Rhythm by Mercy Me

Even though the world doesn't know each other, we walk in the same direction
Like those lemmings that march off a cliff into the ocean for no apparent reason and no objection
You know that direction, I call it the direction of "me"
My goals, my stuff, how do I get first place, and could somebody up there cut me a break so I can win the lottery?

Then all of a sudden somebody shows up who's totally set apart from the rest.
Well he's heading in the other direction for one and there's a peace in His eyes and a rhythm to His step.

It's as if he has found the answer to life, and come to find out the answer's not me, myself or I.
I think I'm sticking with that guy.

My heart will beat as one
To the beat of a different drum
The rhythm of Your love

My heart is dancing now
In time with what I've found
The rhythm of Your love

As if I didn't say enough in the first verse, there's something else that's bugging me
How can I have just one heart that beats for so many things at the same time continually?
It just doesn't make sense. I mean technically I've only got one heartbeat in there
But I dance with so many things, do so many jigs you'd think I was Fred Astaire

I'm no rocket scientist, but it seems that every time you give a piece of your heart away
It can not be healthy nor can it be as strong as well let's say
When the whole heart is beating as one for one thing one rhythm in unison
Now that my friend is good advice for anyone

I love this song. You may have never heard it because it was only a bonus track on their Coming Up to Breathe album if you bought it at Family Christian.

Only Grace

by Matthew West

There is no guilt here
There is no shame
No pointing fingers
There is no blame
What happened yesterday…has disappeared
The dirt has washed away
And now it's clear

There's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy and believe me it's enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
And there's nothing left now
There's only grace

You're starting over now
Under the sun
You're stepping forward now
A new life has begun
Your new life has begun

An’ there's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy and believe me…it's enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
And there's nothing left now
There's only grace…

And if you should fall again
Get back up, get back up
Reach out and take my hand
Get back up, get back up
Get back up again
Ohh…get…back…up…again…


There's only grace…
There's only love…
There's only mercy and believe me it's enough…it’s enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
And there's nothing left now
There's only…there’s only…grace…

There's only mercy and believe
me it's enough…it’s enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
And there's nothing left now
There’s only…grace……
So get back up…get back up again…
Get back up again.

I heard this song on the way home from my bible study last night. The words really spoke to me where I was at after an afternoon binge and a recommittment to being binge free.

How Great is Our God

I started my quiet time off this morning with a worship song - How Great is Our God by Chris Tomlin.

Then I started my bible reading and this was included:

Praise the Lord and worship him. Tell everyone what he has done and how great he
is. Sing praise to the Lord, because he has done great things. Let all the world
know what he has done. Shout and sing for joy, you people of Jerusalem, because
the Holy One of Israel does great things before your eyes. ~ Isaiah 12:4-6 (NCV)

How Great is Our God indeed!

In God's Peace (On Early Death)

by John Michael Talbot

The souls of the just are in God's hand
No torment shall ever touch them
In the view of fools they seem as dead
And their passing away an affliction

But they are in God's peace
Suffering a short time, now blessed indeed
But they are in God's peace
For the souls of the just are blessed indeed

Though the just die young, their souls are at rest
In a short time, their soul is perfected
Snatched away lest evil pervert their mind
God sped them away from the world

For they are in God's peace
Suffering a short time, now blessed indeed
For they are in God's peace
For the souls of the just are blessed indeed.

From the book of Wisdom (if you don't have a Catholic Bible you are missing out on some good stuff in Wisdom, read Wisdom 2:12-22 for an excellent prophecy of the Pharisees reaction to Jesus)

For the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble; They shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the Lord shall be their King forever. Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with his elect. (Wisdom 3:1-9)

But the just man, though he die early, shall be at rest. For the age that is honorable comes not with the passing of time, nor can it be measured in terms of years. Rather, understanding is the hoary crown for men, and an unsullied life, the attainment of old age. He who pleased God was loved; he who lived among sinners was transported – Snatched away, lest wickedness pervert his mind or deceit beguile his soul; For the witchery of paltry things obscures what is right and the whirl of desire transforms the innocent mind. Having become perfect in a short while, he reached the fullness of a long career; for his soul was pleasing to the Lord, therefore he sped him out of the midst of wickedness. (Wisdom 4:7-14)

These lyrics and scriptures are in memory of my nephew who passed away yesterday. He suffered from cystic fibrosis and died at the young age of twenty.

May he rest in peace.

Emotions

I am feeling emotionally down this morning. Reasons: I didn't eat healthy yesterday, hormones (TOM arrived this morning), I spent a lot of time yesterday looking through old photo albums (scanning pictures for my brother's 60th birthday), and this is the 5-year anniversary of my mother's passing (July 2nd was the day she died and July 5th was her funeral).

So to combat these negative emotions, I listened to worship music on my iPod while I was getting ready. Praise and worship music makes me feel better. I will continue listening to it all day to day. I will also be eating healthy and drinking plenty of water.

All I Need by Bethany Dillon

When the day is done
And there's no one else around
While I'm lying here in bed
You're in my heart, You're in my head
You're all I need, You're all I need
There are a million voices
Calling out my name
But You're the One I want to hear
So make the others disappear

You are all I need when I'm surrounded
You are all I need if I'm by myself
You fill me when I'm empty
There is nothing else
You're all I need

When the morning comes
And Your mercy is renewed
There's a fire in my bones
I'm not afraid to go alone
You're all I need
You're all I need
The sun on my face
I hear You whisper loud
You're still the God that opens seas
Every flower, even me
You're all I need
You're all I need

I'm drawn to everything that You do
Nothing compares with You

I have this song on my workout mix on my iPod. I makes me want to get out and run through a field of wildflowers on a crisp, cool, morning and praise God for the glory of His creation. So far, I haven't had that opportunity, but it works for jogging on the treadmill (and imaging that I'm running through a field of wildflowers).

