First Blog of 2012

  So today has been going well. Going good. Going great!
  The new year is holding new and exciting things for me. Well, actually, it is not the new year that holds the excitement, being when you think about it... the new year is just another year. It is God that is getting me excited, because I know I can do all things through Him, and I am looking forward to the amazing things we will do together this year.
  The fundraising is going good. So far I have had a donation each day. You can check out the progress and my little blog that goes along with it on: www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/RubyHunt.
  I did another computer science test today. On the first go I got less than 50% (and I needed 80% at least to pass). So on the next go I asked God (well, more I plead with him) to help me do it. We went back over the questions together and decided on which the most likely answers were, and then I resat it. I passed. Praise the Lord, because He helps us succeed even when it looks like we'll fail.
  For the new year, how about you make one of your resolutions to ask yourself, "What would Jesus do?" before you make each decision. I think we should all do it together, because I know that when a step of faith is taken, things change in us, and then the world begins to change around us. But we have to bring the change. Don't put it off thinking someone else will do it. God is calling you and me to be the change, so lets be it together.
  Ruby.

Last Blog of the Year

  This will probably be the last blog of the year, so I wanted to make it meaningful.
  Last night I set a fundraising page for Orphans Aid International. My goal is to be sponsored $3,000.00 by the time I turn seventeen (which is a little over a year away). Will you help me reach my goal?
  Go on to: http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/RubyHunt/ to see my page and read about why I am doing what I am doing for Orphans Aid International. And please donate money to the good work they are doing overseas.
 
  Ruby.

I Prayed; God Answered

 Like the title says, I prayed and God answered... in the form of a Christmas present.
  Yesterday I got given a book by my mother. It is called Rescue, written by Sue van Schreven, who is the founder of Orphans Aid International, along with her husband. The book is really inspirational, and apart from that it has answered my question of how I am going to get to Russia. I can go under the umbrella of Orphans Aid International, or that is what I am thinking now. They have an orphanage set up in Kostroma, Russia, and I could start off there. But whatever God does to get me to Russia, I do not mind. But this has given me hope and renewed inspiration to fulfill my dream. And fulfill the purpose God has for my life.
  Check out the site and find out ways you can help the orphans in different countries. Don't be lulled into thinking that things are fine, because in the world we lived in orphans are being forgotten and neglected. Please do your part.  http://www.orphansaidinternational.org
 Ruby.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...

THE HIGHLIGHTS OF 2011:
A.C.E Student Convention. The boys in suits, the girls in skirts and blouses, the office-ness of it. I love office wear. Anyway, it was spiffin. Seeing a certain someone again and trying to decide yet again whether I liked them or not. Still not confident on the answer to that question. Hanging out with Sarah and getting on each others nerves. Good times.

Going on long as bike rides with Ian. The Ben Morven Track, and trying to bike to the Rowing Club.

Here is Ian trying to cross the river. I was videoing him because I thought it would end with him being in the river, but it didn't work out that way. A real bummer.
Girls Group. The awkward discussion about sex and things that girls need to know. Learning about integrity, confidence, courage. Learning to trust one another. It is still a work in progress, but our little group of girls is becoming more tight knit.
Excel Touring Team.  We billeted two girls, Reg & Lil, and it was really cool having them here. Reg was shy and afraid of Jake (our dog), but Lil and I had some mean jamming and singing sessions outside at like 10pm. Each year we billet two girls, and each year they seem to get better and better. =)

Drumming for Church Band. At times I would call this a highlight, and at other times I would say it was part of the year I did not like. But it is all a learning curve, and the things that are harder to do and take longer to accomplish are usually the things that are worth while.
The cousins coming to NZ. This was both a good and bad time of the year. I enjoyed their company, but the boys got on my nerves a bit. Joe was all right because he is more placid, but Issac was flipping mean and annoying at times. Emily was pretty good, although she does bring out the eleven year old in me.

 Jet and Phil's wedding. This was the one time of the year when both sides of my family came together to celebrate one thing. Usually it is a couple on one side, or a few over from the other side. But it was all the family (well, a lot of representatives) over for at least the weekend. And then everyone was under one roof for the classic and much-loved Uncle G's big breakfast cook-up which was held at brunch time on Sunday morning. That was grand.

