Wow. It's kind of fun messing with the fonts on this blog thing. There aren't many to choose from, but I was getting bored with the standard font for this blog. ;) ... So glad I finally figured out how to be a little more creative with this crazy thing called "blog world." :D
Alright! So my last post was a total tangent. I was gonna blog about how I'm done with school - BRIEFLY (ha, like Mical Masterson can do ANYTHING briefly) - then move into a cool song God's been laying on my heart this week. But alas ... the Tangent Queen prevails. ;) So ...... for this post, let's get back to what I originally intended for blogging today. :)
These are lyrics to a simple but great song from the Lord. We sing it at Calvary every now and then. :)
JESUS IS BEAUTIFUL
Beautiful. Beautiful. Jesus is beautiful.
And Jesus makes beautiful things of my life.
Carefully. Touching Me. Causing my eyes to see.
Jesus, You're beautiful. Jesus, my Lord.
I was having a Godsong moment again early this week. I think it was Monday ... early on in the week, that's all I remember. I think I was driving, on my way school ... on my way home ... something like that. And all of sudden, my mind started singing "Beautiful. Beautiful. Jesus is beautiful." ... Out of nowhere! I haven't heard that song in forever! And there I was ... singin' it. :) .... My favorite part of this song is the line that says "Jesus makes beautiful things of my life." ... I think God put it on my heart because ... like I've said over and over (and over again) on this blog .... I've gone through some crazy things over the past year. And I'm super thankful that God is healing in so many ways. But I'm not completely healed yet. ..... But God wanted to remind me of all the amazing things He's been letting into my life through the heartache. In addition to talking about my hurts, I've also been mentioning the greatest joys that have come out of my life over the past year. And in giving me this song this week, God wanted me to remember all of those "greatest joys." "Mical, I'm making beautiful things of your life." .... Wow. That is powerful! Really! Read that again! "I'm making BEAUTIFUL things of YOUR life." The pain brings beauty. It really, really does. That lesson - beauty from pain - is one of the greatest lessons I've learned over the past year (I told you I'm learning a lot!). ;) And God wanted to remind me of that through this song.
And the song goes on to say "Causing my eyes to see." He does. He causes us to SEE all that He desires for us to see. He wants us to see His blessings. He wants us to see more of Himself. He wants us to see the big picture. And sometimes, more often than we'd like, He must use pain to help us see. .... We're pretty stubborn, if you haven't noticed. And sometimes, He must take things away, hinder things, at times, so that we will get our focus off of ourselves and SEE HIM. See His plan. His purpose. His calling. Him. It's not very much fun. Nope. But God didn't say it would be, did He? ;) .... "He must DENY HIMSELF, take up your cross daily, and follow me." "In this world, you WILL have trouble." "WHEN you face trials of MANY kinds ... the TESTING of your faith." ..... None of these things sound very "fun" to me. Ha! But ..... aren't you glad He doesn't stop there. He calls for us to deny ourselves and follow Him so that we will not "forfeit our souls." ... so that we will have eternal life - with Him. (Luke 9:23-25). He says we are sure to have troubles, heartache, pain ... but then He ways "Take heart! I have overcome the world!" (John 16:33). And He says "when" we face trials, not "if." But then He says that the testing of our faith develops perseverance ... and the whole goal of perseverance (even though it's not any fun at all!) is our maturity. He wants us to be COMPLETE, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4). .... So God's got some great PLANS in store for all our struggles. For all our joys too. :) He's causing us to SEE through all of these ups and downs.
So see? Isn't that a GREAT song!? Simple, but oh, so powerful!!!!! Don'tcha love it when God puts songs on our hearts, and then goes a step further and teaches us things through them!? Our God is beyond amazing! Keep pressing into Him, friends! :)
Friday, December 12, 2008
Don't make plans ....
I'M DONE WITH SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (At least for now!) I've got an entire month off, and it's one of the most amazing feelings I've had in a long time! .... I just finished the worst semester of my life! Some crazies collided with the beginning of school year ... so I kind of dug myself a hole, academically, from the get-go. I lost all motivation. I was near depression in some ways. So what did I do? I pressed into Jesus! Bitterly ... angerly at times, but I sought after our mighty Savior! It was a struggle ... to say the least. And HE is the ONLY one who pulled me through this awfulness (well, He let a few people in on the help too). I pulled out of the semester though ... I'm probably gonna get a C in one of my classes (Mical Masterson doesn't get C's), but my other grades are good. :) So God is faithful. And .... I'M DONE!!! And it's only UP from here!!!
... I've got tons of great plans set up for next semester. "Whoa! Careful, Mical!" ... is what I hear myself saying. If there's one thing I've learned this semester (and I've learned far more than only ONE thing!), it's that we can't make too many plans. I've been making a few plans for several, several years ... and over this past year ... God's been wipin' 'em all away! But let's stay uplifting here ... God is wipin' 'em away because He's got something amazing up His sleeve! So ... I've learned ... don't make plans. Don't get so caught up in what you think YOU want to do ... don't even get caught up in what you think GOD wants you to do!!!! 'Cause He very well may CHANGE EVERY BIT OF IT!!!! ... And believe me ... I'm not trying to be a debbie downer here. I am just trying to look at the big picture (another lesson God's been teaching me). :) ... Nothing we do matters. Jesus is it. Jesus is the only one who matters. His plan. His purpose. His calling. Him. So when I make plans, I need to keep HIM at the FOREFRONT. I need HIM to be my ultimate goal. .... I guess I can make plans, but I need to not get too attached to them. How 'bout that? ;) So ............. saying all of that! I have some great "plans" lined up for next semester. But I'm trying to keep Jesus at the forefront in these. :) Let me share 'em with ya!
