by faith

I don't know what to write, so read this chapter. This is POWERFUL stuff, especially the part about "looking for a better country -- a heavenly one." We're aliens in a strange land, my friends, so get used to it (or your) being wierd : )

Hebrews 11

1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.

3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." 19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.

23By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

shower the people you know with love

In an effort to escape from the economic/political/the world is at an end/who won the debate/stressful whirlwind currently stuck over the US, I've been listening to James Taylor.  Nevermind he's about as liberal as they come...he has amazing songs.  As I write this, I'm going to Carolina in my mind and thinking that love's the finest thing around.  Don't you agree?  Can't you just feel the sunshine?  

Speaking of sunshine, its a PERFECT day outside, and where am I?  Inside, writing a paper on impeachment.  Its my own fault for waiting until the last week before its due to start writing.  Fortunately, its not due until tomorrow, so I have time to hash out my thoughts on the best course of action Congress should take against renegade Supreme Court justices.  

The first thing that most people think about when they hear impeachment is "Clinton", but do you know the name of the other president that was impeached?  (it wasn't Nixon) No search engine cheating, please.  For a bonus point, name the only Supreme Court justice to be impeached.  

Now I really want to watch Jeopardy.  

Anyways, last night, my professor gave a devotion on the fact that God's number one concern is LIFE.  Not the economy, LIFE.  Jesus said, '"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."  If everyone had followed those commandments, then this whole economic mess would have been avoided and we wouldn't have such nasty comments coming from both sides of the presidential campaign.  I don't think we'll ever reach a utopia where everyone's greatest concern is sunshine and  roses, but I do think we could all be a little more respectful of each other.  People's lack of respect is probably the thing that annoys me the most.  When I see some stupid kid bossing their dad around, I get a little mad.  "Come on dad, you shouldn't take that, use the...rod of correction" is what I'm thinking.  

We all need to focus on loving each other, because that's what everyone desires the most.  Love.  : ) Many people claim to have unfailing love, but they fail eventually.  Only God loves us faithfully.  His plans for us give us life!  Its when we strike out on our own path of selfishness that our big problems get started.  

So, shower the people you know with love.  Tell them how you feel.  And R-E-S-P-E-C-T God and man.

The end.  

Hanna came, went, and was lame...

A week ago, I was pretty excited about the the possibility of Hurricane Hanna. I've waited all my life for a hurricane to be named after me, and when it finally happens...it turns out to be just a tropical storm. Lame. But still kind of cool, even though "Hurricane Hanna" did have a better ring to it. Schools and government buildings closed for a little bit of rain and breezes. That's what we do here in Tidewater (aka Hampton Roads)...we close for little tropical storms and an inch of snow : )

Even though Hanna didn't ruin your world, Google, Facebook, and any other social networking site can, according to The Independent. Google is becoming a GIANT one-stop shop for stalkers, lonely people seeking overexposure, and the directionally challenged. But other people use it too, like me...and I don't think I'm any of the above : ). I google everything, and I learned just this month that I can text questions to Google and receive an answer within minutes. Amazing. But I also learned that my house will soon be pictured on the web in the maps section, which is something I'm not too fond of, honestly. Some loser could stake out my house without me even knowing it because he's doing it all online. I'm on the lookout for the Google maps picture van....

And while you're on the lookout for Google, remember not to post super personal stuff online. Like social security numbers, address, date of birth, confessions of your deepest darkest secrest, etc. Not very smart. Ever.

Have a lovely and restful Sunday : )

Phelps, waffles, and nuns

So, today marks the end of the Summer Olympics. "The head of the Beijing organzing committee, Liu Qi, said the games were 'testimony to the fact that the world has rested its trust in China.' He called them 'a grand celebration of sport, of peace and friendship." While I don't agree with him that the world has rested their trust in China (that would be dangerous thing), I do agree that there was a lot of peace and love at the Olympics : ). For 17 sweet days, we were able to turn on the tv at any given hour (unless you were restricted to the 5 basic channels, like me) and hear the beautiful athem of the Olympics. It seemed like breaking a world record to win a swimming race was an unnoficial requirement. The Machine, Michael Phelps, seemed to think so. His seventh gold medal race was so close, I personally thought they should have awarded him and the other guy the gold...apparently, I was alone on that opinion : ).

