Lead Me To The Cross

Nothing better than a great worship song. Sing out to Jesus!!

Lead Me To The Cross

Savior I come, quiet my soul.

Remember redemption's hill, where Your blood was spilled.

For my ransom

Everything I once held dear, I count it all as loss

Lead me to the cross, where Your love poured out

Bring me to my knees Lord I lay me down

Rid me of myself, I belong to You

Oh lead me, lead me to the cross

You were as I tempted and tried human.

Your word became flesh bore my sin in death

Now You're risen!

Everything I once held dear, I count it all as loss

Lead me to the cross, where Your love poured out

Bring me to my knees Lord I lay me down

Rid me of myself, I belong to You

Oh lead me, lead me to the cross.

To Your heart.

To Your heart

Lead me to Your heart

Lead me to Your heart!

Lead me to the cross where Your heart poured out

Bring me to my knees Lord I lay me down

Rid me of myself I belong to You

Oh lead me, lead me to the cross.

Sometimes I just have to sit with my eyes closed and listen to some good worship songs to get rid of the murkiness of life. When people disappoint you, when you are angry at someone, when you have been done wrong, when you are sad, sing out a song to Him. YOu certainly can't do it all on your own! You need Jesus!

If We Are The Body.....

The first time I ever heard Casting Crowns was when I heard the song "Does Anybody Hear Her?" It caused the tears to swell up in my eyes, because I was that girl they were talking about. So I began listening to their other songs and was hooked. I love this song and its words have such meaning to them. When we were looking at churches this past summer, if I had walked into a church and found that nobody spoke to me, or they were looking at me like I didn't belong there or something like that, I would be apt to move on and not look back. We only went to one church that was like that. I won't say which one, but I expected a different result. Some were nice, some were not. It's okay though. We have found where we belong now.

If We Are The Body

It's crowded in worship today

As she slips in, trying to fade into the faces

The girls teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know

farther than they know.

And if we are the body,

Why aren't His arms reaching?

Why aren't His hands healing?

Why aren't His words teaching?

And if we are the body

Why aren't His feet going?

Why is His love not showing them there is a way?

There is a way

A traveler is far away from home

He sheds his coat and quietly sinks into the back row

The weight of their judgemental glances

Tells him that his chances are better out on the road

If we are the body

Why aren't His arms reaching?

Why aren't His hands healing?

Why aren't His words teaching?

And if we are the body

Why aren't His feet going?

Why is His love not showing them there is a way?

Jesus paid much too high a price

For us to pick and choose who should come

And we are the body of Christ

If we are the body

Why aren't His arms reaching?

Why aren't His hands healing?

Why aren't His words teaching?

And if we are the body

Why aren't his feet going?

Why is his love not showing them there is a way?

If we are the body

Why aren't His arms reaching?

Why aren't His hands healing?

Why aren't His words teaching?

And if we are the body

Why aren't His feet going?

Why is His love not showing them there is a way?

Jesus is the way!

Next time you sit in service and look at someone and think badly of them, don't look at them with disdain. Don't stare at them and make them feel uncomfortable. Because that is only going to drive them away. You are supposed to be showing love like Jesus would when someone walks into your church doors. If Jesus walked into your church as a plain man, would you turn your back on Him just because his shoes have dust on them? Would you look at Him with disdain because He had on something you didn't like? Or maybe He didn't fit into your cookie cutter mold of who should go to your church? WWJDIHWM (what would Jesus do if he were me) ponder that for a while next time you think about treating someone like that just because they may not be your cup of tea. Would Jesus turn you away? Never.

Hmmm....

So we went back to College Park Church yesterday with my in laws. It was awesome. The music was awesome. Not just awesome, but throw your hands in the air and praise Jesus kind of awesome. The sermon was about divorce and it was awesome too! He talked about sexual immorality is the basis of most divorces and that our culture leads you to believe that it is okay to have affairs and be sexually immoral. He basically said that sexual immorality and television shows like "Modern Family" are what is tearing this country's morals apart and tearing the Christian nation down. Strong words. Powerful. He was very passionate about what he was saying.

