A Mile In My Flip-Flops

...Because He first loved us.

2011-03-03T01:30:00.001-06:00

Revolution

2010-09-29T03:25:00.003-05:00

Recently something came to me...something that I believe with my whole heart was a very much-needed insight from the Lord.

According to what He showed me, I've decided to revolutionize my whole concept of blogging. No, I'm not dillusionally thinking that it's an original concept...far from it! But the Lord has been showing me SO much lately, and He's in the process of bringing me through what I believe has been the deepest, darkest, most emotional time of my entire life. At least, the deepest, darkest emotional time I've ever been in touch with.

When traumatic things happen in a person's life, it is so incredibly easy to just stuff it all down inside and not let yourself be in touch with the reality of what has been done to you. I lived that way for most of my life...and I'm ready to be done with it!
By God's grace, I'm making a total U-turn in every sense of the word -- and in every area.
I've been chugging down the road of denial and pretense...numbness, really...and only recently have I been making the choice to turn wholeheartedly from that way of living, and run breathlessly for Truth and Light.
I've made a lot of stupid mistakes in my life...I've made horrible choices. And so has everybody else.

The sad thing is, the ripple effect of everybody's horrible choices reaches farther than they'd ever know, -- believe me when I say this: I've been bowled over by some pretty big ripples myself.
I know I've sent out some damaging ripples, too. I'm terribly grieved by that...and while I know, inevitably, I will make more bad choices along the journey, now I'm turning to the Lord for help to overcome the enormous pressure all the bad choices puts on me every day. And He is holding me up with His strength.
The awesome part is this -- the more good choices that are made, the easier it becomes to choose the good! How's that for a deal?! :) The Lord's ways are so incredible!

At any rate...back to my original point: I've decided to revolutionize my whole concept of blogging.

Truth and reality are the ONLY way to go in this life...in every relationship and every dealing...whether we're dealing with ourselves or with others. I've had to learn this lesson the hard way. But finally -- finally -- I'm beginning to learn it. Note that I said beginning..that's the truth! I am just beginning! I'm not very far along...I know for a fact that the Lord has lots of things yet to reveal to me about myself...all the subtle untruths/misleadings I have the tendency to give off without even knowing it. The human mind is SUCH a complicated thing, and it can play the dirtiest tricks on you. Like God says, in Jeremiah 17:9: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"
That tells me that no matter how "far along" we think or believe we are on our spiritual journey -- when it really comes down to it, it doesn't matter a hill of beans. We have to be focused on the Lord, and we have to be completely and totally open to His voice speaking to our hearts and convicting us of sin in our lives...or we are never going to get anywhere.
And I'm absolutely not claiming to be, at this time, completely focused on the Lord, completely and totally open to His voice. He's still got a loooooooot of work to do on me, -- BUT my heart's deepest desire IS to be those things. I believe I've come far in a short period of time. But I know I still got a lot of stuff to see.

I'm really thankful for everything He's doing...even when it hurts. I'm really thankful.

Coz if we never go through the fires of affliction, we are never going to glorify God with our lives in any way. And that's what I want to do, from the depths of my heart. And on top of that, we're going to live some kind of zombie pseudo-life with no real depth of meaning or purpose. And what kind of life is that? None.

So all that to say this: I have a lot of heavy things on my heart, and I feel compelled by the Lord to share them. I'm not going to mince words anymore. I'm not going to pretend anything anymore, -- with as much understanding the Lord gives me in the face of each choice.

And no, I'm not going to be blogging only seriousness either. :)

As those that know me personally can testify: I'm big on silly light-heartedness, humor, entertainment, and just downright fun. But life's not all about that, and that's something I'm coming to realize more and more every day. We don't have that much time left...every day there are hundreds of souls pouring in through the gates of hell like sand through a crack.

And that is no laughing matter.

The Lord's principles say that we are responsible for what we see. Well, there are things that I'm seeing that I can't keep to myself any longer...I hear the Lord's call, and I'm ready to respond to it!

Lord, please be with me on this fresh, new journey I'm about to embark on...I need Your strength.
Coz I don't have any of my own.

To My Readers, However Few Or Many They May Be!

2010-09-28T02:29:00.000-05:00

Dear Readers of my Blog,

I want to be more faithful with my blogging. I don't like the fact that I'm not, and I'm working on remedying that.

For those of you that saw my blog as it was a few weeks ago, yes, I have changed it again.
I've been going through a lot of...how shall I say it...ups and downs lately, and have been dealing with some really stressful issues -- which, in turn, has caused me to be quite unable to settle on a balanced approach at my blogging.
One thing about me is that I feel very strongly about everything I say. If I say it, I mean it. And so I tried an approach to my writing -- a dark, very serious approach, which is how I was feeling at the time. But as I looked at my blog through objective eyes, I realized it was still yet unbalanced. I do have serious things on my heart, but an "overdose" of dark seriousness could -- at best, defeat the purpose. At worst, it could give people who don't yet know the truth of God's Word a really wrong impression.
Our God is a jealous God, and He is full of truth and reality, and doesn't mince His words. But He is also full of Light and Life -- Love and Creativity. He is the epitome of each of His attributes. And I believe that's how He calls us to live our lives out as well.
So yes, life is dark, heavy and serious -- but not every aspect of it.
Light-heartedness is most certainly not a sin. :)
And I've never felt that way...but in thinking further about the appearance of my blog, I decided that it just might come across that way to some people. And so I changed it. Again.
And I may change it even more in times to come. :) Ya'll will just have to bear with me...or do without me!

Life is real; life is earnest; and the grave is not its goal.

But truth is.

Love,
Noelle

A quote that spoke to me tremendously, that I felt led to share...

2010-07-28T00:52:00.000-05:00

"Morality is first an attitude, a way of viewing the self in relationship to the stimuli that assail us. Morality is the right choice in the face of choices that are immediately more fun. Morality is choosing principle and duty above thrill and laziness. Morality is love of truth; it is a pure heart; it is love, grace, mercy, patience, kindness, hard work, wisdom, faith, joy, thankfulness, and serving others. Morality is not the lack of certain acts of debauchery. It is the heart of God practiced in these bodies of flesh." --Michael Pearl

So --

2010-07-15T15:34:00.000-05:00

I don't know what's happened to me.

I used to blog so much...so often...so enthusiastically!

I still want to blog. I think about it quite often...but when I click new post I find myself staring for who knows how long at a blank box. A box with no words. A box with endless possibilities of words...but I just don't know which ones to use.

I am a very communicative person. I want to speak the Truth at all times. And I want to share my heart. I want to open myself up to others, and build relationships.

But then again, I'm also learning to be cautious. Part of this lifelong process of learning is learning how to build relationships -- healthy, blessed relationships that have the potential to last a lifetime. And I'm realizing the way to do that is to not always play all your cards at once.

When a person plays with fire, they get burned. Eventually, they learn that if they keep playing with fire, they keep getting burned. For some, it takes longer to learn this lesson than others. I'm beginning to. Yes, it's taken quite a while. Probably longer than it should have. But what can I say? Sometimes it takes a heck of a lot to get concepts through my thick head.

My heart is scarred.

Everybody's is. Some more than others, some less. I'm know my heart is more whole than a lot of people's. But it's also more damaged than others'. But I'm finally learning to stay away from the flames. At least, the ones that are not mine to be near.

And sometimes I overcompensate, and I don't share enough. Sometimes I still fall into my old patterns and share too much. But I believe, slowly, I'm getting to a point of balance. It's only the Lord's doing -- He gets ALL the credit and the glory. Because if it was just me, I can guarantee I'd do a lot more stupid things than I've already done. Praise the Lord He is faithful, He is true, He is my Shield, and He is my Balm of Gilead. He is LOVE. And I'm thankful beyond measure for that.

So all that to say...yeah, I would love to communicate more here on my little blog. But my heart, my life, my mind, everything in and about me is undergoing major construction right now...and a lot of times, it just leaves me a little bit quiet. I'll be back eventually.

Praise the Lord.

A warm, moonlit evening...

2010-06-14T15:14:00.002-05:00

2010-04-20T13:07:00.002-05:00

Hi Friends,

I'm going out of town for a couple weeks -- obviously, my posting has been scarce as it is, but it's gonna have to remain scarce for (at least) another two weeks. :S
I will try to resume posting when I get back!

Blessings to you all!

~Noelle

:(

2010-04-14T02:37:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

I know how sparse my posting has been lately and I really apologize. I'm trying to get back into the swing of frequent blogging -- but sometimes it's difficult...a lot going on in my life at this time. Winter was busy, and this spring is proving even busier. So I'll try to get back into somewhat regular posting...but for now, please just bear with me and be patient :)

Have a blessed week!

2010-03-20T15:46:00.003-05:00

I have seen the many faces of fear and of pain
I have watched the tears fall plenty from heartache and strain
So if life’s journey has you weary and afraid
There’s rest in the shadow of his wing.

I have walked through the valleys
the mountains and plains
I have held the hand of freedom that washes all my stains
If you feel weight of many trials ad burdens of this world
There’s freedom in the shelter of the Lord.

I have seen the healing hand of God
Reaching out and mending broken hearts
So taste and see the fullness of his peace
And hold on to what’s being held out
The healing hand of God.

I have touched the scars upon his hands to see if they were real
He has walked the road before me; He knows just how I feel
When you feel that there’s not anyone who understands your pain
Just remember all of Jesus’ suffering.

Cast all your cares on Him for he cares for you
He’s near to the broken and confused
By his stripes our spirit is renewed
So enter in the joy prepared for you...

I have seen the healing hand of God
Reaching out and mending broken hearts
So taste and see the fullness of his peace
And hold on to what’s being held out
The healing hand of God.

--Jeremy Camp

Maintain a healthy level of insanity!

2010-01-27T01:39:00.001-06:00

Something to think about in the New Year!

To maintain a healthy level of insanity:

1. At lunch time, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hair dryer at passing cars. See if they slow down.
2. Page yourself over the intercom. Don't disguise your voice.
3. Every time someone asks you to do something, ask if they want fries with that.
4. Put decaf in the coffee maker for 3 weeks. Once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addictions, switch to Espresso.
5. In the Memo field of all your checks, write "For Marijuana".
6. Skip down the hall rather than walk and see how many looks you get.
7. Order a diet water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.
8. Specify that your drive-through order is "to go".
9. Sing along at the opera.
10. Five days in advance, tell your friends you can't attend their party because you have a headache.
11. When the money comes out the ATM, scream "I won! I won!"
12. When leaving the zoo, start running towards the parking lot, yelling, "Run for your lives! They're loose!"

And the thirteenth and final way to keep a healthy level of insanity:

Tell your children over dinner, "Due to the economy, we are going to have to let one of you go."

Intimate with Jesus

2010-01-12T19:09:00.002-06:00

"Once we get intimate with Jesus we are never lonely and we never lack for understanding or compassion. We can continually pour out our hearts to Him without being perceived as overly emotional or pitiful. The Christian who is truly intimate with Jesus will never draw attention to himself but will only show the evidence of a life where Jesus is completely in control. This is the outcome of allowing Jesus to satisfy every area of life to its depth. The picture resulting from such a life is that of the strong, calm balance that our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him."
--Oswald Chambers

Can I communicate?

2010-01-05T15:25:00.006-06:00

Can I communicate? Can I speak my heart, can I share what is pressing? The things that cause my soul to overflow with pain and many tears of grief?

That's a good question. I wonder if I can. Can I put into words the things that ache in my heart? I challenge myself. Can I put them forth in such a way as to communicate their intensity in my innermost being? Can I express myself effectively using our most effete English language?

I want to. I need to. But can I? Can I?

This is the question that haunts me. Taunts me. Defies me, and dares me.

I've posted quite a few videos lately here on my blog -- posting them without a word of explanation or praise or...anything. I realize this, and I hope my silence doesn't communicate a wrong message -- one of harshness and judgement. It's not that. It's a heaviness of heart -- it's a...a season. A season of quietness and learning. The Lord is pruning me and preparing me to be a vessel fit for His use. And it's also a developing burden -- growing bigger and more all-consuming every day.

All the things that I share hold important meaning to me. Special meaning. They hit close to home, and my heart clings to their truths. But sometimes I don't have the correct words to express the concepts, feelings and ideas that they strike in my heart. So, feeling overwhelmed, I share these hard-core truths without explaining how they apply to me (and how I feel they apply to everybody!). Communication is a hard thing when your heart is sorting out tough issues. Especially when these tough issues mean so much.

Does anybody follow what I'm saying? Can anyone relate?

2010-01-05T01:52:00.001-06:00

The Vine and the Branches - Paul Washer from I'll Be Honest on Vimeo.

Two In A Manger

2009-12-25T09:06:00.002-06:00

Two In A Manger

We were overseas for a short-term missions trip and it was nearing the holiday season, time for our orphans to hear, for the first time, the traditional story of Christmas. We told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem . Finding no room in the inn , the couple went to a stable, where the baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger.

Throughout the story, the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word. Completing the story, we gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger. Each child was given a small paper square, cut from yellow napkins I had brought with me. No colored paper was available in the city.

Following instructions, the children tore the paper and carefully laid trips in the manger for straw. Small squares of flannel were used for the baby's blanket a doll-like baby was cut from tan felt we brought from the United States.

The orphans were busy assembling their manger as I walked among them to see if they needed any help. All went well until I got to one table where a little boy sat. He looked to be about 6-years-old and had finished his project. I was startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger.

Quickly, I called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two babies in the manger. Crossing his arms in front of him and looking at this completed manger scene, the child began to repeat the story very seriously.

For such a young boy, who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the happenings accurately -- until he came to the part where Mary put the baby Jesus in the manger. Then he started to ad-lib.

He made up his own ending to the story as he said, "And when Mary laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him I have no mamma and I have no papa, so I don't have any place to stay.

"Then Jesus told me I could stay with Him. But I told him I couldn't, because I didn't have a gift to give Him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept Him warm, that would be a good gift."
"So I asked Jesus, 'If I keep You warm, will that be a good enough gift?' And Jesus told me, 'If you keep Me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave Me.' So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and He told me I could st ay with Him -- for always."

As he finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that splashed down his little cheeks. Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed. The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon nor leave him, Someone who would stay with him -- for always!

And the Americans? They had learned the lesson they had come to teach --- that it is not what you have in life, but Who you have in your life, that really counts.

Do You Desire God?

2009-12-13T22:54:00.001-06:00

Do You Desire God? - Paul Washer from I'll Be Honest on Vimeo.

Beauty

2009-11-16T23:29:00.003-06:00

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,

All His wonders, compassion and purity;

Oh, Thou, the Spirit divine,

All my nature refine --

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.

From God, to His Children

2009-11-08T19:20:00.003-06:00

O my child, give Me your heart, for out of it are the issues of life. For I say to you, My hand is on you, and I will keep you in all places wherever you go. Yes, I am your God, and I am your Father, and I will care for you and provide for you according to all that you need. Yes, and I will be at your side, ready to help you whenever you will call on Me.

