Great is Thy Faithfulness.

We sang this in church today. No words have ever rung more true to me lately. God is awesome and He is faithful.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Chorus
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Chorus

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Chorus

Family ties.

I never had the chance to meet my dad's mother. She died in 1964 when my dad was just 16 years old. We've never spoken much about her...I've never asked too many questions. I think I'm afraid to upset him as he was very close to her and know he was absolutely heartbroken when she passed away. He still speaks about her with a certain softness that I have never been brave enough to press for details. I have seen many photos of her and my great aunt has mentioned more than once that I remind her of my grandma. I see the photos and certainly don't see myself in the beautiful, statuesque woman I only know in black and white, but I do know enough about her short life to appreciate the sentiment.

DeLois Davenport(my grandma), Effie Davenport (my great-grandmother) and my dad.

I've been thinking about my Grandma DeLois a lot more lately....maybe it's because I'm about to have a little girl and I have such huge dreams for her; much like I'm sure my grandmother did for my young father. And even though I never had the pleasure of meeting her, I know that we are tied by so much more than just faded photographs and DNA. I know there is a part of her that will always be with me, even though I never knew her.

Grandma DeLois right before her wedding.

I know my grandmother was raised by a sweet, loving mother, so I'm assuming her personality was sweet as well (knowing my Great-Grandma Effie, she would be incapable of raising a mean child.) She was a Sunday School teacher and involved in Eastern Star. She loved shoes, owning many pairs (I know I did inherit that from her!) I know she fought bravely at the end of her life, but I know she was welcomed home by her Savior when she passed. I am so thankful for her life as she gave me my dear father. Maybe someday I will be brave enough to ask about her...I want to do that so she's not lost with my father forever when he's gone. I want my little girl to know the stories of a lady born long ago who is still, in so many ways, right here with us today.

Missing you.

It's so hard to believe that's it’s been so long since I've seen your face. Eleven long years missing you with such an intensity that's still fresh in my heart. I remember having "guys breakfasts" with you and Dad. Your bib overalls. The way your heart valve clicked. I remember your great joy and appreciation of a good meal. I remember you catching my feet while I was swinging and asking, "Where are you going to go now?" It saddens me that you never met Brent, never saw me graduate college, and will never meet my children. It makes me sad that my babies will never know you and the absolutely amazing person that you were. My heart breaks that there are no new pictures of you, no new messages on my answering machine with your voice. I can't pick up the phone and tell you that I love you.

I know your life was one well lived and without regrets. Every breath was filled with passion and love for life and God's wonderful creation. You gardened. You exercised. You prayed. You worked hard at everything you did. You helped at the church. And you loved your family and friends like no one I've ever known.

I have no doubt where you are now, and that you are at peace. You no longer know pain or suffering and no longer feel sadness. I know that you are with the Savior you love so dearly. I know I will see you again one day, and some days I just can't wait for that day to come. Until then, my heart is calmed by knowing that you are one of my favorite of Heaven's angels, saving a special place for me.

October.

October - by Robert Frost

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes' sake, if they were all
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost-
For the grapes' sake along the wall.

My favorite season!

I love fall...love, love, love it! I adore the crisp cool breezes and the hazy sunlight through the colored leaves. I can't wait for the leaves to turn this year....sometimes it feels as if time is moving so slowly. I love pumpkins and apple cider slushes and bonfires and hayrides and Halloween and baking and getting ready for the winter. I can't believe that this time next year I'll have a little one to share my favorite season with and take to the pumpkin patch for her first pumpkin. Hopefully she'll like the short, fat little pumpkins like I do. I don't know why I've always chosen those, but they've always been my favorites. It always worked out well as a child because my sister preferred the tall, skinny pumpkins. What a weird, particular family we have...

Last night Riley played in the yard (we haven't been able to drag Higgie out there lately) and Brent and I did absolutely nothing productive. We watched old episodes of The Office on TBS (all night long) and I fell asleep on the couch around 8:30. I awoke around 9:00 to a soft kiss on my forehead and a cool breeze blowing through the window. Why can't I wake up like that every time? I was treated to some ice cream and was sleeping again by 9:30. My wonderful husband let me sleep and roused me around 11 to get me into our own bed.

