Is totally a senior!

Soooo.... today I finished the last assignment for school for this year. Which means.... I'M OFFICIALLY A SENIOR!!!! Oh yeah!!! Very excited about that! I'm so thankful that God gave me the strength to get through another year. A few times I didn't know if I really would make it. But God enabled me! =)

Summer plans are as follows: Work and save money for college, hang out with people from youth group, work and save money for college, sleep, work and save money for college, read some good books, work and save money for college, go on missions trip to Philadelphia with youth group, work and save money for college, and sneak in a few hours of school each week(hopefully) so I can get ahead for next year. Yeah, it'll be great. =P

And pretty much... yes this is a pointless post. But I'm so excited about being a senior I just wanted to scream it to the world. I'm done.

Frogs and Princes Part 1: Worthy of a Princess

When you become God's child, he becomes your daddy. God is the king of the universe. If your daddy is the king of kings, that makes you a princess. When a princess is ready to get married, she doesn't go to the dirtiest slums to find her husband. Her father who loves her dearly wouldn't allow it. In fact, he's decreed that she must only marry royalty. Why? Because she deserves nothing less!

As the daughter of the king of kings you deserve nothing less than a prince. When you settle for the slums, you're cheating yourself and distressing your daddy who loves you so much. But how do you know if a guy is a frog from the slums or a prince from the castle?

Obviously, this can be tricky because some of the slimiest frogs can appear to the be most charming princes. So don't just go for the first guy that comes your way. Seriously, if you're single, you WONT DIE! I know, hard to believe... but trust me, it's true.

I wont claim to have tons of experience with picking out good guys or anything. But here are a few characteristics of the Prince you should be waiting for.

A Prince worthy of a princess like you will respect you AND (this one might be a shocker) your future husband. Since he doesn't know if he's the one for you yet, he will be careful that every thing he does will honor you, God, and your future husband. He'll act like a protective big brother, trying to guard your heart from anything and anyone that might harm it (including himself). He'll seek to use your relationship to grow both of you closer to God. God will be WAY MORE important to him than you. He'll have a no compromise view of every aspect of life. And he'll encourage you to seek other people to keep you accountable. He'll help you learn to see yourself through God's eyes.

And if you are unsure about a guy, don't just ride on emotions. See counsel from a Godly woman with more experience. If there's one thing older women are great at, it's sniffing out the frogs.

I think the biggest key though is realizing how much you deserve in a guy not being willing to setting for anything lower. As the daughter of THE KING, wait for a prince worthy of your dad's daughter. One that will make your heavenly father proud to give you away.

Frogs and Princes Part 1: Stop Kissing Frogs

Growing up, we all knew the stories.
- A young orphan dancing in disguise until midnight. Then running into the night afraid of discovery, leaving behind no calling card except a delicate glass slipper.
- A beauty finds herself in a bewitched castle mastered by a hideous beast whom she vows to loath. But the gentle kindness that lurks under his skin shows through and she finds herself loving him despite his grotesque features. And he is transformed to appear outwardly as he is underneath.
- A princess lives a secluded life in the Forrest until her 16th birthday when she goes home to the castle. There she falls into an enchanted sleep at the prick of a poisoned needle.

What do all of these beloved stories have in common? A young girl, apparently of little consequence, strives to light up her world with her inward beauty and is saved from her not-so-great life by a prince.
But have you ever stopped to think about the fact that in our lovely collection of fairy tales there is one that doesn't belong?

A princess stumbles upon a frog; discovers that this frog has the abnormal ability to speak. He is in fact a prince under a spell, waiting for a kiss to break him free.

Wait a second... uhm what happened to the prince saving the damsel in distress? Why have we started kissing frogs? Girls, I suggest you stop kissing frogs. It may be a cute story at first glance. But take a second look. I haven't seen the movie 'The Princess and the Frog' but in an advertisement for it, after the frog asks with puppy dog eyes for a kiss the princess asks nervously, "Just one kiss?" With a not-so-innocent smile he replies, "Unless you beg for more!"

Doesn't this sound just like the 'frogs' you know? They ask for 'innocent' demonstrations of love but each one asks you to compromise a little more than the last. They make it sound so simple but what they ask for today - that small little favor- if you give in, they will tomorrow expect more.

Come on girls! Stop kissing frogs! Think about it... when you kiss them, do they really transform into the handsome prince they claim they are underneath? Or do you, the princess become a frog like them?

"But, I really think I can change him"
"But I really like him"
"But no one else wants me!"

Please, do yourself a favor and DON'T SETTLE FOR A BUT!

The frogs will come and go. They'll use you and leave you. So please, stop kissing frogs!