Trip Interuption

Well, unfortunately, Thomas's and my trip to CA to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousins got postponed. Seeing as how Thomas and I are po (we can't even afford the other o & r), a friend of mine heard about our upcoming trip and offered to get us free ticket vouchers. Her brother works for Southwest Airlines. This sounded like a great thing, so we accepted. Hey, it saved us over $300 for airfare. I couldn't pass it up.

So, we get to Dallas Love on Thursday around 9:45 am. We get our luggage checked, and eventually make our way to our gate and get signed up on the top of the non-revenue Standby list. Our flight is suppose to leave at 11:40 am.

Evrerything was going just peachy, until we discovered that when you are on nonrevenue standyby, you are at the very bottom of the standby list. So, low and behold, paid ticket standby people got on the plane... and we didn't.

This unfortunate scenerio ends up happening all day long.

By the time we'd not been able to get on the 6th flight out, we were at our wits end.
A guy at the gate counter gets on his computer and tells us that all the flights for CA are booked solid all weekend. Plus, all flights minus two have two to three layovers, and with standby, you are not guarenteed a seat on each layover. So, even if you made one flight, you could be pulled on the next and get stuck at your layover airport. Not a good thing.

So, by the time 4pm rolled around, we decided to just go home.

Big praise, though, our luggage didn't get lost! It got shipped back to Dallas Love from CA on Friday, and we had to drive back to the airport and get it later that afternoon.

I am bummed that our trip didn't work out, but I know that God is sovereign. He knows what He's doing, and He has a reason that we were not able to go.

I'm sure I will make it out there eventually, it just all depends on when.

Would you like to the know the moral of this story, kids?
Here it is:
I will never fly standby ever again!
A guarenteed seat is worth every penny you pay for you ticket.

Happy flying!

The Way of The Master

Cool website! It's run by Kirk Cameron from the TV show "Growing Pains."

http://www.thewayofthemaster.com/

Three Tears and a Smile

This story is both heart-breaking and encouraging. Pass it on.

The story:
http://www.nsalamerica.org/campaigns/chihuahuas/?cid=ars_2legged

The video:
http://adopt.animalleague.org/video.php?vid=12

Summer Break

Wow... hard to believe that it's June already. We're already half way thru 2007.
I don't know about all of you, but I for one am glad that summer is here. I'm not a big fan of cold weather. So, Yippee!

Well, a lot has happened since last I blogged...

The fam & I went up to Pennsylvania to see Tommy (aka Tom, as he is known/called up there) graduate from Lafayette College. He got his BA in Math with a minor in Spanish. Poor thing was having to deal with sinustitus & brochitus the whole time we were there, but he survived by the grace of God. I had never been to New England before and I now know why they call it New England. It really does remind me of England. Everything is very lush and green, lots of rolling hills and farm land, and (unfortunately) cold and rainy. Fortunately, none of us caught pnemonia while we were being rained on and freezing during the whole graduation ceremony.
Tommy, flew home with us, so now he's hanging out with us and looking for a real job now that he's all gra-gi-ate-ed.

I just got my grades from Criswell, and Praise The Lord! I passed all my classes, especially Hebrew. WooHoo! So, now I'm on summer break, and classes start again Aug. 20.

I'm also excited because in about 2 weeks, Tommy & I are gonna get to go to CA to visit our Uncle Emil, Aunt Elizabeth (my dad's sister), and their family. Emil & Elizabeth came to TX last summer to visit my family, and I really enjoyed getting to know them better and hanging out with them. They are so sweet, and I just know Tommy and I are gaonna have a blast.

My congratulations to Josh and Beth on their beautiful wedding yesterday! It was very sweet and touching, and Beth... great choice of exit music... Firefly/Mal's Theme was awesome!

Also, a few girls from our ABF class are getting together during the week to go thru the book Lady In Waiting. It is an absolutely amazing book! I first read it in 2001, and the Lord really used it to open my eyes to see what a godly woman is suppose to be. The book walks thru ten godly characteristics displayed in the life of Ruth (from the Bible), and most importantly, it helped me to understand and develop a love relationship with Christ. That was a totally foreign concept to me back when I was 21. I highly recommend it for any single, divorced, or widowed ladies of any age. Or for men who want to have a better understanding of women, I would recommend the book to you too.

Hope all is well with you! Till next time. Adios!

Busy Saturday

Hey everyone,

Sorry it's taken me so long to post a new blog. School this semester is quite hectic. I'm taking Hebrew II, History & Theology of Missions, Hermeneutics, & Ancient World. So, needless to say, I've been a bit busy. Lots of reading and studying, but I love it!

I am praising God that this Mon-Fri is Spring Break and Fri-Sun is our YP Spring Retreat. Woohoo! My goal is to get all of my studying, homework, papers done and caught up so next weekend I can just relax, unwind, and goof off. = )

This weekend, however, is not going to be a goof off weekend. I'm the Maid of Honor (MOH) for Miss Apocolypse Queen, so I will definitely have my work cut out for me. Helping to keep her calm and collected, fend off crazy relatives, and the detail-nazi Mother of the Bride (MOB). Not only will I get the priviledge of standing up on stage with my best friend and get to witness her and Mr. Darcy become man and wife, I'll also get to sing "The Prayer" (Italian version) with a good friend of mine, Mark Tye; and (gulp) I have to give a toast at the reception. It's the oddest thing, I always get nervous before I sing, but I am 10 times more nervous if asked to speak in front of a crowd. I don't know why. You'd think they'd be one and the same, but apparently not. So hopefully, everyoen will enjoy my toast and I won't get tongue-tied, lose me index card (the the speak on it), or just look like a babbling fool. God help me!

