I can't stop rambling this week!!!

This is the first Friday I have worked in two months!! Whew!!! I've been going all over the country, and friends have been coming by constantly, but now, looks like things are settling down.

You guys remember my Wedding Song? Well, Steve was kind enough to put music to it. He did a great job. I love it! Here it is


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I was finally eligible for an upgrade on my cell phone, and I have been wanting the new Motorola RAZR in black for a while, so.... I ordered it today! It's going to be my Christmas present from my mom. (Hope she's okay with that! ha ha ha)




I have car problems. You know, I think the worst thing about being a single female is having to take care of my car. I really, really dislke it. I don't like getting gas, getting the oil changed, putting air in the tires, or even walking into an auto shop. I feel all these men's eyes looking at me like, "What is SHE doing here?" And then, that devious grin comes across their lips with the thought of "Oh, great, here's my change to rip off this ignorant, unsuspecting girl." Ugghh! It drives me nuts! Anyways, my brakes started squeaking, and I'm dreading taking my car somewhere to have it fixed, but the squeaking is driving me crazy as well. So, I guess it's a lose-lose. If I had a guy who all he did was maintain my car, I think I would be happy! =)

Well, I hope everyone has a great weekend! Go out there and face the crazy Christmas traffic, and crowds, and lines, and frenzy with a smile!! =) (Yeah, that line was totally for me!!)

Lonely?

Alone


Only one set of footprints along the edge of the sea.
One lawn chair in the sand, but no need for a frisbee.

One warm seat by the fire beside a cold, empty chair.
Only one stocking hung by the chimney with care.

One hand clutching a casket, but no one to hold the other.
One smile fades quickly, not returned by another.

Only one rising early for a brisk morning walk,
One lays downs at night after checking the lock.

Only one meal, “Yes, that will be To Go”;
One lovely drive home, but no one to show.

One figure lost midst the others bustling through the mall,
Only one tear, but wiped away, unnoticed by all.

Only one shadow passing through the doors of the church,
One heart is touched; it’s the end of his search--

One ragged, beaten man trudges up a hill
Only one rejected, yet crying, “Lord, not my will.”

One man dies in darkness between two thieves,
Only one while in death, sinners receives.

One Man rose again, offers life through His death only,
So that others, though alone, have no reason to be lonely.

By Kristi Reese

Handling Defeat!

Well, I finally tried it last night, and I COULDN'T DO IT!!! Surprise, Surprise. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you can get informed here. Anyways, I gobbled down three of these things like they were tiny Krystal burgers or something. But then on that fourth one, Man! It started tasting like I was chewing on a grease-ball. It was sticking to the top of my mouth, and I just wanted to throw-up! I did get down 3 and 3/4 though, so that's pretty good, right?

But not good enough!!! My mother was happily able to say "I told you so!" with extreme pleasure. But just to prove a point that I wasn't full yet, I was just tired of eating the same thing, I ate a couple cookies! Ha ha ha.

So, as I headed to the gym last night, I knew I had to work extra hard. We just had the Thanksgiving holidays, AND I just ate almost 4 burgers. I hadn't been to the gym in about 2 weeks. So, I was all geared up, and ready to conquer the world when I walked in there last night, and totally forgot to stretch--before, during, or after! Not once, through my whole workout did I stop and stretch. So, needless to say, I'm totally paying for it today!

Hope you all have a good day! I hope to have something better and more encouraging for you to read tomorrow!! It's another one of those "rambling" days!

Handling Disappointment

I know since I posted that poem about my uncertainties of this past week, everyone wants to know what happened. That's just human nature I suppose.

So, is it pessimistic of me to say that I don't let my hopes get up, because I don't want to be disappointed? And if something good DOES happen, i will be pleasantly surprised? Well, if you want to call it pessimism, then I guess that's what I am. But it saved me from being hurt once again, so I don't see any need to change it.

No, things did not work out how I wanted. I was not even able to see this person because of circumstances beyond either of our control. But, I was not terribly upset. I focused on the good things during my trip. I was able to spend lots of time with family that I just love to death... I mean, what other crazy family would have Thanksgiving outside when it is 19 degress out, snowing, and 40-mph winds???

But we had lots of good hot food, and some mean hands of spades. I got to hang with my cousins and play lots of pool and poker =) (I would have come home a rich lady if we were playing for money!)

Anyways, if something is to work out between the two of us, it will have to be totally God's doing, because I've done all I can, and nothing has come of it yet.

I've posted a few pictures in the sidebar for your enjoyment.

Bumper Sticker

I saw a bumper sticker on my way into work this morning. It read:

"I like your Christ.

I don't like your Christians.

Your Christians are nothing like your Christ."

Wow! What a slap in the face. Sadly, however, for many it is a much-needed slap in the face, because it is very true.

See ya'

I'm out fo' realz this time!! I'm headed north and there's supposed to be snow every day while I'm there, so I'll post pictures when I get back.

You all have a blessed Thanksgiving. Don't forget to give thanks for blogging buddies!! =)

See ya' Monday.

The Manly Man and the Womanly Woman

Bradley Hathaway is the author of this poem:

The Manly Man

I don’t want my long hair, pretty green eyes, with—(no, I do not have on mascara)—eyelashes; skinny figure, undersized T-shirt, hips shake too much when I walk–to confuse anybody… I am a Manly Man!

Within this sissy frame, obviously rib-laden chest

Lies a heart that drives to the beat of a native American ritual dancing wildness,

It pumps an ever-cascading supply of untamedness

That a heard of wild mustangs still have yet to grasp.

If danger lurks about, I will seek it out.

If adventure abounds, I will be found there.

If a damsel be in distress, I will show her who is best.

I am a manly man… because I don’t flush,

and I leave the lid up.

I drive a 1988 Ford pick-up truck;

Girls don’t break up with me…

I break up with them first(except the last time didn’t really work out like that)

I don’t shave the hair on my face

(because I still can’t grow facial hair yet, but when I can I won’t)

Because beards are tough!

I fart, burp and spit when I want, not caring who’s nearby.

Disrespect my momma, and I will punch you in the eye.

I am a Manly Man… or am I?

I tell my guy friends I love ‘em, and sometimes,

sometimes I even hug ‘em,

Not because I’m gay, but because I love em.

And when I watch Bambi, I cry.

And when my mema gets mad, I still run and hide.

Like David I want to be a man after God’s own heart;

I’m not there yet, but past the start.

And when people talk, I try to listen;

and a spirit of compassion—that’s my vision.

Surely I am a Manly Man.

I want to be loved, and have love, and give love.

And not just that romantic kind either,

(although I am looking for that beauty).

Not helpless, but one who wants to be rescued—

the damsel in distress,

Man, woman, myth, true.

I will fight for her,

climb the highest mountain for her,

love her, share with her,

Delight in her, be her warrior, her protector.

