A sunset

This is a sunset from a couple of months ago. I finally found picasa on my laptop so I can post pictures from my phone now. Hurrah! 

Exciting Birthday

She's a bit early, but she looks healthy and cute.

Bethan Faith - 19 inches and 5 pounds

Aghh!

I hate registration for next semester's classes! All I get is class conflict!!!!!!!

Caffeine

I'm trying to post at least once a week, but I ain't doing so well. But here I am today.
At the moment I'm sitting with my Mum, Dad, and sis Jo. They're talking about caffeine because Jo is taking her SAT on Saturday. Dad says he had a secret beverage: Chocolate milk. It had caffeine in it besides being tasty and filling. That was before he started drinking coffee. Jo hates coffee, and besides, Dad says caffeine impairs one's math abilities. I drink tea. I drink it late in the afternoon so as to get through classes.
I like coffee only if it is really sweet. I prefer getting caffeine through such means as raspberry tea, candy bars, and chocolate. Also adrenilin rushes are good before classes, so I take brisk walks around campus (running, I mean, because I'm late). Other ways I keep awake and alive are to drink lots of water, carry snacks, and umm, sleep.
Speaking of sleep, it's going on eleven in the night, so...
I have no lab tomorrow so I can sleep instead of study, and since I've been studying lately instead of sleeping, it sounds like a good thing.

The Long Weekend

They call it mid-term break, but it's really just no classes on Monday. I am so glad! I don't have to do chemistry until Tuesday!

Apple picking traditions

Whoa! I was reading my previous posts and I was surprised by how full they were of speeling erors and grammar bad.

My family meant to go apple picking today but the weather was nasty. We try to do this every year. I think my parents were influenced to some degree by Noel Piper's book on family traditions, but I also know our family has always had a passion for starting and keeping traditions. We'll do something special two years in a row and then the next year we declare we have to do it again because we've done it so many times (twice) before! Our favorite traditions are those rounds of day trips we take every fall to Vermont. We recount the things that befell us the last time and keep our eyes open for new things on the road to Vermont. Somehow we have kept these traditions year after year, making time for them when our schedules were busy (which they always seem to be). But I think this year will be a bit more difficult. There are some unnegotiable obstacles, namely Dad's work schedule, my college schedule, and my dear Mum's ever increasing belly.
We may be disappointed in undone events, but who could be for long with all the exciting things God is doing in our lives?

Want a Quote?

I will post a quote of Wednesday on here soon. I heard a cool one in a physics colloquium I went to today. Unfortunatly I do not know short hand, so I was unable to get it down.
My dad says students like to use the word "random". So I watched. I began counting how many times people said random in their conversation. It was amazing! One person used it three times in a short conversation. Why am I mentioning this? Maybe I'm just being random. It is the end of the day. I don't think my brain is working as clearly as it might. I guess I'll go to bed as soon as I finish my IEA problems after dinner. Sleep might help my brain. Also patterns and symmetry. Only this post has know patterns or symmetry. Correstion. The letters are symmetrical. They at least are not random.

This post is degenerating swiftly. It's the second law of thermodynamics. I'd better stop now before it gets worse.

New Laptop, New Classes

 


I've disappeared for long enough. Most of August I spent in reading all the fiction I could, trying to do fun things with my siblings, making sure all my college forms and schedules were set.

Then this past Tuesday I had a most amazing week. I don't mean it was lots of fun or really good, although there was some of that. I mean I was busier and tireder than I thought I could be. Fortunatly, this is the last day of the "socialization activities" and classes start tomorrow.

I have a cool new laptop which I don't know where to hook up at the moment (so I'm not using it to post this). It came with a red and black backpack. I've never had one of either, so I am excited.

I hope to figure out a good posting schedule so I can still post at least once a week. I'll find out how things will go this week. So keep checking for new posts.

And College this Fall...

