Little by Little Video

Here's a video of the song I posted yesterday.

You are beautiful.

I've heard Mercy Me's "Beautiful" more times than I can count without ever really listening to the words. Until this morning. It played on my way to school. And. I was in tears. It spoke to me. God spoke to me. For so many reasons. This was just the song I needed to hear this morning. It has stuck with me all day. Replaying repeatedly in my head. I hope to pay it forward. And let someone else know.

You are meant for so much more than this.

You are treasured.

Your are sacred.

You are HIS!

Beautiful!

Because HE Lives

I attempt to listen to Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah each morning while driving to school. I say attempt simply because with two boys in the car with me I cannot always hear the radio. However a couple of weeks ago, they were occupied with other things and I was able to hear his message. He'd been doing a series on hope, and he began telling a story about Gloria Gaither (A Living Hope Part 2, aired on Wednesday, August 25, 2010, at 17mins & 30 secs). She was pregnant during the tumultuous times of the sixties and had become very depressed about what kind of world she was bringing her child in to. She prayed and prayed, and then one day her veil of depression began to lift as the Lord moved upon her heart with the central message of the hope in the risen Christ. She was so overcome with the principle of life conquering death not someday but today. She expressed her feelings and emotions by writing the song, Because He Lives. Dr. Jeremiah commented on how the second verse to the song now makes so much more sense:

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,

And feel the pride and joy he gives;

But greater still the calm assurance:

This child can face uncertain days because HE lives!

I've now heard the sermon several times, and each time I hear it I have tears running down my face. You see, I've been where Gloria Gaither was...on this day nine years ago. I was four months pregnant with my precious Trey and I was teaching 1st grade just south of Atlanta. One of the teachers came in to tell me what had happened. I busied my students and went across the hall to a second grade classroom (second grade was at activity) and watched on the television. Shortly after it was time for my students to go to activity. While they were gone I sat in my classroom, eyes glued to the television, tears streaming down my face, wondering what kind of world I was bringing my baby in to. It was a very helpless and hopeless feeling. But, our God is a God of hope & because He lives we can face tomorrow.

Happy Mother's Day

Our children grow up way too fast. Every mother knows this. However, lately it has been heavy on my heart that my boys are no longer babies. It has, at times, been a physical ache watching my children grow up. Of course I want them to grow, learn, become independent, but it is with a heavy heart that I let them grow and go. I want to hold on to them, cling to this time I have with them. So, sometimes I do cling a little bit more, squeeze them a little tighter, hold on just a little bit more. Their childhood is so fleeting. We will never get these moments back, and I know that I am gonna miss this when it's gone!

Way Back When...

This past week friends on facebook asked everyone to post flashback pictures from way back when. This picture was handy because it's been on my refrigerator ever since we found it when going thorough Grandma Lorene's things. This would be Phil's senior/my junior prom in the spring of 1993. It reminds me of a simpler time, and also reminds me of how far we have come. The girl in this photo would never have dreamed that the journey to today would have been so full of twists and turns. And while the journey to today has not always been a smooth ride, I am so thankful that it has brought me to this day and to this life that I now have. One thing has not changed over the years though and that is our shameless love...Phil has been singing Garth Brooks' Shameless to me for almost 20 years (okay, WOW, I feel really old now!). It is our song...he sang it to me while we dated in high school, Shameless is inscribed inside his wedding band, it was our first dance at our wedding, and yes, he still sings it to me. And while she didn't realize it way back then, the girl in this photo was very blessed indeed, just as I am today!

While I'm Waiting...

Anyone who knows me well, knows that patience is not a virtue that I possess. I want things to happen in my time, but God has continually shown me that I must have patience and learn to trust in His timing. Yesterday I was having a bad day, and was very frustrated about certain things not going as smoothly as they were supposed to go. I picked up the phone to call a friend who is going through a difficult time and got the message, "please enjoy the music while we find the subscriber you have called." Then I heard the final words of this song..."I will worship while I'm waiting". I knew that God was sending me a message loud and clear! I feel like, not only was He telling me to be patient and wait on His timing, but that I also needed to share this message with the friend who I was calling. Now I'm sharing it with all of you! I hope that it inspires you too!

I don't know why...

but I LOVE this song.

And just so you know. I don't know how Jules resists Shawn.

Time After Time

I recently saw this YouTube for Time After Time. The video is wonderful and really spoke to me. I wanted to post the YouTube here, not only for all of you to enjoy but so that I could view it whenever I wanted to. Alas, I can't figure out how to post a YouTube on here so here is the direct link and if anyone can tell me how to post the video on here I would greatly appreciate it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9UWPraNgig

Yea! I figured it out!