Me and Jet getting ready for the wedding

Making up random songs. For this guy in my life that is now going away, I have written two songs. It's funny, cause I don't like him that much, but I have liked him for a year and a while. I'm not sure why I wanted to write two songs about him, but I guess its because he took me on an emotional rollercoaster (but I think thats just his personality, haha) and my way of dealing with his being great one minute and confusing the next was to write a song about it. One song I wrote was annoyance, and the next was happy go lucky. And now I am somewhere in the middle. I have also written some songs about God, who is becoming my True Love. I get told that I have a nice singing voice... but I'll take their word on it. =)
Doing the To-do list with Sarah. What a great time. We still haven't done everything on the list, but there are a few days left in the year to get them completed. For more information about the to-do list, look at the page I have devoted to the list only. (Look up the top of the page. It goes Home (I think), Ruby Through the Ages, and then The To-Do List

In His Steps

  Last night I began to read the book, In His Steps by Charles M. Sheldon for the second time in my life. The first time it was a book I had to read for my schoolwork, and it has been one of the few books that I have so enjoyed that I wanted to read it again. It was the only book that I liked so much I brought a copy of it for myself.
  The reason I love this book is because it is honest. It lets us know that living life for Christ is not easy. We will be misunderstood by others who claim to be Christians, persecuted, and probably branded as being radical. But what a purpose to live for. It is not something that goes along the lines of the modern Christianity "Come to us. You don't have to give up any of your old, sinful ways. Just tack Christianity onto every other bad thing you do. It won't cost you a thing, but it will give you love, joy, peace..."
  What a lie.
  True Christianity is realizing that Jesus didn't come to earth, live a perfect life, then die on a cross for our sins, and not only that, but rise from the dead so that we no longer have to go to Hell when we die, but we can become God's children and go to Heaven when we die. It is realizing that it will cost us our lives, but what is this life anyway? If you give up your life, you will gain it, but if you hold onto it, you will loose it. I want to live with a purpose, not just say I am a Christian and live a life that denies that statement.
  What has God called us to do? Has he called us to go to an upper class church and worship Him with our lips and by raising our hands when the moment feels right? No! He has called us to worship Him by working together to bring God's truth to the world. He has called us to love our neighbors, whether they are rich or poor, by action as well as by telling them the truth about God. (If you want to know the Gospel message put in simple ways, go to by blog The Good (and Bad) News, or take the Way of the Master course by Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron).
  Will you join me and pledge to not make any decision, big or small, before first asking the question, "What would Jesus do?" And then, once we know the answer, we act on it, doing what Jesus would do.
  I encourage you to get a copy of In His Steps by Charles M. Sheldon and reading it for yourself. You won't be sorry that you did.

Guitar Playin'

  So right now I am sitting at my desk with my guitar draped on me and writing this blog. It isn't actually the easiest thing to do, because my guitar end is leaning on one of my hands, which I am typing with, and it keeps slipping down off my hand.
  So I was just sitting here at my desk and my hands began to make and strum some chords. Soon it became a systematic thing, and now I have a new awesome song on my hands. It is great fun.
  Sarah and I went to town today and Christmas paper wrapped someones car. It was fun. We just did the windows because the tape wouldn't stick to the bottom of the car, and we didn't want to get it on the paint, so we just covered the windows and put the tape on the outside rubber part of the car windows.
  But you didn't here it from me.
  Oh, and we did actually know the person whose car we did it to, in case you were thinking I was being mean.
  An unfortunate thing happened though. A couple of kids from my Bibles in Schools walked past while we were doing it with their Mum or one of their mothers, and then they knew it was me and it was a bit like, yeah...
  It was fun though, and his car is not damaged, but just very festive looking. It is 5:26 now so I am guessing he saw it when we finished work at about five. Interesting.

Peace, Ruby.
PS: Yesterday Sarah and I made up our own zumba to Benny Lava. You can view it on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNBoRTtuTzY&list=UUfSK_e4MOPRYuBYFXIhjHdg&index=1&feature=plcp

Dumb Idea

    Okay, so my good friend Sarah said that when she gets her full license that she is only going to let people with some form of a license drive with her. So I thought I would make a fake one. So I was doing really well, taking someone else's New Zealand license off the Internet and then putting my photo in place and changing the name to be mine. It was hard to do, actually! And then I tried to make the photo black and white for some reason. It ruined the whole thing, not just the photo. I was gutted, but it was a bad idea to begin with.
 I guess I just won't be able to drive with her...
  *Haha*
  Okay, so I didn't learn my lesson. Here is my other sad attempt that took myself five seconds to make.

Man, I am a sad sad person.

From Rubs.

