<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083</id><updated>2011-10-21T23:44:11.219-07:00</updated><category term='o'/><title type='text'>Placated By Post</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>48</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-3944687106324859866</id><published>2011-10-17T01:00:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-10-17T01:03:48.385-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Let My Heart be Forever Fixed Upon You</title><content type='html'>&lt;span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:&amp;quot;Calibri&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:&amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"&gt;Take my heart, oh God...take it and let it rest ever so deeply in you. For my love has taken it over, my love rests not and goes not away...and loving him more from far away, my heart, it hurts more with every passing day. Oh Love of my life, let me always be found in You. Show me of Your faithfulness, lead me to what's true.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-3944687106324859866?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/3944687106324859866/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2011/10/let-my-heart-be-forever-fixed-upon-you.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3944687106324859866'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3944687106324859866'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2011/10/let-my-heart-be-forever-fixed-upon-you.html' title='Let My Heart be Forever Fixed Upon You'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-3890973034319843720</id><published>2011-08-25T03:41:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-08-25T03:46:12.445-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Doctor &amp; Rose Tyler - True Love Exemplified</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TjutClFmAJc/TlYniMt_KoI/AAAAAAAADHE/JVYzYcUPfAg/s1600/rose__s_doctor_by_viria13-d3k6kv1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"&gt;&lt;img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 203px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TjutClFmAJc/TlYniMt_KoI/AAAAAAAADHE/JVYzYcUPfAg/s320/rose__s_doctor_by_viria13-d3k6kv1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644742651438639746" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Love is sweetest and defined most properly when it is given with no hope of return, with no expectation that you will receive anything other than the hurt and joy that springs from loving another person with all your heart, regardless of their flaws. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Regardless of their oblivion.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Regardless of whether they will not…&lt;strong style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;CANNOT &lt;/strong&gt;love you back.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Such was the case with Rose and the Doctor.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Sometimes love can be so obvious that one need not even say it but for the sake of assuring the other person.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Often though, the love is quiet, covered by manifold actions that should in fact display the love but instead rather smother it. Either because of ignorance or apathy or taking those things for granted.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Because sometimes when you’re as close to someone as the Doctor was with Rose, you don’t appreciate the relationship as you should.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Perhaps the story of Rose and the Doctor should make us more thankful for the special people in our lives.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Or make us realize that we should speak now and tell someone the truth about how we feel…&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;After all, Rose Tyler was brave. She choked back her faltering voice as she stood on the lonesome beach in the alternate universe and mustered up the courage to say what she needed to say. “I love you,” she told the Doctor, speaking through her tears. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;The Doctor smiled weakly, bitterly. Because although he loved her with both of his hearts, one of them was splitting in two from the pain of knowing that he could never live the rest of his life out with her. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Such is the immortal plight…to fall in love with a human is the most cruel thing their hearts can do to them.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;“Quite right too,” said he.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;He paused, briefly thinking about whether he should say it before he made his decision.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;“And I suppose, it it’s my last chance to say it,” he began, “Rose Tyler…”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;But then his image faded from her sight forever, being swept back into the TARDIS because his time there was up.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;He stood there in the TARDIS, heart waning and hope destroyed. Oh, he was a fool, a terrible fool. A terrible fool who had succumbed to the heartbreaking realism of love. All his dreams that he wished to come true were but naught, his happy ending could never happen because it would not be an ending nor a beginning, but somehow nothing but an eternity without the love of his long and experienced immortal existence. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;He could not make her happy. He could only be happy that she would be able to be happy with his clone, the man with a human heart rather than his own alien pair of hearts.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Tears streaming down his cheeks, he raised his eyes toward the heavens as if begging for one last chance for everything to be made right again, to have mercy on this his wounded excuse for a man, raging against his immortal soul.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;He was beaten. He walked away. Away from Rose his eternal love and the life she now lived with him and without him at the same time. He was unable to give her love and unable to receive it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Still, he was thankful he knew Rose. He had not a single regret. He was better for having known her. For having loved her and experiencing her love for him while they were able to express it, back when they had their many adventures together.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Perhaps Shakespeare was right… &lt;strong style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;The Doctor never forgot Rose Tyler, as she never forgot him.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Perhaps we were all so amazed and saddened at the events that took place over the course of their relationship because it was not a normal love affair at all.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Oh no, it was much bigger. For the Doctor in all his immortal brilliance bestowed his love on a human girl although she was certainly not deserving of it at all, didn’t expect it at all. And the girl, loving the Doctor through her loyalty and faithfulness to him, proved again and again during their adventures in the TARDIS. He protected her, just as she saved him. Their love was otherworldly.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;You see, the ending to their love story, although not ideal, was not a failure.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;For true love is not that which always experiences happy endings where movie audiences are overjoyed and applaud at the end.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;No, true love is sacrificing your own happiness for the benefit of the other. Rose and the Doctor both demonstrated this throughout their series of adventures as well as their reunion on the beach.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;True love is loving the other so wholeheartedly that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you will do what’s best for them no matter what.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;That you will want what’s best for them no matter what.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Even if that doesn’t include you.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "&gt;&lt;strong style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;&lt;em style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; "&gt;Perhaps the Doctor loved Rose Tyler with his two hearts more than any other has loved a woman in the history of all the world.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-3890973034319843720?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='related' href='http://viria13.deviantart.com/art/Rose-s-Doctor-215297821' title='The Doctor &amp; Rose Tyler - True Love Exemplified'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/3890973034319843720/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2011/08/doctor-rose-tyler-true-love-exemplified.html#comment-form' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3890973034319843720'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3890973034319843720'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2011/08/doctor-rose-tyler-true-love-exemplified.html' title='The Doctor &amp; Rose Tyler - True Love Exemplified'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TjutClFmAJc/TlYniMt_KoI/AAAAAAAADHE/JVYzYcUPfAg/s72-c/rose__s_doctor_by_viria13-d3k6kv1.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-832762796743247867</id><published>2011-08-17T00:39:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-08-17T01:02:14.668-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Thinking...</title><content type='html'>Sometimes I think I do this sort of thing too much. Contemplate, that is. I wonder and I wander, I think and I meditate and and every now and then I lose myself in the world of "what-if's." &lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;What if my life were different? ...Majorly different. What would I be doing now?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Oohrite. I'd probably be asleep.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;And not up after midnight, thinking...&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Wondering...&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Wishing...&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;What if I was a different person? Would you love me then?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;What if I had a different family life? An easier, more blissful one.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Family problems stink. I wish they didn't exist. I wish sin didn't exist.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;What if I could re-wind to last year and live as I did then? For I was really and truly happy last year, and the first few months of this year. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Sure, I'm still happy. It just doesn't feel the same sometimes. I don't feel overflowing with gladness or joy or thankfulness like I usually do. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;I feel that way right now.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Maybe that's because I'm a crazy person who stays up til the wee hours of the morning writing blog posts about nothing, just whatever I'm thinking, because I'm not motivated enough to go upstairs and grab my journal instead.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Or maybe I'm a cruel, cruel person who enjoys subjecting her dear sweet friends to such nonsense nothingness.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Right, that must be it.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;I want something to change.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;I need some motivation. Not just the kind that keeps me going through the day, but the kind of motivation that allows me to just STOP thinking about everything I've done wrong and everything I could've should've would've done right, if I had only made the right choice. I always think about those things at night.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;They enter my mind before I sleep.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;And I eventually drift away, but not before I pray.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Pray and praise God that "tomorrow is another day."&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;It's not that I haven't forgiven myself.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;I just have too much to think about, I suppose.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Hopefully none of you will see this horrid blog post.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;But if you do, please pray for me.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Pray that God will show me what He wants me to do.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;I know, really vague. Man, my style is rather off so late at night, dontcha think?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Random side note: I've been reading too many Beverly Lewis Amish novels. I want to visit Lancaster County. And Europe (although the latter is not at all related; I've wanted to travel to Europe ever since I was young).&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Bye everyone. Hopefully my next blog post shall be more immediate and cohesive. :)&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-832762796743247867?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/832762796743247867/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2011/08/thinking.html#comment-form' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/832762796743247867'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/832762796743247867'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2011/08/thinking.html' title='Thinking...'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-3147690130523408485</id><published>2011-05-19T23:14:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-05-19T23:27:49.248-07:00</updated><title type='text'>A Most Needed Update</title><content type='html'>So I'm posting this because I pretty much...feel really lame about never updating since July 2010. By now my sorry little unkempt blog must be long forgotten. And those of you who clicked this link because you stumbled across it in your Google Reader queue can attest to this. ;) For the rest of you who haven't read my blog before, hi! I'm glad you made the time to read this post of pure drivel. My name on here is Beth, but that's just one of my many nicknames. Those of you who know me probably call me by Liz or Lizzie - two of my favoritest nicknames in the whole world. :) Well, I originally started this blog as an "everything" blog, but I got terribly lazy and posted mainly poetry and songs that I've written throughout the couple years I've had it. But I love to blog about all kinds of things (at least, I know I'd LOVE to), and I just need to give myself a 'little' kick to get to where I want to be in that area.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So, I'm thinking of trying to upkeep this blog in addition to starting another one that will be more generally targeted toward everyday things - tips and info and humorous posts, while this one I would leave for more serious-oriented musings, poetry and such. I haven't come to a decision yet, however - would you do me a favor and weigh in with your thoughts? :)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Thanks so much! You will be seeing more regular updates here until I come to a decision one way or another (and please pardon the atrocious grammar and sentence structure in this post, sometimes a busy journalist/writer's work tires out her poor wee little brain by 11:30PM).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Toodles!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-3147690130523408485?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/3147690130523408485/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2011/05/most-needed-update.html#comment-form' title='4 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3147690130523408485'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3147690130523408485'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2011/05/most-needed-update.html' title='A Most Needed Update'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>4</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-9021167594979260222</id><published>2010-07-29T10:07:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-07-29T10:39:06.134-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Little Songs &amp; Smiles</title><content type='html'>This past week, I've been writing some fun little ditties for my friend. It's been fun to see what I come up with in 10 minutes.&lt;br /&gt;A few of them are posted below. Enjoy, comment, and let me know...if you ever want me to write you something. ;)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sunny Day&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It's a day full of sunshine,&lt;br /&gt;A day to be free.&lt;br /&gt;A day to smile,&lt;br /&gt;Wherever you may be.&lt;br /&gt;You've got a wish,&lt;br /&gt;I've got a dream.&lt;br /&gt;Let's run down to Boardwalk&lt;br /&gt;And splash in the stream.&lt;br /&gt;You've got a picnic,&lt;br /&gt;I've got a map.&lt;br /&gt;Let's take a walk,&lt;br /&gt;We'll make it a snap!&lt;br /&gt;Night falls, we tiptoe&lt;br /&gt;But we're too loud&lt;br /&gt;We're havin' too much fun&lt;br /&gt;To notice there isn't a crowd.&lt;br /&gt;Singing songs, peals of laughter&lt;br /&gt;Echo from the deck.&lt;br /&gt;It's just a mirage,&lt;br /&gt;But this chapter ain't over yet.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Simple Joy&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There's no way that I&lt;br /&gt;Can pinpoint the reason why,&lt;br /&gt;When my spirits are down,&lt;br /&gt;Just a smile from you lifts them high.&lt;br /&gt;There's no way to begin to investigate&lt;br /&gt;The simple Joy I get&lt;br /&gt;When we talk and stay up late.