First off, I have a better schedule than this semester. This semester, I was at school Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from about 8 in the morning until about 8 at night. It was plain awful. Tuesdays - 8 to 4:30pm. Still, not that great. And in that schedule I was taking 17 credit hours, tutoring in the writing center about 8 hours a week, and having an internal emotional/spiritual/crazy battle (see my first paragraph). It was just awful. Okay. I'm done complaining about it. Really! It's over! ;) .... THIS COMING SEMESTER (let's move on to "up" things!), I will be taking 12 credit hours (a much better load), tutoring in the writing center 10 hours a week, substitute teaching in the Speedway school system on Fridays, and hanging out with kids at Shepherd on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. I love tutoring! I've always wanted to teach (that was one of those plans I got attached to and God's putting on hold ... hence, my change of major at IUPUI). I love hanging out with kids! And my school load is not so much. I'll also be involved with Higher Ground ... and perhaps another Bible study or two. It just depends. :) .... So yeah! I'm excited about a great semester!!!!
Hmm. You wouldn't believe I got on here to write a completely different post. A post about a song God's been putting on my heart lately. Ha! But this huge tangent turned into a blog post of its own. :) Hope you guys are interested in my life. Ha ha! 'Cause that's what this post is all about ... and I'm done with it. Ha! Thanks for reading my ramblings, all! Hope ya'll are having a great week - it's the weekend - enjoy it! :D
... I've got tons of great plans set up for next semester. "Whoa! Careful, Mical!" ... is what I hear myself saying. If there's one thing I've learned this semester (and I've learned far more than only ONE thing!), it's that we can't make too many plans. I've been making a few plans for several, several years ... and over this past year ... God's been wipin' 'em all away! But let's stay uplifting here ... God is wipin' 'em away because He's got something amazing up His sleeve! So ... I've learned ... don't make plans. Don't get so caught up in what you think YOU want to do ... don't even get caught up in what you think GOD wants you to do!!!! 'Cause He very well may CHANGE EVERY BIT OF IT!!!! ... And believe me ... I'm not trying to be a debbie downer here. I am just trying to look at the big picture (another lesson God's been teaching me). :) ... Nothing we do matters. Jesus is it. Jesus is the only one who matters. His plan. His purpose. His calling. Him. So when I make plans, I need to keep HIM at the FOREFRONT. I need HIM to be my ultimate goal. .... I guess I can make plans, but I need to not get too attached to them. How 'bout that? ;) So ............. saying all of that! I have some great "plans" lined up for next semester. But I'm trying to keep Jesus at the forefront in these. :) Let me share 'em with ya!
First off, I have a better schedule than this semester. This semester, I was at school Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from about 8 in the morning until about 8 at night. It was plain awful. Tuesdays - 8 to 4:30pm. Still, not that great. And in that schedule I was taking 17 credit hours, tutoring in the writing center about 8 hours a week, and having an internal emotional/spiritual/crazy battle (see my first paragraph). It was just awful. Okay. I'm done complaining about it. Really! It's over! ;) .... THIS COMING SEMESTER (let's move on to "up" things!), I will be taking 12 credit hours (a much better load), tutoring in the writing center 10 hours a week, substitute teaching in the Speedway school system on Fridays, and hanging out with kids at Shepherd on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. I love tutoring! I've always wanted to teach (that was one of those plans I got attached to and God's putting on hold ... hence, my change of major at IUPUI). I love hanging out with kids! And my school load is not so much. I'll also be involved with Higher Ground ... and perhaps another Bible study or two. It just depends. :) .... So yeah! I'm excited about a great semester!!!!
Hmm. You wouldn't believe I got on here to write a completely different post. A post about a song God's been putting on my heart lately. Ha! But this huge tangent turned into a blog post of its own. :) Hope you guys are interested in my life. Ha ha! 'Cause that's what this post is all about ... and I'm done with it. Ha! Thanks for reading my ramblings, all! Hope ya'll are having a great week - it's the weekend - enjoy it! :D
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Worship with Sight and Smell :)
The Mall Manhunt! What a fun idea!
Grace Fellowship takes its youth to the Circle Center Mall once a year ... usually early in December, for a game of "hide 'n seek." And I got to go with them last night! It was super fun! :D For three reasons! :)
#1 - I love young people! I got to hide from the youth all night ... and I got to hang out with Paige and her friends on the way to the mall and all the way home. Always fun to listen to teenager's conversations. ;) ... And we listened to Radio Disney. Ha! Always hilarious!
#2 - I love Grace Fellowship people ... and I love that I am a part of this Body ... even though I'm not. GFC is my second church family, and it is a blessing to call the amazing people of Grace just that ... my FAMILY. :)
#3 - While I hid in the mall, I spent most of my time in the calendar store. I headed straight for the "nature" section. I spent nearly the entire game "hiding" in that store! I looked at calendars full of pictures of sunsets, landscapes, mountains, clouds, rainbows, moons ... all kinds of stuff. I'm a big nature person. Being outside is one of my favorite places to be. I love simply sitting and watching the sun set, sitting in silence listening to the wind blow through the trees ... I love taking pictures of the sky ... of mountains ... of cool nature sites. It's one of my favorite things to do. ... The whole time I was in the store, I kept thinking, "Wow, God! You really knew what you were doing with this rainbow!" "Oh, Lord! This mountain range takes my breath away!" "Whoa! That cloud design in the sky is incredible!" ... It was a huge blessing to just stand and bask in God's presence through His creation. I couldn't leave without buying a calendar! :) ... And then I headed over to a candle store and bought a candle named "fireside." So now ... my room smells like my favorite scent in the world - a campfire! ... And I have a calendar full of rainbows hanging on my wall in my room! :D
It was a simple blessing ... basking in God's presence through my senses! Praising God with sight and smell ... good stuff! 'Cause ya know ... complimenting God on His handy work is worship. :) Take a look around you today ... use your senses to worship the Lord! :D
Grace Fellowship takes its youth to the Circle Center Mall once a year ... usually early in December, for a game of "hide 'n seek." And I got to go with them last night! It was super fun! :D For three reasons! :)
#1 - I love young people! I got to hide from the youth all night ... and I got to hang out with Paige and her friends on the way to the mall and all the way home. Always fun to listen to teenager's conversations. ;) ... And we listened to Radio Disney. Ha! Always hilarious!
