Livvy at A Daughter's Heart posted this a little while back, and being somewhat familiar with the concepts demonstrated, I thought it was excellent. I wanted to share it here as a testimony to the fact that there is a Creator, and He does all things well! Enjoy.

Nature by Numbers from Cristóbal Vila on Vimeo.

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

-Kyrie<><

Thoughts On America's Prosperity

I am taking Geography online this semester, and the assignment this week was to post a response to the below thoughts:

"As we all know, America has the largest, most advanced economy in the world. The American people enjoy the most propsperous lifestyle of any large nation. However, this comes at great cost. For example, with 5 percent of the world's population, we consume 25 percent of the resources. The USA is also the world's largest polluter, and much of our wealth comes at the expense of other nations' labor and natural resouces.

This is not to assume that the American people are immoral. However, there is no doubt that presently it would be impossible for the rest of the world to enjoy similar prosperity. This would create economic and environmental chaos.

Thus, what is the solution? Are Americans justified in consuming so much? How can we bring the rest of the world "up" without reducing our own prosperity? Is this even possible? How much would you be willing to sacrifice for the greater good of other peoples and the natural environment?"

Hmm. Yeah. (Is it just me, or does this sound like Socialism?)

Anyway, here are my thoughts on the matter:

"The reality of this situation is that there just is not an answer that would satisfy everyone. For my part, I believe that the chaos in the world today is caused by one thing and one thing only: sin. Man is inherently sinful, evil, selfish, and greedy. Only by the grace of God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ, can the suffering of the world be alleviated and the evils of the world be righted.

God gave human beings the dominion over the earth - He made us the stewards to take care of nature and use our resources wisely, and we have failed miserably in many cases. There are, of course, many organizations out there trying to "save Earth", though lots of them are looking at the job the wrong way I think - worshiping the planet, instead of the Maker of the planet. But to a certain extent, they are at least trying to get the job done. I think recycling is good. I think being kind and humane to animals is good. I am not a wasteful person - in many areas of my life, I live by the old saying, "Use it up, wear it out. Make it do, or do without!" :) I recycle and I love animals - but it all goes back to the responsibility given to us by the Creator to take care of His creations!

I believe the reason America has prospered so mightily for so long, is that the men who led the founding of this nation realized Who is the ultimate source of life and liberty. They began leading the United States with the knowledge that, if the Lord is on your side, you cannot fail, and if He is not on your side, you will fail. For many years, we didn't fail - because "In God We Trust"ed. We are blessed here in America. We have been victorious in wars, undefeated in disasters, and prosperous in health and resources. In the past fifty years or so however, that has begun to change (I believe because of our national rejection of Christ as our Power), yet we are still the greatest nation on earth.

Is it possible to bring other suffering nations up to our level of prosperity? I don't believe so. Not considering all that an effort like that would involve and the immeasurable effects it would produce. Yes, in many nations, innocent people are going through horrible situations. But study the beginnings and histories of the majority of those nations - they relied on themselves and their personal strength and greatness instead of the Lord. They practiced Socialism, Communism, and rampant immorality. Now they are paying the prices.

I'm not saying we shouldn't try to help them! Another command God gave is that we should love others as ourselves. When we shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, and care for the hurting, we bless Him. And we have. As a nation, we have provided aid in many forms and in many situations: medical care, food, clean water, shelter and comfort in the aftermath of natural disasters, or even in places where hunger, disease, and poverty are, sadly, the "norm".

So, can we change the world? No. I don't think so. In many ways, the world doesn't want to be changed. If we are going to change the world, we've got to start with ourselves. Are we living right? Do we please God in what we say, do, or how we act? If we have allowed Him to make our hearts right, then we have changed part of the world! Now we are free to move on and, with His help, do what we can for the rest of it.

I in no way mean to sound harsh or unkind in all I've pointed out above. I'm just telling it the way I see it. And if you take the time to look at the situation with an open mind, I think you'll see that what I've said makes a whole lot of sense."

Hope I don't get an F :]

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

"A little hard work never hurt anyone..."

