Not Anti-Change, But Anti-Fear

Oh man.

It's been a long day, and it is only 11:14. In the morning.

Here's today's quote. It's rather "quirky". That is such a funny word.
"Computers are unreliable, but humans are even more unreliable."
-Gilb


Meh, not too deep or thought-provoking.

Here is the semon-thingy...It's about one of my favourite topics. The words highlighted are the ones that stuck out the most to me.

Positive Change

"... let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is." Romans 12:2

Change can be frightening at times because it entails a breaking away from the familiar in order to step into something new. That new thing may be a relocation to another state, joining a new club, meeting new friends, or trying a new hair style.

Think of how giving in to ungodly acts can change someone. Consider the person who steals from an employer, resulting in the loss of a job. Or what about the individual who gives into lust by getting unhealthily close to a member of the opposite sex, then having an extra-marital affair that ends up destroying a marriage?

God does call us to change; to open our wings like a butterfly who has transformed from a caterpillar, and broken free of his cocoon. God desires this beautiful transformation so that we can live up to the potential He calls us to: new creations who thirst for God's good and pleasing ways. Our Creator wants our desire to be to please Him, not man. What society may deem as acceptable is not always okay is God's eyes. Man may say it's okay to have a little fling as long as no one finds out, but God defines adultery as sin. So too does man often support a spirit of vengeance by wanting to return jab for jab and blow for blow, but God calls us to love one another and treat each other as we wish to be treated.

While change can be disconcerting at times, there is no need to fear it with our Heavenly Father. He is our loving Dad who only wants what is best for us so that we may not only be approved in His sight, but live more joyously and peacefully.

Won't you take His hand and make a positive change today?

(All credit to DailyWisdom.GospelCom.Net)

Love and Peace

Forever and Never

Hannah

You Can't Just Live

"Under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved"

-In an e-mail from Emlyn

I think that this perfectly represents me.
Don't you think?
No, didn't imagine.

QOTD:
"The unexamined life is not worth living."
-Socrates


You can't just live. You have to have a purpose, you have to have some kind of drive. Some passion. Some driving force.
What it is is up to you.
Decide quickly, time's a wastin'.
Run!

Meh
Kristy is coming over tonight...We're going to the Sugarbush breakfast tomorrow...It should be fun (and long...), but that's okay. I think.

It's been a long week and I'm afraid their won't be that much relief this weekend. After the breakfast, Heather has a party to go to, then we will be racing off to Moncton for the weekend.
Oh man.

(Give Me Stregnth, Give Me Hope, Give Me Courage)

Love and Peace
Forever and Never
Hannah

Five Things

There doesn't seem to be a quote of the day today either.
So here is a line from the Shakespearean play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" that we are studying in school (and this quotation was on my test today):

"Lord, what fools these mortals be!"
-Puck
(W. Shakespeare)

If you think about it, we are just wandering around this world (no, Meagan, not in someone's an...) trying to figure out what to do. We are fools in love, as it makes us do many stupid things. All around, man itself is foolish. Doing things for praise, to fit in, to be different....Does it really matter in the end?

So I am back. I went to Youth Group and the Co-op for a while....I dunno when I started this post, but it is 9:10 now. And I am still avoiding homework. Ugh.

In this life we are forever being tested. In science class, in gym, in the hallways at school, at home, at church, in the park, at the bus stop, at the mall, everywhere! But it is always God, our concience, testing us.
It doesn't always seem fair. God tests us constantly, but we are told "Do not test the LORD your God" (Deut. 6:16 NIV). Does God just not want us to test him because he can't always follow through?

Here is something that I took from Andrew Hodge's blog. (Yeah, if you read this, I am not some stalker, I accually went to Camp Medley when you were on staff their and I just recently found Adam O's blog, and he has a link to your page....okay, I was really bored!)

A year ago I....