I have made it through Student Orientation. My classes are all registered for and I have my schedule!
I had a most interesting time at SO. My dad went with me and attended the parents' program. After comparing notes, we made the conclusion that there are two sides to what is told about college life - that told to the parents, and that told to the students.
Because Student Orientation was an overnight event, we were all assigned a room in a hall. My program began with a meeting between all the students on their particular floors with the SO Advisers of those floors. The SO Advisers were all students themselves, sophomores and juniors. I had a number of sessions afterwards about welcomes, academics, living on campus, and that sort of thing. In between, there was a proper break for lunch (a whole hour with good food and dessert). Then I had to fill out a very long survey asking me all sorts of questions that I had never thought about. After that, I had a quick course concerning sin on campus in the form of a student panel discussion. No parents or responsible adults were allowed, only students. We learned things like where you can illegally buy alcohol, how to hide stuff in your dorm room, what to do with fraudulent ID... Enough said.
There was another activity and dinner, and then on to a session with the imposing name: Relationships, Sexuality, and the Social Scene. A nice humanistic presentation assuring us that communication was key to our relationships and to talk about sex before we do it. Also it would be a good idea not to do it when you are drunk. Humph.
Also we were told this in reference to underage drinking, and I repeat: "We want you all to be responsible law-abiding citizens, but just be wise in what you do. Do things wisely, off campus, and set boundaries for yourself." So, I guess, they (and I don't mean just the student SO advisers) are assuming we're going to break the law any way.
That's what the students got. Now what were the parents told? Dad says they were assured that the campus was safe, alcohol and drugs were no problem, even the fraternities were sensible and sober. All efforts to inform parents of the their students' conditions would be taken, although by law, things like health are supposed to remain confidential. To the students, we were told that our parents would not be told anything. We were completely responsible ourselves.
Hmm, and that's a well-respected engineering college in the US. I'm glad I'm commuting.

On the good side, I know there is at least one active Christian group on campus. I think there are a couple more. Plus I can do my own part as God uses me, so onto college this fall with a hurrah!

Please pray for this campus and other campus' like it around the country.

Question

Why do sunflower seeds turn green when baked in banana bread?

Book Review - Blown to Bits

Here is my next book review: Blown to Bits.

Blown to Bits was written by R. M. Ballantyne (1825 - 1894). One of Mr. Ballantyne's more well-known books is Coral Island, A Tale of the Pacific Ocean. He was a popular author in the 1800's and influenced a number of people. His stories are beautiful, full of description, and carefully researched. Also worthy of mention is his Christian faith which comes through his works.

Blown to Bits is a story of the volcano of Krakatoa which blew up in 1883. The hero is one Nigel Roy, a mate on his father's ship the Sunshine. After a storm damages the ship, they land in Batavia in Java and are delayed for several months in repairing the ship. Captain Roy gives Nigel permission or perhaps a command to... well, I'll give it to you in his own words:

" 'Well now, this is how the land lies,' said the old seaman, resting his
elbows on the table and clasping his hands before him. 'As Mr. Moor and
I, with the stooard and men, are quite sufficient to manage the affairs
o' the brig, and as we shall certainly be here for a considerable time
to come, I've made up my mind to give you a holiday. You're young, you
see, an' foolish, and your mind needs improvin'. In short, you want a
good deal o' the poetry knocked out o' you, for it's not like your
mother's poetry by any means, so you needn't flatter yourself--not built
on the same lines by a long way. Well--where was I?'

'Only got the length of the holiday yet, father.'

'Only, indeed. You ungrateful dog! It's a considerable length to get,
that, isn't it? Well, I also intend to give you some money, to enable
you to move about in this curious archipelago--not much, but enough to
keep you from starvation if used with economy, so I recommend you to go
into the town, make general inquiries about everything and everywhere,
an' settle in your mind what you'll do, for I give you a rovin'
commission an' don't want to be bothered with you for some time to
come.' "

