Oh praise him all his mighty works, there is no language where you can't be heard.

Highschool can be a drag. I'll be the first to admit that. But something I've realized stands out to me the most, is the sad, sad faces of those kids wandering the halls in my school. It's like they're really, truly, completely lost. It breaks my heart when I see those kids sitting by themselves over in the corner during lunch. But believe me, those aren't the only unhappy people. You see "popular" kids all over the place, happy and enjoying their lunch. But have you ever stopped to wonder if they're really, truly happy? They probably don't have any real friends they can trust, maybe their parents demand way to much out of them. There are hundreds of things that could be running through their mind. We walk along, some of us (like me) avoiding all contact with the kids we don't know and happy to stay with the few actual friends I can count on. But I see those kids walking alone, sitting alone, never talking, and lets be honest, if a kid never gets in trouble for talking in class, there's a problem; ESPECIALLY if it's a girl ;)

This week, look around at the kids in your school. Think about that new kid sitting in your class, looking hopelessly lost. Here's a problem for me: instead of smarting off to the popular kid that thinks waaaay too highly of themselves, smile and offer a hand when they drop their stuff in the hall. The tiniest things can make a difference in someone's day. One time last week, I dropped some stuff out of my locker and someone walked by and snorted at me, laughing "That's gay." and walked away. Never offered a hand. I was mad about it all day. Some people are real inconsiderate, but you gotta learn to just wave it off. Most of em are just too obsessed with themselves to worry about someone else. When that person drops their stuff sometime, I'll bend down and help em out, all 6 feet of me, without making a jerkish remark. Am I gonna like it? No, but it proves who the bigger person is. You can't stoop to their level. That kid might have just spilled coffee on them, broken up with a girlfriend or boyfriend, and then lost all their homework. That'd be a pretty bad day to me, and if someone bent down to help me out on a day like that, I'd be pretty happy. "Do not overcome evil with evil, but overcome evil with good." "Set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, and in purity." This week I challenge you to help that person you really don't like out, or sit with the kid who's by himself at lunch. You can do it, I believe in you :)

>:(

If there's ANYTHING I hate it's jerks that make fun of my friends. I can take teasing, whatever, but you mess with my friends, you're in for it. I don't understand how on earth someone could feel SO insecure that they need to make fun of others to compensate for it. Some people really just don't get it.

I would write more on this PARTICULAR subject but seeing how if I do I'll probably say something I regret, I'll leave it at this:

Get over your petty insecurities. Nobody likes gossip, name-calling, and all that other junk. It makes you look even more immature and stupid and I REALLY can't stand it so just stop and get over yourselves.

AGH.

I want more than just ok

In my life I've definitely settled for just "ok" on some things. Like, an "OK" grade instead of an A. Or Just having an OK practice instead of 100%. The list goes on. Lately my family has been trying to find an affordable house to buy, and it's getting REAL stressful REAL fast. I worry about it a lot, but the worst thing I've been doing is having and OK relationship with God. In times like these, we need to step up and push through TRUSTING that God will provide; but when you have an "OK" relationship with God, you can't possibly trust him completely. God tells us in the bible he'd rather we not be a Christian at all than a lukewarm Christian. That's where I've been these past few months, and the feeling of finally getting stuff right with God is unlike anything else.
If a 15 year old kid came up and challenged you to do something, I know plenty of people that would pat my head, smile and shake their head, and walk off thinking how silly that little kid is. If I said to you "I've been through this. I know what it's like to not be on track. Let me challenge you to fight to be right with God EVEN when it HURTS. Even when you just want to give up. Because if you don't, Satan will find his way through your fake smile you have during Church. You can count on it; unless you make yourself right with God," would you pat my head and walk away? Because believe me I've met my fair share of people that have. Don't walk away. Wanna know why? Because Christ NEVER walked away from us and he NEVER will.

God wants SO much more for you than just "ok".

Home

Ironic how last year this time we were looking at the house I'm now living in. Ironic how 1 year later we are looking at a new house.

Ironic that we have such a desire to stay in Ozark.