A Year Ago, I:
1. Who can remember this far back?
2. Did not have my Cargo pants
3. Gave up destructive behavior
4. Was in grade 9
5. Went to French Camp at UdeM

Years Ago, I:
1. Was still younger than everyone else
2. Found God
3. Cryed myself to sleep
4. Had a lot of problems (more or less than now, I do not know)
5. Moved...across the river

Yesterday I:
1. Forgot to brush my teeth in the morning
2. Put new PETA stickers on my locker door
3. Got a new seating plan in Math
4. Studied for today's Science test
5. Went to the movies

Today, I:
1. Woke up late
2. Wrote a Science test
3. Ran a Beep Test in Gym
4. Wrote an English test
5. Rode the bus home, went to the Co-Op, Went to YouthGroup, and am still successfully avoiding my English short story homework

Five Songs I Know All the Words To, Even Without the Music:
(wow...a lot...I think...)
1. The Scientist
2. Made To Heal
3. The Love Song
4. Amazing Grace (Jars of Clay version)
5. Blessed Be The Name of The Lord

Five things I'd buy With $100,000:
1. A bigger iPod
2. A sponcer child
3. new underwear
4. more mechanical pencils
5. new blades for my razer

Five Songs You've been listening to Lately:
1. Drops of Jupiter
2. Comin' Home
3. Casey's Song
4. The Valley Song (Sing of Your Mercy)
5. Bury Your Own

Top Five Locations I'd Like To Run Away To:
1. Meagan's house
2. The Northside
3. Vancouver
4. Montreal
5. Toronto

Five details about you:
1. I almost always have an opinion.
2. I cannot sing well, but I love to sing my soul out.
3. I think.
4. I cannot sit still for very long if I am bored. I doodle, play with my ring, jiggle my leg...
5. I tend to have a lot of mixed emotions.

Five details about your appearance right now:
1. Wearing my Camo pants!
2. My hair is icky and has a pony tail bump
3. My sweater shrunk, and it is very annoying
4. I am only wearing a ring and a watch (and my WWJD braclet), but no earrings or neckalace
5. I ripped a button off of my camo pants yesterday, and now I can't find it.

Five things that everyone should know about you:
1. I hate fighting. I cannot stand it.
2. I am trying to live a better life through God, and please respect that.
3. I think a lot, and usually need a bunch of alone time.
4. I try not to judge people, and expect you to do the same to me.
5. I am a strong believer in the Golden Rule.

Five favorite movies:
1. A Walk To Remember
2. Remember The Titans
3. The Lion King
4. Save The Last Dance
5. Finding Nemo

Five things that make you happy:
1. singing
2. babies
3. sitting in unawkward silence with friends
4. laying in the rain
5. Meagan

I have recently been tracking down some people's blogs (like I would accually have the courage to talk to them!) from places like Camp Medley and Big Lake Camp and that. I have had a little success, but am still looking for more people (and their blogs)!
Post comments please!

Well, I think that that will be all for tonight. I wish I could avoid Shakespeare for another hour, but I really can't. Talk to y'all later, eh?

Love and Peace
Forever and Never
Hannah

~You don't know what it feels like~

I don't remember what song those lyrics are from, but man that line is stuck in my head!

I think I might title my posts with song lyrics from now on...I never know what to call anything, and since music is so much a part of my life, and there is never any shortage of it, it seems like a perfect fit, eh?

I went to see the guidance counsellor today. He was pretty helpful, but he made me realize that I have a lot more desiding and a lot more work to do! Ugh.

Here is today's quote...it's kinda funny and witty, but I have no idea how I would go about reflecting on it. So here it is anyway for your viewing pleasure:

"Marriages may be made in heaven, but man is responsible for the maintenance work."
-Changing Times

Who/What is Changing Times? I dunno. Don't ask.

I didn't particularly like the sermon-thingy today.

Oh, and I should talk to Meagan about doing a new devotional with me.
I'll be starting it pretty shortly, so if you read this before I remember to ask/tell you, call me okay?

Love and Peace
Hannah

PS- I was going to comment on TC's blog, but I never know what to say! ERG! :D

Time Flies When You're Dreading Life

Sometimes I wish I could just exist, but not be.

Ugh.

I got 20 of 30 questions right on my Mensa Brain Quiz. lol. Like I could be smart.

I have really, really started to like City And Colour. Maybe I might buy the CD...Well, maybe I'll ask for it for my birthday.

It's in October, by the way.

On to the quote.

Hm. There doesn't seem to be a quote for today.

Okay, I will post one of my favourite quotes then.

"Not all who wander are lost."
-JRR Tolkien

Aren't we all just wandering around this earth, trying to figure out how we fit in?

