Tommorrow is a new day, right? What will tomorrow bring? For me tomorrow will bring another year chalked up to this life of mine. Twenty six years and counting to twenty seven. A lot has gone on in this lifetime that seems so long yet when you type the number out it is SO SHORT. I never realized how much I actually love my life. I have a beautiful daughter and a beautiful husband. We have a happy family together. There are many days that go by and I think to myself that I have not accomplished anything. We all have those "pity party" days, dont we? Days where you want to go back and change something. Days where a regret should never have happened. Days when your so tired you beg that somebody would come along and carry you. These are the days that I "blink" and think to myself what about the other moments, the moments I didn't want to blink. I wanted to hold that memory and never let my eyelashes touch.
The day I say my dad lying in a casket, knowing I'd never see his face again.
Blink.
The day I saw my grandma walked a few steps down the street after her heart surgery. It was beautiful.
Blink.
The day I looked into Rory's eyes and knew he saw in me what I saw in him.
Blink.
The day I saw those two pink lines. I knew the second time around I'd hold my baby.
Blink.
I could go on and on forever. I have realized this day, August 15, 2008 that I am twenty six and counting and that we need not dwell on the things we wish we had done differently, nor should we even give too much thought to what the future will look like. We need not worry about the regrets or things we'd change, but rather this very simple fact.
I have this moment. Right now. And I want to make it good.
...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you...Philippians 4:8-9
Tomorrow is a new day, Amen!
P.S. I guess this entry could be named "Let's Go Gospel volume 2" ;)
Friday, August 15, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Let's Go Gospel Kids
Many of you know there are some family issues going on. I've thought about sitting down and calling each of the family members involved and talking to them; however, talking doesn't go well with family these days. Then I got the brilliant idea that I would email everybody, but yet again, that's usually not a good idea judging from some of the players in the field who can't keep written things personal. Then completely out of no where was this stellar idea...My blog, DING! I'll write on my blog. This is MY diary, MY words, My thoughts, MY feelings. If you don't like it then don't read it, right? This is my way to address everyone. They can read it or they can choose not too. I don't have to worry about "I wonder if they showed my email to so and so" or "I wonder if they got my words confused on the phone" or "I wonder if they are just making things up because I have no way to prove otherwise."
Everybody can see this, the same blog entry, the same words written.
If you choose to not enjoy this entry and look deep into it then I advise you to close your screen and move on about your merry way.
This blog entry is titled "Let's Go Gospel Kids" so that is what I'm going to do today. Recently, actually a few months ago, I've decided to lean more towards my spirituality...as many others have apparently. So, I thought this would be good for some of us to get on the same page.
Our lesson today is: THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY!
This is taken from Joshua 22:1-34
If you are familiar with Joshua and you know the part of the chapter then skip past the bold text.
Joshua Sends Home the Eastern Tribes
22:1 Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh 22:2 and told them: “You have carried out all the instructions of Moses the Lord’s servant, and you have obeyed all I have told you. 1 22:3 You have not abandoned your fellow Israelites 2 this entire time, 3 right up to this very day. You have completed the task given you by the Lord your God. 4 22:4 Now the Lord your God has made your fellow Israelites secure, 5 just as he promised them. So now you may turn around and go to your homes 6 in your own land 7 which Moses the Lord’s servant assigned to you east of the Jordan. 22:5 But carefully obey the commands and instructions Moses the Lord’s servant gave you. Love 8 the Lord your God, follow all his instructions, 9 obey 10 his commands, be loyal to him, 11 and serve him with all your heart and being!” 12
22:6 Joshua rewarded 13 them and sent them on their way; they returned to their homes. 14 22:7 (Now to one half-tribe of Manasseh, Moses had assigned land in Bashan; and to the other half Joshua had assigned land on the west side of the Jordan with their fellow Israelites.) When Joshua sent them home, 15 he rewarded 16 them, 22:8 saying, “Take home 17 great wealth, a lot of cattle, 18 silver, gold, bronze, iron, and a lot of 19 clothing. Divide up the goods captured from your enemies with your brothers.” 22:9 So the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites in Shiloh in the land of Canaan and headed home to their own land in Gilead, 20 which they acquired by the Lord’s command through Moses.
