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The Christian's Hope Can Never Fail

Photograph by Brian T Murphy
We travel through a barren land,
With dangers thick on every hand;
But Jesus guides us through the vale;
O, The Christian’s hope can never fail.

Huge sorrows meet us as we go,
And devils aim to overthrow;
But vile infernals can’t prevail;
O, The Christian’s hope shall never fail.

Sometimes we’re tempted to despair,
But Jesus makes us then His care;
Though numerous foes our souls assail;
O, The Christian’s hope can never fail.

We trust upon the sacred word,
The oath and promise of the Lord;
And safely through each tempest sail;
O, The Christian’s hope can never fail.

Elizabezalel

Check out my sister's new craft blog, it's pretty amazing!

www.Elizabezalel.blogspot.com

While You Were Sleeping - Casting Crowns

"Conversation with Nathan"

I laughed and learned alot reading this conversation between a father and his son, please go read it if you get the chance!

Though full of grace thou art

Photograph by Brian T. Murphy

Jesus, I long for thee,
And sigh for Canaan's shore,
Thy lovely face to see,
And all my warfare o'er;
Here billows break upon my breast
And brooding sorrows steal my rest.

I pant, I groan, I grieve
For my untoward heart;
How full of doubts I live,
Though full of grace thou art!
What poor returns, I make to thee
For all the mercy shown to me!

And must I ever smart,
A child of sorrows here?
Yet, Lord be near my heart,
To soothe each rising tear;
Then at thy bleeding cross I'll stay,
And sweetly weep my life away.
-John Berridge

God's Part and Our Part in Evangelism

you can listen to Rico Tice's sermon (which I based my last post on) right here. Definitely do so if you get the chance!

How does God feel about you today?

Disappointed? Angry? Hopeless?

Not at all. No, in fact, if those were your thoughts- think once more! You want to know how God feels about you today?

Delighted.

God is delighted in you!

Why? Because of the gospel, my friends. Because when you bowed down and yielded your life to Christ you were given the life of Christ. You were given the righteousness of Christ. You now relate to God through Christ and what He has done. God looks at you and say, "I am delighted with you" because Christ has washed away your sin. All of your sin- it has been paid for.

"For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: the righteous will live by faith." Romans 1:17

This is cool stuff- unbelievable, actually, if you think about what it implies!

So my mum and I were driving home from Maryland on Monday and were listening to a teaching by Rico Tice, from England, who was teaching us about "God's part and our part in evangelism". We listened to it once, were so excited and at the same time overwhelmed that we listened another time, this time me pausing every few seconds to take notes as mamma drove. This is quite long, but read a bit at a time and I promise you will learn so much! I know I did, and still am! For though I've written this all, it's still sinking in!

He begins with the "four G's to mobilize Christians to evangelize"


God's Part and Our Part in Evangelism

My notes to the sermon by Rico Tice

1. Grace
-This is where he spoke about what I wrote above- how God is delighted in you no matter what you've done.

Sometimes you may feel like:

1. I'm not good enough. No, but that's where grace comes in! That's where the cross comes in. You and I could never be good enough, but Jesus Christ has made us good enough. More than good enough.

2. I need to prove myself. No, you needn't! God loves you anyways and he always will, there is nothing to prove.

3. This place is dangerous. Yes, it is, but you are led by the savior of the world, there is no need to be frightened!

2. Gehenna

My sin is so terrible it must be paid for, either by Jesus' blood on the cross, or by me eternally in Hell. I know for certain that my sin has been paid for- but what of those souls around me? Here is a mission statement- a mission statement we could live for. Why not live our lives with this as our missions statement:

People without Christ go to Hell.

In New Testament times, Gehenna was a place where the carcasses of dead animals were piled high. Criminals to be punished were sent there. Fires were constantly burning, always was there fire. So when God wanted to make clear to the people he was teaching what Hell was to be like, he related it to Gehenna.

Where will your friends be in 100 years time? Let us be heartbroken about this. Everyday for a non-Christian is a worse day- each day is one day nearer to Hell. Whereas each day for Christians is a better day- one day closer to heaven. Why not let this be our mission statement?

3. Glory

-The glory of God. Are we living for the glory of God? So many people (too often me as well) see God as a "divine waiter", only there to serve them. A common question is,

"What is God's plan for my life?" Such a self-centered question this is! And yet so many times I want to know about what God has planned for ME. No, the question I ought to be asking is,

"What is god's plan for HIS world? and How do I get involved? You could spend your whole life living for your own little story, but why not join the bigger story? God's story. Are we living for the glory of ourselves? Or are we living for the glory of God?

4. Godliness

You cannot be godly and not be concerned for the lost. God was so concerned that he sent his son to die on the cross. Wow.

So often we separate godliness from evangelism. Let's make Christ an unavoidable issue. Yet always graciously.

People can be so very delightful, yet at the heart of sin because they are denying the cross. Or they say, "I'm a good person, that is enough".

Why did God sent his perfect son to die if being good was enough?

--------------

So these are the "4 G's" Rico Tice listed to mobilize us for evangelism. I pray God would break our hearts for the lost, for the people we see around us who are living eachday a little closer to eternal fire and punishment.

Let's move on.


---------

So, how do we do it? How do we evangelize?

Let's read 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 and ponder a bit from there.

1. Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do notlose heart.

2. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

3. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

4. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

5. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.

6. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."

--------------
Who is involved in the work of Evangelism?

Take a quick look back at vs. 6- The people's eyes have been blinded, but God does something fantastic- he opens their eyes. In the verse something very exciting happens- more than you may see at first glance. Listen to this- a miracle happens! God works a miracle in the hearts of those blinded.

