Too often I forget to 'be still and know.' How easy it seems to just go through each day forgetting to even spend one minute in silence alone with God. If we'll be still, open our hearts, and listen.. really listen, ..then we just might hear.
Today I was reading where my bible happened to be opened to. Jeremiah chapters 8, 9 and 10. I came upon this verse and thought it very fitting to go along with a new video I had been wanting to do. The verse is Jeremiah 10:13 but let me start reading a little before that:
But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.
He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. -Jeremiah 10:10-13
My Lord is Near Me All the Time: words and tune Forest Park, Barbara Fowler Gaultney, 1960.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Be Still, and Know
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
-Psalm 46
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
-Psalm 46
Monday, March 16, 2009
New Post
How's that for a title?! It's late and I'm supposed to be in bed but I wanted to type a quick blog for today.
I got on the christian-chat.com chat site tonight just to see if anything interesting was being chatted about. I hadn't been on that site in quite some time so I thought it'd be fun to see who was on. And for those that don't know, that is the chat site where I first met Krista way back in ..'97 was it?
Anyways, I stumbled upon an interesting fact that I've never noticed before. I knew that God made light on the first day and didn't create the sun, moon, and stars til the fourth day, but It never dawned on me that veggetation was made on day three. So God made living plants before he made the sunshine! How about that?!
The person I chatted with was telling me how plants could live in darkness for well over a day. I haven't tried his experiment of putting live weeds in a basement, but I wouldn't doubt that they could live in darkness for more than a day. Isn't it amazing just how awesome our God is?!? Well, I will leave this blog at that for today and head to bed. Be blessed!!
I got on the christian-chat.com chat site tonight just to see if anything interesting was being chatted about. I hadn't been on that site in quite some time so I thought it'd be fun to see who was on. And for those that don't know, that is the chat site where I first met Krista way back in ..'97 was it?
Anyways, I stumbled upon an interesting fact that I've never noticed before. I knew that God made light on the first day and didn't create the sun, moon, and stars til the fourth day, but It never dawned on me that veggetation was made on day three. So God made living plants before he made the sunshine! How about that?!
The person I chatted with was telling me how plants could live in darkness for well over a day. I haven't tried his experiment of putting live weeds in a basement, but I wouldn't doubt that they could live in darkness for more than a day. Isn't it amazing just how awesome our God is?!? Well, I will leave this blog at that for today and head to bed. Be blessed!!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Friends
Well I wasn't going to blog last night but then after reading some notes by others on facebook, this subject kind of hit me like a brick. The subject of friends. You see I was reading about someone who had lots of friends on an outward level, but not really on the deep inner level. But when faced with a crisis, the friends were there on more of the deep level. And well maybe that's how it is with a lot of us. We know people but we don't REALLY know people. We'll help a person out when we SEE that they have a need, but how often do we SEEK with questions to find out if someone has an inner need that we do not see.
I know that I, myself, have a very hard time getting to know people. It's been such my entire life. And the only thing I know to blame that on is my shyness. Even though I'm not nearly as shy as when I was younger, I'm still the type of guy who can't make conversation and ask questions just to get to know someone. Perhaps it's the fear of saying something stupid or the fear of simply being rejected. I don't really know. All I know is that for a long time I've wanted it to change. I wanna be the one who makes the first introduction. The one who's not afraid to ask the deep questions and not afraid to give an answer even when the answer might be crap. After all, a REAL friend is someone you know really well and can even give wrong answers to and still be loved just because.. ..well just because! It means you've shared some of life's journeys together and you know things about each other that others may not know. And so even in bad times or when saying stupid things you know that you know that you know your friend will still be there.
Lo and behold it was the internet that allowed me to make my first such friend. The one who I could talk to unashamedly and tell deep dark secrets to. And so even now I can sit here typing this via internet cause those fears that I guess exist in person don't seem to exist quite as badly here. I don't have the fear of rejection or of saying something stupid even though what I type goes out to anyone in the world who wants to read it. When things ARE rejected though, there's always the delete option!
Modern internet social sites have allowed outward friend making easier than ever. Making that 'inner' friendship is still not always so easy though. Yet long before social and dating sites, the internet brought me my first and still only real intimate friend. The one who became my help mate, my wife. Maybe we're all supposed to have only one really really intimate friend that we become married to, but aren't there still others throughout life that we get to know on different intimate levels?