Well, I gotta get some sleep. Got a busy day tomorrow. My nail appointment is at 10 am, gotta grab lunch around noon, and then gotta be at AQ's house by 1 pm to carpool to hair appointment. The MOB is so generous, she is paying for all of the gals in the wedding party to have our hair done at AQ's stylist that she's been going to since birth.

Wish me luck, and say a prayer for AQ and Darcy. I am so unbelievable happy for them! <><

The Mirror & American Culture

Hi everyone,

Last semester, I wrote a paper for my American Culture class where we had to take a piece of American literature (i.e. novel, short story, song, movie, etc.) and then discuss how it describes or discusses American culture. So, I thought I would share it with you.

If for some reason, you would like to cite this (I'm so flattered...), here's what you'll need:

Turabian style (6th ed.)

H., Wendy. "The Mirror and American Culture." My Memoirs. 2006. Available from http://ising4him.blogspot.com/2007/01/mirror-american-culture.html. Accessed [Day] [Month] [Year].

(The spacing in the original document is correct. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to add tabs and extra spacing in html yet.)

Enjoy!

THE CRISWELL COLLEGE


THE MIRROR AND AMERICAN CULTURE


AMERICAN CULTURE: CONTEMPORARY THOUGHT
DR. CREAMER


BY
WENDY H.


RICHARDSON, TX
OCTOBER 2006

Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Have I got it?
'Cause Mirror you've always told me who I am
I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect
So sorry you won't define me.
Sorry you don't own me

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, I won't try

Mirror I am seeing a new reflection
I'm looking into the eyes of He who made me
And to Him I have beauty beyond compare
I know He defines me

You don't define me, you don't define me.

Barlowgirl, “Mirror”


“Magic Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?” (Snow White, 1994) This is one of the most classic movie quotes of all time from the beloved children’s movie, Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The beautiful and vain queen gazes into her magic mirror that can only speak the truth, and she wants to receive validation from it that there is no one fairer than she. When the mirror reveals that she is not the fairest one of all, she flies off on an envious and murderous rampage. Even though this is just a fairy tale, it still holds a universal truth; people, especially women, still seek validation from their mirror and from society and culture to tell them that they are attractive and beautiful; and that they have worth, value, and identity. The song, “Mirror” by Barlowgirl, shows how American culture’s views and God’s views drastically contrast regarding a person’s image and identity.
Beginning in early childhood, American culture (i.e. television, movies, magazines, books, advertisements, family, and friends) bombards us with the message:

… [What] matters most for women… is beauty—physical beauty. Even parents, siblings, teachers, and friends sometimes add unwittingly to the chorus: “darling” children get oohs, aahs, and doting attention, while less attractive, overweight, or gangly children may be the objects of unkind comments, indifference, or even overt rejection. (DeMoss, 77)

Self-image is a struggle for most women, even super models, and Becca, Alyssa, and Lauren Barlow, the three sisters of Barlowgirl, a Christian rock group from Illinois, have also dealt with having a proper perspective of who they see when they look in the mirror. Wrestling with this issue was the reason the song, “Mirror” was written. In the song, they ask the mirror a very important question, “Who are you to tell me / that I'm less than what I should be? / Who are you?” (Barlowgirl, 2004) Everyone has answered that question whether they realize it or not. The answer is that the mirror is either their master or it is not. If they have been deceived into believing that the mirror is their master, then they have bought into a lie and have become a slave to the standards set by their culture and society. The problem with trying to live up to cultural standards is that it is an impossible task. Shannon Ethridge, a well-known Christian author, speaker, and counselor, asks some very important questions on this topic in her book, Every Young Woman’s Battle:

When you look into the mirror, what do you see? A friend or a foe? Are you thankful for God’s creation or critical of His handiwork? How much time and energy do you spend critiquing and criticizing your facial features? your hair? your body? Do you compare yourself to magazine cover models or to your girlfriends, getting discouraged that you don’t seem to measure up to everyone else? (Ethridge, 51)

