"You are Loved"

Tonight I ate my favorite cherry pie and ice cream in a bowl that says, "You are Loved." And I know it's true! 

Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place
Come on with the rain
I've a smile on my face
I walk down the lane
With a happy refrain
Just singin',
Singin' in the rain

That's definitely how I feel right now! :) My birthday was on Thursday, but because of busyness, we waited to open my presents until tonight. The waiting was killing my family more than me, I think, and now I know why!

dark-chocolate-drowned coffee beans
my favorite mechanical pencils
a new tea mug AND tea:)
a fun skirt made by Rissa herself! Darling!
moccassins!!!!!
a yellow rain coat --I can't even tell you how long I've wanted a rain coat:)
money for a camera
the game of Dominion
a new water bottle that I an open with one hand:)

Every gift showed thought and love. Every gift made me smile and laugh. Every gift was lovely! Each one made me think, "Wow, they really know me!" Of course, I knew that they loved me before today, and even if they didn't have any gifts for me, I would not have doubted their love, but they reaffirmed and overwhelmed me with their love by their demonstration of it!

And then I realized, that's how it is with my God, too. I know that He loves me. He has proven it by what He has given me. He gave His life while on earth! He gave His life in death! He gave me His Spirit to indwell me and give me strength! He gave me His Word so that I am constantly reminded of His love! He knows me and everything about me!

I can grow through trials. I can sing in the rain, because I am not alone! I have a family and a God who love me and want the best for me!

1 John 3:16 "This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers."

thought of the day: humility

For one of my classes at college, we are going through the book, Changed Into His Image. These are the key thoughts that really challenged me today: 

"Repenting of our self-rule, putting God in His proper place in our heart and getting in line under His sovereignty are all aspects of the beginning of biblical change and the chief requirement for usefulness to God."

"A man's potential for God lies not in his ability, nor in his opportunity, but in his humility before God."

**Birthday Blessings**

Yep! Today was my 19th birthday!

One of those crazy, doesn't-really-feel-like-a-birthday birthdays...not because of anyone's neglect or forgetfulness (so don't feel bad Mom and Dad:), but because responsibilities trump partying:)

Though today wasn't the type of birthday I always longed for as a child...it was a pretty special day!

Some of the blessings from God today...

• The roads weren't too icy...so I stayed alive to celebrate my birthday:)
• My mommy got up early and made me a hot breakfast!
• My little sisters got up early to give me birthday hugs before I went off to school!
• My sister and daddy got me a Starbucks coffee and a balloon in chapel <3
• The message in chapel was out of one of my favorite passages: Philippians 3: 10-11
• SO many people wished me a happy birthday at school today! It was an encouragement!
• I got a great new CD from a friend at school today: saxophone+piano=beautiful!
• Another friend bought me a raspberry iced tea--yummy!
• Classes and music rehearsals went well...definitely learning a lot and being challenged!
• It was a friend's bridal shower tonight! God is faithfully working in her and her fiance's life to make them a beautiful reflection of His relationship with the church!
• I got to eat supper with my whole family tonight! Special times to cherish...
• I am drinking tea and spending time in the Word before bed! God's Word is alive and personal!

As I look back on the day, there were many exclamation-point-worthy things, but the best blessing of today...was the life God has given me! Every day may not be a super exciting, fun-filled day, but every day is a gift, a blessing, a treasure to invest. 

God has me alive for a purpose, and He WILL work everything out for good, which means making me more into a reflection of His Son FOR HIS GLORY!

May this nineteenth year of my life bring Him glory more than any other thus far...whether that means joy or sorrow, blessings or burdens...I am His.

reminders of truth

I don't often take the time anymore to think, to ponder, to reflect, to remember. And I really need to.

I was home all day today. What a delightful day! I had time to pray and read the word and sing to the Lord and do laundry and study and play the piano and have some friends over and drink tea and eat warm cookies and laugh a lot and...and...I evaluate my day based on what I DO.
If I am busy and productive, it's a good day, right? Then I look into my heart. Oh, Lord, what do I find there? So often I find mixed motives, selfish desires, and people-pleasing attitudes, which shames and frustrates me because I want to want to want to want to please my God in everything!

