1 Corinthians 2:9

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Cor 2:9
That's quite the thought isn't it?We haven't even imagined, let alone begun to imagine, the things God has prepared for us.
Its rather amazing to think that God would bestow so much undeserved love and care on people who scorn Him and spurn His authority.I mean, not only does He show love, mercy, and grace by giving salvation...but He goes beyond that and demonstrates tenderness and generosity by showering us with blessings.
In this life, He gives physical blessings but more importantly spiritual blessings.Have you stopped to consider the privilege it is to pray?To know that anytime of day you can stop and talk to your Father and know that He is ever listening, and Christ is ever interceding?Or what of peace? Can anyone put a price on peace?People spend their entire lives looking in all the wrong places for something God gives so abundantly.These are to name but two of all the gifts God gives from day to day.
And in eternity...what an awesome thought!To think that for age upon age..for all eternity - uncomprehendible to our feeble mind - we will be enjoying and worshipping God. It's a hard thing to fully grasp isn't it?Eternal security - to be ever with God in the perfection of heaven.And yet here in this verse He promises things that we haven't even come close to imagining.Wow..

Our God is an awesome God

Wow its been a while since I posted I guess :p

Well last week was a hard week emotionally,physically, spiritually.There were a lot of things happening at once with friends, I was greatly lacking sleep, and I started focusing on all the problems instead of on Christ.It was feeling overwhelming..one friend was going thru a major crisis that took a lot of talking,praying,and witnessing...I didn't have anyone I could share all my thoughts and worries with...it was just hard to do by myself.So seeing as how I was being hard on myself emotionally and physically I made myself sick :p and spent a few days just catching up on sleep and resting.
On the second day God got my attention.He showed me how I'd gotten too busy trying to do it myself and not given it to Him enough.Getting sick was actually good for me, it made me stop and refocus, and get back on track.I realized that its hard to be a good testimony or witness if you are worn out and depressed.So I was able to relax some and pray a lot more about the problems and stresses...to stop trying to do it all in my own strength.
And early this morning I was reminded again just how awesome our God is, when my friend got saved!I'd been praying for that for months...and yet when God answered that prayer I was just in total shock.It was hard to believe it actually happened.His ways are exciting to watch. All I can say is, thanks be to God.I'm excited about my friend's future and where God is taking him. I have no doubt God has a plan for his life.
All these events brought this again to my mind:
Consider this..mankind is so wicked and so rebellious against God.Yet He choses to reach down and save us from our pain and sin anyway.He didnt have to - His justice required that He leave us to what we deserve.Yet His love is equal to His justice.So this perfect balance planned a redemption that would satisfy justice while at the same time giving a grand display of perfect love.Is not this an awesome God we serve?

Fluffy White Stuff

Well it really snowed last night. :) At least about six inches.I suppose that means I need to go clean off the cars and shovel the driveway. :p Ah well, its part of winter right?And Christmas just would not be the same without a lovely blanket of that fluffy white stuff.Have a great day one and all!

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Such is happening as winter once again descends upon us...winter coats, snow shovels, car brushes,salt ...all get dug out of their summer hiding places to make the cold a little more livable.There is indeed a long list of drawbacks to this winter business such as icy roads, frosty cars,snowdrifts for walkways, frozen people..to name a few.Ah, but then there are the benefits. :)
It is hard to beat the experience of building a snowman with various friends and kids, then engaging in a snowball fight, before trekking inside to discard snowsuits, hats and so forth by a crackling fire and heading upstairs to hot chocolate and fresh chocolate chip cookies.
Also comparable to that is taking a solitary stroll in the quiet of the woods with the cheery sound of birds to break the silence,the white landscape to relax your eyes,and thoughts of God and His works to fill your mind.
Now as of yet this winter I am still experiencing the frosty car and snowdrift sidewalks side of the season.:p But I have no doubt that I will enjoy the better parts of the cold as well which balances everything out quite nicely.Until then...
let it snow,let it snow,let it snow!

A friend is

- someone who 'covers' you (your flaws, faults, sins) instead of exposing you (prov.17:9)
- someone who sticks by your side, even at their own risk
- someone who respects you
- someone who keeps your secrets
- someone who takes care of you when you can't take care of yourself
- someone who laughs with you
- someone who cries with you
- someone who carries your burdens
- someone who lets you carry their burdens
- someone who challenges you to grow closer to Jesus
- someone who praises you, but doesn't flatter you
- someone who cheers for you and encourages you
- someone who believes in you
- someone who dreams with you and doesn't discourage your visions and dreams
- someone who walks with you through hard times
- someone who tells you the truth and corrects you when you need it (prov. 27:6)
- someone who fights for you and alongside you (and sometimes with you! hehe)
- someone who rescues you when you need it
- someone who is proud of you and proud to be your friend
- someone who is not ashamed of you or your past mistakes
- someone who just 'gets you' ...understands you
- someone who promotes you and your destiny more than their own (Jonathan/David)
- someone who knows you and all your flaws, and loves you anyway
-- originally posted by Tess on Worthy boards.Thanks Tess, you are wise for your years. :)

He Touched Me

Shackled by a heavy burden,
'Neath a load of guilt and shame,
Then the hand of Jesus touched me,
and now I am no longer the same.
http://members.tripod.com/~Synergy_2/lyrics/touched.html

That we may be to the praise of His glory

"Sometimes I feel discouraged and feel my work's in vain..."

but then I stumble over a variation of some verses in Ephesians 1:

"Grace to you,
From Jesus Christ our Savior,
He's redeemed us through His blood,
Grace to you.
Peace to you,
From God, our heav'nly Father,
Every blessing flows from Him,
Peace to you,
Peace to you.