Missionary Conversations

  Today I worked at the Christian Bookstore in the morning for four hours. Then I helped out at ReMix, which was the last for the year. ReMix is like Bibles in Schools, but for the whole school instead of just one class.
  After ReMix was finished, Mum drove past the school, picked me up, and then we drove down to the farm to pick my grandparents up before we drove half an hour up a windy road in the middle (kinda) of the bush, to get to this ladies house. Mum and I met her on Sunday at Christmas at the park, but Nan and Pop had heard her talk at church the previous Sunday.
  The lady, Monica, is a missionary to China, same as her husband who isn't back from China yet.
  We talked about being a missionary, because she found out at Christmas in the park that I want to go to Russia as a missionary. It was good to have that conversation and be encouraged.
  When we got home I got stuck into my schoolwork, then had dinner. And then did a lot more computer science. I got a lot done today, same as yesterday, and I am pleased with how much God helps me accomplish when I get to work and plan out what I need to get done in a day.
  Oh, and I figured out what I am going to give Pop for a Christmas present. I am going to print off heaps of photos of the family of this year. Then I am going to put them in a photo book.
  One of the valuable pieces of information that Monica told me was to pray about where God wants me to go in Russia. So I will be praying for that while I am home.
  Love,
Rubs.

Womanhood Journal and To-Do List

  I made another to-do list today, and I have accomplished everything... well, everything accept for one thing and things that could not be accomplished, or the time to accomplish them had gone (like picking strawberries when I was at a certain place, and mowing my grandparents lawns (it rained)). Here was my to-do list for today.

• Finish Sarah's Christmas present (homemade)
• Wrap up Sarah's Christmas present (homemade)
• Do section in computer science
• Do assessment in computer science
• Finish work at Ruvi's
• Knit a black stripe in the scarf
• Knit a gold stripe in the scarf
• Write in diary
• Write in womanhood journal
• Start new section in computer science
• Figure out what I'm going to give Pop for a Christmas present

  The last thing on my to-do list is underlined and bold because I still haven't done it. It is coming closer and closer to Christmas and I still haven't figured out what I'm going to give my grandfather. It would be easy if I could just buy him some chocolates, but on my wall I wrote a goal of that I would not buy anymore Christmas presents, but use what I already have or make it. I might have to break that goal as the days are ticking by and I can think of nothing to give to him... but I'll try my best. I don't like failing the goals I set in place.
  You might be curious as to what my "Womanhood Journal" is. What it is is a journal that I have to write in each day and say what I have learned, or things that have happened in the day. It is documenting my passageway through being a teenager and then entering into being a woman. I figure that if I keep one for each day of the years to come, then I'll have it to look back on if I have children of my own, and if not, then to better understand my adopted children in Russia when I am working at an orphanage and have been there for a number of years and am feeling out of touch with my childhood. Or I can give it to my parents when I go away to remember me by. There is a whole lot of reasons to keep one. The main thing it documents in how I walk with God along life's path.
  Oh and the reason that Sarah's present wrapping paper, and the card (which I did yesterday) are all homemade is that for our to-do list we had to make homemade Christmas presents from scratch. I think I have stuck to it very well. I hope she likes her present...
  Love,
Ruby.

Uncle Gary's Scarf

  When my uncle was down for Jet and Phil's wedding, he saw all the knitting I was doing and said that he would pay me to make a Hurricanes scarf for him so that he could have his own proper wool one for the rugby games. I agreed. Then my parents said, once he was gone, I should make him one for Christmas (since hes coming down to spend Christmas with us) and knit into it the words "Go" on one end of the scarf and "Gaza" in the other, so it would be a one of a kind scarf. In the beginning I didn't like the idea because it would be hard to knit in "Go" "Gaza", but now I am doing it and I think he'll like the present.
  I have done so much today it's not funny. Here was my to-do list to get jobs done:

• Finish section in computer science
• Do the Assessment
• Wrap Jet and Phil's Christmas prezzie
• Finish cards to friends ready for postage
• Write Jet and Phils, Mum, and Dad's Christmas cards
• Write Uncle G, Nan & Pop Christmas cards
• Knit until the word "Go" is on Uncle G's scarf
• Make Sarah's Christmas card
• Work 3 hours at Ruvi's

So I have almost completed the whole list. Just need to finish the "Go".
I find that when I make a to-do list for to do in a day, that I get a lot more done. So next year I have gotten myself a daily planner and instead of writing in what I'll be doing at a certain time, I am writing down what I want to have accomplished each day with a box to tick when I've done it. I find that when I reward myself with getting to tick something off I enjoy doing it and getting it done more.

