Glory to the newborn King!

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
"Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

I was really moved this week by the Christ-centered nature of these lyrics. This season especially, I feel the conviction and weight of celebrating and glorifying Jesus. How worshipful are some of these christmas songs that I have sung all my life, but never sang with the full impact of their messages? I get it now. What a miracle! Not the miracle of the word made flesh, although that is a miracle, but the miracle that the Creator of the world considered it His joy to come to earth, fully God and fully man (not half and half), and die for me. Who am I?

My hope for you this season is that with all that is good and right about Christmas, you might not miss the weight, beauty and nearly unbelievable miracle that is the incarnation.

God in the flesh. Jesus Christ fully God, fully man!

Can I Have It??

Since things have been a bit hectic with finals, it's been fun to find silly things to lighten the mood around here. These two videos are HILLARIOUS and have reallyl done the trick!!

Hope you enjoy them as much as we have! So funny!!

Bon Qui Qui at King Burger

Can I have your number?

P.S. Does anyone know how to post actual videos to a blog? I have no idea.

Thanks. Enjoy.

She lives!

Hello all. I am just checking in to say that I am still alive. I have been attempting to survive Chemistry, a hubs in seminary, and trying to maintain some semblance of sanity. Our lives are very hectic right now but we are truckin through. The only reason I have time to blog right now is because my class was cancelled tonight.

One of my very good friends, Rachel, was able to come to Dallas for a visit a few weeks ago. Well, for a conference she was attending for work, but whatever, I like to think it was also to visit me. Lots of laughing, catching up on life over fajitas...seriously needed and appreciated.



Thanks so much for the visit Rach! Miss you and can't wait for the next one...soon!

When I'm not so tired that all I can do is whine and cry about it, I will be back! Bless ya'll for stopping by!

Embracing Accusation

We just recently sang this Shane and Shane song in church last week. What a powerful song. This song teaches the very thing that we forget as believers. We have the enemy whispering (or sometimes shouting) that we are not good enough for Jesus' love. We are not worthy of His sacrifice. That we don't do enough. That we aren't fit to be in His Holy company.

This song is the picture of what we, as believers endure. We must remember the enemy preaches truth at us, but he leaves out the most important part. Praise God, there is another part!

I want to write more, but I don't have time to right now. Just listen to this song...let it minister to you and share your thoughts.

Embracing Accusation:

The father of lies
Coming to steal,
Kill and destroy
All my hopes of being good enough
I hear him saying cursed are the ones Who can’t abide

Chorus:
He’s right Alleluia he’s right!
The devil
is preaching
The song of the redeemed
That I am
cursed and gone astray I cannot gain salvation
Embracing accusation

Could the father of lies
Be telling the truth Of God to me tonight?
If the penalty of sin is death then death is mine
I hear him saying cursed are the ones who can’t abide

(Chorus)

Oh The devil’s singing over me
An age old song
That I am cursed and gone astray
Singing the first verse so conveniently over me
He’s forgotten the refrain
Jesus saves!

Like a Skin

"The butterfly can just look back,
flap his wings and say 'oh yeah'
'I never have to be a worm again'.

The snake gets tired of being him,
he wiggles from that itchy skin,
leaves it lying where he's been and moves on.

I've been longing for something tangible
Some kind of proof that there's been a change in me.

Feels like I have been waking up,
only to fight with the same old stuff.
Change is slow and it fills me with such doubt.
Come on New Man, where've you been,
help me wiggle from this self I'm in,
and leave it like a skin upon the ground"


Sometimes Sara Groves just says it better than I can.

I've been tagged and so have you!!!

I was tagged by Tracy, so here we go...

7 random facts that some may know and others may not....

1) I played tennis in high school for a few years and I didn't take it very seriously, but I love playing to this day and I'm always looking for a tennis partner to play with regularly. Wanna play?