I am.

Here is today's sermon-thingy:

One Sacrifice, One Testament - Message #346

When some people look at the Bible, they think the God of the Old Testament is different from the God of the New Testament. All they see in the Old Testament is those bloody sacrifices. And all they see in the New Testament is God's love displayed in Christ. But these are really two different perspectives.

When there is an accident, each witness usually has a little different perspective on what has taken place. Because they are standing in various places, each one sees the event a little differently. Each one may observe something that others do not notice. As a result, each witness puts his own spin on the story.

We realize there are no contradictions. There are viewpoints from various eyewitnesses. It is the same with the Bible. The people in the Old Testament had an entirely different viewpoint than the people in the New Testament. The Old Testament saints looked forward to the coming of Christ. These people heard the promises of God concerning His coming. They worshipped God in a magnificent tabernacle. Later they worshipped in an ornate temple overlaid with gold, which pictured the New Testament church. They saw the death of Christ pictured in the temple sacrifices.

Today, we have a different perspective. Christ came as promised. The ceremonies of the Jewish rituals are fulfilled. The sacrifice of Christ is accomplished. Those commissioned by God to write in the New Testament did two things. The gospel writers recorded the history of Christ's work. Others interpreted His life and work. Remembering these different perspectives helps us understand the Bible.

(Credit-DailyWisdom.GospelCom.Net)

But what about Christ coming again?
He was promised to us. God said that he will return.
It's been an awful long time, and he still isn't here.
But you're coming, right?
Soon?
I hope so.

L+P
Hannah

Earliness

I got up way too early today. Mum had to go to work, and Heather is at camp, so I went with Dad. At 7:45. In the morning.
Ugh, I've got the whole day ahead of me yet.

Anyways, here is a quote:
(it's not today's quote, but I love it, so I'm posting it here instead, okay?)

"Vision is the art of seeing things invisible." - Jonathan Swift

I just simply love this quote. I like how it is unexplainable, but how it means a lot too, you know?

Today's sermon had a good message, so here it is:

Simply, Love

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?" Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like unto it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:35-40

What a simple act Christ asks of us, to love God and each other; yet so many people find this hard or even impossible to do. Their reasons are many and varied.

"I won't love something or someone that I can't see, says one man.

"My neighbor is an idiot! I can't love someone like that!" remarks another individual."

If love is such a pure, natural and good thing, then why is it so hard for so many of us to do? In my view it is because man is a proud creature. We want to believe we are self-sufficient enough to be our own god, so that we only have to answer to one being: ourselves. Pride also disallows us from showing our fellow man the grace to be imperfect, even though we ourselves are not perfect. When a neighbor, associate or family relation offends us, we may feel like hating, rather than loving this person enough to pray for him or her.

Loving each other does not mean we must act as doormats who take on another's verbal or physical abuses. What it does mean is, as the verse above suggests, we should treat others as we wish to be treated. In other words, if we want others to offer us mercy and grace when we have done something wrong, we must likewise be willing to offer them that same grace. If God forgives us, we too must forgive others.

Isn't it ironic that many people who have ignored God, when faced before immediate crisis, usually cry out to Him in despair?

"Oh my God!" shouts one woman who just found out her son had been shot.

Another person cries out, "Save me God!" when he is stuck in a terrible fire.

Since God IS love, love is the perfect response. Today, won't you bring love into your life by inviting God in to your heart?


All credit to DailyWisdom.GospelCom.Net


Love and Peace to you all
Hannah

Quotes Are Taking Over The World

Sense of "flow" -- being so joyously immersed in a task that the rest of the world seems to drop away: Perfect concentration without any sense of effort.
-Clive Thompson
(Writer/Journalist)

Doesn't that make sence?

And you wonder why I'm so deep.

Oh, and Meagan, the guy who said this isn't dead. So maybe it's not all that important. Yet.

No L + No P
Hannah

Oh Man

I don't really feel like talking about today...so here's the quote.

One of the most lasting pleasures you can experience is the feeling that comes over you when you genuinely forgive an enemy - whether he knows it or not.
- O.A. Battista

I have a real problem with forgiveness....mostly with myself. I don't really have that many enemies I don't think. And I don't really have any particular reason to be cross with them anyway. So this quote seems really deep and that it would affect your life, but not mine. Hopefully it helps you more, eh?