She will be my crown, and I will be hers.

My masculinity will be passed down and affirmed to my sons,

And each of my daughters will know they are lovely,

And deserving of authentic romance…

Society tells me all day long that I define manhood completely wrong,

But you ask any honest man and he will agree;

you ask any honest woman

And she too will see that

I am a manly man!

...and I responded with this:

The Womanly Woman

I don’t want my tough, “I can handle it”—(no, I’m not a feminist)—“I can do anything a man can” attitude, with my super-fit body, can do 100 man-style push-ups in 30 seconds—to confuse anybody . . .

I am a womanly woman!
I am always dressed to kill
While out shopping, at work, or preparing a meal.
I must have at least two pairs of shoes for each outfit,
Hair is done, makeup on, and my nails, a hit.
I am a womanly woman.

I am modest, but fashionable,
Respected by the young girls, so impressionable.
There is grace in each and every step,
More than just surface, I am a person of depth.
I am a womanly woman.

I am always courteous in public,
I smile and greet; confidence is my trick.
Never would you see me fart, burp, or spit,
Those words won’t even form on my lips.
I am a womanly woman.

My home is perfectly kept.
I’m on top of the chores, have never overslept.
I look good, smell good, taste good for my man
He comes home each day to his biggest fan.
I am a womanly woman.

My heart is touched by any love story
When my man neglects me, I start to worry.
I try hard to control my monthly emotions,
But if you mess with my man, I’ll start a commotion.
I am a womanly woman.

I don’t fight or fuss when I don’t get my way.
My word’s enough, it holds much sway.
I live out the qualities of Proverbs thirty-one
To make my mark for when my life here is done.
I am a womanly woman. . . Or am I?

Does this mean I never have a bad day?
Or I don’t slip up and not mean what I say?
I’ve been outside and worked up a sweat,
I’ve thrown the football and beat any record set.
I’ve mowed the lawn, changed the oil
Lost my cool, and acted spoiled.
Had a fight with my man, and went away crying,
But he brought me flowers; I knew he was trying.
I go to church and God touches my heart,
I leave determined to make a fresh start.
In all these things, you see, yes, I am human,
Yet I remain, a womanly woman.

Absences

I apologize for not replying to everyone's comments over the past few days. I had a friend drop by for an un-planned weekend visit, so I wasn't at my computer very much. I will be leaving again tomorrow, and will be out until next Monday. But after that, I should be back to my regular updates and things. Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Praying for judgment, Yes or No?

A post on Josh's site got me to thinking. The post was about Fidel Castro coming down with Parkinson's. Josh ended his post mentioning that we should probably pray for him. Now this situation with Castro is not really the issue I want to talk about. I got to thinking about praying for your enemies.

We all know the passage in Matthew 5:44, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hat you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you."

But my question is what about all the Psalms where David prays for judgment and destruction to come to his enemies. Are those type of prayers applicable for the Christian today? (I know there is a word for these type of prayers, but I can't think of it for the life of me...Help!!)

Consider Psalm 35:

1. Plead my cause O LORD, with them that strive with me; fight against them that fight against me.

3. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me...

4. Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul; let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

5. Let them be as the chaff before the wind, and let the angel of the LORD chase them.

6. Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

8. Let destruction come upon him at unawares and let his net that he hath hid catch himself; into that very destruction let him fall.

9. And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD...

Now my question is, are there instances where we could pray a prayer like Psalm 35 and not be guilty of breaking the command to "love our enemies?"

What I'm thinking right now, is that maybe it really IS love to pray for their demise, because that is that only way to save this person from hurting others.

What do you think?

One more thing...

A great victory has been reached for us here in the Palmetto State. Read here.

The Carpenter's Son

The Carpenter's Son

"Is not this the carpenter's son,

Revered by almost none?"

"It is only Jesus," they said,

"Mary and Joseph's little one."

"Is not this the carpenter's son,

Jesus, what has he done?"

They heeded Him not, scorning Him,

Then Christ said, "My town can't be won."

"Is not this the carpenter's son?"
It's still asked of that One.

They believe Him not, know Him not,

And reject Him, while poking fun.

Jesus, that mocked carpenter's Son,

My thanks for all You've done.

You've become so much more to me,

More than just a carpenter's son.

You're the Master Carpenter's Son.

Your work is not yet done.

You're builing my life, shaping me

With love into a faithful son.

With "P" I end my postings on Calvinistic teachings, at least for now!

Okay, I found these definitions at this site regarding the P in TULIP.

Calvin's Teaching:
Perseverance of the Saints - Since God has decreed the elect, and they cannot resist grace, they are unconditionally and eternally secure in that election.

And explained a little further:
The Calvinist doctrine of the "perseverance of the saints" teaches that once you are a Christian, you are forever a Christian. Once born into God's family, you can't quit being a family member. God will never disown you. Once made alive in Christ, you can never die—"once saved, always saved." To the Calvinist, you can never divorce God out of your life, and he won't divorce you under any circumstance. In a word, "you can't, He won't."

Contrasted with Wesley's Teaching:
Assurance and Security - There is security in God’s grace that allows assurance of salvation, but that security is in relation to continued faithfulness; we can still defiantly reject God.

And then, there's also Kc's explanation:
"Perseverance of the saints means that what God started He will finish and what He said He will do He will do. ... Some people say 'once saved always saved' but it's more than that."

I'm not sure if the Wesleyan teaching above is to be interpreted that it is possible to lose one's salvation or not. But if that's what it is saying, then of course I disagree with that one completely.
Whether we remain faithful to God or not is not in question when considering our eternal security. God has given those who believe everlasting life, not probationary life. (John 6:47; I John 5:11-13; John 10:28; John 6:37-39)

If we had to do something or perform a certain way in order to keep our salvation, then of course, it would not be salvation.

I think we all agree on this, right?

Even though we have been saved from our sins, our salvation will not be complete until we get to Heaven, and I, for one, am "fully persuaded that what He has promised He is also able to perform" (Rom. 4:21) God is faithful; He will keep His promises.

However, God definitely is not finished with us here on this earth when we believe; actually, He has just begun a complete life-changing process. Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." II Corinthians 5:17 "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature..." I Peter 2:2 "As newborn babies, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby."

God is not content to leave His children as babies. He will work in our lives to mature us and grow us to be sons and daughters who are shining examples for Him in this world.

The Holy Spirit will be working in us to help us "put to death the old man" and "put on the new man," (in other words, "starve the flesh and feed the spirit") until we do reach that day when our positional and practical sanctification are complete in a new glorified body which cannot sin.

Do we all agree on this point?

More Randomness...

I have had the hiccups for 3 hours and running.

Now that I got that out of the way, I guess I should include somthing that is worth your time here in the Korner, huh?

