This is the first song in my mp3 list today. This is the song in my heart. How can I keep from singing your Praise, Lord? I can't. My head is back in abandon, my arms are spread wide, I have a huge smile on my face, I am reminded of your Grace and new mercy, and my soul is excited. I can't keep from singing. I just can't stop.
Thank you Chris Tomlin
"How Can I Keep From Singing"
There is an endless song
Echoes in my soul
I hear the music ring
And though the storms may come
I am holding on
To the rock I cling
How can I keep from singing Your praise
How can I ever say enough
How amazing is Your love
How can I keep from shouting Your name
I know I am loved by the King
And it makes my heart want to sing
I will lift my eyes
In the darkest night
For I know my Savior lives
And I will walk with You
Knowing You'll see me through
And sing the songs You give
I can sing in the troubled times
Sing when I win
I can sing when I lose my step
And fall down again
I can sing 'cause You pick me up
Sing 'cause You're there
I can sing 'cause You hear me, Lord
When I call to You in prayer
I can sing with my last breath
Sing for I knowThat I'll sing with the angels
And the saints around the throne
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Tuesday, November 7, 2006
Emotions
When I am angry and upset, I do dumb things. I say things I regret. I make rash and irrational decisions. I always want to go back and be "un"angry and undo all the things that I did when I was upset.
I am angry right now. At lunch, I saw something that my me angry. My insides are churning, my blood pressure is up, I am shaking, ... because I am angry.
In the parking lot at work, I totally just confessed to the Lord that I can't do this. I can't be angry. I can't make foolish decisions because of my inability to control a situation. I don't want to have to undo something, or regret stuff, or wish I'd never said things and desire to take them back. My prayer is: God help me be angry and not sin. You know I can't do this anymore. You know I can't deal with this situation and I don't understand. My finite mind can't understand.
And then I sit at my desk, and my daily devo has arrived, and it's attached below. I am so humbled. I am broken and teary as I sit at my desk, but I KNOW THAT I KNOW THAT I KNOW that God in his sovereignty already knew what was happening when I didn't. And for that, I praise Him with my whole being. Every part of me... body, soul, mind, spirit, ... everything. Unlike David, I found God in my pain. Where I need him most.
Here's the devo:
"Thanking God for Tests"
Key Verse: James 1:2-3, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." (NIV
Devotion: My son sauntered from his room, proudly announcing he was ready for his test the next day. "I've studied all my notes, and I'm gonna ace that test," he proclaimed. "Great!" I replied. "Grab your notes and let me give you a little quiz." We settled down at the kitchen table and I proceeded to ask questions. One question after another was met with a shaky answer, most of them wrong. With his inadequate preparation revealed, he headed back to his room, notes in hand. After another period of study, he did indeed sail through the questions. The pop quiz I gave made my son very uncomfortable. He was sad that he wasn't ready, and sadder that he had to go back and study harder. My intent was certainly not to hurt his feelings, but to reveal the weak areas of his study so he could tighten the gaps and be ready for the real test.
Just as I tested my son, God tests me. He often puts me in uncomfortable positions to uncover weak areas. God doesn't point out my weakness to take advantage of me. Instead, His testing is to reveal areas that need work, so I will be strong enough to persevere and eventually succeed in what He's called me to do. God uses all kinds of life situations to test us. Testing can take the form of difficult people in our lives, times of waiting, or a challenge to step outside our comfort zone to be obedient. Will we avoid the situation? Will we suffer through it and quit because it's too hard? Or will we persevere and overcome?
We might think God gets frustrated with us when we "fail" a test. I sometimes wonder if God wants to give up on me when I repeat the same mistakes. But just because my son didn't know the answers on our mini-quiz didn't mean I would give up on him. Just the opposite! I wanted him to succeed and was willing to give him test after test to make sure he was ready.
God's testing can be to prepare us for something more important, and often more difficult. He wants to see if we can sustain the pressure in preparation for something big. So, the next time your Heavenly Father calls you up for a pop-quiz, consider His desire to see you succeed. If a weakness is revealed, thank Him for helping you move to the next level by strengthening you.
My Prayer for Today: Precious Lord, thank You for caring enough about my character and life to test me. Help me to see Your testing as a sign of Your love, and to be thankful for it. I pray for strength through Your Holy Spirit to walk in obedience and persevere. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
I am angry right now. At lunch, I saw something that my me angry. My insides are churning, my blood pressure is up, I am shaking, ... because I am angry.
In the parking lot at work, I totally just confessed to the Lord that I can't do this. I can't be angry. I can't make foolish decisions because of my inability to control a situation. I don't want to have to undo something, or regret stuff, or wish I'd never said things and desire to take them back. My prayer is: God help me be angry and not sin. You know I can't do this anymore. You know I can't deal with this situation and I don't understand. My finite mind can't understand.
And then I sit at my desk, and my daily devo has arrived, and it's attached below. I am so humbled. I am broken and teary as I sit at my desk, but I KNOW THAT I KNOW THAT I KNOW that God in his sovereignty already knew what was happening when I didn't. And for that, I praise Him with my whole being. Every part of me... body, soul, mind, spirit, ... everything. Unlike David, I found God in my pain. Where I need him most.