Today's semon was rather scary. I know I am under quite a bit of stress, but I didn't know that all of these side affects can be because of stress (I seem to have quite a few of them). Time to re-think life I guess...I really don't know. Anyway, here it is for you.

Stressed Out Computer

My daughter's laptop had locked up. It could be turned on, but froze up soon after that. She was frantic. Inside were thirteen chapters of a novel she hadn't printed yet.

In the three weeks that elapsed between when she first called the Geek Squad (computer fixers) and when a technician was actually able to come and take a look at it, it had regained some of its energy and could briefly start up again. The guy said it had probably been stressed out. "The rest probably did it good. Its systems were overtaxed."

Who knew that even the trusty computer needed a break?

Long term, she needed to do some things to prevent the problem in the future, such as removing some of the unneeded programs. She needed to keep the thing cooler, either by using a little fan device, or providing ventilation between the bottom of the laptop and the desk. She needed to give it more memory and power. She needed to back up her critical files every day.

The human parallels are obvious. If the venerable computer needs to take a break, how much more so is this need in humans? The Geek guy warned her that she had probably shortened the computer's life by overtaxing it so much. It may only have a year to live.

Stress can also shorten the lives of humans. It depends on how we handle the stress, and whether we give ourselves a chance to relax afterward.

An inch-thick laptop computer is capable of processing an awful lot of x's and o's (the basic language/structure of computer thinking), and these days does so in pretty fancy formats. Lest you think her laptop was a lemon, she had recently acquired a digital camera and of course had loaded the laptop with too many memory-hogging photos. Add to that, music. Then there was a budding novel of an million words or so.

So it is with the human psyche and brain. We can talk on the phone, type, eat, instant message a half dozen friends at once, and cook two pots on the stove for supper, all more or less at the same time. We can get up at 3:45 a.m. and work on a concrete floor to ship 1000 parts out of a warehouse for ten hours. But we can't keep doing that seven days a week, 24 hours a day. We've got to have rest. We can say yes to being on every committee for church, work or club activities, but then we tend to snap at our kids, friends, and the dog. In time, we burn out, like my daughter's computer almost did.

What are some of the human effects of stress?

The WebMD says that stress without relief leads to disturbances in the body's internal balance or equilibrium; physical symptoms can include headaches, upset stomach, high blood pressure, chest pain, and problems sleeping. "Research suggests that stress also can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or disease," says Jerome F. Kiffer of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. "Stress is linked to six of the leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide." (www.webmd.com)

This information has been around for a long time, but I was interested in more recent information regarding the link between stress and coritsol. Experts say that the production of cortisol is a natural response to stress, but you want your body then to relax so that levels can return to normal. For those who operate continuously under stress, cortisol can have these negative effects: thinking can be impaired; thyroid function is suppressed, blood sugar gets out of balance, blood pressure goes up, lowered immunity and inflammatory responses in the body, and "an increase in abdominal fat, which is associated with a greater amount of health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body. Some of the health problems associated with increased stomach fat are heart attacks, strokes, the development of, higher levels of 'bad' cholesterol (LDL) and lower levels of 'good' cholesterol." (www.about.com)

I have two of the above physical symptoms (headaches and problems sleeping) so it's not that I have conquered stress, but I'm working on it. The good Lord wants us to take care of the bodies given to us.

All credit to DailyWisdom.GospelNet.Com

Love and Peace

Hannah

Again

So I'm posting again today. I want to keep my God stuff different from my lyrics. Yep.

So, if you wanna you can read all of my other posts I've made today (if you really wanna). They're on Anonomitity and I've posted a bunch of comments on some other posts (on TC's blog, the Sandbox, and that).

Have I told you that I found a great new blog called Smile of The Day? Well, here is a post from a while ago that I really liked and found quite funny. (Don't be offended, eh?!)

Nervousness

At his first mass, a new priest was so nervous he could hardly get the words out. Immediately after he had managed the final benediction, he begged for advice from the monsignor. The monsignor told him: "When I am worried about getting nervous on the pulpit, I put a glass of vodka next to the water glass. if I start to get nervous, I take a sip."