&lt;br /&gt;And I honestly don't know how -&lt;br /&gt;This feeling is happening now.&lt;br /&gt;For so long there was a time&lt;br /&gt;Where I never thought you would be mine&lt;br /&gt;And you, you should know, all thoughts aside,&lt;br /&gt;That I want to be the one who won't give up...&lt;br /&gt;I'm sitting here, waiting for the tide. :)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Part Where Lizzie Comes Out And Sings A Silly Song&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I wake up just to hear ya singin'&lt;br /&gt;Roll outta bed just to think of you&lt;br /&gt;Is that my phone that's dancin' while it's ringin',&lt;br /&gt;We're gonna talk, 'cause it's way underdue.&lt;br /&gt;You might be the one that I'm waitin' for,&lt;br /&gt;And who knows what life will bring on.&lt;br /&gt;All I need is a plane ticket to Florida,&lt;br /&gt;Five seconds notice 'til I'm packed and gone.&lt;br /&gt;You're just like the sunshine in the mornin',&lt;br /&gt;With enough light to brighten my day.&lt;br /&gt;You're just like the sugar in my coffee,&lt;br /&gt;putting a bounce in my walk every step of the way.&lt;br /&gt;And I don't know this thing you've got about you,&lt;br /&gt;Spent so many nights wishin' I knew.&lt;br /&gt;Maybe it's the way you laugh,&lt;br /&gt;Or the way you drink half n' half.&lt;br /&gt;Maybe it's the way you set the room on fire,&lt;br /&gt;Maybe it's the way that you take me higher.&lt;br /&gt;Maybe it's the way, maybe it's the way youuu...&lt;br /&gt;Make me smile all darn day! :)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Oh My Dear&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Oh my dear,&lt;br /&gt;It seems you've got a lot to say.&lt;br /&gt;Oh my dear,&lt;br /&gt;please bring me a sunny day.&lt;br /&gt;Oh my dear,&lt;br /&gt;you're sweet, my only.&lt;br /&gt;See you smile,&lt;br /&gt;are you happy to have known me?&lt;br /&gt;I am sure it's been way too long,&lt;br /&gt;darlin', since I last wrote you a song.&lt;br /&gt;So here's to you,&lt;br /&gt;here's to me.&lt;br /&gt;Here's to everything&lt;br /&gt;we can't see.&lt;br /&gt;Here's to us,&lt;br /&gt;because we're friends.&lt;br /&gt;Here's to a love that never ends. &lt;3&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-9021167594979260222?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/9021167594979260222/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2010/07/little-songs-smiles.html#comment-form' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/9021167594979260222'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/9021167594979260222'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2010/07/little-songs-smiles.html' title='Little Songs &amp; Smiles'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-3179660484471268666</id><published>2010-05-26T22:35:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-05-27T00:17:53.096-07:00</updated><title type='text'>A Song For Brenna</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/S_4chEuhxSI/AAAAAAAACvc/cYl2U7qIBUA/s1600/yayy.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/S_4chEuhxSI/AAAAAAAACvc/cYl2U7qIBUA/s320/yayy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475845551459255586" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For one of my very best friends, Brenna Marie Bakke - Happy Birthday to you, my wonderful 5-year-younger twin, with all my love. &lt;3&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here we are, having the best days of our lives&lt;br /&gt;See our smiles that are lighting up the nights&lt;br /&gt;Never knew such a wonderful girl in my life (until you)&lt;br /&gt;Now and then, and again I think back&lt;br /&gt;Remembering all the things I lacked&lt;br /&gt;Before I found you&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I found you, dearest&lt;br /&gt;I found you, gorgeous&lt;br /&gt;I found you, comrade&lt;br /&gt;And a girl on fire for God&lt;br /&gt;The day I met you&lt;br /&gt;Who would've ever knew&lt;br /&gt;That it was the start of something&lt;br /&gt;Greater than we dreamed&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I have been so blessed&lt;br /&gt;You name me among your best&lt;br /&gt;I couldn't ask for anything more&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here you are, having the best day of your life&lt;br /&gt;I wish I could see your smile light up the night&lt;br /&gt;I've never had a more precious friend in my life (than you)&lt;br /&gt;Now is the present, and I don't wanna live in the past&lt;br /&gt;I treasure every moment with you, and I'm gonna make this time last&lt;br /&gt;Because I found you&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I found you, darling&lt;br /&gt;I found you, lovely&lt;br /&gt;I found you, bestie&lt;br /&gt;And a girl who rocked to Skillet&lt;br /&gt;I'm so happy God brought me to&lt;br /&gt;That day that I finally met you&lt;br /&gt;Because it was the start of this&lt;br /&gt;Awesomely epic 5-year-apart twinness&lt;br /&gt;And what we are today&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am so blessed&lt;br /&gt;You name me among your best&lt;br /&gt;I couldn't ask for anything more (except adoption)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I found you&lt;br /&gt;My beautiful Brenna&lt;br /&gt;I'm so happy I met ya&lt;br /&gt;God gives the best gifts!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Now let's sing this song again&lt;br /&gt;The next time we meet&lt;br /&gt;And we'll dance in the rain&lt;br /&gt;And praise His glorious,&lt;br /&gt;Marvelous, wonderful name (Jesus)!   :)&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-3179660484471268666?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/3179660484471268666/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2010/05/song-for-brenna.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3179660484471268666'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3179660484471268666'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2010/05/song-for-brenna.html' title='A Song For Brenna'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/S_4chEuhxSI/AAAAAAAACvc/cYl2U7qIBUA/s72-c/yayy.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-1268287098076909611</id><published>2010-04-04T16:11:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-04T16:24:34.558-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Rock My World!</title><content type='html'>Half an hour ago as I sat here in front of my computer, I suddenly felt some pretty intense shaking. The truth was undeniable - we were having yet another earthquake! The last shake-up we had was March 16. Today, the Lord saw fit to give us another Easter Surprise - a 6.9 earthquake rolling in from Mexicali  and Baja California, felt throughout SoCal! The quake set high-rise buildings in both San Diego and LA rocking from side to side. Fortunately, there have been no damage or power outages reported due to the earthquake, and we have yet to hear of any damage or injuries. According to Fox News 11, the only minor delays the quake has caused so far are a couple of stalled elevators. The earthquake lasted 45 seconds and was felt as far away as Phoenix, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada! Praise the Lord for His faithfulness and protection!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-1268287098076909611?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/1268287098076909611/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2010/04/rock-my-world.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1268287098076909611'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1268287098076909611'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2010/04/rock-my-world.html' title='Rock My World!'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-1373844182715473481</id><published>2010-02-03T15:11:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2010-02-03T15:17:45.935-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Elusive Dreams</title><content type='html'>I remember those days&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The ones when you were mine&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The nights we were sure&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We would stop time&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When we had faith and believed&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Anything could be achieved&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We knew we loved deeply&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But the road caved steeply&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And when we came to again&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We watched for the next bend&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And we were happy forever&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Because nothing else was better&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In our own parallel universe&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Yet we inherited the curse&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The brood of lust and lies&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Consuming everything with their eyes&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Killed us, slowly eating away&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;At every true love we wanted to stay&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And we broke promises, dashed our dreams&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Upon decievingly gentle flowing streams&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But together we pressed on&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Assured that we weren't wrong&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If only we had known&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Hurt we'd feel&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Would soon be shown&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Where did we go?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It came on so fast&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But we stumbled so quickly&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hitting the all-time low&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;How did we become&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So entirely undone&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I remember those days&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The ones when you were mine&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The nights we were sure&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We would stop time&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What happened to faith?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Why did we give up the race?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tonight we're singing out loud&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Darling, we were so wrong&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;To trust anyone but our God.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-1373844182715473481?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/1373844182715473481/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2010/02/elusive-dreams.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1373844182715473481'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1373844182715473481'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2010/02/elusive-dreams.html' title='Elusive Dreams'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-7405818200632946871</id><published>2010-01-31T17:41:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2010-01-31T17:53:58.796-08:00</updated><title type='text'>A Blast From The Past</title><content type='html'>So today, I was looking through some memories from long ago. Papers I wrote years back, and drawings and sketches and silly little "perfect husband" lists I made, all saved in a single crowded filing box. One such poem I wrote years back I am fondly, if somewhat embarrassingly, posting here.&lt;br /&gt;I wrote this one when I was twelve years old. 6 years ago. So much has changed since then.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Morning Prayer&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dear Jesus,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thank-you for keeping me safely through the night,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;So I could once again see the lovely morning's light.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Please forgive me for the tears I caused you yesterday,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Help me to draw closer in my walk with You each day.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Let me have you for my light,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;As I walk through the darkness of the night.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Give me the strength to obey, come what may.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Help me to honor you in all I do and say, &lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;And to witness for you each and every day.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;In Your name I pray,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Amen.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-7405818200632946871?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/7405818200632946871/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2010/01/blast-from-past.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/7405818200632946871'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/7405818200632946871'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2010/01/blast-from-past.html' title='A Blast From The Past'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-2142018360428877997</id><published>2009-12-22T22:22:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-23T17:02:52.921-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Beauty Lies Within the Sinner</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/SzKwOW7WlVI/AAAAAAAAAUI/NYpFk-vQvnQ/s1600-h/44710-bigthumbnail.jpg"&gt;&lt;img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418587062399309138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/SzKwOW7WlVI/AAAAAAAAAUI/NYpFk-vQvnQ/s320/44710-bigthumbnail.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;The following lyrics are the words to the song "Imperfection" by Skillet.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;But they go far deeper than mere words. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;They are a truth - one that so many hurting, broken and lonely people need to hear every day.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;The people that need to be told or reminded of this truth are people that you encounter every day - they may be your friends, your family, your neighbors. Fellow Christians in need of encouragement and love.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;You can make a great difference in their life today by speaking this simple truth to them.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Let's discover what truth is told behind the words in "Imperfection".&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;You're worth so much&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;It'll never be enough&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;To see what you have to give&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, the speaker begins by stating the inexplicable worth of their friend, and the inevitable blindness their friend has to what a significant impact he makes in the world. I know many of us find it hard to fully explain just how vaulable our friends are. Friends who are amazing and awesome in every way possible cannot even begin to comprehend their importance to us and to others, let alone to Christ.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;How beautiful you are&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Yet seem so far from everything&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;You're wanting to be&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;You're wanting to be&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;The speaker voices the truth about his friend's own self-image. Here, the speaker is in awe at how lovely and radiant and precious their friend is, and yet with disbelief acknowledges the fact that their friend simply cannot see her beauty with her own eyes - she has done so many wrongs, and she doesn't feel like she'll ever be good enough for anyone.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Tears falling down again&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Tears falling down&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sadness every one of us are all too familiar with...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;You fall to your knees&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;You beg, you plead&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Can I be somebody else&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;For all the times I hate myself?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Your failures devour your heart&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;His friend is beating herself over the head. How many times have each of us experienced these same feelings of guilt, of hurt, of pain, of frustration with our own lives? We often wish we could go back and relive the past to reverse the mistakes we have made. We curse ourselves and our stupididty. We live in constant fear of turning into something worse than we have been because of our own previous and present faults.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;In every hour, you're drowning&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;In your imperfection&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;She's living in the irreversible past full of sins she's committed, for she can't forgive herself for what she's done and wipe the slate clean. She's struggling to find meaning in her "pitiful muck of a life" she's created for herself. With every moment, she longs for freedom from these chains...if only she knew how to get it, for it's obvious she cannot achieve it herself....and yet, perhaps if she just keeps trying, she'll find another way to live in liberty from bondage.