Christmas in the Park

Yesterday Mum, me, and these four people from our group (Aileen, Scott, John, and Ryan), and also a family visiting us from Hamilton (AnneMarie, Trevor, and Matthew), went to Christmas in the park. While the adults did the flip charts (which is a visual and easy-going way of presenting the full Gospel message (which tells exactly what I wrote down in my Good News (and Bad News) blog), us kids (me, Matthew, Sarah (my awesome as ninja good friend), and Olivia (a young lady from our church who goes to Uni) were doing face-painting. The face painting was free and was a way to keep the kids occupied while Mum and the others were telling the parents about God. It worked out nicely.
  Sarah decided to go away and get a Mr. Whippy without me, so mean of her, which left only me and Olivia at that time doing the face-painting. Then every kid there seemed to want to get their face painted so I went over and asked Matthew if he could help face paint.
After everyone had packed up and the main attractions had left, we (me and Matthew) were still there because our parents and the rest of the group were still there talking with people and doing the flip charts. We packed up the face paints and then Matthew was trying to do tricks with one of the two glass water jars. We chatted while he did that and I got to find out about what him and his parents have been up to and about life in Hamilton. After a while I joined in. Then I was trying to do something, and then the jar dropped on one of my toes (I was wearing sandals) and my toe now has a cut and red mark on it.
We convinced the rest of the group to go to MacDonald's for dinner and debrief. It was a good time, and I got to know Matthew a bit better. Hes actually a pretty cool guy, not quite as random as I thought. A bit stink that they left today (Monday), though, so I didn't get to see them after last night when we left MacDonald's.
From Ruby.

Quotes

"We can do no great thing. Just small things with great love"- Mother Teresa


This quote jumps out to me 1. because it is on our toilet wall, and 2. because it is so truthful. Don't go focusing on the big things you can do. When we focus on the big things we forget about the little things, the meaningful things. People don't often remember that it was an expensive church camp they went on. But they will remember the barbeques and family talks they had there. Do the little things that matter. Leave the big things up to God, and do what He is telling you to do right now: Love those around you.

Black & Yellow

Okay, so Mum was happily working away making thank you cards from my sisters wedding. I came in with my computer and sat down along the desk from her. "Do you want me to put some cool tunes on while you make invitations?" I asked.
"I don't actually mind it being quiet. But you can put some music on quietly."
"Trust me, Mum," I said, finding the song. "You haven't lived until you have listened to this song while making your thank you cards. You thought that life was all right making those cards in the quiet, but once I play this song to your card making you'll be changed."
She laughed and I put on Black and Yellow. It was one of those random moments that happened, I thought it was funny, and I wrote it on this blog.

I played the drums this morning. I had been worried, but I don't know why because everything went perfectly. After the service everyone was commenting on how far I had come and everything. It was nice, but I don't really let it make me proud, because I know that it didn't happen over night, and that the times when I am my best is when I'm worshiping God.
My old school teacher, Mrs F, pulled me aside, and she said that I was a beautiful drummer (probably for the best since I am the only girl drummer at church, and the guys wouldn't like being called beautiful), and that she liked it how it's not about just doing it for me, I get into it and enjoy worshiping God while I'm playing.
The muso's lunch break up after church was good. I enjoyed eating good food, and listening in on conversation. One of the drummers sister (who is 18 I think), thinks she is in love with Jason from Esther Melody Band. I'll see how long that one lasts.

Protests in Moscow

I just read in the Latest Headlines that there have been and will be protests across Russia, but mainly around Moscow, to do with the Parliamentary elections, or something along those lines.

"Moscow is braced for what the opposition claims will be the biggest demonstration in Russia for 20 years.

Tens of thousands are expected to gather in a square south of the Kremlin, in the latest show of anger over disputed parliamentary polls.
Smaller rallies are taking place in cities across the country." - BBC News

I was watching this documentary called "Russia" on BBC Knowledge tonight. It was very interesting. The main thing I took away from watching it was that there is a city in Russia where you can look across a lake, which was frozen in the footage, to China. I thought that was pretty cool. And Russians don't need a visa to cross in a boat thing to China. That would be handy.
I have been thinking about what I need to do to prepare for living in Russia before I leave for the country. So here are some basic things I have thought I will need to do before I go:

• Learn to speak and understand the language
• Learn to read and write the language
• Learn how to cook and bake common Russian meals and goods
• Contact a mission agency to see what age they will let me go over to Russia going under their name
• Keep involved with things to do with children (Bibles in Schools, Sunday school, school holiday programs, etc), which I am already involved in

