Flowers of Grace

It's Complicated...

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:01:00 +0000

Yep, this title says it all: life is complicated. Sometimes it's so much easier to make everything more complicated than more simple. For me at least, I tend to overanalyze instead of assuming the best, and assuming something crazy and dramatic is going on instead of not worrying. For some reason, it just comes naturally. (Why is that?) Anyway, the Botkin sisters wrote a book called It's (Not That) Complicated. Basically, just from what I've seen, it looks fabulous. Here's a little excerpt from Chapter 7:

We torture ourselves over quandaries like, “At exactly what point in my thought process did my favorable thoughts towards a young man turn into sin? Did I cross the line when I started naming our imaginary future children? …or was it back when I was wondering what color the bridesmaids’ shoes should be? How about when I first admired what a servant’s heart he has?”We ask the wrong question when we ask, “Is having a crush a sin?” The Bible doesn’t actually say, and the reason is because “emotional purity” is a made-up moral category. And it’s giving a lot of us feelings of (unbiblical) guilt for committing some dreadful nebulous crime that there is no definition for, when the answer would actually be very clear if we phrased the question using biblical terms. There are plenty of real moral categories for real sins – like lust, covetousness, idolatry, fear of man, vain imaginations, and presumptuous sins. How much clearer would things be if we would just go ahead and say, “I’ve made an idol out of a young man; is that wrong?” or, “I’m having lustful thoughts for this guy – is that a sin?”The Bible gives plenty of clear commands, both positive and negative: Guard your heart. Love the brethren from a pure heart. Think on what is pure and what is true. Don’t covet. Don’t lust. Have self-control. Take every thought captive.

No worries, this book is on my wishlist of books to read in the near future. I'm excited! :)
It's (Not That) Complicated by Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin

"A Culinary Reflection"

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:01:00 +0000

One book I've been reading for school is Robert Farrar Capon's Supper of the Lamb. Fabulous, funny book. I appreciate food (especially onions) so much more! He wrote, "Nourishment is necessary only for a while; what we shall need forever is taste."

Eating is one of the most time-consuming necessities of life, other than sleeping. Surely when God made mankind with the need to eat three times a day, it was not for no reason. Mealtimes can be miraculous growths of friendships, a time of required pause and rest, and on the whole enjoyable.

Have you ever transformed an acquaintance into a life-long friend over a freshly-brewed mug of dark coffee with a touch of frothy milk? Or somehow had your day turned around at the offer of a warm bowl of broccoli cheddar soup with a dash of pepper? Perhaps started the day with a few minutes of dedicated concentration on a serving of scrambled eggs, ripe banana, and fresh orange juice?

As important as it undoubtedly is to be physically nourished by food, our meals offer something of a more eternal nature: taste. God is surprisingly concerned with our eating habits. He set up entire days for His people devoted to celebrating with food. And certainly the food He makes is best.

In a world of the bigger, the better, and the wow-factor, we almost have to train our tastebuds to relish the taste of food by God, like in the Garden of Eden. An apple, with its crisp distinct sweetness, cannot be insufficient to be truly satisfying. We do not have to make it into pie for it to be delicious. It already is. Of course, apple pies have their own unique place (one of the very highest positions) in the wide varieties of food that have the eternal value of taste. But alongside our love of the extravagant, let's not forget the “simple” foods as also participating in the eternal nature of taste.

Bogged Down by the Mundane?

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:20:00 +0000

Let's just say... Sunday morning are the most special ever. Of course, every day is glorious. They're all different, unique, and one can never know quite what to expect.

Sundays are my favorites, though. Here in Tennessee, I attend Parish Presbyterian Church where I'm blessed to hear Dr. George Grant preach each week. What an amazing, memorable (and fun) thing. Undoubtedly, he is a fabulous pastor. Soooooo wonderful. :)

Anyway, this morning Dr. Grant went to Indonesia so Nathan Clark George gave the sermon. Have you heard of Mr. George? Basically, you really want to listen to some of his music, believe me. Lots of settings for Psalms that are enjoyable to sing and quite catchy! This morning, he did the music, then quick ran over for the sermon before leading us in worship again afterwards. Quite the workout, I must say.

A theme I've been learning about lately is nicely summed up in Mr. George's sermon title: The Mundane and the Metaphysical. Especially after the Schaeffer 100 conference, I've been amazed by how God uses everyday, little things as well as big, life-altering occasions. He talked about Psalm 4:

¹ Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have given me relief when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!
² O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?
Selah
³ But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.
⁴ Be angry, and do not sin;
ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.
Selah
⁵ Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the LORD.

⁶ There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!”
⁷ You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.

