when the world was asleep.

Top Ten Things We Did Today.

2008-10-28T13:36:00.000-07:00

(by Michelle and her Mommy Dearest:)

1. Ate a tasty breakfast with incredible people from all over the world!
2.Drove to Bethlehem to see where Jesus was born. (Thank you, Mrs. Hames, for driving!)
3.Took a walk beneath ancient olive trees in the Garden of Gethesemene
4. Were blown away by the stunning vew of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives
5.shopped at an Israeli grocery store!
6.Found out that going to Jordan from Israel won't be that difficult!
7.Delicious lunch at Christ Church Guesthouse with some folks from Holland.
8.Scrumptious dinner at Christ Church Guesthous with Jane and Paul Hames!
9.Got to put the books we brought on the shelf. Sounds wierd, but so much fun!
10.Got to help out in the kitchen of a ministy that God has used to encourage and strengthen the hearts of many over the past 200 years!

Flying over a sea of clouds!

2008-10-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

The following was written in my journal about four hours ago....

Yikes! I'm on a plane to London. It's really hard to believe....the plane left about 11:15pm, and now it would be 3:30am American time.

What an adventure this is! My mom is sleeping beside me, and the whole plane is quite dark. I couldn't sleep much, so I watched Kit Kitterage on my own personal TV screen.

Now everything is quiet, and I opened up the window and I think we are flying over the sea! It's just begining to get light (it's probably about 8:00 in London, which is still a few hours away) and how strange and wonderfully sureal it is to hear nothing but the hum of the plane, and to look out at the darkness which is gradually growing into a morning blue.

At first I thought I could see the land ahead of us, but it wasn't getting any closer! Then I realized it was only the wing of the plane:)

***

It's definately getting lighter now, a beautiful blue-ish, misty grey outside, disturbed only by the bright light flashing at the tip of the wing and the pale, shimmering stars in the fading darkness.

***

I thought earlier that what I saw beneath us was the sea, but now I realize it is actually a sea of clouds! Simply breathtaking! And how amazing that it is already mid-morning in England, and we are flying into the dawn, rather than the dawn flying into us...everything is so beautiful!

I think I am finally beginning to believe this trip is for real! And I can't tell you how terribly thrilled I am...

***

Ah, how beautiful! Now there is a pale peach light breaking sofly on the glorious sea of cottony clouds, gently accenting their rippling beauty. It is almost like we are flying over a field of early morning snow, piled high and rippling with soft snow drifts. The whole sky and clouds below is soft and blue and bright, yet somehow still asleep.

The light dawns so slowly that I almost cannot notice it. I am only aware that there are now details on the wing, whereas before it was just a black sillouette against the sky.

Now the clouds are thinning out a bit, and they are quote more like the lumps of cotton I picked with with the neighbors around the block jsut a few weeks ago. Little bits of cotton floating in the sea...that's what it looks like! And futher out there is what appears to be an island of white softness that would be so lovely to sleep upon!

***

I switched on my TV and it announced that there is 1 hour and 53 minutes remaining on the flight...so I could get two hours of sleep, but oh! How could I sleep amidst such what such beauty is taking place? How delicious the clouds look...how magnificently soft. But I really must get some sleep!

***

Well, I shut the window for two minutes but opened it again to take a few pictures. I just couldn't bare to keep that window shut! And WOW! How brilliant the sky has become in only these few moments! It is even more angelically bright and soft, and just above the horizon of clouds there is a brilliant streak of violet-blue that fades into a pale, rosy orange.

There are big patches of clouds now, and so whispy! The pale light in the distance makes the tips of the plane burn with a glorious gold.

***

I managed to get a few minutes of sleep, and oh how lovely! Opening the window after laying my head down for a bit is just like waking up from you warm bed and stepping outside to find the world painted with the gloriously brilliant white of winter's first sweet snowfall.

It's so strange how it's gone from 11:15pm to 9:20am in only about 5 hours!

***

I would tell you more, but our internet time is just about up! Later I'll tell you about our walk about London....until then, farewell!

More than words

2008-09-29T15:19:00.001-07:00

"A hope and a future..."

2008-08-31T18:26:00.001-07:00

So October is getting closer....and on the 25th of that month I will be on a plane to Israel, if God's willing! It is sometimes difficult for me to articulate how I feel about this upcoming trip. But Larry Norman, at an encouraging blog I've been reading lately, wrote about how he is going on a trip to Martinique. He wrote what I wish I wrote! He puts into words so clearly the thoughts that are blundering about in my mind, reminding me of the truth that remains despite my anxious feelings or the circumstances I find myself in...the truth and security found in Christ. How refreshing it is to be reminded of that truth!
No matter what happens, God is good.