Those are the main things I can think of for now. So I would appreciate it if my Christian brothers and sisters who read this could be praying for me to seek God and spend more and more time with Him. Because as our relationship deepens and God is placed where He should be in my life: Number 1, then I know these things that I need to get done before I can go to Russia will be accomplished and fall into place.
  You know, not so long ago I had my heart set on traveling America and going around the world and having myself a grand time of seeing the world around me. All that changed and fell away when God told me Russia. It was like I had been making all these plans by myself, but then God spoke, and I knew what I really want. I want God's will for me, not some plan I could come up with myself. Because I could travel the world a hundred times over, but if God was not with me... would I enjoy it? I do not think so. God is becoming a part in my life that without Him I have no joy. He is my joy.
  Oh, and work this morning went pretty well. It was quite busy considering it was the morning, but as we get closer to Christmas things get busier and busier. It was my frenemies last Saturday at work today, I heard him announce at break-time. I was pretending to be engrossed in my Fall Of the Russian Monarchy book, but it was hard to focus on the words with a lot of loud people in the room. The reason I call him my frenemy is because I am not sure where I stand with him. We believe totally different things, but I was liked him for the past couple of years since I met him at work. A couple of months ago he e-mailed me and said he liked me and then he didn't come to church with me which was going to be his way of proving he was not an annoying people (he used another word), but by not showing up he proved the opposite. But once he had told me and then stood me up, things just became awkward between us and we don't really talk anymore. But I don't really mind. He is too emotionally draining. He has too many questions that I don't have the answer to. It is hard. I am only fifteen.
  I am drumming at church tomorrow, so I hope I will do well considering I haven't really practiced... :)
Since I fully gave my life over to God on November 6, 2011, He gave me this chapter which I have loved reading. Psalm 27. Here are a couple of verses from the end which I particularly like:
Psalm 27:13-14
I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

New Zealand & Me

I have just been thinking about it, and I realize that I have been cutting you all out from an important part of my life: where I live. While I have been focused on telling about Russia, I have forgotten the beautiful country I have in my own back yard. Most people my age call the town we live in a hole because it is not so large, but I do like it here. It is beautiful. B-town gives you a little country and a little city. It is the best of both worlds, as far as I am concerned. And the world comes to us. I work at the supermarket and about half or more of the people I talk to at the checkout when they are buying their groceries are foreigners. Czech Republic, Switzerland, Korea, to name a few, and those are just the people I can remember asking tonight.
So I'll give you a sneak people of the beauty of my country from my own eyes.
All the following photos are taken in Marlborough, New Zealand. All photos were taken by me, and all are copyrighted under my name.

Ian makes another appearance

Vineyard in Marlborough

Ben Morven Track

My grandparents farm

  So New Zealand is beautiful... but I am still going to Russia. I know that Russia is beautiful also. Actually, every place that God has created is beautiful. The countryside captivates my heart the most, I must admit. Its taking it back to the basics. The basics being: God created it, it is good, we don't need an iPhone to make us happy, kind of basics. It is just life. But life is moving on and everyone needs technology. But it is nice to take some time out and just admire God's handiwork.
  The photo up the top is of me and Jet and Phil's baby, Milly. Her name is Milly Anne, otherwise known as Million. (put milly and anne together and it sounds like millian, or million.) That dog is crazy!

Movie Night

  Just finished watching "A Film With Me In It" with Jet, Phil, and Dad. Man, was that one weird movie. I would not suggest anyone watching it. It was just weird. It is about this guy, and a flat that is breaking down. First the shelf falls off the wall and crushes the sleeping dog. Next, the chandelier falls on his brother and kills him while the guy is playing the clarinet. Then the grumpy landlord comes over to try and fix a shifty light. He stands up on an unstable chair to change the light, the chair falls over, and the screw driver sticks him in the neck. Then the guy who has been watching all this happen and not reacting to it properly, rings up his writer friend who is a real nutcase. They are trying to figure out how to make a cover up story because for the police to believe two peoples deaths in one house is an accident is not likely. Then his girlfriend comes over. The two guys who have been formulating a plan hide, and she goes into the lounge and sees the dead brother. She faints... landing on the clarinet. She dies. Then a police lady gets involved... and she dies too. All from accidents. Then they put them all in other circumstances to make it look like an accident and move on with life. Very weird and lame movie. I would not recommend it to anyone, because it is just... not that funny, and very... weird.
  Who comes up with movies like that. Although I did some knitting, so I was slightly proactive... it was a waste of my time and energy trying to keep up with the movie. So now I am blogging about it.
  I am working 9am-1pm tomorrow instead of my normal hours of 12pm-6pm, because I am wanting to go to youth group. But turns out that it is also Nan's birthday afternoon tea party... so I'll see what happens. Might get to go out to the river where youth is for a bit.

Second Beanie

I am onto my second beanie that I have done by myself. I have almost finished the ribbing. The other beanie that I did yesterday turned out all right, but it does look a little odd. I don't think I ribbed for long enough, because it does not seem deep enough. And the ribbing did not really work on that wool I used. But oh well.
Today I have work from four till seven. You probably have not noticed because I don't mention work very often on here, but when I refer to work I could be referring to any number of jobs I do. But my main "work" is being a checkout operator at a local supermarket. My second job is doing data entry for a vineyard. The third is volunteer work at the local Christian bookshop. Another two sources of income are babysitting (which I did this morning) and mowing my grandparents lawns, but I don't refer to them as work.
God has really blessed me with a lot of ways to get income, I can see. And I have to be careful that I use the money wisely, because to whom much is given, much will be required.
I am feeling a bit better today than I was last night. I was feeling a bit down to it for a while after I got home. But I sang a song to God (made up a new one), and then read my Bible a little and wrote in my Bible reading journal. Last night I wrote down some questions in my Bible reading journal and said to God that I wanted them answered by the end of the year. Two of them were Do you want me to get into playing the drums devotedly, or to focus my time in other areas to do with Russia? and Do you want me to keep in touch [with a person] when they go to university? So between now and the end of the year I will ask God those questions and write down His answer.
Your friend,
Ruby