#2 - I love Grace Fellowship people ... and I love that I am a part of this Body ... even though I'm not. GFC is my second church family, and it is a blessing to call the amazing people of Grace just that ... my FAMILY. :)
#3 - While I hid in the mall, I spent most of my time in the calendar store. I headed straight for the "nature" section. I spent nearly the entire game "hiding" in that store! I looked at calendars full of pictures of sunsets, landscapes, mountains, clouds, rainbows, moons ... all kinds of stuff. I'm a big nature person. Being outside is one of my favorite places to be. I love simply sitting and watching the sun set, sitting in silence listening to the wind blow through the trees ... I love taking pictures of the sky ... of mountains ... of cool nature sites. It's one of my favorite things to do. ... The whole time I was in the store, I kept thinking, "Wow, God! You really knew what you were doing with this rainbow!" "Oh, Lord! This mountain range takes my breath away!" "Whoa! That cloud design in the sky is incredible!" ... It was a huge blessing to just stand and bask in God's presence through His creation. I couldn't leave without buying a calendar! :) ... And then I headed over to a candle store and bought a candle named "fireside." So now ... my room smells like my favorite scent in the world - a campfire! ... And I have a calendar full of rainbows hanging on my wall in my room! :D
It was a simple blessing ... basking in God's presence through my senses! Praising God with sight and smell ... good stuff! 'Cause ya know ... complimenting God on His handy work is worship. :) Take a look around you today ... use your senses to worship the Lord! :D
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Mical's Heroes :)
Hey, all! :) Wow ... it's been almost an entire week since my last post! That is crazy! I know you all have missed my 8,000 posts a week. ;) ... Well, this one isn't really new. I want to change my "Question for you" section of my blog ... just to spice things up a bit ... so I'm gonna post this here ... 'cause it's just too good to delete. :D .... Stay tuned for more blogging! I'm almost done with the busiest and worst semester of my life! Thursday! Thursday!!! So more blogging to come, friends! Yay!
Who are some of your heroes?
Post a comment to my blog or write me an e-mail at Faithful7326@aol.com to reply to this question! It's one of my favorite questions to ask and to answer!
Want to know my answer??? ;) Good! 'Cause I'm gonna tell ya!!! :D
#1: Ben Nilsen
Post a comment to my blog or write me an e-mail at Faithful7326@aol.com to reply to this question! It's one of my favorite questions to ask and to answer!
Want to know my answer??? ;) Good! 'Cause I'm gonna tell ya!!! :D
#1: Ben Nilsen
BEN NILSEN is a ROCK in my life - the most spiritually and emotionally stable person I know! He is my #1 spiritual thought buddy - I go to him for all my deep questions and thoughts about God. He pushes me to strive harder after Jesus and to become all that God has called me to be. He is so consistent - in work, in school, in relationships, in his walk with Christ. He is the BEST example of Christ I know, one of my best friends, and an amazing encouragement in my life. Words can't express how much he has done for me over the past several months ... taught me so much, loved me so much, and has been an irreplaceable friend.
#2: Emily ("Love")
#2: Emily ("Love")
And EMILY KARAS is my BOSOM BUDDY! She is my #1 role-model. Her example and love for Jesus is one of the most inspiring experiences I've ever encountered. Her consistency in her walk with Jesus, in her love for her friends, and in her attitude - to NEVER give up no matter what God lets her way - are some of the biggest lessons I've learned from her. Her wisdom and love and consistency are irreplaceable in my life. And she is my #1 encourager and favorite hugger!
#3: James Nilsen. :)
#3: James Nilsen. :)
JAMES ... Yep, he's another one of my heroes! James is one of the godliest guys I've ever met. He is so consistent in striving after Jesus. He will mess up at times, as we ALL do, but He picks himself back up and keeps running the race! ... He is in love with his kids. He pours everything he is into his ministry. He absolutely adores the kids he serves. He just adores kids and young people, in general! ... One of my favorite things about James is that he not only wants to become the most amazing man of God that he can be, but he is striving hard after Christ so that he will become just that! ... He is the most compassionate person I know. And he's got the biggest heart I've ever known. ... And whatta ya know? He's one of my best friends! I also LOVE that he is a huge cheese! He loves to laugh, act crazy, and give the biggest, cheesiest smiles you'll ever see!
#4: My dad.
#4: My dad.
My dad is one of the godliest men I have ever met. He, Ben, and James are probably tied for first place. ;) .... He is gentle, kind, hilarious, consistent, an amazing provider, wise, and upstanding. He's probably the most upstanding person I've ever met. He hardly ever gets mad; he hardly ever gets offended. He has a way of caring for his family that goes above and beyond the call of duty. He is always there to give godly, upright advice .... or to make me laugh. And he is incredibly consistent. He never wavers. No matter what's going on in his life, he never stops trusting Jesus and living for Him. He buckles down and gets the job done. He loves the Lord. He is consistently in His word. He is an amazing example of Christlikeness. I really couldn't ask for a better dad. Saying "I am blessed," is the understatement of the year when it comes to the gift of my dad!