I feel like Pastor Mark brought up a good point yesterday. "Same ex" marriage goes against all things God intended Marriage to be. In the bible it states, one man, one woman, they become one flesh. God is the basis of marriage. If you put two women or two men together, it takes God out of the marriage and it is no longer moral.

I don't agree with the gay lifestyle. I never claimed to be okay with it. I am very offended by it being spread all over everything in our culture. As a Christian, I feel like it is so biased. The gays can sit and berate Christians and call us intolerant, biased, homophobic, hypocrits, etc. and somehow that's okay, but as soon as we open our mouths it's a whole other ballgame. It's sad really, when you think about much the gay movement has deteriorated our culture and country. It used to be different, now, the gays are falling over each other coming out of the closet, but before, it was very faux pas to be gay and frowned upon. I just don't understand it. It just seems like it is shoved in our faces on tv so much and I find it offensive. Ugh.

As always, these are just my opinions, not trying to offend anyone, but using my blog for my soapbox.
:)

Nieces!

I never thought I would have an opportunity to be an aunt, since I am an only child. But marrying a large family like I did, I am getting lots of opportunities to be an aunt!

My first nephew was Jackson and he is now 2 years old. He is a bundle of energy and such a sweet cutie!

My first niece was born just a little over a month ago to my other SIL Ashley and her name is Riley. She is so precious.

My second niece will be born tomorrow to my SIL Anna (mother to Jackson) and I am sure she will be just as precious!

It was so many years between us having Cameron and the rest of the siblings to start having babies that it seems weird. Poor Cameron will be 15 years old when these kids are getting used to running around and being ankle biters and the first one they will go to is him! I think it iwll be great for him. Cameron loves kids and maybe he'll get the opportunity to babysit some too!

I am so excited to be part of a big family and be able to be called an aunt. I hope Cameron is as lucky to marry into a big family too.

Welcome to the world Bridget! Can't wait to meet you!!

Be Glorified.

We went to my in laws church yesterday, College Park Church. We have visited with them a couple times many years ago, and didn't really care for it that much because it is such a huge church.

Yesterday, the worship leader, a guy named Eric Anderson, did a song called Be Glorified. I don't have the words to it, but it was awesome! Shane and I both had chills and couldn't sing for being choked up! They had full orchestra and full choir and it was so powerful! We loved it! The words of the song and another song they did with dancers on stage were wonderful! I loved the worship service so much! I felt the Holy Spirit flow through there and it was great.

What made it even more grand was that we were there with family. Shane's family has been trying to get us to come to College Park to visit for years. We were reluctant to come at all since it was big and we had had our own experience with big churches. But yesterday, we went and it was nice to sit with family and visit with them after church, since we don't see them as often as we see my family.

So, we may very well visit with them at their church again sometime, maybe at Christmas time when they have full choir and orchestra and cantatas, which is the type of thing I love about church at that time of year. The music, the decorations, the birth of Christ.

Later!

Pleurisy

So, today's post is not about a song, but about life in general.
We sat for four hours yesterday at St. Vincent ER in Carmel with Shane. I was at my MIL's house doing bible study when he called and said he was going to the ER for his chest pains that was radiating into his left shoulder. So I didn't really get a chance to fully grasp what Beth Moore was saying in the bible study lesson because I was worried about Shane. When I got to the hospital, I was floored. He was laying in a gown, oxygen on, IV going, EKG patches were hooked up, he had just gotten back from a CT scan. I was freaking out! But, after it was all over, Doc came in and said everything was clear, no heart issues, no blood clots in the lung, no tumors or anything, blood work was fine, he just had a nasty case of pleurisy.