⁸ In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Our tendency is to believe that the next blessing from God will solve all of our problems. But there is a connection between real life and His peace. Sometimes it seems like it would be easier to have an eternal, never-ending "sweet hour of prayer." But God works in the mundane; the everyday, little things are part of God's providential care as much as the grand things. Nothing is without eternal purpose.

Mr. George had that application, super-encouraging aspect of the sermon but he also showed this wonderful outline for the Psalm:
Verses 1-2 ~ David cries out
Verses 2-3 ~ He is honest with his really hard circumstances
Verses 4-5 ~ Sermon of the Psalm
Verses 6-7 ~ David's honesty with his difficult circumstances
Verse 8 ~ God's answer to David's cries

The mundane is not an interruption to worship; God weaves it right in with the metaphysical.

Natural-ness

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:17:00 +0000

Latest obsession: natural-ness. No, that's not actually a word. But it has a definition, so that counts for something, right? It basically means stuff that is quite close to it's created state--like how God made it to begin with.

Anyway, I've been on a little natural-ness rant. This morning, I went to Starbucks to meet with a friend and instead of getting a caramel brulee latte (which is my signature tried-and-true, luxoriusly sweet, coffee Starbucks beverage), I got a Green Machine. Yes, it truly is green in color. Even tastes green. But boy is it delicious. And it has spinach, broccoli, apples, pineapple, kiwi, and a bunch of good things in it. Yep, love it.

Another natural? This facial mask which feels amazing.

Recipe

1 T. honey

1 t. nutmeg

1 t. cinnamon

Gently apply to cleansed skin, leave on for 30 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

The honey is really amazing at deeply cleansing skin, and getting rid of the bacteria. Feels fabulous, and they say the way you feel makes a difference with how you look. Hey, if that's true I'll do that mask every day! ;)

Gotta Love Breakfast

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 20:57:00 +0000

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"
"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"
"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully.
"It's the same thing," he said.

-A.A. Milne

I feel like Winnie the Pooh, because I've been getting awfully excited about breakfast lately. Sometimes I even think about it at night, and dream of what I'm going to cook in the morning. Sometimes even in the afternoon I get distracted and imagine the perfect breakfast to start the next day with.

Oh, bother.

But really, breakfast is quite important. Probably it's the most important meal and should never be skipped. That's very convenient for me since I love it. For other people though, who never seem to be hungry and are always content without snacking, it's not so easy.

Anyway, some of my favorite breakfasts are:

Oatmeal with peanut butter (crunchy) and a sliced banana mixed in. Oh, for heavenly. It's delicious and so filling! It lasts me through the day until a late lunch, so it's perfect for my school days that go from early morning to early afternoon, because I'm totally set.
Eggs in muffin tins. Before you call me crazy (or maybe you already have...), it's a real idea that I didn't come up with. I beat a few eggs, added some milk, and poured it into muffin tins. Then I added chopped fresh broccoli, mushrooms, and onion and topped it off with shredded cheddar cheese. Into the oven and voila! Mini, crustless, quiche-like breakfast that is easy to make ahead of time and faster than a speeding bullet the day of.
Yogurt with frozen blueberries. Ooh-la-la! Just so delicious and refreshing.

I'm so glad God made us to eat good-tasting food. There are three times a day that are just that much better. :)

Caroling

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 23:34:00 +0000

Caroling downtown Geneva on the perfect winter day was so much fun. Lots of people would stop and listen for a while. We looked like we came straight out of a scene from Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol.

We sang hymns, carols and some plain fun Christmas songs. I think the most fun to sing was Jingle Bells as a round with Snowflakes. The back row of guys would bob up and down and the girls would all sway back and forth.

Awww... blowing a kiss to the brother. :)

Merry Christmas from the 1800's!

First Semester Highlights

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 06:03:00 +0000

Group of New College Franklin students, each of whom is wonderful :)

Boy did we ever read this first semester! You know how you always hear about how a classical education involves lots of reading? I'm here to say it really does. Not just lots of reading, but really, trust me--lots of reading. Only one semester of my first year has passed and already my class has read Augustine's City of God, a couple Shakespeare plays, Anselm, Schaeffer, C. S. Lewis, Homer's Iliad, Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, some Euclid, and Abelard. And that doesn't include our music history and Greek textbooks. Quite a list, if I do say so myself.

I had not read any of it. Honestly, I don't think I would have, either, if I had not been assigned to. But my professors knew that and assigned lots of pages and passages, as well as exams and papers to hold me accountable for the reading. (That helped.)

Each of the 6 first-year professors is fabulous, and they say the most random and hilarious things (especially when taken out of context). For example:

"That's a classic Shakespeare move--if someone is in another country, they're raising an army."

