Merry Christmas!

Wow, I can't believe that Christmas was yesterday! Can it really be the end of December? Part of the reason for my disbelief is that I wasn't home for the holidays this year because I was working. However, I think the biggest reason I'm in disbelief is the fact that is has been in the 70s all week!!!! Being from the Midwest, I'm used to cold weather in December...And most likely snow...Now that I'm in a warmer climate it feels very weird (but nice) to be in the 70s.:) 

Since it was Christmas, I thought I would spread some holiday cheer (no I'm not going to sing even if its the best way to spread Christmas cheer. My singing would be too painful), I figured I would share some pictures of gingerbread men that I helped make and decorated yesterday.

The crazy, groovy gingerbread family!

 

 Now the close-ups...

I just couldn't help myself with this one 'cause I totally LOVE Jesus! :)

Now that I'm looking at them, I feel like they should have names.

Maybe, Mo, Larry, Curly, and Shemp?

Or maybe they could be representatives of me and my siblings. ;)

 Anyways, I ended up giving the cookies to my co-workers today. Pretty sure they were all amused by the way they were decorated. Hope they also provide you with amusement! :)

"That's All Folks!"
 

Splendid Snorkeling Voyage

This past weekend I was able to attend a sea turtle conference in the Florida Key (doesn't that sound like fun? Sea turtles are so cool!!!) One awesome thing about the trip was that we went snorkeling off of Key Largo on White Banks Reef. It was my first time and was sooooooooo much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

 I'm sure you can see my excited through the equipment. :)Though it turns out, I may not be the best snorkeler ever because I just really don't like to kick. Even when I swim normally, I use by arms and not by legs. I noticed I had the same habit sometimes during snorkeling. lol.
 
 We didn't see anything extra special like sharks, turtles,or sting rays. However, we did see lots of colorful fish and beautiful coral! The diversity of God's creature is amazing. While swimming I kept thinking what an awesome Father we have. Here are a few pictures so you can also marvel at God's amazing creation!

 

 So great story about that pink fish pictured above, it is a man-eating fish!...I barely escaped that beast with my life. It was so traumatizing that I saw my life flash before my eyes (Did you die? Yes, but I lived)...Ok, so maybe it wasn't quite that dramatic. The true story is I saw the fish and wanted to get a picture so I dove down to get a little close. It then proceeded to swim directly at me with it's mouth WIDE open. Apparently, I was too scary cause it turned away a couple feet from me. :)

Anyways, it was truly a fantastical experience and I'm so glad I had the chance to go. The rest of the weekend was spent seeing sea turtles at the Turtle Hospital, learning all about sea turtles, catching up with friends, and eating seafood.:)

"That's All Folks!"
 

Delighting in His Law

The other day I was reading Psalm 119 about how David loved the law of the Lord and longed to follow his commands. This led me to Psalm 1 where I got stuck on verse 2, "But his delight is on the law of the Lord and on His law he will meditate day and night." Now I've probably read this verse a hundred time, but this time all I could think was: what is the law of the Lord and why did David love it so much? And then it came to me, the law of the Lord is to love the Lord our God with all your heart, strength, mind, and soul (Deuteronomy 6:5). 

So what is the verse saying? We are to delight in loving the Father. It should not be a chore or a burden, but loving the Lord our God should be a delight in our life. We are to spend our days thinking about how much we love Him. Day and night, night and day, He should be in our thoughts. It's just like when you start to fall in love with someone and all you do is think about them. What are they doing? When can I see them again? Would they like this? What are their thoughts on this topic/item? That is how it should be in loving the Lord. 

And as we start to open up to delighting in Him and loving Him fully our hearts open up delighting in the second part of His law, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mathew 22:39). We are also suppose to delight in loving those around us. For we cannot just stop at the first part because to fully love the Father you must love His people. We can't learn to love God if we hate our brother.If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20).

Father, today I open my heart to delight in Your law. May our hearts, minds, souls, and strengths be filled with love for you. And Father help us to love our brothers just as you love them.

"That's All Folks!"

No Greater Love

"Greater lover has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13

 

 Thank you for your sacrifice. 

"That's All Folks!"
 

He is the Sustainer

"Cast your cares on the Lord
      and He will sustain you;
      He will never let the righteous fall."
                    -Psalm 56:22

What does it mean when it says the Lord will sustain you? 

The definition of sustain is: 
1) to support, hold, or bear up from below; bear weight of, as a structure. The Father holds you up in everything that you are going through. As you walk with Him, he will bear all the weight of the load that you carry.

2) to endure without giving way or yielding. He will be with you ALWAYS! His love will NEVER give way.

3) to keep (a person, the mind, the spirit, etc) from giving way as under trial or affliction. During whatever trials and afflictions that you may be going through, He will keep you, your mind, your spirit, from giving way. Trust in Him. Believe in His Word.

4) to supply with food, drink, and other necessities of life. Trust the Lord in ALL that you do and walk by faith with Him because He will supply for all your needs. You no longer have to worry about what to eat or drink, what you will wear, how to pay the bills etc. (Matthew 6:31-33), just focus on Him and keep proclaiming, "Thy Kingdom come! Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven!" (Matthew 6:10).

5) to provide for by furnishing means or funds. Again, He will provide all the furnishing and funds that you need. There is no more need to focus the circumstances, issues, problems around you. Lift your eyes to the Father.

This is what the Father has been making real to me: I am to walk everyday by faith, believing that the Words He has spoken over my life are real and valid and I am going to walk in those promises. This isn't some easy thing. Like everyone else I struggle with this, looking at the problems and needs around me and trying to figure out all the answers. I question. What will my next job be? Will I have the right place to live? Can I afford it? How do I pay the bills? Who? What? When? Where? Why? I doubt. Will it really happen? Am I doing what I'm suppose to?  But I always come back to one thing: Father I love You and I know You love me. I trust that you will lead and guide my steps in a better way than I could ever imagine, so I will rest in Your presence

This walk is a walk by faith. If we trust in God's unfailing love (Psalm 52:8), we don't need to focus on our problems because we trust the Father to take care of every need. 

I'll leave you with one simple challenge, one that I repeat to myself over and over again: DARE TO BELIEVE GOD!

"That's All Folks!"

Psalm 130

"Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; 
     Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
    to my cry for mercy.

 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
    Lord, who could stand?
 But with you there is forgiveness,
    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
    and in his word I put my hope. 

 I wait for the Lord
    more than watchmen wait for the morning,
    more than watchmen wait for the morning.

 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
    for with the Lord is unfailing love
    and with him is full redemption. 

 He himself will redeem Israel
    from all their sins."

"That's All Folks!"