Yesterday we (Dad, Mom, Trissy, and me) all went to Archer's family's place to help them put the roof on the house they are building. Archer's dad is a great thinker - he's also a Christian, a husband, and a father. All those things come together to make him take the action he does. With the goal of being more self-sufficient, and more private, they're living on a piece of land out in the "boonies" you might say, building a homestead using their own hands, research, and alot of prayer. Bro. S. wants more for his family than the modern 'norm', and takes this mission very seriously. Instead of a TV, they have a trampoline the wole family uses together. Instead of trips to Disney World, they take their kyacks {not sure if I spelled that right} out on their lakes or float the creek. Instead of lots of 'things' to keep the kids busy, they raise produce and animals for entertainment, education, and personal use. And instead of building a small mansion on this beautiful land, they are building a modest, economical farmhouse-style home. Dad really likes to talk with Bro. S. ; his way of thinking is so refreshing and, sadly, so scarce in this age we live in. The family of six is living in a barn already on the property, and a little old camper trailer, until the house is finished.
Anyway, so like I said, the better part of our Saturday was spent baking in the sun, melting from humidity, and helping these dear friends try to knock out the roofing job in one day. It was hot, it was humid, but it was also very rewarding. Archer and Law's two younger sisters gave Trissy and me the grand tour of their farm (Mrs. S. showed Mom around), in between lifting sheets of metal roofing up to Bro. S., Archer, Law, and Dad, and moving scafolding and sheet metal around to different positions. Bro. S.'s mother was also there visiting - a really neat lady, very spry, very likeable, and a master gardener. We helped pick peas and lima beans while she told us interesting facts about plants and bird feeders. After picking, we, along with Mom, Mrs. S., and the three dogs, ;) sat under a tree and shelled as long as the men didn't need water, recharged batteries for their drills, or more sheet metal. That was really fun!

A couple of pictures from the day (click on them to view them larger):

This is where we were shelling. The two younger sisters, Bro. S.'s mother, Trissy, Mrs. S., and Louis the dog ;)

I Heart Lima Beans! ;D

The men on the roof while we were shelling. Sorry the last picture is off-center. Dad, Bro. S., Archer (behind Bro. S., sitting on the roof to tye his shoe), and Law. Law is getting a little head start on the break they were fixing to take ;) .

Law is a very interesting person - guess it runs in the family; Archer is pretty quirky himself :) . This is kindof a side note, but I didn't record it when it happened (I think it was the same Wednesday night service I told about here) and I'd like to remember it:

Law used to not play his guitar much with the group upstairs on Wednesday night because, for one thing, Japan was the 'regular', and for another, he wasn't old enough yet to be in that class. But then Japan left, so Law started filling in more. He's almost as good as Archer. Anyway, after we finished one song and the 'musicians' were getting ready to move to the next, one of the young people (I don't remember who, but it was one of Law's friends) called out, "Go Law!" kindof teasing him, but as a compliment at the same time.
Law looked up, looked them square in the eye across the room, and in front of everyone, stated emphatically, "This is for Jesus!"
He has a funny accent 'cause they didn't grow up in the south, and that, coupled with the fervor with which he spoke (Law isn't one to get riled easily), made me just want to laugh! But I was so proud of him! If he will keep that spirit of the Lord first always, he will grow up to be a great man. God help our young people! May He raise up this generation to accomplish GREAT things for Him!

People Will Let You Down

This is so strange. My last post was about a blessing. This post is about a discouragement.

That's how life is, isn't it? Peaks and valleys, ups and downs, laughter and tears, Light and Darkness.

Everyone is human; everyone has faults. No matter how wonderful, spiritual, consecrated, or wise they are, they are still flawed in some area. I have always known that people will let you down (God won't). Sometimes it seems like I don't know it though.

Saturday I got a good hard shock that thoroughly proved the accuracy of this post's title. At an event that day (for time's sake, and to avoid finger-pointing, I won't name names or go into all the details), a group of people who I have respected, trusted, and looked up to, behaved in a manner completely foreign to the people I thought they were. I respected, trusted, and looked up to them, because of their character, integrity, spiritual-mindedness, purity, and set-apartness (I don't know if that's even a word, but it serves my purpose). Witnessing their behavior, I was completely dumb-founded. Disgusted. Embarassed. And heart-broken. I turned to Mom and told her, "These aren't the [people] I know!" This was so unlike them! It was like living a nightmare, where strange and shady-minded characters take the bodies and voices of people you love, then behave like the fiends they are.

Oh how I have prayed that the Lord would pierce their consciences! Shame them to their core; wake them up, startled, to the realization of the message they were sending.

I also have the impression that I should try to speak to them. They knew I was there; they know I saw. I cannot conscientiously stand by, silent, and act like everything is OK. It's NOT okay! I must, as a loving friend, approach them and give an account of what their actions spoke to an outsider. But I am so afraid. Afraid I will not have the right words. That I will not time it right. Afraid for their testimonies. Afraid to lose them as friends.

The sovereignty of God is a great comfort!

A Father's Legacy

"Skipping Stones"
{Image property of Livvy Taylor Photography. Used with permission.}

~

Once Sunday morning, a man sat in his recliner reading the Sunday paper. Glancing at the clock, he spoke to his son, "Better be getting ready for Sunday School."
The young boy asked, "Are you going?"
"No," his father replied. "Not today."
"Dad, when you were a boy, did you go to Sunday School"
"Why, of course I did!" the man answered.
As the boy got up and left the room, he murmmured to himself, "Probably won't do me any good either."

