Psalm 150

Always praise Him. No matter what.


God is good. ALL the time.

I will adore You

I just love this song. :)

Thankful Thursday-Selah's Dedication

On August 19, a very special little girl got dedicated! She may not know now how important that day was, but she will in the future. Check out the video to see it all go down!

Money Talks - Take the Money and Run (08.19.12) from GSUMC on Vimeo.

If you want to skip the music (where T is drumming), you can check it out around minute 20.

Communion

Check out who walks up around 55:50. Who's that? Oh, It's me. That's right.

Upgrade - The Blood Upgrade (07.22.12) from GSUMC on Vimeo.

Before church this past Sunday, I noticed a table at the front of the church set up for communion. I mentioned to my friend that, after being spoiled with communion at our seats with nifty single serve cups, I lazily didn't want to walk ALL the way to the front for communion. She agreed. Next thing I knew, the pastor walked up to us and asked if we would be communion servers that day. How do you say no to a last minute, obviously desperate question like that? You tell him hesitantly ok, but you've never done it before. After he quickly told us what to do and what to say and when to go up, we moved to the front row (The front row? Seriously? You've got to be kidding me.).

I'll tell you what. Sitting on the front row makes me super nervous. I know that they are watching the front row people. It means no mind wandering. No inattentiveness. No fidgeting. All of these rules plus my mind was shooting all over the place with nerves during the entire sermon. What if I messed up? What if I didn't remember exactly what I was supposed to say? Would these people think I was a poser? That I didn't belong? Who am I kidding? Should I even be serving communion anyways?

In the video at the top, you can see where we went up. You can see where I was too nervous with stage fright to even turn around during the "instructions". I was glad to be sent with my friend to the side section quickly.

But I remembered. I remembered what to say. The people didn't act like I didn't belong up there doing it. I did wonder a time or two if I was supposed to say "This is the body of Christ broken for you" (See? I still remember!) to every single person. I figured I was, so I did. Every person deserves to know that Jesus died for you, both the singular and collective yous.  I felt deep in my being that each person needed to hear that it was broken for THEM, so I tried to tell them so they knew it. Each person matters.

I would do it again in a heartbeat. If a newcomer to the Church sees someone like me serving communion, then perhaps that will help them know that they belong there as much as the seminary scholar, something that I've wondered a time or two myself. I was super nervous going into that church service, a little relieved going out, but I will volunteer without hesitation to do it again if asked. It matters more than filling a position.

It's not about a bunny and chocolate

It's about Jesus and what He did on the third day.

He rose from the grave!

It is a Good Friday

Happy Easter and Passover! I hope you all have a fabulous holiday weekend.

Prayer before meals...

Courtesy of Big Bang Theory


"By His hand, we all are..."
"Fed"

"Give us, Lord, our daily..."
"Bread"

"Please know that we are truly..."
"Grateful"

"For every cup and every..."
"Plateful"

"Amen"

LOVE IT!!! Hahaha!

Inspiring

At our church recently, we've been trying to make a difference. Whether it's meals for the hungry or shoe boxes to make a child across the world's Christmas, we've been doing whatever we can.

Here's what our pastor said about this on his blog:

The people of Good Shepherd are pretty good with goals.

Last year, for example, we wanted to raise $150,000 for the International Justice Mission and its ministry of freedom from sexual slavery. The people of the church gave $207,000.
Then on October 30, we hoped to pack 150,000 meals with Stop Hunger Now and its mission of famine relief in Uganda. The people of the church instead packed 193,000.

So yesterday, we hoped to receive 1,000 shoe boxes filled with Christmas gifts and gospel literature for use by our friends at Operation Christmas Child.

Instead, we received 1,200. And counting. If you'd like to be part of what God is doing, you can bring a box by Good Shepherd by 5:00 p.m. Monday.

 

GSUMC, you rock. :)

Hearts beating

I had another doctor appointment today to check on me and baby. Things went well and then the doctor told me to lay back  so he could check on the baby's heartbeat. A few of you guys know how nervous I was that there wouldn't be a heartbeat this time and my hopes and dreams would be dashed again. It took everything to bury those thoughts. The doctor took the machine and pressed it to my pelvis. Nothing. He moved it a bit. Still nothing. My fears started rising again. He moved it a bit more and, still, nothing. He then told me that he was going to check one more place and, if he still couldn't find anything, I would go in for an ultrasound to check again. As I stared at the painted ceiling tile, I started saying a little prayer to God and Jesus, asking for a heartbeat to be found. Asking for the baby to still be healthy. I'm surprised I was still able to keep my emotions under control. The doctor checked a little higher than he expected the baby to be at this point.

A heartbeat! A strong, healthy, fast (doctor said it was about 160) heartbeat! Indescribable joy filled my heart. My baby still has a heartbeat and a good one!