So next Sunday the young priest takes the monsignor's advice. When he starts to get nervous at the beginning of the sermon, he reaches for the glass of vodka he had prepared. It certainly helped the nervousness, and he proceeds to talk up a storm. Upon his return to his office after mass, however, he finds the following note on the door:

1. Sip the vodka, don't gulp.
2. There are 10 commandments, not 12.
3. There are 12 disciples, not 10.
4. Jesus was consecrated, not constipated.
5. Jacob wagered his donkey, he did not bet his ass.
6. We do not refer to Jesus Christ as the late J.C.
7. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not referred to as Daddy, Junior and the Spook.
8. David slew Goliath, he did not kick the shit out of him.
9. When David was hit by a rock and was knocked off his donkey,don't say he was stoned off his ass.
10. We do not refer to the cross as the "Big T."
11. When Jesus broke the bread at the Last Supper he said, "Take this and eat it for it is my body." He did not say "Eat me."
12. The Virgin Mary is not called "Mary with the Cherry."
13. The recommended grace before a meal is not: "Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub, yeah God!"
14. Next Sunday there will be a taffy-pulling contest at St. Peter's, not a Peter-pulling contest at St. Taffy's.

Okay, now that's done...
here's the quote:
Our lives are a manifestation of what we think about God.
- Anonymous

I don't really have anything to add to this.

Not exactly related to my life, but here's today's sermon:

New Growth

"He has made everything beautiful in its time." Ecclesiastes 3:11

It is springtime here in south Florida where we live. There are signs of new growth all about. This morning while walking I noticed all the light coloring of the season. The grass and all the varied trees are in their glorious pastel shades of green. It is so pretty, yet not nearly as eyecatching and dramatic as darker, brighter colors of more mature growth in full bloom.

Similarly, in our Christian walks, we are more pale and stand out less in earlier parts of our journeys. As we grow and mature and "hang out" with Jesus, we take on deeper, richer, more brilliant hues of the attributes of Jesus himself. We become easier to spot; singled out out more quickly.

God grows us all beautiful in His time. That's good news.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that I am a new creation in Christ, that the old is gone and the new is here. Thank you for growing me into the likeness of Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen.

All credit to DailyWisdom.GospelNet.Com

Love and Peace

Hannah

"Cab" by Train Lyrics

This is a relativly new song, and I like a couple of Train's songs, and I thought I would share these lyrics with you. Enjoy.


"Cab"
Train
"For Me It's You" (2006)

New York snow this time of year
There's nothing more beautiful to me
Except for you
Making my way on the town
And I'm seeing familiar places, faces
In my pile of coffee grounds

The days are better, the nights are still so lonely
Sometimes I think I'm the only cab on the road
Sometimes I think I'm the only cab on the road

Watching my breath rise in the sun
Pulling myself in two made one
Helplessly feel for my phone and drive away

This new rhythm I pursue
Is just my getting over you
Telling myself that I need to

The days are better, the nights are still so lonely
Sometimes I think I'm the only cab on the road
Sometimes I think I'm the only cab on the road

I'm still looking for a play no one said that it was fair
To be alone

The days are better, the nights are still so lonely
Sometimes I think I'm the only cab on the road

The days are better, the nights are still so lonely
Sometimes I think I'm the only cab on the road
Sometimes I think I'm the only cab on the road

How fast the weekend Flew.

First off, when Katie was here on Friday I found a really cool blog called Smile of The Day. I really liked some of the jokes. Go check it out!

Okay, here's today's quote:

If you cannot feed a hundred people, then feed just one.
- Mother Teresa

Doesn't it make sence? One step at a time. If you can bring only one person to God, yourself, then that is a feat in itself. You cannot bring the entire world to God, but you can try your best.

I didn't really enjoy today's sermon, but you could go read it if you would like at DailyWisdom.GospelCom.Net

See you all tomorrow,
Love and Peace
Hannah

Drama

I hate Drama. It's only good on television.

Okay, today's quote:
Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.
-Pablo Picasso

You never know what is going to happen. Don't take anything for granted. Live in the moment.

Love and Peace
Hannah

10 to 9 in the Morning

It is only 8:50. In the morning. I think I might go crazy.

I am so tired, but can't sleep. Don't you hate it when that happens?