In baby news, McBaby is moving more and more but Brent still hasn't been able to feel her. I'm not sure if she's big enough or making enough movement for him to feel her yet, but I also think he loses patience with it quickly. He keeps saying "I'll feel her soon" or "we have 3 1/2 months left" but I want so badly for him to feel what I've been feeling. It's so amazing to feel her moving around in there, even though sometimes she moves at the worst times (she was really active this morning around 3:30).

On Sunday, Brent broke his arm playing softball. I am so sad for him because he loves the game so much and he's essentially done for the season. We are also right smack dab in the middle of a pretty major renovation to our master bedroom and bathroom (read: down to the studs in our bathroom) and that kind of puts a damper on things. Thank God for great friends and family, many of whom have already offered their services for our project. I am so thankful we are surrounded by such good people in our lives.

Well, back to the grind. I just wanted to give an update and say I'm so excited about entering my favorite time of year. Now I suddenly have a hankering for a decaf pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks...too bad I don't have a lunchbreak today, or I would totally treat myself to one. Maybe I can twist Brent's good arm and talk him into buying me an overpriced cup of joe for the second time this week on our way to Bible study tonight... :)

Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter. ~Carol Bishop Hipps

Baby love.

I am now 23 weeks pregnant and getting more excited every day to meet my little girl (not quite yet though - keep baking away, little princess.) I've been able to actually feel her moving around the last month and it's so exciting to know she's in there and growing. I'm excited our little girl will have cousins her age to play with, and I hope she knows that many people are praying for her and anxiously awaiting her arrival.

It's been especially heartwarming to see my dad react to the excitement of his first grandchild. He goes to garage sales, consignment shops, and clothing sales to buy things for her. He spends a lot of time to try to find good bargains to make sure his house is ready for her to visit. I know that he and my mother will be awesome grandparents.

I know that January will be here before I know it, but for now I'm thoroughly enjoying the excitement of being pregnant. I only wish that meant sleeping was easier. While I do get more tired in a shorter amount of time, I haven't been sleeping well these past few weeks. I have a pregnancy pillow to try and help keep me on my side at night to sleep (the preferred position, according to my OBGYN), but I feel so confined by it that sometimes I have to throw it on the floor in the middle of the night in disgust. (It also makes me overheat at times.) Then I end up sleeping on my back and getting charley horses from you-know-where. But, if that's the most I have to worry about, it's a small price to pay. :)

The One Thing I Don't Question.

Here I am
In a river of questions
Can I pour my heart out to a listening ear?
I see this life
Its valleys and mountains
And I think of all the roads that brought me here
I’ve questioned my reasons
The life I’m living
I’ve questioned my ability
To judge wrong from right
I’ve questioned all the things that I’ve ever called certain
My race, my religion, my country, my mind

I heard this song today on the radio - it's one of my favorites. As an overly inquistive person who is constantly questioning everything, it's good to know that there are others out there that do the same thing.

Here's the thing: God WANTS you to come to Him with questions. Questions about Him, about your life, about what we are here for. It's a part of our nature to ask questions. And, it's a vital part of our relationship with Him. Life is tough, and God knows that. Life is unfair, and it beats us up. Who better to ask questions to than the One who can see everything that is going on? We are focused on such a small part of our little world that we can't see the big picture - but He can.

Even those closest to God asked Him hard questions. Abraham asked (and pleaded with) God to save the righteous of Sodom:

The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD. Then Abraham approached him and said: "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

The LORD said, "If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."

Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?" "If I find forty-five there," he said, "I will not destroy it."

Once again he spoke to him, "What if only forty are found there?" He said, "For the sake of forty, I will not do it."

Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?" He answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."

Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?" He said, "For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it."

Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?" He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."

Genesis 18: 22-32

Another important part of asking questions is questioning ourselves on a daily basis. Is what I'm doing glorifying God? Am I making the world a better place by my daily actions and thoughts? Questioning ourselves helps hold us accountable (even though that can't be all we do in the accountability department.)

But, in our questioning, we must remember to never question God's love for us.

