Update Mania

1. Today Charlie and I are celebrating our THREE, yes 3, year anniversary! He doesn't know it but he's going to get a wonderful massage later, and then we're going out to a nice little Italian place in Greenville, Trattoria Giorgio.

2. Luna got sick a couple of days ago, and it was really scary. The luna bug was throwing up and had a sick tummy on Tuesday so Wednesday, I took her to the vet. They weren't sure what was wrong with her but thought it could be the cause of a bacteria in her system. They have her medicine and some fluids, and she is definitely feeling better. She is still not 100 percent, but she's getting there. Her wonderful friend, Linus, has been ultra-sweet with her, giving her kisses on her face and sleeping beside her. They bring me so much joy, I just love them!

3. Rachel is home. My sister Rachel has officially quit at GA Tech and is home for the summer. We have many days ahead of us of bonding and catching up. We've already been out to practice together several times, and I'm really enjoying getting to see her!

4. UGA is hosting Supers! I'm getting to go watch my best friends in the world do what they do best...KICK BUTT! I'm so excited that I get to watch them play in such important games, and furthermore, that I get to SEE them after the games and talk to them and stuff.

Ok, I only had four updates so maybe this shouldn't be entitled 'Update Mania'. Nonetheless, I felt like I had a lot going on and that's why I hadn't blogged in many a moon. I need to establish some more consistency with this in my life...but life is so crazy...so maybe being sporadic with my blog is just indicative of the lifestyle I'm leading right now. Whatever is going on though, I know one thing for sure, and I need to give credit to my good friend Hubbs for this next line: The Lord is helping me each day to LIVE IN LOVE, LOVE IN LIGHT!

Summer Reading

Just finished reading "Searching for Eternity" by Francine Rivers. She is the author of "The Last Sin Eater", "Redeeming Love", and a bunch of other great reads.

When I began the book, I realized the main character was a boy, and I immediately decided that I probably wasn't going to like it. But I had to continue because my mother-in-law gave me the book to read, and I felt like I should finish it if not for anything but to let her know that I did. But I'm thankful that I did.

Emile, is a young French boy when you meet him, confused and angry with moving to America. But by the end of the book, though still French, he has become this wonderful man. I don't want to give all the details away, but here's a clue to the title: early on in the book, he meets a girl named, Eternity. And along the way, he gets to know this Eternity, as he realizes what really matters in his life, the other Eternity.

Anyway, I would say if you like fiction and have read Rivers before, read it! If you like fiction but haven't read her books, start with Redeeming Love. That way, you'll want to read everything she's ever touched.

Next I think I'll go to the opposite end of the spectrum with a science fiction novel, Catching Fire, it's the sequel to Hunger Games. Then again, I have been itching to finish the Chronicles of Narnia series (I've read through Prince Caspian). But wherever my book journey takes me, one thing will be for sure, the more I read, the more I want to write!

Found an old Bible of mine

My mom was going through some things at the house and found my old student Bible. In the front, I wrote down a great quote from our Eagle Rock retreat in 2001. I'm assuming that Will is the person who said it, but I guess I'll never be sure.

>"To the degree that we understand that God is absolutely in love with us, we will be able to love others."<

Thought these lyrics from Jesus Culture went well with it:
He is jealous for me
Love's like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
and I realize just how beautiful You are and how great your affections are for me.
Oh, how He loves us so
Oh, how He loves us
How He loves us so.

Yeah, He loves us
Woah, how He loves us
Woah, how He loves us
Woah, how He loves.

So we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean we're all sinking
So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss and my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way

That he loves us,
Woah, how He loves us
Woah, how He loves us
Woah, how He loves

He loves us,
Woah, how He loves us
Woah, how He loves us
Woah, how He loves

[Whispered]: Well, I thought about You the day Stephen died and You met me between my breaking
I know that I still love You, God, despite the agony
...they want to tell me You're cruel
But if Stephen could sing, he'd say it's not true, cause...[voice breaks]...

Cause He loves us,
Woah, how He loves us
Woah, how He loves us
Woah, how He loves

Yeah, He loves us
Woah, how He loves us
Woah, how He loves us
Woah, how He loves

A Psalm 23 Prayer

Father, remind me of my neediness today.
Help me surrender my plans for Your way.
Grant me grace because I've fallen yet again.
And remind me, that nothing can take me from Your Hand.
I lift up my desires and requests to You
Knowing, believing in what you will do
Thank you for caring about this insignifcant sheep
For watching over me from when I wake to when I sleep
Help me to be lead by You each day
And to remember who You are,
The Good Shepherd, I pray.

The Good Shepherd Ps. 23

Before you read this post, you should read Psalm 23:1-4. Here, I'll make it easy for you:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, or you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me.

Now for some Questions to Ponder:

Am I in want?
If so, why?
valuing things of this earth more than the promises of the Lord

Is your soul restored?
Or are you constantly seeking/searching ways in which to fill it?

Are you walking in paths of righteousness?

Are you allowing yourself to be lead or are you desperately trying to find your own way?

Are you fearful?
Do you truly believe HE is with you? (Josh.1:9)

Do the Lord's rod and staff comfort you?
Are you heeding His direction and realizing the comfort it brings as opposed to your attempts to bring comfort to your own life?

And now for some of my thoughts:

In order for me to have a Good Shepherd, there is first the step of saying, "Ok, I am your sheep. And on my own, I'm lost, helpless, and in need of you, the Good Shepherd."

Once this step of realization that you need a Savior occurs, and that you are willing to be lead instead of leading, He appears out of the dark forest, or vaelley, or cliff or wherever it is you've found yourself. And he comes to your aid,. To rescue, save, restore, and lead you into better places, brighter places, and away from the wolves of the world.

But the point is, there would be no reason for living life if we didn't receive a free will. Otherwise, we'd just all do what God wants and be in heaven already. But our God is relational, even human (Jesus), and He wanted us to choose Him as He chose us. So here we are, sheep in a dangerous world. Will we continue to try and make it by our lonesome and fall further into the snares of this owrld, or will we surrender our will, realize our neediness, and ask to be the follower intead of the the leader?

There is a Good Shepherd, but He won't rescue us from this world, from ourselves, until we ask Him to. Cry out to your Savior.