Never Alone, For God is with me

" Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things" Jeremiah 33:3(NIV)

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/never+alone

About a week ago as I sit in my room combing my little sisters hair, I began to think to myself. I wondered how come every time I feel like I get close to someone they walk away, break my heart, or hurt me? At the ending of this thought I hear this still small whisper saying "Destiny, I am showing you our relationship. Sometimes you are so close to me, then you walk a way for a season and it hurts me. Yet I still have the same love for so love them like I love you". WOW! There I was having myself a pity party and I was convicted. I felt so alone, like friends were walking away from me. I didn't really understand why. I really didn't know how to react or how to feel. I guess God uses these times to draw us closer to him. In all reality all we need is Jesus, but he gave us companionship on earth. My whole life I tried to fit in to groups of people searching for companionship. When I feel like I have found a good friend, it doesn't turn up that way. This past week I just wanted to start shutting people out so I wouldn't be hurt anymore. I know that would be wrong but I am so tired of the constant pain that is hovering over me. I put on a smile every day to hide the pain that aches deep down in my heart. It's easy to do because most people can't see the deep hurt I carry. I know the devil is out to destroy me. He is trying to make my pain worse. I know this because kids have school started saying things like " go die, everything is your fault". Even though I know that none of this is true it still hurts. I don't mind the teasing but saying things like that open wounds of rejection. God already knows that I would walk through these things.My human mind can't fathom the unending love he has for me.  I have walked through so many things that I never would have chosen. He allowed me to go through the pain and hurt to bring me to a point of maturity. So the next time I feel alone and empty, I will seek God because I know that he will never leave me. I also have a family who loves me.
     
          "Never Once"                                                                    

Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore we’ll be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

We may not have it all together, But together we have it all ( Part 2)

Dodging mom's pictures

As a follow up to my last blog, I would like to give more insight into my family's daily life.  Here we are three families blended to be one. There is always something fun or insanely funny going on. We sometimes play board games, watch movies, or just have fun. Chores! Every kid in our family has chores except the two year old. We each have a family chore that has to be done everyday.By having chores the house runs smoother and life is not so chaotic. In addition to family chores,there are commission jobs that we get paid for and must be done daily. Lets say I wanted to go hang out with friends, my mom would ask if I had all of my chores done. My parents philosophy behind me doing chores is to prepare me to make my own way in today's world. I'm not always sure how to respond to some things that happen around my house. One time my mother thought it would be hilarious to act like she had cut off her thumb. One of my brothers got so upset that he climbed behind the couch and sobbed.
       Kasie, Lexy and I love driving my mom crazy, but we all know how much she loves it. When she is trying to take pictures of us doing family activities, we hide. During the summer, my mom would have nap time for the five youngest. Of course as they got older they no longer had to take naps. My brother Carter didn't seem to grow out of nap time and still has a tendency to fall asleep wherever he is. This was always frightening to mom when we couldn't find him anywhere! Carter is a very interesting child, he was found pretending to be a cat one summer day.









                                 
     My little sister Tatiana loves to make forts. She had a bunch of boxes in a corner of the house preparing to make a cardboard fort and I guess the job got a little tiring and she fell asleep. Being part of a big family really helps you to rid ones self of the feelings concerning what others think. For example,  one day when I was at school my little brother got into my room. I had pink walls, so Brad thought he could practice the letter "B" on my wall. Not only did he write on my wall with a black sharpie, he also used my scissors to cut Skylar's hair. I wasn't the happiest when I walked into my room that day.  Like every other family, thanks to Adam and Eve, we have some that aren't the best of friends. One of the younger ones got mad at Kasie and put a big wad of gum in her hair.After using scissors to remove the gum, Kasie showed the younger one saying " thanks a lot".   We have some that have gotten so angry that they have torn their entire room apart. It's great to watch them as they kick the walls and mom says's " I can gather a crowd if you want attention".  Those certain individuals then stop and it suddenly becomes funny to them.
     I love being part of a big family. God definitely had a sense of humor when he put our family together . Some days when you are so down, someone comes along and does something hilarious and your joy is refilled . You realize that family is the greatest thing that you could ever have. 




Fathers day



    

This is us at our finest!

