Day 30- My favorite books.

whew!!! last of the 30 day challenge! didn't think I'd get through it this fast, but I have had a lot of fun doing it!!!

ok, fav books....

The Bible, of course is at the top of my list!!!!

I enjoy reading L.M. Montgomery, Elizabeth Gaskill, James Herriot, and Jane Austen.

Other favs are Evangelists in Chains, Captains Courageous, The Ordinary Princess, Cheaper by the Dozen, Belles on Their Toes, and The Inheritance.

I'm also in the middle of 'Preparing to be His Helpmeet' by Debi Pearl - a must read, in my opinion!

and I'm about to start 'I Kissed Dating Goodbye' by Joshua Harris --- Sarah says it's a must read! :)

Day 29- In this past month, what I have learned

Goodness! what a question!!! I happen to be of the belief that a person never stops learning no matter how old they are, and I think I have learned a lot of vast and sundry things this last month!

1. How to drive a tractor(thanks, Ange!!!! :)

2. What all goes on backstage during a play

3. That forgiving someone that didn't know they hurt you is the hardest thing ever, but with God all things are possible!!!!

4. If I DWI, I can get fined up to $500....like that is ever going to happen!!!

5. I can play tetris and do drivers ed at the same time! :D

6. last min parties with close friends are the best!!!! ok, I already knew that....but we had one, and it was FUN!!!!!!!

7. that even though you only met a person two weeks ago, you can really miss them!!!

8. I have a lot of family and friends with birthdays in July!!!

9. How to work a Dell laptop...ok, still learning this one....but totally enjoying it!!!!!

10. That a 13-yr-old can be as mature(or more) as a 17-yr-old

Day 28- A picture of me last year and now, how have I changed since then?

Me holding my cousin last year at Passover

Me holding Bridgette backstage during Fiddler on the Roof

As for if I've changed or not....besides the obvious - getting a year older, which meant stepping into the roaring 20's :), and getting rid of my glasses and getting contacts, I think I have matured a little bit in the last year.... ;) One thing hasn't changed....I still love to hold babies!!!!!! :D

Day 27- Why I am doing this 30 day challenge

ummmmm, because I thought it would be a fun way to kick off my blog....yeah, that's about it! ;)

Day 26 - What I think about my friends

I think I have some of the best friends. EVER!!!

This past year was really a hard one for me, and on several of my amazing friends listened very nicely, were understanding, gave me good advice, prayed for me, and never thought badly of me for saying some of the things I said....

You all know who you are, and I can't tell you how much I love and appreciate y'all, my sisters, both real and 'adopted'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

~Philippians 1:3

♥♥♥♥♥

Day 25- What you might find in my bag

Wallet,

Pen,

Note pad,

Germ-x,

Mint gum,

iPod.

I don't really carry a bag, usually a small purse with just the bare necessities...every time I see huge purses, I think of Hebrews 12:1, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." :)

Day 24- A letter to my parents

Well, I've spent some time deliberating over this post.....and decided I'm not going to post publicly, for the whole world to read, something as personal as that! I just not that kind of person, I guess!

However, you can read this: I do love my parents very dearly and am very thankful for the love and discipline they have given me all my 20 years! They have truly lived out this verse: "...bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Eph 6:4)

There is one funny story I have to tell, though..... :) Daddy and Mommy raised us, I'm just going to say it, er rather type it: Spanking us children when we were naughty!!! Did we deserve it? Oh Yes!

Ok, so this one time, Andrew and I(the guilty ones) and Mommy(who was trying to dish out the spankings) couldn't keep from cracking up into laughing!!! I don't remember why we were in trouble, and I don't remember what we were laughing about...but every time we would try to get serious, and then just look at someone, and bust up giggling again! After about three attempts, Mommy gave up....no my Mother doesn't give up, she went to plan B: we had to go up and clean our rooms, and not come down till we were done, and then we came down and got our spankings! We still laugh about that.... :D

All that to say: My parents = amazingness²!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 23- Something I crave a lot

On the serious side, I 'crave' that this would be my craving:

As the hart panteth after the water brooks,

so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I

come and appear before God?

~Pslam 42:1-2

On the more flippant side, these taste pretty awesome! :)

Mint-filled-Oreos....best washed down with some nice, cold, fresh milk!!! :)

Day 22- What makes me different from everyone else...

.....I'm me........duh!!!!! ;)

O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

~Psalm 139~

Day 21- Something that makes me Smile! :D

there are allot of things that make me smile!

Babies! any babies!!!

Kitties being playful

Playing volleyball with family and 'extended family' :)

Brothers taking care of their sisters(and giving them random hugs :)

Young men stepping up and taking leadership in our church.

Seeing boys at church carry around their baby sisters! :)

Watching squirrels run up and down trees

But above all, this makes me the happiest:

The fact that I have a family and friends that love me no matter what! And, more importantly, a loving God that loved me SO much that He sent his only son to die for ME!!!!!!