"For God, who said, 'Let light shine our of the darkness', made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ".

hmmm.....where have we heard that phrase before? Yes, in genesis 1! This miracle God performs in the hearts of the lost is the same level of miracle as the creation of the universe.

Think of the most glorious view you've ever seen.......have it in your mind? That is what God can do in the hearts blinded sinners! What a thought.

So what we need, therefore, if evangelism is going to take place, is a miracle. We need God to reach into their hearts and turn them around. The moment of conversion is the moment of identification, the moment we realize who we are in Christ and the debth of His love.

-------

So this is what Christ does. What about us? If God does the miracle, what does that mean as we set about our job?

We must preach Christ.

1. Do not use deception, do not distort the gospel

-Take a look at verse back at vs. 2.

Will we love people enough and believe the Holy spirit enough to teach the full gospel whatever the culture says? We must teach the wrath of God, yes, and we must teach the need of repentence. Speak with grace, but speak the truth! Yes, there is a place called Hell.

Yet you must believe in the power of God's miracles. Always pray!

1. "Lord, make people know that I'm for them, that I care about them as I say this, that I'm not gonna spin, I'm gonna tell them the truth."

2. Lord, please grant repentece as I say it (look at Acts 11:18). Grant people the ability to believe this depite their education, that as I say this, the spirit of truth says to them,
"That is true, that is true, that is true."

2. Pray
"Neglect of private prayer is the locusts which devours the strength of the church."

-C.H. Spurgeon

Why must we pray? Verse 4. Because the god of this age has blinded the eyes of the people!

We need the miracle, it's not up to us. (Col. 4:12)

3. Who's department is the results department?
Gods! It is merely our Job to preach Christ and pray- it's up to God to do the rest.

4. Come with humility!

'Cause the only reason I'm a Christian is because God came down and opened my eyes, because God did the miracle! If he could change me, so can he change them. For the girl sitting next to me is no more sinful than I, only blinded as I once was. It was a miracle I needed in my heart, and 'tis so for them as well.

"A test of hypocrisy: Do you believe God could more easily save you than the worst
sinner you know?" -Mark Dever (This quote is actually from the sermon at CHBC last Sunday that was quite a blessing to hear in person!)

5. What does it mean to be people's servants?

For we do not preach outselves, but jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake." (vs. 5)

What does it it mean to be people's servants? In 1 Cor. 9. Paul says that with God's sovereignty and gospel integrety clear, knowing that I need a miracle and that I'm going to present Christ, he said, "How can I be as sensitive as possible to my hearer?

1 Cor. 9:19-23

Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many

as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I

became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those

under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I

am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the

law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so

that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I

may share in its blessings."

This is where the creativity comes in on our part- how can we best reach them?

God is sovereign over everything, even evangelism, and it is only His miracle that can turn people's hearts to Him. Our Job is simply to love the lost and Preach Christ, believing Him to do the rest.

People are not simply a target! Be eager to listen to them, desperate that the only offense be the offense of the gospel; which is, of course:

Cheer up! You're a lot worse than you thought you were.

A Lovely Children's Hymn

Here is a beautiful song written in 1862 by Frederick Faber. Brian T. Murphy (from Red Mountain Music) and his friend Jon Black recently put it to new music. Go listen to it, it is quite lovely!

Here is the link (click on "audio here" to listen to it while you read the words) : http://briantmurphy.blogspot.com/2007/08/childrens-song.html

"If" by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think- and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop to build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Excpect the Will which says to them: "Hold On",

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Favorite Poem #1

If

By Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies

Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;

If you can think- and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with triumph and disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,

Ans stoop to build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Excpect the Will which says to them: "Hold On",

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it

And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.

I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

....I will press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Phillipians 3:7-11, 13

Concerning Rebellious Kitchens, Chesterton, and a Very Cute Puggle

Kitchens are strange things. A mystery, in fact, that I don't believe I shall ever understand. I devote an entire day to making our mint-colored kitchen fresh, clean, organized and spotless. Strange enough, the next day it will be a cluttered dissaster once more.


Perhaps it's due to the rebellious nature of the kitchen, or perhaps of the pots and pans that never relent to staying tucked neatly away in the cabinet but insist upon springing back out again onto the weary countertop.


Perhaps someday I will understand this mystery. Untill then, I don't mind......I find it a convenient blessing that cleaning kitchens is actually a fond hobby of mine.


I just finished cleaning the kitchen this afternoon, but I'm certain it won't be clean for long.....in fact, even now I believe I hear some sneaky spoons vaulting themselves onto the newly shined counter............oh well.

Once upon a time there was a book. It strolled leisurely around the house until one day, when I was in the mood for some mind-stirring literature, I decided to pick it up. It struggle a bit at first, trying to convince me it's words were altogether too deep and philosophical for my young mind. It took me a while, but after a rather vicious fight I had pinned the book open against the floor and tied the pages back into a sturdy hold. From the very begining to the end of the introduction, the brilliancy of the writing held me captive. Of course, I only understood about 2% of the stuff I read, but after reading the intro several times, the murkiness has begun to fade away and the witty, gleeful logic has begun to shine through....though I know I'll have to read it several times more to fully grasp it before I move on.

What is the book? It is, my dear readers, "The Everlasting Man" by Mr. G.K. Chesterton. Not an undaunting book, by any means, but surely one worthy to read and which I hope to finish someday, though it may take quite a while.

