Lyrics I'm Feeling

The words to this song are amazing. I know so many people who are going through incredible trials. And yet, His grace is greater!

There Is Nothing Greater Than Grace


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Back for a Moment

Wow. It seems like forever since I've taken a trip into blogland. I have all these "followers"...and I'm not even sure who most of them are! Hmmm.

To my "true blue" readers...I'll try to be more faithful, and not wait two months to post again!

In the Shadows...

I have been faithfully reading all the comments on my previous post, and pondering all the words of wisdom. Thanks to everyone who has responded!

Right now, it feels like I am in the midst of Psalm 23:4...the valley of the shadows. Sometimes the darkness threatens to overcome me.

Yet, His rod and staff comfort me. My Good Shepherd has not left my side.

Thanks be to God...

I Welcome Your Thoughts...

What does it mean to truly trust God? Is it the absence of all doubt? Is it to be completely void of all fear?

And how does one get to that place????????

Feelin' That Spring Fever!

I'm loving those warmer temps...balmier breezes...

Now if it will just stick around for more than one or two days in a row!

Just Because He's So Wonderful...

Lord Jesus,
grant that I and my spouse may have a true
and understanding love for each other.
Grant that we may both
be filled with faith and trust.
Give us the grace to live
with each other in peace and harmony.
May we always bear with one another's
weaknesses
and grow from each other's strengths.
help us to forgive one another's failings
and grant us patience, kindness,
cheerfulness
and the spirit of placing the well-being
of one another ahead of self.

May the love that brought us together
grow and mature with each passing year.
Bring us both ever closer to You
through our love for each other.
Let our love grow to perfection.

Amen.

http://www.catholicdoors.com/prayers/english/p05290.htm

Resurrection!

He is risen! Alleluia!

Good Friday

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:13

To What Am I Bowing?

I get these great daily devotions for Lent from Christianbook.com. If you want to sign up, the link is here. Today's edition is from a book called "Lent and Easter Wisdom from G. K. Chesterton." It really spoke to me, as I hope it will speak to your heart. An idol is not necessarily something carved out by human hands. It's actually more: something carved out by the human heart.

American Idols

Idolatry exists wherever the thing which originally gave us happiness becomes at last more important than happiness itself. Drunkenness, for example, may be fairly described as an engrossing hobby. And drunkenness is, when really comprehended in its inward and psychological reality, a typical example of idolatry. Essential intemperance begins at the point where the once incidental form of pleasure, which comes from a certain article of consumption, becomes more important than all the vast universe of natural pleasures, which it finally destroys. Lunacy and Letters

Have You Not Understood? To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? An idol?--A workman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold, and casts for it silver chains. As a gift one chooses mulberry wood --wood that will not rot-- then seeks out a skilled artisan to set up an image that will not topple. Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in; who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing. Isaiah 40:18-23

Prayer Lord, my idols are all dead things. They are not living; they cannot act. How do I forget that so easily? Yet they promise to comfort me, Father, when I am afraid, lonely, or dejected, because I can see them. I cannot see you, God, and so I easily lose faith. I instinctively turn to something tangible. O Lord, have mercy on me. I believe; help my unbelief.

Strange Stuff

Is anyone else getting a load of unsolicited "anonymous" comments on your blogs? I have comment moderation, but still! I had 11 new comments today...and only one was even close to legitimate.

Ugh!


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I, Like the Thief

I got this in a daily devotional for Lent. Just had to share it! Five years ago I came to believe in Christ's teachings, and my life suddenly changed; I ceased to desire what I had previously desired, and began to desire what I formerly did not want. What had previously seemed to me good seemed evil, and what seemed evil seemed good. It happened to me as it happens to a man who goes out on some business and suddenly decides that the business is unnecessary and returns home. All that was on his right is now on his left, and all that was on his left is now on his right; his former wish to get as far as possible from home has changed into a wish to be as near as possible to it. The direction of my life and my desires became different, and good and evil changed places...

I, like that thief on the cross, have believed Christ's teaching and have been saved. This is no far-fetched comparison, but the closest expression of the condition of spiritual despair and horror at the problem of life and death in which I lived formerly, and of the condition of peace and happiness in which I am now. I, like the thief, knew that I had lived and was living badly. I, like the thief, knew that I was unhappy and suffering. I, like the thief to the cross, was nailed by some force to a life of suffering and evil. And as, after the meaningless sufferings and evils of life, the thief awaited the terrible darkness of death, so did I await the same thing.

In all this I was exactly like the thief, but the difference was that the thief was already dying, while I was still living. The thief might believe that his salvation lay there beyond the grave, but I could not be satisfied with that, because besides a life beyond the grave, life still awaited me here. And I did not understand that life. It seemed to me terrible. But suddenly I heard the words of Christ and understood them, and life and death ceased to seem evil, and instead of despair I experienced happiness and the joy of life undisturbed by death. ~by Leo Tolstoy

Grace and Mercy

This is going to be one of those "stay with me, and we'll get to the point eventually" posts.

