Acts 2: keep right

key verse 2:34-35
for david himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said, ‘the lord said to my lord, sit in honor at my right hand until i humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.
[psalm 110:1] 

reflection
revelation prophet?  both 2:34-35 and 110:1 say the same exact thing, and its just another reminder of how legit the bible is, this could not have been made up.  i want to sit at the right hand of god.

prayer
i pray that i could also grow in my faith that much.

Acts 1: the ticking clock

key verse  acts 1:7  
“And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons,
which the Father hath put in his own power.”
[matthew 24:36] [mark 13:32] 

reflection
god’s timing keeps you on track and whole-hearted on fire for him.  if we knew everything to come in the future nothing would be exciting, and life would be completely different as we know it.  his timing is always perfect and best for all of us.

prayer 
i pray that i can be more confident in my love for christ and that i will never be impatient with him and result to other ways.

What comes after?

I haven’t posted in a while, so i figured I’d post something on my mind at this moment.

Well, Jesus Christ, I’m not scared to die,
I’m a little bit scared of what comes after
Do I get the gold chariot?
Do I float through the ceiling?

Do I divide and fall apart?
’cause my bright is too slight to hold back all my dark
And the ship went down in sight of land
And at the gates does Thomas ask to see my hands

I know you’re coming in the night like a thief
But I’ve had some time, O Lord, to hone my lying technique
I know you think that I’m someone you can trust
But I’m scared I’ll get scared and I swear I’ll try to nail you back up

So do you think that we could work out a sign
So I’ll know it’s you and that it’s over so I won’t even try

 

 

Does anyone else ever think about how we get up there in clouds?  
Do we see God’s face as we slip away into eternal life?  Do we wait in line for the others to get through the gate?  Do we just appear there and forget our past life on earth?  Do we even know that we died?  Do we float up?  Fall through?  What?
Does it even explain it or briefly mention it in the bible?   I hope I’m not the only one who has ever thought of it before.  I wish we could get a small glimpse of what happens. 

Rambling and Dreaming

Since everyone seems to be on the topic of dreams lately, and sharing them with others, whether they be happy or sad, I decided to further look into “dreams,” myself.  The dictionary defines a “dream” as “A series of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations occurring involuntarily in the mind.”  To all of us human beings consists some sort of dream whether it be while we are sleeping or when our minds are at work thinking of possible occasions we wish to somehow come true.  Dreams can go as far as your childish, imaginative mind may allow you.  And sadly as time goes on for those who seem to move away from imagination their dreams get thinner and less exciting.  Although we all occasionally stumbled upon these fictional, uncontrolled visions, for some of us they may come true.  Such as Nebacunezzar (wrong spelling?) when he dreamt of the statue made of various stones representing the different powers in the world and their individual strength.  But for those of us in modern times where God doesn’t come to us in our dreams as often as we can remember them, we can hardly trace back to what this dream held and what it meant.  Most of us has suffered from the repetitive dreams and those when we feel as though we are falling.  But maybe because we all seem to have these similar dreams, they might mean something.  

Starry Nights and VBS

Laying in the damp, prickly grass watching the dark sky that seems to go on forever, and rambling about things that are important at the that moment are the most memorable memories of summer.  The smoke from the fire flowing throughout the air as we try to make out the shapes and figures in the stars and trees makes everything seems so infinite.  As the trees move through the dancing wind, it looks as if they are talking to each other, and how could anyone look at this beautiful landscape and not think of the God who made this all possible. 

Vacation Bible School came at such a perfect time.  After Ally and always constantly thinking about her and her family, allowing me to be distracted is really good and not so overwhelming and depressing thinking about her.  Especially because I’m around such innocent kids with hearts for Jesus, and being around them gets my energy up and more pumped about life.  I absolutely love little kids, and I always forget because the only “kids” I’m ever around are my sisters, and that doesn’t really count, lol.  I have this little group of like 5 little kids who follow me and hang all over me, I love them to death.  This one little girl, on the way back from the bathroom, was walking ahead of me outside and stopped in the grass and she picked up a yellow flower and stopped and looked up at me and said “Look!  I picked this for you, I love you.”  So friggin cute.  And today at the vbs this other little girl was sitting on my lap and was playing with my hair band on my wrist and gasps and starts to pull it off.  And I said that it was suppose to stay on my wrist and she says, “No but its hurting you.  Look its making making a mark,” and I told her that it didn’t hurt.  And she says, “Pleas take it off.  I don’t want it to hurt you, please.”  I absolutely love little kids and their innocent minds. 