As The Boston Transcript says, "Here is the genius of Chesterton at its delightful best.....in the mood of clarity which the author creates for us, the sense of wonder and awe at the universe, at God and man, Mr. Chesterton performs a miracle which comes well in this sophisticated age of scorn."

My new teacher, G.K. Chesterton, is giving me the lesson of seeing the world as something to be in awe of, to take nothing as commonplace or stale.

"Far away in some strange constellation in
skies infinitely remote, there is a small star, which astronomers may some day discover. At least I could never observe in the faces or demeanour of most astronomers or men of science any evidence that they have discovered it; though as a matter of fact they were walking about on it all the time. It is a star that brings forth out of itself very strange plants and very strange animals; and none stranger than the men of science."

I look forward to understanding more of what Mr. Chesterton has to teach me in the days to come......perhaps you can look forward to reading what I have to say about it......or better yet, go read the book yourself! Then we can discuss it together.

This, my friends, is a puggle. I was at the pet pad when I saw him, so cute with his wrinkled face and floppy ears. A puggle is mix between a pug and a beagle......of course this picture is not the one I saw, but he looked quite like that....only mine had an even more wrinkled face........so cute! I just had to talk about him. Unfortunately, I cannot own him, but I hope he finds a very happy home:)

Seeking Wisdom

Two Kinds of Wisdom
James 3:13-18

"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."

This verse made me think about what wisdom I have, or claim, and what wisdom I am seeking. I found it proposed many questians of me, and studying those questians helped me better understand what true wisdom is.

How wise am I? What do my deeds reveal? Are they done "in the humility that comes from wisdom"?

"But if you harbor bitter envy, or selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such 'wisdom' does not come from heaven but is eartly, unspiritual, of the devil".

Am I harboring any bitter envy? Selfish ambition? These things are "earthly, unspiritual, of the devil." How much would I rather trade this "wisdom", the world's wisdom, for wisdom come from heaven!

How can we gain this wisdom from heaven?

"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all....

• Pure, then
• Peace-loving
• Considerate
• Submissive
• Full of mercy and good fruit
• Impartial
• Sincere

...Peace makers whos sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."

How can I be more pure?

• Dwell on God's word, keep his truth in my mind all the time
• Keep Christ Jesus and the cross in full view of my gaze, never lose sight of Him!
• Find my joy in God, delight in Him! Don't find my joy elsewhere, turn to him.
• Worship God all through the day, to stay near to Him
• Give thanks!
• "Above all else, gaurd your heart, for it is the wellspring of life".

How can I be more peace-loving?

• Do not fight for my own way, I have the promises of God, I don't need to win petty arguments!
• Be sharp-minded and alert, but always remember to be "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry" (James 1:19)

How can I be more considerate?

• Forget about my own wants, needs and pains
• Be constantly looking out for another's inconveniences, and how I may cheer or relieve them
• Keep my mouth shut if I have something unpleasant to say! Do my words discourage and bring people down, or life them up?
• Show loving, random acts of kindness
• Be slow to show my annoyance a person may cause me.
• Over look insults, rudeness, and annoyance- smile back, and love on!
• "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain concet, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Phillipians 2:3-4)

How can I be more submissive?

• Trust God with my future
• Lay aside my own ambitions for any plan God has different
• Do not argue when asked to do something
• Do not show annoyance when a command is incovenience
• Work with joy!
• Be ready to serve
• Be willing to serve
• Be excited to serve!

How can I be full of mercy and good fruit?

• Study God's word, the life of My Savior, and do my best to immitate His loving, sacrificing, merciful life.
• "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

How can I be impartial?

• Love the lovely and the unlovely
• Give love on no conditions, let it be unconditional, just like Christ's love

How can I be more sincere?

• Pray, pray, pray! Ask God for a sincere heart
• Be true to your word, reliable and worthy
• Don't be just talk!
• Believe in what you say
• Cry when things are sad, be angry at injustice, ask a questian when you don't understand, toughen you senew when things get tough- don't just be all smiles and things are bad.

Why have I written all this out? I wanted to remember, and to act upon it....that is the hard part for me. I pray that I, and whoever else reads this, will be given the desire to seek God more and gain the true widsom which comes only from Him.

"But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetthing what he has heard, but doing it- he will be blessed in what he does."

Meet KiHong!

An exciting adventure began yesterday afternoon when our new Korean student arrived. KiHong was born the exact same day as Sam- June 14th, 1993! Already he's teaching us a bit of Korean while he develops some skills of his own....not only english, but also unicycling! It's a pleasure to have him stay with us.....you can keep yourself up to date on his stay at http://www.learninginnc.blogspot.com, a blog my mom keeps for his parents in Korea.

we also got to see DooSan again, who has come to stay with another american family for the summer...that was a fun suprise.

That's all for tonight.....my eyelids are feeling rather heavy, and my comfortable topbunk is calling me......God bless!

On Reading Widely

I was meandering along on a trail of blogs when I came to this interesting post. I want to be a big reader, but I'm not. I love to read, don't get me wrong, but it's the making time for it that I don't do. I guess I don't want to feel like I'm wasting my time. It's not a waste of time- depending on the book, of course- it can be so many things.

I was at the blog of Andy Upton, whose blog I found off of Dan Hames' blog, when he mentioned this article. I'm just gonna copy and paste here, so read on!

"On Reading Widely

“If you’re going to be a leader, you have to be a reader!” I must have heard that phrase a dozen times during my stay in Colorado at Summit Ministries after just graduating high school. Eight years later, I’m even more convinced that the statement is true.

But what kind of reading? And how should a leader sift through the great number of books available?

