Miss Like Crazy

I don't think I'll get through writing this without crying, so if it gets confusing, I'm sorry.

~*~*~

Around 3 years ago, I was excited. Not just a little excited, though. I was super excited because a family that we had been praying for so long had finally gotten saved. First the parents, then all the kids. Then they got baptized!

I don't know how many nights I had stayed up, crying and praying for them, begging God to show them His love in the months that everything was going on. I remember laying in my bed, listening to my parents witness to these people and telling God that I knew something good would come out of it, even if it was just one of them to get saved. I had many sleepless nights, but I didn't care about it as long as they were listening.

Something happened though. He decided he was going to Bible school. When they first told this, I didn't want to believe it. I wanted them to stay close. They were at our house so much and they were like family. The night they left, I sat on my bed on the top bunk and cried until I had no more tears to cry. I wanted them to still live close and 3 hours away was too far.

They left in August that year and came to visit a few times, but in the coming January, they came for a surprise visit. It was, and might always be, the best surprise ever. Nobody knew they were coming and when I opened the door and saw them, it didn't really click, but then once it did... I screamed and cried and jumped up and down. I had missed them so much and I just couldn't believe they were at our house.

In April, 2 years ago, we moved to the area. I was sad to be leaving the home I'd known for so many years, but I was excited because I was getting to be able to explore a bit and be close to them again. They were one of the reasons, I think, that it never really hit me we were 3 hours from where I'd called home for 13 years. It wasn't for a few months that it finally hit, but even then it wasn't so bad.

Now, some stuff has happened. I don't really know what, but we don't talk anymore. And I thought that nothing would ever stop us from talking. It's been a year now. I miss her hugs and our talks. She was always there for me and I knew if I ever needed anything, she would be there. But she's not anymore. I still see her around and stuff, but every time I do it makes me miss her a lot.

I wish that the last few months she had been around. I might have listened to her instead of getting myself into the mess I got into. She probably would have told me that I needed to smarten up and that I had my head in the clouds. She would have been there when I got hurt and told me "I told you so." but wouldn't rub it in. She'd just be there for me.
She wasn't there, though. She only lived down the world, but she might as well live across the world and I wish she knew what went on. She would probably be mad at me, like everyone else, but it would be worth it just to talk to her.

She called me her girl and used a nickname for me that no one else has ever used. In a way, I still think of myself as her girl, even though she most likely doesn't. Nothing will ever stop me from loving her and her family. I miss them like crazy and I love them.

To her: If you ever read this, I hope you know how much I wish things were different. You are always in my heart and mind and I pray for you and your family. I just wish I knew what it was that created it....

~*~*~

Hopefully that makes sense. My head is all jumbled and my thoughts aren't coming out right. But that's what's on my mind right now.

Bothering

   Everyone wants to know what’s bothering me. For once, it has absolutely nothing to do with a guy.

   First: College.

   It seems like everywhere I turn someone is asking something about it and I give them all the same answer: “I don’t know right now.”

   I honestly don’t know. I don’t really want to go to college once I graduate. I don’t even know if I want to go a few years down the road. I really don’t have any interest in it at the moment.

   Second: Music.

   I love my music and that’s pretty much all I want to do. It makes me happy and I love singing, but getting up on stage to sing in church alone scares me. It always has.

   I never use the word ‘if’ any time I talk about music. It’s always been a ‘when’ for me. I love this quote someone once said: ‘If’ is a dream and ‘when’ is a goal. My goal is to get into singing and I know I can do it if I try hard enough.

   Third: Siblings friends.

   I’m not trying to steal my sibling’s friends, even though that’s what they seem to think I’m doing. Yes, I like being around their friends, but they aren't mine. I never got that ‘best-friend’ like my sisters have, and since they have one, I’m not going to do anything to change that or stop it.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart…

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and He shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3: 5a, 6

Future and Trusting God

Let's say my name is "Shawn Hunter". My two friends... let's call them "Cory Matthews" and "Topanga Lawrence".

See, I'm that one that believed that no matter what, Cory and Topanga would be together in the end. I thought I was, anyway. Now, I don't even think that anymore. Do you know how much that stinks? Being the only one that believes that two people will be together in the end, and they don't even believe it?

I've been there for Cory and Topanga through a lot. I was the one who first got them together, and the reason they "broke up", and then I was the go-between for over a year.

