Happy Monday

Happy Monday! Been a "couple" days since I've visited blogville! We had a busy weekend...took the kids to the Harvest of Arts Festival...also the place where the kids will get to go tubing...it's run by Christians and they have a worship hour for the kids during their winter tubing camps! The kids enjoyed doing all sorts of crafts. Here's a couple pics.




Then Michael's had crazy, funky, weird, abnormal working hours. And this week he is camping out in the field for a few days! He's also had several pack inspections which means literally he has to go through all his army gear, which is like A LOT! and check things off his list they will be looking for. Seriously thinking of changing paint and decor to camoflauge...maybe all his gear around the living room/dining room will just blend in! ;) BUT all this army gear in my house, reminds me that he is STILL here and that I am so thankful for the few months God has given us together (he was moved to a different brigade when we got here, which was a huge blessing, because if they hadn't moved him, he would be leaving in 2 weeks!!!)

Sunday afternoon, after church, I had a photoshoot do to. I was feeling so poorly, lack of sleep I think, anyway, so I was really nervous, because I decided to do a new location and try some new props. It was raining Sunday morning, so I wasn't even sure if we were still on, but then it turned beautiful and I got a ton of photos to play with(edit). I will post my photos tomorrow. But I will give you a sneak peak for now;)


Wow, Sunday morning I had such a powerful hour of worship with the Lord...I say hour, but I'm still thinking about it today! I should back up and tell you the other night...

in the shower....

Well, hey, it's peaceful and QUIET in there, except for the delicious sound of running water. I like to imagine sometimes I'm standing underneath a beautiful waterfall...okay nevermind.

Anyway, I was thinking about how even in my best attempt to leave self out of my service to the Lord, I still fail miserably. Can't I do anything, just out of pure love and gratitude to the Lord? Why does my vile, wicked self always get in the way in my motives for serving the Lord in music, bible reading, loving others, giving...

Even if I were to read my Bible through in a month, pray four hours each morning, remember my friends by name in prayer everyday, and love my family and neighbors unconditionally, I STILL would fail to be approved of God. My sinful, wicked nature would not let me.

Thanks be to God the instant I became a child of God, HIS righteous poured over me and no longer am I bound by the law to find approval from Him, because when He sees me, He sees the blood of His Son Jesus Christ--He sees me clothed in His righteousness---SO now I have found the everlasting approval and love of God.

So why do we still feel inadequate to meet the "standards" of the law? The blood of Jesus freed us from the law...the law that says you have to read your bible, pray every day, love one another! I'm not saying at all that you shouldn't do these things!!! But what is my motive for reading my bible, praying, going to church, passing out tracts, witnessing, giving tithes??? Is it to approve myself before God? SO I feel more righteous? In our flesh, we will NEVER find satisfaction with how much Bible reading, service, and prayer time we do! Those that try to, suffer depression, anxiety, doubt, and the Devil makes them completely useless to perform the work God wants to perform in them.

If I've accepted God's work on the cross sufficient for my sins, then the WORK is already done, I'm approved and deemed righteous before God. No amount of scripture reading, praying, and service can add to it! God said, "It is finished!" before He even left the cross.

I am so vile and wicked in my best attempts to please HIM, that it is ONLY through His righteousness that I am worthy to be accepted and approved of Him. It's all HIM! There is no me in the equation!

Realizing this, I find complete freedom and abandonment of self, to truly serve the Lord and a desire to read and pray because I love Him for what He did for me!Realizing this AMAZING, MERCIFUL, GRACIOUS, act of LOVE spurs me on to desire to read more about HIM, to pray for forgiveness and a plea to become more Christ-like so that He will find me in HIS RIGHTEOUNSESS, worthy to bring others to HIM! There's a WANT-TO, not a feeling of HAVE-TO, because I have already found approval of God through His sacrifice of love for me!

What an amazing Saviour I serve!!!!


Thank you my dear friends and followers for the encouraging words and testimonies on my last post! Praise the Lord for the power of His word and His ability to use my feeble words.