Now, pleurisy, if you don't know anything about it, is like rug burn of the lung. If not treated or if you don't breathe deeply, can turn into pneumonia. I had a nasty case of it right after I had Cameron and it was awful! Mine wasn't in my left side though, mine was more in my back.

So, anyway, he is resting all weekend, deep breathing every hour and half hour, taking anti inflammatory meds. It is hard for him because he does not have a high pain tolerance at all, so they give him pain meds....ugh.

So, our adventure yesterday had a much better outcome than I expected and all it is is lung rug burn. :)

Come to Jesus

Have you ever listened to a song and just fell to your knees and cried? This song does that to me. The words in this song are so true. I can't tell you the number of times I have just sat and listened to this song over and over again or played it on the piano and just sang out to Jesus. In every situation of your walk with God this song can pertain. There are times of pain, hurt, joy, happiness, sadness, overwhelming gratitude for God. All these emotions are carried out in this song. It doesn't matter what you may be going through, this song has it all.

Come To Jesus

Weak and wounded sinner

Lost and left to die

Oh raise your head

For love is passing by

Come to Jesus

Come to Jesus

Come to Jesus

And live

Now your burden's lifted

And carried far away

And precious blood

Has washed away the stain

So Sing to Jesus

Sing to Jesus

Sing to Jesus

And live

And like a newborn baby

don't be afraid to crawl

and remember when you walk

sometimes we fall

So fall on Jesus

Fall on Jesus

Fall on Jesus

And live

Sometimes the way is lonely

And still can fill with pain

So if your sky is dark

And pours the rain

Cry to Jesus

Cry to Jesus

Cry to Jesus

And live

Oh and when the love spills over

And music fills the night

When you can't contain

Your joy inside

Then Dance for Jesus

Dance for Jesus

Dance for Jesus

And live

With your final heartbeat

Kiss the world goodbye

And go in peace

And laugh on glory's side

And fly to Jesus

Fly to Jesus

Fly to Jesus

And live.

Fly to Jesus

Fly to Jesus

Fly to Jesus

And live....

So next time you feel like Jesus is far away, come to Jesus. Next time you are grateful to Him, Sing to Jesus. Next time you fall, Fall on Jesus. next time your skies are dark and rain pours over you, Cry to Jesus. Next time your heart is so full of joy, dance for Jesus. We all have moments when we cry to Him, when we dance for Him, Sing out to Him, fall on Him. Jesus loves you no matter what.

So come to Jesus and live.

On My Knees

Okay, here's an old Christian song that I found on my Ipod today that I haven't listened to for quite a while. Sometimes I just need to listen to a good old school song to get my mind in a good Godly mindset. You don't have to pray on your knees, but sometimes, there are circumstances that pushes you down so hard you fall onto your knees crying out to God for help.

On My Knees

There are days when I feel the best of me is ready to begin

Then there're days when I feel I'm letting go and soaring on the wind

Cause I've learned in laughter or in pain

How to survive

I get on my knees

I get on my knees

There I am before the love that changes me

See I don't know how, but there's power when I'm on my knees

I can be in a crowd or by myself or almost anywhere

When I feel there's a need to talk with God

He is emmanuel

When I close my eyes, no darkness there

there's only light!

I get on my knees

I get on my knees

There I am before the love that changes me

See I don't know how, but there's power in the blue skies!

In the midnight

When I'm on my knees

I get on my knees

I get on my knees

There I am before the love that changes me!

See I don't know how but there's power,

When I'm on my

When I'm on my

When I'm on my knees.

Sometimes getting on your knees and looking up at God is so healing. Let Him wash His love over you. Ask Him for forgiveness and let Him hold you while He helps you pick up the pieces of life.

Going Public!

Wow...I put my website on facebook to let someone know about my blog and now I have all kinds of people trafficing here! Yay!

I always had a private blog and only let a few people read it, but I decided that since I am doing the song of the day theme, why not go public?

So...


