Hold You Up Shane Harper~ Cover by Graycie Eason (My friends daughter)

My Independence

There is something just awesome and perfect about sitting under an oak tree watching the sun go down on a large pond waiting for the fireworks to start!



This was our view yesterday evening. Celebrating the 4th of July, America's Independence Day with some friends in our little town. We saw an amazing fireworks show and the kids ran and played. Even the mosquitoes weren't too bad for a change. It did make me think though. I love my country, even when I'm aggravated at it.

However, my personal independence does not come from my country. It doesn't come from my husband or my children. My personal independence comes from only God above. He gave me my life back, gave me light again to shine in this world that is so dark at times we cannot recognize each other. If I don't appreciate that independence first then what am I showing him, other than ingratitude. I want to show him and tell him every day how thankful I am and how much more I want to be like his own son that gave it all for us those many years ago.

This year, starting on July 5th, I am going to try my very hardest to show God every day how thankful I am for not only the life he has given me, but for the light that he brought into my life when I gave my soul over to him!

Choice for us not God

Why are we not appreciative every single day, simply because he chose us?

Who else has let themselves be beaten, mocked and finally killed for me? No one. Not one single living person. Nor even the love that my husband professes for me can top the love of God for his people.

Our choice is to love God with every single fiber of our being and always wanting to be more like Jesus for him.

The steps can be scary but knowing that He who created all is guarding me-believing that He who shaped the world and all our very beings-can keep that fear at bay, because He is always with us.

He will never forsake me.
He will never forget me.
He will never ignore me.
He will always love me.

Not studying

So lately, I've been full of excuses as to why I'm not studying the Word like I should be. I can't really say which is the real truth, some of it is due to timing and kids and being busy and well, sleeping too late in the mornings. I don't like admitting it at all! But, I know that I'm doing wrong and showing the kids wrong as well.

How to fix this, that is the big question for me?
I can think of several ways, and then I can think of how I have failed at all of those ways before. That just leaves me feeling bad and like I'm letting God down by not trying to learn through his Word that he gave us.

We are loved

Was listening to songs tonight, and this one played. Now I haven't really listened to the words yet since I only downloaded it a few weeks ago. But this just hit me perfectly. We all need reminding at times that
We are loved
We have purpose
We were created-not an accident

God did not put a single one of us without some purpose in mind for our lives. There is something that we are supposed to do or be, someone we are supposed to meet or help, that something that we were created for, and the credit all belongs to him. He equipped us with all the necessary gifts inside and gave us His Word as our guide to follow through this journey of life. Sometimes, letting go and realizing that we are missing the 'live like Christ' part and following through with a repentance and plan to get that part back into our life is the best thing that we can do.

Philippians 1:21, KJV... so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

 21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Galatians 3:27, KJV...

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Check out this song and let me know how it affects you. 

The Sound

I can't think of why I did not post this yesterday. But huge happy Mommy moment....

Nothing at all yesterday beat the sound of Lili belting out Building 429's "Where I Belong"  no music just her.

This one for anyone unfamiliar with the song. When we were at The Way Fest put on by Christ Out Loud we got to see Building 429 and it was an awesome and touching performance. I felt blessed just to be there and to see Lili get so into the music was wonderful!

I have several other favorites right now, but you'll have to come back soon to see who they are and which songs they are. I might even get Lili to post her favorite 5 up :-)

Last night

I had a dream, I was talking with my Granny. Now, this is the one person who was never supposed to leave me. Yet back in 2008 she did My Granny (Wyoline Zipperer)
 She's in heaven with Jesus now watching over all of us, I know she is. 

Anyways, the dream. We were talking about my decision to join the church of Christ and me being baptized back in December and sharing the watery grave with Christ and trying to live my life in a manner that is pleasing and ever increasing to showing Christ through me. I'm not even sure what we all said but I know I told her that it was the strangest thing to me, the first Sunday I went, I went to an evening service. And, after leaving that night having met a few people, I just knew I was Home. I had found my new church and church family. But I ended up telling her that while it wasn't Methodist, we were all following the Bible and living a Christ filled life and that I was teaching the kids that. Then she gave me a hug, told me 'well that's ok then' and left me again. 

I woke up in that strange place of happy and sad, happy to have her approval because that has always meant so much to me and sad that she left me again. I know that since starting at Dasher church of Christ, I have learned so much and Lili has too and even Jack is starting to. I mean no disrespect to the people at Clyattivlle Methodist, that is where I grew up and when I started going back to Christ that is where I went, but it just didn't feel right anymore. I know there are a few who are disappointed in me, but I have to do what I feel is right for my family, not just follow along with everyone else. Those are the people that have known me since I was born, and I do miss seeing them, but I feel like God led me to Dasher and the family there and I am so thankful that he did. I'm loving my church and loving my Christ! 

