A Reason to Feel Weak...

Held
Natalie Grant (Written by Christa Wells)

Now this song is one that I have loved for several years, but has recently been popping up in some crazy places...like "Stir Crazy", the restaurant in Greenwood.

I think what this song reminds me of is that God loves us and has promised us eternal life...but that it won't be easy. Like I said yesterday, good is so quickly followed by bad sometimes, but how would we know it's good if we haven't experienced the bad? Quite honestly, it's those times when we are experiencing the bad is when God is holding us up. It is actually good for us to feel weak so that we can feel God's Love as He can always comfort us. Ever wonder how some people can just keep going when things get crazy? I've done it and let me tell you it's not about me, it's my faith. My belief that the truth that Jesus died for us, so that we can have eternal life keeps me going at times when it seems like there is no other reason. I know that my friend Laurie, who we lost on this earth in August, believed that, and so she let our Lord hold her during all of her trials and her life demonstrated that faith. Also, to my dear, dear friend (you know how you are), this song has been a way for us to connect even more. Love you girl!!

The lyrics to the song along with verses that have helped me while I'm feeling broken and in need.
"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." Romans 8:11
Psalm 23

Two months is too little.
They let him go.
They had no sudden healing.
To think that providence would
Take a child from his mother while she prays
Is appalling.

Who told us we'd be rescued?
What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?
We're asking why this happens
To us who have died to live?
It's unfair.

Chorus:
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we'd be held.

This hand is bitterness.
We want to taste it, let the hatred numb our sorrow.
The wise hand opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow.

(Chorus)
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we'd be held.

Bridge:
If hope is born of suffering.
If this is only the beginning.
Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?

(Chorus)
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we'd be held.

© Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

A Reason to Celebrate...

Praise You in This Storm

written by Mark Hall (Casting Crowns)

As the Christmas season approaches, I am reminded of the REAL reason we celebrate CHRISTmas. The birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ! What an awesome reason to celebrate. I've also started thinking, how can I celebrate this season in a way different from any year before....considering this has been a year like none before! That's when I started praying and searching for some way that I could uniquely celebrate--for me--and for those of you who want to read (and sing) along this season (and who knows....this might just continue all year long!).


I started thinking that so often it's music that I connect with and use to pull me through the ups and downs that I've been facing, so with that, I'm going to share some of the videos/songs that I have used over this past year to get me through. It's my way to connect back to the unconditional Love from Jesus. Sometimes it's because the song is in my head all day, reminding me of God's promise, other times it's because a song reminds me of a scripture that I need to read again (or find for the first time in the Bible and not in a lyrical list), and sometimes it's because I've thrown my hands up and said, "Really, God?" because the song is answer to my current situation. My hope is that these posts will encourage you the way the have encouraged me...or maybe they'll help you understand how, in the face of the year that has unfolded, that I can still Praise the Lord and know that God is good. I was going to wait to start this little 'gift' on December 1st, but just felt pulled to start today...maybe it's the rain? Maybe it's the leaking laundry room (at my parent's house? Maybe it's because I can't get this song out of my head today...but, then again, it's not my timing is it?


So today, I start with Casting Crowns "Praise You in this Storm". If one thing has been true about this year, it's that it has felt like one looooonnnnngggg storm. Here's food for thought...Steven and I joined an amazing Life Group this year, I think our first meeting was in February and for EVERY time we've met, our friends have been praying for one of our parent's cancer...not kidding! If you don't think Cancer is a storm, call me and we'll chat. But even when the storm was bad, there was a Praise to be found...something worked, something was caught early, the medications worked, the family grew closer, and on and on and on. I keep asking myself why all the good stuff has to be so quickly followed by a bad thing, but then realize that good seems that much better when you put the bad in perspective. THAT is why I continue to praise, even in the depths of the storm.

The lyrics to the song, along with the related scripture are below, according to the Casting Crowns website.

Romans 8:28 / 2 Corinthians. 4:16-18
Psalm 42:5 / Psalm 121:1-2
Job 1:20-21 / Daniel 3:16-18

I was sure by now
God, You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with You"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with You"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth
(repeat)

I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

Though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

2005 Club Zoo Music (BMI) / SWECS Music (BMI) (adm. by EMI CMG Publishing) / Word Music, LLC (ASCAP) / Banahama Tunes (ASCAP) (adm. by Word Music, LLC)

Surprise Party!

Today was a special day at work. The girls decided to organize a surprise birthday party for me:) Several months back, some of us were talking about parties and I mentioned I would probably never have a surprise party. They started planning and had me completely clueless--I really thought we were doing a lunch and learn! Even some of the unit staff were in on the covert operations:) Thank you, Thank you,Thank you to my wonderful work family!!

As a special gift, they created a wordle:

Pinterest Junkie!!

SOOOO, my new guilty pleasure is Pinterest surfing. If you haven't heard of Pinterest, it's like an online bulletin board of ideas (Pinning your interests). I've been pinning a lot of clever ideas (and maybe bugging Steven with some of them), but this is my first attempt at creating SOMETHING I've seen. Kim Christopherson's video for the DIY Infinity Scarf is found at http://studio5.ksl.com/ ...I modified this one a little bit because I wanted to make it quick and didn't have many t-shirts that were cut-worthy. Not bad for 20 minutes of NO-SEW work!! My circles were much smaller than 9-inches and I made the spirals about 1 inch. This is especially comfy for people, like me, who like the idea of scarves, but get too hot to actually wear one. I'm excited to try more!!

What a fall....

So clearly I haven't been updating this blog too much, but I think our crazy summer/fall speaks for itself!
July we had a lot of fun as Dominic showed pigs at the Hendricks County 4-H fair.
Then there was All-Star Baseball....well, that might not have been quite as much fun. August there was the State Fair...Steven and I went several times, including the night that the Sugarland concert tragedy happened. Amazingly enough, we decided NOT to go into the concert that night, even though we love Sugarland and hadn't missed a concert in years.
September--We had a lot of little league football games that we got to see, but I didn't take my camera and didn't get too many good pictures. We did have the chance at the end of September to travel to Missouri to watch Sarah's military graduation. While we were there we also went to Bass Pro Shops and the St. Louis Zoo. And as for October, well let's just say October 2011 is best described at www.maryandwinnie.blogspot.com !!

Sarah after graduation...gotta love the military issue glasses!! Steven and Jaidyn checking out the elephants at the St. Louis Zoo

St. Louis Zoo