Last month at Generations of Faith (church function), we were focusing on the Lord's Prayer. The part that God was really speaking to me about was "Thy will be done." We took some time in the church to just meditate and pray, and spend time listening to God. My eyes fell on the nail piercing the feet of the Christ on the crucifix. And the words, "GRACE AND MERCY" were spoken to my spirit over and over. Because, truly, that is what the cross was about. And truly, it is God's will for us. It is His desire that we share that grace and mercy with all around us...anyone our lives touch.

Fast forward to yesterday's grocery trip. I had been up the night before with a sick son. I had been at work all day, picked up my other son from school, taught a piano lesson, and now it was time to hit Wal-mart. Then I would head home to fix supper. It had been a long day already! I was in the meat department, waiting as others made their selections. I have to admit I was not feeling very patient at all. One man in particular was taking quite a bit of time. Inside, I was thinking, "It's just meat, mister. Just pick out something and move along!" And then...

Then he turned, and I realized that this man was moving slowly for a very heart-wrenching reason: one leg was missing from the thigh down. Let me tell you, friends, it was all I could do to keep from totally breaking down right there in that meat aisle. And the words from a few weeks ago came slamming back into my heart: GRACE AND MERCY! I will also admit that I spent some extra time in that very spot, repenting of my own obvious lack of both grace and mercy.

But the truth is, I should have felt those things no matter if that man was 100% whole and healthy, or whether he was crawling on his hands and knees, or whatever!

Because when Christ was on the cross, His grace and mercy had no conditions and no boundaries. As a follower of Christ, mine shouldn't have conditions or boundaries, either.

I am so thankful for His forgiveness and unlimited grace and mercy!!!!!!!


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Lent, Day 3

This time last year, I was on top of this blogging thing. I actually did a "post a day" for the entire season of Lent...with only a couple of exceptions. This year...sorry...no daily posts. For one thing, I'm working more hours than I was last year. And truly, life just seems to be more hectic...if that's possible!

As this holy time approaches each year, I try to prepare myself in prayer. It seems there is always at least one "big" area God wants to deal with in my life. This year, however, it seems there are a plethora of areas! One of the biggest things is that He is reminding me not to get too comfortable in this world. Our time here is too short, there is too much to be done for the Kingdom, and the things of the world will only weigh me down. (see 2 Timothy 2:4)

And God reminds me not to be conformed to the world, but to be conformed to His image...to allow myself to be conformed to His death and resurrection (dying to self, living to God):

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. (Romans 12:1-3)

^"and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:9-11)

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself." (Philippians 3:20-21)

As I've said before, Lent is not so much up "giving up" something, but more about "giving in" more and more to God.

There is no resurrection without there first being a cross...

Just as Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness were a time of preparation, so are the 40 days of Lent a preparation in my life. Just as He faced temptations, I too will face temptations... May I come forth victorious, as my Lord did!

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Another Great Nephew...

Isn't he the cutest???

Announcing...

The newest movie by the makers of "Flywheel," "Facing the Giants," and "Fireproof." The new movie is called "Courageous." You can check out the information on it at the following website: Courageous the Movie I can't wait to see it!

I am so impressed by the way this congregation pulls together in prayer and produces such amazing movies. May God continue to bless them as they endeavor to reach the world with the truths of the Gospel!

Announcement links

Controversial Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5TE99sAbwM

I welcome your comments...

Another year passed...

On Monday, I will again have one of those frosted marvels with fire hazards on top (aka, birthday cake). :o)



It's hard to believe another year has gone by...so much seems to just fly right by me. My kids are growing up so quickly. A few more months, and "Harry" will be in high school! And my "baby" will be heading into 6th grade. The past year has been full of wonderful things: trips to see family and friends, new babies added to the family, etc. But there have been the very sad times, too: the loss of loved ones (or helping friends through the loss of their loved ones), medical diagnoses that friends/family received, and the list goes on.

Through it all, though, the one thing that shines through most brightly is God's abiding presence. I am so thankful that He is always faithful. I couldn't rejoice as greatly without Him. I couldn't make it through the tough times without Him. Thank You, Lord, for Your great love to me!

For those who have continued to pray for Fr. Joe, I wanted to give you an update, too. He is greatly improved, and planning to be back "full time" sometime in February or early March. A wonderful bit of news is that we now have an assisting priest on a full-time basis. Fr. Mike came to our parish just last week. For that we are truly thankful!

And in the words of Fr. Mike, I would like to encourage you all to make this your New Year's resolution: Let Jesus show!

God bless...