Wow, so I really did mean to have a new post up before now. It’s been *slightly* crazy around here the past couple weeks and is proving to continue to be so.
On a way better note: We had a bonfire!! It was so much fun! Being together with those who have the same goals (spiritually speaking) as you do is always an encouragement. :o) God has dearly blessed all Christians with a spiritual family.
In class this trimester we are going through the book of Acts. It’s proving to be very beneficial to me. I’ve read it before, but it’s always good to read things multiple times. Especially in the Bible. There are a couple things that have stood out in my mind from the first 12 chapters of Acts so far and they are:
1)The steadfastness of the early Church. Satan was trying so hard to make the Church crumble down to it’s very foundation and ruin everything that the apostles were trying to do. If you read through you’ll notice that Satan tries a couple ways to hurt the Church. Those ways are: outside infliction and inside infliction. By that, I mean that he uses people who are outside the Church and people who are a part of the brethren to do his work. Through it all the Church stands and multiplies every time they make it through a trial. Which leads me to me next point. 2)Even though Satan tries to bring harm to the Church he can’t because the Church was strong. The reason it was strong was because the individual members were grounded in what they believed and they believed in God. They had all their trust in God. In almost every single trial there’s always a verse that says something like, “And the brethren (church, christians, etc.) were continually devoting themselves to prayer on behalf of....(you fill in the name).” Question: Do we have the same attitude of every time we are faced with a trial that we devote ourselves to prayer? That we go before God and ask Him for strength and guidance in the matter? I have to admit, I’m not the best when it comes to “the first thought in my mind is to pray”, but I’m working on it. Here’s another question: Do we have a love/closeness with our Christian brothers and sisters that when a situation arises we would call everyone together just to pray with each other? To lean on one another for support and gain strength also from them? Isn’t that why God gave us the Christian family- that we would have comfort in a “physical” form? Here’s the last question for this point, I promise: Do we have the strength and trust to go through a trial alone if we had to? Andrew’s post (Good job with it, by-the-way!) is an example of this. Job went through it all alone. His own family deserted him and told him to “curse God and die”. I’m not trying to depress you guys or discourage some. My point is that we need to have enough faith and trust in God that we can go through trials and tests. My encouragement to all: Be strong and courageous and follow the the LORD wherever He may lead you. God has a plan and path for us all as individuals. The question is: Are we going to take the road He has laid before us? Or are we going to coward out? My favorite words of encouragement in the Bible are 2 Timothy 4:7-8,”I have fought the good fight. I have have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” My thought- if I’m living the way God would have me to whatever trials and hardships I go through is nothing when I know that I’ll have eternity singing praises to God and being with Him.
Very thoughtful and thought-provoking. You are part of a spiritual revolution--young people who are taking their God and their salvation seriously. I am so encouraged by you and other people like you!
hey hey hey. its good to see youre back on :) i drove by myself yesterday for the first time. it was a little nerve wrecking or however you spell it, but it was fun.
haha no im not driving to school yet. i will start that in january when the parking tag prices go down. right now at school i am trying to raise my grade in history from a c+ to at least a b minus. i hope i can do it :(
Verse 1:Brightly beams our Father’s mercy from the lighthouse evermore; But to us He gives the keeping of the lights along the shore. Verse 2:Dark the night of sin has settled, loud the angry billows roar; Eager eyes are watching, longing for the lights along the shore. Verse 3:Trim your feeble lamp, my brother; some poor seaman tempest tossed Trying now to make the harbor, in the darkness maybe lost. Chorus:Let the lower lights be burning! Send a gleam across the wave! Some poor fainting, struggling seaman, you may rescue, you may save.
When we were traveling we visited a congregation in KY who was having a singing. One of the songs we sang was “Let the Lower Lights Be Burning”. Up until that night I never really thought about the full meaning of the song. The guy that lead it explained what the lower lights are. They are the lights that shine from the lighthouse base on the shore, so the boats coming in can see what’s in front of them and not crash. Yes, they can see the general direction of the shore because of the lighthouse shining it’s light, but they still need to be guided to the shore by the lower lights. Apply that to our lives as Christians. We are the lower lights guiding the erring to Jesus who is the Lighthouse. We need to be shining our lights so people know how to get to Jesus. If people don’t have guidance they will keep crashing and never get to the Lighthouse on their own. They need help and we’re the ones to help them to the shore safely. It’s our God given responsibility. I also like how the song includes “eager eyes are watching, longing for the lights along the shore”. There are people who want to know the truth, but they haven’t been told what the truth is. That’s where we come in. We are the lights they are longing to see and learn from us what to do to be saved and have that hope. Let’s not let them down by keeping our light hidden or dimmed! Just some food for thought. Hope you all are having a great week!