2) I have slowly been pursuing nursing school off and on for several years. Praying through it and making sure it is something that the Lord wants for me and not just something for my own selfish gain or pride. Currently I am taking Chemistry and I love it! I am such a nerd.

3) During this year of election, I am realizing how much I despise politics. You can't trust anyone who is running for president...it's all a game and it seems so foolish to put any faith or hope in any man/woman under heaven. During the years leading up to this election we have watched the extent of man's spectacle and attempt at glory. It only lasts a few minutes before you see man's petty desire for self promotion and wordly agendas. Much like these debates and forums, it is really not what it appears to be. Our glory and our lives fade like a mist, but God's glory, wisdom, understanding, compassion, and love for us is eternal and limitless. Ok...sorry, I'm done.
4) I am one of the clumsiest people I know. In the kitchen, I usually cut myself each time I cook. You can see me usually walking into a wall or two during the day, dropping things on my and other peoples feet, bruises all over the place...it's really pathetic. I should live in a padded room or a bubble. The good thing is my clumsiness has never included our cars or more importantly, Juliet. I'm usually the only victim.

5) I am a little obsessed with Sara Groves. I truly believe that if she and I could just share the same space for a day or so, we would be best friends forever!

6) I get so stinkin frustrated at religion and ridiculous religion doctrine. Because of that religion and the skewed view of Christ that my family and so many of my friends share, they may never know the true, saving, life-giving, life-satisfying, definition of completeness that is my Jesus. Sometimes I feel like I am chipping away at plaque that has been built up on their hearts because of all the hurt and pain they have experienced in churches and from other believers. I can't stand the fact that I have heard members of my family say they don't feel accepted at any church and that's why they don't go! So many of my brothers and sisters in Christ cannot rise above their pride and extend the same mercy and grace and love that was extended to them, to non-believers. Seriously...infuriating. Lord, help me, there goes my blood pressure. (sorry, again.)

7) I have never seen The Lion King. I know there are a lot of movies I haven't seen, but when people find out I haven't seen this one, it usually gets a huge response. They usually walk away from me shaking their head, mumbling something about me not being an American or something. I have had plenty of opportunities to see it, but now it's just something I hold onto so I can say I've never seen it.

Ok....so, I tag Julie K, Amy, Abby...I think these are the only people that read my blog. So, if you are tagged, you write 7 random things about yourself (just in case you didn't know, because I didn't.)

Lunch with Friends...

*in the close up you can get a good look at her shiner!!  She had an unfortunate incident with a book.

Me: circa 1968-72

Knock...

There are times when prayer is the most beautiful, intimate, sweet time with the Lord. Singing, crying, laughing every emotion is felt and at the end of that time, amazing peace and assurance that my heart was heard and received. Then, there are times when prayer is the most frustrating and perplexing thing imaginable!


I think we all have stories when we wanted something and we prayed and prayed and God came in like a knight in shining armor and rescued us. We send out emails, share with our friends, we blog about those times. They are amazing times that I hope we have all experienced.


And then there is this darker side to prayer that we don't talk about that much, at least not that often. I have shared these times with friends over coffee or dinner, but never testimonies to a crowd. For instance, there are times when I lay myself out there to God and I just know it's got to go the way I am praying...it has to. God is good, and this thing we pray for and want is good and so it should go that way. Surely God wants my child to be healed of this disease, surely God wants me to be married and not stay single my whole life, surely God wants to reconcile our family, surely God wants to bless us with a child, surely God wants this huge bill to be paid by someone else so I don't have to go into debt, surely God wants my family to be saved. Surely! And then it goes silent or the answer God gives is unbelievable perplexing.

This happens. Sometimes when I pray, it feels like no one is listening but me.


This weekend at church, we discussed prayer from the context of Luke 11:1-13. This is the passage where Jesus teaches the disciples to pray. Now, I have heard tons of sermons on this passage and those like it, but the Lord really spoke to me through this one. I was feeling the shortfalls for sure.