"Achilles loves someone like I love fried chicken."

"We could account for all moral obligations by looking at the behavior of pigs."

God has been so good to place me in a fantastic, tiny liberal arts Christian college. My classmates really love the Lord. (And they're hilarious too, which is a plus!) All the things I imagined enjoying about college are true. The social get-togethers (frisbee, swing dancing, movie nights) are just as fun as I hoped. Yep, one more confirmation that God is good and overwhelmingly heaps blessings.

Latest Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 04:35:00 +0000

1. One of my newest bucket list things is to wear red lipstick someday. I never thought I would think that since my hair is already red (or debate-ably orange) but someday I will try to pull it off.

Source: lemonadeandivy.tumblr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

2. Have a Jane Austen teaparty. Adorable? Most certainly! Honestly, what girl could help but love a book-themed party--especially when those books are darling romances. Brilliant idea, I must say. ;)

Source: dearlillieblog.blogspot.com via Lisa on Pinterest

3. Develop sufficient endurance to run like the wind. For a few miles. Wouldn't that be lovely? Although it's a lot easier to think of that as lovely here when I'm relaxed on my bed. Somehow when I start running--even when I'm really in the mood for it--the idealized picture vanishes, and I'm left with a hot, sweaty, tired me. And my legs basically melt from exhaustion. Not such a pretty sight, but nonetheless running is a dream.

These aren't even especially silly, unfeasible things. Each of them is possible, and sometimes those are really good sorts of dreams to have.

Franklin Beiber fever

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 03:43:00 +0000

So I am posting a Justin Bieber music video. And let me clarify that it's not because I've caught the Bieber fever. But his Christmas song "Mistletoe" was done in Franklin, Tennessee where I am living right now. It caused a bit of a chaos, and driving home from school was a little difficult with all the blocked roads.

However, Franklin is truly one of the most beautiful little downtowns I have ever seen. Believe it or not, it is just as charming as it seems in the video. Especially now at Christmastime with all the lights and evergreen and red ribbon in the shop windows.

I love you, Franklin.

Pumpkin Pie Latte [recipe]

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:22:00 +0000

Pumpkin Pie Latte

[from Taste of Home]

2 servings

15 minutes prep. time

Ingredients

2 cups milk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup hot brewed espresso
Whipped cream
Pumpkin pie spice
Ground nutmeg

Directions

In a small saucepan, combine the milk, pumpkin and sugar.

Cook and stir over medium heat until steaming.

Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and pie spice.

Transfer to a blender; cover and process for 15 seconds or until foamy.

Pour into two mugs; add espresso.

Garnish with whipped cream and spices if desired.

"Delicious autumn!

My very soul is wedded to it,

and if I were a bird

I would fly about the earth

seeking the successive autumns."

-George Eliot

One Day

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:11:00 +0000

One Day by Matisyahu

This is one of my favorite songs. :) It works really well to the "Shotgun" line dance!

Fall in Franklin

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 19:04:00 +0000

Franklin is one of the most beautiful places on earth, especially in autumn. The shades of the trees are breathtaking, the sound of leaves is peaceful, and the wind feels perfectly refreshing. And at this point in my life, I get to live here. Is God good or what? :)

The other day I went on a Sunday afternoon walk down the railroad tracks with friends. This is a glimpse of our wonderful day.


A dear friend!

Being Happy

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:33:00 +0000

What is the Christian's secret of a happy life?

"...By an act of faith we put ourselves into the hands of the Lord for Him to work in us all the good pleasure of His will, and then by a continuous exercise of faith, keep ourselves there. This is our part in the matter. And when we do it, and while we do it, we are, in the Scripture sense, truly pleasing to God, although it may require years of training and discipline to mature us into a vessel that shall be in all respects to His honor, and fitted to every good work." -Hannah Whitehall Smith

Putting myself entirely into God's hand is the only thing that will ever give true happiness. It is not rooted in my circumstance, but Him alone.

Fall Break

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 15:30:00 +0000

I had the best fall break ever.

And when I say the best, I mean the best.

Family is wonderful, and they say distance makes the heart grow fonder. I don't know that that's always true, but my brothers, sister, and parents all seemed more precious than before. Between frisbee, swing dancing, soccer tournament, debate, and everything else, it was just as busy as finals week. But in a super good way. :)

A Woman Gets a Haircut

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 03:24:00 +0000

Difference between men and women? One example is how men and women view a haircut.