I am not unmindful of any of your needs, and My concern is for you. You do not need to carry your own load, for I will be happy to help you carry it and to also bear you up as well. You do not walk alone or meet any situation alone, for I am with you, and I will give you wisdom and I will give you strength, and My blessing will be on you. Only keep your heart set on Me, and your affection on things above; for I cannot bless you unless you ask Me, and I cannot answer if you do not call, and I cannot come to you except you come to Me.

Do not wait to feel more worthy, for no man is worthy of My blessings. My grace bypasses all your shortcomings that you hate, and I give to My children because they ask of Me and because I love them, and I do not love one more than another. I give most liberally to those who ask the most of Me. For I love to have you depend on Me. This is why the Spirit within you cries 'Abba-Father'.

As your Father I anticipate your dependence on Me. You may, by maturity outgrow your dependence on human parentage, but as My child, you will never "outgrow" your spiritual sonship, nor will I ever cast you out on your own resources, even when you will yourself come into this position of father in human relationship. You will then appreciate even more fully My feelings toward you. For you will know by your own human experience the love of a father, and the desire o care for and provide, and you will know more fully how much I love you, and how ready I am to help you, and how available I am to counsel with you and give you My support.
Heaven's resources are at your command, and you need never to want, so long as I am your Shepherd. Think not in your heart that since I know all about you, you need not tell Me. It is true that I know, but you need to tell Me so that in the telling, you may experience the release of an open heart, and the fellowship of a Friend.

Fir as you open your heart to Me, I will come to you. As you speak to Me, I will speak to you. As you reveal yourself to Me, I will reveal Myself to you. This is a law of life. There must be action to bring reaction. There must be a question to bring an answer. There must be an expression of love and confidence on the part of one person to arouse a corresponding response in another person.

Never presume upon My presence. Never assume that knowing your need, I will automatically supply. Ask, and it will be given. Call on Me, and I will answer you. Tell Me that you love Me, and I will make your heart to know in a very real way My love for you and My nearness, and you will never feel alone.

A godly woman...

2009-10-26T17:06:00.006-05:00

My Dad and I have not always had the best relationship.

Things have been very rough between us over the years, as the Lord was working on him in some major areas of his life, and things were very complicated and oftentimes grievous. And at the same time, He was working on me, in areas of submission, respect for authority (whether the authority figure is always right, or not), unconditional love, and developing in me a servant's heart (and believe me, He's still working on me in each of these areas! :). My Dad and I are a lot alike -- and that is part of what has made things hard over the years!

But the Lord, always faithful!, has been working overtime on each one of us :), particularly in this last year and a half. And one of the many things He's been doing is cultivating my Dad and my relationship into something beautiful -- slowly, but surely. And we're not anywhere near arrived yet, but are confident that the Lord will keep His promise to us, to complete the good work He has begun! Thank you, Jesus! :)

But at any rate, as our relationship continues to heal, even through a lot of rocky stretches, we become closer and get to know each other better. A young lady's relationship with her parents, especially with her Dad, is so extremely important -- it's critical to her view of God, and other men. And it's detrimental to her emotional and spiritual well-being when her relationship with her father is in shambles, as mine was for so long. And I am so thankful to the Lord for His tender love and care to me, even when I rejected Him for a time, while all this junk was going on!

I experience new things all the time -- things to rejoice about, as a precious relationship is restored and renewed! Just this morning, Daddy and I started a Bible study together -- an important one, a special one. I told Daddy that I was wanting to, over time, go through the entire Bible (one book at a time, though not in any certain order) and take note of and write down the traits of a Godly woman. He thought that was a great idea! :) I asked him if he'd want to do it with me, and he was all for it -- and suggested that as we go through it, he would write down things that he observed as traits of a Godly man. This is a special blessing to me, and I treasure this study very much!

I was thinking of sharing these special observations with my blog readers as well! Would anybody be interested in keeping up with this?? :)

This morning we started with Ephesians chapter one, and it's amazing, and wonderful, how much we came up with in just the first chapter of Ephesians!

A Godly Woman (and most apply to a Godly Man as well :)...

is faithful in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 1:1)
wishes grace and peace on her brothers and sisters in Christ. (Ephesians 1:2)
praises God the Father. (Ephesians 1:3)
recognizes and lives in the fact that she has been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)
was chosen in Him to be holy and blameless in His sight before the creation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4)
is redeemed and forgiven of her sins because of God's grace. (Ephesians 1:7)
has been chosen and predestined according to God's perfect plan. (Ephesians 1:11)
is marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13)
is God's posession. (Ephesians 1:14)
has faith in the Lord Jesus, and love for all the saints. (Ephesians 1:15)
gives thanks for her brothers and sisters in Christ, and remembers them in her prayers. (Ephesians 1:16)
is persistent in asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ may give her brothers and sisters the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, that they may know Him better. (Ephesians 1:17)
understands the hope to which He has called her, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe (Ephesians 1:18-19)
knows the resurrection power is at work in her life. (Ephesians 1:20)

Amen! Thank you, Jesus!

My October...

2009-10-25T17:08:00.013-05:00

...has been busy!

Dear Friends!

I have finally returned, once again! Maybe I'll try and work on being a more steady blogger -- what do ya'll say? :P

Life has been full and busy, and very much incredible! My heart is overflowing, and I praise the Lord for the work He is faithful to continue, and one day to complete, in our lives!

These last several months have been hard, but very exciting as well. Many blessings, as well as trials, have been coming my way. But when the trials come, the Lord is faithful to bring me through them, as He has done for His children throughout the centuries. He is bringing me through the Refiner's Fire, as He is all of His sons and daughters!

I was blessed to be able to spend 15 days with the Herrlinger family at the beginning of the month. The Lord used that time in a big way in my life, teaching me lessons, encouraging, inspiring, and strengthening me. The Herrlinger's are such an amazing family -- their love for the Lord, their strength and stamina, their heart for others -- it's a huge blessing! And no, they're no more perfect than any one of us :) And they are not ashamed to admit that fact, and that is what is so refreshing!
Love you muchly, you guys!!! (((hugs)))

Here are a few pictures from my visit with them :)

Hiking trip at beautiful Hoffmann Hills in Menomonie, WI.

Friends <3

Allison at a moment of great exuberance! :)

Coffee and a movie make the miles pass quickly (right, Annie?? :)

Making supper at the Metz's.

It tasted great -- after it was cooked!! :P

Learning how to milk goats. :)

...And experiencing the beauty of new life!

Jamming!! :)

Adventures...

More jamming :)

Walking to the back pasture on my last day with them...

And taking pictures of each other! :) (Miss you, Andrea!)

LOVE you guys! :D

Thanks so much for everything! :)

(Photo credits: Andrea Herrlinger, and Laurissa Herrlinger :)

Don't waste your life

2009-09-16T20:19:00.001-05:00

Tribute to a hurting child

2009-09-15T01:30:00.004-05:00

I see you, child, I look into your eyes, and I know the pain that those liquid depths hold...I feel your hurt, I feel your heart, and I can sense the passion that your soul haunts you with. I can relate. The unwarranted guilt, the mistrust of every being, the connection that you long to feel...

Hurt, hide, flee...

Child, if only you could know what your life could be if you could only let go...surrender...fall into His strong arms...

He is strong, He is loving, He is secure. But you're afraid of Him. Afraid of me. Afraid of yourself. These chains that haggle with your soul are thick and they are strong. Are you afraid to be without them?

Hurt, hide, flee...

Open your heart, sweet child...let even a small shaft of Light in, and then you will know...you cannot survive any longer without it. Open up. Listen. Understand. Love will hold you to the very end...

...and back.

--Noelle Mathison, September 2009

A Late Summer's Evening

2009-09-13T15:30:00.007-05:00

I sit atop this mountain
Breathing in the grandeur
Away from the hassles of life
And the desolate heartache
That clouds my view

With a piece of wheatgrass in my mouth
And the sun's warm, tender embrace,
I am lost in dreams of time gone by
I am soothed
I am at peace

A gentle breeze teases with my hair
And far below, the wolves howl their misery
But I am at peace

I sit atop a Rock that is higher than I
And from the ends of the earth, I cry out to Him
I plant my feet in the firm crevices of His love
He Who is the Rock that has been cleft for me

My heart soars like an eagle and yet is strengthened
And at night, it is refreshed

The Father, in His love, gently holds my young dreams
And molds them to fit into His will
Perfectly
Perfectly
Peacefully

Soothe me, O Beautiful Rock.

~Noelle Mathison, 9/12/09

I have returned :)

2009-09-10T19:07:00.005-05:00

Wow is all I can say.

Wow, I've been gone a long time. And wow, am I glad I was!

It's been an awesome "vacation". Everyone should take one once in a while. :) You get a new perspective, a new outlook...and a lot of exciting things can happen while you're gone, as was the case with me!

The Lord has used this sabbatical to "prune" my spiritual life, so to speak. He is constantly breaking the old "us" and making us into something more beautiful, isn't He?? Preparing us to be used to His glory. Making us into vessels fit for the Master's use! Amen! Thank You, Lord!

At any rate, I'll be writing a longer post in the near future -- but for now, while I'm getting my thoughts together :), I wanted to leave you all with a link -- my Mom and I's homeschool-book store! We had a huge load of books given to us by our friends at Keepers of the Faith. We are blessed to be neighbors up here in the beautiful Northwoods, where we get so much of our inspiration for photography!

So, if you're interested in taking a look at all kinds of books and videos all for $3/piece -- click here! They are all so wonderful!

At any rate, hope you all had a great summer, and are having a wonderful early fall! :)

More to come soon! Stay tuned! :)

Taking a sabbatical...

2009-07-23T10:11:00.002-05:00

Hello Friends,

I know it's already been an incredibly long time since I've posted, but I'm going to have to tell you it'll be at least another 30 days before I post again...the Lord has laid on my heart to take a 30-day internet "vacation". While it's going to be somewhat difficult for me, I believe it'll bear good fruit. The Lord has been doing so much in my heart lately, and I believe that this is going to be just another step toward fullness in Christ!

In the meantime, keep the faith, brothers and sisters!

Many, many blessings to you!

~Noelle

A beautiful reminder (and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of the page and turn off the music before watching this :)

2009-06-28T15:01:00.003-05:00

Encourage one another daily...

2009-06-18T16:36:00.000-05:00

No distractions

2009-06-17T15:38:00.007-05:00

No matter how big or how small, there are things in everybody's life -- including mine -- that dwell on the sidelines of our devotion...screaming, waving their arms, jumping up and down...vying furiously for your attention.

As they say, the Lord is a Gentleman (THE perfect One :), and He doesn't rip things out of your mind and heart that are, to one degree or another in an unhealthy way, dear to you. BUT -- He loves us too much to leave us the way we are.

He also doesn't work against our will. Often, the reason that things in our lives, that we are anxious to have worked out in our minds and hearts, take so long is this: because no matter how much we think we're ready to give up and give all to the Lord, no matter how much we think we're ready to submit, surrender, yield to the workings of His glory -- we are still stubborn, prideful, and rebellious in nature (thanks Adam and Eve! :P). And so even if we'd like to think we've given up and given all to God, it usually takes a lot longer than we think.

But God knows what He's doing, and in His Mercy, He works things out in our lives, always in different ways, that He knows is going to bring us to a point where we're ready to give Him all the glory and all our lives. Our hearts -- our affections...everything. He wants it all. He doesn't want half-hearted, wimpy Christianity, or folks that are Christians on Sundays, and "regular people" the rest of the week. No -- He wants all of us, all the time. And if we're truly "in it" (our lives) for Him, He gives us the desire for Him -- all of Him, all the time.

So that's a huge lesson I've been learning lately -- one that, in this case, is taking a lot of pain and tears.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

No comment :)

2009-06-16T20:35:00.000-05:00

Healthy, devoted relationships

2009-06-10T10:26:00.009-05:00

Hello Friends,

This is an excerpt from a booklet put out by "A Church in Indianapolis". We love these folks and have talked with certain members of the "church", a little bit, on and off throughout the years. They have put out many excellent books/booklets, teaching tapes, and music CDs. And much more -- click here to explore their website (and please take the time to watch the slideshow on the front page!)!

I know this is a somewhat long 'excerpt', but it'll really only take a couple minutes to read. I beseech you to read it! It's so powerful, so inspirational...and convicting. If you care about your relationship with God and with others, and are striving to live your life in the way that God has called you, as His child, to live...you'll find this very intriguing. :)

Blessings to you! I pray you read this with an open mind!

~Noelle

Lord Jesus, You're our Teacher and our Pattern. It is our prayer as we're gathered around You that the seeds of Your Word about devotion to one another would clarify our hearts and our minds and our actions. Our desire is that all
of Your Work be done Your Way, in peace and in love and humility, with diligence but with all the sensitivity You had. We want to follow after You in the Way that You functioned in raising up men. Please help us. We trust You that You
will. You have not left us without a shepherd, but You are our Shepherd and our Teacher. We're glad that we don't have to shoulder the burden of understanding exactly how everything needs to be. Instead, we can follow the Lamb wherever He
goes. We will follow You, Jesus. You'll help us. Please let Your Word increase and reign in our hearts and in our minds. Teach us how to submit to You, Your Spirit, and Your eternal, immutable Word. Amen.

Birth Pains for Each Other

Paul said to the Galatian Christians, "I'm in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you." And to the Colossians he said, "I want to fill up in my own flesh the afflictions of Christ as it relates to you, the church, His body." That's passion! He also said that he was "wrestling to present every man perfect in Christ."

That kind of commitment requires more than a dipsy-doodle life of sitting in a chair, singing choruses, and then just waiting until the next meeting is called. Shame on you if your life doesn't consist of anything more than that! You're making a serious mistake. Unfortunately, that mistake has been made for generations on all six inhabitable continents in the Name of Christ. But it is unbiblical and wrong, so I want to encourage you to snap that habit! Pursue making a difference in people's lives in a real way.

Every last person who reads these words is a priest of God, if he or she is truly a believer. And that calling doesn't have to do with chiming in during a meeting every so often -- that's not what a priest is. A priest, as the Bible defines the term, is a servant of God with the assignment of bringing God to man and man to God. That responsibility doesn't mean you are going to save anybody! "There is one mediator between God and man, Jesus." I don't mean that anybody can ever be Jesus for someone else. But you can do what Paul did: wrestle to present everyone perfect in Christ. Like him, you can be in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in people who are already believers. You can say with him, "I'm in the pains of childbirth until the Anointed One is formed in you -- until you are brought into the image and the fullness and grace and freedom of the Son of God. I cannot leave it alone! I'm dying a thousand deaths until I see true Life in you."

Now if you picture yourself solely on the receiving end of that statement, you are making a mistake. It's not that everyone else should be in the pains of childbirth for you. If that's how you are thinking, then you are walking in the Old Covenant instead of the New. In the Old Covenant you had a core group of mediators out there someplace -- a collection of prophets, priests, and kings -- and you basically sat around
and let them serve you. But that's not the way it is in God's New Covenant, where He is building a kingdom of priests (1 Peter 2:4-10, Revelation 1:6). Active participation in that priesthood is God's intent for you.

