Chattanooga Zoo

Just chillin.

Ready, set, let's roll!

I know you're talking about me...

Hello, my name is...

Yum, yum! I love eating hay!

Whaz up?

I'm tired. I'm just going to lay here and take a nap.

Isn't she beautiful?

Baaaa

Don't I look cool?!?

So these are just a few photos that I took at the Chattanooga Zoo a couple months ago during hurricane evacuation. I always takes tons of photos, but never do anything with them so I decided to post some. There may be more coming soon...

"That's All Folks!"

The Promise of Restoration

Sometimes I read God's Word and just get completely blown away by what He says and how He loves us. There are times like now when I just can't contain myself from sharing His AWESOME Word with others. I've been reading Jeremiah lately and certain verses have popped of the page during this time. There is always Jeremiah 29:11 which is one of my favorite verses. The new covenant starting at Jeremiah 31:31 is always a good read, but today I was in Jeremiah 32 when it truly leapt of the page and came alive to me.

The book of Jeremiah goes between God saying he is going to judge and destroy Israel for their disobedience and God telling Israel that He will restore them if the they would only turn from their own ways and serve Him. Every time I read it, it breaks my heart. These are God's chosen people. He has performed miracle after miracle for them. He has love them with an everlasting love, yet Israel persists in going its own way and chasing after idols. I think the biggest reason that it breaks my heart  is that I can completely relate. No, I may not be burning incense to other gods or sacrifing my children on the alter (seeing as I don't actually have children). But that doesn't mean that I don't walk astray at times. We are to serve the Lord only and to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength (Deuteronomy 6:5). So when I get to caught up in my life with work or friends or family, the newest movie or TV show to watch, the latest great read, the worries of life, or just stop keeping the Father at the center of my life, I become just like Israel. I start relying on the idols in my life.

Then today I read Jeremiah 32:38-41 and I was completely blown away:  "They will be my people, and I will be their God. And I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship Me for ever, for their own good and the good of all their descendants. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship Me, and they will never leave Me. I will find joy doing good for them and will faithfully and wholeheartedly replant them in this land." (NLT)

There are just so many great promises in those few verses. First, He gives His promise that He will be our God and we will be His people. This is repeated multiple times in the Bible and can start to be overlooked, but the truth is: He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless. To be adopted as sons (Ephesians 4-5). He chose us out of the whole world to be His treasured possession (Deuteronomy 7:6). And the truth of the matter is, He didn't have to. But in His great love, the Father sent His son to reconcile us to Him that we may have a relationship with Him and live in His presence.

Second, the Father says that He will give us one heart and one purpose. This is so important because we would never be able to serve God wholly in our own strength and abilities.  I know it and God knows it. That is why God had to make a new covenant through Jesus. He saw that man in his own strength kept falling away. The NIV version says that He will give us a singleness of heart and action to fear Him. That is what I want: a singleness of heart to worship Him only!!!

He doesn't even stop there, but continues with His promises by saying that He will NEVER stop doing good us. It may not seem like it at times, but God is working everything for our good (Romans 8:28). He has a plan for us and is working out EVERYTHING in conformity with His will (Ephesians 1:11). Let me repeat that: He will NEVER stop doing good to us and is working out EVERYTHING in conformity with His will.

Then once again, He promises to put a desire in our hearts to worship Him. With this desire, we will never leave Him. Oh how my heart cries out to never leave Him again! Without Him life is empty and meaningless, but in His presenc there is fullness of joy. When we worship Him, we stay  in His presence.

Even more then His everlasting covenant to never stop doing good to us, the Father proclaims it is His joy to do good to us and He rejoices in it. Again this bears repeating: He rejoices and takes joy in doing good to us. And because of that, he will most assuredly, faithfully, and wholeheartedly plant us in the land He has chosen for us.

What a holy, awesome Father we have!

"That's All Folks!"

To Know His Love

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom His whole family in haven and earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have the power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
                           -Ephesians 3:14-21

"That's All Folks!"

Yet Another Cross-Stitch

Since my last post was all about cross-stitching I figured I would share a pic of my latest completed cross-stitch.

So there was actually not suppose to be a saying with the cross-stitch, but when I finished I thought it was missing something. Then I started looking up short, sassy sayings that would fit with it and found that one. I thought it seemed appropriate. :)


"That's All Folks!"

I Might Be An Old Lady...

