Sunday, September 30, 2012

This Is Our God

If church was just worship music, I'd be fulfilled. It's such an awesome way to connect with the Lord, a way to praise him whole heartedly. There is nothing more beautiful than a church worshipping the Father together, with voices raised and arms outstretched.  
 
{And I will fall at Your feet
I will fall at Your feet
And I will worship you here

Freely You gave it ALL for us
Surrendered Your life upon that cross
Great is the love poured out for all
This is our God

Lifted on high from death to life
Forever our God is glorified
Servant and King, You rescued the world
This is our God}
 
~Hillsong, "This Is Our God"
Xo, Bethany

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Pens and Paper

There is something about writing that is so freeing. It is a way to express yourself through the power and wonder of words. Watching ink flow onto paper, with your hand trying to keep up with the outpour of ideas, is such a sight to behold.

I love buying pens and collecting notebooks, imagining the journals that they will become. The pages await to be filled, filled with dreams and thoughts and devotionals and stories and accounts of our days. Marked with song lyrics, quotes, and Bible verses, my writings are my own.

To know that somewhere, someone can't read and write breaks my heart. Where would I be without books and blogs? Without letters and journals? I can't imagine a world like that.

Yet I've seen those worlds. Places where children, sometimes adults even, can't spell their names. They might have a Bible, but it is of no use to them because they can't read it. Many, many people have to rely on word of mouth to hear news. Stories are passed down through generations.

This is a blessing that I take advantage of daily. I grew up in a country that is blessed to give education and recieve education. A country that teaches children to read and write. A country that has the technology to keep the East coast connected to the West coast, to connect one side of the world to the other. A country that has recorded history in words and in movies.

Since I have been blessed with these gifts, I choose to read and I  choose to write. I read to learn. I read to explore. I read to be transported to a different time and place. I read to gain experience. Someday, someone will be reading what you read. I write to record who I was, when I was here, what I did. I write to make sense of myself. I write to find clarity. I write for myself, and I write for others. Someday, someone will be reading what you wrote. Life keeps marching on and my pen shall race to keep up.

Xo, Beth

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

The Sweetest Thing

Here are this week's sweetest things, in my opinion.

Quote:
“Most of our life is a series of images. They pass us by like towns on the highway. But sometimes a moment stuns us as it happens. And we know that this instant is more than a fleeting image. We know that this moment, every part of it, will live on forever.”


Song: "One Day" by Trading Yesterday
 
Verse:
"For God is not the author of confusion, but the author of peace." ~1 Corinthians 14:33
 
Goal:
 
Knocked My Socks Off:
 
 
Funny:
 
 
Xo, Bethany

Monday, September 17, 2012

Hope Floats

Hope is like love
it isn't always fireworks
sometimes it comes softly.

Hope is a spark, a light,
a promise of something better.
It can be simple and small.

Hope requires faith
You cannot become refined
without walking through a fire.

Hope comes from faith
which grows steadily when it is tended to
Faith stems from grace
and grace comes from God.

~BLV

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

1 Thessalonians 5:18

I am home from beautiful Florida! It was so nice to get away. I'll post about that soon. But for today, we're going to talk about thankfulness.

I have struggled with thankfulness lately. I was sitting on my bed last night, realizing that I was not getting anywhere with the attitude I currently had. I could only see the negatives in my little life. Naturally when you look for the negatives in life, you will find them. I just returned from vacation, and I should have been grateful that I got to get away. Instead, I was angry. What good was that doing me?

The whole point of vacation is to relax, to get away from your everyday life, and enjoy living. I thouroughly enjoyed my extended vacation (thanks Isaac!). I planned on coming home refreshed and renewed, and I found myself frustrated. Frustrated that I had a panic attack on the airplane. Frustrated with my family, who excels at messiness and pushing my buttons! Frustrated that I am on a different track than many of my friends. Frustrated that I'm not in college yet. As I stomped around, cleaning up and unpacking and readjusting to being home, I lost it. I huffed and sighed and basically threw an eighteen year old fit (who, me?!).

As I'm sitting on my bed, it hit me. You are wasting all this time and energy on frustration! What is wrong with you? Look, lady, something's got to give.

I repented of my attitude, my frustration, my fit throwing, and my ungratefulness. With new resolve, I want to be grateful. With God's help, I can chose to be cheerful. I remembered something a sweet friend of mine is doing on her blog, and I felt God urging me to join.

You see, this lovely friend of mine named Erin has a blog called Sweetness Itself. A few weeks ago, she wrote a post caled Thankful Sweetness. Every week, she writes 4-8 things she is thankful for. You just take a moment and remember the simple blessings in your life. Erin pointed out that us Christian sisters need accountability, and suggested that we share them on Twitter and Instagram.

Here's my list!

I am thankful for...

~ vacation
~ nature walks
~ low maintenance hair
~ coffee
~ grocery shopping with my daddy
~ the ability to read and write
~ God's perfect timing
~ hugs
~ friendships, in every shape and form

Friends, taking the time to list what I'm thankful for has made such a difference in my life. Whether it is the material things or the big things that God has done in your life lately, I encourage you to to take a second and list what you are thankful for. You'll be amazed.

I leave you with this:

"Be thankful in all circumstances." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Xo, Bethany