Funerals and Flowers

In every movie I’ve ever watched consisting of some sort of funeral scene, they always are very casual and relaxed or very depressing.  When attending the funeral of a friend who died suddenly out of nowhere, you would think it would be the worst experience you have ever had to go through.  But somehow Ally’s Funeral was far more different than most, and I think that’s what she would have wanted.  Although everyone there had the same morose and miserable facades on, as they had at the memorial service, it seemed as though a weight had been lifted.  A weight that held all the dark, discouraging, and angry feeling towards God for allowing this sudden event to take place in all our lives, and especially for her to be the one taken.  Everyone had confidence in Ally’s existence in heaven, and knew that she was in a better place and happier than she had ever been, but it still did not bring comfort until that burden was lifted at the presence of her casket and knowing that she’s looking down upon us.  Everyone was entirely overwhelmed by God’s grace.  Tears rolled down faces, tissues were destroyed, and the black crowd started to wither away while flowers pilled higher and higher upon Ally’s casket.  There were only a few of us left standing before her, while others escaped to clear, fresh air where a thick, hopeless mood didn’t exist.  We walked up to her casket to pray over her, and thank God for allowing this amazing girl to be in our lives, and to just be close to her for the last time, even though there was the whole world in between us.  Sitting there on that fake green grass colored blanket that lay where she was bound to stay for as long as the world may allow, I stared at her casket still thinking how this could possibly be true and wondered what good would come this.  I gazed at the flowers perfectly painted around the casket for a while and tried to replay in my mind what could have possibly gone wrong when she was driving from work, and hoping that she felt no pain what so ever.  I looked up touched her casket as a last goodbye, and turned around to meet our friends waiting for us.  As we started to move away from her physical home, the loud white and orange machine rolled towards her casket, and we all separated and went our own ways.  The few of us that went to a reception at her house enjoyed the ride filled with Death Cab For Cutie and small conversations about fun times spent with Ally, herself.  Her father was miserable and her mother was torn by their daughter’s death, but in her mothers eyes you can see the appreciation of love for Ally from all her friends, and she knows what great comfort we have that she is with God, and it brings a calm, relieving ease to her eyes.

Sunday, June 22, 2008, one week from her death, a few of us went to Ally’s grave to bring her flowers and try to get through a further closing to her death, but in a joyful way that would be remembered forever.   We picked fresh flowers of her favorite colors and placed them where she could smell, laughed about good times spent with her, and told stories to her about what a wonderful place she now physically lives.  We promised we’d be back soon, and we plan on planting yellow flowers and hanging a lantern and wind chimes around her when her gravestone comes in.  I’m glad we still talk to her as if she’s right there physically, and making up her replies, and then laugh because someone was probably watching us, but we don’t care.  And we know that she is sitting up there laughing, and that’s all we could ask for.
I love you Ally. 