I’m assuming that the readers of this blog are already convinced of the necessity for reading. Otherwise, you probably wouldn’t be reading this. So, let me preface my thoughts on reading widely by saying that wide reading presumes much reading. You can’t read widely if you don’t read a lot! Set a goal. Make it happen. Turn off the TV and read! 50 books a year. 100 books a year. (If you’re Albert Mohler, 300 books a year.)
So with that out of the way, here are some tips on reading widely.

1. Read Old Books Too

Don’t succumb to the temptation to read only the current bestsellers. They may tell you some important things about our culture, but they rarely help you look at the culture “from the outside” and critique it correctly. C.S. Lewis is famous for encouraging the reading of “old books,” at least 1 out of every 3, so that the reader can see the perspective of other generations. I try to read classic books of Christianity - books that have stood the test of time. I want to learn from the great theologians and pastors and thinkers who have gone before. A wide reader reads the latest works, but he or she balances those books by also listening to the voices of previous generations.

2. Read Book Reviews

Let’s face it. We don’t have enough time to read everything we want. So find good book-review websites or magazines and read the summaries of books. I try to review every book I read, so you’ll find a list of reviews on my site. Other bloggers do the same. Christianity Today is a good resource for reading about many of the important Christian books coming out each year.

3. Don’t Stay in One Stream

The Emerging Church and the Reformed Resurgence have one thing in common - both movements are prone to only read certain authors and publishers. Go to an Emerging Church convention and you’ll find a lot of guys who have read the same three books and want to get together and chat about them over coffee (or beer!). Go to the Together for the Gospel conference and you’ll find guys who have read the same Piper/Dever/MacArthur books and want to debate any Arminian in sight. Both movements emphasize the importance of ancient books (Emerging goes back to the pre-medieval church, while the Reformed movement concentrates on the Reformation). But neither group reads each other well.
Don’t get sucked into one stream of Christianity. Read widely! If you’re a 5-point Calvinist, read some John Wesley, Ben Witherington, and Scot McKnight. If you’re a McLaren fan, read the critiques of the Emerging Church, and more than that, read the “fundamentalists” like Machen and Warfield and Hodge that the Emerging movement has moved away from.
And one more piece of advice: don’t read authors you disagree with just so you can tear apart their arguments. Read graciously. Read in order to learn. Maybe the Revivalist tradition actually has something to teach the Calvinists about passionate evangelism. Or maybe the Calvinists have something to teach the Revivalists about the priority of sound doctrine. Jump into other streams of Christianity and be refreshed by the swim!

4. Read Best-Sellers

This seems at first to contradict point #1, but it doesn’t. I’m talking here about non-Christian bestselling books. It’s good to know what other people are reading. Read the historical biographies, the Oprah’s Book Club choices, yes, even books like The Secret. Clearly, you aren’t going to like a lot of what you read here, so if you don’t want to spend the money, go check it out at the library. But the wide-reader who reads from Calvin’s Institutes will also be able to talk with his neighbor about Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink without “blinking” an eye.

5. Read Fiction.

Force yourself to read books you normally wouldn’t read. For me, a self-confessed theology-lover, that means reading fiction. For novel-fans, it means adding a little Packer to the diet. If you are planning on being a good preacher, you’d better like good stories. The greatest preachers in Christianity have known how to express deep theological concepts through riveting narratives. So, hunker down and start reading classic authors like Hugo, Dickens, and Dostoevsky. Watch these brilliant authors paint masterful pictures of sin and redemption and salvation. Hold on to memorable characters. Enter other worlds through the imaginations of Tolkien and Lewis.

Above all, don’t limit yourself. If you don’t like a book, stop reading it. If you’re intrigued by something, pick it up and give it a scan. Read what you like. Like what you read.

Happy Birthday, Sam!

Why my brother is the best in the world:

• He makes me laugh!
• He's smart and witty
• He playes some sweet jazz!
• He is the kind of friend anyone would want to have
• He thinks of others before himself
• He does not change the way he acts to be "cool"
• He is a leader with his friends, setting an example rather than going along with immaturity
• He is not proud but humble
• He plays awesome on the guitar
• He's tough, not afraid to get hurt or dirty
• He has the bestest hair!

I'm proud to be your sister, Sam!

The Vision - by Pete Greig

The vision is Jesus - obsessively, dangerously, undeniably Jesus.

The vision is an army of young people.

You see bones?

I see an army

And they are FREE from materialism.

They laugh at 9-5 little prisons.

They could eat caviar on Monday and crust on Tuesday.

They wouldn't even notice.

They are mobile like the wind; they belong to the nations.

They need no passport.

People write their addresses in pencil and wonder at their strange existence.

They are free yet they are slaves of the hurting and the dirty and the dying.

What is the Vision?

The vision is holiness that hurts the eyes.

It makes children laugh and adults angry.

It gave up the game of minimum integrity long ago to reach for the stars.

It scorns the good and strains for the best.

It is dangerously pure.

Light flickers from every secret motive, every private conversation.

It loves people away from their suicide leaps, their Satan games.

This is an army that will lay its life for the cause.

A million times a day its soldiers choose to lose that they might one day win the great "Well
Done, faithful sons and daughters."

Such heroes are as radical on Monday mornings as Sunday night.

They don't need frames from names.

Instead they grin quietly upwards and hear the crowds chanting again and again, "Come on!"

And the army is disciplined.


Every soldier would take a bullet for his comrade at arms.

The tattoo on their back boasts, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Sacrifice fuels the fire of victory in their upward eyes. Winners. Martyrs. Who can stop them?

Can hormones hold them back?

Can failure succeed?