But the one thing I don't question is You
You really love me like you say you do
Yeah the one thing I don't question is you
You really love me like you say you do
So hold me

Think about this: who do you know in your life that would die for you today? I'm guessing it's a short list. That's the cool thing: Jesus already did it. Way before we were on this earth, He knew about every single one of us and He chose to lay his life down so that we have the opportunity for eternal life with Him. Jesus loves you so much, even if you haven't accepted Him yet! I guess in my mind someone dying because of their love for me can never be questioned - I can't imagine asking that question of someone who's sacrificed so much for me.

God, thank you for dying for me. Thank you for allowing us to ask you tough questions. I pray that I will have the patience to wait for Your answers.


(Song lyrics - The One Thing by Paul Colman)

Word of God Speak.

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say

Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain?
Washing my eyes to seeYour majesty
To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak

Do you take the time to listen to God? I can't remember the last time I just sat and was quiet with Him and just listened to what He had to say. Most of the time I get so wrapped up in what I'm doing in life that He's an afterthought. How sad to know that our Creator is such a low priority sometimes in my mind.

I'm trying to slow down with my life, and to take the time to pray and really listen to what He wants for me. I'm tired of trying to guess what He wants; trying to figure it all out on my own. He doesn't want that for us. And even though it happens in His time, not ours, He will make the answer clear. All we have to do is be still and listen.

Blessed!

I think it's fair to say that I've been pretty lacking in the creativity department lately. It's been months since I've even logged into Blogger. Funny thing, how time flies when you're havin' fun.

Here's some of the things that have been going on in my little life:

- In April, Brent and I found out we were going to be parents! I can't wait for our little McBaby to show his/her face to the world!

- I turned 29. Shudder.

- We helped a dear friend of mine move into his first house. I'm so glad we got to be even a tiny part of his big day!

- We've been to the lake only twice this summer, but they've both been awesome times with great friends and family.

- Brent and I were blessed with another new niece, Hayden Elizabeth. We have another niece, Rilynn Mae, coming in September!

- Brent's beautiful cousin Brianna got married a few weeks ago to her wonderful husband Jesse. It was such an honor for Brent to be able to read Scripture verses at the ceremony. Bri was as beautiful as always and it was great to see the entire family spiffed up!

I know there's more I'm missing but I feel so blessed to live the life I do! I have a great family and great friends!

-

Belong.

I know I post a lot of song lyrics, but there is something wonderful about music that really moves me. It's always been a very big part of my life (even though I can't play an instrument or carry a tune!) This song's imagery is so raw and so truly real. I first heard it shortly after my grandma died. Then I heard it again during another very low point in my life, and it really helped bring me out of the pit. Chris Rice is a very gifted singer and songwriter and God really shines through him in these talents.

Belong
by Chris Rice

Fading memories ignored
I crawl across the forest floor
Pool reflects an orphan child
Dirty, lost, alone and wild
Fatherless and nameless still
Fallen heart and broken, will
there ever be a place where I belong

I cower ‘neath the monster trees
And try to stand on tired feet
But gravity knocks me to the ground
Where I give up, and tears roll down
I claw the dust and beg the end
Curse the day that I began
to hope there’d be a place where I belong

I hear a sound I recognize
You lift my chin and seek my eyes
Song of love You sing to me
I ache to sing it back to Thee
Father Love prepares a place
Brother Jesus leads the way
Follow to the place where you belong!

How did I miss this wondrous song?
The forest sang it all along
River rinses all your shame
Father offers you His name
Father Love prepares a home
Brother Jesus leads you on
Follow to the place where you belong!

Father Love prepares a place
Brother Jesus leads the way
Follow to the place where you belong
Follow to the place where you belong!

Here's a link to the amazing Chris Rice singing it himself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcx_LIgDiJ4&feature=PlayList&p=D9D1E6BD7562D93D&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=21

Whew!

This day is almost over. And it wasn't totally crazy, thank the Lord.

Let's just hope I can get through tomorrow and it will be smooth sailing from there (barring any huge flu revelations occurring over the weekend.) I'm excited to get to have my early birthday dinner with the 'rents and sister, do some shopping, and hopefully get a pedicure with some girlfriends. I am in desperate need of some R & R. Let's just hope the meteorologists (or as I like to call them, weather guessers), are wrong about the rainy outlook for the next few days. I sure could stand some sunshine in this mug. It's been a rather gloomy week in pig flu land.