And off starts Nigel on his adventures. To begin with, he meets a man named Moses, a black man with whom he immediately becomes friends with. Moses happens to be looking for a companion to accompany himself and the hermit of Rakata (a mountain on the island of Krakatoa) on an expedition. He engages Nigel, and they go over to the island to meet the hermit. Shortly thereafter they set off on their expedition across the seas in an ingenious canoe of the hermit's own invention. After an exciting escape from Malay pirates, a fierce storm in a canoe, and ride from a steamer, they reach the island of Borneo. There they meet the hermit's friend the Professor, an eccentric and amusing gentleman whose chief delight is in chasing "booterflies". Frequent escapades with pirates, orangutans, and tigers form a large part of the adventures hereafter until the shocking end of the hermit's enemy, a terrible pirate captain. By now, the rumblings and explosions of the nearby volcanoes have grown to great proportions. The hermit, Nigel, Moses, return to the island of Krakatoa as it is letting off small explosions. They barely make it off the island again with a few possessions before it erupts. The canoe is tossed up on the deck of a ship by the ensuing waves. To the surprise of all, it is the Sunshine with Nigel's father on board. From the ship, they watch the tremendous volcanic eruption of Krakatoa. The Sunshine is cast on shore of Java and wrecked, but no persons are hurt. Nigel's adventures are almost done with a visit to the remains of the Krakatoa island. Then comes the last chapter, but as that is more of an epilogue, I shall not tell what happens in it. You must find out for yourself.


I heartily recommend this book. I have not done it half justice in my review. The descriptions, characters, and humor are things that must be read.

There is one objection that may be raised against this book. That is that Moses is called a negro throughout, but I think it is only because of the time in which it was written, because he is described in the highest terms. The hermit considered him a most trusted friend.

And now I will close this review with a song from Moses. It is best to read it out loud to understand it better.

"GO TO WORK."

Oh when de sun am shinin' bright, and eberyt'ing am fair,
Clap on de steam an' go to work, an' take your proper share.
De wurld hab got to go ahead, an' dem what's young and strong
Mus' do deir best, wid all de rest, to roll de wurld along.

De lazy man does all he can to stop its whirlin' round.
If he was king he'd loaf an' sing--and guzzle, I'll be bound,
He always shirk de hardest work, an' t'ink he's awful clebbar,
But boder his head to earn his bread, Oh! no, he'll nebber, nebber.
Chorus--Oh when de sun, etc.

De selfish man would rader dan put out his hand to work,
Let women toil, an' sweat and moil--as wicked as de Turk.
De cream ob eberyt'ing he wants, let oders hab de skim;
In fact de wurld and all it holds was only made for him.
Chorus--Oh when de sun, etc.

So keep de ball a-rollin', boys, an' each one do his best
To make de wurld a happy one--for dat's how man is blest.
Do unto oders all around de t'ing what's good and true,
An' oders, 'turning tit for tat, will do de same to you.
Chorus--Oh when de sun, etc.

Bumbling Bumblebee

I saw a bumbling bumblebee
Try to get some pollen
From a bright pink flower
On a blossoming rhododendron.

Here I am

So, I didn't disappear. I finished school on the second of June, and I'm so glad I've spent this whole week doing nothing but reading and drawing and working with clay. But you can only do that for so long before it gets boring. So this is the end of my week of nothing. I need to start working on certain projects and writing good blog posts and all that.

Actually, it hasn't all been play this week. College deadlines are needing looking after and all my papers need to be set in order. And then there are all the things everyone but family would find uninteresting - like the piano being tuned, or a new dishwasher being installed, or two birthday parties to go to. But mostly I just lay around with my nose in a book.

Did you know that a lot of fantasy writers are compared to Tolkien? Or that all the recommendations on the backs of their works mention how it's the greatest thing since the Lord of the Rings? Or that the plots of these same works have remarkably similar concepts and ideas (just with different names) to those found in Tolkien's books? Or that domestic trials are more thrilling to read about than the most fast-paced adventure story? Or that stories about the volcanic eruption in the 1800's that canceled summer for a whole year could be so funny? And maybe some of you can quote the opening lines of every Curious George book with me? "George was a good little monkey and always very curious."

So that's the end of this really crazy post. Now to get back to posting something of substance...

Book Review - Sylvie and Bruno

Jo and I love reading books together. We have read between two to three books in the past couple months. The last one we read was Sylvie and Bruno by Lewis Carroll (the author of Alice in Wonderland). As it is a little known book (indeed I had never heard of it before), I thought I would review it so others may benefit from our reading.

