DaysofGrace

Tremble....

2006-05-03T17:20:23+02:00

Psalms 114

1 After Israel left Egypt, the clan of Jacob left those barbarians behind; 2 Judah became holy land for him, Israel the place of holy rule. 3 Sea took one look and ran the other way; River Jordan turned around and ran off. 4 The mountains turned playful and skipped like rams, the hills frolicked like spring lambs. 5 What's wrong with you, Sea, that you ran away? and you, River Jordan, that you turned and ran off? 6 And mountains, why did you skip like rams? and you, hills, frolic like spring lambs? 7 Tremble, Earth! You're in the Lord's presence! in the presence of Jacob's God. 8 He turned the rock into a pool of cool water, turned flint into fresh spring water.

If even the rivers and sea tremble before him how much MORE should we? In His presense he turns sorrow into gladness just like He turned the rock into a cool water. Don't you think a rock would much rather be a pool of cool water and flint a fresh spring? At least that is what I got out of it. He turns our mourning into dancing. :)

Praise, Tremble, Serve, Worship, Brokeness..........How many times do we NEVER get to this point? Tremble.

Timing...is everything..

2006-04-27T15:35:05+02:00

There is never a moment in my life when I am not learning something. Which is a wonderful thing. If you ever stop learning well then, you aren't living. In some recent events in my life I have learned a valuable lesson that is something that I think God has been trying to teach me for awhile. Listen. Shut-up and listen. I learned this through a confrontation I recently had with someone. I hate it when my buttons are pushed, don't you. For me when those buttons are pushed it is so hard for me to NOT to talk. I will get so mad and just start rambling trying to defend myself. I think this is human nature. But, not a God nature.

I opened up my devotion for yesterday and read these two quotes that fit perfectly with my....yesterday.

"I have often regretted my speech, never my silence" -Publiluis Syrus

There is a right time for everything......
A time to be quiet;
A time to speak up;
Ecclesiastes 3:1,7

Okay, God...........I'm listening.

and more....

2006-04-13T19:10:00+02:00

I had an observation about myself this morning. I was walking my 3 miles on a track nearby and I was just praying and contemplating things going on in my life right now. I was just praying and asking God's help in a few areas of my life. One I will share with you. I want more. This is what I struggle with. Why when I get $20 do I want $20 more? Why is it that if I taste one M&M I want the whole bag? Why do I try to get the MOST for my money? Why do I like quantity more than quality most of the time? I prayed about this to God and began to just be real open with Him. Not that He doesn't already know my thoughts and my heart, but it is something else when you hear yourself admitting this to GOD. I was asking God WHY am I like this? There are some areas of my life that I am content and satisfied. My life in general is good and blessed. But, why am I not content with that? Why do I want more? As I just talked this out with God I made reasons for myself like society sets me up to be this way. Maybe I was spoiled as a child. Maybe my husband is too good to me. Maybe YOU, God, are too good to me?

I would like to tell you that I got a really good answer, but I didn't. I didn't hear anything just my feet hitting the trail in steady beats. I will keep striving to understand God and who He is in me. I will keep walking.

Failure to see

2006-04-03T21:20:00+02:00

I go through my day in so many different directions. I am pulled in a million different places and there is always needs to be met. There is always laundry to be done and there is always a boo-boo to kiss. I get ready in a rather viscious hurry and try to beat the clock while Grace is napping. I have to get a shower, "fix" my hair, splash some make-up on (mainly so I look like a wife when my husband comes home) and I throw on some clothes. Most of the time it is jeans and a t-shirt. Nothing spectacular. I always feel fat. I never feel like I measure up to the high standards I have for myself. I continually judge myself about the house. This afternoon as I did the "double-time" shower duty of getting ready, I stopped. I was throwing on some make-up and stopped. I looked at myself. Something caught my eye. I noticed a small wrinkle in the corner of my eye that hasn't always been there. Now, I am not one of those women who will go out today and get botox injected to try to beat the time of aging. But, I stood there for a few minutes and just surveyed myself and in some way my heart. I looked deep on my inside for "wrinkles" that I have been ignoring. I found several. Then I broke before God and begged him to not let me carry my own burdens again. I do it so often. In a weird way, carrying those burdens is comfortable for me. It really has nothing to do with aging. But, more to do with aging with God. Growing in him and depending on him. Letting HIM take care of my needs even when I don't know them myself.

I know I am not the only one. Let's rest and be focused on Christ and the great mystery that some of us might call, LIFE.

Colossians 2:2
2 I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God's great mystery.

Brightness

2006-04-01T18:45:00+02:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day. We took Grace to the park and had a good time. She loves to swing. The sun was bright and warm and it was just an all around good day. We needed it.