I can't speak for myself because my wife is still my only intimate friend period. I did have one cousin I was real close friends with when growing up but other that that, I never knew anyone on a deep level. I did begin to know some folks on a slightly deeper level when I was attending a prayer group on a regular basis as a teen. But alas, we grow older and groups fall away. I'm a husband and a father now and work two different jobs so you'd think I would know some folks on a bit of deeper level but I feel I don't. Even with family members I only seem to know what I see on the outside.
Other than my wife and kids, I have few persons if any that I feel I could call a REAL friend. And by that I mean someone I know inside and out. I know that Jesus is the one intimate friend who is ALWAYS there, but that's not the point of what I'm trying to discuss here. And any one that I did know closely as a friend when growing up doesn't count either cause I live to far away now to see them on a regular basis. That also adds to my point that I never had a close friend even when growing up since I don't know anyone that I even call and talk to on a regular basis other than my mom. And that's back to family again which doesn't really count.
So it is my desire that I will become better at knowing outward friends, workers, and even family members on a deeper level. If I can brave my outside fears to reach deep into someone's life on the inside, then perhaps God can better use me. I see the outward appearance of people around me everyday, but it is what's on the inside that I want to know more of. Don't take me wrong, I never want to be as intimate with someone as I am with my wife, but I do hope I can know people on a deep enough level to pray with them through life's struggles.
I mean even I could use one good friend who I'd know would be there to pray with me when I struggle in life. Someone other than just my wife that is. I think everyone needs some sort of accountability partner, a friend that can just be a friend. Someone other than your mate, but yet someone who you know deep enough to tell those secret things to that you sometimes need prayer about. Sure you can pray between yourself and God but there's power in the prayer of two people together. Jesus said "where two or more are gathered together in my name, there I am also." As old sayings go.. two heads are better than one and a three chord strand is not easily broken. I'll leave with this verse:
I know that I, myself, have a very hard time getting to know people. It's been such my entire life. And the only thing I know to blame that on is my shyness. Even though I'm not nearly as shy as when I was younger, I'm still the type of guy who can't make conversation and ask questions just to get to know someone. Perhaps it's the fear of saying something stupid or the fear of simply being rejected. I don't really know. All I know is that for a long time I've wanted it to change. I wanna be the one who makes the first introduction. The one who's not afraid to ask the deep questions and not afraid to give an answer even when the answer might be crap. After all, a REAL friend is someone you know really well and can even give wrong answers to and still be loved just because.. ..well just because! It means you've shared some of life's journeys together and you know things about each other that others may not know. And so even in bad times or when saying stupid things you know that you know that you know your friend will still be there.
Lo and behold it was the internet that allowed me to make my first such friend. The one who I could talk to unashamedly and tell deep dark secrets to. And so even now I can sit here typing this via internet cause those fears that I guess exist in person don't seem to exist quite as badly here. I don't have the fear of rejection or of saying something stupid even though what I type goes out to anyone in the world who wants to read it. When things ARE rejected though, there's always the delete option!
Modern internet social sites have allowed outward friend making easier than ever. Making that 'inner' friendship is still not always so easy though. Yet long before social and dating sites, the internet brought me my first and still only real intimate friend. The one who became my help mate, my wife. Maybe we're all supposed to have only one really really intimate friend that we become married to, but aren't there still others throughout life that we get to know on different intimate levels?
I can't speak for myself because my wife is still my only intimate friend period. I did have one cousin I was real close friends with when growing up but other that that, I never knew anyone on a deep level. I did begin to know some folks on a slightly deeper level when I was attending a prayer group on a regular basis as a teen. But alas, we grow older and groups fall away. I'm a husband and a father now and work two different jobs so you'd think I would know some folks on a bit of deeper level but I feel I don't. Even with family members I only seem to know what I see on the outside.
Other than my wife and kids, I have few persons if any that I feel I could call a REAL friend. And by that I mean someone I know inside and out. I know that Jesus is the one intimate friend who is ALWAYS there, but that's not the point of what I'm trying to discuss here. And any one that I did know closely as a friend when growing up doesn't count either cause I live to far away now to see them on a regular basis. That also adds to my point that I never had a close friend even when growing up since I don't know anyone that I even call and talk to on a regular basis other than my mom. And that's back to family again which doesn't really count.
So it is my desire that I will become better at knowing outward friends, workers, and even family members on a deeper level. If I can brave my outside fears to reach deep into someone's life on the inside, then perhaps God can better use me. I see the outward appearance of people around me everyday, but it is what's on the inside that I want to know more of. Don't take me wrong, I never want to be as intimate with someone as I am with my wife, but I do hope I can know people on a deep enough level to pray with them through life's struggles.