WOMAN'S VERSION

Woman2: Oh! You got a haircut! That's so cute!
Woman1: Do you think so? I wasn't sure when she gave me the mirror. I mean, you don't think it's too fluffy looking?
Woman2: Oh, no! No, it's perfect! I'd love to get my hair cut like that, but I think my face is too wide. I'm pretty much stuck with this look, I think.
Woman1: Are you serious? I think your face is adorable! And you could easily get one of those layer cuts -that would look so cute on you. I was actually going to do that except that I was afraid it would accent my long neck.
Woman2: Oh -that's funny! I would love to have your neck! Anything to take attention away from this two-by-four I have for a shoulder line.
Woman1: Are you kidding? I know girls who would love to have your shoulders. Everything drapes so well on you. I mean, look at my arms-see how short they are? If I had your shoulders I could get clothes to fit me so much better.

MAN'S VERSION

Man1: Haircut?

Man2: Yeah.

So true. :) God certainly made men and women different, no doubt about it!

My New Room!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:50:00 +0000

This is my first semester at New College Franklin. I'm boarding with an awesome family--I love them already. Here's my room! I like it so much, it's bright and cheery and makes studying that much better. :)

Mocha Coconut Frappuccino

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 18:51:00 +0000

"Rich mocha sauce and coconut-flavored syrup blended with coffee, fresh milk, and ice. Topped with sweetened whipped cream, mocha drizzle and toasted coconut flakes."

Starbucks has the most amazing atmosphere. Delicious aroma of coffee, inviting colors, warm lighting, and unrushed service. There's the feeling that you can hang out with a friend, work, or study with a fabulous-tasting drink and just... be.

It made think... What kind of atmosphere do I create?

Being around some people leaves me happy and cheerful, while hanging with others leaves me on edge. When friends, acquaintances, co-workers, family, or strangers are around me, what feeling do I leave them with?

One lady I know can make me feel happier even on my most melancholy days. Every time I see her, she is wearing a smile. Instead of a fake happiness, she is truly joyful from deep inside. "A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit" (Prov. 15:13). So, fact # 1: True joy comes from within and it often shows up in a smile.

Tough days--those ones when nothing goes right and I beat myself up--are dissolved when someone gives me a totally genuine kind word. Fact #2: Encouraging comments are never pointless. I could give someone's day a fresh start and not even know it.

Maybe this is just a girl thing, but I also like to have someone hear about how things are going. My sister is especially good at listening to me spill out random happenings of the day (good or bad) and just "experiencing" my day with me. For whatever reason, things get better when someone else cares enough to know about it. Fact #3: I should always strive to be a caring listener.

Okay, this is enough for me to work on for the next lifetime. Warm smile, inviting to talk to, encouraging spirit, and deep-down joy... voilà! A Mocha Coconut Frappuccino experience! But even if I never get a Starbucks-quality atmosphere for people to feel around me, I can keep getting better. Since true joy only comes from knowing the JoyGiver, that's the perfect place to start.

"You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand" (Psalm 16:11).

Mint Green

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 21:10:00 +0000

Confession: I just fell in love with mint green.

I'm not quite sure how it happened. It may have all started when I saw an mint green piece of furniture in a cute antique shop. Or maybe it was when I went in that adorable mint green ice cream shop in Scotland. Perhaps the historical home with a pale pink, yellow, and mint green kitchen converted me.

Either way, it now has a special place in my heart. ;)

Just in case you're worried that my love of yellow is going to be crowded out, don't worry. I plan on using both! Why not have both mint green and yellow in a home?

Observe, if you please, the yellow fabric with the mint green walls. Perfect? I do believe so. Having yellow in one room and mint green in another would do the trick.

Oooh la la! Goodness in a color. Can it get any better?

Dear Family

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 21:05:00 +0000

{why I love you...}

1. No matter how much I mess up, you still love me. All those times that dinner turned out to be an hour of starvation, or when I'm tired and not fun to be with, and all the off-days.

2. We have so much fun together. Pizza, popcorn, raspberry tea and movie nights are probably the best thing I have ever done. Even cleaning the house becomes a time to blast music and enjoy being together.

3. You're there through thick and thin. Rain or shine. Summer or winter. ;)

4. The house is noisy and chaotic because of my family. Yes, that's actually a reason I love you. If it were quiet and still, I think I just might go crazy. As it is, I don't have to worry about that.

God has beyond blessed me!

Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 11:29:00 +0000

A friend I met in Scotland is a new filmmaker who had a video in the San Antonio Film Festival. When she saw the beauty of Scotland, she couldn't help but keep her camera up on as we walked around in picture-perfect settings.