Well, I'm supposed to talk about the P in the Tulip of Calvanism. Perseverance of the saints, or as Adam likes to call it, Preservation of the saints. However, I'm going to have to find out what it means before I can post about it, because I have no idea. So, in the meantime, I will leave you with this:

South Carolina defeated Florida for the first time in 66 years Saturday, 30-22, making it their first time ever to win five consecutive SEC games, and putting them as #19 in the top 25! Go Steve Spurrier! And help us kick Clemson's tail this weekend!

In Honor of Veteran's Day 11/11/05

“Back Home”

Hi there, No telling what all you will face
Or how difficult the way will be,
Or how wrong the things that you will see.
But while you’re gone, there’s something you should know—
Back home, someone is proud of you,
And that someone is praying for you.

Your name may be lost amidst hundreds of others
And you’ll never hear the praise and thanks
From any outside your own ranks.
But before asking why, there’s something you should know—
Back home, someone each day thanks God for you,
And tells others to look up to you.

Perhaps that unspoken fear will become reality
And though it does not seem fair,
You will take your last breath of air.
But don’t despair; there’s something you should know—
Back home, people are free because of you,
And ahead, open arms are waiting for you.

Send a message of thanks to our troops here.

Are you getting excited?

I went shopping last night, and was shocked to hear Christmas music playing. I guess I shouldn't have been shocked, but I just didn't realize that it was already the second week of November, and Christmas is not that far away!!

Let's not skip over Thanksgiving though!! I'm excited about going to see grandparents and family in Ohio, and all the wonderful food!!!

Speaking of lots of food, my mom and I have had this "bet"-type thing going on of whether or not I could eat 5 Sonic burgers in one sitting. I say I can. She says I can't. So, we're supposed to put it to the test here soon. Well, last night, she had made burritos. I asked if eating 5 burritos would equal 5 Sonic burgers. She was like, "there is no way you could eat 5 burritos." Well, she was TOTALLY wrong. I ate up 5 like it was nothing, and still had Starbucks and candybars later!! ha ha ha.

People misjudge us skinny people all the time, thinking we can only eat like a bird. Sooo not true. But, I know here real soon that great metabolism rate of mine is gonna slow way down and I'm gonna have to start doing double and triple time at my gym.

Anyways, hope I haven't lost too many of you with our on-going discussion of Calvanism in the previous post. This debating stuff is new for me, but I'm really enjoying it!

Well, just wanted to let you all know, I'm still here, and I haven't forgotten how to post simple little "nothing" posts!!

Time to start getting in the holiday spirit!!!

Adam made me do it!

Oh wait, that's backwards! Adam's the one that said "Eve made me do it." Oh, well. In this case, Adam K. made me do it! We were previously talking about Calvanistic teachings. Adam and I proceeded to take our discussion of limited atonement over to his blog, (well, I guess it's technically not a blog anymore) and managed to reach an agreement.

Now he has asked me to discuss some of the other Calvanistic points. I'm not really sure if I am up to this task, since I have never debated or done anything like this before. But I know what I believe, and will attempt to defend WHY.

Their five basic teachings are these:

Total depravity
Unconditional election
Limited atonement
Irresistible grace
Perseverance of the saints.

Now I have to admit that I am not completely aware of what all these things mean or include. So, Adam, you're going to have to tell me what you believe, and I will answer. I wish to first discuss the I. Irresistible grace. I believe this is the point where some Calvanists would include the teaching that faith is a gift from God, rather than a response of man. Is this correct?

And others, as always, feel free to add your thoughts and questions into this discussion. Please!
Also, keep in mind "Kc's rules of Debate" so we conduct this in a Christ-like manner.

There is also a very interesting discussion going on over at Ron's place about whether the Bible was written for believers or unbelievers. Feel free to join in there as well.


************************************
Totally off the subject--Isn't this interesting?

Your Blog Should Be Green

Your blog is smart and thoughtful - not a lot of fluff.You enjoy a good discussion, especially if it involves picking apart ideas.However, you tend to get easily annoyed by any thoughtless comments in your blog.

What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?

Uncertain Near Future

I had to post something somewhat "light" real quick, because we are about to get into another pretty "heavy" discussion... Get ready!

So you want to be just casual friends,
And with that simple phrase, it all just ends?
I'm shocked, puzzled, and amazed,
Hurt, lonely, wondering, and dazed.

What happened to the new-found passion?
Why has my once-vibrant face now turned ashen?
Was this just one more mistake to add to the list
Of shallow, non-commital guys I have kissed?

I truly believed this time was different.
Not just based on feelings and how things went.
But because you had respect for God and me,
Somthing I'd not found much previously.

Every aspect seemed just right,
Outward and inward, both a green light.
But one small problem got in the way--
I happen to live too far away.

I plan to see you in sixteen days.
Will it be a time to resurrect our old ways?
Or "just friends" wishing each other well?
I have no idea; only time will tell.

Are you into Debating?

We have two very interesting debates/discussions going on. If you have some time to kill and would like to read up on different viewpoints regarding Calvanistic teachings , see here and here.

Can I just vent?

Ok, I need to let out some steam before I explode. I think I am in major need of an attitude adjustment!

Once upon a time, there was a man who had three kids. Two daughters and a son. He was never very involved in their lives. He couldn't ever see past himself to be able to see their need for a father. So, the two girls grow up, and go to college. Only thing they ever heard from him was occasional "feel sorry for me; I have it so bad" letters. Now the son is in college, and suddenly this man feels the need to try to "make up for lost time" or something. He's been giving his son money and sending big care packages (not one he made and sent himself of course; that takes too much effort!). He's all interested in every detail of his life now, and wants to know from his wife everything that is going on with their son. But, does he ever ask either of the daughters what's going on with them? Has he ever sent his oldest daughter a package, (who by the way lives lots farther away than the son at college)? The only time he's acts interested in the daughters' lives is when it will make him look good. Sorry, but your son doesn't even want this sudden attention and attempt to "make-up." If he's anything like me, what he really wants to see is you start being a good husband and thinking about your wife's needs. He wants to see you start being responsible with your finances. He wants to see you be serious about the Lord instead of just acting the part. He wants to see you get over yourself and your pity party! He doesn't want your money. It doesn't impress him!

Shhwooo. Okay. I'm done. Sorry for all that venting. But man!! It just tears me up sometimes. I know all my attitudes are not right. I need to give it to God. It's so hard to love sometimes!!

Slow Dance

This poem was written by a terminally ill young girl in a New York
Hospital.

SLOW DANCE

Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask How are you?
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say,"Hi"
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....
Thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

Didn't want to go here...

I was desperately trying to stay as far away from this subject as I could this year, but after knowing what I know now, I just can't keep quiet.

Halloween tends to be a very controversial topic these days, and I'm not going to say what part Christians should play in this "holiday." I simply want to share 4 different things that went on last night that I personally know about right here in my own community (in the middle of the "Bible belt"--keep in mind!)