Usain Bolt was another world record breaker. He stated that one of the secrets to his speed was due to all the yams he ate growing up. Remember that, all you aspiring Olympic runners : ). Someone should do a study on the effects yams have on speed...

In other unrelated news, today is officially Waffle Day!!! Before I knew this, I made some waffles today because I was suddenly craving them, and because there was nothing else to eat in our house. What do ya know? Without even knowing it, I was celebrating. You should celebrate waffles too.

One last piece of news: An Italian priest is organizing a beauty pageant for nuns. No joke. He feels like it would remove negative steotypes of all nuns "being old and dour." As he so aptly puts it, "being ugly is not a requirement for becoming a nun. External beauty is gift from God, and we mustn't hide it."

First thing that came to mind: "A beautiful nun is a tragic waste."

: )

Hasta luego, amigos.

summer high

God is so good. At the beginning of this summer, I have to admit that I was pretty bummed about my plans. Pretty much everyone I knew was going somewhere out of the country, and here I was, stuck in Virginia. But.....God knew what He was doing, and I couldn't have planned a better summer!! He's awesome like that, you know?! I've met so many amazing and inspiring people through my internship and various other things, and I am pumped up more than ever for whatever lies around the bend for me. The possibilities are endless, and I'm soooo excited!! The sky is bluer, the sun is brighter, and I'm smiling more every day. God has taken care of me : )

Through my friend Heidi, I was able to volunteer to work for God TV at the Call, and it was, in a word, AWESOME. I love working behind the scenes, and it was first time taking a peek into what goes on to put a show on live television. I got to sit in the production van, which was sub zero temperatures, and watch the director call the shots (I think that's what he's called....). I'm still really new to all the lingo, so forgive me COMM students if I fudge all the names....anyhoo, I had a lot of fun, and now I wish I had majored in Cinema Television. There's still a chance I could minor in it, so that's exciting. Being a producer is such an amazing job...you get to travel, meet great people, and be a part of reaching thousands, even millions of people. wow.

So, I ended my summer with a perfectly amazing weekend.

School starts in one week, so I'm trying to get back in academic mode. I think the only books I read this summer where Vanity Fair, sermons of different pastors, and I'm finished The Shack. Not too much to show for....but at least I read something. I read a TON of news articles, so I'm up to date with the world, which may or may not be a good thing.

ok, sunshine is calling me outside. Hope your day is blessed : )

I love Samantha

I have the cutest little sister named Samantha in the whole wide world.

So, Sunday, my family and a bunch of friends were down at the river celebrating Scott Wilcher's birthday(!!) and Samantha was a perfect model every time she spotted the camera. Attack of the cuteness!! I'm so glad God didn't stop our family at 9 kids : )

Every other kid down there over the age of 2 was enthralled with our family's golf cart....this is a game we like to call, "See how many kids we can pile on the golf cart before it collapses"

That back right tire's looking a little low....but it survived, I think.

Families are fun. the end : )

the wonder of immersion

"The adventure was too high, its circumstances too solemn, for any emotion save a severe delight. But the days - that is, the hours spent in the sunward hemisphere of their microcosm - were the best of all. Often he rose after only a few hours' sleep to return, drawn by an irresistable attraction, to the regions of light; he could not cease to wonder at the noon which always awaited you however early you went to seek it. There totally immersed in a bath of pure ethereal colour and of unrelenting though unwounding brightness, stretched his full length and with eyes half closed in the strange chariot that bore them, faintly quivering, through depth after depth of tranquility far above the reach of night, he felt his body and mind daily rubbed and scoured and filled with new vitality. Weston, in one of his brief, reluctant answers, admitted a scientific basis for these sensations: they were receiving, he said, many rays that never penetrated the terrestrial atmosphere.