If have read my blog for the first time today, welcome! These are my thoughts, mostly songs I enjoy. If you ever have a question about something I have written, feel free to ask me, I don't bite. I will always tell you the truth, even if the truth hurts. :)



I am a quirky and unique girl and once you get to know me, the real me....you will either love me or hate me, and I am okay with that. I won't change to please people and I won't be someone I'm not.

With that being said, enjoy reading. I enjoy writing and will continue to do so!

Nothing Without You

In March of this year, as our church was preparing for a door to be closing and new one to be open, Shane and I and our wonderful partner in worship, Janelle, had the opportunity to do this song for two straight weeks for worship. It was the last two weeks they were leading worship before it got taken over by the new Pastor. This is such a powerful, yet intimate song to God. I love this song and love to play and sing it when I am feeling like I need alone time with God. The week after the new pastor came to our church, Janelle, Shane and I recorded this song at the church so that Janelle could send it off to the person in charge of the Camp Meeting at Anderso University. She had always dreamed of singing in it and she hoped by recording this song that she would be given the opportunity. I listen to this version more often than the Bebo Norman version because I love to hear Janelle sing and this song was so powerful when it was done at our church. You could just feel the Holy Spirit in the sanctuary. As it turns out, Janelle got to sing after having sent this song off to the person in charge and got her dream of singing at the Camp Meeting. We were not attending the church at the time, but hearing about it made us so happy for her.

Nothing Without You

Take these hands and lift them up

For I have not the strength to praise You near enough

See I have nothing, I have nothing without You

Take my voice and pour it out

Let it sing the songs of mercy I have found

For I have nothing, I have nothing without You

And all my soul needs

is all Your love to cover me

So all the world will see

I have nothing without You.

Take my body and build it up

May it be broken as an offering of love

For I have nothing I have nothing without You

And all my soul needs

is all Your love to cover me

So all the world will see

I have nothing

But I love You

With all my heart

With all my soul

With all my mind

and all my strength that I can find

Take my time here on this earth

Let it glorify all that You are worth

I am nothing I am nothing without You.

My favorite part of this song is the bridge "But I love, with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind and all the strength that I can find" Beautiful words spoken to God. Thank you Janelle, fo sharing this song with Shane and I.

Defying Gravity

Have you ever been told you cannot do something? Someone brings you down to their level because they don't want you to to be able to do something they could only dream of doing? My favorite version of defying gravity is sung by Lea Michele on Glee. I love her voice and she sings it wonderfully.

Defying Gravity

Something has changed within me,

Something is not the same

I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game

Too late for second guessing

too late to go back to sleep

It's time to trust my instincts

close my eyes and leap

It's time to try defying gravity

I think I'll try defying gravity

Kiss me goodbye I'm defying gravity

And you won't bring me down

I through accepting limits

'Cause someone says they're so

Some things I cannot change,

but 'til I try I'll never know

Too long I've been afraid of

losing love I guess I've lost

well if that's love it comes at much too high a cost

I'd sooner buy defying gravity

kiss me goodbye I'm defying gravity

I think I'll try defying gravity

And you won't bring me down

I'd sooner buy defying gravity

kiss me goodbye I'm defying gravity

I think I'll try defying gravity

and you won't bring me down

Bring me down.

So next time someone says you can't, tell them they can't bring you down and do it! With God, all things are possible. Good luck!

Desert Song

Today's song of the day is Desert Song by Hillsong.
The words are great. Whne you are feeling like you aren't close to God and you need to get back to Him. When things aren't going the right way. When you feel lost and alone.

Desert Song

This is my prayer in the desert,

When all that's within me feels dry

This is my prayer in my hunger and need

My God is the God who provides.

And this is my prayer in the fire

In weakness or trial or pain

There is a faith proved of more worth than gold

So refine me Lord through the flames

I will bring praise!

I will bring praise!

No weapon formed against me shall remain!

I will rejoice

I will declare!

God is my victory and He is Here!!