Can fear scare them or death kill them?

And the generation PRAYS like a dying man with groans beyond talking, with warrior cries,
sulfurous tears and with great barrow loads of laughter!

Whatever it takes, they will give.

Breaking the rules. Shaking the mediocrity from its cozy little hide.

Laying down their rights and their precious little wrings, laughing at labels, fasting essentials.

The advertisers cannot mould them. Hollywood cannot hold them. Peer pressure is powerless to
shake their resolve at late night parties before the cockerel cries.

They are incredibly cool, dangerously attractive inside.

On the outside? They hardly care. They wear clothes like a costume to communicate and celebrate but never to hide.

Would they surrender their image or popularity? They would lay down their very lives - swap
seats with the man on death row - guilty as hell. An electric chair for a throne.

With blood and sweat and many tears, with sleepless nights and fruitless days, They pray as if it all depends on God and live as if it all depends on them.

Their DNA chooses Jesus.

He breathes out, they breathe in.

Their subconscious sings.

They've had a blood transfusion with Jesus.

Their words make demons scream in shopping centers.

Don't you hear them coming? Herald the weirdos!

Summon the losers and the freaks.

Here comes the frightened and forgotten with the fire in their eyes.

They walk tall and trees applaud, skyscrapers bow, mountains are dwarfed by these children of
another dimension.

Their prayers summon the hounds of heaven and invoke the ancient dream of Eden.

And this vision will be.

It will come to pass; it will come easily; it will come soon.

How do I know? Because this is the longing of creation itself, the groaning of the Spirit, the very dream of God.

My distant hope is his 3D.

And he is the original dreamer, the ultimate winner.


Guaranteed.

Only one life -'Twill soon be past,

Only what's done for Christ will last.

Three little birds sat on my window.....

and they told me I don't have to worry.......:)
summmer came like cinammon,
so sweet

Indeed, the start of my early
summer has been superb! So many cool things have happened.

First of all, school ended.

Actually, that part wasn't so cool, as my classes were quite fun....I rather miss chemistry. Ms. Gross was a wonderful teacher.

Anyhow, the following week my wonderful brother and I did a two-week drama camp. It was with Arising Light Productions. Zach and Luke were the leaders. Boy, that was fun! The first week I went early for a faith and film class....that was awesome, watching movies all morning, analyzing them, finding truth in them, and simply enjoying them!

As for the drama camp, it was a blast! So many good friends comming together to put on a fun production. It was the play "Twelfth Night" by Shakespeare...I played "Viola", a transvestite, my mum kept calling me. :)

Sam played a comedic drunkard, Sir Toby Belch....ha! He was my favorite character....Sam was awesome, acting a bit like Captain Jack Sparrow, which of course made it funny.....Elizabeth was the wonderful "Chief of Costume", or something like that...thanks to her I had a mustache on my face for the majority of the play....though I woulnd't want it again, it definately added to my disguise!


So then after camp everything slowed down again....until last week when on Thursday I left for the homeschool conference with such wonderful friends from church....that was a lovely time! I got so many good books, too many probably...here is a list of what I got:

1. Captivating - this book I heard great things about! I got it mostly for Elizabeth, but I hope to read it too...

2. The Suffering of Man and the Soveriegnty of God - This is by C.H. Spurgeon, which is why I got it....it's a compilement of sermons he did on Job. I already read the first one....it's fantastic! As Clint Wells says, "Read more Spurgeon and listen to more Beatles"....I thoroughly agree with him!

3. The Open Door - This is a book by Lamplighter Publishing, I'm really looking forward to it....

4. The Wind in the Willows - such a fantastic book! this one I actually didn't get at the conference but at a neighborhood yard sale....I just started reading it again. It's so loverly! Ratty is awesome.

Those are all I can remember right now, so they must be the only ones worth mentioning.

That week ended up nicely with a famly trip to the beach to visit my Grammy and Pappap. I have such fun grandparents!

Well, I'm sure I've bored you quite enough....so long!

Non nobis domine, domine,
Non nobis domine,
Sed nomini, sed nomini
tuo da gloriam.

Daniel Powter - Bad Day

"Dear friends,

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."

-Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ
(Philipians 2)

Fighting for Joy

This is another rad post from daniel hames' blog....you can read it at his blog with the comments here. It's been so inspiring I thought I'd just paste the whole thing up for you to read. Probably because I haven't got anything to say myself. So read on, my friends, and be inspired!

"A few days ago, I met-up with my friend Andy Upton. Andy is the pastor of Knighton Evangelical Free Church, which is near my home. Because he's a pastor, he's become very good at asking penetrating questions such as, "What are your idols?", "What does a Dan Hames quiet time look like?" and others.

Andy asked me how I fight for joy each day. I have to confess it took me ages to understand what he was getting at. I'm assuming it down to my lack of quick witedness rather than Andy's lack of penetrating-ness! Eventually I cottoned-on and Andy rephrased, "You love Piper. You know that finding your joy in God alone is a fight. How do you fight for joy every day? How do you practically make sure that you delight yourself in God? Or are you just all talk?"

We chatted about the ways... listening to talks on the iPod while walking to places, listening to praise and worship music, disciplining myself to swing my legs out of bed as soon as the alarm goes off in order to get a quality quiet time, blogging to record God's goodness, songwriting.