~

The day before, in another part of the country, a poor hard-working family sat around the dinner table. They discussed with excitment Monday's harvest, and the resulting payment of an old and heavy debt.
That night a horrible hailstorm swept through the area, distroying their prize crop.
Sunday morning came, and the son stood with his father in the field that had held all their hopes. The son waited for his heart-broken father's reaction to the disaster. The man stooped and took up a handful of earth and studied it in his hand. Suddenly he began to sing softly:

"Rock of Ages,
cleft for me,
let me hide myself
in Thee."

Years later, after the boy was grown and serving the Lord with a family of his own, he would often say that was the best sermon he had ever heard.

~

What a difference a Godly father can make in the lives of his children.

Happy Father's Day, and may the Lord bless all those who seek to live for Him.

EchoLOUD

echo: "a repetition or imitation of another"

loud: "marked by intensity of volume..."


A few years ago during the young people's class at a church my family was visiting, I was given a wristband. You know what I'm talking about, those plastic-y rubbery ones that were so popular a couple of years ago. Well, they were popular here, I don't know about where you are... Anyway, this one was orange, and the letters ECHOLOUD were stamped on it.

I got the wristband because I knew the memory verse; but I wondered - what's the significance of this? Does it mean anything, or is it just a prize for knowing the verse? If the latter was the case, it seemed pretty shallow. But the teacher went on to explain.

In the last few weeks, I've thought quite a bit about the meaning of this little bracelet. Do I live by what it stands for? Do I take it for granted, or do I take it for the serious, solumn command and challenge that it is? How can I improve? What else can I do?

The orange is for the color of a life vest. When someone is drowning in a spaceless, helpless sea, what do they want most in the world? Well, most likely a boat and people who will throw them a life vest. Rescue.
We should be the rescuers - throwing spiritual life vests to people who are hopelessly drowning in a sea of sin. We should be that bright orange beacon of hope.
The ECHOLOUD means just what you might guess. An echo is a repetition of something. What higher goal is there in the life of a saved (rescued) born-again believer than to be an echo of Christ? To repeat His teachings, reflect His life, and demonstrate His love to a drowning populace - that is life! And our echo? Echo LOUD!

Sparrows that fall...

Sometimes I wonder, is it okay to pray for animals?
For the past couple of weeks or so, I've been putting my little crippled chicken out in the yard for a few hours, to give him/it more outside air (he's been staying in a box in our garage), and I've also hoped that the grass would provide a little stability for him to learn to walk in. I put a plastic basket with large holes over him, so that he can still see out and feel the breezes, but we won't accidentally step on him (plus it prevents cruelty from the other chickens roaming the yard).
Well, today I put him out as usual. I check on him periodically, to give him water, make sure he's not in the sun (HOT), and just make sure everything's ok. I went out today after he'd been out a while, and he was just laying sortof listless in the grass. I picked him up, and saw he was covered in ants! Now, down here in the South (maybe in the north too, I don't know), we have a particular kind of ant that's very small, but when it bites you, it is very painful. They're called "fire ants". And that is what was attacking my little bird. They had never bothered him before! Mom said that it was probably since we have not had much rain for the past few days. I ran over to the eaves of the house where Dad has some five-gallon buckets to collect run-off, and sunk him up to his neck in the warm water, trying to wash the ants off. He hardly protested at all. Trissy heard my lamentations and stuck her head out the door, and when she saw, she hurried back to the kitchen and made some vinegar-water to bathe him in when I got the ants all off. So we did that, and then put him back in his box under the fold of an old towel, 'cause they say if a person goes into shock that they should be kept warm even if it's hot already. We didn't know if he was in shock or not, but he seemed pretty done in. He perked up a tiny bit after a little while of rest and no ants. After lunch I put some Neosporin (that we keep specifically for our animals) on his bites, and I've been giving him water regularly. But when I went out just now, he seemed to have wilted a little more. He's not a very big body, to absorb the poison, and he's swollen from all the bites; I'm just wondering if, after all this time and hard work nursing him through all those other odds against him, if now he's going to up and die because I left him out to the ants!
Is it ok to pray for animals? I think, answering my own question, that yes, God sees the little sparrows that fall to the ground, so He surely doesn't mind if we care about them too! Nothing is too small to bring before the Lord - we've just got to be willing to accept His outcome.
Surely the Lord's got a lesson for me out of this one too.