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;You mean so much&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;That heaven would touch&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;The face of humankind for you&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Here, the speaker shares with their friend how incredible the Amazing Grace of God is. To imagine, that The Lord of all the earth would allow His Son to come to earth for HER. Christ Jesus Himself knew of her sin and yet He still bore all her sin upon His own body, and He bled and died a horrific death to redeem her! He was the Atonement for her wrongdoings, and as a result, He is her Salvation. He is her True Love, for greater Love has no man than this: That He lay down His life for His friends. Jesus considers her His friend! His love is deeper than the deepest ocean, and it endures forever. For out of love did He give this ultimate gift for His people. HER. She was worth His every pain, His dying breath to Him. That's how much He loves her. So He does with every one of us.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;How special you are&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Revel in your day&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;You're fearfully and wonderfully made&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;You're wonderfully made&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;The speaker further explains to his friend how great her worth is. &lt;strong&gt;GOD&lt;/strong&gt; really loved her. To sacrifice His all, His Child, for HER. And that Child in turn suffering a torturous death for her of His own free will. Now THAT'S &lt;strong&gt;LOVE&lt;/strong&gt;. He also made her in His own image. Now that's special. To be made in God's image. Fearfully and wonderfully made. To be loved just as she is.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Tears falling down again&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Come let the healing begin&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Only &lt;strong&gt;ONE&lt;/strong&gt; can rescue her from this mess. It is He who loves her like none else can or ever will. The Redeemer. He who died out of His love for her. She must accept His gift and His promise of unceasing faithfulness. She has to allow Him to break her chains, for He holds the key.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;You fall to your knees&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;You beg, you plead&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Can I be somebody else&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;For all the times I hate myself?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Your failures devour your heart&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;In every hour, you're drowning&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;In your imperfection&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Echoes her every haunting fear&lt;strong&gt;...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;You're worth so much&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;So easily crushed&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;She is so special, but she falls wearily under her burden. She is disillusioned with life. She bends under the pressure. Feels like the weight of the world...will it ever go away?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Wanna be like everyone else&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;No one escapes&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Every breath we take&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Dealing with our own skeletons, skeletons&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;She wants to fit in with the crowd. To be poured out of a mold. Perhaps then, she will finally be satisfied with life. But she's unaware of the truth; the truth being that everyone struggles with the same sort of failures and past mistakes. We all try to rid ourselves of them, in vain. When we do not succeed of doing so ourselves, we must find ourselves in the all-powerful hope of Christ to erase them, and heal us.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;You fall to your knees&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;You beg, you plead&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Can I be somebody else&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;For all the times I hate myself?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Your failures devour your heart&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;In every hour, you're drowning&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;In your imperfection&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;The ghosts are ever present...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Won't you believe, yeah&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Won't you believe, yeah&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;All the things I see in you&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;He implores her to open up her eyes and look at her own beauty. She is so precious to him, and precious in the eyes of God.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;You're not the only one&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;You're not the only one&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Drowning in imperfection&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;She's not alone. We all do the same at one time or another, so lost in our endless mistakes. So many others are hurting and helpless, but despite their struggles, they cannot gain their liberation from sin on their own. They, like she, must surrender their chains to Jesus, who is able to set the captives free from slavery to sin. She has a choice to make. To attempt her own escape from the Nightmare, or to breathe and live anew.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Jesus spoke. He said, &lt;span style="color:#ff6666;"&gt;"Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest."&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff6666;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff6666;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;She did.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;I did.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;The question is, will you?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Will you surrender it all?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="color:#33ffff;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="color:#33ffff;"&gt;Breathe and live anew.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-2142018360428877997?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/2142018360428877997/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/12/beauty-lies-within-sinner.html#comment-form' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/2142018360428877997'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/2142018360428877997'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/12/beauty-lies-within-sinner.html' title='Beauty Lies Within the Sinner'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/SzKwOW7WlVI/AAAAAAAAAUI/NYpFk-vQvnQ/s72-c/44710-bigthumbnail.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-56602448114735318</id><published>2009-11-24T20:25:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-09T23:11:39.338-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Never Be The Same</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;I wrote this poem for a someone very dear to me. She is my best friend, my sister, and my gushing buddy. She is...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;beautiful.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I remember when I looked her in the eyes&lt;br /&gt;It was the very first time&lt;br /&gt;And I couldn't pull myself away&lt;br /&gt;She was a beautiful angel&lt;br /&gt;She was a bundle of laughter&lt;br /&gt;Safely brought into the world&lt;br /&gt;She became calm and smiled&lt;br /&gt;Grasped my thumb with her whole hand&lt;br /&gt;And in that moment I knew&lt;br /&gt;My heart was forever hers&lt;br /&gt;Her innocence was so pure&lt;br /&gt;And I rejoiced, I was glad&lt;br /&gt;I danced in the song of my God&lt;br /&gt;And praised His name&lt;br /&gt;His Joy was mine&lt;br /&gt;Forever&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Oh&lt;br /&gt;Just look at her&lt;br /&gt;Look at her now&lt;br /&gt;She is alive&lt;br /&gt;Oh just think of her&lt;br /&gt;Think of all she can be&lt;br /&gt;She's going to be&lt;br /&gt;Someone's happiness&lt;br /&gt;The reason why&lt;br /&gt;They love God&lt;br /&gt;She'll make a difference&lt;br /&gt;Somehow in some way&lt;br /&gt;And the world will never be the same&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I still think back to last December&lt;br /&gt;The night when she first met my eyes&lt;br /&gt;I hadn't felt so speechless in awhile&lt;br /&gt;She was a beautiful angel&lt;br /&gt;She was a radiant beam of light&lt;br /&gt;Reflecting His amazing love&lt;br /&gt;She laughed with me and smiled&lt;br /&gt;Clasped her warm hand in mine&lt;br /&gt;And in that moment I knew&lt;br /&gt;My heart was forever hers&lt;br /&gt;Our friendship would endure&lt;br /&gt;And I raised my voice, I was glad&lt;br /&gt;I danced in the song of my Redeemer&lt;br /&gt;And praised His name&lt;br /&gt;His Joy was mine&lt;br /&gt;Forever&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Oh&lt;br /&gt;Just look at her&lt;br /&gt;Look at her now&lt;br /&gt;She is alive&lt;br /&gt;Oh just think of her&lt;br /&gt;Think of all she is to me&lt;br /&gt;She's going to be&lt;br /&gt;Someone's happiness&lt;br /&gt;The reason why&lt;br /&gt;They're in love with God&lt;br /&gt;She makes a difference&lt;br /&gt;In lives around her every day&lt;br /&gt;And my world will never be the same&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I recall the heartbreak I first knew&lt;br /&gt;When I heard the tearful cries&lt;br /&gt;Of a mother so hopeless and afraid&lt;br /&gt;She said she was selfish and unkind&lt;br /&gt;She determined to give her gift up&lt;br /&gt;Before the term "baby" could change her mind&lt;br /&gt;I held that woman and gazed into her face&lt;br /&gt;Pleaded and begged her to retreat&lt;br /&gt;From this deed she could never erase&lt;br /&gt;She asked me what love really meant&lt;br /&gt;And in that moment I knew&lt;br /&gt;God's promise was forever hers&lt;br /&gt;Precious child was safe and secure&lt;br /&gt;It was her choice, and she was glad&lt;br /&gt;She danced in the song of her Savior&lt;br /&gt;His Joy was hers&lt;br /&gt;Forever&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She said&lt;br /&gt;Oh&lt;br /&gt;Just look at her&lt;br /&gt;Look at her now&lt;br /&gt;She is alive&lt;br /&gt;Oh just think of&lt;br /&gt;of what she means to me&lt;br /&gt;She's going to be&lt;br /&gt;Someone's happiness&lt;br /&gt;The reason why&lt;br /&gt;They're in love with God&lt;br /&gt;She made all the difference&lt;br /&gt;In my own life today&lt;br /&gt;And the world will never be the same&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Oh&lt;br /&gt;Just look at her&lt;br /&gt;Look at her now&lt;br /&gt;She is alive&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-56602448114735318?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='enclosure' type='' href='http://survivors.la/educate-ld.asp' length='0'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/56602448114735318/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/11/never-be-same_24.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/56602448114735318'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/56602448114735318'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/11/never-be-same_24.html' title='Never Be The Same'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-5989860668437775363</id><published>2009-11-16T08:50:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-11-16T09:00:50.910-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Chosen</title><content type='html'>It's time&lt;br /&gt;It's time to break&lt;br /&gt;From this pattern&lt;br /&gt;I've been stuck in&lt;br /&gt;It's way past due&lt;br /&gt;To wait another day&lt;br /&gt;I've grown so&lt;br /&gt;Accostomed to this place&lt;br /&gt;I seem to be frozen&lt;br /&gt;My mind assumed&lt;br /&gt;All my world was broken&lt;br /&gt;My soul cried silently&lt;br /&gt;Calling out for closure&lt;br /&gt;Couldn't bear to break free&lt;br /&gt;From the life I'd chosen&lt;br /&gt;Now I know truth&lt;br /&gt;And I am alive&lt;br /&gt;Feeling my oxygen&lt;br /&gt;From the inside&lt;br /&gt;I can breathe&lt;br /&gt;Chains are gone&lt;br /&gt;Now I am free&lt;br /&gt;Looking at you&lt;br /&gt;It's hard to believe&lt;br /&gt;You are the one&lt;br /&gt;I've been waiting for&lt;br /&gt;Searching for me all along&lt;br /&gt;He shut what I wanted&lt;br /&gt;And made you the open door&lt;br /&gt;I reach out&lt;br /&gt;Can it be that it is you&lt;br /&gt;Will you care or say&lt;br /&gt;You can live without&lt;br /&gt;It's time&lt;br /&gt;It's time to stand in faith&lt;br /&gt;I dissolve my fear&lt;br /&gt;Let Him guide our way&lt;br /&gt;Somehow we both know&lt;br /&gt;We'll have True Love someday.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-5989860668437775363?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/5989860668437775363/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/11/its-time-its-time-to-break-from-this.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/5989860668437775363'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/5989860668437775363'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/11/its-time-its-time-to-break-from-this.html' title='Chosen'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-3383085802483988803</id><published>2009-10-01T10:31:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-01T11:12:18.491-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Prize Of Great Price: "A Woman's Question" by Lena Lathrop</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;This poem is a favorite of mine, and is featured in Joshua Harris' bestselling book &lt;em&gt;I Kissed Dating Goodbye.  &lt;/em&gt;It serves as a special reminder to keep one's standards high. Though its wording may be old-fashioned, the message is timeless, as it applies to all of us today.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Woman's Question&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do you know you have asked for the costliest thing&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ever made by the hand above?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A woman's heart, and a woman's life--&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And a woman's wonderful love.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do you know you have asked for this priceless thing&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As a child might ask for a toy?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Demanding what others have died to win&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;With the reckless dash of a boy.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You have written my lesson of duty out,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Manlike, you have questioned me. &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now stand at the bars of my woman's soul&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Until I shall question thee.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You require your mutton shall always be hot,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Your socks and your shirt be whole;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I require your heart be as true as God's stars&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And as pure as His heaven your soul.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You require a cook for your mutton and beef,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I require a far greater thing;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A seamstress you're wanting for socks and shirts---&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I look for a man and a king.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A king for the beautiful realm called Home,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And a man that his Maker, God,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shall look upon as he did on the first&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And say: "It is very good."&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I am fair and young, but the rose may fade&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From this soft young cheek one day;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Will you love me then, 'mid the falling leaves&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As you did 'mong the blossoms of May?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is your heart an ocean so strong and true,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I may launch my all on its tide?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A loving woman finds heaven or hell&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;On the day she is made a bride.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I require all things that are grand and true,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;All things that a man should be;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If you give this all, I would stake my life&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To be all you demand of me.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If you cannot be this, a laundress and cook&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You can hire and little to pay;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But a woman's heart and a woman's life&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Are not to be won that way.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-3383085802483988803?