Sylvie and Bruno is a story that amuses children but requires one to be grownup to fully enjoy it, similar to the books Alice in Wonderland and Winnie the Pooh.

It is written in first person and switches from the author's trip to the country to the author following the adventures of two fairies. Sometimes it can grow confusing until you realize the author keeps falling asleep and dreaming. At the times when he is dreaming about the fairies, conversation is light and nonsensical. When he is awake, the conversation still has elements of nonsense, but acquires a more serious tone. A rudimentary knowledge of mathematics and logic is helpful to understanding the conversation at times as in this quote:

"'For a complete logical argument,' Arthur began with admirable
solemnity, 'we need two prim Misses--'

'Of course!' she interrupted. 'I remember that word now.
And they produce--?'

'A Delusion,' said Arthur.

'Ye--es?' she said dubiously. 'I don't seem to remember that so well.
But what is the whole argument called?'

'A Sillygism?'

'Ah, yes! I remember now. But I don't need a Sillygism, you know,
to prove that mathematical axiom you mentioned.'

'Nor to prove that 'all angles are equal', I suppose?'

'Why, of course not! One takes such a simple truth as that for granted!'"
I cannot give a neat little summary of the book because it has two pieces and neither quite ends in a definite manner. Here is the best I can do:
Section one is that which contains the fairies' adventures. The two little fairies, Sylvie and Bruno, live in "Outland" of which their father is Warden. There is a plot by the Warden's brother to take over Outland and become emperor. The Warden knows it, but does not let on that he does. Then the Warden leaves and we find out later that he has become king of another land. Sylvie and Bruno join him later. That is really all of a plot for section one. Sylvie and Bruno have a couple of other adventures, but these are not as important.
Section two is that in which the author is awake. Here the author is an old man with heart problems. A young friend of his, a doctor, asks the author to stay with him in a house in the country. On the way there, the author meets a young lady. It turns out the doctor is in love with the lady. He (the doctor) has just inherited some money so he can finally ask the lady to marry him. Before he does so, he wishes to ascertain her feeling towards him. The author tries to do so for the doctor, but never gets very far. In the end, the lady marries her distant cousin who shows up, the doctor goes to South Africa, and the author leaves for business in the city.

I think the chief thing of interest in this book is the conversations. Some are thoughtful, some are witty, some are silly, some touch views of theology (not all of which I agree with), but they almost all have a piece of truth.
I think there was one section which most stood out to me most of all. It has influenced the way I read books ever since. It is as follows:

"'By no means!' replied the Earl.
'What I mean is intensity of thought--a concentrated attention.
We lose half the pleasure we might have in Life, by not really attending.
Take any instance you like: it doesn't matter how trivial the pleasure
may be--the principle is the same. Suppose A and B are reading the same
second-rate circulating-library novel. A never troubles himself to
master the relationships of the characters, on which perhaps all the
interest of the story depends: he 'skips' over all the descriptions of
scenery, and every passage that looks rather dull: he doesn't half attend
to the passages he does read: he goes on reading merely from want of
resolution to find another occupation--for hours after he ought to have
put the book aside: and reaches the 'FINIS' in a state of utter
weariness and depression! B puts his whole soul into the thing--on the
principle that 'whatever is worth doing is worth doing well':
he masters the genealogies: he calls up pictures before his 'mind's eye'
as he reads about the scenery: best of all, he resolutely shuts the
book at the end of some chapter, while his interest is yet at its
keenest, and turns to other subjects; so that, when next he allows
himself an hour at it, it is like a hungry man sitting down to dinner:
and, when the book is finished, he returns to the work of his daily
life like 'a giant refreshed'!'

'But suppose the book were really rubbish--nothing to repay attention?'

'Well, suppose it," said the Earl. "My theory meets that case,
I assure you! A never finds out that it is rubbish, but maunders on to
the end, trying to believe he's enjoying himself. B quietly shuts the
book, when he's read a dozen pages, walks off to the Library, and
changes it for a better!'"






I recommend this book for people who are needing a laugh. The Professor's plunge bath, phlizzes, the Other Professor, and the abundance of rhymes and songs are all memorable. And perhaps when you are done, you will wish for a clock that will reverse the whole sequence of events for an hour.