Now, they both say it's over completely and nothing with work. They're finished with each other, and by the looks of things, with their friendship too. I hate it. I want to be the best friend I can be, but it hurts knowing these two are finished.

Have you ever been in a situation like this? Where you still want to believe, but you feel like there's no hope? I still want to have that tiny hope, but I know it's over.

In the TV Series, Boy Meets World, Shawn believed that Cory and Topanga would be together in the end no matter what, and he did everything in his power to get them back together. I did and I feel like I failed, but I know I didn't. It's just growing up. And I know my two friends are growing up, whether I like it or not.

I just have to keep remembering this verse:

John 14:1a ~ Let not your heart be troubled:

And this one:

Proverbs 3:5-6 ~ Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

As long as I keep remembering those verses, I should be able to get through this. And maybe, just maybe, learn something else while doing so.

Quotes and such from 2012!

*some names have been changed for privacy sake*

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. ~ Matthew 18:20

“What happens if they fire Chris from Adventures in Odyssey?? They hire someone new. Let’s name him Bob and he is very dull. "Hi. My name is Bob. Welcome to Adventures in Odyssey."

"Who tied my shoelaces together when I tried to jump out of the truck?" (From my dad on his computer in the bedroom. He’s a gamer.)

Key verse: Pray without ceasing. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Eve: "I got married before S."

Little while later, Tom: "S just won the lottery. She's kicked out of the church."

Emily: "No, she's in a mega-church now."

S: "I OWN the church."

 "A put one of Ringo's treats in your mouth and got the dog to take it." ~ aunt

Eve: "This can won't open! Tom, can you come open this can for me?"

Tom: "Try using a can opener."

 "Moo!" ~  TJ with a basket on his back, turtle-style.

S lets out an ear piercing scream from her bedroom and yells, "There's a bear in here!"

Eve starts laughing and so do I.

Eve comes down with dog and is laughing so hard she's crying. "I didn't think she'd scream."

Me: Hey, Emily, remember how hard you said it was when you deleted that guy?

Emily: No.

Me: Well, anyway, try deleting a guy. From both accounts!

Emily: That so deserves to go in your quotes!

“The attic is above the bathroom. A scratching is coming from up there. Billy the Exterminator or Verminators?” ~ sis

"Juicy Fruit is gonna move ya... Now with bran!" ~ Tom

A: "How do you spell 'calebration'?"

Me: "Don't you mean 'celebration', A?"

A: "No, I already know how to spell that."

"I don't like sunny days. I wipe the table and everyone can tell when it's not all the way clean." ~ Me

"She never lets me do anything with her. She's such a mean sister. Timmie, do you know where a tack is?" ~ A complaining about S.

Noah ---

Shem: "Dad, we got a leak."

Noah: "How?"

Shem: "Woodpeckers."

~

"Hey Noah, where should we put these bees?"

"Just put em' in the arkhive."

"Remember, everything happens for a reason. But sometimes the reason is that you made a dumb choice."

Nana: Oh, Eve! I only have a few minutes to talk. I'm going out the door.

Eve: Why are you going out the door?

Nana: Because I can't go out the window. Duh! And you think I ask the stupid questions.

Emily: My hand is swollen.

A: It's because you wave it too much

S: How do you eat rice with chopsticks?

Emily: Very carefully...

W:"Dirty Gertie?"

"Yeah, she is when she poops and then steps in it."

W:"I hate when I do that."

Took a drink of Tom's water.

Tom: Don't spit in it.

Me: *Takes a drink, gurgles, and hands it back* Thanks!

Tom: *Raising bottle above his hand and looks in it*

Defer ~ sis' definition: when we shave our cat.

Real definition: to give up rights in order to agree with others.

Mom: M, what does a sheep say?

M: DUDE! *raises her index finger and points it* (Her way of raising her thumb.) 

3 green, 3 blue, 1 pink, and 1 gold easter eggs. Offer some to Emily some. She took the gold.

Me: Hey! That's the only gold one!

Emily: *puts gold back and takes pink*

Me: Hey! That's the only pink one!

"Two sisters can't share a sweater, much less a husband." ~ A friend's mom talking about Leah and Rachel.

"Aren't Pizza Twice and Pizza Pizza the same thing?" ~ Tom randomly.

"Your socks are so dirty, one is pink and one is blue!"

T watching NASCAR and yelling, "Turn, turn, turn!... A car blewed up!"