I mean even I could use one good friend who I'd know would be there to pray with me when I struggle in life. Someone other than just my wife that is. I think everyone needs some sort of accountability partner, a friend that can just be a friend. Someone other than your mate, but yet someone who you know deep enough to tell those secret things to that you sometimes need prayer about. Sure you can pray between yourself and God but there's power in the prayer of two people together. Jesus said "where two or more are gathered together in my name, there I am also." As old sayings go.. two heads are better than one and a three chord strand is not easily broken. I'll leave with this verse:
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. -Proverbs 27:9
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Missing Hour!
Oh where Oh where did my hour just go??? Ah, the lack of sleep! especially when the time jumps up an hour. Figured I'd type a blog fer today since I'm up anyways and can't get to sleep yet. Besides that, my day will be busy as we are celebrating Lacy's 5th Birthday this evening with a party at our house after Lacy's first tee ball practice which is not long after lunch which is usually right after church service which isn't long after breakfast! (Said a mouth ful didn't I?!)
It's not just the lack of an hour that is causing me to loose sleep tonight. After facebooking awhile when I got home from work, my 2 yr old daughter woke up needing a drink. After getting the drink and tucking her back into bed, it wasn't long before she woke up wanting to snuggle. So I snuggled with her for quite a while and then put her back down. Now she just woke up again as I was in the midst of blogging and so now I'm typing while my daughter is snuggling with me in the rocking chair.
I'm generally not good at multi tasking, but if there's one thing I can do, it's to snuggle, rock, and type at the same time! Oh the joys of fatherhood! I honestly wouldn't trade this for anything. I love snuggling and rocking my Gabriella Gracie Jo Phillips!! I wouldn't trade her for all the world! Children are such a blessing from God. Even with all the fussing and crankiness, it's times like this when you can relax in the quiet of night and just enjoy the moment of having a quiet child who you know loves you with all their heart.
It's in this missing hour that I pray my little one grows up to be even more lively for Jesus than I may ever be. And since this missing hour has put me on the subject of my Gabriella, next up just might be a song that her older sister wrote for her! But for now, a final try to get to bed tonight.
It's not just the lack of an hour that is causing me to loose sleep tonight. After facebooking awhile when I got home from work, my 2 yr old daughter woke up needing a drink. After getting the drink and tucking her back into bed, it wasn't long before she woke up wanting to snuggle. So I snuggled with her for quite a while and then put her back down. Now she just woke up again as I was in the midst of blogging and so now I'm typing while my daughter is snuggling with me in the rocking chair.
I'm generally not good at multi tasking, but if there's one thing I can do, it's to snuggle, rock, and type at the same time! Oh the joys of fatherhood! I honestly wouldn't trade this for anything. I love snuggling and rocking my Gabriella Gracie Jo Phillips!! I wouldn't trade her for all the world! Children are such a blessing from God. Even with all the fussing and crankiness, it's times like this when you can relax in the quiet of night and just enjoy the moment of having a quiet child who you know loves you with all their heart.
It's in this missing hour that I pray my little one grows up to be even more lively for Jesus than I may ever be. And since this missing hour has put me on the subject of my Gabriella, next up just might be a song that her older sister wrote for her! But for now, a final try to get to bed tonight.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Garage sales RULE
Umm, yeah, ..so I'm holding off on blogging about four until perhaps I have some readers to make it worth the effort. It's Friday night (almost Saturday now) and I just got home from work a bit ago so I'm gonna hit the sack and get some sleep. My wife want's to go to some garage sales in the morning so I BEST get some sleep so I can actually get up with her. Oh, and by the way, garage sales DO infact RULE! I've found many a bargain at them. Two 27" TVs for 20 bucks a piece and Two 20" TVs for absolutely FREE. How's that fer a bargain?! Mind you this was a few years ago too before the whole transitioning to digital thing. I'm sure there will be lots more old tubes to be found this year as many people are probably trashing them for flats if they don't buy the little box to convert the new digital signals. We've even found brand new gifts to give for Christmas at garage sales before. Tags still attached too!
So anyways, in honor of garage sales and, more importantly, in honor of my wife, I'm going to bed so I can actually get up with her and check out all the garage/yard sales in the morn. The difference between garage and yard sales is a subject for another day! To any who actually read this, have a blessed night!
