.:Ankle-Deep Thoughts:.

.:Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:52:00 +0000

The house that Jason and I had been renting was sold recently. The closing was last Friday and the new owners wanted to get in on Saturday which meant we were moving throughout the week. It was a looooong week. We moved into a smaller place and had to get a storage unit. So, as we were packing we had to figure out what needed to go to the storage unit and what needed to go to the apartment. We packed a little bit and moved a little bit each night. That really drug things out. Then, on Thursday night I learned that my dads Uncle Joe had passed away that morning. Friday morning I got a call from my mom letting me know that her Aunt Ellen had also passed away on Thursday. Friday afternoon I found out that a friend from church, who had to have an emergency c-section earlier in the week, lost her precious newborn daughter. It was, by the world's standards, a terrible, horrible, no good very bad week.

We recently started going through the book of Philippians in church. I am really loving the series. Whenever I started to feel a little overwhelmed this week I would think about what we've been learning in church and that brought me back to a right perspective. Two things that we (I) often let hinder our joy are sour relationships with others and circumstances.

.relationships.

One of my college professors used to say, "To live above with saints we love now that would be such glory. To live below with saints we know, now that's another story."

While that's a humorous way of putting it if there is a sour relationship in your life that can really bring you down.

In Philippians 1:3 Paul states, "I thank my God everytime I remember you". That is really amazing. Too often I take the people who are in my life for granted. I need to be more grateful for the good in people.

In Philippians 1:15-18 Paul talks of a sitution where some people where preaching Christ out of "envy and rivalry" while others were preaching out of goodwill. In the end he says, "But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice".

Our pastor encouraged us to "Remember the Best and Forget the Rest". This isn't to say that we should ignore sin in people's lives but we should discern between what is trivial and what is significant. We can't let every negative thing become a pet peeve. 1 Corinthian 13:5 says, "Love keeps no record of wrongs". I know that all too often I keep a record of wrongs and am not being loving. I can't control what other people do but I can control my response.

I often find that if I focus on the bad qualities I see in someone else then it taints my entire view of that person. I start to become suspicious of their motives even if they are doing something good. I think one of the main ways that Satan tries to hinder the gospel is to cause division in the church.

.circumstances.

On sunday morning I was reading some scriptures and came upon John 16:33 which says, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”. It was just what I needed to hear. About an hour later it was reaffirmed when my Pastor opened his message with this verse. I love when that happens.

Philippians 1:12 states, "But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel".

Throughout the course of his life Paul was beaten, flogged, stoned and jailed many times. If anyone had cause to complain it was him. But instead his response is to rejoice because the gospel has been furthered.

In Philippians 1:13 we learn some of the ways that the gospel was futhered: "...it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; ¹⁴ and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear".

Because Paul was imprisoned:
1: The Roman guards were hearing about Christ.
2: Others were encouraged to speak more boldly about Christ.
3: We have the four prison epistles in our canon.

We might not know why something has happened but we do know that the scriptures tell us in Romans 8:28 that "all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose".

There is a lot of pain and suffering in this world. I am thankful that I can rest in the fact that God is in control. I am thankful that in the midst of trying circumstances I can still be joyful knowing that God does not make mistakes.

Please pray for my friends Mia and Shaun who lost their precious baby girl.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. .Psalm 46.1.

.:Submission:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:50:00 +0000

I had the rare pleasure of being the only female in Sunday School this past week. We were studying Colossians 3:18 & 19...mostly Colossians 3:18.

"¹⁸ Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them."

It was really enlightening to get a guy's perspective on these verses. Generally when I discuss Colossians 3:18 with girls we cover these two points: It's important for us to submit to our husbands (because the Bible says so) and even though we are submitting that does not mean that they are "better" than us.