Anyways, I'm suppose to get paid today! Yay!

Okay, enough about me lol...here's today's quote:

Okay, nevermind. I didn't like today's quote lol

I really liked today's sermon though! Here it is for your viewing pleasure:

God's Credit Card

I dreamed I had a credit card with God's company. I charged on it without restraint. My balance went up fast. One day Jesus reminded me of the payoff. The charges on the card represented sins. He said the card would soon come due and the only payment was my life. (Ezekiel 18:4 says "Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine; the soul who sins shall die." Romans 6:23 says, "The wages of sin is death")

I told Jesus that I would quit charging on my card.

"That is good," He said. "But it doesn't take care of the balance so that you can live."

"I'll make up for sins," I assured Him. "I like to help people. I'm really not a bad person; just have some bad habits, you know."

He was very pleased that I wanted to take action.

"Will my good things cancel out the sins?" I asked Jesus.

"No," he said. "But you have an option that can take care of your problems so that you can live."

"Really? What can I do besides not adding sins to my account and doing good deeds to make up for the bad ones?"

"It doesn't work like that," He said gently. "Sins require that the sinner must die. There is no other way."

"I would die? I thought I was supposed to get to live?"

"Yes, that is what I said."

"Please explain," I said. "I don't understand."

"Your sins deserve death. You committed them. It is right that you die, but if you have an acceptable substitute who takes your place, you will live. I am that substitute. I can pay off your card, and you will no longer have a balance." Jesus was very persuasive.

"You mean I wouldn't even have an account anymore?"

"No, you still have an account!"

"So I guess if I sinned again, it would start all over," I said. I knew I wouldn't be able to stop right away. I'd really have to work on a few things.

"No, it doesn't start again. Once I have taken on your account, I keep the balance at zero all your life. You are obligated to change, though," He explained. "I pay for your sins and you live my life. The card changes, too. It no longer represents the balance of your sins, but the balance of my grace. (Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.")

"So you die and I live. I give you my sins, and you give me your righteousness. I ran up the bill and you pay it. You didn't sin, and you don't have a bill to pay. Say, Jesus, will you stay with me and help me understand all you have said? I want to hear the part about grace again."

"I'll be there all the way," He said.

And then I woke up.

All credit to DailyWisdom.GospelCom.Net

Love and Peace

Hannah

Aujourd'hui

Well, I have (almost) good news. Nan should be out of the hospital by Friday. Papa hasn't been eating well at all, you don't realize how much they depend on each other. Mom cooked him a roast and other things so he can have real food for a day or two.

Okay, here is the quote of the day:

"Men show their character in nothing more clearly than by what they think laughable."
-Goethe


I think this quote really discribes me well. Laughter holds society together, it keeps us laid back. It tells you a lot about a person when they laugh at crude humour. Be careful what you laugh at, you are forever being watched!

Well, I'm gonna go.
Love and Peace
Hannah

So sleepy....

Okay, okay. I know having an addiction to Project Runway is a bad thing because I can't stand tapeing it. So I stayed up to watch it...and now I can't focus on the screen.

Anyway,


Tomorrow I am going to Moncton with Mom and maybe Heather. It just doesn't seem possible that I was there on Sunday and everything was fine...and now Nan is in the hospital. It's hard asking mom why she's there because then she gets all teary and hard to understand, so I guess that I will just talk to her doctor tomorrow.

I hate hospitals.

Anyway (No. 2),
Quote of The Day
"Everything looks impossible for the people who never try anything."
-Jean-Louis Etienne

You really must take a leap of faith to get anywhere you want to go. Sometimes, once you get going you realize that maybe it isn't that far out of your reach. I remember the first time I rollerbladed down the freakin' huge hill at my old house how scared I was at first, but once I stood up and gave myself a little push it was so much easier than I thought before hand. Afterwards, I was pretty pro for the entire summer (I've since lost my gift). If I had kept practicing, I would have been able to never take those things off.

Oh Meh.

Today's sermon (that fits well with what I was thinking about today):

The Power of Prayer

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer." 1 Peter 3:12

I often hear people say they don't have time to devote to prayer. In today's society, this is somewhat understandable. Cellular phones, wireless networks, instant messaging, and other technologies have made most of us accessible, as they say, "24-7." What puzzles me is why these helpful communications devices have taken time away from the most important communication of all. While this technology that connects us to each other is helpful, each and every one of us has always had available a direct connection to God. It is the most important connection of all.

