Man, I've had a great week! I got to see and talk with Kate Weise for a few hours yesterday...I just took an AWESOME three-hour nap...and I'm about to have an exciting weekend! I'm not really going to see my family that much tomorrow : ( But I think we're going out tonight so I can get my "fix", haha.

Tonight I'm going to a tiny sleepover with three of my PALs friends to initiate Sarah Madden into watching LOST!! I'm super excited. I love first season, so it will be cool watching them. And there WILL be lots of MCC.

Tomorrow I have work, which is nothing exciting (but anything for the money!), but then after that I have Erin's 18th birthday party! It's going to be super-fun. And I must say that I've outdone myself on the present. : ) Haha, it's actually not THAT big of a deal - I'm just excited that I actually knew before hand what I was going to get her.

Alright, so I'll probably post on Sunday. Catch you guys on the flip side!

I can't go to sleep, so I'm going to post a quick post on a great passage of Scripture. It's considered "cliche", but the Word still speaks with power. To me, the fact it's so well-known just means that I overlook it many times even more so. It's so simple, but sums up very accurately the way Christians should interact with others and the attitude we must have - Love.

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV)

"Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]." (Amplified Bible)

Man, there is so much in this passage that I don't do. Forget simply being patient and kind; how often am I not irritable? How often am I ever ready to believe the best of every person? My heart when I read this is thinking about those who I am very close to. It's not very hard for me to do these things for people I don't know very well who I'm simply trying to please (though that is another issue in of itself); what has been hard for me lately is to truly love my closest friends and the people I see the most at church and school who know me well.  It's been hard to not be annoyed by the smallest things others do lately. In our culture today it's so easy to get caught in the trap of being snarky and sarcastic (snarkastic! Anyone catch the reference?) towards everyone else and put up this silly wall. It's easy to say things to intentionally make others feel unimportant. It hurts me to say that but it's done to me, and in turn I do it to others as a "trade-off" at times. It's a really cruddy way of communicating. I despise the negativity today's speech is saturated with (and I'm not just talking about others; I'm talking about me as well), and this week I am challenging myself (as well as you!) to strive to simply Love. To be more like Christ by not saying anything to tear people down or pass by opportunities to tell the people in my life how much I appreciate them; to make a point to encourage the people with whom I interact often and know well - the ones I usually neglect to do so for. Even the ones that don't do the same for me in return, and even the ones who have done wrong to me in the past. 

I also want to quickly share this song I've always loved; I heard it on the way to church this morning and it totally encouraged me. Love it!

"For your beauty, for your goodness,
And your wisdom, Awesome God,
Praise the Lord oh my soul, Praise the Lord!

For your power, for your honor,
And your splendor, Mighty God,
Praise the Lord oh my soul, Praise the Lord!

I will worship you, I will bless your name forever,
I will worship you!
Bless the Lord oh my soul, Bless the Lord.

For your Kindness, for your Favor,
For your Mercy, Gracious One
Thank the Lord oh my Soul, Thank the Lord.

For your fire, for your testing
And your Spirit, Holy One
Thank the Lord, oh my Soul, Thank the Lord!

For your Suffering, for your Anguish
And your sorrow, Humble King,
Bless the Lord oh my soul, Bless the Lord!

For your Victory, for your Triumph,
And your soon coming reign over all...

And I will worship you, I will bless your name forever,
I will worship you,
Bless the Lord, oh my Soul, Bless the Lord."

-Bless the Lord, Jeff Deyo

Guess which songs these lyrics come from, for fun (I'm just shuffling around in iTunes)...