But Ransom, as time wore on, became aware of another and more spiritual cause for his progressive lightening and exultation of heart. A nightmare, long engendered in the modern mind by the mythology that follows in the wake of science, was falling off him. He had read of 'Space': at the back of his thinking for years had lurked the dismal fancy of the black, cold vacuity, the utter deadness, which was supposed to separate the worlds. He had not known how much it affected him till now - now that the very name 'Space' seemed a blasphemous libel for this empyrean ocean of radiance in which they swam. He could not call it 'dead'; he felt life pouring into him from it every moment. How indeed should it be otherwise, since out of this ocean the worlds and all their life had come? He had thought it barren: he saw now that it was the womb of words, whose blazing and innumerable offspring looked down nightly even upon the earth with so many eyes - and here, with how many more! No: Space was the wrong name. Older thinkers has been wiser when they named it simply the heavens - the heavens which declared the glory - the

'happy climes that ly
Where day never shuts his eye
Up in the broad fields of the sky.'

(Out of the Silent Planet)

my patriotic coffee cup

In remembrance of the birth of our nation, I would like to submit the inspiring quotes that were on my coffee cup this morning:

"Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?
Forbid it, Almighty God.
I know not what course others may take, but as for me,
give
me
LIBERTY
or
give
me
death!"

~ Patrick Henry

and:

"I have sworn upon the altar of God
eternal hostility
against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."

~ Thomas Jefferson

Now those are true patriots. I hope we all have courage to stand up to tyrants.

Have a wonderful 4th of July! Sic semper tyrannis! : )

hoy, heute

Sunday was truly a day of rest. Only my dad and I were at the house, so we chilled on the couch and watched old movies most of the day. After my day of doing nothing, I was geared up for the week, and not so surprisingly, I was accomplishing way more than I expected...until I locked myself out of the house. I got home only to remember that I had left my house keys inside the house, and my dad wasn't coming home until late in the evening. Not content to roast outside the rest of the day, I borrowed a neighbor's ladder and broke in through my window. So there I am, two stories up, wearing a dress, pushing my AC window unit into my room so I can climb into the only unlocked window in our house. But it was kind of a blessing, considering the window unit needed to come out of my window anyways because its broken. Now I need to think of a creative way to move it from my bed into the garage.

Just thought I'd share this:

today in history...
sunglasses were invented in China (1200)
Congress outlawed polygamy (1862)
Estee Lauder was born (1908)
US cartoonist Elzie Segar created "Popeye" (1929)
UK returned Hong Kong to China (1997)

and this:

"Who, being loved, is poor?"
~ Oscar Wilde

...Make someone smile today!

how beautiful

I had forgotten about this passage:

2 Corinthians 6:3-13
"We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.
Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:

in great endurance;
in troubles, hardships and distresses;
in beatings, imprisonments and riots;
in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;
in purity, understanding, patience and kindness;
in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;
in truthful speech and in the power of God;
with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report;
genuine, yet regarded as impostors;
known, yet regarded as unknown;
dying, and yet we live on;
beaten, and yet not killed;
sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;
poor, yet making many rich;
having nothing, and yet possessing EVERYTHING.

We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also."

If only everyone chose to just glimpse at eternity like that and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

My whole being will exclaim, who is like you, O Lord?! (Psalm 35:10)

God is King, and a Lion...a Lion King

Did you know that anxiety is a sin?

In the midst of talking about the lack of world peace with my friend last night, I mentioned that my motto is "hakuna matata." If you've ever seen Lion King, you know that means "no worries." So, as I sit at work and read all about the world going to hell in a handbasket, I tell myself, "hakuna matata" and try to remember that God is in control. So far, its worked ok, but all the news still leaves my mind unsettled, which makes for some crazy dreams. As I'm telling my friend that, I am flipping through a magazine and the headline "No anxiety" flashes before my eyes just seconds after I said hakuna matata. God has perfect timing like that ; )

Naturally, in a typical Hannah gets happy manner, I mumble some jumbo about anxiety, Lion King, and something else unintelligible and start reading.

Anxiety is fear, worry, or apprehension. The writer says it is a sin for two reasons: you are distrusting God and it shows a lack of acceptance for God's sovereignty or providence in our lives.

Why shouldn't we worry? Because "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7) He tells us NOT to worry about tomorrow, because each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34). Furthermore, He says to cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 55:22)

It is such a simple message, but it seems to be the last thing I think about when I start stressing about something. Why should we worry about tomorrow when God owns everything! He is in control, He knows what's going on, and there is nothing we can do to change His plans. Worrying won't add a single day to my life, or yours.