VBS - 2010

Vacation Bible School is now over for this year and we had a wonderful time! Well, over except for the 'closing program' which will be tonight, Lord willing. It was a really rewarding experience - I was the Pre-K 'Group Leader' (the person who leads the kids from one place to another, makes sure they're where they need to be throughout the evening, and takes care of them if they need anything) and the kids were so fun! Their eagerness and excitement really reminded me of how the Lord tells us to be like little children in our seeking of Him.
Trissy was the Kindergarten Group Leader, and Oliver and Lindy were the teachers for both the Pre-K and Kindergarten groups.
Monday night's lesson was on the parable of the four kinds of soil, and how we should be like the good soil, and have our hearts ready for the sowing of the seed of God's Word. (Mark 4:3-20)
Tuesday night was on the parable of the lost sheep; how the shepherd left all the others to go out looking especially for the one little lost one, and how the Lord wants us to be His sheep (Luke 15:3-17),
Wednesday night was on the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-35),
Thursday night was the man who asked to borrow bread from his friend at midnight (Luke 11:5-10), and
Friday night was about the parable of the Talents. (Matthew 25:14-27).
I only stayed with the kids in the room to hear the lesson on Monday and Tuesday nights, the others I was running errands and staying busy elsewhere, so I didn't hear the last three nights' story "applications".

Including each night of the week, I had a total of 8 different children in my group (Friday night they all came, and I was glad they were all together on the last night), and more than half of those (5) also go to the Christain Academy! So I already new them, and didn't have to spend alot of time trying to learn names and temperments. :) They were all very well-behaved all week, as well as being enthusiastic ;)
So that's how VBS went, in a nutshell.

On a slightly side note, Tuesday night Lindy told us that one of our young men had led a girl to the Lord the day before (they are both music majors and go to college together, and the girl is the girlfriend of another of our young men)! And also on Thursday night, I think it was, the older daughter (whose about 11) in one of our church families 'announced', for lack of a better term, that she had been saved a little over a week before. Both of these girls were baptized this morning, along with two other women who had been visiting the church, and were recently saved! So, in the words of the 11-year-old's little sister, "This is a good day" :D

Catch Up...

Ok, yeah, I know I haven't posted in a LONG time, but you have to understand that I can't spend all my time on the computer ;)! Anyway, with finals in school, and finishing that up, then trying to get at least somewhat caught up on my 'other' life, I just have not had the opportunity to blog for several weeks, as I'm sure you've noticed (my visitor counter tells me you have been faithfully visiting - I'm sorry I haven't had anything fresh for you in so long!). I don't think I've even looked at another blog in about four weeks or so, except for just a short, unsatisfactory glance. So I appologize for the lack of comments on the blogs I usually follow regularly - I hope to do some back-reading, to try to catch up on what's been going on with y'all during my month-long 'blog silence'.



So, what's been going on with me lately? Well, (in a nutshell) of course besides finishing up school, I've been doing alot of picking-up-clutter, vacuuming, yard/garden work, feeding animals, doing dishes, and just in general trying to catch up on all my chores that have been, out of necessity, sadly neglected and/or left on Trissy's and Mom's shoulders while I scrambled with finals and end-of-semester assignments. I've also had the privalege of starting a book (for pleasure, this time - not a textbook!), spending evenings with Dad, Mom, Trissy, and my grandparents instead of studying, being outside, putting in a couple of extra days at work (saving for a camera), being available when my family needed an extra hand with something, planning a baby quilt for a friend, getting in bed before 2:00 AM, and other little pleasures of ordinary, every-day existance that, I regret to say, I took slightly for granted before I aquired a second life and identity called, 'college student'.



So that's it in a nutshell. I'll try to begin posting again in more detail as I get the chance.



I never filled y'all in on the chicks we were supposed to have hatch. Well, out of the dozen-and-a-half, only seven broke the shell. Of those, five actually hatched. And one of those is crippled. But he/it has certainly taught me lessons on patience, perseverance, compassion, responsibility, and determination. It flaps it's wings and kicks with one leg and scoots on it's stomach instead of walking, but it is slowly learning how to get around. The other four are big enough that they are already out in the chicken pen with the big chickens, but this little guy is still up here at the house in a cardboard box, and I feed and water it every couple of hours or so. Since it has such little control over it's fine-motor mobility, I have to hold it so it can reach into the little cup of feed or water, and it pecks and drinks that way. Alot of people would/do think it's an awful lot of trouble to go to for just one crippled chick. Why not just go ahead and put it out of it's misery, and save myself alot of time and trouble as well? But here's the thing: It seems like a principle - I/we prayed that it would live, when it first hatched and it seemed like there was no way it could survive. And the Lord caused it to live and even thrive, except for it's crippledness. Also, I feel like the Lord is using it to teach me lessons in character like the list I mentioned above. He doesn't just throw us away when we're hurting does He? And a parent (at least, a Godly one) doesn't give up, when they have a hurt or handicapped child! Of course not! So, as I try to help it along, I'm praying the Lord will teach me lessons in the situation, and I'm still holding out hope that eventually the chick will become independent and I will be rewarded for all my efforts.