Now ... tell me about YOUR heroes! Please! :D
Sunday, November 30, 2008
A Quick Trip through Hebrews!
I know only one thing .....
GOD IS FAITHFUL!!!
Philippians 1:6 .... Listen up! This is a mighty promise from God!!!
"He who began a good work in you WILL carry it on to COMPLETION until the day of Christ Jesus!"
Hebrews 13:5 --- "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Words of Jesus, ya'll!)
Because ....
Hebrews 13:8 --- "Jesus Christ is the SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, and FOREVER!"
Therefore ....
Hebrews 12:1-2a --- "Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, LET US THROW OFF EVERYTHING THAT HINDERS and the sin that so easily entangles (I think trials can count here too!), and LET US RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE the race marked out for us. LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS, the author and perfecter of our faith."
Let's make this our goal this week, friends! No matter how rough the trials ... God is faithful! Keep runnin', Mical! Keep fixin' your eyes on Jesus, Mical! Keep! Keep! Keep!
GOD IS FAITHFUL!!!
Philippians 1:6 .... Listen up! This is a mighty promise from God!!!
"He who began a good work in you WILL carry it on to COMPLETION until the day of Christ Jesus!"
Hebrews 13:5 --- "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Words of Jesus, ya'll!)
Because ....
Hebrews 13:8 --- "Jesus Christ is the SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, and FOREVER!"
Therefore ....
Hebrews 12:1-2a --- "Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, LET US THROW OFF EVERYTHING THAT HINDERS and the sin that so easily entangles (I think trials can count here too!), and LET US RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE the race marked out for us. LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS, the author and perfecter of our faith."
Let's make this our goal this week, friends! No matter how rough the trials ... God is faithful! Keep runnin', Mical! Keep fixin' your eyes on Jesus, Mical! Keep! Keep! Keep!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Getting to Know You ... M&Ms Style! :D
I'm at it once again! Yay for blogging! :) ......... Remember my Patrick the Persimmon posts? Well, in one of those posts I mentioned a "get to know you" activity with M&Ms, and I'm gonna make up my own rules for the same thing right here! Join me! It'll be fun!!!
Getting to know you ... M&Ms style! :D
Okay. So here's the deal .... head to your local gas station or grocery store and pick up a bag of milk chocolate M&Ms. Pour 'em all out, and separate them by color. Now! For each yellow, you're gonna share your favorite meals of all time (if you could eat anything in one meal, what would it be?). For each orange, your favorite Bible verses. For each blue, your favorite places (to travel to, to hang out, whatever). For the red, share your favorite things about winter (activities, scenery, places to go, whatever). Brown - some of your all-time favorite things. Green - some of the greatest blessings in your life over the past 6 months. ... Okay, I think that covers 'em all. .... Now, go! You MUST get a hold of some M&Ms for this task. You can't cheat! Eating the M&Ms as you go is part of the fun!
Alrighty ... here we go! :D
3 Yellow M&Ms:
- Steak, mashed potatoes with gravy, french fries, and sweet tea!
- Cheeseburger, french fries, and sweet tea!
- Baked potato with all the fixin's - meat, cheese, butter, ect., and sweet tea!
(Are ya'll seeing a pattern?) ;)
15 Orange M&Ms:
- Psalm 73:26 -- "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
- Psalm 16:11 -- "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand are pleasures forever."
- Psalm 62:7-8 -- "My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge."
- Joshua 1:9 -- "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
- James 1:2-4 -- "Consider it all joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you will be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
- James 1:12 -- "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."
- Philippians 1:6 -- "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
- Romans 8:28 - "And we know that God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."
- Psalm 37:4 -- "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of Your heart."
- 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 -- "Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
- Isaiah 26:3 -- "He will keep in perfect peace Him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in Him."
- John 15:5 -- "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing."
- Hebrews 12:1-3 -- "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perefecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
- Psalm 32:8 -- "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."
- Revelation 21:4 -- "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
15 Blue M&Ms:
- New Zealand! I want to hike through the gorgeous sites!
- Bogalusa, Louisiana .... where I took the best mission trip ever! Wanna go back and help out out with the hurricane relief.
- Mountains of Tennessee ... I wanna take pictures of mountains all day long!
- Every other place with mountains that I've never been to!
- Ireland ... nice sites there too.
- All of the tiny states ... Rhode Island, New Jersey, Vermont, ect.
- Virginia to see my friend, Rachel!
- India ... My pastor talked about orphanages ... I want to help out in the orphanages there.
- China ... I'd like to see all of the underground churches and witness the millions who are coming to Christ.
- Turkey Run .... I REALLY want to go hiking!
- Brown County .... it's where James and the gang go to hike sometimes ... I've never been.
- Mammoth Cave ... I wouldn't mind going on another cave tour with Ben and the gang. :)
- Grace Fellowship (my second church home)
- Calvary ... yes, I'm there every Sunday morning ... but I want to be there right now!
- University of Southern Indiana ... I want to visit my brother, see his apartment, and watch him run track sometime before the school year is over!
7 Red M&Ms:
- Snow angels!
- Breathing really cold air :)
- Drinking hot chocolate with friends
- Sitting next to a warm fire in some remote log cabin (a dream of mine, I guess) ;)
- Christmas!