This is my prayer in the battle

When triumph is still on its way

I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ

So firm by His promise I'll stand

I will bring praise

I will bring praise!

No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice

I will declare!

God is my victory and He is Here!

All of my life

In every season

You are still God

I have a reason to sing!

I have a reason to worship!

I will bring praise

I will bring praise!

No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice

I will declare

God is my victory and He is Here!

This is my prayer in the harvest

When favor and providence flow

I know I'm filled to be emptied again

The seed I've received I will sow.

These words speak volumes to me. The first time I heard this song was when we were leading worship with two spectacular women that are so full of God. Mimi brought this song to practice one Thursday night and said the women were singing a special song. I fell in love with it the first time we sung it. I needed to hear it at the time. God never said it was going to be easy. God never said He was going to let us lead a life full of joy and never have to cry or feel pain. He does tell us that He is here and with us. This song tells me that I am not alone when I feel alone. God is always with me, standing right beside me, with His strong hands holding me up when I feel like I am going to fall flat on my face. When all things are awry, He is there with me, telling me it's going to be okay. Telling me that He is here to hold me when I cry and envelop me with His strong arms. He loves me even when I don't think I deserve it. He forgives me when I do something I need to be forgiven for. He helps me walk with my head held high even when others judge me. I highlighted my favorite words of this song. I will listen to this song in the car sometimes and just raise my ands in the air during the bridge. I am sure to others I look like a complete nut, but I don't care. Definitely one of my favorite Christian songs of all time.

God is my victory and HE IS HERE!!!

What a Wonderful World

Louis Armstrong. Need I say more? He is awesome! I love old music from the 50's. I am a big band and swing lover, I love the malt shop oldies. I love old music. Sometimes I think I love it more than I love Christian music! Here's an oldie but a goodie.

What a Wonderful World

I see trees of green, red roses too

I see them bloom for me and you

and I think to myself

what a wonderful world

I see skies of blue, and clouds of white

the bright blessed day

the dark sacred night

and I think to myself

what a wonderful world.

The colors of the rainbow

so pretty in the sky

are also on the faces of people going by

I see friends shaking hands

saying how do you do?

they're really saying I love you

I hear babies crying,

I watch them grow

They'll learn much more

than I'll ever know

and I think to myself

what a wonderful world

Yes, I think to myself

what a wonderful world.

Just think if everyone thought like this? So happy and makes me frolick in a meadow with flowers everywhere. It is so sugary sweet and I love it! So many songs have such heartbreaking words and so many songs full of hate and anger. It is nice to go back to a time when songs were full of love. Ahhh......take me to a time where women stayed at home and made homemade food and had cookies and milk for the kids when they came home from school and kids ran down the street to play with friends and husbands came home and kissed their wife on the cheek and read the newspaper while supper was cooking. Everyone sat at the table and ate together.......women volunteered at the school and ran the PTO and life was so much simpler. Take me back to that time....I would take it anytime.

I Dreamed a Dream

Okay, I know I said song of the day, not songs. But this song is great. Another Les Miserables song. Fantine sings this about how her daughter is not with her and how her man left her with this baby to fend for themselves. She ended up having her daughter sent off and paid the people to keep her for her.

How many times have you dreamed and it didn't come true? Or you dreamed so big that you didn't think it would ever happen? Never underestimate what God can do. He can make what you think is the impossible become the possible.

I Dreamed a Dream

I dreamed a dream in time gone by

When hope was high and life worth living

I dreamed that love would never die.

I dreamed that God would be forgiving

Then I was young and unafraid

And dreams were made and used and wasted

There was no ransom to be paid

No song unsung no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night

With their voices soft as thunder

As they tear your hope apart

As they turn your dream to shame

And still I dream he'll come to me

That we will live the years together

But there are dreams that cannot be

and there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be

So different from this hell I'm living

So different now from what it seems

Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

What was the last dream you had that thought was impossible? Did God make it possible?