1. "Would you believe in a love at first sight? Yeah, I'm certain that it happens all the time"
2. "So nevermind, Someday they will build monuments for us."
3. "Grab a blanket, sister, we'll make smoke signals!"
4. "You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead..."
5. "These songs are noise in Your ears, clanging drums, You want my love"
6. "Very smart, Maria, very smaaaaaart!"
7. "Come meet us, King Jesus, oh wind of change blow through this temple"
9. "She can't hear him, just a step away from happiness and sanity blurs, drives her crazier..."
10. "This world has held my hand and has led me into tolerance, but now I'm breaking up"
11. "Figuring out you and me is like doing a love autopsy" (this ones for you, dad!: )
12. "Unbelievable sights, indescribable feelings!"
13. "Am I a part of the cure, or am I part of the disease?"
14. "Cold is the night, but colder still is the heart of stone turned from clay..."
15. "And we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest!"
16. "When you're a Jet, your the swinginest thing, little boy you're a man, little man, you're a king!"
17. "I ain't nothin but tired, man I'm just tired and bored with myself"
18. "It's falling from the clouds, a strange and lovely sound; I hear it in the thunder and the rain"
19. "Never felt like a fool in front of anyone, I guess that's what you do when you love someone"
20. "But I wish there was something you would do or say to try to make me change my mind and stay"
21. "She couldn't see the end, but neither could I; so I can't complain"
22. "I love you, my responsibility has found a place..."
23. "Back in place, and I'm all up in your face, with a rhyme that I embrace, like a mother to a child, I'm kickin' it Jesus style!"
24. "You're the maker of each morning, the Father of my hope and freedom..."
25. "On the corner of Mainstreet, just trying to keep it line; you say you want to move on, you say I'm falling behind"
26. "Let's take it to the beach, take it there together; let's celebrate today, as there'll never be another!"
27. "And if this night won't let me rest, don't let me second-guess what I know to be real"
28. "And the stone that sits on the very top of the mountain's mighty face - does it think it's more important than the stones that form the base?"
29. "You're smile, and the sound of your voice, and the way you see through me..."
30. "The sun will always shine, that's how you make me feel - we're gonna be alright, 'cause what we have is real!"


Have fun!

15. I have written down some really good ideas for my series (sorry it's been a while) - I'm going to devote like an hour one of these days to post all of them.
14. My room is ridiculously cluttered right now. It's making me go crazy.
13. Speaking of, I think I am seriously going crazy. Pretty much every day I lose my phone somewhere in my house because I forget where I set it down. The other night, I actually found it in the grass outside my house.
12. Chocolate festival was fun today! I really want to be crowned Chocolate Queen next year.
11. Speaking of - LKF (Little Known Fact), I actually don't really like chocolate that much. Like, if I had to choose between love and hate (because I despise indifference), I'd say that I hate it. It makes me feel sick. It always looks like a good idea, and then I eat a little and I'm like, no way. And it makes me really thirsty. And it also reminds me of times that I've eaten chocolate while drinking Coke, which is possibly the grossest thing I've ever done in my entire life. It makes me feel dirty and unhealthy.
10. I had another dream that I got married the other day. (p.s. Did I ever post the one about the wedding/monkey funeral? If not, I need to. That one could use a LOT of analysis!) I got married to Marvin from school. It was actually between Marvin and Andrew Mintz, but in the end I chose Marvin (the choosing was on my wedding day, of course). I have many dreams like this - dreams where the day comes when I'm supposed to get married (July 26, 2013, I assume), but there's no husband yet, or everything's not ready. Very sad.
9. This summer I want to record a cd of accoustic HSM songs with my fam. It's going to be TIGHT!
8. I had to work dining room at CFA for 4 hours today during lunchtime. I was really close to shooting myself in the face.
7. A friend who I haven't talked to in a while emailed me last night. I love that feeling!
6. I still don't know where I'm going to college. Oh, and, awesome news, UMHB and OkBU have Spring Break during my  Spring Break, so the little roadtrip me and my parents have planned isn't going to be as exciting.
5. Riley's Christmas present finally came in.
4. I really miss my long hair.
3. This semester is going to fly by.
2. A lot of my speils lately have been about cold weather snobs; you know, the people who've either lived up North or, even worse, visited up North for a few weeks and come down to Texas and all the sudden feel they are entitled to talk about how not cold it is even when it's like 40 degrees, which, by the way, is scientifically cold. Just because it's colder up there doesn't make it not cold down here! I believe the correct phrase you are trying to use is that you don't mind the current temperature, or that you are used to colder so you can handle it. But patronizing me and telling me it's not cold whenever I'm wearing my parka is SO not cool!
1. Don't tase me, bro.