You'll never know what it means to be free in your own life unless you devote yourself to helping other people know God better. You'll never even know what it means to abide in Christ if you don't live for that purpose. Really, if you think you have a relationship with God and you're not living to bring others
closer to Him, that you are self-deceived. On the authority of the Word of God, you don't really have a relationship with Him if you don't have the heart for others that Jesus had.

As Jesus Himself put it, "If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you will bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." A life of devotion to God's work in the world around you is the fruit and the overflow of abiding in Christ. You're not truly remaining in Him if deep down inside your heart isn't stirring towards that end. You're missing the heart of God in a serious way if you don't genuinely
care for others. Your prayer time isn't directed entirely to the God of the Bible! You might spend a lot of time praying, but according to Jesus, abiding in the God of the Bible will yield a clear result: having a heart for serving others and bringing them higher into His ways. That's "bearing much fruit to the Father's glory -- fruit that will last."
So, to sum up: having that passionate heart, caring deeply for others, and being involved in their lives means taking risks. We dare not sit back, thinking we're to be the one on the receiving end of that kind of passion. We must thrust forward
in faith and in humility -- and it does take both. Trusting God and laying down our lives for other people is a rare thing, but it's inseparable from biblical Christianity.

The book of Acts says that the early Christians went everywhere "gossiping" the Word of God. The Greek word for
"speaking" there is literally "gossiping." Sharing God's Word and His love was their heart and passion. They lived for it. So reject the idea that you can sit in your home with a scripture verse hung over your toaster and a plaque on your front door, have a great prayer time in the morning, listen to praise and
worship songs all day, and show up at a meeting every now and then, and that's what Christianity is all about. Frankly, you haven't had a great prayer time if it doesn't result in a passionate heart to heal the wounds of the broken hearted and to loose the chains of those in bondage to
sin. That is the heart of Jesus of Nazareth, and that is your heart if you are connected to the Head. It's automatic.

So really stretch yourself. Search deeply within to root out anything that would hinder that kind of heart. Crucify the fear and the selfishness and the lifestyle expectations and the busyness that the world and satan would want to impose on you. Reject any self-righteousness or laziness that would stand in the way. Get rid of all the excuses. Begin by "'fessing up." Then get rid of all the excuses in your life that would keep you from really being about the Father's business.

Jesus actually lives inside of you if you are really born from above, and His heart is consumed by zeal for the Father's house. It's a consuming fire -- not a religious, glassy-eyed stare into the heavens every morning followed by a few pious statements at a meeting,
offering some platitude or trite religious wisdom. Instead, lay down your life and make a difference, even in unglamorous ways. That's just basic
Christianity.

We really have to be about our Father's business,
for real, in our own lives, personally -- not just as part of some group. We're not talking about a group; we're talking about your personal life. Don't hide behind "I'm a mother" or "I'm this" or "I'm that, and so it won't work for me." All those excuses have been tried. But in the end, it is only the Jesus who lives inside of you being released that threatens satan to no end. Let me encourage you to be that kind of person, by God's grace. With a heart that is open to Him, to let go of everything that stands in your way.

Panny Joy & Olivia Lise

2009-06-08T14:25:00.002-05:00

Aliveness is addictive

2009-06-06T10:48:00.000-05:00

"Why choose God's dangerous journey into grace? In a word, the reason is life. God invites us into pain because loving always costs us pain. He offers us danger, because fighting evil is never safe. He promises us persecution because God's people -- including His beloved Son -- have always been misunderstood and opposed. Resting in Jesus is infinitely harder than accomplishing our own agendas. Trusting grace feels more demeaning than earning our Salvation. Coming alive to hope is more painful and cruel than being dead to our emotions. But it is life. And once we've tasted being alive, we can't go back to being dead. Aliveness in God is addictive." --Nancy Groom

Walnuts and Brain Power -- a must-read!

2009-05-23T12:06:00.004-05:00

Most nuts and seeds, in their raw state, are excellent whole foods that literally contain "the stuff of life." Raw, organic walnuts have many health benefits. One of the major nutritional characteristics of the walnut is its ability to nourish and support brain and nervous system function. Walnuts are also composed of a slew of other phytonutrients that boost the health of the entire body, and act as excellent disease prevention measures to boot (if we are smart enough to eat them. Tip: eat more walnuts!).

The walnut, fruit of the walnut tree, has been valued for thousands of years for both its delicious, nutty flavor and for its medicinal value. The walnut tree has been highly esteemed in many cultures. It is a beautiful tree, often prized for ornamental usage, with a life span that can last several hundred years. Three main varieties exist: the English walnut (originally from the Indian continent), and the black and white walnuts, native to North America. Most commercially grown walnuts (in the U.S.) are white walnuts (sometimes called "butternut"), but the black walnut is a special treat known for its strong rich taste.

Traditional peoples enjoyed walnuts and instinctively knew that among its many other uses, the walnut was a great source of "brain food." Today we have the scientific understanding as to why this is true. However, it is very interesting how closely the walnut resembles the human brain. The wrinkly shell definitely looks like a brain, and the meat inside is split into two "lobes," just like the brain. Possibly our Creator used this design to give us a hint, and apparently more primitive cultures picked up on this.

Why Are Walnuts So Good For the Brain?

The main reason is the walnut's high content of omega-3 fatty acids. These types of fats are necessary for many functions in the body, but are particularly critical for proper brain and nervous system performance. Researchers have discovered that the membranes of all of our cells, including the brain, are composed primarily of fats -- omega-3, omega-6, and others. Omega-3 fats optimize brain function at the cellular level because they create an atmosphere that makes neurons and other nervous system cells react more effectively due to health elastic membranes that allow nutrients to enter and wastes to be eliminated most efficiently. Brain cells exposed to adequate amounts of omega-3 are also able to receive and transmit electrical signals to and from the nervous system better, thus the increase in brain function. Our brains are a very fatty organ, being made up of about 60% fats. Most Americans who eat a typical high-fat (high in the wrong kinds of fat) diet have too much omega-6 and way too little omega-3. In fact, one recent study found that 20% of the participants had so little omega-3 in their systems that it didn't even register in blood tests.

How Can Walnuts Help the Brain?

Deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids has been linked to a myriad of cognitive problems in both children and adults including:

-ADHD
-Hyperactivity
-Depression
-Learning disabilities
-Memory loss
-Sleep disorders
-Poor problem-solving skills

An interesting body of evidence has also been assembled that shows eating walnuts can be of great help to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in the elderly. In addition to the omega-3's, walnuts are also rich in many antioxidants that help to prevent and repair brain damage due to free-radicals. Walnuts truly are an excellent food source to boost your mood, clear your mind, and help it to perform at its best. They can also help avoid cognitive dysfunction as we age.

How to Choose Quality Walnuts

Like most nuts, walnuts are easily prone to rancidity if they are not fresh and properly stored. Be sure to use raw, organically-grown nuts that have been stored in a cool, dry place that is protected from light. Fresh walnuts in the shell are best, but shelled ones are OK if they have been well-cared for. Shells should not be cracked or stained (a sign of mold), and the nutmeat should be crunchy, not wrinkled or rubbery.Whether it be eating them by the handful or incorporating them into your favorite recipes, raw walnuts are an excellent whole-food addition to your diet. They come highly-recommended from some of the "smartest" people in the world!

--My Dad, Tom Mathison :)

Reminder...

2009-05-17T12:19:00.003-05:00

Hi Friends!

Don't forget about the giveaway going on right now! The drawing will be this Wednesday -- only 3 days left as of now. Don't miss the opportunity to read this book that will change your life, and the lives of many others through you! I believe this is a book that every Christian should be reading. It's revolutionizing!

I have 3 books to give away, and 3 of my commentors will be randomly chosen this Wednesday to get a copy of this wonderful book.

Blessings to you all, and have a beautiful Lord's Day!

~Noelle

P.S. If you would like to enter in this giveaway, you can either leave me a comment here, or on the original post. :)

Photo credit: Jupiterimages.com

Happy Birthday Mommy! :)

2009-05-15T17:25:00.006-05:00

MOM! I LOVE you! :) I am so incredibly blessed to have you as my Momma'...I have learned so very much from you -- I don't think you can even imagine!

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies....She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue....Her chidren arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.' Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."

The Lord is doing so much in our lives right now, and I am so excited as to what He has done so far, and what I know He's going to do in the future -- in ALL of our lives!

Mom, one thing I'll always think of when I think of you are your favorite Scriptures...which are high on my favorite's list too! Here are just a few of them:

"In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength." (Isaiah 30:15b)

"If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?" (Jeremiah 12:5)

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." (Psalm 126:5-6)

"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain." (Psalm 127:1)

"'Even now,' declares the Lord, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.' Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing -- grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God." (Joel 2:12-14)

"I will restore the years the locusts have eaten..." (Joel 2:25)

"...To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." (Isaiah 61:3)

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)

Mom, these Scriptures have always spoken to me in a huge way, too. These are a few of the commonly-quoted Scriptures I grew up with, and I have grown to love them, and take enormous comfort in them! I have always loved reading your Bible, because half of it is marked up -- and what is marked up is usually what speaks to me the most, too ;)

Mom, I love you so much and I am so blessed to be your daughter.

I hope you have a great rest of the day, and a wonderful year ahead!

