Friday, June 19, 2009

our hope endures

You would think only so much can go wrong
Calamity only strikes once
And you assume that this one has suffered her share
Life will be kinder from here

Sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night
When will it clear
But our hope endures
the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our hope is unchanged

How do we comprehend peace within pain
Our joy at a good man's wake
Walk a mile with a woman whose body is torn
With illness but she marches on

Sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night
When will it clear
But our hope endures
the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our hope is unchanged
Emanuel, God is with us
El Shaddai, all sufficient

We never walk alone
This is our hope
Our hope endures, the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
let the earth quake
Our hope is unchanged

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Gods love

I dont even know where to begin. First of all, i feel so lucky and so blessed to be loved by the God of the nations. the God who put earth in to place, who created the beautiful sunsets and the wonderous snow storms. the God who put the power into the waves of the oceans, and the calm into the cool spring breezes. the God who alligned the stars and knows exactly how many are in the vastness of space. the God who commands the storms and the God who orchestrates the very lives that we live. the God who presents us with the greatest gift of all. salvation. and the forgivness of sins through the blood shed on the cross by his One and only son. the Son who experienced the weight of all human depravity and sin in that moment on Calvary and took the punsishment of our filthy hearts. the God who knows us each by name and knows us better than we know ourselves.
i love how Psalm 139 says it"
1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
5 You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, [a] you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!"

God knows each and everyone of us and loves each of us the same. He has time for all of our petty worries, our cries, our petitions. We are important to him, not because He needs us, for He is God and He is Holy, He is Glory, He is I AM, yet he takes time to love us and know us. What an amazing love that is!!! I want to know it more and more everyday. i want to take time and cultivate my love with my Savior. I want to forget about my own desires, my own wants, i want to forget about mine mine mine. and give it all to Him. I want HIM to be first and foremost in my life. to be my one desire. I want my heart to be a place that is welcoming to Him, not a place full of the filth of this world. but a place that is pure and worthy of our King. I will never attain any of that to its fullest, because i am fallen. we are all fallen. but with his help we can grow each day. we can become more and more like Him. We are called to be imitators of Christ. Ephesians 5:1,2 "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." ...what a high calling. I want to live a life of love. I want people to see Jesus in me. I want to live in the power He has sent us out with. The power that raised Jesus from the dead on the 3rd day. The power that healed the blind, the paralyzed, the broken hearts...the power that walked on water, that fed the 5000. I dont want to be lazy and live a wasted life.

I long for the day when i will be made complete in Him. the day when i meet him face to face. my Jesus. who holds my heart.

I love the song by Mercy Me ~ Finally Home
" I'm gonna wrap my arms around my daddy's neck and tell him that I've missed him.
and tell him all about the man that i became and hope that it pleased him. there's so much i want to say. there's so much i want you to know
When i finally make it home. when i finally make it home.
Then I'll gaze upon the throne of the King frozen in my steps
and all the questions that i swore i would ask, words just won't come yet.
so amazed at what I've seen, so much more than this old mind can hold.
And the sweetest sound my ears have yet to hear voices on angels."

When we have finished the fight here. when we have told all we know of His undying, forever faithful love, when He sees fit to bring us home. that is when we will truly know God's love. when we are with Him. complete. made whole. until then I want to learn more of this love. and in this unperfect world i want other to know Gods perfect love. I pray He would use me in this.

Monday, March 23, 2009

sunshine and suntans.

well lets just say welcome to spring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love it
and welcome to allergies!!!!!!!!!! boo, i do NOT love it.
got to figure something out bc with this nice weather i am planning on being outside ALL the time. at least anytime i am not at work.

the sun is out, there is a refreshing breeze, flowers are starting to bloom.

its time for reading at the pool, biking at umstead, pick up soccer, laying out, etc, etc.
oh and i will be at the beach majority of my open weekends. (thats my goal anyway)

im so thankful that we have seasons here in NC. however i wouldnt mind less freezing cold days and less humidity:) humidity and i are NOT friends. i think i would be an angry person without air conditioners. G, you saw me the 1st day in St John(i got over it, that place is AMAZING, i would go back tomorrow). BUt if bathing suits and tank tops were appropriate attire, then i would be at complete peace with humidity:)

