Hello Readers!
There is a lovely little blog party going on over at Bramblewood Fashion that I'm very excited to be a part of!!! Here is the button, and below are my answers!





1. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?Italy. Italy Italy Italy! I am longing to see Florence, Rome, and especially Venice! So much history and culture... and delicious food! I was *this* close to going there last year, but we went to England instead. London is a lovely city, but I am determined to make it to Italy someday!
2. What is the oldest item you own?
The books that my great grandma gave me after my great grandfather died. Some of them date back to the 1800's! I love them because of their age and because I love books, but they are particularly special to me because they are a connection to my Gramp who loved to read.
3. If you had to pick one hero, who would it be?
Oh dear, too many to count! I think I would have to go with Paul though. What an impact for Christ!
4. If you could have dinner with any three people, living or dead. Who would it be?
Hm.... do fictional people count? =) Not trying to sound "overly spiritual" but I think I would honestly choose Jesus first, and then the other two people really wouldn't matter much. I would so love to spend time talking to my savior face to face!!!
5. Which do you like better, Coke or Pepsi?
Actually I kind of detest pop, so I'd have to go with neither.
6. What would you rather have- chocolate or a cookie?
Any time that chocolate is an option, it will always be my answer
7. What is your favorite season?
Summer and Winter. I like extremes apparently!
8. What's your favorite thing about Spring?
The smell. I love the way you can smell the flowers and the sunshine and just.... yes, the smell =)
9. What's your favorite music?
Sacred mostly, with a bit of classical, soundtracks, and a teensy bit of old-timey music (Frank Sinatra, for example)
10. What's your fashion/personal style?
Hm..... Vintage, classic, feminine, and.... unique =D

Is It Well With My Soul?

One of my favorite hymns is It Is Well With My Soul, by Horatio G. Spafford. There is a lovely arrangement of it on this cd (one of my current favorite albums btw) and I've been listening to it almost nonstop lately. Add to that the fact that we just sang this song in church and... yeah, it's been on my mind lately.

There is so much truth in this song, so much comfort, and so much conviction as well. Because as I've listened to it over and over again, I've had to repeatedly ask myself:

Is it well with my soul?

The first verse makes me think about every day instances.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul

For example: when I'm late to work and my car is out of gas and someone cuts me off on the highway, is it well with my soul? Do I walk in the Spirit and keep a good attitude, or do I scream "OUTTA MY WAY YOU MORON!!!" I have to admit, there are  times of both. Why am I so easily ruffled? I have a big God who is in control of everything, even my daily commute! So why don't I trust Him more easily and just do right? Or, as Pastor Scott preached on a couple of weeks ago, why can't I exhibit more meekness?

The third verse gets me thinking a little more deeply.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

My sin, not in part but the whole!!! Wow!!! We have so many reasons to glory in Christ. He has taken all of my sin on Himself and set me free from the bondage I was in! He has sealed me with His Holy Spirit and will never, ever let me go!!! He WILL finish the work that was started in me at salvation! So why am I so weighed down by this life? Why do I allow myself to grow so weary, so busy trudging down here that I forget to look up? I think a big part of the problem is addressed in 2 Timothy 2:4

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please Him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Even after reading this verse again and again and again,
I get so entangled with this life.
I worry and stress and struggle and focus on things of this earth. With what I'm going to do here, where I'm going to go, how I'm going to get there. I have problems with this relationship. I won't be able to afford this need. I bury myself under a load of anxiety, and instead of casting my cares on Him, I try to carry them all by myself. Then, after living my day to day life barely acknowledging God because I'm so focused on the things of this world, I wonder why I continually fall into sin. Why can't I get the victory? Maybe it's because I'm not being a good soldier.

I heard an incredible message on Sunday night entitled He Is Able. It was based on what is quickly returning to a 'favorite verse spot'.

Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.          Jude 1:24

It was one of the best messages I've ever heard, and I'd suggest you listen to it here. (Sermon from 05/08/2011 Evening) I think the biggest encouragement is in the title itself. He IS able!!! He can keep me from falling! He can give me victory over sin! I just need to 'untangle' myself from this world and and focus on Him, and "the Only wise God" will take care of the rest.

My Two Cents Worth

Well, this post won't be terribly wrong, or terribly original either. This is what everyone is talking about right now, and others have waaaay more wisdom than I do on this matter! But I haven't done a politics post in a while and this has been on my mind, so I thought I'd put in my two cents worth.

What am I feeling over the death of Osama Bin Laden?

If I said I was feeling only righteous sadness over the loss of his soul, I'd be lying.
If I said that I was only rejoicing in complete celebration over his death at the hands of our soldiers, I'd still be lying.

The truth is, I'm torn.
See, I have dual citizenship. I'm a citizen of the United States of America (The greatest country on earth!) and I'm proud to be so. But I'm also a citizen of Heaven, and have been since the day I was born again. So, the American in me wants to jump up and down saying "yes yes Yes Yes YES!!!" But the Christian in me.... is glad that God's justice has prevailed, but also sad that a soul was just condemned to Hell for all eternity.
I can't deny the sense of satisfaction at the justice of his death, who killed so many of my countrymen. But neither can I think of where he is now without a twinge of regret at the waste of a life, and without wishing that at some point in his life he had turned to the Savior. This leads to something else I've been thinking a lot about, something my cousin Luke brought up yesterday-

Do I feel that same regret over every person that dies without Christ?

This is such a high profile case that it's easy for everyone to pass judgement and have an opinion, we are all thinking about it. But am I daily grieved because people are lost and dying without a Savior? Witnessing isn't just something to do when you get around to it. I need to feel a sense of urgency! People are dying every day, and they need to hear!!! So, while it is too late for Bin Laden, the best thing that I can do is go out there and tell everyone I can, before it's too late.