Love ya!~

~Noelle

~~~

Years are lost on the wind, like stray embers from a fire

Remnants of smoke give testament to a love that never tires.

A million memories light up the road that she has traveled,

Along with faded snapshots of a woman, once a child.

Everyday she adds pages to the life she's made her own

An endless quilt of patches, tattered and then re-sewn.

Life has no perfect number, to which we can assign,

A moment or an afternoon that makes an entire life.

It's a brief slideshow of pictures forgotten and then replayed

Like the first time she read the Bible, or knelt down to pray

There's the day that she let her childhood slip into the past,

Beautiful in white—she gave her hand to a love that still lasts.

She watched her son's first at bat, her daughter's first ballet,

I envision the first tear she cried over dreams that never came.

Her laugh is louder and stronger, every day she truly gives,

Which adds depth and color to the quality of life she lives.

Fifty diamonds sparkle, each gem a cornerstone to shine,

Building blocks that create a window through passing time.

Embrace the moments that made you who you are today,

Because, dear friend, I wouldn't want a mother any other way.

--Megan Marie Munroe

Random sweetness

2009-05-14T23:35:00.001-05:00

TOO CUTE not to share :)

Part two of an important question...and a special giveaway for my special blog readers!

2009-05-13T16:29:00.013-05:00

Hey there, all!

I'm back again, with part 2 of yesterday's post. :)

The Lord has been doing such an incredible, beautiful, exciting work in my heart lately, and I am so invigorated. I feel physically charged with a strange sense of "spiritual electricity"! :) I feel like the Lord is preparing me for something...and by His grace, I'm willing to go to the ends of the earth with my Savior..."wherever He leads me, I will follow". And I have a strange feeling that He is going to take me up on that "offer". I'm ready, Lord!

All of us, that have repented of our sin and surrendered our lives to Father, that have been born again, washed, refreshed, wiped clean, beautified with the Master's touch, are a part of the incredible Body of Christ. He is the head, and we are each a part and play a special role in the interworkings of the Christian life. We are not our own; we have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

"Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be
ignorant.....There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are
different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of
working, but the same God works in all of them in all men. Now to each one the
manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given
through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by
means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts
of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another
prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in
different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each
one, just as he determines. The body is a unit, although it is made up of many
parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with
Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body -- whether Jews or
Greeks, slaves or free -- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the
body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, 'Because I
am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' it would not for that
reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, 'Because I am
not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' it would not for that reason cease to
be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of
hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?
But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as
he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it
is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't
need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, 'I don't need
you!'.....But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater
honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the
body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part
suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices
with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. "
(1 Corinthians 12:1-27)

So is that clear enough, or what?

We are ALL a part of the body of Christ, and we each have responsibilities. Why, then, are so many of us bent over in complacency, bored with our Christian lives, dull and insensitive to the Spirit's leading and conviction, and ignorant to our calling, and to Spiritual Warfare? Christians, we need to get up! To open our eyes! We are asleep in the light. What does the Lord have to do to get our attention? He has given us a detailed manual for our entire lives, and we ignore it, leaving it to sit upon the shelf to gather dust!
People are dying, and so many of us sit in the midst of the battlefield, relaxing, doing nothing. I have been SO guilty of this, and the Lord is convicting me so intensely of this sin -- and the cool thing is that AS He's convicting me, He's also inspiring me. He doesn't just leave me feeling bad about what I haven't done -- He equips me for the future! That is so like Him, and this is what He promises! :)

Friends, we need to READ our Bibles, ask the Lord to SHOW us what we're doing, and OBEY His leading!

We all struggle, we all fail. We all mess up. The Lord knows that. But the Lord has thrown your sins into the depth of the seas, and fishing is not allowed. It's time to get over the past, get up off of our knees (or our pillows, if that's the case) and MOVE ON! Upward and onward, and the LORD will hem us in, from behind and before. And He will bless our obedience. That is His promise. That is His solemn Word.

By the way, as an aside...did you know that not too long ago, a certain crusade obtained
380,000 decisions for Christ, but later found only 14,000 in fellowship? That means that they couldn't account for 366,000 decisions for Christ. They concluded that it was a lack of follow-up that resulted in this massive fall-away rate.

Lack of follow-up? Really?

Yeah, maybe in part. But supposedly, 14,000 of those people did find a Biblically sound
church to become a part of. So what about the other 366,000 people? They couldn't find a church? That doesn't really seem to make sense. If the smaller group could, you'd think these people would too.

Could it be something else, other than a "lack of follow-up"? (Besides, how are you
supposed to follow up on 380,000 people anyway??)

I would like to introduce you, ladies and gentlemen, to The Way of the Master ministries.
(Also known as Living Waters.) I would like to go more into this in another post, but for now, suffice it to say, I am hosting a giveaway on my blog...Ray Comfort & Kirk Cameron's life-changing, earth-shaking, blow-your-mind radical book -- Revival's Golden Key.

Leave me a comment on this post (it's ok if you've never commented before), and out of all my commentors, three will be randomly chosen to get a free copy of this excellent book.

Believe me. This will change your life. It did mine -- forever. I give this book a 10,000
star rating. :)

THE DRAWING WILL BE WEDNESDAY, MAY 20th, so if you want to have a chance of
winning this book, leave a comment on this post!

Blessings to all of you, and may you have a beautiful day! This is the day that the Lord has made; we will be GLAD, and REJOICE in it!

Right?! :)

Part one of an important question...

2009-05-12T22:53:00.006-05:00

So. Friends.

I have an important question for you.

First off, I am aware that "tonight" has come and gone. :) Sorry about that...things just get really hectic sometimes!

So, my question.

How many of us have more than one (sometimes a lot more than one) unBelievers in our families?

And I'm not talking brothers and sisters, parents, grandparents, etc. I'm talking each and every one of our immediate and distant relatives.

I, for one, have very few family members that have repented of and turned away from their sins, and trusted Jesus Christ with their entire lives. This grives me deeply, and I'm praying for opportunities to speak to my family, to let them know what's up, and where they're heading. Even my own brother and sister are not Believers -- and this makes me extremely sad. I hurt for them, and I so desire to have my brother and sister as my Brother and Sister in Christ, which means so much more than the fact that we are blood relatives. Do you agree?

Okay, so a lot of us have family members that aren't Believers. Let's go a little further. How many of us have friends that aren't Believers? (I trust that those of us that are truly walking in Holiness with the Father obey His command in Scripture to (granted, this is a paraphrase) not be "buddy-buddy" with those who are not born again, and so I speak of friends as...oh...neighbors; those of us in small towns (like me) who are "friends" with cashiers in the grocery stores, fast-food restaurants, our doctors, etc.; these kinds of people.) How many of us know people, people that we see very often (maybe even every day), that are not realizing the path they're heading down, and don't see that their sin is, according to Romans 7:13, "exceeding sinful". How many?

Did you know that statistics prove that their are 150,000 people whose spirits depart from this world every 24 hours? That's one hundred and fifty thousand people. And the majority of that 150,000 every day is entering hell. Matthew 7:13-14 says (emphasis added), "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Okay, let's get radical. Not that it should be radical, but unfortunately, for many in the contemporary Christianity scene, it is.
How about your enemies?
How long will it be before one of your enemies' souls "enters the road to destruction", as thousands upon thousands of people do every day? Do you want their blood on your hands, because you were too stubborn, proud, afraid, angry (whatever your excuse is) to forgive them, when you've been forgiven so much, to let them know where they're heading?

Ok. One step further. What about all the people you don't know, in the very least, but that you pass by in the streets, the stores, come across on the internet, talk to on the phone, etc., every single day? What about them?

We take seriously the commandment in Exodus chapter 20, verse 13, that says, "You shall not murder." But we justify our sin of ignoring His command in Mark 16:15, where He says, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."

My question is, how can we, how DO we, obey one command in Scripture and ignore the other, or if not ignore it, justify our lack of obedience with lame excuses like, "I'm too afraid to share my faith" or "I'm too afraid of 'rejection'" or "I don't want to be pushy" or "I don't feel ready" or "I'm afraid I'll say something wrong and drive them away"? How can we do it?

"I'm too afraid to share my faith" -- Well, the Lord has two things to say about that. First off, He says in Matthew 10:32-33, "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven." And to go hand-in-hand with that command, He gives a solemn promise in Isaiah 41:10: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." So the Lord blew the cover on that excuse, didn't He?! :)
"I'm too afraid of 'rejection'" -- The Lord says in Matthew chapter five, verse ten (emphasis added), "BLESSED are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Amen?!
"I don't want to be pushy" -- Again, the answer -- and the problem with your excuse -- is in the living and active Word of the Lord. "You are the salt of the earth...You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-16)
"I don't feel ready" -- "'For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; for I will help you. Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you,' declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." (Isaiah 41:13-14)
"I'm afraid I'll say something wrong and drive them away" -- "'Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.'" (Exodus 4:11-12)

And the exciting, amazing thought is that there are SO many more promises, just like this, in the Word of God.

Let me leave you with this beautiful thought -- and stay tuned for part two of this post!

"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)

For me, this is enough! :)

New post(s)...

2009-05-06T15:32:00.001-05:00

...coming tonight, friends! :)

The driving power

2009-04-27T11:07:00.005-05:00

"God has appointed a Day in which He will judge the world, and we sigh and cry until it shall end the reign of wickedness, and give rest to the oppressed. Brethren, we must preach the coming of the Lord, and preach it somwhat more than we have done; because it is the driving power of the
gospel. Too many have kept back these truths, and thus the bone has been taken out of the arm of the gospel. Its point has been broken; its edge has been blunted. The doctrine of judgment to come is the power by which men are to
be aroused. There is another life; the Lord will come a second time; judgment will arrive; the wrath of God will be revealed. Where this is not preached, I am bold to say the gospel is not preached. It is absolutely necessary to the preaching of the gospel of Christ that men be warned as to what will happen if they continue in their sins.
"Ho, ho sir surgeon, you are too delicate to tell the man
he is ill! You hope to heal the sick without their knowing it. You therefore flatter them; and what happens? They laugh at you; they dance upon their own graves. At last they die! Your delicacy is cruelty; your flatteries are poisons; you are a murderer. Shall we keep men in a fool's paradise?
Shall we lull them into soft slumbers from which they will awake in hell? Are we to become helpers of the their damnation by our smooth speeches?
"In the name of God, we will not."
--Charles Spurgeon

(Photo credit: JupiterImages.org)

A soft conscience

2009-04-26T12:19:00.006-05:00

This was so convicting, and so good, and so true, I just had to share it with you all.

May we all be inspired to live by these principles each and every day!

How to Keep Your Conscience Soft

(from the article "A Seared Conscience" by Charles Finney)

Embrace reason. Listen to and love wisdom and light. Move towards and lean into correction.
Quickly turn from anything that you get a "prick in your heart" about.
Keep the promises you make to God.
Examine and notice the quality of your speech and actions. "Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks." and "A tree is known by its fruit."
Do not indulge in known sin.
Do not make hypocritical professions of love and friendship. Don't do things just because they are "socially polite".
Love the truth even if and when it isn't comfortable or "flattering" to your ego.
Do not be self-indulgent.
Keep your heart a beautiful place. Avoid, at all cost: pride, vanity, jealousy, ambition.
Always let your words be encouraging and helpful to others. Build others up.
Don't make excuses for sin.
Be quick to do your duty.
Always side with the truth. Do not defend error.
Be quick to recognize and remove the plank in your own eye, and then help your brother if needed.
Reprove and correct those who are in sin. Don't let "things" go.
Love correction yourself.
Honor God in your speech and actions.
Embrace the Holy Spirit and His direction. Lean into, warm up to it, to HIM.
Desire to be holy in all areas of your life and find ways to sow the Spirit in every area.
Keep things plain and simple when you talk.
Be honest in everything.
Do good to all men. Be thankful for everything people do for you, and look for ways to bless them.

(Photo credit: JupiterImages.org)

To all of my blog readers...

2009-04-25T19:32:00.003-05:00

"May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the
God of Jacob protect you.

May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from
Zion.

May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans
succeed.

We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our
banners in the name of our God.
May the Lord grant all your requests.

Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he answers him from
his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name
of the Lord our God.

They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm."

(Psalm 20:1-2,4-8)

(photo credit: JupiterImages.org)

Life is so short

2009-04-18T17:23:00.006-05:00

Me and my Aunt Sally. Boy, did I love my Aunt Sally. As you can see, the bonding began early :)

My Aunt Sally passed away about six months ago, when she was only 66 years old. It came as quite a shock, and I was pretty much devastated when I heard the news. We weren't expecting her to die so soon. I mean, we knew she wasn't all that healthy, but I didn't think she was that bad off.

Now it's too late.

Too late to tell her I love her one last time. Too late to thank her for the care she showed to me through the years. Too late to give her one last hug.

And too late to make sure she knew where she was going.

We had all told her about the Lord many times; I remember once, when I was still pretty young (about 9, I would say), we were at the wake of...ummm...I think she was my great aunt? Or great great aunt? I'm not sure. But anyway, I hardly knew her, so that's why I don't exactly remember! :S But at any rate, we were there, and so was Aunt Sally. We both wanted to take a breather, so we went outside and sat on the front porch swing of the funeral home. She began asking questions, and we both sat and talked for a good hour or so, as I shared with her, in simple, childlike words, my faith and the faith that could be hers, too. I believe a seed was really planted that day, and I can only hope that she heard and received the Word of the Lord.

We talked to her a few more times in the years that passed between that day and the day she died, but we didn't have many opportunities to see her. I wrote her letters every now and then, and we did our best.

But one day, about a month before she died, I suddenly had a feeling I should write to her, giving her the Lord's Good News once again. I just had a strange feeling that I should.

And, I'm very ashamed to say, I ignored that feeling.

I wish I hadn't. So badly. I'm ashamed of it, I've cried over it, and I've repented of it. And I know I'm forgiven; but it still hurts.

So the day we got the phone call from my Grandma, telling us that she had died, I was heartbroken. I sobbed from the bottom of my heart; shedding tears for what may have been, and what I had ignored. And hoping that she still heard and received the Lord before it was too late.

Looking at this picture of me and my Aunt Sally today brings back a flood of memories. Good ones, and not-so-good ones. Happy laughter with her, and the realization that she wasn't doing so well, and probably wouldn't live to see my children, young as she was.

And I ask this question of you, my dear reader: What have you done today to influence the heavenly Kingdom of the Father? Honestly. I know that sounds cliche, but be honest with yourself.

At any minute of any day, any family member or friend (or even enemy, folks) could slip away into hell, to be tormented and separated from God forever and ever. Hell never ends; there is no dying, no relief. And that is all anyone has to look forward to in the second life, if they don't realize the path they're heading down and repent, accepting the gift the Lord has graciously offered to them. Jesus didn't die for our sins to earn some kind of brownie points with His Father. He didn't have to do what He did. There was nobody, nothing forcing Him to do it. There were no personal benefits to be gained with that choice. There was nothing.

He chose do die for us. Because He chose to obey His Father, Who was His Life and His very fulfillment.

And, because He loved us.

Now that is the punch-line. Because He loved us. And mind you, we didn't love Him first.

His only reason for being tortured in our place was L-O-V-E. And that is love to the ultimate.

But it didn't stop there. He was raised from the dead, and is now seated in heaven at the Right Hand of the Father, interceding on our behalf. His love didn't stop at Calvary. No, it continues on just as strong, just as sure, just as full, and just as beautiful, today. His love never changes, it never fails, it never runs out. However, if we want to accept His gift and take part in a beautiful, divine relationship with Him, He expects us to do our part, too. But even there, He doesn't want us to do it ourselves. He wants to be our lifeline; our shield; the Horn of our Salvation. Our rock; our fortress; our deliverer. He says that no temptation has befallen us except that which is common to man; and even Jesus Himself was tempted with everything you have been tempted with. Only He did not sin, and He wants to be there, right at our side, to enable us to do the same. Inevitably, we will fall at times. But that's only because our stubborn, rebellious wills will not always accept His help, and will charge right into sin anyway, like it or not. But even then, His love never fails. His love is unconditional, and He promises that if we repent of, and confess, our sins, He is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. That's a promise, and He also promises never to break His promises.

So my question is, how can we, having accepted the gift He's given to us, thank Him occasionally, then go on with our busy lives and not spreading the word? Don't you think that if someone pulled up in their driveway to find a brand-new, sparkling Mercedes in their driveway with an offer to give a brand-new, sparkling Mercedes to all your friends, family (and even your enemies), if they wanted it, you would be telling them about it, and with great gusto?

So why do we find it so hard to spread the word about something even better than a brand-new, sparkling Mercedes?

That's my question.

And that's my challenge.

To myself -- and to you.

Are you amazed?

2009-04-12T13:57:00.001-05:00

Happy Resurrection Day, dear friends of mine!

Sugar and spice and everything nice...

2009-04-07T19:02:00.001-05:00

...that's what little nieces are made of.

Stormy hearts

2009-04-06T20:05:00.020-05:00

Have any of you ever heard of The O'Neill Brothers?

As I type, I listen to the soulful strokes of the piano keys...such beauty that is drawn out from the huge box of wood and ivory! :) I am a huge fan of piano music. However, I'm not necessarily into 'classical' music. I prefer the spontaneous, beautiful, passionate tunes that express one's heart, not one's knowlege of rhythym and the theory of music. Not that rhythym and music theory are less beautiful; they're simply not my style. I like the stuff that keeps you guessing, if you know what I mean. You never know what will come out of the instrument next. :)