One of my favorite verses recently has been Psalm 116:7:

"Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you."

Yes, he has been good indeed! And in Jeremiah 29:11 I have the promise that he will continue to be good to me.

"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."

God is good. And that is what I was reminded of when I read this post by Larry Norman earlier today. You can read it too, and be reminded of a God who gives us a hope, a hope that's bigger than the small scope of this world and the mountains we face. It is a hope won for us on the cross, and secured for us in the power of his ressurection. What a hope!

"I keep flitting around emotionally on what it will be like in Martinique. First and foremost my battle is trust God that everything will be for my good out there, even if everything doesn't go according to my plan! He promises me that and I know, in my sane moments, He will never, never, never, never break His word.

After that everything kind of just falls into place. I really, really, really will miss my friends and family I think. Yet again I know I shall not lack anything that I need, and hopefully this time will help me bring my wants closer in line to my needs.

So often life is a battle of the heart and the mind. In fact it always is really. Bringing my heart in sync with the truth and not letting it be brainwashed by all the messages this world sends out is really hard. Specifically this means not believing that I have to control everything or that friends, and family are God's greatest gift. They are great but not the greatest. God is the greatest gift. He will never leave me nor forsake me, He will be the strength of my heart and my Portion forever."

-Larry Norman
http://willingwriter.blogspot.com

Mere Dreaming? Or something else....

2008-07-14T21:21:00.001-07:00

Somethimes when I think about my upcoming trip to Israel, I can't even believe it will be happening. It's too good to be true. Other times, I wonder if I must be crazy or something. My relatives seem to think so.

But a few days ago I stumbled upon a post by a new favorite blogger, Kath Arnold, that simply blew my mind. What a refreshing reminder! A reminder of what counts. Of what is real.

But read it for yourself, and be encouraged!

"Yes, once again I am ‘borrowing’ the internet from my old house, it’s very kind of them. And once again I feel the need to write something on this screen. Mainly to vent a few thoughts I’ve had in the last couple of days. These thoughts fall neatly into one sentence: Heaven had better be real. It affects everything. If there is no resurrection, if there is no world better than this one, if there is no reason to live beyond myself then all the decisions I and my mates are making right now are stupid ones. It makes no sense for my brother to head half way around the world, it makes no sense for one of my best mates to be in Ethiopia, it makes no sense for me to have left a brilliant place and lovely people and have moved out. And there is more, it makes no sense for me to have spent all my 20s doing jobs that pay little money in the belief that eternity matters more than right now. It makes no sense for me to have not spent time seeking to build perfection here (alright I have spent lots of time trying to do that but it hasn’t really worked out…), it makes no sense for me to be moving in with 3 other people, 2 of which I don’t know all that well and trying to be family with them.

If Christ has not been raised we are to be pitied more than all people. Why? Because these decisions are utterly foolish if there isn’t more to this world than all we can see, taste, hear, smell and touch.

7And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

Phew. And so we carry on. I’ll carry on waiting for the dust to settle on my emotions and my random headspace right now. We’ll carry on working through the hard sorting out stuff of moving and trust that Someone else has schemes and plans that we can only wonder about. We are just creatures in the hands of One who really does know better than us. Mere dreaming? Or the result of an empty tomb 2000 years ago…?"

Because you've been so anxiously waiting....

2008-06-04T15:49:00.001-07:00

Michelle Le Cuisinier: Episode 2

Michelle Le Cuisinier: Episode 1

2008-06-02T20:24:00.001-07:00

My first cooking show! I've certainly learned some things I need to improve on, but it was an incredibly fun experiment anyway! I was inspired to do it by my new, ridiculously amazing and simple-to-use video camera, The Flip. My mom kindly offered to film my endeaver, and sam was the daring taste-tester.

The chicken I made on the show actully tasted pretty tasty, if I may say so myself, but the green beans were a bit tough. Ah well, C'est la vie.

No need to say goodbye.

2008-05-31T18:29:00.001-07:00

"It started out as a feeling which then grew into a hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
Which then turned into a quiet word

And then that word grew louder and louder till it was a battle cry

I’ll come back when you call me, no need to say goodbye

Just because everything’s changing doesn’t mean it’s never been this way before
All you can do is try to know who your friends are as you head off to the war

Pick a star on the dark horizon and follow the light

You’ll come back when it’s over, no need to say goodbye
You’ll come back when it’s over, no need to say goodbye

Now we’re back to the beginning, it’s just a feeling and no one knows yet
But just because they can’t feel it too, doesn’t mean that you have to forget

Let your memories grow stronger and stronger till they’re before your eyes

You’ll come back when they call you, no need to say goodbye
You’ll come back when they call you, no need to say goodbye

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

I really love this scene- the lyrics to the song in particular. I'm close to crying each time I watch it, and I think it's because this song, and in a way the story of Narnia, reflects the hope that everyone on earth longs for.

