A Portrait of My God: King of Kings

I was standing in the kitchen making banana bread (which didn't turn out, by the way) while watching the rain on the kitchen window. I few minutes later I turned back to the window to watch the...snow? Yes, snow in October. It began falling at 11:30am, and it's still falling at 2:32pm. It's beautiful but early.

I was thinking how awesome it is that God did a couple things. First, He makes the deciduous trees lose their broad leaves in the fall. If they don't lose their leave before the snow comes, their leaves will gather the snow, make the leave too heavy, and the branches will break under their weight (which is what is happening in my backyard...) He also makes the coniferous trees to be shaped like...cones...which ensures that the snow will slide off and not gather too much on the leaves. Because of this, they can stay green all year round. Second, God does not make any two snow flakes the same. I was watching thousands of snowflakes fall right outside my little kitchen window, and they were all different from one another. And that's just outside my small window. Amazing Creator God.

Seeing snow like this makes me picture the little children in China (and all over the world) who are not only without moms and dads, but also without homes, coats, blankets, gloves, and food. I miss China...

So, as you can imagine, it's very cold here now. I'm talking gloves, hats, scarves, coats, and boots kind of cold. And cold and flu season kind of cold. Speaking of flu seasons, I was petrified because I was going to have to get my flu shot. When I went to the doctor, she offered me the option of getting a nasal spray in place of the needle. It was ELATED! Anyone who knows me know that I faint every time I get a needle. I wanted to hug her, but I refrained. :D

No other name can make all nations

Bow down in a worship of a King

One who is worthy of all honor

More than the praises we can sing

No other kingdom lasts forever

With no beginning and no end

No other King can save His people

Rescue their souls from hell and death

You, oh God

Are the King above all King

To you alone

We lift our voices and we sing

Worthy is the Lord

Worthy are you, God

We lift our eyes in awe

To the King of Kings

We stand in wonder at the mention

That you were born a little babe

You came in obedience to your Father

Knowing the price that you must pay

You took the nails, the crown, the vict'ry

Now we can see an empty grave

No other King would have such mercy

That He would die so we'd be saved

You, oh God

Are the Lord above all Lord

And you alone

We worship and adore

Worthy is the Lamb

Worthy are you, God

We lift our eyes in awe

To the King of Kings

CHRISTMAS IS COMING!!

Peace.

I'm Back in the Blogging Spirit...

It's fall again. This year, I'm in a different place yet again. For being a large, crowded city, there are quite a few trees in NYC. And Central Park in the fall...don't even get me started! Now, if only I had my camera.

Ah yes, my camera. It's like the extension of my hand. My third eye. Alas, it began refusing to take pictures, so I had to take it to the repair shop. They're still working on making Elvira all better, but I'm missing many opportunities. Absence makes the heart grow fonder...or so they say.

Yes, NYC is beautiful in the fall. The leaves are slowly changing color, and the air only recently became crisp and cold. Today was the epitome of a gorgeous fall day. I still, on occasion, wear flip flops. I'm sure people think, "She's crazy!" in their heads, but I just think, "I despise shoes." So it all evens out, and we're good to go. I just can't bring myself to cram my feet into shoes before it's absolutely necessary (meaning: before my toes go numb and turn blue.)

In other news (because I know how much you care about my flip flops and camera), I went to an exhibit called Dialogue in the Dark. In short, you are given a blind person's walking cane and a guide who is legally blind. A group of people are then led through a series of rooms that are meant to simulate popular spots in NYC. Some spots include Central Park, Times Square, the subway, a grocery store, and a cafe. The catch is that you are led through these rooms in pitch blackness. It is as if you are blind. As I stood outside waiting for our guide to begin the tour, I thought, "What am I getting myself into?" As the lights went down, I thought this again. Only this time, it was too late. Initially, it was quite challenging, but as time went on it became less so. The guide encouraged us to "look" around using our hands. We "saw" bicycles, garbage cans, bushes, water, fruits and veggies, milk, ketchup, pasta, a subway car, trucks, etc. We could smell flowers, hear people talking, hear horns honking, and smell hot dog stands. The guide led us in crossing the street in Times Square, and riding the subway felt quite real. Ok, so that wasn't exactly "in short," but you get the idea. I would do it again!