- Watching snow fall
- Scarves
10 Brown M&Ms:
- Smiley face fruit snacks
- Goldfish crackers
- Music
- My Bible
- Stickers
- Friends
- Church
- Campfires
- The sky
- Photography
6 Green M&Ms:
- Ben Nilsen
- Jesus talks with Alex Ehrhardt
- E-mails from Judy Nilsen
- God's word
- My youth group kids
- Mammoth Cave Trip
Okay ... that was long and yummy! Go get some M&Ms, and join the fun! Love ya'll! :D
Getting to know you ... M&Ms style! :D
Okay. So here's the deal .... head to your local gas station or grocery store and pick up a bag of milk chocolate M&Ms. Pour 'em all out, and separate them by color. Now! For each yellow, you're gonna share your favorite meals of all time (if you could eat anything in one meal, what would it be?). For each orange, your favorite Bible verses. For each blue, your favorite places (to travel to, to hang out, whatever). For the red, share your favorite things about winter (activities, scenery, places to go, whatever). Brown - some of your all-time favorite things. Green - some of the greatest blessings in your life over the past 6 months. ... Okay, I think that covers 'em all. .... Now, go! You MUST get a hold of some M&Ms for this task. You can't cheat! Eating the M&Ms as you go is part of the fun!
Alrighty ... here we go! :D
3 Yellow M&Ms:
- Steak, mashed potatoes with gravy, french fries, and sweet tea!
- Cheeseburger, french fries, and sweet tea!
- Baked potato with all the fixin's - meat, cheese, butter, ect., and sweet tea!
(Are ya'll seeing a pattern?) ;)
15 Orange M&Ms:
- Psalm 73:26 -- "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
- Psalm 16:11 -- "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand are pleasures forever."
- Psalm 62:7-8 -- "My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge."
- Joshua 1:9 -- "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
- James 1:2-4 -- "Consider it all joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you will be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
- James 1:12 -- "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."
- Philippians 1:6 -- "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
- Romans 8:28 - "And we know that God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."
- Psalm 37:4 -- "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of Your heart."
- 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 -- "Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
- Isaiah 26:3 -- "He will keep in perfect peace Him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in Him."
- John 15:5 -- "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing."
- Hebrews 12:1-3 -- "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perefecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
- Psalm 32:8 -- "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."
- Revelation 21:4 -- "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
15 Blue M&Ms:
- New Zealand! I want to hike through the gorgeous sites!
- Bogalusa, Louisiana .... where I took the best mission trip ever! Wanna go back and help out out with the hurricane relief.
- Mountains of Tennessee ... I wanna take pictures of mountains all day long!
- Every other place with mountains that I've never been to!
- Ireland ... nice sites there too.
- All of the tiny states ... Rhode Island, New Jersey, Vermont, ect.
- Virginia to see my friend, Rachel!
- India ... My pastor talked about orphanages ... I want to help out in the orphanages there.
- China ... I'd like to see all of the underground churches and witness the millions who are coming to Christ.
- Turkey Run .... I REALLY want to go hiking!
- Brown County .... it's where James and the gang go to hike sometimes ... I've never been.
- Mammoth Cave ... I wouldn't mind going on another cave tour with Ben and the gang. :)
- Grace Fellowship (my second church home)
- Calvary ... yes, I'm there every Sunday morning ... but I want to be there right now!
- University of Southern Indiana ... I want to visit my brother, see his apartment, and watch him run track sometime before the school year is over!
7 Red M&Ms:
- Snow angels!
- Breathing really cold air :)
- Drinking hot chocolate with friends
- Sitting next to a warm fire in some remote log cabin (a dream of mine, I guess) ;)
- Christmas!
- Watching snow fall
- Scarves
10 Brown M&Ms:
- Smiley face fruit snacks
- Goldfish crackers
- Music
- My Bible
- Stickers
- Friends
- Church
- Campfires
- The sky
- Photography
6 Green M&Ms:
- Ben Nilsen
- Jesus talks with Alex Ehrhardt
- E-mails from Judy Nilsen
- God's word
- My youth group kids
- Mammoth Cave Trip
Okay ... that was long and yummy! Go get some M&Ms, and join the fun! Love ya'll! :D
Friday, November 28, 2008
God, Grant Me ....
Just a quick thought for today. :)
I was walking in my hallway upstairs on my way to my bedroom this morning, and I noticed a scroll laying on my mom's big "pirate chest," as I like to call it. She decorated our upstairs with beach/ship kinds of stuff. We have a huge chest (it looks like there's tons of treasure inside ... too bad it's just dust) with a captain's wheel and a tiny ship and fish net set up in our hallway upstairs, and on top of the chest lies a scroll with this written on it .....
"God grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."
It's a simple saying ... a well-known saying .... and this scroll is gathering dust on that huge pirate chest .... it's been there for years. So why did it grab my attention today? Well ... there are a couple of things in my life that I really want to change. I want to change them so badly that I ache on a regular basis. I am continually surrendering them over to God, but there is still an ache. I'm sure the ache won't be gone until they are completely surrendered. That's usually how God works. ;) ... So yeah ... serenity ... I had to look that word up. It means "calmness of mind; peace." Lord, give me peace to wait on your timing ... not to try and change things ... but simply wait on your timing and live out my calling to the best of my ability while I wait.
Are you waiting on God for some things? Do you want to change some things in your life right now? .... If so ... join the club! ........ But let's keep trusting God for those things instead of worrying about 'em. Let's keep surrendering them. Each and every day.
