Some Pictures

DH was asking to see the kiddos. These pictures were taken 5 days ago or so. I finally got a USB connector for my camera.

In Other Words #2

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.
~ Albert Einstein~

On my site, I am currently playing the song, Held, by Natalie Grant. This song was written by Christa Wells. Christa had some close friends of hers go through some tragic times within months of each other. One close friend of hers, had a baby. He had been diagnosed with a heart defect at birth, but had been treated and was growing well. They awoke one morning to discover that he had passed on. Another friend of hers lost her husband and father of her children to cancer. Christa sat down and penned lyrics to a song that is such a testimony to how God will get us through hard times. He will hold us. That leads me to my thought about this week's quote.

I feel that in every difficult situation we face no matter how big or small, we have an incredible opportunity to create our testimony. What a blessing we have as believers to be able to minister to others who are hurting and going through tough times. And what an even more amazing blessing, to be able to use examples from our own lives and our own walks with God to show these people that yes, God does help. He does heal. He does turn every situation into one that can glorify Him.

The song that Christa Wells wrote has been a blessing to many who have been struggling.

I also think that along with creating a testimony out of hard times, difficult situations also give us the opportunity to practice faith. We must always have that faith in God. Always! Have that faith that He is there, that He will help us. He will never forsake us. How easy it is for us to just get stuck in our own pity party, to give up, to allow difficult times to knock us down and destroy our faith. That is why we need to stand strong and keep our eyes fixed on God.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, beacause you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. . . . Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." James 1:2-4, 12

Lyrics To Held
Two months is too little
They let him go
They had no sudden healing
To think that providence would
Take a child from his mother while she prays
Is appalling

Who told us we'd be rescued?
What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?
We're asking why this happens
To us who have died to live?
It's unfair

Chorus:
This is what it means to be held
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we’d be held

This hand is bitterness
We want to taste it, let the hatred NUMB our sorrow
The wise hands opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow

(Chorus) ...
This is what it means to be held
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we'd be held

Bridge:
If hope is born of suffering
If this is only the beginning
Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?

(Chorus)
This is what it means to be held
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we'd be held

We were pooped

Melody Memory

Okay, so on my dad's computer, I found an MP3 of a song that I recorded with one of my voice teacher's other students six or so years ago. He was a songwriter. He wrote the song and did the guitar part in the middle. I went to his house one afternoon, learned the song and recorded it. He then mixed it a bit. It isn't the best song by any means. I am picky and I don't like the background vocals and there are some low notes that I think sound horrid. But it was still fun to listen to it. So, I placed it on here in case you are bored and felt like listening. My favorite part is the key change near the end of the song. Other than that, it's just okay. But any ol' way. Enjoy!


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Rough Waters

A friend of mine wrote a post called Help Sent on her Blog that got me thinking. So in relation to her post, here is my little story.

I remember when DH and I were moving from our apartment in Glendale into our house in Surprise. I had a beta fish. I took him from his usual home and placed him in a glass bowl. He sat on my lap during our car ride. I watched from above as the fish basically freaked out. The car was moving and when we'd go over bumps and what not, he'd swim all over the bowl frantically. Who knows what he was thinking. Are fish even capable of thought? LOL. Anyway, it made me think that we are a lot like that fish. When we face rough times..when the water is rising around us, we get scared. The whole time I looked down at the fish and told him that it was okay. I knew the outcome. I knew that soon we'd be at our new house and he'd be placed on a counter top where waters would be still. Peace was coming for the little fish.

And in the same manner, God looks down into "our fishbowls" and He too is letting us know that it will be okay. He too knows the final outcome before we ever do. So, while we are frantically swimming around in our bowls, if we'd just calm down and be at peace, eventually we would see what God sees.

Friday's Feast

Here's today's Feast

Appetizer
Name an actor or actress you think is totally underappreciated.
-I can't think of any, to be honest. I tried...but I couldn't come up with any. I know they are out there, but..well...I guess I don't pay enough attention.

Soup
Impress us by using a big word in a sentence.

The teacher thought it would be helpful for her students to learn a big word every week.

;o) Did I cheat? I mean, I did do what you asked.

Salad
What is something inanimate that you've given a name to (such as a pet rock)?
In 7th grade, the sink in my house made a squeaking noise all of the time. My best friend, Kate and I insisted there was a mouse living in it. Although of course there wasn't. Anyway...we named him Cornelius and we would put cheese down the sink for him to eat. Yes, we were dorks!

Main Course
What color would best represent your personality and why?

Yellow- Sunny, bright, hopeful

Dessert
Fill in the blanks: ____________ is so ____________.

The Georgia Mud Fudge Brownie Blizzard from Dairy Queen is sooooooo....simply delightful

In Other Words

Christian Women Online began a new Meme for Tuesdays called, In Other Words. They provide a quote and then we can write whatever we would like about it. I decided to start participating today.

The quote today is:
"There are two kinds of people:
those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,'
and those to whom God says,
'All right, then, have it your way."
~ C.S. Lewis ~

Alright, so here goes:

My two and a half year old has begun to dabble in independence. She wants to do everything on her own. She looks at me very matter-of-factly and says, "I do it!" She can be stubborn. Even when I see her struggling and I ask if I can just help, she still insists to do it. This time saying with a more angry tone, "I DO it." There are some times, when I know she won't be able to achieve the task at hand, it's either too hard or she just really isn't big enough yet to do it on her own. So I sit back and wait for her to finally say those three little words, "Mommy, help me." And then with a smile and gentleness, I do. But I have her help me as well. We accomplish it together.

I think with God, I am his toddler, really and truly. I think we all are. We are impatient with him, we have tantrums. We receive and receive, but don't give as much as we should. And we too struggle with independence. When my daughter struggles with a challenge so big for her, yet so tiny and easy for me, I think, Punkin..let me help. I know how. I know what I'm doing. Hmmm, can you hear God saying those same words to us? I know he must think them about me many times. He is so much bigger than even my biggest task. He sees more than I could ever imagine. But if I insist to do it on my own, He'll let me. And He will just sit back patiently waiting for those three words, "God, help me."