New Leaf?

I have decided to not be sad anymore.

I have resolved to let myself be truly, really, honestly happy.

I'm going to smile because I want to.

I'm going to laugh at all of the things that are funny.

I'm going to listen to the music that I like

and eat the food that I want.

I'm going to make my plans and

follow the sun.

As far as I can tell, it's leading

me back east. And for that, I really

am thankful.

Nikon FM10

That's right, ladies and gentlemen.

I'm going to England for the month of

August and Paris for one week this summer.

Instead of bringing my fatty SLR camera with

me, I'll just bring my little film camera.

My father used to develop his own film, so

hopefully we'll be able to develop and print

the negatives together after my trip is

over. That'll be really really fun!

I'm starting to collect film for the trip

... so far I have four rolls. How exciting!

Hanging out with my cameras makes

me very very VERY happy. They're my

babies and I can't describe how happy I

am behind the lens! It's the best feeling

ever! So... expect some cool shots sometime

in the near future!

Encouraging

Come Thou Fount

Come Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
Mount of God's unchanging love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I'm come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace now like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

What Do These Stones Mean To You?

Joshua 4:1-24

Now when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, "Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, and command them, saying, 'Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.'"

So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe; and Joshua said to them, "Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel. "Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?' then you shall say to them, 'Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off ' So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever."

Thus the sons of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the Lord spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging place and put them down there. Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day. For the priests who carried the ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the Lord had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua.

And the people hurried and crossed; and when all the people had finished crossing, the ark of the Lord and the priests crossed before the people. The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over in battle array before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had spoken to them; about 40,000 equipped for war, crossed for battle before the Lord to the desert plains of Jericho. On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; so that they revered him, just as they had revered Moses all the days of his life.

Now the Lord said to Joshua, "Command the priests who carry the ark of the testimony that they come up from the Jordan." So Joshua commanded the priests, saying, "Come up from the Jordan." It came about when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks as before. Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho. Those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal.

He said to the sons of Israel, "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones?' then you shall inform your children, saying, 'Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.' "For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever."

Amen.

The hand of the Lord is, indeed, mighty. He leads us through really really difficult situations, like the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years, to show us that He is to be glorified and worshipped. Years from now, I will look back on these "stones" in my life and be exceptionally grateful. These mark God's faithfulness and lovingkindness in my life. These trials, which break and scar us, are indicators of growth and wisdom. They hurt, they cause tears and pain but they point to the Gospel. Even though today I'm wandering through my desert, I know that the promised land is so very close. Praise God!

Hymn

1. God Moves In A Mysterious Way
2. 
   
3. God moves in a mysterious way
   His wonders to perform;
   He plants His footsteps in the sea
   And rides upon the storm.
4. Deep in unfathomable mines
   Of never failing skill
   He treasures up His bright designs
   And works His sov’reign will.
5. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
   The clouds ye so much dread
   Are big with mercy and shall break
   In blessings on your head.
6. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
   But trust Him for His grace;
   Behind a frowning providence
   He hides a smiling face.
7. His purposes will ripen fast,
   Unfolding every hour;
   The bud may have a bitter taste,
   But sweet will be the flow’r.
8. Blind unbelief is sure to err
   And scan His work in vain;
   God is His own interpreter,
   And He will make it plain.

Food For Thought

...I just love Regina Spektor.

Her music is truly beautiful, moving,

even haunting at some times. This

song has been on my mind for some

time now. It reminds me of so much.

I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.

100th Post!

Happy "100 posts" day!

My little blog... you are so good to me.

Procrastination

I don't really want to write my paper, due Wednesday.

However, I want to go to grad school and pass my classes.

So... I should probably get to work.

I just don't wanna!

Music Music

I've been blessed with a row of good days all in a row.

The Lord has been so kind and I am so grateful. This

quarter is infinitely more manageable and happier than

last. I'm in such a better "place". I know that sounds

really cliché, but it's totally true. Anyway, I thought I'd

just post some happy music. It make me smile and

hopefully will do the same for you!

Joy

There are times where I need to stop and preach the gospel to myself.

There are times where life is hard and I don't know what is happening.

There are times when I just want to give up - on everything.

There are days that I want to stay in bed and forget all of the world.

There are moments where I feel like screaming at the top of my lungs.

There are hours where I feel like I'm living underwater.

There are so many things that are overwhelming me.

But then, I stop.

I breathe.

I remember who I really am and how great of a savior God has been.

You see, I'm learning to have joy in hard times.

I'm not talking emotional "happy happy" kind of joy.

I'm talking about joy in the gospel.

That is real joy.

That is what remains when everything else is stripped away.

And, as painful as it is, I'm thankful.

I'm thankful because Christ has made pardon for me at the cross.

He rose again on the 3rd day to break the curse of death.

He intercedes for me continuously before the Father.

I have been given mercy and lovingkindness far surpassing anything that I could ever hope, dream, or comprehend.

These are the thoughts that need to saturate and calm my worried mind.

Psalm 73:28

"But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;

I have made the Lord God my refuge,

that I may tell of all your works."

Evening Tunes

I like/dislike these quiet quiet days.

I just can't ignore the simple beauty of

The Swell Season. They're worth an

introspective listen. Enjoy.