We don't have it all together, But together we have it all

My family
 






My Family
 

There are a lot of great things about being part of a big family. A lot of great memories are built between us and we are like a team. You learn to value your time, your parents, and get rid of some common selfishness that is inside of most kids. No, it is not always peace and quiet. I'm sure you have assumed that already. There is always something funny going on or something loud and crazy.I ( Destiny) am the oldest at sixteen and the youngest is two. I can't mention his name due to him not being adopted and for privacy reasons. I have six sisters named Lexy(14), Kasie(14), Samantha(10), Destiny(7), Tatiana(5) and Skylar(4). I also have seven brothers named Hunter(13), John(11), Carter(8), Ashton(7), Brad and Chad(6),and the two year old. We have a girls side of the house and a boys side of the house and my parents bedroom is in the middle. Our house has a total of Nine bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms. The reason we have nine bedrooms is because we had two great big rooms that we split in half, then we split another two rooms. They are still really nice sized rooms. I share a room with Tatiana, Kasie and Skylar share.Lexy has her own, Hunter has his own room, John and Carter share. Brad, Chad, and Ashton share and the two year old has his own room. Yes there are two Destiny's and both of us were adopted. We have a fifteen passenger van that we drive mostly everywhere.For some of you it is probably hard to fathom the way we do things. Here are a few things that we do different then most families. Our food is made in large quantities. To get the kids in for a meal we ring the dinner bell.  We know that when the bell rings you are to come in. On birthdays each kid picks you a present from mom. Before they give you you're present they are required to say something they like about you. After they give you you're present the birthday person gives you a treat in return as a thank you. On our actual birthdays we get to pick a sculpted cake and pick the flavours of the cake and icing. You also get your presents. Then in the summer, instead of having an individual party, unless you are turning thirteen or sixteen,we have a great big party. Most of the school kids look forward to these parties. My mom spend the entire year before researching and gaining ideas. they are a lot of fun. There are also challenges in being part of a big family. There are a select few who are more misbehaving and take a lot of attention. It takes time away from the rest of the family. When one person does not do a chore it affects the rest of us. Taking family pictures is also a challenge at times. Someones sticking out their tongue, their eyes are closed, or they are making silly faces. Well I hope to have a part two and more insights into our crazy world.

                                                                                 

                                                                      
 

Fate made us sisters, but choice made us friends

The most wonderful part of my day is when I get home. I love spending time with my sisters Kasie and Lexy. We have a very close friendship. My sisters mean everything to me. We share many laughs, tears and hurts. Almost every night Kasie, Lexy and I are in either Lexy's room or mine laughing about the randomest things. My favorite thing about my sisters is the way we love each other despite little querks each of us have.

Lexy, Kasie and I at Dairy Queen
 

Kasie, Lexy and I (Easter of 2010)

My mom(Amy), Lexy, Kasie and I at my aunts baby
shower

Kasie, Lexy and I ( Christmas 0f 2011)

Lexy, Kasie, and I ( Easter of 2010)

Kasie, Lexy and I ( Easter 2010)
 

One of us could do something totally stupid and we all laugh. On weekends we stay up late in my room and talk about our past school week. Usually we give advice on how to act towards people who have hurt us or what has happened in the past week. When we are at school to stay connected through out the school day, we write each other notes on our spare time. My sisters and I love going almost everywhere together. Anything from shopping, doctors appointments, dentist, anything. We love making stupid movies to laugh at and taking stupid pictures. Then there are times when we are all in tears together. Some of my favorite memories with my sisters was the time when we had just moved and and us three shared a room. We would constantly be in trouble for being to loud and we still get in trouble to this day for being too loud even though we all have our own rooms. One time we turned the music up very loud and jumped from bed to bed. Of course we got in trouble for being too loud. Another great memory was the time when a mosquito got in our room during the summer. Of course Lexy being the bravest was running around the room trying to kill the mosquito while Kasie and I were sitting on the floor laughing at Lexy. Honestly I think we laugh more than we fight. When we first moved in and once Kasie and I got to know Lexy she told us how much she was happy to have us as sisters. Sometimes when I would get upset, I would say how much I wished I didn't come to live with the Ness's. One time I made the mistake of telling Lexy that when we were younger and she told me that she would of been so upset if I went away to another family because she loved me so much. I don't think I could of asked God for anything better than my two wonderful sisters. I wouldn't trade anything for them. They are my best friends.