Culture claims that to be accepted, you must be beautiful—more specifically, your physical appearance must match-up with what society considers to be beautiful. Some of these standards include having the perfect hairstyle, clothes, make-up, waist-size, chest-size, and the list never ends. Not only does culture’s beauty list never end, it also never stops changing. “Keeping up with the Jones” is a never-ending rat-race that will only lead to frustration, dissatisfaction, and depression. The song lyrics sum it up by saying, “I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect.” (Barlowgirl, 2004) American culture says that the mirror should be your master, and thus, a woman’s ultimate ambition should be physical beauty, but God says quite the opposite.
God desires to free women from bondage to their mirror by becoming their Master and showing them that inner beauty is much more valuable to Him than physical beauty. Michelle Graham, a speaker for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, says that “the place to begin is to wrestle with some key biblical truths about how God made us and how much He delights in us. I have found very little hope for a truly healthy body image outside of knowing Jesus intimately.” (Graham, 27) Though culture tells women that they are only as beautiful as their society rates them to be, God reveals that to be a lie. He is the creator of all things, and everyone is made in His image (Genesis 1:26a NIV). Not only does God consider all that He has made to be very good (Genesis 1:31a NIV), He also says that He is enthralled by our beauty (Psalm 45:11 NLT). King David proclaimed to God, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well…. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!” (Psalm 139:14, 17-18 NIV) What an incredible statement! The Creator of the Universe knows you intimately, and even more amazing is that He promises that as we continue to deepen our love relationship with Jesus Christ, we will be changed from the inside out. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV) Though your physical appearance may not change, your perception will as you begin to see things in a whole new light. The turning point in the song says, “Mirror I am seeing a new reflection. / I'm looking into the eyes of He who made me, / And to Him I have beauty beyond compare.” (Barlowgirl, 2004) “…The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart….” (1 Samuel 16:7 NIV) Being set free from the bondage of the mirror and culture is the first step, but the next step is sometimes more difficult. Barlowgirl declares, “I don't need to listen / to the list of things I should do. / I won’t try.” (Barlowgirl, 2004) What this means is that “the quest for a healthy body image requires us to swim against the current of mainstream culture.” (Graham, 27) This doesn’t mean that “women [shouldn’t] seek to look their best… [; it] simply challenges [us] to not devote all [our] energies toward painting the outside, thus neglecting the enduring qualities that need developing on the inside.” (Kendall & Jones, 54)
Another aspect of American culture that the song, “Mirror” reveals is that our culture and society tries to make us believe that they are the ones who define us and give us our identity. “‘Cause Mirror you've always told me who I am.” (Barlowgirl, 2004) Nancy Leigh DeMoss, a well-known Christian host and teacher on the daily radio program, “Revive Our Hearts,” says in her book, Lies That Women Believe:

… [Our] view of ourselves and our sense of worth are often determined by the input and opinions of others. Sometimes the input of others is accurate and helpful. But not always. If, for some reason, the person we are listening to is looking through a defective “lens,” his or her vision will be distorted. Some of us have lived all our lives in an emotional prison because we have accepted what a false, “broken” mirror said to us about ourselves. (DeMoss, 66)

Our Darwinist and atheistic society teaches us starting in grade school science class that everything is the result of evolution. Science tries to convince us that there is no God, or a Divine Creator; so everything is the way it is by nothing more than random chance. Thus, everyone is nothing more than an accident, which voids out the idea that people have inherent value and worth. With this idea as our society’s presupposition, people have spent and wasted their lives striving to turn themselves into an image and identity that will be accepted by our society, so they can feel valuable and worthy of love. People seek to find their identity through many avenues. Someone may find their worth by being a successful business executive, or by being a high-priced lawyer. Someone may achieve fame by being a well-known actor, singer, or artist. Another may find prestige by being a professor with multiple degrees hanging on their wall, or by being a pastor of a mega-church with pack-out services every Sunday. Having a profession is not the only goal that people pursue to find their identity; many people seek relationships to find their fulfillment. One of the mottos that Barlowgirl is known for is their stance on not dating. Alyssa, the bass guitarist in Barlowgirl, said in an interview, “[Single people are] using relationships as a crutch to cover up our insecurity. The reason why our generation's singles are jumping so often from person to person is because they're searching for self worth.” (Fervent, 2006) The truth is that “… it doesn’t matter how good-looking, rich, athletic, smart, godly, or charming [a person] may be. No [one] can ever make you feel like you are somebody. That comes from knowing how special you are to God and from becoming the person God created you to be.” (Ethridge, 34)
God tells us two important things about our identity. The first is that He is the one who made us, and second, He is the one who defines us. The person in the song is looking in the mirror and sees a reflection that is different from their own—a new one; they reveal to the mirror that they are “…looking into the eyes of He who made me [emphasis mine].” (Barlowgirl, 2004) God says in His Word that no one is an accident. He is our creator and formed and knit us in our mother’s wombs (Psalm 139:13 NIV) and that every moment of our lives was ordained by Him before we were even conceived (Palm 139:16 NIV). No one is an accident, despite what culture says, and God has given everyone who is born-again a purpose and a reason for being. “Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27 NLT) If God is our creator, then that also means that He is the one who defines us. Jackie Kendall and Debbie Jones, in their book, Lady In Waiting, give us a great picture of how God defines his people:

By spending time in God’s Word, you will also learn what God thinks of you. In [1] Peter 2:4, God says you are choice and precious to Him. He calls you precious, honored, loved, and His redeemed one in Isaiah 43:1-6. Isaiah 43:7 says you were created for His glory. You are very special to God—so special that He has plans for you: “plans for [your] welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11b) (Kendall & Jones, 102)

Those who are followers of Christ have been set free and are no longer slaves to this world. Jesus is the image of the invisible God, our creator, and it is Him we are called to imitate, and be a reflection of to our society and culture. The Apostle Paul tells us, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2 NIV) Once we have established our firm foundation in Christ, we can boldly and confidently tell our society, culture, and the mirror, “So sorry you won't define me. / Sorry you don't own me.” (Barlowgirl, 2004) The song, “Mirror” by Barlowgirl, clearly shows how American culture’s views and God’s views drastically contrast regarding a person’s image and identity.