"It stared out as a feeling, which than grew into a hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
which then turned into a quiet word"

This part reminds me of Lucy. Aslan came to her quietly, by the river and in her dream, which reminded her of hope- the hope he had promised before. It came so quietly, that whisper, that some people didn't catch it.

I think sometimes God speaks to us like that, and sometimes like Peter and the others we miss it. We're waiting for some huge immediate victory that we are more inclined to be persuaded by the glamour of the White Witch and so fail to hear the whipser of Aslan (or God) - who really has already won.

"And then that word grew louder and louder, till it was a battle cry".

Wow. Aslan did come roaring in, just not how they expected it...and how much more victorious it was than when they trusted in themselves to win.

At first I was confused by Aslan, when he kept saying, "Things never happen the same way twice". I thought to myself, "Is that his excuse for all those Narnians being killed? He didn't want to things the same way twice?"

But then I realized he was right...in a way. Things won't happen the same way twice- like him rushing in and saving the day from the very begining.

But there is one thing that always happens the same way- more than twice. That is God's love. And sovereignty. This next line really reflects that I think:

"Just because everything's changing doesn't mean it's never been this way before".

Yes, things are changing. But God is not- not his love or his promises.

"Pick a star on the dark horizon and follow the light
You'll come back when it's over, no need to say goodbye. You'll come back when it's over."

Christ will return- victoriously. And he is the light on the dark horizon.

"Now we're back to the beginning, it's just a feeling and no one knows yet. But just because they can't feel it too, doesn't mean that you have to forget."

Sometimes we seem to be "back at the begining", maybe we don't feel all the close to God as we used to. Maybe it seems like he isn't there.

But he is. And just because we may not "feel it", doesn't mean he isn't there. After all, his love for us is not based on how we feel at a certain moment, it's based on who we are in Christ.

"Let your memories grow stronger and stronger,
till they're before your eyes"

We do have a hope that is certain, and it's found in Christ. Let them constantly be in our minds till they grow so strong they are before our eyes- so vivid that we can be filled with peace, because we know that God is in control.

And you know what's cool? God is so much more amazing than Aslan. His promises are so much broader, so much more beautiful. He didn't just die for one boy but for all the boys and girls and men and women that betrayed him. Like me. And you.

That's why I love this scene, I think. It sings of hope, and it makes me long even more for when Christ will return.

He'll come back, when it's over....no need to say goodbye.

Because in the big story of the world, there is a light at the end. There is a hope to cling to. Maybe that's what Sam Gamgee (or Tolkien) meant when he said,

"It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered, full of darkness and danger they were. Sometimes you didn’t want to know the end, because how could the end be happy. How could the world go back to the way it was when there’s so much bad that had happened? But in the end it’s only a passing thing, this shadow; even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why."

I want to be like Sam. Even when the world seems to be crashing down around him, he remembers that there is a hope to cling to- that things will get better. That's the hope I see in Lucy's eyes as she looks back at the train station- she doesn't see him, but she can smile. She remembers the promise in his eyes, and she knows he'll call her back.

No need to say goodbye.

After some thinking.....

2008-05-20T05:45:00.000-07:00

I've made a few decisions.

Decision #1: declining a position at the Cookie Shop.
Decision #2: deciding not to take a class at Wake Tech.
Decision #3: Decided to write this blog post.

There are so many good things in this world, so many fantastic opportunities, that it's quite hard to know what is actually best. I realized that right now my passion is art, and taking a class or a job would take time away from that passion, as well as from music and reading and gardening....and I think I take my time for granted.

Decision #4: To be intentionally and decidedly productive.

I've decided that since I'm not actually going to school, I'm still going to study diligently. Primarily in art, but I am also going to make a list of a few books to read. Particulartly on theology or biographies, but I also want to study the book of Collosians, reading through it and hearing what others have to say on it, and altogether soaking it in. If you want to read it with me, please do so! We can blog about it.