So, I guess I didn't realize that debt-free would also mean money-free. I have $2.23 left in my checking account. Donations are welcomed. : )

ANYTHING beats still being in debt, though, I will say! And I get paid next Thursday.

I really do apologize for the lack of posting. I have been busy lately, and I will post on what exactly that has been sometime this weekend.

Let it be known that on January 19, 2009, I, Molly Rebecca Roberts, am free of debt from my parents! Throughout the duration of summer and first semester I came to owe just shy of $400. And after getting a job, I've payed them back!

What a wonderful feeling.

I really want to call Dave Ramsey and inform him that I'm...

DEBT FREEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

"Take my hand, take a breath
Pull me close and take one step
Keep your eyes locked on mine,
And let the music be your guide.

Won't you promise me
Now won't you promise me, that you'll never forget
We'll keep dancing
To keep dancing
Wherever we go next

It's like catching lightning, the chances of finding someone like you
It's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do
And with every step together, we just keep on getting better
So can I have this dance
Can I have this dance?

Take my hand, I'll take the lead
And every turn will be safe with me
Don't be afraid, afraid to fall
You know I'll catch you through it all

And you can't keep us apart
Even a thousand miles, can't keep us apart
'Cause my heart is
'Cause my heart is
Wherever you are

No mountains too high enough, oceans too wide
'Cause together or not, our dance won't stop
Let it rain, let it pour
What we have is worth fighting for
You know I believe, that we were meant to be

Can I have this dance?"
-Can I Have This Dance

Siiiigh. One day... :)

"Beloved these are dangerous times
Because you are weightless like a leaf from the vine
And the wind has blown you all over town
Because there is nothing holding you to the ground

So now you would rather be
  A slave again than free from the law...

Beloved, listen to Me!
Don’t believe all that you see
And don’t you ever let anyone tell you
That there’s anything that you need
But Me.

Beloved these are perilous days
When your culture is so set in it’s ways
That you will listen to salesmen and thieves
Preaching other than the truth you’ve received

Because they are telling lies
For they cannot circumcise your hearts

Beloved there is nothing more
No more blessings and no more rewards
Than the treasure of My body and blood
Given freely to all daughters and sons."
-Beloved, Derek Webb

Thanks Andrew for the idea! : )

By the way, just as a disclaimer, I'm being a little dramatic here (surprise surprise), and I don't really mean everything that I say, though I probably actually do. If that makes sense. It's one of those "Just kidding ...but not really" kind of things. I obviously don't know what kind of person that I'm going to marry,  but if I could chose everything about said person, their personality traits/interests would most likely not entail these 10 things. I do acknowledge that he will have faults, as do I, and that there will be things that I will simply have to get past. So just read, and enjoy. Comment, and add to the list for me if you feel it's necessary : )