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/3383085802483988803/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/10/prize-of-great-price-womans-question-by.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3383085802483988803'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3383085802483988803'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/10/prize-of-great-price-womans-question-by.html' title='The Prize Of Great Price: &quot;A Woman&apos;s Question&quot; by Lena Lathrop'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-7834739297078654291</id><published>2009-09-30T13:46:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-30T13:59:04.541-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Reasons I Believe In Life</title><content type='html'>&lt;em&gt;I listed my reasons for being pro-life and why I stand so strongly against abortion on a discussion forum about two months ago. Here, I have re-posted the very same reasons I stated in order that you may understand my stance against abortion.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rest assured that there are more posts on this topic to come in the future, but as for now,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;I hope this inspires you to examine closely what you believe regarding abortion and why.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am pro-life because of several reasons.&lt;br /&gt;1. Because I am a Christian, and God has called me as a part of His family to give Him glory by standing up against abortion, and fighting for what's right. God has clearly commanded throughout the Bible that murder is wrong.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;2. What Christ did for me on the cross was the ultimate sacrifice; giving up His life so that I could live. I would gladly do the same for an unborn baby that has yet to have a chance to live and breathe and grow outside the womb. Being the voice of truth for souls that are brutally killed every day is the least I can do for my Lord.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;3. Murder is illegal in the U.S., with the exception of abortion. But that's just it, the government and society as a whole label this horriffic procedure "abortion" and "choice", instead of calling it what it is, murder. Abortion is murder, and therefore should be made illegal.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;4. One of my best friends, Angelique, who works with Survivors LA, was very nearly aborted 18 years ago during her 7th month of development inside the womb. Her biological mother, who was native to India, had just lost her husband in a tragic accident and would be in disgrace with her family because according to the rules of her culture, a woman, along with her immediate family, would be considered an outcast if she had too many daughters. She already had 2 daughters and decided to go to the abortion clinic in Downey California and have an abortion. If it were not for a pro-life activist who stood barring her way outside the abortion clinic and reasoning with her, my best friend would not be alive today. I never would have known her smile or heard her laugh. I never would've met her, because she would have been killed in that abortion clinic a long time ago. Her life makes a difference in this world, and she brings beauty and purpose and meaning and joy into the world every day. She has changed the lives of countless others and saved the lives of beautiful unborn souls through her work with Pro-life activist groups and at the crisis pregnancy couseling center she visits nearly every day. She is determined to see to it that abortion will end during her lifetime. She will not die until it does. She is the best friend I've ever had and the best person you could ever meet, and she is amazing. Angelique is just one example of the hundreds of lives that would make a difference in this world, given the chance to be born and breathe and bring joy into the world. Everyone deserves that chance.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;5. Over 1/3 of my generation has been killed as a result of the Roe v. Wade decision on Januray 22, 1973. Since that day, over 51, 734, 692 innocent babies have been brutally murdered in the U.S. alone. 3, 000 tiny human beings are killed every day. This mass murder must stop.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-7834739297078654291?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/7834739297078654291/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/09/reasons-i-believe-in-life.html#comment-form' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/7834739297078654291'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/7834739297078654291'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/09/reasons-i-believe-in-life.html' title='Reasons I Believe In Life'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-3133492202053650585</id><published>2009-09-28T10:39:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-28T20:17:34.735-07:00</updated><title type='text'>A Promise Is Forever</title><content type='html'>The past few weeks, I have been doing alot of thinking in regards to marriage and the Biblical commands surrounding the institution of one man and one woman joining in inseparable union with one another.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Notice that I used the word inseparable. I'm using that word specifically in that sentence to primarily clarify that God did not intend marriage to be treated carelessly, and secondly, to address the general perspective that many Christians, myself until this morning included, have toward divorce and remarriage.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Sadly, many of us are altogether ignorant of God's original plan for marriage.&lt;br /&gt;To understand the institution of marriage as God DID create it to be, we need to flip over to Genesis 2:20-24. What we read here is quite simplistic and God-glorifying.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found a helpmeet for him."&lt;br /&gt;So here's Adam, and he's the only one of his kind. He's the only person in the whole world. Have you ever felt utterly lonely? That's nothing compared to the inexplicable emptiness he must've been feeling. Animals just couldn't cut it, whether they were able to talk or not. Of course he had God, but he still needed someone to help him with all the tasks God bestowed upon him. Having dominion "over all the earth" (Gen. 1:26) is a relatively ongoing , difficult challenge for just one man.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Fortunately, God had a wonderful solution for Adam's lack of intelligent company.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead therof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Adam must've done a double take when he saw her. They were made for each other, a perfect union as only a union God could bring together.&lt;br /&gt;He proceeded to make the most beautiful speech in the world.&lt;br /&gt;"And Adam said, " 'This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.' "&lt;br /&gt;This was Adam's dedication speech of his newfound love and marriage in the very presence of God, acknowledging that He had created this holy union of matrimony to be everlasting.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bone of my bones...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She shared the same species and intricate mind and complex design that he did.&lt;br /&gt;He was amazed, and yet completely understood the concept.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;and flesh of my flesh...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;They were forever one, united in body and soul. Husband and Wife.&lt;br /&gt;No other earthly relationship can even compare to the intimate bond between two lovers in the marriage relationship. Yes, lovers. When God brought Man and Woman together, He did not intend that marriage should be a state of loveless convenience. His perfect design for marriage included not only respect and companionship but also LOVE! Marriage is meant for lovers. Adam loved Woman the moment God brought her to him in marriage. She was created for him to love and cherish. She was the only one for him. Just as God created the first Man and Woman for each other, He also has created a one and only for you. I know there is a one and only God has created for me, and I pray that I will be everything to him, just as Woman was for Man.&lt;br /&gt;Marriage is a beautiful, pure thing.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;God continues with the first love story ever told in verse 24:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."&lt;br /&gt;There's that phrase again!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;One flesh.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When two people get married, they are eternally united.&lt;br /&gt;They don't drag their parents or families into the deal.&lt;br /&gt;They are &lt;strong&gt;one.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;That's God's plan for marriage, the foremost metaphor of His love for us.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Unfortunately, after the Fall, we gradually became apathetic about God's plan for marriage. We continually declined to obey God's standards for holy union. Now, more than 50% of marriages in the U.S. alone end in divorce. Now, even Christians justify divorce for multiple different reasons, instead of referring to God's commandments.&lt;br /&gt;But God hates divorce. He never intended for marriages to fall apart in the first place, for hearts to be broken again and again, for entire families to be divided over it, for the role of the father in the household to be undermined.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Which is one reason why Jesus repeatedly taught about divorce and marriage during His ministry on earth. He wasn't kidding when He repeatedly warned against unlawful divorce throughout the New Testament. In Matthew 5:31-32 chronicling the Sermon on The Mount, Jesus made it clear: "Furthermore, it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery."&lt;br /&gt;How can it be that we pay attention to the Beautitudes, but ignore what Jesus has to say about divorce and marriage?&lt;br /&gt;Thousands of Christians divorce every year for many reasons other than unfaithfulness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 5 that the only lawful divorce in God's eyes is a divorce by reason of unfaithfulness. But He doesn't stop there. In Matthew 19, there's an incident with the religious leaders in those parts where they ask Jesus a question:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?” And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?"&lt;br /&gt;Jesus quotes the passage of Scripture in Genesis 2 once again to the Pharisees before launching into His short but powerful explanation of the significance of the marriage relationship.&lt;br /&gt;The two people entering into the marriage relationship become &lt;strong&gt;one forever &lt;/strong&gt;at the very instant the marriage takes place!&lt;br /&gt;That concept sounds so familiar because at the very moment of Salvation, we are one forever united with Christ! Marriage is the primary metaphor God uses to demonstrate His love and Christ's ultimate sacrifice for us.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"So then, they are no longer two but one flesh."&lt;br /&gt;Jesus uses the very same phrase His Father and Adam used at the beginning of Time!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;One flesh.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."&lt;br /&gt;Herein lies the very inerrency and irrefutability of the words of Christ from His own mouth!!&lt;br /&gt;The very words that are spoken with triumph on the final note of a wedding ceremony today were first spoken by Jesus Himself thousands of years ago!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Holy union in matrimony is an inseparable bond!! It is forever, and the marriage vows cannot be avoided after the union takes place. Marriage is a union so holy and pure that it is unbreakable! Here, Jesus plainly states that there is no justification for married couples to go about trying to tear apart or uproot their relationship. They are &lt;strong&gt;ONE.&lt;/strong&gt; To attempt to injure or deflate their relationship is to hurt both their partner and themself, as well. They are &lt;strong&gt;one. &lt;/strong&gt;God Himself brought them into each other's lives and joined them together in holy matrimony. They took their marriage vows in the very presence of God! From where can they escape His sight? From whence can they hide their intimate bond from His counsel? They cannot ignore God, their avoidance of His statutes only brings them grief. Marriage vows are not mere words of men. They are what one chooses to say with his or her whole heart, knowing that in reciting them to the other person in the sight of God and all witnesses, that from this day forth they are making an active choice to love the other person every day for the rest of their life, that they are willing to work through all challenges that will come up peaceably and prayerfully, that they will stay faithful, forsaking any other romantic relationships so long as they both shall live. All in all, that whatever they do, they will &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;honor God&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; over the course of their marriage relationship with their beloved. Christians should not forsake these promises they make before God on their wedding day.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Because a promise is forever.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”&lt;br /&gt;In Dueteronomy 24:1-4, the passage to which the Pharisees were referring to, God allowed Moses to grant a man a divorce if his wife found no favor in his eyes. The wife was actually allowed to remarry once therafter.&lt;br /&gt;"He said to them, ' “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so." '&lt;br /&gt;Israel had turned away from God and hardened their hearts toward His intention for marriage, much like we, both in America and as Christians, have done today. Therefore, God allowed divorce because of their selfishness, pride, and deceit. They treated marriage as petty and careless as we in America presently do.&lt;br /&gt;But Jesus tells them the deal:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;"From the beginning it was &lt;/em&gt;NOT &lt;em&gt;so."&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It wasn't God's original intent for marriage to end up in shambles.&lt;br /&gt;Instead, it was the exact opposite. He created Man and Woman for each other, and meant marriage to last forever.&lt;br /&gt;It wasn't God who ever caused or allowed divorce.&lt;br /&gt;It was ourselves. We, in our own fallen nature, allowed it to happen.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Jesus continues to reiterate:&lt;br /&gt;"And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”&lt;br /&gt;God is NOT happy with adultery (He commands against it in Exodus 20: 14), which is why he hates divorce. Divorce for the wrong reasons only results in further sin down the road. In this case, if a man remarries after they divorce their wife for an invalid reason, they are commit not one, but two sins against God! If a divorced woman remarries, not only does she commit adultery (Matt. 5:32), but her new husband does as well! What a mess. A tangled web of broken relationships and bondage in sin. And to think, all this could be avoided if only married couples obeyed God's commands for marriage in the first place!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Divorce is &lt;em&gt;never &lt;/em&gt;okay in God's eyes, since His orginal plan for marriage is that the union be eternal.  However, because of sin, He does make concessions for divorce under certain circumstances such as sexual immorality or unfaithfulness of either partner. He also makes the exception in 1 Corinthians 7:10-16 where Paul writes:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband."&lt;br /&gt;God commands married couples to stay together, but if the wife leaves, she is not to remarry. Instead, both husband and wife should work out their differences and live in peace with each other.&lt;br /&gt;"And a husband is not to divorce his wife.  But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.  And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him.  For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases."&lt;br /&gt;Thus, God commands that if a Christian has a unbelieving spouse, there are absolutely no grounds for the Christian to divorce his/her spouse unless the unbelieving spouse is unwilling to stay in the marriage.&lt;br /&gt;"But God has called us to peace.  For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?"&lt;br /&gt;By all means, a Christian with an unbelieving spouse should do all they can to allow their marriage to be kept intact. They should openly witness to their spouse in both their words, attitude, and actions, and in doing so, minister unto their spouse through the Holy Spirit. One never knows what God may allow to come to pass.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;God created the institution of marriage to be symbolic of Christ and his sacrificial love for the Church, which is the Bride of Christ. Christians should honor, cherish, and treat marriage as the very thing the Lord God created it to be: a holy, loving union in the sight of the King, a relationship of intimacy sanctified within the inseparable bond of &lt;em&gt;one flesh.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Because a promise is forever...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;And I intend to keep mine.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;3&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-3133492202053650585?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='related' href='http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+19+&amp;version=NKJV&amp;src=embed' title='A Promise Is Forever'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/3133492202053650585/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/09/promise-is-forever.