When I got in the car, a song was just starting to play and all of those tears I held back, during the fears and then the joys, spilled over.

Daddy's Little Girl

So today is father's day. Happy father's day to all of the fathers out there!

I, for one, never really liked father's day, especially since I was never close to my father. I am close with my stepfather, but, you know, it's just not the same. I couldn't ever compare features and such with my stepfather nor could I ever call myself 'Daddy's Little Girl'. I came to a point where songs, cards, plaques, etc saying that phrase made me feel ill. They made me feel slighted. I wanted a father who openly cared about me and was active in my life. I wanted a father who'd call 'just because'. I wanted a father who would watch me sleep and think to himself "that's my daughter" with all of the pride in the world. But that's not the father I was given.

That's what I thought... until recently. Guess what? I DO have that kind of Father. He is everyone's Father. He loves me so much that He sent is only Son to die for me (and you!) on the cross. That is love, you guys. True love. An awesome love from an awesome God.

So now I know I AM Daddy's Little Girl. I know I do have a Father who knows the features from Him that I have within myself. I know that, at night (and all day), I do have a Father who looks at me and says "That is MY daughter".

And, because of that love, I am overjoyed this father's day to honor my Father.

Happy father's day!

O death, Where is your sting?

Today, our church played this video while singing. It was a powerful moment. This song fills me with happiness and hope. :)

Our God isn't dead. He's alive!

He did what?!? For me!?!

Happy Easter!

Ducklings wish you a Happy Easter, too!

While I grew up knowing that Easter was celebrated because Jesus died and then rose from the dead a few days later, mostly Easter was a holiday for chocolate, pretty colored eggs and bunnies. I would wake up to an Easter basket at the front door, full of candies and goodies. We would get dressed in nice clothes (perhaps new, but I don't remember if they were or not) and go to church with my grandparents. Yes, we were that kind of family. You know, twice a year church goers, except we would go Easter and Mother's day (instead of the usual Easter and Christmas). Then, after church, there would be good food (Honey baked Ham FTW!) and occasional Easter egg hunts. The real meaning of Easter was lost on me.

Until now.

T has helped and encouraged me to learn more about the Bible since the day I met him. Not to go in to details, but our first fight was about Easter. That was the night it rained Ravioli and why we are eating ravioli today. I was uninformed about the importance of this weekend until T came into my life.

I now know that we celebrate Easter because not only did Jesus die, but He died on that cross for OUR sins. He was the ultimate sacrifice. That in itself is reason to be thankful, but what happened next... Well, it's pretty amazing. Jesus rose from the dead. Yeah. Pretty awesome, huh? :)

I'm still in awe that He would die for me. It brings tears to my eyes just trying to wrap my head around the fact.

Babysitting

When you read this, I will be in the middle of babysitting. This may be hard on me emotionally.

You see... I went over to their house for a pre-babysitting interview December 1. I was still freshly pregnant, thinking a baby this old, baby things like these, will be at my house this time next year. I was excited, giddy, hopeful. I knew babysitting baby M wouldn't be any problem. Heck, it'd be a bit of practice! The mom and I set up a date and time for me to come over to babysit after I got back from my friend's out of town wedding. It was going to be fun.

If you've been reading my blog, you know what happened at that wedding. I had a miscarriage. Everything I was preparing for was gone. That was tough alone, but I still had this mother depending on me to sit for her in a day or so. I didn't know how I was going to do it, but I was going to try. That morning, I woke up in the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. I still tried to convince myself that I could still babysit that day. However, T told me that I shouldn't force myself. I was in pain, emotionally and physically, so I called the mom and told her I was sorry, but I was pretty sick and I didn't think I could make it to sit. I never told her what happened. I didn't know how. I hardly knew how to tell my own mother. I figured if M's mom had a problem with me canceling last minute, then I just would lose the chance of babysitting for them. So be it.

Then, two months pass and I get a phone call from her asking me if I was free to babysit for M while they went out for the dad's birthday. I said yes.

That's where I am right now. Babysitting and trying not to remember things that happened last time I tried to. God will definitely be with me tonight. He will be holding my hand and keeping me able to care for this beautiful little girl without me hurting too much. I know this, but could you pray for me, too?

God uses us for wonderous reasons

A year ago, give or take, the Timmy and I did something kind for a stranger. This woman was overworked, stressed and extremely tired, yet she kept a smile on her face while she helped us. T and I both felt this tugging at our hearts to do this certain kindness for her (anonymously... I am even unsure about typing about it here but I am for a reason. You'll see why in a minute). We did it and we left quickly without her knowing it was us. Even when questioned about it when we went back again, we denied any knowledge. That's how we wanted it.

Fast forward to tonight. Our church started a small group event called Pathfinders this evening and we were asked to be guides for the next 6 weeks. Sounded like fun, so we said yes.

