"Jesus Wants the Rose:" Jesus wants You

Recently I watched this video: I was sitting on the bed. The ex-bf (the abusive one) was standing over me. He was drunk, and probably high on something, and kept repeating over and over again "NOBODY WANTS YOU!" and again "why would anyone want you?" "you deserve me treating you this way" "you will never find anyone who will want you." This went on for almost 3 hours that night. Finally, he left and I was alone. That is when I heard "I want you" "I have always wanted you." I responded "then take me." That night I gave my life to Christ, a few weeks later, He delivered me from my abuser. And a few more weeks later, He brought me to my husband. Broken and lost, He saved me.

Summer Time Snooze

I have got the summer time blues or what I like to call the summer time snooze. I'll explain: It is summer time, normally summer is my time. I am never unhappy in the summer. How could I be? I mean the sun is hot, the lemonade cold, and the fun never ends. Only this year, the fun seems to have ended. All I do now is think about Nazi Germany, technical writing, and dumb psychology 1010. The only ray of sunshine in my week is public speaking, who would have thought? I only like it because it requires little to no prep work. So, summer school has got me in the dumps, but why call it summer time snooze? Because those dumps translate to me being a lump...on the bed, or couch, or ground...sleeping in an effort to avoid Nazi fascism. I firmly believe in the "come all ye who are heavy laden and I will give thee rest" thing. I only wish it said "come all thee who are heavy laden with summer school and I will take that test." I just need to remember that in 5 more weeks, I will be 12 credits closer to being done, AND only have 12 credits left of my college career. Lord help me get through the summer though.

Happy Holy Week

In less than a week, we celebrate Christ's victory, His victory over death, and over sin. He said in the temple at Nazareth “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”(Luke 4). He came to heal your heart and set you free! And It is Finished! Praise be to our Gracious King! Forever and ever.

Because Love Compels Me To

Recently, I have run into the notion that I should keep my religious beliefs to myself. Why? Why do you need me to hide my beliefs to feel comfortable with me, or any other person for that matter? There are several reasons I publicly praise God. 1: I believe in relationship instead of religion. My relationship with God is the MOST important relationship I have because it defines me, renews me, strengthens me, and heals me. And this relationship guides every other relationship I have, and I mean every other relationship I have. I believe God is the steward of all things, because He created all things, including relationships. 2: God is not diminished by my failure to acknowledge His works in my life, I am. I believe in giving credit where credit is due, and I am better for it. It teaches me humility and humility allows for growth. 3: God is love. Love is the strongest force on Earth, stronger that fear. When you are moved by love, the entire world becomes a better place. I want to spread love. That is my mission in this life, to spread love. God is the purest form of love I know (and I hardly comprehend what pure love means). 4: My purest joy, and richest happiness comes from my relationship with God. He completes me, He makes me whole. Because He created me, He knows what I need, when I need it, and how I need it. I want you to know that sort of love, fulfillment, and joy. I make no demands, or assumptions about what you need in your life. I only offer the example that God is making of me. Love moves me, God moves me, and I have never been better.

Spring Fever

For me, spring fever kicks in New Years day and the symptoms get worse and worse until it gets to be 90 degrees outside. It is February 6th, my half birthday, and 70 degrees outside. I am stuck inside "writing" a paper. This is what I call inhumane. I'm supposed to be writing a memoir. Who knew that writing about myself would be so difficult, especially when I do it on this here blog all the time. I have squeaked out 700 words (I need at least 1500) and am out of anything left to say about me. Plus I have a lot of other things on my mind, like outside, hiking, swimming, starting a garden, sitting outside, laying outside, standing outside, drinking lemonade outside, and of course, going outside. Oh 70 degrees, you are a tease that will get me a bad grade, or several.

I would like to thank the academy ...

Today, at roughly 11 a.m., I successfully (hopefully) completed the semester from New Jersey. I would say hell but New Jersey seems more appropriate. There are some of FB status' I would like to post of remarks about this semester but so I don't forget any, I am doing them all at once: 1: Pardon me while I tuck 18 credits under my belt. 2: In July, freedom smells like hot dogs and fireworks. In December, at the end of the semester, freedom smells like hour and hours Gilmore Girls and fudge, at least it would smell like fudge had my husband not eaten it all last night. 3: There are a lot of people I would like to thank. First, I would like to thank Garrett Faylor for the fist pump of triumph and solidarity. Secondly, I would like to thank April Jackson for loving my hair as much as I do. I would also like to thank Jesse Cook for keeping the change that occurs in his voice (it goes to a higher pitch I am not kidding) when I am sounding like an idiot to a minimum. Thank you to those strange and sometimes inappropriate dreams about my professors that kept the class interesting. And of course my husband for keeping me well fed and almost sane. I would also like to thank myself for not killing anyone in their sleep or mine. I think I had a few more but forgot them while writing my acceptance speech. Here is to three weeks of sleeping in, clear skin, and non-achy muscles. The last three weeks have been a real bear but it's all over now. Well, until January.

School but mostly Praise to my friends and my God

School has driven me to edge of my sanity. So that's all on that subject. Other bits have brought me back to my center. My last post, what to say about that. It helped me much more than I ever knew or expected. I hate to sound cliche' but I seriously had no idea how freeing that would feel. Lately, the words from O Holy Night have taken on a new meaning for me. "Chains shall He break for the slave is a brother and in His name ALL oppression shall cease." Admitting out loud to myself and at the same time everyone else in the world, brought an experience of freedom and release that rivaled the freedom I experienced when I gave my life to God. The love and support I felt and continue to feel was something I did not expect to feel or receive. Thank you for the love you have shown, the love that brings healing. Most importantly, praise be to the Lord for true deliverance and freedom that comes from His loving sacrifice. "Let all within us Praise His holy name."