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3133492202053650585'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3133492202053650585'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/09/promise-is-forever.html' title='A Promise Is Forever'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-7281259665405053234</id><published>2009-09-17T23:43:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-30T16:58:43.362-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Can It Be True?</title><content type='html'>I am feeling&lt;br /&gt;I am breathing&lt;br /&gt;Something new&lt;br /&gt;Is coming into being&lt;br /&gt;Someone is looking&lt;br /&gt;At me with their heart&lt;br /&gt;I'm under scrutiny&lt;br /&gt;And I can't seem to find&lt;br /&gt;Anything so unworthy&lt;br /&gt;As the very heart of me&lt;br /&gt;Can't you love one&lt;br /&gt;Can't you think of&lt;br /&gt;Another self to whom you give&lt;br /&gt;Your everything&lt;br /&gt;Don't you see here&lt;br /&gt;Don't you see this mess&lt;br /&gt;You're ignoring it all&lt;br /&gt;It's impossible to convince you&lt;br /&gt;That I'm so dirty&lt;br /&gt;My hands unclean&lt;br /&gt;Are you thinking straight&lt;br /&gt;Do you see what's before you&lt;br /&gt;I'm ashamed to stand here&lt;br /&gt;You say you want me&lt;br /&gt;You know I'm worth your time&lt;br /&gt;These words you speak&lt;br /&gt;Is this real truth&lt;br /&gt;So hard for me to believe&lt;br /&gt;Can it be true&lt;br /&gt;Can you look through&lt;br /&gt;And uncover my true beauty&lt;br /&gt;You tell me you're for real&lt;br /&gt;You're willing to give it a shot&lt;br /&gt;And you ask me&lt;br /&gt;If I want us to be&lt;br /&gt;That hope beyond the heavens&lt;br /&gt;Where Love looks down&lt;br /&gt;I am ready&lt;br /&gt;Are you ready&lt;br /&gt;We'll soon go with God&lt;br /&gt;And take this chance&lt;br /&gt;After all you know&lt;br /&gt;You'll always be my best friend.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-7281259665405053234?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/7281259665405053234/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-am-feeling-i-am-breathing-something.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/7281259665405053234'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/7281259665405053234'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-am-feeling-i-am-breathing-something.html' title='Can It Be True?'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-6284544935645901503</id><published>2009-09-17T11:22:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-28T16:00:44.604-07:00</updated><title type='text'>I Trust Him</title><content type='html'>&lt;em&gt;My eternal summer did not last, as I thought it would forever and always, and what I dreamed had been a promise was merely hopes dashed on the sharp coolness of autumn. I don't understand how such things came to pass, and yet...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;somehow, I know that God's plans for my life are so much greater and of more worth than anything I could ever engineer myself.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;With my mind that knows&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And my heart that feels this pain&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One still mightier than&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The cruelties of this world&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Looks down upon me and smiles,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Whispers in the wind that blows&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And makes it snow again&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Amidst my dashed hopes hurled&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And with His voice sings lullabies&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Protecting me from all harm&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Holding me safely in His arms&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;He rocks me to sleep with His song&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And I trust Him knowing&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Where I belong&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For He will never let me go&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;He's with me always even though&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Others will go away and forsake me&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Standing right beside me He will be&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And He'll shine down His love&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;From His radiance around and above&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I'll stay in this sacred place&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Full of His mercy and His grace&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It was for my sin that He did bleed&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And His love is all I'll ever need. &lt;3&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-6284544935645901503?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/6284544935645901503/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-trust-him.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/6284544935645901503'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/6284544935645901503'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-trust-him.html' title='I Trust Him'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-8058030280821985354</id><published>2009-09-17T00:17:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-17T11:22:12.960-07:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>Someday, my Prince&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You'll come to find&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A treasure you can't leave behind&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A heart of gold&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A breath of Spring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A clean bright scent&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Of depths untold&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A pure white glow&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Of angel's wing.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-8058030280821985354?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/8058030280821985354/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/09/someday-my-prince-youll-come-to-find.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/8058030280821985354'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/8058030280821985354'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/09/someday-my-prince-youll-come-to-find.html' title=''/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-5652468086826205593</id><published>2009-09-12T12:31:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-12T12:45:21.922-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Coming Back To You</title><content type='html'>Oh why I keep coming back to you&lt;br /&gt;When I told you I am through&lt;br /&gt;I never wanted this to happen&lt;br /&gt;To what we were ever&lt;br /&gt;I don't want to prolong this hurt&lt;br /&gt;But you seem to like it so much&lt;br /&gt;When I fall into your arms&lt;br /&gt;Do I have to force this love to go away&lt;br /&gt;Stop enduring this agony&lt;br /&gt;Why do I keep coming back to you&lt;br /&gt;When I told you I am through&lt;br /&gt;I never thought this would come about&lt;br /&gt;I hate being caught up in the moment&lt;br /&gt;Now I'm still in love with you&lt;br /&gt;Why do I keep coming back to you&lt;br /&gt;When I told you I'm through&lt;br /&gt;I never needed us together&lt;br /&gt;Tell me why I keep coming back to you&lt;br /&gt;When I said that we are through&lt;br /&gt;I'm going to find someone new&lt;br /&gt;I told you I am through&lt;br /&gt;Though I find myself wanting to&lt;br /&gt;I'm not running once more to you.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-5652468086826205593?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/5652468086826205593/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/09/coming-back-to-you.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/5652468086826205593'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/5652468086826205593'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/09/coming-back-to-you.html' title='Coming Back To You'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-67771983533759029</id><published>2009-08-29T22:30:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-08-29T22:34:37.109-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Worth The Wait Part 1</title><content type='html'>Looking at you now I see&lt;br /&gt;Everything I know you'll be&lt;br /&gt;Your heart it is so pure&lt;br /&gt;Patience will endure&lt;br /&gt;That's why I need to leave&lt;br /&gt;His plan you must recieve&lt;br /&gt;He has so much better than I can give&lt;br /&gt;By God's amazing grace you will live&lt;br /&gt;I'll always love you forever, please don't cry&lt;br /&gt;I want what's best for you, so I'm saying goodbye&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;[Chorus]&lt;br /&gt;And soon enough you will know&lt;br /&gt;Why I had to let you go&lt;br /&gt;Every now and then you'll find&lt;br /&gt;Your broken heart with no peace of mind&lt;br /&gt;But darling you'll realize someday&lt;br /&gt;Smile to yourself and say&lt;br /&gt;"It will be worth it all&lt;br /&gt;It will be worth the wait&lt;br /&gt;It will be worth all this hurt&lt;br /&gt;It will be worth far more than the price we pay&lt;br /&gt;You are worth the wait"&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-67771983533759029?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/67771983533759029/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/worth-wait-part-1.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/67771983533759029'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/67771983533759029'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/worth-wait-part-1.html' title='Worth The Wait Part 1'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-5126009719107270120</id><published>2009-08-28T09:54:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-08-28T10:02:27.237-07:00</updated><title type='text'>It Was You</title><content type='html'>&lt;em&gt;This is a song I wrote about the amazing feeling and beauty of true love found in Jesus Christ, as well as the also amazing and beautiful, but not nearly as important; true love found with that incredible special someone.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Leaning my head upon your chest&lt;br /&gt;Feeling your heartbeat&lt;br /&gt;So secure in your arms&lt;br /&gt;Never felt this close to anyone&lt;br /&gt;Didn't want to be either&lt;br /&gt;Until it took me by surprise&lt;br /&gt;And you need to know&lt;br /&gt;Did you even know&lt;br /&gt;It was you who taught me to dance&lt;br /&gt;It was you who showed me romance&lt;br /&gt;It was you who gave me my delight&lt;br /&gt;In mountains bathed in sunset's sight&lt;br /&gt;It was you who took away my fear&lt;br /&gt;In holding me close, for you are near&lt;br /&gt;For the first time in my life I believe&lt;br /&gt;Someone loves me who will never leave&lt;br /&gt;Holding your hand in mine&lt;br /&gt;Seeing your smile light up&lt;br /&gt;Feeling joy for the first time&lt;br /&gt;I never had this happiness&lt;br /&gt;Didn't think I should either&lt;br /&gt;Until it discovered me&lt;br /&gt;And you need to know&lt;br /&gt;Did you even know&lt;br /&gt;It was you who taught me to dance&lt;br /&gt;It was you who showed me romance&lt;br /&gt;It was you who gave me my delight&lt;br /&gt;In mountains bathed in sunset's sight&lt;br /&gt;It was you who took away my fear&lt;br /&gt;In holding me tight for you are near&lt;br /&gt;For the first time in my life I believe&lt;br /&gt;Someone loves me who will never leave&lt;br /&gt;And I need to tell you&lt;br /&gt;Because you need to know&lt;br /&gt;Darling you have made me realize&lt;br /&gt;There's such thing as true love after all&lt;br /&gt;Because it was you&lt;br /&gt;It was you who loved me&lt;br /&gt;It was you that happened to me&lt;br /&gt;It was you&lt;br /&gt;It was you who loved me.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-5126009719107270120?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/5126009719107270120/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/it-was-you.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/5126009719107270120'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/5126009719107270120'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/it-was-you.html' title='It Was You'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-1689375185192125343</id><published>2009-08-28T09:26:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-08-28T09:27:20.310-07:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.abort73.com" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.abort73.com/HTML/Downloads/Banners/260/laptop02_abort73.gif" alt="Abort73.com" height="308" width="260" border="0"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.abort73.com/graphics" target="_blank"&gt;Abort73 Graphics&lt;/a&gt; / &lt;a href="http://www.abort73.com/shirts" target="_blank"&gt;Abort73 Shirts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-1689375185192125343?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/1689375185192125343/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/abort73-graphics-abort73-shirts.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1689375185192125343'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1689375185192125343'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/abort73-graphics-abort73-shirts.html' title=''/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-7328758742536893851</id><published>2009-08-28T09:01:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-08-28T09:10:33.970-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Constant Reminder</title><content type='html'>I can't go a day without&lt;br /&gt;Being reminded of you and me&lt;br /&gt;There's an immortal picture&lt;br /&gt;Of the Prince and the Princess&lt;br /&gt;Sitting on my desk&lt;br /&gt;There's an eternal song&lt;br /&gt;You wrote for me&lt;br /&gt;Back when we knew&lt;br /&gt;We were the best&lt;br /&gt;There's a million things&lt;br /&gt;You left behind&lt;br /&gt;That remind me&lt;br /&gt;You and I are growing apart&lt;br /&gt;But the thing&lt;br /&gt;That reminds me the most of us&lt;br /&gt;Is the thing called&lt;br /&gt;Your beautiful heart.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-7328758742536893851?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/7328758742536893851/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/constant-reminder.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/7328758742536893851'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/7328758742536893851'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/constant-reminder.html' title='Constant Reminder'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-5140346618820118527</id><published>2009-08-28T08:09:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-08-28T08:30:07.586-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Something</title><content type='html'>How can two worlds combine&lt;br /&gt;Me with yours, and yours with mine&lt;br /&gt;Somehow when you look me in the eyes&lt;br /&gt;I know there's a feeling deep inside&lt;br /&gt;There's something we have is very different&lt;br /&gt;Every time I try to speak I'm incoherent&lt;br /&gt;This is so ridiculous, could it be&lt;br /&gt;This thing that's happening to me&lt;br /&gt;People say it's obvious, that they can tell&lt;br /&gt;What's come over me and you as well&lt;br /&gt;We're in love, that's what our friends say&lt;br /&gt;And I smile because I know everyday&lt;br /&gt;I fall in love with you, it's true&lt;br /&gt;But I find myself not knowing what to do.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-5140346618820118527?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/5140346618820118527/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/something.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/5140346618820118527'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/5140346618820118527'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/something.html' title='Something'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-3683146437033001796</id><published>2009-08-26T10:18:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-08-26T10:41:36.803-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Heaven's Tears</title><content type='html'>Men may travel all o'er the world&lt;br /&gt;Seeing such horrors and sins&lt;br /&gt;They had not even imagined&lt;br /&gt;They will come home from sea, from air, from train&lt;br /&gt;And startle others with their tales of woe&lt;br /&gt;And gain glory and the foll of fame and praise&lt;br /&gt;That shall soon be forgot with passing days&lt;br /&gt;For never has a sadder story the world known&lt;br /&gt;Then that of the Man who had such a heart&lt;br /&gt;So full of love for His dying children&lt;br /&gt;That he left His kingdom and came from afar&lt;br /&gt;Becoming nothing, whence He was a Lord&lt;br /&gt;Suffered heartache and hardships a many&lt;br /&gt;For those He came to save mistreated Him&lt;br /&gt;His own dear children whipped and beat Him&lt;br /&gt;They mocked Him and spat upon His face&lt;br /&gt;And yet in the midst of this ridicule&lt;br /&gt;The Man submitted to a punishment&lt;br /&gt;For something He had never done&lt;br /&gt;Poured out His blood on a splintered tree&lt;br /&gt;Not a noble death twas in their eyes&lt;br /&gt;The Man's Father cursed Him in anger raging&lt;br /&gt;For His beloved He had sacrificed His Son&lt;br /&gt;To die nailed to a wooden cross of torture&lt;br /&gt;Blood and sweat pierced the Man's brow&lt;br /&gt;He looked up begging His Father to stay&lt;br /&gt;But the One in the sky did not listen&lt;br /&gt;The Man's sorrow and agony were so great&lt;br /&gt;And yet He breathed His last breath gladly&lt;br /&gt;To the end without scorn nor hate&lt;br /&gt;For through this death He saved us all&lt;br /&gt;And set us free from bondage as slaves&lt;br /&gt;So that someday we might live in the royal palace&lt;br /&gt;With irredescent waves of beauty so great&lt;br /&gt;And glimmering golden streets to walk upon&lt;br /&gt;Nothing but lovely laughter and magnificent nature&lt;br /&gt;To reside in glorious fellowship with Him&lt;br /&gt;For all of time, from eternity to forever&lt;br /&gt;For this He gave His own life for ours&lt;br /&gt;And yet wherever men may travel&lt;br /&gt;All over the world, back again and twice&lt;br /&gt;They will always come across many a people&lt;br /&gt;Who do such grevious horrors and sins&lt;br /&gt;These also, and every one of us the Man died to save&lt;br /&gt;And yet they whip Him and beat Him&lt;br /&gt;His own children mock and spit upon His face&lt;br /&gt;Rather than gratefully take His gift of love&lt;br /&gt;And Hope for a home in the celestial city&lt;br /&gt;They spite and scorn and hate the Man&lt;br /&gt;Who poured out His heart's blood&lt;br /&gt;For His lost and dying children&lt;br /&gt;Though He knew it was worth it all&lt;br /&gt;For through His death we are saved&lt;br /&gt;They break His heart for He sacrificed&lt;br /&gt;Greater love has no man than this:&lt;br /&gt;His own life for them to live&lt;br /&gt;For all of time, from eternity to forever&lt;br /&gt;So when rain falls it brings with it&lt;br /&gt;The beautiful Man's tears falling down&lt;br /&gt;Never has a sadder story the world known&lt;br /&gt;Than the story of Heaven's tears.