Sunday 24 June 2012

Leavers Ball

Last night and the early hours of this morning formed what was our last event together at school; our Leavers Ball. It was a truly amazing evening, yummy food and fantastic music, crazy dancing and hilarious laughter. I think it's safe to say that we all had a complete blast and really did go out with a bang :)

It was so nice getting ready together, snapping hundreds of photos, having drinks and making beautiful memories. After the ball ended we wondered up the famous Monkton Hill to watch the 'sunrise' - sadly it was cloudy and so it was more watching it go from dark to light! Never the less it was truly beautiful.

God's given us such a wonderful two years together and this was the perfect way to end. Here are a few snaps, i'm sure many more will come in subsequent posts by the others...







Wednesday 13 June 2012

Penultimate exams and Lovely sisters

You have probably guessed from the last few posts that we are in the midst of big exams at the moment. Yesterday, I had my Spanish exam, which was my penultimate one (yahoo!) When I came home, I absent-mindedly told my family how the exam was - it was fine - and went off and read for a while to relax. My sister popped her head round the door, and said, "nearly cheesecake time, come in the kitchen when Dad does." She'd been telling me for months how she wanted to make this amazing cheesecake she'd heard about and today was the day she'd done it! So I carried on reading, completely unsuspicious.

Then when Dad came through, I heard my sister's voice calling out in an unusually urgent tone ... "Sarah......Come......NOW!!!" So I came through and there she was, trying to stop the candles from blowing out on top of the most incredible and beautiful cheesecake I have ever seen! 

Oh, I love surprises. This one caught me totally unaware. She'd made the cheesecake for me to celebrate nearly having exams over with! What a kind, kind, kind sister I have. 

Here are some photographs that I managed to capture. It was white chocolate and strawberry flavour, thoroughly unhealthy but totally scrumptious! I hope I don't make you too hungry..... :-)






YUM!

If any of you are going through exams, keep pulling through!

What are your favourite ways to celebrate?

Sarah

Tuesday 12 June 2012

Hiccups



Hiccups are a NIGHTMARE. So being the kind and lovely people we are we thought we'd help out. Here's a few well known remedies- it seems everyone has a different opinion, but here are ours...
  1. Hold your breath.
  2. Hold your breath and swallow three times.
  3. Hold your breath and write your name on your forehead.
  4. Breath in and out very slowly.
  5. Be scared very suddenly!
  6. Have someone offer to pay you if you hiccup one more time.
  7. Drink water upside-down.
  8. Drink water and gurgle a song.
  9. Have someone hit you.
  10. Hold your breath and imagine you are pushing out of your lungs
  11. Imagine you're a pony..trotting along a rainbow road (glittery heals) focus on trying to sprout a unicorn horn (It works EVERY time...seriously.)
  12. Play a musical instrument whilst holding your breath.
Here's a severe case... If you have them right now... I hope this helps!

Good luck,

Milla and Gina

Saturday 9 June 2012

Here's To Us

In September 2010 I moved schools, from one that made me very sad to one which has made me unbelievably happy. This school has given me opportunities I never dreamed of, rebuilt broken relationships, and brought me closer to Jesus. But the biggest thing that I've been given is some seriously amazing friends. The girls on this blog have become like sisters to me and I never thought I would find a group of people I fit so well with, who care so much about not only your earthly wellbeing but your spiritual health too. 



Two years sounds like a long time but it's gone by fast - too fast and two weeks today we will be heading to our leavers ball, the last official school event we will ever attend. 


It's a wierd feeling. 


But I know that this isn't the end. It's just the beginning! I know it's cliche but the last two years have just been preparation for the big adventure we have ahead, the start of our own lives. And I hope and pray that these girlies will be there with me every step of the way, through the good and the bad. 


So, 


Here is to us.
To all that has been.
To all that is to come.


I can't put it quite as well as some others, so this song pretty much sums up how I feel. (And yes it's the Glee cover! - because the original is rude.) 


The only thing they got wrong is that some things do last forever!

Friday 8 June 2012

The power of music

Over the past few years I have begun to discover the power of music.

I used to just be swayed by the tides of what was 'popular', tuning into a radio station and getting into anything that had a good beat and a catchy tune. But then, around the summer of 2010 I fell in love. I fell in love with a band, and their name is Switchfoot.

I discovered that music was so much more than a good beat and catchy tune, it could seriously impact your life. It was sort of like the blindfold was taken off, and I gasped in horror as I looked back at some of the destructive stuff I had been singing along to.
Many people say, 'I know that these songs are giving off a bad message, but it doesn't matter that I sing along with them, because I know I don't agree with the lyrics'.
Well I disagree.
I think that the lyrics of songs can impact on your life, on a subconscious level - they can make you feel worthless, lonely and depressed, or on the other hand - they can fill you with truth until you radiate it. So I challenge you, if you don't agree with the things your singing along with - stop - and find something you do agree with.

But enough with the heavy stuff - let's take a look at some of my favourite lyrics and why they are so amazing....

'Oh your love is a symphony, all around me, running through me'
Your Love is a Song - Switchfoot
This is so powerful and reminds me of how God's love is present everywhere - in our relationships, nature, the things that make us smile, the little things, the big things - they all make up this beautiful love - just as lots of different instruments make up a song.