All For Love

This week at church we are playing the songs: All For Love, Arms Open Wide, Overcome, the Stand, and Our God is Greater. Great line-up for songs accept for All For Love. I really like this song, and I have never played it in church before. Now that would be all right, accept for the fact that on Thursday night (tonight) we are not having a practice for muso's like we normally do, because Esther Melody Band is doing a workshop for the music team. I want to do this song justice when I am drumming to it... so I guess I had better get drumming.
5 minutes later
Okay, so I just tried drumming to it with the headphones on once, and then with the headphones off once playing along to it on YouTube... and I did not do so great. I think I have the technique of how the song goes down, but not the speed, cause I keep getting out of time. Harsh, but true.
A number of hours later
It is now 10:28pm on Thursday the 8th of December. The workshop, which was for all the churches in Blenheim, not just for our churches music group, I later found out, went pretty well. I learned a lot of new stuff and heard some expressions I had never heard before, but now I am hoping I can remember it all.
I finished off my beanie, just to let you know, and now I have started on another one. Well, I have not actually finished it, it still has to be stitched together or whatever it is called to resemble a proper beanie, but all the knitting is done for it.
After the workshop when I was sitting outside waiting for Dad to come and pick me up I felt extremely sad and alot like I used to feel back in the day when I was going through my depression stage. And I thought to myself, Dude, what is going on? I think I know why I feel quite bad. Embarrassing as it is to admit, I think I was focusing more on the attractive drummer tonight than what was being said. Like I said, embarrassing. But, at least I can comfort myself with the fact that you cannot have two drummers in a band. You may not know why that would comfort me, because that is saying that nothing would romantically progress between myself and another drummer, but it does for some reason. I'm not really sure why.
At the end of the day, I want God to chose my husband. I don't want to love him because he is attractive, or because he is interesting, or because he is funny and fun to hang out with. Those things are cool and all, but I want to love my husband because He is God's choice for me. Because then I will know that we'll be a match made in heaven... literally. And, to be honest, my choosing in guys usually isn't that great. Not meaning to diss the drummer, or anything. But, to counteract that comment, I have noticed that my attention has been leaning towards the Godly guys since I got back on track with God a couple of years ago. And slowly I am setting higher and higher standards.
This blog is getting long. Peace out.

Knit one, Purl one

I am knitting a beanie. It is my second beanie I have ever made, and the first one that I am doing pretty much on my own. I am ribbing the bottom at the moment. In case you don't knit, ribbing is the part that is different from the rest of the beanie, and when you rib the bottom of the beanie it makes it so that that part is tighter and will help the beanie stay on your head.
My Bibles in Schools class went to a couple of rest homes today and performed their Joshua and the walls of Jericho play to the old folk there. Both performances went very well, and I was pleased with how good the kids were. The class and its teacher Mrs. A, invited me back next year to teach and said that they really wanted me back. I enjoyed being in their class heaps, and I think I might just take them up on their offer.
When I was about to leave the classroom after we had gotten back to school from the resthomes, a little boy called Lee, who moved to the school part way through the year from Switzerland, came and asked me how to spell my name. I told him and he wrote it on the front of a card so it said "To Ruby" then he gave me the card. Inside was a beautifully made shiny paper scene of trees and snow.
His Mum was helping out with the play and when she saw the card in my hand she was surprised and said, "That is who he made the card for." So I guess it is a bit of a special thing. I think the card is really cool, and I am going to put it in my time capsule box when I make each year.
The thing I am doing called Computer Science is pretty boring, I won't lie to you. It would be better if I actually had the right programs they are teaching me about on my computer, but I do not, so I am learning things and forgetting them almost as soon as I learn them because my computer is an older version of the subject I chose, and so the one they have has newer programs. I feel like either way I don't need to know this because I plan to spend most, if not all, of the remainder of my life once I get over there in Russia, probably in a village where they don't have computers, helping out at an orphanage and showing God's love to the people of Russia in a practical way: loving those who have been forgotten by the rest of humanity.
See you,
Руби