I was just reading tonight in 1 Peter .... 1 Peter 5:7 says .... "Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." ......... Whatever it is you want to change .... give it to Jesus. He cares about you. He cares about the condition your heart is in. Keep trusting Him. Keep giving everything to Him. And just take it one day at a time. That's what I've been doing and will continue to do ... until I get it right! Or until Jesus comes back! Whichever comes first! ;)
I was walking in my hallway upstairs on my way to my bedroom this morning, and I noticed a scroll laying on my mom's big "pirate chest," as I like to call it. She decorated our upstairs with beach/ship kinds of stuff. We have a huge chest (it looks like there's tons of treasure inside ... too bad it's just dust) with a captain's wheel and a tiny ship and fish net set up in our hallway upstairs, and on top of the chest lies a scroll with this written on it .....
"God grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."
It's a simple saying ... a well-known saying .... and this scroll is gathering dust on that huge pirate chest .... it's been there for years. So why did it grab my attention today? Well ... there are a couple of things in my life that I really want to change. I want to change them so badly that I ache on a regular basis. I am continually surrendering them over to God, but there is still an ache. I'm sure the ache won't be gone until they are completely surrendered. That's usually how God works. ;) ... So yeah ... serenity ... I had to look that word up. It means "calmness of mind; peace." Lord, give me peace to wait on your timing ... not to try and change things ... but simply wait on your timing and live out my calling to the best of my ability while I wait.
Are you waiting on God for some things? Do you want to change some things in your life right now? .... If so ... join the club! ........ But let's keep trusting God for those things instead of worrying about 'em. Let's keep surrendering them. Each and every day.
I was just reading tonight in 1 Peter .... 1 Peter 5:7 says .... "Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." ......... Whatever it is you want to change .... give it to Jesus. He cares about you. He cares about the condition your heart is in. Keep trusting Him. Keep giving everything to Him. And just take it one day at a time. That's what I've been doing and will continue to do ... until I get it right! Or until Jesus comes back! Whichever comes first! ;)
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Family Thanksgiving in Ohio :)
Happy Thanksgiving!!! Thanks Day is coming to an end .... aren't you glad that our thanks is NOT!? :D
I traveled with my mom, dad, and brother to Cincinnati, Ohio today for our annual family Thanksgiving with my mom's side of the family. It was a good time! Seeing family is always fun. :) .... Just wanted to share a quick run down of the highlights of my day and ask you to tell me about YOUR Thanksgiving. What did ya'll do???
Some of the highlights ....
- I had a great conversation with my grandma and great aunt about the lessons God's been teaching me over the past year. It is such a blessing to have family members who love Jesus and are diligent in following after the Lord. That was a blessing I ended up thanking God for throughout the day. And it was especially great seeing my great aunt, Peggy. She has been one of the greatest encouragers of my extended family. Every time I see her, she tells me that I am beautiful and that she is proud of me. Those words are powerful! They most certainly empower me!!!
- Hay ride with some of my 2nd (or 3rd or whatever) cousins. They are the kids of my mom's cousins ... so what does that make them in relation to me? They are all in middle school ... MY FAVORITE AGE GROUP! So it was fun to chat with them about fun and middle school things ... bond with them a bit ... and just sit and laugh with them. :)
- Eating waaayyy too much turkey and mashed potatoes with gravy!!!! Because that is what you're supposed to do on Thanksgiving! ... Overeat and NOT feel bad about it! Yes!!!
- And my favorite part .... walking out into a huge cornfield by the house, breathing in the crisp, fall-heading-into-winter air and watching the sun set. :)
The sky is one of my favorite things in the entire world! The ENTIRE world!!!! I got some great pictures, so I'm gonna share 'em with ya'll! :D
And lastly, one thing I confirmed today is that I LOVE being outside! My woody places post .... my posting pictures of trees and clouds and sunsets .... my obsession with bonfires .... that is only the beginning! Once Ben and James help me figure out how to start my own fire, I will be set! I can just grab a tent and head for the woods ... and just LIVE THERE! ..... At the very least, I can be prepared for my 3-day silence and solitude trip that I am taking over my spring break this next semester! Ha ha! ..... Anyway! Here are some great pictures! God really knew what He was doing when He designed the sun to set each night and rise each morning! Aren't you glad He decided to share this masterpiece with us??? I am pretty much stoked about it!!!!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Spiritual Thought Buddy #2
Well, while I'm at it .... I better tell you about another friend God has been using in amazing ways in my life lately. I love bragging about my friends ... can you tell? .... That, along with bragging about Jesus, is the entire goal behind this Fun and Faithful Tales blog!!!!
