Pictures!

Just some photos I took today! I can't wait to take more...my battery pack died :(

 

Pens

As many of you know, I love pens. I love to write with them, I love to draw with them, I just love a good find when it comes to pens! That is why I want to share with you the things I've learned about the many pens I've sampled over the 15+ years I have been writing. To start out, I am going to go with the more recent pens, though I have tried quite a few in my day ;) From the type of pen, to the tip size, to where to find it, to how much it is, I am here for you to let you know the details! For those of you who may not know, the 0.5mm or 0.7mm notations on most pens you see are the tip size of the pen. The smaller the decimal, the smaller the tip (for more precision on college-rule or smaller size lined paper) and the larger the decimal, the larger the tip (for more flow and ease of use for handwriting on college-rule or wide-rule and larger size lined paper). Let me say I'm just a bit biased when it comes to the color of pens. I can't stand colored pens in my journal...no blue, no purple, no neon green. JUST BLACK. But for those of you who love to have your colorful writing, I will include the color scheme of said pens.

Here are my top 5 so far:

BIC Triumph 730 (0.5mm) Pen
My personal favorite right now for my journal writing. For its permanent and dark black ink, ease-of-use, refillable!!, and smooth writing for smaller rule lined paper. Also great for official documents, clean writing with no bleed-through. Black, blue, or red ink.
Found at Office Max and Target
Approximate Cost: $4

Sharpie Extra Fine Point Permanent Marker
For overall smoothness and great handwriting on a one-sided page (because of the bleed-through). Most everyone knows about this one. What you don't know, is that this is the Sharpie marker with the felt tip, but it is thin, unlike your typical, run-of-the-mill thick Sharpie markers. Large variety of ink colors.
Found at any of your local office stores or supermarkets/Target/Wal-mart
Approximate Cost: $5

Pigma Micron 005 (0.26mm) Pen
For clean, clear lines in a small space (such as Bibles and books) and overall smoothness (plus it's permanent!) Great for drawing as well!! Only drawback, the tip begins to shove back into the metal as with most pens of this type (depends on how often you write and with what pressure). Primary colors and some pigmented colors (such as sepia and burgundy) ink.
Found at Michaels and Hobby Lobby
Approximate Cost: $3

Foray Liquid Medium (0.7mm) Pen
For smooth lines, flow, dark ink, ease for good handwriting (cursive and print). Sometimes bleeds through certain types of paper or when you bear down too hard, but water resistant! Variety of colors of ink.
Found at Office Depot
Approximate Cost $1 !!!

BIC Mark-It Ultra Fine Point Permanent Marker
For great flow and beautiful handwriting, permanent ink, and minimal bleed through (depending on the thinness of the paper). Lines are fairly thick, but still great for journals and other writing.  Wouldn't recommend to use on checks or official documents. Variety of ink colors.
Found at any of your local office stores or supermarkets/Target/Wal-mart
Approximate Cost: $1 (In a pack of 8 for about $8)

Honorable Mention: Pilot G2 07 (0.7mm) Pen
These used to be my all time favorite pen until I got my journal wet one day and the entire page smeared. Ever since then I always check for PERMANENT or WATER-RESISTANT pens. They should be labeled. However, if you are a person that doesn't care about this and are simply looking for a smooth pen that makes your handwriting look pretty in cursive and print, this is the pen for you! Large variety of ink colors.
Found at any of your local office stores or supermarkets/Target/Wal-mart
Approximate Cost: $3

And now for some samples!!

Pigma Micron 005 (0.26mm) Pen

This one I like to use in my Bible for side notes. One of my top five.
 

In order of Appearance:

Foray Liquid Medium (0.7mm) Pen

One of my top five.

Sharpie Pen Easy Grip with Top

Would be an honorable mention, except for the whole smoosh thing.

Sharpie Pen Easy Grip Click Pen

Same as Sharpie Pen with Top.

 BIC Triumph 730 (0.5mm) Pen

Another top five.

Papermate Regular "Black" Ball Point Pen

Not my favorite, but cheep and easy to grip, so handwriting looks nice...too bad the ink doesn't match the ease-of-use.

Sharpie Extra Fine Point Permanent Marker

One of the top five.

BIC Mark-It Ultra Fine Point Permanent Marker

Another top five.

My next blog will be about pens to stay away from. I will be your personal shopper so that when I spend money and find a dud, you won't have to because I'll be here to inform you! Please feel free to ask questions or even request a certain pen for me to try out! Anything you request, I will make sure to get a critique up as soon as possible!

Throw Off All that Hinders

On Monday, I sat outside under the eaves of the back porch of the dairy barn as rain poured down in front of me. I looked up to the sky and it seemed so surreal and almost unbelievable that God is up there. I wondered how I could even speak to Him. Then I thought of the song with the lyrics, "I lift my eyes up to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth." (from Psalm 121). I just really felt His presence then and began to cry. I felt so inadequate and that reminded me of Psalm 144:3, "O Lord, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?" How could He think of me, sitting there under the shelter of the dairy barn, when there is such an expanse of earth and beyond that I cannot even fathom or be a part of? In my small sphere of influence, what am I really doing? I feel as if I'm just living. But I want to be Living, with a capital "L". I want to live life for what matters, for His Kingdom. All the cares of the world and the things I use to fill my time or derive comfort from mean nothing in the scheme of God's plan. Why do I busy myself with gadgets? Why do most of us think we really should have these things? With all the things we use to entertain ourselves, there is some sense of entitlement within us that says, "Well, it's boring right now, so I have a reason to indulge in this." What we are really saying is, "Maybe if there was actually something good going on in my life God, I could spend more time with you. As it is, this is more interesting." How can He give us purpose if we keep turning away from His call to leave all the things that preoccupy us? I seriously do want to go out and sell all my pointless things that I use to amuse myself. What good are they, but to distract me from my true purpose here? God did not say He wanted to bless us with trinkets and nice things--how selfish to think that I, of all people, a sinner who might as well be spitting in the face of my Jesus every time I choose worldly things over Him, deserve that blessing? God does not just bless us with objects for our happiness, He blesses us with relationships, spouses, children, strength and perseverance when we are at our weakest, and the seemingly small things that show us He is there and loves us. The objects of this world can serve a purpose and bring us joy, but when we look to them as our only source of joy (which, if we truly inspected ourselves and were honest, we would have to say that we do) we must rid ourselves of them. Anything hindering you from seeing Christ, cut it off. That is why God said it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Riches cloud judgment, we begin to rationalize, become hooked, then addicted, and then give excuses why we shouldn't give it up. What is taking over you? We must identify and throw off all that is taking over our effectiveness for our true reason for living on this earth: to glorify God, work for the Kingdom, make disciples, and enjoy Him (above ALL else) FOREVER.

Excited

I'm going to Kenya!!!!!!!!!!!!