Anastasia

  Yesterday I went to the video shop... and I got out Anastasia on DVD so I could watch it. Word.
  Well, I had to go to two video stores before I got the right one that had the movie version I was looking for. And it was raining, and I didn't have enough money, but my grandmother loaned me a dollar! And then, it turned out that it was $1 Tuesday, so isn't that cool?
  Anyway, the movie was as good as I remember it. A little fact, a little myth, a little romance...
  I am past the Introduction in the book "The Fall of the Russian Monarchy" and onto the actual stuff. I am enjoying it, but it is one very big book. I am up to page 37 now.
Tonight I went to see the Esther Melody Band preform. I really enjoyed them. Accept at the end when we were like all hyped up and she began to scream (screamo music). That put me right off. You may or may not know that I used to love screamo music until I went to Parachute 2010, saw Underoath perform, and heard God asking me to choose whether I would follow the music, or whether I would follow Him. I chose God, and my life is fuller and better for it. Back when I liked that kind of music I went through a stage of being depressed, and despite still reading my Bible and going to church and writing a lot of letters to God... I was far away from God. I was sad. But I chose God, and although it has been a bit of a long road back to Him, now I am in a place where I have given everything to God, and I am better for it.
Tomorrow night the Esther Melody Band is doing a workshop with our church music team. So I am going to go if for only one reason then it would be because the drummer kicked butt. And he pulled some pretty crazy faces, which fits the description of ninja drummer.
  Mum is on my case to go to bed because my class for Bibles in Schools is doing their play at a rest home tomorrow and we're going all the way down to P town small to help out. So I need an early night.  So if you were enjoying this blog, blame Mamma.
  Россия, мы хоме.
Darn Google translate, says something completely different to what I just wrote there. Russia, my home.
God bless,
Руби
 

The Good News (and the Bad News)

  I want to tell you the good news that I have heard and that I believe. But before I get into the good news, I have to tell you the bad news. But to really accept and appreciate the good news, you must first hear the bad news.
  Here is the bad news:
  Have you ever told a lie? I know I have. That makes us liars.. Have you ever stolen something? Same, and that makes us thieves. Have you ever used God's name as a swear word (like saying Oh my God, or Jesus Christ when something bad happens)? I have too, and that makes us blasphemers. I'm not sure if you know this, but those were just three of the ten commands, and we broke three out of three. The Bible makes it clear that you and I will live only once, and then we will be judged on how we live. If God judges us by the standard of His Ten Commandments, then we would be found guilty, because if we break even one of God's laws, it is the same as breaking all of the them. The Bible makes it clear that there are only two places to go when we die: either heaven or hell. We have to be perfect to go to heaven, and we have messed that one up. That means that there is only one place for us to go when we die: hell. Does that concern you? It concerns me! The Bible says that hell is no party. It says that the worm never dies, and the flame never goes out. We will be in such pain that we will look for death, but won't find it. That does not sound like a party to me.
  The good news is that Jesus saw the problem we had. He saw that because we have broken God's laws there is only one place for us to go: hell. The Bible tells us that Jesus loved us so much, He came from His perfect, holy home in Heaven down into our mess of a world. Then He lived a perfect life, and died on the cross not because of anything He had done, but because of all the bad things we have done. He took the death penalty for me and for you, and He made it so that we no longer have to go to Hell, but we can go to Heaven.
  But it is not an automatic gift. Imagine that there is a present under the Christmas tree. You acknowledge that its there and even look at it and say, "What a lovely gift!" But what good is that gift to you until you pick it up, unwrap it, and make it your own? Much like this, until we accept what Jesus has done for us, we are leaving what He has done for us and not making it our own. There are two things to do to pick up Jesus and invite Him into our lives. First of all we need to turn away from our sin and walk the opposite way. Then we need to surrender our lives to God, and no longer do things our way.
  It is no easy road, let me tell you. But at the end of the day, what would you prefer? Living a short life that is hard and going to heaven for eternity (forever) when you die, or living an alright life and then spending forever in hell when you die? It may be a hard road to walk, but God gives me peace for the journey.
  Although it is no easy road, when you have Jesus as your Lord, and you have accepted what He did for you by dying on the cross, then you can have assurance that you are going to Heaven when we die, and that you are now in God's family. You will be forgiven. I have accepted God's gift, and I encourage you to do the same.
  If you believe what I have written in this blog is true, do not put off getting right with God. None of us know when we are going to die, so don't put it off thinking you'll do it tomorrow. Tomorrow might not come. So I encourage you to get right with God today. If you want to make the decision to hand your life over to God, go to a quiet place, tell Him you are sorry for what you have done, that you accept what Jesus did so you don't have to go to Hell, and give your life to Him for Him to lead you.
  When you make that decision, find a Bible believing church and group of other like-minded Christians so you can encourage one another, and get a Bible to read and find out what God wants you to be doing.
  Before I accepted the gift God gave me and handed my life fully over to Him, I was living a mess of a life. But now I can see that no matter what happens, God will work all things for my good.
  Thank you for listening,
from Ruby.