Civil War is Averted
22:10 The Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan and built there, near the Jordan, an impressive altar. 21 22:11 The Israelites received this report: 22 “Look, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar at the entrance to 23 the land of Canaan, at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side.” 22:12 When the Israelites heard this, the entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh to launch an attack against them. 24
22:13 The Israelites sent Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest, to the land of Gilead to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 22:14 He was accompanied by ten leaders, one from each of the Israelite tribes, each one a family leader among the Israelite clans. 25 22:15 They went to the land of Gilead to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and said to them: 22:16 “The entire community of the Lord says, ‘Why have you disobeyed the God of Israel by turning back today from following the Lord? You built an altar for yourselves and have rebelled today against the Lord. 26 22:17 The sin we committed at Peor was bad enough. To this very day we have not purified ourselves; it even brought a plague on the community of the Lord. 27 22:18 Now today you dare to turn back 28 from following the Lord! You are rebelling today against the Lord; tomorrow he may break out in anger against 29 the entire community of Israel. 22:19 But if your own land 30 is impure, 31 cross over to the Lord’s own land, 32 where the Lord himself lives, 33 and settle down among us. 34 But don’t rebel against the Lord or us 35 by building for yourselves an altar aside from the altar of the Lord our God. 22:20 When Achan son of Zerah disobeyed the command about the city’s riches, the entire Israelite community was judged, 36 though only one man had sinned. He most certainly died for his sin!’” 37
22:21 The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered the leaders 38 of the Israelite clans: 22:22 “El, God, the Lord! 39 El, God, the Lord! He knows the truth! 40 Israel must also know! If we have rebelled or disobeyed the Lord, 41 don’t spare us 42 today! 22:23 If we have built 43 an altar for ourselves to turn back from following the Lord by making 44 burnt sacrifices and grain offerings on it, or by offering 45 tokens of peace 46 on it, the Lord himself will punish us. 47 22:24 We swear we have done this because we were worried that 48 in the future your descendants would say to our descendants, ‘What relationship do you have with the Lord God of Israel? 49 22:25 The Lord made the Jordan a boundary between us and you Reubenites and Gadites. You have no right to worship the Lord.’ 50 In this way your descendants might cause our descendants to stop obeying 51 the Lord. 22:26 So we decided to build this altar, not for burnt offerings and sacrifices, 22:27 but as a reminder to us and you, 52 and to our descendants who follow us, that we will honor the Lord in his very presence 53 with burnt offerings, sacrifices, and tokens of peace. 54 Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to our descendants, ‘You have no right to worship the Lord.’ 55 22:28 We said, ‘If in the future they say such a thing 56 to us or to our descendants, we will reply, “See the model of the Lord’s altar that our ancestors 57 made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a reminder to us and you.”’ 58 22:29 Far be it from us to rebel against the Lord by turning back today from following after the Lord by building an altar for burnt offerings, sacrifices, and tokens of peace 59 aside from the altar of the Lord our God located in front of his dwelling place!” 60
22:30 When Phinehas the priest and the community leaders and clan leaders who accompanied him heard the defense of the Reubenites, Gadites, and the Manassehites, 61 they were satisfied. 62 22:31 Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest, said to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the Manassehites, 63 “Today we know that the Lord is among us, because you have not disobeyed the Lord in this. 64 Now 65 you have rescued the Israelites from the Lord’s judgment.” 66
22:32 Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders left the Reubenites and Gadites in the land of Gilead and reported back to the Israelites in the land of Canaan. 67 22:33 The Israelites were satisfied with their report and gave thanks to God. 68 They said nothing more about launching an attack to destroy the land in which the Reubenites and Gadites lived. 69 22:34 The Reubenites and Gadites named the altar, “Surely it is a Reminder to us 70 that the Lord is God.”
Although the Transjordan tribes had been granted land east of the Jordan River seven years earlier, they had remained faithful to the Lord by entering into the Promised Land with the rest of Israel to militarily conquer the rest of the land. They are now released by Joshua to return to their families and settle in their own land east of the Jordan. As a reminder of the faithfulness of God, these Transjordan tribes erect a huge altar just across the river from their homes. However, when Israel hears about this altar they are battle-ready, for the Lord had expressly forbidden any other altars to be used for sacrifices. Civil war is averted, though, when the Transjordan tribes explain that the altar is only for the purpose of commemoration, not for sacrifice.
Everybody can see this, the same blog entry, the same words written.
If you choose to not enjoy this entry and look deep into it then I advise you to close your screen and move on about your merry way.