Spiritually Dry?

I think I am feeling spiritually dry.

I haven't been wanting to put on my cross necklace ("It's too much trouble"). I haven't been wanting to listen to my Christian radio stations ("They keep playing the same songs over and over"). I would rather watch The Beverly Hillbillies or The Cosby Show while I walk on the treadmill instead of EWTN or Beth Moore ("I could use a good laugh"). I would rather blog pictures of food and my kitchen than write about my spiritual life ("I didn't read anything interesting and pictures are easy and I don't feel like thinking so hard").

This is the "Prayer for Power" in my Dieter's Prayer Book this morning:

Dear God,

I truly want to be healed!

At least I think I do.

Show me if there is any part of met that has become content

with a cycle of striving and failing.

I don't want to sit poolside any longer.

I surrender my excuses--

all the reasons why I can't seem to overcome

certain familiar sins or cycles of defeat.

I am ready,

I am willing.

I want to be whole!

I want my life to be full and exciting because I am living it for You.

Don't let me be seduced by the subtle lie

that life is more meaningful when I am wrapped up

in a war with my appetites.

Deliver me.

Heal me, and I will take up my life,

new, fuller,

and give You all my thanks and praise.

Amen.

During my quiet time this morning, I half-heartedly read this and didn't pay much attention to the words. During the time I spent getting ready and particularly getting dressed and spending 10 minutes on the treadmill, God spoke to my heart and revealed to me the places where I have been moving away from Him. I am taking action. I switched the TV to EWTN. I cleaned my cross necklace and have it on. I pulled the Father Stan CD off the shelf and ripped it to iTunes and will take it to work today (I had promised months ago to bring it for a co-worker to listen to and kept forgetting). Today I will make the effort to draw close to God instead of pull away from Him.

Thank you God for speaking to me this morning. Your servant is listening. Amen.

Is this an answered prayer?

Do you sometimes wonder if your prayers have really been answered by God or are you a skeptic? Last night Sugar Pop got an email from a company that puts together compilation CDs and then distributes them to radio stations for air play. He had given them his demo when we were at the GMA Academy last weekend. They want to put one of his songs on their Spring CD (they didn't say which one). Of course, they charge for this - $1,000. This is exciting, but Sugar Pop is very skeptical and wonders if they just want money. We're going to be in prayer about this to discern if it is God's will. Please pray.

Heavenly Father, WOW! We are overwhelmed by what this opportunity could mean, but yet skeptical. Please guide us in this decision. Please give us discernment to know Your will. Following you is what is most important. Show us what You desire. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

Back from the GMA

We're back from the GMA Academy. It was a great weekend! No, Sugar Pop wasn't discovered as the next great songwriter, but he received some good critiques on a few songs and some confirmation (from God) that he needs to do SOMETHING with his music - he's just not sure what direction to go with it next.

I also had a good time and got a lot out of the weekend. The keynote speaker was Reed Arvin and his speeches (one each morning) were excellent. We bought the CDs of those sessions to listen to again. He inspired me to give up "unnecessary striving," "flat thinking," and to not become a product of the "tyranny of the cool."

Todd Agnew was the host of the Friday night song competition. He did a great job and was quite funny. Ironically, Todd had submitted songs to the GMA before and he was NEVER chosen to even perform in competition. Moral of the story...just because Sugar Pop's songs weren't chosen either, it doesn't mean that they are good.

Longings of your heart

Selected passages from the Life Lessons in my bible reading today:

When we submit to God's plans, we can trust our desires...What do you love to do? What brings you joy? What gives you a sense of satisfaction?...The longings of your heart, then, are not incidental; they are critical messages. The desires of your heart are not to be ignored; they are to be consulted. As the wind turns the weather vane, so God uses your passions to turn your life. God is too gracious to ask you to do something you hate.

Today Sugar Pop and I are headed to the GMA Academy in Dallas, Texas. Sugar Pop writes songs and records and produces them on his computer-based studio. He LOVES it. He is definitely gifted by God and this brings him so much joy. He would love to be able to do this full-time. He doesn't have a desire to be the next Michael W. Smith, he would just like to have someone else take his songs and record them, to be able to get his music out there. He has good lyrics, lyrics that have come from God, messages that could make a difference in people's lives - but first they have to be heard. I don't know if anything will come of this weekend, but it is a step in the direction of getting his music out there for the world. I pray that God will lead us this weekend.

Lord, everything we have comes from You. You have given Sugar Pop the gift of music and filled his heart with the desire to create songs that will honor You. I pray that you will open the right doors and put the right people in our path this weekend. This music is Your music, please do with it what You will. Sugar Pop is stepping out in faith by putting it out there for other people to hear, please take that faith and take the music and spread it to whomever needs to hear the message. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

This is the Day

This is the Day

This is the day (this is the day)
That the Lord hath made (that the Lord hath made)
I will rejoice (I will rejoice)
And be glad in it (and be glad in it)
This is the day that the Lord hath made,
I will rejoice and be glad in it!
This is the day (this is the day),
That the Lord hath made.

I was feeling down this morning and this song came to mind so I started singing it. It made me feel better. Beware of the link though...it is a pretty "hokey" version of the song.