But, back to my original point...The O'Neill Brothers are two (somewhat young) brothers who have produced many albums of beautiful, passionate music -- for every occasion, preference, and time. They have everything from lullabies, beautiful wedding/reception pieces, heartfelt funeral pieces, hymns, instrumental 'oldies', Holiday music, love songs -- you name it! They even have an album with fitting pieces for summer, winter, spring, and fall. I love the summer album. :) There is one particular song that I adore. It's called Stormy Weather. So full of passion, sorrow, joy, ecstasy, and pain at the same time. Sound strange? Well, it is rather hard to explain. In a small way, it seems to cover all the moments in life. The reminiscent ponderings, the joyous moments when you're ready to scream you're so happy you're alive; the tears that come from deep, deep inside you, and the incredible sorrows that life sometimes, inevitably, brings one's way.

I relate to this song, especially at this time in my life. It seems that around every corner, there are extremes that jump out at me. Reminiscent ponderings -- yes, very much. Joyous moments? Yes! Tears and sorrow, Yes, yes. Each of these have been flooding my heart as of late.

Sometimes it's just a gentle drizzle of rain. Now don't even try to tell me that sometimes, when it's been raining for what seems like a month, and sunshine hasn't showed its face in what seems forever, it isn't easy to end up feeling a little glum. And such is life.
And then there is the joy of several fingers of sunlight reaching through the clouds, making the rain seem like diamonds falling from the cloudy skies.
And then comes the rainbow. Promise. Hope. Relief floods you, as you realize the rain truly may not go on forever!
And then there are the real storms, when the blasts of thunder shiver through your entire body. Lightning rips through the sky, slashing the blackness in two. The hair on the back of your neck stands up as electrons shimmie through the atmosphere. The winds whip and race and cackle through the trees, and you shiver as you try to sleep through the blackness of the night.
Suddenly the light falls across your face as a warm hand on your forehead. You slowly open your eyes and realize that the storm is over, and morning has come. You throw the window open and take in the fresh, clean breeze. The earth is refreshed, washed of the dust and heat. You step outside into the cool, damp grass and feel the warm, damp, clean earth beneath your feet. You run to the sunrise and spread your arms out. Throwing your head back, you laugh.

The storm will always be there. The rain, the wind, lightning, thunder -- all of it. The fear, passion and anger of the fury brewing charge you with volatile emotions. And then it's all over, and you are reminded once again that God is there with you, even in the midst of the storms.

And eventually, after you've been through enough storms, the fear and volatile feelings melt away and you remember that no matter what happens, God is always there, and He knows what has happened, what is happening -- and best of all, what will happen. But the trust doesn't always develop fully till you've seen enough storms, and seen the outcome.

"For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will
bring
you back. In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but
with
everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the Lord your
Redeemer. "To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters
of
Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be
angry with
you, never to rebuke you again. Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be
removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of
peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on
you. "O afflicted city,
lashed by storms and not comforted, I will build you
with stones of turquoise,
your foundations with sapphires. I will make your
battlements of rubies, your
gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of
precious stones. All your sons
will be taught by the Lord, and great will be
your children's peace. In
righteousness you will be established: Tyranny
will be far from you; you will
have nothing to fear. Terror will be far
removed; it will not come near you. If
anyone does attack you, it will not
be my doing; whoever attacks you will
surrender to you. See, it is I who
created the blacksmith who fans the coals
into flame and forges a weapon fit
for its work. And it is I who have created
the destroyer to work havoc; no
weapon forged against you will prevail, and you
will refute every tongue
that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants
of the Lord, and this
is their vindication from me," declares the Lord. "Come,
all you who are
thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come,
buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend
money on
what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen,
listen
to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of
fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make
an
everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. See, I
have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the
peoples.
Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do
not know you
will hasten to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One
of Israel, for he
has endowed you with splendor." Seek the Lord while he may
be found; call on him
while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and
the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy
on him, and to our God, for he
will freely pardon. For my thoughts are not
your thoughts, neither are your ways
my ways," declares the Lord. "As the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are
my ways higher than your ways and
my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain
and the snow come down from
heaven, and do not return to it without watering the
earth and making it bud
and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and
bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not
return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose
for which I sent
it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the
mountains and
hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the
field will
clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree,
and
instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord's renown,
for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed." (Isaiah
54:7-55:13)

A fun snippet of a day...

2009-04-06T15:57:00.036-05:00

Just funnin' I guess... :)

Ava at play

2009-03-16T12:01:00.004-05:00

Hey guys!

I am SO sorry! I have been so bad at keeping up with this blog. Well, what can I say? I was away for almost 3 weeks (and didn't have time to do much of anything with the computer!), got the "48-hour-flu" (yes, the "throw up" kind -- blah!), then caught a bad cold/cough thing. And I'm still recovering from it. ICK!

So I guess that's my excuse?? No, wait, I was here at home from January 31st to about February 21st or so -- huh?? Oh no! My excuse has been shattered before my very eyes! :) Well, there is no excuse. Sigh. I'm just a bad, bad person. Take me or leave me! :)

For now, I have to run. There's a whole sinkful of dishes (who feels like doing dishes when everybody in the family is sick??) to be done, and in an hour (or less), Ava is coming! From 1:00PM to 10:00PM! YIKES!

Here is a little collage I made up of this sweet little one...

She's such a sweetheart...such a good girl!

Blessings to you all...and thanks for putting up with my bad posting habits! :S

Talk to you soon, hopefully!

Movies, anyone? -- Part 1

2009-01-31T17:23:00.029-06:00

Hi there, friends!

Sorry I've been gone for so long. Been really busy lately and haven't had much time to post. Lots going on here at the Mathison household! :)

A little earlier, I was asking my Mom her opinion on a certain aspect of my blog -- and our discussion turned into an idea for a blog post!

If you all are anything like us, you probably have a difficult time finding good, wholesome movies that are well-done, aren't filled with trash, and have a redeeming storyline. (Wow...these days...that's not asking much, is it?!)

Believe me -- we have, too. But, over the years, especially as I've been getting older, there have been some more 'good'ns' that we (or in some cases, "I") hold dear to our ("my") heart(s). :) I thought maybe I'd share some of these with you, as we know how difficult it can be!

By the way -- as a quick suggestion, if you've never heard of Netflix, you may want to check it out -- while there is a ton of trash on there (I never peruse Netflix), my dear Momma has definitely found a few real gems! :) There are thousands and thousands of movies on there (quite a few good Christian dramas/docu-dramas/documentaries), and for the one-at-a-time package, it's only $8.99 (plus tax) every month. We really enjoy it. :) There are also tons of movies on there that you can watch instantly (as opposed to through the mail) on your computer, that are excellent!
So, here are 5 of my favorite movies (and this is only part one of a series of posts I plan on doing on this subject), in order -- from very, very favorites, to favorites. :)

And one more thing -- although I think these are all very good movies for certain audiences, I wouldn't recommend them all for young children -- and, of course, everybody's standards are different; just because our family approves of a certain movie doesn't, of course, mean every family will. :)

There was a huge toss-up in my little mind between these first two -- Places in the Heart, and Fireproof. But finally, Places in the Heart won...

Places in the Heart (1984) -- 112 minutes
This movie is a tearjerker if I've ever watched one! The ending had tears literally streaming down my face. Written and directed by Robert Benton.
Sally Field does an excellent job playing the main character -- a young woman, suddenly and startlingly widowed, living with her two children in Waxahachie, Texas during the Depression. Confused and frightened, she's at a loss as to how to support her family without her husband. When a young black man (Danny Glover), an expert at cotton-raising, enters her life, things are beginning to look more hopeful. But what about the pickers from the South?
This movie is described as bittersweet, and I completely agree. There is such a stark contrast between the hatred and evil of man and the love and forgiveness that can only come from God. While not necessarily deemed "Christian", the ending is very allegorical, and is a real thought-provoker. All in all, I'd rate this one with 5 stars. :) Probably very close to the (if not by all means the) best movie I've ever watched.
NOTE: I wouldn't recommend this movie for kids under 12 or 13. There is some violence that could be disturbing to a young child, and there are a couple characters on the movie who cheat on their spouses. Also some mild language.

Fireproof (2008) -- 118 minutes
As I said -- I was having a very difficult time deciding between Places in the Heart and Fireproof; both are absolutely superb. Fireproof is a perfect blend of the Lord's Word, His principles and His love; humor; tears; and action. Written by Stephen & Alex Kendrick; directed by Alex Kendrick.
Although many of my readers have probably seen it already -- for those of you that haven't, it's about a firefighter named Caleb Holt (Kirk Cameron) who, although he risks his life over and over again in burning buildings, saving people he doesn't even know, is about to let his own marriage burn to the ground. Just before he and his wife, Catherine (Erin Bethea), are about to get an ugly divorce, his Dad challenges him with The Love Dare -- a 40-day spiritual journey to win back the heart of his wife. Another one of Sherwood Pictures' excellent movies! :) And although this story is based on a husband and wife, and it was made primarily for married couples, it is very inspiring for unmarried young men and young ladies like myself! Five-star rating -- by all means! :)
NOTE: Again, I wouldn't recommend this movie for kids under 12 or 13, for some disturbing scenes associated with Caleb's nerve-wracking job, and some subtle references to some struggles Caleb has.

Here's the trailer!

Luther (2003) -- 124 minutes
Yet another one of those 'best movies ever made' in my book! As the back of the movie describes it better than I ever could, I'll quote it:
"Joseph Fiennes stars as Martin Luther, the brilliant man of God whose defiant actions changed the world, in this "epic, ravishingly beautiful" (The New York Times) film that traces Luther's extraordinary and exhilarating quest for the people's liberation. Regional princes and the powerful Church wield a fast, firm and merciless grip on 16th-century Germany. But when Martin Luther issues a shocking challenge to their authority, the people declare him their new leader -- and hero. Even when threatened with violent death, Luther refuses to back down, sparking a bloody revolution that shakes the entire continent to its core."
Eeeek! That's what I say! And I guarantee if you're even just a little bit like me, you'll be saying the same thing after you watch it! :) This movie has some extremely inspiring contents that can really set you on fire for the Lord. FANTASTIC movie! A must-see!
NOTE: I wouldn't recommend this movie for kids under 13, for some mild language, and some disturbing images of violence.

Sweet Land (2005) -- 110 minutes
This is a beautiful and whimsical story -- one of my very favorites! Here's the Netflix description:
In Ali Selim's Independent Spirit Award-winning tale of how love triumphs over ignorance, German immigrant Inge tells her life story to her grandson after burying her husband on their farm in Minnesota in 1968. Inge begins her tale in 1920, when she's just become a mail-order bride to Norwegian-American farmer Olaf. Discovering that Inge's heritage is actually German, both Olaf and the community struggle to overcome years of anti-German propaganda and prejudice. Excellent movie! :)
NOTE: This movie is rated PG for brief partial nudity and mild language. Well, we don't even remember the language (although we haven't watched it in a while), so there must not have been that much! And as for the brief partial nudity -- it sounds worse than it is...it's just a scene where Inge hops out of a tub to cover up (shows only bare thighs and shoulders).

Pamela's Prayer (1998) -- 57 minutes
While this movie certainly wasn't made with a million-dollar budget (it was produced by a small, family-0wned company), it is a very inspiring story! So beautiful! Also a bit corny, as the movie is primarily set in the 80's! :)...but nevertheless, it's bound to be quite an encouragement to young ladies (and young men) dedicated to purity and courtship vs. dating. This is an excellent story I'm sure you'll enjoy!
Note: There are some subtle references to adult content.

So...have any of my readers seen and enjoyed any of these? :)

A Short Tribute to My Birthday Gal (You've been Hacked!) and I'll be back with MORE TOMORROW!!! he-he! (evil snicker)--kidding ;)

2009-01-18T19:57:00.006-06:00

Love ya!

You're a Blessing to us Noelle,

Many Happy returns of the Day!

~Your Mum & Dad :)

Looking back

2009-01-17T17:42:00.000-06:00

Strange. Odd. Eccentric. Extraordinary. Outlandish. Weird.

Okay -- so maybe it wasn't that bad, but...let me try again.

Different; interesting; quiet; introverted; and extroverted; deep -- and yes, strange; odd; eccentric; extraordinary; outlandish; weird.

Yes, yes, to a tee. Right on the money!

That was (okay, so it still is) ME!

Maybe it's just the close of yet another year that's putting me into such a reflective state of mind and heart. "The close of another year!" you say; "Why, this year's just begun!"

Ah, my friend, but you are wrong. Because for me, it's just the beginning! It actually hasn't EVEN begun just quite yet! And no, I'm not speaking of the end of 2008, beginning of 2009. I'm speaking of the end of 13, the beginning of 14.

January 19th, 1995, at 5:11 PM, a baby girl, me!, was born. That's 14 years ago!

Looking back over the past 14 years, I find my head whirling in a barrage of many emotions; I find myself laughing, crying, gritting my teeth, smiling, shaking my head, shrugging my shoulders...........life is so glorious and so hectic both at the same time!

You gotta figure...life can glorious physically (materially; your surroundings; etc.), mentally (new discoveries; 'light-bulb moments'; etc.), emotionally (tears; laughter; joy; sorrow; and all the rest!), and spiritually (growing and learning to walk with God; entering into a literal love-relationship with Him; and again, discoveries; light-bulb moments, etc.!).
Life can also be hectic physically; mentally; emotionally; and spiritually. There is such a range of emotions throughout our lifetimes...have you ever thought about how incredible it is that we can HAVE emotions?? Emotions are such amazing things...they can cause you to will and to act, to love, to hate...they can change your life, for better or for worse. And it's up to each one of us to take responsibility for our OWN emotions, so that it directs the course of our life for BETTER or for WORSE. Which path do you want to travel down? I for one have chosen the BETTER path, by the grace of God! And He promises to sustain us; provide for all of our needs; to give us ALL that we need for life and godliness. Is this an incredible thought or what?!

For whatever reason (I suppose because I'm very much the reflective, pensive, romantic type), the end of another year of my life brings me to a state of deep contemplation. Looking back; remembering both mistakes and successes. How far have I come? How far do I have to go? (And for your information, the answer to both is FAR. :)

Getting in touch with seldom thought-about feelings and memories can be a harrowing, and joyful, experience. Not that I'm the type to stuff my feelings (which can bring about very bad fruit); but sometimes, inevitably, you're just not in touch with everything all the time. And right before a birthday is a time for me in which I am in touch with just about everything!

Birthdays have always been a big deal to me (I'm a very date-oriented person!), but the last few have been a big deal for different reasons. Isn't it a well-known fact that kids love any holiday because it usually means presents, good food, fun, a day off chores, etc.? :) Well, although holidays for me still include presents, good food, fun, etc. (a day off chores? umm, not do-able for me anymore ;), they mean something else now. A time of looking back, and looking ahead.
14?
Wow.
Am I still really young?
Yes.
To somebody in their 60's -- yes, I'm quite a youngster. :)
But thinking back (yes, I have been doing that a lot lately, if you haven't noticed!), I remember how, when I was little, 14 seemed so far away. 14! Oh my goodness! That's ancient! :) It seemed so important, so...so...important!

And now? Well, I'm not sure. I guess we'll just have to see what 14 brings my way. :)

...Go Light Your World

2009-01-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

Hello friends and family,

I thought this would be excellent to start the new year out with. I'm not going to write much; I'm simply going to leave you with this to chew on! It's really something to think about as we ponder the upcoming 365 days, wouldn't you say?!

Have a blessed New Year!
~Noelle

New Year's "Resolutions"

2008-12-29T23:44:00.022-06:00

New Year's Resolutions. What a strange thing. Half of America makes a list a couple days before New Years -- a list of goals, often set far too high, that there's a good chance they're not going to be able to accomplish. Doesn't it seem like a rather odd phenomonen to you? Why in the world would anyone want to make a list of a bunch of things they know they're not going to stick with more than a few days? What a let-down! What nonsense!

Why do they do it?

As I was just contemplating this situation, the thought struck me -- because they want to try to make themselves feel like decent people by "pretending" that they'll do as much good as they can in the next year.

Now, don't get me wrong -- I know that sounded pretty harsh -- I know that a lot of people have motives other than this! But...it seems to me that a good lot of people make these resolutions -- and then just leave off, and fail themselves. And I realized that the reason often is that people want to be able to feel good about themselves -- without having to realize that God is the only One who can help them "clean up their act" -- and so they do this small act of "sacrifice" and "self-righteousness". And, of course, there's always that excuse, when their conscience pricks them -- "Oh well; who really keeps all their resolutions anyway?"

Okay -- I'm not writing this post to get you on a guilt trip if you fail to carry out your resolutions all through the year! I'm not saying that if you commit to not another bite of sugar for the rest of the year, and you do end up having a bite of sugar, you should beat yourself. (For one thing, committing to not eating a bite of sugar for a year is, after all, a rather unreasonable goal. :) And two -- the Lord does call us to be responsible for ourselves -- and accountable to Him, and our brothers and sisters in Christ -- but He doesn't call us to condemn ourselves for messing up!)

Here's what I'm getting at. We all know that the Lord determines even our every breath, and that His blueprint for our lives is ALWAYS the best way to go -- but I believe it does please Him when we prayerfully set reasonable (again, I repeat -- reasonable) goals for our lives, years, months, days -- keeping in mind that whatever He speaks to our hearts is to be our end-all goal.

When I was younger, New Years Resolutions really didn't mean all that much to me. I think I made them a couple times, and kept them till about January 10th. :) This year, however, I feel differently -- the expansive, new, and at times frightening horizon of adulthood is slowly broadening before my very eyes; I'm beginning to see life with new responsibility and, yes, excitement. I feel that I need some more goals -- goals in my life to keep me on the right track, to keep me going in the way that I feel the Lord is leading me to go.