Even as He chose us
Before the world's creation
To be holy and blameless
Before Him in love,
He's adopted us as His very own
Through Jesus to Himself by His good pleasure."

...and I'm reminded why I'm here and have no room to complain.

To Desire Him

"..Does seeking your own happiness sound self-centered?Aren't Christians supposed to seek God, not their own pleasure? To answer this question we need to understand a crucial truth about pleasure-seeking (hedonism): we value most what we delight in most. Pleasure is not God's competitor, idols are. Pleasure is simply a gauge that measures how valuable someone or something is to us. Pleasure is the measure of our treasure.
We know this intuitively. If a friend says to you, "I really enjoy being with you," you wouldn't accuse him of being self-centered. Why? Because your friend's delight in you is the evidence that you have great value in his heart. In fact, you'd be dishonored if he didn't experience any pleasure in your friendship. The same is true of God. If God is the source of our greatest delight then God is our most precious treasure; which makes us radically God-centered and not self-centered. And if we treasure God most, we glorify Him most."
- Desiring God Ministries

Hey Ronnie thanks for all your comments, they are fun to read.

Well the past week has been pretty busy with work and our missions conference.Work is not without its challenges but I was surprised at how easily I got back into the routine.I am already tired of listening to the same rock songs over and over again,the problem is the repetition plants them in my mind when I don't want them there. The good news is I've already had a few opportunities to plant seeds and witness and I am praying those doors will continue to open.
The last couple days I've ordered several books.Some are ones good friends recommended, others were ones I wanted and just 'happened' to stumble over. They should all arrive at about the same time so I will definitely have enough reading to keep me occupied for a while.:p I will let you all know what I think of 'Don't waste your life' and 'Chosen by God'.
Does anyone else think that November came up really fast? It is hard to believe that 2005 is almost over.Why at this rate I'll be as ancient as Ron in a very short time.
An interesting note, because of the size and quality of my grampa's lawn, it is a daily occurence to see two or three deer eating our grass.If they stick around during the winter I should try taming one of them. :p
Now as one of my favorite authors always says:
God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.

Shepherd of Love

This is one of my favorite songs to play or sing..

"Shepherd of Love, You knew I had lost my way;Shepherd of Love, You cared that I'd gone astray.You sought and found me, placed around meStrong arms that carried me home;No foe can harm me or alarm me, never again will I roam!
Shepherd of love, contentment at last is mine;Deep in my heart, there's peace and a joy divine.The future's brighter, burden's lighter,My cup runs over each day;Your grace supplied me, now provides me all that I need for the way.
Shepherd of Love, my Savior and Lord and Guide;Shepherd of Love, forever I'll stay by Your side.You sought and found me, placed around meStrong arms that carried me home;No foe can harm me, or alarm me, never again will I roam!
Shepherd of Love, my Savior and Lord and Guide,Shepherd of Love, forever I'll stay by Your side."

The Wisdom of the Aged

Tonight at church one of the speakers was an 89 year old man who's spent his life sharing Christ with men in the bush camps and outlying areas around here.He has an amazing wealth of Bible verses committed to memory.He'll get up to preach, and just start quoting verses, dead accurate, all pertaining to his theme. He says it with such emphasis and enthusiasm too, it is really encouraging to listen to.Every time I hear him I always come away refreshed and convicted.God truly has used him greatly. :)

Time Flies..

Wow can you believe that October is almost over? It seems it just got going and already it is the 23rd.My brother is 19 today - that is hard to believe.Before you know it will be Christmas and Ron will have to sing carols in chat. :p I think I'm going to have to ask Jade about getting him to do that....lol.You all have a great rest of the day ok?And remember...' all things were created by Him, and for Him. And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.'

Work..

Work is boring, tiring,fun,challenging, interesting......its just more of a learning experience.No matter where we are or what is happening to us, God is good all the time.

My Birthday Excursion

Ok so Saturday we headed out about 6 am in the morning to drive four hours to the city.We got there on time, but it was a bit of a challenge finding the music store :p.After lunch we went to the mall and spent 3 and a half hours looping it about 8 times I think lol.We found most of the things we were looking for and some things that we didn't need.Then a quick supper and fillup and we beat the dark getting out of the city.I hate driving in the city when its dark you see. Now the drive home was interesting because of all the deer.I saw a lot of them lol, and some too close for comfort.So to stay awake we turned the music up loud, drank mountain dew :x, and talked a lot.We made it home safe by 11 and I didn't even speed.It was just really special to have someone to spend the day hanging out with like that, I've never really done that much. And Madelaine is an awesome friend, I really appreciate getting to know her.It was a great birthday.

