Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Songfoolery

Songfoolery was a thrilling musical event that my sisters were able to take part in. Victoria and Joanna played duets in the Songfoolery 18 piano concert event. It was VERY inspiring, and I am very proud of both of them. They were AWESOME!!! Following are some pictures of the event, ENJOY!


Joanna awaiting her turn^



The girl's flute and piano teachers^




The next two pictures are of the girls doing their duets, with everyone!











































Victoria^









Aren't they GREAT?! I think so!












It was incredible! Don't you wish you were there?!?!












Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Introducing Ethan Lee


This little guy is sooo adorable! I was taking something to his sweet Mamma and thought I would take my camera along to take a couple pictures, since his AMAZING photographer uncle is currently in Haiti. I am sure he can't wait to get home so he can see his little nephew and take LOTS of pictures!

Babies are certainly a gift from God. I don't know how someone could look at or hold a baby without realizing the awesomeness of the God we serve and the glorious wonders He has made. Holding a baby seems to put me in even more awe of the amazing God I serve. I pray I never take for granted the works of our wonderful LORD!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Where My Heart Is.

I have posted this online before, but it really tells you where I find my heart today. So, I thought I would post it for those of you who may not have seen it.
“You Are My All in All” is one of my favorite songs. It touches my heart. I find the words amazing as they point me back to Christ, and what my relationship with Christ should be. Perhaps it is because I know it so well, or sing it so often, but I find myself wondering, as I sing the words, at the magnitude of their deep meaning. I thought I would write down some of my wonderings.


You are my strength when I am weak,

Psalm 73:26My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalm 18:32It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.
(I love it when God repeats himself)
2 Samuel 22:33 It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.


Often I find myself feeling weak. I find myself thinking… I am NOT good enough, great enough, or knowledgeable enough, to be able to accomplish this. In truth though, that is my flesh talking. When I start thinking this way, I realize that I have forgotten where my strength comes from and I need to redirect my thoughts to God. For you see, my strength comes from the Lord, and I have yet to see a problem my God couldn’t handle. It isn’t by my weak strength I accomplish anything, it is through His might and His power that I am able to do anything at all.
.

You are the treasure that I seek;

Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I know, these are the verses that immediately come to mind when talking about God and treasure…. But you see as much as I KNOW all this, I still get to thinking. Is my treasure truly in heaven? Have I really given up all earthly treasures to follow Christ and His will in my life, or am I still seeking earthly pleasures and gain? I think too often I get sidetracked into wanting people’s approval and acceptance. I think all of us want to be esteemed and looked upon as great. We all would like to be successful people too…. But perhaps success has a different measurement than how much money you have in the bank account… Just perhaps our success can be measured by God… I don’t think He will be checking our bank accounts. ;) I think our success will be measured more by our faith in Christ and what that leads us to do. Perhaps as we follow the things God has laid before each of us personally to do we are gaining a little more. After all, in the end what is it going to matter what people think of us, or how much money we have, if we haven’t lived for Christ? At the end of it all I would love to have Christ say of me that this is my child who has walked in my light and chosen my path above all others.


You are my all in all.

Galatians 2:20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Colossians 3:3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Acts 20:24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.


I can think of no greater joy than to find that place where I no longer exist outside of Christ! That Christ becomes such a part of me that I am hidden in Him. To know that I am nothing and HE is EVERYTHING in this world to me. What a blessing and joy. When you let go of yourself and let Christ be EVERTHING to you, it is amazing. I know no greater joy than to be found in Him.

Seeking you as a precious jewel,

Psalm 42:1
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.

My first thought was, I don’t really seek for precious jewels…. Than I was reading in Psalms, the verse about the deer panting for water, and I thought “That is the concept of seeking after those precious jewels”. Than the disturbing question came, and I had to ask myself “Do I pant for the Lord?”. Do I find myself needing Him as the deer needs water to survive? The answer of course is YES! I need HIM for He is everything to me, and I would be so lost without Him. May I never reach a point where I no longer pant for Christ, a point where I no longer feel the need of Him in my life in order to survive.

Lord to give up, I’d be a fool;

Ecclesiastes 4:5The fool folds his hands and ruins himself

Proverbs 17:12Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.

Proverbs 1:32For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;

May I never be so foolish as to give up and bring ruin and desolation upon myself. When I get discouraged and feel that I can’t continue any longer, I pause and say this line from the song over to myself. It reminds me of what a foolish thing it would be to give up on Christ! I need not give up, but simply press into Christ all the more! Looking to Him and His saving grace to lead and push me onward and upward; closer and closer to Him with every passing moment and every breath that I take.

You are my ALL in ALL.

Psalm 104:33I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

Psalm 43:4Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.

Jeremiah 15:16When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty.

When Christ is everything to us, we can’t help but praise His name and glorify Him, for He is our joy and our delight. He is our pleasure, friend, comforter, healer, refuge, tower, provider, savior, redeemer, and so much more! Jeremiah 15:16 here really spoke to me. How often do I read my Bible without getting this evident joy and delight from it? It took me a lot longer than it should have over the years to really enjoy reading my Bible. I discovered that my problem was I wasn’t personalizing any of it, or applying any of it as belonging to me. In a way I had separated myself from Christ that in a way I couldn’t hold on to the truths in His word for me, because I refused to take a hold of them. I didn’t see how I could claim these for myself. The end of that verse “for I bear your name, O LORD God almighty” says it all. You see the joy in delight in reading comes from realizing you have a part in it. That YOU can claim his promises as your own. Because we are HIS! He is talking to you and about you. This is Christ’s letter to YOU! We can take His words as personal messages to us because we “bear His name”. How amazing is that?!


