Hours

Amos at ShuttersBuddy

and

Megan at PBC Blog

Pennsylvania trip

After a very blessed trip to Pittsburgh, PA (to pick Mom up)...
...we are all back, safe and sound. I'm sorry for not being in touch sooner -- we've been very, very busy the last couple weeks! I appreciate all of your prayers, everyone! (smile)

:: Brandi and I tackle Jacob ::

:: And I got to go to my precious Giant Eagle...(sorry, family joke I guess (grin)) ::

:: At Mummers' house, where we spent the night (after a straight-through 17-hour-drive!) ::

All in all, it was a very successful, blessed trip -- again, thank you for your prayers! (And if you would happen to think of my sister, Brandi, please continue to pray for her!)

It was so amazing to be back there in PA -- it brought back so many memories. Having been away from 'civilization', so to speak (if you'd visit the U.P. here, you'd know what I was talking about!), it was very different from what I've been used to for the last 3-1/2 years -- something I've missed. (Frankly, I'm not the rural, out-in-the-sticks-where-there's-hardly-a-lick-of-population type of girl. But that's where God has me for now, and I've come to accept it.)

So there you have it, folks -- a very brief outline of our trip to Pittsburgh! (smile)