goodbye swim and dive; hello 3&1/2 hours.

The 2008-2009 highschool swim season is now officially over. It was a great year and I am so glad and thankfull that Marissa and I were able to swim again during the winter months.

The season wrapped up with the State meet (two whole days) this past Friday (prelims- everybody who swam a qualifying time during the year) and Saturday (finals- the top 16 kids from prelims). Marissa went as 1st leg in the 4x50 free relay, 2nd leg in the 4x100 free relay, and alternate for the backstroke and free in the medly relay. She and her relays placed in the top 8 in both races in prelimbs and went on to finals and preceded to win 7th overall in both races. I went as alternate in breaststroke and butterfly for the medley relay and 1st alternate for the 200 free and 400 fr relay.

Marissa's best times:
27.2- 50 yard free
1:02.9- 100 yard free
1:15.0- 100 yard backstroke

My best times:
30.0- 50 yard free
1:06.0 100 yard free
1:27.0- 100 yard breaststroke
2:55.0- 200 yard IM
6:41- 500 yard free (I didn't swim this race until the end of the season, but it is now my favorite!)

Much to my disappointment my last year of highschool swimming is over. Now that Riss and I don't have practice everyday we now have a total of three and a half hours more at home. This sounds like a lot until I start writting down everything that I am going to fill it up with (sewing a dress and jacket, reading classics, continuing to keep up my drawing, and baking and cooking more of our meals). On top of these projects I am also working on a slideshow for the MHS banquet, coming up in two weeks.

*counting the days until summer league starts up =)

happy valentines

Mother Dear, Marissa, and I came home from our swim meet this afternoon to find notes, roses, and chocolates from Daddy and the boys.







Marissa and I have a each have a bouquet for our desks too

marginalia

I've been keeping a list of what I want to post on here, but am just getting around to doing it...so it'll be a bit longer than normal.

Where there is no counsel. the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
Proverbs 11:14

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

talisman- an object, typically an inscribed ring or stone, that is thought to have magical powers and to bring good luck

pique- a feeling of irritation or resentment resulting from a slight, esp. to one's pride

tirade- a long, angry speech of criticism or accusation

peccadillo- a small, relatively unimportant offense or sin

lugubriously- looking or sounding sad and dismal

aplomb- self-confidence or assurance, esp. when in a demanding situation

"When night-time comes I'm always glad to live in the country. We know the real charm of night here as town-dwellers never do." L.M. Montgomery from the book Rilla of Ingleside.

"If you always go where you have always gone and always do what you always have done, then you will always be who you have always been." Tristan Gylberd

"It is easy to have strong views on the subjects of authority, but these usually come up when we are considering how someone else ought to be obeying us. When we turn to consider those that we should be obeying, our ardor sometimes dims." Douglas Wilson

marginalia

"An angry man stirs up strife, and a furious man abounds in transgression."
Proverbs 29:22

surreptitious- kept secret especially because it would not be approved of

factitious- artificially created or developed

inestimable- too great to calculate

demure- (of a woman or her behavior) reserved, modest, and shy

heterogeneous- diverse in character or content

unctuous- (of a person) excessively or irritatingly flattering

"Real liberty is never found in despotism or in the extremes of democracy." Alexander Hamilton

"Without law there can be no freedom." an ancient Greek saying

Worship Beacuse He is Worthy to be Worshiped

This past week I read through Job, as part of my Old Testament history class assignment. Then yesterday, during the class discussion, we talked about the main point of the book. Often the response is "why does God lets bad things happen to good people?" But this, as my teacher suggested, is not the focus and should instead be asked, "why do righteous people worship God?" In verse nine of chapter one Satan asks God, "does Job fear God for nothing?" This suggests that because Job has everything that he sill continue to reverence God, but as soon as the comforts around him are taken away, Job will turn from his pious mien and curse God. God then gives him the power to do anything to Job, except killing him. For most of the rest of the book Satan tempts Job to curse God by taking away everything he had (he was "the greatest of all the people of the east"), sending four of his friends and his wife with words of discouragement, and all kinds of sicknesses. Through it all, Job remained steadfast in his faith and did not once utter a word against God.

This testifies to Job's character being the blameless, upright, and God-fearing man that he is. He does not worship God beacuse God had given him riches, family, and health but rather simply beacuse He is worthy of worship. It should not be about what God has done for us, as the book of Job so aptly points out, but all that we do should be to the glory of God.

Then this morning as I was reading a devotional, I found this passage, which immeadiately brought to mind the trials of God's faithful servant, Job:

"The time of testing marks and mightily enriches a soul's spiritual career is no ordinary one, but a period when all hell seems set loose, a period when we realize that our souls are brought into a net, when we know that God is permitting us to be in the Devil's hand. But is is a period which always ends in certain triumph for those who have committed the keeping of their souls to Him, a period of marvelous abundant usefulness that surely follows." Aphra White

It is a good reminder to me, that all God's people will go through hard times, but they will come out of it better people. Just like the clay of the potter must be molded, shaped, and then undergo the tremendous heat of the furnace, so must we endure and persevere through the hardships of life.

marginalia

He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
Proverbs 28:13

A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back.
Proverbs 29:11

vim- energy; enthusiasm

opprobrium- harsh criticism or censure

marginalia

loquacious- an inclination to talk incessantly or to keep a constant flow of chatter

laconic- (of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words

parochial- of or relating to a perish
or - having a limited or narrow outlook or scope

audacious- showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks
or - showing an impudent lack of respect

"Medieval aesthetic produced the single most prodigious outpouring of architectural energy then at any other time in all human history until the modern era; unmatched in beauty, enduring in character, stunning in engineering innovation, and breathtaking in spiritual aspiration." Umberto Eco

caity's marginalia

"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we man lead quiet and peaceable like in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of our God our Savior."
1 Timothy 2:1-3

"As God lives, who has taken away my justice, and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter, as long as my breath is in me, and the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit...Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live."
Job 27:2-6

effeminate- (of a man) having or showing characteristics regarded as typical of a woman; unmanly

monomania- exaggerated or obsessive enthusiasm for or preoccupation with one thing

flagrant- conspicuously or obviously offensive

"Meekness before God is not weakness before men. In fact, such meekness and humility before God is essential if any man is to be truly used by God." For Kirk and Covenant; The Stalwart Courage of John Knox by Douglas Wilson

caity's marginalia

A prudent man forsees evil and hides himself; the simple pass on and are punished.
Proverbs 27:12

As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
Proverbs 27:17

(speaking of a Christian's adoption into God's family) "God impels us to act up to our position as royal children by manifesting the family likeness (conforming to Christ), furthering the family welfare (loving the brethren), and maintaining the family honor (seeking God's glory). This is His work of sanctification. Through this progressive deepening of filial consciousness and character, with its outworking in the persuit of what God loves and the avoidance of what He hates, 'we are transformed by the Spirit of the Lord in ever-increasing splendour into his own image.' " Knowing God by J.I. Packer

caity's marginalia

Since I am doing miserably about posting, I thought I could at least share what I am learning each day. I've decided to pick a quote (or two), a bible verse, vocabulary, and whatever comes to mind, and I hope to do this several times a week...we'll see how that works =)

Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man's council is sweet to his friend.
Proverbs 27:9

nabob- a person of conspicuous wealth or high status

larceny- theft of personal property

peplos- a rich outer robe or shawl worn by women in ancient Greece, hanging in loose folds and sometimes drawn over the head

obstreperous- noisy and difficult to control