"They had wood back in the olden days?" ~ A (Watching Flintstones): 

*Writing and Tom is reading over my shoulder*

Tom: How do you keep the names straight?

Me: It's easy. I have a character list. (Which I don't use, because I remember their names.)

Tom: I end up changing the names half-way through, so I never remember.

*Phones rings*

Eve: IT'S AUNTIE ______!

Everyone in the room: GIVE IT TO ME!

Eve smiles at everyone and picks up the phone. "Hello?"

Watched a guy pretend to ride a motorcycle though the McDonald's Drive-Thru in Houlton and order a drink. He then proceeds to "ride" his motorcycle into a parking space and gets off. He then walks away as if nothing had happened....

Tom: The Oak Ridge Boys? They're still around?

Me: Um... Yes.

June 8 ~ The day was not only Best Friend's Day, but it was also Name Your Poison Day...

Me: M, can you count to 5?

M: 5! Yay!

"Hurry! Somebody save him! Bob's climbing the tree!" ~ A (talking about our cat)

Eve: I want to have twins. A boy and a girl. And I'm naming them Nancy and Drew.

Me: And I want you to marry a guy named Joe Hardy. I don't think it's very likely.

Me: I don't remember how to do a treble clef. I thought it looked like this.

Emily: like this *does one perfectly*

Me: show off.

Tom: "Nothing more refreshing than getting splashed in the face by toilet water"

Me and Emily: "Did you fix it?"

Tom: "Yes"

Went for a walk with the neighbor kids.

Neighbor boy (14): *yells* It's not private property! It's government owned.

Eve: Well, it's not so private now that you yelled about it!

Got up my nose and in my hair in July: Water, puffed rice, Jell-O, oatmeal, potato, and soap. Then I blew my nose and it was orange.

“The rooster didn't even go off this morning!” ~ Emily

In other words, it didn't go "cock-a-doodle-do".

Eve to me: "When a guy proposed to you, you're gonna run inside screaming and yelling."

Emily: "Yeah, and then we go, 'So did you say yes?' and you run back out."

S *pokes Billy*: Move!

Me: S, there are plenty of other seats.

S *grunts as she lifts Billy up*: Yes, but I want this one. *plops Billy onto the floor*

Emily and I came inside from doing morning chores this morning and T asks us "Did you milk the cow?" 

Um, we didn't have a cow at this time...

Sruns inside: I can ride a bike.

Emily: Well, why did you stop?

S: Because I almost ran into the house.

T stole the train from M. M marches into the kitchen, gets a chair, pulls it up to the sink, gets a glass of water, goes into the living room and dumps it on T.

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. (Psalms 27:14 KJV)

"I woke up at 6:30 and at 8 went out to do chores and a pig peed in my croc!" ~ Me

"There were 5 kids in Jr. Church and 7 cups of juice ended up spilling." ~ Me

“Don Cherry is the Canadian Mr. Brown!”

M pretending to make herself an ice cream. She dropped it on the floor. I told her "Clean it up" and she bent down to lick the floor.

Tom: If a duck had one leg, would it swim in a circle?

Ty: Yes, if it had one wing going.

Pulled my ponytail out to redo it and a huge spider fell from out from in my hair. That's wasn't the bad part. The worst part is, when it fell to the floor, it was still alive and ran away.

"BUBBLES!” Emily is doing dishes and tiny bubbles start to flow around her and she raises her hands up and says that.

“Signs things aren't going too well: You walk into a door... and apologize.” ~ From a friend

T just got up from his 5 hour long nap.

Emily: Hey, buddy! I went to youth group!

T: Me know. And me no have supper yet.

In the van...

A: I'm pulling the legs off this dead fly.

Me: *looks over and sees the fly flapping its wings* A, that fly is still alive.

A: *drops fly and it can still fly* Well, I thought it was dead.

“I like using a tape gun. It makes me feel powerful.” ~ Me

“Mess with me and I'll write you in a story. Just to make you the person everyone doesn't like.” ~ Me

“Well, this is embarrassing.” ~ Family friend about his quad not starting.

Uncle tells me that 30 is the new 20 for a guy. He told me to write this down so I'd remember, so when I was 28 and getting married, he could tell me "I told you so".

“The washing machine ate my underwear!” 

“Joe Jonas was sitting in the cafeteria at school today.” ~ Emily (I think she’s losing it!)