While those are good points, I really enjoyed hearing what the guys had to say. One person talked about how there have been a few occasions in his marriage when he and his wife did not agree. He had to make the final call and his wife had to submit. He talked about how he dreaded making these decisions. He really felt the weight of responsibility on him and even after he had made the decision for days afterward he would assess his decision trying to make sure that he had made the right one. This was really a shock for me and I'm not sure why I had never thought about it like that before. Usually when I think of having to submit I (selfishly) think, "Oh, he's just getting his way". I've rarely thought about the huge responsibility that comes with being the decision maker.

Looking at it from that perspective has really helped me to see how much protection and security that submitting provides. For myself, and most women I know, feeling secure and protected is a top priority. By submitting I am bring myself under my husbands protection. So, it should be a delight for me to submit.

Does that make sense? Thoughts?

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. .Colossians 3:23.

.:A Short Post:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:31:00 +0000

So, I was recently googling some kitchen solutions for short people. That sounds kind of sad does it not? I like to think that I'm 5'1", I'm really just a bit shy of that. I came across a couple of interesting ideas;

So, whilst it's true that I'd be able to actually reach everything on the shelves it doesn't offer much by way of storage.

This next option seemed a bit smarter, and little less mean.

This would keep me from having to stand on my counter-tops multiple times everyday.

And, that was pretty much it. Not a whole lot of options out there for short people. Guess I'll just have to invent some.

Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. .Revelation 22:7.

.: Monster Maytag :.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:35:00 +0000

I've seen this commercial a lot as of late. Am I the only one who doesn't care a lick if my washing machine can't withstand a monster truck driving over it?

In other news, my sister just recently got engaged! Woohoo! I couldn't be more excited. Congratulations to her and Neil.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. .1 John 4:7.

.:White as Snow:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:02:00 +0000

White as Snow

White as snow, white as snow
Though my sins were as scarlet;
Lord I know, Lord I know that
I'm clean and forgiven;

Through the power of your blood,
Through the wonder of your love,
Through faith in you I know that
I can be white as snow.

I'm not sure who wrote this song but I've always loved it.

“ Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the LORD,

“ Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool. .Isaiah 1:18.

.:Reminiscing:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 01:29:00 +0000

Things from my kidhood:

.:Crossfire:.

This is one amazing game. My cousins and I still play this at Christmas time.

.:Skip-It:.

"But the very best thing of all, there's a counter on this ball..." I loved me some skip-it.

.:Hungry Hungry Hippos:.

A classic.

.:My Buddy/Kid Sister:.

Who needs real friends when you've got your My Buddy or Kid Sister.

.:Glow Worm:.

I had a glow worm attached to my bed post as a kid. Still do actually, just kidding. But seriously, who came up with this idea? A glowing worm? And how did it become so successful?

.:Quints:.

Five miniature baby dolls. I had the dollhouse and everything! Couldn't find a video for this one.

Have a good night ya'll. Cheers!

Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified[a] by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. .Jude 1:1-2.

.:So... :.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 02:06:00 +0000

...it's been awhile since I've really posted. Here's what's been going on in the past few months with me:

My grandfather passed away in September. He had alzheimers and His health had been really declining this past year.

On September 22nd a friend from college passed away. He was only 25 and a very good friend of my husbands. His loss was, is, deeply felt.

I've been settling into my new job. I'm not sure if I posted on here that I had changed jobs. I left my previous job at the bookstore at the end of July. I had been at the bookstore for five years and it was very difficult to leave. The environment at my new job is much different from that of the bookstore. It is really stretching me.

My Pastor retired at the end of November. He has been at the church for 21 years. The church is now in the process of finding a new Pastor. There are many decisions to be made over the next couple of months. I'm praying that the church would really be wise and unified. I remember a college professor telling me that the shelf life of a new Pastor coming in after one who had been there for decades was about two years. I'm praying that won't happen with our church. I'm also praying for my Pastor who just retired and his family. This is a huge change for them.

Jason was elected as a deacon at our Church this past Sunday. I'm really excited about this. We've both been getting more involved with the Church this past year and I'm really excited about some of the ministry opportunities that are popping up. Hopefully, I'll have more to share on that front in the next month.

Until next time, Alvederzane.

