Monday, May 31, 2010

I Want to be Grateful

I want to be grateful. But I'm not very good at it. I forget. Go through the motions. Think I'm entitled. What a misconception, huh? Heaven must laugh some days at my immaturity. Or maybe it's Below that laughs while Heaven cheers me to keep going deeper, keep running farther? I don't know. I'm just glad Jesus is patient with me and that I'm not a number. He knows my NAME! Wow . . . that in itself is something to be so thankful for!

551. Bursting, pink peonies

552. Flowers covering church graveyard. Just knowing that people do still care.

553. Learning that I'm valedictorian. Special gift. I hope He's glorified.

554. Putting colored frosting on cupcakes.

555. Standing under the security light, spotlighted under dark.

556. Sweet two year old's dimpled grin and laugh.

557. Her taking time to talk to us.

558. A friend's pregnancy. An answer to prayer.

559. Finishing walk-a-thon . . . my last high school fundraiser. Done.

560. My last off-campus lunch with friends. Bitter & Sweet.

561. The fellow at the gas station cleaned my windshield! :) First time ever. :)

562. Chinese child's willingness to help. And talk.

563. Photographs of the Heavens. What a magnificent Creator.

564. Fresh corn on the cob that we'll have for lunch today! :)

565. Learning about new Christian artists, musicians, authors.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Thanks Giving

541. Finishing a project

542. Sweet smell of lilac

543. Playing violin while sister plays piano

544. Umbrellas in the downpour

545. The prayer meeting women's kindness

546. Having enough ribbon to cover donation jars. God is GOOD.

547. Coming up with enough change to make the $5 I needed. Another God is Good!!! ;)

548. The revelations on hunger and reminder to chew His Word. Slowly.

549. His comment . . . sometimes, it just feels good to hear your own name.

550. Only 8 more days left of school for SENIORS!!!! :) YES!!!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Quotin' Day

Those kind of dreams [like dreams kids have of working at Chuck E. Cheese or even adult dreams] start in our hearts and then we ask God to bless them. They're about us. God-sized dreams are ultimately about Him.

-Holley from: http://blog.dayspring.com


Everywhere among conservatives we find persons who are Bible-taught but not Spirit-taught... If a man holds to the fundamentals of the Christian faith he is thought to possess divine truth. But it does not follow. There is no truth apart from the Spirit.

- A. W. Tozer - Quoted recently by Ann Voskamp


"I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1

I reset myself. Blessing Him is first. Not my list of pleading, not my list of need. Not my list of want. But making mention. Saying the name of the Lord over and over if that's all I can get out at first.


- Arianne typed this out in an article at (In)Courage

Monday, May 17, 2010

At 540 & Counting

In The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, Screwtape, a demon, writes to his nephew, a beginner tempter, that God is a hedonist. He is a God of pleasure. Interesting concept. I think that you could go way too far with that, but I do believe that God has created good things that we can enjoy, true pleasures. Things we can be truly grateful for.

531. Thunderstorm

532. Catching "Hurricane" by Jimmy Needham on radio.

533. Sectioned grapefruit for Sunday breakfast

534. Blowing dandelions

535. Sneaking up on youth group boys (fail.) ;)

536. Hearing exciting news from prayer sister :)

537. That she trusted me enough to share.

538. The church wrapping arms around the one who had fallen. Forgiveness, healing.

539. "The wrath of God was satisfied." (Line from song "In Christ Alone") I'm learning about God's wrath on sin, His absolute hatred towards it, as seen in part through Ezekiel. How significant His grace.

540. The awesomeness of Ezekiel's visions. His glimpses into a Spiritual world that are very, very, very real.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

The Power of Saying No

Today, I said "no" to something I was struggling with. It's amazing how much more in control one can feel if you start taking charge instead of letting something (notice, I didn't say someone :) take charge over you.

Lately, I've been really battling with what I diagnose as compulsive eating. I'm sick of it. You know, it's funny how people label the depths of sins, when really, God truly hates them all. Some sins might have different outcomes, but sin is in part the definition of what Jehovah God hates. And I carry my own little pack of 'em. My own little pack of things I don't submit to His Lordship, things like my computer time, my devotional time, how I act when I should wait, what I say when I should be silent, and yes, what and how much I stuff into my mouth. You know? It's embarrassing, and someday maybe I'll tell you a little more on this topic, but it's not a fun one, nor is it a so-called "normal" sin. You won't find overeating tagged onto the top 5 sins on Google, I'm sure. :)

Anyway, so today I decided I'd have no sweets/desserts. I almost caved once. [Shame . . . grace]. And you know what? It felt so good not to just eat and eat and eat. Hallelujah! But that doesn't mean I've completely submitted. I've got so much submitting to do. I'm not exactly even sure what that looks like in the eating field, but I know it applies. I think it starts with a renewed mind. That's my prayer. If Jesus can change my mind (I believe He can), He can change me.

Have you said "no" today?

Monday, May 10, 2010

Counting

This is a small list today, but my gifts have far outweighed this counting. Jesus is so good to me. Even though I haven't been seeking Him like I should be lately. Even when I'm faithless. I've got a lot of growing to do, but on the way, Thanks . . .

521. Spring rain

523. Field trip to courthouse . . . being able to witness an institution that I believe God set in play a few thousand years ago.

524. A friend allowing me to borrow a dress for formal . . . what a gift and relief! Wasn't sure what I was going to do!

525. The secret handshake Chinese friend and I do. :)

526. Poem from American friend :)

527. Chapel speaker who spoke on living hope

528. Hanging out with girls during formal and

529. Our after party . . . good food, fun movie, and Apples to Apples . . . Yes! :)

530. The corsage given to me by friend . . . completely unexpected.

Monday, May 3, 2010

So Good

"God is so good, He's so good to me!" How has He revealed His goodness to you this week?

511. Short hair

512. Sister's moment . . . sharing joy.

513. Delayed tests

514. Dark chains falling

515. Being able to really sing in church again

516. Answer to prayer about a lady at church

517. Being able to work with others to clean my church

518. One month exactly until senior trip and NO MORE SCHOOL! Um, YESSSS! :)

519. Sharing milkshakes in Arbys with my family

520. Sermon on Sunday, about Nehemiah . . . choose your battles, know who your enemy is, know the vision, pray and keep watch, find your source in Almighty God. good. stuff.

Happy day! :)