'I lift my eyes up to the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
the Maker of Heaven and Earth'
He will not let your foot slip-
he who watches over you will not slumber
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep
Psalm 121: 1-2
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Beauty As We Don't See It
Today as I was getting dressed, I pulled out my brand new pair of jeans and as I was putting them on I noticed there was a little inscription on the inside "Aged With Love". Needless to say, I was a bit surprised. Before their life with me had even begun they were tossed with a handful of stones into a washer to make them more appear OLDER and therefore, more beautiful. They have wrinkles sewn permanently into the seams, with little tucks and scrapes here and there to make them appear used. And that is what makes them so desirable. What?! Who saw THAT coming?!
How sadly contradictory that is to real life. People everywhere are striving to be THE hottest, most youthful looking person they know, no matter the consequences. Reality Shows are getting amazing popularity by transforming "the weakest most wrinkled looking person" into "the strongest most youthful looking person", but they forget the most important part. While they are training, tucking, polishing and pulling at these sad, heartbroken people, they are forgetting about their hearts, their dreams, their life as it should be. While we are wasting our time trying to fix the flaws of our bodies, our dreams are wasting away deep inside of us and we are losing sight of what really matters. What does really matter? Isn't life just about getting through it with the least amount of trouble possible? No, I realize that it isn't. Our relationship with the one true God and our relationships with the people in our lives are what really matter. No matter how much pain LOVE costs us, it is still worth it in the end. No matter how hard we try to make ourselves beautiful on the outside, it's the inside the counts. Why can't we see ourselves like we see jeans? The older and the more wrinkled, the better!
There are so many different styles of jeans, but the most popular are the "aged" ones. Here a few examples I've seen of how designer's have used "age" to get people to buy their jeans.
-"Limited edition. Destroyed and deconstructed. Premium vintage wash on lightweight denim. This jean is fitted through the hip and thigh for an allover sexy silhouette."
"Tried and true blue. Stretch fabric and classic 5-pocket styling create a comfortable jean that conforms to your body while still giving you room to move. The dark true blue stretch denim has been whiskered and treated with subtle abrasion and sandblasting."
"Bleached-out and broken-in. Tried and true blue. The AE Hipster Skinny Flare Jean has been destroyed for a lived-in style that looks like you've had them for years. Holes down front leg and thigh.
Why isn't our value rated the same way? Age used to be looked on with respect and admiration. To be aged was to be beautiful! My Grandma T is is one of the most beautiful people I know, her face has laugh-lines, her skin is wrinkled and lovely. She has been "treated with subtle abrasion and sandblasting", spiritually and physically, and has come out beautifully. She has been "aged", she beautiful because she has a kind and gentle heart, because she is loving and is loved. When you look at her you see character and beauty, and it is real.
I want to be like that someday! I also want to look at people and rate them by their inner beauty and strength, rather then their outer appearance and strength. Beauty really does "come from the heart!"
How sadly contradictory that is to real life. People everywhere are striving to be THE hottest, most youthful looking person they know, no matter the consequences. Reality Shows are getting amazing popularity by transforming "the weakest most wrinkled looking person" into "the strongest most youthful looking person", but they forget the most important part. While they are training, tucking, polishing and pulling at these sad, heartbroken people, they are forgetting about their hearts, their dreams, their life as it should be. While we are wasting our time trying to fix the flaws of our bodies, our dreams are wasting away deep inside of us and we are losing sight of what really matters. What does really matter? Isn't life just about getting through it with the least amount of trouble possible? No, I realize that it isn't. Our relationship with the one true God and our relationships with the people in our lives are what really matter. No matter how much pain LOVE costs us, it is still worth it in the end. No matter how hard we try to make ourselves beautiful on the outside, it's the inside the counts. Why can't we see ourselves like we see jeans? The older and the more wrinkled, the better!
There are so many different styles of jeans, but the most popular are the "aged" ones. Here a few examples I've seen of how designer's have used "age" to get people to buy their jeans.
-"Limited edition. Destroyed and deconstructed. Premium vintage wash on lightweight denim. This jean is fitted through the hip and thigh for an allover sexy silhouette."
"Tried and true blue. Stretch fabric and classic 5-pocket styling create a comfortable jean that conforms to your body while still giving you room to move. The dark true blue stretch denim has been whiskered and treated with subtle abrasion and sandblasting."
"Bleached-out and broken-in. Tried and true blue. The AE Hipster Skinny Flare Jean has been destroyed for a lived-in style that looks like you've had them for years. Holes down front leg and thigh.