So I am only 23, but sometimes I'm convinced I am an old lady. Case in point: I spend most of my free time reading and cross stitching. Yep, you heard me right. I like to cross stitch. Just last week I finished a cross stitch that I started two and a half years ago...NO, I'm not THAT slow. There are months at a time that I go without cross stitching and then there are times that I get really into it.

This took 2.5yrs, but was super fun to do! (size 11"x14")

It felt amazing, wonderful, fabulous, awesome, great, super, fantastical, stupendous (I'm running out of adjectives) to finish the cross stitch. I had such a cross stitch high (is that actually a thing?) that I went out and bought more cross stitches for me to do. :)
 

This only took me three days to do. (size 3" x  5")

And this one was only two days...I'm getting better (size 3" x 5")

 Even after doing those to small ones, I still have the urge to cross stitch. Thus, I have another larger one that I will probably start next.

My next project...

I really love the colors of this one and the fact that it is cowboy boots is a great bonus 'cause I LOVE cowboy boots. I would have to say the most difficult part of picking out a new cross stitch if finding one that I really like. I go for the ones that have awesome colors and aren't "old ladyish". My solution to that problem used to be the fact that I cross stitched any and every dolphin cross stitch I could find. Here are a couple of those: 

I think this is a great life motto! :)

Sad to say, the last one took me like 4.5-5yrs, but in my defense I got in freshman year of college so I had other things that were a priority over it. And it spent much of it time stuffed away in a box or drawer.

Okay, enough about my old lady habits and cross stitches. Until next time my faithful followers...


"That's All Folks!"

He Rules and Reigns

"All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over the nations." - Psalm 22:27-28

Amen! Now is the time Father. You rule and reign on what earth! 

Why Must We Grumble?

Since it is the Passover time, I have been reading Exodus and about God leading the Israelites out of Egypt and one of the things that stood out to me is that we, as humans, are very good at finding things to grumble about. When Moses first comes back to Egypt and tells Pharaoh to let the people go, Pharaoh doubles the work load of the Israelites because he thinks they are complaining because they are lazy and not working hard enough. The reaction of the Israelites was "May the Lord look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us." (Exodus 5:21). When Moses tells them that the Lord will bring them out of their bondage to the Egyptians, the Israelites would not listen because of their discouragement and bondage (Exodus 6:6, 9).

Then after the Father displays His awesome majesty and leads His people out of Egypt, all men women, children, and livestock. After the Israelites plunder the Egyptians because the Lord made them favorably disposed. Pharaoh decides to pursue them in the desert. When the Israelites see this, is their first reaction, "Father you saved us once from the Egyptians and gave us all their plunder, I know you can do it again"? No. Their reaction is, " Why did you bring us into the desert to die? Was their not enough room for our graves in Egypt?" (Exodus 14:11). But yet again, the Father displays is majesty by putting Himself between Israel and their enemies, parting the Red Sea so they can cross on dry ground, AND completely destroying the Egyptian army when they try to pursue the Israelites.   

Your right hand, O Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, O Lord shattered the enemy. In the greatness of Your majesty You threw down those who opposed You...Who among the gods is like You, O Lord? Who is like You - majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?  Exodus 15:6-7,11

Now after the Lord has delivered them from the Egyptians, not once, but twice, do the Israelites put their full trust in God? Let's see...they are in the desert for three days without water and what do they do? They grumble. What is the Lord's answer? He provides water for them to drink and then promised to give them complete health if they follow His ways (Exodus 15:22-26).

Now will they trust? Nope, once again they begin to grumble, "If only we had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death." (Exodus 16:3). Once again the Lord provides by raining manna from heaven for them to eat and tells them to gather only what they need for that day because He will provide for them every day, except on the sixth day they are suppose to gather double so they can rest on the seventh day. What do some people do, they gathered more than they needed and saved some for the next day. However, what they had left until morning was full of maggots because they had disobeyed God. For forty years, the Lord provided enough food for the Israelites to eat.

When they camped at Rephidum in the desert, there was no water and what did they do? Hadn't the Lord provided water for them before? Hadn't He rained down food for them when they needed? Yes, but once again Israel quarreled with Moses about wanting water and once again the Lord provided water. Are you sensing a pattern yet?

Next the Lord promises to make Israel His treasured possession and a kingdom of priests and a holy nation if they fully obey His commands and Israel promises to obey all His words (Exodus 19:5-8). Yet when Moses goes to talk with the Father on Mount Sinai and is gone for a while, Israel turns their back on God and asks Aaron to make them new Gods (Exodus 32:1).