'I dare you to move, I dare you to lift yourself off of the floor'
I Dare You to Move - Switchfoot
This has really challenged me recently - that when I'm in that situation - where I could stand up and make a difference I shouldn't be held back by anything - not by my fears, or by my past - but I should courageously pursue God's will.

'I'm learning to breathe, I'm learning to crawl, I'm finding that you and you alone can break my fall, I'm living again awake and alive, I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies'
Learning to Breathe - Switchfoot
I find that there are some times in my life when I seem to put my relationship with God on hold - I get caught up in the business of deadlines and pressures and I lose that sense of being utterly in love with him. But then, I remember - and I fall back into His arms - and this song sums up exactly how I feel at that moment, learning to rely on Him once again.

'Until the sea of glass we meet, at last completed and complete, when tide and tear and pain subside, laughter drinks them dry'
Restless - Switchfoot
This is just a completely awesome song which fills me with an incredible heart-wrenching excitement for heaven - it's incredible!

So I reckon that's enough lyrics for now (yes... I do realise I have only written about Switchfoot...and I do love other music - but hey - Switchfoot are awesome!)



This is an example of just how powerful music can be.
Restless - Switchfoot



What songs do you guys find speak powerfully to you?






Monday 4 June 2012

Stepping Out.

Hi all.

Last Friday, all seven of us at The Tea House, as well as another friend did something I am incredibly proud of. It's something that doesn't come massively naturally to any of us, making it all the more a better reason to do it, stepping out of our comfort zones.

We performed.
On stage.
To the whole school and visitors.

We sang, strummed, tinkled, picked, twiddled and hit all the instruments we knew how to, with everything we had within us, and took part in our school's band event. Us.........a band.....cool right?!

It was something we have been practicing for weeks and weeks, getting all those fine details to a T. It was so much fun doing all the rehearsals, and our friendship grew even deeper because of it. But as we approached the real day, an ever-increasing lump of fear seemed to grow in all our throats - one that can't easily be swallowed. Knowing that we would have to get up on stage and for me, be as vulnerable as it gets in front of everyone - sing.

I'm pretty sure the rest of Jasper and Carnelian (our band name; the beautiful colours described in Revelation to reflect God's throne) checked themselves, as I did, in the run-up to the event. I asked myself, seriously, why am I doing this? (A tip for anyone facing any challenges - always check your motives. It allows the Lord to enter in and move in power!) Well, I was having fun making something I love with my friends - music. I was showing everyone that I wasn't too scared to perform. I was doing one of my favourite things- singing harmonies.

But none of these reasons seemed to cut it for me. The one and only reason that did was this:


Jesus.



HE was the one that gave such life to us all as we put those songs together. HE was the one that gave us the stamina to keep going when so many other bands dropped out. And most of all, HE was the one that I wanted to do it for, to give praise to through performing, to thank him for blessing us with music, with amazing friendship, with the opportunity to share some of our identities with the school.

Without Him, I was nothing. We were nothing.

Just before we headed out on stage, we all prayed together, asking the Lord's spirit to be over us, and for God to shine through us. I felt energised, ready to go ... excited! And we had so much fun playing those two amazing songs to everyone, it sounded our best yet. I loved every second of it.

It felt like I had kicked down a wall by stepping out into something I wasn't entirely comfortable in doing. I'd like to encourage you to do the same. It was so worth it! Momentarily scary, but eternally rewarding.

The two songs we played were 'Faint Not' by Jenny & Tyler (if you haven't already, check out this amazing American couple who make gorgeous music together as a living) and 'Souvenirs' by Switchfoot (all of us' favourite band). They are not light-hearted songs, and have a deeper meaning that resonates with all of us. Here's some snapshots of my favourite parts:

"Where there is hatred let me sow love
Where there is injury let me pardon
Where there is darkness let the light come, come"

"We quit because it's not an easy fix
And then forget that they are even there
We forget to care"

---

"Here's to the twilight
Here's to the memories
These are my souvenirs
My mental pictures of everything"

"We were so young
We had no idea
That life was just happening"

I can't tell you what I joy it has been to treasure these last few weeks with you, my friends. We'll never forget this. In no particular order....Gina, you led so brilliantly, both instruments - voice and guitar - sounded beautiful. Megan B, I'm so proud of you performing. Your flute playing graced our pieces with utterly blissful delicacy. Kate, you underestimated your ability to play everything perfectly on stage...gorgeous! Abbie, I am amazed you only just learnt bass for this, you sounded like a pro. An absolutely essential asset to the band. Milla, your beautiful way with the piano was mesmerising, especially finishing off 'Faint Not'. Connie, thanks so much for doing drums with us, it sounded fantastic and you helped us keep the beat. Eve, it was so much fun doing harmonies with you, the judges noticed...thanks for adding all that much needed passion to the songs. And lastly, but not leastly Megan D, you were a brilliant and trustworthy techy for us! We would have really struggled without you.

You are all amazing and pride bursts in my heart thinking back to us standing on that lonely stage on a day never to be forgotten....Friday 1 June 2012.
One of my bucket lists ticked off - play in a band.

With lots of love
Sarah

P.S. On a side note - check out Kate's bio! She's finally done it! It's inspirational stuff...