I also want to spend more time with friends. In October, I am leaving the country. For good. Just kidding....but it's for a year, which is "for good" for awhile! So I really want to build up my connections here at home this summer and the few months I have in fall. Why? Because I love my friends, but I also want to have a strong prayer team for me when I leave. There will be lots of suprises and difficulties when I get there, and your support will be invaluable!! Seriously. I'm going to miss everybody, but I'll definately be blogging from the Old City!

Another thing I'm determined to do this summer is blog more regularly. I know you don't believe me, but really, you should. :)

So now I'll leave you with some beautiful words written by Anne Steel. It's a song redone by Jars of Clay that I listened to while jogging the other day, and it really helps me to refocus. Sometimes I get so cauught up with my own plans here on earth, that I get discouraged...but God has a bigger plan, and it definately involves grace! When I remember his promises, what Christ accomplished for me at the cross, than to him "I breathe my souls desires", and I know he's got it under control.

JESUS, I LIFT MY EYES
traditional words by Anne Steele (alt. by Jars of Clay)/music by Jars of Clay

When sins and fears prevailing rise
And fainting hope almost expires
Jesus to Thee I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires

Are You not mine, my living Lord
And can my hope, my comfort die
Fixed on the everlasting word
That word which built the earth and sky

Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I lift my eyes

Here let my faith unshaken dwell
Immovable the promise stands
Not all the powers of earth or hell
Can e'er dissolve the sacred bands

Jesus to Thee I lift my eyes
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I lift my eyes

Here oh my soul
Thy trust repose
If Jesus is forever mine
Not death itself that last of foes
Can break a union so divine

Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires
Jesus, I lift my eyes
To Thee I breathe my soul's desires

2008-05-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

"It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered, full of darkness and danger they were. Sometimes you didn’t want to know the end, because how could the end be happy. How could the world go back to the way it was when there’s so much bad that had happened? But in the end it’s only a passing thing, this shadow; even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why."

-Samwise Gamgee

Bob Dylan: Mr. Tambourine Man

2008-04-29T15:28:00.000-07:00

One reason why I posted that video of that song is because of the words. I especially love the fourth verse, "yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free"! There's something really deep and beautiful about it that flows so calmly with the simple music.

Mr. Tambourine Man
Bob Dylan

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

1.
Though I know that evenin's empire has returned into sand,
Vanished from my hand,
Left me blindly here to stand but still not sleeping.
My weariness amazes me, I'm branded on my feet,
I have no one to meet
And the ancient empty street's too dead for dreaming.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

2.
Take me on a trip upon your magic swirlin' ship,
My senses have been stripped,
my hands can't feel to grip,
My toes too numb to step, wait only for my boot heels
To be wanderin'.
I'm ready to go anywhere, I'm ready for to fade
Into my own parade, cast your dancing spell my way,
I promise to go under it.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

3.
Though you might hear laughin', spinnin', swingin' madly across the sun,
It's not aimed at anyone, it's just escapin' on the run
And but for the sky there are no fences facin'.
And if you hear vague traces of skippin' reels of rhyme
To your tambourine in time, it's just a ragged clown behind,
I wouldn't pay it any mind, it's just a shadow you're
Seein' that he's chasing.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

4.
Then take me disappearin' through the smoke rings of my mind,
Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves,
The haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach,
Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow.
Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free,
Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands,
With all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves,
Let me forget about today until tomorrow.

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

Bob Dylan - Mr. Tambourine Man

2008-04-28T19:55:00.001-07:00

Ahhh....thankyou, Bob Dylan! This song makes me happy.

I want a date life.

2008-04-25T20:27:00.000-07:00

badly.

You're probably thinking, "What on earth has gotten into Michelle!?!?!?" But that's okay, because I totally think that alot. Don't worry, though, my title doesn't mean what you may think it means.

I realized how terribly lacking I am and how much I want a date life after reading a few chapters in the book, "I became a Christian and all I got was this Lousy T-Shirt"*.

You see, the author of this book (Vince Antonucci) writes about when his wife and he first started dating and got married. They had something special- they always wanted to be together. They never got tired of eachother. After work they'd play tennis together and go out to eat together and talk for hours and hours.

After they got married people would ask, "Are you two making sure you have a date night? You have to have a weekly date night!" and they would just laugh behind their backs, because they had a date life.

Then, as time went on and new demands from work and children arose, something happed. He said, "The sense of adventure we once has was being snuffed out by a passionless daily routine. It was all just....disappointing."

After a few years, they realizes things weren't going to "just get better" and they decided to get counseling. The counselor told them that they needed to start doing the things they used to do together- when they had a date life. They needed to make whatever changes they had to so they could start spending quality time together- face to face. It had to be face-to-face.

