Who is He to you?

This evening during my time alone with God, I began pondering all He is to me. Personally, who He is. I started writing...

"You are my Friend, you are Beautiful, you are Love, my only Hope and Salvation. My Hiding place and Deliverer, Friend and Shelter. You are my Love, my Heart's
Desire, the Treasure I seek and joy-true Joy. My Rock and Fortress, the very Foundation on which my faith is built. He is my Father, my Shepherd. Emmanuel, God with us, my Leader, the Son of God-and my Savior."

Who is Jesus to you? Do you really love Him? Realizing anew who Christ is, how can we offer Him anything less than our entire life and being? We cannot dare. He gave too much for us to discount or throw it away.
Think, wonder, pray, love Him.

Bucket List

Okay, every one has a bucket list of some sort. Things they'd like to do one day. Fun things, adventurous things, simple things, traveling, mission work... So I thought I'd share my bucket list with you.

 What's on your Bucket List???

Mission Trip -I'd love to go on an overseas trip

Go White Water Rafting

Learn to Play Tennis

Pet a dolphin (I actually did, so I can cross this one off)

Go Golfing

Take a camping/trail ride with my horses across the State of MI

Ride my horse in the mountains

Go to Europe

Learn French

Go on a trip out West (might happen this summer with my family) 

Of course my greatest desire is the continue to know the Lord more and grow stronger in the faith. I think that it's actually too important to put in such a thing as a "bucket list". These are just things I'd love to do, I will be perfectly content if these things never actually happen. Delighting in God, and His plans for me will be perfectly wonderful.

   

Belated Birthday post...

A few weeks ago I had a birthday. I turned 23. Yes, I am rapidly approaching that all too daunting age of 25. ;) I told my mom that I think this birthday was the hardest/most emotional for me. Just knowing I'm getting older, and not a kid anymore... realizing anew how short life is, how fast it goes by...and how so badly I WANT and desire to make my time here on Earth count. Sometimes I feel that I have done so little for God, He has done so much for me. I won't be content to sit and watch the World pass me by, I want to actively engage in furthering the kingdom of God!!!!
 Yet, I also must remind myself that if I delight to do the things He has directed me in-and faithfully do the tasks He has set before me...I am not disappointing Him. 


 
So, for the past few days I have been in Florida with Alexandra and my grandma. It's so pretty here. Mid 70's (degrees), sunny, green grass, birds singing... I think I was color starved. When I got here I just couldn't get enough of it! I soaked up the warm sun and filled my nostrils with the beautiful aromas of the fresh cut grass, flowers and the scents of winter in Florida. It's so perfect. (It sure beats the 12 inches of snow back home...which has it's own beauty...but for a warm blooded person...the sun is the best!). Vacation is all too short though, as we will be leaving this wonderful land on Sunday. Enjoy a few pictures that I've taken so far. (all iPhone pics BTW).

 Isn't this little cottage cute? I think I want to live there!

Lighthouse and palm trees, how much better can it get?

Musings...

Musings....

The center of God's will... there is no other place to be. It might not be sunshine and flowers, but there is a calmness and assurance and peace-it passes all understanding. Things may seem to be all wrong and mixed up around you, I look at the world and all of the misery and pain and know-there is a haven of rest in my Father's hands. God is so good. I mean, if I wasn't so sure that He wants me exactly where I am... I could never have lasted this long. I can climb the mountains, weather the pain and hardships...because He has promised:

 I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.". Is. 42:16

No, I am not blind with my physical eyes, but there are so many things that God has yet to reveal to me. I can rest and trust knowing that He will lead me in the way that I should go-as I seek His guidance and  the perfect plans that He has for me. As a little girl I would run up to my daddy and sit on his lap. I would tell him about my day, my dreams (I wanted to be a cowgirl), sometimes my fears. I love how I still can talk to him about these things...and yet, more amazing still- I can talk to God about all these things. He knows me better than I know myself.

Next...

Children... and how it is SO necessary for parents to have vision for raising them. Okay, yes, this might sound weird coming from a 23 year old, very single "kid". Living here with my cousin has opened my eyes to SO many things. Wow, was I ever naive. I thought that pretty much every family "kind-of" like mine. We all get along (most of the time), and have fun together, work together, have dinner together, honor and respect our parents. Was I in the the rudest of awakenings! Not at all how the "real" world is. No, we are by no means a perfect family-but when you have these basic principles: love God, respect each family member, help and love each other at the base of a family foundation-there is no room for failure. Get started the right way as you begin to have a family of your own. Even things as simple as getting your kids to help with chores at an early age (it doesn't have to be a huge chore-even emptying the wastebaskets), teach them politeness and good manners. Get them started young, it is extremely hard to get a teenager to change once they are in a "groove" of bad behavior.

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Prov. 22:6

Now if you are one of those people that might be raising an older, not to pleasant kid... don't give up. It's never too late for God to get a hold of these children. They are His, and he died to save them. He cares about them more that you or I ever could. Don't Give Up Emily. (preaching to myself)

Okay, so these are the two very random things running through my very tired brain tonight. I know I hardly ever write on this bloggy-thing any more... but I just thought I'd share some thoughts...

G'night

Photography....

 I went to a baseball game last night and took some pics. Enjoy! Tigers are in first place! :)

Quotes...

 I am a quotes kind of girl... I read a few of these today... and thought that I'd share them with you. :)

Today...

 "...stooping very low, He engraves with care
His Name, indelible, upon our dust;
And from the ashes of our self-despair,
Kindles a flame of hope and humble trust.
He seeks no second site on which to build,
But on the old foundation, stone by stone,
Cementing sad experience with grace,
Fashions a stronger temple of His own."
— Patricia St. John

Today is a day that had been set aside to raise awareness for suicide and it's prevention. Really what a sad day. There are so many hurting people out there. I wish I could tell them that they are loved, by me and by their Creator. That there are so many things to live for. That ending their physical life isn't really the end-there is a life after death. I wish that they could know that Jesus died so that they could have life eternal. The trials, heartaches, disappointments, anger, loneliness and feelings of worthlessness-they can all be put to rest and healed. People-let's reach out to those around us. You might not know that you could be the one to help save someone's life. Show them the way to Jesus. He longs to heal their broken hearts...