"Touchdown Moment"

I taught my children's church this morning about unity, or they taught me rather, as usual. We talked about a story in the bible "The tower of Babel." They were very intrigued with the whole thing and I love being their teacher when they get that look of intrigue on their faces.

To make a long story short these children explored this bible story through a skit. The skits always seem to draw more attention than I can, so we do them every week.
When we get to the end I always allow them to retell it to me, because I want to see what they have drawn from it and then I ask questions. The question that I asked today that I loved their answer to was, "Why would God have made all of these people speak these different languages? What was his purpose?" The response overwhelmed me, "Because Ms.Michelle, they were working together and God had to do something, because it's just like when we work together good things always happen"

I didn't tell them that, they told me, and that made the entirety of what I sought to deliver to them that much more personal. They truly posses that childlike faith that the bible talks about and I am so blessed to be given the opportunity to submerse myself in their presence on almost a daily basis.

It was a "touchdown" moment...............I feel the power of these often, and they make anything else that might be brewing in my life seem so insignificant. They make the world stop. They make my heart race, and I can feel the sheer power of God's presence within the room that I'm occupying.

There is just something about learning that takes my breath away.

Be still and know

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10


If I can just be still and let go.........................If I can just shut up and let God, he's going to make paths where I think there is no way.

The last couple of weeks God has been trying to tell me. He's trying to tell me that if I'll be still, he'll be God, and that will be more than enough to break any barrier that holds me back.

It's so simple, but so hard to do, and I have to pray everyday for God to help me to loosen my grip so that he can tighten his.

And I know that it'll be in that surrender that I'll be found in the center of God's perfect will for my life.

If I can just be still.

The Parting of My Sea

"A Living Prayer"

In this world I walk alone with no place to call my home
But there's One who holds my hand
The rugged road through barren lands
The way is dark, the road is steep
But He's become my eyes to see
The strength to climb, my griefs to bear
This Savior lives inside me there

In Your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer my God to thee

In these trials of life I find
Another Voice inside my mind
He comforts me and bids me live
Inside the love the Father gives

In your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer my God to thee
take my life and let me be
A living prayer my God to thee

~Ron Block~


For whatever reason, I've needed something to sing me to sleep the last few nights. I don't really have an explanation, other than everything in my life is changing. I'm on new ground and quickly moving to even newer ground, and I am very excited. I'm finding that with that excitement comes fear, fear that can only be covered with a deep, and growing even deeper, trust, in a love that has never let me go. Comfort.Release.Security.Safety. I find it all there, there inside of that love.

I have the strength to know that my God is in control, and no matter what sea needs to be parted for his child to make it to the "Promised Land," she WILL make it there. :)(hopefully without wondering in the desert for 40 years, but then again maybe that was all a part of their process. If I'm remembering right it was because of their unbelief that they wandered. Hmmmm that's a message in itself)

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

Dirty Blonde

I woke up this morning as usual and went through all the normal motions. As I came to the portion of my morning that pertained to drying my hair, which by the way, takes a good 45 minutes, I discovered that there was a single strand that appeared off kilter. As I examined it more closely I realized that it appeared to be taking on the color that is sometimes referred to as gray.

I thought for a moment................................
What should I do?
I'm not ready for this.
I am only 22.
And I won't stand for it.

So, without another conscious thought, I pulled it out.

As I examined it, I came to realize (tell myself) that it was just extremely blonde; bleached from the cruise I just went on, but somehow part of me was still in disbelief.........

So, I Googled. (yep, I just used that word as a verb.)

Found this first
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090223131123.htm

While I was pleased to find that significant research had been done, my "I'm getting wiser" theory was busted. (DARN)

Next place
http://www.skinsheen.com/article-how-to-prevent-gray-hair-naturally-235.aspx

And this one just freaked me out. (Oh God, now it's my thyroid or vitamin deficiency, or maybe it's menopause(JK-ing on that last one))

At this point I had to make a rationalization, and I had to make it fast. I decided that the hair that I had removed was simply, bleach blonde. That's all there was to it. No Gray. No thyroid issues. NOTHING.

So, until my own further research is done, I'm still, fully, a dirty blonde.

(Dear lord,
I think life may have been easier before the internet was here for research, before I could see, so easily, all of the things that "might" be wrong with me)

And for anyone that reads this, I am not a hypochondriac.

What am I reading in 2010?

"My connection is that you are right where you are supposed to be. This may look like barren sand to you, but nothing could be further from the truth. I say to you that as you lay your head down tonight, you are sleeping on fertile ground. Think, learn, pray, plan,dream. For soon......you will become."

These lines come from a book that I am reading called, "The Noticer" by Andy Andrews

This book is about perspective, stating on the cover "Sometimes all a person needs is a little perspective."

As I've read this book I have begun to watch the story come alive, and of course I compare the situations with others in my very own life. I want to relate to it, use it, and I do and will.

The storyline consists of a man that helps people to realize things in their lives, or "notice." He helps people that are within the valley's of their lives to realize that all they need, is a little perspective.

GREAT READ!

The highest and most beautiful things in life are not to be heard about, nor read about, nor seen but, if one will, are to be lived. ~Soren Kierkegaar

When I read this, it's almost as if the words jumped off of the page and slapped me in the face, or as if they were written just for me.

We can't just hear about the most beautiful things, or read them, or see them, because were meant to live them.

Figuring out that life is the beautiful thing. The friendships,the laughter, and passion for every person and relationship within that life, is what makes it beautiful.

Within the last year of my life, I have learned how to live. I've learned how beautiful my life is and realized, and become able to vocalize, that I'm in love with it. I've learned how connected I can be with my creator and the people around me, and how important that is to me. I have learned that the most beautiful things in my life are the things that I'm living, everyday, the conversations that I'm having, the hands that I'm holding, the smiles that I'm giving. And not only all of those things that I am giving, but also the things that I am receiving because of that release, or that giving.

Throughout my upper teen years I asked myself, often; What was I created to do? and now I know that there is only one phrase that can completely define it, and that is to just "live the beauty." Live the beauty that God has created my life to be. Accept it. Believe in it. And know that it's beautiful.

"Live the Beauty"

~Living the beauty means to embrace every moment of life with a current running through your soul that makes you know that that moment is meant to be there.
~Living the beauty means to embrace every relationship within your life and know that there is purpose within it.
~Living the beauty means to know who you are, that you're valued, and that no event, disappointment, hurt, or pain, can truly alter the essence of that value, or that beauty.
~Living the beauty is a choice to look at the world, and know that it wouldn't be the same without you in it, and that because of that realization, you can do what God purposed you to do.



I have no Idea where this came from, or why I wrote any of it, but that current tells me that I'll use it for something.

The End.

My favorite Christmas Hymn

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!



Why?
Because I can feel Jesus when I listen to it.

My favorite line is "Truly He taught us to love one another"
It makes it all so real to me, to think that God created the truest representation of love, wrapped it in human form, and sent it to earth as a baby boy. The birth of Christ was God's gift of true, pure, love, and I beleive was God's way of setting the biggest example he could have ever set. Surely he has taught us to love one another.

Christmas should be a celebration of that love for this world.

I enjoy Christmas. I love the way it makes me feel, but I sometimes fail to realize that this gift is meant to be celebrated all year long, and the best way I can celebrate it, is by loving every person that walks into my life with that same love that Mary birthed into this world.

So why does Christmas make us feel this way? because it represents LOVE in it's purest form.

Just my theory :)