This song is an oldie but goodie. Every time I think of this song, I'm reminded of a work that the church I attended as a child did in visiting the County Home one Sunday afternoon each month. The place was a communal farm for indigent people in our county, mostly physically or mentally handicapped people. One man who had Downs syndrome requested this song every time.
vacation has been really good! We got to the hotel at 2 in the morning on Monday. Since then we have been doing nothing but relaxing things. Well, at least mom, Morgan, Braden and I have. Dad, unfortunatley, has to go to training. After all, this is his business trip.
We went to their mall today and it was SO much bigger than any mall in the Indy area! The JC Penny is so cool! They had a big sale today too, so I got some need clothing and shoes for winter. We also went to a second hand book store. Normally when I think of second hand books I get a visual of beat up, worn out books. Not so at this place! They are very selective about what they will sell and use. This place is also HUGE!!!!! I tried to get the entire store into the frame of my camera and failed! I had to take three separate pictures to get it all! The prices were really good too! Example, I got SIX books for $20!! No, your eyes are not tricking you. Yes, you read that right. :PI was really happy!
Then to make it all better, the hotel we're staying at has internet for patron use! Anyways, thought I'd update on the happenings in Knoxville, TN.
Oh, and I've picked up on their accent down here. My family keeps making fun of me. Braden making fun of me the most though.
Hope y'all are having a good week!
It's a tradition at DOV Camp for the cabin 3 girls to take a Disney song and rewrite the lyrics to talk about the counselors or kitchen staff. Last year the girls did "Can You Smell The Food Tonight". Instead of "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" from The Lion King. This year we did "Poor Unfortunate Souls" from The Little Mermaid. Some of the things said you would have to be at camp to get the joke, but for the most part it's funny even if you weren't at DOV. Hope you all enjoy!!
We admit that in the past you’ve all be nasties. You weren’t kidding when you said to close the door. But you’ll find that nowadays we’ve learned from our evil ways. We’ve repented , switched the lights, and smashed the flies. Oh Yes! And we fortunately know a little Disney. It’s a habit that we always have it on. When the Ipods get to blarin’, that when Katie gets to glarin’. “Shut them off. They’re not allowed in this camp!” Pathetic! Poor Unfortunate Souls. No Air. It’s hot. The water has gone brown and the mic, it has no sound. And do the bugs bite? Yes they do! Poor Unfortunate Souls. So sad! So True! We come flocking to the food lines crying, “Seconds if you please!”. But it’s too early. Yes indeed! So it’s once or twice and they made us stay inside. You were afraid that going out would get us fried. We’ve had the odd complaint, but on the whole we’ve all been saints. We’re Poor Unfortunate Souls. We have our feet inside you coolers, so don’t underestimate the importance of, Sanitation! HA! You counselors don’t like a lot of blabber. When the lights go out the talking is no more. Yet the flashlights get keep on shining and you all just keep on whining. But after all girls, what’s D.O.V. camp really for?!?! We are not all that impressed with phone reception. You girls with rings can’t even call your man. But we can’t look our best when we make us drip in sweat. Evening shower girls make you counselors glad. “Hey Lindsey!!” We’re Poor Unfortunate Souls. We’ve lost our stuff. If you make us sing and dance that brown towel has no chance. We don’t want it anyways! Poor Unfortunate Souls. It’s sad, but true. If you want to come to camp you will have to be prepared. Take a gulp, take a breath, go ahead and sign the form. Laura Fisher, now she’s got us girls! The counselors on a roll. We’re POOR...... UNFORTUNATE....... SOULS!!!!!!!
yeah i finnally got them to work thank goodness. right now i am too lazy to do it though. lol. i didnt have as much hw tonight. i am hoping it is like that tomorrow cuz 1. its my bday and 2. its wednesday.
Thanks. It certainly hasn't been a stroll in the park (understatement) so far, and I'm not expecting that to change anytime soon. If anything, it'll prolly get harder. I think I'll get by alright, it just seems a bit daunting. If you would, please keep me in your prayers. I would really appreciate it (and definitely need it).