The LORD is good,
a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him .Nahum 1:7.

.:Pray for the Troops:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 01:45:00 +0000

I was looking up addresses online this evening for Christmas cards. When I typed in my Great-Aunt's last name I stumbled upon an article about my Great-Uncle Ski, a Pearl Harbor survivor. With Christmas fast upon us and thousands of our men still serving in the middle-east we need to be faithful in our prayers for them and their families.

Without further ado:

Pearl Harbor Survivor Laid to Rest in 'The Best Place On Earth'

By Lt. Arwen Consaul, Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- As USS Utah (AG 16) rested quietly in Pearl Harbor, a crowd gathered on her solemn memorial to witness a time-honored ceremony. Pearl Harbor survivor and USS West Virginia (BB 48) Sailor, Cmdr. Adolph "Ski" Czerwenka's, ashes were scattered across the waters of the harbor July 8.

Czerwenka was born in Chicago, Ill., Sept. 3, 1919. He started studying at UCLA, but couldn't afford to finish college and decided to enlist in the Navy in December 1939. Dec. 7, 1941, Ski was a 22-year-old radioman 3rd class, stationed aboard USS West Virginia (BB 48), the "Wee Vee."

West Virginia was moored with six other battleships beside Ford Island on what was called Battleship Row. Czerwenka (pronounced chair-wenka) was in the petty officers' washroom that morning. He was laundering uniforms, and he was stark naked due to the heat. Without any indication or warning, a torpedo hit the ship and general quarters sounded. Ski rushed to his duty station - no shoes, no shirt, nothing. He didn't have time to run to his locker, he didn't have time to think.

Many of the ship's communications systems were brand new, so Ski and his fellow radiomen tried to get the communications going, but the attack continued, and more torpedoes hit the West Virginia. The ship listed to port, and the lights went out -- all in less than 30 minutes. When the order came to abandon ship, Czerwenka helped several injured engineers to safety.

USS Arizona (BB 39) blew up just as Czerwenka got on deck. Oil and fire were everywhere, he slid down the port deck and into the water. An empty motor launch drifted by, and Ski climbed in and got the engine going. He picked up a couple of guys, a coxswain and an engineer. The three Sailors began fishing survivors from the water. They took them ashore, and went back for more time and time again.

When Czerwenka got to the Pearl Harbor receiving station later in the day, civilian women were there making up bandages. That's when he realized he was almost naked, and had been naked most of the day. The one thing that impressed him most about the whole incredible chain of events was that in the midst of all that surprise and confusion and destruction, everybody reacted by doing their job, the job they had been trained to do.

Like many Pearl Harbor survivors Czerwenka spoke humbly of the experience. In a 1999 Newsweek article, he stated, "I didn't have time to be afraid. There was too much to be done."

One of Czerwenka's daughters, Martha Hodnett, recalled her father's modesty. "He was always proud of what all the Americans did at Pearl Harbor," Hodnett said. "He never stood himself out as a special kind of person."

Czerwenka rose to the ranks of first class petty officer before becoming a "Mustang." In May 1944, Czerwenka was commissioned an ensign in the U.S. Navy. He ultimately dedicated more than 31 and a half years of his life to the Navy and retired as a commander in July 1971. Although not an official assignment, he was a Navy recruiter of sorts. He convinced his two prospective sons-in-law to join the Navy, a stipulation both had to fulfill before marrying his daughters.

Ellen Czerwenka, Ski's wife of 55 years, remembered her husband fondly. She recalled the Pearl Harbor stories he told school children. She remembers how Ski would speak to children or anyone who would listen and talk about "getting in a boat, picking up survivors and doing what he felt was the best thing to do."

So he answered and said to me: “ This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘ Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts. .Zechariah 4:6.

.:Away in a Manger:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 13:00:00 +0000

We attended the Christmas program at Jason's school last night. It was an evening of classical hymns. I really enjoyed this one:

Away in a manger,
no crib for His bed,
The little Lord Jesus
lay down his sweet head.

