~My Love Turns 20~


Jared Thomas,
 I am so thankful and blessed that you are in my life. May God bless you today on your 20th birthday, and every day for the rest of your life as you walk along the path that HE has set before you. I love you so very much, and I cannot thank the Lord enough for giving me the chance of a lifetime...meeting you at a Summer camp....and then HE gave me the courage to pour my heart out to you through the e-mails we sent back and forth, after our meeting one another so many months ago. *Aren't you glad that I'm an impatient person? lol* I am so proud of the man that you are today, and I'm anxious to stand alongside you, waiting to see you become the man God is going to mold you into in the years to come. Chase after your dreams, love, and don't let the world stop you, because with God ALL things are possible.  I cannot wait to see you later on today! 
With All My Love 
-Sarah


You've brought joy into my life....that never ceases.

{Jared & the Katana Samurai sword that I got him for his 20th birthday}
You make me want to reach for my dreams, and you've made me believe in me and the dreams which I want to run after...you make me see daily that with God and you by my side...they will one day come true when I let go of my fears and retreat into HIM.


"I've been waiting here for something to live and die for...as long as you stand by my side...in your shadow I can shine." - lyrics from 'In Your Shadow (I Can Shine) [Tokio Hotel]


*HAPPY 20TH JARED!*

This Neo-Victorian Loves: M-U-S-I-C

M-U-S-I-C.....but more specifically here are some albums I don't yet have that I want:


Jason Castro (self titled debut album)
I don't know what it is about his musically islander acoustic sound, and his raw indie voice that I love so very much, but I l-o-v-e him. I loved him when he was on American Idol, and I love him now. I have been awaiting the day that Jason Castro would FINALLY release an album of his own....and now he has!

Daughtry - "Leave This Town"
I am a big time Daughtry fan....never got around to buying their second album though because money has been tighter over this last past year. I am totally in love with the front man's, Chris Daughtry's, powerful rugged vocals, have been since his days on American Idol Season 5 and I still am to this very day. Plus a little factoid for you.....my Great Aunt Patricia was Chris Daughtry's teacher when he was in Elementary School. So yeah...I am separated by a few degrees from Daughtry....and isn't that cool?

Bandslam - Original Soundtrack

I do not know why the film 'Bandslam' captured my attention and my heart as it did, but it DID.  It' only natural that because I loved a film about being in a band that I would love their music. Not to mention, I used to be a die hard 'Aly & AJ' fan, and one of the Michalka sisters, Aly Michalka, is in the movie....maybe that's why I loved it!? Anyway I *heart* the soundtrack and will have it in my musical library, even if everyone else thinks it's crappy and that I'm a goof for listening to it....I will have it....eventually! lol

There are many other single songs that I hope to purchase on i-tunes as well, hopefully I can swing buying an i-tunes gift card with any b-day money I get. My music tastes are vast and very different, moving from one genre to another.....steadily back and forth and up and down, and why stick in one genre anyway...that would be no fun whatsoever! lol
-Daughter of the King
[P.S. I started writing this entry LATE last night at the request of my boyfriend so it is a bit scatterbrained. As I think of more music/albums I will surely add them, but this is all my tired mind came up with for the moment. Supposedly I am a hard girl to shop for as far as what to get me for a birthday gift is concerned. News to me because I thought I was the 'Queen of dropping well placed hints!' Oh well.....guess I am not enough of a hint dropper! So.....this post is kinda for you Jared, but it is as much for you as it is to 'show who I am' to my blog readers! :)  These are the types of things I like,  & love. I might post more for the rest of this week. More likely than not there will be an entry on books, movies, and girly things.]

She's a working girl

(First Day of Work)
My first day of work went really well yesterday. There were a lot of details and protocol to commit to memory, but I think I am doing really well with figuring out the protocol and daily schedules for the preschool. Miss Danielle and Miss Suzanne trained me the first day......and they were such lovely sweet young women who were so gracious and patient with me while I was trying to figure things out. I love my new job.....and the kids are so much fun to work with! After work last night Momma met me in the driveway, and then momma took my sister and I out to celebrate my new job/first day at work. After dinner...I had to go buy scrubs.....the standard uniform for work. I am kinda digging the scrubs!

(New Scrubs - 2nd Day of Work)
Today at work I realized just how much I am in my element when I'm working with children. I l-o-v-e- the new job......yes, I know I already said that earlier. Today went great, and I  think I am getting the schedule and protocol down pat. I got soooo many hugs today, tied tons of shoelaces, and the kids really seemed to accept me as a 'newby teacher/worker.'
(Girl's Night & Mary Kay Night Combined)
After work today I came home, and got prepared for Girl's Night. Tonight we had girl's night, but with a twist because we had a Mary Kay party. SO MUCH FUN!!! PLUS I GOT LOTSA GOODIES!!! :-P

(My Mary Kay Haul....Thanks Momma & Ms. Sonya)

I had such a great day at work and with friends.....can't wait until tomorrow!
-Daughter of the King

My date at the movies & Deep Roots with E.H.B.C.