So with this, my dear friends, I would encourage you to set goals for yourself, too! :) REASONABLE goals! Don't set up for yourself a let-down! Prayerfully consider what the Lord may have in store for you; talk with your parents (if you're still living at home) about it; write them down -- and do your best, with the Lord's help, to carry out those goals!

And now -- is anybody interested in hearing my New Year's Resolutions -- er -- Goals...or...well, whatever you want to call them!? :)

If it's the Lord's will, in the next year I desire to:

To continue to grow in grace in the knowlege of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
To be a more effective witness, bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ with me wherever I go
To develop more of a servant's heart
To become better at keeping in touch with the Lord, my family, and my friends and dear brothers and sisters in Christ
To be more of a blessing to those around me
To continue on faithfully in my schoolwork
To continue to learn and grow in my developing homemaking skills -- namely, cooking/baking, cleaning, decorating, needlework, seamstressing, childcare, hospitality, gardening, communication skills, etc.
To become a successful and more accomplished photographer, having opportunities to minister while we're working, always keeping the Lord in His rightful place -- first! :)
To develop and hone my writing skills and to move ahead in my writing
To get my boutique (fellow members of the blogosphere, you will hear about this soon...) up and successfully running, and to be creatively "designing" clothes that people -- and the Lord -- will love
To develop my love for and hone my graphic art skills
To become a more accomplished vocalist
To study and learn cosmetology and get my apprentice license (under my Mom)
To move far ahead in my *************, preparing for the final lap of the daring, yet exciting, prospect of ********** for the first time! (Again -- fellow members of the blogosphere, you will hear about this soon enough! :) Am I good at suspense or what?!?!)

May the Lord bless you and your family in the upcoming year! And remember this as you contemplate this strange phenomonen called "New Year's Resolutions" -- and remember that they don't have to be a let-down!

I can do ALL things through Christ, who strengthens me!!! ALL things!!!! (Philippians 4:13, some emphasis added :)

The Power of God

2008-12-26T13:31:00.006-06:00

The prophet Habbakuk saw the God of Israel not as a tender shepherd, but as a raging giant: "Thou didst bestride the earth in fury, thou didst trample the nations in anger. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, for the salvation of thy annointed. Thou didst crush the head of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck....Thou didst trample the sea with thy horses." This representation of power is followed by Habbakuk's testimony of faith, "God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like hind's feet, he makes me tread upon my high places."

That fearful deity, that giant who roars forth for the deliverance of his people, is the God who makes us able to walk where it seems there can be no walking.

--Elisabeth Elliott--

That's what love does

2008-12-25T12:54:00.007-06:00

Jesus humbled Himself.

He went from commanding angels, to sleeping in
the straw.

From holding stars, to clutching Mary's finger.

The Palm that held the universe, took the nail of a soldier.

Why?

Because that's what love
does.

--Max Lucado--

The Gift of God.

The Birth of Christ.

This is Christmas.

This is love.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I found this beautiful e-card off of Compassion.com and loved it. May God bless you all, and may you have a blessed Holiday and a wonderful New Year to come! Merry Christmas!

New post in progress...

2008-12-06T17:50:00.002-06:00

My dear blogger friends! How could I be so neglectful of you?! :) I can't believe it's been 3 weeks since I've last posted...please except my humble apology as I bow my head low in shame!

And as this post title implies...

...there is a substantial post in progress.

Until then, folks, please be patient with me! :) I'll talk to you soon!

Thank you!

2008-11-16T15:47:00.005-06:00

I have been blessed by the gift of two blogging awards by two special blogging friends of mine!

For this one I have Jasmine to thank! :)

Uber is a German word that is similar to our English word, "super". This award is awarded to blogs that have some or all of these qualities:

They...

Inspire you
Make you smile and laugh
Give amazing information
Are a great read
Have an amazing design
And any other reasons you can think of that make them Uber Amazing!

The rules to this award are:

Put the logo on your blog or post

Nominate at least 5 blogs (can be more) that for you are Uber Amazing! ***if you don't have 5 that's okay***

Let them know that they have received this Uber Amazing reward by commenting on their blog.

Share the love and link to this post and to the person you received your award from.

...I have 10 blogs (and what's more, the people who write them) to award that are, to me, Uber Amazing...

Kaysie at Alabaster Box (I know you just got this one, but I wanted to give it to you again :)

Megan at AIMING for Perfection

Andrea at Sunset Hours

My Momma' at A Little Bit Of A Lot

Rebekah at By His Grace And For His Glory

Anna at Anna's Blog

Courtney at Courtney Michelle Photography

Carley at Carley Rene Photography

Miss Alyssa at CrazyBusy

Bryant at Him Whom I have not seen, I love

Thank you, everybody, for your Uber Amazing blogs! :)

And the next one is the Thank You Blog Award:

Thank you to Kaysie for this one! What a blessing this was to me!

With this one I award:

Bethany at Bethany's Blog

Andrea at Sunset Hours

My Mom at A Little Bit Of A Lot

A huge thank you and a big hug to all three of you ladies!!

Makeover

2008-11-10T23:28:00.022-06:00

From this...

...To this!

What do you all think? Didn't my Mom do a wonderful job?! :)

Do you like it better long or short? Be honest! I won't be hurt! :)

Please leave me a comment, letting me know!

15 Things

2008-11-10T21:51:00.006-06:00

I thought the tags were done, but alas, no. :)

I too love tags, and as Jasmine tagged whoever wished to participate, I will participate. :)

And now for 15 things I am not afraid to admit about myself:

I am not afraid to admit that I am in love with the Lord Jesus Christ.
I am not afraid to admit that I am planning some new and exciting things with my blog! :) Stay tuned...
I am not afraid to admit that although I have 67 tracks on my Rhapsody playlist (from various artists), I have only one main favorite music group. :) And I'm expecting their newest CD in the mail any day now!! (As you can imagine, the anticipation is building...!)
I am not afraid to admit that I have a favorite pair of shoes, and I'm wearing them right now.
I am not afraid to admit that I have lived in Michigan for 3-1/2 this December 15th. Wow. Seems like just yesterday we pulled into town.
I am not afraid to admit that cooking and baking are not my favorite pastimes, although everyone says I'm pretty good at them.
I am not afraid to admit that I hate spiders and onions, as well as semi's, plastic wrap, and fluorescent lights.
I am not afraid to admit that my Mom and I have the best recipe for Holiday candy that exists.
I am not afraid to admit that I like to get the mail, and I do almost every morning.
I am not afraid to admit that I can start Driver's Ed. in less than 10-1/2 months. (No, I'm not afraid to admit it, but the thought of actually doing it is a bit terrifying! :) No...I have excellent teachers. And I actually get to live with them! :)
I am not afraid to admit that if I'm bored and there's a 'kiddie book' sitting near me, I will pick it up and read it front to back.
I am not afraid to admit that I LOVE children!
I am not afraid to admit that my smile has changed so much over the years. From one smile to another to another to another to another.
I am not afraid to admit that I am very thrilled that my 14th birthday (7 is the number of perfection, and 14 is double 7's!! :) starts on a MONDAY!!! I am very date-oriented. Don't worry, I'm not superstitious -- I don't think anything special will happen to me because I'll be fourteen or anything like that. :) I just think it's pretty neat that that age starts the first day of the week!!! Yeah!!!
I am not afraid to admit that I have had a terrible time at keeping my room neat, for years. Only very recently have I been keeping it picked up!

...And, there you are, folks! :)

I too tag whoever wishes to participate!

Purpose

2008-11-09T16:32:00.050-06:00

I got a comment on yesterday's post from a friend of mine, Linda N., that I will quote here in this post:

Hey just wanted to add a thought, along the lines of what I've been learning
lately, and that is how essential GLORIFYING GOD is, in all we do...that is our purpose...God wants us to be in continual communication with Him, certainly, but the purpose of it all is to glorify Him, it isn't for our sakes alone...He is so jealous of our affection, worship, and that is why He brings us into communication with Himself...God bless you! (emphasis added by me)

This is so true -- and as I responded to Linda, I had already been planning on doing a post with that train of thought in mind.

Let me begin this story in May of this year.

When we moved into this house in October 2007, we had no idea who our neighbors were or what they were like. As it turns out, we have very kind, peaceful neighbors, and have been blessed with a tremendous opportunity for ministry! :)

This was one of the first times we saw her. She was walking across the street in front of our house in March or April of this year, and being as we were standing around outside taking pictures (just for the sheer fun of it), we snapped a quick picture of her. No idea she was even our neighbor. Winters up here keep people locked inside -- that's why we went six months without meeting our neighbors! October is pretty much considered 'winter'; November, definitely. So, until springtime showed its beautiful face, we had idea who we were living beside.

You may recognize this as Pandora (also known as Panny, Pan, Panny Joy, Panny Pie Joy, PanPie, Cherry PanPie, Panny Pie, and a myriad of other pet names :). She's a lively-spirited girl that's got enough shitzpah to keep fighting even when things get tough. Peer pressure, and family pressure, have threatened to consume her spirit; but she's got enough stuff to keep on keepin' on, no matter what. She's dedicated to the Lord, even if she struggles, which is such a blessing at her age.

All right. Next scene. It was June 15th, Father's Day. We're going about our business when suddenly we hear a timid knock on the door. Upon opening it, we find a shy little girl with beautiful, deep green eyes looking up at us, holding a paper plate covered with plastic wrap. We happily invite her in and she informs us that her mom had sent her over with the plate of frosted carrot cake. (Yum! :) We thank her and talk to her for a couple minutes, and she takes her leave as quickly as possible.

Over the next couple weeks, we saw her and spoke to her every now and then. We also got to briefly meet her stepmom and adorable little sister.

The next time I talked with her for any extended period of time, it was a muggy, buggy June 24th, and I was not looking forward to the landscaping that needed done outside. I thought to myself, hmmm...why not offer Pandora a few dollars to help you? :) As it turned out, it was a very productive time -- we got all the landscaping done, and a large seed of faith was planted into this young girl's heart.

We began our work.

After a few minutes of chit-chat, I asked her if she went to church anywhere. She said they went to the...the...you know, the one by such-and-such...the one with the school in it...

"The Catholic church?" I asked her.

"Yeah! Our Lady of Peace." She paused for a moment. "Where do you go?"

"We go to church in Ashland."

We were both quiet for a moment, pondering what the other had said. After a little bit, she asked me a question. To be totally honest with you, I don't even remember what it was. Something about church, or the Lord, or something like that. I don't even remember. But from that time on, we were talking -- and talking -- and talking. She asked me so many questions...about the Lord, Satan, heaven, hell, angels, demons, what happens to you when you die -- and so much more. We talked for about 2 - 2-1/2 hours straight. After we were done with our work, we went inside and kept talking. I'm sure she left that night with a lot on her mind! :)

A few days later, I saw her outside again and called her over. We talked for a few minutes, then softly I asked her, "Have you thought at all about what I was saying the other day?"

"Yes," she answered.

By the end of our time that day, she had accepted the Lord as her Savior.

She was here all the time for a while, and we talked constantly -- about the Lord, and about other issues pertinent to growing in the faith. Then for a while, I could sense she was struggling. I'd try to talk to her and she'd just change the subject. This went on for quite a while -- but thank You Lord, she's coming back around again. She's been opening up more, and we've had a couple good conversations, that I hope were encouraging to her. I know they were to me! :)

If you think of Panny at all, please keep her in your prayers! She is a dear child of God, and she's dear to me too. I'm excited about what the Lord's doing in her life -- and what He's doing in mine through her!

That night when we talked for those hours, I was so thankful to the Lord that He gave me the words I needed to reach her. I could never have done it on my own! He gave me the strength I needed! Thank You, Jesus!

Would you happen to notice even a hint of love for drama here??

But this whole post was not meant to be just about Panny.

I go back to the comment my friend left me...

...but the purpose of it all is to glorify Him, it isn't for our sakes alone...

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Galatians 2:20)

Is not our entire being to wrapped up in the Lord Jesus, "who loved us and gave himself for us"(Galatians 2:20)? Is not our utmost goal and desire in life to be to serve others and therefore serve our Heavenly Father?

A question I think we should all be asking ourselves every day, every hour, every minute is, "Is what I am doing, saying, thinking, feeling, pleasing to God? Is it glorifying Him? Is it bringing Him honor? Are others going to notice a difference in us by what we're saying and doing? Are they going to see something radiantly pure in us shining through us and wonder What, or Who, it is?

May we be open and alert to the Lord's call to action! I look forward to the future with great anticipation. I'm excited! :)

Yes, time flies!

2008-11-07T23:05:00.025-06:00

Where in the world has the time gone?!

As I'm sure some bloggers can relate, it can be difficult to keep up with blogging -- I know I find that if there's a whole lot to be shared (as is the case right now!), I become overwhelmed at the thought of writing a longer-than-normal post and chicken out for a while. Then I realize how shameful my blogging behavior really is (wink), and I put my nose to the grindstone and write what's on my heart. Can any one of you relate?? :)

Blogging can seem like such a simple thing...and sometimes it is. Some posts are very easy -- just write a couple words, upload a quick picture if you like, and press publish post. It's easy because you don't have to give of yourself -- you don't have to bare your heart to anyone; you don't have to 'be real', if you know what I mean.

And it's safe. But, no one gets blessed -- on either side.

There has been so much going on in my life right now -- the Lord is really working on my heart, showing me many places where I've been really wrong. One of the most important things He showed me was my terrible lack of communication with Him. I mean, real communication! Sure, I prayed often. But how much time did I really, really devote to things of the Lord -- reading, praying, interceding, confessing, searching, asking, crying out, and simply being still before Him?

One of the things that really began the conviction process in my heart was something I found in a friend's blog archives:

8 reasons why I have devotions: (and why you should, too!)
~Communion with God
~Purification of my heart and life
~Restoration of my soul
~Instruction in the ways of God
~Submission to God and His will
~Direction for my life, my relationships, and my responsibilities
~Intercession on behalf of the needs of myself and others
~Transformation into the likeness of Christ

When I saw this, the very first thing I thought was, I want this too. I want this. This is my heart's utmost desire.

That first one, communion with God, especially pricked my heart. I know that, though the Lord has been working on me dilligently these past couple weeks, I still have a humongous amount to learn about my relationship with my Heavenly Father. One of the things He's impressed upon my heart is the fact that I need to develop the...how shall I say...not skill, per se, but -- ah. The habit of not only talking to Him, but also listening to Him. This is so vital -- it cannot be a a one-way relationship! We are His children -- how do we ever expect to learn anything if we don't listen to Him?!

And here I will quote from my Journal...

"......I want to hear from You, Lord -- I don't want to have a one-way relationship with You. I want to talk to You AND listen to You, always. Listening to You, although, does seem foreign and scary to me, because so often before I would try to listen to You and would get no response. In my head, I know that it wasn't that You weren't listening to me, or that You didn't want to or wouldn't speak to me, but my heart still feels shy about listening to You, because my heart still "feels" like You won't speak to me, although I "know" that's not true." (--October 29th, 2008--)

...And this is exactly how I feel. I remember many times when I was younger I would try to sit there and "listen to God".

Nothing.

"Lord, I need You to speak to me!"

Nothing.

Whatever it was in my heart that was blocking me from hearing the Lord's voice, I don't know. Or maybe it wasn't even that...perhaps He had another form of speaking to me right around the corner other than right then, speaking to my heart. Sometimes that's just not the way He works. I need to remember this! :) I can't always have what I want when I want it, as much as I'd like to...(grin)

I find most often He speaks to me through an idea (that I don't recognize as something from Him until later), or something someone else says to me that I know is a message from the Lord because of the timing and importance of it, or something will jump out at me straight from His word. That has happened to me, and blessed me greatly, so many times! :)

And again, a little something from my Journal that puts into words how I was feeling for quite a while...

"......Lord, my heart is dying. It's dying. Sometimes I feel like everything I ever stood upon, everything I ever stood for, everything I ever believed and held on to is slowly, and at times, quickly, slipping away from me. I don't know what's right anymore -- I mean, as far as what specific things in my life and mind and heart are, 'right', or 'wrong'? What's wrong with my heart? What is it that's making my life so difficult and miserable? What is it? What's wrong? What am I thinking, saying, feeling, doing, that's cutting me off from You? Why can't I, as Mom was saying today, live a life pleasing to You and blooming and blossoming with Your Love? Why can't I live to Your glory? What's wrong in my life? What? Who? Why? When? Where? How? I need answers, Lord! I need the light of Your love to flood into my soul!.......Lord, I want it to be different! Please help me! I want to shine for You -- I want to be Your Light and Your Love to this world. And I also want to be an encouragement to my brothers and sisters in Christ." (--October 21st, 2008--)

"How can a young man [or woman] keep his [or her] way pure? By living according to Your Word....My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life....Save me, for I am Yours;....May my cry come before You, O Lord; give me understand according to Your Word. My my supplication come before You; deliver me according to Your promise. May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. May my tongue sing of Your Word, for all Your commands are righteous. May Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts. I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight. Let me live that I may praise You, and may Your laws sustain me. I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commands." (Psalm 119:9-176)

This is my heart's cry, oh Lord!

The Lord is truly responding to my heartfelt cry for Him to break me of my pride, show me my sin, and help me to walk closer to Him. My eyes are being opened; I'm beginning to truly see my sin for what it is, and to see how much I really do need the Lord, although my sinful pride does not want to see that. :)

I pray that the Father will continue to work in my heart as He's been, and that I will continue traveling to new places in my relationship with Him. I pray that new things will continue to happen, that hearts and lives will continue changing, refreshing, reviving, renewing. That, with our hand in His, we will continue to work out our Salvation "with fear and trembling", and that we will be very sensitive and alert to His call and leading. This, and so much more, is my prayer and desire.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

WOW!!!

A wonderful, amazing quote...

2008-11-07T22:45:00.003-06:00

If you never hit your head, you'll never see the stars.
--My Dry-Humored Daddy :)

Random photos

2008-10-30T01:47:00.004-05:00

Okay, folks -- so I don't usually post random pictures. But, since someone was bugging me tonight to post something so that something comes up other than the quote-en-quote ugly picture of the snow...I searched quickly for a photo to post. Quickly. This is the first thing that proved acceptable in my search, and therefore that is what I chose.

There you have it, folks...my niece -- I mean my sister's doggie.

Do you see what I see?!

2008-10-27T20:55:00.003-05:00

SNOW!!!

A smile

2008-10-26T00:41:00.003-05:00