BIBLIOGRAPHY


Barlowgirl. “Mirror.” Barlowgirl. Fervent Records/Spirit-led Records, Nashville, TN, 2004. CD.

DeMoss, Nancy Leigh. Lies Women Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free. Chicago, IL:
Moody Press, 2001.

Ethridge, Shannon and Stephen Arterburn. Every Young Woman’s Battle. Colorado Springs:
WaterBrook Press, 2004.

Fervent Records. “Barlowgirl Biography.” Yahoo! Music. Avaiable from http://music.yahoo.com/ar-310014-bio--Barlowgirl. Accessed 1 October 2006.

Graham, Michelle. Wanting to Be Her: Body Image Secrets Victoria Won’t Tell You. Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005.

Kendall, Jackie, and Debby Jones. Lady in Waiting: Becoming God’s Best While Waiting for Mr. Right (Expanded Edition). Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers, 2005.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Directed by David Hand, Perce Pearce, William Cottrell,
Larry Morey, Wilfred Jackson, and Ben Sharpsteen. 84 min. Walt Disney, 1994. Videocassette.

Surrender

This song by Barlowgirl is so beautiful, powerful, and convicting. I thought I'd share the lyrics with you. Enjoy!

My hands hold safely to my dreams
Clutching tightly not one has fallen
So many years I've shaped each one
Reflecting my heart showing who I am
Now you're asking me to show
What I'm holding oh so tightly
Can't open my hands can't let go
Does it matter?
Should I show you?
Can't You let me go?

Surrender, surrender You whisper gently
You say I will be free
I know but can't You see?
My dreams are me. My dreams are me.

You say you have a plan for me
And that you want the best for my life
Told me the world had yet to see
What you can do with one
That's committed to Your calling
I know of course what I should do
That I can't hold these dreams forever
If I give them now to You
Will You take them away forever?
Or can I dream again?

Surrender, surrender You whisper gently
You say I will be free
I know but can't You see?
My dreams are me. My dreams are me.

Surrender, surrender You whisper gently
You say I will be free
I know but can't You see?
My dreams are me. My dreams are me.

Same Name

HowManyOfMe.com

There is: 1 person with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Come Into My Life

I remember when I was in elementary school I would be playing in my room or doing homework while listening to the radio. We didn't have iTunes back then and CD players were a brand new, very expensive item to own. But I distinctly remember listening to the radio like a hawk waiting anxiously to hear a favorite song that I could quickly run to my tape player to record.
I came across a box the other day with a bunch of tapes that I had recorded back in the day with all types of songs on them: Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Paula Abdul, Elton John, to name a few. But I thought was interesting was to realize that even though I didn't have a relationship with God as a child, He was already working on my heart. I noticed that most of the songs recorded were secular, but a few were Christian. I never even realized it at the time. I had Amy Grant, Kathy Troccolli, and a few others songs who artists are unknown to me.
One song in particular I remember really touched me and would always make me cry as a child, and I really didn't understand why. Kind of reminds me of the disciples comprehending Jesus saying that He would be arrested, killed, and then rise from the dead three days later. They never got it... until He did it! I was apparrently just as clueless as they were, but thank God that He is just as patient with me as He was with His disciples. I'm also thankful that the Christian radio station played those songs and allowed God to use them to plant the seed of the Gospel in my heart, even though I didn't know it at the time.

Come Into My Life
Artist: The Imperials

No this isn't easy
But I can't keep runnin' from Your love
I've been denyin' way too long
That there's something deep inside me
That takes me down the road that leads me to Your door
I know that I belong there with You
My human nature would keep me far away
But God I really need You
I'm asking You to stay

Chorus
Come into my life
Change this heart forever
Let my feel the healin' in Your touch
Take all my hurt away
Come into my life
I surrender all my feelings
You've got the love I've needed all along
Lord, I pray that You will
Come into my life

Oh I'm through pretending
That I've got everything a man could ever need
You know I'm tired of the lie
Yeah, I was so independent
But independence never calmed my soul at night
Now I close my eyes and peace consumes me
Your love has shown me
What it is I need to be
And when I least expect it
Love becomes more real

Chorus
Come into my life
Change this heart forever
Let my feel the healin' in Your touch
Take all my hurt away
Come into my life
I surrender all my feelings
You've got the love I've needed all along
Lord, I pray that You will
Come into my life

Oh, I ran from You so long
Never could leave Your touch
You loved me day by day
Never leavin' a doubt
So, now I'm tired of this fight
And I need Your strength tonight
You see I've never been as ready as I am right now

Chorus
Come into my life
Change this heart forever
Let my feel the healin' in Your touch
Take all my hurt away
Come into my life
I surrender all my feelings
You've got the love I've needed all along
Lord, I pray that You will
Come into my life

Oh, come into my life

Great Quote

Great quote from the movie, Serenity:
Mal is the captain of the Firefly-class spaceship called Serenity
Wash is the ships's pilot.