At the first gathering this evening, there was a mingle session where you get to know a little about different people before deciding who you were going to join for the 6 week small group. I glanced over at this woman while I was chatting with someone and had to do a quick double take. It was our stranger. She was there, at the small group event, at our CHURCH! We didn't meet her with anything to do with the church so it was a shock to see her there. We avoided much deep conversation with her. We didn't want to trigger any memory that might connect us with what we did. Luckily, she didn't seem to recognize us.

But she was there. At OUR church. Our wonderful, wonderful church. Did God use us and our actions to bring her to His house? Did God use her presence at the event tonight to reassure me about things I have done and am planning to do? Maybe both. I'm not sure, but I know He has His reasons for everything.

Will I keep doing good things for others who need it, known and anonymously? You betcha.

Virtues and education

What virtues do I value in myself? I... I... I don't know. I don't know what virtues I have. I try to make wise decisions. One of my New Year's resolutions was to avoid situations that make me someone I don't want to be: jealous, inebriated, unwholesome, frivolous, greedy, etc. I am striving to become someone that will make my husband, my family and, most importantly, God proud.

Right now, I am full of love for so many people; some I show on a regular basis, others I have in my heart and I need to work harder to show them that they are loved. I have hope that I will let my control issues go and learn to trust. And, what I believe is extremely valuable to me, I have faith. Faith in God, faith in others, faith in Timmy and faith in myself.

Such a smooth segue

I am a student. I am a student of life. Everyone is. My teacher is Jesus and our textbook is the Bible. I need to study the Book and learn different things my Teacher has to teach me. I'm most certainly aiming for a good grade to show I have learned the lessons that everyone needs to know. Right now, my lesson seems obvious to me. I need to, and am in the process of, learning patience.

Patience as the wife of the Timmy. I need to hold my temper. I need to let T help me more. I need to help him more. And I need to do it with a smile on my face, without sarcasm in my voice, without roughness in my actions. And the hardest type of patience right now: the wait to become a mother. It will happen. Someday. Somehow. But it might not be how I plan.

Because, honestly, it's not really my plan, is it?

Day Nine of 30 Days of Me

Something you're proud of in the past few days

Not much of what I've done or felt in the past few days is something to be proud of. Instead of sharing joy with someone, I am keeping myself away from them. My thoughts on this subject have not been the kindest and I regret that.

But a couple of good things that is coming from this is I shared my feelings with my husband and that, in turn, is making me feel closer to him. Another thing it is helping me with is my relationship with God. Every time I think negatively about it, I just say a quick prayer to God asking Him to give me strength to get through this.

You know what? He has.

Not speaking too soon...

I hope. Knock on wood.

My iPhone decided to take a little dip yesterday. Apparently, it didn't know that water+electronics= BIG trouble. Well, it does.

First thing I did, after saying some choice words that would make a sailor blush (and I know... I married one), I turned the blasted thing off. I shook as much of the water/tea out as possible, then I shoved it in a baggie of uncooked rice. I left that sucker in overnight.

Woke up this morning to the phone dinging. I don't know how it got turned back on; Maybe it really is alive. However it was dinging. I went to untuck the phone from its nice bed of rice, thinking "it's a miracle!" It was working fine, except the back light was not working. I could hardly see the screen with lights shining on it. Nighttime? Ha. That would be pointless. That wasn't going to do.

Enter Google. I googled EVERYTHING I could think of. The tea bath triggered the bottom moisture sensor, so I knew I couldn't take it to an Apple Store. They'd probably laugh and then ask $500+ for a brand spankin' new iPhone. I ain't made of that kind of money!

Last resort: I found instructions on how to take that bad boy apart. Heck. It was worth a try. I was already screwed with the warranty by triggering that water sensor. I took it apart and got a tad bit overwhelmed. Okay. More than a tad. Googled directions to put it back together. All of the directions caused a bit of forehead sweating and shaking. I didn't think I could do it.

God really does answer prayers! Not that I doubted this, but, you know, as more proof that He does. Cable 3 finally fit where it needed to. Cable 2 and 1 easily followed. An easy pop in, a couple of teeny tiny screws and putting the Sim card back in, I said a silent prayer as I pressed the power button. *God, Please, please, please just let this turn on. I'll make do without the back light. Just let the phone turn on and work like it did before I tried to "fix" it. Please.* Back to the first sentence of the paragraph, He answered my prayer...

And then some! Phone turned on! WITH BACK LIGHT! I ran in to the bedroom where the Timmy was sleeping with my lit up phone, shining it in his face, telling him to wake up, wake up and see! Tested it out. Made a phone call. Things are working. With light.

Maybe the gospel music the Timmy put on before he fell asleep helped. All I know is God is good... ALL the time.