What I Do Not Want in a Husband

1. A fisher or hunter. If he's a fisher, that means he always smells and we'll have seafood on a regular basis. If he's a hunter, that means he likes guns and/or wants to mantle a deer's head on our wall, both of which I cannot tolerate!
2. An obsessed gamer. I mean sure, though I may not understand why, I see that many teenage boys and even young men enjoy video games in the same way that I enjoy watching ALIAS or Gilmore Girls; to each gender their own, I suppose. But if it gets to the point where my husband is 25 and still spends extended hours each day with eyes glued to the game screen, there's a problem. I mean, hello! He'll be married to Molly Roberts, who will demand nothing less than his undivided attention at every hour of the day (that is, of course, besides when I want my alone time. Basically, I want him to be obsessed with me, but not clingy ;) ).
3. Not a blondie. I can't say for sure, but I just can't see myself with a blondie. Same with intensely blue eyes. Basically, there should be nary a physical attribute that could in any way make him resemble your average shagged-of-hair Cowabunga Geech who spends his summers hanging 10 on a surf every day at the beach, if you catch my drift (pun intended, I suppose).
4. Someone who always has to "fix" things like he's Jack Shephard. I don't think I'd be able to handle that personality complex; like, whenever I'm talking to them they are just thinking of how they can be hero and remedy the situation. This may be inevitable since I'll be marrying a guy and most guys are like this, but, hey- I didn't say this list was a valid prediction!
5. Someone who doesn't want or can't appreciate verbal affirmation. I really like encouraging people and making people feel good, and I'm usually unafraid to tell people what I like about them. If this makes my husband uncomfortable or he's too prideful to appreciate it because he doesn't need it, I sense there would be a problem.
6. Someone who feels the need to be critical about everything. I can't handle that. I need someone laid back who takes pleasure/tolerates certain things simply because I enjoy them (and I'll give him the same treatment, of course!). This isn't to say that I want him to be obsessed with Gilmore Girls (that would be kind of weird), but it would be nice to have someone around who doesn't think that I'm silly for watching it and wouldn't mind watching it with me every once in a while. Same goes for ALIAS. :)
7. Someone better at piano than me. So he plays drums? Great! He's a professional cymbal player? Awesome. He's "that guitar guy"? I'll look past it. But if he plays piano, I'll have to pass. I just can't risk him being better than me at it! I need SOME way to impress him, right? : ) In fact, I'd almost rather him be completely lacking in musical talent than him be this amazing musician who finds my musical ability simple and elementary. Similarly, I'd rather him listen to Hawk Nelson than think that my enjoyment of Jonas Brothers or High School Musical is silly because the artists are untalented, "don't deserve" any credit or to be famous because my husband could do so much better, or create cds that are very poorly produced, whatever that even means. I don't care if he doesn't really like more carefree and fun music, but if I can't even mention it without him lecturing me on how I need to grow up and listen to music with more "meaning" or trying to explain the "obvious" lack of whatever he thinks it's lacking, I will probably eat my own hand. Ugh, I detest Music Snobs!
8. On that note, I really can't marry a movie snob. If when we are watching a movie he even MENTIONS the cinematography, what other movies this certain director has directed and how the other movies compare, the bad lighting or subtle discrepancies in the acting, he is completely and unarguably out of the question. He would bug me to no end.
9. Anyone who drives a big truck or who acts like the baseball boys at Cy-Fair. See previous post about said boys.
10. Someone who has intense anger problems - especially if they take out their anger by yelling or being violent. That certain personality trait is one that frightens me and is one that would drive me up the wall, especially with my sensitivity issues.

I just thought I'd list some things that I have completely FAILED at these past few weeks. I've been extra scatterbrained lately...

1. Left my phone in the bathroom in 249 the night of Christmas on the Highway. Thankfully, someone found it and gave it to Mrs. Sandy.
2. Left my wallet under a couch in Jr. High 249. Thankfully, it hadn't moved for a week while I was gone in San Antonio, and found it the following Sunday right where it was left.
3. Left my purse in the Woodlands outside the Jamba Juice. Yes, that's right. But, of course, I got it back : ) Called them (thank you mom for the suggestion!) and they held it for me, and I drove back the next day and got it (thanks Ally for accompanying me!)
4. Burnt a batch of brownies (I had to practically chisel it off of the pan).
5. Burnt a batch of gingerbread cookies in the same night (they were like black rocks and stunk up the whole house).
6. Put WAY too much sugar cookie batter onto the pan, in the same night, and it turned into basically one big cookie. I needed them for school, but I was too embarrassed to show them because they looked so pathetic.
7. Thought my phone fell out of my pocket in Government; in reality, it simply slipped out of my pocket in the car on the way to school. The point is that I wouldn't have known either way. But I spent a good portion of that day worrying about it.
8. Took off with the keys to my car when Andrew needed it after taking mom's car to church for band practice; there was no other car at home and no keys Andrew could use so I had to leave in the middle of band practice for 25 or so minutes to drive the keys back home to Andrew.

