Hooked on Jesus

Well. I'm almost done with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. To my disappointment, I won't be able to pick up with the fifth book until the fall...just too much drama/debate has been ensued since I've been reading the book at home. For those of you who don't know...my parents are very conservative, as am I. To their credit, they are doing an awesome job raising my siblings, and I respect their stand on the books, hence the break until fall. But sometimes I wonder...do we really have to be so "everything has to be Christian"? Even music...around my mom, I feel like I've committed some horrible crime if I enjoy any music that's not "Christian." I mean, the Bible tells us to fill our minds with whatever is pure, holy, and of good report...but it also says there are things that are neither good nor bad, edifying nor destructive. And then Nat reminded me that there's also a time for seriousness, and for goofing off and relaxing. Thoughts anyone?

So, the more I'm home, the more I am realizing just how independent I am. I don't tell my parents everything anymore...not that I'm doing drugs or anything...just some stones are better left untouched.

I had a great time with my sisters this evening. Without the stress of school, I'm really able to just be silly with them, like never before I think. And I'm not constantly trying to find something wrong with Hillary like I realize I did for so long, shamefully...

But anyway. I miss JMU. I miss my Bluestone Beauties. I miss the mountains. I miss getting up and going whenever I want to. I miss dhall - *shock*. I miss CRU. OH I miss CRU! But soon I'll be busy again, and won't have time to think about it all until August 22...

Well that's all I have for now. It is time for bed. Goodnight!

Hey Everyone! How are ya'll doing?!!? (did I just say "ya'll"?!?!?)

WELL, things at home are getting much better. The past few days, I've spent the better part of the mornings and afternoons with Harry Potter - basically being lazy. Mom said we'd have a month with just the two of us. Well, that's yet to happen :-p. There's never a dull moment in this house, that's for sure. As soon as my other 5 siblings get home from school, all chaos breaks out. And no, I'm NOT exaggerating! But like you said Leslie, I do miss it all when I'm away. A lot of you say that the biggest difference between JMU and home is that there's not as much activity. Not that way here. In the Snyder home, there's ALWAYS activity...just a different kind. In between paragraphs of The Goblet of Fire, I watched/listened as Philip recounted a Power Rangers fight he had with some classmates (he's 6). It was quite entertaining, to say the least. Then after dinner and a failed attempt to pick some strawberries, he and I, and eventually Victoria, ran around outside like maniacs, playing Tag and Hide and Seek. That was fun. OH and I also played DDR with Sam Victoria, and Hillary this afternoon. So basically, I should have held off on the shower until tonight...but I think I might adopt Lynn's attitude...:-p.

This morning I packed the last box to go into storage at my Dad's office till August. Yesterday I threw out 3 big trash bags of unnecesary papers and gathered 2 bags full of stuff I want to get rid of. I feel quited accomplished. Now I just get to put my room in order.

Job situation: God is so good! Yesterday, I was rather disappointed because I got a call from my boss saying that I'm basically not needed by any therapists until July and August. Just when I was thinking I'd need to go regular job hunting like normal people, God plopped one right in my lap! A lady who only knows me through a friend that I babysit for offered me a 2-day a week "nanny - type" job for as many weeks of the summer that I can spare! Plus, I have my first sitting job of the summer for another family that is one of Hillary's and mine regular clients...so maybe it's a good thing afterall that I don't have the hospital job...I don't know. Maybe I shouldn't have jumped at the nanny thing. Well, I suppose I'll find out soon enough. Anyway.

That's all fo' now folks!

In His hands,
Hallie

Sooo...this will be a long one, just to warn you guys. Being home is definitely a lot harder to adjust to than I thought. I've been home all of three days and I've already gotten into atleast two arguments with Hillary, screamed at the bros last night, and triggered a mental melt down in Victoria.

Then I had an attitude with Mom about my driving...but that one I don't think is entirely my fault. She told me Thursday night when I got home that she was going to let me drive as much as possible (she still doesn't trust me to be on the highway by myself - not that I'm not capable, she just doesn't trust me). But then she wouldn't let me drive home from church, a run I do all the time, simply because Philip (my 6-yr old brother who is still in a car seat) was in the car. Unless I'm mistaken, I think he would be the least likely to get hurt if we HAD gotten in an accident (because of the booster seat). And then I had a my first meeting for Russia tonight at a house I had never been to before. So I found the directions, wrote them out, and practically memorized them, without any input from my mom. And she was STILL telling me where to turn on the way home! ARgh...but I just need to chill, like Dad said. I don't have my own car, so I don't really have that much control anyway.

Back to the whole attitude/yelling at the siblings thing. I'm convinced - being a Christian as a single person, with only yourself to take care of - is SO EASY!!! I come home, and I can't even find my Bible cuz Hillary and Dad packed me up Thursday and I still haven't had a chance to unpack. And then, your family has a way of bringing out the worst in you. I've heard said that a person's true colors really shine when they're with their family...It's a little disconcerting that my true colors are flying pretty dark right now. But if anything, it's character-building, right? haha.

I've changed so much. That's becoming apparent. But my family has changed too. I've become such a rebel in their eyes in some ways (reading Harry Potter for the heck of it and staying up till all hours, not telling them entirely everything, and being driven through the ceiling when they get on my case about what I need to do!).

Hillary had her prom Friday, and I got to watch her get her hair done and I got to do her make-up for her, despite the agruments about too much or too little shadow and blush. But she looked beautiful and her date was adorable - they made the cutest pair. The best part was when I ended up pinning the boutenier (spelling?) on Derek's blazer...:-p

I still don't know the job situation, so please be praying for that - I need something SoOn!

READ THIS!! You guys will love this tid bit - today our regular pastor wasn't at church, so we had a guest speaker. This guy had one of the thickest Southern drawals/accents I've ever heard! Guess who he riminded me of?!?! Johnny Wreck!!! He had the force and fire of the classic "fire and brimstone" preacher, but the content was better. And he told us how he couldn't go anywhere w/out tellin of God's love - SO Johnny! The preacher sounded like one of those classic southern preachers you hear on the radio. I could totally see Johnny being a pastor someday:-p.

Anyway, I think that will have to be all for now - I'm literally falling asleep as I typ!

Love you ladies and miss you tons and tons!!!

Hallie

Finally! I managed to creat three different accounts trying to get a successful account! Apparently an underaged person tried to create a livejournal from my personal laptop, so they kept trying to tell me I would have to give them my parents' credit card number to verify my account. Phat chance. So now I'm at my favorite place (Hillcrest) and I am finally able to successfully create and all access acount!

SO I can't believe I have an online Journal. Like Kathryn, I've been boycotting these ever since they first became popular. But for the sake of keeping up with everyone over the summer, :-p I've succomb to the pressure. Hopefully this will be more interesting when I can create and entry from my own computer.

Well, toodles for now!

Hallie