Happy Resurrection Sunday, dear World!
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Matthew 28:6
I hope that as you gather with your families for good food and fellowship, that you will remember and reflect upon what today is really all about. You ask me how I know He lives...He lives within my heart!
I've posted below a video featuring Sandi Patty and Larnell Harris singing the now classic "I've Just Seen Jesus". I hope you enjoy it as you reflect on what His Resurrection means to you personally.
"...Thus grew the tale of Wonderland: Thus slowly one by one, it's quaint events were hammered out- and now the tale is done...the dream child moving through a land of wonders wild and new, In friendly chat with bird
or beast-and half believe it true..." -Lewis Carroll
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Easy as 1...2...3...
Once again, world, another wedding approaches...and no, I'm not talking about Prince William and Kate. Yet another of my good friends is getting married in June. Once more, I will be attempting to fit into a dress that makes me despair of my horrible eating habits and "when i get around to it" work-out routine.
Whatever will I do?
I do have some good news, though. I am losing weight.
Yay.
You know, it's not about looking good to other people. It's not about giving into stereotypes or desiring to look like the stick thin models that dominate TV. For me, it's about feeling comfortable in my own skin, and about treating my body right by giving it the food it needs, as well as the exercise it needs, to be healthy.
Whatever will I do?
I do have some good news, though. I am losing weight.
Yay.
You know, it's not about looking good to other people. It's not about giving into stereotypes or desiring to look like the stick thin models that dominate TV. For me, it's about feeling comfortable in my own skin, and about treating my body right by giving it the food it needs, as well as the exercise it needs, to be healthy.
Just earlier today I was reading an article on CNN about a woman who lost over 200 pounds by following 4 easy tips her doctor gave her. They are as follows: 1) Eat 8 ounces of food every 3 hours 2) No sugary drinks 3) Do not skip meals 4) Do not tell anyone what you're doing.
Sounds easy enough eh? Hmmmm.
Here's the link to article. It's pretty interesting. http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/04/22/weight.loss.anita.mills/index.html?hpt=Sbin
Monday, April 18, 2011
Relentless
There is nothing quite like being in love. There is nothing quite like pursuing love. There is nothing quite like be pursued by one you love.
Many times, as women, we find ourselves searching and longing for the kind of love that we find in movies, books, and fairy tales. From the time we are very small, our parents tell us the stories of Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. We are lead to believe that "Someday my prince will come" and we'll live "happily ever-after".
Well, I hate to burst your bubble if you didn't already know this, but life is no fairy tale...your prince may be charming at first, but time will reveal flaws just like the next guy. While it is possible to find contentment within relationships, I'm afraid that on this side of heaven, there is no such thing as happily ever after. I know you may be thinking to yourself, "Man, what a kill joy". If I wasn't writing this, but reading it, I know I would be thinking the same thing...I promise, I am going somewhere with this.
Have you ever been in a relationship that consumed you? You loved so much and so hard that you forgot to leave anything for yourself? I think, we've all probably experienced something like this. Within human relationships, this is never a good thing. People will always be people, and let me tell you, that man that you think is so prince-like and charming, probably has some serious character flaws (don't we all?). I've said that to say that in becoming overlyconsumed with a person or relationship is setting yourself up for disappointment. Unless...it's one person in particular. Jesus Christ. Our relationship with Him, is the only one that should be all consuming.
The amazing thing about Him is that He will never stop pursuing us until He has all of us. Until there is nothing left of me...until I'm completely filled with him. He will never stop pursuing us, and we should never stop chasing after Him. "More of you God, More of you God" should always be the cry of our hearts. His love is so overwhelming that it cannot be quenched. His jealousy over us is without measure. He wants to set His love in and on our hearts like a seal. He is relentless in His love.
I want to share with you, world, a song that has ministered to my heart tremendously. The lyrics are beautiful. Enjoy.
Many times, as women, we find ourselves searching and longing for the kind of love that we find in movies, books, and fairy tales. From the time we are very small, our parents tell us the stories of Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. We are lead to believe that "Someday my prince will come" and we'll live "happily ever-after".
Well, I hate to burst your bubble if you didn't already know this, but life is no fairy tale...your prince may be charming at first, but time will reveal flaws just like the next guy. While it is possible to find contentment within relationships, I'm afraid that on this side of heaven, there is no such thing as happily ever after. I know you may be thinking to yourself, "Man, what a kill joy". If I wasn't writing this, but reading it, I know I would be thinking the same thing...I promise, I am going somewhere with this.
