Too close of a call

Tonight while I was grieving the loss of the Superbowl, my friend Andrew and my aquaintance Chris were out driving. They missed a curve and their car flipped 2 1/2 times. Chris (the driver) was thrown from the car before the driver's seat was completely crushed. Andrew was still in the car and took a hit to the head, some bruised ribs, and some shock, but was able to call for help. I found all this out on fb and few really knew any details while I worried myself crazy while important people figured out what happened. Finally I ascertained that Chris is in the ER with broken ribs and other forms of very banged upedness, but they don't think there is any other damage. Andrew was released from the hospital and got to go home, and then got on facebook--a HUGE woosh of relief for me.

The entire thought and the unexpectedness of it all just made me sick. Amazing how the LORD protected them and kept them as safe as He did. This whole thing reminded me how quickly things change and how much I take for granted--even the things I love like my family, my own ability to breathe, and the tall, spiky-haired, elvish-looking indivdual who enjoys picking a fight with me. Thank you God for protecting Andrew and for again showing me how all-powerful you are. AND for reminding me that I need to show my appreciation for the people you give me in life, before it's too late for either me or them. Thank you for sparing me my friend, and continue to show your blessing and healing to Chris who is still in the hospital.

It reminds me of a song...

LIVE LIKE WE'RE DYING

by Kris Allen

Sometimes we fall down and can't get back up

we're hiding behind skin that's too tough

how come we don't say I love you enough

till it's too late, it's not too late

Our hearts are hungry for a food that won't come

we could make a feast from these crumbs

and we're all staring down the barrel of a gun

so if your life flashed before you

what would you wish you would've done

Yeah... gotta start

lookin at the hand of the time we've been given here

this is all we got and we gotta start pickin it

every second counts on a clock that's tickin'

gotta live like we're dying

We only got

86 400 seconds in a day to

turn it all around or throw it all away

we gotta tell 'em that we love 'em

while we got the chance to say

gotta live like we're dying

And if your plane fell out of the skies

who would you call with your last goodbyes

should be so careful who we live out our lives

so when we long for absolution

there'll no one on the line

Yeah... gotta start

lookin at the hand of the time we've been given here

this is all we got and we gotta start pickin it

every second counts on a clock that's tickin'

gotta live like we're dying

We only got

86 400 seconds in a day to

turn it all around or throw it all away

we gotta tell 'em that we love 'em

while we got the chance to say

gotta live like we're dying

Person reading this, I love you! Come see me so I can tell you so.

Glory to the Newborn King

Anybody notice that the Christmas songs are creeping out? We sang this one at church Sunday (and sang it very well I might add). There's always one point in the year where the impact of Christmas hits me--Sunday, listening to this song was it. Hail the incarnate Diety, born that man no more may die!

Hark the herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!

Peace on earth and mercy mild

God and sinners reconciled

"Joyful, all ye nations rise"

Join the triumph of the skies

With the angelic host proclaim:

"Christ is born in Bethlehem"

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored

Christ the everlasting Lord!

Late in time behold Him come

Offspring of a Virgin's womb

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see

Hail the incarnate Deity

Pleased as man with man to dwell

Jesus, our Emmanuel

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Son of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings

Ris'n with healing in His wings

Mild He lays His glory by

Born that man no more may die

Born to raise the sons of earth

Born to give them second birth

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

Listen to this video and sing the words--see if you can tell what I mean.

LORD, I'm your servant

Father, you are the Sovereign LORD,

and I am dust upon the floor.

Your power and purity brightens my life,

though I often block it out and and ignore your wondrous light.

No more, my Jesus. Drive it far from me.

You are the Master--the writer of my story,

but as a simple human girl, I cannot see the glory.

I do not know what you have planned.

Reveal it, O LORD, though I may not understand.

For to obey my God is by far my greatest wish,

and everything you want is what I must accomplish.

I will not lean on my understanding

for even I do not trust in my own speculating.

But I know, my Jesus, that you have an idea.

Let me in on the action--please make your scheme clear.

Whatever you say is what I will do.

My story will be the one written by You.

Yet another great Psalm

This was in yesterday's reading, but I really wanted to go back and read it again today. It is Psalm 118 and you can look it up if you wish (you should), but I am going to go through and put my favorite parts here...

In my anguish I cried to the LORD,

and he answered by setting me free.
The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?
The LORD is with me; he is my helper.

I will look in triumph on my enemies.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD

than to trust in man.

I was pushed back and about to fall,

but the LORD helped me.
The LORD is my strength and my song;

he has become my salvation.
Shouts of joy and victory

resound in the tents of the righteous:

"The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!
The LORD's right hand is lifted high;

the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"
I will not die but live,

and will proclaim what the LORD has done.