Alex Ehrhardt. Yep .... she is my #2 spiritual thought buddy, a great inspiration, and becoming one of my most cherished friends. I've only known Alex since July ... and we have only been growing in our friendship over the past couple of months .... but our bond in Christ has strengthened our bond of friendship in extraordinary ways! It is amazing what kinds of friendships come out of a foundation in Christ! Really! .... I really haven't spent much time with Alex if you get right down to it. We've met for a Jesus talk maybe 3 or 4 times .... maybe. But again ... our Christ foundation links us. And in linking me to Alex Ehrhardt, God has drawn me closer to Him. We have been sharing deep God concepts through our "book" e-mails for several weeks. We both know how to write a lot, so our e-mails are so long they could be books! :D .... And like I said in an earlier post about Alex, when she sits down to talk with me at our Jesus talks, it is like Jesus is sitting next to me, pouring Himself into me. She is so full of Jesus! And her Godsong causes my Godsong to sing all the louder! She is an amazing inspiration. She is younger than I am, and yet she grasps the things of God so deeply ... way more deeply than I do! And she's so good at loving. She loves to love other people. .... She's just a spectacular person! And I am excited to be growing in my friendship with her! I think I can stick her next to my bosom buddy, Emily Karas, and say, "I want to be just like you two when I grow up!" :)
Thanks for all your love, encouragement, and spiritual support, Alex! Love ya, friend! :D
Alex Ehrhardt. Yep .... she is my #2 spiritual thought buddy, a great inspiration, and becoming one of my most cherished friends. I've only known Alex since July ... and we have only been growing in our friendship over the past couple of months .... but our bond in Christ has strengthened our bond of friendship in extraordinary ways! It is amazing what kinds of friendships come out of a foundation in Christ! Really! .... I really haven't spent much time with Alex if you get right down to it. We've met for a Jesus talk maybe 3 or 4 times .... maybe. But again ... our Christ foundation links us. And in linking me to Alex Ehrhardt, God has drawn me closer to Him. We have been sharing deep God concepts through our "book" e-mails for several weeks. We both know how to write a lot, so our e-mails are so long they could be books! :D .... And like I said in an earlier post about Alex, when she sits down to talk with me at our Jesus talks, it is like Jesus is sitting next to me, pouring Himself into me. She is so full of Jesus! And her Godsong causes my Godsong to sing all the louder! She is an amazing inspiration. She is younger than I am, and yet she grasps the things of God so deeply ... way more deeply than I do! And she's so good at loving. She loves to love other people. .... She's just a spectacular person! And I am excited to be growing in my friendship with her! I think I can stick her next to my bosom buddy, Emily Karas, and say, "I want to be just like you two when I grow up!" :)
Thanks for all your love, encouragement, and spiritual support, Alex! Love ya, friend! :D
A "Thank You" the day before Thanks Day :)
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!!! Thanks Day is tomorrow. Aren't you excited? ... I am excited to spend time with family I don't get to see but once or twice a year. And we're traveling to Ohio to see them. :) I like traveling! Where are you all going for your Thanks Day??? :)
Well, in light of this thanks season .... I've been thinking extra hard about the things and the people I am most thankful for. It is not hard to think about ... I am more blessed than I know how to say! God is ALWAYS faithful. He is ALWAYS pouring on blessings ... even when we can't see them quite as well. But He has been pouring more blessings into my life over the past several months than ever before! (Remember all my posts about my pain? Ha! God used that pain to bring the greatest blessings too! Wow! How does He do that!?) .... So ... I wanted to share one of the things I'm the most thankful for right now ... or, I should say, the PERSON I'm most thankful for .... :)
Ben Nilsen. Yep ... have you ever gone through a time in your life in which God knew exactly the kinds of people to stick in your path to encourage and uphold you??? God's been using several people in my life lately, but one friend who has helped me in a way that no one else could is my friend, Ben. :) And since this blog is all about fun and faithful tales about FRIENDS ... about Jesus .... and about lessons learned and learning ..... I thought I'd share some Ben blessings with you all. :)
One thing I really appreciate about Ben is that he is one of my very few guy friends whom I can just sit and chat with and it not go down the awkward road. Guy-girl friendships are often so complicated because ... well, because of just that ... one of the friends is a guy; the other is a girl. I think you know where I'm going with this. ;) .... Anyway! Ben and I don't have to worry about any of that. He's my brother. I'm his sister. We are friends. We build each other up. And I LOVE that about my friendship with Ben. We've both talked time and time again about how thankful we are that we don't have the normal guy-girl friendship drama that others have. .... Guy-girl friendships are important. They are very good and godly when they are done right. And from a girl's point of view .... the friendships I have with my guy friends are so important to me because they make me feel safe. God has given me scads and scads of friends, and several of those friends are godly guy friends. I am so blessed! And Ben is one of those guys who makes me feel safe and loved. :) I can't put into words how thankful I am that Ben and I are friends who can simply be that ... friends ... minus the drama.
Another thing I'm thankful for in my friendship with Ben is something I wrote about waaayy back during the Cookie Cutter Friend posts ...... I'm thankful that he is my #1 spiritual thought buddy. :) I go to him for all of my deep thoughts about God. .... Just yesterday, I called him to ask for some resources about Existentialism because a girl from the writing center asked to get together with me next week to talk about Christianity and Existentialism. Crazy, I know. And Ben was right there to offer support and any help he could give, as well as drop the books off at my house this weekend. What a blessing! He is always offering spiritual support. :) And what's more ... he pushes me to think about things that are over my head. The more time I hang out with him, the more I realize how little I know about God, about the world, and about the human heart (a few things he and I have been talking about and have been trying to understand better). And it's good I realize this! It's an amazing push in the right direction! Thank you, Ben! :) .... In addition to spiritual support, he is also an emotional rock in my life. He is the most emotionally stable person I know. I'm a fairly emotional roller coaster kind of woman at times, so I can't express how much I need an oober stable friend like Ben to keep my head above water. ;) He is constantly reminding me that he's praying for me ... and always asking me how I'm doing, as well as, "is that the official version or the real version?" .... He is genuine. He cares. And his consistency, stability, and support have been one of the greatest blessings and strongholds of my life over the past several months. He's one of those people God knew I needed to help me through several heartaches ... and whom I needed to help me grow further in my current spiritual growth spurt. It is amazing to watch God do great things through the people He places in our lives, isn't it?