Since then, I've been thinking about this question a lot. How do I fight for joy? Am I just all talk? Well I think I might be a lot of talk, and perhaps not so much fight as I'd like. While on the new leaders' weekend, tim Rudge prayed one morning that God would warm our cold hearts, because we wake-up with stone cold hearts every day. How true that is! When I wake-up from my dreams, my first thoughts are about myself "I'd love to stay in bed", "I'm hungry", "What have I got to do today?". But what if I could wake-up and think Psalm 37:4? Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Today I've been singing an old, old hymn:

Lord, dissolve my frozen heart,
By the beams of love divine;
This alone can warmth impart,
To dissolve a heart like mine.

O that love, how vast it is!
Vast it seems, though known in part;
Strange indeed, if love like this,
Should not melt the frozen heart.

Saviour, let thy love be felt,
Let its power be felt by me,
Then my frozen heart shall melt,
Melt in love, O Lord to thee.

The love of Jesus will warm my heart, renew my mind, and show me where I can find true Joy. And I need to remind myelf of this love everyday, because I'm liable to forget it, and prone to leave the God I love for other treasures that are really no treasure at all. Keeping hold of joy is hard work! So I'm going to fight for it by trying to get up earlier as Andy has suggested, and I'm going to try and think about the words of that hymn when I wake-up each morning. It seems that discipline and joy are really quite closely related.

How do you fight for joy?
What practical, everyday ways do you feed yourself?
What are the other treasures that most easily fool you?
How do you stop idols reigning in your life?
Let's share."

"Clouds may hide tomorrows sun..."

how dark this day
this day of night
the weather, though it seemed so right
blows winds of sorrow 'cross the light
tears of loss
tears of pain
a numbness in me, so far away
but theirs is sorrow in this slay
this thoughtless act
but why?

a song that's so good in times like these, a reminder of something bigger, is "Beams of Heaven" by Charles Tindley. here I'll write the lyrics.....you can listen to it here(just click number 15)



Beams of Heaven

Beams of heaven as I go,
through the wilderness below,
guide my feet in peaceful ways,
turn my midnights into days.
When in the darkness I would grope,
faith always sees a star of hope,
and soon from all life's grief and danger
I shall be free someday.
I shall be free someday.

Often times my sky is clear,
joy abounds without a tear;
though a day so bright begun,
clouds may hide tomorrow's sun.
There'll be a day that's always bright,
a day that never yields tonight,
and in its light the streets of glory
I shall behold someday.
I shall behold someday.

Harder yet may be the fight;
right may often yield to might;
wickedness a while may reign;
Satan's cause may seem to gain.
But there's a God that rules above
with hand of power and heart of love;
and if I'm right, he'll fight my battle,
I shall have peace someday.
I shall have peace someday.

Burdens now may crush me down,
disappointments all around;
troubles speak in mournful sigh,
sorrow through a tear-stained eye.
There is a world where pleasure reigns,
no mourning soul shall roam its plains,
and to that land of peace and glory
I shall want to go someday.
I shall want to go someday.
I shall want to go someday.

The Lord has risen.

He has risen indeed!! You know one of my favorite blogs to read is that of Dan Hames, in England. He sent out an e-letter last spring to his readers, and it's truth and simlicity impressed me so deeply that I never deleted it from my inbox.

I thought that, since it's that time of year again, it would be worth posting up for everyone to see. Here's what he wrote:


~*~*~*~*~*~

Hello boys and girls of the wired world,

Well... the sun is shining, the birds are singing, the world is coming back to life. It is a strange thing how Summer slips away so gradually that it's not until the first rays of the Spring sunshine that we realise we have been living in Winter. Yesterday, as I walked in the little wood near my house, I noticed how things look so much greener- that nature was fighting back.

So we're heading for Easter and we can see that all around us, Life wins over Death. It's because creation is relfecting the big win one day 2000 years ago when bizarrely, one man killed death by giving himself up to die.

Of course death has its mark on us all and it means to be our downfall, but something huge happened in Jerusalem- we can see our own death get killed and we can come to life just like those trees after Winter which break-out into leaves and buds and life.

I can see that God was my biggest problem, God provided the solution, God justifies the wicked and God is the whole end and goal of it all. Amazingly, this wild story is all symbolised in that very common symbol that we see hanging around people's necks, tatooted on their arms and stuck on churches. And there's a little phrase that we like to use to talk about that: "the gospel". Let me tell you that the gospel changes everything because the more I know about myself, the bigger the cross gets. The more I see how being a rebel has damaged me, the more I understand how earthshaking the cross is.

I'm so excited about the gospel that I borrowed a poem from a lady called Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane who died in 1896 and I made some news music for it. It's on my Myspace now. Go and listen- I hope you like it.

Here's to Easter. Here's to life. Here's to the cross.

Love,
Dan

Springtime at our house! For my friends faraway....

Hey Schmidts! Here is a glimpse of NC this early spring....we wish you were here with us!

The video will probably make you dizzy......it's a bit cheesy and unprofessional, but it's just a practice.

The song is "Your Love Broke Through" by Keith Green.....enjoy!

Yesterday - The Beatles

I love this song by the Beatles, but It seems so sad...I was watching it the other day and almost felt like crying. I wondered why it was so sad to me, and I realized why- Paul Mcartney, the Beatles, they had no hope! I can't help but think how the words in these song contrast so with the life that comes from Jesus. As I thought about this, the lyrics to a switchfoot song I had been listening to came to mind:

yesterday is a wrinkle on your forehead
yesterday is a promise that you've broken
don't close your eyes, don't close your eyes
this is your life and today is all you've got now
yeah, and today is all you'll ever have
don't close your eyes
don't close your eyes
this is your life, are you who you want to be
this is your life, are you who you want to be
this is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be
when the world was younger and you had everything to lose

Earlier I wrote about a Living Hope...a covenant made with us by Jesus as he shed his blood on the cross....if people don't know Jesus, they don't know hope! All the beatles could put their hope in was "hopefully there will be another yesterday", because the present and the future seems so dark and clouded.