I will awaken the dawn

This was in my daily Bible reading and the poetic beauty of it stuck to me.

Psalm 108

My heart is steadfast, O God;

I will sing and make music with all my soul.
Awake, harp and lyre! (Or keyboard)

I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations;

I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, higher than the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,

and let your glory be over all the earth.

I did this a lot last night. Not out loud, but in my head. I even got to the point where I was thinking up poems. I, the most unpoetic person ever, felt quite like the Psalmist:)

I stand in awe of the oceans,

mysterious and deep

'cause He who made them comforts me

when I cry myself to sleep.

I stand in awe of the forests,

and all the trees of green

because their Maker's on my side

when other folk are mean.

I stand in awe of the mountains,

all the purple majesties

'cause their Creator hears me

when I am on my knees.

Elementary, to be sure, but it was an excellent thing to do at the time!

Random Instructions

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil."

I like these staccato bursts of information! Let's look at them!

"Be joyful always"

This one is self-explanatory! ALWAYS - not just when things are the way you like.

"pray continually"

Don't stop praying while you're flitting about daily life! And if you need to remember to pray right now, it's Jared M, Jordan B, and Eliza S's birthday today! Hence, it's their pray-day on my calendar:)

"give thanks in all circumstances"

We don't like to remember THAT one, do we?

"Do not put out the Spirit's fire"

Whoa. Do not put it out? How would we put it out? This one made me think - how often do you feel like the Spirit's fire is just not in you? Are you the one that put it out? Don't discourage or grieve the Spirit!

"Do not treat prophecies with contempt"

They've all come true so far! Sometimes I despair that Jesus will ever come back for us - I mean, if not now WHEN???

"Test everything"

Don't assume anything is prolly right because it sounds good - weigh it against the Bible!

"Hold on to the good"

Even when things or people circumstances are bad, think about the good of it. It makes things feel better too.

"Avoid every kind of evil"

But it's ok to dabble in a LITTLE bit right? If you see something that you're doing that leads to evil, stop doing it. And there's no "just a little bit bad" - it's evil or it's not.

These little paragraphs are fun to dissect! Think about them today and pray happy birthdays!:P

My Favorite Psalm EVER!!!

Today the Bird woke me up early saying the peed the bed >:( So I cleaned everything up and did some Bibletime. My favorite Psalm was a good pick-me-up for a day starting a little crummily. I have the NIV, but I like it in NKJ better.

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High

Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;

My God, in Him I will trust.”

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler

And from the perilous pestilence.

He shall cover you with His feathers,

And under His wings you shall take refuge;

His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,

Nor of the arrow that flies by day,

Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,

Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,

And ten thousand at your right hand;

But it shall not come near you.

Only with your eyes shall you look,

And see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,

Even the Most High, your dwelling place,

No evil shall befall you,

Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

For He shall give His angels charge over you,

To keep you in all your ways.

In their hands they shall bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,

The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;

I will set him on high, because he has known My name.

He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life I will satisfy him,

And show him My salvation.”

I hope your day DIDN'T start out like mine, but even if not, read this psalm over a couple of times and keep it with you! It is Monday after all.

Concert!!!

Last night I went with Pam, Jen, and Rommel to the Bread of Stone/VOTA/Decemberadio/newsboys concert!!! We took our seats in the balcony and got ready for da show! Bread of Stone was up first, and they were pretty great! My reputation will be ruined if you listen to their stuff on iTunes, but they were TONS better live!!!!!! They were one of the loudest bands with lotsa guitar and hot drumming! So when they get a LIVE cd, buy that one:) But check them out and see what you think!

THEN.... VOTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They were amazing!!!! They sang Alright, Hard to Believe, Honestly, and Free to Fail - basically all the songs I had hoped they would sing!!! I was so excited!!! You can download a special album of theirs for free at http://www.peoplescitymission.com/ As Rommel pointed out, we could've gone home right then and I would've been satisfied, but Decemberadio was up next!!! They sang a couple new songs, Everlasting God (pleasant surprise) and even some hymns! They set the focus for some great worship time coming up after the intermission when... MICHAEL TAIT comes up as the new lead singer for newsboys!!! I knew he would be doing this, but I wasn't expecting it so soon! The crowd went nuts (like newsboys was the main attraction of the night or something:P) and the newsboys were magnificent!!!!!!!!!!! Michael Tait did a great job, and since he's Michael Tait, they sang Colored People and In the Light!!!! Since I still call DC Talk one of my favorite bands, I was insanely happy. As the Newsboys they sang their good ones like I am Free, Breakfast, Something Beautiful, Shine, and the like. They did some worship time with Blessed Be the Name and I think Amazing Grace and some other great ones that made everyone praise God. It was really amazing - worshiping God with a zillion other people I didn't even know!
After the show was over we rushed down to try to get to VOTA first. Failed miserably, but I worked my way through the free download crowd to say hey and get them to sign the little poster I made. I had earlier made an "I heart VOTA" shirt that I was wearing and they said, "No way!" "You made yourself a shirt?" "It's our first fan!":P They signed my poster and made some video of me with their phone! Then when we found our camera holder we went back and they signed my shirt and we got a picture!!! I'm still in estcasy:) Actually the lead singer didn't just SIGNATURE the shirt, he actually wrote his nickname (Bry) with a little smiley face, as I discovered later:D