Why isn't our value rated the same way? Age used to be looked on with respect and admiration. To be aged was to be beautiful! My Grandma T is is one of the most beautiful people I know, her face has laugh-lines, her skin is wrinkled and lovely. She has been "treated with subtle abrasion and sandblasting", spiritually and physically, and has come out beautifully. She has been "aged", she beautiful because she has a kind and gentle heart, because she is loving and is loved. When you look at her you see character and beauty, and it is real.
I want to be like that someday! I also want to look at people and rate them by their inner beauty and strength, rather then their outer appearance and strength. Beauty really does "come from the heart!"
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
I Want to be a Princess
I want to be a princess
Will you be my prince?
I want to be a princess
I really don't want a frog
I want a someone who will love me
As no one else ever could
I want someone who will protect me
And stay true like he should
I want someone who will be a friend
Who will never break my heart
I want someone who will pursue me
Not tear my dreams apart
I just want to be a princess
Why is that so hard?
Yesterday I met Him
He is valiant, amazing and strong
And I know that He is real
He has been there all along
He fought the wild dragon
He saved me from certain death
He gave me beauty from ashes
He has given me a heart fullfilled
Today I became His princess
And oh, He loves me so
As no man ever has
As no man ever will
Someday I will see His face
His wonderful, sincere grin
He says He’s coming very soon
And those who love him will definitely win
He’ll rescue as a hero
As a champion to save our lives
With all my heart I know this is true
For He has never told a lie
Monday, September 26, 2005
Prince Edward Island
September 26, 2005
It is absolutely amazing how our God was able to create this entire world and everything in it, in the space of 6 days! How I would have loved to watch Him at work during those days! I get a thrill out of watching someone create something beautiful on a canvas with a couple of different colors of paint and a brush, I can’t even begin to imagine how amazing it must have been when this world was created!!! Very cool!
Today I swam in the ocean, tasted genuine salt water, felt sand under my feet and experienced picking my very first seashell off a real beach! There is really nothing to compare it with. I felt as though I was discovering something unknown, something I never knew existed, and it was such an amazing feeling! My nieces and nephews enjoyed it all very much, but I think I might have liked it even more!
Yesterday, we arrived at this very nice campground about 2 miles from Cavendish Beach PEI. Nearly as soon as we arrived B and I took off to explore the Island on foot. We walked through fields of dandelions, saw L. M. Montgomery’s gravestone (what a thrill... not. haha!), and managed to find our way to the sea. It was so fun! There is something about being close enough to be able to reach out and touch something so huge and seemingly endless that is so unreal and amazing.
This time I have had away from home and away from everyday life has taught me so many things, but the biggest one I think is how important it really is to stop, breathe, relax, and know that life isn’t about what’s going to happen next, what fun thing I need to be planning for tomorrow or what I can find to entertain myself with right now, but it’s about how I can serve God better in my normal everyday life, in any area that needs it. This is going to be tough to accomplish, but it’s important that it’s done. I wasn’t put here on earth to have fun and see what great thing I can find to do next. My life should be about serving others and God in any area there is a need or that He calls me to. I will trust him to lead me where he wants me.
It is absolutely amazing how our God was able to create this entire world and everything in it, in the space of 6 days! How I would have loved to watch Him at work during those days! I get a thrill out of watching someone create something beautiful on a canvas with a couple of different colors of paint and a brush, I can’t even begin to imagine how amazing it must have been when this world was created!!! Very cool!
Today I swam in the ocean, tasted genuine salt water, felt sand under my feet and experienced picking my very first seashell off a real beach! There is really nothing to compare it with. I felt as though I was discovering something unknown, something I never knew existed, and it was such an amazing feeling! My nieces and nephews enjoyed it all very much, but I think I might have liked it even more!
Yesterday, we arrived at this very nice campground about 2 miles from Cavendish Beach PEI. Nearly as soon as we arrived B and I took off to explore the Island on foot. We walked through fields of dandelions, saw L. M. Montgomery’s gravestone (what a thrill... not. haha!), and managed to find our way to the sea. It was so fun! There is something about being close enough to be able to reach out and touch something so huge and seemingly endless that is so unreal and amazing.
This time I have had away from home and away from everyday life has taught me so many things, but the biggest one I think is how important it really is to stop, breathe, relax, and know that life isn’t about what’s going to happen next, what fun thing I need to be planning for tomorrow or what I can find to entertain myself with right now, but it’s about how I can serve God better in my normal everyday life, in any area that needs it. This is going to be tough to accomplish, but it’s important that it’s done. I wasn’t put here on earth to have fun and see what great thing I can find to do next. My life should be about serving others and God in any area there is a need or that He calls me to. I will trust him to lead me where he wants me.
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