Psalm 103:1-5

"Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."

Here is a command to bless the Lord with all that is within us; and here are some reasons why. Here is a command to remember what the Lord has done for us; and here is a list of those benefits.

"Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!" Oh, bless him with all that is in you- your thoughts, emotions, actions.
"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits." We are too quick to forget them. They pass out of our minds as the seeds of dandelions blown by the wind. Do not forget! Remind yourself of them every day! "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! Selah" (Psalm 68:19)
"Who forgives all your iniquities..." This is a beautiful statement which grows even more precious as we understand how awful our sin really is. But have you ever stopped to think about the phrase? I mean really think about it so that tears start in you eyes and your heart fills with emotion?
"Who heals all your diseases..." Charles Spurgeon says,"Humbling as the statement is, yet the fact remain: we are all more or less suffering under the disease of sin. What a comfort to know that we have a great Physician who is both able and willing to heal us!" (Morning and Evening; p. 305; "May 31") But He also will heal our physical diseases in His timing.
"Who redeems your life from destruction..." And how great in the destruction that we deserve! But for God's grace, our portion would be that of the self-seeking in Romans 2:8-9: "...but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness - indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek." He has redeemed us from this destruction! Oh, lift up your voice to the Lord in joy!
"Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies..." I can write no more concerning this bit. Your own heart can tell you more as it sings and weeps at the goodness of God and His mercies which He has poured out on you!
"Who satisfies your mouth with good things..." Both spiritual and physical food He gives us. His words our that food for our soul without which we would starve. He also provides for our physical needs because He loves us.
"So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." How often we try to lean on our own strength! From His word He gives us strength. It is His strength and not our own. Lean on His strength today and give up your foolish pride that thinks you can do it all on your own.

This is the end of Part 1 - Psalm 103:1-5.

The Quote of Wednesday

This isn't a regular quote from a book but a piece of Scripture.

"For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross." Colossians 1:19-20

Cheesecake

A photograph of cheesecake

One of our favorite cheesecake recipes is Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheescake. I made this for Dad's birthday.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Begin first with the crust.

Crust

9 Graham crackers
1/4 c. of confectioners' sugar
4-5 tbsp. of melted margarine or butter

Put three graham crackers into a sealable bag. Crush them with a rolling pin or have your sister walk all over them. When they are sufficiently crunched, pour the crumbs into a medium-sized bowl.
Stir in the sugar.
Pour the melted butter all over the crumbs. Mix all the butter into the crumbs. Grab a handful of crumbs from the bowl. If they stick together, the crust is done; if they don't stick together, add more butter.
When the crust is ready, press it into a 9-inch springform pan. Press the bottom flat and push the crust up the sides. Don't expect it to reach the top of the pan.

Now you can move on to the filling.

Filling

2 8oz. packages of cream cheese or nufchatel cheese
1 14oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
4 eggs
2 tsp. of vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until it is soft and fluffy. Slowly pour in the condensed milk while still beating the cream cheese. Add the eggs one by one. Add the vanilla last.
When the batter is smooth and completely mixed, pour a little less than half of it into a medium-sized bowl.
Now melt:

1 c. chocolate chips or 2 1oz. baking squares
1/2 c. peanut butter

Pour the chocolate into the large bowl of batter and stir immediately. Then pour the peanut butter into the smaller bowl of batter and stir.
Pour the chocolate batter into the springform pan. Fold the peanut butter batter in the middle. Swirl the top with a knife.
Bake in a preheated oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 65 minutes or until it is set. Cool the cake.
Store in the refrigerator if you are going to eat it soon, if not wrap in aluminum foil and freeze. Thaw it by taking it out and leaving it in the refrigerator for a couple hours.

Please feel free to experiment with this recipe and come up with your own variations.

The Quote of Wednesday

Our hope:

"Well Faithful, thou hast faithfully profest
Unto thy Lord, with whom thou shalt be blest,
When faithless ones, with all their vain delight,
Are crying out under their hellish plight.
Sing, Faithful, sing, and let thy name survive;
For though they kill'd thee, thou art yet alive."