Soo....in other words,

McMeans out.

Crazy.

So much has gone in the past few days there's no way to even catch anyone up - so I'm not going to try. My field of work has been crazy of late and I'm already ready for it to die down. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening anytime soon.

In the past few days, I have been stressed, tired, frustrated, angry, extremely angry, and sad. I have been running a million miles a minute at times. I have come in early, stayed late, worked through lunch. But I'm OK with that. I knew that what my job would be like in an emergency and I'm glad I stepped up to the challenge.

I am also so glad that I've had an opportunity to see what I can do. I have been able to be a part of some pretty cool things in the past few days, and to see plans and hard work finally come to fruition. And I know that the cool things I'm doing aren't from me. God has given me those wonderful gifts, and I'm so glad that I'm able to use them to do some good.

So....it's been a trying and crazy past few days, but there are good parts as well. I see I'm capable of doing so much more than I would think possible - because of God. And that's a good thing to be reminded of.

Thank you!

Thank you for your prayers....as I write this Nathanael is improving. They still have never found the cause of the mystery illness, and we may never know. I still ask that you pray it doesn't return....We are so glad to have him back among the land of the living! (He definitely was in Zombieland there for a while.) I know that this time has been incredibly difficult for Brent and his family and we definitely appreciate all of the thoughts, prayers, and questions that you all have had for us.

God is good!

Please Pray.

I ask for prayers for my baby brother-in-law Nathanael. (OK - he's not a baby, just the baby of the family, at 16.) He has had some health issues in the past few days that are very troubling and scary. Long story short, he has shown signs of confusion since Saturday morning, has lacked energy and focus, and has not been acting like himself. He is at Children's getting an EEG (probably as I write this.)

Please pray for courage and strength for our family in helping Nathanael get through whatever this is. He is a wonderful, sweet, giving young man that loves the Lord. I know God has the ability to heal him, if it's His will.

God is God and I am not.

This is exactly the message I've been needing to hear....and our worship leader sang it in church yesterday.

Doesn't God work in wonderful/mysterious/amazing ways?

God is God

By Steven Curtis Chapman

And the pain falls like a curtain
On the things I once called certain
And I have to say the words I fear the most
I just don’t know

And the questions without answers
Come and paralyze the dancer
So I stand here on the stage afraid to move
Afraid to fall, oh, but fall I must
On this truth that my life has been formed from the dust


God is God and I am not
I can only see a part of the picture He’s painting
God is God and I am man
So I’ll never understand it all
For only God is God


And the sky begins to thunder
And I’m filled with awe and wonder
‘Til the only burning question that remains
Is who am I

Can I form a single mountain
Take the stars in hand and count them
Can I even take a breath without God giving it to me
He is first and last before all that has been
Beyond all that will pass

Oh, how great are the riches of His wisdom and knowledge
How unsearchable for to Him and through
Him and from Him are all things

So let us worship before the throne
Of the One who is worthy of worship alone

Blessings Inventory.

I have been in a funk the past few weeks, and in total denial of my mental state. My sweet husband and a dear friend finally called the BS flag and asked me what my problem was. Well, I can tell you that I've been entirely focused on the craptastic things in life that I've forgotten to look at the wonderful blessings that He has given me. Sooo....for a while, I have decided to focus on and accept the good. You will be seeing posts about those things in my life that are a blessing to me.

Here is the first Blessings Inventory post, and it might be cliche, but I want to start with my husband.

Brent is a wonderful person - I can't think of a better person more suited to be my life mate. We are so totally opposite but we click so easily. He is type A and I am totally passive. He's very structured and I am (a little) more go with the flow. He's an engineer and I'm a communicator. And I don't know the last book he's read.... but I love the way he takes care of me, the way he provides, the way he loves me. I can't imagine life without him, and I know that every day I have him in my life is a blessing from God.

So here's to you, hubby dearest! I thank God for you!!!

Not just another Friday....

You died for me today.

I wonder how You did it. All those horrible steps to the cross. The beatings and torture. The shame. The nails through Your hands and feet.

I know You cried. I know You prayed.

At any time You could have said, "Stop. They're not worth it."

But You didn't.

Sometimes I wonder how someone could ever love me that much - to die for me.