So, they commited to a weekly date night- focusing on things that would bring them face-to-face. At first, it was awkward, but it gradually gained momentum and soon they once again had a date life.

So what was the point of all this? Vince Antonucci related it the Christian life. He said,

"The Christian life is about living life with Jesus. Living life with Jesus is about abiding in him. To abide means to live within. And so abiding is about living in the presence of: it's about depending on, it's about trusting in, it's about communicating with. To live life with Jesus, I must . . . get my face in front of his face."

He and his wife realized that, "We needed to start having a date night as the foundation upon which we built our date life. A date life was our goal, but a date night was a necessary part of establishing that.

What we're after with God is a life of abiding, a continual state of abiding. But to achieve that I need a concentrated period of abiding at some point in my day."

I want a date life...with Jesus. I want to be continually abiding in him. But more often I'm not! And I think alot of that is due to the fact that I don't always have an established time everday to spend time with Jesus in his word. I've never like the idea of a "quiet time", because it just seems so legalistic, as something to "check off" before getting on with my day, and sometimes it seems like prayer isn't much use. But I think that setting aside a concentrated time of abiding each day is a crucial foundation on which to establish that continual abiding.

Just like the date night was not the goal, it was what they needed to plan in order to get back their date life.

I want a date life. I want to get into the habbit of spending time with Jesus each day, face-to-face. I want to have such a relationship with God that when people remind me to spend time with God each day, I'd just smile, because I spend my entire life with God.

I want a date life. Don't you?

*I want to credit Vince Antonucci with this post, because even when I wasn't quoting him I was paraphrasing him or something! If you ever get a chance to read his book, do so! Seriously.

copy cat art and a dog that is smart.

2008-04-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

So last night, at around 9:30, I sat down and began to paint. I've always loved the impressionists, but I can never manage to pull it off myself. I thought perhaps copying another impressionist's work would help me develop my own style. So............

The originial copy of this painting was done by Robert Vonnoh who lived from 1858-1933 and called this picture, "Beside the River". Unfortunately, I couldn't find the original anywhere online. With a oil paints and a sheet of watercolor paper, here is what I came up with:

I painted for 5 hours straight and, when it was finished, I finally went to bed at 2:30am. I just couldn't stop until it was done! By that time, I was covered nearly head to food with smudges of color....there's still a smudge of blue that just won't come off my elbow!

After I took a picture of it and uploaded it, I played around with the colors and thought it looked lovely in sepia tones:

So that's my copy cat art, and now for a dog that is smart. Unfortunately, I don't have one, because my dog apparantly doesn't meet all the qaulifications I set several years ago. These qualifications I set down in poem....a rather ridiculous poem, really. I think perhaps my former idea of smart dog was rather like Mr. Darcy's idea of an accomplished woman.....or not.

A Dog that is Smart
Michelle Bradburn, 2004

A dog that is smart,

Will know not to bark;
When neighbors walk
right past the house.

He won't beg at the table.
And he should be able;
To know to leave lone the shoe;
but never to let by the mouse.

A dog with a brain
Should know in the rain;
When going outside
give no fuss.

He won't chew up the hat
or chase way the cat.
And whenever it's dry;
He'll know not to kick up the dust.

A dog with much knowledge,
Should learn lots in college,
And always to do well
On his math.

He'll be good at division
and have a good vision.
And he should certainly
know how to laugh.

and peace suprise.

2008-04-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

somewhere
in my troubled mind
resting there
perhaps I’ll find

that sweet taste
of mindless peace
that someone paced
and someone ceased.

I thought my eyes had recognized
the love I kept in dreams
but even as I idolized
those eyes were shut it seems.

notes of rainbows
in my ears
where the love flows
falls the tears

even as i breathe the sweet
dry wisteria air
laughter brings me to my feet
to stand upon my chair

sad the sky
it’s weeping so
sweet the tears
that makes love grow

depth of color
the torrents flow
streaks the paint
we’ll never know

dreaming up
i taste the sky
soaking sweet
the miles go by

shades of love
so filled with dreams
caught above
in endless streams

standing still
awhile with me
upon the hill
beside the sea

light unfolding
grace untold
love beholding
joy grown old

with the morning
songs will rise
the colors sing
and peace surprise.

stuff christians like....

2008-04-09T12:20:00.001-07:00

My mum and I have been laughing out loud today at a new favorite blog: Stuff Christians Like.

Some people can write so much in so little, making you laugh and think about deep things at the same time. This guy is terribly good at that- you should check it out. Believe me. Or, if you don't believe me, believe Ragamuffin Soul, who said he is "a master of the tongue and cheek". On the right he's got a list of topics he's written about, which make it wonderfully easy to look around.