As I listened to that song by switchfoot, the line "don't close your eyes", I immediately thought of Charlie, a character from Lost. He has tatooed on his arm the words, "living is easy with your eyes closed". How hopeless that is! I later found out that phrase is from another Beatles song, Strawberry Fields Forever.

People say the Beatles were the greatest band ever...that their legacy will never die. Indeed, they were amazing! their music was something incredible....yet, they lacked the one thing, the most important thing, that would secure them eternity and true joy: the salvation and hope that is found in Christ alone.

If only the Beatles knew.........this is just a bunch of babbling, but perhaps it should be a reminder to pray.....I know I need to pray more.

A note from John Newton....

Though afflicted, tempest tossed,
Comfortless awhile thou art,
do not think thou can be lost;
Thou art graven on my heart;

All they wastes I will repair;
Thou shalt be rebuilt anew;
And in thee it shall appear
What the God of love can do.

-John Newton

those words are from the song, "Pensive Doubting, Fearful heart" by John Newton......this is only the last verse, all the rest are cool too.

Red Mountain Church band made a pretty rad version of it.....it's one of my favorite songs right now.....you can listen to it here:

http://www.redmountainchurch.org/rmm/alb/TGPclips/track02.mp3

A Living Hope

Ahh....today was lovely! This morning my mom and I had breakfast with our friend from Singapore, Angie. It was encouraging to chat with her and be reminded of the need for prayer. We then made our way to church, where we sang some cool songs and learned from mr. Dickman and 1 peter about why we should honor the government authority over us.......and be challenged with questians. But that's for another blog post.....I've discussed government quite enough for one day, i believe.....

So yesterday was the wedding of my friend Natalie to someone I don't know named Sean, but who seems like a really ecouraging person. They make a wonderful couple....the wedding was filled with beautiful flowers, dresses, smiles and music, and truth.

During the three-hour drive home, my mom and I listened to an awesome speaker, Ken Rudolph. He had some cool reminders about hope.......he said there are two types of hope: hope as the world defines it, and hope as God defines it. He said the world speaks of hope as, "oh, I hope the Redskins win the superbowl...."or "hopefully I'll get that job...". The world defines hope as:

"A favorable expectation of the future".

It's something we want to happen, and we wish it will happen, but nothing is for certain.
Hope, as God defines the word, is:

"A favorable expectation of the future that will happen."

awesome! Not only is it something great, it's for certain. Ken Rudolph talked about how God took care of our sinful past by dying for us on the cross, He's taken care of our present by giving us the Holy Spirit, and He's taken care of our future by giving us the certain hope of spending eternity in heaven, surrounded by the glory of God.

I thought that was pretty cool..................

As far as health is concerned, I think I did pretty well today. I started the morning with a nutritious McDonalds bacon, egg and cheese McGriddle (the kind with syrup and pancakes as the biscuit) and a greasy hashbrown, had a very healthy lunch of a Burger King hamburger, some nutricious chocolate chip cookies as an afternoon snack, and topped it all off with a body-nourishing dinner of greasy, pepperoni pizza....................................................ok, so maybe I didn't do so good. Maybe tomorrow.........



"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 Peter 1:3-5

Of Strawberries and Satin

Yesterday I started off very proud of myself, having a rather healthy breakfast of sliced strawberries and banana's......then, as I didn't feel quite filled I ate 1 toaster waffle with my coffee. Here are the strawberries I snacked on this morning:

Then yesterday I had a good lunch of ham and lettuce on a delicious role with creamy poppyseed dressing....yum........I didn't finish off the day with very strong, though....unless you would consider m&m's a healthy choice.....

Also, yesterday, something very exciting happened................I bought a new watch! Ok, maybe it's not that exciting, but to me it was a big deal...so just pretend to be happy. It's a new stop watch, and the best brother in the world Sam and I tested it out yesterday, timing ourselves as we ran around the blog. I felt like I was gonna die the whole time, until the end when I stopped feeling things, and then I got the rediculous idea to sprint as fast as I could back to the house....yeah, bad idea. My legs reminded me this morning.

So I'm excited about my new watch, and about the wedding this saturday which my good friend Elayna and I will be filming, and too which I will be wearing my sister's (who in case you didn't know is the best sister in the world) satin dress.....and that's pretty cool.

Spring is on the move!

and His purpose is...?

So, tonight was pretty much awesome.....hung out with some pretty *rad* ladies......yes, indeed.....awesome! Had a great conversation with two "Rays" of sunshine, Nicki Rae and Taylor Rae.....pretty awesome people! That was our small group out of the Middle School study....

So we talked about honoring parents.......why should we honor our parents? Why should we honor God? What's God's purpose in all of this?

I discovered something pretty amazing as I read one verse....after thinking how some people, including myself, see themselves as not too bad of people....don't have much of an attitude, never killed anybody, never done anything "especially" bad... just about the average Christian...ain't that good enough?

But what's cool, and this is the verse I was talking about, is that God didn't just call us to be average, but to live by a Higher Standard. That doesn't mean He's just laid out a bunch of more "difficult" rules to follow, that's not it at all! Ephesians 5:1-2 says:

"Be immitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us."

so....we are to be "immitators of God".....is it so He can look at our behavior and when we don't act how He would he'll check us off some bad points? I don't think so.....'cause what else did this verse say? "As dearly loved children".....that's so cool to think about! It goes on...."live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us"....so this whole "Authority" and "be immators of God" thing isn't just about following rules to be better people, it's about loving our Father because He first loved us....in fact, he had so much love for us that he "gave Himself up for us".....It's not about Him making us miserable with a bunch of rules to follow, it's about Him loving us while we were still sinners, and about us responding with that same love, and yearning for more. It's about asking God to make us act like Him, think like Him and love like Him. And when we don't? He loves us anyways...pretty cool, huh?