This blog entry is titled "Let's Go Gospel Kids" so that is what I'm going to do today. Recently, actually a few months ago, I've decided to lean more towards my spirituality...as many others have apparently. So, I thought this would be good for some of us to get on the same page.
Our lesson today is: THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY!
This is taken from Joshua 22:1-34
If you are familiar with Joshua and you know the part of the chapter then skip past the bold text.
Joshua Sends Home the Eastern Tribes
22:1 Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh 22:2 and told them: “You have carried out all the instructions of Moses the Lord’s servant, and you have obeyed all I have told you. 1 22:3 You have not abandoned your fellow Israelites 2 this entire time, 3 right up to this very day. You have completed the task given you by the Lord your God. 4 22:4 Now the Lord your God has made your fellow Israelites secure, 5 just as he promised them. So now you may turn around and go to your homes 6 in your own land 7 which Moses the Lord’s servant assigned to you east of the Jordan. 22:5 But carefully obey the commands and instructions Moses the Lord’s servant gave you. Love 8 the Lord your God, follow all his instructions, 9 obey 10 his commands, be loyal to him, 11 and serve him with all your heart and being!” 12
22:6 Joshua rewarded 13 them and sent them on their way; they returned to their homes. 14 22:7 (Now to one half-tribe of Manasseh, Moses had assigned land in Bashan; and to the other half Joshua had assigned land on the west side of the Jordan with their fellow Israelites.) When Joshua sent them home, 15 he rewarded 16 them, 22:8 saying, “Take home 17 great wealth, a lot of cattle, 18 silver, gold, bronze, iron, and a lot of 19 clothing. Divide up the goods captured from your enemies with your brothers.” 22:9 So the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites in Shiloh in the land of Canaan and headed home to their own land in Gilead, 20 which they acquired by the Lord’s command through Moses.
Civil War is Averted
22:10 The Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan and built there, near the Jordan, an impressive altar. 21 22:11 The Israelites received this report: 22 “Look, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar at the entrance to 23 the land of Canaan, at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side.” 22:12 When the Israelites heard this, the entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh to launch an attack against them. 24
22:13 The Israelites sent Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest, to the land of Gilead to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 22:14 He was accompanied by ten leaders, one from each of the Israelite tribes, each one a family leader among the Israelite clans. 25 22:15 They went to the land of Gilead to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and said to them: 22:16 “The entire community of the Lord says, ‘Why have you disobeyed the God of Israel by turning back today from following the Lord? You built an altar for yourselves and have rebelled today against the Lord. 26 22:17 The sin we committed at Peor was bad enough. To this very day we have not purified ourselves; it even brought a plague on the community of the Lord. 27 22:18 Now today you dare to turn back 28 from following the Lord! You are rebelling today against the Lord; tomorrow he may break out in anger against 29 the entire community of Israel. 22:19 But if your own land 30 is impure, 31 cross over to the Lord’s own land, 32 where the Lord himself lives, 33 and settle down among us. 34 But don’t rebel against the Lord or us 35 by building for yourselves an altar aside from the altar of the Lord our God. 22:20 When Achan son of Zerah disobeyed the command about the city’s riches, the entire Israelite community was judged, 36 though only one man had sinned. He most certainly died for his sin!’” 37
22:21 The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered the leaders 38 of the Israelite clans: 22:22 “El, God, the Lord! 39 El, God, the Lord! He knows the truth! 40 Israel must also know! If we have rebelled or disobeyed the Lord, 41 don’t spare us 42 today! 22:23 If we have built 43 an altar for ourselves to turn back from following the Lord by making 44 burnt sacrifices and grain offerings on it, or by offering 45 tokens of peace 46 on it, the Lord himself will punish us. 47 22:24 We swear we have done this because we were worried that 48 in the future your descendants would say to our descendants, ‘What relationship do you have with the Lord God of Israel? 49 22:25 The Lord made the Jordan a boundary between us and you Reubenites and Gadites. You have no right to worship the Lord.’ 50 In this way your descendants might cause our descendants to stop obeying 51 the Lord. 22:26 So we decided to build this altar, not for burnt offerings and sacrifices, 22:27 but as a reminder to us and you, 52 and to our descendants who follow us, that we will honor the Lord in his very presence 53 with burnt offerings, sacrifices, and tokens of peace. 54 Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to our descendants, ‘You have no right to worship the Lord.’ 55 22:28 We said, ‘If in the future they say such a thing 56 to us or to our descendants, we will reply, “See the model of the Lord’s altar that our ancestors 57 made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a reminder to us and you.”’ 58 22:29 Far be it from us to rebel against the Lord by turning back today from following after the Lord by building an altar for burnt offerings, sacrifices, and tokens of peace 59 aside from the altar of the Lord our God located in front of his dwelling place!” 60
22:30 When Phinehas the priest and the community leaders and clan leaders who accompanied him heard the defense of the Reubenites, Gadites, and the Manassehites, 61 they were satisfied. 62 22:31 Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest, said to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the Manassehites, 63 “Today we know that the Lord is among us, because you have not disobeyed the Lord in this. 64 Now 65 you have rescued the Israelites from the Lord’s judgment.” 66
22:32 Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders left the Reubenites and Gadites in the land of Gilead and reported back to the Israelites in the land of Canaan. 67 22:33 The Israelites were satisfied with their report and gave thanks to God. 68 They said nothing more about launching an attack to destroy the land in which the Reubenites and Gadites lived. 69 22:34 The Reubenites and Gadites named the altar, “Surely it is a Reminder to us 70 that the Lord is God.”