During the whole time in the desert, the Lord was with them in a cloud by day and fire by night. He ALWAYS provided for their needs. But the Israelites continue to grumble about their hardships. Their cloths did not wear, they had food rained down, water provided from rocks, yet they grumbled. And when it was time to take possession of the land flowing with milk and honey, they sent a group to bring a report of the land. When it came back that they people living there were very large and the cities fortified, once again Israel reacts by saying, "If only we had died in Egypt (apparently that was a common theme)! Or in this desert! Why did the Lord bring us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" (Numbers 14:2-4).

Quick recap, the Lord delivered the people from Egypt. Check. He parted the Red Sea and completely destroyed the Egyptian army. Check. He provided water multiple times. Check. He rained down food from heaven. Check. Their cloths and sandals did not wear. Check. His presence was with them day and night. Check. But He will not be able to provide the victory against these strong people? Uncheck. 

I didn't write all of this to judge the people about all their grumble and to say, "Oh, look at me. I'm so awesome. I would have never grumble if I lived back then ('Cause really we probably would have grumble too)." I wrote this to highlight the fact that it is so easy to grumble, even after the Lord displays miracle after miracle and provides for everyone of our needs. And to ask the question: Why must we always grumble? Human nature would probably be the best answer. That is why we have to cloth ourselves with Jesus for He has provided the way (Romans 13:14). Jesus walked knowing that He was going to be the sacrifice for us. When His time came did He say, "Oh Lord, if only I had never been born! Why did you bring me here to be crucified?!" No, His response was, "Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what You will." (Mark 14:36).

Honestly, the Father could have delivered Israel from Egypt and had them taken possession of the promise land without all of these trials. Why didn't He? It was so the He could display His mighty hand and show His glory. In everything we go through and in everything we do we are to glorify the Father. The time has come that His sons are to be glorified so we can glorify Him (John 17)!

"That's All Folks!"

I Think I May Be Crazy...

I was slightly bored tonight and decided to go back and read some of my previous blog posts. That might not have been the best idea because it just showed me how crazy I actually am. For one, I willingly decided to put some of my thoughts and randomness out there in the world where I can find them again. I thing the key to crazy randomness it to NEVER document it then you can pretend that it never happened. :) When someone goes, "Remember that time you did this *insert weirdness* or said that *insert craziness*?" you can just deny complete knowledge of that. The good news is after the first couple of years I wasn't blogging that often so there is A LOT of crazy randomness that I still can deny. lol...then again, this post might be further proof of my insanity. 

Now random side note...Mystery Science Theater 3000 is hilarious. The jokes they make about all the old horrible movies are right up my alley. 

Onto another side note, at least my blog conveys one very accurate thing about me...ready...hold on to your hats...unless you don't like your hat, then you can let it be blown away with my revelation..or by the severity of laughter when you read my revelation...or by the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode you decided to go watch instead of continuing to read my ramblings...have I lost you yet?...why are you still reading...oh, you're waiting for the one accurate thing my blogs conveys about me (aside from my all around weirdness)...I TOTALLY LOVE JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"That's All Folks!"

P.S. I still don't know why I end every post like Porky Pig, but yet I still continue to do it. :)

Covered in Grace

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." - Hebrews 4:14-16

Jesus came to the earth and was tempted in every way. He was insulted, he was persecuted, he knew hunger, he knew thirst, he had to deal with friends and family. And through everything He went through, He learned obedience. "Although He was a son, He learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him" (Hebrews 5:8-9). When Jesus went to the cross, His blood provided the full access to the Father and His throne of grace. We have grace. No matter what we do. No many how many times we fall and fail. Every time we come to the Father and the throne room, we are covered in grace. 

"That's All Folks!"

Genuine Faith

"These (talking about trials, life circumstances) have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." - 1 Peter 1:17

Our faith is of greater worth than gold, but for it to be actually worthwhile, it has to be proved genuine. The other day I was reading something that really stuck with me: "We are like a child playing with dolls, pretending to have a tea party: 'Okay, let's pour the tea now.' There is no teapot, but we pretend to pour the tea and drink it. That is how we, as Christians, relate to faith, but faith is not pretending. Faith becomes our new sense that allows us to perceive what really does exist" (Gary Hargrave, Obtain the Promises, Chpt 4). When I read that, it was like a light bulb went off in my head How many times have I claimed to have faith, but have just been pretending?