Well, that is all the time I have for tonight. Lord willing, I will be able to update y'all on some of the other things that have been happening to me ;) , hopfully soon, but if not, please bear with me and rest assured, I do plan to come back! :)

May the Lord work mightily in your lives! 'Til we meet again -

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

-Kyrie<><

Confess Your Faults, One To Another...

Well, if you read all I have to say about my day yesterday, you would not go away uplifted, I am sure. Lets just say I had a "Jonah Day", and if you don't know the story behind what that means, it just means I had a really, really bad day. It seems that the devil lets me get to the end of one of Jenna's monthly challenges, and then lets me have it! *Sigh* It was just one of those days where everyone and everything seems against you. The day starts off at the bottom, and goes down from there. And many times I did not react in a Godly way. The Bible says to confess your faults to one another, and to pray for one another, so here I am confessing my faults, and hoping you will pray for me and my temper when the Lord brings it to your mind.
Hopefully I learned from the situation though - I know the Lord can take the crumbiest situation and use it to teach us something valuable. Sometimes it's just hard to find the diamonds in the dirt. :]

Well, enough griping - I did get to accomplish a couple of things that were enjoyable, one of which needed to be done soon if it was going to happen this year:

I love growing things, and last year Dad gave me a little section of the "big garden" for my own, to grow any flowers, vegetables, and herbs I wanted! The only dissapointment was: nothing came up! I'm not sure what the problem was, but I thought I may have started my flower seeds a little too late. So this spring, I'm going to try starting them indoors in pots, and then moving them outside when it's warmer. I got Shasta Daisies, Forget-Me-Nots, California Poppies, and Carpet of Snow, and (when I get them outside) I want to plant those in rows next to each other. Because of the stair-step heights they are supposed to grow to, and the amazing color contrasts, I thought I'd like to see how that looks! I also got Lavendar (I love herbs), and Asters, and a perinial mix. I put the Lavendar by itself, but mixed the Asters and the mix. Hopefully they'll all grow and provide us with some beautiful color and cheer! :) I took pictures of the pots once I'd gotten the seeds planted, but they didn't turn out, so I'm just posting a picture of the packages before I'd planted them. :)

I'll try to keep you informed with how this "expirament" (that spelling doesn't look right, but I can't remember for sure how it is LOL) turns out!

I also started on a knitted dishrag! Recently I've been on a dishrag crocheting frenzy, and have made about ten. Knitted projects don't take as much yarn as crocheted ones do though, so I'm changing to knitting for a little while. :)

Aren't the colors in this yarn just wonderful!?! I love combinations of bright contrasting colors :) ! I'll post a picture when I finish it. Bye for now!

A Year Of Learning - A Year Of Blessing

Today marks one year since the first Sunday we visited the church we are now a part of, and of which I speak so highly. If you read my posts, you know what a marvelous blessing this church has been to me, and my family. The Lord truly did a great thing for us when He directed us to this place! Even if my writing abilities are not what they would need to be to express that blessing adequately, I enjoy being able to relate some of our lessons and experiences here.

God has taught me so much through the people and experiences at this church! I feel (I pray) that I have learned so many valuable life lessons, grown so much spiritually, broadened my understanding of God, and narrowed the focus on myself. I feel closer to peace, farther from frustration. And I know I'm growing, because the challenges are coming thick and fast! But with the Lord's help, they are being - slowly but surely - overcome.

And as an added bonus, He has given me something I wanted as well! I have always desired more brothers and sisters - especially older brothers. And now in this one concentrated place, I have about ten or so friends who I believe the Lord put there just to satisfy this "need" in my life - so longed for and now so satisfied.

"The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad."

Psa. 126:3

What are some ways the Lord has worked in your life recently?

Blessed Be Your Name

We sang this last night at church in the young people's class. As a general rule, I don't really care for alot of the modern 'Christian music', but this has become one of my favorite songs of all time. It really has alot of 'meat' to it, if you get my meaning, and the Lord has really used it in my life lately. I thought I'd share the lyrics here for you!

The young people (from about age 15 through college) meet in an upstairs room for their Wednesday night lesson. Before the lesson, we always sing a couple of songs, and about four of the young people are in charge of 'leading' it. Archer plays several kinds of guitar, Bro. Blake's son Simon plays the drums (*rolls* eyes - I don't really care for drums, but in all fairness he's really quite good - he doesn't overdo it), Julia (haven't mentioned her yet - she's definitly one of the 'cooler' kids, you know, perfect blonde hair, perfect in-style clothes, and an attitude that comes out occasionally, but I think she really does have a good heart - Trissy is closer to her than I am, and likes her) sings, Japan (his nickname - he looks oriental, but he really isn't - I don't think ;D ) plays a guitar, and last night Archer's younger brother Law played another guitar. They all do a good job, and I said all of that to say this: I like our church's versions of these 'new' songs, generally alot better that the 'artist's' who recorded them. So, many times when I mention a more 'modern' song that has blessed me, I am thinking of the way our church does them :)!

