Great Are You

When I was checking my friend Sara's blog this week she had one of her favorite songs called "who am I" as a feature on her "favorite Friday" at first I mistook it for a song by a not extremely well known band called Downhere. After looking back at their cd on my itunes library I realized that the song is called "Great Are You," "who am I" is a phrase in the chorus.

I started listening to a few of their songs that I haven't heard in so long. They are really amazing. My two favorites are "Calmer of the Storm" and "Great Are You." Of course the song "Rock Stars Need Money" is hilarious but not as spiritually fulfilling :) "Calmer of the Storm" really speaks to me. It talks about the storms of life and how we want so much to control our will and God's. Man are they reading my mail. I'm a "fixer" if something goes wrong I can take care of it, handle it, flip it around backwards and hang it by it's toes until it works. I, I, I... Do we see a pattern here? I'm so glad that I came to know the Lord at a young age because... sometimes I really think if I was left to my own devices I would be an agnostic or just think that I am capable enough to handle the world. I need God, I can't do this thing called life on my own. I can't have a good marriage, be a loving mother, a calm discipliner, an understanding wife. I would not know the peace that comes through a relationship with him. And I would not be as willing and able to give grace even when, in my own flesh, I feel the person doesn't deserve it. Of course they don't... do any of us? Does that change the fact that you should freely give? Nope.

Here is their song "Great Are You." I couldn't find a great video of it because they aren't a huge band but this should suffice. I love live music... but that's another post...

How I love your works, My God, My King...

In the trenches

I don't really know where to start with this post. So much has happened in the last week and we have had to make some life changing decisions. You got to experience a little of my "freak out mode" but I'm feeling better and God is giving me peace.

Throughout all of our trials God has always been there. He is faithful. Sometimes we don't see him or see how he could be working in a situation but he is. We just have to keep having faith and believe that God still sees us and above all know who our enemy is. I'm feeling less alone and know that there are people out there that care about us. We are so grateful for that. We need others to hold us up sometimes. Even though we think we can always do everything on our own and we don't need to burden people with our problems. It's a learning process and hopefully someday it won't take so much to get us to let people help us. I don't think God wants us to be that way. He gave us relationship and fellowship for a reason.

Our lives are going to be changing drastically within the next six months but that's okay, I think we are ready. Ready for a change.

For those out there praying for us. Thank you, you don't know how much that means to us. We are so grateful for those willing to get down in the trenches and fight with us. We are so very blessed. Glory to God for all he has done and all he will do.

What were they thinking?

So we were heading towards our homegroup get together on Sunday and we pass a church sign with these words:

Don't make me come down there.
-God

Now that's how I want to see God. As a non-christian or believer I don't think either one would want to get closer to a God that is just waiting for us to screw up so he can come down here and smite us.

Lame.

car sales, fitness, and sunshine

Before I get into my post for today I want to give an update to my last blog. The car that we were so desperate to sell, sold that very night. It's amazing what can happen when you align your thinking and rely on God. Makes all the difference.

We got a Wii Fit today. My husband and I have been debating on whether we should get one or not so we have looked around a little and of course you can't find one anywhere! So he went into Best Buy and they had just gotten a huge shipment! Anyway... I love it, love it, love it! It would take too long to explain the greatness of this product but if you have a Wii go out and get the Wii Fit!

Okay so this post is going to be all over the place but that's just me...

Another update on the book I am reading. I am really enjoying it so far. There are some comments that I think are a little radical but it's really hitting home with me. The second chapter is titled "A Merry Heart." Here is a little excerpt that really shot me straight in the heart... "When he first fell in love with you, you were a sweet little thing, full of laughter and fun. From the very bottom of your soul you were thrilled with him. Everyday you woke up planning some activity that involved you both. Is he still married to the same sweet little thing, or have you become a long-faced, sickly complainer? ..... Has your lover seen your sunshine lately?"

Wow... I'm going to start searching for hidden cameras in my house right now. I've been so consumed with life that I've let my girlish charm and sillyness fade. Lately I'm just happy that I got through the day without biting my husband's head off. But you know what... He has been so great... I'm not saying that we don't have our fights and doubts but lately he has been so great at taking a step back and talking it out before it gets too heated. I'm very impressed. My husband was definitely a hot-head when we got married and boy did I love to push his buttons. Something that I'm sad to say I got honestly from my family ... the love of sarcasm and the ability to dish out heart-piercing criticism. We were a great pair.... both strong-willed and hard-headed :) but we were also goof balls, visionaries, servers and jesus lovers. Thank the Lord we had God on our side.

long pause....

I miss who I was .... in the last post I talked about how it's difficult to get the spark back in your soul once it's gone. After reading tonight I wonder if that's me? Have I lost the spark? I see glimses of it now and then but I want it back. I want to be a happy, fun-loving, silly wife and mother who loves life. I want my husband to see that and my son to see that....

So I guess the only thing left to do is ask yourself everyday.... has your family seen your sunshine lately?

Hope floats .... then sinks .... then floats again

hope

Verb

[hoping, hoped]

1. to desire (something), usually with some possibility of fulfilment: you would hope for their cooperation

2. to trust or believe: I hope I've arranged that

Noun

1. a feeling of desire for something, usually with confidence in the possibility of its fulfilment: the news was greeted by some as hope for further interest rate cuts

2. a reasonable ground for this feeling: there is hope for you yet

3. the person, thing, situation, or event that gives cause for hope or is desired:


Hope is a tricky thing. I haven't felt like having much lately... to be quite honest. And you can come to expect that from this blog... complete honesty. At least that's my goal. Anyway... you'll need a little background info so you can understand where I am coming from.

We have been trying to sell our car for about a month or so now. Every time we come close something goes wrong or the person acts like they are coming to buy it and then we never hear anything from them. We have never had this much trouble with a car sale. It's gotten rediculous and I am over it. We really need to sell the car so I have gotten my hopes up time and time again. Finally after getting upset at God, I decided I am not getting my hopes up... I just can't do it anymore. I'm done. So I got up went to work and tried not to think about it. Well, you know God doesn't just let it end that way. He's annoyingly loving that way :). So I do my rounds of hello's at the office and come talk to "C". We got on the conversation of how things were going for each of us and so of course this crazy mess comes up. He could definitely relate and said something that really hit me. "You know hope is a tricky thing. I find myself saying the same thing...even to my kids... oh I'm not going to get my hopes up... oh don't get your hopes up for that. But that's not how I want to be or the example I want my kids to follow. But it's hard." I don't want my baby "c" to grow up that way either. I want him to always hope and dream. When that spark in your spirit goes it's hard to get it back. I don't want that to happen for my son. So I decided to do some digging and see what God said about it (I thought I would give the maker of the universe another try)... this is what I found....

Ps 33:17 - Show Context

A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.

hmm.... kinda a smack in the face... okay so I was putting all my hope in a "horse" or in this case a car. So maybe I shouldn't have been mad at God. This is what I should be doing...

Ps 25:5 - Show Context

guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Ps 62:5 - Show Context

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.

Whoever says that God is not relevant to today's time is totally off their rocker. So here I am humbled again by how much God knows me and loves me...even when I try to blame him for messing stuff up. I will continue to have hope... have hope in my saviour all day long...