A smile starts on the lips, a grin spreads to the eyes, a chuckle comes from the belly...but a good laugh bursts from the soul, overflows, and bubbles all around.

--Anonymous--

A smile is a powerful tool! Use it often! :)

Forgiveness

2008-10-24T21:01:00.001-05:00

Relationally, forgiveness is the key to freedom in Christ. It is the glue that holds families and churches together. Satan uses unforgiveness more than any other human deficiency to stop the growth of individuals and ministries. The unforgiving person is yoked to the past and is not free to move on in Christ.

--Neil T. Anderson

Pride

2008-10-21T00:12:00.008-05:00

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.

I cheat you of your God-given destiny...because you demand your own way.
I cheat you of contentment...because you "deserve better than this."
I cheat you of knowledge...because you already know it all.
I cheat you of healing...because you're too full of me to forgive.
I cheat you of holiness...because you refuse to admit when you're wrong.
I cheat you of vision...becasue you'd rather look in the mirror than out a window.
I cheat you of genuine friendship...because nobody's going to know the real you.
I cheat you of love...because real romance demands sacrifice.
I cheat you of greatness in heaven...because you refuse to wash another's feet on earth.
I cheat you of God's glory...because I convince you to seek your own.

My name is Pride. I am a cheater. You like me because you think I'm always looking out for you.

Untrue.

God has so much for you, I admit.
But don't worry...

If you stick with me, you'll never know.

-Broadman & Holman

One more

2008-10-19T20:44:00.005-05:00

I am: actually Dustynne Witt though most know me as Noelle Mathison...long story!
I know: I'm a goose.
I want: my ears to un-plug. (Oh, the 'joys' of being sick! Ugh!)
I have: a Savior and Master that died for me, and a wonderful, wonderful family to love.
I wish: I would get more comments.
I hate: semi's, fluorescent lights, and plastic wrap.
I miss: my sister.
I fear: sometimes.
I feel: very deeply. (Yes, I stole that from Jasmine...)
I hear: just about everything.
I smell: everything too strong. Me and my sister.
I crave: nothing, right now -- I'm sick.
I search: for anything that gets lost.
I wonder: what I'll learn in the next year.
I regret: the many mistakes I've made in all my fourteen years.
I love: the Lord and my family.
I ache: to go deeper with my Lord.
I care: very much.
I always: think.
I am not: tagging anyone on this post.
I believe: that God works in mysterious ways.
I dance: when I'm really happy.
I sing: as often as I possibly can.
I cry: yep.
I don't always: do what I should.
I fight: off bees whenever necessary.
I write: and write and write.
I never: like winter anymore by February.
I listen: to the Wissmann's as often as possible.
I need: to grow closer to Jesus.
I can usually be found: inside, doing something.
I win: battles over the enemy in the strength of the Lord!
I lose: sleep when I'm too excited.
I confuse: a lot of people.
I am happy about: too much to describe!
I imagine: that some things will never change.

Six things...

2008-10-19T20:19:00.003-05:00

...that I've learned in the past year:

That I have changed drastically in this short, but long, period of time.
That God is faithful, even when we forget that temporarily.
That when a relationship or situation makes you angry or anxious, it's usually because something you want or need is being blocked.
I've been reminded over and over again that once we surrender our will to God, He will often give us the desires of our heart -- and not until then. Or, even if He doesn't give back to us exactly what we wanted, He will give us a peace of mind, knowing that we did the right thing.
I've learned just how much I have to be thankful for.
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. :)

My, the tags are bouncing around lately! Thank you to dear Jasmine for this one! :)

...And, I tag whoever wishes to participate. (But you have to let me know. :)

Oh, and one more thing I've learned -- that being around kids (which I love) has a cost: being sick three times in the past two weeks!

Fall favorites

2008-10-16T00:08:00.003-05:00

As Jasmine tagged whomever wished to participate, I decided I might as well have a little fun with it too. :)

So, here's my fall favorites...

1.) Favorite smell...dinner cooking when I walk in the door from the dark and cold.
2) Favorite food...peanut butter cookies.
3.) Favorite color...brown. I really like brown -- especially with pink. :)
4.) Favorite drink...coffee. :)
5.) Favorite treat...coffee. :)
6.) Favorite place to visit...Pittsburgh, PA.
7.) Favorite candy...I ditto Jasmine's answer -- skittles!!! :)
8.) Favorite movie to watch...Luther (2003).
9.) Favorite clothing to wear...t-shirts and skirts. I wear summer clothes as long as I can. :)
10.) Favorite outdoor activity...again, I ditto Jasmine -- playing tag outside when it's cold enough for your nose to get chilly. :)
11.) Favorite football team...GO STEELERS!!!
12.) Favorite fall holiday...Reformation Day. Then Thanksgiving.
13.) Favorite haunted place (haunted as in frequently visited)...the office or my bedroom.
14.) Favorite food at Thanksgiving dinner...mashed potatoes. :)
15.) Favorite pie...pumpkin!
16.) Favorite fall hobby...hiking.
17.) Favorite fall memory...last fall was a really neat time for me. I'm not sure exactly why -- I just have good memories of the entire fall season. So there. :)
18.) Favorite fall sight...leaves so thick they cover part of the road.
19.) Favorite season...I like all the seasons.
20.) Overall favorite fall thing...looking forward to the snow. (Remind me in January that at one time I actually was looking forward to the snow! :)

Panography-ish

2008-10-14T19:49:00.001-05:00

Panny Joy

2008-10-14T19:28:00.000-05:00

Olivia

2008-10-13T17:41:00.008-05:00

And, yet another shoot (with another cutie)! Let me introduce you to Olivia (she's 2-1/2! [grin]). She is Pandora's sister, and a real sweetheart. I tell you, I've never seen a child of that age that could talk so well! She speaks full sentences, carrying on conversations with you like a little adult.

Thank you, sweet Livva, for co-operating with me! (smile)

Pandora

2008-10-13T16:58:00.007-05:00

I had the privilege of doing a short photo shoot with a 10-year-old neighbor yesterday afternoon. In the last one, I know the lighting isn't the best, but still I thought the sun on her face looked really neat. And in the others, well, the lighting was really perfect!

Thank you for letting me practice on you, Panny Joy! (For a little while, anyway...[grin])

Favorites, anybody?!

It's still me

2008-10-12T15:25:00.004-05:00

Suprise! Did you think you came to the wrong blog? Nope. You didn't. It's still me, Noelle.

Explanations...

First things first: The title. A Mile In My Flip-Flops came from my dear Mother's ingenious head. It originated as the caption of an artsy photo, then morphed into the name of my blog. What do you think?

Second things second: The color, font, and layout. I chose black because photos show up so nicely on a black background. The font? Well, you probably didn't notice it -- but if you did, it's just that I tend to like Verdana better than Trebuchet. The layout? I took off most of my sidebar items so as not to distract from the writings and photography.

Third things third: The music (or the lack thereof). I decided music was too distracting.

So, folks, there's your explanations!

Would you all do me a favor and leave me a comment letting me know what you think?

...And tagged again...

2008-10-09T19:43:00.004-05:00

...this time by by Anna from Anna's Blog. (Thank you, Anna! (smile))
I am to put down...

Five Things I Love, Excluding Family (and family includes the Lord :)

Writing
Blogging
Summer and winter
Eyebrows
Music

And as an added touch, three things I hate:

Plastic wrap
Semi's
Fluorescent lights

And I, too, will tag one person:

my dear Mommy :)

Tagged...

2008-10-09T18:45:00.004-05:00

I've been tagged by Megan at AIMING for Perfecton! (Thanks, Megs!)

Now, here's the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag sixish people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know he or she has been tagged.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

All right, lemme give this a shot...(random, huh? it might have been easier for me if I was supposed to put six weird facts about myself. yeah, that would have been very easy.)

I didn't like bluegrass until I was 12. Now I love it.
My birthday falls very near -- and sometimes on -- Inauguration Day.
I love the streetlights on Route 28 in Pittsburgh, PA.
It's very hard for me to sleep without a little bit of noise.
I love harmonies.
Two of my favorite things to do when I was four or five were 1) Dig in the flower garden (for no reason) and 2) Scrub pennies in a sinkful of soapy water.

And now, I tag...

Hillary at Hillary's Blog

Anna at Anna's Blog

Maria Pauline at Beautiful Grace

Andrea at Sunset Hours

Amos at ShuttersBuddy

and

Megan at PBC Blog

Pennsylvania trip

2008-10-09T18:00:00.012-05:00

After a very blessed trip to Pittsburgh, PA (to pick Mom up)...
...we are all back, safe and sound. I'm sorry for not being in touch sooner -- we've been very, very busy the last couple weeks! I appreciate all of your prayers, everyone! (smile)

:: Brandi and I tackle Jacob ::

:: And I got to go to my precious Giant Eagle...(sorry, family joke I guess (grin)) ::

:: At Mummers' house, where we spent the night (after a straight-through 17-hour-drive!) ::

All in all, it was a very successful, blessed trip -- again, thank you for your prayers! (And if you would happen to think of my sister, Brandi, please continue to pray for her!)

It was so amazing to be back there in PA -- it brought back so many memories. Having been away from 'civilization', so to speak (if you'd visit the U.P. here, you'd know what I was talking about!), it was very different from what I've been used to for the last 3-1/2 years -- something I've missed. (Frankly, I'm not the rural, out-in-the-sticks-where-there's-hardly-a-lick-of-population type of girl. But that's where God has me for now, and I've come to accept it.)

So there you have it, folks -- a very brief outline of our trip to Pittsburgh! (smile)

A huge thank you

2008-09-30T21:54:00.004-05:00

All I can say is a huge thank you to those of you who are keeping us held up in prayer!

It's been a long, amazing day...I will post details and stories later (as well as pictures) -- right now my eyes are about to fall over so I...

(**falls asleep, wakes with a start**)

...so I had best get to bed.

But, thank you so much for your prayers -- Mom is in Pittsburgh, and doing well. We are in Ironwood and falling asleep (the result of...shall I say...very few hours of sleep and driving for 12 hours?!).

'Nighter's to you all, thanks again, and I'll be in touch tomorrow.

Prayers requested!

2008-09-29T23:24:00.006-05:00

And here I will quote from a recent post:

"Helping Mom get ready for her trip. More on this later."

I truly meant to post on this sooner -- but, alas, the time has nearly come and still no post. But, if you think of us at all (especially Mom) in the next week or so, please keep us in your prayers! Tomorrow afternoon, Mom flies out of Milwaukee, WI -- destination Pittsburgh, PA. She will be visiting with family there, but is going mainly on behalf of my sister, who is not a Believer...yet. :) But Brandi called for Mom to come and stay with her for a while, as she is in a tough place in her life. Please pray that her heart will continue to soften towards Christ, and that this trip will not be in vain!

So I guess we'll see how life is for a week without Mom! (grin)

I'll do my best to post pictures from the airport tomorrow night, and will update throughout the week. Please, keep us in your prayers! Thank you so much!

Recent photos

2008-09-25T17:41:00.008-05:00

The promised picture post

2008-09-22T19:57:00.018-05:00

Before me, was them...

And then, a couple years later...

And a couple years later...

And a couple years later!

So there we are in a nutshell over the past 16 years.

And just for some added fun, I thought I'd share with you all a few home videos from the past couple years. Go ahead and laugh -- I sure did! (big grin)

The naughty 5th-grader squirms out of math. :)

Okay, so maybe this one was a bit corn-y...

And last but not least, my personal favorite. LOL! (I had such a serious look on my face!...and yes, that was a doll.)

Sisters...

2008-09-22T19:33:00.002-05:00

...at the same age -- but years apart!

We don't look much alike, do we?!

Random-ness...

2008-09-18T22:27:00.011-05:00

What's up with me? Let me begin the list...

Eighth grade. That's what's up.
I got their newest CD a couple weeks ago and have been loving it.
I have been journaling like crazy. (Like I told my Dad, the second my pen hits the journal, it gets stuck on rapid-fire. And I'm not kidding.)
Mom & I got a new camera -- ((...drum roll, please...)) a Rebel XT!!! (Yes!!!)
I've been toning and training my voice. More on this later.
Helping Mom get ready for her trip. More on this later.
Washing dishes, sweeping floors, watering gardens. Cooking. Laundry. Cleaning.
Keeping in touch with the Lord, repenting when I fall short, praising Him for His amazing mercy, love, and all the miracles He shows us every single day!
Computer techie stuff.
Rescuing stunned birdies.
Talking. (Really?!) Thinking. (No kidding!)
Preparing for piano lessons hopefully to begin soon.
Swimming in Lake Superior. (Yes, September 16th -- and I won't even say Brrr.)
Doubling over laughing in the middle of the road, when walking with my Mom in the evening.
Finding little furry gentlemen that won't bark locked in the car.

So there is a glimpse into my days. Hope you enjoyed yourself. I'll try to get a picture-post together soon. And please bear with me -- I'll get back to blogging! Don't worry!

2008-09-14T13:10:00.003-05:00

A woman's sphere of influence

2008-09-07T15:57:00.025-05:00

All around me I am observing, with great interest, change taking place in many forms. For me, this is a time of reflection. A time of renewal. A time of comfort, and also a time of pain. Things are changing. Things are coming to a head. Life is wonderful -- life hurts. How is it, that one can feel so many different things at one time? Feeling one thing, and then another -- that's understandable. But all at one time...

But it happens. It's part of life. It's part of growth.

Our neighbors stowed away their air conditioner today. I find myself pulling sweaters out of my closet pretty often nowadays. Leaves are starting to fall. It's starting to get dark earlier and earlier. Right now it's 8:16, and it's completely dark. Before we know it, Christmas decorations will be put up all through the town, the lights casting a comforting glow onto the soft, pure snow outside.

I'm seeing evidence of fall approaching -- and quickly.

But it happens. It's part of life. It's part of growth.

My journal is filling up rapidly. My heart is light and heavy both at the same time. My outlook is changing. My interests are changing. My passions are changing. My goals are changing. My needs are changing. I need God. I need to stay close to my Father in Heaven...I can't function without Him, and I'm just now re-discovering that. It's so easy to forget. Or ignore. And once it's ignored, it's soon forgotten -- and that's a bad road to be heading down.

I'm seeing evidence of the Lord working in my heart -- and it doesn't always happen quickly.

But it happens. It's part of life. It's part of growth.

What else beckons for my attention this year?

Women are stepping into the men's arena. Power-hungry women that want to force their way to the top. Women that are being lied to by the enemy of their souls -- being told that unless you can prevail over the men, you're not worth anything. Women that are choosing to rebel against the order God has put into place -- and that are choosing to rebel against their desperately-needed sphere of influence.

I'm seeing evidence of morality and integritous principles going down the drain -- and quickly.

But it happens. It's part of life. It's part of growth.

Or is it?

It happens. Yes.

It's part of life. Unfortunately, yes.

It's part of growth. Really?

"Godly womanhood...the very phrase sounds strange in our ears. We never hear it now. We hear about every other type of women: beautiful women, smart women, sophisticated women, career women, talented women, divorced women. But so seldom do we hear of a godly woman - or of a godly man either, for that matter...It is a much more nobler thing to be a good wife, than to be Miss America. It is a greater achievement to establish a Christian home than it is to produce a second-rate novel filled with filth. It is a far, far better thing in the realms of morals to be old-fashioned, than to be ultra-modern.The world has enough women who know how to be smart. It needs women who are willing to be simple. The world has enough women who know how to be brilliant. It needs some who will be brave. The world has enough women who are popular. It needs more who are pure. We need women, and men, too, who would rather be morally right than socially correct."

-Peter Marshall

The upcoming election and the possibility of Sarah Palin becoming our VP has really gotten me thinking about a woman's sphere of influence...of the roles God has ordained for women, for them to be most effective for His Kingdom.

The autumn season is always one of comfort to me. It brings back cheeful memories and fond connotations. The thought of cozying up to eat dinner by candlelight, curling up in the evenings to read a good book with a blanket around your shoudlers -- these thoughts well up the 'warm fuzzies' in me, and are so peaceful and soothing.

With all this in mind, can you imagine a world without women? God's plan for women has always been to be nurturers, and the gentle, sweet, feminine touch in a hostile, masculine world. We add the soft touches to an otherwise masculine room; we are the soft, gentle voices in a world of rough, deep ones. We are the emotions in a world of logic. :)

And on the other hand, can you imagine a world without men? :) Not a very pleasant thought either way, is it? The Lord knew that, too, and in His wonderful omniscience, He created both men and women, to balance each other out, to bring glory to Him together.

How is a man supposed to truly appreciate the ladies in his family when he comes home from work each day, when he's been working with women all day long? It's no longer good, hard work with other men -- it's stress, headaches and rush, rush, rush, with both other men...and women. A man can no longer look forward to coming home to the ladies he's been separated from all day long, to come back to his home, where the ladies have everything in order and under control, and have made him a nice warm supper, so he can relax when he gets home and enjoy his family. No -- he's stressed from his day, and can no longer appreciate pure femininity in his wife and daughters.

God always knows best -- and whenever anyone interferes with His original plan, it's never a good idea -- and it never works quite the same as it would have, if they would have abided by His blueprint for their lives.

(Note: For a very good article on Sarah Palin, go here.)

Fall leaves picture taken by Bethany Wissmann

Where there's a will...

2008-09-07T14:46:00.004-05:00

...there's a way.

Excerpts, part 3 -- What are the duties required in the first commandment?

2008-09-05T18:33:00.005-05:00

As we seek understanding of the undivided devotion God demands in the first commandment, the Westminister Larger Catechism will help us.

The catechism poses the question, 'What are the duties required in the first commandment?' The answer that the writers of the catechism give is so helpful in elaborating the full intent of the commandment that I'll quote it in its entirety (although it's a little lengthy):

The duties required in the first commandment are, the knowing and

acknowledging of God to be the only true God, and our God; and to

worship and glorify him accordingly, by thinking, meditating, rem-

embering, highly esteeming, honoring, adoring, choosing, loving, de-

siring, fearing of him; believing him; trusting, hoping, delighting, rej-

oicing in him; being zealous for him; calling upon him, giving all praise

and thanks, and yielding all obedience and submission to him with the

whole man; being careful in all things to please him, and sorrowful when

in anything he is offended; and walking humbly with him.

Why not go back and reread their answer again? Every one of those verbs is significant and rich with meaning, isn't it? As I read over them, I can plainly see how I fail to know, acknowledge, worship, and glorify God as my only true God. Think with me as I go partially through the list:

Thinking about God. Do I think of God continually or only infrequently, such as when I want or need something?
Meditating on God. Do I meditate on His character -- His holiness, His goodness, His love?
Remembering God. Do I remember Him in everything I do and say, or do I rarely think of Him?
Esteeming God. Am I highly esteeming Him, or do I highly esteem or value other things?"

--Elyse Fitzpatrick, in Idols of the Heart: Learning to Long for God Alone

Caption contest, anyone?

2008-09-03T20:32:00.004-05:00

Excerpts, part 2 -- My Household Gods

2008-09-03T00:05:00.011-05:00

"As I've thought about Rachel's story, I've wondered about my household idols. I've wondered whether I have any domestic deities -- household gods that I'm looking to for my happiness and security. What do I long for so much that my heart clamors, 'Give me this, or I'll die!' What must I have for life to be meaningful or happy? If I answer that question with anything other than God Himself, then that's what functions as a god for me.

Even though we don't bown down to stone statues or make bowls of food to set before our gods, we worship idols in other ways. John Calvin commented on this when he wrote,

When Moses relates that Rachel stole her father's idols, he is speaking of

a vice that was common. From this we may gather that man's nauture...

is a perpetual factory of idols (emphasis added).

Idols aren't just stone statues. No, idols are the thoughts, desires, longings, and expectations that we worship in the place of the true God. Idols cause us to ignore the true God in search of what we think we need.