Of course, avoiding worry doesn't mean we can check out of life when trouble strikes. We need to face the storms and trials in our lives. As we are being pressed and molded (which is pretty painful 99% of the time), we must remember that God is working that situation for our good, and we must be faithful to obey. We can't forget our warrior sides : )

Even more exciting to me was the connection I made with anxiety and the definition of sin. Sin is transgression, which can be defined as "stepping over the boundaries." We've all heard about how we need boundaries and that removing boundaries not only makes for a terrible society, but also a troubled heart. Two nights ago, I was reading Psalm 16 over and over again, and verse 6 really caught me: "The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." When we are following God's plan for our life, why would we need to worry at all? Maybe anxiety can also act as a warning that you've stepped over the line into sin territory. Kind of like those shock collars for dogs...it really hurts.

God's lines in the sand are good, and it would be less stressful to find that out by staying behind the line instead of crossing it to see for ourselves if the grass is greener on the other side.

I'm not perfect, and neither are you, so we might be apprehensive and fearful 5 months, 5 days, or even 5 minutes from now. But God still loves us, and He still has the whole world in His hands. Its ironic how becoming a control freak only leaves you more fearful instead of more in charge of control.

That was longest post ever. The end.

...the sun is shining on my smiling face

here's something that may or may not be news to you: GOD IS ON THE MOVE. The past six months have really confirmed that reality to me. So much has happened this year already, but I believe the best is yet to come. I try not to imagine what the best could possibly be, because my imagination is so limited. God is so unlimited.

case in point -- I constantly misjudge people. ok, so I'm trying to move away from the whole judging people in the first place, but when I meet someone who is so pro-choice, or so "something opposite of what I believe," I mentally put up this wall. Yes, I will be their friend and try not to get into arguments with them, but sometimes I limit God's work in their lives. I may automatically think that God can change their heart, but do I really believe that? Even if you run away, kill someone, or hide in the bottom of a boat, God never forgets about you and His plan for your life. So, God can change the heart of an abortionist. He can redeem a murderer. He can rescue the captives. Who am I to say otherwise? It is certainly not my responsibility to decide who God can and cannot save. All I have to do is learn to love, even when someone seems unlovable. I also need to realize that I am not always right (1% of the time...just kidding!).

so, I'm learning to be transformed, and so are thousands of people all over the world. God is moving in Lakeland, and He's moving in Hampton Roads, and He's moving all across the world. There is nowhere He cannot go. Even as China's in the midst of all the earthquake, Olympic, and political turmoil, God is moving in the hearts of the Chinese people. He is in control, no matter how many tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, or plagues strike the earth.


Not only does being transformed save me from my own sin and problems, but it saves people around me. I constantly go back to Isaiah 58, which talks about true fasting. God calls us to be humble, to free the captives, to share your food with the hungry, and clothe the naked. When I am walking in the right path, people I touch will be blessed. Don't you want to be a blessing?

what a great thing to think about all day (or all your life for that matter)! It puts a smile on your face and a joy in your heart.

: ) : )

another day in the life

here I am, in Richmond, at the Family Foundation. This is my second day at FF, and I can confidently say that I know much more about the General Assembly and the transportation tax then when I first came here : ). I've been working on letters to the editors of different newspapers, and my dry humor and shock ability are wearing out...its hard to impress so many editors at once and hope your 2 cents get published.

I've also learned that dowtown Richmond is very confusing....I've haven't gotten to the interstate the same way twice yet. Yesterday, as I was trying to navigate my way to Short Pump mall, I navigated 30 minutes out of the way and through three tolls before I was able to get on the right road again....arg. Such a waste of gas, but the good news is that I now know which way NOT to go : ).

During my lunch break today, I went to the Bell Tower at Capitol Square and browsed the visitor center. Richmond has SO much to see, so I'm excited to start my tours as soon as possible. There are so many historical sites, museums, libraries, old houses, cool restaurants, etc. It will be hard to fit in all that I want to see by August.

ok, update finished.