Have you ever been in a relationship that consumed you? You loved so much and so hard that you forgot to leave anything for yourself? I think, we've all probably experienced something like this. Within human relationships, this is never a good thing. People will always be people, and let me tell you, that man that you think is so prince-like and charming, probably has some serious character flaws (don't we all?). I've said that to say that in becoming overlyconsumed with a person or relationship is setting yourself up for disappointment. Unless...it's one person in particular. Jesus Christ. Our relationship with Him, is the only one that should be all consuming.
The amazing thing about Him is that He will never stop pursuing us until He has all of us. Until there is nothing left of me...until I'm completely filled with him. He will never stop pursuing us, and we should never stop chasing after Him. "More of you God, More of you God" should always be the cry of our hearts. His love is so overwhelming that it cannot be quenched. His jealousy over us is without measure. He wants to set His love in and on our hearts like a seal. He is relentless in His love.
I want to share with you, world, a song that has ministered to my heart tremendously. The lyrics are beautiful. Enjoy.
You won't relent until you have it all
My heart is yours
I'll set You as a seal upon my heart
As a seal upon my arm
For there is love that is as strong as death
Jealousy demanding as the grave
Many waters cannot quench this love
Come be the fire inside of me
Come be the flame upon my heart
Come be the fire inside of me
Until You and I are one
My heart is yours
I'll set You as a seal upon my heart
As a seal upon my arm
For there is love that is as strong as death
Jealousy demanding as the grave
Many waters cannot quench this love
Come be the fire inside of me
Come be the flame upon my heart
Come be the fire inside of me
Until You and I are one
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Dedicated to Jocelyn:My BFF
I'm writing this post from my best friends house, one of my favorite places to be. What a loving and kind God we have that He gives us little things like friends to make this journey a little more bearable!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Lady Bugs
"I wish that this could happen to you, Rach."
This is what my sister, Jess, said to me the other day, as we talked about her new boyfriend. She continued, " I wasn't looking for it, and you were. This should be you."
She's so sweet. Even though she's my younger sister, in a way, she's always taken care of me. When I was 16 and diagnosed with a disorder that carried with it the disappointing news that I'd never have children, she prayed that God would let her have the disorder, and that I could have children like I'd always dreamed I would. She would willingly take on all my pain, my anger, my hurt, and my frustration, if it would make me feel better.
I don't resent the fact that she has found "someone" and I have not. In fact, I'm probably more happy about it than she is. You have to understand, Jess is a free spirit. She wears her hair in an adorably curly afro(even though almost no one else does). Her clothes are often flowly, and always in beautiful earth tones. She floats around, going where she will, and doing what she pleases. She is the only woman, of whom I can say honestly did not need or want to be in a relationship. And yet, she is now in one. And she's happy about it.
In one of my favorite movies, Under the Tuscan Sun, one of the characters says something that has always stuck with me, during my times of longing and lonliness. She explains, " Listen, when I was a little girl I used to spend hours looking for lady bugs. Finally, I'd just give up and fall asleep in the grass. When I woke up, they were crawling all over me."
Things happen when we least expect it, and often times after we've thrown up our hands and said, "I give up!" I've not mastered it yet, but I am learning that contentment is a beautiful thing. And sometimes, if we can learn to just sit still, and to stop chasing after something that we don't have, something that is not in our power to get, that thing may actually find us.
This is what my sister, Jess, said to me the other day, as we talked about her new boyfriend. She continued, " I wasn't looking for it, and you were. This should be you."
She's so sweet. Even though she's my younger sister, in a way, she's always taken care of me. When I was 16 and diagnosed with a disorder that carried with it the disappointing news that I'd never have children, she prayed that God would let her have the disorder, and that I could have children like I'd always dreamed I would. She would willingly take on all my pain, my anger, my hurt, and my frustration, if it would make me feel better.
I don't resent the fact that she has found "someone" and I have not. In fact, I'm probably more happy about it than she is. You have to understand, Jess is a free spirit. She wears her hair in an adorably curly afro(even though almost no one else does). Her clothes are often flowly, and always in beautiful earth tones. She floats around, going where she will, and doing what she pleases. She is the only woman, of whom I can say honestly did not need or want to be in a relationship. And yet, she is now in one. And she's happy about it.