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-3683146437033001796?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/3683146437033001796/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/heavens-tears.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3683146437033001796'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3683146437033001796'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/heavens-tears.html' title='Heaven&apos;s Tears'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-5329605291800785817</id><published>2009-08-25T20:13:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-28T20:36:13.905-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Plea (Part 1)</title><content type='html'>I hear your silent screams as you bend again&lt;br /&gt;I see what you are doing&lt;br /&gt;Shoving your feelings into the drawers&lt;br /&gt;Of the chest that contains your heart&lt;br /&gt;Forcing them closed so you won't give in&lt;br /&gt;Shutting me out 'cause you don't want to feel&lt;br /&gt;I can feel the torment even now&lt;br /&gt;Do you know how much this hurts me?&lt;br /&gt;Are you so out of touch with your soul&lt;br /&gt;That you think you can't trust me?&lt;br /&gt;I've been at your side this entire time&lt;br /&gt;Begging for you to share the truth&lt;br /&gt;And all the lies you've told yourself&lt;br /&gt;Give me your pain for once&lt;br /&gt;Let me carry your heavy burden&lt;br /&gt;'Cause I can't stand to watch you drown&lt;br /&gt;In the pool of careless depression&lt;br /&gt;You slowly dug for yourself&lt;br /&gt;Can't you see you're dying&lt;br /&gt;Killing yourself inside this shell&lt;br /&gt;And I look on so helplessly&lt;br /&gt;As you sink even further down&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And I scream And I shout&lt;br /&gt;I'm giving you to the One you can't live without&lt;br /&gt;God, can you please help me?&lt;br /&gt;She's everything she doesn't want to be&lt;br /&gt;She's giving up on life&lt;br /&gt;She's going under the knife&lt;br /&gt;Make her whole once more&lt;br /&gt;Breathe Your grace into her core&lt;br /&gt;She's so far away from You&lt;br /&gt;Lord, I don't know what else to do&lt;br /&gt;That little wisp of a girl is my very best friend&lt;br /&gt;And Jesus, I don't want this to be the end&lt;br /&gt;But she's fading quickly away&lt;br /&gt;Save her another day&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-5329605291800785817?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/5329605291800785817/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/plea-part-1.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/5329605291800785817'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/5329605291800785817'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/plea-part-1.html' title='Plea (Part 1)'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-1408295433009121266</id><published>2009-08-07T17:42:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-08-07T18:40:12.719-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Beautiful Soul</title><content type='html'>You know what I discovered today?&lt;br /&gt;Something so horrific that I must speak.&lt;br /&gt;Something so horrific that I cannot be silent.&lt;br /&gt;Something so horrific that I must be the voice for others who are unable to speak for themselves.&lt;br /&gt;The others being babies.&lt;br /&gt;3,000 unborn babies are that brutally murdered every day in the U.S. alone.&lt;br /&gt;3,000 lives that have yet to live.&lt;br /&gt;3,000 lives that will never see the sunrise when they wake up.&lt;br /&gt;3,000 lives that could've amounted to so much, had they been given the chance.&lt;br /&gt;3,000 lives that could've changed the world for the better, forever.&lt;br /&gt;3,000 lives that were needed.&lt;br /&gt;3,000 children that should've brought Joy to the lives of others.&lt;br /&gt;3,000 beautiful souls.&lt;br /&gt;3,000 trusting voices.&lt;br /&gt;3,000 tiny screams.&lt;br /&gt;3,000 innocent faces.&lt;br /&gt;They are killed every day as a result of abortion, a cruel homicidal tactic.&lt;br /&gt;A homicidal tactic that our government labels "choice".&lt;br /&gt;That society as a whole labels "choice".&lt;br /&gt;For some bizarre reason, soceity thinks that labeling this torturous procedure "choice" covers up the truth of MURDER in the first degree.&lt;br /&gt;Every single one of those 3,000 babies that is murdered each day does not get the "choice".&lt;br /&gt;They are the "thing" that their mother's "choice" is projected upon.&lt;br /&gt;They are the writhing, wailing, grasping, kicking, weeping victim of this horrific "choice".&lt;br /&gt;They are the lost voices of a generation that will never see their future.&lt;br /&gt;You and I could be two of those lost voices.&lt;br /&gt;Because of the providence of God, we who survive are the voices that were spared to speak out for the many millions that have lost their lives to abortion.&lt;br /&gt;Since the Supreme Court's ROE V. WADE decision to nationally legalize abortion on January 22, 1973, over 51, 730, 939 babies have been murdered to date in America.&lt;br /&gt;Over 1/3 of our generation have been mercilessly killed.&lt;br /&gt;Stand up for what's right.&lt;br /&gt;Stand up for those innocents that cannot stand up for themselves.&lt;br /&gt;Speak out against abortion.&lt;br /&gt;Take a stand for life today.&lt;br /&gt;Because every life that hangs in the balance in this war of SURVIVAL vs. MURDER is a human being.&lt;br /&gt;A human being that will make a difference.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-1408295433009121266?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/1408295433009121266/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/beautiful-soul.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1408295433009121266'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1408295433009121266'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/08/beautiful-soul.html' title='Beautiful Soul'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-69144738886306739</id><published>2009-07-30T18:27:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-08-03T16:17:15.962-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Broken Soul</title><content type='html'>&lt;em&gt;This is a song I just finished writing and am working on the chords for.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Do you see my haunting eyes&lt;br /&gt;Looking at you through your mirror&lt;br /&gt;Do you see this baited breath&lt;br /&gt;Waiting to gasp for fresh air&lt;br /&gt;Suffocating within your grasp&lt;br /&gt;You stare into the glass&lt;br /&gt;But all you see is emptiness&lt;br /&gt;Filling me with hatred&lt;br /&gt;For you're so blind to the truth&lt;br /&gt;That I cannot escape&lt;br /&gt;Too self-important&lt;br /&gt;You've never found what lay&lt;br /&gt;Before you all this time&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;[Chorus]&lt;br /&gt;All Love's beauty sang (to you&lt;br /&gt;Every single day (to you)&lt;br /&gt;Voices screamed in the&lt;br /&gt;Silence of the night&lt;br /&gt;Whispered my vows so sacred&lt;br /&gt;Trying to fight a way&lt;br /&gt;Into your cold-blooded heart&lt;br /&gt;That killed my faith&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Do you see my tortured face&lt;br /&gt;Beckoning to you through your window&lt;br /&gt;Do you see this wretched hope&lt;br /&gt;Decieved by all the lies you spoke&lt;br /&gt;You gaze into the glass&lt;br /&gt;But all you see is foolishness&lt;br /&gt;Fueling my soul's burden&lt;br /&gt;For you're so self-consumed&lt;br /&gt;That I cannot be myself&lt;br /&gt;Too ignorant to know&lt;br /&gt;That you'll never find&lt;br /&gt;This anywhere else&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;[Chorus]&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;All Love's beauty sang&lt;br /&gt;Every single day&lt;br /&gt;Her voices screamed&lt;br /&gt;In the silence of the night&lt;br /&gt;Whispering my vows so sacred&lt;br /&gt;Trying to fight a way&lt;br /&gt;Into your cold-blooded heart&lt;br /&gt;That killed my faith forever&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So this is the real you&lt;br /&gt;Always taking the very best of me&lt;br /&gt;Release your smothering hold&lt;br /&gt;For just once let me breathe&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-69144738886306739?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/69144738886306739/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/07/do-you-see-my-haunting-eyes-looking-at.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/69144738886306739'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/69144738886306739'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/07/do-you-see-my-haunting-eyes-looking-at.html' title='Broken Soul'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-49013930446554143</id><published>2009-07-30T17:49:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-07-30T18:01:01.316-07:00</updated><title type='text'>I Still See You</title><content type='html'>&lt;em&gt;A new song!! :)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When I wake up in the morning&lt;br /&gt;And gaze into the sunrise&lt;br /&gt;Suddenly I find myself&lt;br /&gt;Looking deep in your eyes&lt;br /&gt;I realize then that you are gone&lt;br /&gt;From my sight&lt;br /&gt;I wish with all of my might&lt;br /&gt;That I could fight&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;[Chorus]&lt;br /&gt;This strange new feeling&lt;br /&gt;That I can't hold on to&lt;br /&gt;Because I still see you&lt;br /&gt;Talking to me in the day&lt;br /&gt;Ohh, I still see you&lt;br /&gt;Blowing a kiss my way&lt;br /&gt;And I still see you&lt;br /&gt;Flashing that gorgeous smile&lt;br /&gt;I still see you&lt;br /&gt;After awhile, crocodile&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When I turn off my light&lt;br /&gt;And lay my head down once more&lt;br /&gt;Suddely I find myself&lt;br /&gt;Hearing your whispers louder than before&lt;br /&gt;I realize then that you are gone&lt;br /&gt;From my embrace&lt;br /&gt;I wish that I could just erase&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;[Chorus]&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Ohh, and I still see you in my heart&lt;br /&gt;We'll never be too far apart&lt;br /&gt;To remember everything that's dear&lt;br /&gt;Because you're right here&lt;br /&gt;I still see you in my heart&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-49013930446554143?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/49013930446554143/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/07/i-still-see-you.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/49013930446554143'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/49013930446554143'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/07/i-still-see-you.html' title='I Still See You'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-1572590337183743660</id><published>2009-07-12T16:23:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-07-12T16:50:12.115-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Contemplation on God's Supremacy - Part 1</title><content type='html'>&lt;em&gt;I wrote this entry on September 11, 2008 - the day after my 17th birthday. It is not complete, however; I thought it was worth posting, and so here it is for you to read and to think upon the truths therein&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The more I contemplate the total supremacy and glory of the One who created this world, loves each and every one of His people He has made, and knows everything that goes on, the more I realize His unfathomable, indescribable awesomeness that I cannot even begin to comprehend  beyond but a mere grasp of understanding.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The human mind cannot possibly wholey comprehend the vast qualities and characteristics of God, or we are but mere man, and if man were to know everything about His Creator, the purpose of a God would be defeated, hence man himself would liken himself to rule the universe as his own god.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Thus the belief of Christianity would be destroyed, for in essence to be a Christian is to be a "little Christ" - taking on Christ's character and conforming to His image - and Christ is God.&lt;br /&gt;However, our faith is firm on the foundation that God was and always is supreme, immutable, holy, infinite, and ours forever.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;God is omniscient. Even seven years ago when Islami terrorists hijacked American planes and crashed them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, when they aimed for the White House, when thousands of people that were just going about their usual business on a normal day, when suddenly tragedy struck them and ended or changed their lives forever and impacted the lives of their families and friends...God knew what He was doing.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;He had a plan and a purpose for it all, which is why He allowed it to happen. 9/11/01 has brought all Americans closer as a nation, united to fight for our lives against those terrorists, to fight for the freedom and lives of innocent people in Afghanistan, Iraq, and throughout the Middle East.&lt;br /&gt;His plan continues to unfold. We will trust Him.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-1572590337183743660?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/1572590337183743660/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/07/contemplation-on-gods-supremacy-part-1.html#comment-form' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1572590337183743660'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1572590337183743660'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/07/contemplation-on-gods-supremacy-part-1.html' title='Contemplation on God&apos;s Supremacy - Part 1'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-1920108473848674937</id><published>2009-07-11T21:03:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-07-11T21:20:57.460-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Facing the Truth</title><content type='html'>&lt;em&gt;I wrote this last year on an afternoon when we had a free period due to the rain.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I can see you changing&lt;br /&gt;Into something I don't know&lt;br /&gt;I can feel my tears, they're falling&lt;br /&gt;I have to let you know&lt;br /&gt;That I never wanted this to happen&lt;br /&gt;I don't know why I ever said I do&lt;br /&gt;This place is so unfamiliar&lt;br /&gt;Where have you taken me&lt;br /&gt;A storm brews here&lt;br /&gt;A wind blows near&lt;br /&gt;And I don't know What you are anymore&lt;br /&gt;Who have you become&lt;br /&gt;I used to love you&lt;br /&gt;Trusted you with my heart&lt;br /&gt;One I had once loved&lt;br /&gt;Is now breaking it apart&lt;br /&gt;What is this Monster I see&lt;br /&gt;Why has my love gone away from me&lt;br /&gt;My world is shattered now&lt;br /&gt;Broken in a million pieces&lt;br /&gt;No one can build it up again&lt;br /&gt;Oh, and I've learned to&lt;br /&gt;Never have faith in what was past&lt;br /&gt;I won't ever make the same mistake&lt;br /&gt;Maybe love was meant to last&lt;br /&gt;But I'll always remember what I lost&lt;br /&gt;I thought You were worth it all&lt;br /&gt;But I didn't know what it would cost&lt;br /&gt;My soul is slowly drowning&lt;br /&gt;Don't rescue me, leave me alone&lt;br /&gt;Maybe things will be right sometime&lt;br /&gt;For now I will stand here by myself&lt;br /&gt;And watch the rain fall down, fall down&lt;br /&gt;Watch the rain fall down.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-1920108473848674937?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/1920108473848674937/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/07/facing-truth.