Here's the devo:
"Thanking God for Tests"
Key Verse: James 1:2-3, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." (NIV
Devotion: My son sauntered from his room, proudly announcing he was ready for his test the next day. "I've studied all my notes, and I'm gonna ace that test," he proclaimed. "Great!" I replied. "Grab your notes and let me give you a little quiz." We settled down at the kitchen table and I proceeded to ask questions. One question after another was met with a shaky answer, most of them wrong. With his inadequate preparation revealed, he headed back to his room, notes in hand. After another period of study, he did indeed sail through the questions. The pop quiz I gave made my son very uncomfortable. He was sad that he wasn't ready, and sadder that he had to go back and study harder. My intent was certainly not to hurt his feelings, but to reveal the weak areas of his study so he could tighten the gaps and be ready for the real test.
Just as I tested my son, God tests me. He often puts me in uncomfortable positions to uncover weak areas. God doesn't point out my weakness to take advantage of me. Instead, His testing is to reveal areas that need work, so I will be strong enough to persevere and eventually succeed in what He's called me to do. God uses all kinds of life situations to test us. Testing can take the form of difficult people in our lives, times of waiting, or a challenge to step outside our comfort zone to be obedient. Will we avoid the situation? Will we suffer through it and quit because it's too hard? Or will we persevere and overcome?
We might think God gets frustrated with us when we "fail" a test. I sometimes wonder if God wants to give up on me when I repeat the same mistakes. But just because my son didn't know the answers on our mini-quiz didn't mean I would give up on him. Just the opposite! I wanted him to succeed and was willing to give him test after test to make sure he was ready.
God's testing can be to prepare us for something more important, and often more difficult. He wants to see if we can sustain the pressure in preparation for something big. So, the next time your Heavenly Father calls you up for a pop-quiz, consider His desire to see you succeed. If a weakness is revealed, thank Him for helping you move to the next level by strengthening you.
My Prayer for Today: Precious Lord, thank You for caring enough about my character and life to test me. Help me to see Your testing as a sign of Your love, and to be thankful for it. I pray for strength through Your Holy Spirit to walk in obedience and persevere. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
11.07.06
No more Induction. This makes me sad. It also makes me sad that my sorority did not discuss this with alumni. But, it does apply to other groups and that makes me feel a little bit better. For the record, I did not buy my friends in college. I am a huge proponent of clubs, because it really made my Lee experience. And God knows (Yes He does) that if I can go through induction, anyone can go through induction.
Monday, November 6, 2006
11.06.06 More...
I'm totally in love with the fact that David Crowder re-discovered God in a Chick-Fil-A sandwich. He is the giver of good things. Praise Him!
I eat a slice of cheese by eating all the sides off, then folding it in half, and then in half again. I feel like I get the most "cheese" for the bite.
I eat a slice of cheese by eating all the sides off, then folding it in half, and then in half again. I feel like I get the most "cheese" for the bite.
So true... so true...
| What American accent do you have? Your Result: The South That's a Southern accent you've got there. You may love it, you may hate it, you may swear you don't have it, but whatever the case, we can hear it. | |
| The Inland North | |
| The Midland | |
| The Northeast | |
| The West | |
| Philadelphia | |
| North Central | |
| Boston | |
| What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes | |
11.06.06
Gonna make this short and sweet... if I can!
This weekend was Homecoming for Lee U. Had company and a bad attitude, but really had a good weekend overall.
Heard the BEST sermon yesterday from one of the speakers of the Marketplace conference this weekend in Chatt. He talked about how we have to get our WORK saved, because that's where our joy is. I am totally killing the sermon, but I am requesting a tape or CD, and will try my hardest to post an audio clip. This may completely stretch my html capacity so pray for me.
I've been sick... (I have a rather deep voice b/c of it!), so I know that is a contributing factor in my aforementioned bad attitude. I had the most hysterical attitude adjustment Saturday night though. A few friends went out to Outback, and I saw like 75 people I knew. I somehow dumped an ENTIRE coke in my lap, so it looked like I wet my pants. See... God keeps me humble. I didn't get upset at all... I thought it was hysterical. I mean -- I'm 27! Who dumps their drink in their lap at that age??? Ha ha!
I went through old pictures last night, and threw away about 150. I can't believe I hold onto pictures that are out of focus or are scenic shots of nothingness. I did also go through the 'Bradley' pictures, and am going to send a bunch of them to him. I kept about five for myself,... something that I can secretly show my children one day so they'll know that Mommy really did date. But I'm glad to get rid of them!
I also seriously cleaned my room this weekend, and have about two bags of junk to discard. I would like to go through my storage unit and see what else I can get rid of. I would love to get a cheaper unit if I could!
"Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasantt ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed." Prov 3:13-18
This weekend was Homecoming for Lee U. Had company and a bad attitude, but really had a good weekend overall.