In one of my favorite movies, Under the Tuscan Sun, one of the characters says something that has always stuck with me, during my times of longing and lonliness. She explains, " Listen, when I was a little girl I used to spend hours looking for lady bugs. Finally, I'd just give up and fall asleep in the grass. When I woke up, they were crawling all over me."
Things happen when we least expect it, and often times after we've thrown up our hands and said, "I give up!" I've not mastered it yet, but I am learning that contentment is a beautiful thing. And sometimes, if we can learn to just sit still, and to stop chasing after something that we don't have, something that is not in our power to get, that thing may actually find us.
We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. ~Frederick Keonig
Monday, April 11, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
The Dachshund Chronicles: Part 2
He gets underfoot in the kitchen. I've almost broken an ankle trying to avoid rupturing his spleen. He steals my underwear, socks, and scarves from my closet, and then hides under the bed where he can chew them to shreds incognito(or so he thinks). He eats entire toilet paper rolls, leaving the house covered in shreds of paper. He thinks my house guests are there solely to play with him.
Yes, world...I am talking about my dog.
Some days we have a love/hate relationship. On the day when everything at work has gone completely wrong, and I come home to find something in shreds or a puddle of pee on the floor, I want to hang a sign from my balcony that says, " Free Miniature Dachshund. I'll pay YOU to take him off my hands."
There is a quote that says, " Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole". I am not one of those dog owners who dresses my dog up to take him out for a walk, or feeds him gourmet pet food that costs more than my groceries do in a week. I bathe and groom him myself. I buy him perhaps one new toy a month. Although he has an immaculate pedigree, I do not show him in dog shows. To me he is simply my Oliver.
As a single woman, I definitely have my lonely days. And it is those times, when having someone, even if it is a dog, greet you at the door that is heart warming and special. Did I mention he gives hugs? Seriously. My routine after work is to take Ollie out, throw one of his toys around with him for a while, and then sit on the couch to read emails, check snail mail, etc...generally unwinding from the work day. As I sit there, Oliver will hop up on to the couch beside me, at first, and then after about 30seconds he will crawl into my lap, raise up on his hind legs as he places his 2 front paws on my shoulders, and nuzzles his little head into the crook of my neck. And there he will sit, for as long as feels I need it. I've laughed into his fur, as well as cried.
Yes, he requires a lot of work. At times, especially during the house training process, I felt as though I had acquired a 2 year old child instead of a pet. He slept a lot during the day, and kept me up with his barking at night, and he rrelieved himself whenever and wherever he felt the need. Oh yes, he's grown past that puppy stage, but he still has his moments that completely enrage me...but on the whole...he's a good dog...the most attentive listener, the best secret keeper, and a constant friend.
It's the little in things life, World, that makes this crazy thing called life a little more bearable.
Yes, world...I am talking about my dog.
Some days we have a love/hate relationship. On the day when everything at work has gone completely wrong, and I come home to find something in shreds or a puddle of pee on the floor, I want to hang a sign from my balcony that says, " Free Miniature Dachshund. I'll pay YOU to take him off my hands."
There is a quote that says, " Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole". I am not one of those dog owners who dresses my dog up to take him out for a walk, or feeds him gourmet pet food that costs more than my groceries do in a week. I bathe and groom him myself. I buy him perhaps one new toy a month. Although he has an immaculate pedigree, I do not show him in dog shows. To me he is simply my Oliver.
As a single woman, I definitely have my lonely days. And it is those times, when having someone, even if it is a dog, greet you at the door that is heart warming and special. Did I mention he gives hugs? Seriously. My routine after work is to take Ollie out, throw one of his toys around with him for a while, and then sit on the couch to read emails, check snail mail, etc...generally unwinding from the work day. As I sit there, Oliver will hop up on to the couch beside me, at first, and then after about 30seconds he will crawl into my lap, raise up on his hind legs as he places his 2 front paws on my shoulders, and nuzzles his little head into the crook of my neck. And there he will sit, for as long as feels I need it. I've laughed into his fur, as well as cried.
Yes, he requires a lot of work. At times, especially during the house training process, I felt as though I had acquired a 2 year old child instead of a pet. He slept a lot during the day, and kept me up with his barking at night, and he rrelieved himself whenever and wherever he felt the need. Oh yes, he's grown past that puppy stage, but he still has his moments that completely enrage me...but on the whole...he's a good dog...the most attentive listener, the best secret keeper, and a constant friend.
It's the little in things life, World, that makes this crazy thing called life a little more bearable.
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