Emma's Thoughts Devotional: Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

This is a question I've heard asked A LOT! I have asked myself this before too. I have come up with a theory! But these are MY OPINIONS! Take them or leave them I just thought I would share! Please no one take offense!

1. What is a "good person"?

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. {John 1:8}

If you ask me if I am a good person I would probably answer something like "yeah I mean I'm not horrible" but the truth is I am! I am a sinner that should not be worthy of heaven. Only by God's grace am I forgiven. So I don't know a "good person" I do know lots of wonderful people saved by God's grace.

I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." {Psalms 16:2}


2. Are These Things Punishments or Faith Builders?

Yes, God does punish us but when you ask "Why do bad things happen to good people" you kind of imply they did nothing to deserve this but they are being punished. Not so! I know when my bestfriend was almost killed in a motorcycle accident that it was one of the biggest faith changers. Even though it hurt me more than words can express I got to see God move! Through the prayers in the waiting room, the milestones she reached, the comfort in my heart that only God (no earthly doctor) could provide. Even though these things hurt REALLY bad and they don't always end for the best these are often the things that shake us up and bring us back to Him.

For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.{James 1:3}

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.{James 1:12}

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. {1Peter 5:10}


So I hope maybe this helped you or you just enjoyed hearing my thoughts and convictions! Have a lovely day! 

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. {Romans 12:12}

XOXO,
Emma 

I KNOW! IT'S CRAZY!

I AM ACTUALLY 15... I know I act like a 12 year old but no mean jokes! Okay? Okay.

My piano recital is in 10 days. MY piano recital is in 10 days. MY *starts breathing fast* PIANO RECITAL IS IN *starts hyperventilating* 10 DAAAYYYYSSSS *passes out from panic*

SCHOOL IS OUT IN 2 WEEKS AHHHHHH SO EXCITED

I'm going to be in 10th grade next year... OHMYGOODNESS YALL I CAN'T BE THAT OLD... how did I not fail school.....

I SAW MATTHEW WEST IN CONCERT I CAN'T EVEN EXPLAIN HOW AMAZING IT WAS (actually I didn't know who he was until after I heard him and I was like "Oh he's the one who writes all my favorite songs..." <seriously I DID NOT KNOW WHO WROTE MY FAVORITE SONGS *and he wrote most of them!*) Is it strange I have his signed poster over my bed?.... *ITS JUST BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY AVAILABLE NAIL IN MY ROOM I'M NOT THAT CREEPY! AND ACTUALLY IT'S MY SISTERS BED CAUSE I DON'T WANT IT TO FALL AND KILL ME WHEN I SLEEP.*

I want to spend all my time outside! If you know me well you know I'm not an outdoors person (and Mississippi weather isn't an easy place to be outside a lot!) But lately the weather has been GORGEOUS!

I am actually taking the time to blog! I know you are all shocked! Haha!

Have a great day! TTFN!

You Might be a Homeschooler if...

You might be a homeschooler if your state that is almost never cold is supposed to have a winter storm and all your friends are out of school but you aren't because you homeschool...(yeah. my day!)

if

You wait for when your going out to wear your favorite tshirt....

if

You stay in you PJ's all day and have trouble with early mornings (7 or 8 and below)...

if

People ask you if you have other friends besides homeschoolers...

if

Your Bible Time counts as Bible class...

if

When you tell adults your homeschool they say "Wooooww that takes a special person!" and you wonder if they are complimenting you or insulting you...

if

When you tell kids your homeschooled they are like "If I was homeschooled I would do nothing( or watch TV, play on the computer, etc) all day!" and your just like "yeeaaaahhhhhh..... you know a lot about homeschooling don't you?" <sarcastically

if

An instrument counts as a class...

if

You were a nerd/ geek before it was cool you are probably a homeschooler!

