We had a Good Friday service at church. I loved it! There was Scripture read, hymns sung and then communion. One of the hymns that we sang was "The Old Rugged Cross".
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.
Chorus:
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
'til my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
a wondrous beauty I see,
for 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me.
To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then He'll call me some day to my home far away,
where His glory forever I'll share.
There are times when it hits me how much Jesus did for me on the cross. This was one of those times. The chorus made me want to cry, but I didn't.
Without the cross, we would be lost in our sin.
Without the cross, we would have no hope.
Without the cross, we would never experience His love for us.
Without the cross, we would be separated from Him forever.
Those are some scary thoughts! I couldn't help but think as I sang that chorus, how grateful I am for the cross. It means so much to know that I can cling to the cross until He calls me home. Because of the cross, I will be able to spend eternity at His feet, worshiping my Creator!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Musings
I've had lots of possible blog posts recently, but haven't gotten around to actually writing them down. I need to be more disciplined in that, since this is my journal.
The first subject that has been on my mind is thankfulness.
I am thankful for lots of things, but specifically thankful for the trials that God has put in my life. I think I have said it in the past, however, I have really taken it to heart lately. I know I am opening myself up by saying this but I almost prefer going through hardships. I have no choice but to depend on the Lord during those times. I'm thankful for them because I have learned so much about myself and how to help others. I've learned with God in control, I don't have to worry, I need to trust. I've learned that God can take a bad situation and have good come out of it. I've learned that sometimes the best thing you can do for someone is just tell them you are praying for them. Prayer changes hearts! I've learned that God is always there even when it seems that everything is out of control. I've learned that all I really need is Him. Do I remember all of these things, no, but I'm getting better!
Secondly. I've really been thinking a lot about the reason God chose to save me and place me where I am right now. I feel overwhelmed when I think about it. Why did He choose to use little ol' me?! I have no idea, but He did. I spend so much time thinking about the future (I'm a planner) that I fail to live in the moment. I'm in a hurry and I don't look for opportunities to stop and smile at someone or talk with them about their life/struggles. I will admit, I'm not a people person, I would be a hermit if I could sometimes! However, God has called us to be the salt and light to the world, I can't do that if I close myself off. I listened to a couple tell their "story" a couple of weeks ago, telling of the struggles that they had had in their marriage and how God has changed their lives. They now help teach the marriage classes! I was talking with her after wards and I was telling her how encouraging it was for me. She got this look on her face and said, "look at your beautiful story, you should tell yours." My gut feeling, no way could I do it. The reason, I feel like I barely held on, not always doing the grief process well. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that isn't right. I was encouraged by their story because they were real, they told of the struggles. They didn't focus on not doing it well they focused on how when they were struggling, God met them where they needed Him to. They knew that God was the only thing that helped them. I too can attest to that, without Him, I wouldn't have held on, just barely making it. He is the only thing I could hold onto and get me through those difficult times. It wasn't me, He gets the glory. Will I start telling my story, perhaps, but I want it to be for His glory alone.
I am doing well. No major things going on, just life in general. I'm never bored and there is always something going on. I get to go on vacation in the next week or so, so I'm excited for the break. It is warming up here in Texas and I'm so glad! We just need some rain, badly! I guess God knows that though.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4-7
That just makes me smile!
The first subject that has been on my mind is thankfulness.
I am thankful for lots of things, but specifically thankful for the trials that God has put in my life. I think I have said it in the past, however, I have really taken it to heart lately. I know I am opening myself up by saying this but I almost prefer going through hardships. I have no choice but to depend on the Lord during those times. I'm thankful for them because I have learned so much about myself and how to help others. I've learned with God in control, I don't have to worry, I need to trust. I've learned that God can take a bad situation and have good come out of it. I've learned that sometimes the best thing you can do for someone is just tell them you are praying for them. Prayer changes hearts! I've learned that God is always there even when it seems that everything is out of control. I've learned that all I really need is Him. Do I remember all of these things, no, but I'm getting better!
Secondly. I've really been thinking a lot about the reason God chose to save me and place me where I am right now. I feel overwhelmed when I think about it. Why did He choose to use little ol' me?! I have no idea, but He did. I spend so much time thinking about the future (I'm a planner) that I fail to live in the moment. I'm in a hurry and I don't look for opportunities to stop and smile at someone or talk with them about their life/struggles. I will admit, I'm not a people person, I would be a hermit if I could sometimes! However, God has called us to be the salt and light to the world, I can't do that if I close myself off. I listened to a couple tell their "story" a couple of weeks ago, telling of the struggles that they had had in their marriage and how God has changed their lives. They now help teach the marriage classes! I was talking with her after wards and I was telling her how encouraging it was for me. She got this look on her face and said, "look at your beautiful story, you should tell yours." My gut feeling, no way could I do it. The reason, I feel like I barely held on, not always doing the grief process well. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that isn't right. I was encouraged by their story because they were real, they told of the struggles. They didn't focus on not doing it well they focused on how when they were struggling, God met them where they needed Him to. They knew that God was the only thing that helped them. I too can attest to that, without Him, I wouldn't have held on, just barely making it. He is the only thing I could hold onto and get me through those difficult times. It wasn't me, He gets the glory. Will I start telling my story, perhaps, but I want it to be for His glory alone.
I am doing well. No major things going on, just life in general. I'm never bored and there is always something going on. I get to go on vacation in the next week or so, so I'm excited for the break. It is warming up here in Texas and I'm so glad! We just need some rain, badly! I guess God knows that though.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4-7
That just makes me smile!
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