Although the Transjordan tribes had been granted land east of the Jordan River seven years earlier, they had remained faithful to the Lord by entering into the Promised Land with the rest of Israel to militarily conquer the rest of the land. They are now released by Joshua to return to their families and settle in their own land east of the Jordan. As a reminder of the faithfulness of God, these Transjordan tribes erect a huge altar just across the river from their homes. However, when Israel hears about this altar they are battle-ready, for the Lord had expressly forbidden any other altars to be used for sacrifices. Civil war is averted, though, when the Transjordan tribes explain that the altar is only for the purpose of commemoration, not for sacrifice.
Wow, isn't God amazing in his message to us!
Have you ever jumped to a conclusion before hearing both sides of a story? Just remember,
Have you ever jumped to a conclusion before hearing both sides of a story? Just remember,
There Are Two Sides to Every Story, for those of you who "care! "
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Tired
Hello All :) It's 3a.m. "ish" in Georgia right now. Ava is sound asleep and Rory is out of town. So why is it that just when I thought having "alone" time would be so great...its SO ALONE?!? I miss my husband and I do not dare wake up the sleeping beauty! She's teething (3 top teeth have broken thru the gums all at once.) I guess I could call Andrea right now, since we've been playing phone tag. I know it will be my luck that this could possibly be the 1st night Erin sleeps all night and doesn't wake up. I would never hear the end of that one *wink* my reply would be "don't sweat the petty things dot dot dot!"
Back to what I was saying about being alone. Seriously, I cannot sleep. In a not so shallow and round-a-bout way I was excited to have my bed all to myself, the tv all to myself, and not hearing somebody whine that they want pizza rolls for the 5th night in a row (just joking...eeh slightly...rory i do love you;) and now that I have that peace and quiet time...I do not know what in the world to do with myself.
I've done 3 loads of wash, emptied Rorys sock drawer, bleached the socks, and matched them. I've premeasured Avas' formula for 2 days and 2 nights, cleaned the house, taken out the trash, watched way too much TLC, and now I have so much adrenaline from not sitting down that I still can't sit down.
Tell me this is just love and it goes away lol? Now that I think about it, I don't ever want this feeling to go away. I love Rory and I miss him!
Good night for now, the timer just went off on the oven for more boiled water for the baby.
Maybe just maybe there will be TWO posts in the same weekend...hehehe :)
Back to what I was saying about being alone. Seriously, I cannot sleep. In a not so shallow and round-a-bout way I was excited to have my bed all to myself, the tv all to myself, and not hearing somebody whine that they want pizza rolls for the 5th night in a row (just joking...eeh slightly...rory i do love you;) and now that I have that peace and quiet time...I do not know what in the world to do with myself.
I've done 3 loads of wash, emptied Rorys sock drawer, bleached the socks, and matched them. I've premeasured Avas' formula for 2 days and 2 nights, cleaned the house, taken out the trash, watched way too much TLC, and now I have so much adrenaline from not sitting down that I still can't sit down.
Tell me this is just love and it goes away lol? Now that I think about it, I don't ever want this feeling to go away. I love Rory and I miss him!
Good night for now, the timer just went off on the oven for more boiled water for the baby.
Maybe just maybe there will be TWO posts in the same weekend...hehehe :)
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