About Me

I have just been reading through random blogs on blogger, and from all of them I have come away thinking: Who is this person, and what was the purpose of their blog? Which left me thinking, what do people think when they leave my blog?
  So I want to tell you about myself now so that you can have the answer to the questions I was asking about other peoples blogs, in case you are experiencing the same feeling.
Name: Ruby (girl)
Country: New Zealand
Reason for blog: Well, it all started off with me loving to write and wanting to make yet another blog. But now it has turned into something more. Now this blog is about when I found out part of what God wants me to do with my life, which is go to Russia and tell people about God. This blog is about when that happened, and what happened after that leading up to me going to Russia. Just so you know, once I go to Russia, I think that I will probably be quite poor if I am running or helping out with an orphanage, so I doubt I will write again.
So there are the answers to my questions.
Seeya.

The Fall of the Russian Monarchy

  Today so far I have done an assessment for my computer science, and began the next section. I have also read a couple of pages of the books I am reading for Russian history, "The Fall of the Russian Monarchy" by Bernard Pares. It is a very thick book of 505 pages long. I am still in the Introduction at page 21.

I have not learned too much so far, because the author at this point seems to be saying what books and authors of Russian history he trusts and the ones he sees as rubbish. I have heard briefly about the Empress Alexandra and her husband, Nicholas, and also a little about Rasputin. I remember watching the movie Anastasia, about the lost princess, when I was little. That was one twisted movie for a little kid. Actually, I feel like watching it now. Jet got given it for her birthday when she was a child, and we have it on video in the movie shelf... but our video player does not work. Bummer.
Moving on...
I am enjoying learning about Russian history, but I would like to get past the introduction in this book and onto the real information, instead of just learning about whose account of Russian history was correct, and what was incorrect.
Your friend,
Ruby

Girls Group

  In B-town massive here we have a thing called Girls Group. Well, that was the original name (Girls Gospel Group), later changed to Sistas in God (SnG), but us die-hards still call it Girls Group. Anyway, Girls Group is where we meet at the leaders home (Samm) and we learn about God. There are usually about 4 teen girls on average plus Samm who meet at her house and learn about God, modesty, purity, praying, boys, upcoming camps and Christian events, and all the other things you can think of.
  I think it is a really good way to encourage girls in the ways of the Lord, so if you are thinking about starting something like it to encourage teen girls, I would think it is a good idea. There are many things I have on each night of the week, but if I had to choose between cutting one of the others out of cutting Girls Group out, I would choose to ditch the other thing... like youth group... because GG encourages me. So be inspired and get out there and begin one. Us girls need to encourage each other to live the Set Apart Life, because it's not walk in the park. It is hard to do.

Russian course

  Next year I will be learning the Russian language as part of my schoolwork, because God has called me to go to Russia as a missionary, working mainly in orphanages, I think. So as soon as He told me I began getting to work. As you know, I started to knit like a crazy person. And also I got Mum to order a Russian language course for me to do. I would start it properly this year, but she said I have to focus on my other schoolwork until next year otherwise she won't be able to get me to do much else apart from Russian stuff, which is about right.
  I am not sure when I am going to Russia, but I have figured out that there are lots of things for me to do to prepare. There is not a moment where I can say I am bored these days. When I find myself in a quiet moment in my busy schoolwork-or-other-work days, I am either knitting or doing something else to do with Russia. I used to say I was bored and had nothing to do, but things have changed. God gave me a vision of what to do... and now I am doing it.
  So if you are feeling bored, I encourage you to look outside yourself and ask God what you could be doing to help. There is a lot of bad stuff going on in the world as a result of mans sin, so you don't have to look very far to see something good you could be doing in your spare time. And if you can't think of anything else to do... there's always knitting!
  Yesterday (Sunday) my mother and I and a bunch of people we know plus some that had come down from the North Island, went down to Kai Koura and set up these flip-chart things which is a visual way to tell people about God. I gave it a go for the first time, and it was really interesting. As the church we need to be telling people about God. Some are called to be evangelists and tell people about God as their job, but everyone who calls themselves a Christian is called to go out and tell people about God (see Matthew chapter 28). If your not sure how to go about it, check out Ray Comforts site (livingwaters.com) and see how you can get into it. They good priced things on there called Gospel Tracts which help you share your faith without even having to talk to the person. You can leave them in public places, or give them to people, or use them as a tool to help you share your faith.
  Not long ago I felt down because I was leading a boring life that had not adventure in it. But when I focused on God and having a relationship with Him, I have been finding that life is one big adventure, an adventure with God. 
  Get active and get working, Christian soldiers!
Your friend,
Ruby.