15 posts tagged “2008”
Getting a nice dumping of snow today...and below zero temps. More coming later this week. These pictures were from this morning. It was about 3 or 4 inches at that time. Not sure how much we have now. It's the sparkly, diamond-like snow...fluffy and pretty. :)
Yeah, I'm probably not gonna make it to 50 this year. LOL Unless I count all the journal articles I've been reading. ;)
Anyhoo......
This week I read the 4 Twilight Saga books. I really never thought I'd read these books. I'm not into romance and sappy love stuff and teenage drama. Just didn't interest me. But, many of my friends online have read them and were always talking about them because of the upcoming movie (next Friday). I still wasn't persuaded to read them really...but I figured I'd see the movie, just for the heck of it.
Then, I got the flu last weekend and on my trip to Walgreens, they had the books there. I don't know why, but I bought the first book, Twilight and went home and began reading. My friends were very excited. lol I ended up enjoying the first book very much. It wasn't nearly as sappy as I thought it would be. So, I bought the other 3 books and read them too. Finished last night. (Yeah, I tend to read a novel in one sitting, sometimes two. I can't put books down. lol).
So, here are my reviews for the Twilight Saga
Book 15: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
As I said, it wasn't nearly as sappy as I thought it would be. It was certainly a teenage romance book, but it had some depth too. I actually found myself identifying with Bella. She was a bit of an outsider. She was quiet and a loner. She had parents that were separated. She was a bit of a traveler and she adjusted well to new surroundings. When she made up her mind, when she made a decision...she stuck to it. She took care of her mother. She was a lot like her father and had a good friendship with him. She was attracted to the quiet, odd boy. She liked old things. Finally, she was a klutz (I'm not nearly as bad as Bella, but I have a few scars. lol). So, Bella was interesting to me. Then we had Edward, who was written as this beautiful, perfect 17-year-old boy...but that isn't what attracted me to him. I'm not all gaga over him, but I was very interested in the character. I think Meyer did a great job of describing him in such a way that he was appealing and interesting and yet...very, very creepy. The stillness, the reactions, the smiles..they were all in character. Never did he feel like the typical romanantic male lead (thankfully). I really like the character of Edward. The darkness and the conflict of good and bad. I'm not a girl who likes the bad boy. What actually appealed to me about Edward was that he was dark and scary - but when you got close to him and studied him, he was not dark and scary at all. He fought the darkness, and that was cool. I know it's been done before...the good vampire; the vampire love story; etc...but I think Meyer did a good job of describing him as not human and creepy, and she stuck to it. The story was also not bad. I could not agree with Bella on the weather thing....I'm the exact opposite. I love cold, snow, dreariness, overcast days, rain....I hate the sun. But, I could identify with her passionate dislike in regards to the weather. She did finally give in though...and I won't. I do not like summertime and I never will. But, back to the story. It did feel to me that Bella figured "it" out too easily and that Edward accepted her too easily. But, I realize that this was part of the deal...they were like magnets to one another and couldn't help but understand the other. I like that we get little glimpses of Edward along the way...that's he's just as curious about Bella as she is about him. He's just as scared and freaked out too...which is different. You wouldn't think a vampire would be frightened of anything. But, that's the character of Edward. That's part of his personality. So, overall, I think this book is worth the read. I wouldn't necessarily recommend the entire series to everyone, but I think everyone would enjoy some aspect of this book.
Book 16: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
This book was good as well. I liked the four books in the order they are written, liking the final book the least. In this book, we still have Bella and Edward, but they are happily together...in that time in the relationship when they are still new, but they know each other pretty well. Then, the book takes a weird turn. A few things happen and we are left, for nearly half the book, with a depressed Bella, alone and empty. We also get to know Jacob more, a character introduced to us in the first book. I liked Jacob in this book. This book gave us more of the in-your-face supernatural stuff with vampires. Not just the mystery of them. Lurking...knowing what they are, but not really being part of it. In this book, we go to Italy and meet the Voltari. Creepy Italian Vampires that are very bossy. lol We get a lot deeper into the character of Edward too and he's even more interesting now. Overall, my 2nd favorite of the series...although I did cry with Bella for about half the book...which was exhausting. :)
Book 17: Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
This book gave us a very different Jacob...and I hated him. I just wanted Bella to deck him. To smack him silly. I really, really disliked Jacob in this book. Edward and Bella were still themselves..but we got a look at a more violent, angry Edward. We had seen this side of him before, but now he had some added pressures to give him anxiety and make him upset. With that, we also got a closer look at his level of self-control. I'll tell you this...Bella's view on marriage is STUPID and I hated that whole plot line. How incredibly lame. If she wanted to become a vampire and live with Edward forever, practically from the moment she met him, why would she be so against marriage? It's just a flippin' ring to symbolize what she's already asked for and wants. The whole mom hates marriage thing and Bella being all weird about it. That was just stupid. I rolled my eyes at the whole thing. Meyer succeeded in making Bella look like a stupid fool. *sigh*
Book 18: Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
This was my least favorite of the four. In fact, I can't say I liked this book at all. Edward and Bella were so weird together. Their characters were off...not quite in character. Meyer wrote them a little differently. They didn't feel like they had progressed to this place...it actually felt like I was reading someone's fanfic based on Edward and Bella (and we all know that fanfic writers never get the characters exactly right). And then we have sex scenes...not graphic, mind you. In fact, Meyer cut away as soon as we knew that the deed was about to happen....but still. Everytime the two of them were alone, they were like bunnies. It got old. Also, she had this whole freaky, monster baby plotline...which was disgusting, weird, and not appealing at all. That thing was creepy and I could not identify with any of the characters and their 'love' for this freaky thing. Jacob did redeem himself a little in this book. I liked him better. And then...all this tension, all this drama...and then it's all just 'fixed'. The ending was too 'perfect' and 'happy ending'. Not that I wanted some tragic thing to happen...but it was just so anti-climatic. So yeah, pretty much this book sucked. :)
I'd just like to post this, since I feel it is important. God has a plan. Do not forget that God is ALWAYS in control. Do not think that because the guy you thought should have won didn't win that the nation will fail. We are exactly where we should be at this moment.