3 years ago my parents told me we were moving to Arkansas. As my dad sat on my bed, both of us crying, he said "Jo I'll try and find another place. We won't go to Arkansas."
"No. Whatever God says. Go." I don't know what made me say it. In my right mind I would've gladly agreed with a new place NOT 1000 miles from home. Maybe it was the fear of what I'd seen happen to people who didn't obey God. Maybe it wasn't me talking, but God somehow speaking through me. Whatever it was, here we are, 1000 miles from where I was born, making plans and praying about a new house in OZARK.
All I know is that God knew what he was talking about when he told us Arkansas.

Jess Luess

I will be the first to admit, sometimes our parents will do things we don't understand. Sometimes for the better, and yes, sometimes they make mistakes. I will also be the first to admit I've grown up in a GREAT family with GREAT parents. But every kid comes to a point where they want a little more freedom, and yeah it'd be nice to have some more. But they're really just looking out for us. It's hard, and a lot of you would probably say I don't even understand what it's like to have parents that are strict or "mean." I definitely don't think my parents have ever been deliberatly mean to any of us, and yeah they have they're strict areas, but in the long run they just want to protect you. No I don't have mean or super strict parents, but I have my struggles with them that you wouldn't have any idea. I'm stubborn and have never been one to like taking orders and when I lived in Michigan I was given a lot of freedom because I lived at a Christian camp where not much bad happened. Moving into a town, even this small, I know it's hard for my parents to let me be all the places I am and be so involved in school and all. But they're learning, thank the Lord ;) They have really tried to transition into giving me more freedom and they've always been good about trusting me if I earn it. Nobody has perfect parents, and they WILL make mistakes. Just remember, they grew up in a different time with different ways of life. Give em a break, but remember, they're your parents. If you have a problem or a question or something, TELL THEM. They won't bite! Even if the whole world abandons you, your parents will always be your parents.

I can't wait to kiss the ground wherever we touch back down.

It's August.
The most dreaded month EVER. August should just become depressed that no one likes it and go away.
Because the only thing we have to look forward to is *choke* school. We are not capable of seeing beyond that.

The highschool years we all look forward to so much has come upon me. When you are accepted for who you are and you are popular and everyone loves you and life is great and you have no homework and sports are always awesome and you love all your teachers right?

WRONG!

I hate to be pessimistic here fellas but I'm entering highschool. What is there to look forward to? You don't get lunch with your friends and the tall kid gets stuck with the bottom locker adn someone hates you all year and one teacher can't stand you and on top of that, at the end of the day, the coaches murder you. YAY.

oK ENOUGH complaining. Lets think of happy things.

1.) I got to see Rebekah Davis :D Life is good.
2.) Summer basketball is over!
3.) I got to see my Michi-gang
4.) God is AWESOME
5.) I have great friends (Like Amber :) )
6.) The sun shone today!
7.) I have adorable nieces!
8.) Maybe I WILL get a top locker
9.) I'm still alive!
10.) God is still awesome :)

I'll be out of my mind, and you'll be out of ideas pretty soon.

(comments on a real picture)

- ______, You DON'T look bad! You are VERY pretty!

- Whatever! Yall are crazy! ______ You are WAYYY prettier than me!

Really guys? Either you just really want attention, or you think God doesn't know what he's doing when he made you. It says in the bible that we are "fearfully and WONDERFULLY made." Out of ALLLLL Gods creation, we are his MASTERPIECE. Let me say that again. MAS-TER-PIECE! You are BEAUTIFUL without make up, or jewelery, or dyed hair. God made you. Look at how beautiful God made the sky, and trees and WORLD. Do you not mean much more to him than the trees? Goodness gracious guys!

This DOES NOT mean you should be conceited about it. God made us beautiful, but the Bible ALSO says that our ONLY boast should be in HIM. Not in ourselves. God made us so beautiful, and he has a purpose for us all, but remember the first part of that phrase. GOD made us. His own personal design for our lives in particular. We are the masterpieces of the greatest designer of all time. He knew what our purpose would be before we were born. Before Adam and Eve. If WAYYY back then he was already planning how we would look and our purpose and life, don't you think we're pretty stinking important to him? The next time you're tempted to put yourself down like that, think of one thing:
God made you, and when you put yourself down and call yourself ugly, you are calling a design of the God of the UNIVERSE ugly. I think that pretty much speaks for itself.