In Christ Alone

"In Christ alone my hope is found.He is my light, my strength, my song.This Cornerstone, this solid ground,firm through the fiercest drought and storm.What heights of love, what depths of peace!When fears are stilled, when strivings cease.My Comforter, my All in All,here in the love of Christ I stand."

Jeremiah 29:11-13

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."

Thanksgiving weekend

Wow this has been a busy weekend.Saturday afternoon we headed to my parents for Thanksgiving dinner with a total of 16 people.It was a really nice day so we all enjoyed the outdoors and the time together.Afterward we went and froze while watching our church hockey team practice for the tournament in the spring. :p
Sunday afternoon it was another lovely day so my friend,her little brother, my brother and I went canoeing.My dad was also out boating with my little sister so the guys decided to try towing the canoe with the boat.The short story is that the canoe ended up capsizing and throwing my friend and brother into the water. The water was very cold but they were able to get in the boat.So it made for an interesting turn of events!Thankfully they were fine except for being chilled to the bone.
Today was yet another nice day so my family came over and we went for a bike ride around the neighborhood.After a barbeque lunch my brother and I went for a leisurely walk in the woods before he headed back to college.
You know the more time I take to think about it the more I realize just how blessed I am.I live in a beautiful country, I am free to worship God, I have an awesome family,I have my health and so much more....
So next time all the problems in your life seem to come crashing down, try to stop a moment and thank God for all the blessings He has given you.You know that old song ' count your many blessings and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done' really is true. :)

Visiting Family

Well I have returned from visiting my grandparents.It was great to see them again and catch up on the events around their area.My cousins Chris and his wife Sherrie,and Kevin with girlfriend Amanda both have babies.And they are soooo cute.Zoe is 9 months and the happiest baby I've seen in a while.Sarah is 5 months, she is so adorable. :)Its still hard to believe my cousins really have children though lol.
Travelling for the most part was really nice. It was the perfect time for all the leaves to be changing to autumn colour.A good part of the trip back was over steep hills, so we would be at the top of one and look over rolling hills that were gorgeous mixtures of red,yellow,orange,purple and green.
We also did a bunch of shopping in various cities - which included a lot of walking . :P
On the way back we picked up my brother from college and I am looking forward to a big Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow night,and getting resettled back in the comfort of familiar surroundings.

Learning Turkish

Well on Monday I set out to learn some Turkish. I found a great little site that has lessons, tests, forums, and chat.The people there are so friendly, and willing to help you learn their language.So far I've learned that being from a different language family, the words and sentence structure are totally opposite. This makes it rather fun to learn as you have to approach it from a way different angle.One thing I find neat is that each letter only has one sound, compared to English that has many sounds for each letter.So if I once learn how to pronouce them, it will be fairly easy to sound out words.Now putting them in a sentence is another story altogether..

It is Well

When peace like a river attendeth my way,when sorrows like sea billows roll;whatever my lot Thou has taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul.

Its all for a reason

I want to tell you all something.You may be going through a really hard time right now. Maybe you feel that you can't do it anymore, or wonder 'why me'.Perhaps you wonder why God is allowing you to go through a trial or heartache.I've come up with two answers from what I've seen in my own short and relatively carefree life.
First, trials help us to grow as Christians.The more problems we encounter, the more we realize how inadequate we are to handle them ourselves.We need divine help, we need to learn to depend on and ask God for His work in our lives. A trial can be God's way of getting our attention back on Him instead of our own plans.
Second, God allows trials because through them we learn things to help others later on.I saw this again yesterday.The problems and stresses and heartaches I experienced as a teen my friend is now going through.I can totally relate, sympathize, and advise her since I have firsthand knowledge.
So remember that while you are questioning and complaining, God has a reason for letting this happen to you.That through this process you may become more and more like Christ, ultimately to God's glory.

Thoughts

Today is rainy,cold and damp.Lately several of my friends have been on my mind so I drove to a little park and just thought,prayed, and read some - you know I think I need to do that more often.When I take time to reflect I realize just how good God is to me, and how much He is teaching me all the time through reading,studying, friends, experiences.The more I talk to Christians, or browse Christian material, the more I realize just how little I do know.Right now I'm researching on premillenialism and amillenialism. There is so much out there on that, and both sides believe they are right.I think it will be a long process before I come to the conclusion of which side I am on.I just think it's time to stop believing something because I've always been taught it, and instead believe it because I have studied it and prayed about it and know it is the correct Biblical interpretation.If more Christians knew what they believed and why they believed it,we would see a difference in our churches.

An experimental experimentation

Well most of my friends were showing me their blogs and it looked like fun so I thought I'd give it a try.I don't know what I'll find to say but I guess I will dig up something. :p