But I'm starting to get it. I promise. It's beginning to really sink in.

You did the will of Your Father, even when You knew You would suffer and pay the price.

For us.

And I'm forever grateful for You, my precious Savior.

I want to do God's will like You did.

The best part? I can't wait to glorify Your rise in three short days.

The very thought gives me goosebumps.

I love You.

Gloriana link.

Here is the link. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv3PJ1YSHFs

Awesome new band.

This is my totally random thought for the day.

If you haven't heard of Gloriana, (a new country band) check them out. They rock my socks! Their single, "Wild at Heart" has been in my head all day!

Too bad I can't post a YouTube link to their video (I'm at work and it's blocked...) but maybe I can get around to it later....

OK. That's it. Peace out, homies.

P.S. - Amy, does this satisfy your desire for me to blog????? :)

Amy.

I saw a dear friend baptized yesterday...and a young woman whom I've grown to love and respect is now my sister in Christ! I am so glad that she has found the peace and understanding that only our wonderful Creator can give. She has truly accepted the free gift He wants to give all of us and it is changing her life! She has become a real inspiration to me and is helping me overcome some of my issues with letting go and letting God take control of my life. I hope I continue to learn from her. Please continue to pray for her as she continues to grow and finds her place in her church.

Amy - I am so proud to call you my friend! :)

I need help.

Pray for me, por favor. My attitude has been very poor lately, and I need to snap out of it. Instead of going through the correct path to deal with my problems, I keep internalizing them and trying to work through them myself, and I get frustrated all the more. I know I won't get anything accomplished that way, but I keep holding onto it. (Maybe I like being miserable?) Sooo....there are a lot of things in my life I need prayer for, and I will leave it at that. But number one right now is that attitude...

OK. Back to folding laundry now. :/

Beyond words.

I am an optimist. That might not be the first thing people think of when they picture me, but I know deep down in the dark dank depths of my little soul, I am. I want so badly to think that people are truly good at heart. (I sound like Anne Frank or something....) And every once in a while, this thought clouds my better judgment and I get slammed to the ground by my naiveté. Each time, I get up, brush myself off, and honestly, am amazed at what just hit me. Why am I always surprised? Because I want people to be good. I want to be liked. I want the world to be a happy place, but I know that's not to be.

Evil is all around us, and sometimes good people get caught up in it. And then, some people are just mean. I truly believe there are people out there that live and breathe to cause problems in others' lives. They feed off of it and are encouraged by seeing others suffer. And don't let them fool you - they know EXACTLY what they are doing. I've been burned enough to know it doesn't have to have red horns, a tail, and a pitchfork to be a bad thing.

I am trying so hard to be a good and positive person. I have an accountability partner now. We work together to make sure that we are constantly encouraging and lifting up those around us. You know...if you don't have anything good to say, don't say it??? We are really trying to rid our lives of the negative, and work toward the positive. I know we have a long way to go...but it's so difficult when people are constantly beating you down. It's infinitely more difficult to get over it when you are hurt by someone you thought you could trust.

Oh well...I know it's a vicious cycle. I will get over it in time and be caught back up in it again before I know it. How's that for optimism? :/

Sad. :(

Soooo....I got a call this morning that my in-laws dog had died. She was a great dog - a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix - very friendly, protective, loyal. She was always there to greet you when you pulled in the driveway. She wasn't a spoiled house dog - quite the opposite actually. She was a farm dog who lived outside, ate small furry creatures, and enjoyed every moment of it.

At first it was surprising to me that my M-I-L was so upset by her passing. (I wouldn't exactly classify Karen as an animal lover, bless her heart.) But this dog WAS a part of her life, and was there to meet her every single day she walked out of her house and when she came back home. It might sound silly, but please pray for them right now. It IS sad, even if she was a dog.

Which brings me to my thought of the day - will there be animals in heaven? My tender heart sure hopes so. I can't imagine not having them around...but the Lord only knows. I do get some comfort from this scripture:

"The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent's food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain," says the LORD." Isaiah 65:25

So this is for Princess - bless her little heart. Hopefully I'll see you again someday. :)

I have added a link to a poem by Jimmy Stewart, called "Beau". It always makes me cry, and I feel it's fitting for today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUNJjIwlHk8

Thank You.