I feel as if I haven't blogged in forever, even though it's only been a week. I was extremely busy last week what with a job interview, traveling to see my guy/going on a date with my guy to the movies, and then heading to the beach over the weekend to chaperone. *deep breathe.....ahhhhh* So let's back track a little about my week and weekend last week shall we.....

(Thursday:) I taught piano lessons as per usual. After teaching lessons I drove to where my boyfriend lives....over an hour away. I ate lunch with my boyfriend and then Jared took me out on a date to the movies to see 'Clash of the Titans.' I think Jared was way more impressed with the movie than I was. It was a good movie, however I probably wouldn't watch it again. I love ancient Greek and Roman mythology, so I was totally psyched to see the film, but for me acting wise the movie was lacking therein, but as far as the Kraken was concerned....well that made the movie, as well as the two 'mexican-comic-relief-characters' and them having made the Pegasus black instead of the usual Disney-as-per-usual-white with blue mohawk. For me what made going to the movies special was that I went with Jared, and got to have more time with him, just being near him and enjoying him enjoying things is enough for me! (Thanks for taking me out on a date love! I had a lot of fun!!!)


(Friday:) We left for the beach with the EHBC crew. It was a long ride. We got to the beach late that night, unpacked the church vans and loaded all of our stuff into our 'bunk-houses,' and then a few of us headed down to walk on the beach. I can now officially mark off one of my things to do before I die list. I got to walk with the man I love on the beach at night, bare foot, walking together on the sand, treading in the cool ocean waves, lit and covered underneath a canopy of stars. 

{Pastor Fisher}
{YP-Matt McCabe}
{Jared leading he and I in devotions.}

{The YP wife Anna telling the student leaders what we were gonna do next....games!}

{Jared and the Mantis Shrimp that made his day....I admit the lil guy was uber cool!}
{Mister Mantis Shrimp}
{Me & Jaedon with Mister Portuguese Man O War}
{I wasn't afraid to stick my hand in with the horseshoe crabs, however had it been a tank of fish....NO WAY!}
{Jared & Jaedon checking out the shark}
{2 crazy chaperones and a normal dude in the middle.}

(Saturday:) We all got up and ate breakfast together in our kitchen, then we had our lesson together with Pastor Fisher. Pastor Fisher talked about the importance of 'spiritual milk/God's Word' in our lives...how it feeds us and grows within us deep roots. After the lessons with Pastor Fisher we then headed to the beach to have our devotion/prayer time. It was so nice to sit on the beach Bible in hand, and to be able to share my devotion time with my boyfriend on the beach. Jared lead he and I in our devotions on the beach...we read through Proverbs 22, 23 and 24 together. We played some games on the beach (which dealt with leaning on each other to try and figure out the task at hand), then we caught some lunch and had free time. During free time I did try to get in the ocean and stay in, but April means cold water.....so now I know not to get in in April! Saturday evening after dinner we headed to a shopping area.......and Jaedon, Jared and I broke off from the other groups and decided to go to Ripley's Aqaurium. I am scared to death of fish....so for me going into an aquarium....I am okay with some of it's aquatic critters and others give me the heebie jeebies! Jaedon seemed to enjoy going through the aquarium with us two chaperones, although he was very quiet, I did manage to get him to talk to me about his life a little bit. Out of the three of us I know for SURE that Jared Fisher had the time of his life in that aquarium! The look on Jared's face when he saw that the aquarium had Mantis Shrimps was a sight to behold. We all got back from our differing excursions together and we all headed up to the kitchen to hear the second message/lesson that day. Matt McCabe, the Youth Pastor, spoke on prayer and just how important it is in our spiritual walks to help cultivate the growth our deep roots in Him. After the lesson we all once again headed out to the beach, but this time we walked together in silence, so as to posture and prepare ourselves to be in a state of prayer and one on one time with God. This time on the beach Jared and I split up. I went and sat beach front near the shoreline, prayed about a lot of things that are going on in my life, and then I started to sing quietly to my King. Then I felt the tug on my heart, from God, that one of the girls in our group needed me to go sit beside her, talk to her, and ask her if she needed any prayer, if so I was going to pray with her. I went and dropped my beach bag down beside her on th darkening beach, and asked her how her time with the Lord had went...then I asked 'Can I pray for you?' Immediately she said 'YES.' I won't tell you what she and I prayed about that night....some things are left to the ears of the Lord only as they should be...not that her request was dire, but it was sincere and needed for her to grow deep roots that weekend. As I finished praying for her I looked up at her face (out of the corner of my eye I saw that she and I were the only ones left praying on the beach) and she had streams of tears flowing down her face as she said 'thank you.' I leaned in to hug her......I am so glad God speaks. After us girls were done praying together we had a little while before we had to be back in our rooms, and I had yet to go up on the pier yet....so to the pier is where we headed (Ashley, Jared and I together went and checked it out.)

