A Couple Announcements and My Trip to California

Hello friends!

So, I’m sure you’ve noticed the change I’ve made to my blog. I turned 14, you know, and I felt my blog needed to grow up a bit too. I changed the name (although mine didn’t change 😛 ) to The Sojourns of an Elf due to my many wanderings and love for adventure – plus I love elves. I also updated the look and About page.

One more announcement: I haven’t posted in like FOREVER!!! And boy have I missed it!

Truth is, I went on vacation. Sorry I forgot to tell you. 🙂

I had a rather grand and exhilarating time at the “Happiest Place on Earth.” Yes, I went to Disneyland.

Let me tell you, I had one of the most grand excursions of my life on this trip. We arrived there on Sunday the 21st and left Friday the 19th.

While we were there, I think my favorite activity was the Splash Mountain ride. We went on over a dozen times and our faces were one word: priceless. Here’s a few pics for ya:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also had an amazing time with mi familia!!! Tina, Baby D, Aunt Mimi, Danny, Abuela-y-Abuelo, I love you guys so stinkin’ much!!! Loved the slurpees. The El Torito rocked and I loved the surprise flan you guys got me for my bday! I must admit when the waiters and waitresses sang “Happy Birthday, Banchita,” I was surprised and liked the attention. 😛

When we weren’t a Disneyland screaming our heads off at Splash Mountain or eating birthday flan at El Torito, we were at Huntington Beach walking on the shoreline with the water and sand in our dehydrated toes while looking at the sunset. The magnificent pinks, purples, and oranges painted the evening sky and it looked like the Father had painted it just for us.

And he had.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the years, I’ve learned that any kind of experience – yes, good or bad – has been given to us for our growth or enjoyment by our loving and caring heavenly Father. The streaks of heavenly paint in the sky were from God’s own paintbrush – I was convinced. I looked out as far as I could; where the water meets the sky. I couldn’t see anything, but I could feel His smile shining on me and presence raining down upon us. And admiring our smiles at how His blessing had blessed us.

The seagulls squaked overhead and tried to beg for some sunflower seeds (which my Dad holds very dear and wouldn’t share) – with no success. John and Joshua played in the sand, Ally stretched out for a darker tan (lolz) and Mom monitored Joshua and caught him trying to put sand in his mouth. Dad did what he always did and will do: lay on a towel, ask for silence, and declare with a whisper,”Peace.”

And so it was.

The peace I felt there on the beach was like a lukewarm breeze on an unending day of heat. Like a good stretch in the morning after all has been stiff. Like the Light of Eärendil – a light in dark places. A peace in troubled times. The wind rolling off the sea felt like God’s breath blowing on us refreshment and tranquility.

So, I know I’ve gone a bit deep for my style, and I really could keep going on and on, but it still steers true. The peace of God is there. Even when we can’t see it. It’s in places where we least expect it. The blessings and peace of God are always there. They will always and forever be a lamp unto our feet and a light for our path (Ps. 119:105)

I have been reading Revelation with my family these past few weeks and I recently discovered that colors actually have symbols in the Bible. Red, for example, means life and the spilling of blood. I have always assumed that white means purity and peace, which it does. But, did you know it can also mean pseudo peace?

          “And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.”

– Revelation 6:2

The man on the white horse is the Anti-Christ. The man given dominion by God to rule in peace for 3.5 years and cause terror and intense persecution for another 3.5 years (thank God we’ll be raptured!!!). The world at this time period will be seeking peace. As they already are now.

It just shows: when we search for peace, we can’t find it. We find the opposite: pseudo peace and chaos.

As God’s children, we have to wait for his peace to come to us. All other peace is false. That’s another thing I am still learning: that nothing can give us peace but the word of God and his presence. The Father’s peace is the only one that can bring true, lasting, and perfect peace. Nothing else can. We are so deceived by the many things that can supposedly bring sanity or peace. I have witnessed many fall to these things and the results bring tears to your eyes.

On a lighter note, because we are children of God and believe in Him with all our hearts and souls, and know that he has been raised from the dead and delivered us from sin, we can have his peace. We are no longer slaves to chaos, addiction, money, etc. We are free. And we can live in freedom knowing that our God has us in his right hand and that when we can’t walk, he’ll carry us. This is an analogy I love:

Isn’t that beautiful?

And it’s true. The peace of God carries us even when we can’t see it or least expect it.

Beloved readers, until we meet again! Hopefully that will be the Rey tutorial – I’m almost finished with it! And I’m getting started on Legolas…so be ready!!

Arriverderci,

Emily Greenleaf 🙂

“There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.”

– J.R.R. Tolkien – The Hobbit