6.27.2007

friends...

... are to be treasured.

you know who you are (i would make a list, but i think it would take up too much room...)
you bring joy to my life.
you bring life to my life.

the world is a much better place because of you.

6.26.2007

making Jesus everything.
remembering how to hope.
not despairing when everything around you tells you it's the only option.
not giving up on the promises and the dreams that you know came from Him.
from Someone who never breaks a promise.
crying when you need to.
letting someone hold you while you cry.
picking up the phone when you need a friend.
admitting that you're not okay.
being honest about what's going on.

all things i'm learning better how to do.
each one of them a process.
at times, i feel like i'm failing in most, if not all.
other times, i feel like i'm progressing.
other times, i just need to let myself cry.
and while i cry, fall into His arms...
daring to hope. daring to dream. daring to remember.

6.11.2007

words from the wise

i couldn't say it so well, not if i tried for hours. he does it so easily. Oswald Chambers, a part of my life once again...

Where sin and sorrow stops, and the song of the saint starts. Do I really want to get there? I can right now. The questions that truly matter in life are remarkably few, and they are all answered by these words— "Come to Me." Our Lord’s words are not, "Do this, or don’t do that," but— "Come to me."
If I will simply come to Jesus, my real life will be brought into harmony with my real desires. I will actually cease from sin, and will find the song of the Lord beginning in my life.

Have you ever come to Jesus? Look at the stubbornness of your heart. You would rather do anything than this one simple childlike thing— "Come to Me." If you really want to experience ceasing from sin, you must come to Jesus.

Jesus Christ makes Himself the test to determine your genuineness. Look how He used the word come. At the most unexpected moments in your life there is this whisper of the Lord— "Come to Me," and you are immediately drawn to Him. Personal contact with Jesus changes everything. Be "foolish" enough to come and commit yourself to what He says. The attitude necessary for you to come to Him is one where your will has made the determination to let go of everything and deliberately commit it all to Him.

". . . and I will give you rest"— that is, "I will sustain you, causing you to stand firm." He is not saying, "I will put you to bed, hold your hand, and sing you to sleep." But, in essence, He is saying, "I will get you out of bed— out of your listlessness and exhaustion, and out of your condition of being half dead while you are still alive. I will penetrate you with the spirit of life, and you will be sustained by the perfection of vital activity." Yet we become so weak and pitiful and talk about "suffering" the will of the Lord! Where is the majestic vitality and the power of the Son of God in that?

trust...

what does it mean? i mean, really, when the hard days hit, what does it mean to trust Him?
it's a choice, every day, every hour, every minute sometimes.
that's He'll come through. that He'll make good on what He's promised. that He won't "hang us out to dry".
i know these things are true. the question: how deeply do i know, and understand, these things?

Matt quit his job. his last day was thursday.
we both felt release from the Lord about a month and a half ago. we thought that meant another job would come through. then, three weeks ago, He spoke again. it went something like this: "are you willing to quit your job without having another job lined up? are you willing to trust Me with that?".
if you call Him "Lord", as we do, you can't say no to something like that.
so Matt quit.
and now we're learning a new lesson. a deeper lesson.

deep down, i know He'll come through for us. and even on the surface. but there's something in between.. a little nagging doubt.. that needs to be dealt with.
i'm excited.. for what He has in store, for what He's going to do.

6.03.2007

a night out

here's some pictures of our night on the town. aka: the promised pictures of the dress i talked about several blogs ago.
it was a perfect night. we had a nice dinner at Mark's (a little restaurant in Dundee), spent some time with our niece and nephew, then headed downtown for Dave's art show. then back to Dundee for some Ted & Wally's. it couldn't have been more perfect.