Do you know a Doodle?

2006-03-31T18:55:00+02:00

My daughter is only 10 months old but is absolutely fascinated with any show that has lots of singing on it. She gets that from her daddy. She loves to watch this Playhouse Disney show, "Doodlebops". These funky looking friends are totally groovy! They sing songs about sharing, getting alone, reading books, eating celery, and listening to your parents. I am all about that!

I think it is fasinating that at such a young age, Grace is already very interested in music. She loves anything with music. When she is fussy or in a bad mood all her daddy has to do is pull out his guitar and sing her a song. She immediately is all smiles. Even at 10 months old she has such personality and many likes and dislikes. She is truly a miracle of God.

I know that God delights in her joyful noise. In fact, I think He absolutely takes so much pleasure in hearing her sing with her little voice. More so than someone who is "good" at singing. It is all about the heart. Make a joyful noise to the Lord.

So, today I am going to consentrate on being groovy with God and praising Him in all things! :)

Happy Doodle Day! :)

Life lessons...

2006-03-31T07:57:03+02:00

We start life learning lessons. From day one we learn how to swallow, cry, breathe, and be loved. We continue through life learning lessons all along the way. As we evolved into adulthood, there is something that happens. We begin to realize that we know absolutely NOTHING! We think that when we graduate from college that we will have a better grasp on life. That somehow when we switch our tassel from one side to the other, that something will automatically update itself in our "computer". I have yet to graduate from college so maybe this is my problem, but I am understanding more than ever before that the older I get the more I do not know. I long to know. I desire to know. I search to know, but yet I still do not know. You may ask, "What, Kristin, do you WANT to know?" Here is the question I am searching this week.......

I believe there are no degrees of sin, only degrees of consequences. If this is true, then why do we judge people with a certain ruler of the amount of bad that is in a persons life? Why as Christians do we do this? I do it. I don't believe in it, but I do it. I catch myself all the time. I hate this about myself. I wish I was more like my husband in this area. Actually, I wish I was more like Jesus in this area. Maybe that is my answer, huh! :)

Grace on Benedryl..

2006-03-30T16:00:00+02:00

Grace has had a runny nose and been doing fine with it. Last night she got to the point where she was really stuffy and I knew she was going to have a hard time breathing while she slept. So, right before bedtime I gave her some benedryl. She went to bed around 7:30 and woke up around 8:30 and was WIDE awake! This is unlike her, so we suspect the Benedryl reved her up! Here is our night until almost 10:00p.m.!

Those pj bottoms won't stay up!

There they go! :) (Bryan is tired)

Will this day ever end?!

Catching up on tivo....
maybe that will wear her down!

It has been ONLY 15 minutes...
it seems like HOURS!

ME NOT TIRED!!!!

Grammy and Papa come home quick!
Mommy and daddy need some sleep!

My job description....

2006-03-29T04:24:46+02:00

My aunt sent me some info on a contest that Oprah and Similac Formula are doing. In 100 words or less you have to give them a job description of a mom. The grand prize winner is $130,000. That is what the estimate salary would be if a stay-at-home mom got paid! I earn every penny of it! This is my entry:

I work in the only field that is never-ending? I am a teacher. I’m a dietician. I’m a storyteller. I’m a chef, organizational specialist, and party planner. I pull graveyard shifts nightly as counselor, medic, and security guard. I’m a film and television critic. I’m a forensic detective; a poet; a pastor; an actress. I bring peace to cries in the next room. If there are boo-boos, I’m the doctor. If there are giggles, I’m the comedian providing the entertainment. I’m a therapist, a feminist, and speech-pathologist. And although I’m not paid, I earn every penny. I am Grace’s mom.

(I didn't include the picture, that is just for your enjoyment! Isn't she cute?!)

Happy days....

2006-03-27T21:40:00+02:00

I am feeling really exhausted and just plain burned out! I am like a candle that has simply been used up and has just gone out.

In moments like this, I like to reflect on really happy days when life didn't seem to be coming at me 150MPH! Here are my happy memories....

Bryan and I at QT in B-ville!

Having some fun in the sun!
I miss having a backyard!

Bryan and our cat, Gidget.
She was adopted by some
friends of ours. Mean cat!

AND IT'S A GIRL! :)

Crazy one day trip to Dallas!

Aww...the days of pregnancy!
My bedtime snack, blueberry muffin!

Happiest and most overwhelming
moment of my life!

The days of SLEEP!

My all time favorite people!
My sis and Grace. :)

Fun in Destin, FL!

Picture day just a month ago!

How blessed am I? Just going through all these pictures has made me smile. What are your life favorite moments?