(Sunday:) We ate breakfast, and then we had our last lesson time together in which Matt talked about being active in the body of Christ...that is also how we grow deep roots. Again we had our devotion/prayer time. We ate lunch, packed the vans, cleaned the rooms and then we were off to head back to EHBC. 

There's so many more things that are rambling through my head, but I don't want this to be the world's longest blog entry! Ooh, maybe if it was the world's longest blog entry I would rise to fame, seeing as I'd be named in the Guiness Book of World Records........*dreaming* lol......NAH! 

A few hours from now I will be headed to my first day of work at my new job! So for a while blog entries might become scarce, but I won't drop off the face of the world....promise!
-Daughter of the King

~Happy Birthday Daddy~

This is my father (Mark.) He sacrifices so much for his family...so that Momma can stay home and raise us girls (yes, my parents are still pouring into my life immensely and they're raising me...because I still have so much to learn and do even as a young adult woman.) My daddy is away from my momma, sister and I a lot while he is working, so that we can live in a lovely home, so that my momma can home-school my little sister and so that I can remain living at home until I am married one day. My daddy gives so much and he has the biggest heart of any man I have ever seen or heard of. My dad does things all the time for people at work and generally just anyone and everyone he comes into contact with. My sister and I never really hear of daddy's helping out others...daddy is a very humble hardworking man and so he does not puff himself up with talk of his acts of kindness and good deeds that his does daily for others...he is humble, not self-seeking, and he is righteous in the Lord, but not self-righteous/arrogant. My daddy has helped on scene with many accidents that have happened out on the road...even on some very dangerous situations...my daddy did not hesitate to help, and he went to them without thinking of personal gain or his own safety. 

My dad is the best! Daddy is a quiet leader, he's funny, he doesn't like to be alone, he's always been my biggest fan, he loves to watch a lot of movies on his off time like his daddy (my Papaw), he hates onions with a passion, he loves my momma, my sister and I enough to spend the majority of his time away from us because of his great love for us and because of him wanting us to have a nice home and things of which to call our own, he loves my momma to the moon and back and I love him to the moon and back too, a hundred times over!!!

(Me & Daddy)
I "luba yuba" very much daddy! You are the coolest truck driver and daddy any girl could ask for! Thank you for all the love you've shown me my whole life, the support you've given me, believing in my talents that God has gifted me with...you always rooted me on at piano recitals and you've read my poetry and said that I should be a writer and that my writings were beautiful, which meant the world to me! You've always told me I was beautiful....to the point where you wouldn't stop saying it until I reluctantly agreed with you...I love you for that! Thank you so much for the wonderful home in which I live, and that you allow me to continue to live in until you give my hand away one day. I think I've finally decided daddy that something might be okay now...I've changed my mind on this.....will you walk me down the aisle on my wedding day daddy?

~Happy Birthday Daddy~
With Love, Sarah-Belle

A Glimpse Into The Room Of The Neo-Victorian...

This is a little table that my great grandpa made. I love it...it is made of solid wood and holds my Bible, devotional books (in the drawer), my iPod and it even manages to hold a stack of my current quilting projects underneath.

This is a solid oak quilt rack that my great grandfather made, and it holds the 'Around The World' quilt I finished this year, as well as the quilt that my dear friend Lyn made for me...and that little frog perched on top of the quilt rack was a gift from Lyn as well. *I also love Longaberger baskets*

The tea cup was from my great grandmother (Oma Lotte.) I love my little Mary Engelbreit tin...I use it to hold all of my hand quilting essentials. The large vase was a lovely gift from Lyn (Lyn you gift me too much....and I thank you! I *heart* my treasures from you!) 

I love books old and new.....this is about half of the books, I alone, have in my room.

These are old 'antique' avon perfume bottles that I simply adore....they were my great grandma's (Ruby Euliss Gay.) The white one is my favorite of the two old perfume bottles, because she looks Victorian-ish!

I love Polish pottery...and tea pots!!! I have an old green hymn book and an old coin collectors book that came from my great grandpa (Walter Gay.) Okay, so the sewing box in the back there does indeed hold my needles and sewing notions, but it is not old it is sort of new-retro-ish.