Song of the Day 10/9/10 "Monster"

Have you been made to feel like a monster? Have you ever been demeaned and made out to be the bad guy? Ever felt like you can't win no matter what? We all have. This song by Skillet really makes me feel better when I am angry. Loud rock music with a good beat makes me feel better when I can't get rid of my bitterness, or my anger. If I am mad, I can rock out for a while with my Ipod and feel so much better. That and a lot of praying! :) This song speaks to me sometimes when people who don't really know me or the whole story tend to make me out to be some kind of uncaring hideous monster.

Monster

The secret side of me, I never let you see
I keep it caged but I can't control it
So stay away from me the beast is ugly
I feel the rage and I just can't hold it

It's scratching on the walls, in the closet in the halls
It comes awake and I can't control it
Hiding under the bed in my body in my head
Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?

I feel it deep within it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun
I must confess that I feel like a monster

I, I feel like a monster

I, I feel like a monster

My secret side I keep hid under lock and key
I keep it caged but I can't control it
Cause if I let him out, he'll tear me up break me down
Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?


I feel it deep within it's just beneath the skin

I must confess that I feel like a monster

I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun

I must confess that I feel like a monster.

I feel it deep within it's just beneath the skin

I must confess that I feel like a monster

I, I feel like a monster

I, I feel like a monster

It's hiding in the dark, it's teeth are razor sharp

There's no escape from me, it wants my soul it wants my heart

No one can hear me scream, maybe it's just a dream

Maybe it's inside of me, stop this monster!

I feel it deep within it's just beneath the skin

I must confess that I feel like a monster

I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun

I must confess that I feel like a monster

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin

I must confess that I feel like a monster

I've gotta lose control, it's something radical

I must confess that I feel like a monster

I, I feel like a monster

I, I feel like a monster

I, I feel like a monster

I, I feel like a monster

Yep, next time someone makes you angry, turn up the volume and dance like nobody is watching....

Song of the Day

So I have decided to revamp my blog and change things around a bit, shake things up a little.
So, I am doing a song of the day. I will choose a song that speaks to me or is catching my attention, the lyrics and talk a little about it. Should give you something to think about. :)

Today's Song of the Day is On My own from Les Miserables. I love musicals and may end up doing a lot of musical numbers on here.

On My Own

On my own, pretending he's beside me.

All alone, I walk with him 'til morning

Without him, I feel his arms around me

And when I lose my way I close my eyes and he has found me

In the rain, the pavement shines liek silver

All the lights are misty in teh river

In the darkness the trees are full of starlight

And all I see if him and me forever and forever

And I know, it's only in my mind

That I'm talking to myslef and not to him

And although, I know that he is blind

Still I say, there's a way for us

I love him, but when the night is over

He is gone, the river's just a river

without him the world around me changes

the trees are bare asnd everywhere the streets are full of strangers

I love him but ever day I'm learning

All my life I've only been pretending

Without me, his world will go on turning

A world that's full of happiness that I have never known.

I love him,

I love him

I love him, but only on my own

This song is so full of emotion to me. If you have ever had the opportunity to see this musical, it is full of heartbreak and pain. War and broken people. Eponine sings this to the love of her life, Marius, who happens to be in love with Cosette. Eponine goes to the battlefield in search of Marius and ends up getting shot and dies, but not before she gets a chance to tell Marius how she feels. So sad.

Sometimes, you can look at songs that are not Christian based, and apply them to God. She goes and gets herself shot and then with her dying breaths, she tells him how she feels. How many people never take the opportunity to know God or tell Him how they feel until it's almost too late? God is so good to us. He is so mighty. He is the love of our lives, or should be. I can't fathom a life without Him in it.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's song.....

You've got to be kidding me....

I have never gotten what I wanted. Ever. I was not the sterotypical only child, getting everything I wanted, being all selfish and self centered.

So when we got a mortgage pre aprroval back that said "Congratulations on your new home!" I was wondering where the candid camera people were hiding.