BLESSED BE YOUR NAME

Blessed be Your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name

Chorus:
Every blessing You pour out I'll
Turn back to praise
And when the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's "all as it should be"
Blessed be You name
And blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Chorus:
Every blessing You pour out I'll
Turn back to praise
And when the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name
I will bless Your name

Chorus:
Every blessing You pour out I'll
Turn back to praise
And when the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

He is Lord! He is sovereign! Blessed Be His Name!!

"I WILL Still Love You, Lord!"

"I was sure by now, God you would have reached down and wiped our tears away - stepped in and saved the day. But once again, I say “Amen”, and it’s still raining...
And as the thunder rolls, I barely hear Your whisper through the rain, “I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls, I raise my hands and praise the God who gives - and takes away... And I’ll praise You in this storm! And I will lift my hands. For You are who You are, no matter where I am. And every tear I’ve cried, You hold in Your hands. You've never left my side, and though my heart is torn... I will praise You in this storm
I remember when I stumbled in the wind - You heard my crying, and raised me up again. My strength is almost gone! How can I carry on, if I can’t find You?
As the thunder rolls, I barely hear You whisper through the rain, “I’m with you” And as Your mercy falls, I raise my hands and praise the God who gives - and takes away.
And I'll praise You in this storm! And I will lift my hands, for You are Who You are - no matter where I am! And every tear I cry, You hold in Your hands. You've never left my side, and though my heart is torn, I'll praise You in this storm.
I lift my eyes unto the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord - The Maker of Heaven and Earth!
I'll praise You in the storm! And I will lift my hands. For You are Who You are - no matter where I am! And every tear I cry, You hold in Your hand - You've never left my side,

and though my heart is torn,

I will praise You in the storm!"

The Voice Of Truth

Sunday Jan. 17 ~

Oh what I would do to have the kind of faith it takes to stand before a giant! With just a sling and a stone... Surrounded by the sounds of a thousand warriors, shaking in their armor - wishing they'd of had the strength to stand.
But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me! Reminding me of all the times I've tried before but failed. The giant keeps on telling me, time and time again, "Boy, you'll never win! You'll never win."

But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story! And the Voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid."
And the Voice of Truth says, "This is for My Glory!" Out of all the voices calling out to me, I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth.

But the stone was just the right size to put the giant on the ground; and the waves, they don't seem so high - when you're on top of them, looking down. I'll soar with the wings of eagles, when I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus, singing over me!

The Voice of Truth tells me a different story! And the Voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid."
And the Voice of Truth says, "This is for My Glory!" Out of all the voices calling out to me, I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth.

I will listen and believe because Jesus, YOU are the Voice of Truth!

Will I Still Love Him?

Sunday Jan. 17 ~

In the movie "Facing the Giants", Grant Taylor asks his childless wife, "If the Lord never gives us children, will you still love him?" At the time, she is unable to answer this question. But after numerous trips to the doctor in one year, all with negative results, she is forced to face the question, but this time is able to say, "I will still love You, Lord. I will still love You."

Those of you that followed my old blog may have read of my desire and prayer for children for my beloved Sunday School teacher and his dear wife. You may have read of the struggle I had, and how I thought I had finally 'let go' of that dream, trusting it to the Lord and His decision.

I hadn't.

In my last post, I told how we've been studying the topic of 'suffering' in Sunday School and Thursday night Bible study, and some of the points we've discussed. Well, there was another one on Thursday besides the ones I mentioned. It was that:

"God has the right, as our Creator, to put us through whatever 'trial' He chooses, and is in no way obligated to give us His reasons (though sometimes in His great kindness, He will)."

During the discussion of this point, Bro. Dennis told of when he and Mrs. Carrie lost their first child. How excited he had been, and then how hard it had been when they had to give it up. All the while he talked he used the same mannerisms and earnestness that he always has whenever he's illustrating some important point he wants us to 'get'. Yet as he looked at each one around the table, including us all in the conversation, there was pain in his eyes, and when they met mine as he went around the table, I could not keep my gaze steady - I could not face those eyes. And I hated myself for it, but I just couldn't; it seemed so... almost heartless to just stare back. He told how the Lord had used that though, and showed him that that baby was really His - He could take it back whenever He wanted; even before they got to see it.
And when they lost the second one, he realized that, though he and Mrs. Carrie suffered, really in a way it was a blessing - for the children. They would never have to suffer pain - they would never know the effects of sin!
Another person made a comment, and the discussion moved on. I glanced back at Bro. Dennis, and then - selfishly - almost wished I hadn't. He was looking down, studying something in his hand, and I'd never seen him look as tired as he did right then. He's become one of my 'Heroes of the Faith', and for a moment I shrank from my own pain of seeing him hurt. I closed my eyes and wished that I could just get up, go outside, and stand and cry with only the stars looking. But I couldn't, and the questions, answers, Bible verses, and discussion was of course still going on around me. I forced my brain back into it's flow, even as my mind rebuked me quietly: "What are all these lessons on suffering accomplishing if you're totally missing the point?! Here the Biblical answers are being presented all around you, and you're stuck back on the subject: suffering! Aren't you paying attention?"
So the Lord helped me to force the whole thought and it's pain aside for a while, and enjoy the rest of the evening.
But tonight I wondered if the subject was still on Bro. Dennis's mind, because in his sermon he brought in alot of the points we had discussed.