1. A 10-year old girl dressed up as Marilyn Monroe--her mother's idea!
2. Two 13-year-old girls dressed as prostitutes, standing on a corner under a street lamp.
3. An 11-year old boy dressed up as a Playboy playmate, wearing his mother's thong, and went to a Baptist church fall festival. His mother thought it was cute!!!
4. (This outrages me!!) A 10-year-old boy dressed with blood all over and pieces of Styrofoam taped to his body. His mother was with him. He said he was supposed to be

a

9-11

victim!!!!


What????? You've got to be kidding! I can't believe how far this nation has gone. What are parents thinking???? Obviously they have forgotten. What's it gonna take next to get our attention, if only 4 years later, we are making jokes about terrorist attacking the Twin Towers?

Absolute, Complete, and Total RANDOMNESS!

The South Carolina Gamecocks made history this weekend!! I know most of you don't care, but in case you do, you can read about it here.

I haven't had Starbucks or Mountain Dew in 9 days now. I've been having the worst withdrawal headaches!!! But I'm trying to save money!

I wanted to shout-out to all of you people who read, but don't comment--Hello New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Alaska, Colorado, South, Central, East, and West Texas, Tuscaloosa, Florida, Philippines, Georgia, Iraq, Newfoundland, South Carolina, Tennessee--I think that's it. Anyways, you know who you are, and thanks for reading. Don't be shy; you can do it--leave a comment sometime!

My computer was down all morning. I couldn't get into the system for work, couldn't go online, couldn't even get my email. So I played on Microsoft Paint. Here's what came of it:

Anyways, obviously, the computer's back up now, so I have lots to catch up on. I will try to collect my wandering thoughts into some kind of sensible, organized post for tomorrow.

Weekend of catching up

For the first time in quite a while, I actually am staying home for the weekend! Hopefully I will get to catch up on some much-needed beauty rest!! I'm going to relax and get some things done at home that have been screaming for my attention for quite some time--practicing music, cleaning, paying my bills, putting summer clothes away and breaking out the winter ones! =)

I hope everyone has a good and profitable weekend! Let's decide to honor God as much as we possibly can on this weekend where everyone else is honoring Satan, witchcraft, death, and horror. Pray for protection of God's people. That's all I'm going to say. Thanks.

Children's Ministries

In their eyes, I’m not just someone else at church,
I’m the one who first brought them to Sunday School.
In their eyes, I’m not just another Christian,
I’m the one who taught them so much Bible.
In their eyes, I’m not just a cool “grown-up”;
I’m the one they want to be just like.
In their eyes, I’m not just singing songs on the bus,
I’m the one showing and giving them God’s love.

Lord, they think too highly of me.
Oh how I don’t want to let them down.
To give up would be so easy,
But I can already see their frown
As I fail with my responsibility
And fall face-first in the ground.
All their hopes and dreams would die.
They would second-guess their faith;
Look up in the sky
And wonder why they even try.
Lord, I can’t bear to see them go awry.
I represent the only stability they know.
The only place where they grow
Where love and laughter flow.

So Lord,

In Your eyes, may I not be just another child
May I be a child in whom You find delight.
In Your eyes, may I not be the wandering sheep,
May I stay close to Your side.
In Your eyes, may I not be a quitter,
May I run my race to the end.
In Your eyes, may I not stand before you in tears of regret,
May I hear “Well done, my child, welcome home.”

And then, may I turn and see,
Still proud to be following in my steps,
These children who thought the world of me,
Coming to meet their Savior
Who they have served so faithfully.
Lord, help me to be strong.
I’m overwhelmed by the responsibility.
Every time, before I do something wrong,
Let me see their faces
And choose in light of eternity.

A Prayer For ????

Lord, somewhere today is someone
Whose soul will one day be one with mine.
I pray Your presence will be real to that one;
That with Your love his life will shine.
Calm his fears; dissuade his worries;
Give him a peace that comes only from You.
Help him make decisions that will
Make his heart more wholly Yours.
Protect him from tragedy, harm, and
Evil darts of the wicked one.
Develop within him a deep, burning passion--
Passion for pleasing You, for purity,
For the souls of the lost.
Let him see You, Lord, and then
Fall in love with Who he sees.
Continue shaping his character and
Build him into a strong husband and father.
Keep his thoughts and his heart
Free of distractions from You,
And lead him to me
When Your time is right.
Thank you, Father.

Quick time out...

I wanted to take a quick time out to say I had forgotten how beautiful Texas is in my 3 or 4 years of absence! And how much better the Mexican food is there!!! Wow! And how Dr. Pepper is a staple item for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between! Oh, and seeing the Lonestar State flag absolutely EVERYWHERE. It was beautiful. We ate at Mercado Juarez Mexican Restaurant--it was awesome. For those of you who live in Texas, forgive me, I know you are used to all these things, but for me, it brought back many memories of being in Texas as a kid to visit family, and cherishing every minute of it. God Bless Texas!

(P.S. Dahlia, FYI, these are bluebonnets!)

Contradictions

Ever felt joy and sadness at the same time?
Ever wanted to scream and laugh together?
Ever hoped and gave up in the same moment?
Ever been angry and grateful for the same thing?
Ever want to sing and cry with the same breath of air?
Ever wished to be alone and surrounded at the same time?
Ever asked God for death and grace to live in one prayer?
Ever wanted to remain bitter and grant forgiveness towards one person?
Ever loved deeply and hated incessantly with the same heart?
Ever felt motivated and discouraged by the same thing?
Ever been attracted to and repelled by a single individual?
Ever want to leave and stay at the same time?
Ever been relieved and stressed in a single moment?
Ever met with failure and success over a single happening?


Just wondering if I am alone in these contradictions of life and feelings...

Off and Running Again

Well, I head to Dallas in the morning. I still don't feel like I've recuperated from last weekend's adventures. All these weekend trips should end sometime soon....well, probably not till after the holidays, but that's okay. It's fun, and I'm single, so I'm allowed to travel all over, right?

Anyways, as always, I'll post pictures when I return.

I've added a link for the Prayer List in my sidebar. Feel free to go there and add any burdens on your heart, so other believers can be praying for you. And don't forget to pray for the other requests mentioned while you are there.

Talk to you all Monday.

Oh and for those of you who are too lazy to read the prayer list, keep my church's Sunday services in your prayers. We are having a big evangelistic outreach service, and are praying for many souls to be saved. Thanks.

Check point: Motivation

Last night I was considering why I strive to do right; why I serve the Lord, and the Lord showed me that in some areas, yes I am motivated to do right, which is good, but that motivating factor should be better. So I began to consider different things that motivate people, and grouped them into four main categories.