My little indoor plant, a cute little fern, that I have actually managed to keep watered, and alive in my room for a few weeks now. 

I hope all of you blog readers and fellow bloggers have enjoyed getting a glimpse into my place of peace,
-Daughter of the King

A few burstings to surrender...

How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number- living things both large and small. 

- Psalm 104:24-25 (NIV)


I am really excited that I might be going to the beach April 16th-18th. Jared's church's youth group is going on a 'beach retreat' trip next week, and I've been invited by the youth pastor to go along as a chaperone. I never thought I would be the 'chaperone-type-a-girl' to be honest. I chaperoned last year at Centrifuge, where I met the guy who has now stolen my heart, and I loved it! I never dreamed that by me facing the fear of going off on my own, meeting new Christian people my own age, and leading a group of girls as their chaperone that it would lead to such a great time and immense blessings in my life last year and continue over into this year as well! Needless to say, I am very excited at the prospect of going to the beach next week, and chaperoning alongside Jared for EHBC (Eastern Hills Baptist Church.) Jared is talking to the youth pastor tonight at church to get details on the trip, and to see if Matt (the YP) needs Jared and I as chaperones for the trip. *Keeping fingers crossed* A random thought just popped into my mind....I NEED A NEW 'MODEST SWIMSUIT' FOR THE POTENTIAL BEACH TRIP....& IT'S NEXT WEEK...YIKES!!! I had better go shopping for a swimsuit! :-P


I'm really surprised at just how excited I am that I might be going to the beach next week. I usually hate the beach with a passion....because I get burnt so bad typically and never get to stay at the beach but for a day trip...and day trips are not very much fun when you have to ride back home in the car all covered in beach sand. I hate beach sand! lol I usually would rather be hiking in the mountains somewhere or swimming in a waterfall of some kind, but this time I'm excited to go to the beach and I have no clue as to why. Maybe I'm excited that it would be a new place and experience to share with my boyfriend, and maybe it's also because I love the youth at EHBC to death! I really do consider EHBC to be my home church at this time...it kills me when every Sunday I'm stuck here and I so desperately want to be there at J's church to help out in the ministry, hear the Word of God, and to spend time with my 'new church family.' 

Well, seeing as I might be going to the beach I need to get a move on and get back outside on the back deck to try to get a little color on my pale self....my theory is that if I get a little color on me now, or I get burnt now I won't get burnt horribly when I go to the beach this spring/summer.

Dreaming of ocean waves, the sounds of laughing youth, and sitting beside Jared on the dunes...
-Daughter of the King

Love, Sacrifice, Grace & Atonement


Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?
- Luke 24:26

"Our Lord's Cross is the gateway into His life. His resurrection means that He has the power to convey His life to me. Christ's resurrection destiny-His foreordained purpose-was to bring 'many sons to glory' (Hebrew 2:10). The fulfilling of His destiny gives Him the right to make us sons and daughters of God. When our Lord rose from the dead, He rose to an absolutely new life-a life He had never lived before. And what His resurrection means for us is that we are raised to His risen life, not to our old life. One day we will have a body like His glorious body, but we can know here and now the power and effectiveness of His resurrection and can 'walk in newness of life' (Romans 6:4). The Holy Spirit is the deity of God who continues to apply the power of atonement by the Cross of Christ to our lives. Thank God for the glorious and majestic truth that His Spirit can work the very nature of Jesus into us..." 
-Oswald Chambers (Summarized....from his book My Utmost For His Highest)

Thank you Lord for Your Son Jesus, for His atonement on the Cross, for Your unfailing grace, Your endless love, and all that you have given me! Thank you for saving me and making me anew!
-Daughter of the King

Duck Charming & Other Delights




To start this wonderful Saturday off us girl's went shopping. I went shopping yesterday with a few new girlfriend's, and I found a few shirts, but I still needed some shorts and another pair of capris....so we went shopping at Maurices. I found my shorts, and I had a 20% off discount coupon....so I scored big time, and was able to get a 'decent' pair of shorts and some dark khaki/brown capris. 

-My new shorts and capris-
-Dianna & Momma-
Us girls worked on getting this ginormous tree trunk off of the lake shore line and pushed it out into the open water. We had so much fun moving this 20 foot plus tree off the shore together! I slipped in the water a little bit, got my sneakers wet, and Momma got soaked up to her waist.

-My cool sneakers-
-Me, Dianna & Momma-
-Sitting on the dock with doggie Nugget-
-Ameneth-
-My sister Mary & Nugget-

-Hello Mr. Ducky-
-Pretty iridescent feathers-
-Duck Charming-
-Nugget checks out Mr. Ducky-
Signing off for now...
-Daughter of the King