It's called prayer. It's hands-free, mobile, and there's always a good signal. As Christians, we have already signed the contract for coverage. All God asks of us in return is that we use the connection. We need to make time to use that connection. Just as we schedule time to attend a child's school pageant, schedule a doctor's appointment, or set a time for a business meeting, we need to schedule time for prayer.

Prayer does not need to be written on our calendars at a precise time each day, but it does need to be a priority in our daily lives. It's an opportunity to ask God for our needs and, more importantly, to ask for HIs guidance. No other connection gives us this opportunity- the chance to seek God's counsel in matters of our daily life. Only prayer permits the deep reflection that yields answers to our most difficult decisions.

The connection to God through prayer is powerful. No other connection enriches us in the same way. The connection is always available and always on; we just have to use it.

All credit to DailyWisdom.GospelCom.Net

Love and Peace

Hannah

Pilates

Man BodyFlow was a wicked work out and 15 minutes running afterward didn't help my legs either.

Anyways....
Quote of The Day
Few wishes come true by themselves.
- June Smith

Same as "Gain not without pain" or however that goes.
You really do have to work for everything in life. Being a "coaster" is not an option. You have to care and live at some point.

Meh, I'm really too tired to post anything deep and profound right now.


Today's sermon

Modern Technology

"What the wicked dreads will overtake him; what the righteous desire will be granted" Proverbs 10:24

Recently I went to the hospital to have several tests run. This was a new experience for me, and I was a little overwhelmed with the technology of it all. For the stress test, I was hooked up to a machine via electrodes attached to my body. A lot of information about the beat of my heart was logged as the test proceeded. The next test was an echogram. it was explained to me that it was an ultrasound of this vital organ. I could see my heart beating and the blood pulsing through as the technician moved the instrument from one part of my heart to another. The doctors will review the tests and tell me the results in a few days.

There is one fact the tests will not show, however. It is the reality that I have a heart that beats for Jesus. This is one fact which will not show up on any monitor, but it will show up in my lifestyle, by my actions and my words. Only God can read the printout of this most vital aspect of my heart. He is the only one who knows my motives, desires and inner truths. I pray that the desires of my heart and the life I lead will always be pleasing to God, and will bring glory to His name.

Who does your heart beat for?

All credit to DailyWisdom.GospelCom.Net

Love and Peace

Hannah

TGIF! Nope, SHIT

As in, "Sorry Hun, it's Thursday" (thanks Lauren!)

Anyways, here is my quote:
Little things console us because little things afflict us.
- Blaise Pascal

Everyone gets that nagging feeling once and a while. Something small that doesn't really matter starts to bother and annoy you.
This quote really speaks for itself. I think it is positivly true.

I really liked today's sermon on DailyWisdom. Here it is for you!

Ask, And It Shall Be Given

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall opened." Matthew 7:7-8 (KJV)

The man lived in an old mobile home in a very old mobile home park with his wife and two step sons. Recently his wife had lost her job and was having difficulty finding another job. The man had accepted Jesus when he was eleven years old. After graduating from high school, he occasionally attended church, but never regularly. For some reason, whenever he found himself in church, it was only during a hard time in his life. Usually it was because he experienced financial, marital, emotional, or spiritual problems. Problems are what drove him to church and drove him to pray.

Well, this was one of those times. The problem was financial, it was emotional, it was marital, and it was spiritual. As usual, he prayed (begged) God to help him and as usual, he felt like it did not help.

A few days later, God responded, "Why are you praying?"

The man thought about this for several days. He realized that God was answering his prayers. The rent was paid, he had electricity, water, a car, and food. So, the man prayed again: "Lord, I have realized that I only pray or go to church when I am having problems. Please forgive me for this. I give you thanks for my dad who led me to you, I thank you for my wife, my stepsons, my job, my home, and my car. All I will ask is that you will fill me with your Holy Spriit and make me the man, husband, stepfather, son, and Christian that you want me to be. In Jesus' name, Amen."