Memorial Service for Allyson Palmisano

The atmosphere consisted of drained, melancholy clusters of people all standing around and within the church.  The streets were filled with bulky cars and shrill policemen directing the many who attended.  We entered the crowd of calm faces positioned outside the entrance feeling the morose air sweep across our bodies walking up the steps to where numerous friends and family were situated at the service for Allyson Palmisano.  We marked our attendance in Ally’s life in the guest book and continued to leisurely walk toward the doors entering the church, waiting for many to escape from the thick, warm air that lay across everyone in the building to be able to get a seat within.  After a few minutes passed we made our way up the maroon steps of the building to the balcony that held at least a hundred gloomy bodies attentively listening to Ally’s service.  A man spoke of Ally’s existence in this chaotic world that she somehow had made better for many in her life, and every now and then he would lead us in a song of praise for our Lord who had created this remarkable human being, that we somehow had lost.  I glanced across the room and down below me at the hundreds who had came, seeing the heartbroken faces mourning over our Ally, remembering all the times each one of us had spent with her and how much of an impact she had made on our lives.  While looking down I saw her father mourning and weeping over his daughter, pulling on the purple cover that lay about her casket and every few minutes he would rest his head on the pew in front of him and heavily sob over his daughter.  Her mother sat with a miserable gaze, glancing at who ever was speaking of her daughter, while streams of tears quietly fell down her flushed cheeks, and every now and then stare at her daughters casket.  Those who had been touched by Ally and brave enough to address everyone in such circumstances, shared good and bad times they had spent with her and how much she had changed their lives individually.  Most who had spoke talked about her love for Christ and her tremendous faith in Him, some even envious of what she had for Him and were so influenced by her faith also sought for the same relationship.  The entire room sniffled and leaned on one another for comfort, but still knowing that she was with her Father, Jesus Christ, which relieved most.  Just as the room seemed to relax in the thought of her, a team of men stood up and began to raise her and carry her through the doors of the weeping church towards the hearse.  Most began to exit with the casket, but some stayed a while and grieved over her leaving, both from the church and from this world.  I glanced across the room at the pews that contained bibles, hymnbooks, stuffed animals, and every now and then a person or two crying.  When we finally exited the building peacefully with tears down our faces we saw the hundreds standing around the church speaking of her existence and embracing one another in grief.  We shared each other’s presence giving gentle smiles at each another and laughing about life, knowing that she wouldn’t want us to cry over her anymore.  Ally’s relief from this world is depressing and tough to get through but the thought of her with God is very reassuring and her influence on so many is astounding and unbelievable.  Her death was in God’s plan and a benefit for all who had been touched by Ally and are now followers of Christ.  Although we may miss her physical presence she is always there in spirit.  Our guardian angel she is, and will forever be.
 

Ally Palmisano

Ally Palmisano.  What an amazing person.  Although I still am shocked and cant grasp the fact that she is no longer here today, I cant help but think of all the amazing memories we’ve had together.  

March 15 1991 – June 15 2008

Tuesday

Today was a good day.  Half day because it was too hot to be in school, even though everyone was going to go home and go back outside to die in the exhausting heat, when really we could have been in an air conditioned high school.  Good job HK.  I don’t mind, seeing as though we got out for nothing.  It was like a million degrees today, and the senior prank was so stupid, it wasn’t even worth doing anything.  It just made all the teachers super annoyed, including everyone else in the school.  
But going to the pond made the day a lot better, especially because the water was cold.  Twas fun.
um… I’m going to eventually post prom-ness, but I’m too tired right now. 

lol, look what i found.  Higganum Parade!

 

“I have the highest confidence in you, and my pride in you is great. You have greatly encouraged me; you have made me happy despite all our troubles.” 2 Cr 7:4

Weekend Update

Prom ended up being a lot better than i was going to be.  Everyone looked super pretty and sometimes super awkward being dressed up.  Everyone dancing made me laugh hysterically.  I love how everyone gets all dressed up and looks good when they arive but once you start dancing you become drenched in your sweat and everyone elses around you and by the ended of the night you look worse than you normally do.  It makes no sense.  My hair was soaking wet and nasty because we were all literally on top of each other.  I have to wash my extensions like mad.  It was good though.  I loved that it was on the beach, so we got to go there afterwards. 
Then we had to wake up super early for church, i love how its starts early on the morning after prom.  Church was good, i loved mikes message, its always really good.  Then a bunch of us went to Dennis’s Graduation.  I forgot how long it was, from Danielle’s graduation, forever ago.  But it was cute, Faith was crying alot.  I loved how when some kid mentioned Dennis always doing those rubix cubes the whole row labeled “wilsons” laughed.  And Donny’s phone kept going off, while Dj was “sleeping.”  lol.  And that little girl behind us, “did she get married?”  Im pretty sure emilie and i were the only ones that herd her, so cute. 
Then we went to the pond (Codys hole, donnys hole, that pond thing, whatever its called.)  It was alot of fun, i havent been there in so long.  Even though Natalie was freaking out over everything ever, and stupid snapping turtles that were non-existent that day. 
But, all i have to say is 30 FEET. 30 FEET.

I’ll put pictures and videos up later.