First, the fear of man. Some people do what they do because they are scared of what will happen if they don't--scared of being found out, being caught, being shown to be not genuine. It's not that they really want to do those things, but they base their security on what others think of them, and therefore do these things to make their image look better to others. Just for an example, some people date for this reason. They don't really love the person and enjoy spending time with them, but they are afraid of what people will think if they do not have a boyfriend/girlfriend, so they date out of fear of man.

A second motivation can be love of man. This is closely related to the previous, but slightly different. A person motivated by love of man does things for others to recognize him. Praise, prestige, his image, fame--all these things are what keeps this person going. If you think about it, this could also be labeled as love of self, because why does he love the praise of man so much? Because he loves himself. He is very proud.

The fear of God is a third motivating factor. Now, this is not a bad motivation. The Bible constantly instructs us to have the fear of the Lord in our lives (in Proverbs especially) and in Hebrews says "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God." and "Our God is a consuming fire." Now people can take this too far, and not realize that God is a personal God and wants to get to know each of us personally. You have to balance all of God's attributes to have a proper perspective of Him. A person motivated out of fear of God does what is right because he is scared of punishment from God if he does wrong. Again, this is not horrible, but there is better...

The final and best motivation is love of God. The unsaved can be motivated to do right by all three previous motivations, but this one, they lack. As sinners saved by grace, and made the children of God, this is the highest motivation we can have, and is the one we should seek to have. We should want to do right and serve the Lord out of love, because of all He's done for us. "For the love of Christ constraineth us...that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them and rose again." II Corinthians 5:14,15.

Think about different areas of your life. Why do you do what you do?

What are you waiting for?

God is such a great Father. This seems to be a reoccuring theme with me--that God loves to give His kids good things. I'm sure there are several reasons why I keep coming back to that, but I'll spare you the analysis!

Anyways, there were three small areas recently that I just gave over to God, and said "I can't do it. I can't make happen what I want to happen. So I'm leaving it in Your hands to work out the way You see fit." God worked in all three situations and blessed me with answers and plans even greater than I could imagine--all three within 5 hours of each other yesterday. Wow. It' s like God was saying, "What were you waiting for? It's about time you trusted Me to work this out. Look, all you had to do was test Me, try Me, and prove Me, and of course, I'm true to My promises. I will come through for you. Now isn't this much easier than beating yourself up, trying to handle things on your own?" Yes, Lord, of course, it is. Thank you. Help me to trust You sooner and more often with problems and difficulties.

Waiting on the Lord

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,
And the Master so gently said, “Child, you must wait!”

“’Wait?’, You say, ‘wait’!” my indignant reply.
“Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is Your hand shortened? Or have You not heard?
By faith I have asked, and am claiming Your Word.

“My future and all to which I can relate
Hangs in the balance, and You tell me to wait?
I'm needing a ‘yes’, a go-ahead sign,
Or even a ‘no’ to which I can resign.

“And, Lord, You promised that if we believe
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
And, Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply!”

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate
As the Master replied once again, “You must wait.”
So, I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut
And grumbled to God, “So, I'm waiting… for what?”

He seemed then to kneel and His eyes wept with mine,
And He tenderly said, “I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens, and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead, and cause mountains to run.

“All you seek, I could give, and pleased you would be.
You would have what you want—but, you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint;
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint;

“You'd not learn to see through the clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there;
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
When darkness and silence were all you could see.

“You'd never experience that fullness of love
As the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove;
You'd know that I give and I save… (for a start),
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

“The glow of my comfort late into the night.
The faith that I give when you walk without sight,
The depth that’s beyond getting just what you asked
Of an Infinite God, Who makes what you have last.

“You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that ‘My grace is sufficient for thee.’
Yes, your dreams for your loved ones overnight would come true,
But, oh, the loss! If I lost what I'm doing in you!

“So, be silent, My child, and in time you will see
That the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me.
And though my answers seem terribly late,
My wisest of answers is still but to wait.”

author unknown

Peace out!

I'm heading to Connecticut first thing in the morning! That's okay. You don't have to pause the whole "blog-world"! I'll catch up when I get back. =)~ Anyways, yes, I know, the sarcasm is a bit much today.

Well, as some of my "peeps" like to say,

Holla!

Be easy (copyright jimmy)

One

Two fangas (copyright lance)

I'm out

Peace, safety, health, love, contentment, and good grades! (copyright paul, amanda, and kristi)

See ya'! Seriously, I hope everyone has a great weekend!

(Remind me to tell ya'll sometime about the whole "paul, amanda, kristi" trio.)

Upcoming Weddings

This wedding song is dedicated to Candice and Greg, Josh and Jacki, and Jorge and Dahlia =), all facing marriage in the very near future!! Congratulations and best wishes to all of you. I love you.

I've always hoped to be loved
I've always looked toward this day
I had big dreams about the way
One would look in my eyes and say
"You are the one I love,
The one sent from God above." And

Right now, right this very moment,
My dream has come true
My prayers are answered in you
You hold my hands and say 'I do'
We promise to have and to hold forever
We promise to love and to cherish forever.
We pray we’ll honor the Lord together.
Right now, from this very moment I love you.

Many years will come and go
And hard times will try our hearts
But we will finish what we start
By God's grace we won't depart
The look in your eyes will show
That through all this you still know

Right now, right this very moment,
My dream has come true
My prayers are answered in you
You hold my hands and say 'I do'
We promise to have and to hold forever
We promise to love and to cherish forever.
We pray we’ll honor the Lord together.
Right now, from this very moment I love you.

And no single other soul
Will ever take this place you hold
Through all the joys and sorrows ahead
Each moment we’ll live the vows we said
So all will know this enduring truth. . .

Right now, right this very moment,
My dream has come true
My prayers are answered in you
You hold my hands and say 'I do'
We promise to have and to hold forever
We promise to love and to cherish forever.
We pray we’ll honor the Lord together.
Right now, from this very moment I love you.
--By Kristi Reese

The Five Senses

Sound of coffee beans being ground up in a busy coffee shop.
Smell of the rich, delicious coffee brewing and other wonderful sweet things baking.


Sight of that green and white sign and the cute little shop around the corner.

Taste, oh the taste...of richly blended gourmet flavors.

Feel--so refreshed and energized, you're ready to face the rest of the day!

Questions and an Answer

I find myself not being able to keep the "why's" out of my head...
Why is this happening?
Why is this girl suffering so much pain?
Why is a mother at such animosity with her daughter?
Why couldn't we find her sooner?
Why won't the mother let her live with us?
Why do things like this even happen?
Why hasn't the Word of God changed this woman's life yet?
Why are others so blinded to these atrocities?
Why can't anyone do anything about this?

But that still small voice inside of me keeps answering,

"Be still, my soul. The Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide.
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be sitll, my soul. Thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways, leads to a joyful end."
--Katharina A. von Schelgel

(P.S. I'll find out more tonight and update tomorrow. Thanks for all the prayers.)