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." - Hebrews 11:1-3 KJV

"The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd. By faith, we see the world called into existence by God’s word, what we see created by what we don’t see." - Hebrews 11:1-3 MSG

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible." - Hebrews 11:1-3 NASB

What does it mean to have assurance of things hoped for? Here are a few definitions of assurance: 1) a promise or pledge; guaranty; surety 2) full confidence; freedom from doubt; certainty 3) freedom from timidity; self-confidence; belief in one's abilities. So faith is having the full confidence that what God said is true and being free to believe without doubts assailing.
 
Wow, mind blown! Imagine that...having full freedom from doubts. Having complete freedom from timidity. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT). Let me repeat that, living a life with full freedom from doubt. No more thoughts popping in your head during the day.  Did I do a good enough job? But what about this? Or that? Am I enough? Those lies that Satan plants in your mind. POOF! GONE! Vanished into thin air never to be heard again! With full freedom from doubt, instead of lies filling our head we have the truth - Jesus (John 14:6).


 Faith is not pretending to pour a tea and drink it. It is actually seeing things created out of that which is not visible. Today is the day I want to stop pretending and have genuine faith. Faith that allows me to perceive that which really exists.

"That's All Folks!"

What Is Your Calling?

Two blog posts in one day, it must be a miracle. :)To be honest though I wrote the previous blog post months ago, but never got around to publishing it. I just found it again when I went to write this post. If you've haven't had a chance to read the previous one (since it was literally just posted), it is about living a life worthy of your calling. And in a God-thing, connects quite well to this one. If I want to live a life worthy of my calling it it brings the question: what is my calling? This is what the Father has been revealing to me the past few days...

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew (chose) you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." -Jeremiah 1:5

We are not here by mistake. We are not some afterthought or some accident. Before we were born, before we were even a possibility in our parents' lives, the Father knew us. He chose us. He chose and brought you forth for a purpose. He chose me and brought me forth for a purpose. As you live your life, are you just walking around aimlessly, thinking that at some point, some day, you may have a purpose from God or are you walking knowing what His purpose is for you right now, in this hour? 

Before he was born, before he was even formed in his mother's womb, the Father set Jeremiah apart to be a prophet "to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant" (Jeremiah 1:10). What did God call you to do? It may not be a prophet for "God has appointed first off apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues" (1 Corinthians 12:28), What is your gift? We need to know our calling. "Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure" (2 Peter 1:10).

It can be a scary thought trying to figure out what your calling is (at least for me). However, what you do and what you are called to do does not have to look like the calling of your brothers and sisters. You are not insignificant just because you do not have the same gift as those around you. For "there are different gifts, but the same spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men" (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). Remember that it is the Father who determines your gift. "All of these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as He determines" (1 Corinthians 12:11). I love that! HE determines what our gift is going to be. Stop worrying about coming up with something on your own (Self I'm talking to you) and just abide in Him. He will lead and guide you into what you are suppose to be doing and where you are suppose to be. "But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, (not just some, but EVERYONE of them. Yes, that means you!), just as He wanted them to be" (1 Corinthians 12:18). 

To be honest, if I was with someone in person, I'm not sure that I would be able to say all this. I'm not a talkative person. I'm quite and shy. So I may not be the mouth of the body, but that doesn't mean I don't matter or don't belongs. I was born to be a worshiper. Quit trying to fit where you think you should and just be what He called you to be.

"That's All Folks!"

Live A Life Worthy

Are you living a life worthy of the calling you have received?

"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it." Ephesians 4:1-7

Over the past few months the Lord has been making real to me about living a life worthy of the calling I have received. He has been working deep in my spirit drawing me closer to Him because the only way we can walk in a manner worthy is by His grace. There is nothing in me that will allow me to do this on my own. I will make mistakes, I will fall short time and time again. But the most awesome thing about it, is that it doesn't matter. No matter how many times I fall and fail, He is always there to catch me. His blood washes over me, cleansing me, making me holy. Through Him we have been sanctified (1 Corinthians 6:11, Hebrews 10:10). Through Him we have been made holy. Through Him we have been made perfect (Hebrews 10:14).  Through Him I live and have my being (Acts 17:28). Through Him I can do ALL things (Philippians 4:13). Through Him NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE (Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37). Through Him, through Him, through Him. It is all through Him. Like Paul wrote in Philippians 3:12-14, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." 

I will leave you with the question He has been asking me for months: Are you living a life worthy of the calling you received? 

"That's All Folks!"