Finally!

There is order in the universe! Because....the website I've made for my ministry is finally jump-starting and I've added a section for a blog. I plan to keep everyone updated there and keep this as a personal blog just in case. But. Here are instructions on how to get to my new one!!! (You'll need instructions since it's originally in Russian):
1. Go to www.lubov316.ru
2. On the main page under the blue heading click on "Click here for the English translation!"
3. When it translates click on "About" on the top left hand navigation bar, a new page with ridiculously large font (a product of the translation) and a picture of Jesus should come up
4. On the bottom of that page there's a link that says "Click here for Elena's Blog"! The blog is written in English so the Google translation isn't necessary there. the main purpose of that was just to let you see what other content is on the website if I'm referring to something (and you can't read it because it's in Russian!)

Enjoy!
Godspeed,
E.A.

Eureka!

This post is basically for those who actually follow this blog (I assure you that your numbers are very very few).
One of my greatest pet peeves is when someone starts something (ie. a blog) and doesn't finish it. I know of many people who have started blogging and, over time, have stopped. As much as I hate to admit it, I myself am more or less in that category, since I've been gone for a while now.
Here's why:
After many middle and high school years spent working closely with HTML codes of MySpace and, well, here, I've figured out why I've always been so attached to creating places for myself on the web: I've recently started a website as an outreach ministry to people in Russia, combining my web-savvy and translation skills. I hope to get it a full-blown portal by this summer, so I'll give you more on that later (erm...yes).

Also, I've finally, after a really long time, figured out a purpose for my writing. I've been doing a lot of figuring out of what in the world I want to do in life (I think this comes as a standard college thing), and I've turned to various modes of self-figure-outing (including inventing new words). I discovered, through various methods (personality tests and just plain ol’ knowledge of self) that I’m a “teacher”. I mean, just look at what I do for a living: I tutor math and science 5 hours a week, lead a worship band (teaching technicalities of music to jr. high kids), and many other things like that. I’ve been trying to figure out how my teaching relates to my writing, and I think I finally know: remember when, earlier last summer, my hard drive crashed and I thought I was going to lose all my work? I was all upset not because I had lost precious memories but because nobody has gotten to read anything of what I’d written.

Boo, right? I myself sometimes find it a laborious task to go back through my old writings, but there's a lot of stuff there that could be interesting for other people to know (ie. my children, perhaps, and other posterity). Also, while I've been interested in the art of writing itself (I've read many good books on the art of writing and the technicalities of writing elements--character inner journeys, etc.), I've never quite made that into anything substantial. I mean, I do have 2000+ (yes) pages of fascinating ranting (it is fascinating because a large part of it is focused on how an individual develops as a person--I started writing soon after I became a Christian, so my teaching was God's special spiritual gift).

Here's my break: my writing is not of creative or artistic value, it is of informational and educational value. I say things straight. And since I'm also a die-hard Christian, I enjoy reading "self-help"-type books and theological works (by the way, may I recommend "Confession" by Leo Tolstoy? His smallest and least known yet his most powerful work, in my opinion). And, as a Biology major and math/science tutor, I have an interest in science, Creation science, what some might call "Darwinian" medicine, and the like.

And now finally the picture connects: teaching + writing + translation + theological research + knowledge of science + web design = me starting a web ministry for people in Russia where real questions get answered. I know (since I'm Russian) that about 60% of people in Russia claim to be Christians but only roughly 2% even know what "being a Christian" really entails! (And this is "being an Orthodox Christian/attending church/praying/etc. "Being a follower of Christ" would have a percentage of, uh, 0.000...2? You can imagine.) Thus, if people had easy access to information, they would at least KNOW what their options are!

It just so happens that most of the resources the Russians have right now come from (guess where)...big surprise, right? Here from the dear ol' US of A! I've done abundant research on websites of Orthodox churches and ministries, and they all list the same thing: "Click here to read a compilation of articles by John Piper!" or "Billy Graham's teachings translated!" or, even better, "Daily devotionals by Oswald Chambers!" (I love Oswald Chambers.) Bad part: translation. The Russian Bible was originally written in Old Slavonic, which isn't even an actual spoken language (you can say the same for the original Latin bibles). Currently, Russia doesn't have a single most popular NIV-type translation of the Bible, and how many people my age do you know who would willingly read the KJV? (I know there are some who think KJV is better for various reasons, but in the interests of getting the Gospel message across I think it's safe to say that the best way to do that is through a text that people can actually understand).

So what I'm doing is I'm re-writing and translating and coming up with questions and articles that people in Russia might want to read. After all, this summer at CIY I did get that prophetic assignment: "Go to a foreign country for 2 months"...and now I know exactly WHY I have to go there.

I might be only 18, but my picture connects just all too well. If you follow God you know that you have your life straight as well. It's not always easy, but it's always worth it. For sure.

--E.A.

Hello world.

Finally.
It's been so long.
And after a long and hard-fought battle with settling into my new life, I think I've finally arrived.
College knocked the wind out of me and it took forever to catch my breath. There wasn't time for anything. My life revolved around classes, stressing about classes, possibility of failing classes (ahem Calculus...I hate it), bus schedules, bike racks, and goodness knows what else.
What my life didn't revolve around, I must tell you, is my usual Bible study times. Let me tell you now that if you're too busy for God not only are you TOO BUSY but you're also missing out. You see, if you spend time with God in the morning, God might just add time to your day. You'll feel more accomplished. You'll be more productive. Some learn the hard way.
My writing also took a hiatus, simply because...because it was hard to write and also because the closer I've gotten to Logan the more I told him instead of writing it all down. As long as someone witnessed bits and pieces of my life, be it in writing or in spoken form, I was okay.