Seriously. If you have the time, check it out.

Registered to Vote.

2008-04-09T07:42:00.000-07:00

Well, not quite yet, but I’m in the process of filling out the form. It’s a bit surreal, actually, because I clearly remember 4 years ago thinking, “Hey, I can vote next election,” and somehow it’s suddenly 2008 and it really doesn’t seem like that much time has passed. And now I just realized Sam is 14, and I said, “hey, you can vote next election!”

weird.

Anyway, I must say I would have been more excited to vote if there was anybody any good running, but apparently there isn’t. I guess that goes to show we can’t put our hope in presidents or countries or anything, really, except the gospel. At least that will never change, and at least the one who loves and saves us is much bigger than America, and the hope he talks about is a much greater reality than the hope that Obama likes to talks about.

I have a little card I found in my Grandma’s attica several years ago, just a little piece of paper yellowing with age, a simple decorative border and a poem under the title, “Unceasing Goodness.” I loved the antiquity of it, but better still are the words that just kinda shine with warmth or something, and every once in a while I turn back to it and and soak in the beautiful words. And though I know politics and that stuff is important and all, let’s just always keep in mind the bigger picture, and I think this poem is right on.

UNCEASING GOODNESS

Clouds drape the world; for God hath been neglected;
And unleashed evil forces seem to win!
The Arch Destroyer’s work may be detected,
For everywhere there stalks unbridled sin.

But God abides! His goodness is unceasing!
His sun still shines! His rain it still doth fall!
The earth its fruits is constantly releasing!
He hears and answers all who on Him call!

Unceasing goodness! Yea, ‘midst all life’s sorrow-
Midst all earth’s travail, tragedy and woe;
With all its dark, and so uncertain morrow-
We may unceasing goodness from Him know.

The flowers still bloom; the trees wear their adorning;
The little birds, untroubled, sweetly sing;
And we, His own, yea, children of the Morning,
Look for the day when Christ shall reign as King.

-J. Danson Smith

Music....

2008-04-07T09:05:00.001-07:00

"My heart, which is so full to overflowing, has often been solaced and refreshed by music when sick and weary."
-Martin Luther

"When griping grief the heart doth wound,
and doleful dumps the mind opresses,
then music, with her silver sound,
with speedy help doth lend redress."
-William Shakespeare

"The best, most beautiful, and most perfect way that we have of expressing a sweet concord of mind to each other is by music."
-Jonathan Edwards

"Music is well said to be the speech of angels."
-Thomas Carlyle

"You know what music is? God's little reminder that there's something else besides us in this universe..."
-from August Rush

pondering God's faithfulness

2008-03-12T16:57:00.000-07:00

"Great is thy faithfullness, O God my Father..." all throughout the day I've had this song playing through my head. I sat at the piano, a gentle coolness blowing through the open door, where the snowy blossoms of the neighbor's pear-trees glowed softly in the blue dusk.

As I played through the song, I was reminded of the worries of the day and was washed once more with the beauty of God's faithfulness. The words to this song, written by an ordinary man named Thomas Obadiah Chisholm, readjusted my focus once more to the cross, to what God has promised and the hope I have in him. "Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not"; what a comforting reminder! No matter what I do, not matter how selfish I am or how little I pray, God doesn't change....and he doesn't change in his love towards me. How liberating to know that my salvation does not depend on my spiritual accomplishments and strength, but on his unchanging grace.

Paul said, "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

All too often, I'm afraid, I do "set aside the grace of God", telling myself how much I must do to really win God's approval. I think to myself, "I hardly read my Bible as much as I should, I know I don't pray enough, and I don't really feel all that close to God....what must God think of me."

Oh, but how sweet to know that my salvation and God's opinion of me is not determined by anything I do....if it were, how hopeless I would be! But it's not- God does not look at me and see all my faults, all the ways I fail. No- he see's the righteousness of Christ, and that is how he judges me. God is delighted in me- not because of anything I've done to deserve it, but because of what Christ has achieved for me. How wonderful!!

This morning I was listening to a sermon on John 17 by Dan Hames- you can listen here if you have some time. He talks about the loving unity of the trinity, and how, because of what Christ did on the cross, we can enter into that unity as well. John 17:23 says:

"May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

He ends with a pertitent question that I think has alot to do with not setting aside the grace of God, like Paul said, and I think it is a question I ought to ask myself more often. That is: "Am I basing my christian identity and my feeling of security on the things I do for God, or on what Christ has done for me? Where is my assurance coming from?"