That easy? You've got to be kidding me!

7 years ago, we had a house. We were young and bought a house that was in our price range, but wasn't affordable. We couldn't afford it by any means and the repairs that needed done to it we weren't able to do. So when we found mold, it was devastating. The mold specialist came in and took a good couple hours to go through my house, top to bottom.

"You want the good news or the bad news?"

That's always what you want to hear....

"The good news is, it is fixable. The bad news is, it will cost you about 50k and you have to move out while we take your house down to a skeleton and start over."

We filed bankruptcy and foreclosed on our house. There was no way we could afford that, and even if we could've, it wasn't worth it in a 76k house.

Fast forward 7 years later and here we are. We have worked our rear ends off the last 7 years to make things right with our credit. It was very hard to do when Shane barely made enough to get us through, there wasn't a lot extra to save. He fell and broke his ankle right after we moved to Westfield and we had to live off of worker's comp. Even though I worked almost full time then, we couldn't make ends meet. We talked to banks and looked at our credit to see how much the points would go up or down. It was a long, slow process, but we finally got to where we need to be. Shane's credit is good enough to get a mortgage and mine isn't far behind. We heard the mortgage "experts" telling us, get credit cards, that's the fastest way to raise your score, but we refused, willing to wait to get a house rather than get credit cards and end up in a worse position.

Patience paid off. After 7 years, we are finally going to be able to buy a house. The house we always dreamed of.

I have always wanted to build a brand new house and now I get to! I wanted a ranch, with a front porch, 3 bed, 2 bath, fireplace, etc. Now, I get to have that dream!

Our home is called the Bradford. It is built by Arbor Homes. It has a front porch that we can sit chairs on and look out over the front yard. It has 3 bed, 2 bath and we have opted for the bonus room upstairs. We have a big kitchen that we are getting an island put in with three seats on the bar area (how perfect right? 3 seats for 3 Frye's!) I am also getting a wood burning fireplace. We got on a corner lot and it is close to the future amenities center and the woods. I couldn't ask for anything better. God is so good to us.

This comes at a time when I am still unsure. We have went back to our church home, but sometimes I feel like an outsider looking in. Some people won't even speak to me. Or making me feel guilty for having left to begin with. I feel like that is just a little immature on their part, but who am I to judge? While some have been warm and welcoming, I still feel like an outsider. I don't want to get involved right now at all, in fact, I signed up for an affinity group that I am not even sure I want to be a part of. I really just don't want to get involved right now in any capacity and this is getting involved in my book.

One thing I can be thankful for is not having to be involved in the student ministries. That was the area we were suppsed to be in charge of before we left, but somehow that got taken out of our hands. I was livid at first, because it didn't seem fair to Shane that something I did or said was taken out of context and he wouldn't get a chance to show Matt what he could do with the SM. It was my fault for trusting people with my feelings and now I know that things are better kept to myself. However, at this point, I am glad we aren't involved. I like Scott and think he is doing a good job with the kids. I am really glad to be free from responsibility. I don't have to sit at the church until all hours of the day and night waiting to lock up after everyone goes home or having to sit in the office and do nothing while Shane teaches. We can drop off Cameron, and then head off for a drive through the country, go get a milkshake or a car wash and then pick him up when they are finished. It is nice.

So anyway, I wonder in all this uncertainty in our life, how it is still possible for us to have this wonderful exciting thing happen to us? We were still faithful to God while we were not in our church home, but things were so awry and crazy for us and so unsure. But through all of this, God has still blessed us and given so much to be thankful for. Health, happiness, grace and forgiveness.

A bible study I am involved in with my MIL and SIL's has a five statement faith pledge. I am learning it and living it.
1 God is who He says He is
2. God can do what He says He can do
3. I can do all things through Christ
4. I am who God says I am
5. God is alive and active in me.

Instead of whining and complaining, start believing and receiving! Because I can tell you, the believing and receiving is so much better than the whining and complaining!

:)