iHeartFaces: Pet Week

This week, the iHeartFaces challenges is all about pets.  I took this picture of my dog, Maggie, last November.

I love my doggie!

<----- Click here for more info about iHeartFaces and directions for joining in the fun!

Healing in His Wings

Miracles, Signs, and Wonders.

How great is the God I serve!  He blesses. He loves. He heals. 

He is all powerful and all able.

Let me explain what I'm talking about.

First, you need to know that I am heavily involved in various ministries as well as school projects, etc. that require much use of my arm.  From playing piano in my church's youth band, to piano lessons - both giving and taking, to classes online, as well as other normal things I do with my hands, I am pretty much constantly using my hands.

 Wednesday night, I played piano in our mid-week service.  

Thursday morning, I woke up with extreme weakness in my right arm - so much so that I could hardly even pick up a pencil to write.  Throughout the day it got worse, until it was no longer weakness alone, but a horrible pain that ran up and down my arm at the slightest movement.  

Marmee gave me a deep tissue massage near my shoulder and we realized I had a knot beside my shoulder blade that was undoubtedly the source of the pain.  

Friday and Saturday I did almost nothing except sit around and read with a wrist brace on.  Not the most exciting thing in the world - even if I do enjoy reading!

Between Thursday and Saturday, I had requested prayer at the prayer meeting we attend each week, my family had prayed for me, and I had prayed for myself.

 As the pain continued to increase, it really felt like God wasn't listening.  In reality, His plan  was just too amazing for Him to heal me immediately - even though He could have with no problem.

Then on Sunday we had an amazing church service.  God's spirit began moving in such a mighty way.  I left my seat and walked down to the altar - not to ask God to heal me - I had already done that, and honestly I wasn't even thinking about it all.  I simply desired to worship Him and glorify His great name.

While I was worshipping, however, I suddenly felt that I needed to pray for my arm to be healed.  

As soon as I thought that, someone came up behind me and laid their hand on my shoulder - right over the knot.  Someone else laid their hand first on the upper part of my arm, then slid their hand down to my forearm, where the pain had been the greatest. 

The two people praying for me had no idea what I was going through - in fact they still don't know.  But that didn't matter... because God knew and that was all that was necessary.

At the same time as this was happening, Marmee was across the sanctuary, praying.  She hadn't been praying for or thinking about my arm, just the same as me.  She suddenly felt impressed to pray for my arm.  When she finished, she opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was me, surrounded by people praying for me.  She told me later that she knew, at  that moment, that I had been healed.

And I had.

Words cannot express the gratitude and love that wells up in me for God, my healer, who in His rich mercy took away my pain.  And not only that, but He gave me an amazing blessing as I prayed in the Spirit.

I haven't felt so full of joy and peace in so long.  God is so good.  His plan and way is perfect.

There may be trials, and pain, and sorrow in life, but if this healing has taught me anything it is that God is able.  And that He always sees me and loves me unspeakable and is at work in my life.  Even when situations are beyond my understanding, I can rest in the knowledge that He truly will work all things together for good to those that love Him.  

I hope this testimony brings encouragement and light to your life.  Because for me it wasn't just the restoring of use to my arm - it was something from which to gain strength.  

"But to you who fear my name, The Son of Righteousness shall rise 

with healing in His wings..." 

Malachi 4:2

From the Proud Owner of...

For many, many years now, I have wanted Adobe Photoshop.  However - it's very expensive (as anyone with any kind of interest in photography can tell you!) and was never "in the budget."  

So... we went with the next best thing - Photoshop Elements on sale! =]  

(me likey sales. and photoshop elements. a lot.)

 =D

I have had such a grand ole time watching tutorials and gettin' acquainted with this lil' guy...  I can't wait to start using it in earnest!  

In Everything..

Give Thanks.  In the minutest detail of life.  In the trials.  In the pain.  In the storm. 

When stress is overwhelming.  When sadness comes.  

When we don't feel like it at all... Give thanks anyway.

Having a thankful heart can come only from knowing that God is sovereign - that He is.  Who He says He is.  Who He has always been.  This knowledge cannot be known without thankfulness overflowing in my heart.

And yet.. there are days when I can't seem to get the words out.  when everything feels so out of control.  when I know who He is - but still can't seem to give thanks.  

Why?  My soul cries. why can't I thank you even while I know who you are?

It is then that He whispers to my heart, You must be broken on Me.  You must surrender your will, your pride, everything, to Me.  You must deny yourself to truly see Me as I am. To truly give Me the thanks - the praise I deserve.  

Brokenness.  it happens when I realize I am not enough.  that I can do nothing on my own.  

And then.  THEN... I can SEE Him.  

then I can give thanks.

Not because of my circumstances. Not even in spite of them.  Because in that moment all I can see is Him.  Everything disappears. fades. pales in the Presence of the Holy God.

I have been broken on the Rock.  And He holds me.  He tells me I am His, and He is more than enough.  

so I give thanks.

"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (Emphasis added)

A photo shoot with pears

Pears... Delicious. Speckled. Green. Goodness. 

I have been wanting some oh. so. badly. the past few days and then my wonderful Marmee surprised me with a perfect pair of pears.. That inspired me to do a photo shoot. =D

A pair of pears..

Glorious morning sunlight..

Blue Jean. Sunshine. Pears.. Happy girl!

Freedom

"It already appears, that there must be in every society of men superiors and inferiors, because God has laid in the constitution and course of nature the foundations of the distinction."

John Adams, Thoughts on Government, 1776

"That wise Men have in all Ages thought Government necessary for the Good of Mankind; and, that wise Governments have always thought Religion necessary for the well ordering and well-being of Society, and accordingly have been ever careful to encourage and protect the Ministers of it, paying them the highest publick Honours, that their Doctrines might thereby meet with the greater Respect among the common People."

Benjamin Franklin, On that Odd Letter of the Drum, April 1730

"Citizens by birth or choice of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism, more than any appellation derived from local discriminations."

George Washington, Farewell Address, September 19, 1796

"And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever."

Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, Query 18, 1781

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." 

Abraham Lincoln

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."   

Declaration of Independence

Happy Independence Day!  

In the midst of all the cookouts, picnics, fireworks, and singing, let us remember all those that have fallen for our freedom, and what it took for our Founding Father to shape this Nation.  Without their faith in God, and His hand in all of the historical events, this country would not be here, as we know it, today.  Let us give thanks today for our freedom, for this country, and for our Great, Mighty, and Wonderful God - they ultimate founder of Independence!

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord."  

Luke 4:18-19

 

 

A first...

Today I taught my very. first. ever. since the beginning of time. PIANO. lesson!!!!

About a month and a half ago, my Marmee's friend, Melissa approached me about giving her 9 year old daughter, Delaney, piano lessons.  After thinking and praying about it I decided to go for it!  Since it was her first music lesson we both had a first, along with all the nervousness and anxiety that go with it!  =]

I think it went really well... she already learned a song (which really pleased both her and her mom!) and all about the Grand Staff (I'm not sure how much of this was actually comprehended, but at least she has exposure to it!)

My favorite part was watching her face light up when she played her song - it was so sweet!

Playing her first song together

Playing on her own!

Us two Newbies! =]

I had so much fun teaching (I think I learned as much as she did!) and can't wait for our next lesson!

P.S. Please ignore our messy house... we are getting ready to rip up our carpet and put down laminate hard wood, so it is quite a mess!