.... Well, I could keep going about Ben .... but I better stop here. I'm sure you all have turkeys to put in the oven, potatoes to peel, and thanks to give. ;) Hope your Turkey Day is great tomorrow! Be sure to thank God for all the amazing people He has placed in your life! I only mentioned one person in this post ... but I have a long list of people to thank God for! I know you do too! Happy Thanks Day, all! :)
Well, in light of this thanks season .... I've been thinking extra hard about the things and the people I am most thankful for. It is not hard to think about ... I am more blessed than I know how to say! God is ALWAYS faithful. He is ALWAYS pouring on blessings ... even when we can't see them quite as well. But He has been pouring more blessings into my life over the past several months than ever before! (Remember all my posts about my pain? Ha! God used that pain to bring the greatest blessings too! Wow! How does He do that!?) .... So ... I wanted to share one of the things I'm the most thankful for right now ... or, I should say, the PERSON I'm most thankful for .... :)
Ben Nilsen. Yep ... have you ever gone through a time in your life in which God knew exactly the kinds of people to stick in your path to encourage and uphold you??? God's been using several people in my life lately, but one friend who has helped me in a way that no one else could is my friend, Ben. :) And since this blog is all about fun and faithful tales about FRIENDS ... about Jesus .... and about lessons learned and learning ..... I thought I'd share some Ben blessings with you all. :)
One thing I really appreciate about Ben is that he is one of my very few guy friends whom I can just sit and chat with and it not go down the awkward road. Guy-girl friendships are often so complicated because ... well, because of just that ... one of the friends is a guy; the other is a girl. I think you know where I'm going with this. ;) .... Anyway! Ben and I don't have to worry about any of that. He's my brother. I'm his sister. We are friends. We build each other up. And I LOVE that about my friendship with Ben. We've both talked time and time again about how thankful we are that we don't have the normal guy-girl friendship drama that others have. .... Guy-girl friendships are important. They are very good and godly when they are done right. And from a girl's point of view .... the friendships I have with my guy friends are so important to me because they make me feel safe. God has given me scads and scads of friends, and several of those friends are godly guy friends. I am so blessed! And Ben is one of those guys who makes me feel safe and loved. :) I can't put into words how thankful I am that Ben and I are friends who can simply be that ... friends ... minus the drama.
Another thing I'm thankful for in my friendship with Ben is something I wrote about waaayy back during the Cookie Cutter Friend posts ...... I'm thankful that he is my #1 spiritual thought buddy. :) I go to him for all of my deep thoughts about God. .... Just yesterday, I called him to ask for some resources about Existentialism because a girl from the writing center asked to get together with me next week to talk about Christianity and Existentialism. Crazy, I know. And Ben was right there to offer support and any help he could give, as well as drop the books off at my house this weekend. What a blessing! He is always offering spiritual support. :) And what's more ... he pushes me to think about things that are over my head. The more time I hang out with him, the more I realize how little I know about God, about the world, and about the human heart (a few things he and I have been talking about and have been trying to understand better). And it's good I realize this! It's an amazing push in the right direction! Thank you, Ben! :) .... In addition to spiritual support, he is also an emotional rock in my life. He is the most emotionally stable person I know. I'm a fairly emotional roller coaster kind of woman at times, so I can't express how much I need an oober stable friend like Ben to keep my head above water. ;) He is constantly reminding me that he's praying for me ... and always asking me how I'm doing, as well as, "is that the official version or the real version?" .... He is genuine. He cares. And his consistency, stability, and support have been one of the greatest blessings and strongholds of my life over the past several months. He's one of those people God knew I needed to help me through several heartaches ... and whom I needed to help me grow further in my current spiritual growth spurt. It is amazing to watch God do great things through the people He places in our lives, isn't it?
.... Well, I could keep going about Ben .... but I better stop here. I'm sure you all have turkeys to put in the oven, potatoes to peel, and thanks to give. ;) Hope your Turkey Day is great tomorrow! Be sure to thank God for all the amazing people He has placed in your life! I only mentioned one person in this post ... but I have a long list of people to thank God for! I know you do too! Happy Thanks Day, all! :)
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Waiting on the Lord ....
I meant to look up this song a while back right after I went to see the movie, Fireproof, with Ben and some of the gang. Amazing movie! Amazing message! For married couples .... for all Christians ... for non-Christians. Go see it if you haven't already!
One of the most powerful parts of the movie, for me, was a song. "While I'm Waiting." It nearly brought me to tears in the theater. And it is one of my new goals. The lyrics say it all, so I won't write some long rambling about it. ;) Just read these lyrics, and if you get a chance .... go to google, type in "while I'm waiting, fireproof" and watch/listen to the music video. This song is amazing! Let's keep waiting on the Lord!!!!
I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait
I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait
I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait
I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait
I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord
New Bookstore in Town!
Hey, everybody! Just a quick announcement! :D
My mom's new store is open! All of it! ..... The Porch ... located just a few houses east of Calvary Chapel in Danville, across from Beasley's Orchard! 2411 E. Main St. Check it out sometime!!! She is open Tuesdays from 10am to 7pm, Wednesdays from 10am to 4pm, and Saturdays from 10am to 3pm. And I think she has extended hours the week of December 1st! ..... It's a fairly new place, and it has tons of great books! She has books for all ages and for people of all walks of life! Homeschool curriculum, kids/youth novels/picture books/ect, art books, music books, collectible books, historical books, adult Christian fiction/nonfiction, and books open to the general public - mysteries, westerns, self-help/medical/sports/animals/memoirs/all kinds of stuff! Also! She has games and gifts! She has fantastic teas ... and cookies! Free tea samples and cookies! ... What is better? Stop by her store sometime! Buy some books. Try some of her fine teas. The Ginger Peach is my favorite so far! Actually ... I'm drinking it right now. Yummy!
I'm in the process of writing an article for her store! Look in the paper ... maybe you'll see it someday soon! ..... Stop by! She loves to see familiar faces .... and business is slow .... so she just loves to anyone! Ha ha! It's a great place! Stop by sometime! :D
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