My sin - oh the bliss of this glorious thought

My sin, not in part, but the whole

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, oh my soul!!!!

<3

Day 20 - Qualities in someone I might marry

Haha, ok, well first a disclaimer! :) I do have things that I would like in a husband, but I also know that, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 55:8) So, here goes.....

First off, I know that if I get married, I am going to marry an imperfect man! But, I would like it if he was walking along the road towards perfection. (Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48)

He must love the Lord(as hard as this sounds) more than me!!!
Daddy and my brothers have to approve of him(and Sean! ;)

Not a showoff

a sense of humor ;P

Love children!!!! :)

Day 19- Nicknames I have and why I have them

Several years ago I tried to get people to call me 'Essi', but it quickly got shortened to 'Es' :) Daddy sometimes calls me 'Essi G.' Grandpa called me 'Esther Bester' when he was alive, and Andrew once called me 'Messy Essi'....somehow he didn't think it was a good idea to do it again! ;) Faith calls me 'Grace' to differentiate between the two Esther's in our families, and has managed to get me to answer to it! Oh, and then there's 'Back there'... ;)

That is all the nicknames I know I have...are there any I should know about???

Day 18- Long-term plans/dreams/goals I have

I am not that much of a goal person, as I have said before.

But, I do have dreams.

I dream of someday getting married and having a house full of little children that call me "Mama". I mean, what girl doesn't have that dream?

But, all that pales in comparison to the wonderful plan that God has for me!!!

Though sometimes that plan is hard and painful, these verses remind me that God is in control, and he has a much better plan than I could ever cook up! :D

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.
~Proverbs 3:5-6

A man's heart deviseth his way:

but the LORD directeth his steps.

~Proverbs 16:9

The lot is cast into the lap;

but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.

~Proverbs 16:33

Day 17- Someone I would want to switch lives with for one day and why

When I first saw this, several names popped into my head...Darlene Deibler, Elizabeth Eliot, Esther, Ruth, Joshua, Samuel, Zacchaeus...but really, when it comes down to it, I am pretty happy being Esther Grace Hale, living with my wonderful family, sitting here blogging with an adorable little kitty trying to pounce my fingers while I'm typing, and finding out God's perfect plan for me! :)

For I know the plans I have for you,"

declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you

and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

~Jeremiah 29:11~

Day 16- Another picture of myself

This was taken I think in about '06

Riding in Mr. Murphy's airplane....really fun!!!!

and I have to post this one....just because it a cool shot! :)

I took it the same day...I think Daniel flying when I took it.

Day 15- Put my iPod on shuffle: First 10 songs that play

Here goes.....

1. Beautiful Savior, Andy Griffith
2. Here Stands a Man, Tale of Two Cities soundtrack
3. Joyful, Joyful we Adore Thee, Hymnworks II
4. Holiness and Purity, The Majesty and Glory
5. Over the Rainbow, Celtic Woman
6. Fidelity Fiduciary Bank, Mary Poppins soundtrack
7. A Mighty Fortress is Our God, Steeple on the Common
8. Our God is Greater, Chris Tomlin
9. Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, Celtic Woman
10. Build An Ark, Gaither trio

Day 14- A picture of me and my family

I think this was taken summer '06.

Us Hales with Governor Perry and our wonderful State Rep., Dan Flynn

Day 13- A letter to someone who has hurt me recently

I'm not going to wrote a letter, because I think it would be slander to tell the world who has hurt me. But I will say this: forgiving someone that has deeply hurt you is hard. Forgiving someone that doesn't even know, and probably won't ever know that they hurt you is even harder. Having been through this, all I can say is pray. Pray for them. Pray that they would draw closer to the Lord. Pray that you'll have a forgiving and loving attitude towards them. And pray that God would show you if you have done this same thing to any one else, and go and ask their forgiveness. Because now you know how much it hurts.

And be ye kind one to another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one another,

even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

~Ephesians4:32~

Day 12- How I found out about Blogger and why I made a blog

Well, I don't really remember how I found out about blogger.... We know several people that have blogs, and I've 'stalked' several, and then decided that this is something that I could do to let our friends close and far away keep up with my family....beside the fact that I like taking pictures, and didn't have anyplace to share them, since I have filled up my picasa quota! :P

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:5-8

Day 11- Another picture of me and my friends :)

Ok, I decided to go through some older pics for this post, and found myself walking down memory lane.... :)

Family picture in the bluebonnets on the way home from church...7 yrs ago!!!

Me holding Caleb Oglesby, my lil buddy at the time...

Esther and Lizzy Schatte and I, at the blueberry farm

Aren't we cute? ;)

Andrew, Peter, Me and Daniel right after we cut down the old tree in the front yard

How many Schattes remember this??? :)

Running through the dry creek bed....was it Nazis that were chasing us? ;P

Andrew, Esther S., Esther H., Rebekah, Samuel, Daniel, and Peter

<3