this spring/summer i have goals:
1. get my bike fixed up so i can start cycling outside. cycling is my new hobby, but ive only taken classes indoors. i think umdstead would be great to check out
2. spend time at parks (umstead, fletcher park) playing soccer, throwing the football, biking, hiking, playing ultimate frisbee, etc. i love the outdoors and i love being active.
3. get to the beach A LOT!
4. eat delicious seafood each time i make it to the beach. love me some scallops or shrimp and grits:)
5. drink sweet tea with some great music on and windows down in my car.
6. GET A TAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love tans, they make me happy. i really want a flip flop tan, those are the best.
7. play on the playground at topsail, for tradition (G remember the cactus.AH)
8. PRACTICE SURFING . i can get up on a short board, but not a long board. i think its too heavy for me to get going and catch the wave.
9. get over my fear of jellyfish. thanks to that one back in highschool, i am terribly afraid.
10. walk to the pier and back at topsail.
11. spend a couple days in downtown wilmington shopping and eating, what a great combo
12. IGA. i will be there a lot.
13. hit up the dairy queen at topsail. thank goodness for blizzards. delish. chocolate with resees cups
14.i really want to go to the dockside in calabash again and get the amazing grouper special.
15. why do so many of these involve food?! :)
16. make an awesome mix cd for the summer, ya know some chill acoustic stuff...
17. go to all the amazing country concerts: Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, Sugarland
18. myrtle beach road trip with alicia.while there go to a good concert at house of blues.
19. wear my quicksilver surf shirt, yes that is where my nickname Blue Crush came from, man i have a long ways to go to live up to that standard!
20. wear sunscreen. sorry folks, this is a new concept to me. i just started some last year. but i want to take care of my skin...prevent cancer for as long as possible. yikes!
21. i would really like to find a fun new beach towel. preferably the HUGE kind. like for two people, no, there is no one to lay on it. dont worry you would know about it. :) haha. but i like to spread out. ya know, gotta have room for the ipod, my huge water bottle, my book, tanning oil, i mean sunscreen;)
22. go to charelston, again. love it!
23.tubing on the lake
24. or just get to ride around in a boat. that could be my home.
25. learn how to shag. maybe even salsa dance:)
26. this is a good place to stop.
27. im open to suggestions

love yall and love sunny warm weather
happy monday:)

Thursday, February 26, 2009

This just about sums it up...

I need clarity and truth to be
And peace to make me whole
I want freedom to come and hate to be done
And love to guide my soul
I want love, yeah, I want love

Standing on the battle line
I fight for my mind aching to be free
This war that I face as I long to embrace
And be with my King

And this fire in my soul, desire to be whole
Is deep within my bones
And I long to be near as I cast away my fear
Running for your throne

I need clarity and truth to be
And peace to make me whole
I want freedom to come and hate to be done
And love to guide my soul

Yeah, I want love, I want loveI want love, I want love
Yeah, I wantI want
I want clarity and truth to be
And peace to make me whole
I want freedom to come and hate to be done
And love to guide my soul
Yeah, I want love, yeah, I want love
Yeah, I want love, yeah, I want love
Yeah, I want love, yeah, I want love
Yeah, I want love, yeah, I want love

I want
I don't know
I don't know

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Hot Tea

is a new favorite drink of mine. i am just beginning to enjoy it:)


today is rainnnnnnnnyyyyyyyyyyy. i am sure that we need it. its one of those rainy days where you could stay in bed all afternoon and read, nap, read, nap, eat, read, nap, watch dvr, journal, journal, journal....



ya know, one of those...

however, that is not reality and one must go to work.





so in order to get myself going, and warm, i am currently drinking English Breakfast Black Tea.


English Breakfast tea is a black tea blend usually described as full-bodied, robust, and/or rich, and blended to go well with milk and sugar, in a style traditionally associated with a hearty English breakfast. It is the most common style of tea in Britain.
The black teas included in the blend vary, with Assam, Ceylon and Kenyan teas predominating, and Keemun included in more expensive blends. Common brands of English Breakfast tea (which do not always include the term itself in the branding) include Ty·phoo, PG Tips, Twinings, Tetley, Taylors of Harrogate, and Dilmah, as well as many own brands.


another one of my favorites is Earl Grey Tea
Earl Grey tea is a tea blend with a distinctive flavour and aroma derived from the addition of oil extracted from the rind of the bergamot orange, a fragrant citrus fruit.


i will have to say that i like this better than the breakfast tea. it is less bitter and has a tiny bit of sweet to it. i guess that is the hint of bergamont orange found in this tea.

well i will keep you posted on new favorite flavors. i want to try lady grey next.

stay dry!!

Friday, February 06, 2009

Twinkies

are not my favorite food. and i really dont like them ...at all!

but who would have thought there were so many recipes for desserts using twinkies?!?

only in America huh?

take a look at all of these (I find it quite amusing and a lil bit nauseating):

Chocolate Twinkie Smasher-Items Needed:
3 Hostess Twinkies
6 scoops of chocolate ice cream
6 chocolate cookies
DIRECTIONS: First, you must smash the Twinkies and chocolate cookies in a bowl. Next, scoop the ice cream into the bowl. Then, mix it all together. Voila!! The best thing about this recipe is that it is fun for kids or adults to make!!


Layered Twinkie Delight -Items Needed:
Hostess Twinkie
Scoop of ice cream
Carmel topping
Chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS: Cut Twinkie in half (lengthwise) to create bottom layer. Add a scoop of ice cream. Smother with caramel topping. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Repeat steps 1-4. Top with a dollop of whipped topping. (Oh, and don't forget the cherry)




No really, there are more than 2..this is just a taste of all you can creat with twinkies..

for more go to...

http://www.hostesscakes.com/recipe_list.htm

ya'll can thank me later for this post;)