The whole message behind the Lord's prayer is that the Lord be magnified. Our prayers are to be theocentric (God centered) instead of, in my case, jenocentric!! I would say, this is a fair phrase worthy to be coined. Considering how well I know my prayer life. "Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come...", Great is your name, let your name and your reknown be glorified and magnified and exaulted and pursued. The cry of our hearts is not for a certain thing, but in that certain thing, God be magnified.


I often forget that God is the center of all things. He is working all things to His glory, unraveling all things to end with His name Glorified. when I pray the "jenocentric" prayers, what I am praying is out of an idolatrous heart. I am praying for things, not for the Lord to be glorfied. Idolotry exists in all of us! When we are pleading for things to be accomplished for us instead of "your will be done" or your name be praised, your name be glorified over my petty desires, it's idolotry.

"Give us each day our daily bread"...this is a prayer to give us everything I need, and ONLY what I need (not want), so that I can see the Lord glorified or hallowed. We do not need anything more lest we wind up with too much and forget God, or we get too little and end up stealing or cheating in order to get what we need. Jesus implores us to pray for just enough to glorify the Lord.


"Forgive us our sins"...to be honest, I struggle with prayer so much because I am constantly fearful that He will just point out more things that suck about me, when I just got over dealing with the last thing that he revealed sucked about me. The Lord is just constantly moving me...He loves me too much to keep me where I am at. So, praise God for that. In this verse, He acknowledges that I don't have to approach Him sinless...He expects us to approach Him in prayer dirty, sinful, lost, sick, and poor in Spirit. He expects it and accepts us that way....Praise GOD!!!


He finishes these verses with some parables that talk about how prayer should look. The first parable emphasises that we need to be persistant in our asking. This is where I fail. This is where my laziness takes over and I leave God to do all the hard work. Ask, then seek, then knock. I've got the asking down and the seeking, but I fail at the knocking persistantly.


So, just to summerize about how I am failing these days (why am I writing this so the world can see?? :) I am constantly praying out of an idolatrous heart, not praying for God's will or for God to be glorified from the things I ask, but praying for my wants. Jenocentric praying if you will. On top of that, I stop at the first "knock". The Lord intends for us to knock and knock and knock some more and then knock even more.


God is a god of His word! Ask, seek, and knock and knock and knock and knock and knock...and it will be given to you. His will, His perfect will, is given. Something far exceeding our expectations or short prayers.

Luke 11:11-13 "If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 "Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"


How much more will our heavenly Father give!!!


God, who is INFINITE in knowledge, will at times, as you plead for something, say "no". It's because He loves us and sees what we cannot see. The real question here is, do we trust Him? Do I trust Him? This is what is uncovered in my prayer life...do I trust that He is the good Father that He has proven to be?

At the end of the day...more than you need your child healed, more than you need your family reconciled, more than you need a husband, more than you need a baby...more than we need those things we pray for we need to know personally, and see the might and power of Christ and His cross.


"The gospel isn't that I would get what I want and He would be enough, but that I would get Jesus and He would be enough and all I want" Matt Chandler.


So, as I sort though these things, I hope that one or a few of you sort through these things as well. I know I am not alone in this struggle. This is big. Sort it out, we can't afford to short God on His glory!

Can I Just Say...

I love this man!!

Ruminations...

Some things I have been learning lately:

• Faith and presumption (reliance on self and outward morality) look so much alike that only crises can expose presumption for what it is. Presumption constantly tries to shift our reliance on Christ's righteousness to our own efforts.
• Therefore, crises become God's means of forcing us to turn away from circumstances, feelings, and our own strength--and to turn toward God.
• Growth in Christ is not rooted in moralistic will power. It is only possible as we are transplanted by faith, through the power of the Spirit, into the soil of grace. (the above three points are given by Rose Marie Miller in her book "From Fear to Freedom")
• When we are faced with trials, we find what the most logical, good (to us), moral, and even what we feel might bring the most glory to God solution is and pray for it to happen. Then when it doesn't happen we get angry, disappointed, frustrated. In the end, we believe God owes us. (adapted from the sermon given yesterday at church)

I know these are just snapshots of whats going on, but I did want you to know whats been going on in my head/heart lately. I know many of you are praying for me/us during all the craziness and sometime soon I will write a blog to share with those of you who have no idea what's going on. It's just been crazy lately, but God is in it with us. He is providing, guiding, speaking, and faithfully encouraging us where we are.