Didn't take long to get a picture with Decemberadio either:D They were real nice and complimented my little homemade poster while signing:)

It was a superfun night! Thank you to Pam and Jen and Rommel for taking me and thank you to God for inventing concerts, since they are the awesomest things in the world!!!:D

Me with VOTA (Supercool!!!!!!!!)

Me with Decemberadio (Cool!!!)

Mighty To Save

Our worship team played "Mighty To Save" yesterday morning as special music. It's new and we weren't solid playing it in practice, and I was REALLY hoping we could do it good. When it was time to play it, I started out by being very tense and just focusing on my part. As the song went on I started thinking more about the words and praising God - what I was SUPPOSED to be doing the whole time! It is a really good song, and the lyrics are great for me every time I hear it.

Everyone needs compassion

A love that's never failing

Let mercy fall on me

Everyone needs forgiveness

The kindness of a Savior

The hope of nations

(Chorus:)

Savior

He can move the mountains

My God is mighty to save

He is mighty to save

Forever

Author of Salvation

He rose & conquered the grave

Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find me

All my fears & failures

Fill my life again

I give my life to follow

Everything I believe in

Now I surrender

Savior

He can move the mountains

My God is mighty to save

He is mighty to save

Forever

Author of Salvation

He rose & conquered the grave

Jesus conquered the grave

(Bridge:)

Shine Your light and

Let the whole world see

We're singing

For the glory Of the risen King

We performed it well, praised God and had a good time! And guess what? When I was talking to our visitors, I had somebody tell me for the first time, "You have a great worship team!" I'm still smiling about that:)

"So let's just praise the LORD..."

Have you ever prayed without asking God to do something? Not saying that God gets tired of us asking Him to do things, but we all like a conversation without requests for stuff don't we? Ever just told God how awesome He is? I don't do it nearly often enough, but today I found a Psalm that doesn't ask God to do a single thing - not even "deliver me from my enemies"!:D

Psalm 66

Shout with joy to God, all the earth!

Sing the glory of his name;

make his praise glorious!
Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds!

So great is your power

that your enemies cringe before you.
All the earth bows down to you;

they sing praise to you,

they sing praise to your name."
Come and see what God has done,

how awesome his works in man's behalf!
He turned the sea into dry land,

they passed through the waters on foot—

come, let us rejoice in him.
He rules forever by his power,

his eyes watch the nations—

let not the rebellious rise up against him.
Praise our God, O peoples,

let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives

and kept our feet from slipping.
For you, O God, tested us;

you refined us like silver.
You brought us into prison

and laid burdens on our backs.
You let men ride over our heads;

we went through fire and water,

but you brought us to a place of abundance.
I will come to your temple with burnt offerings

and fulfill my vows to you-
vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke

when I was in trouble.
I will sacrifice fat animals to you

and an offering of rams;

I will offer bulls and goats.

Come and listen, all you who fear God;

let me tell you what he has done for me.
I cried out to him with my mouth;

his praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished sin in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened;
but God has surely listened

and heard my voice in prayer.
Praise be to God,

who has not rejected my prayer

or withheld his love from me!

Make A Joyful Noise ~ Even Now by Foolish Things

Trouble came

Broke your door

Crushed your name

Robbed you poor

You feel He’s gone

Or fast asleep

All’s gone wrong

You’re in too deep

He hasn’t left you out to dry

Even Now

You haven’t left His watching eye

Even Now

So children sing it when you don’t see how

My Father’s worthy of my hope

Even now

The feeling’s gone

You’re wondering

If you heard Him wrong

If he’s listening

The same old fear

The same old haze

Is God not here?

Is His hand raised?

Could this be part of any good plan?

Seems to be you’ve fallen out of His hand

When you’re broken, don’t know how to mend

Even Now

When your tunnel’s still dark at the end

Even Now

His children don’t know why but trust their Father’s at their side

So hold His hand - hold up your hope

Even now

Do these lyrics ring a bell with you? Have you ever felt that you've been left out to dry or that You heard his promises wrong?