So today I looked at my heart through the lens of God's Word and reminded myself of the TRUTH regarding myself.

• My heart is totally depraved, incapable of pleasing God
• My heart is totally redeemed, destined for eternity with God
• My heart is being sanctified, and every day is a day in which I have the opportunity to become more like Christ
• My heart is prone to wander and leave the God I love, even though He gave me my definition of love
• My heart is treasure to be guarded and kept pure
• My heart is designed to worship. I am always either worshipping God or something else
• My heart can be deceived and blinded, therefore, I must be in the Word, which illuminates and reveals everything about me

I was home all day today. What a delightful day! I had time to DO many things that I love and I also had to time to THINK and to recommit my heart to God, because without Him, I am nothing. 

Understanding the Love

Do we really understand the love of Christ displayed on Calvary??? This poem by Amy Carmichael is very challenging and thought provoking.

If I belittle those whom I am called to serve, talk of their weak points in contrast perhaps with what I think of as my strong points; if I adopt a superior attitude, forgetting "Who made thee to differ? And what hast thou that thou hast not received?" then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I find myself taking lapses for granted, "Oh, that's what they always do," "Oh, of course she talks like that, he acts like that," then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can enjoy a joke at the expense of another; if I can in any way slight another in conversation, or even in thought, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can write an unkind letter, speak an unkind word, think an unkind thought without grief and shame, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I do not feel far more for the grieved Savior than for my worried self when troublesome things occur, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can rebuke without a pang, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If my attitude be one of fear, not faith, about one who has disappointed me; if I say, "Just what I expected" if a fall occurs, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I am afraid to speak the truth, lest I lose affection, or lest the one concerned should say, "You do not understand," or because I fear to lose my reputation for kindness; if I put my own good name before the other's highest good, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I hold on to choices of any kind, just because they are my choice, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I am soft to myself and slide comfortably into self-pity and self-sympathy; If I do not by the grace of God practice fortitude, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I myself dominate myself, if my thoughts revolve round myself, if I am so occupied with myself I rarely have "a heart at leisure from itself," then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If, the moment I am conscious of the shadow of self crossing my threshold, I do not shut the door, and keep that door shut, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place (or the twentieth); if I cannot take the first without making a fuss about my unworthiness, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I take offense easily, if I am content to continue in a cool unfriendliness, though friendship be possible, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I feel injured when another lays to my charge things that I know not, forgetting that my sinless Savior trod this path to the end, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I feel bitter toward those who condemn me, as it seems to me, unjustly, forgetting that if they knew me as I know myself they would condemn me much more, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If souls can suffer alongside, and I hardly know it, because the spirit of discernment is not in me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If the praise of others elates me and their blame depresses me; if I cannot rest under misunderstanding without defending myself; if I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I crave hungrily to be used to show the way of liberty to a soul in bondage, instead of caring only that it be delivered; if I nurse my disappointment when I fail, instead of asking that to another the word of release may be given, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I do not forget about such a trifle as personal success, so that it never crosses my mind, or if it does, is never given room there; if the cup of flattery tastes sweet to me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If in the fellowship of service I seek to attach a friend to myself, so that others are caused to feel unwanted; if my friendships do not draw others deeper in, but are ungenerous (to myself, for myself), then I know nothing of Calvary love.


If I refuse to allow one who is dear to me to suffer for the sake of Christ, if I do not see such suffering as the greatest honor that can be offered to any follower of the Crucified, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I slip into the place that can be filled by Christ alone, making myself the first necessity to a soul instead of leading it to fasten upon Him, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If my interest in the work of others is cool; if I think in terms of my own special work; if the burdens of others are not my burdens too, and their joys mine, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I wonder why something trying is allowed, and press for prayer that it may be removed; if I cannot be trusted with any disappointment, and cannot go on in peace under any mystery, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If the ultimate, the hardest, cannot be asked of me; if my fellows hesitate to ask it and turn to someone else, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I covet any place on earth but the dust at the foot of the Cross, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

That which I know not, teach Thou me, O Lord, my God.
-Amy Carmichael