I've been going through China withdrawal in the last few days. Sometimes I feel so far away from China, and sometimes I feel so close that I can almost smell the good and not so good smells, hear the language, feel the air, and see the people. Unless God changes it, my plan is to stay in NYC for 3 years. I know it's going to feel long and short, hard and easy. When I miss China is when it will be the worst, but I know that once I finally get there, it'll all be worth it. I'm needed here for now. I know why. There are several reasons, but a couple stand out to me more. God has a plan, and I want to say "yes" to each small step on a daily basis. Like I've said before, He's handing me life piece by piece. He can see the whole picture on the puzzle box, and He knows how all the pieces fit together. I just have to trust Him that He will give me everything in His perfect timing.

I noticed that places like NYC are very materialistic. I'm sure anyone in their right mind would agree with me. I'm trying to distance myself from that while still living in the middle of it. It's so easy to get comfortable and want more and more and more. I need to be saving for my future in China, and I need to remember every day that if I have God, I have all that I need. He's everything that I could ever want and ever need.

If you took everything I have

My possessions and my health

All the ones I love so much

I'd still praise you

And if I walked through endless trials

And you led me through the fire

I'd still believe that you

Are more than enough

God you're my hope

You are my strength

You are my peace

You're all I need

Lord you're my love

My dearest friend

I will love you without end

You're all I need

I will go, follow if you call

And I'll trust you as my guide

Dangers cannot make me fear

I know you're near

Lord if you send me far away

Far from everything I know

I'd still have faith that you

Are more than enough

God you're my joy

You are my wealth

You're my desire

You're all I need

Lord you're my guide

My very life

I will love you without end

You're all I need

God you're my all

On you I call

You lift me up

You're all I need

Lord I will praise

Your precious name

I will love you without end

You're all I need

I pray that if I ever end up like Job, I'll still be able to say this.

The kidlets are sound asleep now. They must have been tired, because they slept after only about 10 minutes. A new world record! The kidlets on:

The new babysitter: "Are you going to tell Casey when she comes that Penelope (dog) is small?" (said in a extremely serious tone)

Soup: "I love every kind of soup except the other kinds of soup."

Bedtime: "One time daddy said that we could skip bed, and we never did so I want to skip bed this time."

Bathroom: "This is hard work!"

Baths: "Warm, deep baths are so lovely."

Eating veggies before eating pizza: "My tummy is too full for veggies but not too full for pizza."

Not being able to go to school due to sickness: "This is really hard for me!" (said while wailing)

The Halloween decorations that Grammy and Grampy sent: "I love these decorations. We should send some back to Grammy and Grampy so they can have some too."

Nap time on a cloudless summer afternoon: "I can't sleep because I just saw lightning."

What to do on their day off: "We should go on a boat to the Statue of Liverty!"

Taking laundry from the washer to the dryer: "I can't make this sheet come out of the washer even though I pulled so hardly!"

Oh yes, gotta love kidletisms. I'm sure there will be more to come! Peace

A Portrait of My God: Comforter

Sometimes things happen that just make us hurt inside. Sometimes we have physical pain. It's never going to stop until we're in Heaven, but God's promises are going to last and be shown to us. God is our comforter, and we can trust His promises and rest in His love.

He has it all planned out to work for His glory and our good. Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

He promises rest. Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

He promises peace. John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

He promises to give us what we need. Philippians 4:19 "And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

He promises strength. Isaiah 40:29+31 "He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength...but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

He promises joy. Psalm 16:11 "You make known to me the path of life, if your presence there is fulness of joy, at your right hand there are pleasures forever more."

These are just a few of His promises. No matter what comes along in our lives, God will be our comfort and strength and give us what we need to continue serving Him.