I think that's it for now...but if I think of any more later, and I assure you I will, I'll add it to the list.

It's times like these that make me feel really silly. That wall's getting pretty big...

In other news, tomorrow is Friday! And I had nothing to do today after school. So I slept for most of it, finished my first scarf (!!), and ate with my family as a last hoorah before Andrew goes back. A good day! AND I got chosen by the NHS officers to walk in the new inductees for the Induction Ceremony Jan 20th. I don't know exactly what that means but it sounds important : ).

Friday I have work (if I have to work dining room again, I'm going to go crazy), as well as Saturday. There goes the weekend. But the next week is going to be pretty easy - finals week! I'm pretty sure I won't have to go Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday. And then it's Remedy!!! Which, by the way, be praying that there will be SOMEONE who can go with me. I've invited four people, which is more than how many I've invited to all the other Spring Retreats combined, and NONE of them are able to come. Very discouraging. Humph...

"Chains be broken,
      Lives be healed,
           Eyes be opened...
Christ is revealed.

You'll come! Let your Glory fall as You respond to us.
Spirit, Rain! Flood into our thirsty hearts again,
'Cause You'll come."
-You'll Come by Brooke Fraser

Pray with me for the spring weekend coming up Jan 16-18, Remedy, and for the lost who will be there.

" 1 The fool says in his heart,
       "There is no God."
       They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
       there is no one who does good.

 2 God looks down from heaven
       on the sons of men
       to see if there are any who understand,
       any who seek God.

 3 Everyone has turned away,
       they have together become corrupt;
       there is no one who does good,
       not even one.

 4 Will the evildoers never learn—
       those who devour my people as men eat bread
       and who do not call on God?

 5 There they were, overwhelmed with dread,
       where there was nothing to dread.
       God scattered the bones of those who attacked you;
       you put them to shame, for God despised them.

 6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
       When God restores the fortunes of his people,
       let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!"

Psalm 53

So, apparently like a thousand of my friends all the sudden have blogs that I am unaware of! I am such a trend-setter ; ). What I really mean by a thousand is, like, three. I guess it's cool to just find it out all the sudden; it gives me more things to read whenever I'm bored! People on my blogroll (including me) don't blog enough. No offense. : )

This break has been altogether relaxing, exciting, stressful, and enjoyable. I've slept in Beth's bed every night, falling asleep to Gilmore Girls while knitting : ) It's been really nice! I've been able to buy a nice outfit for myself and use gift cards and take up knitting again and be with friends and make an amazing cake, etc. etc. Of course, there have also been things troubling my mind, but this is for another blog I suppose. The more and more I interact with and observe people (especially people my age) the more I realize that I have extremely high standards and am more judging than I would like to believe. There are certain things that I don't understand, that I wish that I could change; people that I wish hadn't changed, that I will never see eye-to-eye with about certain issues, etc. I've had to come to peace with a lot of this. It's okay. It's no one's fault. There is no way to tell exactly what is right or wrong about certain things. But I'm still a firm believer in absolute truth and think that people use the alleged "grey area" to get away with certain things by not puting a label on it and accuse other people of judging them if they question motives, but that may be just me. Sorry for being cryptic; I'm just spilling my thoughts.

Now, for some countdowns...

-Prom: 3 months and 27 days. Commence freak-out... NOW. These next months and weeks leading up to Prom will be filled with being responsible for planning an event I may or may not have a date to, stressing about not having a date until I have one, and devising a plan for who will take me in April if I do not have a date by then. ...I'll keep you updated.
-Graduation: 5 months and 2 days. Say, what? That's just weird.
-18th birthday: 5 months and 16 days!!

And for now, the only other countdown I'm concerned with is 11 hours until school again. Whew. It's in the bag, baby! I will own the last to weeks of this semester.

Copper-boom!