So, how can we better be immators of God, and as dearly loved children live a life of love? Something to think about......

Of Italy, Orphans, and Goals

Someday I would love to go Italy....to tour on a bike through grassy hills, past ancient castles, old stone cottages and fields speckled with sheep, misty blue mountains...places caught in the memory of yesteryear, retaining the charm of simplicity, richness and beaty. Yes, someday I would like to go there.......I would also love to go to Kenya....very different in many ways, not as beautiful perhaps....but in some ways it would be even more beautiful. I'd love to fly there and help in an orphanage, with little boys and girls...somehow showing them God's love, depsite what they've been through....that would be pretty cool.

~*~*~*~*~

I have a link on the side to Michael Johnson in Kenya...you really should read his blog, it's very inspiring. Everytime I read any of his articles it just makes me realize how much we take for granted here in America, we have so much that I can't even imagine living in the conditions experienced by far too many people in the slums of Kenya, and no doubt many other places as well.

~*~*~*~*~

I do want to go to kenya someday, maybe at a time not too far away.....but right now I'm here where I am, and for that I'm thankful. I'm kind of in a training time, I think....learning how to stay close to God everyday, and serve him in the best way I can. So many days I fail at this, and that is why I am glad for this time of learning....for their is much I need to learn.

~*~*~*~*~

I'm also trying to train myself physically, as well. Inspired by my good friend Jessica, whose blog I also have linked (teen2teenfitness), I have challenged myself to become fit and healthier this spring. Yes, I've been pretty lazy this winter in not getting much excersize.....If I want to go to Africa to serve someday, to Italy on a biking tour, or simply living everyday with zeal, I'd like to be fit and strong so I can keep going without feeling weak. I'm going to use this blog to help keep me accountable in my fitness endeavors, as well as posting tips I've gathered here and there that I find helpfull.

~*~*~*~*~

God has called me, and all who are his children, to bring glory and honour to Him in all we do- whether it be serving as a missionary, a fitness instructor, banker, or a web-page designer. I'm excited about the plans God has for me- whatever they may be.

~*~*~*~*~

Here are some cool words from a hymn by E.S. Hall....they're pretty amazing....I love to ponder over them whenever I'm feeling stressed out about life and what I'm gonna do in the future:

~*~*~*~*~

I do not ask to see the way

My feet will have to tread;

But only that my soul may feed

Upon the living Bread.

'Tis better far that I should walk

By faith close to His side;

I may not know the way I go,

But oh, I know my Guide.

His love can never fail,

His love can never fail,

My soul is satisfied to know His love can never fail.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"I will press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 3:14

Encouragement from Henry Lyte

Well, here I am again but with nothing to say. So, I thought I'd write what someone else said; it must be good 'cause it stuck with me and I love to read it over and over again!

So it's this one song which has been one of my favorites for quite a while, "Jesus, I My Cross have Taken", written by hymn writer Henry Lyte and with a new tune by Indelible Grace, who top my list of favorite bands. The words are awesome, so I thought I'd write 'em here. I know, it's a lot of verses, so if you don't have much time just ready verse 5, which I've highlighted; it's my favorite! However, if you've got nothing better to do grab a cup of coffe or tea and sit down to be challenged by and enjoy these inspiring words:

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken
Henry Lyte

Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee.
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition,
All I’ve sought or hoped or known.
Yet how rich is my condition!
God and heaven are still my own.

Let the world despise and leave me,
They have left my Savior, too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me;
Thou art not, like them, untrue.
O while Thou dost smile upon me,
God of wisdom, love, and might,
Foes may hate and friends disown me,
Show Thy face and all is bright.

Man may trouble and distress me,
’Twill but drive me to Thy breast.
Life with trials hard may press me;
Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.
Oh, ’tis not in grief to harm me
While Thy love is left to me;
Oh, ’twere not in joy to charm me,
Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

Go, then, earthly fame and treasure,
Come disaster, scorn and pain
In Thy service, pain is pleasure,

With Thy favor, loss is gain

I have called Thee Abba Father,
I have stayed my heart on Thee
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather;
All must work for good to me.

Soul, then know thy full salvation
Rise o’er sin and fear and care
Joy to find in every station,
Something still to do or bear.
Think what Spirit dwells within thee,
Think what Father’s smiles are thine,
Think that Jesus died to win thee,
Child of heaven, canst thou repine.

Haste thee on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith, and winged by prayer.
Heaven’s eternal days before thee,
God’s own hand shall guide us there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission,
Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days,
Hope shall change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

My first entry...and a cup of tea

wow....I've finally started my first blog...I'm excited! Don't be expecting too much, though.....this'll just be a place for random "stuff" that's on my mind.

I'm waiting for some cookies in the oven, as I sit here writing my very first entry...sipping tea and listening to the delightful piano music from "pride and prejudice", (one of the best movies!).

today was wonderfull...the sun was shining, the wind was blowing (I love wind!), and now the back yard is clean....amazing. I'll let you leave from my first blog entry with some pictures I took this morning of God's amazing creation....(and yes, Baby is one of God's wonderful creations, even though she stinks and stole and ate an entire bag of dogfood today :)