The Simple Woman's Daybook - A beginning

I used to have an old blog titled Madison's Musings.
Reading back on it now, it's rather amusing (and possibly extremely embarrassing) to see just how silly I was back then. Emoticons and exclamation points galore coming from an unbelievably hyper and ridiculous middler schooler.
However, one idea that I do adore that I used continuously on that blog was The Simple Woman's Daybook. Although I would not consider myself simple nor would I consider myself a woman yet, it is quite a lovely way to have a look back into the past of what I was doing at such and such a time.
I don't expect to do these very often, but I hope to do them periodically just for fun.

Outside my window...
sun pouring through the leaves reflecting green light through my window.

I am thinking...
about plans for tomorrow.

I am thankful...
for a God who is loyal to me and never leaves me.

I am wearing...
my favorite American Eagle jeans and a sky blue, navy, pink, and white plaid shirt. Its a stay at home day, so none of my usual fashion.


I am creating...
nothing really at the moment. However, I do hope when summer rolls around that I will have the chance to knit more and perhaps even improve my drawing skills.

I am going...
no where to my knowledge. Tho I would indeed love to go to Barnes & Noble right about now.

I am wondering...
why no one in life seems to have any sense of loyalty.

I am reading...
The Good Earth and Sketches of Young Gentlemen, Sketches of Couples (by Charles Dickens. terribly witty and accurate). I am reading Romans in the Bible right now.

I am hoping...
for something that I'm not telling you about. :)

I am looking forward to...
church service tomorrow and then coffee with my favorite people.

I am learning...
about chords in Geometry, emotions in psychology, and friends in real life.

Around the house...
things are quiet. Today has been a quiet Saturday.

I am pondering...
the essence of art.

A favorite quote for today...
"Character is higher than intellect." -Ralph Waldo Emerson


One of my favorite things...
Snow Patrol. [grin]

A few plans for the rest of the week:
This coming week is going to be a lot of hunkering down on psychology and math. I have a psychology AP next Monday so this week will consist of a lot of studying, I have the SAT this Saturday so I need to finish up some studying on math, and I have a Latin quiz and homework, plus I need to study for my Latin final next week. Lots of studying.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you:

Just a little peek into the post I'll be doing soon that I promised. ;)

I hope all of you are having lovely Saturdays! feel free to tell me about your Saturday
cheerio!

Why BEDA died & Upcoming Post

Yes. BEDA died. I have an excuse, promise!
So on the day of prom, I got up late, and I had to go get my hair done at 11. After that, my mind was consumed with thoughts of prom, and I entirely forgot about BEDA and VEDA. That is, until about 12:30 that night. Which meant it was already the next day. Now as for me, I'm the kind of person who doesn't just pick back up and keep going. Especially not on something like this. Since I had already completely failed blogging and vlogging every day in April, I figured there was no point in doing it every day minus one. That is why my posts suddenly stopped. Which I am very sorry for... next year maybe?
Although I did feel the need to stop blogging for a week or so, I will be picking back up soon. I won't be very consistent until about the end of May, though, because of APs, SAT, and other such horrid testing things I must do. I'll try to do some posts sporadically until then, and hopefully by the beginning of summer I'll have much more time to write.
As for an upcoming post, I am doing something rather exciting (at least for me) the next two days. I'm quite happy about it, but I won't tell any of you about what I'm doing. Just know it will involve lots of pictures (hopefully) and interesting tales to tell. I'll try to have that post up at the very latest by next Monday.
Cheerio!

Time to shine - BEDA #12

It's a day that nearly every high schooler looks forward. Most high schools only allow juniors and seniors, but I've been lucky enough to go the past two years, and this will be my third year as my junior prom. (there are perks to being home schooled you know)
The girls get excited and squeal and skip over their dresses and then nearly cry when they can't get their makeup right.
Indeed, it's a stressful and exciting event in one.
It's called prom.
Girls build it up to be some magical event that only happens once a year. And honestly, it is a sort of magical event. Prom gives girls the chance to be able to get dressed up and shine a little bit. As much as I swore I would never be that cheesy girl to say this, it's true: girls of any age like getting dressed up. I got my prom dress back in about September or October of last year, since I have such a hard time finding a modest, pretty dress, which style I like. And ever since I got it I've tried it on a million times. I dance around in it, put makeup on, put all my jewelry on... I can't stop trying it on.
I adore prom. Both of the proms I've gone to have been so fantastic: I had great groups both years, an awesome date, and we have always gone to nice restaurants. I've gotten ready with my cousin the past two years, and there is just something about getting ready with your girlfriends that makes everything so much better.
Actually going to prom is the biggest "party" of the year. And let me tell you, home schoolers know how to party. They know how to live it up. And my group most of all: we bring the party with us. We dance the most at prom, and in my opinion, we have the most fun. The actual event is so much fun: dancing, dim lights, fancy, old ballroom, seeing friends, more dancing, senior lead out... there is so much to it that makes it such a special night.
My prom is tomorrow night.
And I couldn't be more excited.
My group includes a lot of my best friends, and I'm getting ready with all of my best girlfriends. My boyfriend's brother is coming back from college and is taking my best friend. I'm going with my boyfriend, of course. We've planned the perfect night, and it should be amazing, especially since so many of my best friends are graduating this year, and it's the last time they'll go as high schoolers.
I can't wait until tomorrow.