WASH: Yeah well if she doesn't give us some extra flow from the engine room to offset the burnthrough the landing is gonna get pretty interesting.
MAL: Define 'interesting.'
WASH (calm suggestion): 'Oh god, oh god, we're all gonna die'

Phobias

Most of us have some fears, and we've probably heard about some phobias such as:
Agoraphobia- Fear of open spaces or of being in crowded, public places like markets.
And Arachnephobia or Arachnophobia - Fear of spiders

But I had no idea the extent of people fears. Take a look at the list: http://phobialist.com/
Here are just a few examples:

Bogyphobia - Fear of bogeys or the bogeyman
Coulrophobia - Fear of clowns
Dutchphobia - Fear of the Dutch
Ephebiphobia - Fear of teenagers
Hobophobia - Fear of bums or beggars
Koniophobia - Fear of dust. (Amathophobia)
Leukophobia - Fear of the color white
Optophobia - Fear of opening one's eyes
Phobophobia - Fear of phobias

And the list goes on, and on, and on...

I Will Survive

If you haven't seen this short animation clip, you should. It's quite humerous!

Alien Song <----- click this link to see the animation!

You Humble Me

Has God ever humbled you?
Even if you say no, He most likely has, and you just didn't realize that it was Him.

Ever had one of those times when you've spent uncountable hours studying for a test to the point where you feel like your brain is gonna explode? You walk into the classroom and you are 100% confident that you are gonna ace it. Then the moment that sheet of paper is placed before you, all of the information and knowledge that you worked so hard to store and retain suddenly vanishes as though someone had ripped out the hard drive of your brain and turned it into ash? And all your confidence and diligence is rewarded with nothing but a dismal grade.

Or have you ever been asked to sing a solo with your church choir? The song is beautiful and powerful, but challenging. You're touched and honored to be asked and you want to do a great job; so you practice everyday for 2 weeks learning the song. By the time Wednesday rehearsal rolls around (the first time the choir will hear you sing the song with them), you know the song by heart. You could sing it in your sleep. You're in the choir room; the choir director asks you to come up and grab the microphone. Everything goes fine, at first, then suddenly, your mind goes blank. You even have the music in front of you, but you can't remember the next phrase or find your place. Though you can't verify it, you are quite sure that your face has turned 3 shades of pink. The song is over and all you want to do is crawl under a rock, but none are in sight.
"What just happened?" you ask yourself. "Well, at least that's over."
Not quite... after rehearsing a few more songs, the choir director tells everyone to go to the sanctuary for a run-through of "the special" (aka your song) with the orchestra.
Your throat goes dry, your palms become clammy, and your heart is pounding in your ears. "Oh, God, please don't let me mess up again," you pray silently as you walk to the front of the stage. You run through the verses in your mind again and again. Though your confidence has been shaken, you are sure that it'll be all right this time... right?
Wrong! Even with monitors in front of you with your words, you botch it worse than the first time. Every fiber in your being wants to run away and hide, but you finish, and with as much dignity as you can muster, you go back to your seat and finish the rehearsal.

Want to know what just happened?
That was God humbling you.
Sometimes we get so caught up in being perfect and polished that we forget the reason why we do anything. To bring glory to God. We're all guilty of trying to do everything with our own strength, talent, abilities, knowledge, etc. God says, "Sorry to disappoint you, but you can do nothing apart from me." And sometimes, He has to do something to get our attention and make us correct our focus.
He loves us and wants the best for us, but we won't be useful to Him if our heart is not attuned with His. God disciplines those that He loves and whom He calls His own.
That Wednesday evening, I asked for forgiveness for my pride, and I thanked Him for humbling me. I had failed to remember that I am just an instrument and He is the musician. Whenever I sing, I desire for the congregation to hear God's voice, not mine. I cannot change a human heart nor touch a person's spirit, but God can!

When Sunday came, I was more nervous than I had even been in my life. So, all I could do was just continually and silently pray that God would give me peace and sing through me. When it came time for the song, I walked to the front of the stage. I prayed that the congregation would not notice that my knees and hands were shaking. The music started and... the rest is a bit of a blur. All I know is that God answered my prayers. I didn't mess up, and it was such a sweet and awesome time of worship! Some people told me after the choir was dismissed that during my song, the monitor-people missed one of the slides for my lyrics... I never even noticed. God was in control, and I give all the glory to Him. He was the one who was singing, not me.

So, I just want to encourage you. If you're going through a time where you feel like nothing is going your way or you just can't do anything right, turn your focus back to the Lord. Apart from Him you can do nothing, but surrender yourself to Him and there is no limit to what He can accomplish through you.
"Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven's lights. Unlike them, He never changes or casts shifting shadows." (James 1:17 NLT)
"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13 NASB)
"I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So, I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20 NLT)

You Humble Me
Artist: unknown

I see the cost of my unrighteousness.
The rugged cross You willingly embraced.
When my release demanded nothing less
than a holy sacrifice, You took my place
to set me free.
Oh, God, You humble me

I was the one who held the jagged spear
that pierced Your side
and broke Your wounded heart,
but grace flowed down and now surrounds me here.
And I'm overwhelmed that You would go so far
to set me free.
Oh, God, You humble me

chorus (2x)
I fall on my face
completely undone
confounded by grace, astounded by love
a love so amazing, love so divine
taking my place on a cross that was mine

How can it be that with Your final breath
You give me life?
I tremble at the thought
that I should gain some profit from Your death.
With the blood You shed, my pardon has been bought
to set me free.
Oh, God, You humble me
Oh, God, You humble me

chorus (2x)
I fall on my face
completely undone
confounded by grace, astounded by love
a love so amazing, love so divine
taking my place on a cross that was mine

You took my place
You humble me

Song information:
You Humble Me
Sue C. Smith, David Moffitt, Travis Cottrell
First Hand Revelation Music
Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.