“I want to eat a toilet!” ~ Eve (Talking about Cake Boss.)

“Mommy, you know you tan pick tat up wif your hands?” ~ T (Talking about bunny poop.)

“I feel like a pink snowman that's got heatstroke.” ~ S

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all. ~ 1 John 1:9

“You know it's Christmas time when, you write "hohoho" instead of "hehehe"....”

T: Hey! Why A have big plate?

Emily: Because there aren't enough spoons.

Emily: Santa is in Switzerland!

*few seconds later* Scratch that. He's still in France, apparently.

Eve: He forgot someone!

“Cuz if I put it to my eye and hit it on the ground, it sounds like I'm in a video game in space shooting the bad guys.” ~ Me about my slinky

Watching Handy Manny:

Manny talking about his motorbike ~ Awe! Looks like one of the screws are loose.

Emily in the chair: HA!

Me: He talks to tools. That's not the only screw loose....

Eve's watch keeps beeping. She said that the next person that asks her what the beeping is, she's going to answer, "It's my heart monitor..."

“I'm turning into a smurf!” ~ Me 

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13 KJV)

Hope you all enjoy!

Choose Today

June 24, 2008

On this day, 4 years ago, I was sitting on my couch and staring at the wall. My close neighbor had just told me her best friend, Mary*, was the one who died in the car accident. I was shocked. I had just hung out with her 2 days before at my friend's house for a birthday party. And now she was dead.

That was one of the times in my life I felt like I had failed. I remember laying in bed that night and asking God why He let her die.
Why, when she had just told me the day of the party she was thinking about what we talked about.
Why He never let me see her again to ask what she decided.
Why my friend had to go through this.

A few weeks later, I was talking with Mary's sister, Rachael*, who had come to pick up some of Mary's things she'd left at my neighbors house.
We were sitting in the front yard of my house and she looked at me, tears filling her eyes, and she asked me, "You told me a few months ago that God has a plan for everything. Is this part of his plan?"

I remember looking at her and asking God what to answer. All I ended up answering was, "Yes."

"If that's the kind of man God is, why didn't He let us know she was going to die? Why didn't I get to say goodbye?" She asked and wiped her eyes.

"Because God doesn't always do what we want Him to do. He can take away the most important thing in our life just to prove how big He is. He has a reason for everything."

"If that's the way He is, I want nothing to do with Him." Rachael got up and left.

I didn't understand it either. Mary was only 16. She hadn't even finished high school yet. She wanted to be a nurse. She had a family who loved her.
But God had bigger plans.
He used that to show me that sometimes, even when we try as hard as we can, people don't listen. They'll take the chance and put it off one more day.
There's just one problem with that: You might not get another day. You might be like Mary, thinking you have another day to choose, but never get it.

It's like a garden. You can plant the seeds, but you have no idea when they will sprout. Or even if they'll sprout.

Choose today. Don't take the chance. Live for Christ. You won't regret it.

*Named changed

T1D

"You're not normal. And you never will be."

I remember so many things, but not much from before I was around 7. Some things I just suddenly remember, and it's like it happened yesterday. Like that one.

I was 12 when I was first told that. It was a week after my birthday and I stared at the person who said it. 
It wasn't that it hurt a lot. I'd know this for a while, but hadn't ever heard someone say it directly to me.
Sure, I'd heard people say it in passing, like, "That girl is not normal," but just in teasing.
It was the fact that they were saying it for me to hear that I was upset and hurt about. They truly believed it.

Even years later, I can still see the look on one of my friends face. She was horrified. 

"I am to normal." I told him. I didn't believe it, though. I still don't believe it. And I know it's true.

He shook his head. "You will never be normal. There will never be a cure. Believe it as you might, you'll live with this your whole life. And when you're older, no guy will ever want to take on that responsibility of you. It's too much work."

The truth is, I'm not normal. I haven't been for years. I have Type 1 diabetes. 
You might not think I'm any different than you when you look at me, but it's true.

Things about T1D/me that you might not know:
1) I'm not contagious.
2) I didn't get it by eating a lot of sugar.
3) I have to put needles of insulin in my body (arms, stomach, legs) 4-6 times a day.
4) I have to draw blood from my finger 5-8 times a day. 
5) I sometimes have the fear of falling asleep at night and not waking up because I might bottom and go into a coma.
6) I might loose my eyesight if I'm not careful.
7) I've lived with this for almost 15 years.
8) I don't have to eat certain things. I can go to a potluck and eat a bunch, as long as I keep track of what I eat so I can give myself insulin for it.
9) I have spots on my fingers from all the needles I've put in them.
10) I'm not gonna die.