But then I saw a movie. I won't mention which one (yet) but it totally opened a floodgate of emotion and of thinking and of just...everything. And through that experience God gave me an idea....

"I've witnessed first hand the power of ideas, I've seen people kill in the name of them, and die defending them... but you cannot kiss an idea, cannot touch it, or hold it... ideas do not bleed, they do not feel pain, they do not love..."
And so it began. Finally a plot was coming together for a new book that I think God would give me enough will to write. My life is finally settling down. In fact, I'm picking out my spring semester classes tonight. It's late, but there's a reason for my being on that hiatus...I've learned so much about, just, people that I have enough material to write for the rest of my life.

I'll see how it goes.


-E.A.

Bite me, writing, bite me.

No writing lately because all the writing courses that I took over the summer have completely sucked the love for writing right out of me. I only do it for myself, and the only person who ever gets to read any of my personal journals is Logan (at least for now). He says it's good writing, but...blah. I'm over writing for a while.
Hiatus time.
That's such a great word.
In the meantime let me reach into my bag of awesome pictures and find a random one for you to look at.
Hm...here we go.


Yeah, nevermind. Calculus homework time.
--E.A.

This is how I feel.

I know I haven't been keeping up with the posts, but that's because college calculus is way more evil than I expected. I can only thank-thank-thank Mr. Raney for providing me with enough high school calculus instruction to survive this. And Mr. Bobay, for the Algebra. Thanks.

In the meantime college is for meeting new people. But when you sit down next to someone the conversation usually goes like this.
"Hi."
"Hi."
"My name is Elena."
"I'm..., nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, too."
"Where are you from?"
"Here in Bloomington...Well, originally from Russia, but I went to high school here so this is like my hometown" (Seriously, this is my tagline now.) "You?"
"I'm from...(fill in really lame place here)"
"That's nice."
"So where do you live?"
"Oh, haha, I live off campus" (That always sounds better than "at home") "How about you?"
"I'm in (fill in really lame dorm here)"
"That's nice."
"So what's your major."
"...."

I DON'T HAVE A MAJOR BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MY LIFE!!!!!!
I usually say something like Chemistry or Biology or "I'm a writer", depending on how I feel that day (sometimes I say something totally out of the blue, like "Underwater basket-weaving").
But this is how I feel:






Check out Garfield Minus Garfield if you want more of the same.

--E.A.

New Favorite Song

So, recently I went to this outdoor concert in Bryan Park that featured Krista Detor. I've honestly never heard of her before, but this is definitely my most recent favorite song. I've never thought of myself as being into mellower and sunnier music, but her music and words just, speak, like I've never heard before. Absolutely beautiful. I encourage you to check out her website.

"A Red Bowl" by Krista Detor. (I had to type up the lyrics myself because they don't have them online.)
Listen below or open this link in a new window: http://www.freewebs.com/locachicarusa/A%20Red%20Bowl.mp3

Green limes in a red bowl
On a table
And I don’t know what you’re calling for.
Green limes in a red bowl
On a table
And I don’t know what you’re calling for.
If I had a dime for every drop of rain
If I had a million-dollar name,
Would you like me better?
Would it all be better?
Blue bird on the fence post
By the hostas
And I don’t know what you’re calling for.
Blue bird on the fence post
By the hostas
And I don’t know what you’re calling for.
If I had a house in the city
And a man who answered my door,
And your pretty picture,
Would it all look better?
Red coat on the white chair
By the front door
And I don’t know what you’re calling for.
Red coat on the white chair
By the front door
And I don’t know what you’re calling for.
If I promised I’d love him forever
Could it all be better?
Such a pretty picture.
If I had a dime for every drop of rain,
If I had a million-dollar name,
And fortune and fame,
Could it all be…?
Could he love me…?
Green limes in a red bowl
On a table
And I don’t know what you’re calling for.


--E.A.

I'm so cool...

So yes, staying up at 5:30 in the morning with a bunch (that's 50 or so) middle-schoolers is officially cool. Another lock-in means another bout with social insomnia for me, plus it's really cold and they're watching, ugh, "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends".

Okay I give up on things to write.

I know I have college stuff soon and I need to prepare for that.

Plus, nobody reads this anyways. Especially at 4:30 in the morning.

-E.A.

Hi!

K, I know I haven't been on here lately (no kidding) but I promise I'll post something interesting soon. I just had a really busy summer (lots of time away from home), so. Yeah.

For now, enjoy:

--E.A.

Vintage swimsuits for the modesty freak.

I love vintage swimsuits. Seriously. If everyone had one of these there'd be a lot less troubles in the world. (Okay really I could go into the whole deal about how girls of this time don't know modesty and how we need to cover up for the sake of our guys' innocent minds (right) but that's another discussion).



LOOK. AT. THIS.
The reason I'm posting it here is for personal future reference & because my "Favorites" folder is disabled on this computer.


I found that swimsuit HERE and the price tag is only $130.

And speaking of vintage things, how nice is this:

Definitely goes with the beach theme.
& I had no idea it was called a 'parasol'...I guess that makes sense in Spanish

Okay that's my shopping rant for the day.
--E.A.

Awesomeness.

Thanks, Norm, for so timely updating the deCycles website. It never ceases to be a source of entertainment for me.
For example:

This makes me think of that scary kids' show where they sing,

"There's a party in my tummy. So yummy! So yummy!"

That reminds me of this:

Not really. Maybe I just miss Michael Jackson. Maybe I'm just weird. I don't know.

"The Yankees are coming!" This is a very inspiring picture.

And this last one where he looks like Eeyore. Off by himself. See, this is when you get out your phone and call me, silly.

There's more where that came from but those are the highlights.

--E.A.