So anyways, in honor of garage sales and, more importantly, in honor of my wife, I'm going to bed so I can actually get up with her and check out all the garage/yard sales in the morn. The difference between garage and yard sales is a subject for another day! To any who actually read this, have a blessed night!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Ahab
From 1Kings chapter 22:
20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.
22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
35 And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.
40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
I once wrote lyrics to a song titled 'Ahab' :
verse:
7th king of Israel, Lord told Micaiah you would fail
Micaiah came and told you so, but you never listened, Devil's drawn his bow
Satan's arrow has piereced you, now you're dead what can you do
bridge:
You believed in a lie
You surely died
chorus:
Don't believe in lie you'll die shot down by an arrow when you should have chose the narrow
Ahab a wicked king was you, you chose your own path and you never believed the truth
verse:
Ahab you wicked king, you surely felt the devil's sting
I never want to be like you, I want to live in light and truth
Arrow drawn in it's simplicity, what does it take to make you see?
Now for your enjoyment (or not!), the only video ever made of the song, Ahab, as performed by S.H.E.EP.
Matthew 7:14
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Will you believe in a lie?
20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.
22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
35 And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.
40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
I once wrote lyrics to a song titled 'Ahab' :
verse:
7th king of Israel, Lord told Micaiah you would fail
Micaiah came and told you so, but you never listened, Devil's drawn his bow
Satan's arrow has piereced you, now you're dead what can you do
bridge:
You believed in a lie
You surely died
chorus:
Don't believe in lie you'll die shot down by an arrow when you should have chose the narrow
Ahab a wicked king was you, you chose your own path and you never believed the truth
verse:
Ahab you wicked king, you surely felt the devil's sting
I never want to be like you, I want to live in light and truth
Arrow drawn in it's simplicity, what does it take to make you see?
Now for your enjoyment (or not!), the only video ever made of the song, Ahab, as performed by S.H.E.EP.
Matthew 7:14
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Will you believe in a lie?
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
My Beautiful Surprise
Hello blog! Thought I'd share a bit today about one of my daughters, Lacy. She's the younger of my oldest and the older of my youngest. The in between child age wise. Tomorrow March 4th is Lacy's 5th birthday. To those who don't know, Lacy is actually our 3rd daughter.
Krista was once about 8 weeks along with a child to later find that the child was no longer there. When standing in the doctor's office immediately after having seen the sonogram with no baby, I asked the Lord in my heart what the child's name was. Never telling Krista what name had popped into my mind, she told me a few days later that she really liked the name Abigail. That was exactly the name God had laid on my heart! We looked up the meaning of the name to find out that it means 'the Father's joy'. And we have no doubt that baby Abigail IS the Father's joy right up there with him in heaven!!
So Lacy came along eventually after that. God always has the perfect plan! I can't imagine life without my Lacy! She is soooo sweet, caring, loving and kind(when she wants to be)! When one of us is sick or hurt, Lacy is the one to bring a smile to our face with a kind thought or deed. Even through the screaming, pushing a sis, telling a lie, or throwing a fit, Lacy is still my pure joy and delight that I've been blessed by God to have. So in honor of her 5th birthday, I would like to share a song that I wrote for Lacy along with some pictures of her from a baby on up til now. I hope you enjoy and Lacy, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Krista was once about 8 weeks along with a child to later find that the child was no longer there. When standing in the doctor's office immediately after having seen the sonogram with no baby, I asked the Lord in my heart what the child's name was. Never telling Krista what name had popped into my mind, she told me a few days later that she really liked the name Abigail. That was exactly the name God had laid on my heart! We looked up the meaning of the name to find out that it means 'the Father's joy'. And we have no doubt that baby Abigail IS the Father's joy right up there with him in heaven!!
So Lacy came along eventually after that. God always has the perfect plan! I can't imagine life without my Lacy! She is soooo sweet, caring, loving and kind(when she wants to be)! When one of us is sick or hurt, Lacy is the one to bring a smile to our face with a kind thought or deed. Even through the screaming, pushing a sis, telling a lie, or throwing a fit, Lacy is still my pure joy and delight that I've been blessed by God to have. So in honor of her 5th birthday, I would like to share a song that I wrote for Lacy along with some pictures of her from a baby on up til now. I hope you enjoy and Lacy, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
I've Snow Title for Today!
Yawn, ...I sleepy. It's the first day of a new month and only one half hour left of it! I wanted to get a post in for today but I really don't know what to say. We had a fun snow this morn which will probably be completely melted by tommorrow evening. Perhaps I'll post a pic of the snowman my daughter made. She used a baby carrot for it's nose!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