FYI: the new tax increase proposed by Governor Kaine...BAAAAAAAADDDD. More taxes are not the only way to fix the problem. Besides, when was the last time the government throwing your money at something fixed a mismanagement problem?

apple dumplings

twice a day, I pass a beautiful little Baptist church, and every few days, a different little quote or saying is posted on the sign out front. Even though the lines are usually pretty corny...."if life stinks, we have a pew for you"...they stick in my head the whole day and I end up over-analyzing the theological implications of the line. Does "we have a pew for you" mean that when life gets tough, you get going to your church instead of confronting your problems? Does going to church always help solve your problems? What is church? etc, etc, etc.....and so it goes on. Hannah's lesson learned? Life and your problems don't have to be so complicated. Its so true that "all you need is love." The verse that I keep turning to these days is Ephesians 3:17-18:

"I pray that you,
being rooted and established in LOVE,
may have power,
together with all the saints,
to grasp
how wide
and long
and high
and deep
is the love of Christ."

We are called to love each other deeply (1 Peter 4:8). We spend our whole lives trying and failing every day to become more like Jesus, who loved completely. I certainly don't want to be perceived as a clanging cymbal at the end of my life. I want to love and be loved...deeply. Every day, I get another chance to become more like Jesus (if he decides to give me the chance). And so, I look forward to tomorrow, which has no mistakes or blemishes.

Speaking of the best years of my life : ), I'm watching The Apple Dumpling Gang. My family has rented that movie probably about 20 times, no joke..we should own it. I rented it for the 21st time tonight, and now I sit here, watching it with my little sisters, remembering my childhood. Sweeeeeeeet. Hopefully, when they "grow up", they will remember this movie as sweetly as I do.

and now I'm craving apple dumplings...and I'm going to name my first girl Magnolia (just KIDDING)

watch it! its wonderful

: )

"bye!"

wordsworth remembering

I have been on summer break for a week now!!!! For the first time in several years, I am NOT taking summer classes, and it is a glorious feeling. Instead, I will be interning with the Family Foundation in Richmond and spending the weekends working on my mad tubing skills at the Chowan River. With all this extra time that I have acquired, I decided I need to catch up on my reading list.....so here's a question:

What books should I read this summer?

I'm open to any genres...novels, biographies, etc. From my current list, I have books such as G.K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy, Jane Austen's Persuasion, and Richard Wurmbrand's Satan and Marx...any personal favorites you think I should read (besides the Bible)?

: )

ok, thanks!

and congratulations to all the people graduating this Saturday!

God is good

Its amazing how God can take a terrible and painful experience and turn it around for good. Whenever something bad happens, I know that I know that God will use it for His glory...its just that sometimes, it takes a while to see how He will do it. The past month has been really hard, but its also been REALLY good. I'm beginning to see the light through the trees....and that's all I have to say about that.

God is good, and that's awesome : )

wow

Read this:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24012024/wid/11915773?GT1=31037

I love you, 100

rainy days tend to dampen my spirits, as well as my hair, so I decided to write a list of the good and sunny things in my life (and get an umbrella).

here goes:

1) summer is only 4 weeks away
2) my little 3 year old brother said he loved me 100 (which is a big jump from the original 2)
3) the sun should come out Wednesday
4) I'm spending more time on my knees
5) God is good, all the time.
6) my sister is back home from her senior trip
7) my car trunk can't open anymore, so I carry less clutter with me everywhere
8) I don't have tuition payments until September
9) I'm not taking summer classes!!!!!!!!!!!!
10) Mercy Seat is happening April 26th
11) God is all-knowing.
12) flowers are more vibrant in the overcast lighting
13) Charlton Heston was a beautiful man
14) Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter are good Sunday companions
15) I found my planner, finally.
16) God is faithful.
17) I found an awesome parking spot today at the library (which is rare)
18) Red Bulls are only $1.40/can at Sam's Club....AMAZING
19) I have wonderful friends
20) I need to hang out with my wonderful friends more often

: )

because I'm free

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head
And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed
Nothin' seems to fit
Those raindrops are fallin' on my head, they keep fallin'

So I just did me some talkin' to the sun
And I said I didn't like the way he got things done
Sleepin' on the job
Those raindrops are fallin' on my head, they keep fallin'

But there's one thing I know
The blues they send to meet me won't defeat me
It won't be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head
But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red
Cryin's not for me'
Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complainin'
Because I'm free
Nothin's worryin' me

It won't be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head
But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red
Cryin's not for me'
Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complainin'
Because I'm free
Nothin's worryin' me

national public radio

I've been listening to public radio a lot these days. I figured it wouldn't hurt to listen to classical music more often, since it supposedly makes you smarter, and after seeing so many ads on WHRO while watching "Keeping Up Appearances," I felt like it would be a "good investment" on my part.