Further along in our trip, we got to go to the beach at St. Andrews, where the opening scene of Chariots of Fire was filmed. It was too much for her to resist! Some of us went running back and forth on the beach, she filmed us, and now we have a video to remember. :)

One Month!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 23:29:00 +0000

Hip hip hooray!

In less than one month, I will be in Tennessee at New College Franklin! As I hear which books I'll be reading and learn about my classes, I'm getting more and more excited.

The most attractive thing to me about studies at NCF is their philosophy of education. Everything I learn as a Christian should be through the lens of God's Word. New College strives for that type of learning.

"We believe that the work of New College Franklin is not a neutral act to create sophisticated, intellectual citizens of the world. We are not seeking the 'good life' or the 'American dream,' but the life of Christ... We embark on the study of Scripture and the liberal arts to know our Lord and His works to give Him glory."

I'm starting to feel like a bookworm just thinking about all the reading I'll be doing. Through the week, we also have chapel and prayer times.

Way. too. happy. am. i. (:

Thinking Back on Scotland

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:56:00 +0000

Out of all the great things to see and learn in Scotland, my favorite was the story of Patrick Hamilton. Even though he was part of the church, it wasn't until he was 23 (close to my age!) when he heard the Gospel for the first time. Immediately, he became very excited about the truth of salvation by grace alone through faith. So much so that he shared what he learned with Friar Campbell. The friar was amazed by the message from Patrick and put his trust in Christ.

Or... at least he pretended to.

In reality, Friar Campbell had no true conversion. He didn't even believe what Patrick told him about salvation. Instead, he acted like a believer to get Patrick to tell him more about the "heresy."

Eventually, the friar turned Patrick Hamilton in to the church authorities, who acted quickly.

He was summoned by a church council, tried, and sentenced to die. Hamilton's execution was carried out very quickly so that his friends would have no time to organize a rescue.

The church archbishop's intent was to quiet the spread of the true Gospel. Quite the opposite from what they intended, the news of Patrick Hamilton's death spread throughout Scotland. When people heard his story, it made them curious to learn more about the One he stood for.

Although his time as a Christian was only a year long, Patrick Hamilton influenced many people. He wrote:

"The Law saith, Where is thy righteousness, goodness, and satisfaction? The Gospel saith, Christ is thy righteousness, goodness, and satisfaction."

Divided: Modern Youth Ministry

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:39:00 +0000

"As you look on the church landscape, youth are leaving the faith in droves. The modern church, overall, is struggling to reach the next generation with the gospel. What has happened? Whether for good or bad, men, for many years, have been inventing solutions or brainstorming ideas without fully relying upon the foundation of God’s Word. God, however, is greater than man, and as the heavens are above the earth, so are His ways higher than ours and His thoughts than our thoughts (Is. 55:8-9). We have substituted the greater for the lesser – God’s wisdom for man’s ideas. Jesus said that he who hears His Word and does it, is like a man that built his house upon a rock, and when the storm came, it stood firm. On the other hand, he who rejects His Word, is like a man who built on the sand and when the storm came, the house fell (Matt. 7:24-25). Shouldn’t the church, as a whole, abandon the sandy ideas of man and shamelessly return to the firm rock of the Word of God? God’s Word sufficiently identifies how youth are to be reached. For more information on this issue, please see the film Divided, which is a documentary on age-segregated youth ministry in America." -DividedtheMovie.com

Divided presents a compelling case for searching the Scriptures when looking at the age-segregated youth ministry in our churches. Rather than debating over whether or not youth groups/Sunday schools have had positive effects, Divided asks if youth ministry is called for in the Bible at all. It has certainly changed the way I view age segregation in the church.

Often, parents hand the responsibility of training their children to the church. Even if youth ministry can be viewed as a "good" thing, if it doesn't line up with the spheres of responsibility that God has set up, we should take another look.

You can watch the movie for free at: http://dividedthemovie.com!

Lifegiving

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 14:43:00 +0000

Starting a new book is one of the best feelings in the world. I just started Lifegiving by Tammy Maltby. So far, it's encouraging and inspiring. Touching other people is something I don't often think about, but it should be a priority in my life. Often it feels hard enough just to keep myself refreshed and hopeful that it seems impossible to spend time giving others love. Can't wait to keep reading!

"...The lifegiver feels the pain but remembers that there is eternal currency to appropriate from the Father, like hope, love, peace, and life. His lifegiving bank is full to overflowing! We can write as many checks as we need for any amount we want. We can change the life of one, and then another and another. He only requires our trust and obedience."

Goodness of Friendship

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Marie) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 18:05:00 +0000

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art...
It has no survival value; rather is one of those things that give value to survival."
- C. S. Lewis

“A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart
and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.”

-Unknown