~~~

In some ways, the relationship that we have with these false gods is similar to the relationship that we have with the true God. We look to these gods to bless us. Rachel would say, If I have children like my sister Leah, I'll be happy. We might say, If I have a godly spouse or If my children excel in school, I'll be happy. Of course having godly relationships is a blessing and a source of happiness, and there is nothing sinful in desiring them; but if they are the source of our joy...if they take top priority in our lives, then they are our gods. That's why Jesus said, 'Seek first [God's] kingdom' (Matt. 6:33). If God is the top priority in our lives, everything else will fall into place. It's then that these beloved blessings will fade in importance and God will take His rightful place in our hearts."

--Elyse Fitzpatrick, in Idols of the Heart: Learning to Long for God Alone

"If God is the top priority in our lives, everything else will fall into place. It's then that these beloved blessings will fade in importance and God will take His rightful place in our hearts." This last statement here really struck me. This was a couple of nights ago that I read this -- I had had a tough day, it was late, and I was really tired. I wanted to read this book, though, feeling that there was something in it for me. I was kind of dozing off as I read (I know -- sounds impossible, doesn't it?!), and I read those couple sentences just as I had been reading the rest of it. Then suddenly, my eyes opened all the way, I lifted my head up a little, and I read that again. Wow. That was really amazing! "If God is the top priority in our lives, everything else will fall into place..." Yes, that's very true. But what comes after that...it's "then" that "these beloved blessings", that seem so important to us, will "fade in importance..." and GOD will take His rightful place in our hearts. That, right there, is the "falling into place" that will inevitably happen when we put God at the top. We won't necessarily get "what we want"...I mean, as far as material blessings, etc. But what will fall into place is that God will come into focus and "those beloved blessings" will fade. What an amazing concept.

I challenge you, each and every one of you, to really think and be honest about what you would fill in the blanks if you were the one saying, "Give me _________ or I'll die!" (See Genesis 30:1). It's a tough question. It's too real. It's too deep. I know. But when you really take an honest, good look at it, and then do what needs to be done (begging the Lord to "fill in those blanks" with Himself), that is when everything will fall into place.

Blessings to you!

Excerpts, part 1 -- The Gods in our Heart

2008-09-01T18:53:00.011-05:00

"For me one of the most chilling commands in all of Scripture is in Matthew 22. Let me remind you how a scribe came to Jesus, seeking to find an avenue to accuse Him of heresy. 'What is the most important of the commandments?' he asked. Jesus replied,

'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. (Matt. 22:37-38)

Perhaps you're like me, and you've read that command so many times it's lost its impact. Go back now and reread it and think deeply with me for a moment. What is our Lord commanding here? Nothing less than our undivided love and worship. Just as soon as I pause to reflect on that principal command, I begin to get uncomfortable. I have to ask myself,

Do I love Him with everything that I am, or are there other loves in my heart that clamor for my attention?
Do I worship additional gods, or is He always, and in every case, the supreme Ruler who receives my undivided passion and devotion?

...Idolatry has to do with love -- my love for Him, my love for others, my love of the world. When I look at idolatry in these ways, I understand that I'm not so different from those people I observed in temples so far away."

--Elyse Fitzpatrick, in Idols of the Heart: Learning to Long for God Alone

Streaks of Yesterday

2008-08-31T10:50:00.006-05:00

I ran
skirt flapping in the wind
breathless
but something called me
pulled me away
from my idle day
Why did I come?
I wondered
And then I saw it
on the other side of the barren field
a molten ball
hanging low in the sky
such a beautiful color
glowing peach
with a streak of pink
calmly bidding farewell to the day
and then-
all too soon
it was gone
hidden behind a clump of trees
blue-gray in the twilight
leaving behind only streaks
of pink and purple
across the sky
and playful clouds
darkened by shadows
crickets
chirping
lost in thought
I barely hear them
wondering why I am here
wandering the gravel
watching the birds streak by
busy with their lives as birds
surely there is more awaiting me tonight
than just this fleeting beauty
or maybe
just maybe
this is why I have come
and as this day ends
I can look forward to tomorrow
forgetting the wasted hours
and restless days that haunt me now
for tomorrow
is like a clean sheet of paper
white as snow
waiting to be filled
a second chance
and somehow
everything is alright
forgiven
I can look forward to the sun’s return
bringing me another day
hoping to do better
awaiting new experiences
and fresh accomplishments
free from all but a few
streaks of yesterday.

--Maria Pauline--
August 19, 2008

Thank you, Maria, for allowing me to post your poem! So touching, and so true! May the Lord bless you!

Hello!

2008-08-28T02:14:00.011-05:00

Greetings in the Name of the Lord!

I have been absent from the blogosphere for quite a few months now, due to the Lord leading me to step back for a while, and now here I am back -- with a new blog! :)

The Lord has really been impressing upon my heart the principle behind Psalm 37:4 lately, and He reinforced this impression by leading me to Isaiah 42:1, which says: "Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth..." This verse really struck me as it never did before, and I saw something about the Nature of the Lord which, although I knew it, I had never fully contemplated it: He delights in me! He doesn't just love me (and He certainly doesn't just put up with me)...He delights in me! What a simple, yet profound thought!

Really, it works both ways. He calls us to delight in Him, and He also delights in us. And what does it really mean to delight in Him? I'm not 100% sure yet. I'm still discovering the answer to this question. :) So far I see this: To delight in Him does not mean you are not to take pleasure in anything else. But it does mean that your primary source of love comes from and goes to Jesus. You get your ultimate satisfaction from Him, and you delight in loving Him, serving Him, honoring Him, obeying Him...simply you are filled with joy simply to be able to love Him! It's awesome when you think about it. To be given the privilege to have a literal, more-real-than-real love relationship with the One who created you -- who knows you better than you know yourself -- is incredible. Wouldn't you say??

This concept inspired in me a poem that I wanted to share here on my little bloggy nook...

Thy Soul Delights In Me

Thy soul delights in me:

I, depraved with sin,

Am actually loved by Thee;

With all my faults, my rebellion within:

Still, oh perfect Love, I am loved by Thee.

I am Thy servant, whom Thou upholds;

Thy Love, oh Love!, around me folds;

And though I flouder, though I fail,

I am upheld by a Love to sweet to describe...

Oh Lord, Thy Love is ever upon me;

Though I see it not at times,

It is there -- wastefully abundant;

Thy Love is like an ocean, Lord --

Oh, let me return it to Thee full.

Thy soul delights in me:

I, depraved with sin,

Am actually loved by Thee;

With all my faults, my rebellion within,

Still, oh Perfect Love, I am loved by Thee.

--Dustynne Mathison, June 2008

I'd also love to hear anyone else's thoughts and/or insights as to what it means to delight in the Lord!

Well, 'nighter's for now...God bless, thanks for stopping by, and come again!