Trissy and I went a little early tonight (we hope to do a trio with Lindy, and needed to practice) so I had my car to drive back to our house in. And as I drove, I cried. Because I felt like the Lord had put that question in my mind. All along I'd thought it was just a matter of His timing - He would give them children, but when He got ready. So I was able to 'give it up'. And that was hard enough, but I could do it - after all, they were still coming right?
But what if they're not? What if they don't? Will I still love Him? And I cry because I can't answer that question.

If the Lord chooses to never give Bro. Dennis and Mrs. Carrie children; if He doesn't send Bro. Earl and Mrs. Shannen and Austin back to me, will I be able to stand the spiritual shock? Will I still love Him?

That's scary. Lord help me!

Please Pray For My Pastor's Family

Sunday Jan. 17 ~

Bro. Earl and Mrs. Shannen have gone to visit their younger son Austin, who is a short-term missionary in a very dangerous part of the world. Bro. Jeremiah (Bro. Earl's brother) preached in the morning, and Bro. Dennis (who is Bro. Earl and Mrs. Shannen's older son, for those of you who don't know) preached in the evening.

Morn.~

We heard from 'the travelers' when they got there safely, but no one has heard from them since and it's been several days. They were going to try to make contact back to us as often as possible during their visit... Danger is a very real thing where they are.

Eve. ~

Still no word from them. Alot of us are very concerned.

Thurs. Night College Bible Study - the lesson

So anyway, the lesson was titled, "The Stress of Crisis" It was on suffering, reasons for suffering, and how we do, and should, react to it. Strange, but this topic has seemed to come up alot lately in different situations, conversations, and lessons at church:

In our Sunday School college class we are studying Appologetics - how to defend your faith. It has been an excellent and extremely challenging topic, spanning several months and requiring deep thinking (Bro. Dennis loves to challenge us to use our minds! So much of what's taught in churches now is so watered-down and shallow). Recently Bro. Dennis decided to have each student pick a controversial topic from a list he compiled, study it, do research, and then present what we found to the rest of the class. One of the young men had the topic "Why would a supposedly loving God allow or inflict suffering?" We ended up taking three weeks on this one, instead of just one. Some of the truths/points we discussed:

1) We (humans) deserve NOTHING from God!

2) We shouldn't ask, "Why am I having to go through suffering?" but instead, "Why am I given so many blessings?"

3) God allows and causes everything that happens, for a reason.

4) God will always get glory in everything, and if we choose, we can be privaleged to be the ones to give it to Him.

5) If we are saved and going through difficulties, He may be using those things to show His power in our lives.

I wish I could go into detail right now about all the different paths we took in these discussions and the verses we studied that led us to these deductions. Maybe someday I will.

But anyway, this Sun. School study is just one area where the subject of suffering and why God allows it has come up recently. In our lesson Thursday night, we continued with some of the above points, but also (since there were more of us, therefore more lives and experiences to give input) some new ones. Like:

1) Sometimes we are guilty of, perhaps subconsciously yet intentionally, prolonging our own suffering simply because our selfish nature enjoys the pity.

2) Often our suffering could be significantly alleviated if we would follow the Bible's advice when it says to share our burdens. We could often have our heartaches eased if we sought the help, advice, counsel, or just the understanding of a Christian brother or sister.

We talked about how the Lord gets glory out of everything, even when evil people accomplish great wickedness, and we just can't see how that could bring God glory. But the Bible says that even Pharaoh was allowed to rule over and persecute the children of Israel, so that His power might be revealed.

We went alot farther, but there is no way I can capture for you how deep we got into it, and what a blessing it was to be in the midst of a group of young people who had gathered just for the purpose of encouraging one another in the Word, and to learn more of God and His plan! I think I could almost say though, that this was about the best lesson I think we've had so far!

A Look Back - 2009

Well, the year 2009 was certainly one of excitement, changes, and learning. I had no idea how many things the Lord would allow to happen, and then use to teach me so many valueable lessons. Here is a brief look at each month, and some of the happenings of each:

January of course started a new year. New year, old plans, and a fresh start at trying to see them become reality.