Tho the past two years have been great

I have a feeling that tomorrow will be really awesome. Even better.
It's my junior prom.
And I'm ready to party!

Coffee Shops & Plaid Shirts - BEDA #11

a short story


I have a deep love for coffee shops. Especially local ones that hold truly the most intriguing people in the world. Local coffee shops have so much character. Mine is a lovely place with a deep soul and sense of classic. There is a lot of messy modern art, and the colors are a nice shade of hipster mixed with 70s. They play Jack Johnson and John Mayer. Occasionally a man with a banjo will come and play in a corner. I remember it was the first place I ever really encountered hipsters. I didn't even know what they were called, I just loved their type. They intrigued me. I loved watching them, and still enjoy watching them. Indeed, my coffee shop is just my favorite place in the world.
I went there with my cousin recently. She and I enjoy hanging out together at chill places like that and having ridiculous conversations that no one else would understand, they're so sprinkled with inside jokes. We went in, and as I walked in, I saw him. The second I saw him, I started imagining stories about him. I do that with interesting people. On occasion, and it isn't very common, I will see a person and immediately start coming up with stories about them in my head, because they seem like such interesting characters - different from most people you see in the world. Intriguing. Fascinating. Different. And suddenly my mind is captured. He was one of those humans.
My cousin and I went up to the front to order our drink and dessert, and then crawled off to the comfy chairs in the shop. We sat down and began noshing on our food, when I suddenly realized I was facing the young man who I had noticed when I walked in.
There was something different about him. He was sitting at a table with his Mac open, occasionally chuckling to himself. This immediately hinted to me how down to earth he was. You see almost no one at a coffee shop with their laptops open laughing to themselves. It reminded me of myself, and that, of course, intrigues me. He wore a blue and white plaid shirt, complete with khakis and boat shoes. He would run his hands through his hair, chuckle, rub his eyes, and go merrily about whatever was so apparently interesting to him. It was nearly a pattern. Hair, chuckle, eyes, laptop.
He got up and walked up to the front to order more coffee. That is the sign of a true coffee drinker: getting two large coffees in one sitting. As he was standing in the front, I was laughing at something my cousin said as I usually do, and I happened to look up at him. As I laughed casually at whatever she had said, he caught my eye, and he smiled at me.
Now I wouldn't call myself ugly or unattractive, but it's not very common such a down to earth, hipster guy will look at me with that deepness of smile. It was that smile that only guys can smile: the smile of intrigue and honesty that they only smile at girls. That smile alone is the best compliment a girl can ever receive. I chuckled and whispered to my cousin as he walked out of view for a moment what he had done. I was flattered that the deep eyes had just smiled at mine.
He came back and sat down, continuing his pattern of rubbing his hands through his hair and chuckling. I watched him occasionally just to see what he was doing. He interested me. There was something so alive about him that made me want to strike up a conversation with him. So few humans nowadays seem alive. They appear dead inside. They don't smile. They don't talk. They don't do anything. He had a sense of carelessness and yet soul in him that I rarely see, but love it when I do. Which is just why he struck me as a character to write about when I saw him.
Sometimes when I happened to glance at him, he would glance at me.
Then we'd both glance away.
Then he would chuckle at his Mac and I would chuckle with my cousin.
And we'd go on about whatever we were doing.
Repeat.
I continued watching the man in the plaid shirt. And I kept wondering what he was like. Who his friends were. What he was laughing at. He just continued to sit there.
Run hands through hair.
Chuckle.
Rub eyes.
Repeat.
I continued talking with my cousin about life - college work, annotated bibliographies, prom, turning school work in late, YouTube. Until finally it was late and we had school work to do, both of us, and we gathered all of our things together to leave. I looked at the man in the plaid shirt. The 20-something plaid-clad young man didn't look up at me. I didn't care. Much. Tho I wanted one last look at his eyes - his sincere, careless, honest, down to earth eyes. His eyes alone would give me a story to write about.
I walked out the door, and I wondered - would the seemingly shy yet sanguine eyes look up when he thought I wasn't looking back?
I looked back.
And sure enough, I was right. His deep eyes looked up at me, and in him I saw that deepness of soul again. Rarely do I see those kinds of eyes. Rarely will I see them again. A lop-sided grin crossed his face.
Those eyes are inspiring of a story.
I think I'll be going back to that coffee shop soon.
Mostly to get coffee.
But maybe the deep soul filled eyes will be there again.
And the story can continue.

My Life in Song Lyrics - BEDA #10

I have always loved relating song lyrics to life. And since I know that it would be obnoxious to post lyrics that apply to my life on Facebook every hour (trust me, I could), I am compiling a list on here to give a weaving of my life lately.


