HOPES AND DREAMS

"I don't know what the future holds. But I know who holds the future"

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope." ~Jeremiah 29:11

Those two quotes pretty much some up my thoughts concerning my future. That is not to say I don't have any hopes or dreams. By no means! Rather, I have many hopes for my future, and thousands of dreams for tomorrow.

I dream of getting married someday. Becoming a mom. Raising a brood of children to become godly warriors for Christ.

I hope to someday write a book, and get it published.

I dream of the possibility of starting a Christian theatre company. A company that would use the stage to tell God's story.

I hope that someday I might get a chance to direct a big name production.

I still dream of writing a screenplay and directing my own film.

But I have given these dreams to Jesus. He holds them in His hand, just as He holds me. He will guide me, if I follow Him. He dreams dreams that are even bigger and better than I could dream myself. And if I rest in Him, my life will exceed even my wildest hopes and dreams

QUOTES AND STUFF

The following is a collection of some of my favorite quotes. Enjoy

FAVORITE THINGS

growing up

My love for the arts had to start somewhere...

I was always a creative child. I loved being read to. I loved to tell stories. I loved to dress up and play make believe. I recall a time that I snuck into my mother's closet and dressed up in her clothes. I thought it was great fun. I was a little drama queen. Whenever my picture was getting taken for a special event or any reason two pictures were always needed. One in a nice polite smiling pose, and another in my flamboint "look it me" style.

At the age of six I learned to read and write. It was around this time that my first grade teacher gave me a great gift. She supplied me with special paper with lines as the bottom and a space for to draw a picture at the top. I proceeded to write and illustrate my first story: The Fire Drill. And I was hooked. I loved to write.

I would spend hours thinking up stories. My best friend at the time and I set about creating an epic fantasy novel about a young girl, poor and lonely, who was granted a wish by a fairy. The story was long and quite detailed, and sadly I cannot remember it all.

My fifth grade teacher, Mrs Cvek, was one of the biggest encouragments to me in my writing. She always had an encouraging word for me. She never doubted that someday I would have a published book. I know that when I do get published, if I can find her Mrs. Cvek will get one of the first signed copies!

I think I was born bitten by the acting bug. I always was acting out the stories I made up. I was in my first real play in second grade. I played a "Tree" in the play The Giants Garden. When I was ten I got cast in my first role as a lead. Though my characer didn't have a real name, I was excited non the less. I played "Little Girl", a pre-born child having a converation about her future with her Creator. Oh what fun it was to be onstage!

I continued to be involved in church productions through grade school and junior high. I was in several plays through my school, always having a minor part in school productions. But I loved the stage. My first real musical, as I like to put it was at the age of 13. I was a band member in a community theatre production of The Music Man. What fun!

I began to combine my love for writing and my love for theatre at that same age of 13. I wrote a skit for my class to perform at chapel. It was a hit and I continued to be the skit writer for my class until 8th grade graduation. Playwrighting was a blast.

I began to be homeschooled in 9th grade. I got involved in 4-H in tenth grade. In 11th I wrote and directed my first one act play. Our club won first place in the competition. The following year I wrote and directed again. While we took second at the competition that year, I won an award for my writing and directing. I found my element.

Directing became my favored way of being involved in theatre. But I still loved to act. I got my chance at a real lead in a real show at the age of 19. I was cast as "The Artful Dodger" in the musical Oliver! with CROSS Community Players. That was one of the neatest experiences. To know that the audience was watching you, and that you could make them laugh and smile. And that you could completly fool them into thinking you were someone else.

So that my friends is the beginnings...