Hurting

It sure puts a totally different perspective on things when you hurt for someone else more than you've ever hurt for yourself...

I may elaborate more later. Right now my heart is still too heavy. Just please be in prayer for a situation with a teenage girl at my church and Christian school.

"The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him." Nahum 1:7 (KJV)

I AM

I AM by Helen Mallicoat

I was regretting the past and fearing the future.
Suddenly my Lord was speaking,
"My name is I AM." He paused. I waited. He continued.

"When you live in the past with its mistakes and regrets,
it is hard. I am not there. My name is not I WAS.

When you live in the future, with iths problems and fears,
it is hard. I am not there. My name is not I WILL BE.

When you live in this moment, it is not hard.
I am here. My name is I AM."

*********************************
If you are anything like me, life is just not making sense right now. You're wondering how many more disappointments you can handle, and when everything is going to start "working together for good." I suppose, we should stop looking for things to make sense and work out for good at some distant time in the future, and see how God is working for good right now today. At the same time, we should also be careful not to limit God's working in the present by living in the past and not letting go of mistakes and disappointments that bog us down. This can be really hard to actually put into practice. I'm definitely sharing something that I need to work on myself...

October is finally here!

I am so excited because it is finally really starting to feel like fall. There are only 3 days left where temps will reach 80, and after that is just perfect weather. 70s during the day, and 60s at night!

Several opportunities have come my way to see college friends this month, some of whom I haven't seen in over 2 years!! A friend from South Texas is going to be here for the weekend, then I fly to Connecticut to be in my friend Candice's wedding, and then I go to Dallas, for Josh's wedding!!!

And I have my fingers crossed that I'll be able to see a special friend when I go to my grandparents' for Thanksgiving! Please pray for safety in all of these traveling endeavors!

Jesus said to His disciples in John 16 as He was headed to the cross, "I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man takes from you." Things in this life are so temporary. I can't wait for the permanency of eternity. Life, joy, relationships, peace, righteousness, love, and praising God--just to name a few--will all be permanent! Isn't that comforting?

Interracial Dating

No, she didn't go there!!!! Oh, yes I did!!!! Why is this topic such a powder-keg in Christianity today? Or is it just Southeastern Christianity? I don't know.

Okay--bottom line: Is it right or wrong for Christians (or anyone for that matter) to date/marry outside of their race? And why do you feel that way?

Second question: Is there a difference between a white person marrying a black person, and say a white marrying a hispanic, or an asian marrying a black? If you make a distinction there, please tell me why. I do not see any difference in principle.

(Just a side note, in case anyone was wondering, no I'm not currently dating or looking to date someone of another race right now. I just hear a lot about this and wonder why it's such a big deal.)

If you have a godly Christian guy and girl, and they happen to be different colors, why should that stop them from dating? I find nothing in the Bible that would teach this. Rather, I find God telling us to judge without partiality to race, that we are all of the same flesh and blood, that we shouldn't live for externals and temporary, but rather for eternal things, that the heart is what really matters, and not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers.

Christians are supposed to be known and characterized by their Christ-like love for each other. Why does it seem like the Christian community is the only group still struggling with accepting the interracial thing? Is it only those brothers and sisters within your race that we are to love? NO! So, if I love all people as Christ did, am I going to deem some inferior because of their skin color? No, again. Therefore, if I know of a interracial dating couple, and I know both individuals are believers, why should I automatically think there is something wrong with it?

So, I hear people say things like this, "Well, I guess there is nothing Biblically wrong with it, but...
1.it's hard on the marriage to adjust to a person from a different culture, or
2.it's hard on the kids, or
3.other people will judge you and think your relationship is un-Christian."

Well, okay. First of all, I think that when any two people marry, they have to adjust to a new "culture." These are two totally different people, with two totally differnt backgrounds and experiences. What does color have to do with it? That adjustment must take place in every marriage.

Secondly, the line about it being hard on the kids, to me, seems really outdated. Mixed kids (of any two races) are some of the most beautiful people I have ever met. And I really don't think they get made fun of near as much as they did 10 or 20 years ago, unless I am just totally blinded and unaware. (All kids pick on other kids, and if they weren't mixed, I'm sure kids would find something else to pick on them about.)

Thirdly, you can't find a Biblical reason to support your prejudice, so you say I shouldn't do something because it will look bad to or offend others? Real crafty!! If the interracial relationship honors the Lord and points to a Christ-given love, I really don't think it would take much time at all for others to stop calling them "un-Christian". Some people are just racist. It is sad, but true. They were born and raised that way, and remain that way. Even if you take time to share with them why that attitude is so wrong, they will never change. I don't believe God would want a couple to end a good Christian relationship because of opposition from people like that. Think about it, will this relationship keep people from coming to Christ? No, actually I believe the opposite is true. I believe it will show people more of the kind of love Christ has that goes way beyond the superficial.

Now I'm not saying that everyone should go out there and start dating people of other races!! This isn't God's will for everyone, or even for most people. But we have to remember that God has a unique plan for each person. And just because someone else is not doing things the way we did doesn't make it wrong!!! So, if that is God's will for someone, don't hinder it. Let God work in the situation. Allow Him to give you peace about it instead of automatically deciding it is wrong. If they are doing things God's way, encourage and support them instead of being judgmental.

So, what do you guys think? Agree? Disagree? Have a different perspective?

One of those days...

I know we all have days where nothing seems to go right. I'm not asking for any sympathy; I just need to get this out of my system.

It all started this morning. I rushed out of the house to go to work, and 5 minutes later realized I forgot my cell phone. So I turned around, came back home, and started out again. So, of course I'm running late to work, and cannot find a parking spot anywhere!!! I finally park (no joke) at least a mile and a half away, and just hoof it.

Okay, so then I wasn't going to let it ruin my day... but things kept happening. One of my agencies got audited, and got written up for some incorrect procedures with federal grants. Therefore they had to submit corrections to me. Well, fifty-two pages came in about lunch time, and it all had to be manually entered into the system by 5:00, because the federal fiscal year ends tomorrow. (Not like anyone cares!) Anyways, I was majorly stressed out, and did not get anything done except for those corrections.

Well, okay fine. Not the end of the world. I had to run out at lunch and get a card for a friend in the hospital (more on that later), and when I came back, what do ya' know? Of course, someone took my parking spot. So I had to park even farther away, and be late back from lunch!!

Well, I left the office and headed for the hospital to see my friend, whom I thought was having not-so-major surgery today. Well, I get there and find out there were complications that caused the surger to last 9 hours long! and he was in ICU, so only family could see him. Okay. Wow. I guess I'll try again tomorrow....