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1920108473848674937'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1920108473848674937'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/07/facing-truth.html' title='Facing the Truth'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-669617879757997836</id><published>2009-06-30T22:49:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-30T23:00:36.725-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Sunshine's Tribute</title><content type='html'>Hello sunshine&lt;br /&gt;How've you been&lt;br /&gt;I've been better on days like this&lt;br /&gt;When the summer's dawn strikes the human eye&lt;br /&gt;And I think about yesterday and wonder why&lt;br /&gt;What happened to this fire so bright&lt;br /&gt;The firelies blinking into the night&lt;br /&gt;Was it unwelded forever by time&lt;br /&gt;Or did it collapse to untouched rhyme&lt;br /&gt;I remember the times we sat and gazed at the stars&lt;br /&gt;Dreaming and wishing of where-you-ares&lt;br /&gt;Never knowing it would all end up like this&lt;br /&gt;That our universe would go so amiss&lt;br /&gt;What happened to the sunset we shared&lt;br /&gt;And all the hopes we boldly dared&lt;br /&gt;When I see all of you minus all of me&lt;br /&gt;I realize the sunrise I now see&lt;br /&gt;And I think about yesterday and wonder why&lt;br /&gt;The loving Joy we knew had to die&lt;br /&gt;What happened to this love burning in the light&lt;br /&gt;The pretty embers now fading deep into the night&lt;br /&gt;Was it unsung forever by time&lt;br /&gt;Or did it fall to the ground in it's prime&lt;br /&gt;Hello sunshine&lt;br /&gt;How've you been&lt;br /&gt;I've been better on days like this&lt;br /&gt;When the summer's dawn is not the same&lt;br /&gt;And I wonder if I'm the one to blame.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-669617879757997836?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/669617879757997836/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/sunshines-tribute.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/669617879757997836'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/669617879757997836'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/sunshines-tribute.html' title='Sunshine&apos;s Tribute'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-5573644078503685949</id><published>2009-06-29T21:16:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-29T21:27:54.154-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Talking To Myself And You</title><content type='html'>I love you&lt;br /&gt;I want you&lt;br /&gt;To love me too&lt;br /&gt;But what else&lt;br /&gt;Could I ask for&lt;br /&gt;Cause I know&lt;br /&gt;You already do.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-5573644078503685949?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/5573644078503685949/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/talking-to-myself-and-you.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/5573644078503685949'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/5573644078503685949'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/talking-to-myself-and-you.html' title='Talking To Myself And You'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-6339196077426654546</id><published>2009-06-28T21:57:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-29T21:39:49.018-07:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;em&gt;Someday, this song will be featured in my dream debut. I'm going to hash it out and put it on YouTube for the whole world to see sometime. When I'm done with it, that is. As written below, that's as far as I've come tonight.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It's a lovely&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Beautiful, sunny&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bright day&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yes, I say&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It's a lovely&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Beautiful sunny&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bright day&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But love I'm&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I'm somehow missing something&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Something that's never&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Come my way&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Could you help me&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Possibly tell me&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What I am missing&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here today&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now I see here&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I hear how my heart beats&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I hear it get louder&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When you leave&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To go far away&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I think, love&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I think you're missing&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Somewhere you've always&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Gone astray&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But how, love&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How could I show you&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Show you how I could&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Be everything you wanted&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Everything that you needed&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Every laugh, every cry&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Please love, let me&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wipe away&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wipe away the tears from your eyes&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And just maybe,&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Maybe then you will see&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;All you ever wanted&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And all you ever needed&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;All along it was me&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Someone here&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Someone here beside you&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;All of your days.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-6339196077426654546?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/6339196077426654546/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/someday-this-song-will-be-featured-in.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/6339196077426654546'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/6339196077426654546'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/someday-this-song-will-be-featured-in.html' title=''/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-3719764938816118285</id><published>2009-06-27T22:13:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-27T22:23:32.223-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Goodbye</title><content type='html'>Well maybe I can't hate you,&lt;br /&gt;I love you so much&lt;br /&gt;But I'm sick of this sweet talk&lt;br /&gt;That's all it is&lt;br /&gt;I'm tired of you pretending&lt;br /&gt;And I'm not buying your lies&lt;br /&gt;We always try to make it work&lt;br /&gt;Until something dies&lt;br /&gt;My spirit is gone, it's broken&lt;br /&gt;Because of all the words you've spoken&lt;br /&gt;I wish that I could go back&lt;br /&gt;When everything was great&lt;br /&gt;Instead of all the love I had for you&lt;br /&gt;I wish I'd learned to hate&lt;br /&gt;Now nothing is the same&lt;br /&gt;There's no name for you and I&lt;br /&gt;Except Goodbye.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-3719764938816118285?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/3719764938816118285/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/goodbye.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3719764938816118285'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3719764938816118285'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/goodbye.html' title='Goodbye'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-1304687157194961012</id><published>2009-06-23T21:10:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-23T21:30:16.682-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The True Test Of Humor</title><content type='html'>Ok, so most of you out there must have in your possession at least mediocre knowledge of the Bible, if not expert knowledge of events and characters depicted throughout it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The following are just a few examples of Biblical humor most of us who have long been part of the Christian church have yet to hear of!!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Well, what are you waiting for? Let's get to it!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he married Ruth?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A. Ruthless. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Q. What do they call pastors in Germany ?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A. German Shepherds.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Q. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A. Noah He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Q. Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A. Pharaoh's daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Q. What kind of motor vehicles are in the Bible?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A. Jehovah drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a Fury. David's Triumph was heard throughout the land. Also, probably a Honda, because the apostles were all in one Accord.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;Q.. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A. Samson. He brought the house down.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Q. What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no longer lived in Eden ?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A. Your mother ate us out of house and home. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Q. Which servant of God was the most flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A. Moses. He broke all 10 commandments at once. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Q. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A. The area around Jordan The banks were always overflowing .&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Q. Who is the greatest babysitter mentioned in the Bible?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A. David. He rocked Goliath to a very deep sleep.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-1304687157194961012?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/1304687157194961012/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/true-test-of-humor.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1304687157194961012'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1304687157194961012'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/true-test-of-humor.html' title='The True Test Of Humor'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-8341139232465130168</id><published>2009-06-23T18:13:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-23T18:31:50.217-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Reason</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/SkGBzUkDoII/AAAAAAAAAG4/Ohqgx3U0CLo/s1600-h/rose.jpg"&gt;&lt;img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350700550986113154" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 113px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/SkGBzUkDoII/AAAAAAAAAG4/Ohqgx3U0CLo/s320/rose.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;I'm so far from then&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;Now I'm looking back&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;And I wish with all my heart&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;I had realized the truth from the first moment&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;The day you arrived here&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;That you were the one&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;Who rearranged my life&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;Renewed my steadfast soul&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;You took up all the pieces of my broken heart&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;And made it for one whole.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;Somehow all is right again&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;Even more than I could have hoped&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;Or even dared to dream about&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;For little did I believe&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;That trust would e'er reenter in&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;That my heart could ever feel&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;Bigger than the whole world&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;So full of joy that I could burst&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;With such incandescent happiness&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;For you gave me the best gift&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;That took me by surprise&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;Love unconditional forever and always&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;From the moment you looked deep in my eyes&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;We are one for all eternity&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;My own self is now forgotten&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;Because all of me is part of you&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;I swear your anything is better than everything&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;You are my sunset and my sunrise&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;My love is yours for all of time&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;Nothing else has so completely changed&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;This dark void to a bright promise&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;You are the reason I am alive.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-8341139232465130168?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/8341139232465130168/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/reason.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/8341139232465130168'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/8341139232465130168'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/reason.html' title='The Reason'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/SkGBzUkDoII/AAAAAAAAAG4/Ohqgx3U0CLo/s72-c/rose.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-2615911205019170187</id><published>2009-06-17T17:09:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-22T18:20:43.527-07:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>Waits.&lt;br /&gt;Waits for the announcement.&lt;br /&gt;The one she has been waiting for.&lt;br /&gt;The drumroll heard from South Carolina&lt;br /&gt;Drifts upward and lifts her spirit high.&lt;br /&gt;She lets out her breath as she waits&lt;br /&gt;Yet another hour for the news.&lt;br /&gt;The news of the heroes far,&lt;br /&gt;Far away from their native land.&lt;br /&gt;The youth who in her eyes are leaders;&lt;br /&gt;Those footsteps she strives to follow in.&lt;br /&gt;The champion who owns her heart&lt;br /&gt;Waits still with booming in his ears.&lt;br /&gt;She longs to hear of his victory.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-2615911205019170187?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/2615911205019170187/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/waits.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/2615911205019170187'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/2615911205019170187'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/waits.html' title=''/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-116393059254864381</id><published>2009-06-17T17:01:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-17T17:08:32.608-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Renewed</title><content type='html'>Oh God,&lt;br /&gt;I know only You can fill&lt;br /&gt;This emptiness inside of me&lt;br /&gt;Take this loneliness away&lt;br /&gt;Remake my life starting today&lt;br /&gt;I know I moved far from You&lt;br /&gt;Bring me back where I belong&lt;br /&gt;With You in your loving arms&lt;br /&gt;Keeping me safe,&lt;br /&gt;Protecting me from harm&lt;br /&gt;Set me straight on the narrow path&lt;br /&gt;Make sure I don't move&lt;br /&gt;To the right or to the left&lt;br /&gt;Renew my soul, this void inside&lt;br /&gt;Caused by things I tried&lt;br /&gt;To do on my own&lt;br /&gt;But now I know it's impossible&lt;br /&gt;To live my life alone.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-116393059254864381?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/116393059254864381/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/renewed.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/116393059254864381'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/116393059254864381'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/renewed.html' title='Renewed'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-265091488939231552</id><published>2009-06-17T16:45:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-17T17:01:00.534-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='o'/><title type='text'>Possibility</title><content type='html'>&lt;em&gt;For him who can't be named...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I'm lying awake at night and I think&lt;br /&gt;It's all over again, I've reached the brink&lt;br /&gt;Something we never even talked about&lt;br /&gt;'Cause whenever you came in, I went out&lt;br /&gt;But I know we have a spark, some chemistry&lt;br /&gt;Now tell me, did you ever consider the possibility&lt;br /&gt;Of me starting with you, and you ending up with me?&lt;br /&gt;Oh, just imagine everything that we could be&lt;br /&gt;All you ever dreamed of, both of us in love&lt;br /&gt;I'm not asking you to be pretending&lt;br /&gt;That would just make for an unhappy ending&lt;br /&gt;Just look into your heart and find what's true&lt;br /&gt;And maybe you'll discover that you love me too&lt;br /&gt;In the meantime I have to tell you what I feel&lt;br /&gt;It's something so right and I gotta know it's real&lt;br /&gt;Whoa, I know that it sounds so cliche&lt;br /&gt;But I fall in love with you everyday&lt;br /&gt;And I'm not sure exactly how&lt;br /&gt;Thinking of you here and now.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-265091488939231552?