The other morning as I was waking up, the most beautiful classical song I think I have ever heard was playing. But because I was still checked into dream land, I didn't get the name of the song!! For a brief moment, I thought, "this is what heaven may be like."

I am determined to hear the song again, so I keep my radio on 24/7. Although I haven't heard it yet, I have heard many other beautiful songs, and they have kept me thinking about the beauty within us all. I know that last statement may have sounded a little "hooey", but when you look at the pictures of many of the great composers, you wouldn't guess that they were so romantic and creative. What were they feeling when they wrote those beautiful songs? What inspired them? If we can create such expressive music in our fallen state, imagine what was created when we were one with God! God can really use anyone to give Him glory and witness to the wonder of His creation.

Sometimes music just hits directly at the core of your being, and maybe that is a glimpse at true worship. Its like those middle school experiments when you are trying to find acoustics of a room. You go through all these notes, and you finally hit the right one, and the sound reverberates through the room. Its like floating in the ocean and the only sound you hear is the beating of your heart. Everything else just tunes out and all you hear is an indescribable peace. Maybe that is what heaven is like. You are just absorbed into the music, the worship. But not so much as to become a drop of water in the ocean. Something different, but I'm not sure what.

The thought hasn't quite congealed in my head yet.....

I wish I were as hungry for the Word as I am for that song to play again. I want its taste to always be in my mouth. I want to say with honesty everyday that His words are "sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Psalm 119:103)

yes.

oh, sweet darling, you've got the best of my love

so, I attended the Huckabee rally today. I shook his hand, got my hand signed (I didn't have anything else for him to sign), and I came home still uncertain who I'm voting for tomorrow. The deal is, Ron Paul may be viewed as a wierdo by many people, but I agree with him on "life" and the war. As far as I'm concerned, he is the person staunchly pro-life people should be voting for -- he's delivered more than 4,000 babies. Regarding the war, I'm becoming more and more anti-war, as far as Iraq goes. Iraq is not going to embrace democracy very soon, if at all; we don't seem to be there anymore for the reasons we came for....we support the Saudis because of oil, and the Saudis harbor terrorists (and probably fund them). It just seems like the whole war is contradictory to the purposes we claimed when we went in there.....and I still don't think Iraqis will be democratic. We can't be the world's police, or the UN's pet. Is staying in Iraq really going to balance the power in the Middle East?

So my dilemna is....I like Ron Paul, but does he really have a chance to get the nomination? probably not. Do I vote for the underdog, knowing he won't win in the long run, or do I compromise and vote for the close second? egad.

I really hope and pray that I hear from the Lord tonight in a vivid "vote for such and such" dream. It would have to be an ESPECIALLY vivid and repeated dream if He said to vote for Hilary or Obama....

Pray for me. Pray that you vote for the man (or woman) God wants. It is nice to know that He has the whole situation in His hands. He raises up our leaders, so if I make a mistake and vote for the wrong person, that is not going to change His plan, right?

fiddlesticks : )

have clear colors

I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed."
The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made. I am a disciple of
Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down,
back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present
makes sense, and my future is secure.
I am finished and done with low living, sight walking,
small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams,
chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position,
promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by
presence, lean by faith, love by patience,
lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace
is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my
road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few,
my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought,
compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back,
diluted, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the
presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander
in the maze of mediocrity.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until
Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know,
and work until He comes. And when He comes to get
His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.
My colors will be clear.

another one bites the dust

I think Jedi-ism is growing faster than Christianity in the UK.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7200531.stm

do you think George Lucas ever dreamed his movie would be the basis for a religion (or rather, a cult)?

moving on to something even more bizarre:

"A New Zealand inventor has been forced to defend the use of worms in a composting toilet he has developed after officials became concerned that the creatures might become traumatised by the procedure.
Coll Bell was told to get an expert's report on the mental impact on the tiger worms being used after an official became concerned during a site visit.
He says the official felt that the worms were being unfairly treated, being expected to deal with human faeces, and that it could affect them in a psychological way.
Mr Bell was told he had to get someone with the necessary qualifications to say the worms were happy.
A vermiculture consultant was called in and she has found the worms are in excellent health and breeding happily."
- AFP

oooooooooooookkkkkkk then.

thank you, Ellen

Last night I saw abortion in a whole new light.
And of all the people to illuminate the issue, it had to be Ellen Degeneres in one of her comedy routines...and she wasn't even talking about abortion. I can't quote her exactly, but here's the general jist of the routine. She was talking about how odd it is how humans love to kill things like house flies and ants. She was joking that the reason it was so easy for us to smash a helpless little ant or fly is because we can't see the expressions of horror on their faces before we....well annihilate them. And its not their fault the flies are in the house -- we named them HOUSE flies.