We recently were expecting another family member. Everyone was excited, thinking about baby names, and guessing whether it would be a boy or a girl - or twins! But our rejoicing time only lasted weeks, instead of years. We had lost the baby.

I was shocked. Why on earth had this happened? Could this be part of any good plan? I turned on the music in my room, and this song by Foolish Things really hit home to me. It helped me remember that God hadn't left us out to dry and he wasn't asleep.

And guess what? Now, my mom is expecting again.

"So children sing it when you don't see how - my Father's worthy of my hope... Even now."

Psalm 33

I woke up this morning thinking about this list of things I had to do today that I didn't want to do. I was also a little dehydrated and woozy - didn't drink my usual water quota yesterday:) I was kinda feeling mopey, then this chapter in Psalms that was quite chipper!

Psalm 33

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;

it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
Praise the LORD with the harp;

make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song; (Don't just do the same thing all the time... be different and excited! Like you are when you hear or buy a new song!)

play skillfully, and shout for joy.
For the word of the LORD is right and true;

he is faithful in all he does.
The LORD loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of his unfailing love.
By the word of the LORD were the heavens made,

their starry host by the breath of his mouth. (Watch the BETHLEHEM STAR documentary - this becomes even more amazing!)
He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;

he puts the deep into storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the LORD;

let all the people of the world revere him. (ALL of them.)
For he spoke, and it came to be;

he commanded, and it stood firm.
The LORD foils the plans of the nations;

he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,

the purposes of his heart through all generations. (Wouldn't it be nice if our plans stuck forever? If they're the same as God's plans - they should!)
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,

the people he chose for his inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down

and sees all mankind;
from his dwelling place he watches

all who live on earth-
he who forms the hearts of all,

who considers everything they do.
No king is saved by the size of his army;

no warrior escapes by his great strength. (God is looking upon every battle - every one goes according to his plan!!! Every bomb that explodes in Iraq, every little brother that's pitching a fit, and every Superbowl!)
A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;

despite all its great strength it cannot save. (Maybe to our battles, not a horse, but something else we look to. Like food, or drugs, or people. They cannot save.)
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,

on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
to deliver them from death

and keep them alive in famine.
We wait in hope for the LORD;

he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,

even as we put our hope in you.

This Psalm just reminded me that whatever we think is annoying and unbeatable - it's not, because everything that happens is God's plan!!!

Job 19-20

Job is in the middle of his sufferings, and his friends are telling him all the things he's probably done wrong. Job says,

"Have pity on me, my friends, have pity,

for the hand of God has struck me.

Why do you pursue me as God does?

Will you never get enough of my flesh?

I know that my Redeemer lives,

and that in the end he will stand upon the earth."

I love that last verse!!!! In the end, he will stand upon the earth... could he mean Jesus? This is arguably the oldest book in the Bible... could they have known this already?

I've kept singing this song since I read this...

Songs of Praise in a Song of Praise

Right here in this moment take my heart, take my soul.

I surrender everything to your control.

And let all that is within me

Lift up to you and say,

"I am Yours and Yours alone completely".

And I'm on fire when You're near me.

I'm on fire when You speak.

I'm on fire burning at these mysteries.

Be my light in this darkened room.

I'm on my face and I'm calling You.

I can's fathom all You've done for me.

Every time it finds me on my knees

Like sunlight in the winter cold.

Everything about You

It takes my breath away

Hallelujah.

Why in the world did you come after me?

Thank you, thank you.

Words aren't enough, but for now I can say

Thank you, thank you.

You consume me, you consume me

Like a burning flame running through my veins

You consume me moving through me

Anytime, anyplace you invade my space

You consume me.

Wholly devoted I immerse myself in you

Baptize me in your love

Cause drowning in the thought of you

Floods my soul

I’m taken by the things you do.

God, you know it doesn’t matter what I lose

I’m yours

I'm here again a thousand miles away from you

A broken mess, just scattered pieces of who I am

I tried so hard, thought I could do this on my own

I've lost so much along the way

It must be different through your eyes,
because You look at me
like it's the first time You've ever seen my face

And all I see, it could never make me happy

And all my sandcastles spend their time collapsing.

Let me know that You hear me.

Let me know Your touch.

Let me know that You love me

and let that be enough.

I was made to love You,

I was made to find You.

I was made just for You,

made to adore You.

You were here before me.

You were waiting on me,

and You said You'd keep me,

never would you leave me

I was made to love and be loved by You

I know that I'll never be alone

You will never let me go

You are my anchor

hold my hand while I'm sinking in the sand

no one else could understand

You are my anchor

Then I'll see your face
I know I'm finally yours
I find everything I thought I lost before
You call my name
I come to you in pieces
So you can make me whole