 

Saturday...

I've been working on a Bible Home Study that my church does, it's about really getting to know your Bible and Christ. So far, it's been really good, starts with some history and then I just started a section on the Sermon on the Mount the other night. Left me with a few questions that I'll add later on.

Lots been going on in life itself, so haven't been able to post as much as I would like. We've got 3 grown hens, 1 rooster (just got) and 2 chicks that we bought that are 3 weeks old.

Last night we found this...

outside the front porch, Maggie was trying her best to get them. There were actually 2 but I could only get one picture.
Lili had dance pictures this week:

And Jack got his haircut by his daddy...

Mommy is tired, but today Lili and I are going to The Way Fest ( www.Christoutloud.com)!!!! Going to hear 1 Girl Nation, Sidewalk Prophets, Building 429 and others!!!! And we get to meet them! We are so excited!!!!

I love that my girl loves music that is good for her heart and soul and that I don't have to worry about her learning something bad from listening to them.  <3

Morning

Good morning world! Looks like it's going to be a beautiful day out there in south Georgia. Right now it's 54 degrees outside and supposed to top out at 80. The chicks are all up and moving and I bet they'd be excited if they knew what was in store today...first trip out in the yard. All that dirt and grass to get into!

Got up and read Matthew chapter 6 this morning. I'm working on the New Testament and just started last night. Worry - that's one of my big weaknesses. But I'm trying to turn it all over to our Father and trust in him to provide. He will care for us better than any earthly father ever could!

New Pages

There are several new pages that I added today.... One for my girl and I and maybe for others to share for our shooting hobby, one for the rough draft of my testimony book, and one for the devo/poem book that I am working on as well and one for our life in Georgia. 

Surprisingly, the poem/devo book has the most entries so far at 24 pages long :-D Can we tell which one I'd rather be working on?

I'm trying to keep working with adding new stuff and keeping updated but no promises on any of it.

I know

I talk a lot about myself, and no it's not because I'm my biggest fan. I think I just have to get stuff out, otherwise it feels like its clogging me up and dragging me down. I've gone through a lot of things in my life and turns that could have been much worse. There are so many times that God has saved me that I know he must have plans for my life, so many people I know that had worse times than I did. Nothing I ever write is meant to take away from their pain and struggles in life, simply to express my own and possibly, maybe, help someone else before they get caught into the cycle that can be created so easily.

This is a verse my daughter memorized last year and I keep thinking about this so much....
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

When we let God in, we are loved and can love in return. When God is in control of our lives, we CAN wake up each day and smile about something. It has taken me time to get there, but I know that He controls all of my life and will let me lean upon him when I am starting to get that fear or panicky feeling. He can calm my worries after I bring them to him in prayer, and remind me that He is taking care of us all. There is so much that He can do and I'm still learning about it all and feeling amazed that He chose me.

Eggs

1 egg yesterday. 4-10-14
3 eggs today. 4-11-14
1 egg today. 4-12-14

Really want to get some more hens and a rooster!

4-2014

A lily on the ground
Petals moving so slightly in the spring breeze.

Broken from its stem, separated from the others,
Helpless in the wind.

No water to soak up, no others to help protect and
Lean upon, it's life is looking grim.

A short life, it's beauty will fade, it's purpose disappear.

Small hands carefully reach down to cradle the bloom.
A dish of water becomes it's new home.

Given love and protection, it's purpose becomes complete.
Many admire, few touch.

Life slowly fades, colors dim beauty floats away, leaving only happy me memories of the joy the lily brought for its time.

4-2-14

Thank you

God,

Thank you for all the times when you were there and I didn't even realize it and you rescued me. You  saved me from sin of my own doing so many times I ought to spend my whole life simply thanking you. Instead I want to thank you and praise you and try to live my life more the way you would have me live. Not just a blueprint of guidelines, but actual doings in my life

Goals 2014

Move into our own house ASAP

New year

There is always something refreshing about a new year. This one, we spent the day quietly. Which has some family mad at us, but it was nice just me and hubby and the kids hanging out all day. Then the kids and I went to church tonight. I've been thinking all day about what my goals for this year are going to be and I'm still not sure. I was thinking of doing one thing a month to work on, that way I would have plenty of time to adjust.

I'm still doing my bible study and it's going well, ok now there are kids screaming so I'm done....
G'night.