FYI: Posts will be sparse around here until I replace my laptop.... Coming back to work after Christmas break apparently was too hard and it quit on me!

20 December 2012

What defines me...and how I cry at goodbye

I cried after I had over 12" of my hair cut off. I cried when I said goodbye to dance and packed away my shoes. I cried when I filed away another months worth of sermon notes and knew there would be no more of those. I cried when I let go of perfection so that I could complete. I cried when I packed away my camera--my new birthday camera. Now I cry as I say goodbye to blogging for a season.

I was known for my long hair--but it does not define me. Hair grows back in time.
I was known as a dancer--but it does not define me. Some people still notice and it makes me either cringe or do a happy dance inside.
I was known as a part of that church--but it does not define me. The Church is not a certain building or a few people. The Church is all believers everywhere.
I was known as a perfectionist--but it does not define me. I will hold myself to a standard of grace, not perfection.
I was known as a photographer--but it does not define me. I simply enjoy capturing what I see.
I was known as a blogger--but it does not define me. Blogging is merely a way to write my thoughts and share them with others to encourage them.

I am defined only by Jesus Christ--in Him I find my identity. He is my life--a life worthy of the Lord. 

"The Christian life can be explained only in terms of Jesus Christ, and if your life as a Christian can still be explained in terms of you - you personality, your willpower, your gift, your talent, your money, your courage, your scholarship, your dedication, your sacrifice, or your anything - then although you may have the Christian life, you are not yet living it." - Ian Thomas


When I let go of these things, I cried because it was hard. Hard to let go of what I thought had a right to hold and call mine. Really, I was hiding behind these things. Hiding because I was scared.
But God used these moments when I let go to do great things in my life. Now I look to see what he will do with this change. Change is needed, change is good, but change makes me cry--because I'm scared.
This quote by Charles Spurgeon sums up what I've been learning recently:


He is enough.  He is.

01 November 2012

The Unfailing Promises of God - a thankful thursday

404: life -- full of abounding joy!

405: family -- whole & complete
Please be praying for a family who lost their eight year old little boy during the storm on Monday. He was hit by a falling tree limb. I taught his class at Church on Thursday nights last year and he played soccer with my brother--so hard to believe that he's gone.  But we know he's in the arms of his Heavenly Father.

406: Singing "I Love My Lips" VeggieTales silly song with Titus while cooking supper...Ten days after I turned 8, Got my lips stuck in a gate, My friends all laughed…And I just stood there until the fire department came and broke the lock with a crowbar and I had to spend the next six weeks in lip rehab with this kid named Oscar who got stung by a bee right on the lip and we couldn't even talk to each other until the fifth week because both our lips were so swollen and when he did start speaking he just spoke polish and I only knew like three words in polish except now I know four because Oscar taught me the word for lip, “Usta!”

407: a home overflowing with music -- constantly -- someone is always playing or singing =)

408: the promises of God's unfailing love Psalm 103

30 October 2012

Life's Interruptions


“The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one’s ‘own’, or ‘real’ life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one’s real life – the life God is sending one day by day: what one calls one’s ‘real life’ is a phantom of one’s own imagination.”
(from a 1943 letter from C.S. Lewis, included in Yours, Jack: Spiritual Direction from C.S. Lewis)

28 October 2012

May the Words of My Mouth...


May the Words of My Mouth 
Christy Nockels

May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart
Bless Your name, bless Your name, Jesus
And the deeds of the day and the truth in my way 
Speak of You, speak of You, Jesus

For this is what I'm glad to do
It's time to live a life of love that pleases You
And I will give my all to You
Surrender everything I have and follow You
I'll follow You

Lord will You be my vision, Lord will You be my guide?
Be my hope, be my life and the Way
Ad I'll look not for riches, nor praise on the earth
Only You'll be the first of my heart

I will follow, I will follow You

26 October 2012

The Stars

A quote I came across this past week by Bill Watterson:


So very true.
When I look up at the stars I realize how small and insignificant I am--and how great and wonderful my Creator is. I am awed by the size of the creation and the magnificence of the Creator. (If you don't feel small looking up at the stars, watch this video by Louie Giglio. Seriously, go watch it.)

The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
    where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.

Psalm 19:1-4

The most amazing thing is not the size or beauty of the creation--but rather the magnificence of the Creator. Why? He created the whole universe, yet He loves me enough to die for my sins. My sins.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

All too often I don't take time to appreciate the grandeur of God's creation--or the Creator--and I need to. Not because it makes me a better Christian to think on holy subjects, but rather because it changes my life. When my perspective is changed, so are my actions. More importantly, I need to take time to marvel at His unfailing love. Love is what changed the world--the agape love of my Savior.

(I challenge you to go watch this video by Louie Giglio. Really.)