We need to stop and listen to God. We need to do what is asked of us...all of us. This is how God's plan goes forward. Through us. We are his vessels.
Daniel 4:32b - Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.
God chooses our leaders and He will tear them down if they fail to do what is right. TRUST in the LORD. :)
God will give the presidency to whom He will.
This does NOT mean:
- It does not mean that you should not vote. God will govern the election by governing the voters. Daniel 4:35 - All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"
- It does not mean that God will approve all the policies of the man who wins. Sovereign rule over sinful men is no endorsement of their deeds.
This does mean:
- It means that the winner should not boast like Nebuchadnezzar, but he should be humbled under the mighty hand of God.
- It means that you should take heart and be encouraged by the sovereignty of God in this election. If your candidate is elected, or if he is not, God reigns!
Daniel 4:17 - 'The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.'
It's Election Day! How was your voting experience?
Super duper easy...as always in my polling place. It's just across the road...in the community I live in...so it's super easy to get to. I went at 10am and I walked in, signed my name, got my ballot, filled it out, turned it in, and went home. about 2 minutes flat. :) They have a very efficient system there. Mom had to wait longer when she was voting at 3pm, but she said it moved very fast, considering how many people were there.
I always watch the elections. It's a family tradition. We were always allowed to stay up that night and watch...even though it was a school night. :) I remember when sometimes it still wasn't decided in the early hours of the morning.
This election has been different. This night was different. This was the most exciting and electrically charged Election day of my memory. I don't care who you voted for...and it wouldn't matter who had won...history would have been made...and history WAS made. I feel very, very privilaged to have experienced this and to have the knowledge to hand down to the future generations. Someday, not far in the future, children will study in their history classes about this day...and I saw it first hand.
I know some people are scared about things...and others are thinking that the world is just gonna change overnight. It's not.
The things Obama stands for are what he's going to work towards. Many of those things are changes that may not happen in 4 years...or even 8. I just want the nation to sit back and ponder that. It will be better, changing gears. A new president, a new term, new ideas. Either nominee would have brought that to an extent. Everytime we change presidents, the nation shifts a little. I don't think this presidency will be anymore radical than JFK or Reagan or Lincoln...they did great things, but many of the things they did were just the beginnings...they got the ball rolling. The world will not change overnight. It takes a whole ton of people to make decisions in this country...it's not just the president. :)
I am just proud to be an American. To have the right to vote. It didn't matter who won this election. Don't dispair if your choice didn't win. Don't tell others that 'it's about time' the nation came to it's senses if your man won. This is a free country. It works BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS, POINTS OF VIEW, AND INDIVIDUAL VOICES. Allow others to be heard.
LISTEN. It's the most important thing you can do.
And go forward and DO what needs to be done.
Americans change America...not the President of the United States. He works for US...WE THE PEOPLE of the United States of America. God Bless this country and this world. :)
Our decorations for Halloween. Mom loves Halloween, but this year we went light. We have life size ghosts and witches that we place around, and some cobwebs...but we didn't get that all out this year. :)
My pumpkin was going to be a pirate ship, but my small knife broke half way through the process, so I just cut around the holes I already had and made the pumpkin into a moon and star. (mom's idea)
Here are some videos from our church's hayrack ride/campfire.
This video is of a smoldering oven mitt. One of our ladies made popcorn over the campfire and wore gloves with a puffy oven mitt over top and the oven mitt caught fire (and the popcorn burned) lol This is us getting the fire out with cola.
I was on the second Hayrack ride (we had too many people for just one). This is all of us, waiting to take the ride to the campfire site. :)
This is a very cute Christmas decoration that sings and the little puppy wags his tail. It just made me giggle. :)
I have 3 videos of partial songs. We sang a whole bunch of songs out there. :) I had the camera in a bad spot, I think, because the preteens next to the camera were talking and singing out of tune the whole time. LOL Oh well...the intonation doesn't really matter...it's all about the heart! (I'll have to try and remember to record us during services once, so you can get the full effect of all of us singing.) :)
First is "O Fill My Cup"
O fill my cup let it overflow.
(repeat 3 times)
Let if overflow with love!
Amazing grace how sweat the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found.
Was blind but now I see!
Next is "Sing Hallelujah to the Lord"
Vs.1: Sing hallelujah to the Lord...
Vs.2: Jesus is Risen from the dead...
Vs.3: Jesus is living in His church...
Vs.4: Jesus is Lord of Heaven and Earth...
Vs.5: He's coming back to claim His own...
Vs.6: Sing hallelujah to the Lord...
Lastly is "I Will Call Upon the Lord"
I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised
So shall I be saved from my enemies
The Lord liveth and blessed be the Rock
And let the God of my salvation be exalted
The Lord liveth and blessed be the Rock
And let the God of my salvation be exalted
I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised
So shall I be saved from my enemies
Show us a flag.
Currently, Iowa is in the midst of a major flood. When Iowans are in crisis, Iowans help Iowans. It's a beautiful thing. There are good people in Iowa and I am proud to be an Iowan.
next book in the 50 in 365 challenge:
another book read in 2008 :D
The 6th book in 2008
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