Thanks for all your comments and emails!! I can't wait to share specifically how the Lord has been faithful.

Is the Room Spinning or is it Just Me?

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Um...could you repeat that again. Trust?? Even now, trust? I'm having an awful time with this whole trusting thing. Chris and I have entered a time of serious trial. We are being forced, by God's loving hand, to trust Him. I could make a long list of all the things going on in our lives right now, but just know that there is a lot going on.

I find myself so bound up in this worry and this trial that I feel so incredibly lost in what the Lord is wanting for me to see in it. I'm spinning, spinning, spinning. So dizzy that once the spinning stops I am suppose to see the Lord and what He has for me??? I just can't make Him out right now. Everything I see is blurry and very distorted. I know He is there, but I just can't see Him.

All I have to cling to is the fact that He desires our trust in Him. Not only does He desire it, but He commands it. But the command is followed by a promise that He will make my paths straight. In my dizziness, He will whisper, "Precious Daughter, I am here...Take my hand...Close your eyes and follow me. I know the way." And with His gentle guidence, my paths are made straight.

Proverbs goes on to say "it will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones". Not only will the Lord make my paths straight, He will give me healing so that these times are not a detriment, but make my heart and faith stronger than before this trial. I cling to this, knowing and believing God's merciful promise to me.

Oh Father. as I sit here still spinning from this trial, I know you are near. Thank you for your constant wisdom...your presence that doesn't necessarily stop the spinning, but causes me to reach out for your help. Relying on only you. This reliance isn't as joyful in the process. However, I trust You. I believe You are good and that You do good. I believe that You love me and therefore discipline me. You draw my roots further and further down, breaking hardened earth and pushing back dirt lacking proper nutrients. You beckon me deeper to rich, fertile soil that I may be an oak of righteousness, a planting for the display of Your splendor. Lord, sustain me in the growing, in the stretching, in the groaning, in the spinning. You are good and You do good.

A Day at the Museum

Juliet and I visited the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History today. We had a great time! It's so fun that she is getting to the age where she is so curious and wanting to learn how to do things. It was a super fun day!!

Shopping in the "market"

Time to check out!

Notice a theme? She obviously loves her some corn.



When it comes to horsies, she pays close attention.

She was giving the horse some lovin.


All smiles at the end of the day!!

Craigslist

I LOVE craigslist!!  I have bought a ton of stuff there.  I like to think that I am taking advantage of the ridiculously wealthy for a good cause.  Kind of like Robin Hood.  I steal from the rich (because they have more money than they know what to do with) and my house (the poor) is better for it!! 

A lot of the stuff on there is so underpriced, just because people want to get rid of it.  Because I am in DFW, most of the stuff I find are from really wealthy neighborhoods and the people had their stuff for 4 years and now it is "out of style" and they have to buy the new thing.  Today I am going to pick up an 8x10 rug from pottery barn that was originally $850 and I am getting it for $175!  

Another great thing about Craigslist is the wanted section.  You can find anything here from: Man wanting a silky chicken--female (uh, what?) to Sunday coupons or Cow Skulls--in good condition.  There have also been some opportunities for ministry on here that I have noticed lately.  Someone posted about an apartment building that burned down and everyone in it lost everything but what they had on them.  The post was asking for clothes, baby items, donations of any kind to help them out.  Most of the time the people will come pick up your donations/thing needed, so you don't even have to do anything.  Seriously, its way too easy.  Just take a look and see if you can help someone today.