You give me hope, and hope it gives me life. You touch my heavy heart, and when You do You make it light. As I exhale I hear Your voice and I answer You, though I hardly make a noise. And from my lips the words I choose to say seem pathetic, but it's a fallen man's praise. Because I love You.
{relient k, when i go down}

You make beautiful things, You make beautiful things out of dust. You make me new, You are making me new.
{gungor, beautiful things}

I swear I'm trying to give everything but I feel like I'm falling, oh make me believe what I need is resurrection, what I need is for You to put back on my feet.
{david crowder band, let me feel you shine}

Well I tried to be apart from You, away from You my first love. And I lost my way without You close, without You near to me. All the universe without Your name is so alone, my God. And so I run into Your arms, for You are love.
{paul colman trio, into your arms}


The lyrics to this song and the skit. (this is the skit I told y'all about back in January that I did with my youth group about a month ago)

The tricky thing is yesterday we were just children, playing soldiers just pretending, dreaming dreams with happy endings. In back yards winning battles with our wooden swords, but now we've stepped into a cruel world where everyone stands and keeps score. Keep your eyes open.
{taylor swift, eyes open}

You can hear voices loud and sing out a song that nobody knows, but to her it sounds like home. But the nights can't hide the days that the tears roll down her face and the light hits those eyes, as she's dying to say just take me away.
{parachute, all that i am}

I get up in the evening and I ain't got nothing to say, I come home in the morning, I go to bed feeling the same way. I ain't nothing but tired, man, I'm just tired and bored with myself. Hey there baby, I could use just a little help.
{bruce springsteen, dancing in the dark}

They are turning my head out to see what I'm all about, keeping my head down to see what it feels like now. But I have no doubt one day we are gonna get out.
{coldplay, lovers in japan}

What you don't have you don't need it now, what you don't know you can feel it somehow, what you don't have you don't need it now, don't need it now, it was a beautiful day.
{u2, beautiful day}

Forged in the fires of human passion, choking on the fumes of selfish rage, and with these our hells and our heavens so few inches apart, we must be awfully small and not as strong as we think we are.
{rich mullins, we are not as strong as we think we are}

Even when it's dark before the dawn I will feel your grace and carry on, and with every breath of me, you'll be the only light I see.
{boyce avenue, every breath}

I remember when we used to laugh about nothing at all, it was better than going mad from trying to solve all the problems we're going through, forget them all, cause on those nights we would stand and never fall, together we faced it all.
{skillet, those nights}

Lay down your armor, put down your sword, there's no one here to protect yourself from anymore. Scale back your defenses, set down your shield, I'm not here to harm you, I'm here to heal. Why are you so stubborn? Why are you so closed? I'm so afraid you'll stay this way and quarantine your soul. Oh please stay open, oh please believe, there's nothing wrong with you that's not wrong with me.
{josh bales, quarantine}

The night was young and so were we, talked about life, God, death, and your family, didn't want any promises, just my undivided honesty, and you said oh oh, things are gonna change now for the better, and oh oh, things are gonna change.
It's not that I hang on every word, I hang myself on what you repeat. It's not that I keep hanging on, I'm never letting go.
{anberlin, dismantle.repair.}

I don't quite know how to say how I feel, those three words are said too much, they're not enough. If I lay here, if I just lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world? Forget what we're told, before we get too old, show me a garden that's bursting into life. Let's waste time chasing cars around our heads. I need your grace to remind me to find my own.
{snow patrol, chasing cars}

And I can't always be part of you and you can't always be there for me and I can't always be where you are. But if you could look past everything and realize that you are the one for me and nothing can break us down then you would rescue me for me.
{the incredible sandwich, where you are}

 I wanna break every clock, the hands of time could never move again. We could stay in this moment for the rest of our lives.
{anberlin, inevitable}

Yellow and Brown - BEDA #9

Day number 9! And still going strong. Sort of. Except for posting right before midnight the past two nights. But hey, it counted, right?
Recently I've been a little bit obsessed with the color yellow, due to my cousin Macy being really super obsessed with the color scheme of yellow and gray. As much as I love the color scheme yellow and gray, I won't be that really annoying younger cousin and copy everything she does, so my new favorite color scheme is yellow and brown.
Of course, since Pinterest exists, I can look up all the yellow and brown things I want to. Recently I've found so many beautiful ideas of using yellow and brown. These are a few of my favorites:

One of my favorite outfits ever!

Another one of my favorite outfits ever.

The tights and shoes just make this

I want my wedding to look exactly like this

This laundry room is the coolest laundry room I've

ever seen!

 In my opinion, all guys should dress like this ^_^

I absolutely love the color scheme yellow and brown! It's so casual, modern, and hip. Love <3
What's your favorite color scheme?

This is the power of Christ in me - BEDA #8

Luke 24:3-7
But when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”

Christ is alive.
And because He is alive, we are alive in Him.
That is the power of Christ in me.

 

There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

'Til He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand