Sweet Journey

This past weekend I had the priviledge of leading the worship music for a ladies retreat.  We had so much fun!  And what a lesson Beth Moore had for us in Loving Well!  Several people asked about the music so here is the play list.  If you click on the links for the albums, it will take you to Amazon.com.  I don't have itunes, so I use Amazon.  But you should be able to easily find it with the title, album, and artist no matter what medium you use--even the bookstore!  :)  I believe most of these are available to get individually mp3 downloads through these links.  Good luck!  And enjoy!

"Hallelujah, God is Here"-- By Travis Cottrell from the album Jesus Saves: Live
"Circle of Friends"--By Point of Grace from the album WOW 1998 (Originally on
       Life, Love, and Other Mysteries album)
"Friend of God"-- By Travis Cottrell from the album Alive Forever
"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty"-- By Travis Cottrell from the album Alive Forever
"Shout to the Lord"-- By Chris Tomlin from the album Authentic (Can't find this specific CD,
       but you can find the song.)
"The Power of Your Love"-- By Travis Cottrell from the album Unashamed Love

"You are Good"-- By Travis Cottrell from the album Unashamed Love
"Hallelujah, Jesus"-- By Monk & Neagle from the album The Twenty-First Time
"Your Name"-- By Paul Baloche from the album Wow Worship Purple (Again I’m not sure
       what this was originally on, but when you google it, you will find it.)
"My Jesus I Love Thee"--hymn
"I Am Persuaded"-- By Travis Cottrell from the album Jesus Saves: Live
"In Christ Alone"-- By Travis Cottrell from the album Jesus Saves: Live (I think this may
        be on more than one of his albums—I love this one!)

"Forever"-- By Michael W. Smith from the album Worship
"Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord"--By Michael W. Smith from the album Worship
"Amazed"-- By Ross Parsley from the album I Am Free
"Just as I Am"-- By Travis Cottrell from the album When the Stars Burn Down

"I’m Changed"-- By Travis Cottrell from the album When the Stars Burn Down
"I Will Sing of My Redeemer (With You Set Me Free)"-- By Travis Cottrell from the album
        Jesus Saves: Live

1 John 4:7-10

My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can't know him if you don't love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God.

Right now I'm doing Beth Moore's Daniel Bible study.  This chunk of Scripture I'm memorizing this month comes from that.  Daniel prayed that God would reveal the king's dream and its meaning.  When He did, Daniel praised Him.  I love how Daniel says at the beginning that God has wisdom and power, and at the end God has given him wisdom and power.  I need to have a habit of praying, expecting an answer, and praising when He does.  He alone has the wisdom and power that I need.

Daniel 2:19b-23
Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said:
"Praise be to the Name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are His.
He changes times and seasons;
He sets up kings and deposes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
He reveals deep and hidden things;
He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.
I thank and praise You, O God of my fathers:
You have given me wisdom and power,
You have made known to me what we asked of You,
You have made known to us the dream of the king."
NIV

Yesterday we were scheduled to accompany SweetDoll and her class on a field trip.  However, about the time we were to leave, it was snowing huge beautiful flakes.  Even though it was not supposed to get serious, I agreed with her teacher's decision to postpone the trip.  Sure enough it was all melted by the time the kids got home from school, but this is the Panhandle and you just never know!  Next week we'll try again.

I had a blank to do list and a whole day...what's a girl to do?  BONUS DAY!  I did get some work done that desperately needed attention.  I helped the kids clean their rooms...I'm sure that "bonus" will be reflected on my paycheck.  *grin*  Then I picked up the guitar that the kids got for Christmas.  I have always wanted to play and even took lessons in elementary school but I didn't stay with it.  I probably quit just before I reached the part that I really wanted to know.  I realized that yesterday as I was going through the lessons.  The light bulb came on...OH!  That is why you start there!  But now I understand music a little bit more and hopefully it will sink into my brain better and I'll stick with it.  So I practiced until my fingertips could not do it any more.  I'm still feeling it this morning as I type!  But it was fun!  It was good to try something new.

Today I'm back to the usual laundry, but I might pick up the guitar and practice a bit.  I cut my fingernails.  I might as well!  ;)

How about you...tried anything new lately?  What would you do on a Bonus Day?

Back in 2009 Beth Moore challenged her blog community to memorize 24 Scriptures in 12 months.  Now I've gone to church and Sunday School my whole life, and as a kid I was encouraged to memorize Scripture, but not so much as an adult.  So this was a new venture I was not sure that I could accomplish.  The first year I didn't tell too many people that I was doing it, just in case I could not make it to the finish line.  That year was a difficult year with a move for us.  (I don't do change well.)  And the only way I made it through with my sanity was because of the work God's Word was doing in my life.  Much to my surprise, I made it to the finish line!  And promptly stepped up to the starting line for the next year because who knows what the future holds?  I did know I wanted to walk with God like that through whatever came.  For 2010 Beth did not do it officially on her blog, but I wanted to keep it up because I knew that I needed it.  I had been amazed at the accountability it was to post a comment on her blog with my verse, so I decided to put mine here on my own blog.  In 2011 Beth hosted it again, and is taking 2012 off.  So I decided to post mine here again. 

Please know that it is in no way a "look at how great I am."  I am a work in progress, and trust me, I have a long ways to go--just like everyone else.  It is simply an accountability.  If I know I want to post it, I'm going to really do it! 

This is also an invitation to join me!  Over the past three years, God's Word has truly become more alive and active in my life.  The difference is motivation to take every opportunity to encourage anyone who will to do it with me.  You will not be disappointed.  God promises that His Word will not return void.  It is powerful and effective to do work.  I don't know about you, but with all the uncertainty and trouble we face, I need the stability of God and His Word. 

This is my plan for this year.  Beth set up a habit of choosing a new verse on the 1st and 15th of each month.  So I will keep that pattern, but I will only post once a month.  If you would like this to be your accountability too, I would invite you to post a comment of the verses you are memorizing. 

A few things you may want to know if you are starting with me:
* Get you a spiral index cards to write them in.  It is easy to take with you to work on wherever.  (There is also a SSMT app for iPhones and Androids.) 
*  You do not have to choose the ones I'm doing.  If they resonate with you, by all means, do them with me.  Pick ones that you need at this time in your life and they will come to mind more often and be easier to memorize.  They will come up in your personal Bible study, Sunday School, sermons...be on the look out and God will give you the verse that you need.
*  Does it have to be word for word?  No.  It is what I try to do, but if you are meditating on His Word and letting it change the way you think and react to life you are accomplishing the goal.  Don't get hung up on perfection and quit. 

If you have any questions, just ask.  I would love to encourage you on your walk with Him!

Are you ready?  Here we go!

These are the verses I'm memorizing in January.  (Yes, there are three.  One just really got me in Bible study and I had to add it.  Next time there might just be one because life happens.  Do what is best for you.)

Psalm 21:7
For the king trusts in the Lord;
through the unfailing love of the Most High
he will not be shaken.
NIV

James 1:19-20
My dearly loved brothers, understand this:
everyone must be quick to hear,
slow to speak,
and slow to anger,
for man's anger does not accomplish God's righteousness.
HCSB

1 Corinthians 4:3-4
It is of little importance to me that I should be evaluated by you or by [any] human court.  In fact, I don't even evaluate myself.  For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified by this.  The One who evaluates me is the Lord.
HCSB

You can read more about my Scripture Memory journey here.  Again, please hear my heart that this is not a brag thing.  I hope that it is an encouragement and resource if you are searching for a verse.

One of my favorite things about being a mom are those hugs when the kids first get up.  We call them "wakin' up hugs."  This morning SweetTate came and crawled in my lap.  I told him, "I love wakin' up hugs."  He said, "Mom, I'm just going to let you hug me" and tucked his arms in between us to keep them warm.  I'm sure that he was thinking just let me wrap my arms around him, as opposed to monkey hugs--another favorite--where he wraps his arms and legs around me and can hang on all by himself even if I walk around!

I happened to be sitting at the table doing my Bible study when he came in.  His comment made me think of my wakin' up hugs with my Heavenly Father.  Some mornings I'm clinging to Him with all my might.  Other times I just need to let Him hug me.  This weekend I heard Beth Moore speak and she made the point that we have to operate out of a present awareness of His love.  That fills us up so we have what we need to love others.  If we try to love others without knowing that He loves us, we will run out of energy really fast.  His hugs come in lots of different forms.  It may be a sunrise.  Maybe a fresh insight from His Word.  Or one of His little ones coming into your arms to just be with you.

Thank You, Father, for these precious moments and the reminder of Your love for me.

Speaking of New Year's resolutions...one thing I want to do more this year is write.  Before I used the blog as a reference for the scrapbook, but of late, I have kept it up to date.  Well, until this fall.  I also used the blog as a way to update family far away.  Now we are all on facebook.  Yes, yet another blog-dropout because of fb. Then there was the whole "everyone will think I'm a dork if I write what is really on my heart."  Guess what?  The 10's of people...OK 10 people...who read this love me and know I'm a nerd.  :)  So here's to the new year and we'll see what happens!

Cleaning out the kids' backpacks is like opening a time capsule!  SweetDoll had art work from Vetran's Day!  And a donut that had been there since at least before Christmas.  Yuck!  Then there are also some treasures.  SweetBoy's teacher gives them a quote to memorize each week.  She always picks really good ones.  This one caught my attention.

"Success is not final;
failure is not fatal;
it is the courage to continue that counts."
~ Winston Churchill

January is almost over and I'm just now getting a handle on the new year.  I saw this on another blog and thought I would use it to recap 2011.