Table For Two

I recently found an old song that Christi introduced me to a long time ago. It really ministered to me (and still does...), and I hope it will minister to you as well as you (as a single) continue to pursue your love relationship with Christ seeking to become the man or woman that God desires you to be.

Table For Two
By Caedmon’s Call

Danny and I spent another late night over pancakes,
Talkin' 'bout soccer
And how every man's just the same
We made speculation
On the who's and the when's of our futures
And how everyone's lonely
But still we just couldn't complain

And how we just hate being alone
Could I have missed my only chance
And now I'm just wasting my time
By looking around

But you know I know better
I'm not gonna worry 'bout nothing
Cause if the birds and the flowers survive
Then I'll make it okay
I'm given a chance and a rock
see which one breaks a window
See which one keeps me up all night and into the day

Because I'm so scared of being alone
That I forget what house I live in
But it's not my job to wait by the phone
For her to call

Well this day's been crazy
But everything's happened on schedule
from the rain and the cold
To the drink that I spilled on my shirt
'Cause You knew how You'd save me
before I fell dead in the garden
And You knew this day
long before You made me out of dirt

And You know the plans that You have for me
And You can't plan the end and not plan the means
And so I suppose I just need some peace
Just to get me to sleep.

Memories of England

Greeting loyal readers!

Yes, I made it back safe and sound last Monday night. I am glad to be back home in the good 'ole USA. Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home. Though I can't say that I missed the scorching weather. After week and a half, I think I have finally recovered from the jet-lag. ;-)
Well, as you can tell from my entries, I had an incredible time in England. God is so good, and He blessed us tremendously! The people at Thornaby were wonderful, and I am so thankful that God allowed me to go. Thank you all again for all of your prayers!
We didn't have any professions of faith while we were there, but I know that we planted and watered some seeds.

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:10-11 NIV)

I've gotten some email addresses from the kids at the Holiday Club and I'm hoping that I'll be able to keep in contact with them. They really were great kids! I could not have asked for better. = )

Here are just a few of many fond memories I have from my trip:

* Getting to relax and sleep in the really nice flight attendant seats on our flight over to England.
* Getting asked late-afternoon on Sunday (HC started on Mon) to do a part in the drama reading the part of "Wendy, the sister in the Watts family"

* While playing duck, duck, goose with the kids, I was sitting next to a shy, pudgy, little boy (about 7 yrs old). I smiled at him, and he smiled back. Then he suddenly scooted closer to me and hugged my arm. My heart melted. It was just too sweet!

* Maxine's recipe book perfect cuisine and her humbly saying, "Oh, it's nothing. I just threw it together."

* Being asked to present the Gospel to the kids and to the parents on Friday.

* Getting to IM some friends while in England.

* Getting to see "Chicago" live in London.

* Touring Buckingham Palace. The Music Room was my favorite! I came so close to busting out with either "The Hills are Alive" or "Amazing Grace." But I was able to restrain myself... barely.

* Getting some "alone time" when I let Michelle have my seat next to Kasey on both flights home. This time I was in the midst of the youth, but they were actually pretty quiet (most of the time). iPod is a wonderful invention, isn't it? ;-)

Well, I must call it a night. Until next time... grace and peace!

England Trip - part 3

Well, my England adventure is wrapping up. Our group will be flying home tomorrow afternoon.

Michelle, Kasey & I got to tour the staterooms at Buckingham Palace (due to the royal family being on holiday); plus, there was a special display of the the Queen's dresses. 7 decades worth of some of her most elegent evening gowns. It was quite a site to see!
Unfortunately, we could not take pictures of the inside of the palace. = ( ...But, here are a few pics of the outside.

When we finally got through the 1/2 mile walk through the palace garden, we decided to visit the Harrod's store and grab a bit to eat. Oh, my goodness! Harrod's is huge! It makes the Galleria Mall look like a street side kiosk. It has 6 floors; it covers an entire city block, and it contains every store you could possibly imagine and then some. We finally tracked an employee down who gave us a map, and finally we found our destination, Mo's Diner (ie. the cheapest resturant we could find, apparently very hard to come by in Harrod's). BTW, have I mentioned that Dr. Pepper is very hard to find in England. ASDA (Walmart equilivent) is one of the few places that carries it, and get this, on the back of the can, they refer to it as "a sparkling fruit beverage." oy vey...

After lunch, we did go back to our hotel for a little nap, but now we are out and about again. We stopped by the British Museum and got to see the Rosetta Stone

. Very cool piece of rock! I know that the picture is a little blurry, but there is actually writting on the stone. On the top is hieroglyphics, in the middle is Demotic (a form of Arabic), and on the bottom is Greek. Scholars were able to use the Greek inscription on this stone as the key to decipher hieroglyphics. To find out more, click the link above.