Let me end with the words of the song I played earlier this evening , the song that sweetly reminds me of God's unchanging faithfullness; not unchanging because of my faithfulness to God (nay, far from it!), but unchanging because of his grace, and his grace alone.

"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 for ever wilt be.

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.

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."

-Thomas O. Chisholm

Josh Rouse - Quiet Town

2008-03-04T20:17:00.001-08:00

Defining worship....

2008-03-02T20:40:00.000-08:00

I was over at worshipmatters.com this evening and was reading through some very encouraging and insightful articles Bob Kauflin wrote about worship, as I'm in the process of writing an essay for English on the subject.

I was reading through his one post called Defining Worship in which he, oddly enough, defines worship. He does this by quoting several other people on the subject, and there was one that stood out to me as so astonishingly simple, yet so powerful and true! It was written by William Temple (1881-1944) in "Readings in St. John's Gospel." There are so many debates on the subject of worship in the church that it's always refreshing to be reminded about what it's really all about.

He says:

"Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His Beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose – and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin”.

-William Temple

Idols.

2008-02-27T20:33:00.000-08:00

A rather looming and unpleasant subject, I agree, but one that I was faced with rather directly and a bit frighteningly as I was reading through Isaiah this evening. I was reading chapter 40 and up quite peacefully......until, that is, I realized it was talking about me! It was talking about God's glory(which is indescribable and everlasting), man's glory (which, of course, is not like God's glory and will eventually wither away into nothingness) and how man tends to put his hope in man's glory and not God's glory. I do that quite a bit.

Chapter 44:8 says, "You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other rock; I know not one."

So often, however, I behave as if there were another rock! In my longings and desires, I begin to put my hope in other things; I think, "If only I could go here...", or, "If only this dream would come true", and I have built up for myself a worthless idol, just like the people Isaiah talks about.

Of course, I won't quite admit to myself that I worship an idol. No, I'll pretend like everything is fine. I'll say, "God is in control. He knows what is best. Wherever he leads me, I will go."

And yet, deep down inside, I somehow believe the incredibly absurd notion that my way is actually the best way. After all, it is a very good thing!

I am just like the carpenter Isaiah tells the story of in 44:13-17. This carpenter has got some lovely trees growing in his backyard- some oak, pine, and glorious cypress. These trees are good things. He cuts some down and hauls them inside to light a big, beautiful fire to warm his house and bake his bread. These are good things! Great things!

But then, the carpenter makes a big boo-boo. With the wood he had left over, he decided to build his own personal god. A blind, deaf, wooden statue that didn't understand a thing. Yet, the carpentor prays to this lump of wood, saying, "Save me; you are my God".

Suddenly, this silly man has taken a good thing, a tree, and turned it into an idol- an idol that certainly cannot hear him, much less save him!

And yet, aren't we all silly people? Don't we all tend to forget the big picture and put our hope in worthless idols? Aren't we all idolaters?

One thing God hates is idolatry. He said,

"I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another, or my praise to idols." (Isaiah 42:8)

So, if we are so fallible and prone to worship false gods, are we without hope? Not at all! Listen here:

"I summon you by name
and bestow on you a title of honor,
though you did not acknowledge me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other God.
I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledge me...
...Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it;
I, the Lord, have created it."
(Isaiah 45:4-5,8)

Later, in the whole of chapter 53, Isaiah paints a stunning description of this salvation; an unmistakable portrait of Christ, written hundreds of years before Chirst was even born! Verse 5 says:

"He was pierced for our trangressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,
and by his wounds we are healed."

We are so caught up in the flesh and in earthly desires that we put our hope and trust in our little dreams, in the little wooden idols we have created, instead of Christ. These idols will not satisfy; they will only make us more thirsty! When we put our hope things - people, positions, plans for the future, dreams we have our heart set on - they become our idols, and, though they are deaf and dumb and could never save us, we cry out to them, "Save me!", and we rely on them for strength. We won't find strength there. We won't find salvation there. We will only find further thirst and weakness and hunger and death.

But God has offered us something so much more valuable: Christ. A few chapters later, in Isaiah 55, there is a beautiful and exciting description of this new life in Christ! It is an invitation to the thirsty, an invitation to us silly people who continually seek to find strength, hope and comfort in our little wooden idols. If we continually seek salvation in these little idols of ours that we build, we will always be thirsty- we cannot save ourselves. Let us come to Christ, the only rock, our only salvation. What an invitation!

"Come, all you are thirsty, come to the waters;
and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!
Come buy wine and milk, without money and without cost.

Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the riches of fare.

Give ear and come to me,
hear me, that your soul may live."
(Isaiah 55:1-3)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"He gives strength to the weary,
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord,
will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint"
-Isaiah 40:29-31

2008-02-19T20:18:00.000-08:00

So I was reading through a bit of Isaiah the other day, and while looking through chapter 54, I began sense something familiar about the words. As I continued reading, I realized with great excitement that one of my favorite songs was based on this scripture! The song "Pensive, doubting, fearful heart" had always been a great encourage to me (I got to know it through Red Mountain Music)....especially the very last verse....but never did I realize it was based almost directly from Isaiah. Reading through this Isaiah 54 makes the song even more powerful, as I remember the context and earth-shaking truth of the words.
Here are some of the verses from Isaiah, each followed by the the verse of the song that evidently corresponds. The author, John Newton, was cleary inspired by these beautiful words!

Isaiah 54:1 "Sing, O barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband,"
says the LORD.

Pensive, doubting, fearful heart,
Hear what Christ the Savior says;
Every word should joy impart,
Change thy mourning into praise.

Yes, He speaks and speaks to thee,
May He help thee to believe;
Then thou presently will see
Thou has little cause to grieve.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Isaiah 54:4 "Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.

5 For your Maker is your husband—
the LORD Almighty is his name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of all the earth.

Fear thou not, nor be ashamed;
All thy sorrows soon shall end,
I, who heaven and earth have framed,
Am thy Husband and thy Friend;

I the High and Holy One,
Israel's God, by all adored,
As thy Savior will be known,
Thy Redeemer and thy Lord.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Isaiah 54:7 "For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back.

8 In a surge of anger
I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,"
says the LORD your Redeemer.

10 Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,"
says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

For a moment I withdrew,
And thy heart was filled with pain;
But my mercies I'll renew;
Thou shall soon rejoice again;

Though I seem to hide my face,
Very soon my wrath shall cease;
'Tis but for a moment's space,
Ending in eternal peace.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Isaiah 54:11 "O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted,
I will build you with stones of turquoise, [a]
your foundations with sapphires. [b]

12 I will make your battlements of rubies,
your gates of sparkling jewels,
and all your walls of precious stones.

13 All your sons will be taught by the LORD,
and great will be your children's peace.

14 In righteousness you will be established:
Tyranny will be far from you;
you will have nothing to fear.
Terror will be far removed;
it will not come near you.

15 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing;
whoever attacks you will surrender to you.

16 "See, it is I who created the blacksmith
who fans the coals into flame
and forges a weapon fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc;

17 no weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
and this is their vindication from me,"
declares the LORD.

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

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

Attention!

2007-12-18T22:59:00.000-08:00

My blog has moved to a new location on the world wide web:
MichelleGabriella.wordpress.com

The Christian's Hope Can Never Fail

2007-11-09T18:46:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-05T08:18:00.001-08:00

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

www.Elizabezalel.blogspot.com

While You Were Sleeping - Casting Crowns

2007-11-04T16:16:00.001-08:00

"Conversation with Nathan"

2007-11-04T11:15:00.001-08:00

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

2007-10-25T21:03:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-05T17:45:00.000-07:00

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?

2007-09-05T17:05:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-27T07:16:00.001-07:00

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

2007-08-24T04:22:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-22T06:24:00.001-07:00

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!

2007-08-21T05:44:00.000-07:00

"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

2007-08-14T14:53:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-09T06:15:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-07-12T19:55:00.000-07:00

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

2007-07-05T06:01:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-06-14T08:26:00.000-07:00

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

2007-06-11T14:35:00.000-07:00

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.

2007-06-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

Only one life -'Twill soon be past,

Only what's done for Christ will last.

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

2007-05-31T04:04:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-30T08:45:00.001-07:00

"Dear friends,

2007-05-23T14:54:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-25T20:43:00.000-07:00

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..."

2007-04-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

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.

2007-04-08T13:12:00.001-07:00

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....

2007-03-31T04:57:00.001-07:00

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

2007-03-27T10:06:00.001-07:00

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....

2007-03-16T06:21:00.000-07:00

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

2007-03-10T18:25:00.000-08:00

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

2007-03-08T06:33:00.000-08:00

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!

2007-03-07T16:11:00.000-08:00

and His purpose is...?

2007-03-06T17:46:00.001-08:00

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

2007-03-05T18:36:00.000-08:00

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,

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

2007-03-04T20:16:00.000-08:00

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

2007-03-03T16:58:00.000-08:00

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 :)