Lord, Please Hear My Prayer

I’m Your vessel
Imperfect in my ways
But You’re the master potter
Have Your way
And should You chose to break me
I will trust You
For You know what’s best for me

To be broken
To be used
To be more than formed by You
This is all I long for
All I need
Break this vessel
Work in me

For You to use me
I must be renewed
So into Your skillful hands I place my life
Do what You chose
And should You chose to break me
I will trust You
For You know what’s best for me

To be broken
To be used
To be more than formed by You
This is all I long for
All I need
Break this vessel
Work in me

My lips have said ‘not my will but thine’
But when it becomes my hearts cry
Then I can be used and You can be glorified
Lord, break me and mold me again

To be broken
To be used
To be more than formed by You
This is all I long for
All I need
Break this vessel
Work in me

Old, Ragweed, Family

It's OFFICIAL. I'm 27. A lot of grief is being sent my way due to my getting older. But to be honest - 27 feels pretty good. It feels right. I had an awesome birthday - thank you to everyone that made it extra special!

I've been a little under the weather this week - dumb allergies. All the coughing, scrathy/hurt throat, congestion, sniffling, headache, fuzyz brain - ness has really slowed me down. I really don't like not following through on my commitments and not being able to sing or teach Wednesday night was a real bummer. Service was awesome, but with the head swimming, fluctuating from hot and cold, and coughing - concentration was a little difficult.

The Bohde Reunion is this weekend. I have been fighting going (to no avail, I might add - stubborn father), but now that it is almost here I'm actually starting to look forward to it. If only this cold/allergies will clear up!!

College football kicks off this SATURDAY!!! SOOOO excited!!

On a closing note - a little something to make your day brighter. :) I love this baby girl.

Isn't she beautiful? Makes you realize what's important and what is just fluff.

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow... "

Lists & Ramblings (i.e. it won't make sense, but it will be organized!)

It's Monday. It's raining. I reserve the right to be melancholy!

I'm falling back into the non-blogging. It probably goes back to a couple of resons:

1) I attempt to be as eloquent, witty, and charming as some of the blogs I read and let's just face it - I'm none of the above!
2) I keep saying "I don't have time." Yet, I somehow have time to read the other million and one blogs that I keep up with almost daily.
3) Nothing significant has happened worthy of blogging.
4) Knowing who potentially may read it makes me very leary of what I type.

Now, while 1, 2, and 3 are very true and carry a lot of weight I think 4 is my main hold up. And since I'm in a list mood evidently, it could be from several things.

1) I don't want to say anything that would offend someone.
2) My reputation for being perfect (HAHAHAHAHA! Sorry.. I'm back) or my desire for my reputation to be perfect and I could say/write something that would tarnish it.
3) It would make me to stinkin' vulnerable!

A friend said recently "it's a shame - you can tell some people just aren't comfortable in their own skin." We were discussing how it's hard to make true friends and the fronts/masks people put up. The friend's point (or my interpretation of the point) was that when you are comfortable with who you are, who God made you to be, you don't have to put up a front. You simply say "this is who I am". And as simple as that is - it can be extremely difficult for an approval addict. I want people to like me. And in desiring that - I lose myself. Over and over again. And if allowed - I lose my relationship with God. So we are going to try to remove this mask a layer at a time. I want to be comfortable in my own skin. So here's me:

1) I am loud and will often break out in song or laugh at inappropiate times.
2) My friends are important to me. Mess with them, mess with me. I'm loyal to a fault at times.
3) I am not perfect. I often put my foot in my mouth when I speak rashly (which is a lot more often than I care to admit!)
4) God is the most important thing in my life. I will talk about Him and church and the ministries I am involved in at length. Get ready.

"I'm not perfect, just forgiven. Haven't yet arrived, but I'm on my way. Since Jesus found me, and forgave me - I can't say I'm perfect, but I can say I'm saved."

And isn't that what it's all about anyway?

VBS 2008 - Power Lab!

VBS 2008 is officially over! We had such a great time. There was a lot of time and effort put into it, and I think it went well. This year's theme was Power Lab! We all got to be mad scientist and try experiements. The kids got to make slime, walk on water, create their own language, see how it felt to be blind, have water fights, the works! And most important, they learned about the power of Jesus. Ah HA! Each night had a Bible point and when someone said it the kids had to yell "Ah HA!" It was a lot of fun. I'm really glad I got to help out this year. Enjoy the pictures!

Never Would Have Made It

A coworker introduced me to the song below. Oh, how much truth is in this song! If it was not for the hand of God and His grace that has been extended to me each and every day - I would not have made it this far! He is the reason I stand. It is for Him I will continue to stand.

I'm stronger, I'm wiser, I'm better - so much better... Because of You...

Oh So Yummy

My oh my oh my! I love these chips!! I happened across them in my parents cupboards one day and my chip life hasn't been the same. Try them - you might like them!

Thankfulness

I've been praying about a situation for a while now. I started off praying for God's will, but when it wasn't happening as fast or in the direction I thought it should have been moving I became impatient. My prayers turned into "Lord, give me this." My thought life became consumed with the issue and my peace started seeping out of my life. The focus left God's will and turned to Sondra's wants. Our church services have been starting out with the congregation gathering at the front for focused prayer. One night recently, as the congregation started to gather, a scripture popped into my mind.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

Oh how wrong I had been!! a) I was anxious and letting it consume me. b) I had no thanksgiving!! I was not approaching the Lord being thankful - I was completely ignoring the blessings and benefits He had ALREADY given me. I learned a valuable lesson that I will hopefully remember for at least a couple of months! To be thankful in every situation is hard. I don't want to be thankful for the allergies. I don't want to be thankful that someone backed in to my car. I don't want to be thankful that gas is almost $4! But for every frustration - the blessings tied to it are tremendous. I have allergies, yes. But I can breathe. Someone backed into my car, yes. But I have a car. Gas is expensive, yes. But God has made a way for me to put gas in that car every week.

Thank You, Lord. Your blessings are abundant. Let me never forget that.