today i went with a dear friend to a live simulcast of beth moore's living proof {more on this in a later post}. i wanted to take a minute to share a couple of songs that touched me during worship. i'll just share portions of the lyrics. i pray that these lyrics are a reminder of God's endless love for you, yes YOU! the first set is a picture of how God loves us, of how God knows us. he knows our every tear. he knows our every hurt, disappointment, frustration behind those tears.
he knows my name...he knows my every thought...he sees every tear that falls...and he hears me when i call
the second set of lyrics reminds me of how i come before God. i am certain that you can relate.
i come broken to be mended...i come wounded to be healed...i come desperate to be rescued...i come empty to be filled...i come guilty to be pardoned...by the blood of christ the lamb...and i'm welcomed with open arms...just as i am
do you hear that last part? and i'm welcomed with open arms. let that resound in your heart. may you know that today. know that your heavenly father welcomes you with open arms even if you are broken, even if you are wounded, even if you are desperate, even if you are empty, even if you are guilty. he has welcomed you into his arms.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
the great alice
two more books checked off of the reading list. a few books behind, but i am moving forward. this week's reads: the great gatsby { f. scott fitzgerald} and alice's adventures in wonderland {lewis carroll}. i actually read the great gatsby in high school and remembered enjoying it. now reading again, i have decided it is just depressing, a sad way to live. a few years ago, i remember watching alice in wonderland with a few kids at work and thinking, "what is this? this is actually a kid's movie? what someone in less than a normal state of mind when it was created?" of course, as a kid, you do not see the oddities, but watching it as an adult certainly makes you realize, it is not a normal story. i was really interested in reading the book then so i could see how the book and movie compared. well, no let down there. the book is full of even more oddities. as always though, here are a few quotes that stuck out to me.
"in my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that i've been turning over in my mind ever since. 'whenever you feel like criticizing any one,' he told me, 'just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.'" the great gatsby { f. scott fitzgerald}
"there are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy, and the tired." the great gatsby { f. scott fitzgerald} [i know where i would categorize myself these last few weeks - the busy and the tired. i need to fix this.]
"in two weeks it'll be the longest day in the year...do you always watch for the longest day of the year and then miss it? i always watch for the longest day in the year and then miss it." the great gatsby { f. scott fitzgerald} [true? yes. being a planner, i feel as though i am always looking forward to this or to that. before i know it, this or that has passed. sometimes i am so focused on the this or that, that i do not fully engage myself in the actual moment of enjoying the this or that. have you missed a this or a that?]
"'and what is the use of a book,' thought alice, 'without pictures or conversations?'" alice's adventures in wonderland {lewis carroll}
"she generally gave herself very good advice (though she very seldom followed it)" alice's adventures in wonderland {lewis carroll} [describe you? describes me.]
"and the moral of that is--'be what you would seem to be'--or, if you'd like it put more simply--'never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.'" alice's adventures in wonderland {lewis carroll}
it has been quite dreary the last two days here. rain.wind.rain.cold.rain. tonight, i am snuggling up on the couch with a hot cup of tea and beginning my new read, the poisonwood bible {barbara kingsolver}. i am excited to begin this read for two reasons. one: i will be reading it with a friend so we can discuss it as we go. two: that sweet friend surprised me one day with a copy of the book that she picked up for me while she was shopping simply because she knew it was on my list. love simple, thoughtful gifts.
"in my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that i've been turning over in my mind ever since. 'whenever you feel like criticizing any one,' he told me, 'just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.'" the great gatsby { f. scott fitzgerald}
"there are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy, and the tired." the great gatsby { f. scott fitzgerald} [i know where i would categorize myself these last few weeks - the busy and the tired. i need to fix this.]
"in two weeks it'll be the longest day in the year...do you always watch for the longest day of the year and then miss it? i always watch for the longest day in the year and then miss it." the great gatsby { f. scott fitzgerald} [true? yes. being a planner, i feel as though i am always looking forward to this or to that. before i know it, this or that has passed. sometimes i am so focused on the this or that, that i do not fully engage myself in the actual moment of enjoying the this or that. have you missed a this or a that?]
"'and what is the use of a book,' thought alice, 'without pictures or conversations?'" alice's adventures in wonderland {lewis carroll}
"she generally gave herself very good advice (though she very seldom followed it)" alice's adventures in wonderland {lewis carroll} [describe you? describes me.]
"and the moral of that is--'be what you would seem to be'--or, if you'd like it put more simply--'never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.'" alice's adventures in wonderland {lewis carroll}
it has been quite dreary the last two days here. rain.wind.rain.cold.rain. tonight, i am snuggling up on the couch with a hot cup of tea and beginning my new read, the poisonwood bible {barbara kingsolver}. i am excited to begin this read for two reasons. one: i will be reading it with a friend so we can discuss it as we go. two: that sweet friend surprised me one day with a copy of the book that she picked up for me while she was shopping simply because she knew it was on my list. love simple, thoughtful gifts.
Friday, September 02, 2011
smiling, but we're close to tears
the last couple weeks at work have been overwhelming. i've battled students. i've battled parents of the students. i've battled husbands of the students. i've battled tears. lots of tears. despite flowers from a sweet friend and lunch from a generous professor, friday of last week ended with a voicemail that defeated the last bit of strength, composure, and confidence i felt i had to perform my job well. sound dramatic? in those moments, it was nothing but dramatic.
though this week i still had battles to fight, my friday ended on a completely different note. before shutting down my work computer, i received this message from a student, "thank you so much miranda! you are an angel! have a fantastic weekend!"
this note of thanks and appreciation was incredible, seriously. it made me think back to something i had read earlier in the week from my utmost for his highest {oswald chambers}: "the lives that have been the greatest blessing to you are the lives of those people who themselves were unaware of having been a blessing." while it is true, a simple thanks goes a long way, when that appreciation seems to be completely out of the blue, it goes an even further distance. i needed that today.
needless to say, i have found it easy the past couple of weeks to complain, to be miserable, to throw many, many self-pity parties. not that anyone does, but i do not like being miserable. it goes against who i am. so i am thankful that things are looking up. sometimes things are tough, but i have plenty in my life to be joyful. even though i get close to tears, i am still smiling. know that feeling?
though this week i still had battles to fight, my friday ended on a completely different note. before shutting down my work computer, i received this message from a student, "thank you so much miranda! you are an angel! have a fantastic weekend!"
this note of thanks and appreciation was incredible, seriously. it made me think back to something i had read earlier in the week from my utmost for his highest {oswald chambers}: "the lives that have been the greatest blessing to you are the lives of those people who themselves were unaware of having been a blessing." while it is true, a simple thanks goes a long way, when that appreciation seems to be completely out of the blue, it goes an even further distance. i needed that today.
needless to say, i have found it easy the past couple of weeks to complain, to be miserable, to throw many, many self-pity parties. not that anyone does, but i do not like being miserable. it goes against who i am. so i am thankful that things are looking up. sometimes things are tough, but i have plenty in my life to be joyful. even though i get close to tears, i am still smiling. know that feeling?
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