Resolutions Check Up

Well obviously I am failing at blogging more! BUT I just finished reading Genesis this morning and in the last month I have only had a drink besides juice or water once! (which was hot chocolate. I have no regrets)

I have read the books

Heaven is For Real
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator

and am working on

City on Our Knees
and
Across Five Aprils

So I am doing better than I have in the past! I will try to get some more blog posts up soon! Give me some suggestions about what y'all like to read about! Have a great day! :D

So Long 2013...

I can't believe it's almost 2014! I need some new years resolutions! So I am really gonna try this year!

1. Read my Bible in a year
2. Blog more!
3. Do the water challenge (as in going without other drinks for a period of time not drinking gallons of water in one sitting!) *a little juice is okay though! but we never have any soooo yeah just a little every now and then*
4. Read 100 books in a year *listening to books can count too*
5. Get healthier! Go outside more, less computer time, etc etc!

I am really bad at resolutions so I really hope I will stick to it this year! So I will hopefully post ever so often and mark of what I have done.

I had a great Christmas! Lots of family time, good food, presents, and just celebrating Jesus' birthday!

My sister and I are watching Happy Feet right now, and at midnight we are going to set off fire works, drink punch, and I guess watch the ball drop! I am excited about 2014! I will become 15, get my driving permit, start 10th grade, and who knows what else!

So, so long 2013! You've been great. Hello 2014!

Oh My.

Christmas is in 13 days. THIRTEEN DAYS. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! Okay so here in Mississippi we are not known for our cold weather! November was kind of hot. And finally December hit us and it has been SO COLD. But not all the time cause we had a few hot days. So I have been throne off schedule and it does not feel like Christmas should be in 13 days! Although I am ecstatic about the Downton Abbey Christmas Special, and am on the edge of my seat loathing the thought of the Doctor Who Christmas Special (I LOVE YOU MATT SMITH). But I am excited about Christmas!

I love Christmas music, cold nights, long sleeve t shirts, fuzzy blankets, and just the happiness of Christmas time! I'm not gonna lie I do love getting presents, BUT Jesus' birthday is way more important to me ;)

Every Christmas Eve we have spent with my grandparents, but in this last year my Granddaddy died and my Grandmother went into the nursing home. So Christmas will be very different this year, but God has blessed us A LOT!

Tomorrow I am going with a group of friends to sing Christmas carols at a nursing home! I am super excited! Of course I am kind of nervous, but it's always easier to do this kind of stuff with close friends!

And our Christmas play is Sunday! I help out with our Children's Choir at church and got a part in the play! I am the self obsessed news reporter Silvia Bells! And I wear 6 inch high red and lepard print heels with a purple sweaterdress, and my hair gets bigger each scene thanks to huge and frazzled hair pieces! I will be a SIGHT! We are doing the play "The Christmas Shoe Tree" by Jeff Slaughter. I am also singing a solo in it called "Walk of Love" you can listen to a little of it here (just scroll down and press Walk of Love)It's really pretty!!

So yep! This has pretty  much been my CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S CHRISTMAS POST! Haha! What are some Christmas traditions that y'all have?

Have a very blessed day :)

A Christmas Day

Yesterday my little sister Beth and I had a wonderful day! Mama had to go to town and Daddy was going with her so we talked them into buying us a Christmas tree and we would stay home and clean! So we cleaned the house until it shined (almost. not really. but it looked good!) then the fun began!

I googled a recipe for baked ornaments and found one. Well we didn't have salt (actually today I found some. Tipical me.) so I googled again and found one to make that only called for corn starch and baking soda. So I tried it and failed. BUT I found several reasons why I did and tried again! And it went GREAT!

BUUUTTT It wasn't THAT simple! We didn't have any cookie cutters! So we printed out some Christmas shapes and went to town!!

 You can get the recipe here!

So after we put the ornaments in the oven we made a gingerbread house and got some lunch! Then decorated the ornaments!!!

After that we made cookies! (And found the cookie cutters! UGH!) And decorated the delicious sugar cookies!

Then Mama and Daddy brought back the tree and we had a fun time decorating it with our homemade ornaments, and eating Christmas cookies!!!