In the midst of her hilarious routine about the absurdities of humans, I almost cried, and for two reasons:
1) We do the same things to babies that we do to house flies. We treat insects and babies the same way -- as pests.
2) I actually felt love towards people who kill babies. I can't imagine how awful it must be for the doctors who see the little faces of the babies they abort. Only God can soften a heart that has been hardened for so long.

Yet God loves us.

That was so refreshing for me because I've been praying for compassion lately, and I think that moment was a little answer to prayer. One of my passions is the protection of the weak and helpless. I'm not sure how specifically I am supposed to do that, but I do know that anger and hate towards the people who prey on them is not a Christ-like attitude. Whenever I hear a story about a little girl or boy being abused, the first thing that pops in my head is that the abuser should be thrown in the ocean with a huge millstone tied around their neck. While a love for justice is good, I took it a little too far and had deep hate for those people. While I still believe that there is an even hotter place in hell reserved for people who prey on the weak, I also know that Jesus died for those wretches and I have to love them. Even more terrible is the realization that I am a wretch myself. I am not perfect and I sin just as much as those abusers. ouch. I have to be reminded of that fact quite frequently.

God has slowly been softening my heart towards people who hurt and kill the helpless.

And God used a lesbian to convey that message to me.

So, if you are free tomorrow around 10am to 12pm, come and pray with me and a bunch of other people at the Hillcrest Abortion Clinic. All we do is stand around the clinic in silent prayer for two hours...so don't worry about evading police or anything : ). The Life team has been praying for years for the removal of this clinic and the salvation of the doctor who performs the abortions, and every new prayer warrior is greatly needed. If you need more information, you can call me (986-4445), facebook me, or you can call Kempsville Presbyterian Church.

that's it : )

Chuck Norris puts the laughter in manslaughter

Well hello. Because today is the 13th day of the New Year, I have decided to share 13 interesting things with you guys....

1) Planet Earth by the Discovery channel is AWESOME!! It just goes to show what a creative and wonderful God we have...if only the writers had included that in the show. But be prepared....animals eating each other is part of life...and its sad.

2) I just realized the reason Switzerland is always neutral -- an old Swiss proverb says, "When in doubt who will win, be neutral."

3) Giving someone "the finger" originated from the English, who were experts at the longbow. When English archers were captured, their middle finger was cut off so they wouldn't be able to shoot anymore....therefore archers would taunt their opponents by waving their middle fingers, which meant, "we can still kill you" etc.

4) Shakespeare never spelled his name the same way.

5) No one will ever know Chuck Norris' last words because he will be the last person on earth.

6) It is estimated that at any one time, 0.7% of the world's population are drunk.

7) The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.

8) A survey reported that 12% of Americans think that Joan of Arc was Noah's wife.

9) The Muppet Show was banned from Saudi Arabian TV because one if its stars was a pig.

10) Santas in Australia were prohibited from saying, "Ho ho ho" because it is considered derogatory to certain women.

11) It takes 3,000 cows to supply the NFL with enough leather for a year's supply of footballs.

12) The weight of a carat (200 milligrams), standard unit of measurement for gemstones, is based on the weight of the carob seed.

13) The Biblical significance of the number 13 is "rebellion, backsliding, apostacy."

Don't worry, I don't spend all my spare time finding out these things...my brother and I have competitions to see who knows the most random facts.

I briefly wanted to be a wildlife photographer last week. After watching Planet Earth, the thought of being in the wild with strange and dangerous creatures was the most thrilling thing I could think of to do. Wouldn't that be an awesome job!? I'm open to anything, Lord : )

Inspirational thoughts to come next time....

peace out