So I get home, and mom says she's going out with the girls, and dad's going out with the guys. No food in the house b/c she hasn't been to the store. Well, okay. No big. I call up a friend and we hit Taco Bell. I was planning to stop at the ATM since I never have cash, and Taco Bell is one of the only places left that takes only cash! I guess I didn't get the memo, but apparently the drive-up ATM is THE PLACE to be on Thursday evenings---the line was wrapped around the building!!! Forget that--just hope my friend has a couple extra bucks. Well, she was thinking the same thing! Ha ha. So, we had to just each settle for about $3 worth of Taco Bell.

Well, then she told me that something I had said the night before had hurt her. Aaaahhh, great. Gotta work through that one. So I invite her home to have some leftover cake and ice cream (the only food left in the house). Well, we get all the way back to my house, and the cake is gone!!!! My dad took it to the guy's get-together thing. Wonderful!

Oh well, nothing left to do but go hit the gym for an hour or so.

I think I'll hurry and go to bed before anything else can happen.

Oh, and p.s.--major cramps on top of all this. (I know nobody wanted to know that, but it seemed to add tons to the negativity!!!)

okay, now that I said all that, I'm beginning to feel better. It's not so bad. I think God gives us days like this every once in a while so we can see how inadequate we are even for the simple things we face every day in life.

I'm planning to post tomorrow on the subject of Interracial Dating for the Christian, so be thinking about it!

Do you need a hug?

A friend sent me this a while back. I have no idea who wrote it, but I read it every time I just need a hug. Imagine getting a hug from Jesus Christ Himself. Wow!

I read about how you touched them, and they were healed.
Or even if someone just touched your cloak, they were forever changed.
You let a broken woman bathe your feet in her tears,
And you washed your best friend’s feet.
I’m just wondering though, did you ever just hug people?
I mean, I know it’s a silly question and all; I’m sure you would have,
(why wouldn’t you have?)
But it was one of those things that was never mentioned
And it got me thinking about it.
And how if there ever was a touch from you,
Sins were forgiven and sickness fell.
I think I’m caught up with my sins,
And last time I checked all my body-parts were properly working…
Nothing special here.
I’m just a kid with a heavy heart in these passing sunrises and sunsets.
I don’t think that our encounter would’ve ended up
In your gospels or anything,
‘Cause all I really need is a hug. I mean that’s O.K. to imagine right?
That’s not going to be conflicting with any sort of theology, is it?
O.K. good, then hug me.
But not one of these sideways-“one arm around the neck”-type hugs,
Or the “ghetto right handclasp fist elbows to chest pat-pat on the back-back”,
Or the “you put your right arm over my right arm
And I put my left arm over your left arm”
And we make this weird sort of diagonal thing.
No…none of those. BEAR HUG ME MAN!
Take your old school carpenter arms and throw them around my upper body, Leaving my arms dangling underneath yours somewhere,
And I can barely move them ‘cause you’re squeezing me so hard.
(But don’t pick me up and make my back pop
Because I hate it when people do that.)
And hold me; hold me here in your arms till I start to cry—
CAUSE I WANT TO CRY!
But I just can’t seem to do it on my own.
I’ve been teary-eyed once recently, but not even enough
For a drip down my cheek.
There’s just hurt in my soul that needs to be purged,
So hold me in this hugging pose
Until the pain is flowing from my eyes and nose.


Update: Since I posted this, I have learned the author is Bradley Hathaway.

Missing You

I believe God has feelings. The Bible makes it clear that He gets angry, He grieves, is jealous, weeps, delights, is pleased. This leads me to believe that God probably misses us when we become distant. You know how much you miss someone when you've been in a close relationship with them, and then they break it off, or go on a vacation, or just become distant? You can't wait to hear their voice again, or see a text message pop up, saying they miss you too, or see their face, and catch up on all that's been going on.

Sometimes we forget that God is personal. He misses us just like that when we go all day without talking to Him, or listening to Him talk to us. We kind of just shove Him into a back corner, and promise to get around to talking to Him later on. Well, how would you feel if someone you loved treated you like that?

Is God missing you today?

P.S. Congratulations to the Carolina Gamecocks on their 45-20 win over Troy on Saturday! =)

Security

Okay, I'm going to stay away from any deep theological issues today, and ask for your imput on this question--male or female, it doesn't matter.

Premise--Security is one of the biggest needs (if not the biggest need) for a woman in a relationship.

True or False--A woman naturally bases her security upon her emotions.

What do you know about the Kingdom?

We've got an interesting discussion going on over at Kc's blog about the Kingdom. It has captured most of my thoughts for the past 2 days, so I don't have any thing fresh to post about just yet. Check it out, and add your own comments about the Kingdom.

Overwhelmed by Grace

If you have never let yourself get overwhelmed by God's grace, you should!! I think grace is the most powerful of God's characteristics that I have experienced thus far in my life. It is what saved me in my lost and sinful state, it keeps me, shows me how to live, and one day will let me live forever in heaven!

Have you ever prayed for something, and deep down, you knew you did not deserve what you were praying for, but you also knew that God is able, so you prayed in faith anyway? Then God answers that prayer, and even though you knew He could do it, you are still a bit surprised? Wow. The grace of God. He daily gives me what I do not deserve. If God treated me like I treat Him sometimes, I would deserve for Him to be unfaithful, uncaring, disinterested, disloyal, unwilling to listen, etc.

Praise the Lord we don't get what we deserve. Praise Him for His grace. I really don't understand these people that say grace teaches people to live however they please. What??? Every time I stop and consider God's grace, I get convicted to try harder and do better to live a life pleasing to my Savior.

Identify, please!

Last night I was reading some passages from the Gospels, and I came across the story of the prodigal son. As I read the first few verses, I thought, "O Lord, this is me. Why am I content to feed on the cornhusks, when I could be dining at Your table? Please help me to get out of the mire and muck of this depressing world, and enjoy the blessings of the Christian life."

Then I proceeded on to the end of the story, and now I identified with the older son! So many times it seems like blessings come to those whose lives are not anywhere near what they should be, and instead of rejoicing in God's love and care for the sinner, I find myself with a proud, envious attitude like the older brother. I think "God, I haven't messed up my life nearly as bad as that person. I'm trying to serve You and love You and do my best. That person has been living in sin, and they make one right choice finally, and Your shower of blessings come down. But what about me? I'm still trying to do right, and I don't get those kind of showers!" What a rotten attitude! But then I noticed what the Father said to the older son: "Son, you are ever with me, and all that I have is Yours!" Wow! Hello! Those showers of blessings are right at my fingertips, every day. All I have to do is claim them. God is a wonderful Father!

Who do you identify with? The younger or older son? Or both, like me?

Football, the beach, old friends

I love the fall time. Fall weekends mean one thing--Football!! My boys disappointed me Saturday, but they will get better!

I went to the beach again. It was really nice. I got pinched by a huge crab--I mean huge. He was probably about a foot wide. It totally freaked me out! Going to the beach means one of two things--Taco Bell or Starbucks (and sometimes both). This week was Taco Bell! Mmmm-Mmmm good!