I come before your throne of grace

And you are please to receive me

Burdens so great I cannot stand

You bid me rest

You wrap me in your sweet embrace

As I begin to praise your name

Lord in my greatest need you're there

My comforter

Jesus you take my load

And make it your own

Hold me and make me

At peace

Father here in your arms

I find true joy even in pain

By your sweet grace

My comforter

You pour your blessings out on me

I am renewed and given strength

You lead me beside still waters

My souls's restored

You've promised not to leave my side

Even in storms and darkest nights

You promise peace and lasting joy

My comforter

A Portrait of My God: Creator

I recently took the kids to the park on a gorgeous Thursday afternoon so that they could throw around their frisbees. I played with them for about an hour, and then I sat down on the grass to relax. The sky was blue with only a few lazy clouds, the air was crisp and cool, and the leaves in the park were just beginning to change color. A perfect fall day. And I couldn't help but think of all the awesome things that God created for me to enjoy on that day. (awesome- inspiring awe, characterized by awe) I began to think of all the things that He made that I'll probably never see. Stars too many to count in massive galaxies that we'll never be able to see, snow flakes that are so different from one another that no two are the same, the deepest part of the ocean that holds creatures that no one will discover, the simple beauty of a clear blue sky, thunder and lightning, anything from a gentle breeze to a hurricane, how a baby grows in the womb and is born a tiny tiny human, and many more wonderful things that God has created.

I love reading Genesis 1 where creation is described. God just spoke it into being and called it good. He gave us a great blessing when He gave us His creation. And we're part of that creation, too. Just think of the complexities of our bodies. The bazillions of cells and how our bodies repair themselves, things like hair and our vision and so many more amazing aspects. No, those DEFINITELY could not have been created by a big bang and slowly evolved. No sir. God made a creation that we can hardly begin to understand. But it sure is beautiful.

From the unknown ocean depths

To the galaxies unseen

In a tiny baby's eyes

And a strong and towering tree

In the beauty of a rose

The uncertainty of breath

In every sunrise, sunset

Lord we see your awesomeness

You are the Creator

The Sustainer of life

You make the seasons change

And the moon to rise at night

I look around me

And I see all you have made

You delight to give us beauty

In all that you create

As the sun comes through the trees

And the gentle breezes blow

In the clouds that change and fade

And the tiny flowers that grow

In each flake of gentle snow

Where no two can be the same

For the beauty, splendor

Lord we praise your mighty name

You are the Creator

The Sustainer of life

You make the seasons change

And the moon to rise at night

I look around me

And I see all you have made

You delight to give us beauty

In all that you create

A Portrait of My God: Unchanging

What if we had a God that changed? A God who's moods were different, and who changed his mind or his characteristics? I'm happy (so happy) to say that my God NEVER changes. He always was and always will be the same. Perfect, holy, loving, true, righteous, powerful, and the list goes on and on. The world and the people in it continue to change, but God never does. Things happen in our lives that make us rejoice or cry. We fail, we love, we grow, we begin to think differently, we change certain behaviors, etc. God doesn't do that. He's always the same.

Ages come and fade

Kingdoms rise and fall

Seasons change

But Jesus is always the same

Seas have storms then calm

Flowers bloom and die

Time is fleeing fast

But Jesus is the same through all of time

So holy, so righteous

So powerful and true

So wonderful

In all you do

I offer up my praises

To one who never changes

For all the ages, Lord,

You are the same

Blessings fall on me

And I walk through fire

I grow weak

But Jesus is always the same

Heartaches come and go

Though I question why

I can rest on this

That Jesus is the same through all of time

My healer, my portion

My comforter and Friend

Your promises

Are always true

I offer up my praises

To one who never changes

For all the ages, Lord,

You are the same

My shepherd, my leader

My Rock and hiding place

You love me still

No matter what I do

I offer up my praises

To one who never changes

For all the ages, Lord,

You are the same