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) by Chris Tomlin

Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood
His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures

My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood
His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God, Who called me here below
Will be forever mine
Will be forever mine
You are forever mine

It's all about timing.

Something happened this morning (I'd rather not go into details,) that really put a damper on my unusually chipper Friday morning. As many close to me know, I'm not the world's most patient person, so it's difficult for me to yield my plans and goals to what the Lord has in store for me. I get so wrapped up in the little cocoon I've created for myself and how I think my life should progress that I completely forget that I'm not in control of it. Well, did I have a big wake up call this morning! It really humbled me and reminded me of the following scriptures:

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

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? - Matthew 6: 25-26

Meditating on these simple, straightforward passages throughout the day slowly brought me out of my funk. I realize that I may never achieve or have all of the things I want for me, but that God has things in store for me that are so much greater than I can even imagine. All I have to do is wait on Him.

Food for thought...

Read this last night in the book "Velvet Elvis" from Rob Bell, and it really has me thinking. I think there is real truth in this statement:

Often the person with spiritual convictions is seen as close-minded and others are seen as open-minded. What is fascinating to me is that at the center of the Christian faith is the assumption that this life isn't all there is. That there is more to life than the material. That existence is not limited to what we can see, touch, measure, taste, hear, and observe. One of the central assertions of the Christian worldview is that there is "more". Those who oppose this insist that this is all there is, that only what we can measure and observe and see with our eyes is real. There is nothing else. Which perspective is more "closed-minded"? Which perspective is more "open"?

25 Randoms

I was tagged on Facebook, but also thought I'd share here:

1. I love the smell of spearmint gum. It reminds me of my grandmother.
2. The song "How Great Thou Art" always makes me cry.
3. I want to visit Poland and see where my great-grandparents were from.
4. My first career aspiration (at age 4) was to be a truck driver.
5. I hate the word "moist".
6. The thought of eating wild game (elk, deer, duck) creeps me out. Chronic Wasting Disease, anyone?
7. I am very picky about what I drive.
8. I kinda dig bluegrass music.
9. I want one more tattoo. Then I'm done.
10. I love fresh air and can't wait for spring so I can open the windows in my house and let it breeze through.
11. I hate spaghetti. Blech!
12. I love Twizzlers and can do major damage to a package in one sitting.
13. I like to explore. I often will take a drive alone to check out a new area.
14. I am addicted to Coca-Cola. (Trying to break the habit, though.)
15. I have to button and zip all pants before putting them in the closet. Also, all clothes in my closet have to be on white plastic hangers.
16. I hate to be late to anything. It stresses me out.
17. I love giraffes.
18. My favorite movie is "The Shawshank Redemption".
19. I love watching hockey live. I can't stand watching it on TV.
20. I will always stop what I'm doing to watch a Hilary Duff or Lindsay Lohan movie. I don't know why - I don't even really like those girls.
21. I am still, and will always be, a daddy's girl.
22. I want to learn to play the banjo.
23. I love the song "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel.
24. My favorite place to visit is NYC. I can't wait to go back again.
25. I hate killing bugs. I hate the crunching sound and the thought of killing something. I will go to extraordinary lengths to trap/catch it and take it outside.

God's amazing light in the darkness.

It was mentioned to me a few weeks ago that the way I live my life may have been a small influence in someone's quest to re-connect with God. This individual is a co-worker and dear friend whom I care for very much.

It was amazing to hear that even at a place where I feel I'm oftentimes the WORST possible witness, where I get caught up in the day-to-day grumblings, gossip, and troubles of this world, that somewhere in me someone saw even the slightest bit of a glimmer of that hope that God provides. It's just a reminder that God can work through a terribly average, flawed person to reveal Himself. It's a humbling, terrifying, and reassuring thought to know my Creator touches others through me in ways I can't even see.

I'm glad to know that my life does reflect God's purposes and that I can have a positive impact on others in their relationships with Jesus.

Please pray for my friend that she may find what she is looking for, and that she will continue to grow in the Lord. I'm so honored to be even the smallest little puzzle piece in her journey. He has so many wonderful things in store for all of us, if only we are willing to seek Him!

My Favorite Verse.

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
Proverbs 31:25