I'm not normal, but in God's eyes I am. I'm His princess and He loves me just as I am. He made me this way for a reason. He has a purpose for it. I just don't know the purpose yet.

No matter what disease or invisible illness you have or what problem you have, God can use that to draw people close to Him through you. Just be patient.

God is preparing us for a purpose in His plans in some place, but we have to be patient while we wait. It may not be for years, but He has big plans.

He is preparing us. 
For His purpose. 
For His plans. 
In some place in the world.
Watching us as we wait patiently for Him to make it clear.

Qualifications

I made a list of qualifications for me about the kind of guy I should be looking for. I've made some mistakes recently, and had I had this list before, it would have helped me a lot. Some of the points can be altered, but there are some that can't be. Always make sure, girls, that the guy you go for is saved and even if he says he is, watch, because he may not be and just saying he is to get to you.

The bottom part are ones that I have for just me. The ones up on the first section are ones that all girls should think of.

QUALIFICATIONS

®       MUST BE SAVED

®       Will love God MORE than me

®       Must love and respect my family

®       Will not lie or manipulate me

®       Will be my best-friend

®       Will keep studying me. High-school Degree, College Degree, Master’s Degree, Doctorate. (Fireproof)

®       Will pray and read the Bible with me

®       Must love me for who I am

®       Must respect and listen to me

®       Must prove himself

®       MUST PURSUE

®       Must seek council and listen to other’s

®       Will make me laugh and smile even when I don’t want to

®       Will make me happy almost all the time

®       Will do everything to help me reach my dreams

®       Must love kids

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

®       Will sing with me

®       Will play with my hair

®       Will be tall

®       Will like country music

®       Will want to take spur of the moment trips

®       Will watch movies late at night with me

®       Will make me hot chocolate

®       Will want to read what I write

®       Will want to cook/bake with me

®       Will not want a lot of animals

®       Will have a license/own a vehicle/know how to drive

®       Will not be camera shy

If you can think of more, feel free to comment. I'd love to hear what all you think. And if you're a Christian guy, this should help you. :)

***(And, thank you to the guy who took my advice and showed the girl this blog and got the girl! You two are awesome and can't wait to talk more! Remember to keep Christ the center of it all!)

You Thought of Me

This is a song I wrote back in August 2011.

You Thought of Me

Verse 1:
Upon the cross You suffered and You died
You were beaten and abused for my life.
You were just a young man out there
They placed a crown of thorns over Your hair

Chorus:
You thought of me, at the worst time in Your life
You gave it all, nails in Your hands like knives.
You weren’t afraid because I was on Your mind
All so I could live a life like this,
You died.

Verse2:
My sins were washed away because of You
I can’t begin to imagine what others would do.
You cried for Him to forgive us that day
And as I see others live a life not your way
I know

(Chorus)

Bridge:
I wanna see them live Your way
I want to her them say…

You thought of me, at the worst time in Your life
You gave it all, nails in Your hands like knives.
You weren’t afraid because I was on Your mind
All so I could live a life like this,
You live.

© 2012 Jenneniah Olmstead

Team Work

So, Tuesday was the last youth for me until the new year. We played one of my favorite games.

Imagine this:

6 people lined up about a foot from the wall on 2 separate walls. They all spread out and hold hands. (I know. Worst part of the game.) The person at the front of each line holds a hula hoop. The games leader yells go. Each team has to get through the hula-hoop without letting go of the person beside them's hand. Once the hoop is over, you let go of the person's hand and run to the end of the line and take that person's hand. First team to get all the way to the other end of the gym repeating this wins.

You can play this same game by being in a circle too. You just have to count how many times around you do it.

We played this at youth this past week. It was all about working together.

The first game we played though, was even better.

Picture this:

A 5 year old back to back with a 6 foot 13 year old, and a 4 year old back to back with a 6 foot 16 year old. Put a huge bouncy ball in between them and get them to link arms. Can it happen? No, it can't. Example: Don't be unequally yoked. They couldn't link arms because one was about 3 times bigger than the other. That image will stick in everyone's head for a long time.

Now, excitement:

We had pizza and pop and we had fun!