Heard the BEST sermon yesterday from one of the speakers of the Marketplace conference this weekend in Chatt. He talked about how we have to get our WORK saved, because that's where our joy is. I am totally killing the sermon, but I am requesting a tape or CD, and will try my hardest to post an audio clip. This may completely stretch my html capacity so pray for me.
I've been sick... (I have a rather deep voice b/c of it!), so I know that is a contributing factor in my aforementioned bad attitude. I had the most hysterical attitude adjustment Saturday night though. A few friends went out to Outback, and I saw like 75 people I knew. I somehow dumped an ENTIRE coke in my lap, so it looked like I wet my pants. See... God keeps me humble. I didn't get upset at all... I thought it was hysterical. I mean -- I'm 27! Who dumps their drink in their lap at that age??? Ha ha!
I went through old pictures last night, and threw away about 150. I can't believe I hold onto pictures that are out of focus or are scenic shots of nothingness. I did also go through the 'Bradley' pictures, and am going to send a bunch of them to him. I kept about five for myself,... something that I can secretly show my children one day so they'll know that Mommy really did date. But I'm glad to get rid of them!
I also seriously cleaned my room this weekend, and have about two bags of junk to discard. I would like to go through my storage unit and see what else I can get rid of. I would love to get a cheaper unit if I could!
"Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasantt ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed." Prov 3:13-18
Thursday, November 2, 2006
11.02.06
FYI -- it is so much easier for me to write my thoughts down.
In typical fashion, a lot has been happening with me lately. I told someone on the phone recently that my life is pretty boring, but it really is not. My life is busy. I could be busier, I do have that kind of time, but it’s still pretty busy regardless.
1. My cousin (18, unmarried) is pregnant.
2. I have not talked to my brother in … days.
3. I’m a little under the weather.
The worst part about this blog is that I can’t really share everything that’s going on, you know? Some things… are just better left without telling everybody.
I am getting excited about going to NYC to see my brother and my friend Jenn. She is such a blessing, and doesn’t even know it. I have been encouraged more times than I can count by reading her blogs. Maybe reading this she will know how much I secretly appreciate her. I hope so.
I do need to catch up with the Holly’s (Here's one of the Holly's). I hope you two are reading this. Maybe some Saturday Christmas shopping? I’ll have to post myspace comments about it. Oh,… and I have no idea what to do about Christmas presents this year. I don’t know what to get anybody really. I think I want a new digital camera for Christmas, but I may be bad and buy it for myself for my 28th birthday. I like feeling my age by the way. Strange, but good.
Goals by Christmas
1. Make out an official list for Christmas Cards
2. Get ALL of my Christmas cards out
3. Lose 10 pounds. (I figure that is realistic considering my 30 pounds already. Yay!)
4. Pay off one bill.
5. Consider Photostamps.
6. Give to the poor. (This may sound weird, but God is seriously dealing with me about this.)
7. Read 4 books. And finish them!
8. Blog 25 times.
I did buy my cousin’s kids (Andrew is 8, and Kaylee is 3) a calendar similar to an advent calendar for Christmas. They are both smart and so sweet, and give the entire family something to work together on each day until right before Christmas. Plus, the calendar is the Peanuts gang. Too cute! (I tried to find the link online, but it’s only on ebay and we’re banned from that at work. :( )
For now, that’s all I can think of. Later!
In typical fashion, a lot has been happening with me lately. I told someone on the phone recently that my life is pretty boring, but it really is not. My life is busy. I could be busier, I do have that kind of time, but it’s still pretty busy regardless.
1. My cousin (18, unmarried) is pregnant.
2. I have not talked to my brother in … days.
3. I’m a little under the weather.
The worst part about this blog is that I can’t really share everything that’s going on, you know? Some things… are just better left without telling everybody.
I am getting excited about going to NYC to see my brother and my friend Jenn. She is such a blessing, and doesn’t even know it. I have been encouraged more times than I can count by reading her blogs. Maybe reading this she will know how much I secretly appreciate her. I hope so.
I do need to catch up with the Holly’s (Here's one of the Holly's). I hope you two are reading this. Maybe some Saturday Christmas shopping? I’ll have to post myspace comments about it. Oh,… and I have no idea what to do about Christmas presents this year. I don’t know what to get anybody really. I think I want a new digital camera for Christmas, but I may be bad and buy it for myself for my 28th birthday. I like feeling my age by the way. Strange, but good.
Goals by Christmas
1. Make out an official list for Christmas Cards
2. Get ALL of my Christmas cards out
3. Lose 10 pounds. (I figure that is realistic considering my 30 pounds already. Yay!)
4. Pay off one bill.
5. Consider Photostamps.
6. Give to the poor. (This may sound weird, but God is seriously dealing with me about this.)
7. Read 4 books. And finish them!
8. Blog 25 times.
I did buy my cousin’s kids (Andrew is 8, and Kaylee is 3) a calendar similar to an advent calendar for Christmas. They are both smart and so sweet, and give the entire family something to work together on each day until right before Christmas. Plus, the calendar is the Peanuts gang. Too cute! (I tried to find the link online, but it’s only on ebay and we’re banned from that at work. :( )
For now, that’s all I can think of. Later!
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