Have I mentioned that I love Craigslist? 

So funny!

This is a stinkin hillarious video. You'll have to pause my music, but please watch it...it will seriously make you laugh!! Plus his Naughty By Nature shirt is the best!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYF3qQrCRpk

P.S. I have no idea how to put the actual video from youtube on here. Can anyone teach me?

Music

I went back and forth about adding a playlist. I love my music, but I have to admit some slight annoyance when I come to a blogsite while listening to my itunes page and am met with chaotic multitude of tunes overwhelming me to my core. I know it's a very simple solution, either pause my music (hmmm) or pause the blogger's music (yesh). So...after this happening to me dozens of times, I was left with what to do. Do I add a playlist anyway and ignore the lessons I have learned from my blogging experiences or do I selfishly add music to my page?

Answer: evident.

Call me selfish...

It's the little things

*read the small print. Chris found this in Albertson's. Only in Texas....sooo funny.

A Legacy Begins

With a very tender heart I am not sure how to write this next sentence. The Lord welcomed home my Grandma this evening. Today at about 5:30pm, she left her suffering body to receive completeness in Christ with each of her daughters by her side.

She is healed, she is free, she is home.

Many family members from all over the country are hearing the news and making their way to say goodbye. Please pray for all of us as we spend the next several days together to pray, cry, remember, and say goodbye.

I am honored to have known her. She will continue to live in my life in so many ways. I know that her legacy will be carried through generations.

I love you, Grandma. I'll see you soon.

Suffering

I wake up this morning with a need for prayer. Our Father is calling my grandmother home. She has been in the hospital for a few days now and the doctors say there isn't much time left. In these last moments will you pray for the Lord to be near to her. The Lord would be very present as she navigates these last few hours/days on earth. Pray she would be without pain, without worry...that she would be filled with joy at the coming time with her Creator. Please pray with me this morning.

How gracious is the Father that He would let us experience such loss.

This might offend some. I'm sure many will not agree. It is not by my own might or strength that I can utter such a phrase, but rather, His spirit within me. I cannot pick up the scriptures without facing God's mercy through His allowance of suffering. The apostles did not escape it. We, as those in the "last days", are guaranteed it. By His grace, it fosters within us steadfastness (James 1), genuineness of faith (1 Peter 1) and power (2 Corinthians 12). It also reminds us that there must be more than this (2 Corinthians 4 & 5).

Yes, there is mercy and grace in life going on...but there is also mercy and grace in life stopping for a bit. In a woman going home to the Lord after 88 years of life. In a woman losing her twentysomething husband after 3 years of marriage. In a woman losing her 2-and-a-half hour-old daughter.

This has been a gift. A bittersweet reminder of true reality: this is not our home. We were not made for this. There must be more than this.

The Lord is near

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men.  The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I am near...rest in Me today!

Saying Goodbye to a Friend...

This was such sad news to me today. If anyone knew Stanley, you knew that he was the sweetest dog. I was with Julie when she chose Stanley, or when Stanley chose her really. He was a very fun puppy and the most loyal of dogs. Julie could just whisper his name, literally, and he would come running. I'm sure his whole family is hurting today, including his best dog friend Henry.

We'll miss you Stanley!!

This is the Life!

Last night we were able to spend some time on Eagle Mountain Lake here in Ft. Worth. A wonderful family offered to take us around on their boat. It was a great time and a wonderful weeknight getaway!!

Thanks to the Sanders Family and Evonne for including us in this fun day!

I'm baaaaaack!!

First off, let me apologize for my brief disappearence. I had some issues with my blogging that, in a moment of hormones and frustration (same thing), caused me to just cancel my blog. I never thought anyone would ever notice, but I had a few people call and wonder what happend. So for the two of you that are reading my blog....I'm back.

I can't make any promises that in a fit of increased estrogen I just cancel my blog again, but hopefully this reappearence gives you hope that I may actually come back!!

Talk with you again soon!