The stars in the sky
looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus,
asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing,
the poor Baby wakes,
But little Lord Jesus,
no crying He makes;

I love Thee, Lord Jesus,
look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle
till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus,
I ask Thee to stay,
Close by me forever,
and love me, I pray!

Bless all the dear children
in Thy tender care
And take us to heaven,
to Live with Thee there.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. .Luke 2:14.

.: Give Thanks :.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 03:30:00 +0000

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks unto the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks unto the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us"
And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us"

I really love the song above by Henry Smith. It's lyrics are meaningful and to the point. Far too often I neglect giving thanks to the Lord. There is so so much to be thankful for. I wanted to take the time to share a few things that I've been thankful for this week.

I'm thankful for the Lord providing me with a job that is closer to my home. I am truly thankful that I don't have to drive as far and that I rarely sit in traffic now. I am thankful that this gives me more time to spend with Jason. I am thankful for faithful women in my church who have a heart for the Lord. I am thankful for locust shells that bring back memories of time spent collecting them with my sister at our Uncle Jonny's house. I am thankful for airplanes that bring friends who are far, near again. I am thankful for a loving God who is in control.

What are you thankful for tonight?

28Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29for our God is a consuming fire. .Hebrews 12:28-29.

.:And Can It Be:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:00:00 +0000

And can it be that I should gain
An int'rest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! how can it be That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
'Tis mystery all! The Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love Divine!
'Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
'Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father's throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam's helpless race:
'Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.
'Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness Divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. .Romans 5:8.

.:Tuesday:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 19:54:00 +0000

Originally uploaded by jour.joyeux

This past Tuesday was the five month marker of my Gram's death. I was in Ohio for my grandfathers funeral. Though it was a somber event it was nice to be surrounded by family. My sister picked me up in Columbus Monday night and we drove to Youngstown which gave us some time to catch up. Tuesday we visited with a lot of family that I hadn't seen in about 15-20 years. Tuesday afternoon I rode back to Maryland with my parents. It was a bit of a whirlwind trip.

I have been thankful this week that this has helped me to draw closer to the Lord. I have really learned a lot these past few months about the faithfulness of the Lord. Matthew 5:4 says, "Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted". I am thankful that I serve a God who is true to His word. He keeps his promises. I am grateful for the Lord's love, comfort and faithfulness.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. .Matthew 5:4.

.:Faithful:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 02:12:00 +0000

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me.

Summer and winter and spring-time and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me.

I am thankful for God's faithfulness. I am thankful.

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. .Deuteronomy 7:9.

.:Nehemiah:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:30:00 +0000

This past month I read through Ezra and Nehemiah. The book of Ezra deals with the rebuilding of the temple, led by Zerubbabel, and the spiritual restoration of the people, led by Ezra. The book of Nehemiah focuses on the rebuilding of the walls, led by none other than Nehemiah himself. There are a couple of things in the first two chapters that really stood out to me.

No. 1 - In chapter one verse three Nehemiah learns about the dilapidated state of the walls in Jerusalem and the distress of the people. Chapter one verse four says, "So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven." Nehemiah immediately responded to the situation with prayer and fasting. That is amazing to me. So often when troubles start to overwhelm I get stressed and try to think through how I can solve the problem. This approach never works and I usually just end up getting more stressed. Eventually I realize that I can't and need to ask God for help. I need my first response to be more like that of Nehemiah's.

No. 2 - In chapter two Nehemiah says to the people, "Come let us build." They responded by saying, "Let us rise up and build." I love that God used one person to excite the nation into action. Again and again in scripture we see God move in the heart of one person to do great things. It happened with Moses, Noah, Gideon, etc, etc. This is a great encouragement to me. It's easy for me to think "oh, I'm just one person, what can I do for God?... I'm so insignificant!" God can use anyone from a King right down to a cup bearer.

Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the LORD I will sing; I will make melody to the LORD, the God of Israel. .Judges 5:3.

