I've been absent from posting recently, mainly because of a lack of things to post... But I've finally got a few things to put up mostly on the picture page, so here goes. I guess I'll try to go in chronological order...
Not this weekend, but the weekend prior, we went over to Callaway gardens and did some biking, this time we did not have so many bike problems, just flipping food cart problems =) which of course held the most important part of the day... the food!!! It was a lot of fun though, as part of that though, I brought along my new toy... My iPod, pictured here..
Originally I wasn't going to get one for myself, but it worked out that way, and now I'm having some fun with it. Some of you probably recognize the movie on there, but in case you don't it's "Sabrina" from 1954, staring Humphrey Bogart, William Holden, and Audrey Hepburn. (Good movie) Of course I wasn't using it to watch movies on our biking trip, I just had it in my pocket so I could listen to some music while we went along. I kept the volume low enough so I could still hear and talk, but at the same time enjoy the background music.
Throughout the week, there was not much exciting happening, just the usually work thing. Friday night some of us took the time to watch "National Treasure," which also happens to be a really cool movie. Then Saturday turned out to be a pretty lazy day for me, haven't had one of those in a loonnng time. Today (Sunday) was anything but lazy!
It started out with church this morning, we went over to Grace Fellowship, where they were celebrating their 25th anniversary. It wasn't the normal thing, they had a slide show, and special music, recognition of some of the founding families, and all that stuff. Afterwards I stopped over at Wal-Mart to pick up some stuff to do some cleaning on my car. I also ended up finding some stuff to repair the chip in my windshield that's been there for quite a while now, and it actually did a pretty good job.
While I was waiting for it to dry properly, I saw these little flowers outside of my house... I probably have passed them every day for at least a week now, and never noticed. Funny how easy it can be to take something for granted... Something so beautiful sitting right outside of my house, that I never even noticed. It just made me think of all the people in my life that God put there, and I just want to say I don't take any of you, my friends and family for granted. I love you all, and don't know what I would do without even 1 of you! "They" say you never know what you had until you've lost it, and I hope that's not the case with me, cause right now I think I have the greatest friends and family in the whole world, and I'll try with all my power never to take one of you for granted! Love you all!
I was reading in Philippians the other day, and was reading about Paul's love for God. He said that he would rather be with God, than here on this earth, but for the sake of the saints, he knew it was necessary for him to stay. What a relationship Paul must have had with our Lord, what depths of love for Him. It is this type of relationship I desire with God, and the type I desire for all of those that might read this! I started thinking about my past a little, and where I am now, and have been coming to a conclusion... If I am exactly where God wants me to be, my relationship with Him will be growing stronger and stronger! If I'm doing what He wants me to do, I will have a greater and greater desire to know Him. On the other hand, if the fellowship I have with God is falling apart, if I don't have that desire in my heart, to drive me to know Him more, am a really doing what He wants me to do? I know I've been there.
Now I understand, it maybe sometimes that some of us are going through a difficult time, and that's why it's not as easy to seek after God, but this should not end up being a constant state! We have a personal savior, not one who will save us then let us be. He desires a relationship with us! He desires us to seek after Him with all our heart. I could be sitting around, content and taking God for granted, and yet totally miss it! Yet at the same time I could be doing the most amazing thing "for God," and miss it just as easily. With those verses in Philippians, God has really given me a desire to know Him more! To strive for that relationship with God, like that Paul had! I know that when any of us are doing that, that is the time God will bless and reward us! Outside of that close relationship with Him, things will end up being fruitless, and barren. So it's my prayer that whatever I'm doing, that I would be in God's will and that it would only cause my relationship with Him to grow... never diminish! So if anybody has any testimonies about what God is doing in their life, what new thing God might be showing you, or something that God has done to draw you closer to Him, please, e-mail me, leave a comment, call me, let me know somehow! Hearing about what God does in other peoples lives is one of my favorite encouragements! And often times God will use that to show me something special too!
Anyway... That was really long! But it's been something that God has been showing me, and I wanted to share it with all of you!
So, I saw my Aunt's blog last week sometime, and saw that she posted this picture up there. And I thought first that it was really cool that she put it up, and it also reminded me of the day I went to do it, and the memory I have of all of that whole thing! I just thought it was cool, so here's another look at it, from a post long ago... and what seems like an age ago....
Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."
Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God"
7 comments:
The Lord has really been convicting me about reaching out and helping others. The Lord commands me to love Him with all my heart, mind, soul and strength and to love my neighbor as myself. Sometimes I don't want to get involved, like the Levite who passed by on the other side in the Good Samaritan story. Helping might be too time consuming or involve sacrifice on my part. My Lord loved, saw the need, and sacrificed Himself. He was often interrupted in what he was doing during his earthy ministry to help people. Sometimes I place too much emphasis on going to church (not that it isn't a good thing.) I pat myself on the back because I go to church and think that things are great between me and the Lord, but what am I doing to love and help others? Yes, we go to church, but we ARE the church. What am I doing to reach out to the widows, the fatherless, those in need? If I truly loved others sacrificially, they would most probably ask me to tell them about this Jesus of mine.
I am so thankful for Gods mercy and love when we are so undeserving of it, he is constantly showing me his grace and forgiveness. it is awesome to think of his forgiveness in light of the fact that he cant just simply forget about our sin. but because of what Jesus has done we are forgiven on the basis of His shed blood. lately God has really impressed that upon my heart. what a great God we serve.
It seems sometimes like the world just occupies so many minutes of our day, that when the day is over, I wonder how many minutes were spent in praying for others, recalling scripture, recalling the blessings of the day, focusing on the LORD who made all that we know possible. Thank God for family and friends that the LORD uses in our lives each day. As I get "less younger", I cherish the memories so much more. Remember that you are loved by so many, and especially by the LORD, that "each day is memory in the making". Let the LORD lead, and you will always be a light for others.
The Lord has been showing me that I need to have more passion. More passion in everything, the secular as well as the sacred. The Bible commands us to do everything heartily unto the Lord. Whether I am out sharing the Gospel or doing housework, I am a child of God, who always needs to be awestruck by what Christ accomplished for me on the cross. I never want to take Christ's work in my life for granted. I can have the deepest joy in my heart no matter what I am doing and what my circumstances are!! Praise God!! Love your post Joe. It made me cry. I LOVE YOU!
MOM
Hey Joe,
I've been looking over some of your photography and it is GREAT!!
How about some fall pictures? Do you get colored leaves down Georgia way?
God paints some beautifl colors on our mountainsides here in New York!!
Dear Joe: I read your most recent blog and I am moved to leave you this message:
In all that we feel, God has created us to feel that way as I took comfort when I was going through a bad spell and thinking of my own death, I realized that all of my feelings God made me to feel and I took much comfort in that. So when you question yourself, it is meant to be just as the saying "God puts us where he wants us to be" I love you and miss you too. Love Aunt Mary
Hi Joe! We sure miss you here!! I enjoyed reading your blog and the article you wrote about taking things for granted. That was very sobering and a good reminder to all of us. We tend to get so busy and fail to take the time to express to the Lord and to others our thanks and appreciation. We are praying for you and it was so encouraging to see how the Lord is working in your life! Thank you for sharing!
Mrs. Ellis
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