And, I received a phone call from an old friend serving in Iraq. Very good to talk to him. Keep Jason in your prayers (as well as our other soldiers) when you think about it. He is on the front lines of the quick reaction team in Baghdad.

I'm just going to keep this light today. I don't think my brain can handle much more on a Monday!

Talk to ya'll soon.
Kristi

Life's Moments were meant to be Shared.

Sharing Moments

Sunrise on the beach...
Lazy Saturday afternoons
Feet dangling over the pier
View from a mountaintop
City skyline lit up at dusk
Hearts beating madly in love
Taking a hand and saying I Do
Sleeping around a campfire
First glimpse of your baby boy
Laying your loved one to rest
Taste of freshly-baked pie
First kickoff of the season
Church on Sunday morning
Fingers interlaced in prayer
The doctor's bad news
Fireworks on Independence Day
Leaves changing colors in the fall
Christmas carols and hot chocolate
Midnight swims
Playing with your kids
Quiet times alone at night
Looking in the eyes of the one you love
Mom's good ole cookin'
Holiday gatherings
Helping a hurting family
...Sunset on the beach

Selah--meditate on this...

I read this recently somewhere (can't remember where) and it has stayed on my mind.

"To forgive is to open the door and set a prisoner free, only to realize that the only prisoner was yourself."

Take a few minutes, and really wrap your brain around that one! You may find yourself forgiving others a lot more easily!

Ultimate Triumph

I cannot wait for the day when the devil has his head crushed by Jesus Christ. He ruins so many lives. He blinds so many eyes. He uses sin to take so cause so many Christians to stumble over and over again in their walk with God. He tells so many lies. I am sick of him!!! My Jesus is so much more powerful than he. Jesus is loving and kind and truthful and wants my best. So why do we have such a struggle of who to listen to when it's so obvious Who we should listen to?? I have earnestly started praying for "Thy kingdom to come". I should have been praying this all along. Now I see how important it is. Can you imagine the sound of the praises in heaven when that old serpent, the devil, the prince of the powers of this world is finally and ultimately defeated? Praise the Lord!

Whew!

What a weekend!! There is so much going on inside of my head. . . I need to just be quiet for now, and sort it all out. Life is really weird sometimes, ya' know?

Hey Christian, is this your attitude?

I ran across this poem recently and after reading, thought, "wow...imagaine the impact we could make on this world if all of us Christians had this attitude." So many lost are completely turned off to Christianity because of our stinkin', hypocritical, better-than-you attitudes!


"Christian"

by Maya Angelou

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin."
I'm whispering "I was lost,"
Now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
And need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain,
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow.

Left Behind

Have you ever been stuck in a phase of your life, seeing no end or relief ahead? I feel like God is trying to teach me something, and has been trying to teach me this certain lesson for a long time. I must be a really slow learner, because I feel like I'm not moving. People around me are--they apparently had no problem learning their lesson . They are graduating from college, getting married, finding good jobs, serving the Lord in the ministry, having kids, etc. etc. I know God's plans are different for each person, and His timing is perfect. I just wonder if it is my fault that I'm still way back here on this lesson when every one else has moved ahead. Have I just really messed up one too many times and missed out on God's will? Maybe this is my punishment. Always seeking something and waiting for it, and never having it.

I guess the reason this is such a struggle for me is that I feel like I am wasting time. I know I'm not going to be who I am now and doing what I'm doing for the rest of my life. I need to just be content and wait on God; but at the same time, I wonder if I'm not doing something right, and that's causing me to have these feelings of uncertainty.

Really, I think it all boils down to fear of the unknown. The fact of the matter is, we are typically scared of what we don't know. I don't know what my life will be like in 6 months or 1 year, or 5 years. I guess, to a certain degree, that uncertainty will always be there, but when you are already married and have your family, it seems like that fear wouldn't always be in the front of your mind.

I need to just enjoy life today, and make today count, and not worry about the future. God will keep His promises. There is no need to worry.

Sorry for all the randomness today. I have basically just been writing these things as I was thinking them. You can clearly see the battle between flesh and the spirit!

The Truth about Katrina

Click here to read a very well-written, eye-opening view of what is going on in the gulf states from an insider whose opinions haven't been altered by our bias media!

Hold on or Let go?

This was a weekend of new developments. It seemed like several new opportunities arose for rebuilding past relationships. I'm struggling with knowing what to hold on to and what to let go? How do you know? I'd like to be able to see before I make a decision, exactly how it will impact my future! Wouldn't that be nice? But then, I suppose that would make faith an unnecessary component of our lives. My problem is that I can't focus on building a new relationship, when I'm still holding on to a past one. Should I really let go of it? What if there is a chance that it may still work out? Will I ruin that chance if I let go? AAAAhhhhhh! So many questions! I guess it all comes back to faith! Trust God. Yeah, that's real easy to say! The "super-spiritual-sounding" idea came to mind that I should let go of everything, and hold on only to God. Well, how do I do that in real life? I honestly do not know how to make that concept reality. Any ideas?

Friendships

Christ, Our Friend
By Me =)

Friendships are desired and valued by all.
Companionship, a highly common call,
Bids us all respond. We do so, wishing
To share, to laugh, to love; but still missing
The greatest Friend and companion of all.

Then these friends walk away, leaving behind
Our broken heart, which yet yearns to find
Someone who’s loyal, who listens, who loves.
Failing to find that one, we look above
Blaming God, because He our lives designed.

Yet this God feels our pain and sorrow,
He sent One to be in each tomorrow
We face—to care, to help, to guide—this Friend
Is Christ, Who to our lonely heart will send
Great satisfaction which knows no sorrow

With this new Friend, great heights of joy we reach.
We learn so much from all He has to teach.
Christ is the answer; He fulfills our needs.
In our time spent alone with Him, He leads
Us, others searching for this Friend, to reach.

Now that others have found this Friend so true,
With them we begin relationships new
Because Christ is our precious Bond of Love.
He sends peace to our hearts straight from above.
You see, because of Him our friendship grew.

Do you value the friends that God has given you?

Comments

If you tried to comment here earlier and had problems, I hope I fixed it. I don't know what happened, but hopefully it's taken care of. So, go ahead and try it again! Thanks!

Please Pray

A pastor in Decatur, TX lost his son in a terrible motorcycle accident yesterday. Please pray for the Isbell family. This is very difficult for them, as you can imagine. The church is Eagle Drive Baptist, and the youth pastor there is a friend of mine, Jorge Vasquez. If you would like to get in touch with them, email me, and I will get you the phone number. Thanks.

Also, I know all the folks impacted by Katrina covet your prayers. Our national leaders also need much prayer as they lead us through this horrible crisis. Commit yourself to being a prayer warrior today!

One more item for prayer--the Carolina Gamecocks need to win tonight! Watch them on ESPN tonight! =)