We spent the rest of the day just walking around London taking in the sites. We just finished having dinner at a little hole-in-the-wall Italian resturant (yummy food!) and once the sun begins to set, we'll head over to Westminster Abby and then on to Big Ben. We've been told that they look really pretty at night. I will make sure to post pics when I get back to the states.

Well, gotta run. Hope you are all having a great Sunday... hope you all were able to make it to ABF & Big church! (You know who you are...) Love ya'll!

Grace and peace.

England Trip - part 2

Cheers!

I can hardly believe how fast this week has gone by. It's almost 10pm on Thursday, and tomorrow morning is our last day at Holiday Club (HC). Here's the group photo (why they decided to take the group picture on Crazy Hair day is beyond me???) Though, we will have a final HC farewell tomorrow evening for the parents and kids. There'll be snacks, entertainment (skits) from the week, and a chance for the parents to see what all the kids have been doing. Unfortunately, not all of the kids are able to come back for the evening get-together, but it'll be fun nonetheless.

Today was 'inside-out' day, so some of the kids came with either their clothes inside out or backwards. They are just precious and so enthusiastic! During 'game time', the HC game didn't go over very well, so we played their favorite game, duck-duck-goose. Michelle and Kasey were observing, but I felt inclined to join the kiddos in their head-tapping madness. (Yes, that's me in the mush-pot...) I also got a lovely grass-stain on my capris and a big-ole bruise on my shin as a parting gift. That soon got old for them, so I introduced freeze-tag. I have never seen the boys so excited about a game. They loved it, and I was exhausted! But I had a lot of fun though.

I also have to say that I have been quite impressed with the quality of the Bible story scripts. They have been hilarious! The story of Jonah script has been my favorite by far. I'll have to post a little bit of the script later on so you'll know what I'm talking about.

We met up with John Wills for dinner tonight and ate at a small Italian restuarant. It was fun checking up with him and hearing all about the youth and what they've been up to with the NE1 conference. Camping, apparently, has been an interesting experience. 14 showers for 1000 youth. They've already run out of water twice, and they have to shut off the showers at midnight cause it needs at least 6 hours to recharge the water pumps. John said that on average they've been getting about 5 hours of sleep at night and they all ususally wake up around 3 or 4 in the morning cause their bodies are trying to readjust to the time difference. Fortunately, that's only happened a few times.

Well, gotta get some sleep! See you all in a few days. We'll be heading to London on Saturday. = )

England Trip - part 1

Well, we finally made it across the pond.
The weather has been gorgeous here, unlike the rather warm TX weather we have been having. 11 weeks of triple digit heat. Yuck! It's mostly been in the 70's during the day and has gotten down in the high 50's at night. It reminds me a lot of Colorado. So beautiful! Everything is all lush and green. There was a shower here on Sunday night, and I was just praying that God would send it over to TX. We so desperately need it.

Here's a snapshot of the craziness that was the youth and us at DFW. Anyway, our flight from DFW to Chicago was uneventful, but when we got to Chicago our plane was delayed almost an hour due to rain/stormy conditions. Yet again, I was saying, 'Ok, Lord, anytime you want to send that stuff towards TX would be fine by me.' When we did finally get on the plane, Kasey and I were greeted with a nice suprise. When Michelle first arrived at DFW, she discovered that all 3 of us were scattered all over the plane, so when Kasey & I checked in our luggage, she asked if Kasey & my seats could be together. All 3 of us couldn't sit together, but she at least thought that we could sit together. The lady at the counter said that wouldn't be a problem. So, we get on our plane to England and Kasey & I discovered a wonderful suprise. We had gotten the seats that the flight attendants use when their flights are over 8 hours. But since our flight was only 7 hrs & 45 mins, they got sold. Yippee!! Similar to 1st class seats, they almost fully reclined and had leg-rests. = ) Poor Michelle, she got stuck smack-dab in the middle of the rowdy youth. We owe her big time.

We arrived in Manchester, and then proceeded to load up all 150 youth (we were joined by 2 other church youth groups) onto buses. The lack of air conditioning on the bus was not the most pleasant ride I'd ever taken, but we eventually arrived at the University of Durham and were happily greeted by Barbara (Thornaby's church secretary) and Collin, her husband. We dined with the youth at the university mess hall and then left to head toward our host family. We're staying with Paul and Maxine Wright. They are the sweetest people! Gracious and hospitable, and to say that Maxine is a good cook would be a serious understatement. Especially the desserts she prepares; they look like something out of a recipe book. Almost too pretty to eat.

Thornaby Baptist now has a full-time pastor, David Whitehall. We got to go to the service on Sunday morning and he was great. He has a great sense of humor, very warm and welcoming. His wife Mandy is precious! Michelle and I got to sing 'I Stand Amazed' acapella for them during the worship time, and afterwards we went over to Jean's (Paul's mom's) house for Sunday dinner (aka lunch) and had a great time of fellowship.

Holiday Club (aka VBS) started this morning, and was big hit! Though not as polished as we would have liked, but the kids seemed to get a kick out of it. The theme is the circus; so 2 of the helpers (Mandy [who's also one of the co-leaders for my group, 'The Strongmen'] included) were dressed up as clowns.