The very next day, the man awoke with a new view on life. He felt the presence of the Holy Spirit in his life. He was inspired to pray for other people and to give his problems to God. He went to church even after most of his problems were solved. From time to time he would fall away. He would lose the feeling and inspiration. However, every time that he asked for God to fill him with the Holy Spirit, God would answer.

Over the next several months, he prayed this more and more often until he felt filled with the Spirit so often that people at work began labeling him as a "Christian". His marriage became wonderful and his relationship with his stepsons became very friendly. He moved into a better home, bought a better vehicle, and began a new job that paid all of his family's medical benefits. People began to notice the changes in his life, and he remembered to thank God for these gifts.

One day God asked the man to do something for Him, "Write this!"

All credit to DailyWisdom.GospelCom.Net

Love and Peace

Hannah

Wednesday.

Well, I don't know about Keith Green...Songs don't usually get the privaledge to have their lyrics posted unless I really love that song, so I might have to download one of his songs first, eh?

Anyways, here's today's quote:

In so much as any one pushes you nearer to God, he or she is your friend.
-Anonymous

Well, this one has me stumped.
I'm pretty sure it means whoever has enough concern for you that they share an unstable part of their faith with you, they truly are with God. They are your brother or sister, through God himself. They are your friend...They took their faith and put it in you. Altogether growing and stregnthening the family of God.

Here is today's sermon, of course from DailyWisdom.

Grief: One Step at a Time

"I put my key in the door. I never had to do that before, because she was always home when I got here," says one man mentally walking through all of the things that have changed since his wife died in December.

"I would always call out, 'Hello honey, I'm home.' Now I've stopped myself more than once from calling out," he says sadly.

"When I go to bed, I can't sleep in our old bed. Oh, I can take a nap on top of the covers for an hour or two, but that's it. I want to sleep the way we used to sleep together, and I can't do that."

These are the real and intimate reflections of a middle-aged man struggling with fresh grief after recently losing his wife and companion of 39 years.

He has changed all the bedding and curtains in the master bedroom: softer colors and textures (the decorating choices of his wife) are now boldly masculine. But it didn't really help heal the deep ache and pain he feels.

"Friends think I should be over it, and get tired of me talking about these things over and over. But I can't help it. Nothing is the same. I even miss her yelling at my muddy boots on the rug."

How do people heal from grief?

When I was in college, I had the opportunity to hear "death and dying" expert Elisabeth Kbler-Ross discuss her seminal work, On Death and Dying (Macmillan, 1969). I remember going to a large exposition arena where we crowded in to see her. It was a time when people really didn't talk about death very much. Certainly those with terminal illness were usually "protected" from even knowing their true status.

Kbler-Ross told lots of stories of the dying patients she had interviewed. She and her students talked to dying persons and had them keep journals. She then drew her helpful observations about very typical stages that people went through as they approached the process of dying. Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance. It used to take pages to explain such concepts to people about death, but most people are now very familiar with these stages. The goal is to get to acceptance, but that may be months or even years away.

The stages cannot really be rushed or avoided, and sometimes people don't take a straight path. Those who try to rush to acceptance may later be blindsided by anger or depression.

These stages have been applied to dealing with all kinds of grief and loss, including that suffered by the remaining spouse or loved one.

"The best gift you can give a grieving person is your unconditional love and support. Don't use cliches to comfort them. No words can heal a mourner's grief. Just be present and show that you truly care," advises literature from the MISS Foundation (an organization which specifically helps families deal with the loss of a child. www.missfoundation.org)

These stages of grief and healing happen no matter what your religious faith or background, but certainly Christian faith offers hope for life after death, which can be very comforting to grieving loved ones.

It is important to feel the loss and not deny it. In one way, the more you grieve, you can be comforted that it is a measure of the love you felt. However, everyone grieves differently, and some show few outward signs. Also, people can unhealthily use grief to try to prove their love and hang on to it for years. The healthier, happier process is to recognize and acknowledge the pain, but move on with even just "baby" steps towards a new life without the loved one.

This is particularly important to many people. Dealing with any sort of loss is incredibly draining. Death is not the only way someone can perish. Human spirit is extremely fragile and can easily be broken; over and over again. After an inmeasurable amount of time, this spirit cannot be repaired any more.

Love and Peace

Hannah