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/265091488939231552/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/possibility.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/265091488939231552'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/265091488939231552'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/possibility.html' title='Possibility'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-5757948024426143633</id><published>2009-06-17T16:44:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-22T18:19:40.451-07:00</updated><title type='text'>You'll Be Smiling Later</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/SkAs3o-1WeI/AAAAAAAAAGw/BOYDqj5XQRQ/s1600-h/imagesCADDPABG.jpg"&gt;&lt;img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350325691721538018" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 130px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 86px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/SkAs3o-1WeI/AAAAAAAAAGw/BOYDqj5XQRQ/s200/imagesCADDPABG.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;em&gt;I wrote this song after a heart-wrenching experience a few months ago, knowing that somehow, everything would end up right again. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;em&gt;And it is.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Believe me&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;If there was any other way&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;I would take it&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Oh Lord, you have no idea&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;How much I wish there was&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Now I sit here&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;In this room in the silence&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;That outwardly betrays my feelings&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Oh God how I wish I could quiet&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;The noise deep inside&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Wreathing, racking every breath&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;I am heaving&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Here in the darkness&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;The shadows run by&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Knowing all along&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Where we're going&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Now alone in this moment&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;I'll remember why&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;When your love is forever&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;There's a reason all will be better&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Though it's hard to be strong now&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;You'll be smiling later&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;I promise, you'll get through this&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;You'll be smiling later.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-5757948024426143633?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/5757948024426143633/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/youll-be-smiling-later.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/5757948024426143633'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/5757948024426143633'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/youll-be-smiling-later.html' title='You&apos;ll Be Smiling Later'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/SkAs3o-1WeI/AAAAAAAAAGw/BOYDqj5XQRQ/s72-c/imagesCADDPABG.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-4842247980190553050</id><published>2009-06-17T16:31:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-17T16:42:24.791-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Taught by love</title><content type='html'>&lt;em&gt;Tears freely flowing down my face&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;I want to love you, to feel your warm embrace&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;I wanted you to stay,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;To be here forever and a day&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Because I've never met anyone quite like you&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;You've taught me things about myself I never even knew&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;You showed me how to break out of my shell&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt; How many lessons I've learned from you, I can't tell&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;But you made me live again&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Taught me to conquer my pain&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;You've opened up a door&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;I don't cry on the inside anymore&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt; Now I express my feelings&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;And with them come the healings&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;I had given up hope on,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Now dismal dark is gone.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-4842247980190553050?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/4842247980190553050/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/taught-by-love.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/4842247980190553050'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/4842247980190553050'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/taught-by-love.html' title='Taught by love'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-790124275044121202</id><published>2009-06-16T20:48:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-16T20:54:36.519-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Not Anymore</title><content type='html'>It  turns out that I was wrong&lt;br /&gt;What I had believed all along&lt;br /&gt;Once there was a time when I knew you&lt;br /&gt;Now all that you called love proves untrue&lt;br /&gt;After all this time&lt;br /&gt;Can't deny that I was blind&lt;br /&gt;Now everything I see&lt;br /&gt;Is the fool you made of me&lt;br /&gt;Your lies were the thing you had me chasing&lt;br /&gt;So don't be surprised to hear my heart is breaking&lt;br /&gt;Because you dared cut me to the core&lt;br /&gt;I don't believe in you anymore.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-790124275044121202?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/790124275044121202/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/not-anymore.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/790124275044121202'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/790124275044121202'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/not-anymore.html' title='Not Anymore'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-751103359789165534</id><published>2009-06-15T20:48:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-15T20:52:17.661-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Destiny</title><content type='html'>Somewhere out there&lt;br /&gt;Lies what you always dreamed of&lt;br /&gt;Somewhere out there&lt;br /&gt;Lies the life we will share&lt;br /&gt;Somewhere out there&lt;br /&gt;Is a future calling your name&lt;br /&gt;He wants you to trust and see&lt;br /&gt;Everything you were made to be&lt;br /&gt;I've seen it with my own two eyes&lt;br /&gt;Your beauty that you try to disguise&lt;br /&gt;Do you know you or yourself better than I do?&lt;br /&gt;That who you are inside is what it comes down to?&lt;br /&gt;How pure and how innocent you are&lt;br /&gt;Although you may not think so&lt;br /&gt;I can see it when you look at me&lt;br /&gt;With those dark amber prisms&lt;br /&gt;Drifting a thousand miles away&lt;br /&gt;All along I knew your heart was here&lt;br /&gt;And now this day please remember&lt;br /&gt;Somewhere out there&lt;br /&gt;Lies what He's planned for you&lt;br /&gt;You're a thousand miles away tonight&lt;br /&gt;To do great things for Him&lt;br /&gt;Somewhere out there&lt;br /&gt;Is a girl whispering her prayers for you&lt;br /&gt;Somewhere out there&lt;br /&gt;He holds your awesome destiny.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;3&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-751103359789165534?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/751103359789165534/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/destiny.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/751103359789165534'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/751103359789165534'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/destiny.html' title='Destiny'/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-3444829423829227998</id><published>2009-06-15T18:49:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-15T18:57:17.737-07:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"&gt;&lt;a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb6LyJrEfI/AAAAAAAAADc/4HDWRIXmCh4/s1600-h/023935.jpg"&gt;&lt;img alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb6LyJrEfI/AAAAAAAAADc/4HDWRIXmCh4/s320/023935.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"&gt;&lt;a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb6MF6prHI/AAAAAAAAADk/eCcv8FvhrUI/s1600-h/023925.jpg"&gt;&lt;img alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb6MF6prHI/AAAAAAAAADk/eCcv8FvhrUI/s320/023925.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"&gt;&lt;a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb6MQ4DJYI/AAAAAAAAADs/MZXppaV15NU/s1600-h/024004.jpg"&gt;&lt;img alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb6MQ4DJYI/AAAAAAAAADs/MZXppaV15NU/s320/024004.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"&gt;&lt;a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb6MfgC5QI/AAAAAAAAAD0/Xe5_pIWNSA0/s1600-h/024910.jpg"&gt;&lt;img alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb6MfgC5QI/AAAAAAAAAD0/Xe5_pIWNSA0/s320/024910.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"&gt;&lt;a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"&gt;&lt;img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: 0% 50%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial" alt="Posted by Picasa" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" align="middle" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-3444829423829227998?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/3444829423829227998/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/posted-by-picasa_5529.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3444829423829227998'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/3444829423829227998'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/posted-by-picasa_5529.html' title=''/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb6LyJrEfI/AAAAAAAAADc/4HDWRIXmCh4/s72-c/023935.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-6458125421733444967</id><published>2009-06-15T18:46:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-15T19:00:53.033-07:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb5eX9iP-I/AAAAAAAAAC8/AV5L7MbuYKQ/s1600-h/203849.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb5eX9iP-I/AAAAAAAAAC8/AV5L7MbuYKQ/s320/203849.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb5efJgM2I/AAAAAAAAADE/0Uo1tiWg_TU/s1600-h/203916.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb5efJgM2I/AAAAAAAAADE/0Uo1tiWg_TU/s320/203916.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb5esbUneI/AAAAAAAAADM/0_wtP_-V0VI/s1600-h/203955.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb5esbUneI/AAAAAAAAADM/0_wtP_-V0VI/s320/203955.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb5e6bQneI/AAAAAAAAADU/4vZ6HZz5aSA/s1600-h/204004.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb5e6bQneI/AAAAAAAAADU/4vZ6HZz5aSA/s320/204004.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;div style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: left"&gt;&lt;a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"&gt;&lt;img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: 0% 50%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial" alt="Posted by Picasa" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" align="middle" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-6458125421733444967?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/6458125421733444967/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/posted-by-picasa_2034.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/6458125421733444967'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/6458125421733444967'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/posted-by-picasa_2034.html' title=''/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb5eX9iP-I/AAAAAAAAAC8/AV5L7MbuYKQ/s72-c/203849.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-8946488737741317783</id><published>2009-06-15T18:41:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-15T18:50:43.056-07:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb4Zpk4Z1I/AAAAAAAAAB8/I76YIA_D4R8/s1600-h/220325.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb4Zpk4Z1I/AAAAAAAAAB8/I76YIA_D4R8/s320/220325.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb4Z4jrCVI/AAAAAAAAACE/lB9OpPtCCZM/s1600-h/220343.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb4Z4jrCVI/AAAAAAAAACE/lB9OpPtCCZM/s320/220343.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb4aB_hMiI/AAAAAAAAACM/piFLlCUpygs/s1600-h/220358.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb4aB_hMiI/AAAAAAAAACM/piFLlCUpygs/s320/220358.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb4aaEMC0I/AAAAAAAAACU/XMB2nCPQ4tg/s1600-h/220541.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb4aaEMC0I/AAAAAAAAACU/XMB2nCPQ4tg/s320/220541.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;div style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: left"&gt;&lt;a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"&gt;&lt;img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: 0% 50%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial" alt="Posted by Picasa" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" align="middle" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-8946488737741317783?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/8946488737741317783/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/posted-by-picasa.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/8946488737741317783'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/8946488737741317783'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/posted-by-picasa.html' title=''/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ybsZT-RwJaw/Sjb4Zpk4Z1I/AAAAAAAAAB8/I76YIA_D4R8/s72-c/220325.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7489046021934331083.post-1965947604572931687</id><published>2009-06-12T22:23:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-12T23:07:27.517-07:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>Once upon a time...&lt;br /&gt;In a far away land, there lived an elf.&lt;br /&gt;But not just any elf.&lt;br /&gt;This elf was someone very special.&lt;br /&gt;This elf was an elfin-maiden, and in all the land there lived none so lovely and noble as she.&lt;br /&gt;But enough of all that. This elfin-maiden can kick some serious butt at kenpo karate, so be sure to stay on her good side...but if you can't manage to do that, you'd better make sure the Force is with you whenever you get near her.&lt;br /&gt;This elfin-maiden loves reading, because she learned from an early age that reading = learning.&lt;br /&gt;Although some would diagree with this opinion, I may point out that even if one reads a book that has no real educational value whatsoever, he or she will have learned never to read that book again after they put it down.&lt;br /&gt;This elfin-maiden is a health food nut with a major sweet tooth, although those who don't know better would classify her as a junk food junkie.&lt;br /&gt;This elfin-maiden now enjoys research, as a result of her participation in debate club the past nine months. Funny how finding one's passion makes one so love the hard work that goes into it.&lt;br /&gt;This elfin-maiden is Irish. Irish to the core, with red hair, although in more ways than one she could also pass as part mexican or asian, with the exception of her appearance. Looks can be decieving, you know.&lt;br /&gt;This elfin-maiden jumps at every chance she gets to use a sword, bayonette, or crossbow. She often borrows them from Aragorn, although she will someday soon own a beautiful weapon of her own to practice with.&lt;br /&gt;This elfin-maiden is going to teach Aragorn to ride a skateboard upon his safe arrival back from that battle in the humid, barren place in the middle of Mordor known as South Carolina. He will conquer the Dark Power.&lt;br /&gt;This elfin-maiden will record many an ancient tale of old in new books so that the heroes and battles and romances will never be forgotten by those that dwell in the Shire.&lt;br /&gt;And just in case you were wondering, this elfin-maiden now has complete reign over this region named Placated By Post.&lt;br /&gt;She will now oversee Placated so that no secrets of the Ring shall fall into the enemy's hands.&lt;br /&gt;Welcome her, good people of Blogspot!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7489046021934331083-1965947604572931687?l=elfin-maiden.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/feeds/1965947604572931687/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/once-upon-time.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1965947604572931687'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7489046021934331083/posts/default/1965947604572931687'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://elfin-maiden.blogspot.com/2009/06/once-upon-time.html' title=''/><author><name>Beth</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09437258290256275744</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBLk1cXukMQ/TlaS8_J2y0I/AAAAAAAADHM/zZAeru0xhjw/s220/100_2192.JPG'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry></feed>