The Strongmen

(from left to right: Andrew, Michael, Mandy, Jennifer, Kirsty, me, Chelsea, Kerri, Amy, Jaime, & Jaime)

Kasey, Michelle, & I were responsible for the games, the Bible story, theme illustration, theme song, & Bible verse. It has been so much fun playing with the kids and seeing how much they have grown up. The last time I saw a bunch of them was back in 2003. Fortunately, most of them have only grown taller, and still have their adorable baby faces.

Unfortunately, our host family has very limited (pay as you go) internet access, so I won't be able to update the blog frequently, but I will when I get a chance. Must sign off now, relax, and get some sleep (it's 9:28 pm here). Good night, and God bless!

Cheers!

Wow... hard to believe that the big departure day has arrived.
I will be heading off to England in the early afternoon tomorrow.
I am so excited and nervous at the same time. I don't feel 100% perpared to go, but I guess God does that sometimes just to make sure that we are having to lean completely on Him and not trusting in our own abilities and strength.

If you want to know what the weather's like where I'll be on the "other side of the pond," click here!

Prayer requests:
o Please pray that God would show Himself in a powerful way in England.
o Pray that God would use Michelle, Kasey, and me as instruments of His grace, mercy, and love as we minister to the kids at the Holiday Club (aka VBS), to the adults who'll be helping out, and to anyone else whom God places in our paths.
o Pray for our protection, and that we will know our authority over satan. (1 Peter 5:8-9)
o Pray for our physical and spiritual vitality, and that we will not negect to continually praise God for His provisions and blessings.
o Pray that the Holy Spirit will prepare the hearts of the people we meet, so that we might have the privilege of seeing souls come to faith in Jesus Christ!

Thank you so much for your prayers!
I love you all and I will see you all in Aug.

Grace and Peace,
Wendy <><

p.s. I'm not sure if I'll have email access over there, but if I do, I will either shoot you all an email or put a post on the blog. If not, then I'll definitely fill you all in when I get back. Blessings!

Father's Day

For a long time this use to not be a very happy holiday for me. Up until a year or 2 ago, I did not have a good relationship with my dad. I resented him for a long time for not being the father that I so desperately needed while I was growing up. Sometimes we can forget how impressionable children can be and how important a man's role as a "father" truly is.

In Pastor Gary's sermon today, he mentioned a statistic that really caught my attention. He said (paraphasing) that:
-- if a father & mother worship together in church with their children, the children will be 80% more likely to worship God consistantly as an adult.
-- if only a mother worships in church with her children, the children will be 30% more likely to worship God consistantly as an adult.
-- if only a father worships in church with his children, the children will be 70% more likely to worship God consistantly as an adult.
Amazing that it's only a 10% difference from from both parents to just a dad! That's a significants that should not be overlooked.

For all of you men who are reading this, those who do or do not have kids, I beg of you, for your children or future children's sake, please surrender yourself to Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can mold you and shape you into the man that He desires to raise His precious masterpieces that He has placed in your care.
You may not realize this, but when you become a parent, a father, YOU are responsible for demonstrating to your children the character of GOD. Your children will base their view on who God is by your words and actions. Their mom will have some impact, but ultimately it will come down to YOU.
Think about that for a moment... what kind of God will they believe in?
Is God someone who rarely or never keeps his promises?
Is God someone who only cares about himself and not about anyone else?
Is God someone who is mean or says hurtful things?
Is God someone who is distant and uninterested in what you like to do?
Is God someone who is selfish and blows up whenever he doesn't get his own way?
Is God someone who picks favorites and you never know if you are on his good list?
Is God someone who is too busy and is never available to spend time with you?
Is God someone who is never satisfied... no matter what you do, you'll never be good enough for him?
Is God someone who will never let you forget when you've messed up?
Is God someone whose love has conditions?

The answers above (in case you were wondering) are all NO!
So, begin now to become a man after God's own heart. God will bless you for being salt and light to your children, and for those of you who do not have children (guess what?) you can still demonstrate the love of Christ (who is the visible image of the invisible God) to others around you: co-workers, significant other, parents, friends, etc.

It took me a long time and God's unfathomable grace to make me see that may dad is far from perfect, but I have already seen a wonderful change in him. He is not the same person that he was 2 years ago. Oh, he still have a very long way to go (don't we all?) but I can see the hand of God moving in his heart and life. I do continue to pray that he will surrender his life completely to the Lordship of Christ, so that our Heavenly Father can bless him with the awesome plans that I know He has for him.
Soemthimes we forget that God does not force Himself on us. We can choose to live our lives by our own rules (and ultimately fail) or we can submit to God by doing things His way (and become holy). Proverbs is chuck full of the wisodm and benfits of living life by God's standard.

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for choosing me and making me your child. Thank you for being my perfect Heavenly Father. God, Your love for me is beyond my comprehension, but yet You offer it freely, without condition. Thank you for loving me with an everlasting love, a 1 Corinthians 13 love. You knew me before I was in my mother's womb. You were the craftsman who knit me together and made every part of me, designed to your perfect specification. Every day of my life is already written in Your book. You can number the hairs on my head and know my every thought before I even think it. Oh, Lord, I am especially grateful for Your promise that there is nowhere I can go and nothing can do that will ever separate me from Your love through Christ Jesus my Lord.
Let me life be a voice for You, and let my life be a praise to You.
I love you! Happy Father's Day.
Amen