From Pilgims Progress by John Bunyan; the song of Christian about Faithful after he escaped from Vanity Fair.

 

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech and night unto night reveals knowledge." Psalm 19:1-2

 

St. Valentine's Day

I have been looking up St. Valentine. Although my resources are limited to my encyclopedia and my computer, they all seem to agree that the St. Valentine of St. Valentine's Day is one of three saints by that name. I think the favored one for St. Valentine's Day is the earliest(?) one, a priest martyred around 269 A.D. The reasons for his martyrdom are contradictory too. I think he was martyred because he would not give up the faith. Some places say he was helping Christians, others say he was marrying young couples. All three saints were supposedly killed February 14.
Although the beginnings of Valentine's Day are sketchy, there is something which is not so. John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." This is not unknown; this is beautiful, this is true. It is what we as Christians should remember as often as possible - that which Christ has done for us.

Dangers of Blogging: Honor code 4squared + 4

Well my honor is at stake so here is this "tag" from Mr. Notes (you gotta be careful going to his site).


Four Jobs You've Had

1. being a child
2. being a student
3. becoming a woman
4. babysitting


Four Places You've Lived

1. #1 New York
2. #2 New York
3. #3 New York
4. Current New York


Four Vacations You've Taken

1. Wedding in Virginia
2. Visting friends in New Hampshire
3. Wedding in Maryland
4. Day trips to Vermont


Four Vehicles You've Owned

1. A bicycle
2. A little yellow and red car (or was it yours, Jo?)
3. Ice skates?
4. How many teens my age have had any other vehicles!?!?!?


Four Blogs I Visit And Want To Tag

Here is where the honor code part comes. If you are one of the first four bloggers to see this, then I tag you! Be sure to leave a comment, so that later bloggers know that they are home free. Oh yes, I'll visit (at least once).

Holiness

I have been reading a really good book by Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness. I recommend it to be read and reread several times through. This is my second time reading it in a long time, but I think I really need it.

"But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy'" 1 Peter 1:15-16

Happy Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday to me!
I live in a tree!
I sing like a birdy!
And now I'm eighteen!

Happy Birthday from your sweet sister.
Love,
Jo
P.S. Do you like my poem?

Yikes!

My very silly sister has gone and put a picture of myself on my profile. It has ruined the seriousness of my blog!

From Annie

annelise can see you!
muff can get buns.
Love,
Annie

God and Time

With the new year, I could think of no more fitting post than one which reminds us that God sovereignly holds all of time in His hands.
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says it best in his book God's Ultimate Purpose:

God controls everything, the time element in particular. As you read through your Old Testament have you ever wondered why it was that all those centuries had to pass before the Son of God actually came? Why was it that for so long only the Israelites, the Jews, had the oracles of God and the understanding that there is only one true and living God? The answer is that it is God who decides the time when everything is to happen, and so He reveals this truth which had hitherto been secret. This is but another illustration of the sovereignty of God. He determines the time for everything to happen. God is over all, controlling all, and timing everything in His infinite wisdom. At such a time as this I know of nothing which is more comforting and reassuring than to know that the Lord still reigns, that He is still the sovereign Lord of the universe, and that though "the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing", yet He has set his Son upon his holy mount of Zion (Psalm 2). A day will come when all His enemies shall lick the dust, and become His footstool and be humbled before Him, and CHrist shall be "all and in all".

God has had control over time since the very beginning. He created time, so it properly belongs to Him.

In The beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

T'was the beginning of time as well as the beginning of the heavens and the earth, for they were created at the beginning.

God is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega, and there is no time without God.

He orders the times and life spans of every man. Because of this, we should use the time He has given us wisely and not waste it. God is not pleased with wasted lives.

Sometimes, however, we make plans (so as to use our time well) but interruptions break them and cause us to feel that we have not done what we are supposed to do. Using one's time profitably does not mean following a list, though. God, who is in control, sends us things which did not fit in our plans, but they are His will.
So, it is best everyday to ask God to lead your steps and to help you use your time wisely in His will.