.:the Joy of My Salvation:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:05:00 +0000

When I was in 6th or 7th grade my family started attending a different church. For the first time in my life I had a youth pastor. Jason, my youth pastor, was absolutely crazy. He was outgoing, loud and had tons of stories about the insane things he did when he was in high school. He also loved the Bible and was serious about getting us involved in church. I really appreciated the fact that He loved the Bible and was still normal.

It was during this period of time that I really grew as a Christian and started to learn what being a Christian really meant. I finally got that it was more than just going to church on Sundays. I became so excited about Christ and church and was always trying to get my friends to come to our activities. I couldn't wait until I could drive so that when I saw a motorist broken down on the road I could stop and help them and share Christ with them. Never mind the fact that I couldn't even change a tire, much less do anything else to help. Never mind the fact that as a teenage girl I should never stop to help a stranger alone. These things didn't go through my mind because I was so excited about sharing Christ.

As I grew older I got more cynical. There were some problems in our church that really hurt everyone involved. I went to college and was learning more about theology and doctrine, which was great, but I became more judgmental towards those who didn't share my same doctrinal beliefs. I lost that joy and excitement that you have in those beginning years and began to focus on the problems that I saw within the body of Christ. I am now trying to change my perspective and stop looking at things so cynically. It is not healthy for me or for the body of Christ. In Psalm 51:12 David prays, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit." That is my prayer tonight.

And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in His salvation. .Psalm 35:9.

.:Infiltration:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:15:00 +0000

About two weeks ago we found this little guy outside our front door. It was wounded so while it was gross it was not particularly scary. Saturday night neither of us were feeling very well so we were having some trouble getting to sleep. About 12:30 in the morning Jason thought he saw something moving in the room. Thinking it was a moth he was unconcerned at first. Then, he realized that it was a bat. He was in the bathroom in a flash and he called back to me to protect myself. Protect myself!?! What was I supposed to do to protect myself? Still half asleep, but becoming more alert by the second, I pulled the covers tight over my head. I assumed that Jason would be remedying the situation post-haste and I would be able to go back to sleep. Well, Jason did not remedy the situation post-haste. After what seemed like an eternity I convinced him to go downstairs and get a broom. While he was downstairs he decided to do a little research, have some wine, watch a movie, etc. Just kidding. He did do some research though. Meanwhile back in the bat-cave robin, I was still trapped underneath the covers. Jason returned with the broom and immediately went back into the bathroom. I joined him and we formed a plan. While researching he learned that it is best to open a window and try to get the bat to go out. We opened a window. The bat had been hiding in a window on the other side of the room during most of this ordeal. I prompted Jason to throw towels at the window so that the bat would start flying around and hopefully find the open window. Being paralyzed by fear Jason was unable to throw towels at the bat. Wanting to get to sleep at some point that evening I began throwing things at the bat. It did take flight and perched at the top of the open window. It was between the window and the curtain so I took the broom and started to prod it towards the opening. It flew out and all was well again. Neither of us were very tired after the "incident" so we watched Die Hard on cable. The next day Jason went out and bought a bat deterrent as well as a net so that I would be able to catch the bat if it were to return. Something to look forward to I guess.

The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. .Genesis 9:2.

.:Happy Independence Day!!:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:12:00 +0000

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;

He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;
His day is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His day is marching on.

I have read a fiery Gospel writ in burnished rows of steel;
“As ye deal with My contemners, so with you My grace shall deal”;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with His heel,
Since God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Since God is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat;
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet;
Our God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free;
While God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! While God is marching on.

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,
He is wisdom to the mighty, He is honor to the brave;
So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of wrong His slave,
Our God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our God is marching on.

The Battle Hymn of the Republic by Julie W. Howe

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. .Psalm 33:12.

.:Create in Me a Clean Heart:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:45:00 +0000

Create in me a clean heart, oh God
And renew a right spirit within me
Create in me a clean heart, oh God
And renew a right spirit within me

Cast me not away
From they presence oh Lord
Take not thy Holy Spirit from me
Restore unto me the joy of my salvation
And renew a right spirit within me

by Keith Green.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. .Psalm 51:10.