In February the Lord blessed us with the reason I originally started blogging in the first place - He led us to a wonderful, Godly church where He is praised and His people are taught His Word. This first year is hopefully just the start of a long story in this place. And even though (when I post about it) my feeble attempts to share the joyful, wondering, learning times with you are so frail, I hope somehow you can get a glimpse of the Glory He is sharing with me through these experiences. In February we also celebrated our grandparents' (Mom's parents' - our only living set of grandparents) 65th wedding anniversary!

March, April, and May saw us busily preparing for and celebrating Trissy's graduation! She was able to "walk" with the other graduates in the large homeschool group we are a part of, and we were blessed by all the support, and the professional yet Christ-honoring air with which the whole event was conducted.
Also in May, my grandfather had two heart attacks in one week (!) and so started almost an entire summer/fall of Trissy and me living with our grandparents, helping where ever and when ever we were needed, and learning many great lessons about fellowship, service, and the blessing of living close to family.

In June Trissy and I were privaleged to go along with two of our cousins to a Bible youth camp for a week. We worked hard, learned alot, made some new friends, and came back really refreshed by the experience.

July we of course celebrated the Independence our country still is blessed with and we pray continues, though perhaps we are loosing it even as the days tick by. Also our grandmother fell and broke her arm, essentially handicapping herself for several months as it healed, and our grandfather too, since she is really the one who cared for both of them. Trissy and I were glad to be available and able to continue staying with them and helping with even the little things it is so hard to do with one hand. All four of us (despite the painful arm) had alot of fun during this time, for we were basically "stuck" with each other, and though we just live right down the road from them, it seems we don't really get to spend enough time together.

August was perhaps the bussiest and most eventful month of our year! We said goodbye for a time to our pastor's younger son as he left for a dangerous mission field. I started working at the Christian school our church started, and I also began college. Trissy (being the most 'free') became the main helper for our grandparents (though I still spent nights there, and helped however time allowed me to) and took over most of my "chores" at our house as well, since I had to devote such large amounts of time to school and homework.

September means Fair Time! This year we were not able to participate to near the extent we usually do, but I did manage to have a small group of crafts and creations to enter in the County Fair, several of which went on to State!

October - Fall is in the air! My most favorite time of year! Our grandmother finally was able, after several set-backs and dissapointments, to have her cast taken off and become the Queen of her own house once again! We were glad her arm was healed so well, but in a way too, it was sad since it meant we didn't really have an excuse to continue living with them, and had to get back to our neglected house (which had, as Mom likes to say, "Gone to seed" while we were otherwise occupied ;D ). Also, District Fair was going on, and like at County, I was thankfully able to find some entries to send. The fairs have always been, not only so much fun, but also a nice opportunity to earn a little money from 'placing' as well! I also started blogging, I believe on Oct. 30th!

In November there was Thanksgiving, the Bible Conference, and reajusting to 'normal' life, though it could arguably be asked, "Is life ever truly 'normal' ?!" :D

December - Christmas and all it's symbolism, events, celebrations and enjoyments. Our trip to TX to visit Mom's sister, and then the New Year is here!

May our 2010 be, perhaps not so hectic ;), but certainly as valuable and rich!

To Be A Light

A new year, and a new semester to start at college.
Once again, I'm taking two classes online, and two at the college. Last year after enduring being surrounded by the trashy language and unashamed immorality in those two classes, I decided I was not going through that again! I would take all classes online - except for any (hopefully just one) web-related classes I had to follow up with from the first semester. Weeell, wouldn't you know it, half fell under that category, and I am again finding myself at the college for approximately 10 hours each week. I got to thinking though - why shouldn't I go through that stuff?! (If I've learned anything from having Bro. Dennis as a Sunday School teacher, it's to ask 'why am I blessed?' rather than, 'why am I suffering?') Many, many believers have gone through MUCH worse, and were staunch witnesses through it all. Surely I am no better than them, that I should be spared meerly to be in the presence of sin. It is everywhere. Sometime, each person faces it, if they are living here, and where else is there to live? Mars?!
The Lord has truly blessed so far though. Seemingly the students in my classes are (for the most part) hard-working and civil, if not sensible. My prayer over and over is that I may be a bright and Godly witness - that they may have no doubt of where I stand, but that they know Who gives me the convictions, the peace, and the witness I have!
Please pray for me, that I would be given the privalege of leading some of them (including my instructor) to the Lord. That I would be a LIGHT in this dark world.

If at first you don't succeed...

So now I'm starting a new phase in my blogging experience - a new blog. It was a little bit (ok, a lot) of a dissapointment to have to start over from scratch, but looking on the bright side, I got to get a new "look" but still keep my other one on my old blog! ... hm ... trying to think of something positive here. Guess that'll work though :)
Hopefully I won't need to start again after this!