Taking my sin, my cross, my shame,

Isaiah 59:12For our offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities:

Isaiah 64:6All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Jeremiah 3:25Let us lie down in our shame, and let our disgrace cover us. We have sinned against the LORD our God, both we and our fathers; from our youth till this day we have not obeyed the LORD our God."

I believe that all too often we paint a different picture of ourselves than we see here. I think these verses paint a good picture of our sin and how disgusting we really are. I think that once we start walking in Christ, and going along, we start to think of ourselves as “good people”. We start trying to lessen our sins by comparing the “little sins” of ours to what we consider the “bigger sins” of others. I know of no “little sin”. Sometimes we all need a little reminder that we are truly disgusting beings without Christ grace covering our lives, and that it is God that makes us great without him we would have nothing but shame.


Rising again I bless your name;

Psalm 42:5Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and

Psalm 42:11Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God

Psalm 43:5Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

I love it when verses repeat themselves! It’s like a flashing sign to me that says “this is important!!! TAKE NOTICE” or “DON’T MISS THIS!!!” I have been reading a lot in Psalms and Proverbs lately, when I realized this verse was here not once, not twice, but THREE times… I thought, I should give it some attention. I think once we see our sin and shame clearly we hold onto that sin letting it get us down and discouraged. Either that or we try in our pride and our own strength to handle it and will ourselves to be better, which is equally discouraging.. I find I get the most discouraged when my focus is turned away from Christ and onto myself like that. We forget that we must cast it all before Christ and allow him to help us and change us. When we do that, how can we help but rise up and praise His wonderful name?!

You are my all in all


Psalm 59:9-10
O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God are my fortress, my loving God.

By this point in the song I start thinking about whether or not my focus is wrapped in Christ. This verse came along in my daily bible readings and I sat and pondered it a while. If Christ is our all in all, shouldn’t we be watching and looking to Him throughout the day? How many times throughout my day do I miss His messages and the evidence of Him in my life simply because I am NOT being watchful, and have let my focus slip back to me instead of keeping my eyes locked on Him.


When I fall down, You pick me up;

Psalm 37:24though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

Psalm 55:22Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.


God is my ever present help in times of trouble. It is so comforting to know that he is with me. He is there to help me and pick me up when my sinful self stumbles and falls. No matter how many times I disgrace Him He sticks with me through it all. He has never turned Himself away from me, but has only clung to me all the more every time I start to wander away on my own; He quietly brings me faithfully right back to Him.


When I am dry, you fill my cup;
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, [a] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

This section of the song makes me think of God fulfilling our needs and instantly brings to my mind Psalm 23. I think it is the best illustration God gives us of His undying care for us. He cares for us simply because we are HIS! What an amazing concept to belong to such and amazing GOD! I will gladly serve Him the rest of my days.

You are my all in all.

Ephesians 5:2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Romans 12:1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Than the thought becomes, “how than shall I live?” “shall I continue to live as I have?” No, the wonderous thought is that I have a LIFE to DEVOTE wholeheartedly to service of Christ. I should not be letting a day pass that I don’t try and live for Him. I think it is sometimes hard for as to be satisfied with where God has us. We want to be doing BIGGER and BETTER things for Christ. Not the small “insignificant things we come into contact with daily that we could do for Him. I was reading a favorite book of mine and one quote describes how I want to live my life. I try to make it my daily prayer.

“Content to fill a small space, if Thou be glorified”


Jesus, Lamb of God, Worthy is your name!
Jesus, Lamb of God, Worthy is your name!

Exodus 15:2The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.

Psalm 47:1Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.

Deuteronomy 32:3I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!

Psalm 68:4Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds — his name is the LORD— and rejoice before him.

Psalm 147:1Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

The ending to this song wraps my wonderings up beautifully! That I may never cease to praise His wondrous name for ALL He has done for such a wretch as me!




In conculsion, I don't need the comercial type of Valentine that is offered today. I have a very special Valentine. Jesus is my Valentine, the lover of my soul, and HE IS my ALL IN ALL!
Happy Valentine's Day!







Tuesday, February 9, 2010

The Promise of Spring.

With the winter storms sweeping across the country I thought I would post about the coming of spring. :)
At the begining of last week I got out of my shower to find my family all huddled around the living room windows looking at our backyard. They were saying that I just HAD to come and see this. I walked over to the window to find TONS of birds! Red, Blue, Orange headed, and black birds. The yard was covered in them. We were all hoping that is was a sign that spring was coming and that we had seen the last of our snow.... Sadly this was not true. However, I did have a great time outside trying to catch the birds unaware. ;) Here are a few shots from that morning.
Yes, my toes turned beet red, and my hair turned to icicles. But hey, isn't that what a fireplace is for anyway... to thaw out? :) I hope all of you are keeping warm and enjoying your day! Don't worry, spring will get here before you know it. Then we can all enjoy the change of season and getting to see the world come "alive" again. :) Plus, the return of the birds. :)