:Raindrops on Roses:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:00:00 +0000

My favorite Bible verse is Ezra 7:10. I adopted this as my favorite verse my freshman year of college at Wolbi. We were going through the book of Ezra, which I was not very familiar with but soon came to love.

Ezra led about 2,000 Jewish people back to Israel from Babylon in 457. Zerrubabel had taken a group back 80 years prior to this to rebuild the temple. Ezra's main focus was on the spiritual condition of the people. Ezra did not tolerate sin and he was used by God to bring spiritual restoration to the remnant in Israel.

Ezra 7:10 is my favorite verse because it gives a great outline as to how we should organize our lives. Ezra studied first, then he practiced what he had studied and then he taught others. In the TOTC Derek Kidner writes, "in verse 10 [we learn] the secret of Ezra's lasting influence. He is a model reformer in that what he taught he had first lived, and what he lived he had first made sure of in the Scriptures." This is a great example of how we should live our lives today. I so often want to jump into something that I neglect to study first. On the other end we should be careful not to overlook the teaching portion. We need to be passing on what we are learning and practicing to others. The older women teaching the younger and likewise with the men.

So, what's your favorite verse and why?

Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to adorn the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem .Ezra 7:27.

p.s. If you like the image check out wordle.

.:Under Construction:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:27:00 +0000

Please bear with us [me] as I work on getting my site updated. It's gone through some changes in the past week and I've not quite finished getting everything updated.

According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. .1 Corinthians 3:10.

.:Fix Your Eyes:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:30:00 +0000

I went down to the ocean for a few days this past week and got to hang out with my parents and some friends of theirs. It was really nice to get to spend some time with them. Their friends daughter and granddaughter came down as well. The granddaughter, Miss E., just turned 3 in May. That's her in the picture. She's pretty cute don't you think.

On Thursday Miss E.'s grand-pappy took her into the ocean. Since she is 3 and not really able to swim he carried her. The waves were big that day but not rough. To a three year old however, I'm sure they seemed pretty monstrous. When Miss E. would look at the waves you could see the fear in her eyes. Her pappy told her to keep looking at him and he would take care of the waves. When she did that you could see her start to relax. Her pappy was true to his word and took care of her. It immediately made me think of this passage:

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
"Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." Matthew 12:25-33

This got me to thinking about how I often I react just like Peter. Instead of keeping my eyes on Christ I get distracted by the storms. When troubles seem to overwhelm me I spend a lot of time focusing on the problems instead of trusting in Christ. A few weeks ago I was trying to go to sleep at night but couldn't because I was stressed about a few things...mainly about needing to find a new job closer to home. I started flipping through the Psalms and came upon this verse: "When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out my untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted." Psalm 77:2. I thought the last phrase, and my soul refused to be comforted, was interesting. That is exactly how I felt. I had been praying about this for some time but was not really trusting in the Lord to work it out in his timing. I'd love to say that after reading this I was immediately comforted and fell into a deep and peaceful sleep. That was not so, but I was reminded that it is me that needs to change my focus and my attitude when the troubles seem to be overwhelming. It's so easy to forget that the Lord is in control when my thinking is occupied by the things that are troubling me. And, it's easy to remember this when these things get resolved. I'm thankful to have a God who is consistent even when I'm not.

I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him. .Ecclesiastes 3:14.

.: Thoughts On Grieving :.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:00:00 +0000

It's been a long time...

I've wanted to post for a while but I've been unable to articulate my thoughts like I've wanted. This post is a couple of months in the making, mostly because it is hard to write about and I've done it in small pieces.

My Gram died about three months ago. In a previous post I mentioned that I expected my Gram to live forever. I was completely serious. I know that probably doesn't make a lot of sense but it's true. I don't remember Gram aging as I was growing up. She always seemed the same to me and she was always healthy. Last fall one of my dearest friend's grandmother's health started to decline. We talked about having our grandparents age and I mentioned to her that I didn't know what I was going to do when my Gram started to get old. I was confident that we had many more years together. I planned on us having many more years together. There were so many things that I wanted to do with Gram. Both of us really like the Trans Siberian Orchestra and I really wanted to go to a concert with her. She had gone a few times already and loved it. It is weird to think that she won't be coming to visit for a few weeks this summer and that she won't be at Christmas this year. It is sad to me that when I have kids they won't get to meet her. That really breaks my heart actually. For me the hardest part of grieving has been the loneliness. Grieving is a lonely affair because the world moves on long before you do. When something happens that affects you so profoundly it's almost surreal to realize that the world is still turning, just as it always has, and people are still going about their normal business.

There are a few things that have really helped me.

No 1- Getting back into a normal routine. Going to work, church, small group, etc. It is easier to stay at home and wallow in your grief but I think it is better for you to get back into a routine. A month to the day after Gram died I had to attend a baby shower. I was a mess inside and miserable at first. By the end of the night though I found myself relaxing and having a good time. I was glad that I made myself go.

No 2- Talking with someone. This has helped me to not feel so isolated in my grief. Jason has been an incredible listener. He offers advice and opinions when asked but mostly just lets me get my feelings out. He hasn't rushed me or told me that it's time to move on but has just let me take my time getting through things.

No 3- Taking time to grieve by myself. It is not good to isolate yourself but I found that I did/do need some time alone to work through things or just to cry. I've got quite a commute to work which has given me plenty of time to do this but also limits this time to a constrained period.

No 4- Reading. I love to read so this was something that was very comforting to me. Psalms and hymn lyrics were/are a great encouragement. Reading stories about others grief gave me things to think about and relate to.

The past few months I've been following Angie Smith's blog, Bring the Rain. If you are not familiar with her story I encourage you to go check her blog out. Angie's little girl Audrey passed away just a few hours after she was born. Angie's openness in writing about such an overwhelmingly heartbreaking experience has really helped me. It is a comfort to know that you're not the only one going through this process.

Now that I've finally finished this I'll begin posting again like normal.

O LORD, Our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! .Psalm 8:9

.:Ever, Only, All for Thee:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 22 May 2008 12:00:00 +0000

Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.

...O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart .I Kings 8:23.

.:Why I love flickr:.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:57:00 +0000

In light of everything that happened last month I decided to take a break from flickr (and facebook). I took the month of April off. To say that I am a serious flickr addict would be putting it mildy. I can wander around flickr for hours at a time. I didn't want my addiction to distract me from grieving. I was afraid that flickr would turn into a form of escapism and that I wouldn't deal with what I was feeling. Now that May has arrived I am uploading again but I am really glad that I took time off. It allowed me to focus on what was happening and it gave me time to process things.

While I was poking around the flickr blog this morning I saw that flickr had bought donuts for all of the members of the We Demand Donuts flickr group. For seemingly no reason at all some guy on flickr just started demanding donuts. His endeavor to get donuts found a following and a group was born. Flickr heard their cries and responded. This is one of the many reason's that I love flickr. They listen to their users and are constantly working to make flickr better. This normally comes in the form of a new feature on the site, not donuts. If you haven't joined the flickr bandwagon you should go and check it out.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. .Romans 12:12.

photo by pochacco20

.: Day by Day :.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:32:00 +0000

più fiori
Originally uploaded by jour.joyeux

Day by day and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here.
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best,
Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour.
All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me,
He whose name is Counselor and Pow'r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid.
"As your days, your strength shall be in measure,"
This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then in every tribulation
So to trust your promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith's sweet consolation
Offered me within Your holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E'er to take, as from a Father's hand,
One by one, they days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the Promised Land.

What a great comfort and encouragement old hymns can be.

Written by Carolina Sandell Berg; translated by Andrew L. Skoog.

He heals the brokenhearted, And binds up their wounds. .Psalm 147:3.